A Renaissance Dress

As a person who loves fashion more than I love most humans, I cannot resist a gorgeous dress... that is until I see the price tag.  Yes, it's true I scrimped and saved for months, but my dress fund is severely depleted and unlikely to replenish anytime soon while most of my income is being spent on the highly inflated prices of groceries and putting fuel in my car.  Gas and groceries aren't the only thing with skyrocketing prices.  I've noticed (I say "noticed" more like did a spit take with my herbal tea all over my laptop when I saw them) designer dress prices going up significantly as well.

So, while the world sorts itself out and I try to sort out my finances and simultaneously tighten my belt, I likely won't be buying many designer dresses for the foreseeable future.  Fortunately there are some more affordable options out there like this Renaissance style rose print dress with corset lacing at the front of the bodice.

The pink and yellow ribboned floral print is divine and the puff sleeves would send Anne Shirley herself into a delighted squealing fit.  The material is lightweight but not see-through, and the dress is lined at the bodice and very wisely unlined at the skirt.  I fear if they had lined the dress it would have been far too heavy to be practical.  

The dress is long, but doesn't drag the ground, and thankfully so because I don't entirely know what to do with a cotton ballgown.  Even the Autumn French Puff style dress that I made myself is somewhat impractical based on it's length and weight.  But, this dress is quite nice for summer and I'm sure I can layer it up a bit for the cooler months as well.

This dress comes in straight sizes only and I think it runs a bit small because I ordered a small instead of my usual XS and it fits fairly well.  This dress cost a mere $30 and I must say that if this is what scaling back on spending looks like, I'll do it with a smile on my face, because in this dress, saving never looked so good.

Shopping Info:  Renaissance Dupe Dress-$30.29, Red Square Toe Heels-$110 from Empressaustralia.com

Stylish Surprise Revisited

I don't often go back and reference posts that are over a few months old, but here's a little tidbit came up today.  I found it amusing and wanted to share, so jump in the way back machine with me and let's take a trip down memory lane.  

In January of 2016 I tried a mystery bag from ModCloth called "Stylish Surprise."  I'm not sure if MC still does the mystery dress sales; I haven't shopped much at ModCloth basically since founder Susan Koger sold the company in 2017.  When Susan left, she took her style sense and her vision with her and nothing was ever the same.  But, way back in 2016, before Susan's departure was even a blip on the horizon, when most of MC's dresses came in at around $100, I decided to try one of ModCloth's mystery dresses for a mere $20.  

It. Was. Awful.  It was so ugly and cheap, I was beyond disappointed and vowed to never waste $20 like that again.  I felt that it was clearly a sample that MC wisely decided to discard rather than stock and I was the schmuck who got stuck with it.  Well, see for yourself:

I did try to style this dress and make the most of it, but I just couldn't get on board with it.  MC had so many better things that in the end, I sold it for like $15 and just took the hit.  This experience kind of scarred me.  Even today, six years later,  anytime I am tempted to buy anything marked "mystery" or "surprise"  I have flashbacks of this hideous dress and just can't commit to the unknown.  The funny thing is that as I was surfing Poshmark today I happened to see this very dress for sale from Anthropologie for a whopping $35.  

I guess if I'd just held onto it, that ugly dress would have appreciated in value once it was picked up by Anthro and sold as the Melia dress.  The funniest thing of all is that as much as I still hate that dress when I look at my photos of it, I think it looks pretty good on Anthro's model.  Maybe it just takes the right person for the right dress.  Whatever the case, thank you for taking this little trip with me.

Cheap Bridal Haul

Recently I bowed to internet suggestions that I do another cheap wedding dress haul for Youtube.  For this little shopping challenge I set my budget at $150 with most dresses coming in well under that. Maybe dresses are getting better, or maybe I'm becoming a more savvy shopper, but overall, I found this round of dresses to be fairly nice quality for the low price. There were still a few hang-ups and communication issues, but all in all, not too shabby if you're a bride on a budget.

