Firecracker's Blog

My friend Renee runs one of my favorite local boutiques, the eponymous Renee's in Everett. She is having one of her occasional fashion shows, on Saturday, Oct. 25, at 4 p.m. Here are the details on her blog, for anyone interested!
I am going for sure, as I will be one of the models. I've been to the shows in the past and really love seeing the clothing on her customers, who serve as models. Renee has a good eye, and the pieces I buy from her are always among my favorite items. Let me know if you have any questions or PM me if you want to ride together. I will probably go up early and may stay late to help out.

Here are WIWs from the last few days. Not any real theme here. I'll welcome any thoughts and suggestions you have!

1-3 (worn to work): charcoal skinny pants (Classiques Entier, City Weave ankle pants); light gray silk placket front blouse (Vince); gray metallic tweed jacket with zipper-piped yoke and ribbon trim (made by me); black packable coat (Cole Haan); black flat booties (Munro, Lexie); black satchel (Elliott Lucca, Olvera).

4-6 (worn for a day off & afternoon of shopping): distressed skinny boyfriend jeans (Silver); mauve and multi-colored floral tee (made by me); olive quilted jacket with knit sleeves (Blue Willie); black belt with fancy buckle, studs, and rhinestones (Bed Stu); black flat booties (Munro Lexie); black satchel (Elliott Lucca, Olvera).
(Wore this outfit when I bought the corduroys, in the next outfit. . .. )

7-9 (worn for work): skinny olive corduroys (Kut from the Kloth, Diana); blue, olive, red, and white print knit surplice top (made by me); ink blue linen knit draped open front-vest (made by me); stone and cream leather belt (Annette Goertz); pewter metallic suede high-tops (Paul Green); olive coat (Laundry by Shelli Segal); taupe shoulder bag (Aunts & Uncles).

Thanks for looking!

Yesterday and today I photographed versions of my outfits that did not leave the house, as well as the ones that did. Yesterday I tried pumps but wore booties. Today I tried a peplum jacket but wore a long cardigan. In each case, I went with the more casual and comfortable version of the outfit. What I learned: I don't actually mind feeling a little dressier, but if it means being even a tad less comfortable, I'll go with comfort!

The outfits (worn for days off):

1-4: olive print silk broadcloth popover blouse (Nexx); dark wash straight-leg jeans (Kut from the Kloth, Stevie); cropped black denim moto jacket (Free People); black satchel (Elliott Lucca, Olvera); flat black booties (Munro) vs. heeled black and burnished bold pumps (Anyi Lu).
I love these pumps and feel great when I wear them. I want to start wearing them more, rather than saving them for special occasions. They are very comfortable, for heels. The booties won, though, because of the chill in the air when we went out for breakfast, and I didn't want to bother with knee-high stockings.

5-8: same jeans; taupe and purple floral tee (made by me); gray shimmer oxfords (Naot, Kedma); long charcoal cardigan (Halogen) versus gray French terry zip-front jacket with peplum (Ambition).
I went with the cardi because it was more comfortable layered over the sleeves of the t-shirt. I am considering getting rid of the peplum jacket. It doesn't get that much wear, and lately I've been reaching for other jackets or toppers instead. Maybe it's dated. I has always seemed a difficult color (odd shade of gray), and yet, I have a boxy, V-neck cardigan in the exact same shade that I have worn until it really looks pretty awful. It's relegated to around-the-house-chores wear. So I'm not sure what gives. Any thoughts on keeping or divesting of this jacket?

Thanks for looking! All thoughts and suggestions are welcome.

When Angie posted this ensemble featuring bootcuts and a wrap blouse, I didn't have a current, looser-style wrap blouse. But I had the pattern for one, and some fabric I wanted to try it with. Mine is different than what I've seen in the stores, and I didn't wear it with bootcuts (this time). But here it is. I was trying the pattern for the first time, and I think I'd like to make it again, in a drapey fabric.
The second outfit is another sewing project--or pseudo-sewing. It's machine embroidery, actually, one of the things I teach at work.

