Little House on the Prairie Style

So I'm sitting here with my hubby watching "LOST" (on a rival network, no less) and I am just kinda sick of all the questions this show produces. It's the last season and we know who the black fog is and....,....the bread for the trail they are leaving is tasting like crap. If you have any insight to any outstanding questions, please enlighten me (and I'm not being a smart ass, I'm serious, help me out here.)

Also, I'm just sitting here eating "Chips Ahoy!" cookies one after another, it's been one of those nights... They were on sale so I grabbed 'em. My "Chips Ahoy" need is renewed similar to when I was a kid. They are goooood in a pinch if you're craving a cookie. Yea! (The name is so silly when you think about it- "Chips Ahoy!" What the heck?)

I really like this skirt, it's a simple combination of calicos and I just dig it! (It's not the most flattering on my body type, there wouldn't be any variations in what I wear if that was the case, so booo!) The top was a purchase from years ago, and though, it has the lace requirement that appeal to me, it's a bit of a "my chest looks really huge" type top. And I hate that. So you might be saying goodbye to this thing. (And another in the exact same style in a light caramel color. Any takers? lol) It's actually really cute, on someone who's a little bit less endowed. And yes, I dislike the size of them and I am so not looking forward to the body changes a child brings (not that I'm thinking about it right now, but it's definitely in the future.)

Goodies

So these were the "great deal" items I have found over the past couple of weeks. Since I have been having the fat closet issue, my eye is being drawn to accessories.

1. Steve Madden: $11.99 (love the color)

2. Straw Fedora $5.99 (it intimidates me)

3. Ralph Lauren $29.99 (soooo comfy)

4. Starburst cloche: $4.99

5. Nude cloche: $4.99

6. Grey Leather Ribbon belt: $4.99 (ribbon!)

7. Red Leather Perforated belt: $9.99 (deep red has my number)

8. Grey Bow belt: $5.95 (to add a simple bow to any look)

Admittedly, the one thing I shouldn't have purchased was the grey ribbon belt. It's so cute and I like it, it just isn't the most slimming belt for my body type and I'm not totally sure whay I'm going to wear it with, but we'll see. I just really liked it because I love ribbon as an accent.

The hats are just so cute. I have the wool one's with light colors that I can get away with for a little while longer and the straw fedora is something I am forcing myself to integrate into my ensembles. Why? You may ask...because it scares me. Hats sometimes make me feel over the top, but I have decided to get over it and go for it. We'll see what I come up with. Hopefully I can make these fabulous deals I found worth every penny.

Errands - A casual day of shopping

I realized I rarely do super casual pics. I figured this was as good a weekend as any to start. I added one of my new hats to add some sass to shorts and a tshirt. This past week and a half I have come upon some fabulous deals on seasonal items on their way out for the new spring goodies. All are new, none were thrifted which is pretty surprising to me as I have been super budget conscious, lately. (I even refrained from going to the Salvation Army this weekend with my weekly $20 trip. I find with a limit to what I can spend helps me make my selections that much more awesome because I edited to only what I can use.) But just because I can't afford much doesn't mean I can't purchase, I just need to be extra discerning.

Urban Outfitters had some GREAT end of the season sales, for example, this hat was regularly $28, I purchased it for $4.99. *ZING* That's a great price! I could not have justified spending the original price. I also got another cloche for $4.99 (orig. $38). I was going to spend $15+ shipping on one I found on Amazon.com but, decided against it as I had a sneaking feeling I would find some kind of deal on a wool hat I wanted at the crux of spring. I gots to get my wearin' in while it's still considered "cool" outside (meaning, its not 80 degrees).

