spring's a'comin

I'm wearing sandals and short sleeves today!!!  Check it out at chailoveyou.blogspot.com. 

Don't forget to switch your reader subscriptions and follow me over there, too! 

Happy weekend!

faster than mcdonalds

Well, I ripped off the bandaid and made the decision:  I'm going to start posting solely over here.  This should make things much more efficient and balanced so that my little blogging time doesn't go into a time suck between log-ins and separate email accounts.  A better style blogger I will be, fingers crossed! 

If you don't subscribe or follow already (most of you don't yet) would you mind clicking through so we can keep up?  If you hate it or I don't follow through you can stone me with ampersands and asterisks. 

Goodbye for now, Athenista.  Chai love you. 

decisions

I've never been a quick and to-the-point decision maker.  But with my blog dilemma (My husband would probably say I'm being dramatic by calling it a dilemma... I just like to think that I'm carefully weighing my options ;) it has been easy to figure out what I want to do with them... merge the two.  But the how/why-at-this-point? has me all in a wad.  SO... some thoughts/options/reasoning/inquiry... will you indulge me?
First, some reasoning:
1) I love this blog and it's been a fun, creative-ish outlet for me.  Moreso than my old blog was as I had started it as a personal/family life blog which then morphed into an all-things-Amanda blog and has now been slightly on the backburner while I post more regularly here.  (Which is why I keep thinking... why am I keeping them separate?)

2) The reason I started this blog and named it Athenista was to chronicle style (home, fashion or otherwise) and street style (more fashion) in Athens.  I think Athens has a certain "feel" that is unique to the place and I wanted to document that.  But... as I've said before, I just don't have the time right now for that kind of upkeep. That said... it is not what I originally sought it to be and as we might be moving sooner rather than later, I don't want to get too invested in the name.  Silly but it would bother me to no end and I would change it anyway. 

3) Many of the bloggers I follow and that I regularly "commune" with in the blogging world are people that I am interested in and that follow me personally as well so what a pain in the butt to have them trekking to two places?  Why not just invite them all in one place?  Is that annoying of me to keep up two and having my readers follow two separate blogs??

Now... some options:
1) Keep them separate and as is.
2) Merge them both to chailoveyou and import posts from Athenista.  (Delete Athenista?)
3) Merge them and hold on to Athenista in the case of street style becoming an option for me over the summer...

Would it be too annoying to ask you all to link/follow/subscribe over there now that you're semi-invested over here?  Am I just making this way more difficult than it should be and wasting my breath?  Haa... input??

convertible

This is one of those weeks (maybe months??) where comfort is king.  Blogging does motivate me to be more creative with my wardrobe and appreciate what I have but lawdy if this weather isn't the pits.  Totally makes me want to ignore my closet (and showering) altogther and curl up on the couch with a hot chai latte and a sweater blanket.  Lucky for you guys (or maybe just my coworkers), I have been pulling clothes out of my closet to be, at the very least, publicly and socially acceptable.  Never did plan my outfits this week like I said I would.  But I do have a plan for tomorrow: jeans.  It's Friday (haalllllllelujah!).  Which means some version of school spirit and my renewed will to live for the weekend.

Annnnnyyywayyyy... enough about how much I am hating getting dressed in the morning and on to what I loved wearing today (yes, comfort is still tops):

One of my favorite tops (floral! ruffles! polka dots! Spring!) and my current favorite sweater.


The sweater is perfection because I don't even need a scarf because it has an extra large collar that becomes cowl/turtle neck when zipped to the very tippy top:


Srsly, Sam Edelman makes the bestbestBEST dressy and dressyish flats.  Could wear them every day.  In fact, I did wear these almost every single day through my last month of pregnancy if that tells you anything at all.  The only other shoes I would willingly put on were my $5 moccasin-slipper things from Target.






My main accessory of the day... drumrollllll....

The "Shannon" ring from Daughters Vintage!  More on that coming eventually... but isn't it lovely?!

