DISHWASHERS ARE SEXY

You're right.  They're totally not (especially dirty ones - better go take care of that).  When I went to take my pictures, it was snowing outside.  So, I had no choice.

Yes, I wore these shorts yesterday.  No worries, though - different tights.

And I'm sporting a pair of my new brogues.  Since cleaning out my heels (thank you all so much for your incredibly awesome responses to my previous post), I have lots of space for new shoes.  Soooo, I decided to keep both the Target brogues, as well as the Steve Madden ones.  These work better with tights and socks for winter.  And they have a very rubbery sole, so they're good for all the slippery nonsense we've been getting this week.  I'm completely in love with them!

I really had no idea what I wanted to wear today, except that I wanted to wear my new shoes.  I just wasn't feeling a skirt, so shorts it was.  Topped off with John's cardigan, it doesn't get much comfier than this.  I knew I liked this look, but after seeing the pictures, I think I fell in love with it.

They're calling for more snow tonight.  Seriously?  Is it June, yet?

Sweater: Meatball's - Belt: vintage, Mom's - Shorts: thrifted - DIY, $.30 - Brogues: Target.com, $25

(I posted the last 6 pairs of heel in Blue Collar Closet.  Go check it out!)

FLAT OUT LOVIN' IT

Last week, I received this email from a wonderful reader:

Hi Kyla,
I've been a daily reader of your blog since Spring '09 and I'm so glad I found it! I love your style and I feel like it's very similar to mine- comfortable and simple, but stylish :)
I love the fact that you wear flats daily. Although I love to wear heels, I feel silly going to the mall or grocery store in them, but sometimes I still want to be dressed up a little for a regular outing. I have trouble finding flats that look good with tights though and I thought maybe you could help- either suggest some styles of flats for me or do a blog post to help others who might have the same problem. Usually when I wear my black flats with tights, it looks like I'm barefoot haha
-Jennifer

Jennifer's email got me thinking ... a lot.  And I think it's a great topic to address and one that is near and dear to me each and every day when I get dressed.  I'm going to break this into two posts.  This post will explain my "no heels" lifestyle a little better.  Then, this weekend, I will do a sure-to-be-monstrous post highlighting my best tips and tricks to styling flats, even with tights.  I realize this is a text-heavy post, but there just may be something in it for you.

For those of you who have been following my blog over the last year or so, you probably know that I wear heels maybe once every other month. Well, that's something fairly new to me.  If you go back to last winter's posts, you will see a lot more heels.  Unfortunately, around that time, I started having a lot of issues with my hip and back.  Strangely, when I had a much more sedentary lifestyle, heels rarely bothered me, but the more stock I took in my health, and the more I started working out and running, the more I hurt.

I really tried to listen to my body, but it was hard.  I dearly love Sex and the City, and we all know the role beautiful heels play in the show.  I loved the idea of pairing fancy, sexy heels with the most casual outfits.  I always felt more confident in a great stiletto, and I loved the shape of my legs with a couple extra inches.  I loved my heels.  I loved the way I felt in my heels.  But my heels did not love me.

For a long time, I tried to ignore it.  Then, I started physical therapy.  I told my physical therapist that I was trying to cut back on heels.  He whole-heartedly agreed with my efforts and expressed his general loathing for the footwear when it came to physical well-being.  But, he'd met so many women who refuse to give them up, that he pretty much gave up trying to convince them.

This really stuck with me.  I was bound and determined to get better, so that I could return to my regular exercise routine.  I tried wearing what I thought were "flat" boots with their 1" sliver heel, but my PT just laughed, saying it's still a heel.  He was especially amused when I tried wearing insoles in them.  I did this for a while until I finally came to the conclusion that wearing insoles in heels is very much like smoking while on oxygen.  Sounds ridiculous, right?

It was a really, really hard pill for me to swallow, but once I did, I started feeling so much better.  Granted, it wasn't just the heels that were ailing me, but they played a large role in exacerbating the issue.  Oddly enough, that exercise routine that I couldn't wait to get back to has the same benefits as my heels: I feel so much more confident and I love the shape of my legs when they're strong.

I'm not gonna lie.  Getting into the groove of styling everything with flats was extremely difficult.  I still look in my closet and think, "Wow, those red heels would look killer with this."  But at the end of the day (literally), it's just not worth it.  After all, flats come with a few benefits of their own.  I can go anywhere and do anything.  My heel will never get stuck in the sidewalk or carpet.  My heel will never break off.  I never have to take baby steps or otherwise alter my gait because of a pinched pinky toe or pain in the ball of my foot.  And I don't care one bit how far away we park.  It can be rather liberating, actually.

If you can wear heels with no pain, then rock on, sister.  My inner Carrie Bradshaw is insanely jealous.  And for you, I have this:

The more I thought about this post, the more and more empowered I felt.  So, in my excited frenzy, I pulled out almost every pair of heels in my closet (I'm keeping some for sentimental reasons) ... and am selling them on Blue Collar Closet.  I will admit, it's really difficult to part with something I've loved for so long - but it's also really cathartic.  They're taking up a lot of precious closet realty, and I would like to store my flats with the same love and care as I once did my heels.  Enjoy!

AS SEEN ON...

A big thanks to Maria at Chicisimo for featuring one of my outfits on her blog today.  If you haven't checked out Chicisimo yet ... well, then - hurry!

