What I Wore: Anchors Away

Is it me or are anchors on legitimately EVERYTHING this spring? I mean, I totally don't mind because I love all things nautical, but I've had to pace myself on buying ALL THE ANCHORS.

I have to give credit where credit is due -- my girl Sara was the one that recommended these skirts to me. I bought a couple and really like them for casual wear. Although I did find that the waistband seemed to get a little loose throughout the day. Other than that, this anchor skirt (and the polka dot one I bought) were like $10 and they've worked their way into regular rotation.

Skirt: Old Navy (here - lots of prints) (plus size) (love this print too!)

Top: Calvin Klein City T (here)

Blazer: Bluenotes Canada (similar and I've had good luck with this brand!) (plus size)

Shoes: Guess omg I love these so much (here and on sale!) (lower heel)

Necklace: Plunder

I dressed this up a little, but it looks super cute with a plain gray V-neck too. Which is great, because my legs need sun. Like, power to the pale and whatever, but mine are practically transluscent.

For now, I'm off to struggle through Spring Break. I am seriously regretting not booking tickets to Canada because this week is going to be a lot of "I'm bored" from my kids and "Why are there children everywhere!?" from me.

What I Wore: Coming Clean

A few weeks ago I was shopping with a friend. I was bemoaning the whole celeb fashion line thing and I told her "Like, I get super angry if I like something and it has a Jessica Simpson tag."

Five minutes later, I found something with a Jessica Simpson tag. And I liked it. And I bought it. And told her that if she told anyone she was dead to me.

She kept my secret, but I'm coming clean here. This cardigan is Jessica Simpson and it makes me have feelings and I don't know if they're good or bad. I love the cardigan because it has faux leather and draping. But I hate it because it has a celeb's name.

Cardigan: Jessica Simpson siiiiigh I can't even find this one online, but I bought it at Dillards! (Here's a similar one) (and plus size) (even maternity I'm on a roll)

Skirt: nicole by Nicole Miller (here) (thicker stripe) (plus)

Shoes: F21 (similar) (open toe) (flats instead)

I'm wearing earrings but you totally can't see them. I'm a professional. 

So the cat is out of the bag then. I can tell my friend that she's no longer sworn to secrecy. I still don't feel good about this.

Whatever.

What I Wore: Blurred Lines

I just had one of those weekends that was so crazy that my Saturday night consisted of me declaring it a "Candy Party" with my kids. I bought every type of candy imaginable (Mini Eggs, natch) and we had a movie night to recoup. It was OK, because the day before, we went to Arches National Park with my brother and his wife and hiked for like, seven hours. My shins STILL hurt from the downhill parts. Yowch.

We also ate a lot of Italian food (crab and pancetta mac and cheese FTW!) and went shopping. And complained about sore legs a lot.

They're off and headed back to Canada, which means it's back to the grind for me (read: pecking away at the computer, hauling kids to carious activities and whining to my friends about working out).

Tank: Gap (here)

Top: Dainty Hooligan (here) (similar) (plus size) I cannot stop buying these wrap tops. I have six and I love love them. 

Jeans: Calvin Klein (here)

Boots: Frye (here and on sale yay!) (similar) (killer price)

Jacket: Guess (similar) (red!) (cheapy cheap)

Earrings: My friend Jami who is adorable and pregnant. 

I love this striped top, but when I wore it solo, it kind of looked like this. Therefore, it was my trusty leather jacket to the rescue to tone it down. With the weather here being crazy gorgeous, my lighter jackets are getting a workout and I will gladly wear them because soon it will be so hot that I'll fantasize about removing my own skin. 

But seriously, these wrap tops are my fave. I like how they're one piece, but still look dressy. Easy stuff right there. Although I wanted to wear a turquoise one that I have yesterday, but when getting in the shower, I accidentally flung it in a puddle of water. And that's my scintillating story for the day. 

You're welcome. 

What I Wore: Take Two

So yesterday I was getting dressed and I decided to wear this super cute new maxi dress I bought last week. So I put it on, added a jacket, belt, the works... and then realized there was literally a slit up the side that ended somewhere close to my butt. And after inspecting the dress and realizing that yes, it was made on purpose and no, there was no way to do anything about it that second, I changed into this instead with about five minutes to spare before I had to walk out the door. Also I ran out of time to do my hair.

