Can colors take over your life?

Tank: Thrifted LOFT / Blazer: UO / Skirt: Gabes / Boots: Ugg / Scarf: Asos / Belt: J Crew final sale / Bracelets: DC Street Market, Brighton via Ebay / Watch: Fossil

Yesterday I said I'd planned this outfit to wear to school today, but I woke up to a bunch of drippy wet snow and just wasn't feeling it. So I came up with yet another red and pink outfit.  I've no idea why I feel this is something I have to explain, nor why I felt I had to post pictures of what I really wore. Especially after 10 hours at school. Maybe it's because I have a weird sense that red and pink are taking over my life. Turns out,  I really did wear it every day up to Valentine's.

In other news, I finally received true affirmation of my fashion sense this past week. My blog is henceforth affirmed. In two little words, Miss Sydney here expressed everything one needs to know about Uggs. I still shudder to think about my college days when everyone was wearing them with black leggings.

I did, however, fall victim to their more sensible boots. Like ones that are not only warmly lined but also waterproof with a stylish shape. These have become my snow-day go-to for work. They're perfect for tromping through the snow {  the Husband has this thing where he doesn't believe in shoveling the walk unless we can't get out the front door. I can't blame him. I have a thing where I don't believe in doing laundry till we're out of underwear. }

P. S. After years of experimenting with baby powder, All-Nighter Powder, and every other affordable trick for second day hair, I finally found Suave's spray dry shampoo. It is pure fabulousness in a can. Do you see my second-day hair up there? I've never been able to wear my hair down the day after washing it. This morning I rolled out of bed, sprayed my hair, ran my fingers through it, and went to school. It took all of 2 minutes. Finally, I can guiltlessly snag a few extra minutes of shut-eye and get up feeling like a rock star rather than a grease monkey. Fantastique!

Pre-Gaming for Cupid

Dress:  B. Moss / Blouse: Old Navy / Shoes: Ross / Earrings: Gabes (1928) / Silk Scarf: Consigned at Periwinkle / Tights, Bracelets: J Crew final sale / Watch: Fossil / Flowers: Bunco prize!

Valentine's is one of those holidays for which I like to sufficiently pre-game. The entire week leading up to the big day, I wear nothing but red and pink and make all of my food into the shape of hearts. I even make heart shaped Hound-treats. I dress our bed with pink sheets and a red quilt and leave candy hearts on the pillow. I "heart attack" all of my friends { including the ones out East-- impressive, huh? } and I make the Husband watch every Valentine's movie known to man with me. We listen to nothing but love songs in the car and at home.

Just kidding.I don't really do any of those things. I realize I did write an ode to herbal tea in my last post, but I promise I'm not really crazy :)

HOWEVER, I did get sucked into wearing red and pink a few times this year. I planned to go all rebellious with my new tangerine tango blazer over red, but that didn't quite work out as I planned. In classic Cassi style, I sabotaged myself right outta that one.

It all began during our staff meeting last week, when we found out that the meeting we have scheduled for after school tomorrow, the day before V-day, would be recorded. My principal eyed me warily and said I should spill what I intended to wear so I wouldn't show everyone up { I have this thing with dressing fancy, in case you haven't noticed...} I feigned astonishment and cheekily replied that I wear red and pink every day leading up to Valentines, of course. Before I knew it, it was agreed that we'd all wear red and pink.

Then we had our church's Valentine's party this weekend, so I decided to try out the outfit you see above, which I plan to wear to school tomorrow. I mostly wanted to test drive that head-scarf, to see if I can pull off what Kristine makes look so brilliantly effortless.

What do you think? Sorry about the random flowers. They were so pretty and matched so perfectly I couldn't resist...

Then Everybody, Everywear voted on the red and pink combo for their February edition, which happens to fall on Valentine's { I was pushing for faux fur...I just consigned a new coat for $4! } so I'll be decked out in yet another red and pink outfit on Tuesday. 

Looks like my tangerine blazer will just have to attend avec impatience*!

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*attend avec impatience = wait patiently

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Editor's Note: Evidence that red and pink is still going strong!

An Ode to Tea, à la Victorienne

Skirt: Consigned / Blazer: Thrifted / Shoes: Miz Mooz / Tights: TJ Maxx over We Love Colors / Belt: J Crew final sale / Necklace: Gabes (1928) / Bracelets: Gabes, J Crew final sale / Hat: Consigned Vintage at Periwinkle

Chère Tisane,

I think I love you. After a long, hard day, you provide comfort and warmth. You're almost as good as the Husband and the Hound in that department.

