A Day at the Library

 My new routine in life goes a bit like this: wake up at 5:30 when hubs leaves for the hospital. Curse inwardly, go back to sleep. Wake up again at 7:40, the time I used to wake up for work. Repeat inward cursing. Force myself to go back to sleep until at least 8:30. Wake up, watch an episode of Buffy, and head out to the library. Over the past week, I've become well acquainted with the cast of characters frequenting my local library. There is the morning drop-off from a local nursing home, the woman who patrols the computers and warns people about using too much time (but is most definitely not an employee) and my favorite, the loud tutoring sessions where children attempt to explain how their brains work ("Mine is like a file cabinet. I knew the formula for the test, but now my brain locked it away and I can't find the key. You get it, Miss A?" "No. Do your math problem.") Who said unemployment was boring? Because seriously, this is entertaining stuff.

* white tee- Hanes * grey cardigan-- H&M * navy pencil skirt-- American Apparel * red tights-- Century 21 * red flats-- gift from former coworker * multicolored scarf-- bought during year in Israel *

If I had to choose but one top to wear indefinitely on a desert isle, it would be a simple choice: a plain white Hanes v-neck. Cheap, sure, but these buddies are closet workhorses 'round here. I wear one nearly every Friday as I'm cooking/cleaning/running errands, but have been known to wear one to work, paired with something a bit sleeker and more appropriate. If I was ever invited to the Oscars, I would seriously think about pulling a Sharon Stone... before choosing an amazing Marchessa confection.

If forced to choose, what would your 1 desert-isle item be?

Mossy Green, Take 2

This was my Saturday afternoon take on the new cardigan, worn to my book club (with my trusty cream knit hat.) I'm loving Target's offerings lately-- both cardigan and skirt hail from the chain. Having a Target nearby is terribly dangerous, as you can see right here.

* white tunic-- Lux * mossy green cardigan-- Target * red pencil skirt-- Target * brown sparkle tights-- Cynthia Rowley * red moccasin boots- vintage * western belt-- Goodwill Outlet * lace earrings-- gift from hubs *

A rather unexpected color combination here, but I do like the red and green combination. Normally, I avoid red and green together like the plague, but I think the off-shade of green makes this less Christmas and more J. Crew. Which is, of course, awesome in my book.

My Girl Wants to Party All the Time

On Friday, I bought this cardigan at Target. Since then, I've worn it in five different outfits. An unexpected outcome of no longer working is not seeing the same people every day, which apparently leads to serious repeat offending. Don't worry, I remixed like nobody's business. This outfit took me to a friend's birthday party on Saturday night (well into morning by the time I took these shots, actually.)

* blue chain metal dress * moss green cardigan-- Target * navy tights-- Calvin Klein * booties--Target * western belt-- Goodwill Outlet * paisley scarf-- vintage, via ebay *

Not only do I love the color, but how a simple oversized cardigan made this sparkly dress a bit more appropriate for a casual apartment party. And the color is pretty fantastic, too (I like it so much I'll mention it twice.) Who knew a mossy green cardigan would match with everything I own?

Friend Friday- Feminism

I'll preface this series of questions by attempting to explain why the word "feminist" has never before graced the pages of this blog. I consider myself a feminist. I fully support the notion of women pushing boundaries, embracing opportunities available to them and agitating for those still restricted. And yet, I am an active member in a religious community sociologically classed as fundamentalist. Explaining the duality of my beliefs-- in myself, womankind and faith-- is complex and perhaps at the core mutually incompatible. A great many women have left Orthodox Judaism because of its stance towards women, which has unfortunately changed little over the past several hundred years (at least by modern standards.)

Though I am not necessarily the most vocal Orthodox feminist, I do believe that the power to shape a community and is attitude towards women comes from within. So while I do often get frustrated at restrictions based more on common practices of eras past than sources within Jewish law, I understand that remaining a member, speaking my voice and being active in the process of change has far more of an impact than leaving. Knowing that all this seems rather archaic and unnecessarily compromising by modern feminist standards, I don't overtly state my stance here. But I guess the cat is out of the bag now.

Thanks to Katy for this week's questions.

