A Dress for Any Season

I've done shockingly little (for me, anyway) shopping in recent months, mainly because of the consecutive large expenses of throwing a big wedding party and then buying a house. Moreover, because I'm much busier at work I have a lot less time to poke around on the internet and inevitably find pretty things to buy. This is undoubtedly a good thing; at my previous job I often felt that I shopped mainly out of boredom, and waiting for a package to arrive was pretty much the only thing I looked forward to there.

This dress is one of the only items of clothing I've purchased since May or June. The pattern in particular really appealed to me, because it can work for any season depending on what I pair it with. Pinks and soft greens would make it great for spring and summer, while jewel tones or burgundy will work for fall and winter. For this outfit I added the mustard yellow cardigan and burgundy socks to give it a fall look, but left my legs bare because the weather is still pretty warm.


Dress: eShakti
Cardigan: Anthropologie
Belt: a gift from Mom
Boots: Bata
Bracelet: Leslie Danzis

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A Dress for Any Season

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Suggestions

I hope everyone found my Buyer's Remorse posts informative. As you may have noticed lately, I'm trying to add some meatier content to the blog instead of just describing my daily wear. I love all the discussion that gets generated around my more in-depth posts, and many of your comments are very helpful for me as well. I'd love to hear from all of you for suggestions on topics you'd like me to cover, so feel free to stop in and make a request. I've already got one future post rolling around in my head, which is Sal's request for a tutorial on layering skirts. I haven't forgotten, Sal!

On to today's outfit. I'm going to go out on a limb and state that a drape-neck (aka cowl neck) cut looks great on everybody. They are flattering to larger busts because they soften the look of, well, that big 'ol bust sticking out. The look is sexy without being sleazy, and the cowl also adds a slimming V shape down your middle. But this cut is also great for small busts like mine, because the cowl fills in the gap in between your boobs and makes it look like you've got more up top. I just love this shape, and I'd recommend it for anyone -- provided the rest of the garment flatters you below the bust.

This outfit is a modern take on a very retro silhouette. Normally I would pair this dress with a contrasting belt, but I wanted to keep this look simple, long and lean. The end result is unfussy, and looks every bit as comfortable as it is. If it weren't for the heels, I would've felt like I was wearing my pj's all day.

Shirt: Target
Dress: Skunkfunk
Skirt: ??
Shoes: Paolo

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Suggestions

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A Few Days Too Early

This dress and these shoes are some of the spoils from last week's trip to Seattle; both were purchased at a shop called Pretty Parlor, which sells both vintage and new items. The dress is from a Seattle designer; the shoes are used but might as well be new, so light is the wear on them. Lately I've tried to steer clear of buying any more peep toe shoes because I often find myself thinking that they'd be perfectly comfortable if it weren't for the fact that my toes were squashed through the holes at the ends, but this pair is a delight to wear and has no such toe-mangling quality. I also love the fact that they look very 1940's despite being modern.

You might recognize the skirt from the outfit I posted yesterday. In this outfit I used it to add a little length to the hem of the dress, and to introduce a pattern mix. Since the dress isn't flared at the bottom, it causes the A-line skirt to bunch up and create a cute ruffle. It occurred to me later that I was just a few days too early in wearing this outfit, as it would make a great ensemble for the 4th of July.

Dress: Suzabelle
Belt: F21
Skirt: Target
Shoes: Faryl Robin

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A Few Days Too Early

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Floral Over Plaid

Here's another way of layering a sheer top for an office-appropriate and summer-friendly look. I like the way the skirt pattern just shows through the sheer top for an overlay of floral over plaid. For those of you who are fearful of pattern mixing, this is a great way to venture into it: choose two, 2-color patterns that have at least one color in common, and make sure one of the patterns is significantly simpler than the other. Of course I added yet another pattern here with the tights, but I could just as easily have worn solid gray tights if I were less adventurous.

Though there's no black in the skirt, the floral pattern of the top ties in with the blue plaid, while the gray t-shirt and tights make sort of a midway transition point between the navy and black. This was the third of my conference outfits and another day of wearing flat shoes, which is all I brought with me on my trip last week.

T-shirt: H&M
Sheer top: Noa Noa
Belt: Red Dress Shoppe
Skirt: Target
Tights: Hue
Shoes: Bobbi Blu

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Floral Over Plaid

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Japanese Punk Cowboy

There are some very disparate styles converging in this outfit; the western shirt, the punky plaid boots, and the obi-style belt. Because I was trying to make the outfit look cohesive and not create a mishmashed Japanese punk cowboy theme, I was careful in my selections so that the common thread that runs among the different pieces would be fairly obvious. To me it's really the belt that is the crux of making this outfit work. The green/brown combo relates the shirt to the skirt to the boots. The soft yellow color of the cardigan is picked up in thin stripes in the pattern of the boots. Each piece is reinforced, color-wise, with at least one other item in the outfit. Thus, there isn't one particular style that dominates the look and makes the other pieces seem out of place.

