Stylish Little Men: Elias and Grace

So it's been absolutely ages since I did one of my Stylish Little Men posts. With two little men to dress now, I thought it was time to bring it back; especially when I spotted the cute duds at Elias and Grace - courtesy of a blog post on Babyccino Kids.

I will say this, though: this particular edition is more of a mood board than anything else. Don't get me wrong - it's adorable stuff! But when you can spend £30 on a pair of baby leggings (WTF?) and £80 on a toddler's jumper, it's time to admit that the prices have no basis in reality. I haven't spent £80 on a jumper for me! Let alone someone who will outgrow it in 6-months and get wee, porridge, vomit, and Nutella on it in the meantime.

1) A t-shirt and jean shorts is always a good way to go. Stain-friendly and low-maintenance without looking babyish.
2) Oh look! It's the £80 jumper and a pair of jeans. Seriously. If I'm paying £80 for a jumper for my toddler, I want it to wash itself, and perhaps be made of mithril so it never wears through or snags on the car seat clips or swings at the playground. At least the Breton stripe is a good place to start, style-wise.
3) Olive khaki is a brilliant colour for a coat. It's the sort of piece that means that even when your kid does decide to dress themselves, they never have to look like they dressed themselves.
4) A button-down cardigan is a great piece. And, provided it's not a filthy day at the playground, it can be dressed up or down for just about any sort of day out.
5) Striped t-shirts are lovely, and putting the stripes on a diagonal on the breast pocket is a nice touch.
6) When it comes to the littler boys, a side-button onesie is a great idea. For sick days and doctor's trips, having the option to get them undressed without having to fight to get things over a sweet little melon-head is great. Plus, with leggings, all but the most explosive of nappy changes can be accomplished without sacrificing an entire outfit.

For now, though, I'm back to finishing Hot Fuzz before walking the boys to the health visitors' clinic and a trip to the playground.

Mommy Mondays: Changing Weather

Thanks to my mother-in-law, I got a lovely day off last week to do some shopping for myself while she looked after the boys.

The only new item here is the skirt. With the weather finally shaping up to be nice again, it felt good to pick up a few things. The skirt is an H&M basic, so it was only about £7 in the end. H&M is brilliant for inexpensive basics like the stretchy skirt, tank tops, cardigans, and leggings. Also, it's the best place I've found over here for jeans - both normal and maternity. Usually jeans shopping is a pain, but knowing now that H&M have cuts that fit my shape makes the whole thing a breeze.

It's been fun lately trying on new looks with my chambray top. I'd been meaning to get one for ages. It's a brilliant neutral to mix & match with different things. I like the idea of dressing it up with the skirt for family things at church or a date night. I'll have to see both of those pieces in other outfits as the weather keeps improving. Especially as we have a get-away planned with my parents to the coast!

Mommy Mondays: transitional pieces

So as we keep moving on towards figuring out what our new normal is - and I start getting to the gym and going back to my normal - it's time to start building up my workable wardrobe again. There's not too much I need, but since "normal" is bound to be in flux for us for a while, it's nice to have things that work both now and later. Like tops that allow for breastfeeding, but aren't specifically maternity. Witness:

Sainsbury's has really been revamping their TU clothing line lately. I stopped in the other night after our date to grab some supplies and had to take a peek. Loads of lovely new tops and jeggings; jumpers and dresses. This chambray top has already proved brilliant for feeding Tristan, plus - while I'm still in transition back to my usual size - it's really forgiving of my mummy tummy.

It's nice to know I can be casual and baby-spit-up friendly and still look nice.

Speaking of looking nice, the Husband and I got a date night on Saturday. With the boys both in the care of their grandparents - at E's request...he badgered me all week to go see them - we got the chance to head out into Newbury town centre and have a nice dinner out. We apparently have a thing for Italian food. Our first date was at a place called Carluccio's; our last date before I went back to the States was at Ask; our first anniversary dinner was at Bella Italia...and now our first date since having two kids is back at Ask again. Seriously: it's becoming a trend. Of course, to really do it justice we ought to go to Italy itself. After all; it's not that far away!

Mommy Mondays: Back Again

So it's been a while since I've done a Mommy Monday post. Hey: when your maternity wardrobe consists of about 8 separate pieces of clothing, there's not much to show before it all gets old. Anyway, now that I'm not sporting that whole 'smuggling watermelons' look, it's back to the rest of my wardrobe...slowly, but surely.

First of all: yes, I'm still wearing my maternity jeans. They've held up much better this time, so it's worth getting as much wear out of them as possible before I shed the rest of the baby weight and get back into my normal clothes.

Second of all: I love this cardi. It's brilliant. Despite being a very bright shade of magenta, it's very versatile. And the top from White Stuff is one I got when I was pregnant. The silhouette is great because I could wear it both pregnant and postpartum. Plus, the cowl neck makes for a great pull-down access for breastfeeding. At only 6 weeks out, that's definitely still a high priority.

And as an added note: the watch! For Christmas I finally bought the wanderlust watch from Feral. Such a good decision. I've been wearing it most of the time. It's really silly, but having a wrist watch makes me feel inexplicably grown up.

So, for now, it's time to get back to behaving like a grown-up. I've got laundry to fold, floors to vacuum, and Thank You cards to post. Looks like things are getting back on track!

