June 6, 2009

So yesterday was payday...

and I'm NOT buying these:


From Modcloth





From DewberryVintage


From What Circa Vintage


From Adidas
Plans for a Saturday:
Catch up on blogs
Cut out and start sewing dress
Read
Laundry
Mending (I have an ever growing pile calling me)
Make some music
Organize meals/work schedules for when my parents leave this thursday (they are going to a super secret location for a few days for their aniversary)
Clean up my sewing mess that's been sitting on the table for three weeks
Deposit $$
Get Money Order to pay off speeding ticket # 1
Arizona sent me a letter telling me I missed a court date and if I don't show up or pay, they'll issue a warrant for my arrest.
I wrote Arizona a letter telling them to not get their panties in a bunch, they'll have their $300 soon.
I can't find any shoes to fit over my toe...

June 5, 2009

Holy Kracow!

I frocking broke my toe while walking up a curb on my way back from lunch. I almost hit face first into the sidewalk, but managed to spring up at the last second. But my toe is all swollen and puffy and stingy. I've broken this toe a million times, so it's not new, just inconvenient. shoes don't fit my feet anymore... Oh well. Here's my ghetto rigged brace (i.e. packing tape and a paper towel. apparently there's no first aid kit at the office):

Normally the sides of my feet are straight.


and just for good meansure:





Laugh all you want.

Stats:
Blouse: Thrifted
Collar: Thrifted
Belt: Torrid (from when I was fifteen)
Skirt: Thrited
Shoes: Target
Shades: Walgreens (!)

I love the details of this collar. So pretty.

This was yesterday's outfit.
Shawn told me I looked like a School Teacher.
The Hamster (who's real name is Kim) said I looked like a School Girl.
Andrea, a really nice paralegal who I like alot called me a Librarian.
It's supposed to rain again today, which inspired me to write a list.
Things I love on a rainy day (Reader's Digest version):
  • Hats. Any hat will do, but I am partial to berets. I think this has something to do with the fact that my last name is Barrett, Which by the by means head, or chief, so yes there is a connection between Beret, Barrette, and Barrett. It's pronounced Bare- Ett by the by.
  • Coffee. I love coffee normally, but it just tastes better on rainy days
  • My Skin. Normally I hate it, but rain clears it up. Last night I looked horrid and yesterday was hot and icky. Today It's overcast, cool, and gloomy and my skin is smooth and clear and perfect. I blame my Norwegian/English/German/Czech/Eskimoe heritage.
  • Tea. I am not much of a tea drinker, though I have tried. I find it's flavour to be slightly bitter and I don't like how sugar tastes in tea. However I really do enjoy a cup of tea when it rains.
  • Books. There is nothing better than reading while it rains.
  • Fireplaces. When we lived downtown and had a real fireplace, the rain would drip into the fire and make it sizzle sometimes. That was my favourite.
  • Daydreaming. It's just better in the rain.
  • Walks. I know, I'm crazy, but no one else is ever out and there's a really nice stillness that falls over everything.
  • Coats. I love coats. It's nice to be able to use mine.
I've got nothing else to say. Lots on my mind, lots to do, so glad it's Friday.
One year 20 days.

June 4, 2009

The picture is bad, but this is the most beautiful coat ever. It was on sale at Macy's. For $95. I didn't buy it, but by golly I wanted to. The colour is actually much deeper red and the buttons have anchors on them. Seriously loved this coat more than I should. I found it while walking back to my car from taking that H&M dress back. I think I'm going to watch this coat and see if it goes any cheaper. I'd buy it for $30, but not much more than that. And yes I do know I'm cheep.

So Tuesday I went shopping with my mom, who wore a black vintage inspired shift and heeled sandals, Delaney, who was dressed like a 14 year old girl who was interested in fashion (heeled Mary Jane's, leggings, a silver shimmery skirt, t-shirt with tank top over it and a little shrug over that), Fraser, who wears the same thing everyday, and Grace who was in a dress and sandals. We all dress like this everyday. It's not that we got "dressed up" to go shopping, we always do this. Even when at home all of us try to wear something nice, just in case. I mean ya never know who could show up at your door. So anyways, we were walking in Costco, and one of those samplings people started going on about Gracie's red hair, we all smiled, Grace said thank you, and started to walk away. Then the Lady yelled at me (no joke, yelled) "So did you go to a graduation?" I turned, smiled, and replied that no we didn't. She stared at me like I'd just told her four plus four was green. "So why you all dressed like that?" Delaney stared at her like she had just told her six plus six was ice cream. "Cuz we are. We always dress like this." Then we walked away and the lady kept staring. Everywhere we went people made comments or stared after us, and while at first it was amusing, it began to get annoying