1. Do you think there is an incompatibility between feminism and a love for fashion?
No. The ability to express myself through fashion is not the dominant aspect of my feminism, but it certainly plays a part. I don't love "fashion", which to me implies a rather specific commercial notion of self-image, but rather am a proponent of creativity and expression, which complement, rather than detract from, my stance as a feminist.


2. There is more to each of us than a love for fashion, how do you incorporate every aspect of yourself into your blog? 
I do focus mostly on my daily looks, as I envision alltumbledown primarily as a daily style blog. Over the past year and a half, however, I have opened up about my family, my religion, my future plans, and oh yes, my job situation. I've lately started to include another hobby, cooking, into a weekly recipe post (and yes, I am still a feminist though I enjoy cooking.) I enjoy that constancy of a daily template as well as the ability to riff on my usual content.


3. With the fashion industry still being a male-dominated profession, how do you think it would differ if women played a larger role?
Other than receiving Vogue (a birthday gift) and occasionally checking out designer goods I cannot afford even when marked down 65% at Century 21, I really have little to do with the fashion industry. I don't consider myself to be a fashion blogger (nor do I particularly like the word.) Style seems more approachable and less baggage-y.

4. How is your self-image and the way you carry yourself informed by your beliefs?
My beliefs are pretty much out there with every outfit. As many of you know, I am an Orthodox Jew, and dress accordingly (skirts to the knee, sleeves to the elbow, nothing low-cut, a headcovering when I leave the house, baggy pants.) For those who are familiar with Orthodox dress, I am immediately identifiable. But I'd like to think I advertise some other important beliefs through my clothing as well: that modesty need not equal invisibility and the importance of creativity over conformity, to start.

5. Do you think clothing/makeup/hair helps communicate the truth about yourself or are those things superfluous add-ons?
 Clothing etc. communicates some truths about me (see above.) But of course, there is much that is left out. The major conflict I foresee is once I re-enter the academic world in September. Does my appearance let the viewer know that I am serious about my scholarship? Or might I be taken less seriously because of the way in which I present myself, replete with bold colors, patterns, and even the occasional swipe of fuschia lipstick? I am reminded of the article LhDM posted last year from the Chronicle of Higher Education, and particularly of these quotes:

"You have to be acceptable-looking, but being gorgeous can be a problem," says Judith Waters, a professor of psychology at Fairleigh Dickinson University who does research on beauty and success. "If you look as if you spend more time in the beauty parlor than in the library, that's going to be a problem." Cari B. Cannon, who heads the department of behavioral sciences at Santiago Canyon College, agrees. "Any idea that you might put any effort into how you look means you are not putting effort into reading the latest journal article," she says.

 Do you consider yourself a feminist? How does your feminism impact your appearance (if at all?)

When I awoke this morning to yet another snow-covered day, I immediately knew what I wanted to wear: my winter champion, this sweater from F21, and my new crazy-patterned skirt. Nothing like getting as much wear out of my cold-weather items as humanly possible.

* black and white nubby sweater-- F21 * striped corduroy skirt--Anthro * black tights-- Calvin Klein * grey knee highs * brown boots-- Studio Polini * black skinny belt-- taken from a skirt * lace earrings-- gifted from hubs * black wool beret-- Target *

I cannot tell you how much your comments from yesterday meant. In truth, I've been a bit scared to tell people about the circumstances surrounding my sudden job loss; saying "I was fired" implies an egregious fault in one's work ethic or behavior. I am proud to say that this is not the case, and strangely enough found it easier to publish yesterday's post than to tell anyone but my closest friends and family. As word gets out, I am sure I will grow more comfortable letting people know what happened, but for now, I am incredibly grateful for your supportive words and "awkward congratulations" (pretty perfect summary of the situation, I might add.)

And now for the outfit (and another confession):

I am addicted to pattern mixing. What, you though I'd have another bombshell to drop? Even if I did... I know enough to space my juicy content farther apart than just one post. And I am mighty proud of how this outfit turned out. I felt like the brightest little flower in my drab Latin classroom today, even if translating Virgil is slowly killing me.

