I Pick Pretty

The Perfectly Imperfect Ending

2013-03-25T09:06:00.003-05:00

This is the post I've been waiting to write for, oh, ever.

This is the post I've been dreading writing for a long while, too.

As my Twitter peeps already know, I am - ta-da! - with child:

Photo at 21 weeks - slightly more than halfway and already sporting a double chin / still wildly uncomfortable in front of a camera

Yes, I'm due in July ~~just like a certain Princess Shinylocks / imaginary BFF~~ with a baby girl. Yes, this means that the Ralph Lauren-style family of four, the stuff of my childhood dreams, is actually happening.

I'm ecstatic. (Duh.)

I'm still in shock, given the fertility fight it took to get here. I really mean that "shock" bit . . . I often find myself wandering into the soon-to-be-nursery, gazing at the growing collection of impossibly teeny-tiny girl clothes, wondering how it is that I get to do this.

I'm . . . round-the-clock eating my (skyrocketing) weight in sugary carbs.

I'm also freaked out, to use the scientific phrase, by the impending challenge of wrangling two children at once, on top of the no-sleep-sanity-optional Hurricane Newborn normal. I worry about my ability to raise a baby girl when I have a complex mother-daughter kinda-sorta relationship myself.

I'm doing my best to balance all of the above by shopping for those teeny-tiny girl clothes and blowing up Pinterest with nursery design inspiration (read: HELLO, nesting hormones!).

***

It's a funny thing, going public with a pregnancy after having shared my struggle to get here. As utterly thrilled as I am, I'm also painfully aware that there are others in the fertility trenches who will read this and wonder, "Why her and not me?", who will sigh at yet another social media pregnancy announcement ugh.

Hence my hesitation to put this up at all - until I remembered the support you readers, all three of you, gave me and, indirectly, the spiffy Anonymous Husband too during that awful time.

I owe you a very humble thank you for seeing me through it all - not that this was the ALL OVARIES ALL THE TIME! station, but in between the Pretty bits - and wanted you to know this improbably perfect conclusion to a wildly imperfect beginning.

I'd also love to be a resource for anyone else dealing with infertility and/or PCOS in particular; please feel free to send me questions, frustrations, etc. (contact info at the bottom of this post). It so helped me hearing from others who had successfully conceived after being diagnosed that I felt I needed to overcome my hesitation and share my news here too.

***

And since I'm in the updating way today, I owe you an update on the big brother himself:

At almost 3, Master P alternates between being the most and the least charming individual I know. His language, creativity, and awareness have skyrocketed - we're living in the inquisitive "WHY???-land" now - and I'm just enough of a former lawyer to (mostly) be enjoying it.

On the flip side, his newfound ability to turn even the smallest of matters into a power struggle has me wishing I could just have a damned ~~bottle~~ glass of pinot already. He longs to be independent except for the ways in which it might make my life easier, having dropped his nap (SOB) and showing little interest in p-o-t-t-y training ("potty" spelled out to protect the innocent eyes of any Cheerfully Child-Free readers uninterested in my preschooler's bowels).

Oh, but the good days are just so very, very good. When he beams at someone and chirps, "Hi there!", when he expertly pilots his balance bike around the playground, when he excitedly talks about "baby sister!", there's no greater joy. Pinky swear.

***

On the joy note, as much as I've missed blogging and the blog community, stepping away was & continues to be a happy thing here.

This is SO taboo for a blogger to admit - I'm cringing with social media shame as I type this - but this site never resonated with you readers in the way I secretly hoped it would. After some time away, I finally admitted to myself that it bothered me. For the better part of four plus years I've been pressuring myself to make something happen here that just wouldn't. Frankly, if I didn't care about things gathering reader traction, I'd be journaling like any normal narcissist.

Other quasi-legitimate excuses for my time away include:

(1) When Mother Nature demanded in my first trimester that I "RELAX!", I was only too happy to listen. When Master P napped, I napped - and . . . oh, how I miss those naps. *tangential sigh*; I did this the last time I was pregnant too - gestating and blogging somehow don't mix for me.

(2) When the wee CEO nap died, POOF! went the time I'd previously spent writing & editing.

(3) BABY GIRL CLOTHES SHOPPING OMGEEEEEE! And . . .

(4) As much joy as I've derived here, I've begun to suspect there might be a different creative outlet in my future.

Now I'm channeling that creative impulse (see above re: overpowering nesting hormones) into decorating the nursery and other hausfrau projects I never had time for while trying to make this here site happen. But for blogging, I wouldn't have even known I was inclined to be creative . . . not a bad side benefit from this little hobby, not to mention the virtual book of schmoopy-doopy family memories I've inadvertently created here, the friends like you I've met . . .

So my hiatus here remains indefinite as I chew on my next social media step. I'm thinking "next step" = the newly born Miss Pretty, then on to . . . I'm not sure yet, but there will be something. I strive to fail up, to fail better, stumbling along doing what I love in my next reading & writing adventure.

Until then, thank you. Pretty please keep in touch on Twitter or Pinterest or olde-timey email (ipickpretty AT gmail). xo

Of Breaks and Bits

2012-11-26T09:39:00.000-06:00

You know when you're in a relationship that just isn't working for whatever reason, but because you're in the thick of it you can't see clearly enough to get why or get out?

That's what blogging became for me - it's not you, it's me. No, really - for whatever reason writing became more of a daily chore. More about reader numbers and meeting some invisible, entirely self-imposed expectations than losing myself in the writing and in the companionship, the original reasons I got into this here interwebs deal. Silly, isn't it? I don't know how I got there, but . . .

It has also grown, um, weird putting my personal life on the internet, particularly with more real-life friends - hi, real-life friends! - (yes, I have a few) (pinky swear) - reading here, a sort of one-sided TMI experiment that made for some awkward conversations.

I've hit this blogging speed bump before, and this too shall pass. I'll find a new path, a different way to enjoy writing. I do miss the writing, the picture taking, and - most importantly - you all.

Until then, however, backing away seems like the right answer, and I'm really enjoying the time it has freed up for me to re-focus on the little big things:

Thanksgiving 2012

After hosting Thanksgiving - for which I managed both to cook and not poison anyone (either accidentally or intentionally) - we're enthusiastically getting into the Christmas spirit. As soon as the turkey cools here at Pretty HQ, I'm unpacking ornaments and impatiently waiting until I can send out holiday cards:

Happy start to the holiday season, lovelies. I'll be here even if I'm not always here, drumming my fingers, wondering whether I can send those cards already . . .

