Another Sunny Day in California

 Dress: Knot Front Dress in Mixed Yellow Dots by Lucie Lu (size 5x), bought through GB Try Then Buy

Cardigan: Avenue

Tights: Catherines

Shoes: Andiamo, thrifted

Necklace: Wendy Baker

Earring & Bracelet: Babil & Bijou

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

I wore this outfit to spend the day with David's family & again on the plane home. Obviously, I adore this dotty Lucie Lu dress since I bought it...back when GB prices were reasonable AND they often had 50% off sales...so I was able to purchase this dress brand new for only $15. It's a fabulous year round dress...the last time I wore it was in the summer of 2014. I'm not sure why the white dots appear so grey here...there are white dots & two different shades of yellow. 

Hey, look...it's an orange!

I came back in the RV after taking a shower & Rye was in daddy's chair...even though other things were already occupying that space & we had cleared a place for him on the couch. Silly adorable doggie! 

Mandarins! My favorite...although you can see why I don't use these trees as a backdrop...much smaller, but oh. so. delicious!

David set up a dog run at his grandma's since her yard isn't fenced in...that gorgeous old tree is a walnut that we eat nuts from all year long. On this day, Rye figured out how to back out of his harness...& what did he do with his freedom?? He came to the back door & whined. What a good boy! 

Snow over Utah...it was exciting since there wasn't any snow on the ground in Wisconsin. I managed to read 2 magazines & an entire book during our flights out & back. The best thing about flying. Kate picked us up from the airport & we immediately went home & took a nap (our alarm had gone off at 5:30 that morning)...then woke up hungry for warm food...Sal's Pizza sounded perfect. 

My make-up with this outfit included...Sephora eyeliner in Brown, Sugarpill eyeshadow in Love+ & Buttercupcake, a mixture of Nars lipstick in Cruella & NYX lipstick in Russian Roulette, & OPI nail polish in Little Red Wagon. 

Orange & Oranges

 Dress: Taylor Wrap Dress by Igigi (size 26/28) via Gwynnie Bee (use my link to get your first month free & help me earn GB credit)

Tights: Catherines

Shoes: Clarks, thrifted

Earring: etXarte

Necklace: Babil & Bijou

Bracelet: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

I wore this dress yesterday...a gorgeous day in Northern California...60s & sunny is perfect December weather for this midwestern girl. We spent the day at David's grandma's house helping her get ready for Christmas, running errands, & dinner at his parent's home. I wanted to love this dress...it's got my favorite color, orange, in it...& Halloween colors...yes, please! However, these dresses with a solid color on top & patterned skirt never quite work for me...perhaps it needed a belt to break it up, but I'm not really the belt wearing kind & it was too warm for a cardigan. I ADORED the skirt print, colors, & fabric...that photo negative flower pattern was superb. The top was impossibly large & even fashion tape could not prevent it from gaping open when I sat...a very sloppy look. The slit over the left knee was a sexy little touch.

I have eaten approximately 70 mandarins since we got here & about a dozen Meyer lemons (in my Pellegrino, David eats them like apples). They are ridiculously delicious. Despite loving this orange tree for a photo background...I have yet to eat any oranges.

We brought our dog, Rye, with us because we've had him such a short amount of time that we didn't want him to think we abandoned him. David has an RV parked in his parent's side yard so he has a private place to stay when he visits...I got up yesterday morning & closed the door to the bedroom after me...& Rye kept his nose stuck under the door the whole time...adorable!! It's been wonderful having him out here with us.

 David's mom makes the best duck...dinner was delightful. 

My make-up with this outfit included...Sephora eyeliner in Brown, Sugarpill eyeshadow in Flamepoint, Urban Decay eyeshadow in Half Baked & Smog, & a mixture of Bite Beauty lipsticks in Blood Orange & Toast.

