Thanksgiving Threads

Thanksgiving was my Dads favorite holiday, because he said it was 'just about the food', no nonsense, gifts, etc. So he cooked everything we loved, puttered around all morning, got at least 5 different kinds of wine, and talked for nearly 4 weeks about it ahead of time. However our Thanksgiving many times took place not on Thursday, but on the Saturday following the calendar holiday (this allowed for me to spend the actual holiday in Connecticut with my hubby's family and his dad's fabulous sisters, their children, and in recent years, some of their children's children).

My Dad also always noticed a new pair of shoes, a new bracelet, and the distinctive sight of the many pieces of jewelry he had bought me over the years. He rarely failed to mention my wearing any of the above. So when choosing an outfit that will withstand a 3 hour car ride with a 2 year old, followed by a day of chasing said 2 year old around a big house (with stairs and multiple cats that will no doubt bolt at the sight of him), I will also take care to wear things I know my Dad would love.

And for Tucker, who remember will only wear cotton sweatpants these days:

Making the Cut (Part II)

Last time in September, I lost my nerve. But this Saturday, I am ready to take the plunge. Its been about 6 months since I chopped over a foot off my hair and donated it to Locks of Love, and I can't get enough of the freedom short hair gives me. So I'll take a few inspiration tears (a habit from my days as a buyer at Ann Taylor) and hope for the best. Perhaps this is all part of my coping process, and I'm OK with that (as is my amazingly supportive hubby and initial-twin friend CV)

Wish me luck!

Lists and Look Backs

I vacillate between this 'wish list' making me intensely sad, and tolerably nostalgic. My Dad and I always started Christmas shopping early, partly because my mom's birthday is December 2nd, and my hubby's is the 16th. It always seemed practical to kick the whole shopping season off in mid-November (for my hubby's 30th my dad threw him a dinner for 10 in the private wine room at a steak house we all loved. I did the planning, the invites. The dinner was just for friends, my Dad wasn't even there but the whole thing was very him).  For holiday shopping, my Dad would set the (generous) budget, and I would do the legwork, diligently reporting back to him with my latest finds and then run through the final lists before the holidays fell.

So this year, my heart is half in it, but I will still keep the tradition going with a 'wish list' of sorts.

This clutch (you can't have too many!), monogrammed with recipients initials

A wallet + phone case in one, in my favorite seasonal pattern

One of any of these statement necklaces from J.Crew that I cannot get enough of

One of these amazing reversible leather belts with initial buckle from C Wonder

Anything Bobbi Brown

This timeless David Yurman bracelet, one of my Dad's favorite brands to buy for us for a special occasion

Making Choices

Some choices are easy (Beer or wine? Wine. Gym or Housewives on DVR? Duh). Others are more difficult (Red or white? Beverly Hills or OC?). Since I do not buy bags often (or ever?) I take this decision seriously. And I need help. Which would you choose?

Kate Spade 2 Park Avenue Beau Bag

Tory Burch Robinson Double Zip Tote

Marc Jacobs Large Satchel

This Week's Complaints

I would say I can be uptight at times, and freely admit that I need to work on this. However, when toddler decided that he will no longer where anything other than sweat pants, (this is in addition to the no jacket problem we have been having since fall set in) I started losing my mind. Preschool teaches him an array of great things, like how to throw out his trash, counting to 10,  how to say 'please' and 'thank you' (which we have been teaching him since birth, but it seems it takes an outsider to make it all gel). But it cant seem to teach him how to be reasonable. Does this come with age? (If so, what age might that be?) Persistence?

For our best friends' baby's christening in East Hampton this past weekend, I thought surely Tucker would wear the adorable corduroy pants and fair isle knit I purchased for him. And perhaps he'd want to wear his Ralph Lauren quilted coat that my husband would die to have for himself. But of course all this planning was doomed from the start, and after physical struggle, failed bribes, and an emptying of the drawers, we ended up at the preppy, upper-east side meets Eastern Long Island church in sweat pants paired with the adorable patterned sweater (a 50% victory if I was a glass half full kind of girl). This is why they make wine, and why afternoon drinking is still a thing past the age of 21.

Leopard + Red

Animal print is surprisingly very versatile, and has stood the test of time in the fashion world, no small feat. I find myself planning entire outfits around my leopard pumps some days, or my amazingly cute leopard belt others (as I cannot do both together). This weekend my mom got me this clutch I had been lusting over for months (in case you needed more proof of my self-professed clutch obsession).

A client gala this weekend is the perfect excuse to use this new bag. So again, an entire outfit will be planned around it (I love this DVF dress in red with leopard!)

Mommy Maintenance

Daily skin care is usually just another thing of the long 'to-do' list for most women, especially moms. A new routine and some new products can make a tired routine seem fresh and even perhaps exciting (especially for those of us who consider a good Friday night to mean getting into bed before 10:00 pm!). One of my many quirks is insisting on having all my products from a particular line or brand. The lucky winner this time is Peter Thomas Roth. As someone who has been through an Accutane regiment once in my life, I take great care in what I put on my face. 

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1. Complexion Correction Pads (Night)

2. AHA Acne Clearing, Anti-Aging Treatment (Night)

3. Sulfur Masque (1-2 times a week, at Night)

4. 3% Glycolic Acid Face Wash (Night)

5. Oil-less Oil 100% Squalene (Night)

6. Ultra-Lite Oil-free Moisturizer (Morning)

7. Gentle Foaming Cleanser (Morning)

A Little Leather Lust

I love the leather trend this fall, but a mother/lawyer can't exactly pull of leather leggings in daily life. J.Crew helped me with this dilemma by offering this skirt (and Factory sweetened the deal with 30% off new arrivals and free shipping so this cost me about $50).

Houndstooth is decidedly preppy to soften the leather trim, but it still satiates my craving for 'trend'  (a remnant form my early post-college days as a fashion buyer, working 14 hours a day for very little pay, before practicality set in and I went to law school where I'd get to work even more, for even less :).

This full leather option is super cool, and I'm just not cool enough to wear it. But I do admire it, and the a-line cute makes it more practical and office-worthy for some people that have more liberal careers than I.

Clutch It

You probably know my obsession with clutches is nothing new. And yes, they are not always practical for a lawyer and mom to a 2 year old, but I love them all the same. I also cannot get enough monogram, so the combination is just irresistible for me. Mark and Graham has been a holiday favorite since the brand first emerged last year, and recently I've been peaking there for more daily essentials, like this super affordable ($35!) clutch.

The process of choosing not only the clutch color, but also the thread and the monogram style took many hours (and many ignored client emails while I debated between orange and gold, with the former ultimately winning out).

And though it doesn't seem so practical, I've found that actually, it can be. I toss it in my daily work tote and end up taking it for those spontaneous work lunches, trips to Target, and more rare happy hour dates with the Hubby when Nana feels like doing us a huge favor. Plus the color makes me happy even in cold, grey weather.