31 Days Without Jeans and the ASPCA finds itself $35 richer. Well, in $5 a month increments because now that I’m in this limbo between working in Albany and living at home, $35 at one time is a lot.  Yet I did it and I got to help out animals in a random way! Going a month without jeans in January wasn’t that bad. I wore a lot of tights, dresses, trousers, leggings, and sweatpants along the way. At first I took pictures of the outfits and then I got really self conscious. I also felt a little vain. I give the fashion bloggers a lot of credit. I also learned that I could never be a model.  It’s time for sleep! I have one hell of a drive awaiting me tomorrow.

31 Days Without Jeans and the ASPCA finds itself $35 richer.

Well, in $5 a month increments because now that I’m in this limbo between working in Albany and living at home, $35 at one time is a lot. 

Yet I did it and I got to help out animals in a random way!

Going a month without jeans in January wasn’t that bad. I wore a lot of tights, dresses, trousers, leggings, and sweatpants along the way. At first I took pictures of the outfits and then I got really self conscious. I also felt a little vain. I give the fashion bloggers a lot of credit. I also learned that I could never be a model. 

It’s time for sleep! I have one hell of a drive awaiting me tomorrow.

No Jeans for January: Day Five $5 to the ASPCA, $26 more to go. What I Wore On The Day That The 112th Congress Was Sworn In: -t-shirt from the campaign -sweatpants from Oneonta. As you can see, I was feeling mighty fancy today! …and mayyyybe a little sick of studying for the LSAT ;D It was another great day in rural America everybody! Today was one of those days where I was happy to be unemployed because if I was working, I wouldn’t have been able to see Governor Andrew Cuomo’s State of the State Address and the 112th Congress being sworn in today. First off- I thought that the State of the State Address was WONDERFUL. I applaud Governor Cuomo for giving the public a chance to attend because to tell you the truth- I feel that the reason people feel apathetic about politics is because they rarely get a chance to participate in the process. Mark my words- I believe Cuomo is going to be a Governor for the People. Last September, I was fortunate to meet his Lieutenant Governor, Bob Duffy, while I was campaigning. I was awestruck by his down to earth personality and how passionate he is about revitalizing the economy of Upstate New York. I honestly feel that New York finally has the leadership it deserves and is going to rise once more. I enjoyed Cuomo’s humor as well- it was the first time I can remember laughing during a State of the State address!  Also- the 112th Congress was sworn in today! I had to pull out the campaign t-shirt- we all worked so hard to see this day happen.  Tomorrow is my first day of volunteering at the office. I’m so excited to “work” again, you all have no idea! It’s another reason why I decided to be lazy with my style today because tomorrow I get to pull out the suit!  I will leave you all with this: It was my 2nd day on the campaign trail and my dad was giving me a pep talk. He told me how proud he was because he would give anything to be in my shoes. When I told him that I’d be working seven days a week, unlike everyone else, he didn’t sound shocked. Instead he said: “When you do what you love, hours mean nothing.” Tomorrow will be the first day since November 2nd where the hours will mean nothing. 

No Jeans for January: Day Five

$5 to the ASPCA, $26 more to go.

What I Wore On The Day That The 112th Congress Was Sworn In:

-t-shirt from the campaign

-sweatpants from Oneonta.

As you can see, I was feeling mighty fancy today! …and mayyyybe a little sick of studying for the LSAT ;D

It was another great day in rural America everybody! Today was one of those days where I was happy to be unemployed because if I was working, I wouldn’t have been able to see Governor Andrew Cuomo’s State of the State Address and the 112th Congress being sworn in today. First off- I thought that the State of the State Address was WONDERFUL. I applaud Governor Cuomo for giving the public a chance to attend because to tell you the truth- I feel that the reason people feel apathetic about politics is because they rarely get a chance to participate in the process. Mark my words- I believe Cuomo is going to be a Governor for the People. Last September, I was fortunate to meet his Lieutenant Governor, Bob Duffy, while I was campaigning. I was awestruck by his down to earth personality and how passionate he is about revitalizing the economy of Upstate New York. I honestly feel that New York finally has the leadership it deserves and is going to rise once more. I enjoyed Cuomo’s humor as well- it was the first time I can remember laughing during a State of the State address! 

