Delightfully Delicious

Tehee...Pardon my cheesy titles...I just love alliteration.

This weekend is going to be delicious all the way through. I’m not one who likes cooking much out of duty, but on occasion it is fun to create something scrumptious. I started this weekend off by making this recipe from Cooking Light magazine. Didn’t they turn out pretty? I was rather proud of them. I served it with a salad, but I’m sure it would go equally well with a tomato basil soup.

Then I made a smoothie for dessert...because it would be tragic to go a whole day without something sweet. MMMMM. I love summertime for all the fruit. 

2 tsp. passion fruit juice concentrate (I used Langer’s because it’s all-natural)

5 large(ish) strawberries, sliced

1 banana

3 tbsp. all-natural vanilla yogurt (Dannon is my favorite)

1 cup Very Vanilla Silk (at least I think it was a cup...I sort of eye-balled it)

After indulging in these treats, I ventured outside in this equally delicious dress that I thrifted a couple weekends ago. The flippy skirt makes me feel like a dancer, and the pattern makes me think of The Secret Garden.

I love the little details of this dress. The silhouette is simple, but the straps are actually split into two. And the back swoops so gracefully. Even though it's casual, it makes me feel elegant.

More goodies to come, my dears! 

Outfit details:

Blouse//Thrifted via Goodwill

Dress//Vintage (I'm estimating 1990s) thrifted via Goodwill

Necklace//Charlotte Russe

Socks//haha, they're nylon cut offs...I'm such a dork

Shoes//Bumper via ModCloth

Fanciful Foxes

I’m a sucker for playful animal prints like this one. They have a way of making me feel cheerful, and I was in need of some cheering this morning.

Many have assumed that the little lovelies on this dress are cats, but they’re indeed foxes. I just wish real foxes were as snuggly and sweet as these ones appear.

Now that I’ve been documenting my wardrobe choices, I’m seeing how youthful and girly my style is. I suppose it’s a culmination of my obsessions with Alice in Wonderland, saccharine confections, kittens, pearls, and the 1950s.

Meep, I’m feeling rather whimsical now...It’s going to be a good day.

Outfit details:

Dress//ModCloth

Cardigan//Charlotte Russe

(True) Pearl Necklace//Gift

Pearl Bracelet//Charlotte Russe

Shoes//Vintage 1980s Naturalizer via Etsy

My Owl Collection: Meet Owl-fred

I've adored owls since taking an elementary school field trip to the Pecatonica Forest Preserve. They are such elegant creatures, aren't they? Despite my admiration of them, I only just recently began incorporating their beauty into my wardrobe. Owl-fred is the pioneer of my collection.

Name :: Owl-fred

Origin :: Owl-fred is a broach, adopted from the Rockford Antique Mall.

Best feature :: Large blue eyes and lots of character. In his former life he lost track of a few rhinestones, but it’s only led to maturity and enlightenment (note the furrowed brow).

Favorite things :: Pearls, Peter Pan collars, and silky scarves. 

Hobbies :: Thinking pensively and socializing with other intellectual broaches.

Why I love him :: Broaches, though such small pieces, can add character and sophistication to an outfit. Because Owl-fred is gold and serious, he adds that sophistication. But then because he is missing a few rhinestones, he also adds personality. I considered replacing the rhinestones at one time, but I'm a person who likes the perfection of imperfections. I like the quirks.

The Secret Lives of Dresses

Day to day I normally go without makeup, but an ensemble like this seemed to beg for lipstick. I’ve come to love the classic, feminine looks of the 1950s. This isn’t to say I condone the usage of shoulder pads or that I believe every woman should dress so poignantly feminine, but I myself feel at home in dresses like this one. 

When this dress came in the mail, I opened the package gingerly, afraid the fabric or stitching would be fragile. To my surprise, this is the most sturdy dress I have ever owned. I thought surely after sixty years of life, this dress would have withered somewhat, but it’s flawless. It’s impressive how conscientious the craftsmanship was at that time. 

Recently I finished reading a novel titled The Secret Lives of Dresses by Erin McKean. That novel has me imagining the woman who once wore this dress. I think she would have been young and exuberant, that she would have liked making tea and socializing and shopping. Maybe she was in love. And by the tiny dot of thinning fabric at the right of the collar, I know she must have loved wearing broaches, just as I do.

This is why I love shopping vintage. It’s sharing a special treasure, a secret with someone you will never meet.

Outfit Details:

Earrings//vintage 

Dress//Kay Juniors (1950s) via Etsy

Ring//Charlotte Russe

Shoes//Jeffrey Campbell

Alive and Beautiful

I feel such an energy lately, seeing all the possibilities that lie before me. There’s so much that I want to see and do and try. Everything is just so alive and beautiful...

...and it makes me feel alive and beautiful too.

Outfit details:

Earrings//ModCloth

Dress//Vintage My Michelle thrifted via Goodwill

Pearl Bracelet//Charlotte Russe

Belt//thrifted via Salvation Army

Shoes//ModCloth

Purse//Vintage via Culture Shock

Feed Your Soul

Two years ago I attended a poetry reading given by Joy Harjo, a Native American poet. Her pieces were beautiful, especially with the way her voice carried them, but mostly I remember the message she conveyed between the poems. When she spoke to us, she had a genuine reverence for poetry, nature, and life. Her advice to the aspiring poets in the audience was to “Feed your soul.” I’ve carried those words with me, and each time I feel uninspired in my writing, I try not to debase myself, though I do feel prone to it. Instead, I acknowledge my hungry spirit and search for what I must do to nourish it. Sometimes that means abandoning my pen for awhile and exploring other realms of creativity. I’ve learned to take refuge in the notes of music, to let it erase all senses but sound. I’ve learned to paint and doodle without purpose, hoping the color stains my fingers. I’ve learned that the touch of a dress’s fabric can be soothing and empowering at once. And I’ve learned to be quiet, to take off my shoes and feel the earth’s skin with my own. For who can better teach me to create than the Creator himself? 

Today, when I put on this blouse, I felt like one of Harjo’s poems, and I felt my soul become a little fuller. 






Outfit details:
Headband//ModCloth
Blouse//Kohls
Jeans//Charlotte Russe