The Sun Rises

 The sun speaks.  And all the world stops and listens.

Animals cease their singing.  Flowers lift their heads.

And so must I, stop my joyful humming and lift my eyes to the hills

 In awe of this glorious sunrise.

Shopping Info: Voodoo Vixen Retro Style Ivory Cherry Print Chacha Dress

Spring in the Air

The woods are ever changing.  The rusty forest floor is slowly transforming to pale green and the soft muffled sounds of winter gave way to all sorts of joyous songs as the world wakes up from its long sleep.  

I know it's all a bit chaotic out there just now, but the important thing is that we stay calm, be smart, and stay safe.  If you find yourself staying indoors more for a while, find a way to make the most of your time.  Personally, I have decided to dedicate myself to reconnecting with my fitness goals (indoors) and making plenty of family time for games, movies, etc.

It's also time for gardening and walks in the quiet woods.  If you don't live in a place where that's possible, then come here to this quiet place and walk with me in spirit as much as you'd like.

So, find something to enjoy about this time, take a calming breath, and remember that the sunshine is just around the corner.

Shopping Info: Sydney Blouse from Free People, eleonora Orange Plaid Skirt from PrincessHighway

Cute Picks from Son de Flor

Classic Dress with Garden Peter Pan Collar

Peter Pan Collar Meadow Embroidery

Elisa Dress, Long sleeves, Marigold

Maya Shawl, White Magnolia

Prairie Apron, White Magnolia

Overalls Over All

What comes to mind when you think of overalls?  For me the simple answer is it's complicated.  I like overalls, but they don't always like me and they're just as often out of style as they are in.  It seems like once every decade or decade and a half some form of overalls comes around again to generally mixed reviews. 

To be truthful, the last time I wore overalls was during my first pregnancy.  A friend loaned me hers.  She'd worn them during her first pregnancy and promised that they would offer supreme comfort and cute style.  Plus, they weren't officially maternity wear and the idea of wearing regular clothes was a comfort somehow.  True to her promise they did deliver on comfort, but looking back on pregnancy pics, they fell horribly short on style.  I looked enormous and schlumpy.  I don't know if I blame the overalls or me. 

Before that, I was a teen in high school when I wore overalls.  It was freshman year,  and they wound up being so short—I had a growth spurt mid-year—that by the end of the year I was pulled aside, made to do a length test and then told if I wore them again I'd be sent home.

This year, I saw some while out shopping with my daughters and asked if they'd like to try some.  The responses varied from a shrug to a wrinkled nose and a swift head shake in the resoundingly negative.  As for myself I wasn't tempted at all.

Some months later, I was browsing Shein, not specifically searching for anything, definitely not looking for overalls, when I saw this cute black/ivory gingham number and decided it was too cute to pass up.  

I wasn't sure if they would fit if I bought them in my usual size.  Sometimes they can run so tight in the hips and thighs that I have to size way up or give up entirely.  Not one to let old overall experiences and prejudices stand in the way of present style, I purchased them in my correct size, crossed my fingers, and hoped they fit.

Once they arrived, I let them sit on the dresser for a week before I worked up the courage to try them on.  Not being able to wiggle into them would have been a blow to my self-esteem.  Even though I'm pretty secure in my shape when things don't fit we have a tendency to blame ourselves first and the clothes second when it should be the other way around.

I stood in front of the mirror, held my breath, and tried them on.  They fit!  Not only did they fit, they fit really well and still felt comfortable.  Not too tight and not swimming-in-them loose.

My absolute favorite way to style black gingham is with bright mustard yellow.  So, for today's post, I used the same color palette and styled it two ways.  The first is with a black mock turtle-neck and yellow cardi.  I didn't really care for this cardi.  It was too baggy and really gave off a schlumpy vibe, so I ditched it for the rest of the pics. 

The second style is with a form fitting yellow sweater underneath and I like this style the best.  I've worn it this way several times and always feel stylish and comfortable.

If you're thinking of giving overalls a try, I'm always on board for (slowly and cautiously) trying new things.  Do a little research, find a stand-out style you like and give it a try.  But, remember, don't blame your body if it isn't a perfect fit.  Blame the style and get back out there and try again.

Shopping Info: Turtle neck and overalls from Shein, sweater from J Crew, flats from Charlotte Russe.

