black turtleneckishness

<div align="center">I missed church today...didn't want to spread the strep-love. But I think I'm over the throat-on-fire hump now, and I know I've milked the sympathy, so... I won't bring it up again. Pinky swear.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4aoweVmJXlg0toixPAgE4PB8VFsUgmU6gQ-KV2G9l40WfnSaBGRJioia4EOT07o3pPbHJBZibUCKanhsOwTFc-R8ciBS34pVp5m8ODlqlLouCnXaX7piq8woSEQUy1EKfny9DcYD2hzIP/s1600/H1britt2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4aoweVmJXlg0toixPAgE4PB8VFsUgmU6gQ-KV2G9l40WfnSaBGRJioia4EOT07o3pPbHJBZibUCKanhsOwTFc-R8ciBS34pVp5m8ODlqlLouCnXaX7piq8woSEQUy1EKfny9DcYD2hzIP/s400/H1britt2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">shoes: head over heels. tights: don't recall. skirt & turtleneck: gap. belt: taken from a skirt from kohl's. necklace: gifted.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2zkDcysAJeNFcyd2OZXzJfAW0X6jSQMv9eWU9Gr5bN3x_3oVK8I4qPHH87PZmnpWzM8SVMYY4tofpT3tnefLEDbzFRwUZWV4VzZW-8gIyKg1mMsaz3Nac7L7rZmfJoAanFQVtYQTW5wMx/s1600/H1britt1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2zkDcysAJeNFcyd2OZXzJfAW0X6jSQMv9eWU9Gr5bN3x_3oVK8I4qPHH87PZmnpWzM8SVMYY4tofpT3tnefLEDbzFRwUZWV4VzZW-8gIyKg1mMsaz3Nac7L7rZmfJoAanFQVtYQTW5wMx/s400/H1britt1.jpg" width="347" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6B70cIhgDeooZbhxbyMIIntZQNmY7vBZDmB07bDWDuwo8TuOmwojiUwT8LbqEDT1DBkuC5nuMlX8nCS5NVKFQ6M0gSNdT9hp3Gt9EQ6nr4WofUfFwryBu89nIP6gGyAP_Qw9xFHd-vT7i/s1600/H1britt3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6B70cIhgDeooZbhxbyMIIntZQNmY7vBZDmB07bDWDuwo8TuOmwojiUwT8LbqEDT1DBkuC5nuMlX8nCS5NVKFQ6M0gSNdT9hp3Gt9EQ6nr4WofUfFwryBu89nIP6gGyAP_Qw9xFHd-vT7i/s400/H1britt3.jpg" width="347" /></a></div><div align="center">Today's jumping-off point was on the hit-list from yesterday's closet purge: turtleneck. I almost purged it because it has an awkward length--can't really be worn with a belt or without one. (And you know me and my belt love... "unbeltable" is pretty much a death sentence in my closet.) But I didn't WANT to toss this shirt. </div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">Here's the thing about turtlenecks: ridiculous name. And they have a bad rap. (No offense, but I think schoolteachers in general have singlehandedly over- and ill-used this item of clothing to the point of its becoming an eye-rolling brunt of jokes and mocking. Like the Christmas sweater.) But still. I happen to like a turtleneck. Just like I like Def Lepard. Can't explain it, and some of you may never visit this blog again because of it. All I can say is...pour some sugar on me.</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">(ahem) I paired this black necky-neck with a brightly patterned skirt (the reverse side of <a href="http://adayinlifetoo.blogspot.com/2010/12/if-not-hazmat-then-heidi.html">this one</a>) and added a chunky wooden necklace. So it wouldn't seem so stuffy. And so dark. Because, a turtleneck causes a looooootttt of unbroken mass-o'-black [Editor's note: An abyss, if you will.] [Assistant Editor's note: Oooh, abyss! Good word.] on a body's top half, especially if that body is also broad shouldered and built like a box. Like mine.