Category: 30 x 30

30 x 30: Nineteen

J. Crew striped floral top
Skirt, J. Crew Factory; top, J. Crew; jacket, Tommy Hilfiger Factory; shoes, Gap Factory; bag, Target

I have no idea how this turned into a primary colours extravaganza, but it did and it mostly worked. I mean, it’s hard to go wrong with stripes, florals, and red shoes. Probably not impossible, but you’d have to work at it, and ain’t nobody got time for that around here.

Here’s what it looked like without the jacket – which I took off almost immediately because, hello, summer! Huh! I could have sworn I didn’t look this frumpy in person; there is a waist in there, somewhere. But, hey, on the plus side: Good Hair Day. You know how I feel about those.

J. Crew striped floral top
Frumpty dumpty sat on a wall …

 

30 x 30: Eighteen

J. Crew polka dot shift dress
Dress, J. Crew (via eBay); jacket, Tommy Hilfiger Factory; belt, Anthropologie; shoes, Old Navy; bag, MbMJ (via eBay)

This is a cute and perfectly serviceable outfit, but it falls on the boring side of the fence I seem to straddle. So instead of talking about the clothes, I will do what is starting to come naturally: distract.

With pictures of my cute, loves-to-ham-it-up kid.

Footloose!!
Footloose!!

I’m guessing every toddler has an inner Oscar-winning thespian inside, but mine is a triple threat: a dancing, singing, melodrama-on-wheels machine.

Everybody get footloose!
Everybody get footloose!

30 x 30: Seventeen

Old Navy chambray dress
Dress, shoes & vest, Old Navy; bag, MbMJ (via consignment)

You guys are probably going to think that I’ve lost my damn mind, but I love this outfit. Capital-L-love. I know there is no rhyme and reason to it – we’re talking about a potato sack and Jesus sandals, after all – but I can’t help it. Do you ever feel like your mental image of yourself doesn’t quite match the reality? Like, you think you’re cool and effortlessly chic – in other words, Charlotte Gainsborough – but, in fact, you are a klutzy, suburban basic bitch? Yeah, I’m talking about myself here because – obviously. But, somehow, this outfit made me feel a little bit more like the former, and less of the latter. Of course, CG would probably (exquisitely) side-eye this outfit if she ever laid eyes on it, but whatever. Capital-L-love.

I even managed a close-up!

Old Navy chambray dress
Bracelets, RACHEL Rachel Roy & Simons

I only just now realized that this is a head-to-toe Old Navy outfit. I must say that I’m enjoying my re-discovery of ON. (thanks, maternity leave budget!) The quality can be hit-and-miss, but they do really nice casual basics for shoestring-budget prices. This dress, vest & sandals combo came in just under $45. What’s not to love?

Old Navy chambray dress
My summer “uniform”