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Mommy The Journalist



It's not really a secret that I love boyfriend jeans. The past year, I've actually worn them more than my skinny jeans. I think they're more flattering on my curves and more forgiving. They're also easier to move around in than most of my skinnies and are a better fit for where I'm currently at in my life.

This is my favorite pair that I currently own. They're currently on sale but only available in a few sizes. My other favorite pair is several years old, but pretty similar to my current fave. This is the closest to both those styles. I also have a less torn up pair made by Kut from the Kloth that I got in a StitchFix box several years ago. The exact style is no longer available, but this is pretty similar.

If you like your jeans to be more clean-cut, check out these two options below.

 

Now for the fun part. How to style them. Like I said earlier, I tend to wear mine more casually, due to the fact that my favorite pair to wear is toeing the line between distressed and destructed.

With their looser silhouette, boyfriend jeans can look sloppy when paired with the wrong tops and shoes. So how do I keep my outfits looking intentional and not frumpy?

  • Make sure they fit properly. They're supposed to be loose, but not so loose you're swimming in them.
  • Balance the looseness of the jeans' fit with a more structured top.
  • Fake a structured top by knotting it at the bottom or front tucking it.
  • When in doubt, tuck your shirt in completely and wear a belt.
  • If you add a third layer (jacket, cardigan, etc), keep it waist-length.
  • Your jeans should always rest above your shoes. Roll them if you have to. Do not tuck them into boots.
  • Shoes shouldn't come up past your ankles.
Now, here are 12 ways I've worn my boyfriend jeans over the last year. I hope they inspire you to add a pair or two of these type jeans to your closet!

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
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If there's anything 2020 taught me, it was to work smarter, not harder.

After years of working in a deadline-driven environment managing 20 or more people, I've learned a thing or two about establishing a good routine.

How many of you are still working from home? It's been nearly a full year and the world is not back to normal. Working from home isn't a new thing for me. I've been doing it since 2018, but even so the swift change in everyday life also affected me, especially during the six-plus months that Alexis was out of school. Now that she's back in the classroom during the week, many of the people I work with are still juggling working from home or chose not to send their kids to school in person, so there are still some differences in my routine from when I first started my work at home journey.

I've talked about my daily routine on the blog before, most recently here, but in the months since I've refined it even more. The biggest change? I've added more intentional blocks of time. Specifically, I've tailored my first work hour and added space to tackle small chores (so that they don't all pile up on the weekend).

Pre-Work
6:45 a.m. - My alarm goes off.
6:55 a.m. - I wake up Alexis. She gets dressed, and I do her hair.
7:00-7:20 a.m. - Alexis eats breakfast while I fix her lunch and pack her bookbag. I also drink a cup of juice.
7:20-7:30 a.m. - Alexis brushes her teeth while I change into jogging pants and a hoodie.
7:30 a.m. - We leave for school.
7:35-7:40 a.m. - Return home. Seriously, our neighborhood is right next to the school.
7:40-8:00 a.m. - If the weather is nice, I walk or jog. If it's not, I do light exercise inside.
8:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m. - I shower, do makeup and hair, and get dressed. Tidy up the kitchen if it needs it. Maybe throw a load of laundry in the wash.


Work
9:00-10:00 a.m. 
The first hour of my work day is the most important. This is where I set the tone for how the rest of my day is going to go. What I actually do in that hour varies slightly from day to day, but here's a general idea for you.

1. Make a cup of coffee. I'm attempting to cut back on my Mountain Dew consumption during the day, and this is the first step.
2. Spend a few minutes on social media to get a feel for the tone of the day. It impacts how I interact with my clients and readers.
3. Go over the previous day's to-do list. Check off all that have been finished (if I haven't already) and shift any that I didn't get to down.
4. Schedule out my daily tasks. (I typically plan a week in advance but I tweak my to-do lists every day.)
5. Check my email and reply to anything that came in overnight.
6. Read a few of my favorite blogs and reply to any new comments or messages.

10:00 a.m.-1:45 p.m. - This is where I get the majority of my work done. It's the part of the day where I'm typically alone in the house, or at the very least am not getting interrupted every few minutes, and can really concentrate on what I need to get accomplished.

