I
hate strongly dislike being cold. I also
hate strongly dislike limiting my brightly colored pieces to being worn only in the summer. Putting these two together is what drives me to create outfits for each season by adding layers to my summer pieces. It's a pretty formulaic way for me to use my clothes more effectively while keeping my look fresh. If you read
my post on overcoming 12 months of insecurity, you saw the spring version of this outfit and since then, I've been able to rework the same pink and orange pieces to use even as the weather turned chilly. I've found that extra layers of denim and khaki always add interest and texture. Next year, I could go with a different colored cardigan and work through the whole formula again to create an entirely new group of outfits. Cool, yeah?
This is me in a strong state of delirious happiness, looking like a real life Stepford wife (minus the mind control thing) thanks to the fabulous company
eShatki. Their dresses are completely customized to your height, size and style preference (a treasure trove for you tall ladies who can never find dresses long enough). And this isn't just a cotton dress. It's made from shantung silk so not only is the print divine, but the feel is super luxurious.
YOUR TURN: Is the possibility of being able to buy customized clothes appealing to you?
J.Crew skirt | Land's End Canvas Blouse | H/M Trench | c/o RedEnvelope | Nine West Wedges
Eleven Things To Do This Summer
1. Watch a baseball game from decently close seats.
2. Go camping with my boys (the real kind...you know, with a tent and all...and maybe an air mattress).
3. Figure how to put the Pinterest
hover button on my blog images without destroying the HTML code.
4. Read 35 new books (re-reads don't count).
How I wish Marie Lu's Champion came out this summer...
5. Get my household packed for our family's big move.
6. Ride a roller coaster.
7. Make homemade banana ice-cream to drown in peanut butter sauce.
8. Fly a kite.
9. Go biking along the Riverwalk in Indianapolis.
10. Refashion the unworn clothes in my closet to create fancy
new duds as opposed to buying more fancy new duds that turn into unworn clothes in my closet.
11. Create an photo book of the summer on Shutterfly.
The grosgrain ribbon can be as wide or narrow as you want. I used 2.5 inch wide ribbon for this project. A wider ribbon would make your tuxedo strip more visible from the front or back.
LOFT Dress | Aeropostale Jacket | Nine West Wedges | La Mer Watch | FOSSIL bag
There isn't much that can make me feel inadequate.
Yeah, there's that geometry thing, and the confidence thing, and then the whole manage-the-household-and-do-the-laundry-while-planning-balanced-meals-and-cooking-every-day thing.
But really, nothing makes me feel inadequate quite like the responsibility of being a mom to these three human lives...these little souls who look to me with complete trust to make the most basic decisions for them.
I wonder that I'll be able to teach them how to have meaningful conversation, how to speak truth without bullying and help them discover their skill-set.
How do I help them to become and emerge and transcend....when I'm trying to do those very things myself? A mother's dream that she will one day be humbled by the feats of her children--that by lifting them on her shoulders to learn from her mistakes and triumphs they can reach beyond her to accomplish more extravagant deeds.
It seems to me on Mother's Day I should be giving them gifts that show how crazy blessed I feel to be a part of their lives....little tokens of praise that say thanks for stickin' with me through my bumbling attempts to get this right.
Because I really do want to get it right.
J.Crew skirt | Land's End Canvas Shirt | Steve Madden flats | FOSSIL bag | AE watch
It's over. I've made the jump. I'm all spring colors and light-weight fabrics--no matter the temperature. There's only so much room in a girl's wardrobe for the winter and summer clothes to co-exist (especially the 2x5 hole I call a closet).
Out with the old, in with the new. Actually it's probably more like what's old is new again, considering I got my inspiration for this color combination from a photo of one of my mom's full-on flower-power dresses. But who cares where the freshness comes from if it's crazy awesome? Just sayin'...
J.Crew Skirt | LOFT sweater | H/M Coat | Nine West Boots | FOSSIL bag | Target Watch
Eight inches of snow for Easter week in my fair town. Not kidding. Rather than searching for Easter eggs, we'll be letting the kiddos and our dog, Zeus, out for a romp in the snow. Maybe they can make snow bunnies instead of snowmen. I mean, who said traditions can't be broken?
But seriously, no one will be wearing white.
Old Navy Skirt | GAP button-up | J.Crew Cardi | Nine West Boots | Target Watch | FOSSIL Maddox Bag
I'm still a DIYer...I promise.
It's just that after doing one sewing project a day during 20-ish straight days for
The Chic Girl's Guide, I sorta got burnt out on the whole sewing thing--but just sorta, so don't worry. I'll totally have more DIY projects comin' your way. It's just taking my a moment to ease myself back into a sewing routine.
In the meantime, I wanna congratulate EMILIE LEACH for winning the Shabby Apple Giveaway!
Kristina J. Copyright 2014
