Plaid Trudy Swing Dress Review

    This was a little belated Christmas gift from Unique Vintage.  I suggested this dress to a friend and she repaid the favor by buying me one too :D  This dress is absolutely stunning and such a classic, well made piece that it's a must have for holiday get togethers.  However, one thing I have to mention is this: although I ordered my normal size XS (which is usually a bit loose) and my friend ordered her normal size 1X  I could barely squeeze into this dress and my poor friend couldn't squeeze into it at all.  

    The waist and sleeves are sooo tight I needed help putting it on and I can't imagine how it will fit next year when my weight is back up.  My friend decided to return hers.  I popped a couple of seams at the waist putting mine on, so I deiced to keep it and maybe invest in some waist slimming hosiery if next Christmas finds me too plump to pull up the zipper.  

    So, my recommendation for this dress is size up at least one and maybe two sizes if you don't own a  corset and/or enjoy breathing.  Other than that, buy with confidence because it's a stunning dress as far as color, cut and quality.  Another reason to shop with Unique Vintage takes care of their customers, so talk to them about sizing and their return policy.  I've always had very helpful and friendly customer service there which is one of the main reasons I love them.

    I've had lots of fun hitting the flea markets and antique stores since we've been home and I've found a number of old pieces of luggage like this burgundy vanity case that I felt like I just couldn't live without.  It did a great job of toting and protecting my beloved camera on this trek into the woods.  These vintage costume earrings once belonged to my great-grandmother who was the classiest and feistiest lady I've ever met.  

    I could do an entire post just about her life things like how in the 1920s she hopped on a motorcycle with a man she'd just met and went out to California where she dyed her hair blonde and got a job as a waitress in a restaurant where Laurel and Hardy were frequent visitors. She would always remark that Hardy was the best tipper.  But, those stories are for another day and another post.

Shop the Look:

1950s Style Red Plaid Three Quarter Sleeve Trudy Swing Dress

With Haute a Doubt Heels from ModCloth

Vintage earrings and suitcase

Meow: ootd

    Have I mentioned I'm kind of a cat lady.  Not the crazy kind, just your average garden variety cat lover.  Since I've been home, I've been able to lavish lots of love on the outdoors cat we left behind years ago.  She couldn't come with us since outside cats aren't allowed where we lived, so we left her here on the farm.  We adopted her as a kitten and named her Little Dot.
    While we were away she received such good care that we are going to have to rename her.  My suggestions are "Big" Dot or Blot since no one in their right mind could aptly call this girl little anymore.  I like her best when she is all snug and cozy, curled up in her little house like she is today, but I did manage to snap a couple of photos of her the other day when she was out hunting.  She's much nicer than she looks here and she never stops talking! 

    It's a rainy day indoors for me, so I won't be making the walk over to see her at her house today, but it did seem like a good time to get out my latest kitty-wear finds.  This Delia's sweater and skirt I found on the same trip to ThredUp and bought them both for less than $20.  These kitty tights seem to be in all my favorite shops and I managed to find them on Ebay (factory direct) for about $2, which is a savings about about $13.  My only suggestion would be to size up if possible.  I bought these in the only size offered but Asian sizes are smaller so even though the cat print should be on my thighs, it's on my knees and the waist band is a bit snug.  Oh well, they're still cute and I'll remember to look around for the option to size up next time.  

    Since I'm indoors again today, I've decided to rummage through all the antique out of print books to see what I can find.  This book called The CrossWays has always interested me, but I've never stopped to read it.  Sometimes I find awesome reads in the out-of-prints, and sometimes I understand why a book is no longer in circulation, so I'll let you know where this book falls on that spectrum.  Even if it's terrible, I love the beautiful cover and the 105 year old inscription inside in sepia aged ink.

Please don't meme my cat picture before I do

Shop the look:

Delia's Sweater & Old Navy Skirt both from ThredUP  <--Use this link to save $20 off your first order when you sign up

Cat Tights from Ebay  (but search around and see if you can size up!)

Madison Dress Review

    Ooooooh, this dress!  Unique Vintage you've done it again!  This Hell Bunny by Vixen dress is a dream for women with curves!  Even if the curves are still under construction like mine, this is a very flattering fit.  I ordered the XS and it's ever so lovely.  I'm not sure if the dress runs a bit big, or it's just me, but I would recommend comparing your measurements with the size chart before ordering.  It's made of heavy fabric, but is unlined, so in the future for chilly days like this, I'll probably add a slip and chemise and wear wool tights instead of nylon.  

    I rushed out this morning a bit earlier than usual.  The sun was till rising making it difficult to find a place without bars of light coming through the trees, but I wanted to catch the last of the snow before it melted away.  I'm also sporting this gorgeous bag that I grabbed during an awesome holiday sale at ModCloth.  It's probably the coolest big bag that I own.  This would have made a really stellar diaper bag back in the baby days. I added some authentic vintage touches to complete the style with my antique cameo and vintage gloves.  Since this is a solid color dress, some of the lovely little accents can get lost and putting the cameo in the center of the bow, really makes it pop. 

