Frump

Happy Thursday!  Coming at you live from Houston, TX y'all!  In H-town they drink their margaritas with champagne!  

God Bless Texas.

Today I have a very especial treat!  My cousin and good friend, Johnna has offered up some great fashion advice for us and is willing to share her vast knowledge on this here little ole blog. 

Thanks Johnna!

First, before I let her take over, I'd like to tell you a little about her (she's awesome) and something very important she has taught me over the years.

#1. This girl has fantastic fashion sense!  She makes just about anything look like a million bucks!

#2.  She is a little hottie and probably one of the most healthy people that I know.

#3 Johnna actually follows college and professional sports.  She even knows all of the rules of football.  

#4.  Most importantly, she taught me about the dangers of becoming 'Frump Mama'

I was not aware of Frump Mama until Johnna told me about her.  Now I know to be very mindful  when leaving the house with un-combed hair, a stained t-shirt and an old pair of sweats.  

Never let it happen.

At first I thought 'Frump' was just a weird word that Johnna made up (she's very smart and witty, so it's not a stretch)...until I googled it.  

Oh. Hell. No.

Or, as stated in the ever so accurate Urban Dictionary:

frump

A woman who is generally not concerned with her appearance and doesn't make any attempt to look womanly or sexy. Frumps are very common in the Seattle area. They need not be overweight but commonly are somewhat "doughy" and are characterized by lack of makeup (except for ugly art-school or Goth-style makeup), poorly-fitted, unstylish clothing, general lack of muscle tone or a tan. They sometimes wear very bright red lipstick or substitute teacher cat-eye glass to make themselves even less appealing to men although they are not dykes. They'll often complain loudly that they can't find a man yet make no attempt to present themselves in a manner that might attract a man (showing skin or cleavage for instance). They might even be somewhat attractive (do-able)if they made an attempt at dressing better and wearing makeup and/or a better hairstyle.

 

First step to recovery is admission:

I've been guilty of a few of the aforementioned items more than once.

Enough of Frump Mama, here is Johnna's handy dandy little fashion tip:

Dear fellow fashionista,
The attached photos are examples of how one could incorporate a faux “motorcycle jacket” into a work outfit. This is not recommended in the banking world since that would be a stretch, but for the creative arts industries it could work. The scarf-version diminishes the biker element a bit. The faux (meaning plastic not leather) jacket also works well with straight-legged dark denim jeans and heels for after 5. Thank you for considering my submission to your blog.

Definitely no frump here!  Thank you for sharing!!!  You look great and can rock a 'faux' leather biker jacket business casually effortlessly!

Cheers to being Frump Free and making the most of your wardrobe!!  Have a great weekend!

Cold Weather Running

I completely went against my unwritten rule of "no running outside when it's under 70 degrees out" and ventured outside at 1 degree yesterday.  

Yes, that's a 1.  

Although I was born and raised in the cold cold cold and wintery state of Montana and lived over half of my life there, it only took me about 10 minutes of Texas heat to become a summertime gal.  I ditched my coat for a tank top and sandals (without socks) pretty darn fast and have since wondered how people survive in the cold!

Well on Saturday morning when my bf was out and about chasing around coyotes and doing man-stuff, I, of course was seated on the couch watching TLC Extreme Couponers (shit, that's a good show). 

Well....

I decided to make the most of it and go for a jog. Outside. In the butt cold of winter.

(Not before I hit pause on Extreme Couponers, I had to see if the lady was going to get $1,000 worth of groceries for under $10 bucks....that's some good TV, y'all)

Let's talk layers.

#1. My CWX compression tights.  

These mother truckers are the best running rights I've ever had.  Super comfy!! They make you run faster, jump higher, etc. all while helping the circulation in my legs.

Plus, I am quite certain they were invented by the same people who make Spanx (best.thing.ever). They shave at least 10" off my arse and I'm thinking of wearing them under some skinny jeans that I have to use a pry bar to get on.

#2 I pulled a pair of Adidas loose running pants on over the top and I was good to go.

Next...my feet...

My feet are usually the first to freeze and send me right back inside to the comfort of the living room.  Knowing this, I opted for a pair of my wool Cabelas socks.  My feet actually stayed pretty toasty.

Let's move up to the top...

#3 I wore a long sleeved synthetic shirt with a zip up top over it and a thicker zip-up hooded top on top of it. Yes, that's 3 layers. 

I absolutely live this running top!  It's a Nike brand and super bright green.  I feel right at home on a construction site when I wear it!  Also, it's pretty warm and reflective so everyone can see me!

#4 I got the hat and scarf at Lulemon (love that store, but it could eat up my savings account pretty darn fast if I shopped there very often) over Christmas and they are both perfect for the cold weather.  The hat even has a little hole in it for your pony tail to stick out of.  Very stylish, indeed.

#5 As for my hands....

Duh, gloves that I don't have to take off to use my iPhone!  Fan friggin tastic!!!  (Although my phone froze up on my run...good one, Apple)

#6

Ok my favorite part....

Yak Trax!  I'm probably the last person to know anything about winter outdoorsy stuff - but if I were in sales, I'd recommend these!  They are great and have saved me from slipping numerous times!!  You barely even know they are on your feet.

Plus, they make awesome tracks in the snow!!  

When I got outside, I pulled my hood on for some added protection and was off!  I lasted a good 40 minutes and overall had a great workout!  I was happy I braved the single digit temps and will definitely do it again!  Much better than sitting on the couch!

When I got home I read an article on cold weather running to see if the experts recommended anything different.....I was pretty close.

One of the things they said was to dress like its 20 degrees warmer than it really is.  Your body heat will warm you right up.

Always wear synthetic.  No cotton.  When you sweat, cotton won't allow the water to wick away and you'll turn into an icicle.

Wear socks that go around your calves, it will keep your legs warmer.

All in all, I think I did ok with what I had, I'm definitely not a pro, but managed to pull everything out of my suitcase and the few of my things that I leave scattered aroun the bf's house.

Here's a good link to help you with cold weather running:  http://www.fitsugar.com/What-Wear-Winter-Running-6287968

When you get home, make sure to cozy up next to a nice warm fire and applaud yourself for making the most of it and trying something new!

Have a great week everyone!!