Saturday, April 05, 2025
When I checked the weather before leaving the house on Thursday, April 3,2025, rain was not in the forecast. I wore the outfit shown below.
- Miusol Women's Retro Ruffle Style 2/3 Sleeve Slim Work Pencil Dress
- Ann Taylor Turquoise Sweater
- Calvin Klein Women's Ninette Black Patent Smooth Slingbacks
Before leaving my first and only stop of the day, it was raining hard. By the time I arrived home my hair was a curly mess and my clothes wet. I put the dress on this morning to take photos and was very happy it was not ruined.
Thursday, March 27, 2025
Yesterday, I was out most of the morning, taking care of one errand or another. It was bright and sunny with a high of 50, however, it was very windy.
I chose an outfit I have already discussed (see this post), as a try-on outfit.
Outfit Description...
- Urban CoCo Dress
- Saks Fifth Ave Chocolate Pumps
- Brown Knit Sweater/Jacket
- Gold Button Earrings
I really wanted to offer the brown sweater/jacket in my shop, however,
unsure as to whether I can source the item from the supplier. What do you
think? Retail price point $39.95.
A lot of things going on in March 2025. Major issues included:
- Skype business line (443-393-6650) successfull transfered to my Verizon service as an additional line. Skype service to retire in May 2025.
- Jury duty excused
- Successfully opened the new CD I mention in this post.
- A number of business and non-business issues...
Hoping April will be a lot smoother.
Thursday, March 20, 2025
Yesterday, it was bright and sunny with highs in the upper sixties. I was up early because I had a package arriving, however, it turned out the package arrived (8:19 am) before I left.
What I wore to take care of a couple of errands.
- Liz Claiborne Size 6 Black Knit Dress (purchased over 15 years ago at the Liz Claiborne shop in Arundel Mills Mall)
- Oversized Sailors Blazer w/big collar
- Aerosoles Black Leather (see the list of my Amazon purchases of this pump on the right)
- Gold Button Earrings
- Black/Brass Timex Watch
- Brass Bangle
When I returned, I finally tried on the white slacks I mention in this and this post.
Still working on my diet, however, may have to invest in a white body shaper.
Friday, March 14, 2025
This week, two orders arrived that I am pretty pleased about.
The first, new computer hardware which I will discuss in a later post and a pair of summer sandals I wanted to check out.
- Strappy T-Strap Gladiator Thong Sandal - 2025
- Summer Maxi Dress - 2019
- Plaid Crop Top - 2019
- Thin Leather Belt - 2024
Sandal try-on video:
Saturday, March 08, 2025
This week, I did not leave the house. I did accomplish somethings I wanted to get out of the way, however, not everything turned out as planned.
- Business and personal taxes filed
- Refreshed my hair color
- Setup a business meeting (next week) for a new resource
- Researched ongoing issues with retiring API resources
As I lose more weight, I continue to investigate new ways to wear my old clothes. Below an old dress (late 80s) that I tried on with an old suit jacket and newer light weight sweaters.
Also shown a pair of Nine West slingbacks in a style I love. See this link for more information.
Thinking about having some of the length cut off my hair, however experience suggests, I am not going to be happy. What is the problem? I have to wear headbands to keep my hair in place as I prefer a more layered style. I would like to discontinue this practice.
Saturday, March 01, 2025
Today, while searching through my old large jewelry case (a gift from my father when I was in college), I found my old silver mood ring. The ring was a gift from my parents when we first arrived in Maryland.
I will explain more about the ring, however first let me explain why I was looking through my old jewelry case in the first place.
I wanted a pair of old fashioned flat black button earrings to pair with the outfit shown in one of the following photos.
The photos below show my ring. I forgot I had it. My sister and I got the same ring as Christmas presents, I think the first year we moved to Maryland. It was very popular at the time.
Surprised it fits? Yes, I would have been about eleven when I received the ring as a gift. I think that is why I did not wear it often, I thought it was too big.