...naturally I was really calm and didn't shriek "JUSTIN HURRY UP AND TAKE MY PICTURE NOW!"


Like, at all.

Shirt: Calvin Klein (here - I loved my first City Shirt so much I went and bought another. THE FIT you guys I can't even. I  find it runs very true to size and want moooooore) (similar print)

Skirt - F21 (similar) (plus size) (if you don't wanna commit to all leather)

Shoes: Nine West (similar) (similar in black)

Ring: c/o Anjolee (here)

Also wearing studs but you can't see them, so that's pretty pointless.

I'm still trying to decide if I want to sew the slit up a little or leave it as-is as a beach dress. Beachiness seems a long way away though, so sewing might be a better option. 

Lesson learned: Don't buy dresses without giving yourself a 360-degree once-over or you'll probably end up running late. And shriek-y.

What I Wore: Majority Rules

Ew, daylight savings time, am I right? I'm a habitual early riser (I try to get up around 6 every morning to get some work done before the morning school rush) and I hate waking up in the dark. Even my kids were like "WTH MOM" when I got them up this morning.

I spent Friday night at the annual benefit for the NICU at which I volunteer. It's always super fun and a little emotional and very posh and there is amazing food and entertainment and CUPCAKES. Axara Paris had sent me this dress a few months back and I knew it was the perfect benefit dress (it's cocktail attire). I popped it into my closet and only thought to try it on the day before.

Uh, I'm basically sewn into this dress. I forgot that European sizes run smaller than North American. I had my two kids standing on the bed, begging them to zip it up. And it fit! Until I gorged myself on mango salsa and sweet potato cakes and like, four cupcakes.

It was totally worth it. Also, majority ruled and I wore the shoes you guys picked out on Instagram. In full disclosure, however, I should point out that I only made it about two hours standing in these before I changed into flats for another couple of hours.

Dress: c/o Axara Paris (similar) (shorter) (adorable) (blue just because)

Shoes: Charlotte Russe (similar) (similar) (want!)

Earrings: F21 (similar) (um these are Downton Abbey and I want them)

Because the dress is interesting on its own I went reaaaaaaaally easy on the accessories. 

I won't lie: Getting home late and taking off this dress was almost as fun as putting it on. I changed into my husband's pajama pants and watched Brain Games with my kids before going to bed. I consider that a very successful Friday night indeed. 

What I Wore: Home Again

You guys, I have literally not even signed into Blogger for the past two weeks. Life has been too bananas crazy. With family flying in, a trip to Disney and two birthdays, I am TOO glad to see February go and now I'm just happy to be home.

I am just getting into the swing of things now, but I've had to wake up uber early to get back on track and catch up. BUT! Since my mama is in town, I've been making her take outfit pics.

(Shh don't tell but I think my daughter is better)

My fam goes home tomorrow and I should be back tomorrow. I'll also do a roundup post of the happenings around here because let's face it, my personal blog is so neglected that this one has become personal too. So look forward to that.

I'm actually physically wearing this right now, which never happens. I grabbed this shirt in St. George last weekend and it is uber-soft. I wore it in California and looked like the ultimate tourist.

Moooooom you cut off my feet!! 

Tee: I bought this at a boutique, but you can find your state here.

Blazer: F21 (similar) (this too) (Love the cuffs)

Skinnies: Local boutique (I love Liverpool 4ever) (cheap!) (mmm mustard)

Boots: Frye duh (on sale again!!) (similar) (similar)

Seriously, now is an excellent time to stock up on boots. Just saying. And yeah, sorry, all of my outfits lately include these. I tell everyone I'm "breaking them in." 

My mom asked me if I was "trying to look smart" today. She loves me. 

I'm off to the races now. Like, not the real races because there's actually no gambling in Utah. Oh, you silly state.

What I Wore: Leopard Tuesday

If this shirt looks familiar, it's because it's what I was wearing in those makeup tutorials. Yes, it was a Tuesday. I don't even think I did anything special that day -- I hung around the house because my kids had colds and I had lunch with my husband. So yeah, it was a typical Tuesday. But hey, you're going to put pants on anyway; why not add some leopard and call it an outfit?

