Possible project

Even though my attempt at not shopping for clothes cold turkey did not work out ... I did manage to curb my shopping a lot. I think more about the things I buy than I did before.

Currently I'm contemplating on doing something that's a cross between the 30 for 30 Challenge and the Dress Project. I'm going to see how many times I can incorporate my Butter by Nadia dress in my outfits for a month while only wearing 29 other articles of clothing. In the next few weeks I'll probably sit down to do some planning.

I can explain ...

Man ... I am really bad at this blogging thing. I kept swearing that I would be better about chronicling my outfits this year, but I found that I rarely had any outfit worth blogging about. I became so lazy at putting outfits together at the end of my last job.

Yes ... I said last job.

I got a new job! I started less than a month ago, and I am so happy now!

I took a couple of pics my first week at work since the bathroom has a full length mirror, but they all came out like this:

Not really showing the cuteness of the Reed Shirtdress or my shoes.

I did resort to taking pics at Anthro, which brought one thing to my attention:

I wear really dark clothes. I don't know when this happened, but I seem to own a lot of black [Blackboard dress and I forgot the name of the jacket].


I did manage to get a pic of the great outfit I wore to work yesterday. It was my attempt to replicate a classy look from the Anthro catalog from last summer:

Great Lengths Sweater
Languid Layers Skirt
Bowtie belt from Anthro
Tights from H&M
Headband by Sue of Giant Dwarf on Etsy.

Kitty Dress Up and OOTD

A couple of weeks ago the Kitty and Monkey came to visit. Since Tazy rarely blogs about fashion, I made her try stuff at Anthro just so I can post about it.

So without further delay, here is what Anthropologie looks like on a 15 year old girl:

Tulip Curtsy Blazer

Clearly not the best with a plaid tunic, but it was definitely a cute Fall item that even a high school girl can rock out in as she struts through the halls. 

Phlox & Coral Coat

She actually looked really adorable, but the hooks and buttons on this coat screamed "I will destroy the embroidery on this coat". It's just not worth it for an active teen.

And one final picture ... taken at Forever21 in Times Square that shows how adventurous and cute my baby Tazy is with hair accessories:

Now, the outfit of the day is motivated by the fact that I haven't done laundry in weeks, and I had to find something that didn't make me look like a vagabond walking out the door. So this is what I came up with ... I call it "East Meets West":

Salwar Kameez from Bangladesh
Belt from Old Navy
Marrs boots from Aldo

Just got back ...

from our much belated honeymoon to the Dominican Republic!

More pics and posts ... but right now we both need our rest.

Give and Get is Here!

Give and Get is Here!: "Enjoy 30% off from August 26-29 at Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy and we'll donate 5% of what you spend to a non-profit."

Sorry for not posting

I'm currently experiencing lots of technical difficulties ... this week's difficulty comes in the form of pink eye. Will be posting again as soon as I recover and succeed in not poking my eye out.

One of the main reasons why I don't post enough

I went into this blogging project in hopes of chronicling my attempts to wear everything in my closet without purchasing anything new. One of my reasons for not posting may be that I have no interesting outfits compared to other bloggers. But for the most part it's because of this:

My hair is always in a messy ponytail. Even when I go to work. I always look like a mess even if I succeed in putting together a cute outfit.

Truth be told, I have never really liked my hair long. I might take a lot of care for my hair, but that doesn't mean I'm fond of growing it out. In fact, I found it annoying when I had to grow my hair out for a traditional Bengali wedding instead of being the short-haired bride I always wanted to be.

So I felt it was time to take matters into my own hands ... now that I was [sorta] free from my mother's grasp. I made an appointment at Aveda to get my hair cut. I went from this:

to this ...

[sorry for the quality ... and how I look kinda bigger than I am in the bod]

I'm still getting used to the new haircut, but it is pretty awesome that it takes me minutes to dry my hair now. I'll try to keep everyone posted on how I try to style my new hair.

4th of July OOTD

Unlike most people, I did not spend my holiday weekend enjoying BBQ. No, not me. Instead, I attended a Big Brown wedding.

This sari weighed a TON. It's pure silk, and the entire thing is covered in sequins. I wasn't able to lift my right arm very far up without screaming out in pain ... no joke. My brother spent most of the following day massaging my shoulders.

Paparazzo shot of Tazy... hehehehe.

What I've learned so far ...