Today, when I first took it out of the draw, the stone appeared dark gray and I did not think it would work. I am not sure when it changed to the aqua blue after I put it on, however when I noticed the change, I was happy it still worked.
Tuesday, February 25, 2025
It was bright and sunny yesterday, with a high of 56°. I had several errands to run so I decided on an old dress, boots, and my brown suede jacket.
- Olive Green Dress by Rabbit Designs purchased mid 1980s. See illustration below for more details.
- Nine West Magnett Knee High Chocolate Slouchy Boots
- Brown Suede Jacket - holiday gift 1997 or so.
- Leather Chocolate Thin Belt (link provides only black and caramel versions).
In some of the photos I have on a caramel pump by Sofft, discussed in this post, however, I wore the boots. Also not chosen the caramel leather jacket because it did not pair well with the boots.
Saturday, February 22, 2025
Since the spring of last year, I have been researching new items I wanted to add to my shop. Along the way I have picked up one or two items for my wardrobe that I either needed as a replacement for something else or it just so happened the item worked well with an older piece.
The first of two items discussed in this post is a replacement piece for a
tea rose, crepe satin, v-neck tie blouse I somehow lost in a move. The image on the
right is similar in style to that of the blouse lost.
I liked the original blouse with many of the black suits I owned or the pencil skirt originally discussed in this post.
The replacement piece insofar as the pencil skirt- is the bean-paste purple
(catalog color description) cashmere sweater shown below.
The sweater was purchased in Sept. 2024, and I was very pleased when it arrived because it matched the bold highlight threads of the skirt. The skirt though still a little tight is now a bit looser than it was (September 2024), so I thought I would take photos this morning.
The second item, another sweater, however it looks like a jacket is the brown sweater shown below.
The Urban CoCo dress I paired with the new sweater in the photos above, is also shown in the following photos with different pairings- and originally discussed in this post.
I am very pleased my diet is continuing to produce results, however finding it a little difficult to abstain from buying new clothes. That said, I am happy I kept the old things I love- that I am now able to wear again.
Monday, February 17, 2025
In late January 2025, I purchased the olive knit sweater shown on the left below- in hopes of pairing it with the olive pencil skirt shown on top- in the photo next to the sweater.
The new sweater shade did not contrast well with the pencil skirt on top nor the one in the back. The sweater did contrast well with the one in the middle, however it is an unlined cotton skirt, and the sweater is a thicker knit and a bit more formal in style.
The sweater also contrasted well with the olive pencil dress.
When I go out, I like doing as much as possible in one outing. This means I may need to stop by an office, store, or create content. I tend to dress in a more formal style when out- no matter the project or errand.
Hair and makeup tend to do a lot for my outfits, and although I did not take my hair out today, I think the pairings shown in this post will work with the hair, makeup, and accessories I plan for this look.
More weight loss will not hurt and I am still having success in this area.
Friday, February 14, 2025
I had a couple of things to do this morning. The high today was about 41° so I chose a long black pleated wool skirt, Ann Taylor light sweater, short black wool jacket, and my NineWest black suede boots. Ref post showing the same skirt and jacket.
When I returned, I felt warm so I donned a pair of thick shorts and a knit
top.
Happy Valentine's Day!
Tuesday, February 04, 2025
I was out of the house by 7:30 AM. Expected a high of 59° so I decided on a light jacket and slacks.
- Black leather blazer
- Black high waisted pleated slacks
- Ann Taylor tie blouse
- Black suede Aerosoles- 3" pumps
Finished my errands by 9:30 AM and changed into leggings, t-shirt, and the clogs I wear around the house. Happy I have no other matters outside of the house for the next several days.
Monday, February 03, 2025
January 2025 was one of the coldest January's I ever remember. There was snow on the ground almost every day of the month, and only because it was that cold and not because it snowed on a regular basis.
I was warm and happy I did not have to leave the house, however, for some reason did not get as much done as I wanted.