Housekeeping Note: W2WW Resumes on Tuesday, Nov. 20th

2012-11-07T14:04:00.003-06:00

I owe y'all an apology, and it's not just for my overuse of "y'all" when I'm not a native Texan.

Usually I forget little things like my natural hair color, but recently I neglected to announce that What to Wear Where was going on a brief holiday. We'll resume on Tuesday, November 20th over at my girl Forever 29 with a Thanksgiving themed link-up.

Please forgive me - I know you've simply been BESIDE YOURSELVES with anxiety over this.

And now if you'll excuse me, I have some Martha-style baking to get up to for my first school fundraising event. Yes, you read that correctly. Blame the hormones, right?

Checking In & Child Cuteness

2012-11-05T13:14:00.001-06:00

Hello again.

I'm doing well, I really am - and you?

So in my time off this here blog, one thing I've been up to is reading this mostly wonderful book, one line of which kinda hit me between the eyes:

There was some famous writer . . . who said you must be wounded into writing, but that you shouldn't write until the wound has healed.

That sounds awfully heavy for a blog devoted to all things Pretty, but since I've taken to writing more about personal life here lately, icky stuff included, it resonated.

Sometimes you need distance from a situation to share it without losing a piece of yourself (including, um, your sanity). I'm enjoying the break from cooking up content here while I just process things and, to use the scientific phrase, freaking stop over-thinking it all already.

Now I'm afraid I've created some bleak picture of me moping around listening to Alanis like it's dreary, Doc Marten-wearing 1992, when that couldn't be further from the truth . . . when I'm not busy with Master P, I'm happily spending more time puttering, reading, getting my house ready for hosting Thanksgiving (and Christmas - gulp), and generally doing the stuff that gets pushed aside when I'm in Winning the Internet Mode.

So if you'll forgive me - all three of you readers - I may continue to check in here more sporadically*, but here are some fall-ish wee CEO photos to tide you over. Because snaps of a total stranger's child are EXACTLY the cure for a Monday, right?

*Unless and until another fertility-hormone-induced mood swing changes my mind - speaking of, it's super convenient having those to blame. Feeling uninspired to write? Bad hair day? Embezzled millions? Talk to the hormones!

(By the by, the photos below were taken by my talented friend Z a few weeks ago while we were checking out an antiques market - can you believe she took these on the fly? And, no, she's not paying me to say any of these nice things - I just want any Austinites here to book her before she has her baby sometime in the next 5 minutes.)

More Pretty stuff soon - but not too soon - pinky swear . . .

A Pretty in Pink Sprinkle

2012-10-29T15:43:00.000-05:00

Hello again . . . and welcome to I Pick Pretty, girly girl edition, in which I show you the pink, frilly details sprinkle I co-hosted last weekend for one of my dear friends - who also happens to be our family photographer and mother to one of Master P's future wives. Convenient, eh?

This isn't usually a party planning sort of blog, but it's Monday - we could use some Pretties, right? Right:

Here's what our guests saw as they entered Pretty HQ - anyone recognize the fancy IKEA easel?

How does the saying go - "I brunch, therefore I mimosa?" Something like that.

Thanks to Simply Sweet, my go-to peeps for festive baked goods (as if there were any other kind); the guest of honor, who has an incredible eye for little party details, made those "Ready to pop!" cupcake toppers.

I bought that chevron runner you see there & was happy how it played off the pink and orange flowers . . .

Notice how I only remembered to snap photos of the champagne and the cupcakes? That tells you a lot about my priorities, but it isn't the whole menu story. Thank goodness the mom-to-be / photographer snapped some of the Pretty details:

photo credit: ziem photography

There's my awesome co-host, who clearly has a hidden talent for game show hostessing . . .

photo credit: ziem photography

Here's what we served:

mini-yogurts with granola ("mini" makes everything cuter, even granola)

assorted bagels with cream cheese

spinach and bacon quiche

macarons with lemon buttercream frosting

rice krispy pops

vanilla cupcakes with vanilla icing

photo credit: ziem photography

Get it - the "pops" for the mom who is about to pop? This was yet another pun-tastic detail provided by Z herself.

photo credit: ziem photography

And here are our guests, gorgeous mama-to-be included. These are some of my Mommy Mafia playgroup homies; you'd be hard pressed to find a kinder, more supportive, and irritatingly pretty bunch.

***

My girl Amy, who would totally be in my mom gang if not for the pesky fact that she lives a few states away, is hosting What to Wear Where, Halloween edition, tomorrow. I've got Stuff going on this week & am taking it easy on social media, tomorrow included, but please hop on over to Amy's and link-up!

The "Just a Mom" Thing

2012-10-24T14:04:00.000-05:00

If by that title I've given you the impression that I'm going to point a finger at those who use that tricky phrase, you're right - the thing is, I'm pointing it at me.

I've mentioned before how the one - the only - thing I truly miss about my past lawyer life is that the job scored me some ego points. It gave good dinner party, made me feel like I had accomplished something prestigious, even if I didn't much enjoy the accomplishment itself.

And so I bristle when I see references to anyone being "just a mom" - but my internalizing that says something about me, doesn't it? If I weren't secretly worried there was some truth to that phrase, would it be bothering me? After all, I've caught myself using that very phrase when introducing myself.

photo credit: ziem photography (hi, Z!)

Turns out I've been giving my choice to stay at home with the wee CEO good lip service but haven't entirely backed that up with belief. I'm still seeking external validation in ways I hadn't realized until last Sunday, when a sermon snapped me out of a funk.

I don't get too into my faith here - I'm Episcopalian, by the way, and also an annoying hippie about trying to respect the religious beliefs / non-beliefs of others - but this message was so resonant with me, and applicable regardless of faith, that I - well, here it is: being you is enough. (Here's the specific verse the sermon discussed if you're interested.) The drive to succeed on the world's terms is natural, it can be a good thing, but it isn't the end goal. The God I believe in loves regardless of achievement.

For someone raised in the faith of Being Polite to Others and Doing Well in School, this is nothing short of revolutionary. You mean, all of those trophies and report cards, that striving to put my mark on a yet-to-be-determined something, that lifelong run for Student Body President, is all for naught?

Not exactly, but I'm coming to realize that "just a mom" - just me & my beliefs, come to think - is enough. Actually, strike the "mom" bit - just me is enough.

Let me explain.

In the absence of external job pats on the back, I've realized I've started seeking it elsewhere - trouble is, in seeking validation for myself I'm not serving the right master. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but - I've been relying too heavily on my feedback here, for example, where stagnation in reader numbers and comments has had me feeling like a failure and questioning whether writing for writing's sake is enough.

