casual friday

details:top and pearls~f21/jeans~jcrew matchstick cropped/shoes~steve madden

tgif! we made it:)

last night i had an amazing dinner with some girlfriends. sushi, curry, a good bottle of wine and lots of girl talk always equals a fantastic evening. however, getting out of bed this morning was a definite struggle. this f21 top was the perfect thing to throw on without much worry.

happy friday!

afternoon tea

details:sugar&cream dress~anthropologie/field game cardigan~anthro/shoes~charles david/bag~jcrew

i noticed that i have a few new followers and several new comenters...yay!! thanks for stopping by and taking a look. i absolutely appreciate it.

i totally blew my shopping budget for the month by buying this dress at full price when i promised myself i was going to wait for it to go on sale. craptacular day+low blood sugar=very bad things for my bank account...oy! i tried to convince myself that i hated and it was a little too precious but as soon as i tried it on i knew it was going home with me. i think the sandals give it a little bit of an edge. i like the tough shoe paired with the softness of this dress. and seriously, i can't believe i almost didn't buy this cardigan. it goes with practically everything i own-or at least that's what i keep telling myself when i pair it with just about everything in my closet.

i don't usually photograph my bags with my outfits(because i look awkward). i used to change bags a few times a week but lately i've been buying nicer bags and carrying them for months at a time. i love this jcrew bag i just bought. it was on sale and they were offering another 30% off final sale items. it's a beautiful pale lilac color. the stud detail toughens it up.

is anyone else excited about the premiere of project runway tonight?

easy as 1-2-3

details:

dress~f21

necklace~anthropololgie

clogs~steve madden

this outfit is so simple it almost feels like i'm cheating. i sometimes over think things...work, relationships, whether or not the increased popularity of reality tv(which i'm adicted to watching!) is some sort of harbinger for the end of the world as we know it...outfits! i can get so bogged down in the details, things can be overworked. heat and sheer laziness put together this outfit. a simple, lightweight cotton sundress with some embroidery to keep it interesting. a bright and fun necklace to add a pop of color and my go to shoes. 30 minutes from shower to ship out.

colorsplash

details:
blouse/belt~f21
skirt~jcrew
shoes~jeffrey campbell

tgif!!! does anyone else think this has been the longest week ever? i'm happy to see the weekend even though it means the major closet overhaul i've been putting off has finally arrived. i've given myself most of tomorrow to get it done but i have a funny feeling that it's going to take me the entire weekend-yikes!

tomorrow night we're going to a party for one of doug's work colleagues. of course he doesn't know the dress code. i usually like to wear skirts or dresses and err on the side of being overdressed. last night when i asked him what he thought i should wear he answered "the bicycle dress" which is the famous anthro two wheeler dress. i don't really think of that as a "party" dress mostly because i typically wear it during the day. i would prefer to wear something more festive but i'm drawing a complete blank. when you go out with your hubby/boyfriend/partner do you dress for him or for yourself? is it an old fashioned notion to wear something your sweetie loves to see you wear?

i've been hearing that jcrew pencil skirts are amazing. i tend to wear fuller skirts but since this one was marked down with an additional percentage off(i believe it was an additional 40% in stores but i could be wrong) so i took a chance with this one. i love the vibrant colors and the watercolor like floral pattern. i think i've had a taste of the jcrew pencil skirt kool aid and i like it! the fabric is heavy enough that it should work nicely in the fall with tights. i wore my fab wedding shoes to continue the sparkly shoe trend i started yesterday. have a lovely weekend:D

she's got diamonds on her toes

details:
shirt~meijer's
skirt~anthropologie
belt/pearls~f21
shoes~nordstrom

hey there:) i didn't mean to stay away for so long but life got intense for a bit and i needed a little blog break to clear my head and process some stuff. gah! i feel like all i've been doing is whining about how tough things have been. i swear i'm not usually this much of a debbie downer but for some reason 2010 has hit me with a lot. it has required some extra emotional management.

i did miss my little blog! how have you been?

this last week has seen me some version of the same basic combination- button down, shorts and ballet flats-not very inspired but comfortable. i bought this skirt on sale last week. i love the vibrant color and the fullness. i think i may be able to transition it into fall. the shirt was purchased for my son. he hated it, so i rescused it from the blackhole he calls a closet. the short sleeves were a little...not cute so i pinned them and attached a small brooch to each sleeve to girl them up. these shoes are a favorite pair. every time i look down at my feet, it makes me happy:D

feel good friday

details:

dress~catmint dress~anthropologie(currently on sale)

flower pin~ gap

belt~f21

shoes~kenzie

happy friday!!! is anyone else happy to see the weekend finally get here? we have a busy weekend planned but at least i'll get to sleep in a bit. i'm debating if we should go see that new leo dicaprio movie. it looks a little trippy and lately i haven't had much of an attention span.

