better late than never.

my dear readers,

sorry i kinda fell off the edge of the internet this week.  i was so excited to wrap up my 30 for 30, and once i did i just sorta disappeared!  i'm still going to do a post where you can see the last half of my outfits all together, but first i'll take some time to let you know what i thought about the 30 for 30 now that it's all finished. 

thoughts on fashion blogging and life list items:

if you're new to mistinguett, one of the (mostly) regular features on here is a collection of items on my life list.  things like make tiramisu, go to kenya, and learn how to cut hair, or start a fashion blog.  thanks to the wonders of google reader, i'm subscribed to and read umpteen fashion/life/art/style blogs with my morning coffee everyday.  when one of the blogs i read announced the winter 30 for 30 challenge, i saw it as the perfect way to try out my life list item for real.  so i hopped on board. here are some of the things i learned:

taking pictures and posting everyday is hard! 

especially when you don't have a photographer until the evening, and when you get home after work and class at 9, and all you want to do is EAT and change into comfy pjs.

posing for pictures is way more awkward than it looks. 

props to all you people that take them outside in populated areas.

people are nice. 

i got several comments on my outfits from women i've never met before, and every single one of them was something positive about me or my outfit.  sometimes i wonder if ANYONE reads this besides my family (hi fam!) so it's nice to see a random positive message every once and a while. 

i think about brands a bit differently now.  

surprisingly, i wasn't as self conscious about posting up pictures of myself as i was about putting up where my clothes are from.  is that strange?  i think a lot that goes into style is not about where you purchased your clothes, but how you put them together and how you feel in them.  do fashion bloggers really need to say where they bought their clothes?  and do you really need to put prices?

the shopping ban was a nice challenge.  

and it wasn't was hard as i expected it to be.  although, to be honest, i don't consider myself to be much of a big shopper right now anyways.  grad school budgeting does that to you!

i felt more creative and original with my wardrobe than i even expected.

so much so, that now that i have all these options, i feel like i don't know what to do with them all!  i'm bored, now that i have way more to work with?  tell me how that makes sense.  maybe i need to do rotations of 15 for 15 every two weeks...

am i going to convert to a fashion blogger?

maybe.  but maybe not.  maybe i'll have a weekly post or so, on outfits and what not.  i know several bloggers who do that, and i enjoy reading their blogs. thoughts?  

would you ever participate in a 30 for 30 challenge?  any fashion bloggers out there who have similar (or completely opposite) thoughts sparked by the challenge?

hope you're having a fabulous week.

xo

alli

penultimate.

shirt: h&m

sweater: camaieu

navy cords: old navy

boots: uggs

scarf: vintage

second to last one folks.

yay!

i think that i could still come up with half a dozen outfits with articles of clothing i have, but honestly i can't wait until i'm given the other half of my closet back :) i'll have a wrap-up post coming- thoughts about the challenges, checking off an item from my life list, and how i think about fashion blogging differently now that i've tried it for a month! 

this morning i woke up at 6:50, a whole hour before my alarm was supposed to go off, and instead of going back to sleep (this is very rare folks!) i got up, made a cup of coffee and stretched/did yoga by the only window in my apartment that gives any sort of morning light.  it was a refreshing start to what is definitely going to be a busy day.

so now i'm off to a handful of meetings, some last minute reading, and then class. bring it on!

xo

alli

2fer.

I guess I'm getting into a rhythm here of skipping a day and then doing a double post:

sunday (27)

dress: forever 21

cardigan: banana republic

belt: h&m

tights: h&m

boots: mall

monday (28)

striped shirt: h&m

green skirt: old navy

belt: forever 21

tights: sears

boots: dsw

oohmygoodness. 

papers really caught up with me this week, and i have been writing like a madwoman.

good news is, the assignment portion of the week is mostly done.

ok news is, the conference that i'm helping to plan is next week, and it is crunch time.

so i'll be running around to meetings for at least a week and a half longer,

and all i want to do is go to the gym!

and wear something besides these 30 articles of clothing i've been in for the past month!

