I found this green skirt at a thrift store and while I normally love wearing it, I haven't been brave enough to style it yet this pregnancy.  However, I threw it on for this post because of the rich color, and maybe I will pull it out of the closet more often when the weather gets a little warmer.  Anything with a stretchy waistband and enough length can be pulled up over your bump to appear maternity. And hats are ALWAYS a good thing, as the last thing a pregnant woman feels like spending a lot of time on is her hair.

   But I am happy to report that I have come around to the idea, and after snagging this one at Goodwill, I have fallen more and more in love with it ever since, wearing it approximately a billion times, give or take a few.

   First of all, it goes with anything.  I mean I guess that's kind of obvious, it is black, after all.  But secondly, it dresses up otherwise casual pieces.  I can pair it with a t-shirt and statement necklace and suddenly, I'm ready for church.  A tank top and light cardigan goes just as well with it as does a patterned top, button-down chambray, or textured sweater.

Like I said, anything.

   I know, I know, my Friday Fashion series lasted a whopping 2 weeks until I dropped the ball.  Let's be honest, are any of us surprised?  Didn't think so.

   But I'm giving myself grace, and realizing that just because I don't always follow through with something, doesn't mean that I can't try, doggone it!  If that were the prevailing pattern of thought than I would never try anything, ever.  That would be lame.    


   And that's how we find ourselves here today, on Fashion Monday!  Or just a fashion post on a Monday.  It doesn't have to have a catchy title, it is what it is.  Sometimes our washing machines leak water all over the floor and flood the kitchen, sometimes our toddlers write in pen all over the leather couch, sometimes mice invade our house at the beginning of fall and we set traps all over creation in an attempt to subdue them and still manage to find a dead one in our rain boots......and any guesses how I might've found it?  If you guessed by putting my foot in, you guessed right.

   So with all of that said, we learn that things don't always go according to plan.  Things aren't always picture-perfect, or straight out of a Pottery Barn magazine.  Well, maybe they are at some people's homes.  But not at mine.  And so we give grace and just do a "fashion Friday post on a Monday".


  The title of this post is totally cheesy, but true.  I snagged this green gingham top from Goodwill for $6 or $7ish dollars, and the pencil skirt was ONE DOLLAR at a local thrift store.  I. Was. Tickled.  But when I purchased the two pieces (different places, different times) I never dreamed of putting them together.  But then I received a little inspiration from Pinterest (where else) and immediately thought of these pieces.

    I don't think I would have been brave enough to pair two bold colors like these until I saw this photo.  And how cute would this ensemble be for Christmas?!  I am completely corny when it comes to holidays and love dressing in my reds and greens.  BUT LET'S NOT GET AHEAD OF OURSELVES.  Good grief, people are pushing it as it is.  Christmas decor will be up all around us before we know it.  And I don't want to rush it!



   My other Pinterest observations have led me to realize that people are all about the neutrals right now.  I know, I know, they've been on-trend for a long time now but right now it is like, ALL about the neutrals.  Grey, black, cream, black, greige, black, beige, grey, black....did I mention grey?  I'm serious, it's all anybody wears.  And don't get me wrong, I love me some neutrals!  But I'm discovering that I LOVE COLOR too.  And I think for a long time I felt like I shouldn't.  I felt like I should just stick to a neutral color palette in my wardrobe so that everything can mix and match easily.  Plus, it was so on-trend.

BUT.

  I love color! And I'm learning to embrace it. And even as summer transitions into fall, I find myself still reaching for those pops of color.  And so I am currently trying to find a way to wear weather-appropriate, seasonal things while still sprinkling some color in there to keep things interesting.  And you know what?  It's o.k.

If your entire closet is 50 shades of grey, it's o.k.
If your entire closet looks like Joseph's technicolor coat, it's o.k.

   Just stay true to yourself (cheese alert) and you will feel most comfortable and confidant in what you're wearing.

That's all for now folks, hope your Monday is less mousy and floody than mine!

If you know me at all, you know I love a good pair of boots.

   Short boots, tall boots, cowgirl boots, rain boots....you name it, I'll wear it.  But the only problem is that boot season is so short!  Summer never seems to last long enough and September will always find me trying to drag it out as long as possible by wearing sandals until my toes start to freeze.

