Blue Moon Fashion

Hi everyone,

Today we've got a blue moon in the sky (a blue moon is when there are two full moons in the same month) and I thought I'd share a rare outfit too in keeping with that theme.  What I did was allowed my husband Bryan to choose an outfit for me to wear on our date night this week, and I opened up my closet so he could use things in and out of my capsule wardrobe, coaching him through how things might work.  Here's what we got:

Top - Macy's, Necklace by Suzanne Love Jewelry (Raleigh artist), Purse - Target, Skirt - Torrid, Shoes - Toms

And here's an OOTD (Outfit of the day) I wore to the family reunion in Georgia last weekend:

The hair clip is from Modcloth, Top - Catos, Skirt - Catos, Sandals - Modcloth (Keri was my photographer here!)

The next day on the drive home I wore this comfy outfit.

Top - Anthropologie, Neckalace Phoebe Marie (Cleveland, OH artist),
Shorts - Levis via Amazon.com, Shoes Converse Kids via Macy's

And here are some shots from the trip and the reunion itself:

Hummingbird moths!

Mist on the Nantahala River

Teaching Keri to play Ricochet Robots

The yearly DS party

Sharing chips with our 8 year old cousin

These shots are at what has got to be one of the most beautiful rest stops I've ever seen.

All the Confederate flags!! But it was a cool little flea market.

At the Blue Ridge Parkway Folk Art Center...the lighting from those windows was too good to pass up!

As you can see I really enjoy taking pictures of nature when I can get out into it some!  It's been a busy week here and we're packing up to head the the beach, with DJ valiantly staying home to take care of the bun (our rabbit Scarlet, which you can see a video of here).  I'll write again once I get to the beach.

Love,

Lydia

Fashion Friday

Hi everyone,

I'm out for the weekend to a family reunion, so this will be a shorter entry.  I'll have travel pictures and possibly some good stories when I return.

This week I have a couple of outfits to share with you all and a quick "How-to" for the method I use to dye my hair (with help from my husband).

I start off by using Beyond The Zone bleach on my hair.  It comes in a great kit that contains powder and a bottle of developer, gloves, a hair cap you can use to highlight or just protect your stuff from bleach/dye, plus a little highlighting wand and a brush for applying the bleach.  I always use this kit because it works incredibly well.  It takes 30-90 minutes depending on your hair, mine usually works at around an hour.  And this is the result:

I could wait for it to get more white blond, but I also run the danger of waiting too long and frying a bit of hair.  I've only had this happen once, and serendipitously it just gave me some cute bangs.  But it scared me enough to never wait too long again!

After the bleach process is washed out of your hair you have to it's fully dry before dying it.  The bleach makes hair dry, but the color I use by Manic Panic is a stain, so it can sit on hair for hours and not hurt a thing.  I find it actually moisturizes my hair really well as long as I leave it on for a couple hours.  This time I left the color on overnight, and put on the hair cap from the bleach kit to protect my pillow.  When I went to wash the dye out very little came out because it had soaked in so well.  As for the color I started by adding bits of After Midnight (blue) and Enchanted Forest (dark green) strategically where I wanted them to show best, then I put Atomic Turquoise on the rest.  Bryan helped me spot and fix places I couldn't see.  I'm blind without my glasses, so I'm very glad to have him helping me.  Here's what it looks like with the dye in my hair:

and then after it's washed out and complete:

Other than sometimes using a hairdryer to help the dye or bleach soak in better (use sparingly for the bleach unless you really know what you're doing), I don't really do anything fancy.

Anyway, now for the outfits:

The top is from Maurices, the jeans are skinnies from Torrid, the flip flips from Old Navy and the necklace was made by a fellow artist at the Crafty Cotillion Handmade Expo back in 2009.  I tried to track them down, but I couldn't find her site.  I love this piece though! 

 

This top is one I tried from Gwynnie Bee, I was going to wear it on the trip today, but at the last minute decided I really wasn't so into it, for several reasons - the fit and for comfort's sake.  So I switched to the top pictured below from Anthropologie instead, but brought the floral button down from Anthopologie in case I needed it, and kept the zip ankle jeans and converse sneakers too.

