whoa (#31DDD)

We passed this sign on the way to dinner last night, and I immediately knew we needed to take a photo there. I also wanted an excuse to wear the new vintage hat I scored. It's turquoise with satin and velvet bows, some of my favorite things. Plus, a cold front moved in last night, and temps were actually in the 30s this morning!

Today's #31DDD urges us to brag a little. I really don't like outright bragging and would prefer to slide in the regular humble brag. Ha! That said, you should probably know that I have a talent for finding "what I wore" shoot locations. It kind of sucks because taking outfit shots isn't something I do on the regular. Instead, I need to be able to transport these location ideas to folks around the web.

Can you tell how excited I am about this sign?

Trip prep: Rafting

I need a few things before I head out on a three-day rafting trip. Can you believe I don't have a backpack? More importantly, I'm guessing wearing skirts will be frowned upon. Not going to lie...shorts make me shudder just a little.

Yes, I'm a little more frou frou than most, but I say there's nothing wrong with a little color.

Rafting the Rogue by notmiranda featuring striped tops

Old Navy striped top, $15
Old Navy padded bathing suit, $50
Old navy shorts, $15
White floppy hat, $25
Amazon.com: Lacoste Stripe Croc Beach Towel: Everything Else, $26
Amazon.com: Waves Scarf: Clothing, $49

Friday's Threads for the Podgy Girl

I had a bit of an internal debate about whether to add this feature. I am a far, far cry from anything resembling a fashionista. I generally subscribe to the theory that the clothes, in fact, do not make the man. For all the principles I would like to stand on, the majority of the first world disagrees with me. Still, I do appreciate a fun outfit for its creativity and confidence-boosting power. I also like to wear certain outfits sometimes just to manipulate what people think of me. Add to that the lack of chunky chicks talking about clothes (outnumbered for sure) and a Friday feature is born.

I had, in fact, talked myself out of this until I happened to be in Richmond on Thursday for a meeting and drove past the most perfect, colorful wall. Couple that with the fact that I happened to be wearing fun tights and an outfit I didn't hate, and you get me with my camera perched on the car with the self timer on. Good times. :-)



As many of compatriots can attest, posing by yourself with people driving and walking by is pretty damned difficult.

Where are thee fair flare?

It is becoming ever more apparent to me that I have lost my flare. As I was walking down the street today I realized that I couldn't blame my utterly drab appearance on this viscious cold I've been fighting. The cold didn't make the black mid-calf skirt and crocs the most comfortable and easy thing to put on. I only acquired the cold last week and certainly can't blame it for the brown Golden Girls-esque coat that has seen me through winter for the past couple of years. My flare (style) slowly started creeping away from me around my junior year of high school. Before then I was a regular mini trendsetter, before my time even. At 13, I was such a brand whore* that my mom took to telling me that I must be adopted. By junior high and high school, I was reading 6-8 fashion magazines a month and could tell you that short hemlines were in and that grey was the new black. I had no clue that just a few years later I would be that angsty teen who sprouted hips overnight. Suddenly boys saying that my crisp white button-down with colorful, transparent rings looked like condoms bothered me. I developed an interest in flying under the radar screen instead making a statement. As the years slipped through my fingers, it wasn't that I had forgotten about fashion or began to think feather boas should be all the rage. I think I just had a hard time reconciling my evolving personality with my evolving body. My latest fashion excuses have included me (1) finding better things to spend my money on and (2) giving myself a guilt trip for even caring about things like fashion (the inner feminist feels we shouldn't care what people think of our appearance). The problem is that, now that I'm ready to find my flare once again and be fierce, I seem to have lost the ability to find my personal style. I'm lucky in that I have the perfect job and career aspirations to allow me to really be as funky as I want to be. How does a girl go about getting her flare back?



*A special thanks to the fashion plates (La Coquette, DCCeline, SVR, Aimee, Says the Asian Leprechan, Fashionologie) posting out there. You guys fanned the flames of my excitement and inspired a flare rebirth.