unlikely finds

by Lara on May 20, 2013

in fashion

Labels are of no importance to me.  My mom and I shopped for sport back when she was still out and about in her wheelchair.  We would check out everything on every rack of every store to find hidden gems.  When our local mall started to deteriorate and strange shops were moving in, we’d even pop into the Indian sari store and the place for men’s’ cheap purple suits because maybe they had a rad belt on sale.  It’s relaxing to be able to browse leisurely and dig for gold in random stores and hit the jackpot more often than not.

This weekend, I popped into 2 stores I’ve never been to, just for the hell of it.  These are not stores you see fashion bloggers rave about.  Your mom and grandma may be regulars though.  I have to admit, for the most part, I was pleasantly surprised.

First, I went to strip mall favorite, CATO.  (You can’t shop online.)  I found a well made, sheer w/ lining retro floral tank on clearance for $7.  I’m wearing it today with a denim pencil skirt and cardigan.  Sizing is for grown-ass women, with half the store being plus-size.  The accessories were especially cute and just about everything is office appropriate.

CATO floral tank

Next up in the strip mall hunt was DressBarn. Sigh. Sounds so glamorous.  In all seriousness though, there were a lot of cute dresses! The same 1/2 plus-size concept is here too and sizing is for grown-ups plus, you can shop online. There were a lot of duds in the mix but that’s what digging is all about.

I tried on a really fun floral pencil skirt on clearance but they didn’t have it in my size, nor was it online.  It was along the lines of this pattern with a white background:

floral pencil skirt

There was also a super cute polka dot blazer but, I’ve reached mass capacity for polka dots in my life. It’s really becoming a problem.

Dress Barn - polka dot blazer

I also have no need for dresses right now but, how cute is this one?

Dress Barn colorblock dress

I am truly smitten with this dress:

Dress Barn floral dress

This one has such a sweet vintagey, let’s stand in a field of daisies and take washed out Instagram pictures, kinda feel to it.

Dress barn vintage feel floral dress

Meow!

Dress Barn - Black and white

I like that there’s a bit more coverage on their maxi dresses since they usually have deep V-necks and spaghetti straps.

Dress Barn - striped maxi dress

As you see, all the dresses aren’t hiked up to your ass.  There’s a ton of solid sheaths in every color. Most dresses run from $40 – $60.  You do have to weed through some pretty horrid prints but all in all,  if you’re in a pinch for something to wear to a wedding or need something conservative, don’t discount ye ole DressBarn.

So what are some unlikely places that have managed to surprise you?

{ 5 comments }

a day in the life

by Lara on May 17, 2013

in life

Since my days are a bit slower lately, I thought it would be fun to share a typical day with you guys.  I’m probably the most boring woman in the whole world.

Thursday 5.16.13

6:40am – Wake up after a 10 minute snooze, 20 minutes before D gets up, so I can have the bathroom to myself and do all the bathroom things.  Feed the cat.  Sit on the sofa, watch Today show, do my makeup, D gets up.  Drink iced coffee and smoke a cigarette.  Get dressed, fix my hair.

7:45am – D and I are both out the door (15 minutes earlier than usual for me since I have a project to work on 1st thing today).  I skip my usual 7-11 trip for coffee.

8:00am – Pull into parking deck downtown, make it to the 15th floor and tell 2 bosses I’m doing a special stupid project for Immigration upstairs (so basically leave me alone), because I’m now the official Power Point Master of the firm.

8:15am – I’m at my desk, checked for any important emails, time to get going on this g-damn presentation.

slip

I wore a slip today. Feeling pretty fancy.

11:30am – I’m finally calm. I spent 2 hours on that damn project, found a missing pleading from a year ago before everyone had a meltdown, did some filing, drafted a few letters and got them out, got my boss together and out the door for a settlement conference, took a bunch of phone calls, calendared some stuff, bugged some people to stay on top of their cases.

12:20pm -  Finally had my first cup of hot coffee and took a break and a deep breath.  Fielded a bunch of panicked emails from my boss… put out a few fires. Glanced at Twitter, responded to a personal email.

