What I Wore - Winter Neutrals

I hope you all enjoyed the last few weeks with your families.  I certainly did.  It is such a crazy time of year for us with the holidays and birthdays, but it is so fun.  On New Year's Day we were invited to a fun open house style brunch party.  We were also experiencing some winter weather (at least for our neck of the woods) so warm clothes were definitely in order.

I picked up this cream sweater during one of Old Navy's amazing sales before the holidays.  It is super soft and cozy and doesn't have any wool so I can wear it without itching like crazy.  This sweater was perfect paired with some black leggings and my cozy chestnut Uggs which, truth be told, have seen better days, but I just can't justify a new pair right now.

The "icing" on my outfit was this delicate little necklace.  I saw it during Nordstrom's anniversary sale and nonchalantly pointed it out to Josh and then went upstairs for a little while with my laptop left open.  Thankfully, he picked up on my not so subtle hint and got it for me.  The bar is engraved with J & L which I love because it stands for Josh & Lauren AND Jake & Luke.  Everyone asks if we did that on purpose with their names but honestly, those were just the boy names we liked.  It did work out nicely though.  One day I'd like to get a Maya Brenner asymmetrical initial necklace with J and L but this one is perfect for now.

Necklace - Similar (mine is cursive)

Sweater - Old Navy (on sale) 

Leggings - American Apparel

I'm linking up with Style Elixer and I do deClaire.

What I Wore - Tunic & Leggings

If you follow me on Instagram (I just got started so if you don't, please do) then you may have seen this picture of me a couple of weeks ago.

The beautiful lady next to me is my dear friend Amy, and she and I were lucky enough to get a preview of the new See's Candies store at Fashion Island.  I'll be posting all about that fun event later this week, but for now let's talk about what I wore.

Since I knew that I would be eating a ton small, ladylike amount of chocolate I wanted to wear something that glossed over my midsection.  This tunic was the perfect solution.  I picked it up at Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale but hadn't had an opportunity to wear it until now.  It's by Caslon which definitely runs big.  I had to get an XXS petite which is definitely NOT my normal size (I wish it was).  I love the visual interest added by the zipper details on the shoulders.

I layered it over my new Assets leggings to help smooth things out underneath my tunic and then added these cognac wedge boots to help balance it all out.  If you are still trying to decide what to wear on Thanksgiving, this would be a perfect outfit.

Tunic - Caslon - Similar

Leggings - Assets

Boots - Cathy Jean - old

I'm linking up with Style Elixer.

What I Wore - Practically Pajamas

So... Luke has decided that he doesn't take naps and that the 5 o'clock hour is a perfectly reasonable wake-up time.  As you can imagine, this results in one very tired baby and an equally tired (not to mention frazzled) mama.  After a particularly tough morning all I wanted to do was sit around in my pajamas all day, but we had a PTA meeting to get to so I had to get dressed.  I decided to wear the next best thing, clothes that feel like pajamas.

I picked up these pants at Old Navy a few weeks ago and while I think I probably would have been better off in an XS, they only had a S in this color and I really liked them so I bought them anyway.  The marled pattern makes them look a little nicer than sweatpants and they honestly could not be more comfortable.  They also have pockets which are perfect for slipping your phone or your keys into while running around at the park.  Old Navy doesn't have this exact pair anymore, but these are similar with a zip pocket which gives them sort of a moto vibe.

I paired it with a basic white tee and my favorite sweatshirt jacket and then slipped on some glitter TOMS to glam it up a bit.  If I'm totally honest, I'm not sure if I'm cool enough to pull this outfit off, but it's just so comfortable that I'm wearing it anyway.

I'm linking up with Style Elixer, Shopping My Closet, Pleated Poppy, and Get Your Pretty On.

