product review: Layerwear Basics

 shoes: cato brand. tube skirt: layerwear basics. shirt: gap. sash: from this shirt. bracelet: hawaii.

A few days ago, I got this tube skirt in the mail from the nice people at Layerwear Basics. It.Is.Awesome. The fabric is of super high quality and thick, and the seaming and finishes are flawless; I feel like it'll last forever.

And I hope it does, because it's a perfect layering skirt. Being a tube skirt, it's obviously tighter around my hips and waist, so I wouldn't feel comfortable wearing it with a shorter top. (You're welcome, Society-At-Large.) But I'm finding it to be a perfect balancing piece with longer tunic-style tops, especially flowy or more voluminous tops that work best paired with a smaller-scale bottom. Or a schoolboy blazer...wouldn't that be chic?

One thing about wearing this skirt is that, despite being fairly form-fitting (fine, let's be honest: "tight"), it's easy to move around in because it's stretchy. But, after walking my dog around the block in it (relatively brisk walking), I had to pull it down every block and a half or so. But I didn't have to do that just wearing it around the house; I'd reserve wearing this skirt for times that don't require a longer stride. Like jogging. Summary: Tube skirts aren't ideal for doubling as running skirts...

The waist of this skirt is fold-over...able (new word. use it in conversation this week to make yourself sound super smart.), which is nice for adjusting the skirt's length, which is in and of itself flattering and modest at the same time. Score. I can't wait until the weather cools off a bit to wear this with colored tights. Layerwear Basics offers this skirt (and other stuff) in a variety of colors, which is useful to coordinate it with whatever's already in your closet.

Below are some shirts I'd love to have and wear with this skirt. Some of these may or may not already be in my shopping carts across cyberworld. I'm click-happy awesome that way.

More J.Crew...

So, in a nutshell: as long as you're not heading out for a hike or marathon, I'd absolutely recommend this skirt based on its top quality, fit, and style. Check out the other products at Layerwear Basics! 

Happy Thursday.

elementary, my dear watson

 shoes: mudd brand. shorts: express jeans (cutoff) (no kidding). shirt: gap. bracelet & belt: forever21. flower clip: downeast basics. earrings: hawaii.

Confession: cutoff shorts are turning into a major guilty pleasure for me. It feels like cheating, really, wearing them as much as I do. But I can't help it. There's something deliriously liberating about the irony of pairing total garbage (which, let's be honest, cutoffs really respresent nothing more than trashed jeans that needed to be either thrown out or cut up into oil-changing rags) with some sort of socially acceptable top.

The result? For me, it's an Unexpected and Maybe Awesome mix of high & low, trash & treasure, dumb and dumber & pride and predjudice...

Which brings me to my most recent scientific breakthrough that there are, really, only two kinds of people in this world: those who like Dumb & Dumber, and those who don't. My husband loves it. Further evidence, actually, that opposites really do attract. Know what doesn't attract? A peacock to another peacock, because apparently (says my 6-year-old son, who happens to be King o' Trivia Facts) there's no such thing as a female peacock. Those are called peahens.

Feel free to use that little tidbit in whatever way you deem necessary to get ahead in life. I know it's done wonders for me.

Happy Monday.

Want this look? Chop your garbage jeans, then shop below...

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New Feature: Unexpected & Maybe Awesome Linkup

Unexpected & Maybe Awesome

 shoes: steve madden. jeans: don't recall. sash: taken off an old navy shirt. shirt: gap. belt: forever21. jacket: banana republic. necklace: gift.

I'm loving surprising details lately. Well, mostly...I found a (literal) little peanut butter handprint on the thigh of my jeans a few days ago that was dry and crusty (a.k.a. who knows how long it'd been there), which was actually an unexpected detail I could've done without.

But MOST of the time, whether it's something small, like a unique pendant on a necklace, or something huge, like the entire ensemble, I'm loving unexpected (and maybe awesome) details. It's like George Washington Carver said: "When you can do the common things of life in an uncommon way you will command the attention of the world."

And what's your purpose in life, if not world domination? Be honest... 

ANYways. I think mixing unexpected stuff into our daily lives makes us more creative, more spontaneous, and more easy-going. My Unexpected & Maybe Awesome component in this ensemble is the off-centered sash and the wide armness of the bolero-esque jacket. I like the whimsy. And I like how I copied myself from a couple months ago. That's unexpected, right? Right.