</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">So. Wear the skirt a little higher-waisted than normal, add a wide belt, some thick (but not opaque--too much color-chunkiness already, what with the turtle) tights, and brown heels. I like their stitching and buckle detail, but I think booties would look cute here too. I was tempted to pull my hair up today like I did <a href="http://adayinlifetoo.blogspot.com/2010/12/soyoure-sayin-theres-chance.html">here</a>, but it just kind of fell into this 'do. And I don't like to fight with my hair. Because it usually wins.</div><div align="center"><br />Happy Sunday.</div><div align="center"><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">Want this look?    </span><a href="http://www.beso.com/french-connection/womens-skirts/totally-tropical-skirt/2000847902/detail?af_assettype_id=4&af_creative_id=5&af_id=44772&af_placement_id=1&rf=af1" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">skirt</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">    <img border="0" height="1" src="https://adserve.shopzilla.com/img/publisherID-44772/assetID-5/placementID-1/url-http:%2F%2Fwww.beso.com%2Ffrench-connection%2Fwomens-skirts%2Ftotally-tropical-skirt%2F2000847902%2Fdetail" width="1" /></img></span><a href="http://www.beso.com/three-dots/womens-sweaters/womens-three-dots-cotton-turtleneck/1447360626/detail?af_assettype_id=4&af_creative_id=5&af_id=44772&af_placement_id=1&rf=af1" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">turtleneck</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="1" src="https://adserve.shopzilla.com/img/publisherID-44772/assetID-5/placementID-1/url-http:%2F%2Fwww.beso.com%2Fthree-dots%2Fwomens-sweaters%2Fwomens-three-dots-cotton-turtleneck%2F1447360626%2Fdetail" width="1" /></span><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"></img></span></div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: #bfbfbf 1px solid; border-left: #bfbfbf 1px solid; border-right: #bfbfbf 1px solid; border-top: #bfbfbf 1px solid; display: block; position: relative; width: 424px;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="244" name="shopstyle_search" scrolling="no" src="http://widget.shopstyle.com/widget?pid=uid6676-2041974-73&fts=gap%20womens%20turtleneck&width=3&height=1&border=0&footer=0" width="424"></iframe><br /><div style="bottom: 2px; height: 18px; left: 0px; line-height: 12px; position: absolute; width: 100%;"><div style="left: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 2px; position: absolute;"><a href="http://www.shopstyle.com/browse?fts=gap%20womens%20turtleneck#pid=uid6676-2041974-73" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; color: #606060; font: 11px verdana, sans-serif; text-decoration: underline;">gap womens turtleneck</a></div><div style="padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 4px; padding-top: 3px; position: absolute; right: 0px;"><a href="http://www.shopstyle.com/#pid=uid6676-2041974-73" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;"><img alt="ShopStyle" src="http://resources.shopstyle.com/im/widget/ShopStyleLogo_powered.png" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /></img></a></div></div></div>

