09 May 2012 Uncategorized

guest + post. {stylish babbs}

when i first met babbs i was literally taking these photos.
we immediately fell in love 
and drink coffee every morning discussing style.
she cracks me up.
and looks really good doing it.

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Prior to moving back to this beautiful place last August, I was living in Seattle.  City living is different in so many ways… some good, some bad. When I moved to Seattle, a lot of my mountain wardrobe was put away only to be taken out again for weekend excursions.  A lot of shopping was done to stock myself with clothes (I know… poor me!) and accessories appropriate for my new urban environment.  Although Seattle was rainy, it wasn’t (typically) snowy which opened a whole new world to my existing mountain wardrobe.  What this meant for me was that I could have more than one pair of stilettos and feel good about knowing that those lovely ladies wouldn’t be closet-bound for nine months every year like they were in Jackson.  

When I got my opportunity to move back to Jackson (WOO-HOO!!), no matter how I tried to remind myself of all the “hard” parts of living in a mountain town at this elevation, I just couldn’t stop myself from being deliriously happy that I got to go back… read: no chance I was going to allow myself to remember how tired I used to become of the long underwear I had to wear everyday under my jeans, the Smart Wool socks I had to wear everyday inside the boots I had to wear, etc.  
Before I knew it, I was immersed in mountain life again and realizing that even though there isn’t even snow on the ground yet, stilettos are a lot better bet on concrete than they are where the black top ends.  And so back to the closet they go (happily — they’re not really good for my back anyway, right?!) and out come my flats, my boots, my wedges, my fleece mid-layers (I said MID-layers…  In Seattle they were a top layer but in Jackson they’re just the red-headed step-child to my Nuptse down North Face parka), my tights…. you get the idea.  I quickly had to prioritize my clothing and accessories (mostly by necessity) and am now going to share what i have realized I can’t live without being back in good ole Wyo.
1.  Wedges.  Ok….  They’re Gucci.  But whatever.  No one wants to post-hole the night away at a ranch wedding.  If I am going to personally aerate someone’s lawn, I am going to need to get paid.  My calves are grateful for my boundaries.  And so are the balls of my feet.
2.  Pockets.  I know they aren’t technically a stand-alone item, but they are certainly a necessity when it is freezing outside, I am going to live music or to apres and I don’t want to carry my purse.  (And don’t think for a second that there would ever truly be any replacement for my beloved Louis.  It is a necessity here as well — hearty, doesn’t stain, I could go on…)
3.  Lipgloss.  I am not terribly picky about this one.  It just has to be really pretty, really glossy and not too sticky.  I rock it all from ELF (Eyes Lips Face — www.eyeslipsface.com — $1 a tube) to my Chanel.  I LOVE both this climate and matte lipstick.  My lips don’t.  Until I can find a way to exfoliate my lips without feeling like they are sandpaper in the interim, I will be a strictly glossy gal.  Happily.
4.  My Spanx leggings.  I just recently discovered this GENIUS article of clothing.  I am not sure about you, but I have yet to find a pair of leggings with a wide enough waistband to avoid putting my love handles in the spotlight.  Not hot.  The Spanx leggings I found come up to right under my bra, (similar to the Spanx you wear with dresses) keeping my midriff warm and are thick and wonderful, keeping my legs warm.  Granted, like the Spanx we wear and pretend they aren’t girdles, they aren’t my sexiest piece of clothing, but they are the perfect, deep, black, thick legging and do truly look good on my body while also serving their utilitarian purpose of keeping all those edges of my body smoothed as well as keeping me toasty.