 

Changes

* red and white striped tee-- Stephanie B. * yellow cable knit cardi-- J. Crew * brown pencil skirt-- Banana Republic * western belt-- Goodwill Outlet * leopard tights-- Hue * brown booties-- Target * beaded hoops-- H&M * yellow knit hat-- Grace Elements *

Some big changes are happening here in alltumbledown world. I'm not good with small talk, so I'll just come out and say it: I was fired on Monday. And I couldn't be happier. Things (read: attitude towards me) have been going downhill in a major way since I decided to apply to graduate school, and sharply declined once I was accepted. Just waking up and dragging myself to work had become a challenge, and it sapped me of energy to do much else. Though I had already given notice for mid-May, my boss decided I needed to be gone immediately. I cleared out my desk, shed a few tears, and headed home.

And yet, I am happy. My life is pretty full nowadays- I tutor (and will likely start another tutoring job soon), take Latin class, and am preparing to move to a new city this summer. I also have plans: to finally get my license, brush up on my French, spend some time in the library reading up on my history, and enjoy life more than I have in the past few months. I'm excited for Sunday brunches, the ability to actually make all the recipes I've bookmarked/drooled over, and to relax. 

I spent yesterday hanging out around the apartment in sweats, but this morning I resolved to get up, get dressed, and remember that I am a person of worth. While it may seem slightly ridiculous, the mere act of preparing myself to greet the world as usual made today feel a bit more normal. I do hope the positive pressure of this blog encourages me to do so daily, even if I have nothing more planned than a trip to the library or a tutoring session. Over the past year and a half of blogging, I have learned how powerful costuming can be, and hope that I can continue to use clothing to make each day feel special and important. I don't know how this will affect the blog, though I do imagine I will have more time to dedicate to building my readership and taking photos in slightly more exotic spots than my kitchen.

Androgyny

The weather warmed enough one day last week to whip out my one pair of jeans, which have been languishing in my closet all winter. It then laughed in my face by returning to frigid temperatures plus fun, icy rain. As my ancestors surely said, "Mensch tracht, un Gott lacht."

* white button-down--Ralph Lauren * grey cardigan-- Express * boyfriend jeans-- Zara * red flats-- gift from coworker * western belt-- Goodwill Outlet * yellow flower earrings-- gift from sister * Niagra scarf-- vintage via ebay * silver cuff-- ? * red flower ring-- F21 *

While I love wearing pretty frocks and skirts, I seem to gravitate to androgynous looks like this. I love the ability to pair baggy jeans, a while polo and some unexpected ultra-feminine touches, like the floral earrings and bow-tied headscarf. As you can see, I couldn't decide on tucking the shirt in or leaving it loose, so I did a half-job here. Odd? Perhaps. But I didn't have to futz with it all day and got to show off my favorite belt, so it made me happy.

Do you do menswear? Any tricks to share?

Blue Skies

...were nowhere to be seen yesterday, except in my scarf. What can I say-- I like bringing a bit of light to the world (I may be a closet kabbalist. Madonna, call me.)

* blue jersey dress- Target * black draped cardigan* black fleece-lined tights * navy cutout flats-- Miz Mooz * blue scarf-- won in Brittney's giveaway * turquoise flower earrings-- F21 *

Can I wax poetic for a moment about dresses? It takes 10 seconds to put one on and then you are done. For the entire day. No tucking, re-tucking, adjusting, fidgeting (I do all quite often.) Add a snazzy scarf and a pair of shoes, and you're golden. This one happens to be so comfortable that I kept it on while washing dishes, studying Latin, and making basil-infused vodka (recipe coming soon, once I see how it turns out!) Usually, I'm in sweats the second I'm in the door.

Do you share my love of the dress? Or are you a separates type of gal?

Collorific

 When I wore this outfit earlier in the week, my coworker told me I was so bright that it was painful to look directly at me. Beats black any day in my book. It may just be a coloring book, though.

*white tunic-- Lux * colorful floral cardi--Athro * navy pencil skirt-- American Apparel * maroon sweater tights-- Hue * purple ribbon belt-- Loft * brown booties-- Target * fuschia fuzzy hat-- H&M *

Like I said, I've been thinking of ways to remix this outfit since I put it on. This iteration actually began on Shabbos tucked in to my purple pencil skirt and the belt tied on top, but I swapped it out for the more comfortable navy skirt for work. So all told, I have red, maroon, navy, brown, fuschia, purple, yellow and blue all in one outfit. Perhaps a bit nutty, but I know no better cure to a bad case of the Mondays.

