Holiday Headliner: Sunshine Straw Hat of an Easter

 

Décor: Michaels

Postcard from a realtor

Mom's egg tree

Peeps lip balm, CVS

Feather arrangement: Michaels; Eggs: Marshalls

Shoes: Chase & Chloe, Zulily

Mom's centerpiece

Bunnies: Target

Dress: LC Lauren Conrad, Kohl's

Fascinator: Amazon

Placemat (Mom's kitchen): Kohl's

Necklace : Ella & Elly, Zulily

Mom's kitchen window

Last Easter's chocolate bunny

As you know, Easter is my favorite holiday.  I love the flowers, the food, and the way the world finally wakes up from winter.  And even though I couldn't enjoy the traditional fare of ravioli (I'm Italian 🍝), ham, cheesecake, and chocolate, I went all in on festive fashion by splashing out on a new fascinator.  This one is a departure from my usual tulle-topped, I'm-off-to-the-Kentucky-Derby numbers.  The upturned straw, lace, and huge rose give it a Victorian-meets-'90s-meets-cottagecore feel, which, having sported more than a few Blossom-style chapeaux as a preteen, I loved.  What's more, its bright yellow makes me happy.

That said, I did eat a delicious dinner prepared by my mom, full of beef, veggies, and -- this was a real treat -- cheesy mashed potatoes.  Best of all, the starch didn't affect my glucose.  I'll take my wins where I can get them!

On that note, if you celebrate, then I hope you had a winning Easter too.  And if not, then a winning Sunday.  Because it's nice to know that a smile is just a family meal -- or accessory -- away.   

Clearly, impending motherhood is infiltrating my snark with sap. 😏

Quiz Show Bow: Magnificent Mayim

Jacket: Material Girl, Macy's; Top: A New Day, Target; Skirt: Dolls Kill; Shoes: Shoe Carnival; Bag: Xhilaration, Target; Sunglasses: Amazon

For the last two weeks, I've so enjoyed watching Mayim Bialik guest host Jeopardy!.  From her  prettily professorial garb to her well-timed witticisms to her banter when interviewing contestants, she's the total package and the only guest host to date who reminds me of the late great Alex Trebek.  After all, who but an accomplished actress-slash-neuroscientist could deliver the kind of cerebral star quality worthy of Jeopardy!?  What's more, Bialik's charity of choice for Jeopardy's! donation match of the winnings is the National Alliance on Mental Illness.  Advocacy for mental illness, which affects so many, has never been more important.  There couldn't be a more fitting cause for a show all about braininess.  If Bialik's sitcom Call Me Kat hadn't gotten picked up for a second season, then I'd be keeping my fingers crossed that she be crowned host for keeps.   

That said, what's up with this outfit?  Well, watching Bialik made me think of blazers, which reminded me that I have this cherry-print one and that it had to come out of hiding!  So, one if-not-professorial-then-schoolgirl skirt later, I put together an ensemble including my newest necklace.   

Real Teal Necklace

Strung with stars in a subtle salute to our stellar scene-stealer, this Real Teal Necklace is simpatico with "What is, celestial."

Maybe I'll wear it when I tune in tonight to watch Bialik go out with a bang.

Might of the Iguana: Think Pink

Top: Bongo, Sears

Belt: B Fabulous; Bag: Sleepyville Critters, Amazon; Black and white bracelet: Mixit, JCPenney; Bow: Carole, JCPenny; Blue bracelet: Cloud Nine, Ocean City; Ring: Mixit, JCPenney

Dress: Everly, Modcloth

Tights: Zulily

Belt: Belt is Cool, Amazon; Flower barrette: Cappelli, ULTA; Pink bracelets: So, Kohl's; Pink pendant: H&M; Light pink bangle: Don't Ask, Zulily; Sparkly bangle: Target; Mermaid keychain: Ella & Elly, Zuily; Dragon bangles: Simply Vera, Kohl's; Heart ring: Candie's, Kohl's; Flower bracelet: Belk's 

Top and skirt: LC Lauren Conrad, Kohl's

Tights: Hue, Amazon

Blue bangle: Mixit, JCPenney; Yellow and striped bangles: B Fabulous; Red ring: Making Waves, Ocean City; Bag: T-Shirt & Jeans, Kohl's; Blue ring: Michaels; Boots: 2 Lips Too, JCPenney

Dress: Lily Rose, Kohl's

I don't know much about the might of the iguana because I've never had to wrangle it -- or any other reptile -- unless you count trying to get through Tennessee Williams's "Night of the Iguana" in college.  But in that classic, albeit creepy play, the scaly rapscallion in question isn't so much a pest as a symbol of freedom.  And as such, its likeness in this colorful (Sleepyville!) critter clutch makes fashion freedom worth fighting for.  Take that, school uniforms!

Bag: Sleepyville Critters, Amazon

Now, I didn't go to private school, which means that I was free to wear stretch pants and vests far longer than I should have.  But clothes were always important to me, and I felt sorry for anyone forced to wear a standard-issue, identity-stripping skirt and polo.  Even in the lawless halls of pubic school, I wasn't allowed to wear my hat -- a red and white flower-adorned, floral-print cloche that would've been the envy of Blossom -- on picture day.  I still remember the shame of 1) being called out for trying to break the rules and 2) lacking the nerve to go through with the rebellion.  If only I could've tossed my hat high in the air post picture like Mary Tyler Moore (apparently, my idea of badassery looks like a beloved '70s sitcom).  So private school prisoners and hat fans everywhere, this declaration of outfit independence is for you.  

That said, think pink for now but stand by for flag flair, because Memorial Day's right around the corner.  

Iguana, I love when you become a chameleon.