want | need | wear | read : ME

want:  I've been in the market for some new ink for a while now and I'm hoping I can "scratch the itch" soon.  If I promise to get a big portrait of you, Santa, would you pretty please foot the bill?  (LAST MINUTE TIP:  make a cute homemade gift card and include some moolah for someone in your life who is wanting a new tat of her own.  This is a super easy last minute gift!) 

need:  I've said it before, and I'll say it again:  my eyes suck and I need to get more serious about seeing things clearly.  One of the main reasons I don't wear my glasses as often as I should is because I hate having to switch between prescription glasses and non-prescription sunnies.  For anyone who wears glasses, you know how weird it feels to go from "good vision" to "bad vision" in a swoop of an eyeglass frame.  I'm hoping this might be the Christmas that I can finally say, "Why yes, I can read that speed limit sign, officer!"  (LAST MINUTE TIP:  hack into your friend's computer and figure out when they have an opening on their schedule coming up and make them an appointment with an eye doctor.  Then after they get their new prescription, foot the bill for the new prescription sunglasses.  This is an easy-peasy 2-in-1, folks!) 

wear:  As a woman who is still nursing and still a long way off from feeling like putting on a super slim fitting sweater, this winter I'm all about my clothes fitting looser than…well…you can insert your own ending here.  This swingy sweatshirt is comfy enough for lounging around the house, easy enough for NC to access the goods, yet put together enough to wear out with jeans and boots.  (LAST MINUTE TIP:  brave the crowds and scoop up something pretty for your girl!  It's almost impossible to go wrong at H&M--find a store near you here!.)

read:  Everyone's raving, and I want to join in the fun.  As if 'Girls' wasn't reason enough, watching her hilarious short video series, 'Ask Lena', just sealed the deal.  (LAST MINUTE TIP:  buy the Kindle edition for her to read on one of her many techy devices!) 

This marks the end of our 2014 gift giving guide!  We hope you have an amazing holiday season filled with love, laughter, food, family, friends, and mistletoe.  See you in 2015.

xoxo

-mel

want | need | wear | read : BABY

Today's WNWR-er is another sweet friend from college, Anna, who makes some of the most precious baby gear for her Etsy shop, Moshi Moshi. (Yeah, I dug into the Rhodes College alumni files for this series.  They should pay me for making it look like everyone who goes to Rhodes is as cool as we are.  That's right.  Humility.)  In addition to making other babies look adorable, she does a pretty good job of keeping her own little baby Lucy looking enviably precious too.  That's why her list of gifts for baby are so spot on.  So without further ado, I'll let her her take it away! 

want:  Lucy already has several things that she loves to ride on, but none are quite big or sturdy enough for future trips to the park.  We live up a steep drive (just steep, not fancy) so the park will be where we learn to bike ride.  I will be keeping an eye out for one of these bad boys at yard sales and consignment stores.  I read somewhere that kiddies outgrow these kind of quickly so a cheaper option is the way to go for me!

 

need:  We are taking a trip to Japan this winter to celebrate my grandmother’s 100^th birthday!  What?!  And her birthday is also New Year’s in Japan!  One of the country’s biggest celebrations.  Double what?!  Japan is a country of people that love and aren't afraid of walking and even though it will be chilly chilly cold, we will probably do a good bit of it.  So Lucy is going to need some good warm boots.  I’ll readily admit that there are probably cuter, more Instagram-worthy boots out there, but I trust Stride Rite and their shoes have been good to Lucy’s feet so far. Practical choices here we come.

wear:  Lucy started snoozing in the infant version of this sleep sack at about six months after another mom recommended it to me.  This particular brand has a hefty price for basically a wearable blanket, but it goes from age 0-2 so it lasts a good while.  Lucy has just about grown too long for hers at 18 months but she’s a tall one.  That’s why this toddler size one (ages 2-4) is on our wear list! The arm holes have a snap to adjust for smaller babes, there is a place to put the car seat buckle (the crotch one..what is that actually called?) so that you can transfer peacefully sleeping kiddos from crib to car and vice versa (Yeah right, snort snort. Oh, your kid can do that? Not mine.)  It’s all season, all weather, and all around awesome.  It is a critical part of our nap and bedtime routine…Lucy sees the sleep sack coming and knows I’m not playing around. It’s time to sleep, baby.

read:  My dad read these books to me when I was younger and I loved them.  Loved reading them to myself even as I got older.  Loved them in college and still love them.  Love the movies as they come out too (but I have a problem with people who love the movies but haven’t read the books –give the books a chance!).  I had a box set growing up (I use the past tense because I might have misplaced one of them freshman year while trying to show how cultured and “CS Lewis in the know” I was –sorry, Dad.) and I would love for Lucy to have her own.  She doesn’t have the attention span to get past a page full of words being read to her, but like most things in babydom I’m learning, change happens quickly.  So I want to be armed and ready with these books for when her book-attention-span develops into something longer than my rap version of 'Itsy Bitsy Spider'.  

