I will wear tights in March...I will wear tights in March...

 shoes: famous footwear maybe? jeans: kohl's. shirt: gap. vest: thrifted. belt: forever21. bracelet: don't recall. necklace: gift. poses-with-prop: discontinued.

Can someone please remind me to NOT use props in these photo shoots? I mean, really.

Hey guys. Remember how yesterday I was all (read the following in a taunting, high-pitched valley-girl voice), "I"m wearing a skirt even though it's cold and there's nothing anybody can do about it including mother nature because I am captain of the world apparently." Remember that? Kind of? No? It's okay to admit it...I hardly remember either exCEPT... 

...it turns out that the world doesn't warm up simply because some girl goes bare-legs-with-skirt. In fact, it was freezing, and I ended up wearing leg warmers all day, which probably looked stupid but I didn't care because I was chilly-cold.

So. What did I learn from this little exercise in Life's Laboratory? Several things:

(1) There's probably no reason to shave my legs until July.

(2) Mother Nature is a meanie-head.

(3) My Skinny Jeans are beloved friends and will never betray me in fickle March weather. Thank you, SJ. Remind me to buy you a treat later. Like pnut m&ms. I'll give you the green ones. And by "you," I of course mean "me."

[Editor's note: I actually did have on a skirt this morning until some friends decided to meet up at the park for a picnic lunch, so, as an older and wiser girl than the one who lived yesterday, I swapped the skirt out for jeans. I liked the skirt better, but, frankly, my goosebumps are all tuckered-out from their overstay yesterday. Poor little dears.]

Happy Thursday.

p.s. Don't forget about the awesome giveaway -- ends tomorrow (Friday) night! Hurry!

Want this look? Quick, shop below before spring actually gets here...

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spring has sprung...okay, it hasn't, but it will...you hear me, spring? you WILL.

 shoes: mudd brand. skirt: american eagle. shirt: forever21. belt: thrifted. necklace & flower clip: downeast basics.

Someone commented the other day how tired they were of seeing people in winter scarves and tights and boots. I hadn't really thought about it until now, but...me too! Sick sick sick of wearing them. So. In a fit of "in-your-face-Old-Man-Winter" (which could, in a pinch, also double as "whose-legs-are-whiter-Old-Man-Winter's-or-mine") I'm treating you all to a delightful view of my non-tighted (and alarmingly colorless) legs. You're welcome.

Today's jumping-off point was this springy floral shirt. (I don't know if the universe is susceptible to subliminal messages, but, hey, it's worth a shot.) Paired, and I don't know why, with this mini-plaid skirt. That's "mini" as in the plaid pattern itself, NOT "mini" as in the skirt. Again, you're welcome. Some days my benevolance-ness is just overwhelming, I know.

I was absolutely digging the combo...until this polka-dotted belt flew out of my closet and landed at my ankles. Obviously, a belt around one's ankles will never ever do, but...dared I add a third print to this already jarring-ly busy ensemble?

(Here's where, if this were a TV show, we'd cut to commercial, and you'd spend the next 2.4 minutes discussing the options before me, the pros and cons of each, and how your sister's-best-friend's-niece once faced a similar dilemma and what she did about it. However, circumstances being as they are, I'll just take this moment to say: don't forget to check out this week's giveaway!)

Annnnnd, we're back. And, oh yes. I dared. A trifecta of mixed-pattern spring-y-ness, and legs that glow in and of themselves like the very sun in the sky. It's a win-win-WIN. Flowers will be sprouting forth wherever I walk today, I daresay.

Happy Wednesday.

Want this look? Shop below...

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unNOTHer giveaway? you betcha.

Hey friends.

How's it going? How's the weather? Are you well? Are your families well? How's the political climate in your neighborhood?

Okay. That shows you how good I am at small talk. Smooth sailing, things seem nice & friendly, then BAM. I accidentally tread into unchartered (and roped off) waters.

