Pinterest Pinspiration: Bright is alright

It would be difficult not to notice all the bright hues of denim in stores right now.   My first instinct was to steer clear of putting any colored denim on my derriere.  My second instinct arrived about 15 seconds later and screamed, "you need to get your hands on some of those!  pronto!"  And while I intended to go with a safe color like blue, well, you can see below how that turned out.  The yellow was calling to me and the nice boy at the Gap assured me that they were cool.  And nice boys at the Gap don't lie, right?

Be aware that most brands are using a skinny legging jean style for their colored denim looks.  The bad news?  That isn't everyone's best look.  The good news is they have so much stretch in them that it doesn't matter.  They are actually quite comfortable and all it took for me was finding a rise that works for my, ahem, mom body. 

Since this was my first foray since sixth grade wearing neon pants, I decided to play it safe and pair it with a denim dress tunic.  Again the nice boy at the Gap assured me it wasn't maternity, it didn't look maternity, and there was no way anyone would mistake it as such.  Cuz, you know I don't want to throw anyone into a tizzy thinking that baby #3 is on the way.  It isn't.   Just to emphasize the point, I paired it with a wide belt.  Cuz I can.  Topped off (or bottomed off?) with some leopard print shoes and the outfit was complete in my book.  If you are ever in doubt, finish an outfit off with some animal print and you'll be good to go.  Works every time.

Here's my Pinterest Pinspiration for today:

 

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Yellow pants + dark denim + flats + brown accessories

Daily Style File
Dress:  Gap
Jeans:  Gap
Belt:  Gap (old)
Shoes:  Calvin Klein

Pinterest Pinspiration: jeans, tweed + neon

Apparently I have a thing for jeans and blazers.   I only know this because I have an awful lot of pins with this look and an equal amount of jeans and blazers in my closet.  However, I often feel like wearing a blazer looks too formal for my normal running around activities.  Which doesn't make sense since I wear skirts and dresses often enough. 

Boyfriend jeans are always a classic look.  As are tweed jackets (a la Chanel).  And throw a white tee in the mix and voila, you have a totally perfectly put together look.  Why the heck is it that I needed to have Pinterest remind me of this?  That I am not sure.  So let's just cut to the chase. 

Here's my Pinterest Pinspiration for today. 

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Boyfriend jeans + tweed jacket + tshirt = done.  You've certainly seen that neon is HOT right now but added to a tweed jacket.  Shut. up.  See the subtle neon goodness below.  The best part?  This jacket was already in my closet.  For a couple of years.  Glad it is finally getting some wear.

 

PS.  Oh, and did you know the latest accessory is the white finger wrap?  Let's just say this morning I learned that a knife + an unruly avocado pit = 5 stitches in my finger.  Whoops.

Daily Style File
Tshirt:  Gap
Jacket:  Cynthia Steffe
Jeans:  Express
Shoes:  All Black via Anthropologie

Introducing....Pinterest Pinspiration Challenge

I've been pretty bored with my wardrobe lately.  Ridiculous, right?   I have an entire closet full of clothes.  But, I get bored easily and haven't been shopping lately to infuse anything new and exciting into the mix.  Recently I have found myself searching Pinterest for outfit ideas when I normally would be blogging.


Which got me thinking.......




(don't be skerred - but imagine smoke coming out of ears from thinking so hard)




......what if I actually looked at the items I pinned and used them as inspiration for getting dressed?




SAY WHAT?!?!?!  Is this what Oprah calls an 'AHA' moment?!

It seems surprisingly simple but I can't be the only one to find myself pinning all these amazing ideas and then never looking at them again. Right?  

Starting today and continuing until I am bored (a week? a month?), I have decided to use my Pinterest boards as pinspiration for my own dressing.  Any major event like this needs some preparation.  And preparation = shopping.   And pinning.  And research.  And research = more pinning.

My goal is to mainly use items I already own and wear them in a new to me pinspiring way.  I am also going to purchase a few new pieces that will help infuse some excitement into my wardrobe.  WAHOOOO, right?!  Now THIS is what gets me out of bed in the morning!!  (Either that or it is my kids waking me up and telling me they are hungry, but you get the idea.)

So, amuse me and amuse yourself and check back daily to see what new must have Spring items I added to my closet, what I am wearing and what pinspired it.  Don't forget to follow me on Pinterest.   

PS. What pinspires you?  If you have any pins that you have been crushing on but aren't sure how to make work, let's chat.

