21 Day Challenge, Day 21: Work It

Last day! Today we were just told to "work it," so in honor of the challenge and in honor of my birthday, which is today, I decided to do something that normally I'm scared of: I'm wearing red lipstick. BOOM.

Remix shirt (again!) from BR, BR cardigan,
Old Navy jeans, Target shoes, DownEast hair flower

And now, if you will excuse me, I am being treated to a birthday shopping spree at Tony Caputo's. Whee!! I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday! (Unless you are not in the United States today, in which case I hope your Monday is less sucky than usual.

21 Day Challenge, Day 20: Sunday Shoes

I didn't get a picture when I actually wore this, so I threw it back on this morning for a quick shot. That is called dedication, madame. (I hope I win the skirt, I hope I win the skirt . . . )

Ann Taylor shirt, Shade scarf,
DownEast undershirt, thrifted skirt, Ross flats

The Sunday shoes thing isn't a tough one to do, but it does turn out that most of my churchy shoes are definitely not comfortable enough to wear all day long. Not sure what to do about that, since I definitely like the way it looks. I guess I should just stick exclusively to Louboutins. Problem solved!

21 Day Challenge, Day 18: Statement Jewelry

I have a couple of cool necklaces, but I already wear them all the time. I decided to go crazy and do earrings instead.

For me, this is a big pair of earrings. The biggest I own, anyway, although I have no recollection of when or where I got them. I'm thinking though that it might be fun to keep an eye out for something bigger and funkier to start wearing. But light, because I don't need my earlobes stretching down to my shoulders.

I did feel very fancy going out in these!

The pink forehead and nose are courtesy of not wearing enough sunblock at Seven Peaks this morning. But look who had a great time!

21 Day Challenge, Day 19: Adorn your head

Here is my hair, adorned. Ta dah.

flower hair clip from DownEast, cold from Satan

The sunglasses are so you don't have to see my dead, watery eyes. The temps around here went down 3 degrees and my body responded by catching a Man Cold. Excuse me while I go lie down. If only I could train The Tiny Dark Lord to make me some soup . . .

21 Day Challenge, Day 15: New Hairdo

So . . . I have short, curly hair. The wackiest I ever get is maybe tucking it behind my ears. Or a couple of times a year I'll ask my stylist to straighten it just to throw people off. And then everyone tells me how much they like it straight and maybe they are hinting that I should do it that way all time. Except too bad for them because that's never going to happen. I have embraced the curly-haired goddess within and there's no going back. Plus those CHIs cost money.

I was going pass on this one because I didn't have any ideas, but then I came across a flower that used to belong on a ponytail elastic. The elastic died but I'd kept the flower hoping I could use it for something else. So I stuck a bobby pin through it and gave this a try.

You can be honest about the flower, just please do not be honest my face, which either needs makeup or air conditioning or both.

I like the way it looks from the front but it just feels so HUGE when you see it full-on from the side. Is it too huge? Is my particular area of Utah County rubbing off on me and I'm going to start coming to church with full on Christmas bows and curly ribbon attached to my head?

21 Day Challenge, Day 17: Repair it and Wear It

I bought this skirt at DI a few years ago but hadn't worn it because the zipper was ripping out. This morning I had a go at it with needle and thread and understood, in a flash of clarity, that things like this are why people learn to use their sewing machines and do not just leave them boxed up in the hall closet. Sigh . . .

Anyway. The skirt. I really like the cut and the design, but there are two problems:

1) It is too small. I can't zip it up all the way, which can result in a funny bunch in the side where the unzipped flaps, well, flap around.

2) I need to figure out what goes with it other than a boring black top. Any suggestions? My sister Jenny has an awesome green cardigan but would probably notice if it disappeared.

Shade top, thrifted skirt, Dansko shoes

And now if you will excuse me, the baby is asleep so I need to rush around like a mad woman and do any or all of the following:

Vacuum the Cheerios and hobo spiders out of the carpet
Unload the dishwasher
Bake a pumpkin pie or peach cobbler for cooking group
Make cream of pumpkin soup (I have frozen pumpkin puree that is squatting on valuable freezer real estate)
Make chocolate pudding for GH who just had Part 2 of his root canal
Put the groceries away before the fruit flies carry them off
Chuck it all and spend the next hour on Pinterest

21 Day Challenge, Day 16: Menswear

Decided NOT to go diving in GH's extensive hoodie & graphic tee collection for this one, but instead went "menswear inspired" and dug out a suit jacket that I generally only wear to job interviews.

