How Should We Then Dress? Part 1: To Start With.

I'm hoping this post will end my writers block. Seriously. I can't seem to write a blog post, a letter or a comment where this darn train of thought doesn't push it's way to the front and demand to be acknowledged. Just one problem: I'm not entirely sure what I'm going to say. And I had no intent to make it a "series". But write it I guess I must, so here goes.

I have come to the point in my life where I think I might hate clothing. The thought of moving to a place where it is optional is getting to be more and more appealing. I'm kidding. Mostly. But really, think about how much of our lives revolve around clothes: dressing in it, washing it, drying it, folding it, putting it away, packing it away, giving it away, buying it, re-selling it, heck even making it. Sheesh.
I used to be (read: pre-marriage and pre-children) pretty dang stylish. And I made most of my clothes. Wake up early on Sunday, not like anything in my closet, whip out something before church. You think I'm kidding? I'm not. I made my wedding dress folks. Then enter pregnancy, nursing and 5 children later my figure ain't what it was. I'm sort of okay with that, the figure thing. But I just couldn't find anything in the stores that I liked style wise to dress this new lumpier figure. Weight is now slowly coming off and guess what I learned? Much to my chagrin, now that I am several sizes smaller than I was this time last year, as sure as I was that once I lost the weight to fit into size_____ I still can't find clothes I like. Fashion didn't change when my size did. Rats.

I grew up in the homeschooling circle, and that, if you haven't noticed, can be a little subculture of it's own. We didn't have any strict dress code we followed. Most of my clothes were hand me downs, garage sale and thrift store purchases. Most new clothes outside of undies and socks were usually received as Christmas and birthday gifts. And I never thought to question modesty. Seems to me in the '80's and '90's that fashion in general was on the more modest scale, outside of the occasional "punk" groups.
I wore a mixture of jeans and dresses and as I got older, I became more intrigued by the Amish, Mennonites and what my mom dubbed "Denim-ites". The very small number of people we new who wore dresses all of the time were always dressed nicely, and were friendly and cheerful. Denim-ites seemed to think that sour cold expressions showed your devotion to God and your realization that life is somber and to be taken seriously you unwholesome-jean-clad-giddy-charismatic-Christian-you.  Don't you know that the more it looks like you shut your eyes, reached into the closet and wore whatever you pulled out, the closer you are to God? That girls should be wearing dresses that are passed down from their older sisters and are 3 sizes too big and boys should be wearing clothes passed up from their little brothers and are at least 3 sizes too small? If the girls aren't tripping on their hems, and the boys don't have 4 inches of white sock showing between their tennis shoes and  pants hem, while being slowing choked to death on their buttoned-to-the-top shirts, well. You must not take 1 Timothy 2 very seriously. Nobody will look at you dressed all nice and think "Wow, I bet you're a Christian!" Nope, takes a stained up jean jumper and ill-fitting clothes to spread the Word of God. People look at us and *know* we are Christians yessrireebob.
I would like to say I'm exaggerating, but. I'm not. I go to our home school convention every year. I also know that you *can* buy decent clothes at the thrift store (if you're not me. I'm somehow the exception, can't find diddly.)
 I will now insert that I have no idea of how many people read this blog, nor what their background is, so, if you are at all offended by this it was not directed as an insult. Unclench. Maybe take a little break from reading. If you don't come back I won't be hurt.
But think about it: If you are a non-believer, and see 2 groups of people- one somber and modestly attired in Denim-ite wear, and the other group dressed like- let's say mmmm- the Duggars (modestly attired, happy, having fun), who would have the better chance at making you think "Boy, I want to check out this Christianity thing more" ?

That will have to do it for today, I have baking and dishes to do, but since I feel like I should include some sort of picture I will take this monstrosity from several years ago:

Scary and horribly proportioned on me. 

Bad Hair I have Sported: A Medley. For Rebecca.

Dear Rebecca, 

To show that I sympathize with your present follicle woes, I present to you not 1, not 2 but *4* hair tragedies.

You're welcome.

                                                 When the stylist did my hair It. Looked. Awsome.  

