By Gone Days

Victorian Era swimwear always makes me giggle.  It's funny to think that anyone imagined it possible to swim in so many clothes, but hey, I'm sure if someone from back then could look into our world, they'd think we had some pretty harebrained ideas too.  To the Victorians' credit, even if they weren't practical, their swim dresses were still stylish and stunning.  And let's face it, if I could find something that mimicked a Victorian swim dress, I'd totally wear it just to lay around on the beach with my parasol.

Lazy Weekend Crochet Embellished Dress from ChicWish

All Aboard

Trains are such a whimsical way to travel in this part of the world.  Elsewhere they're quite commonplace, but here, if you want to ride a train, it will have to be very old and you'll have to get up super early in the morning and make a whole day of it.  Not that I mind getting up early, it's actually my favorite time to be in the city, especially now that the days are a little shorter and the early morning wind has just enough nip to make me shiver and fill a thermos so I can bring along some hot tea while we wait.

Shopping Info:
New Orleans Nature Vest in Aqua Plaid from ModCloth in Sizes XXS, XS, S, M, L, XL, 1X, 2X, 3X

One Dress, Two Dress, Red Dress, Blue Dress

Autumn brings out the OCD in me.  I get this compulsive need to clean and organize everything thing in my house before  I have to spend four months cooped up in there.  In the spring time I lost my handmade mermaid dress for three months.  I found it eventually on a hanger in the very spot I had searched many times.  Last month I lost a lace top and I knew it had to have fallen off its hanger and become sandwiched between other clothes and I'd likely never find it until it shimmed to the floor.  

So, riding on this wave of compulsive cleaning, I spent two days on my close.  I took every single thing out, sorted it all, reorganized, and put everything back. It totally sucked, but it's so much easier to find things now.  In case your curious as to how I've organized my closet, regained my sanity, and managed to find that missing top, here's what I did:  All my clothes are now broken down into genre--jackets. then tops, then dresses are on the top rack, skirts are on a separate bottom rack, and shoes are on the floor--and then everything is broken down by color.  So, If I'm looking for that cute little fish sundress, I first search in dresses and then go to the pinks and oranges.  Voila!  Easy-peasy.

I still have a ways to go with the rest of my house, but I have a new vacuum and am daily trying to accomplish one organizing task at a time, so hopefully I'll be neat and tidy by the time winter arrives.  In the mean time, with my closet taken care of,  I can devote more of my time to getting outside to enjoy these beautiful days, especially as they become more sporadic.

Shopping Info:

Dress from The-Other-Sparrows

Flats from ModCloth

AE cardi is old

Sentimental Season

What can I say about a day like this.  It's solemn and lonesome.  The morning mist shrouds the hills and the chill in the air has me reaching for something warm to wrap around me.  I don't want to deck my house in plastic garlands; I want to go outside and see what nature has done to decorate the woods and fields.  But since my lady is dragging her feet about getting dressed for the season, this one little wreath on this shabby old door will have to suffice.

Shopping Info:
Sentimental Series Graphic Tee from ModCloth
Collectif Clothing Skirt and Red Cardi are old
The Zest is History Heels in Navy From ModCloth in 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

ModBob

    If you've been keeping up with my style, you've probably already seen the new hair, but I had to take a second to write about it, because I've been struggling with my hair for over a year now.  I decided to try bleaching my hair last summer and while I loved not being recognized by friends and close family, I hated the way my hair looked and how quickly my dark brown roots showed against such a pale color.  I tried changing the color, but my hair was totally fried and wouldn't hold color.  So, I chose a light auburn shade and tried to be patient while I waited for it to grow.  

    My hair grew exactly one half inch per month and after 14 months, it was finally long enough to get rid of the damage and be left with soft healthy hair again.  I had an appointment with my regular gal, but it was still two weeks away and after waiting so long, I just couldn't take the suspense any longer.  I stopped into a place I'd never been before, showed the stylist a photo and snip, snip, snip, I'm now the proud wearer of this adorable bob.  Since the damage is gone, I can finally go back to a darker color!  Also, I was so impressed with this stylist that I'm permanently changing salons.

Shopping Info:
Heels and Dress from ModCloth ModCloth

Cardigan Comfort

    It's finally Autumn.  It's finally time to start getting out the cardis and layering up.  I'm home alone today with a beautiful storm rumbling out my window.
    It's a balancing act--being productive and yet restful on these rare and precious days.  I used to relish my alone time, now it's a struggle.  The quiet gives way to thoughts that go so deeply I fear I'll never find my way out.  
    Too often I find myself trying to fill my schedule to out run the negative feelings and bad memories.  I could sew, I could read, I could scour every inch of my house until it sparkles for all of five minutes until the children come home.  I could take a nap and dream of better days.  Why choose one?  I think I've got time to do them all.

