Rain Rain Go Away!

Rain has stopped and now we are off to Gym class and Target. I am crushin' on these J Crew daisy earrings. I was going to buy them when they were regular price but held off. Now they are marked down with additional 30% off so waiting paid off. Banana Republic short trench, Vince white linen tee, Anne Taylor Loft skinny jeans, perfect for vertically challenged women, Frye leather shoes. Linking up with Pleated Poppy for WIWW. http://thepleatedpoppy.com/category/what-i-wore/ Have a wonderful Wednesday! Rezel

Japanese Bamboo Bags

I love collecting vintage handbags. So much so that I once had 120 of them but since moving to a smaller place I got rid of almost all of them but kept the most unusual ones.  I was scrolling through Instagram and stumbled on a Bamboo purse I've purchased at Rose Bowl Flea Market about 6 years ago. I commented on her post that I had to follow her because I've found two items of hers that I also have. Then I saw my purse on another post, so it couldn't be both vintage? I tracked down one of the bloggers original post and found out that a company named Cult Gaia are reproducing them and it's all the rage.  Lesson to take from this is check out your local flea market, even eBay. Right now there's this on eBay. OR you can preorder on Cult Gaia and pay more. Thank goodness I already have them. I used the one on the right on a trip to Chicago in 2005 and my Cousin mad fun of it saying it looked like a bird cage. Well it is called a Japanese birdcage handbag. Folded down. Now go check out your local flea market for great finds! Happy Sunday!!! Rezel

Some of my staples for Spring

Spring isn't quite here yet but it's supposed to be 78 today so we are on our way! I don't own much red but This red orange t shirt from Zara is a great fit and really soft. This is my first ever purchase from Zara and believe me I tried. As I've mentioned before I am about 127 pounds and a 32C with broad shoulders and flabby arms. I do not fit in Zara's clothes. I find that their stuff is too boxy and I always find myself always get stuck in one of their tops. It took me what felt like 15 minutes trying to take a top off and it had a zipper and everything. By the end of that ordeal I was sweating and thought I had to be cut out of that blouse. Good thing the kids weren't with me or I wouldn't have tried that long. I also think that their items are too trendy for what I would like to accomplish. I have been playing with the idea of starting a capsule wardrobe, looking into doing the 333 capsule wardrobe project which is 33 items for three months. I'll be tweaking it to fit my lifestyle and most likely not count accessories including shoes and under garments to my final 33. Or I can do the 37 items instead of 33 for three months, leaning towards the 37 items, again omitting accessories and undergarments to my final items. I've been playing with the idea for a couple of years now but haven't come close to starting it. But now the kids are older and we sort of have a routine so I'm beginning to have a clearer idea of what I'll be wearing.  I think Spring will be a perfect time to start, warmer weather means not having to layer and I love playing with brigther, colorful prints. Even though most wardrobe capsules are neutrals so that you can mix and match your items, I will try to prove that it doesn't have to be bland and colorless. Plus, not shopping for three months could save me some major duckettes. Of course I need to tweak that too. I think I need to ease myself into a capsule wardrobe and if I stop cold turkey and not shop I will just end up buying more at the end of the 3 months so I think I'll only shop at J Crew when there is a % off for accessories or an item that I need to add to my wardrobe. I'm looking at you, striped sailor pants. I visited my local store yesterday which was their last 30% off your total purchase just to find out they don't have them in store yet and today it's only 25% off so I have to wait. This OOTD are some of my staples for Spring. 1. Nude sandals 2. A colorful t shirt/top 3. Maxi skirt 4. Statement jewelry and number 5 is a little misleading. I haven't used a handbag in so long. I just added this for the picture. I have a diaper bag and I use my Bandolier iPhone case, not pictured, to carry my phone, my credit card and my driver's license. Everything else goes in the diaper bag in the stroller. Our activities today consists of post office, Costco, Tarder Joe's, Target and hoping to squeeze in a park. I wish I can just go to one store and find everything I need there but sadly that's not the case.  Have a great Monday! Rezel

J Crew Striped off the Shoulder Dress

I'm a little obsessed with off the shoulder anything these days and J Crew off the shoulder dress is not it. However, she still came home with me.  I purchased her with a 25% off discount and will be a great Spring addition to my wardrobe. I am 5 feet tall and about 127 pounds and purchased a small. I have Grandma flabby arms and broad shoulders so I usually size up so it doesn't pull under the arms. The fabric is a little stiff and thick but still comfortable. It's also just a boxy dress which I don't mind.  I didn't feel like I was wearing a garbage bag. When I tried it on I knew that the wide garter band is not going to stay put. Perhaps if it was thinner or just on the shoulders it would've worked but I knew I would have been pulling it down all day if I tried wearing it off the shoulder so I didn't bother. I still think it's cute and with the right accessories you'll be getting plenty of compliments. I layered my necklaces to give it some depth and color.  I've had these necklaces for years and still some of my favorites.  The crochet beige necklace was from Anthropologie. I think I bought it and returned it twice. As I can remember it was originally close to $300 and I found it marked down to $150 so I bought it but realized it was too expensive and returned it. Then visiting Portland I found her again marked down to $99 again bought it and returned it.  Then again in New York I found her and still marked down for $99 and I figured This is probably the last time I'll see her so I bought it and she rang up at $29 so it was meant to be and I've loved her ever since. The green one is vintage. I am an avid flea market shopper for accessories. I just realized that I am posting stripes again.!i guess I'm having a stripes moment as well. Wearing a favorite combo too, stripes and leopard. Till we meet again! Rezel

A Little Intro

I am a 40 something Mother to toddler twins, Lanna and Nolan who just turned 26 months a few days ago.  Having worked all my life and now being a SAHM I, like plenty of mothers, lost herself along the way.  I am attempting to start a fashion blog to help me stir away from the Mommy uniform.  For me that uniform consist of leggings and lose tops.  I've always loved fashion and before the kids I had a side business being a personal shopper/stylist.  I also worked full time at a venture capital office so my wardrobe consists of corporate attire.  Styling women and shopping was a stress reliever, also helped that I was spending their money shopping and not my own.  I'm a bonafide shopaholic so that helped.  Once having kids I shipped all my clothes to my Moms.  It was like loosing friends.  Bye, Diane von Furstenberg, see ya later Tory Burch.  Don't be a stranger Kate Spade.  I promise I'm not a label whore or just name dropping.  I just love their aesthetics and know where to find deals.

So my journey as a new Mom started and along came stretchy pants and loose tops.  After 26 months I still have a Mommy pooch and I'm actually ok with it.  It was a struggle and a miracle to even have kids and having a pooch or a scar from my c-section is just a reminder that I was blessed to have been pregnant and now have two amazing toddlers.  But don't get me wrong, even though I love being a Mom I also miss my old self.  I am hoping that by attempting to start a fashion blog I am halfway there.  I had to tweak my wardrobe to accommodate chasing toddlers and omit party dresses or heels just because let's be honest when do I have time to party?

Leggings are a life saver.  It's easy, fun and stretchy which helps and you can dress it up or down but for this new Mom I need to go beyond leggings.

OOTD:

Wore this to run errands and was so comfortable. Shoes are Banana Republic, t shirt that's great for petite frame because it's short and not boxy is from Target, pants are from Nordstrom Rack and sequin floral earrings are from J Crew, most expensive piece even with the 25% off coupon.

I'm hoping to link up with WIWW at Pleated Poppy so hopefully I can figure how to do that, not much tech savvy. Stay fabulous! Rezel