 Sweater: F21 (similar)(v-neck)(Want this in red!)

Blazer: Bluenotes - Canada (cheap!) (Plus size) (similar)
Pants: KUT from the Kloth (here and WAY on sale)
Boots: F21 (similar) (these too)

Rings: Coach (here) (so pretty and cheap!) (pretty for stacking!)

OMG! I almost forgot! We went to Red Robin for dinner on Friday and had THE WORST waiter of all time. First, he tried to give me a fist bump when I ordered a Dr. Pepper. A FIST BUMP. He called my husband "bro" repeatedly and there is nothing that he hates more. Also, when I asked him for a fork, he said  -- and I quote -- "Aw did those ho's up front not give you one?"

I died.

Then, when a table of five girls showed up, he actually pulled up a chair to their table and proceeded to ignore us for the rest of the night. It was so bad I could not stop laughing. If he only knew what I good tipper I usually am because I'm so bad at math. It really was stupendous dining experience.

Aaaand that was my last low-key weekend for a while. February is historically the worst month ever for me. Besides Valentine's Day, it's both my kids' birthdays, parties and whatnot, we're headed off to the Disneyland thing for said birthdays, my family is coming to visit and my daughter is being baptized.

So if this is the last time this month I actually remember to put on pants, I apologize.

What I Wore: Proud to Be

My friends always make fun of me because I love clothes that have American designs -- despite the fact that I'm not American. My green card is valid until 2017, after which I can renew or just become a citizen.
Most Americans I meet ask me why I don't "just" become American. I find it's hard for them to imagine someone NOT wanting to be American. Yes, there's the chance for dual citizenship and whatnot, but when and if I do change my citizenship, I'd just prefer it to be the same as the rest of my family, all of whom are American. Easier for traveling.

I'm still dragging my feet though. Canadians are awesome and polite and I've never actually said the Pledge of Allegiance. It is, however, very awkward to just stand there while everyone else does it. I fully expect to become American one of these days, but I'm happy to be a Canadian... who happens to have lived in the U.S. for almost 11 years.

For now, though, I'll just settle for wearing the flag ironically. Until 2017, at least. 

Sweater: Gap (here and on sale!) (similar) (love this brand)

Jacket: Charlotte Russe (love these colors for spring) (similar)

Pants: c/o Wizards of the West (no longer avail) (similar) (I heart these)

Shoes: Call it Spring Milada (here) (similar) (love these in grey)

Scarf: David & Young (similar) (want this one SO BAD) (way cheap)

PS nice photobomb, armchair. 

Also, I super love shorter hair with scarves. It just works. I wore this last Thursday, which we all know is gymnastics day (kill me now). It was also my niece's birthday and girl's night, which involved cake and very dirty conversation hearts, respectively. This was a good "little bit of everything" outfit.

And yeah, I really want a Canadian scarf too. What can I say? I'm an equal-opportunity scarf-wearer.

What I Wore: Long Story Short

I spent all day Friday with the burning need for a hair appointment, so I headed down first thing Saturday morning and ended up chopping off a ton. Like, I looked at the floor after and nearly had a heart attack.You can see my new hairs here. Seriously, my hair grows so fast that I don't mind a dramatic cut every now and again and it's fun to do something totally new. Also, clothes look totally different with short hair. So I feel like I have a whole new wardrobe basically.

But I still have like, three outfits where I still have long hair. I always know that my hair is getting too long when I end up wearing it in a bun half the time. I almost never go out in public with a bun, but here I was, running kids around and going to a meeting like so:

Tank: Gap (similar) (similar and in a shaper!) (in a tee)

Chambray: I think Papaya or in Canada wow top-notch blogging, Jae (similar) (similar) (plus size)

Pants: KUT from the Kloth (here in red plum) (similar)

Boots: Soda I think! (omg I love these) (way cheap) (similar)

Watch: Local craft fair (similar)

Ugh the collar on this shirt is rolled and it's making me a little crazy.

