OOTD: En Plein Air Dress

 I am really crankin' em out this week. I just finished singing my 3rd audition of the week. It's a little crazy, but I figure it's best to cast a wide net this season! The En Plein Air Dress is GREAT for singing! It's not too tight so I can take a big breath and it's striking enough to be remembered. Having two auditions in one evening isn't something I do on a regular basis and for good reason. It's a little much. However, it was actually not as bad as I thought it was going to be. After being a nervous wreck at my audition last night for Very Important Conductor, everything else seemed like not such a big deal. I was able to be somewhat relaxed and give a solid B+ Audition. Here's hoping for A- next week!

I hope everyone is getting ready to enjoy a great weekend! Thanks so much for tuning into the Dereck and Kay Show last week when we had Roxy and Kim on! If you missed the show, click the link at the bottom of my blog and listen in! The first 30 minutes of the show are a bit of a disaster, but the rest is good! We are on again this Sunday, not talking Anthro (unless you want to!!), but we'll be having a good time!

Auditions or A Week of Wigging Out over 10 minutes of your life

Part of the difficulty of being a singer is doing auditions. At most an audition will probably last you 10 minutes, but that doesn't stop you from FREAKING OUT over preparations. Tonight, I sang the first of three auditions. Audition Marathon...er...5K.

Having your body as your instrument can cause you a lot of unavoidable frustrations: allergies, colds, menstruation (believe it or not, this time of the month ACTUALLY causes vocal swelling. SO UNFAIR.), fatigue...you cannot get away from how you're feeling at any time. It's been raining in Boston for days and my sinuses have been so swollen because I'm sensitive to pressure changes.

BUT...I can't take decongestants because they are too dehydrating to sing on. So, I have to resort to multiple steams with a drop of eucalyptus oil and a neti pot. It helps, but it's not a quick fix. Plus, breathing into a steam machine and using a neti pot seem so hocus pocus to me. If you've never seen a neti pot in action, watch this video.

Then on top of that mayhem, I still have to work my day job in the morning, mid afternoon and then get it up to sing like an angel in front of three strangers who are scribbling notes about you on a sheet of paper while you expose your soul to them in a Bach Aria. Ah, well, here's what I was wearing anyway:

Anthropologie: Deuxhill Cowlneck, In The Trees Skirt, Checkered Belt, Bare Traps Pumps

I have been a wreck all week stressing about this audition. I sang well and felt like I am improving getting control of my nerves and controlling the inner critic. But it's tough. Luckily, I was near an Anthropologie and I visited it for the first time in a few months :)

Boy, were the Anthro Gods with me today. The piece I have been WAITING to go on sale, was there. Now, the Boston Anthropologie is moving from Boylston Street to Newbury Street and they are offering an additional 25% off their sale merchandise because of it. You know what was on sale because it was the last one AND it was my size!?

Verdant Slipdress! I have been stalking this little beauty for months and to score it for less than half price was amazing! Thank you, Anthro!

Two auditions tomorrow night...and the beat goes on...

Dressing for Auditions: OOTD

As a professional singer, dressing for auditions and performances is a major part of my life and consumes a great deal of my consideration. There have been numerous articles written on the subject in publications such as Classical Singer Magazine and on message boards. High hems, low hems, show cleavage, don't show cleavage...blah, blah, blah...

I think I may be breaking the mold by wearing a quirky print AND wearing yellow. Whenever I am waiting in the audition hall amongst my colleagues, I see a ton of black and jewel tones and I figure I will stand out in something a little more interesting like a dress from Anthro. So, here's what I wore yesterday:

 

Dress: Anthropologie Marine Mural Dress (2010), Cardigan: JCrew Jackie Cardigan (2010), Shoes: Anthropologie Seychelles Glad Rags T-Straps (2010)

You never know what's going to happen when you walk into the room and sing for people. This time, they actually took my photograph before I began, which was kind of fun. Not that I enjoy having my photograph taken that much, but it was kind of fun. I actually really adore this dress and I try not to wear it too much. This is actually only the second time I've had it on and I love it! It's so comfy and it's got a GREAT pattern.

Truth be told, I don't know if I can wear these shoes anymore. I really, really love them. But, I had badly fractured my ankle 4 years ago and I had to have emergency surgery on it. I still have 4 screws in my ankle and after I wear super high heels, I have pain the next day like nobody's business. I may have to have them removed if I want to sport my Seychelles :( I have the most amazing scar there and it's always a really fun story to tell how I fell from my horse and all...but this is really starting to become a pain. Literally.

Anyone else headed to Anthro to take advantage of the sale today!? I might have to cave on the Heroine's Homecoming Top...

A Tough Couple of Days and OOTD

Happy Saturday, Ladies! I hope everyone is taking it easy today. Thank you so much for your thoughts on my audition outfit choices! It helped a lot!

Well, I have some weird news for you guys. So, after my post on Thursday morning, I was on my way to work and whilst I was in unfortunately involved in an auto accident! There was a State Trooper (quite luckily) on the scene and I didn't even have to deal with the other driver (who was cited). I wasn't hurt really, but my back and neck are a little sore from suddenly tensing up and probably from the impact (my car was struck on the rear side and it spun around, scary!!!). It's the first time that I've been in an accident and I was super shaken up. For some reason, I had the brilliant idea to keep on going to work (I was almost there anyway) and I didn't really have time to emotionally react. I spent 6 hours at work just, yanno...working and then my poor back started to hurt. I'm feeling better today.