Also- the 112th Congress was sworn in today! I had to pull out the campaign t-shirt- we all worked so hard to see this day happen. 

Tomorrow is my first day of volunteering at the office. I’m so excited to “work” again, you all have no idea! It’s another reason why I decided to be lazy with my style today because tomorrow I get to pull out the suit! 

I will leave you all with this: It was my 2nd day on the campaign trail and my dad was giving me a pep talk. He told me how proud he was because he would give anything to be in my shoes. When I told him that I’d be working seven days a week, unlike everyone else, he didn’t sound shocked. Instead he said:

“When you do what you love, hours mean nothing.”

Tomorrow will be the first day since November 2nd where the hours will mean nothing. 

No Jeans for January: Day Four $4 to the ASPCA, $27 more to go.  What I Wore On This Awesome, Sunny, Winter Day:  Grey flower-patterned dress by Sounds and Matter Grey drape-y cardigan by New York and Company Tights by American Eagle Booties by Arizona Belt by Gap …and my puppies Zoey and Sassy. Both of them weren’t feeling photogenic today. Later I will be introducing Diesel and Delilah to y’all. Boy, I’m watching too much Paula Deen. It was a great day in rural America everyone! I not only went to the post office but I also went to the gas station! As pathetic as it sounds, I really mean that. I don’t care where I’m going, if I’m able to get out of the house even if it’s to perform some chores- I’ll gladly do it if it means I get to drive in my car and sing to the radio on the top of my lungs. Where else but in North Branch, NY will a gas station cashier compliment me because I drive a Toyota? I didn’t hear that in Albany or DC when I lived there! Maybe the cliche is right…when life gives you lemon, you just have to make lemonade.  I’m getting pretty excited. Some awesome jobs are popping up in the Albany area (finally, finally, finally) and I don’t know. I have an awesome feeling about this month. I’m going to cross my fingers! My little brother Ethan is running his fingers through my hair and is going “nice hair! hair dry!” Oh three year olds. End of tangent.  I signed up for the New York Warrior Dash in Windham, NY on August 13th. I am pumped! It’s going to be my first time competing in a race…but it isn’t just any race. The course is 3.2 miles and I will have to: -step through hundreds of tires -conquer a wooden barricade -burrow through black tunnels -forge my way through an uncharted forest -venture through murky swamp water -traverse a gully on wooden planks -cross a narrow, wooden bridge -dash down the river -maneuver over cargo nets -scale a slate wall -slide down a mud slope -jump over fire and finally -scramble under barbed wire. Bring it on.

No Jeans for January: Day Four

$4 to the ASPCA, $27 more to go. 

What I Wore On This Awesome, Sunny, Winter Day: 

Grey flower-patterned dress by Sounds and Matter

Grey drape-y cardigan by New York and Company

Tights by American Eagle

Booties by Arizona

Belt by Gap

…and my puppies Zoey and Sassy. Both of them weren’t feeling photogenic today. Later I will be introducing Diesel and Delilah to y’all.

Boy, I’m watching too much Paula Deen.

It was a great day in rural America everyone! I not only went to the post office but I also went to the gas station!

As pathetic as it sounds, I really mean that. I don’t care where I’m going, if I’m able to get out of the house even if it’s to perform some chores- I’ll gladly do it if it means I get to drive in my car and sing to the radio on the top of my lungs. Where else but in North Branch, NY will a gas station cashier compliment me because I drive a Toyota? I didn’t hear that in Albany or DC when I lived there! Maybe the cliche is right…when life gives you lemon, you just have to make lemonade. 

I’m getting pretty excited. Some awesome jobs are popping up in the Albany area (finally, finally, finally) and I don’t know. I have an awesome feeling about this month. I’m going to cross my fingers!

My little brother Ethan is running his fingers through my hair and is going “nice hair! hair dry!” Oh three year olds. End of tangent. 