The Devil's in the Details

At times like this when it's not really practical to do much clothes shopping, I do tend to turn my attention to all the little details and accessories I could use to alter and augment my look instead. After all; earrings will still work and scarves will still coordinate whether I'm 7 months pregnant or 6 weeks postpartum.

So what sorts of little trinkets am I looking forward to possibly gifting myself with this Christmas?

1) I'm a sucker for plaid and I love this scarf from Zara. If I could have button-down shirts and throw blankets in this sort of plaid, too, I'd be on it all in a heartbeat.

2) Much as I tend to have my mobile in my pocket, it feels like a very grown-up thing to have a proper watch to wear...and I'm pretty picky about watches. This Wanderlust watch from Feral would be loads of fun, and just slim enough in the band not to get on my nerves.

3) I don't usually go in for cocktail rings, but when I spotted this one from Crave Jewelry over on Diana's blog, I had to admit it looked pretty cute. And I like a nice way to add some pops of colour to my wardrobe...especially in the winter, and especially when I keep finding myself drawn to lots of greys and other neutrals in my clothes.

4) Seriously, I don't know what it was that made me change my mind so much about leopard print. These Russell & Bromley shoes would be a lovely addition once my feet are down to a normal size again!

5) This Anna Joyce clutch is gorgeous. Yes, I'll be spending most of my time toting nappy bags around over the coming months, but for those times when I can get away with nothing but a clutch, something like this would do the job perfectly.

6)  I've been loving my new necklace from Edor Jewelry. Anyone who's been following me on Twitter or Instagram has caught sight of my snaps of it...I've been wearing it most days lately. I'm getting in all the wear I can before it has to be traded in for a while in favour of more baby-friendly jewelry!

Anything you've been coveting lately? I'd love to hear about it in the comments!

Budget Babe: New Mummy Edition. The HATCH-to-Hospital Box

I have a confession to make. I'm not enjoying pregnancy this time around. It's only been 20 weeks and already I'm counting the days until the end of December. I know I won't enjoy the immediate aftermath of giving birth any more than I'm enjoying being pregnant (which is nearly not at all), but at least I'll have a cute new baby to watch Ethan play with.

So, in my please-get-this-baby-out-of-me anticipation of the end of the year, I got inordinately excited when I saw this: the HATCH-to-Hospital Box. A gorgeous pair of knickers, a cosy nightshirt and robe, and some ultra luxe cashmere socks. The only niggle? It's an exorbitant $248! (Or, for those of us who need to do the conversion, £160; which is still too much.)

via, hatchcollection.com

My eyes nearly popped out of my head when I saw that price tag. Of course, it didn't stop me coveting that set. I may even have my pregnancy hormones to thank for making me cry about not getting nice things when I'm so fed up with gestating a tiny human. Thankfully, the Husband suggested a project: find an alternative to each piece in the HATCH-to-Hospital set and blog about it! All the other blogs I checked were simply touting the virtues of HATCH's latest indulgence (check here, here, here, here, and here), and while I can get behind the mentality of, 'you're pushing a person out of your body: treat yourself!', I'm not exactly in a position to demand that my treat be £160's worth of post-birth night attire. So, with that in mind, let's take a look at some budget-friendly options to the super swank HATCH-to-Hospital Box.

The nightshirt:

1) ASOS's Alas celestial nightie @ £55.00. Quite a bit more colourful than the HATCH option, though it could, concievably, still cost just as much. But with 100% cotton jersey fabric, it ought to be just as comfy as the HATCH option in that gorgeous grey modal.

2) The DKNY Seven Easy Pieces sleepshirt is another great option, and much closer to the aesthetic of the HATCH shirt than the ASOS option. At £50.00 it's only slightly cheaper, but it is 93% modal, so the feel will probably approximate the HATCH original better.

3) The grey striped sleep tee from Debenhams's Lounge & Sleep line is the most economical option at only £14.00. It's not as wide and flowy as the other options, though, so it might be best to buy it in a bigger size than normal to accommodate that immediate post-birth wobble more comfortably. It's a 60/40 cotton-poly blend, so it doesn't necessarily sound quite as soft as the lived-in-tee-shirt feel you're meant to have with the HATCH shirt (and presumably get with the ASOS and DKNY options, as well), but those buttons look marginally breastfeeding-friendly if that's the route you take.

4) Seraphine's Gemma button down nightie is definitely the most breastfeeding friendly of our 'Match' options. No surprise there, as it comes from a company which does lovely maternity wear. And at £35.00, it hits the middle of our price range. The navy colour is lovely, though I'm not sure how that 97% viscose is going to feel in comparison to some of the other fabrics. And like the Debenhams sleep tee, I'd get this one a size or two bigger than you'd normally wear.

The robe:

1) The F&F striped jersey dressing gown from Tesco is a possible contender to do the job of the HATCH robe, but for less cash-ola. It's only £14.00, but with a thread content of 65% polyester, it may not be the most breathable of fabrics. So, if - like me - you run hotter when pregnant and nursing, this may not be the best replacement.

2) Mothercare's Blooming Marvellous charcoal maternity robe is 100% cotton and, in looks, is a brilliant substitute for the more expensive version by HATCH. Plus, at only £18.00, this more breathable, jersey-knit alternative won't set you back much more than the Tesco option. Looks like a winner to me.