So. Let's just follow the guidance of this post's title and get to it, shall we? As a giant THANK YOU to you, my lovely and talented and delightful readers, I wanted to do another giveaway. This week the adorable Lisa from her (seriously) beautiful vintage-inspired Jeweled Ambrosia etsy shop has agreed to reward A Day in the Life Too... readers with a giveaway item.

Lisa's stuff is awesome. It's delicate, colorful, vintage, chunky, asymmetrically balanced, and feminine. And awesome (did I already mention that?). Just to whet your appetites...check out a very small sample of what's in her shop. 

 

Be honest...can you even handle it? I'm dying about that vintage-turquoise ring, especially, but also...well, everything. So, here's what you can (and most assuredly will want to) do:

(1) Check out Lisa's etsy shop, Jeweled Ambrosia, and/or her Twilight-inspired jewelry Jeweled Ambrosia blog (which includes most of the pieces shown above. Suuuuper pretty). 

(2) When you're done wiping the drool off your keyboards, leave a comment here telling me which piece is your favorite. Make sure you include your email address!

If you want extra entries (and, thus, chances to win!), do the following and leave separate comments for each):

(1) Follow A Day in the Life Too... via GFC and/or Bloglovin'.

(2) Link to this giveaway on your blog (include the URL in your comment).

(3) Favorite Lisa's etsy shop.

(4) Follow Lisa's blog.

The lucky winner will be announced Friday night (April 1st) and will have 24 hours to respond to my congratulatory email (minus the e-confetti) (you're welcome), or another winner will be chosen. Lisa will work with the winner on deciding your final gift (most likely up to $20 in value OR $20 credit toward a more expensive piece), and you'll spend the rest of your life flaunting the beautiful item while the rest of us hang our heads in despair.

Or just buy something else from her shop, which is what I'm planning on doing.

Happy fingers-crossed Tuesday! I'm jealous of one of you already.

giveaway winner!

So, the lucky winner of a pair of earrings or ring from Painting the Air is

(drumroll please)

The lovely Miss Julie!! Congrats! Lucky duck. I'll be emailing you.

Look for another giveaway in the next couple of days; hope you all enter, and get your friends to enter, because the next one's a doozy of awesomeness. So exciting around here, guys. I can hardly contain myself. Oh, wait. Yes I can. But still...ex.ci.ting!!!

belt askew on purpose...

 boots: target. jeans: kohl's. shirt: gap. cardigan: j.crew. scarf: smith's marketplace. belt: forever21. bracelet: hawaii.

So, my camera battery died a few minutes into today's outfit documentation. Which is why I ended up with a grand total of 8 photos. "But there are 9 shown above," you say. Actually, you probably don't say that because, really, who's counting. (Actually, you are, now, because I've brought it up. I'm awesome that way.) Yes, one of the photos above is double-dipped.

Which, coincidentally, is exactly how I like ice cream cones in that magic shell stuff, so it all works out.

Today's weather is snowy and dark and beautiful and mildly depressing all at once. Sometimes I think Mother Nature is passive-agressive. Let's face it, there's tons of evidence, for example: graceful deer destroy tulip bulbs, lengthy summer sun exposure is simultaneously blissfuland cancer-causing, and the existence of mosquitoes in general is proof enough.

I chose everything I wore today because I wanted to be comfy and warm. And comfy. And warm. Annnd I've been missing my houndstooth scarf, frankly, and he's been missing me, so today was a perfect day for catching up. (He's had a bit of a cold but is feeling better, thanks.)

Happy Monday.

p.s. Do you ever do odd things when you get dressed, like move your belt buckle to the side, and then just stick with it because you either like it or forget about it? Yeah. Me too. Like today.

Want this look? Check out the comparable stuff below:

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gratitudiness

I honestly don't know what happened/where I was in the middle photo below. But I like it.

 boots & sweater: kohl's (I think). tights: gift. skirt & shirt: gap. earrings: hawaii.

