snow leopard

details:tunic~f21/jeans~jcrew/shoes~steve madden

Thank you so much for all of the birthday wishes! I had an amazing birthday. Yesterday morning I woke up to find my hubby had made me a yummy breakfast of waffles, fresh fruit and turkey sausage. I also had yellow roses waiting for me. Last night we went for drinks appetizers and desserts before heading the Cincinnati Reds game. Ohmygosh..I looove baseball! My ex husband was a baseball player so I spent a lot of my summers watching him play. I got over the crummy ex but my love of the boys of summer is in tact:) We had fantastic seats and watched all ten innings. Jay Bruce finally hit one to bring in Brandon Phillips for the win!!!!

Today, I'm recovering from stuffing my face with all of my baseball favorites(hot mett, jumbo pretzel and beer, of course). I need something a little loosey goosey until the bloat is gone:D I also have to drive up to my daughter's school this afternoon so something comfortable to drive in is a must. This leopard print tunic fits the bill. Have a happy Tuesday!

birthday girl

Today is my birthday:) I'm officially....very close to 40..Ha! I'll be back tomorrow. Have a happy Monday.

pink lady

details:top~f21/cardigan&cuff~anthropologie/jeans~abercrombie/shoes~aldo

I have to say I'm over the moon that today is Friday! I'm so tired(I think you can tell from the pictures). I have no energy and was not feeling particularly creative about dressing today. To be perfectly honest, I would rather be home in bed in my pajamas. I almost didn't post these pictures because this outfit is kind of....boring.

I'm feeling the need for comfort food, a nice glass of red and lots of sleep:)

age of the geek, baby. we run the world

details:plaid shirt~meijer/cardigan&necklace~f21/jeans~jcrew/shoes~steve madden

This morning there was-dare I say it- a breeze!!!Last night we actually slept with our windows open. It was glorious!!!

"Cooler" temps put me in a fall frame of mind..Ha!(no pun intended) I don't have to dig too deep to channel my inner nerd. Trust me, it's right under the surface:D The sky high stilettos are very Posh Spice...no?

"Age of the geek, baby. We run the world" Alec Hardison on Leverage

when in doubt wear red

details: dagmar shirtdress~anthropologie/belt~target/shoes~jessica simpson

Happy Wednesday!!! First, let me say thanks for all the sweet birthday wishes for the hubby:) He got quite the kick out of reading them all. We have more birthday celebrating next week because my birthday is Monday.

We had a lovely dinner at his parents house last~it's always nice when I don't have to do the cooking or cleaning. When we got home it was a little bit rushed because today was the kids first day of school!! I needed to confirm bus route info, parcel out school supplies, make sure alarms were set, etc. I basically passed out at 10:30. I'm a night owl and on top of that I'm not a very good sleeper(I only manage to get about 5 hours a night!). I was so tired I didn't even watch Rachel Zoe!

To celebrate the first day of school, I decided to wear my dagmar shirtdress. I knew when I saw it online I was going to buy it. Shirtdress+red+floral= MUST.HAVE! I tried to be patient and wait for it to go on sale. The hubs was so tired of me looking at it and sighing wistfully he told me to buy the darn thing....or at least I think that's what he said. I heard "you might as well..." and I was out the door, keys in hand to my local Anthropologie. Nothing says celebration like a red dress. I may even make some red velvet cupcakes to surprise the kids when they home.

another year older

Happy Birthday Sweets! I love you!!

Top Ten Reasons I think you're the bees knees:
1. You make me laugh every. single. day
2. You love my children fiercely and like they are your own.
3. You are a man of integrity.
4. We share the same inappropriate sense of humor.
5. You always share your dessert.
6. You'll watch the Rachel Zoe Project with me.
7. Even though you have a great voice, you're still shy about singing in front of me(unless you're drunk and we're playing Rock Band...who knew!?)
8. You have faith in me even when i don't have faith in myself.
9.When I see you across the room my stomach still does a little flip.
10. Your laugh is infectious.

