Same Dress. 30 Days. Day 30 or "Back to Basics"

So here it is, friends. The last day. I have to admit that it is slightly bittersweet--the fact that this month is over. January is sometimes a tough month because it seems to just drag on after Christmas and it's the first month of the year and usually the weather kind of sucks. But, this year, January was pretty awesome. I must attribute at least some of that to my 30 Day Challenge. Way back at the end of December when I decided to try and do this, I was a bit unsure of how it would all work out. At the end of this month, I have realized a few things and have a few "tips" with which to leave you, my loyal readership :)...

1. "Frost" yourself. This means, hair do-dads, necklaces, scarves, accessories, shoes---those things make all the difference in an outfit. Even though I was wearing the same black Dress every day, somehow it felt different--and that is definitely because of the WAY i chose to wear it and accessorize it each day. Also, buy trendy accessories from cheap places; that way, if (when) they go out of style, you won't be disappointed because you didn't spend too much money on them. My favorite accessory places--Forever 21, Target, H&M--are all places that won't "break the bank". (check out my hair do-dad below---it's from Bianca's wedding...it's kind of falling apart but I can't bring myself to get rid of it!)

2. A POP! of color never hurt anyone! Wear something colorful each day--I promise you won't regret it AND you will feel better. It can be a scarf, a fun sweater, cute shoes---whatever it may be, just do it! Always wear something that makes you happy. It doesn't even have to be something that people can see--I heard that Melissa McCarthy wore a gold ankle bracelet while she was filming "Bridesmaids" just because she felt that it made her character more complete. And guess what? We, as the audience, never see that ankle bracelet. All that mattered what that SHE knew it was there. So, figure out, what makes your "character" more complete? And then go with it!

3. Follow the rule of taking off one accessory before you walk out of the house. If you are like me, then you may tend to "over-accessorize" (is there such a thing??? GASP!) and if you're not careful, you will end up looking like a little kid playing dress-up in her mom's clothes. So, before you walk out of the house, pause for a second and see if there is one thing that your outfit can do without. You won't regret doing this either! I promise!

4. Choose to be CLASSIC. This means that if you are fortunate enough to have inherited any cool jewelry from your grandma or mom or WHOEVER, WEAR IT! There is a reason that they saved it and I am sure that you can find a way to make it look appropriate today! Remember, one man's trash may be another man's treasure--don't be afraid to shine up something old and give it new life.

5. Most importantly, do not forget that it is NOT the clothes that make the person, it is the person who makes the clothes. Fashion is a state of mind, friends. I spent too long as a younger woman worrying about what other people thought. I vow to just be "me". Whoever that may be. At the end of the day, if I can look at myself in the mirror and be proud of the choices I've made, then that is all that matters.

A good attitude and a happy disposition never go out of style--and guess what? They're free! Sometimes the most valuable things that we have in our possession are not THINGS. Don't get me wrong, you KNOW I love a good shopping spree like any other respectable girl, but I am trying as I get older not to lose sight of what really matters.

The girl within the clothes is more important than the clothes.

I found myself writing things and wondering how certain people would be reacting to what I am writing. Thank you to those of you who were my most avid readers---you know who you are---YOU are who I was writing for each day, just hoping that I could make you laugh or pause and consider something new. And some others of you have been reading this every day and I don't even know that you are! So, thank you, all of you, for indulging my Fabulous Ridiculousness, and hopefully I entertained you a little bit.

Same Dress. 30 Days. Day 29 or "I'll Never Grow Up!"

