love this :: current favorite tops

Over here, I'm alternating between jeans, leggings, and Texture pants daily and thought I'd share my current favorite tops. What I love about all these is that they are pretty much year-round tops for the Pacific Northwest. Perfect for layering or wearing as a top layer.

1) The Centerline Slub Tee from Anthropolgie feels like a super soft t-shirt but can look dressy. It is very swingy, so you might want to size down. It would look great with skinny or boyfriend jeans. I bought the blue because I wanted to add that sea color to my wardrobe. I really loved the gold but the coloring wasn't quite right for me. And the grey is gorgeous, but they didn't have my size. Note that the back is silky and probably rayon, so you might need a tank as it is a bit sheer (I always wear one of these). 

2) While at Anthro, I also found this tee. It is a great neckline for layering under some of my flowy tanks/dresses that are sundresses in the summer but dresses over jeans for me in winter. So soft and lightweight. LOVE IT! And it is 100% cotton, which can be hard to find in stylish t-shirts these days. I'm thinking about getting a few more colors.

It makes me so happy that Anthro carries XL in some many of their styles now. I also tried on this tee and really liked it but decided to get the other two instead. I have it in my cart though to watch for it to go on sale.

When I was at Nordstrom before Christmas, I came across the Sejour brand. It's their inhouse "plus size" version of their Caslon or Halogen brands. I love the styles they have in those lines, especially the t-shirts, but I often find that they are simply too tight in the arms for me. Sometimes the plus size of brands is too large, I seem to fall in some ambiguous middle ground in some stores, but I really like the styling of Sejour.

3) I got the Sejour lace yoke tank, which I wear under a long cardigan or the Free People top below... I pair it with leggings or jeans. And it will be great in summer. It is very flowy, but because I'm wearing it with leggings, I love that. (And if you don't need a plus size, I found a somewhat similar look here and here.) I also have this tee, but I cut the neckline (using this tutorial). It has more of an aline shape on me than the photo shows and is quite flattering. 

4) So often I see clothes from Free People that I like, but they do not carry a size bigger than a large, and they indicate the large is a 12, so usually I just ignore their section in Nordstrom. But a few things caught my eye, so I wandered for a bit and then found the Free People Sunset Park Thermal top. I got it in black (each color available seems to have its own listing on Nordstrom). It is super cute on and big, so order down. The L fits me and is very swingy and the fabric is so soft. I wear it layered with a long tunic or dress underneath and leggings or jeans and it makes me so happy. Note: The way the seams are sewn, there are little threads that are fraying, and before you wash it, they will leave little bits of fluff around you. No big deal if you're wearing black and have darker furniture (and this pretty much stopped after about three wearings), but I was wearing it at my mom's and sitting on her cream sofa and left a little trail behind me. Would also be a cute cover up.

5) And lastly, here's the Scoop Neck Jersey Tunic from Eileen Fisher. It is another one I'm pairing with leggings - falls longer on me than the model and it looks good with jeans too. I've even paired it with a long black skirt. Eileen Fisher is one of my favorite brands. I try to buy pieces that I'll wear for years as they're pricey but the quality is wonderful.

I'm also still wearing everything I shared in this everyday outfits post from about a year ago. That vest is still available and I still highly highly recommend it.

Oh and did you notice I mentioned leggings about five times in this post because dudes, I'm wearing leggings and showing some knee. For reals. My current favorite leggings are from Old Navy. I've always loved the ones from JJill too.

Note: Some links are affiliates, which means I receive a small commission when you purchase from that online store. See other "Love This" posts here. And see more of the clothes and accessories I wear and recommend on my "In My Curvy Closet" pinboard.

love this :: everyday outfits (november)

It's been awhile since I've shared an everyday outfits post. Now that we're really in the midst of autumn in the Pacific Northwest, here's a glimpse at what I'm wearing and loving and stacking stacking stacking.

1) This denim shirt from J.Crew Factory (hat tip to Elise) is finally (FINALLY!) the denim shirt I've been looking for. It's fitted but still roomy and it's really chambray so it isn't heavy. Great for under sweaters or as an outer layer. And I'm doing the denim on denim thing and loving it.

2) I'm stacking these bracelets in multiple colors daily over here. They caught my eye when I was checking out at Paper Source and I was delighted when they fit me. I have trouble sliding bangle-style bracelets over my hand but my wrist isn't large, so that makes for an interesting relationship with bracelets. These stretch just a bit and somewhat vary in size. I pretty much want about 20 more to wear on both wrists. They are fair trade bracelets made from recycled flip flop materials. Awesomesauce.

