Weekend Report

{Shop: Dress, Heels, Tote, Necklace, Watch (c/o Fossil)}
How was everyone's weekend? (It's Monday, right? I didn't accidentally sleep through until Tuesday by any chance, did I? Because I would be fine with that.)  How was my weekend? I'm so glad you asked. We shot a pretty little wedding, ate dinner with my internet lover/graphic design superstar Kathleen and ended up cleaning out some closets and drawers at our house. Spring cleaning in August, you say? Last year we didn't start until November, so we are ahead of schedule this time around. While cleaning closets out, I had a hoarder moment when B forced me to give up an old heating pad and space heater. I cried, you guys. (All you Judge Judy's can keep your thoughts to yourself, I have poor circulation in the winter, ok?)
 And now for the real reason you are here: my outfit. Bright, exciting, crazy. Exactly what my 1st grade report card said about me as a student, along with 'she really likes lunch.'

Saturday Best

{Shop: Similar Dress, Heels, Purse, Watch (c/o Fossil)}

Saturday's are always tricky for me. What I want to does not involve getting dressed. I simply do not need real clothes on to go get coffee, or go to the grocery store or to lay around and watch 'Teen Mom' all day. But today we ended up in Austin for my friends' vintage pop-up shop. This meant only one thing: I had to get dressed. Even worse -- I had to take a shower. Saturday's should not involve effort, but for them I make this sacrifice.  

I've already made a promise with all of the cast members of Teen Mom to catch up next weekend. I'll wear my Saturday best --a ratty t-shirt and running shorts. (That I don't actually wear to run in so I shall call them my 'lazy-ass shorts'. There that's better.) 

The Long and Shorts of It

{Shop: Similar Shirt, Similar Shorts, Bracelet, Tote, Wedges, Watch}
This post is going to be short for two reasons: a) I've used all of my words and have no more for today (I have a limited vocabulary ok?) and b) I came up with the title of this post before I came up with the actual post. This is very dangerous timing, you see. As now I'm so focused on the title I can't think of any more words. You just come here for the pictures anyway, right? 
Long story short, somedays it's easier to get dressed than to write about it. It's also easier to be naked than write. Just throwing that out there. 

Honey, I Shrunk This Dress

{Shop: Cardigan, Heels, Similar Purse}
I'm pretty sure that I shrunk this dress. This is why I don't do laundry -- I hurt, not help. Sure everything looks clean, but it's also two inches shorter than when it was dirty. I should have just left it alone. Granted I read the tag after I pulled it out from the dryer and it said "do not dry...or else." I wish they would have said "...or else it will shrink and you will look skanky." But I've come to realize that I can't get everything I want, even if it is explicit instructions with color, comic-style photos on a laundry tag. 
How was everyone's weekend? Explosive? A blast? See what I did there with the fireworks tie in? You guys are quick, I tell ya. 

Lazy is the new Effort

{Shop: Similar Vest, V-Neck, Skirt, Wedges, Necklace, Bag ((c/o Ellington)}


I thought that I'd tone my outfit down for your computer screens today. I'm sure you don't want my outfits burned into your monitors, now do you? I didn't think you did, so neutrals it is today. Except for my lipstick. Let me keep my bright lipstick. 
You know what I like best about this outfit? I didn't have to iron it. That's right out of every element, I like that no effort was put in other than putting it on. Not one thing did I have to iron. And from the way that I hang my clothes, that's impressive. (Because I don't hang up my clothes, that's why it's impressive.) I'm kidding -- I hang up every article of clothing before it hits the ground. My closet is immaculate, I cook a delicious dinner every night and every morning little birds wake me up with a song as they pull back the curtains in my room with their little beaks. 
Only one of those things is a lie. I'll let you decide which one.

Piece of Art

{Shop: Similar Blazer, Similar Jeans, Heels, Watch (c/o Fossil), Clutch (c/o Melie Bianco)}
When I saw this blouse, I died a little inside. (The Rachel Zoe kind of dying, mind you. All of my organs are still working thus far.) It's not only a watercolor inspired blouse, it's a freaking piece of art. Who does that? J.Crew Outlet does, my friends. High class, low cost. That's how I roll. 
But then I wore it. And I felt very...flashy? Flamboyant? Over the top? I was with my mom when I wore it and I asked "Do I look like Liberace's daughter in this top?" She took one look at me and said "No. You look like my daughter in that top. Where'd you get the shirt from? It's fabulous." 
I can't fight it, flashy is just in my genes.

You likey?

{Shop: Dress, Similar Vest, Watch (c/o Fossil), Heels}

I did something kind of strange today. I started a Facebook page devoted to all things Kendi Everyday because someone suggested that I make one. (I do anything someone suggests. I've got an appointment at 3:30 to go jump off a bridge.) There isn't any content on there yet, but don't worry -- the internet shrine will be built in no time. So Rome wasn't built in a day, but I'm not really going for the whole 'take-over the world' feel for my page. So if you like people to bombard your status updates all the time, then 'like' (or whatever it's called now if you are reading this in the future. Also, are we in space cars yet?) my Facebook page. I promise to post no less than 25 times a day. You want cell phone shots of what I ate for breakfast, lunch, dinner, AND 4th meal? Done, facebook-style.

On a side note, I totally swiped this outfit right from under this girl's feet. Sometimes stealing is necessary. Breaking and entering, not okay, but outfit theft is totally acceptable.

Ikat?

