tie dye graphic tee, plaid mini skirt, schoolgirl outfit, Library Lovers, Shelbee on the Edge

Library Lovers & Your Own Twist Link Up #41

tie dye graphic tee, plaid mini skirt, schoolgirl outfit, Library Lovers, Shelbee on the Edge
tie dye graphic tee, plaid mini skirt, schoolgirl outfit, Library Lovers, Shelbee on the Edge
tie dye graphic tee, plaid mini skirt, schoolgirl outfit, Library Lovers, Shelbee on the Edge
tie dye graphic tee, plaid mini skirt, schoolgirl outfit, Library Lovers, Shelbee on the Edge
tie dye graphic tee, plaid mini skirt, schoolgirl outfit, Library Lovers, Shelbee on the Edge
tie dye graphic tee, plaid mini skirt, schoolgirl outfit, Library Lovers, Shelbee on the Edge
tie dye graphic tee, plaid mini skirt, schoolgirl outfit, Library Lovers, Shelbee on the Edge

February is most commonly known for being the month to celebrate love. Love in all of its forms. So it should come as no surprise that Library Lovers also want to celebrate their great affections for all things bookish during this amorous time of year. Book lovers everywhere can celebrate their literary and library love every year on February 14 or throughout the entire month or year. I mean, my love for books, just as my love for people, isn’t limited to just one day or one month a year.

Library Lovers’ Day is an international holiday that began in Australia in 2006 when it was first announced by the State Library of New South Wales. It officially became designated as a holiday in 2007 when the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) joined the campaign to promote their passion for books. Although the initial aim of Library Lovers’ Day was to raise awareness around all the different services offered by public libraries, it soon became a holiday that is widely celebrated by those who may find themselves dateless on Valentine’s Day.

Personally, I would much rather spend February 14 curled up with a fascinating book. I am not a big fan of cramming myself into a crowded restaurant to be served less than mediocre food that I can make better at home for a fraction of the cost. Speaking of that, have you noticed how high dining costs have gotten? When did a basic cheeseburger from a run of the mill pub style restaurant go from $8 to $18? I don’t want to spend $18 on an okay cheeseburger that is probably made from less than okay ingredients that will likely pass right through my body before any nutrients are even absorbed. That’s a waste of $18, in my opinion. But I will spend $18 on a well written story that will hold my interest for months. And then I will pass it on the next interested reader. Money much better spent.

tie dye graphic tee, plaid mini skirt, schoolgirl outfit, Library Lovers, Shelbee on the Edge
tie dye graphic tee, plaid mini skirt, schoolgirl outfit, Library Lovers, Shelbee on the Edge
tie dye graphic tee, plaid mini skirt, schoolgirl outfit, Library Lovers, Shelbee on the Edge
tie dye graphic tee, plaid mini skirt, schoolgirl outfit, Library Lovers, Shelbee on the Edge
tie dye graphic tee, plaid mini skirt, schoolgirl outfit, Library Lovers, Shelbee on the Edge

Even though I have a forever date for Valentine’s Day, I think Library Lovers’ Day is much more jam. And so it makes the perfect theme for February’s Your Own Twist.

Monica is taking this month off as she is in the process of moving…with a 4 month old baby. I remember moving from Pennsylvania to New York when my kids were 26 months and 3 months old. It’s not the easiest process, that’s for sure!

About Your Own Twist

Your Own Twist is a monthly link party hosted by Monica of Jersey Girl, Texan Heart and me on the third Thursday of every month with the goal of inspiring some of our friends to get creative with personal style.

The idea behind this collaboration is to take one common piece or theme and style it our own way with our own twist…Monica and I have both taken a lot of fashion inspiration from one another over the past few years even though we have totally different styles. It is always fun to see how we can interpret similar items in unique ways or what kind of twist we will each bring to the chosen theme.

