O'Brien is a FOX!

A. Stone. Cold. Fox.

Chris de Burgh must have written his song about our favorite lady to hate because, damn, lady looks gooood.  Siobhan Finneran (known to us as Baby-Killer O'Brien from Downton Abbey) is rocking that red dress above.  Who knew such a dame was hiding behind that sleeping bonnet?!

[And I have to say Lady Edith has never looked better herself.]

Soooo, how much did that last episode kill everyone?? 

• DAISY!  
• I even got a bit misty in regards to Matthew, which says a lot for me because I barely ever feel a twinge for him. (What is it you all see in him?)  
• Okay, I'm about to say something I never thought I would... breathe... I kiiiinda miss when Bates and Anna were just secretly pining for each other.  This rosy/not-so rosy garden thing is getting a bit eh for me.  (Eeep!  I'm totally going to regret saying that and you all probably hate me, too.)
• Does anyone else want to punch Branson in the face?  Lady Sybil is way too good for him and not because he's some chauffeur.  He's kinda like an emotional rapist.  Or, at the very least, some sort of emotional manipulator.
• The Dowager Countess never fails to make me laugh; I hope Maggie Smith squeals with delight each time she reads a new script. 
• I'm disoriented by the time warp -- that illegitimate Colonel Mustache baby had quite the short gestation period, dontcha think?

AND Two Bonus Points:

• If you're not following Patton Oswalt on Twitter while he live tweets the episodes you are surely missing out.
• I read that the bizarrely evil Vera Bates is the beautiful brunette from The Commitments!!  Amazing, I know! [It IS true: I just took the two seconds to IMDB it.]

image via xojane

Ok, Here's The Deal...

Have I been MIA?  Yes.  Do I have an excuse?  No.

The thing is that this here blog has become a bit tedious for me.  I keep waiting for the feeling to go away (it usually does), but it hasn't.  My Christmas break didn't help abate the feeling and I wasn't sure what to do.  Sooooooo, I didn't do anything.

But.  I've made a decision, a non-committal, might change my mind kind of decision: I'm gonna stop with the Every Day Posts.

I know, I know.  I used to do two posts a day and now I can't even commit to one post a day?  BLASPHEME!  It's just that the posts have been so, er, for lack of a better word, uninspired.  And it makes blogging a chore -- which is not why I signed up for this thing.  I want to be better FOR YOU.  So, my plan is to blog when inspiration strikes and not just to keep some imaginary schedule I've created for myself.

Who knows how long it will last; I may end up striking inspiration gold in a day or two.  Or I may not.  Or the experiment may be a complete trainwreck and I'll have to reevaluate.  We will only have time to see.

I hope you stick with me on this shaky ground.  I couldn't be here without all of you!!  [Well, I guess I could, but it would be quite depressing.]  I hope to have all the kinks figured out soon and be back with posts that you deserve.  Posts I feel good about.

Til then I bid you, my dear friends, adieu!*

*Don't worry, I'll probably be back soon to talk about the shit show that are the Oscar nominations. 

image via i can read

Happy Weekend!

You thought I forgot about you, didn't you?  I could never forget!  I could just run out of time and choose laziness instead. 

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend!  I'm looking forward to sleeping in and eating some Puerto Rican food.  [Have I told you I'm going to Puerto Rico??  I forget.]  The PR ladies and I are treking out to eat some true cultural grub and I'm super excited.  Let's hope the snow doesn't bog us down; six more inches!  I'm also planning on seeing The Descendants and can't wait.  Though, I'm told to bring kleenex for it will surely make me cry.  And, let's face it, everything makes me cry so I'm definitely SOL on that one. 

What do you have planned?

Let's see if I can pull together some links for you [dead pause while I search the internet]...

OKAY.  Friday Links:

• I'm sure you all know by now, but mark your calendars, Mad Men returns March 25th. 
• Biscuit-topped chicken potpie.  Yum!
• Er, also late [can you tell these are my old friday links?], 20 New Year's Resolutions for 20-somethings.
• President Obama sings "Let's Stay Together" -- 'nuff said. 
• I would totally start watching Jersey Shore again (embarrassing admission) if they'd just listen to this lady.   
• You guys like what you read on the internet?  Sign this petition so the government can't take it away!  [I know it's been shelved, but adding your name can never hurt.]
• And, finally, five lessons from the SOPA/PIPA fight. 

image from Good Good via pinterest

The Gay Rights Movement.

Let's be on the right side of history. 

Who's That Lady?

Helllllllooooooooo, girl crush!  How does she do it?  I am DYING over all of her outfits and you should, too.

Go check out Kendi Everyday because it'll cure what ails ya.

I am aware I am late to this ballgame by her over 12,000 readers, but a new blog to me might be a new blog to you, and this girl likes to shhhare. 

I wonder if that girl (^) would like to share that top up there in the first picture because, seriously, I can't stop scrolling up to look at it.

I may have just found my soulmate*.

*The shirt, fools.  No need to be so scurred, Kendi.

The Globes!

It was kind of boring, yes?  My favorite moment of the night, by far, was this:

If you didn't watch the show, Amy and Tina were nominated in the same category and this is Tina stealing into Amy's shot after they announced her name.  I loved it!

I also very much enjoyed Felicity Huffman and William H. Macy's little diddy they sang while presenting.  How did they manage to make that charming and not cloying?

Ricky Gervais was more subdued, but still managed to make me laugh a few times.  Some of the speeches were super endearing and Ben Kingsley's wife oooooobviously had some champagne and was feeling a bit randy.

Now!  Onto the dresses.  The most important part, right?