I signed up for the New York Warrior Dash in Windham, NY on August 13th. I am pumped! It’s going to be my first time competing in a race…but it isn’t just any race. The course is 3.2 miles and I will have to:

-step through hundreds of tires

-conquer a wooden barricade

-burrow through black tunnels

-forge my way through an uncharted forest

-venture through murky swamp water

-traverse a gully on wooden planks

-cross a narrow, wooden bridge

-dash down the river

-maneuver over cargo nets

-scale a slate wall

-slide down a mud slope

-jump over fire

and finally

-scramble under barbed wire.

Bring it on.

No Jeans for January Challenge: Day Three

No Jeans for January: Day Three

$3 to the ASPCA, $28 more to go.

What I Wore Today:

My favorite blue sweater from Gap. It’s my favorite thing to wear. I bought it on the sale rack during my freshman year when I was home for fall break. The funny thing about it is that it’s an extra small. I don’t know whether or not it was measured wrong or not- it fits perfectly and still is a little baggy even though I wear a 34D. (Stay tuned: one day I will post about how to shop when you’re a D cup because it’s not easy.)

My Oneonta sweatpants. I love these things. I got them for being a Student Association Senator last year which means that they were free! I think that’s the reason why they’re extra comfy. 

As you may notice…there isn’t a picture today. There’s a very good reason for that- my stepdad thought we had oil in the tank but as we all found out this morning…we don’t. From now until hopefully tomorrow, we don’t have any heat or hot water so I couldn’t take a shower today. I wanted to spare everyone from that sight. Also, living without oil is pretty cool- I’m viewing it as going camping in your own house. The fireplace has been running all day and there’s nothing as satisfying to your ears than to the roaring sound of a fire.

Today was a good day, despite the whole not having heat and hot water deal! I finished my fellowship application and I scored an awesome volunteer opportunity at an office that’s in my career field! We will be finalizing my schedule tomorrow. I’m very excited about this. Even though I’m not getting paid for it- I don’t care- I will be doing work and helping people and that’s all that matters! I can’t wait to meet everyone. 

I’m just really thankful for everyone who has been cheering me on. You all do not realize how much it means to me. I really hope that I will be there for you like you’ve been there for me as I sort and figure things out. 

We can rebuild this.

I will leave you tonight with a really awesome quote I found:

If you have a place to go at the end of the day, THAT IS HOME.

If you have people to love, THAT IS FAMILY.

If you have someone whom you can be yourself and accepts and cares for you  in every circumstance, THAT IS A FRIEND.

When you have all of them, THAT IS A BLESSING.

So who says that life is that bad? You just don’t realize it yet but everyone of us is really blessed and rather than being thankful for what we already have, we think of having things that we want rather than what we need. :)

alwaysonthebrightside

No Jeans for January: Day Two $2 to the ASPCA, $29 more to go.  I’m wearing… A light blue oxford by New York and Company A black pea coat by H&M Grey dress trousers by New York and Company Flats from Journey’s.  Today was eventful- I went to Peck’s, the supermarket that is 10 minutes away from my house. SCORE! As ashamed as I am to admit it, I don’t get out much these days since my contract ended. Which is weird because in the past, I was always someone who had a laundry list of places to go and people to see. Now that I don’t have a job, I don’t have places to go, especially in this rural county. Now that my friends have moved away, I don’t have many people to see. During the last two months, I was really hard on myself because around this time last year, I was getting ready to move to Albany and I was a college grad for only barely even three weeks. I felt as if I took the biggest step backward as soon as I landed back in Sullivan County. Now- I don’t want my life to be like that anymore. I’ve set the dates. I want to be out of here by February 1st. If not February 1st, the latest I will accept is March 1st. I want my life back. I see that I’m at a brick wall right now and I’m determined more than ever to make my dreams come true. I’ve already executed a plan and it starts tomorrow. The theme of the plan is: Let’s make Sullivan County something more. This isn’t such a horrible place as I make it out to be. This was an awesome place to grow up! I look forward to coming home in the summertime because it’s so beautiful here. Whenever I go into my dad’s restaurant, there’s always some customer who tells me that they remember me when I was little. Yeah- my friends are gone. Well, guess what. Last year, when I moved to Albany, they felt the same exact way too because I moved somewhere new and they were here. Now, I get to feel what they felt. It wasn’t an easy time for them, but they made it through, found other opportunities, and moved away. It just takes time.  Tomorrow- I’m going to see if I can set up a fundraiser for the ASPCA for the weekend of the 14th. I’m pretty pumped about that. I’m also going to call a few places that I know of and ask if I can be a volunteer for a couple days a week. When I formulated the plan, I realized that I should have done this a long time ago. Better late than never! I’m out to make 2011 one of the best years of my life.  Let’s do it!

