Hi... me again! I am needy these days, aren't I? It's my hungry, hungry closet that I don't want to fill with bummers.

Yesterday I went to JCPenney to try on dresses. That was a hot tip from the always fabulously gorgeous Teri in Texas, and since she strikes me as sort of an IT type with her lovely broad shoulders and wonderful long legs I thought I might get lucky too. I was shocked to find TWO dresses that fit and seemed cute, so I brought them both home to try out with you.

Disclaimer: you might want to set a pair of sunglasses handily near the computer screen. These dresses are bright! Neon bright! Which I normally don't do at all. But I recently got a wrap shrug for free at H&M which is neon bright, so I dug that out of my "limbo" bag. (Yes, in my closet I keep a brown paper limbo bag where discards, thrift store mistakes, etc. reside until I decide their ultimate fate... The shrug was one of those BOGO deals and since my daughter was already up at the register buying her sweater, I spur-of-the-moment grabbed this neon poppy red which I was subsequently afraid I would never be able to style.) The little teal short sleeved cardigan was bought specifically to go with these dresses. All but the shrug can be returned; and the shrug can go to one of my daughters friends if I don't figure out how to wear it properly!

So, the pros: I like how these fit. They are easy to wear from an underpinnings perspective. They are hand washable and never need ironing. They go with shoes and accessories I already have. They have helped rescue an item that might have otherwise had to be discarded. They are inexpensive: $25 & $35 for the two Nicole Miller dresses; $39 for the Juicy cardigan.

Cons: Too bright? Too fitted? Too 'young'? Too similar? Too much like something for the office or church? [Since I go to neither...LOL!] Too discount-brand-looking? Too polyester?

Please, be brutal. I can take it. Bear in mind: I put these on this a.m. after cooking another big breakfast for the 3rd graders who are taking tests this week, so minimal makeup and hair going on here. I'm thinking I'll definitely need a brighter lipstick than the soft red and light terracotta which are my only two at the moment.

The first 4 pictures below show both dresses with and without their cardigan partners; the 5th picture is how I might wear the first dress for Easter with the in-laws.

Shoes: ilver ankh sandals by Sofft; black satin platform heels by Madeline; nude patent platform heels by Guess.

PS -- I didnt' get a chance to read Angie's post on body acceptance yet but I plan to very soon. Let me just say I know my stomach and upper arms are not what they once were. I was pretty lean and mean back in the day and no bikini was too small for that body... I enjoy being outdoors, but I do not do specific targeted "exercise". I regularly walk, hike, garden, bike, and even run with the track kids, but I pretty much eat & drink what I want within reason too. What I hate is feeling like just because I now have a differently proportioned body in middle age it is time for the proverbial burka. But I would love to hear your opinions on this... Please... I encourage it. Do these looks strike you as bold and self-confident, or kind of half-baked and sloppy for me?

Thanks in advance! L