Thursdays are gymnastics days, which mean I spend an hour and a half sitting in the bleachers and eavesdropping on other annoying parents. I get SO ragey there. People are constantly sprawling out in the seats so you can't get through while letting their toddlers rifle through my bag and once I overheard a couple have a full-on "YOU'RE CHEATING ON ME" fight while I pretended to read my Kindle. I pay over $100 per month for this privilege. 

So yeah, I dress comfortably because it's a lot of sitting around. Thank you to whomever created corduroy stretchy pants. You are my hero. Also helpful: Leaving early enough that I have time to grab a dirty Dr. Pepper on my way, because coconut syrup makes it allllll better.

Hopefully you had a good weekend and may your gymnastics class be free of other parents. 

And may winter be over so I can put my kids in a less annoying sport.

What I Wore: Leather Weather

Aaaand I'm back. My kids are off school for MLK day and they're driving me nuts. I let them stay up WAY late last night in an effort to get them to sleep in this morning. Of course, they woke me up around 7, so that was an epic fail on my part. Now we're all just tired and grumpy and I may have bribed them with a trip to the Disney store if they're quiet. Excellent parenting, as always.

For now, here's an outfit post. I went on one of my classic shopping benders a week or two ago. It still wasn't as bad as the one last fall, but I accidentally bought stuff online and in person and it looked like a lot to my husband when it all arrived on the same day. Whoops. ANYWAY here's some of the stuff I bought shh don't tell.

Shirt: Calvin Klein (It's one of the "City Shirts" and it fits SO WELL. Like, I die over the fit and never want to take it off. This is a small, but they have tons on the site and the store is 30 percent off right now. Just sayin' And if you buy some we will be twins because I want more) (Here) (in solid)

Cardigan: Calvin Klein - the sleeves are suede omg (here) (similar plus size)

Pants: H&M (similar) (if you don't want to commit to all leather I totally understand)

Boots: Call it Spring Milada (here)

I feel like I'm wearing a lot of things that shouldn't be versatile, but are. Those boots go with everything and I can't stop wearing them. I love that they have a little wedge but are super comfortable -- I wore them through several hours of shopping and have no complaints. I've been wearing them with some faded black jeans and I feel like it increases my overall coolness factor like, at least 30 percent. 

And my trusty old leather pants give just enough to what would otherwise be a pretty conservative outfit. SO glad I have them, even if they're not a total must have, you know? I have to wear them when it's still cold outside because once it gets about like, 75 degrees these have to go away. 

Sweaty leather legs are not pretty.

Anyway, it's good to be back. I miss this crappy old blog. Come back on Wednesday for a beauty review post and find out why I literally have four completely full tubes of mascara on my vanity right now. 

What I Wore: Best of 2013

So I totally haven't gotten the hang of being back on schedule again. Which is weird because my schedule and I are like, BFFs. But this is the first time I've been able to sit at my computer all day. I know this means I need to start getting up early again and this makes me sad and tired. Especially when I just want to stay up late and watch The Bachelor. Women are insane.

Anyway, while I get myself situated and catch up on my DVR, here's a little roundup of some of 2013's best outfits according to myself. It's also fun to see my addiction to hair dye in pictures.

That time I wore cowboy boots and a tutu because I can.
When I looked like I was in a White Snake video and ran through a parking lot barefoot. 
Basically my favorite skirt ever. Also, a classy way to say "LOOK AT MY BUM."
White dresses are my jam.
Monochromatic looks make me happy. Almost as happy as shopping my feelings.
Speaking of which, that time I went on a four-day shopping bender.
When I got sick of mint and peach as a color combo.
The holy grail of dresses. And long hair.
I have crazy eyes in this picture. They're almost as ridiculous as those shoes.
I love this dress almost as much as not blow drying my hair.
My uniform. Did I tell you that a bunch of 18 year old boys liked this outfit? Because they did.
My fave purchase of 2013. This dress makes my husband uncomfortable.

So, now it's your call. Entering another year, what do you want to see around here? I feel like you realllly like beauty reviews, so I have some on the docket, but what else? More outfit ideas? Maternity stuff? More plus size ideas? Speak now or forever hold your peace and by that I mean don't send me angry emails.

Because let's not forget Yoko-gate. I have a lot of "gates." And hate mail. One day I shall post them.

Also, this Friday will be 2013's worst trends, so if there's something that's totally getting your goat, let me know.

