in-trenched

It was a rainy day yesterday, which reminded me that I need to invest in a "profesh" raincoat to wear to work. I'm totally digging this new bright and bold trench trend going on. No longer are trenches available in just camel and black...there are bold hues and prints all around! 

Take look at some of these pretties...most are under $50!!

bright and bold trenches by aprilanne147 featuring a leopard print coat

pink paisley trench

plaid trench

blue trench

leopard trench

floral red trench

oxblood trench

bright red trench

confessional friday

Happy Friday, friends!

Today, I'm linking up with Leslie over at A Blonde Ambition for Confessional Friday.

Let's get to it, shall we?

//1. I confess that I discovered something very bad this week at Panera. Chocolate chip bagel. Be still my heart! As a longtime loather of breakfast this will make me a changed woman!

//2. I confess I really, really, really want to try a sock bun but have some fairly vivid memories of doing it (badly) in middle school. I don't know if I can get over that enough to try it again. I've seen some "sock" like things at Claires that were hair colored. I think I could get behind that. But a white athletic sock (because my hair is blonde) anywhere close to my hair makes me shudder.

//3. I confess that my heart did a little jump and flutter when I saw the Backstreet Boys being featured on the latest Old Navy tv commercial. Lo and behold the miracle of miracles...Kevin was there! My favorite Backstreet Boy announced his retirement from the band a few years ago but he was there and as fine as ever, might I add.

//4. I confess that I really love this song but I don't really understand the words. Oh well. It still makes me want to do a little jig when I hear it in my car.

//5. I confess that I had 2 days this week where I wanted to do an outfit "do-over" about halfway through the day. It seems like a good idea early in the morning...

//6. I confess that I love having painted nails. Natural nails are so plain to me. I might revisit this some other time when I loathe having to change my polish every few days.

//7. I confess that I made some gluten-free chocolate chip cookies last night and they weren't good. They were so bleh that I plan on having a real chocolate chip cookie today to make up for it. ;)

That's it for me! See all the confessions here.

how I root for football teams

I have interesting views on football. Henceforth you are now privy to the kind of thoughts that run through my head any given Saturday or Sunday (in this particular case).

There are some teams that, to me, have awesome uniforms. And though most guys would disagree with me, I actually LOVE the Seattle Seahawks uniform.

My fave colors! Lime green, blue and white. Maybe it's not very masculine, but it sure is CUTE!

Other NFL uniforms I enjoy are the alternative Chargers and Panthers uniforms. Gag me with a spoon that this Panthers pic is of Scam Newton. Vom.

I probably get more excited about football uniforms and team colors than most people. Why? Well, because I love color more than most people. Though I have a few favorite football teams that I'll always pull for, there are some games where I'm not particularly invested in either team. How do I know who to root for? Whichever team's colors I like better. 

If both teams I'm not invested in have bleh colors... like, the Ravens and the Jaguars for example, I'll pull for the team whose mascot is more fearsome. Imagine if a Raven and a Jaguar were in a cage fight. Who would win? The Jaguar obvi. So, I'd pull for them.

If a team has an exceptionally attractive quarterback, chances are, I'll root for that team. If a team has a butthole for a quarterback, chances are I won't root for that team.

Cuties on my "yes" list: Jay Cutler, the Drew, Mark Sanchez. I'll root for any of these teams!

Bleh quarterbacks: Big Ben and Tom Brady. Eh. I don't care for either quarterback OR either team Coincidence?!

Though I've thought extensively on these things, I've never prioritized them. It's sort of a snap decision that happens on game day and it goes something like this...

[my thoughts] Okay, the Vikings and the Giants are playing. The colors of both are okay...a mascot match up might be interesting but I heart Eli Manning because he's Presh. So, go Giants!

[or] The Lions are playing the Rams. Both colors are about the same...neither quarterback is hot...but a lion would definitely win in a cage match against a ram. So, go Lions!

[this one actually happened] The Redskins are playing the Cowboys. Team colors...whatevs. The mascot match up is basically a repeat of the entire 19th century American West and thus, not interesting. However, Tony Romo is cuter than the Redskins quarterback. But Tony Romo is the quarterback for the Cowboys...whom I hate, so that cancels out his hotness. Thus, I will root for the Redskins. 

Am I weird? Yes.

Is my theory flawed? Yes.

Is it shallow? Absolutely.

But it works for me.

fall layering

I'm all about layers.

