I've been styled...

Look ya'll !!!

The Glamorous Newlywed styled me for the office with special consideration for my ball and chain, aka the breast pump.

As I've said before, the girl is gifted. Check out her blog for any number of occasions that you need stylish, yet affordable threads.

My favorite ensemble is the gray and coral--snazzy

c/o Glamorous Newlywed @ Polyvore

...and she has no idea how well she hit the nail on the head with the black and gold.

Oh, and I especially appreciated the hands-free bra suggestion--MUCH better than mine.

Good stuff! I hope it helps you or a nursing mom you know too!

No Brainer

I happened upon a fantastic fashion blog this week and feel compelled to share all of its splendor with you.

Glamorous Newlywed

Love it. LOVE it. ALL of it. I like both her interactive Q&A concept and most of all the end result.  She takes reader inquiries and helps them dress for random life events (pool party at the in-laws? she's gotcha covered!) and occasions and even pack for trips so that you are prepared, comfortable, and appropriate. The end result is an affordable, stylish ensemble right down to the bag. When I say affordable, I mean $12 shoes people.

Best of all she has great taste and is quite gifted with Polyvore. I'm banking on never having to think about an outfit ever again--as styling IS not my strong suit. I never see the possibilities in clothing and accessories that true fashionistas do.

She also recently launched Glambina for her newborn baby. I am looking forward to her posts on motherhood and hopefully baby styling as we certainly have issues in that department too.

Check her out. You'll be glad you did.

The Big 3-0!

Lil' ole' me is turning the big 3-0 on Superbowl Sunday.

Not with much fanfare though, I am pregnant after all.

Yep, those hopes of whipping out those liquid leather croc-embossed leggings that I sported during my last trip to Vegas will not be part of celebration as planned. Not that the thought didn't cross my mind--hey, they ARE stretchy, but that would just be wrong.

To be honest, I've been approaching this milestone with much anxiety. I've really enjoyed being in my 20's. My older sister assures me, however, that the 30's are a great decade because you still can pass for your 20's but have the wisdom of the decade past.

That DID make me feel better.....and so did the thought of me buying myself something really grown-up to commemorate the milestone. You know, a big girl purchase... like crazy designer pumps that I will hardly wear or freak out if the soles gets scratched up or a designer purse that will give me buyer's remorse within 24 hours. 

I still can't rationalize the pumps...but the purse?? *evil laugh*

Enter... the Louis Vuitton Sofia Coppola Collection. My mouth has been watering over these for some time as Miss Sofia perfectly combined the classic barrel with the convenience of a shoulder strap. Problem is price..a minimum $2k+ investment. Ouch! But oh,  so lovely, yes?

Enter...the new Tory Burch Robinson Collection. For an easier-to-live-with $500, I get the same look, function and even a fun color like green!

And maybe--just maybe if I love, love, love it and use it constantly--I will have less remorse investing in the Sofia Coppola bag later in a more neutral color, when I've saved up a enough pennies in my guilt-free bag fund. Maybe.

It's fun to dream.

Well-Heeled Desire

Dear Tory Burch Booties,

I. love. you. Not more than God and my family--but yeah, for a petty material thing---you're up there, friend. And to your creator---TB, why must you always come up with your BEST stuff when I'm preggo and I'm forced to find ways to cram myself into your wonderful fashions? (sigh) These booties are no exception! Just stop it, would you? Get OUT of my head and into my closet!

I know you are well-meaning, bootie. Just look at you. You should be illegal, because I always get in trouble with your kind. First, I buy you, and then I get grand illusions that I can wear you running through airports and grocery stores because I love and want to wear you so much--but let's face--we have nowhere to go together, bootie.  This mama needs to get more of a social life, so we can spend more time together. I'm going to work on that--and you sit tight---maybe even go on sale in the meantime. Hey Bootie! If you go on sale soon, I promise to wear you around the house cleaning and maybe even to the hospital to deliver my second child---okay, okay maybe that's a stretch. But hey--at least we had this little moment.

With Admiration,

Charm City Mama

New Obsession: Baby Gap

Mamas of the world,when it comes to dressing your little one--do you feel styling-impaired? I do. I always feel like I'm dressing poor Olivia so basic and sometimes a tad boyish.

I was so relieved when I heard Katherine Heigl mention in a TV interview last week that she struggled with styling her daughter in cute outfits and how she heavily relies on babyGap.com which puts the looks together for you. And THAT, my friends, is how I landed at babyGap on Saturday.

babyGap: Bleecker Collection "SoHo Style"

babyGap: Sun Valley "Warm & Fuzzy"

Who knew baby Gap was so cute? I didn't.  LOVE that Bleecker Collection.

