Two nights ago I had a totally enraging, ridiculous dream. I dreamt I was visiting Kelly Bean to help out with new baby-related household angst (I have no indication that things are angsty chez KB. This is a subconsciously-produced detail). Kelly, her hubs, her mom, and I were running around trying to round-up various neighbourhood children and get Baby T down for a nap. In the midst of all this, a couple of nondescript idiots kept insisting that everyone sit down so they could serenade Kelly and babe on the recorder and the ukulele. They started, stopped, but never completed a painfully slow version of “My Heart Will Go On.”
I woke up enraged on KB’s (and my own) behalf, and have had the Titanic theme stuck in my head ever since. It. Is. Awful.
That’s all I’ve got today, StyleNation. Well, that and these three pant-based outfits:
#1. Red Linen for Student Supervision
I am taking suggestions for better shoe pairings with these trousers:
Zokai ruffled top: remixed
Mexx cardigan: remixed
Foxy brushed-silver necklace: remixed
Pulsar watch: remixed
Mexx red linen trousers: new to the blog
Clarks black and cork wedges: remixed
#2. Day-long Community Meeting
I wore the following to a very long, emotionally and intellectually exhausting policy-development conference on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. Sartorially, I wanted to be appropriately respectful, but not overly formal. The A-Dubs-Hubs thinks I hit the mark this time – what do you think?
DKNY jean jacket: remixed
Kenar grey-mix tank: Winners, new to the blog
Silver and gold metal necklace: mall anchor store, new to the blog
Nine West leather belt: via Winners, new to the blog
H&M black linen trousers: remixed
Near-invisible Frye London Yayas: remixed
Fortunately, my name-tag-on-a-string tangled with the necklace, preventing boob-wrangling for much of the day.
#3. Pattern-mixing, One Supervisory Meeting
The camera refused to capture the brown stripe in this jacket, so you’ll just have to trust me on this one: I am mixing patterns. The camera can suck it.
Dress Barn brown-and-cream striped cotton jacket: gifted, new to the blog
Tall Girl clear plastic sparkly multi-strand necklace: new to the blog
Reitmans coral cami: new
Reitmans coral-and-white print ruffled tank: new
Smart Set green khaki bell bottoms: remixed
That’s right: not even the close-up shows the stripe in the jacket.
How do you make your camera take the real picture? Can you train me to do it in three lines or less?
In Professorial Fashion 
Dude. It's so lovely to hear from you! How goes the battle? Also, I'm glad you like the red linen. They felt like an edgy purchase for me, but everyone's approval is helping me embrace them.
Thanks so much for your confidence in me, Wendi DM. I am humbled. Also, that is totally the plan!
First off, how awesome are you for dreaming that you're here in Baby Chaos Beantown? Rather than dreaming of (for example) Tropical Island with Clive Owen? Answer: most awesome indeed.Secondly, rest assured that idiots playing Celine Dion ballads on ukulele and recorder would receive some choice Mommy Shouldn't Say Those Words. Unless Clive Owen likes the ukulele, in which case I will get us some earplugs.Finally, you are rocking those pants. All those pants. The red linen ones are particularly gorgeous, but all three pairs of trousers are perfect on your long lean loveliness.
Right now I'm jonesing on reds and blues together. And that first outfit is now my favorite outfit of yours. I just love it!As for capturing the true image of the details…you'd need studio lighting or someone helping you out holding a reflector to make sure that you're getting enough light on the subject. Personally, go with the detail shot that Terri mentioned. It's a great idea!All these looks are wonderful. You know, I love how you take trend and spin it on it's head so it's less trend and more classic. Trends come and go, which means if we only buy what is trendy we have to restock our wardrobes every season. I think that you will be able to wear your clothes season after season because you have the eye for trends that can slip into classics. Spinning! go you!!
Sometimes I hold my camera just inches away from the fabric and call it a detail shot. I really like the top in look number one. And for the group at that conference, i would say that jean jacket was the perfect touch.
I love seeing you in Cdn brands like Reitman's and Smart Set. Does my heart good. :)Great outifts, A-Dubs! Rock on, girl.I used to play the flute. I can torture you with the M*A*S*H* theme played really slowly…
Seriously? 15 hours a day? He must have been deaf. That is horrible.