Birthday girl struck the pose to show me what to do. Like her belt? She's killing me with the cuteness. 'Cept those shoes. Ohhhh, those shoes...the loves of her life...

This week, I'm grateful for:

- my kids. and how, in their world, transformers marry barbies, very (very) worn red sparkly shoes are still beautiful, and statements of fact ("charlie licked my FACE!") are hilarious and repeated as often as a good knock-knock joke. which means oft.en.

- disposable plastic tea-ware.

- sentences that begin with, "okay, mom, I'll try..."

- when things turn out to be easier/faster than I thought they'd be.

- soccer practice and a typically not-a-sports-guy kid thoroughly enjoying himself during said practice.

- a husband who bakes the birthday girl's cake. and is so proud of it (and rightly so) that he calls it "my precious." but tries to cover it up by pretending he's talking about me.
- prayer.

- concealer. seriously. the zit queen of the universe has waved her magic wand in my direction, and my face has, with open arms, welcomed her spell. stinking face. so. thanks, concealer.

- 13 four- to eight-year-old girls at a tea party.

- family. and heart-to-hearts with family members. and those conversations of nothingness that are just as important as the heart-to-hearts.

- the satisfaction of eating a perfectly crunchy apple. (and, fine, who am i kidding, a perfectly drool-worthy mint chocolate chip shake.)

- sleep.

- sleep.

- sleep.

Happy Sunday. 

i'm a simple girl with simple needs...wearing simple stripes

 shoes & brooch: don't recall. jeans: old navy. tank: motherhood maternity (yes, you read that right...but don't go jumping to conclusions...you'll be sorely disappointed 9 months from now with no baby in sight). sweater & belt: forever21. watch: target.

You know your priorities are intact and that you are successfully passing those ideals onto the next generation when your 2-year-old spies a mini muffin tin and exclaims, "A cupcake machine!" 'Cept it actually comes out sounding more like: "a tuptate maseen!"

Good girl. Never mind practicing proper pronunciation...apparently what we're hardcore about is our bakery/pastry bakeware identification around here, complete with flash cards, pop quizzes, and "the strap" if they get one wrong. A little harsh, you say? I prefer to think of it as "tough love."

My 4-year-old is turning 5 tomorrow and is having a birthday party today. A girlified feminine flowery dainty pastel-laden thing. The excitement in the air is tangible as we await our first presents guests. Which is absolutely true as long as we replace the word "excitement" with "one billimeter away from going off the birthday-freak-out edge." And, no, I've never heard of a billimeter either, but I'm pretty sure it's veryveryvery small, and that's the analogy I'm looking for.

Know what else I'm looking for? The perfect banana split. Which is irrelevant but true nonetheless.

Happy Saturday.

Want this look? Check out the stuff below...

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classic casual: a stay-at-home mom's best friend (well, that and oxiclean...)

 shoes: famous footwear outlet (i think? don't recall exactly). jeans: kohl's. shirt: gap. cardigan: rue21. bracelet: forever21. flower clip: downeast. belt: thrifted (american eagle).

First of all...300 followers via GFC? Wow...thank you all, for coming and returning to my blog as often as you do! I have the most interesting, funny, and inspiring readers ever. I think another giveaway is in order next week to celebrate the big 3-0-0. Hmm... Stay tuned.

Secondly...it's Friend Friday! (See other bloggers' answers to these questions here; see my answers from last Friday here.) This week's questions deal with feminism and fashion. I'd love to hear your honest thoughts on my honest thoughts.

1. Do you think there is an incompatibility between feminism and a love for fashion? First off, for the sake of this discussion, my idea of "feminism" is the act of acknowledging and embracing the power of femininity in a woman. In that vein, no, I don't think there's an incompatibility between the two--a love for fashion, in moderation, can expand a woman's femininity and thereby increase her influence over and ability to enhance and improve her sphere. Taken to an extreme, however, I think a love for fashion (or anything else, in extremes) can be detrimental to femininity, by hindering her ability to pursue and participate in other interesting and useful subjects & activities.

