Skippy Says: Israel Recap, Part III (Vacation Recap)

Our first few days in Israel were spent in the Negev, or the desert, which makes up about 70% of Israel's land. 70% of the land in a country the size of New Jersey. Good thing it's so freaking beautiful.

Towards the end of one of our desert hikes, we came across a pretty steep sandhill. Like, almost 90 degrees steep. And then our tour guide told anyone with a bit of extra energy they could run up it. Ryan, for your own good, I suggest you stop reading now.
Stop.
Now.
I ran my pregnant butt up that sandhill as fast as my little legs would carry me. Which was not very fast. Especially since it quickly got so steep that you couldn't run or walk--you literally had to bear crawl up with your hands digging into the hill as if you were rock climbing. Except, you know, with sand instead of rocks. And then I slid down on my butt. And ended up with pants full of sand. Because I'm sexy like that.

A few days later we got all dolled up for a night out on the town in Jerusalem. And by dolled up I mean I searched desperately through my suitcase for something I could fit into. What? That's not a good idea of your time? What about if I tell you that I got myself a nice hot cup of decaf tea while the rest of the group had themselves some delicious Israeli beer? Oh, that's not so fun either?

It's ok, a little bit later I got myself some delicious pitas to make myself feel better. One filled with goat cheese and honey, and another filled with a creamy chocolatey spread. I'd pick that over beer any day.

Skippy Says: Valentine's Day (OOTD)

This past Saturday Ryan and I celebrated a late Valentine's day together. Since I was in Israel on the actual day, and since this was our last Valentine's day with just the two of us before baby comes, I didn't want to just skip it altogether. I mean, do you see me as the kind of gal to give up any opportunity for flowers and chocolate? Speaking of which, Ryan, I'm still waiting for my flowers and chocolate.

The weather was beautiful, and we woke up bright and early to head to the Calistoga mineral pools and hot springs spa. There were 4 pools: a big one heated up to 80 degrees, a slightly smaller one at around 100 degrees, a hot tub at 104 degrees, and a kiddie pool. I stuck with the first two, since I've read that pregnant women should avoid hot tubs and I got kicked out of the kiddie pool. Pshhhh. Of course, Ryan punished me for abandoning him on Valentin's day by going into the hot tub while I stared longingly. Again, Ryan, I'm still waiting for my flowers and chocolate.

Anthropologie dress
Hue tights
Anthropologie boots

Skippy Says: Israel Recap, Part II (Vacation Recap)

One of the most talked up parts of our Birthright trip was getting to spend one night in a Bedouin tent. With the promise of a tasty homecooked Bedouin meal, a toasty campfire, and a night under the stars I couldn't be more excited. Until I got there. And put on 2 layers of pants, 5 layers of sweaters/jackets, 2 scarves, and 2 paris of socks and was still freezing my tushy off. In case you haven't heard, the desert is COLD at night. Good thing I had my BFF to spoon with for body warmth. Bad thing we didn't take advantage of each other until it was almost time to get up. 

Don't let our smiles fool you, we're kind of miserable. A happy kind of miserable, but miserable nonetheless. Behind us is the tent we slept in. Insulation was not its strength.

Bright and early the next morning we got to go on a camel ride. It was, um, bumpy. Our camel had a pink harness so I decided she was a girl and named her Camilla. Camilla the camel. Camilla the camel was quite the rebel-- we were last in our caravan but she didn't like that so much so she kept going ahead out of place. As you guys know, I'm quite the rebel myself, so Camilla and I bonded.

Skippy Says: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes (OOTD)

Seeing as my wardrobe choices are pretty limited these days (read: I only fit into stretchy items) you'll probably be seeing this dress a lot. It's one of, oh I don't know, 5 things left that I can squeeze myself into. You'd think there's an easy fix to this, but for once in my life I'm having a hard time motivating myself to go shopping. This is partly because I'm still getting used to the changes I'm seeing in the mirror, and partly because I know I'll only be getting bigger so it seems like a waste of money. But you know what knows no size? Jewelry. And scarves. And hats. What's that I was saying about having no motivation to shop?

Shop:
- Anthropologie blazer (Bought on sale, no longer available)
- BCBG wrap dress (Bought on sale circa 2009, no longer available. Buy similar here or here) 
- Wendy Glez cami underneath dress (I think it's actually meant to be lingerie? Bought on sale circa 2008, no longer available)
- Hue textured diamond tights (Buy here)
- Anthropologie boots (Bought on sale, no longer available)
- Necklace gift from my aunt

Skippy Says: 16 Weeks (Pregnancy Journal)

16 Weeks

Dear baby,

Today you've been in my belly for 16 weeks. Well, in truth it's actually 14 weeks since the doctors count these things all weird, but regardless I'm 16 weeks pregnant and you're officially the size of an avocado. And you're a California avocado, which makes you the most delicious of all the avocados. I can't wait to gobble you up, but unfortunately I have to wait 24 more weeks. 40 minus 16 is 24, right? Remember that I asked that question before you think of coming to me to help with your math homework. That will be daddy's domain.

