This past week marked a milestone in the Cook house. We found out that my smartie pants husband passed his professional engineering exam. After months (literally) of studying, we got the good news on Monday and planned a special evening out to celebrate his accomplishment. We started with sushi at Mura followed by drinks and dessert at Coquette, where I ran into fellow tumblr, the darling Autumn , and her cutie fiance. I think our guys were equally perplexed when we explained that we had “met on the internet,” but hopefully their reservations were squashed after introductions. Loved meeting you IRL, Autumn!
I really wanted to remind my hubby what a hot chick he married (hee hee), so I pulled on another of my favorite high waisted skirts (mwahahahaha!), but this one has a shorter hemline. I love the pairing of navy with hot pink, and since my legs were rather exposed, I wanted to more coverage up top, so this blouse was the perfect complement. Add bed head hair and sky high heels and voila! You have the perfect recipe for husband celebrating.
The Way I Wore
Pink Blouse: Karina Grimaldi
Skirt: French Connection (seen also here)
Nude Heels: Forever 21 (see also here)
Pyramid Stud Earrings: nOir
I stayed at work too late to make it to my typical Thursday night gym class. I say “typical class” even though I’ve only been once before. I keep meaning to go again, so I feel like if I call it “my typical Thursday night gym class” it will become a more regular occurrence. Kind of like a self fulfilling prophecy, you see?
Anywho, I didn’t make it to the gym, so I met up with my boy at North Hills for Thursday Night Beach Music courtesy of The Embers. Afterward, we checked out new restaurant on the block Piola for some dinner. The evening did not disappoint, except for the fact that while scanning the crowd at The Embers, I realized I am part of the old crowd. You know… the people who wish they had a chair to sit in and don’t have to worry about who is going to buy them a beer.
The Way I Wore
Dress: French Connection (also seen here)
Shoes: Kenneth Cole
Bag: Handmaid by Michelle Franz
Pizza: Leftovers from Piola
Earrings: nOir
This dress has really great bow detail in the front and a matching bow in the back. So I kept my accessories simple and donned only my wedding ring and a pair of pyramid studs from nOir (via Gilt) which are very difficult to see in the photos above, but have become a staple accessory in my daily outfit rotation and look like this:
Sometimes you gotta just throw on a short skirt, a pair of hot pink high heels and strut your stuff. Being a tad ridiculous is good for the soul every once in a while.
The Way I Wore
Top: Nation Ltd (seen also here)
Skirt: Anthropologie//Eva Franco
Shoes: Rock and Republic (via Gilt; seen also here)
Would you all be interested in a tutorial for the hair braid headband?
And don’t forget to enter the Spellbound headband giveaway here. You have until Wednesday to leave your comment and the winner will be announce on Thursday.
Before changing into something more comfortable for outdoor games at the grad’s party, I dolled myself up for Jason’s stepsister’s graduation ceremony on Saturday morning. And by doll myself up, I mean I pulled together the first things I could find since we were up by 5:15 am to make the drive. This outfit proved itself to be worthy of the outdoor ceremony, just so long as I stayed in the shade! Because Lawd have mercy, it was a hot one.
The Way I Wore
Navy tee: Splendid (seen also here)
Skirt: French Connection (seen also here, here and here)
Shoes: Banana Republic
Bag: Handmaid by Michelle Franz (also seen here, here and here)
Necklace: Rachel Leigh (also seen here, here and here)
Sunnies: Target
And here’s what I wore to that internet meet-up.
I think this shirt actually looks better in person than it photographs. It’s super duper comfy and has a gather in the back to give it a teeny weeny bit of shape. I had planned to wear heels with this but my parking spot was too far away from the meet-up and my feet would have been hurting with the 5 inch suckers that I’d brought with me, so I stuck with my flats that I’d worn to work. I think they worked but heels would have probably looked better. Eh, can’t win ‘em all.
The Way I Wore
Top: Nation Ltd
Capris: Paige Premium Denim
Shoes: Loeffler Randall for Target
Ring: Kenneth Jay Lane
Necklace: House of Harlow
Bag: Boutique in Wilmington, NC
I think heaven must be like how I spent my last Saturday. It wasn’t anything special, but it was absolutely perfect in it simplicity. It was really just what I needed after a not that great couple of days.
I slept in with My Love before digging into cleaning the house. And let me tell you - it felt good to clean. We’d been gone one too many weekends and the amount of dog hair that had built up was slightly embarrassing (if you learn anything from reading my blog, you should learn that labs shed like cuh-raz-ay!). After that, I bid my man adieu and headed to a baby shower with some newer and delightful friends. Jason is so lucky that he has awesome coworkers with equally super wives. After the shower, I headed home, changed real quick like and went to a cookout* with some of my oldest friends, my parents, and their parents.
