Tag Archives: Banana Republic

Theory Week

IMG_20190429_084959_589.jpg
Theory cashmere cardigan, Banana Republic T-shirt and pants, Marc Jacobs booties
IMG_20190430_083425_659.jpg
Theory cashmere sweater, Trina Turk skirt, BCBGeneration booties

I am currently obsessed with Theory cashmere sweaters.  I have five and wore them every day this week.  Love, love, LOVE!!! <3 . I guess I also love that it is still chilly enough to wear them to work, lol  (it is May, after all).

IMG_20190501_102114_144.jpg
Theory cashmere sweater, Trina Turk skirt, Marc Jacobs boots

Love how you get one new thing and all of a sudden everything in your closet feels new too.

One more week until the school fair.  It is on Friday, May 10, 2019 from 5:30 – 8:00 pm at Chittenango High School.  On Monday, I will make final edits on what I will be bringing this year.  And after that, we will be on the tail end of the school year!

There is still a lot to do.  My Art-8 students are all making papier-mache sculptures or reductive floral foam sculptures.  Next week, 8th grade Studio in Art students are going to take a time-out from their still-life paintings to do a clay project and my Art-5 students are glazing clay sculptures.  We are very busy/very messy right now.  It is really fun!  I love my life!!!

IMG_20190502_104148_393.jpg
Theory cashmere cardigan, BCBGMaxAzria top and pants, Marc Jacobs booties
IMG_20190503_083541_779.jpg
Theory cashmere cardigan, BCBGMaxAzria sweater, Trina Turk top and skirt, BCBGMaxAzria sandals

Fashion Magic

IMG_20171006_104819_309
Rachel Zoe top, 7 For All Mankind jeans, BCBGeneration sandals

Here is my new favorite outfit!  I love this Rachel Zoe top so much – I bought it in white too!  And adding spandex to jeans is the most brilliant concept the fashion world has ever known.  These 7 For All Mankind cropped ankle jeans are so spectacular.  They totally move with me like a second skin.  My most recent purchase.  Lately, every time I buy something, I say to myself – okay, after this you don’t really need anything else.  LOL!  Needless to say, that thought is fleeting.

IMG_20170928_082627_005
Rachel Zoe top, Calvin Klein jeans, Nine West booties
IMG_20170911_123857_684
Honora necklace, Banana Republic sweater, BCBGMaxAzria pants and booties

I also recently acquired these BCBGMaxAzria silk velvet cargo pants in teal – one of the major colors this season.  They are amazing in every way!  Soft, elastic waist, cropped so that they did not need hemming… OMG!  Love!!! <3

IMG_20171005_110540_340
Free People top, Banana Republic pants, BCBGeneration booties

And the Sloan fit pant from Banana Republic – I bought them in both garnet and charcoal.  The red ones were on some ridiculous sale because they were the last pair and happened to be in my size.  I think they ended up being only $20!

IMG_20170908_094020_784
Banana Republic cardigan and pants, Rachel Zoe top, Nine West booties

Here are the rest of my #ootd pics since school resumed.  Some are weekend shots.  I really love all my Rachel Zoe tops.  The fabrication is top notch.  I buy them on-line as no stores in Syracuse, New York carry her.  Same goes for Trina Turk.  Actually, shopping on-line is the way I prefer acquiring my wardrobe.  Sometimes I try on BCBG and other stuff while at Lord & Taylor.  I spent a couple hours in there trying on jeans last week so that I could ascertain my size and the best fit.  Turns out I am a standard size 2 across the board in Hudson, Joe’s Jeans and 7 For All Mankind (0 in Banana and XS or XXS in BCBG depending on the cut).  Yes!!!!!  And…I love it when something comes in the mail and it is a perfect fit.  It is just like magic!  Because, of course, fashion is magical.