What I Wore: Last Christmas

...meaning of course, this is the last Christmas post you'll get out of me. Once I finish this post, I am gutting my house and taking down all the decorations. I can only live in the inside of a FAO Schwarz before it makes me feel a little axe-murdery.

In the meantime, how was your Christmas? Ours was pretttty awesome. Especially because all of my gifts were actually delivered on time, which was nice because last year they didn't come until the 26th and that was a huge fail. The only bummer this year was that my family in Canada was without power for the entire week. I was worried the whole time and didn't get to FaceTime as much as usual because it was a phone battery wasteland. We did get to chat for a while Christmas night so that made up for it.

My husband did awesome this year, but he is a good gifter so I didn't expect anything less. Some of the highlights were definitely a Kindle, a super cool cuff bracelet, this set of Coach rings, a Nintendo 3DS XL (yes I play Mario Kart like it's my job, shut up) and my fave gift, a wedding band for each kid, seen here. Seriously, I feel like when I got engaged and couldn't stop staring at my own hand. My husband is a gem and not just because he gives me jewelry.

I also got some shopping money from my parentals, which went to good use the next day when I went out for dinner/shopping/late-night crepes with my friends. I bought a black-on-black leopard blazer and it's everything to me. 

So now I'm happy and bejeweled and ready to clean my house.

 Cardigan: Charlotte Russe (similar) (plus size and on sale!)

Tank: c/o modbod

Skirt: Arden B (similar) (Jrs sizing but on sale!) (love this one)

Shoes: F21 and I'm sure they were cobbled by the devil himself (similar) (probably buying these) (love and less basic)

Pearls: Aldo (cheap!) (similar) (perfect basic)

This is what I wore the Sunday before Christmas. I only ever drag this sweater out around the holidays because I like that it's festive, but not like, Christmas tree festive. 

I should also point out that between holiday food and having a new IUD installed (sorry brothers) I gained a smooth 5 pounds in December. Yeaaaaaah that's gonna have to stop. Workouts commence on Thursday and I am terrified. 

Also, I felt the need to post this picture, clearly depicting my husband being a dork. He buys me jewelry so I will tolerate this kind of business. It's the secret to our marital bliss and by marital bliss I obviously mean mutual putting up with each other.

OK, cue obnoxious cleaning music! When I was a kid, my mom would make us clean while listening to really old music, like The Mamas and the Papas and The Turtles. I make my kids clean to Britney Spears and B.O.B.

It's a legacy, really.

What I Wore: Confessions

One more week to get everything done -- and I'm soooo close. Just some odds and ends left now.

Meanwhile, our party season is in full swing over here. I like to have a few outfits in my back pocket so I can get ready reaaaaallly fast after a crazy busy day. Confession: I've worn this one for parties twice this season, so don't tell anyone because it's a rare occurrence. Most recently I wore it to a Christmas dinner with the girls I volunteer with at the hospital. I ate a ton and laughed so hard I thought I was going to be sick which is basically my gauge for any good night.

What am I doing with my hand here? I don't know. 

Jacket: Steve Madden (super cheap) (similar piping) (pretty!)

Top: Local boutique (plus size love) (love this shape!) (so cute under a cardi)

Jeans: c/o Liverpool Jeans - Abby fit (here)
Boots: F21 (similar) (pretty cheap!) (love the buckle)

Sorry about the pic... I waited too long and lost the light so it sucks more than usual. 

Also, another confession? I bought these boots on a whim but didn't love them because they had a cuff at the top, which looked kind of pirate-y. Then I had a stroke of genius and clipped the threads that held the cuff down and unfolded them and now I wear them daily - they have a wedge heel which is awesome for elongating the leg and still making it possible to walk on crappily shoveled sidewalks.

Third confession: I'll probably wear this again before the year is up. Not today though -- I'm having lunch with friends and then I have a doctor's appointment which means it's sloppy clothes for me, hooray! 

Have any Christmas confessions for me?

What I Wore: Festive Frigid

Global warming my eye!

Growing up in Canada, I was no stranger to the cold. I grew up right on Lake Ontario, which meant we got ice storms and really wet snow like, every day in the winter. My older brother had a car that we lovingly called the Ratmobile that lacked a working defroster, so my job was to sit up front and wipe down the windshield while he blasted Beastie Boys all the way to school.

