the truth about style posts, and these pants of course

lately i'm all into putting my hand behind my head or in my hair when we're shooting, and concerned you think my no shampoo experiment has gone awry i think it's best i just address it and clear the air.  i promise, my scalp is fine.  it's the having my picture taken thing, that's where the trouble comes along.  you see, these posts may look like they're all fun and games, but in reality they've been the source of a few marital squabbles and can make me feel painfully self conscious and bring out my extra awkward side (hence, arm in strangely contrived positions).

WHY DO THEM you ask?!  well, i also really love sharing my style with you guys and there are shoots where we have a lot of fun (usually when i'm kicking dirt or spinning in circles).  sometimes it just feels like a game of dress up!  and from what i've heard from chats with other blogger friends who do these posts as well, the awkwardness and occasional marital spats are all just a part of the torture fun!  so, if you see another photo of me with my hand posed uncomfortably atop my head, now you know.  i can't help myself.  and my scalp is fine.

now that the nonsense above is out in the open, let's talk about these pants.  these pants that i stalked like a LION IN THE SERENGETI.  (remember this?)  yes, i waited patiently until these bad boys went on sale (only $108!) and then snapped them up as quickly as i could press "add to cart".  i just love the slit detail, don't you? if you're interested in snagging them for yourself i recommend a size up from your normal j brand size.  xx- sarah

SHOP THIS OUTFIT: jeans: j brand on sale!, tee: current elliott, shoes: zara, bag: heather heron (similar), sunnies: mosley tribes, lips: dior blazing red 

ask sarah: what are your closet staples?

question: Hi Sarah,  I recently lost a bunch of weight and need to invest in a closet makeover.  Can you recommend some basics that I can start with and build off of?  I'm fairly casual, but want to look put together and would love some ideas on where to start.  Thank you!  - Best, Erica

answer: hi erica,  i'm happy to help!  i've put together a list of what i consider closet staples, with options below in the links for most of the items.  these pieces all provide a great neutral base, and you can play around with your accessories while you build up your closet since those are generally more affordable!  think: scarves, hats, shoes, lipstick, jewelry, etc.  hope you love what i've put together for you! xx- sarah

CLOSET STAPLES:

1. Panama Hat  1  //  2  //  3 //  4

2. Chambray Shirt  1  //  2  //  3  //  4

3. Grey Tank 1  //  2  //  3  //  4

4. White Jeans 1  //  2  //  3  //  4

5. Striped Tee 1  //  2  //  3  //  4

6. Blue Skinny Jeans 1  //  2  //  3  //  4

7. Military Inspired Jacket 1  //  2  //  3  //  4

8. Black Skinny Jeans 1  //  2  //  3  //  4 

9. Classic Black Bag 1  //  2  //  3  //  4

10. Tortoise Sunnies 1  //  2  //  3  //  4

11. Sandals 1  //  2  //  3  //  4 

10 crosby derek lam floral pants

i have a thing for wide leg floral pants (remember these?) and the derek lam beauties above are no exception. i'm not sure i love them most for that amazing pattern or the way they're as comfortable as pajama pants.  oh man, i have such a thing for pants that are as comfortable as pajamas.  but some days they're the only thing that get me out of my *actual* pj's.  no shame.  xx- sarah 

SHOP THIS OUTFIT:  pants: 10 crosby derek lam and a more affordable pair of wide-legged florals here, shirt: parker (similar), shoes: stylemint, ring: charles albert, clutch: lauren merkin (old)

PRESERVED LEMONS

you may remember from my last go round at pickling that i like to keep it simple when it comes to these sorts of adventures.  and i also die a small death at the thought of waiting weeks or months to enjoy the fruits of my labor (har har).  traditionally preserved lemons are made by quartering lemons, cramming as many of them as you can fit into a jar, filling up all the rest with kosher salt, seasonings and the juice from the lemons.  they're amazing, but require THIRTY TO FORTY DAYS of relentless waiting.  to me this sounds about as satisfying as watching my fingernails grow.  i am so much more of an instant (or at least one week) gratification kind of gal. and so when i discovered mention of this shortcut route in my research i pretty much fell off my chair, picked myself up as quickly as i could and ran into the kitchen to start thinly slicing lemons and shoving them into a jar. {more after the jump}

 

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entertainment for your weekend!

don't miss it, today is my instagram pop up shop sale!  head over here for more info... sale starts at 10 am PST!  and below is a taste of what i'm loving on the world wide interweb this week.  have a great one everyone!!   xx- sarah

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WELL MEOW, ISN'T THIS CUTE!

i realized today that if you wear strappy sandals like these new favorites from shoemint and a high waisted belt with a short dress, you'll look like you are nothing but legs and hair.  so, there's that.  and also, on a totally unrelated note did you ever see the movie super troopers?  that scene where they replace "now" with "meow"... i am still laughing about it TWELVE YEARS LATER.  and i suspect that when i'm a grandma it will STILL get to me. i love that.  allright meow, you all have a great weekend!  i may be back later today or tomorrow if i can get it together to do a roundup!!  xx- sarah

SHOP THIS OUTFIT: dress: anthropologie (old), shoes: shoemint, belt: bcbg (old), bag: clare vivier, ring: alexis bittar, bracelets: j crew, stella and dot, c/o something epic, asos, lips: dior blazing red, nails: OPI passion fruit (my summer color of choice!)

butternut squash soup with curried pepitas

i had this moment in the grocery store the other day where i realized that we're almost at the end of the very last scraps of winter produce.  and like some crazy squash hoarder i started grabbing at the butternuts.  i'm going to make a couple batches of this soup to freeze because i hate the idea of waiting until october to have butternut squash soup again.  is that crazy?  maybe i'm a kooky squash hoarder or suffering from some other squash related mental disorder.  something to ponder while i'm roasting 55 batches of butternut.  xx- sarah  {more after the jump}

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