What, this old thing? Yeah...it really is, actually.

 shoes: unionbay brand. pants: gap. shirt: somewhere in germany. cardigan: old navy. belt & necklace: downeast basics.

There's something pretty liberating about wearing a fancy cluster necklace with an industrial nylon belt. I feel like I could do anything today, if I'm being honest with you. Anything at all. Fly, see through walls, lasso bad guys with a magical lariat, call the public library to see if I accidentally returned my son's schoolbook there...ANYthing. You name it.

[Editor's note: I tried make the library phone call sound cooler by associating it with those other super-activities. Did it work? Does it sound like a way awesome thing to do? No? Drat. Well, the good news is that I actually DID take that book to the public library on accident, which means my son will be able to graduate 1st grade. *phew*]

[Assistant Editor's note: What Editor is failing to tell you all is that, embarrassing as this most recent book/library mixup might sound, it's not NEARLY as embarrassing as the time we "returned" library books into a local video rental return slot...and then accused the library of screwing up their record-keeping because we specifically remembered returning them into a drop box. HEH.]

 Want more embarrassing dirt on me? Here. Outtakes.

Can someone please remind me why I blog? Is it to publicly humiliate myself as much as possible, and since I don't see that many people during the course of my real life, turning to the Internet was the only viable solution? No? Well then...I have no response to that.

Happy Monday.

p.s. Don't forget to enter the GIVEAWAY -- it ends tonight!

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More Gap...

mr. golden sun appears to be permanently indisposed...yellow sweater to the rescue

 shoes: steve madden. pants: gap. shirt: j.crew. cardigan: old navy. bracelet: downeast basics. pin: don't recall. earrings: hawaii.

 I'm looking for it, guys. My dignity, that is. Searching hard...

 Drat. It's gone. Quite possibly forever.

Dignity or no... it's Friend Friday! This week's topic is among my favorites: Gratitude. Here goes:

1. When it comes to me personally – I owe a lot of who I am to: My parents and siblings, natch, for their sculpting of me through my childhood years. My college roommates during those pivotal college years, who helped me figure out what really is -- and isn't -- important to me and my life. (For example: ISN'T: yellow landrovers, caffeine, and pleasing everybody. IS: loyalty, laughter, and clean cookware.) And, forever and ever amen, my husband and children.

2. When it comes to me professionally – I owe a lot of who I am to: My English professors who embraced my uniqueness and let me -- encouraged me to -- fly, the Grant Lab (my first career-centered job, right out of college, which taught me the ins and outs of real-life professional technical writing and set me up for the kid-friendly, flexible freelance writing I do now), and my husband whose support has been unwavering and perspective reassuring.

3. When it comes to the art of blogging, I’m grateful to these people for helping me through some rough spots: Heidi, who without knowing it has set the example for me of completely being ones own glorious and unique self on blog (her blogging resolutions for the New Year 2011 were what sealed the deal), Jill, a stranger who took a chance and asked to feature me when I first started my blog and who will always have a place in my e-heart, and (sincerely) all you style bloggists who are genuine and who put yourselves out there because you love what you do. It's inspiring. Annnnd...my husband, who smiles and supports me even though blogging & "style" per se aren't exactly his thang. (Ew. Gross. Pretend I didn't just type that.)

4. One blogging challenge I’m grateful happened because it made me stronger was… Adding Disqus. Ran into many problems installing it on my blog for some reason, but I learned some html stuff and patience and how to curse in my head but not out loud. All very applicable life skills.

5. To my readers, I’d like to say… Thanks, all four of you, for putting up with me, with my sarcasm, with my text-heavy posts, with my outfit blunders, with my silliness, and with my amateur self- or kid-snapped photos. Thanks for your comments, for making me laugh, and for following and visiting often. I think you're pretty great.

Happy Friday!

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More J.Crew...

a so super very average blog post

shoes: steve madden. tights: don't recall. shorts: banana republic. shirt: thrifted. cardigan: old navy. watch: target. necklace: gift.

I think I'm trying to simulate sunshine (and thereby the debut of spring) by wearing this yellow sweater practically every day (like here). Just like I'm trying to simulate being a good cook by hiding the wrappers deep in the garbage can. The results on both counts are equally wildly successful. Winter: 1. Stouffers: 1. Brittney: big-fat-0.

