a wide leg trouser by any other name...

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I think I have "cuffed pants" on the brain (prob because of <a href="http://adayinlifetoo.blogspot.com/2011/05/how-to-roll-or-cuff-your-jeans.html" target="blank">this</a> post). But before you make any judgments about today's ensemble, I have an explanation and an apology and a fascinating early-morning internal dialogue documented below. So. Read on.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhefPls2dw4Dz12SkQNtqNTRCYaFdYSyu0DS_ffXc7fbaSTSxUWsuQrWZ6PelIoNL5VaWB00qm_Dg8t9O5aV4LN6qXqUfArWJu257AzZ04jhDI1sh8w4BHhAEO9xD9idtCHVYOFPV80PcWj/s1600/U1britt2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhefPls2dw4Dz12SkQNtqNTRCYaFdYSyu0DS_ffXc7fbaSTSxUWsuQrWZ6PelIoNL5VaWB00qm_Dg8t9O5aV4LN6qXqUfArWJu257AzZ04jhDI1sh8w4BHhAEO9xD9idtCHVYOFPV80PcWj/s400/U1britt2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">shoes: unionbay brand. pants & denim jacket: gap. shirt: ana brand. belt: vintage. watch: target. necklace: forever21. bracelet: open jewelry market in hawaii.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5eNLKbZs8fzrRd-7fEDqimJEqya-79g6hlwmpsJdwjBQyVAvX83ZimNCn_v0ggqO7SNtck6BdvinOkfu3lwJyLHC_QkB5SsNtJQp-7L2BWxd-Ok67pxo974t4PeI0GJTLUnzly5audVT9/s1600/U1britt1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5eNLKbZs8fzrRd-7fEDqimJEqya-79g6hlwmpsJdwjBQyVAvX83ZimNCn_v0ggqO7SNtck6BdvinOkfu3lwJyLHC_QkB5SsNtJQp-7L2BWxd-Ok67pxo974t4PeI0GJTLUnzly5audVT9/s400/U1britt1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">  As the weather gloomified and chilled over course of the morning, I had to modify my outfit. First: I threw on a denim jacket and struck a weird facial expression.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZv87qPgYSBRuWBpbI3uNrscpj7voY1QpfffWisGav9Jdn6C0p-Qg0MyHt-j1HNbZy2OJSPwgoXkIcu1HlxUiwp_KFI64iKVojfBOtlfapOVgS_7kzMQgey5yzTR9egHoaJ7uWCIr-JX9G/s1600/U1britt3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZv87qPgYSBRuWBpbI3uNrscpj7voY1QpfffWisGav9Jdn6C0p-Qg0MyHt-j1HNbZy2OJSPwgoXkIcu1HlxUiwp_KFI64iKVojfBOtlfapOVgS_7kzMQgey5yzTR9egHoaJ7uWCIr-JX9G/s400/U1britt3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Second: I unrolled the trousers. Which, frankly, I liked better anyway with these pants. 'Tweren't broken. Shouldn't've tried to fix 'em. (Allsofasudden my fingers think I'm a redneck? Awesome. Something fried and delicious for dinner, I guess...)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrwbMqiIYYpjhfMoMwsVleTttCrtdVyq236s4IhwFstCgL8PNpJ-_uQ6SJmcjJhg-TEroZsT5zz_0mibjCAxpsbUJdI9HgSn44GQAw0ubjcSQFK7QrS_mXf9E43oSIrWB08HHKbFiBLKNh/s1600/U1britt4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrwbMqiIYYpjhfMoMwsVleTttCrtdVyq236s4IhwFstCgL8PNpJ-_uQ6SJmcjJhg-TEroZsT5zz_0mibjCAxpsbUJdI9HgSn44GQAw0ubjcSQFK7QrS_mXf9E43oSIrWB08HHKbFiBLKNh/s400/U1britt4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Let's start at the beginning, shall we? Sometimes I make odd choices. Take this morning, for instance. I pulled out <a