‘Old Navy’ Articles at Sweetnicks

Summer Bucket List 2012

June 23, 2012 · Ad-Free

This post is underwritten by Old Navy. Whether you’re looking for a tankini, bikini, or a one piece, Old Navy has you confidently covered.

I can’t even believe it’s that time already. Another season come and gone. Another bucket list almost completed. Another new season begins. And more fun things to check off. This time, my focus was on appreciating the simple things. While there are a few outings and such on this year’s Summer Bucket List, it’s a little more about getting back to basics.

I made the list while the kids were out with The Ex today, and Nick spied it on the refrigerator as soon as he came home. I watched him reading through it, and when he came out of the kitchen, he nodded. “I approve,” he said. “I’ll let you know if I have anything else to add.”

I’ll bet.

This summer, I hope to get several trips to the Jersey Shore under our belts. The kids love the water, and I love the shore. It’s a win win. There’s something about heading south that makes it very easy to leave everything behind (I know Sarah, as well as many others, agree). Some sort of magic happens when sand and salt water meet, and all the sudden, everything is right with the world. That, and once we get to my parents’ house, all the to-do lists and checklists are out the window. The only thing you CAN do is relax. It’s hard for me to do absolutely nothing, but I completely appreciate the rewards of forced relaxation. Even just the drive down the parkway does wonders for clearing my head. The trip through the tolls and stops at the rest stops never fail to remind me of summers spent down the shore while we were growing up. I love that my kids are enjoying some of the very same traditions I enjoyed back then.

This year, Madeline is taking three weeks worth of swimming lessons, and I can’t wait for her to get started next week. She is my fearless child, known for jumping off the dock without waiting to make sure someone is there to catch her. And although I wholeheartedly embrace her fearlessness characteristics, my heart would beat a little slower once she has more basic skills under her belt. This is her favorite bathing suit from Old Navy (the closest one to rainbow stripes), no bunching, no slipping, super modest, and super cute. Their bathing suits are also really good at lasting the entire season, which my wallet appreciates. They’d probably last more than one season if the kids would only stop growing so darn much.

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You’ve Got Questions, I’ve Got Answers

June 24, 2011 · Narrative

Or at least some of the time I do.

Amy asked where my shoes come from in the photo of Madeline above. They are made by Naturalizer and I bought them at Famous Footwear. Love them. Took me forever to find the exact pair of wedges that I liked.

Sarah asked where this shirt of Madeline’s comes from… TJ Maxx. I can’t get her to wear it often, but it’s totally her wild child personality.

Someone asked a few months back where I shop for jeans. I discovered True Jean Company and Arizona Jean Company, both at JC Penney, awhile back and love them. Good for girls with a bit ‘o hip but without making you look wide. In my humble opinion, of course. I also love Old Navy for pants and jeans. A lot of my pants for the office come from there actually, and my favorite pair of (now) deceased jeans are from there. Last year, they had a line that was called Boyfriend/Weekender jeans that were awesome. Relaxed fit in the hips and broken in with a few holes here and there. Unfortunately they discontinued them, so if you see them on a clearance rack or eBay, grab them. I bought them in a few smaller sizes ’cause I loved them so much. Best fit ever.

My newest favorite shoes are pictured below. Can you guess which ones are mine? The fuschia sparkly ones. I bought them the day before I went to Atlanta for the Coca-Cola conference. Mystic calls them my ruby slippers. I think everyone needs a pair of ruby slippers. After all, they worked for Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, right? Those are from Payless, $14.99! They had a grey pair as well, and I couldn’t decide whether or not to get them too. Even with their Buy One, Get One Half Off sale. I ended up going back the next day, an hour before my car service came, to get them. I wear both of them a lot, so for fifteen bucks, a wise investment. While we were waiting for our second morning at Coke to begin, we started discussing shoes and it turned out we all wore a 10, 11 or 12, which is pretty unusual. Usually I’m the only one with big feet! Hence the picture.

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Fashion: Thinking Outside the Box

February 2, 2011 · Narrative

When it comes to looking for a particular piece of clothing (or even an accessory) for my wardrobe, I’ve learned that it’s good to think outside the box a bit.

