Outfit of the Day: I Got One Pair of Shoes.

Hello! I'm back wearing real shoes which is great. What's not great is that I have, like, one pair of work-appropriate shoes because I have to wear very supportive, stiff sneakers and I refuse to wear my stupid Hokas to work. So, my Birkenstock Bend Low sneakers are my only option right now. I like them but only having one pair of shoes to work with is really limiting. I spent some time trying on all my clothes to see what worked and came up with a few options:

Here I'm wearing my Lululemon On the Fly On the Fly pants (discontinued but the Athleta Brooklyn ankle are similar), a Madewell tee and my Quince sweater blazer. It's a pretty comfy look but still feels vaguely work-appropriate. 

I bought this crazy Veronica Beard Empire blazer on The RealReal  (available on Poshmark and a good deal here on TRR if you're a 12!) and I love it but it's kind of a lot, right? Heh. I am wearing it with a black COS tee, dark denim Madewell jeans and my new Anthro necklace which is such a fun way to un-boring a black tee. 

Okay, I only have one pair of skinny jeans these days but I still like them and wear them! I don't care what the youths say, they're still good. (This pair is older Madewell, of course.) I'm doing a sorta monochrome thing and wearing them with a navy silk Quince top, my Everlane oversize jacket, and my new Clare V Grande Fanny. It's a weird bag, but I'm enjoying it. 

Finally, I'm wearing my Birk sneakers with the dreamiest dream of a dress by  Veronica Beard. Unfortunately this dress belongs to Rent The Runway who is now dead to me because they freaking suck. When you do the monthly rental subscription you can buy items at a discount and they were offering this dress for 40%. For weeks it was 40% off but when I decided to buy it, they'd dropped it to only 20%. Yes, 20% off for a used dress that had been in the rental rotation for nearly three years. They refused to honor the previous price and I had a tantrum, cancelled my membership and sent them back all their shit. I am still mad about it. I wanted that damn dress. Ugh.  

This was not a story with a happy ending but I'm hoping I can find it on Poshmark or The RealReal and seriously please slap me if I ever try to join RTR again. The End.

Stuff I Like: Overdue List!

Hello! I've had a fairly crazy month so far but my foot is healing to the point that I can actually hobble around in Plastic Clogs That Shall Not Be Named. I also have an ugly pair of Hokas that I can wear for a limited amount of time. It's progress. Anyway, I've been keeping notes about some of the things I've been liking lately so here you go:

This Sunscreen That Is Just Right
I wrote here about my chemical sunscreen allergy and made the switch to mineral-only formulas with varying degrees of success. I still really love my Tatcha sunscreen but it's painfully expensive so I was hoping to find something similar and cheaper. I got a deluxe sample of this CoTz Flawless Complexion SPF 50 in last month's Allure box and it's SO GOOD. Its lightly tinted and feels good on the skin - not super greasy or heavy. And, while it's not cheap, it's also not super expensive. It's also on sale at Ulta right now, so I bought a tube. Yay.

These Sneakers That I Swear Aren't That Ugly
Okay, listen. I am very, very limited on what shoes I can wear right now so I finally caved and ordered a pair of Birkenstock Bend Low sneakers. I love Birk sandals but always thought the shoes were too Hobbity for my taste. Well, I stand corrected. I ordered a 39 (my normal Birkenstock size) and a 40 because some reviews said they run a bit short. They both fit, but my toes were just about hitting the front in the 39s, so I am keeping the 40s. They are slightly Hobbity but they're reasonably cute and my sad foot has enough room and arch support, which is the important thing. 

This Sequel I Couldn't Put Down
I really thought I'd written about The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell on the blog but I guess I didn't? It's great - a creepy thriller about a family living in a mansion in London. It's got murder, multiple storylines, an unreliable narrator and a satisfying-but-not-quite ending. So, she wrote a sequel! It's called The Family Remains and y'all, I couldn't put it down. It's really satisfying and well-written and the characters are weird and flawed but (mostly) you really like them.