RAMBLINGS OF A MONDAY AFTERNOON

I feel like I've been rambling all day, but here's a little more:

1.  I had such a nice and relaxing weekend.  I even got to sleep in a little on Saturday since my morning meeting was canceled due to the weather.  The rest was just low key and productive.  That's the best kind of weekend in my book.  And, of course, it ended with the best shoe purchase in the history of shoe purchases, so that helped.

2.  I cleaned our hardwood floors this morning.  Sounds kind of gross, but I rarely clean them.  This is for two reasons: a.) water is bad for hardwood floors, so I avoid it and b.) I'm extremely cautious with household cleaners, especially floor cleaners, because of our little four-legged friend.  I'd rather have a dirty floor than a sick puppy.  But today, I think I found the perfect solution - a microfiber dry mop and Method hardwood floor cleaner.

3.  I totally ate an M&M off the floor today.  And not the floor that I cleaned.  It was ridiculous.  I was by myself and it had gotten caught in my scarf earlier, so when I took my scarf off, it fell out.  I didn't even think - I just ate it.  And now I'm actually a little embarrassed for admitting it.  Hmm...

4.  I'm not a big football fan, but I worked on my computer while John watched the game last night.  I did, however, perk up a bit to watch the halftime show.  Did anyone else feel bad for the "The Who?"  That was a little rough.  If they weren't make a butt load of money to be there, I would've felt really bad for them.  I think it's safe to say that that ship has sailed.

5  I have been really, really bad at acknowledging blog awards lately.  I am very sorry about that.  Thank you so much for all of you who have recognized me.  I will be going through them and posting a proper thank you for each.  Until then, know I love you :)

WINTER DRESSING 101

Ick!  This is the kind of weather that can be super tricky to dress for.  As much as I wanted to wear my new brogues, I couldn't bear to take them out in these conditions.  It's super cold and there is too much snow and too little place to put it.  So, downtown is a little sloppy to say the least.

Today, I met a client for lunch and have a meeting this evening, which means no jeans for me.  So, here are a few things I look for in an outfit on a day like today.

1.  The shoe issue.  This is probably my number one reason for getting sick of winter.  It totally limits my footwear, and I do not like being told what I can and cannot wear.  The best bet is something that can survive a little ick and will keep my feet warm (truth be told, I could've used another pair of socks in these).  It doesn't hurt that these boots provide extra coverage for over half of my leg.

2.  Wrap it up.  Life is always a little cozier with a soft scarf.

3. I can't stand it when my pants get wet, so I circumvent the issue all together and wear the shortest pants I can find.  These wool shorts were perfect, because they're warm, too.  And I love the way they kind of look like a winter jumpsuit with the tee and belt.  A skirt would work to, but I just wasn't in the mood for the shiftiness and static today.

4.  And of course, a warm coat.  I opted for the wool today.  It's not my warmest coat, but I'm so sick of having my own zip code when I wear my down puffer.  That would be the number 2 reason I get sick of winter.  But, I can't complain too much - at least the sun is shining.  Did I mention we're expected to get more snow tomorrow, though?  Ugh.

Coat: Esprit via Ross, $80 - Cardigan: H&M, $30ish - Tee: Target, $15 - Shorts: Thrifted - DIY, $.30

Belt: Thrifted, $1 - Boots: Target, $35 - Scarf: Target, $13

P.S. My Target brogues got here today and I'm super impressed with how comfy they are.  There's a possibility I may keep them, too. Honey, I know they look the same, but trust me - they're not :)

(B)ROGUE BLOGGER

Remember way back when I was lusting after these Steve Madden Tuxxedo brogues.  Truth is, my shoe crush never let up, but I could never quite justify the nearly $70 price tag.

My mind is still obsessed with having a pair of brogues, and I knew if I just waited it out, I would find a more affordable pair.  So, last week, I plunked down a mere $25 for a pair of Target brogues.  The shape isn't exactly like the Steve Maddens (I am just super in love with the SM shape - I'm a little anal about things like toe boxes on shoes), but I figured for the savings, I could make them work.

 Because the Target version only came in brown and black, my choices were limited, so I went with the black pair.  Then, I got my new Lucky magazine in the mail the other day.  Their shoe section had a whole page devoted to the awesomeness that are two-toned brogues.  Ugh -- I was bummin' a little, because that was what I really wanted.

Well, the universe loves me.  I had a random desire to got to Ross yesterday and even managed to talk John into accompanying me.  I was really on the hunt for a pair of brown boots, but when I got there, the boots were completely cleaned out.  As I scanned the racks of shoes, the sky opened up, the light shone down and angels started to sing.  And this is what I saw:

There were two, and only two,  pairs of the Steve Madden Tuxxedo brogues that I have been so in love with for so long!  There was a 7.5 and an 8 - the exact two sizes I wanted to try on to compare.  So, I walked out with the two-toned Steve Madden Tuxxedo brogues in my size for ... $16.99!

There was some serious happy dancing going on ... trust me, John got to witness it.

HOLY SNOW, BATMAN

Iggy just love, love, loves the snow, but what' a poor little guy to do when the snow's higher than he is.  This is by far the most snow he has ever seen, and I think he was a little confused.  After this video, he did finally jump into the white stuff and had a ball.  He looked like he was swimming, though.  If you're on the east coast, enjoy it - there's not much else we can do.

HOLY SNOW, BATMAN from Blue Collar Kyla on Vimeo.