So. I'd LOVE to see your ideas and implementation of Unexpected and Maybe Awesome. Anything goes. Maybe you wore cowboy boots with a dress, maybe you wore pearls with jeans, maybe you wore three shirts, maybe you wore a random color...or eight random colors. Whatever! Make it an unexpected surprise for all of us. Which is kind of the point. :)

Here's what you do:

<br /> <a border="0" href="http://adayinlifetoo.blogspot.com/search/label/unexpected and maybe awesome" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff436/bnsmart/UaMA_button.jpg"/></a><br />

1. Put this button on your blog or in your linked-up post.

2. Click the "Click here to enter" button.

3. On "Link it to:" link to one specific Unexpected & Maybe Awesome outfit post from your blog.

4. On "Caption or Title:" explain, in 25 letters or fewer, what's unexpected & maybe awesome in the ensemble (e.g., Boots with lace skirt.) If you need more space, you can expound on the unexpectedness and awesomeness that is You in this post's comment section.

Let the expectation of the unexpected begin! (linkup Wednesday & Thursday)

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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To tuck or not to tuck? Or to tuck halfway? These are the questions...

Mirror images. Smashing. And also? Apparently my body rounds itself out where it wants and when it wants, but it blatantly disregards my needs for forming daily numerals (i.e., the bottom part of a "5"). Stinking stubborn knees that only bend. What good are ya?

 boots: target. jeans: kohl's. shirt: gap. cardigan: j.crew. scarf: gift (old navy). belt: Poket's. earrings: hawaii.

In junior high (yes, I'm old enough that I went to junior high and not middle school. Maybe we did arithmetic on slate boards and fetched water from the town well and carried hot potatoes to school in our pails, too. What of it?) (Just kidding. My junior high was just like middle school now--scary cafeteria food and a geography teacher whose white spittle that formed between his top and bottom lip while he talked was absolutely mesmerizing.)

Wow. Better start over. (ahem) In junior high, I remember tucking the front of my shirts in but letting the back hang out. Did anyone else do this? And is it weird that I'm doing it here and now? I don't see it often, but I wanted my belt to be seen here, because to me it tied in the boots to the whole ensemble.

What's your vote--yay or nay to a front-only tuck? And also, sorry about the cuhrazy lighting in these photos. I figure we're all just lucky I got any photos at all. And when I say "we're" I of course mean "I'm"...because probably you all could have a perfectly happy Friday without photos of a girl slapping her knee like a hoedown-beat-keeper and one with hair like a lioness.

But now that you've seen these photos...it's hard to go back to the person you were before. There there, little one. Don't cry.

Happy Friday!

Want this look? First, stick your finger in the nearest electrical outlet. Then buy these clothes:

More Forever 21...

better late than never...except for stuff like mold and rust. then i'd take never.

 Hahahaha. I'm sorry, but seriously...I can't stop laughing at the pic representing "3." Sometimes I crack myself up. Actually, a lot of times. Actually, that happens more often than it probably should, so says Pocket. I think he's right. But I can't help it. 

shoes: union bay brand. pants & shirt: gap. cardigan: j.crew. scarf: smith's marketplace. belt: thrifted. watch: target. earrings: gift.

 

Posting late today. I'm repainting one daughter's room so both daughters cans share the room so my son can move upstairs so we can maybe have houseguests for the next few months.

So I wore this ensemble for a total of, like, 1 hour today. I've been in paint clothes ever since. That's not cheating, is it? And, even if it is, I'm being honest about it. Which should cancel out any negativity you might feel from being betrayed. Let's all eat a pnut m&m as a token of peace.

Oooh, here's a psychological question for you all, once you've exhausted the chicken-or-the-egg bit: If someone tells the truth about their lie, are they honest or not? Annnnnd...yes, the chicken did come first. Absolutely.

Happy Wednesday! (what's left of it...)

Want this look? Here you go, help yourself...

More Asos...

i heart colored tights. and, sure, love in general...

 boots: target. tights & bracelet: f21. skirt & shirt: gap. belt: thrifted (american eagle outfitters). necklace: don't recall.

Happy Valentines Day! Or, as I used to know it as, Single Awareness Day. I already busted out my only 30x30 article of clothing in a Color-o-Love yesterday, so I decided to go completely neutral today then BAM. Red colored tights! Totally a nod to the holiday in a small (yet effective) way. My own little flirtation with the world.

Not really. See how I can't wink in the photo above? See how, in the next photo, I seem to think that a sufficient celebration of the holiday is trying to make my arms form a heart? See how, lastly, I'm ashamed of myself? Flirtation with the world nothin'. It's all I can do to keep my grubby little fingers out of the conversation hearts around here. Actually, truth be told, those things are...how do I say it lovingly...not delicious. (Sorry, Brach's. But they aren't.) 

