heidiluxe or whatever

tact and filters and gray and arc training

2012-01-22T21:52:00.000-05:00

GRAY! i love you so and i always will.

cardigan- old navy

tank- thrifted

skirt- thrifted

shoes- target

while i normally just say whatever comes out of my mouth and hope people aren't offended, i've come to realize that's probably not the best course of action. having a filter on my mouth might be a good thing. today someone expressed distaste to me about one of my opinions and i thought, "wow, that was rude!" and then i thought, "i do that all the time. I'M RUDE!(but usually right. hahahahaha!)". so, i shall do better. i will try to only say rude things in my head. or on this blog. and i will try and use some tact when my opinion is required.

the point of concern was on my color choice for my new baby room.

my baby room inspiration:

little green notebook

i love this. i love that you could take out the crib and the toys and it would look great with a couch or a table. but apparently not everyone thinks gray is an appropriate baby room color. but i do. so there.

completely unrelated thought:
i've had to give up running in recent weeks. my pelvis and pregnancy just aren't friends right now. it's been like losing a trusted friend whom i love and loathe at the same time. unfortunately, my back pain has just been too much for me. sometimes i can run around fine and then other times i lose my legs from underneath me and i end up on the floor. i've had to resort to new measures. thus far i tolerate the arc trainer. it's almost like running but with almost no impact. and i can work up a better sweat than on an elliptical.

my glutes currently look exactly like this. exactly like this.

and perhaps if i spend enough time at it i can enter an arc trainer marathon. sort of like a treadmill marathon, but less hard but probably equally boring.

tosh.0 hermosa beach treadmill marathon

the most important thing i wore today

2012-01-21T22:20:00.000-05:00

the most important thing that i wore today was my "i voted" sticker i got after i voted in the south carolina presidential primary. it's a great feeling to exercise my right, my privilege, and my duty.

this week i actually broke down and bought a couple of things to stretch(literally) my wardrobe for the next 15 weeks. i know, that's all! we're getting close! and we still don't have a name, but we do have a paint color for baby X's room.

t-shirt- from target. i like the weight and length of this shirt. it was $10 and i bought a size small. the only drawback i have that i feel the v neck stretches out by then end of the day. i'm not a big fan of layering t-shirts so i just added a scarf to keep everything important under wraps.

jeans- old navy maternity smooth-panel skinny jeans. i can't believe this, but i love these jeans. they are not mom jeans. the panel feels like swimsuit material and therefore doesn't cut into my gut and create an unflattering seam . bonus- i look like a regular person from behind. the pockets sit on my fanny instead of 5 inches above or below their rightful place, like i'm the one wearing a diaper. these jeans recognize that i'm not just a mom, i'm a woman.

purse- timi and leslie diaper bag. thomas gave me this for christmas and it's a dream. it doesn't even look like a diaper bag. i am already carrying it and my baby is still on the inside of my body. no disney characters or silly gewgaws for me thank you very much.

the real deal

2012-01-05T21:49:00.000-05:00

a haiku to debra:

you sent me new clothes

when i was nearly without

i am now your slave

no joke. without debra of i dream of anthropologie, this would be a topless picture. while that would probably up my readership numbers through the stratosphere(not to toot my own horn but pregnancy has been my friend) but that's not the angle i'm going for on this blog. about a month ago the lovely debra sent me a package full of clothes that she had thrifted for me so that i could dress this pregnant belly. i've never met debra before in real life. she did this out of the blue and out of the goodness of her own heart. thank you deb for taking a chance on a kid like me. i am indebted to you.

blouse- thrifted via deb

sweater- old old old

belt- gap

pants- target

boots- ebay steve madden

this is how i laugh. i was watching a community rerun. that show cracks me up. they are on the brink of cancellation so they are doing whatever the heck they want. and my 13 year old boy brain loves it.

both these images are from the same episode:

final note-

i saw this at target today. scarlett is never allowed to play with a ken doll that looks like this.

1. his is hair flat-ironed a la billy ray cyrus.

2. that is a woman's belt he is sporting. i'm not that progressive.

4. men in tank tops gross me out. and the fact that he is wearing a knit mugger cap with a tank top is especially disconcerting. his head is cold but his arms are not? really? pick a side ken! emo truck driver with an affinity for stealing young girls grosgrain belts just isn't working.

bellbottom girls, you make the rockin' world go round

2012-01-03T23:03:00.001-05:00

i don't have as many resolutions this year. i feel like i'm just keeping my head above water lately. so improving myself is going to the wayside a little bit. i'll try to improve in a few ways, but with a new baby on the way, 2012 may be the year of just getting by.

1. no junk january. my favorite resolution every year. after the sugar deluge of the holidays, it's always nice to detox for a month. this chik-fil-a cookies n' cream shake was my final indulgence. plus, baby X isn't too keen on too many junk food items, much to my dismay.

2. be nice. i know i can do it. it will take work and effort. i have a very limited natural ability to be nice so i definitely need to learn to develop this skill over the next 12 months.

3. run a half-marathon in october. i think about this one all the time. i can't wait for my hips to be my own again and to get back into training.

4. vacuum my stairs more often. not just when people are coming over. stairs are a workout in themselves and i have two different staircases to manage.

5. create follow a budget as if my life depends on it. for everything. especially menu planning.

6. find a real lip color. chapstick is not a color.

cropped sweater- thrifted by my darling deb

blouse- michael kors

belt- fossil

jeans- old navy

shoes- steve madden

*pregnancy fashion tip- these jeans are not maternity jeans. i bought these high-waisted flares for $9 a couple of months ago. they are a size too big from my normal pre-pregnancy size, but they are perfect for months 4 and 5 of pregnancy when maternity pants my still not fit properly. i wear these pants all the time. i wish i had bought another pair.

seize the booty

2012-01-01T20:16:00.001-05:00

i love pirate's booty. i'm not embarrassed by this declaration. it makes me feel like i could be in a 17th century nautical gangsta rap video. i could eat it everyday. in fact, i do! i even cleared out wal*mart's shelves a couple of weeks ago. apparently they aren't going to carry it anymore and i got the rest of their stock for 38 cents a bag. i don't know where i will go for my fix in a few weeks.

blouse- JCP

dress- shabby apple cleopatra

boots- enzo angiolini

though the crunchy, puffed air and white cheddar are delicious, i think my favorite part is when reagan calls them pirate's sha-booty. and that's just adorable.

happy new year. resolutions to come. i like resolutions almost as much as pirate's booty.

the end

i clean up pretty well

2011-12-26T22:33:00.000-05:00

hurray for christmas sunday. normally holidays and sundays aren't my favorite combination, but christmas always works for me on sunday. it just feels perfect to me. church, presents and stuffing my face. i was watching harry potter and the deathly hallows part 2 on sunday afternoon whilst sprawled out on the couch and for i minute i felt like i needed to check my pulse to make sure i hadn't died. it was that nice of a sunday.

dress- banana republic

belt- dillards

shirt- miley cyrus via wal-mart

shoes- jessica simpson

21 weeks:

and remember this?

boom.

this may be the all time worst picture of me of all time forever and ever amen. let's break it down:

1. my greasy chin

2. my greasy hair

3. my 2008 5k long sleeve t shirt. my worst 5k time ever because i had lost my ipod and it was about 17 degrees outside. i was wearing shorts.

4. the fact that i have no upper lip.

5. my glasses. that girl in 7th grade who told me i was in a nerd herd was right. (rachel bahr, her initials are MD)

6. the utter shock registering on my face. this is the last thing i expected thomas to surprise me with. he never fails to surprise. surprising is one of his talents.

roll tide!

1989 called and they want their sweater dress back

2011-12-12T23:15:00.000-05:00

things i'm not a fan of:

1. sweater dresses(stretch out too quickly. cling to all the wrong places. head to toe pilling)

2. horizontal stripes across my hips and stomach(for the obvious reasons)

3. midi length skirts(my calves are one of my widest points)

BUT for $6 and when nothing else fits, i'll try it. just for funnsies. which normally isn't a good thing. buying just to buy or buying cheap stuff i'm not sure about when i could put the money towards something i actually like for just a little more money drive me nuts. i'd rather have less in my closet that i love than tons of stuff that was $6 and that's the only reason i bought it. it's like getting a mcdonald's hamburger for cheap and then feeling gross all afternoon or getting the red robin bleu ribbon burger(topped with onion straws!) for a few bucks more and being happy for about a week afterward.

dress- old navy

booties- target

baby i was born to sway

2011-12-06T22:22:00.000-05:00

one of my favorite people on earth(bratalie, in order to maintain anonymity) has a special knack for mishearing lyrics. my all time favorite mistake is the very popular song by garth brooks, "the river" where mr. brooks encourages us to "sell our investments"(sail my vessel). i just love to butcher a song and sing the wrong thing on purpose. together we are a delightful saturday night at the karaoke bar.

can you guess the songs behind these lyrics?

like a twister i was born to wear cologne

there's a bathroom on the right

excuse me while i kiss this guy

big pimpin', spinach and cheese

ls t-shirt- gap

jacket- target

jeans-gap forever skinny

booties- target

i really like my legs in these pictures(i actually like this whole outfit. honestly, 50% of the time i really am not thrilled with what i am wearing. everything is mostly attempts, rather than successes.). i've never worn these jeans like this before. they are 34 inch inseam and so i always need to roll or cuff them to make them wearable. today i simply paired them with platform booties and then cuffed them under. i think that combination really gives a nice elongating look. i look much taller than 5'5 in this picture. yay me!

ps- funny or cry. i was running errands yesterday while wearing a pair of pants that required elastic band love to keep them together(like all my pants these days). as i was in the grocery store i thought to myself, "man, these pants aren't snug at all. in fact they feel really comfortable and have felt great ALL DAY." and then i looked down and realized that my pants were visibly unzipped and my poor little elastic was holding on for dear life and probably had been all day. hence the comfort. ignorance is bliss.

for the love of zack freaking morris

2011-12-04T22:31:00.000-05:00

i've already opened my christmas present from my mother. i picked out some things when she was visiting in october and then i decided i just need to wear them. why not? spring could come really early this year and i will be big as a house in march. faux fur should be worn now. carpe fur! i'll leave the christmas surprises to thomas. like the year i got a foosball table. banner surprise.

in pregnancy news, i can't drink hot chocolate anymore nor can i eat fudge. they both make me sick. fluxing the reflux. it's a travesty. for the love of zack freaking morris! and i had to give up a dress i really like to wear in winter. i put it on for our final attempt at family pictures yesterday and my burgeoning belly made it about 3 inches too short for comfort or class. same goes for this skirt i wore today. i had to pull it so high to cover my stomach it's practically a bra. no need to wear 2 bras when i don't even need 1 in the first place.

sweater- ann taylor loft

skirt- banana republic

shoes- jessica simpson

i guess this means i'm about to break down and buy some *gasp* new clothes.

the new clothes might even qualify as maternity clothes.

my simple easy ridiculously make-able fudge:

6oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

6oz milk chocolate chips

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 stick of BUTTER

cup of baby marshmallows or fluff(can be optional)

melt in microwave

stir

chill

eat

celebrity firing squad

2011-11-28T22:16:00.000-05:00

if you could shoot any "celebrity" with a hard-tipped dart(please. this is a family show), who would it be?

just off the top of my head:

1. anyone from jersey shore

2. urban meyer

3. katherine heigl (i got you merciblahblah. she BUGS.)

4. miley cyrus

5. ben affleck

6. jon stewart

7. kristen stewart

8. ashlee simpson

and this pregnancy has made me shy away from pattern mixing, which is normally one of my favorite things on earth. i also haven't really enjoyed nutella or meat products.

this is as wild as i get these days:

cardigan- kohl's

dress- chadwick's

shoes- jessica simpson

speaking of impaling kristen stewart, i had lukewarm thoughts on the breaking dawn bella swan wedding dress.

i think these photos from alfred angelo website are much more flattering than the gown on kristen stewart in the movie. mostly because, unlike ms. stewart, this model has hips and bosoms. (or boozies if you talk like my sister.) i think the secret to this dress being successful is having a body in which to adequately fill it out.

otherwise i thought it looked like a stretch satin gymnastical leotard on almost bony kristen stewart.

the back was pretty, but i still don't like the stretch satin with the lace. any other fabric would have been a big improvement.

final note:

i guest-posted on i dream of anthropologie!!! and i even sound positive!!! sorry i'm such a drag. really, being a drag seems to be my schtick.

heidi bundy

2011-11-16T13:03:00.001-05:00

jacket- target

blouse- thrifted

jeans- gap forever skinny(HAHAHAHA)

shoes- steve madden

secrets revealed:

please tell me you know and have utilized this trick. you don't even have to be preg. it's perfect for holiday parties.

a numerical breakdown of today:

16 week baby squashing my bladder

ran 3.1 miles this morning

made 2 dozen brownies. need to make about 4 dozen more brownies for young women in excellence at church tonight

20 pages read in a book about magical animals that i was embarassed to check out from a librarian at the liberry whom i refer to as professor tat because of his harry potter glasses, polo shirts and sleeve tattoos. not my most creative nickname but it works in a pinch.

paid $10.20 in fines at the liberry this morning just so i could check out aforementioned embarrassing book.

