A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Rock-N-Roll

Hope your weekend is off to a great start!

The weather has been absolutely gorgeous lately, sunny and warm with just enough breeze.  Such beautiful weather makes me happy.  It also makes me reach for easy and comfortable clothes.

Dress:  eShakti (Available here)

Sandals:  Target (old)

Today's outfit is a little bit country, a little bit rock-n-roll, and a little bit bohemian.  The dress is my most recent eShakti purchase.  I was admittedly disappointed that this very sheer dress (practically more of swimsuit cover-up) was not lined.  No worries - I found an old slip from another dress and chopped the hem to make it work with this dress!

Purse:  The Limited

The fringe, feathers, and scarf add a cool bohemian, rock-n-roll vibe. that I really love during the spring/summer.

Scarf:  The Limited

Bracelet:  Jodi Arnold for The Limited (old)

I wore this outfit while attending my son's Young Author's conference this morning.  So proud of his hard work that made him a winner with his story, "Beyond Heroes."

My kids have been asking to be on the blog numerous times, but I've always been somewhat reluctant to do so.  With it being Mother's Day weekend, I decided to give each of the kids a feature.  Tonight, I'm starting with Gabriel.

Gabe's outfit:  Kohl's

Gabriel is finishing up fourth grade and is a very funny, sweet, smart, articulate, and athletic little man.  He loves playing Minecraft and soccer, and he is an excellent big brother.  He's also one of my blog photographers!

There is a special bond between mothers and their sons, and I take the responsibility of raising a boy very seriously.  

In a patriarchal culture, I believe that it's our job as parents to teach our sons to reject inequality and to encourage feelings of self-worth that empower them to make wise and brave decisions.  I believe it is our job to give our sons the tools to reject the system of inequality that not only gives them unfair advantage but that also limits their own growth and development as "whole" people.  

I've always encouraged Gabe to be who he is and to freely exhibit both the qualities that are gendered masculine in our culture but also those that are gendered feminine.  I worry everyday, as I'm sure most mothers (parents) do, that I'm not doing a good enough job, but I hope that my efforts will be successful.

Hope all you mothers have a wonderful Mother's Day!!!!  See you tomorrow!!

Date Night in Black and White

Last night, the man and I had a dinner date at Brazikat, a Brazilian steakhouse in the St. Louis area.  Being a vegetarian, this was clearly the man's choice, but thankfully, I still had lots of yummy options.  If you're from the area or planning a visit, let me just say - the grilled pineapple can't be beat!

Skirt:  The Limited (Similar here)

Blouse:  New York & Company

While the food was delicious and the live music created a wonderful ambiance, my favorite part (besides my great company, of course) was getting a chance to dress up.  The weather was cool, but not too cold, so it was a great chance to wake up the legs from their winter hibernation by baring a lot of leg!

I've had this blouse for a while but have only had a chance to show it on the blog in one grainy photo.  The dramatic ruffle is so lovely, and I find asymmetrical hemlines very flattering.

Jacket:  Target

Booties:  Target (Available here)
Clutch:  Target (Similar here)

I finished the look off with open-toe booties, a printed clutch, and delicate, but slightly tough looking, jewelry.

All in all, I was quite happy with this look.  It has a mix of romance and edge, that I particularly enjoy.

Earrings:  Torrid (Similar here)

Necklaces:  Target and The Limited

What's more, this outfit was super comfortable.  As I've gotten older, I find comfort increasingly important.  Feeling comfortable makes me feel sexy.  A flowy top like this disguises areas I'd rather not show off a lot while the deep v-neck and short skirt show off assets I love to flaunt.

Bangle:  Target (Available here)

What makes you feel sexy?  Are you a fan of large ruffles?

For this skirt in other looks, see here, here, and here.
For this jacket in other outfits, see here, here, here, here, and here.

P.S.  Are you a closed-eye smiler?  I fight against this every time I take pictures, but it's often the same as pics from when I was a year old - squinty eye smiler for life! ;-)

Mixing Pinks and Greens (Plus a Jewelry Feature from Ixora Boutique)

Hope you're all having a wonderful Sunday!