IMG_20170826_202316_269
BCBGMaxAzria romper, BCBGeneration booties
IMG_20170907_121544_763
Free People cardigan and dress, BCBGeneration booties
IMG_20170914_085325_311
Halston Heritage dress, BCBGeneration booties
IMG_20170915_104429_402
Trina Turk dress, BCBGMaxAzria belt and sandals
IMG_20170918_093020_859
BCBGMaxAzria dress and belt, BCBGeneration sandals
IMG_20170919_092200_723
Lucky Brand top, BCNGMaxAzria skirt, BCBGeneration booties
IMG_20170922_224540_373
BCBGMaxAzria dress, Coach clutch, BCBGeneration booties
IMG_20170920_094125_626
BCBGMaxAzria top and booties, Trina Turk skirt, Michelle DaRin bracelets
IMG_20170925_091445_515
Free People top, Trina Turk skirt, BCBGMaxAzria sandals
IMG_20170927_084524_998
Honora necklace, BCBGMaxAzria dress, BCBGeneration booties
IMG_20170929_092414_483
Free People cardigan and dress, Karl Lagerfeld Paris boots
IMG_20171002_091935_922
BCBGeneration dress and booties
IMG_20171003_102603_532
Free People dress, BCBGeneration booties
IMG_20171004_105700_784
Banana Republic dress, BCBGMaxAzria booties

School’s Out for Summer!

IMG_20170424_092029_390
Banana Republic suit, Free People top, BCBGeneration sandals
IMG_20170426_084003_299
Chan Luu choker, Free People cardigan and top, BCBGMaxAzria leggings, BCBGeneration sandals
IMG_20170508_100115_454
Screw cardigan, Free People top, BCBGMax Azria pants, Nine West booties

I’m finally getting back to blogging now that I’m in summer mode.  I will post soon about more new encaustic paintings, once I get around to mounting them onto the chalk boards.  I have a dozen new heart paintings and a dozen abstracted baseball ones that I am loving.  They are currently residing on my kitchen table – and on the surrounding counter space.  No current plans for exhibiting them as of yet.

IMG_20170510_083558_259
BCBGMax Azria dress and pants, Banana Republic top, Coach booties
IMG_20170503_105245_898
Free People cardigan, Trina Turk top, BCBGMaxAzria leggings, Ugg boots
IMG_20170512_093255_400
Honors necklace, BCBGeneration dress, Karl Lagerfeld boots

I still have artwork up at Kimberly’s Salon on James Street in Eastwood and at Syracuse Yoga down the street on Thompson Road.  Not sure what is up next for me, but that makes the journey so special.  I made the paintings for a purpose; just not sure what that purpose is as of yet, lol.

IMG_20170616_085742_357
Free People top, BCBGMax Azria belt and leggings, BCBGeneration sandals
IMG_20170522_090124_547
Banana Republic suit jacket, Syracuse yoga T-shirt, Inc pants, BCBGeneration booties
IMG_20170606_084605_371
Honora necklace, BCBGMaxAzria top and pants, BCBGeneration sandals

If I can get my friends to put up with doing the photography, I will try to post #ootd pics on Instagram during July and August.  Although I am usually the one who takes our obligatory selfie when we are all out and about, I am not a fan of those selfie pics where the fashion blogger cuts off her own head or shoots a foreshortened image from above.  By not a fan, I mean I really don’t want to do that.  So…we’ll see.

IMG_20170601_091629_426
Free People top, BCBGMaxAzria pants, BCBGMaxAzria sandals
IMG_20170607_223124_083
Free People cardigan, BCBGMaxAzria romper, Nine West boots

Here are some outfits from the past few weeks.  Kinda fell off the wagon with posting them here.  We were having technical difficulties with the lighting in the classroom.  I had to double edit the pics to adjust the brightness, so there are inconsistencies – I guess I will hold to that excuse.  We take dozens of pics in a short time and I swear I am always changing out the pose, but for some reason I like this crossed legged thing-a-ma-bob that I have been doing a lot.  It feels like the most natural and most comfortable position for me especially when I am wearing a dress or skirt.  My go-to vogue.  My work colleague Brad calls it my stance.

IMG_20170612_084703_216
BCBGMaxAzria dress, Nine West sandals
IMG_20170613_084112_937
Hailstone Heritage dress, BCBGMaxAzria sandals

My new favorite things – Halston Heritage and everything by Rachel Zoe!  OMG, I love her!  I now own five pieces – two dresses and three tops.  I am on her site literally every day.  I want more!

