Snowy Days; Starry Nights

Snow, snow, snow.  We've had a nice little dusting of snow here and a few snow days to go along with it.  After dashing out to get some photos in this lovely, fresh snow, I've mostly been indoors with the fam keeping warm. 

As soon as I heard that there would be snow in the forecast, I knew I'd be photographing this dress as well as getting a head start on my Christmas outfits for this year.  I know, it's a bit early to be thinking of Christmas, I just got my tree put away a few days ago, but snow in December is a rarity here, so I thought I may as well take advantage, especially since while my tree has been put away, my Christmas outfits are still waiting to go into storage and were quite handy when I was getting ready this morning.

I wasn't such a fan of the Van Gogh prints on these Selkie Tea Rose dresses initially.  I'm not exactly sure why, but they just didn't speak to me until a few months ago and then suddenly I loved them and had to have them.  I bought both of my Van Gogh dresses second hand, and I saved a little bit but not much.  I didn't mind, I was too smitten.

Thanks to the holidays and a couple of Royal Mail postal strikes, it took about 6-8 weeks for this dress to arrive, but it was worth the wait and I've already got the perfect pair of VIVAIA flats to wear with it, as soon as this snow melts so that you can actually see my feet.

While the snow lasts, I am enjoying this beautiful winter wonderland out my window.  The window, I might add which is clear and has my vintage arm chair returned to its proper place next to it since I finally got the Christmas tree down.

So, on this first official snow day, once the photos were done, I curled up with a cup of tea to enjoy the scenery from my chair and then, since we were already in a lulled state, we watched an archaeology documentary, which is pretty interesting when you have nothing else to do and nowhere else to go.  I call this snow day a win.

Shopping Info: Selkie Starry Night Tea Rose Dress from QuinnHop

Collaboration Vacation

This pretty little dress is a vacation dress dupe and I love it completely.  It's well made, fits perfectly and is so very pretty for so very little cost.  With so much going on, we decided to reallocate our vacation fund to other bills and all but a couple of days which happen to be coming up next week of our vacation time has been reallocated to other things on the schedule.  With the prices of gasoline and everything else being so high, this just wasn't the year for a trip, but I have this vacation dress dupe, so I thought I'd wear it anyway and write up a little post on vacations of another sort.

For just a few weeks, since we won't be going anywhere except on a little long weekend excursion that we make every year to a nearby resort town, I've decided to take a much needed break from deadlines.  As much as I love collaborating with brands, the deadlines can be a little harsh, especially when combined with my extra full work and home schedules.  I'm writing this post in advance, because when I post it, I will be working the hardest week of my year.  I typically put in 75 hours bookended by two 40 hour weeks (my typical work week is 30hrs).  It's not just a lot of time, it's very physically demanding and when it's all said and done, I usually get sick and have to be on the couch for a few days.  It's not something I look forward to, but it does pay for a few pretty dresses, so I do it with that goal in mind. 

So, with this extremely busy month staring me in the face demanding all my time and energy and then some, I don't have a minute to spare for collaborations.  When I have the time, I love the challenge, when I don't have the time, I find myself overly stressed trying to work everything in.  I once did multiple collaborations with a brand that was constantly pushing the deadline.  At first they said 40 days from delivery to blog post, by the end of our time together, it was usually 10 days from delivery to post and they kept requiring more content in those diminishing amounts of time.  They never paid me; I never asked and they never offered, although I always met their requirements and always before the deadline, and I knew they were paying others.  Part of me loved the challenge.  Part of me was grateful for the opportunity.  And a small part of me dreaded each new collab because I knew it was going to me mean more work in less time.

I was sad and a little hurt when that collaboration ended, they ended it, but overwhelmingly, I was grateful for out time together and relieved to have the pressure off.  I'm far more selective these days in what collaborations I'll accept because I don't like to do anything if I can't give my best effort and full attention and lately, all my best efforts are being spent on my work and family and I have a limited amount set aside for creativity.