href="http://adayinlifetoo.blogspot.com/search/label/plaid%20trousers">these</a> sweet wide-leg plaid trousers because it's still raining and coldish. [Editor's note: I could've worn a skirt with colored tights, but I think I temporarily burned myself out on colored tights.] Despite their (the pants') fabulous features (e.g., wide leg, front crease, great colors, classic plaid print, good fit, etc.), I thought to myself, "these pants are too ordinary. I need to do something to make them unique."</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">(I also thought to myself, "what's for breakfast?" And then my brain answered, "toast." And then I complained, "what? toast again?" And then my brain said, "yep. and it'll be toast tomorrow, too, if y'all don't get yo'self to the grocer sto'.") (It's good to know my brain and my fingers speak the same dialect.)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Wow. Long story short (too late): I tried to peg and cuff these pants and get away with it. Shame on me. Which is why I love doing this blog--I find out all sorts of things. Like: don't try to make a garment something into it absolutely inherently isn't. And also: stop listening to country music for a while.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Do you guys ever do stuff like that? Try too hard to get something to be different when, really, it's best just to leave it alone and let it shine for what it is?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Either way...Happy Thursday.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">Want this look? Click below, buy some stuff...then <em>don't</em> cuff the pants, k? Thanks.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="background: white; border-bottom: #bfbfbf 1px solid; border-left: #bfbfbf 1px solid; border-right: #bfbfbf 1px solid; border-top: #bfbfbf 1px solid; display: block; position: relative; width: 430px;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="150" scrolling="no" src="http://widget.shopstyle.com/widget?pid=uid6676-2041974-73&look=3107823&size=Small&width=6&height=1&layouttype=0&border=0&footer=0" width="430"></iframe><br /><div style="bottom: 2px; height: 18px; left: 0px; line-height: 12px; position: absolute; width: 100%;"><div style="left: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 2px; position: absolute;"><a href="http://www.shopstyle.com/browse/Tory-Burch#pid=uid6676-2041974-73" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; color: #606060; font: 11px verdana, sans-serif; text-decoration: underline;">More Tory Burch...</a></div><div style="padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 4px; padding-top: 3px; position: absolute; right: 0px;"><a href="http://www.shopstyle.com/#pid=uid6676-2041974-73" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;"><img alt="ShopStyle" src="http://resources.shopstyle.com/im/widget/ShopStyleLogo_powered_small.png" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /></img></a></div></div></div></div>

