Neon Me

Lace top - F21, Tank - gifted, Skirt - old?, Sandals - Aeropostale, Bracelets - CostPlus, Watch - Frock Candy

I remember that when the neon trend began popping up in stores, I was beyond hesitant to try it. I mean, i was around in the 1980s when neon was a big trend (I even rocked neon socks, baby!), and I tend to shy away from wearing trends that I wore the first time they came around because it makes me feel old. But then I realized that neon has been popping up from time to time since the 1960s, and I can't fight something that has the power to transcend that much time. So I'll probably rocking neon the next time it rolls around, even if I'm 90. Can't you just picture me with my neon pink walker and maybe some neon yellow orthopedic shoes? Yep, I plan to be one stylin' granny.

Big props to my sis for finding this tank top in my size (and for getting me neon green and pink too!). I searched everywhere for neon camisoles and could only find them in "one size fits all" for teens. There is no way that a teen tank top is going to fit me, so I had almost given up when my sis bought me these. I don't know what it says about me that I am looking for an item that apparently only teens wear, but I'm trying not to think about that. I can only imagine how much harder it will be to find neon-wear as a granny. Why don't they have clothes for people who are young at heart?

This weekend is expected to include a lot of errand-running, some dim sum with friends, a round of golf, and cooking dinner for the Boyfriend's family on Sunday night. Amid all that, I'm hoping to hit up my favorite vintage shop (it's been weeks since I've been!) and catch up on some movies that have been languishing in my Netflix queue. I know, I know. Weekends are supposed to be about rest, and I always seem to jampack them. Will I never learn? Hope you all have a great one!

Vegas Style

Tank - F21, Skirt - Macy's, Purse - Random mall store

Hello! I survived my mini-vacay to Vegas and am now back to the grind. I spent my time in Sin City catching up with friends, gambling, laying out by the pool, sipping on refreshing and fruity (and deceptively strong) cocktails, gambling, eating, and gambling. Needless to say, I came back with my body a little tanner, my stomach a little heavier, and my wallet a lot lighter. Momma loves her slots! (Yes, I am "momma" in this scenario). Regardless, I had a wonderful time, and these short trips always remind me how nice it is to just get away once in a while, even if it's just for a couple of days. I had so much fun that it motivated me to plan a few more weekend getaways in the coming months. Of course, it also reminded me painful it is to get back to work after a few days off. I've pretty much been ingesting coffee by the bucketful and taking naps under my desk. Just kidding about the naps part. Maybe.

Is it Friday yet?

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Whiteout

Top - Gap, Skirt, Purse - Vintage, Shoes - Ferragamo

So there I go again, breaking another fashion rule for curvy girls. I feel like it's the one fashion rule that everyone knows: black is slimming, white is...well, not. But what can I do when I absolutely love how wearing white on white looks? I picked up this gorgeous tweed vintage pencil skirt in San Luis Obispo and loved how it had little metallic threads running through it to keep it from being too plain. I knew when I saw it that I wanted to try rocking it with white on top, despite all of the chants of "Not slimming! Not slimming! Not slimming!" that were going on in my head. Fact: my inner fashion advisor sounds a bit like a parrot. But I'm good at ignoring inner voices, like the ones that say, "Eating that last piece of cake is probably not going to get you into those new jeans you bought" or "I'm pretty sure you don't need another pair of shoes, do you really need to get those?" Wait, that last one isn't my inner voice...that's my BF's voice. Luckily, I'm also adept at ignoring real voices.

So I went for the white-on-white look, and while it may not be slimming, I still think it's pretty. Plus, it gave me a chance to wear my absolute favorite pair of shoes, which I scraped together all my money to buy when I got my first real job after college. Yeah, I ignored an entire SYMPHONY of inner voices on that one. Told you I'm good at it.

Heading to Vegas for a quick weekend getaway tonight, and I can NOT wait. The weather is forecasted to be in the 90s, so I envision a lot of laying out by the pool and sipping on icy blended drinks. I also plan to try my luck at the tables, since I could always use a new pair of shoes. Aaaaand yep, there go those voices again. Oh, pipe down, will you!

Have a great weekend!

Crazy Love

Tank - Mall store, Scarf - Gifted, Belt- Vintage, Pants - Urban Outfitters, Watch - Frock Candy

Back in the fall, I saw a photo of Sarah Jessica Parker in a magazine where she was rocking a tank top and a scarf, and I thought to myself, "That looks weird. And I LOVE it." I mean, it seems a bit odd to me to wrap something warm around your neck while your arms are all bare, but the idea of being able to wear my scarves (I am obsessed with scarves!) even in the warmer months has gotten me all giddy. A scarf always adds a little extra oomph to an outfit and can be used to add some color, or to break up coordinating colors. Plus, it keeps your neck warm (obvi) and somehow keeping your neck warm does wonders for keeping the rest of your body warm, making a jacket pretty unnecessary. A fashion accssory that's also functional? Well, that's just crazy talk.               

Pull It Together

Top - Urban Outfitters, Skirt - ModCloth, Wedges - ?, Belt - Vintage 

Have you ever tried on an outfit that looks pretty good, but you just feel like it's missing something? Like something is keeping a just OK outfit from being truly fabulous? For me, that was the struggle I had with this outfit over the weekend. I loved how the navy looked with the leopard print, and I couldn't wait to rock open-toed wedges since the weather is FINALLY nice around here. But I tried on nearly every black belt I had, and the outfit just sort of fell flat. No belt felt right, and I thought about nixing the whole outfit before I decided to call in reinforcements.