I've been taking my fertility struggles as another indication that I'm somehow doing something wrong, not living the "two kids and a picket fence" dream. Not only does it bother me intrinsically because I want another child, but doesn't that put me behind somehow?

I've wondered if this vague dissatisfaction means I should go back to work, but I don't think that's it - yet, at least. I remain open to the possibility, so long as that doesn't involve playing attorney again, but I'm not there. This stay at home stuff is still awesome, even when it isn't.

I know, I know - this is all so outrageously MEMEME #firstworldproblems, isn't it, worrrying about MY PRESHUS FEELINGS when many others have actual, real life problems to contend with? If ego pats are my biggest worry, then I'm doing awfully well and should just shut up already.

Be these big worries or small, though, I can't convey what a relief it is to step off of the mental hamster wheel of achievement, at least during this season in my life. That driven mentality has served me well at times, bringing me to places professionally and personally I'm proud of, but it also has a competitive flip side which has soured friendships and hobbies. In serving the cause of my own glory, I ultimately serve no one.

I'm slowly realizing that the small, unrewarded things - getting dinner on the table, for example, no small feat when a certain wee CEO is quite literally pulling at my apron strings with a shrill "MAMAMAMAMAMA!!!" chorus - are, to me, largely the reward-ing things.

I suppose it's all a part of growing up, isn't it, finding that internal validation as opposed to seeking it in others. If I'm doing my best - inevitably falling short, but trying - with my husband, my friends, and my boy - that is enough. It is.

And now to actually believing these words . . . overcoming thirty-something years of the glorification of Busy isn't a task to be tackled overnight. My inner Type A Minus is rolling her eyes at all of this, questioning whether this isn't an excuse for not having made some sort of cosmic mark.

Overachiever tendencies notwithstanding, every day I want to act intentionally in the ways that really matter - an email to a friend I haven't talked to in too long, maybe, or researching fun new adventures for Master P & me - knowing that they won't land me a mention in the New York Times or anywhere else, for that matter.

My hair isn't cute and my blog hasn't let to that mostly true bestselling memoir, my ovaries are fickle and the only Pinterest-worthy crafts I can do involve sneaking recent purchases into my closet without spousal detection. And that's enough.

I'm enough, you're enough . . . and, sweet Neiman Marcus, this is starting to sound like those old Stuart Smalley "People Like Me!" sketches, isn't it?

I'll trade the accolades for the ultimate things that matter, so long as we can give my ego the chance to catch up - and promise to retire the "just a mom" phrase from our lexicon entirely. Deal?

What to Wear Where: A Night at the Theater

2012-10-23T14:20:00.001-05:00

When my girl Lilly suggested she guest host a "night out at the arts" theme for What to Wear Where, I thought to myself, "What an awesome idea."

I quickly followed that thought with something like, "Um, but what do *I* know about an arts night out? I can count the number of gallery openings and such I've been to on one hand, if that hand had no fingers."

The thing is, I've yet to unearth the fine arts scene here in Austin, where you can trip over a live music set on your way out the door but have to dig deeper to find other entertainment. I believe it's here somewhere, but it isn't the obvious, thriving scene I grew up with in San Diego (which, yes, mostly has beautiful weather and people but also some decent theater and museums.)

Plus, there's that whole having a kid + finding a sitter + convincing the Anonymous Husband to see a play thing. No small task, that one (three!).

So on the rare occasion when I do get out to see something like a play, something I absolutely love to do, I have fun playing dress up. Austin isn't a decked out sort of city, however, so that dressing up tends towards something with a retro, vintage-y vibe, like this or this:

(click on picture or link below for outfit details)

What to Wear Where: A Night at the Theater by legallyblondemel featuring kate spade handbags

If you are wondering if I cooked up that entire outfit set to feature a clutch fashioned after one of my favorite books, the answer is - yes. Duh. #nerd

Also, I have my eye on that Target leopard coat but am weighing my desire to wear it vs. the likelihood I'd have to throw a "SETTLE DOWN, PETA - IT'S FAUX FUR" sign over it here in the People's Republic.

Whaddaya think? Any volunteers to show me where the Austin arts scene is and/or to babysit Master P while I check it out?

***

Now it's your turn - please grab the button below, throw it in your post, and link up over at Lilly's.

If this week isn't your thing, join us next week as Amy hosts the Halloween edition on Tuesday, October 30th!

Peter Pan

2012-10-22T14:14:00.000-05:00

It's the unicorn of fashion, isn't it, when you already own something that magically becomes capital "T" Trendy?

I'm enjoying this rare feeling now with the Peter Pan collar trend, a look that's right in my style wheelhouse - does it look primly feminine? Vaguely reminiscent of a school uniform? Then I probably like it, and this is no exception; my version is via an old consignment find, this Marc by Marc Jacobs shirt:

It's a tricky look, I think, and not one made for all body types or situations - ye of big chesticles and/or stuffy professional office settings *cough*law firms*cough*, I'd tread carefully with this girly-girl look.

Aren't I just a natural in front of the camera? Can you see by my completely relaxed posture and ~~grimace~~ grin why our photographer reminded me to take a (non-photographic) shot before our Christmas card shoot next weekend? (love you, Z!)

Ahem. Moving on to the details:

(Yes, yes - mama needs to make time for an at-home mani.)

I like how the shirt details make this a little less twee - think the non-pink colorblocking and the exposed zipper help balance out my frilly collar & cameo:

Mildly Relevant Sidebar: why am I wearing short sleeves and cuffed jeans in fall, you might be asking? Take it up with Texas, where it was a balmy 90 degrees yesterday. COME TO MAMA, FALL!

outfit details: shirt (vintage Marc by Marc Jacobs) / jeans (Citizens of Humanity) / ring (old Francesca's) / watch (old Coach) / purse (Modalu) / flats (Toms) / sunglasses (old O by Oscar de la Renta)

What do you think - are you on board with this Peter Pan look? Is that the most taxing question you have to answer this Monday? Here's hoping yes . . .

***

For those of you participating tomorrow in What to Wear Where, "A Night Out at the Arts" edition (theater, gallery openings, Kardashian viewings, etc.), Miss Lilly will be hosting that link-up party. See you there!

Target + Neiman Marcus Holiday Collection

2012-10-19T14:44:00.000-05:00

Show of hands - who's relieved I'm not discussing my defective ladybits today? Me too!

Speaking of good things, it seems fitting that the Target + Neiman Marcus collection is coming in December because, like with Santa Claus, I want to believe.

