Obsession

Clearly I have an obsession with stripes lately…as you can see from my last couple posts.  And since I am instilling a self imposed spending diet starting in January (which includes a major decrease on the clothing budget) I made sure to nab this pretty sweater on Swirl a couple weeks ago.  Originally $250, down to $25..gotta love a deal!  This is something that I’m sure to live in this winter as it’s such an easy piece.  I can throw it on over jeans, as I did here, or pair it with a cute mini…which might happen for my date night with my husband this weekend! Yay!

The Deets:

Sweater: Swirl.com

Turtleneck sweater: Old Navy

Jeans: Express

Boots: Madden Girl

Kudos and the LIST..

I don't know how you girls do it.  Day after day I see inspirational outfits posted up with beautifully taken pictures.  How DO you DO IT!  I looked great on Christmas Eve if i do say so myself...and did ONE person take a picture of me?  No!  And then I ate way to much and there was no way after that I was getting my pic taken.  Hello, bloat! So kudos to you!! I aspire to be just like you!

So now is the time of the season where one starts looking ahead to the New Year, and of course...THE LIST.  This year it's a variation of the same theme...you know, work out, get organized, eat right, save money.  Aren't those on everyone's list?  I've decided to go a different route though and get a little specific.  Here goes:

1) Run a Marathon (aka: workout): I've been a runner for awhile, but not so much since my kids were born.  Lately I'm just running after people vs. running for enjoyment.  So this year I plan to run a marathon to get my butt moving again!

2)Re-design bedrooms and living room (aka: get organized): first of all...I've been sick of our "just moved it" look to our house...even though we've been here for 6 years.  So it's really hard for me to get motivated to organize my space if the space is undesirable.  So my goal for this year is to redesign these 2 spaces, the spaces I live in the most, and be sure to incorporate ample storage and organizing tactics.  What those are I am not sure of yet...or else I would probably be more organized now.

3) Cook 6 out of 7 days of the week (aka: eat right): It is just SO easy to order out after a long day...but this year I'm making a POINT to cook the majority of the week.  This is definitely to eat healthier, but it's also part of the "lose weight" and "Save Money" goal.  Speaking of which

4) Go on a spending diet (aka: save money): Yes...I am going on a spending diet.  It's so easy to spend money and just not that easy to make it.  So I (we) are going on a diet.  I am not to buy ANY non necessities...but I will allow for date nights with the hubs (I think those are important) but limit it to a movie, or an inexpensive dinner.  And of course, birthday for the kids.  But clothes, jewelry, shoes (ack...my heart is breaking!!!!!) will be on a strict strict budget.  Even our re-designing the house will be closely watched.  I'm hoping that this will bump up our savings and our checking and then next year we can go crazy!  Just kidding.

So with that last resolution in mind...this bloggy blog will feature a little segment called "Work what you got."  Because OBVIOUSLY....that's what I will be having to do!!  It should be a great way to motivate me to really LOOK in my closet to see how I can wear something differently or in a new way.  I'm excited!  It's exciting!  Let's all get excited!!!!  More exclamations makes it even more so...

Anybody have any other resolutions they want to share?  Maybe a different way of looking at them to be sure to obtain the goal?

Feelin' Stripey

I'll never say it enough, a white turtleneck in this cold part of the country is seriously my best friend.  Not only does it keep me warm, but you can throw in on under anything and winterize and chic-ify anything in your wardrobe.  It's a fact.  Look it up.  I got this sweater over the summer as a light top for nights at the beach.  It's seriously so light and airy, and in the summer I let it drape over one shoulder, but I was feeling a little brightening was needed for this rainy dreary days.  A little reminder of the summer was nice!  And I don't know why I'm feeling my glasses lately, I'm usually a total contact person. but they add just the right amount of prep, don't you think?  

The Deets:

Turtleneck: Old Navy

Sweater: Forever 21

Jeans: Old Navy

Gold Flats: Payless

Glasses: Kirkland (Costco brand...seriously.  And they are made of green materials...whatever that means!)

Oh...and for all you long haired ladies out there...I need some help with mine.  I'm used to having short hair..so I need some easy styles besides a messy pony.  I feel I've perfected that one!  :)

Danger..Stripes Ahead

So we talked about horizontal stripes in my Monday Momma feature of my friend Heather here.  She looked ab fab in this horizontally striped maxi dress...that I thought I'd give it a try myself.  I saw this dress on clearance at Old Navy and hesitated just because of the old adage of horizontal stripes making you look fat.  But, at 30% off a clearance of $7.98...how could I not just get it to TRY it out, right?  So I sacrifice a Grande Skinny Peppermint Mocha to get a dress.  And it wouldn't hurt to save those extra calories when wearing this anyway.  After wearing this to a holiday party out with the hubs, I have to say that this is truly one of my favorite pieces.  Not only is it flattering, but it's so comfortable, yet bold with all the colors.  This is def worth the $5.50 I paid for it and then some!