You and I spent the last few weeks traveling in Israel without daddy because he has to work. When I got back a few nights ago, he looked a little disappointed when he saw me. I asked him what was wrong, and he pouted before answering that he though my belly would be bigger by now. Um, I think it's plenty big, thank you very much. And I'm pretty sure all the clothes that no longer come anywhere close to fitting me would agree. As soon as we got home from the airport, daddy turned me sideways and proceeded to examine me from all angles. When we went to bed, he slept with his hand cradling you all night.

I was hoping today would be the day we would go and find out your gender, but daddy ended up having a deposition at work that won't be out until well after the doctor's office is closed. I suggested going by myself and then calling him with the news, but, well, that didn't fly.

Last night I dreamt I was driving in the snow, and drove over some black ice, spinning out of control. My first instinct was fear for my life, and then I remembered I was pregnant and was terrified for you. I felt like a horrible mother, that my first thought was about me and not you, and the guilt woke me right up. You'll quickly learn that this guilt thing is a pretty big part of me. But I can't help it, I'm Jewish, it's in my blood. As it will be in yours. I had a hard time going back to sleep, and couldn't shake the horrible feeling that I selfishly thought of myself before I thought of you. I suppose it's the role I'm used to playing. For the last 26 years, your grandma and grandpa have always put me before themselves in everything that they do; in every choice that they make. I have been the selfish child, and they have been the selfless parents. I always thought that when the time came for me to have you, I would effortlessly morph into the selfless parent role that the selfish part of me would magically disappear, and that I would automatically think of you before me by pure instinct. But that dream left me terrified that I might not. What if this selfless impulse, this inclination that I consider to be the crux of good parenting, isn't as natural for me as it was for them?

Skippy Says: Israel Recap, Part 1 (Vacation Recap)

Aaaaand just like that, I'm back. I know the guest posts were awesome, so I hope you aren't too disappointed.

As much as I love traveling, it's so nice to come home. My parents and Ryan always pick me up at the airport with a bag of food so big you'd think I hadn't eaten in the 3 weeks I was away. You know, because despite the extra few pounds I came back with, I must have been starved. I get the tightest of hugs all around, extra kisses from my puppy, and a bed that feels especially luxurious after a 12 hour plane ride. Some people have all the luck. Oh wait, that's me.

Israel was a complete whirlwind, and I didn't get more than 4-5 hours of sleep any of the nights I was there. I feel like I need a vacation from this vacation. Despite the lack of rest, or actually probably because of it, the trip was packed full of fun activities. I'm not going to go through every single thing we did, but I thought I'd spend the next few days recapping some of my favorite ones.

On our first day in Israel, we visited a farm in the dessert and learned about how they managed to irrigate and work the land despite the extremely unfavorable weather and soil conditions. While that was all well and good, you know my favorite part was the taste-testing. Honestly, how else am I to tell how good of a job their allegedly incredible system is doing?

We were given a perfectly sweet orange to start, but never satisfied I insatiably stared at the kumkwat tree. Thankfully, it wasn't long before we met and I was able to taste the delicious fruits. I know I look civilized, but it was all an act for the camera. As soon as this photo was snapped, I stuffed as many as I could into my mouth. Bonus points for anyone who can guess how many I managed to get in at once.

With the tomatoes I wasn't quite as lucky. My BFF managed to snap this photo while I wasn't on guard. Don't you look at me like that. There were at least a dozen different types of tomatoes to try, so I had to act quickly.

We also had a chance to dig up our own carrots from the earth. I managed to find white, orange, and purple ones. So pretty!

And that's not even half of it. We also ate cucumbers, peppers, lots of different herbs, strawberries, and some other stuff I'm sure I'm forgetting. I would have taken photos but, you know, I was too busy eating.

Skippy Says: The Closet Intervention (Guest Post)

                                                         

Hello, lovely people! I am Kassi , the blogger behind the fashion blog “The Closet Intervention.” I am  super excited to be guest blogging for Inna today while she is away. I love Inna’s style and personality and I am sure you do too if you’re reading this. What can I say? You all have great taste.

Today I am going to share with you some random thoughts on fashion, food and life in general. Oh and there is some pictures of some of the outfits that I’ve wore on my blog so you can get a sense of my personal style.