Shop the Look:
Similar Charter School Pullover in Mustard Stripes from ModCloth in sizes S, M, L, XL, 1X, 2X, 3X, 4X
Top by Leifsdottier from thredUp.  Use my link to sign up and save $10 off your first order

Friends & Family Sale

Friends & Family Sale at ModCloth! 30% Off $150+ Orders with Code BFF30 Valid 9/24 - 9/26 at 11:59 pm ET.

Cape Style

I love that capes are coming back around in the fashion world, so here are a few of my favorite cape picks: 

Chi Chi London 2 in 1 lace top midi dress with tulle skirt in deep purple

Crop Solid Top With Cami Dress Set-$23 from Shein

Cozy Tribe Check Hooded Wool-Blend Cape in Green from ChicWish

Halloween Plus Size Spider Web Dress-$25.47 from Rosegal

SHEIN Button Front Self Belted Cape Coat-$24

Print Mixing

    Every now and then I like to do a print mixing post, just to keep reminding people that it can be done.  There is one very simple rule for print mixing and  that is:  All colors should be in the same palette.  In this outfit for example, I started with this floral fabric and made a simple gathered skirt which has this lovely autumn palette of black, gray, dark brown, burnt orange, sienna, and white.  Then I added a print which had two of those colors--burnt orange and white, and then followed with two solids that were also in the same palette--sienna and dark brown.  Voila!  The outfit has harmony even with all the prints because all the colors are tied together by the palette created by the skirt.

Shopping Info:
Skirt is handmade by moi
Shoes and Cardi from ModCloth
Bow Tie Front Polka Dot Blouse from SheIn

Until the Autumn Colors Arrive

While I'm waiting for the leaves to change, I thought I'd share some pics from the golden flowered fields of summer that some how got lost in the shuffle.

Shopping Info:
Copacetic Charm Dress from ModCloth in sizes 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26

Work Day to Weekend Barbie

Yes, yes, it's another Barbie Post.  How can I not create lots of outfits to go with this skirt though?  When I was young, but still probably older than most kids who collect toys, I saved up my money for months so I could buy some vintage Barbie replicas from Danbury Mint.  I looked forward to a new doll arriving each month while my mom thought, and I did too, that it was a ridiculous amount of money to spend on  porcelain statues of toys (you couldn't even play with them!), she still hovered while I opened each box and ooohhed, and ahhhed with me.  

    My interest in toys waned and I decided to give my entire collection to a fellow Barbie lover who I knew would take good care of them--she had every Holiday Barbie from 1988 onward still in the box for crying out loud.  I didn't have that kind of self control, but I did take good care of my collection and I knew she would take even better care of it. 

    Still, sometimes, even in my late teens to early 20s, I liked nothing more than to grab my mom by the hand and take a stroll down the "pink aisle" at the store.  And I think we were both thrilled when I had not one but two girly girls, who gave us the best excuse to share and carry on our love of all things Barbie.   I know there comes a time when we all have to grow up, but I think there are healthy ways to hold on to the things we love and sharing that love with like-minded others is one of them.  And rather than having shelf after box filled with actual dolls, I think I'll take a beautiful skirt featuring my collection favorites and then some.

 Shopping Info:

Barbie x Unique Vintage My Barbie Collection Swing Skirt

Pink Petal Sleeve Top from SheIn

Charlotte Russe Heels are old

Nila Anthony From The Round Up Purse from ModCloth

A Road to No Where

    Do you ever feel like everyone else in the world got a set of instructions for life except you?  I do.  All.  The. Time.  I feel like everyone else is gliding down the highway, and I'm puttering along without a map (maps are those funny paper things we used to help us find our way before GPS), head constantly craning, looking for a sign that I'm going the right way....but 37 years later, I'm still guessing.  

    I suppose if there's one thing I have learned in my nearly four decades of this great experiment with trial and error that we call living it's that most people for all their confidence and show are just as lost as I am.  We're all searching.  Rather than constantly trying to get our bearings and figure it all out, sometimes it's best to just sit back, find comfort in the fact that there are lovely, wonderful people who are along for the journey wherever it takes us, and enjoy the ride.

 I feel especially blessed when I have this little cutie with me.  Today she raided her closet to find a matching outfit, so we snapped a quick pic of our best fashion diva pose together.

Shopping Info:
Paris Map Skirt from ChicWish
Top from Style Factory in Japan
Jacket from ThredUp