J Cooper Photography

OK.  Time for a new venture here on the ‘ol Blog.  WIWW = What I Wore Wednesday.  And before you start mumbling about my vanity and lack of general purpose in life….let me explain.

I read a few (hundred) blogs and I always really enjoy those little moments when I can glimpse (or stalk) other peoples’ daily lives.  Two blogs that I really love to read are Jones Design Company and The Pleated Poppy.  Both of these gals have loads of creativity, are completely inspiring, and both just happen to participate in their version of WIWW (I think Lindsey may have actually even started this trend).  A few weeks ago I started the arduous task of cleaning out our master closet.  And do you know what I discovered?  I have lots of cute clothes!  I just never wear any of them.

Granted.  Most days I never leave the house (other than the school run)…so I have been convincing myself that cute clothes deserve “someplace to go”.  But even I am beginning to tire of my lackluster ways.  Monday I wore blue jeans and a cardigan.  Tuesday I wore blue jeans and a cardigan.  Today…jeans and a cardigan.  Noticing a trend here?  I even went so far in my organizing as to channel my inner 3rd grader and put all of my cardigans in rainbow order.  And guess what…I own color too!  I just always seem to wear grey.  And maybe…just maybe…I should live outside the box a little bit.  Maybe I should go ahead, throw caution to the wind and belt that blouse already.  Maybe I should wear those kickin boots just because.  Heck.  Maybe I should even throw on some jewelry or a scarf or…take off my slippers!

So here’s the deal.  I’m going to start photographing my efforts to “cute up” a bit around here.  I’m thinking of it as a bit of self spring cleaning…”branching out” a bit with the spring weather.  Maybe I’m just vain.  Or maybe I’ll feel better about myself (maybe I’ll even be more productive?) if I put forth a little effort.  On Wednesdays each week I will try to post a few photos of my attempts throughout the week to actually wear a few of the items in my closet regardless of my ability to get out of the house with the rest of civilization!

It would be fun if you joined me!   You don’t have to purchase anything new.  My goal is to just use what I have in a more creative way…and to actually wear some of it!

The proofs in the pudding, friends.

What I wore today:

skinny jeans – Forever 21 (like the worn knees?)

white ruffled tank – Old Navy

heathered grey cardigan – Marshalls

beat up metallic flats – Target (hey…I had on shoes!)

There is only one full length mirror in this house so I’m going to have to get a bit more creative about this! And maybe enlist the help of a tripod so I’m not staring at you with one cyclops eye (freaky!)

And because it is WAY more fun to look at cute little kids…I may occasionally do a little “What they wore” post with pics of my cute kids.  My friend at Moments with Love does a version of this called Small Style. I will say that I do still help my girls get dressed for school everyday.  They DO NOT dress themselves most days.  I know…I know.  I am severely stifling their creativity in not allowing them to wear whatever they want.  I’m sure they will grow up to be ridiculously boring people like me who only wear grey cardigans and blue jeans.  But you know what?  I’m good with that   I just can’t handle the craziness of random outfits (on my kids…it is endearingly cute on other peoples’ kids).  Fortunately, my girls are fairly easy and I am pretty lax about their school clothes.

So here is today’s kid version:

On The Brainiac:

skinny jeans – Old Navy

turquoise tunic – GAP

cardigan – Target

tennies – Sketchers

On Miss Middle:

skinny jeans – GAP

polkie tee – GAP

cardigan – GAP (this was all just a happy accident this morning)

tennies – Old Navy

{they were clearly NOT into my photo op at 7:30 this morning!}

And on the fashion note.  The girls were in dire need of new tennis shoes so we headed out with Mimi on Sat. morning to do some shoe shopping.  After our first stop was a bust we headed to Kohl’s and I caved to “every girl’s dream”.  I bought my girls Twinkle Toes.  Not only that.  But Miss Middle’s LIGHT UP (insert gasp here).  I am SO not that mom.  I have always adamantly denied the purchasing of light up shoes or anything with that amount of bling.  But Mimi said, “Jenn….they are only 6 once”…and you know what.  She’s right!  So I just swallowed and handed the sweet lady at the check-out my life’s savings and both girls came home happy campers.  And you know what else? (they are kinda cute!)