Fall Fashion - Sunday

No costume for me today. I'm not much of a Halloweener. Even when I was a child, I wasn't big on the holiday. And now, while I'm happy to bring vegan treats to your party, I have trouble getting into the spirit.

Last year, the Seattle Symphony played the score to Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho live while the film showed on the big screen. And I couldn't not go! Because, well, that's only one of my absolute favorite films. (And I was a bassoon-playing orchestra dork through the eighth grade.) So Rob and I had an unusual Halloween night date. And this is what I wore:

It's kind of impossible to photograph these shoes, but let me assure you - they're awesome.

Dress - Forever 21, thrifted

Necklace - Vintage, gifted

Tights - Goodwill

Shoes - Rocket Dog

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So that's it! Another Fashion Week over and done with. A huge thank you to Emery Jo for hosting, and to all of you for your kind words and inspiration.

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Fall Fashion - Saturday

I didn't want to get dressed this morning. After a difficult night last night, I just wanted to laze around. But I had errands to run, and I'm not a pajamas-to-the-grocery-store type of girl.
So, naturally, I took my lazin' around outfit (tank top, leggings, socks), and threw a dress over it. And then I threw some other stuff over that. With questionable results.

This often happens on my don't-want-to-get-dressed days. I end up wearing something a little...odd.

This outfit, at least, is odd in a way that makes me want to accessorize it with a guitar and an indie rock song. If only I played guitar.

Brown dress - Thrifted (label says "Isshu," which sounds like something out of Pokémon because it is)

Lavender tank top - Banana Republic, thrifted

Necklace - JanetJewelry

Rings - were my mom's

Belt - Target

Leggings - American Apparel

Boots - Same as always

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More Fall Fashion Week(end) goodness waits at Moms are for Everyone. I can't believe it how these fashion weeks fly by!

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Fall Fashion - Friday

Here it is: The sweater-coat I mentioned on Monday that I wear all Fall/Winter/Spring(/Summer?^) long.

I bought this sweater when Westley was a baby, mostly because it was big and stretchy enough that I could zip it up over the baby in the baby carrier. And then I never took it off. I wear over my pajamas. I would wear it instead of pajamas if the zippers were slightly less stabby.

Sorry the photos are so dark. It was cloudy. In my house. Yeah.

Funky-cozy sweater-coat of awesomeness - Target

Spoon ring - was my mom's!

Black dress - Forever 21, thrifted

Gray T-shirt - Thrifted

Fuchsia! leggings - American Apparel

Bracelet - Crocheted by my mom (thanks, Mom!)

Boots - Thrifted

^I actually did wear this sweater during the summer this year on a couple icy cold July days. Thanks for that, Pacific Northwest.

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More Friday Fall Fashion at Moms are for Everyone! Go for the style, stay for the poses.

Some of you could grace the pages of Vogue tomorrow. Not kidding.

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Fall Fashion - Thursday

I have come down with a terrible case of the horizontal stripes.

Postmodern pirate?

I'm trying to put together Fall Fashion ensembles that don't rely heavily on solids (as I mentioned [much] earlier, I'm kind of pattern-shy). And I'm discovering that I own a ton of horizontal stripes. Yes, indeed. I might just have to dedicate a post to stripes.

Even though I really don't think they do me any favors.

Goth lite?

Nope, my shirt's not on backwards. It's actually lower in the back than it is in the front.

Also? Taking a picture of your own back isn't easy.

(one of my 80 hozillion) Striped top(s) - Thrifted

Vest - Thrifted

Anatomical heart necklace - Paraphernalia, gifted (thanks, Mom!)

Bracelet - Handmade by me!

Jeans - Same as Tuesday

Snakeskinless flats - Gifted (thanks, honey!)

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Head over to Moms are for Everyone for more (stripey?) Fall Fashion!

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Fall Fashion - Wednesday

I have a fashion confession: I only have one wardrobe.

The contents of my closet do not change with the seasons. While I own a few things I think of as seasonal (a "fall" jacket, a couple of "summer" dresses) just about everything that's not an open-toe shoe is in rotation at all times.

Sometimes I wonder how I survived four years in New England with no winter clothes. And then I remember: layers. I used to go to class with workout pants under my jeans to keep from freezing my ass off while discussing feminist film theory.

