mood update & favorite things: old/new wardrobe pieces & shoes

*editing to add Wed. night:  Dang - this was a short-ish post until I decided to describe my mood . . . I've been a little upset today . . somewhere between sad and frustrated - leaning more towards frustrated. There is a basketball coaching ordeal which I'll detail in another post. The trouble is I do not feel heard/there's no way for me to be heard - and I detest that feeling.

On top of that, Curly is managing, but the greif she's coping with looms large and weighty. She's taken to coming home and curling up on the floor with/on Finnegan for long stretches. Our hugs feel cozy but they linger and I wish I could just take the pain away. Oh, this is funny. My mom met C, the boy twin, after Reg's game the other night. She is a chatter box, always was, but moreso now that she has Alzheimer's. She kept laying her hand on his cheek while she spoke to him. He just smiled. She put her arm around him and asked him how he was. C:  FINE, HOW ARE YOU? I don't think he thought this little old woman had any idea that his mother had just died suddenly. He's a sweet kid and my heart is breaking for both of them. 

The school stepped in it with me and gave Curly a detention despite the fact that it was bad timing and just dumb. 

Coach came home early so that I could go to Costco, because I decided (after Reg sort of wondered if anyone else was doing a pasta party) to host another pasta party tomorrow night. Cue the music:  SO, YOU THINK I'M CRRRAY-ZEEE. I whimpered a bit to Coach about the coaching stuff and then I told him:  AND I'M HUNGRY. I JUST WANNA EAT LIKE A BAG OF POPCORN OR SOME SNACK LIKE A GF PIZZA. I knew I had one in the freezer, but I didn't have time to make it, and I don't eat popcorn anymore. I ate my daily afternoon apple and drove to Costco where I got the first parking spot and THEN feasted on none other than GF pizza that was offered as a sample. 

Yes, I did go back three times. No one was waiting for a sample, so I decided I wasn't being rude. Disagree? Fight me. Kidding. Have I mentioned I've got some anger brewing, but really nothing a little GF pizza can't cure. 

I then came home and went to the regular grocery store where I once again got the first parking space. All this to say, apparently things are looking up. 

 FAVORITE THINGS:  WINTER WARDROBE ITEMS

I do own other pants, but I took
most of these pics on the
same night and kept
on my new fav cords.

OLD TANK TOP:  My sister, Ann, bought me something years ago when we used to exchange. It was something I wouldn't wear, or was most likely not my size. Ann is very short - I'm tall, although I'm shrinking. Ann has always bought me size large, assuming I need a large for my height, I guess. I wear a size small shirt. 

Anyway, I took the gift back to the boutique where she bought it and chose a sweater. Plus, I bought this stretchy tank top? Cami? Layer? 

I've had this blueish one forEVER. 
Also stretchy and silky fabric.
Look how cute it is when
I wear it with this top.

It's one of my favorite wardrobe pieces. It isn't the kind of tank one would wear on its own. I wear it under things that are sheer, or low cut, or lightweight - when I want an added bit of warmth or something. I love the smooth, stretchy fabric. It must've had an itchy tag that I ripped out, because it's now tagless. This is a bummer, because I want to buy another, or a dozen more.

Last year, I bought tank tops from Lands End. They're boxy, not fitted - so they add bulk. Not my fav fabric. I don't like a tank top with a shelf bra necessarily, although I'm not opposed. I have one for summer that I love. I dislike having a thin strap dig into my shoulder. I don't have much to 'shelve' so to speak, so there should be no reason for a strap to behave as if it's carrying the weight of the world. I'm here to tell you, lightweight load. LIGHTWEIGHT.  

Does anyone have any suggestions for where to shop or what to google to find something similar? Oh, and I should mention, it isn't shapewear. 

It hangs on a
hook in my
 bathroom
waiting to serve.

Fun fact:  when I was a kid, we wore undershirts. Always. When baby Lad outgrew onesies, I was at a loss. It was hard to find little boy undershirts. I found some a JC Penny, but I discovered that very few people dressed their kids in undershirts in the winter. In the winter, when babies show up I am amazed at times they they do NOT have a onesie on under their clothing. Is it me? 

I find the added layer of a tank top to be the perfect piece in winter. Maybe it's a comfort from my younger days. 

Weird, selfie angle of my belt.

OLD BELT:  For my mom's 70th, my sisters and my SILs and I treated her to a Boston girls' weekend. We shopped at a ton of little boutiques. I bought a Suzi Roher belt (I have no idea if that is a fancy brand. I just noticed the brand when I took a pic of it) that was on sale for $60. My sisters made their Drizella and Anastasia faces at me, and shook their heads:  WHO SPENDS THAT MUCH ON A BELT?

I do. I mean, I never had before - but first time for everything. 

I flipping love that belt. I've worn it SO much in the 11 years since that trip. Lately, it doesn't fit me as well as it once did. Perhaps because I've shed some pounds, or maybe it's stretched out with age. 

Olive green sweater
with squirrel arms.

NEW:  I love my new corduroys. They're crazy-long, and soft. 

I'm also thrilled with new green sweater. I think I'm 'doing it wrong', because it's a size XS and I imagine it's supposed to be baggier on me than it is. I don't mind - it was on sale and it was the only size left. 

I also love this soft, wool, black sweater that I bought on sale a few years ago. 

Most of the time, I wear workout pants or jeans and a sweatshirt, because I work with messy, snotty babies and tots. 

SHOES:  I love require comfortable, supportive shoes. I watch for my fav brands to go on sale. I got lucky recently and bought these Fly Londons when they were marked down. Comfy and stylish. 

I was so excited that I wore them to Costco one afternoon when it was barely snowing. BARELY. The shoes are suede and I hadn't treated them. 

I'm a clueless knucklehead. 

If you look closely, you'll
see the tiny water stains.
To self:  this is why you
 can't have nice things. 

I went to the shoe repair guy the next day because I was sick about the little water stains. He told me to wet them, brush them, let them dry and use a protective spray. I haven't done it yet, because I found out that Lisa died the next day and my priorities shifted. I haven't worn them again, because I've needed to wear snow boots. 

I'm probably the only one who would ever notice the water dots, BUT I know they're there. Has anyone done something similar? Did you do the get suede wet, brush them thing? I'm nervous that I'll make it worse. 

****************

What wardrobe piece did you question, but you've  used it a million times?  Winter people:  did you wear undershirts? Did you dress your kids in them?