I feel like there was a lot of the same thing we've always seen.  (Doesn't Kate Beckinsale always wear that dress??)  Some good, some bad, and lots in between.

Reese Witherspoon looked like Jessica Rabbit and I loved it; newlywed looks good on this girl!  Sophia Vergara Pulled. It. OUT and no one could look away.  That woman could be the devil incarnate and nobody would care.  Even Tina Fey threw on some color and poof for the party.

In the interest of brevity, here are my three favorites of the evening:

First and FOREMOST, Charlize Theron.  DAMN.  She managed to look both ethereal and fierce all at the same time.  And usually I HATE the tiara, headband thing, but she managed to even pull that off.  I don't think she's ever looked better.

Secondly, Salma Hayek who turned into a disco queen for the evening.  I loved how her ombre hair mirrored the dress and she definitely stood out from all the rest of the ballgowns on the red carpet.  Well done, Salma.  Well done.  I want to wear this dress while lounging around my apartment. 

And, lastly, Octavia Spencer.  I'm so impressed when you see a real woman's body on the red carpet dressed so well.  The ruching was perfection and the color couldn't look better on her.  And she won!  Which made Melissa McCarthy cry!  I saw her interviewed and she said last year she was collecting money for a Golden Globes pool and this year she was nominated AND WON.  Stories like that make me so happy.

 

Otherwise, I don't see what y'all see in that Angelina dress -- it looks pretty terrible to me.  I was really excited Laura Dern won (she's SO GOOD in Enlightened!) and I thought she looked lovely.  Dame Helen Mirrin looked A-MAZ-ING.  Lea Michele looked like a forty-year-old trying too hard, and she is still posing too hard, too.  It's cringe-worthy.

And that's all I can remember at this point.

OH WAIT.  Diana Agron -- NOOOOO.

That is all.

What did you think?? 

Friday!

It snowed!  I haven't been this excited about snow in ten years.  I'm sure I'll be grumpy about in, oh, ten minutes, but it was sooo beautiful all day.  It felt like I was inside a snow globe!  I've always loved the changing seasons and it was too strange when it didn't feel like winter for so long.  Bring it, snow.

Aaannnd, guess whose boots showed up just in the nick of time?  Mine did!  Mine did!  Not only were the boots $60 cheaper than the listed price, I also received free overnight shipping.  Everyone should shop at Endless.   

Which ones did I choose, do you wonder?  I went for the lucky pair behind Door Number ONE.  And I'm quite happy with how they look and feel.  Let's see how they barrel through the five inches of snow.  (Uh, by the looks of them, the snow doesn't even stand a chance.)  Thanks for all of your help, ladies!  I decided bigger was better since I still have an old pair of snow boots that are on the slim shady side.

Okay.  So, I'm kinda an idiot.  Well, just distracted with actual work, but all the links that I'd been saving up for Friday Links are saved on my work computer and here I am writing at home.  Sigh.  If I get the time I'll try to update tomorrow, or I might just save them for next week (which seems to happen a lot around here, I know).

ps Don't forget!  The Golden Globes!  I'll definitely be watching.  Will you?

image via pinterest

Word.

via pinterest

Help me with Sorel.

Which one would you choose? 

It's supposed to snow on Thursday.  I can't believe it might actually be winter now; I'm sort of ready for it.  It just feels too weird to have 50 degree days in January! 

all images via endless

Outfit Tuesdays: Cozy Leopard.

Cozy Leopard. by justagirlandherstuff featuring a velour vest

Little known fact: I was in the lead all TWENTY THREE days of my family's college football pool.  That was until last night when my dad's special spreadsheet kicked him into the lead (and win!) over the last game beeeecccassuse it was his double points pick.  I call foul.  

This is my own personal hanging chad.  

Which has nothing to do with this outfit, but I just had to vent.  

YOU MUST KNOW MY PAIN. 

Also: is that how you spell leopard??  It looks soooo weird to me!  

Downton Abbey!

Did you guys watch??  What did you think?

I am trying not to be spoilery, so I just jotted a quick list down...

Anna and Bates!!
Maggie Smith was at her best, yes?
They even managed to make O'Brien sympathetic for a minute or two.
Carson!
I kind of miss ridiculously entitled Mary.
Edith must. go. down.
My heart goes out for poor Lord Grantham.
Bates! Bates! Bates!  Sigh, Bates.

Did I miss anything that stuck out to you?  I can't wait for the next episode!

This Happened.

And put a smile on my face. 

(click to enlarge picture)

Blushing Beauty.

I've been very drawn to blush purses as of late.  It feels so unexpected, especially this time of year.  Wouldn't it be beautiful against your all black winter wardrobe?  Or paired with grey?  Man, I love blush and grey together.

Too bad this $50 beauty is sold out.  I just may have to give them my information so they can notify me when it's back in stock.  Keep your fingers crossed for me! 

Frugal Outfit Tuesdays: Regularly Scheduled Programming.

Regularly Scheduled Programming. by justagirlandherstuff featuring a thigh high hosiery

Wow.  I really disappeared on you guys last week, didn't I?  Sorry 'bout that!  Frankly, I needed the break because I've been feeling quite uninspired lately and was hoping the time off would regenerate me.  We'll see if it did the trick.

In the meantime, I threw this little diddy together for y'all.  


I hope you all had very merry holidays!  I spent some lovely time with family and friends, and managed to never put on a coat once in Georgia.  It was incredible.  Pluuuuuuss, Santa brought me an iPad which means I was apparently a good girl this year.  I haven't managed to put it down since.  Let me tell you, flights go a lot faster when you have Downton Abbey to keep you company.

How did the holidays treat all of you?