Thanks so much, Anna!  Can I just also note that I would pay to have a recorded version of your rap version of 'Itsy Bitsy Spider'?!?  It's pretty much NC's favorite song and I think she would become your biggest fan pretty quickly.

I've got one more WNWR list for you on Monday, compiled by yours truly.  If you have any last minute gifts you still need to get for someone special in your life, all of my picks are procrastinator-friendly.

xoxo-

mel

want | need | wear | read : HIM

This dude really needs no introduction so I'll keep it short:  my Mr. is the jam.  And so is his gift guide.  All of his ideas will translate perfectly to that special dude in your life, whether it's buying him a piece of gear to assist him with his latest hobby or taking advantage of the opportunity to pick out the perfect slim-fit trouser for him to replace his baggy pleated khakis.  So, without further ado...

want:  If you've ever seen A River Runs Through It, you probably understand the allure of fly fishing.  Standing thigh deep in a beautiful and powerful river amongst stunning scenery, the ultimate focus on the current moment, studying the dance of the water over the features below to interpret where the fish are hiding--all reasons I want to learn this art.  For Colorado, this rod will get you everywhere you want to go from delicately presenting a dry fly on a small mountain stream to nymphing a high alpine lake.  Also, you don't have to sell your car to buy it, which is nice.

  need:  As a gentleman of "uncommon proportions" (to put it kindly), dress clothes that don't make me look like I'm playing dress up in daddy's work shirts are hard to come by.  J.Crew has lots of love for the skinny, tall man and the quality is worth the price.

 wear:  I've been on a search for a simple, low-profile shoe that I can wear both casually and to work over the last few years.  TOMS Cordones came close, but disintegrated in a little under two years without much abuse.  I'm hoping these Vans will be the answer.  

read:  With dreams of DIY renovations in our future, we gotta start figuring out what the hell we're doing.

The next WNWR is all about baby!  All the adorable (and seasonally appropriate!) gifts to get for the little humans in your life, curated by the genius behind Moshi Moshi.

want | need | wear | read : HER

I asked a good ole' friend of mine to contribute for today's WNWR gift guide and she really hit the nail on the head.  Lauren Kennedy is one of the most stylish and graceful human beings I've ever known, plus she's super talented and wicked smart to boot.  By day she works for Ballet Memphis (which brought her to be included in the Memphis Flyer's 2014 edition of 20<30), and by, well, the rest of her life, she plays a leading role in the blossoming art scene in Memphis and beyond.  She runs and curates a gallery out of her own living room, Southfork (which has gotten amazing wonderful beautiful reviews recently, by the way), and recently co-curated Pandora's Children, a three-part feminist exhibition featuring regional and national artists, at the Clough Hanson Gallery at Rhodes College (Lauren's & my beloved alma mater).  For as long as I've known her (going on 10 years now, Lauren, can you believe it??), she has been passionate about lending her unique point of view to bring art to the masses.

Naturally, Lauren's WNWR list focuses on objects of beauty which are perfect for any woman in your life.  You can easily adjust Lauren's gift ideas to suit any special lady of your own, whether it be a great piece of art, a beautiful piece of jewelry, a classic piece of clothing she will wear forever, or a book to bring her inspiration for years to come. 

want:  Alex Paulus is a friend of mine and an artist whose work I enjoy a lot.  He was in a great show I put together at Southfork, and I've been wanting to keep one of his weirdo paintings for a while.  They're irreverent and smart in a dumb kind of way, and I love the colors and textures.  Plus, art has to make the best gift ever.

need:  I haven't bought a new coat in years and it is high time.  I love Zara in general because their pieces are always nice but still ultimately affordable.  I have been trying for years to retrain myself to save up a little and buy one nice thing instead of several crappy things, and Zara is usually a place where I can do that.  Figuring out something that somebody needs but hasn't been able to spend good money on themselves for whatever reason is always a great gift.  Plus, I just can't get enough of this color green.  I want it on everything.

wear:  I love this jewelry designer based out of my hometown of Dallas, F is for Frank.  I have one of their stingray rings and it is a piece that I wear all the time, and constantly get compliments on.  I have been looking at this necklace for months and am sure that I would wear it a lot.  All of their stuff is great.

read:  I have always been enamored with Louise Bourgeois, but have been thinking about her even more lately after seeing some of her work in DC this summer and being asked to be a part of this feminist show at Rhodes.  I would love to have a big, beautiful book of her work and writings to spend some time with.