What I didn't ever manage to do was go out in the world and take photos of these dresses.  I suppose that's the difficulty in working on my own instead of as part of a collaboration where there are deadlines and expectations.  Working solo, I just didn't want to....so....I didn't.  The dresses are neatly stored away should I ever find the mojo to go out and take photos in them, but for now I thought it might be better if I just link the video here and link the dresses below.

Shopping Info:  Amazon Dress, Royce Bridal Dress, BrideLily Dress, June Bridals Dress

Updating and Getting Back to Basics

A few weeks ago I got a couple of emails telling me that I have too many broken links on my blog.  I really didn't think that was something I needed to worry about--blogs being pretty notorious for having old information  and links left untouched like dusty artifacts from the dawn of blogging--but apparently it is and I do.  Now normally I love nothing better than a good reprimand from a robot of a big corporation that demonetized my blog and is demanding I do tons of work for no hope of compensation and is Liam Neeson style threatening to take my blog if I don't, and all by email, but this one seemed like such a stupid grind, I didn't approach it with quite the relish it deserved.  Maybe because I'm super busy living a life or just don't want to, we may never have answers here. 

It's possible these emails were a scam, but I didn't want to take a chance...I also didn't want to pay anyone to do the work of updating my free, demonetized blog. Left with no choice, I decided to get to work fixing or delinking links.  So, I've been spending a considerable amount of time going through all my old blog posts and removing links that no longer work.  This is a fashion blog and fashion is ever-changing, so it was pretty much all my links that were over a year old.  Spoiler alert:  I'm not finished yet.  So, if you find one somewhere, don't worry about pointing it out; I'll get to it eventually.  

During this little trip down memory lane, I realized a couple of things.  1.  Having to comb through hundreds of posts looking for faulty links really really really sucks and this is why people pay someone to do website maintenance for them.  2.  I have been way too focused on Selkie for way too long.

 

I realized that I haven't been doing many if any plain old outfit posts and keeping up with trends or trying new brands.  Like a lovestruck teen I've had starlit eyes and Selkie on the brain for the past year or so.  All my energy has been spent on this one brand with whom I truly have a love/hate relationship.  Maybe relationship is a poor word choice; it's more like an addiction.  I keep saying I'll leave, but I keep staying.  I'm working on it.

In the meantime, I thought I'd take a sec to post this little outfit which I put together months ago and have already worn to work and outside work twice.  It's a sort of combination of a few of my favorite styles-namely ballerina/princess/ nautical.  I know that's a lot for a style mash-up, but I think it works and more importantly, when I wear it, I feel right at home, like it perfectly suits me.

As much as I haven't missed getting up at the crack of dawn and driving into the city on a Sunday morning to take these photos, I do miss having photos like this for the blog and I'm hoping to find more time for work like this.  It's fun and satisfying and, I've noticed as I get older that there really aren't that many women whose style I can relate to.  I'm only a few years away from the age my mother was when she became a grandmother, but I'm not really ready to dress like a grandmother yet.  So, I'll try to press on for a little while longer and lay off the Selkie as I do.

Shopping Info:  Tulle Skirt, J Crew Top from Thred Up, Nila Anthony Purse, City Classified Heels.

Dress to Empress

What if you're worth the effort?  What if you absolutely deserve wear that beautiful dress and feel like a princess?  What if you are beautiful because you love your life and who you are and that confidence makes you more radiant than any make-up trick ever could?

People stare.  They double take.  They stop me to tell me how much they love what I'm wearing.  And, more often than not when I'm in a dress, they follow the compliment with, "I wish I could wear that."  But, they can't.  Not because of their job or their budget, (this little peach fuzz beauty only cost me about $40).  They "can't" wear pretty dresses because it feels safer and easier to hide in clothes, and they'd be too embarrassed to stand out and feel worthy.  If you can relate, that kind of thinking has to change.

When it comes to clothes, I've always found that the outside appearance matches the inside state.  When you start changing your way of thinking about yourself your appearance can't help but reflect that.  And sometimes you can give that inward change a little nudge by changing the outside first.  Whatever it is, if you love it, buy it and wear it.  Don't be afraid of the looks; don't be afraid to change.  Even if it is in fact a very pretty dress with very silly bows like this one, if you love it, maybe it's because it really suits the real you.

