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...

quietitude

 shoes: american eagle outfitters. jeans & puffy vest: gap. shirt: old navy. watch: target.

Pic above is Scary Exhibit A of smiling-with-one's-mouth-but-not-one's-eyes. Let's make this a learning moment for all of us, shall we?

So, I've been feeling a little down lately. (I know, I know, cue the violin music and toss me a psychiatrist's couch.) My life is so blessed, I have nothing real to complain about...and yet I still find stuff. Go figure.

Anyways, as a result, I'm in a rather quiet mood. Which doesn't happen often around here here, so let's enjoy it.

I'll just make this short and sweet, then. I'm glad that this little blessing I'm carrying around with me is so active--it makes a few bruised internal organs worth it. I smiled that my cute 3- and 5-year-old daughters changed into striped shirts and puffy vests of their own at lunch today so we could all be "twinners." I love that my son ran out of his classroom at school when I was volunteering this morning to give me an enormous hug. I'm grateful that my intuitive husband tucked me into bed early last night so I could get some extra sleep.

I appreciate all of you who read this little blog, and I hope that life treats you well today.

Happy Thursday.

similar stuff (maternity & regular):

More Splendid...

a zigzag scarf and a brush with death...or at least some squooshy mud

 boots: target. jeans: old navy. shirt: duo maternity. scarf: forever 21. earrings: etsy.

I know, I know...the boots-and-knee-high-socks thing has been done to death. But it's comfy and warm and covers up some of my water-retaining legs. So we'll just have to agree to agree-but-let-the-pregnant-lady-have-her-way for another month or two, mmmmkay? Thanks a mil.

I took my 3-year-old daughter for a walk this morning. She's adorable but has a stubborn streak that comes to a very vocal head when she's asked to do something outlandish. Like walk. So she rode in the stroller.

Our route led us up a small hill and then back down. Wanting to change things up on the way home, at the bottom of the hill I took a scenic route (read: death-defying brush with nature) along the canal. It was muddy, snowy, slushy, puddley (yep. real word. maybe.), slippery, bumpy and all things "-y" that would potentially cause one well-meaning but off-balanced soul wearing zero-traction boots to careen into the nearby waterway.

You'll all breathe an enormous sigh of relief, as I did, when our squeal-worthy rugged-terrain journey ended with zero fatalities and only one really muddy boot. Which, frankly, is a happy albeit fairly anticlimatic ending to this tale.

I know what you're all thinking: Why would she share such a pointless Story of Meh? What a waste of my time. Doesn't she know Nate Berkus is almost on? Fair enough, but in my defense, the alternative was a riveting story about how I chewed a hangnail on my super-dry thumb until it bled and now the bandaid keeps coming off. So.

You're welcome, and I accept your apology.

Happy Tuesday.

similar stuff (maternity & regular):

More Missoni...

I love shoes because they fit when nothing else does.

This is what I wore today, blah blah blah.

 shoes: converse. pants & hoodie: gap. shirt: duo maternity.

Anyone who uses the word "blah" in the first sentence of a style blog post (and then repeats it twice more) probably shouldn't be writing a post at all. And yet, here I am. And here you are. For what reason is a mystery to me, but my grandmother always told me to seize opportunities, so I will.

[Editor's note: Actually, she rarely told me that. Her words of wisdom were more like, "here's $20, why don't you go get us something yummy at KFC," and "you're my favorite grandchild." She was awesome. And KFC is, on occasion, delicious.]

Ahem. 

Despite the randomness of a hoodie and button-up combo (not to mention the chucks and khakis...shhh, there there), may I still brag about my tummy-toting self for a moment? Today's lengthy to-do list is all but finished (and I didn't even cheat and include stuff like "roll out of bed" and "put on deodorant" for once), I have a dinner idea and ingreds, and I finished the sudoku in today's paper even though my pencil was really dull and I couldn't find a sharpener.

PLUS I didn't say something snarky to the guy at the grocery store who s.t.a.r.e.d. at my belly during an awkward shopping cart approach-and-pass. Let's be proud.

Happy Tuesday.

similar stuff (maternity & regular):

More Converse...

i have (a) big belly & i cannot lie. you other mothers can't deny...

shoes: american eagle outfitters. maternity flare jeans: gap. cardigan: j.crew. flower clip: downeast basics.

You can't really tell in these photos, but my shirt here is a light lavendar. Ish. Which I think is super pretty paired with a mossy olive green. It's like, in nature, when you find a rare light-lavendarish butterfly perched atop a, um, mossy olive green rock. It doesn't stop there. How about spying a light-lavendarish flower growing out of a patch of mossy olive green shrubbery? Bingo. Samesies.

