200th Post Giveaway!

This is my 200th post, y'all, and for some reason, that seems like a good opportunity to do a giveaway.

And sorry to my international readers, but this one is only open to my US and Canadian readers.

So what do you win?

An item of your choosing from my Etsy shop Frances Joy Vintage!

You could choose this adorable nautical skirt:

Or these amazing wedges:


Or maybe this never worn vintage blouse:


Anything that's in the shop is fair game.

So how do you win?

Simple: Be a follower of Mad Dress Game and leave a comment telling me which item you want and a way to contact you.

Bonus entries:

• "Like" Mad Dress Game on facebook
• Follow @MadDressGame on Twitter

You've got until December fifth to enter. A winner will be announced on the sixth.

¡Suerte!

Tights aka Outfit #23

All remixed except tights
Blouse: Target
Cardigan: Sonoma via Kohl's
Belt: came with a blazer
Skirt: Gap
Earrings: Turkey
Tights: Ann Taylor (gift from my mom)
Pumps: Steve Madden

This is not the outfit that I had in my head when I woke up this morning, but it's the outfit that happened and I like it. I think I was subconsciously influenced by this post from yesterday.


I was planning to wear this blouse with my brown skirt and my blue shirt with this skirt, but then I was wandering around still half asleep at 6:15 this morning and put this together. So: ta-da.


Also, the entire reason for this outfit is these tights. Dotted Swiss? Oh, yes, please.


And you guys: I made my NaNoWriMo goal! I did a happy dance around the kitchen that involved me losing my slipper. B is proud of me. I haven't finished the entire story (I feel like it's too presumptuous to call it a novel), but I'm giving myself until 21 December for that. In the meantime, I think I'll treat myself to some bread with Nutella because nothing says success like carbs and chocolate.

Multiples aka Outfits #20-22

Okay, y'all, it's the Monday after Thanksgiving weekend and I think I'm finally mostly caught up with life. Yes, I've still got about 2000 words to write for NaNoWriMo today, but I'm pretty much caught up with emails and blogs and work-type-stuff. So, phew. This should be the last ginormous post for a few days at least.

Sunday, B and I went to church with my parents and this is what I wore:

All remixed except tights and belt
Dress: Banana Republic
Belt: Ann Taylor (gift from my mamita)
Necklace: won in a giveaway from Twenty York Street
Earrings: Target
Leopard print tights: Target
Pumps: Steve Madden

I hate ironing. I ironed my hair, so clearly I couldn't iron my dress. Just kidding. This was after sitting at church for an hour and a half - that's why I'm all wrinkled.


I would like y'all to know that as I was straightening my hair, I found another cana (that's a grey hair). I might have to track down some henna rinse sooner rather than later, I will not lie. I haven't colored my hair since I was twenty-one, but I am much too young to be going grey, thank you very much.


Also, I don't know when my hair got so light. Doesn't it look super light? Weird. It's much darker when it's curly.

I changed for the drive back home to Philly.

All remixed
Tee: New York & Co.
Cardigan: Sonoma via Kohl's
Jeans: Elle via Kohl's
Boots: Target
Earrings: Turkey
Necklace: gift from my mom

I love this look. It was super comfortable (comfortable jeans?! Did I say that?!) and still looked chic and pulled together.


Oh, and don't worry; I just washed this shirt. Finally. After wearing it, oh, I don't know, four days in a row. 30x30 brings out the dirty girl in me.

And now, today:

All remixed except tights
Skirt: Ann Taylor
Top: Turkey
Earrings: Target
Pashmina: Turkey
Belt: Banana Republic
Tights: Simply Vera via Kohl's
Booties: Aldo

This turned out better than I expected. Remember the time I was obsessed with mixing black and brown? It's my favorite color combo these days. I like the lacy sleeves and back of this top with the utilitarian skirt.


Also, those are nude fishnets. I didn't think they'd be as warm as they are, what with all those holes, but they really are.


Oh, and y'all? Three weeks until we leave Philly and about two weeks after that before we're in Costa Rica. Whoa.

Four of a kind aka Outfit #16-19

Someone tell me I haven't been alone in my blog slacking this Thanksgiving.

I will say, I've been good about keeping up with my 30x30 while I'm visiting my parents in VA, though I have been wearing my leopard print tee way more than I'd anticipated.

Wednesday:

All remixed
Shirt: thrifted
Tee: New York & Co.
Jeans: Elle via Kohl's
Boots: Target
Belt: Target
Earrings: Kohl's

I really liked the pattern mixing in this outfit. Plaid and leopard totally work.



