On the Seventh Day of Christmas...

My true love gave to me Seven Swans-a-Swimming

I found a swim suit with swans on it that is perfect!!! Unfortunately it's a discontinued item. Disappointment aside, there are some really great swan print fashion items. Way too many to only have one in this post! Do a google search and you'll find more than you thought you would!

$21.99 Park to Park Scarf from Modcloth
Or these items:
Dress from Modcloth                            Dress from ASOS                     Lingerie Set from Modcloth

Or go the decor route with a print like this:

$20 via Leahduncan on Etsy

Six geese-a-laying,

Five gold rings,

Four calling birds
Three french hens,
Two turtle doves,
and a partridge in a pear tree!

My Perfect Fireworks-less Wedding Dress

I had a very interesting time with my wedding dress. I was hoping for an obvious, tearful, fireworks moment when I put on 'the one' but I never got that. If this is the case with you, don't feel like there's something wrong with you (or your dress selection!). You definitely shouldn't have to settle, but not everyone has that magical moment. I read an article that I wish I had bookmarked that helped me a lot. It said that sometimes what makes the dress special and 'THE dress' is that it's the dress you've chosen to get married in. It's not always the dress itself that is inherently meaningful, it's the meaning you give it. I clung to that when I was going through my wedding dress journey.

I really didn't know what I wanted starting out but as I began trying on gowns, I quickly started seeing what I didn't want with no noticeable pattern as to be any help at all. I realized that I probably wasn't going to find something that I liked off the rack. It was going to take some customizing before I really felt like it was 'me'. After several dress shop visits, I eventually decided that I wanted a fairly poufy dress with a calf length high/low hemline so I could swing dance at the reception.

I ended up making an appointment at the last minute for a sample sale at Bliss Bridal Salon in Fort Worth, TX. The girls that worked with me were personal, cheerful, and upbeat and, since it was a sample sale, the prices were very reasonable.
I cannot emphasis clearly how anti-climactic my decision moment was. When I had the dress on, I felt pretty and comfortable. There were lots of other dresses that I had tried on that looked good on me but were just inexplicably wrong. Basically, this was the first one I had tried that wasn't a 'no' so I went for it! I was so nervous about my decision that as soon as I got in the car I burst into tears. I think it was partially relief at having that huge decision over, but also how unsure I was because I didn't have 'a moment'. My mom didn't burst into tears when she saw the dress, I didn't get misty eyed. I just calmly said, "Yeah. This one's good". And there it was. The material was my favorite part. It had a natural linen-like quality while remaining sheer and dainty. It's hard to see that in the photos.

The gown I chose: Watters Austin

The dress I bought was several sizes too large and full length with a train so next were the alterations. That in itself was a journey! They made a mistake on the hem and the high and low were not centered. After they removed the whole bodice from the skirt and centered the levels (also waving the fee for the whole thing) I finally had my dress!

The article I read was right. The fact that it was MY DRESS made it so special!! And my husband loved it!

My sisters helping me get my dress on

My shoes are Poetic Licence. I had custom ankle straps made.

My veil was custom made by GlamorByDesign

First Dance

Another week of outfits

Because its fun!

Inspired by men's fashion

Mixing patterns

Vintage inspired

FALL!

Layer up

Color mixing



Black out



A Week In Outfits

I'm always seeking new motivation and inspiration for putting outfits together. Pinterest definitely helps a lot with that. My newest source for fashion inspiration is Coast to Coast Challenge. They post challenges for every Tuesday and Thursday to help you look at your wardrobe in new and creative ways. People post their takes on the challenge on Instagram and it is a lot of fun to see what other girls around the country and internationally are doing with clothes!

Here is a weeks worth of my Coast To Coast Challenges:

Mixing Patterns

Bows

Red, White, and Blue

Plaid

Middle part and statement jewelry

Top button and bright lips

Tights

The last 2 days of wear

I've been having fun with the frametastic app on my NEW IPHONE 4S (Pardon me as I do a victory dance for finally joining the world of iPhone users) taking outfit shots.
Here are the last couple days:

Violets are blue and peacocks too!



