Author: Big Mama

  • Fashion Friday: Edition top ten fall trends, part one

    Yes, Virginia. There really is such a thing as fall. I keep reminding myself of that because otherwise I will fall (no pun intended) into a pit of depression from the likes of which I may not recover until the temps dip back down to a cool, refreshing 95 degrees.

    I long for the day that I can pull out my favorite boots and a lightweight sweater and wear my hair down without fear of the havoc created by heat indexes above 110 degrees and humidity levels normally found only in the ocean.

    Not to mention that fall is my favorite time of year because, HELLO, college football. And the Aggies are starting the season ranked in the top ten with rumors flying about our possible SECession to the best conference in college football along with a potential Aggie presidential candidate. It’s a good time to be a graduate of Texas A&M.

    But enough about that. Let’s talk about fall trends. I’ll list five this week and five next week. Unless I get distracted between now and then and it doesn’t happen.

    1. Bordeaux

    Otherwise known as Aggie Maroon. See what I did there? I said I was done talking about the Aggies, but I wasn’t. It’s as if the fashion world knew that all roads would lead to A&M this fall.

    Whatever the case, bordeaux is a big color for fall. And that’s a good thing because it’s a flattering color for almost everyone.

    I love this Tinley Road cowl neck top.

    And this winter kate top that says it’s a dress but that has to be wrong.

    How much would I love this darling maroon jacket? Sure, they call it Cordovan. But I know it’s maroon.

    Or maybe you need a nice pair of wine-colored heels to give an outfit a little unexpected color.

    And this scarf would be perfect for game day.

    Or you could just go with my personal favorite.

    2. blazers

    Y’all. I love a blazer. It’s true. There was a time in college that I even owned a tweed blazer complete with suede elbow patches. I felt like it made me look intellectual and sophisticated. Of course the fact that I wore it while playing a game of Quarters probably counterbalanced that effect.

    But still, a blazer is brilliant. And so easy to throw over a simple t-shirt and look pulled together.

    If I were you, which I’m not so feel free to ignore me, I would start with a simple black blazer. You can find them in a wide range of prices depending on how much you want to spend.

    This one below by Elizabeth and James is pricey, but I love the way it’s styled with the longer shirt underneath and that gold pendant necklace.

    I like the velvet schoolboy blazer from J.Crew and, naturally, I love a good tweed blazer.

    For some super affordable versions, check out this black Mossimo blazer and this one from Forever 21.

    3. tiered necklaces

    I want to say something clever about tiered necklaces, but P is sitting beside me watching The Book of Eli and I’m kind of paying attention to it in spite of myself. I’m finding it equal parts fascinating and disturbing. And it has made no mention of tiered necklaces. Apocalyptic movies are funny that way.

    But I do like the tiered necklace. It’s a great piece to add to your fall wardrobe because accessories are an inexpensive way to spice up an outfit.

    Here are a few that caught my eye.

    This double layer pendant necklace.

    The siren necklace in turquoise.

    And this chain-link bib necklace.

    4. the feminine blouse

    The feminine blouse is a great piece because you can wear it with jeans on the weekend or dress it up during the work week. Of course I write a blog from home so not even the feminine blouse can make my faded plaid pajama bottoms look better.

    But it’s nice to have something versatile in your closet that looks pretty.

    I love this poet blouse.

    And I adore this wingfall blouse from Anthropologie. Maybe it will go on sale.

    This loosened shelby blouse would be perfect for a Texas fall and so would this pruned and flourishing blouse.

    Old Navy has a great sheer ruffle-front top and I like this flutter sleeve top.

    5. jeans with flare

    Please tell me you’re picturing me wearing jeans with a bunch of buttons with random slogans pinned all over them right now. And then I could tell you I don’t like to talk about my flare.

    On one hand, I am sad to report this is referring to a different kind of flare. But, on the other hand, I am thrilled that the flared jean has made a comeback. Or you might say don’t call it a comeback, I’ve been here for years. And I’ll say Mama said knock you out.

    Now it’s just late and I’m delirious.

    The bottom line is the flare has made a resurgence and I think this is good news for all women who weigh more than 100 pounds. It’s a flattering cut and you can choose how flared you want to go. And if I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times, a good pair of jeans is a game changer.

    Personally, I’m a fan of Sevens, but there are so many options. You just have to go out and try them on. Nordstrom Rack is a great place to find designer jeans for less. I’d also look at your local TJ Maxx or Steinmart.

    I also know several people who’ve had a lot of luck with Gap’s long and lean jeans which happen to be on sale right now.

    That’s it for me for today. If you need me I’ll be perusing all the A&M message boards to find out more about this whole SEC business.

    Y’all have a great Friday.

  • It’s 1:21 a.m.

    It’s 1:21 a.m. and my summer schedule is officially out of control. I’ve totally reverted to the same schedule I kept in college, up until 2:30 a.m. and sleeping in until 10:00. The only difference is I’m not skipping Biology Lab.