Be a savvy shopper who buys quality items that work with lots of looks and your confidence will grow even more.  These Square Toe Flats from Empress are more than just a timeless style that works with everything from my most dreamy princess dresses to my most level headed wear-to-work slacks, and even my most casual jeans and chambray button down blouses.

With their slip-on design and thick cushioned sole, these flats are supremely comfortable, while their smooth leather and Mary Jane strap lend them a timelessly classic look that will work with whatever style they accompany.

The square toe design makes these flats great for wider width feet and the design also provides great arch support with a soft insole that will mold to your heel so it doesn't slip off.  You may look like Cinderella at the ball, but you won't want to leave one of these shoes behind.

If you've been hiding, maybe it's time for something daring, something dapper.  A beautiful dress, a beautiful, not to mention comfortable pair of flats, and yes, maybe a bow to help you draw out your inner princess so she can finally see the light of day.

You are worth the finer things, the pretty things, the classic, timeless, elegant things.  If you can't start with the inner talk, start dressing to impress and let that be your motivation to change the way you see yourself.

Repeat after me:  you are beautiful and you deserve to look as gorgeous on the outside as you feel on the inside.  Now get to it.

Shopping Info: The Square Toe Flat-$110 from empressaustralia.com, Yenkye Peach Fuzz Dress-$38

Empress Academia

A blog is more than just a way for me to share outfits, it's a keepsake of sorts.  I look back over the years of my life and see so many changes recorded here: laughter and tears, failures and triumphs, beauty and ashes, and of course, I can see the evolution of my own personal style journey.  I started this blog just as I was starting to discover my style.  

For most of my life I wore, not what I loved, not what looked best on me, but what was easiest and easiest to hide in.  Mostly I did this because I was afraid to look nice because I thought I wasn't pretty enough, special enough, and just generally not worthy of looking good and feeling good about myself.  After all, no one else ever thought I was special or worthy, so why would I think so about myself?  Then something changed.

After my children arrived I spent years pouring myself out in educating them and caring for their every need.  In loving my children I learned what true love is and I began to see the world in a different light.  If I wanted the best for them because I loved them, then didn't the people who loved me feel the same way about me?  If I wanted them to be confident and see how wonderful they were, shouldn't I be modeling confidence and self-worth for them?  Suddenly I had to get serious about my self-talk and turn it all around if to set the right example.

So, after a lifetime of insecurity and negativity, I decided to take as much care of myself as I wanted my children to take care of themselves.  Physical fitness and nutrition, creating a social life, and yes, getting a personal style were all a part of being the kind role model I wanted my girls to have.  The fitness part was pretty straight forward, the social stuff has gotten easier over the years, but I still struggle, and when it came to fashion I was lost without a map for the first few years at least.  But, with patience and persistence, I can now safely say that not only do I love my style, I am totally comfortable with its versatility, flexibility, and its constant evolution.

Since there are so many facets to my style, from twee dresses and cardigans, to vintage victory rolls and swing skirts, to this academia style outfit, I don't like to be locked down in one category.  That's why I love versatile accessories that can go with fashion flow of however I'm feeling on a particular day like these Square Toe Flats from Empress.

With fantastic arch support and a square shape for maximum comfort, these buttery leather Mary Jane flats are both dapper and delightful.  Their easy slip-on design means I can grab them and dash out the door looking polished.  Plus, this classic design means they are incredibly adaptable to all my favorite style trends.  Don't believe me?  Check out my next post and I'll prove it.

Shopping Info: Square Toe Flats $110 from empressaustralia.com

The Wishlist Method

Now that spring is officially over, we can finally talk about Selkie's spring release.

I used to do regular "Shopping List" posts about all the things I adored from various shops.  But, as life has gotten busier over the past few years, I haven't had as much time for wish lists and window shopping.  Above you will see a photo collage of most of the dresses on my spring wish list from Selkie's Out of the Tower collection.  As much as I really wanted to release my Spring wish list as soon as Selkie showcased their new prints and styles at NY Fashion Week last year, I also didn't want the extra competition.  Is that silly?  Not if you saw how fast some things went in the spring drops.

