old lady in braids: to trust or not to trust? that is the question

I read somewhere once that women over 30 shouldn't wear braids unless they were stylishly loose and messy.

 

 shoes: Converse
jeans: Kohl's
cobalt v-neck tee: J. Crew
pastel striped cardigan: Gap
green skinny belt: J. Crew
 

Which is like a chicken-and-egg scenario, at least for me, because, hi. My hair is at the disposal of my 18-month-old all day, and believe me...

 

 

...she pulls my hair Loose often and with ease, and Messy is her middle name. Practically.

 

 

So the lesson I think we can all take away is: if you're older than 30, just hang out with an almost-toddler to keep yourself totally young and hip. Which is absolutely true if by "young and hip," you understand that I actually mean "slightly unkempt and exhausted."

 

 

But the tradeoff? Worth it. Absolutely.

 

Happy Thursday.

 

 

Shop similar stuff below:

ModCloth Plus Sweaters · Diesel Skinny Denim · Athleta Sport Tops

{shared: Everyday Fashion & Finance, Get Your Pretty On, Her & Nicole, Kiwi Women's Style, My Fashion Forward Blog, Style Elixir, The Life of the Party Blog, The Mrs and the Momma, The Pleated Poppy, }

denim: the great neutralizer

 shoes: steve madden. skirt: vintage. shirt & cardigan: gap. necklace: gift.

Happy Leap Day! My friend's daughter turns "2" today (actually 8, but she's a Leap Day baby, and I like to tell jokes that never get old). Other than that little tidbit, though, it's just a regular day around here, full of muddy paw prints on the wood floor and justifications of chocolate cake for breakfast. Y'know, the usual.

I realized after I got dressed here that nothing I'm wearing really matches. I mean, sure, the denim skirt is a gimme, as are the neutral bootie heels, but my top half is crazy-random. We've got some mustard, red, and blue in the shirt, some pastel lemonade-pink and mint-green in the cardigan, and a full-on salmony coral necklace.

Here's one thing I've learned about meself in the past month: I'm pretty lazy about some things lately. Like retyping the word "meself" into "myself" (nope). Or doing my social duty and changing my clothes to, if not look great, at least make some sort of sense (uh-uh).

So today there's just meh-ness to my madness. But it's still a good day because I got my highly recommended Poppy King (J.Crew) lipstick the other day, and I can't stop wearing it. It's like a fire-alarm wake-up-call to my face. And, really, aren't we all going for that?...Guys?...aren't we?...ah crap...

Happy Leap-Day Wednesday.

similar stuff (maternity & regular):

More Steve Madden...

stripes + plaid = a glorious day to be alive & dressed

 shoes: forever21. skirt: american eagle outfitters. shirt: don't recall. cardigan: gap. necklace: gift. watch: target.

 This outfit was extremely comfortable and functional. I mean, look--I could even talk on the phone in it. (Because usually I wear stuff that doesn't allow for that kind of elbow-bendage or something? Please...)

Hey guys, it's Friend Friday! Today's topic is: goals, dreams, & aspirations. Aside from being able to decide what's for dinner every night (default: quesadillas. Guess how often we eat those guys?) (You may or may not have nailed it with "at least three times a week." I'll never tell), I have fairly simple aspirations. 

1. Fess up - if you could do anything professionally what would it be? I've always had a dream of being a librarian. But lately I wish I had a natural knack for interior design. What a dream job that would be.

2. What draws you to this? Beautiful spaces are inspiring to me, and I'd love to be able to actually create those. Combining and balancing color, texture, pattern, layout...it's all so awesome when done right.

3. When did you first start dreaming about this ideal? Maybe a year or two ago. But...I think I've gone off the wrong track in answering these questions again. That's a dream of something I would love to do but don't necessarily have the talent/ability to do it. So. Wee clarification.

4. What's holding you back from going all in? Oh, let's see: my shortage of taste, vision, ability, and skill, just to name a few. And, when I'm not basking in the view of beautiful spaces, really, being a mom is my #1 thing. And, bonus, I can be "successful" in momhood even if my house looks like a pigsty or is a throwback to the 90s or is a one-room-dirt-floored shack. As long as there are fresh homemade sweet rolls available on occasion. So.