1:45-2:45 p.m. - After school pickup. Yes, it really does take this long. No, it doesn't matter that we live two minutes from the school. Yes, I take a book.

2:45-3:00 p.m. - I get Alexis situated for the next couple of hours. Throw laundry in the dryer if needed.

3:00-4:30 p.m. - What I do during this time truly depends on the day. If I haven't made it through my to-do list for the day, I finish that. If not, I relax in the living room with a book.

After Work
4:30-6:00 p.m. - This time frame is generally devoted to dinner and includes cooking, eating, and clean-up. It's really important to me that we eat together as a family at least once a day, and this is it.

6:30-7:30 p.m. - It's all about Alexis from this point on. Bath time, story time, bedtime.

8:00-10:00 p.m. - Once Alexis is in bed, I tidy up the living room, fold any clothes that were washed that day, maybe take a bubble bath, read some more, possibly watch a movie, and eventually go to sleep.


How do you stay on track during the day? Are you a planner and schedule everything out? Or do you go with the flow and do things as they come? I'd love to know!
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crockpot tater tot chicken casserole

I love a good casserole. I am Southern, after all. Even better if I don't have to turn on my oven to make it!

There's not much to say about this recipe. It's really easy to make and really yummy to eat. Plus, no one likes scrolling reading through a really long post just to finally get to the recipe at the bottom.

Some notes: You don't have to thaw your chicken, unless you want to cut it up before you put it in the pot. I didn't but probably will next time so it's easier to serve.

Don't like cheddar? Substitute any type of cheese you like.

Cooked bacon that you crumble up or the crunchy bacon bits you put on salad will work in place of the bagged bacon pieces.

If you're into meal prepping, you can prepackage everything in your freezer (here's how).

Ingredients
  • 1 pound Boneless Chicken Breasts
  • 32 oz. Bag of frozen Tater Tots
  • Small Bag Bacon Bits
  • 2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
  • 12 oz. Can Evaporated Milk

Directions

1. Layer chicken, bacon bits, cheese and tots in crock pot.
2. Pour in the evaporated milk.
3. Cook on low 4 hours.
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I'm getting kind of a late start this morning, and not because I slept in for the holiday. Everything was on track for me to get into the office at my normal time until the cat managed to turn over the table in the foyer, breaking a really big candle arrangement in the process. So we're literally crashing into this week in my house.

I don't really have a lot to talk about today. Last week was pretty low key, other than my oven deciding to die. That's thrown a kink in my meal planning. No casseroles are on the menu for the forseeable future, sad.

I'm still planning out my week, to be honest. I feel like I'm drifting at the moment, and I can't really pinpoint a reason behind that feeling. It could be because I'm trying to cut back on the amount of caffeine I drink during the day...again.

Anywho, I really do need to get to work. I hope you all have a fabulous week!
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Happy Sunday, friends! I've decided that I'm going to start trying to schedule my Real Outfit Roundups to post every Sunday. This way if I have anything new, you won't be waiting two weeks for the link. It also gives me a good excuse to share any sales I've got my eyes on, as well, though I won't promise to always include those as I'm not always on top of them.

Last week was decently busy for me, with a majority of my days being spent at my desk, so most of my #ootd's go for comfort more than anything else, and there are two definite misses in this week's roundup. I also have a mini outfit evolution for you.

Let's get started!

Sizing info: I'm 5'2" and weigh around 150 lbs. Unless otherwise noted, I wear a size 6/8 or medium in tops and dresses, size 6 in pants and skirts, and size 7 shoe.

color block sweater button fly jeans

We'll start with last Saturday. There wasn't much on the agenda other than a trip to the store to pick up a few things. I'm still struggling with what shoes to wear with these jeans. I wish they were an inch shorter, but I don't trust myself to trim them evenly.  Because of the raw edge rolling them up doesn't really work and I don't like the way they look rolled under. So far, tucking them into my combat boots or moto boots has been the winner.

Outfit Details
Sweater: Target (similar)
Jeans: Old Navy (exact)
Boots: ShoeDazzle (similar)

color block sweater black jeans

Monday was a gross day, for sure. It was rainy and cold, so I was stuck inside for the most part. I feel like I went to the post office or something but really can't remember, and all my planner has listed are in-office tasks. Anyway, this sweater is a really good one. Super cozy and soft and surprisingly good quality.