My two-year-old paused from her barbie play this morning to look at me and say, "Mommy, I wite (like) yuh (your) wed wips (red lips) today. Dey so so so pity." Because the use of just one superlative adverb (totally just made title that up, I think. But it's okay...I have an English degree. I'm certified to do that kind of thing.) is never sufficient with my kiddos. Everything is really really this, super super that, and very very VERY the other.

I bet I taught them that on accident. I use multiple emphases all the time, like when referencing the deliciousness of girl scout cookies, the nonexistence of my desire to do housework, and the very real probability of my darlings' early demise if I so much as see their toes on the stairs one more time tonight.

(ahem) Okay so that's a little extreme. I would never cause my children's early demise just for getting out of bed repeatedly after bedtime. I mean, what kind of mother would that make me? Life imprisonment, maybe, but no demise.

Happy (pseudo-sunshiney) Tuesday.

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More Forever 21...

because I'm the mom, that's why...

shoes: converse brand. socks: smith's marketplace. skirt: gap. shirt & belt: thrifted. cardigan: old navy. watch: target. earrings: hawaii. necklace: don't recall. balloon: dollar store on valentine's day.

It is with full understanding that I'll probably be shunned by the fashion purists of the world (all of whom flock to this blog on the daily to adjust their own style decisions. Natch.), but I couldn't help myself: Red chucks it was, and had to be. They make no sense here, and I recognize that. The beautiful thing, though, is that they fit right in, because in all actuality, NOTHING makes sense in this ensemble. Some days are just like that, at least for me.

Mysterious, no?

No? Just plain weird? Drat. I've always wanted to be that woman-with-a-hint-of-a-what's-her-story?-aura. Okay, that's a lie. I've never wanted to be that woman. I've mostly wanted to be the woman who is able to eat like a horse and end up losing weight. Got myself an O-fer.

Instead, I guess I'll settle for being the woman I actually am: an active mommy who enjoys doing pleasantly unexpected things like baking cookies at dinnertime (check), reading 4 stories at bedtime instead of 2 (check), and wearing red converse with a floral pencil skirt and uber-bright sweater (check-check).

Oh, and for the record, I would've nixed the knee-highs in lieu of bare legs to simplify this a bit, but it's still too blasted cold for that. So. I figured another faux paux (sp?) couldn't hurt...this one's on the house.

pssst...Purists? See y'all tomorrow, right guys?....ladies?...oh esteemed ones?...aw nuts.

Happy happy Thursday!

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More Talbots...

this knee-length ruffle tiered skirt? i heart it.

I've been looking for a ruffle tiered skirt for a long time. I think they're absolutely adorable, either casual or dressed up. Ruffle skirts are everywhere, so you wouldn't think my quest would be that hard. (You also wouldn't think it would be that hard to make meatballs without getting burned, but I have two fleshwounds on my wrist to prove otherwise. So. I just like to make things hard, I guess. Keep myself on my toes.)

Anyways. Why the challenging search for such a skirt? Because my second (and most important) criterion was that it had to come to my knees. Which pretty much eliminated all ruffle tiered skirt vendors. (sob)

Until...... ta-daaaaa! Kosher Casual contacted me to see if I'd review one of their modest clothing items. Um, yes and yes. and YES again when I saw that they had a knee-length version of the skirt of my dreams. Can you see why? It's awesome!

I committed to do a review within a few days of receiving the skirt...buuuut (you see where this is headed, don't you.) I got it in the mail just this week, but it's not part of my 30x30 items (waaaah). So I can't legally (morally? ethically? conscientiously? just how eternal ARE the consequences of breaking a 30x30 rule, anyway?) wear it right now. Which makes me sad beyond belief.

But I CAN style/model it for you (with, ahem, none of the items that are in my 30x30...hurts so good...). Just this once. I promise I didn't wear it all day. But it was hard. Because this skirt, you guys. This skirt! I love it.

 The fabric is some sort of ultra-soft microsuedish stuff (I wish I knew my fabrics better...but I'm sure the website has the info), the sewing (I almost said "craftsmanship"...is that a word one would use when referencing a garment?) is super high quality. The skirt has a zipper in back, just a few inches of seamed-in elastic, and a super-high waist panel--3 key ingredients for an adjustable piece. As in, you can be taller or shorter, you can pull it higher (but not too high! we're being modest, remember? :) ) or lower, you can be thinner or bigger. And the fabulous thing is, the skirt just works. It looks awesome no matter how you wear it. (Note: There are different sizes available on the website; I'm just saying, there's a bit of flexibility within each size. Does that even make sense?)

I chose to pull mine higher today. I can't wait to try other ways as well. I heart this skirt. Truly and completely.

