Talking Bout My Generation

Hello, gentle readers and the blogoverse, I haven't completely fallen off of the map, though I was in danger of it for a while. Between work and a mild case of depression, the only fashion I had been sporting was of the military and pajama variety. Not exactly blog worthy. I did make a resolution to be better at this blog, and for that I am finally posting!

I had the opportunity this past weekend to go home and see The Who in concert with my parents, brother Jed, and sister (In law) Christina. It unfortunately ended up coinciding with the death and funeral of my great Uncle Bud, whom I was very close to and loved dearly. I never called him anything than Uncle Bud, and was closer to him and my cousins Barb and Brenda than I have ever been with Dad's brothers and sister, my only first generation Uncles and Aunt. It really got me thinking about the importance of family and all the generations thereof. I was grateful to be able to attend the funeral and spend time with my immediate and extended family that I so rarely get to see. It has given me a new resolution, not for just this year but every year, to spend more time, over the phone email and in person with my extended family. They have so many tales to tell, tales that fewer and fewer know with each passing year. I vow to listen to their stories and write down what I can, and to always cherish them, with all of their zaniness and eccentricities included. But so as not to make this post a complete sob fest, I did go to the Who concert and am pleased to say Roger Daltrey still has the voice (and the body) of a much younger rocker. He is definitely on my island! Pete Townsend still has the windmill arms going and Zak Starkey looks, and plays the drums like his dad.


Me with my Dad, brother and sister in-law, giving my mother my best, "another picture really?" look.T-shirt, Stark house loving, Game of Thrones, from Fab.


My Mom called this "The Three Kittens." We were looking at University of Louisville Championship banners.


Before the concert, with my new favorite coat, from a recent 70% sale from Modcloth.
To my Uncle Bud, life long farmer, World War II Vet, and avid Indiana Hoosiers fan. Sleep well, we've got the watch and taken the plow.

Color Me Sad

I am feeling very blah right now. Mr. Southern Helle left for school, marking the beginning of our 6 month (geographic not legal) separation. It also marked the day I became a (gulp!) single mother for my stepdaughter. Considering I was a free-wheeling single without any children just four short years ago, you can see how this almost sends me in to a panic attack. Sometimes I still feel like a kid and I wonder how the hell I am going to guide and raise a fourteen year old on my own.

Today's clothing choice even reflected my current state of mind: grey and black. Initially it looked like I was going to a funeral so I added the teal tights at the last moment for a pop of color. Fake it 'til you make it. Besides, let's be real... who can be completely gloomy when they are wearing bright teal tights? It did brighten (ahem...bad pun) my day just a touch.

Dress: Modcloth
Vest: Humanité
Tights: Target
Shoes: Madeline Stuart at Ross
Necklace: Forever 21
Ring: New York & Company
Bracelets: Claire's Boutique

Descent In To Plaid-ness

I continue to go plaid!

Today was the eve of Christmas Eve and 85% of it was me sitting in traffic and standing in line while I got the last of the grocery shopping done. It was painful. I decided to reward myself at dinner by cracking open a bottle of Blue Christmas Pinot Noir I found at World Market. Anything Elvis is legit in my book and this wine's cork made my day!

Plaid shirt: Modcloth
Tank: Old Navy
Pants: New York & Company
Boots: Lane Bryant
Necklace: Etsy shop I Adorn U
Bracelets: Claire's Boutique
Sunglasses: Old Navy
Beanie: Target

 

Breakfast At Tiffany's, A Peacock's Gotta Show Her Colors

Last weekend I drove down to NC to visit my most awesome blogmate and to attend Aqua Fedora's Breakfast at Tiffany's event (and to hopefully find a dress for my command's Christmas party). I was looking forward to the cupcakes, mimosas, and early shopping. However, my LBD was more suited to a night at the club than a 10AM Tiffany's style shopping expedition. I used the opportunity to show off my new coat from Humanite and an amazing but super comfortable dress from Modcloth.

Coat: Tulle picked up at: Humanite
Dress: Modcloth
Shoes: Jessica Simpson, Dillards
Purse: Picked up in a small shop in Capetown, South Africa

Guys Don't Make Passes At Girls Who Wear Glasses

Sweater: Missoni for Target
T-shirt: American Eagle
Skirt: Modcloth
Shoes: Mudd

I hate wearing glasses. My husband has some weird librarian fetish and thinks they are cute but I can't stand them. One of my contacts was bothering me the other day and I threw it out while driving (and drove with one eye closed all the way home. Like a pirate. Arrrr!) I thought I had another set at home but no such luck. So I am stuck wearing glasses until I can get to the optometrist. This morning's photo shoot (sorry for the indoors shoot but it was still dark when I left) began with me wearing my specs but then vanity quickly took over.