Rainy California

 Dress: Blouson Knit Dress in Garden Floral by London Times (size 24) via Gwynnie Bee (use my link to get your first month free & help me earn GB credit)

Tights: We Love Colors

Shoes: Nine West, thrifted

Earring: etXarte

Necklace & Bracelet: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

I wore this dress to help decorate David's grandma's Christmas tree & run errands. The colors in this dress were spectacular, however, I didn't care for the pixelated print...leaves or peacock feathers would have been divine. The fabric was a soft knit...like a baby's blanket...& I enjoyed the long blouson sleeves that were just the right length & were the perfect match for the blouson top. This was supposed to come with a belt, but it was missing...& not necessary as the elastic held it in place. Just below knee length on me, which I prefer. Lovely winter dress, but this brand does run a size or two large as the 24 was a great fit on me. 

I ran all over Madison looking for this gold sequin skirt by Ava & Viv from Target...no luck & it wasn't available for shipping online...only pick-up. Luckily, I had the brilliant idea of searching availability in Chico, CA, since we were going to be out there for Christmas...so it was there waiting for me & was 30% off since I purchased it...so this beauty is now mine for the low price of $24. I took a picture of the sequin pants because I was going to text it to Kate because they'd look ADORABLE on her...they also had short full sequin skirts in gold & black. Any interest, girlie?

Decorating the tree at David's grandma's house! 

We've been lucky the past few years...it's been sunny & in the 60s for our California Christmas...this year it's been rainy.

 

But! The oranges, mandarins, & Meyer lemons in David's grandma's yard all look & taste delicious. Picking citrus right off a tree & eating it will always be magical to me. 

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeliner in Mildew; UD eyeshadow in Mildew, Half Baked, & Darkhorse; Bite Beauty lipstick in Toast; & OPI nail polish in Take the Stage.

Purple Shoes!

 Dress: Retro Floral Faux Wrap Dress by Isabel & Alice (size 4x) via Gwynnie Bee (use my link to get your first month free & help me earn GB credit)

Cardigan: Lane Bryant, thrifted

Tights: We Love Colors

Shoes: A'rcopedico, thrifted

Necklace & Earring: Wendy Baker

Bracelet: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

I wore this outfit on 3 different days... to farmers' market, work, run errands, & to fly to California. I would have purchased this dress had it come to me in my preferred size for GB house brands, 5x. I'm not sure if that was an error on my part or theirs, but I have recloseted it in the right size & hope it comes to me. This is the same style of dress as autumn leaves & pumpkin patch picking. The pattern & colors are just marvelous...so many possibilities. The first time I wore this dress, it was with red shoes, but I didn't get any pictures. The 4x is slightly tighter on me, but obviously still wearable. This wrap style with the asymmetrical neckline really works for me...comfortable & cute...as well as a great length. 

Purple shoes! It doesn't seem like it should be such a unicorn...but it has proven to be for me. I have been searching online for purple shoes (& sandals) for ages & haven't been able to find anything I like. Then there they were...$4 at Savers! These A'rcopedico shoes in Shawna, are also available in green...another difficult to find shade...I may have to start scouring the web for a good deal on those.

The last of my Black Friday deals came in the mail...Colourpop was having a 25% off sale, so I decided to finally try them out. They are super cheap & super fabulous!! I haven't yet tried the liner, but I am in love with the matte lipsticks & shadow. Unfortunately, their website was wonky for me & I ended up ordering 2 of the same color eyeliner by mistake...also, I was sent a stick liner of a color I ordered in pot form, but they have excellent customer service & gave me a code to get a free one added to my next order. 

Kate & I at the last indoor market for me at the convention center...they move to The Senior Center in January. We saw this man blowing bubbles off the roof on our way to Kate's hiking destination...it makes me smile to stumble upon things like that!

The girlie in purple right before hiking into the fog. One of the girls of The Girls of GB works at Trader Joe's...she is responsible for many unplanned trips there as she posts images on Instagram that I NEED, such as these 3 surprise state bags for $3. If my memory is correct...I ended up with North Carolina, Virginia, & Southern California. 3 of the shirts David got at Savers 50% off sale (more below). 

Dinner at Ha Long Bay with David & some polish & hair dye I picked up at the beauty supply. Redken Bonfire is what I use on my hair in the cooler months, & in the summer I go one shade lighter with Redken Marigold. 