it is still a million degrees here(like much of the country)! come on mother nature, cut us a little slack. i spotted this dress on anthro's website and loved the pattern.when it finally made it into my store i was kind of disappointed that the fabric is kind of gauzey, linen like cotton. i didn't think it was worth full price but i kept it on the wishlist anyway. when it went on sale i decided to get it. the breezy light weight cotton is perfect for a hot and humid day like today. i almost forgot that i had these kenzie shoes until i saw them in the other color on kim at anthroholic. i added the skinny yellow belt to make it less boring. have a lovely weekend:)

and because i'm feelin good, a little music:)

viva la vie boheme!

details:

boho top/ring~f21

ankle stretch toothpick skinnies~jcrew

shoes~steve madden

i feel like i'm channeling nicole ritchie in this outfit. she is on my celebrity bff list. we could meet up for coffee or herbal tea blends, talk about making baby food for sparrow and share clothes(if i shrunk myself to elfen size). rachel zoe, sjp and emma pillsbury are also on that list-and yes, i know technically emma isn't a real person but her closet is very real and i'm sure once she gets over her germaphobia we could totally share clothes:) anyway, i've always kind of liked nicole ritchie even when she was a hot mess following paris hilton across america. she has certainly dialed her style up a notch since those days. i love the her entire boho chic vibe. however, i'm a girl that needs structure in her clothes to help camouflage some trouble areas.

the boho thing doesn't always lend itself to crisp and structured garments. the color of the top and the somewhat heavier weight of the cotton help hide some of the jiggle especially after last nights dinner-lobster blt, truffle fries, beignets and a cocktail or two...yikes! i'm also in love with this ring from f21!! in real life bugs= ick but supersized and bejewelled...yes please:D

*and yes i will now sing la vie boheme from rent all day in my head :)

cheer up buttercup

details:

dress/necklace~anthropologie

cardigan~gap

wedges~aldo

belt~f21

hello all:) how's your week going? i'm hoping the day flies by because i'm meeting one of my girlfriends for dinner at one of my favorite restaurants. because the kids are are growing up and have their own schedules and commitments i have a lot more free time. it makes me a little bit sad and nostalgic. i became a mom at eighteen which means i've been a mother for more of my life than i haven't been. how crazy is that? i have always had other things to occupy my time and brain outside of being a mother but being less needed(and often times less appreciated)has put me in a strange fame of mind lately. because i'd always identified myself as something other than "mom" i didn't think i would be as bothered by the fact that my kids will be out of the house sooner rather than later. i guees the joke is on me because i'm having a really hard time with it. i'm sure i'll deal...i always do.

despite my emo rant above, i'm very excited to go out to dinner tonight:) a good mood deserves a happy dress...right? i knew the humidity was coming back today and i really stood in front of the closet for longer than i should have trying to figure out what to wear. nothing seemed right! i bought this dress a while back to wear on my honeymoon. it didn't make it into the suitcase. the first time i wore it i was at loss as to how to style it. i love the print, the fabric and the colors but i wasn't wowed by how it looked on me. today as i added the cardigan it dawned on me that it looked much better on my body as a skirt than a dress. i buttoned it and belted it and i'm much happier with the result. i added the necklace at the last minute to keep it from looking too boring. i finally gave the steve madden's a rest and went with these gold wedges from aldo.

a little anthropologie on the wedding day

we got all of our wedding pictures from the photographer two weeks. i'm obsessed with them! i won't hold you hostage and make you look at every single one of them:) but, i was wearing a bit of anthropologie on my wedding day.

as soon as i saw the meringue cuff i knew i wanted to wear it on the big day. it was expensive and i couldn't really justify the price. i stalked it non stop, prayed to the anthro gods for a little bit of a break and it finally went on sale! it's fairly obvious that i am a lover of the cardigan sweater. i wanted to change up the look of my dress a little bit for the reception. blue was one of our wedding colors and i searched for the perfect blue cardigan. i was having absolutely no luck and at that point i would have just settled on finding a sweater that i loved that looked good with the dress. anthropologie rescued me again. i found the curling posies cardi(now on sale). the shade of blue was a little off but it ended up being the perfect little cardigan to keep away the chill that evening.

*this is one of the least flattering pictures but it's a fantastic shot of the bracelet and cardigan together

i'm really happy that i decided to go with non bridal accessories. i've been able to remix all of my wedding day accessories(shoes,jewelry and cardigan) into everyday outfits over the past few months and it makes me ridiculously happy when i look down and see the shoes i wore to the wedding or my fantastic anthro cuff. a little bit of anthro helped me feel more like myself on our wedding day:)

eat your veggies

details:

dress~anthro(very old)

cardigan~jcrew

belt/jewelry~f21

shoes~??macy's

hat~eugenia kim for target

happy monday!! how was your weekend? we had a great and relaxing one. saturday night i managed to get ten hours of sleep which is completely unusual for me(i average about 5). i woke up sunday morning feeling so well rested! i baked a strawberry rhubarb pie that was sooo good and we took the kids to see despicable me(which we all loved). we don't get to do that many things togehter as a family anymore since the girls have work and other social things that beat spending the afternoon with your mom and stepdad so it was really nice to spend some time together-they even sat next to us:D

this morning i decided to wear one of my all time favorite dresses. this is the dress that started my love affair with whimsical prints. i loved the cut but wasn't really sure about the print. it's covered in radishes! it never fails that every single time i wear this dress i get a million compliments on it. today i paired it with a pair of my favorite shoes. i'm not sure why these haven't made it on the blog before. red and white gingham print is one of my favorites. the hat is a must because i really didn't want to deal with my hair this morning! i think the hat keeps it from looking to cutesy/country. and i just noticed that i missed my 200th post milestone:( i think i should have a cupcake to celebrate!