The Deets:
Dress: Old Navy
Tights: Target
Shoes: Target

Big and Bold

Sometimes all you need to zsush up an outfit is one bold accessory.  This was supposed to be a day when Hunter didn’t have to go to school and I thought that no errands needed to be run, but I realized we had no bread, no eggs, and no bananas….all essentials in this house.  I threw on the pair of jeans that was clean (which happen to be my favorite don’t totally fit the same since having 2 kids), a simple striped top and vest, and a bold statement necklace.  Perfect little accessory to an everyday outfit.  And yes…I’ll proudly admit…for days like these I throw on my crocs.  Fashion suicide, you say? Well I say they are a mom’s savior for busy days!



The Deets:
Shirt: F21
Vest: F21
Jeans: H&M
Shoes: Crocs
Necklace: Gifted from Mom

You gotta zig, then zag

First let me say this....cute outfit...bad pictures.  Thank you, thank you thank you Dad for sending me your tripod.  It will get it's fair share of use after this post!

Were you all part of the Missoni for Target madness a couple months ago?  I have to say honestly...that I was not.  My best gal pal, Heather, called me from California saying that her and her 2 year old were waiting outside Target at 7 AM.  Then she updated me an hour later saying that there were 60+ people in line and that it was craziness.  Being that I am 3 hours ahead of her...I figured that noon was too late to get in on the action...but my mother in law happened to be at the house so I jetted off kid-less to check it out.  I managed to pick up a few things, one being this shirt.  It is seriously one of my favorite pieces EVER.  As soon as I saw it I thought "that would be awesome with red skinnies," and I have yet to see that come to fruition because I do not own red skinny jeans.  I will, soon.  :)  Anyway, it is the perfect amount of softness, falls really nicely around the body, and can easily be dressed up or dressed down with the change of a jacket or shoe!  This was just what I threw on to go register the kids for next years school.  Yes...registration starts in December....FOR 2 AND 4 YEAR OLDS.  It's insane....

The Deets:
Shirt: Missoni for Target shirt
Jacket: French Connection
Jeans: Old Navy
Shoes: Steve Madden
Bracelet: Coach (Gift for Mother's Day...awwwww)

Relax-y Maxi

Ah maxi skirts how I love thee.  This was the perfect outfit to go take the kiddos to see Santa.  Plus…I got to wear my early Christmas present from my mom that I’m pretty sure wasn’t intended to be early.  When my parents were here over Thanksgiving she said I could open the small present that was in my room early.  Well, there were 2 bags in my room when they left, and so naturally I thought she meant the small bag.  No…she meant the small present IN the bag, which was an ornament for my tree!  Whoops silly me when I go and start opening ALL the gifts in the bag!  And the necklace was one of those in there! Woot!  I thought this was the perfect statement piece to my simple jersy maxi skirt.  Just a little sass for a trip to see the man in red!




The Deets:
Turtleneck: Old Navy
Denim Jacket: old (from a store I can’t even remember the name)
Maxi: Old Navy
Boots: Steve Madden
Necklace: Gifted from my mom (souvenir from Malaysia)

A Little Bit Country

This past weekend we went to a good friend's son's 2nd birthday party.  Got that?  It was kind of a mouthful!  It's always a challenge for me to dress for kids birthday parties because at this age the parents throw the party more for the adults than the kids, which means cocktails and wanting to look super cute, but you also know that your kids will be running around like mad people, which means you'll be running after them.  I decided to dress for the second scenario, which means easy to run in shoes, no skirts, and nothing that could be breast baring when I bend down to pick up/wipe off/or yell at the kiddos.  The result?  Country Cool Prepster...HA!

oh...and this is what happens when your super adoring husband takes your picture.

He is not the most artsy guy, and doesn't understand photography or why I asked him to take more than ONE picture of me for the blog, but he is an excellent sport and a wonderful man to put up with me!  So go ahead dear!  Take a closeup of my hiney...in the most unflattering way!!  Which just reminds me...I need new jeans.  HA!