IMG_20170620_195214_761
Rachel Zoe dress, BCBGeneration sandals and clutch

I’ve discovered something called the Amazon wish list.  It is a public list of things I desire.  All I have to do is dream while on-line shopping and perhaps these things will actually materialize in my mailbox on the condition that fairy godmothers/Santa Claus/tooth fairy/Easter bunny/patron saints of fashion do exist.  That is wishful thinking at its finest.  How cool is this?

IMG_20170609_100928_978
Banana Republic cardigan, BCBGMaxAzria top, Bailey 44 skirt, BCBGeneration sandals

I <3 fashion.  Love, love, LOVE!!!

IMG_20170623_085900_450
Banana Republic top and skirt, BCBGMaxAzria sandals
IMG_20170518_084425_126
Free People top, Bailey 44 skirt, BCBGeneration sandals
IMG_20170530_091947_271
Free People cardigan, Rachel Roy top, BCBGMaxAzria skirt, Ugg boots
IMG_20170605_095250_743
Free People dress, BCBGMaxAzria pants and sandals

#fashionintherealworld

IMG_20170412_092007_305
Banana Republic cardigan, Free People top, BCBGMaxAzria leggings, BCBGeneration sandals
IMG_20170404_092224_086
Banana Republic cardigan, BCBGMaxAzria top, Trina Turk pants, BCBGeneration sandals

If you search Instagram for the hashtag #fashionintherealworld, you will find all of my posts.  I invented it and #fashioninrealtime, and #fashioninreallife.  I just checked them; I think there are only two or three posts on them from random fashionistas.  The rest is all me.

IMG_20170406_195326_306
Coach hat and jacket, Bailey 44 top, BCBGMaxAzria leggings, Karl Lagerfeld Paris boots
IMG_20170405_093322_309
Free People cardigan and top, Calvin Klein jeans, Karl Lagerfeld Paris boots
IMG_20170406_093240_938
Free People cardigan, BCBGMaxAzria top, Banana Republic skirt, Ralph Lauren boots

Here are my outfits of the day from the last two weeks.  The landscape of my background keeps changing as I shift student work around the room.  All of my clay projects are complete.  The last batch went into the kiln today.  The 5th graders are currently working on a three-dimensional wood sculpture, my Studio in Art students are learning watercolor techniques and the rest of the 8th graders are immersed in the various SLO test projects:  Statue of Liberty paintings, “under the sea” landscapes with fish (mixed-media lesson), Japanese fan project (also mixed-media) and abstract paintings with realistic horses thrown in.  So four additional different lessons for the six classes.

IMG_20170403_093033_877
Banana Republic suit and leather shell, BCBGeneration sandals
IMG_20170407_094446_182
Free People cardigan, BCBGeneration dress, Nine West booties

There is a lot going on, which will culminate in the School Fair set for May 12, 2017.  I will have my hands full preparing for that exhibition and hopefully even with the upcoming state math tests looming, we will get everything accomplished.

IMG_20170410_093034_780
Jcrew cardigan, BCBGMaxAzria dress, Nine West boots

But first – Spring Break!!!  I will be working on the business of making art as soon as tomorrow.  Can’t wait.  Watching students make art is clearly a fun job, but nothing beats the guilty pleasure of creating my own artwork – even though it is super messy and therefore cannot be done in designer clothes.  So…I will be sacrificing fashion for my art.  I did buy a new dress for Easter though.  It is Halston Heritage. <3 OMG, I love it!

IMG_20170413_100219_951
Michelle DaRin Jewelry ring, Banana Republic top and Free People top, BCBGMaxAzria pants, Guess sandals

 

Going Gif

IMG_20170330_105002_582
JCrew cardigan, Bailey 44 top, Inc pants, BCBGeneration sandals

20170330_101321-ANIMATION

IMG_20170329_105654_143
BCBGMaxAzria cardigan, top and leggings, Ugg boots

20170329_100541-ANIMATION

Here are my most recent outfits of the day.  We take a bunch of photos every day in order to get one decent one out of the bunch.  Google photos has been animating the lot to produce these hilarious gifs.  You can see how far away Katy is when she takes the pic.  We do that to insure I can get my body to fit into the square dimension of Instagram.  Should I begin to add these silly things to my Instagram account every so often – just because they are sooo stupid funny or are they just stupid?  I have lost perspective.