When I heard Tory Burch and Lela Rose and Diane von Furstenburg, oh my, mentioned in connection with this, visions of Christmas wish lists began dancing in head - for me *and* for my loved ones, that is. I'm not entirely selfish. OK, maybe mostly, but . . .

Anywhoo, Target & Neiman Marcus released a first look at the collection. In typical Target special collection fashion, some of it looks promising, while some it just looks . . . well . . . like the designer slapped his or her name on a cheap item and called it "designer" (*cough* Marc Jacobs*cough*).

Here's what looks best from the previews, though as always with these collections, I'll hold off on a review until I see them in person. I wouldn't call these prices the usual Target budget level; there's definitely a mark-up, and I'll be curious to see if the quality merits that:

Target + Neiman Marcus Holiday Collection by legallyblondemel on Polyvore

1) Lela Rose top, $69.99
2) Lela Rose dress, $99.99 (or "$100.00" in normal person pricing)
3) Tory Burch beverage container, $24.99, and lunch box, $19.99.
4) Thom Browne blazer, $129.99
5) Jason Wu girls printed dress, $59.99

Because I am insane, I plan to be there when stores open on December 1st; if any of you care to join me, I'll bring the coffee if you'll bring the credit card. Who's in?

Infertility, or That Time My Ovaries Ate My Shopping Budget

2012-10-18T14:27:00.002-05:00

Subtitle: "No, I'm Not Knocked Up - Here Are Some Thoughts"

Writing about infertility without sounding melodramatic or self-pitying is . . . well, it's like trying to have a baby. It can get complicated.

However, because my real-life friends / readers - it's true, I have at least two of them - have been asking about how things are going with it, I figured I'd try to talk about it here (YAY!). Selfishly, it's easier for me to briefly address it here once versus repeatedly in person.

Basically, the cocktail of meds I'd been taking for my "thin" variation of PCOS (Metformin & Femara, for anyone here who speaks fluent fertility), which quickly worked to conceive Master P, hasn't done it this time around. We're about to bring in bigger babymaking guns (more for the fluent: HMG shots, FSH test, IUI); this is all code for "INSERT HOPE AND DOLLAR $IGNS HERE".

There's the science end. On the fuzzy emotional end, it's . . . well, complicated.

First and foremost, it's so fitting that Miss Champagne Tastes here managed to find the expensive way to have babies, even if inadvertently - no regular ol' glass of wine and a date night here, thank you very much! Just like my innate ability to covet the most expensive handbag in a room, so goes my reproductive system. Irony aside, I am grateful we can afford the expense (and angry on behalf of those who can't, but that's another rant for a different day.)

The everyday stuff varies. I go days without thinking about this, happily bumbling along, even on the weeks when I have a bunch of lady doctor's appointments, which are just as intrusive as your annual lady doctor visits except much more so. Fun!

And then some days I open up Twitter or Facebook, see one of the seemingly endless pregnancy announcements, and suddenly want to drive my mental Trophy Wife Wagon off the side of the road. Whether it's the hormones or just normal emotions, I don't know, but on those days I just can't. I log off, I log out, I'm leveled . . . I can't.

Speaking of, most days I feel like my normal self, others I feel like that head-spinning "Exorcist" scene, wholly unable to control my mood swings despite assurances my meds aren't the crazy making kind. It's strange and a little scary not knowing when that particular sky is going to fall, not to mention second guessing my emotions - is it the meds? Normal feelings? I am Sam I am?

There are days, most days, when I enjoy spending time with my mom friends - all of whom except one are either pregnant or just had Baby #2 - and don't think about this for a second. And then there are days when I bow out of whatever social commitment, because I just can't.

There are days when I spot a pregnant sort out & about and think nothing of it, barely noting it as I might her hair color or (knowing me) her shoe choice. And then there are days when I immediately come down with a case of the "WHY HER AND NOT MEEEEEs???", as if pregnancy were some sort of zero-sum game with only a handful of babies to go around.

On other days, it's a terrible variety of "WHY ME AND NOT HERRRR???" when I pointlessly try to figure out how I got dealt this (likely genetic) card, that sort of cosmic barganining I imagine the sick of all varieties deal in.

I'm trying to take better care of myself - exercise, diet, sleep, yada yada - and be mindful about taking on additional stress or obligations. My inner Type A is deeply unhappy about this, but I'm doing my best to enjoy more down time ~~by which I of course mean bad television.~~

Up and down, good and bad, ebb and flow . . . it's life, really, just a bit of life that happens to involve some needles. Not the fun type of needles that would erase my wrinkles, unfortunately, but still.

So - friends, thank you for asking. Please feel free to bring this up or not, so long as you think twice before the well-intended yet tragic phrase "Your time will come!" leaves your lips. Forgive me if I don't get to events or emails as quickly as I once did. I'm still here, just trying to make it a simpler, healthy here.

Back to the business of frilly nonsense next time, I promise. Pinky swear.

[With apologies to my late Grandmother Jean for publicly discussing (a) my ladyparts and (b) my feelings, both equally bad in her blue-shadowed eyes.]

What to Wear Where: Date Night

2012-10-16T03:08:00.000-05:00

Welcome to What to Wear Where (W2WW), my & Amy's weekly link-up in which we create outfits for our real-life situations and invite you to join us . . . because it's your patriotic duty? Because I said so?

Actually, because it's fun. No, really - give it a try (also, because I said so) . . .

***

Before I had my boy - you know, back when I knew everything about parenting - I envisioned glamorous weekly date nights. I'd rip off my mom day clothes Superman-style to reveal a sexy yet sophisticated evening ensemble for these frequent Smug Married outings.

Of course, once our wee CEO actually appeared, it became evident that we'd be lucky to escape the house occasionally, let alone weekly.

And forget about fancy outfits. On a good day, I'm lucky if I can slap on some mascara and trade out my flats for heels while barking out orders to the sitter as I run out the door to make the reservation we're already late for and . . . PHEW, it's tough getting out of the house, isn't it?

So in coming up with this challenge's outfit, I worked around some new daytime staples* - purple cardigan, yellow belt, and grey skinny cords - transitioning them as I would in real, really busy life by swapping out the accessories:

*I would have taken photos in said new staples, except that - true to W2WW real life - they are currently buried in a pile of dirty laundry. Sigh.

(click on picture or link below for outfit details)

What to Wear Where: Date Night by legallyblondemel featuring old navy scarves

How's that for a Superman (Supermom!) fashion feat?

