does this skirt make me look domestic?

 shoes: steve madden. skirt: secondhand (old navy, but then altered by moi). shirt: gift/vintage. belt: forever21.

p.s. [Editor's note: Technically that stands for "post script," but I'm taking artistic license here and saying it stands for "pre script." Don't try this at home, though, kids. I'm a professional.] This skirt used to be this skirt, but because of its previous awkward/unflattering/frumpy length, and because I've worn it only once (ONCE!) since doing this blog, I re-hemmed it today to make it knee-length. I've been wanting a knee-length denim skirt (aside from my more formal denim pencil skirt) for a long time, and I think I'll get more mileage out of it this way. So. Pat me on the back and give me a popsicle, I guess.

This week I'm grateful for:

- classic (albeit cheesy) movies like "The Music Man" that I can and do start introducing to my children.
- a husband who comes home from a 2.5-day fishing trip unshaven, fulfilled, and happy to be home. And who also didn't get mauled by a mama bear when he & the guys spied a lone grizzly cub on the trail. Yipes...
- Campbell's chicken noodle soup for lunch. My kids love it. And I love Ms. Campbell for creating it. It's mmm-mmm-easy.
- Internet.
- Internet shopping.
- craigslist scores and the reupholstering/refinishing projects that ensue.
- having cute kids and taking the time to notice and appreciate their cuteness.
- chips-and-salsa as a snack.
- dishwashers. Specifically, mine.
- freshly shaved legs.
- my husband's employment.
- living in peace and (globally relative) prosperity. Believing in God. Enjoying good health. Being free. I'm so humbled to be so blessed.

Happy Sunday.

singin' (and wearin') the blues

 shoes: converse brand. skirt: american eagle outfitters. shirt: vintage/gift. belt: forever21. bracelets: don't recall. earrings: gift/homemade.

 I'm super grumpy today, guys. My poor children. I thought that throwing on a pair of Chucks would help, and it did, for sure. Meaning that everyone's still alive, and I'm keeping my voice pleasantly neutral 87% of the time, despite my wanting to yell and/or lock myself in my room all day and let the forces that be...be. Like the force of milk spilling out of the carton alllllllll over the floor. And the force of polly pockets being flown at siblings' heads. And the force of toy box after toy box being dumped out everywhere.

So. Here's what I wore. It's nothing out-of-control inspirational. But it's cool. And it's comfy. And it's not a full-length spandex bodysuit in color: nude, like what I spied a team of female runners wearing for a recent race. So, I figure, that's 3 points in the black. Booyah.

Happy Wednesday.

Want this look (sans grumps of course)? Click below...

More Converse...

magic 101: illusion of an hourglass on a box

I can breathe again!! Oh, how glorious are sinus-clearing meds and the resultant cleared sinuses. But mostly the meds.

 shoes: unionbay. pants: gap. shirt: ana. headband: borrowed from a belted shirt from downeast basics. watch: target.

I kinda feel like a pirate today (can you guess in which pic I'm audibly saying, "arrrrgh, matey"? It's super subtle, so take your time...). And also? I have a super square torso and no hips to speak of (a.k.a., I'm a human refrigerator box), but I like the illusion of feminine form that the pleating on this shirt creates. So I'm a feminine pirate, all right? Sue me. It's not like it's totally unheard of. (Pirates of Penzance, anyone?) 

Today I'm packing for our family trip to (shhhhh) Disneyland, a 12-hour drive in ideal conditions (i.e., no traffic or potty stops), meaning it will take us at least 20 hours. The kids still don't know the purpose; they just know that we're going to California. We're not exactly what you'd call world travelers, as evidenced by the questions I've fielded this weekend. Questions like:

"Do they speak the same language as us in California?"

"Can we watch one movie on our long drive? Will we be able to finish it before we get there?"

"What kind of food do they eat in California? Can we take some fruit snacks in case we don't like it?"

"Can we visit the Atlantic Ocean on our way home from California?"

"I don't want to go on a long car drive. I'll just ride my bike and meet you there."

I.Can't.Wait. to introduce our kids to the magical place that is D-land. I'm prob more excited than they would be, if they knew.

