Fashion

I feel like I need to confess that yesterday morning was not my finest hour of motherhood. And it all came down to wardrobe issues.

Call me a fool, but it seems like days where the temps aren’t going to get above freezing might be an ideal time to wear a few of the sweater dresses that you begged your Mimi and Bops to buy for you last Fall. But, OH NO, why would you wear a beautiful little sweater dress when you can wear a long sleeve tee from Old Navy, hand-me-down jeans, and a sparkly blue poncho that you bought at a garage sale?

This scenario may have been what led me to utter the time-honored phrase, “Well, I’m going to sell all your sweater dresses on Ebay after you leave for school today”.

Which was a totally empty threat for two reasons:

1. She doesn’t really care if I sell them on Ebay because she enjoys wearing ponchos from garage sales.

2. No way would I sell them on Ebay this time of year. I’ll wait and sell them next Fall to maximize my dollar.

Honestly, I think I’m just a little on edge because I suspect the weathermen might have led us astray with all their talk of snow. If I don’t see snow in my yard in the next 12 hours, heads are gonna roll. And by that I mean I will complain bitterly about overeager meteorologists while I drink hot choffee.

But I want you to all rest in the assurance of one thing that will hold true. No matter how cold it gets, I can guarantee with 100% accuracy that you won’t see any photos of Caroline playing in the snow while wearing a sweater dress.

I also have to confess that I left the house yesterday to pick up Gulley’s boys and Caroline from school and P asked me if I was going in anywhere or just going to be in the car. I told him I planned to stay in the car and he said that was for the best because there was a good chance I might be mistaken for a homeless person. So maybe Caroline comes by it honestly.

1. deuxhill cowlneck

I think this is a great piece because it looks great on its own, but would also look snazzy under some type of jacket.

I don’t know why I just used the word snazzy.

I’m sorry.

2. julia lace top

I am a sucker for a lace top. I can immediately envision it with a great pair of jeans and some cowboy boots.

It’s kind of got a whole 1970’s thing going on. And the 70’s are dear to me because it was the decade of my childhood. And the decade that gave us the television show Good Times.

3. citizens of humanity wide leg jeans

Speaking of the 70’s look, I am beside myself with joy that the wide-legged jean is making a comeback. I adore skinny jeans tucked into boots during the winter, but when the weather turns warmer I prefer my denim to be wide-legged and paired with some wedge sandals.

And if the Citizens Of Humanity jeans are a little pricey (and they are), check out these 7 For All Mankind that are on sale right now.

4. stony denim blazer

I really like this and think it could be so darling paired with something like these courier cargo pants or a great pair of skinny fit tan cords tucked into boots. Or maybe just worn over a dress as an alternative to a standard denim jacket.

For a similar look, but not in jacket form, I also like this light denim shirt.

5. hive and honey border stripe cardigan

I just really like this.

6. michael antonio wedge sandal

I’ve been eyeing these for a few weeks now. I don’t know that they’re the exact pair I’d like to own, mainly because there’s a 65% chance I might break my ankle trying to walk around in that heel, but they’re pretty darn close.

Also, I originally typed “hell” instead of “heel”. And all I can say to that Freudian slip is if the shoe fits…

7. seaside bracelet

***Updated to add that I fixed the link. Sorry about that. I was all caught up in the snow drama and made a careless error.

Oh how I adore anything with turquoise in it. Or on it. Or around it.

8. chocolate down coat

This week has caused me to reevaluate my winter coat situation. And it’s not good, my friends. It’s not good.

In fact, I have one camel coat circa Banana Republic 2004 and a white puffy down jacket from J. Crew’s 1999 winter collection that I bought back in the days when I used to pretend to snow ski. I mean, yes, I have other jackets, but not good heavy duty coats. Just a bunch of posers that I’ve realized are totally useless once you wear them out in the elements.

Granted, this is the first time in the almost 18 years I’ve lived here that I really need a good winter coat, but that’s beside the point. I really like this chocolate brown down coat.

Of course part of the reason could be that it claims to have a REAL COYOTE FUR LINED HOOD. As if that makes it super exotic. I could walk down my block right now and have about an 85% chance of seeing a coyote. But I guess if I lived in New York, I might feel that the coyote fur is a luxury item as opposed to the pelt of an animal that’s responsible for the death of an untold number of house cats in our neighborhood.

