Dirt Chic

A Nostalgic Youthful Interlude Involving Perfume and Cosmetics

One deadline down, another major one to go - but I'll be back on the grid (that is, more on the grid) this next week.  I have to remember that my break from teaching is not actually a break - but I'm still hoping to relax enough to absorb the general holiday festiveness. :)

Time for a break, though.  A short one.

I was at Target last week, getting a few presents, and I was trying to decide on what board books to get my 1-year-old niece, and I spied Pat the Bunny.  I LOVE Pat the Bunny.  I think I gave it to my oldest niece (someone did), but then another niece (her sister), completely destroyed it.  So I did not choose it.  But there was an open copy - and I couldn't resist.  I had to sniff the flower page.

I LOVE the flower page.  My copy of it no longer smells like anything, but the fragrance is so subtle and wonderful, and particular to this book.  I have a small bottle of perfume oil that gets close to it - but not quite.  Whoever publishes Pat the Bunny, needs to release this fragrance.  Because I bet people would buy it (if they knew about it, that is.  Who knows, maybe they already have.  I have actually done no research, as yet).

Sensory nostalgia is potent, period.  I recently became obsessed with getting a hold of Benefit Cosmetic's discontinued "Georgia" peach powder, for various reasons.  Then I realized why. 

Please note the aesthetic similarities between the plums and the peach.  Illustration from a vintage copy of The Color Kittens, a Little Golden Book (beware of the remade contemporary version - blech).

I love this powder.  They have it at Ulta right now, in a set, for $19.  Not cheap, but a whole lot better than one powder retailing for a whopping $28.  Sheesh.

Alright.  Back to work.  But before I go, let me share the inscription:

Good ol' Uncle Grubby... whoever you are.

An Interlude of Snapshots While I Take a Break From Deadlines

There are random sequins littering my floor. This is how it should be. All year, but especially now.  Where do they come from?  Well, boxes and bags of sequins, sometimes.  But mostly, they shed from my clothes, shoes.  I can't bring myself to sweep them up.

I think I need some confetti.  I think I need some glitter.  I will be extra-festive soon, once I hit some pretty heavy deadlines.

In the meantime, I keep finding a way to make my bright tree brighter.

(I know, I know, the green wires are so obvious - but not in real life.  Please suspend awareness of them, for me?)  I bought my favorite candy canes - cherry-flavored rainbow - and put them on the tree.  I will be snacking on them come January, no doubt.

Love my tree.  It's a lovely ritual to turn all the lights on (and light a candle) before I do anything else.  It makes this deadline-tastic time easier to deal with.  I'm not complaining - but I have a lot going on.  (Don't we all?)

I did finish the teaching semester, though.  *PHEW.*  I tried to catch a picture of this amusing sign, on my drive home:

Small Dog, 59 cents.  I keep thinking of lapdogs.  I will take 1 pug, 1 "80's Dog" (Pomeranian), and a Pekingese.  What a deal.

On a trip to the library, I saw this:

Buddy.  Probably was 59 cents.  I wonder how much a large dog costs.  99 cents?

I have been avoiding my library-room chair for various silly reasons (I go through cycles of wanting to sit in certain places, for one), but I finally sat in it yesterday, during the day, and enjoyed the view of this bank of houseplants, some new.  (My fern is atrocious-looking but still clings to life.)

I would sit here more but then I can't see the tree.

Do you know what I CAN see?  EVERYTHING.  Because after a string of unpleasant experiences, I ended up demanding then having a string of extremely positive experiences at the aforementioned eyewear establishment - Lenscrafters.

I am not endorsing one thing over all others (I get my regular glasses from For Eyes, usually), but I have had positive experiences with Lenscrafters in the past, and was surprised that I kept finding myself dissatisfied.  Longish (and boring) story short: they will make good.  Of course they will.  And now, I have what I want:

Brown Anne Klein sunglasses, plastic lenses, gradated tint, in a better prescription.  And $20 than the best pair I found online.  I am very, very pleased.  Now I just have to get used to not having astigmatism anymore.

So anyways.  This interlude is almost over, and I will make some food to last me through the next few marathon days, and I will write and read and write and read and possibly exercise and certainly shower and in all that, dream about these:

And maybe grab a box on my way up north to celebrate the holidays with my family. :)  And celebrate meeting deadlines, of course.

Stay tuned: I will tell you about my upcoming production in Chicago....

More Festivity

Rad.  

My view.  When I write with the lights off. :)  (I don't.)

I went kind of nuts and put stuff everywhere.  By everywhere I mean in three rooms.

