Grey Sweater Club

This picture didn't happen, in real life.  However, I wish it did (or that it existed on the computer before I had to order Christmas cards)!

On the Mister:

Sweater: Gap, a gift | Jeans: thrifted | Ergo baby carrier: a gift | Ada: so very confused

On Ada:

Reflective collar with engraved buckle: Mimi Green 

On me: 

Glasses (they're purple!): Goggles4U | Dress: Lands End | Watch: Fossil

One of the many, many reasons that I love sweater dresses is that they are so incredibly stretchy.  This exact dress made it into last year's Fall Fashion Week.  It was cute and cozy and cowl-y and curve-fitting then, and it is all of those same things now...and there are certainly more curves to fit!  This is definitely one of those relatively rare times where major body changes lead to fun new stylings within the same wardrobe.

Have you ever had a time where a body changes led to you loving a garment even more than with its original fit?  

The Unintentional Capsule Wardrobe

This is my closet in its entirety right now:

It consists of: an entirely unnecessary lab coat, three pairs of pants (plus workout capris), one skirt, one formal dress (for a family wedding next weekend), three dressy-casual dresses, a long-sleeved sweater, two short-sleeved sweaters, two cardigans, a track jacket, two button-up blouses, a tunic blouse, three short-sleeved blouses, four or five casual tees, and four pairs of shoes (one not pictured), as well as necessary underbits.

While I have been continuing a slow closet purge, this capsule collection is still only a fraction of what I own and came about rather unintentionally -- I'm living and working in Texas for a month, and thus only have access to an abridged wardrobe.  Putting it together (the night before traveling, of course) was a bit stressful, trying to accommodate the necessary business casual dress code with Central Texas climate in garments I possessed...but I'm quite pleased with the end result: mostly neutrals (black, khaki, denim, chambray, cream), paired with light warms (mustard yellow, coral, rusty orange) and deep blues (cobalt, navy).

Dress: Old Navy

I've got to admit, the limited selection is actually quite refreshing.  I'm definitely the type to be overwhelmed with too many options; selecting the garments when packing initially felt constricting, but now paring it down so that I can literally see everything at once is very freeing in the morning.  

Getting comfortable with a substantially-limited clothes selection is important for more than just this month, too, because...well...

Yup, that's a baby bump!  I'm currently 16 weeks along and loving it.  About a week ago, I went from "Sure, I can probably get another couple weeks out of my pants" to "Haha, NOPE!" literally overnight.

I'm hoping to be more present these next 5+ months than I've been in the previous -- I think balancing a constantly-changing body with a limited closet will be a fun challenge, and of course there are belly photos to take!

Charlotte colored her hair, and I'm growing another person -- any big changes for you?  Do share!

The Doctor is In

You guys -- it's exactly a year later, and I *still* LOVE this job.  Even more so now, knowing more clearly what I want to be when I grow up.

I realize it's probably not so flattering, but today is the first day my hair's been long enough to twist up and have it stay all day and this is SO EXCITING.  I'm pretty much in constant flip-flop with my hair -- I have bangs but pin'em back half the time, I've been rocking the short choppy bob for a year and a half but have decided to grow it out (but watch, I'll probably get bored again and chop it in six months, that's my standard MO).

I still think it's kind of odd that I own this skirt.  It's such a traditional, preppy kind of pattern and doesn't really feel like me.  That said, it's gotten more wear than any other work skirt this summer and it contains most of my current favorite clothes colors (navy, brown, mustard, periwinkle/chambray, white) so it works with about half my wardrobe and I haven't repeated any outfits on it yet.

That face.  I *always* make that face in a photo shoot.  Complete with the leg thing (weight on the left, swing the leg from standing over to crossed at the ankle).  Keeping it real, friends...

Strong Work

"Strong work," for the uninitiated, is the ultimate compliment in medical training.  It is a commendation I have only received twice, both in this past month at our county medical center & teaching hospital.  The first time was probably related to clinical knowledge or skill.  The second was today, for my participation in the institution's time-honored tradition:

Bow-tie Fridays.

Borrowed from my mister, but hand-tied (on the first try!) all by myself, thank you very much.

Bow-ties are cool.

Sprummer Day 7 -- Feeling French

I've got to say, I love a classic Breton stripe.  I've managed to restrain myself to two thus far, but only because I want them to be appreciably different from each other.  This breezy, lightweight sweater is definitely the more fun one, and just right for a springtime Sunday.