Thursday:

All remixed
Turtleneck: Express
Skirt: Ann Taylor
Belt: Banana Republic
Booties: Aldo
Earrings: gift from sister-in-law
Scarf: J Crew
Bracelets: Banana Republic

At first I was like, "Scarves don't go with turtlenecks," and then I was like, "I don't care; I'm a rebel!"



Friday:

All remixed:
Sweater: H&M
Jeans: Elle via Kohl's
Boots: Target
Scarf: Target
Earrings: Turkey

Confession: I cheated and shopped on Black Friday. That said, I only paid for stuff I needed for the move to CR. My mom and I do all our Christmas shopping that day, but this year B and I did our shopping in Turkey, so I went to help my mom with her shopping.



Saturday:

All remixed except watch
Skirt: Gap
Tee: New York & Co.
Belt: thrifted
Scarf: Target
Tights: Simply Vera
Boots: Target
Earrings: Kohl's
Watch: Coleman

I love adding a pattern to this shirt in the form of a crazy patterned scarf. Also, I'm wearing a watch for the first time in YEARS. B thought I should get one for Costa Rica since I won't have a phone I can use as a watch.

Guest Post: Chantele from Daisy Dayz

Hello Mad Dress Game readers, it's Chantele here from Daisy Dayz. I am so happy to be swapping posts today with Frances Joy as part of this weeks FBFF. We have decided to style outfits for each other for our swap post so here is mine for Frances.

Although I am thinking about my winter wardrobe Frances Joy is moving to Costa Rica very soon so I thought I would put together a nice summer outfit for her. Plus looking at summer stuff is always fun when it's really cold out. Ok onto the items I chose. I think Frances looks great in full skirts and they are my favourite skirt too. This purple one is cute and colourful. Paired with this bright red body to show off Frances' great figure, she will look super hot but be nice and cool. I have edged up this outfit with flat zipper sandals, chunky bracelets and spiky earrings. I couldn't resist the cute little mouse ring (just wish it was silver not gold). Lastly the perfect outfit needs the perfect bag. This leather bag is smart and big enough for her to be able to carry all her things whilst out shopping.

Hope you all like my outfit!
Daisymay X

Outfit for Frances Joy by daisymay_chantele featuring chain jewelry

Closet purple colour skirt
20 GBP - dorothyperkins.com
Mid length skirts »

Zigi Multi Zip Flat Sandals
$72 - asos.com
Flats shoes »

Lipsy Mixed Stack Bangle Set
$21 - asos.com
Chain jewelry »

ASOS Extra Long Spike Earrings
$14 - asos.com
ASOS earrings »

Pieces | Pieces Bag With Plaited Strap at ASOS
32 GBP - asos.com

ASOS | ASOS Mouse Ring With Hanging Tail at ASOS
7,46 EUR - asos.com

red tie neck rouched body - bodies - tops - women - River Island
riverisland.com
Red tops »

Thankful

Today I am thankful for:

God who has never given me what I deserved and has always been more gracious than I could comprehend.

B for being the most amazing husband I could ever imagine, taking my pictures without grumbling, doing the dishes (!!!), and generally being wonderful. Love him.

Kiku for putting a smile on my face and being a sweet, well-behaved dog.

My family here in the States and back in Puerto Rico. Son todo para mí.

My "family" - all those people who have adopted me as part of their family and have been the support that we could rely on when living far from "home".

The freedom to dress however I want to dress with limited criticism.

My closet full of clothes and shoes that have afforded me so many opportunities to get creative with what I already have instead of running out to buy the latest "must-have-item".

The community of bloggers for encouraging, inspiring, and challenging me with their mad style and skills.



Happy Thanksgiving to all of you in the States!

Halfway aka Outfit #15

All remixed
Pants: New York & Co.
Tee: New York & Co.
Cardigan: New York & Co.
Earrings: Banana Republic
Ring: Swapped
Booties: Aldo

I didn't realize that everything I had on today was from NY&Co until I got to work. What can I say, they've got great sales.


This outfit would never have happened if it weren't for the 30x30. I never would've thought to pair this fancy-schmancy cardigan with my leopard print tee, and I certainly never would've worn that bright yellow with black.


That said, I think it works. I feel like a rock star, which in my world is the sign of a good outfit. Also, this is the first time I've worn this cardi during this remix. That bring me up to 29 items worn. The item I haven't yet worn?


