The Perfect Suit ♣️♠️

{Written after a Golden Spoon vanilla with rainbow sprinkle fro yo break} So, we've had a cold spell of perhaps, 48 hours but folks, I don't think it's going to last. However, once it gets (and stays) cold, a chic little pantsuit is a girls best friend. You stay nice and warm, you don't have to worry about snagging your tights on something if you're wearing a skirt and you can dress it up or dress it down. This one in particular is just a beauty. It's the gold buttons and the feminine cut of the sleeves. I just adore it. It's the little details that always wind up really adding that little something.  If you had to take this look from day tonight, you could pile on the gold jewelry, add some strappy sandals and maybe a sleek ponytail and you would be set. You could even add a little sparkly headband. I have actually been into embellished headbands lately, which are so great for the holidays. I will have to do a post on it one of these days (yeah, yeah. I will add it to the list!) And the leopard clutch! I just love adding little touches of animal print here and there, don't you? It's an easy way to add a little pop to an all black ensemble (my specialty!) ❤️ Happy Saturday beautiful ones! Thank you times 100 for stopping by- Sweetly, Michelle

Jacket || Pants ||Shoes || Clutch || Sunglasses

One Day At a Time

{Dictated from the car while inching along the 405 freeway} Doesn't it sometimes feel like Groundhog Day? Like, about 15 minutes ago, it was Friday and here we are again tiptoeing into Thursday! It is crazy sometimes how fast time flies by. If you're anything like me, you could really use a few more hours in the day.  Let me tell you about my next 2 days.... tomorrow I will begin the day at my daughter's school for a costume parade and a little Halloween potluck because I am the room mom. And I absolutely love doing this with her and would not trade it for the world. Then I will race off to work because in the afternoon we are playing hallway golf. We do this a few times a year, where we close the office a little early, everyone pairs up and makes golf holes in the hallway in front of their office and we putt, booze and eat (and booze. My office runs on booze!) . We are doing Halloween themed holes – – my hole is going to be My Little Pony themed- how cute is that? My male hole- making partner isn't crazy about this. But since I'm the one that hustled around buying everything (figures) he can zip it!! On Halloween, all of the neighborhood kids are going to play games, decorate Halloween cookies and do crafts before we have a little chili potluck together and then trick-or-treat. For some reason, this is my personality and I plan the heck out of most events. I believe in celebrating everything and wherever and whenever possible, have people together for a party!  l like to bring everyone together even though it causes me crazy amounts of stress. What can we do about this? Our lives are never going to get any less busy, especially as families expand and more activities get added into the weekly rotation.  I have a few thoughts as to how we can handle this (definitely not applicable during the holiday season when all bets are off) and I would love to hear your tips and tricks too:

1. Limit Activities:  In everyday, non-holiday life, I try to commit to only one event per weekend day. When I have to go from a breakfast, then straight to a lunch, and then to an afternoon activity, the rush and the lack of down time makes me crazy.  If I limit myself to no more than one event per day, it seems to keep things a little more balanced.  I also try as much as possible to limit (non-client or firm management related)  weeknight activities too, because it seems to snowball.  A few late nights and I am dragging around by Friday.  And you parents know-- there is just no time to catch up on your sleep or take a nap. Yeah...not so much.  Again, we are getting into the holiday season and there is just no getting around parties and late nights. Maybe I will do another post soon about how to keep our energy up (and our sanity!) during this crazy time!

2.  Split Up Errands:  Because daily life is so hectic, and unless I am meeting with clients, I usually eat lunch at my desk so that I can work through the lunch hour.  I am not one of those people that needs to get outside and for me,  it's all about the billable hour.  Whatever I don't bill during the day, I have to bill when my daughter goes to sleep later that night--ugh. However, it is sometimes helpful to take an hour during a weekday and check some errand off of the list--make a Target or a Costco run or something else that might typically take up valuable time on the weekend.  Same thing for laundry- instead of staring down multiple loads on the weekend, I will try to do a load or two during the week. It just seems to help a little and I don't really mind sitting on the floor, folding clothes and watching Ladies of London on some random weeknight. Wayyy ok by me!

3. Online Shopping is Your Friend: Another thing that I find to be super helpful is to shop as much as possible online (not just shoes and clothes,but like, real stuff!)  When I first had my daughter, I ordered all of her things off of diaper.com. It's the bomb.  It now has all sorts of other spin-off websites -- soap.com and wag.com. Soap.com is like Target. You can get household and cleaning supplies, paper towels, toothpaste, shaving cream, vitamins- whatever.  I think if you order by noon, it will be to you the next day- hello?   Why wouldn't you use this? That is super convenient. I haven't done too much comparison-shopping to see if the prices are way higher but they don't seem to be.  Wag.com is all pet related, so that deletes the Petco run from your list (that reminds me-- I also use a mobile dog groomer.  It eliminates the need to make and take your four legged babies to a grooming appointment because THEY COME TO YOU!)

4. Plan Ahead:  I get overwhelmed when I have nagging " I need to make a dentist appointment"  items on my mind. I try to schedule all my appointments as early as possible.  When I am leaving my cleaning appointment at the dentist, I make my next appointment right then for six months out.  It takes a little item off of my plate and I'm able to plan my schedule so that I can actually make that future appointment. I do the same thing with my hair, my optometrist, the vet, everything.  It also keeps you on track with your health (bonus!)  When I know some appointment needs to be made in a short time frame, it causes me way more stress to try and squeeze in an appointment when my own schedule is packed, rather than have it on my calendar months in advance.  I apply this same philosophy to time with friends too--I have a group of 5 girls and for the past 10 years, we meet every two months.  We rotate who gets to choose what we do- sometimes its a concert, sometimes its horseback riding,  a play or brunch-- it kind of doesn't matter to us as long as we are together. But when we are leaving an event, we pull out our calendars and we pick a date for the next one.  If we don't do it right then, the days fill up and we won't see each other. You know? Girl time is sacred but its hard to squeeze it in to life sometimes, and so we need to plan!