But, here’s what I wore to the baby shower.
The Way I Wore
Dress: Free People (seen last summer here)
Shoes: Lucky (these shoes definitely propel me over the 6-foot mark, but I do love them so)
Ring: Vintage (also seen here)
*A cookout is not to be confused with a barbecue. In the South, if you say you are having a barbecue, you better have just that - BBQ! If you’re cooking hamburgers, hot dogs, brauts, steaks, etc… you are having a cookout. If you are cooking barbecue chicken, barbecue brisket, barbecue pork, etc then you are having a BBQ. Now you know.
We kicked off Memorial Day with a late rise, a delectable breakfast and … YARD WORK! And to reward ourselves for all our (read: Jason’s) hard work in the yard, we treated ourselves to lunch out at my favorite spot, Raleigh Times, followed by a stroll downtown before heading over to my parent’s house for a cookout.
The Way I Wore
Top: BB Dakota
Skirt: Lauren Conrad Collection
Belt: Anthropologie
Sandals: Kenneth Cole
Bag: Handmaid by Michelle Franz
Rings (left to right): The Limited, Kenneth Jay Lane, wedding ring, great grandmother’s hand-me-down ring
Sunglasses: Target
Saturday night, Jason and I headed to Durham to catch the Bulls in action. While the outcome of the game was disappointing (we lost), the evening itself was thoroughly enjoyable. We stopped at the Mellow Mushroom to enjoy some pre-game pizza and brews. It marked my first occasion spending some quality time outside the confines of DPAC in the American Tobacco Historic District of Durham and I was quite charmed. I think we will definitely be back for some more exploring.
The Way I Wore
Striped Top: Splendid
Denim Skirt: Paper, Denim and Cloth (from about 5 years ago)
Wedges: Jessica Simpson
Bag: Handmaid by Michelle Franz (from about 7 years ago via girlshop.com… anyone else remember that site? That was my online shopping destination of choice in college.)
Earrings: Jessica Simpson
Sunglasses: Target
Ring: Wedding
Today marked my second day back at work this week, but it was my first day this week that I got by without some medicine (either over the counter or prescription). I think I have almost kicked my yicky cold to the curb!
To celebrate, I wanted to wear something fierce to work to channel my animal like spirit that will rip to shreds any cold that comes near me. Viruses, be warned. RAWR!
(don’t l look scary to viruses?)
And one more with the hair down:
The Way I Wore (to work)
Leopard blouse: H&M (this is actually more of a tunic that I would wear with leggings, but I tucked it into this skirt to change it into a blouse. magic!)
Skirt: New York & Co
Heels: Nine West
Hoop Earrings: Kenneth Cole
Here’s hoping I can make it through the night without my codeine/cough syrup combo.
Saturday night, I rallied my sore throat afflicted self - it’s just a little sore throat, I convinced myself. ha. ha. ha. - and Jason and I headed to a friend’s pad to take in the outdoor concert happening at Lincoln Theatre. We had a blast and I was glad I went, even though my throat is LITERALLY KILLING me (seriously, I am dyyyying today and I blame it on going out Saturday night when I should have stayed in. FOMO got the best of me, for sure.)
Anywho, here is what I wore… and let me tell you. When your husband finally agrees to take pictures of your outfit (for most pictures, I just use a self timer) and then other people walk up, it is awkward and it will always be. sigh.
Oh, and please pardon the hair. The sky decided to pour buckets on me the minute I stepped out of the car.
(oh haaaay! I’m just standing here taking pictures of myself. Don’t mind me.)
Oh, and check out my shoes. Cute, no?
The Way I Wore
Paillette covered tee: Rebecca Taylor
Jorts: Forever 21
Shoes: Fergie (yep, like the singer. I didn’t know she had shoes but I scored these on clearance and I thought they were just great. Her selection is surprisingly wearable)
The number one reason I’m glad I went out last night and which makes my sore throat a bit more bearable is that I got to hang with fellow bloggers/tumblrs CarolinaBlonde of “Sunshine to the Square Inch” and FollowingMandy of “Following Mandy.” It never gets old “talking blog” with charming, smart and witty gals. I’d met CB before (such a doll and on the left!) and was so glad to have a face to face encounter with Mandy (the hot chick on the right) before she begins the adventure of a lifetime and drives cross country to California. Good luck, darling!