For the time being, I've given myself permission to vacation from collabs and just relax a little.  Or maybe relax a lot, we'll see.  And, when I say relax, it's very much a mental sort of relaxation because with the school year starting and two children getting closer and closer to graduation, my schedule got even busier. 

I'm taking a vacation from spending my weekends getting up at 5 a.m. so I can take photos at dawn.  I'm taking a break from the endless outfit planning and accessorizing.  I'm taking a break from the days spent editing photo and video.  I'm taking a break from keywords and hyperlinks and promo codes.  What will I do instead?

I plan to sleep in, get in a few good workouts, read a book and sip coffee on the stone patio as all the cats gather for their share of attention.  I plan to have less screen time and more home time, cleaning, taking walks, listening to stories about my family's day time.

I intend to spend more time on the little crafty projects that have been sitting neglected on my sewing table.  I intend to wear my pretty clothes instead of just saving them for photos.  I'm going to go places when they're open instead of getting there at dawn just for pics.

Don't get me wrong, I love the collabs and I love all the brands I work with, just like I love my job, but I still need a vacation now and then in order to get some rest and feel refreshed to come back and work hard again.  

That's something I haven't really had much of with the blog even during all the lockdowns.  In fact, I got more work than ever because I had a farm so I could still go outside and take nice photos without people coming unglued.  Add to that the fact that I was putting in 9 hour days working from home and I'd say it's well past time for a little getaway.  I've earned it, I need it, and I'm going to enjoy a nice vacation from deadlines.

Shopping Info:  Blue Floral Vacation Dress-$44, Elvira Square toe Ballet Flats from Vivaia

For Lamour Day Dress from Ivory Sheep

In light of my recent post about the shocking lack of decent customer service at some of the major companies in the world, I thought it only fair to bring a balanced view to the discussion by highlighting one of the places I shop where the customer service is outstanding, IvorySheep.

Based in Ontario, Canada and founded by highschool sweethearts Michael and Mackenzie, Ivory Sheep is for everyone who marches to the beat of their own drum.  Not just for black sheep, but for the those who feel like they're even the odd ball among the black sheep, the Ivory Sheep, if you will. That's the sort of train of thought that speaks to me very personally.

Ivory Sheep carries top brands like Selkie, Maison Amory, and Love Shack Fancy, but their customer service is where they really shine.  Mackenzie inspects every piece they get in stock to make sure it meets their quality standards.  That is a great comfort if you've ever read some of the horror stories from people who got dresses with holes or stains and couldn't get a refund.

The first time I ordered from Ivory Sheep, it was a Selkie pre-order and I didn't really know what to expect.  As the weeks slipped by I began to get nervous, so I sent an email to Mackenzie on a Saturday morning, not expecting a response from customer service until Monday afternoon.  Within minutes she had replied and reassured me that pre-orders were still in the works and not to worry.  She then asked for the date by which I needed the dress, so I told her, thinking it was far enough away that she didn't need to worry about it.

More weeks slipped by and the date approached so I reached out again.  Pre-order production was still moving at a snail's pace, but she told me she'd do everything she could to get it to me in time, and true to her word, she reached out to Selkie and asked them to ship it to me directly to save time so that I could have my dress when I needed it.

All I could think after reading her messages was, "Wow, it's nice to know there are people like this in the world, who will go the extra mile, not because they have to but because they care."  I've been a loyal customer ever since.

There were only a couple of things that tickled my fancy from Selkie's Paper Moon Collection (by the way, Paper Moon has been one of my favorite movies since I was a little girl, so it only seems fitting to have a dress or two from this collection), but this For Lamour Day Dress was definitely at the top of that short list, followed by a surprise crush on a dress I didn't even notice right away.  More about that dress on the way.

For now, though I do adore this dress and I am ever so grateful to IvorySheep for being a place that I can trust in a world that sometimes seems rather short on ethical businesses and kind people.  Keep up the amazing work!

Shopping Info: Selkie For Lamour Day Dress-$252 from IvorySheep.com

Regency Gold

Regency styles seem to be here to stay.  While I've never been a fan of the empire waist dress, I do like trying new things and the print from this dress was calling my name, so I'm embracing my inner Jane Austen in today's post.

