American History 101 & some mixed patterns

I felt like an American flag today after getting dressed. Until I remembered that it's stars, not polka dots, on Old Glory. Phew. Crisis averted.

shoes: American Eagle Outfitters

plaid trousers: GAP

striped shirt: Lands End Canvas

polka dot cardigan: Coldwater Creek (I think)

 

I sometimes wonder if I'm too old for such bold pattern mixing. But then I remember that I bought this cardigan at a store that specializes in total Christmas-vest-wearing-teacher, mom, and even gramma gear. I think I'm a good decade or two below the targeted consumer there.

 

 

Which makes me feel young and wild enough to throw on a random plaid pants to complete the ensemble. I'm cuh-razy like that.

 

 

Honestly, I'm just hoping that the pattern trio is distracting enough that you'll fail to notice my fresh-out-of-shower, major-roots-showing hair. It's a complicated life I lead, people, chock full of deception and shampoo.

 

Happy beautiful Tuesday.

 

 

Shop similar items below:

Dorothy Perkins Tees · Sam Edelman Flats · Maison Martin Margiela Pants

{Shared: Coffee Beans & Bobby Pins, Kiwi Women's Style, Mom Trends, My Girlish Whims, Not Dead Yet,  The Life of the Party, The Mrs and the Momma, Transatlantic Blonde}

a wide leg trouser by any other name...

I think I have "cuffed pants" on the brain (prob because of this post). But before you make any judgments about today's ensemble, I have an explanation and an apology and a fascinating early-morning internal dialogue documented below. So. Read on.

shoes: unionbay brand. pants & denim jacket: gap. shirt: ana brand. belt: vintage. watch: target. necklace: forever21. bracelet: open jewelry market in hawaii.

  As the weather gloomified and chilled over course of the morning, I had to modify my outfit. First: I threw on a denim jacket and struck a weird facial expression.

 Second: I unrolled the trousers. Which, frankly, I liked better anyway with these pants. 'Tweren't broken. Shouldn't've tried to fix 'em. (Allsofasudden my fingers think I'm a redneck? Awesome. Something fried and delicious for dinner, I guess...)

Let's start at the beginning, shall we? Sometimes I make odd choices. Take this morning, for instance. I pulled out these sweet wide-leg plaid trousers because it's still raining and coldish. [Editor's note: I could've worn a skirt with colored tights, but I think I temporarily burned myself out on colored tights.] Despite their (the pants') fabulous features (e.g., wide leg, front crease, great colors, classic plaid print, good fit, etc.), I thought to myself, "these pants are too ordinary. I need to do something to make them unique."

(I also thought to myself, "what's for breakfast?" And then my brain answered, "toast." And then I complained, "what? toast again?" And then my brain said, "yep. and it'll be toast tomorrow, too, if y'all don't get yo'self to the grocer sto'.") (It's good to know my brain and my fingers speak the same dialect.)

Wow. Long story short (too late): I tried to peg and cuff these pants and get away with it. Shame on me. Which is why I love doing this blog--I find out all sorts of things. Like: don't try to make a garment something into it absolutely inherently isn't. And also: stop listening to country music for a while.

Do you guys ever do stuff like that? Try too hard to get something to be different when, really, it's best just to leave it alone and let it shine for what it is?

Either way...Happy Thursday.

 Want this look? Click below, buy some stuff...then don't cuff the pants, k? Thanks.

More Tory Burch...

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...

a stay-at-home mom's take on "casual friday"

View the following photos with this song running through your hot little heads:

Most of these things are not like the others.

Most of these things just do-on't belong.

Can you tell which things are not like the others

By the time I finish this song?

shoes: converse all-stars. pants: gap. long-sleeved tee: american eagle outfitters. tee: old navy. belt: downeast outfitters. watch: target. necklace: gifted. awesome poses: one-of-a-kind original discontinued vintage. sorry.

 Today is totally Casual Friday at my house. Today is also the day where the words "casual" and "completely random" are synonymous. But...frankly? I love today's ensemble. Which is probably alarming to most of you. In fact, I'm seeing in my minds-eye a hasty retreat to thousands hundreds tens upon tens of computers' "back" buttons. Fair enough.

