Wild Card OOTD

My family is comprised of some pretty serious baseball fans. We're season ticket holders and we have been taking Emilia to games since she was very small. So we were all really disappointed to see the Pirates eliminated in the NL Wild Card game.

This was the third year in a row that the Pirates were unable to win their division but qualified to play in the Wild Card game and each year I have had to be on campus. I still enjoy showing my support for the team and expressing my fandom so I wore this on Wednesday. It's a bummer to be out and frustrating to have only one game be the determining factor, in a sport where series' are better determinants of team performance. But I'm trying to keep perspective. Although they lost, I never could have imagined five years ago that the Pirates would have a 2015 season where they won 98 games. Just five years ago, I was beginning my job and marrying Chris and the Pirates only had 57 wins. It's a huge turnaround and plenty to feel proud over.

Details:
Old Navy dress worn as skirt
Pirate t-shirt from TJ Maxx
Calson cardigan from Nordstrom
Spanx tights
Sam Edelman boots
Kate Spade bag

What I wear to the gym

I have been in a fitness slump for a very long time but I'm trying to turn it around at my own pace. Before I had Emilia, I used to belong to a gym and went with regularity until my third trimester of pregnancy. At that point, something called pelvic girdle pain made it too uncomfortable to continue using the equipment I liked. After she was born, I let my membership lapse because I didn't prioritize it. I had less "free" time than ever before and I needed every spare minute to finish my PhD. But even after I finished (two years ago!) I didn't go back.

Since then my kid has grown, becoming more and more active herself. While trying to keep up with her, I've noticed the loss in my own level of fitness. So I am trying to make a few small changes. We signed up for mommy and me swimming classes and we joined the Thelma Lovette YMCA, where they are held. We also have planned outdoorsy weekend trips to Ohiopyle and Erie where we hike and ride bikes. I was very out of practice with cycling but I am getting better. I also upgraded to a lighter bike that Chris found on Craigslist. We put Emilia in her Ibert Safe-T Seat so we can all enjoy bike riding together.

It feels good to use my body in this way again. And although I'm far from "fit," I'm enjoying these activities and trying to work my way back into a regular exercise routine to boost my stamina. I've been helped by my (mostly new) workout staples.

I use an old Longchamp as a gym bag where I keep a hand towel, my wallet, water bottle, headphones, phone, keys, etc. I used a Zappos gift card from a few Christmases ago to buy my new sneakers. And because I know there are few things that motivate me more than a new outfit, I scored some cropped leggings from the Lululemon warehouse sale as well as a few supportive sports bras from Old Navy.

The TKO Soft Grip Jump Rope was sent to me to try and I really like it. On days when I can't get over to the gym during child watch hours, I use it in the back yard or basement while Emilia naps. It's easy to get a pretty decent workout by just jumping rope! It burns about the same amount of calories as my elliptical routine. These specific jump ropes were designed by boxing training equipment folks so I feel a little like Rocky using it. You can buy the jump ropes at Macys.

With these items, I feel better equipped to tackle my fitness goals and be active with my family.

Scenes from Anna Maria Island

This time last year we were lucky enough to go to Anna Maria Island for spring break. I never really posted about it but because it is spring training now and the area is advertised as a travel destination to Pittsburghers (due to its proximity to Bradenton, where Pirates spring training camp is held annually) I thought I should share our experience.

Since we are big baseball fans, we decided to visit Pirates spring training camp and festivities for the first time last March. We settled on Anna Maria Island as our primary destination. It takes about a half hour to get to either Pirate City or McKechnie Field. My mother-in-law located a cute little beach house to rent about six houses away from the shore on a very quiet block. We flew into Tampa and drove from there which took a little over an hour. We had a great trip and if you go, we especially liked:

Star Fish Company
Anna Maria Donuts
Mixon's Citrus Farm (next to Pirate City)
Eat Here Restaurant
Mazzaros (in St. Petersburg, where we stopped on our trips from and to the airport in Tampa)
Ellenton Premium Outlets (It has an Off Fifth and a Kate Spade factory store)
Ginny's and Jane E's Bakery Cafe
Sandbar Restaurant (try to time it so you are there for the sunset!)