Still, CUTE JACKET.

9. colorblock knit scarf

I’ve always enjoyed seeing yellow and gray together. And I always enjoy a scarf. Thus, I like this scarf.

10. my treasure necklace

I love Lisa Leonard’s jewelry designs so I occasionally hop over to her site to take a look at what’s new. I saw this necklace today and thought it might make such a sweet Valentine’s Day gift. But, hurry, you have to order by February 8th to get it in time.

Alright. I’m off to go put on my eleven-year-old down jacket and check the yard for signs of snow.

Y’all have a great Friday.

Wow. How boring was yesterday’s post? When I looked at it again it was very reminiscent of Will Ferrell in Old School.

“Well, um, actually a pretty nice little Saturday, we’re going to go to Home Depot. Yeah, buy some wallpaper, maybe get some flooring, stuff like that. Maybe Bed, Bath, & Beyond, I don’t know, I don’t know if we’ll have enough time.”

In case you’ve been dying to know how yesterday turned out, I’ll tell you. I forgot to buy paper towels and milk. And by “forgot”, I mean that I didn’t feel like going to the store. I did, however, make it to Nordstrom and feel confident about my decision to go with a pair of rainboots in green. I know you’re so relieved.

But enough about that because I have BIG EXCITEMENT today. BIG EXCITEMENT. It’s another giveaway. A fashion-related giveaway.

The nice people at Ruche, which is one of my favorite online stores and purveyor of all things darling, contacted me and said they would love to give away the uptown elegance red cashmere scarf that I featured a few weeks ago.

But wait!

There’s more!

(I’m sorry if I’ve led you to believe I’m about to offer a set of Ginsu knives.)

They’d also like to add this fly away home indie necklace in sterling. Which I didn’t feature but I totally would have if I’d seen it.

To enter the giveaway, you’ll need to click over to my giveaway page and leave a comment there for a chance to win all the cuteness.

And, oh, I had big plans to do another scarf video tutorial about how to wear an infinity scarf, reminiscent of the one I did a few years back. But then Caroline got the croup and I have been exhausted and it just seemed like a lot of effort to put on makeup and look presentable. I realize we’re all friends here but no one really needs to be subjected to the sleep-deprived version of me sans makeup. It might make children cry. Or cause them to make comments about the lady with the mustache on the internet.

So, here are a few cute things I’ve seen this week.

1. tribal earrings

Well these just look like spring.

2. up in the heirloom top

I love this. So delicate and feminine. It would look great with jeans and cowboy boots.

3. tie-back cross-front jersey dress

I was leery of this dress but I tried it on yesterday and actually really liked it. I don’t think I’d wear it by itself, but I’d definitely wear it over leggings. I like the gray.

4. perfect rib-knit tanks

I’m such a fan of the Old Navy tank top. They’re cheap and come in an array of cute colors. And this year they have some fun patterns as well, including a stripe that I LOVED. But I can’t find a picture of it online.

5. Aerosoles Mezzotint boots

Several people have emailed me recently about boots. It’s so hard to suggest a pair of boots because boots are kind of like a husband. You don’t really know exactly what you’re looking for until you find it and then you may think it looks different than what you thought you wanted, but then you try them out and think MAN, THAT IS COMFORTABLE and maybe he won’t continue to ask me to try to purchase Zyrtec D even though there’s a good possibility I’m going to get arrested for manufacturing meth.

What was I talking about?

Oh, the boots. These are cute and they come in black and brown and they’re on sale and they’re Aerosoles so I bet they’re comfortable.

6. tanbitha cowl neck sweater

Something about this appeals to me. It looks cozy.

7. winter cabin sweater leggings

I nearly featured these last week but they were sold out. But now they’re back and I just think they are the cutest. I would ADORE a pair of these with some sort of sweater dress and tall boots that don’t ask me to go buy Zyrtec D.

8. tiered ruffle tanks

A ruffled tank is just a great piece. It can be worn alone or under a cardi or a jacket for a little bit of flair. Love it.

That’s it for this week.

Don’t forget about the giveaway! Click here to read more about it.

Y’all have a great Friday.

I’m in the midst of a bang crisis.