3) If you'd like something a bit more glam, this Kiku enchanted crane kimono from ASOS is a brilliant choice. It's still 100% cotton, so you can still enjoy the comfort of those breathable, natural fibers while managing to look quite smart in those first bleary-eyed days of new-motherhood. (Yes, you count as a 'new' mother even if this is your sixth kid. New baby = new mummy.) At £68.00, this option is definitely more pricey than the first two, but when compiling your HATCH-to-hospital replacement pack, if you save elsewhere, you can certainly splurge here.

4) Mamas and Papas's grey hooded dressing gown hits the middle of the price range again at £35.00. But, at 95% viscose, I personally think you get better bang for your buck in terms of quality by going with the Mothercare robe. Plus, who wants to faff about with a superfluous hood anyway?

The knickers:

1) My first choice is a somewhat unorthodox one. Mothercare's over-the-bump briefs still have nice lacy details while providing full coverage; just like our HATCH original. However, for anyone else who's not terribly keen on under-the-bump bottoms, or who wants to avoid waistband chaffage near a c-section scar, these pants might be a nice option. Plus, they might help hold in the wobble a bit while you're still mostly bedridden and thus, make you feel a bit more together. Plus, they're 100% cotton and only £10.00 for a two-pack. Can't say fairer than that!

2) Debenhams's micromodal full cover briefs are a brilliant look-alike, and come in at only £6.50 per pair. These knickers will come close to the feel of HATCH's modal nightshirt against your skin, but they still have that ever-necessary cotton gusset to keep your lady-bits feeling fresh. Or, well, as fresh as they can be in those first days after squeezing out a person. (#letsbereal)

3) Intimissimi's cotton and embroidery French panties (wow, I can't stand that word) are a brilliant option if swish knickers are where you want to splurge in our HATCH Match kit. They're 88% cotton and only clock in at £12.99 per pair. Plus, with a boy-short cut, they seem a bit less likely to ride up, and at 88% cotton, don't need to rely on a natural fiber gusset to keep the swamp crotch at bay. (#letsbepainfullyreal)

4) The Hanro Moments briefs at John Lewis tip the scales on our cash-splashing for knickers at £23.50. But, they are 100% cotton and a full brief cut, so that money will get you good breathability and coverage. And again, with lace along the top seam and leg openings, it's a great look-alike for the HATCH original.

The socks:

1) The White Comapny's cashmere socks are a bit steep at £32 per pair...but then; they are 100% cashmere. Plus, in addition to the charcoal colour I've picked out, they also come in white, pink, and a grey that approximates our HATCH originals. Not a bad choice.

2) These L.L. Bean 12" socks are Merino wool rather than cashmere, but coming from this well-established New England outdoors brand, you know they'll keep your toes all toasty. And for $19.95 a pair (£12.80 for the rest of us), they're a bit cheaper than going for the all-out luxury of cashmere.

3) If you'd like a bit more colour in your snazzy cashmere socks, then try Pantherella's options from Woods of Shropshire. All made in England from English fibres, these babies are still 85% cashmere with a bit of stretch added in for durability. Plus, they only come in at a quite reasonable £19.50 per pair. Not bad for the luxury of cashmere!

4) These cute oatmeal socks from Toast ring up at only £19.50 per pair. Alas, they're also only 23% cashmere. Still, if you're not fussed about having a 100% cashmere sock, but just want something cute, cheap, and comfy, then these babies ought to do the trick nicely.

The Best:

So now it's time to weigh up all of our options. The HATCH-to-hospital box set, as you recall, clocks in at the tills at a whopping $248, or £160. From all the options in our Match sets, you could spend anywhere from £48.80 (Debenhams sleep shirt, F&F robe, Debenhams knickers, and L.L. Bean socks) all the way to £178.50 (Alas nightie, Kiku kimono, Hanro knickers, and White Company socks) recreating this pampering pack for your first post-birth days. Here are my picks for the best of each set.

The best sleep shirt: This, really, is where I would splurge and go for the DKNY sleep shirt. Since it's modal, it seems most likely to feel like the HATCH original, so I think it's worth the cash-splash. (£50.00)

The best robe: Much as I love the Kiku kimono, I think my no-contest winner in this case has to be the Blooming Marvellous robe from Mothercare. (£18.00)

The best knickers: As a fan of the boy-short cut, I think my heart goes out to the Intimissimi French pants. Plus, they're still 88% lovely, breathable cotton. (£12.99)

The best socks: Pantherella's socks are still more than 80% cashmere, like the White Company pair, but at only £19.50, they're definitely the more cost-effective option.

The best total: £100.49

So, for my favourite picks I still come in at the tills a good £60 under what I would pay to get the HATCH-to-hospital box. And, since all of my picks are from UK-based companies, I probably do even better once you factor in shipping costs versus the ability to buy at least 3/4 items directly in-store. Not bad for an afternoon's Googling!

What would your favourite picks be from this collection? Is there a good Match option you think I missed? Should I do another Budget Babe post like this one? Tell me in the comments!

Screen Style: Charlie and Lola

It's that time again. I've been meaning to get around to another Screen Style post for ages, but nothing was really catching my eye. I've watched a few new things here and there, but there's been nothing that really made me want to look into its style. Then I had A Moment.