3) And I love to stack them with my Five Deep Breaths bracelet that I wear every single day lately as I keep holding my ground with love with my strong-willed awesome intense four year old.

4) This Wild Shirt from Umber Dove Studios is basically on rotation two to three times a week over here. It fits like a dream and makes me so happy. I have it in purple and love it in the gray too. 

5) With an outfit like this one, if I were leaving the house, I'd probably wear my favorite "non-traditional" Ugg Grandle boots that I've shared before (this year's similar version here), but today, I want to tell you about my fox slippers. I've mentioned my plantar fasciitis that has been hurting me on and off for the last year. For the last two months, I've been wearing supportive shoes almost every single time I'm walking. As in as soon as I get out of bed, I slip on shoes and keep them on all day long. For a person who prefers being barefoot, it has been a bit excruciating at times. As I go from the studio to the house, often in the rain, I want something that I can stand in for short periods of time hammering at the project table but that also just feels cozy as the studio warms up in the morning and most importantly makes me happy. These foxes have hit the sweet spot for me.

6) My favorite JJill jeans bit the dust recently. I still have a pair that I've cut the too long length off of that I wear sometimes, but gosh I wish it wasn't all skinny/slim fit jeans all the time everywhere as I look for a similar pair. I'm back to the Dreamer bootcut jeans from Old Navy, and I'm remembering why I do really love them. Super comfortable and really flattering. Thinking I'd like to get them in the slightly lighter wash too. And when I'm doing the skinny-ish jeans thing, I still wear these NYDJ boyfriend jeans and unroll them and tuck them into my favorite tall boots.

Check out other everyday outfit posts here.

Quick note: Some links are affiliates, which means I receive a small commission when you purchase from that online store.

love this :: taos here i come

This weekend, I'm headed to Taos, New Mexico for a week to teach yoga at Jen Louden's incredible yearly writing retreat. This year she's teaching two sessions, and I'm so delighted to be part of the second one that begins on Sunday. And spending a week in Taos writing is a true dream come true for me. As in I've had this dream since I was 19 and reading Long Quiet Highway. And the dream intensified over the years as I heard about Jen's retreat...and now here I am. 

And honey, when you're about to embark on a dream come true kind of trip, you've got to think about what you're going to wear as you step into that dream. Here's a little glimpse at a few of the things I'm gathering. The intention is to be comfortable + survive the heat + be able to go from writing to teaching to maybe even running into town easily. 

This linen tank from Eileen Fisher (on sale right now at Nordstrom) is super flattering with the seams down the front and will be equally awesome for plane wearing with a cardigan + jeans and for yoga class with my favorite yoga pants + Texture mini skirt. And I'm wearing it with this Wacoal racerback bra.

These linen pants from Old Navy have been my summer staple this year. I have them in white and this khaki linen color (that looks more like natural linen than this photo indicates). They are like yoga pants meets kind of dressy pants. And throwing in the dryer for about 4 minutes gets the wrinkles out (and they're a blend so they haven't shrunk at all and stretch a bit as you wear them all day). {hat tip to my friend Darrah for putting them on Instagram}

The Lucy Tranquility Tunic is my new favorite top. Love how it fits and that you can wear it either front or back as I prefer the scoop neck in the front that they show in the back online. Again, can easily go from day wear to yoga to dinner. 

The Shiva top from Athleta is super soft and comfortable. Plus it is flattering and has thumb holes, which just makes me happy. There are several styles on sale right now including this stripey linen which looks awesome on.

These Chaco sandals immediately made my heel pain/plantar faciitis feel better. So comfortable. I've also been wearing these Chaco flip flops for several years and they've become a go-to all the time in the house shoe to help with the heel pain.

People often ask me where to buy a yoga mat. The truth is, I've always loved the Gaiam mats at Target. The few I have are a couple of years old, but I love this one from their current collection.

I'm also taking: This hat (but you probably already guessed that), a favorite long black dress from j.jill that is really comfy, three pairs of yoga pants, three tanks, a sweater or two, and a few other things I've somehow convinced myself I can't live without. 

Check out other everyday outfit posts here.

