A Brown Rant

Recently my older sister sent me a link to this sort of, I don't know, living life sort of website/newsletter that Gwyneth Paltrow apparently does. It's called goop, and I really liked some of the things she wrote about. (The name sort of makes me wonder if it's supposed to be GP's initials, and maybe she has two middle names that both begin with 'O' kind of like my daddy has two middle names that both begin with 'G.') Especially, I liked a book she found, called Spent, about how everyone is exhausted all the time these days, and how to not be. I'm in.

Anyway, one of the posts was about a gray tank and black leggings being the basis for a lot of wonderful, classy outfits, and the black and gray got me going on a rant about how brown is so, sort of, just, out nowadays, it seems. I ranted to Kristin in an e-mail, and she insisted that I reprint the said rant here. So, here:

"Right now I have totally cleaned the kitchen and am rewarding myself by looking at goop. :) I really love the 'get' about the black leggings and the gray tank. :) I have a yellow tunic, and I could get gray leggings instead and wear it with gray ballet flats. I think gray is the new black, really. Brown is definitely not as in as it used to be. Remember when brown sort of first came out? It was so chic, and you wore it with pink or blue or green or white or yellow, and later, even black! And now, it's like, eh. Well, I still really really like brown sweaters though, or even winter-y accessories, like gloves and hats, or furry boots (but even there, gray is more now, don't you think?) or just a natural leather color like that bag that I can't believe you got at Target. :) But shiny brown business-y accessories and pants are just, I don't know, out, I feel. They make me sad to think about. Do you know what I mean?

(PS don't feel bad if you have something brown!! I trust your style sense, I just, I don't know, ever since I started having this feeling about brown in general, I have just never complained about it to anyone. So you're the first. What do you think? You know, like, when you see someone dressed up for work, and they have on brown, like a brown suit or shoes, (or both--how horrible--shoes are excusable though, especially if they're boots or if you're wearing something else exciting) or if you go to Kohls or Walmart, and see a bunch of brown purses, you're just like, "oh dear" and you have a yucky feeling in your tummy because you know someone's probably going to buy them.)"

I really don't want to make anyone feel bad about wearing brown, but maybe anyone who wears enough of it to make someone's tummy hurt should be made to feel a little bit bad. It seems to be mostly people I don't know who do that, so I guess there probably will not be any lucky happenstance of their actually reading this. I like it as a color, (it's the color of my eyes!) just not a fashion statement or a yucky, plumpy purse.

I must admit, again, that I was mad about brown clothing when it came out, really, I was. (Here's a blogger friend of mine making a bit of fun of me for that now.) I have some nice brown pants and a particularly beautiful and well-shaped shiny brown purse, and a very fun brown and white polka-dot tunic I got in Germany, from which I am deliberately taking a break. I just feel that it's wise.

I want this phone!!

Isn't it great? I don't care that I couldn't walk around and do chores while I'm using it. That's the ONLY time I talk on the phone, but I just want it!

Steve told me the loveliest thing when he finished studying tonight. He saved it in his mind to tell me because he knew I would like it so much.

While he was going to Sam's to get gas on the way home from work, he saw a lady, standing on the sidewalk, as if she were waiting for someone to come along and pick her up. He said she was probably 75 years old, with white, white hair, and "all dolled up" he said. And she was wearing a full-length fur coat. How glamourous. He said that since she was so old, the coat was most likely real fur! And all the way to the ground. She must have had some fabulous shoes and sunglasses on, but he left that to my imagination.

I want to be like that lady when I'm old.

things I need...

I began this post one frosty (icy, actually) night when Steve was out for one of his rare poker nights, and I needed to get my mind off worrying about him and the ice.

Steve is out having a well-deserved good time playing poker, so I am here at home, and to keep from worrying about him (because it's sleeting outside!!) I was just pondering some things that I need. I mean, having already shopped til my wallet was empty at all the awesome January sales (hey, I should post about that so I'll remember all the things I bought!) I now have a list of things that, when I think about them, I immediately say to myself, "How can I get some money? Where? Quick! I just need a little more money.." but since I cannot keep doing that to our budget, I'll just have to dream on until February. It's finally getting close... (I know. I'm sad.)

So here's my list:

There's this eyeshadow at Sephora. It seems sparkly but really dark, too. I would buy all the colors if I could, but I'm really into gray right now. And into having money left over for a few other things.

Then, there's this:


A designer who apparently couldn't find what she wanted to wear in stores, so she started making her own stuff, which is what I want to do. Just for me though, I don't really have any business goals. It makes me want to go to thrift stores! Anyway, I love her distressed scarf, and her not-so-basic tee. These are probably not things I will buy, (actually, definitely not!) just inspirations. Although that tee is awfully tempting, because it's not so astronomically expensive as the scarf.

Also, there's this UK-based shoe store called Irregular Choice. I LOVE their shoes! Look at these, on sale for 29 quid.



(haha! Yes! I said "quid!" Well, I had to, my keyboard doesn't have a sign for pounds.) Anyway, all their shoes have like, ponies or unicorns or something beautiful or fun on the bottom and on the inside. I think I would wear these every single day!



Or these:

They used to have some wonderful black and yellow striped heels with plastic chocolate truffles and cherries on the front. Not too much, just some small ones. It sounds outlandish, but I promise it was in good taste. Yum. I'd have a picture, but that was a few days back when I didn't know how to save pics to my computer, and now they're out of stock, so no pictures. Oh well. :)

The problem is, I have sometimes tried on the few of this brand that Nordstrom carries, and they would all fit perfectly if my foot were, say, 3 and-a-half inches wider. Which kind of makes me wonder who they're marketing to. Is there something I'm missing here? Oh well. It makes me happy just to look at their shoes.

Speaking of shoes, I really do think I might get these for when we go to London and Paris. They are cute but practical, and leather, and on sale, and they are bouncy! They make me feel like I'm walking on air! I will get the green ones, I think. charm bracelet

Lastly, and this is possibly the most ridiculous thing I have ever wanted to spend money on, (I guess some may disagree, after seeing some of those shoes) but I just really want a Juicy Couture charm bracelet.



Maybe it's just the water here in Dallas, but I have wanted one ever since my sister-in-law and I dared to go into that shop one time, that pink-and-gold, syrup-y sweet, over-priced panties- and sweatsuit-selling haven for spoiled Dallas (or any city, I guess, but JC is one of the things in Dallas that screams "Dallas" to me.) middle school girls. And I loved it.





Their charm bracelets are the funnest things, and they really aren't that expensive! I'd get a gold one, and you can pick all your own charms. (that's what's in the picture at the very beginning of this post.) They have a cupcake charm, a piano, probably something about ballet, and I know there's a lollipop charm, and just all kinds of candy charms, which are the best. And there's an Eiffel Tower and a bicycle too, and high heels. It's like having everything you ever wanted, candy and otherwise, all on one shiny gold, twinkly-and-pink, wonderful bracelet around your wrist.