Outfit Roundup and Some Festival Medley

Happy Memorial Day! Please remember to take a moment out of your day to remember the reason why today is a national holiday.

BF and I have been busy this long weekend and are planning to take it easy today with some Super Mario Galaxy 2 game and enjoying our new grill. Here's a medley of some of my outfits through this weekend. Yes, I dug into the comfort department and pretty much shorted it for most of the weekend.

Sweater: Per Una by Marks and Spencer (worn here before)

Tank: Gap Body

Shorts: Old Navy pleated cotton

Shoes: Keds Spright wedges (worn here and here before)

Shirt: J. Crew Perfect Fit sunshine peony (now on sale in stores)

Shorts: J. Crew chino

Belt: Forever 21

Shoes: Etienne Aigner Roz

Shirt: Lands' End Canvas gingham poplin (worn here before)

Shorts: J. Crew chino

Belt: J. Crew snake embossed

Shoes: Franco Sarto

Bracelet: Old Navy enamel

And because my hair won't be looking like this again any time soon, here's a pic of it right back from the salon on Friday:

Some of you asked for it, here are some quick pics from the Renaissance Festival. Next weekend is the last weekend, so go if you haven't had a chance to yet! Yes, there is some cheesy goodness x10, but the BF and I still had a ton of fun and enjoyed the day.

Course one: Me knawing on a smoked turkey leg. The fair food is part of any festival fun!

New friends. Old friends.

So we spent a day and night away with friends, a group of ten; five couples. As a group we are all quite different and know each other through a combination of babies (our kids are the same age), rugby (the men played in the same teams), schools (most of our kids started off at the same school; now some have changed). All local, all about the same age, except for me. They are all turning 40 this year, I am a few years younger.

The day was spent having a lazy, sunny pub lunch, then a long, long walk along the South Downs Way which is about the prettiest and most quintessential of English countryside walks. Cow Parsley in abundance. Then an evening of more food and drink, lots of laughing.

Sounds perfect? But I must admit I come away feeling abit...strange. I can't quite put my finger on why but I suspect it's something to do with those moments when you observe yourself from the outside looking in. They are good friends, valued and precious and we have lots in common.

But they are not, in entirety, the same as my old friends. There isn't quite that same easy feeling of familiarity with all of them and I felt slightly conspicuous as I am different. I am abit too interested in clothes (whereas some of them completely disregard fashion), I am abit too into home-comforts (whereas they like to camp and I am not talking 'glamping' = glamorous camping; they like to rough it). They compete in marathons and triathlons (I like a nice run). They seem very sensible (I feel more frivolous). It's like we have all moved on to the next phase in life...all of our children are at school. Life seems quite serious all of a sudden, with decisions about careers and parenting and investments.

Differences are the essence of some friendships, but at times they grate. I think...deep down...I miss my girlfriends. As in my girly-girl, dressing-up, frippery and fun, old loyal friends. So whilst I had a great weekend, and I love those local friends dearly, I think it's shown me I need a fix! If any of this group read this...I think we need to set a date to catch up... :-)

young'n's

WWW#41

'"Epoisses De Bourgogne" is a cheese so smelly it is banned from being taken on public transport in its native France. Fact.'

old golfballs, shredded tyres and rope. i shit you not.

The Legend

The rock musician and poet Bob Dylan was in town last night.

Words are not enough to describe my feelings about this man. 

He's a just a legend and one of the most influential figures of the last 50 years. 

The show was exceptional, I loved every second. 

I'm so happy I had the chance to see him and listen him singing and playing the keyboards and harmonica. 

It was an unforgettable concert and an unforgettable night. 

MYMOO (GREEK BRAND) SHORT ROMPER 

Bikini bottom...

Last week's glimpse of proper, hot summer sun had a profound effect and I promptly got online and ordered a bikini. As our annual summer holiday basically consists of living in a bikini, I do own a few. I have tried numerous types but always go back to a classic version. Comfort is key. The best I have had is from Jack Wills; unexpected I know, as this brand is mainly geared for 18 year old well-to-do British students in high brow University cities, with money to burn. Anyway, they do great swimwear that lasts and lasts. So, order I did. In a bright floral sprig, just ready for tanned skin and summer loveliness.

Said bikini arrived, I whisked it on and noted that the bottom seemed slightly...how can I say? Skimpy. Has my bottom grown? I already have a bikini of this size and style and it fits like a dream; where have I gone wrong? My friend P is eminently sensible and very good at judging the 'mutton dressed as lamb' phenomenon that can afflict women of our age. We discuss the bikini bottom coverage, she maintains that support is needed in the bottom area, much like a bra. I am not so sure. Do I want to spend three weeks of my holiday with my bottom trussed up? I think not. Plan B is to run ALOT between now and then in an attempt to achieve the coveted bikini-bottom bottom. My ridiculously (and charmingly) motivated sister in law has been doing thrice-weekly spinning classes to reach this goal.

There is only one thing for it...where are my trainers? The countdown to summer sun is on. Mwah!