Oh, memories.

When I moved to Utah, I found that winters to be unbelievably mild. In comparison the Great White North, winters here are super short and pretty warm. Like, I barely ever wear a jacket warm. So I feel like my hardy Canadian body has lowered its defenses over time.

And this last week has been SO COLD. I barely left the house all week because I just couldn't deal with it. And when I did leave the house, my poor SUV was struggling. Because did I mention we also got 18 inches of snow? Because we totally did.

So EXCUSE ME if I only got properly dressed like, once and ended up looking like a lumberjack. What else was I supposed to do?

Vest (how glad am I that these are back in again?): JCPenney (here) (similar) (similar)

Chambray: A store in Canada that starts with Urban but I can never remember the rest 

(cheap!) (similar)

Pants: Almost Famous (here) (maternity I die!)

Boots: Frye (here) (similar and cheaper!) (super obsessed with these)

(I seriously want to invest in another pair of Fryes, so I'm on the prowl. I wear these so much, especially when it's all slushy and gross outside. Do you have a favorite? I feel like there's so much pressure to pick the perfect ones!)

Anyway, my frigid clothes ended up looking kinda festive with all the green and red. And I'm OK with that. Because if it's going to be freezing, I'm glad there's at least a little snow to make it feel Christmas-y, too.

But seriously. Like, above 0 would be handy right about now. I only have so many puffy vests. And by "so many" I mean two.

What I Wore: Jumping the Gun

Yup, I did it. I jumped the gun. My house is officially Christmas-ized. And I will never get the glitter out of my hair. I've taken like, three showers and I keep finding it in there. Ah well, I'm happy to get it done and that I can focus on the rest of the holidays. I'm super excited for Thanksgiving and not just because of Black Friday. While I already had Canadian Thanksgiving, I still love making my mama's recipes for family down here.

And yes, she wanted to know why I made fun of her on the blog.

And my dad didn't care and asked how to use Microsoft Word.

Anyway, these outfit pics were clearly taken before Christmas barfed on my house. I looove wearing my leather pants with a mid-length boot. It makes them so much less "10 Things I Hate About You" Club Skunk and easier for day-wear. Not that I minded Heath Ledger in leather pants, but that's beside the point.

Pants: H&M (similar and cheap!) (love the shape)

Tank: F21 (love this) (super flattering) (this with a cardi!)

Cardigan: I have no idea I bought it in Canada
Boots: Payless (similar) (similar)

Bracelet stack: Gift from brother, Marc Jacobs, local boutique. It's just a literal stack of bracelets.

It's dawning on me that I'll have my kids home for almost a whole week. What am I going to do with them!? We already bought tickets for Frozen on Thursday night -- we always see a movie after Thanksgiving dinner and it's one of my fave traditions ever. Because I hate football and just want to be in a dark place to digest my turkey.

So am I the only one who decorated this weekend? 

What I Wore: Toned Down

How was everyone's weekend? We ended up having to reschedule family pictures because of the weather and I held off putting up the Christmas tree -- but I'm definitely doing it this coming Saturday. We decided to have one last "do nothing" weekend before the holidays kick in, so we went out to eat, saw "Ender's Game" (we were supposed to see "Thor" but there were no good seats left and I was happy because I wanted to see EG anyway) and hung out around the house and actually cooked a couple of meals. Lovely. But now I'm ready to get my Christmas season on, so watch out.

Oh, I also wore this. This dress is A LOT (read: Jessica Rabbit-esque) on its own, so I had to tone it down a little. Blazers are my favorite way to make a cocktail dress less... cocktail-y?

Dress: Dorothy Perkins (here and it's on sale!) (not petite) (their dresses... I die) (and cheap!)

Blazer: F21 (perfect shape) (pretty for holidays!) (cheap!)

Tights: I think I bought them in Canada last year? (similar) (plus size)

Shoes: Guess (similar) (pricey but pretty!)
Bracelet: c/o Wizards of the West
Earrings: F21

Red animal print just makes me happy. And sorry I've been wearing these shoes so much, but they have a gold heel and are the perfect shape, so I can't stop myself. And I LOVE pairing patterned tights with patterned dresses. Gives the outfit depth without being like, woah. 