In addition to the stripes, rocking the crops with ankle-strap sandals makes me feel oh-so-French.  Je ne sais pas si les vetements sont vraiment francais, et bien sur j'ai oublie beaucoup des mots, mais... =)

Sweater: Kohl's | Pants: thrifted and DIY cropped | Sandals: Chinese Laundry, thrifted

Oh, and I promised that I'd be debuting my favorite new accessory.  The thing I just can't leave the house without these days is...dog hair!  All over everything!

While that's not a perk, the new four-legged family member certainly is.  Her name is Ada, she's about two years old and a mutt of unknown origin, and whenever she's not sleeping she's looking at me like this:

No joke.  All. The. Time.  (Not that I'm complaining -- this puppy is very good for our egos!)

It's been another lovely fashion week -- much thanks to Deanna & Joanna for hosting! -- 

Sprummer Day 6 -- Pseudo Summer Camp

Such fun thus far for sprummer fashion week!  I really like seeing everyone in their warm-weather best.  Today, here at Phenofab we're living up casual Saturday.  No professional dress, no obligations, just some grocery shopping and enjoying the beautiful day outside.

Shirt: Colombia, thrifted | Shorts: Eddie Bauer, thrifted | Shoes: Merrell, via eBay 

The combination of the button-up with rolled sleeves (it's one with fancy sun protection, too, which is awesome 'cuz I sunburn just thinking about going outside) paired with shorts, moccasins, and a ponytail (it's runty, but it's there!) makes me feel like a summer camp counselor.

My shoes are part of Merrell's barefoot line.  I've been intentionally working toward minimal footwear for over a year, you've got to have your foot strong enough to not hurt yourself, but I *love* them.  It's like wearing jazz dance slippers, they fit my feet like a second skin.  Plus, I can feel everything -- did you know that 25% of the muscles and bones in your body are from your ankle down?  And that the palms of your hands and soles of your feet have the most nerve endings per surface area?  That's a ton of information about the world you're interacting with that you're just not getting if you're wearing stiff shoes all the time!  =)

You know the drill -- head over to Delirious Rhapsody, drop your thanks to Deanna and cheer on everyone participating!

Sprummer Day 4 -- Proportion Play

The clinic where I've been working lately has a no-white-coats rule, and I've got to say, I really like it.  It means that rather than just trying to look professional, it's worth it to put some effort into dressing cute, because it's actually visible.  It also means I get to wear things, like this majorly-dolman-sleeved sweater, that simply wouldn't work worn under a lab coat.

Sweater: thrifted | Pants: thrifted | Sandals: Chinese Landry, thrifted | Necklace: gift

I can never figure out what color this sweater is (disclosure: I'm slightly colorblind).  Is it grey?  Lavender?  A kind of putty-taupe?  No idea.  It does go well with the wall, though.

This is a new type of silhouette for me.  It doesn't do the things I'm used to or address my usual style priorities.  It's fun, though, to push those boundaries a little, to play with proportion and shape and emphasis in ways that differ from my MO.

You know the drill...Sprummer Fashion Week!  Let's go give everybody some love.  =)

Sprummer Day 2 - Commencing

My original medical school class graduated recently(!) -- of course I went, wouldn't have missed it for anything.  This is what I wore:

Cardigan: Target | Tunic: Kohl's | Jeans: thrifted | Shoes: Crocs  

The school colors are dark blue & white, but matching them was serendipitous rather than intentional -- I just tend to wear a lot of navy.

I really like the shirttail hem on this tunic -- I like the length in the front and back, with the higher sides allowing a flattering continuation of the visual leg line.  I am also nearly a month into the bangs and still liking them -- takes a touch more work in the morning to brush them out (compared to my normal "I do nothing to it" hair routine), but for relatively minimal effort I get a much more polished look.  I'm looking forward to the rest of my hair growing out a bit so I can do the braid-&-bangs combo I'm aiming for.

It was awesome to go to my [old] class's graduation.  I sat with some other classmates who had added an extra year -- for medical reasons, research, public health study, what-have-you -- and we ended up being right on the aisle that all the medical-students-commencing-to-be-doctors processed down during the entry.  Half the class stopped and hugged us, causing major traffic jams =) and it was SO COOL to remember being strangers four years ago and now see them on the verge of being doctors.  It wasn't bittersweet, either, because I still feel like I need at least a year of school yet; it was exciting to look forward to our ceremony next year, but purely, 100% happiness and celebration for the 2014s.

