Easter Dress 2014

The past two years I've kind of gone a little ridiculous for Easter. Last year was relatively normal but on the prim side, while the year before was positively confectionary. I'm just never gonna get over Easter dresses, or outfits, I think. I don't know why I take it as an excuse, more than any other holiday, to be really traditionally girly in my dress, really pastel. Maybe it's more of an Easter costume but, I kind of look forward to it all year. My Easter dress is up there with birthday dresses in terms of scouting months before for the perfect one. 

Dress: Vintage from Laura's Vintage

, Sweater: J. Crew (several years ago), Stockings: Forever21 (recently), Shoes: J. Crew summer 2013, Crown: Home made.

Which is a rather heavy-handed segue but, let's chalk it up to being out of practice blog-writing-wise. Last summer, in the early days of August, I spent a few days preparing and then parading around in a vintage fashion show for Laura's Vintage. It was really a dream, and one of the dresses I ended up wearing came home with me that week, on my birthday. I had every intention of wearing it to some fancy cocktail evening but, as always, things got away from me and this absolute dream-puff of a dress sat tucked away safe in my closet for an entire half-birthday away. 

And then before I knew it Easter was around the corner and I thought, well, I suppose I've already got the perfect dress.

It was probably the most perfect Sunday in a long time, breezy and warm and sunny to blindness, so this lemon meringue dress practically glowed in the sun, and gave us all intense pangs for spring and summer in the deep middle of our bellies (soon enough we'll be sick on sun, the way everyone seems to have collectively hated winter by the end of it).

I wore the flower crown all day, though I eventually swapped out the yellow dotted dress for a less intense frock for baking purposes, and I anticipate it'll pop up here and again throughout the summer. I still haven't let go of them after the summer of Lana that happened two years ago. 

Happy spring!

Snow White Vibes.

More pictures hanging out in the snow! I find it so difficult to post much in the winter--everything just gets covered up with a coat anyway, and for the most part I spend my days in stretch pants and big wooly sweaters.

But then when we get that significant snow I'm somehow thrilled. My fingers and toes are frozen, cheeks and noses get all red, and yet hanging out in the snow is almost as exciting as it was as a kid, and somehow all I want to do is wear a crazy outfit and blog about it. I'm also trying to, you know, figure out what I want to do with this funny little space on the internet. Things have slowed down for the past few months as I think and re-think, and I don't want to abandon it but somehow I'm not entirely sure I want to just do outfit posts all the time.

And then I thought well, no, it doesn't have to be just the things I wear in real life. I spend a lot of time writing weird little stories for myself, making pinterest boards for characters and concepts and weird ideas, I might as well start doing the same in my backyard, with the bits of my closet that don't get to see the light of day too often because it's delicate, or I bought it out of love because it reminded me of something fantastical. 

I've had this dress for two years or so, mostly just hanging on the wall. I've never really worn it for more than a few minutes around the house to make some adjustments to it here and there, and it's not exactly the most flattering frock in the world. Which, is not exactly the dress's fault. It's a 1910s child's dress, so you know. The waist hits in a strange spot and as usual my shoulders, a tricky body part for me and vintage anyway, don't quite line up with its lines either but somehow I rather like it anyway. 

I got it because it was a reasonable price, and it reminded me of the linen dress Briony wears in Atonement, something silk and perfect for summer in a 1920s sipping something lemony under some trees on a dock somewhere. Because, you know, I can never resist telling myself a little story. 

The warm-weather dream is out of reach at the moment, we're sitting in the crux of winter where there's enough time left that I'm trying very hard not to let my mind wander to the days of shorts and novelty print bathing suits, camping, and walks home from work at dusk, gelato season, music on porches (see? I can't help it, I spend one minute loving the snow and the next missing freckle-weather). I just didn't want to hide this little number under a coat or sweater, and really it's not that cold anyway! After those negative temperatures, 30 and snowing seems positively balmy. I grabbed some woolly over-the-knee-socks, shoved on my clompiest snow boots, and let the snow encrust my curls. 

Dress: Vintage, Earrings: Dogeared

This dress will get to summer eventually but for now I figure I might as well take advantage of the Snow White Vibes I try to cultivate on a somewhat daily basis, indulging in a little bit of fairy tale costumery. 

All that said (gosh, I'm feeling so rusty with my blog-writing skills! I'm tempted to go back and delete this whole thing but I'll leave it, a testament to myself not to fall out of practice), there's nothing I love more than the outtakes that result from blinking:

It's just a little bit hilarious, which is always nice. 

Winter Wear.