What I Wore - Black & Gray

This was a super crazy day for me.  In fact, I almost didn't get a post up because I forgot to have Josh take pictures and didn't get home until 9:30.  Back when I was young (before I had kids) we didn't even leave to go out until 10.  Now if I'm still out at 10 it's a very, very late night for me.  Anyway, I didn't want to miss a post, plus this top and jacket are two items of clothing I'm loving lately, so I had Josh snap a few quick pics.  Please forgive the terrible lighting and the circles under my eyes (long day).

I love the look of jackets and  have been wanting a moto jacket since last year, but I don't love how constricting jackets feel so I hadn't pulled the trigger and bought one.  Then in July my sister wore this Halogen knit moto jacket on our trip to England.  I really wanted it and lucky me, it was part of Nordstrom's anniversary sale so I snapped it up.  I L-O-V-E it!!  It is knit and as comfortable as a sweatshirt.  This completely solves my usual problem with jackets.  I find myself grabbing it all the time when I need an extra layer.  I'm sorry to say that it is out of stock but keep your eyes peeled in case it comes back.

Now let's talk about this tank.  It is basically a super comfortable tee (well tank) but it looks nicer.  I love that it is blousy but still has shape.  The detailing on the shoulder dresses it up a little.  I picked it up at the end of summer at the Banana Republic outlet and I've already worn it 5 times.

This outfit couldn't have been more comfortable, well maybe with leggings.  Note to self, next time wear with leggings.  I love when I wear something that feels like pjs but looks pulled together.

I'm linking up with Monday Mingle,  Style Elixer, Shopping My Closet, Pleated Poppy, Because Shanna Said So, Mix Match Fashion, Perfectly Coutured, and Get Your Pretty On.

What I Wore - T-Shirt Dress

Is it Fall yet?  I'm so over this heat!  Thank goodness for dresses.  They are the best way to look pulled together when it is hot outside.  No layering, no coordinating, just one article of clothing, a pair of sandals, and you are on your way.  I bought this dress when I was pregnant with Luke along with the Emerald version seen here and here.  I was hopeful that it would still work after I had him, and I'm happy to say that it does.

I love a good T-shirt dress.  It is just as comfortable as throwing on your favorite t-shirt with the added bonus that it's an entire outfit.  This outfit helped me to survive yet another hot September day in Southern California.  Hopefully soon I will be posting outfits with sweaters and boots.  Until then, I will be getting a lot of use out of my dresses.

Dress - Banana Republic Outlet - old

Sandals - Target - old 

I'm linking up with Style Elixer, Style Me Wednesday, Get Your Pretty On, Three-fer Thursday, and The Pleated Poppy.

What I Wore - Geometric Print Skirt

I know that for many of you, Fall weather has begun, but here it is over 100 degrees.  You read that right, over 100 degrees.  It has been disgustingly hot so I try to wear the thinnest, coolest things I own.  This skirt may be black, but it is an incredibly thin cotton so it is actually pretty cool.  I had a mommy & me class so I needed something that was long enough to allow me to sit on the ground without giving everyone a show.  This skirt is a perfect length for that.  It's actually super old, one I used to wear back when I taught first grade and needed longer skirts for the very same reason.

A tank top and sandals were the only things I could stand to wear along with it.  I am so ready for the weather to cool off.  What are your go to outfits when the heat is unbearable?

Tank - Loft

Skirt - GAP - old

Sandals - Target - old 

I'm linking up with Style Elixer, Style Me Wednesday, Pleated Poppy, Three-fer Thursday, and Get Your Pretty On.

What I Wore - Back to School

So... today is the first day of school for my school district, but not for me.  After a lot of back and forth and soul searching, we made the decision that I would take a leave of absence from teaching this year to stay home with the boys.  I'm super excited to get to be a full time stay-at-home mom for the year, but it was an extremely tough decision.  I was really sad as I packed up my classroom and realized that I wouldn't be welcoming a new group of students to spend the year learning with me.