Now I get alot of stares. I'm fine with this. It's Riverside, I'm just too cool for this town (I'm half joking of course). But sometimes I don't understand people. They can be so rude about it! I mean I don't stare at people who are dressed up, or dressed down. I make mental notes, and if I feel so inclined, I compliment them. So I don't really understand this idea of going on about people who choose not to go out in sweats to run errands. Frankly I feel better about myself when I put the effort into making myself look nice. It's not because I feel I need to, but because I want to. I've decided that the next time I'm out and someone asks me why I am dressed the way I'm dressed I'm going to say "well are you going to the dump?" and when they answer no, I'm going to say, "then I guess we both don't dress appropriately for what we're doing." That sounds mean I know, but I'm kinda tired of this. People used to go out caring about what they looked like. I mean sure I understand people who need to pop out and are wearing something that isn't nice. It happens, and I surely don't expect anyone who's been working outside in dirt and mud to shower and apply makeup before going to Home Depot, but it seems to me, that if you happen to be wearing a dress and heels and run in to Home Depot, why do people have to stare and make comments? I'm not sure when it was the people stopped caring about how they looked when going out. It's not being vain, it's not being self centered. It's good grooming. Despite what the world wants us all to think we do judge people based on their attire, so why do we present ourselves as frumpy dumpy slobs? I should be able to walk into a grocery store in a nice outfit without being made into a side show freak. I've had to learn to train myself into thinking that they are staring because they think it's cool, but I've received alot of negative comments about the way I dress. Once I was in Stater Bros (a grocery store), and this lady who was probably in her thirties was on the same isle with me and she complimented my outfit and I said thank you and she asked where I was going out. I told her nowhere, and she asked if I dressed like this everyday, and I smiled and said "well I try!" and laughed and she got all snippy with me and went off on how it was rude to go out dressed fancy when other people don't have the time to dress so fancy. I'm sure she was probably just PMSing but I was still annoyed. Yes she could dress "fancy" if she wanted to. If it was important to her, I'm sure she could squeeze the time in. It takes me 45mins to pin curl my hair. It only takes about five to rag curl my hair. It takes two mins. to do my cheaters pin curls, and it take five mins in the morning to put in hot rollers. It's important to me so I get up early, it's important to me, so I've figured out ways to cut corners and still get the same effect. I pick out my outfits the night before so if I do get up late all I have to do it throw on clothes. I don't do this to impress anyone, but because I like the way I look when I do it. I want to present myself to the world as someone who cares about their appearance and how they are presenting themselves. Sure I do it in a different way. I wear more vintage things, do odd combinations, am a little old fashioned, but I don't walk around looking like a clown, or a slob.
Granted I do get alot of wonderful compliments, or have just learned to take certain phrases as compliments, because honestly regardless of whether anyone else likes it I'm just going to continue dressing how I want to. But it's very annoying to have to justify myself to people, just because I wore a pair of heels.

This isn't meant to sound like a rant, just a comment on how strange and sometimes rude people can be because they don't appreciate other's style.
My advice and motto is this: Dress in a way that you like. Wear what makes you feel comfortable, beautiful, confident, happy, and attractive. Because if you wear things that make you feel like that, you will be. And try to ignore rude and bitter people.
Edit: Oopse... I forgot to say Oney year and 21 days. One year and 21 days.

June 3, 2009

uh...

Stats:
Hat: Thrifted
Coat: Thrifted
Dress: Old Navy Hand me down from my mom
Shoes: Old Navy
Beaming Smile Courtesy of RAIN!
Creepy Guy who couldn't figure out why I was taking a picture of myself from the back of my dad's car courtesy of DCSS(Department of Child Support Services).
Guys...


It's raining! In June!! In Southern California!!! Not just raining either, full on thunder and lighting storm with big globs of rain!!!! I wore a RAINCOAT!!!!! IN JUNE!!!!!!


