Can't a girl get some sleep?

Oh sweet baby Jesus... all I want is some sleep.  Some uninterrupted, 8-10 hours of blissful sleep.  It is just not happening around here.  Campbell is sleeping for maybe 6-8 hours, MAX, and I'm beyond stressed at work with a new project I'm supervising.  Oh well.... I guess I'll sleep when Campbell's grown and out of the house, right?

But seriously, until that day comes... mommies- any tips for getting more sleep?  We are able to get Campbell down for bed between 8/8:30 PM during the week and she usually gets up around 5:30 AM (30 minutes before that blessed alarm goes off! gah!).  On the weekends, she goes to bed around the same time and *maybe* lets us get up around 6:30/6:45.  Last night, we were out with friends at a kid friendly function and got home around 10:45 PM.  Campbell went straight to bed, and woke up promptly at 6:30 AM.  AHHHHH- serenity, and SLEEP, now please! 

I'm running on fumes, ladies.  I'll blame the exhaustion and the business at work for my delay in posting these two outfits.  I worked on two outfits centered around the Real Straight jeans from Gap.  I think these jeans are a fantastic sub for super skinny jeans if you are a bit curvier.  They are just a smidge wider at the ankles than skinny jeans, so the proportion to my thighs is a bit more complimentary.  I am still nervous to wear them completely straight, so here they are slightly folded.  I used to do the JCrew sloppy fold but after trying them this way, I found I liked the fold better!

 Gap Real Straight Jeans- Size 29/8- This style has an interior print of birds that you can see when you fold the jeans.  I think it was an early Fall '10 style.

Gap Cardigan (my fave!)

Close up shot of the cuff.  I folded this so that the bottom of the cuff hit right at my ankle bone.

Seychelles Ring in the New Year pumps, size 9. 

Love these shoes.  Love them.  I love Seychelles anyways, but the Ring in the New Year's are so awesome for Spring.  Plus they are super comfy!

Here is another outfit with the Gap Real Straights.  These are the dark wash, nothing fancy.  I paired it with the Loft Sequin front sweatshirt from this late winter campaign.

Gap Real Straight Jeans, size 29/8

Loft Sequin front Sweatshirt, size S

Loft t-strap suede heels in pewter, size 9

I'm loving the sequin sweatshirt!  It is so comfy and goes dressed up or down.  I'll definitely wear this through the Spring.

I hope you are getting more rest than I am.... Campbell is flipping out about something right now, so I'm off to save the day!

Frazzled mommy style

Both of these outfits represent the frazzled state I've been in lately.  Campbell has been potty training herself (hooray!), but is experiencing lots of constipation from witholding (boo!).  She is cranky, doesn't sleep well, doesn't eat well, and is just overall miserable.  I, in turn, am exhausted and frustrated, which does not make it easy for me to get myself dressed in the morning!

Outfit #1 is a combo of Gap and Loft pieces.  You can tell I'm frazzled in this picture because I didn't iron my pants.  Oh well, I sit at a desk all day anyways.

 Gap Perfect Khakis in Pavement, size 8

 I have to do a quick review of these pants 1) because the picture on the Gap website just doesn't do it justice, and 2) the reviews on the Gap website are really mediocre.  These are fabulous pants if you are a bit curvy.  I have found that the waist is very flattering; it sits below your natural waist, but isn't incredibly low cut.  The legs are definitely a wide leg, but not nearly as much as they are shown on the website.  I think if you are very slender, these will swallow your legs completely, but if you have a little thickness to your thighs (like me!), these are incredibly flattering.  I purchased these in the long length and they are definitely long enough to wear with higher heels and platform sandals.  I am planning on purchasing them in the regular length to wear with lower heels and flats.

Outfit #2 is one of my favorite frazzled mommy outfits, mostly because I feel like I'm wearing pajamas.  And it is even better that I get to wear this to work!  Campbell jumped in this shot, and then stood in front of my for every other shot, until she bumped her head on the counter and subsequently threw a temper tantrum.  Remember, frazzled mommy.....

 Express Sweater tunic and leggings

Here you can see my favorite boots in the world.  These are the Seychelles True Story boots, which were a Christmas gift from the hubbs.  I am completely addicted to Seychelles (post on those forthcoming), and these boots are absolutely fantastic.  They are made of a very soft leather, and have a small heel.  Best part is that you can wear them as over the knee boots by just unfolding the cuff.  Ryan ordered these for me from Piperlime, where they are now on sale!  I wear between a 9 and 9.5 in Seychelles.  These are a 9.5 and I think I could have gone slightly smaller, but the 9 would have been too snug and would have taken too long to stretch out. 



Tomorrow is Friday and I'm so happy for the weekend to be here!  We have a wedding shower to attend for a couple that is absolutely wonderful-- plus, their wedding is the reason we are going to the Bahamas next month! :)  Any big plans for the weekend?

A taste of Spring!

