Pink Dress for Breast Cancer Challenge

Sorry I've been AWOL lately... I've hit the writing stage of my research, and writing tends to be a fickle mistress.  This means I'm running on limited sleep (at night - lots during the day) and wearing clothes as pajamas, and pajamas as clothes.  In the meantime, here is this to satiate your appetite!!

When Melissa created the Breast Cancer aWEARness challenge, I didn't intend on doing a whole month. Nor did I intend on taking it a step further, in trying to fashion my very pink dress a variety of different ways.  Well, I did it: five different ways, and it wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it would be.  I definitely have favourites, but what do you guys think?

       

I'm No Longer Dreaming Of a White Christmas

It happened.  Every year, I know it will. But every year it catches me by surprise.  Yes, I know the traditional retorts: "You chose to live there", and every year I question why I do.  Being on the most westerly side of the prairies, too, it seems to be worse, coming in all at once in a storm, rather than scattered out over a few days or weeks.  And I know, give it a few days and there will be a reprieve for maybe a week, two tops.  But nothing is more discouraging than the first snowfall of the year.

That's right, it's now winter.  Six whole months of winter (I think I just heard my reader in Florida, Texas and California just faint at the prospect).  And in all honesty, winter does feel a touch late this year.  Sure the snow doesn't start to stick around until November, but we made it almost all of October without a single flake. 

What makes it the hardest is that my current city is unbelievably windy.  Take cold wet snow, and then have it fly at you 70km/hr (roughly 44 mph).  Now have that happen for about 15-20 minutes because you bus is late, since people have seemed to have forgotten how to drive in this weather.  I've been home for 1/2 hour, and I still can't feel my toes.

Dressing for this weather, I thought, would be a breeze.  Luckily, I had factored in the breeze.  Today, I'm wearing not one but two dresses, oh, and I've layered a skirt and jacket with it!.  I've got my brown Old Navy sundress, the pink dress from my challenge and this kind of awkwardly shaped brown skirt.  I had contemplated wearing a slip between each layer, but I was already at 5 layers... plus tights on my legs.  I did deal with a bit of static all day, but was very greatful for it when the wind came along and only blew up ONE layer of the skirts. 

I kind of felt like a little kid playing dress up all day, with a big tutu type skirt.  Unfortunately, only the top 2 layers really flew around when I spun, so I didn't do a lot of that (which is probably good. Afterall, I am in government, not preschool)

Return on the Stress

 This morning, I woke up from a dead sleep of someone who has been unbelieveably stressed and then had all the stress removed.  It was wonderful.  And then I remembered I had to start writing Chapter One of my thesis today, and, what do you know, I realized I'd been slightly off on a lot of my research, so I had to do a lot more.  I'm definitely behind where I wanted to be, so welcome back, stress.

It didn't help that I don't like this outfit. I'm very glad that the capsule wardrobe is over today, and that we only have one more week of pink.  I'm wearing this dress as a skirt today, which was difficult because I forgot it had some gathering at the waist, which is, of course, higher than the bottom of most of my shirts, so it doesn't quite lie right with this sweater.

I'm really excited for how I'm planning on wearing it as a shirt.  It may actually be mixing this dress, with another dress, with another skirt.  That should be Tuesday.

And yes, I look like a dolt.

So sleepy

Today, I defended my thesis proposal.  Ok, I "discussed" my thesis proposal, if I use the same terminology that they have started using (though the process remains the same, it's just a change in semantics).  It was actually an embarassing experience, as the process starts with my adviser describing the assets and attributes I bring to the project.  While it does seem like she really does believe in me (more than I can), it's very awkward.  It's one thing to hear: "That colour looks good on you" on a blog, but when you are told, over 5-7 minutes, how smart, capable and enlightening you are, it's very very awkward and uncomfortable. 

Anyway, choosing an outfit was a tricky situation.  On the one hand, I wanted to look very professional, but on the other, the commitee kept telling me how informal this "discussion" would be.  Not to mention... wearing pink... and working within my capsule. Sigh.

