Constructing Christmas: Mint to Twee

Dessert blocks: Best Choice Products, Macy's

Rainbow Christmas Necklace

Shoes: B.A.I.T., Zulily; Socks: Amazon

Season's readings.

Sunglasses: Wild Fable, Target

Bangles: B Fabulous; Rings: PinkBopp

Tag brag.

Cardigan: Candyland for Dolls Kill

Christmas isn't Christmas without sugary goodness.  Not only to give as gifts and gobble at galas, but to devour after battling crowds and wrapping presents that may or may not be returned.  No doubt about it, cookies and candy take the edge off.  Yet as much as I love eating treats, I love looking at them even more.  So to kick off Christmas, I donned my Candy Land cardi and built a wee wonderland from Charlotte's dessert blocks.  It made me feel not only festive but peaceful, like I could hide from all the holiday hoopla in a fortress of saccharine solitude.

To paraphrase Green Day, wake me up when December ends -- and leave Andes mints on my pillow.

Rose and Turquoise Joys . . .

Skirt: Wild Fable, Target

Boots: Circus NY by Sam Edelman, DSW

Bag: Betsey Johnson, Macy's; Charm: Carole, JCPenney

Top: Madden Girl, Boscov's

Top: ELLE, Kohl's; Skirt: Dolls Kill

Bag: Betsey Johnson, Marshalls

Sweater: Nine West, Kohl's

Bag: Betsey Johnson, Boscov's

Southwest Statement Necklace

Coat: Wild Fable, Target

Big belt: Marshalls; Smaller belt: JCPenney

Boots: So, Kohl's

. . . because rose and turquoise sound better than pink and blue.  Also, my new Southwest Statement Necklace.  

Even if it isn't turquoise but howlite. 😏

Thanksgiving Living

Autumn aesthetic.

Squirrel girl.

Charlotte's new favorite book.

Hallway harvest.

Coat: LC Lauren Conrad, Kohl's

Mom's place settings.

Mom's tablescape.

Top: Madden Girl, Macy's; Skirt: ModCloth

Garland: Michaels

A can-do Thanksgiving.

Bag, pouch: LC Lauren Conrad, Kohl's; Acorn ring: Decoration from some old dessert

The holidays are never perfect.  Still, I sometimes often succumb to the hype that they should be.  So this Thanksgiving, in addition to the posing and pageantry, I'm serving reality.  

In this last pic, Char Bar has collided with my lipstick for the third time, staining her clothes.  And I'm handling it with my usual grace and equanimity.  Granted, a makeup malfunction is a bogus thing to bemoan -- especially considering my sister missed Thanksgiving because her youngest was sick.  But in that moment, my micro-misfortune was magnified, blocking out all thoughts except momlife is hard.  

Three slices of pie later, I was feeling more zen.  So much so that I remembered something.  Five Thanksgivings ago, I was gearing up to start fertility testing, which I started but never finished.  The whole thing made me panicky, and I decided it wasn't meant to be.  And now here I was with this beautiful baby.  Sure, she snatched my bookmarks and deprived me of sleep and flung her pears on the floor.  But I loved her more than anything and couldn't imagine life without her.

So Charlotte, you're what I'm thankful for, this Thanksgiving and every Thanksgiving after.  

Also that for Christmas you can wear red, camouflaging the lipstick.     

Saddle Baggage: Greener Pastures

Top and skirt: LC Lauren Conrad: Kohl's

Bag: Apt. 9, Kohl's

One of my old leaf barrettes.

Shoes: Katy Perry Collection

Dress: Candie's, Kohl's; Top: Madden Girl, Kohl's

One of my oldest necklaces.

Bag: Mix No. 6, DSW

Coat: ModCloth

Shoes: Madden Girl, Kohl's; Tights: A New Day, Target

Boots: Penny Loves Kenny, Amazon

Go for the Golden Girl Necklace

Top: A. Byer, Boscov's

Lyla Sage's Wild and Wrangled: A tale of lovers with luscious locks.

Bag: Madden Girl, Kohl's; Scarf charm: A New Day, Target

Green seems big this season.  Emerald, jade, and evergreen are springing from racks like leaves.  Then again, I've been seeing lots of burgundy too.  So maybe it's more of a Christmas thing and not a trend.  Either way, I'm in.

I especially love when green winks at western, like in my equestrian blouse.  When I saw it in Boscov's, I was immediately transported back to the '90s.  Tween me had at least one turtleneck sporting a stable motif, and I thought it was all the rage.  So I bought the blouse.  Because it was fun and fed that nostalgia.  Even if it also brought back memories of getting made fun of for my outfits -- and for saying things like "all the rage."  It was a nice reminder that my world has grown so much since then.

And that believing in your style -- and yourself -- is the happy trail Holy Grail.

Little Leopards, Every Flair

Skirt: Wild Fable, Target

Sweater: On 34th, Macy's

Shoes: Madden Girl, Amazon

Bag: Amazon; Sunglasses: Nordstrom Rack

Sweater: Candie's, Kohl's; Skirt: Vanilla Star, Macy's

Bag and charm: Madden Girl, Kohl's

Bag: Betsey Johnson, Boscov's

Jeans: Wild Fable, Target

Socks: Macy's

Tee: Rebellious One, Macy's

Heart and Rainbows Necklace

Bag: Madden Girl, Macy's

Barrettes: SHEIN; Clips: Wild Fable, Target

Leopard's for rebels.  Leopard's for ladies.  Leopard's tacky.  Leopard's classy.  In other words, leopard's a neutral.

Because no matter what kind of cat you are, there's a little leopard in all of us.