I'm enjoying the Oscars while dreaming of warmer weather.  We are in the middle of yet ANOTHER winter storm, but it's March!  It's supposed to be getting warm again!  Come on, spring!!!!!

Today, I'm excited to introduce you to a couple gorgeous pieces of jewelry from Ixora Boutique - a Kitsy Lane store.  I had always liked a lot of the jewelry offered, but I hadn't actually tried any.

Recently, my lovely sister loaned me some samples, and even gifted me a few! 

The jewelry is beautiful in person, and I've been having fun coming up with ways to style it.  Today, I feature these amazing rose quartz earrings (my birthstone) and moonstone ring.

Earrings:  Ixora Boutique (Available here)

Ring:  Ixora Boutique (Available here)

This first look is perfect for evening.  I love that it has a formality that works with the sophisticated jewelry.  I describe this look as romantic rock-n-roll.  

While the outfit is neutral, the pops of soft pink and mint green are right on trend.  Accessories are a great way to incorporate trendy colors into your wardrobe.

Dress:  The Limited
Jacket:  Target
Boots:  Target (Available here)
Purse:  Forever 21 (Available here)

Unfortunately, I did not get a ton of great pics with this look as it was way too cold and I was freezing all my bits off!  ;-/

I love the idea of dressing these pieces up for a night out with a lace dress and leather jacket, but since these pieces already have a formality, I especially love the idea of juxtaposing them with a casual look as I did here:

Jeans:  The Limited
Blouse:  LOFT Petites (Sold out on-line; May be available in stores here)
Ring:  Ixora Boutique (Available here)

Earrings:  Ixora Boutique (Available here)
Jacket:  Old Navy

Soft pink is my favorite color to wear with army green, so I love the mix of this top and earrings with the army jacket.

Bag:  The Limited
Shoes:  Target

Do you prefer wearing formal pieces for evening or in a more casual way?

Shop all the fabulous pieces at Ixora here.

For this lace dress in another look, see here.
For this jacket in other looks, see here, here, and here.

For these jeans in another look, see here.
For the pink blouse in another outfit, see here.
For the army jacket in other looks, see here and here.

Rocking Tweed

Happy Tuesday, everyone!

Hope you all had a wonderful start to your week.  My work week is short this week with the Thanksgiving holiday, for which I'm very thankful!

Yesterday, I gave my tweed jacket a slight rock-n-roll feel that I think still felt professional enough for my business casual workplace.

Blouse: LOFT Petites (Available here)
Pants:  The Limited (Similar here)
Jacket:  Gap (old)

Black or blush pumps might have worked better for the office, but I have been having a love affair with boots (and subtle rock-n-roll inspiration) this fall. 

Besides, I really wanted to wear my new booties.

Boots:  Fergie by Fergalicious (Available here)
Clutch:  The Limited (Available here)

I finally used my Famous Footwear gift card I received from Brown Shoe (details here) on these Fergalicious by Fergie faux suede and leather booties. The height is super comfortable thanks to a hidden platform.  Thanks to wide and thick feet, they are slightly tight (especially on my larger left foot), but otherwise, they're a great boot for work or weekends.  Unfortunately, finding any shoes that fit my feet properly is harder than finding a needle in that proverbial haystack...so I make do.

These boots did not come in wide-width, so if you have very wide feet, these may not work.

Necklace:  The Limited (Available here)
Bracelets: LOFT (Available here and here)

The faux leather tuxedo stripe, bold necklace, and glittery accents add to the rock-n-roll feel, while the tweed and soft pink color help strike a more conservative balance.

Are you a fan of booties or do you prefer another type of shoe/ boot?  Would you wear an outfit like this to work?

For this jacket in other looks, see here, here, and here.

Singin' the Blues: Casual Rock-n-Roll

Singin' the Blues Week continues with a denim and cobalt blue faux leather look.

Jeans:  Torrid (Available here)

Tee:  Torrid (Available here)

I added my Blondie tee to my Stiletto skinny jeans from Torrid for a comfy casual look with a cool rock-n-roll vibe.