You really are my better half. I love you!!!

monday morning florals

details: floral robe worn as top~anthropologie/underskirt~anthropologie/shoes~aldo/jewelry~target&f21

Mondays..ick! I spent Monday morning driving to three different post offices trying to find a package~an adorable vintage dress~to no avail:( Thankfully, when I arrived to work it was sitting on my desk(where it should have been Friday..boo!). A nice strong cup of coffee, the safe arrival of my dress and wearing this outfit have made the start of the work not too bad.

This weekend I was playing dress up and this outfit just sort of conjured itself up. I have to say that I'm a little bit in love. I can see the influence that blogging and reading style blogs in this outfit. A year ago it would have never occurred to me to mix floral prints with leopard print or to wear this amazing robe layered over a dress. All of it together just feels right to me.

Tonight, I'm taking the hubby out to celebrate his birthday. Tomorrow(his actual birthday) we're celebrating with his family but tonight I get him all to myself;)

watercolors

details:drees~h&m/necklace~f21/shoes~seychelles via endless

Well, my daughter is a college freshman. Ha...I feel so old! Yesterday we got up and hit the road at 7:30. Moving her in was seamless and the school had a full day of activities for the parents and the incoming freshman. I managed to hold back tears until we were in the car on the way home and last night when I walked past her empty room they started again. I am so proud of her but of course I'm still in shock that my baby is gone!

I didn't really have the energy to put together "a look". I grabbed this h&m dress, a necklace and my favorite shoes and it was out the door. I love the shades of blues and greens and the flutter sleeves in this dress.

I'm exhausted and looking forward to doing a whole lot of nothing this weekend:)

win, place or show

details:skirt~anthro(very old)/top~walmart~shoes~seychelles



Happy Wednesday! Last night we had an impromptu cocktail hour at our house.

It included our wonderful neighbors, a pitcher of mojitos and a yummy cheese tray. I'm on a mission to bring back cocktail hour.

This skirt from Anthro is way old. I'm not sure why I bought it but I was oddly attracted to the stripes and the colors. It reminds me a little of a jockey's silks. Every time I put it in the donate pile, I dig it back out.

Tomorrow is the big day. We're taking my daughter to college! I can't believe it. I'm nervous, anxious, overjoyed and a little sad. Have a wonderful Wednesday!

hey, i put some new shoes on and suddenly everything is right

details: dress~anthropologie/belt~anthropologie/shoes~seychelles(via endless)/brooches~vintage

Happy Monday! I've had lots of new commenters, subscribers and followers....wow! Thank you guys so much for stopping by. I really appreciate it:)

I hope you all had a fantastic weekend. Mine started out not that great. My daughters missed their curfew-without a phone call or a text a message...unacceptable!-Friday night which led to some words with my oldest daughter(the driver and the one responsible for keeping them all out past curfew). She's leaving for college on Thursday so it was not a great a feeling to fight with her when she has so little time left at home. Yesterday we had a dinner for her and it was wonderful to have friends and family around to laugh and talk and look through old pictures. All is forgiven(mostly). I'm sure I'll be a mess when we drop her off Thursday!

This is the dress that started the obsession with shirtdresses. I think I could wear this dress everyday of the week and never tire of it. I should have bought it another color...smh! But, today is really all about the shoes! I ordered these fantastic shoes from endless. I think they may replace my Steve Madden clogs as the shoes you'll probably see in every post. They are so comfortable. A woman stopped me in the grocery store on Saturday to take a picture of them to send to her daughter. Ha! Have a happy Monday:)

everybody's workin for the weekend

details:top~modcloth/jeans~abercrombie/cardigan&necklace~f21/shoes~steve madden

I'm so happy it's Friday! This has been a tough week. Emotionally I'm all over the place-again. And, I hate that. I guess it is what it is.

