First Impressions

Last night, I went to dinner with a group of moms from my neighborhood that I'd never met before. Well, I'd met one of them before, obviously, because a group of moms from my neighborhood wouldn't just invite me to dinner if I didn't have some sort of 'in', I guess.

I mean, I am awesome and amazing, of course, but you can't tell that just by looking at me. It only comes out when I talk.

(And by it, I mean the insane amount of social awkwardness that actually makes up my personality. And the fact that one glass of wine with dinner is all it takes for me to start talking and NEVER SHUT UP AGAIN. So...who wants to hang out with me now?)

Anyway, it was fun. The women were ridiculously nice, they told funny stories, and all were work-outside-the-home mothers, so we could commiserate on those lovely days when you see your kid for all of fifteen minutes because of some work related disaster or another. And not one of them gave me anything remotely resembling a side-eye for the unshowered mess* that I was, thank goodness.

Not that this means they weren't judging me for it, of course. It just means they were very, very skilled at passing that judgment in secret. Which is a skill I can get behind, you know?

I just hope I made the cut for next month's outing...

Tank Top: Target

Sweater: Loft

Jeans: MICHAEL Michael Kors (via Macys)

Shoes: Nine West (via ShoeWoo.com)

Bracelets: Mango Tree

*As mentioned on Twitter last night, Steve was out of town on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Unfortunately, this meant that when I turned my alarm off in my sleep on Thursday morning (which happens more than I'd care to admit these days), I didn't have his alarm going off an hour later as my back-up plan. And that, in turn, meant I didn't get up until a full two hours later, when my mother-in-law showed up to watch Brigid. So, I left the house, showerless, to get to work. I thought I could squeeze in a shower between work and dinner, but that didn't really happen either.

Do I know how to do first impressions, or what? Seriously...you totally want to hang out with me, don't you?

One Pink Belt

I own one pink belt. One.

And other than one pink bracelet, and maybe a pair of earrings, that is the extent of the pink accessories that I own. So during the month of October, as I've been trying to stay involved in the Blogging for Breast Cancer Awareness challenge, this poor belt has had quite the work-out. Remember when I started this whole thing, and I was excited because I noticed I had more pink in my closet than I thought I did?

Well, it turns out, I was right the first time.

Thank goodness for my little pink belt, I guess.

------------------------------

(Oh, and one side note on the pants from yesterday...based on the pictures that I posted, I don't think the pants look completely terrible, which is one of the reasons that I chose to keep wearing them, instead of frantically trying to change clothes at the last minute after the photos have revealed what a complete disaster my chosen outfit really is. Not that that has ever happened, of course.

The problem came later in the day, when every time I looked in the mirror in the bathroom at work, they started looking worse and worse. I don't know if it was the fading of my morning optimism (which doesn't actually exist, unfortunately), a general loss of shape in the fabric, or just a really, really bad mirror/lighting combination in the office bathroom, but everything started looking...droopy, I guess. The pants seemed too long, the thighs seemed to baggy, the butt seemed too shapeless. It was just off, somehow.

And that right there would be reason #892 that I don't like pants...not only is it overtly painful to make them work on me, they are sneaky little saboteurs, too, waiting to take down my whole day when I least expect it and can do nothing to change it. I'm burning them all...)

------------------------------

(Ok, not really. I'll just try to wear them again when all of the hard feelings have worn off, of course. The definition of insanity, and all of that...)

T-shirt: Forever 21

Sweater: New York & Co

Skirt: J Crew (outlet)

Belt: Target

Boots: DSW

Wishful Thinking

Oh, pants.

I just can't get them to look right on me, and yet, I keep trying. Jeans, I love. I don't have a problem finding jeans that I like. But dress pants?

Oh, they hate me.

One of these days, I will find the perfect pair of pants for work, and then I will buy 18 pairs of them just so I never have to shop for pants again.

It's always nice to have dreams, I guess.
 

Tank Top: Target

Sweater: Lands End Canvas

Pants: The Limited

Shoes: Nine West

(Full Disclosure: I have a cold. Steve had it last week, Brigid had it this past weekend, and now it has made it's way to me. So I'm a little hopped up on cold medicine today. And I am apparently fixated on pants, as a result. I'm sorry...)

eShakti Skirts: A Product Review

When the lovely people at eShakti contacted me a couple of weeks ago to see if I had any interest in doing a product review for them, I jumped at the chance. I'd first heard of the company through Heather and Kayla, and after seeing those fabulous ladies model their dresses from the eShakti line, I'd started a bit of a wishlist of my own involving items from the online store.