This weekend was fairly uneventful. We weren't really motivated to do much outside of the house. Laundry and vaccuuming, those got checked off the to do list this week. I tried to do some spring cleaning and get rid of clothes I haven't worn in a while and have no vision to style again. (I guess I have been cycling through all my clothing now, I only found a grand totaly of 1 dress to get rid of, whoopee!) I've been having an issue fitting things back IN my closet, that's always a sign to me it's time to make a Goodwill pile. I also feel like a bit fat glutton when I can't fit everything in my side of the closet. Shoes on the other hand are another story, they are exploding out of my closet daily and I still keep them in the same place. My hubby asked why I don't overflow into one of the closets in one of the other rooms! SAY WHA?!!! He's ok with me using another closet for my shoes?! Since when?! It was a pretty amusing suggestion, considering he can't stand all the stuff I have and come home with all the time. Honestly, I would feel entirely to frivolous (as if I don't already) using another closet for stuff, so for some reason, even though the shoes would be nice and spread out and easy to see with another closet, I still keep all the boxes in piles upon piles at the bottom of the closet 'cause if they "fit" in one place I don't have a shoe collecting problem. Make sense? Nope :)

A Gothic School Girl ~ That's one I got when I wore this ensemble

This was one of those days where i loved my ensemble all day long. I thought the socks worked well with the length of the skirt and the top fit perfectly considering I didn't try it on. I picked it up brand spanking new at It's A Wrap. I guess it didn't work for some busty actor. Those are the best finds at that store. The original tags and the store tag for a 1/2 the original price. Woo Hoo! (Side complaint: You know how H&M went from completely sizing like they do in the UK to having the country conversion equivalent? Well, their equivalent sizing for the US is bologna. I really could care less what size I wear, as long as it fits well and has a solid cut - when I was younger, this definitely was not the case. But I think it's ridiculous that this shirt was marked as a US 14. Um, if this shirt is a US 14, I'm Marilyn frickin Monroe. I just think its crazy that sizing measurements vary so greatly. According to plenty of contemporary designers I swing between a US 6 and US 12. WTH? That is such a massive variance. How can they all be so off? *gripe - moan* Don't they know how much easier it would be for me to buy online if measurements were uniform? geez...)

Since this outfit was void of color I added the pick for a little bit of a pop and I was glad I did. It would be a little drab otherwise I think.

I don't really have much to report today. Another of my favorite coworkers LEFT the company upon their own intiation. Good for him for sticking to his guns and leaving when he had had enough, but BOO for not sticking in out in Purgatory with the rest of us... Sad Panda

Oh yeah, along with "You're a Gothic School Girl today", I also heard "Hey Britany! Hit Me Baby One More Time" due to the knee socks and skirt. That honesty was the last thing I thought I would hear, a comparison to Britany Spears - 10 years ago version. Aside from the amusing comments, the fact that Britany was becoming poplular over a decade ago, mkes me feel really old. I can't believe that train wreck is keeping herself mildly "relevant" in entertainment news. Ick!
(I remember joking around with my girlfriends my sophmore year of college and dancing on a study break to her first albumn a couple years after it came out. That is the only good thing I associate with that music, mindless crazy time.)

blouse: It's A Wrap(H&M) belt: H&M; socks: Target; skirt: Anthroplogie(Mo&Su); oxfords: Nicole

Bright Colors to Brighten the Mood

Man, it has been a tough past couple of days. They are doing layoffs at my work and we are all pretty close to the chopping block. It feels crazy and unsettling and most of all - stressful. A couple of friends and one pretty close one were laid off, I am SUPER bummed. Everyday feels like it could be THE day that we're going to get "let go". That's such a lame term. That implies that we wanted to go somewhere, but couldn't because we weren't allowed. Um, what? That is sooo not the case. Some of the people that had to leave were veterans of 30+ years. So much for job security, geez. It's really the worst! Anxiety reigns supreme at this point and we're working so hard to pick up the slack of missing coworkers and hoping we're gonna make it into the next week.

I decided to post these pics I took the day I colored my hair because the colors make me happy. As for my hair, I'm really hoping this color sticks around for a couple of weeks. But honestly, I need to get a hair cut STAT! I can't even remember the last time I went to the salon. (Cats out of the bag, I dye my own hair, not really shocking I know. At least as of right now anyway. I can't really afford to get it done professionally consistantly right now and my current stylist doesn't totally get the style I'm looking for for the most part so I have to figure out where to go. I have been some of her most daring projects and I haven't really done anything that crazy. At least I don't think.)