I figured a button down shirt under a sweater with tweed skirt was pretty expected.  The pattern in the shirt, and the opaque tights, I thought, made the outfit a little more casual.  It feels a little school girl, but the briefcase makes it more grown up, right? 

Did you wear purple?

Turns out that the most challenges a girl can do in the week has increased to 4!  I am indeed wearing purple to bring awareness to the dangers of bullying and to support LGBTQ* friends, family, and, well, everyone!  Of course, that came at the expense of wearing pink, since it is a wardrobe challenge, and none of my pink pieces were purple as well... except the one that I HAVE to wear tomorrow, in my attempt to look professional and casual all at the same time. 

Wardrobe Challenge Day 2

So this is day 19 of the Pink Challenge, and Day 2 of the Capsule Challenge.  Nothing like wearing all different clothes on the second day to make the third, fourth and fifth day a little more difficult!

I haven't worn this white dress shirt in almost a year. It's one of those basics that I don't wear very often, but can't justify getting rid of it, because it is a basic.

The outfit is a little grey, but I needed to tame down the pink legs for work!

(And I promise I am done mass posting of blog entries)

I didn't disappear

I intended to continue blogging while away, but I didn't even take pictures, despite my self-professed cuteness.  We had a very productive weekend in terms of wedding stuff, and did get to visit 3 dozen friends and family (a family gathering on Sunday did take care of most of that). 
I'm not sure I'm doing the capsule wardrobe. I haven't heard anything on it, nor do I have the energy to plan much, as I not only start writing my first chapter of my thesis this week, but I also defend my thesis proposal this week (yes, a couple days after I start writing - bureaucratic processes take too long for my liking). 
Anyway, I hope to be back to blogging soon, and I promise, I've been wearing my pink!

Wardrobe Challenge

So Meli22 has been sick so the wardrobe challenge has been postponed, but I already figured out what I was going to wear for the week (despite saying yesterday I wasn't going to do it).  I started out simply because I was driving back home on Monday and needed to be comfortable.  I'm not sure everyone will consider this pink, I am! 

Thanksgiving Pink

Even though I only signed up for the pink thing for Monday to Friday, I found myself reaching for this tank when I packed for the weekend.  I wore this outfit to a family gathering.  With the tights, I thought it was perfect for the weather and the situation... I spent some time on the floor playing with kids, some time outside enjoying the rather isolated surroundings we were in... but I won't lie, the minute I got home, I switched into jeans.

Pink Friday

 This is what I wore around Winnipeg on Friday, meeting with various wedding vendors.  Of course, I did wear a belt, and didn't have my underwear out on display like they are in this picture... but recreating all your outfits on one day, inevitably some underwear is going to show where it's not supposed to, or something else equally embarrassing. 

Touches of pink

All right, it's barely any pink, but it still counts, because I said so.  I woke up with a huge headache, which is not good since I was hoping to get a lot accomplished today, since we're going away for the weekend.  I'm currently taking a study break because my entire body aches from sitting.  It's really one of those days when I should crawl back into bed. You won't tell anyone if I do, right??

I meant to blog this sooner, but I almost completely forgot about it.  Next week, Mel of The Daily Insanity of a Fashion Addict will be holding a capsule wardrobe challenge, since Jane of The Small Fabric of My Life, who usually holds them, is on a blogging hiatus.  She's using the original rule: you can read about them here.  I'm a little apprehensive this time, as I have to account for travel days AND proposal defense (though they inform me it's now called a "discussion", not that that makes me feel any less stressed), but I'm confident I can pull it off.  Plus, I'm feeling a little uninspired with the whole pink thing, so hopefully this will inject some additional motivation to keep up both challenges... hmm... and the challenge of wearing that pink dress a different way each week.  Wow, that's three challenges in one!  Fortunately, they seem to go well together!