Have you ever seen that one movie about the boy who doesn't want to grow up? You know, he flies, hangs out with a fairy, consorts with other "lost boys", spends his time outwitting an evil pirate who has a hook for a hand? What was his name again? Oh! That's right, PETER PAN! Well, when I got dressed this morning and put my green tights on, the last thing I thought I would hear today would be "Hey! You look like Peter Pan!" [thanks for that, Adrian] But however, admittedly I DO look like Peter Pan (the Julie Andrews version, of course!) and sometimes I feel like him too. I mean, seriously, sometimes I wish that I didn't have all of the responsibilities that come with being an "adult", or that I could fly (who hasn't wished for THAT at one time or another??), or maybe that I could be able to outwit all the "villains" in my life in the same way that Peter outsmarts Captain Hook. Peter Pan had a lot of things going for him. I know that I do too, and having grown-up privileges kind of rocks, but for one day--Like Wendy--I would love to see what life could be like as a "forever kid". Maybe the saying "age is a state of mind" has some truth. I am fortunate to be surrounded by teenagers who think that it is their sole purpose in life to keep me up-to-date with what is cool. Thank goodness that I have that; I shudder to think what I would be like if I had to be locked away in an office all day long. My students are my "fairy dust", they keep me young.

[i reallllllly wish i could fly---or that the government would let us have hover boards---either one]

1. I wore a couple of cute necklaces. The orange one is nothing special, but the KEY is one of my favorite pieces of jewelry that I own. I bought this necklace from Salvage Life, which is an online boutique that sells amazing vintage clothing, jewelry, and other amazing stuff. The owner is a really awesome woman named Beth and she hunts for only the best vintage pieces to have in her shop and online store. I like to imagine that this key used to open some really special room or was maybe the key to a very important person's house. Ahhhh, the places my imagination will run to if I let it!

2. My aforementioned GREEN "Peter Pan" tights that I purchased from Target FOREVER ago---I'm pretty sure I bought them before I traveled to Europe 2 summers ago and NEVER WORE THEM. That's right, ANOTHER thing in my closet that I have never worn until now! What the heck is up with THAT? Over those tights and with my Dress tucked in, I wore my "BigStar 1974" denim shorts (Thanks, Denim Guy!). These shorts are awesome and I A.D.O.R.E. wearing them with tights and heels. This look is perfect for a lovely day like today. It's not too hot, but it's also not cold; bare legs would be too cold, and full pants would be too hot. So, VIOLA! Tights and shorts it is! (and it also looks pretty cute, if I do say so myself!)

3. Last, but not least, I wore my high heeled Oxfords from Forever 21. I know I've worn these shoes before, and I debated between these and another pair of sage green "7 For All Mankind" heels, but I thought that green tights-green shoes was too matchy-matchy. ALTHOUGH, wearing one solid color DOES elongate one's legs (and I have been lucky to "blessed" with the short-leg gene...is that even a gene?) That's besides the point. At the end of the day, I think the Oxfords were a good choice---you know, because I just LOVE them!

Can you believe that it is almost time to say "sayonara, adios, aloha, ciao, bonjour....goodbye!" to this Dress? I am amazed that it has been 29 days of this. Seriously, time has flown by. The best thing about chronicling what I wear, has been that inevitably I have been keeping a diary of the things I did all month long. While that might be interesting to, let's say only me, it is cool to look back and see everything that was going on this month! I can't wait to continue blogging---more on "what's next" tomorrow! Until then, I'll be "thinking happy thoughts" in the hopes that Tinkerbell will come and sprinkle some of her dust on me and I'll be able to fly! :)

check out Salvage Life....www.salvagelife.com....for some amazing vintage swag

Same Dress. 30 Days. Day 28 or "Sunday Swag"

One of my favorite memories of going to dances in high school was that everyone would wear their outfit from the night before to church Youth Group the next morning. So, everyone---guys, girls---would show up exhausted, with their hair-do, dresses, tuxedos, etc. from the dance the night before. Fun! And, because we have two high schools in our city, there would always be a few Sunday's that everyone would be all dressed up. A fun tradition---I wonder if they still do that?? Well in honor of THAT tradition (and also because I HAVE to!), I wore my dress from the Winter Formal last night, to church this morning! Yay! Please take note of how exhausted I look. It was a LONG weekend, full of fun stuff (my Quiz Bowl teams got 2nd and 3rd place at the SkillsUSA competition yesterday and qualified to GO TO STATE COMPETITION!!!! Yahooooo! Winter Ball, the Downey/Warren game, church...the list goes on and on!) Today was a comfy look with my Dress---I needed the break from yesterday's festivities! Here's what I did:

1. I wore my ruffled sheer top from Forever 21 (who's sheerness I did NOT take note of until I darted into the bathroom at church! YIKES!) This shirt is so cute and I often forget about it, so I am glad that I gave it a chance to come out today!