black turtleneckishness

I missed church today...didn't want to spread the strep-love. But I think I'm over the throat-on-fire hump now, and I know I've ...

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T minus 5 seconds...

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2L6ZMGRFX8prZWREt9Du2Jvs3pd56bD4NhjRiIaAQHa6DxVSSLJGU7RoFzd4ThO138Lsnx-Lw8ET4_i91I5fxw5Hdq5ln8-ar6wQSHrgp9BoICafAJAqDUv-v-bz-hgLWlcsQeoA1uhpp/s1600/B1britt1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="303" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2L6ZMGRFX8prZWREt9Du2Jvs3pd56bD4NhjRiIaAQHa6DxVSSLJGU7RoFzd4ThO138Lsnx-Lw8ET4_i91I5fxw5Hdq5ln8-ar6wQSHrgp9BoICafAJAqDUv-v-bz-hgLWlcsQeoA1uhpp/s400/B1britt1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Shoes: Head over Heels. Tights & belt: F21. Dress: Downeast Outfitters. Black cami: Motherhood Maternity (calm down, people, I'm not pregnant...it's just a super versatile tank that I wear lots.)</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcv5s851u8v4vqs6jJpFVRpd66OMCO7dADyrkTiPXfiDMw4L2GCo53KYEadsfTuQ8MkORLEYPlWXZSYGlcPFaz7-EdG5jIe8cvd5g3EdEUloEOxld1jQ0fRbmoMdTB-UZ1GjMP21CoIIlp/s1600/B1britt2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcv5s851u8v4vqs6jJpFVRpd66OMCO7dADyrkTiPXfiDMw4L2GCo53KYEadsfTuQ8MkORLEYPlWXZSYGlcPFaz7-EdG5jIe8cvd5g3EdEUloEOxld1jQ0fRbmoMdTB-UZ1GjMP21CoIIlp/s400/B1britt2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">This outfit is called: "I have 15 minutes to get ready for church but even that's pushing it because there are a million things that have to happen this morning so actually 10 minutes would be better." Lots going on in life, not a lot going on in this outfit. 'Cept for some houndstooth tights. And a wide black braided belt. With a red drop-waisted faux-wrap knit dress. Not terribly flattering for my squarish shape, in my opinion, but suuuuuuuuper comfortable. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Worth the tradeoff? Absolutely.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Thank you, knitwear industry, for making a one-piece garment that's so versatile, slash, functional that I can put it on in under 1 minute, wipe my kids' noses, appropriately attend church, and carefree-ish-ly make breadsticks regardless of if [Editor's note: She really means "when."] I get flour everywhere. I love me some functionality.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Happy Sunday!</div><br /><div style="position:relative; border:1px solid #bfbfbf; background:white; width:424px;display:block;"><iframe name="shopstyle_search" width="424" height="244" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="http://widget.shopstyle.com/widget?pid=uid6676-2041974-73&fts=womens%20drop%20waist%20knee%20dress&cat=womens-clothes&width=3&height=1&border=0&footer=0"></iframe><div style="position:absolute; left:0; bottom:2px; height:18px; line-height:12px; width:100%;"><div style="position:absolute; left:0; padding:2px 0 0 6px"><a href="http://www.shopstyle.com/browse?fts=womens%20drop%20waist%20knee%20dress#pid=uid6676-2041974-73" style="font:11px verdana,sans-serif;text-decoration:underline;border:0;background-color:transparent;color:#606060">womens drop waist knee dress</a></div><div style="position:absolute; right:0; padding:3px 4px 3px 0"><a href="http://www.shopstyle.com#pid=uid6676-2041974-73" style="border:0"><img alt="ShopStyle" src="http://resources.shopstyle.com/im/widget/ShopStyleLogo_powered.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0"></img></a></div></div></div>

T minus 5 seconds...

Shoes: Head over Heels. Tights & belt: F21. Dress: Downeast Outfitters. Black cami: Motherhood Maternity (calm down, people, I'm not...

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I can't be sure, but I *think* I deserve an award.

