Self-Control

{Shop: Top, Jeans, Heels}
The other night I popped into Target to more or less waste time, as I was too early for an appointment. When I 'pop in' to Target I tell myself three things: no magazines, no clothing, no chocolate. Because I typically walk out with all three. Add a bottle of wine and I've got a really fun night ahead. You see what I mean? Someone has to set boundaries around here. As I was walking out the door, empty handed mind you, this little top jumped into my hands and somehow I ended up at the check out counter. It all happened so fast, the details are fuzzy so I can't really explain it. I could have been drugged, that is one theory. What really happened? We might never know. 
But just to prove that I do have self-control, no magazines or chocolate were endangered on this trip.

The End

{Shop: Similar Top, Similar Necklace, }

I know you aren't going to believe me but this is not my house or my balcony. Our house doesn't have a balcony, in fact I'm not even sure if we have an attic. But I am 99% sure we don't have a second floor. Of course who needs a second floor to have a balcony? I could just knock out our bedroom wall and put up some columns. And some of the huge lion statues, so people know we are high class. 

Hence, why I went with a style blog instead of a decor blog. 

This will round up my 30 for 30 summer remix.  (I'll try to post all 30 looks this week, promise.) I always feel like I just finished running a marathon after a 30 for 30. Although technically I've never run a marathon. I have run a full mile though. I know, you are impressed and probably thinking, 'how does this girl have time to run a whole mile once in her life and wear clothes?' 

It's a gift. 

Mellow Yellow

{Shop: Top, Similar Necklace, Sandals}

Sometimes when I dress in bright colors I actually forget that I'm wearing bright, attention-grabbing colors. Take today for instance, as I was walking up to the post office some girl in the reflection of the glass caught my eye. I thought "well that's some serious yellow going on." So I did a double take in the glass. Turns out, I was the girl. I'm not sure if that's a good sign when you start talking crap behind your own back...to yourself. 

This is also probably a sign I need more friends. That don't hang out at the post office. 

Blue Crush

{Shop: Similar Top, Similar Jeans, Heels, Watch (c/o Fossil)}
If you can't tell I really like this shirt. (Okay the last one is a different shirt but close enough.) There is something about this blue that gets me. It just reels me in like an ex-boyfriend then it dumps me for a younger girl and then calls me again the next day. DRAMA. 
Wow, that was weird. 
Moving on. I'm loving scarves this summer which is weird because normally I have a big question mark over my head (much like an Arby's sign when I'm thinking about roast beef) when I find pretty scarf. I love pretty vintage scarves but I never quite know what to do with them. I've done the head scarf, the neck scarf. And as a belt? Don't mind if I do. 
(PS -- Earrings are from Anthropologie two years ago. Dang.)

Loud and Clear

{Shop: Similar Skirt, Similar Bracelets, Purse, Heels, Necklace}

I'm not a particularly loud person. But when I put this outfit on I immediately felt like this combo was yelling "Can you see me? I'm over here!! Pass the ball!" (Ok, not 'pass the ball.' Sorry that was left over from my past life as a 7th grade basketball star .) It's cloudy out, which means it's the perfect day to draw attention to myself. I was getting tired of constantly waving my arms at people so that they'd notice me; wearing bright colors works so much better. 

I don't normally play favorites with my closet (that's like picking your favorite kids, right?), but this might be a new favorite outfit of mine. Comfortable and yet slightly loud. Perfect.

Off Subject

{Shop: Top, Skirt, Similar Clutch, Heels}
On subject: I like this skirt because it comes with a wide elastic waistband therefore I don't even need a belt. It's a lazy girl's dream come true.
Off subject: Have I ever told you about the time I let a girl fresh out of beauty school chop about 10 inches off of my hair? (She said short hair was her speciality. I was powerless.) It was supposed to look like Katie Holmes but instead I looked like a gourd with an ugly wig on*. (This round face can not do short hair. Don't argue with me.) Within minutes, I went from super long hair to hair that couldn't even be wrapped around a curling iron it was so short. As I braved work the next day, I hoped that I was wrong about the cut and that a few compliments would cheer me up.  And then no one said a word to me. No one. After about three months of growth did someone finally ask if I got my haircut. How do you know when you've got a bad haircut? When people don't even lie to your face about it. That's when you know. 
Since then I've let my hair grow with a few trims here and there, terrified of the shears. But looking at these photos I think it might be time for a trim. It's looking a little medieval up in here. 
The only good thing that came out of that haircut (besides the purchase of Jessica Simpson hair extensions, true story) was that's when I knew Bryan's love for me was real. We'd been married for about 2 months when this happened and every day he still told me I was beautiful. He either believed that or he was the only person kind enough to lie to my face. And that in my book is true love. 
(*There are no known photos of this tragedy. And if there were I'd burn their existence before anyone laid eyes on them.)

