Winter Cover

Ok, I know winter is still pretty far away and I"m not trying to rush it, but as the days get cooler, my attention naturally turns to how I can layer up my summertime dresses so I can wear them all year long.  This year, I'm determined to keep out my Studio M What Not To Wear Teal Applique Dress from this post in 2015 but I wanted to mix things up from my usual cardigan layer.

 So,instead of a cardi or a jacket, I layered it with this lovely DKNY cotton crop top which has always been far too short for me to wear, but far to lovely for me to part with.  I'm extremely happy with the fairy tale look it created and even more happy that one pretty thing finally comes off the shelf and another pretty thing gets to stay off the shelf this winter.

Unprecedented Panache

This dress has 1600s style portraits of cats on it, y'all.  Nuf said.

Shop the Look:
Unprecedented Panache A Line Dress in Gallery
Heels and Charter School Cardi from ModCloth

Thinking Outside the Festively Wrapped Box

    If you're like me, you've probably just realized that October is almost over and you're thinking one of two things or, again like me, you're thinking both at the same time:

a.  Oh my gosh!  What happened to the year?!  The holidays are almost here!!
OR
b.  Ugh!  I'm not ready for it to be the holidays again!

    Well, like it or not and ready or not, the holidays are just around the corner.  Last year, I was totally spent with drama and travel and time adjustments that our holiday consisted of a Thanksgiving shared with total strangers and Christmas spent trying to hide from as many people as possible.  Maybe I'm remembering it wrong, but I felt totally out of sorts and disconnected last year.  This year, I've done a lot of healing and growing and I think I do this....maybe...probably....anyway, I've been doing a little preemptive holiday dress shopping and I think this year, I'm looking for something that works for Christmas, but I could also wear during the rest of the year. 
    Enter the Margaret Dress in Tulip print from KarinaDresses.com  This dress is longer than I typically wear, but the slinky fabric makes it so flattering, I don't feel lost in it the way I normally do with longer dresses.  The fluttery short sleeves are so comfy and the fabric is thick enough that I don't need a slip to hide lines.  It hugs my curves in all the right places and those bright red tulips are really going to pop on those gray December days.  I really love this dress and KarinaDresses has so many great styles, I think this shop is really going places.

Shop the Look:

Margaret Dress (Short Sleeves) - Tulip Garden

Forever 21 Coat from ThredUp

Red Heels from ModCloth

Dear, Deer

    New season, new city, new park.  I moved again this summer and now am the proud owner of my very first home.  It's a secluded little place and wildlife abounds.  The deer in particular are everywhere and as much as I love deer, they're part of my Native American name given to me by my tribal chief after all, they've made my scenic commute rather stressful.  So, I'd like to write a letter I know they'll never read and it goes like this:  

My very dear deer, 

Please take care when grazing by the highway.  Please don't see my car coming and decided it's now or never for crossing the road.  Take your time, pause a moment and give me a moment to pause for you.  

Sincerely, 

the lady who doesn't want to take a life, lose her life, or wreck her car. 

Now they have no excuse.

    One of the perks of this move has been getting to explore the countryside and the new city.  I adore this little public park and I can't wait to go back for some quite walks by the water.  A chilly fall day like this definitely calls for a plaid skirt and a cozy sweater.  I found this Prim Class Hero Midi skirt a couple of months ago, and have been aching to wear it again with some earth tones to bring out the rust and mustard colors, so today I'm rocking this Forever 21 find.  I originally saw it on an episode of Community several years ago and thought it was adorable, but that was season two and the show was already on season six, so I knew there was no chance of finding it in stores.  Being the resourceful shopper that I am I managed to find it in the resale world and it just may be my new favorite top for this gorgeous skirt.

 Shop the Look:
Prim Class Hero Midi Skirt in Plaid from: ModCloth
Forever 21 Flats and Sweater from ThredUp.  Use my link to sign up and save $10 off your first purchase.
Earrings are from BlueSunEmporium.etsy.com

Miss Patina & The Musical Ma'am Dress

    You may be wondering how my New Year's resolution to learn to play the ukulele is going...although what you're probably wondering is why on earth would I be wondering that?  Well, if you must know, I can successfully play Row, Row Your Boat and I'm getting pretty good at He's Got The Whole World in His Hands.  Plus, the year's not over yet, so I've got time.  

    If there's one thing I love it's cats playing musical instruments, dressed up as mermaids, or dressed as Ziggy StarDust, so it's no surprise that I'm head-over-heels for Miss Patina and I love it even more when my favorite dress shop carries this brand.  My latest Miss Patina pick is this Musical Ma'am dress from ModCloth.  It's so well made with nice heavy fabric that buttons down the front and has a side zipper.  I ordered this dress in a small and although I typically wear XS, I think this fits well, so definitely check the sizing before you order as you may need to size up.  The sleeves are a bit snug and short, but the fabric is stretchy and I typically wear my sleeves pulled up anyway, so no complaints. I especially love the keyboard collar and notes on the sleeves, and this dress goes purrr-fectly with my Wherefore Art Thou, Ro-meow? Tights.  I'm all ready to shred it on my ukulele in style.

Shop the Look:
Miss Patina Musical Ma'am Pleated Long Sleeve Dress from ModCloth
Excuse us, miss, but we heard you humming and think you might be a good fit for this burgundy dress by Miss Patina! Tailored to recital-ready perfection and made from a comfortable fine knit, this fun frock is music to your eyes. Especially its embroidered details - a keyboard collar, note-touched cuffs, and talented kittens performing on the button placket enhance this look with eye-catching whimsy!
Wherefore Art Thou, Ro-meow? Tights

Searching for Bernadette

I don't watch much tv these days, but I used to be a big fan of Bernadette's style on The Big Bang Theory, and my favorite part about her style is that a lot of it is very affordable and from widely available brands like Forever 21 and Jessica Simpson.  So, every now and then I run across a dress that she's worn on the show.  My first Bernadette dress was this floral cutie from Forever 21:

I don't really go looking for her dresses, but I do take notice of them when I've watched the show and every now and then I see them pop up on Ebay or ThredUp.  I was thrilled when this Jessica Simpson floral dress turned up and I've decided to deviate from Bernie's standard dress and cardi by layering mine with a pullover underneath.

Shop the Look:
Layer it On Tights in Graphite from: ModCloth
The Zest is History Heel in Navy from ModCloth
Jessica Simpson Dress and J Crew Sweater from ThredUp  Use my link to sign up and save $10 off your first purchase!
Earrings and bracelet are from BlueSunEmporium.etsy.com