Boots & Skinny Jeans

Posted by Ethne~

My riding boots arrived in the mail yesterday.  Shaun knew boots were ordered because I explained how URGENT the purchase was considering I had been waitlisted on this particular pair for MONTHS.  But as with (what I suspect are) most husbands, he didn’t really pay much attention and just really saw my lips moving.  When I told him they were RIDING BOOTS yesterday, the following conversation ensued:

Shaun: [one raised eyebrow]

Me: These are my new riding boots.  They are high fashion.  Everyone needs them.

Shaun:  You don’t need them; you don’t go riding.

Me:  No one who wears these actually goes riding.  But of course I need them.

Shaun: [wanders off in bewilderment; dying a little inside, probably]

Then last night we were watching Biggest Loser and our my favorite player, Danni, had her makeover and was put into skinny jeans without boots.  Shaun specifically commented that they did not flatter.  He didn’t say it so nicely.  And he specifically said the words, “skinny jeans”.  This made me very afraid CONSIDERING MY SKINNY JEANS WERE SCHEDULED TO BE DELIVERED VIA MAIL THE NEXT DAY.  What will he have to say when he sees mine?!  I will have to wear a thong in them for sure so my butt looks good.

This is a horrible picture.  Proof I'm wearing a thong - yes.

Anyway, as promised, here are a few outfits I put together, inspired by Pinterest, fashion week on Our Fifth House, and my new style blog find, Hello, Gorgeous!  I've got some learning to do, but this is what I did in 10 minutes of rifling through my closet.

The F21 skinny jeans fit well and are comfortable; still, no excuse for those hips.  I think the socks set things off nicely.

This is an almost exact replica outfit from Hello, Gorgeous! blog.  Clearly I will have to wait till next year for it, even though it did snow like 10" here in the past 24 hours.  Still, it's March.

I feel like I need a necklace with this; pearls or something.  But I wasn't in the mood for playing dress-up all day long, by myself.

This was my own concoction using white and spring colors - since it's March, I want to be springy, but as I said, it also just snowed 10", so we totally still can rock boots and sweaters.  Such a weird place to live; I'm totally over living in MN.  Until the snow melts.

I actually really liked this outfit.  My new chambray shirt - which I did not iron BTW - dress-up for the blog is only considered *medium fashion* since I'm not actually going someplace where someone will make me a cocktail; a pretty & colorful cardigan sweater and black leggings.  I would not actually wear the leggings out of the house because LET'S FACE IT - my butt was hanging out everywhere, especially in the thong.  But in the muted cell phone picture, the effect is good.  So I'm on the hunt for some black "jeggings" or something.  That word makes my skin crawl almost as much as "moist", just so you know - which means if I actually ever wear jeggings, I have completely sacrificed my soul to Satan in the name of fashion.  Just for fun, say it: "moist jeggings".

They Tell Me My Closet Needs These Clothes.

Posted by Ethne~

Friends, I do not consider myself a stylist, but I don’t think I’m matronly either.  My sister tells me I am a school marm.  Maybe I was born in the wrong century.  I am bossy enough to be a marm in any era.

Fashion Icon: Moi; stop laughing Whit

One of Lor’s and my latest fave blogs, Our Fifth House, had fashion week last week – she highlighted 5 of her own favorite stylish bloggers and had them give their 7 top wardrobe essentials.  So fun!  I was affirmed in that I’m not a total matron – I had some of the essentials such as a piece of leopard print (mine’s a belt), nude pumps (mine are from Land's End - love) and a truckload of cardigan sweaters (my sister says this is arguably school-marm-ish).

Land's End, here

I don’t have some of the other essentials, such as skinny jeans (yes, every single style blogger suggested this as a wardrobe must - WTF style peeps?), brown riding boots, a chambray/denim shirt, colorful pumps and a statement necklace.  I take that last one back.  I have plenty of necklaces, even statement ones, but not necessarily purchased this decade.

I took care of that straight away.  One of the bloggers suggested Forever 21 skinny jeans for $10.  DECISION DONE.  I am not planning on wearing these suckers with little teeny sandals.  Let’s face it.  I am a pear shape.  It’s a horrible look for me.  But, I ordered myself a pair of brown riding boots, so they’ll balance these birthing hips out.  (The funny part is the hips failed in their genetic purpose because I had a c-section with the twins.  Ha-ha, Universe, I am so not laughing at your irony.)

Heather boots from Shoemint here

here

I found a denim shirt on sale at Target for $18.  I also found a boyfriend sweater on sale at Target, and a cute spring-y scarf there too.  Half my wardrobe is practically from that store, I swear; darn you, RedCard!

I’ll put a few outfits together and post for you guys once my dreaded F21 skinny jeans arrive in the mail.  I’m afraid.  Even if they look horrible and I return them, I’ll take pictures first.  It’ll surely be funny if nothing else.

In the meantime, check out this new fashion blog I found, Hello, Gorgeous!  This lady is amazing with what she can put together.  She obviously has a great wardrobe, but she mixes and matches it a whole bunch, and she gets a lot of her mixing pieces at places like Old Navy and Forever 21, which are obviously reasonably priced for us commoners.

MAPS! MAPS! AND MORE MAPS!

Posted by Lori~

Recently, I have been loving maps for decor. Better yet, old school classroom maps. And, even better, a rack filled with school maps for FREE!

As you know, I work at a college in my little city, ND town. An email went out to the staculty list serve asking if anyone used the maps currently located in a classroom.

Of course, I did not use the maps, but I quickly sent an email back requesting that I get one map if not claimed. A few weeks later...all the maps with the map rack showed up in my office. LOVE IT!

Over the weekend, Steve and I did some office rearranging and this included cleaning layers of chalk and dust off the maps. We also hung them on the wall.

Loving our office...especially with the map and the new chevron curtains. And, eventually with baby number 2 (no...not preggers), I am thinking a map themed baby room.