I'm glad I have readers who totally understand what "like, woah" means.

Anyway, a solid cocktail dress and a blazer and closet must-haves as far as I'm concerned. Super versatile too -- You could throw a sweater over the dress and use it as a skirt and blazers literally go with everything and make you look like a boss. 

...a toned-down boss. 

What I Wore: Leopard Love

You guys, I am dangerously close to overdoing it with the leopard. I just can't even handle how versatile it is and how you can use it like a neutral. I was looking through my closet the other day and it was just all leopard, all of the time. I think I need a new signature pattern. Because the last couple of times I've taken outfit pics, I've been wearing leopard and it seems weird to post them separately.

So you get both.

Outfit #1:
Cardigan: c/o mod bod (omg this please stop me from buying it) (similar) (obsessed)
Skirt: c/o mod bod (similar) (cheaper)
Boots: Crystal (similar) (awesome basic)
Necklace: Plunder (here)

Outfit #2:
Top: Chelsea & Theodore (here) (omg plus sizes. this with a pencil skirt? dead) (love this print)
(But seriously, faux wrap drape tops are EVERYTHING right now and crazy super flattering, so get one in your closet.PS I'm buying this one in black too I love it so much)
Jeans: Calvin Klein (here and seriously, they look good on everyone.)
Shoes: Mossimo (so pretty) (love this for fall)
Cuff: F21 (similar)


OK, so looking through all those clothes just made me want to buy more leopard, not less. Save me from myself please.


What's your favorite print? I'm partial to snake as well, I just don't have as much. Ooh and I love all things peacock.

OK, so just all animal prints, all the time.

What I Wore: The Great Pretender

Story time!

Yesterday morning my husband and I decided that we'd be lazy and stay in bed late, watch CBS Sunday Morning like a bunch of senior citizens and eat Cocoa Puffs. Our kids were out playing in the loft (our house has a big open area upstairs right outside our bedroom) and we heard a knock on the door.

Now, once a month, teenage boys come around to the houses in our neighborhood for church donations. Usually I have a cheque ready to go, hand it over and that's that. But I was still in my pajamas. And not like, cute pajamas, but like when you wear your husbands pants and shirt without a bra pajamas.

My kids came running into our room. "Someone's at the door!"

(Let me acknowledge the fact that my kids act like it's Santa Claus himself every time someone knocks. It's like having two rabid chihuahuas freak out at the mailman.)

I told them to just be quiet and pretend we're not home. Lying is OK to teach children, right? They wandered back into the loft. As I settled back into my news story about how they make crayons or something like that, I heard a creak on the stairs. My son was going down.

The next thing you need to know about my house is that the entire front is made up of windows. It's like living in a fishbowl. If anyone so much sets foot on the main floor, anyone from outside can see very clearly. Unfortunately, if I went after my son, those looking for donations would also see me. And it never occurred to me to just put on a bra and go downstairs and take care of it.

Instead I panicked. I called my daughter into my room. Just as I was about to ask her to go get her brother, I heard Andrew yell "MOM! There are boys on the porch!"

Strike one: If Andrew could see them, they could see Andrew. They now knew we were actually home.

I hiss-yelled at him to get back upstairs. Instead, he yelled "MOM! I don't want to pretend like we're not home anymore!"

Strike two.

Thanks, Andrew.

And, just to round the strikes out to three, I still refused to go to the door. At that point, admitting defeat and going down seemed worse. So I waited, hoping that our visitors would simply believe I'm a horrible mother who left my 4-year-old son on his own at home, rather than a horrible person who pretends to not be home and tells her children to lie. I have no idea what happened to them. I'm guessing after engaging in an awkward staring match with my child they left for home to tell their families all about it.

This is up there with the story of when one of my friends dropped by and my house was a mess and there was a dead goldfish on a bowl on the coffee table.

Moral of the story: Always call before you come to my house. Like, at least 30 minutes in advance.

I promise I'll clean up the dead fish and put on a bra.

Anyway, that was my weekend. We also went to the cabin and saw a terrible movie with our kids (seriously, wait to Redbox Free Birds), but it was all trumped by being outed as a pretender by my son to a couple of 15 year old boys.

