And I am unanimous in that....

RIP Mollie Sugden.
Now hearing she died has brought me to tears. The others hadn't.
I link the show to Saturday nights with my dad eating hamburger helper
and watching with him.

Thursday that is really friday.

Still raining but today we get the added bonus of thunder and lightening and HEAVY fog over the city. Oh and its chilly. Bet you wish you lived here. Sure you do 34 days of cold and rain, its so much fun. *grumble grumble* classically in July its sundress time. Tomorrow is husband's 30th and every pic of his bday in past I have on a dress or shorts.

Jeans Gap
Steel toed wood sole Bastad clogs. I gave up on cute. Too much damn rain my feet can't take it. I want shoes I can kick things in.
Green shirt with nice collar NY and Co
Marc Jacobs inspired windbreaker Target (I am ok with it as its not even close but you can tell its inspired by. I don't like the direct rip offs)
Necklace and earrings made by me.
Perfume Stella McCartney

I went to all the effort to flat iron my hair today and its growing as the day wears on. I did put in a bumpit though. It slid back some though.

I have been called "tough" today and it kinda bothered me. Its so not a look I ever try to portray. I have been called a bitch and pissy looking so much in my life. My natural demeanor comes off as hard to many people who take me at face value without ever getting to know me and so dressing like that is something I strive to not do. I have a hard enough time with the face Jesus gave me. (ha only one person will get that joke. Its annoying when people do that, isn't it? the inside joke thing. Eh what can I say its my blog!)
In reality I just have a sad face and pair that with being extremely shy just comes off as bitchy to people. Sad a man can be elusive and cool and a girl is mean and bitchy doing the same things.
LE SIGH.

Is there any type of look you don't want to thought of as?

Shirt Ann taylor loft (I wear it a lot don't i?) red and white gingham with ruffles
Red and white stripe tank H&M
Denim pencil skirt New York and Co
Shoes Isaac Target
Bangles H&M
Earrings H&M
Necklace Dominique Cohen Target
Belt Gap I got it for $4 last week and I was looking at an almost identical one on Etsy for $70!


Its still chilly and it is still raining here. I ended up throwing a Hello kitty velvet rhinestone track jacket over this (yes you read that right.) Today is my Thursday. I don't know how I am going to get through tomorrow though actually. Friday is my husband's 30th birthday and I am excited we get to spend the whole day together in a Zip car. (we don't own a car anymore so driving is a luxury) I have a fun day planned and I can't wait to share it all with you!

Julie the amazing girl behind Rottencupcakes.com drew a fantastic picture of me. Please go check her and her sight out. She also does this feature called Tonal Tuesday where she makes up these amazing color combos. I am currently trying to figure out how to get her to make me one. hee.

So what are your plans for the 4th?

Can't bear to part with.

Ok don't even say it. This skirt is getting hacked. I bought this skirt in 2002. I was fresh out of school and looking for "work clothes" I fell in love with this skirt at Banana Republic and I visited often hoping it would go on sale. I finally snatched it at $45 which was a ton of money to me then. It was the last in my size and I was scared to lose it. Funnily my SIL and I bought the exact same skirt the same week and neither knew. We do that a lot, which is weird as we are so not alike at all. Well I wore it once got stuff on it and threw it in the wash without LOOKING AT THE TAG. So my new expensive skirt shrunk and didn't fit and got put away for OH 7 years. I pulled it out last night and while going through stuff to donate and I remembered it fondly and tried it on. its too big in the waist but my bum holds it up fine. Its the length that is the MAJOR ISSUE. I can't part with it so I might use the fabric for a new skirt. I am not sure hacking it would help it.

BUT it has a matching purse and its NOT from banana republic. We were at Walmart one day and dave said "hey isn't that the pattern like your skirt" and I thought huh yeah close and bought it. It is the SAME DARN PATTERN. The skirt is silk and cotton and the purse is some sort of plastic but they are the exact same. I should of held it going in same direction.