If you haven't visited the site before, eShakti offers a wide range of clothing in both standard and custom sizes, and for those of us who don't have a standard body type, having the option of customizing any clothing order for a pretty reasonable upcharge isn't a bad thing at all.

I finally decided on the embellished florals flared skirt for review purposes because, although the idea of a custom dress does intrigue me, I am just a skirt kind of girl. Which is probably pretty obvious if you've followed me at all, for any length of time. I don't seem to wear much else, these days...

I ordered the skirt in my usual size 6, and after receiving it within a week of placing the order, I couldn't wait to try it on. It fit exactly at my natural waist, which is maybe a little higher than I'd normally wear a skirt since my short stature predictably includes a short torso (and a lower waistband seems to lengthen that shortness just a bit), but I kind of loved how it looked with this silhouette. It lends itself to a more classic feel with the high-waisted look, I think, which is what I was hoping for when I saw the flare online. Or, as one lady in the office put it when she saw me, 'I just love that skirt. It reminds me of the skirts I wore when I was younger...'.

Since she seemed to mean it as a compliment, and that's the look I actually wanted anyway, I'm going to go ahead and assume that this is a good thing in this case.

Anyway, while I was mostly pleased with this order, I was a little annoyed with the zipper. It seems a little flimsy to me, in that I feel like I need to be extra cautious when taking the skirt on and off. As someone who changes clothes at least seven times before settling on what I want to wear for the day, this could prove to be a problem in the middle of the morning rush, but it's something I can work with when I love the other aspects of the item. I also generally prefer a hook closure at the top of my zippers, which this skirt doesn't have, but I can always add one of my own with a few stitches if it turns into too much of a problem (and it wasn't at all the one time I've worn the skirt so far).

There are several other skirts from the line that I'd like to add to my wardrobe at some point, including the lace and tulle skirt and the floral embellished patch pocket skirt in red, and I definitely think I'll have to give the custom size option a try the next time I order from the site.

When the options for change include where on your waist you'd like to wear the item, as well as where on the leg you'd like it to hit, it's almost like they're speaking directly to the vertically challenged people like myself, and that's just too good to pass by...

Blouse: H&M

Skirt: c/o eShakti

Belt: Target

Shoes: Nine West

Bracelet: Kohls

Disclaimer: eShakti provided the skirt for review, but the opinions are all my own. I wouldn't have it any other way...

Channeling SJP?

It's Monday, which means you should head over to Two Birds for Inspiration Monday! Today's look is courtesy of Sarah Jessica Parker:

This is, by far, one of my favorite inspiration looks, because it is absolutely perfect for spending the day running around with Brigid, which is exactly what I did when I wore this to the zoo for the ridiculously fun Boo in the Zoo this weekend.

And if that's not the longest sentence ever typed, I don't know what is...

Hope you all had an equally fabulous weekend!

Tank Top: Target

T-Shirt: J Crew

Sweater: Alfani (via Macys)

Jeans: MICHAEL Michael Kors (via Macys)

Shoes: Cole Haan

It's Friday!

Two weekends ago, we spent a good part of Saturday afternoon sitting in a Mexican restaurant, eating chips and watching football. And it was fun.

And then, my brother-in-law and his girlfriend ordered one of these:



And I was a little disgusted by it. I mean, beer and a margarita? Mixed?!?! Margaritas are fantastic on their own, so why would you want to ruin a good thing?

And then I tried it.

And it was amazing. In fact, it tasted just like a vacation in a glass.

(Let's not think to hard about why my vacation tastes like Corona and tequila though, ok?)

So, Steve and I ordered one to split. And I enjoyed it. And I've shown this picture to at least 15 people since then, because...LOOK! There's a beer! In my margarita!

And seriously...this? Right here? This is about the best indication I can give you of how my Friday is going. I am unmotivated and thinking about tequila. And yet, there are things that I need to do. Things that don't involve margaritas, if you can believe it. And really, where's the fun in that?

Only a few more hours to go, I guess...

You could say I'm easily impressed...

Angela over at Love at First Shoe has been talking about the store Charming Charlie for months now, and the amazing accessories she always picks up from the place made me a little sad, because I thought it was a local store, for some reason.

So, imagine my (probably inappropriately excessive, since we're just talking about jewelry here, but that's who I am, I guess...) joy when my mother-in-law told me about this great shop relatively near her house that I just had to visit, because the amount of accessories housed in one place was something I'd enjoy.

She knows me so well.