ok, done ranting. the end is in sight :)

how is your week so far?

can you BELIEVE it's march already?

xo

alli

25 & 26.

friday i stayed in all day,

writing, writing, writing

(and ardently trying to avoid procrastinating).

i went out to buy ingredients for ziti zucchini pasta,

ended up FORGETTING the ziti noodles,

substituting spaghetti, and adding in chicken and sundried tomatoes.

overall i'm gonna go ahead and declare it a success.

here's some pictures of the kitchen, and my excuse for an outfit photo :)

chambray shirt: lands end

jean leggings: gap

yum!

saturday we got up early and went to jean talon market- first time i'd been there. 

since it's the winter, most of it was inside- i can't wait to go in the summer months, where all the booths are outside and there's a lot more to look at!

we picked up some strawberries, artichokes, green beans, bananas, and some cheese.

after an afternoon of nail painting & pride and prejudice (can you tell i was in the need of some girly time?) we tried a new pub downtown.  we walked in during the 3rd period of the montreal-north carolina hockey game, and watched it until montreal's victory, 4-3. here are some pics that i took before we walked out the door.  even there was snow everywhere, i was determined to wear my boots, since i'm a little sick of my other 3 PAIRS of boots i've been allowed for the past month.

red plaid shirt: etam

yellow cardigan: urban outfitters

grey belt: etam

black jeans: forever 21

grey boots: dsw

blue scarf: street vendor in paris?

and there will most likely be an outfit post today too, but that would require me being in something else besides my pajamas..... which has not happened yet.

what did you do this weekend?

cook anything fun?

xo

alli

vingt quatre.

black shirt: banana republic

dress (worn as a skirt): pimpkie

GREEN tights: .....tights store

boots: dsw

wow. i'm so glad i'm closing my eyes in one of the pictures, 

and doing some sort of awkward nonchalant hair touch in the other one.

also glad i can make fun of myself in said poses.

moving on.

this week is so weird- it feels like it's both dragging on and slipping away all at the same time.

i think it's because there is NO ONE at work, and then i come home and avoid paper writing.

there is supposed to be a 15cm-80kph snowstorm moving in tonight....

which is good in a way, because i won't have any desire to leave the house tomorrow.

although i do want to get groceries and bake this and add sun-dried tomatoes and roasted chicken.  

how many of you take public transportation in the morning to get to campus/work?

i've come to love it (the mornings that i've had my coffee anyways) just for the people watching.

there were two of the cutest little old ladies on the bus this morning. i love it when their entire outfit is perfectly coordinated- hat, gloves, and long wool/fur coat. and they always seem to rock the red lipstick. awesome.  also, i'm pretty sure i saw the guy from those fisherman's friend cough drops packets.

at 9:30 in the morning. in montreal. on the 66 bus. yep.

any interesting ones on your morning/evening commute?

do you ever see the same people?

xo

alli

23.

red cardigan: zara

white t-shirt: h&m

shorts: jcrew

tights: sears

scarft: aerie

bracelet: vintage from grandma

today's outfit was cozy and comfy.

i barely ever wear that scarf,

which is really odd since i LOVE the colors

and it's a lightweight fabric which would be perfect for the spring and summer.

instead, i chose to wear it in february. logical.

today seemed way longer than it actually was. 

two meetings, with work in between.

remind me never to work the 2-7pm shift again.

i am WAY more productive in the morning.

it was absolutely gorgeous today, 

but quite crisp.

i took the bus and walked halfway to campus,

as i tend to do when the weather is nice.

walking along in the sun with some music

is such a fabulous way to start the day off.

what are the top songs on your morning metro/bus/car mix?

gah i can't wait until it's a little bit warmer, 

and i can run outside!

oh ps. the bracelet was part of a little box of jewelry my grandma gave me

while i was in high school. 

several years later i wear a lot more of the pieces than before 

all i ever used to wear was silver, but now gold seems to be what i go for.

my grandmother rode and jumped horses when she was my age and a bit younger,

and spent a lot of time around polo ponies.

i'm not sure if someone made or gave her the bracelet, 

but i always think of her when I wear it.

happy wednesday!

xo

alli

double twos.

