Me in Melange

the straight leg...

I've been thinking about these for a while now....

They're the Sevens straight leg in San Clemente.  I need them so that I have a pair to tuck into my boots this fall/winter, I have previously tried to accomplish the 'tucked in' look by tight-rolling (ugh, why was that ever a popular way to wear jeans. so bad.) a pair and then throwing some socks over them to keep them in place as pull my boots on.  This does not work. And I do not recommend anyone leaving their house like this. The minute you sit down the whole contraption falls apart and your jeans start busting out the top, it's really the easiest way to ruin a good outfit, not to mention your day.  SO, I'm left to buy straight jeans... which really for me, are more of a skinny fit then just straight.  They're going to work perfectly for my boots without any extra help and I think I might even be brave and wear them with a tunic and flats, we shall see.  I've been putting it off, because I'm kinda scared of the whole straight/skinny jean thing.... but Lila just pooped all over my pants today, so it's either make an emergency trip home to change or just bite the bullet and give my new fall look a good ole' college try.  signed, me {CA}

 

jean hemlines 101...

It's back to school for many this week and for us that usually means an influx of girls looking for a brand new pair of jeans.  New jeans are the best way, in my opinion, to boost your confidence.  They make you feel great and they're an instant staple in your wardrobe.  The worst thing you can do though, is not get your jeans hemmed properly.  I'm not sure why anyone would spend so much on designer jeans and not spring for the extra $15 to get the original hem at the correct inseam. In fact, we believe so strongly about original hems that we now offer FREE HEMMING to all of our IN-STORE customers... come see our smiling faces in person and we will not only put you in the perfect pair of jeans for your bootie, but we will also hem them for free. 

(Emily pinning for one of said, back-to-school-ies)  Now, unfortunately we can't offer this to our out-of-town web customers... but what we can do is give you all of our good 'hemming jeans know-how'.  First.  Pick a good seamstress, try not to just go out on a limb... get references from girlfriends or go to a local boutique and ask them who they would recommend.  Next, be sure to wash your jeans before you get them hemmed.  Denim tends to shrink up a bit after the first wash. So always wash and dry first.  And speaking of drying... I always air-dry my jeans.  If you put them in the dryer they will continually shrink upwards getting shorter and shorter, until one day when you're like, 'when did I buy high-waters?'  Air-drying will save your inseam and help keep the wash it's original color. Finally, ALWAYS ask for the original hem.  ALWAYS. I've been going to the same lady for 4 years now and I still specify that I would like the original hem.  Why risk it... cause once it's hemmed, you cannot take it back.  We have a super cute new shipment of Citizens coming in tomorrow.  I might have to treat myself to a back-to-school pair just for fun.  signed, me {CA}

what to wear while being a milkmaid...

Inevitably no matter how many clothes are in my closet I find myself staring into the abyss in the morning wondering, 'what to wear today'? If I were more together I would pick outfits out in the evening so that my morning would be a bit smoother and I wouldn't tear apart my closet trying to find something that feels right for that particular day. Alas, this will never happen... especially now with a babe to care for... unfortunately, for me, my question has now gotten even MORE complicated and has MORE stiplulations. 'What's the temperature' is not the number one question anymore, now it's 'will I be able to access my boobs easily in that'?  Which is something I never thought of when buying clothes!  And well, seems like my favorite thing to wear is crewneck tees, because that's the hardest thing to nurse in, and that's about all I see in my closet. ;)  What I don't have is a single button down shirt, which I think would be the easiest to nurse in... not a single one!!  what?  So I'm left to ponder #1 how it is that I work at a fabulous clothing store and yet have no fabulous button downs and #2 what kind of tops should I get to ease my dressing stress?  I figure I'll be nursing for at least 9 more months so shopping will be 'necessary'. (when is shopping not necessary? I can always find a reason.) Do any of you have suggestions of great nursing/easy-boob-access-styles for the new mommy??  signed, me {CA}

Satori Rue

We admit it... we have a little addiction to Satori Rue.  As fast as we get pieces in they fly right out the door again, and we think it's for numerous reasons... mainly being that it's so darn adorable!  My favorite thing about Satori is how easy it is to layer, layering your jewels is an quick way to create a statement without trying too hard (and also perfect for summertime styles!)   All it takes is choosing a few pieces that are different lengths and pendant sizes... you don't want them all to be big or small, but different variations.  For instance, in this pic of lovely Emily, we layered the 15" tiny nugget, with a 18" small mandala, and a 20" medium flower.  And voila, an instant showcase that decorates your decollete in just the right way! 