Come back for our next WNWR gift guide, comin' atchya from a pretty fly guy & equally rad dad, my one and only Mr. 

want | need | wear | read: HOLIDAY 2014

Finally!  The time has come when all of us who are afflicted with closet Christmas-mania all year long are finally allowed to be honest about our addiction and live out in the open with all of our holiday-inspired obsessions on display.  No more secretly watching Christmas movies when the Mr. is working the night shift.  No more listening to Christmas music in the car and making sure to change the CD before I get out just in case the Mr. gets in and sees what I was listening to.  No more huffing the pine scented candles in the closet.  Now I can burn that candle in the wide open and sniff sniff sniff to my heart's content.  Take that, Scrooges of the world!  Christmas time is here, bitches.

Ahem.

Since this will be the first year that our daughter might actually have some grasp on what is going on with all the gift giving and receiving, we really want to make sure that we start to instill a sense of humility and gratitude in her right away.  We also want to make sure that the joy and excitement of the gift giving season isn't drowned by quantity, but instead highlighted by a few select things that will be gifts to remember.

So, the Mr. and I decided to follow the lead of one of my favorite bloggers, James from Bleubird, and follow a prescribed formula for gift giving:  

1- Something you want.

2- Something you need.

3- Something to wear.

4- Something to read.

In the coming weeks, I'll be posting a few different gift guides that ascribe to the above gift giving rules.  As the Mr. and I have been putting together our own lists, we've found that the rules really help us appreciate everything that we have and see how little we actually need.  We've realized that Christmas is not a season for who's spending the most money, or who has the biggest pile under the tree.  This year, we're keeping it small, and we invite you to do the same.

Start your list-making!  (Supporting Noonday Collection would be a great place to start!)  Make sure to come back in a couple days for our first gift guide geared toward the special women in your lives.

Happy Holidays!

--mel 

P.S.  Here are a few inspiration posts from Bleubird's "want/need/wear/read" series to help you get your head in the game:  A gift guide for James' baby, Sailor; A gift guide for James' dreamy hubby, Aubrey; James' gift guide for herself

(image via here)

Noonday Collection {GIVEAWAY CLOSED}

I recently learned about an organization called Noonday Collection and got immediately excited about it.  Their mission is  

"to create economic opportunity for the vulnerable" by partnering with artisans around the world and creating a marketplace for their goods.  Noonday empowers their artisans by offering no interest loans to help get their businesses off the ground, making advance payments on orders, and of course paying fair living wages.  In addition to creating a sustainable marketplace for underprivileged artisans, Noonday donates a portion of sales to help place orphans with forever families.
  

Beadwork from Guatemala 

With the spirit of Thanksgiving still ringing in our ears, I thought now would be the perfect time to encourage you to "purchase with purpose" this gift giving season!  Supporting organizations, like Noonday Collection, that make a greater impact in the global marketplace and in the lives of everyday people in a real tangible way is something I try my best to support whenever I can.  I encourage you to go into this shopping season with a similar goal in mind.

Artillery beads from Ethiopia

To help you get in the gift giving spirit, Noonday is kindly giving away one $50 gift certificate to shop this holiday season!  All you have to do to enter is visit their website, and leave a comment below telling me what you would buy for yourself and one thing you'd gift to someone special (I'm eyeing this bangle, this scarf, and this leather tote.)   I will randomly draw a winner on Friday, December 5.

Embroidery from Peru

If you are in the Denver area and are interested in learning more about Noonday Collection (while eating, drinking, and shopping their winter collection, maybe with your new gift certificate!), I will be hosting a Holiday Trunk Show on Sunday, December 7.  Let me know in your comment below if you are interested in attending and I will send you more details!

If you are not in the area, no worries!  Just visit Noonday's website and fill up your shopping cart, then when you check out choose 'Dawn Post' as your ambassador, and type 'Megan Lombardo' in for the trunk show you are supporting.

Thanks in advance for supporting artisans from developing countries around the world this holiday season!  Now, get to shopping!