{Shop: Skirt, Heels, Watch (c/o), Similar Necklace}

I wore this outfit a while back (but I didn't blogged it, so it didn't happen). When B asked what I was wearing today, I said "you know my ikat skirt that I wore the other day." First mistake: using the term 'the other day.' I'd like to flatter and tell myself that he remembers every great outfit that I wear, but this is a lie. (No hard feelings though, B.) The second mistake was using the word "ikat." If you would like to see total male confusion, use a vague name that doesn't remotely describe the pattern but kind of sounds like a new Apple invention. Even better? Ask him to spell it. I almost told him that tomorrow I'm wearing my idog skirt, but that would just have been cruel.

(PS -- My necklace came from a boutique I worked at in college. Besides a rogue Britney Spears cd and a bachelors degree, it's the only thing that remains intact from my college years.)

Is this real life?

{Shop: Similar Blazer, Similar Jeans, Heels}
First let me start this off by saying this doesn't really happen in real life. This referring to my pink blazer. I typically don't find something so awesome in a thrift store that I've been coveting in real life. This is not the luck I have, trust me. And if I do find it, it typically does not fit, it's too expensive or it has a huge stains on it. But this pink blazer happened, my friends. I don't know who I've made happy in thrifting karma, but it's coming full circle. 
I wanted this pink blazer from Zara but just couldn't bring myself to buy it. Lo and behold some little lady had given this jacket up. Had she not given it up I'd probably wrestled her down on a street and taken it from her. I do have standards but I am not above wrestling an old lady for a fitted pink blazer. 
Low standards are still standards after all.  

Almost Vintage

{Shop: Tote, Heels, Earrings}

I feel a bit like bleubird vintage today. Maybe it's the hair, the three adorable kids I have with me or the fact that I'm wearing a might-be vintage dress that my mother kindly hemmed for me. (She's cheap too, she let me pay in hugs and hand-me-downs.) Either way, I like it.

When I first started reading style blogs, I was fascinated -- literally fascinated-- with the way bloggers would wear thrifted or vintage items without looking like Mildred, the previous owner. And while I had thrifted before, I was always on the lookout for ironic t-shirts to wear to my college class, as to look like I didn't care, but I did, but I didn't. All the while I had no idea there were beautiful vintage dresses, blouses, skirts, shoes just waiting to be worn.

I've never thought of my style as vintage, maybe a few pieces here or there could pass but let's be honest -- current trends make my heart double beat. But I've always loved the way some girls can make a vintage dress look so modern and beautiful. And while I loved and envied their style, I've always thought that's just not my style.

Not to get all blogmotional on you, but thinking back just two years ago I would have never picked up this dress. I would have never thought "take some inches off the bottom, grab a wide belt and we've got ourselves an outfit." And yet a few weeks ago, I picked this dress up and knew immediately how to wear it. More often than not I still feel like the girl who looks longingly onto blogs, thinking "can I do that?" So as a reader of style blogs, I say thank you to all the girls who inspire me and so many others to try something new. Turns out that you can teach an old blog new tricks.

Go-To Outfit

{Shop: Similar Blazer, Dress, Heels, Purse}
I've decided that a blazer and a dress is my easiest go-to outfit when it's Monday and I'm tired and I can't even remember why I'm awake. Turns out that it is also Kristen Wiig's go-to outfit in 'Bridesmaids' which we saw yesterday. (Hilarious movie, go see it right this minute.) And as I was watching the screen thinking "I love her outfit" the girl next to me leans over to her friend and gingerly says "I hate how she wears those blazers! It's so annoying." But then again she also said that Don Draper was ugly, so I'm not sure about the validity of her opinions.
Today we had about 4 minutes to get about 20 photos due to high winds and a rogue skater boy/boi. Good thing I've spent years wasting time watching America's Next Top Model and copying the poses in my mirror. Who needs to read books when I've got the smize to practice? Not this girl. 

Emerald

{Shop: Maxi Dress, Similar Blazer, Wedges, Clutch}
I'm pretty sure that I'm having the best hair day ever. I don't think you understand -- the best hair day I've ever had, ever. There was this one day in 6th grade that could rival this 'do, but from what my memory can dig up, I think today is the winner. I know why my hair looks so good, too. It's because I keep threatening to cut it or get bangs. So listen up hair, if tomorrow doesn't look this good I'm going to go all Rihanna on you. 
Over the weekend, I was in Dallas. Meaning I was at a Gap. It was a 40% off sale, I couldn't not go. That would be like someone inviting you to a wedding and not going even though you were in town. That's just mean. I'd hate to hurt Gap's feelings, so I lightly browsed for a few minutes and ended up with this dress and a pair of shorts. Shopping is at once my strength and my weakness. 
Also, there was someone standing right around the corner of this wall. I'm not sure if it was more awkward for him or for us. But to make myself and my hair feel better I'm going to go with him. 

Math Lessons

{Shop: Tank, Similar Blazer, Jeans, Wedges}
These pants are 50/50 on so many levels. 50% cool and modern, then on the other hand 50% grandma pleats from 1984. But 50% cool are still really good odds, especially for me. I typically hover around 34% cool most days, so I feel great in these pants. That's a 16% increase in overall coolness. I also bought them for 40% off. 
Did you get all that? I'm 16% cooler than I was yesterday. Math lesson for today complete. 
Today has been eventful.  I woke up. Then I accidentally flirted with a 19 year old and got a free espresso. Then I was stopped in a parking lot and asked "Honey, how do you walk in those shoes?" I hope you've used your best southern accent when you read that question, because I'm pretty sure this lady was Paula Dean's sister. I answered coyly with "One step at a time." She didn't find me humorous, she just slowly nodded and walked away. I actually think that she was concerned about the welfare of my ankles. And anyone who is kind enough to be concerned about my ankles is a friend of mine. Even if she was a bit judge-y.
(Admittedly I should have included this video the first time around. To the mom's of the 90's, I apologize in advance.)