Joie Peasant Blouse 3 ways… Day 1

I love having items in my wardrobe that can cross over from day to night.  Casual to work.  This blouse from Joie, does that perfectly.

The first way I’m wearing it is just day casual.  I might not take Maya to the park in this, since it’s white/and a little expensive, but it’s great for errands or apts.  Paired with slip on oxfords and another pair of DL 1961 jeans, this outfit could not be more comfortable!Blog Joie Blouse DL 1961 Jeans Miss Sixty Oxfords-1 Blog Joie Blouse DL 1961 Jeans Miss Sixty Oxfords-2I like to put colored/patterned tanks under sheer tops for a little modesty, pop of color, or fun boost to a neutral outfit. Blog Joie Blouse DL 1961 Jeans Miss Sixty Oxfords-3 Blog Joie Blouse DL 1961 Jeans Miss Sixty Oxfords-4 Blog Joie Blouse DL 1961 Jeans Miss Sixty Oxfords-6Maya’s take on the boho top and skinnies 🙂1Maya95wks Flower Top JeansOn me…

Top- Joie (on sale!!)
Jeans- DL 1961 Emma Legging  Don’t let the name fool you.  They are jeans, but with the usual 4 way stretch, they feel like leggings 🙂
Shoes- Miss Sixty “Marlene” oxford (sold out, but you can still find them on eBay!)  Similar here.
Tank- C & C California (old, but can find similar here.)

On Maya…

Top- Old Navy (thrifted, but dying over this one!)
Jeans-Gap
Shoes- Zulily They come up often, so save this search “Mariposa Slip on Shoe” ($6!!)
Super Mom Tip:
  I hate to iron, so whenever possible I spray items with a spray bottle (I add a few spritz of body spray in the bottle to make it smell good!).  I  either let the item hang dry or toss it in the dryer.  Voila-wrinkle free and smelling nice!  I always take a spray bottle when traveling too.
Tomorrow, I’ll show how I would wear this top as work casual. 🙂dit-elle-Lauren

Tomato salad

It’s tomato season in Seattle.. the late summer sun is warm and ripening the tomatoes on the vine. Fresh, warm tomatoes drizzled with olive oil.. the taste and smell is reminiscent of an Indian summer. I used heirloom tomatoes in this salad, but any good ripe tomato variety would work. Love tomato season!IMG_6073

A most delicious tomato salad is perhaps  the simplest one..

Ingredients

  • Tomatoes, sliced
  • Olive oil
  • Salt & pepper
  • Basil for garnish

Directions

  • Arrange tomato slices on a plate
  • Drizzle with olive oil
  • Sprinkle with salt & pepper
  • Serve at room temperaturetomatosdit-elle-Esther

Colored Denim…

When your daily uniform is t-shirt and jeans, you love when they come up with a variation on it!  Colored denim?  All over it!  And these Black Orchid jeans are unbelievably comfortable!!  They are so stretchy, that they feel like sweats, yet look like jeans.

Btw…this was taken right after it had been in the 70’s, then got windy/sprinkling (in case you thought I had a wind machine :)).  5 minutes after I took these…DOWNPOUR.  Yup, tis the season…

blogOrange Black Orchid Jeans White Top Pattern Swing Sweater-1I had one of those moments today where I thought “There are only a few more sunny days left in the year.  OMG, WHY have I been wearing the same two pairs of flip flops all summer???!!!  Why haven’t I worn the sandals I love??!!”  Love these shoes!  Oddly enough, I “save” them.  What’s up with that??!blogOrange Black Orchid Jeans White Top Pattern Swing Sweater-2blogOrange Black Orchid Jeans White Top Pattern Swing Sweater-3blogOrange Black Orchid Jeans White Top Pattern Swing Sweater-4Oh, and then the weather turned…And I looked for something cuddly.blogOrange Black Orchid Jeans White Top Pattern Swing Sweater-5blogOrange Black Orchid Jeans White Top Pattern Swing Sweater-6I didn’t dress Maya the same today, but…she has rocked colored denim on a number of occasions.  Here’s one that’s similar…1Maya96wksPolkaDotOrange-1
On me…

Top- (thrifted), but similar here or here, and loving this one here!
Jeans- Black Orchid (old), but find the brand here, similar color here (on sale!), and less expensive option here.
Shoes- Sand (0ld), but similar idea here and color here.
Sweater- Thrifted, but similar here (on sale!)
On Maya…
Top- OshKosh (Target sold out, but LOVE this long sleeve version here.)
Jeans- Gap (thrifted, but similar here (on sale!)

