Moments of Autumn

I absolutely love that moment when you know summer has peaked and autumn is on the way.  It's that moment when you step out your door to a chill in the air and instinctively reach for a sweater before turning the kettle on.  For me and my little neck of the woods, that moment is here.

Outfit Info:  Classic Dress in Tiny Woodland Print by Son de Flor is thrifted. Shoes from B.A.I.T., Cardigan is from YeMAK.

Still Have Dress: Will Travel

Lately I've been overcome with a wave of nostalgia for the blog and my wardrobe.  As I was putting away some things that are just to heavy to wear in summer, and getting out some light sundresses, I found myself searching for all my old ModCloth favorites from 2012 ~ 2016. Maybe my Low-Buy Year has me finally focusing less on what I want next and more on enjoying all the beautiful things I already have.  Or maybe it's because the blog is coming up on its 10 year anniversary and I can't help but look back at that innocent girl who started it and her sweet little children and miss those days. 

I was so thrilled when I found this Have Fun Will Travel dress in the summer of 2015 that I did two outfit posts (Here and here) and even went thrifting for a vintage suitcase to use as a prop for my photos.  I was absolutely exuberant and walked around on cloud-9 when I wore it.  I have very specific memories tied to the days I wore certain dresses and at a certain point they can begin to be so linked to my good memories that they feel more like souvenirs that should be preserved rather than clothing that should be worn, which is one of the reasons I have accumulated far too many--dresses are my photo albums.

They say that adulthood is just trying to liveout the dreams of childhood.  I spent so much of my life never having nice things and dreaming of the day when I would, but if I did get something nice in my youth, it was to be saved for special occasions.  Later, as a dress collector, I have felt a little wary of wearing my dresses at times because I didn't want to ruin them.  The trouble with that attitude is that, as the great Axel Rose once said, "Nothing lasts forever."  Over 20 years into my dress obsession, I have seen a number of things--mostly shoes and bags made of "vegan leather"--literally crumble and fall apart even though they just sat in a box for years, only taken out for photos or a rare special occasion.  No more.  No more saving things for special occasions or for sitting in a collection.

I've downsized quite a bit and moving forward I am trying to 1. wear all my things and 2. let nothing sit in a box or a bin for too long.  Seasonal storage is quite alright, but beyond that, it either needs to be used or given away.  I'm really enjoying revisiting all my old favorites here on the blog while creating new outfits with them, so I'll probably make this a regular feature.  I'm still wearing all these dresses, so why not continue to showcase the outfits I build.  I have enjoyed spending less and wearing my current things more as well.  I've had a chance to really love, wear, and enjoy these pieces like they deserve and take a little trip down memory lane in the process.  

Outfit Info:  Have Fun Will Travel Dress is old from ModCloth, Crop Cardi is from YeMAK, Flats are from VIVAIA

Garden Parties with Retro-Stage.

At first sight of this dress from Retro-Stage, I immediately thought of a 1950s Garden Party.  It sets my heart aflutter to even think of such a wonderful thing!  I suppose I have always wanted a beautiful garden where I could sit, take tea, listen to the sounds of nature, and write in my journal.  Always. When I was a little girl, I determined to make my own garden by planting flowers ringed with rocks to mark them off as sacred all around the yard.

Withing a month or so, just as my flowers were starting to bloom, I would inevitably hear the sounds of metal scraping rocks as my dear ol' dad mowed over my "gardens" every. single. time.  Those sounds were then followed by some rather rough language as dad tried to figure out why there were seemingly random rock piles all around the yard.

Well, I never got my beautiful gardens as a child, and found myself without the time for much gardening throughout much of my adult life, but now that my children are moving on to have their own lives and I find myself more and more with plenty of time on my hands, I decided it was high time to make this little dream come true.

One day, I think I will get my vintage garden party, and I have the perfect dress for it already.  I'm making very good progress so far and I know it isn't perfect, but who says things have to be perfect before they can be enjoyed.  No, I'm making use of my garden spot right now, just as it is and loving every moment.

Outfit Info:  Beige 1950s Floral Half Sleeve Belted Dress-$28.99 from Retro-Stage

Blue Violets

This outfit post is long overdue.  I got this Blue Vine Day Dress last year as a birthday gift.  I immediately altered the sleeves and then, as it was at the end of summer, put it away until warmer days returned.  I don't really hold much to the old fashion rule of "never wear white after Labor Day or Brown after Memorial Day," but I do find that I don't really want to wear white in the autumn or winter.

White is a spring and summer color, so light and fresh.  It seems out of place in autumn's rich hues and overwhelming, even gloomy against all the snow and bare branches of winter.  On the other hand, when all the woods are decked in green and white with violets scattered over the forest floor, it seems only right that I follow suit.

I haven't had much time for making violet jam this year, maybe next year if all goes well, because I did love the taste and color of this springtime delicacy.  I spent a few weeks scouring our woods last year and transplanted a number of wild violets to encircle the perimeter of my herb garden so that I'll have some close by should the urge to make jam strike.

All my relocated plants are thriving this year, so perhaps I should keep it up and simply have a yard full of violets since they seem to do so well and not much else does.  Life really is all about learning to work with what you have and gardening is no exception.

I'm already sad to think that in a few short weeks all the violets will be gone for another year, but I suppose the brevity is what adds to the enjoyment and the beauty of this season after all.

Outfit Info:  Blue Vine Day Dress from Selkie, Teal bow flats from Shein, 

Cameo Necklace is vintage by Avon.

The End is the Beginning

As each year comes to a close, I often hear talk of new beginnings.  January is filled with resolutions to try harder, do better, and make changes.  I'm all for starting new things, but I always try to keep in mind that all beginnings come with endings and ending can be very hard indeed.  Perhaps that's why we don't speak of them as much as we do of beginnings.

The coming year will bring some new beginnings to each of us, and I am excited for all of them, but the other day I attended the company Christmas party and as I walked around and joked with co workers, talked with friends, I realized just how much I will miss these lovely people that I've grown to care so much about and look forward to seeing each week over the last seven years.

I wish life were filled with easy choices, but it simply isn't.  In my case, this particular decision of which job to keep wasn't between good and bad, or even between the lesser of two evils or the better of two goods.  Both jobs are wonderful and I enjoy them very much.  It all boiled down to numbers and boundaries.  One pays better and asks less, that's all.

But in that moment at that party, I really wondered if I was doing the right thing.  In my heart, I know that my time at that position is over.  I have felt for the past few months that after building it from the ground up, and getting a great program running, I don't really have anything new to offer.  I've been searching for something new to challenge me and somewhere new to be a value.  In short, I just know in my heart that it's time to move on, but I am still sad to go.

Perhaps this is why so many people say, "We'll keep in touch," even though they know they won't.  It just softens the reality of partings and endings of happy things to think in some small way we can keep that door open.  Beginnings are exciting.  And, even though they're hard, endings are a beautiful part of beginnings; they're the beginning of beginnings if you look at them from a different perspective.  As Semisonic once said, every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.

So, as this new year begins and the old one ends, I'll raise my glass to beginnings and the endings that make them possible.

Outfit Info: Samantha Pleet Ophelia Dress in Ivory, Honey Comb Cardigan in Honey from MAK, Qupid Heels from ModCloth are old.