Free for All Friday: Things I Should Like But Don't

A couple of months ago, Free for All Friday featured Guilty Pleasures, or things we shouldn't love, but do. Today I'm doing a 180 and featuring things that, according to my other tastes, I should totally love, but just can't get into.

Pumpkin Spice Lattes

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In recent years, the Pumpkin Spice Latte has superseded the McRib for the title of Mediocre Seasonal Item that People Lose their Minds Over. Don't get me wrong; I love pumpkin pie. I wish it were served year round. Yet I've never been able to participate in the frenzy surrounding the Pumpkin Spice Latte. I think my friend Julie summed it up best when she said they taste like Play-Doh. I suspect that many people just get caught up in the excitement because you're supposed to be excited, and it's this big harbinger of fall, but until they figure out how to funnel the flavor of pecan pie into a sugary coffee drink, I'll stick with my chai.


Infants.

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I should say right up front that I absolutely do not dislike children or babies. I think they're pretty damned cool, and would probably opt to sit at the kids table at holidays if I could. It's just that unless a newborn is related to me by blood, marriage, or an intense bond of friendship with one of its parents, I just find them boring with their constant sleeping and wizened faces. If you bring your baby into work I'm not going to sneer at it or tell you to get it away from me, but as I make all the appropriate cooing sounds I'll probably be figuring out in my head when's the soonest I can make my escape without being rude.
Now, give me a chubby, smiling, dimpled 8 month old or a crazy talking three year old and I'm good to go. Why don't more people bring their toddlers into work to say hi? The entertainment value of their filter-less, inappropriate comments would get me through the longest work week.


Radiohead

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Thank goodness for Hulu, because I was able to fast forward through the musical performances on the season premiere of SNL. You'd think that as someone who came of age in the 90s and really digs a variety of music, that I'd be all over this band. I've tried with them, I really have. I've tried on more than one occasion. I've tried to find the perfect situation in which to enjoy them. But I just can't, and I don't think one should have to work that hard to enjoy music. Take away my music cred card or whatever, but I find them pretentious and boring.


Glee

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I love music, and I have a degree in theatre. I should love this show, right? A lot of my friends love this show. I can't feel the love. It may just come down to the prodigious use of Autotune. Maybe it's the cringe inducing try hard of Lea Michele. Or maybe deep down I just have no soul.


Macarons

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I don't know how these replaced cupcakes as the pastry du jour in the blogging world, but I'm ready to move onto something truly yummy, like Madeleines. Sure, they may not come in oh so cute pastel colors, but they're a lot more scrumptious, and easier to make. I'm sure that we could figure out infinite ways to make them super cute and serve them at weddings and showers and photograph them in twee ways.




This weekend is homecoming for Maya. She's already off to the parade and the football game. The dance is tomorrow night. I'm going to partake in some Oktoberfest action with my friend Donald. Have a great weekend!

Also, you only have a few hours left to enter the September Giveaway! Don't miss out.

Travellin' Shoes

Shirt- Gap; Dress- Thrifted Target Deadstock; Tights- Simply Vera (Kohl's); Boots- Dr. Martens



Short skirts and combat boots. This used to be my uniform. It's one I think I will be slipping back into with ease for the rest of my life, especially on rainy days.



I bought these boots in 1997. Until then I'd had a couple of pair of knock offs. I remember I used to stomp around in puddles in my knockoffs, pretending I was in Seattle. When I finally had a little money of my own, I invested in these. I've stomped them in puddles all over the country. Portland, Nashville, Chicago, New York and more. I've worn them in London, where it didn't rain for the entire week we stayed. I've worn them with everything, including a formal dress the first time I saw Miss Saigon.

I remember reading once that Robert Smith of the Cure had been wearing the same Doc Martens since 1977. I read this sometime in the 90s, but I wonder if he still has the same pair. It's possible. These things are built to last.

I think they're one of those things that never really goes completely out of style. Just a classic that has waves of popularity now and then. So if you're conflicted about putting down the money for an authentic pair of Docs, I'm here to tell you, some things are worth the price.