And I totally dumped an entire plate of food on my clothes before this picture.  Awesome.  

Back to Basic Pink And Black

I decided I was going to wear the pink dress on Tuesday this week, in hopes to avoid wearing it on campus.  Afterall, Tuesday is my one working day, so I generally give myself the day off.  However, some articles arrived at the library, so I jumped off the bus a couple stops early to pick them up. As I was walking into the school, I realized, yet again, the last time I was there, I was wearing this dress.  DOH!

At least this time I feel that it's styled significantly different.  This is my second attempt at layering dresses, and now I'm seeing why Sheila, and Audi layer dresses and skirts so often - it can completely change the look! I was really happy with how this turned out considering I have been having issues with this shirt dress, and nearly took scissors to it the last time I wore it.  Leaving it undone (with something underneath, of course!!) gives it more flare, avoiding the "rectangle" look I feel it gives me

Relaxing in Pink

It's Thanksgiving Monday, which is a holiday up here in Canada.  However, my Mom's side of the family has a lot of police and nurses, so we typically can't meet on a specific holiday. Our family gathering will take place next Sunday.  Since Scott was also working all weekend, he managed to negotiate 5 days off over next weekend, so we can leave for the long trip Thursday after he's done work, get some wedding stuff done, and then stay for the family gathering.  Taking today off, working my government job tomorrow, and being away on Friday would mean only working on thesis stuff 2 days this week - not good considering I'm already a bit behind where I'd like to be.  So without family around, I have no real reason not to work today.  Fortunately, Monday's are mostly organizational and "warm up" days - figuring out what needs to be read, when it needs to be read, and what did I get out of last week.  It's really the day that my Education Degree comes into play.

Happy Thanksgiving!

A departure from the pink, but for a good cause: I'm hosting my first Thanksgiving.  Oddly, I'm ahead of schedule, which probably means I'll fall asleep on the couch and forget to put the turkey in... ooops!

I had intended on having a decor scheme of blue, yellow and orange. I seem to only have sets of 4 placemats, so I needed to pick up some up from our local Dollarstore.  However, as I drove up to it this morning, I quickly discovered that it had burned down last night.



So I did a make shift yellow runner, added the flowers, and decided the blue chairs (one of which is from our bedroom, one of which is Scott's desk chair) would have to be as blue as I got!  I hope that my guests aren't messy: I was counting on the morning trip to the Dollarstore for napkins too!

I finally put my contacts back in, and paired with the orange shirt, I forgot how blue they could be.

All right, I should preheat the oven, so I have a reason to not fall asleep: I'd hate for my apartment to tka eth same turn as the Dollarstore.

(Oh, and so I don't come across as callous - there were not injuries in the fire, as everyone was evacuated immediately, and the business appears to be properly insured)

 

Happy Thanksgiving, Canadians!

What would Freud Think of Pink?

Today, I intended to get down to thesis work asap.  However, last night I realized that our centrepieces were going to completely clash with our cardbox, and we needed something to tie it all together with the cupcake table, so I admittedly started my day off inquiring about prices of candy, etc.  Then, I threw in a few loads of laundry, talked to our repair guy about the ghost flushing our toilet, ate lunch, talked to Scott when he was home for lunch (which he usually isn't), talked to my sister, and suddenly it was 3:30, and my much awaited article had arrived at the school through interlibrary loan.  I didn't even get to Freud until after 4:00 today.  However, I've read my daily dose of Freud, and am very glad I'm only dealing with him in one chapter of the thesis. 

It wasn't until I was already on campus that I remembered that I had worn this dress the last time I was on campus.  While I am intentionally wearing this dress on a weekly basis this month, I'm going to have to watch which day of the week I wear it! Speaking of elapsed time, I just can't get over the fact that a year ago today, I was white knuckling it on an icy highway to get to a family gathering after a massive blizzard delayed my departure the previous day.  While that was unseasonal, so was today.  It was about 25 degrees this afternoon... temperatures we're more used to experiencing in July! 