I was letting E watch some Charlie and Lola the other day when the Autumn Special episode came on. Most years, when August rolls around I'm already jonesing for autumn without any extra encouragement. But this year, what really set of my wistful pining for dead leaves, crisp breezes, and all things pumpkin was this Charlie and Lola episode. Suddenly, I needed to tell E all about his birthday and pumpkin picking, and Halloween; and go out collecting acorns and conkers to decorate the table.

So in tribute to kickstarting my unhealthy recurring obsession with the last four months of the year, here's a look at the style of Charlie and Lola (with all due credit to Lauren Child, who wrote the books long before it was a TV show).

1) 'This room looks a bit like our house: there are lots of patterns everywhere!' That's how Lola describes Interior With Aubergines by Henri Matisse. With such an endorsement, I thought it was fitting to include a print of this painting. Of course, the same episode features works by Van Gogh, Lichtenstein, and Cedric Morris; so there's plenty of options if Matisse isn't your cup of tea.

2) The Orla Kiely abacus flower wallpaper looks like the sort of thing that ought to be in Charlie & Lola's kitchen. It has bold pattern and a pop of fun colour...and looks (especially in this picture) rather mid-century modern. The other image, from The Pursuit of Style, looks like Mrs. Summer's style, too.

3) For a more grown-up version of the square-ish rucksacks that Charlie and Lola carry, this Dr. Martens brown leather rucksack really does the trick. Even I could be convinced to go back to a two-strap bag if I had one like this.

4) Of course, no screen style post is complete without including a few outfits to try. This collection I cobbled together on Polyvore has looks for both Charlie and Lola...depending on who you'd rather emulate.

5) Perhaps you could snag this Centro Caraffe from Design Within Reach to keep in the fridge to store your pink milk. Though personally, I'm not keen on strawberry-flavoured milk, so my pink drink of choice might be this smashed raspberry lemonade (virgin or alcoholic as your preference dictates!).

via, A Beautiful Mess

Hope you found something to enjoy there. Oh! And for those who don't actually obsessively follow me on Facebook and Instagram, we have more news on the baby front:

IT'S A BOY!

20 weeks and all looks good. Only another 20 weeks to go until D-Day (Delivery Day). Here's hoping the time flies by!

A Place to Begin

Happy birthday to me! In the spirit of celebrating the anniversary of my birth, the Husband has taken the day off, and once E wakes up from his nap we're heading out to let me do a bit of shopping and then tonight it's dinner out and Star Trek: Into Darkness, with the oh-so-adorable Benedict Cumberbatch. Ginger or no ginger: he's my type. Tall, thin, pale, blue eyes, deep voice, English. Seriously people, I know I have a type...every last one of those descriptors fits my husband, too! Are you ready for 139 minutes of ogling Mr. Cumberbatch, Chris Pine, and Zachary Quinto? Because I am.

Happy. Effing. Birthday. To. Me.

So what goodies will I leave you with to peruse while I go enjoy my birthday spoils? These ones:


Goodmornings.org, via SwissMiss.
 I like the idea behind this. It's such an easy thing to do to say 'good morning!' as a way to brighten your day and someone else's.

My feet have traveled plenty of places. Edinburgh, London, Salt Lake City, Rome, Venice, Copenhagen...they'll even be going to Vienna next month! I'd like to come up with a fun photo template like this to save all of the fun places we get to visit.

I do love so much of the stuff that Diana at exPress-O links to and this cute story of a trans-Atlantic relationship is really fun. I like the idea of the split screen narrative, because when such an important part of your life is so far away for so long, it really does feel like you're living in two different places at once!

Here is today is a good way to get some perspective; and I love the minimalist style of the animations and the graphs. I feel like the only thing it could possibly be missing is a .gif of Neil deGrasse Tyson giving you a thumbs-up. Let's get on that, people.

Poketo and Lisa Congdon have made tea towels! These look absolutely adorable to me and I have Poppytalk to thank for showing them to me this week. Also: no idea who Lisa Congdon is? Have a gander at some of her work...

So yes, a lot of the cute clothes I've seen lately are either specifically maternity, or are pregnant friendly. This isn't on purpose. But with a shirt as cute as this one from ASOS, surely you can justify buying it with or without a bun in the oven!?

I don't speak French, but I still loved how cute this Olive Us episode was from Design Mom. Little Red Riding Hood? Too awesome.

via BOBgear

So eventually I'd need a double buggy, but if I had my way and money was no object, this BOB jogger would be mine all mine! But then, Runner's World did give a good review of quite a few good joggers that are less likely to break the bank.

Mommy Mondays: Free Swag

So the other week my loot from Shopbop came in the post. The gift card arrived, I eventually decided on what I wanted to order, and when it got to the house we all know I was too excited not to try it on straight away.

This striped top is super comfy. And I always love a reason to have another short-sleeved tee. I've gotten really into tops with a shirttail hem lately. I just appreciate the fact that I have a bit of extra coverage in the back when I need to bend over or squat to pick up E. Plus, the curve of the hem feels a lot more forgiving at a shorter length than most straight hems do...especially on looser-fitting shirts.

Those Gap jeans are a fun purchase as well. I'm the last person I thought would like or look good in mid-rise straight-leg jeans, but these things are stylish and super comfy. And, because they're so classic, I can dress them up to do a smart casual look, or I can dress them down into my usual mom uniform.

