Keep Calm & Cherry On

I have a really bad habit of saving certain dresses for special days or photos.  It goes against everything I believe about living life to the fullest, but still fall victim to it if I'm not careful.  Take this little cherry dress from Retrolicious for example.  I bought it because I thought it would go perfectly with my Betsey Johnson Cherry Pie bag, which it does, but was reluctant to wear it for that very same reason.  

What will I wear with this bag if I totally wear-out this dress? I wondered and for a week or so, I refused to wear it just in case a movie night or other outing came along.  After a week or so, I realized how silly I was being.  For one thing I am so careful with my clothes that even after wearing some of them for a decade or more, I rarely "wear them out."  For another thing, I think I get caught up in a scarcity mind-set that if this dress were gone there would never be another so I need to save, save, save.

As an savvy shopper, I can tell you that half the fun is when the old is gone and it's time to see how we can replace it or how our styles have moved on.  I remember back in the early 2000's that I found a beautiful scarf at Charlotte Russe.  I thought it was the most perfect scarf I had ever seen and I loved it so much that I bought two because I thought I would want to have an extra when the first wore out.  Would you like to know what happened?

My style changed well before even one of those scarves wore out and I wound up giving away not one but two perfectly good scarves a few years later because they just weren't "me" anymore.  I should have learned my lesson right then and there, but sadly some lessons take a little longer to learn.

At least this story has a happy ending.  Since I renovated my closet and down-sized my on-hand wardrobe, I am getting way more wear out of the pieces I selected to be my spring/summer pieces and I decided there was room to put this dress in the rotation, so it has already been worn half a dozen times since I purchased it.

I may actually end up wearing this dress out, but I have made my peace with the fact that if I do, then searching for something new that goes perfectly with this bag will just be part of the fun, a new challenge in a new season of my life and style.

Outfit Info: Retrolicious Cherry Pie Dress, Betsey Johnson Cherry Pie Bag, Jelly Pop Sneakers

Apple Pie of My Eye

Alright, perhaps a bit of a reach on the title there, but I have been baking lots of pies lately and so this Palma Dress in Apple Pie Print from Dolly & Dotty seemed like the perfect dress for today as I will most assuredly be baking a pie.  I find that it is easier to bake a pie in advance and then reheat throughout the busy week or very busy weekend.

In my opinion there are two kinds of dessert lovers: Cake People and Pie People.  It's all a matter of taste, of course, and no such thing as a right answer, but this girl loves pie.  Personally, I've always said that if I'm going to indulge in dessert, it better be worth it and by worth it, I mean rich and decadent.  And cake is just a bunch of fluff.

Pie on the other hand is buttery, flakey, gooey, salty, sweet; it's the whole package and a top pick when I do have dessert.  But, truth be told, I haven't been making sweet pies of late, rather I have been experiementing with savory pies and Oh Boy, I may be in trouble!  

Lately, I have been playing with an old Martha Stewart recipe for Cheese & Potato "pie," I use quotations there because the recipe calls for a puff pastry to envelope the filling and so it's more like a hot pocket than an actual pie.  Well, I decided to change that.  I've had this recipe in my arsenal since 2005 or so, I have made it numerous times, and it only keeps getting better.

I'll link the recipe at the bottom so you can experience this culinary delight for yourself, but basically I use an old fashioned pie crust recipe with butter, not lard and then to the filling instead of just Gruyere and leeks, I use Gruyere, green onions, potatoes, and sauteed mushrooms.  I serve it with roasted chicken and roasted asparagus spears and my, my, it is certainly a treat coming home in the evening from a hard day when there is a dinner like that waiting for me. (Even though I had to make it myself and then reheat it when I got home :D )

Thanks to this Palma Pie dress, I am feeling rather inspired to whip up an apple pie to go along with my now perfect cheese & potato pie recipe.  You can never have too much of a good thing, not when it comes to pie and certainly not when it comes to Dolly & Dotty dresses.