Anyway. This is technically a "summer dress."

Summer dress, schmummer dress!

The red-orange (orange-red?) sweatery top is something I've had for ages. And it's been sitting in my closet, waiting to be mended, for ages. I was going to put together another black-and-brown-and-grey sort of ensemble, but other Fall Fashionistas have made me crave something more colorful.

That's right. You are the reason I finally got around to mending this top.

The mother-baby necklace is more sappy-sentimental than I usually go, but it seemed to go with the whole "urban earth mama" thing I've got going with this outfit. The salt spoon necklace is equally sappy-sentimental, but secretly so (and also alliterative). When Westley was a baby, and we'd sleep together, he'd often end up on his side, with his back against my tummy. The littlest of spoons.

So, apart from putting something with sleeves over the top of it, how do you turn a summer maxi dress into cozy fall fashion?

Leggings. My (not so) secret weapon against the cold. Aawww yeah!

Red-orange/orange-red top - Thrifted

Navy maxi dress - Target

Necklaces - Gifted (thanks, Mom!)

Leggings - American Apparel

Boots - Same as yesterday

Rob saw this outfit and asked, "New clothes?"

"Nope. Old clothes. Way old." Ahh, the power of layers.

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More (fun and inspiring) Fall Fashion at Moms are for Everyone!

It's never to late to join the fun. You might even win a prize. (No, really!)

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Fall Fashion - Tuesday

What does a city(ish) girl wear to visit the farm? Why, an owl with tentacles, of course!

See the smirk? Yeah, I don't take this one very seriously.

No one saw this outfit, unfortunately. It was absolutely icy out, so I covered the whole thing with my vintage brown leather trench coat. I didn't take a picture of the coat, but I really should have. It's my go-to cold-and-rainy day outerwear.

Brown cardigan - ThriftedOrange top - ThriftedOcto-Owl tunic tank/babydoll dress - Deadworry, giftedJeans - Lucky, thriftedBoots - Frye, thrifted (with mud stains from Fairbank Farm)* * *
More Fall Fashion (with fewer cryptozoological anomalies, presumably) at Moms are for Everyone! And it's not too late to join in the fun. You know you want to!

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Fall Fashion - Monday

I realize it's been quiet(ish) 'round these parts. I've been staring down a big ol' heap of mental clutter. Putting together a comprehensible paragraph seems incredibly challenging right now. And a blog post? Out of the question.

Since I've been at a total loss for words, I was excited to see that Emery Jo would be hosting Fall Fashion Week, bloggy-style!

Summer Fashion Week was more fun than I expected, and it gave me a great excuse to focus on my "outsides" for a while. I truly believe that we can take care of our insides by taking care of our outsides, but I often forget that I truly believe it. Right now I could really use some inside-care in the form of sweaters and leggings and knee-high boots. So I was thrilled about Fall Fashion Week. Thrilled, that is, until I realized...I have nothing to wear. Nothing blog-worthy, anyway.

The truth is that I do Fall (and Winter, and rain-soaked Spring) in this one knee-length gray sweater coat. I was totally unsure about it when I bought it, but I wear it with everything. I've been known to wear it with pajamas, even. I have fallen into a serious Fall-fashion rut.

Here's my first attempt to dig myself out. With a different gray sweater. (Oh, well.)

This circle sweater has no buttons or clasps or anything, and I tend to wrap it around myself like a blanket.

Sweater - Thrifted

Striped top - Thrifted

White tank top (barely visible) - Target

Jeans - Cheap Monday (Urban Outfitters)

Silver flats - Bandolino, thrifted

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Head over to Moms are for Everyone for more (warm and cozy) Fall Fashion!

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Summer Fashion - Sunday

I'm making a sad face. A sad-that-Summer-Fashion-Week-is-over face.

Fashion week has been beyond fantastic. I've had a blast putting together ensembles that go beyond my usual tunic-y top/skinny jeans/black ballet flats uniform. And - more importantly - I feel like I've "met" a bunch of wonderful bloggers!

I started the week off in basic black, so I'm ending in not-so-basic white.

