The Mind-Altering Power of an Eloise Nichols Tater Tot

When an unidentified pipe falls out from beneath your cheap Jeep (it's a term of endearment) and the unveiling of Eloise Nichols' breakfast menu (see below) lands on the same Monday morning, you know the stars have aligned. Viola! A welcome disruption to your typical morning routine. You drive across town to tackle both head-on as you think to yourself: You so spontaneous today! And livin' life on the edge by driving a car we're not sure is driveable! You go GURL. In fact, you should treat yo'self with some tater tots. And that's exactly what you do. 

But what you may not have been aware of is when you start your day with some fresh tater tots, the deep-fried grated 'tatas can affect your entire outlook in unexpected ways. The dreaded Monday blues dissipate as the aroma of taters takes over and before you know it your entire perspective has quite literally turned golden. You wonder if they've laced the tots with some happy pill fairy dust while you master your a.m. to-do list, bill a cool 15 mins (productive!), and dream up a swanky outfit from the swanky bar. You are unfazed by the monotonous interaction at the dealership that follows or your chatty-Cathy Uber driver, and you arrive to the office beaming like glistening oil on a cylindrical-shaped-crispy-hash-brown. Rise and shine, indeed.

Want to turn that Monday frown upside down? Forget taking the red pill or the blue pill - just opt for the tots and be teleported to a breakfast wonderland courtesy of Eloise Nichols. 

Black Flower Earrings - Cult Gaia// Sunglasses - Karen Walker// Military Coat - Alix of Bohemia// Floral Jumpsuit - Whistles// Striped Circle Purse - Whistles// Hearts Keychain - Min & Mon// Patent Slides - Madewell

NYC on the Noggin

Today I'm physically in Houston but mentally in New York Cit-ay. The reason being that tonight is the sixth annual Iron Horse Party, a yearly Tribeca Rooftop shindig that donates 100% of the proceeds to ALS research through the ALS Association and Team Gleason (funds are split between research for a cure and care for those currently afflicted). What's my role in all of this, you're thinking (no one is thinking this, Natalie - it ain't always 'bout you!)? My role is that I am the proud amiga to many of the names on the host list, which if you ask me (always a dangerous thing to do) reads more like a roster for if-you-go-to-NYC-without-hanging-out-with-these-people-you're-a-big-fat-fool. But therein lies the beauty of this party - it's a really good time, with really incredible people, for a really worthwhile cause.

And it's exactly where I would be tonight if I wasn't oh about 1,600 miles away. So instead, I'm thinking about all ma' frands in the big manzana and doing that thing where I wonder what the plan is before getting to the party, who came in from out of town, and what everyone's wearing tonight (le duh), but dare not ask for self-preservation-from-FOMO purposes. What better way to cope than to come up with some NYC-themed outfits. My minds on you, New York, New York (ta-ta-ta-na-na, ta-ta-ta-na-na).

Teal Glitter Earrings - EachToOwn// Mint Dress - Cushnie et Ochs// Metallic Heels - Zara// Black Drop Earrings - Suzanna Dai// Paillette Top - H&M (sold out, found one here)// Velvet Pants - A.L.C.// Taxi Cab Clutch - Kate Spade// Powder Puff Heel - Aquazurra// Red Beaded Earrings - Datka Jewelry// New York City Print Dress - Anna Sui// NYC Map Clutch - Kate Spade// Blue Strappy Heels - Zara

For Bumps Everywhere

This one is dedicated to the mommies-to-be: there are more of you in my life than there ever have been and I love you double the amount I did before (which is a lot). This is a fair statement, since you're currently the receptacles of my future besties - so double the love you deserve. Happy early Mother's Day to the best future (and current) mothers of America (more like the world). There are a lot of little girls entering the world in the fall of 2k17, and I'll be welcoming them with wide open (We can do it!) arms - the future is female, y'all. 

