TO KIDS OR NOT TO KIDS (#TRANSITIVEPROPERTY)

Today Mr. Brass Knuckles and I accompanied CoStar to her first day of Kindergarten.  I was surprisingly emotional; it was one of those rare moments when I am struck by what it actually means to raise a child.



I'm at the age where there really does seem to be a line between people with and without kids.  Lately my social media feed has been blowing up with articles arguing one way or the other and I've got to ask, what's the deal with this passive-aggressive animosity?  

Having kids is awesome.  Not having kids -- also awesome.  As a parent to two young children, I often envy my childless friends.  You get to sleep in, go to movies, party until 4am without consequence, and not worry about having to slip out of the office at 5pm every day.  You get to go to the gym, wear silk, and take fabulous vacations.  You probably have an amazing sex life.  I would be lying if I didn't say that Mr. Brass Knuckles and I often fantasize about our lives in 16 years, when both little Knuckles are off at college and we are not always on the verge of falling asleep.

However, there are things about being a parent that cannot be replicated.  Every morning, there are two people who shower me with love like we've been apart for 12 years instead of 12 hours.  I'm constantly cracking up at jokes I've heard a million times but never cease being funny.  I get to deeply inhale freshly shampoo-ed hair and soft pink feet, which smell unlike anything you've ever smelled; they smell so good they literally make your heart ache.  In the future, I'll get to visit these knuckleheads at college, and plan wedding and baby showers.  And if all goes well, there will be at least two people crying genuine tears at my deathbed.

(Blouse, Pleione; skirt, used to be a dress, H&M; shoes, 9West; on CoStar: dress, Carter's; shoes, Crocs; backpack, Pottery Barn Kids)

Sometimes people with kids wax poetic about life before kids, and I admit it can sometimes border on the pathetic.  In fact, one could argue this entire blog is partly a celebration of my past.  But the thing is, my life before kids is my only frame of reference of my life without kids. No kids = twenties and twenties = awesomeness so... #TransitiveProperty.  I will never know what my 30-something life would've been like without them.  Maybe in this alternate reality my band is touring Japan, or I'm a suburban-dwelling marketer, or Mr. Brass Knuckles leaves me for Sofia Vergara I MEAN WHO KNOWS?

 If you don't have kids, then you've escaped the trappings of evolution and probably experience the world in a way I never will.  If you have kids, then you've had days like today -- days that are both heartbreaking and totally f*cking magical.  As my good friend always says, it's not a contest to see who's life is better.  You and I, we are both very, very lucky.

Have a great week, Knuckles!

MOVIE STARLET INSPIRATION, AND THE DRUNKEN SHOE HUMP

Hello Knuckles!

One weird example (among many) that proves I am turning into my mother is my upper-arm phobia.  I rarely wear tank tops or sleeveless things.  I don't even try on sleeveless things anymore because every time I think, This would look so much better with sleeves.  I think the last sleeveless thing I wore was my wedding dress, and when I look at my wedding photos now I think, That would've looked so much better with sleeves.

However, this past week I took inspiration from an old photo of Jennifer Aniston looking amazing in a black vest worn as a shirt:

(Sunnies, Target; vest (old) and skirt (new), H&M; belt, Banana Republic; shoes, Barneys Co-Op; necklace, J.Crew Factory; purse, Elliott Lucca; bracelets, Alex+Ani)

Speaking of weddings, these were my wedding shoes!  I found these while browsing at Barneys.  I was a very nonchalant bride and they felt right for a beach wedding, so I tried them on and asked the lady next to me if she liked them.  She said (and I'll never forget this because she was also very nonchalant), Well, they look good on your feet.  

I wore the shoes for most of the reception and they were surprisingly comfy.  Or at least comfy enough to get me over the drunken shoe hump; you know that thing when you're having such a good time that you cease experiencing pain until the next morning when your feet look and feel like they've been gnawed on by piranhas?

Have a great weekend, Knuckles!  Muchos besitos!

GIFTS FROM YEARS PAST, AND LOOKING AHEAD TO FACE DONUTS

Good afternoon Knuckles!

The striped top below is another closet find.  It was a gift from my friends D. and L. for my 30th birthday, which I celebrated with a big sit-down dinner party.  There were 21 people in total and Mr. Brass Knuckles and I bought four cases of wine -- two to consume and two to hand out as party favors.  We went through all our bottles as planned; needless to say,everyone had a GREAT time.

(Sunnies, Target; blazer, Zara; shorts, H&M; top, Two Hearts; shoes, Enzo Angiolini; scarf, Hermes; bracelets, Claire's, Alex+Ani).