And now, I have a waking baby to console. We had a trip out to the Vyne today and someone got a little up close and personal with the 500-year-old gravel.

Screen Style: Salmon Fishing in the Yemen

I've been meaning to watch this movie for ages and I finally bit the bullet yesterday and put it on to watch over lunch. It's not that I was worried it would be rubbish, I just tend to put on re-runs of TV shows I like during lunch. It means I have something fun to watch, but that I can just keep on in the background while I blog. That's the thing about my lunches: I may not have more than 7 people who read this blog, but I like to consider my lunches 'working lunches'. E is napping and I can set up shop in the living room to get a few things done that would take too much of my attention while he's awake.

So anyway, back to Salmon Fishing in the Yemen.  I first got the recommendation to watch it from Diana over at exPress-O. Though there are lots of genres of film that I enjoy, I do like my romantic comedies, and love stories in general. Ewan McGregor is the uptight fly fishing expert, Dr. Alfred Jones. The gorgeous Emily Blunt is Harriet Chetwode-Talbot; financial adviser to a visionary Yemeni Sheikh who wants to bring the sport of salmon fishing to his home country.

The story is a fun one, and though the romantic part of the plot does end up following the usual script, I personally think that the writers left room to have it take a non-conventional direction, and the story certainly wouldn't have suffered if they took a path that didn't bring its main characters together in the normal way. I think, in that sense, that it works as a romantic comedy because it doesn't make its 'predictable' ending feel like a foregone conclusion for most of the movie. Also? It's fun and well-written and has some to-die-for scenery. Oh yeah...and the style!

1) Ewan McGregor's (Dr. Alfred Jones) shirt when he first meets Sheikh Muhammad is a lovely multi-colour check on white. It's clean and preppy, but still understated. This offering from Joules comes pretty spot-on to achieving the same look. I'd advise pairing it with a v-neck jumper and a fishing vest!

2)This fly fishing print is a fun way to get the look of some of the flies without necessarily going the kitschy earrings-and-brooches route.

3) Emily Blunt's work outfits the first 2 times she meets Ewan McGregor are cute. Harriet seems to have a thing for nice cardigans. I can't say I blame her! I've added more jewellery than she wears in the film, just as an option on how to accessorize these sorts of outfits.

4) Moroccan-style lantern. I know that this takes place in the Yemen, but the lanterns they have set up at Sheikh Mohammed's camp do look an awful lot like this one.

5) The Voido rocking chairs in white make an appearance in the offices where Emily Blunt's character, Harriet Chetwode-Talbot, works. They're on the expensive side, but they're really fun!

6) Dark Salmon paint by Benjamin Moore. Not only is the name completely appropriate; it looks to be the same colour on the walls of the dining room of Sheikh Muhammad's Scotland manor. I could imagine doing a room in this colour with some white board & batten up to chair rail height...

So there you have it! The adorable British romantic film, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen. I may have to go and read the book now, just to see how it compares. This is definitely a film I'll be watching again.

Stylish Little Men: Andy & Evan

I managed to find this brand thanks to some mindless Pinterest stalking one morning. Oh and I may have jumped the gun in the Modern Family Screen Style post by saying that Andy & Evan had already shown up in my Stylish Little Men series. Oops. Every now and then I forget which posts I have scheduled for which weeks. Anyway: now you don't have to feel like you've missed any of the preppy goodness of the Andy & Evan brand, because now I actually have a post detailing my favourite parts of their current, child-sized, frat-tastic collection.

Prices: expensive, so look to these as one-off presents. Their mission statement does talk about their desire to make things that are good quality, so again it may be a matter of getting one or two can't-live-without-it pieces that won't wear out, even as hand-me-downs.

Polka dot bow tie ($21) Even though with the polka dots this isn't as versatile as it could be, it's absolutely adorable. With a nice gingham or plain shirt this would look great.

Boys' Monte Carlo Multi-Coloured Fedora ($31) This made its appearance as the Manny Delgado-inspired piece in my Modern Family Screen Style collection. I'd love to have a hat like this for E, though after having him try one on in the store the other day, I don't think I could convince him to keep it on. It makes for some classy summertime shade, though!

Boys' Edmund Oxford Shorts ($40) The buttoned cuff gives these some great detail and structure, and the hook clasp is nice and easy to get off when you need to make an emergency nappy change or toilet trip. Plus, again, it can be dressed up for church, family reunions, or outdoor weddings, or can just be paired with a nice polo or t-shirt for going around town.

Baby Pique Romper ($36) I adore rompers like this. E has a few from the Gap that are similar. What's nice is that if anything spills, yes you're taking off the whole outfit, but you can just bring along another romper suit and you don't have to worry about having a mismatched, undersized t-shirt with nice trousers, or vice versa, if your little boy spills or wets through anything he has on.

Baby Toggle Parka ($82) The one thing E's wardrobe is missing at the moment (besides shorts and a long-sleeved polo) is a non-puffy coat. Yes, we're getting into the full swing of spring, so he doesn't really need a heavy-duty coat, but for days when you want to keep warm, or just keep the wind and rain off, and you don't need your kid to look like the Stay Puff marshmallow man, this is a cute and classic option.

