Friday, August 28, 2015

Stitch Fix Review #3 - August 2015

Well, I am officially hooked. When I first signed up for Stitch Fix on June 17th of THIS year, I thought I would sign up to receive a fix every 2 months...maybe even every 3 months. On August 21st, I received my 3rd fix. Oops! And if I'm being truly honest, my 4th fix is scheduled to arrive on September 17th.
For this fix, I asked my stylist to concentrate on wear to work pieces. I am in desperate need of a work wardrobe upgrade, so Stitch Fix is my fairy godmother. So, what did I received in my 3rd fix??
Skies are Blue Ferris Mixed Material Collared Top with Margaret M Emer Printed Straight Leg Pant
Let's start with the pants. These pants are amazingly comfortable. They pull right on and fit like a glove. I really like the way these look on me and accentuate all the right places. The pattern though...I am not a patterned pants to work type of gal. I'm very conservative...the craziest I get with my pants are my solid fushia pants. And what you can't see from that picture is the pattern is actually both white and blue.
See??
I posted these on facebook...both to my friends and a Stitch Fix message board. Everyone raved on how amazing they were and how I must keep them. In the end, I just don't think I'd feel comfortable wearing that much pattern to work. Verdict: Returned
Now on to the burgundy top. It looked really good with these pants. Other than that, I wasn't sold. I can't pinpoint exactly what it was about it, but I just felt like it was something a grandpa would wear. Call me crazy...I don't know. Verdict: Returned
Papermoon Claraday Pleat Detail Blouse
I'm pretty sure my expression says it all. How many people are supposed to wear this at one time?? Verdict: Returned
41Hawthorn Colibri Solid Tab Sleeve Blouse
The color of this one...I'm in love. Purple is a very good color on me. I really should wear purple more. I like the style of this blouse; my only complaint is that it's a bit big. I have asked customer service if they would exchange it for a Small rather than the Medium that is pictured here. I like the versatility of this piece. It will look great with both slacks for work and with leggings/skinny jeans during the fall. Verdict: Kept, requested smaller size
Zad Jorja Teardrop Bauble Necklace
The color and style of this are right up my alley. However, it just felt cheaply made. Since I have lots of jewelry in these tones already, I decided to pass. Verdict: Returned
This month's fix was only a 1/5, but I'm perfect ok with that. I tried on pieces that I wouldn't have picked for myself. I've come to the conclusion that fitted pants are my friend, whereas most of the pants in my closest currently are not. I figure that every time I provide my Stitch Fix stylist with feedback, my fixes will get better and better. Having a 1/5 this month is also how I can justify ordering my next one to arrive in less than a month. :)

Monday, August 10, 2015

10th Walk to End Alzheimer's

Once again, I am participating in the Memphis Walk to End Alzheimer's in memory of Ed Cecil. Can you believe that this year will be my 10th one??? I started walking in 2005 in honor of my grandfather. I have walked every year since then with the exception of 2009 (I was a newlywed and out of town that weekend.) I have also served on the Walk Committee as chairman for 3 of those years. One year I even ran the Chicago Marathon to help with my fundraising efforts - that sparked the birth of this blog. Putting an end to Alzheimer's is truly one of my passions.
This year my goal is to raise $3000. I have yet to hit that number in any given year. I'm aiming high because I know that one day I can achieve that amount. Just as one day, there will be an end to Alzheimer's. Right now, I would just settle for a known cause of Alzheimer's. You can't cure something unless you know what truly causes it.
In case you are curious, 78% of the funds donated to the Alzheimer's Association are used for Alzheimer's care, support, research, awareness, and advocacy. 16% goes towards fundraising, with only 6% being used for administration.
Please visit my personal fundraising website http://act.alz.org/goto/JenniferBaker (or browse through my blog archives) to learn more about my story and why I Walk to End Alzheimer's.

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Third Time's the Charm

So, I'm a little late posting this. My vacation got me all behind (posts on vacation coming soon).
The third time really is the charm. "What third time, what charm?", you might be asking. Wearing a skirt/dress to work! What??? Yes, I have been in my big girl job for over 10 years...last Thursday was only the 3rd time that I wore a dress/skirt to work. This time, it wasn't 3 strikes and you're out...it was the 3rd time's the charm.
Let's recap my 3 experiences:
1st Time
I was fairly new to the company...a young female engineer surrounded by older male engineers. You can see where this is going. I needed to do laundry, so I decided to wear a skirt to work...it was knee length (very work appropriate). As soon as I walked in the door, I heard this: "You're wearing a skirt! Why?" Unfortunately, that was not the last time I heard it that day. Every guy I saw that day said the same thing. Eventually, I just started looking down in surprise saying, "Oh wow...I am wearing a dress." Then I would smile and walk away.
2nd Time
Fast forward about 8-9 years...yes, I waited that long before attempting it again. This time, I worked in a department that had more females...most of whom wear dresses on a regular basis. I thought I might be safe. My daughter had a Christmas program at her daycare in the afternoon, and I wanted to look nice for that. Freen sweater dress, belt, tights, and boots on...I thought I looked pretty put together. I arrived at work, and the males kept commenting on how I looked like an elf. Great, I wear a dress again and now I look like an elf. In their defense, since it was Christmas time, I did kinda look like an elf.
See!
3rd Time July 23, 2015 - I had an Alzheimer's Luncheon that I was going to attend. I decided to dress nice and wear my purple dress. Here we go again! Only one person seemed shocked to see me in a dress. Everyone else showered me with compliments. :) The only questions/comments I received was on the purple color. This made me happy...I could then launch into my spiel on Alzheimer's. Win Win!!