Shop the Look:
Hell Bunny 1950s Style Navy Blue Madison Three Quarter Sleeve Swing Dress
Travel Back in Timely Bag from ModCloth by
Wingtip Spectator Pumps from Walmart
Gloves and cameo are vintage

Under the Trees: Elle 70th Anniversary Dress Review

    It is literally freezing outside today, but I managed to snap a few quick pics before the snow fell.  I'm going to wait until it's at least 50 degrees again until I take anymore pics.  Today's post is with this long awaited checkered print that I talked about months ago.  I don't buy much at Kohls, but this Elle 70th Anniversary Dress caught my eye right away.  I watched it for months before it finally went on sale.  Pros: it fits well and the belt that it came with seems to be decent quality.  Cons: the dress is unlined and by the time I bought it only XS was left.  I love a monochromatic print so I can pair it with any color in my closet and it works.  I've been toting this Betsey Johnson phone purse for over a year and every time I leave the house with it someone asks if it really works.  The answer is Yes!  and Yes, it is totally awesome :)

Shop the Look:
Elle 70th Anniversary Dress from Kohls
Yellow Tights are Old
Old Navy Jacket
Betsey Johnson Purse (search amazon and you'll get lost of color options)

Sometimes It's Easy Being Green

    Admittedly this winter I have been on a plaid kick.  It's really the only time of year I wear plaid, so I tend to binge wear plaid until either I'm tired of it for another year or everyone else is.  But, I'm far from over it yet.  I gravitate toward anything with red or orange in it from September to February, but when I saw this Amelia Cap Sleeve Swing Dress in green and yellow print from Unique-Vintage, I was smitten.  What better way to cheer up in this winter world of tan and gray than with this warm green plaid.

    I love this dress and am so excited to see how many different looks I can make with it.  Let's get to the review.  Pros:  The fit is so flattering, though I'm not endowed enough to draw attention to the clever split in the band across the front.  The colors are lovely and bright and go well with yellow, white, a lighter shade of green, black, or navy blue, so I'm going to be able to wear this dress lots of  ways.  Cons:  The fabric is very light and not suitable for winter wear, but could be great for St. Patty's Day or for a standout summer look.  Also the dress can't be ironed and needs to be take to a  professional to get the packaging wrinkles out.

    I'm also pretty excited to be sporting my new camera purse.  This Betsey Johnson beauty was a cyber Monday steal at only $35 (normally $88), so I'm very proud how much I saved on this unique accessory.  It's a lot more spacious than most of the novelty purses I own and the crossbody strap makes it perfect for my little morning strolls.

    As a part of this new chapter in life, I want to post more than outfit photos, so I've been giving myself little assignments of things to look for or simply to look at in a different way.  While I was out for my walk in the fields, I decided to do a little search for anything green.  I managed to find a few things in unlikely places and I had some pretty adorable company with me today.  This stray pup turned up here a few years ago and the girls named her Dottie, which also happens to be the cat's name, so to avoid confusion I refer to this dog as Fuzzy Face and she doesn't seem to mind.

Shop the Look:
Plaid Dress from Unique-Vintage
Use this link to sign up and save 10% off your first order at Unique-Vintage
Bell Flats by Report
Purse by Betsey Johnson
Yellow Coat from ModCloth
Use this link to sign up at ModCloth and save $20 on your first order

A Conversation Masterpiece: Dress Review

    I love taking walks at any time of day, but there's something about the early morning and the way that the animal world is going to bed and the human world waking up, the silence and the sounds that make it my favorite.  This morning is special as it marks the first day of a new year.  I managed to stay up until midnight and thought I'd sleep in today, but at 5:00a.m. I was wide awake and ready to start living.  I ventured out into the woods to watch the sun make flames out of the orange leaves on the forest floor, snap a few glamor shots of a shy little snail, and find one of those lovely speckled seed pods I spent every autumn in childhood hunting for just to hear that satisfying momentary *pop* of snapping them open. 

    Today I was looking for a quiet place to start practicing my ukulele.  It's both a Christmas gift and a New Year's resolution and I think I'll need a place away from my family to start playing at least until I'm a little less awful.  Plus, it seemed like a good excuse to don this A Conversation Masterpiece dress from ModCloth. I've waited months to wear this gorgeous gown and it is absolutely worth the wait.    I love the colors, the pockets, the fabric, and the fit.  No complaints about this dress.  I love the colors and the embroidery.  The fit is spectacular and, of course, I love that it has pockets!  This the kind of dress you can live a real life in and living life to the fullest, letting go of grief and embracing all the joy and goodness that life holds is something I am resolved to do.
    So, as we start this new year, my prayer for you is that this year would hold many blessings and success in all your endeavors to change and grow and pursue health and happiness, that old hurts and disappointments would fade and joys and contentment would abound.  The world can be an awful place, I learned that better than I ever wished to last year, but there is also is beauty all around, and I am committed to finding it and sharing it with you.  Happy New Year, my friends.

Shop The Look:
A Conversation Masterpiece Dress from ModCloth in sizes XXS, XS, S, M, L, XL, 1X, 2X, 3X, 4X
"Bell" Flats by Report