5. Sometimes the first step is the hardest... what's one step you can take now on the way to realizing your dream? I enjoy home design blogs and magazines and books. I enjoy fiddling around in the building I'm lucky enough to call home. And I can bake sweet rolls while doing it. I think I'm probably living my dream.

Happy Friday!

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More Miu Miu...

what I wear when I don't want to get dressed

Disclaimer: I almost didn't get dressed today at all. We're talking about my being that weird-flannel-pants-lady headed out to the mailbox at 3 p.m. You know the type; surely your neighborhood has one. And why was I so close to that abysmal mentality? Because I didn't want to get "dressed" for this blog.

 shoes: thrifted. jeans: vintage (american eagle). shirt: utah state university. cardigan: gap. necklace: forever21. watch: target. earrings: hawaii.

 THEN I remembered that this blog is to document what I wear in my, a stay-at-home-mom's, normal everyday life. So here you have it. Alma mater tee, unmatched cardigan, some camo wedges, and hardly any accessorization or makeup. Judge me. But man I'm comfortable. And it's a step up from flannel pants. A 2" step, sure, but a step nonetheless...

 And also, it's Friend Friday! Today's topic is: What I pack to take on vacation. Having just come back from such a trip, these questions were easy-peasy for me.

1. When it comes to packing for vacation what’s your mantra? Less is more. And also: Be prepared. Those two are kinda hard to combine, especially when packing for a family of 5. But still. I try.

2. What are your must packs? Toothpaste, diapers & wipes (welcome to the life of a mother), and at least 1 pair of jeans, no matter where I'm headed. I should probably say "deodorant" or something reassuring here, too, in case any of you want to vacation with me sometime. Unfortunately, I make no guarantees about that...

3. What are you happy to leave behind? The computer, oddly enough. And a clean house to come home to. I think I get that from my mom--the house has to be tidy before I can leave.

4. Any packing secrets that help you get everything into one suitcase? I choose layering pieces that can go either warm- or cold-weather. Like lightweight cardigans, jeans (that can be cuffed), short sleeves. I don't skimp on clean underwear, though. I'll gladly wear a dirty tee twice before I double-dip on the undies.

5. Beach reading… what are you taking with you to read in the sand? Whatever light reading I'm into. "Mental bubble gum" books that I don't have to think too hard to read and that I can easily hold up with one hand. Hello, convenience of the Kindle.

Happy Friday!

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More Topshop...

Sir Mix-A-Lot (wait, does anyone seriously remember that?)

Woah. Funky lighting alert. Nothing else is funky, though. Just the lighting. Yep.

 shoes: american eagle outfitters. jeans: kohl's. shirt: vintage. cardigan: gap. scarf: gift from sweden. belt: thrifted (american eagle). watch: target.

It doesn't look the best in these photos, but for the record: This is one of my favorite outfits. Ever.

Hey guys. Not only is today a perfect day for wearing two types of stripes, floral, polka dots, AND metallic (it said so in my horoscope. practically.), but it's also Friend Friday! Today's topic is one of my favorites: Fitness & Fashion.

1. Do you keep some kind of fitness routine? Why? Yep. I run. Because I like to eat but my metabolism is turning granny on me, I like my husband to be bigger than me (not an easy task, if you know my husb), and I feel better about myself when I exercise. Not necessarily in that order, but that's how the fingers typed it, so that's how it will remain. 

  

2. Has working out, maybe training for a marathon or something of that nature, helped with your own perception of body image? Absolutely. I've become less obsessed with how I look (as in, the size of my legs, the bulge of my belly, etc.) because I'm doing what I can to be healthy. I'll never be a waif, but I've decided this: A body that does what I put mine through is a body worth respecting.

3. When you are hitting the gym or just going out for a long walk what do you wear? Is it about functionality or fashion? Eh, I don't give one single brain cell of thought about what I wear unless it involves weather-related decisions...but I don't go to gyms, I just run outside. I don't even put makeup on, do my hair, or anything. What I'm trying to say is...y'know all those Bigfoot sightings? They were probably just me, out for a winter jog.

