Victorian Tea

Dress: Vintage French / Shoes, Hat, Gloves: Thrifted / Necklaces: Grandmother's, J. Crew final sale / Earrings: Vintage

After a month of studying Victorian and modern etiquette, including the etiquette of wooing, writing illustrated love or advice on love letters, reading two novels, holding an etiquette debate, and preparing etiquette presentations, I got to play Queen for the day and host a British Etiquette Tea for my seniors. It was wicked fun, even if I was up till 3 a.m. making 200 scones the night before. After preparing and dressing for the event, I completely understand why Queens have so many servants...

Our community coordinator found / made costumes for my students. She even found some Steam-punk attire, and she reserved this gorgeous vintage French gown for me. She dressed me up like a doll, made the hat to go with the dress, and even did my hair the morning of the event.

During the tea, she snapped several photos of the gorgeous get-up she created for me from various angles:

 Then she insisted upon posing me for photos afterwards. I didn't complain... 

See that? My very own Prince Albert even cleared his schedule to attend the grand event. Unfortunately, the presentations went a tad bit long, and he had to leave before the end, so this is the only photo I've got with my Prince.

Our math teacher made lemon curd and gingerbread, brought loads of dishes and linens, and, while helping set up, decided we needed fresh flowers for the tables and was off to get them.  Our health/gym teacher also brought loads of fancy dishes, linens, and gold silverware, she made dessert, and she helped set up. The principal, who created this event when she was the English teacher, made tiny sandwiches and also brought in sparkling glassware, delicate china, and darling teapots. Our parent coordinator made tiny sandwiches, got all the food out onto the tables, and did loads, and loads, and loads of dishes.

I know I complain a lot about my job. Being the only English teacher at a 180-student charter school, teaching all grades 9-12, hasn't been easy. But being at a small charter school has been fabulous. I can't imagine a better, more dedicated, and helpful staff. So many of them sacrificed their own precious time for my little tea party. Merci mille fois à toutes!

P.S. I'm hesitant to post photos of others on a public blog, especially students, so go here to see more photos from the event!

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*Merci mille fois à toutes! = Thanks a million to all!

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What to Wear to an Oscar Party...I Don't Really Know

 Skirt: ModCloth / Top: Ross / Shoes: DownEast (J Crew) / Belt, Headband: J Crew final sale / Necklace: Bluefly / Bracelets: Gift, J Crew final sale

ModCloth is one of my favorite online shops, but they can be pricey. So when I found this skirt in their sale section for $13, my socks were knocked waaaaaay off. Seriously, sock knocked offageness. It's a big deal. I was so excited that I got not one, but two maxi skirts and a sweater. They've got a mad-crazy sale going on right now.

When asked what I'd wear to this year's Oscars if I were going, I replied with sparkly mint. Minutes later, Bérénice appeared on the red carpet, and home-girl backed me up. { I can always count on the Frenchies... though I was picturing more of a minty version of this. } As I have no mint in my closet yet-- a travesty for spring, I know-- what you see above is what I planned to wear to my friend's Oscar-watching party on Sunday. {At least my color scheme got some red-carpet love...see here and here and here and here, too.}

It felt a bit fancy, so for church, I added a blazer, ditched the necklace, and changed to black shoes.

 Skirt: ModCloth / Top, Shoes: Ross / Blazer: Thrifted Ann Taylor / Belt, Headband: J Crew final sale

Then, after church and dinner, I changed back to the original outfit.

Then, when it was time to go, I realized I would be the most over-dressed. I knew this all along, actually. I tried to deny it.

So, I chickened out.

And I modified it to this more casual outfit:

 Skirt: ModCloth / Cardigan: Banana Republic sale / Shoes: Thrifted Sofft

Everyone else was in pajamas.

I know.

At least I had a fun, swirly skirt to wear, which I hesitantly purchased for $13 but am quite please with, considering its versatility. And it was every bit as comfy as pjs. And my French favorite swept the show, so I was trés contente*.

P.S. I'm playing Queen Victoria and hosting a Victorian Tea this Friday for my seniors, their parents, and the board. Complete with presentations on etiquette, Victorian costumes for my ladies, steam-punk attire and top hats for the gents, Victorian treats { scones, jam, lemon curd, gingerbread, tiny sandwiches, tea-punch, lemonade, etc.} and vintage tea sets. Can I tell you how many times I've been to Goodwill this week? No. I cannot. Because I'm too tired to count that high right now. But our community coordinator even found a vintage French lace dress and hat for yours truly. AND she offered to do my hair.  In case you haven't noticed, the fashion police would be all over my lackluster locks if I really had walked the red carpet. I have no patience for my hair. So it might just all be worth it.