If you plan to stay in Anna Maria Island but also want to visit Pirates training camp or go to games, you will definitely need a car. I would recommend one regardless because although Anna Maria Island is walkable and has some cute little shops and restaurants, the broader area is not very walkable and didn't seem to be served by comprehensive public transit.

The Anna Maria Island beaches were clean, quiet, and uncrowded. We also visited Holmes Beach which was lovely but much busier, particularly in areas that offered large public parking lots and nice, well-kept playgrounds. I can't speak to the area's night life because I didn't explore it but I'm sure it's available. You won't find many tall hotels lining the coast though. The bulk of properties are single family homes of varying sizes. The pace of everything there was pretty relaxed and just about everyone we met was friendly and kind. When we'd walk up and down the shore, many people complimented Emilia's or Chris's Pirates gear and asked us if we were from Pittsburgh. We felt right at home!

Mother's Day Matchy Match OOTD

Although my semester is long over and I have less on my plate, I am still busy working on my annual review, wrapping up my book proposal, drafting a journal article, and focusing on another project that I can't yet share here. (For the record, I am not pregnant! That's almost always the first thing I think when a blogger writes vaguely about exciting news so I figured I should address it.)

The project (exciting in its own right!) actually started a while back but accelerated in April and is on the cusp of being share-able. I will talk about it as soon as I can. It's taken up the time I usually spend blogging which is part of why I considered stopping last month. But after reading some thoughtful comments and emails and thinking it through, I realized that this space is important to me. I don't have a lot of time to put into it but I think it's worth updating whenever possible. Thank you for following along!

So back to the subject at hand... I decided that Emilia and I should match for Mother's Day. I searched for options that would fit her based on things I already own or would like to buy, and I wound up with a baby gap navy striped dress for her to match something in my closet. I actually wore this dress last Mother's Day (from J. Crew two springs ago)! We got a lot of compliments for matching! And next year when she is big enough for Crewcuts sizes, we will have even more to choose from (J. Crew Factory actually has a few matching mom and daughter pieces! Here's another set for mom and daughter. And this blogger favorite from f21 comes in girls sizes too.).

I had a great Mother's Day and went to South Park to play at the playground, see the bison and other animals, and eat lunch with my family, my parents, and my sister. Sadly, my brother had to work. Later that afternoon we visited my stepmother-in-law and family. And we spent the evening with my mother-in-law and brother-in-law at the Pirates game.

And matching sports clothes is always easy! Happy (belated) Mother's Day!

Details:
J. Crew dress
Old Navy Leggings
MBMJ flats
Pirates hat and shirt

On E:
Baby gap dress
Old Navy leggings
Stride Rite shoes
Pirates hat and shirt

Pirates Themed Teaching OOTD

With the Pittsburgh Pirates' ending their multi-decade losing season streak and making their first postseason appearance in the lifetimes of many of my undergraduate students, I figured it would be acceptable to express my fandom on campus. Although they were already eliminated, it was such a great year to be a Pirates fan. Hopefully it didn't seem too unprofessorial to sport my classic logoman t-shirt.

Details:
J. Crew Factory Cardigan
Pirates t-shirt
Off Fifth house brand skirt
Spanx tights
Tory Burch Revas
Kors watch; David Yurman circle necklace

Style N'at Feature on KDKA/CBS Pittsburgh!

Read more here

Today I am writing over at CBS Pittsburgh/KDKA about the style of local Pirates baseball fans. Check it out!

Although he hadn't yet made them, Chris produced his own creative line of Pirates' t-shirts at Artist Image Resource in the North Side. I wish I could have featured them but here are some photos from the studio.

If you like his work, you can email him at imallinpgh(at)gmail(dot)com or follow him on twitter.

Fun filled weekend

On Friday after work, Chris met me at my campus to attend a fancy dinner that brought together the faculty and staff. It was held outside and the weather was just perfect! I wore a repeat of a repeat: the Chloé Van Gogh dress I blogged not long ago. I taught in flats but switched to heels and a satin topcoat for the party. The food was delicious and we were lucky enough to be the table winners of our education-themed centerpiece, pictured above.