Outfit Info:  Palma Sleeved Tea Dress in Muted Orange Apple Pie Print-£40 

from Dolly & Dotty, Shoes by Honiara Vintage/Charlie Stone, Bag is old

Martha Stewart Alsatian Potato Pie Recipe

Retro Cherries with Dolly & Dotty

Oh my, oh my, this cherry dress from Dolly & Dotty is just what the springtime ordered!  With a fitted waist, flowy skirt and flutter sleeves, not to mention this darling cherry print, this Donna dress truly is the perfect little gem for all the things and places we've been going this season.

Yes, indeed, every single year I look forward to the warmer weather so I can just spend my free moments lounging outside and soaking it all in, and every single year I forget that warmer days mean a full docket of things to attend like plays, weddings, graduations, baby showers and all the like.

A dress like this has been really perfect for everything and believe me when I say, that we have been doing all the things.  And, frankly I am more than happy to go and celebrate momentous occasions with family and friends, these are the things that make life so enjoyable after all, but I do miss all the downtime we get in the colder seasons.  Would it be totally terrible if I admitted that I have finally found something to love about winter?

This is my first time trying the Donna Style from Dolly & Dotty, but I can tell you it is  probably my favorite style so far.  I know lots of women struggle with comfortable sleeves and this dress has not only comfort but a flattering style.  It also has a fitted waist with ruching for tummy camouflaging and a perfect-for-twirling-full skirt that creates a most flattering silhouette.

This is what I would call an "easy dress," because it just slips on and looks amazing with so little effort on my part.  And when you have every weekend and most week nights fully booked for a weeks on end, it's necessary to have pieces like this that you can grab and go while still looking your best.

Outfit Info:  Donna Retro Cherry Crossover Bust Dress-£45 from Dolly & Dotty, bag and Qupid Heels are old, 

Comic Genius with Dolly & Dotty

You probably already know I am a huge collector of comic print clothing, but just in case you're not, check out this link, search "Comic" at the side to view all my previous posts with this beloved style of print, or simply keep in scrolling to see today's Comic Print Amanda Dress from Dolly & Dotty.

One reason for my affection for Comic prints may be because with so many colors, the outfit possibilites are limitless.  This Amanda Dress has soft greens, bright blues, and warm purples.  I chose to really bring out the red in this dress by adding a red belt, red heels, and a red belt.

I haven't really been using my novelty bags for outfits as much over the past year, but never fear, I still have/love them, and there are just some dresses that require extra for their accessories.  This is one such dress that just needs a purse with more, so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to bring out my Popcorn bag once more. 

I have to say I love everything about this look, not just the vibrant colors and rockabilly wowness that I adore, but this really feels like just a classic me look.  I've been working so much for so long, that I have really started to fall into a routine with clothes that just aren't this fun.

Every routine can do with a good shake up now and then to keep things fresh and it feels good to be so colorful again.  How did I ever mangae without Dolly&Dotty in my life?  Thanks, Gals, for keeping my clothes fun.  I look forward to my next collab with Dolly&Dotty.

Outfit Info:  Amanda Dress in Comic Print-£50 from Dolly&Dotty.  Petticoat by Leg Avenue, Bag by Bewaltz, and shoes from Honiara Vintage by Charlie Stone.

'Tis the Pumpkin Season

Yes, that's right, tis the season to don costumes, carve pumpkins, put spices in everything, and generally revel in the autumn of it all. 

I'm ready; I'm ready for all of it!  The one exception being that I still don't have any idea what I'm going to do for my Halloween costume, but I suppose the idea will just have to come to me when it comes to me.  There's no time like the very last minute.

I'm so glad that Unique Vintage brought back this Halloween themed Fair Isles sweater this year because I love, love, love it.  It goes perfectly with my Rust Tights from We Love Colors.

If I must say goodbye to summer again, at least I can celebrate its passing in style.  Get ready for a whole month of spooky sweaters and every shade of orange in existence.  

Shopping Info:  Rust Tights-$15 from WeLoveColors.com, Fair Isles Sweater-$68 from Unique-Vintage.com Also at ModernMillie for the same price, Similar Jack-O-Lantern Bag-$6.50 from Shein.com