January 25, 2015 by gn0mel0ver

Cockatiels and Stripes?

This outfit pretty much represents what is going on in my brain at any given moment.

Colorful cockatiels trying to mate with bright stripes. It is like a smorgesboard of crazy, but I think it works.

But again, I think in cockatiels and stripes, so my thoughts should be taken with a grain of salt.

Unless you’re a cockatiel.

I’ve heard salt is bad for birds.

Not as bad as rocks. Or airplanes. Or cats. Or stripes.

But close.

Can we please be ~~sober~~ serious for a moment?

I purchased this red and white striped skirt from eShatki years ago before I had a blog. It remains one of my favorite pieces in my closet and I previously wore it here.

The cockatiel top was another older purchase. It is by Daniel Rainn (I cannot find it or a similar enough top to link to, but I have seen this top on eBay). I bought it for $13 at Nordstrom Rack many years ago. I had never worn it before. It is a tricky top. It has a sheen and it is a peplum shape (hidden by the skirt).

I scored the Anthropologie Waterfront Wedges on a popback for 85% off recently (sold out, similar here). I have wanted to wear them with everything.

What do your thoughts look like? Are they bird and stripe shaped? Peanut and alligators? Polka dots and rabid wolves? I think I may have a problem. My thoughts don’t go together. But at least I can pretend that my outfit patterns do.

January 15, 2015 by gn0mel0ver

Zig Zags and Plaid

“I don’t really think that goes together,” my husband bravely said when I tried on my new popback score of The Draped Plaid Top (sold out but similar here and similar plus size here) with my zig zag skirt from 2013.

I was slightly disturbed by this because I had purchased the shirt with the sole intention of it going with this Waverly A-line Skirt (sold out, similar here).

“Well, I like it. A lot,” voiced my daughter from her spot on the couch.

“Thank you!” I exclaimed. “I like it, too!”

She studied it some more, “In fact, I don’t think that top would look good with anything else.”

I turned around and looked at it in the mirror.

“I don’t know.” I pondered. “I bet it would look amazing with a brown floral skirt.”

“Oh yeah!” My daughter agreed. “But you don’t own a brown floral skirt. I was just thinking of things that you all ready have.”

I almost completely agree with her. I could still wear this top with a black, denim or cream skirt but it would not have that “special” factor one looks for in an outfit.

I love this shirt and skirt together so much. I lived in my pajamas while my kids were on winter break and it was so nice to be able to dress up again.

Since I have been dieting since January 1st, I have to feel good during the day or I will fail. I will eat until I feel bad about myself. Then I will feel bad about myself and eat. It is an endless cycle. Putting on something that gives me more confidence is kind of like a food barrier.

Speaking of food, I wore this outfit out to lunch with my husband and the waitress was so complimentary about it. She yelled out the door at me, “Keep rockin’ your style! I love it!” Which is the sweetest thing to say ever. I will admit it put a bounce to my step as I skipped back to the car.

I am trying really hard to wear what I all ready own this year. I have so many outfit ideas swimming around in this head of mine that I cannot wait to try. I love this skirt. I have previously worn it here and here. I like that the plaid top breathes new life into it.

And I have a crutch. These boots. They were $50 almost four years ago at the flea market. The best $50 I ever spent. But since they go with everything, I tend to be lazy and pair them with an outfit without any thought to the other boots in my closet. And I have lots of other boots that I do not utilize enough.

But these are my favorite.

Plus they’re always out in plain sight so I don’t have to tear apart my closet looking for them.

Do you have an outfit crutch? Are you trying to break the habit or are you okay with it? I think I am a little of both.

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

May 8, 2014 by gn0mel0ver

It’s The Little Things: Paper Straws

Folks. I have a problem. We can joke about. Pretend it is a silly thing. A small thing.

But it is getting a bit out of hand.

It is kind of my habit or need, if you will, to have a supply of every possible thing. Imaginable. Just in case. You never know.

“Just in case. You never know.” That is the mantra of my life, by the way. In one word it can be summed up to: ~~greed~~ paranoia.

I have always been a Straw Freak. I bet you didn’t know there was such a thing. Well there is. Here I am. “Nice to meet you.” I cannot drink out of a glass without a straw. I make weird slurping noises. It is like I have been drinking out of puddles all of my life. My lips cannot form properly onto the glass.

I am sure at this point you are crossing off the word “straw” in Straw Freak.

I don’t blame you.

Also. I cannot drink water with a straw. Or milk (unless the milk is from a donut shop in a small container purchased on the way to the airport between the hours of five and seven thirty in the morning. Jealous of my husband now?). It is simply not done. Sends shivers down my spine, it does.

If I am at a restaurant, I always grab extra ones. Especially at Coffee Bean And Tea Leaf. Their straws are the absolute best. They are big. They are purple. They live in my purse where I can stroke them daily.

Shhhhhh!

So, I started seeing these gorgeous paper straws popping up all over the place. And the Need Beast in my heart grew.

I finally caved and purchased some hot pink paper straws from Amazon.
.

But the Need Beast was not satisfied.

So I bought a small pack of twenty yellow polkadot and stripe ones.

But he longed for more.

He wanted. All. Of. The. Colors.

RRRROOOOOAAAARRRRR!

But I did not want to pay for them. Well, the other day Anthropologie had free shipping on anything. That’s right. Anything. Do you want to know what I bought?

Clothes?

Nope.

Shoes?

Nope.

Jewelry?

Nope.

Shocker: I bought straws.

Eight boxes of fabulous clearanced paper straws. Eight boxes of 144 count straws (seriously, the best price I have found is on Anthropologie. Who knew?). This, combined with my previous Amazon purchases, left me with a total of 1,196 straws.

My husband was very impressed with this number, folks.

You should have seen his jaw clench.

I think it was in anticipation of the fun sipping he will be doing all season.

Don’t you?

I am so ready for this summer. For margaritas by the pool. For lemonade. And piña coladas.

All made more exciting with the use of colorful, happy straws.

It’s the little things: Making a drink even better.

Do you have paper straws in your house? Do you drink from a straw? Do you have weird rules about straws? Please share. My Need Beast really wants to know.

* The Amazon link is an affiliate link. The straws for this link are $1 more than what Anthropologie is selling their straws for. However, I provided the link in case Anthropologie runs out. Also, I get free shipping on Amazon but not on Anthropologie. Purchasing through the Amazon link will result in a small commission for ~~The Need Beast~~ this blog.

April 13, 2014 by gn0mel0ver

Spinnin’ Jennin’

Last Wednesday it was cold. It was dreary. I wanted to stay inside, but I could not. I had many errands to run. What’s a girl to do?

Put on a fun, flirty dress with some bright colors that will beat away the grey day, that’s what!

I had been lovin’ this Anthropologie Midday Dress online, but I knew I was going to wait for a good sale price on it. When I went to do reviews at the end of March, I tried this dress on and fell in love.

It is such an easy, comfortable, flattering fit. Many other women were buying this dress the day I was there. In fact, one woman wore it up to the cash register and asked if they could cut the tags off after she paid for it, because she wanted to keep it on for an event she was going to. I loved that!

I also love the spin factor of this dress.

It is fun!

May I never grow too old that I cannot enjoy a good spin! Oh! The rush!

Back to Earth. I’m graceful.

Do you have a dress you love to spin in? A way to beat a dreary day away? Please share.

P.S. More photos of this dress can be found here.

and

I shared this on The Pleated Poppy!

Gnome Lover

Stumbling through life while still having fun

stripes

Cockatiels and Stripes?

Zig Zags and Plaid

It’s The Little Things: Paper Straws

Spinnin’ Jennin’