On the way to College Station last weekend, Gulley and I discussed many important topics in between threatening our kids with a babysitter if they didn’t start acting right. We covered the economy, the Dow Jones Industrial average, who we like best on American Idol, our hair, and, of course, fashion.
The fashion topic of chief concern was regarding what to wear during the summer when it’s so hot that you want to take off your skin and sit around in your bones. In a pool of ice. While drinking an ice cold Diet Coke. With a fan blowing on you.
Maybe it’s just me, but I get tired of wearing shorts every day and I’m over capri pants. Now don’t freak out and send me a bunch of emails declaring your love for capris. I realize the capri is here to stay and I even own a few pairs, but I’m tired of them. I have decided that I like nothing better in the summer (other than Dreyers Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup ice cream) than a cotton dress or a skirt with a tank or tee.
So on Tuesday, Gulley and I headed to Nordstrom Rack on a quest to find her a few cotton summer dresses and we succeeded. That’s the good news.
The bad news is that later on in the day we went into Forever 21 and I hate to even type this out for fear of defiling my blog, but they were selling acid-washed jeans. Look, I realize these are hard times we’re living in right now, but do we really want to add acid-washed denim to the wealth of all the things that have gone wrong in 2009?
Let’s keep some dignity, people. And shame on you, Forever 21, for stooping to this level.
Now for the questions:
1. Emily asks: “What I should wear to my graduation from Texas A&M next month? Note, my cap and gown will be black so I’m thinking black shoes are a necessity.
Congratulations on your graduation, Emily! It’s such an important day because not only will you be getting your diploma, but you’ll be posing for pictures that will be around for a long time. If there is ever a time that you don’t want to commit a fashion faux pas, this is it.
Unfortunately, I chose to wear some really ugly black heels to my graduation and when I look at pictures from that day all I see are those bad shoes at the bottom of my gown. I don’t know what I was thinking, but it’s never a good idea to wear shoes that make your feet look like an isosceles triangle.
Just consider that bit of wisdom an early graduation present.
I love this retro black and white poppy dress. I realize it’s a little pricey and I’m almost certain College Station doesn’t have a White House Black Market store, but it’s a good guideline. If I were you, I’d go search the racks at TJ Maxx and some other discount stores to see what you can find.
I also saw this dress at Macy’s the other day and thought it was adorable. Sadly, it’s a little much for a trip to HEB.
The important thing is to look for something that you’ll actually wear again at some point. There’s nothing worse than buying a dress that you only wear one time, except, of course, shoes that make your feet look like isosceles triangles.
Hope that helps.
2. Courtney asks: “I am the proud mother of a beautiful 4 month old son. I am also now sporting the “pouch” that many women experience post-pregnancy. As I work to lose this mushy belly, I am in the need of some clothes that will help me to not still look 6 months pregnant. I’m slender everywhere else – I just need to hide this tummy!
The hand of fashion is smiling down on you because there are plenty of items to be found that will hide the mushy belly. I know this because I am still wearing those items even though my baby is now five and a half.
Don’t judge me, sit-ups are hard.
I love stuff like this top because you can wear it with jeans or shorts depending on how you feel. Not to mention that it covers a multitude of postpartum sins. You could also look for something like this darling ruffled dress.
Try to find things that are loose around your mid-section because, sadly, it takes a lot of crunches to get back into pre-pregnancy shape. Not that I know this from experience, it’s just what I’ve heard.
I actually did a short clip on BlogHer’s latest Backtalk video about what happens to your body post-pregnancy. You can go watch it here if you want and please keep in mind that the video camera causes me to have a horrible lisp. IT’S NOT MY FAULT.
At leatht I don’t think it ith.
3. MIchelle asks: “My husband and I are going to Boston this summer to celebrate our fifth anniversary. We are doing a lot of sightseeing, but I don’t want to walk around Fenway Park and Harvard in shorts, tennis shoes and a fanny pack. Any suggestions on casual day wear?”
I’m proud of your fashion instincts regarding the fanny pack. Well done.
I’ve already stated my love of the cotton dress/skirt/tee or tank option. I think it looks a little nicer than shorts and can be dressed up or down with jewelry and shoes. I’ve never been to Boston in the summer or, well…ever, but I believe the summer sandal is universally acceptable.
I’d look for a cute pair of comfortable flip-flops or sandals for the trip and maybe some type of messenger bag that you can carry instead of a purse or the dreaded fanny pack.
Hope y’all have fun. I hear Boston is lovely. In fact, I almost went to Harvard except for the fact that I had a hard time passing Algebra II.
That’s it for this week. I think next week will be dedicated to swimwear because a lot of people are trying to figure out how they can hide their entire body at the pool.
In the meantime, I’m putting up Mr. Linky if you have anything to add. Please link to your specific post.
Y’all have a great Friday.
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Loved this…and I’m totally with you on the skirt and tee. Or a cotton dress…good stuff for summer. But, girl, I laughed out loud at your comment about not wanting to add acid-washed jeans to the list of things that have gone wrong in 2009!!! You are so funny…and so right!!!