***

Now it's your turn - just grab that W2WW button above, throw it in your post somewhere, then link back here to your post using the widget thingy below:

Obligatory Fall Family Photos

2012-10-15T10:30:00.001-05:00

'Twas a typically "fall*", Austin-y weekend here at Pretty HQ, full of ACL, football (can I get an "ouch" from the Texas crowd?), and obligatory Smug Family photos.

*"Fall" is in quotes because it's still most people's definition of deathhellheat here. Texas fall is so adorable - the second temperatures drop below, say, 85 degrees, we Austinites pull out our wooliest scarves and boots and do our sweltering best to pretend that cooler temperatures are coming, damn it.

And while I'd love to bring you an ACL-inspired post about festival fashion, I just can't muster the enthusiasm to discuss Pocohontas-style headbands and midriff baring tops circa Kelly Taylor 1992. It was bad enough when we actually wore those in 1992, and . . . uh, where was I going with this old lady rant again? Hmm . . .

Instead you get family photos at the pumpkin patch - YESSSSSS - because I wised up after last year's Great Pumpkin Chase Across the Scenic Farm Waaaay Outside of Town and Why Did I Do This Again? debacle. This year, I came armed with (a) a spouse / extra set of arms; (b) my big-shot camera; and (c) a fenced-in patch near our home.

Oh, and I think there were pumpkins too, but clearly the point was to provide a photo op:

Will it surprise you to learn that a certain two-year-old insisted on selecting and carrying (attempting to carry) his own "PUNKIN, PUNKIN"?

Forget the PUNKIN, PUNKINS - you can tell it's fall in our family photos by the football-themed attire. By Christmas card photo time there are usually threats involved about wearing civilian clothes.

The photo posing portion of the program didn't last long, however . . . notice anyone missing from this next one?

Instead the wee CEO focused on gathering more PUNKIN, PUNKINS . . .

. . . someone was so enamored of his pumpkin patch visit that he slept with this miniature PUNKIN, PUNKIN last night.

It was a good "fall" weekend here - how was yours? Any PUNKINS?

***

Don't forget tomorrow is What to Wear Where, Date Night edition; I'm hosting here, so please come back and link up with your outfit ideas. Pretty please?

The 10 Things Every Woman Needs in Her Closet

2012-10-12T10:52:00.003-05:00

Is that title reminding anyone else of those grandiose magazine headlines, which promise things like "How to Be a Fulfilled Woman of Substance and a Size Zero in 3 Easy Steps?"

Ten Things Every Woman Needs In Her Closet by legallyblondemel featuring black heels

Me too, until I actually challenged myself to boil down what we women generally need in our closets. If I had to pick just ten items to build my wardrobe's backbone, could I do it?

The answer? Yes, I think you can focus your energies and shopping dollars on just ten items that will take you from work to play to a night out. No, really - hear me out.

I'm not saying these are the *only* things you want - a quick glance at my jewelry drawer would tell you otherwise - but if pressed to focus my shopping firepower on a limited number of things, here's what I'd do:

Ten Classics Every Woman Needs in Her Closet by legallyblondemel featuring white pearl earrings
(click on picture or link above for details)

clockwise from left:

- Pearl studs: if you're just not a pearl girl, diamonds or good CZs are fine - keep them tasteful in size if you're wearing them to work and know some old biddies don't like 'em for daytime.
- Classic coat: yes, even here in DeathHellHeat Texas, where we wear coats twice year - when you need one, you *need* one.
- Blazer in the best neutral for you
- Sailor tee: yes, it's total Mom-o-Flage - but for good reason.
- Dress in the best neutral & cut for you: feel free to resist the LBD hegemony; some of us don't look our best in black, and they won't kick you out of the funeral or office for navy.
- All-around tote
- Dark-rinse jeans, tailored, in a non-extreme cut: denim trends change like the weather; that being said, your best bet is conservative wash + best cut for you + tailored to fit perfectly.
- Neutral heel
- Neutral flat
- Classic watch: leather, silver, or gold straps are fine; keep bedazzled faces for nighttime (if ever).
(Honorable Mentions: aviator sunglasses and a wildly impractical pair of just-because heels)

Some of the pictured items are spendier than I usually get here (or anywhere else), but I include them as Platonic ideal sorts of examples. Of course, I'm a fan of spending what makes sense for your budget; on the flip side, I also take a long-term view of these pieces, looking to slowly accumulate the best I can afford over time.

How did I do - would you add anything to this Top 10? What's in your must-have closet?

Housekeeping Note: Pretty New Blog Design

2012-10-12T10:20:00.000-05:00

If you're reading this here nonsense in Google Reader or some other feed thingy I don't understand, you may have missed my *jazz hands* sparkly new blog design. We're still fiddling with some little details, but please click on over and check it out!

Many thanks to the wildly kind and talented Jessica of Diamond Doll Designs, who is responsible both for this Pretty face lift and for enduring my 1,652,789 nitpicky requests in achieving it. Thank you, Jess, and thanks also to my girl AP for recommending her.

Back to the usual business of being Pretty in a sec . . .

Cute-ify-ing Your Toddler's Lunch

2012-10-11T14:37:00.001-05:00

When you picture a group of playgroup moms chatting while their wee ones run around, you imagine heated discussions about who's sleeping with the yard man and such, right?

Sadly, I'm here to tell you that is (usually) not the case. I can't speak for the yard man, but what *we* talk about often has to do with whatever kid phase we're in - for me and my friends, that's sending our toddlers to school for the first time and the logistics of how to make that happen, lunch included.

Here's what I'm not here to tell you: what to pack in said child's lunch. I'm no nutritionist, unless you consider champagne a food group. Besides, this is the idiot who served non-organic, processed fruit strips at a recent playgroup; I might as well have laid a pack of unfiltered cigarettes on the table. Plus, isn't that why Pinterest exists - to shame you into crafting intricate train shaped sandwich topiaries for your wee one's lunch?

What I can speak to, however, is how to make your tot's lunch not sear your eyeballs with its cartoon character plastic awfulness.

Don't get me wrong - I'm fully aware that cartoon character plastic awfulness (is CCPA a disease yet?) will be here at Pretty HQ soon. Until the wee CEO figures that out, however, here's the best of the lunch bunch - with bonus green points for reusable stuff! Aren't I sooo eco?

(What, you knew I was accessories obsessed - you didn't think that would translate to my toddler's stuff too?!)

My mantra when it comes to kid's lunch stuff (and clothes, actually): "If I can't throw it in the washing machine, I shouldn't buy it."

details: lunch sack (Skip Hop) / sippy cup (Two Southern Chicks) (thanks for the tip, Z) / reusable sandwich bags (Itzy Ritzy - thanks to friend Tippy! - and Lunchskins) / mini tupperware (OXO)

When these go, I'm eyeing this bento box and these bags for replacements - assuming I get a say in the matter, which is looking unlikely given the current You're Not The Boss of Me!!! toddler administration.