Good things come in layers...parfait, trifle, cake, ogres...

Fall is all about layering clothes. Summer staples like tanks easily make their way into fall with the addition of long sleeve cardis and boots. Summery skirts and dresses become cold weatherized with tights. Layering allows you to get more wear out of your clothes, which is awesome.

fall casual looks by aprilanne147 featuring brown leather boots

Here is how I'd take some seasonal pieces and make them appropriate for fall.

In the first outfit, I took a summery jeans and white tank and made it more seasonally appropriate by adding a mustard yellow scarf, dark teal cardigan and brown boots.

The second outfit is made more fall friendly with boots and bright accents. Tights could also help this look transition into autumn.

The third outfit incorporates the classic red and camel combo that was popular this summer and becomes a fall outfit with the addition of an animal print scarf, jeans and studded flats.

The key to layering is to not be afraid to experiment. Try different colors together and mess around with fabrics. Try corduroy with linen and polyester with denim. A purple top can look great with charcoal gray cardigan and mustard yellow scarf or a navy blazer over a coral dress with brown boots.

How do you layer for fall?


Oh and one more thing...y'all know how much I love Disney...have you seen this? Hipster Disney Princesses.

top 5 tuesday: fall tv premieres

It's that time of the year again.

No, I'm not talking about pumpkin spice lattes and ribbed tights...I'm talking about the return of some of my favorite television shows.

It's just another reason that I love the fall.

Today, I thought I'd share with y'all the top 5 fall tv premieres I'm looking forward to for Top 5 Tuesday.

1. The Office.
Though this technically started last week, I'm still as into this show now as I was in Season 1. It remains my favorite show of all time. I can't wait to see how the writers and producers end the show, though it will be bittersweet, of course.

2. New Girl.
This was my favorite new tv show from last year. I lurve Zooey Deschanel and every character on New Girl. There are so many amazing one-liners. I just adore it.

3. Modern Family.
I don't know anyone who DOESN'T enjoy this show. It's so real. This family has believable dynamics and hilarious antics.

4. Once Upon a Time.
This was another of my fave shows last year. I'm excited to see where the storyline goes this season and how many more fairy tale characters they can incorporate.

5. Downton Abbey.
I'm not exactly sure when this one starts up, but you better believe I'll have my tv tuned to PBS when it does air. I'm so absorbed into the plot that I can't imagine NOT watching it.

What tv shows are you excited for this fall?

OOTD: chili pepper

This necklace.

I've been on the lookout for a red coral-y necklace for a long time. I ordered this one off Amazon. I ordered it in "burgundy" but I'm glad it's actually a bit more red than burgundy. The red would have been too bright. This one is a perfect darker red.

I lurve it. When my dad first saw the necklace he said, "April, do you have chili peppers around your neck?"

Um, yes Dad, dried chili peppers make an excellent accessory.

Jokes aside, this is now known as my "chili pepper" necklace. #shakemyhead

Recognize the dress? Gosh, I can't get over how versatile this dress is.

Dress: Target (similar) // Cardigan // Shoes: Rue 21 (similar, similar) // Necklace

instafessional friday

Happy Friday bloggy friends.

I'm so glad that Leslie brought back Confessional Friday. So glad, in fact, that I decided to do my famous hodge-podge of a blog post called Instafessional Friday where I list my confessions AND share my Instagram photos from the week.

Thus I dub thee Instafessional Friday.

// I confess that I wore my J Crewish bubble necklaces this past week and it made me want more. I just love how they make me feel when I wear them. I think I need a white one and a royal blue or yellow one. Thoughts?

// I confess I went to a Pampered Chef party this week and spent WAY too much on kitchen things. Oh yeah, and most of my kitchen stuff is in storage anyway so why in the heck did I buy more?!?! Shake my head. But one good thing about Pampered Chef parties are the recipes they cook. At this particular party, we made Caramel Apple Skillet Cake. It was delish.

// I confess that my need for a new phone cover resulted in me buying this one. I may or may not have named him Cliff and he may or may not be appearing in various #cliffstagrams on Instagram in the near future.

// I confess that the most AMAZING thing happened to me this week. I accidentally received a shipment of customized Arizona Diamondback M&Ms. When I called customer service to tell them about the mistake they said that I couldn't return the shipment because it was perishable. The moral of the story is that I got 8 pounds of M&Ms ABSOLUTELY FREE. I really am the luckiest person ever.