No Jeans for January: Day Two

$2 to the ASPCA, $29 more to go. 

I’m wearing…

A light blue oxford by New York and Company

A black pea coat by H&M

Grey dress trousers by New York and Company

Flats from Journey’s. 

Today was eventful- I went to Peck’s, the supermarket that is 10 minutes away from my house. SCORE! As ashamed as I am to admit it, I don’t get out much these days since my contract ended. Which is weird because in the past, I was always someone who had a laundry list of places to go and people to see. Now that I don’t have a job, I don’t have places to go, especially in this rural county. Now that my friends have moved away, I don’t have many people to see. During the last two months, I was really hard on myself because around this time last year, I was getting ready to move to Albany and I was a college grad for only barely even three weeks. I felt as if I took the biggest step backward as soon as I landed back in Sullivan County.

Now- I don’t want my life to be like that anymore. I’ve set the dates. I want to be out of here by February 1st. If not February 1st, the latest I will accept is March 1st. I want my life back. I see that I’m at a brick wall right now and I’m determined more than ever to make my dreams come true.

I’ve already executed a plan and it starts tomorrow.

The theme of the plan is: Let’s make Sullivan County something more. This isn’t such a horrible place as I make it out to be. This was an awesome place to grow up! I look forward to coming home in the summertime because it’s so beautiful here. Whenever I go into my dad’s restaurant, there’s always some customer who tells me that they remember me when I was little. Yeah- my friends are gone. Well, guess what. Last year, when I moved to Albany, they felt the same exact way too because I moved somewhere new and they were here. Now, I get to feel what they felt. It wasn’t an easy time for them, but they made it through, found other opportunities, and moved away. It just takes time. 

Tomorrow- I’m going to see if I can set up a fundraiser for the ASPCA for the weekend of the 14th. I’m pretty pumped about that. I’m also going to call a few places that I know of and ask if I can be a volunteer for a couple days a week. When I formulated the plan, I realized that I should have done this a long time ago. Better late than never!

I’m out to make 2011 one of the best years of my life. 

Let’s do it!

No Jeans for January Challenge: Day One $1 to the ASPCA, $30 more to go I’m wearing… A dress by Charlotte Russe A belt by H&M Tights by Hue  and of course, a flower in my hair. Day One is really fun so far. I’m excited to see what the rest of the outfits are going to look like. I’m also really glad this is going to a good cause too.  This is also worth mentioning- a good pair of tights is a wonderful investment, but you have to shop around to find out which brand has the best quality. I’ve had these tights from Macy’s for a YEAR now and they still are in perfect condition. They cost $12.50. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same about the multiple pairs of tights I bought from American Eagle for the same price. I bought these white, cable knit tights from there. I am 5’3 and 130 pounds, so I bought my usual medium. I was so excited to wear them because I bought them right after the campaign was over. Then I found out that they were too short and kept sagging. It was the first time in my life I could ever say that I bought something and it turned out to be too short! I also bought these houndstooth tights and after wearing them MAYBE 10 times, they’ve already started to get a hole at the toe seam. As for the pointelle tights, don’t waste your money. They’re good for a few wears and then after that- the holes will start to form. If you’re going to buy these- you might as well hand wash them. I was disappointed because I love American Eagle because they have the best jeans for my body. I guess that doesn’t carry on for their tight collection.

No Jeans for January Challenge: Day One

$1 to the ASPCA, $30 more to go

I’m wearing…

A dress by Charlotte Russe

A belt by H&M

Tights by Hue 

and of course, a flower in my hair.