This embroidered/sequined/beaded felt tree is probably my favorite Christmas decoration, period.  Mydear Val gave it to me.

I hung a few random vintage ornaments on my orange candelabra, such as Santa.  And Frosty.  And some birds.  And a wonderful pink monstrosity.  And my felt gingerbread house.

I probably should put the ornaments in the box on the right (in front of the Rudolph record) in a bowl.  Nah.  Maybe next year. :)

A New Briefcase

So I got this... thing the other day at a thrift store.  Purse?  Case?  Picnic basket?

But it was too cool to pass up.  And, it was $2.99.  And, it was in a thrift store that has a TERRIBLE clothing/accessories selection, so I was pumped to see something cool.

Then I realized... my writing stuff fits in it.  Binder, computer, notebook.  Pencils.  Earplugs.  Deep thoughts.  (Ha)

Here I go to write... and picnic....

Big Tree = Comfort

I realize large bulbs equal thick green-sheathed wires.  I also realize my tree is pre-lit with small bulbs with white wires.

I do not care.

I love my tree.  I love the lights.  I love how comforting it is.

Perhaps I will curl up under it and read.  (On my bedroll, of course.)

Therapies

What a semester.

If you think this an obnoxious, dramatic self-photo of me, you're right.  But man.  I'm grateful for some upcoming relief from my schedule.  

RELIEF, I say.  

(...Why did Avon think this was a good idea?!?!)

Not that I don't know how to find it in other ways. ;)  

(Yes, this is at Sam's Club.  I was there with friends.  I don't shop there.  But if I did, you know what I'd buy.)

Tomorrow I will take these puppies in and figure out if I'm just crazy and not used to the new prescription, or if something else is wrong. 

It's kind of bad that a pair of sunglasses not turning out can make me so upset.  So upset that I take another obnoxious photo of myself.  But, once I get them under control, I will feel extremely good.  My sunglasses are a rather big part of my day.  They ARE prescription and all. :)

It helps that it is the Christmas season.  Even at my busiest, I love the novelty of it all.  Especially this book tree.

But since I don't have one, for now, I will settle for books.  

Like three Smithsonian Guides to Historic America.  (I have one already. Thrifted for $8, total.)

I will also enjoy my own decorations, like my smaller Christmas tree.

And candy canes.

I kind of (totally) need to but a spending/thrifting freeze on myself.  I know I've said this before.  I'll say it again.  It's kind of... out of control.  (Not really.)

But it IS the Christmas season and now that things are sort of, uh, chilling out (sorry for the use of cold words) for me, responsibility-wise, maybe I will feel less need to get my thrift on.  ...Except I am costuming my upcoming show (more details soon) and it will require much thriftage.

Anyways. :) S'all good.  Some recent scores:

Gold-sequin and clear-beaded sweater: $5.  The previous owner messed with it a good bit, to fit.  I had to take out some seams so it would fit ME.  It exposed some damage.  I have a pile going for the next snow-day.  I will fix anything that I possibly can, to save some $$$ on repairs.

I am continuing my 80's shirt kick but bringing it into the cold weather by finding long-sleeved ones.  Also am bringing it into... the 90's.  Gotta love Versace knock-offs.  I paired this shirt ($3.25) with my lime green sweater-blazer ($6).

Pastel formal, $4.  ...Yeah.  Like I NEED another formal.  This one I could pull off, though, on a regular day.  It requires a scarf tucked into the décolletage, Jane Austen-style.

I was just messing around, here.  The 40's-from-the-80's polka-dot dress is cool but I do need to drop a few inches here and there to make it truly comfortable.  (Working on that.)  I paired it ($6) with my pink 60's pumps ($40), pink 80's belt ($2), fur-trimmed cardigan ($12) and crazy pink Lucite bib necklace (made it myself, probably was $30 for the beads).  If I had grey or bubble-gum-pink tights I would wear them with it.

Sigh of bliss.  I'm really kind of over sweaters - I have a bunch that I love, but I don't need any more, and they're hard to find where they don't just add bulk - but this one.  This one.  Is The One.  (And I thought to myself, this is slightly Michael Jackson-esque.  And then I wore it out to dinner and my friend Jen said, that looks Michael Jackson-esque.  YES.)  Sweater: $3.

So anyways.  Therapies.  Looking forward to getting back to my novel.