Skirt Banana Republic
Shoes Franco Sarto got from friend's dad in 2000 (see below)
Purse walmart
Shirt The sleeves are satin and shirt weird stretchy fabric Ann taylor
Earrings I made
Necklace H&M kid's section


so the shoes. My bff was wearing them one day when we were both home the summer of 2000 and I wanted them so bad they are very vintagey and at the time heels were foreign to my 22 yr old self. So she told me her dad got them at cost as his company was making Franco Sartos then. So he got me a pair for $17 bucks. I wore them to a wedding and felt so badass. Now I wear much more intense shoes but again I can't part with them. They are lilac on the inside. You can't really see the cutout on the shoes but they are subtle fun.

So in summary these two items I can't bear to part with even if they are more 22 and 24 year old me than 30 year old me.

Do you have items that don't necessarily work for the NOW you that you can't bear to part with? What is it.

RIP Michael, Farrah and Ed

I know people are already feeling overwhelmed by the media coverage but this is my blog and you don't have to read on.
I made this image quickly as a little tribute this morning. Michael may of had his issues (who doesn't, admittedly his were a bit more severe) but there is no denying his talent. As someone born in late 70's I grew up as he was really making it as a solo artist. I remember when Thriller came out and it was THE THING and it was all people talked about. When Bad hit it big and Weird Al made his "Just eat it" video which I am sorry is one of the funniest parodies of all time. So the entertainment world lost its King of Pop and I am interested who is gonna try and pick up the reins. It also hits home that he was the exact same age as my parents. Makes me want to hug them and tell them how much I love them.

I would be remiss not to also say the passing or Farrah and Ed where also a great loss. Farrah with her golden locks and my secret desire as a child for Ed to show up at our house to tell us we won.

As an aside you may use my photo but please give credit or link back to me.

And the winner is......

Mamichan (Masami)!
Her tip was

"I like putting eye cream/gel in the fridge so the cold can de-puff my eyes."

I will pop your prize in the post! Congrats!

Links à la Mode

Links à la Mode : June 25th

• 39th and Broadway: Ever wonder who really determines how your clothes fit? An interview with a technical designer
• alixrose: You have the perfect outfit, but whats the one thing that can keep it from becoming fabulous?
• A Typical Atypical: A deep dive into the reasoning behind shoe obsessions
• Awakened Aesthetic: Affordable ways to bring urban fashion into your decor without getting tacky
• Bobbins and Bombshells: Fashionable History - A look into 1920's swimwear and bathing suits.
• Bonne Vie: When Bloggers Unite - The Hotel Max Edition
• Decline Designs: Defining Your Personal Style - Having "Go-To" Outfits
• Fasshonaburu: Digging through a high end sales to find purchase-worhty pieces, and tips on how to not go over budget
• Fashion Consciou$: Fashion Flashback - Return of the culottes
• Fashion Pulse Daily: The evolution of the gladiator to the "mandiator"
• Freya: A little gown guide for your summer wedding
• hkShoeGeek: Harnesses - A collection of favorites for every style and price range
• Idiosyncratic Style: A guide for casual wedding attire
• Independent Fashion Bloggers: You just don't compare...
• Retro Chick : Mary Queen of Charity Shops - Now it's all over, some final thoughts
• Shoe Daydreams: Are you on board with the latest trend - Over The Knee boots?
• Tatiana Supports the Arts: Indie Designer Spotlight - ALEX&RA, designed by Alexandra Cipparone
• The Bare Skinny: Not everything has to be black and white - inspiration for adding color to your wardrobe
• The Coveted: Shu Uemura's inspired lashes
• Unfunded: Respect your elders - Rock the vintage!
• Work Chic: Chic hosiery options if you still have to wear them in the summer heat!

Thursday now with more musings!

Pants Gap
Shirt Banana Republic
Cardigan Gap (I need something Old Navy for the hat trick)
Shoes Miss Capri for Target (they have rhinestone turtles)
Bracelets Pandora and Tiffany
Earrings I made them
Ring MFA store.

The cardigan is this insane vivid purple with lots of blue in it. Dave's camera didn't get it right so I ganked a pic off gap something in that color as its a popular one this season and my new favorite color.

