Style Icon: Wallis Simpson

Prince Edward abdicated the throne because of his love of the twice-divorced socialite Wallis Simpson. Apparently, it's not cool for kings to married twice-divorced socialites, but that's just what Prince Edward did.  

When I read about their romance, writers are always like "She wasn't a great beauty." I would say she wasn't a typical beauty, but she was definitely a striking woman. She was a handsome woman. Some women are beautiful and some women are handsome and there's nothing wrong with that!

I find her to be a lot like Katharine Hepburn. She seems strong and no-nonsense and is very, very elegant. She looks like aristocracy with her long limbs and fancy, formal clothes. I don't blame Prince Edward one bit for falling for her.

They stayed married until he died in 1972. I don't know much about their life together except that they were both socialites and lived like rich people who don't have much to do -- a life of leisure I believe its called, luxurious leisure. Her politics are apparently questionable, and if you watch "The King's Speech," you really feel sorry for King George who has to take over all the kingly duties. All that said, the lady could clearly wear a dress. And so: Wallis Simpson, style icon.

Style Icon: Sofia Coppola in MilkFed

 Before she was queen of ethereal cinema, Sofia Coppola was queen of the baby tee.

She had her own clothing line called MilkFed that was full of cute, tongue-in-cheek shirts. The baby tee. It was kind of a big deal back in 1994. 

While shirts featuring Che Guevara, Steve McQueen and the catch phrase "I Love Booze" have their place, I'm happy she turned her attention to film making. She has such a a specific, authentic eye and I love how dreamy and quiet her movies are. But I also love that once upon a time, she was a MilkFed 20-something entrepreneur in a baby tee.

Beauty

Sometimes beauty is easy.

Sometimes you don't have to try at all.

Sometimes you can hear the wind blow in a handshake.

Sometimes there's poetry written right on the bathroom wall. 

-- Ani DiFranco

Remix - Blue cardigan

This thrifted cardigan has always reminded me of my Grandma's china. You've seen the type -- it has the pretty, intricate blue pattern, and it's all fancy and saved for special occasions. This is a fancy cardigan, but I don't save it for special occasions. Nope. Not at all. 

Don't get me wrong. It's well suited for fancy occasions and looks quite nice next to the good china, but it also works with a pregnant-lady polka-dot tank top and jeans. It's just a pretty cardigan, it goes with almost anything. I mostly wear it with dresses to work. I pair it a lot with black, but I really like it best with some color. 

Some color or perhaps some faux fur.

Oh this cardigan, it's so cut, so colorful, so pretty and ladylike! I have never looked so ladylike in combat boots as I do when wearing this cardigan. True story. It has an inherent class that just takes over an outfit, don't you think?

Stress and splatter

I've been thinking about stress lately. As in: I would like to decrease the stress in my life. How much of it is really unavoidable? Is any of it necessary? Let's take it down a notch!

I seem to have developed a reputation for being calm and laid back, and I don't think it's unwarranted. I am a lot calmer and more laid back than a lot of people, but you know what? In general, people are crazy stressed out. ESPECIALLY teachers. Being a teacher? Not so easy. For real.

So, yes, I am not crazy stressed out, but I do have my fair share of stress, and I have a new goal: Be a little more chill. I don't think it serves my students, my baby, my husband or myself to be stressed out. (And the guilt! The mama guilt! The teacher guilt! The wife guilt! I need to let it go!) I feel like there's a part of me that takes pride in being super busy and therefore super stressed, but I think that part of me is super dumb.

So here I am hanging out by a river with my dog trying my best to be chill and not super dumb. Also: how much do you love my splatter T-shirt? I love it so much. Chill chicks wear splatter T-shirts. They walk their dogs. They look at rivers. Yeah. That's what chill chicks do.

Watercolor polka dots

Shorts. Watercolor polka dots. That's what's happening here.

So pretty, I say. So pretty, these polka dots.

(That is all.)

Style Icon: Rickie Vasquez

Oh God, how much did I love "My So-Called Life"? At the time of watching it (freshman year of high school), I thought it was my life -- I had the straight-laced old friend and the kind of crazy new friend, I had the curly-haired boy who liked me and the musician boy I liked, and I had the gay best friend, my very own Rickie Vasquez. Oh high school, I remember you well.

Rickie was the sweetest, most stylish boy. Look at him in his vest and backwards hat! He's also just so pretty. So, so pretty.

His style is by no means timeless. "My So-Called Life" is a very '90s show, and Rickie looks pretty '90s throughout it. But, in my opinion, if you're going to look really dated, the '90s is a good decade to be stuck in due to its fabulousnes and oddly bright clothing.

