Perhaps

So listen...I haven't taken a new "outfit picture" since a few weeks ago.  I put the tripod and camera away and haven't gotten them back out and set up yet.  Every time I get dressed for work I think "I should really take a picture of this" and then I don't.  Granted, I am usually running out the door as I think that so time generally does not permit.  It's not a good excuse but there you have it.

If you can suspend disbelief for a moment, you might imagine that this is what I wore on my return to work.  It seems to be my basic uniform of denim bottom, printed top and colorful cardigan.  I never realized that I had such a narrow vision when it came to picking out my outfits but after scrolling through my unused outfit photos in search of something to post I realized that basically they all look the same.  And that is so sad.

I guess it makes getting dressed easier, I certainly have a cardigan to match everything I own and enough denim to clothe an army of size 8 short women.  This blog has always been a "what I wore today" contribution.  I'm not trying to teach you anything (most of the time) because I certainly have nothing new to say.  The outfits I post are really what I wear to work, and because my work is what it is it makes sense that you see me in denim and colorful layers.

I'm bored of the look though...I'm closing in on 100 posts of mostly the same stuff.  Perhaps its time for a little tiny tweak.  Perhaps its time to take photos of outfits I would wear if I had a different type of job, or got dressed on days I didn't actually have to go to work (as I type in mangled, over sized boxer shorts and a stained, XXL t-shirt from 100 years ago).  Perhaps I'm actually too lazy to make that change.  Time will tell.

XO,
Alyssa

Reflections

Hi everyone!!   Home from vacation at last, but now comes the annoying aftermath of dirty laundry, housekeeping and grocery runs.

Glasses and shoes in hand..it was a long hike to the sunset!

Since my new best friend Beverly from Beverly Like Hills has linked to my site after we met, I have had more page views than in the entirety of my blog's short and illustrious (NOT) history.  As a result I felt I needed to put something new up ASAP!

This picture my friends, was taken where she lives.  Well, its a few miles up the road from where she lives, but still.  It is no wonder that upon embarking upon summer vacation she thought of the beach.  I don't want to regale you with how amazing she is in real life, it really was a date with a rock star for me.  She laughed at that, but for me it is the truth.  You will all have to plan your own trips to Newport and find out for yourselves.

My family had an AMAZING trip and enjoyed our time in California immensely.  I'm looking for property right now and DH is looking into jobs at UC Irvine.  Kidding!  But seriously, it was great.  Just the right balance of relaxation and activity.  I hope you are all doing well and I promise that I will get back to outfit posting soon. 

XO,
Alyssa

Print Mixing

I'm totally excited to be leaving on vacation tomorrow and am in the midst of packing for the whole family.  Despite my best intentions, I have once again left everything to the last minute.  I hope that I can get it all done this evening so we can be out the door early tomorrow morning.  I have a special meeting that I just can't miss!  

I get to meet Beverly of Beverly Like Hills!! It's kind of like a date with a rock star.

On to the clothes.  These pictures are from more than a month ago when I was still under the impression that growing out my hair would be a good idea.  I do love the print mix I have going on in this outfit though.  The tiny stripe with the big floral really works together, and doesn't seem as jarring as some of my other attempts to shake up my wardrobe.  Let it be known that by "shake up" I mean "cause a slight ripple".  I'm not really that adventurous.

Have an awesome week everyone!!

XO,
Alyssa

Work Shorts

Some jobs have very strict dress codes requiring adherence to a rigid set of clothing choices.  Mine is not one of them, but we are required to meet certain standards of dress. Employees are allowed to wear shorts to work, but they must be long enough to reach our knees.

This is my interpretation of a "work shorts" outfit.  It isn't a look I would choose to wear if I didn't have to heed our dress code because I think when shorts are this long on a leg as short as mine, it isn't all that flattering.  However, it is due to be 105 degrees today and the thought of wearing jeans is, um, unpleasant to say the least.