And if you're impressed with my command of the English language in description and titlage, well, what can I say. I kind of excel at that kind of thing. Like when I made mac & cheese for dinner one time but, in a fit of genius, proclaimed it to be "cheesy pasta" so that my son (who doesn't love mac&cheese) would actually eat it.

Stick around, kids. You can't fake this kind of ingenuity.

Happy Friday.

similar stuff (maternity & regular):

More Gap...

*yawn*

The jumping-off point for today's outfit was anything that would cover up this lovely giraffe-head tattoo that my toddler positioned on and adhered to my forearm.

 I have a tree frog tattoo on the back of my hand, too, which is equally awesome. But I'm fresh out of fingerless gloves, so that'll have to just be visible to the world.

 And by "the world," I of course mean my toddler...who put the dang tatts there anyway.

 On an unrelated note, have I told you lately how much I love my Clarks shoes? I have? Redundantly and many times over? Oh.

(*awkward pause*)

shoes: clarks. maternity skinny jeans: old navy. long-sleeved maternity tee & hoodie: gap.

For those of you style-savvy readers, this post is the yang to your yin. Meaning I prob couldn't have come up with a less-inspiring ensemble if I'd lain awake all night trying. Which is a feat deserving of some kind of award. Or respect. How 'bout a pitying half-smile...?

But some days are meant to be lived out contentedly in a hoodie and comfy jeans. My overworked washer and dryer couldn't agree more. Those guys only WISH they had a comfortable coral hoodie to fit over their square bods.

Wow. This post mirrors the outfit. Maybe I should start all over with an ensemble (and, thus, text) that highlights, rather than hides, the tattoos. Just think where our lives would be then. I'd probably be wearing a bright floral dress and boarding a cruise ship to the Virgin Islands. You, though, would probably still be ready to click away from this blog. Dang.

Happy Thursday.

similar stuff (maternity & regular):

More A Pea in the Pod...

knee-length dress no matter where the belt's placed

I'm on the fence about wearing a belt at this stage in the pregnancy game.

 I've long since jumped a different fence and have run waddled a mile up the nearby hill, though, about turquoise jewelry. Love it. Amen.

boots: kohl's. slip: a slip shop. linen dress: paris, france. cardigan: j.crew. belt & necklace: forever21.

I know. My hair here is, like, 2 generational inches shy of beehivehood. All I can think about when I see these photos is that one Seinfeld episode where the lady physical therapist has "old-fashioned" hair, and everyone makes fun of it except Kramer, who totally encourages her to keep it that way. I think I might be that girl, 'cept without the medical training. Or Kramer.

I learned that heeled shoes aren't that fun to wear for 4 hours when one's body is off-balance. But what IS fun is hiding some snags in the knees of one's tights with an exposed slip. It's like a little game with the universe in which, at any given moment, you're totally winning. Which, in turn, is comparable to eating the en.ti.re. box of chocolates in one sitting so that you won't be tempted by them later. Hah! Joke's on you, Cosmos.

Happy Wednesday.

p.s. For those of you tired of and/or unable to relate to a maternity-centered style blog, I promise I will post soon about some projects I'm working on. In the meantime...belly's up.

similar linen-ish stuff (maternity and regular):

More Gap...

what's red & pink & tweed all over?

RED: check.

 PINK (about 12 shades): check check check.

 TWEED: check. 

 or, for you overdo-the-pink-on-V-Day purists, TWEED: UNcheck.

 shoes: converse brand. tweed jacket: talbots. scarf: gift. bracelets: forever21 & gifts.

Hey guys, it's Red-and-Pink day at Everybody, Everywear. Fitting for Valentine's Day, obv. I actually have a red maternity corduroy skirt that I contemplated wearing with this shirt, but I'm glad I didn't. Seemed a little too bleeding-pepto-bismol for me. Not that that's a bad thing, of course. Oh, wait. Yes it is.

You know what's weird? (Aside from the fact that my 3-year-old is developing an affinity for pickle juice. No lie. Ew.) I think pregnant bellies actually look better when you can see their real outline. Which is the paradox of the universe, but there it is. 

If I had my way, I'd drape myself in a canvas tent and call it good for the next 2 months. But there are others to consider. Like my husband. And the circus clowns who, frankly, need those tents to make a living. Speaking of...is it odd to wear red chucks with a tweed jacket? Probably. I mean, are we college-professoring today or boarding at the skate park? One just can't tell. Which, to me, makes the combination a little Unexpected & Maybe Awesome.

Happy Valentine's Day.

other cute red and pink stuff (maternity & regular):

More LOFT...

argyle sweater in green. life is good.