My crush began the first time I lived in France. Right around twilight, I sometimes enjoyed a tilleul at a café. And my host mom often had a nice infusion beautifully prepared in a glass teapot after dinner. In the states, where you're hard to come by in tilleul form, I turned to chamomile. Twinnings's Pure Chamomile = pure heaven. Occasionally I enjoy a one of your berry teas from Tazo or Stash. This past summer, I brought home a whole tin of your delightful flavors from Provence.

I was recently introduced your Celestial Seasoning's holiday line: Sugar Cookie {ever drink in a freshly baked confection?}, Gingerbread Spice, and Sugar Plum. I also met Stash's Christmas Eve {cinnamon, orange, and spearmint...aah.} I was starstruck, I admit it.

And just when I thought it couldn't get any better, I found Aveda's Comforting Tea, a delectable blend of licorice root and peppermint that somehow has this amazingly sweet, ever-so-addictive after-taste, even without sugar, that leaves me yearning for more. Addictive, I tell you, but oh so good.

So I thank you. Merci for coming in many delightful flavors. Thank you for coming in a one that doesn't require sugar. Thank you for being there when I'm down. Here's your ode {all good English teachers provide odes, do they not?}:

You are marv'lous and splendid.

You are fabulously great.

My tears and frustration,

you promptly abate.

While delicat'ly sipping you,

I don't feel as o'erwhelmed and sad.

While quaffing your goodness,

I foresee good times to be had.

Don't judge. I may be an English teacher now, but I did that in like .02 seconds, k? And that was in iambic pentameter. 

Kinda. 

Ok, not so much, actually...maybe if you read it with a British accent. But hey, at least I didn't "count the ways"...

P.S. Also, no, you haven't Rip Van Winkled through two seasons. It's not Halloween again already. I'm dressed like this because I was introducing a Victorian etiquette project to my seniors. We're planning a Victorian Tea. For real. Good excuse to throw on a vintage hat and newly thrifted blazer and call it a modern take on Victorian couture? I think so. And Victoria was known for her affinity to black, the poor thing.

Ta ta for now, lovelies. 

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 *tisane = herbal tea / tilleul = tea from a linden tree

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This is what happens when I'm sick...

Wedded Bliss by RueCeri 

I look for pretty things to help me forget that my head is about to explode and end up pretending that instead of having a 5-year anniversary this year, it's 25 or something vow-renewal worthy like that. Or maybe it's all the NyQuil making me believe that people other than celebrities and reality-show stars can justify spending over a grand to renew their vows, or even do renew them, for that matter. Do regular people ever do that?

Either way, I found some pretty pieces, and I'm not entirely sure that I'm even really typing right now { is this a dream? } so I'm going to go with it. If I could renew my vows, this is what I'd wear.

I got to have a Cinderella ball gown for my wedding, and, having idolized Cindy for years, I wouldn't change that. I present Exhibit A:  imitating Cinderella on Halloween and at Disney......and Exhibit B:  my own poofalicious wedding gown.

However, having gotten the princess poof out of my system, I'd go with more streamlined elegance to celebrate my whole 5 years of wedded bliss.  Isn't it lovely? I'm seeing it with an outdoor ceremony at dusk, followed by dancing in some sort of gauzy, fairy-lit tent draped in ivy and pale roses tied with dove gray ribbons and pearls. Intimate round tables would be decorated with vintage tea sets and candles with pearls, crystals, and rose petals strewn about.

Too bad I don't have any long-lost, ridiculously wealthy relatives out there who'd want to fund this.  Whose sole pleasure would be to provide for my completely unnecessary yet dreamily elegant wedding vow-renewal ceremony...

No one out there like that, eh? Anyone want to convince the Husband for me?

Vivez la langue!

Paris 2009. Orange hair and red skin c/o living on the beach in Les Sables d'Olonne.

I came 'cross this video today at Dear Edna and couldn't resist sharing. This week my lovely Canadian principal, who shares my French passion, gave me a sparkly new lanyard { it sparkles-- literally } and told me they'd try to let me teach French next year to entice me to stay. { It's currently not in our budget. } Also, this semester she arranged the schedule so that I now teach 8 classes, rather than 7, but none of them are larger than 37 students! It's much better. Here's to fabulous supervisors and hoping for more time to blog and less stress this semester { and French in the future! }

Hourra!

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Vivez la langue = Live the language. Study abroad, people! / Hourra = Hooray!

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