Even pink in the plaid!!

I will note that despite my desire to maintain the pink challenge, I'm only doing so on a Monday to Friday basis.  Why only 5 days a week when I readily admitted I had more pink than I'd be able to wear on blogging day?  Partially because I'm hosting Thanksgiving for my whole immediate family this weekend, and I want to coordinate with my table!!

Dreaming of pink clouds

Sometimes the door to our bedroom sticks and we're locked in.  This happened last night when Scott got up in the middle of the night.  Add to that the staying up late to make buns, and getting up early to bake them, sleep time was precious.  My goal for the day is to get through enough of my reading this morning that I can justify a short nap this afternoon.  While this wasn't my plan of pairing pink and brown, I suppose it does. 

Yes, folks, these are my pajamas.  I didn't realize that I'd been wearing pink pajamas during pink month, but it was actually Scott that noticed it.  Quite obvious, I think, from his perspective: I generally don't wear this much pink in this concentrated of a period.

I have a general rule about not wearing pajamas in the pairs that they come in, most especially because the monkey pajama pants came with a shirt that said something along the lines of "Wild Child" or another phrase with a little more overt sexual undertones, which was rather humourous given my mother-in-law bought them for me for Christmas a couple years ago.  I picked up the faux-comic book t-shirt one day in hopes of cheering up my comic geek boyfriend, but have since relegated it to the pajama drawer.

Oh, and despite always hanging my pajama pants to dry, they always shrink on me.

Oh ya, and here is what I actually wore

Keeping It Pink At Home!

While I walk to the school, and bus to work, I do the majority of the driving for Scott and I.  There are many reasons for this, and for the most part, I don't mind.  However, I do enjoy the days when I don't have to get into a car. 

With that said, I've been having a lot of allergy issues this fall (not seasonal, food related), which have some how made my contacts unwearable.  I can't say I'm as in love with my current pair of glasses as I once was.  So this morning, when I realized I would be yet again pairing pink and black,* I thought "Why not pull out my "sleeping glasses?" (Sleeping glasses are the pair of glasses with your last prescription that you don't mind if they get bent out of shape should you fall asleep while watching TV).  My prescription is mostly for seeing things in the distance, which is not necessary for the activities of today.  I'm so unused to these glasses, I don't know what I think of them, but I'm glad for the change!!

*Tomorrow, I'm most definitely pairing pink with brown. 

Wrapped in Pink

This is what happens when I decide that I should wait until the end of the work day to post: I forget to post all together, and suddenly it's almost midnight and in my pajamas when I remember.
I noticed Zoey Deschenel (whose name I refuse to learn to spell because I'm lazy) was wearing wide legged trousers, with tucked in shirts in (500) Days of Summer, so I had to try it.  This is my attempt.  Something weird was going on with the neckline on this shirt all day.  I also failed to account for the fact the weatherman lies and that I should never expect it to be warm enough for sockless shoes in October.  However, you'll notice the insoles were even getting in on the pink.

Wow - I realize many of my peers stay up much much later, but the closer it gets to midnight, the more exhausted I am!  Of course, I didn't sleep well again last night, not to mention that as we were doing dishes tonight, Scott noticed I was sprouting my fourth set of hives in about 6 weeks.  Sigh.  I also baked my first pies ever, which appear to be successful.  Unfortunately, it doesn't look like either side of our families are going to be able to make it this weekend for Canadian Thanksgiving.  I realize that there are many important things preventing their visit, but it's still upsetting.  This will be my first holiday season I won't be with my family.  Yes, I suppose I can keep in mind that Scott and I are now a "family", but really, it just makes the city I'm in now (which I am currently referring to as "the mole in the armpit of Canada") seem really far away from... well... everything.

Tomorrow I might have to go for bright pink to cheer me up. 