To take my mind off of school and help me focus on the amazing family we have built, we decided to spend the long weekend at the beach as a farewell to summer.  It was just what I needed.  There is just something about the beach that makes you slow down and focus on what matters.  As I looked at my boys and listened to the waves crash on the sand I couldn't help but feel incredibly grateful for the life that we have built.  I mean look at that view!

Today, as my fellow teachers start their school year, I am thinking about them and feeling incredibly lucky to get to stay home with my boys.  This is not something I would wear for the first day of school as a teacher, but since I don't have my own first day of school this year, I can be as casual as I want.

These jeans are as close to boyfriend jeans as I can get.  As boyfriend jeans rose in popularity, I tried to get on board, but I just couldn't do it.  No matter how many pairs I tried on, they just weren't flattering on me.  They made me feel bigger than I am and that is the exact opposite of what I'm going for when I get dressed.  To achieve that same casual vibe I picked up this pair of AG straight leg jeans and cuffed them.  Since cuffing can cut off the leg, I added my wonderful wedges to elongate the leg.

In the past I have shied away from horizontal stripes because I felt like they made me look wider, but as I've really tuned in to my own style, I have come to embrace them.  They are such a classic look and always make me feel pulled together.  So here is my not so back-to-school look: cuffed, straight leg jeans, wedges, and horizontal stripes.

 Top - Loft - old

Jeans - AG - old

Wedges - Charles by Charles David

I'm linking up with Style Elixer, Pleated Poppy, Get Your Pretty On, Mix & Match Fashion, Shopping My Closet, Monday Mingle, and Mom Trends.

What I Wore - Little White Dress

One of my favorite style blogs The Mom Edit recently shared a reader style post featuring this dress.  I loved it, and the price was right so I snapped it up.

This is definitely shorter than what I normally wear so it isn't really park or picnic friendly but for going out to lunch with the family or a casual summer date it is perfect.  I have never worn anything with a dropped waist before and I was pleasantly surprised by how perfectly it hides the little tummy I can't seem to get rid of (moms of 2 or more, tell me this will eventually go away).

The henley top makes this nursing friendly and because it has a built in slip layer you don't have to worry about it being see-through.  Add in my new wedges to make me look taller (and my legs look longer) and I was ready to go.  If I wasn't going to be holding Luke I would have paired this with some big earrings to make it even more fun.  Even without accessories, this dress has enough details between the henley, the lace, and the dropped waist to keep it from being boring.  That makes it the perfect little white dress in my book.

 

Dress - On Sale at 6pm for $27

Charles by Charles David Wedges

I'm linking up with Style Elixer, Pleated Poppy, Because Shanna Said So, Shopping My Closet, and Get Your Pretty On.

What I Wore - Mint & White

 
So, I finally decided to replace my favorite wedges that I had completely worn out.  I am so glad that I did.  I L-O-V-E love, love these!  They are the perfect way to lengthen my legs and make me look taller, but because they are wedges, they are comfortable and I feel safe wearing them while I hold Luke.

Nothing says summer to me like white.  I am so in love with my white skinnies, but I get nervous wearing them with Luke because, let's face it, babies aren't the neatest eaters around.  I recently had a mom's night out so it was the perfect opportunity to wear them again.  This outfit was just the right combination of casual and cute.

The pairing of mint and white is so light and fresh.  It makes me feel like I am wearing summer.  Can we talk about this t-shirt for a minute?  This is my favorite new tee.  It's the sunwashed v-neck from Loft.  It is soft, comfortable, and drapes well.  The fabric seems a little less casual than a regular tee.  I only have this one, but I sort of want to buy them in every color...

 

Tee - Loft

Jeans - Charlotte Russe - old

Wedges - Charles by Charles David

I'm linking up with Pleated Poppy, Get Your Pretty On, Shopping My Closet, Because Shanna Said So, Mix & Match Fashion, Monday Mingle, and Style Elixer.