I only spent about twenty minutes in the store, while we were waiting for a table to open up at a nearby restaurant, and I still managed to walk out with three necklaces, a bracelet, and a pair of earrings. Not bad for an abbreviated day's work. Imagine the damage I could do if I spent some real time in the place?

I am literally (said in your best Rob-Lowe-on-Parks-and-Rec voice, naturally) giddy with anticipation...

Sweater: Gap

Cardigan: Target

Skirt: Kohl's

Shoes: Steve Madden

Necklace: Charming Charlie

Hey, Google Search? We need to talk...

Every so often, I like to check my blog stats to see what various search topics might have pulled in one of my posts over the last month. Usually, the search topics involve various brands, specific designs, or miscellaneous color combinations. But there's usually one or two searches that provide a good laugh.

This month? Peed jeans. PEED JEANS!!!

Now, first of all, I am sorry for whoever did whatever they did that led them to feel it was necessary to google peed jeans. That had to be something not so pleasant, you know? But what did I ever write about that would lead that kind of search to my blog? Peed jeans? Really?

I may need to rethink my content after that one.

(Also, I definitely don't recommend you run that google search on your own. There are some...odd people out there, to say the least.)

Sweater: Gap

Cardigan: J Crew

Skirt: Target

Belt: Land's End

Boots: DSW

All in...

While Steve and I were flying to Omaha this past weekend, we saw an older lady boarding the plane in Atlanta who had dyed the tips of her gray hair pink, for, I assume, breast cancer awareness.

And that, my friends, is commitment to the cause.

I wanted to high-five her and ask to take a picture, but I'm a complete chicken when it comes to approaching strangers, so I stuck with a mental fist bump and called it a day. I still wish I had a picture, though...

Sweater: Banana Republic

Skirt:J Crew

Shoes: Nine West

Bracelet: Kohls

Weekend Away

Holy tired, kids.

I need to remember that I am thirty-one years old now, and not the early-20s kid I used to be, who could squeeze in three hours of sleep one night and still be fine. But, even if I had remembered that, I'm pretty sure I would have stuck with the sleep schedule, anyway, because spending the weekend with my friends from college, who I get to see maybe once a year, is definitely worth a little bit of recovery time on my end.

Also, this weekend was my 7th anniversary, and even though my gift for my husband was back-ordered and won't show up until later this week, my husband was nice enough to put me out of my misery* already by allowing me to open what he bought for me.

And what he bought for me was an entire Christmas village collection, which I'm excited to add to my boxes o' Christmas cheer (i.e. my crazy full 18-Rubbermaid-tote pile of decorations), but which also made me wish it was already time to decorate for the next round of holidays, because as much as I love my Halloween decorations, my heart still lies with twinkly lights and pretty bows.

And now, I can't get sequins off of my mind. Because Christmas equals sequins in my mind? And I don't even own any sequins. So, I guess you can call this post What I would wear, if I owned sequins and hadn't spent the day on my couch in a Gap lounge sweater and a pair of ratty old jeans...

...and also, unlimited funds.

 

Tie neck blouse, £30
Vince pencil skirt, $345
Brian Atwood high heels, $580
Bangle bracelet, £4.95
Drop earrings, $45

 

*I am terrible with surprises, and he'd already been waving these presents under my nose for a wee, so he totally owed me. Or something like that.

Travel Day!

Greetings from Omaha, NE!

We flew out at the crack of dawn this morning,* and, since we weren't planning to check any bags (an my carry-on was already remarkably full), the big camera didn't get to make the trip with us. So...trusty iPhone pictures it is!

Also, I've spent my whole vacation day WORKING, so...haggard iPhone pictures it is!

Happy Friday :)

*Ok, not crack of dawn, exactly...but 8am is early enough for me.

T-shirt: Gap

Cardigan: Target

Jeans: Gap

Boots: DSW

Scarf: Land's End Canvas

Bracelets: Mango Tree

The one where the Internet proves to be smarter than I am...again.

Um, guys? I have a confession to make...

I'd never even THOUGHT about hemming that darn skirt from yesterday. And yet, it kind of makes perfect sense. Y'all are geniuses, obviously.

(Also, I need to start making sure that the cat is OUTSIDE of the bathroom before I take any pictures. He looks like he's plotting my eventual demise, doesn't he?)

Sweater: Gap

Pants: The Limited

Shoes: Nine West

Bracelets: Mango Tree

Midi

I feel like a broken record these days, but once again, I'm up against a crazy week.

Today involves spending the morning at one office, meeting my mother-in-law at the pediatrician for B's two-year check-up, then spending the afternoon at the office on the other side of town. Wednesday is full of meetings. Thursday is another split office day, with an eye doctor appointment thrown in for good measure. And Friday, I'm flying to Omaha for a friend's wedding.