Needless to say, I'm pretty happy about this.
I'm sitting in my office with a big wide smile listening to the sounds of thunder cracking and rolling, thinking about how I have no rain appropriate shoes though I have 40 pairs of shoes (and I'm not joking about that) and this must be fixed before I move in one year and 22 days (I wasn't joking about counting down).

This morning I woke up early even though I went to bed late. It was overcast, but not more than normal June Gloom overcast. My pin curls dropped from my head gracefully this morning and brushed out perfectly. My skin was crystal clear, soft, and in no need of makeup at all.
I thought: "Huh, this is weird, good day."
Then I went down stairs and made myself breakfast.
Two minutes into cooking my eggs, I turned around to see rain coming down into the pool.
I squealed.
"Holy Crap! It's raining!" I yelled at Bri, who was putting on makeup.
I walked outside and just stood there feeling the wonderful coolness on my face. I forgot my eggs.
They didn't burn.

!

And it's Chipotle Wednesday.

Best. Day. Ever.

I had something else very important to blog about, but rain supersedes everything else.
*Le sigh*
(which as we all know is much more amazing than just a boring old *sigh*)
If you need me today, I'll be outside in the rain.
It's pretty wonderful how magical rain is....
:-)

June 2, 2009

Uh, hi. I'm not funny today.


Stats:
Hair bows: H&M
Shades: Forever21
Dress: ME!
Bag:Forever21
Shoes: Target


I made this dress. It's my own pattern. My mother likes to go on about the length, but I'm choosing to ignore that. It's not perfect, but I'm choosing to ignore that. The fabric (which we think is chintz ) has a bit of a mystery to it. Back two years ago when I decided that I wanted to start sewing for real, I grabbed a bolt of this pink stuff and some yellow sheer stuff intending to make a dress. They were in the garage. This was about the time my mom was working on costumes for a musical so I assumed they'd come from the guy who donated a bunch of bolts of fabric (he had some upholstery business). Needless to say I never made the dress. The bolts of fabric sat in my room for months. When I moved up stairs last summer I finally decided to go ahead and use them. There was only about two yards of fabric left of the pink stuff, so I figured I'd just fold that with my stash, and moved the bolt back out to the garage. So last week or so, my mom was talking about some sewing project I'd concocted and she said "oh that yellow stuff of yours would look really pretty with that." and I responded "what yellow stuff?" and she said "the yellow stuff in the garage on the bolt." and I said "that's yours left over from Honk." and she said, "no I never got that stuff from honk, you brought that home with you along with that pink stuff in your room." And I told her she was crazy because I didn't and had no clue where that stuff came from. Well turns out neither does she. We have no idea where this fabric came from, but it's pretty and looks good as my new dress. I might add some yellow sheer stuff underneath.


Off to go shopping with my mom and convince her to go to the mall so I can return and "what was I thinking" purchase that cost me 40$. It's not that I don't love the purchase, it's just highly impractical (think flapper fringe dress circa 1999 (I blame the fact that I've read nothing but F.Scott Fitzgerald for two months straight)). Every time I go to buy something I ask myself if I want this more than I want Portland, and 9 1/2 times out of ten I but it back. However this thing seemed to escape my logic and I just bought it. I'm just a little sad to take it back because first off it's a friggin flapper dress! and secondly because it fits really well and it's navy blue so it looks really good on me... C'est la vie.
p.s. I'm fairly sure that for the next year and 23 days I'm going to be posting a countdown like this. 1 year 23 days.

June 1, 2009

June Gloom (Inspiration Monday #12)


I made a decision to set a date and just do it. I'm not going back on my word, that's exciting. I'm not scared, but rather excited about it, that's exciting. I've got all kinds of plans, that are super exciting. So I picked a date:


June 25th 2010


I'm moving.

No more ugly smog,

No more Santa Ana winds,

No more blistering summers that start in January,

No more nine inches of rain a year,

No more California.


Sure I'll miss some things. Sure it'll be weird.

But I can't wait.


Why that date you ask?

Grace's birthday is the 23rd, and my Disneyland pass will run out on the 22nd. That give me two whole days to make a clean break. I know. Disneyland? Yes. Disneyland determined my moving date.

I get giddy goosebumps thinking about it.

One year and 24 days.

Let's do this thing.

That's what's inspiring me this week. How about you?