NFL Spell: Love You to Saturn and Back

Boots: Simply Vera, Kohl's

Sweater: Club Room, Macy's

Bag: Sleepyville Critters, Zulily

Turtleneck: So, Kohl's

Unshrinking Violet Necklace

Bag: Gifted

Sweater: Jessica Simpson, Belk

Skirt: Almost Famous, Kohl's

Sassy Silver Necklace

Sweater: IZ Buyer, Kohl's

Bag: Delia's, Dolls Kill

Sweater: Maison Jules, Amazon

Blast Days of Disco Necklace

I've been wearing lots of stripes lately.  It wasn't the plan, but then maybe the universe -- or Saturn -- had other ideas.  Either way, the result was a happy horizon of color.  The sweater in the first fit is actually a men's small from Macy's.  But the big orange bow, which is Wild Fable from Target, tipped the scales back to girly.  Target offered the bows in all colors (I also have red and yellow) and was marketing them with see-through bags this fall in, ahem, a clear and perhaps Taylor Swift-inspired campaign targeted toward football fan fashionistas.  Which, despite not being into sports, I found fun.  Because I'm forever Team Bow.

And Team Swifty.  

Candy Kitsch Wish: Endless Love

Skirt: Dolls Kill

Top: Madden Girl, Kohl's

Pink bracelet: Belk; Jeweled bracelet: Zulily

Shoes: Nine West, Kohl's; Socks: Zulily

Barrette: Wild Fable, Target

Disco Diva Necklace

Bag: Royal Monk, ModCloth

Skirt: Tinseltown, Macy's; Bag: Madden Girl, Macy's

Vintage valentine, mom's kitchen.

Top: Mighty Fine, Kohl's

More from Mom's kitchen.

Top: Love Fire, Macy's; Shoes: LC Lauren Conrad, Kohl's

Partying heart-y.

Rainbow Romance Necklace

Bag: Betsey Johnson, Macy's

Bow: Target

Valentine's Day may be over, but I wasn't about to let that stop me from posting the rest of my festive fits.    

So here's to loving love and following your heart.  

And always looking, more or less, like a big, frilly box of chocolates. 💖🎀🍫

Shower Hour

Dress: kimi + kai, Belk

My sister and me.

Shoes: Katy Perry Collection

Bunny: Michaels

Bag: Madden Girl, Macy's

Blouse: Bongo, Sears

Big bow barrette (belt): Kohl's

Mommy and me.

Why not kick off Mother's Day weekend with the baby shower that my mom threw me last weekend?  It wasn't a surprise -- which was what I wanted -- and was held at my cousin's restaurant, the Maplewood III.  Everything was beautiful.  My mom outdid herself with the decorations, as did my cousin with the food.  Most importantly, opening all those bottles, onesies, and teethers made me realize that a tiny new person will come to live with the husband and me very soon.     

Even as I write this, I can feel baby girl kick.  All of my doctors say that she's "a very busy baby," and one even asked if I'd had caffeine!  (Just for the record, I hadn't.)  It's amazing to think that she's got her own little life going on in there.  Even if I'm a little worried that I won't be able to keep up with her once she comes out.

That said, I know I went overboard with these pics.  But I couldn't decide.  Because the ones at home are all perfect and posed, whereas the ones at the shower are more natural, right down to my outfit unraveling.  Yet all of them are part of my story.  Because as with most things in life, the truth -- and the true me -- fall somewhere in the middle.     

This is the kind of corny kernel that baby girl can expect to hear regularly.  All I can say is, kid, get used to it. 😏🎀👶

Fall is for Foliage . . . and Brights and Big Denim

Sweater: LC Lauren Conrad, Kohl's; Coat: JouJou, Macy's

Shoes: Betsey Johnson, Macy's

Bag: LC Lauren Conrad, Kohl's

 Jeans: Wild Fable, Target

Bag: Betsey Johnson, Amazon; Shoes: Chase & Chloe, Zulily

Headband: Kohl's

Tights: Poof, Boscov's

Top: LC Lauren Conrad, Kohl's

Skirt: Rewind, Kohl's

Jeans and bag: LC Lauren Conrad, Kohl's

Top: Jessica Simpson Style, Belk

It's gotten a little cooler, and when that happens, I like to go brighter.  Because nothing beats gloom and doom like a light show of color.  That said, by the time winter blows in, I'll resemble a radioactive, rainbow snow cone.  Until then, I'm ramping up with fruit motifs, a glimpse of faux fur, and some necklaces I made forever ago.  

On an unrelated note, the older I get, the more I love big jeans (as evidenced by the roomy and, yes, rhinestone-studded sparklers I'm sporting above).  Gone are the days when I'd pour myself into circulation-compromising skinnies and think, yep, you're worth suffering for.  This hit home last spring when my mom and I were out to dinner and I had to unbutton my jeggings grandpa-at-Thanksgiving-style to enjoy my crab imperial. 

On another unrelated note, here are the places I wore these outfits: Target, Michaels, the post office, and the doctor's office.  The doc's was where I debuted my big jeans.  

And then, of course, I went back to Target.