a stay-at-home mom's take on "casual friday"

View the following photos with this song running through your hot little heads:

Most of these things are not like the others.

Most of these things just do-on't belong.

Can you tell which things are not like the others

By the time I finish this song?

shoes: converse all-stars. pants: gap. long-sleeved tee: american eagle outfitters. tee: old navy. belt: downeast outfitters. watch: target. necklace: gifted. awesome poses: one-of-a-kind original discontinued vintage. sorry.

 Today is totally Casual Friday at my house. Today is also the day where the words "casual" and "completely random" are synonymous. But...frankly? I love today's ensemble. Which is probably alarming to most of you. In fact, I'm seeing in my minds-eye a hasty retreat to thousands hundreds tens upon tens of computers' "back" buttons. Fair enough.

But for those of you still here (gold stars for you all):

Hi, I'm Brittney. I'm a stay-at-home mom of young kids, and I sometimes get my days mixed up. Mondays become Thursdays and Tuesdays are often dead-ringers for Wednesdays. This hasn't really been a problem until the past year or two, with my son now in school...he's probably the only kid in 1st grade who regularly shows up to gym class with his library book. (Remember my Mother of the Year plaque? It hasn't come yet, but I'm confident it will...)

But Fridays, my friends, are never mixed up. Fridays shine like a beacon in the night of the weekday...um...nights. A glowing lighthouse for all troubled waters to see.

Wow, you're saying to yourselves. She waxes poetic. Odd for someone who wears long-sleeved tees under graphic tees and pairs them both with plaid trousers. Or, probably you're actually saying to yourselves, What should I make for dinner? or It's true!! 'E' really DOES equal 'MC-squared'! [Editor's note: If your thoughts fall along the latter option, I'll quietly walk away right now, no questions asked, and I'll never trouble your superior mind again.]

Today's jumping-off point: Guess. Seriously, go back, look at the photos, and take a stab at what my jumping-off point was today. Anyone guess these pants? You win. Which is strange to me, because these pants are totally preppy/workwear (wide cuff and everything), whereas the layered tees are exactly opposite. What would you call today's look, anyway? Would you call it: Preppy-lawyers'-kid-who-excels-in-math-and-classic-violin-recitals-but-secretly-plays-the-bass-in-a-garage-band-while-her-boxer-puppy-lays-on-some-carpet-remnants-in-the-corner? No way! That's exactly what I thought, too! What are the odds? Because, really, that's pretty specific...

Anyway. The plaid in the pants is neutral enough that I paired them with a mid-scale graphic tee (long-sleeved under is strictly for warmth, but I like the color it adds). I love the fatty gold boyfriend watch with all this, as well as the blue Converse--a little Unexpected & Maybe Awesome. Overall, despite lots going on, this ensemble's colors are chunky and muted. 'Cept the belt. It adds a bit of whimsy, a pop of color, and a bit of a "huh?" factor. Triple dip.

Happy happy Friday!

Want this look? plaid pants  graphic tee  boyfriend watch  blue converse  yellow belt

More Puma...

Feelin' bloovy...

Before we commence, please pretty please tell me you're humming Simon & Garfunkel's great hit, based on the title of this post. Are you? Good. And also, did you get the pun intended with "bloo"? As in, the color. But I wanted to spell it kinda like groovy. I know. I'm asking so much of your mental synapses for a Monday morning. Forgive me.

And also forgive my sweet 4-year-old daughter, who was up all night last night [Editor's note: Sometimes people say "all night" when they really mean, say, a fairly inconvenient 2 hours. Like intermittently from 1-3 a.m. or something. This is not the case here. Please take me literally as you read my lips: Up. All. Night.] coughing and throwing up. Poor little lamb. And, let's be just brutally honest here, folks. Poor me.

Regardless, a girl's gotta get dressed for the day. Even if not until 10 a.m. because I was, and continue to be, just so very tiiiiiiiired [Editor's note: You can see it in my eyes in these photos, can't you. And I thought I was hiding it so well, too.]. I'm not sad or depressed or anything, but blue just fit my mood today.

So. When you wake up feeling like a color, and when you're so tired all you want to do is make sure you can take a nap in whatever it is you end up wearing, it's not that hard to choose an ensemble. Long sleeves under a big baggy tee for the staying-at-home nature of the day. A big soft striped O scarf, just to add a bit of visual interest to the outfit but still stay within the self-imposed color constraints. Comfy comfy jeans, hair up and out of the way, and a wide black belt at the hips. Not sure why the belt ended up on my hips as it did, but I kind of like it. Helps to prove the baggy-tee point, you know?

I'm extremely comfortable today. And I'm going to spend some time appreciating said comfort in a subconscious state. Right about.....now.

Happy Monday.