And, before I go, just a heads-up: I noticed other modest clothing items on Kosher Casual that were suuuper cute as well. Sometimes I think people shudder and cringe at the word "modest" because they think it sounds all granny-like or stuffy or, dare I say, lame. I'm here to attest that this isn't the case. This skirt is everything I need a skirt to be--stylish, fun, and modest.

Thanks, Kosher Casual. In case you didn't catch it in this post...I am in.love. with your skirt. Pocket's getting a little jealous.

...but what if the shoe DOESN'T fit?

 boots: target. socks: smith's marketplace. skirt: gap. shirt: pocket's. belt & hairthing: f21.

This outfit isn't much to speak of. Not lots going on, other than the fact that I busted out wearing one of Pocket's workshirts. The good news is, I'm about 99.9% sure that the engineers down at his work aren't following this blog, so they'll never know. And if they ARE reading this, the fact that I'm wearing my husband's shirt becomes one of the least of our worries, now, doesn't it.

Today's jumping-off point: this grey wool skirt. It's well over 10 years old. And it's supposed to be a pencil-skirt-that-wraps number, but I can only wear it at my hips, making my bottom half look larger than I actually am. In keeping with the bigger-is-apparently-better theme of today, I thought I'd throw on one of Pocket's shirts and waddle myself around the house. Which, for the record, is kinda fun to do on occasion. Waddle, that is. 'Cept instead of bread crumbs, I'm throwing myself fruity tootsie rolls and catching them quite adeptly, if I do say so myself. Quack.

To balance out the masculine, I overcompensated with some bling-shine-boom: a sequinilicious (yep) skinny belt, an enormous jewel-encrusted-jeweled hairthing, and diamond stud earrings. Which are real. A surprise gift from xoPocketxo himself. And I l.o.v.e. them--perfect size, shape, and stone. Thankyouverymuch.

I considered adding tights today but didn't. Maybe I subconsciously wanted to show off my neon-translucent legs? Yeah, probably that. I just felt like socks today...but only socks that yelled "supersize me!" at the manufacturing plant. Which these obviously did. And I admire them for that.

Then I got cold and added a cardigan and took three more pics. The end.

Happy Wednesday!

[Addendum: If you'd like to check it out, I'm featured today on Jill's fabulous blog, Spoils of Wear. Thanks, Jill!]

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womens boyfriend button-up

Just a pleasant sabbath day...circa 1940

I love Lucy, anyone? At least, that's kinda what I felt like today. And loved every minute of it.

So here's the deal. I got this dress a few years back, and I love it because it appears very simple but it's got a lot going on. Like a thin black pinstripe, full skirt, full-front buttons, a matching sash belt, tuxedo-ish pleats on the bodice, and a demi collar. (Okay, actually, I've never even heard of a demi collar. TOTally made that word up, but can you see what I'm talking about? A collar that isn't really a collar? What's that called, anyway?) I've always worn the dress with the matching sash belt and called it good.

Not today, my friends. I needed COLOR today. So I pulled out my trusty cardigan-o'-brightness and, if that wasn't blinding enough, added a silky red sash for shine. And polka dots. And shine.

[Editor's note: I'm naturally built like a square. A big hunk-o-box in girl form -- no waist, no hips, no chest to speak of. So. I wear belts to pretend I have a girlish figure. Sometimes I worry that I'm just emphasizing the fact that I am, in fact, a box. But today I got over it and wore the belt anyway because, hey, box or no, who can resist a little polka dot action every now and then?]

Ahem. Anyway. In the true spirit of midcentury womens wear, I added a feminine pearl necklace. And the closest thing I had to a corsage. (Recognize the flower? I wore it in my hair here.) And some --surprise!--bracelets. Pull on some classic black houndstooth tights and my trusty chunky mary janes, and we're good to go.

[Editor's note: I feel like I owe you all an explanation about the shoes. I know chunky mary janes are out of "season" or whatever. But I have an especially soft spot in my heart for all things mary jane. Period. Including those with chunky heels and unsightly rounded toes. I've had these shoes for years and still love them. So scoff all you like, you fashion purists, but I wear them happily and will probably continue to do so for the next 23 years, much to the embarrassment of my kids. I hope.]

[Assistant Editor's note: The Editor can occasionally be a pompous windbag and was becoming such in the course of this post. I've sent her to the office kitchen to find a cake to nibble on while I wrap up here, which, without Editor, should take about two seconds.]

Happy Sunday.