It was a long day and I was on campus for nearly 15 hours. Still, I woke early the next morning amped up for the Pitt home opening football game! We had tickets and decided to take the bus down along with our tailgating supplies.

Chris traversing the bridge with a Burgh staple.

We paused for a photo on the scenic North Shore river walk.

Our friends Rob and Katie joined us!

It was so exciting when the players ran onto the field for the first time this season. I hope we get to go to more games. I sort of wish I had bought season tickets but I knew things would be too hectic til after I feel more settled at work and the wedding is over.

Not Always In Fashion

I went to the Bucco game the other night because my friend Taylor (via her supervisor at work) had fantastic seats right behind home plate. It was a great game and we beat the Rockies. Afterwards we all went to Remember When, this cute little spot in Windgap that is home to Pittsburgh's biggest ice cream cone.

That night I definitely dressed more casual than I typically do, even for baseball. It wasn't that warm so I can't blame the weather. Still, as the dog days of summer drag on, I find myself reaching for comfort items rather than focusing on fashion. I can't wait for fall and keep envisioning the combinations I can assemble to transition many finds from the last few months into cooler climes. And the anticipation over that has negatively leeched my enthusiasm for summer clothing. How are you keeping it fashionable as you wait eagerly for sweater weather?

Dressing for Sport: Pittsburgh Pirates

I wore the above last night to watch the Pirates get shut out. :( But at least there remain Pittsburgh teams still fun and uncomplicated to support as a fan.
Pittsburgh P skyline t-shirt from Tweek Clothing
A.P.C. button skirt in red (available in blue here; budget here)
Old Navy long sleeve t shirt underneath (not shown)
Levis Jean Jacket in my arms (similar here)
Hue tights
Chloe ballerina flats (similar here; budget here)

I almost wore this:

But I couldn't find my PA Black Flag shirt. I guess it is in the laundry?

Although we lost, our seats were on the Club Suite Level, which was a first for me! And in some ways the novelty of exploring the Club and its various different eateries made up for the loss.

Here's a goofus photo of us (you can see how uncrowded that game was):

Scenes from the North Side (across the street from PNC Park):

Cross posted from my tumblog but still worthy of inclusion. What do you sport for baseball games?

Don't forget to enter the Consume or Consumed Blogiversary Giveaway!

Curled Zinnia or Cathedral Garden and Birthday OOTD

Leifsdottir's name for the above pictured dress depended on whether it  was sold by parent company, Anthropologie or by department stores like Nordstrom. But the saturated floral prints on this silk dress remain the same. I got it for a final sale price on Gilt Fuse. And I wore it on Saturday, this past weekend. 

I also got my Anthropologie birthday gift in the mail: an odd candle "necklace" and a 15% off coupon for in-store purchases.

My birthday was very fun and because I was attending the Pirates' home opening game, I dressed accordingly. Not fancy but comfortable. Tomorrow I will dress up for our rescheduled dinner reservations. I was too tired and not hungry, post-game so I asked Chris to change the plan and he obliged.

Postgame, my hair was windblown, my face was flushed from unintentional sun exposure, and everything was wrinkled. But I had a blast. Chris took this photo which is obvious from the lack of care in angling and shoe inclusion. I took one of him too, sporting his new Clemente jersey. 

I am thrilled to show you my birthday gifts. Hopefully some time this week!

In Honor of the NFL Draft: Outfit Fandom from the Consume or Consumed Archives

Here you can see me wearing one of my earliest sport-fandom inspired outfits of the day. It is in honor of my first true sports love: The Steelers. Although my look matches that of my dad and little brother, you can see how I've styled it to be my own through the assistance of accessories.

In this case, turquoise jelly shoes, white tights, and a pink plastic telephone coil belt.

I hope the Steelers draft some promising offensive (and defensive) lineman. Glad to hear Hines Ward is here for another 4 years (poised to retire as a Steeler). The Pens won in the playoffs. Yay Pittsburgh! Yay for more chances to be an expressive and fashionable fan!