Baked garlic-lemon cauliflower

Tossed in olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper and topped with grated parmesan, cauliflower florets are baked to the point of being juicy yet still have a little crunch. The flavors meld together to make this a tasty side dish! I picked a yellow cauliflower (hence the bright color), you could also use a traditional white head or they even come in purple!Cauliflower

Ingredients

  • 1 large head of cauliflower, washed and cut into 1″ florets
  • 1/2 c olive oil
  • juice from one squeezed lemon
  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • parmesan cheese

Directions

  • Combine olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper and toss with cauliflower florets
  • Bake @ 350 for 30 minutes, stirring to turn once or twice
  • Top with parmesan cheese and broil for a couple minutes to melt and toast the cheese

Paleo tip: omit the cheese for a truly delicious paleo dish!dit-elle-Esther

White after Labor Day…of course!

I have a slight obsession with white jeans.  THAT is not exactly “mom friendly”, but we have stain remover, so I indulge my obsession every now and then and hope for the best.  It’s a good thing I have 4 or 5 (ok, maybe more) pairs…

This particular pair is DL 1961 Kate Slim Straight.  I talked about my love of DL 1961 jeans here.  Their 4 way stretch is SO comfortable!  I bought this particular pair over 2 years ago, when I was pregnant (I only wore stretchy non maternity jeans when I was preggers!)  They’re one size bigger than I normally wear now, but that just makes them kind of a skinny boyfriend fit 🙂blogDL1961 White Grey Tank Jean Shirt-1n

blogDL1961 White Grey Tank Jean Shirt-2nI like adding a little pop of color to a neutral outfit. blogDL1961 White Grey Tank Jean Shirt-3n blogDL1961 White Grey Tank Jean Shirt-4n

During these last days of summer/early fall the temperature changes pretty drastically over the course of the day.  Layering is key… blogDL1961 White Grey Tank Jean Shirt-6n BlogDL1961 White Grey Tank Jean Shirt-4 BlogDL1961 White Grey Tank Jean Shirt-5Am I the only mom that walks out of the house and 75% of the time realizes that I match my kid?  I like to buy clothes for Maya that I would wear, so I guess when I’m in the mood for something…it trickles down to her 🙂

So…  Chambray shirt with a pop of color (she picked the shoes)….who wore it best?? hahaBlogDL1961 White Grey Tank Jean Shirt-6Yeah, I agree.  She did 😉 BlogDL1961 White Grey Tank Jean Shirt-7On me…

Jeans- DL 1961 Kate Slim Straight (old, but denim version here.  Similar style (on sale!) here.

Tank- Target Long and Lean

Jean shirt- Levi’s (very old) similar here.

Belt- Linea Pelle (old), but similar style here.  Color option here.

Shoes- Superga (on sale!).

On Maya…

Jean shirt- Thrifted (similar here)

Jeans- Old Navy (thrifted, similar here)

Shoes- Jack and Lilydit-elle-Lauren

Consignment Store Purchase, changed the course of the day…

Well, that and the 20 degree increase from mid morning!

It never fails.  I drop a load of clothes off at the consignment shop in the effort to clear out my closet(s), and then come away with more clothes!!  Well, when you score these shoes for $6, you can’t pass that up-thank you Funky Janes Consignment!

Btw…am I the only mom that dresses up a liiiiittle more when they don’t wash their hair/put on make up (ok, some days not take a shower!)?  Kind of like-look down, not up!

1BlogBCBGCreamCrochet20 8 12Jeans-1n 1BlogBCBGCreamCrochet20 8 12Jeans-2n 1BlogBCBGCreamCrochet20 8 12Jeans-3Seriously!  How cute are these??  Love the end of season scores… 1BlogBCBGCreamCrochet20 8 12Jeans-4Here’s Maya’s take on neutrals with leopard shoes.  Of course…she wins.1Maya95wksPinkLeopard-1On me…

Jeans- Twenty8Twelve by Sienna Miller “KES” (sold out :(, but similar here)

Top- BCBG (old) similar here, here, or even less expensive option here.

Shoes- MIA Hawaii Buckle Thong Sandal

On Maya

Sweater- Gap

Jeans- Gap

Shoes-Zulily They come up often, so save this search “Mariposa Slip on Shoe” ($6!!)

dit-elle-Lauren

StyleMint + J Brand + Leopard Flats “oh my!”

I got the rest of my box from StyleMint today, and I’m in love with everything!!  Total bonus…I got 3 free gifts!  I’m sure I’ll blog about those later 🙂  For now I’ll start with how I wore it for 90% of the day… Yup, with my Havaianas 🙂

BlogBrownStyleMintJBrandZippers-1*

So the inseam on these J Brand jeans is a little long (even though I’m 5′ 8″, my legs are the size of someone who is at best 5′ 6″).  At first I thought I couldn’t make them work, but then…I kind of like them a little unzipped.  Thoughts?? BlogBrownStyleMintJBrandZippers-2Then I decided to dress the outfit up a little… The laugh would be due to a car driving by wondering what the paparazzi was for 🙂 BlogBrownStyleMintJBrandZippers-3blogBrownStyleMintJBrandZippers-17 blogBrownStyleMintJBrandZippers-19 Both of these are totally suitable for hangingout/chasing (which happened right before this was taken) your children. blogBrownStyleMintJBrandZippers-28blogBrownStyleMintJBrandZippers-33Blog-1 On me…

Top-StyleMint Rosebud T (on sale!)
Shoes-(1) Havaianas then (2)  (thrifted) but similar here and cheaper here.