My sis is basically my "Dial a Friend" person for all of my emergency fashion needs. We've been doing it since we were teens...I'd call her from the mall and ask her opinions about potential purchases. Or I'd text her before a big date and run through different outfit options and ask her what shoes to wear. Now with the amazing capabilities of smart phones, my asking for fashion advice has gotten even easier. I'll text her photos of things and have her weigh in on what I should wear with what. Some recent picture texts involved my asking things like, "Am I too old/curvy for bright pink skinny jeans?" and "Why do they only make neon camis for tweens and what does it say about my maturity level that I want one?" She's always available for a fashion consult (for free!), and her advice has never let me down.

So when I was trying on this outfit and had every black belt I owned strewn on the bed, I turned to the increasingly impatient Boyfriend who looked like he was about to throw me in the car belt-less and said, "It's time to bring in a professional." He knew exactly whom I meant, and after sending her a few photos, the glorious "Ping!Ping!" of the phone told me that help had arrived. "Why don't you try a reddish/tannish brown? That color really goes with everything." Oh. My. God. It was so simple! And she couldn't have been more right. The reddish brown color looked great with the navy and with the leopard and just sort of pulled the outfit all together. She saved yet another outfit and kept the Boyfriend from losing his mind.

So the moral of the story here is, obviously, make sure you have a reddish/brown belt (it really does go with everything!) or a fashion guru sister on-call for those fashion emergency moments. Happy Monday!

Treasure Hunting

Shirt - Gifted, Skirt - Vintage, Necklace - ModCloth, Watch - Target, Pumps - cathy jean

Have you ever had an item that you just searched and searched and searched for, only to find it in the very last place you'd think of? That was the story of me and this bright green vintage pencil skirt. I had been dying for a skirt just like this, but I couldn't find it anywhere. It had to be just the right color, just the right cut, and just the right price. I have serious opinions when it comes to the prices people charge for vintage clothes. They're one-of-a-kind, gorgeous, and make me happy...but they're used, and I don't like paying an arm and a leg for used clothing. Can I get an "Amen"?

Anyway, I looked everywhere for this skirt and couldn't find it. How was I to know that it was waiting for me in a teeny tiny thrift shop in North Lake Tahoe, wedged in between a horrendous looking lavender prom dress and a turquoise knit suit? It was actually part of a 1980s blazer and midi-skirt suit set, but I split the suit up and hemmed the skirt. That's one of the things I love about vintage shopping. You can find some of your favorite pieces in the strangest places, when you least expect it. And if you're lucky, like I was, it'll cost you about $8 (score!). It's honestly like a treasure hunt, and I love the thrill of finding something I've really been wanting. It's like when things are elusive, we want them all the more. Like finding a four-leaf clover in a huge field, or pumpkin ice cream in the middle of summer, or snagging the middle seat of the middle row in a movie theater, or getting the fifth skill star of the Usher song on my Dance Central game for Kinect. These are my treasures, people...what are some of yours?

 Hope you find some treasures this weekend....Happy Friday!

Closet Therapy

Dress - Marshall's, Belt - F21, Jacket - Lucky Lulu's in SLO, Shoes - cathy jean

Lately I have been getting a few glimpses of spring here and there, and I can just not handle the teasing! It will be warm and sunny one day and cold and wet the next. I can't resist rocking bare legs and flouncy little dresses on the sunny days, and this little green chiffon one was just begging to be let out of the closet after being stuck inside all winter. Yes, my clothes beg me when they want to be worn. And I feel bad for them. We have an unhealthy, co-dependent relationship, I know. We're looking into couples therapy.

I wore this to a dear friend's birthday dinner at a fun, boisterous Cajun fusion restaurant (see food porn below) and loved how the green and leopard played off each other. I also love this little black jacket that I picked up in a boutique in San Luis Obispo back in January. It's super cropped in the back (sorry the photos didn't capture that well), and the ruched sleeves are a fun added touch. This jacket is one of my more demanding pieces of clothing. It begs to be worn like every day. I've talked to it about its constant need for attention, but it just doesn't seem to listen. We may have to go to therapy before the dress and I do.

Food porn coming up. Avert your eyes if you are prone to uncontrollable urges.

Baby back ribs, buttermilk fried chicken with gravy, and a side of mac' and cheese.

Yummmm. Jalapeno cornbread with spicy cheddar cream sauce.

Skirt steak with fried onions.

DELICIOUS beignets with assorted dipping sauces.

Red velvet waffles with chocolate sauce, cream cheese frosting, and vanilla ice cream.

Resurrection

Dress - Vintage, Clutch - Vintage, Shoes - Modcloth, Bracelet - BR

I mentioned last Easter that it's always been a big holiday in my family. To me, Easter is synonymous with spring flowers, early morning church services with family, and girls in beautiful spring dresses. To celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, I thought it was perfect to debut this vintage dress I bought last year. I love everything about this dress. I love its beautiful bright color, the geometric print, the pleats, the coordinating belt, and especially the tulip sleeves. Of course, this dress took some work to revive, with my mom shortening the hem and taking in the sides. But I love the idea of giving new life to a fashion that someone somewhere thought was dead...are you seeing my Easter theme here? I love it when my fashion choices are...deep. Who says fashion is totally about the superficial? Hope you all had a happy Easter!