Seeing spots

Sweater: Forever 21 (ages and ages ago)
Skirt: Gap
Belt: came with a blazer
Scarf: Turkey
Tights: Target
Earrings: Turkey
Boots: Noble Town Vintage

So... Hi. I'm Frances Joy and I used to blog around these parts. I guess I still do, seeing as one of my resolutions for 2012 is to blog more regularly; apparently, it takes me about a month to get on those resolutions. But I'm back! With lots of old pictures from before we went back to the States, some new clothes just begging to be shared, and some super successful sewing experiments I can't wait to show off.


In the meantime, I've got one of last year's looks. I have to say I'm still really proud of this all black, double leopard outfit, which I wore to church. Yes, I wore leopard print tights to church.


These tights are fantastic, though. I like to think they're subtle what with the dark grey/black color combo, and I love the way they played with my leopard print scarf. A successful pattern mix, if I do say so myself.

Friend Friday: Holidays

Dress: Kohl's
Tights: Simply Vera
Socks: Target
Belt: Thrifted
Boots: Nine West
Scarf: Target
Earrings Turkey

Friend Friday! I feel like I haven't participated in one of these in a looong time! But, as long as I'm taking advantage of the library's free wi-fi, I figure I can squeeze this into my schedule. So, this time around, we're doing one of those old school questionnaires that I never could resist.



No holiday party is complete without: a little bling.
My favorite Christmas song/album: Bomba en Navidad by Richie Ray & Bobby Cruz. Clearly, I come from a different Christmas tradition. As far as songs that are more recognizable in the US, I like "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/We Three Kings" by The Barenaked Ladies
My favorite seasonal recipe: Pernil. It's the best thing that can happen to a pig.
The perfect New Year's Eve outfit includes: some hot shoes.
At the parties, I'll be drinking: water, as usual.
Eggnog, good or bad? I've never had it. I do love coquito, though.
Did you ever take pictures on Santa's lap at the mall? Yep.
Gingerbread Latte or Peppermint Mocha: Neither.


Worst gift I ever got: has never arrived.
Best gift I ever received: a wedding. (B & I got married in Puerto Rico on 27 December 2009)
My family has this weird tradition: We love watching Banco Popular videos at this time of year and remembering Puerto Rico.
My best bargain find for a gift this year: I'm making all my gifts this year, so probably the 69 cent beeswax at the natural grocer.
If I could only buy all my gifts from one place, I'd shop at: Potomac Mills.
Rudolph the Red-nose Reindeer or Frosty the Snowman: Rudolph. I hate snow.
My favorite holiday memory: going back to PR for Christmas and seeing all the decorations. That or waking up on January 6th to see that the Three Kings had been by leaving gifts.
My favorite Christmas movie: A Christmas Story.


The best part about holiday decorations is: the fun lights.
Rip off the wrapping paper or neatly pull off the tape: I neatly pull off the tape and refold the paper.
Miracle on 34th Street or It's a Wonderful Life: I've never watched "It's a Wonderful Life"....
It doesn't feel like the holiday season until: I'm with my family.
All I want for Christmas is: lots of good family time.

FFB: Sexuality and harassment

Jeans: J Crew
Tee: Target
Scarf: Target
Belt: thrifted
Jacket: Land's End Canvas (gift from my mom)
Shoes: Steve Madden (ditto)
Bag: thrifted
Earrings: Turkey

So, first off, a million thanks for all the amazing comments on the last post. I've been humbled and overwhelmed with gratitude with the responses I've gotten from people I know in real life and people I've only ever met online. To be honest, I thought this would finally be the post when I got negative comments, but they never came. Everyone has been amazing, and for that, I thank you. I truly have amazing readers and friends.


Second, it's time for another FFB post. I totally forgot to post last month, though I've still the idea for a post kicking around in my head, so I didn't want to forget this time around. This month's topic is sexuality, you know, just to keep things light around here because that's how I roll.


I've been thinking a lot about modesty and harassment these days, partly because I read this article, partly because I work with teenagers, and partly because of the culture in which I live. To be really honest, I can't use the word "modest" to describe my own style. Not that I don't think I dress modestly, because I do and people tell me this a lot. That's fine. What's not fine is the association I have when it comes to that word. When I was about sixteen or so, this guy at our church basically told me that the way I dressed was "causing boys to stumble" which, as a feisty and articulate teenager, pretty much pissed me off, and I let him know that. I mean, my parents were still buying my clothes (and vetoing a lot of my sartorial choices) and they didn't have a problem with it. Besides, were the guys then not at all responsible for the way they reacted? Oh, and by the way, what was I supposed to do when I was wearing men's jeans and girl's tee shirts and STILL getting inappropriate comments from the boys at school? Because as far as I could tell, causing someone to stumble was not an exclusively female trait.