-mel

**Congratulations Eirin!**

blabla

NC has a favorite doll from Blabla (Clochette the fairy!) that she has been sleeping with pretty much every night since she was just a couple months old.  We used to not know exactly if she liked her doll or not because of the frequency of which she would chuck said doll out of her crib while laughing maniacally.  We thought for a while she might have had it out for her.

Luckily, over the past month or so, she has started to snuggle up to her doll when we lay her in her crib and when we go in after she has woken up, she is sitting there holding up her doll, so excited to show us her sweet friend.  (Thank god she outgrew the 'doll-murderer' phase.)

I'm so glad she has taken to her Blabla doll because I think it is just about the cutest thing I've ever seen.  Blabla dolls are so soft and whimsical and they wear really well too (just don't put it in the dryer!).  So I was so very pleasantly surprised to find out that Blabla also has a precious line of bedding, play mats, rattles, and other fun accessories, all just as adorable as their knitted dolls.

Pointelle Blanket (mist), Coverlet (bunny lagoon), Crib Sheet (little sleepy grey), 

Bunny/Stars pillow (grey), Fleur the bunny

Bunny/Stars traveling play pad (grey), Suzette the fox, Pillow (apple grey),

Oh So Sleepy traveling play pad (grey)

Pom the apple, Crib Sheet (ruffle pink/orange), Coverlet (suzette pink)

Pretzel Rattle (orange)

Would you judge me if I bought one of their sweet knitted dolls for myself??  Yeah, good idea, let's just ignore that.

xoxo

--mel

SHOP THE SHADES: purple & gold

After writing last week about the arrival of some pretty magnificent shades of purple and gold that are taking over the landscapes around here, I couldn't help but start to notice these colors popping up in everyone's wardrobes!  It seemed that everywhere I turned, the colors I had seen on the mountainsides were also on people at the grocery store, in the downtown shop window, playing at the park.  So I decided to put together my own shoppable and wearable version of last week's fall inspiration:   

Erickson Beamon earrings / Karen Walker sunglasses / 

Zara printed blouse / Madewell jeans / 

Emerson Fry d'orsay heels / H&M wool coat 

Big + Little: Back to School

Well, folks, summer is officially over.  Finito.  Donzo.  Gone with the wind.

Not only does Labor Day usher out the sweaty sunny days of summer, but it also has always represented the official beginning of school for me.  Even if we hadn't started classes again quite yet. Or if we had already started classes, it always seemed a little ridiculous because we'd go to school for a few days and then get a day off for Labor Day.

"Wait, we've only been at it for like 4 days and already we're getting another vacation?!?"

You know that feeling I'm talking about, right?

Anyway, as crazy as it seems, a little part of me still wishes that I was heading back to new classes this time of year again.  Buying new supplies for all the dozens of papers I would spend hours researching and all the sleepless nights spent banging away in practice rooms and all the weekends I would spend partying excessively instead of studying like I should have been.  Or as a line taken from an old favorite movie most perfectly describes it:  "Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address…"  Man, what I wouldn't give for some pencil dust right about now.

Even though neither my daughter nor myself are heading off to school this year, there's no reason we can't enjoy the perks of getting some new supplies to see us through whatever learning adventures this new year will bring.

BIG:  Chris Van Veghel minimal rucksack / Public-Supply notebooks / 

Zuzii womens suede oxford / Nine Stories by J.D. Salinger   

LITTLE:  Duluth Pack child's envelope pack / Etch A Sketch / 

Zuzii kids suede oxford / An Awesome Book of Love! by Dallas Clayton

OluKai

Last week, we spent a few days in northern New Mexico visiting a chamber music festival, Music From Angel Fire, that I used to work for.  In addition to hearing amazing music, catching up with old friends, and generally just enjoying the beautiful NM landscapes, we were able to take some time to wander around the wonderfully wacky town of Taos for a while, too.  In one of the many adorable shops around the main town square, I ran across these sandals and fell madly in love.  They are expertly made and insanely comfortable, without looking like a geriatric podiatrist-recommended pair of boats on your feet.

Have you ever heard of OluKai shoes?  I hadn't come across them before but these sandals were all I needed to become instantly obsessed.  Here are a few other current favorites:  

Humu

Pa'ia

Hema

Since we are pretty much eternally broke, these will have to stay on the wish list for now.  But you better believe I will be stalking the sales until I can snatch a pair up for myself.  

--mel

The big ONE

So, NC turns 1 in a couple weeks.  

(Dramatic pause.)