• As much as I love Anthropologie, I've had a harder and harder time justifying clothing purchases from there. I know I can count on Anthro for accessories, but I've grown more critical about everything else there that could tempt me.
• I still have a really hard time looking at basic pieces rather than eclectic pieces of clothing.
• I'm over the disposable fashion of places like Forever21. 
• I'm more of a brand whore than I thought. Not to say I go seeking out luxury brands. It's more like I've finally found stores/brands that speak to my fashion sense while still upholding quality. 
• Shopping around exhausts me. I know that being in a recession has forced people to shop around for the best deals, but I can't really stand going to multiple stores to find the cheapest price.
• The Internet has been my friend for bargain shopping.
• The sales/clearance rack is my friend. If it's not on sale, it's not worth buying.
• I wish I had discovered Dear Creatures sooner. The quality of the Camp Dress I got was completely unexpected and impressive, even if I look like a Brownie Scout.
• Thinking about the possibility of knitting my own sweater(s) this Fall gets me really excited about creative possibilities.
• I like shopping for my Hubby and baby sister more than I like shopping for me.
• I'm starting to accept my body/figure more now that I'm married and get constant constructive criticism from someone who cares that I look good and feel good about myself. You have no idea how refreshing it is to have someone tell me I shouldn't be ashamed about the way I look.

and most importantly ...

• I didn't know how much I was really going to miss my sibs. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about Shadman and Tisha, and what they are up to, and if they are being treated well, and when I'll get to curl up next to them and listen to them be teenagers, and wishing they were still small enough to carry one on each hip like I used to. I'm sure they get embarrassed by me, but I can't help loving them so much because they are the center of my universe.

Reviews, and how I've been a bad bad girl ...

Reviews: Since my office has summer Fridays now, I get out of work early and get to frolic around Manhattan as I please ... until Hubby gets home. He usually doesn't like standing around while I shop, so I try to get all my window shopping done while he is at work.

Decided to go try on some stuff that definitely had me taking a second look, though I didn't have any intention of buying anything. First up ...

Daring Dart Blouse-This lovely is on sale now, and though it may look pretty cute on some girls, it definitely was not cute on me. I really like Edme & Esyllte's style, but this blouse wasn't doing anything fabulous for me. As always, I sized down because Edme & Esyllte seems to run large.

Ring of Bows Tank-This tank top is actually really cute. I was drawn to the various bows. I'm not usually a fan of cotton knit shirts, but I could see this as being a good buy at a lower end store. I couldn't justify the price for something knit from Anthro.

Flutter-Flutter Blouse-This knit confection might not look the price, but it sure was comfy. I love the little surprise tail in the back. I would definitely wear something like this if it was more affordable because it was so summer perfect.

 All Ports Tank- I wish this top were a dress instead. The EK Jam Factory clothes are definitely styles I would love to own, though the prices are steep according to my budget. This dress would have really tugged at my wallet if it were in dress form. I love the little bit of pink at the collar, though I generally dislike the color pink. The stripes are not too childish, and the trapeze cut is not too flared to make one get lost in the fabric.

Fair Winds Blouse- Another shirt I wouldn't have minded seeing as a dress. Very comfortable. And I loved that the armholes were lined with cotton piping. This fabric would not be friendly against sweaty skin on a hot day, but the cotton parts would definitely help to keep this top comfortably on [instead of you wishing you could rip it off in discomfort].

Nearby Coast Dress- This is a EK Jam Factory confection I probably would have rather seen as a shirt. The dress is a lovely bright red, and the print is adorable. But it might be TOO red. The white piping really does a great job of breaking it up, but a softer color would probably have made this sailor style dress more appealing at its price point. Very comfortable otherwise.

Two-Wheeler Shirtdress- I only tried this dress on because so many bloggers seem to be in love with it. I was not in love with it. I felt like I looked really bulky, and the sleeves were really tight. I'm kinda glad that I didn't wait around for this dress to come back in stock and got the Beda dress instead. I think I look better in the Beda.

Grand Island Dress- I wanted to love this dress so bad. It was so much fun to put on with all the buttons. It looked like a good idea ... on the hanger. But on me, it was a mess. I didn't know what to do with the cowl neck. I couldn't get it to look appealing ... and I feel like I'm wearing a sack [though my husband says I can make a sack look good]. I loved the color. I loved the concept. I didn't love my execution of it. Very saddened by this.