2 brownies snitched from the church pile, because brownies are one thing i am very good at making.

sweat shop

2011-11-13T22:01:00.000-05:00

these are the sweatpants i have worn 5 out of 7 days a week for the last 10 weeks. i love them. i have become a stereotype and i don't care who knows it. i was even able to ride my bike to the park with the kidlets and go down the slide without showing my bizness to the world. so, maybe sweatpants aren't of the devil.

scarf- express

cardigan- old navy

t shirt- target

sweaties- spalding

sneaks- converse via target

and after not liking anything for sale anywhere(the worst morning sickness side effect) here are a few things that have thrilled my eye in the past week or so:

talbots. you had me at houndstooth. i want to get this and hostess a christmas party. but not do any of the work or planning. i'll just direct the merry maids and the caterers.

talbots hostess skirt

and it is my goal is to not look like i am wearing maternity clothes. because 99% of maternity clothes are ugly. UGLY. par example:

i find the belly ruching completely unnecessary. yes, i am gigantic. let's emphasize it with a strategically placed waistband and pleating.

but this is acceptable. even the horizontal stripes are flattering. (most likely because she weighs 98lbs pre-maternity.)

asos

or this:

asos

and this is my idea of a diaper bag:

timi and leslie diaper bag

FINALLY

and one of the most inspirational thrifters is know. diana von furstenburg at a thrift store? somehow deb found it.

this is great post on all the fantastic brands she found thrifting: i dream of anthropologie

and she's cute.

rebirth

2011-11-07T21:59:00.000-05:00

so, in the last 10ish weeks i've been MIA. and i have several really really good reasons.

1. i am great with child. 15 weeks this wednesday. i've been tired like you wouldn't believe. i've worn sweatpants a LOT.

2. i have had the sinus infection that just wouldn't quit. for 3 solid weeks.

seriously. i finally broke down and went to a doctor today. dr. long hong. i kid you not.that's his real name. feel free to giggle or cringe. he prescribed me some pills that i would not sell on the street for $1 million dollars, so don't ask. i can't wait for my face to hit the pillow tonight.

3. i just knew the kardashian/humphries marriage was doomed from the git go. i found it so hard to think of posting trivial things when something this monumental was falling apart. who is next, khloe and lamar? say it ain't so! it made me so sick that couldn't tell if my gagging was due to morning(all day) sickness or the complete waste of time and money and space and energy and clothing that anything related to the kardashian sisterhood unreality is. and yet i'm STILL talking about them.

if we're facebook friends, you've already heard my thoughts on the impending kardashian divorce:

"never trust a big butt and a smile." -bel biv devoe

BUTT(so punny) that being said, one of my favorite saturday night live sketches of late has been the lampooning the the kardashian sisters. i even laughed at kristen wiig this week, whom i do not find funny. at all. and i know i'm alone in that opinion. and that's fine.

4. i'm bizzy. and i like to read and that takes up a lot of time. but i have a BRILLS bookish idea for a blog post series. i'll enjoy it. you prob won't. i still do it anyway.

the end.

hurray for nothing!

2011-09-15T21:37:00.000-04:00

you already love peopleofwalmart:

your midafternoon internet break is awkward family photos:

eye spy-

still haven't found it yet? keep looking...

and cake wrecks makes me feel better every day:

but, the lords of facebook(and you meredith) have just turned me onto, you are not a photographer. it is brilliant! and hilarious! and everything you have been thinking about some of those extra-special "photographers" out there.

because everyone needs a picture with the focal point being there lower buttocks. lovely and slimming!

genius!

no words:

enjoy!

lay it on me

2011-09-04T21:14:00.001-04:00

my house is still a ol' big mess. we have been in almost a month and i still have boxes everywhere and nothing whatsoever hanging on the walls. and i simply don't care!

i've been just plain crabby lately. my family is so blessed. thankfully, i have a few friends i can vent my unimportant annoyances to through text, email or facebook and they don't think less of me. (maybe they do, who knows?) but here's you lucky day. i'm turning on the anonymous comment option and you can voice your grievances here. feel free to not be anonymous too. lay it on me. tell me what is bugging you in your life. commiserate with me.

need some ideas?

DON'T tell me about your secret gambling addiction.

DO tell me about how you hate when large vehicles take up TWO parking spaces in the grocery store parking lot. if you have dualies on your truck you STILL need to be able to park in one space or go park way out by no one else.

need another example?

here's a personal fave: it drives me nuts when i see parents with small children in restaurants or public places(movie theaters are the worst!) late at night and the kid is going crazy screaming bloody murder because the kid is TIRED! and the parents are clueless as to what the problem is and they are just yelling at them to behave. just an fyi- most kids need at least 10 hours of sleep a night.

see, i already feel better. being a know-it-all has it's perks.

lounging in my office. the one without toilet paper.

lounging on my new bookshelves. that will forever live inside these boxes so that they will always be in perfect condition.

i specifically planned this outfit around 2 stipulations:

1. i don't wear white sandals after labor day. it's insignificant rule but i simply think it's a good idea. i like to be seasonally appropriate. (winter white is a completely different topic for another day.)

2. i had to wear blue in celebration of the BYU football victory over ole miss. i am big on football rituals and i always wear a corresponding color on sunday to commemorate one of my team's triumphs. i have a nice black and white houndstooth print fabric ready to be made into something for when alabama beats auburn this year. i am also a prophetess.

note to self: get gel seat

2011-09-02T21:47:00.000-04:00

my latest accessory:

ta DA! if anyone was a little unsure of my status as queen nerd, this bike helmet solidifies it! throw in my sweat towel tucked into my sports bra strap and i will never be unthroned.

i went biking(outside, on a trail) for the first time ever with some babes this morning. whilst i've been an avid cycle class attendee for about 5 years now, i haven't really ridden an actual bike to an actual location on actual pavement since i was twelve years old when my best friend emily clark and i would race down moreland school road at breakneck speeds, weaving in and out of traffic, just to go spend out meager funds on stale candy at circle k. later, there was a nice shooting at that very same circle k. and that is why i will never let my kids do anything fun, ever.
i digress.
actual safe, law-abiding biking was really fun and a nice change up to my exercise routine.

due to my history of falling off things, i was a little nervous about falling off my bike or riding off the trail. i did run right into a sign and a bumped into a fence, but at least i stayed on.

while south carolina is incredibly beautiful, nobody's bum looks good squished on a bike from behind. furthermore, i really need to go buy a gel seat cover. i was hitting high notes every time i hit a bump.

thanks to jenna for risking her life and taking this picture of me pedaling really fast.

more wasted space

2011-08-27T23:12:00.001-04:00

while i hate to devote any more internet space to the kardashians, i just can't allow "america's non-royal wedding" to happen and not comment on that rhinestone and spanx debacle. it's against my nature.

the GOOD:

i love kim's headpiece. i've always wanted to wear gems like that on my forehead. i think this is an actual original and daring choice. cue the applause.

versus celine dion, my queen, who looks like a bedazzled klingon.

but i'll say it until i am blue in the face. i am tired of strapless gowns. TIRED AND SICK. if you've got limitless fund and are a personal friend of vera wang i expect something a little more interesting. however, i may have gouged my eyes out with a spoon if she had gone for her signature one-shoulder dress overkill. so we'll call it a draw.

the BAD:

bruce jenner- while i commend his plastic surgery corrections and his new stylish haircut, i think earrings on men are a major NO NO!

because you will look like you are taking style tips from jon gosselin,

and vanilla ice,

and kevin federline.

and that's just gross.

finally.

the planets have aligned and average people like you and me now no longer have to run over to frederick's of hollywood to buy clothes to look like a kardashian. the kardashian kollection is available at your local sears(the repeated use of the letter K makes me uncomfortable. especially when someone decides to deem something "kountry". yikes. thank your lucky stars it isn't the kardashian clothing kollection. oy vey!)

my fave kardashian kollection items:

the worst:

a sparkly high school sewing project gone awry

the bustier print t-shirt:

which is way too close to this lovely item i have seen sported at my wal*mart and local tractor pull:

happy weekend!

nacho mama

2011-08-21T20:47:00.000-04:00

i felt super cheesy today. taking pictures never gets more natural for a cheese ball like me. i cannot do an artsy-fartsy, sultry, smoky look! and lately i've just been in a mood. i'm in a big "i just want to wear my gym clothes" phase right now. maybe it's because i want to simplify my wardrobe and my life? maybe because i feel like a sweaty, crazy person? is there a deeper meaning here? or, do i really just want to eat mexican food all the time and gym clothes are mexican food's best friend? SI! que es el boleta!

dress- casual corner

blouse- thrifted

sandals- bakers

senior 2011!

my senior picture:

class o' 98!

what goes around comes around

2011-08-14T15:05:00.001-04:00

we're finally in the house and i've come to the executive decision that i need to get rid of half my clothes. i do have a wonderful new large closet and my husband has his own husband size closet but whilst unpacking my duds i came to the conclusion that i don't need most of this. and that's a hard thing for me to admit.

i bought this dress for my college graduation in 2002 and i really haven't worn it since, but i still drag it with me everywhere we have moved, utah to alabama to georgia to missouri to alabama again and finally south carolina. breaking up is hard to do.

it will be a hard dumping since maxi dresses are back in style big time. hopefully this dress won't make a scene when i break the news to her. i hate drama and the whole "it's not you it's me" speech, especially since that's never true. if you break up with someone, it's them.

plus, my husband LOVES red and black together so i know he was keen on this outfit.

dress- byu bookstore back when dinosaurs roamed the earth

shoes- target

belt- target

and yet, i am already thinking that i should give it another go until spring. just in case we rekindle our relationship. i mean, i've had her this long, what's a few more months?

don't tell my brothers i am writing for a fashion blog

2011-08-04T15:24:00.000-04:00

my most stylish brother, marky mark, just surprised me with a guest post for my blog. he is a wit, a card, a great shopper and a really nice, good guy. he's also available. he just started his first big boy job after graduating from BYU-I. he lives and works in salt lake city, ut.

Don’t tell my brothers I’m writing for a fashion blog.

On the train home from work today I noticed several hideously dressed men. I began to think of the funny things my sister Heidi would say about these dorks and their clunky shoes, Hawaiian shirts, and cell phone holsters. I then remembered that Heidi and I have discussed a couple of times that I should write a guest post for her blog about men’s fashion. So here it goes. *

* I currently live alone and don’t own a TVor have Internet access, so I was in the mood to do just about anything.

** When I say I don’t own a TV, I don’t mean it in the “I’m a hipster and I’d rather go be in nature” sort of way. I mean it in the “I’m really poor and I live underneath a used car dealership” sort of way.

If you are a girl, don’t stop reading. You probably know someone who is a boy. He might even be your husband or boyfriend. So, without any further ado, it is with great pleasure that I present to you a list of however many things I can think of that guys should know about fashion.

1. You don’t have to have a lot of money to be fashionable. I shop at thrift stores, TJ Maxx, Ross, etc. It can be hit and miss, but be patient and you will find some gems.

2. Wear clothes that fit. If you’re chubby, wearing big clothes will only make you look bigger and visa versa. Wearing clothes that fit well can have a slimming effect. So can going to the gym.

3. Iron. Your clothes.

4. Being fashionable does not make you girly.

5. Belt buckles. It’s cool if you’re a cowboy. If you aren’t, you just look like an imbecile.

6. Suits. Suits should fit you well. Have the salesman at the store measure you and then have your suit altered accordingly. Get a conservative color. Tan or light grey suits are fun, but unless you have a good collection of suits to rotate through, stick with black or dark blue so you don’t have to wear such a loud suit all the time. Never button the bottom button.

7. Dress shirts. White and light blues are the most professional, but you can make certain shades of most colors work. Never wear a black dress shirt. People will expect you to take their order or do a triple axle.

8. Ties. J. Garcia ties look like throw-up. Half windsor knot. Think simple and neat instead of flashy. They should come down to your belt.

9. Crocs. Say no to crack. Say no to crocs. There’s no excuse for this type of buffoonery.

10. Match your belt and shoes. Belts should be simple with minimal designs. For dress shoes I recommend wingtips or loafers. Dr. Martens or any other combat boots should never be worn with dress clothes. Have you ever seen a soldier wearing tasseled loafers?

11. “Confidence is very sexy. Don’t you think?” –old British guy in a cologne commercial.