That's all for today, but I'll be back to talk about my garden Monday.  Till then do you readers have any suggestions for new ways I can try wearing what's in my wardrobe?

Love,

Lydia

For more on my clothing (what capsule wardrobe for summer 2015 consists of) click here.

For more on the idea of capsule wardrobes check out this post.

More on My Capsule Wardrobe

Hi folks,

So first off I realized I wasn't totally clear about some things in my post about my capsule wardrobe.  I want to clarify how a capsule wardrobe works and what I'm doing with mine, then I'll highlight some of the struggles I've had in making it work thus far.

What's a capsule wardrobe?

The concept of a capsule wardrobe springs from the idea that if you look at what's in your closet after years of compiling more stuff you start to realize you hold on to things you don't need.  In some cases it's things that don't suit you as a person anymore, or that aren't work appropriate, things you have too many of, items that don't fit you right, or items that are worn or in need of repairs that might take too much effort.  Everyone has a little bit of these things in the closet in some way or other unless of course they're already some sort of minimalist.  If so you don't need to create a capsule, you're already doing it and just didn't know!

Once you start to condense your closet to just the "good stuff" you start to see more clearly what your sense of style is like, the types of clothes you enjoy wearing, what works well for your body, and a whole lot more.  It allows you to see what items you actually need so you spend less and also get more bang for your buck because you're being mindful about the buying process.  It places priority on only buying items you love that are of better quality instead of spending on a whim.  It also lets you relax since you know most items are mix and match ready with other pieces in your closet.  So it helps de-stress your daily routine, while opening the way for creativity in how you pair items.

I happened on the concept of the capsule wardrobe while browsing for new fashion blogs back in February.  While perhaps I don't seem like the type to care about it all from the point of designers and brand names I find that I really enjoy the aesthetic fun of creating new looks for myself, and viewing what other normal people have done as well.  I mulled over the idea and knowing our move would give me the perfect chance to enact a big change I started planning things out during April and May.  The sites I drew inspiration from were Unfancy and Project 333 for the basics of how to put the capsule together.  Then blogs like Crafty Minx (who makes some of her own clothes and is also a plus sized lady!) and Kendra's Closet Confections (I loooove her way of combining bright colors and classic cuts) for ideas on what kinds of items might work well for my style, since I like their looks.  These days I'm looking for new ways to style what I've chosen from blogs like my friend Rachel's (where she pairs long sleeves with shorts, totally on my to try list!) and some of the other new plus size capsule creators like Little Raven Ink (she's also an artist, so her blog is extra fun).

Most capsule wardrobes are created to cover a 3 month period and use about 30-37 pieces.  My first one landed at 35 pieces, but I'm already starting to see I should have made a few changes now that I'm a month and a half in to my June-August cycle.  A lot of people have different rules for what pieces they include and don't too, some count purses, jewelry, and other accessories, and some don't.  Mine includes tops, bottoms, dresses and shoes for now.  I also kind of added my purse, so you could say it's 36 pieces now.  I'm not too picky this time around.  To recap here are the images of all the clothes I've included.

For more information about the individual pieces please check out my last post.

So, you're probably wondering what kind of issues could I have had?  These clothes look pretty good.  (At least I hope that's what you're thinking!) Well, my problem is I want to layer more and add things like scarves to my repertoire.  My struggle there is it's really been hot here in North Carolina.  To an extent it is every summer, but for the past month & a half the highs have been above 90F the vast majority of days (average is supposed to be mid 80s).  I get hot way too easily for being fancy most days since I'm more the fall and winter loving type of person.  I think I've only managed to wear jeans 5-6 times since the start of June, though the olive khakis should fare a bit better since they roll up.

That's really been the biggest issue I've had.  Also I feel like I don't have need for skirts as much as I hoped during summer.  And though having 2 dresses available is nice I'm not sure I'll wear the second one by the end of summer unless I start making opportunities to.  I'm more comfortable wearing skirts and dresses in fall when I can throw on some leggings and not have to deal with heat rash on my poor bare legs.