a wide leg trouser by any other name...

I think I have "cuffed pants" on the brain (prob because of this  post). But before you make any judgments about today's ensem...

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mix & match...then realize it doesn't look cool...THEN realize "who cares? I'm too old to be cool anyway"

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfgq0xqfdB4GBJ0F15fY5Qoq3jsH00E8SriR4iSMyVaJ9zGmm-MDJRqsmgaFKCBwlTYRxgczndWUbyPjcq7DMF_kLJaPc9YdD3-g-YTOlSbKquFu07HiFz7Gh1jUGB2n7OW0Z-6cVH31do/s1600/Q1britt2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="347" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfgq0xqfdB4GBJ0F15fY5Qoq3jsH00E8SriR4iSMyVaJ9zGmm-MDJRqsmgaFKCBwlTYRxgczndWUbyPjcq7DMF_kLJaPc9YdD3-g-YTOlSbKquFu07HiFz7Gh1jUGB2n7OW0Z-6cVH31do/s400/Q1britt2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">shoes: cato brand. pants & cardigan: gap. shirt: forever21. belt: pocket's. watch: citizen brand. flower brooch: don't recall. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEIfhVgOM-ZTlAOdaC0vzjLAmXSeo6S5cJy9UsEcGfpuexNKg3ksj9mKp5Aayk7X9LBF2fppqdiNvKV2zVRG_A7iPHwktmfaOpxAGnU8kHgLBTpxAuENxAm-H8q_E9pMV5659sBWf5t6hW/s1600/Q1britt1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEIfhVgOM-ZTlAOdaC0vzjLAmXSeo6S5cJy9UsEcGfpuexNKg3ksj9mKp5Aayk7X9LBF2fppqdiNvKV2zVRG_A7iPHwktmfaOpxAGnU8kHgLBTpxAuENxAm-H8q_E9pMV5659sBWf5t6hW/s400/Q1britt1.jpg" width="347" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Yes, I'm aware that these shoes today are all wrong for these pants...they put the cuff at an uncomfortably lame height. Buuuuut...meh. Whatchagonnado.)</span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIj_qFLwmR_082hSA4fG9dLjn8Hsi5x-mio0vM6FpGbUdSe6e-3S3_zrrZgxlH4Y-STyGoED7tjQp1_LzvXVBjZK5Pdaoyk_B6CcR8DuDNwEtyjF8WaZyuVUq966A5HvCE0EryBf3jq2q9/s1600/Q1britt3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="347" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIj_qFLwmR_082hSA4fG9dLjn8Hsi5x-mio0vM6FpGbUdSe6e-3S3_zrrZgxlH4Y-STyGoED7tjQp1_LzvXVBjZK5Pdaoyk_B6CcR8DuDNwEtyjF8WaZyuVUq966A5HvCE0EryBf3jq2q9/s400/Q1britt3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Something reminded me today of my 5th grade school "talent" show. Some friends and I thought we were super good singers and not-too-shabby choreographers, so we performed not one but two numbers at our school's <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(soon-to-be non)</span>talent show: "Barbara Ann" (beach boys) to give the audience some pep and "Greatest Love of All" (whitney houston) to deeply move them. (...and, yes, in case you're wondering, I <em>do</em> want to cry of embarrassment. Thanks for asking.) </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strike>Of course</strike> Surprisingly, we sucked. <strike>And even that's putting it mildly.</strike></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Post-performance, even my mother could hardly come up with words that were equally positive and true. I think she finally choked out something like "brave" and "you tried." We were the laughingstock. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">You know how any publicity is supposed to be good publicity? Yeah, well, I found out <em>that's</em> a total lie when the news (a) centers around the fact that you and your four buddies are untalented, uncoordinated fools and (b) ushers in your junior high years.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hmmm...Not sure how this glorious memory ties into my ensemble today. Other than I kind of feel like it's Mom-wear, and as a mom, I want my kids to skip their junior high/middle school years. I don't think I'm man enough to live through their emotional coming-of-ages, because look how adorable and confident they are at 4 years old:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwlNEY2bfLWnGCshuyICqT5bUqA7V2xnUW16mP-iOnpP29aESOY0cnuw2LuzLUF-IojzgqRHHdn3_UYrTeUSilmJrBBPPLdQsq4Lnnr3MYDwsTEWl9iNNK2i-CTR6p4zXjuZ1-HqwbtD0b/s1600/Q1britt4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwlNEY2bfLWnGCshuyICqT5bUqA7V2xnUW16mP-iOnpP29aESOY0cnuw2LuzLUF-IojzgqRHHdn3_UYrTeUSilmJrBBPPLdQsq4Lnnr3MYDwsTEWl9iNNK2i-CTR6p4zXjuZ1-HqwbtD0b/s400/Q1britt4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">(Her finale pose? Kills me.)</div><br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Happy Friday.</div><br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Want this look so you, too, can worry about your pre-pubescent kids' futures? Check it out:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="background: white; border-bottom: #bfbfbf 1px solid; border-left: #bfbfbf 1px solid; border-right: #bfbfbf 1px solid; border-top: #bfbfbf 1px solid; display: block; position: relative; width: 430px;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="150" scrolling="no" src="http://widget.shopstyle.com/widget?pid=uid6676-2041974-73&look=2815420&size=Small&width=6&height=1&layouttype=0&border=0&footer=0" width="430"></iframe><br /><div style="bottom: 2px; height: 18px; left: 0px; line-height: 12px; position: absolute; width: 100%;"><div style="left: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 2px; position: absolute;"><a href="http://www.shopstyle.com/browse/Forever-21#pid=uid6676-2041974-73" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; color: #606060; font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">More Forever 21...</span></a></div><div style="padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 4px; padding-top: 3px; position: absolute; right: 0px;"><a href="http://www.shopstyle.com/#pid=uid6676-2041974-73" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img alt="ShopStyle" src="http://resources.shopstyle.com/im/widget/ShopStyleLogo_powered_small.png" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /></img></span></a></div></div></div></div>