Materials and Sources:

• Floral blouse: Target
• Sweater: Caslon via Nordstrom (Christmas gift)
• Pants: Larry Levine
• Shoes: Sam Edelman (2008 Christmas gift)
• Earrings: Charlotte Russe
• Vintage button ring: Daughters Vintage (Etsy boutique)

(Another new post below...)

longing... DEMANDING!

I am past the point of longing for Spring, begging for it to grace me with its sunny skies and warm-but-not-sweaty temperatures... no, I am demanding that it come now.  And because I demand with so much purpose and authority, weather.com tells me it will be in the 60's almost every day next week.  Finally, Mother Nature is getting the hint from all of the bright, Spring colors and patterns in the blog world.  Hellllooooooo, cobalt, I love you. 

Until next week, though, I will still be sporting some scarves and sweaters to keep the chill away.  Yesterday, I wore some of my favorite items of clothing... a lace blouse, a cobalt cardigan and a colorful winter scarf.  I was planning on wearing my wool dress pants with this outfit buuuut... you can see that disaster here.

My students thought this outfit was a little too much color... apparently they did not see me on Monday then, right?  Wtf, kids.



When you look at this next photo you maybe thinking, "Hmmm... that sure does look like someone's molar."  And if that's what you are thinking, you are right.  Someone's molar.  IN OUR DRIVEWAY.  Someone... anyone... please explain.





Other random things to chew on that you will no longer be able to focus on now that you've seen the molar lurking in my driveway-now-yard:

1. Thinking I might just go ahead and combine this with my personal blog.  Not sure if this is a good idea.  I kind of like them separate.  But kind of not.  Weigh in on this?

2. My 10K 'training' is coming along pretty well.  Yesterday I logged 4 miles at inclines of 1-3%.  Kept up a decent 10 minute mile but man I struggle so much on those inclines at 2+%, y'all!  Heart a'poundin!  Love those interval workouts Elena posted a week or two ago.  Intervals are tough stuff but I LOVE THEM!  My muscles start bulging and all the dudes look scurred.  I'm a beast.  Clearly.

3. The blog envy talk... where do you stand on it?  Jenloveskev weighed in on it today if you're not sure what I'm talking about.  Honestly, can't say that I've felt it.  Maybe I just don't have the stats or the numbers that other bloggers do to spur the jealousy?  I'm just in it for the fun right now.  Kinda scares me to think, though, that if the stats rose the stress would rise with it... what do you think?

building blacks, part 4: shape and texture

First things first: I made it to part four of this little blog series!  Four!  Have I really not run out of things to say about black clothes?  Apparently not.  Or maybe I'm just a broken record.  You lovelies are too nice so I guess I'll never know!

I've made minimal progress in the black department for a few reasons: a) everything in stores right now is so bright!  (not complaining... believe me, I am READY for some Spring in my life), b) I'm trying to be as cheap as possible (except for shoes... I'm willing to invest a little more than $8 in the foundation I'll be standing on all day) and c) I'm picky.  Pickier than I realized before this little project.  Have I told you that already? But because I'm picky, I window shop a lot for ideas.  Which has led me to some new insights on the little black wardrobe I'm trying to build...
I already knew this but it has become even more apparent when I'm looking at black clothing... shape and texture.  Those are the keys.  The gateway, if you will, to a glorious and flattering black wardrobe.  Same shape but different fabrics or overlays and you could have a totally different look.  Same fabric, different cut/shape?  Definitely a multitude of possibilities there.

Exhibit A... All black.  All skirts.  But they're all so different to my eye.:

building blacks: texture (skirts) by athenista featuring Anthropologie skirts

Exhibit B, pants... three different shapes and three totally different looks (I would only wear one of them but I'll let you guess... and I'll never tell):

building blacks - shape (it's hammer time) by athenista featuring Jean Paul Gaultier pants

And here, as we head on over to Exhibit C, we see the same silhouette on all three pieces... the only difference is in the material or texture.  Jeans + leggings = jeggings.

building blacks - shape (skinny) by athenista featuring True Religion jeans

While accessories definitely ice the cake of an outfit, sometimes it's best to keep it simple and let the clothes do the work.  And what about those rushed mornings that are bound to happen?  I need a plan for that, too.  How could I use shape or texture to make the outfit instead of relying so heavily on accessories?  Well, here was my attempt:

building blacks - shape (outfit 1) by athenista featuring Old Navy jeans

I actually really, really love this outfit.  I love a good slim pant/blousy top silhouette.  Simple, definitely something I would wear and I am totally crushing on that top (but it's sold out. boo.).  I'll be keeping my eye out for something similar.