I think it's great to mix different styles together and create something completely unique. I love the look of a conservative suit paired with an edgy t-shirt, or a soft ruffled sundress with big chunky combat boots. It's one of the things that draws me to the steampunk aesthetic; I love the blending of Edwardian, Gothic, burlesque, vaudeville, Mad Max-style post-apocalyptic and futuristic elements. But when blending styles it's important to consider what the pieces have in common that unites them, otherwise the outfit will look haphazard and amateurish.

That said, don't be afraid to mix different items that you might assume don't go together stylistically. Chances are that the things in your wardrobe, if they're really you, have more similarities than they do differences. When you scan your closet looking for a top or a skirt or whatever, try to ignore the style and focus only on whatever quality is absolutely essential. For instance, when I started building this outfit I wanted to use the boots, so I decided I needed a shirt that would pick up the green in the boots' pattern. When I came across this one I grabbed it based solely on the color, and was intrigued with the combination. Once I had those two pieces, the rest was easy; I wanted a skirt that was short enough to reveal the entire length of the boots plus a little leg, and it needed to be a solid color. That narrowed my choices down considerably. Once I selected the skirt and was searching for something to put over the shirt, I knew I needed a softer color so as not to overwhelm the outfit with dark tones. The only possible choices were yellow or pink, and since I don't have a pink vest or short-sleeved cardi, the choice was made for me. The fact that I just happened to have the perfect belt with which to tie everything together was just one of those lucky coincidences.

Shirt: La Redoute
Cardigan: Solemio
Belt: Audra Jean
Skirt: Zara (I think; I bought it years ago)
Boots: Sugar

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Japanese Punk Cowboy

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Versatile

Who knew argyle was so versatile? Almost every time I've worn this little vest, I've paired it with another print. So far I've tried it with stripes, tartan, leopard print, plaid, and now an abstract floral. Inspired by Kasmira, I thought today I'd try my very first survey (hopefully the code will work and not screw up my post!) and ask you which of the pattern mixes you like best. Below are the other pattern mixes in which I've used this vest; vote for your favorite! Just in case the voting box doesn't work (I'm a little sceptical of it since it didn't show up in the preview pane), you can also vote by clicking this link.

Today's outfit:
Dress: Max Studio (thrifted)
Vest: A. Byer
Jacket: thrifted
Belt: Anne Klein
Shoes: Bobbi Blu









From left to right:
Cheeky (argyle with stripes)
It's a Wrap (argyle with tartan)
Wild Meets Mild (argyle with leopard print)
Nerd Girl (argyle with plaid)
Versatile (argyle with floral)





Which argyle pattern mix is your favorite?
	Cheeky
	It's a Wrap
	Wild Meets Mild
	Nerd Girl
	Versatile
pollcode.com free polls

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Versatile

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Standby

I had an amazingly productive weekend, having spent most of the day Sunday down at Wayne's workshop, where he hosts an open lab once a month for his students. I'm working on some new hats for the shop, and potentially for another seller that I'll tell you about later if the opportunity pans out.

This outfit was thown together in the morning before work, so it's pretty much a rework of this one. I find that when I'm pressed for time, I tend to gravitate towards the orange/navy combination, because I have a lot of items in those colors and have gotten really adept at putting combinations together with them. It's always good to have a standby core wardrobe with which you can put together outfits effortlessly. What are your go-to combinations when you're in a hurry?

Striped top, skirt: Target
Orange top: Tulle
Scarf: Banana Republic
Shoes: Azura

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Standby

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Suddenly Sheer

Here's that old romper I turned into a dress awhile back, making an appearance here as a tunic. And here's that annoying skirt which, after the removal of the underneath layer, is now perfectly cling-free. The only problem with it now is that without the double layers it's downright see-through when I'm in direct light (though you can't tell here), which is why I chose the romper/dress to wear over it. The length of the dress allowed me to go without a slip, which otherwise I'd have needed under the suddenly sheer skirt.

Interestingly, it felt sexier to wear a semi-sheer skirt underneath the dress, even though the amount of coverage was in fact greater. Revealing your shape through a sheer garment adds drama and sex appeal, even when the area of your body that you're revealing is an area you don't really need to cover anyway. Sheer clothing hides imperfections in the skin, all the normal lumps and bumps that us humans possess, and, if you're like me, the complete and utter lack of a tan.

Cardigan: Max Studio
Dress: Express (90's)
Skirt: Sisley
Shoes: John Fluevog

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Suddenly Sheer

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Made of Stone

Bloomers at work? Of course I'm wearing bloomers at work -- I mean, you knew it had to happen sooner or later, right? What other wacky clothing item could I try, having already sported an apron, a cheerleader top, and 70's pimpin' patchwork boots? What was really left for me to try to surprise my colleagues with? Bloomers, that's what. And true to form, nobody said a damn thing about them except my boss, who merely commented, "Cute outfit!" These people are made of stone, I tell you. Stone.

The bloomers are from my new favorite store, Five and Diamond. And though they do push the boundaries a little, I think I managed to make them look pretty reasonable for the office by pairing them with the button-down shirt and flat shoes. They're a fun alternative to cropped pants, are the perfect weight for summertime, and are super comfy to boot.