    However, tonight I have a good reason for being up so late. Gulley and I went with her mama to see a 10:20 showing of The Help.

    Let me just say that y’all will not be disappointed. I know sometimes movies fall far short of the book, but they got this one just about as close to perfect as it could be.

    In fact, I may go see it again before the weekend is over.

  • Because everyone knows the right glue stick is the key to education

    Yesterday was the day I’ve been dreading since April 25th. Why April 25th? That was the official deadline to sign up for the pre-packaged school supplies provided by the PTO. All I had to do was write a check and we could show up for Meet the Teacher and receive a handy, shrink-wrapped package full of all our necessary school supplies.

    But I didn’t do that.

    Mainly because I was totally scarred by a heaping dose of mother guilt when Caroline was in first grade and her teacher handed her a generic red notebook from her pre-packaged supplies and Caroline said, “No way would my mom buy me a plain red notebook.” And she’s right. Because I appreciate that sometimes a girl needs a notebook featuring a baby seal or a kitten snuggled up with a ball of yarn.

    However, her second grade teacher wasn’t a fan of notebooks with horses sidled up next to ponies and all that frivolous baby seal nonsense and so we were forced to live through a year filled with generic red, green, and blue folders. Nary a dolphin or a puppy or a chimpanzee wearing a jaunty hat to be found.

    This year is different. I haven’t talked about it because it falls under the category of things too good to be true, but Caroline’s beloved first grade teacher is moving to third grade and we were allowed the option to automatically be in her class this year. And her first grade teacher is a firm believer in finding the fun in school, as evidenced by the time she let her students push her down a ramp in her rolling desk chair. Needless to say, she’ll probably be okay with a loose variation of the standard school supplies.

    I printed out the required list of supplies and we headed to Target. Actually, we stopped by Academy first to look for tennis shoes and walked away empty handed, primarily because some genius at Skechers thought it was a good idea to invent tennis shoes with wedge heels and some sort of ballerina spinning device on the sole. What is wrong with just a simple shoe that allows a person to walk or run or engage in athletic activities like God and Nike intended?

    After our tennis shoe fail I was disheartened but pressed on to win the prize for which God had called me, which in this case was school supplies. We wandered the aisles in search of purple glue sticks and 5 inch scissors and wide-ruled notebooks in green, red, and blue. And along the way, one of us found Pipsqueak markers and three ring binders with a unicorn flying through a peace sign and all manner of superfluous things that weren’t on the official list.

    By the time we actually checked out I was worn down. I’d agreed to a new blue thermos and some sort of monkey ice pack. We also ended up with a pencil sharpener shaped like a flower and after that I think I blacked out. The good news is I rallied enough to turn down the request for a multi-colored neon cheetah-print backpack that I declared perfect for someone who’s color blind and can’t see patterns.

    The problem was all other backpacks paled in comparison. She’d had her heart set on a glittery backpack from Gap, but it was way too small to carry all her things so our search for just the right bag continued. At one point she tried to convince me to buy her a sequined duffle bag that we found at a local gift shop. By that time I’d lost my sense of humor about the entire thing and probably scared everyone in the store when I announced, “YOU CANNOT CARRY SPARKLY LUGGAGE TO SCHOOL EVERYDAY.”

    Ultimately we resorted to online shopping and agreed upon a very bright, yet tasteful, messenger bag with matching lunch box. And so, between that and all her purple glue sticks, she’s officially ready to start third grade.

    Except she still doesn’t have new tennis shoes.

    But I can’t think about that right now. So instead I’ll focus on happier things, like chimpanzees who wear jaunty hats.

  • The ability to accessorize is what separates us from the animals

    I think we all know by now that we are in the midst of some turbulent economic times. Perhaps the worst financial times this country has ever seen. Maybe the Great Depression was worse. I don’t really know because I didn’t really pay attention in my American History class.

    And I’m certainly no economic genius, as evidenced by the solid D I received in Personal Finance 201, but I’ve always thought the key to getting out of debt involved not spending any more money. Which is why I tend to think we ought to just clear everyone out of Washington D.C. and start over from scratch, maybe hire some of those accountants from Price Waterhouse that tabulate the results of the Academy Awards every year.

    But that’s just me.

    I don’t know about you, but when the economic times get tough I like to shop for cute, inexpensive accessories. It’s because I’m a true patriot and feel like I should do my part to stimulate the economy. Actually, that’s not true. I really just don’t have much to write about tonight and spent a great portion of my day yesterday looking at accessories for a friend so I thought I’d share some of the great stuff I found along the way.

    1. pyramid drop earrings

    2. bold medallion leather bracelet

    3. african turquoise on leather wrap bracelet

    4. dangle earrings

    For some reason I can’t post the picture of these, but they’re cute. And are only $6.50. SIX AMERICAN DOLLARS.

    Which, by the way, isn’t worth as much as it used to be.