Thanks, SS. I must say, though, that linen breathes nicely, but the cheaper version of it can be a bit scratchy. The trousers above also get a little grabby in the humidity (i.e. stick to the skin).
Thanks, Sal! And I am on the lighter shoe plan.
I'm heading over to your blog to see what you've done. Usually I wish I lived closer to all my friends, but maybe just this once I don't wish it ;)Also, thanks!
I must give credit where it's due: I'm pretty sure it was Angie, over at You Look Fab who suggested light blue with red pants. It works, doesn't it?
The second outfit is a total Rad outfit, for sure. Also, I know, right? Usually skirts and dresses are so much better. And thanks for the shoe suggestion. I am on it.
Ha! If you'd been cruising through the end-of-season sale racks at Winners late last fall, you could have been the one to find 'em, and pay a mere $11 for 'em. I thank the shopping gods it was me!
I once played "Scarborough Fair" on the recorder in concert. With two other recorder players. I think it was grade 5. Why are elementary music teachers so cruel? Also, merci. Your red skirt made me remember the red pants!
Oh dear, the recorder. I don't think I've ever heard it sound good. I once gave ukulele performance in grade 6… not cool. I do enjoy your pantal ensembles. Everybody should own red linen pants. I should, at least!
I WANT THOSE RED LINEN PANTS!
How do you have such awesome linen pants? I have pant-envy, and I usually don't. The colors of the first outfit are great. The second one I would steal right off you. I also lust after your stripey jacket. I have difficulty with warmer weather jackets, and I always freeze in AC.I concur with Sal- nude (wedges?) for the red pants.
I am enamored with the first outfit, probably because sky blue and bright red is such a lovely color combination.
We have the same color bedroom? Magenta sounds like an awesome compliment! Fella doesn't have too much say on these things, but we went with green bedding and dark brown wood furniture. Actually, now that I think about it, all of our color schemes and decor are fairly gender-neutral.
A-Dubs, my love of the sky blue shirt knows no bounds. I want to "borrow" it, where by borrow, I mean steal.I think you hit the mark very well. Respectful, appropriate level of formality, etc.I have no thoughts on the camera. You can see how I am doing over on my blog, where I managed to take a shot that could be construed as rude, given the cross section of my body it provides.Anne and E-Jo, I have to say, I think blue is one of the best bedroom colors out there. My own room is called "Delft Blue," though I have been to Delft, seen their blue, and this ain't it. But it is pretty–a greyish blue.
The second look is definitely my fave – and hits the respectful-but-not-stuffy nail squarely on the head.For the red linen pants, how about tan sandals? Nude? Beige? Something lighter …
I love those red linen pants from the first look. I really need to stock up on linen pants for the summer heat…xoxo ~ Courtneyhttp://sartorialsidelines.blogspot.com
Oooh. I just painted my bedroom walls sky blue (though a greyish version). I went with magenta bedside tables. Though possibly Fella might not be on board with that color combo!
Those are some awesome pantal outfits! LOVE the wicked red linen pants — especially with the sky blue. And you hit the mark nicely with outfit number 2. Funny story: when my sister lived in downtown Vancouver, there was this guy who played the recorder for 15 hours a day by her apartment. He only knew 4 songs and one of them was "My Heart will Go On." So I totally get the awfulness of that dream. Though I imagine the ukelele would only up the ante.
Great suggestions, New-home-owner Anne. Also, yes. Yes, I do.
You make pants look so good. If it weren't nearing 100 here, I'd seriously consider wearing pants tomorrow.Also, I want red linen pants! And I love how you've paired them with a pale blue. One of my friends and I were just talking about how great that color combination is this weekend (though she was suggesting I get red bedding to match the sky blue walls). Do you have tan shoes? That may work, as would grey. Do you want to borrow my grey Tsubos?
You make pants look so good. If it weren't nearing 100 here, I'd seriously consider wearing pants tomorrow.Also, I want red linen pants! And I love how you've paired them with a pale blue. One of my friends and I were just talking about how great that color combination is this weekend (though she was suggesting I get red bedding to match the sky blue walls). Do you have tan shoes? That may work, as would grey. Do you want to borrow my grey Tsubos?
You are getting a pounding for underlining/reinforcing my earworm pain.
Neeeeeeear, faaaaaaaar, wherever you aaaaaaaare…you know I love this earworm. Thanks so much.Re picture taking, I got nothing. I just use whatever the camera gives me.