Keeping Up with the Joneses

Fashion Flashbacks and Black Week

2012-01-31T08:11:00.001-05:00

I'm doing fine in my no-new-clothes-in-2012 resolution thus far. I count it as a month, since today is January 31. I went to Target yesterday, and forced myself to take a right into the shoe section before I was enticed by any cheap, faddish clothes on my left. I love looking at the little boy shoes, but I didn't buy any of those either.
Shiny week was a success! I wore something sparkly, shimmery or shiny each day. Mostly satiny tops, one sequined top (with a gray suit, so it toned it down), and a shimmery scarf.
I think that this week is black week, which is a gimme for me.
(mini rambling flashback alert)
In high school, I loved to get dressed. I mean, we were in the late 80's/early 90's...it was the era of tight-rolled jeans, big bangs, vests, palazzo pants, and black hats! I had a sort of rule...I would only dress down if it were raining...that's when I wore my jeans, "duck" shoes, and some sort of NHS sweatshirt or sweater. Otherwise, I was pretty much "business casual." I don't know why. I've just ALWAYS enjoyed being dressed up. Maybe it's outward compensation for low self-esteem, but that's another post for another time. :)

Anywho, my senior year I was one of about four girls to sign up for weight training. We confused the boys' club, including the coach, because it was a "class" for the football team. I didn't know this. I thought it was a class. I mean, they taught us muscles and exercises and all about weight training, but up until we signed up, it had only been football players. I actually didn't even know there were other girls signing up. I just thought it would be a good way to get a daily workout in.
Of course, this led to the girls in the class bonding pretty well. Two days a week, we got to go upstairs and do Denise Austin aerobics while the boys did football stuff. The other three days, we all did weights. On my very favorite days, we would go run on the track outside, and I would pass all the stocky football players who kept telling me to slow down 'cause I was making them look bad. (if you know me now, you are having trouble understanding this fitness-Shelley. Just remember, I'm competitive no matter what I'm doing)

One day, these girls told me that they kept tallies of how many days in a row I wore black. Really!?!?! I was up to 11 straight as my high.

So, this week, in honor of high school Shelley, I wear black. It's easy. It goes with everything. My black shoes are all my most comfortable. If I'm feeling saucy, I have red shoes I can throw on. And, it's really just a short step away from clean/ironed week as a theme--which will probably happen before too long. And if I have a particularly rough week, we might settle for "major body parts covered and socially-acceptable" week. The point of all this is not to create more work or stressful mornings, but to inspire me to USE what I have and to be creative. Always remember, a splash of color brightens up any black ensemble. And there is not a color that doesn't work with black...except maybe navy blue. That would just be a splash of bruise.

Flashback Friday: Why you should use a light when you tinkle in the night

2012-01-27T09:59:00.000-05:00

We all have those "hall of fame" flashbacks that we end up telling a group or that, upon remembering, makes you laugh and laugh. Why not put some down as a memoir? {I tried in my head to mash-up the words memoir and blog, but it won't work. Blogmoir and Memog don't have a good ring. I'll keep working on it while you read.}
My sweet husband has a bathroom habit that I find odd. Don't worry, I'm not about to tell you too much. I promise. It's just that he goes to the bathroom in complete dark in the middle of the night. We won't even go into the aiming part, since I can't really speak to that; but seriously, I have a phobia about there being some kind of creature in the toilet in the middle of the night. Nevermind that I've never had that happen, but I've read enough stories like THIS to force me into using some sort of night-light, full light or flashlight when I hear the call of nature in the night. I just googled "snake in the toilet" and the pictures are too frightening to even put on the blog. It may be urban legend, but the mere idea is enough to make my blood run cold (ha).
That was quite the set-up, wasn't it?
One evening, Jerod was at his parents' home in Greenville...home from college. He was watching some late-night TV and had seen this commercial: (it's only 30 seconds)

With the penguin's "Do be do be dooooo" fresh in his mind, he determined that nature was calling and made the short trek down the hall. He had himself ready to go and sang the "do be do be do" out loud in the very-dark bathroom. When, all of a sudden, he heard the singing reply from directly in front of him, "Doo doo doo doo-dooooo."
What happened next was a flurry of long-limbs, shower curtains, door frames and hallway-spilling.
(insert fun, muffled grunts and falling noises here, and feel free to imagine my nearly 7-foot tall husband going down in a frightened heap)
Jerod's mom has the same habit of using the restroom in the dark.
She was sitting there, minding her own business, when she almost got tinkled on.
And that, my friends, is reason enough to use a light when you tinkle in the night.