We had temps in the mid 60's here in the RVA, which meant I could break out some of my new Spring items. 

I had some Christmas returns to make at JCrew a few weeks back and honestly couldn't find anything I was dying to have.  I finally settled on the Waverly Chinos, and I'm pretty pleased with them.  I was a huge devotee to the Cafe Capris for years, but the cut is a bit more slim this year and I just didn't find them as flattering as years past.  It could have just been my mood that day I was shopping, though.

 JCrew Waverly Chinos, size 8, (no idea what color... I didn't save the tag, and it isn't listed online, but it is a slate blue-ish color)

Loft Pansy Blooms Ruffle Shell, Small

Gap Shirred Shoulder Cardigan, Medium

I'm really loving the Loft shell.  The colors are fantastic for Spring; lots of coral and pinks, with hints of burgundy and seafoamy/pale mint colors.  The collar stands up a little with ruffles, so it adds a little to the neckline without looking bulky.  The cardigan is another one that I mentioned in my previous post- I'm obsessed with this cardigan.  Very lightweight, but it isn't flimsy and wears nicely all day long. 



 Lucky you, I took this picture in the morning before rushing out the door.  Make up and hair is nice and fresh... you don't have to see two days of me looking run down and ragged!

Like I said, I'm pretty happy with the Waverlys.  They have a nice cut, but I think I will only wear them rolled up.  The length is fairly short, I think.  The item description says it is a 32" inseam, but I honestly think it is closer to 31".  That said, if you are a bit more slender in the hip and thigh region than I, you could pull it off unrolled with some cute kitten heels or flats.  The Waverly Chino kept it's fit all day long, especially in the rear.  I was chained to my desk on the phone all day long, and I did not end up with a saggy rear (which often happens to me and chino-style pants).  I don't know that I'd pay full price for another pair, though, so if you are considering them, I'd suggest snagging them when they are on sale.  There just isn't anything that makes me go "Yeeeeeaaaaaaaaahhhhh" enough to pay full price, you know?



We head back to the wintry temps tomorrow, so it will be back to jeans and sweaters for me.  This taste of Spring has me yearning for skirts, dresses, and fun sandals, so I'm dreading the cold after this tease.  Did anyone else get to enjoy the warmer temps today?

Beautiful Boden

Many thanks to Dina over at My Superfluities, I was introduced to the wonderful, beautiful world of Boden.  For those of you who have not had a chance to shop Johnnie Boden's fantastic designs, you must go visit now .  I really can't think of a good way to describe it, but the colorways are amazing- beautiful prints and colors that you just don't find in many stores here in Richmond, especially at this time of year.

After an excruiatingly long, crazy day at work, I came home to a beautiful polka dot package from the fantastic folks at Boden.. hooray, my order arrived!  I purchased the Pool Party Tunic and the Printed Cotton Skirt.  I'm beyond happy with them!

First up, the Pool Party Tunic in the Rosebud Pavilion colorway.  This is so very reminiscent of Lily Pullitzer, for a fraction of the price.  Definitely a tunic, this beauty hit me mid thigh, but the slits on the side will prevent it from being worn on its own.  I plan on wearing this on my trip to the Bahamas next month, and then throughout the Spring and Summer over some skinny cropped jeans.  (Please excuse the worn down, ragged look of my hair and makeup... that's what a 10 hour work day will do to ya!).

 Got this in a size 6 and it fits like a glove.  Loose, but still snug in the right places to keep it from looking shapeless. The cotton has a nice feel to it; not super sheer and has a good weight.  I feel like I stay away from tunics because they tend to only look good on super slim ladies, but I think this tunic has changed my mind!  I'm pretty curvy (small natural waist, but wide hips), and I feel like this is incredibly flattering for my body type. 


Below is the Printed Cotton Skirt in the Multi Palm Beach colorway.  Again, very reminiscent of Lilly.  I love a good A-line, but again with the wider hips, I have a hard time with them.  They are either too big in the waist or to tight in the hips.  Johnnie got it right with this one.  The cut is fantastic.  The skirt fits snugly at my natural waist, and doesn't pull a bit in my hips.  I purchased this skirt in an 8 regular, and again, a great fit.  The skirt hits me right past the knees and I think will look great with flats or heels.

I think I would probably wear this cardigan with the skirt, but I'm not sure.  I went a little overboard this month at Gap on this great item.  It is the shirred shoulder cardigan, and I think I bought it on sale with an additional 40% off, so it came to maybe $13.  Do I even need to say that I have four (different colors, of course)?

 A side shot of the skirt.  I feel like this is always an important piece of how a skirt fits.  I have a little pooch that is feeling impossible to get rid of after the baby, so I try to find items that complement my stomach rather than make the pooch more obvious.  This skirt does that nicely.

What do you think?  For those of you making Boden purchases this spring, what are you planning on getting (or already purchased)?  If you haven't seen Boden before, are you thinking of checking them out?