Hope you'll forgive the smudgy mirror! As mentioned earlier today, it's been kind of hard to get things done this week. The part where I'm just now getting dressed at 1:00pm should be taken as proof!

Jacket from Target, Remix shirt from BR (3rd time!),
Old Navy jeans, Target heels, Kohl's necklace

And now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to find a yacht. Or, you know, possibly brush my teeth (the face and hair are beyond saving) on my way out the door to the pediatrician's office. It's time for somebody's 9-month checkup!

21 Day Challenge, Day 13: Neutral with a pop of color

I kind of wish I'd had a more "pop"y necklace for this one, but whatever. Being able to pull out some of these skirts and pants and actually fit into them for the first time since 2009 is awesome enough for me!

BR shirt, comfy linen pants from Old Navy,
paper necklace from Uganda, Chacos flip flops

21 Day Challenge, Day 14: Be a Copycat

(Update: The votes say tucked, so I win! When I showed GH the results he responded with, "Oh, I never thought I would win. But it just goes to show that a huge group of women can be wrong . . . " And then he jumped away quickly.)

Recently Land's End had this massive clearance sale and I bought a new swimsuit for me (to replace my 5-years-old Land's End swimsuit), rash guards and trunks for TDL's next two summers (BOOM!) and this seersucker skirt, which was reduced from $60 to $9.

from Land's End

As soon as I saw this thing I knew I needed this skirt, a crisp white button-up, and a pair of nude pumps--maybe something like these.

Chinese Laundry "New Love" pumps

But then I remembered the part where I only had $9 to spend, so I settled. For the shirt, I used an almost-white hand-me-down that I already own, and for the shoes, I decided to do some additional copying:

Before I post the pic I need to say that GH and I disagree on which looks better: tucked or un. So I'm showing both versions, without saying who favors who, and anyone who wants to can chime in with their vote so that one of us can win the argument discussion.

tucked

untucked

The shirt is from Banana Republic, the skirt is from Land's End, and the shoes are my wedding shoes from Target.

21 Day Challenge, Day 12: Jeans

Seeing the picture now, I think it needs a belt. What am I even turning into???

BR shirt, Old Navy jeans, Shade scarf, Ross shoes

21 Day Challenge, Day 11: Wear a skirt

This one could have been a coaster, since I wear skirts nonstop during the summer--they are so cool and breezy! It is like wearing secret shorts to work but better!

I decided though in the spirit of the challenge to try something different, and now that I have become a total Bad-A Rule-Breaker I paired this cheap graphic tee with a very nice skirt. And I got two compliments at work, so go me!

Old Navy tee, DownEast tank, Ann Taylor skirt

 Does anybody else love the part where my legs are exposed all summer (see above re: skirts) and yet they never, never, never catch any color? Or maybe it's just me who loves that the most.

21 Day Challenge, Day 10: Save an orphan

I bought this skirt at a Gap outlet about seven years ago. I haven't worn it in a few years but wasn't quite ready to throw it out. The problem is the fit. It's fine when I'm standing up, but when I sit down it rides up & and I'm always worried that I'm flashing everybody.

But hot DANG I look good in this thing.

Remix shirt (Banana Republic), black undershirt (DownEast),
skirt (Gap), Scrabble tile necklace (Etsy),
red Mary Jane flats that you can't see (Payless),

21 Day Challenge, Day 9: Go monochromatic

Like Miss Hass, I have a lot of gray clothes. And black clothes. Enough to outfit many depressed and/or European people. So this would have been super easy to do, but there was something else I wanted to try--a purple-on-purple thing I noticed when I was laying my stuff out for the color-blocking day.

Kayla, I understand if you want to dock points. Or you could just imagine that I'm wearing a long-sleeved gray t-shirt with the skirt and shoes (or maybe the gray top I wore yesterday) because that's what I would have done otherwise! 

Shirt: Ann Taylor, skirt: Gap.
Scarf: DownEast, Shoes: Ross

21 Day Challenge, Day 8: Mix casual & dressy

Was drawing a massive blank on this one so I snooped around to see what some of the other participants were doing. Then I saw that Hilary dressed up a pair of denim cut-offs for her outfit.

Me: "HEY! I have some of those!"

A few weeks ago I cut up a pair of holey-kneed jeans (you remember how I wear holes in the right knee of all my jeans--seriously, it's already happening to the pair I just bought) and made the first pair of denim shorts I've worn in quite possibly 15 years.