2. I also wore my purple 3/4 length cardigan over that (thank goodness, because after all, SHEER SHIRTS ARE SLIGHTLY INAPPROPRIATE FOR CHURCH!!!!) I wore my Dress as a skirt again today (I took the top half off and tied the arms around my waist) and I was very happy with the end result again!
3. Here are my feet (the gray converse are me! Like you couldn't tell, right??) and the feet of my 5th grade girls at church. I love my gray Converse; they are comfortable and the best thing about them is that they slip on! No laces! Awesome! These shoes are fun because they kind of go with everything, and while I don't usually wear sneakers with a dress, these ones ended up looking okay!
Well people, there are only 2 more days left of this madness! I can't even believe it has already been almost 30 days! I must say that if the first 30 days of 2012 are any indication of what the rest of this year will be like, then it will be full of fun, fashion, and Fabulous Ridiculousness!

Same Dress. 30 Days. Day 27 or "Winter Formal Black Dress"

Oh Happy Day! I love chaperoning dances! It is so funny to see all of the kids all dressed up and "out on the town". Tonight was the Winter Ball at the Wallis Annenberg Center at the Discovery Science Museum in Downtown LA (right next to USC. Fight On!) One of the main reasons that I don't mind chaperoning is that all of my friends do it too, so we all have an excuse to hang out and be dressed up too! Before the dance we went to eat dinner at "The Lab" on Figueroa across from USC. As we were parking I randomly spotted my friend Val walking across the street (he's in grad school at USC, he ROCKS!) and it was so fun and serendipitous to see him. Apparently he doesn't usually walk across the street right there and he also just happens to be taking an intensive class that meets on Saturday from 8-5 (now THAT's what I call Saturday School!)...so, moral of the story, there are so many things that could have happened so that we wouldn't have ran into one another, but they didn't and we DID!....run into each other, that is! I love stuff like that! Anywho, Winter Ball was great. The kids looked great and, as usual, the girls all seemed to be wobbling along on their high heels (which they took off immediately upon their arrival)...Ah High School...I really loved the way I put it together last night....here's what I did.... (and check out the awesome sparkly wall, the light up "Soul Train" dance boxes, and the lit up purple wall!)

1. I wore my gray t-strap Old Navy heels that I LOVE. And, unlike the teenagers, I can actually walk/run/dance/stand/sit in my heels...I see taking off heels before the night is over as a sign of weakness :) My favorite part of this outfit were my "Smurf-esque" blue tights. You know how I feel about a POP! of color! These are from Target and were $5! You just can't beat a bargain like that! Plus it doesn't even matter when you get a run in them, or a hole forms in the toe, because they were SO CHEAP! LOVE!
2. Next I wore a flowy cardigan thingie from Target. It was on clearance for like $13! Awesome, right? If you have the inclination ever, you should go and peruse the sales racks at Target. Anytime I LOVE something, I just wait about a month and inevitably it will be on the clearance rack for 50% off! Target rules! You should [almost] never pay full price for clothes at Target---eventually EVERYTHING is on sale!
3. Lastly I wore a cool yellow "skinny" belt to tie everything together. It picked up the yellow in my cardigan and was a nice stray from all of the blue I was rocking. I try not to be TOO matchy-matchy, but sometimes an outfit just needs it! Plus, it was WINTER BALL, so DUH! Of course I needed to class it up!
Guess who was crowned Winter Ball Queen???? I wish! I'm still campaigning for "Teacher Princess"---the kids just laugh at me and tell me "in my dreams"! I actually got to post up at the voting table all night long and that is my favorite place to be! Everyone comes to vote, so I get a front row seat for all of the crazy, fantastic, sparkly, cha-cha concoctions that come through the doors. Some were more "yikes" than others, but for the most part, the kids looked great, it was a fun dance, and even the teachers enjoyed ourselves!

