Closet MVPs

I have a tendency to wear and re-wear a select number of items in my wardrobe. I've selected my three favorites that have proven themselves time and again and have earned the title of MVP.

J.Crew shawl cardigan

I've had this sweater for five or so years now, and I bust it out as soon as the temperatures drop. It's extremely cozy and yet still looks pulled together. I remember Stacy and Clinton on "What Not to Wear" preaching a "rule of three" where an outfit needs three pieces to feel complete. This is all to often my third piece, going over any and every shirt I own. It's held up well, although it is a little pilly— something I've noticed and been frustrated with other J.Crew sweaters in the past. But I love it just the same and will probably wear it until it's just a collection of fuzz balls, string, and a button.

Boden Bistro Cropped Trousers

These are a new find that quickly found a space in my heart. I have never been a big dress pants fan. They just never looked right on me, especially in the once-popular wide leg variety. I looked like Sponge Bob because, with my leg length, those things were basically square. These Boden pants, however, changed my mind. I love the skinny fit and slight crop, which gives them an Audrey Hepburn feel, and they come in a variety of prints and colors. I have a basic black, navy polka dot that helped me ease into the patterned pants world, and a hot pink pair. They also have a bud print and yellow polka dot print that are calling my name.

J.Crew glass bead ribbon necklace

This is my every necklace. The glass beads allow it to match anything and take on the color of what I'm wearing, the ribbon lets me make it as short or as long as I'd like, and the bauble gives it enough sparkle to appease my inner magpie. I have to make a conscious effort to not wear it every single day because I easily could.


What are your closet MVPs? A perfectly transitional dress? A bright pair of shoes? What do I need to add to my arsenal?

Also, I've made a pin board of my closet MVPs or similar items so you can scoop them up yourself if you're so inclined.

Monday miscellany

Hello, Monday.

I don't have a clever title or purpose for this post, but here are a few things I've been drawn to lately.

1. I graduate with my master's in December, so I've been planning for the most important part of this academic achievement: what I'm going to wear. Winter graduation has thrown me for a loop, wondering if bare legs are completely out of the question or how funny tights would look along with my regalia. I love this Anthropologie dress and think it could be a cute contender, but it's definitely out of my price range. Textbooks trumped the graduation outfit budget, so I'm still searching. Any suggestions for what would look good on its own but also under this.

2. Like everyone else on Pinterest, fall makes me want to bust out the crockpot. I love having the crockpot fairies cooking dinner while I'm at work, and chicken chili sounds like the way to go, too. That's definitely going on next week's dinner menu.

3. "Royals" by Lorde is everywhere right now, but I'm also addicted to "400 Lux." The whole album is good. It's worth a listen. I linked it below, just for you!

4. These brown booties may have found their way into a shipment from DSW to my house. I had been wanting a pair since Hannah's post on booties. I have a black pair that get lots of wear to work in the cooler months, but I thought a brown pair would be a nice to have. I typically wear my booties with skirts, but I'm going to bust out of my comfort zone with these and try them with jeans because, you know, I'm crazy like that.

5. The weather also influences my hobbies, and I've picked up my crochet hook again this month. I was making Preston a newsboy cap similar to this one, but when I went to try it on him, I'd made it too long/tall, so it looks more like MTV veejay Sway's hat (pictured below) than a cap. Since Preston doesn't have dreads (yet. If we keep avoiding a haircut, he might get close.), he really doesn't need a Sway hat. And when I mess up, I tend to give up. I've got to motivate myself to unravel the bottom third and start again.

6. Fancy sweatshirts. While it might sound contradictory, they are one of my favorite fall trends. There are days where I hate to get dressed because it's cold and I just want to be a bum. In a fancy sweatshirt, I can look cute on the outside but feel like a grumpy bum on the inside. Win!

Kendi Everyday

If Atlantic-Pacific is my imaginary closet, then Kendi's is my real one. She is my longest running favorite blogger, and I like her because she wears things I could actually wear, only does it better. She dresses up shorts and dresses down heels. Sure, she might wear heels in more casual situations than I, but don't we all wish we wore heels more and were a little more glam overall? (Don't misread that as "glam overalls;" it's not the same thing.*)

I love her fun with patterns and color and how all-around put together she looks. She is a more realistic inspiration for me than some of the other style bloggers out there. I bought my brown boots because Kendi had them. She's the only blogger who's driven me to make a purchase. That's power right there!

*In the 6th grade, I had a pair of Gap black velvet overalls that I wore with a long sleeve white T-shirt with a rhinestone-embleshed snowflake on it. I guess you could say those were "glam" overalls — or the tragic mistake of youth.

(All photos via kendieveryday.com.)

Shopping suggestions

When I have a little extra jingle in my pockets (which is rare, but does happen on occasion), I tend to dart for my top three shopping destinations: Loft, Anthropologie and J.Crew. Now, seeing that I have some birthday cash to spend, I find myself wondering what else is out there. It's not that I'm unhappy with the others, but maybe it's time to branch out a little.

So, enlighten me. What stores should I check out? What are your go-to places to shop?

I'm all ears!