But for those of you still here (gold stars for you all):

Hi, I'm Brittney. I'm a stay-at-home mom of young kids, and I sometimes get my days mixed up. Mondays become Thursdays and Tuesdays are often dead-ringers for Wednesdays. This hasn't really been a problem until the past year or two, with my son now in school...he's probably the only kid in 1st grade who regularly shows up to gym class with his library book. (Remember my Mother of the Year plaque? It hasn't come yet, but I'm confident it will...)

But Fridays, my friends, are never mixed up. Fridays shine like a beacon in the night of the weekday...um...nights. A glowing lighthouse for all troubled waters to see.

Wow, you're saying to yourselves. She waxes poetic. Odd for someone who wears long-sleeved tees under graphic tees and pairs them both with plaid trousers. Or, probably you're actually saying to yourselves, What should I make for dinner? or It's true!! 'E' really DOES equal 'MC-squared'! [Editor's note: If your thoughts fall along the latter option, I'll quietly walk away right now, no questions asked, and I'll never trouble your superior mind again.]

Today's jumping-off point: Guess. Seriously, go back, look at the photos, and take a stab at what my jumping-off point was today. Anyone guess these pants? You win. Which is strange to me, because these pants are totally preppy/workwear (wide cuff and everything), whereas the layered tees are exactly opposite. What would you call today's look, anyway? Would you call it: Preppy-lawyers'-kid-who-excels-in-math-and-classic-violin-recitals-but-secretly-plays-the-bass-in-a-garage-band-while-her-boxer-puppy-lays-on-some-carpet-remnants-in-the-corner? No way! That's exactly what I thought, too! What are the odds? Because, really, that's pretty specific...

Anyway. The plaid in the pants is neutral enough that I paired them with a mid-scale graphic tee (long-sleeved under is strictly for warmth, but I like the color it adds). I love the fatty gold boyfriend watch with all this, as well as the blue Converse--a little Unexpected & Maybe Awesome. Overall, despite lots going on, this ensemble's colors are chunky and muted. 'Cept the belt. It adds a bit of whimsy, a pop of color, and a bit of a "huh?" factor. Triple dip.

Happy happy Friday!

Want this look? plaid pants  graphic tee  boyfriend watch  blue converse  yellow belt

More Puma...

i'm a little bit country...i'm a little bit OCD...

Please. Not a step further until I apologize. The flats that you're about to see are atrocious. I'm thoroughly embarrassed and would redo all these photos if I had the time. And wasn't lazy. But...I don't and I am. Sorry. (I actually switched to these mary jane heels and took one photo, below. Your imaginations will have to shoe-swap the rest, okay? C'mon, we've all seen Barney [unfortunately]. This is what he trained us to do.)

 shoes: mudd brand. pants, shirt, & jacket: gap. (i have too many gap clothes. this is embarrassing.) belt: don't recall. scarf: sweden. bracelet: f21.

Chipped fingernail polish, anyone? Don't mind if I do...

This whole week is dedicated to my closet purge hit-list. As in, I have to find a way to wear these clothes this week or they're outta here. The pants and shirt you see here were actually borderline gone. I like these plaid trousers but have a hard time wearing them for some reason. (And if paired with those flats ever again, they'll be banished forever. That's a promise. And, sure, a threat too. Double-whammy.) And I like this lightweight cable-knit tee, but I feel like the neck's a little too high for my build and makes me look super square if I'm not careful. Or even if I am.

So. I thought a scarf would "hide" the neckline of the shirt (or at least distract from it), and this scarf in particular picks up one of the colors of the plaid pants. Bingo. Throw on a bracelet that matches the scarf, and we've got the blind leading the blind on some sort of express train to...nowhere. But sometimes nowhere is a nice place to visit. Especially if they leave mints on your pillow there.

I added a belt simply because I'm addicted. There, I admitted it. I have a belting problem. And I added a jacket because my arms were getting cold. I would've loved a navy or dark brown drapey cardigan here, but I have neither of those items, so I found an alternative: white denim. Hah! Like, in the total other direction as a soft cardi, but I'm okay with it. I think it goes with the overall look just fine.

I'm off to disgrace those flats in front of their peers now. Ciao.

Happy Monday.

Want this look?   trousers   cableknit   scarf

women brown plaid wide-leg dress pants