Linking up with Leslie @ A Blonde Ambition and Jeannett @ Life Rearranged.

Have a happy weekend y'all!

i believe in...

I saw this post on Sami's blog last night and thought I'd do my own version for the post link-up on the Living in Yellow blog. You may not agree with some of my beliefs, but I hope you'll still read.

I believe in love at first sight.

I believe in rescuing animals and not buying them from breeders.

I believe hard work pays off.

I believe in eating chocolate daily.

I believe that popcorn is best eaten with M&Ms.

I believe that my love language is acts of service.

I believe that people are genuinely good.

I believe that you can really be anything you want to be.

I believe in the life, death and miraculous resurrection of Jesus Christ.

I believe in the power of the Bible.

I believe that satin sheets are not just for trashy women.

I believe that dogs can understand English.

I believe in having a glass of wine every once in awhile.

I believe that a smile has transformative powers.

I believe that a cycle of abuse, neglect and mistreatment can be broken.

I believe that words can both harm and heal.

I believe that Hewitt is one of the cutest dogs I've ever seen.

I believe that greek yogurt is disgusting.

I believe that humility can get you very far in life.

Oh, and one more thing...

I believe that having a wonderful, caring, loving, generous, thoughtful and wise mother prepares you to be a wonderful, caring, loving, generous, thoughtful and wise adult. I believe that my mom is THE BEST mom in the world. And, yes, I'm slightly biased. 

So boom.

Happy Birthday mom! I love you!!

OOTD: cerulean

Happy Wednesday, friends.

My favorite color is cerulean. It's a shade of blue-green that I've always adored.

Tidbit - it's my most favorite color in a box of Crayola Crayons.

Cerulean blue can range from being a bit more cobalt-y (less green) to almost teal (lots of green). I've got two outfits today that feature a sort of cerulean blue color.

The first outfit is my "smart" look. It's a classic combo of pencil skirt, blazer and glasses! :) Forgive the lack of makeup...I took these photos after a long day.

Also, in case you were wondering, my hair is darker. This is actually my natural color...achieved with the beauty of lowlights. I usually brighten it up in the summer and in the fall/winter let it go rogue.

Pencil skirt: Burlington Coat Factory (similar, similar) // Tank // Blazer // Shoes: Marshall's (similar)

The next outfit is a bit more of a copycat look of one of my favorite actresses, Zooey (pronounced like Zoe) Deschanel. I simply adore her and New Girl is one of my newest fave shows. Her style in the show is so much like my own that when I snagged this dress on clearance from The Limited, I knew I had to try and replicate a look of hers.

You see, like me, Zooey is fond of mixing shades of blue and green together. 

Dress: The Limited (similar) // Cardigan // Necklace: Local store // Shoes: Marshall's (similar)

See, we are style twins! Peep some of her blue/green/teal looks below...

I do often find myself asking if what I'm wearing is something Jess Day (Zooey Deschanel) would wear. If the answer is yes, then I know it's gonna be a good outfit day! 

Do you have a color you love to wear? Or, more importantly, what's your favorite crayon color? ;)

Linking up with The Pleated Poppy for What I Wore Wednesday.

why am I still single?

via

The title of this post is not intended to be a question for you to answer. It's intended to initiate thought and reflection.

In fancy "English" terms, it's a rhetorical question.

So, why am I still single?

A brief moment of reflection gives me a few reasons that I might initially perceive to be why I am still single.

1. Unattractiveness
2. Controlling personality
3. Introverted nature
4. Strong morals
5. Reluctance to compromise

My mind instantly comes up with those reasons. I'd call these my "bad thoughts". Or, more appropriately, my "wordly thoughts". These are the most easily explainable reasons as to why I'm still single. It's either that no one can put up with my personality/nature or they aren't attracted to me.

Now, I don't necessarily think that those are the reasons I'm still single, but that's what my mind instantly comes up with.

But my heart knows that I'm still single for other reasons.

My heart knows that my being single is part of a masterful plan of God. My heart knows that being single comes with a tremendous burden that God deems me fit enough to bear. My heart also knows that God's timing and plan is absolutely amazing.

Why can't my mind know these things? Why can't my mind be at peace when I get frustrated at not knowing why I'm still single? Why can't my mind listen to my heart when it tells me to be patient?

Because I'm naturally a very impatient person. I can't help it. I always operate at a high speed. I walk fast, I talk fast, I work fast, I think fast, I eat fast...I just do things quickly.