Same Dress. 30 Days. Day 26 or "La-La-La LEOPARD!"

The thing that I love most about blogging is that I feel like I get to be creative in a way that I don't always have the opportunity to be at work. Even though I am surrounded by learning, I don't always feel like I get to stretch my hypothetical writer's "legs". Does that make sense? I mean, I spent most of the day today trying to teach 14 year-olds how to write a paragraph---good grief! Good times. And don't get me wrong, I LOVE MY JOB, I just LOVE the way that I feel when I get to express myself through writing also! Get it? I guess I have found a way to express my creativity in more ways than one with my blog. I get to write and be creative in that capacity, but then I also get to showcase my "Passion for Fashion" (haha, love the rhyme, I'm SO a weird teacher) through the blog as well. Today was no exception where my favorite things and my "tips" came into play: I wore leopard print, a POP! of color, AND a summer scarf---all of which are things that make me happy! Yahoo! Read on, my friends:

1. I have been so proud of myself these past 26 days; I have really showcased a huge variety of my accessories and do-dads. And, since I am trying not to repeat much of what I'm wearing, I have really gotten down to the "nitty gritty" as of late. I love all of my accessories, but let's get real, there are definitely some that I like better than others. You know? Well, this particular "blazer situation" that I am wearing today is not my favorite. It wrinkles very easily and has really shallow pockets (what's the point of a pocket from which everything falls out?)...come on, Forever 21, get it together! :)

2. I also wore a "summer scarf" (you know by now how much I love THOSE!). This particular one is a great shade of greenish/blue-ish/aqua with threads of gold running throughout and has cute little tassle-y things hanging off the ends. LOVE!

3. A hairstyle can make or break an outfit, so I have learned the hard way! Have you ever seen a bride who is beautiful and beautiful and beautiful and then UGH!!!! Her hair is horrendous? I am of the school of "less is more" when it comes to hair-styles. I don't really stray too far from my norm---which is usually a ponytail, bun, or braid---anything to keep my hair out of my face! Today I chose to make a braid across the top of my head and then create a half-up/half-down situation. It was both functional and (at least I think so!) cute.

4. Lastly I wore my Genetic Denim (yes, Justin, I AM going to thank Denim Guy....AGAIN!) and my SUPER CUTE HOT PINK LEOPARD "TOP SHOP" flats. My sister got these for me for Christmas this year and I am officially in L.O.V.E. with them! You know how I feel about leopard print, and you know how I feel about a good POP! of color---well, VIOLA! These shoes accomplish both of these things all at once! She ordered them online and they shipped all the way from "across the pond" (aka London). I feel so very fashionable when I wear them. Normally I refer to flats as a "disease", but these are FAR FAR FAR from that! These are AMAZING!

I La-La-La LOVEEEE these shoes! They are so perfect. My sister picks out THE BEST gifts--seriously--always! She always somehow knows exactly what I want without me ever actually saying it! THAT is the true marking of a good sister, my friends. She knows me better than I know myself. Weird? TRUE! Such a good sister she is, I am very lucky to have her. (Thanks Jos---you're the best!)

Same Dress. 30 Days. Day 25 or "My Own Version of Hippie Chic" (sort of)

I can't believe that I only have 5 more days of this MADNESS!!!! What will I DO???? :) I'm sure I'll figure out SOMETHING Fabulously Ridiculous to do for the month of February....any ideas, anyone? Well, today is my version of "hippie chic"/How to Find Awesome Stuff at a Secondhand Store. There is this store---the one I go to is in Long Beach--called "Buffalo Exchange" and if you've never been there, you need to go! Basically it's a classier thrift store. You can take your old stuff and they will BUY it from you if it isn't too worn out! LOVE THAT! Over the years I have purchased some really awesome stuff--like premium denim (Paige, Joes, Citizen's...awesome!), they have a HUGE selection of jewelry, and of course, CLOTHES! I love to go there and just go through every single rack (time permitting!) and try to find the best STEALS. Usually I end up walking away with AT LEAST one name brand designer item that would normally cost a lot more money than I ended up paying! I LOVE YOU "BUFFALO EXCHANGE"! I recommend going to a store like this, because they only take the "good stuff" out of whatever people are trying to get rid of; so, instead of having to sort through a LOT of kind of crappy stuff to find ONE piece of good stuff, they have already done that for you. Awesome. I still love to go to the Goodwill or Salvation Army, but when I REALLY don't have the time to spend there, but I still want a good deal, I go to "Buffalo Exchange". Remember the garage saler's motto: "One Man's Trash is Another Man's Treasure", and head on out to your local secondhand store---you never know what treasures might await.