We just got in an fabulous new shipment of these jewels, check them all out here.  signed, me {CA}

Baby Bag #1...

The first of what is sure to be many... I don't even need an excuse to buy/covet cool bags, but now that I have one, I'm on the search.  My requirements are as follows, 1. it must be something that I will use even after it's initial use as a baby bag. 2. has to be ok for hubby to carry too, ie. not too girly. 3. can't be too huge, cause I have a knack for filling empty space. 4. has to be as convenient as all those baby bags out there without screaming 'I'm a baby bag!'.

So here's bag number 1, Seraph's messenger bag.  I'm pretty excited that it was only 40 bucks (I hear that they're going up to $60 in the next few days)  It looks roomy enough to carry essentials but still streamlined and met all of the 4 requirements plus I love the 'one for the road' sentiment.  The only thing that it could have would be a pocket on the back for momma's wallet and such... but I will figure something out.

 

Pretty darn cute, no?  Let me know if you ladies find any other bags out there, and have a very happy weekend!!  signed, me {CA}

Prairie Underground--one of last year's best purchases!

I bought a sweatshirt from Prairie Underground last year very similar to this year's Cloak Hoodie and I have to say, it was one of my BEST purchases last year.  I wore that sweatshirt to death, it was something I was constantly throwing on (and I got about a million "that is so cute" comments).  If you are wondering if this little splurge is worth it, I can give you my absolute two thumbs up!!  Signed, ME {lv}

Hard Tail Fit and Alteration Guide

We hope this makes buying the perfect pair of Hard Tails just a bit easier!  signed, me {CA}

ready for 2009, officially!

It's true... the new year may now start, I'm ready!  In years past, I've procrastinated getting a cute planner because I always hope that Santa will bring me the 'correct one'... but alas, the holiday passes and by the time I go to buy a cutie Kate Spade spiral they're all sold out.  But not this year, I was smart and got it before I even made a wish list.  It arrived today, and I'm in love with how adorable it is for only $20. It's a spiral so it lays flat on my desk, it's the perfect size to carry in my purse and still be able to write legibly in it, and has a monthly and a week-by-week... perfect!  You can find them here, here and here.  signed, me {CA}

      

cool weather please

I cannot wait for fall!  Especially now that that we can all be sporting these FABULOUS Trina Turk fingerless gloves!  It was love at first sight as JS and I uncovered these cuties at the bottom of the TT box... (not to mention the 5 other gorgeous pieces that bursted out first).  Check 'em out!  signed, me {CA}

promises, promises

So, last week I posted about my favorite new accessory, the Tumbleweed promise rings.  I've been sporting them on a daily basis, absolutely love 'em!!  The night I got these I went out with some friends and while one of them was chatting with his long-distance girlfriend, it dawned on me that these rings would be the perfect thing for him to send to her.... and having a PHD in English meant that he would write some darn good promises to go with each one!  So after practically forcing the idea on him, with the promise that he would most definitely get some goooood hanky panky on his next visit to see her... SOLD!  Boys are so easy sometimes. ;)  I surprised him the next day with a little handmade book to put the rings and his promises in.  It turned out so cute that I thought I would share with you gals....

 

Each page has miniature envelope for one of the rings!  So adorable.... I made one for my Mom's birthday as well.... getting a "happy tears phonecall" from 3000 miles away is priceless!  (Sorry to my brother for showing him up once again... hee hee ;)  

Steal my idea and share some promises... or even better make a guy do it for his girl!!  Because, we all know they need a little help in this department from time-to-time.  signed, me {CA}