On Maya…

Top- Gap (eBay, but LOVE this one)
Jeans- Old Navy (little big, so rolled to look like boyfriend jeans)
Shoes- Old Navy (eBay, but similar here.)
Belt- Thrifted, but similar here.

dit-elle-Lauren

Vince Skinnies + IntiMint top = Comfy Mom Style

 A lot of the things I will wear on this blog will be minority outfits.  I.e.-when me and the Huz get to go on date nights, the rarer girl’s night out, or me just wanting to test a look to see if it works!

THIS is what I wear on a daily basis 🙂  Skinny jeans (with stretch!!) and a comfy t-shirt!  I had heard about StyleMint on various blogs and magazines, but for some reason had never shopped there (why??!).  It’s AMAZING!  Great everyday t’s and comfy clothes that are super stylish (duh, it’s the by the Olsen twins).  Best of all…it’s affordable (especially if you load up when they have a sale like I did :))  The particular top I’m wearing below is from the IntiMint section.  Which means, they not only feel like pj’s…they are haha.  I don’t think they look like it though…

Even though I live in Seattle, I wear flip flops CONSTANTLY from March-October!  My favorites are Havaianas.  If you are like me, you think “why in the WORLD would I spend that much money on flip flops??”  Well, a) I got 2 pairs at Costco when they had them for $9.99 and a few others at Nordstrom Rack b) they are so comfy!  There’s something in the rubber that makes them soft, and they don’t rub!BlogVinceSkinnyGreyIntiMintFF-1

It’s easy to dress this outfit up a little.  Like adding a fun scarf… blogVinceSkinnyGreyIntiMint-2And colorful shoes!  blogVinceSkinnyGreyIntiMint-4Love the dolman style of this top…blogVinceSkinnyGreyIntiMint-3 Lastly, as it gets a little colder I’ll wear my other staple…boots! blogVinceSkinnyGreyIntiMintScarfFrye-1n blogVinceSkinnyGreyIntiMintScarfFrye-2nMaya loves her boots too!  Oh, and she loves sitting in puddles 🙂1Maya93wksBlueRuffleTopBootsAll 3 of these looks are super comfy, allow you to chase your kid around, AND look good-WIN 🙂

Look 2

Scarf- Thrifted
Shoes- Restricted (thrifted)  Similar here

 

Look 3

Boots- Frye (ebay!) old, but similar here.

On Maya…

Jeans- Gap
Top- thrifted
Boots- Faded Glory (thrifted)

dit-elle-Lauren

Daring to Wear J Brand Coated Denim…

I have been obsessed with the coated denim trend.  I’ve also been a little obsessed with animal print.  Usually, I’d pick one trend or the other to avoid overkill, but when I saw these, I had to have them!  My fear…am I too old to pull it off -39 is the new 29 right?? haha.  Anywho, I stalked these on eBay and finally pulled the trigger when I got a smoking deal.  Then…I waited for an occasion to come up where I could wear them!  When one of my best friend’s birthday came around, I knew that a girl’s night would be the perfect occasion to test them out on!

Added bonus?  They are stretchy, but are a thick material which basically makes them like jean spanx (but in a good way!)

BlogJBrandCoatedCreamSweater-1nblogJBrandCoatedCreamSweater-13 BlogJBrandCoatedCreamSweater-3nBlogJBrandCoatedCreamSweater-3- BlogJBrandCoatedCreamSweater-4

Jeans- J Brand 
Sweater- Unknown (ebay)
Shoes-Nine West (old)
Bag- Aaneta
Jacket- Doma (old)

dit-elle-Lauren

Date Night…

When you have kids, date nights are even more precious.  Connecting with your spouse as a “wife” vs a “mother” is invaluable.  Plus, I spend most days with my hair in a bun and no make up (which you will see often on here!), so I jump at any chance to wear some of the fun clothes I have 🙂

I love that this is basically my standard t-shirt and jeans, but just a little dressed up.  🙂blogBlackTopGoldsignJeans-6n blogBlackTopGoldsignJeans-7n

1BlackTopGoldsignJeans-2BlogBlackTopGoldsignJeans-1n blogBlackTopGoldsignJeans-2n Had to give the little nugget a kiss before heading out 🙂

blogMaya 69 weeks Tan Cords White Tunic-1blogMeAndMAnniversary-2 blogMeAndMAnniversary-4On me…

Top-Current Affair (Nordstrom Rack)
Shoes-Nine West (thrifted)
On Maya…
Top-Osh Kosh B’gosh
Jeans- Gap Cords
Shoes-Old Navy
dit-elle-Lauren