IMG_20170328_105419_295
Free People cardigan and top, BCBGMaxAzria pants, Nine West booties

20170328_101018-ANIMATION

IMG_20170322_084353_228
Honora necklace, Banana Republic cardigan and dress, Karl Lagerfeld Paris boots

20170322_083119-ANIMATION

IMG_20170327_091554_452
Banana Republic cardigan, Trina Turk top, BCBGMaxAzria pants, Nine West booties

20170327_082821-ANIMATION

IMG_20170324_090000_197
Bailey 44 top, 7 for All Mankind jeans, Nine West booties

20170324_083050-ANIMATION (1)

IMG_20170313_091405_723
Free People cardigan and dress, Hue tights, Nine West booties

20170313_083406-ANIMATION

IMG_20170323_084827_952
Chan Luu necklace, JCrew cardigan and T-shirt, Banana Republic pants, Nine West booties

20170323_084127-ANIMATION (1).gif

IMG_20170321_094147_737
Baublebar choker, Banana Republic suit jacket and pants, BCBGMaxAzria tank and T-shirt, Coach booties

20170321_083550-ANIMATION

IMG_20170320_091834_860
Bailey 44 top, BCBGMaxAzria leggings, Karl Lagerfeld boots

20170320_083058-ANIMATION

IMG_20170331_085107_000
Lord & Taylor cashmere cardigan, Banana Republic and Bailey 44 tops, BCBGMaxAzria leggings, Karl Lagerfeld boots

20170331_083159-ANIMATION

 

Happiness Factor

IMG_20170227_101711_749
Chan Luu choker, Free People cardigan, BCBGMaxAzria dress, Hue tights, Coach booties
IMG_20170228_094752_405
Free People top, Bailey 44 skirt, Karl Lagerfeld Paris boots

Here are my latest outfits of the day.  My colleague Katy and I have so much fun at work.  It is a joy to be there!  We are working on a project together – a presentation for our peers that will take place during the Superintendent’s Conference Day on Friday.  Each time we finish another sample of the activity we share them with each other and get really happy and giddy.

IMG_20170301_091848_138
BCBGMaxAzria top, Banana Republic skirt, BCBGeneration booties
IMG_20170302_083552_564
Chan Luu choker, BerkleyCashmere cardigan, Rachel Roy top, Banana Republic pants, Nine West booties
IMG_20170310_084102_487
Banana Republic cardigan and top, BCBGMaxAzria leggings, Ugg boots

That happiness is reflected in these pictures, I think.  I am very relaxed in front of the camera because I am inside-out happy.  My life is just really fun.  I am grateful for my job, my colleagues and students, family and friends, and for art, fashion, music, good times…and Jif natural crunchy peanut butter…. <3

IMG_20170309_095920_748
Banana Republic top and skirt, Ralph Lauren boots
IMG_20170306_091758_038
BCBGMaxAzria dress, Karl Lagerfeld boots

BCBGMaxAzria selected a couple of pictures of me to share with their Facebook audience. They were plucked from my Instagram account via the hashtag (#) BCBGmoment.  So exciting!  And satisfies my childhood fantasy of being a fashion model, lol.

IMG_20170307_091336_854
Baublebar choker, Free People top, Trina Turk skirt, Nine West boots

I started taking piano lessons!  I can play rudimentary versions of five songs!  Next up singing lessons, and maybe, eventually, I will be fearless enough to do an open mic night somewhere.  Nothing’s impossible when you have the happiness factor on your side. 🙂

IMG_20170308_085004_922
Banana Republic top, Free People top, BCBGMaxAzria skirt, Hue tights, Nine West booties

Tashionista on Fashion

img_20170125_091950_624
Banana Republic cardigan, Trina Turk dress, BCBGMaxAzria belt, Karl Lagerfeld Paris boots
img_20170119_085221_679
BerkleyCashmere cardigan, Free People dress, BCBGMaxAzria leggings, Nine West booties
img_20170127_082738_083
Free People Cardigan, BCBGMaxAzria top and leggings, Karl Lagerfeld Paris boots

Here are the #ootd Instagram pics that I hadn’t posted (have I?).  Oh well, I can’t remember.  I haven’t done a fashion blog post in a while.  It seems that I may be running out of new combinations and so, we are talking a lot of re-runs.

