Because of you I smile

You know those days where from the moment you wake up nothing seems to go right? Like say, for instance, you forget to set your alarm and just happen to wake a mere fifteen minutes before your three children need to get to school? That's the start of a not-so-good day. Or what should have been a brief check-up at the doctor turns into an hour of waiting in the exam room while being held captive to overhearing an animated conversation between the nurses about Glee? OR, you get into an argument with the morons at the gym who had told you your kids could enroll in taekwando while your membership was on hold, and now, three months after they started, the morons tell you they can't? 

That's the kind of week I had.

I was so relieved when Saturday rolled around. Here was a chance to sleep late and engage in activities that were guaranteed to be good for my soul. You know how there are certain things that just make you happy, no matter what?  For me, it's baths. Just the process of choosing a frothy aromatic bubble bath, lighting candles, and pouring myself a glass of wine reduces my stress. Taking a bath is a minimum hour-long activity. I make the water as hot as I can stand and read some trashy novel on my Kindle. Personally, I can't think of a better way to catch up on my reading. Is there a better way to catch up on anything? Hell, I would make dinner in there if I could. I want a full-size portable stovetop for Christmas.


Another thing that makes me feel good is a short flippy skirt. Like this one.

Anthropologie floral blouse (eBay); Anthropologie denim skirt; Gap white tee (under blouse); Hue tights; Frye boots; Urban Outfitters ivory flower studs; Plato's Closet leather bracelet.

Get up, get going

I'm a jeans and flats kind of girl. My closet is jammed with a kind of gross display of denim  - flared leg, skinny, bootcut, jeggings...even wide leg (which aren't typically flattering for a short girl like myself, but they're so comfortable I can't resist.) When I go shopping, I almost always begin by making a beeline to the jeans. Doesn't matter if my want list even has jeans on it.

Now that the weather has finally cooled off here in Texas, I've become inspired to break out my tall boots and tights and wear them with the few dresses I have crammed in the back of my closet.

Denim jacket: Forever 21. Dress: Free People. White tee shirt: Some unknown label, TJ Maxx. Tights: Hue Ultra Matte. Boots: Frye. Earrings: Lucky Brand.

I love these boots! With a one-inch heel and square toe, they're super comfortable, and the exposed side zip makes them easy to pull on.

Can you believe that I've owned this dress for five years and never worn it before today? I get so stuck in my jeans that it often doesn't even occur to me to wear anything else. This outfit has really inspired me to wear more dresses and layer them up for winter. I love how the short jacket broke up the boxiness of the dress and gave me a more defined waist. The ruffled sleeves peeking out are sweet but not in too cutsey of a way. And I'll take any excuse to wear these swinging turquiose and bone earrings.