i’m feeling especially reflective this year, thanks in large part to all of the drastic changes that happened in my life in 2014. the biggest, most obvious being that i became a mother in january, and when it came to my wardrobe, i basically had to re-learn how to get dressed in the morning. looking back, i can remember those early days when adam was born, when i would rush to the bathroom and scramble to get the knots out of my hair and splash some water on my face before attempting to squeeze into an old pair of jeans that were too tight for my swollen body. back then, it felt like i would never be able to get ready in the morning again! but i’ve since learned how to streamline my routine with a quick and easy beauty regimen and a very simplified wardrobe.

i had no idea that having a baby would change my style so drastically, but i’m pretty happy that it did. i was getting bored with my old favorites. the super mini ’60s dresses and twee little collars were fun, but i’ve never really stuck to any one style for very long and i was way overdue for a change. now i feel much more comfortable and confident in a simple wardrobe with lots of neutral colors, wash and wear fabrics, and varied silhouettes. i’ve learned a lot about what makes sense for my lifestyle, and i’m pretty excited about all of the looks i have planned moving into 2015. so here’s to another year of ever-evolving style!

if you ask me, new year’s eve is a bit overrated. especially if you’ve got an 11-month old baby expecting to be tucked into bed by 9pm. but i still do have plans to enjoy the last day of the year eating hors d’oeuvre and sipping champagne. i’ve been saving this dress from loup nyc for just the occasion. it’s a simple little white dress, but upon closer inspection, you’ll see that the print is a series of tiny drawings of cigarettes, undies, baguettes, boobies, and champagne glasses. exactly the types of naughty things one would be up to while partying into the early hours of the morning. but since i’m not going to be up to quite so much debauchery, i opted to dress it down a bit with a flouncy little crop top, and only a few subtle hints of shine. though it’s certainly versatile enough to be worn on it’s own with a bright pink lip and strappy little heels. perhaps i’ll have to try that out on my birthday later this month…

wearing:
party icons liv dress courtesy of loup nyc
vintage crop top by scout la
double hoop necklace courtesy of giantlion
gold mary jane heels

hard to believe that we’re fast approaching winter and that christmas is less than two weeks away. this time of year always seems to speed up and pass me by before i even know what hit me! i don’t feel anywhere near prepared for christmas day, and i’m just barely keeping up with my normal responsibilities. but isn’t that the way it goes? this year has definitely been a lesson in efficiency for me. i’ve had to learn how to get ready in the morning with a fussy little baby who would much rather be held in my arms than watching me attempt to swipe some blush on my cheeks or mascara on my lashes. i’ve had to learn how to do virtually everything with a baby propped on my hip. and i certainly don’t have the luxury of staring wistfully into my closet, trying to think of what to wear every morning. my closet, much like the rest of my life, has been arranged into a foolproof arsenal of essential goods to help me get through the day. shirt dresses? check! easy jacket? check! flats and low heels? they’re all lined up in coordinating colors! and this is one of those outfits. it’s a trusty standby that gets me through the day feeling good. the primary function is to keep me comfortably clothed while taking care of a baby and going about my daily business, but it’s got just enough style that i feel pulled together and ready to embrace the day.

wearing:
vintage raw silk shirt dress
vintage denim jacket
asos wool fedora
rachel comey mars boots
clare v. messenger
the runwell watch courtesy of shinola

there’s just something about vintage workwear that really gets me going. a perfect pair of selvedge denim dungarees, a rugged chambray work shirt. so perfectly nostalgic and staunchly american. if i could find such menswear to fit my body, i would certainly wear more of it in my daily life, but alas, i am not built with the body of a man. and nor do i want to be. so when i laid eyes on this dress by heinui, i knew i had found something good. it’s made of the most amazing japanese chambray, but constructed in a decidedly feminine shape. it’s actually a lot more sophisticated than most of the clothes in my wardrobe, but it’s not delicate or precious in the least.

wearing:
ellis dress courtesy of heinui
rachel comey mars boots
clare v. messenger
the runwell watch courtesy of shinola

last fall, i didn’t really acquire too many new pieces of clothing. some maternity jeans from target, maybe a few asos dresses in large sizes to accommodate my rapidly expanding pregnant belly. but right before i “popped,” i did pick up a few things thinking that i’d be able to fit in them for at least a couple of weeks before i got too big for them. and then i foolishly thought i’d be able to fit back into them like two months post baby. ha! if you want to feel really bad about yourself, try fitting into one of your old dresses a month after your baby was born. i know some women can, but i sure couldn’t. even after somehow miraculously losing most of the baby weight in the first month after adam was born, i’m still just barely fitting into some of my pre-baby clothes. mostly thanks to my (for lack of a better word) ginormous boobs.

but that didn’t keep me from rummaging through the boxes of the clothes i’d packed away during my pregnancy in search of something new to wear now that the weather is cooling down just a tad. which is exactly where i found this cute little lauren moffatt dress just begging to be worn. i will admit that it’s a tad bit short to wear while running around after a baby, but i still enjoyed tossing it on for a morning walk. i just let daddy carry the baby so i could have some fun skipping around in a short dress for at least a couple of hours.

wearing:
dress courtesy of lauren moffatt
bass wayfarer loafers
benah for karen walker handbag
jasper sunglasses courtesy of warby parker
the runwell watch courtesy of shinola