I see your one earring, Rickie! I see your Sgt. Pepper's coat! I see the clashing shirt underneath! I see your fab hair and pretty eyes, and I know you sometimes wear eyeliner, which is awesome! Rickie was a ground-breaking character back in the day. He was like Kurt from Glee except he was never allowed to get the boy. While high school might have been a bit rough for Rickie, I like to believe his character grew up to live a happy, amazing life. He probably majored in art. He probably lives in New York City. He is probably breaking hearts left and right. He probably still wears that Sgt. Pepper's coat.

Easy baby

I had a rough pregnancy. I guess. I mean, I never had to go to the hospital, and Thomas was always healthy and strong, but, man, I felt sick and threw up for pretty much the whole thing (yep, even my last month before giving birth). And the whole time, I was like "Surely this 'morning sickness' (dumbest name ever) will end soon," and it never, ever did. 

But giving birth was pretty darn easy as far as giving birth is concerned (not easy ever), and I have what all my friends and family have dubbed an "easy" baby. "Easy" means super adorable and smiley and not very fussy. I wore this outfit to take Thomas out to lunch with friends where they marveled over his lovely temperament and all around cuteness.

I brought my new-to-me Frye purse (eBay of course)...

And wore my new-to-me Swedish Hasbeen shoes (eBay of course, I have been looking for a non-expensive version of these for months and months!).

And my baby was a total doll, and, he looked pretty amazing in his superman shirt (thrifted I think) and little faux converse (not thrifted), and it was all really very pleasant. Then we hugged our friends (because they are "our" friends because my friends love my baby) and went home.

Later that day, we went out to eat again (I live a charmed life, I know) with Robert at a mediocre sushi place that was near the place I had to try on bridesmaids dresses (Matron of Honor in the house!).

At the sushi place, I gave Thomas those little yogurt melty things for the first time (We had just bought them, I was feeling adventurous), and he hated them SO much he threw up all over me. Yep. Truth. I was like "If only my friends could see me and my vomit-covered 'easy' baby now." (Note to self: Don't try new foods in public restaurants.)

But even with public-vomiting, I can't deny I lucked out in the baby department (but don't all parents feel that way?). I mean look at that face! That smile! That beautiful baby boy!

Loving It

Lately I've been loving...

1. Thomas in his Easter best. Love those spring daffodils too! (But HATE my spring allergies!)

2. That Thomas is going through a "Mama" phase. I am the bee's knees according to this kid. I am where it is at. No one will do but Mama. I have to admit, a large part of me loves it even if it means I'm on baby patrol all the time because baby gets really fussy if he's patrolled by anyone else. (A most-of-the-time exception to this rule: His daddy.)

3. Thomas is crawling. Sort of. Thomas is scooting and dragging and swiveling and turning. Thomas is on the move. I am loving it. 

Style Icon: Shirley Temple

Happy Easter Sunday!

There are a lot of things I like about Easter Sunday, but one of the top is little girls in frou-frou dresses. And so, I decided we should honor the frou-frou-est, littlest girl in film history as our style icon for today: Shirley Temple.

Isn't she adorable? Chubby cheeks, giant skirt, patent-leather shoes. Thousands of girls are copping her look today.

And why not? It's a classic for a reason!

Joy, Fun, Binge Watching

Here's a picture of our little family out hiking a couple weekends ago. That sure was a great time! I love Thomas's mildly judgmental expression in this picture. I am interpreting it as "Really, guys? A selfie? For real?" For real.

(Pictured above: A slightly more accepting-of-the-selfie Thomas face).

So a little while ago, I was having lunch with a friend who was talking about a book she read about parenting called "All Joy and No Fun." Ever since I heard about it, I keep noting all the fun I have as a parent. Parenting is a lot of work, but it's also a lot of legitimate fun. There are so many new adventures to have with your little one! Super-fun adventures!

(Pictured above: Super-fun adventure made possible by our most excellent hiking backpack.)

I decided that a book about parenting should actually be called "All Joy, Lots of Fun, but Sadly No Binge Watching of Television Programming" because that last part is the thing I've really given up since becoming a mom. I found a loop hole though! Thomas was sick this weekend, and I totally watched the entire seventh season of Mad Men while snuggling the sleeping, little nugget. So: All joy, lots of fun, occasional binge watching of television programming if your child is under the weather. (Thomas is doing much better now. Oh the anxiety that accompanies having a sick child! At lease there was a Mad Men silver lining.)