Baby Lord of the Gings Shirtzies ($48) First of all: kudos for the nerd reference. Second of all, I love the contrasted cuffs against the green and white gingham. It really brings home the prep aesthetic. Plus, when you still have a littler dude, the onesie will keep everything tucked in.

Baby Nautical Zip-Up ($52) Stripes and elbow patches? It's all too much cute! Plus, zippered hoodies are an easy way to get some good layering on cooler or windier days.

Mommy Mondays: Comfy and Stretchy

Some days I don't want to put much effort in at all. I'm more interested in being comfy than trying to look cute. That said, the two things aren't mutually exclusive. I just try to collect comfortable stretchy pieces that still look nice.

I have to say that I love this outfit. And I admit that I'm looking forward to being able to wear it through the first half of my next pregnancy. (That's not an announcement!) The stretchy cami from H&M is great, and the floaty top from Sainsbury's is perfect for layering in warmer weather. And nicely, because it's a thinner fabric, the flowy cut doesn't add any bulk around the middle.

The leggings are comfy, and the whole thing can be dressed up with different shoes or jewellery depending on where we're headed for the day. To be honest, though, I'm rarely headed anywhere that isn't a playdate or baby group or grocery shopping. So not much 'dressing up' gets done to this outfit. What I would like to add to it, though? Maybe some Chewbeads or dangly earrings or some fun bangles.

via, Chewbeads

via, Saks Fifth Avenue

via, Cusp by Neiman Marcus

Screen Style: Modern Family

I've been watching a bunch of re-runs of Modern Family on Netflix lately over lunch. Seriously, I love that show. And so when I was casting my mind about for ideas for the next Screen Style post, this was definitely at the forefront of my mind.

The Husband and I have watched this together for ages, ever since we were introduced to it by our friend Katherine. It's become a staple of our TV watching roster and so on nights where we need to keep dinner brief to get E to bed, if we're not watching The Office, we're usually watching Modern Family.

-Gloria dress
Though it's not always occasion-appropriate, Gloria's dresses do look fabulous. I'd definitely love more occasions to dress up like that.

-Cameron's button-downs (in men's and women's options)
Cameron's button-down shirts are so much fun. They're bright and colourful, and full of patterns. The two men's options come from JCrew and Boden; the women's options are the Kingston and Maywell shirts from Joules. If you want to be a curvy, spicy diva like Cameron, this is a good place to start.

-DVD boxset
I absolutely recommend the box set or buying the episodes on iTunes for this one. That way you don't have to miss any of the BB gun-shooting, hot tub-crashing, Spiderman costume-wearing, front lawn-serinading action!

- The blue paint from Phil & Claire's entryway
I went looking on the Benjamin Moore website to try and find a colour that approximated the shade of blue in Phil & Claire Dunphy's stairway. Surprisingly, when I Googled Benjamin Moore's Colonial Blue paint, a picture of the set of Phil & Claire's place from Modern Family did show up as one of the search results. Looks like I was pretty spot-on! And this slightly chalky, almost powder blue is a fun colour in its own right. Actually, I've been thinking of painting the living room...

-Kitchy animal decor
Useful, cute, and animal-themed, this happens to have one leg up on Barkley the butler dog. I know I could use a good place to keep important or urgent reminders for the family.

-Woven hat
Andy & Evan made their first appearance on the blog in the Stylish Little Men series. Their tagline is 'for little gentlemen' and that feels so appropriate since this piece was included to get a bit of the Manny Delgado look.

- Staircase carpet runner
Pottery Barn's Enzo Medallion Dhurrie Rug comes in a 2.5'×9' version that could make a great runner on stairs or in an entryway.  If it goes on the stairs, you could get enough traction to avoid even that one slippery tread on Phil & Claire's staircase!

Somewhere to Begin

Looking for a bit more internet inspiration at the end of the week? Here are a few of the fun, funky, and interesting odds and ends I've found this week to share with you!

Enoki Cumulus Light

I love the look of these lights...especially with a nice pattern. That really brings it to life for me. It's just such a fun shape...I wish I had ceilings high enough to justify having a light fixture like this.

Haptic Labs quilts

I love love love love LOVE the quilts from Haptic Labs. Enough to either buy a map of London on a quilt for $450, or get the $38 basic DIY kit and make it myself complete with fun fabrics. Seriously...that may be one of my next DIY projects as a birthday prezzy to myself: the Haptic Labs London DIY kit and some cute fabric.

ASOS Maternity dress for $20.

I'm not really in the market for maternity clothes at the moment, but I adore this dress. It's just such a fun colour, and I love the idea of being able to wear something curve-hugging when you've got that huge extra curve to hug right on your front! I may buy this just to save it for whenever my next baby bump turns up!

The Word Shop

I'm sure I've mentioned this particular Etsy shop before, but I found it again doing a bit of research for something else and it caught my eye. The prints in my kitchen come from here and I thoroughly enjoy the simple, fresh, and humorous style of all their prints. Andplusalso: the service I got when I ordered from their Etsy store was excellent. The communication was clear and prompt; the prints arrived quickly; and everything was undamaged and exactly how I wanted it.

Jonathan Adler 'washi' tape

This just feels like too much fun to pass up...even though I have basically no need at all for decorative tape. It would basically exist in my house solely to give me the excuse to put fun edging on bookshelves, or buy otherwise ugly bookends just to put tape on them. I'd be a menace to society edging stuff with this fun, colourful, funky tape. Could I line cabinets with nothing but patterned tape? I may have to find out.