Throwback Thursday: Nevermind

While you'll occasionally run into the music snob who will tell you that they've been listening to Nirvana since the release of Bleach, most people will be honest with you and tell you that it all started with a little ditty called "Smells Like Teen Spirit."



When Nevermind was released in September of 1991, I was in the seventh grade. I had just exited my NKOTB phase. I liked REM, but I still kind of liked Color Me Badd. I also owned and still listened to Vanilla Ice's To the Extreme. I liked the Beach Boys, I liked Buddy Holly. Pearl Jam and Soundgarden were still on the distant horizon in that wave of dirty flannel that would break on our consciousness in the coming months. My mom had yet to buy me a subscription to Sassy, and I had never heard of Doc Martens.

In the same way that, three years later, Pulp Fiction would broaden my view of what movies could do, Nevermind was the gateway drug into what music could do. I didn't realize it at the time. It was just loud, and mumbly, and for the first time made my mother scream at me "Turn that shit DOWN!!!" When I heard it, I wanted more. More from this band, or more like it. My first one was even free. Nevermind was a gift from a friend.

Twenty years later, I still listen when these songs pop up on my iPod. I still turn it up. They've been my soundtrack on road trips and mundane errands for two decades. And even though In Utero was arguably a better album, it's still the rawness of songs like "Polly" and "Drain You" that keeps me hooked.

The tracks I have on my iPod are ripped from the original CD I got all those years ago. They're not the clearest or loudest in the world, hence having to turn them up a lot. I'm really considering buying the new Deluxe Edition that dropped on Tuesday in order to get the remastered tracks. I'm just not sure if I want to spend the extra money for the bonus tracks. We got With The Lights Outa few years ago, and the demos and acoustic versions of songs really are fascinating. I have a $10 iTunes card, so I might just bite the bullet and do it after I get back from New York. I'll consider it a donation to Frances Bean's college fund.


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Speaking of Frances Bean, have you seen these recent photos of her by Hedi Slimane? I hate the fascination we have with celebrity kids these days, but these are stunning, and it's so hard to pin down which of her parents she resembles more. I've also always been curious about how this one would grow up.

So, if realizing that one of my life changing albums is twenty years old didn't make me feel like I'm ready for assisted living, seeing those photos definitely did.

The Downside of Fall

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t's inevitable. The change in the weather always gets me under the weather. I think I've drank enough green tea the last few days to keep me full of antioxidants for months. I'm feeling a lot better to day, though, and figure I should be back to normal in no time. I'm about to watch the premiere of Pan Am on Hulu, then spend the rest of the morning mending, sorting socks and watching Monk on Netflix. Standing in a hot shower with Eucalyptus oil for about half an hour also sounds tempting.

I went home early from work yesterday and I'm going in later today. Gotta get those hours in, but I also don't want to push myself or risk making others sick. I actually feel bad that I went in yesterday being so sick. It's always so hard to make that decision about going in or staying home. My office mate seems to have a good constitution, as they used to say. She says she's worked there for 2 years and hasn't ever called in sick. I washed and sanitized my hands constantly like a good girl, practiced the "vampire cough" and wiped everything down before I left, so I'll keep my fingers crossed that I didn't pass it on.

Lunch Time

I've made a commitment to start bringing lunch or a snack to work with me instead of relying on the vending machines or takeout. Each week I'll document how I did. Click here for previous posts.

This week was saved by preparation once again. I made tomato basil soup on Sunday, and ended up eating it twice. I've never been a fan of tomato soup, because I think it tastes like drinking warm ketchup, but this recipe has flavor and texture. Definitely nothing like warm ketchup.
I also prepared some pasta in advance and stored it in an airtight container with a little olive oil.

tomato basil soup, salad with balsamic vinaigrette, bagel with cheddar, orange

The same day I discovered that we have free coffee at work, I also discovered the toaster. This will come in so handy for simple toast and cheese sandwiches.