Thinking Pink

I had a horrible night of sleep on Saturday, suddenly realizing that I do always bite off more than I can chew, and realizing that even this term, where I turned down jobs in order to prevent these sleepless nights, I managed to still some how find other obligations to overwhelm me.  And that was before I decided to host Thanksgiving for both Scott's and my families.  Needless to say, I gave myself a "Cara Day" on Sunday, watching cheesy movies and knitting in my jammies (Yeah for Netflix finally coming to Canada!!).  As luxurious as that felt, that means getting dressed today took twice the effort.  In fact, most of this post was written while still in my pajamas. 

You would think being limited in colour would make getting dressed easier.  Not so: I'm finding pink very difficult to pair with other colours!  Last Friday's outfit made me feel like a muppet in a more conservative environment.  My go to colour is always black, but I'm tired of my bright pink and black pairings.  And while Melissa definitely rocks the pink and red today, I can't say I'm quite ready to make that jump yet. 

Oh, and you know how I said I didn't have any pink in my wardrobe?  Turns out I have 22 pieces.  How many blogging days this month?  21!  Keeping in mind I'm trying to wear the cotton jersey dress from Friday a different way each week, and murmurings of an upcoming capsule wardrobe challenge, I probably won't get to wear all of them unless I start pairing them together! 

Conference Wear

Last weekend, my university hosted Literary Eclectic V, an English undergraduate/graduate conference.  Not only was I presenting in a panel about Victorian representations of masculinity and sexuality, but I was working the registration table and promoting the conference we will be holding this fall.  In other words, I was front and centre on a lot of occasions. 

Since my panel was not until Saturday, I felt I could go a bit more casual on Friday.  The temperature was starting to warm up, but since I had hive covering my legs from my latest allergy attack, I had to resort to tights.  Paired with a nice cotton dress, and a belt, I felt pretty comfortable, but knew the evening would be cold.  While I did originally have on a denim jacket, I nixed it for two reasons: first of all, it was too casual, and second of all, the buttons make all kinds of noise that would undoubtedly interrupt the people seated around me during the papers.  I decided my choice of jacket would be tongue in cheek: while red tights and a flowered dress don't scream: "academic", there is nothing more cliché than a corduroy blazer!  If only it had elbow patches!

Saturday was the longest day of the conference, but it was also the day I was presenting.  I went full on professional... Cara style, of course.  Bare legs in fall is always iffy, but I decided I was hive-free enough to pull it off.  I love a tweed pencil skirt for some business, and the ruffled collar, with the silver pinstripe in the shirt add more interested than a plain button down dress shirt.  I felt confident and academic all in one... until I had to climb in and out of the back seat of a truck following a few glasses of wine.... eeek!

In the Pink

With some reservation (pink?  pink?  I don't like pink!  I don't have pink!), I signed up for Mel of A Working Mom's Closet's Blogging for Breast Cancer aWEARness challenge. Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, Mel has challenged us to try to wear one article of pink - as big or as small as you'd like - for the month of October.  I'm not sure I can make it the whole month, but I'll certainly try!

I decided to start the month off with a bang - my pink dress.  I had completely forgotten about this dress when I signed up for the challenge, so I'm hoping this means that it will actually be much easier than I thought it would be!  I'm tossing around the idea of trying to mix up this dress once a week to see how many different ways I can style it.  I know there is a shirt I've been looking to try with it, so this might be the perfect opportunity - but don't hold me to it!

When I looked at the weather forecast this morning, I swear it said that it was going to be sunny and a high of 28 degrees.  Sleeveless and barelegged seemed to be the way to go.  However, as the morning progressed, I noticed that the temperature wasn't climbing as quickly as it would need to to reach the high.  I checked again, and suddenly it was supposed to be sunny... but only 17.  I'm not sure whether I just read what I wanted to, or what, but that meant making a few changes to the outfit.  So you get both the outfit I planned on wearing, and the tweaks I made to make it a little more weather appropriate!