MSLA Conference Day 2

 After feeling conspicuously well dressed during the first day of my school library association conference I tried to go for a more librarian-esque look, however I fee like I might be dressing more for a librarian stereotype. Oh well, to be honest I'm not sure I really own anything in my wardrobe that would look anything like what real librarians seem to where today. As you can see my ensemble went great with the neon orange stickers we had to wear that announced what books we were currently reading. I think I might just be a rebel at heart and really don't like to follow orders or do what everyone else is doing because I got yelled at for not wearing my conference badge too. I compromised by clipping it to my purse string. Anarchy!

Dress: vintage, Samantha Stevens Petites, thrifted via Salvation Army Family Store
Blazer: vintage, Jospehine Chaus, thrifted via The Bargain Box
Belt: vintage, my grandmother's
Purse: vintage, no label, via RI Antiques Mall
Shoes: Carlos by Carlos Santana, thrifted via Salvation Army Family Store

The best part of the whole conference experience however was that I drove through Worcester on my way home where my good friend Jen (who I've talked about many times on the blog) is hard at work on her PA degree at the Mass College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Taking advantage of Restaurant week we had a fantastic three course meal at VIA for only $23.13, and both took home enough food for two more meals. We're both busy girls, but it was a wonderful way to get away and spend a night just talking and relaxing for a change.

MSLA Conference Day 1

 These photos have been languishing for a while, mainly because they're not all that good. As the pictures progress they devolve into overly bright, blurry images, criss-crossed with streaks of snow. When I left my house it was close to 40 degrees and sunny out, by the time I got to my conference in Sturbridge, MA it was 22 out and little icy pellets of snow were stinging my face. Needless to say it was a delightful environment for outfit photos. But at least it was better than inside the hotel, which while not owned by the Bates family, was well on its way there. Lunch was in an open pavilion that looked like it escaped from The Wedding Singer and 1985. On the other side of the pavilion was the swimming pool. The scent of chlorine and the sound of cannonballing children always makes for a delightful repast.

 Regardless, conferences are a necessary evil, and my boss is particularly zealous in her pursuit of professional development. Hence the two days we spent in Sturbridge. I will say this, the Massachusetts School Librarians Association knows their stuff when it comes to books, research, and stretching the almighty buck. On fashion and cosmetics however, they need some help. I understand wanting to look professional, but there is a wide gap between professional and frumpy, any many of my compatriots were on the wrong side of the tracks. Entertain yourself for a few minutes by checking out the conference photos, though please ignore the awful one of my at the microphone, candids are not my friend.

 Dress: Nicole Miller via J.C. Penny
Boots: Reaction by Kenneth Cole thrifted via Savers
Necklace: Marshall's (very old, remember when they used to have a jewelry counter?)
Purse: vintage (meh, early 90's?) Nine West thrifted via Second Time Around
Coat: vintage, Lawrence of London via Circa

The Muse: Decadence

Lots and lots of embroidery just seems to conjure up decadence to me. Not buy a whole box of chocolates and eat it yourself decadence. But beggar a country and get yourself sent to the guillotine decadence. All of the great hedonists had embroidery before things went south, French aristocrats a la Dangerous Liaisons before the Revolution. Imperial Russia with Tchaikovsky and Faberge. I suppose if embroidery is a sign of impending doom brought on by starving peasants my suede coat with embroidery will bring me nothing but trouble. But boy is decadence worth it while it lasts!


  Coat: Avanti New York thrifted via Krazy Daisy
Shirt: Liz Lange Maternity via Target
Skirt: vintage, no label, thrifted via Savers

Necklace: vintage, via Wickford VillageAntiques and Collectables
Shoes: Touchups, vintage, thrifted via Salvation Army Family Store
Purse: no label, via J. Marcel 
Sunglasses: Dollar Tree, self embellished

The Muse: Long and Short

  Blouse: Deletta via Anthropolgie
Belt: no brand name, thrifted via Goodwill
Skirt: Cambridge Country Store Dry Goods Co. thrifted via The Bargain Box
Shoes: Merona via Target
Purse: Selfridge's (UK)
Coat: Kardashian Collection, gift from my grandmother
Headband: Forever 21
Bracelt and white ring: vintage, from my grandmother's junk jewlery box
Gold ring: vintage 1949 North Attleborough High School class ring, my grandfather's

 After two days of snow Saturday was freakishly warm, up near fifty degrees and almost blindingly bright. How to deal with this discrepancy in early March? Wear short sleeves (I had a coat on but was perfectly comfortable without it) with a long skirt. Not only do you have all your bases covered, but it makes the skirt seem not quite so long. THese pictures were taken in the idyllic little village of Slatersville, where I have taken photos twice before, at the library overlooking the reservoir and in front of the Congregational church on the village green. My step-brother Tom and his wife used to live in a condo in Slatersville when they were first married and I confess I still like it a lot, even if it is a little out of the way.

  The North Smithfield Public Library (Slatersville is a village in North Smithfield)is a great little place and one of my favorite consignment shops,Christine Keene's Krazy Daisy is located there. The village was Samuel Slaters dream, and he, if you don't remember your history of the industrial revolution was the man who brought mill technology to America by memorizing the blueprints. Funded by Moses Brown, of the Brown University family, he opened Slater Mill in Pawtucket, the first mill in America. The Lowell System and all of America's manufacturing stemmed from there Later in his life he moved farther up the Blackstone River and built an entire mill town with housing and every accommodation needed to run a factory system. THese pictures were taken at what is left of his great factory complex. I thought it was still manufacturing of some sort, but this, like most of the old factories around here has been turned into luxury apartments. I was suspicious when I saw they had a swimming pool. Even more so when a woman walking her Chihuahua nearly tripped over me while I was taking pictures.Regardless its a beautiful place, and made for some interesting photos.

The Muse: Ethan Frome

 On yet another very snowy school day I am linking up with Tara over at Mix and Match Fashion for her  'What I Wore to Work' themed linkup. I came out this morning wearing this dress, which in all honesty is a summer dress (it was last seen here in a much different climate) my mother asked if I was crazy. The addition of the boots and sweater only seemed to temporarily mollify her. Truth be told I was so excited about these new boots I bought at DSW I had to try out the color combination for myself. I never thought to wear brown and purple together, purple and black seemed more natural to me. In reality this outfit is pretty tame  by my standards but the colors definitely were outside my normal comfort zone. Though the boots make it all worth it don't they?


The colors also tied in nicely with my muse today. I f you have not had the pleasure of reading Ms. Edith Wharton's short novel, in a nutshell it describes what happens when you spend too many long snowy winters in a perpetual state of cabin fever. Like Ethan Frome I personally have seen a few too many Starkfield winters.March apparently has not gotten the out like a lamb memo yet here in New England. THough I confess trying to photograph myself in gale force winds and cold, icy snow is always a real gas.Today I permitted myself the luxury of my coat. On the bright side we got in a full day of school which means we still have two more safety net days before they start making us got to school on Saturdays or on april vacation.



Dress: Banana Republic
Sweater: Itsu via Goodwill
Necklace: so old I can't remember
Boots: Two Lips via DSW
Headband: Forever 21
Purse: Call It Spring via J. C. Penny
Coat: Jones of New York via Macy's