This is the one part of my life where I can't do anything fast. And that frustrates me immensely. I'm 27 years old and I'm still slowly, laboriously waiting on my Mr. Right.

And I should say that there have been a few Mr. Rights. There was a Mr. Right Now. He was there. He was interested. He was available. There was Mr. Almost Right. He had almost everything I thought I needed...except for some of the most important things. There was Mr. Right Away who wanted to jump in way too quickly (even for me!!).

But no real Mr. Right. The other Mr. Rights satisfied my mind but not my heart and that is ultimately what only the real Mr. Right can satisfy.

Because my heart knows what is Right and True. My heart knows God's plan for me. My heart knows that all things work for the good of those who love Him. My mind is what has to catch up. This is my eternal struggle.

So, with that. Um...bye. ;)

[This post is not intended to be sad or depressing, just reflective. Thoughtful. Deep. You know, all that stuff.]

stylish, trendy and CHEAP

There's this store that I hadn't really heard of much before one opened near my house in Charlotte a few years ago. Now, I've seen this store pop up all over the place.

It's called Rue 21.

It's kind of like Forever 21 but even less expensive.

For someone who isn't always trendy but likes to look stylish (cough, cough...me) it's a great place to find unique pieces to complete outfits.

I was on the lookout yesterday for some cobalt pumps and headed to Rue 21.

I was really blown away by the amount of stylish and trendy items they had. Seriously! Many times a trip to this store can be a hit or miss because they tend to be slightly over run with neon, graphic 80s style clothing. But there are always diamonds in the rough.

Yesterday I spied lots of statement necklaces, lace, blazers, animal prints, peter pan collars, loafters, studded shoes and totally current fall hues like rust and oxblood.

Here are a few photos I snapped (with my phone) while I was browsing...

I made it out of there with a cardigan, blazer and that cutie pair of cheetah ballet flats for $40. See what I mean? Their stuff is VERY inexpensive. These peter pan collar necklaces were $10 and the adorbs polka dotted dress in the first pic was a mere $29.99. 

So, if you're looking for something sassy, trendy and easy on the budget, you might just want to check out Rue 21. 

BTdubbs, I'm not being compensated in any way by this company. I'm simply sharing my knowledge with my readers. I hope that if you have one nearby you'll check it out!

Linking up with Molly and #YOLO MONDAYS.

file:///C:/Users/April/Downloads/pinterest-49a08.html

instaFriday and a winner

Fridays are my favorite day of the week. Why?

1. It signifies the start weekend.
2. It's the only day of the week that precedes a morning I can sleep in.
3. It's the day that I can share my Instagram pics with y'all and link up with Jeannett for InstaFriday!

So let's get started, shall we?

If you're new to The Striped Flamingo (TSF, for short) then I should probably warn you that I post an obscene amount of photos of my dog. (And there are even more that I don't post...) This is when he was on his daytime perch looking out the window. He's a catdog.

And this is Hewitt's impersonation of the Dramatic Chipmunk. Can't you just hear that music with this photo?

Though I am quite the fan of ketchup, I'm not quite this crazy. This is the ketchup that my sister and friend got for ONE LARGE FRY at a recent trip to the Mickey Ds. One fry, 8 ketchups. You do the math. 

Seeing this sign made my heart happy and my wallet sad.

One of the best things about being back in Charlotte is getting to catch up (ketchup?? heh) with old friends. My friend and I shared the same sentiment for the nasty storm clouds quickly approaching from the rear of the photo. We no likey.

Oh, and the winner of my statement necklace giveaway is Kelli B! 

Kelli, email me your shipping information and I'll get it out to you! Congratulations!!

[inspiration workshop] DIY

I'm one of those people who pins A LOT of great craft or DIY projects.

I'm also one of those people who rarely gets around to doing them.

This is something I really want to change this fall/winter. Today's Inspiration Workshop prompt is DIY and I'm listing some of my favorite fall/winter DIY projects. Here's to hoping that this prompt will be enough motivation to get me started...

Empty soup cans turn into adorable outdoor lanterns when holes are punched into them.

Oh snap, an easy-peasy cozy wrap!

Painted letters, pumpkins and pinecones make great fall decor.

Who wants an upcycled scarflette? MEEEEEE!

Okay, maybe this one isn't necessarily fall related, but it's still way cute...and elegant.

What do you think? Are any of these worthy of trying?