Not gonna lie, I'm definitely not growing old gracefully (as you can tell by the way I dress, ha ha!).  In fact, most days I live in a blissful state of suspended reality.  That 30th birthday party was the best!  Maybe I will do something similar for my next big birthday milestone.  But because I've not entirely abandoned reality, the next day I will supply my guests with extra strength Icy Hot patches, Pedialyte, and 20-minute chair massages.  LISTEN UP, FRIENDS: IT'S NOT A CELEBRATION UNTIL EVERYONE'S FACE IS PRESSED INTO A FACE DONUT.

Have a great week, Knuckles!

STYLISH MOMMAS FASHION CHALLENGE, DENIM EDITION

Hello Knuckles!

As I mentioned last week, this month I took part in a fashion round-up with four other fashionable mommy bloggers.  This month's theme was summer denim.  The post was supposed to go out last Friday but hey, WE ARE ALL MOMS WE GOT SH*T TO DO.

I especially love that turban!

Please check out these gorgeous mothers who make style look easy:
Top left, Megan from Fashionista Momma
Top right, Akiko from Akiko & Captain (Instagram: AkikoSenda)
Bottom Left, Aracely from Mama Fashion Files (Instagram: MamaFash)
Bottom Right, Hannah from Fitness Fashion Mommyhood

Last week I was also featured on Mom.me for their Fashion Uniform segment.  This is a really fun site for mothers; I encourage everyone to check it out (and show my feature some luv ;)) <-- (the close parenthese has given my emoticon a double chin)

Have a great week, Knuckles!

FORGET #SHARKWEEK, IT'S #DENIMWEEK

Hello Knuckles!

It's #DenimWeek here at The Covert Boutique!  Normally I wouldn't know what this means because I don't keep an editorial calendar, but on Friday I am doing a denim link-up with some other personal style bloggers so I feel justified in jumping on the Shark Week bandwagon (I should've Photoshopped a Megalodon into today's images).

I love the Imitation of Christ romper below, but it usually only makes one appearance per year (last year).  I imagine it'll see less and less action until CoStar's big enough to wear it and she fishes it out of my closet (or more likely, a black garbage bag in the basement or a hoard pile).  OMG I have just thought of the most amazing concept: I will re-create this entire blog with CoStar in her teen years.  Wouldn't that be the coolest?  If that's not reason to keep reading for the next eight years, I don't know what is.  So I now have an editorial calendar for 2021 but nothing for next week, ha!

(Sunnies, Target; shirt, Staring at Stars; short-alls, Imitation of Christ; shoes, md'e, I think this brand has fallen off the face of the planet; purse, Elliott Lucca; bracelets, F21, Alex+Ani, my mom's vintage gold cuff)

Have a great week, Knuckles!

A TRIP DOWN FUR CUPS MEMORY LANE

Happy Friday, Knuckles!

My talented friend Pat posted a link to an article he's featured in on his Tumblr.  It's about Brooklyn bands in the 2000's and reading about old venues, bands, and friends made me embarrassingly awash with nostalgia. 

(Williamsburg, Brooklyn)

One day I will share stories with CoStar all about FCFT: riding my pink girls' BMX bike to the practice space 3 nights a week; mini Budweisers; living above a 1-car garage in an apartment with insufficient heat across from Pete's Candy Store; and running into her dad at shows and occasionally at the video store; and hauling gear in rented Lincoln Towncars; and the mysteries of North 3rd and Berry where there lived 3 bars, including the one where Mr. Brass Knuckles first bought me shots and years later after that bar shut down we had our engagement party at the one that replaced it; and The Dead Betties and The 00Agents and NoThings and Hula and Big Digits and she'll be like "ALRIGHT ALRIGHT I GET IT!" 

(I wish I'd kept all our posters!)

(We had an oft-naked all-male dance troupe called The Beardettes that trailed confetti like Pig Pen trails dirt)

(My three gorgeous bandmates)

(One of our earliest shows.  I still have those suspenders; I pray to the fashion gods that K. still owns that yellow vest.  No drummer; our rhythm section consisted of a wood block, pots, pans, a washboard, a baking sheet, a maraca shaped like a tangerine and the programmed beats on our Casio keyboard.  Light Rock!  Salsa!)

(I was 6 months pregnant at this show.  Many of these images can be found on flickr, search "Fur Cups For Teeth" for proper credits.  Please check out the work of the extraordinary rock photographer Jackie Roman)

But wait! Fur Cups For Teeth will rise again!  Details to come.

Have a great weekend, Knuckles!