penne with pesto and cherry tomatoes, bell pepper strips, orange

Wednesday I met a friend for lunch at Pickerman's. I didn't think to take a picture, but I had broccoli cheese soup in a sour dough bowl and a bag of salt and vinegar chips. It was delicous.


leftover Swiss steak over pasta, orange, apple

Again, using leftovers for lunch the next day is a huge time saver. Plus, so many dishes taste even better the next day once the flavors really marry. I can't wait until Trevor starts making chili again.

tomato basil soup, cheese sandwich, orange

I almost walked out the door Friday without a lunch. I was able to throw together this variation on Monday's lunch pretty quickly. I had cheddar, provolone and mozzarella on my sandwich this time.


I'm thinking that once the weather really cools down I'm going to start making a soup every Sunday. I won't make any promises, but it's definitely the best day to do it.

Flashback Friday: Honeycrisp!

So another Throwback Thursday fell by the wayside. Looks like I need to adjust my schedule during the week to get a little more blogging time.
I guess this post is timely today, though, being the first official day of Autumn. Last year Maya and I went to Ecker's Apple Farm in Trempealeau, Wisconsin to pick apples. We were a little late in the season, but there were still plenty of Honeycrisp apples to be had. They're my favorite variety, and they're quite abundant here. If you've never had one, they're similar to Gala apples.

We had a ton of fun, despite the fact that Google maps sent us to the state park instead of the orchard. The guard at the state park said she'd had people having the same problem all day. We came home with a few pounds of apples, a delicious apple pie, and the best caramel we've ever had.

We're going back next month for their Honeycrisp Hootenany. We're going to try to get Trevor to tag along, but he tends to be a bit of a hermit.



Trempealeau is located on the Mississippi as well, about 25 miles north of La Crosse. It's a beautiful little town of about 1500. A little bit of trivia: Black House by Stephen King and Peter Straub was set in this area. La Crosse is called La Riviere and the town of French Landing is based on Trempealeau.

On to the orchard!















After leaving the orchard, we stopped for dinner at the Historic Trempealeau Hotel. They have a walnut burger that's heavenly. It was still warm enough to sit on the enclosed back porch, with it's outstanding view of the sun setting over the river.

I'd really like to poke around the town a little more when we go back next month. It looked like it was full of historic houses, plus there's the beautiful state park and trails to explore. And towns like that always have the best antique stores.

Rainy Day Woman

Dress- Maurices; Shirt- Sodi via Vintage Vogue; Tights- Hue via Nordstrom Rack; Shoes- Payless

Okay, so before we get into anything else, I want to address my glasses. I know that some people become rageful when they see people wearing heavy framed glasses, and especially if they aren't prescription. So I'll calm your rage by letting you know that these are indeed prescription. I am incredibly near sighted in my left eye, with nearly perfect vision in my right. I see well enough to get by on a daily basis, so I don't wear my glasses all the time. I've taken to wearing them at work lately so that I don't have to wear safety goggles when I go out on the production floor.

And I just like heavy frames, okay? Hipsters are the reason we can't have nice things.

This was a work outfit. I was going to just wear the sweater dress alone, then I decided that was boring. Fall is for layering, right? So I started searching for a certain shirt I usually layer it with. Before I got to that one, I came across this button up shirt, which I scored for $4 the last time I went to Vintage Vogue.



It was the first really cool day we've had, so the extra layer was helpful. I try holding off on coats and jackets for as long as possible, because they're just such a pain to deal with, no matter how cute they are.

In Defense of the Menial Job

People in the arts get a bad rap when it comes to their day jobs. I once gave Angie a shirt that says "I'm an actress, may I take your order?"

I think, though, that there's a misconception about the reason that people in the arts have the jobs they do. The decision by artists to work as servers, baristas, dog walkers and other low paying jobs is not about the inability to get higher paying jobs. Many artists have a formal education, and are valuable assets in the work place because of their creativity and their ability to take constructive criticism.