I set foot in there exactly once when Olivia was 2 months old with a gift card  and nearly died from sticker shock. I couldn't see past $30 for a hooded romper! As Chris Rock used to say "Good Lawd!"

Armed with another babyGap gift card, this time the entire family Daddy, baby, and I went to babyGap this weekend to grab a few much needed cool weather essentials for Olivia.  Whoah, it was a zoo in there! There was a big sale going on--everything was on sale--and with coupons too.

I couldn't even benefit from having the baby with me to size things on her b/c Daddy had to keep her happy and busy moving around the store, while I shopped in hurried frenzy. Can we talk about that for a second? I'm so terrible at shopping with others, because I always feel like I'm holding them up and I can't concentrate on what I am supposed to be focused on.  That was the case on Saturday too. I was mess. I had picked out some cute stuff online but couldn't find it and was second guessing my selections and the sizing and couldn't picture the outfits the way they were perfectly styled online. UGH, the pressure! But we survived. And I managed some cute outfits for Olivia. She still needs shoes! Maybe these homegrown shoes which come highly recommended by our pediatrician.

Btw, I hardly ever go to the mall. Ever.  I hate the crowds and it's a full time job to keep up with all of the coupons. I realized this little factoid about babyGap though----things were on sale in the store that weren't marked down or on sale online. Gasp! They almost GOT me.

Letter to Ann Taylor

Sanity Fair's Letter to Ann Taylor had me cracking up today. I could not agree more. Ann Taylor has gone from bore to score...snooze to schmooze...okay, okay I'll stop. Basically it's much better now.

Rocker & Republican

Just came across this necklace.

Not sure where I would wear it, but I like it--all by itself--without the matching bracelet--which may actually be too much of a good thing.

And who are we kidding--necklaces are mere mommy choke chains these days to my little discovering baby. If I'm not being strangled by my own necklace, it is in Olivia's mouth and I REFUSE to wear one of those mommy necklaces. Olivia actually reached for one at the counter while out shopping last week, and I looked her in the eye and said, "sorry kiddo. mama ain't wearin' that. lovely, but not my style."

Also LOVE these earrings, when I first saw them in Elle last month. Seeing them reminded me of this very amusing blog. They are the perfect earrings for a PR pro like moi, yes? But again, would I wear them on the job? I'd have to go around telling everyone all day, "don't quote me on that." (bah dum dum) I know. bad joke. Anyway, very talented designer that Tom Binns.

*photo courtesy of shop bop.

Wanted: stuff I don't need...

Its been a while since I've really been into Michael Kors accessories but I'm liking this clear acrylic watch (sigh)...

The burglar took my 2 expensive watches and--gee thanks--left behind the Fossil watch that McDonald's gave me after a speech during my beauty queen days. This of course, cracked Charm City Daddy up. He always hated that watch which is why he gave me a nice one--now gone! Not so funny.  So technically I should have a replacement and this MK watch is only a fraction of my loss! Good enough excuse?

I also like this bag (double sigh). It sorta looks like a Hermes Birkin and has the chain strap I've been wanting on a bag this season. AND it's cheaper than the Tory Burch tote I've also been scoping. Mommy-hood has taken me into the realm of REALLY big bags and totes or toting around wallets in diaper bags. I just bought my big bag for the year (and maybe next year too) in Scottsdale. I really shouldn't be looking at anything!

When I get these types of feelings about stuff I don't need, I usually just wait a week or two and see if the feeling passes. If I can't stop thinking about it, I'll make a move---with a coupon code.

Lovely Ladies

Today was just lovely.  To celebrate the 70-degree weather, I wore one of my new Liberty of London dresses from Target.

Yes, I fell for the marketing scheme and now I own two of those floral patterned frocks that also match candles, flower pots, bicycles, pillows throughout the store. And no I had never heard of L.o.L. before the Target campaign. It is quite obnoxious as you walk around the store actually--but at the same time somehow magnetizing and a bit hypnotic.

At any rate, I got lots of compliments on the ensemble (which I paired with a cardigan and pearls) which according to Charm City Daddy made me look like a Stepford Wife (he was joking with love of course--and I had to agree). 

The best part of my day, however was when I arrived home and my little Olivia had on her own cute Target dress (size 18mos!) that I had bought for her before she was born. Here we are in our dresses...

 Of course if I had my way, she would also have a little Liberty of London in her collection but I couldn't find anything in her size! Her dress is bunched up on the bottom in this pic, so you can't see the cute little pockets, but you get the idea. I could just eat her up!