I'm not super happy with this but I didn't really have the time or the energy to change my clothes. Last week I missed out on Gilt's sale of Jbrand Love Stroy jeans. I'm bummed because I've been wanting a pair since forever. My quest for flared jeans led me to Abercrombie and Fitch of all places. The sales associates literally have to yell at you to ask you anything..oy! Despite the obnoxiously loud music, hordes of teenagers and their bewildered looking parents, I found these which will hold me over as the search for the perfect flared jean continues.

Have an awesome Friday:)

polka dots and leopard spots

Inspiration for today's look- Elle Magazine(I think?)

details:dress/vintage purchased from etsy shop barefoot and vintage~shoes/aldo

Recent shirtdress purchases from anthropologie have triggered a minor obsession with them. Unfortunately, my wallet demands that that I find a non budget busting alternate source to feed my obsession. This has lead to an etsy/ebay vintage obsession. It's a slippery slope people! Anyway, the completely rad, Paige, of barefootandvintage has an etsy shop. I purchased this cute little dress from her. I love it! I have a few different ways I want to style it but I was once again limited by the unbearable heat/humidity. I ultimately opted to go without the little socks because I wasn't sure if I liked the way it looked. I already get enough odd looks in suburban wasteland and I wasn't in the mood for the whole"what is she wearing?" disapproval today.

The longer summer drags on the more I'm ready for fall. I've also been thinking more about creating a "look" versus simply buying things because I think I like them. I'm hoping this will give me more options instead of standing in my closet and thinking I have nothing to wear. Being swayed by of the moment trends or seeing things on other people has resulted in some really questionable purchases. Going through some of my magazines I'm starting to get more of an idea of what I want to purchase for fall and winter. I really think this is going to help me shop smarter...I hope:) I know for sure that there will be more vintage in my closet for fall with a few items from Anthro that I'm watching and of course a little jcrew and f21 thrown in the mix. Do you have any must haves yet for fall? How do you approach shopping? Do you have a look or do you buy on a whim?

because i can't be naked

details:

dress~f21

shoes~steve madden

headband~anthro

I think I said I wasn't going to drone on and on about how freakin' hot it is....I lied! Jeez! It's about a million degrees with 1000% humidity and the ac in my car is out...again!! The last thing I wanted to think about today was getting dressed and this was about all I could muster up. So plain, I know. I guess they can't all be winners:(

connect the dots

details:

dress~anthropologie

cardigan~anthropologie

shoes~steve madden

clearly, i'm addicted to pattern mixing! i overslept this morning and had about 30 minutes to get out the door. clean and unwrinkled was good enough for today. i'm not even going to talk about the unbearable heat and humidity. in my head, i'm already thinking nice cool, fall thoughts:)

happy tuesday!

holiday

details:

Skirt~Anthro-very old

Top~H&M

Belt~Target

Shoes~Steve Madden

Necklace~Anthropologie

Happy Monday! I have to say the yard sale was bust:( We didn't get to go until Sunday which means everything was picked over. I ended up with two very cute vintage brooches, some milk glass for my collection and a vintage radio. Oh well, it was nice to be able to spend some time with hubby.

I pulled this skirt from the back of the closet. It is so old but it's one of those things that makes me smile every time I wear it. I feel like I'm on holiday in this skirt:)

it's a plaid, plaid world

details:skirt~vintage~etsy/tshirt~target/belt~f21/shoes~aldo



It's Friday!!!! Because I'm celebrating the end of the week I decided to throw all caution to the wind and pair this vintage skirt that I adore with my leopard print peep toe pumps. I'm not sure why I like it but I do or maybe I'm just deliriously happy it's the weekend:)



This weekend is the World's Longest Yard Sale. We've gone the last few years and it's so much fun. I'm on the hunt for more vintage tea cups to add to my collection, a chair for our bedroom and anything else I can't live without:D



Have a lovely weekend.

easy like sunday (or thursday) morning

details:dress~f21/cardigan~anthropologie/sandals~tjmaxx

All I wanted to do this morning was stay in bed, but a "sick" day means managing a house full of teenagers and sometimes it's just easier to go to work:)

I rarely wear flats but my achy legs were demanding them this morning. I think I should have named this post "What can't I pair this cardigan with?" Who knew stripes could be a neutral?