The outfits (both worn to work):
1-3: crossover blouse in ivory with tiny blue and black horizontal pinstripe cotton shirting (made by me); navy chinos (Caslon); piano wire bracelet; silver etched disk earrings; gray shimmer oxfords (Naot, Kedma); teal trench (Ambition); taupe shoulder bag (Aunts & Uncles).

4-6: sage empire waist sleeveless knit dress with high-low hem (Eileen Fisher); purple cropped cardigan with embroidered flowers (Tribal, embellished by me); metallic cutout peep-toe booties (Paul Green, Tacey); silver and brass necklace and silver hammered half-hoop post earrings (Marjorie Baer); taupe shoulder bag (Aunts & uncles).

I am not all that into the embroidery on clothes, though I think it's pretty to look at. And actually, to be honest, I am drawn to a lot of boho looks that have embroidery. This one isn't bold enough to approximate that look, though. I tried to make it work for me with the addition of the booties. Did it work? 

Thanks for looking! All thoughts and suggestions welcome!

ETA: 7: closeup of striped shirting fabric (a scrap, and not pressed)

This outfit felt good for a warm fall day. Happiness factor: high! Just a couple of days ago, my neck was too cold in a wool sweater with a ballet neck, worn over a cami. Today I comfortably wore a cotton open weave sweater over a cami. Go figure!

The outfit, worn for a day off:
White bootcut jeans (Lucky, Lolita), dark blue open-weave sweater (RDI) over ivory tank (Shimera); pewter cutout belt (Fossil); metallic suede high-top sneakers (Paul Green); teal short trench coat (Ambition); taupe shoulder bag (Aunts & Uncles).

All thoughts and suggestions are welcome. Thanks for looking!

Yesterday's and today's outfits were pretty fun outfits to wear. I felt especially good in the jeans outfit--very high happiness factor in that one. Looking at the photos, though, I can say both outfits felt a lot better than I think they looked. Not to say they looked bad, it's just that the looks don't match how they made me feel.
Does that ever happen to you?

The outfits:
1-2 (worn for a day off): blue and ivory floral high-low tee (made by me), semi-tucked into boyfriend jeans (Fidelity); taupe and ivory marled hand-knit relaxed cardigan (Amy Brill); stone and cream leather belt (Annette Goertz); gray shimmer oxfords (Naot Kedma).
3-5 (worn to work): gray and mauve mixed-print pleat-back high-low tee (made by me); charcoal crinkle knit four-gored skirt (made by me); gray wedge Mary Janes (Pikolinos); black denim cropped moto (Free People); taupe shoulder bag (Aunts & Uncles).

I'm thinking I might have felt better about the look of the second outfit if I had worn my oxfords (in outfit 1) or flat black booties. It might have looked more current. But I went for the more ladylike feel of the wedge Mary Jane pumps.

Thoughts or suggestions? Thanks for looking!

I put on this outfit yesterday to wear at home, mostly, for a day off. It was a not-quite-warm, not-quite-cold day, and I thought this lightweight wool sweater over a cami should be just right. My neck was cold right off the bat, so I added a scarf. I was fiddling with the scarf most of the day, to keep the back of my neck covered. I took these photos with the scarf a couple of ways, including wearing it under the sweater, a style I saw in a J. Crew catalog I received recently. Vicki wore a scarf this way this past weekend, and it looked great on her. My rendition? Not so much. But, hey, I tried.

So I'm pretty fed up with this sweater, which I think is cute but I hardly wear, because of the low-cut neck that is always cold. I usually wear it with a top underneath that comes up higher, but I'm never completely comfortable or happy with that solution, either. I think I have a lot of other things I could wear instead. What say you: keep or toss the sweater?

I do really like this scarf, by the way, and I keep trying to find things to go with it.

The outfit: purple zip-back 3/4-sleeved pullover (Caslon); dark wash straight leg jeans (Kut from the Kloth, Stevie); light blue scarf with sewn-on geometric print silk in blues, greens, purples, black; gray shimmer oxfords (Naot, Kedma). (7-8 are bonus pics of the new oxfords!)

Thanks for looking! Your wisdom is welcome (thoughts, suggestions)!