Wearing lately

Since I can't seem to put together a complete blog post highlighting an outfit here are some iphone shots of things I've been wearing lately!

Leather skirt, booties and stripes

Stripes and statement necklace

Patagonia vest and plaid shirt

Coated Denim Moto jacket and graphic Tee

Earnest Sewn Jeans, cool ripped knee and a gingham shirt with quilted jacket

All of these items were thrifted except the Coated Moto jacket from the LOFT!

A little party

It all started with me trying to get tickets for my husband to see his favorite band. The Marshall Tucker Band in November 2013. 

The story at Syracuse.com MTB

Doug Gray and Marcus James Henderson of the Marshall Tucker band.

Now they are coming back to celebrate with me...how amazing!

Look, I have hair!

These are the most recent pictures I have, I took them yesterday. I was stunned to see my image with all that hair!! You might even think this was an intentional hair style. It's a little bit curly but it is too short to see. I am also amazed that my eyebrows are visible with out any extra makeup. You'd be amazed at what eyebrows do for your face; you don't realize until you lose them!

You can see from the following pictures that snow has arrived and the days are shorter, it is difficult to get photos after work.

I've pulled out the boots, hat and gloves.

Jacket: J.Crew
Pants: LOFT
Purse: Coach-Clothes Mentor
Hat: J.Crew-thrifted
Scarf: thrifted
Boots: Frye via Zappos
Gloves: Aris-thrifted

Many thanks to my readers for your continued love and support through prayers and well wishes. I had my post radiation CT and bone scans and the metastatic cancer is still present but, it has NOT spread. My doctors define it as "stable metastatic lesions". I take my blessings as they come and live one day at a time. I continue to receive monthly infusions and will indefinitely to keep the bone metastasis stable.

This bag!

If you are wondering why I would post these outfit pictures looking pretty rumpled and crumpled...

There is a reason....even though I do like these clothes...

This outfit post was brought to you to highlight this like new bag I bought from a resale store* for $30. 

The Longchamp Le Pilage bag, navy with leather accents. In the store I did a quick over view of the bag and was pretty confident it was authentic before laying down my money. Personally and ethically I have a problem with counterfeit goods, to me it is plagiarism and fraud and I wouldn't want to support either.  Once I got home I went online and found a website that had a very comprehensive detailing of fake vs. authentic and everything was perfect. I think I have a good eye and can spot quality and workmanship whether I know the brand or not; this bag had all the hallmarks of quality.

Shirt: J.Crew-fall 2012
Pants: Joe's-thrifted
Leopard belt: Target
Bag: Longchamp-thrifted*

*I have been having an internal dialogue of whether or not something is thrifted if you buy it second hand at a used clothing resale store...more thoughts on that would warrant a full post.

All things pink

This past weekend was an all breast cancer awareness weekend for me, so I spent the days in pink T shirts and athletic wear. Saturday, my daughters' youth soccer program held a "Pink-out" for breast cancer and on Sunday I ran a 5 K to support a fund for breast cancer research.

Some highlights:

"Team Christine"

Click here for the run I sponsored and watch on You-tube a video clip from a story posted on the CMB Breast Cancer Research fund main website.

"Christine and Kelly"

"Grace and Lexi"

Soccer "Pink Out"

You can watch a story about the day with highlights from the Soccer "Pink Out"

Perfectly Fall

I literally threw this outfit together on Tuesday morning and was pleasantly surprised on the very fall-ish vibe it evokes.

The grey of the tree bark, the burnished orange color of the leaves, it all coordinated with this outfit. 

I've had all these items for 5+ years, except the shoes, and it is always great when you can take classic items from your closet and make it look modern with a great pair of new shoes!  

Oh, these ankle strapped heels, I splurged and I LOVE them!

Scarf: (no tag)-Thrifted 
Silk shirt: J.Crew (2007)
Minnie Pants: J.Crew (2008)
Shoes: Sam Edelman (Okala) via Zappos-here they are full price but I was lucky to get them at $85.

Peplum and Stripes

I finally thrifted a top to join all of blog land on the peplum trend.

This is the outfit I wore to be interviewed for a story on young women, binge drinking and breast cancer.

If you want to check out the story, click here 

Shirt: Ann Taylor-thrifted

Skirt: Wolford- thrifted

Shoes:  bamboo-thrifted

Snap denim with lace

Sporty hat. 

Denim.

Lace. 

Booties.

Check. Check. Check and Check.

This is my favorite outfit of the week...I may have too many trends going on here but I really liked the look and vibe of this outfit.

A seasonal segue into Fall.

Denim shirt: F21
Skirt: Sans souci
Booties: Arizona
Outfit: all Thrifted!

Slouchy

Dressed up cut-off jeans...it's all the rage and this is my interpretation. 

A slouchy, silky blouse and a wedge sandal take these Levi's out on the town.

It was a different look for me and I liked it for a Saturday night.

Do you notice my fuzzy halo? My hair is starting to grow back!!!  It is very fine and very light, I'm really curious to see what my new hair will look like. As my hair is growing back all of my remaining eyelashes and eyebrows are falling out. I'm struggling to look normal, but trying hard to stay fashionable!