                                                      

                                                                           Number 1:

However. She didn't live with me to do my hair everyday, and so I give you the above: what happens when I do my hair with W*mart grade styling products and tools.

I went from waist length to this by the way.

                                                                        Number 2:

The Q-Tip.

'Nuff said.

(Ugh, I never mind that's just an AWFUL picture anyway.)

It did grow out to this though, which isn't bad, but I'm darn near a dead ringer for Bette Midler, which just wasn't something I wanted to hear at 22.

 And see those beautiful highlights? I got lot's of compliments on them (my friend pulled my hair through a frosting cap while we watched From Here To Eternity, quite possibly the worst movie I have ever seen), but come fall I was ready to go back to my regular boring brown, so I picked a box of matching hair coloring at W*mart. Moral of that story? CHECK THE COLOR NUMBER ON THE BOX AGAINST THE BOTTLE IN IT TO AVOID THIS:

                                                                         Number 3:

African Violet. 

It was VERY purple, this doesn't show just how much. And B. would call me "Grape Head".

I had a major crush on him at this point and was so afraid that I would completely scare him off when he saw how accident prone I am.

My bosses wife (a very nice lady who owned a hair salon. Hair coloring wasn't her strong suit.) stripped that awful purple out and I was left with this:

Number 4:

Orange. And this was toned down after a few days.

I decided NOT to color it out for about a month and a half to give my poor hair a chance to recover.

Moral of this story? I always wanted to be a red head growing up. Wasn't careful what I wished for and dang it, I got it.

So a tragedy in 4 parts. Be glad you only have 1.

Love,

Bonnie 

(who now just has spring-like wires of gray hair 

popping up- quite literally)

March Doings

I think this is the last combo I can come up with for this dress.

Black Dress: Liz Lange clearance, blah blah, you've read it before

Denim Jacket, same as here, Kohls clearance

Scarf, same as here, made by me

Green bracelet I made

Silver hoop earrings

Shoes- Easter purchase from Payless last year FAVORITES! They are so comfy, I love them!

It has been unbelievably warm, I slept in one day last week, after a sleepless night (Beans kept me up maybe? I forget) so instead of my usual morning quiet time, I had an afternoon one when the kids were down, out on the porch.

It was heaven. A slight breeze, birds singing, smelling our neighbors fresh cut lawn. Relaxing.

My brother's wife has a relative that works for Step 2 and they get an amazing discount because of that on friends and family day at Christmastime. (60-75% off, somewhere around there)

So this year they bought the kids a death-trap roller coaster. B. and Biscuit put it together one evening last week.

Goes pretty fast. Muffin had the first ride and smashed face first into the bumper of the mini-van. She gobbled up the attention her (very bloody) minor wound got.

High enough up that while it was on the concrete pad, we had the kids wear their helmets.

But now that it has been moved out back, we let them live on the edge. Its the first thing out of their mouths when they come down in the morning "Is it going to be nice out so we can play on the roller-coater today?"

Beans has decided he doesn't like wearing clothes, and fights to pull them off as I am trying to put them on. Check out the pot belly!

And lastly, what is on my kitchen table this very minute, everything for the girls Easter dresses.

Inspired by this picture from the Little Lamb by Phoebe Dunn. Details eventually, think vintage Gunne Sax.

Better get back to work!

The Skirt

I realize the above is *not* a skirt picture, but if you look closely, you can see the waist band, to kind of give you an idea.

White Tee: maternity 2 babies ago

Jean jacket: Kohls clearance last year

Skirt: I made

Scarf: I made

Jewelry: silver hoops earrings, green beaded bracelet I made

(please ignore my gigantic hands and feet.)

Tee: non maternity, doesn't fit if I'm not pregnant Kohls clearance

Scarf: My favorite, and this is the shirt it came with

Grey Cardigan: Thrift store 10+ years ago

Skirt I made

Earrings: pearly dangles I made

(Not sure I'll be repeating this look. A bit on the frumpy side.)