5.  Find Time for You: I think everyday, you need to try to find a little time for you.  Whether it's exercise, a little time to journal, a little time to read, a little bath, whatever makes you happy.  For me, I take a bath every night rain or shine – and with this drought, it's only in a tiny little bit of water– – and just shut the world out. I read a book while in the bath and relax, sometimes only for 10 minutes.  And that is my little treat.  Even 10 minutes will calm your stress a little bit, I think.  Just something to reset your mind and feel content. 

I suppose my biggest suggestion regarding time management is to just try and be as organized as you can. Which is sometimes not possible because we are human beings, not robots, and on those days, just go with it. Cut yourself some slack. If you can't do it all, that's OK.  We are all doing the best we can and if the clothes pile up, you need to cancel some event to go flop on the couch or whatever- its okay.  Right? Not a big deal in the grand scheme of things.  What do you think?  What else do you do that helps? I'd love to heat it!

So can I just tell you how much I adore this outfit? It is the most wonderful material. Again, I bought a ton of things from CAbis fall 2015 line and these two pieces were included. The Claire dress is stretchy and non-wrinkly.  The blouse is sheer and so great to layer. The blouse has very delicate trim along the front that would also look cute under a blazer and a pencil skirt. I really don't think you can go wrong with a silhouette in these colors. It is appropriate for just about anything, right? All right dearest friends, I hope your day is terrific. As always, thank you so much for your comments and for stopping by. It really and sincerely means the world. ❤️❤️❤️Sweetly- Michelle

Dress || Shirt|| Shoes || Bag  

Marsala? Merlot? Maroon?

{Written while watching Ladies of London. Yes. I am a Bravo-aholic! But I read a ton. So I am hoping that evens everything out!!} Hello dearest reader! My obsession with this ga-ga gorgeous color continues!  We are all kind of obsessed with it though, right? The shirt. I love it. I think I will be able to wear it with so many things this season.  I've paired it here with this royal blue tulip skirt from CAbi. It's so pretty (and it has a little pattern on it, which of course I didnt  get a good close picture of. Whoopsies!) I was introduced to this line when somebody at my office threw a party (it's like a Tupperware party but with clothes!) and it has some great pieces this season. One of the things I like the best about CAbi is that the colors are consistent from season to season, meaning the blacks always match and the navys always match.  That helps when you are trying to mix things up a little. And these little navy blue suede shoes, right?  Oh my goodness. Don't get me started on how much I'm gonna wear these puppies!  Suede is my go to texture right now--how about you? I want just about everything in suede this season! Speaking of this season, last weekend I took everything down and decorated our house for Halloween. It's so fun! I love getting the house all spiffed up for the holidays. I am telling you, from now until New Year's is my absolute favorite time of the year!  What about you? What is your favorite time of the year? I hope you are having the absolute best day my lovelies and as always, I appreciate you so much. Xxoo Michelle

Shirt: Here || Skirt: Here || Shoes: Here

J'adore Dior (and this dress)

Dress: CAbi (old, but similar here) Sunglasses: (Rayban) Handbag: Dior (old) Shoes: (Kate Spade)

This is my family (my parents and my grandmother) and the little dancer herself!!  

Hi there dearest reader! I hope your weekend was wonderful- mine sure was! It was my daughter's very first dance recital on Saturday and it was so fun! I grew up  dancing and there is something so...touching maybe?...about being in what is a very familiar environment to me with the stage and the music and sharing it with her. I sort of sobbed my way through it, like I do with most of the events involving her.  As a mother, your heart is filled to bursting when your child is happy and for me, that equates to embarrassing tears at least once a week! We went to The Ranch in Anaheim for dinner later that night -- anyone tried that? I had been before with clients but on Saturday we took my parents and grandmother too and it's really good. I am a picky picky eater and I dont eat red meat and even I liked it (mostly due to a nice bowl of Butternut Squash soup and a Milky Way ice cream dessert-yee yum!) 

So my dress... It's from CAbi last season and I love it. I adore the ease and the look of wrap dresses but not the wrap. I inevitably fuss with the tie all day long.  I am a pretty modest person and even showing a little cleavage is out of my comfort zone but a dress that looks like a wrap but isn't? Yes, please! This is made out of really soft material that feels like cashmere and is so cozy!  And my bag... Okay, confession time. I really love Gucci but Dior is a close second.  I could write posts and posts about the waiting lists I have been on for these crazy purses. I think investing in good handbags is totally worth it, not only because you really can use them for years (if you choose the right design) but it ends up saving money (kind of) if you avoid the interim, trendy type bags and focus on really cultivating your style.  You won't buy things that will just sit in your closet after a few months, never again to see the light of day!  Actually, I can pretty much justify any purchase. These are just things I tell myself. I also take more expensive bags and divide them by how many years I think I will keep them (20 at least) and then figure out how much it is a month. When I do this, it seems totally, totally reasonable. Cheap even!! I have even been known to share this philosophy with my husband, who does NOT agree that it is fiscally responsible to buy purses. Men! Okay, you. Happy, happy day wishes and thank you for stopping by! Xx Michelle 🍭