Any big celebrations your way recently?  If nothing else, you should go join the party for the Sprummer Fashion Week!

More of the Same

I'm afraid I've left Phenotype: fabulous wither because I haven't had much to share -- I'm straight off a month and a half of obstetrics, and facing two months of surgery, which means more than a quarter of a year straight wearing scrubs day in and day out.  On the one hand, it's a relief (like I hear wearing uniforms in high school is): I *never* have to think about what I'm wearing, because it's exactly the same every day.  On the other, it's pretty boring.  I have a closet full of things that I like, and no chance to wear them!  However, that does make it easier to keep my 2014 resolution not to acquire new clothes, since wearing what I want to is enough of a novelty that I don't pine over new additions to my wardrobe.

All of that means that when I do get to dress for myself, you can be darn sure I'm looking cute.

Tee: Threadless | Sweater: thrifted | Jeans: thrifted | Earrings: I made 'em 

And for a better look at that tee (riffing on Ben Franklin's famous cartoon)

The last time I got myself some fun graphic tees was my sophomore year of undergrad in 2007, when I first discovered Threadless.  I've added some new ones in the past year, and they make me quite happy.  I actually got two of this one, so that I could cannibalize one to make a birthday gift for one of my junior high buddies (AKA the piefairy's apprentice) last summer.

You've got to love an apron that comes with a recipe for apple pie right on it!  (I confess, I toyed with the idea of placing it upside-down, so that it could be read by the wearer, but the intended recipient had memorized my basic fruit pie recipe already, so I deemed it unnecessary).

How is everyone out there?  Same-old-same-old, like me, or are the winds of change a-blowing?

Good hair makes everything better

Long hours, dark when I get to the hospital, dark when I leave.  Fashionable is impractical these days; I'm living in scrubs.  Green gets you into Labor & Delivery, grey opens doors at surgery as well as L&D.  L&D nurses wear periwinkle blue. (Still haven't figured out who it is wearing bright turquoise -- maybe the cardiac catheterization lab?)  This all differs hospital to hospital; six months ago, the first time I saw a birth, we pediatricians wore the bright turquoise.

All that to say, not much of interest for Pheno:fab fodder.  Catching babies is fun, weird, stressful, and oddly surreal, and I usually look a hot mess doing it.
 
I do just want to say that when I delivered my first baby, at the very end of my very long first day on OB (how's that for an incentive not to go to a teaching hospital?), I did so with some really wonderful hair.

Seriously, I couldn't achieve that again even if I tried. 

Festivities in Review

Happy 2014!

With the festive season behind us and the new year fresh ahead, I want to take a moment to reflect on the time that has recently passed and face the promises made for that yet to come.

Like last year, I found myself with an abundance of celebratory occasions at the end of the year.  Of the ones with photographic evidence, in chronological order we have:

The Viewing of the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Special

TARDIS t-shirt: Threadless | Boots: Merrell | Corduroy skirt: thrifted | Stripey socks: gift

Reaching back to November for this one, but it was post-Soup & Pie Potluck (our church's holiday kickoff, held on the Sunday before Thanksgiving) so it was officially part of the festive season in my book.  2013 was the Year of the Doctor for us-- we'd watched all the reboot episodes of Doctor Who, seven seasons' worth, between Christmas and July.  The anniversary special was enjoyed with good friends, DW-themed food & drink, and drawing straws for choice minifigs of the Doctor's various incarnations.

The Church Christmas Party

Dress: Anthropologie | Stripey socks & boots: same as above

Our lovely community does something different every year for a Christmas party -- talent show, dessert social, hymn sing...this year, it was a ceili/barn dance, complete with an accordion-wielding caller.  It's been ages since my last ceili, and I had an absolute blast, watching and dancing with everyone from our octogenarian churchbuilders to the toddlers up way past their bedtimes.  Afterwards, not wanting to waste an amazing dress by heading home at 9, the mister and I got to know some of our neighborhood beer havens a little better.  We clean up pretty nicely, don't you think?

The Most Joyful Wedding of All Time

 Dress: Modcloth | Sweater: thrifted

This was a love story to make cynics weep, something a decade in the making and straight out of a Jane Austen novel.  (No, seriously, the groom is even British.)  The last wedding amongst we four dear girlfriends (hey, look, there's Charlotte!), long-awaited and joyfully experienced.  A father's address, lovingly given, marvelously wordcrafted and speaking straight to the heart of marriage for the newlyweds and even more so for the rest of us.  An absolutely perfect winter day; dearly beloved friends and family; a happy couple buoyed up by the love and celebration of all those around them.  This was a day where Good Things Happened, and I am so thankful to have been witness to it.