Do you have color-mixing rules? How do you decide when you're reached the "enough" point?

Mocc(yea)asins

Waking up for work on the Sunday we turned the clocks back after heading to bed at 2 (previous time) the night before yields expressions like the one above. And sweatshirts.

* taupe sweatshirt-- H&M * white tee-- Hanes * black pencil skirt-- American Apparel * black leggings-- H&M * sparkle knee highs-- H&M * red moccasin boots-- vintage * gold cameo necklace-- gift from Mom * cream knit hat-- H&M *

Funny story: Hubs called from the mall last week, asking if I needed anything. I asked for white Hanes tees, size small. He called back 30 minutes later saying he had combed the entire mall and that they don't exist. At which point I let him in on the secret (to him only) that I wear men's tee shirts. We've lived together for 2.5 years now, he often steals my shirts, and only now realizes that a womens' small would probably be a wee bit too small? 

As for this outfit, the red kick continues with these red kicks. Can't believe I forgot about these all winter. Forgive me, gods of fashion.

Tutorial: Bun Headscarf

Bun Headscarf from Nina on Vimeo.

Sorry if it is too dark to be truly helpful. For some reason, it looked way lighter on photobooth than it now does on vimeo! And thanks to Drew for the vimeo suggestion.

Love is a Red Jersey Dress

This past Friday night, hubs organized a dinner for our synagogue at a local central Asian kosher restaurant. While the majority of our friends (and American Jews at large) are descended from the Eastern European immigrations of a century ago, hubs is a first-generation American and a proud representative of the Bukharian community community. His parents hail from opposite parts of the Soviet Union; his father, from Moscow, and his mother, from Uzbekistan. The dinner gave our friends a taste of the Jewish cuisine of Uzbekistan, which isn't exactly standard American Jewish Sabbath fare. This is what I wore to chow down on bachash (a pilaf with chicken, cilantro and rice), samsa (like Indian samosas, since Uzbekistan was a stop on the Silk Road) and various pickled veggies.

* red jersey dress-- Velvet * white tank-- Target * brown glitter tights-- Cynthia Rowley * brown booties-- Target * flower earrings-- F21 * feather headband-- wish I remembered *

I found this dress on mega-clearance a few weeks ago at Century 21. I have been on such a red kick lately-- I just can't get enough of this bright, saturated shade.. I do wish I had this dress in every color: the sleeves are long enough, the hem low enough, but it isn't boring. How often does that happen? I'll tell you: rarely. I've been stalking these boots for months, and finally pounced last week when the price dipped to $26. They haven't left my feet since.

Where is your family from? Do you eat any traditional foods that take you back to your roots?

Sunday Best 3.13

<a border="0" href="http://alltumbledown.blogspot.com/search/label/Sunday%20Best" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_VvZ-WYk8dw0/TU7B1OC992I/AAAAAAAAMgo/ATJVN23SJyE/4%20008.jpg">

Time to show me your favorite outfit of the week!

All it takes are three easy steps:

1. Click on the linkytools widget below ("Click here to enter.")

2. Paste your url when prompted. It pulls your image for you! No work involved

3. Leave a comment telling me why this look was special.

If you want to show off your Sunday Best on your blog, grab the code above for the button.

Ready, set, share!

Challah and Balance

Today's recipe is for a deliciously sweet whole wheat challah bread, traditionally eaten at Shabbat meals. If you've never baked bread before, this is a really foolproof recipe that is sure to please. I use my kitchenaid, but this can totally be done by hand (I've done it before and had fab results.)

Ingredients:

-3 1/2 cups bread flour

-3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

-2 packages dry yeast

-2 cups warm water

-2 eggs

-1/2 cup vegetable oil

-1 T salt

-3/4 cup sugar

-1/4 cup honey

1. Proof yeast. Add the 2 packets of yeast, 1 T of your 3/4 cup sugar and 2 cups warm water to a bowl. Wait a few minutes and it will become frothy. This step just proves the viability of your yeast-- not truly necessary, but always good to know before you spend a few hours waiting for dough to rise that everything is working.