My Savers 50% off haul...2 pairs of purple shoes!! Also, a pair of navy shoes in the same style I had found there previously in red...as well as more shoes & 2 cardigans. I have great luck at Savers in finding things that fit me...mostly cardigans & shoes. Super Boo usually finds a lot of Nike Dry-Fit & Under Armour clothing to wear around the house, but also lucks out with shirts...this time we found him 2 F/X Fusion shirts & a fun stripy shirt from Lacoste.

My make-up with this outfit included...NYX eyeliner in Gypsy Blue, Urban Decay eyeshadows in Freeze & Undone, Colorpop Super Shock Pressed Pigment in Erotic, UD Naked Flushed, & UD lipstick in F-Bomb. 

I'm linking to Visible Monday over on Not Dead Yet Style. 

Wit & Wanderlust

 Dress: Spring Forward Dress in Paisley Print by Poppy & Bloom (size 3x) via Gwynnie Bee (use my link to get your first month free & help me earn GB credit)

Cardigan: Avenue

Tights: We Love Colors

Shoes: Moda Spana, thrifted

Earring: etXarte

Necklace & Bracelet: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

I wore this ensemble on various days to farmers' market, work, & to run errands. When I first spied this dress on Poppy & Bloom, I swooned...paisley print! pattern mixing! And it has the best name...Wit & Wanderlust (GB changed it). Then it showed up on GB!!! My heart fluttered...it would be MINE! Crushed. My size was missing. GB does this heartbreaking thing...they carry brands that come in my size, but don't always buy my size. I don't think they understand how devastating that is. I have a decent body image & I'm used to being left out of fashion. I may peruse Anthropologie or page through Vogue, however, I already know nothing I see is going to fit me. But I know which brands fit me on GB. So I look for those brands & get excited when I see something I love. And when I discover it isn't carried in my size, I feel a deep sadness...it's agonizing. I know...it's only a dress, but it really affects me. This dress fit me in a 3x well enough to wear, but not enough to purchase. I adored the ruched v-neck, the empire waist, & perfect at-the-knee length. There are so many colors represented here that there would be endless combinations of teggings & sandals in the summer, as well as cardigans, tights, socks, & shoes in the cooler months. This is truly a year round dress. 

After farmers' marketing together, I drove Kate to a segment of the Ice Age Trail for her to hike. I typically drive her to her destination & Jason picks her up. I had a $5 off coupon at Ulta...couldn't let that go to waste, plus Real Techniques & NYX were both buy one, get one 50% off. 

After Thanksgiving sale on acorns & pumpkins. And! My Girls of GB Secret Santa gift! The lovely Eileen was my gifter & she got me this marvelous necklace from etsy. I adore it & you will be seeing it here in the future. It's not my fault that Ulta had a 20% off sale...I've been lusting after UD Junkie eyeliner for quite some time...& NYX and Real Techniques still had BOGO 50% off. I actually needed more eye brushes & these 2 sets together were cheaper than ONE MAC make-up brush. Justified. Also, I've been wanting to try NYX eyebrow pencil because I can buy 4 of them for the price of one Anastasia, which I currently use. 

Black Friday sales came in the mail...I know it's a terrible photo, but pictured are a Kiyonna Whimsey Wrap Dress in Red that I bought from a resale group on FB, a green lace Luna Dress from Kiyonna's $40 sale, & 2 pairs of plaid leggings from the 50% off sale at Torrid. And from Catherines 50% off sale...2 pairs of black tights & my first ever shaper panties...I bought them in a size larger than I need because I don't want them to be too tight. I'll let you if I wear them on here & show you with & without photos. 

And finally...Sephora sends out $20 coupons at the end of the year & this Too Faced Chocolate Bon Bons palette happened to be released during the sale...& this UD Flushed palette was on sale for $15...I don't normally contour or highlight because I can't see a difference, but I'm going to play around with it. 

My make-up with this outfit included...Deep Blue eyeliner by NYX, Urban Decay eyeshadow in Freeze & Undone, & NYX Simply Red lipstick in Russian Roulette. 