img_20170210_124917_445
Free People Cardigan, Bailey 44 top, BCBGMaxAzria leggings, EnzoAnglioni boots
img_20170209_095949_650
Banana Republic sweater, Trina Turk skirt, Hue tights, Nine West booties

I just received all the March issues of all my fashion magazine subscriptions.  They are so thick with the Spring collections!  Makes me desire new stuff.  I am loving what Marc Jacobs is doing.  Just saw the fashion show on-line.  It was cute mini dresses with oversized jackets and mid-calf boots (and funny bowler hats).  Loved the proportions.  I feel the urge to on-line shop….  Someone should really try to stop me.

img_20170216_084212_287
Free People cardigan and top, BCBGMaxAzria pants, BCBGeneration sandals
img_20170131_100004_151
Free People cardigan, BCBGMaxAzria dress, Karl Lagerfeld boots
img_20170201_093953_374
JCrew cardigan, Free People top with BCBGMaxAzria tank underneath, BCBGMaxAzria pants, Nine West booties
img_20170203_090953_834
Banana Republic sweater and skirt, Hue tights, Nine West booties
img_20170206_084714_831
Free People dress with Victoria’s Secret tube top underneath, Karl Lagerfeld Paris boots
img_20170207_095126_707
Free People cardigan, BCBGMaxAzria dress, belt and leggings, Karl Lagerfeld Paris boots
img_20170202_103602_760
Michelle DaRin jewelry bracelets, BCBGMaxAzria dress and leggings, Ralph Lauren boots
img_20170130_085629_758
Banana Republic cardigan, Bailey 44 top, BCBGMaxAzria pants, Nine West booties
img_20170217_092026_273
Free People cardigan and dress, Karl Lagerfeld Paris boots
img_20170208_092342_947
Michelle DaRin jewelry choker, Banana Republic cardigan, Trina Turk dress, Nine West booties

The Perfect Cardigan

img_20161205_091112
Free People cardigan, Trina Turk dress, Hue tights, Nine West booties

I am all about the cardigan at work.  Kind of a Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood thing, lol. I dress in layers and the sweater comes off pretty quickly. We have been running the kiln, so, it has been toasty in the classroom.  I’m always donning multiple smocks in order to not sustain paint, Mod-Podge, plaster, clay, oil pastel or the-like messes on my clothing.  It is a messy job, but I am doing my best to keep it fashionable.  I love clothes.  Love fashion!!!!!

img_20161208_085302
Banana Republic cardigan, Free People top, BCBGMaxAzria leggings, Nine West booties
img_20161212_103833
BCBGMaxAzria cardigan and top, Trina Turk leather skirt, Hue tights, Nine West booties
img_20161214_084304
Honora necklace, Banana Republic cashmere cardigan, Bailey 44 top BCBGMaxAzria pants, BCBGeneration booties
img_20161216_143839
Banana Republic cashmere cardigan, Free People top, BCBGMaxAzria leggings, Ralph Lauren boots
img_20161215_092348
JCrew cardigan, BCBGMaxAzria top, Banana Republic velvet pants, Nine West booties
img_20161219_091408
Banana Republic cardigan, BCBGMaxAzria top, Trina Turk pants, Nine West booties
img_20161220_084325
Michelle DaRin Jewelry bracelets, JCrew cardigan, Banana Republic T-shirt and skirt, Hue tights, Nine West booties
img_20161128_085732
Free People cardigan and top, Bailey 44 skirt, Nine West booties

Playing Catch Up

img_20161120_124949
BCBGMaxAzria romper and belt, Ralph Lauren boots
img_20161101_084237
Banana Republic top and skirt, Hue tights, Nine West booties
img_20161025_084448
Lord & Taylor cashmere cardigan, BCBGMaxAzria top and leggings, Nine West booties

We had a snow day today, so… I’m playing catch up on blogging.  Here are my most recent outfits of the day.  I got paint on my new Free People tunic top and on something else – spent the day doing laundry and tidying/organizing my closet.  A lot of re-runs this post.  I went heavy on the leggings in order to go hiking right after school before it got too dark.  Along with this snowmegeddon thing, the time change screwed with my perfect world.  But then again, I only have to work one day this week – tomorrow.  That is, if this snow actually lets up.  Crazy!  What am I gonna wear?  Lol, decisions, decisions.