Bouncin' around

I brought the kids to a bounce house with some friends today. My hair was pulled back in an attempt to look effortlessly chic.  Somehow by the end of our morning I looked more effort-less than chic.   Kind of like I had been bouncing around a wind tunnel instead of purely watching the lil' ones from the sidelines. This is why I prefer short hair, because it just gets pulled into a ponytail anyways. However, I awoke this morning to my daughter carefully stroking my hair and telling me how long and beautiful it is.  That, my friends, is the only reason I am growing it out - because my four year old is just so darn excited about it.  If I cut it now, I may scar her for life.

There was no bouncing to be had myself since I have enough of my own natural bounce going on.  There isn't a need to exasperate it by flailing myself around a giant inflatable. Plus, you'll notice I'm not wearing socks and you never want to find yourself walking around a giant kids bounce house with no socks.  Just sayin'. 

Daily Style File
Turtleneck:  Old Navy
Overcoat:  Urban Outfitters
Jeans:  Lucky Brand
Necklace:  Old Navy
Shoes:  JCPenney

I Wore It Where?
breakfast, bounce house

Sporty-ish

Today was one of those days that I was fully dressed and then decided to change.  Because I felt like wearing sneakers.  I'm not really sure what came over me.  I guess you could say I took my "running around" pretty seriously today.  Teeheehee. 

I recently found a little tear in my yoga pants that makes them unwearable (in the butt, no less.  And yes, I was in a public place when the tear was first discovered which is my lesson learned for wearing them in public).  Since those weren't an option for my sneaker day, leggings and a comfy skirt were the next best thing.  It's kind of sporty-ish.  Plus, my lack of hairstyle gave me a "just exercised" look to accompany my outfit.  

Daily Style File
T-shirt:  Old Navy
Vest:  Kensie via T.J.Maxx
Skirt:  Mossimo via Target
Leggings:  Mossimo via Target
Sneakers:  Puma

I Wore It Where?
preschool, errands

Dressed down

I have an affinity for dresses.  Especially when they are tulip shaped like this one. Maybe because it accentuates the curves and hides the flaws.  In the past I have worn this dress with heels, but since being a stay at home mom doesn't afford me too many options to wear stilettos, I decided to dress it down.  There's no use having it sit in my closet unworn.  Enter my boots and the jean jacket which is already making a reappearance from yesterday.  I'm telling you, I am totally serious about this Spring thing.  It needs to be here.  Now.  Or yesterday.

This dress is so comfy and versatile that not only did I do my usual routine but I also went on a late afternoon/early evening trail walk in it.  Like an in the woods trail.  Unpaved and everything.  I felt so outdoorsy.  Until I looked down and realized I was in a dress and boots.  And wearing a necklace and carrying my purse.  But, hey, everyone's idea of outdoorsy is different.  My daughter went on a last minute playdate before dinner so the hubs and I decided to embrace it and take our son on a little outdoor hike.  Or something like that.  Maybe next time I'll really let loose and leave my purse in the car.  At least I left my Starbucks there.

Daily Style File
Dress:  Iisli via T.J.Maxx Rent the Runway (Fall 2009)
Jacket:  INC (Winter 2005)
Necklace:  Gifted
Belt:  Anthropologie (Holiday 2011)
Boots:  One of 2 via Nordstrom


I Wore It Where?
preschool, errands, a hike (!!)
 

Snow day

It snowed here in North Carolina last night.  Now for many places, that isn't a big deal.  But, here, well here it meant my daughter woke up in total shock, amazement and delight that there was 1/4" of snow.  You read that correct:  a whopping 1/4", if even.  That didn't stop us from making a snowman, with what snow we could rake, yes - rake, and sweep, yup - sweep, into a pile to roll around some snowballs.  Seriously.  And you would have thought we built the Taj Mahal.  We topped the snowman off with blueberry eyes, a cherry tomato nose and a skittles mouth.  His arms were an old bubble wand and a skewer from her playhouse grill. That, my friends, was one wonky looking snowman.

Anyways, if you have already peeked at my outfit, you are probably wondering why I am wearing a jean jacket on a snowy day.  Well, that is because by the time I got dressed (mid-afternoon since weather advisories were in effect all morning and I made sure to abide the warnings and be lazy as long as possible), the snow had melted and it was 50 degrees outside.  And tomorrow and the rest of the week it is supposed to be high 50's - low 70's.  That is springtime in my mind, hence the jean jacket.  The scarf was thrown on to remind me it snowed in the morning.  And also to cover the black bra I mistakenly put on under my white t-shirt but was too lazy to change.  Hooray for lazy, snowy days!

 
I Wore It Where?
Target, Mom's Night