My Style // Coffee and Kimonos

Hey look, an outfit post! You guys may (or may not) have noticed that the ol' 'My Style' posts are few and far between these days. I haven't given up on sharing my personal style in this space by any means, but the truth is, scheduling time for photo shoots of yourself when you have a baby is something I just can't seem to get the hang of, even when my husband or friends are here to help. I always thought that if these posts fell to the wayside after Essley was born, it would be the result of me no longer wearing anything other than tees and leggings, or like, pajamas all day, or something.  But that's not the case at all. I get dressed every single morning, I still love and care about fashion as much as I ever have, and I make a conscious effort not to let the fact that I'm a mother now get in the way of continuing to wear clothes that I love. It's really just a matter of time and logistics. This blog is part of my full-time job, and I have to be practical about scheduling for workdays that include a lot of office work and in house projects. Lugging a camera and lenses and a teething baby to pretty locations (because sorry, the back of a townhouse just doesn't make for a nice background) on days when the weather and lighting happen to agree, then standing in front of a camera trying pose without laughing (either at my own awkwardness or the hilariously loud screeching sounds coming from my child) can be a major ordeal. Add to that sorting through several dozen photos to find a handful where I don't look like a complete fool, then cropping and editing, and, well, it's just a lot of effort to showcase an outfit. I plan to continue to share style posts on occasion, but for the time being, they'll probably only be a monthly thing.

And now that I've gotten that lengthy explanation out of the way, on to what I wore this day. We'd actually just spent the afternoon at a child's birthday party, and we made an impromptu stop at our favorite forest preserve on the way to our dinner plans. I wasn't planning on doing outfit pictures this day, but we had the camera with us so we decided to snap some shots, mainly because I've been meaning to share this gorgeous jewelry here for weeks now (more on than in a minute). And also, I love this outfit you guys. I'm going to be honest and just admit that I've worn this exact outfit twice a week (or more) for the last couple of months. It has become my go-to summer outfit and I'm already bummed that it's going to be shoved in the back of my closet with the other warm weather duds any day now.

Each piece of this outfit is at the top of my list, if we're breaking things down. Anyone who knows me would vouch for the fact that "I Need Coffee" is pretty much my motto, and I bought this tee (which is now sold out, boooo) straight off the rack without trying it on or even stopping to look at anything else on my way to the register. It's my favorite shirt. I also love this kimono, more than I can put into words really. The current kimono trend is quite possibly the best trend of all time. Anything that combines major comfort, pretty prints, a boho vibe, and an oversized garment that covers all the areas I'd like to be covered these days is an automatic thumbs up in my book. The shorts aren't much to discuss. They're cut-off jeans. They're comfortable. They fit well. The end.

I've mainly worn this outfit/uniform with moccasins this summer, but over the past week, I've been pulling out the boots. This particular pair of boots is one of my very favorite pairs of shoes in general, and I'm an especially big fan of the way they look paired with shorts. I snagged the hat last summer and have worn it more than all my other hats combined since. But I think my favorite accessory here is the absolutely stunning necklace that the lovely Jade over at Jade Stone Jewelry made for me. The combination of the triangle and quartz is so me and I wear it almost everyday. I also adore the spiral copper rings she made me, and wear them almost daily as well. She is an incredibly talented jewelry maker and also a really wonderful person. I love sporting her stuff.

Boots: ℅ Minnetonka  //  Kimono: gift from my sister //  Shorts: Target  //  Tee: F21  //  Long Necklace: ℅ Jade Stone Jewelry  //  Essley Necklace:  Best Name Necklace  //  Copper Rings: ℅ Jade Stone Jewelry  //  Turquoise Ring: Picked up in Colorado 10+ years ago  //  Hat: Target  //  Watch: ℅ Watchco  //  Sunglasses: UO  

So that's that. My favorite summer outfit, finally shared with you all, right as we say goodbye to the season. (And a cameo appearance by Essley, who decided at the end that she wanted in on the action.)

If you have any suggestions of places to get heavier weight, more fall/winter-patterned kimonos (particularly ones I can wear with this coffee shirt until it's hanging on me by a thread), please let me know!

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