Gift Guide: Mother's Day Gifts Under $50

I usually know what to get my mom, but let's be honest, sometimes you run out of ideas or you've given her all the most awesome stuff already. So now what? I've put together a little list of neat things for Mother's Day 2013 that your mom might like as much as my mom would. They're also great gifts for all the other moms in your life: grandma, wife, mother-in-law, step mom, etc.

Rifle Paper Co iPhone Case $32-$36

I love Rifle Paper Co. and even wrote a post about them a while ago. All their designs are adorable and just downright pretty. One of their newest products are these fun iPhone cases. They make them for 4/4S and 5 and you have 10 different styles to choose from!

Sumbody Foot Care Gift Set  $26.95

Sumbody is a small, but increasingly popular organic skin care company based in the Bay Area. I discovered them a few years back when my mom was living in Berkeley and am still a huge fan of their body scrub bon bons. You should get your mom like, a pound of those, OR you can get her this lovely gift set that includes one for her feetsies.

Latin for Gardeners $25

I don't know about your family, but most of the women in my family love gardening and would love this book. I think I might actually buy it for myself...

Personalized Stationary Set $25

Or perhaps your mother is a social butterfly who loves sending thank you notes and always remembers a birthday. Why not get her a custom-made stationary set made by yours truly! For Mother's Day, I'm offering a smaller version of the set for just $25! Just leave a comment if you're interested! You pick the colors and I'll do the rest :)

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Look of the Day: Strike 3

If you're just tuning in, I've been wearing this hat all week (or so it appears). I've also been giving tips that I hope are useful in styling your own baseball cap!

Your third option is to just go off-duty/blogger-crazy.

Weird, harem-style pants? Check.

Crop top? Check.

Tons of texture? Check.

Huge clutch? Check.

Goofy face? Check.

If you're channeling off-duty, Cara Delevingne is a great inspiration. She's always wearing hats and irreverant expressions.

If bloggers are more your style, check out Camille from Camille Over the Rainbow. She's loaded up on textures and trendy pieces, but by keeping everything in the same color scheme it's still very wearable.

As for foot wear, you have two options: heels or sneakers (see first picture). Both work just as well as the other!

Well, those are all my tips for now. You'll probably see this hat again before summer is over.

Have a great weekend!

Thrifted baseball hat - Forever21 crop top (similar)- thrifted J.Crew cardigan (similar) - Forever21 pants (cooler) - VANS classics - Cooperative wedges (similar) - vintage Coach portfolio - Forever21 sunglasses (similar)
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Look of the Day: How to Style a Baseball Cap #2

Look #2: Vintage 

When I first put this look together I didn't expect it to look so vintage. I just liked the combination of blues and polka dots. Looking at these pictures now, it kind of reminds me of "A League of Their Own". 

 If you prefer a more retro look, pair your hat with classic, lightweight fabrics like chambray, searsucker, or other cottons textiles. Denim works, too.

 Again, you can go in a tom-boy direction, but add "girly" details which contrast nicely with the more androgynous pieces. Polka dots are perfect, or simply add pearls and pointed flats. Here's a good example featuring a 50s style a-line skirt. Love her style!

If you're not sure if a hat will flatter you, try a couple in colors that flatter either your skin tone or your eyes. The blue of my hat matches my eyes and is what eventually convinced me to buy it.

This is my favorite photo from the test shots I took indoors. It is currently my profile picture on Facebook. My dog looks unamused, as usual.

Thrifted hat - Thrifted chambray romper - H&M cardigan - Aldo bag - crappy black flats

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Look of the Day: How to Style a Baseball Cap #1

This is the first time since 5th grade that "baseball cap" has found its way onto my wishlist. This one may not be emblazoned with the Seattle Mariners' logo, but it's still pretty cool. I've had it for a couple weeks now and am finally figuring out how to wear it. This week I'll be posting two, maybe three, outfits featuring this blue cap and tips on styling your own looks.

Look #1: Sports Luxe

 Sports luxe makes the most sense, so is somewhat easier to style. Go for clean cuts, modern fabrics, and androgynous pieces. Throw in one or two ultra-feminine pieces to balance it out, especially if you have short hair like mine! In this look I went with a skirt and pointy-toed wedges to give the look a bit of femininity. Update: You don't have to pair it with ultra-fem pieces, but the contrast really is nice!

 Baseball caps look fresh and modern in solid colors or unexpected prints like retro florals. Sports luxe and color blocking were made for each other. 