Target fall lookbook

I've mentioned that one of my favorite blogs is Atlantic-Pacific. She recently partnered up with Target to style their fall lookbook, and it's got me excited for fall layers (despite absolutely loving this out-of-character Arkansas August right now). I especially love the plaid pencil skirt above and find myself strangely drawn to patterned pants, which is a little out of character because I'm pretty predictable in my love for pencil skirts. J.Crew has a few pairs for fall, too, but I'm sure Target's price tag is much less shocking.

I couldn't find these pieces online yet, but I'm sure they'll be rolling in soon. And I'll be scouring the site in the meantime.

H&M online

Is it sad that I audibly gasped when I read that H&M had opened online shopping to the U.S.? They offer some really cute items for not too much money. You would gasp, too! I've only been to an H&M once when I was in New York and was so happy when I heard my hometown of Nashville had recently gotten one, but there's something so satisfying about being able to browse online and not have to make a pilgrimage to a big city when you want to shop.

As a sign of where my head is at now, I first went to the baby clothing tab to see what they offered for the little guy. I love all of the cardigans and stripes for fall and the bright chinos, keeping Preston comfy and cool. The also had the cutest little mittens and hats for when it gets colder, plus suspenders (suspenders!), for a price that keeps you from feeling like you're flushing money down the toilet. I mean, he'll have grown out of them by tomorrow. (And leave me weeping as I the too-small clothes in the outgrown box. Every time.)

Striped sweater, striped tee, chambray shirt, cardigan, chinos, socks, and sneakers

Of course, I had to peek and see what I liked for me. I loved the jersey dress, which would look great with belt and necklace — my standard as it seems. I wear a dress/belt/necklace combo at least three days a week. The polka-dotted tee is a step up from a typical basic, and the hunter green dress would be a great transitional dress from summer to fall. The bright blue shoes and bracelets would be a fun touch to any outfit.

Jersey dress, polka-dotted tee, sleeveless dress, heels, and bracelets

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an online shopping cart to fill.

Atlantic-Pacific

One of my favorite blogs right now is Atlantic-Pacific. I just love her ladylike style with a twist. She's got me swooning over full skirts, mixing patterns, and wrists full of bracelets. Since I'm trying to resist any shopping urges, I use her blog as my imaginary closet because, while a leather top may not be super practical for a working mom in Arkansas, it is fun to pretend like I could pull it off! 

I think she does a great job of showing how the little things make an outfit. It's all in the details, like her patterned loafers, neon heels, bow belt, cute clutch, and colorful prints. While a leather top may be out of my league, I can definitely amp up my accessory collection. It's an easy way to infuse a little edge and interest into my existing wardrobe. 

All photos via Atlantic-Pacific.

Slobber in style

At about the two-month mark, Preston sprung a leak. Gallons of drool have been pouring out of the kid's mouth ever since. His shirts look like he's entering himself in a one-man wet T-shirt contest. When we were dealing with the drought, I thought about sitting him in the yard to single-mouthedly water the lawn (Just kidding, CPS).

The unfortunate thing is that most bibs are pretty ugly. I mean, if he's got to wear it all day, shouldn't it be cute and not terry cloth with a lizard or some saying about the dirtiness of his diaper. ("iPood." Really?)

I discovered these bandana bibs on Etsy in my search for cute bibs, and I love how they look like little scarves instead of a snap-on towel. The $24 price tag is keeping me from throwing them in my virtual shopping cart and clicking "Buy now!" — plus, I think they'd be very easy for someone with limited sewing skills (me) to make. (Here's a nice little tutorial, too!)

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go mop up after my baby.

Images via Francesca Baby on Etsy

'Mini' fall goodies

I'm not sure if they sell your address to every kids clothing catalog when you register for baby things, but, before I even felt Preston kick inside of me, the catalogs were rolling in. 

I'm a sucker for tiny little clothes, and Mini Boden has quickly become my (and Scott's) favorite children's catalog to flip through. I'm especially loving what they're offering right now because fall clothes are my favorite (one reason why I love my late summer birthday — all that birthday money goes to new sweaters and boots!), which means tiny fall clothes make my head explode with glee.

Here are a few of my favorites that I think my little guy would look very dapper in.

From top left: cozy pocket top, logo jumper, flannel all-in-one, baby jeans, jersey duffel

Feeling a little flat

(A quick note before you get into the real post: You may notice the new layout — a little J.Crew-y, Anthropologie-ish piece of loveliness. If you're reading this in Google Reader, click on over and see it for yourself!)

Before I got pregnant, I wore heels to work every single day. Since I have a desk job, they weren't completely impractical — I wasn't running back and forth all day long. Plus, being 5 feet tall, they helped give me a little height, making me feel less like a college student around the university. However, once my pregnant belly started to expand, my coordination went down the tubes, and my feet swelled up like balloons. So I switched to flats — specifically the same pair of gold sandals every day from March to May. My feet stretched them beyond repair, and they've since gone on to shoe heaven — may their soles rest in piece.

Now that I'm back at work, I thought I would jump back into my heels with excitement, but my feet have grown accustomed to the comfort and ease of being level on the ground. Plus, carrying Preston in his car seat, plus all of my bags, into the house every afternoon is hard enough without having to maintain my balance.