What I Wore - Stripes & Skinnies

 

I recently had a bar mitzvah to attend and since I was going to be at a temple, I wanted to have my shoulders covered.  I was leaving the boys with Josh so I didn't have to be worried about wearing something nursing friendly which made this top a perfect choice.  I've had it for a few years but haven't been able to wear it since the beginning of my pregnancy with Luke.  Even though I tend to shy away from wearing yellow because I don't think it looks good on me, in this top it works.  The yellow stripes aren't too overpowering so I feel like I can pull it off.  I also love the button detailing on the back of the shirt (although these type of details are hidden by my long hair most of the time).

Because the top has more of a boxy shape, I think it looks best with skinny pants.  I love this pair.  They have a side zipper so they leave me with a nice, smooth shape.  No lumps or bumps from pockets or a front zipper.

To finish it off, I'm wearing these great kitten heel, snake print, pointy toe Nine West shoes that I bought at the outlet a while back.  I'm having so much fun rediscovering my closet now that I'm back to my pre-pregnancy size.

I'm linking up with Monday Mingle, Pleated Poppy, Get Your Pretty On,  Shopping My Closet, Mix & Match Fashion, and Style Elixer.

What I Wore - Date Night

Josh and I celebrated our ninth wedding anniversary last month and my wonderful friend Amy watched our boys so we could have an actual date night!  We went out to dinner and I got to actually take my time and taste my food instead of how I usually have to bolt my food down to take care of Lucas.  When you have a baby, you forget how wonderful it is to actually sit down and take your time over a meal with the person you love.  We had an amazing time!

So... on to my outfit.  I bought this beautiful shift dress at H & M a long time ago but I hadn't worn it because it is pretty short, which makes it tough to wear when I'm going somewhere with my boys.  Since I knew that I wouldn't be chasing after little ones, date night was the perfect opportunity to bust it out.

I love the soft blush color, although looking at these pictures I really need to put some self tanner on my legs.  The lace detailing along the top adds the perfect pop of visual interest.  I took further advantage of being out without my kids by wearing these high black peep toe pumps.

The earrings I'm wearing were my grandma's and I wore them for the first time 9 years before when I borrowed them on my wedding day.  The beautiful Judith Leiber clutch I'm holding was also my grandma's.  I love using accessories to punch up the glitz factor on a more understated outfit.

I'm linking up with Style Elixer, Pleated Poppy, Because Shanna Said So, Shopping My Closet, Mix & Match Fashion, and Get Your Pretty On.

What I Wore - Casual Summer Style

My favorite way to get dressed when it's hot is to throw on a sundress but since I'm nursing and constantly on the floor with my newly mobile little one, dresses aren't that practical right now.  Without sundresses to fall back on, it's hard for me to muster up enthusiasm for getting dressed in the extreme heat.  I'm tempted to just throw on a nursing tank and some exercise shorts.  Since I try not to succumb to those urges, I had to find a new way to look pulled together, even when I don't feel like it.

This outfit is a slightly nicer version of jeans (well jean shorts) and a t-shirt.  These chambray shorts are super comfortable but look a little more dressy than plain old denim shorts would be.  The fun detailing on the shirt, from the little tulle skirt to the random sequins, not to mention the pink exposed zipper on the back, make it have more style than a plain white tee, but it is just as easy to throw on.

Finishing it off with some metallic sandals instead of my favorite flip flops takes this casual outfit up a notch.  It is still super comfortable and easy to run around with my boys, but is cute enough to wear out for a day date with my hubby or lunch with the girls.


I'm linking up with Style Elixer, The Pleated Poppy, Get Your Pretty On, and Because Shanna Said So.

What I Wore - Return of the White Jeans

One of the articles of clothing I have missed the most since my second trimester are my white skinny jeans.  I love how fresh and crisp white jeans look but mine are low rise (and hello, they are white so they aren't exactly forgiving) so they have been sidelined for a LOOOOONG time.  Even after I lost all of the baby weight I still didn't feel confident enough to wear them.  I met a friend for lunch the other day and she had her white jeans on.  It made me miss my own so much!  That night I tried them on again and decided it was time to bring them back into rotation.

