A Random Thing Or Two-sday

Ronen Chen Tunic
LOFT Duster Vest
LOFT Distressed Boyfriend Jeans
Antelope Ankle Clog Booties c/o
Anthropologie Hat
Make Pie Not War Necklace via Mommy Mailbox
Gorjana Twist Cuff via Rocksbox (use code ABBEYBFF3 for a free month!)

1. The 70's called, and told me they love my outfit, but that they want it back. And then I told them no, because this is probably one of my newest favorite outfit creations. Do you ever get in those funks where you just have no idea how to piece together new looks with the same clothes that have been sitting in your closet for years? I've been going through a major one (hence the absence of these posts for the last two weeks) but inspiration decided to strike at 2 am on Sunday night, er, Monday morning technically. I think I need to get a big Polaroid camera like Cher Horowitz and start photographing all of the looks I put together in those moments. Anyway, these Antelope clog booties are absolutely fantastic. You've probably seen a selection of their boots in Anthropologie. Everything they make is beautiful, so I am happy to announce we will be giving away a pair of any Antelope shoes or boots of your choice next week! Stay tuned!

2. Fact: The "ma" sound is one of the first things babies are able to vocalize, and it is found in almost every language. It's mom in English, maman in French, mamī in Punjabi, me in Vietnamese (source). They all have the same sound, so that is where the word mom or mother got its name. I love that motherhood is truly a universal thing, united in its love and purpose.

3. So, what did we think about the Oscars? Here are my thoughts ... a) Neil Patrick Harris tried his best, but I didn't really think he was all that great. I was mostly bored during his bits. But hey, that would be an incredibly stressful event to host, so kudos for attempting it, Neil! b) Lady Gaga CRUSHED. IT. I was not much of a Gaga fan before, but after her mind-blowing tribute performance of The Sound of Music my heart changed. c) Ole' Goop a.k.a. Gwyneth Paltrow's dress was absolutely my favorite of the night. It reminded me of her 1999 dress—pale pink is totally her color. d) Eddie Redmayne, I love you and want to kiss those darling freckled cheeks of yours. I love it when actors are genuinely surprised and thrilled and gracious.

4. Upon waking up from my weekly nap on Sunday, I thought to myself, Are Sunday naps a Mormon thing? You know, like weird obsessions with Diet Coke and dirty Dr. Peppers, or Cafe Rio sweet pork and Pinterest? Just peruse your Instagram or Twitter on Sunday and 50% of the posts from your Mormon friends are about naps. Am I right? I'm just gonna give myself some credit here and say I am. But the question is why? Have we performed a mild hypnosis on our brains and circadian rhythms to fall asleep right after church? Do all of the emotions associated with church take a physical toll on our bodies? Is it sheer boredom? WHAT IS IT?

5. Would you rather have to walk down the red carpet naked or vomit all over the place during your acceptance speech?

P.S. Heel clicks, because it's a rite of passage when you get your first pair of clogs.


P.P.S. I was sneaky and captured Matt the Fashion Blogger in the wild! Mwaahaha! Also, I desperately want to reenact Sia's "Elastic Heart" video, but Matt won't agree to it. I am telling you, it would be hilariously AWESOME. I really think we could have an incredible parody YouTube channel, but it is just going to take some stealth and convincing. Send me your good persuasion juju, k?

A Random Thing Or Two-sday

Wifey Tee: c/o ILY Couture

Necklace: c/o ILY Couture

Pants: similar

Shoes: similar

Hat: similar

Bracelet: similar

1. This look right here is what I call the ultimate date outfit, especially in light of Father's Day coming up. Just in case anyone is mistaken about our relationship, my tee should ward off any assuming females. I mean, a guy with modeling skills as demonstrated below is practically a walking aphrodisiac, and those hips do not lie. Sorry ladies, he's aaaaallll mine.

2. Fact: In Switzerland, it is illegal to own only one guinea pig because they are prone to loneliness. They even have guinea pig rental companies to keep their furry buddies happy.