I stinkin' love this dress. I find reasons to wear it. If I were getting married tomorrow, I would wear this dress. It's my go-to piece for the theater, even though theater air conditioning tends to feel like arctic wind when you're wearing a linen minidress.

Why am I standing like this?

The headband was inspired by Rachael inspired by Emery inspired by Paige. Unfortunately, it wasn't quite right to wear across the forehead.

Dress - BB Dakota, thrifted

Boots - Nine West

Headband - Goody, some drugstore

(Mirror smudge - Westley)

However, while I do find reasons to haul this dress out of my closet, it's not exactly the right thing to wear while bread-baking and house-tidying.

This is what I actually wore today.

Tank - J. Crew, thrifted

Bra (since it's showing - classy!) - Gilligan & O'Malley, Target (currently on sale!)

Jeans - Same as Saturday

Shoes - Blowfish

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We'll be back to our regularly scheduled, fashion-lite blogging 'round these parts shortly. Until then, check out the final outfits here. You might even find yourself inspired to get a little extra dressed up tomorrow morning!

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Summer Fashion - Saturday

Me: What do you think of my jeans?

Rob [furrowing his brow]: Turn around? [thinks for a minute] There's something about the waistband...

Me: They give me an ass that I don't really have.

Rob: It's kind of...elongated. It's almost too much ass. They definitely change your shape.

Me [turning back around]: Well, they're high-waisted, wide-leg jeans. They're gonna to do that.

Rob [tentatively]: It actually makes it look like you've gained a little weight.

Me: Huh. But...in an attractive way?

Rob [apologetic]: Not really.

Me: That's so funny. I really like these. I bought them because I thought they were kind of cool - I mean, I love the zipper in the pocket - and they were super-tight when I got them, and look! [does the quintessential weight-loss pants pose]

Rob: Wow.

Me: Yeah, so I've been walking around, feeling pretty sexy in them. But they're not sexy?

Rob: Not really.

Me [shrugging]: Okay, so I won't wear them when I'm trying to look sexy...for you.

So my husband doesn't care for them, but I still think the jeans rock. And not just because they're my "skinny jeans" (as in, "those jeans women keep around, hoping to fit into," not style-wise, obviously). I like them so much, I styled them two ways.

And the kitty approves.

Striped top* - MICHAEL by Michael Kors, thrifted

(not sexy) Jeans - Old Navy, thrifted

Pearl bracelet - Actually a necklace, formerly my mom's

Necklace - Phi Beta Kappa key, mine (Aww yeah, baby!),

a tiny homage to Rachael's stylish brain-scan

Floral top - Tulle, thrifted

Black flats - Target, circa 2004

Brown heels - Dr. Scholl's

*I have no business owning this top. It's a Petite size, and there is nothing petite about me. I'm just shy of 5'9", with a looong torso. Oh, and the tie on the shoulder needs to be ironed, and I don't iron. (I don't even know where my iron is.)

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Your turn, fashionistas: do you have something in your closet that makes you feel fabulous, but that your life-companion-person is all "hmm, not so much" about?

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Summer Fashion - Friday

It's Casual Friday 'round these parts.

Or should I say, "cat-sual Friday"?

Hello, kitty!

I rarely go sleeveless. Insecurities about my upper arms and the ever-changing Seattle-area weather make sleeves pretty much non-optional. However! I really prefer this outfit without the cardigan.

The necklace was a Valentine's Day gift from Rob...except that I bought it. The February after Westley was born, we were still getting the hang of new parenthood and didn't have much time to shop for each other. So we bought our own presents, wrapped them, and the gift-giving "surprise" element was seeing what we'd "given" to the other person. (I'm ashamed to say I don't actually remember what I "got" Rob.)

In any case, the necklace came from one of my favorite shops in Seattle. The owner told me that it belonged to a woman who had collected owls, and that it was one of literally hundreds of different owl necklaces the woman had acquired by the time she died.

Cardigan - Ann Taylor Loft, thrifted

Striped top - Gap, thrifted

Jeans - Forever 21, thrifted

Shoes - Same as Wednesday

Necklace - Vintage, gifted-ish

Kitty (Fiona) - She's a rescue!

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What about you? Did you dress up or down for Friday? (Can stay-at-home moms even have Casual Friday?)

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