1:45pm – Processed all the day’s mail for my section.  Printed about 50 documents from a corporate doc managing site that no one knows how to log into and navigate.  Figured out the language for 2 odd plaintiff case letters I’ve never drafted before.  Left those, more letters and copies of important mail in my boss’ chair.  Packed up a couple settled cases.  Ate some Doritos and a peach cup.  Keep seeing the new menu for the Japanese place across the street lying around.  It’s so quiet here right now. Eff it. I’m outta here.

2:16pm – Eating spring rolls and dumplings at my desk.  I left for 30 minutes and there’s a pile of crap waiting for me.  It’s like they know.

3:13pm – At a total standstill until boss gets back any second and shit hits the fan, as usual.  Time to make a to-do list for the boss and enter some time.

5:05pm – Complete shit storm for the past 2 hours.  Everyone’s confused about a case that’s been dormant for months.  Scheduled a mini meeting for it tomorrow afternoon.  My boss has a Hearing tomorrow morning in Maryland and he’s freaking out.  Secured a hotel room for him.  Addressed everything that was left in his chair and did some hand-holding through the to-do list.  Ran up and down the hallways a couple times to get mail out in time.  A crazy bad storm is rolling in and I’m going to visit my dad 20 minutes away.  The windows in the building are popping and everyone’s nervous.  Outta here.

traffic

yay storm traffic!

7:00pm – I’m in my pajamas and finally sitting on my sofa. I made it to my dad’s in one piece, drank some coffee and typed up a contract for additional work on a renovation job he’s doing.  I left and hit CVS to check out their rumored cosmetic clearance sale but it hadn’t started yet.  Belted out Florence Welch in my car (I’m currently obsessed with “Sweet Nothing“)  and had karaoke fantasies.  Walked in the door, immediately stripped down, got in jammies and got some iced tea.
I just realized I’ve had nothing but caffeine today and barely anything to eat and honestly, that’s pretty much how every day is for me. I’m going to go heat up some leftover taco filling from last night and nom.

7:55pm – Washed a sink full of dishes (no dishwasher) while everything heated up on the stove.  Saturday is D’s birthday. Put a reminder on my phone so I don’t forget to get a card, a b-day cake and bacon (for breakfast) tomorrow afternoon.  D is beside me with a migraine.  We’re watching The Office pre-finale special and I’m going to veg out and play Candy Crush and catch up on the day’s blogs and Twitter on my laptop.

9:00pm – I looked up all the book recommendations you guys gave me on Amazon and want to get them all! Thanks guys! Time for The Office finale.

10:15pm – This is when the exhaustion sets in.  Crawled in bed, D rubbed my back until I fell asleep listening to Family Guy.  Not sure when he came to bed but he woke me up a few times grinding his teeth.

2:00am & 4:00am – Ulti woke me up for pets.

Now it’s Friday morning, 9:51am and I’m back at my desk, ready to do it all again!  My boss won the Hearing with sanctions.  There’s a lot going on today. Gotta run!

desk

Have a great weekend!

 

{ 4 comments }

+ & –

by Lara on May 15, 2013

in + & -

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  • You guys… thank you so much for all the kind words since my last post and over Mother’s Day.  All the support really helped and I made it through this past Sunday without incident.  I think the anticipation and the constant early holiday reminders just wore me down.  Whether you believe in hocus pocus ghosty things or not, my mom sent me a little sign last week and it calmed my heart.
  • Coco Café is coconut water w/ espresso and milk. OMG.  I’m developing a serious problem.  Thankfully, it’s hard to find around here. coco-cafe
  •  My Candy Crush addiction is also becoming a problem.
  • I saw this blouse on The Limited’s website and gasped.  It’s so perfectly Spring!  Of course, it was immediately sold out online.  A week later, I found it in the store, 40% off.  In love!

Spring Stripe Gorgette Top - The Limited

 

  •  Old Navy’s boyfriend skinny khaki’s are my new favorite pants. They’re super soft with a “I couldn’t be bothered to iron” feel.  Unfortunately I’m in between sizes so hopefully they’ll shrink when I finally wash them.  (I haven’t wanted to be without them.)  I tried on the white in-store and the fabric is just a bit too thin, with rear pocket show-through.  I actually looked up trouser slips but they looked too much like magical Mormon underpants for me to get on board.

