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.

A story

Top: Kohl's
Skirt: Target
Belt: Ann Taylor
Booties: Aldo
Scarf: gift from my mom
Earrings: Kohl's
Adorable kitteh: Elefante

So, yeah, this outfit is basically the flip of this one here. I'm fine with that because I can't even tell you how happy the combination of green and leopard makes me. If it works, it works, and I'm cool with that.


Y'all, since we moved to Costa Rica, things were hard. Like, really hard. The work hours are long, there's little distinction between my personal life and my work life, and we're poor. The rains get to me, especially because the rainy season lasts about eight months here. I wasn't sleeping well - I'd wake up from a nightmare and I wouldn't be able to go back to sleep. The nightmares were nearly every night for about nine months. Nine. Months.


And then there were the headaches. They'd start in my shoulders, move up into my neck, attack my jaw, and settle behind my eyes. Sometimes they were so strong that I'd feel nauseated. To make things worse, they'd last for two weeks at a time. And this, too, went on for nine months.


I didn't want to eat, I cried all the time, I imagined that Kiku or the cats had been hit by a car, I had no energy to do anything besides my actual teaching. And it sucked. It really, really sucked. I felt like I didn't even know myself, and I hated what I was putting B through, because, seriously? This was not what he signed up for, this weepy, sickly, emotional mess of a woman. Even if he was beyond supportive and stuck with me and told me it was okay and I could cry to him whenever I needed, and he LISTENED! Even then, I felt awful.


So we went to the doctor and told him everything that was going on. It didn't surprise me, not at all, but it did make me feel validated somehow. I'd thought I was going crazy, becoming someone else, and his diagnosis made me feel like it'd be okay. It's depression. Big surprise, right? So now I'm on Paxil and I've been on it for about a month and I feel like myself again. And I haven't wanted to talk too much about it because of the stigma, but really? I'm talking about it because of the stigma. Because I've been around a lot of Christian circles where if you just trust Jesus it's alright, and I was trusting and things weren't okay. Because mental illness sometimes - often - has additional physical consequences. Because I know I'm not the only one who's gone through this and has been too afraid to see a doctor about it.


So this is my story, and even though I don't like sharing a lot of these personal things with the internet, I think it's important. And y'all, I feel so much better now.

Friend Friday: Books

Cardigan: J Crew
Tank: Target
Skirt: J Crew
Tights: Simply Vera via Kohl's
Booties: Aldo
Belt: Banana Republic
Earrings: Target

It's Friend Friday and I'm remembering to post, which means it's a big day. And it's November, which means I've spent the last four days writing frantically, just like I did last year. Real talk, I finally finished my first draft of last year's novel on the 31st of October. Mm hm. We'll see how this year's goes....


Anyway, this week's topic is books. I'm thinking I'll probably do a mix of what I've just read and some of my favorites. So, five books in no particular order:
1. On Fortune's Wheel by Cynthia Voigt - I read this about once a year and I love it. It's about an innkeeper's daughter who follows a young earl to the end of the earth. Except, you know, it's better than I make it sound.
2. Nefertiti: The Book of the Dead by Nick Drake - I just read this while on our mini vacation. A mystery set in ancient Egypt? Yes, please.


3. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte - This another of my all time favorites and it's a classic. I don't even know why I love it so much, I just do.
4. Edge of Grace by Christa Allan - This is one I read fairly recently, and, wow. A book that deals with deep faith and the things that can tear a family apart? Yeah, amazing.
5. Lady in the Mist by Laurie Alice Eakes - I'm about half way through this, and it's pure fluff. But I read a lot of fluff, especially if it's free on Kindle (hello, I'm poor) and that's fine.


Any recommendations?

Green and leopard

Turtleneck: Express
Cardigan: Apt. 9 via Kohl's
Skirt: Self made
Tights: Simply Vera via Kohl's
Booties: Aldo
Earrings: gift from my sister-in-law
Belt: came with a blazer

Well, I'm back in the mountains after four blissful days on the Pacific coast. And I'm back to work, though our post-exam schedule will be considerably easier for me. Of course, I'm trying to figure out what to do with all this spare time I have now. Any hobbies I should take up? You know, besides my pinterest obsession.


I built this outfit around the cold weather and the fact that I have laryngitis. And yes, I have taught with (mild) laryngitis. All it takes is an interactive lesson plan and some decent classroom management. And telling your students you're sick. They're always nicer when you tell them.


This really fit the bill for keeping me warm and had the added bonus of being comfortable and comprised of my favorite color (green) and my favorite print (leopard). Add my favorite booties and some funky fishnets, and I'm all set.

Safari

Tee: Banana Republic
Skirt: Ann Taylor
Belt: Banana Republic
Shoes: Crocs
Earrings: Kohl's

I almost like this outfit. I think I like the idea of it better than the execution. I needed something that would be appropriate for work - and the walk to and from - on a relatively warm day and this fit the bill.


I've had this tee shirt for, roughly, forever; by forever I mean since 2006. It's a little too long and quite sheer, but it stays in my closet because it (a) layers nicely and (b) has a zebra on it. The zebra is important.


I kinda like the zebra tee with the elephant earrings and leopard belt. See? It's like a theme! I'm going to tell myself it's subtle, okay? I like my delusions.

Seasonal

Tee: New York & Co.
Skirt: J Crew
Booties: Aldo
Earrings: Target
Belt: thrifted
Big hair: good atmospheric conditions

I'm kind of amazed I haven't worn this outfit before because it seems like a natural fit. I mean the deep plum of the skirt and the leopard of the top play well together, and Lord knows I need a 12 step program to quit these booties.