mix & match...then realize it doesn't look cool...THEN realize "who cares? I'm too old to be cool anyway"

shoes: cato brand. pants & cardigan: gap. shirt: forever21. belt: pocket's. watch: citizen brand. flower brooch: don't recall.  ...

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a stay-at-home mom's take on "casual friday"

<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">View the following photos with this song running through your hot little heads: </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Most of these things are not like the others.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Most of these things just do-on't belong.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Can you tell which things are not like the others</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">By the time I finish this song?</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirmELaypnl_u5Zk0UIn9n5tWp40UXIY9ZTarO9scpuMmzT2C-li13lOC2BXeWPr1HKaXz_9bqQcROfQToGx7Hexp611bXiJLTi8ugTq00atzdrXBt3S4EN6WuGSKPaTLKvMi9D4MLFhLO9/s1600/Y1britt4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirmELaypnl_u5Zk0UIn9n5tWp40UXIY9ZTarO9scpuMmzT2C-li13lOC2BXeWPr1HKaXz_9bqQcROfQToGx7Hexp611bXiJLTi8ugTq00atzdrXBt3S4EN6WuGSKPaTLKvMi9D4MLFhLO9/s400/Y1britt4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizlR5aaFyF3EjNeqPpm-23InFk4CF07KEEwseUV1evp7dLBtMI6APkBF87s4Px6GtnDX4jFgS9LTI45xqAapzcV-5F_EQ2aG7-_RGqncXximHkkuKH5zQ8r3tTSyfPb6LlbtqtZb_mmftT/s1600/Y1britt1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="347" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizlR5aaFyF3EjNeqPpm-23InFk4CF07KEEwseUV1evp7dLBtMI6APkBF87s4Px6GtnDX4jFgS9LTI45xqAapzcV-5F_EQ2aG7-_RGqncXximHkkuKH5zQ8r3tTSyfPb6LlbtqtZb_mmftT/s400/Y1britt1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">shoes: converse all-stars. pants: gap. long-sleeved tee: american eagle outfitters. tee: old navy. belt: downeast outfitters. watch: target. necklace: gifted. awesome poses: one-of-a-kind original discontinued vintage. sorry.</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNqyeOiRKXCh-CuZmsxevuAOPMBOw9UzI9Kr1ysNYEUNB-c5eB22WANishyphenhyphenuQ4uNkFOB3ObZ7EIxu3JjyWnYGhPQrhvZNzwqT5Suas1ZhWzFa5wrRIoxdEOCW6uycc22oDdRj6hytPrf0W/s1600/Y1britt3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="381" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNqyeOiRKXCh-CuZmsxevuAOPMBOw9UzI9Kr1ysNYEUNB-c5eB22WANishyphenhyphenuQ4uNkFOB3ObZ7EIxu3JjyWnYGhPQrhvZNzwqT5Suas1ZhWzFa5wrRIoxdEOCW6uycc22oDdRj6hytPrf0W/s400/Y1britt3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh2HToto5bIjWlvJYT5ZYPy7wZTuik6FYBHKNQ8YhS6Dp6_hV9kmBXecHWSfTnSN9H8MGAsD_9r5vm4NZkaD45VCQFaQfPj-7PU5hrB2JqZmS9TRvxzcSN8-tiVNRC27sqsZGkUW0rUKY1/s1600/Y1britt2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="347" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh2HToto5bIjWlvJYT5ZYPy7wZTuik6FYBHKNQ8YhS6Dp6_hV9kmBXecHWSfTnSN9H8MGAsD_9r5vm4NZkaD45VCQFaQfPj-7PU5hrB2JqZmS9TRvxzcSN8-tiVNRC27sqsZGkUW0rUKY1/s400/Y1britt2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"> Today is totally Casual Friday at my house. Today is also the day where the words "casual" and "completely random" are synonymous. But...frankly? I love today's ensemble. Which is probably alarming to most of you. In fact, I'm seeing in my minds-eye a hasty retreat to <strike>thousands</strike> <strike>hundreds</strike> tens upon tens of computers' "back" buttons. Fair enough. <br /><br />But