Aaaand this is what I wore on Friday. The suffragette shirt is back in action!

Tee: Infamous (here but only in XS) (cute!) (similar)

Jacket: Old Navy (similar) (plus size!)

Cargos: Almost Famous (similar)(similar) (cute too) (on my wishlist)

Boots: Payless (here) (these are awesome) 

Aaaand I'm not wearing any jewelry.

Do you like how my story has nothing to do with this outfit post? Because I sure do.

Also, it snowed yesterday. Like real, stick to the ground and still going snow. So my boots are getting a good workout and will be until around March 2014. Hope you guys are ready!

Now, does anyone have a good "people dropped by and I was not ready for it" stories for me?

What I Wore: Casual Monday

Housekeeping notes, guys!

Today is the last day I'll accept entries for the Annual Trashy Halloween Costume Contest. The actual voting will begin on Wednesday and the winner will be announced Friday. So if you've seen any terrible costumes in your web searches lately, send 'em on over. We have some doozies this year already.

Although I will say I've been pleasantly surprised by the lack of trashy costumes I've seen this year. There have been a lot more clever costumes than trashy. And, if you're keeping track, "clever" is nearly always better than "trashy."

I'm not sure if I'm dressing up this year. It seems like I've been in Halloween mode since last week and with all of the parties and festivals and events I'm kinda 'weened out. Plus there was Hipstergate last year and heaven forbid someone think I'm culturally insensitive toward hipsters again.


(PS I am, in fact, highly culturally insensitive to hipsters.)


Case in point: These glasses are definitely prescription.

Graphic tee: Victoria's Secret (similar) (I'm def. buying this) (cute)

Jacket: Guess (similar) (way cheaper) (in brown)
Jeans: Liverpool Abby Skinny (here)

Boots: Payless (similar) (these are boss too)

Scarf: I have no idea (but here's something similar)

This is what you'll find me in most weekdays. Sans jewelry and in some sort of combination between jeans, boots and a leather jacket because I have this rare illness where I can't stop buying them no matter what. This is my favorite jacket by far -- super soft, cool collar detail and pockets for freezing cold mornings which are very quickly approaching. 

And while I wear contacts (contact actually because I just wear one) most every day, sometimes I can't be bothered and my glasses find their way on my face. Mostly because I can't drive without them. Seriously, my eyesight is laughably bad. I went through a long period where I refused to wear glasses. I had bad memories of the bright purple plastic specs I had in elementary school. I used to hide them around the house and my dad would find them and bring them to me at school EVERY TIME. 

I'm not anti-glasses anymore. Now they're a nice change when I don't want to poke at my eye first thing in the morning. 

Yes, I'm wearing them right now.

OK, last call: Send your trashy finds in and we'll have some fun this week.

What I Wore: The Uniform

Yesterday was one of those days that I totally sabotaged myself. Instead of getting ready, like I should have been, I instead watched two episodes of "Four Weddings" while eating mint brownies out of the package. When it was time to go, I had about 30 minutes to get ready from start to finish.

Now, I've heard the idea of having a "uniform" -- a go to combination of clothes that always helps you feel put-together. While I don't think you should dress the same every day, I think it's a good idea to have a few go-to outfits that you can throw on with minimal fuss. Here are my "uniforms."

A pencil skirt with a button up and pointy pumps for semiformal.
Skinny jeans with boots and a tee for everyday.
Straight jeans with a v-neck tee and a blazer for going out.

By knowing what looks good, I can mix and match items on the fly and waste time watching wedding shows for reasons I don't understand instead of standing in front of my closet. Awesome.

Here was my uniform in action yesterday.

Button-up: JCPenney (here) (love!) (with a collar)

Skirt: F21 (ooh designer!) (cheaper) (similar)
Shoes: Mossimo (flat) (omg yes) (on sale!)

Necklace: Nordstrom (pretty!) (bolder)

Cuffs: Gucci, Marc Jacobs

Easy peasy, right? Although I might live in my skinny jeans/ boots combo more often than I should, I love having a closetful of clothes that I don't have to really think about, you know? 

So, if you could define your uniform in a few words, what would you call it?