12. Baseball caps. Not for everyone. Make sure you get one that fits. Wearing a hat that is too small only accentuates your giant heard. If it looks like a watermelon wearing a kippa, you’re doing it wrong.

13. Frequently ask yourself, “Would Dwight Schrute wear this?

14. Wolf shirts. If you wear shirts with wolves howling at the moon or with a bald eagle soaring through flames… you probably stopped reading a long time ago.

15. The difference between dressing up and not dressing up should be greater than one article of clothing.

16. Cargo pants with dress clothes. NOOOOOOOOOO.

17. Cargo shorts/pants. No.

18. No cell phone holsters. Why? Because your pants already have two holsters called pockets. If your cell phone doesn’t fit in your pocket, please give Zack Morris his cell phone back.

19. Bedazzled or bejeweled jeans. (See #16)

20. Ed Hardy. Friends don’t let friends…

21. Shirts that say things on them. Rarely/never. If you do choose to do this, it better be timely, clever and/or funny. Hint: Nothing Charlie Sheen has ever said has met any of these requirements.

22. Cardigans. Yes.

vampire patrol

2011-08-02T22:10:00.001-04:00

tank- ? this is similar
shorts- nike tempo
socks- thorlo
sneaks- asics
drink- 32 ounce powerade zero in blueberry ice(which i can down in less that 3 minutes)

though this has been the summer the sun fried the universe, i've tried to be diligent in maintaining my running. it's the only thing i'm remotely good at and i can't lose it. whilst running i like a tank top with a high cut arm hole to reduce underarm chaffing(also known as chub rub in classy circles) and these nike tempo shorts have lasted me for 4 years. to keep my running consistent between the heat and my kids being home all summer, i've had to get up before the sun rises to run. i try to get through the majority of my run before the sun crests the tree line. i call it vampire patrol. once i see the sun i know i was become dust. i'm a sweaty, slow, hot mess but i love it.

AND for funnsies
a short list of my gym issues-

1. space invaders- some gym people who have zero concept that they are in your space. i really enjoy kicking and punching. it's a lethal combination.

2. naked grannies- i like to keep my eyes to myself when i am changing, but some grannies seem to think that the locker room is a runway. i understand not wanting to get make-up on your clothes, what about a towel? what about not leaning up your naked body against every surface, chair or mirror that i am also using? really? really?

3. loud talkers- i cannot concentrate on form if you are talking about your latest gynocological appointment. it is fine to talk about pat smear, guitarist for foo fighters. i love the foo fighters too. it is not okay to talk about your pap smear. a little decorum!

4. captain morgan- this is my husband's least favorite. men who change in the locker room, put on a t-shirt, but fail to put pants and underwear on until after they have shaved and combed their hair. then they feel the need to talk to you while with one leg up on the bench, still sans pants.

5. droopy drawers- i hate it when people are in the pool and when they pull themselves up to sit on the edge their body goes up but their swimsuit bottom goes down. way down. okay, this actually happened to me this week. pretty embarassing. free show with your ymca membership.

FINALLY-
my workout song of the week:

motley crue- home sweet home

this song is the absolute best when you are on your last few miles. i heard it today when i was entering my neighborhood. tears were shed.

reading good books ruins you for enjoying bad books

2011-07-31T16:21:00.001-04:00

i love a good bad book. i live for young adult silliness. but a good good book is even better. this week i read the guernsey literary and potato peel pie society. as per my usual perference, i didn't read the dust jacket synopsis and dove in completely unawares of the premise. i enjoy being thoroughly surprised by a book. nothing is worse than reading a book review and finding out that desdemona courierfont's love interest, brock dangerfield, leaves her for broke halfway through the book. you know too much and you haven't even started reading!

anywhoo, this book was excellent. i laughed. i cried. i felt thankful for those who went before us and sacrificed so much. i considered whipping up my own tonics in the kitchen. i highly recommend this book.

as a result i was quite inspired fashion-wise this week. i wanted to go for something like this:

photo via operagloves
but that may require more time to acquire the appropriate hat and gloves.

so i went a little more for this look:

photo via swing fashionista

my interpretation:

too hot sweater worn as blouse in july- target

skirt- thrifted

shoes- target

and in 2 weeks this will be my new front yard!

some choice guernsey literary and potato peel pie society quotes:

"We clung to books and to our friends; they reminded us that we had another part to us."

"We could have gone on longing for one another and pretending not to notice forever. This obsession with dignity can ruin your life if you let it."

"The first rule of snooping is to come at it sideways."

"...but I much prefer whining to counting my blessings."-this could be a personal motto

happy pioneer day!

2011-07-24T20:48:00.001-04:00

pioneer day is the day Mormon pioneers arrived in the valley of the great salt lake in 1847. i would never have survived as a pioneer(buffalo chips for fuel? nast-ay!) but i am thankful for those who sacrificed all to make the trek. and i always wanted to be the days of '47 queen. they need to have a married lady queen pageant somewhere that requires no poise or talent. the only contest would be useless trivia, pop culture and obscure history. i'd own that mother.

t shirt- downeastbasics

scarf- grandmother's

skirt- thrifted

shoes- target*totally on sale now

it was a bit of an inelegant photoshoot today. the trees were against me and the neighbor was watching. and there is no excuse for this weirdness:

but i did make a most excellent dinner, recipe courtesy of ourbestbites. completely delicious and easy pepperoncini beef sammiches. it took all my strength to eat only one. plus i simply had to choke down more of big T's birthday cake.

happy sabbath!

journalistic integrity

2011-07-20T17:36:00.001-04:00

in honor of journalistic integrity, i am posting what i have worn more than anything else this summer.....

my swimsuit. but not me in my swimsuit so stop salivating.

we swim at least 4 times a week. if there was a gang at my pool, i would run it. i want my kids to learn that exercise is fun from an early age. they haven't figured out that all the "races" i have them doing are actually pool laps. plus, worn out kids sleep like a dream. i'm doing myself a favor.
i was planning on buying a few more suits this summer to replace my other few that i have worn to death the past few years, but swimsuit shopping is almost as hard as childbirth so i have only had success with one.

it's from the candie's collection at kohl's. it had me at houndstooth. but, i'll tell ya, trying on a junior-sized swimsuit really does a number on your self-esteem. i'm a junior on top and a misses on the bottom. thank goodness for side ties to minimize the fat squeezing.

today's hairstyle is called air-dried fingercombed delight.

shirt- target

dress- walmart

wonky picture my 6 year old took- priceless

my summer movie viewing recommendation:

i spied the last 10 minutes of pretty in pink this morning. one minute i am running around like a crazy trying to get things done and the next i am yelling at the screen, "ANDIE! stick with duckie! blane doesn't deserve you!" oh, blane! this movie only gets better and better. talk about sartorial inspiration and teenage heartache!!! i can't wait for the weather to cool down to only 900 degrees to try out some of these looks myself.

duckie: "His name is Blane? Oh! That's a major appliance, that's not a name!"

watch it this weekend. you'll laugh. you'll cry. you'll want to feather your hair and staple records* to the ceiling.

*for the younger set, records are like gigantic plastic cds. cds are those shiny things your parents have a million of in the car that play music. someday when you decide to be retro and ironic, you'll pick a few up at goodwill for laughs.

new with tags

2011-07-17T20:34:00.001-04:00

why i thrift:

my number one reason for thrifting is finding a good deal.

i love finding something that you won't see anyone else wearing. i'm not partial to purchasing a particular name brand, but it's always fun when you score something that you remember seeing in a store for full price. my local goodwill always has stuff from target that is still new with tags. and you can always count on there being a few items somewhere in the store that someone donated but never wore or never even cut the tags off.

plus, my kids really enjoy the thrift store. it's the one place i don't mind them running around like banshee children. they call goodwill the nastystore, or the junkstore or badwill because they know they will be doused with hand sanitizer upon leaving the store.

today we all wearing wearing some new with tags thrift store items.

scarlett is wearing a dress from target that was full price($17) at our local target just a few weeks ago. i got it for $7.

i'm wearing a blouse from american eagle that still was still crisp from the factory sizing(the starch a factory uses on items). i bought it for $4.25

reagan's shirt was in the same perfect condition and the label says it is from talbot's kids. snazzy and pricey and i paid $2.25 for it.

just a quick wash and everything was ready to wear for the first time. boo ya to thrift store shopping. the trick is just to be open minded and unafraid to search and to hold your nose and breath out your mouth.

blouse- thrifted

skirt- kohl's

shoes- charlotte russe

on an unrelated note, my friend jenny is a do-it-yourself and home decor genius. she just started making how-to videos and posting them to youtube. her website is showmecute. she it utterly inspiring in anything crafty and she is also my hair icon. i hope she does a clip soon with her hair curled really big and full. that's my favorite way she does it.

enjoy!

invisibility cloak

2011-07-15T23:32:00.000-04:00

we saw the latest harry potter tonight. loved it. excellent filmage. i heart alan rickman and his stanky teeth.

blouse- thrifted

jeans- gap forever skinny

shoes- jessica simpson

purse- "gucci" hahahaha

i really feel like i was channelling ashley hebert from the bachelorette in this outfit. except i buttoned my top button to keep some thing hidden. dot dot dot.

and here's a shot of me wearing my invisibility cloak:

i really thought this was funny and clever. i almost drew a lightning bolt on my forehead. almost. and i was pleasantly surprised by the ending. i have ALWAYS known that snape was special. maybe i'll even read the books now.

bullet points

2011-07-14T22:54:00.000-04:00

*i just ate a bowl of ben and jerry's red velvet cake and late night snack ice cream.

*i witnessed a motorcycle accident this week. it was sickening and horrific. then the guy picked himself up from the middle of the freeway and WALKED to the shoulder. it was about 105 degrees at 5pm as we waited for the ambulance to show up. it was wild. needless to say, i didn't take an outfit picture that day.

*i think ryan seacrest is slowing but surely morphing into a woman.

*sometimes i online shop and fill my shopping bag with $750 worth of stuff. then i close the window and walk away. i can't decide if it's cathartic or torture.

*i really like the gnocchi soup at olive garden. i went to the OG with a bunch of lovely friends last week to bid my dear friend holly adieu. i'm pretending she's on an extended vacation.

i think we look better in prom dresses, but this is alright too.

on me:

blouse, dress, shoes- all target

belt- fossil

day tripper

2011-07-11T22:30:00.000-04:00

since my mom and sister were visiting we made a day trip to asheville, north carolina to see the biltmore. it was so neat-o. my inner nerd was doing jumping jacks. not only was it an architectural wonder, but they had HARD SCOOP ice cream. hard scoop is my absolute-of-all-time-hallelujah-amen-and-amen-favorite. soft serve ice cream is for ninnies.

but, more importantly, i tried to put together an outfit that

would be appropriate for traveling and walking and climbing a million stairs and looking at amazing gardens in 95 degree humid weather. normally when i travel more than an hour or two i wear sweats or anything without a waistband, but i'm trying to not embarass the family anymore. i'm pretty proud of myself because i think i nailed my day trip look. later i will be figuring out the formula for cold fusion and proposing my ideas for a balanced national budget. i'm on a roll!

i'm glad that i wasn't a sweating, uncomfortable monster like the kid behind me laying all over the table.

sunglasses- franco sarto

t shirt- gap

belt- fossil

skirt- thrifted

sandals- bakers

seriously, incredible.

unfortunately while i was stuffing my face with HARD SCOOP ice cream, i realized i had lost part of my favorite angel wing earrings. my sister was able to capture the exact moment for posterity:

absolutely brilliant.

thrifted sister

2011-07-10T20:47:00.000-04:00

2 girls born in the 80s

2 dresses born in the 80s

dresses- thrifted

my scarf- gift

heather's belt- target

my shoes- thrifted

heather's shoes- tjmaxx

hurray! my sister heather is in town from las vegas! we look NOTHING alike and yet people still ask if we are twins.

we have this deal that when we visit that we pack very little and wear each other's clothes. it works out great.

ps- one of my pet peeves is engagement photos on playground equipment. not my favorite. i also have issues with piggyback pictures. i have a LOT of issues in general.

doublemint twins

2011-07-05T16:25:00.002-04:00

for the 4th, the whole fam damily went to a festive evening soiree. my dear friend and fellow blogger julie of everyday embellishments and i took our first outfit picture together. i see julie ALL THE TIME and this is the first time i broke out the camera to commemorate the event. she's a gem. and a great seamstress. and a phenomenal thrifted and re-fashioner. she's lucky i hang out with her. i've been finely crafting this level of laid-back underachiever for years. she'll cramp my style.

plus, 4th of july means red white and blue! i love that color combination! but for the rest of the year red, white and blue looks a little much(unless it's the 1st tuesday in november during an election year). sort of like a christmas sweater in january. or velvet in july. or a perm past 1992.

julie went for polished, i went for bohemian. doublemint twins! not really.

on me:

blouse- michael kors

scarf- dillards

shorts- gap

sandals- bakers

on julie:

shirt-target

shorts- NY&CO (thrifted/altered)

belt&shoes- thrifted
necklace- target

earrings- forever21

star spangled sunday

2011-07-03T16:49:00.000-04:00

i love the fourth of july and i especially enjoy the sunday before the 4th when we sing all the patriotic hymns at church. we sang "america the beautiful" and "the star spangled banner" and i did my best to hit the high notes, those most would agree i shouldn't go for high notes.

ruffle blouse- wal*mart

t shirt- downeast basics

belt- gap

skirt- thrifted(originally from the limited!)

shoes- thrifted

my friend lindsay said it best today, "the united states is the greatest country in the world!" i agree. strike up the lee greenwood classic, "proud it be an american!"

i love my country.

"Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand

Between their loved home and the war's desolation!

Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land

Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.

Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,

And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."

And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!"

-the star spangled banner, francis scott key

roll with it

2011-07-01T20:46:00.000-04:00

these may be my most favorite photos of all time. husband with the camera, me retrieving the garbage can, sun setting over the hedge. the perfect storm.

except for this one: i was caught off guard when i realized that thomas was already snapping away. i tried to roll with it. (garbage can pun!)

facebook profile perfection!

t shirt- meh?

belt- thrifted

skirt- thrifted

shoes- amanda smith

boom!

the end. i have nothing to add to that. except that we went house hunting today. i kept my eyes open for new photo taking venues. a nice latticed deck here, a lovely row of pines there. gotta have priorities.

really random

2011-06-29T22:23:00.001-04:00

i was pretty proud of myself for putting together a head to toe look NOT comprising of anything from target. and i love me some target. their inexpensive but current fashions dominate my closet. occasionally, as a personal challenge to myself, i try to pull outfits together sans target. call it sartorial stretching.

cardigan- loft

blouse- tj maxx

shorts- gap

shoes- amanda smith

tote- gigi hill

other things skills i am trying to stretch are my healthy eating skillz and increase my fitness performance(i'm semi-pro, right?). i've been eating oatmeal with a pinch of brown sugar and a handful of blueberries for breakie.and a cold chicken breast and parmesan for lunch/post workout protein. almost as much fun as not eating. in fact i'll go not eat right now and just laugh and laugh. but, if anyone has a good protein shake, i'm taking suggestions. really. has anyone tried casein protein peanut butter chocolate and live to tell?

cardigan=movie theater

we saw cars 2. not as good as the first one. but really, what is?

this was really random. the end.

outfit math plus a side pony

2011-06-26T16:24:00.000-04:00

i like all the colors and elements of this outfit(and a side pony to boot!) but i think it falls under the either/or principle. either your top needs to be fitted and your bottom flowy or vice versa. and my belt needs to be more narrow because i think the width and darkness of this one makes my waist seem thicker. for me, i think a more fitted bottom is better because i can disguise my complete lack of bust and very narrow shoulders under a looser top better than covering my wide hips with full pleats. pleats over curves just translates as bigger rather than more trim. am i boring you yet?

this is like outfit math:

which proportion is most flattering on you? carry the one, multiply by pi, add a side ponytail even though you are way too old for those shenanigans and then thank your lucky stars that you passed basic math one week before graduating college and then wonder how you ever got a job in finance. oops, not your life story? just mine?

blouse- charlotte russe

belt- new york and company(really old)

skirt- banana republic(hemmed)

shoes- thrifted

i also find that if i stand at an angle, my hips are minimized and that's always a good thing. there is better silhouette definition and my waist looks smaller. okay, i'll stop already. i'm boring myself.

ole!

straight outta costco

2011-06-24T15:54:00.000-04:00

if we are facebook friends, then you already know my big news from this week. i killed a snake in my garage with just my bare hands(bare hands gripping a shovel that i hacked the poor thing up with). that's how tough i am. normally i wouldn't kill woodland animals, but scarlett was off the heezy about of it and i figured that if i ever want to have the kids go in the garage again, i need to be able to say that i took care of the snake problem. but when it comes down to it, i AM hardcore. i'm badder than bad. next on my list is to get all my teeth capped gold and spell out my name in rhinestones a la flavor flav.

but i ain't straight outta compton, i'm straight outta costco.

dress- target

vest- wal*mart

shoes- target

the funny thing is, the rappers who started gangsta rap and all that have gone soft(not that i'm complaining).

take snoop dogg. he did a christmas episode with big time rush on teen nick. for real. that makes me shake in my boots.

and ice cube. from founding member of NWA to kids comedy movie star.

and ice-t. his new reality show debuts this summer. it's about his happy with life with his former video vixen wife.

ice loves coco? from the man who brought us cop killer?

these guys make seth green look like suge knight.

speaking of seth green, if you haven't seen his version of cribs, you need to follow this link. i apologize but embedding was disabled on this particular clip. but it is worth the click and the 2 minutes and 45 seconds that it takes to watch. he may just be the new dave ramsey.

seth green cribs

the non-compliment compliment

2011-06-19T21:44:00.000-04:00

i love a good non-compliment. like when someone is trying really hard to say something nice to you, but they can't formulate the words and they don't really want to endorse anything. i appreciate the effort.

a few of my faves:

"look at you!"

"only you could pull that off!"

"you are on another level!"
"you are really wearing that!"
"you march to your own drummer!"

or when you are looking particularly wacky and someone simply says,

"hello!"

or if you are wearing bright orange pants,

"hello orange pants!"

maybe i dress weird enough that i'm the only one who has people say things like this to them? anybody?

i think i was rather tame today. ladylike even.

hat- bakers

t shirt- kohls

belt- fossil

skirt- thrifted

shoes- amanda smith

and happy father's day to thomas. the only person allowed to make fun of my clothes. that's love.

street cred

2011-06-17T22:07:00.000-04:00

my favorite everythings:

friday night activity-downtown with the whole fam damily

skirt- jcrew

weather- breezy summer evening

after the kids are asleep activity- going through the kid's candy bags from the general store and stealing all the best candy

impassable trail lose 10 days

2011-06-14T21:04:00.000-04:00

i'm pretty sure i would have made a terrible pioneer. i went running last saturday in a relatively wooded area and i got eaten ALIVE by skeeters, so i had to wear pants today, 3 days later. i look pretty nast-ay from the knees down. i can't imagine what i would have been like pulling a handcart across the plains.

shirt- thrifted

pants- target

sandals- bakers

even though my outdoorsy skillz are minimal, i alway ROCKED oregon trail in elementary school. i was the first person in my class to make it all the way to oregon.

my favorite and yours too:

bustedtees

kids are so spoiled today with their 3D graphics. i had hours of fun with this cutting edge one-dimensional harbinger of death game.

things that never get old

2011-06-12T21:55:00.000-04:00

this shirt never gets old. no matter how many people i see wearing it.

no matter the combination,
be it tucked,

knotted,

open,

buttoned,

layered.

i'll save it forever for scarlett to wear to school someday when they are having "dress like the 2010s day" for spirit week.

button up- gap

dress- target

shoes- target

i may be too old to swing on the swing set though:

other things that don't get old?

zack morris:

christy turlington burns:

dumb and dumber:

twinkies:

and things that got old FAST?

lindsay lohan:

don't do drugs. REALLY.

man! i feel like a woman

2011-06-10T21:02:00.001-04:00

t shirt- kohl's(interestingly enough, i don't like soda. i'm one of those people.)

chambray skirt- belk(old)

shoes- target

i already sweat like a man.

i already eat like a man.

(and i have the sense of humor of a pre-pubescent boy)
now i smell like one too.

but that's good. because i prefer men's cologne to the cloying smell of women's perfume any day.

i was at el wal*mercado yesterday looking for the (isopropyl) alcohol and i happened upon this facewash with a coupon sticking to it. some kind soul had clipped the coupon out of the pennysaver and attached it to a bottle of nivea for men facewash. apparently they hadn't planned on using it and just wanted to pass along the good deal. $2 off! boom. i hope they were sharing it. nevertheless, i picked it up and walked away quickly.

i enjoy a good nivea product and good smelling men's product so i used it this morning and i loved smelling my face all day. it was like i was on a date with myself all day. i'd date me. we'd go somewhere nice too. not like that guy that took me on a date to climb a water tower.

roughing it

2011-06-08T21:00:00.000-04:00

cookin on the grill with air dried hair and no make-up. everyone needs to have a rest day and this day is my version of roughing it.

t shirt- target

skirt- thrifted

sandals- bakers

sunglasses- franco sarto via tjmaxx

my favorite feature in lucky magazine is based on the style blog my mom the style icon. people send in photos of their mother in their heyday with stories about how they inspired them sartorially. the photos i took today while is was cooking up weiners(buzzword of the week, right?) reminded me of old pictures of my mom in college. the smoky haze from my grill, the 70s quality of the images, the long skirt. only my mom is so naturally lovely she has never needed make-up. she's just good and wonderful and well-intentioned all the time. and she expects the best out of everyone. we also weren't allowed to say butt and crap at our house growing up. we got a stern look if we ever implied that someone "tooted". we had to sit on our fanny and only say nice things to each other and never even think about any type of rude bodily function. it was a really wonderful childhood.

oy vey! my air dried hair is so wrong it will never be right.

the longest post about nothing of consequence

2011-06-05T22:41:00.000-04:00

i got my hairs did yesterday. it had been nearly 1 year since i had a haircut. i don't know why i do this is myself. this is before:

not bad, but about 4 inches of scraggle.

and this is the picture i brought for inspiration(ignore the blindingly ample bosom, if you can.):

and after:

wah wah, fail. i don't know why i always expect anything but a flat mom hair helmet, but that's what i get everytime. i don't even ask for it! i want wild! i want beachy southern debutante! and i get blah. and that is why i only get my hair cut once a year. the horrible fear of flat, bland hair.

on another note, after i put my boring hair up in a lifeless, no personality bun, thomas and i had a real deal date and we ended up at target looking at birthday presents for scarlett and books for us. all the paperback romances were 25% off!

and wouldn't you know it, rob lowe has the blogger pose DOWN!

i did not realize that i was pointing right at his personal bizness. completely inadvertent mistake. merely confirming his blogger pose.

and then i style my hair myself today and i realized that everything is going to be okay.

no matter how trendy, front pleating is just not flattering. a millionbillion crunches a week and one pleated skirt undoes it all. it looks like a front diaper. like early 90s beverly hills 90210 front-butt jeans. or in some circles known as kelly taylor-gluteus-fronteus-maximus.

maybe not that severe, but it makes me self-conscious

blouse- thrifted

skirt- thrifted(and hemmed with unmatching red thread!)

belt- gap

shoes- thrifted

body combat tomorrow!

bring it on

2011-06-02T22:28:00.001-04:00

one of the greatest trials and tribulations of my life is how to dress for summer humidity. humidity makes the biblical lake of fire and brimstone seem more like a lukewarm soup. i love summer, i love heat, i love breezy, bohemian clothing. however, the fact that my personal style rules include that i always sport sleeves and my thighs must be covered makes it difficult to even think about being outside between the hours of 8am and 9pm. public nudity is simply unfeasible(though tempting). it's been my personal quest to put together a list of items i would actually want to wear while i am enjoying(not just surviving) summer.

my humidity-driven summer style must-haves:

(and no, just because i live in south carolina my list doesn't include a stars and bars bikini.)

1. an easy care/easy wear dress or two. something that doesn't require layers, cardigans, tanks or burkas. the dress is the whole outfit. i believe that cardigans in summer are for movie theaters only. plus, there is no experience more exhilarating than a nice breeze blowing up your skirt. onlookers enjoy it too.

2. hanes T shirts/white T shirts. consider them the building blocks of your wardrobe. i love them with cut off shorts and gladiator sandals and a chunky necklace. or a pencil skirt and wedge sandals for a slightly elevated look. simply the best.

3. loose shorts/pants. faded denim, chinos, seersucker, sometimes even the dreaded linen if they are a linen blend. tight, dark denim makes me feel like a sausage in summertime. i already know i ate too many nacho cheese drenched hot dogs at the barbeque, i don't need my waistband reminding me each time i move. but i always avoid cargo shorts. that just my personal preference. i've got thighs and i don't need gigantic tent-like pockets announcing to the world that they are not so well hidden under a flap of fabric that could also house a 747. i need the cargo pockets on my chest.