Those of you who’ve read this blog for any length of time will not find this to be unusual in any way, shape or form. And it’s not. I live my life on the very edge of a bang crisis at all times.

To have bangs? To not have bangs? That is the real question, Hamlet.

Way back in late November I got my hair cut. I told my sweet hairdresser that I wanted her to cut my bangs just the way she did at my previous haircut, but to leave them just a little bit longer than usual because I had somewhere to go the following weekend and I wanted to be at my best bangs self.

For those of you with bangs, you know what I’m talking about. They’re always at their best about two weeks after the initial haircut. Or maybe that’s just when I finally figure out what to do with them.

So she cut them beautifully and they were immediately the perfect length. But then Christmas came and I noticed they were getting a little too long and then January happened and I’ve spent most of this month with them pulled back with a bobby pin.

Yesterday I realized I have inadvertently almost grown out my bangs. They are officially too long to rest on my forehead and hide my wrinkles. I called to make a hair appointment and found out my hairdresser is going out of town and I can’t get my hair cut until February 8th.

Which means I will be led into the valley of the shadow of temptation to pull out my kitchen scissors and trim them myself. And, OH BRITNEY, that would not end well.

Maybe I should invest in a hat. And more bobby pins. And maybe a headband.

Or maybe I could just curl them under, tease them and hairspray them like I did from 1984-1990.

Anyway, enough about my bangs that are no longer really bangs but rather awkward hair that falls in my face. Here are a few cute things I’ve seen this week:

1. Tahari booties

I believe I’ve mentioned that I’ve been on the lookout for some booties. Not to be confused with being on the lookout for some booty because this isn’t that kind of blog.

I think these are really cute and they’re on sale.

2. engla trench

Like Anthropologie can ever do any wrong.

I love this trench. And it’s on sale.

3. tie-dye maxi dress

I realize this is a totally random thing to feature in the middle of January when several of you are digging out from the snow in your driveway. But it’s on sale and I think it would be such a great thing to have this summer to wear over your bathing suit or to dinner when you’re on some great vacation to the beach.

Snow in the winter? Beach in the summer? Why do I envision that you all have much more fascinating and diverse lives than me?

4. jersey boat neck dress

Sophie told me about this dress yesterday. I wanted to rush up to Old Navy but then a cold front blew in and I got buried under a fleece blanket on my couch.

She said it looks great with leggings and is so comfortable. And I believe her because why would she lie about that?

5. trop troop anorak

I’ve had a hankering for an anorak for some time now.

Although I’m sidetracked by my decision to use the term “hankering”.

6. lofty down tunic

Perfect to throw on with a pair of jeans.

7. bazaar charms earrings

I saw these at Banana Republic and fell in love. Just gorgeous.

8. shirt dress

My friend Julie had on a dress very similar to this the other day with leggings and tall boots and I thought it looked so cute. Plus it’s a great transition piece once warmer weather decides to show up. Which could be tomorrow since we live in Texas.

9. daisy ring

This ring feels like spring to me.

10. chartreuse or dare tunic

Okay. In theory I like this. But it would all depend on how it looks in person and how it hangs and all those other components that make it hard for me to commit to something I haven’t actually seen in real life.

I also realize chartreuse can be a tricky color. Still, though, it has some definite appeal.

11. lace print boho blouse

Eleven? So random to have a list of eleven things.

But I got my Sundance catalog in the mail yesterday and this blouse was on the cover and I just saw it sitting on my coffee table and remembered how much I liked it.

So there you have it.

Eleven things.

Oh, on a totally different note, I’ll email the winner of the Red Letter Words giveaway by 6:00 p.m. this evening, but there is still time to enter until then. And even if you don’t win, they have generously offered any of my readers a 10% discount off any order (custom prints not included) placed this Saturday, January 22 or Sunday, January 23. Just use the code BIGMAMA10 when at checkout.

Y’all have a great Friday.

I vowed that this week I’d be better about posting at least a few pictures of the items featured on Fashion Friday. But how was I to know that 9 to 5 would be on T.V. and I’d be completely taken in by Dolly Parton and Lily Tomlin in what I believe to be one of the greatest movies of our generation?

There was no way of knowing.

