Torrid: Nailing Springwear for All Ages

     I really couldn't help myself after receiving an email from Torrid about their spring releases. Torrid has really come along in the past few years from making very immature and cheap garments to making a collection of cute and stylish pieces for plus-sized women of all ages. Competitors like Lane Bryant can't match their designs, and Torrid's quality has become really noteworthy. This makes me grumpy, as I have $90 in a combination of gift cards and reward certificates to use at Lane Bryant, and I'm not even enjoying their basic pieces this season. Here are a few of Torrid's spring pieces that I really would love to own.
Blue Floral Dolman Top, $38.50


Floral Chiffon Racerback Tank Top, $38.50


Lilac Chiffon & Lace Twofer Top, $42.80


Pink Lurex Stripe Button-Up Top, $38.50


Ivory Floral Chiffon Tank Dress, $64.50

     I am always on the lookout for breezy and office-friendly tops, and these four shirts really fit the bill. The dress is just a charming wishlist of a piece. I enjoy pastel palettes for spring, but that first top in the dark blue is a knockout for combining the dark color in a sheer and unexpected element. I think anyone would look equally youthful but appropriate in these pieces, and I appreciate Torrid being the vendor to take the step toward honestly fashionable plus-size wear for the masses.

Getting a jump on things, stamps.

     Haven't updated since autumn. I'm not going to try to fill in all of that blank time, so instead, I'm getting a jump on summer. I changed the backgrounds around to the summer theme today, although it is not yet officially summer. I'm not waiting until June 21st to make the change. Summer to me is in months--June, July, August. Although in metro DC land, it's June through October, really. I shouldn't complain--Spring 2011 hasn't been too bad at all. More rain than usual, but we don't nearly have the tumultuous weather that much of the rest of the country is experiencing. I did watch a special on NOVA about tornadoes a few weeks ago, though (you can probably catch it on Hulu if you were so inclined), and they reported about an F4 tornado that hit the town of La Plata, Maryland in 2002. La Plata is about 35 miles south of DC. The expert on NOVA said that if the storm were about 50 miles north, it would have wrecked DC beltway to beltway. I hope that, in this year of increasingly violent weather, we do not approach anything like that scenario. Storms aside, the temperatures haven't really passed the mid 70's. As I type, my computer reports a temperature of 66 degrees, which is comfortably cool to me. I just looked up the forecast for next week, and I saw the temperature 85 coming up--I knew the heat wouldn't stay away for long.

     I decided to pick up posting today because I wanted to write about my experience buying stamps online, and I figured it would be too long to tweet or post on Facebook. I went to the USPS Stamp Store Online, and the variety of forever stamp designs was very tempting. I added a few to my online cart, and before I knew it, I was up to $65. In stamps! The most I usually mail are my holiday cards, and I'll probably purchase holiday stamps for that time. I'm sure in my life, I'll probably use that many stamps, but did I really need to buy that many right now? No. I did enjoy the designs, though. Jazz, American Scientists, Flora and Fauna, Green Living Tips, The Year of the Rabbit. I did buy the Green Living and Year of the Rabbit ones. I also bought 10 of the Comics collection and 10 of the Adopt-A-Pet collection. I should be set on stamps. I was disappointed that the Simpsons collection is no longer being sold, though. I did enjoy mailing in expensive bills with Bart Simpson's outward-sticking tongue on the front.

     In other news, have you ever bought something that you just absolutely loved? I just did on Thursday:


Calvin Klein Sheer Ribbed Drapefront Cardigan
Seriously, I love it fiercely. I'm pretty sure it doesn't "do anything" for me--it doesn't accent my silhouette or my shape and it doesn't make me look slim. I don't intend to hide in it, though, either. I look at myself in a mirror and hear the chastisements of What Not to Wear hosts in my head, but I can't bring myself to care. I feel like I've been looking for this cardigan for a long time, and now that I have it, I'm satisfied. And I'm okay with that!

Rain, rain, rain.

     It's getting warm lately, and humid. With the summer months come thunderstorms, and they surely appear to be getting close and soon.






Photo One is a picture of ducks in my in-laws' back yard in State College. Photo Two is a stormy afternoon in DC.
To quote my mother, it is weather for the ducks. I'm glad I found rain boots.

Ostara excitement!

     I loooove holidays, and Easter is no different. The Ostara celebration is full of fun traditions. My husband and I celebrated in a low-key sort of way, but it was still fun. I we dyed eggs, which I hadn't done in years.




Of course, I had to sort in rainbow order.


In my mom's tradition, we labeled each egg with family names--me, my husband, and our cats.
     We only dyed a dozen eggs because I don't like hard-boiled eggs. My husband is going to have to eat all of them!

     That was Easter Eve. On Easter Day, we went out into the world--and a beautiful day it was--for a nice breakfast.


My landlord's puppy, Daisy, on Easter Day.


The cherry blossoms are in full bloom.
     And finally, I leave you with a picture that my mother-in-law took of one of the baby bunnies that run through her back yard.


Meet George!
     I hope you had a great holiday weekend!

Spring is here!

     And I must admit, I really have been enjoying it. Summers can be incredibly stifling in DC, to the point where I forget that other seasons can be quite pleasant. Ask me again in two or three months, and I shall tell you that I hate this city irreparably. Right now, though, when the cherry blossom trees are blooming and there's a breeze through the streets, things are just lovely. I could live here forever if only it would always be this temperature.


That sky--talk about blue!
     I also just spent a nice and rainy weekend in NYC. My birthday was last week--26 years old!--and my husband took me to see a great new Broadway show to celebrate! It was a really fun trip, despite the rain.


Madison Square Garden in the rain--waiting for a taxi.


We saw a preview showing of The Addams Family, starring Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth. They were amazing!


There are gargoyles outside of our room on the top floor of the Radisson Lex.
     A short summary of my trip in photos is above. Omitted are photos of the largest martini I've ever consumed, along with photos of restaurants, hotels, and all of the indoor fun that can be managed in NYC.

     Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Think warmer thoughts.

     Rain makes snow look icky. That's the state of DC lately. Yesterday, I wore regular shoes, but I found that to be a mistake, what with all of the melty, rainy snow, so I'm back to my Uggs. Super office-appropriate, I know.


     Some quick things that I saw and loved today:


Zipper Cups


Williams-Sonoma Steiff Bunny

As an avid tea drinker, those mugs are really charming. As the wife of a deutschophile, I really appreciate the Steiff brand of toys. Hand-made quality always gets me. I used to collect bunnies as a child, too, so I find this really adorable.

     For those not enjoying the cold, think warmer thoughts! March is less than a week away, and although the weather might not care, it just sounds like a warmer and more springy month!