And I know, I should probably not be holding on to instances like this one (because, yes, there were instances. Plural.) and letting them color the way I view the word "modesty", because it's a perfectly innocuous word. It's fine. It's even good in some ways. It's just that in my brain, it's so inextricably linked to these types of experiences and power differentials that I just can't. And to say that it's this kind of thing that will suddenly throw up walls of protection around every woman in the world is just wrong. Because that doesn't work, and I know this. I live in a culture where men are expected to show their manliness by making comments about the women in their presence, especially the women they don't know. I can't walk to work without getting a look (you know the kind), a comment, a whistle, or a honk. I just give my best side eye and carry on. But you know what? It's infuriating and dehumanizing sometimes, and I hate it. And I'm covered up!


I'm almost thirty. I've found ways to fight it, both publicly and privately, but when I think of my students? It just breaks my heart because we keep telling them that if they'd just cover up a little bit more, they'd avoid it. But it doesn't work like that. I cover up because I'm more comfortable that way, because I get cold easily, because it's more practical for my job, but not because it's going to magically keep people from making all kinds of unsolicited comments and / or assumptions about me and my body. I've lived through too much to think it works that way.

BBCA 5 - Friend Friday: Fall

Cardigan: J Crew
Shirt: Target
Cami: Target
Pants: Lauren Conrad via Kohl's
Scarf: vintage, thrifted
Shoes: Steve Madden
Earrings: Turkey

So this week for the visual Friend Friday, we're linking up our quintessential fall looks over at 260 Days, No Repeats. Of course, it's also the last day of my BBCA week, so my fall look also has a touch of pink.


I have to say that at this point, I consider myself an expert in fall looks. I've mentioned before that I live in the land of eternal fall, so I've built a lot of outfits around boots, cardigans, and scarves. To me, fall is about classic silhouettes, mixed neutrals, and piled layers.


I really like the simple white button up, navy chinos, and cognac flats, but I like them better with the purple cami, chartreuse cardigan, and patterned scarf. I love the pops of color peeking out, especially when all those pops serve to keep me warm.


Feel free to ignore my award winning under eye circles, mmkay? Let's talk about this scarf. How pretty are those pink and green and turquoise swirls? So pretty. Also, it keeps my ears warm and hides my crazy hair - both are bonuses in my world.

BBCA 3 - Scarf it

Tee: Target
Skirt: Gap
Cardigan: Ann Taylor
Belt: came with a blazer
Tights: Target
Boots: Noble Town Vintage
Earrings: Turkey
Scarf: the chopped off hem of a thrifted and refashioned skirt

So, let me tell you the story of this outfit. I was looking for something to wear to church and I was going crazy because the mold! Oh my gosh! Why do things get moldy as soon as they enter this region! Mold, mold, mold. If you've never lived in the cloud rainforest in a house with no heating of any kind, let me tell you: stuff gets moldy pretty much instantly.


Every week or two, I go through the closet and pull out all the stuff that smells moldy or actually has mold growing on it, because, yes, that's possible. Sunday, thanks to the amount of rain we've had lately, I filled our hamper with stuff that smelled suspect. It made me want to cry (I think I wailed to B about "Oh my gosh, the MOLD!") and it also distracted me from the outfit that I actually wanted to wear.


Somehow, in the last few minutes before church, this came together. And guess what? It worked! I loved it. It felt fresh and fun. I know I turned some heads as I was walking home past the soccer field because of the tights. Of course, the floral head scarf was a close second when it came to attention getting.

BBCA 1 - Family

Cardigan: Target? gift from my mom
Tee: Ann Taylor
Pants: New York & Co.
Scarf: gift from my mom
Brooch: vintage
Earrings: Target
Shoes: Steve Madden

Well, hello, y'all. Can I start by saying that sometimes a week off is just the right thing? It's been a rough couple weeks. Let me go ahead and confess that it's been a rough nine or so months since we moved. Things haven't been easy and the blog felt like one more thing on my to do list, which wasn't cool, so, a break.


But! I am participating in BBCA, started by Melissa over at A Working Mom's Closet (breaks are apparently going around these days...). I don't own a lot of pink; I don't really like it, but I did want to participate so I've been digging out my pink.


I love this outfit and I honestly built it around this brooch, with its pops of pink. When B and I were back in the States, his grandmother pulled out her jewelry box and let me and B's sister M take whatever we wanted. I fell in love with this brooch, and I love the sense of connection I have with B's family - now my family, too - when I wear it.


And, yeah, I think I've just come to a point where I feel like they're my family, too. Apparently it takes me visiting them four times to get to that point; that's the problem when the family lives all over the place.

Boho

Tunic: Banana Republic
Jeans: Costa Blanca (thrifted)
Cami: Target
Wedges: Toms
Earrings: Turkey
Scarf: gift from my mom

In case you couldn't tell, I built this look around my new-to-me jeans. I mean, I've seen similar pairs online for way more than I ever want to spend on jeans, and I scored these for $4 at a thrift store.