Luckily for my feet, there are lots of cute flats out there to choose from, and they don't look like dowdy mom shoes. These are some of my favorites.

From top left: Target, J.Crew, J.Crew, Target, Old Navy, Old Navy, DSW, DSW, DSW

What about you? Are there certain things you though you had sworn off, only to discover you love them? 

Diaper bag dilemma

Last week on Facebook, I asked what made a good diaper bag and what bags my friends would recommend. It's opened up a whole world to me, and I've spent more time thinking about bags that ultimately carry poop receptacles than I ever thought I would.

Diaper bags are the one baby-related thing I have no clue about and no idea where to begin. My retinas have the imprint of psychedelic and super girly prints burned into them after looking through the typical diaper bag offerings. There are also the choices between an obvious diaper bag, a big purse that could function as a diaper bag, and the diaper bag in disguise as a big purse.

While I probably lean more toward the diaper bag as big purse option (cute but still has all the little pockets and provisions of a typical diaper bag), I don't mind a diaper bag that looks like one. I just want the pattern turned down from the 11 on the amplifier all the others seem to be on. Plus Scott has to give it his "I'd carry that" stamp of approval.

So, what options are out there? Here are a few of my top contenders at the moment.

Clockwise from left: Timi & Leslie diaper bag/backpack, Ty Lucas Baby tote (completely out of my price range, but cute just the same), Skip Hop Versa bag, Skip Hop Duo bag, JJ Cole Mode tote bag, Timi & Leslie bag

Feel free to weigh in on the debate in the comments and let me know what you think makes for a good diaper bag. 

It's almost here!

Tomorrow kicks of the Razorback football season, and I know we're all thinking the same thing — what will I wear?! Yes, this is the ever-important question I'm faced with every game day. I used to be a jeans and Arkansas T-shirt girl — that is, until we went to Ole Miss. You see, Ole Miss fans show up, sartorially speaking, for football games. No T-shirts, here. The guys are decked out in their Southern preppy finery, with button-up shirts, khakis, sweaters and loafers accompanying their "Hoddy Toddy" styrofoam cups. And the girls are in skirts or dresses and heels. I felt like quite the shlub in my jeans and hoodie.

Since then, I've vowed to no longer feel shlub-like on game day. I've taken a cue from the Old Miss fans and from the Arkansas sorority girls (just fashion-wise, not morally) and put together a chart of what to wear throughout the season, inspired by this post, from accessories, dresses, tops and bottoms, outerwear, and the all-important shoes.

{Row 1: sunglasses, necklace, sunscreen, pearls, koozie, scarf, gloves, tights, thermos, blanket// Row 2: dress 1, dress 2, dress 3, dress 4// Row 3: sleeveless top, red striped top, white sweater, red sweater// Row 4: striped cardigan, drape-front jacket, red jacket, black coat// Row 5: red skirt, red belt, red shorts, khaki shorts, jeans, red pants// Row 6: sandals, TOMS, ballet flats, boots}

So, what's your game day dress approach? As I was hemming and hawing through my closet as to what to wear tomorrow, Scott reminded me that it is a football game and not a fashion show, but he is the one bringing several outfits to choose from. 

Dream coats

I hate winter. I hate being cold. So it comes as no surprise that I absolutely love coats, scarves, hats, mittens and all that other puffed up warmness. While flipping through my September issue of InStyle, I came across this ad for the prettiest camel coat from LOFT. All last winter I searched high and low for the perfect camel coat, and here she was. I swooned. In fact, I'm still swooning. Excuse me a minute...

OK, where was I? Oh yeah, the coat. 

While I was composing a sonnet for this beauty, Scott firmly told me no more coats and that I had plenty. Running through the list in my head, it doesn't seem like that many — a black one, a green one, a navy one, a trench, plus a few jackets, blazers and pull-overs — but compared to Scott's one, I guess it can seem a little excessive. 

Surely by the time I wear him down on his no-coats stance, this one will be on sale. But until that day comes, here are a few other swoon-worthy coats I've got my eyes on, if price wasn't an issue.

{1, 2, 3, 4, 5}

What clothing item are you addicted to?

Summer lovings

While summer in the South can be a stiflingly hot and humid three or four months, it is still one of my favorite seasons. Even though I no longer get the summers off, it still holds that feeling of freedom and fun. There's just an energetic buzz in the air (that could be the mosquitos, though).

Here are some of my favorite summertime staples:

Playing bean bag toss in the back yard

Cute, colorful sandals

Dresses!! (Summer dresses are my weakness.)

[via]

The squeals of the neighborhood kids playing in the sprinkler

Reading on the beach

My grandma's homemade banana pudding

[via]

White we're on the food topic, ice cream, popsicles and The Bulldog's strawberry shortcake

Warm evening drives with the windows down

Fourth of July fireworks

[via]

Riding bikes

Banishing the winter pale in favor of a summer tan

And of course, going on vacation!

Taken with my cell phone last year

What do you love most about summer? 

(Click here to read a similar post I did last year for fall.)