2. Add rest of sugar, honey, salt and first 3 1/2 cups of flour (doesn't matter which.) Mix well.

3. Add oil and eggs. If you're using a kitchenaid, just dump right in. If mixing by hand, beat the eggs first.

4. Begin incorporating the other 3 1/2 cups of flour. When the dough starts to pull away from the sides of your bowl, it is ready for kneading.

5. Place dough ball on a well-floured surface. Knead for about 15 minutes. If dough is sticking to your surface, add more flour.

6. Add a T of oil to the bottom of your bowl. Return dough to bowl, turning so it is evenly coated with oil. Cover with warm, damp towel and let rise in a warm place for 2 hours, pushing it down every so often. Alternatively, you can let it rise overnight in the fridge.

7. Form challahs. My braiding techniques are totally not fancy-- I usually make 2 large challahs with a 3 or 4 strand braid, and then 4 or 5 rolls. I find that making thick strands about a foot long works really well for both braiding and turning into rolls (knot one end of strand, then wind around.)

8. Recover with warm, damp towel, and let rise for another 2 hours.

9. Place on parchment paper-covered baking sheets. Beat one egg and use pastry brush to coat challahs. At this point, choose your topping (I usually go for cinnamon and sugar sprinkled over the top, here I used sesame seeds.) If you want, repeat egg wash for a super shiny crust. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes. The top should be golden brown and the bottom of the challah should sound hollow when tapped.

10. Enjoy!  This bread is totally adaptable (less sugar plus herbs for a savory treat, for example.) It makes the best french toast, ever. And tastes great with just about any topping.

 ________________________________________________________________________________

Now for Friend Friday. As always, thanks to Katy for the questions!

1. When it comes to prioritizing your life, in what place does blogging fall?
Not too high. My relationship, family, friends, work, tutoring job, and coursework all take precedence. For me, blogging is a low-impact hobby that brings a little levity to my life.

2. We all wish we had more free time to dedicate to blogging and all it entails. What are your tricks for taking advantage of the time you do have to be as productive as possible?
I'm a great multitasker. I blog while doing my down-time activities: checking email, watching tv, listening to music. Since most of my posts are simple OOTD (outfits of the day), it doesn't take too much brainpower to write.

3. Have you discovered any short-cuts that makes blogging easier or more time efficient?
The longer I blog, the more efficient I am. I have my picture-taking routine down, my uploading and editing process streamlined, and even my format is pretty formulaic: 3 full sized shots, the way in which I list my clothing, etc is all pretty standard.

4. Do you have an editorial calendar or something similar that helps you plan ahead?
No, but I should. Without one, I rarely take the time to post on more cerebral/substantive issues, and I love writing those. I do have an idea of a calendar I'd like to implement, though (so let me know what you think!): Sunday Best, outfits on M-Th, Friend Friday and a recipe from my week

5. If time wasn’t an issue what you would be doing on your blog/for your blog that you aren’t doing now?
Commenting is where I fall short. There are so many blogs I'd love to comment on each day, but just don't have the time to do so. I also like the idea of collaborating with like-minded (or non-like-minded, actually) bloggers. I have an idea of a series on modest dress across cultures (religious and other), but haven't gotten my act together just yet.

Any thoughts on blogger balance?

Jolly Green Giant

The window to wearing my sweaterdresses is quickly closing, so I snuck this one in today. Wish my pictures from the morning had turned out better;  by the time I took these after returning home from Latin class the dress had gotten a bit stretched out. Probably because I spent the day tugging at it.  Damn you, sneakily-rising hemline.

* green sweaterdress- Target * brown cableknit tights-- Calvin Klein * brown boots-- Studio Polini * beige scarf-- Filene's * beaded dangle earrings-- Ayala Bar * camel knit hat-- Anne Klein *

Today was gross and rainy, so the no-fuss outfit worked just perfectly. I do love the dress + scarf + boots combo (usually with a belt, but the ribbing right below the bustline on this dress prevents me from belting where I'd like to.) It is pretty classic "lazy Nina": a go-to brainless outfit on days I'd rather stay in bed.

Do you have a brainless outfit? What is your ready-in-2-minutes uniform?