My favorite work-out t-shirts are from the men’s section of Old Navy. It’s a simple v-neck shirt, but the nearly-identical t-shirt on the women’s side is twice the price. Go figure. And this weekend? The shirt on the women’s side was $12 and the shirt on the men’s side was $3.99.

Accessories meant for kids’ hair work just as well for grown-ups hair. You know, excluding the bright pops of day-glo pink and Hello Kitty emblems. Some of my favorite hair accessories have been Etsy buys that I bought with Madeline in mind. She hasn’t jumped on the hair accessory bandwagon yet, and in the meantime, they work perfectly well for my hair. And as Beth and I found out awhile back, hair accessories at J. Crew’s Crewcuts (their kid store) were cheaper than the adult counterparts across the hallway. For the same basic thing.

That’s two easy ways to think outside the box when you’re trying to hunt something down … check the men’s department and the kid’s department as well.

I have one more for you. Check sleepwear.

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What I Wore Wednesday

January 5, 2011 · Narrative

Regaining interest in shopping over the past year has been a totally pleasurable experience, and I have learned more than a few things along the way.

Shop with a friend or family member. Besides the obvious reasons that it’s fun and you’ll get instant objective feedback, I have found that I discover new stores that I wouldn’t normally go into by doing that. When Beth and I hit the outlets this weekend, she dragged me into Ann Taylor, a shop I’ve never set foot in before because I thought it was a little too conservative. Well, two slightly sequined tops later, I had changed my mind.

When I was shopping in Old Navy with Jamie last Spring, I tried on a sweater that I thought looked fine, but she insisted I should try it on in a medium. It never occurred to me that I might have shrunk a bit. Opinions. Everyone has them, and sometimes it even pays to listen to them. Go figure. :)

Don’t pigeonhole a store. Old Navy, for the most part, is typically known for their more casual clothing … sweats, t-shirts, hoodies, pajamas … just about as casual as you can get. That top I’m wearing in the picture? With the ruffles along the neckline? Old Navy. $13.49 on sale this weekend. Love the color.

If you have gift cards, particularly for clothing, seek out the store outlets to make your gift cards really stretch. The necklace (I’m sorry you can’t see it better in the picture) was less than $10 from a J. Crew outlet, and I got a winter coat for $69, regularly priced at $218. I bought my winter coat when I was four sizes bigger and pregnant with Nick, nine years ago. Both pockets had holes in them, and one elbow as well. I normally wouldn’t have looked at J. Crew for a winter coat, and was trying to make it through the season since my sizes are changing too rapidly, but as soon as I saw the steal of a deal, it was too much to resist. And I think after nine years and three holes, not to mention the fact that it’s way too big … well, I’ve gotten all I can out of that coat.

Need hair accessories? Think kids’ stores. Beth and I happened to wander into Crewcuts, J. Crew’s answer to children’s clothing, to see what they had on sale, and we found great headbands and hairclips there. At a fraction of the cost. The hairclip I’m wearing in this picture, which isn’t especially visible (sorry!) was under two bucks. Love that!

Got shopping tips of your own? I’d love to hear them!

For more of What I Wore Wednesday, you can check out the other participants right here.

Project 365
January 5, 2011, Photo #5
Forgive the terrible picture from my BlackBerry. Due to a last minute change in plans, the kids had to come with me to Zumba. The Wednesday class I only go to in support of The Neighbor Wife and another friend, so I couldn’t miss it since they were both going. I lectured the kids all the way there. And as we walked in. And I got pinkie swears and promises on what we consider good behavior.

They have been asking to come watch a Zumba class basically since I started taking them, and tonight’s venue is a little better suited to kid spectators, so I took a chance. For the first 40 minutes, Madeline sat on the chair, not a peep out of her. It was the cutest thing. When I went over for a water break, she said, “You’re doing a good job, Mom.” Be still my heart. After about forty-five minutes, she started trying to join in, coming up and shaking her tush near me, or holding on to The Neighbor Wife’s leg as she was exercising (extra weight around the ankles is good, yes?). They were so good that they were even invited back. Shocker that.