The Legendary Shack Shakers

 Dress: Dominique Dress in Navy/Green Polka Dots by Igigi (size 26/28) via Gwynnie Bee (use my link to get your first month free & help me earn GB credit)

Cardigan: Liz Claiborne, thrifted

Tights: We Love Colors

Shoes: John Fluevog, vintage 90s

Earring: etXarte

Necklace & Bracelet: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

I wore this fab ensemble to see a band with Kate & on 2 different days to work. I immediately purchased this dress...how adorable is it?! It was the green polka dots that sold me...also...navy & green...yes! I am smitten with this style of dress from Igigi & own several of them various patterns. This one has a vintage vibe to me & I adore how it went with this cardigan. I swear those tights did not read so neon green in person...next time I will choose a different color. But those shoes!! I've had them since the 90s & am quite sure they've never made it to the blog before. I LOVE this outfit! However, in looking at these photos...it reminds me of something my ex, Chad, used to say...just because it's all green, doesn't mean it goes together. But in this case, I think it does. Or I don't care. 

Accidental Christmas girlies! We saw JD Wilkes & the Dirt Daubers at The Shitty Barn last summer, so we were excited to see them again...especially with his wife opening. So much energy!! 

 The Legendary Shack Shakers doing their soundcheck... & later in the evening after he invited his tipsy wife on stage. 

I had to wear this outfit to work twice because of light issues...most of these outdoor shots were taken 15 minutes before sunset...it just gets dark too darn early for good pictures...so we tried again on another day...but it was dark & overcast, so none of these photos are as clear as I'd like. The Christmas tree shot is from our second attempt. If you click on it, perhaps you can tell how fabulous my nail polish is...it is a stunning green/blue peacock in person...I was completely infatuated with it & admired it constantly. Also, it lasted forever & shows up in my next 2 outfits as well because I didn't ever want to take it off. 

My make-up with this outfit included...NYX eyeliner in Deep Blue; Urban Decay eyeshadows in Dragon, Heroine, & Undone; NYX Simply Red Russian Roulette lipstick; & Illamasqua nail varnish in Viridian. 

Gib's

 Dress: Francesca Dress in Geo Print by Igigi (size 26/28) via Gwynnie Bee (use my link to get your first month free & help me earn GB credit)

Cardigan: Torrid, thrifted

Tights: Catherines

Shoes: Franco Sarto, thrifted

Earring: etXarte

Necklace & Bracelet: Age Before Beauty

Photography: Super Boo, Kate, & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

I wore this ensemble to have drinks with the girlie & then to work the next day. I normally love the Francescas, but this one was a bit off...however, this is a case of turning a so-so dress into an outfit I was excited to wear. The dress fit great with the exception of some gaping up top...I had to pin it so it didn't flop around sloppily. This is an inconsistent issue for me with Igigi...many times the surplice neckline sits beautifully & shows just the right amount of skin. The pattern was not my favorite, although it appears I become a fan when I pair it with polka dots...same fabric in a shirt. There are dashes of color that I wish were red...but appear to most often read a deep coral. I found this fabulous dotty cardigan with rhinestone buttons for $5 & the shoes were a steal at $4. 

Gib's opened in an old remodeled house over the summer & we've been meaning to go ever since...so Kate & I were not first in line to check it out...but I'm glad we finally did. Monday was a good night as we were the only people there the entire time. 

The girlie started with a 77 Kelvin (Letherbee Gin, lime, & shattered herbs {liquid nitrogen})...it was amazing. I began with Plum Drunk (plum vodka, lemon cordial, concord grape), which was also tasty. Our bartender was friendly & suggested a variant on Kate's first drink for her second & added Malört, while I chose to try out a Nitro Amaretto Sour (Amaretto, lemon, pineapple, & argan oil). The verdict, yum! I need to go back just to try their sea urchin ice cream. 

I had to use the dreaded flash to photograph our second drinks as the lighting was minimal. 

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeliner in Zero, NYX liquid liner, Too Faced eyeshadows in Golden Nugget & #selfie, MAC lipstick in Bronze Shimmer with a dab of Nars Golshan, & OPI polish in I Sing in Color. 

I'm linking to Visible Monday on Not Dead Yet Style...I adore all the stylish women on there.