Shirt: Talbot's-thrifted
Shorts: Levi's-thrifted and cut off
Sandals: Old...payless

Sweet Shorts

Thanks to all of my readers for your continuing kind words, thoughts and prayers as I move through the next phase of my breast cancer treatment. It has been six weeks since my final chemotherapy and I've started radiation therapy. I am doing seven weeks of external beam radiation on my left axial, breast region and sternum. It is an everyday treatment and I am 11 sessions in...a third of the way done! I'm busy but, I have taken outfit photos and I need to get back into the routine of posting my outfits. So here it goes...

I hesitantly thrifted this pair of lace shorts, I really loved them but was concerned about pulling them off at my age.

 I was pleasantly surprised with these pictures, I actually really like them.

And I think they look age appropriate on me with the simple styling and loose fit. What do you think? I know I'm not forever 21....

Shorts: Fovever 21-thrifted

Sweater: Gap-hand me down (thanks Annette!)

Sandals: Target

Casual midi

Currently, I am really liking the look of a baseball T. I amped this one up with a big necklace and kept the rest of the look very casual.

I find midi skirts to be a tricky length but I think it came together with the converse as understated as my statement necklace is overstated with my T shirt.

Maybe next time I'll rock this skirt with heels!

Shirt: VS-thrifted

Jacket: AE-old

Shoes: Converse-thrifted

Skirt: Requirements-thrifted (the tag says made in the USA and it looks like this may be from the late 1980's or early 1990's)

Just your basic neutral: stripes and florals

Who would have known a few years ago that stripes worn with floral patterns would become so main stream?

What I did revive from the 90's grunge and is on trend now is the shirt tied around the waist...really not intentional.

Do the sunglasses hide the fact that I'm bald?

Pretty bracelets and watch are a nice touch I often over look.

Waiting for my seventh chemotherapy treatment today, my third with the second drug, taxol. If all goes well I will finish up at the end of June. Thanks to all of you for your continued prayers and support. It puts such a smile on my face reading your comments. You lift me up and make me want to keep on going with grace and style.

Shirt: J.Crew-thrifted

Skirt: Criss cross-thrifted

Denim shirt: Old Navy-thrifted

Watch: Michael Kors

Bracelets: Target

Brown and Black Polka Dots

I mixed in a little brown with this all black outfit.

The studded sandals, belt and leather jacket were meant to take this basic dress up a notch.

But, all-in-all, my best accessory was my Grace!

Dress: Old
Jacket: thrifted
Sandals: Target
Belt: thrifted

Blush

These blush colored jeans popped my way for $2 the last time I went thrifting (thanks for spotting them Emily) and I've worn them about three times in the past week!

Here I paired them with my go to shirt, the button up. And I really like the way they pair with this green fatigue jacket. 

Probably the best thrift of the outfit are these Sebago docksiders.  I've been patiently looking and waiting for a pair of "boat" or "deck" shoes for the past year or more and I finally found a pair that were the quality I wanted and are like new and my size!

Pants: Mossimo-thrifted
Shirt: Lands End
Jacket: thrifted
Shoes: Sebago-thrifted
Watch: Michael Kors

Much gratitude and thanks to you all for your love, comments, prayers and continued support. 

All Bald-win

I ditched the scarf and tossed the wig, in a major step for me I appeared in public, bald! I had a gala event to attend from the generosity of the Carol M. Baldwin Breast Cancer Research Foundation. I borrowed a dress, on such short notice of the event I had no time to thrift something amazing and wore this classic black taffeta number with silver embroidery. None of my scarves felt right so I decided to embrace the event and wear my natural self for all to see.

Some of you may be familiar with the Carol M. Baldwin BCR Fund of CNY, for others, I'll give a bit of background. In the late 1980's Carol, mother to Alec, Daniel, William, Stephen, Beth and Jane, developed breast cancer and as a result of her experiences dedicated the rest of her life to helping raise money to support research to find a cure. The "Night to Remember Gala" is the event where they raise funds, thank sponsors and name research grants to Upstate University Hospital (my treatment center) in memory of courageous women who have personally fought against breast cancer. 

My husband and I

My husband got a call on Wednesday from Beth Baldwin-Keuchler saying she had two complementary tickets to the event and would like to surprise me; would we like to go? Yes, you bet! So it was a fun night with silent auctions, dinner, drinks (not me) and a band with dancing. There were about 850 people in attendance and I met Carol Baldwin herself, granddaughter Jackie Baldwin-Keuchler, who runs the daily work of the foundation and Daniel Baldwin as master of ceremonies as well as many other great people. I heard some amazing stories and sat at a dinner table with the radiologist that preform my initial breast biopsy, a local news anchor and a Colgate alum! I had a great evening out with my husband and also felt quite well one day after my chemotherapy treatment. With all this talk at home of baldwins and baldness, my daughter now thinks I should change my name to Bald-win because I'm bald....haha!

With Jackie

With Daniel

Dress: borrowed
Jacket: Cold Water Creek-thrifted
Necklace and Earring: Gifts from my husband