A slightly better picture of the skirt. I followed this tutorial, and it worked out pretty well. Well enough that I want to make another one or two, and it would be simple to cut and re-assemble after baby to make it smaller. Because I wishful plan like that. Mine isn't as flared which is fine, but I do want a fuller one. I'll need more than 2 yards of fabric, that's certain. And it almost slipped off in a gas station parking-lot on the way home from our day trip Saturday whilst I was cleaning throw-up out of Beans car-seat and stripping him out of puke covered clothes.

Maybe because we don't do the Tooth fairy, she got revenge by sending us the Flu Fairy. She's most certainly sprinkled her magic dust on the kids this weekend.

Anyway, thar she blows and all that.

And Then, the Mirror Broke

No really, it did. Sunday, the whole thing tipped forward and smashed to smithereens. Oh well.

Yesterday, we went to my parents to see my aunt in from Texas, and my grandparents.

Hair: Same as here

Scarf: from my in-laws who bought it in Israel

Black turtleneck: maternity, seeing its 5th baby

Jeans: ill-fitting maternity hand-me-downs

Glasses: Red and orange cat-eyes, 9+ years ago when I was working for an eye doctor

Silver hoop earrings
Wore these red mary-janes too, and no my pants aren't that short, I hiked 'em up so you could see my shoes and ancient socks.

Sunday, same hair as yesterday. I told you it was my new favorite way to do it. Same dress and boots as last Sunday, but with a cashmere pashmina also from Israel and also from my in-laws.

Silver hoop earrings.

I ended up changing how I wrapped it, and that's Honey in her birthday gift. A post on that later.

My camera is acting up, thus all the blurry pictures, I'll have to play around with that.

Outfit Number 3

First off, shucks you all are nice to me, thanks! Second, I had no idea this would go over so well! I have to admit these are some of my favorite posts on others blogs, I just never figured I had enough clothes to do it myself. But I'm having fun!

This one looked better in the mirror than it does on camera. Won't be repeating I don't think.

Chocolate brown sweater- non-maternity hand-me-down

Jeans: same as yesterday, but cuffed

Shoes: W*mart ballet flats 6+ years ago.

Silver hoop earrings, an ancient green beaded necklace, and apron made by me a looonnnggg time ago. I haven't worn it for a while- when I went to put it on, I found the empty packet from replanting bean seeds last spring.

Wore the apron for two reasons: 1. I had messy work to do. 2. My shirt is getting a bit short in the front and this helped cover it.

On another note, I think this might be my new favorite way to do my hair! Based on this idea, but I pinned the front into a poof first because I think my hair looks better with a little bit of height. I shoulda fixed that funky spot. Woops.

Note to self: CHANGE CAMERA SETTINGS! These are grainy!

Because I Am Unoriginal

A self photographer I am not, but since I am not going to risk my camera in the hands of small clumsy children (who come by their clumsiness honestly. I am after all, their clumsy mama), self photography is what you're gonna get.

Totally inspired by Hannah's What I Wore posts, (though lacking Hannah's cute wardrobe and figure) I'm kinda doing my own. So I can really see if something looks awful. Also, to make myself look presentable and get creative with my little maternity wardrobe. I need to do some sewing ASAP.

Without further ado, today and yesterdays outfits.

Leftover Sunday hair, thrown up in a claw-clip and with a bandana for something different. Looks like I have an extra set of ears.

Earrings: I made

Shirts: gray hand-me-down non maternity tee, Venuzia Jeans plus-size button down via the thrift store 4 babies ago.

Jeans- maternity hand-me-downs. Kinda short, but will look cute this summer cuffed into capris.

Shoes: Earth Spirit W*Mart, 6 years ago.

My This-Is-What-Have-It-Has-To-Work Sunday Look.

Earrings: gift

Scarf: Kohls, came with a clearance t-shirt that sort of fit, but mostly, I just wanted the scarf.

Sweater; Thrift store 10+ years ago.

Black Dress: Liz Lange clearance, 3 babies ago.

Boots: Lands End or L.L. Bean clearance splurge that I have never regretted, 2 years ago.

Bracelet: I made.

You can laugh at me, I don't mind. I have no idea how often I'll post these.

And the battle is going well, thank-you ('Lish).

Now, I have sandwich rolls to start for dinner, and another bag of stuff to run through the dryer, so I'll be going.

Tootles.