Old Navy Boyfriend Skinny Khakis

 

  •  So are moto jeans and cargo skinnies still in?  I can finally fit into my old ones again!
  • Running errands during my lunch break is my new jam.  So far, I’ve made it to the grocery store and my apartment and back in 40 minutes.  Yesterday, I ran to Old Navy (for more pants) and grabbed lunch in less than an hour.
  • I’m writing this post at work.  Things have slowed down so much at my job that people are getting nervous.  Luckily I don’t have to worry about billable hours.  I’m kinda bored but; it’s a nice change of pace.  I just hate slacking and couldn’t get any more organized if I tried.
  • I need a recommendation for an epic book.  I want to read something new but with a classic feel.  I like stories that switch back and forth between times/eras/plot lines.  East of Eden and Anna Karenina type epic is what I’m going for.  Any suggestions?

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  • I’m in a high traffic area in my office so, blogging at work is hard! ;)

 

{ 10 comments }

waves of grief

by Lara on April 28, 2013

in life

In 2 weeks it will be Mother’s Day and June 11th will be the 1-year anniversary of my mom’s death.

Time has gone by so quickly.  I feel like I’ve settled into living a completely different life now but it also feels like it was only a month ago that I was giving my mom a manicure and yelling at Rachael Ray on tv with her.

I didn’t think these milestones of mourning would be so hard.  I can candidly tell someone my mom passed away but at 3am, when my neighbors wake me up and I’m trying to go back to sleep in the dark silence, I can think about the thin delicate skin of her hands, that hadn’t moved on their own for a decade, and I’m reduced to a sobbing mess, choking back wails so as not to wake up the neighborhood.

I see the Mother’s Day commercials and the displays in the stores, all the soft floral shabby chic things my mom would’ve loved and I’m ill.

I didn’t know the grief would come in waves like this.  Sometimes, I’m at peace with everything and sometimes I just miss her so goddamn much.

1979 two weeks old mom

 

{ 10 comments }

+ & –

by Lara on April 6, 2013

in life

+&-

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  • I chopped my hair! I don’t know why I keep trying to fool myself into thinking long hair is a good idea. I have a few pleasant memories of my hair being long (there were the crazy raver mouse ears and the few times it was gorgeous and glorious but took so much work and product, I could never do that every day) but for the most part, I get feminazi irate about how women are “supposed” to have long hair. My hair is fine (as frog’s hair) and thin and if I don’t wash it every single day, it’s a stringy gross mess.  Ain’t nobody got time for that! So I went to a salon I had never tried before, Clippi Headren. Sarah was a doll and did a great job.

haircut

I had a Madonna (the singer) complex  growing up and a new drastic style was a major confidence booster. Now that I’m settled into my job, it was prime time to get funky.  Now the tattoo on my upper back is front and center and everyone thinks I’m a lil freaky and I’m okay with that.

  • I think Jenni Kayne was the first designer this season to bring back the d’orsay flat. It’s nothing new so getting a “knock-off” is no moral dilemma for me, especially when Kayne’s and Vince’s are around $300-$600 and I had these exact shoes in the late 80s. These at Need are a perfect option at  $38. I want to try them on this weekend at the Richmond store.

Studio flats

  • Victoria sent me a Kiehl’s sampler in my birthday box. She’s devoted to their products and they really should be paying her. Girl knows how to market a product. Anyhoo… I’m still using the samples she sent me at Christmas. I’m not devoted to any face creams and will milk a sample for all its worth, trying anything but, I’m in love with the Epidermal Re-Texturizing Micro-Dermabrasion and Powerful-Strength Line Reducing Concentrate. My skin is soft as velvet.
  • This “Love is Art” kit is kinda hilarious and would be a messy disaster but omg how fun would it be to get busy on a canvas, covered in paint?

LOVE IS ART KIT Couples Art Kit, Lovemaking Art Kit

  • Why is fun cotton fabric so damn expensive? $12 for a 1/2 yard?! Are you kidding me? Hancock’s of Paducah has a great selection of high quality fabric at reasonable prices.

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  • Speaking of fabric… I finally sewed one of those easy skirts. What a bummer. It sewed up fast but, adults are not supposed to wear elastic band skirts. It was too bulky and a tee didn’t look right draped over or tucked in. A wide belt over the band would be ridiculous. I haven’t given up though. I’m going to make a real waistband with a zipper but I’ve lost patience for today.

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