[UPDATE]Polynesia Greetings Dress- This dress isn't even listed on the website it seems, but it is very nice in person. Though ... it is also a possible train-wreck for me. I loved the print. I loved the cut of it. But my body didn't like it. My chest tried to make a break out through the neckline of this dress. The print is lovely, and made me think about my pending honeymoon. The bows on the shoulders scream summer getaway dress, maybe on a beach or boardwalk ... with a margarita in hand. This dress was not for my larger-than-the-rest-of-me chest/body type, but I'm sure many other girls can pull of this very comfortable dress. Well worth the price if you can keep your chest from spilling out.

Fragmented Reflections Dress- This dress was a nightmare. I couldn't even get the zipper up. The lace on top is lovely in concept, but one would definitely need the help of their significant other to get into it. I hooked it in the back and only got the zipper up an inch before giving up. The slip is also really transparent. For a dress that is lined, I could still see my undies. Not good ... not good at all. I would not recommend this dress.

Roasted Serrano Dress- Love the construction of this dress. I usually hate halter dresses, but this one was great once on. The dress has a side zip instead of the annoying back zip accompanied by difficult-to-tie sash. The sash, once tied, does not need to be untied to get in and out of this dress. Definitely a feature I like. The design and thread work is beautiful. I loved the eyelet hem. This would probably be on top of my list of summer must-have dresses.

Greatest frustration of this experiment

It has come to my attention that I have a great deal of stuff missing. I normally wouldn't get upset about something disappearing temporarily ... only to reappear years later. But I'm on this shopping diet, which means that every available article of clothing is vital and essential. It really pains me that clothes that I've never gotten around to wearing, that still have tags on them ... have gone missing just when I really really want to wear it. Take for example my orange H&M dress from last summer with the peacocks. Now that I don't have to worry about my mom thinking I look scandalous in it because she'll never get to see me wear it around now [muwahahahahaha], I've failed to locate this elusive dress. It's brand new. Never been worn. I only tried it on once in the store. With moving twice and my wardrobe being split up between households, I've been literally tearing my hair out looking for it ... and my favorite shorts ... and my favorite sunhat. It's like someone bagged up all the clothes I looked forward to wearing and hid them.

I'm currently in the process of tearing my apartment down from roof to floor looking for every possible sign of my missing clothes. I hope Hubby doesn't kill me in the process.

Why is married life so difficult?

I thought that I would get some bliss once I got married to Hubby.

I thought the parental unit would finally leave me alone.

I was wrong ...

My mother seems to think that now that I am married, she can dictate BOTH of our social calendars. I haven't had a free weekend away from my mother in I feel like MONTHS. Hubby is actually getting sick and tired of driving and busing it over to Rockland every weekend. Don't get me wrong, I would hop on the bus/train/car for my lovely sibs, but my mother is a whole 'nother story. I was especially excited about seeing my sis and bro on Sunday night BECAUSE my mother wasn't home to disrupt quality time with my kitty luv and monkey [luv you Tazy & Shady].

Plus, she's increased the criticism 10 fold. She called me today at work just to make fun of my peeling skin [I suffer from eczema] and how I look like I have premature wrinkles [I'm freaking 28 and look like my 18 year old brother's twin]. She also kept commenting how my makeup makes me look dark. Compared to my mom, most Desi people are dark. She's the whitest Bengali I know.

Add to this ... her constant criticism of the way I dress. She thinks my shopping at Anthro is a complete waste because "it looks all slutty" to her. This coming from a woman who went on Hadj .... OBVIOUSLY ANYTHING SHOWING SKIN IS SLUTTY TO YOU!

My saving grace is that Hubby actually ENCOURAGES me to dress in cute stuff. He LIKES when I pull out a new pair of heels to wear out to dinner. And he LOVES watching me put makeup on because he feels like I'm doing something special just for him. He's always trying to find excuses to show me off to people because he thinks I'm the HOTTEST GIRL ON THE PLANET! yeay Hubby!

If it weren't for all these [sometimes pointless] trips, I would have Hubby cronicle my outfit choices more often for this blog. Le Sigh ...

What falling off the wagon looks like.

So I have a confession. Some weeks ago ... I fell off the no-spending diet wagon. I caved and made some purchases that broke the rules of the blog. Though I have to say in my defense, I needed some new things in my closet, i.e. comfortable shoes to wear at work and more wardrobe staples to wear to work. One of my purchases was totally on the whim, but I can see myself wearing long maxis a lot this summer.

