Summer Style Essentials 05: The Linen Trousers

(Start here.) I’m a denim girl through-and-through, both for their ease and durability, but when summer starts to shift into fall, I find myself reaching for a welcome substitute: linen trousers. WHY? Call ’em cropped pants, or culottes, whatever you’d like. The fact remains: they’re the single-most versatile replacement for denim I’ve found to date.

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Modern Parenting: To Chore or Not to Chore?

To chore, I say. — Early this spring, Bee began campaigning for a fish. Actually, nine, she says, for swimming together. My hesitations were many. More responsibility for our kids often means more management for us, and with two kids, two dogs, two jobs, we were fresh out of any available management margin. She’d be

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The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

It began with the car accident. The parked car in the street, the U-haul ahead, a pick-up truck peeling out of his driveway with less-than-desirable visibility. I swerve, thinking of course I could clear the parked car to my right. I could not. I scrawl a note with a sincere apology, my contact information. Scout

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Summer Style Essentials 04: The Gauzy Skirt

(Start here.) My criteria for a mid-summer essential can be summed up in three words: comfortable, easy and fully washable. Sticky banana stains and rogue finger paint are not unlikely in these parts, so I’m continually steering clear of the dreaded Dry Clean Only label. And with frequent walks to playgrounds, parks and neighborhood haunts,

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Small Step No. 13: Saying “Yes, But…”

Last weekend, my friend Shannan and I shared our respective stories with the beautiful community of Flourish, and during the Q&A portion, the conversation naturally veered toward boundaries. How do you set them? What are your own? Where do you draw the line? Shannan’s answer was flawless, and it was simply this: we do not

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Summer Style Essentials 03: The Crop Tank

(Start here.) The term crop tank conjures up all sorts of images for me, mainly of long afternoons sauntering around a studio floor in dance class (Motown Philly back again indeed). This is not that, although I sure didn’t mind those calve muscles a bit. WHY? Here’s why I love the crop tank: it’s wildly

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Summer Style Essentials 02: The Perfect Tee

(Start here.) It’s no secret that the elusive perfect tee has long been a style enigma. Is it a lightweight linen, or structured cotton? V-neck or crew? Black vs. white, or long live charcoal forever and ever, Amen? Everyone’s got a favorite. This one’s mine… WHY? With a throw-it-on-and-head-out-the-door ease, there’s much to love about

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8 Simple Make-Up Products I Love

I laughed at a comment on this post (don’t forget to swipe the arrow): “And now I want to know what kind of makeup you use.” It wasn’t my intent, of course, to make the case for a full face. I’m firmly planted in the “You Do You” category here. We are inherently beautiful, each

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