    5. boho locket pendant necklace

    6. turquoise and pearls ring

    7. confetti pendant necklace

    8. crater lake ring

    9. ethereal necklace

    10. iznik scarf

    Have you found any great accessories lately? I’d love to know about what and where and when. After all, this economic crisis isn’t going to solve itself.

    Y’all have a great day.

  • In which I actually use the word Smurf-tastic

    Some of you may have noticed I didn’t post a Fashion Friday last week. And a large majority of you may not even care. I’ll just say that last week was one of those weeks that began with a tiny snowball of stress and quickly barreled into a big avalanche of being overwhelmed combined with a side tsunami of being tired after the late night birthday party festivities on Wednesday.

    In fact, by the time Gulley and I finally made it to the pool late Thursday afternoon to reward ourselves with a white wine spritzer (Pinot Grigio with a large splash of Sierra Mist poured over crushed ice in a styrofoam cup. It’s very classy. Also, don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.) I was barely capable of even raising a fuss when the chicken fingers I ordered from the grill turned out to be completely raw on the inside. Nice golden, crispy coating on the outside, totally pink and raw on the inside. Delicious.

    Fortunately, I broke them in half before I took a bite and the whole incident only solidified my resolve to never eat poultry again. I returned them to the grill and they offered to re-cook them, but I said, “Please. Chicken is dead to me. I’ll just take an order of nachos. Hold the salmonella.”

    But enough about my first world problems at the pool grill.

    On Wednesday morning, Caroline woke up and immediately ran to open her birthday presents. You’ll be glad to know we continued our annual tradition of gifting her with some sort of weaponry.

    Specifically, an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle.

    All together now, YOU’LL SHOOT YOUR EYE OUT.

    She had changed her mind about eighty-four times regarding what she wanted to do for her birthday this year. Ultimately, she finally decided to invite three girlfriends to eat dinner, go see a movie and have a sleep over. Why three? Because extensive, personal sleep over experience has shown that you need to always have an even number and I prefer to keep that even number as low as possible. Four little girls? Manageable. Six little girls? A little out of control. Eight little girls? It was nice knowing you before you were committed to the institution.

    At some point we also decided to add a pre-dinner pedicure to the mix since I felt like it would save me the trouble of having to paint everyone’s toes four hundred and seven times over the course of the evening. Let me just say it was money well spent. I’d show you the picture of their adorable little toes, but my phone still isn’t speaking to my computer. I’m afraid the dump is permanent and might require a trip to the counselor, also known as the Genius Bar at Apple and I can’t think about that right now.

    We came back to the house where Jackson and Will joined us for dinner. The birthday girl had requested that P fry fish for all her friends and so P battered and fried while I showed off my sweet Just Dance moves.

    Otherwise known as something that is acceptable at your eight-year-old’s birthday party that will most likely be frowned upon by her thirteenth.

    After a delicious dinner of fried fish and various conversations about lizards and shark attacks and snakes, it was time for the birthday cake. Or, rather, the birthday cookie.

    Eventually I gathered up the crew and we went to see the new Smurfs movie in 3-D. In all honesty, it exceeded my expectations. But I feel like I need to let you know my expectations were very, VERY low. I thought all I’d get out of the deal was the bonus of killing a few hours of time and LA LA LA LA LA LA repeating on an endless loop in my head.

    Actually, come to think of it, that’s exactly what I got. Even though I told the kids I thought it was SMURF-TASTIC when we got back in the car. It was not one of my prouder moments. Yet, BIG HIT with the kids.

    The movie proved to be a brilliant strategy because by the time we got home it was 10:00 and an easy transition to pajamas and sleeping bags strewn all over the living room. They watched Soul Surfer (SO GOOD.) and began to grow very sleepy. Until the movie ended. At which time our living room turned into some sort of friendship bracelet making factory. You’ve never heard so much debate over thread colors and patterns.

    With the exception of one little girl who couldn’t stay awake for the craft portion of the evening. I was never the kid that went to sleep first at a sleep over and I can guarantee Caroline has inherited that quality from me. Why would you sleep when you have friends over?

    Eventually 1:30 a.m. rolled around and I had to turn into Grumpy Smurf and insist it was time for everyone to go to sleep. And so they did.

    Everyone was up by 8:00 a.m. the next morning and, after a little more friendship bracelet making and breakfast, their mothers came to pick them up. Caroline was sad to see all the fun end until I reminded her she could go out back with P and practice shooting her new Red Ryder.

    As long as she didn’t shoot her eye out.

  • The day after

    Well, the birthday girl had herself quite the day yesterday.

    As a matter of fact, she is still in the midst of her celebration as I write this at 1:00 a.m. and hear a bunch of giggling girls in the next room who are busy working their little fingers to the bone making friendship bracelets.

    If you need me later today there’s a better than average chance you’ll find me passed out on the couch taking a brief, but hopefully restorative, nap.

    Right after I finish eating some of the leftover chocolate chip cookie cake.