Let's face it, it's hard to make a living in the arts. So you have to make money to live, but you also need a job that's flexible and won't occupy your entire life. I was lucky enough to work as a professional stage manager for two years after graduating from college. After a stint at Peach State Summer Theatre in Georgia, I went back to my day job, all the while thinking that it was just an in between theatre jobs job. I had left once and come back. I could do it again.

Then that pesky little recession hit. Non profit theatre organizations rely heavily on patron donations to keep afloat. When there's not as much money to be made, there's not as much money to be given. I wasn't making huge bank at my previous stage management jobs, but I was able to make a living. Suddenly, though, the theatres were offering even less, but also asking questions like "How would you feel about also taking on some Company Manager type duties?"

After a few months, I was unhappy on the phones at my call center job, but instead of making the jump to barista or office admin, I let myself get promoted. And promoted again. And promoted again. Around this time last year, I found myself in upper management at my center, with a 45% raise from my previous wage, and two departments under my belt.

The next 9 months are a blur of insane highs and lows. It was rare that I worked less than 50 hours a week. I had to log in from home at nights and on weekends to just keep my head above water. Every day ended with a to do list that seemed longer than the one I started the day with. I went to sleep dreading going to work. I woke up dreading going to work. I dragged myself out of bed at the last minute. I went back on antidepressants. I drank too much. I shopped too much. I couldn't even do volunteer theatre work, because I hardly ever left work before 6. And always dogging me were those impossible to meet goals.

I suffered. My family suffered. My employees suffered.

When the hammer finally fell, I was devastated, scared and angry. Yes, there were areas where I definitely needed improvement, but I felt as though my contributions and dedication outweighed that, by far. Plus, I was always willing to improve. I was constantly striving to improve. Before I left on vacation, my boss told me that I was hitting my stride. He fired me the day I came back.

I don't think I was a lost cause yet, but they did.


It turned out to be the best thing that's happened to me in years.


I was a sellout. I really was. I said to myself that I needed the insurance, for myself and for Maya. That I'd only do it for a year, so I could pay down some debt, then I'd bail. I lost sight of the fact that the job was supposed to have been an in between, not become a career. I lost my creative drive.

The truth is, I probably wouldn't have quit. I think that you become conditioned to stressful work environments, and convince yourself that you can't expect better. I see this from talking to some of my former coworkers. They're miserable, but can't see a way out. They don't want to start all over.

I'm not saying it's been easy. I had started saving but didn't have nearly as much as is recommended. It's scary not having insurance. We've had to cut back in a lot of areas. But we're surviving. Now I bring in about what I brought in as a phone representative, and Trevor makes quite a bit more money than he did when I was a phone representative, so it almost evens out.

I don't dread going to bed. Sunday nights aren't full of fear and loathing. I wake up in time to cook breakfast for Maya and me, and wish her well for school. I come home with enough energy to work on music, writing and other projects.

I hardly drink anymore. I'm constantly creating and planning and above all executing plans.

The shopping thing is still a little hard, because it really is what I turned to when I was feeling bad. I'm working on it.

So when I've spent a few hours making copies, or doing data entry at my new job, I just revel in the fact that I have absolutely no need to think about my job once I leave, other than to relay any funny stories about the day.

That's priceless.

Let's Get this Party Started

I'm so excited about this event. Not only because Angie will finally be debuting her first music video, but because I will get to be there to celebrate with her! My time off request was accepted and my flight is booked.

I'll be in New York from October 17-25, and it's going to be a busy week. Angie will be playing at R Bar as part of the CMJ Music Marathon, then she has the video premiere on the 21st and a gig with her friend's band at the Bitter End on the 22nd. We're also planning on taking some photos and doing some song writing.

I do want to get at least two touristy things in. I want to see a show and have a picnic in Central Park. We said we were going to do that when I was in town last August, but it didn't happen.

Other than that it will be helping Angie, eating delicious food and hanging out with friends.

Any suggestions for places to eat?

Picture an Hour: September 17, 2011

I was going strong on Saturday with my pictures, but due to a pretty massive headache I ended up taking a long nap and then vegging on the couch for the rest of the evening. Such is life, it gets in the way of things. But I didn't want to let the pics I took go to waste, so here's about half a day in pictures. I may make up for it later in the month.