My goals for the next month and a half are to:
1. Start photographing my favorite combinations
2. Plan my fall wardrobe with as few new items as possible
3. Connect with other bloggers
4. Be more creative with the pieces and accessories I've got

That's all for this Fashionyface Friday.  Next week I'll try to share some of my outfits with you all and talk about my experiences with the clothing rental company Gwynnie Bee.  Till next time!

Love,

Lydia

More on my capsule wardrobe clothing pieces here and more on the idea of what a capsule wardrobe is here.

The Capsule Wardrobe AKA Fashionyface Things

Hey folks,

So on the good side of things when I tend to stay busy I'm also better able to hold depression at bay.  That's for reasons from being more social, to feeling useful, all the way to simply not having as much time to think and reflect on things.  Over the past few months I've stayed fairly busy and the past couple weeks have been no exception.  I've put together my capsule wardrobe, which comes to a total of 35 pieces.  I found that once I took a good long look at my clothes it wasn't too tough.  I set aside some of my clothes for different seasons by grouping by colors to a certain extent.  So I have 3-4 pieces set aside for spring, about 16 for fall, and around 8 for winter.  Plus I haven't bothered to purge a lot of my winter things just yet so I'm sure I'll add to that number. I've managed to go through most other items in my closet and will try selling a bunch of shoes on either Ebay or Poshmark perhaps.  If anyone has experience with Poshmark let me know what you think if them as I just heard of them and want to hear some reviews.

Now that I've cleared out my closet, on the the Summer 2015 Capsule wardrobe!

So now it's on with the clothes!  Let me know if you want more information, for now I'm sticking with where I got items and a quick descriptor.  I'm happy to provide more info!  I love discussing places to find adorable outfits when I get the chance too so I'd love to hear what some of my reader's favorites are as well.  Let me know what places you love in the comments.

1 -  Serenity Mosaica (Firefly/Serenity) tshirt from Neatoshop
2 - Lace trim cami, Kmart
3 - Ruffled swing top, Anthropologie
4 - Tank with chiffon inset, Catos
5 - Balloon print top, Macy's
6 - Rolled sleeve dolman tshirt, Catos
7 - Striped hi-low top, Anthropologie
8 - Geometric print cami, City Chic
9 - Orange Islands (Pokemon) Tshirt from Neatoshop
10 - Eiffel tower print crop top, Catos
11 - Bubble hem cami, City Chic
12 - Henley tank, Anthropologie
13 - Bubble hem cami, City Chic (I have this top in 4 colors because I caught a great sale and love how comfortable it feels!  I'm saving the purple one for fall as well as a black and white striped one.)
14 - Contrast strap lace front tank, Maurices
15 - Floral print button down, Anthropologie
16 - Lace back hoodie, Target

17 - Zip vent, studded pocket ankle jeans, Torrid
18 - Skinny jeans, Torrid
19 - Roll tab pants, Macy's
20 - Lace maxi skirt, Torrid
21 - Striped terry skirt, Catos
22 - Gauze maxi skirt, Old Navy
23 - Linen drawstring shorts, Lane Bryant
24 - Levis cut off shorts, Modcloth
25 - Levis dark wash, rolled hem shorts, Amazon
26 - Heart print sundress, City Chic
27 - Levis light wash, rolled hem shorts, Amazon
28 - Colored denim rolled hem shorts, Lane Bryant
29 - The Story of Citrus dress, Modcloth
30 - Gallery Cafe sandal, Modcloth
31 - Paisley wedge flip flops (girls size 5=7 womens), Old Navy
32 - Floral print flats, Payless
33 - Corner Bistro sandal, Modcloth
34 - Lauren navy and straw wedge, Macy's
35 - Converse ruffle tongue sneakers (girls size 5), Macy's

I feel pretty great about it all and over the course of this month I've not felt limited at all!  So far items I haven't worn are 2, 4, 10, 20, 22, 29, and 34.  And in the case of 4 & 10 it's because I pulled them out of a box later in unpacking....because I still have some clothes left to unpack.  >.<  Not much though.  I don't have a lot of occasions to wear skirts and dresses in the summer, but I want to wear skirts a bit more often for fun.  I wore the sundress on father's day at least, and the striped skirt out to the movies last Sunday.  I know I also have a couple skirts and dresses left to unpack, so perhaps I'll have more to wear in that department soon!  Also I'll probably incorporate my purses and scarves into my next season's capsule.  Right now I've been using this little shoulder bag all the time, though I have several others too.  (lip balm shown for scale!)