Holiday events without photographic fashion evidence: the Holiday Work Party, the Doctors Terry Host a Christmas Shindig, Christmas Day Feasting, and New Year's Eve. 

And speaking of New Years -- I have one resolution this year, but it's a substantial one: I will not buy any new clothing.  No thrifting, no swaps, nada.  It's not about spending less money -- though that is a benefit -- but about cultivating a mindset of "enough," of using what I have, and of not chasing the New Shiny.  There are a few very important caveats: undergarments and an interview suit are not bound by this resolution.  (I am also not going to turn down gifts, that would be ungracious.)

So, here's to 2014!  A year started in fantastically good spirits, with hope and promise and a challenging-but-exciting clothing constraint.  Happy New Year to all!

Ode to the LBD

An avid lover of expressive colors as a teen and young adult, I did not see the point of the Little Black Dress.  Why would I ever want to wear a simple black dress when I could wear a bold red one, or a shimmery silver one, or a multi-hued beaded one?  I was convinced that, though they may be useful for other ladies, an LBD would never find a place in my wardrobe.

Then, I met Joan.

Joan is the dress, thusly named for obvious reasons.  She's a lady who doesn't like to speak of her age, but you'd hardly believe a gal with this many decades on her looks this good.

Joan has taught me that there is immense power in simplicity.  She may not be the right answer for everything, but with a timeless, demure, oh-so-flattering cut, she is ready for just about anything.
 

Oh, and what varied anythings we've seen together!  Joan and I have done the opera and the red carpet, Christmas parties and church luncheons.  Today, we popped my white coat on top for a day working on the hospital wards, and I expect we'll do a fair amount of residency interviewing together this time next year.

Joan is a far better friend than I deserve.  Her lightweight wool composition suits her perfectly to my favorite climate and seasons, and somehow without a single stitch of spandex she still fits like made-to-measure even after hefty weight gains.

  

We're quite the team, Joan and I.  You'd best not cross us -- curves and collarbones are our weapons of choice.

Lest you think Joan seeks all the limelight, I assure you she is quite content to be the supporting backdrop for a louder, flashier acquaintance.
 

 

Joan doesn't need to shout.  She's a lady.  She knows the right thing to do in any situation, and she gets our attention when she wants it, just as she is.

Dress Joan: vintage 1960s | Shoes: Clarks | Tights: ?? | Necklace: Otis B Jewelry

Dress Like a Boy

This is basically my husband's work "uniform": plaid button-up (usually blue), khakis, and brown oxfords.  Heck, even our glasses are similarly-colored half-rims.  He doesn't do the cat-eyes, though, and he definitely isn't rocking curves like these.

This made for a good work outfit on those early-October-is-actually-the-nicest-(read:-hottest)-times-of-the-year-in-Berkeley days, when professionalism dictates coverage and thermo-self-regulation demands some exposed skin.  Mornings are getting now to be a bit too chilly to leave ankles uncovered, but these have definitely been my workhorse work pants all summer and through the early fall.

Blouse: H&M | Khaki crops: J. Crew, thrifted | Oxfords (shiny!): thrifted | Belt: thrifted

I am hoping to get a long-sleeve blue gingham shirt at some point, but thus far I haven't found any where I like the fit.

Getting my apple jacks on.  I was hoping for something animated GIF-able, but alas. 

Let's see what Deanna & co have going on for the rest of Fall Fashion Week, shall we?

I Love My Job!

Evidenced by the fact that I've used that title for both of my blogs within the past week, it's probably no surprise that I really love my job! Charlotte's question about dreams and what we want to be when we grow up gave me another opportunity to reflect on how really, truly content I am now.  We still have dreams -- someday the mister and I will have a dog, and kids, and a farmhouse on an orchard with chickens and a goat -- and there's some substantial uncertainty in our immediate future, but compared with the Very Unpleasant Recent Past, life is edifying and I am exactly where I'm supposed to be and it is good.

So, here's another day-at-the-pediatrics-clinic outfit.  This is totally true to my sartorial professional self, and I wore green and red (okay, burgundy) without looking like Christmas, and it's even a good hair day.  Winning on every front.