That's right.  A whole year.  365 days.  8,765.81 hours.  I could go all "RENT" on you and continue this pattern but it seems in fact that there are 525,949 minutes in a year so really we need to stop supporting the lie.  

Anyway, NC is turning a year old and we're gonna party.  I'm assuming she won't really know what the hell is going on, so we're getting a lot of sweets, a lot of beer, and a lot of yard games for the adults to celebrate.  

Since she's not exactly of age yet and won't really be partying all that hard this year, a whole bunch of presents that she will be able to enjoy for the next year of her life will just have to suffice.  Here are a few things that NC would love this year:

1- Balancing Tree.  This set of balancing blocks would pull double duty since one of my Mr.'s favorite things to do is try and build the most epic stacked up pile of blocks ever, and one of NC's favorite things to do is knock it down.  

2- Shopping Cart.  NC is gonna be walking sooner than we'd all like her to so no use in fighting it.  This would not only help stabilize her in her early wobbling phase, but she would be able to take all of her toys around the house with her, and perhaps even clean up after herself when she's finished (don't crush my dreams here, people).

3- Family Dolls.  NC has a somewhat terrifying habit of chucking all of her stuffed animals over the side of her crib to their untimely deaths, laughing maniacally as they fall to the ground.  One of the millions of sleep books we read said we should encourage the use of a "lovie"--something that she could use to soothe and comfort her when she is in her crib alone.  I know she loves us, so maybe if we had these amazing dolls done up to look just like us, there would be less casualties in her bedroom. 

4- Stacking Toy.  Again, the stacks of things are a big hit in this house.  Plus, NC loves to put things inside of and on top of other things (and then of course, knock them all down).  Maybe this will help to curb her need for destruction.

5- Floral Romper.  Okay, so maybe this is more for me than for NC.  She doesn't give a damn what she wears so far as we can tell, but this would make mama so very happy. 

6- Exclamatory! Shirt.  A shirt with NC's favorite word on it!  Perfect. 

7- Classical Music for Kids.  As you all probably know by now, one of my life's goals is to show the world that classical music is cool and completely relevant.  I use NC as my guinea pig to try out as many different tactics as I can in hopes that she will fall in love with it as I have.  So far, it's working pretty well.  I think this book would be a good addition to my master plan.   

8- Rocking Moose.  Every child needs a rocking horse, and we live in CO.  Enough said.

Talking about all these presents has me in the mood to go start drinking celebrating early!

xoxo-

mel  

Design Challenge: Budget Area Rugs

About a week ago,  I got an email from a friend who had reached the end of her decorating rope.  "I need a rug for the area between my kitchenette and living room area (Probably like 5x7, but I could maybe go a little bigger)," she wrote.  "I think I need something with color--my living room is mostly grays, navy blues, and white, but I also already have a lot of graphic prints, so I think it needs to be more colorful without a huge bold pattern (which is SO hard for me to avoid!)"  With those parameters, it actually seemed like this would be a pretty simple find.  Until she hit me with the price point:  "between $100-$200".

On a normal day, I probably would have just said, "Tough beans, kid.  Ain't gonna happen."  However, I recently had a similar dilemma in our own home when we were looking for a new crawling-baby-knees-friendly area rug for our living room, and much to my relief I found Rugs USA and an enormous selection of unbelievably priced rugs.  I had read a few good experiences by bloggers I trust and so I took the plunge and bought a 100% wool flat weave 9x12 rug for around $350 (including the pad).  Luckily, it is amazing and looks much more expensive than it was.

So, with my friend's instructions, I knew Rugs USA was the place to shop.  She sent me some inspiration photos of rugs she likes (here and here), as well as a couple of pieces she is buying to put in her apartment (this for a sideboard/bar and this amazing headboard), plus I know her decorating style and her current furnishings pretty well so it didn't seem to be such a daunting task.

Here's what I found:

A: Oriental Weavers Kaleidoscope Rug, $199 (4' x 5'9")

B: Rugs USA Overdye RE21 Multi Rug, $472 (5' x 8') + 60% off coupon code = $188.80

C: Rugs USA Overdye RE31 Rug, $482 (5' x 8') + 70% off coupon code = $144.60

D: Windsor Grove Rug, $399 (5'5" x 8'2") + 55% off coupon code =  $179.55

E:  Jasmine FR3 Rug, $834 (5' x 8') + 70% off coupon code = $250.20

All in all, pretty close to price point and I think pretty close to the inspiration images as well.  Whaddya think, did I succeed?