Other than all that I also got a bit of a makeover this month with a nice short haircut for summer.

I've been trying to decide what color I'll do next since last time I did this lovely color transition.

So, this post is completely vain...but not in vain I hope?  haha  Ok, no more puns....
Really though I'll be back soon to show a bit more of our home to you so you all can see what I've been working on.  Also it's past time for a good book review post.  And I've been gardening and trying new recipes too!  Having a kitchen with a working sink is such a blessing after spending the last month at the rental without one.  And having space to cook....it's simply amazing!  I can't wait to share all of it with you.  Til next time!

Love,
Lydia

Me Oh My Oh May

Hi past everyone,

This month has been absolutely crazy with moving.  I don't even know where to begin!  We're almost finished cleaning out the rental and have been living at the new house a couple weeks now.  I haven't written in a while because I've been busier than almost any other time in my life (excepting the semester I tried to work two jobs!) and without internet for most of the month.  Life without internet can be frustrating at times, such as when I feel like writing, but hopefully I can make it a couple more weeks until evil old Time Warner finishes installing cables in our neighborhood.  The date keeps getting pushed back, so I'm not sure how much I believe them anymore with each new date they name since they originally said May 5th.

I've been rereading books I own, and working on painting the new house (and repainted at the rental too!), packing doing lots of organizing as we've moved things.  I can't wait to have everything sorted and in place the way I like it.  It's been a rough past month and a half, but we are so glad to be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel.  We got our refrigerator Friday, and while there have been some issues with getting everything in out home contract completed in a reasonable amount of time I have I hopes that all will be done soon.  We're down to 1. internet, 2. a mailbox (they haven't installed the cluster ones yet!), 3. getting the last few window screens, 4. getting a hole in our screen porch patched, and 5. getting in the 2 light fixtures that were backordered installed in our bathroom.

As of last Sunday we're done with the rental, and it already feels fantastic!  Sure we have a house full of boxes (many from my parents since they boxed up bits of my childhood and I get to sort through it all.  Between trips to various coffee shops for internet I'm getting bits done here and there.  I'm eager to get things unpacked and start new routines in my house and studio over the next few weeks.  My goal is getting into habits that help my health and productivity.  So I'd like to establish some portion of daily and weekly schedules, so I can be writing or making art when I'm most productive mentally and starting my days in a way that helps me be more productive rather than wasting time.  It's a tall order, but I'm up for the challenge.

In that vein I'm also going to try making a capsule wardrobe for the first time.  You can read more about the definitions of a capsule wardrobe at blogs like Unfancy and Project 333.  I'm looking at staring mine officially today and have about 18 pieces picked so far, but I still need to finish my unpacking.  Some blogs are in the camp of counting accessories and jewelry, some aren't.  Personally I'm going to count any cloth items, but not jewelry.  I think I'll probably end up with about 33 pieces for summer, but will probably go with 35 for the other seasons.  However, we'll see.  I still have a lot to decide and would rather have less items than I would more.  I've also found that many people doing this kind of capsule wardrobe aren't using bright colors or wearing plus sized clothing.  So this should add some interesting quirks to my capsule!  I look forward to sharing the results with you all, but for now here are some shots from the past couple months as we've been watching our house be built and moving in.

I've got a couple more posts in the works, but it's been slower going than usual with the lack of internet.  So for now I'll be testing out some productivity apps - Asana, Balanced, Remember The Milk, and Toodledo.  And hopefully get in some reviews of them in an upcoming post.  I look forward to catching up with all of you soon (with internet at home perhaps)!

Love,
Lydia