2. There is more to each of us than a love for fashion, how do you incorporate every aspect of yourself into your blog? I don't know that I do. I mean, my conversational text (including both the form and content) reflects aspects of myself to some degree, I suppose (case-in-point: I heart pnut m&ms), but the point of my style/fashion blog is just that--style/fashion. Not the depths of my innermost soul (but, in case you're wondering: her name is Mildred, and she loves purple). 

3. With the fashion industry still being a male-dominated profession, how do you think it would differ if women played a larger role? Ummm... gargantuan bags/purses would always be in style? (Okay, that's a cheeky "mom" comment...I guess, honestly, I don't know a ton about the formalities of the fashion industry... I wouldn't have even known it's a male-dominated profession. Am I going to get blacklisted for admitting that?)

4. How is your self-image and the way you carry yourself informed by your beliefs? Different phases of life (e.g., high school, college, married, professional, pregnant, mom of 1, mom of 2, mom of 3) have resulted in my developing a different, more personal (and, I believe, increasingly accurate) self-image. I believe that as a human being I have a divine heritage and that as a woman I have innate abilities and roles and responsibilities to fulfill my purpose in this life. Because of that, I try to do what I believe I'm supposed to do...including taking care of, being fair to, and carrying myself in the best way possible as I see it from my current developmental vantagepoint. (Does that even make sense?)

5. Do you think clothing/makeup/hair helps communicate the truth about yourself or are those things superfluous add-ons? Both. For better or worse, I'm initially drawn to people who look approachable, clean, and nice; I can only assume (although it is an assumption) that others are initially drawn to me for similar reasons. Sometimes I probably project a more confident, happy image than I actually feel; sometimes the opposite is true. But in my reality, in the process of truly getting to know someone, somewhere along the way their insides start to speak louder than the outsides. I guess, in summary: it's important to look one's best, but it's infinitely more important to be one's best.

Happy Friday, friends!

Want this look? The easiest, most comfy ensemble EV.ER. Shop below:

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featured: little black label

Hey lady-friends (ewww....creepy. forget I said that, and let's try again),

Hey dudes (again I say...ew),

(ahem) Hey,

Have any of you discovered Little Black Label yet? It's a cute blog, fairly new, and I'm telling you about it now because I was featured there today. But lots of other style bloggers have been featured throughout the month of March, and there are some great ideas/tips over there. So go check it out! (I'm now giving you my best Mom-stare-down, eyebrows raised, hand(s) on hips, piercing eyes...can you feel it? Like lasers through your screens. Get over there! Go! NOW! Don't make me come over there and make you...)

With loving affection,
Britt

just a little outfit I like to call: zebra in a rain forest.

 boots: (all together now) target. tights & necklace: don't recall. skirt: gap. tunic & belt: forever21. cardigan: the limited. bracelet: open jewelry market in hawaii.

So many style blogs out there have beautiful photos. The outfits are good, too, but the photography itself is straight-up eye candy. I'm very impressed.

And then...there's this blog. Self-timer, same exact backdrop every day. Sure, the poses are slightly modified on the daily, but all in all, the only thing that really changes around here is what I'm wearing. (And, FINE, the zit placement on my face. Blugh.) 

There are loads of cool photog sites in my town, and I've toyed with the idea of branching out. But I've decided against it for a few reasons: (1) As much as I love you all, I'm just too lazy to tote kids around to take some photos of myself. (2) I'm lazy. (3) I have kids. (4) Did I mention I'm lazy? "Lazy with Children"...sweet name for a TV show... 

It's just about all I can do to get these pics snapped in the morning whilst the kids dine on a fabulous homemade breakfast (homemade by a man named General Mills...ever heard of him?). I'm not making excuses, I'm just saying. That's why I photog, day in and day out, in this spot in my house: it's convenient and I can multitask while doing it. Bam. Done and done. Still in the Mother of the Year running.