We will let you know the themes well in advance in the event that you would like to use the theme for your own post and add it to the link party. However, any fashion posts are welcome regardless of whether you used the theme or not. Check out the graphic below which has some of our upcoming style prompts.

When it came to styling my outfit of Library Lovers’ Day, I was astonished to discover that I really don’t own very much that is library or book themed. It is shocking because I have been a bibliophile since before I knew what that word meant, probably since I first learned to read any words at all.

The only library-esque idea I could muster up was another plaid mini skirt and blazer outfit because the combination does offer those sassy academic vibes that I do so adore. Then I remembered my Edgar Allan Poe tee with the quote, “There is no beauty without some strangeness.” Actually, the accurate Poe quote reads, “There is no exquisite beauty… without some strangeness in the proportion.” I remember enjoying the darkness of Poe when I first read him in high school. I don’t think I have too much interest in his works now.

tie dye graphic tee, plaid mini skirt, schoolgirl outfit, Library Lovers, Shelbee on the Edge
tie dye graphic tee, plaid mini skirt, schoolgirl outfit, Library Lovers, Shelbee on the Edge
tie dye graphic tee, plaid mini skirt, schoolgirl outfit, Library Lovers, Shelbee on the Edge
tie dye graphic tee, plaid mini skirt, schoolgirl outfit, Library Lovers, Shelbee on the Edge
tie dye graphic tee, plaid mini skirt, schoolgirl outfit, Library Lovers, Shelbee on the Edge

Back to the academic aspect of this outfit…I added my smarty owl pin to my pocket again like I did when the Magnificent 8 shared creative brooch ideas and I found my high school National Honor Society lapel pin buried in the back of my jewelry armoire. How fun is that…my “nerd” pin that is well over 30 years old!

tie dye graphic tee, plaid mini skirt, schoolgirl outfit, Library Lovers, Shelbee on the Edge
tie dye graphic tee, plaid mini skirt, schoolgirl outfit, Library Lovers, Shelbee on the Edge

The rest of the outfit is a combination of purples and browns to stay within the same palette as my plaid skirt and tie dye tee. This corduroy blazer is decades old but I love the fun printed lining, the wooden buttons, the contrasting stitches, and the neutral color so it has stuck around in my closet for a quite a long time. My brown burnout velvet neckerchief is also decades old. I purchased it at Talbots when I was a store manager a few years after I graduated from college and I graduated 26 years ago. I have this same neckerchief in 3 other colors as well. And I have kept all of them!

tie dye graphic tee, plaid mini skirt, schoolgirl outfit, Library Lovers, Shelbee on the Edge
tie dye graphic tee, plaid mini skirt, schoolgirl outfit, Library Lovers, Shelbee on the Edge
tie dye graphic tee, plaid mini skirt, schoolgirl outfit, Library Lovers, Shelbee on the Edge
tie dye graphic tee, plaid mini skirt, schoolgirl outfit, Library Lovers, Shelbee on the Edge

Before I sign off, I do also want to mention that not only is February host to Valentine’s Day and Library Lovers’ Day, but it is also host to Black History Month. I don’t know if you noticed the book I am holding in these photos. It is the book that I am currently reading and it is very appropriate reading for February. The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson is an award winning masterwork that chronicles one of the greatest untold stories in American history. In sharing the stories of three people of color who took part in the decades long migration of black citizens who fled the South in search of a better life in the northern and western cities of the United States, Ms. Wilkerson shines a beautiful light of truth on the black experience in America.

I think this book should be required reading for all adult American citizens. It really is powerful and eye opening in a way that I can’t even really explain. If you are looking for something meaningful to add to your reading list, I highly recommend this book.

Kathrine Eldridge Wardrobe Stylist

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

What are you celebrating this month? What is on your reading list?

Keeping it on the edge,

Shelbee

Joining these Fabulous Link Parties.