Striped shirt: Promod
Black shirt: Max Studio
Waistcoat: Promod
Bloomers: Wild Card
Shoes: Bobbi Brown

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Made of Stone

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Obi

Today I'm sporting one of the belts we've been selling in the Etsy shop. The belt maker in the team is actually Mark; I've been focusing mainly on the hats, although I'm cooking up a new reversible fabric obi style that will be making its debut shortly. This leather and jersey obi is great because it's lightweight and stretchy; plus the back of the leather is a suede finish so it sticks in place nicely and keeps everything positioned just so, even with multiple layers like in today's outfit.

With rain making an appearance off and on and temperatures hovering on the cool side, I'm still keeping my arms and legs covered, but trying to wear lighter layers. Though the tights are full of fairly sizeable holes, somehow they added just enough warmth to be comfortable. The cardigan is a very lightweight mohair blend.

Shirt, cardigan: La Redoute
Belt: Audra Jean
Skirt: thrifted
Tights: got them ages ago in Copenhagen
Shoes: Sofft

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Obi

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Soggy

Today our gorgeous sunny weather was replaced by soggy coldness, making extra layers an absolute necessity. Not only that, but this vintage scooter dress is downright see-through and needs something under it for the sake of modesty, not to mention good taste. As the weather gets warmer I'll have to think of some lighter layers to line it with.

The upside of today's lousy weather was that it gave me another opportunity to wear my new vintage cape, though the busy pattern of the dress kept me from wearing it plaid-side out (I'm determined to wear it that way the next time). I foolishly left the detachable hood at home, a big mistake on a rainy day on which I also forgot my umbrella.



Dress and scarf: Vintage, via Beta Boutique
Turtleneck: H&M
Orange Skirt: thrifted with Sal over the weekend
Teal fishnets: Accessorize (from years ago)
Bnots: Mia
Cape: vintage

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Soggy

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HTML and YSL

I bought this sheer 1970's dress from Etsy several weeks ago; the bell sleeves were pretty but too giant for me to be able to wear anything over the dress or even belt it, so I had the circumference taken in at my local tailor's. The dress still retains its vintage charm but is a little more modern this way and easier to work with.

I'm trying out something new with my photos. I've had a couple of requests to make them larger, so I decided to give it a shot. As always the photos are clickable, but starting with this post you should be able to either scroll around the pop-up image or you can click it again to magnify it further. Unfortunately I'm not very savvy with web and html stuff, so I've been afraid to mess with the configuration that I know works. Let me know if it looks terrible.

Dress: from Planet Claire Vintage
Waistcoat: Last Kiss
Tulle skirt: Noa Noa
Socks: Sock Dreams
Shoes: Seychelles, via Solestruck

Over the weekend Sal, Mike and I went to the DeYoung Museum to see the Yves St. Laurent exhibit. Oddly enough, it was the poses of the mannequins that inspired me more than the actual garments:


Now if only I had an outfit like this one...

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HTML and YSL

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Unbridled

This amazing cape was another find from the Vintage Expo over the weekend. Despite my unbridled shopping habits I was relatively restrained at the expo, and only brought home 3 clothing items for myself: the mod yellow and gray set I wore on Tuesday, this cape, and a little plaid vest that still needs some alterations before it's ready to be worn. The rest of my purchases at the expo were vintage silk flowers that will be used in trimming my hats, which will all be for sale in the near future.

The cape is reversible and has a removable hood, which I left at home today. As it turned out the cape was the perfect outerwear for the sunny-chilly weather; and as with Tuesday's outfit, I fear I may have limited opportunities for wearing it again before next fall.

Cape: vintage
Cardigan:e-klah
Strapless top: Mica
Skirt: Merona
Shoes: Camper

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Unbridled

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A Free Pair

This beautiful new pair of shoes arrived last week, courtesy of the lovely folks at Solestruck. When they offered me a free pair, I was of course intrigued, but when I started perusing their selection it quickly became apparent that choosing them was going to be quite a task. I ended up with a long list that ultimately got pared down to these. I think I made the right choice -- these adorable brogues by Seychelles fit perfectly and were really comfortable to wear, even with a lot of walking today.

In my thorough investigation of the Solestruck site, I came across loads of great deals among their selection of sale items. The store carries many of my favorite brands such as Camper, Bronx, Steve Madden, and Mia, but in the end I'm glad I went with the Seychelles because it gave me an opportunity to try out a brand I didn't have any experience with before. Now that I know how comfy they are, I'll definitely be purchasing more Seychelles shoes, having seen many a cute style by them before.

Acting on the advice of a number of my readers, I secured this wrap skirt with a kilt pin today, which definitely solved the problem of the skirt flying open in the wind. I'm still not quite satisfied with this skirt though, and I'm trying to think of ways to modify it to give it a more interesting and less conservative shape. I'm thinking of adding some sort of folds or pleats in the front to make the plaid hang at different angles. Hopefully the next time you see this skirt it will look less boring.

Scarf: import store
Sequin top: vintage
Jacket: La Redoute
Skirt: thrifted
Tights: Falke
Shoes: Seychelles

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A Free Pair

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