We've got real snow! So far it's been a weird winter, getting a truckload of the white stuff dropped on us only to have it melt within a week, strange 30 and 40-something temperatures feeling like a bizarre heat wave. It makes for bad driving and wet ankles, but seeing as I'm off from work for a few days, I'm pretty happy to be inside writing and doing laundry (with the occasional Pushing Daisies rewatch, making me ache just a little bit for spring) and occasionally hopping around in the white stuff. 

Mostly I need to talk about these jeans. I've wanted flannel lined jeans for years, but it wasn't until now that I finally got myself a pair, thanks to my BFF's generosity in gifting me a pair as part of my Christmas gift! I almost never take them off. For someone who hardly wears pants, especially jeans, this is a pretty big deal, but I'm pretty sure there isn't anything more cozy, especially on days like today when it's 5 degrees out at 2pm, and threatening to dip into the -20s overnight. 

Jeans: Eddie Bauer, Coat: J. Crew, Hat: Laura's Vintage, Boots: L.L. Bean Boots the 30$ no name version, Socks: Who knows!

I've been much more relaxed this year about dressing for the cold. It means I end up in the same oversized grey sweater more often than not, and my feet haven't seen the light of day besides the time it takes to hop in and out of the shower for all the time they've spent bundled up in two pairs of thick socks, but it also means I can bust out some ridiculous head wear now and then.

I snatched up this puff last spring, I think, from Laura's Vintage but never actually got to wear it. I've been waiting all summer, and then fall, and then the early days of winter, for some sign of proper snow to wear it. Somehow it only seems proper to wear it on snowy days, and especially around or after the holidays. 

I've also finally gotten my daily jewelry in order. My little Catbird Dark Side of the Moon ring has company, with the little gold band I found on the ground somewhere, and added a little arrow ring from a little local shop! 

This all means that so far it's been the kind of season where I reach for my regulars, a favorite coat or sweater, shove my feet into some boots and call it a day, and vowing not to think much more about it. Happy New Year everyone! I know it's been a slow one on here, but thanks for sticking around! Here's to another good one, I hope!

Woods While.

I'm ready for cold weather this year. So far it's been back and forth, one week we're huddling down under blankets and using warm mugs and hot laptops to keep warm, eating dinner sitting on the floor by the fireplace, and the next finding winter coats too warm and shoving hats back into pockets. I'm finding my little outfit niche is somewhere between funny little dresses with red lipstick and camp socks , wool hats, chunky sweaters. No one does this quite like Cassie and I keep finding myself in awe at how every one of her instagram outfits is complete Twin Peaks Rabbit Fur Coat Wood Nymph in the Forest Gets a Day Job perfect. 

It's been nice lately to have a few weekends away for photoshoots and visits, I feel like this is a year where I've not wasted autumn. It was a typical leaf-chasing season, where my activities had me driving about and following the line of changing, falling trees until everywhere is just naked branches waiting for snow. I'm still crunching around though, not entirely ready for the white stuff to make it's debut. 

Coat: J. Crew winter 2012, Skirt: Vintage/thrifted, Shirt: J. Crew winter 2013, Belt: thrifted, Hat: J. Crew Mens, Pin: Vintage, Boots: Steve Madden via Macy's, Socks: Who knows.

I put myself on a bit of a shopping ban for a while there, for practical reasons, and found it makes me less inclined to let go of my hard-earned pennies. I broke recently, because of this shirt, but I've already worn it enough that I'm not feeling too guilty about it. I'm trying to rediscover my closet, learn what I really will wear the most, and spend the time reworking outfits I already wear to make new ones. I've got doctor bills, broken cameras (still), car woes, and regular old life things to pay for first. It make the occasional splurge feel a little bit nicer, and less guilty about the sweaters and skirts languishing in my closet. 

I wore this coat plenty last winter, and photographed it a few times, though it never ended up on the blog. Somehow in my dreams of summer I forgot about it entirely and was pretty pleased when I pulled it out of the winter pile for this year. I also rediscovered a little rabbit trimmed gal of a coat I'd plucked from an antique store bag-sale in May, totally forgotten and now a gem I can't wait to wear. 

A Beret-ed Post.

That might be the worst pun I've made in a long time, but then, it's been a long time! I'm borrowing a camera again,  although it seems like I've finally got my saving on track and should be able to fix my baby very soon. I'm out of practice though, it was much harder getting back into the swing of taking my own pictures than I thought it would be!

Skirt: J. Crew Fall 2012, Blouse: Vintage formerly my mother's, Jacket: Thrifted 90s J. Crew, Socks: Forever21, Bag: Vintage, Scarf: Vintage, Hat: Formerly my grandmother's, Shoes: Vintage via allen company on etsy.

I've been working my best to rock knee socks as often as possible, because once winter falls it's all tights and camp socks as far as the eye can see (I've already made the transition to leggings and wool socks at night!). We're not in peak leaf season just yet--at least, not on my street--and I'm trying to fight the feeling that I'm not getting my best outfits out, that I need to take more pictures of leaves and scenery because this season is the best and the shortest. 

