-
39 Things I Have Learned on my Journey Out of the Darkness Into My Happiness
Recently, I have been thinking an awful lot about the journey that brought me to this current place in my life. The friends who have come and gone. The friends who have remained or reconnected. The friends who are distant memories. The relationships that I had. The ones that ended amicably. The ones that ended disastrously. The ones that just ended. The paths that I chose. The easy ones and the difficult ones. The decisions that I made. The good ones and the bad. My experiences, each and every one of them, and my perceptions of these events, and the way in which I handled each one at any given…
-
Bright Stripes and a Puffer Vest
I received a text message on Friday from my friend A. that Old Navy was having their great fall haul sale and had puffer vests for $15. Now A. is a big fan of puffer vests, but I am not so much. While I think they look super cute on her and on most women I see wearing them, I think they make me look sort of, well…puffy. But, for $15, I thought I would give a puffer vest a try. I happened to run into A. when I made my quick puffer vest stop at Old Navy. I’m glad I did because I couldn’t decide which of the many…
-
Mad About Plaid and a Graphic Tee
The combination of jeans, tee or tank layered under a plaid button front shirt, and sneakers is one of my favorite lazy day outfits. Perfect for playdates, errands, or just hanging around the house. I know I have mentioned in previous posts that I have gone mad for plaid (among other trends) this season, so it is only fitting that I post a plaid shirt outfit of the day. I found this pink and gray plaid button front at Burlington Coat Factory in their Juniors’ section and the soft, feminine hues really appealed to me. I layered it over a gray-on-gray graphic print tank top and paired it with my…
-
Monochromatic Marsala and a “Stolen” Sweater
Maybe I’m strange, but most articles of clothing in my wardrobe have a story behind how I acquired them. I usually know where I purchased each item and how much I paid for them. And if I got the item for a “steal” (pun absolutely intended), you better believe that I’m going to tell you about it! I get very exited if I receive a compliment on a piece of clothing that I only paid a few dollars for. And I feel compelled to let the unsuspecting compliment-giver know exactly how much it cost! The story behind this monochromatic outfit is kind of funny. I was shopping with my friend…
-
Floral Bomber to Brighten a Dreary Day
I saw this black floral bomber jacket on the clearance rack at the Fort Drum Exchange (PX) months ago. (For those unfamiliar with the Exchange, it is sort of like a department store located on military bases. They also have online shopping. You do need to have military identification in order to shop there. And it is tax free. Everything is tax free. They carry a lot of high name brands as well as more budget friendly brands, and the prices are a bit cheaper than regular retail. And when they have clearance, they really have clearance! I have seen Michael Kors sweaters on clearance for less than $20. I…
-
Double Denim and Pearls
I have been wanting to try the double denim trend, but I wasn’t sure if I would be comfortable with it. The only way to find out if I could pull it off was to just pull it off and wear it with confidence. By the end of the day, I did feel pretty awesome in my double denim. I paired dark wash skinny jeans with a lighter wash denim top. I am thinking that this is the best way to style double denim. I think darker on top and lighter on bottom would look weird. For me, at least. But please feel free to prove me wrong! I added…
-
Animal Print, Red Shoes, and Pearls
My last post was inspired by a playdate at my friend’s house…so I figured that was a good transition to the outfit I wore for the playdate. For playdates, obviously I like to keep comfortable and casual, but I still need to feel good about myself as well. So I went with my Old Navy button fly boyfriend jeans paired with this really cute animal print knit top that I scored from the clearance rack at Kohl’s for $3! THREE DOLLARS! As my sister would say, “That’s almost free!” And, come on, who doesn’t like “almost free”? Especially for an adorable and comfortable top! The weather is definitely getting cooler,…
-
The Real Story Behind Deployment
This post is about my military wife friends (and the spouses whom I do not know) who have lived though multiple deployments while starting and raising families, pursuing their own personal development, and nurturing and strengthening their marriages through the long separations. I respect you. I support you. I applaud you. I have already written about this deployment being our first as a family. We are almost half way through and so far it hasn’t been as terrible I thought it would. Certainly, it is true that everything breaks as soon as your husband leaves… …but that’s really not a big deal. We laugh about that. We make jokes and…
-
Pleasantly Plaid in Plum and Navy
Ever since plaid pants hit the punk fashion scene in the 1980’s and I saw Cyndi Lauper rocking them like no one else, I have lusted for a pair of my own. I remember my sister had a pair of red, orange, and yellow plaid skinny pants around that time and I was so jealous. It has taken me over three decades to acquire my own plaid pants, but I finally have them. I didn’t style them in the old school punk rock way (although perhaps next time I will). Instead I took the preppy route. Like super preppy, complete with a navy blue cardigan, bronze ballet flats, and a…
-
Old Friends are the Best Friends
Do you have that one friend (or a few) whom you have been friends with forever? That friend whom you may not see or talk to for years and pick right up where you left off as if it had been only a few days? That friend whom you know you can always call in a crisis, but never really need to? That friend whom has seen you at your best and your worst but really only sees just you? That friend whom genuinely and sincerely only wishes the best for you without hidden resentment or jealously? That friend whom has always been your friend and always will? Yeah, that…