3. I truly have the worst ADD (ADHD? Is ADD even a thing anymore?). It took me a whole 20 minutes to even click the button to create this post because I ended up catching up on other people's posts in my Blogger feed. Before I knew it, I was sifting through my shopping cart at some random store but decided against rash online shopping at night. Note to self: never shop online at night. It is done in a somewhat hazy and mostly impulsive wave of delirium, and never quite makes sense in the morning (And I don't even drink! Could you imagine what that shopping experience would look like with a couple glasses of wine? One word: YIKES.)

4. Last night I was holding Wes up so he could stand next to Luke. He had the biggest grin on his face just staring at his big brother, and then Luke came up to him and Wes wrapped his arms around Luke. I don't know if little babies can give intentional hugs like that, but I swear on everything that he meant every squeeze of that hug. You should've seen it. They were both squealing and giggling with so much joy. Those are the moments that make me out of my mind happy. I love our little family so much.

5. Would you rather lose your ability to speak or both of your hands for the duration of one month?



(These impressions are going to be a regular appearance in the weekly ARTOT roundups from now on. Heck, maybe we should even get him his own fashion blogger satire blog. I definitely think there is a hole in the market for one, right?)

A Random Thing Or Two-sday

Sweater: similar
Denim: LOFT
Shoes: Converse
Bag: similar

1. This outfit is the most dressed up I get most days. It's practical and comfortable, and if you see me in heels other than on a date or for church, it's a brazen lie, I tell you! I know my last few style posts have been extremely casual (so normcore), but I am trying this thing out called authenticity here on this blog. Have you heard of it in blogland? (Probably not as often as you'd like.) It's also known as keeping it real, which I'm a big fan of. Remember this post that I completely dedicated to KIR (keeping it real)? Turns out an uber-popular mommy blogger shares the same sentiments and you should check out her post from last week if you're into that kind of thing.

2. Fact: The Guinness Book of World Records holds the record for being the book most often stolen from public libraries (source).

3. We were driving back from Orange County the other night, when we pulled off our exit right next to our house. Once we pulled up to the stoplight to turn onto our street, Luke and Wes woke up simultaneously. This got me to thinking about how I used to do the same thing on long drives and road trips when I was little — and I am talking young enough to not understand driving directions or even how to read. I subconsciously just knew where my body was based on the rhythm. It reminds me of how you know which family member is home based on how they open the lock on the door because of the specific jiggle they give to their keys, or their unique gait pounding on the floor. You do these things too, right? I think it's one of those innate human things we do without even noticing, which then gives me a proud sense of existentialism by noticing it and talking about it.

4. I love when videos of unexpected animal best friends go viral, like this one of the goat and the donkey. So stinking cute, I could cry. And actually, I kind of did. Just a little.

5. Would you rather burp bubbles or pass gas that smells like your favorite perfume? (Think of the entertainment those bubbles could provide for kids on demand.)

P.S. Matt's weekly impression of a "fashion" blogger. Find his first one here for your immense viewing pleasure.

Birkenstocks

Sandals: c/o Birkenstock via OnlineShoes (20% off your purchase with code 'ENJOY')
Jacket: similar
Tee: Target
Pants: similar
Bag: c/o Hearts
Nail color: Essie 'Fiji'
Lip color: Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balm 'Audacious'

Three things ... I am mildly obsessed with the Birkenstock and black pants trend happening right now (this photo and this photo are the inspiration behind this outfit). The Gizeh Birko-Flor style I have are nice because they fit snug on my foot, and wow are these babies comfortable! I get what all the hype is about. The inner PNW girl in me is proud of this new venture into land of the Birkenstocks, and I will absolutely blame it on the PNW (that stands for Pacific Northwest if you aren't pickin' up what I'm puttin' down here) if I end up wearing them with socks (even though they would have to be toe socks). It's kind of in my blood — all that rain seeped its way in and is practically forcing me to do it (as is the failure to get my roots done in a timely manner)! Second, I can now officially bust out my favorite nail color since it is spring and all. Three, I thought I'd give the coral lip a shot and I LOVE it. I totally recommend these lip balms — easy to apply and the colors are the bomb.

P.S. Matt's impression of style bloggers. I was crying from laughing so hard.