for those of you still here (gold stars for you all):</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Hi, I'm Brittney. I'm a stay-at-home mom of young kids, and I sometimes get my days mixed up. Mondays become Thursdays and Tuesdays are often dead-ringers for Wednesdays. This hasn't really been a problem until the past year or two, with my son now in school...he's probably the only kid in 1st grade who regularly shows up to gym class with his library book. (Remember my <a href="http://adayinlifetoo.blogspot.com/2011/01/breakfast-of-champions.html">Mother of the Year plaque</a>? It hasn't come yet, but I'm confident it will...)<br /><br />But Fridays, my friends, are never mixed up. Fridays shine like a beacon in the night of the weekday...um...nights. A glowing lighthouse for all troubled waters to see.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><em>Wow</em>, you're saying to yourselves. <em>She waxes poetic. Odd for someone who wears long-sleeved tees under graphic tees and pairs them both with plaid trousers</em>. Or, probably you're actually saying to yourselves, <em>What should I make for dinner? </em>or <em>It's true!! 'E' really DOES equal 'MC-squared'! </em>[Editor's note: If your thoughts fall along the latter option, I'll quietly walk away right now, no questions asked, and I'll never trouble your superior mind again.]</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Today's jumping-off point: Guess. Seriously, go back, look at the photos, and take a stab at what my jumping-off point was today. Anyone guess these <a href="http://adayinlifetoo.blogspot.com/2011/01/im-little-bit-countryim-little-bit-ocd.html">pants</a>? You win. Which is strange to me, because these pants are totally preppy/workwear (wide cuff and everything), whereas the layered tees are exactly opposite. What would you call today's look, anyway? Would you call it: Preppy-lawyers'-kid-who-excels-in-math-and-classic-violin-recitals-but-secretly-plays-the-bass-in-a-garage-band-while-her-boxer-puppy-lays-on-some-carpet-remnants-in-the-corner? No way! That's exactly what I thought, too! What are the odds? Because, really, that's pretty specific...</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Anyway. The plaid in the pants is neutral enough that I paired them with a mid-scale graphic tee (long-sleeved under is strictly for warmth, but I like the color it adds). I love the fatty gold boyfriend watch with all this, as well as the blue Converse--a little Unexpected & Maybe Awesome. Overall, despite lots going on, this ensemble's colors are chunky and muted. 'Cept the belt. It adds a bit of whimsy, a pop of color, and a bit of a "huh?" factor. Triple dip.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Happy happy Friday!</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Want this look? </span><a href="http://www.beso.com/womens-pants/cutest-lil-vintage-pant/2347073116/detail?af_assettype_id=4&af_creative_id=5&af_id=44772&af_placement_id=1&rf=af1" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">plaid pants</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">  <img border="0" height="1" src="https://adserve.shopzilla.com/img/publisherID-44772/assetID-5/placementID-1/url-http:%2F%2Fwww.beso.com%2Fwomens-pants%2Fcutest-lil-vintage-pant%2F2347073116%2Fdetail" width="1" /></img></span><a