On What Fashion Is:

Fashion to me is a reflection of my personality and creativity. I think it is so amazing that I can wake up every day and put something different on. I can be whoever I want to be or dress how I’m feeling. Somedays that is a tough girl in combat boots and other days that is a girly girl in florals. Fashion is limitless. I discover something new about my style everyday. It could be a color I didn’t think I could wear or the fact that I’ve decided I actually like wearing flats.

On My Least Favorite “Fashion”:

Fashion is in quotation marks above because it’s hard for me to think of these things as fashionable. Here is a list of my absolute least favorite things:  Ed Hardy (really tattoos and shame splattered all over a t-shirt is not something I aspire to), Uggs (oh yes, I am sorry but they just don’t do anything for me), too much skin (save something for the bedroom ladies), and Crocs (I am 100% convinced that Satan created them).

On Food:

I love food. That’s all. Just kidding. I’ve recently become a vegetarian which is something I never thought I would do in a million years. I am just doing it to live a healthier lifestyle – so far, so good.  I could eat rice every single day of my life I am pretty sure, and bread AND pizza. Didn’t I tell you I love food?

On Life:

Life is way too short to not get out there and go for your dreams. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t. I want to open a boutique in 5 years. Some people think that is silly and unattainable.  Screw them! If you aren’t standing behind me then get out of my way! Haha.   I am a hopeless optimist and I run away screaming from people who have nothing but negative things to say.  Love more, hug tighter, say what you’re thinking and most importantly always be you, because you are beautiful.

Thank you for reading my ramblings. Stop by my blog and say hello sometime. I would love that!

Skippy Says: To Vogue Or Bust (Guest Post)

Hello lovely readers! My name is Alexandra and I’m the girl behind the blog To Vogue or Bust. Though I’m so jealous of Inna for getting to explore Israel, I’m thrilled that she asked me to do a guest post for her!

My blog has been an amazing platform to discover and develop my style. Though I consider myself far
from a fashion expert, I have learned a couple of tricks along the way that have made getting dressed a
much more exciting and fun experience.

Without further ado, here are my top three style tips!

1.  Play with patterns. My trick to making patterns work together is to find something in common with both: if they’re in the same colour family (blue and white stripes with a blue and white floral pattern), same general shape (a small floral with a large floral), or if the pattern details are similar sizes, then it’s a green light. In general, I also consider anything in a classic black and white stripe as a neutral. Feel free to mix it with everything!

2. I spend about half my time shopping in the men’s department. Though I tend to gravitate towards a more feminine aesthetic, nothing can ground a look as much as a solid men’s piece. And I’m a firm believer that the best sweaters are to be found in a men’s department. The whole trick is balance: the best looks are the ones that keep you guessing a bit. For example, if you wear a big men’s fisherman sweater, throw a super femme skirt or dress on underneath instead of jeans or leggings.

3. This winter, the grey skies and miserable weather made me really turn to warm colours. I cultivated a wardrobe of browns, oranges, sands, pinks, purples and reds. By always keeping in mind what family colour my winter wardrobe was mostly comprised of, shopping and getting ready in the mornings became much easier. I didn’t have to worry about matching because I already knew all the colours in my
winter wardrobe would work seamlessly together.

And that’s it! Hope you learned something new and can apply a few new tricks to your wardrobe!
And please feel free to visit my blog To Vogue or Bust – I love making new blogger friends and would love to visit your blog as well! Thanks to Inna for including me as one of her guest bloggers!

Alexandra xo

Skippy Says: Casual Glamorous (Guest Post)

Hi Everyone!  I'm Audrey from Casual Glamorous and I'm so excited (and flattered) to be guest posting for Inna while she's away on vacation.  The primary focus of my blog is fashion and my style, which is sometimes casual, sometimes glamorous and sometimes a little bit of both!  I thought I'd share a few of my "casual glamorous" looks with you!


I love how a pair of flared black pants can be dressed up or dressed down.  A fun hat is the perfect daytime accessory and gives just about any outfit a fun, casual touch!

A basic shift dress in a bold color is a piece that can easily go from day to night!   

This outfit may just be the epitome of my style.  My distressed boyfriend jeans paired with a bit of sparkle and heels.  A definite casual glamorous look!

Thanks again to Inna for letting me guest post.  This was so fun!  Feel free to visit my blog for more!

Skippy Says: Threads and Buttons (Guest Post)

Hello Dear Skippy Says readers, I'm Kelley and I blog over at Threads and Buttons. I know I'm not Inna, and I know that's who you come here to see everyday, so I'm sorry for letting you down right from the start (what a bad first impression huh?). I am however JUST like Inna in pretty much every way... You know, if every way consists of getting dressed in the morning, taking photos of myself, and then posting those photos on the Internet for the world to see. Don't believe me? I'll prove it to you right now. Look, one day I wore this, and then I took photos of it, and now I'm posting those photos here for your viewing enjoyment.

