red all over

Today was so rainy. Actually it's been rainy all week because of Hurricane Alex blowing in south of us. (We're not on the coast so we won't see any damage, just lots of rain.) And if there is one weather condition that baffles my wardrobe's mind its rain. I can dress for snow, heat, wind, and a wintery mix -- but summertime rain gets me every time. Because while yes it's raining, it's still a balmy 85 degrees out there. So obviously white was out but I also wanted something that was comfortable. That's when I remembered this shirt I bought years ago and never knew what to do with it. This top was was made for days like today.
Looking at my pictures now, I realize that my shoes are really, really red. I've never noticed that before but they kind of look like clown shoes. Size 10 feet are hard to hide, especially when I put them in little red boats against a drab cement sea.
So continuing on my fake mom outfits, let's call this one "the field trip." It's a little casual, a little flashy and I bet that it would leave you a sweet note in your packed lunch.

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twice as nice

Okay so after reading your comments, conducting further investigation and calling my sister for her response to the post, I've come to yet another conclusion: I don't want to be a mom, I want to be a hot mom. My sister said that my outfit is totally mom-ish but it's like one of those moms that all of the other moms hate because it looks like I got 15 minutes to myself and was able to shower and clean myself up properly. Also -- Clare left a great point. If I'm going to wear white pants and tops from Anthropologie, I'm going to need a nanny. I don't have kids yet, but I love the idea of hiring a nanny. We need a maid and I need someone to pick me up from work, bring me lunch and listen to my day while baking me cookies. Let me know if you are interested. I pay in hand-me-downs and chocolate.
Remember this dress? Well now its a top. Which by the way, it's a lot easier to make a dress into a top, than to make a dress into a skirt. Lesson learned.
Friends -- I interrupt this blog post to bring you another blog post: Starting next Monday, July 5th, I'm starting another 30 for 30 Remix, the summer edition. And you all are invited to join in. Here are the rules :
1. Pick out 30 items (shoes included) and list or take a picture of the items and post on your blog.2. Leave a comment below or email me about your involvement and where you are blogging at, I'll link your blog and check in on you regularly like a stalker. 3. Spread the love to the other re-mixers. And invite others on your blog to join in as well. I'll post a banner for you to use on your remixes each week.
It's just that simple. I'll try to get my remix items posted this week to give you a glimpse at what I'll be remixing. So get ready friends for the next 6 weeks, 5 outfits a week and by using the word "Remix" at least 3 times per post, I will rock the crap out of my closet. Let's do this.
Dress courtesy of the lovely ladies at Shop Mamie.

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mommy knows best

When I put my outfit on this morning I thought to myself "if I were a cool mom, I would wear this outfit" and then I congratulated myself on being able to not only wake up 10 minutes late but stop by Starbucks and get myself a coffee before getting myself to work all in one piece.
So all day I've been thinking what a great mom I would be in my fashionable mom outfit. I thought about how cool I would look picking up my kid at school or going to a PTO meeting. I can do this, I can be a mom. So I think to myself, since I'm kind of a mom now, this week I will blog outfits that mom's can wear while still being functional and fashionable. Feeling robust, I call my sister (mother of two -- a 4 year old and a 21-month old) and I ask her what she wears and what she never wears as a mom. Here are her answers:
1. No white, ever. 2. No belts. 3. No heels. 4. No chunky jewelry -- unless you have a death wish or you want it broken in 5 minutes of putting it on.
I looked down at my outfit and everything she mentioned, I was wearing. Then she ended with this: "But other than that, you can just about wear anything." Anything? Is there anything good left?
So with my "mom outfit" shot to hell, I have nothing to offer you mom's out there. In fact, I have absolutely no idea what it means to be a mom, so stop with the emails asking child rearing advice. I've been making it up all along.

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sale is the new black

Remember when I was being resourceful with my creativity and I made my own maxi dress from the contents of my closet? And you all thought I was so fantastic and thrifty? And I was like "why spend money when you can make your own? Look at me everyone -- I'm awesome!" Remember those days?
Well the time has come for you to know something about me. If you put something in front of me that used to cost $78 and now costs $14, I will throw out all of my principles, morals and values and I will buy that item. In other words, I bought a maxi dress. My name is Kendi and I am a sale-aholic.
But you guys, this little dress was just sitting in a lonely corner with no other dresses like it around. Her self-confidence had been slashed each time she was tried on and left on the dressing room floor. And then she kept getting marked down -- first 10%, then 25% and then by 90%. It was all I could to buy her and throw on a belt and wear her. Can't you see? I'm just trying to save the world, one cheap dress at a time.

