Workout Style

I started running seriously and regularly right around my thirtieth birthday--so about fifteen years now. For the first thirteen years, I admittedly dressed like a truck driver woman. I had two pairs of black shorts which I would alternate, and on top I'd wear a ratty t-shirt or, in the summer, a ratty t-shirt with the sleeves cut off for a makeshift tank. To keep my hair out of my eyes, I'd wear an old bandanna of my Dad's that I'd used since my high school field hockey days. On cold days, I'd wear a baggy pair of standard-issue grey fleece sweatpants with elasticized ankles. I guess it didn't bother my husband that I dressed this way while I was an outside runner, but once we joined a gym he put his foot down. "How can it be that you are so fashionable in all areas of your life except when you work out: you are a slob!"

I acknowledged this and was more than happy to do some shopping. My first foray onto fashionable workout wear was at the Adidas store in Santa Monica. I had moved to Southern California in January and thought I would need only shorts for running. No! It's cold in Santa Monica during the winter, running in the dark after work! I hastened to the Third Street Promenade where I bought a running pant and a matching top. So coordinated!

Later, when I moved back to Illinois and brick-and-mortar athletic wear shops weren't nearby, I relied on Athleta, and later at Foot Locker (they have some really good online sales!). Soon it wasn't enough that my top match my shorts, I needed a real workout bag and water bottle. Walmart bestform bras for $12.99 failed the grade; instead I required the $58 high-impact styles at Title Nine. (Hey, a girl's gotta protect her assets!)

Now, I've really gone to the devil. I've discovered Lululemon. Their stuff is pretty damn expensive. But awesome. Seriously, I am addicted and as soon as I've paid off this splurge, I'm going back for more (See, husband what you have started?). Here's what I got:

Groove Pant, Tall (Lululemon hems for free! And these pants make your butt look incredible!)
Run: Inspire Crop (I've never had a crop...I hate the loose ones but these are badass)
Wunder Under Crop (I'm planning to do yoga twice a week this summer, alternating with running. I bought these with a rainbow waistline!)

Yes the price was outrageous. What can I say? It's for my husband :-P

Also added to my workout wardrobe:

Athleta Pilayo Zippy Headband and Lululemon Satin Pirouette Headband. I have fine, slippery hair; these have a silicone grip on the inside that helps prevent slippage. I hate when my headbands--which I wear to keep my bangs out of my eyes--slide off my head mid-run! Plus, the Satin Pirouette headband is pretty, so I wear it when I wash my face or put on makeup too.

Anyone have any other recommendations to feed my addiction? Bring it on!

Saturday Afternoon Tea Break

If you're a knitter, at some point you will tire of the ubiquitous woollen hats, scarves and socks, and succumb to the appeal of kitschy knitted items. Such as, I recently became obsessed with the need for a tea cozy. At first I was just thinking of a traditional quilted kind, but then I got on the online knitting community Ravelry and found the most perfect, silly and useful cozy project. Behold, the Strawberries and Cream Tea Cozy:

The beauty of it is that it matches my Wedgwood Wild Strawberries tea set. I just finished it this past week and I couldn't wait to break it in with some Darjeeling and cherry sugar cookies.


I still don't know if it did the job--that is, keeping the tea warm--because my husband and I were hungry after a morning of gardening, napping (me) and motorcycling (him), so we pretty much gulped the tea and devoured the cookies.

Maybe I am crazy, maybe my taste level has diminished, but I have to say I thought the tea cozy adorable.

NB:
1. The tea cozy instruction can be found in the book Tea Cozies 2. But beware: there are a ton of errors so make sure you email the publishers before you begin and ask for the errata.
2. If you happen to be a member of Ravelry, please friend me! I am, of course, CashmereLibrarian.

Violet Eyes

The older I get, the more makeup I feel compelled to use on my eyes. The no-makeup look makes me look tired, so I always wear, at the very least, eyeliner and mascara.

My eye color is hazel-green, and so I wear a lot of purple-ish shades to play up the green. Here I'm wearing:

The pink from NARS Alhambra Duo on my lid
NARS Daphne in my crease
Stila smudge stick waterproof eye liner in Purple Tang, along my upper and lower lash lines
Stila kajal eyeliner in Onyx along my inner lower rim
two coats of Covergirl Lash Blast Volume in Very Black