Never fear, though, friends. I have some magnificent guest posters lined up for your reading enjoyment while I'm gone. And I'll be back next week...unless I decide my life would be more fulfilling as a guide on Pirates of the Caribbean. After all, I'd fit right in, as you've seen...

Happy Monday.

Ahoy thar! Want this look? Check out the stuff below... (no, seriously, do it. there's a funny surprise...at least, I think it's funny.)

More Zigi...

a wide leg trouser by any other name...

I think I have "cuffed pants" on the brain (prob because of this post). But before you make any judgments about today's ensemble, I have an explanation and an apology and a fascinating early-morning internal dialogue documented below. So. Read on.

shoes: unionbay brand. pants & denim jacket: gap. shirt: ana brand. belt: vintage. watch: target. necklace: forever21. bracelet: open jewelry market in hawaii.

  As the weather gloomified and chilled over course of the morning, I had to modify my outfit. First: I threw on a denim jacket and struck a weird facial expression.

 Second: I unrolled the trousers. Which, frankly, I liked better anyway with these pants. 'Tweren't broken. Shouldn't've tried to fix 'em. (Allsofasudden my fingers think I'm a redneck? Awesome. Something fried and delicious for dinner, I guess...)

Let's start at the beginning, shall we? Sometimes I make odd choices. Take this morning, for instance. I pulled out these sweet wide-leg plaid trousers because it's still raining and coldish. [Editor's note: I could've worn a skirt with colored tights, but I think I temporarily burned myself out on colored tights.] Despite their (the pants') fabulous features (e.g., wide leg, front crease, great colors, classic plaid print, good fit, etc.), I thought to myself, "these pants are too ordinary. I need to do something to make them unique."

(I also thought to myself, "what's for breakfast?" And then my brain answered, "toast." And then I complained, "what? toast again?" And then my brain said, "yep. and it'll be toast tomorrow, too, if y'all don't get yo'self to the grocer sto'.") (It's good to know my brain and my fingers speak the same dialect.)

Wow. Long story short (too late): I tried to peg and cuff these pants and get away with it. Shame on me. Which is why I love doing this blog--I find out all sorts of things. Like: don't try to make a garment something into it absolutely inherently isn't. And also: stop listening to country music for a while.

Do you guys ever do stuff like that? Try too hard to get something to be different when, really, it's best just to leave it alone and let it shine for what it is?

Either way...Happy Thursday.

 Want this look? Click below, buy some stuff...then don't cuff the pants, k? Thanks.

More Tory Burch...

vest it up, buttercup.

 shoes: steve madden. jeans & jacket: kohl's. shirt: a.n.a. brand. vest: thrifted (homemade). watch: target. necklace: don't recall. belt & headband: forever21.

Notice how I'm hardly smiling in any of these? I actually am smiling...inside. I've been blowing my nose so much these past two days that my nose & upper lip are raw and it hurts to smile. Upper lip? you're asking. That's so gross. What's she doing, smearing stuff around like a 2-year-old? A fair assumption, I suppose, since I was 2 years old once. But, no. I actually have an efficient noseblow. It's just thorough. And, these days, excessive.

And if THAT wasn't what you wanted to read about this morning, well, I just don't quite know what to say. 'Cept don't take great pains to eavesdrop on dinnertime conversations around here, because I've got three kiddos and maybe a husband (but I won't say for sure...but yes) who think everything to do with every type of bodily function and noise is hilariousness and repeatable joke-telling fodder.

All this insight makes you want to be my friend, doesn't it. And run, not walk, to your friendly neighborhood Wall Street guy to take out stock in kleenex company. Either way, I think your future's looking bright. As bright as my nose. And that's something.

p.s. I can't remember if it's cheating to wear a vest with the 30x30 items, but I'm going to say no because it's like an accessory. Right? (*wink wink*) Right. Glad we agree.

Happy Wednesday.

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

More Asos...

alexander has nothing on this terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad day...

 In a perfect world, II + IIII = VI. But in my imperfect world, and on a fairly rotten day like today, II + IIII = XXIV. Feel free to disagree and/or flunk me in Roman Mathematics. But it won't change the photo.

 boots: target. leg warmers: amazon.com. tights: gift. skirt: gap. shirt: a.n.a. brand. scarf: sweden. bracelet: forever21. fake smile: discontinued.