I still had to audition for Super Amazing Conductor™ yesterday afternoon. It was kind of hard for me to keep focused since I was super traumatized by...oh, I dunno...being in a freaking car crash! But, I woke up yesterday and sounded decent, so I was ready to go and YES, I did wear the gray Dreamy Drape dress with the Foxy Tights! They looked so good together and that dress is just so soft, it almost makes you feel like you have nothing on, which is cool and creepy at the same time. I was feeling so good!!!! It was kind of rainy and windy but it was HOT! I got to the venue on time and I was ready to go and here's what they had asked me to prepare:

• 2 Arias from the BAROQUE repertoire, at least one of which is in English
• sight reading

Sweet! I was ready! When I singing my first aria, I suddenly became super nervous, but it manifested itself in my left leg shaking out of control! How embarrassing!  Regardless, I thought I sang well. My second aria wasn't as good, but it was decent. At that point, I was given some advice and was told; "Thank you." NO SIGHT-READING. Even though, I could see some stuff on a music stand right to my left.

I made the assumption that this meant, it wasn't even worth their time to see how well I sightread and I proceeded to have a full-on, emotional, opera-diva breakdown. I kept my composure until I was outside the building and then I let loose! I cried in front of the building, I cried on the train on the way home, I cried in the street and I cried back at my apartment! I think I had a delayed reaction from the car accident or maybe I had some pent-up frustration, but let me tell you ladies, I was inconsolable for about 3 hours.

After I got back to reality, I saw more clearly. As a musician or any performing artist, you never know WHAT to takeaway from an audition, until you get the results about the gig. The ones you think you rocked, you don't get the gig and they never want to hear you again and the ones you feel like were kind of sucky, you get the gig. You cannot predict whether or not you get hired from what you experience at the audition because it's a weird situation. I definitely over-reacted. I will patiently wait for either a "Thank you, but no" letter or a contract. Either way, it's not the end of the world. This was my first full on Diva Breakdown™. I think I'm fully inducted into my field now...wearing Anthro and all.

Anyway, I needed to be with my best friends last night, so I went to my good friend's performance and afterward, we went to dinner and cocktails! I of course was wearing Anthro! Here's what a post-breakdown, post-car crash, Anthropologie addict looks like at midnight!

Anthro: Dagmar Shirtdress, Anthro: High Prairie Belt (The Black colorway has quietly disappeared from the wesbite?), Nine West Boots (old)

Boo, there's some smooge on the camera lens. I LOVE the Dagmar Shirtdress! It's so flattering and the pattern is so bold and feminine at the same time. It was fine for this cool autumn evening and I got lots of compliments on it! I hope to get some Anthro therapy today and I'll be back with some reviews! I hope you all are having a great and safe weekend!!!

Help me choose an outfit, please!

Hi Ladies! I have a big, big, big audition tomorrow afternoon and as well as sounding totally hot, I need to look cute too so that I "make an impression". Here are some ideas I had for outfits with things I already had. Which one do you like the best? It's going to be rainy and cruddy tomorrow, but I guess I don't care.

 

 

 

I'm leaning towards the Dreamy Drape outfit. The dress is so elegant, but the Foxy Tights would be a fun touch! What do you guys think?! I'm so stressed!!!

OOTD and some Reviews!

Good Evening, Ladies! It's Monday evening and you know what that means! Possible sale day tomorrow! I didn't grab any sale items last week, (no new ones anyway. I did happen to score a Red Delicious Blouse!) but I'm hoping/not hoping (my wallet!) that something from my wishlist hits the sale rack tomorrow.

Anyway...I had an audition this evening and I decided that my brand new Southward Stop dress should come out for it!! I prepared two lovely English Art songs (Vaughan-Williams and Purcell), so the dress was totally the right spirit. I didn't sing as well as I thought I could have, but we'll see what happens when the concert is cast. I could really use the money and who doesn't want to do a concert?!

Anthro: Southward Stop Dress, $128 Maeve (not online yet)
Anthro: Checkerboard Belt $38 (Buy Here)
JCrew: Jackie Cardi in yellow
Payless Peeptoe flats

So, I have some quickie reviews for you.

Dreamy Drape Dress aka Speckled Ink Dress: $158 Tracy Reese in xs petite
Ok...honestly, I am in love with this dress and this is my second time trying it on. I think I like it so much because it drapes so nice and would work so well as a casual concert dress. The dress fits TTS for me, and the xs petite is JUST PERFECT. I really need this dress in my life. It seems a bit pricey for jersey, but it's NICE. Wishlisted!

Claude's Retreat Tank $78 (currently out of stock online), xs
OK, this top is awesome! It reminds me of the Hidden Hummingbird Tank. It fits TTS and is just really gorgeous. It may even fit BETTER than the Hidden Hummingbird Tank does. It's just beautiful and if it goes on sale, it's MINE.

Well, that's all I've got for you tonight!