Found this at an antique store (didn't buy it), but it reminded me of a lil' cosmic affirmation that I should press on: my main character is named Deltrice.  And she makes cosmetics.  Finding this out was a RELIEF.  I tell you. :)

Getting Dressed: My Winter Professional

I wear dress shirts, slacks or pants (heh heh), and dress shoes.  I wear vintage designer cardigans or blazers, and clean, graphic jewels.  Et cetera.  And yet, sometimes I feel like I don't look mega-professional.  Which of course is ridiculous, and it's not like I'm actually disturbed.  But can fun and professional go hand-in-hand?

\

Yes.  The End.  Even if the answer is No, my answer is Yes.  I am not an MBA.  I am an MFA.  ;)

Blouse: $3.  Pants: $30 (and I'm really getting sick of my lower body.  Christmas will be the season of weight loss.  Trust me).  Shoes: $22.  Cardigan (Schiaparelli!): $35.  Hat: $2.  Ring: $30.

Getting Dressed: Earring Challenge

I certainly "shop my closet".  I also regularly weed through it, to get rid of stuff that I don't feel 110% about.  To me, if something is not fantastic, or even gives me a tiny bit of guilt or feeling of "meh", it's gotta go.  Or, I find some way to make it 110%.

But then, there's jewelry.  I've weeded through it plenty of times, and there are pieces I know I will not wear once a year (my usual standard for something), but refuse to get rid of.  There are pieces that I SHOULD wear, though, and just don't.  Mostly because I don't think about it.  I seriously do not like to spend much time getting dressed/ready.  And for some reason, jewelry can often just be the "one more thing" that I don't want to mess with.   ...And also, I hate over-accessorizing.

So today I thought I would go with what always works for me: big earrings, and clear Lucite.  (My bangs, however, are not working for me.  They are currently pinned back.)  Sweater: $20 (from Mom).  Beach Bum shirt: stole from Mary and never gave it back. :)  Navy blue pleated scarf: $2.  Ring: $3.  Bracelet: $20.  Earrings: $5 ("made" them myself from huge Lucite hoops - easy to add earwires).

Behold the Grouch

My long-term relationship with my sunglasses has ended.  They broke (up with me) (ha).  One day I went to clean them on my shirt and the frame snapped.  I was devastated.  But, I kept some crazy glue in my purse.  It was getting to be too high-maintenance.  And, they look kind of wack, as reapplying the glue has, well, made it so that there's a lot of glue built up on them.  Fascinating, huh?

I have commitment issues with sunglasses, however.  I got a new prescription but I was not to be pressured into choosing something from a paltry selection at the eyewear establishment that day.  So I waited.  And glued.  And went back yesterday and picked out a pair of Anne Klein sunglasses.  

A gajillion $$$ later I don't know how I feel about them.  Frames are great.  Experience was meh.  Lenses are weird.  Apparently, things have changed in the sunglasses world since I last went (5+ years ago).  These lenses are "polarized".  It's either that process, or the new prescription, or the fact that I wasn't told I couldn't get the gradated lenses until AFTER they were made BECAUSE of the polarization (and got crabbed out inadvertently by another employee of the establishment for even considering sub-par plastic lenses that can be gradated) that is making me unsure.

Am grouch about it all.

I'm probably going back tomorrow.  I won't be a grouch to them, 'cuz that's not my style.  But it's my style to be grouchy here because I must share the moral of the story: GET what you PAY for and if you wear something ALL THE TIME and it is IMPORTANT to your quality of life then BY ALL MEANS (minus grouchiness in non-internet public) do what you have to do to make it BETTER.

In the meantime, I am turning to fashion to alleviate grouchdom.  (I will also work on my book and eat Thai food.  As my friend Jen put it, I'm "creating a wellness environment". :)

Last week I was in Lincoln, Illinois, having another bad day (I make it sound like they happen all the time; they don't) so I went to one of the thrift stores there - not my favorite for clothes, but there were some quality holiday-dress-up items in the window (a mannequin wearing a full-length fox-fur coat is always a draw for me, even though I would most likely never wear one).

I was astounded to find this Victor Costa velvet formal for $8.95.  !!!!!  That was $1 cheaper than the goofy 2-piece 80's rayon outfit that I also bought.  (Thank you, dear Ashley, for bringing Victor to my attention.)

I am trying not to take dumb stuff so seriously.  So it starts with not taking myself too seriously.

It helps to have a crazy hat.  (And yes, I would totally wear this hat with this dress. :)

Getting Dressed: The Theme Continues

Getting a lot of mileage out of this color combo, lately.  But - not wearing red shoes.  I want to, but my feet hurt.  So I'm going with a slightly-more-comfortable pair of black heels.

Red dress: $6.  Blue shirt: $3.