This morning I shaved my legs for the first time in...a long time. Probably somewhere between 5 and 20 days. Give or take. (Preferably not "give," or whichever one makes it longer than 20...) And in doing so, I accidentally gave myself a minor cut (probably from being so out of practice) below my right knee. No biggie, it was small. I got out and got dressed. About 3 minutes later I glanced down and saw a little spot of blood on my tights right there.

Sweet.

Now, if I were a hygienic person or even an average specimen of human beingness, I probably would've changed my tights. Buuuuuut instead I simply threw on leg warmers and pulled 'em real high to cover the spot up. Which ended up being okay, because it's snowing. Again.

Without laying it on too thickly, my day has gone downhill from there. Which is why I posted 0.5 of a photo today, and why I'm making this as brief as possible. "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."

*cough*

See what I mean? But tomorrow's another day. And I bet it'll be a good one.

Happy Thursday.

Want this look? Sans negative attitude? You got it...check it out:

More Lucky Brand...

0 to 60 in a belted cardigan? done.

 It's not cheating to use two people as digits if one's daughter begs to be part of the photo shoot. I checked the official rules of body-numeralcy. Written by me for me.  

flats & jeans: american eagle outfitters. shirt: gap. cardigan: j.crew. belt: f21. bracelet & flower hairclip: downeast outfitters.

This is what I'm wearing today. Because it's comfy and easy. Because I like the neutral(ish) colors. And because it facilitates sprinting to the bathroom. A necessity for today.

Did she really just type that? you ask. Gross. Why would she say that?

Never fear, my friends. The reason I'd say that is because today's itinerary is filled with nothing but making this happen successfully:

Ah potty training. Wanna trade lives with me for the next 3 months?

How 'bout if I throw in an adorable 4-year-old to sweeten the deal? She appears to be a chip off the ol' block when it comes to cheesy awesome original poses and oversized accessories.

Happy Friday.

Want to look like Layla? I know. Me too. Alas, I could only find this stuff...

More Topshop...

Belts & boots & stuff

"What the red tights?!" You're thinking that, aren't you. I know, I know. But they fall into my "Unexpected and Maybe Awesome" category today because, really, what else is this outfit but fairly mundane without a pop of orangey-red at the knee?

Truth be told, this is the first time I've worn these tights. I actually didn't think they'd be so bright (I'm pleasantly surprised, mind you. But still, you know, surprised.), so as I was drifting off to sleep last night dreaming about combinations that could come out of my closet (please please tell me I'm not the only one out there who does this?), in my mind they possessed the same hue neutrality (hue-trality? I think I'm onto something here) as my boots.

[Editor's note: This kind of skewed thinking can sometimes get me into trouble. Like when I decide that eating a pound of M&Ms really really fast will actually be GOOD for me, because (a) it'll put my metabolism into hyperdrive (yep) and (b) there will be no more M&Ms around to tempt me, so I'm actually doing myself a favor.]

So. Blah blah blah. Red tight randomness. I decided on this skirt that has a very small green and navy check, but from afar it reads as fairly neutral. I needed some kind of pattern in here, anyway, and the skirt kinda sorta filled that gap. Added a navy button-up and a brown leather belt. Originally, I had my blue shirt untucked and a different, more feminine belt worn on top, a little higher on my waist. But I think the waist detailing in this skirt is too cute to cover up, so I tucked the shirt and belted the skirt.

At this point, everything was looking okay but overall was pretty dark. 'Cept the tights, of course. Like a lighthouse, they were. But I added my very most favorite ivory cableknit cardigan (with a fur-ish lined hood, no less! Sweet!), an orangey-red necklace pendant paired with some glam grey beads, and my trusty boots.

"What? No bracelets?" you ask. [Editor's note: Dare I assume you've even read this far? Gold star for you. And one for your dog, too, whose typical brisk evening walk must now be significantly downgraded to a stroll to the mailbox and back due to the unnecessary length of this post.] Nope, no bracelets. Could've, but didn't. After all, I wanted the tights to shine, baby, shine.

Happy Monday.