The Deets:
Shirt: Old Navy
Sweater: F21
Jeans: Express
Boots: Steve Madden
Necklace: American Eagle

Comfy Cozy

You just gotta love those days when its 40 something degrees outside, you woke up at 5 am to workout, and all you want to do is lay around the house all day but you have places to go and things to do.  Enter my favorite “sweatshirt”…a sweatshirt dress from Express that I got on clearance 2 years ago.  Honestly, this is one of those things that I should have picked up multiples of.  It’s perfect for laying around the house doing nothing, and when you need to run out you toss on some boots, throw your hair in a loose braid,  add a necklace and wa-pah!  You’ve got yourself a comfortable, yet super cute, outfit.  I even got a compliment from another mom at Hunter’s school.  Bonus points!  Oh, and let’s not ignore the fact that I am showing you real life, people…and sometimes you get cameo appearances of ultra cute babies when you’re trying to do self portraits.  This is how the conversation literally went:

Jagger: What happened, Mama?
Me: I’m taking a picture…what are you doing?
Jagger: Oh TREE!  Santa Chirstmas!
Clearly he could have said “oh I like your outfit today mom.”  Clearly.





The Deets:
Sweater Tunic: Express (old)
Turtleneck: F21 (old)
Leggings: Target (old)
Boots: Payless (super old)
Necklace: American Eagle

Monday Momma

Happy Monday y'all!!  Today I wanted to do my first feature, as I am seriously cold and lazy and laying around in my Mickey Mouse sweatshirt and jeans today with my boys.  Who are also in their sweatshirts and jeans.  It's a hot chocolate, finger painting, and crafting kind of day.  Mainly because of the weather, but also because of my training for a marathon (what? crazy insane lady) I ran 13 miles this week and today is my rest day and i am doing so in every sense of the word!

So today I feature my gal pal Heather.  She is a stay at home mom of one little boy, who is crazy...and cool...and also crazy cool.  She shares my love of design and all things stylish.  She also runs her own invitation/paper goods company called Paper Monkey, and you should visit her etsy shop because she has some insanely cute goods up there.  All this, and she still has time to throw together a great outfit on a tight budget....you gotta love that!! 

This dress was a total OOO and AHHHH for both of us, as you know we share "should I buy this" texts all the time...and we were both concerned about the horizontal stripes...but Pa-POW and WOW!  Doesn't she look great?

The Deets:
Dress - Old Navy, $39
Cardigan - Target, Merona, $10
Tights - Missoni for Target, $16
Boots - Target, Mossimo, $20 on clearance.
Earrings - Italy street vendor
Necklace - Gifted Kate Spade necklace (from someone awesome....me!!)

This mom is sexy on a stick, no?  Any of you have an item that is traditionally taboo (like horizontal stripes) that turns out super fab?  Throw any outfits together that just make you feel amazing?  Thoughts for relieving sore muscles after a long run?  I'd love to here them all!!!

Hot And Then Cold

The weather here in New Jersey has been suuuuper crazy.  I mean like 67 degrees in December crazy...but then the next day 40 degrees.  I'm totally not ready to go digging up my shirts and tanks, so I decided to "warm up" my cold weather gear.  I bought this oversized sweater from Express last year on clearance, and have really never worn it with anything other than skinny jeans.  But since I would have been sweating with the warm-ish temps..I decided to tuck the front into my denim skirt.  I still donned some cold weather boots...and I would have gotten some crazy looks going completely bare legged in December, no matter what the barometer said! 

Sweater: Express
Skirty: Old Navy
Boots: Macy's

How to de-pill a top

1) Find that one of your staple items has ugly pills all throughout the armpits.  Picture looks better than real life.

2) Steal your husband’s/boyfriend’s razor….you wouldn’t dare think of using your own would you?  Cah-razy!!

3) Lay your top flat and slowly “shave” your shirt.  Be very careful not to snag the material.  Hold taught by putting your hand in the sleeve if you must. 

4) Wash razor or replace head when done.

5) Place razor back where you found it and no one is the wiser!  Just don’t let husband/boyfriend look at the pics on your camera before you have a chance to download them.  And when they ask you with shock and dismay if you used their razor to shave your shirt’s armpits….deny, deny, deny.  “Oh honey…you know I just take pictures of crazy things…because I’m crazy..you know I’m crazy.”  Side note…the more you say the word “crazy,” the crazier you sound…so they start thinking that it’s valid.

6) Enjoy your like-new shirt that you can keep wearing forever! Pennies saved….