Needing a boost from my four-eyed despair, I dug in to my closet for my favorite piece: my Missoni for Target sweater! This is my "if my house is on fire, this is what I would save first" item. During last year's Missoni craze, I heard how Target stores in the big cities were selling out within minutes. I decided to dedicate my lunch break to a quick Target run. Lucky me: Nobody in my podunk town even knew what Missoni is so there was a decent selection left and I manage to score several items. This sweater takes the cake though. It paired quite nicely with my Clover The Moon skirt from Modcloth. A match made in heaven!

I Vote Straight Ticket For The Cocktail Party

Election Day 2012! Susan B. Anthony and the gals worked too hard for us ladies to just sit on our asses and not vote.

Dress: Modcloth
Long sleeved T-shirt underneath: Old Navy
Cable knit tights: Target
Shoes: Blowfish from Shoe Carnival
Trench Coat: New York & Company
I Voted! Sticker: North Carolina State Board of Elections

Wearing red doesn't not necessarily indicate party preference. And, yes, I was asked several times today.

Modcloth's ubiquitous Coach Tour dress. My first Modcloth purchase that started my obsession with their site.

I am such a sucker for tweed!

I just hope today's grey, cold and miserable weather is not an indicator of the next four years

The best accessory you could wear on Election Day!

Channeling Aunt Jemima

Hot on the heels of me emulating Freddy Kreuger, Saturday's outfit had me donning a headwrap a la Aunt Jemima.

Let me explain:

I am a hardcore Modcloth shopper who is often perplexed by what to do with the free gifts they throw in with shipments. At first, it was little buttons with graphics of waifish cartoon characters. Those went straight to my stepdaughter. Same thing with the gingham print barrettes and heart shaped hair pins they included with a few orders. I am 34; far past the age that heart shaped lavender barrettes can be considered cute. My last three orders have included strips of cloth with wiring stitched in to them. After receiving the last one, I finally concluded that these were intended to be headwraps.

I am a little slow on the uptake sometimes...

This weekend, the whole family jumped in the car for a quick road trip to Beaufort, SC and adjacent Parris Island. Mr. Southern Helle will be heading down there in January for Drill Instructor school. It is tough to look presentable, much less fashion forward, while spending six hours in the car getting to your destination. I decided to give it the ol' college try and, on my way out the door, threw one of the Modcloth headwraps over my ponytail.

Mr. Southern Helle deemed it "cute" and some lady at a rest stop complimented my shorts and headwrap combo. The stepdaughter wasn't so keen. Check out the below pictures and you can see that she is a tad bit embarrassed by the woman who looks like she belongs on a bottle of syrup.

No Southern road trip is complete without saying hi to Pedro at South of the Border!

Embarassing the hell out of stepdaughter

I love all the Spanish Moss on trees down there. So Southern Gothic!

Self portrait in the car. Note disgusted 14 year old in the back seat.

Shirt: Old Navy
Tank (underneath): Forever 21
Shorts: Old Navy
Headwrap: free c/o Modcloth
Necklace: Modcloth
Shoes: Havaianas

Shop Till You Drink, Part Dos...Equis

Southern Helle and I do spend a good deal of time together shopping and/or drinking. I tend to be very black and white with my opinions about things and need someone to make me take another look at things. My outfit for the pre-stomp shopping trip and the stomp itelf:

About as casual as I get

My peacock bracelet from Modcloth
For the stomp itself, I changed to flats (mark this date in your diary) due to all of the uneven ground and wine imbibing.

At Target I did snag a dress from the new line. I initially didn't like it but took another look at it thanks to Southern Helle and actually really liked it with my hair down.

I can't wait to try it out with my black boots and black leather jacket!

I also grabbed a blazer. I may have to go back and get the teal one as well. I am going to try to put together a look for this with a t shirt, shorts, and high heels.

thank you Southern Helle for an awesome visit. Can't wait to wreak havoc with you (or just wreak havoc on our credit cards) again!

Misc: gray shirt: Victoria's Secret
navy blue shorts: American Eagle
bracelet: Modcloth
sunglasses: Franchesca's Collection
wedges: Jessica Simpson, Dillards.