Runner's World Energy Bar Recipe, with Joanna Golub
This recipe sounds awesome. Anything with coconut and almonds has me sold. In fact: I'll be making these after I eat my lunch today! I'm just substituting the dates for dried cranberries. I'll definitely let you know how it goes. Here's the video if you want to give it a try yourself!

Oh! And here's the instructions written out, in case that helps anyone who doesn't want to keep pausing the video to take dictation:
At Home Energy Bars Recipe

2 cups rolled oats

1 cup unsweetened coconut

1/2 cup each almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds etc.

1/2 cup cranberry

1 1/2 cup peanut butter

1 CUP HONEY

1 tsp vanilla extract

1) mix dry ingredients

2) mix peanut butter and honey & microwave for 60 seconds...ADD VANILLA AFTERWARDS

3) stir wet ingredients to combine

4) add the mixture to dry ingredients

5) spread onto greased baking tray; about 1" thick

6) bake @350*F for 15 minutes

7) let cool for a few minutes to firm up; cut into squares & enjoy!

Stylish Little Men: Old Navy

So this week I wanted to take a look at Old Navy. Again, this is a store I've had clothes from both for me and for E. A very good friend of mine (thank you, Lauren!) bought E some onesies, a hat, gloves, and jeans from Old Navy just after he was born. I absolutely loved the look of everything, though I will say: baby skinny jeans don't work when you have a kid with cloth nappies and cute chubby thighs. Ah well, you can't win 'em all. So yeah: Old Navy's baby trousers seem to be cut a bit slim...but I can't judge every cut based on one pair of skinnies.

The prices are - as you'd expect - great. They're only just above the cheapest store I've seen (cough cough, H&M!) and pretty much on a par with places like Next. And really, all three of those stores will give you clothes of a perfectly acceptable and workable quality. None of the H&M, Next or Old Navy clothes Ethan has had have worn out prematurely or anything. At the least, I can put them on our next baby (when that time comes) before they have to be retired. So: let's get to the clothes!

Patterned dobby shirt ($16.94). The rolled-up sleeves on this shirt are a nice touch. Also, since you can dress it up or down depending on the trousers or shorts you pair with it, this shirt is a brilliant example of a wardrobe staple for little boys.
Pair it with these belted seersucker shorts and it's an absolute winner for church in the summer, or family get-togethers, or a nice picnic.

Snoopy's I Mustache You A Question Tee ($12.94). So freaking adorable. Would it be funnier with Sean Connery on it? Yes. But no kid's going to get that joke. Also: there should be one with the punchline, '...But I'll shave it for later.' That definitely requires Sean Connery to make it work, though.

The Turtle/Alligator Pyjama Set ($14.94). I love how cute this is. And we're already well-established on how much I love two-piece pyjamas.

The pique polo ($8.00). It's always nice to see a good polo for little boys. The only thing about the Gap polos I've seen is that some are quite thick, so they get stiff and cardboard-like after a season or two of wear. Plus, they tend to fit in the arms and shoulders longer than they stay long enough to cover the torso. Since Gap and Old Navy are the same company, I do wonder if this polo might suffer from the same problems. In the end, though, it's not a dealbreaker.

Octopus Baseball Cap ($7.94). Hats are always helpful during the summer to help keep the sun off of baby's delicate skin. If it has a fun pirate octopus on the front, so much the better.

Printed flip flops ($3.94). I love how cute these are. And with the strap on the back, they'll stay on baby boy's feet nicely. I sort of want my own pair of flip flops again now...

Mommy Mondays: Leopard Print Heels and Jeggings

I never thought I'd be the sort of person who went in for jeggings, but now I own a pair. I also never thought I'd be the sort of person who had animal print anything and yet, my leopard print high heels are probably my favourite shoes at the moment. I'll still never get there with snakeskin or zebra print...that's just too much.

I love this outfit because it's actually quite simple. The camisole layered underneath gives me good cover for all the bending, squatting  and lifting you do with an active toddler, the jeggings are comfy without being restrictive, and the top is breathable and stretchy. Plus, with a flattering cut, a scoop neck, and just a hint of lace around the collar, it's one of my go-to tops for a smart-casual look. I've had this thing now for about 7 years. It's not going anywhere until the fabric under the arms wears through. I can't begin to describe how sad that will make me.

But the thing that really dresses up this otherwise simple outfit is the heels. Just a pop of print against some nice solid neutrals really makes the whole ensemble feel put-together in a way it wouldn't otherwise. It also helps that the neutrals in this outfit are slightly different than my normal palate of green-or-navy top over blue jeans. Having the darker colour on top and that olive drab in the jeggings is ever so subtly different for me. Even when it's that minor of a change, I like working in different colour combinations to the outfits I wear.

Yes, this seems like a post-breastfeeding sort of outfit: though if you layered a nursing cami under your fancy tee of choice, there's no real reason you couldn't wear this sort of thing with a younger baby. I expect I'll do just that whenever it's time for Baby D #2. As for high heels with a baby? Provided you're not doing more walking than you'd expect to do around a mall, they aren't bad. This particular pair has a short enough heel that I'm not teetering around when I wear them. For indoor days (or outdoor days that aren't in soft grass or mud) they're absolutely fine.