But I’m not going to let it totally get in the way of Fashion Friday. Here are a few cute items I’ve seen this week:

1. roll-up button-front tops

I saw this top at Old Navy yesterday and immediately bought one in white. And, get this, they really are on sale right now for just $15.00.

And they come in a bunch of colors.

And it will be the perfect thing when and if I ever feel hot again.

2. printed button-down shirt

This was also at Old Navy and also on sale. I was so tempted to buy the blue gingham because I just knew it would look so crisp with a pair of white jeans and a cute wedge heel. But then I remembered that it gets really hot here and white jeans rarely fit into my lifestyle.

However, now that I’m looking at it again, I think I have to have it.

3. striped long cardigan

Y’all.

I have loved this cardigan ever since I first saw it. When I noticed it was on sale after Christmas, I put it in my shopping cart at Free People many, MANY times. But I couldn’t commit because I’d never seen it in person and didn’t know if I’d really like it.

And then Mimi and I went shopping on Tuesday and stopped in Free People on the off chance that they might have one left on the sale rack. They did. And it was only $49.99.

My procrastination and powers of indecisiveness have finally paid off.

4. white ruffle bib henley

I am a sucker for a white shirt. A sucker.

5. a new angle dress

I have a top that’s similar to this that I bought at Gap. I love it with leggings and my tall boots.

6. studio mona coat

This is so completely unpractical and outrageously expensive (even on sale) unless you’re Audrey Hepburn. But, oh, it makes me want to be Audrey Hepburn for a day because LOVE.

7. sochi sweater dress

I think this looks so comfortable and cute.

8. button-front trench coat

Tim Gunn says that every woman needs a good trench coat in her closet and I tend to agree with him. It’s the perfect piece to throw on over a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and MAGICALLY you are totally polished and put together.

9. red uptown elegance scarf

I adore this scarf.

10. un-cabled pullover

Maybe it’s because I’ve been cold all day and longing for a big, thick sweater, but this looks divine.

That’s it.

Y’all have a great Friday.

And don’t mix up your Skinny and Sweet with Rid ‘O Rat.

Those of you who are Aggies are probably well aware that there is a very big game tonight. And the rest of you may or may not care. But I can’t pretend that it’s not all that’s on my mind.

I’ve spent the better part of the afternoon piled up in some message boards as if they can predict the future and tell me if the Aggies will be able to beat LSU and Les Miles and his pure brand of crazy. No one seems to know that answer. Although I did find this video that I’ve watched 942 times.

But I don’t want to let down those of you who are here for the fashion and not for the football. So here are a few things I’ve found this week. And almost all of them are on sale.

1. the nouveau copenhagen cardigan

Okay. So this isn’t on sale. But something about it really appeals to me. The colors? The Fair Isle knit? The fact that I’m cold right now?

I don’t know. I just like it.

2. killington stevie bag

Yes. This is still a pricey purse. However, it is significantly less pricey than it was a week ago. And still just as cute.

There are some Les Miles crazy deals at Kate Spade right now if you have some Christmas money or a trust fund burning a hole in your pocket.

3. line of latitude cardigan

I really like this and can picture it just thrown on over a t-shirt with a pair of jeans.

4. tuxedo shirt dress

I featured this before but I like it even better now because it’s on sale.

5. precocious plaid scarf

Love this scarf in all the different color variations. I may need to get myself one before the alleged ARCTIC BLAST hits next week.

6. tulle ruffled coat

I’ve loved this coat all season and it’s on sale.

7. orla kiely classic shoulder tonal trim

Orla Kiely bags always get me. There is just something about them that I adore.

8. ruffle trim henleys

Saw these in Old Navy last week and thought it might be the kind of thing I’ll want in multiple colors. A great basic but with a little extra flair.

I don’t like to talk about my flair.

9. slim fit corduroy pants

These are a question mark. On one hand, love the idea of a skinny cord tucked into boots. On the other hand, need to know that they won’t give me a bad case of mom booty with their nondescript pockets.

Of course that could be alleviated by wearing a long sweater over them.

10. sperry rainboots

Do I even need to tell y’all that I still don’t own a pair of rainboots? And now we’re in the middle of a drought and I can’t bring myself to buy a pair. However, these may convince me to just go ahead and take the plunge already.

That’s it for today. Y’all have a great Friday.

And beat the hell outta LSU.