 Another key element of sports luxe is picking pieces that look like they cost too much to play any kind of sports in them. Luxurious textures and fabrics are key, even if they only look luxurious, but don't have the matching luxury price tag :) Here is a great example of what I mean. Tosha looks so sleek, and, with the exception the Alexander Wang boots, the outfit is genuinely affordable!

Here are two cute options available in stores now:

Biltmore for Madewell Baseball Cap $24

 Forever21 Retro Baseball Cap $5.80

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Thrifted baseball cap - Neon Detroit t-shirt (similar) - Vivilli Textured Knit Blazer - J.Crew Wool Pencil Skirt - Limited Edition Ray Ban Wayfarers (similar) - Maison Martin Margiela for H&M hidden wedges (similar) - Vintage neon bangle

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In Photos: Spring in Seattle

My favorite house in Green Lake. It's beautiful all year long.

The first day of Spring in Seattle was very windy and cold. Green Lake was much choppier than usual. It's warmed up a bit since then, but the weather is still unpredictable. We've had a couple days where the temperature was in the upper 60s, but then we also had a day where we got an inch of hail!

Moss and lichen are happy here, all year long.

The weather might be getting warmer and fairer, but that doesn't mean it doesn't rain! It just means it's more enjoyable :)

I live in a neighborhood full of cute early mid-century houses.

Forget-Me-Nots are quite possibly my favorite flower.

Well, that's Spring in Seattle. It's a pretty happy season and so full of color! Just when you start getting sad that the cherry blossoms are done, the apple trees burst into bloom. Never a flowerless moment!

Fleur d'Elise Personal Styling

I'm so excited to announce that I am now offering free personal styling services!

Thanks to Brand Backer, I've discovered an awesome new outlet for my fashion passion. The company is called Keaton Row and they specialize in 100% online personal styling services. It reminds me of Polyvore, but unlike Polyvore, it encourages me to be a bit more social. I actually have to interact with people and think about how they might feel about something. So hard in this age of "Me, Myself, and I", right? Just kidding! Styling is what I really want to be doing and this is definitely sending me in the right direction! I'm a bit shy in person and always worried about my mind going blank and my tongue going dumb, so starting my styling biz online is a great way to get some practice explaining to clients why I think this dress or those shoes would look fab on them.

Since my first two clients are people I knew, it's been easy putting together outfits, since I had at least a good idea of their personal style outside of the style profile they filled out. They're both lovely ladies with distinct tastes. My friend Jen cursed me for picking out so many things she likes, which I guess is a compliment, haha. 

My sister's lookbook was the most fun to put together since I didn't have to be super serious. It was exciting picking out clothes to go with her amazing post-baby body. She joined her college's crew team last year and deserves, at least, an entirely new wardrobe for all the hard work she's put in. Right now I'm working on another lookbook that just includes outfits for her trip to Hawaii after she graduates this Spring.

The best part about Keaton Row's program is that it's FREE. Yup, you don't have to pay me or them! I work on commission, so the only thing you have to pay for are the clothes, if you decide to buy them. So what's stopping you? Go sign up! I would love for you to be my newest client :) 

Look of the Day: Street Style for Two

Isn't my husband handsom? And so well dressed! Sometimes he puts me to shame in my cheap-o Zara tops and American Eagle jeans.

Red Wing boots

Waxed canvas Freeman's Sporting Club jacket over vintage denim.

I bought this funny t-shirt when I was visiting friends in England. I have a hard time resisting anything with a pug on it. They're the most ridiculous looking creatures. I can't help but laugh every time I see this shirt in my drawer. The bottom of it says "Cool Look" which makes it even funnier. 

Sorry there's not much in the way of writing for this post. My wrist is killing me! Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!

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Beauty: Everyday Sun Protection

To start off on a depressing note, did you know Washington state had the 5th highest rate of skin cancer in the U.S. in 2008? Ugh. I'm not totally surprised, but it's still not a pleasant statistic. When it's cloudy most of the year, you kind of forget that the sun's rays are still making their way through the atmosphere. Then there's always that week in May or June where it finally hits 75 and everyone rushes outside to spend the day obvliviously soaking up the UVB. The next day we're like a city of cranky lobsters.