Cindi at SimplyCindi tagged me with these questions:

1. Who would you say is your hero?
This is a tough one! I would say my kids are my heroes. Growing up with one parent(especially a young single parent) can't be easy but they have never used it as an excuse to be less or achieve less. They are smart, funny, caring and fearless. I am so excited to see what the future brings for them!

2. If you were a topping on a pizza, what would you be?
Carmelized onions....I'm having a serious love affair with them right now and it's all I can think about:)

3. Which Sex and the City girl do you identify with most and why?
Hmmm...I think most people would think that I'm a "Carrie" because I love clothes and getting dressed up but I mostly identify with Charlotte. I really wanted to find love, have a family and create a home.

4. What is your fondest memory of your parents growing up?My Dad is a minister and was the pastor of our church. I think some of my fondest childhood memories about my parents include going to church on Sunday and Sunday dinners which included lots of amazing southern soul food(fried chicken, collard greens, fried green tomatoes,sweet tea...) and a house full of church members laughing and enjoying each others company.

5. What part of your body would you say is your best feature?
I would have to say my legs. They are the only part of my body that I've never really stressed over.

6. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would that be?
Paris! The architecture, the culture, the food, the clothes!!!

7. What's the best movie you've seen in the last year?I'm horrible at remembering movies. I usually remember if I liked them or not but I'm always hazy on the why. I also don't remember when I've seen them. I guess I'll say Inception for now because we just saw it over the weekend and it's the first time Doug and I have seen a movie together in a long time that we actually discussed and debated over dinner.

8. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
This is kind of cringe-worthy but the first thing I ever recall wanting to be when I was little was a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader...yikes! In my defense, I think it was the boots:D Then, I wanted to be a teacher. I actually still think about it.

happy birthday

details: tank~target/cardigan~jcrew/necklace~anthropologie(currently on sale)/skirt~anthro(purchased from Maria of infinite whimsy/shoes~bcbg/belt/target


Guess what? Today is my blog birthday! Last year in an attempt to find some kind of creative outlet I decided to start this blog. It still amazes me that people take the time to read it and leave comments. Thank you so much:)

I would say this is more of a fashion journal than a fashion blog. It's helped me define my style a little better(which makes me shop smarter). It's also helped me become more comfortable in my own skin. I've learned to cut myself some slack in terms of my looks and weight(which I've always been deeply critical of). Not to get all philosophical, but I really see getting dressed as an artistic expression. I think it's amazing that I discovered a group of women out there that kind of feel the same way:)

I wanted to wear something festive for the birthday but honestly it's so hot and humid, so I opted for comfort. This skirt was something I stalked at Anthro for a long time but for some reason I never bought it. When I finally decided to purchase, it was gone. The lovely Maria was having a blog sale and I snatched it up! I adore this skirt!! You can't tell but the tank is a pale yellow. The belt and shoes are making a an encore appearance;)

Have a lovely day!

don't wake me...i'm dreaming!

details:top~f21/belt~target/skirt~odille~anthropologie(old)/shoes~bcbg

After seeing, Inception, this weekend, I was hoping that my Monday Morning was a dream inside a dream. The crazy barking dog and the absence of the "dreamy" duo of Leo DeCaprio and Joseph Gordon Levitt confirmed that it was real life:( I'm not going to gush over the movie and I wouldn't know where to begin even if I was inclined to give you spoilers but it's really, really good!

I can't believe it's the beginning of August! The next few weeks will be crazy as we try to squeeze in a weekend trip-maybe, get my oldest off to college and get the other three ready to go back to school(!!!). Doug and I both have birthdays this month too. I'm also considering some changes to the blog.

I don't know why but fall always makes me want to make some changes in my life.

Have a lovely Monday:)