I love how vibrant everything came out. I found the little vintage robe at the Salvation Army and it was in perfect condition. The only drawback is it's a size:small. I couldn't pass it up though, the color was too fabulous and if it has lace, it must be mine :) I pulled out my sewing machine, affixed the ribbon and it came out pretty good if I do say so myself...

My sister-in-law goes to a friday morning clearance sale at M.Fredric in Calabasas. She always finds her perfect style items there and best of all, she gets them at a great deal. She picked up these wedges for me. They are pretty high and the fit isn't the best, but it was so sweet of her. I think if I get some inserts maybe my foot won't come out the front in a way it shouldn't really, kinda like now. They'll be great for summer wear, skirts, shorts and dresses.

dress, belt & bracelet: H&M; earrings: I made; sheer vintage robe: thrifted(Salvation Army); leggings: Target; wedges: gift (M.Fredric-Qupid)

Well, the colors brightened my mood a little bit. I'm still freaking out, I hope I make it through the next couple of weeks employed. Cross your fingers for me!

It's Just Straight Up Hot Now...

I knew the second I longed for the sun during the "winter" here in L.A., it would get like it normally is around here- Hot. Since I am a Northern California girl, I melt in Southern California. I've lived here for almost 8 years and I've only gotten a little used to it. When summer rolls around, it's like living on the sun. It's pretty gnarly. I always tell my hubby, "You better be stoked I love you and chose your hometown to buy a home in," as I sit uncomforably writhing in perspiration. Every year, it seems to get a bit hotter, too. Thanks to the rain this season (and El Nino), hopefully the inevitable drought staves itself off a little bit longer this year.

I wore tights this day and was so frickin warm when I left my office building. I was pretty bummed. I was getting warm just having the scarf around my neck. Regarding the tights, I'm not totally sold on this color (good thing they were only $1.25 on Target clearance), it's too pastel I think annnnnd when I was putting together my outfit, I had to really think hard to imagine these not against black. I couldn't, so I grabbed this little vintage scarf I found at It's A Wrap (a shop that gets all the clothing from movies and t.v. shows.) There is some really great stuff and some crap, but it's fun to go and imagine where these things appeared or what the character was doing or was it clothing for an extra or something of the like? They have lots of designer stuff, but when you shop at the Salvation Army as often as I do, everything is kinda pricey comparatively. (I bought a Moschino Jeans jacket at the S. Army sale this weekend for $2 - WOOHOO) If your a fan of designer labels, this is a great place to go. I always find great Nanette Lapore pieces that I long for.

But anyhoo, one thing I do always seem to find as well are neat scarves. I absolutely love this one, it reminds me of "Baskin N Robbin's" logo that used to have pink, white and brown circles like neopolitan ice cream :)

Something that made me laugh about this day was, after work when i stopped by Trader Joe's to pick up some veggies for dinner. This guy with long, tousseled, ponytailed hair and sunglasses (indoors), faded jeans and a well worn t-shirt came up to me to tell me he liked my outfit. I chuckled and thanked him and we went about our shopping. I think it's so funny when random dudes compliment me on my outfits (and they aren't hitting on you), as it happens more often than I would think.  

~ And look, it's sunny out just before 7pm. Yeah!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! (just under the wire...)

Alas, I am a bit late, but better than late than never, right?

This dress is festive and I've worn it years in a row, but only on this day, March 17. Why? Well - just look at it, it's a bit tight across the top - like a whole size. I thanked the back zipper every hour for holding. I think it's time to retire it. 

I was a quite a bit thinner when I purchased this dress at Forever21. But, at the time, they didn't go any larger than a Large and I didn't need anything bigger. Now? Not so much, hence wearing it once a year. I do however love my 'do' from today. The curls kinda fell apart due to the heat and some strays made their way out, but it just made it, barely.

Anyway, I'm drinking Guiness and watching "Law&Order". We had a great dinner of corned beef, cabbage and red potatoes. It was awesome, but thank goodness it's a once a year thing! That salty goodness needs to stay in the moderation drawer!

Happy St. Patty's! Hope it was fun.