The downside is I've been doing a lot of the Knee-Socks Dance. It's something I forget about, and I'm so used to it from back in my uniform days, but there it is, in all it's glory. Somehow I've yet to find over-the-knees that don't squeeze my legs but also stay up of their own accord. 

I'm also battling bang-fever something awful lately. It's the season (somehow I feel like hats always look a little better with bangs), and TV is no help (I'm looking at you New Girl). For now I'm going to try to content myself with bobby-pins and a bang comb-over, but my fingers and forehead are itching and dancing for the scissors. 

Knotting Along.

I love this outfit but I also feel real weird about it. I love high-waisted things, because I have a small waist and am sort of self-conscious about my butt/hip/thigh area (yeah I know, me and like 900% of everyone ever), and since crop-tops started popping up again the combination was something I really wanted to try. 

But it feels weird at first, wearing it. Maybe because I'm generally the kind of person who stays pretty covered up, who has to worry about getting too many freckles or sunburn, but all of the sudden I was like whoa I feel exposed. It's a stupid thought because hello, it's only like what, two inches maybe of midriff that are showing? 

Skirt: Vintage, Shirt: J. Crew, Shoes: T.J. Max, brand unknown, Bag: Vintage/thrifted,  Sunglasses: Faces in Northampton, MA, Necklace: Vintage, Nail Polish: FACE for J. Crew in 'Neon Sunset'.

Anyway, I got over it (mostly). I've actually had a hard time finding crop tops I like, so I've taken to just knotting t-shirts instead. The downside is then the t-shirts get all weird and wrinkled at the bottom, but I can deal. 

The skirt is one I bought last year in anticipation of my birthday, but then it rained so hard that day that it seemed unwise to wear it in case I ended up soaking wet during a dash to the car. I also have a hard time with circle skirts. I love them so often on other people, and I've amassed a nice little pile of them that I never wear. I just feel really hippy (as in, whoa girl's got hips) in a way I'm not totally used to in them. Getting over that too, and finding that my tied t-shirt solution is helping. 

This has quickly become a go-to outfit for me, either with skirts or shorts, especially in the more recent weeks of intense humidity and sun. My instinct is to just throw something on, but in an effort to wear an actual outfit this year's summer uniform is making things a little easier. 

I'm also noticing I have a lot of outfit-post crutches when it comes to posing for the camera with the self-timer. Especially if I have a prop, like sunglasses, I can't leave those things alone.

Sneak peak at what I do between photos--trying to fluff my hair up a bit.

Wearing the Book: Stardust.

Last Thursday something happened that I was really, really excited about. Neil Gaiman, a favorite author since middle-school-dom, was going to be visiting one of my favorite local cities for a reading and book signing. The second I heard this I frantically snatched up a ticket, as did my best gal pal and her husband, and we spent the next few weeks being really excited about the whole thing, trying to decide what to wear (costumes?), and wondering over what books we should bring to be signed. 

Originally we thought we would go in costumes (as the personification of War, horse-person of the apocalypse, and Anathema Device, both from Good Omens), but time and procrastination, and really hot summer days along with neither of us possessing a sword appropriate to bring to a public event, made us rethink it. 

And then I realized, I owned the perfect dress to mimic one of my favorite book covers. 

Dress, belt, and headband are all from J. Crew from various seasons. Necklace is Lulu Frost for J. Crew, shose are from Madewell last summer.  I try not to make all the pieces come from one place but oops, it happens anyway.

It's not the kind of thing I normally wear. I bought it because the color makes me thirsty, because it has pockets, and because it's the kind of simple silky throw on and go to battle kind of dress that I always want, but never quite seem to be able to pull off. In the interest of stepping outside of comfort zones I snatched it up.

So far in this series (which I have both woefully ignored for a while and seem to have mostly dressed in books that are blue) I've just tried to mimic the aesthetics of the cover without alluding much to the contents, but given that this was for a special event, it made sense to wear a dress that not only matched the colors of the cover, but that also had some kind of Stardust-y fairy-tale-esque quality to it. So, you know. Perfect dress, I guess.

The event did not disappoint. I'm still working my way through The Ocean at the End of the Lane, but it's quite lovely and quietly heart-breaking. We giggled in our seats and listened to a favorite author read to us, in a room chock-full (1,500 people!) of people all of a similar mind and fandom (there's nothing better, or I love nothing better, than a room full of dorks whether it be about fashion or books or movies).  

I even got really lucky, when they chose my question to close out that portion of the event, which earned me a laugh from most of the audience as well as a handshake in line when it came to be my book's turn to be signed (for the record, I got my battered, taped together, underlined and yellowing copy of Good Omens signed, as well as the special edition of Stardust pictured here).