But while I'm on my virtual soap box (hear-ee, hear-ee), I will take this opportunity to also dedicate today's post to the ladies out there that are expecting with a different kind of bébé - food babies. This is the only kind of bump I can relate to (besides the normal belly one gets from just like, living a sedentary lifestyle) - and while it doesn't hold a candle to how magical the real-baby bumps are (I know there are other adjectives, but we'll keep things positive given my Moaning Myrtle vibes yesterday), food-baby bumps nonetheless present similar wardrobe obstacles, however seemingly impermanent they may be.

So I've rounded up a few of my favorite preggo-friendly frocks, because your bump (and whatever it's holding) deserves to be free, unconstrained, and adorned with style. Whether they're your go-tos for nine months or just for that why-the-F-did-I-eat-pasta-for-lunch-and-was-the-garlic-bread-truly-necessary,-Natalie? moment, these dresses are sure to serve you well. 

Kirjo Print Dress - Marimekko// Red Ruffle Dress - Lisa Marie Fernandez// Blue & Red Pom Pom Mules - Frances Valentine// Abstract Print Dress - Apiece Apart// Pink Ruffle Dress - Lisa Marie Fernandez// Lime Satin Slides - Miu Miu// Blue & White Stripe Dress - Tomas Mason for J. Crew

I Wish You A Merry May Ninth

Only 230 days until Christmas. Anyone else get pangs for the most wonderful time of the year just as summer is about to take center stage? There's something about how the humidity hangs heavily in the air, just ready to make itself at home (who invited you!?) that makes me want to hit the fast forward button to fall. And then just thinking about it gets me more antsy and I sink deeper into this bizarre, inverted seasonal affective disorder that can only be understood by the other CAs (Christmaholics Anonymous) in my midst.

Even saying the C-word at this time of year seems like a no-no, but as I saw today's collage evolve from a this-is-like-SO-random to a red-and-green-are-the-only-colors-that-matter-to-me theme, I decided the honest thing to do would be to acknowledge the Freudian slip at work here. So there ya have it. If you similarly find yourself gravitating towards this color combo, know this: you are not alone and Santa is always watching. 

Flower Earrings - Marni// White Top - The Edit// Red Pants - By Walid// Calf Hair Clutch - Brother Vellies// Kitty Slides - Charlotte Olympia// Heart Sunglasses - Saint Laurent// Red Beaded Earrings - Anthropologie// One Shoulder Tassel Dress - Rhode Resort// Crochet Heels - Schutz// Ball Hoops - Mercedes Salazar// Red & White Romper - Keepsake// Green & White Heels - Castaner

Stripes I Do Adore

Stripes: one of the few things in this world that make me as happy as Fridays do. This leads me to my next upcoming dare-to-dream project: reading for leisure. First in queue is Michel Pastoureau's biography of the print itself, The Devil's Cloth: A History of Stripes, which chronicles how our favorite pattern evolved from the uniform of transgressors to the attire of individuals who (in Pastoureau's words) are "free, at ease, refined."

My inner literature-major-who-has-a-pashun-for-fashun gets a kick out of learning the reasons behind what we wear and why we wear it. Not to get all Miranda Priestly on you, but knowing such info can elevate an outfit from something trivial to a representation of the cultural forces at play at a given time (whether we are aware of it or not). We've all had those reflective moments when we look back at photos and ponder, "WTF was I thinking? If all your friends wear brazilian jeans and bandage dresses when they jump off the bridge will you do the same?!" Well I for one appreciate when someone answers those questions for me, and when they do so in beautifully written prose, that's all the better. 

In the intro Pastoureau writes: "The stripe doesn't wait, doesn't stand still. It is in perpetual motion (that's why it has always fascinated artists: painters, photographers, filmmakers), animates all it touches, endlessly forges ahead, as though driven by the wind." Well you know what else doesn't wait? The frickin' weekend. So go forth and be free, at ease & (somewhat) refined. 

Striped Crop Top - T by Alexander Wang// Red Pants - Creatures of Comfort// Striped Crochet Dress - Self Portrait// One Shoulder Ruffle Top - Petersyn// Mango Skirt - Isolda// Stipe Jumpsuit - Frame Denim// Off the Shoulder Tie Top - Lovers & Friends// Stripe Culottes - Johanna Ortiz