It's also Kiku approved, which is always a bonus. Although now that I think about it, she's approving ME and not my clothes.


Oh, and if it looks like I'm wearing fall clothes it's because the seasons never really change up here. Down in the city it's always spring/summer and here in the mountains it's always fall. Funny how I feel like I can't wear brights on cloudy days and how I feel like I can't wear earth tones when it's bright and sunny.


Clearly I have some seasonal clothing issues to work through while I'm here....

Mixology

Top: Zara
Skirt: Target
Booties: Aldo
Sunnies: Puerto Rico
Earrings: Target

I know what you're thinking: That's not your magical white shirt, Frances Joy! But it's time for EBEW, so I decided to interrupt our regularly scheduled programming to do this. Besides, I only have pics of four white tee outfits; this works out perfectly!


I woke up feeling pretty this morning, though I couldn't tell you why. I just did. When I wake up feeling like that, I think I'm bolder in my clothing choices. I've been eyeing this stars and leopard combo for a while, but I didn't have the guts to actually put it on until today.


I had a back up outfit in mind, but once I put this on, I was in love. In. LOVE. I mean, how can you feel bad wearing stars AND leopard?! I feel like a rockstar. And besides, everyone here knows I dress like a crazy person and they don't even notice it anymore. Either that or I'm OWNING it. Probably the latter.


Also, you can't really tell, but my earrings have flowers on them. One more pattern, right? I mean, why not?

Dress Your Best Week - Day 3: Ruffles or bust

Top: Ann Taylor (gift from my mom)
Bolero: Ann Taylor
Skirt: Target
Booties: Aldo
Bracelets: gift from my uncle
Earrings: gift from my sister-in-law
Crazy face: not sure...

I feel like I'm pulling out the big guns with Dress Your Best Week this year. It's been harder to make my list, but I feel like it's given me a new and improved appreciation for my body. For today? My chest, and trust me when I say that this post might be the hardest (most awkward?) one for me to write.


I got my first training bra in third grade. Third. Grade. And it was not a "let's make you feel all grown up" kind of training bra experience. It was like a "Hey, mom, people at school are asking if I wear a bra" experience. Next thing I knew, we were at JC Penney's picking out 32AAs. In fifth grade, I was the only girl who had to wear a bra every day (and my mom told me it had to be EVERY DAY) which meant I got "plinkied" every time we had a bathroom break. Plinkies were when the other kids snapped the back strap. It was awesome.


By "awesome", I mean "mortifying", of course. Naturally, I was self-conscious because I was a kid who didn't know what to make of her body. As I got older, there were all kinds of rules about what I could and couldn't wear thanks to all I had going on in the front. No tank tops, definitely no spaghetti straps, cardigans or jackets to cover me up, no scoop necks, few v-necks, nothing with an empire waist, no tops with writing across the front, avoid embellishment across the bust, no woven button-up shirts...


That's a lot of rules, especially for a high school kid, which is what I was at the time. Some of those were my parents' rules and some were my own, but it pretty much guaranteed that I had no idea what to do with my top half. I'll readily admit that these days, I'm much more comfortable covering up, but at the time, I felt awkward and ashamed. I mean, I didn't ask for what I had, right?


But I feel like these days I finally have perspective on my chest. For one, I'm just below the national average, which makes me feel way better about my options. For another, I've stopped fighting it. This is the body I have, the only one I have, and I've got a chest that women will literally pay money for. So I thank the sweet Lord for what I've got and move on.


And I'll just go ahead and put some ruffles on 'em to make up for lost time.

Awkward pictures day

Top: Zara
Skirt: Ann Taylor
Belt: Banana Republic
Booties: Aldo
Earrings: Target

Today was apparently awkward pictures day around here. I blame the pouring rain. True story: if I don't get pictures at seven in the morning, by the time I finish the school day, sit through a meeting, and eat, it will be raining - not just raining, pouring.


Also, it'll be so cold that I'll just stand around awkwardly and shiver. (I can just hear Tyra telling me that I need to pose through my cold - no one should know how cold I am! A model's job is to suffer for beauty! - Good thing I'm a teacher, then.)


BUT! I"m wearing a star shirt. And, if you didn't know, star shirts are second only to yellow shoes in the happiness factor. I got this shirt for my birthday at Zara, which in Costa Rica should be called the $60 store because EVERYTHING is $60. I was (a) depressed and (b) feeling guilty for how expensive the two items I wanted for my birthday were. B consoled me, though (it didn't take much) and I got this top and one other thing that will be revealed in due time.


Thanks for the birthday wishes, too, y'all. I won't lie - the past few months have been tough for me, both personally and professionally, and I am counting the days till I can have a vacation and see my family again. On the plus side, my birthday was good: time with my sweet husband, a movie date (complete with popcorn, because it's the little things), pizza, and a little shopping. It was a little taste of relaxation, and it was so nice.

And, because I promised more awkwardness:

That's me saying "It's so cold!"

Random numbers

Blazer: Apt. 9 via Kohl's
Tee: Ann Taylor
Skirt: Target
Booties: Aldo
Earrings: Target

So let me tell you about how this outfit came together. It went a little something like this:
Me: Hey, B, why don't you pick out my outfit for tomorrow?


B: Okay, choose the fourth item from the end....
Me: Which end? (Can you tell I'm really uninspired these days?)
B kindly pointed out the far end of the closet.


I pulled out the black blazer.
Me: Okay, I can't wear this by itself.
B: Wear it with the eleventh item from the end, not counting the one I just picked.
And the leopard print skirt was the eleventh item.


B: You should wear that with a white shirt.

And a new way of picking out my clothes is born.