Outfit Details
Sweater: Amazon (exact)
Jeans: Old Navy (exact)
Boots: Shoe Carnival (exact)

purple sweater boyfriend jeans

I was ridiculously busy this day, finishing up magazine distribution, having a video call with one of my web people, and other things. Overall, I don't really like this outfit. I needed a belt, the rolls on the jeans were too sloppy compared to the sweater, and the sneakers don't mesh well at all. You win some, you lose some.

Outfit Details
Sweater: Target (similar)
Jeans: Old Navy (exact)
Shoes: Walmart (exact)

navy printed blouse distressed skinny jeans

Here's that tiny outfit evolution I hinted at earlier. We'll start with how I actually wore it, and I'll admit that I'm still not 100% thrilled with how it turned out. The day of, I couldn't figure out what was wrong, but now that I'm staring at the photo, I see that it's the jeans. They're too beat up and take away from the shirt. I should have used clean denim. See below for two other ways I tried to fix it without success (tied hem and bright jacket).

The shirt is a really nice blouse, though. It's oversized but too baggy. The sleeves have elastic wrists, but they weren't deathly tight around my arms. The collar is banded, but again, not tight. It's a cotton/rayon blend and is on the thin side, so if you live somewhere super cold you'll definitely want to layer up.

Outfit Details
Shirt: Old Navy (exact)
Jeans: JCPenney (similar)
Shoes: Old Navy (exact)

 

thermal shirt boyfriend jeans wedge sneakers

My to-do list for Thursday wasn't super long but it was very involved, so I wanted to be comfortable, which of course meant my favorite boyfriend jeans. This loose thermal button-up was great for a day in the office. When we ran out to get some lunch, I did a quick front tuck, neatened up the cuffs on my jeans, and grabbed my wedge sneakers.

Outfit Details
Shirt: JCPenney (similar)
Jeans: Old Navy (exact)
Shoes: Walmart (similar)

leggings blue plaid moto boots

Which brings us back around to Saturday. It's been cold and windy, and unfortunately I had to go out in it to run an errand first thing. Then I rearranged my office so I can fit another bookcase. The rest of the day was spent relaxing. I can't tell you what inspired this decidedly grunge outfit, but I felt so at home in it, if that makes sense. I would have enjoyed dressing like this in high school, but the grunge period most definitely skipped my home town.

Outfit Details
Plaid Shirt: Aeropostale (similar)
Camisole: Amazon (exact)
Leggings: The Limited (similar)
Boots: Shoe Carnival (exact)


Well, that's all I've got for you this week. But before we say goodbye, here are two sales happening right now that you should check out:
  • Up to 50% off storewide at Old Navy through January 28
  • 50% off Boots & Booties at ShoeDazzle (VIP Members Only)

Have a great rest of your weekend!
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Last month, our school board voted to end uniforms and implement a dress code instead.

While the middle-of-the-year decision meant another round of school shopping, I couldn't have been more excited to say goodbye to boring school clothes.

When I told Alexis that she would get to wear her regular clothes to school after Christmas break, she was thrilled. Her response was, "Now I won't have to wear the same thing a million times over and over."

Amen, kid.

I've never been a fan of school uniforms. Granted, I was never subjected to the horror of having to dress like everyone else, but my younger brother got caught in the net in middle school so I do have prior experience by proxy.

There is a lot of reasoning behind the implementation of uniforms in schools, including but not limited to: safer learning environment, fewer instances of bullying, and more focused students.

On the flip side, school uniforms promote conformity over individuality, do not improve academic success, and often times emphasize socioeconomic differences between students. In fact, the study most often cited in promotion of implementing a school uniform policy is flawed. Additionally, there is no evidence to back up the claim that uniforms reduce bullying incidents. The opposite, in fact, has been found to be true in many schools. (You can read more about the findings here.)

Perhaps the most overstated and overexaggerated claim in defense of school uniforms is that it saves parents money. That is complete and total bullshit...unless you are the type of parent who expects their child(ren) to wear their uniforms even on non-school days. Hint: I'm not. So that means two separate wardrobes for my child and more strain on my wallet.

Fun fact: Americans spend about $1 billion on school uniforms every year.