href="http://www.beso.com/lucky-brand/womens-tshirts/lucky-brand-free-to-live-tee-womens-t-shirt/1735545849/detail?af_assettype_id=4&af_creative_id=5&af_id=44772&af_placement_id=1&rf=af1" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">graphic tee</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="1" src="https://adserve.shopzilla.com/img/publisherID-44772/assetID-5/placementID-1/url-http:%2F%2Fwww.beso.com%2Flucky-brand%2Fwomens-tshirts%2Flucky-brand-free-to-live-tee-womens-t-shirt%2F1735545849%2Fdetail" width="1" />  </img></span><a href="http://www.beso.com/fossil/watches/fossil-watch-womens-gold-plated-bracelet-es2197/1918711962/detail?af_assettype_id=4&af_creative_id=5&af_id=44772&af_placement_id=1&rf=af1" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">boyfriend watch</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">  <img border="0" height="1" src="https://adserve.shopzilla.com/img/publisherID-44772/assetID-5/placementID-1/url-http:%2F%2Fwww.beso.com%2Ffossil%2Fwatches%2Ffossil-watch-womens-gold-plated-bracelet-es2197%2F1918711962%2Fdetail" width="1" /></img></span><a href="http://www.beso.com/converse/mens-athletic-inspired-shoes/converse-unisex-chuck-taylor-all-star-sneaker-unisex-shoes/2123023793/detail?af_assettype_id=4&af_creative_id=5&af_id=44772&af_placement_id=1&rf=af1" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">blue converse</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="1" src="https://adserve.shopzilla.com/img/publisherID-44772/assetID-5/placementID-1/url-http:%2F%2Fwww.beso.com%2Fconverse%2Fmens-athletic-inspired-shoes%2Fconverse-unisex-chuck-taylor-all-star-sneaker-unisex-shoes%2F2123023793%2Fdetail" width="1" />  </img></span><a href="http://www.beso.com/adult-costumes/bad-news-bears-yellow-belt-adult/2351340385/detail?af_assettype_id=4&af_creative_id=5&af_id=44772&af_placement_id=1&rf=af1" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">yellow belt</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="1" src="https://adserve.shopzilla.com/img/publisherID-44772/assetID-5/placementID-1/url-http:%2F%2Fwww.beso.com%2Fadult-costumes%2Fbad-news-bears-yellow-belt-adult%2F2351340385%2Fdetail" width="1" /></span></div></img><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="background: white; border-bottom: #bfbfbf 1px solid; border-left: #bfbfbf 1px solid; border-right: #bfbfbf 1px solid; border-top: #bfbfbf 1px solid; display: block; position: relative; width: 430px;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="150" scrolling="no" src="http://widget.shopstyle.com/widget?pid=uid6676-2041974-73&look=2592277&size=Small&width=6&height=1&layouttype=0&border=0&footer=0" width="430"></iframe><br /><div style="bottom: 2px; height: 18px; left: 0px; line-height: 12px; position: absolute; width: 100%;"><div style="left: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 2px; position: absolute;"><a href="http://www.shopstyle.com/browse/Puma#pid=uid6676-2041974-73" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; color: #606060; font: 11px verdana, sans-serif; text-decoration: underline;">More Puma...</a></div><div style="padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 4px; padding-top: 3px; position: absolute; right: 0px;"><a href="http://www.shopstyle.com/#pid=uid6676-2041974-73" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;"><img alt="ShopStyle" src="http://resources.shopstyle.com/im/widget/ShopStyleLogo_powered_small.png" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /></img></a></div></div></div></div>