What nifty lunch things have you found for your tot?

The Million Little Decisions of Parenting

2012-10-10T14:00:00.004-05:00

People - you know, those capital "P" People - say the hardest thing about parenting is the sleep deprivation or (cheese alert!) how you could possibly love someone that much.

While that's all true, the toughest thing I find about parenting this wee CEO here is . . .

. . . the BAJILLION MILLION CAPS LOCK little decisions I have to make every day for him, some of them minor, some not, some "How the heck do I know?!"

This week, for example, Master P has decided he's o-v-e-r holding my hand in public, safety situations like crossing the street included.

Seems like a small enough issue, right? The thing is, aside from the heartbreak - yes, I do have a heart in here somewhere, icy though it may be - of not holding my wee preshus darling's paw anymore, I now have to decide - can I trust my wiggly toddler to cross the street and not dart in front of a car?

How much freedom do I give him to move around when we're out? In general?

It just spirals from there - did I pack enough pesticide-free, locally grown, organic-eco-fun-free snacks in his lunch? Is he at the right preschool? Is he happy? And on and on . . .

. . . once upon a law degree, I made difficult decisions every day at work, but now my decisions directly affect someone's well being and OMG, BREATHE . . .

On the other, manicured hand, I'm so proud of how he's learning to be independent, how his growing ability to separate from me is allowing him to dive into things like nursery school or swim class. I mean, if he's going to attend Yale, Harvard *and* Princeton simultaneously, he'll have to leave home sometime, right?

Plus, I've found these million little questions have eased up in intensity since the Newborn Days of Yore and No Sleep. Back then, the questions all seemed panic-inducing - "Is he breathing?" "Did he get enough milk?" "Why does he look like a little old alien instead of a person?" (I love you, MP, but . . .)

Still, when nap time rolls around - did I mention that your advice totally worked and naps generally returned once school started? - I often take to my couch, totally spent from physical and mental exertion. Those million little questions really take it out of you, don't they?

I'm not saying making some Smug Mummy global statement - not not not, you can't make me! - about how parenting is the most difficult thing anyone has ever done. I'm saying that it's one of the most difficult things *I* have done - wonderful, yes, but it's physically, emotionally, and mentally demanding too, much more so than I would have ever thought possible.

So for those who have asked about all of the housecleaning and cooking and housewifely awesomeness I get up to during naptime . . . um, no. I plead the Million Little Questions defense. Mama's taking a breather here.

Can I get a weary "Amen!" from my couch crowd?

What to Wear Where: On a Plane

2012-10-09T14:44:00.001-05:00

Welcome to What to Wear Where, the weekly link-up Amy and I dreamed up to create outfits for our everyday life events - we hope you'll join us too . . .

***

I know you're not going to believe me.

It's hopeless.

Given that Princess Shinylocks - a.k.a, K. Middy - is my style spirit animal, why would you believe that in fact *she* is knocking off my go-to travel outfit, versus the other way around?

OK, OK - the outfits aren't identical, but girlfriend does appear to be playing by my patented travel rules, namely:

Three Guidelines for Dressing on Planes:
1) Breathable layers, including a scarf and jacket;

2) Security line ease: shoes must be comfortable & easy to get off/on, no fussy accessories or anything to set off the metal detectors, etc.; and

3) Dressy casual - jeans are fine so long as the look is pulled together.

This is looking a little more BRIGHT COLORS!!! online than in real life; nevertheless, think it improves with the more sedate blazer below . . .

I added sunglasses to further enhance my International Woman of Mystery allure - also, because I ran out of time ~~this year~~ today to do hair & makeup.

Here's the "minus one head, plus one blazer" version.

outfit details: shirt (Old Navy, old) / blazer (Zara) / pants (Gap, old, update here) / scarf (Francesca's, old) / shoes (Tory Burch, similar here) / purse (Modalu) / carry-on tote (Longchamp, old) / sunglasses (Michael Kors) / watch (Michele)

I wear some variation on this whether I'm traveling with the wee CEO or not; when I am, I add a change of shirt to that carry-on tote and am more likely to wear dark colors, all the better to hide the inevitable spills.

So how did I do - did I do spirit animal Shinylocks proud, even though she's clearly - CLEARLY - the one pulling a royal rip-off here?

***

Remember that the fabulous Phi Phi is hosting today's linkup, so please grab that button up top, add it to your post somewhere, then link-up over at her site!

If this week isn't your thing, we hope you'll join us another time; here are our upcoming dates & themes:

Tuesday, October 16th: date night (hosted by yours truly)
Tuesday, October 23rd: arts night out (hosted by Lilly)
Tuesday, October 30th: Halloween (hosted by Amy)

A Night Out

2012-10-08T07:52:00.000-05:00

We had the very definition of a good Texas weekend here at Pretty HQ, comprised of three essential elements: (a) college football; (b) church; and (c) the excuse to get dressed up.

OK, fine - I may be adding that last bit, but since I'm in the business of trying to be Pretty that's we're focusing on. Plus, it's my blog. So there. Nanny nanny boo boo.

Soooo about that dressing up thing: a friend's wedding invitation came with the non- Emily Post attire direction of "Dress up!" We guests brainstormed on what in Neiman Marcus that could possibly mean and landed on cocktail attire, given the evening time and trendy hotel setting.

All of which is code for "YAY, I found a fun dress on sale and had the excuse to go out with the Anonymous Husband!" My Instagram friends got a sneak peek, but here are the rest of the oh-so-exciting details:

Oh, you know, just getting dressed up to pose for photos in my backyard, no big deal.

A poltergeist invaded the top of this photo - surely it was the Ghost of Embarrassment of Taking Photos of Yourself in Your Backyard ("GETPYYB")?

If I were being very Fall '12 about this, I would have found a yellow clutch to go with this teal (which I hereby deem an all-seasons color thanks to Princess Shinylocks). And this dress needs a nip & tuck at the tailor's. Ah, to have the time & budget to match my wardrobe aspirations . . . #firstworldproblems

I decided I was having a Megan Draper '60s moment and went matchy-matchy with the accessories.

outfit details: dress (Milly) / earrings (vintage - thanks to my friend C!) / clutch (old Banana Republic) / shoes (rhymes with Schmalentino, never to be linked to here due to occasional husband reading) / ring (old Kendra Scott) / bracelets (old Kenneth Jay Lane & Lulu's)

Yes, yes - what we wear isn't the stuff that truly matters, but if we have to leave the house in clothes they may as well be Pretty ones, right? Right?