Maya was gone for the weekend and Trevor was at work on Saturday, so I spent most of the day to myself.



8:36 AM: Woke up and got things together to make baked oatmeal. This was my second time using this recipe. It's a keeper.



9:29 AM: Out of the oven. I used peaches instead of berries this time, and I think I prefer it. Though I think pretty much any fruit will work.



10:42 AM: Put together my new clothing rack. The old one just couldn't handle the weight of all my dresses and skirts.



11:46 AM: Lunch time. Grilled cheese and pan seared zucchini and cherry tomatoes.



12:42 PM: The best thing about going to the farmers market late in the day is that everyone marks things down drastically so they don't have to haul it home. I got this huge bouquet of flowers for $3.



1:46 PM: This is what's left of our sunflowers. A week or so ago squirrels completely ravaged them, and the birds got what the squirrels didn't. Oh well, at least our yard is a healthy ecosystem.



3:06 PM: Well, it's not a photo an hour post without my missing at least one hour. It was such a gorgeous day Saturday. I wish I could have enjoyed it more, but around this time my headache hit.



4:14 PM: We have skylights in our room, and last year Trevor made some blackout curtains because he goes to bed before sundown in the summer. I was very thankful for them.


I ended up sleeping until 6, then spent the rest of the day on the couch. So if I'd continued this would have basically been several photos of my watching Star Trek. Thrilling.

Lunchtime

I've made a commitment to start bringing lunch or a snack to work with me instead of relying on the vending machines or takeout. Each week I'll document how I did. Click here for previous posts.


The lunch routine just keeps getting easier and easier. Prep definitely makes all the difference. On Sunday, I cooked an extra chicken breast when I was making dinner, and prepped my veggies.
Also, Trevor brought home a ton of pears that he got from a coworker. They were small and delicious. I'm sad that they're all gone but I made the most of them this week.

We've definitely become part time vegetarians lately, mostly out of financial necessity, but also because of the abundance of fresh local produce available this time of year. Right now I'm all about salads, but as the weather turns I'll be moving to soup. Today I made another big batch of pesto to freeze, and some tomato basil soup, using partly canned and partly fresh tomatoes. Also on tap is some potato leek soup to freeze. I'm also on the lookout for a good butternut squash soup recipe.


leftover quinoa recipe, pears, banana

We tried quinoa for the first time this week. I can't believe I've gone this long without introducing this grain into my diet. It's definitely here to stay. We used this recipe, which was easy and delicious. I did substitute chicken for tofu, though. I'm a big fan of tofu, but Maya will only eat it occasionally and Trevor hates it.

chicken wrap, peaches and cottage cheese, pears

The wrap had pesto, red bell pepper strips, tomatoes and lettuce in addition to the chicken.


chicken salad with balsamic vinaigrette, pear, cereal bar

pesto cream cheese sandwich, veggies, orange

I bought some asiago and sun dried tomato bread this week, and it's absolutely perfect for sandwiches. This one had pesto cream cheese, cucumbers and red bell pepper strips. I also made grilled cheese sandwiches with this bread.

cheese sandwich, salad with balsamic vinaigrette, banana

Pretty straight forward. I used mozzarella and cheddar on the sandwich.


If you have any soup recipes to share, please do!

Flashback Friday

Instead of Throwback Thursday, today you get Flashback Friday. Same concept, different day. It's also an outfit post. I may be able to categorize that as multitasking. I know this week has been mostly about clothes. I promise I'll talk about something else soon.

Cardigan- Vintage Munsingwear- thrifted; Dress- Jamie Brooke; Shoes- Payless; Vintage Brooch- Estate Sale





I've had this dress since 1995. This is probably the first time I've worn it since 1997, though. It's been in a bin of clothes that I've been saving for Maya for when the 90s became "vintage." Now, fellow oldsters, don't freak out. Despite the fact that they play Nirvana and Pearl Jam on the classic rock stations, things aren't technically vintage until they're 20 years old, so while those color blocked shirts you wore in 1991 are vintage, your high school baby doll dresses aren't. Yet.

