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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

Stripe Club

“The first rule of Stripe Club.

Never talk about Stripe Club.”

Still wanting more? Okay. I’ll play.

“Why do I wear stripes?”

“Because I don’t want to be spotted!” Joke courtesy of my daughter. Yep. There are two of us.

I have a thing for stripes. A serious problem. An addiction if you will. They are everywhere in my house. Mostly grey and white, but you can find other colors, too. I’m not picky.

I own about a zillion navy and white striped shirts. ‘Cause that’s not crazy.

I realized the other day that some of my photos of clothes recently contained stripes, so I decided to clump them together into one post.

Mostly so I could use the word clump.

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With a gift card from Christmas firmly in hand, I used some of it towards the Savant Dress at Anthropologie. I foolishly purchased the small instead of the medium. But I stubbornly refused to exchange it.

Foolish and stubborn. That should have been the title of my post. Or the name on my birth certificate.

I paired it with my Paige Cords from Nordstrom Rack (of all of my cords, these are still the best). The necklace is the Heirloom Necklace sold awhile back from Anthropologie in the bee motif right after New Year’s.

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And I really like the patches on the elbows.

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Did I mention that I love the patches on the elbows?

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Okay. This is getting embarrassing.

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Quick, what’s this song lyric from? “The best time to wear a striped sweater is all the time.”

This outfit started with my striped sweater recently purchased from Target. The cords are AG Stevies in turquoise. The necklace was care of Simply Livly on Etsy.

This outfit is innocent enough.

But wait for it…

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More stripes. Stripes on stripes! This outfit makes me smile. It just shouldn’t be. It shouldn’t happen. But it did. And I like it. The cardigan/pullover is from Target as well.

Do you have a thing for stripes? What about stripes on stripes? What about stripes on stripes on stripes? Okay. I’ll stop now.

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!