This Is What Matters

2012-10-04T07:21:00.004-05:00

It doesn't matter where these photos were taken, really:

I'll tell you, though, since I'm not a meanie ~~usually~~ - we went to a Thomas the Train event, making the long drive through the Texas Hill Country last weekend. The event, deliriously fun as it was for the wee CEO, taught me something too.

I look at that photo up top and - once I'm done squeeeeing over the cuteness - I'm empowered. I want to do better. Be better. Be worthy of that smile.

I'd do just about anything to see that face there look that happy. OK, I dunno about anything - maybe I wouldn't send him to a strip club with a stack of $1s (or any denomination, now that I think about it) - but how about re-dedicating myself to making sure he's well and safe and happy?

Do I even need to note the days when Daddy was in charge of dressing Master P, or is that abundantly clear by now?

It's a visceral thing, that need to make your child happy. As obvious as that may sound, it's a deep physical longing I didn't expect, part of this post-child New Normal:

Why not direct the energy I've wasted worrying about things largely out of my control - my defective ladyparts, other people's health problems ("OPHP"), this here blog spinning its wheels - into doing my damndest to make that face that happy? Not that we can kill off worrying by wishing it so, but we can work to counterbalance it.

I've been so preoccupied with my stuff that I wonder if I've been missing our good stuff:

Again, not my choice of outfit, but it made the boys happy, so . . .

If you'll forgive me the broken record (MP3? download?) here lately, I pause again to remember the things that I do have, the little moments like these. These.

It's not about me anymore. Never was, really.

This matters. The rest - yes, even the Pretty fashion stuff - is all just window dressing (sometimes literally, and we'll get back to that shortly, but . . .). Yes. This.

Guest Post - "Four Things You Need to Do Before Having Kids" & Giveaway Winner

2012-10-03T08:18:00.002-05:00

We hereby request - and invoke the royal We, just because - that you hop on over to sweet Miss Lilly's blog, where I - ahem, We - are discussing the four things you need to do before having kids.

ALSO - thank you all so much for entering the glorious Glam Grab necklace giveaway. And the winner is . . . Megan B.! Megan, I'll shoot you an email soon with details.

Back here tomorrow with the most important post I've ever written (this week, at least) . . .

What to Wear Where: Fall Photos

2012-10-02T08:21:00.000-05:00

Welcome to What to Wear Where, the weekly fashion link-up in which we cook up outfits based on events happening in our real lives.

***

This is the blogging equivalent of "the dog ate my homework".

For starters, having dragged Master P to a pumpkin patch last year, eagerly anticipating lots of Smug Family fall photos (which I didn't even know was a thing before I had kids - hello, Facebook era!), I've learned my lesson. I'd sooner drown myself in a vat of candy corn than drive an hour to chase him around a bunch of gourds again.

Rather than authentic pumpkin patch photos with a human child, then, you're getting me + my backyard + my other child, who is a ham and will actually sit still for photos.

Also, today you get headless photos since my facial region wasn't cooperating. I'd even bothered to do hair and makeup that day too. I know, I know - I'll *never* sign with a decent modeling agency at this rate.

In any event, if I were making the trip this year, here the simple getup I'd be wearing ~~even though running shoes would be more appropriate given my wild wee CEO:~~

I'm trying to get brave with mixing my patterns, pairing those leopard slippers with the following striped tee (total Mom-o-Flage) and other fall-y little details:

My photo assistant isn't so sure about this:

I'm trying to win him over with the power of accessories:

outfit details: tee (old Target) / pants (old Gap, update here) / shoes (Target) / watch (Michael Kors) / leather bracelet (Embellish - yes, it's a nail salon) / bamboo bracelets (old KJL, similar here)

How did I do for my (completely imaginary) Smug Family photos?

***

Now it's your turn - just grab the button below, throw it in your post, then head over to Forever 29 to link up!

And just in case today isn't your thing, here are the next couple of link-ups:

- Tuesday, October 9th: travel go-to outfit (guest hosted by the oh-so-chic PhiPhi)
- Tuesday, October 16th: date night (hosted by me)

Reader Request: What to Wear to a Fall Wedding

2012-10-01T07:23:00.001-05:00

Hey! I'm back from a quiet family weekend to bring you "Reader Request", where I occasionally throw together an outfit under the pretense that I know what I'm doing. Check out some recent ones here and here; if you have a request, feel free to drop me a line at ipickpretty AT gmail.

***

The Outfit: something appropriate for a morning wedding & lunch reception, with a budget of $150. The wedding is in D.C. in October, which presents the delightful weather challenge of either being 80 degrees, 40 degrees, and/or somewhere in between.

The reader - more on her in a sec - says she's covered outfit-wise if the weather swings hot but was wondering if she could do a fancy top and black pants otherwise (hint: no). She doesn't love pantyhose or uncomfortable shoes but will consider them if forced.

The Reader: Lisa, my blog buddy over at Trapped in North Jersey, is a Jersey girl turned retired lawyer and recent Southern California resident (holla!). A mother of three, Lisa writes about her family and interior design; she has a fantastic eye for color and pattern, with that mix of contemporary and traditional I adore.

I wanted to take that adventurous design spirit and apply it to her clothes, where I suspect she's a little more conservative. I worked to keep it wedding appropriate while avoiding the dread style vortex of Black Pants As Fancy Attire, which are like fashion fast food - a convenient answer, but rarely the best long-term one . . .

. . . maybe it's the retired lawyer in me - my nightmares often feature sensible black suits - but I checked my bias with some DC pretties, and the consensus was - no to the black pants, yes to a dress plus layers in case there's extreme temperatures or indoor heating.

Like me, she's one size on top and another on bottom, so my mind immediately went to a hip-skimming a-line dress with a belt to emphasize the waist.

Instead of just basic black, how about some fall color mixed with the more modern - and usually more flattering - grey?

(click on picture or link below for outfit details)

Reader Request: What to Wear for a Fall Wedding by legallyblondemel featuring j.crew cardigan

I picked these embellished flats for comfort seeking Lisa, since I think that works for a morning wedding, though my stilletto-loving heart would sing if she considered these patent stacked heels too.

Should the weather turn chilly, I'd go the much cuter tights route vs. pantyhose, regardless of what our girl Princess Shinylocks is forced to wear. Sorry, K. Middy, but we aren't going to copy your every style move ~~just most of them.~~

For style blogger extra credit I might sub in a cobalt blue piece or two here - how fun would that be with that grey and orange? - but I didn't want to scare Lisa away with too much CRAZYPANTS COLOR OVERLOAD ZOMG.