solitary saturday

details:

romper~target

cardigan~field game cardi~anthro

belt~f21

shoes~steve madden

i don't usually take photos on the weekend because they are either jamm packed and i don't have time or we do absolutely nothing and my outfits consist of gym shorts and t shirts. i do have a few things to do today but because the kids are spending the weekend at my parents and doug is at work i can move at a less frantic pace:D

i really wanted to not love rompers but i kind of like them(except for when i have to go to the ladies room!). it's strapless, which feels a little bare to me for running errands on a saturday afternoon so i opted to wear a cardigan. i'm really happy with how many things i've found to pair this sweater. it was a really good sale pick. and, the melrow clogs are back! they really are my new favorite shows.

i'm off to do all of the things i put off this week-laundry and grocery shopping-my two least favorite chores and maybe a pedicure to reward myself for doing them:)

have a wonderful weekend!

tgif

details:

top~bebe

skirt~anthropologie

belt/bracelets~f21

chunky gold watch~target

shoes~kenzie

i'm still feeling a little...not myself. i'm not really sure what it is:( the good news, it's friday! mother nature is giving us a little bit of a break because the heat is not so intense and there is even a bit of a breeze!!

in an effort to make myself feel better or get out of this funk i decided to try and dress up a little. i love this top from bebe. it just goes to show that sometimes mixed in with the "i'm auditioning to be hef's new girl next door" craziness they can do pretty..who knew:D of course the skirt was an anthro sale find. i really love the dark grey grosgrain ribbon stripes. i finally decided to give the steve madden's a break. i loooove these kenzie shoes! i'm not sure why they've never made it on the blog before. they have a vintage look to them that works well with the skirt and the top.

i think all of the kids have plans so it's just me, the hubby and the dog. i think i may rent a movie. i just sent our netflix videos back today which means we probably won't get new ones until monday. i hate when i do that. do you have any rental suggestions or must watch movies to add the que?

pattern mixing

i think the temperature was already above 80 when i left the house early this morning! there is nothing you can do when it's this hot but accept it and move on.

details:

striped shirt~h&m

dress/belt~forever21

shoes~steve madden

i was at a loss this morning when trying to get dressed. you know the feeling when you're bloated and not in the mood to wear anything in your closet? that was me. i decided to try the stripes/florals mixing trend. when i put this outfit together i kind of liked it but now that i'm looking at the pictures i'm not really loving it. i'm 100% sure this is not the most flattering dress-which probably explains why i haven't worn in it except for once last summer. i love colors and the sweet floral print but the fit of the top is weird. or maybe i just feel icky and nothing was going to look today. yes, i am wearing the steve madden shoes again! i am so in love with them and pleased as punch that i decided to get them and they are perfect with pretty much everything in my closet. i guess i'm kind of ambivalent about the outfit. my goal of the day was to not look like a sweaty mess so on that level i succeeded....i think.

after work it's off to figure out something for dinner that doesn't require me to get near a stove :D

beating the heat

i was sort of intrigued by this dress when i first saw it hanging in anthropologie. i really liked it but worried that all of the fabric would overwhelm me. when i saw it on kjrsten at {have a cute day} i immediately kicked myself for not getting it. when it went on sale i couldn't find it online and i thought i missed out. of course when i stopped in the local store they had two left!!

details:
dress/floral pin~anthropologie
belt~f21
shoes~steve madden

the dress came with a sash but i think the belt gives my waist a little more definition. i added the black floral pin at the last minute. you can see from it's various locations from picture to picture i wasn't really sure where to put it. i ended up leaving it clipped to my belt. the heat is down right oppressive but the dress is made from such light weight, soft cotton that i'm staying fairly cool.

we are bringing my dad home today. thank you so much for all of your thoughts and prayers. they have him on medication, he will work with a physical therapist to get back some of the strength on his left side, and follow up with his doctor at the end of the week. we are all exhausted but so happy to have him back at home.

a quick post

i hope you all had a lovely holiday weekend:) sunday we had to take my father to the hospital. he called to say he wasn't feeling well. he had a mini stroke. he'll have an mri today and be seen by a cardiologist. we are very lucky! he's in good spirits and on the road to recovery.

this is a quick post as i'm on my way to the hospital. the heat has returned with a vengeance and most of my day will be spent sitting in a hospital room. i wanted something that was comfortable. and the bright plaid pattern is cheering me up a little. a cardigan is necessary because it's freezing in the hospital! see you tomorrow.

details:

dress/bracelets~f21

cardigan~jcrew

shoes~steve madden~melrow

happy independence day

image via flickr courtesy of expectant1




happy fourth of july!!
enjoy.