a stay-at-home mom's take on "casual friday"

View the following photos with this song running through your hot little heads: Most of these things are not like the others. Most of these ...

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i'm a little bit country...i'm a little bit OCD...

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Please. Not a step further until I apologize. The flats that you're about to see are atrocious. I'm thoroughly embarrassed and would redo all these photos if I had the time. And wasn't lazy. But...I don't and I am. Sorry. (I actually switched to <a href="http://adayinlifetoo.blogspot.com/2010/12/celllllluhbrate-good-times-come-on-lets.html">these mary jane heels</a> and took one photo, below. Your imaginations will have to shoe-swap the rest, okay? C'mon, we've all seen Barney [unfortunately]. This is what he trained us to do.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi94kuHVIihzsk8Qxs0ZHKbSsOrq8pmPmbdJYNaeA3aKt6I7G85xbCM2gZqhXNKV4JYX6zfTfhTf_IRb-1fLmOEI4GWd11SEyDIV4p0YJHVgaB_fJtV04849YrR53gNHEBNP2JIccQ-AULn/s1600/I1britt3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi94kuHVIihzsk8Qxs0ZHKbSsOrq8pmPmbdJYNaeA3aKt6I7G85xbCM2gZqhXNKV4JYX6zfTfhTf_IRb-1fLmOEI4GWd11SEyDIV4p0YJHVgaB_fJtV04849YrR53gNHEBNP2JIccQ-AULn/s400/I1britt3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">shoes: mudd brand. pants, shirt, & jacket: gap. (i have too many gap clothes. this is embarrassing.) belt: don't recall. scarf: sweden. bracelet: f21.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCaTZwkov9AN76L62J6Gj4UiVH-CDLdJna4bptIgFZ31DfUZ7ynG-MYSxB3PCJNkQJlWWOOB04KhloS-hxmgzVHlpheIPl6MSg9gzwF27iiMnzumx4NpVhiwO6f3B0gZ-M1lf2bSXc-CgK/s1600/I1britt1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCaTZwkov9AN76L62J6Gj4UiVH-CDLdJna4bptIgFZ31DfUZ7ynG-MYSxB3PCJNkQJlWWOOB04KhloS-hxmgzVHlpheIPl6MSg9gzwF27iiMnzumx4NpVhiwO6f3B0gZ-M1lf2bSXc-CgK/s400/I1britt1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Chipped fingernail polish, anyone? Don't mind if I do...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWj9ZPBWauWHQ9awJyrnXkArLqP5m9Qs7wjL276phrQMboxAa0C_jnHvj4kQ2LZc08ipL9e2pR3PzlTYhwj1FtUkSMYiqLUmUgREfcehZG1k-cWPT7io8iQjxPtqqOz4O1ec_fX726phZy/s1600/I1britt2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWj9ZPBWauWHQ9awJyrnXkArLqP5m9Qs7wjL276phrQMboxAa0C_jnHvj4kQ2LZc08ipL9e2pR3PzlTYhwj1FtUkSMYiqLUmUgREfcehZG1k-cWPT7io8iQjxPtqqOz4O1ec_fX726phZy/s400/I1britt2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div align="center">This whole week is dedicated to my <a href="http://adayinlifetoo.blogspot.com/2011/01/closet-therapy-step-1-purge.html">closet purge</a> hit-list. As in, I have to find a way to wear these clothes this week or they're outta here. The pants and shirt you see here were actually borderline gone. I like these plaid trousers but have a hard time wearing them for some reason. (And if paired with those flats ever again, they'll be banished forever. That's a promise. And, sure, a threat too. Double-whammy.) And I like this lightweight cable-knit tee, but I feel like the neck's a little too high for my build and makes me look super square if I'm not careful. Or even if I am.</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">So. I thought a scarf would "hide" the neckline of the shirt (or at least distract from it), and this scarf in particular picks up one of the colors of the plaid pants. Bingo. Throw on a bracelet that matches the scarf, and we've got the blind leading the blind on some sort of express train to...nowhere. But sometimes nowhere is a nice place to visit. Especially if they leave mints on your pillow there.