"That Girl"

Jacket (Old Navy); Top (Robin-K find at Marshalls); Dress (JCPenney);
Shoes (Payless); Umbrella (H&M)
Ryan Seidel Photography

Of course I would wear my faux suede shoes on rainy day.  I always seem to be "that girl".  That girl who trips on a perfectly flat sidewalk and who more than once has used hotel body lotion instead of conditioner on her hair.  Just this weekend I left my classroom to go to the bathroom, only to realize I locked myself out (luckily it was before class and no students witnessed this). I went downstairs to tell the front desk gal that I needed to be let into my classroom, and she said "no problem, what room are you in?".  I said "thanks and 3200".  Which would have been fantastic if my classroom was 3200... it's 2300.  So about twenty five minutes later she found me on the second floor, shaking her head.  Oops :)

Friday Find

Vanilla Chai-Spiced Coffee (Trader Joe's)

I love chai tea latte... I prefer it over a mocha/cappuchino/macchiato or anything other flavored coffee that doesn't taste too much like coffee.  So when I saw the Vanilla Chai-Spiced coffee at Trader Joe's I had to give it a try.  It's a tasty combination of vanilla coffee with the cinnamon and spices of chai tea - and the flavor was so rich I only needed a touch of creamer (which is a far cry from the 3 tablespoons of sugar and 1/2 cup of creamer I usually use).  If you are a flavored coffee fan who also likes chai tea you have to try this! It's the perfect start to the morning.... that is if you are out of Baileys and coffee cubes :)

Birthday Paws

Rex's birthday was yesterday... Which means he got new toys, ice cream, and extra kisses.  I'm not sure how he feels about the birthday hat, but that doesn't really matter does it :)  Happy Birthday to my favorite 6 year old!  

Not in Kansas Anymore

Shirt (Old Navy); Jeans & Earrings (Nordstrom); Necklace (H&M);
Shoes (Target); Bracelet (bought a festival)
Dave Haas Photography

What little girl didn't dream of owning her own pair of ruby slippers one day?  Well it only took about 30 years, and I opted for gold instead of ruby - but I finally got my magic shoes! And I have my Toto :) Besides learning that there's no place like home (unfortunately clicking together the heels of my golden slippers only results in glitter loss) the Wizard of Oz has some important lessons we should all keep in mind: 

Despite the obstacles, always follow your own yellow brick road.  

Quite often, the things we wish for most in life are things we already have.

Never trust a flying monkey or a witch who wants to steal your shoes ;)

Forced Pants Situation

Top (Loft); Tank (H&M); Pants (Limited); Shoes (Nine West)
Ryan Seidel Photography

So I thought Mother Nature and I were becoming friends... I'd gone camping recently despite my aversion to the outdoors, and spent an entire weekend at my boyfriend's family cabin... which means I've had more fresh air and nature time in the past few weeks than I usually get in a few years.  While at the cabin, we decided to take Rex swimming for the first time...and the poor thing was absolutely pathetic - truly the picture below says it all. A few days later my legs started to itch like crazy, and it looked like a mosquito was at an all you can eat buffet from my ankle to my knees.  Turns out I had lake itch (also known as swimmer's itch or gross). Between traumatizing Rex with the swimming episode and my lake itch, I've learned we're better off as indoor people :)

Rex "swimming"

Pleats & Stripes

Top & Skirt (Limited); Belt (Target); Shoes (Nine West)
Ryan Seidel Photography

Last week I was so jealous of all the cute back to school pictures I saw on facebook... it almost made me want a mini person of my own to dress up!  And while I'm no longer in school, that did no stop me from doing my own version of back to school shopping :)  And what better way to celebrate a new school year than a pleated skirt?  They were a staple of my grade school years... as were brown bag lunches that included a Little Debbie treat. The holiday themed ones were the best... and nothing beat the Christmas Trees Cakes.

PS. I am currently on the hunt for a mini backpack and doggy polo shirt so that Rex can join the fun next year :)

Friday Find: DIY

If you follow me on Pinterest, you may have already seen this. But after trying it for myself I can tell you with certainty it's as delicious as it looks.  Baileys Irish Cream with coffee ice cubes = genius!  I've always used my melting ice as a sign I needed to drink faster... but no more!  Just freeze any coffee in an ice cube tray (evidenced by the pic above I recommend having a dedicated coffee ice cube tray).  Next, throw a few coffee cubes in a glass of Baileys (imitation Baileys will not do).  And the last and most important step is enjoying as each sip gets better and better...