   By the time I admit defeat and drag my boots out of hibernation, there hardly seems enough time to wear them before sunnier skies start come around!  Not that I would ever complain about the arrival of spring, but when you finally find the perfect pair of tall brown boots, you just want to wear them the whole year through.

   Hence....

  And for those of you nay-sayers out there that adhere to rules like "Don't wear white after Labor day" and "Boots are for fall/winter" I have one thing to say to you.....who makes these rules anyway?  And why do we care?  That was two things.  Anyways.  And if you're still on the hunt for the perfect pair of tall brown boots regardless of the season?  Find these beauties at a Coastal Farm & Ranch store near you!

   My theory is that any item that you truly love and are comfortable in can be adapted to fit any season.  In my humble opinion.  And besides, springtime out here in Oregon doesn't always feel like springtime.  The rain comes and goes constantly, leaving the ground perpetually wet and squishy, and even on days when the sun is shining bright and warm, there will often be a cool breeze that makes you thankful for tall boots and denim jackets.

   So to make your favorite tall boots spring-friendly, just make sure the rest of your outfit is light and airy. Florals, pastels, light cardigans and floaty scarves all achieve the purpose of a little bit of layer and warmth when needed, but also still looking like spring has sprung.



   What are some of your favorite ways to transition your fall/winter wardrobe staples into spring?  And stay tuned for even more ways to style your favorite boots this spring!

   Lately I have been feeling SO fashionably inspired by a few different mommy bloggers, and I figured I might as well share them all with you.

   None of these are news, they've been around for quite some time and are bigger than sliced bread.  But I've just lately been feeling freshly inspired and getting a vision for the direction my personal style is heading.

   First up, we have the queen of all mommy bloggers right now, Naomi Davis from Love Taza.  (used to be the Rockstar Diaries).   Reasons she is in my top favorite bloggers of all time:

A.  Her kids are almost identical in ages/space apart as mine.  I love seeing what they are up to and what new things they are doing and when.  I'll never forget the moment I found her blog and she had a little girl shortly after I had mine and I felt like I could identify with EVERYTHING she was going through.  Then I got pregnant 9 months later and I was like "Who does this?" and then Naomi did and I was like, "O.k. I must not be crazy after all".  O.k. just kidding but sort of.  Then she had a boy, and our similarities ended.  Ha.  No but seriously if she would have had a girl, it would've almost been scary.

B.  She makes motherhood look FUN.  Not just fun, but desirable.  Enjoyable.  Worthwhile.  Meaningful.  A high and glorious calling.  A dream job.  A passion.  I absolutely love it when mothers accept the hard work and challenges of children head-on, and don't become a victim, but rather count it a privilege, a blessing to be in the position that they are.  It is positively inspiring.  We have enough forces/influences and pressures all around us telling us that motherhood is hard, awful and thankless, and that is hard enough to overcome.  But coming from other mothers?  That is powerfully damaging.  And so it is so refreshing to have someone putting motherhood in a glorious, fulfilling spotlight!

C.  Her style is KILLER.  I adore the way she mixes thrifted finds and vintage goods into her daily wardrobe.  Anyone who does not have to buy the latest, greatest, most expensive thing around to be fashionable is a favorite of mine.

   Many, many more reasons, but I'll try and keep it to three.  Here are some of my favorite Naomi Davis fashion moments.


    And after falling in love with her long gray maxi dress, (which is maternity-friendly too!) I found one myself and wore it today to a friend's child's birthday party and I don't think I was prepared for how COMFORTABLE, easy, child-friendly and goes-with-anything these things are!  It literally could be re-mixed with almost any jacket, sweater, hat, shoe or accessory in my closet.  So I am thinking it will become quite the staple in my wardrobe.  Make it warm in the winter with boot socks or tights or leggings or wear it in the summer plain.  I wore mine with ankle boots, but of course my feet were cut off in the pic.  That's what happens when you're not a fancy fashion blogger and your photography skills consist of sticking the camera somewhere, pushing the timer button, sprinting back into place and hoping for at least one good shot!  Plus then you get little gems in the picture like the bowl sitting on our back patio for the stray cat that keeps coming around.