If I survive, I'll have some fun photos to share!

P.P.S. Happy Leap Day! One of my best students happily told everyone he was 4 today, and we got our first real blizzard of the winter.

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 *trés contente = very content

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Thrifted Halloween

Skirt: Consigned / Sweater: Goody's / Tights: TJ Maxx / Necklace: Grandma's / Shoes: Maurices

The Thrifting Fairies have gifted me with multiple decade costumes, which are seldom appropriate throughout the year. Thank goodness for Halloween.

This year I was Cinderella for a Halloween themed Bunco party.  For Trunk-or-Treat and school, I went as a 20s flapper, courtesy of the DI and my mother-in-law with eyes like a hawk, who spotted this fab frock for only $9...

For chaperoning the school Halloween dance, I went in my bona-fide 60s dress, courtesy of the Lincoln City Goodwill for $9.50 {dress & glasses}...



By the time for actual Trick-or-Treating with friends who have children to use for an excuse, I was tired of dressing up, so I went for some basic orange and black. Velvet skirt courtesy of Avant Garb, a consignment shop in Ashland. And yes, that's a matchy-matchy pumpkin prop you see in those photos up top. I thought it could use a little adventure away from the credenza.

My plan is to get really fat in the New Year, so I figured I'd better use these puppies now while they still fit.  Three costumes in one year may be my max, but it's certainly not my best. Last year I was a flower. The Husband was a bee. Pun intended.

We've also been legos, an accident victim and her lawyer with "Just Sue It" cards, swing-dancing Goths, and the random duo of Betty Rubble and The King.

We kinda like Halloween. Too bad all my photos of Halloween pasts are locked away on my hard-drive. The Husband thinks he may have to drill a hole into the tower to get it out.

Cendrillon

Dress & Bracelet: Vintage / Shoes: ? Possibly Wal Mart. My lost glass slippers were from Shoe Show if that helps / Clutch & Earrings: Gabes (Michael Kors &1928) / Necklace: Grandmother's

I'm in a Bunco group. It's not therapy; it's an old lady game, people. And it's fun. This month we got to dress up, and I finally, after many long years of princess envy, went as Cinderella.

I may or may not have been planning this since I first saw Cindy on screen back in the late 80s. I may or may not have photos of me sneaking into the children's size large Cinderella costume while closing the princess room at the Emporium in Disney's Magic Kingdom. {Too bad for you that I've yet to retrieve the hard drive from my old computer. I've no clue how to get a screwdriver into the tiny corners where those blimey screws are located...}

I may have decorated the walls of my Florida apartment with posters, signed photos, and picture frames depicting said princess. It's even possible that I carried a Cinderella-themed bag back when I worked for the Mouse.

I may also have had imitation pantoufles de verre*... I even lost one of them. OK, so actually, I lost both. Hence the silver sandals instead of clear slippers. But, most importantly, I definitely thrifted the best 50s interpretation of Cinderella I've ever seen. Veritable vintage and princess, all in one package.

I may have just died and gone to heaven.

Or lost some follows, now that you all know how weirdly obsessed I am...Meanwhile, I'm going to bask in my ultimate princess-ness and enjoy my blissful moment of happily ever after.

P.S. My job is still making me tread water. One of my classes has reached 50! Fifty high schoolers. In one room. I think I'd prefer the wicked step-family and obnoxious cat. On the bright side, I've been traveling every weekend {the coast, Portland, the Gorge, Bend, Jackson, etc.} and documenting fun outfits all the way. Which means I've a TON of outfits to post when you count the 30x30 and summer I still need to finish. So hopefully, one day, I'll post them. Maybe this winter they'll be a marvelous reminder of the lovely weather to come.

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Cendrillon = Cinderella { of course...} / pantoufles de verre = glass slippers

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A few months later...

Now that my hard-drive has been retrieved, I just had to share. Below are my beloved Cinderella photos from my time working at Disney.

 Clockwise from top left:  Hanging with Cindy on my birthday, the Share a Dream Come True parade, trying on the children's Cinderella costume in the Emporium (I was too afraid of my managers catching me to come out of the dressing room), and her iconic glass slipper on display.