Now, without further ado ... my purchases:

The Beda Dress & Depriest Boots
complimented by my already owned and loved belt from Anthro [name of which has slipped my mind]

I got the following on a whim:

The Sand-Skimmer Dress
complimented by my old Aerosole sandals.
It is really long! But I thought it very comfortable for the warm summer days to come. I definitely needed to wear a tank underneath like was recommended in reviews since the top is really sheer. I think it's really cute, and can easily go from looking Western to looking Victorian.

The hubby was a bit disappointed in my falling off the wagon. He started poking fun at me for a week, saying now I was going to go on a shopping binge. But honestly, I haven't really bought anything since. I might have to purchase some flat sandals this summer, but I might be able to manage with things hiding around my parents' house. They have a tendency of squirreling away shoes in the basement. The hubby did like the Beda dress more than the Sand-Skimmer ... but that's probably because one shows my body off better than the other.

So I only had really one good outfit this week worth taking a picture of. It was so worth showing that I wore it twice [to two different places] this week.

The Pitter-Patter Dress & my Marrs boots
I call it my May Day dress since a) it's white, which is a requirement; and b) it has a design in my BMC class color [baby blue].

I also tried on some stuff in store yesterday, just for kicks.

This skirt is really cute, and I don't think it's up on the website. I liked the special effects of the design when you move around. It's by Edme & Esyllte, and it sorta looks like the Circle the Globe skirt in fit.

I tried on the Beda dress in green. I don't think I liked it as much. The lace on the chest is nicer on the white one than the green one, in my opinion.

Sorta got a shot of how the back pops up ... but it might also be the way I took the picture.

Hovering dots dress.
I probably would have gotten this one if I wasn't back on the no-spending diet. The top contrasts really nicely with the bottom half of the dress. It's a chiffon top with polka dots on top of a cotton and eyelet skirt. A little day, a little night. It even comes with straps if you don't want to go strapless. I really like that it has this option. The Around the World dress also has this option, which is why I bought it for my birthday. I have a really hard time wearing strapless dresses because of my chest area.

I think the hubby would have especially liked this dress since there are buttons instead of a zipper.

Roped in Dress
I totally hated this dress. The top is way too big. There is no way of getting into this dress without assistance. And it doesn't come with any straps to alleviate the fact that the top is too big. I normally wear a 4 or 6, but this dress felt like I had to size down to a 0 in order for the top to stay up.

And seriously, how was I supposed to tie myself into this dress. Cute concept, but no way of executing it. And yes, I am holding me chest for dear life because they were falling out of the dress.

This is me falling out of the top. Those puppies didn't have to try hard to get out. There is no restraint or tension along the top of this  bodice.

Now I am off to prepare for my trip home for Mother's Day. Two mothers ... one day.

OOTD: Little School on the Prarie

Blackboard Dress from Anthro circa Fall '08
Marrs Cowboy boots from Aldo

The photo quality of my phone has gotten wickedly worse, ugh!

OOTD & Rock Bottom Remainders

Sorry for such a late night post. I spent most of the night watching the Rock Bottom Remainders Benefit Concert, and eating yummy Korean food in Koreatown.

Here is my OOTD. A complete stranger on the street complimented me on my coat as I was walking past her. Definitely made my day.

Skirted Peacoat
Skinny Jeans from Forever21
Kenneth Cole boots
Coach bag

OOTD and Review of Perfection!

Sunrise

Custom Fascinator by Giant Dwarf on etsy

Fatua [tunic] gifted from Bangladesh

Black skirt from GAP

Kenneth Cole boots

Made the excuse to go to Anthro today after a really harsh time at work. Decided to try on the dress that has been mocking me. I have to say that the dress itself is perfection.

I tried on a size 2 because someone left a review on the Anthro website that they fit in a 2, and they are close to my size. Close, but no cigar. I definitely need to try a size 4.

You can't really tell from the picture because my hair is obstructing it, but the back of this dress rode up my neck pretty far, which I take as a sign that it's too small in the back. Unfortunately, the Anthro store at Rock Ctr ran out of sizes other than 2 and 10.

I also stopped into the Aldo store, and it appears that the Marrs boots are sold out :-(  I might invest in the smaller version though, since I don't own any brown boots.