OOTD: Red and Recycled

Note: I wrote this entire post, then went to publish it, and it disappeared completely. So I’m sorry if a bit of anger or frustration seeps through my writing. BLAH!  This shall be my lesson of the day: always type in Word first.  Anywho, onward and upward.

This past weekend was busy busy busy, guys! Being the hardcore wannabe athletes that we are, my fiance and I had ultimate frisbee playoffs on Saturday, so we got up bright and early to compete with our team. Sadly, we lost both of our games in a double elimination tournament, but we decided that we earned a date night.

We went to a fun restaurant called BRGR. If you're in the Pittsburgh area, I highly suggest you try it. Yummy yummy…burgers, of course! If you are a friend of the bovine, they also have turkey and veggie burgers. Those are on my list to try next time. We also saw waitresses carrying milkshakes that looked to-die-for, but we went to our favorite fro-yo place for dessert instead. First, a little something for the foodies:

A well-done cheeseburger with white cheddar cheese on a whole wheat bun. It was perfection.

Here’s what I wore:

Tank: Anthropologie

Jeans: Joe’s Jeans, Anthropologie

Cardi: Merona, Target

Shoes: Mossimo, Target

Feather earrings: Local farmer’s market

Wooden bracelet: A vendor at our hotel in Punta Cana

Books bracelet: Kards Unlimited

Even though the fiancé likes to call this my “marching band shirt,” I love it. The orange-y, fiery red color is beautiful, the cut is super-flattering for a curvy figure, and the buttons are the perfect extra adornment. My only complaint is that the panel in the middle is pretty low, so I can’t wear this shirt to school. It’ll just have to make weekend appearances in my wardrobe until next summer.

I can't resist showing you a close-up of the bracelets I’m wearing:

As an English teacher, I melt over almost all clothes and accessories that are literature-related or inspired. This I Read Banned Books bracelet is no exception. Each link of the bracelet features the cover of a book that has been frequently banned, and some of them just happen to be my favorites: To Kill a Mockingbird, Howl, Huckleberry Finn, Go Ask Alice, and Alice in Wonderland. I love wearing this bracelet to school. It’s my own little way of sticking my tongue out at The System ;)

I made a polyvore for today’s OOTD, (which is showing up at the end of this post for some reason; Blogger and I are about to have it out, Greasers/Socs style) but I made a couple of changes. The earrings, bracelet, and cardigan are nowhere to be found online, so I found similar substitutions. The recycled bag is actually sort of a larger version of the wristlet that I currently carry, which is made out of recycled newspaper from Mexico. My wonderful mama bought it for me at an airport on one of her excursions, so I’m fairly sure I won’t be able to find it anywhere on the web either.

The fiancé and I were up and running all day on Sunday as well, with picnics and a visit with his grandmother, who is in town. During the summer, I don’t mind when my weekends are jam-packed with plans, but as the school year approaches, I’m hoping our schedule calms down a bit. I’m not someone who benefits physically or mentally from going non-stop, yet that always seems to be the way we live!

Was your weekend as hectic as mine was, or did you get to relax and recharge?

Red and Recycled by alldressedupnoplace2go featuring tote handbags

J Crew knit cardigan
$62 - jcrew.com

Top
$30 - anthropologie.com

Joe s
$158 - anthropologie.com

Tote handbag
$60 - momastore.org

Tribal bracelet
£15 - chiarafashion.co.uk

Drop earrings
$42 - urbanoutfitters.com

Women's Mossimo® Verity Peep-Toe Pumps - Taupe : Target
$21 - target.com

A Fabulous Summer Read (No Matter Where You Are!)

Good morning, fashionistas! With Memorial Day Weekend coming up, I thought I'd give everyone a bit of recommended reading for summer:
Coco Chanel made the best of every situation. So no matter whether you're spending your summer frolicking in Vegas, letting the Caribbean waves lap at your toes, or laying on a float in the pool in your own backyard, I recommend making the best of your summer situation by reading The Gospel According to Coco Chanel: Life Lessons from the World's Most Elegant Woman by Karen Karbo. I'm sure this book has made its way around the fashion blogs, but since I'm a blogosphere newbie, I figured I'd throw my two cents in.

My mom gave me The Gospel for my birthday last year, and I have re-read it several times. With help from cute illustrations by Chesley McClaren, Karbo does an excellent job entwining Chanel's own trials and tribulations with life lessons we can all learn from. Karbo describes a life that was flat-out gritty at times, but she makes sure the reader understands that Coco Chanel was an absolute pro at being fabulous, no matter where she found herself.

I already knew I couldn't thank Chanel enough for the cardigan, but after I read this book, I began to realize that I should thank Chanel for her attitude as well. From fearlessness and spontaneity to style and self-invention, Karbo begins every section with a Chanel (or in some cases, supposed Chanel) quote that encompasses the theme of the section. My personal favorite? "A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous."

Fashion and philosophy often go hand-in-hand in the couture world, but this book makes for a light, but thoughtful summer read that weaves the two together beautifully for the rest of us.

Have you read this book? What do you think? Do you have any other great fashion or non-fashion summer read recommendations?