Gingham & Daffodils

The season of daffodils is upon us when the hills return to emerald green and yellow flowers decorate them like gold buttons on a windy coat.

Every year when I was a little girl my grandmother brought me a bouquet of her very first spring flowers.  It always had daffodils and hyacinth and maybe a crocus or two.  These flowers in my basket today are the very same flowers she planted long years before I was born and gifted me with blossoms from them all the years that she was here with me.

Now my mother and I take my daughters out to the hillside each spring to pick a bouquet of these first bright fragrant blossoms.  We who knew her think of her and tell my children good memories of her while we make good memories of our own.

Shopping Info:  Unique Vintage 1950s Light Pink & White Gingham Hamilton Swing Dress

Unique Vintage's Spring Line

There's a lot to love about Unique Vintage's new spring line.  Normally I'm a total spend thrift and I wait for a sale, but there were so many heavenly pretties that I splurged this time and bought a few of the things on my wish list.  So look for dress reviews of a few of the things featured below in the weeks to come.  For now, let's drool over these together!

Berry Ruffled Cupcake Dress

Pink Gingham Hamilton Dress

Roses Print Golightly Dress

Pastel Ombre Dress

Voodoo Vixen Cherry Dress

Blue Stripe Top and Yellow Shorts

Green Gingham Swim Top and Bottoms

About Town

The season's finally changing and oh, how I've missed the sunshine!  I'm glad the mornings are brighter and the days are getting longer and I'm ever so glad to see flowers blooming again.

Most of all, I'm glad to be able to come out on my walks again.  I have an obsessive personality, it's quite common in creative types, and spending so much time indoors gets me fixated on a project of some sort, either drawing, writing or sewing.

I look forward to it, but by the end of winter, I'm feeling pretty drained.  When I'm working on a project, I have the tendency to become totally engrossed, even foregoing food, sleep, and human contact until I'm done or satisfied enough to stop for a while.

A body can't carry on that way forever, it's unhealthy.  that's why I need the sunshine and the bird songs and the colors of the flowers all calling me away from my fevered pace to come outside again, and pause again and be part of the world again.

It can be difficult getting out there again after having shut myself away for so long, but here I am, smile on, ready to leave my mad creativity behind for a few hours or the day so I can enjoy the real world and the very dearly missed sunshine.

Shopping Info: Sweet Your Heart Skirt from ChicWish, Heels from ModCloth, Top from Dear Creatures, Bag from TJ Maxx

Happy International Women's Day

Happy International Women's Day!  As promised I'm featuring this gorgeous Cecelia Dress in Navy as part of KarinaDresses new How Does Your Garden Grow Collection.

International Women's Day means different things to different people, but for me it is all about honoring and celebrating women of the past, present, and future.  Women have made so many important contributions to our world that I'm so glad we take this day to honor them.  

KarinaDresses is a small company in the US that is owned and operated by women.  Talk about a rare gem and definitely something worth talking about on Women's Day!

I have always enjoyed my collaborations with Karina because they really seem to care, not mention that they really know how to make a girl look good.

Karina's newest spring collection has just released and it is aptly titled How Does Your Garden Grow because it is filled with whimsical floral prints.  But, it also has plenty of Karina Classics like this Cecelia dress in Navy.

This is my first time to wear the Cecelia dress and I adore it.  Just look at those lines!  The Cecelia dress has such a classic cut.  Great features about this dress include: a fitted waist, V neck, short sleeves, a full skirt and of course, Pockets!

As far as styling this dress, it was a piece of cake.  This dress is doing all the work, so I kept the rest very simple with a pearl necklace and earrings and matching navy T strap heels.  For makeup I just did a very basic face with bright red lipstick.

Today was a brilliant day for photos.  I really look forward to this time of year.  More often than not the mornings are overcast but warm which saves me from the cold and a race against the sun. 

And since it was so lovely, I guess everyone decided to sleep in so there was not a single soul around but me.

My only real regret is that for all my searching I could not find a single flowery location to shoot these photos.  There are just a few sprigs of green here and there and the first signs of spring, so I had to settle for a cityscape and these lovely old buildings. 

Maybe when the flowers finally do make their appearance here, I'll go out and take some photos in this lovely dress.  A Navy dress like this would look stunning set against the daffodils, don't you think?

Shopping Info: Cecelia Dress in Navy from KarinaDresses.com, heels from ModCloth