But we buy them anyway. Every year. I dunno why...have you ever tried to create a cohesive sentence with them, let alone conversation? It's impossible. I think the closest I ever came was when I was 10. Something like: HEY CUTIE BE MINE. NO WAY(?) TOO BAD DEAR ONE. EMAIL ME. BYE."

Yes, it was a riveting play-by-play of a breakup conversation. I'm sure your emotions ran high, as mine did, when you got to the climax of the scene, but you were able to laugh through your tears when you saw the protagonist's resiliency. It's a beautiful scene, and I haven't been able to re-create a comparable conversationally-hearted one since. Sighhhh...

Anyways. It's a fabulous holiday to spend with the one(s) you love. Which is what I'm off to do. And, bonus, my knees match the balloons. So.

Happy Monday.

Want this look? Check out how you can get it...

More The Limited...

dress for success...which, fortunately, is all relative...

I belted the jacket in the picture above so my number three could be streamlined. It seems as though some of you are worried for me as the numbers increase in complexity. But in the words of Donald Sutherland, "Have a little faith, baby. Have a little faith." (Kelly's Heroes. One of my fave movies.)

boots & watch: target. socks: smiths marketplace. tights: gift. skirt: j.crew. belt: Pocket's. shirt: gap. blazer: thrifted (the limited). necklace: downeast outfitters.

Sometimes my hair is longer than I think. So I try a new hairdo that I didn't think would work and viola! It totally works. Then I move my head and the 'do comes tumbling out, and I realize, nope. Totally doesn't work.

I don't think I could successfully go through an airport security scanner with all the metal fasteners, barrettes, bobbies, and other junk in my hair to try to keep this side braid in. And then it would probably take me too long to pull them all out so I wouldn't be able to go on my trip. Which would be fine if I were flying somewhere lame like Iceland in the dead of winter. Or my backyard in the dead of winter, for that matter. Frigid-temps samesies.

Speaking of coldness: my 2- and 4-year-olds are officially sick. I had wanted to get some stuff done (i.e., grocery shopping, car & house cleaned, m&m supply restocked, etc.) before Pocket gets home tomorrow (!!!!!), but it looks like the more important things we'll be doing today involve hanging out in the rocking chair. And reading Brown Bear Brown Bear on endless repeat. And watching Angelina Ballerina. And wiping noses. And guzzling medicine. And snuggling.

[Editor's note: I suppose some could say I'm a tad overdressed for just such an itinerary. But I didn't realize just how sick the kiddos were until after I was dressed. My girls think I look pretty, though, so I didn't want to change.]

I guess when it comes down to it, who really needs groceries? We're living on love around here. Love and cough syrup. Probably in equal proportions.

Happy Thursday.

How I last wore these pieces: purple tights, denim pencil skirt, tuxedo shirt

Want this look? Click on the stuff below...

More Charlotte Russe...

breakfast of champions

shoes: head over heels. jeans & shirt: gap. jacket: banana republic. sash: old navy (came with matching shirt). flower hairthings: gifted. earrings: hawaii.

This morning everyone at our house ate whatever they wanted for breakfast. Pocket ate something healthy and was gone with a kiss on my sleepy forehead. My 2-year-old requested oatmeal. With raisins. My 4- and 6-year-olds feasted on chocolate chip pancakes (the recipe of which I have committed to memory. Sadly.).

Me? I ate yesterday's cookies. Snickerdoodles. With milk. Guiltily hunkered down in the furthest darkest cobwebbiest corner of the kitchen with my back to my darling children so they couldn't see me and follow my bad parental example.

[Editor's note: Actually, bad example, schmad exschample. Mostly I didn't want them to see me because then they'd want cookies too and there wouldn't be enough for my lunch.] Mother of the Year, baby. I'm pretty sure the plaque is in the mail.

Then I got dressed and added a satin sash for a belt. With a tuxedo shirt. And a bolero. And heels. 'Cept I cheated and wore my ugg-knockoff boots to take my puppy for a walk in the snow. Because my puppy is crazy and I happen to like having non-sprained ankles. I know. I'm weird like that.

Anyway. I like this ensemble. I felt comfy and useful and sassy all at the same time. Annnnnd, bonus, since I cleaned all the bathrooms yesterday, I'm done housekeeping for a month or two. My legs are already on vacation.

Happy Saturday.

p.s. Don't forget to enter the giveaway!

Want this look?  jeans   tuxedo shirt   bolero   shoes

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