Boots: Ross (Similar) – Socks: Target – Skirt: Thrifted – Turtleneck: PacSun – Sweater: Thrifted

Belt: Thrifted – Necklace: Gift

Did anyone else feel like turtlenecks were a form a child abuse when you were a younger? I'm being 100% serious when I say that I literally thought I was going to suffocate and die whenever my mom would make me wear one of these throat-gripping pieces of clothing. Can't you just see the headline? "Child Dies of Asphyxiation After Being Forced to Wear a Turtleneck Sweater". I was sure that was the way I would go. Lucky for me, my neck has finally grown long enough for me to appreciate turtlenecks. So thanks for introducing them to me mom, even if I did kick and scream along the way ;)

-The Long-Necked Kelley

Skippy Says: Britt and Whit (Guest Post)

Hey guys! We are Britt+Whit; two San Francisco based fashion bloggers who blog about our personal styles, trends and events going on in the bay area. We are so excited to be doing a guest post for you today! 

Have you started sprucing up your wardrobe for Spring yet? Now that winter is coming to an end, it’s time to start thinking about how to incorporate some of the latest trends coming off the runway into your personal wardrobe. Below, we've highlighted a few of our must haves picks for this season!

images via Style.com

Bold colors are all over the runway for Spring! DKNY and Peter Som both featured neon brights and color blocking. We will definitely be on the hunt for some pieces in a fierce canary yellow and neon pink. 

Our other favorite trend this season is floral prints! Florals are blooming all over the runway and our favorites are definitely DVF and DKNY. We are currently on the hunt for some floral pants and a fun print dress! 

If you are hesitant to work in color or prints, start small: a handbag, heels, or a scarf can all help make your outfit standout. We hope you go out and have fun with your Spring wardrobe! 

XOXO-

Britt+Whit

Britt+Whit are two San Francisco based fashion bloggers who blog about their personal styles, trends and events going on in San Francisco.  They always love a good excuse to dress up and indulge in the more fashionable things in life!

If you guys get a chance, we would love for you to vote for us for the Refinery29 Style Blogger!

Skippy Says: Two Birds (Guest Post)

We got an email from Inna that went a little something like this:

"Skippy says touch your head."

so we touched our heads.

"Skippy says hop on one foot."

so we hopped on one foot.

"Skippy says pat your head and rub your belly."

So we did that...well at least we tried, but seriously, it's nearly impossible to do both at once.

"Write a guest post!"

And we did, even though she didn't say Skippy Says. So we lost the game, but she still let us do a post...because that's how cool Inna is.

Hi! we're Megan and Nora from Two Birds, and we are so excited to be doing a guest post for Inna while she's away. We even are throwing in one pregnant bird, so you don't have to miss out on the little baby belly that Inna is rocking! Skippy Says is one of our fave blogs because 1. Inna is hilarious, and 2. We love her style. So what we decided to (try to) do today is copy her style, and mix it in with a little bit of our own personalities.

So without further adieu, here are our very own versions of a "Skippy Says" outfit:

Megan bird:

Details:

dress ~ Marshalls

shirt ~ F21

shoes ~ Urban Original

tights ~ Target

earrings ~ F21

belt ~ thrifted

Nora bird:

Details:

blazer~ vintage, thrifted

shirt~ Banana Republic, swap

belt~ yours

jeans~ 15dollarstore.com

shoes~ F21

Skippy Says: Girl and Closet (Guest Post)

Hello, I'm Veronika from the personal style blog "Girl and Closet," and I could not be more thrilled to be posting for Inna today. She is an absolute sweetheart! I've loved connecting with her via this fabulous blogging community. Yay! With the warmer weather just around the corner, I thought I would share my favourite looks with you from last spring. When it comes to personal style, I usually favour looks that have a vintage aesthetic, a girly vibe, and are comfy! It suits my self-employed, ocean-side lifestyle perfectly. Let's take a look back, shall we?!

Which outfit is your favourite?! I always find it so neat to look back at where my style was last year; it's definitely evolved since, and I can't wait to experiment with some new looks for this upcoming spring. Are there any trends that you're most excited about? I'm looking forward to trying stronger pops of colour, messy top knots, knee boots & slouchy knee socks, retro style reading glasses, vintage pea-coats, and of course, I have lots of new floral dresses on the list too.

Be sure to pop by my blog and introduce yourself. I'd absolutely love to meet you!! xo veronika