Today I attempted my hand at "Hippie Chic"---because, you know, in my mind if I put on a headband and a crocheted top, TADA! A Hippie I am! :) Here's my attempt...bear with me!

1. I took my "vintage" scarf (aka it was my mom's in the 70's-80's) and folded it in half and then twisted it and viola! Hippie Headband! It's such a great color---I'm pretty sure my mom used to wear it around her neck and she had a guide with a bunch of different ways to tie it, but for all intensive purposes, a headband it was---at least for today!

2. I wore my adorbable crocheted top that I purchased from "Buffalo Exchange" last year. I usually wear this top as a bathing suit cover-up during the Summer time, or over a tank top with jeans or denim shorts. But today, it helped to transform my Dress into a little more of a casual situation. I love it because it seems to have this transformative power---it makes any outfit look cooler AND it makes me happy, because even in the dead of Winter, it is reminiscient of Summer. Ahhhh....can Summer PLEASE come faster???? Over the top of my top, I wore my brown woven belt. I am beginning to see a "belt trend" here---what IS that all about???

3. Lastly, I wore my tan "Madden Girl" heels. I LOVE THESE SHOES! The gold metal detailing is SO cute. And, like I have said before, I love mixing brown and black together---a lot of people are skeptical of doing this, but I urge you: DO IT! It looks cute, I swear! (Sidenote: pay no attention to my HORRIBLE pedicure! YIKES! Note to self: don't take close up pictures of my feet when my toenail polish is chipped!)

Southern California is experiencing a heatwave in January! It was about 85 degrees today---amazing! As you know, I am obsessed with the weather, so I have been "tracking" what temperature it is supposed to be for the next week--and I am happy to report that it will be in the high 70's-low 80's for the next 7 or so days! Awesome! I hope that the below picture demonstrates how happy I am about the sunshine! I love where I live! I understand why explorers kept moving further and further West, until they got here---you really can't beat 80 degree weather in January. (Although the "weather skeptic" in me is just waiting for a "cold snap"!) Here's to Hippie Chic and beautiful weather to go along with it! However, I hope that if you can't enjoy this beautiful weather, then you will at least find something to be joyful about. Deal?

Go to "Buffalo Exchange":

1. 4608 E. 2nd St., Long Beach

2. 215 N. Harbor Blvd., Fullerton

3. 3730 E. Broadway Ste B, Long Beach

4. 131 N La Brea Ave, Los Angeles

You won't be sorry!

Same Dress. 30 Days. Day 24 or "The Day I Was a BadAss Biker Babe in My Dress"

What a day I had today!!!! I took the day off from work today because I have been feeling a little run-down (I know, I know---I'm SUCH a complaining baby) and I thought that maybe I could use a little rest. Well, I slept in until 1:30 PM today! That's right. 1:30. Slightly ridiculous. But, so amazing :) Therefore, I did not get dressed until around 3PM today and did not have a chance to wear the Dress all day long like I normally do. However, I DID wear the Dress to do something kind of fun AND to see a long-lost friend! I rode on the Harley with my Dad to the basketball game (I'm such a sucker for Warren athletics) so, I got to wear my Dress and be a BadAss Biker Babe. While at the game I ran into my long-lost friend, Rocky, and got to chat with him for a little while. I have been remembering that I was a dorky freshman and I had a HUGE crush on Rocky--who was a Senior, so naturally I went ahead and asked him to the Sadies dance (you know, the one where the girl asks the boy). He said yes and I had SO MUCH FUN! (I can't speak for him, but as far as I'm concerned, it was the best time ever!) It has gotten me thinking: what happened to that girl? The girl who was not afraid to go after the boy she likes? I didn't even consider the fact that he was #1: older, #2: way cooler, or #3: might not want to go with a nerdy freshman. I just went after what I wanted---which happened to be Rocky! Now, more than 10 years later, I have no idea where that girl went. Something worth thinking about. I mean, I'm badass enough to ride on the back of a Harley (even though it IS with my dad), so I should be badass enough to go after any guy I want. Right? My new goal: be the 27 year old version of my 14 year old self. And Rocky, if you're reading this, THANK YOU for not saying no when my nerdy self asked you to Sadies all those years ago. You Rock! (pun intended!)