RULE: I Will Covet Perfect Shoes That My Wallet Will Not Let Me Purchase

Gosh darnit, I have found a couple more perfect pairs of shoes and I have no money in my wallet for such petty goodies. But a girl can dream...

Darn you Seychelles, darn you!

Yea! Finally Found a Successful Way to Wear this Butterfly Shirt!

I call this my butterfly (or flying squirrel) blouse as that is what the sleeves remind me of. I did this top with pants and a belt before, but it felt "off" 'cause I knew this shirt had potential to look pretty darn good. Well, I think I did it. Now I just have to wear this skirt everytime I want to wear it - jk -  I know if I keep on trying I am bound to find another way to wear this shirt sucessfully.

blouse: Anthropologie; tights: Urban Outfitters; oxfords; Shoebuy.com; skirt: H&M; jewelry; Claire's

I think this is kind of a sexy, sassy ensemble. My hubby gave a whistle the morning I wore this. I was inspired by this stylish kitten Chandra at Modern Day Charm. I was tooling around Chictopia, which I just joined and Chandra is one of the ladies up for style icon this month. It is much deserved, this girl's got style! Her blog is down to earth and she has some darn cute ensembles, go check her out. (It looks like she has a small formatting problem with her page, so new posts are a little hard to read as the first paragraph shows in her title pic, but worth checking out.) 

So anyway, I liked the patterned tights, high waisted skirt with a belt and a structured blouse. The daisy she wears in her post is so cute, and really tops off the entire outfit. My ensemble was a little busy with the printed blouse and different colors, so I opted for no hair adornment- though i have many. :) the skirt was a little bunched at the waist because it's not a high waisted naturally, but you couldn't tell. I'm pretty proud of myself, the way it worked out. The patterned tights add another dimension I think, it's more interesting below my thighs than just plain opaque ones.

(My dog was eating her dinner and being all "look at me mama, aren't i adorable while i eat?" when I took this one.)

I'm all about this colored tights craze that came about this year. I used to sport some great colors back in the day, but the older I got, the more juvenile they seemed. So glad they are back for all ages. It's all about how you own it I guess :)

On another note, I SUPER LOVE these Nicole oxfords. They are every positive adjective I can think of. They are comfy, they look good on my leg, they make my size 10 feet seem smaller and they are purple. I mean - for real, they are spectacular. I don't even need to put in Dr.Scholls gel inserts for heels (which are absolutely amazing - the commercials are so stupid, but they work soooo well) like I do in ALL my heels. I am keeping that company in business baby! Petals are great, too, but the gel really seems to absorb some impact. (Listen to me, I sound like a friggin commercial - geez)

Turns out I really like the color splashes of yellow and purple too! It's one too many colors, but I think it works. Yea me!

A Little Sass for the Country Club - 2 more nights of not saving light

(I had to postpone my DIY post, 'cause I'm lazy. I think next time instead of planning to do it out loud, I'll surprise myself and just do it. - Let's see if I can take my own advice on that one. LOL)

My hubby's parents belong to a country golf club here in the L.A. valley and sometimes we get lucky enough to get invited to dinner. His parents are super golfers, like tournaments every other weekend kinda golfing. They are, I can safely say, obsessed with golf. They just love it, they'll even watch it on tv. It's something they do and share together. They are super active in the club, too. My mother in law has headed more party planning committees than I can remember. I just think it's so cool that they can share something they are both passionate about, especially after, something like, 35 years. Whoa! I've only been married 3 years, but we've been together for over 10, so I totally dig how his parents make it work, even after all this time. My parents were unable to after 30 years of marriage. Kind of a waste, dontcha think? I just wish they could have taken some notes from a sucessful relationship like my in-laws. Unresolved feelings much - Indeed. But whatevs, life throws you curve balls, but you stilll gotta try to hit 'em. I digress....