Outfit Details: Tee Shirt and Belt-Torrid / Blazer-Gap / Skirt-Thrifted / Hat-Inherited from my grandmother / Scarf-Talbots / Boots-Shoe Dazzle / Gloves-Amazon / Tights, Socks, Earrings, and Brooches-Old

I am a midlife woman, wife, and stay-at-home mother of 2 boys and 2 cats. I have a passion for helping other women feel fabulous in the midst of this crazy, beautiful life.

55 Comments

  • Lisa notes

    Ah, a night by the fireplace with a stack of library books is my idea of love! 🙂 Isabel Wilkerson’s book is a powerful one. (And long, if I’m remembering correctly!). lol. So thankful we have more books available now to read about Black history. Keep ’em coming.

  • Michelle

    I love this outfit! But I couldn’t help thinking how cold your butt had to be on that frozen wall. LOL! The Edgar Allen Poe tee is fab! I spent a lot of time reading Poe in high school and college. I will try to make the March Twist. I’ve decided to put my fashionista efforts into the challenges with a random fashion post as I feel like it. I’ve also started art journaling to keep track – along with my other projects.

    Michelle
    https://mybijoulifeonline.com

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      Thanks, Michelle! I love these ideas! Posting at random as your muse moves you is the best way to get the best content, I think. I hate when I have to force myself to write a post. Without feeling inspired, the struggle is too much. I want my creativity to flow however it needs to these days and when it’s forced the result is crap. We have much to discuss next weekend! I am looking forward to it!

      xoxo
      Shelbee

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      Patrick, thank you so very much! You know that I share the same aesthetic preferences as you on certain things so your compliments, comments, and feedback are always appreciated! And yes, libraries are freaking fantastic. I have always loved them…and the older, the better. I love when a library is just bursting with history in its books and its structure to the point that you can smell history in the air. Mmmmm, it is one of my favorite sensations…the scent of old books in an even older library.

      xoxo
      Shelbee

  • Joanne

    An adorable outfit that gives me all the scholarly vibes! I don’t own anything bookish either which is shocking considering how much I LOVE books. In fact my husband was giving me a hard time because I brought my book to read in the car on the way to the movies for our date night this past weekend. “A book on date night? Are you just going to ignore me?”– “only until we get there! 🙂 “

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      Oh my gosh, Joanne, I am smiling and chuckling all the way through this comment! First of all, I am also astonished that you don’t anything bookish! But it does make me feel better that I don’t either. Haha. You and I are going to be on a joint mission now to find at least one bookish thing to add to our wardrobes…an article of clothing or an accessory! I am going to be on the lookout in Asheville next week!

      Second, I am with your husband…a book on a date?! You should be acting out book fantasies in the car, not reading alone and ignoring him! Or perhaps read aloud to him while he’s driving…but read it in a really sexy sultry voice for him! Haha. I have lots of ideas for the drive to date night!

      xoxo
      Shelbee

      • Joanne

        LOL! I totally should have… only it was the Children’s Blizzard and it was right in the middle of the blizzard; people were freezing and dying left and right and I just needed to get to the next section to know who was and was not going to make it. Totally not romantic in anyway.

        • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

          Oh my gosh, you crack me up! Of course, now I understand. You were totally invested in the lives of the children and would not be able to enjoy the movie if you were concerned for their fate. Definitely not very romantic even though their fate had already been written. I actually was not familiar with that book so I looked it up and now I need to read it! I suppose I should keep tissues handy?

          xoxo
          Shelbee

          • Joanne

            While I didn’t actually cry it was an intense book and just unbelieveable to read how the storm came out of nowhere. I had never heard of this piece of history before and was surprised about that as well as all the propaganda the newspapers and government used to lure people to live out on the plains. It sounded like such a rough life.

          • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

            I definitely was not familiar with this bit of history either. I recently re-read Giants in the Earth by O.E. Rolvaag which traces the Norwegian pioneer experience in the Midwest around the same time as The Children’s Blizzard. I read it many years ago and really enjoyed it. Then I decided to read it again early in this pandemic just to gain some perspective on things. That second reading was instrumental in shifting my perspective to one of constant gratitude for all of the blessings and conveniences in my life that we all take for granted. It really is powerful stuff…both the looking back on history and the witnessing of the power of Mother Nature. When your time is up, it’s up…we ultimately do not get a say in that. And that knowledge really helps me to appreciate everything and to live in every moment with joy and love! I actually just passed my copy onto my neighbor because she was looking for a bit of new perspective as well! Oh, I could talk about literature and history and the evolution of human culture all day long!

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      Angie, thanks so much! Oh, these themes should never be taken too literally! (Ha, see what I did there?) You can interpret them and do whatever you want with them. It is all just for creative fun and inspiration! I actually would really enjoy reading a post about your favorite books if you were ever inclined to write one! I am such a slow reader these days, but I do enjoy writing about what I am reading and reading about what others favor as well! I hope you have a lovely weekend, my friend!

      xoxo
      Shelbee

  • Marsha Banks

    Love your outfit! But, I think any outfit should be a Library Lovers outfit! Mine, however, would probably not be very fashionable as I usually go on the spur of the moment! Now, you’re making me think I need to find a literary tee! Nigel bought me a large print of my favorite Emily Bronte which hangs in our bedroom.

    Thanks so much for the link up, Shelbee!

    https://marshainthemiddle.com

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      Marsha, thanks so much, my friend! I always see literary tees advertised and I like so many of them, but then I never can decide on one so I end up with none! Instead I have a pile of music tees! Which I love, by the way, but I definitely need more bookish things in my wardrobe, I think. I love that you have an Emily Bronte print in your bedroom! I have a framed drawing of the human heart with a Jane Austen quote hanging in my bedroom. It was a wedding gift from a friend and it is one of my favorite things in my house!

      xoxo
      Shelbee

  • Mike

    I did not know about Library Lover’s Day! That is awesome!!! Finally, I have a reason to like February 14th! Like you, Valentine’s Day was never my favorite holiday either and I pretty much denounced it since I was little. In truth, I pretty much do that with all holidays now as my sort of “rebeling against holiday commercialism”, which is pretty much what every American holiday is about these days (seriously, look and see how many times you see ads and sales on TV or the newspaper whenever a holiday approaches!). I try to celebrate them in a way that’s different from most people (not to sound like a total curmudgeon!)
    But Valentine’s Day I particularly eschew for some of the same reasons that you listed. I’d MUCH rather have a cool book that I discover on a shelf than some cheap meal that I could get at, say McDonald’s at a lower price. I’ve been a bibliophile for the past 15 plus years since I started working at the library, and my constant purchasing of books continues to fuel my passion for what I love. 🙂

    Hey, thanks for the book recommendation! I’ll have to check this one out! I’m always on the lookout for books that focus on African American history or those that focus on interracial relationships. And I agree. I think that everyone should read at least one book that deals with African American history (which is American History!). That’s how I learned much about it, as they certainly didn’t make it a focus back when I was in school, which is a shame.
    Great post, Shelbee and I really like your outfit! It seems to blend in nicely with the background. That’s how my city looks right now too. 🙂

    By the way, I can tell that you have a real love of both books and people, as it constantly shows in your posts and is what I admire most about you!

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      Aw, Mike, thanks so much for such a lovely comment. You call yourself a curmudgeon, but I have decided to call myself a non-traditionalist in matters of holiday celebrations instead. You see, you are not a curmudgeon because your heart is the right place. It is the media and all the marketing that want us to believe that we are cranky old Scrooge types just because we don’t buy their hype! And why does the word rebel have such a negative connotation as well? Just a simple non-traditionalist is fine with me…it sounds much kinder just as we are, doesn’t it?

      You are so correct that African American history is simply American history. This book is a beautiful and heartbreaking illustration of real people who lived real experiences who paved the way in changing the entire demographic of our country by forcing necessary cultural changes to happen. It really showcases the power that regular people have and shows that we should never underestimate how important our personal freedoms are.