Now if I could just get some friendly birds and mice to help me clean and mend my clothes, my life would be complete...

The Pirate and the Equestrian

Blouse, Belt, Bracelet: J Crew final sale / Cardi: TJ Maxx / Pants: F21 / Shoes: Piperlime (BC Footwear)

I wore this to school last month. Yes, this post is that old. I forgot about it, evidently... My students said I looked like a pirate. One even asked if I'd hook my finger and say "Aaarrr" when I began class. I wanted to retort that I'd worked at Pirates of the Caribbean, thank you very much, so I think I'd know how a pirate would dress. I suppose in the eyes of teenagers, this outfit was a fail. I hope it wasn't an epic fail.

I vowed never to wear it again. But then that evening at Bunco I received several compliments, then nods of disapproval after I told my lady friends that my students quite disagreed with their consensus. It was a confusing day. Then I won Bunco. Which was also confusing as it makes the 5th time since I began playing. Which was only 10 months ago. Those are 50% odds. I'm good at math like that. I thought for sure my luck had run out. Remember this bag? Bunco grand prize. I've gotten all sorts of loot.

Aaaaand the pirate theme has found its way back to haunt me. Nom d'une pipe!*

P.S. Just in case you were wondering, below is the costume a pirate wears. According to Disney, anyhow. I was deployed to the Pirates of the Caribbean shop for a few weeks from my usual post at the Emporium on Main Street, back in the days when I worked for the Mouse in Florida. Best job ever. I can officially say that now that I'm no longer required to tell crabby vacationers to "have a magical day."

P.P.S. This isn't the first outfit my students have categorized / criticized. Earlier this year, while wearing the outfit below, they told me I looked like "one of those people that rides horses."  Perhaps I should work on more original outfits. Perhaps they should work on more vocabulary. I told them I was headed to a polo match with my other equestrian friends { ha! I wish...} and they had no clue what I was talking about.

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*Nom d'une pipe = Good grief! / What the heck? It's a rather dated expression, but I like it :)

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Introducing Lady Iris Copperfield of Cherry Tree Lane

 Dress Suit: Thrifted / Top: Gabes (Express) / Tights:  TJ Maxx / Shoes: Maurices

That's my British Royal Wedding moniker.

Lady Iris Copperfield certainly sounds like the type of person who'd, at the very least, host a British tea party to commemorate the grand event. Complete with scones served with Devonshire cream and jam, treacle tarts, and faux diamond tiaras. Wills and Kate are my generation, after all, and what young Cinderella lover hasn't dreamed of being the commoner turned princess?

If I were to throw my fanciful fête, this is most certainly what I'd wear. With pearls, of course. It's the closest I have to British "morning dress." We'll just say my lord is kindly holding my gloves and bejeweled topper.

I got this suit from a little hole-in-the-wall shop carrying Bay-area estate sale finds. Just before leaving empty-handed, a flash of canary caught my eye from behind musty old blazers. And suddenly there it was. Precisely my size, for a mere 7 dollars. I kid not. I'm positively giddy at the possibilities this darling suit presents: a dark wig and big sunglasses as Jackie O for dress up days, summer picnics and croquet, afternoon spring weddings with sparkly jewels and feathers in a structured hat, polo tournaments followed by crumpets and tea with the Queen. Okay, so maybe I got a bit carried away with that last one. And maybe I don't have any afternoon spring wedding invitations to which I could wear it either. I certainly wasn't invited to the royal wedding, obviously. But I could wear it, were the opportunity to arise, and in top stylish form!

Considering Halloween's months away and it's still rather cold for picnics and croquet, I just took it for quick stroll by the lake. I will, mind you, wear it to some elegant fête* by the end of the summer. I may even find that perfect chapeau paré de bijoux* to go with it. You hold me to it.

Since I'm unfortunately not Lady Iris, and am not cool enough to actually have my tea party, I linked up here at my friend Tiffany's cute party and here for What I Wore {or would have worn...} Wednesday!

P.S. Name games are fun, but they're clever, too. For the love of frivolity, please never use real information you'd use for a security question.

P.P.S. Check out this swoon-worthy bit about British royal wedding gowns. I can't wait to see Kate's gown. And yes, I am watching it live. Since I live on the West Coast, this means I'll be staying up all night, rather than getting up early. If an exam is worth an all nighter, a fairy tale certainly is!

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*fête = party ; chapeau paré de bijoux = bejeweled hat

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