The Sisterhood Of The Stay-At-Home Jacket

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I opened up the bag that had come from Anthropologie. I sat there on the floor. Stunned. Staring into the wrapping.

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My daughter looked up from her cell phone, “Whadja get?”

This jacket,” I replied in a surprisingly monotone voice. The tremors in my soul not vibrating yet to betray my vocal cords. I held it up for my daughter to see (and definitely not to worship, as I held it above my head… on my knees… with my eyes closed).

“Oh. My. God,” was her reply.

“I know right?!”

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I immediately slipped it on. Its buttery softness engulfed me. I stood and looked into the mirror. I ignored the flannel pajama bottoms and oversized stained t-shirt I was sporting. My hair was piled on top of my head in a greasy four day old mess. The jacket was the star. The scenery did not matter.

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“Here. You try it on,” I generously proclaimed to my daughter.

She put it on and I rolled the sleeves for her as I had seen another blogger do earlier in the week.

She turned to face the mirror. “I love it! It is soooooo soft.”

“I know. And it is not real leather. It is fake leather. No animals were hurt making it!”

My husband piped up from the corner of the room. “Were any fake animals hurt in making the fake jacket?” He quipped.

He knew I would ponder that all afternoon if I let it get to me, so I ignored his question and turned my attention back to my new favorite purchase.

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“We can share it!” I proclaimed. This is kind of amazing because I am a size 6-8 and my daughter is a size 0-2. But the size medium fit us both perfectly (on me it is more fitted and on her it is looser). It was just like that book/movie with those traveling pants. Minus traveling. And pants. But you know what I mean.

I actually was going to break my cardinal rule and let her be on the blog for this post. She had been wanting to. But when I asked her if she wanted to take pictures with me for this post (I thought it would be funny to have pictures of us fighting over the jacket), she vehemently declined. Why? Because she did not want anyone to say that she looks like me. Sigh. And so it begins continues.

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I will still share the jacket.

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Now, before you think I am the most giving person out there. That I am sharing my most favoritest (my most favoritest not-a-real-word word) of jackets out of simple selflessness and not greed. This is what I told my husband:

“If we both use the jacket then technically it is only half price for each of us. Technically my clothing budget is only moderately affected.”

“Is that how it works?” Deadpanned my husband.

“Yep.” I like to use my fake logic on him.

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Do you own a leather jacket? Or a fake leather jacket? Or a traveling pants kind of jacket? If you have a fake pet, please do not show it this post. It would scar it for fake life.

*I shared this on The Pleated Poppy and Reasons To Dress.

*this outfit was inspired by Tifforelie on Instagram. I love how she paired Anthropologie’s Vegan Leather Jacket with Anthropologie’s floral tights. The colors match perfectly. The cream Free People slip is combined with a dress from Forever 21.

Poor Humboldt Tunic

I feel I owe the Humboldt Tunic (it is sold out online, but some stores might still have it. You can call customer service. Its sku# is 29392131. I am wearing a small) an apology. I think I embarrassed it when I first reviewed it, as I wore it without pants in the dressing room. And then I kind of posted it all over the internet. You can’t even google its name without finding it. I find this hilarious. Humboldt Tunic does not. I guess it didn’t deserve that. It’s not like it is one of my children I can embarrass whenever I feel like it.

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Humboldt was thrilled it did not have to go home with me that day. It didn’t realize I was just biding my time. I had fallen in love with it. It just didn’t know it loved me back…yet.

Recently the Humboldt Tunic went on sale for a little more than half off at Anthropologie and I could finally bring it home (last day for the extra 25% off is Sunday. This is how my price was that low).

I could tell it was still a little scared of me, despite my many assurances that never again would I appear in a photo sans pants with it.

Notice I said, “photo.”

No wonder it doesn’t trust me.

I decided to show it a little love.

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Look Humboldt, I am wearing you with pants! And, okay, these aren’t super expensive name brand pants. Maybe they were $7.50 at H & M, but hey, they’re pants. When did you get so picky?

Don’t blush Humboldt! Oh, wait. That’s just the color I bought you in.

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Let’s cuddle up together in my favorite denim jacket. Do you know what pants are made of Humboldt? That’s right! Denim! So, in essence, you are right now being caressed by two pairs of pants.

You’re welcome.

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And, of course, I also tried it with my favorite item (shhhh. Don’t tell Humboldt), my Ruffled Sweater Vest.

Is this covered up enough for you, Humboldt?

Humboldt, if I wear you with my favorite vest, you can hide almost your whole self behind it. Maybe nobody will even know it’s you.

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This was its favorite option. Humboldt loved this cuddly vest. It hid its scars.

I think the photo is blurry from Humboldt’s tears…or my husband’s from having to take so many darn pictures.

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The next day, in a delirium of fever and stuffy nose, I decided to try on Humboldt with my Paige Skinny Cords from Nordstrom Rack. It just looked too comfortable in my closet to not torment some more.

This would have been fine and dandy if I hadn’t had the thought of pairing it with my Faye Boots I got for Christmas. I just don’t think it goes. What do you think?

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And its security blanket vest made another appearance.

I think it is going to take a while for Humboldt to trust me. Right now it is hiding in the closet. It is pressed up against three pairs of pants. Earlier it got its much needed cleanse in the washing machine. It was finally beginning to feel better when I hung the poor wretched wet thing up to dry. And there it lay, shivering all night… Plotting its revenge.

I think I hear it whimpering. Or whispering.