I had a surprise expense associated with my real estate activities. I am a referral agent and up until this year only had to worry about license renewal fees and the fees for courses I needed to stay up to date with new or updated Maryland real estate laws.
Now I have an annual referral agent fee. It is under a $100 and allows me to keep my real estate license active, so I will pay the new annual fee. I studied for that license and I want to keep it.
In January, I also ordered a new sweater. Most of the items I order these days are related to research insofar as products I want to offer through my shop. I love the new sweater and think it will pair nicely with pencil skirts or high waisted baggy dress pants.
Since Christmas, I feel I have been looking older and more tired. I think
part of the problem is related to my diet. I maybe trying to lose weight to
quickly. Below photos I took yesterday, February 2, 2025.
How is my diet going? I am not losing a lot now, however I am also not gaining it back. When I was younger I used to fast so I know my appearance can sometimes appear too gaunt because of quick weight loss. My older age is not helping. I do not use botox, nor have I had any type of cosmetic surgery.
Another concern of late? Ensuring I have all of the tax information I need to complete the tax returns I am responsible for. Not sure why this year I ran into problems.
Wednesday, January 15, 2025
Finally able to get to the bank on Monday, January 13, 2025. The snow was enough to keep me grounded for a whole week even though I cleared the driveway.
- Black button tie sweater I considered for my shop, June 2024. Discussed in this post. Had to replace the buttons the reason I am not offering the sweater in the shop. That said, I love it.
- Old black high waisted pleated slacks 2001 or so.
- Mandarin collar wool sweater jacket, TJ Maxx 2003 or so. Discussed in this post and here.
- Black PU leather all-weather riding boots with great rubber soles for traction. Fall 2021.
It has been cold in our area since the beginning of the year. Wish I was in the mood for this weather. Good news, looking into new projects.
Sunday, January 05, 2025
Yesterday, I thought I would get up and run several errands. That said, for one reason or another I never made it out of the door. I did however, get dressed. The problem? I did not like anything I tried on so I decided the errands were not that important. Think I should have switched the jeans and not the sweaters. Do you ever have one of those days?
- Ann Taylor Sweater - June 2020 reference post
- Black Stretch Jeans (purchased 2021 wholesale sample for my shop)
- PU Leather All Weather Riding Boots (purchased 2021 wholesale sample for my shop)
- One of the new leather belts I discussed in an earlier post.
- Black Leather Blazer (purchased 2024 wholesale sample for my shop)
One of the errands- deposit cash received as a holiday gift into my personal bank account. I was unsure if the drive thru would be available so I could not just throw on sweats.
The other problem, I purchased a new ring light and started playing around
with video and photo lighting settings. It is amazing to me, how much time I
spend playing around with these settings.
Happy to report my diet is still working. Below, some of the meals I have
consumed since the beginning of the year.
We are expecting snow on Monday and I am hoping it clears by Tuesday.
Wednesday, January 01, 2025
Had several things to take care of yesterday morning. It was about 40° F when I left the house.
- Brown Suede Jacket - Holiday 1997 gift or so.
- Dark tan suede high waisted, cuffed slacks - Mom gifted 20+ years ago
- Cashmere tan crew neck sweater - June 2024 wholesale sample (research for my shop)
- Saks Fifth Ave Dark Brown Pumps - On sale December 2024
Relatives stopped by later in the afternoon, and when they left I tried on
several New Year's outfits, only to check my diet progress. It was wet and
rainy in the Washington/Baltimore region last night and I did not mind staying
in.
- Black high waisted slacks - June 2024 wholesale sample (new slacks discussion)
- Black velvet tank top - 2002 or so Dress Barn Arundel Mills
- 9West patent dress slings - August 2022 9West online (four pairs of new shoes discussion)
Happy New Year.
Thursday, December 26, 2024
Yesterday, was a nice day for Christmas. Relatives stopped in and everyone seemed happy with their gifts. Because I cooked and had other chores to attend to, I decided to dress for comfort with the expectation of guests.