Fifth of May

{Shop: Dress, Similar Cardigan, Heels, Similar Belt}

Today is Cinco de Mayo. One of my favorite holidays to celebrate. (Megan Nielsen, if you are reading this I hope by now you've wikipedia'd 'Cinco de Mayo'.). I don't know why but it is. Maybe because margaritas and fajitas are involved (also my two favorite food-beverage rhyming pair). Maybe because I don't owe anyone a present. Maybe because I can walk around all day with my maracas and no one gives me trouble for once. 

Today we snapped a few photos at the park, where a field trip was taking place. You can't see them but there were hundreds of little faces snacking up on lunch. Didn't they know we had a photo shoot? Kids are just so selfish these days. I offered to give an impromptu career day talk on being a style blogger, but the kids declined.  I bet they all want to be doctors and lawyers. Sigh.


PS -- The bracelet is from Charming Charlie's, lots of locations but no online store : ( 
PPS -- I'm not really sad, I just like to use emoticons whenever possible :)

Good News, Bad News

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I feel like if today could talk it would have asked me "would you like the good news first or the bad?" I, being a pessimist, would have said "the good news first", because I could sit in bad news for days. "Good news -- it's only Tuesday, so there is plenty of time to get everything on your to-do list done. Bad news -- it's only Tuesday, so you have to get everything on your to-do list done. Also, there are dishes in the sink. Tough break kid."

But you know what isn't bad news? Pizza for dinner. Dishes in the sink, bad. Pizza in my mouth, good. And tomorrow is Wednesday. And I like my outfit. And my purse is hot pink. Things are already looking up and it's only Tuesday.

Mayberry

{Shop: Cardigan, Blouse, Pants, Similar Shoes}

Cute little street in town, I'd like you to meet my blog. I don't talk much about where I live unless it's to complain about it's lack of young people or not-so-fashion forward culture. But after living here for 3 years, I have to say that it's not so bad. The only traffic is at 5 pm when everyone gets off work which clears out by 5:15 pm.  If one place is busy on a Friday night, you can just go to the other place. If we had kids, I'd never worry about them playing outside or going to the park alone. And if I wanted to whip out my roller blades every once in a while, no one would look at me like I was crazy. For most people we're still in the 90s, so roller blades are still cool. That or they'd think that I invented them.

But besides that, I found this Kate Spade purse for $4 at the thrift store the other day. It's probably 10 years old and there's a few scratches on it, but the fact that this purse was marked $4 and a pleather purse from Wal-Mart was marked $5 sitting right next to it reminds me that this town isn't so bad after all. One man's trash, is another girl's Kate Spade. 

Creamsicle

{Shop: Sweater, Similar Skirt, Heels, Long Necklace, Circle Pendant}

I got a new skirt this weekend. I'll give you one guess what it looks like. If you said it was short and orange, you are right! If you said anything other than that, I'm not sure if I can help you. This pop quiz was pretty much pass or fail.

If you were wondering where I get my outfit inspirations from, mainly the things around me. You know, art, culture, the people I meet in life. Important influences like that. For instance, this outfit was inspired by this:

What? I'm hungry and it's grocery store day. Tomorrow I'm going to dress up as a turkey leg. Just you wait. 

Animal

{Shop:  Similar Jacket, Similar Shoes, Necklace}

At the Texas Style Council Conference a few weeks ago, Jen and I swapped a few items. So far I've worn it twice on my blog and I've slept in it every single night. It's the jacket I never knew I wanted. Kind of like when people say "you're the son/daughter I never had." But this is a jacket. So it's kind of different.

Breaking news: It's a good thing we already took photos today because I just got Nutella on my shirt. I was making a Nutella sandwich. What's that you ask? That's when you take a spoonful of Nutella and place it in between two other spoonfuls of Nutella. Delicious and healthy.*

*Depends on what your definition of healthy is. My definition includes Nutella.