2013. linens and things.

blythe blouse by j.crew. corey lynn calter muslin skirt. swedish hasbeens super high clogs. apolis market bag.

polka dots are like potato chips; i can’t have just one. this skirt has quickly become one of my favorite pieces to wear to school. it pairs well with blouses, sweaters, and tees.

in college i never wore muslin skirts and dresses. they were too sheer and my younger, clueless self didn’t know much about slips and camisoles. now the older, wiser me thanks the heavens for them (and corey lynn calter for the polka dots).

the look | similar top | similar skirt | shoes | bag

2013. ugly duckling.

stitched cardigan by madewell. band of gypsies dress. tory burch reva flats. rebecca minkoff bombe bag.

i present my friday and saturday outfit. the dress is a “house dress” i.e. it’s too flouncy for school but it’s decent with shorts.

i like my big brown cardigan, but michael does not. i met him for happy hour on friday and he said, “are you really wearing that ugly sweater?” after his remark, i consoled the sweater by telling it that he had a bad day and felt like taking it out on someone. i bought the sweater ice cream. just kidding.

instead i wore the sweater two days straight. don’t mess with the way i dress.

the look | similar sweater | similar dress | similar flats

2013. gingham style.

silk gingham boyshirt c/o austin madewell. dalmation print skirt (found on ebay). pour la victoire wedges.

michael calls this shirt my picnic shirt for obvious reasons. he likes muted plaids and i like megaphone ones.

somehow i received birthday dates two nights in a row. we went out for sushi on tuesday and cheeseburgers on wednesday. if it wasn’t supposed to rain this weekend, i would aim for a picnic on saturday. but i’ll settle for extra cake.

the look | blouse | similar skirt | shoes

2013. with lemon.

henley blouse c/o LOFT. corey lynn calter muslin skirt. wanted sandals. pendleton canyonville tote.

in high school my friends and i frequented places like applebee’s for easy friday or saturday night dinners. a meal rang up at less than ten dollars, leaving extra money for a movie or a magazine at the bookstore.

in college i discovered hole-in-the-wall, mom-and-pop, and star-of-the-show kind of restaurants. these places had thick tablecloths, candlelights, and wine glasses. these places had water with lemon!

now you can get water with lemon almost anywhere. one of our favorite restaurants in town offers it with lime, orange, or grapefruit. in the back of my head, i remember that it’s just water, but i chuckle at how a very simple thing can appear quite posh.

this outfit was monday’s ensemble… with lemon. :o)

the look | blouse | similar skirt | similar sandals

2013. a walk outside.

denim jacket by billy blues (thrifted). silk dotty dress by madewell. wanted sandals. missibaba bag.

after several evenings in the 30’s, spring is here— for the moment, anyway. the weather treated us to a beautiful sunny day with legendary texas blue skies.

everyday we take turns walking sophie. michael walks her in the mornings, and i walk her after school. on cold days, we bundle up and scurry in and out. on warm days, we mosey around other people’s yards and scowl at loud airplanes (more her than me). i can’t help but giggle watching her trot-trot-trot back home.

a walk outside is good for the soul. it’s just a teensy bit better with a funny pug.

the look | similar jacket | similar dress | similar sandals

2013. bookworm.

express tricot sweater (thrifted). LOFT skirt (found on ebay). tory burch reva flats. pendleton canyonville tote.

remember my navy polka dot skirt that ripped? i snagged a lookalike on ebay. awwww yeah!

i always know my bangs are getting long when michael tells me, “you’ve got helmet hair.” it was a fitting observation for superbowl sunday. i wore the outfit to the grocery store for football food, and today i wore it to school.

over the weekend i bought two new lipsticks (the coral shade is sienna by boots) and one book (the fault in our stars by john green). after super bowl sunday comes bookworm monday with a glamorous grin.

the look | similar sweater | similar skirt | similar flats | bag

2013. spotify.

betsy sweater by j.crew. dalmation print skirt (found on ebay). lotta from stockholm clogs. pendleton canyonville tote.

can you tell i love my pendleton bag? it’s big enough for a house (a dollhouse) and an army (a fleet of clipboards and books). i’m so glad santa got it for me. he’s got a good eye, that santa. :o)

i wore this outfit earlier in the week to school. we’re experiencing a warm spell which means skirts and sandals for everyone (well, at least for me). i love boots and jeans but i’ve enjoyed picking out different clothes. you can’t go wrong with lots of dots.

hope you have a great weekend!

the look | similar sweater | similar skirt | shoes | bag

2012. pep in my step.

polka dot peplum tee from target. high-rise jeggings by paige. pour la victoire boots. rebecca minkoff bombe bag.

i usually stay away from peplum tops because they look awkward on my body (height + long torso + shortened blouse = odd), but as you can see, i haven’t given up on the trend altogether. i found the adorable shirt while shopping for advent calendar goodies for michael. a cute fiancée counts as a present, right?

when michael was little, his mom bought him advent calendars with chocolates behind the doors. i came home from target and told him that he could not, better not, under any circumstances come into the dining room while i assembled his calendar. after i packed up everything, i realized that i created a countdown (numbers backwards) instead of a traditional advent. that’s what i get for being bossy.

the look | tee | similar jeans | similar boots

2012. shining sea.

tommy hilfiger cardigan. polka dot tie-neck dress by j.crew. vintage judith lieber belt. gloria wedges by bed stu.

i wore this patriotic outfit to school a couple of weeks ago during one of our warm spells (which linger and languish at their own whim). the other day angela (of notes from the dressing room) told me, “i can’t believe you’re wearing open-toed shoes in november!” i can’t believe it either. but when it turns cold in texas, it will turn cold and stay cold. it hasn’t made it around the bend yet.

this weekend, M and i plan on decorating the house a bit. our pre-lit tree has served us for many years. we’re considering a new tradition of having a real fir tree. M and i both work, and i feel wary shopping for trees at night. is that strange? i want to see them in the sun, fluff their branches and needles, and check how nicely they stand. do you have any tree buying tips for us?

p.s. if we find a great tree, we will donate the old one to a preschool.

the look | similar cardigan | similar dress | similar wedges