(i can make a mean/scary face too)

chambray shirt: lands end

sweater: etam

black jeans: forever 21

boots: uggs

another simple and comfy outfit.

i wish i could say i had my collar popped like that the whole day.

yea, i roll like that.

ooooook. i'm white.

today was fairly uneventful. 

work was slow, but my reading week/spring break

is turning out to be a lot busier than i thought!

almost halfway through the week and not even CLOSE

to halfway through the papers that are due monday.

i will say that i made a scrupmtious dinner.

baked chicken with garlic and herbs,

and beets with a vinaigrette dressing.

de-lish.

and ps. i'm ready to go shopping now! 

only 8 outfits left, crazy.

xo

alli

a skeptical 21.

black shirt: banana republic

sweater: banana republic

denim skirt: old navy

scarf: gift from Mr. S.

belt: nooo idea

tights: also stumped.

boots: dsw

guys, i'm not sure about this outfit. 

it all started out with me wanting to wear these tights this morning.

i kinda constructed the outfit around them... 

i don't have much in my 30 for 30 that matches purple, 

so i went with the black shirt.

i didn't want to look all emo, so i went with the denim skirt instead of black.

then i added the scarf because it played up the purple in my tights.

then i threw on a sweater.

also 

(guess i was in an experiment-y mood today!)

i did my hair quite differently than usual.

not sure how i felt about the braid headband.

why do some hairstyles look SO cute on other people,

and then once you try them, 

you feel like 5 year old Gretel from the Sound of Music,

and your boyfriend won't stop calling you Princess Leia?

oh well.

today i found the coziest little one room bookstore right by campus.

coolest place, i could have stayed there the whole afternoon.

i picked up some Freire and sat in a café 

and tried to start one of my midterm papers on utilitarianism all afternoon.

how was your monday?

xo 

alli

twenty.

yellow shirt: h&m

plaid button up: etam

jean leggings: gap

boots: dsw

today's pictures are just silly.

they started out in all seriousness, 

but that ended pretty quickly.

i can't believe i only have 10 outfits left!!

today was actually a semi-productive day.

grocery shopping done.

tomorrow starts my 'spring break'

but i need to get a start on some papers due right after break.

so i'll be searching for motivation.

i think getting out of the apartment is key.

which gives me a great excuse to go find a great cafe :)

how did your weekend finish up?

ready for another week?

xo

alli

cardigan dress. 19.

cardigan, wore as a dress: zara

striped shirt: h&m

tights: sears

belt: etam 

boots: dsw

necklace: silpada (gift)

1. i match the couch

2. yes i'm wearing a cardigan as a dress

3. two days in a row with no snow boots!

4. don't go see 'just go with it'. 

funny at moments, but unbelievably idiotic at others.

5. i had the laziest most fantastic day 

what are you doing with your saturday?

xo

alli

eighteen.

dress: anthropologie sale

cardigan: urban outfitters

tights: h&m

boots: dsw

these pics were taken in a rush,

we were heading out the door to head to 

a lovely wine & cheese at a friend's apartment.

this week had a sprint to the finish-

i was the only person in my section at work 

for the whole morning, and being so,

had to do a lot of manual labor,

that i wouldn't have chosen to do in a dress... per se.

but i was tough, and i pushed around hundreds of pounds of overpriced text books,

in my cute anthro dress.

and then i skipped the gym afterwards :)

and as you can see by the time i'm posting this,

i'm planning on a nice grasse matinée tomorrow.

i.e. i'm sleeping in.

xo

alli

Half-point Recap.

i've been meaning to do this since day 15...

but i guess i'm only 2 days late, so i don't feel that bad :)

here (in a very disorganized manner)

are the first 15 (or 16) outfits i've worn in the 

30 for 30.

halfway done, halfway to go!

stick with me, as i get really creative

trying to figure out 15 more outfits.

outfit 17 coming soon!