4. Do you feel there is a cultural perception of what you ‘should’ be doing for your own physical fitness? Maybe there used to be. Like, when my mom was in school, they had to wear skirts to gym class and wasn't allowed to do the stuff the boys were doing. I think that, these days, so many fitness options are available that it's all about choosing what works for you to get/stay fit.

5.  Dream big… what would be your ultimate fitness goal. Run a certain 100-mile race with my sister. She's already done it twice; I paced her for a snort 14-mile leg of it one time, and now I want to do it. Our family is convinced we are both missing a marble or two...and we can't exactly argue. Meh.

Happy Friday!

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More Forever 21...

mix & match...then realize it doesn't look cool...THEN realize "who cares? I'm too old to be cool anyway"

shoes: cato brand. pants & cardigan: gap. shirt: forever21. belt: pocket's. watch: citizen brand. flower brooch: don't recall. 

(Yes, I'm aware that these shoes today are all wrong for these pants...they put the cuff at an uncomfortably lame height. Buuuuut...meh. Whatchagonnado.)

Something reminded me today of my 5th grade school "talent" show. Some friends and I thought we were super good singers and not-too-shabby choreographers, so we performed not one but two numbers at our school's (soon-to-be non)talent show: "Barbara Ann" (beach boys) to give the audience some pep and "Greatest Love of All" (whitney houston) to deeply move them. (...and, yes, in case you're wondering, I do want to cry of embarrassment. Thanks for asking.)

Of course Surprisingly, we sucked. And even that's putting it mildly.

Post-performance, even my mother could hardly come up with words that were equally positive and true. I think she finally choked out something like "brave" and "you tried." We were the laughingstock.

You know how any publicity is supposed to be good publicity? Yeah, well, I found out that's a total lie when the news (a) centers around the fact that you and your four buddies are untalented, uncoordinated fools and (b) ushers in your junior high years.

Hmmm...Not sure how this glorious memory ties into my ensemble today. Other than I kind of feel like it's Mom-wear, and as a mom, I want my kids to skip their junior high/middle school years. I don't think I'm man enough to live through their emotional coming-of-ages, because look how adorable and confident they are at 4 years old:

 

(Her finale pose? Kills me.)

Happy Friday.

Want this look so you, too, can worry about your pre-pubescent kids' futures? Check it out:

More Forever 21...

and never the twain shall meet...

 

Boots: Target. Socks: Don't recall. Skirt & cardigan: Gap. Button-up: Some nice tailor-man in Germany. Necklaces & hair-thing: gifted. Belt: Pocket's. 

Ever wondered what would happen if you mixed hippie + preppy + glam + backwoods + schoolgirl + some-other-look-that-I'm-forgetting-but-that-obviously-play-a-role-in-this-ensemble-too? Wonder no more. And, now that you can spit out THAT space-consuming wad of mental chewing gum, your mind is free to explore other interesting realms...

...such as why WOULD that chicken ever cross a road? Obviously, its coop and entire social network, not to mention its nest and food, are all right there. Really, people, their crossing the road makes no sense. So, yes, you're free to ponder topics such as this now. You're welcome.

Today's jumping-off point: striped cardigan. I haven't worn it in months, maybe years, because it's a little oddly shaped, and the colors are a bit too much that's-what-little-girls-are-made-of-sugary for my normal persona. Anyway, I've been trying to figure out how I could tone down the sickly-sweet pastelliness without making it seem totally out of place in an outfit.

Baby blue button-up ties in the pastel but doesn't cater to an aura of newborn-babe. Green floral pencil skirt courteously nods to the mint green in the sweater but brings in an interesting, more grown-up print (not to mention turns the green into more of an olive/forest hue). Overdo the accessories, bring in some brown leather (who am I kidding? like my boots are real leather...) to ground the whole look, and add my favorite above-the-knee socks. Because it's cold. And they're grey. And warm. And not tights. (Nothing against tights [love them!], but it was time to change things up a bit.)

Unexpected and Maybe Awesome: the double braids in the hair. A mildly sophisticated twist on a classic girl's hairdo. For some reason, I love how this turned out. 

Know what else I love? Getting through a post without any Editor's notes. Again, you're welcome. Man, I'm just so generous today, I can hardly stand it.

Happy Tuesday.