Date night

So, it's a terrible picture, but this is what I wore for date night on Friday night. Our outdoor concert got rained out so we went to the movies instead. This outfit is a combination of this one and this one. And actually got a compliment from my husband, so that's a win in my book!

Floral silk top: CAbi
Wideleg trouser jeans: Lauren Conrad
Brown & silver platform wedges: Mossimo/Target (see them better here)
Bracelet: Tiffany, a gift

Where: date night with my husband! Woohoo!

Another orphan garment

Welcome to Friday, when the temperature drops twenty degrees, and it rains all over my plans for an outdoor concert date tonight with my husband. Boo.
In the spirit of my continuing mission to wear every unworn item in my closet, I present to you this ruffled tank. I still love the color and fabric - but if there's one thing this blog has pointed out to me in glaring detail, it's my insistence on buying things too big. Here is another victim. But I think I can get away with this one, despite its habit of showing off my bra when I lean forward. I'm going to teach myself to create bra stays and sew them into all of my shirts. Problem solved! At least, partially.

Brown cardigan: Ann Taylor
Stone-colored ruffled tank: Old Navy
Jeans: Levi's Curve ID
Beaded ballet flats: Naughty Monkey (see them better here)
Petrified wood necklace: from a trunk show in Boston many years ago
Musical accompaniment: maracas

Where: Bank, music class, garden store, grocery store, two full-on meltdowns (toddler), one mini crying spell (mine), work at home.

Favoritest Shirt

Although I dislike long sleeved button down blouses, I completely and totally love short sleeved button down funky blouses. Love. Seriously! I would have a commitment ceremony with them if I could. My most favorite one sits in the back of my closet. It is an Ann Taylor extra-small black short sleeved rayon blouse with red flowers on it. I probably purchased it in the 90's pre-marriage, pre-child, pre-weight gain. I have dreams and hopes of wearing it again. Sigh.

The blouse I'm wearing does the trick for me while the other one waits to be worn again. I love the muted pattern and the greys, black, white, and hint of cream. I like the foofiness of the ruffle down the front. And the fabric is soft against my skin. Pardon me while I go make out with my shirt. Rather than wear this shirt into the ground, I best start finding other shirts that suit my needs. It's not like I would be cheating on this shirt, just giving it a much need break.

The Wear:
Favoritest blouse: Merona from Target
Camisole: Banana Republic
Jeans: Long and Lean from the Gap
Flats: Mossimo from Target

The Where:
Work, Co-Op, Home, Russian Festival

Odds and ends

So... I issued a challenge to myself, to start wearing those things in my closet that just sit there. You know the ones, you buy them with high hopes but just can't seem to figure out how to actually... wear them. This skirt was high on that list. It's one of those skirt/dress convertible things that supposedly can be worn So! Many! Ways! I bought it because I loved the color and the slight sheen to the fabric. But, it turns out that none of the "so many ways" is actually in any way comfortable. I tried it pulled up as a tube dress... but couldn't figure out what to do about the bra situation. I tried it as a skirt, but those little darts weren't doing my hips any favors. Finally I settled on doing a high-waisted skirt with a belt. It looks decent in the photo, but in real life I'm feeling rather thick around the middle. Plus the way the skirt is gathered is giving me a supremely unfortunate muffin-top waist.
So, it's back to the drawing board for this one. I hate to get rid of it because I like the color so much. But this is certainly Strike One. Maybe I need to re-waist it? Stay tuned.

White v-neck t-shirt: Kohl's
Peach sundress/skirt: TJ Maxx years ago
Bronze ballet flats: Target
Gold faux double belt: Gap
Stone pendant: made in a bead shop

Where: Toddler playdate & lunch, much work from home, laundry, meeting.

Good in Theory, Poorly Executed

When I picked out this outfit, I felt like I had created the perfect spring, somewhat 1950's outfit. However, when I look at this photo, I feel like my vision does not come through the image. Like a lot of Target cardigans, the knitting is a little thin and rather than hiding the top of the dress, you can see through it. The skirt is not as full as I would like it to be. It might be the way I'm standing but I wanted a more full crinoline type look. I think the colors work well together and the little flowers on the shoes compliment the ones on the sweater. I guess it is not all bad. Perhaps if the sweater was heavier and more fitted, I would feel like it is as schlumpy as I feel it is.

The Wear:
Cardigan (remixed): Merona from Target
Dress: Old Navy
Shoes: Mossimo from Target
Necklace: Unknown

The Where:
Work, Co-Op, Home

Sunshine

Well! The first truly beautiful day of spring. Not muggy, not rainy, just bright sun and cool breeze. Aahhhh.
This outfit isn't really all that creative but I wanted to look colorful and breezy in honor of spring. I have this dress in three colors: purple, turquoise print, and black. I liked them because the hem length was perfect. But I'm starting to realize that they, too, are a size too big. The waistline is too low, as is the neckline. So I'm trying to get a little more creative about the colors I layer underneath. This is the latest in a series of purple-and-yellow combos that began on Easter.
I should also state for the record that I'm wearing spanx bikeshorts underneath this dress. Less for slimming purposes and more for modesty-when-playing-with-my-son purposes.