But that's not to say these self-photo shoots run like clockwork every day. Even in this controlled environment, complications arise. Like this morning. But it's the cutest, most free-spirited little complication I've ever seen: 

Happy Thursday.

Want this look? Check out similar items below: 

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how to wear a satin shirt on a Wednesday

 shoes: mudd brand. pants: gap. shirt & belt: kohl's. cradigan: j.crew. watch: target. earrings: open jewelry market in hawaii.

So, it snowed last night. Multiple inches' worth. Raise your hand if you think I was happy about that little discovery. If your hand is raised, take this opportunity of fingers-near-head proximity to flick yourself in the forehead, because you're WRONG. Snow snow go away.

Can I just say, for the record, that I love this shirt? The collar is among my favorite collars of all time, and the sheen and color are so sweet yet sophisticated. (My daughters loooove the very most assuredly authentic "diamond" buttons.) But here's the deal: for some inexplicable reason, I don't wear it that much. I always think of it as too "fancy" for everyday wear, for me anyway. And it's an odd length that makes a to-tuck-or-not-to-tuck-that-is-the-question decision frustrating.

But it was today's jumping-off point, simply because I haven't worn it too much. I needed it to be appropriate weekday attire, so I picked other pretty casual items. Like these ooooold wide-leg pants and simple cardigan and nudish mary janes. (I like how my feet just kind of disappear in this ensemble--Unexpected & Maybe Awesome.)

I added the wide slightly-formal pinstripe belt to serve as kind of a mediator between simple and schmancy here. I like how it turned out. A perfect ensemble for performing a vehement snow-melt dance, which I may or may not be doing every hour on the hour today. I'll never tell, but if the snow mysteriously disappears from my lawn before everyone else's, it won't be a coincidence. I'm just sayin'.

Happy Wednesday.

Want this look? Sweet. Bust out your snow-removal dance moves, then shop below:

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Giveaway!

*This giveaway is closed.*

It's totally your lucky day, guys. The talented Krista and her adorable Painting the Air etsy shop has generously agreed to sponsor a giveaway for A Day in the Life Too... readers. You've GOT to love these earrings and rings (and there are more in her shop equally beautiful):

Aren't they so sweet? And delicate? I don't know about you, but I'm dying over them...especially those cameo rose earrings. A.DOR.able.

 

So, I'm going to make this short & sweet. You (US residents only; so very sorry international friends...) can win a pair of earrings or a ring of your choice (good luck choosing; they're all so lovely) from her shop by doing the following:

(1) Visit Krista's etsy shop (Painting the Air) and pick your favorite ring or pair of earrings.

(2) Leave a comment on this blog with your pick AND your email address.

(3) Do both of these things by Monday March 28th at 12:00 noon MST.

That's it! Easy, right? But wait, there's more. Additional entries (leave a separate comment for each one) if you:

(1) Follow A Day in the Life Too... via GFC or Bloglovin'.

(2) Link to this post on your blog (include the URL in your comment).

(3) Visit and Follow Krista's blog (Painting the Air).

(4) Favorite Krista's shop on etsy.

A winner will be selected at random and announced Monday evening. May the luckiest girl win! (Or boy, I suppose, buuuuut...I dunno. I'm skeptical of the odds of THAT happening...)

around the world in 80 days...or a blog post...

 boots & watch: target. tights: gift. dress: paris, france. shirt: downeast. scarf: sweden. belt: forever21.

An international outfit if I've ever had one--I found this simple linen dress in a boutique in Paris about 10 years ago, and I fell in love with it. Which is odd, because it's actually a shapeless sack that happens to wrinkle if I so much as breathe while wearing it. Other than that? The most comfortable item of clothing I own. (Note to self: Purchase, and wear, more sacks.)

So. I try not to breathe unnecessarily whilst in this dress, but it makes me lightheaded. But it DOES cut down on the intensity of hiccups I experience, so that's exciting.

