In Durham, where I live, breweries and bottle shops are very dog and family friendly. Most of the breweries have areas separate from the bar where parents can gather with their friends and kids to have a beer and play a few board games. Some of them even have nice outdoor spaces where kids can run around while parents hang out with their pals. I’m thankful for this because it allows Nick and me to go out for a drink last-minute without having to find a babysitter. And after a ridiculously long week, that’s exactly what we did. We headed to a small bottle shop near our house with Sebastian in tow. And this is the outfit I wore!

Regardless of how family friendly it was, I still felt a little like this:

via GIPHY

We weren’t out for very long, maybe an hour at most. I had one glass of wine, and Sebastian slept most of the time so I don’t feel bad about it. But I did want to feel like I was actually going out instead of having a drink at home in my pajamas so I grabbed this new pair of jeans I got from a recent Stitch Fix. I wasn’t sure how I would feel about the frayed hemline of these jeans but I slowly warmed up to them. While these may not be the first pair of jeans I reach for, I definitely wear them a bunch. And I will probably wear them even more now that the weather is starting to cool down ever so slightly.

A few weeks after Nick, Sebastian, and I went to the bottle shop together, we met up at the bottle shop with our neighbors who have a kid who is slightly older than Sebastian. It was a fun time all around. I’m sure the bottle shop won’t be the last crazy place we take our baby.

True story:

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Where’s the craziest place you’ve taken your baby?

Shirt: via Le Tote | Jeans: via Stitch Fix | Shoes: Banana Republic | Necklace: Old Navy | Watch: Target | Clutch: Nordstrom

I’m taking a break from the rain and gloom of today by sharing with you an outfit that I wore last week when we still had some beautiful sunshine. I picked up this faux wrap dress from Target as the Mossimo brand is being fizzled out. It has a satin weave and a breezy silhouette, giving it a style that is perfect to take me from a casual day or the office to fancy formal events. If it were the weekend, I would’ve kept it simple by pairing it with sandals, but since I wore it to the office, I decided to dress it up by slipping on my new open-toe booties.

I love the pink and olive colors. For some reason, the colors, pattern and style of this dress reminds me of Miami. I’ve only been there once and I wasn’t really paying much attention to what folks were wearing, but it’s definitely what I picture Miami ladies wearing. Maybe I’m just imagining things!

Real talk: I had this dress altered for a better fit. I asked to shorten both the shoulders and the bottom hem of the dress and I think it turned out pretty well. However, there is a snap in the front that allows you to choose how deep you want the front V to go. I love this feature but since having the shoulders altered, it’s very easy to snap open with even the slightest pull so I have to be careful, especially while at work! Next time I’ll wear a thin cami underneath, just in case.

Dress: Target | Cardigan: Banana Republic (old) | Shoes: via Rack Room | Necklace: Old Navy | Watch: Target

I’m a little jealous of Nick because he gets to wear shorts to work. Like, every single day. And not just for his current job but the one before that, too. I guess I understand it. Their work is online so I suppose there’s no need to dress to impress… there’s no one to impress but each other.

Taking a page from his book, I decided to wear these shorts to my own office. I figured if any office would allow it, it would an awesome nonprofit and if any shorts would be appropriate, it would be these. They’re classy and fancy and about the same length as any skirt I would feel comfortable wearing. When you pair them with a bright top and heels, you get a nice, polished look. I think I look pretty darn cute, and no one at my office complained.

Also, I got a haircut! I love this length and think I’ll stick to it for a while.

Anyway, happy Friday everyone! It’s been a long week and I’m ready for the freedom of the weekend. We’re thinking about painting our bathroom tomorrow – a project we’ve been meaning to do for years. I’m not even kidding, we’ve had two paint swatches on our bathroom wall for several years now. Here’s to hoping we can follow through this time.

Shirt, Shorts, and Shoes: Banana Republic | Necklace & Bracelet: Old Navy | Watch: Target | Handbag: Anne Klein via Belk

P.S. I could be a walking ad for Banana Republic in this outfit. I didn’t plan it, but all the pieces are from BR. Hey Banana, please pay me to be your real-life model?

Here’s a little secret: I haven’t always wanted kids. Even in high school when I was busy scribbling hearts around my boyfriend’s name and dreaming of his last name behind my first name, I don’t recall wanting to have children. My daydream then consisted solely of marriage and a good career, and that dream remained steadfast for many years. In college, I started to scoff at the idea of procreating and when I was in my mid-and-late-twenties, I had pretty much decided kids weren’t for me. And Nick was on the same page. We were going to focus on degrees and careers and our house and our dogs and all the other goals we had stashed up our sleeves. Besides, who has time for kids? They’re dream killers, and they’re so. needy, and you have to wipe their butts for them. Gross! 

And then I turned 30.

While everything I wear is a reflection of the style I like, this outfit is one of those that feels so quintessentially me. The cute top, the comfortable pants, mostly neutral with a pop of color in the shoes… these are the things that make me feel happy and confident in an outfit. Of course, happy and confident are the main feelings I try to achieve with any outfit (as well as comfortable!) but this one really hits the mark.

For all of my adult career, I’ve enjoyed dressing business casual. I’ve never really been the jeans and tee kind of girl because that’s just me. Once, in middle school, my gym/health teacher asked me why I was always so dressed up. I think I told him I just liked to look nice. Nothing wrong with that! And this outfit looks really nice. It’s simple yet elegant. The only thing missing in this whole ensemble is some color on my lips!

I mentioned in one of my posts last week that Target is retiring its Mossimo and Merona brands but will continue with its Who What Wear line (along with several new lines). This shirt is from that line and one of the reasons I ain’t mad about Target’s decision. It’s a great shirt! It’s cute and interesting, it can be dressed up (like here, or with a skirt) or down (with jeans), and it can be worn with just about any other color. That’s a win in my book.

Top: Who What Wear via Target | Trousers: Banana Republic | Shoes: Old Navy | Sunnies & Watch: Target

What outfit combinations or qualities make you feel happy and confident?

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