There we are...me and my BadAss Biker Dad---Phil Davis. He's so awesome. My mom is so lucky. When we were little girls, my dad taught us to say (and would make us repeat it anytime we were afraid of anything) "Dad is Bad and Nobody's Badder than Dad"....I can't help but think about that as I am typing this. Here's what I wore---a Biker Babe has to look cute, after all:

1. I wore my Old Navy black boots---because, a biker babe has to wear black boots, duh! I was also worried about it being cold, so I wore my Big Star denim and a gray sweater over my Dress.
2. To accessorize my Dress, I wore my black faux leather jacket from Target, my cheetah print summer-y scarf, and every biker chick knows that a headband is a MUST---therefore I wore my cute sparkly headband. No one likes helmet hair... (see below!)
3. My most important accessory is my HELMET! Safety first! My dad drives REALLY safely so I am never afraid, but helmets are a MUST. (especially because they are California state law!) I love this helmet (it's my mom's BTW) because it has the face cover thing that can either be flipped up or down depending on what the wearer prefers. I wore it down tonight to keep the cold wind out. And, even though it was not too cold, it still helped to keep my nose and cheeks from getting too rosy!
I loved my quick trip into the life of being a Biker Babe---I must say that my mom is the only true Bad Ass Biker Babe in the family---but I will just keep trying to be as cool as her! I don't have all of the accessories she has (chaps, gloves, Harley t-shirts GALORE, 17 pairs of black boots, etc) so I can't be a TRUE Biker Babe, but I try! Thanks Dad for helping me kick-ass.

Same Dress. 30 Days. Day 23 or "I Love My Pink Heels"

Have you ever based your whole outfit off of a pair of shoes? I do it almost daily (when I'm not basing it off of a black Dress, that is!) and I am the person who goes shoe shopping and thinks to herself "Well, it doesn't really matter if I don't have anything to wear with these amazing shoes...I'll figure something out!" With that in mind, today was a "Pink High Heels" kind of day---I have been CRAVING wearing these shoes lately. Not sure why, but I just NEEDED to wear them today. I spied them up on the top shelf in my closet last night when I was getting ready for bed and just knew that my outfit today would be based completely around them....now, despite the fact that I had my "Foundation" (aka my Dress and these cool shoes) I still had trouble picking out my outfit today. UGH! I must have put on and taken off about 10 different things before I finally settled on what you see here---I dared to BARE my white-as-a-ghost legs because it was SUPPOSED to be 75 degrees today (you KNOW how I'm obsessed with the weather, people!) But HOWEVER, it has not felt to be any higher than 60 degrees all day long. Therefore, Ali = FREEZING! It's my own fault---I mean, it IS January after all, right? I think I am just dreaming of Spring time, sunshine, and shorts---DREAM ON! So here's what I wore:

1. I wore my denim jacket from Forever 21 and I pinned my fave Owl brooch onto it. This pin belonged to my Grandma Vera (my mom's mom) and everytime I wear it I receive a TON of compliments. Owls are SO in right now! Just go to any store and check out their accessories and I GUARANTEE that you will find Owl among everything else. Advice: If you can get your hands onto some vintage jewelry---either from a vintage store, garage sale, your grandma's jewelry box, etc---DO IT! Mixing the old with the new is fun and fresh. Plus, it always makes for a good conversation starter. Thank goodness I had a Grandma who was way into fun jewelry AND saved most of it---Jana, Joslyn, and I are definitely benefitting from her shopping ways!

