thermal top

Here in Philly, we’re finishing up week two of school.  It always takes us a few weeks to get back into the swing of things.  I’m happy to report (as is our principal) that we were only late ONCE.  (It mayyyy or may not have been on the first day.  #detailsdetails)  I now have checklists posted all over the house – there’s an upstairs checklist and a downstairs checklist and bag checklists and dear god the checklists.  Meanwhile, Mike’s all, “hey babe, I think I need a checklist” and I’m all CHECKLIST THIS.

Here’s your weekend shopping…checklist.

SHOP

If a sweater and a jacket had a baby….  A few of you were asking how I’d style this J.Crew sweater blazer.  I’ll do a post eventually, but if you want an early look, I just threw two outfits up on my IG (@shanachristine).

Need a laptop bag?  Gwen and I are both obsessed with our TUMI backpacks (seriously so well-designed), and Shopbop currently has them on sale. We both have this one, but I also really like this one.

Faux-leather, Not-Too-Booty Shorts, FOUND.  Rest easy.  These Jack by BB Dakota faux-leather shorts are under $100, super flattering thanks to a lace-up waist detail, and are short, without being booty shorts.  Wearing them now with flat sandals and tshirts…and later with flat OTK boots and oversized sweaters (prob turtlenecks).

Almost affordable designer duds (aka my latest Outnet obsessions)…this insanely gorg DVF silk wrap top (50% off), this IRO satin-and-leather-trimmed black wool blazer (60% off) which has allll kinds of office/date night/weekend possibilities, and this Sandro shearling coat (65% off)…which appears to be reversible?  Be still my heart.

A cute dress for day-or-night.  We had a fun event with Voloshin earlier this week (more on that topic later), but Gwen wore this long-sleeve wrap dress by JOA.  It’s under $100, and has some serious office (or party) potential.  Also in a silky, PJ-style top, if you’d prefer.

Oh hey!  In searching for Gwen’s dress, I also came across this sweatshirt, also by JOA.  Lots of companies are doing the tie-sleeve thing, but I love how this one looks extra drapey, and the shoulder seams are super flattering.

ALSO, THIS….

The news in the last few weeks has been brutal.  Hurricanes, earthquakes, North Korea, another terrorist attack in London – it’s overwhelming.  I don’t know where to focus my efforts, or if my efforts could even begin to make a difference.  If your head is spinning as much as mine, here are a few things I’m focusing on, as well as something to make us smile.

Hang in there, Dreamers.  If you are as upset as I am about the latest decision to end DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) you can WhoIsMyRepresentative.com to find numbers for your state Senators and Representatives.  In case you’ve missed the issue, DACA protects hundreds of thousands of young immigrants who were brought here as children, allowing them to live, work, and go to school without the fear of being deported or separated from their families. DACA was originally put in place in 2012 as a stop-gap measure, because Congress couldn’t get the Dreamer bill passed (despite bipartisan support).  Now that the Trump administration has ended DACA, the only hope is for Congress to step up and pass the Dreamer bill.  If ever there was a time to pick up the phone or write a letter, it’s now.

Motherhood has made me fiercer, too.  I loved this article in the NY Times, called How Not To Raise a Ray of Sunshine.  Labels (even well-meaning labels) are limiting at best, damaging at worst and this article so clearly articulates why.  Full disclosure:  it also made me cry. (Thanks for the find, Laura.)

“I’ve spent my life trying to be Class Sunshine — getting good grades because I wanted to please my teachers, eating the wrong meal when waiters bring it to me, apologizing to potted plants when I bump into them. Our society already teaches women to be “Class Sunshine.” If Amalia wants to be Class Dark Cloud, damn it, she is free to be Class Dark Cloud.”

Take your ‘She Shed’ and shove it.  I wanted to stand up and cheer reading this woman’s letter to Home Depot about their seriously misguided “She Sheds”.  It’s one of the best pieces I’ve read on why benevolent sexism is so dangerous.

“What makes a shed “for her” is not throw pillows and candles; it’s whatever the woman who designed it wants to fill it with.”

Fun fact?  The author, who is currently studying to be a rocket scientist, “I was at Home Depot to pick up hardware for my summer job at a rocket manufacturing company,” is also A’s niece!  We’re all proud of her.

Llama, Llama, we miss your mama.  Anna Dewdney, the author of the Llama Llama series (Llama Llama Red Pajama and Llama Llama Mad at Mama were two of our most-loved when the boys were little), passed away at age 50 from brain cancer.   Passionate about instilling a love of reading in children, she asked that in lieu of funeral services, everyone pick up a book and read to their child.  The TME team’s personal favorite tribute to this much-loved author?  Dad-of-three Ludacris’ freestyle of Llama Llama Red Pajama.

I mean.  That’s freaking adorable.  Enjoy your week, everyone….

xo,

S