November 24, 2014 by gn0mel0ver

Ikat In The Best Of Times

After my husband took pictures of this outfit, he dropped me off at a local Mexican restaurant where I was meeting some girlfriends for ~~Booze~~ Book Club.

I got there a bit early and so I decided to sit in the bar, by myself, and have a drink.

I told the waiter I was waiting for some girls for book club. He looked at me with obvious surprise. “What club?” He asked astonished.

“Book Club.” Emphasis on the “k.”

“Ohhhhhhh. I thought you said something else.” I giggled, because I thought I knew what he had thought I had said. That would probably make for a more interesting club, but alas, Book Club it is.

I think deep down I am a loner, because some of my favorite moments are spent in solitude.

I loved sitting there ~~gulping~~ ~~daintily-sipping~~ enjoying my margarita while I watched the people coming and going around me.

The book choice last month was “You Before Me,” by Jojo Moyes. I was very hesitant to read it that month because I had read reviews stating it was gloomy and I did not want the book to send me into a spiral of sadness.

But my friend read it first and assured me that whilst it was a very sad book, it was not overly depressing.

I read it and found this to be true.

What I am saying is: the book is good.

Having a margarita by yourself is better.

Having a margarita with friends is the best.

I know because I chose to have a margarita by myself and one with the girls. And four margaritas on a table are better than one.

That’s just basic math that they don’t teach in school.

Did you sense me stalling here?

Avoiding the issue at hand?

I think it is obvious by now that I have been trying to distract you with books and margaritas to keep your eyes averted from my imperfections.

Aw, well, just have a margarita and we will all feel better.

It is nice to see my favorite winter staple making an appearance again. Last year I purchased the Ruffled Sweater Vest from Anthropologie in two colors and I wear them all of the time. They have a new version this year with a cool ombre effect. The Anthropologie Ikat top was a popback that I got for 80% off (sorry, sold out). I love it and it is one of my absolute best deals. The Paige Cords were a find at Nordstrom Rack last year (and now I desperately want to find them if they ever go on sale in forest green). The thighs were happily earned from pints of Baskin Robbins Ice Cream.

Do you ever go places by yourself? One of my very favorite things to do is go to the movies alone.

One bucket of popcorn + one girl = Happiness.

I really think I missed my calling as a ~~math teacher~~ hermit.

November 21, 2014 by gn0mel0ver

“Is Your Mama A Llama?”

Did you ever read that book? If you have children, I can recommend it. Although it might remain in your head for all eternity. Especially of you purchase this llama skirt.

This Anthropologie llama skirt embodies everything that I adore about Anthropologie. It is fun. It has bright colors. And the pattern is unique and different. I was able to get it for 25% off because when I went to a holiday workshop they offered all of us girls that discount. It was sweet and I happily used the discount on a few items.

I paired my skirt with a top that I scored this summer for $8 and a necklace that I recently picked up (and gave away an additional three during my blog giveaway last week). The wood bracelet and turquoise beaded bracelets were both recent clearance finds at Macy’s.

The tights are those fleece tights and I want to live in them. I purchased mine for $8 at Nordstrom Rack and I am going back this week for more.

I love them.

And these boots… Well, these boots I hope to have forever. Someone once wrote something nasty about them, but I do not care. These vintage boots have been around longer than those nasty words, longer than that person and longer than me.

I think they have a pretty tough skin.

Do llamas have tough skin?

I am not sure that I want to know.

All I know is that I adore this skirt.

And that I am, indeed, not a llama.

It took me awhile to figure that out, but I checked. Turns out llamas can’t stick out their tongues. Poor dears. And as many folks around here know, I… Can.

Have you jumped on this llama trend? Did you purchase anything with llamas on it this season? I have seen the animal at Anthropologie and Modcloth. I am keeping my eyes peeled for more examples.