White cardigan: Target
Sunflower yellow tank: Lands End
Purple jersey dress: Target
Purple/ivory bow ballet flats: Payless
Tree medallion necklace: TJ Maxx

Where: Playdate, general gallivanting in the sunshine and being a springtime slacker.

80s in grey

Jean skirts always make me think of the 80s. As do leggings worn with flats (a look I generally disdain).

This outfit started with my favorite t-shirt and my desire to wear grey leggings with it. The jean skirt was a way to bridge the gap... because I wasn't about to just wear a t-shirt with leggings. That would be a major case of forgot-your-pants-itis.

Cowlneck striped t-shirt: Gap

Jean skirt: Old Navy

Grey leggings: Target

Checkerboard sequined flats: Keds

Where: library storytime, toddler babysitting, work at home.

Yellow, How I Love Thee

Yellow is one of my favorite colors but I do not wear it that much. However, this skirt is a favorite. I bought it at the J. Crew Outlet a few years back and usually pair it with a black tee. I've yet to find another good combination for this skirt. Can you help a girl out? Incidentally, I wore the same outfit for SP's party a few years ago. According to SP, I had a six month old strapped to my chest. No toddlers strapped to THIS chest. I think I might fall over and that would be bad.

The Wear:
Black tee: Old Navy
Yellow skirt: J. Crew Outlet
Ballet flats: Mossimo
Necklace: All that Glitters (a local costume jewelry store)

The Where:
Work, dentist, Home Depot, Target, Babies R' Us, HOME!

Cookout

Today's outfit was not especially photograph-worthy... and kind of frumpy. It was a weird day. So instead, I give you my Sunday outfit, which I wore to host a cookout at our house. (This photo was taken after the cookout and subsequent cleanup... hence the rumpling!) This skirt is a little longer than I normally prefer but I have loved it for years. The color, the wide waistband, it always makes me happy.
I couldn't decide between two of my favorite necklaces - the lobster and the wooden bead necklace - so I just decided to wear them both. They both seemed cookout-appropriate!

White v-neck t-shirt: Kohl's
Blue a-line skirt: Gap from many years ago
White leather sandals: Etienne Aigner
Lobster necklace: gift from my sister
Wooden bead "luau" necklace: local jewelry shop

Where: hosting a cookout at our house.

I'm Not Sure What I Am Wearing

I apologize for the blurry photo but to go along with not knowing what I'm wearing and being blurry eyed, I thought I would go with it.

Ok, that's a lie. I do know what I am wearing...now. This morning I was so out of sorts that I just grabbed anything which would work in hot humid weather and be moderately presentable at work and put that on. Not like that is any different from any other day. Do you do that? Right now I would love to take a nap but that is not "professional" or something like that so instead I will look serious and studious. I could probably do that better with my eyes closed.

The Wear:
Tunic (remixed freakin' AGAIN!): Merona (shocking)
Tank: Banana Republic
Skirt (New item alert! New item alert!): Old Navy
Shoes (remixed - yawn): Merona

The Where:
Work, The Co-Op, Home where I will change into my gym clothes and do some Latin Madness!

Two short-lived outfits

Friday. I was shooting for a purple-yellow-gray combo, sort of like Easter... I love this silk tuxedo shell, but it was another victim of the buying-things-too-big syndrome. It fits okay throughout, but the tie is too low for an empire waist and too high for a normal waist, which makes it look like a strange maternity top. I need to re-attach the tie higher up, probably around the ribcage, and then hopefully all will look normal again...
The yellow bead necklace must be from the 50s or 60s and was a recent thrift store purchase. To tie it in, I borrowed an idea from The Pleated Poppy and attached a grey flower hair clip to it. I like how it turned out.
Anyhow, this outfit didn't last long. I was in a bad mood, it was hot, and after a few hours I put on a grubby t-shirt and got dirty in the backyard instead.

Lavender cardigan: Target
Grey silk tuxedo shell: J.Crew
Jeans: Calvin Klein lean bootcut
Ivory/gold ballet flats: Aerosoles
Yellow bead necklace: thrifted
Grey flower hair clip: Icing

Where: Music class, buying more plants for the yard.


Saturday. This skirt is the sister to the goldenrod version I got on my honeymoon. I don't love this one as much though; I think it's because the "shiny" layer is on the outside instead of the inside... but it still works when I want to be comfortable but flowy.
This outfit didn't last long either. The skirt suffered the insult of getting cajun mayonnaise dripped on it at lunch... and the shirt suffered an attack by a muddy toy shovel as soon as we returned home. Oh well.

White v-neck t-shirt: Kohl's
Purple wrap skirt: from a boutique on my honeymoon
Ivory/gold ballet flats: Aerosoles
Pearls: Misaki, a gift (they really do go with everything!)

Where: garden cafe for lunch with my grandmother, buying seeds, toddler-wrangling.