</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">I added a belt simply because I'm addicted. There, I admitted it. I have a belting problem. And I added a jacket because my arms were getting cold. I would've loved a navy or dark brown drapey cardigan here, but I have neither of those items, so I found an alternative: white denim. Hah! Like, in the total other direction as a soft cardi, but I'm okay with it. I think it goes with the overall look just fine.</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">I'm off to disgrace those flats in front of their peers now. Ciao.</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">Happy Monday.</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Want this look?   </span><a href="http://www.beso.com/ann-taylor-loft/womens-pants/loft-womens-brown-plaid-tall-julie-randi-plaid-trouser-pants/2249611451/detail?af_assettype_id=4&af_creative_id=5&af_id=44772&af_placement_id=1&rf=af1" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">trousers</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">   <img border="0" height="1" src="https://adserve.shopzilla.com/img/publisherID-44772/assetID-5/placementID-1/url-http:%2F%2Fwww.beso.com%2Fann-taylor-loft%2Fwomens-pants%2Floft-womens-brown-plaid-tall-julie-randi-plaid-trouser-pants%2F2249611451%2Fdetail" width="1" /></img></span><a href="http://www.beso.com/new-york-company/womens-blazers/womens-white-wide-neck-cableknit-sweater-by-new-york-company-size-small/2346410610/detail?af_assettype_id=4&af_creative_id=5&af_id=44772&af_placement_id=1&rf=af1" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">cableknit</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="1" src="https://adserve.shopzilla.com/img/publisherID-44772/assetID-5/placementID-1/url-http:%2F%2Fwww.beso.com%2Fnew-york-company%2Fwomens-blazers%2Fwomens-white-wide-neck-cableknit-sweater-by-new-york-company-size-small%2F2346410610%2Fdetail" width="1" />   </img></span><a href="http://www.beso.com/old-navy/womens-scarves-shawls/old-navy-womens-floral-print-jersey-scarves/2330442693/detail?af_assettype_id=4&af_creative_id=5&af_id=44772&af_placement_id=1&rf=af1" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">scarf</span></a><img border="0" height="1" src="https://adserve.shopzilla.com/img/publisherID-44772/assetID-5/placementID-1/url-http:%2F%2Fwww.beso.com%2Fold-navy%2Fwomens-scarves-shawls%2Fold-navy-womens-floral-print-jersey-scarves%2F2330442693%2Fdetail" width="1" /></img></div><br /><div style="background: white; border-bottom: #bfbfbf 1px solid; border-left: #bfbfbf 1px solid; border-right: #bfbfbf 1px solid; border-top: #bfbfbf 1px solid; display: block; position: relative; width: 424px;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="244" name="shopstyle_search" scrolling="no" src="http://widget.shopstyle.com/widget?pid=uid6676-2041974-73&fts=women%20brown%20plaid%20wide-leg%20dress%20pants&width=3&height=1&border=0&footer=0" width="424"></iframe><br /><div style="bottom: 2px; height: 18px; left: 0px; line-height: 12px; position: absolute; width: 100%;"><div style="left: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 2px; position: absolute;"><a href="http://www.shopstyle.com/browse?fts=women%20brown%20plaid%20wide-leg%20dress%20pants#pid=uid6676-2041974-73" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; color: #606060; font: 11px verdana, sans-serif; text-decoration: underline;">women brown plaid wide-leg dress pants</a></div><div style="padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 4px; padding-top: 3px; position: absolute; right: 0px;"><a href="http://www.shopstyle.com/#pid=uid6676-2041974-73" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;"><img alt="ShopStyle" src="http://resources.shopstyle.com/im/widget/ShopStyleLogo_powered.png" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /></img></a></div></div></div>

i'm a little bit country...i'm a little bit OCD...

Please. Not a step further until I apologize. The flats that you're about to see are atrocious. I'm thoroughly embarrassed and would...

Read more »