4. SINGLE LAYER SHIRTS- this is probably the MOST important thing to me. i HATE/LOATHE/DESPISE wearing a shirt and then another shirt because the first one is too short, too low cut, too see-through, too stained(not really, i do have a few grossness limits). how about i just dump a bucket of sweat all over myself and get it over with? the basic gap t has always been a friend to me. and i am currently jonesing for this shirt from francesca's. or i got a heck of a deal on some basic Ts from kohl's for $2.80 each. they are in the juniors section and because of that i bought large.

however, my dear friend jamey does recommend the shade demi cap sleeve T for those shirts that simply must be worn and must be made modest.

5. skirts- oh my darling BFF the skirt. over your swimsuit. paired with your hanes T or your single layer T. one and you are done. the perfect one can take you from grocery store to pool to dinner out. just change your shoes and accessories.

*did you enjoy the gradual absolute mess my hair became in this series of pictures?

*and yes, i am very tan. not that i purposefully lay out and tan. the sun just loves me.

accessories:

SHOES- avoid flip flops unless you are headed to something uber-casual. i love gladiator sandals and wedge sandals. since summer dressing is so low-key and laid back, your shoes can really bring an outfit to another level. like, "yeah, i just naturally rock this bohemian-sweaty-shirt-sticking-to-my-back-vibe because these shoes say i'm trying, but i'm not. i think i'll have a lemonade and read some very hard-hitting and inspiring young adult fiction."

SCARVES and BELTS- scarves loosely draped are the essence of laid-back chic. and they can double as a sweat towel. i'm not kidding. belts look great slung low over the hips in summer. wrap them, tie them, buckle them, just don't cinch them. tight booby belts in summer are as repressive as corsets. take a deep breath and let it flow my little star-moon-hippie flower.

JEWELRY- pile it on and don't worry about looking cluttered. my favorite earrings are a silver pair shaped like angel wings. they make everything seem like i am too cool for school. i love to mix them with gold jewelry. it's summer, anything goes!

HAIR- buns hun. that's how i roll. sometimes i even dry and curl my hair so that my bun with be fuller and bigger and stay in better. i like the ouchless elastic hair ties by goody. i have gobs of hair and they secure very well for about a month before they are hopelessly stretched out. it's an ongoing issue for me.

my dear carie does recommend these though:

finally, my MANTRA. i normally don't believe anything really has to "match", they simply have to "go". it's a gut feeling. and not that gut feeling you get after taco bell. the feeling that approves your outfit because it just feels right. this goes into overdrive once the temperatures top 75. if it keeps me cool and comfortable, bring it on.

cute as a bug's ear

2011-05-29T18:19:00.001-04:00

saturday i woke up mad as a sprayed cockroach. sometimes that just happens. but i've been working on my anger management issues(which is weird in itself because i have a great life). i've been taking body combat classes at the gym. i love pretending i'm punching and kicking people. especially when the instructor yells, "go for the groin!" and i think, "why yes i will go for the groin!" i get a week's worth of angst and aggression out in a one hour class. and then when that's not enough, i do yard work. i rip out weeds. i chop down trees. i snarl at chipmunks. following this formula, saturday was saved. an hour at the gym and then several hours in the yard, i was happier than a dead pig in sunshine.

completely unrelated, this is what i wore to church today.

this is the same skirt from here. everyone who commented said to keep the length, but i just can't do mid-calf skirts without feeling like a cow(barn humor! cockadoodledoo!). so i chopped it and made it knee length. and i don't love the color combination, but i do love the silhouette of a fitted sweater with a full skirt. silhouette and fit is more important than color combination for me.

and my shoes! hurray! i thrifted them for $4! thrifting shoes makes me want to throw up a little in my mouth, but these looked so new i thought i was snatching up someone's shoes they had left on the floor whilst trying on something else. so you know i high-tailed it to the register with the shoes in hand before their rightful owner could claim them, just in case. a nice alcohol cleansing(who says alcohol doesn't solve problems?) and they are finer than a frog hair split four ways.

sweater- target

skirt- tulle

shoes-thrifted($4! boom shakalaka!)

have a blessed memorial day y'all!

PS- i guest posted over one at day in life too. read it. tell brittney you love her.

big girl make up

2011-05-26T20:23:00.000-04:00

i'm not really a make up person. my relationship with make up sounds like the premise for a lifetime movie, i love it but i'm also afraid of it. i stick to my basic minimal face pretty much everyday. i only own two make up palettes, boring and halloween. they are difficult to confuse. i rarely(never) venture out with a new look for fear of looking like i tangoed with the clown car of a circus parade. i recently asked my friend karina(of prom dress fame) to help me with my face. she's an expert and unofficial MAC representative and she rocks a smoky eye.

nude(and weird) before face:

midway point:

the lovely karina and her perfectly organized DRAWERS of make-up.

the finished product:

i loved it. i felt like a mature adult. it's not my most common emotion. normally i veer toward the sensibilities of a 13 year old boy.

dress and jacket both target.

whole outfit under $10 thanks to the clearance rack.

hi, i'm reagan's mom

2011-05-24T21:08:00.000-04:00

bright sun, but i had a willing photographer.

today was my son's awards ceremony for kindergarten. reagan shared what he wants to be when he grows up. he said, "tall."

my husband is 6'3. so things are looking up for him.

button up- gap

skirt- target

shoes- kristin davis via tjmaxx

and my shirt is actually navy, but looks black.

AND, who wants to talk about the bachelorette? i know! i'm embarassed about it too. when that guy started to tear up after not being chosen i wanted to reach through the tv and take his man-card back.

and let's talk about jeff from saint louis.

if you watched, this would make perfect sense to you. and you would feel very superior about yourself in many ways.

what i wore for the end of the world

2011-05-22T22:41:00.000-04:00

i wore this on friday. because the world was ending saturday, right? since i wasn't exactly sure what time the world was going to implode on saturday i wanted to be safe. 6pm eastern? 6pm mountain? who gets to decide these things? also, i didn't clean my house and i did minimal cooking. who wants their last day on earth to be filled with mundane cookery and cleanery? heck, i should have gone out and bought all new clothes and eaten ice cream and brownies for every meal. and not flossed. living on the edge.

blouse- calvin klein
skirt- target
shoes- amanda smith

this outfit choice on such a momentous day really surprised me. i thought i would go all out with sequins and feathers and a headress. i really am dedicated to this whole "dress simply it's summer" thing i've got going on here.

and since i am so into matching(NOT) even the clutter around the house matched this outfit. score! while i'm on it, who has an animal print slap bracelet? how weird and random is that?

i saw this on bookface and i thought it was funny. and quite apropos.

nothing to see here

2011-05-19T22:15:00.000-04:00

this week we have had wacky cool weather. so i did something that i've never done before, i wore a sweatshirt in may with white jeans. jeans that i pulled out of my goodwill pile. i was adequately attired for the weather(sweatshirt) and month(white pants in may). it's not a very exciting outfit; i felt like i was straddling the line between a land's end catalog and p. diddy's all white hampton's party. holla!

but this is why i have goodwill pile anxiety. items of clothing must live for at least 6 months in the goodwill pile before i can make the big transition to the goodwill box in my car. from there is it usually another 3 months before i remember that said box is in my car and i drive over to goodwill. then before i drop the box off, i do one last rummage and normally grab one thing out and toss it back in my car before the big box handoff. such is the anatomy of a goodwill drop-off.

sweatshirt- target

jeans- american eagle

sandals- bakers

new running watch- mother's day gift from my husband

then i wore this the next day. another earth-shattering combination. a cardigan and shorts! hello breezy 65 degrees! should i do a tutorial on how i made these pants into shorts? it involved scissors and cutting. if i wanted to add a third step i could have added measuring. but let's not get crazy because i didn't. but i DID take the pants off for the cutting process. i find that works better. that's an insider's tip for you. and every time i wear these shorts some man(sometimes my husband) asks if i've been painting. like being "artfully distressed" is such an out there concept.

cardigan- jcp

sweater- banana republic

shorts- gap(formerly boyfriend khakis)

sandals- bakers

a monochromatic thrill

2011-05-16T15:24:00.000-04:00

a style haiku:

when in doubt, wear jeans

when in more doubt, wear high heels

still doubt? eat brownies!

but actually, when i am in doubt i wear a skirt, but that has nothing to do with what i am wearing in this lovely, brisk 68 degree day. a nice change from last week's sweltering 90. enough about the weather. who is embarassingly excited for the bachelorette next monday?

t shirt- old navy

button up- gap

belt- gap

jeans- gap superflare

shoes- you'll never know, mwahahahaha

and this is what happens when scarlett "helps":

ode to a black dress or two

2011-05-15T15:22:00.000-04:00

one staple that remains constant in my wardrobe is a black dress. confession, i have 8(or more) black dresses. they are all essential and different. the oldest is from 1999. i will sing the praises(but not the high notes) of a black dress until the end of my days. i love them simply. i love them dressy. i love the flexibility of doing both with the same dress.

if this was a fashion-advice-doling-blog, i would say:

1. love and embrace and well-fitting black dress. experiment with how many ways you can change your basic black dress.

if this was an advice-in-general-blog, i would say:

1. never use credit, only use cash.

2. condition your hair for at least 3 minutes each time your wash. but only the hair below your ears.

3. clean up your kitchen as you go

4. don't marry anyone until you have discussed finances.

5. cut brownies with a plastic knife

6. when doing lunges or squats, your knee should never go over your toes.

lucky you this isn't that kind of blog.

dress- gift from very dear friend

shoes- target

dress- gap 1999!

belt- gap

cardigan- ann taylor loft

sandals- bakers

from here!

boho fabulous

2011-05-08T20:38:00.001-04:00

today my make-up may look artfully smudged and smoky, but it's mostly because i cried on and off all through church today. i just love mother's day and i was spoiled by my husband and kids and i heard so many wonderful uplifting thoughts on motherhood.

my favorite?

"God planted within women something divine." president gordon b. hinckley

i love the all encompassing simplicity of that statement. being a mother has been the best thing for who i am and i know it's because it is the most important thing that i can do.

blouse- michael kors

skirt- apartment 9 at kohl's

shoes- kristin davis via tj maxx

hat- bakers

unrelated, this shirt makes me swoon. tie dye satin? i think that perfectly personifies my style. i felt i may be breaking rules by adding a satin skirt and a rafia hat(which i may have been wearing backwards) and rugged platforms. woodstock goes to the prom. boho fabulous. breaking rules? possibly. but who cares? nothing feels better than dressing like yourself.

"Motherhood is the greatest potential influence either for good or ill in human life. The mother's image is the first that stamps itself on the unwritten page of the young child's mind. It is her caress that first awakens a sense of security; her kiss, the first realization of affection; her sympathy and tenderness, the first assurance that there is love in the world." David O. McKay

"no other success can compensate for failure in the home." david o. mckay

a bowl of ice cream for my soul

2011-05-06T14:20:00.000-04:00

i can never lay claim on being the world's best blogger. especially since summer is just around the corner and i am going to have messy sloppy adventures with my kids as much as possible. i don't plan on wearing much more than grubby clothes(does your grandma call them that too?) or my swimsuit. and i'm not really keen on taking photos in that. i guess i am apologizing in advance for my soon-to-be sporadic posting. maybe i'll post about swimsuits i want to get. who knows? or, my dream is to go back to the roots of this blog. when i started heidiluxe 5 years ago(WOW!) it was my personal forum for thoughts and complaining. like a bowl of ice cream for my soul. but i'll definitely keep up with my thoughts on fashion and styling and embarassing stories too. because those come with the territory. AND i've got to get dressed once in a while. translation=i'll have to leave the neighborhood and put a bra on every few days for foodstuffs. and perhaps a trip to the movies. cars 2 opens june 24th.

national smile like a chipmunk day:

dress-thrifted

scarf- grandma maxine

belt- gap

shoes- target

while i try to be as frugal as possible, normally don't post prices. because it's none of your dadgum bidness. but today was especially cheap:

$2 dress plus

free scarf plus

$3 belt plus

$30 shoes equals

$35

boo yah! keeping it realz, yo.

something isn't right here

2011-05-04T20:27:00.000-04:00

last night was my prom night. some mature and composed friends, holly and karina and i finally went and saw the cerebral blockbuster "prom".

and this is what we wore:

i accesorized with every piece of fancy schmancy jewelry i own. and my big plastic running watch.

and, yes i did just pull my 1998 prom dress out of a tub in my garage. those wrinkles add character. i actually can't believe i held onto it this long. i didn't even like it that much in the first place. and i paid $150 for it. that was like $432 in 2011 dollars. it was pretty much the ONLY dress at david's bridal(i went all out) with sleeves. i love that there are more sleeved dress options available now. don't believe me, check out the yellow rose bridal.

prom wouldn't be complete without dinner at a fancypants restaurant. our beauty stunned the rest of the patrons. there was silence when we walked in. and a lot of jealous, snotty stares(women are such wenches). a man at the bar actually said, "something isn't right here."

see, stunned incredulity!

besides two teens on a date, we were the only people in the theater. which is how i prefer it. in true prom fashion there was a moment when two of the three of us were laying on the floor laughing and during the movie my dress only lasted twenty minutes zipped up. i'm sure i'm not the only prom-goer to claim that, hahahahaha. but my reason was because my dress was just too tight. 1998 was 13 years and 2 babies ago.

our mantra was "just because you are old doesn't mean you can't embarass yourself".

and next time we will def bring the kids, because if you are going to do something weird, you might as well humiliate your kids too.

plus, between the 3 of us there are 10 children. i know, that math blew my mind too. that's like the population of wyoming.

it was pretty much the best prom ever.