I recently picked up these jeans with the 26" inseam.  When I originally bought this style of jeans, they didn't carry the short length.  I couldn't hem the jeans because of the zippers, so I was trying to make do.  I finally broke down and nabbed this pair - the length works much better!

Jacket:  Forenza by The Limited (Similar here)

Ring:  The Limited
Clutch:  The Limited (Available here)

The cobalt moto jacket adds a fun pop of color to this laid back look.

Boots:  Payless (old)

Are you a fan of moto jackets?  Have you tried the Stiletto skinny jeans from Torrid?

For this jacket in other colors, see here, here, here, here, here, and here.

Touch of Boho

Hope you all have been having a great weekend!

Skirt:  Forenza by The Limited (Available here)
Top:  Forenza by The Limited (Available here)

I wore this look to go to lunch and run some errands yesterday with the family.  I wanted an outfit that was casual but cool enough to contend with the 90+ degree heat.

Sandals: Target (old)
Bracelets:  Jodi Arnold for The Limited, Claire's, Torrid

The bandage skirt and breezy flyaway top could have easily taken a more evening turn, but the feather sandals and fringe bag give the look a more casual bohemian vibe.

Purse:  The Limited (Available here)

I love how shoes and accessories can really change up an outfit.  Do you use accessories to give your outfits a different feel?

For this skirt in another look, see here
For this top in another look, see here

I apologize about the quality of today's photos...the sunlight was causing weird coloring and effects.  One of these days, I'm going to figure out the best time of day to take pics!  Any tips from my fellow bloggers?

Fit to be tie-dyed

Today's evening look is more casual than yesterday's artsy date night outfit.

Blouse:  Target Petites (Available here)
Jeans:  Torrid (Available here)

I would wear an outfit like this for a casual evening out.  It would be perfect for going out to the movies or to a bar.

I love the bold color pop of the top.  The tie-dye jeans are slightly bohemian, which I love.   

Shoes:  Payless
Clutch:  The Limited (old) (Similar here)

Necklace:  Target (Similar here)
Bracelet:  The Limited (old)
Rings:  Purchased at local jewelry shows

Paired with the fringed purse and necklace, the outfit has a casual rock-n-roll vibe.

What would you wear for a casual evening out?  

Like me on Facebook and show me your favorite going-out looks!

To see this blouse in another look, see here.

Gaga for Lady Gaga

Coated denim jeans:  Target (Available here)
Top:  The Limited (old)

Happy Sunday, everyone!  Hope you're all having a great day!!!

Last night's Lady Gaga concert was ahhhh-maaaaaaaa-zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzing!!!!!  I had so much fun and am so in love with her artistry and her messages of individualism, self-acceptance, and tolerance.

I knew I wanted a wild look that was very different than my day-to-day.  While I didn't want to get too extreme with my clothes, I loved the idea of going all out with my hair and make-up.

Earring (left ear):  Express
Feather earring (right ear):  Claire's (Available here)

Crystals:  Hot Topic

My sister's a hair dresser and helped me create this fun mohawk with a slight pompadour front.  

I did my own make-up, playing around with the idea of a futuristic hybridization of cultures with the bindhi and Kabuki-inspired lip.

Thank you to everyone who voted for my concert outfit.  

Unfortunately, I didn't get a ton of votes for what to wear, so I went with the votes that I got, but made some changes based on my needs for the night.

Look #1 was the unanimous winner:

Jacket/cardigan:  Converse One Star for Target
Top:  The Limited (Available here)

Blazer:  New York & Company (Similar here)
Purse:  The Limited (old)

Shoes:  Payless
Necklace:  eBay (Similar here)
Bracelets:  Torrid, The Limited (Similar here)

It was cold outside, but I didn't want to deal with a coat at the concert, so I decided to swap the cardigan for the blazer from Look #3 for a little more coverage and warmth.  I also opted for an assymetrical sequin top as I preferred the scoopneck of the tank with the blazer.

As much as this overall look was forged out of the desire to play dress-up, I have always loved mohawk-styled looks on women and have always wanted to try it.  This look is as much "me" as any other.  Having so much fun with this look inspires me to try out an edgier cut/style with my hair.

Would you ever try out a mohawk?