      I hope you have a wonderful weekend, my friend.

      xoxo
      Shelbee

      • Mike

        You’re right, Shelbee. I think that because we have been “fed” this notion that if we don’t go along with what everyone else is doing, it makes us bad people; it makes us seem set apart from what is seen as “good” or “right” because we have different ideas.
        I like the term “non-traditionalist”, and I think that’s what I’m going to go by from now on. It doesn’t make me a “bad person” because I choose not to say “Merry Christmas” to everyone or “Happy Valentine’s Day”. I can still remain respectful of those who do that, while maintaining my own values and being okay with it. I’ve been thinking about this quite a bit lately, not just with holidays, but other things in life as well. Basically, I’m learning to be “okay” with myself. I’ve been called many things over the years, negative names and labels simply because I wanted to “be different”, and I felt ashamed because of it. But I’m slowly changing that way of thinking and not guilting myself for wanting to be who I am. Thanks Shelbee for helping again to reaffirm that I am okay. I am enough. I am me. 🙂
        That sounds like a wonderful book, Shelbee. I must definitely put that one on my to read list. Thank you!

        • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

          Mike, you absolutely are enough and perfectly wonderful exactly as you are! I remember being asked when I was younger, “Why do you try so hard to be different?” Meanwhile, I was dying inside thinking to myself, “Oh my gosh, here I have been trying so hard to be just like everyone else and failing miserably.” Eventually, I realized that I cannot be like everyone else nor should I be and neither should anyone else. We should all be free to just be our authentic selves without judgments. One of my favorite songs of all time reflects this notion and has become one of my life anthems…Beth Hart’s “Like You (And Everyone Else)”. Keep shining bright, my friend!

          xoxo
          Shelbee

          • Mike

            Right on, Shelbee! We are all unique and special in our own way and we can be proud of that for that very reason. I heard someone say once that no one is better at being you than you are, which is true. I could never be as good at being someone else because I’m not them. And they can’t be better at being me for that same reason.
            I recently watched an episode of “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood” on DVD, and it was the one where he sings that song about liking you as you are (https://youtu.be/1j_A2ebr048).
            I haven’t watched Mr. Rogers in years, but I’m thinking that I should get back into the show because it reminds me that I am okay just as I am. So are you, Shelbee! I’m so glad to have met you and discover that we share a lot of commonalities, making us great friends. 🙂
            Keep on being ‘awesome you’ and never stop! I will do the same!
            And by the way, thanks for sharing the link to that song! I had to listen a few times to really let it sink in! 🙂

          • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

            Mike, thanks so much. Mr. Rogers is definitely one of my favorite famous humans ever! He offers timeless and meaningful perspectives on life, doesn’t he? Have you watched the Tom Hanks movie “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” It is so good! I needed lots of tissues to get through it though! Thanks for sharing that song. I’m gonna go have a listen with my morning coffee! Have a fantastic day, my friend.

            xoxo
            Shelbee

  • Mica - Away From The Blue

    This is a cute otufit although the skirt must have made yoru legs so cold in the snow, haha! 🙂

    I didn’t know it was library appreciateion day on the 14th Feb even thoguh it originated here in Australia! It makes sense, we don’t really do Valentine’s day, and libraries do so much for us and those around us! We love our weekly library date, the kids and I love checking out all the new books! 🙂

    Thanks for the link up!

    Hope your week is going well 🙂

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      Thanks so much, Mica! Oh my goodness, I totally thought of you when I was writing this post, too. I was certain that you would be familiar with Library Lovers’ Day! But now you are and that makes me very happy indeed. It is such a great idea for an annual appreciation day. I use the public library often as well. I don’t have a set routine but I definitely visit our library on about a weekly basis to use a variety of the services they offer.