(and holly's goodwill dress isn't orange, it's tangerine.)

stay classy south carolina!

reserved for the queen

2011-05-01T21:40:00.000-04:00

pretty much my favorite tv show of all time is "i love lucy". i remember watching it as a 5-year-old before afternoon kindergarten and each episode has only gotten better with time. i also really loved "the jetsons" and i wanted to be judy jetson when i grew up. but that hope was soon dashed as animation was explained to me. it also weirded me out when my mom told me she used to watch "i love lucy" and "the jetsons" when she was young, because she has always been my mom and never had a life before me. i digress.

today i channeled lucy in the grape stomping episode:

blouse- gap

belt- fossil

skirt- thrifted

shoes- target

my handsome, good-humoring photographer in the reflection:

and when the wind blows, this skirt looks like i am smuggling watermelons in the backyard.

plus, this is another shirt on the chopping block. i only like it tucked into a high-waisted skirt. and it requires a TON of ironing. 100% silk with a majillion ruffles.

enough about the royal wedding, let's talk about me!

2011-04-29T13:22:00.000-04:00

i wore a hat out to dinner for my birthday in a nod to the british nuptials. thomas was such a good sport. he laughed at me, but proudly held my hand all around downtown.

i found this skirt while thrifting at goodwill on 50% off day. it cost me 2 dolla! i could tell by the weight and construction and the lining that it was kind of a big deal. i googled the tag and figured out that the designer louis feraud is no slouch. so, by default, i'm a pretty big deal too.

coincidentally, i wore this shirt on my birthday last year too.

hat- target dollar spot!

t shirt- gap

belt- fossil

skirt- thrifted!

shoes- kristin davis via tjmaxx

bag- gigi hill

and fellow south carolinian fashion bloggers julie of everyday embellishments and mandy of simplicity and reality both own this hat too. so if you visit south carolina anytime soon, be prepared to have women wearing very large hats hit you in the forehead with the brim.

and this morning was my doppleganger kate middleton's little wedding.

while i was pulling for a victoria beckham designed gown,(i have a winnebago-sized girl crush on posh) i am quite pleased with the end result. and kate didn't even consult me. though i was a little underwhelmed with the gown, i'm so glad she went with something classic and princess grace inspired and avoided the strapless gown overkill that we have seen in the last few years. but wouldn't something with feathers been fun too?

but i guess her cartier diamond tiara was alright too. i bet after the ceremony she went and inhaled a big, drippy philly cheese steak. i know i would have. actually thomas and i stopped at mcdonald's after we got married because there was a traffic jam on I-15 and we were both starving. we're classy like that.

my fave gown was worn kate's sister pippa. so elegant! very smart! the best look of the day.

and i'm a TOTAL sucker for uniforms. sometimes i get swoony when the garbage man is wearing his monogrammed work shirt. a uniform even helped prince harry to shrug off that red-headed-step-child-i'd-rather-be-getting-plastered look that he often sports.

oh! how did this little gem sneak in there?

so young. so dumb. so in love.

i'm not a woman anymore, i'm a mom!

2011-04-28T14:07:00.024-04:00

i busted out the shorts for the first time this year. and i remember why i prefer wearing skirts. i just don't find knee length shorts that attractive on me. these are my favorite pair and i did pay full price for them ($50! on a gift card. but still. i gagged a little.). that is a heck of a lot of money for shorts in my book. but they met my knee length needs. and the pockets flatter my backyard. i actually bought them on my 28th birthday, 3 years ago. so i guess this is our anniversary together. i will eat much cake to celebrate.

blouse- charlotte russe

vest- wal*mart

belt- gap

shorts- gap

sandals- bakers

and because this clip NEVER EVER EVER gets old:

happy birthday to me!

(i hope you got the joke of the title.)

a book look

2011-04-27T14:05:00.000-04:00

i hosted book club last night. i normally don't do this sort of thing. hosting gives me anxiety. cooking for other people is not my cup of tea. and cleaning my house with kids is a joke. i think jerry seinfeld said it best, "a two year-old is like having a blender, but you don't have a top for it."

so i did what i do best, i put together my most bookish, yet summery outfit. then i winged all the hospitality stuff. i hit up costco and bought all the stuff that i can never justify, like tequila lime wings and lobster ravioli. and i do make delicious box mix brownies.

this was at 11 o'clock last night after everyone left. fresh as a pig in slop.

t shirt- gap

belt- gap

skirt- banana republic

sandals- bakers

best of both worlds

2011-04-25T20:47:00.001-04:00

some days i just have a lot of randomisms running around my head.

*i'm watching hannah montana: the movie. by choice. banality can really be soothing when i have a lot to do. there sure is a lot of hair whipping in this movie.

*everything was 50% off at goodwill today. naturally it was extra smelly too. there was a lady walking around without shoes. only my girl britney can pull that off in public.

*i think a knotted shirt is my new thang dawg.

*when will i ever cut my hair? it's been since july. it's multisyllabic ga-ah-ross.

*sometimes when i am out running, i like to create scenarios in my head where i have to save the town because the cell towers all go down and the power is out and we are on the edge of a natural disaster and i have to run to the closest park to save the day. it TOTALLY works. i was 90 seconds under my best 7 mile time last week.

t shirt- downeast basics

dress- wal*mart

shoes- amanda smith via meier and frank

whoomp

2011-04-24T22:37:00.000-04:00

there it is! right under the pleats on my dress. about 3243 pounds of easter candy. and some barbeque with spicy carolina sauce.

blouse- dillards

dress- tulle

belt- new york and company

shoes- kristin david via tjmaxx

and scarlett-

dress- COSTCO! $7. boom.

sandals- target

and this is sort of a hard dress to style. plus, it's linen. satan's fabric. it makes me swear because it begs to be ironed. (i actually don't believe there is an official fabric of satan. one time i commented that linen is satan's fabric and then i had to clarify on my stance against linen. someone asked me if mormon's really believed that satan cursed linen. we don't. now you know. but don't get me started on acetate!) i've only ever worn this dress one other time and i pretty much wore it the same way. and that's fine. somethings are good on their own. overstyling can be a curse, right? so can hollow-eared chocolate bunny rabbits. the curse of my thighs.

POCKETS!

day and night

2011-04-23T13:27:00.002-04:00

lunch downtown:

cardigan- target

scarf-?

button up-JCP

jeans- gap forever skinny

shoes- target

and SALSA DANCING! that night :

false eyelashes and everything! thomas thought i looked like i had been punched since i had caked on the make-up. and i replied, "not yet! the night is still young and no one has made a move on my man yet!!!"

i'm not sure what is all over my camera lens.

jacket- target

t shirt- target

scarf- express

jeans- target

shoes- jessica simpson

chopping block

2011-04-21T20:57:00.000-04:00

since i decided last week to do a closet purge, i've been trying to wear some of the fence-sitters to decide which pile to put them in. this shirt and cropped sweater are both candidates for the chopping block:

by afternoon i had lost the sweater(but added bracelets! will wonders never cease?) and switched out my shoes. because i really really hate wearing flats unless absolutely neccessary.

t shirt- lauren conrad for kohl's

cropped sweater- kohl's

skirt- thrifted(and hemmed! finally!)

flats and wedges- target

i was tagged by lissa of from lissa...with love to post 10 things i love. which i find ironic because i am much better at posting things i hate. really. when i am in my worst moods is when i am really in the mood to blog. so, i am summoning all the hearts and flowers and bright copper kettles and 50% of shoes sales i can think of and present to you:

10 things i love

1. mellow mushroom pizza. it's my all time favorite pizza. even with the perpetually half-baked, unwashed staff.

2. richard armitage. the best thing to come out of britain since wonky teeth, unintelligible accents and adding the letter E to common words: ye olde worlde malt shoppe

3. modern family- i am claire dunphy

4. turquoise jewelry- especially this troop beverly hills/phyllis nefler gem:

5. young adult fiction/movies- if it involves an ugly duckling becoming a swan and a chance to go to the prom with the most popular guy at school, then i am all over it like white on rice on a paper plate with a cup of milk in a snowstorm.

6. lucite furniture- i don't own any yet, but my dream office includes a ghost chair like this:

7. asiago cheese bagels with sundried tomato cream cheese- the bomb diggity

8. "where are they now?" or "before they were stars!" headlines on tv or tabloid magazines. or those pictures of famous people's cellulite or their faces without make up. like they are animals in a zoo.

9. catching spelling errors in professional publications. nerd heaven!!! one time an author used the word "quaff" when she really needed to use the word "coif"! i rode that pony for months!

10. bill hader- pretty much the best part of SNL.

i'm a fraud

2011-04-19T20:41:00.001-04:00

on monday we had doctor's appointment and i always feel the need to dress as respectably and maturely as possible. no print mixing, no heels, no big crazy hair, no t-shirts with obnoxious words(since offensive is my style). my kids used to go to a pediatrician who made me feel inadequate and it gave me a complex about my appearance in a professional setting. now i always want to look as "mrs.cleaver" as possible to lend me some credibility. but in reality, i'm a fraud. understated just isn't my thang dawg.

i should have added pearls to this ensemble to complete the look.

shirt- forever21

cardi- target

pants- loft

belt- gap

flats- target

and since i was fraudulent in my outfit, here's a completely unnatural pose:

paint it black

2011-04-18T20:47:00.000-04:00

if someone wanted to get beaten up, yesterday was the day to ask me to do it. though i've been trying to branch out from all black ensembles, this all black look made me feel tough as nails. who am i kidding? i AM tough as nails. grease stains quiver at the sight of me with my oxyclean spray. weeds shrink in my presence. i can raise and lower my blood pressure just by thinking about it. jack bauer learned everything from me. my only kryptonite is steel magnolias. then i am mush. a crying, sobbing, gasping-for-breaths pile of mush.

blouse- express

jacket- target

skirt- kohls

shoes- jessica simpson

2nd class citizen

2011-04-17T21:43:00.000-04:00

last night was date night. which led me to ponder, if you starred on a tv show but weren't allowed to date another main cast member, weren't you sort of a 2nd class citizen on the show? namely phoebe on friends. never allowed to date a co-star whle everyone else on the show had a chance to date someone else.

rachel-ross

rachel-joey

monica-chandler

phoebe-and several guest stars

or take screech on saved by the bell. even when lisa finally found him undisgusting, she still wouldn't date him.

look at steve sanders on 90210. while the rest of the cast was busy swapping spit with each other, steve was stuck with a string of girls that weren't allowed to be on more than a few episodes.

finally, joey on full house. even danny fricking tanner had his girlfriend written into the cast. and poor joey was stuck with him lamesauce moose impressions to keep him company. it's primetime discrimination. and it's a delicious travesty.

blouse- target

skirt- jcrew

sandals- target

purse- target

i think by adding the black purse to the equation i was able to deftly pull off the black blouse tucked into a brown print based skirt combination. i love this skirt so much. it's my "jake ryan". i will always love it. i routinely peruse ebay for people selling any skirt like this from the 2010 summer collection in a different print. it's my fave of everything, quality, length, size, hip to waist ratio. fantastico.

in need of a good home: these pants

2011-04-14T21:44:00.000-04:00

because let's be honest, i'm not going to be wearing full length pants past mid may, so i need to wear my white jeans now. societal white pant conventions be darned.

cardigan- target

sweater- banana republic

jeans- american eagle

shoes- target

but i think i need to do a closet purge. i just hate way too much of my stuff. it's holding me back. what's creative about wearing stuff you loathe? i should just repeat things i'm happy wearing. there are no points for putting together outfits and then hating 50% of the items you are wearing. and getting dressed is all about the points. i might as well stay in bed if i can't earn at least 5463 points on my sartorial choices from the judging fairies. it's torture.

like these pants. they've done nothing wrong but i pretty much despise them. for my tastes they are too low-waisted, the distressing translates as very young and skinny white denim is never a good idea on my lower half. i'm a snotty nose, ketchuppy fingers, sit in dirt/oil/poop/grass stain/old-chocolate-in-the-crevice-of-my-car-seat magnet. so, through no fault of their own, i'm going to have to find these pants new home. i know there is a loving home for them somewhere. someone who can provide the time and care and attention they need and deserve.

ladylike

2011-04-13T21:03:00.001-04:00

my 2nd most favorite thing that my grandma bonnie has ever said to me was the day she declared, "heidi, if you would just act like a lady you would almost be perfect." that was almost as good as the day she spied my bellybutton ring and said, "if my stomach was that flabby i wouldn't be showing it to anybody!" grandma bonnie is one of my heroes. no joke.

in honor of grandma bonnie and my dear, long-suffering mother, ladylike was my goal for today.

i'm too sexy for this face.

while i do like being ladylike i also look forward to the moment after you take off your dress and heels you can go back to being yourself who eats frosting straight out of the tub with a baby spoon in the glow of the refrigerator light.

dress- thrifted

belt- gap

sweater- gift

shoes- kristin davis via tjmaxx

bag- gigi hill

natural born thriller

2011-04-12T22:07:00.003-04:00

i like to mix things that don't go together and call it bohemian. whether what i am wearing is consistent with the actual definition of boho chic doesn't really matter to me. i like things to be a little off and a little unexpected.

this was today's formula:

beaded earrings+

sweet farmgirl shirt+

old, scratched up belt+

suiting skirt+

gladiator sandals

my version of pulled-together, effortless dressing

this is also the extent of my athletic ability. distance running aside, this is it for me. natural born thriller.

shirt- dillards

skirt-?

belt- gap

shoes- bakers

here's something you don't know. i have two completely jacked up piercings in my left ear. they are both very low and very close together. ironically, one piercing is supposed to be the correction of the original messed up piercing. if i want to wear a heavier earring, i have to wear the earring in my 2nd hole. (i used to have 9 piercings. not my favorite thing that i did to myself.)

from the front you can't tell what hole my earring is in.

isn't that snowman lurking over my shoulder a little creepy? especially since it was 85 degrees already this week?

call me!