 Blouse: H&M, thrifted (from near Rocket Baby, char-let!) | Skirt: thrifted | Shoes: Camper, via eBay | Belt: thrifted, a favorite | Necklaces: gifts | Watch: Fossil, via Amazon | iPad cover: Make Things Better (front & back)

 
I got an iPad Mini to be my ectopic brain for rotations.  I am very much *not* a Mac person, and there are things about it that drive me absolutely bonkers, but it's a helpful tool.

The best part?  Getting to pick out an awesome, subtle-ly geeky cover.  River Song's journal was awfully compelling, but I ultimately went with the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.  Because...that's what it is!

P.S.  The weekend away mentioned with the honeymoon skirt was an absolute delight.  If anyone is interested in where to find a(n amazingly affordable!) slice of mountainous-but-near-the-seaside heaven in the Santa Cruz redwoods, I can totally hook you up.  Don't lie, you wish you were here...

Working It

My First Day

Friends, I have officially entered the realm of Productive Adult Members of Society.  I may still be making absolutely no money and paying well for the privilege, but now no one mistakes me for a stay-at-home mom, I am a regular rush-hour commuter (three cheers for carpools and the reverse commute!), and when I get home the mister asks me, "How was work?"

I just started in a pediatrics clinic.  We don't wear our white coats -- White Coat Anxiety is a real thing, and I imagine even freakier for little kids -- and my boss introduces me as "Doctor" because it's simpler and more impressive.  I have no idea what I am doing, but I will happily dress the part.

 Blouse: Kohl's, thrifted | Cropped trousers: J.Crew, thrifted | Shoes: REI

Somewhat surprisingly, the award for Professional Wardrobe MVP goes to my trouser crops, both these and the ones I hacked up myself.  Love my dresses, but they're more memorable and I don't want to wear skirts every day, and two months of furiously desperate studying/nervous breakdowns/stress eating left my other trousers all a little tight.  These feel just right for the balmy temps, and let me wear cute summery shoes without tripping over longer hems. 

I also finally(!) found a mousse that makes my hair do the curl thing the way I want it to.  Surprisingly, it's designed for "mixed hair" -- the unique hair types & challenges found in girls of mixed race, which I am definitely not.  Still, can't argue with success.

Snagged these awesome flats at REI recently.  I'd been pining for similar grey wedges for a while, but by the time I heard about them they no longer existed, so finding these made me very happy (and even better, on sale!).  The bright woven ethnic textile reminds me of when I lived in Peru, and they have the best arch support I've ever found in ballet flats.  All in all, a fun way to liven up professional-able garb.

What does your work-wear look like, now that we're rolling into the dog days of summer?

Dressed for Success

Do you know what time it is?

 

It's Go Time. This is Test Day.  I am taking boards, right now.  (I am not live-blogging -- I totally took these pictures early and pre-scheduled the post.  You can't even have a StupidPhone in the exam with you, much less access to the internet).

 

I think I have everything that I need, but I'm thinking I probably should have sharpened my brain before we began.  It's feeling a little dull.

Someday, I will tell the story of this sweater and how it came to be mine.  Someday, I will talk about eating disorders, nurturing one's soul, and how my face is clear evidence that I've gained 10% of my body weight in the two months I've been prepping.  Someday...but not today.

Today I am taking boards. 

Getting My Geek On

I am just tipping past the 50%-through-my-study-program mark today, and I am *so* ready for it to be done.  I want to see people again.  I want to be able to drink some of the beer brought back from my home state without worrying about borking my higher-order focus & functioning.  I want to have to time for our Sunday night Doctor Who dates with my mister!

Despite the utter lack of anything fun in my life these days (you know I'm writing this with a review lecture up on my other screen), I'm still totally getting my geek on.  Not just because terminal nerd-ness is necessary for survival at this point, but because...well, yeah, it's the best way to cope.  And oh look, the top t-shirt on the stack today features my favorite Japanese animation studio!

I have to admit, I'm not nearly so well-versed in Studio Ghibli's works as I'd like, and I had to look up the tin man dude because I completely couldn't place him.  (Turns out he's from Castle in the Sky, which I haven't seen, so I feel a little bit better.)  So, from left to right we have Turnip Head (Howl's Moving Castle), a Laputan robot, Princess Mononoke (Princess Mononoke), the [unnamed?] dog from Spirited Away, and of course, Totoro.

 Shirt: shirt.woot | Skirt (actually a skort!): thrifted | Belt: Target, eons ago

It's been bea-u-ti-ful these last few days, finally warm enough to properly do the bare-legged thing.  Sadly, just about all of my time these days is spent right here like this...

Just three more weeks...!