Argyle in cardigan form.

And a fake oversized gold watch that may or may not reliably keep time.

And some dark uber-flare jeans.

(Basketball-for-belly is optional.)

jeans & cardigan: gap. shoes: american eagle. watch: target. pink tee: vintage (translation: hand-me-down).

 What I've just given you, my friends, is a failproof recipe for dressing like a free-spirited study-hall-frequenting prepster chick, sans nerd glasses and freshly woven daisy crown. And, really, isn't that the look we're all going for?

Answer: Yes, yes it is.

Speaking of going for stuff, I could really go for a vacation to the Virgin Islands right now. Either that or a glimpse of the sun. One or the other, really, I'm not that picky. What, no sun in sight? I guess it's just you and me then, Expedia...us and the large glow-in-the-dark orb I carry at my belly these days. Y'know, for emergencies.

Happy Monday.

related stuff (maternity & regular):

More Gap...

on stripes and curls and lip gloss

cowl sweater: gap maternity. 

I curled my hair and am wearing a fancy cowl sweater today. And by "fancy" I of course mean: it's striped with pretty colors and has just a little bit of pilling. Like 15%. Which, for my maternity-stricken money, means it's nearly brand new.

Unfortunately, in my hair-tossing, sweater-touting strut on the kitchen-sink-to-breakfast-table-and-back-again catwalk of my life this morning, I forgot to put on lip gloss. Not even a hint of cherry-flavored chapstick. The poor dust-bunnies hanging out around here are averting their eyes from my pale lips every time I walk by. 'Til I appease them by tossing some lint balls from my nearly new cowl. Then they're happy because, hey, that lint is fancy.

Happy Friday.

other striped cowl stuff (maternity & regular):

More A Pea in the Pod...

what you see just might be what you get

boots: target. jeans: old navy. shirt: gap. sweater: motherhood maternity. earrings: gift.

I've decided something, and I'm clinging to it like a survivor to a liferaft. A college lit major to Shakespeare. An athlete to electrolyte-replenishing fluids. A macaroni noodle to cheese. 

What I'm clinging to is: joy comes in the details. This applies to life, to my relationships, to my goals, to what I'm wearing these days. For example: in the photo above, you might see a tired lady (check) in a worn grey cardigan (check) and some old boots (check). 

But you couldn't have noticed this sweet print of the shirt (my current fave): 

or these go-with-everything turquoise earrings (also my current fave):

It's these details that make me happy today. Supplemented, perhaps, by the three snickerdoodles I've consumed this morning. (And to think I'm surprised when my doctor mentions I've put on a bit of weight over the past four weeks.) No worries, though, because...have you seen my earrings, doc? 

Happy Tuesday.

check out these similar details (maternity & regular):

More A Pea in the Pod...

*yawn* i'm sorry, did i wear something?

jeans: gap. shirt: husband's closet. bracelets: gifts. annnnd...welp, that's about it.

You guys. It's totally a double-pigtail kind of day. And, looking at these photos, I'm going to have to warn, slash, promise you: my outfit posts at this stage of the game are going to become more and more infrequent. I don't think I need to explain, just take a small gander at the photo above because it's worth at least 5 words. Uninspiring at best, pitiable at honest.

The bare feet are legit because I literally did.not.leave. my house all day. Do you ever have days like that? Yes? Do you blog about them? No? Well, then, that's the difference between you and me. You're socially aware. I'm a walking tent.

But enough about me, let's talk about you. Are you impressed that we can still see my toes? Savor the memory. It'll surely be shortlived.

Happy Friday.

similar stuff (maternity & regular & even mens. things just got crazy around here.):

More Gap...

my mind's eye needs glasses.

Today I channeled my inner this:

...but somehow ended up looking like this: 

It just doesn't make sense. Oh, wait. Yes it does. Different, ah, body types currently.

Dah well. Win some, lose some. So I lost the look-like-a-Land's-End-Canvas-model contest, sure, but guess how I won today? Six loads of laundry folded & put away, cleaned kitchen, homemade soup & breadsticks, and nursery somewhat organized. Plus hugs and loves to my two little ladies, who spent the en.TI.re. day snuggled into my bed watching PBS, sick as camels.

"Sick as camels?" you want to ask. But don't. Just run with it. And drink at the nearest oasis.

(p.s. Do you think the model above looked as flexiblicious putting HER shoes on before the photo shoot? Me too. I'm sure of it.)

shoes: clarks. jeans: old navy (on loan). shirt: gap. scarf: vintage.

Happy Wednesday.

similar stuff (mix of maternity & regular):

More A Pea in the Pod...