Weekend Outing

This last weekend we decided to take a little jaunt to Atlantic City.  The Hubs and I wanted to take his sister out for a night on the town, and we basically needed it as well.  Although it was clearly without the little peanuts, I wasn’t feeling my tip-toppiness and wanted to be cute, but comfortable.  Welcome large knit sweater!  I was warm, I felt good, I still got to wear my “Gaga” shoes (that’s what the Hubs calls them), and I was most of all super comfortable.  Perfect for lounging and knocking back a few martini’s!




Turtlneck: Old Navy
Sweater: Express
Skirt: Target
Shoes: Macy’s
Tights: Missoni for Target
Bag: New York street corner (I fake it and I’m proud….)

Keeping In Check

Where: Quick run to the grocery store
This was just something that I threw on for a jaunt to get some much needed food for our bare cupboards.  I even decided to “jazz it up” a bit with a turquoise necklace my mom just got me from her trip to Malaysia (her half of the family is all over there).  I think that THAT is what makes the whole outfit.  You just throw on something so simple like a flannel checked shirt and a white turtleneck, but without the necklace…it wouldn’t be an outfit.  My FAIL was hair and makeup…just didn’t have time with 2 sicky kids!


Turtleneck: F21
Check shirt: Handed down from a friend
Necklace: Gifted
Jeans: Old Navy
Boots: Vera Vera Wang @ Kohls

Simple to chic

Where: Taking Hunter to school

Don’t you just have those days where you are just DYING to lie around in your pajama’s and do nothing?  Seriously it’s like me everyday.  But then you realize that you have someplace to go.  I implore you fashion mama’s…DO NOT go out in those pajamas.  I just think we are all SO MUCH BETTER than that, right?  So here’s just a little “what I did” to show you how simple it can be to run a quick errand NOT in your sweats.  This is not a tutorial, as half the time I have no idea what I’m doing while I’m doing it.  HA! 
Anyway…so South Jersey went from the mid 60’s in temperature to the low 30’s in a DAY.  If you think I was excited to get out of bed to dress for the cold weather…you’d be so, so wrong.  So very wrong.  So I threw on my most comfortable jeans and loungy sweatshirt and favorite argyle socks.

Yes I cut my head off.  My Dad is sending me his tripod as we speak. Anyway…so..not so fashionable right?  Nothing wrong with it, but definitely screams “lazy mom who likes to lounge in pajamas.” And being that I had to take Hunter to school that morning, I didn’t want to portray that to the other moms…although that describes me to a tee.  So this is what I did

Black Sweatshirt: Gap body
Jeans: Old Navy
Socks: Target
Boots: Macy's (I don't know the brand, sorry)
Inifiti scarf: F21
Jacket: Old Navy

How simple? How cute?  All I did was throw on a pair of flat, slouchy suede boots, a toggle jacket with a sweet plaid print, and a knit infinity scarf.  I even let my sweatshirt peek out for a bit of butt coverage and a nice layered look.  Ladies…it’s just that easy.
A few things.  First…I love Uggs, and many women wear then well, but to just get an inexpensive pair of boots that are Ugg-like in comfort but have a little sass to them…super easy!  My tip is to get them at Macy’s in the off season…maybe March/April.  They were CHEEEAAAPPP. These were about $10, got them off season with a coupon, and they are thick, and lined and I got them in April.  Even though it seemed ridiculous because I couldn’t wear them right away…I stored them and the next year it was like opening presents.  NEW SHOES!  Also, infinity scarfs are on trend, stylish, and totally the busy moms best friend.  You don’t even have to take the time to wrap it around…and if your 3 year old has to go to the bathroom in an emergency, you don’t have to worry about your scarf ends falling into the toilet.  It’s only happened once…but once is enough.  And lastly, the jacket.  Most of the time when you’re running errands…NOBODY SEES YOUR CLOTHES.  So get a cute patterned jacket with great details!  It’s all people are going to see!  It’s a game changer.  This one? $21 at Old Navy after sale plus coupon.  Done.

What are your favorite simple outfit changers?  I’d love to hear them!

Love,
Chi Chi Machi

It's time y'all!

Yup..it's time.  Time to get off our butts and get into the holiday cheer!  This is a little outfit that I threw together for running errands around this busy time of year.  WITH the boys.  Yup...a skirt and heels.  These are my favorite kind of heels, though...one's in comfy boot form.  And this midi skirt was the perfect amount of punch for a cold windy day, and was fabulously long enough to not blow up around my waist when reaching in the car to strap in some wiggly boys.  And yeah...really hoping that I get better at this self portrait thing.  Perhaps my husband will someday take an interest in taking pics of me? Hmmm...let's ask Santa for THAT this year....

Sweater: Target clearance
Tank: F21
Skirt: Old Navy clearance
Boots: Steve Madden