Do you guys have any rules of thumb for shape/texture or do you just play with it day to day?  How would you create an interesting all-black outfit using different cuts and fabrics? 

shelled

Excuse us, we're not quite right.

These shoes make me happy.  Semi black/brown combo, snakeskin and they have a kitten heel that is still as comfortable (if not more) than a flat.  Professional but still kinda sassy.

• Ruffled shell: Ann Taylor LOFT (Christmas gift)
• Pants: Larry Levine
• Cardigan: frenchi via Nordstrom
• Necklace: J.Crew
• Shoes: Sam Edelman (gift from Mom)
• Handbag (on doorknob): Cole Haan
• Earrings (not shown but remixed before): Betsy Johnson

Overall, not a super flattering look for me.  Cardigan doesn't work here (or maybe anywhere... the fit is just a little strange I'm realizing).  Hate that these pants don't photograph well - they give me that large and in charge look that might be helpful if I were a booking officer in a jail somewhere on the west side of Atlanta.  Separately, though, I love everything I'm wearing.  I love this LOFT shell I got for Christmas but I got lots of double takes today.  I think because of my paleness - I look naked if you don't look closely.  Did you have to look twice? 

I love these shoes.  The piping reminds me of the surface of a coffee bean.  In my opinion, shoes are almost always worth the pretty penny when it comes to quality and general wear and tear.  I love shoes.  (A lot.)  But most of the shoes in my closet that have lasted me the longest in both durability and in style have been the most expensive.  Granted, I'm not talkin' Choos or Blahniks but when I compare them with my cardboard-constructed Target flats there is just no comparison.  I've learned this lesson the hard way.  Also... hallelujah for sales and online coups.  

Winter storm, please decide overnight what you're going to do so that I will know the status of school happening/not happening before I get ready.  Love you (long time), see ya out there.

always rushing

I am becoming an avoider when it comes to my job.  Like if I somehow take longer to get ready or take a few extra minutes to dry my hair I can somehow excuse myself from the first ten minutes of work.  Not gonna happen but I can dream, right?  And because I can't actually ignore my work obligations, I just end up rushing instead.  Go, go, go.  I spent this weekend with my friend Katie in Charlotte so I did some laundry when I got home but didn't actually lay out an outfit.  Really... I need to just get my life together and start doing this because at 5:30am in the dark I'm not at my best (or inclined to care) when it comes to choosing an outfit.

Anyway... today was another rushed day and even though this outfit really didn't photograph well at all, it was fun.  Colorful and my coworkers were really heavy on the compliments.  It's the color (hot pinkish if you can't tell. ha.)... Spring is going to come sooner or later.  (Hopefully sooner.) 

The only eyes-open picture Paul was able to get.  What a day! 


Scarf accent is actually red-orange but I desperately needed some Spring in my life, I ran with it. The purple/green/red-orange color palette is one of my favs. 


Can this count as pattern mixing?  I love the basket-weavey look of the dress fabric. 


Belt detail.  Love the tough leather.


Materials and Sources:

• Tunic/dress: French Connection (via Marshalls)
• Black pants: Target (Mossimo?)
• Belt: Gap (yearrrsss ago)
• Scarf: Echo (gift from Mom)
• Shoes: Linea Paolo
• Necklace: Francesca's Collection

I love this dress as... you know, a dress, but it's on the thin and short side for work so I belted it and wore it more like a tunic.  It was one of those "nothing fits" mornings and if I wasn't going to be cheery in spirit, I could at least be cheerful in dress code.  Got the shoes this weekend in Charlotte in continuation of building a black wardrobe - they're so comfy.  Linea Paolo used to be my absolute fav brand for shoes and I still love them comfort-wise but it's been a while since they've had something I really loved.

New 'Building Blacks' post coming later on! For now... yoga!