Like my New Jersey housewife chic pedicure? Heeee. I couldn't resist I got to a salon in my little Italy neighborhood and ALL the girls in the chairs were getting it and I thought WHY NOT?!! I kinda like it even if it doesn't say HILLARY

I little 16 yr old emo but the shirt more head on.

OK so here is the deal. I am not 100% ok with my weight. (ugh another woman who worries about her weight tell me something new I know) So I love the idea of tunic fits IN CONCEPT and I love how they look hanging on the rack and on some other people. I continue to buy them. Such as this freaking gorgeous pale pink silk and cotton shirt. It was so pretty hanging there in the store. I tried it on and loved it. But then I got it home and I tried it on with a dozen things and I kept disliking it all and it dawned on me. Its because when shirts aren't fitted I fear I look fat or dare I say pregnant in them. There is no denying I have large ahem yeah so if its not nipped below that I think the worst. I think people look at me and think "Oh hillary put on weight" I know thats such a stupid thing to think and I wish I didn't but to be honest I do. I worked really hard a few years ago to lose weight. I have kept it off since June 2007. I gained 4 lbs in the past few months (since I joined gym) and I can't shake them no matter what I do or eat so I am in uberobsess mode. I hate this feeling. But enough whining!
On to the pants. I am the exact height of the average American woman. 5'3" and a little change. So being that I am the average why is it that no pants that are average fit me? They are always WAY too long and petites that are for 5'4" and under are starting to be TOO short. WTF what am I supposed to buy I ask you? Yeah yeah I can hem but I SHOULDN"T HAVE TO! I am the average size!!! MORE women are my height than any other! So I tend to not look good in capris. ( A pair here and there are acceptable but usually I look stumpy) also my dear friend George told me flat out one day "I hate you in capris don't wear them" (gotta love a frank friend) so I avoided them like the palgue. And ankle pants? yeah they never have fit me. Til yesterday and well they are actually a little longer than they are "supposed to be" according to the women on the company site but whatever. I do not call these ankle length. I call them "all about the shoes" length or the alternate title "My office is freezing but I want to feel summery and not wear winter pants year round".
My husband's intital reaction when I came out in them was "huh I don't know what I think" I said its because you haven't seen in these often. I also then stood on tiptoes and said "Imagine if you will a killer shoe" The lightbulb turned on then and he got it. So I got them and I really like them and how they look in the photo even. They have a cute tie on the butt too.

Is there a particular type cut you don't like on yourself?
for me obviously as I said its capri and tunic cuts.

Ugh I couldn't get my head in the outfit pics and I couldn't get my makeup, shirt, hair AND earrings in one shot for detail. So you get way too many detail shots because I want all the elements shown even if it takes way too many damn photos. (promise I am not vain, opposite really)

Shirt Little more low cut than I com comfortable with and sadly didn't notice the extent til I got to work. Banana Republic. (Its laying funny up top its not pleated just scrunched)
Pants Gap I think (I will check next time I powder my nose)
Shoes Vera Wang for Kohls
Earrings Gift from mom
Glass ring Las Vegas somewhere
Sweater Target
Bumpit Sally's
Perfume Origins Ginger oil

Someone came and ruined what was not fun. I couldn't get a good shot that hat everything right in it this morning. You have any idea how hard it is to set the camera and run over and jump on these things in 5 inch heels and steady yourself in time for a pic? Not easy let me tell you.



With 3 weeks of rain I have become a very very catty person lately. The grumpier I get the funnier I think I am. This is a bad bad hilarious cycle.

Wohoooooooooooooooooo!

Dave passed his exam!!!!! It was the single most difficult exam he ever took. Ask any architect you know they will tell you its insane. (They want too keep it hard so its a special accreditation and hard to attain!)
So now he will be referred to as Dave LEED AP until he gets licensed then I insist everyone call him Dave the Architect even in casual circumstances (he won't of gone to 11 years of colleges and masters for nothing!)

Now I get my husband back! He has had homework or studying every single week since September 2008. And until September 2009 he is ALL MINE!