Quick note: Some links are affiliates, which means I receive a small commission when you purchase from that online store.

love this :: everyday outfits (may)

A few items that are part of my uniform around here:

The Living Memory wristwrap from StoryPeople. It says: "I carry you with me into the world, into the smell of rain & the words that dance between people & for me, it will always be this way, walking in the light, remembering being alive together." I've been wearing it almost daily since it arrived last week. It helps me trust I'm walking with my grandmother and my uncle and my grandpa and Traveler my golden and the others who've gone before me. Made well. Love it. So grateful to Brian Andreas for writing these stories. Yes.

Posh Pants from Texture. I'm a big fan and have had a couple pairs for years. Very comfortable and can be worn year round here in the Pacific Northwest. I love "swamp" and "cobalt."

I'm back to my El Naturalista clogs. I bought them about four and a half years ago, and they've held up really well. I'm having an on-again-off again adventure with plantar fasciitis and these are really supportive on the days when my heel is throbbing. Really good for standing in the studio. (And every now and then El Naturalista is on Zulily. I have to usually go up a size to a 40 even though I'm an 8.5, which is usually a 39. I bought these Mary Janes and they just arrived. Here's the color I bought. The inserts I'm trying do fit in them and I'll report back after I wear them for a while. I feel like an old lady writing all this but I also refuse to let this heel pain stop me from 1. living and 2. feeling good in my clothes. {And 3. I bet someone reading this might need these inserts too.})

This hat by Pistal. I know I know, who would have thought a trucker hat would become one of my favorite things. But it is! It has a seahorse + hearts on the front. For real. I love it.

The Ruffled Margins Tank from Anthro is awesome. I went with a Large. The seams down the front are flattering and it is really soft and so lovely on. I put one of my Shimera tanks under for a smooth look.

The new Five Deep Breaths Intuition bracelet in my shop. Love it. Fluorite is my new obsession. This one sold out quickly but is available for pre-order and should ship around May 22nd. I'm wearing about four different bracelets/wraps stacked these days. Makes me so happy.

Check out other everyday outfit posts here.

Quick note: Some links are affiliates, which means I receive a small commission when you purchase from that online store.

love this :: everyday outfits (february

 

A few good things that have been part of my daily uniform over here:

1. I've been wanting something like this Caslon top from Nordstrom all winter. I'm layering it with a long-sleeve t-shirt underneath. It hits me a little lower on my hips, and it runs big. I bought a large.

2. For the last few years, I've been wearing one version or another of these long-sleeve tees from Target. They wash well and are perfect for layering.

3. I've been wearing these Uggs for the last three winters. I work from home and wear them almost daily. No they aren't the most feminine shoes around, but I love them. They are super warm and have a surprising amount of support for my foot. And the lining is starting to wear out just a bit. So I decided to get these (pictured above). And my winter toes are now very happy as I hammer in the studio.

4. This Lands End vest is awesome. I have it in this green color, which reminds me of Spring, and as the rain rain rain comes down down down over here that is always a good thing. It is on sale for more than 50% off right now (only $19.99). Love how flattering the cut is. I'm actually temtped to get one in another color, but I'm pushing myself to be honest that I just need one puffer vest.

5. The Prairie Hoodie from Prairie Underground. After loving my friend Vivienne's Prairie Underground hoodies for years, I got one for Christmas this year. I love it. It is like a sweatshirt coat you can dress up or down. And it isn't so thick that you can't wear it as a sweater layer, but it also is substantial enough to be able to wear as a coat part of the year (especially here in the Pacific Northwest). If you have a Hot Mama store near you, they carry several styles. And their store is kind of awesome in that it was created with the idea that moms should be able to have fun shopping even with a baby or toddler in tow (i.e. plenty of room to push a stroller around plus take it in the dressing room with you plus they have toys and a play area). Note about sizing: I tend to be a 16 and am able to wear the L size in this style. Whenever I buy another one, I'm going to get an XL just to have a bit more room for layering underneath for a different look. (Shop Adorn in Portland carries several styles and sizes online here.) UPDATE: Looks like Hot Mama doesn't exist anymore. You can find this hoodie and similar styles at Adorn, one of my favorite stores in PDX.

(Not pictured) I keep meaning to write a post about these tanks. They aren't really shapewear but they do help smooth out that little adorable pooch right above my waist, which makes my t-shirts fit so much better. But they don't make you feel like you can't eat while you're wearing them. I have several colors because they are that awesome. And when you wear jeans, tuck them in so they stay put and keep you looking "smooth." If you want something a bit more like shapewear, try these. Also awesome. 

Quick note: Some links are affiliates, which means I receive a small commission when you purchase from that online store.