2. I wore my cute Pink Heels. These are CO OP from Barney's New York and I got them when I did a make-over show a few years back. These are my FAVORITE thing from the shoot and I was so happy when I got to keep them! I wear them as frequently as possible, but like most of my other favorite shoes, they are beginning to wear out a bit and I think I need to take them to my "shoe guy" (that's right, I have a shoe guy) in the Stonewood Mall and have him rework the heel and clean them. They are just too cute and have too much sentimental value for me to get rid of them! Yes, I KNOW, they are just shoes! But, you know how I feel about my shoes!!!!

3. Lastly I wore my Dress underneath a cute blue/purple/black swirly design skirt. I love this skirt because it has POCKETS! Guys are SO LUCKY because most everything that they wear has pockets---girls pretty much get screwed over in that department, unless you wear slacks everyday---and whenever I find something (a dress or skirt) that has pockets, I get really happy. You know, just another place to forget that I put my keys or my phone! I also wore my brown wrap belt---check out the tassles, DAD! Love it, right?

Now, for the MOST EXCITING NEWS EVER!!!!! Are you ready???? My BFF, Renee Michele Johnson went to the Dr. for a routine ultra sound yesterday and found out that she is having............................TWINS!!!!!!!!! OMG OMG OMG!!!! (check out the 2 heads in the ultra sound picture below!) She is really excited and happy to know that THAT is the reason she is showing so much already! I am super excited for the Johnson familia---this is going to be such an adventure for them! Now, I am looking towards the summer and when I go up to visit---we already decided that I must go for a minimum of a month (yay!) and what can I find to blog about....hmmm..."30 Days. 2 Babies. 1 Crazy Auntie"? What do you think, Ne? Cheers to the Johnson's and their growing family!

Same Dress. 30 Days. Day 22 or "It's Raining, It's Pouring"

Ahhhhh....THE RAIN! Once again, much like Saturday, it is raining! I ADORE the rain, I am THANKFUL for the rain...I just would LOVE for the rain to happen on a Saturday when I can sleep in and be cozy. Unlike many professions, teachers get to interact with people who turn into crazies whenever water falls from the sky. The concept of "it's not cool to be soaking wet all day" has not quite "sunk in" with my 9th graders. Therefore, my classroom ends up muddy and smelling like a wet poodle. Yuck. However, just because they like to get all uncomfortable and freezing does not mean that I do not do everything in my own personal power to remain dry! (besides jumping in this puddle for my daily photo shoot!) Hence, my outfit today:

1. I topped my outfit off with my cream colored "fancy hoodie" from Forever 21. Most hooded jackets tend to be on the more casual side, and while they are SO COMFY, they aren't necessarily appropriate to wear with a fancy Dress such as the one I have been wearing :) Therefore, THIS particular "hoodie" is perfect for a couple of reasons. The first being that it has "faux" buttons that make it appear to a double breasted coat (does that make sense?...kind of like a PeaCoat) and the second being that it has cute little ruffles on the front. I LOVE THE RUFFLES ON THIS JACKET! It is so cute and so functional. I can really wear this coat with jeans, a dress, pajamas---the options are seemingly endless! LOVE!

2. Next I wore TWO (that's right, 2!) pairs of tights today---because it's raining and cold! These hot pink tights are actually footless (so fun!) and sometimes I wear them with gladiator sandals....adorbs! I also dug my GALOSHES (aka my rainboots---fancy word, right?) out of my closet in honor of all of the puddles. Also, I needed to NOT wear my brown and black boots AGAIN! :)

***Check out the iPhone weather application....I am addicted to checking the weather on an hour by hour basis. I even have the weather options on my phone set to check the Berkeley weather (in honor of Wes!) and Etna weather (in honor of Renee!)---what can I say? I just like to be prepared!***