This Blush That's Very Satisfying.
I've been a big fan of all the Merit Beauty items I've purchased, even if the foundation stick broke almost immediately (I just shoved it back in the tube and kept using it.) it's great though - I just use it where I need it for a minimal foundation look and the highlighter is also nice - glowy without being glittery. But the Flush Balm blush! I just bought the new color Apres and it's so pretty - that perfect flushed look that I used to get from Benetint and it lasts all day. Plus, the weird little dome applicator is so satisfying and fun to use. I'm a fan. 

A Bonus Book That I Absolutely Loved
I finally got around to reading Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn and it's great! Like, it's not the best thing I've ever read but it's such fun. This is the book to take to the beach or on a plane because it moves fast and is deeply entertaining (if not actually deep.) I think it would make a great movie or limited series and was casting it in my head the whole time I was reading it. (I mean, Jamie Lee Curtis would FOR SURE be in my version.) It's really fun and I enjoy reading about older women who are literal assassins but also worry about hot flashes. 

This Show You've Probably Already Watched
Have you watched Shrinking on Apple TV+? It's so freaking good, even if I struggle a bit with elderly Harrison Ford (only because it makes me feel old.) But he's funny! I love his curmudgeonly self. And Jason Segel is always reliably great as That Guy. I've loved him since Freaks and Geeks when he played the teen version of That Guy. And Jessica Williams is great! Her outfits, y'all. I should also mention that Brett Goldstein is one of the creators/writers and it really shows. It's so funny and relatable and has that brand of Ted Lasso kindness woven in that I really love. But... you've probably already watched it. 

I've Been Shoppy, Y'all.

Before I get started I just wanted to thank you all for your incredibly sweet and lovely comments on my last post. You're all the best and it was so fun to share my wedding with you all. 

Now. Let's get in it. Something about the cabin fever of working from home with an injury paired with a challenging new job has made me want ALL THE THINGS. ALL OF THEM RIGHT NOW. I SHALL FILL THIS STRESS-HOLE WITH GLORIOUS THINGS. YES. 

Ahem. This is to say that I've done some shopping. First, I finally caved to the AYR French Fry striped tee:

It showed up and I immediately wore it two days in a row, so I guess you could say I like it. It's too expensive but if you buy two tees you get 20% off which makes it slightly less too expensive. (I also got the Slushy tee in black which I'm still not 100% sure about but it's pretty good.) 

Has anyone tried the AYR jeans? Wait, don't tell me. I don't want to know. Next:

YES. I spoiled this on IG but yes, of course I bought the shiny red Birkenstocks even though I won't be able to wear them for a while. I was afraid they'd sell out and I NEEDED THEM REAL BAD. Marianne bought them first and I was all: 

They arrived and they are my new best friend. Sorry best friends, you've been replaced with shiny red German comfort sandals. Try harder, I guess. (At time of writing my bestie Kate had ordered them in the Madrid style, and bestie Ashley got the Gizeh version which means we got ourselves a proper Red Birk cult going. Join us!)

I also bought a new pair of Vuori Performance Joggers because my knee crutch has a velcro-lined pad which ripped holes in the inseams of all my comfy pants. I hate Velcro now, just FYI. A list of things with Velcro I hate: My air cast, my ice packs, my knee crutch. Velcro is ruining my life and my pants. Anyway, I bought the joggers in ruby heather because they were on sale and the color is good! Very cute. 

Speaking of Vuori, that Palisades rain jacket kept getting marked down and down and down and I finally snapped and bought it (after returning this one from Athleta because it didn't quite work for me, size-wise.) The Vuori jacket fits true to size, the details are excellent and the color is really pretty! Plus, you get 20% off on your first purchase, which I used.

Last thing! I bought something I'd had my eye on for ages because Marianne showed it to me last spring and I filed it away under ooh, maybe. When it came back in stock recently I just couldn't resist (and you get 20% off your first order if you sign up for the mailing list! How could I not?) Anyway, I got the perforated Clare V Grande Fanny:

It's so good! Very chic, holds more than you would think and the leather is gorgeous. The strap comes in two sizes (regular and long) and I got the regular because I assumed it would be fine and guess what, it was not fine. On the longest setting it was still all up in my boob grill so I emailed to see if I could exchange it and Clare V sent me the longer strap for free! I was delighted. Now I can wear it crossbody like a belt bag or around my waist (unlikely) or looser like a crossbody bag. It's going to be my excellent summer bag and I plan on having an excellent summer because this past winter has sucked. (Except for the wedding/Paris part. That was cool.) 