Aside from the fact that I'm spending money that could be better spent on other things, Alexis absolutely hated her uniforms. Her personality is so much bigger than a solid-colored shirt worn over blue or khaki bottoms. She has strong opinions on what she wears, and for the last year and a half she's only been able to explore her burgeoning personal style on days she isn't in school. And because I can't justify spending money on clothes that she'll only wear once or twice before hitting a growth spurt, she hasn't had access to much more than play clothes.

I had the luxury of developing my personal fashion sense as a pre-teen through young adulthood. Being forced to wear a uniform five out of seven days a week for a majority of all those years would have severely hampered that process. And that's not just my personal opinion. According to research, denying children and teens the chance to make their own choices about their appearance could delay their transition into adulthood.

When you think about it, it makes a lot of sense. Consider young adults just entering the work force. If they've only ever worn a uniform, they may struggle to dress appropriately. Because a uniform doesn't give them any leeway to experiment. There's a fine line when it comes to incorporating personal style into appropriate dressing. A school dress code does a much better job of helping kids find that line by setting boundaries and expectations without squashing their individuality.

So now I have the chance to teach Alexis how to dress not only for herself but also in a way that's appropriate. So hopefully when she leaves the nest, she'll be rooted in a sense of self and have minimal fashion mishaps.

I want to hear from you! Does your child wear a uniform to school? What are your thoughts on uniforms versus dress code?
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2020 best buys

These are my favorite and most-used products of 2020.

All of these products were purchased sometime in 2020. They range from beauty products to household items and clothing.

Last year was weird. It was unquestionably one of the hardest years I've lived through in my 34 years of life, but it wasn't all bad. There were definitely some bright spots, though they're few and far between. In my quest to focus on the good, I decided to do a review of all the things I bought over the course of those twelve months and share with you my best buys of the year.

This post contains affiliate links.

Bathtub Overflow Drain Cover - Other than my slipper boots, this is the product that saw the most use this year. It took my bubble baths to the next level, literally.

Slipper Boots - And the award for most-worn shoe goes to my slipper boots. These things are so good, and despite getting worn way more than I typically wear slippers, they're outlasting every other pair of slippers I've ever had.

Perfect Hair Care Towel - To be honest, I'm about to buy another one of these so I have a spare. It's been such a game changer for my curls.

Roomba - This has been totally worth the price. While it doesn't do away with the need for a broom and dustpan completely, it does keep my floors much cleaner and saves me from having to sweep every day, which is a big win in my book.

Stool - Such a random thing to include, right? We got this to use for pictures but it has since become a staple in our bathroom. I use it every day when I'm getting ready, plus it's perfect for when I cut Chris's hair.

Boyfriend Jeans - Are you guys tired of hearing me talk about these yet? LOL Seriously, though, these have been my most-worn jeans. Unfortunately, they're nearly completely out of stock and who knows if Old Navy will bring them back.

Leather Jacket - Living in the South, I don't find myself in need of a jacket very often, but I find myself finding reasons to wear this one.

Moto Boots - I had no idea how much I would love these when I bought them, but they quickly became my go-to boots. Super comfy with just the right amount of edginess.

Black Sneakers - You gotta love when a $12 pair of sneakers goes the distance. I love this style of shoe so much, I'll probably break down and shell out the money for a brand-name pair that will last longer.

Prescription Sunglasses - Working on a computer all day long has done a number on my eyes over the last few years in terms of my astygmatism getting much worse, especially when I drive. Spending the extra money on a pair of prescription sunglasses was one of the smartest things I did last year.

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Hi, I'm Ashton!

Hi, I'm Ashton!
I'm the mom who's probably overdressed for the occasion, definitely running on Mountain Dew, and would most likely rather be reading. I'm not crafty or a genius in the kitchen, but I love a good bargain and sharing the things I've learned along the way.

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Tuesday Reviews: My Best Buys of 2020

These are my favorite and most-used products of 2020. All of these products were purchased sometime in 2020. They range from beauty product...

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      • Life as a Work-at-Home Mom: My Daily Routine
      • Crockpot Tater Tot Chicken Casserole
      • Monday Motivation
      • 5 Things I Wore Last Week
      • Our School District Canceled Uniforms and I Am For...
      • Tuesday Reviews: My Best Buys of 2020
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