Anyway, I was going through the aforementioned bin to choose some things to give to her, when I came across this one. It still fit, though like my Free People shirt from the same year, quite a bit differently than it did 16 years and 50 pounds ago. I remember that I wore this on the first day of eleventh grade. I paired it with a cream colored baby doll tee and tan hiking boots. I was awesome.

A couple of times I considered shortening it, but never got around to it. I'm glad I didn't, because I think it's more interesting as a maxi dress than just another sundress.


I'll leave you with a 90s playlist.
Have a great weekend!

Confessions of a Shopaholic: Missoni for Target

That right there? That's my one Missoni for Target purchase. I've been thinking about getting a larger mug for my morning tea, and this one jumped out at me. It was $4.99.

But, lest I seem like too much of a saintly thrifty shopper, let's talk about the fact that at one point there was about $175 worth of Missoni for Target clothing in my cart. In the form of 4 items. Yes, the lure of "Limited Time Designer Collaboration" nearly got me.

How did this all go down? Let's start from the beginning. There's been a lot of hype surrounding this line, the biggest designer collaboration score so far for the chain. I was drawn in by the bold patterns and simple shapes of the clothes. They seemed perfect for fall. I was intrigued by the home wares. And that bicycle was simply beautiful.

I was definitely expecting a higher price point than usual. That's par for the course with the designer collabs. However, when I finally got on the website this morning (the site was down for a few hours, probably due to heavy traffic) I have to say I was a little blown away. The prices for the clothing were insane, but the home wares were fairly reasonable. I did decide that I'd stop by the store to check out the quality and fit, and maybe snag some tights if they seemed sturdy.

Our Target is fairly small, so I wasn't expecting to see the full line. When I went to the women's clothing section, though, I was totally surprised to see that many of the items that the store had stocked were nearly sold out. This was about 1:45 this afternoon. I grabbed a couple of the sweater dresses and two cardigans to try on. When I got to hosiery, I couldn't find any of the tights or socks. An employee told me that the store hadn't received any yet, and weren't sure if they would. I also grabbed a pair of heels so I could see how the dresses looked with both flats and heels.




The shoes were cute, had genuine suede uppers, and seemed well constructed, but they ran pretty small. I usually wear a 6.5 or 7 in heels, and had to grab an 8 for them to go on comfortably. I have wide feet, but usually don't have to go up to more than a 7.5 in a more narrow shoe. I think the $39.99 price was fair. I'm not in the market for any pumps right now, but I would have considered these if I were.



In the dressing room, the sweater dresses were first up. I chose XL for both and they fit great. You really can't go wrong with an A-line shift, but the neckline isn't the most flattering thing for me. Had either of these been v-neck, I would have been more tempted to buy. They were also incredibly short. I'm 5'4" tall. If you're a taller girl and want one of these, you might want to consider wearing it with skinny jeans or very opaque tights. The construction was pretty good, but the fabric was mostly acrylic and rayon. Am I wrong in expecting something better at a $54.99 price point?

I was actually very tempted to get the one on the right. The print was more flattering, and it had a bit of cotton in the blend, making it softer. This one ended up wandering around the store in my cart along with the cardigans ($49.99 each) and a scarf from the men's section ($24.99.)

This is where it got hard for me, and weird. I had clearly told myself that I'd just wait to see if any of it went on clearance. That I was just looking, doing research so I could report back on quality. That I would check out Fake Target in a month to see if they had any of it. Yet I kept it in my cart, because I thought I would regret it if I put them back and they sold out.

Ultimately, I did put it all back. The first to go was the sweater dress. I had to ask myself if I would have paid that much for the dress if it weren't for the label and the limited quantities. The answer was no.



Next to go was the scarf. It's a cute scarf, but I have several cute scarves, and if I want more I would rather support an Etsy crafter or a fair trade artisan than buy one that was made in China.