Could it really be fall??



Kids these days

Kids today are so much cooler than I ever was... and probably ever will be.

Exibit A:

from FleurandDot

from FleurandDot

I can remember me and my sisters dressing up like "cool kids". We wore denim shorts (probably overalls), sunglasses, and slicked our bangs to the side. (there was nothing we could do about the huge florescent colored bandaids on our knees from ongoing outdoor adventures.)

Here's me and my older siblings:

me, older sister, older brother 1990

We were just kids being kids...

Hairs today

I have a little-longer-than-jaw-length bob. Definitely not long enough to wear up. I can squeeze it into a tiny shaving brush pony tail if necessary... like to keep my hair from getting super oily when getting a massage (sounds fancy but its treatment for a car accident I was in)... but, in all honesty, I should be resigned to washing, blowing, and flat ironing my hair every morning and wearing it down if I'm not going to let it grow out anymore.

I woke up late this morning, as usual, threw caution to the wind, and boycotted my shower & heat tools for a casual up-do.

Braid ahoy! (and too much hairspray for my short little hairs at the nape of my neck)

I did a head band-ish side french braid (like the one I begged my mom to do every year for elementary school photos), and a tiny knot in the back.

Not too bad... but I should have worn earrings.

Necklace alternative

I couldn't find a necklage that went with my outfit today... so I decided on an alternative: pins!

I have a collection of vintage pins from my grandparents (whom I have either never met or barely knew... all of whom have passed away) and I love it when I have an opportunity to sport them!

The top round one is a Harris Fellowship pin. My dad is in Rotary and made a donation in my name to the Paul Harris Society so I was awarded a Harris Fellowship when I was in Connecticut last Christmas at a Rotary meeting in an old Yale building. Very cool experience. My grandfather did the same for all of his three children ( not in a Yale building...but...) so it was very meaningful to me and my little sister. Both of us cried when asked to make a speach about what the Fellowship meant to us.

The middle pin is quite a mystery to me. It is a tie pin that belonged to my mom's father. The emeralds and pearls are real and the middle is probably onyx. The symbol, to me, looks like a club emblum for an Ivy League secret society. Would love to solve that mystery...

The third pin was also my mom's dad's tie pin. It is a coral scarab.

Vintage pins with a forest green belt and an Aslan belt buckle? I feel pretty awesome right now.

Aslan belt

The festivities continue

Today we had a Christmas breakfast and gift exchange at work.
It was a great opportunity for me to wear my Christmas turtle neck that I got at Thrift Town last week!! :)

I made a bow tie with yarn (that was the bow on a gift I got at a gift exchange a couple weeks ago) to quirk up my claaaasy reindeer, snowflake, holly, and tree turtle neck!

Merry Christmas!

Things I like...

Nude polish. Likey.

Men's Fossil watch. Double Likey.

This cozy, fuzzy, super-warm Fossil scarf

Branching out in a fall sort of way - Dress for Less

November 23, 2011

I've had some fun dipping into my fall wardrobe.. finally!
ALSO, Thrift Town had a 'First Day of Fall' Sale with all clothes 50% off. I did quite a wardrobe re-vamp.
Here is a work week of outfit (you must forgive the fact that most of these were taken pre hair blowdrying and/or pre makeup):

Shirt: Thrift Town

Pants: Second Time Around -

Newberry St, Boston, MA

Shoes: Payless Shoe Source

Shirt: Thrift Town

Skirt: Secondhand

Belt: Urban Outfitters

Tights: Marshall's 

Shoes: Payless Shoe Source

Dress: Marshall's

Belt: Thrift Town

Pin: Family Heirloom

Shirt: Target

Shoes: Payless Shoe Source

Sweater: Thrift Store (J Crew)

Undershirt: Gap

Pants: Forever 21

Shoes: Thirft Town

Scarf: Flea Market (was a gift)

Sweater: Thrift Town (Ralph Lauren)

Skirt (actually a dress): Fossil (gift)

Shoes: Thrift Town

Necklace: Gift