On me:  Blazer (thrifted) gray maxi dress (F21) gold bracelet (gift from Janene) pendant necklace (gift from Jessi) head scarf (thrifted).


   Well I was going to do a few more inspirational bloggers but my girls are up and I am out of time.  Another day, perhaps.  Who is inspiring you lately?  And it doesn't have to be about fashion.  It can be about lifestyle, music, art, faith…..anything, really.  Inspiration comes in many many forms, and I'd love to hear from you on some of yours!


All photos (other than the last 3) are property of Naomi Davis, found via Pinterest.

 Move over denim, there's a new neutral in town. 
     And it's called stripes.  Today I will be talking about the black and white variety.  Referees everywhere have no idea they are wearing one of the most versatile pieces of clothing maybe of all time.  Is that a stretch?  Maybe a little bit.  Point is, we all like to be frugal these days and sometimes that means a little more than just "buying cheap, and buying less."  It can mean maximizing the uses of the things you already have.

  I have been looking for one of these black and white pencil skirts for quite some time now.  The other night when Randy and I were out for a date, we swung by the mall to look at appliances and the tvs were playing the Duck basketball game.  And folks, it was destiny, because in the few minutes Randy was watching the game and I was browsing around, I found this nifty little number.  Hello, backbone of my entire wardrobe!

   I actually thought about conducting a fun little experiment called, "I think I'll wear this skirt every day until someone notices" but I'm pretty sure I could pull it off long enough for it to get rather boring.  So.  I digress.  Here you are, with six different ways to wear the same skirt.  Trust me, I could come up with many, many more.  There's really no end to the ways you could mix and match this thing.  Use your imagination! But here are six ideas to get you started.

 #1. You can start off with a safe, neutral base by pairing it with a black top, and then you can have fun with accessories and change the entire look of the outfit with the simplest of ease! Colored tights, chunky jewelry, a fun scarf or hat....there are so many options within this first outfit.

    #2. To make the stripes a little less formal, add a denim shirt (or tee) and a pair of sandals.  I love how this outfit is suitable for spring, summer, or fall!


 #3. The variations within this outfit are once again, nearly endless....any color of cardigan or sweater would work with your choice of tank or tee underneath, and you could add tights or leggings or boot socks too for extra warmth.

 #4.  If you're feeling hesitant about pattern mixing, play it safe like I did by sticking within the same color scheme.  But really, a host of different patterns would work well with the stripes.  A bold graphic tee, floral, etc.

 5. I read somewhere about building outfits by first selecting one piece you want to wear, and building off of that.  It is amazing how much easier that makes it!  You don't have to envision the entire outfit.  Just start with one item (like the skirt) and then throw on a pop or color, another pattern to add interest (scarf) and coordinate the belt with the shoes to keep it from all becoming too busy.

 #6.  I didn't realize until right now how similar this outfit is to #5...I just added tights and exchanged the scarf for a hat and a different top....I must've been running out of creative juices. :)  In my defense, Charlotte was napping in our room so I just grabbed an armload of random pieces and was trying to just throw oufits together...I'll do better next time.:)  But this all goes to prove how easy it is too mix and match with this skirt! I guarantee it's as versatile as a denim skirt, only 1,000 times more fun. 

   Outfit #3 is my favorite.  Why? Because I love how the typically dressy pencil skirt gets a makeover of sorts and is causal enough for story time at the library, catching a soccer game, or a playdate at the park.  In my line of work we need lots of durable, comfortable, versatile KID-friendly outfits, and sometimes it seems so impossible to find interesting options.  We may be moms, but we still like to play dress up.  It's just not very practical anymore.  And so anytime a piece of clothing that is normally rather formal can double as a casual piece....it's an instant favorite.  Oh and also because of the Hunters.  In this rainy, wet, soggy Pacific Northwest....those boots see a LOT of use and re-use.  I never really put them away from about October to May.  They just sit near the door, ready to be slipped on at a moment's notice. 

   Now it's your turn.  Which outfit is your favorite and why?  What are some of your closet staples?  I'd love to hear from you! 

P.S. All photography credit goes to Randy:)