img_20161024_091215
Michelle DaRin jewelry, BCBGMaxAzria dress, Hue tights, NIne West booties
img_20161021_091535
BCBGMaxAzria dress, Steve Madden boots
img_20161020_094752
BCBGMaxAzria top and leggings, BCBGeneration sandals
img_20161019_085059
Michelle DaRin jewelryFree People tunic top, INC pants, Nine West sandals
img_20161018_091920
Michelle DaRin jewelry,Free People dress, BCBGeneration sandals
img_20161017_092326
Michelle DaRin jewelry, Banana Republic dress, Nine West boots
img_20161014_083923
BCBGMaxAzria top and leggings, Nine West booties
img_20161013_084942
Free People cardigan, Warner Bros. Harry Potter/Gryffindor T-shirt, Banana Republic skirt, Nine West booties
img_20161012_084912
BCBGMaxAzria top and belt, Banana Republic leather shell, Trina Turk skirt, Hue tights, Coach booties
img_20161011_090125
Trina Turk dress, Hue tights, Nine West booties
img_20161007_090305
Bailey 44 top, Calvin Klein jeans, BCBGeneration sandals
img_20161102_091652
BCBGMaxAzria tops, Banana Republic pants, BCBGeneration booties
img_20161103_094428
BCBGMaxAzria cardigan, tops, and pants, BCBGeneration booties
img_20161104_092724
JCrew blazer, Bailey 44 top, 7 For All Mankind Jeans, Nine West booties
img_20161108_084921
JCrew cardigan, Rachel Roy top, Champion leggings, Nine West booties
img_20161107_100500
Free People top, BCBGMaxAzria pants, BCBGeneration booties
img_20161109_090136
Michelle DaRin jewelry, Banana Republic cardigan, BCBGMaxAzria top and pants, Nine West booties
img_20161110_092606
BCBGMaxAzria dress and leggings, Nine West booties
img_20161115_173847
Vintage necklace, BCBGMaxAzria dress, Nine West boots
img_20161116_103241
Michelle DaRin jewelry, Trina Turk dress, Nine West booties
img_20161117_092130
Banana Republic suit, Calvin Klein belt, JCrew tissue T-shirt, BCBGeneration sandals
img_20161118_094915
Free People tunic top, BCBGMaxAzria top and leggings, Nine West booties

 

Dressing the Part

img_20160913_085417
BCBGMaxAzria dress, Guess sandals
img_20160914_194958
BCBGMaxAzria dress, BCBGeneration sandals

I am back to work and school!  It is fun getting dressed up, not so fun going into a building with no air conditioning, but I adjusted to it within days.  And today – it actually felt cold in here!

img_20160906_131036
Trina Turk dress, BCBGeneration sandals
img_20160908_085325
Michelle DaRin jewelry, Trina Turk top and skirt, BCBGeneration sandals

I spent the summer in exercise clothes, bikinis and shorts.  I hiked seven miles a day and did pilates twice a week or so.  Working on fitting teaching into my exercise schedule, lol.

img_20160909_084902
Vintage necklace, Bailey 44 top and skirt, BCBGeneration sandals
img_20160907_093232
BCBGMaxAzria top, Trina Turk skirt, BCBGeneration sandals

As for artwork, I took down my art show at the Sullivan Library  in Chittenango, New York, and I plan to exhibit the Talisman paintings in October at the Half Moon Bakery and Bistro in Jamesville, New York.  Eight paintings are still on display in the Lawrence Pavilion at Summit Medical Group in New Jersey.  They will be there until January, I think, unless the show gets extended.

img_20160915_093635
BCBGMaxAzria dress, Coach booties, Honora necklace

Penny Santy is showing her paintings in the Chittenango Middle School library!  She will give a presentation about them on November 15, 2016.  I am planning to do some projects based on her work.  Four classes will be doing oil pastels or paintings of cows and bulls as part of my SLO tests.

In addition, I’m planning lessons on George Rodrigue, Jasper Johns, Keith Haring, Wolf Kahn, Japanese wood block prints and Greek mythology.  So fun!

img_20160912_092245
Bailey 44 top, BCBGMaxAzria skirt, Nine West sandals
img_20160916_092827
Banana Republic top and skirt, Michelle DaRin jewelry, BCBGeneration booties