sun's out, guns out

earrings: american eagle

top: loft

shorts: loft

shoes: full tilt

since i spent all day friday in gym clothes, i am fast-forwarding to saturday.  it finally decided to be summer again here in the midwest, so of course we all needed to wear shorts and it's been so cold lately that dave & i decided to forgo the sunscreen.  luckily, things turned out better than they did the last time i didn't wear sunscreen (my honeymoon) and all i ended up with were lightly pinkened (new word) shoulders.  we did get to spend some time with our nephews and later i got a pair of pearl izumi cycling shoes for only $10.  it's such a good deal i want to slap someone.

mommy shops- GO international designer collective

so i was really excited to sneak over to target today and take a peek at the GO international collection.  target is celebrating the 5th anniversary of the collection by re-releasing the most popular dresses from the collection.  i remember when the collections first started debuting- i was a skinny 25 year old who had just moved into midtown.  i bought 4 pieces from the luella collection...  i have mostly been too poor or too pregnant since to partake.

so, i didn't get to target until around 4- 8 hours after the store had opened..  here's what they had left.

luella bartley- hot pink empire dress
richard chai- navy tuxedo dress
tara jarmon- colorblock dress
jovovich-hawk- mini dress, floral dress, dot dress
libertine- crepe dress, striped tunic
zac posen- pink wrap dress, polka dot dress,
proenza schouler- palm-print dress
rodarte- lace-print dress
rogan- leopard print dress
alice temperley- ruffle-front
thakoon- colorblock shift
tucker- ruffle-back dress, black floral, pink floral

that's out of 34 dresses total in the collection.


dresses i wish i could've tried on that weren't available:

tracy feith- hibiscus print dress, white eyelet dress
erin fetherston- bunny print dress
rodarte- peach slip dress (this was in stores right after i had ian- trying it then on probably would've damaged my self-esteem forever)
jonathan saunders- colorblock dress
thakoon- printed b/w dress


what i did try on with reviews (sorry, no pics of me wearing them b\c 1.  i had little time, 2.  it's better this way.

1.  Libertine Black Crepe Dress

this dress is super cute- would be perfect for work if i had a "real" job and i liked the thick material.  i grabbed a medium, which i could barely zip, and then had to jump around like a monkey to get off.  it looked nice in the front though.  also, i had to rip the tag off the belt to even get it on...  sorry, target.  i passed on this.

2.   Rodarte lace-print dress

this was the first dress that caught my eye while perusing the racks.  i tried this in a medium and it fit perfectly.  i love the print.  i think this would be a wonderful dress for easter, which is what i'll probably save it for.  the material is thin, but it didn't appear to be see-through, plus if we spend easter in atlanta, it will be perfect b\c i will think 80 degrees feels like 120 degrees after spending winter here.  i think this can be brightened up with a colorful cardigan or jacket, and i think my nude pumps would go perfectly with it.  took this one home.  boo ya.

3.  zac posen pink wrap dress

i wish i could say i tried this on all the way.  it's actually a wrap dress with a slip underneath.  the slip was attached to the dress, and i had an impossible time trying to figure out where to step and put my arms.  i managed to rip the string that kept the dress and slip together on one side, but couldn't get it on the other, and therefore, couldn't get into the dress.  needless to say, this one stayed at the store...

4.  zac posen polka dot dress

this dress is a little twee, but i seem to go for that, so i grabbed it.  i currently wear a 6 in jeans (8 if the fit is slim) and a 4-6 in dresses.  i picked a 9 (i think they had a 7, 9, and 13), and well, i should've grabbed the 13 if that tells you anything.  i got into the dress easily, but the zipper wouldn't even come up a millimeter.  i tend to stay away from clothes if i have to size up so far that it hurts my feelings, and this did the trick. 

5.  tucker signature floral-print dress

this picture doesn't do the dress as much justice as the picture from the actual link.  i tried on a medium, and really liked it, though i thought it was too poofy- so i decided to get it, but grab a small on my way out.  i haven't tried the small out yet.  i think the print is really pretty and springy.  and i need some spring in my life in a major way.  i hope it works out.

so, those are my reviews.  i would definitely encourage anyone who wants a designer label, but has no designer budget to give this collection a look.  there's something in it for everyone

straight from the heart

valentine's day is in a week!  i love valentine's day a little too much.  it's safe to say that it's my favorite holiday- while for most people it's a day they wish just didn't exist.  i used to always go overboard for the big day- i've changed that a little since being married, but i still want sometime cute to wear for my dinner date with the husband.  modcloth's newest look book straight from the heart pretty much belongs in my closet- and confirms that my taste is a little twee...  oh well.  here are my faves!