Also, yes - the sum total of the outfit above is above the $150 budget, but I figured I'd find a sub-$100 dress and give Lisa some fun accessorizing ideas across the spectrum. Plus, I couldn't bear to say no to those shoes; after all, a well-made shoe or bag usually elevates the look of a budget outfit, so that's usually where I put my wardrobe dollars. (*end contradiction*)

How did I do - is this fall wedding festive? Which one of you wants to send me those shoes?

A Boy Thing

2012-09-28T06:54:00.000-05:00

Don't forget to enter my statement necklace giveaway of extreme awesomeness, holla!

***

As the wee CEO & I were driving home from nursery school the other day - school is going wonderfully, by the way - I heard chirping coming from the back seat.

I turned down the radio so I could make out the sounds. "Iiih, biii spiiiiiii . . ." warbled Master P, beaming as he carefully made those universal hand gestures for that classic / Lady Gaga's next hit, "Itsy Bitsy Spider."

This singing was a first, and I nearly drove the Trophy Wife Wagon off the road in excitement. "He's a musical prodigy!" I thought to myself, not getting carried away in the least. My rough n' tumble beast of a boy's boy, who has shown little of his mama's interest in the arts unless said arts involve fire trucks, likes to sing!

Don't get me wrong - I adore my brave boy in all his wiggly, energetic glory. I have dutifully learned about things like the many forms of construction equipment with SAT study vigor. It's just, ya know, fun when our areas of interest overlap too; with apologies to backhoe loaders and excavators - it's not you, it's me. Ok, and you.

Anywhoo, I immediately had visions of Family von Trapp style singalongs running through my mind, with festive family evenings at home singing around the piano (never mind that we don't have a piano, nor do we ever sing collectively unless it's an attempt to punish, nor are we living in a nineteenth century novel . . .). Today, nursery school - tomorrow, Julliard!

See that face? Trouble to commence in 3, 2, 1 . . .

Bursting with pride, I asked Master P what he wanted to sing next. "Bus, bus!" he cried - that's our code for the children's classic "The Wheels on the Bus".

"The wheels on the bus go round and round . . ." I began.

"CRASH!"

I scanned the street to make sure there weren't any car accidents, then I looked in the rear view mirror - only to see my duet partner giving good Mischief Face.

" . . . round and round, round and round . . ." I attempted to continue.

"CRASH, CRASH!" he hooted, smashing his toy bus into a toy car.

Turns out we were singing not so the magical schoolbus could turn its wheels round and round, but so it could meet a fiery end.

Thus ended our moving concert. However, I remain hopeful that my all-boy boy might let me live my Fraulein Maria dreams every now and again, even if just for a small time in the privacy of our car.

Here's to a CRASH! free weekend to you.

Giveaway - Glam Grab Accessory Auctions Necklace

2012-09-27T07:30:00.000-05:00

Disclosure: This is a sponsored giveaway but, as always, all language and opinions here are 100% my own, for better or worse (probably worse).

***

Show of hands - who loves free stuff?

Keep those hands up if you love free stuff in the form of fun accessories?

And - keep the hands up - who's ready for me to stop talking and just cut to the chase already?

Since I'm a fan of all of the above, including my getting to the point: I was thrilled when Glam Grab Accessory Auctions, a Facebook costume jewelry site with auctions every Monday night, contacted me. You know how, ahem, *particular* I am here at the Pretty about doing giveaways and other sponsored such; I'm no more interested than you are in reading a bunch of commercial stuff I'm not really interested in, so when I post one of these, you know I truly like it.

Glam Grab is just my sort of thing - fun accessories at an affordable price:

How does the saying go again - "The smaller the boobs, the bigger the statement necklace", right? Needless to say, I'm a fan (of statement necklaces, not my sad state of chesticular affairs. Sigh.)

The Glam Grab girls kindly sent me that mint necklace you see above, and I'm happy to report that I love both the look and the quality of it. It's so very Pretty in person and feels well made; the clasp is substantial, for example, and the jewels themselves have endured some enthusiastic toddler tugs.

So I'm delighted to announce that ONE LUCKY READER will be receiving the Glam Grab teal drop necklace below. I love how this works as a so-called "statement necklace" while staying ladylike; it's perfect for those of you who don't care for the oversized, boulders-around-the-neck direction this trend tends to go in:

Here is the GIVEAWAY necklace, hooray! (Update: I just received this from Glam Grab to send to you, and it is just as lovely as you see here but more of a true teal than this picture shows (on my monitor, that is).

RULES RULES RULES (my favorite part):

Entries close on Monday, October 1st at 12:01 AM, so hurry up and enter by clicking on that Rafflecopter link thingy below. I will announce the chosen-at-random winner next week and put the teal drop necklace in the mail to you; if I don't hear from you within 48 hours, another winner will be selected. Sorry, international women of mystery, but you must have a U.S. mailing address to enter.

Be sure to also check out Glam Grab on Facebook for their weekly auctions on Monday nights at 7:30 PM Central.

Ready? Set? Enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pretty in Punk: Spikes & Studs

2012-09-26T08:00:00.000-05:00

Sorry, punks, but one of your trademark looks has been co-opted by the Smug Mummy set.

It's a funny thing how studs and spikes, once used to signal a person's outsider status, have entered the fashion mainstream this year. Alas, where Valentino goes, I will follow, albeit at a much, much lower price point.

I love how a well-deployed spike or stud detail can toughen up an otherwise girly-girl ensemble. After all, even a retired lawyer type needs to feel a little rebellious every now and again (even if she totally isn't, ahem).

Like with any trendy thing, however, I don't want to get too spendy with it; this isn't a look I'd wear head-to-toe but would do somewhere in the accessory or shoe details. Here are some budget-friendly ways to do it:

(click on picture or link below for details)

Pretty Punk: I Like Spikes by legallyblondemel featuring stella & dot jewelry

As soon as next month's shopping budget allows - feel free to hurry up and get here, October! - I'll snap up one of these, maybe a bracelet to mix up my currently prep, girly stack*. Aren't I just soooooo subversive?!

*Although said stack is dwindling - it's less arm party now and more demure coffee hour. If accessories had coffee hours, that is. Whatever.

What do you think - too tough for you, or pretty in punk?

***

Speaking of fun accessories - *cue dramatic music* - stay tuned for a GIVEAWAY tomorrow . . .