Am I exhausted just thinking about it? A little. But then again, I guess I'd rather be busy than bored, so there's that...

------------------------------

Question: How do we feel about the mid-calf skirt length on someone who is all of 5'2? I really do love this skirt, which I've had for awhile now, and I know the length is supposedly very much on trend for this year, but I'm still torn. 

So, what do you think? Yes or no for me?

 

Sweater: Banana Republic (outlet)

Skirt: Banana Republic

Shoes: Nine West

Necklace: Old Navy

Lazy Days

This weekend was exhausting, and today we have rain for the first time in weeks, so Brigid and I have decided to do nothing but sit around the house all day in our scrubby clothes (Little Mermaid shorts for B, by request, of course...), watching movies and eating kettle corn that we picked up at the county fair on Saturday.

Sometimes, that's just what you have to do...

Obviously,  not being worn today...this was from work one day last week.
Dress: Banana Republic (outlet)

Cardigan: Express

Skirt: H&M

Shoes: Nine West

Big Plans

For some reason, pink and yellow worn together never fails to make me think of strawberry lemonade, which just screams SUMMER!! to me. And with the previously mentioned 47 degree mornings that I've been waking up to lately, it is most definitely not summer in Atlanta. But with the black and gray of the outfit, I thought I needed something a little happier to offset the dreary neutrals.

Because I have been one big dreary neutral, lately, and I am bound and determined to cheerfully dress myself out of my funk. This is my favorite time of year, and work stress aside, I plan to enjoy it.

On the list this weekend? Pumpkin patching, apple picking, county fair fried food eating, and patio drinking. While watching football, of course. Seriously, how could you not love fall, right?

So...what are you looking forward to for the weekend?

Top: Style & Co (Macy's)

 Cardigan: Target

Skirt: Calvin Klein (Macy's)

Belt: Target

Shoes: Nine West

Blame Game

Ok, one last outfit left over from last week, and then I officially start my parade o' pink tomorrow. I'd say I've never really considered myself a pink kind of person before, but as I was looking through my closet to get a rough idea of what the October wardrobe might look like, I realized that I have a LOT more pink in there than I thought I did.

Who knew?

I blame blogging, of course. Actually, I think blogging is to blame for my closet growth in general, as everything I see on this here internet somehow needs to come home with me RIGHT! THIS! MINUTE! and the pink explosion is just a by-product of all of that shopping.

But as the mall (and the online shopping part of the internet) and I have decided to take some time apart these days, I'm going to need you all to tone it down on the style for the next couple of months, ok? My closet, my budget, and my husband (but not the local economy) all thank you immensely.

Sweater: Banana Republic

Skirt: Forever 21

Shoes: Nine West

Bracelets: Mango Tree

Confusion

Could someone please explain to me how I should dress to leave the house when it is 47 degrees in the morning, even though I know it is supposed to be almost 80 at some point during the day? Because I am failing miserably this week. And I'm usually so good with layers, too!

Apparently, the heat of the summer left me a little rusty in that area...

A couple of other points for the day:

-This outfit was from the weekend, before I realized that it was October, so...no pink. I tend to stockpile outfit pictures over the weekend because my schedule isn't so conducive to real time outfit posts.

Also, I am lazy. Remember?

-Although Brigid's birthday isn't until Saturday, I mentioned last week that we had her party this past weekend. I posted about it today at Style Lush, if you want to check it out.

-This weekend, I was comfortable in the morning, and ridiculously hot in the afternoon. This morning, I can't feel my legs. See? Rusty.

-Happy Tuesday!

Sweater: Land's End Canvas

Jeans: Gap

Boots: Bare Traps (DSW)

This and That

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, so expect to see a lot of pink over here in the next few weeks, as I am joining Melissa from A Working Mom's Closet in her second year of the Breast Cancer Awearness challenge:

It seems like very few people haven't been affected by this disease in some way, whether personally or through a family member or friend, so head over to Mel's site to learn more about the challenge and to read some of these personal stories.

Also, it's Inspiration Monday over at Two Birds!

Today's inspiration is...

Casual and comfortable? I'm in!

(Also, because I have a little trouble with the color in my pictures, I imagine I'm going to be spending a lot of time over the next month explaining that something is actually pink, not purple. Case in point? Today's purse. It's pink, I promise...)

Top: Old Navy

Jeans: Levi's (TJ Maxx)

Purse: Kate Spade

Bracelet: Land's End

Shoes: Target