2011-04-10T15:16:00.000-04:00

i was in wal*mart yesterday and a man asked me if i was in a relationship. i replied with, "yes, i'm married."(i was even wearing my wedding ring and i started flashing it around like i was trying to attract a magpie.)

then he asked if he could call me sometime. even after i said i was married. it was so weird. if i hadn't been taken aback by the utter weirdness and unabashed skeeziness of the line of questioning, i would have given him a piece of my mind. instead i stood there and blushed and wondered what kind of person does that? in the toy aisle at wal*mart. gross. what good is it to be a loudmouth, bossy know-it-all like myself if i stand there and say nothing when i finally get an opportunity to speak my mind!

and i wore this to church today. it just fell together. those are my favorite mornings to get dressed. when clothes want to be worn and just jump on my body without the help of singing mice or bluebirds.

dress- chadwicks

chambray button up- wal*mart

vest- wal*mart

belt- fossil

shoes- target

stay gold, ponyboy!

2011-04-08T13:43:00.000-04:00

true confession: i don't like denim jackets. unless it's on ponyboy or any other outsider.

i've had this lovely since 2000 when i worked for the gap. i'm pretty positive i got this on their crazygood employee discount. my roomies and i wore it non-stop. this was also when polyester bootcut pants were all the rage! you can imagine the sartorial genius that transpired when everything was paired with black pants or a denim jacket. or (bonus)BOTH!

as a result, i've never been able to part with this jacket, but i just never wear it. it's like songs on the radio. overkill kills. sorry bruno mars. for this reason, you and i will never be friends. perhaps someday when i hear you on the lite station at the denist office i will think fondly of the year you reconfirmed what i already knew, that i am amazing just the way i are.

jacket- gap

t shirt- old navy

skirt- jcrew

shoes- kristin davis via target

***note to self- perhaps a gigantic white stripe across my widest point isn't the best idea.

this popped collar is for you c. thomas howell!

free as a bird

2011-04-07T22:31:00.001-04:00

the past few days have been ridiculous as far as me being able to do things the way any regular adult would. yesterday at the gym i forgot to pack my hairbrush so i had to use a baby doll brush that i had in my purse. plus i forgot to pack my bra and i didn't have an extra baby doll bra in my purse. so i just had to go for it. free as a bird. i had stuff to do and i wasn't going to let that small detail hold me back. it was wednesday for crying in the night! that's my busiest day. next to monday, tuesday, thursday and friday. thankfully it wasn't very cold and i was wearing a blousy top so i was pretty safe.

and this is as far as i got today. i didn't want to jinx myself by putting together a complicated outfit. sorry to get your hopes up. (what? you don't pin your hopes and dreams on my outfits? for shame!)

t shirt- gap

jeans- gap super flare

shoes- invisible

ps- these are the most comfortable jeans i have worn in i don't know how long. i love bell bottoms. they are my favorite style of pant and i find the cut the most flattering on me. i need to hem them a smidge so that i stop tripping over myself, but other than that they are perfect. i feel so hippie and free and easy. especially since i am the anti-hippie. i'm a big capitalism, bathing, and leg-shaving fan.

and don't you think overexposed photos look way 70s?

peace out

be excellent to each other

2011-04-05T21:44:00.000-04:00

i like:

big, gaudy jewelry

wedge sandals

big buns(and i cannot lie)

when i mix it with everything plain and simple that i own, i feel like i have a complete outfit.

i think that's my recipe for success.

short post justification/nerd alert

i've got to go watch "the civil war" with my husband. even though we already own it on dvd, we always drop what we are doing and watch it when it's broadcast on tv.

i have a crush on the voice on shelby foote. does any of this make any sense to you? don't be jealous of my nerd prowess.

this is me telling my husband what is wrong in the world. once you really get me going, i'm hard to stop.

sweater- gap

skinny cargo pants- target

wedges- target

ps- did you know there is going to be a bill and ted's 3? wyld stallyns rule! let's all dress up and see it together!

good news

2011-04-03T20:54:00.001-04:00

i watched the LDS conference this weekend. a few thoughts really resounded to me, so much that i even wrote them down.

1. darkest times precede tremendous growth

2. challenge prepares us for something vitally important

3. an athlete who resists rigorous training will never become a world-class athlete

and since i consider myself a semi-pro athlete, it's time to buckle down and face whatever comes my way, and not just face it but make the best of it. can i can an amen?

t shirt- gap

dress- target

sandals- amanda smith

bytheway, should we bring back the knotted t-shirt? along with the shredded sleeve, beaded-hem, airbrushed t shirt? i always wanted one of those in the 2nd grade.

and since being serious just about kills me, here are some LOVELY and CLASSY outtakes:

so weird and nasty: pit stains and everything. please excuse me, i'm a sweater.

bad smells good times?

2 pigs wrestling under a blanket

2011-04-01T13:54:00.000-04:00

if i have learned anything whilst blogging about my personal style, it's that i can't stand wearing clothes that don't fit properly. i hate this striped long sleeve t-shirt and i loathe this fit of this a-line skirt. in theory, this outfit should be one of my favorites: black and white with a punch of color, a skirt, my turquoise necklace and my platform sandals. recipe for a winner. but because i felt like my shirt and skirt were ill-fitting and lumpy, all i could think was "2 pigs wrestling under a blanket."(name the movie for a 253 points!)

long sleeve shirt- old navy(whom i've already got issues with!)

sweater- gap

belt- gap

skirt- dillards

sandals- target

while i think the photos of the outfit turned out nice, my skin is just crawling with discomfort. i can't even muster a smile i am so annoyed with the fit of this outfit. i think it's time for a closet purge. as much as it pains me to say it.

and then i changed just a few things and i was fine. added a gray t-shirt and boyfriend khakis(not that i'm having a fat day or anything. but i am. so what.) and i completely changed my jewelry. it was like a bowl of ice cream for my soul.

t-shirt- gap

boyfriend khakis- gap

attitude- your mom

happy weekend!

i'm pretty lucky

2011-03-31T22:27:00.000-04:00

at church i work with the laurels. they are the 16-18 year old young women. it's my "calling". i was asked to fill in this capacity for an indeterminate amount of time, or until i have offended everyone within earshot. i absolutely love it. i'm luckier than a barefoot britney spears at a gas station with unlimited day-old nachos. i get to work with great girls(last night we talked about individual worth and prom dresses), i get to teach each sunday to a rapt audience, and they truly inspire me. they are hard working, fun, smart and fashionable. the total package.

kaela was so cute i couldn't resist snagging her for an outfit picture. i love the little pop of color on her blouse, the boho scarf contrasting with the no-nonsense pencil skirt and the cut-out for toe cleavage on her mary janes. LOVE! oh to be 16 again! and with a clue!

cardigan- kohls

flannel shirt- thrifted

belt- gap

jeans- gap forever skinny

flats- target

we go together

2011-03-29T21:02:00.001-04:00

if peg bundy and sandy from grease had a baby, this is what she would look like:

scarf- gift

button up- thrifted

pants- tjmaxx

shoes- target

but i've never been a big sandy fan(or peg bundy fan for that matter) because she totally gives up her identity for danny zuko at the end of the movie. love is a two-way street! turn up the tramp and snag the guy with low to zero job prospects? way to go sandy! a paragon of womanhood!

but the tunes are pretty catchy. and i would love to be a beauty school dropout. with pink hair. and a satin jacket. and it's almost comical to compare who had the smaller waist, jon travolta or olivia newton john?

i'm in love and i don't care who knows!!!

2011-03-28T20:44:00.000-04:00

with what you ask? a spoonful of nutella, a spoonful of creamy peanut butter and a slice of bread. i call it make-out in a tub. which actually sounds a lot dirtier than i intended. so, how about edible love?still weird?(i'm an emotional eater and thomas is out of town.)

and i'm in love with wrapping and pinning cardigans. i don't do it enough, but every time i do birds sing! garden gnomes dance! i win final jeopardy! and i eat another tub of nutella! i had banned myself from the crack that is nutella, because i had gotten tired of the sound of my jean's buttons unbuttoning themselves and groaning(everyone's a critic) but true love knows no bounds.

cardigan- express

flower pin- bluefly

tunic- calvin klein

jeans- sevens via kohls

sandals- amanda smith

my tips for a successful wrap and pin:

1. wrap cardigan

2. pin exterior

3. gently pin interior(where blue star is). sometimes depending on cardigan weight and pin weight i'll pin to my shirt as well to anchor everything together. if a cardigan is especially fussy or delicate, i'll turn the whole thing inside out and then pin and put cardigan on right side out.

4. be happy

boom.

please place your carry ons in the overhead bins

2011-03-27T22:11:00.000-04:00

today nothing looked right so i went to church in costume, dressed as a flight attendant with a REALLY tall bun. it was so tall that it frightened little children. one even whispered, "what do you think is on her head?" "will it eat me?" "is that what happens when your don't eat your vegetables?" i soothed their fears by pointing out the exits nearest to their seats and then offering them small packets of peanuts and stale cookies. my grandma maxine always had a huge black beehive that scared me a little too.

tie neck blouse- express

skirt- target

tights- target

shoes- madden girl via tjmaxx

happy sabbath!

right on my sisters

2011-03-26T22:12:00.001-04:00

today the family and i took a trip to the temple. normally i wouldn't do a post about what i wear to the temple since style and fashion are the last thing i think about when attending the temple, but my temple attendance absolutely influences my everyday style. because i was married in the temple(almost 9 years ago!) i always wear skirts and shorts to my knees and i need my shirts to have at least a cap sleeve and i don't like anything to be too low cut. it can be more than a little difficult to find items of clothings to meet these clothing standards, but the benefits are worth the effort. i feel like there is always a part of me that is just for me and not for the rest of the world. plus, by dressing modestly, i look different from a lot of other people and for me looking different is a key component of my style. being style conscious means not being afraid to stand out.

shirt- thrifted

skirt- thrifted

shoes- kristin davis via tj maxx

i was full of weird faces and poses today. and wrinkles from the car ride and i needed to retuck my shirt. the end.

and on a completely unrelated note:

sunday night on lifetime, the show "coming home" is featuring a friend of my husband and i who died in combat in september. mark forrester was an ordinary person whose positive choices allowed him to live a remarkable life. you will need kleenex. i still need kleenex on a regular basis.

coming home on lifetime

eye spy

2011-03-25T14:28:00.001-04:00

i was spying on some youths at the park yesterday. an ungangly and impossibly pale but undeniably edward cullen wannabe goth young man(young man term used loosely) was waiting for his obviously underage girlfriend to get off the school bus from the high school. (at least i hope it was the high school and not the middle school. perish the thought.) they proceeded to PDA in front of me till i thought i was going to need to tie my hair back to avoid the the splashing. i never thought the park would need a sneeze guard. thank goodness i'm up to date on my shots. some free shows aren't worth the cost. then i realized that i didn't have my sunglasses on(my normal spy tool) and that every disgusted face i was making was visible to the offending couple. and then i didn't care. they both needed baths, and not the kind cats give themselves. shameless kids these days! (where are my teeth? is it 4:00 yet? denny's is waiting for me.)