November 15, 2014 by gn0mel0ver

Tinamou Stitched Tunic

I had tried The Tinamou Stitched Tunic (now sold out, but the same designers made this gorgeous top more appropriate for winter) on over the summer. I fell in love with it, but because it was sleeveless, I put it in my wishlist and made myself forget about it.

By the way, did you know “Tinamou” is a type of bird? Each time I look up an unknown Anthroplogie word, it usually means “bird.” I think I have cracked ~~my head~~ the code.

Then one day, many months later, it popped back into stock after being sold out. I scored it for $20. The Mothers Jeans were a different popback at $8. Retail price for those was over $200. I knew I wanted to layer the fun tunic for the fall, so I paired it with a simple long sleeve tee from H&M.

The fun details on this top are so intricate and bright. There are black pompoms on the bottom. It is hard to tell because of my black pants.

I also wore my fringed booties. We took these pictures in a nearby park, because my husband had to get to work. But I wanted a picture of this outfit.

Winning.

These over the top neon hoop earrings are recently from Forever 21. They were less than $5 and they stole my heart. The neon bracelets garnered their own post a few months ago.

I wore this outfit to my son’s junior high school, because it was parents eat lunch with their kids day. I thought he would not want me to go.

I was right.

His exact words were, “Mom, I’m not embarrassed by you. Well, only a little embarrassed. But they play music at lunch. I don’t think you can control yourself.”

He knows me too well.

But I promised I would behave. And by behave, I meant not dance on the lunch table. It was a promise I have avoided making for years. Thankfully my husband did not hear me say it and therefore still does not know that I am capable of such actions.

To the vast relief of my son, we could not hear any music from our lunch table.

Phew.

It was a close one.

Have you scored any deals lately? If you have children, do you embarrass your kids? Do you dance to music in public? Do you keep unknowingly buying clothes named after birds?

November 14, 2014 by gn0mel0ver

Fish Tartan

I try to not have two posts about clothes going up back to back, but I have been so ill for the last week, I have this one all ready to go. I apologize if you do not like outfit posts. Also, I may or may not post this weekend depending upon my medication kicking in or not. I do have other outfit posts ready to go, but I feel bad putting too many of those up in a row. I’ll just have to wait and see. Now on to the clothes…

My husband took one look at my outfit. His forehead furrowed. His mouth set.

Finally after five minutes of inner contemplation, he turned to me and bravely said, “I don’t get it.”

“What don’t you get?”

“Your top and bottom half our country but the dress has nothing to do with that.”

I just laughed.

Because I knew he would not be the only one who saw this outfit that way.

I have really wanted to explore more with plaid this season. Wear it differently. Unexpectedly.

And it does not get more unexpected than a dress filled with giant fish.

The Anthropologie Indigo Shoal Dress was one of my absolute favorite buys a few years ago. It is actually my daughter’s favorite item in my closet. I dread the day she can fit into it, because I do not know that I will see it again.

Nobody does flannel like Johnny Was (very similar flannel here). I love that they add embroidered details to their pieces (similar non-flannel shirt on sale here). Johnny Was sizing runs large. I get this question a lot, so I figured I would place it here. This is a small. I typically always wear a size small in this brand. I found my top at Nordstrom Rack either last year or the year before. Besides Johnny Was’s sale section on their site, and eBay, I think this is the best place to find the brand at a discount. I have said it before, but I adore that Johnny Was carries standard and plus sizes. Bravo to them! Last year they had an awesome Black Friday Sale that I hope they repeat this year.

Do you ever pair two things together that nobody else around you understands? Are you wearing a lot of flannel this season? What about fish? Fish and flannel. Hmmmm. Maybe I’m on to somethin’… Or maybe it’s just the prescription drugs.

Please do not forget to enter My Anthropologie Necklace Giveaway. It ends soon!

Gnome Lover

Stumbling through life while still having fun

boots

Ikat In The Best Of Times

“Is Your Mama A Llama?”

Tinamou Stitched Tunic

Fish Tartan