Non Traditional Wedding.

This isn't going to be a long post but I wanted to share my wedding outfit with y'all since you were so sweet when I originally posted about it. Initially I wasn't sure I wanted a dress that was even remotely bridal but after we decided to have a morning ceremony in our living room it felt like something pretty and light would be the most appropriate. I really loved this Shoshanna dress I saw on RTR and ended up buying it on Poshmark for $75. Shoshanna makes such pretty dresses for curvy figures! Mine is beautifully made and I love the vintage feel to it. 

photo from last fall when I had two good feet! 

Because we chose February (our wedding date was our 6th dating anniversary) I knew I'd freeze my ass off if I didn't have a jacket, so I found this cream suede motorcycle jacket (also via Poshmark) by BlankNYC and have worn it a few times already. Sadly it's sold out but this version is pretty similar and there's a faux suede version as well. 

I also managed to wear one of my beloved Loeffler Randall slides which were the most expensive element of my outfit and even though I couldn't wear both of them, I still think they're beautiful and festive. No regrets! 

That said, don't buy your wedding shoes in August, people. Of course we got a big snowstorm a few days before our wedding so I changed into my new Converse for our after-ceremony brunch because I am still using crutches and didn't need to slip on the ice and break my other foot. 

We didn't really decorate other than to buy some gorgeous flowers for the mantle centerpiece and my family also sent some really lovely flowers which we put by the entrance. 

We had four local friends attend and I FaceTimed in my mother, sister and niece to watch. A short ceremony, a champagne toast, and then brunch at a French restaurant nearby. It was really simple and perfect.

Can't forget the best man:

 

Stuff I Like: Full Brain Edition.

 Hellllloooooo. I have missed you all quite a lot but I really needed the break. Things are going well with the new job and I'm slowly progressing towards healing with my busted foot but it's still been pretty overwhelming. Also, I'm getting married in less than a week, which is crazy. (If you were wondering, one of the dresses in this post is, indeed, my wedding dress! I'm such a tease, I know. I'll post pics after it's done! A certain dude I might be marrying reads the blog and I don't want to spoil it.)

Anyway, I have been VERY busy using my whole brain with the new job which hasn't left room for much of anything except air casts and crutches, but in my last post I mentioned a few things I'd just purchased and I want to talk about them and also tell you what I'm reading and stuff. Okay? Okay:

These Sneakers That Bring Mad Joy.
I have wanted these Comme des Garçons Play x Converse sneakers for literal years but for some reason just never went for it. They were just a little bit too expensive for something I wasn't sure I'd get a lot of wear out of. But then I was feeling sorry for myself and decided I couldn't live without them (despite having a post-surgery foot so swollen that who knows when I'll be able to wear both of them!) Anyway, sometimes you just have to go for it - the heart wants what it wants and I have ZERO regrets. First of all, they bring me joy every single time I wear them (okay, it. I wear one of them.) They're also more comfortable than normal Converse, so there's that. Anyway, worth every penny. (Also, I'm wearing my Vuori joggers in that pic and they're still my #1 favorite.) 

This Knit Blazer That's the Best of Both Worlds.
I love the way structured clothing looks but not so much how it feels. I'm really into being comfortable these days but I also don't want to look like a total slob, especially for work (even if they can currently only see my top half.) This cotton knit blazer from Quince is literally a perfect thing - a structured mid-weight sweater knit that's comfy to wear and looks really pulled together. I bought it in black and want another in camel because it feels like it's going to be a closet staple. (for $20 off your first purchase of $50+ use my referral code!)

These Socks That Are Part of My Life Now.
My foot surgeon is a big fan of compression socks for their circulation benefits  and now I am too. I started with a pair of Bombas I bought for travel (pretty good) but Wellow brand compression socks started stalking me on the Internets and I finally caved and... y'all. They are better. I now own four pairs and wear them daily. They're so good! Super supportive, kitten-soft and seam-free. Plus, they come in fun colors and patterns. (Do I have a referral code? Of course I do. Click my link for 25% off your order of $50+.)