Who’s going to tell it I’m wearing it again tomorrow?

How do you think it would look with leggings?

Or, better yet, as a swimsuit coverup?

Poor Humboldt.

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* P.S. I shared this on The Pleated Poppy!

Modcloth Lately

First, thank you all for your kindness yesterday. I really do very much appreciate it. Thank you.

You guys are the best.

Let’s start the day with a light hearted shopping post, shall we:

My sweet mom gave me a generous gift card for Christmas to Modcloth. It came at the perfect time, because I had a cart full of items I had been wanting and a 20% off my entire order code.

Serendipity.

The items all came on Tuesday and I am so excited to share. Some of these items are on such a good sale and if Modcloth sent you a discount code like they did for me, you can get some steals!

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I bought the Kick, Woof, Coast Necklace I had been wanting forever. It did not disappoint. This is such a well made little piece. It even comes with instructions from the company on how to send it back if it ever needs repairs.

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I had been watching the Pastime and Present Dress for awhile. Then it went 50% + my 20% off making it around $33.60. I love that this dress ranges in sizes XS -4X. Modcloth does it right. I purchased my usual size medium and it fits great. I do not know why I am holding the dress so oddly. It really does hang well.

It reminded me of what Goldilocks would have worn to hang out with the bears. I plan on wearing this with my Kick, Woof, Coast Necklace above, leggings and brown vintage boots. Watch out bears! Here I come! And I happen to like porridge (much to my husband’s chagrin).

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More gnome socks. make-yourself-gnome-socks. Of course!

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Retro Rosie Earrings in red. I all ready owned these in white and wear them all of the time. They are a good substantial size.

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I’m Game Necklace. Also 50% off. This was $8 after my discount.

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The Loveliest Of All Earrings. They’re unicorns! So sweet!

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The Wizard of Ostrich Sweater in a size Large, because the medium I had ordered previously was teeny tiny and immediately went back. I had given up on this sweater after my sizing dilemma, but when it went 50% off plus my extra 20% plus a gift card, I had to try it again.

I like it. I paired it with my black skirt, black tights, brown boots and fun earrings. With jeans, I feel it is too short. I am very glad I tried this sweater again in a different size. I could not get the ostrich out of my head. Now that’s a line you don’t read every day.

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My mom also surprised me with these All Abuzz Earrings from Modcloth. I had wanted them, because they reminded me of my grandma. So sweet!

Thank you Mom! I love you! I cannot wait to wear all of my goodies! I will think of you when I do.

Have you purchased anything from Modcloth recently? What is on your wishlist?

* P.S. I shared this on The Pleated Poppy!

Christmas in Clothes

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So, The Nutcracker? Yeah. Call me an uneducated ditzy fool, but ??? I guess I was completely oblivious to the fact that ballets have NO TALKING in them!!!

“Hi. I’m Jenni. I can’t sit through two hours of nobody talking.”

I am a three year old.

This is payback for all of those times my children would not stop talking and we would play the “silent game.”

Those ballerinas were all, “Silent game this!”

Only without actually saying that.

Okay. Okay. It wasn’t completely silent. There was a live orchestra which was fabulous. I love an orchestra. I took my son down to the pit to watch them set up. That was my favorite part. And his, too.

I have taken my children to musicals all of their lives. I guess I just was not prepared for the ballet. This is odd, because my mother has been dancing since she was a child. Pointe and everything. Heck, I even took consistent classes for eight years (don’t look so shocked). My mother has since moved on to hip hop, but ballet has always been a part of my life. Of course, I had not gone to see it since I was a little girl.

There were parts of it that were incredible. So gorgeous and pretty. Truly breathtaking. It is amazing what some talented people can do with their bodies.

But in the future I will know.

I am too immature to go.

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And yes, I am a total fraud in my ballerina dress (also worn here).

Silently sobbing.

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This was what I was going to wear to the ballet.

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I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that almost every single person was dressed up for the ballet. This is such a big difference from going to a play on Broadway, where only half of the people are in evening attire. This was my other favorite thing about the ballet. The ambience and the outfits.

Only I did not wear this to the ballet.

I wore this on Christmas Eve to host my family. Except, I was cooking all day, and I forgot to take my apron off until after dinner! So, apron + boots = disheveled crazy. Kind of like this post.

The skirt is my Emeline Skirt formerly worn here. And the top is my Peony Applique Pullover, previously worn here.

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Let’s sidestep chasse’ away from the hot topic of ballet and move into a topic I am much more comfortable with.

Gnomes.

And dressing like them.

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I do not know why, but this outfit does remind me a bit of the little fellows. Perhaps it is the cheerful colors. Perhaps it is because I am surrounded by gnomes. Perhaps it is because I had just seen The Nutcracker the night before and I was delirious.

I paired my Anthropologie Threaded Tides Dress (purchased for $10) with my red cardigan from many years ago. I remember I first bought this cardigan, because it was called Guinevere and that is one of my favorite names in the world. It is like “Jennifer” (derived from Guinevere) only more pleasant to say in a lilting way.

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The belt is a recent clearance purchase from Anthropologie called Layered Corset Belt. The boots are vintage from the flea market. The white sweater tights are from Nordstrom Rack. The earrings are from Modcloth.

What did you wear this week? Have you ever played the silent game? Are you “winning?”*

* Winning this game does not result from one being silent. Winning this game occurs the moment you convince someone else to actually play the game.

Tip: Don’t ever play against a ballerina.

* I shared this on The Pleated Poppy!