I generally think this silhouette is (a) a bit too reminiscent of mid-nineties Frances Joy and (b) a little too much for my height, but I wanted to try the trend and these jeans make my butt look good. That's important.


I decided I wanted to wear these jeans with a flowy top and some heels. I chose this tunic because I haven't worn it in a while and it went well with my Tom's. The Tom's are important because I had to walk to work and they are ridiculously comfortable.


More comfortable than my jeans. Sigh. Stupid jeans. You do NOT beat skirts in my world of comfort.


Headscarves, however, are always a win.

P.S. This scarf is all kinds of tacky. It's got pictures of Venetian landmarks on it. I can't figure out of my mom actually bought it while we were there (doubtful) or if someone gave it to her. Either way, I love it.

Dreams

Jacket: Land's End Canvas (gift from my mom)
Tee: American Eagle (gift from my aunt)
Jeans: 7 for all Mankind - thrifted
Sandals: Simply Vera via Kohl's (gift from my mom)
Scarf: Target
Earrings: Target

So I totally built this look around this hair tutorial and my newly thrifted 7 for all Mankind jeans. It's a pretty simple look, but I kind of love it. Mostly because I found these jeans at the Americana for less than $4.


Let me repeat that: I got these jeans for less than $4. I did a little happy dance in the dressing room and told B that one of my dreams had come true: To find designer jeans in my size for some ridiculous price at the thrift store. I dream big, y'all.


I wore this outfit with the jacket for most of the day because it was so cold and rainy after eight in the morning. The sun was all, "I quit", and I shivered and cursed my bare toes and wished that our car would miraculously get fixed and come back to me because I miss him so.


Melodramatic? Perhaps. I just miss my shoes is all. My booties and I are longing to be reunited and that won't happen until we get the car back because that hill? Y'all, that hill is no. Joke.


On the plus side, I love this hair.

White shirt week day 2

Top: Target (gift from A)
Skirt: J Crew (gift from my mom)
Scarf: Target
Sunnies: Puerto Rico
Booties: Aldo
Earrings: Turkey

I don't know that this is my favorite look. Part of it is that the skirt was super wrinkled by the end of the school day, so I feel like I look a little sloppy.


But B really liked it and he liked the way the skirt fit, even though I was a little skeptical. So that made me feel a little better. I'm still not loving the look, though.


It could be the bagginess of the top combined with the pleated waist of the skirt. Or it could be the wrinkled mess that I'd become by the end of the day. Or it could be that this is kind of a boring look to begin with....


Help me out y'all. How can I make this work?

White shirt week day 1

Blazer: Apt 9 via Kohl's
Tee: Target (gift from intern A)
Jeans: Elle via Kohl's
Sandals: Chaps (gift from my mom)
Earrings: Target
Scarf: gift from my mom via Etsy (don't know which vendor)

Last Monday, our intern A gave me this white top which was pretty much the white tee I've been searching for. I decided to wear it all week, and I did, though I only got pics of four outfits. (That was not a totally original idea. I read it somewhere on the internet months ago and I've been thinking about doing it since. If you know where I read it, let me know...) This might be one of my favorite looks of the week, though, for real.


It was comfortable and warm and oh-so-cozy, which was perfect for a day of meetings in a very cold building. Also, these jeans fit after a week of gorging myself on the cruise. Seriously, I ate like a crazy person.


I enjoyed every minute of it, too. We were long overdue for a get away and it was so nice to be able to spend time with my family - especially my sweet, sweet niece. I love that kid beyond words, I tell you. Also nice? Getting tan. (Bad Frances. Though, in my defense, I slathered on the SPF 30 AND reapplied. It's just that the Caribbean sun missed me.)

Head scarves and classrooms

Tee: Target
Cami: ?
Skirt: Gap
Belt: Thrifted
Boots: Nine West
Scarf: vintage - thrifted
Leg warmers: Target (and, yes, it's cold enough for leg warmers up this way)
Earrings: Target

So I pinned this tutorial and I've been OBSESSED since. True story, I have worn a head scarf four out of the past five days. Once, I even wrapped a belt around my head. It totally worked.


These pictures were taken at our school, which is also the community center. That's why it's so fancy. By "fancy", I mean pretty much the opposite. It's a big room and a covered porch that we've converted into three main classrooms, a computer table, and a "presentation" area.


Y'all, I may never complain about classrooms and school buildings in the States again. I mean, I think back to the good old days teaching in VA, when I had a classroom (after my first year as a floater), a cubby in the Foreign Language lounge, and a mail box in the main office. So many luxuries, y'all. So, so many luxuries....


P.S. I helped make that whiteboard behind me. Cuz I'm fancy like that.