I don't know how much blogging I will get in this week as I was scheduled to work quite a bit and we are preparing for a short trip to Newport Beach, CA and Disneyland next week.  I will be busy on GCOGH trying to come up with just the right clothing capsule so I can look cute and comfortable, instead of just Disney Chic (ie; baseball cap and sneakers) like I normally do.  If I don't make it back here for a few...enjoy your week!!

XO,
Alyssa

A Story of Printed Shorts

Most Horrible Photo Number 1

When the (some kind of) editor of a nationally published and well respected magazine contacts you to see if you would like to submit photos for a "street style" piece because they like what they have seen on your blog you automatically say yes, right?  Why wouldn't you, right?  RIGHT?  Did I mention there was a deadline involved?  Did I mention that I currently didn't own the "featured" item?  Did I mention they requested the background be outdoors?

Did they REALLY read my blog?

Horrible Photo number 2

Because I (really, REALLY) wasn't pleased with any of the photos, I have little doubt that they will not be chosen and so I thought I would at least tell the story.  It's funny.  And I wore red, white and blue so its Memorial Weekend themed (albeit a day or two late for that!)

The "feature" item was printed shorts and how different "street style bloggers" wear them.  {I laugh every time I read "street style" because I am so very not street.}  So, I owned about 5 total pairs of shorts and you can bet your bippy that none of them were printed.  I don't look so great in shorts.  I'm vertically challenged and squatty legged, old and dimplish, and frankly out of shape right now so the idea of submitting photos of myself for a PUBLICATION in printed shorts was horrific, but I felt that I should at least give it a shot...just in case I could be considered for something else in the future.  Like how to style Mumus.

I tried on about 15 different multi colored, floral, checkered, aztec, abstract, and stripey options and hated them all.  In desperation I hit up my local Tommy Hilfiger (which happens to be right next to my store) and found these adorable navy polka dot shorts.  They were long enough to cover a lot of the ugly, but short enough not to be bermudas.  The print was small enough not to cause problems and the base dark enough to hide in.  They were on sale as well so they were coming home to be my first ever printed short, and my feature piece.

The next part is boring...I styled them a bunch of different ways at home and took some test photos to see which I liked the best.  My winner was chosen from the test shots and then the search for a background was begun.

I had a couple of spots in mind, but I didn't want to drag my tripod out and run for the self-timer thereby prolonging the possibility of anyone walking or driving by and seeing me taking my own picture.  There is a REASON I take my photos in my bedroom when no one is in the house.  This meant I had to enlist a helper, and I chose my hubby.

Horrible Photo Numero Tres

Hubby has a plethora of fantastic qualities.  He is cute, smart, funny, organized, kind and an all around great guy.  That being said, he is the WORST portrait photographer.  Ever.  I envy all of you bloggers out there whose hubbies are their photographers.  I always imagined it would be so much easier to have someone else behind the lens.  I was wrong.  I ran up and down the hill looking at every shot and going..."can't you zoom in? There's a hundred feet of room around me, I look like an ant."  Or " Do I really look like that?  Was that really the most flattering picture?  Can't you give me some direction, some motivation?  Can't you make me laugh or something?"  It was beyond ridiculous.  On top of the photo critiquing I had to duck and cover when cars drove by, lest they think I was insane for standing in the wash getting my picture taken.  Then there was the swarm of bees in the palo verde he had to stand near.  It was also 105 degrees out and we were sweatin'.

I think I had him take a total of 10 pictures before I was done.  No amount of coaching was going to save this shot, and I was out of time for the deadline.  I picked the best of the worst, did a little bit of color editing, sent that son of a b on its way and washed my hands of the whole thing.

The Submission

The Submission (2)

Take this story as you will; funny anecdote or cautionary tale.  If a photo editor comes knocking on your email for submissions, perhaps you should think a second before you say yes.  Do you have the requested look in your wardrobe already?  Do you have a good photo background?  Do you have a decent photographer in mind?  All excellent questions my friends.  The answers to which may actually lead you to print-worthy results.

XO,
Alyssa

( and to answer the question I know you were asking yourself the answer is no...I didn't own Awesome Navy Tank Top before the deadline, or you can bet that outfit would have been "the one")