In with the New

I can be funny sometimes. Often I'll buy something new, and wait a few weeks before wearing it. But for the second day in a row, I am wearing new digs purchased last week. I saw this skirt on sale in a 0 (not exactly my size, yknow) and went to the website as soon as I got home. I snapped it up just in time, since it has since vanished. And if you follow me on twitter, yes, this is the skirt hubs deemed "the tackiest thing he's ever seen." No accounting for taste, eh? Mine or his, that is.

*purple blouse-- F21 * grey cardigan-- Express * multicolored striped skirt-- Anthro * black waffle tights * black flats-- Kenzie Girl * dangle earrings-- Ayala Bar * black fuzzy hat-- H&M *

Not exactly the most adventurous pairing, but I generally like to go simple for the first wear of a new item. I did think of going even more classic, pairing a white button-down under the cardigan, but saw this underused decorative-bib tank hanging in my closet and decided to go for a bit of color. 

Do you wear new items immediately? Have any rules about a first-wear outfit?

Polka Dotted

And now, for something new: this sweater, which I picked up on clearance from Anthropologie last week. I am such a sucker for a pretty floral, and my cardigan stock is begging to be replaced (most of them are a few years too old/a few washes too many to look presentable.)

* white button-down tunic-- Lux * floral drapey sweater-- Anthro * cream polka dotted pencil skirt--Zoe D. * maroon sweater tights-- Hue * red patent wedges-- Target * cream belt-- came with dress * green ring-- F21 * fuschia fuzzy hat-- H&M *

Like I said yesterday, I am totally into red as of... yesterday? Here, I mixed a few taboo items-- florals and dots, maroon, red and fuschia, and a summer skirt with sweater tights, all in one outfit. And some bright coral lips, because there wasn't enough going on already. But you know what? I love it. Vive la revolution! I'm already thinking about when I can next wear it (or some slightly modified iteration.)

This is my second submission to Everybody,Everywear. I actually looked around on my way to work this morning to see if anyone else was wearing polka dots and participating! I know there are millions of people living in NYC, but it could happen, right?

Well Re(a)d

In the theme of recycling last week's clothing, I present a far redder outfit than this. Late winter has me scrambling to try the things I didn't do with cold-weather pieces, like pair this red skirt with these red tights for a superheated explosion. Well, I did wear them together once before, but it was off-blog and therefore didn't happen.

* pink button-down-- Ralph Lauren * brown sweater-- French Connection * red pencil skirt-- Target * red patterned tights-- Enzo Angolini * giraffe print pumps- Via Spiga * turquoise earrings-- F21 * brown flower hat-- H&M *

This outfit is such a mullet: work on top, party on the bottom. I love the shock factor of a relatively staid look with a shocking twist (one of the elements of compelling outfits AND storytelling, apparently.) I may be on a red streak-- I purchased a bright red dress and a red sweater over the past few weeks, which will make their debut here soon enough.

Garlic, Lemon and Herb Roasted Chicken

As requested, I'm sharing my recipe for slightly kicked-up roasted chicken. I forgo beauty for convenience, using pre-cut chicken in eights, but this can be done with a whole chicken as well.

Ingredients:
-one chicken in eights
-two lemons
-7 garlic cloves (or more!)
-4 tablespoons chopped herbs
-sea salt
-pepper
-olive oil

1. Roughly chop garlic (goes really smoothly if you add a drop of oil.)

2. Chiffonade herbs. I've used dill, parsley, savory, thyme and basil with great success. Here, I used a mix of thyme and basil from my aerogarden.

3. Thinly slice lemons. Tip: if they're not from your own garden, they're probably coated in wax to make them look nice. Give them a quick rinse in scalding water and scrub with a paper towel so you don't eat it.

4. Pat chicken dry. Liberally coat with a nice olive oil, salt and pepper both sides. Layer in a roasting pan, making sure that some lemons and garlic are underneath the chicken. Sprinkle herbs on top of chicken.

5. Cover with tinfoil, and roast in a 400 degree oven for 40 minutes. Uncover, and roast an additional 25 minutes or until nicely browned.

Enjoy!
I served this with a wheatberry salad, pomegranate slaw, roasted squash and soy-honey roast beef. If you make it I'd love to know how it turns out!