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdLrCezr7WtB9UgjZwYk319_Ess4iQHuZUMqNeF-yNiaqDNLgtAMLdO3X9V7et87-bewkaKjty-tdYKaOU_g189byaTAv7rs6LhU0JbkbOo_CMGewEhx3O30LQfY06Ve_-KXaThO4g2Ab8/s1600/V1britt1.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551712728459153490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdLrCezr7WtB9UgjZwYk319_Ess4iQHuZUMqNeF-yNiaqDNLgtAMLdO3X9V7et87-bewkaKjty-tdYKaOU_g189byaTAv7rs6LhU0JbkbOo_CMGewEhx3O30LQfY06Ve_-KXaThO4g2Ab8/s400/V1britt1.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZpcy1wPfly2t1f4n-5oXVfn_dV205TLuvOTzQR4McqcO1hxsQ3FAA606bIwllox44FwY2NnJmlheWeuap859uVNu4W3O9yzPsamYqwaAN-sx5Zvsh5sSlFJXEV-p462RoVKimIKIlmzC1/s1600/V1britt3.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551712619258373922" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZpcy1wPfly2t1f4n-5oXVfn_dV205TLuvOTzQR4McqcO1hxsQ3FAA606bIwllox44FwY2NnJmlheWeuap859uVNu4W3O9yzPsamYqwaAN-sx5Zvsh5sSlFJXEV-p462RoVKimIKIlmzC1/s400/V1britt3.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 330px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqlwoSg8WBjtOb71sJwYVT6lhrj7vKWvUsRcErpVMgo27McAv7WqQ231mp6Vl2ccjg38SoeD09Ti-CPRHvnmOJLvlws1jupMC-Fz9gBuM4N11AQOC4zwxhcwtoyNj5yb2hu20_iNnKaEBm/s1600/V1britt2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551712464079849138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqlwoSg8WBjtOb71sJwYVT6lhrj7vKWvUsRcErpVMgo27McAv7WqQ231mp6Vl2ccjg38SoeD09Ti-CPRHvnmOJLvlws1jupMC-Fz9gBuM4N11AQOC4zwxhcwtoyNj5yb2hu20_iNnKaEBm/s400/V1britt2.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 364px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" /></a> <div align="center">So, I have a sis-in-law who won't touch raw meat. Sure, she'll eat it (well, not RAW meat. Just, you know, meat. Prepared & cooked). She'll even cook it. But for some reason (e.g., it's gross?), she can't bring herself to touch it. Like to put it into little bags to freeze it or whatever--nope. That job's left up to her husband.</div><br /><div align="center"></div><div align="center">I have GOT to get me an arrangement like that. 'Cept it's too late for me. Paul knows better. Drat.<br /><br /><div align="center"></div>Anyways. Picture yourselves this: Me. Last night. Hastily trying to prepare dinner, which involved cooking a whole roasting chicken. Although I'm not necessarily a girly-girl per se, I'll be the first to admit I'm a *wee* bit squeamish about the "whole bird" thing. I kind of have to distract my brain for a few while I clean and prepare it. Like when you have to lift the wings to rub butter on the skin underneath? Yeah, I could do without that.</div><br /><div align="center"></div><div align="center">Well, EEEEEEEEASY on last night's whole chicken cooking endeavor topping the National Chart o' Grossness. [Editor's note: Because there is such a thing. On display in DC, I think, right next to the Declaration of Independence. Huh. I'm surprised you haven't heard of it.] Not only were there weird organs inside the chicken (which, I know there are always, like, the liver and some other organ in there, but these lumps were weird colors and shapes. And there were about 14 of them. ??), but there were also still FEATHERS. ON. THE. BIRD.</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">Honestly. I'll buy a whole chicken. I'll wash it and prepare it. I'll cook it up all delicious-like and enjoy the savory meat at dinner with my family. But I will not -- I repeat NOT -- happily pluck my own food. Eight feathers, there were, still attached to the bird. </div><br /><div align="center"></div><div align="center">If you grew up on a farm and are rolling your eyes at me, fine. Go ahead. And good for you that you wrang (??) your first chicken's neck at age 3. But I didn't. And, although I'm grateful to those who perform such duties on my behalf, I have no desire to witness such a close-to-life display of the food I eat.</div><br /><div align="center"></div><div align="center">But I swallowed my disgust, closed my eyes (almost), and plucked. And plucked. And plucked again. Eight times. Then I covered the dang thing with foil and threw it into the oven because I was starting to get heebie-jeebie goosebumps. And, when I tried to make dinnertime conversation about my award-deserving-self, my husband politely stopped me at the first mention of "whole chicken" and gestured to his food, as if to say, "I'm eating here, hon..."</div><br /><div align="center"></div><div align="center">Exactly. Gross.</div><br /><div align="center"></div><div align="center">So, to wrap things up: My overall goal today was to wear clothes that LEAST closely resembled a chicken. For obv reasons. My only requirement was a skirt for tonight's activities, but it's been super cold lately and tights alone just weren't going to cut it. So I added leg warmers. Mmmmm...cozy. And my very favorite zigzag scarf was calling out to me from the depths of my closet, feeling a wee bit neglected no doubt, since I haven't worn it for more than a week. I chose a kind of in-the-background brown cami and greenish cardigan to go with it. 'Cept the cardigan is striped, and with the zigzag it might be a little busy. (Opinions?)</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">The cardigan is a few sizes too big [Editor's note: Thereby making it just the right size. I love an oversized cardigan in the winter.], so I belted it. And belted the scarf for good measure. It just wanted to be close to me I think. Poor abandoned accessory. </div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">Happy Friday.</div></div></div>

I can't be sure, but I *think* I deserve an award.

So, I have a sis-in-law who won't touch raw meat. Sure, she'll eat it (well, not RAW meat. Just, you know, meat. Prepared & coo...

Read more »