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.