Thanks for the laughs to start my day…now I’m off to work…cracking up!
Blessings,
Kelly Gerken
The Beauty of Sufficient Grace
You always have such funny and practical advice. I always start my day with a dose of BigMama and a tall diet coke.
A word about graduation: if it’s outdoors, beware wearing white underneath a black robe. My entire graduating class was spotted black after sitting in the sun and having our cheap polyester robes dye us black. Beware.
This is for Michelle:
My husband and I went to Boston last summer for our honeymoon. It was SUCH a wonderful city to visit. The sights were great, the food was amazing, and the shopping was wonderful. It was a great time. I found it to be comfortable as well. I am a mid-west girl and as we all know the mid west is not the best place to be if you want the cutting edge of fashion. Yet, I found that I was not out of place in any of the longer length shorts or cute tops that I had taken. People in Boston dressed more practically than I thought people would on the East Coast, so don’t sweat it too much. I did however have a shoe problem. I took a few different pairs of what I thought would be comfortable shoes. I even took a really nice pair of reef sandals. Bad news for me is that I had blisters the first day. SO… new hubby and I went to Faneuil Hall/Quincy Market Place to the Crocks store and bought these sandals.
http://shop.crocs.com/pc-109-4-capri.aspx?navcategories=3,121
They were the best purchase. I wore them for all of the walking and then slipped into something more delicate for the evenings out.
Just as a side note, you must eat in the Italian district. You HAVE to go to Mike’s Pastries. HAVE FUN!!!
Thanks! I love the bag, especially. By the way, I just watched the Backtalk while finishing my cup of coffee, and I so appreciate your words! I just weaned my daughter and for my birthday I told my husband I wanted nothing other than to go to Victoria’s Secret and have a “pick me up!”
You make me laugh but there’s always the underlying truth that goes along with your posts. You had me a long time ago with your advice about the jean pool. Someone linked up to a Fashion Friday with an amazingly thorough research post about avoiding the Mom Jeans Look. If anyone can find that link, email me at beverly at gmail.com. I’ve searched and searched and it’s driving me nuts. Loved it.
I heart you. PLEASE find me a swimsuit I can hide it.
So glad some others like the tank and skirt or cotton dress option in the summer. It’s been my comfort zone for the last couple years!
I heart TJ Maxx. Great finds there if you have the perseverance to dig through the racks.
I am right there with you on the acid washed jeans. The 80′s were horrible for fashion and I am wondering why they keep trying to resurrect these ugly clothes. I do notice the only ones that really wear these clothes are people born in the late 80′s and 90′s who never really had to wear these clothes when they were younger.
The really sad news about those acid washed jeans? My neighbor girl next door has been wearing them. She’s 17…I guess she doesn’t know any better. Poor thing. You do keep me laughing Big Mama
Love, love, love the white and black dress.
-FringeGirl
Oh my goodness. Those jeans do not look good on the model. You know that’s a bad sign.
Love the black and white dress, but my husband would WHINE if I paid that much for a dress.
I read your Fashion Friday weekly and finally decided to link up:) Great finds! Happy friday!
I am having the EXACT same situation as Courtney..4 month old…and flabby stomach! Thanks for the help!!!
Oh the heavens opened on me today when I saw the flabby stomach problem. When I first had Jayci my hubby told me to be less hard on myself. After all, it took me 9 months to put the weight on, I needed to give myself at least 9 months to take it back off. . . . Unfortunately she is now almost 8 months old and those last 5 pounds are still hanging RIGHT around my belly region.
I’m a hopeless copier and have started doing Fashion Fridays myself. My post today is about “green” fashion. I started it on a whim and got sucked in…There are some really cute options for those skirts and dresses you’re touting!
May I suggest that you and Courtney NOT read my link about my latest experience at Gap and the SIZE TWO new mother. UGH!!!
The sad thing is that I’m not a mother and I’m much larger than she is. (Uncontrollable weeping.)
Seriously, when I saw those acid washed jeans, I threw up a little bit in my mouth…
Forgot to mention–the only thing worse than acid-washed jeans is SKINNY acid-washed jeans.
Some designers obviously hate women. Of course, I can’t stand Forever 21 anyway.
so with you on the cool summer skirts…with my hot flashes this is the way to go
Oh dear…my dd goes to 4ever21…hope she doesn’t buy the acid washed…yuck.
Although, she’s pretty much a summerdress girl, too, so may I don’t need to worry
No not the acid wash jeans! those are awful!
Love that skirt and tanks are good b/c that is my favorite look!
Why is that francescas never has anything in stock? Cute stuff!
I am with you on the capris, Big Mama. Walking shorts, dresses, or skirts, girls.
A friend of mine was at the park the other day, and she said that all she saw was a sea of stretchy capri pants with (get this) socks and tennis shoes. She said it was like the Mom Jean for summer.
Aaaaaack.
I say, “STOP THIS MADNESS!”
Just because you’re a mom doesn’t mean you can’t have style.