And yes I'm counting it as a DIY since I made the coffee :)

The One That Almost Got Away

 

Top (Loft); Pants (Target); Bag (Nine West find at Marshalls); Shoes (Jessica Simpson
find at Marshalls); Sunglasses (Old Navy); Watch (Fossil); Earrings (Nordstrom)
David Haas Photography

When I missed the floral pant boat earlier this year, I was crushed... The H&M pair I had my heart set on sold out in a flash.  So I told myself I'd pick up some cute floral shorts for summer and call it a day.  And when that didn't happen, I buried my floral dreams and mourned with a bottle of wine.... all the while telling myself I was much better off without them, that I could do better, and that I didn't need them in my life.  And only after I had completely gotten over them did they show up. And as those old feelings came back, I knew I had been lying to myself.  I needed floral pants just as much as I needed the other 15 unplanned items that left with me in my Target bag that day :)  

Improvise

Dress (Mercer & Madison find at Marshalls); Shoes (Target);
Necklace (Helen Ficalora "S" charm)

This dress is one of my favorite finds from Marshalls this year - the top is cotton and the bottom is linen, which means this dress is extremely comfortable. After putting it on, I felt like it needed a little something.  So I grabbed a black ribbon that was meant for another dress and voila! The perfect finishing touch.  I used to always get rid of the belts/brooches/buttons/and other random accessories that came with certain items... until I started finding uses for them with other pieces.  And I couldn't even tell you what dress this ribbon belt was intended for... Hopefully it enjoyed the new home :)

Labor Day

Today's post is dedicated to Rex... for which every day is a day off from work, responsibility, or anything in general he doesn't feel like doing.  Happy Labor Day! I hope you are Rex-ing it up :)  Amen to having Monday off, long weekends, and short work weeks!  As you can see, Rex is ready for fall fashion like the rest of us... for Fall 2012, red is the new black for dogs ;)

Friday Find

Neutrogena Rainbath Bath Gel (Ulta)

Every now and then a girl needs a new smell... How about a new smell that doubles as a body wash AND shaving gel?  Neutrogena rainbath was the product that got me out of my body wash rut.  It has the best energizing and spicy fragrance, and there's no soapy residue like other washes can leave.  Any product that helps save time by pulling double duty (especially during the morning routine) is worth a try!

No Thinking Required

Dress (Taylor find at Marshalls); Shoes (Ellen Tracy find at Marshalls); Bag (Naturalizer);
Earrings (Gift); Watch (Fossil);
Dave Haas Photography

When I was in high school, I used to lay out my clothes the day before (did anyone else do this?)... And while I don't technically still lay out my outfits, I usually have an idea of what I want to wear the next day.  I really try to avoid the dreaded morning routine of staring at my closet with glazed eyes and the clock tick tocking away.  On the inevitable mornings when I'm outfit clueless and need to be at work in the next 20 minutes - there is one go-to look that requires literally no thinking. Put on a dress and simply add shoes and an accessory, and you are guaranteed to look pulled together.  A dress really is a girl's best friend (please don't tell Rex I said that)!

Giving In

Tank & Hat (Target); Shorts (Loft); Shoes (Kohls)

We are nearly to Labor Day, and I can almost feel the scarves, tights, and sweaters... But summer isn't letting go without a sweaty fight. Here we go with another week in 90's,  and I'm almost out of oil absorbing blotting sheets!  And I know that fall doesn't actually start until late September - but kids are going back to school, outdoor concert series are winding down, and starting next week outdoor pools are closing for the season.  But fine.. I give in. But I swear starting next week I'm officially celebrating the unofficial start of fall (unless it's 85+ degrees again).

Looks Familiar

Top (Robin-K find at Marshalls); Skirt (JCPenney); Shoes (Nine West); Watch (Fossil)
Ryan Seidel Photography

As I was looking at these pictures.. they reminded me of another outfit.  This look is very similar to my  "work uniform" post from May.  I suppose if something isn't broke, don't fix it! My burgundy skirt loves to hang out with stripes...  And who am I to separate them?  I wore this to meet a friend for happy hour, which is something I certainly don't like being separated from.  I don't know what I would do without happy hour some days...  And Monday is a perfect day to start :)

Friday Find

 

Pinterest is the best, isn't it? Fabulous fashion inspiration.... beauty ideas... amazing recipes... and easy do it yourself crafts and home projects.  It's all fun and games until you have a rash from the honey and sour cream mask you put on your face in an effort to shrink your pores...  Enter Pintester.  She tests Pinterest pins and gives a full report on which ones are the real deal and which ones fail. And she's hilarious.  And you can even buy a "Pintester" shirt :) This site is a must visit!

Easy

Scarf (Banana Republic Outlet); Jeans (Target); Shoes (Kohls); Belt (H&M)

And by easy I mean lazy...  So lazy that I couldn't put a normal top on... So lazy that I couldn't put my contact lenses in.  I usually reserve my glasses for my bedtime attire, but my eyes were too tired to care. And in all actuality you are one step closer to seeing the real me. The real me who goes to bed at 9PM... who wears mismatched pajamas (and not the cute kind)... who wears glasses and pimple cream... and a mouth guard. I may as well also confess that I'm a huge Michael Bolton fan, and still get excited when I walk past a Disney store. Despite all this, I hope you will still be my friend :)