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It's Magic

Good heavens you guys, it's already the end of June. Most of the time I just pay attention to what day of the week it is but today I noticed that it was June 24th. I didn't even realize it was June yet. Needless to say, I was shocked to find out that it was 2010 and not 1998. I'm a bit disappointed though. I thought we'd be in space cars by now.
Have I told you about this skirt before? This is a magical skirt for many reasons. One because it was $10 and two because it's a size 4. And my friends, as much as I wish and bargain with my body, I am no size 4. Somehow I can squeeze my body into this skirt and it fits. Now I know how American Ferrera feels in that Sisterhood of the Stretchy Pants movie.
My husband just interjected and said "For real though. How do they all fit in those jeans?" This scares me and intrigues me at the same time that he knows so much about this movie. "Were they stretch pants? Because that would make sense."
No my dear, they were magical traveling pants. Magical in the same sense that I shouldn't have purchased a $10 skirt from Anthropologie a size too small. Dreams do come true, my friends, if you believe in Gossip Girl, Ugly Betty, Gilmore Girls and that girl from Joan of Arcadia.

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IFB Blogger Spotlight

I'm a featured Blogger over at IFB if you want to check out my goofy answers in the interview. Embrace the awkwardness. Thanks IFB for the feature!

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Now Accepting Sponsors on Kendi Everyday!

If you're interested in sponsoring Kendi Everyday, email me at kendieveryday@gmail.com. Now accepting sponsors for July.

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on top of it

To the lady in white suburban who drove down this hidden country road the minute I was just getting into my model poses: Yes, these are my senior high school pictures. No need to slow down and linger, I'm just a 17 year old out here on a dirt road with an obviously older man alone with a camera. Go Tigers!
Looks can be deceiving, but that, my dears, is not a dress. Well technically it is a dress, but I tucked the top under and added a new top on top of the other top, if that makes sense. Then I added a flower on top to top it off. I'm thinking about just hacking off the old top anyways. (In sewing terms "to hack" means to take a chainsaw and lightly cut the fabric until it bleeds.) I'll let you know how it goes. I'm still having trouble with cutting straight lines and tracing my hand on paper. Which I realize has nothing to do with sewing, but everything to do with my under developed motor skills.
Flower pin courtesy of Dulken and Derrick.

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copy cat

This is not me. This is Elaine, from Clothed Much. She is a magician when it comes to budgets and clothes. And today, I copied her.





When I saw Elaine's post yesterday, I thought "eureka! that outfit is genius!" A simple white shirt with a fitted printed skirt, how come I didn't think of that? Oh that's right, because I was busy writing my 10th grade boyfriend a poem.
Today is the first day of summer. You want to know how I celebrated? I sat in an office with one tiny window three feet above my head that is covered by screens AND blinds and I typed on a computer all day long. However, I did it with a huge flower on the side of my head, so take that Corporate America. You can take my freedom and my sunshine, but you can't take away my obtrusive headbands that also double as pillows for impromptu nap times also known as conference calls.
Also, I made this in Paint:
Today is the first day of the rest of your summer. Happy first day of summer, you guys.

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vertical horizon

THANK YOU x 10000000000 to you all for the advice, kind words, encouragement on Friday. I would hug and kiss you all if I could. You all should be motivational coaches, but just for me. That way I don't have any competition in the dreams coming true category of life.* Also, I don't pay well, just in hugs and cookies.
Does anyone remember the band "Vertical Horizon"? You know...he's everything you want, he's everything you need, he's everything inside of you that you wish you could be...
Oh the cries of my 10th grade soul. That makes me want to write a poem about a boy who doesn't answer my elevety-thousand phone calls, entitled "Why Won't You Answer My Phone Calls, Boyfriend?" I think we are still together actually since he never called me back nor broke up with me.
All that to say, I'm wearing horizontal stripes on top, vertical stripes on the bottom. So very crazy of me, right? Well so is secretly dating someone for 10 years and then showing up at their wedding asking for a divorce since we're common law married.*
*I'm kidding. Or am I?
(PS my shoes are $10 at Old Navy right now! Find them here.)

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For you, Dad.

For every diaper changed
For every lunch packed
For all of the late night giggles you didn’t quiet

For all of the spankings I deserved and for the ones I didn’t

For not forcing me to play piano
For buying me a guitar instead

For giving me my own computer at the age of 8
For every egg you’ve scrambled and donut we've shared
For not losing your sanity on all of the family vacations

For all of the ice cream tops you ate, leaving me the cone

For all of the jr. high basketball games you endured

For every Saturday morning date to IHOP and the library

For my college education
For the XM radio subscription I forgot to cancel for 5 years
For every joke you’ve told

For every book you’ve ever read

For every time you call me princess
For all of the wise words you’ve imparted

For the small hugs and the big ones

For the patience you’ve had

For the support you’ve given

For the money you’ve spent

For every story I’ll tell of you to my kids

For picking the perfect woman to be my mom

For walking me down the aisle

For everything.

I love you. Happy Father's Day.

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