There is a dress code that we must adhere to for entry, one time we were wearing shorts (not daisy dukes) and they had to check if it was ok that we enter the dining room. Um, serious?! AND it was a bbq. Who wears a suit to a casual bbq dinner? - Shoot. So anyway, since then, I always try to push their little dress code rules, for example showing up in denim slacks or something of the like (as jeans are outlawed), or this skirt that is plainly over 4 inches above my knee. My leopard coat is a bit of a *shout* rather than a *whisper* of my style preferences. The old ladies can't sneer too hard, the coat is a 60s "Jackie O." cut, so there :)

skirt: Salvation Army(Ann Taylor Loft); tights: Target(Bare Assets); heels: DSW(Chinese Laundry); belt: H&M; coat: Victoria's Secret catalogue

I was so happy when I found this skirt at the Salvation Army a weekend or so ago. It's one of those finds that I just love when I get it home, because it's totally unworn and it perfect condition! Woo Hoo! That's the best! I wouldn't have purchased this new, but I'll definitely purchase for less than 1/4 of the price. When I first pulled it off the rack, I didn't see the other attributes I just mentioned, I just liked it because the pleats look like piano keys. (They are also a pain to iron no doubt, which I will find out when I do laundry tonight.)

This is also one of the last work day photos (one more will be posted after this) I will be taking in the dark. Yea! If you wonder why I rarely look at the camera, it's primarily due to looking like an alien when the flash reflects off my pupil. (It's also a good excuse to not look at the camera, sometimes I just plain hate my face. Harsh, I know, but when I am looking at a couple dozen pics of myself to edit for this place, I start seeing everything I'm insecure about amplified. I'm slowly getting better at not being so critical of myself like most of us are, but we all know that's a long road...) :) 

So here's a *RAWR, I'm sick of these pictures I'm forcing upon myself* face.

[I think these pics came out pretty good considering I had to do them in 5 minutes (power posing, lol) then race to the car to meet our dinner date.]

I Heard You're a Gingham Fan - that or Tablecloths...

My week of lacking inspiration still continues. This outfit, however, was fairly inspired considering I felt like wearing sweats and a t-shirt. However, the large gingham checks in the jaunty green cheered me up some. I wanted something that could be springy if you paired it with a lighter color, but worked for now with a darker color. Pairing with a shrunken cardigan with those little pearl buttons gives the ensemble a bit of retro feel, I think. The skirt is actually a dress that has a built in bra with speghetti straps. I found it at Ross before some BBQ we went to this last summer for about $6-7. It worked perfectly, it looks super cute when it's warmer out just on it's own. I think I am going to make miniature ketchup and mustard earrings for the summer so I look like a walking picnic table, including condiments. All I have to do it carry napkins in my clutch and I'm set.

An obnoxiously funny thing happend to this dress on this day however....I guess it had slipped down a little bit further than it normally sat and *snap-pop* the left strap broke away from the rest of the dress. I had to laugh or I would scream, but it really is kinda funny with how the rest of my day was not going all that well anyway. I guess you get what you pay for, but LAME! Luckily we have a drawer full of safety pins at work. My coworker worked her magic and I was back on track. I have to retack the strap this weekend. Thank goodness for a little bit of needle and thread.

From what I can see on the blogs I follow, most are feeling a bit uninspired and are ready for Spring, so at least I don't feel alone in my need for some sun. Many people have freezing, snow filled winters, icicles and all the trimmings. I'm envious of their beautiful snowy filled backdrops in their daily photos, but I'm not envious of the dealing with all the ice and the cold and wetness of the melted snow. We're so spoiled here in L.A. I crack-up when I see people freaking out about water falling from the sky. The traffic is always that much more insane (when it is unbelievably insane on just a normal day). It's just rain - geez.

I'm originally from a town in Central California called Santa Cruz which is a beach town about 1hr. 1/2 below San Francisco. The weather is similar to San Francisco or Oregon (if your not familiar with San Fran) style rain and frosty/foggy mornings during the winter, so I have never lived in the snow, but it's so pretty. The hubs and I haven't made it to the snow this year yet. We really need to get some snowboarding in. We haven't gone in forever. I have a brand new K2 board, boots and bindings that haven't even been wet yet. Grrrrr....

So I decided I was going to do a small tutorial for the headband and removable flower I mentioned last post. I'll have that up this weekend rather than just telling you all about it. :) It's pretty easy to do while watching T.V. or just sitting around....

ta-ta for now!