My question was: "How many secrets can you keep in your hair, and is that where you get your metaphors?"  The answer, I believe, was "All of them". For the rest of the night I was The Girl Who Asked the Hair Question!

I was so happy and excited for the rest of the evening and day, and I'm still pretty thrilled by the whole thing!

Previous Wearing the Book posts (I suppose I am overly fond of blue books and dresses!):

The Great Gatsby

Ulysses

St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves

Thank you to Amy for stopping and snapping these shots for me!

Our Lady of Absentia.

Oops.

I know that starting off blog post with 'omg i am so sorry it has been forever' is pretty lame but--omg I'm so sorry it has been forever! I don't really have much to say about it, except that a defunct but now patched-together and hopefully fixed for-the-moment computer and sadly deeply on-the-fritz camera have really killed my blogging time. For now I've borrowed a camera while I try to figure out what to do about mine, and so hopefully we'll be on track again soon!

In the meantime I tried to get back into the swing of things by setting myself up in the backyard with some new-to-me things and a really lush rose crown. The last two years the roses in our yard have been especially ridiculous, flopping around with their petal-drunk heads, blooming and falling to bits before we can even grab any for inside. 

Like last summer I'm still in a big flower-crown and white blouse kind of mode. I guess it's all gotten pretty trendy since then, but I can't really resist the occasion to dress up.

The blouse is one that I snapped up at an estate sale with Jess a few months ago. We trekked about 40 minutes away in a snowstorm (ish) at the promise of something Edwardian, and left rather happily with a few treasures. This is my favorite of the blouses I ended up with (a few of the other ones made an appearance on instagram that day).

There's also my newish little Catbird ring that I picked up on a quick NYC visit to hang at the mall with Anabela and Geoff of fieldguided, and a funny little necklace from a favorite shop in Saratoga Springs that looks like it's just a straight line pendant, but is actually a tiny sword. I'm really feeling girly outfits with brutal weaponry jewelry these days.

It feels good to give myself a jump start again. Hopefully it won't be too long till next time! For now I have a crazy backlog of e-mails that is threatening to bury me alive!

Oh!: Loly in the Sky

Last month you might have noticed that I had a banner up for a lovely little shoe website, Loly in the Sky. In anticipation of spring weather (which, honestly, I'm still waiting for up here!) they offered to send me a pair of flats from the spring line!

Pants: J. Crew, Blouse: Vintage, Jacket: J. Crew 2010, Bag: Aldo Outlet 2011,  Shoes: c/o Loly in the Sky

I'm pretty thrilled with them! All of their designs are adorable, but I ended up choosing the Elvira loafer, mostly because I liked the funny sort of tone they seemed to have with a period instead of an exclamation point. They're crazy comfortable though, which for some reason surprised me (probably because in normal life I find that every pair of shoes hurts in a different way), so I won't be surprised if I wear these babies to death and they're in a sad state by the end of the summer. 

Always gotta make a weird face.

This is also the first time I've posted these pants, even though I've worn them an awful lot in the strange in-between of seasons we've got going on right now. Normally I wear them with heels (although really, since last summer I've started wearing almost everything with heels, though I used to exclusively wear flats--one of those phases, I suppose) because, as usual, I'm self-conscious about my legs (a thing I'm sure everyone is sick of hearing about, but I mean, we should talk about these things right?) but somehow, despite trying to style the shoes with a million different outfits, they just wanted to be with these pants.

Easter Fanciness.

Easter always ends up being one of my favorite holidays for dressing up. Normally there isn't all that much going on that day, everything is closed, but somehow I end up saving colorful spring dresses for the occasion. Maybe I just own a lot of flowery, pastel, frilly things that are the very essence of such a holiday. 

Today I got all dressed up and snapped these pictures before running back home to change for pastry-making and watching the Game of Thrones season 3 premiere with friends! So I probably only had this get-up on for an hour or so. 

Dress: vintage from the loved one; Jacket: Vintage from Laura's Vintage; Tights: J. Crew; Shoes: Vintage from honey talk vintage, Bag: Vintage

This jacket is also incredibly similar to the one I wore last year, and illustrates a pretty big weakness I have for strange little jackets that probably went with a dress at some point. This one though, is silk, and the print seems a little less ostentatious than the other, without the sleeve ruffles, and I've already worn it several times.

Mostly, I'm just pleased-as-punch that it's warm enough to wear something like this with no coat! Soon the world will be green again, and I'll be hanging out on quilts in the grass, collecting freckles and getting my daily dose of SPF-approved vitamin D. Until then, I guess I have to be incredibly trite and wear my own sunshine.