all items from modcloth

1.  heart act to follow cardigan

2.  to the patisserie sweater

3.  traveling translator tote

4.  lace embrace top

5.  on the ball-et dress

6.  tweet on you dress

7.  flowers of romance dress

8.  seafoam of affection dress

9.  moments to remember dress

10.  eye in the sky heel

11.  flurry up top

12.  constellation rising top

your thoughts on valentine's day?  love it or hate it? 

easter sunday (trip to atlanta pt. 3)

last sunday was easter, and we were getting all gussied up for church. sadly, in the 11 weeks of my son's life we had not taken him to church once. in the beginning we were just too tired from waking up 2x or more a night, but he's been sleeping through the night now for going on 7 weeks (6 at easter). the one time we attempted to go to church (we usually went on saturday), we were never going to make it on time. plus, dave plays hockey on sunday, and they always have games at 9 AM (lame) or 2 PM. plus, with his gma being sick, we've spent a lot of sunday's in lincoln. i also don't really like the church we go to- i just can't get into the "mega-church" (come on, i already have about 2 friends up here, so like i want to go to a church with 10,000+ people where no one there knows that i even exist). these probably aren't good excuses, but that's what we have.

so, we finally made it to church. i woke, fed ian, got him dressed, and was forced to hand him over to my parents so he could go to sunday school. they just wanted to show him off, and i can't blame them because he is a cutie! he was quite dapper in his little easter outfit! this was nice, though, because it gave me time to eat, shower and dress myself without having to worry about what ian was doing, and whether he was going to wake up as soon as i turned the water on. we looked quite nice, husband and i. he gave me permission to buy a new easter dress because having a baby gives you a built-in excuse: "i can't wear any of my other dresses, so i need a new one." i got a pretty awesome dress, and then decided i needed a cardigan because i didn't realize they made strapless nursing bras until just now, and even still, i'm not sure that's a look that my boobs could really rock... i also got a belt, but a word to the post partum: you must even try on a belt before you buy it or you'll find yourself on easter morning trying to strap a s/m belt around your waist, when you really needed a l/xl, and then you want to cry because you're a fatty, but it's really because you just had a baby...

so we went to church (we were there early- omg). i don't remember much about the actual sermon. i had to take ian out halfway through the service to feed him, and then i attempted to get him to sleep the rest of the time. he made his way from my brother all the way down to my dad before it was over. afterward, i chatted with friends and people i knew, and listened to them tell me how cute my son is (duh), and i watched my brother's skank of an ex girlfriend like a hawk to make sure she didn't get her dirty mitts on my son (she didn't- she is probably afraid of me now because she hopefully knows how much i want to injure her for having her be in my wedding because she was like a sister to me, only to have her dump my brother a few months later- i have trouble letting things go).

after church, we headed home, had some family pictures made (it was a beautiful day, and the cherry trees in my parents' yard were amazing), and sat down to a delicious easter dinner. i napped for a bit, while dave worked on his school project (only 2 weeks left and he will have a masters degree- thank the Lord it'll be over). after we woke up, we were all trying to figure out what to do for dinner. my dad's cousin, jimmie has been staying with us, and as a former atlantan, she knows what's good, so we decided we'd head to the varsity for dinner. that place may kill me one day with its grease and whatnot, but it will be so worth it. chili dogs and frosted orange, i love you! once we got home it was sad time, which meant, time to start packing. i let everyone else have their cuddles with ian, and we got our suitcases packed, and put what we could in the car. i don't think ian could've had a better first easter!

help- family photos

we are heading to see my parents on thursday, and my dad called saturday to inform me that we are having family photos this saturday. i was a little worried because i was afraid he was going to make us dress cheesily, but he assured me that was not the case. since we are the ones travelling (my brother as well), we were allowed to decide what we're wearing first, and then inform my parents, who will have their entire wardobe at their disposal. luckily, one of my favorite blogs- How Not To Dress Like A Mom wrote this fabulous post just a week ago. it's like she knew my dad was going to call last weekend about family photos...

so today, i put together outfits for myself, husband and baby. i need your opinion on whether this is too matchy-matchy, or whether i hit the nail on the head. so please, my 3 (4?) readers- help!


here's a few options that i've selected for the mcfamily:

i've selected a grey top with a ribbon flower embellishment and dark jeans for me (these are pre-baby jeans, so this may end up being a bad idea). for husband i've selected jeans and a baby blue polo and for baby i've selected a baby blue polo with a navy vest over it, and khakis. i figured baby is small, so he's safe wearing a pattern.


here is the next option. same look as above, except i'd be wearing a navy jacket.


here's the third option. me and baby are wearing the same thing, but husband is in a navy button-down. the button-down is pin-striped, but it is very subtle.


here's an up-close look at our tops. you still can't even see the pin-stripes.

so those are the options for us. did i at least do a good job? is one choice worthy, or should i scrap the whole thing and start over? even more important, what should my parents and brother wear? should we add in another color? i'm going to say that my parents and brother should stay away from navy, at least on top. i was thinking red or black for the 3rd color.

what are your thoughts?