So help a brotha out--which one would you pick?

xoxo
--mel

Teething Style + moshi moshi Discount!

So, NC is teething.  

The thing about teething, at least in our case, is that it is never ending.  Our child has had white, bumpy, lumpy, sensitive gums for at least two months.  Every morning we wake up and think, "Okay, today is the day we go into her nursery and we find Gary Busey in the crib."  But it just never happens.

Anyway, teething is not fun.  So the only thing we can do is continue to let NC put whatever she damn well pleases into her mouth to help ease the pain.  Thankfully, we have some pretty stylish options for her.

I jumped right in when she was only a few months old and bought NC a raw amber necklace to wear to help with any inflammation that may be causing her pain.  I don't have any hard data to support the success or failure of said amber necklace, but it doesn't seem to be doing any harm, and NC is a super happy baby most of the time so I'll keep it on.  Plus, she looks so cute wearing it.  Case in point:  

My friend from college also sent us an adorable teething necklace for NC to wear so she can pick it up and chomp on it herself.  NC LOVES it.  And of course, she looks so cute wearing it.  Again--case in point:

While I of course know that when it comes to teething, the priority is that whatever you are using to help with the situation has to WORK, I also want my life to remain somewhat enjoyable to look at and not completely filled with merely functional baby gear.  Thank god there are others that feel the same way:

(clockwise from top) Quinn and Lane Hazelwood Necklace / Kangaroo Care Teething Necklace / 

My Natural Baby Silicone Teething Necklace / moshi moshi Wooden Ball Teething Necklace / 

Kangaroo Care Modern Mama Teething Necklace / nihama Teething Necklace

Do you have a teething baby on your hands too? Just need some new gems for your little one or even yourself?  You're in luck:  

My friend Anna from moshi moshi is giving Suggestion readers 15% off now through May 12

(Use code MEL15)  

Her necklaces really are amazing and every teething baby will love them.  And even if you don't have a teething baby, I may or may not have worn NC's myself because I think it's so cute, so buy one for you or someone special!  With Mother's Day coming up, Anna's necklaces will make perfect gifts.   

If you need further incentive to buy a moshi moshi necklace, here's another dose of cuteness.  As if you haven't already had enough.  What?  I'm not ashamed.

xoxo

--mel

    

Spring/Winter Wardrobe 201

Last year around this time, I posted about how Spring had sprung "in theory", but certainly not "in practice".  Well, whaddya know, it's doing it again this year.  This weekend it was both a balmy 70 degrees and a snowy 25.  This, my friends, does not a happy dresser make.

I was hoping I wouldn't need to combine my winter woolens with my new fresh airy Spring wardrobe AGAIN, but alas, here we are.

Which brings me to today's lecture:  "How to combine Spring and Winter wardrobes:  Part 2"

Lesson 1: "It's sunny and snowing…does this mean the devil is beating his…??"  I'll stop you right there.  Yes, you may have thought this was impossible, but in CO, anything is possible, and it happens more often than you may think.  Throw on your favorite jeans with a cheery painterly cardigan and a sunny yellow coat.  All this bright color will make you less depressed to put on your snow boots for one last run (hopefully) of the season.

Lesson 2: "I have a hot date tonight…and I'm freezing.  Can I wear my sweats?"  Answer: no, you can't.  You spent the money on that amazing maxi dress with the flirty jeweled plunging neckline, and you're gonna wear it.  This is where the perfect mix of "hard + soft" will work wonders--pair it with a warm leather moto jacket, nude suede booties, and a precious minaudière, and you're good to go.

Lesson 3: "It's a beautiful Spring weekend, but the whipping wind is bitter cold!  Don't make me put on the wool coat again…"  You're right.  For your sanity, put away that wool coat!  Instead, keep your warm cozy wool scarf on, but pair with your new floral moto jacket, preppy striped trousers, and your trusty leather ankle boots.  Just the right amount of winter gear to shield you from the icy breeze.

EXTRA CREDIT--Lesson 4: "I bought my 8 month old a ton of adorable spring dresses but I may get child protective services called on me if I let her out in only these.  Help me not go to prison!"  Okay, calm down.  Layer her warm winter tights under her new happy dress to keep her legs warm.  Throw her lined coat on top to keep her body toasty, and her leather booties on bottom to keep her toe-ies warm (because these are the ONLY SHOES that will stay on her feet).  Precious.

Hopefully, I never have to give this lecture again.  Come on Spring, you can do it!  

--mel