Interestingly enough, heels were originally designed for men's wear and slippers, also known as flats were the height of ladies' fashion in the regency era, so I thought it only appropriate to don some colorful flats for today's regency inspired pics.

Satin, leather, and plenty of ribbons and beading were popular materials for shoes in the 1700's, but I quite prefer these simple breathable woven fabric flats from Harriseve in this bright yellow that brings out the floral print of this dress.

If there is one character in fiction that I could relate to, it is probably Elizabeth Bennet.  I always loved how she was innocent but wise, witty but kind, and of course, willing to admit when prejudice had caused her to misjudge someone. 

Given how likely she was to traipse through the mud in search of her sister without regard for the opinions of others, I think Elizabeth Bennet would approve of something so sensible, comfortable and easy to clean as these Harriseve Flats. 

Shopping Info:  Dress-$20 from Yenkye, Harriseve Flats-$40 from Amazon  Now through August 27th get these flats for $18.49

Busyness

If there is one thing I have learned during this month of no spending it's that a large part of the reason I spend is to stay busy.  There's an addiction at work, sure, but there is also a drive to be ever creating something.  I shop for odds and ends for craft or sewing projects I'm working on.  I shop for accessories to create the perfect outfit composition for photographing.  I shop to sample new designers so I can make a video reviewing them.  Busy, busy, busy.  I shop to stay busy and this month without it had me biting my nails and pacing the floors for the first couple of weeks.

I'm learning to make the most of my idle time now as I cannot stand the idea of just sitting.  So, instead of shopping or even outfit blogging/photographing, I've been rather focused on getting my house in order.  It's not a job I relish or anticipate, but a necessary one and one that no one else has been doing since I left full-time homemaking for the work force.  It kind of sucks and yet it's the way of things all too often.

I always wanted my life to be a challenge, not a grind.  I wanted it to matter in some way that would make a difference for generations.  I had my heart set on missionary work, building communities, and helping those in need, a Lillian Trasher, Gladys Aylward type of life.  What a challenge that would have been and how rewarding, but as I round out my 40th year, I am more and more resigned to this treadmill simplicity, but I have to acknowledge that my nature craves a challenge still and it will supplement however it can.

This little Abbott Prairie Dress was a delightful challenge and I had a tremendous sense of accomplishment when it turned out as well as I had hoped and with only one day of working on it to boot.  But as soon as I sat back and looked at the finished work, breathed a single sigh of contentment, my mind began searching for something else to do.

I have been thinking a lot about my future and my nature lately.  I love my job, but should I add something more challenging to my weekly schedule?  I'm not sure I have the time to do more than I'm doing now.  I feel shattered at the end of each day, but rarely accomplished, which begs the question if I should be doing different instead of more. 

While I'm pondering all this and still in the middle of this spending freeze, I have been contemplating sewing projects, both the ones I could do now without buying any supplies and the ones I would like to take on in the future should funds become more flexible.

Ever since this Selkie obsession began, I've been splitting my style between this princessy vibe and my ever-admired vintage styles.  I would love to try sewing some 1940s style trousers and overalls from a vintage reproduction pattern, but that's one of those projects that would require some shopping as I currently have no proper overalls fabric or the appropriate buttons.

I guess I'll just have to stick a pin in my plans and keep busy in the meantime with cleaning, organizing, scrubbing, shelving, and all the other little tasks that fall by the wayside when there is no constant keeper of the home.

Shopping Info:  This Selkie Abbott Prairie Puff Dress dress is from Boho Chic Clothing.  It is sold out now, but you can still find it at Revolve.

A Selkie Triumph

As I mentioned in my last post, I've been slammed with a lot of bad things in the last month and it's been totally overwhelming at times.  It helps when chaos overruns our lives to create pockets of order.  When defeat after defeat wearies us, it bolsters our spirits to have a little victory now and then.  For me, at this moment, when I'm surrounded by painful circumstances created by powers beyond my control which includes, my body going haywire, my recovery time stretching into eternity, and a couple of spoilt useless Texas assholes that I am unfortunate enough to live next to trying to sue me over something that could have been settled with a simple conversation if they had the spine God gave a gnat between the two of them, it really does help lift my spirits at time like this to have a minor triumph now and then and this dress is just such a triumph.