Maybe it is silly, but if you've ever shopped one of these Selkie drops you'll know that they tend to sell out in minutes and the less people know about what to look for the more chance you have of getting what you want.  It also helps if you sacrifice having a life to wait by your phone, constantly checking Instagram, e-mail, and fan boards to see when these drops will happen and then jump in the buying frenzy to get the dress you want.  It helps, but it is by no means a guarantee.

It's safe to say that while I have been somewhat disillusioned by Selkie, I was smitten with Spring '22 collection.  More than anything else about the brand, I appreciated the fact that they did a drop sheet of what to expect from the collection  so that I had about six months to save up for what I really wanted.  While they didn't include everything and still as yet have not released the full collection, I used the time to whittle down my sizeable list and have managed to use the money I saved to buy everything I wanted or a close proximity if the original was not within my budget.

Selkie has their faults, every company does, but thanks to this one little thing of giving customers a heads-up of what's on the way saved me the agony of having to miss out because I couldn't afford the spring collection.  Instead I had months of agony waiting and dreaming, but more importantly working hard and saving so that when the opportunity arose I could buy whatever I wanted.

While I didn't buy the Da Vinci Dress, because I just didn't love it as much as some of the others, I did find a very nice dupe that has sufficiently satisfied my appetite for the dress and I am excited to share a review of this dress with you as soon as it arrives, which based on shipping speed over the past month or so will likely be in July. 

This has been such a huge project compiling my wish list, saving my money, and then finding and acquiring these spring dresses, but I am so happy with each and every one of them that I felt like this whole undertaking needed a separate post as we finally close the door on this collection just for the proper closure and adieu.  Now let's move on to talk about other things besides Selkie all the time!

Shopping Info: Pretty puff dupe at Aliexpress for $35

Vintage Styles with Harriseve Flats

While preparing for my collaboration with Harriseve Flats from Leiyuting-Shop, I was doing some sketches for outfits to go with each pair and I realized that I wanted to really run the gambit on styles, which is why today's outfit has a decidedly vintage flare.

I was recently gifted with some 80 year old illustrated children's books and as I leafed through the delicate pages, I studied the outfits of all the women in the stories and noticed what a role flats played in the daily wear of the leading ladies in these stories.  I knew right then I would have to do something very vintage with some really gorgeous flats.

Red, red, red.  These shoes are meant to stand out, but I also love how breathable and comfortable they are.  For less than $25 these flats are an amazing bargain and a great addition to my wardrobe-whether I'm wearing vintage or modern styles.

I love the way these flats really pick up the subtle red in the plaid of this dress!  A great pair of flats really completes the outfit and makes it more polished.

I've had so much fun with this collaboration with Harriseve Flats.  Don't forget you can save an extra 10% off your purchase with my code now through August 13, 2022.

Shopping Info: Harriseve Women's Casual Fashion Shallow Mouth Pointed Toe Flat Shoe - Breathable Mesh Ballet Flats Use Code 4E292K39 to get 10% off at checkout

Collaboration with Harriseve Flats Outfit 2

Black ballet flats have been a standby and a staple of my wardrobe for over a decade now.  I think it's finally time to change things up a bit.  When the lovely people at Leiyuting-Shop reached out about a collaboration with their Harriseve Flats, I was thrilled to work with them, but I promised myself, whatever I chose, I would not get black flats.   If you've been stuck in a rut with plain shoes, maybe it's time for you to branch out too. 

There are more neutrals in the world than just black and beige.  Navy blue is an excellent neutral shade that goes with practically everything.  While I don't mean to diminish black flats, there is something about Navy that just looks like you put in a little more effort even though it was grab and go.

These Harriseve flats are lightweight and breathable, they fit true-to-size and they're so comfortable to wear indoors or outdoors, and with my promo code you can save an extra 10% off your purchase.  So, why not mix it up and treat your feet.

Shopping Info: Harriseve Women's Casual Fashion Shallow Mouth Pointed Toe Flat Shoe - Breathable Mesh Ballet Flats Use Code 4E292K39 to get 10% off at checkout