- Cherokee Corduroy Black Jumper - Mom gifted 20+ years ago.
- DKNY City Knit Top - Purchased 1997 or so TJ Maxx Bethesda, MD
- Black Over the Knee Socks - Purchased December 11, 2018 Amazon
One of the gifts (ZacURate Oximeter
) I gave is shown below with my stats..
Hope you are having a wonderful holiday.
Sunday, December 15, 2024
In June 2024 I purchased several colors of the same dress in a size medium from Amazon. At the time, the dresses were a little snug, however wearable. I purposely ordered the black dress a little snug because I knew I would be losing more weight.
I loved the way the black dress suited my body type so a week later I ordered the navy and green versions.
Earlier this morning, I tried on the black dress to see how I am progressing
with my weight loss program. I was very pleased it took little to no effort to zip the dress.
I like pairing the dress with a blazer and tried on several different styles. The blazer shown above is a Casual Corner black size 6 purchased in 1992 or so and it just so happens I have it in black, navy, and green like the dresses I purchased in June.
There are many things I can pair with these dresses so it will not seem as if it is the same dress. The new dresses are a great addition to my wardrobe.
Thursday, December 12, 2024
Only had one errand this morning, so I decided to wear my Eddie Bauer oversized sweater dress.
I normally wear the dress with a black shrug and black suede
boots, however, today I decided to go with the browns. Photo on the right
taken over 15 years ago. Also decided I liked the
Perry Ellis jacket rather than the brown suede with today's pairings.
Wednesday, December 04, 2024
I left the house around 9:00 AM this morning and finished most of my errands by 1:00 PM.
I liked the way my brown suede jacket paired with the tie blouse and my new sweater. That said, the compliment received concerned the boots.
Tuesday, December 03, 2024
The end of the year often brings a myriad of site issues I wish I did not have to address, however, I do- and this year is no exception.
On the to-do list this year is/was (updates still in progress) integrating the new universal tag version for the InMobi Consent Management Platform (CMP) resource I use on all of my sites.
The reason the updates are cumbersome is because some of the core areas of my sites are not maintained by content management systems like Wordpress or Joomla. Why? Long story that I do not wish to bore you with. The following list provides how my different site areas are maintained.
- wiredpages.qisoftware.com -- Manual
- reginadenisethomas.com -- Thingamablog
- personal.qisoftware.com -- Thingamablog
- qisoftware.com -- Manual
- realty.reginathomas.studio -- Wordpress
- hosting-q.com -- Manual
- remix.qisoftware.com -- Thingamablog
- wired-shops.com --OpenCart
- marylandbloggers.com -- Thingamablog
- reginathomas.studio -- Thingamablog
I am almost finished with this chore and have also been looking at style pairings for new and old items. What new things?
I recently posted a photo to the QiSoftware Instagram account of my new business bag.
When I first decided to move the bag from my wishlist to the cart, I had a $40 coupon I could apply. When I finally decided to hit the checkout button the coupon was no longer valid because a lot of things in my cart went on sale leaving the $40 coupon invalid. I needed to add about $10 to my cart for the $40 coupon to be applicable.
The $12 item I added to the cart to enable use of the $40 discount coupon is shown below.
I loved the unique design of the sweater, however added low profile shoulder pads and had a tie blouse that matched almost perfectly (as shown). The knit used in the sweater is heavier and the shoulder enhancements added the right padding for the weight of the sweater.
Now, why did I need a new business bag? I carried what appeared to be an expensive book bag (yes, was a very expensive gift) for many years. The straps on the bag ripped about 3 years ago and I refused to consider getting something new. I simply loved the bag.
When I found the bag shown in the photo below, I finally decided I could replace my old bag.
Needless to say, I am very happy with the new bag. I want to offer the bag in my shop however, it is not cheap and I need to do more market research. That said, it is well made.