This whole outfit is made up of old favorites.  I paired my white skinnies with this green and white patterned top.  My beloved Charles by Charles David wedges completed the look.  I'm going to have to replace them soon because they are really on their last legs.  I have worn them so many times and it is really starting to show.

I think I'm going to get this almost identical pair since the style I'm wearing doesn't exist anymore. 

Top - Banana Republic Factory - old

White Jeans - Charlotte Russe - similar 

Wedges - Charles by Charles David - similar

I'm linking up with Style Elixer, Pleated Poppy, Mix & Match Fashion, and Get Your Pretty On.

What I Wore - Turquoise & Black

Jeans and a tank top is probably my favorite clothing combination.  Not too hot, not too cold, super comfortable.  It can also get a little boring, but it doesn't have to.  This outfit is a perfect example of taking jeans and a tank top and making it more fun.  Swapping out my regular jeans for these turquoise skinnies makes this outfit pop.

I am not a fan of the strapless bra.  They are so uncomfortable and I am constantly adjusting them.  That's why I rarely wear tops with such skinny straps.  This tank has a built in bra but it is lined so you don't look like you just have a shelf bra on.  I love the drapey silhouette combined with skinnies too.

The wedges dress it up a little bit but I've also worn this outfit with flat sandals and it is just as cute.  I love an outfit that can go from errands with the boys to dinner with my hubby with such ease.

Tank - Victoria's Secret - On Sale 2 for $40

Skinnies - Limited - old

Wedges - Charles by Charles David Tapia

I'm linking up with Style Elixer, Pleated Poppy, Mix & Match Fashion, and Get Your Pretty On.

What I Wore - Patriotic Style

I wore this dress the other day and then when I was looking back at the pictures, I realized that I should have saved it for Fourth of July.  This dress has the white and blue and my toenail polish rounds out the patriotic color palette with red.

It was too hot to dry my hair so I just twisted it up into this bun after my shower.  By the end of the day I had some pieces that had broken free so this isn't my best look hair wise.  Luckily this dress draws attention away from my hair.  I love how the chevron striping and high waist make my legs look super long!  Of course my high wedges help in that regard as well.

I got this dress right before I got pregnant with Lucas so I didn't get to wear it for very long.  So, even though it is kind of an old dress, it still feels new to me.  I bought my boys matching flag t-shirts from Children's Place to wear on Friday and I can't wait to see my two little men in them.  I think I will wear this dress again to play off of their red shirts.  What are you wearing for the 4th?  Do you like to dress in patriotic colors?

 

Dress - Target - old

Wedges - Charles by Charles David - old 

I'm linking up with Monday Mingle, Pleated Poppy, Get Your Pretty On, Mix & Match Fashion, and Style Elixer. 

What I Wore - Day Dress

On my recent trip to Loft I bought three dresses.  The two with back cut-outs I posted here and here, and this little number.  The color is sort of an orangey-red and I tend to shy away from orange but I couldn't resist this one.  It is so comfortable and cute, it gives me shape while camouflaging the area I'm still self-conscious about (my post-baby stomach), and I can nurse in it.  Win-win-win!

I wore this to Jake's Pre-K graduation.  Each class did a little song and dance and then they walked across to get their "diplomas" in their little graduation caps.  It was adorable but also bittersweet because my baby is growing up.  It was also disgustingly hot so I was glad to be wearing something that looked nice but helped me to stay cool.  Summertime means shorts and sundresses and this is the perfect dress to add to your summer wardrobe.

Dress - Loft

Wedges - Charles by Charles David - old

I'm linking up with Style Elixer, Get Your Pretty On, Because Shanna Said So, Mix & Match Fashion, and Pleated Poppy.