Shiny week and half-brain syndrome

2012-01-23T19:28:00.000-05:00

Alright, now that I've officially announced my no-new-clothes resolution (I started to type no-clothes resolution, and realized that's an ENTIRELY different affair!)...I could say I'm on week three. I haven't bought anything but "unmentionables" and some socks for Jerod so far in 2012. It is SHINY week. I started yesterday by sporting a shiny orange top, and have continued today with a shiny gold/leopard top with a black sweater. (maybe there will be pictures. no promises)
I'm hopeful I can make it all the way through the week with something shiny each day.
In other news, I have realized that I am suffering from half-brain syndrome. Do not race over to WebMD. It is not an actual disease. Except to those of you who suffer from it.
I find that now that I have a running, climbing, curious toddler, I cannot have a conversation with adults when he's in the room. I try valiantly. But most of my brain is in mommy-mode, making sure that he's not dangling from the back of the recliner by one hand. Adult conversation has become nearly impossible with anyone other than Husband, who is also suffering from half-brain syndrome. So, between the two of us, we have one whole brain and can make some gibberish into what passes for conversation. But at least he understands when I give the look that says, "can this wait until after bedtime?" Because half-brain syndrome also comes with temporary aphasia.

According to the mayo clinic online, a person with aphasia may:

Speak in short or incomplete sentences
Speak in sentences that don't make sense
Speak unrecognizable words
Not comprehend other people's conversation
Interpret figurative language literally
Begin to make spelling errors
Write sentences that don't make sense

They may as well have listed, "people with small children may..."
So, bear with us. When the little man is around, we are operating on instinct to keep our offspring intact. He is thus far fairly fearless and more curious about everything with a button, plug, or climbing ledge than I ever thought possible.

Can she do it?

2012-01-20T08:02:00.001-05:00

This year, I have an odd resolution. I'm not even sure I want to make it. But I think I ought to make it. I think a lot about the ideas of "enough" and "excess." By most of the world's standards, pretty much everyone I know has excess. I don't bemoan the state of life I was born into, but I do want to be mindful of my resources. I am thankful for the many blessings God has given me, including the material "stuff."
I love clothes. I love, love, love clothes. It's a darn good thing I didn't get the size 6 body I'd love, because we'd really have a problem if I had that body to dress. It doesn't change the fact that I love textures, colors, cuts, trends, fads, the hunt...I love jewelry, shoes, shirts, skirts. I love it all.
However, when I was pregnant, my clothing menu got shorter and shorter. I had a great stash of stuff thanks to my sister-in-law, but it was hard to spend on something that I'd only wear a few times. I got a few things, but what I really figured out was that I could get away with a LOT less than I was used to. Even for work attire. I certainly was tired of the one pair of jeans I had that fit me up to the end, but as long as I stayed on top of the laundry, I was fine. It made me wonder...

Can I go a WHOLE YEAR without buying new clothes?

For some people, that's a no-brainer. I'm not talking to you. ;) I'm talking to the people like me, who shop casually and pick up a shirt here or there just to freshen up the wardrobe. Those who shop for the pure pleasure of the find. Those who put together outfits just for fun while falling asleep and can't wait to see if the orange sweater and teal top will look fun and spunky together or just odd...? But in my heart, I know the charge I get out of the act of buying. (not actual charging, by the way--it's not caused us debt, thank God) But there is a shopper's high. It's real. And nearly as good as any other addiction, I'd guess.

The kind of sale I can handle. Empty hangers!

I have a closet full and another attic-full of stuff. And among these items, several sizes that I've been over the past few years. So, even if the magical weight-loss fairy whacks me with her wand in the middle of the night, I should be fine.
So, I'm going to try it. I don't think I will make it. That's terrible to say from the offset; I know. I will need a twelve-step program to help myself break this habit of over-buying.
Step 1: Admit I have a problem. (Doing that now)
Step 2: Make a goal. (yup. done. one year.)
Step 3: Reduce exposure to stores that carry clothes. I can get stuff for Shepard at children's stores or consignment. I already have to get Jerod's stuff online.
Step 4: Resist temptation. Flee. Don't even go near the section.
Step 5: You are allowed to buy undergarments. 'Cause, for real, that's not really fun anyway.
Step 6: Do not divert desires to Jerod or Shepard and give them the largest male wardrobes on planet.
Step 7: Jewelry counts. No accessories. I seriously could probably start a jewelry store. Sigh.
Step 8. Shoes are iffy. Barley has eaten a few of my fave/stand-bys, so if I get to summer and realize I have NO black sandals, we might have to call an emergency shoe-truce and buy ONE pair. Otherwise, if I have a pair that fits the need/color/style, no shoes.
Step 9: Confess if I fail. Return item.
Step 10: Get excited about what I HAVE. See what kinds of new combos I can make. Wear stuff I have neglected.
Step 11: Challenge myself with "brown week," "red week," "shiny week,"etc. to keep myself entertained. (sad)
Step 12: Compare 2011 to 2012 in December and see how much $$ I saved!!!!

Can I do it?