This Book Which is the Exact Fluff I Need
I'm all about easy reading right now and after re-reading a couple of Dick Francis mysteries (my go-to for comfort reads) I dived into On a Night Like This by Lindsey Kelk (who wrote the delightful Christmas book I mentioned here!) She's the exact flavor of British rom-com I need right now and it's just a fun read about a normal person thrown into being the personal assistant for a celebrity. It's definitely a modern day Cinderella story but somehow manages to be it's own charming self? It's totaly fluff and I'm enjoying it. 

A Mascara Mini That's Upping My Game
Finally, my favorite thing in the most recent Allure Beauty Box is this YSL Beauty Lash Clash Extreme Volume Mascara. It's super black and gives me dramatic, fluffy lashes. It's definitely prone to clumping but I have a container of spoolies that I use for this purpose because applying mascara has always been a challenge. Anyway, this is a good mascara and I actually prefer a mini over the full size because I can never use the full size before it dries up. 

Weekend Window Shopping: Stuff I Want.

Ugh, you guysssssss. Thank you all for your kind and thoughtful comments. I read every one of them and I'm truly touched. I maybe cried a little? Y'all are just the best and just to be very clear: this is still fun for me and I'm definitely not over it, I just need to be able to give this new job my full attention. Plus, right now even simple things (getting dressed, taking a shower) take way more energy (both mental and physical) because of my non-weight-bearing broken foot. It's all...a lot. So, I'm going to take a little break and then I'll be back with monthly or maybe bi-monthly blog posts. We'll see! I'll also still post on the blog's Instagram (though my refusal to do videos is definitely not in my favor when it comes to the algorithm.) 

Now, how about one more Weekend Window Shopping? Today it's a little of everything with a theme of "stuff I bought, stuff I want" because always. Here you go :

The Time Has Come, The Walrus Said.

Nearly thirteen years ago my friend Marianne had the idea that we should start a blog and share our funny email conversations about clothes and shoes and makeup and fashion because if we were cracking ourselves up, surely we could make other people laugh too, right? 

Also, why not post real, affordable outfit photos in which we smile instead of gazing at our toes? 2010 was the heyday of the fashion/style blog and we wanted to be part of it. 

In the thirteen years since a lot has happened: jobs, kids, serious illness, divorce, big moves, big life changes. Marianne, with two kids and a real-ass grown-lady job, relinquished the blog to me quite a while ago (though she still contributes in so many ways) and eventually our conversations moved from email and text to Marco Polo videos, so it stopped being easy to transcribe them and also started feeling a little over-share-y. A lot of what you originally came for is gone - the cute boys, the fashion snark, drinking gin in a ditch, the convo posts. These things all came to a natural end but it was super fun, wasn't it?

So here's what's happening. I just got my own new grown-lady job here in Oregon, which is exciting! I'd been working my old job East Coast job remotely and had worked there for nearly nineteen years(!) so this is a huge life change for me. What does that mean for the State of the Blog? I think it means it's time to re-evaluate. 

Before I tell you my ideas I just want to thank you all for reading, especially those of you who have been here since the beginning. I honestly consider you all my friends (and some real honest-to-god friendships have come from the blog! I feel so fortunate.) It's so nice to have an EXCELLENTLY smart and cool community of people who read what you write. I can't thank you enough. 

Now, time to talk. With the new job I won't have the time to post regularly and I don't want to be the blog that used to be cool but now only posts shopping links. It feels like that's where it's been headed and it bums me out. However, I also don't want to lose this great community! So, I have some ideas. Would you rather:

- Instagram for outfits and a monthly round-up blog post ("Stuff I Like" style with recs and reviews)
- Instagram only, with outfits in the grid and recs linked in stories
- Kill it dead, this blog has run its course

Vote in the comments! I'll also post a poll in an IG story so you can all vote that way if you'd rather. In the meantime, I'm going to take a break from the blog so I can focus on the new job and on getting my foot healed up. See you on Instagram!