      My legs were a little cold during these photos, but we were finished in less than 10 minutes before the chill really set in! I hope you have a great weekend, my friend.

      xoxo
      Shelbee

  • Leslie Susan Clingan

    I am a big time library lover!! Have pinned your recommended read to share with my book club. Your school girl/library lover look is adorable. Was telling my granddaughter about patterned and textured tights and suggested she try them under distressed denim. I love yours. Adorable pins or brooches, too. The whole look is spot on.

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      Aw, Leslie, thanks so much! I am so glad that you pinned this book suggestion for your book club. Please do let me know if you read it! I would love to hear your thoughts and feedback. It is such a powerful book. And I love that suggestion to your granddaughter! I have layered funky tights under ripped jeans before. It is a great way to wear your super distressed denim during the colder months when you don’t want any bare skin exposed.

      xoxo
      Shelbee

    • Mike

      Mine too, Shelbee, along with Bob Ross! Both of them were my TV role models growing up. Gotta love public television, right? 🙂 Our world today so needs these two.
      I did see that movie with Tom Hanks, and I have to tell you that I cried through most of it. To be honest, I tear up whenever I hear Mr. Rogers sing, even as an adult. I’ve endured so much self loathing in my youth, and it’s because of Mr. Rogers that I’m finally learning to like myself, even love myself. Not in a narcissistic way, but learning to be okay with who I am and knowing that I am enough. I’m going to start crying right here as I type this, so let me end. 😉
      Enjoy the song, Shelbee and remember that you are enough and you are wonderful just the way you are!
      Have a great weekend my friend!

  • Christina Morley

    I loved this post! I feel for people who don’t have someone to share the day with or someone to make them feel special. I didn’t know about Library Lovers, and I think it’s a great idea! Thanks for linking on Amanda’s Books and More. 🙂

  • Anne M Bray

    I have a good “going out for Valentine’s Day” story for you…
    Severo and I were one month into “getting to know each other” and he planned a spectacular surprise Valentine’s weekend. He got us a penthouse room at the Bonaventure Hotel downtown LA, which he decorated with balloons, etc. Magical!
    The dinner though, every V-Day, we laugh about his notion to go to The Cheesecake Factory in Pasadena (with no reservations). The wait was two hours! We decided to try Chinese in downtown instead… chose a random place in Chinatown (ah, the days before mobiles and Yelp) and… it was empty! Haha.

    I’m currently reading the novel “Tiny” by Kim Hooper. It’s pretty good. I picked it up at a neighborhood “Little Library”, mainly because the very bright cover is by an artist that I like (not credited in book and can’t find in my Pinterest).

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      Hahaha, I love that V-Day story! Was that when Severo completely won you over?! I prefer Chinese food over Cheesecake Factory any day, by the way, so I appreciate the way that story ended. I love neighborhood Little Libraries! I need to put some books in a few around my neighborhood. There are at least a dozen just in my regular routes through town! I need an Audible book recommendation for my drive home on Monday!

      xoxo
      Shelbee

  • Anne M Bray

    I think he already “had” me before V-Day.

    Guess what, the mystery artist has been IDed. I emailed the author and asked her, she didn’t know and she asked her publisher! Grant Haffner: https://sebastianfoster.com/artists/grant-haffner/sunset-on-long-beach-by-grant-haffner

    Yeah, Little Libraries are The Best. They got me through the quarantine when the regular library was closed.
    (I already have too many books on my shelves to buy more).
    I’m not an audio book person… City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert (fiction) was a good read — 1940’s Manhattan.

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      Oh how great that you were able to identify the artist! And even better that S had you before VD! Hahahaha. How funny is that sentence with those abbreviations?!

      I am not into audio books either but it was great for the long drive. When I’m home, I much prefer reading an actual book. I did love hearing the stories told in Betsey’s own voice though. I think that alone makes it worthwhile to listen instead of read…if you can tolerate it!

      I like the idea of 1940’s Manhattan! I’ll see if they have City of Girls on Audible for the drive!

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Shelbee on the Edge