Stay Tuned...

for some uber exciting news! I'm in Chi-town now and I just made the purchase of a lifetime! More to come on Tuesday!

A Late Dress Week Addition

I'm back from a day of frolicking at the Renaissance Festival (BF and I actually went - and though we're exhausted, we both actually had a really good time!) FYI to you Atlanta-area folks - this weekend at the festival is two tickets for the price of one, and I totally think it's worth going. And I highly recommend planning to pay for your tickets with cash - zero line waiting.

More on the Festival laters, but I thought I'd drop in a quick post to cover my outfit for going to dinner with the BF tonight. This is also my late addition to Dress Week, being hosted by Melanie at Unravelled Threads. Thought I'd keep the accessorizing simple since there was already a whole lot going on with the print:

Dress: Ann Taylor Loft poplin striped (seen here before)

Belt: Anthropologie, from the Swirling Villages dress by Moulinette Soeurs

Shoes: Kenneth Cole Reaction Pine-A-Colada

Thanks to Melanie for hosting Dress Week!

New 5th Column

Him. And Me. And them. Us.

My husband (Mr Lou as he has been named) and I have been together since I was 18 years old and he was 22. He and I grew up on the same street; he lived at number 4 and I lived at number 5. We have been married for over ten years now, together for eighteen. I have so few adult memories that he was not a part of. We got together the first term I spent at University. But he lived in our home town and I travelled back and forth and we did the long distance thing for a few years.

A best friend, L, who was my bridesmaid and who has known us both since our first unplanned date told me to read back on this post about our two children, a girl and a boy and their characteristics. It was to see how much it actually described my husband and I.

I wrote this without any thought - it's what struck me first when I thought him and me:

Him

Sturdy build, dependable, strong.
Smells like freshly washed cotton.
At a party, always always the last to go home.
The first to invite everyone and anyone back to our house - Mr Hospitality.
Spontaneous.
Fit, muscular, did I mention strong?
Charming, funny, sharp-witted.
Outrageous - I worry who gets seated next to him at dinner parties, as he offends!
Honest.
Full of integrity.
Fearless.
Confident.
Responsible (most of the time!).
Messy, mucky.
Sport-watcher, sport-player, all things sport.

Me

Gangly, long-limbed.
Smells like Diptique Fig perfume.
Early to bed. Bed lover.
Obsessive planner.
Dry wit.
Big on etiquette.
Erudite, intellectual, well-read.
Sentimental, nostalgic.
Tidy.
Glass is half empty.
Stalwart friend.
Deep and meaningful.
Worrier.
Shopper.
Trashy TV watcher.

I thought, surely not, I am sure it does not bear a close resemblance. Does the apple really fall that far from the tree? Have we created two new 'mini-me's'? And for us, do opposites always attract?!

1950's family frolicks...

Repeat Offender

Haven't you seen this dress before on this blog? UMMM...yeah...kinda like alot. Don't act like you don't repeat your clothes. I remember seeing an episode  of MTV Cribs years ago and I will never forget that they were featuring Damon Dash (Jay-z's former business...aww..forget it, I'm not on their payroll, you can google him:) Well, I remember watching and he said that he doesn't wear his sneakers or his shirts twice. AS IN...he would wear some sneakers on Monday and literally give them away or throw them away. Really dude? Really? You couldn't ship those kicks over to countries where kids are getting shot with pellot guns for running barefoot to school to get a subpar education?? Anyway...yeah, you've seen this dress before.

The reason you are seeing it yet again is because the dress with this thrifted Ralph Lauren striped buttoned down somehow became the cutest thing in the world to me. (It doesn't take much to please me:) Then, I was looking for shoes and thought OOOOHHHH I'll wear the Aldo shoes that I thrifted from trusty Goodwill!! Hence, you are seeing the dress again. Sue me. Real people repeat their clothes.  You better ask somebody:)

So, it was Thursday and I couldn't wait until the weekend to see the Sex and The City 2 Movie (don't worry, I won't spoil anything for you:). I rearranged my whole after work routine to go see it. The following is what happened in my quest to see the movie:

1. Got Crawfish juice in my eye.

2. Wasted water on my phone while eating.

3. Watched my phone have seizures right before my eyes.

4. Left restaraunt to run errands w my sis n law. (who insisted on calling me Cinderella for wearing a poofy dress, lol)

5. Realized I lost my keys.

6. Found keys back at the "crawfish in my eye" restaraunt

7. Finally made it to the movie. *

8. Took pictures of my shoes in the theater.

9. Watched some drunk ladies get escorted out of the movie theater because they were cackling through the whole movie. (That was pretty funny.)

10. There is no # 10...isn't 1 thru 9 enough?

Don't cry for me though, it's a 3 day weekend! And I have exactly one week from today before my summer vacation starts!

*I think my expectations were too high but  the clothes/style/fashion in the movie was visually stimulating enough to satisfy me. It wasn't bad. I feel like I need to see it again just to focus on one of the characters at a time. My eyes were trying to take in too much visually at one time! lol.*

And thank you to Lori from His/Hers blog for the shout out!( Click here)

Follow my blog with bloglovin