I've been trying to avoid both absent-minded errors by making sure all my make-up has SPF in it, as well as wearing a good lotion with added protection. My one problem I always seem to run into, though, is that most sunscreens make my skin greasy. It may be vain, but I just don't like walking around with a shiny face all day. Luckily, my partnership with SkinCareRx gave me the perfect chance to try out some higher end lotions. 

 My first choice was La Roche-Posay Rosaliac UV Fortifying Anti-Redness Moisturiser (woo, try saying that in one breath!) It's perfect for sensitive skin, soothes redness, and has a built-in sunscreen. I've been using it for a couple months now and I like it quite a bit. I don't notice a huge reduction in redness, but I have noticed that they dry, bumpy areas I attributed to a skin allergy have disappeared. It leaves a bit of a shiny residue, but that seems to soak in after 30 minutes or so.

The second lotion I tried happened to be a lucky occurrence in my first package of samples they sent for me to hand out to family and friends. It emphasizes its non-greasiness right in the name: Peter ThomasRoth Max Sheer All Day Defense Cream. It's packed with ceramides and anti-oxidants and all that jazz, on top of having a sun protection factor of 30. It's also fragrance free and suitable for all skin types. I haven't noticed any problems and neither has my mom, so I can vouch for its suitableness. It doesn't go on as sheer as I would like and takes a little longer to soak in, but it's still a great lotion

This is before I put any foundation on. See! No grease!

Now I just need to focus on my laziness when it comes to applying to the rest of my skin.

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Aging: Where am I? What's going on?

I've been contemplating the meaning of growing up and getting older for a while now (ok, like 28 years). I don't always delve too deeply into a subject, but I thought this one would make a great blog post.

It's strange getting to that place in life where you're not a kid anymore, but you're also not "old". I'm not quite sure what to make of it. When I was very young, 7 or 8, I couldn't imagine life after 18. Silly, since my parents were well past that age, but in a child's mind, adults have just always been adults. It didn't help that my dad had been bald since the age of 21, so I just figured once you got past 18 you were simply old.

Well, ten years have past, my high school reunion is coming up, and life keeps moving. The lyrics from Phoenix's song "Countdown" are making a whole lot of sense now. Do you remember when twenty one years was old? I'm at a place in my life, though, where it's just all confusing. The kids I take care of think I'm ancient and older people think I'm just a kid. My boss' friends & clients always tell me they thought I was much younger, whatever that means. And then there's the ever-increasing life expectancy of my generation; the scientific breakthroughs; the maturity-stalling chasms of the internet. Let's be honest, no one ever becomes wiser from looking at cat gifs all day.

I don't feel totally immersed in this thing called adulthood, but I also don't feel young either. It's a little terrifying, being on that cusp. You've been a kid your whole life and now you just aren't. There are fewer tutus available in your size and it's time to stop crying in public. It kind of feels like you're losing something that has always defined you; like your eyes have changed color or you're no longer French (or Greek, or Japanese, or whatever).

I recently ran into two of my high school English teachers while shopping downtown. They were coming out of Nordstrom and I was both excited to see them and surprised by how much younger they looked than I remembered. I introduced myself (I've changed a lot since high school, so I have to do that) and found myself explaining this. It was one of the few times I'm pretty sure I managed not to insult someone by bringing up their age. I explained, as a high schooler, everyone over the age of 45 may as well be 95. I told them they both looked amazing and not a day over 45. They chuckled and were polite, but I think they were still trying to figure out who I was. 

I'm not certain how old Mrs. Crommet & Mrs. Duffey really are, but when I get to whatever age that might be, I hope to be like them. Yes, I want to be a terrifying, beautiful, grammar Nazi, maybe because it's actually my job, maybe just because I like making people follow rules. Also, I want gleaming white hair, just like their's. 

Things I've learned since turning 28:

I can't tell what age anyone is anymore

 I don't know what old is anymore
I have a knack for insulting people when trying to guess their age (Stop making me guess!)

Teachers I thought were "like 80" when I was in high school now don't look a day over 45

I still feel like an idiot 15 year-old. When does that go away?

There's a lot of gray area; not just young or old

At 28, temper tantrums just as unacceptable as when you were 4

Adults are the creators of cool (suck on that, kids I nanny!)

Thanks to science, the awkwardness of puberty can extend well into your twenties

All these thoughts and ideas point to one conclusion: I'm probably still "young" and pretty much still clueless.

So how do you feel about age? As you've grown, what's your experience been? Do you feel old, young, or just you? Whether you're 16 or 65, I want to hear your take on things!