Then came the first cardigan. It was hard because cardigans are a staple in my wardrobe, and this print was so much fun and could be paired with so many different solid pieces. It was well constructed. But again, the question. Would I have paid $49.99 for this piece in different circumstances? Back it went.


Then there was this. I liked that it was different from any cardigan I had. Longer, heavier, more earthy. The pricing didn't seem as bad for this one. I could see myself wearing it to death this fall and winter. So it stayed in the cart much longer, because I could justify it with price per wear.

And then, I just stopped and put it back. Because $50 is our internet bill. It's a month of school lunches for Maya. It's a family night at the movies. It should be much more than a sweater, of which I have many. So I put it back. There will be a time in my life when I can spend that kind of money on a sweater again. Now is not that time.

The amazing thing is that I was so worried I would regret not getting it, but when I finally put it back, I felt so much lighter. I literally felt a physical change come over me, as tension and guilt were lifted.

Usually, when I avoid impulse buys, I put the money in savings. This time, though, I used the money on some things we'd been needing for the house, and gave myself the indulgence of a giant mug for my milky morning tea.

In the shopping world, I like to say that if you love something, set it free. If it's on clearance when you go back, it's meant to be. So that sweater may become a part of my life in the future, if it makes it to clearance or shows up at Fake Target, but more likely it'll slip from my mind like the myriad "must have" items that I've let go back on the rack.




All images via target.com

Paper Dolls: My So Called Life

The other day, I came across this post, where the author wonders how the March sisters from Little Women would dress today. I thought she was pretty spot on. She also has a similar post for the girls from Now and Then. I was immediately inspired to take this concept and apply it to the girls from My So-Called Life

Like many ladies my age, this show was groundbreaking for me. I was in the tenth grade when it aired, as were the characters. I remember one of my friends at the time saying "It's like they followed us around and listened to our conversations, then wrote a show." It felt that relevant and real to us. I've always wondered what would have happened if that single season had been allowed a complete season. What would have happened in Angela's junior and senior years. It's fun to speculate, but it would have been nice to at least have had a couple more years.

Angela Chase, Rayanne Graff, and Sharon Cherski would be in their early 30s now. Here's how I imagine their style may have evolved.


Angela


I'm going to preface this by saying that I love me some Angela. Don't get me wrong on that. But our introverted, existential girlfriend was more of a follower than a leader. While the girl could hold her own when it came to some really big decisions like when to lose her virginity, she was definitely influenced by Rayanne when it came to fashion (and a loose interpretation of her class schedule.) So while I think that Angela would continue to have a bit of an edge when choosing her looks, I think she would work within the parameters of what's currently floating around and not try to reinvent the wheel. And yes, I think she'd still be dyeing her hair red.



Angela wore a lot of dresses on the show, and I think that love affair would continue, as well as her need to have something to wrap around her. I also think that all 90s girls retain a penchant for boots.





Rayanne


Rayanne Graff has probably had the biggest influence on my personal style. It was much more evident in high school, but I still have my "What Would Rayanne Wear?" moments. She was a master at pattern mixing and layering. Whether she ended up as a stripper, rock star or attorney, these two style elements would remain a constant, merely toned down. Some would call it "Gypsy in a Flood," but I think her style was well thought out and executed.



Rayanne was an early adopter of the arm party. Preppy plaid blazer over a girly maxi dress? Wedge Doc Martens and a vintage straw purse? Perfect.
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Sharon

Oh, Sharon Cherski. What can I say? This one was actually kind of tough. At first you think, "Good girl, so boring." But Sharon's waters ran a bit more deeply than that. She was a good girl, but not a prude. A bit nerdy, but not a pushover. The things she wore may not have pushed the envelope, but they were definitely on trend for the time period. I think that Sharon would eventually develop a classic style, with a bits of unexpected fun. I also think that she would get over many of her insecurities and embrace her curves as she got older.



I dislike the term "pop of color" because it's so overused, but I think that would end up being Sharon's signature.





So, what do you think? Dead on or way off the mark? Let me know. What other fictional characters would you love to see get this treatment?