Sadly, I was alone this morning for the first shot and then my photographer (GH) was running late when I asked him to get one of me during lunch. I need to have a serious chat with the Tiny Dark Lord about earning his keep around here as my photography assistant, but so far he's only interested in trying to eat the camera. The result is that neither picture is flattering, but since I can't decide which is worse I'll just include them both. The outdoor shot makes me think that maybe my sister Jenny is right and perhaps I am in fact wearing ancient cheap bras and maybe should stop doing that.

Top: Ann Taylor Loft, Shorts: from Old Navy jeans,
Pearls: from China, Shoes: Nicole (Ross)

21 Day Challenge, Day 7: Layering Accessories

I never knew there was a name for what we were asked to do today. I just thought it was called, "Being my Southern aunts."

If I weren't in a rush to get out the door I would have put a little bit more effort into this one, but I like the way these bracelets look together.

Shirt from Banana Republic, Skirt from street market in Gran Canaria, random bracelets

Moles, freckles, and hairy arms from my Dad.
Should have maybe tried a more flattering angle . . .

21 Day Challenge, Day 6: Unconventional

Hah! TWO unconventional things for me today. Or maybe three--does a blurry indoor picture count when everyone else's look so nice? I wore my Uganda necklace as a bracelet and used a scarf to make a belt/sash thingie.

Dress from Banana Republic, black tank from Shade

Even though it's hot outside and I hate wearing so many layers, I am having to wear a lot more undershirts and tanks now because The Dark Lord considers me his own personal jungle gym. The neckline of my shirt is his preferred hand-hold for hoisting himself up, so if I'm not careful he can yank the thing down to my belly button. I choose to save people from that sight.

You are welcome, Universe!

21 Day Challenge, Day 5: Belt it

I played it safe today (but look--tucking!) because all of the tops I would have belted were dirty. Forgot to account for laundry in all of this.

Top from Banana Republic, Jeans from Old Navy.
Shade undershirt, old belt, necklace from Kohl's

21 Day Challenge, Day 4: Color Blocking

I knew this would be difficult, and it was. I just don't have that many bright solid things, and I had to pass on a couple of options because it's just going to be too darn hot today for cardigans. Or clothes at all, really, but I am guessing the neighbors that I plan to steal more apricots from have no desire to look out their window and see a pasty white, squishy-bellied Eve out on their lawn. (Note: I am not a thief normally. I am just shy about asking for permission. And nobody in that complex has picked any, they've all just been rotting on the ground. So they might as well be made into jellies and pies at my house. Azucar, that apricot pie recipe rocked my world, so thank you!)

Top from Ann Taylor, Skirt from DownEast.
Clutter. . . sigh . . . all from me.

One good thing to come out of today's challenge is that seeing all my solid-colored skirts, tops, and scarves piled on the bed gave me ideas for things I can do once it cools off. "Oh my gosh, purple scarf and green tank top, you guys totally want to go braid each other's hair right now!"

The Tiny Dark Lord couldn't stay awake for today's picture, but here he is just before.

21 Day Challenge, Day 3: Mix Patterns

Hoo boy. Not only is this a terrifying concept, but I didn't have a lot to choose from. Most of my tops are solids, so it took a bit of work to find something that could go with one of my (many, many) patterned skirts. But I actually kind of really like this. I need to stop worrying so much about things looking all matchy-matchy.

Top from Old Navy, Skirt from Ann Taylor (thanks, Mom), Kohls belt,
Dansko pumps (thanks again, Mom!), necklace from Uganda (thanks, Spitfire!).
Nekkid baby (thanks, GH!).
Big wonky forehead (thanks, the Sun!).
Super white legs (thanks, the English!).

21 Day Challenge, Day 2: Tucking

Ugh. Tucking. Ugh.


See, the last time I tucked things in on a regular basis was it was 1994 and we all had to tuck in our baggy shirts into our baggy shorts and then untuck them just so. I can only assume we were all trying to look like clowns. Or people who were trying to hide food in our shirts. Since then I have only tucked in my shirt when I am wearing a suit because I am going to a job interview.

But I'm going to put on my big-girl pants now and do this thing.



Cardigan: Banana Republic outlet
Tank top: Shade
Skinny jeans: Old Navy skinny jeans
Sandals: hand-me-down Chacos from my mom (because I have two huge blisters on my pinky toes right now so cute shoes were not happening)
Necklace: hand-me-down from my mom
Flower ring: from Pemberley Trimmings Boutique in American Fork--pretty, huh?


And the baby is home-made.