Speaking for all the women who are NOT a size 10 or less, capris are a lifesaver in summer. Nothing is worse than the “upper inner thigh boil” a less than svelte person gets from a hot summer day and legs chaffing against each other! Not a happy thought (and a less happy mental vision) but reality is reality – and for the other 80% of us (yes, I made that number up – I am “high potential” for writing for ANY magazine in the line to check out at HEB…) a skirt or dress is just not gonna happen! So capris are our lifesaver in summer – long enough to keep the “friction down” and “dimple city” at bay/short enough to allow SOME air circulation!
Pairing a nice pair of capri chinos with a cute pair of sandals (FitFlops in my case – flat feet have their own set of issues in the cute shoe world) become my uniform without LOOKING uniform.
I’m just sayin….
OH my goodness!!! When I’m on camera, I talk with a lisp too!!!!!!! Not that I thought you did at all, just noting the connection. Its like I wish I could put an asterisk in my home videos that I don’t talk like that it real life!!!!! I won’t even leave messages on peoples voicemail because I’m afraid it won’t translate right! lol.
MMmmkay, here’s where I have a SERIOUS fashion question:
LOVE, LOVE the little cotton dresses. Because, let’s face it, The South + The Summer = Massive Sweating.
However, I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW how you avoid, er….”brush fire” when you wear such dresses.
And don’t even THINK of suggesting exercise. Seriously. I’ve been reading you long enough to know that THAT isn’t an option.
You crack me up! I am eagerly awaiting your swimsuit post next Friday, please make sure to spend extra time explaining how to cover the buttocks area….!
P.S. Just thought I would let you know that ever since you mentioned that wearing workout gear to town, WHENYOU’RENOTWORKINGOUT!, is okay…I have completely and wholeheartedly been following that rule. And a great one it is. I went yard-sale/ing? this am and sported my cute, comfy workout gear. Thanks for the comfort you have allowed me and my mid-section.
You must have read my mind about the acid washed jeans! I just had that same converesation at lunch with friends today! It was a bad look then and it is a bad look now! But oh how I heart a skirt and a tank or a cotton dress!!
Acid washed jeans are awful.
What’s worse than acid washed jeans?
PURPLE acid washed jeans.
I’ve lost a lot of respect for Target.
So I loved the about taking off your skin, sitting in your bones with an ice cold diet coke and a fan….thats sounds like a good ole regular Texas summer day! And make that a 44ounce diet coke…ahhh heck go all out with the 64 ounce
So I too just went last week to Forever 21 and was appalled that I tried to find a simple jersey dress and found nothing but ugly neon pink, yellow and splatter paint, yes splatter paint shirts…What the heck?! The 80′s are a time we should NOT bring back…but I did find some super sweet strappy sandals for $8! EIGHT BUCKS!!! I’ll let the neon stuff slide for now…
And I’m pumped about the swimsuit edition. HELP ME OUT WITH A TAN!!
(I would love to see the post on post partum bodies but I couldn’t pull it up??)
Thanks for the laughs!
I loved your video. No lisp, *awesome* hair, hilarious insight. *That* ought to be your weekly column–video is obviously your friend.
I hope you can see this cartoon I found. No, I guess I can’t copy it to these comments. I’ll have it on my blog and you will not be sorry going to see it. My friend from Sweden sent it to me and I laughed so hard I got wheezy.
I too love the idea of a cute summer dress and crave getting a new one. Except right now I can’t see me running after my 2 year old in a cute dress and breast feeding my 6 month old might be harder. But once these kids are a little older I’m breaking out.
I feel like the fashions this summer are a lot better. I’ve found a number of cute things at Old Navy and I’ve hated most of their things for the last year so I’m glad for this turn of events.
And you are so right, acid washed jeans? Sounds like someone took a hit of acid if they are bringing those back.
I love the concept of a casual skirt and tank, but I have a hard time finding one that I like on me. I can’t wear the ruffly peasant type skirts, I determined last summer. I’m much more suited to a pencil skirt, but it’s hard to find those in casual wear that aren’t like 2 or 3 inches above the knee — not a good look for a 36-y/o mom of 3. I prefer knee-length for modesty reasons and for my body type (I’m short waisted – something about a shorter skirt doesn’t work so well with my proportions.)
At any rate, I’d love to go to Nordstrom Rack someday with you and Gulley and get you to dress me!
Dear Acid Washed Jeans,
The 80′s called and said you would live to regret it.
Melanie, you always make us laugh!
Thanks!
I so want to be there with all you other southerners, complaining about the heat. It was 48 degrees one day this week. That was the high…. But all that said, I’d be at wits end if they did away with capris. They are in fact the only pants I’ve ever had that were long enough and thats just because they’re purposely too short. But I do get tired of them, and maybe some sweet summer dresses and skirts would be a nice diversion….. Maybe I could dress like a teenager and wear my capris under my skirt… just kidding, my kids would kick me off the planet.
Catching up on blogs and I just read this one… glad to see someone else is over capri’s. I decided I was over them last summer and I plan to be over them this summer. Too many cute cotton dresses to wear.
the poppy dress is really nice! loves it
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