Hey, don't roll your eyes at me. Sometimes we have to create our own fun, especially when we live in a cold, small town in the winter. Next up: tying your shoes with one hand. What can I say, I'm a party girl. Whoomp there it is.

(ahem) So. Parisian linen, Swedish scarf, boots that were probably made in China but I'm not sure. Now all I need to be really, truly happy is some Italian ice cream. Anyone?

Happy Monday.

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I'm just grateful, that's all.

 shoes & skirt: don't recall. shirt: old navy. undershirt & bracelet: downeast. cardigan: j.crew. earrings: hawaii open jewelry market.

This week I'm grateful for:

- Irish dancing performances.

- Attending said performances with old friends. That is to say, "old" as in long-term, not as in elderly. Although attending with elderly friends would be fine, too... (where'd I put that shovel? need to dig myself out of a hole here...)

- When my 2-year-old calls a red bug-bite on her arm a "sprinkle." ???

- Fingernail polish.

- Being able to exercise. (Whether I actually DO, now, that's a different story...)

- Strawberry milk.

- Touch-screen cell phone. Didn't like it at first. LOVE it now.

- Perspective. Like when I cracked one of my favorite oval mirrors this week, it was a bummer but not a catastrophe because, hey, it's just a mirror. Sometimes I don't have perspective. This week I did, and I'm glad of it.

- Simple green cleaner.

- A good husband who is equally good at being a father.

- Xbox Kinect.

- When my kids play happily together. Nothing more heart-warming. And I'm grateful for it because they've been doing a lot of fighting lately, so those moments are particularly sweet.

- Peace. And safety.

Happy Sunday.

a day late & a dollar short

Warning: This non-makeup/5-second outfit is nothing to write home about. But it's Saturday, folks, and I'm good with it if you are. And if you're not? Welp...I'm still good with it.

shoes: converse brand. jeans: kohl's. shirt, puffy vest, & hat: gap. belt: Pocket's.

I've decided to participate in ModlyChic's Friend Friday (one day late this week, but for a good reason!), where I get to answer Katy's five thought-provoking questions about style/fashion blogging each Friday. Don't roll your eyes and click away just yet...well, fine, you can. But, really, what better things do you have to do than read my innermost (kind of) thoughts on this blog? Oh. Right. Dishes, laundry, housework, schoolwork, job, kids, practically any other hobby/pasttime. Got it. Well...carry on.

Today's question is a 5-in-1 deal: So far, what have been the 5 hardest blogging lessons you’ve learned during this process and have helped make you a better blogger as a result.

Blogging Lesson 1: I can't/won't please everyone. Obviously. Everyone's different, with individual tastes, styles, preferences, comfort zones, bodies, etc. I get that. I've had to learn to shift my blogging focus away from styling myself to meet others' approval, and toward deciphering my own individual style--what works for me, my life, my mood, my nature, my closet.

Blogging Lesson 2: Don't check blog stats. When I first started blogging, I checked my blog's stats borderline-obsessively. If a few more people visited/commented one day than the day previous, I was ecstatic. If fewer did, I had to fight an abysmal mood. For the sake of my husband's and children's well-being, I had to stop letting stats affect me...which means check them less often. Like, hardly ever.

Blogging Lesson 3: I make myself vulnerable in doing what I do (blogging). That's part of the deal, for better or worse. Understanding that simple truth helps me keep my reaction to comments and responses in check.

Blogging Lesson 4: Real life is waaaay more important than blogging. Always and forever amen.

Blogging Lesson 5: People I know in real-life have varied responses when they find out that I have a style blog. Absolutely fair, we're all entitled. But, to be honest, it's sometimes a challenge to not get embarrassed or defensive if my real-life peeps think style blogging is superficial and vain. The reasons I do it are my own, and I've found this blogging community to intelligent, humorous, and inspiring...so I don't need to "defend" myself. Just smile and nod. :)

And, if you're interested in reading more, go check out other bloggers' lessons learned!

Happy Friday Saturday.

Want this look for your next Saturday? You got it...check out below:

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