The sweater dress that I hadn't worn before the challenge either. The face I'm making in the picture above pretty much sums up my feelings towards that dress. I am NOT putting up with its foolishness. I want it to work with me, and it's not. B and I had a conversation where I told him that I was conflicted about kicking the dress out of my remix (and my closet) and subbing in another piece.


I still haven't decided what to do.... Anyway, tonight we're driving down to my parents' house in VA. I should be able to use part of the long weekend to catch up on the blogs. Between NaNoWriMo and the usual busyness of life, I've been slacking....

Totally off topic

Yes, I know that usually all I do over here is post what I wear, but y'all, last night I made granola from scratch (people apparently do this) and it was so good that I felt compelled to share it.

I got the recipe from my sister in law who got it from a cookbook (though I don't know which one) but I am incapable of following recipes, so I put my own little twist on it.

So here's what you need for this delicious granola:

1. An oven
2. A couple cookie sheets (or an assortment of oddly sized baking dishes as you'll soon see)
3. An hour of your life that you can devote to stirring and timing
4. All the ingredients below

Ingredients:

• 6 cups old-fashioned oats
• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups packed brown sugar (I only had one, so I used one cup of brown and one of white)
• 2 cups flaked coconut
• 1-1/2 cups of nuts (I used a combo of chopped pecans and slivered almonds)
• 1 cup wheat germ
• 1 cup All Bran cereal
• cinnamon (I think I used 1 T)
• 3/4 cup veg oil
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 T vanilla extract
• 1 t salt
• 1 cup raisins
• assorted dried fruit (I used a combo of chopped dried apricots, dried blueberries, and dried cherries and didn't measure this at all - about a cup, I think)

And here's how you put it all together:

Preheat your oven to 275 F.
Find the biggest bowl you own and mix the oats, flour, sugar, coconut, nuts, wheat germ, All Bran, and cinnamon. Make sure to break up all those clumps of sugar. It'll then look like this:


In another bowl, mix the oil, water, vanilla, and salt. Ooh and ah over the layers of liquid. No pics of this, but believe, layers of oil and water never get old. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir for approximately five thousand years until all the dry ingredients are wet. It won't be soaking wet, of course, just coated with a little liquid.
Spray your pans with cooking spray.

If you were a real baker (i.e. not me) you'd probably have two cookie sheets. I didn't, so I made do - and then figured out that I needed one more pan. Whoops.


Spoon your granola into a thinnish layer and put it in the oven. Be prepared to stir every ten minutes for the next hour.

While the granola was toasting away, I chopped up some dried apricots, mixed those with some dried blueberries, dried cherries, and raisins. I put the fruit in the bowl where I started mixing the dry ingredients only to realize it was too small, then I made a weird face and B. took a picture.


After an hour during which you grow to hate the oven timer for marking out ten minute intervals, pull the granola out of the oven and let it cool. Once it's cool, combine it with the fruit.


Serve yourself a bowl and give yourself a pat on the back for creating such deliciousness.

Bonus points if you don't drop your first bowl on the floor after two bites.

Friends and an award aka Outfit #14

All remixed except knee highs
Cardi: Axcess via Kohl's
Dress: Ann Taylor
Belt: Banana Republic
Boots: Target
Earrings: swap with Kimmie
Knee highs: Target
Crazy hair: Courtesy of running late this morning

Prepare for a long post, y'all....

This morning, I had breakfast with my friends Z and K. K was in town just briefly and it was good to catch up with her.


Then I volunteered and tried to figure out if I preferred the belt over or under the cardigan. Verdict? Still undecided. What I do know is that Kiku is totally beating me when it comes to posing.


And then I thought about my seven facts in honor of the Versatile Blogger award I got from Lyddie.

So here they are:
1. I have the hardest time memorizing numbers of any kind. Phone numbers, addresses, birthdays, times.... I can, however remember prices that I paid for clothes.

2. I am always cold. Always.

3. I hate switching purses and avoid this if it's at all possible.

4. I listen to music in German and Portuguese in an attempt to practice/learn these languages. I am not fluent in either. Maybe it's because this is about the only practice I get.


5. I was named after my great-grandmother and my mother. We all have variations of the same name, and I love having a name that connects me to the women in my family.

6. I think everyone should learn a second language (or a third, or a fourth); it's important.

7. I had a turtle named Snapper when I was a kid. I found him in the middle of the street and my mom actually let me keep him. He ate goldfish; it was crazy.

Now my tags:
260 Days, No Repeats
Modesty is Pretty
Mode Moods
A Fashion Fixation
Besos, Lynn
Blue Paper Lanterns
No Guilt Fashion