As soon as I saw the Selkie Spring '22 collection in October of 2021, I wished above all that they would release the Mucha print in a corset dress and even said so on one of the discussion boards.  I don't know if Selkie has spies or they just also came to the realization that this was a fantastic idea, but they did, in fact, release just such a dress.....but only at Antropologie.....and on the day when I was in the hospital having emergency surgery.  By the time I even knew such a dress existed, it was long since sold out.  Or was it.

Now, what I'm about to say, may sound crazy but it also worked, because here I sit with my dress, so maybe it's worth a listen.  I bookmarked the link for this dress on Anthropologie and each day first thing in the morning, I would bring up the link and then refresh it periodically throughout the day, just in case someone returned their dress and it was listed for sale again.  After about two weeks, the dress did indeed appear.  But, I was at work.  I rushed to retrieve my wallet and when I returned there was someone at my desk needing help.  I didn't want to seem unprofessional, so I helped the person first, it took only five minutes, but by the time they left, the dress was also gone, and it was back to refreshing that link.

At long last, the dress restocked again.  Although it was not my size, it was only one size bigger (I thought), so I purchased it immediately only to receive an email to say it was "backordered," which may mean I'd get the dress or may mean it would be canceled.  Either option was just as likely as the other.  Another week passed as I waited on pins and needles and the dress finally shipped!  Initially I had arranged a trade with someone who had my size but the other person accused me of trying to cheat them before we had even got to the name and address stage of the trade and that is a huge red flag for me.  The only people that out-of-the-blue accuse strangers of cheating them are cheaters themselves.  Liars always accuse everyone of lying and thieves always think people are stealing from them.  I don't like to go back on a deal, but it was so strange that I couldn't shake the bad feeling I now had. I backed out of the trade and instead I contacted a tailor and set an appointment for this week to have the dress altered so I can wear it.  

I'm not sure how long that will take with wedding season nearly here, so I wanted to take a few photos in the spring flowers before it goes off to the tailor. I will definitely be adding straps as soon as the dress comes back, because the inside is lined with slippery nylon and seems like a slip-up waiting to happen. I truly begin to question whether these dresses are worth it with creative decisions such as this, but I do love the dress and I don't regret all the effort I put in to attaining it.  

In a world filled with things I can't control, this is something over which I can exercise a modicum of rule.  I knew going into it that it was a long shot, but I had to take the chance.  And when this dress arrived, it felt like a huge win to put in the work and see the reward.  I know it may seem silly, but we all need a win now and then, even more so when we're drowning in troubles and defeat.  Sometimes this kind of minor triumph can give us the boost we need to get back up and keep fighting all our battles, including those pertaining to cowardly Lone Star half-wits.  (I'm not speaking poorly of all Texans, only the dummies who live next door, so please don't take offense if you're also from Texas)  I may not win all my battles, but I will win a few, so I'm going to keep fighting, keep going, keep doing my best to ignore my neighbors and be patient with my body.  

 

Just as a quick review, this Mucha Corset dress has three layers: one of slick nylon as a lining and two of printed organza.  The nylon lining layer is also in the bodice which seems like it will be difficult to keep up.  It does have a sticky gel strip around the top for grip but it does nothing for me.  I will definitely be adding straps as soon as it comes back from alterations.  It has a zipper down the back and it seems to me to run bigger than my previous Selkies.  In organza I normally wear XS, but this size small fits so largely that I think I would need XXS.  As I am writing this, this dress was released a month ago and the rest of Selkie's spring '22 collection still has not been released and no firm date has been announced.   I will include the link below for Anthropologie.  Keep clicking, you never know, you may get lucky.

Shopping Info:  Selkie Mucha Print Corset Dress-$325 from Anthropologie