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...

smells like Middle-aged Spirit...

 shoes: converse brand. skirt: american eagle. shirt: old navy. necklace: forever21. hair flower barrettes: gift. bracelet: hawaii. belt: son's old Halloween pirate costume (thrifted).

It's that time of the month again, ladies. No, not that time of the month. I mean the time for Everybody, Everywhere to wear yellow. And so I did. Do. Will. Five miles uphill both ways in snow that was waist-deep with nothing but holey socks for shoes...

I'm getting old, friends. Here's proof: (a) I turned off the radio in the car because it was "too much racket." (b) I used the phrase "too much racket." (c) I can't eat as many cinnamon bears as I used to. (d) I don't even want to. (e) I go to bed before the summer sun does. (f) I spied some off-white geriatric shoes the other day and thought of ways I could style them because they looked soooooo comfy. (g) My hip pops and creaks when I get up from the couch... (h) ...a process that takes about 14 minutes and involves a lot of huffing and puffing and heaving and rocking back to propel myself up-and-off. (i) I went for comfy over styled for this yellow challenge. I know what you're thinking ("well, floss my dentures and chew my flaxseeds!") because that's what I thought, too.

Also...Remember back when I started the 30x30? Somehow, I only ended up with 23 items. I don't know if the others were in the wash, or if I just lost them altogether and forgot about them or what...but I realized yesterday that, no, my aging eyes were not deceiving me and that, yes, I was staring at the same things over and over. And over. And those things numbered only 23. Alzheimers ahoy.

So. It's almost 4:00. Time to think about eating some dinner. Preferably something involving bran and greens. (Could I make any more stereotypical old-people references in this post? Doubtful...)

Happy Tuesday!



Want this look?

red: a neutralizer or distraction? discuss...

Wow, it's only Day 3 and I'm already getting lame with the rhymes. Dah well.

 shoes: converse brand. skirt: american eagle. shirt: j.crew. sash: off a shirt from downeast basics. necklace: handmade by daughter with keychain pendant from an eiffel tower souvenier shop in paris.

I love this shirt. Love the snaps on the sleeves. Love the neckline. Love the weight and fit of the fabric. Love it all.

Wanna know a secret? C'mere. Closer...closerrrrrrr... This shirt is cream-based, and the skirt is white-based. I have always--ALWAYS--had a thing for keeping those two separate. Combining them is like drinking orange juice or eating sour patch kids right after brushing your teeth. (Guess which activity loses out almost every time around here?) (Wait, don't guess. It's alarming how well you guys are already acquainted with my limited dental hygiene habits...) (Okay, so that's not exactly true. I sure don't floss like a champ, but I brush my teeth! Faithfully! Often! I swear!)

[Editor's note: Um, the Punctuation Police called and said they're running out of parentheses and exclamation marks. Easy does it.]

(psssst...Editor...the Jerk Store called and said they're running out of YOU!)

And if you've never watched Seinfeld and/or are unacquainted with the fabulous fictional character that is George Costanza, you won't understand that last parenthetical aside. And also? My heart bleeds for you.

So. Cream, meet white. White, cream. Let's throw in a pop o' red and call it a day, shall we?

Happy Wednesday.

Want this look? It's super fun to wear! Click below...

More American Apparel...

casual -- but not sloppy -- denim

boots & watch: target. knee-high socks: smith's marketplace. skirt: american eagle. shirt: gift (old navy?). shirt: gap. necklace: downeast basics. belt: don't recall. earrings: hawaii.

I like the mix of denim with the over-the-top bubble necklace here, but I think I'm done with boots for awhile...

...fortunately, my loss is her gain.

Hey everyone, it's Friend Friday! Today's topic is shoes.

1. What is your go-to pair of shoes? In the spring, it's my metallic flats. Easy on, easy off, and they go with everything. Second-up are my Converse All-Stars, any time of the year.

2. What goes into your shoe buying decisions? Their similarity (or not) to other shoes I already own (a.k.a., Do I really need them?). And price. And cuteness.

3. The majority of the shoes in your closet are what color? Black or brown. If I were a betting girl, I'd say this is the case for 90% of humankind. 'Cept my daughters. Then it'd be pink.

4. When it comes to design shoes what are your favorite brands and why? I don't know a lot about shoe brands. I like most of the shoes Steve Madden designs. *awkward e-pause, as I search and come up with nothing to follow that statement up with*

5. If price wasn’t an issue, you’d own which shoe? Honestly, I just don't know. See my answer to #4, to fill you in on my shoe ignorance. :)

Happy Friday!

Want this look? Click on stuff below...

More Anthropologie...

spring has sprung...okay, it hasn't, but it will...you hear me, spring? you WILL.

 shoes: mudd brand. skirt: american eagle. shirt: forever21. belt: thrifted. necklace & flower clip: downeast basics.

Someone commented the other day how tired they were of seeing people in winter scarves and tights and boots. I hadn't really thought about it until now, but...me too! Sick sick sick of wearing them. So. In a fit of "in-your-face-Old-Man-Winter" (which could, in a pinch, also double as "whose-legs-are-whiter-Old-Man-Winter's-or-mine") I'm treating you all to a delightful view of my non-tighted (and alarmingly colorless) legs. You're welcome.

Today's jumping-off point was this springy floral shirt. (I don't know if the universe is susceptible to subliminal messages, but, hey, it's worth a shot.) Paired, and I don't know why, with this mini-plaid skirt. That's "mini" as in the plaid pattern itself, NOT "mini" as in the skirt. Again, you're welcome. Some days my benevolance-ness is just overwhelming, I know.

I was absolutely digging the combo...until this polka-dotted belt flew out of my closet and landed at my ankles. Obviously, a belt around one's ankles will never ever do, but...dared I add a third print to this already jarring-ly busy ensemble?

(Here's where, if this were a TV show, we'd cut to commercial, and you'd spend the next 2.4 minutes discussing the options before me, the pros and cons of each, and how your sister's-best-friend's-niece once faced a similar dilemma and what she did about it. However, circumstances being as they are, I'll just take this moment to say: don't forget to check out this week's giveaway!)

Annnnnd, we're back. And, oh yes. I dared. A trifecta of mixed-pattern spring-y-ness, and legs that glow in and of themselves like the very sun in the sky. It's a win-win-WIN. Flowers will be sprouting forth wherever I walk today, I daresay.

Happy Wednesday.

Want this look? Shop below...

More Biviel...

I'm just grateful, that's all.

 shoes & skirt: don't recall. shirt: old navy. undershirt & bracelet: downeast. cardigan: j.crew. earrings: hawaii open jewelry market.

This week I'm grateful for:

- Irish dancing performances.

- Attending said performances with old friends. That is to say, "old" as in long-term, not as in elderly. Although attending with elderly friends would be fine, too... (where'd I put that shovel? need to dig myself out of a hole here...)

- When my 2-year-old calls a red bug-bite on her arm a "sprinkle." ???

- Fingernail polish.

- Being able to exercise. (Whether I actually DO, now, that's a different story...)

- Strawberry milk.

- Touch-screen cell phone. Didn't like it at first. LOVE it now.

- Perspective. Like when I cracked one of my favorite oval mirrors this week, it was a bummer but not a catastrophe because, hey, it's just a mirror. Sometimes I don't have perspective. This week I did, and I'm glad of it.

- Simple green cleaner.

- A good husband who is equally good at being a father.

- Xbox Kinect.

- When my kids play happily together. Nothing more heart-warming. And I'm grateful for it because they've been doing a lot of fighting lately, so those moments are particularly sweet.

- Peace. And safety.

Happy Sunday.

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.