3. I also wore my cute neon green summer scarf just to keep my neck extra warm (and let's be real here people, I LOVE a POP! of color.) Also, a coincidence it is NOT that my umbrella and scarf match! Accessories are kind of my "thing", friends! To top off the whole look I wore my blue "bonnet" (knitted hat); my friend Scott HATES this hat and always threatens to burn it. I cannot for the life of me figure out why he hates it so much, but I find a certain level of happiness everytime I wear it and think of how much it annoys him! (such a brat I am! xoxo Scooter)

A student told me "Miss Davis, you look like a rainbow today!" What a compliment! (or at least I will take it to be a compliment!) I am not as magnificent as a "Double Rainbow" (please tell me you've seen THAT YouTube video....hilarity!) but I am still pretty colorful today. Just what I aspire towards---colorful and fun! Even if the day is gloomy, I have no excuse to be gloomy. All I need to do is glance at myself in the mirror and my day is automatically brighter---CRAZY OUTFIT! For a CRAZY WEATHER DAY!

P.S. Only 8 more days! Wow! I can't believe that I have already accomplished 22 days of this madness! I must admit, dressing up like this everyday has made me yearn for my jeans and sweatshirt days! I AM looking forward to being able to do that again....until then, I press on! Here's to being Fabulous and Ridiculous!

Same Dress. 30 Days. Day 21 or "How I Wore My Dress to Cheer Competition"

So today was the day that I wore my Dress to behave like a grown-up....sort of. (When I went to buy a Diet Coke from the snack shack, the lady who sold it to me asked what school I was a Senior at....yeahhhh babbbbbyyyyy! I've still got it!) Today my cheerleaders competed in a USA cheer competition and it was quite the experience. Now, this is not the first cheer competition that I have ever been to before, but there were a few things that set it apart from the other times. The first thing that set it apart was the fact that several members of the WHS faculty came and supported our girls....this has NEVER happened before! The girls felt so special that people took the time to come out and support them---well, people BESIDES their families, that is! For me, it just made me feel so happy for the girls. So often people are quick to put down the cheerleaders or not appreciate all of the things that they do to support the schools' programs, and the fact that people came out to support THEM for a change really made my heart grow another size larger :) Our girls did well, and I am very proud of their effort. Now, being a cheer advisor is no easy task, and I needed a special outfit to be up to that task....while I did NOT wear a gigantic bow (see above picture on the bottom left---that's for YOU Kathy Guier!) OR fake eyelashes (yes, they DO wear those!), I did wear my "Warren Best" and even participated in a strange "pre-performance ritual" (see above top right picture). Ahhhh, the joy of being a Warren Bear. Grrrr, baby.

Cheer Competition is so weird---Erin, Daniela, and I found this faux "cage/prison" inside of the warm-up room and couldn't resist playing pretend. :) But, if I am going to be locked up, I would want it to be with these girls!

1. It was cold today, so I wore my mustard yellow "Target" sweater, along with my Warren Cheer jacket and white scarf. I was warm...and figured out that while it was freezing outside, if you put hundreds of cheerleaders and all of their closest friends and family inside of a gym, YOU WILL BE HOT! So, moral of the story: good thing I always layer!

2. Next I wore my "Habitual" jeans (thanks, Denim Guy!) and I couldn't help thinking of my friend Mona when I put them on, because we both wear these jeans about once a week and frequently end up wearing them on the same day! Great minds think alike, right Mona-Rona? I also wore my "Nike Free" running shoes---because, you know, you never know when you might need to make a quick getaway---always good to wear comfy shoes at an event like this. Cheer competitions can get crazy! :) haha

Here are my girls. So proud of them and all of their accomplishments. We all drive each other crazy from time to time, but at the end of the day, what a sweet group of young ladies they are. I am so happy to be their "coach" (I use that title VERY loosely!) A HUGE "Thank You" and "LOTS OF LOVE" to Rachel Palmer, Jay Waldron, Monique Willis, the girls basketball team, the girl cross country/track team members, and all of the parents, friends, boyfriends, and family members who came out to support our girls. It means the world to Erin, Daniela, and I. Also, a big "Thanks" to my Dress for being SO AWESOME that I could wear you to even an event such as this. :) Go Bears! Win Bears! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!