Not quite awesome

Tee: Target
Dress (worn as skirt): some random store in Turkey
Boots: Steve Madden
Belt: Target
Scarf: Target
Socks: gift from sister-in-law
Earrings: Turkey

I want to like this outfit more than I do. I'm not totally sure what I don't like, I just know it's not my favorite. But my students loved it. They told me - and I quote - "You look AWESOME!" I think it's the boots.


I'm not totally sold, though. What do y'all think?

Dress Your Best Week - Day 1: Waist not

Skirt: I made it
Tee: Target
Cami: ?
Cardigan: J Crew
Belt: Target
Socks: gift from my sister-in-law
Boots: Nine West
Earrings: Turkey

I'm participating in Dress Your Best week again this year, though I'm not sure how consistently the posts will be going up this week with our spotty internet. We'll see how it goes. Anyway, I'm hoping that most of what I'll be showing off this week will be different from last year's choices. For one, my body has changed in the past year; for two, I've been embracing my body in new ways lately. So for this first installment, let's talk about my waist.


True story: I discovered my waist through blogging and a fitting for my wedding dress. See, my mom and my sister are super curvy. They're pear shaped and I always envied their tiny little upper bodies and wide hips. I was convinced that I was a rectangle. And then the tailor at my fitting gave me three different numbers for my measurements and I was like, "Oh, I've got a waist!"


And then I forgot about that and started thinking I was a rectangle again until my readers and commenters told me I was crazy and I was actually pretty hourglassy. So I started looking at my pictures and looking at my body, and yes. There it was: the waist.


Maybe that's kind of ridiculous, but I know I'm alone in the slightly warped (or a seriously distorted) sense of body. And it's taken a lot for me to start to see myself in a more realistic way, and I wouldn't say I'm totally there yet, but I do feel like I'm making progress. So, yeah, this recently discovered waist is one of the things I'm celebrating this week.


Has anyone else discovered something positive about their body through blogging?

And just to keep this light, a picture of my adorable kittens:

Elefante on the left, Pirata on the right. Aren't they cute?

Happy birthday to me!

Dress (worn as skirt): Target
Tee: J Crew
Scarf: Covered Ladies Designs
Earrings: Turkey
Belt: Target
Booties: Aldo

Confession: B picked this outfit out, too; I'm too lazy to dress myself. Either that, or I just hired myself a stylist.


It's my birthday today.  I'm turning twenty-nine, and yes, I did just tell the internet that I am a year shy of thirty.  Y'all can go ahead and tell me how young I look; I get it all the time. Since I missed my blogiversary (bad blogger), I thought my birthday would be a good time to think about the past and future of Mad Dress Game.


For one thing, my pictures have definitely gotten better since my first post. For another, I've gotten a bit more creative in my mixes, have "met" a lot of people, and have drastically reduced my wardrobe.



I'm also going to tell myself that my poses have improved.... And that makes me think about the future. Just go with it, because we all know that was a terrible transition sentence. Anyway, as I think about the future of Mad Dress Game, I know I want to do a few things in the next year.


For one, I'd like to revamp the blog - maybe a "hire-a-professional" kind of revamp. For another, I'm thinking of doing a feature focusing on teachers who style/fashion blog (if you'd be about it, let me know and I'll email you.)  I want to really want to focus on getting the most out of my limited wardrobe while I'm here in Costa Rica - that might involve some remixing and creative layering challenges. I want to be a blog where women (and men) who can't shop - for whatever reason - can be inspired to work their closets.


Also in mind for the future of Mad Dress Game: more awkward hands and goofy faces.

Rediscovering my closet: grey tunic

Tunic: New York & Co.
Skirt: Gap
Belt: Came with a blazer
Pumps: Steve Madden
Earrings: Kohl's

I wore this outfit to church on Sunday because there was a possibility that I'd have to stand up front and translate the sermon. Lucky for me, I got a break from translating duties and I just got to look a little extra fancy for church.


I love this tunic, but I haven't worn it since I've been here in Costa Rica. I know, a limited wardrobe and there are items I haven't worn - I'm ashamed of myself, too. Anyway, as a challenge to myself, I'm going to be trying to pull out more of these items this week.


I mean, seriously: check out that pretty beading and the contrast of grey and bronze-ish (totally a color). How could I not have worn this in the past five months? Part of my issue is that I don't really know how to wear it. This is the first time I've tucked it into a skirt and I rather like how it turned out.


Any other suggestions?

Embellished

Tee: Ann Taylor (gift from mom)
Jeggings: J Crew
Cardigan: Ann Taylor
Shoes: Target
Earrings: Turkey

Y'all, I made out like a bandit when my mom was here. She got gifts for everyone and I was happy to take some weight out of her suitcase. You know, clothes are crazy heavy. Or something....


I was so pumped about this pretty tee that I wore it the same day I got it to see my mom off at the airport.


See how pretty?