button up- jcrew

belt- gap

skirt- target

shoes- target

and the shots in front of the couch are in homage to brittney of a day in the life too.

final word- i just saw a commercial for fast and the furious 5! cinco! talk about beating a dead horse. i fantastically, over-the-top, poorly acted, can't-be-bothered-with-a-script-or-plot dead horse. i can't wait! who's with me!?

rise and shout

2011-03-24T12:46:00.001-04:00

i actually like basketball the least of any televised sport. there are FAR too many basketball games on tv and the last 10 minutes can stretch into what seems like W-E-E-K-S. the roots mini-series was shorter than some games. a game of church ball is great and a high school game can be pretty fun but basketball on tv can be a slow, drawn-out, sweaty kiss of death. i do have a paralyzing fear of falling all the way down the bleachers in a gymnasium. i once saw a guy do that before a fireside at the marriott center. it wasn't like 2 bleachers either. try 20. with lots of rolling and flailing and crunching. the horrible part of me laughed because laughing at people falling is a favorite pastime, but the compassionate part of me(a very small undernourished part of my psyche) was saddened and horrified.

anywho, BYU is in the sweet sixteen tonight. they are playing florida, one of my biggest sports nemeses. (i promise i'll stop talking about BYU soon. only 5 more months till college football!!!)

did i ever tell you about the time i failed my aerobics class my freshman year because i forgot to show up for the final? a brilliant move on my part.

jacket- target

t shirt- byu weightroom

belt- gap

jeans- target

shoes- target

today was a target-a-thon kind of day

and that jimmer fredette. for real. looks like an accountant, plays like an accountant possessed with the spirit of wilt chamberlain.

favey crockett

2011-03-22T20:12:00.000-04:00

the current inspiration that i can't get out of my head is courtesy of shannan of merci blah blah. i have an uncommon affection for shannan. she's as funny as all get out. she can layer and stack jewelry like no other. we're both from kansas city. our husbands and our daughters have the same name. and (drumroll!) we both own this maxi dress from target. i had all but cast aside my copy of aforementioned maxi dress. i bought it when i was pregs with scarlett because of it's fluidity and it's stretchy capabilities. i was at a loss at how to style it besides the normal dress/cardi combo until i saw this post by shannan. and this is my springy version of her maxi dress as a skirt style.

t shirt- jcrew

maxi dress- target
belt- gap

shoes- amanda smith

and i'm sure if i said to shannan, "let's hit up "the center" and then cruise noland and hoot and holler at boys", she would know where to meet me.

blue skies, smiling at me

2011-03-21T19:44:00.001-04:00

in the past week i have talked to three of my college roomates on the phone. when we chat, it's like time has never passed. jessica reminded me of the time that she and natalie and emily came to pick me up from school in the cougar(the most indestructible car EVER) wearing only their underwear. i had forgotten that gem of personal history. or when all of us and paula would sneak into the on-campus pool by pretending we were freshman who lived in one of the dorms when we were really all juniors and seniors. i miss college. i miss sharing everyone's clothes. i don't miss trying to get someone to ask you out on a date so that you can eat for the night because you spent all your money on new clothes. what? you didn't do that too?

i had a guest photographer help me with these photos. he did a pretty good job. minimal editing. but please ignore my face in all of these.

dress- thrifted

scarf- grandma maxine

shoes- kristin davis via tjmaxx

a self-portrait by my guest photographer:

are you sick of hearing about my kids yet?

motherhood has its perks

2011-03-20T16:49:00.000-04:00

i had a bit of a moment this morning. i'm trying to allow scarlett to pick out her own clothes and have her own opinions on her appearance. mostly it backfires because she wants to wear the same hello kitty or mickey mouse t-shirts over and over and over. but this morning i said she could wear any dress she wanted and she picked out this:

i made this dress in college and i've been holding onto it ever since, just in case i would have a daughter who would want to wear it. though i have a background in clothing and textiles and sewing, i'm not a very good seamstress and i really struggle with following directions. this dress was not an overly difficult assignment, but i am a very slow sewer and not a perfectionist in the least. i have plenty of vision but limited skillz. i had an incredible professor at BYU, Dr. Catherine Burnham, who really believed in me and whenever i see this dress, i remember all she taught me and how much she encouraged me to figure this project out and also to figure out things in my life that i wanted to be. it was sort of a lean on me/stand and deliver/mr. holland's opus/karate kid experience. so when scarlett said she wanted to wear the "fruit dress", i was over the moon! i thought she would treat it like a dress up dress, but she wanted to wear it to church. i was so glad that i had completed this dress and held onto it more than 10 years later. maybe i'll even make another one. for ME! we can be twins! not really.

on me-

cardigan- loft(i should have bought 20 of these puppies)

blouse- charlotte russe

belt- gap

skirt- ?

shoes- steinmart

on scarlett-

dress- college project 2001

sandals- target

don't disturb this groove

2011-03-19T22:00:00.001-04:00

it's no secret that i have anger management issues. one thing bugs me and i get in horrible moods and things escalate from there. like today. i hate this uncomfortable shirt and it annoyed me all day(plus i really wanted to wear a pair of shoes that i don't even own and i kept checking my closet and they were never there). i was too busy to change out of the offending shirt because today was my son's birfday party and i ran around like a crazy getting ready for the onslaught of partygoers.

horrible shirt- wal*mart(surprise, look what hell hath wrought)

vest- wal*mart

pants- loft

by this evening i just needed to be alone. it's a neccesary precaution for my family that i spend time by myself when i hit irrational levels of crazy. i went to target and wandered aimlessly until i got my groove back. i tried not to trip other people who walked in my aisle. then i stopped at super bilo for some fruit. fruit always makes me feel better. i checked out some lovely avocados. i asked the produce guy how much they were and he said, "yes, those are avocados." he completely disturbed my groove and almost got an avocado through his neck. i had to wait over 10 minutes for the produce guy to figure out the price. turns out they were $4 apiece! quatro? quatre? no way. now i'm just rambling. but it feels good to get it out. anger + blogging = crazytown post about nothing

on the way home paradise city was on the radio and i sang at the top of my lungs until my throat felt like it was bleeding. it quenched my bloodlust.

and then the BYU cougars slapped around gonzaga and i feel like i got my slapping urges out by proxy.

for japan

2011-03-17T23:32:00.000-04:00

i'm participating in the blogger day of silence tomorrow. i'm so saddened by the news of the earthquake and subsequent destruction and threat nuclear meltdown. follow this link for a way you can help. or, you can follow this link to donate to the LDS Humanitarian Fund. both organizations are great ways to send financial aid to the relief efforts going on in japan.

and, in order to act locally, how about we agree to make an extra effort to not waste, to be more kind, to give more, be more patient and to forgive others. unfortunately, a natural disaster in a reminder of how fragile human life is. let's remember to treat each as something special.

here i come to save the day!

2011-03-17T16:15:00.000-04:00

i bought these pants months ago and i couldn't wait to don them on saint patrick's day. there is an interesting phenomenon out there. once the weather warms up a little, people start dressing in less clothing. it's very common, perhaps you've experienced it too. what never ceases to amaze me is that it can be 60 degrees and i will see tube tops, sundresses, booty shorts and muscle tees. incroyable! i like to fathom that they must work in a very well heated facility, like a chicken plucking factory. when i was in college at BYU, the sun would be shining for about 20 minutes and the snow barely melted and SOMEBODY would be wearing shorts. with a sweatshirt and socks and sandals. yet, i wear some green linen printed pants and i'm the one getting stared at in the grocery store. like i'm the weirdo! an unexplained phenomenon indeed.

*note to self. find a new pose. you're not wonderwoman.

shirt- old navy

pants- thrifted

shoes- amanda smith

necklace- grandmother

you're looking good just like a snake in the grass

2011-03-16T21:45:00.000-04:00

something that makes me laugh is the concept of a lifestyle blog. because if i blogged about my "lifestyle", it would be full of tips on how to avoid baskets full of unfolded laundry, going as long as humanly possible before cleaning out the fridge and ways to heal your foot after you stumbled all over a floor full of legos(how have they not figured out how to make legos less painful? HOW?). i'm not crafty, but occasionally i pretend to be. the results are normally disastrous but there is one thing i can do, a snake in the grass cake. i'm a one trick pony when it comes to cake decorating. if you want a special cake, it will be a cupcake with green grass and gummy worms for a snake. since my darling reagan's 6th birthday was today, i needed to make 24 cupcakes for his class and i went all out (with my old standby). so, i don't have outfit posts for monday or tuesday(but who's counting? i didn't even dry my hair either day and i wore an apron. ALL. DAY. LONG. but that's really not too unusual. this is a really long ellipses.) but i have nailed down most of the details of a monkey/pirate birthday party. and that's my lifestyle. are you taking notes yet?

but i did wear this today as we played in the backyard, tempting broken ankles by jumping off the paver stones. after wearing this completely blah shirt i decided it would be my next dyeing project. and you get to pick the color. just tell me in the comments what you think. you can even check out the RIT dye website by clicking here. fun.

shirt- target a LOOOONG time ago

belt- byu bookstore a LOOOONGER time ago

jeans- gap forever skinny

flats- target

AND, today i did a guest post over at stuff jewish girls like. go check it out.

men seldom make passes at girls who wear glasses

2011-03-13T21:23:00.000-04:00

i had to wear my glasses this afternoon. i was getting a bottle of bubbles down for the kidlets and i dropped it on the kitchen floor. the bubbles broke the laws of gravity after they landed on the floor and splashed up and hit me in the eye. the the burning was like a small forest fire on my retina under my contact lens.

these shoes were a gift from a friend after i gave birth to scarlett. instead of a baby present, she gifted me with a wedge sandal. and that's the best kind of gift. especially because right after you have a baby, shoes are about the only that you can wear that won't make you cry. shoes won't emphasize the your non-existent waist, or the huge bags underneath your eyes, or the fact that your fat pants are now your only pants and even then you may need to safety pin them together and wear an extra long shirt. more power to you new mothers! embrace the SHOE!

sweater- banana republic(dyed it myself! boom!)

belt- target

skirt- thrifted

shoes- paloma barcelo

it's a lot of work to look this disheveled

2011-03-12T20:51:00.001-05:00

for me, casual is the hardest way to dress.

dressy- bring it

sloppy floor scrubbing- taken care of

workout- got my favorite sweat options for different workouts all planned out

church- my abfav day of the week to get ready

but

saturday casual- i am a ship lost on choppy waves without a map

i think it's because i don't have a formula for dressing. i go with my gut. anne shirley likes to feel a prayer, i like to feel an outfit. i like to see ideas and get inspiration from various sources, but when i get dressed i often just a massive pile on of different things and then i rearrange and put back as feels appropriate. there's not much method to my madness, but i do require my closet to be organized so that everything faces the same direction and all the colors are arranged ROYGBIV style. once i'm finally dressed, it's often too dressy for the occasion to which i am attending. i prepare myself mentally everyday for the inevitable, "why are you so dressed up?" i simply love dresses and heels. plus, i'm rather vain(i don't know if this blog full of pictures of me was a giveaway or not), so standing out a little doesn't bother me.

this is what a wore today to watch my husband coach his deacon basketball team. i was the only one at the church wearing heels. i went through 3 cardigans before i settled on this one. sometimes i wish getting dressed in a fun manner wasn't so important to me. but not really. i wouldn't be happy any other way.

t shirt- old navy

cardigan- old navy

jeans- jcrew

shoes- kristin davis via target

bag- gigihill

and this is what i look like when i realize someone is watching me pose for my pictures. waah waah.

and yes i did wear this same t-shirt on wednesday. that was bounce house day and again, i needed to dress casual. and it was difficult but i pulled through.

dang gina!

2011-03-11T23:32:00.000-05:00

back before i had kids, i worked for a company that sent people all over the southeast and southwest. i was in charge of booking and coordinating travel for about 300 workers. i am a master of ten key typing. sometimes i miss working outside the home, mostly i don't though. one thing i'll never forget is one guy's name. he had a very unusual name and i had to prep myself to talk to him each time he called. i'm sure he knew something was up because he was always on hold for a few minutes before i could pick up the phone. mostly because i was wiping tears away because i was laughing so hard. his name was michael...wenis. pronounced just like it looks. nice guy. unfortunate name.

that's the whole story. the end.

thomas said my shirt looks like silky nurse's scrubs. and that is why he is in charge of everything legal and i am master of everything else.

cardigan- older than original sin

blouse- charlotte russe

belt- gap

jeans- target

shoes- kristin davis via tj maxx

bag- gigi hill