The Fashion Show In My Closet

via, Penny Pincher Fashion

Everyone has those moments where they can't think of what to wear. It's not that you don't have any clothes; you just can't find what you want to put on that fits your mood, or that you haven't worn to death lately. Speaking for the cheap-and-cheerful crowd: the solution is NOT to go out and buy yourself more clothes. That cycle will just keep repeating itself and suddenly you'll have an indecently large wardrobe that you practically never wear. The key? Learn to work with what you have. There are plenty of blogs that have posts (or are entirely) dedicated to helping women learn how to mix and match individual pieces to create outfits. A Beautiful Mess, Outfit Posts, and Putting Me Together.

I've already admitted this in a previous post, but I have to say it again. Back in uni I used to stay in my room some evenings just trying on all of my clothes. I'd empty drawers, pull hangers from the closet, and have piles of clothes on the bed and shoes on the floor. I'd dress, strip, and re-dress all in front of the mirror that hung by the door, changing outfits and individual pieces at a moment's notice. I wasn't going anywhere, I wasn't indecisive...I was just playing dress-up.

As a tween, I went through a horrible phase where I'd change outfits multiple times a day. I'd just get bored with what I had on. The first time my dad met two of my friends, I'd left them stranded on the front porch while I went upstairs to change. I got better as time went on, but I was still coming down from being the girl who could pack 12 outfits for a weekend away doing nothing.

Discontinued, but via Emerson Fry

All grown up now, I don't find that I have as much time to just sit and sort through my clothes. If you're a very visual person, like I am, it's definitely a useful exercise to get a good feel for how far your clothes will actually go. And sometimes, you find a way to get new life out of an old piece of clothing just by switching up how you'd normally wear it. The freeing thing about having your own personal fashion show is that you aren't going anywhere! It's all research and development. You have nowhere to be where you need to look fabulous, so if an outfit bombs for some reason, it's not the end of the world. And you can get as crazy as you want trying to find a look that you like!

Here are the essentials for having your own Closet Fashion Show:

1) full-length mirror
2) space to spread out your materials (an uncluttered dresser or well-made bed would do)

3) time to spare
4) some fun and relaxing music (that print is discontinued, but here's the store it comes from)

Seriously; get into the swing of things and see what new looks you can come up with using what you already have. You might surprise yourself!

A Place to Begin

Another Friday, another chance to recap the week in interesting pictures, videos, and articles. In between enjoying the year's first real sunshine here in England, I've been spending some time having fun on the Interwebs. Here are the highlights of what I've seen this week:

Dove Real Beauty Sketches. Whatever you want to say about Dove using this to sell a product they tell you will make you look/feel better about yourself, I think this does bring up a good point. We are generally our own worst critics. I wonder how negatively I would have described myself? That said, this critique of the ad raises a very fair point as well: our outer beauty shouldn't be so narrowly defined or make up a disproportionate amount of our self-worth. (Thanks to my cousin, Jen, for that second link!)

Wallpaper Wednesday at Love Chic Living. Looking for a fun new wallpaper for that room you've been meaning to redecorate? Or just want some more Pinterest fodder for that dream house you'll one day DIY to death? I high recommend taking a look at Love Chic Living's Wallpaper Wednesday column: she manages to hunt down some amazing finds. From the gorgeous and classic to the artsy or absolutely out-there, I haven't seen anything run-of-the-mill yet!

YHL's Ten Tips for Smoother Travel
I love John and Sherry at Young House Love for lots of things, but as someone who's seen her fair share of planes, I have to agree with their tips for airline travel. It's all practical stuff to think about if you're travelling a lot. Also, it makes me think of my sister's post on airports she's known. I think I could easily write a companion post to that.

via, Waterstones

Marillenbaum's review of Life After Life
Speaking of my sister, go read her review of this book...like, now. And then, go read the book, too, because it sounds awesome. Also, I'd suggest that you cry because you'll never write about another person's book as well as she did. I substituted the crying for some expletive-filled praise, and I think it worked just as well.

via, Swiss-Miss

The Mountain Range pillow. From Three Bad Seeds, on Etsy, for those cute outdoor spaces, populated with Adirondack chairs and plaid flannel blankets that are just asking for that little something extra. (I now not only want this pillow, but to fulfill my dream of a plaid-blanketed Adirondack chair!)

A Gift Stash. The lovely blog You Are My Fave has such cute ideas: and this one is practical to boot. Though I don't know that I wouldn't snag Fantastic Mr. Fox and that game of Bananagrams for myself...

This ASOS midi skirt with pockets looks so stupidly fun to wear. I even have the 3/4-sleeve striped shirt to pair with it. I'm a sucker for dresses and skirts with pockets. It means I don't have to carry a purse just to keep my mobile phone and Burt's Bees on me! (Seriously; aside from the occasion bits of change, tissue, or E's binky, that's all I ever have in my pockets.)

Boyish, manly, well-drawn, hilarious, and occasionally wildly inappropriate. That's what I love about the prints in Sharp Writer's Epic Art Store on Etsy. My personal favourite? Bill Clinton The Lady Killer. It's all about the details...Ronald McDonald with a rocket launcher!? A crocodile with a bomb strapped to it!? Bill's fly is undone and everything...he even worked in the saxophone! I believe this deserves the hashtag #sowrongitsright.