Day One is really fun so far. I’m excited to see what the rest of the outfits are going to look like. I’m also really glad this is going to a good cause too. 

This is also worth mentioning- a good pair of tights is a wonderful investment, but you have to shop around to find out which brand has the best quality. I’ve had these tights from Macy’s for a YEAR now and they still are in perfect condition. They cost $12.50. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same about the multiple pairs of tights I bought from American Eagle for the same price. I bought these white, cable knit tights from there. I am 5’3 and 130 pounds, so I bought my usual medium. I was so excited to wear them because I bought them right after the campaign was over. Then I found out that they were too short and kept sagging. It was the first time in my life I could ever say that I bought something and it turned out to be too short! I also bought these houndstooth tights and after wearing them MAYBE 10 times, they’ve already started to get a hole at the toe seam. As for the pointelle tights, don’t waste your money. They’re good for a few wears and then after that- the holes will start to form. If you’re going to buy these- you might as well hand wash them. I was disappointed because I love American Eagle because they have the best jeans for my body. I guess that doesn’t carry on for their tight collection.

The No Jeans for January Challenge! Join Me In Raising Money For The ASPCA!

That’s right boys and girls. For the whole month of January, I will not put on a pair of jeans. 

Why am I doing this?

Well, for one, I really miss dressing up. Now that I’m unemployed and back home, I don’t get to dress up like I used to. I’m sick and tired of moping around in my pajamas. It’s really funny- I don’t know why, but putting on a pair of tights and wearing a dress really puts a smile on my face. So I’m going to do what makes me smile. 

It’s more than just not wearing jeans- There’s another reason why I’m choosing to do this in January. It’s not because of the alliteration, it’s because it’s really cold in NY! Choosing not to wear jeans is going to be a challenge! Jeans are a wardrobe staple- I’m going to be limited as to what I can wear, and that includes footwear. I’m also not doing this for my own vanity to say “OMG, LOOK ATZ ME, I DIDN’T WEAR JEANZ 4  A MONTH LOOK HOW AWWEEESOME I AM. I HOPE I GET A LOT OF REBLOGS!”

For every day that I don’t wear a pair of jeans, I’m going to donate a dollar to the ASPCA. That is $31. I’ll probably end up donating $35 because according to the website, $35 will vaccinate 10 homeless cats and dogs. That’s pretty cool, but I think it would be even better if lovely people like you could join me! If I can get 10 other people to join me in on this, we could vaccinate over 100 animals! 

Alright- we have to put some rules in place here:

1. I won’t wear jeans. At all. I can wear tights, leggings, skirts, dresses, and trousers. Jeggings don’t count- they look too much like jeans. Also, jean shorts are forbidden as well, along with jean jackets. You can rest easy though folks- I don’t own a pair of jeggings or a jean jacket and wearing jean shorts and tights together look really awkward on me. Basically- you just can’t wear denim. It’s that simple. 

2. To prove that I’m not wearing jeans, I will take pictures of my outfit for the day and I will also be on the honor system. 

3. To prove I donated money to the ASPCA, on January 31st, I will furnish proof that I did end up giving $35. 

4. If I slip up, not only will the ASPCA not receive a dollar for that day, I will make sure my tumblr, twitter, and facebook statuses say: FAIL FAIL FAIL ALEX SARAH MCLACHLAN WILL HAUNT YOU FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE FAIL. You may know that Sarah McLachlan is a spokesperson for the ASPCA and her song Angel plays in the background of the ASPCA commercials. This gives me extra incentive because I love Sarah McLachlan and I want to make sure I stay in her good graces.

Now I understand that this challenge may seem like it’s reserved for the ladies. So I’m going to up the ante. If a guy decides to join the challenge, I will double my donation to the ASPCA and donate $70 which will provide a medical exam for both a puppy and a kitten and feed an abandoned dog or cat for three weeks! Guys- you are allowed to wear khakis and trousers…maybe even a kilt! As long as it doesn’t have denim- it’s good with me. 

So let’s ring in 2011 by making a difference!

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