Sunday, May 31, 2015

Spring Flowers

 Dress: Jasmine Dress in Floral Print by City Chic (size XXL) via Gwynnie Bee (use my link to get your first month free & help me earn GB credit)
Teggings: Re/Dress
Sandals: Born, thrifted 
Necklace: A Luscious Thing
Earring: Wendy Baker
Photography: Super Boo & Me (Canon Rebel & iPhone)
Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64
I wore this outfit to work, out to lunch with Super Boo, to get a new car stereo, & make-up shopping. This dress reminded me of something a 10 year old girl might wear to church. It was incredibly tight on top, which resulted in smushed boobs...being pear-shaped, this is not a typical problem. I also didn't like the poofy bits on the shoulders of the sleeves or the awkward length of the sleeves...actually, this dress would have been much improved had it been sleeveless. I thought the colors of this dress were great, especially the pops of yellow flowers. 
It was a gorgeous spring day, so Super Boo & I got burritos from our favorite Mexican place & ate them outside at a park before taking my car in to get the new stereo he got me for my birthday installed. He waited until after my birthday Chicago trip with Kate so we could have one more cassette road trip, but then I got sick. I will miss the cassette player (there was also a CD player, but everyone has one of those), but I can charge my phone again, talk handsfree, & listen to podcasts. I love it. 
Later that day I ran into Ulta to get my birthday gift from them, Urban Decay liner in Voodoo, plus the Anastasia Artist Palette I've been eying. Polish & remover were from the beauty supply. 
Still looking sick...even though this was the first day I was back to feeling like myself. 

Thursday, May 28, 2015

2 Girlies 1 Dress: Pretty in Pink Edition

 Dress: Sweetheart Dress in Pink Python by Leota (size 4L) via Gwynnie Bee (use my link to get your first month free & help me earn GB credit)
Teggings: Re/Dress
Sandals: Payless
Necklace & Bracelet: Vintage
Earring: Vintage 80s, The Limited 
Photography: Super Boo, Kate, & Me (Canon Rebel & iPhone)
Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64
Kate & I wore this dress to tie our wishes to The Wishing Tree. This dress was fabulous...pink python print! Lovely sweetheart neckline & nice length. I was not a huge fan of the puffed at the shoulder sleeves, but otherwise...adorable! And a bit 80s retro. In fact, Kate & I had planned to wear these dresses to see Jesus & Mary Chain in Chicago...but I was too sick to go. SO sad. I started feeling like I was getting a cold after our fondue party. I don't get sick very often...but I barely got out of bed for 3 days. So Kate went to Chicago without me. We took these photos the day after the concert...I was so excited to leave the house! But this little outing wore me out. 
 We look like spring!
An artist in our community, Angela Richardson, has a crabapple tree in her backyard & each year when it blooms, she puts out tags for people to write their wishes upon & hang on the gorgeous tree. I don't remember what I wished for last year...did it come true?
 Another year, more wishes wished...
No close-ups of my sickie face, but my make-up that day included...Urban Decay's Junkshow & Blitz eyeshadows, as well as a combination of Urban Decay, Crush & Bite Beauty, Quince on my lips. 

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Birthday Fondue Party

 Top: Paradise Peplum Top by City Chic (size XXL-24) via Gwynnie Bee (use my link to get your first month for free & help me earn GB credit)
Sandals: Barefoot Freedom
Necklace: Babil & Bijou
Earring: Wendy Baker
Photography: Super Boo & Me (Canon Rebel & iPhone)
Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64
I wore this explosion of color & patterns at home for a fondue dinner party with friends. I love scuba fabric...it feels like I'm being hugged the entire time I'm wearing it. The vibrant colors in this top were marvelous, but the print was a bit too modern for me...it reminded me of a screensaver from the 90s. It was a fabulous fit & length for me...super fun to wear once. I feel like this top is crying out for some lime green or pink capri pants, which is totally not me. Kate bought me a gorgeous City Chic dress to wear for this party, but I decided against wearing it because fondue can be messy...so I will wear it later this year. 
Fondue! The last time we did a fondue party was for New Year's Eve nearly a year & a half ago...so it seemed long enough to make it a perfect birthday meal. We had 4 pots going...peanut oil, cheddar/beer, classic cheese, & vegetable broth (I listed everything we had on the NYE post & I mostly copied that). I spent most of the evening dipping shrimp, mushrooms, & sweet potatoes in tempura beer batter, frying them, & using a variety of dipping sauces. I had to keep reminding myself to dip bread into the cheeses. Kate, of course, supplied us with Champagne & other delightful sparkling wines. 
The silly thing is, every time we have a fondue party, I have to start over from scratch because I never keep the recipes. And again...I don't remember which recipes were good. The chocolate is the one I remember being perfect this time...
Dessert was chocolate fondue...we also attempted caramel, but it was not meant to be. 
My make-up for the evening, including all Sugarpill eyeshadows, NYX eyeliner in Gypsy Blue, & MAC's Korean Candy lipstick. 
 So much color!

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

May 1st, Happy 45th Birthday to Me!

 Dress: Zaffer Dress by BB Dakota (size 24) via Gwynnie Bee (use my link to get your first month free & help me earn GB credit)
Cardigan: Studio Works, thrifted
Shoes: Tahari, thrifted
Necklace: Wendy Baker
Earring: etXarte
Bracelets: Vintage, thrifted
Photography: Super Boo & Me (Canon Rebel & iPhone)
Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64
I wore this ensemble on my birthday...I know, I'm really behind. This dress was sooooo booorrrring...& fairly shapeless on me. I think I fixed it though...what do you think? This dress is sleeveless, but a heavy knit fabric that was great for a cool spring day, but most certainly *not* a summer dress. I ended up loving this outfit despite not liking the dress...isn't it amazing what accessories can do? I was rather pleased with how it all came together.
Super Boo & I had lunch at Ha Long Bay because I love that place. We shared 3 dishes...including my usual, Pad Lad, which I adore because it has thick rice noodles that are fried until they are crispy.  
I'd love to share with you what we did with the rest of the day...but it was so long ago I've forgotten. I am guessing there was cuddling with the doggies & take out for dinner while we watched Game of Thrones or Drag Race. I'm a homebody. Plus, we had a dinner party the following night.
My make-up for the day, including Sugarpill's Buttercupcake & Urban Decay's Freeze eyeshadows, Bite Beauty lipstick in Winterberry, & OPI polish in This Color's Making Waves.  
I found these 4 bangle bracelets at garage sales last summer...I am hoping I get lucky again soon...4 just isn't enough...
So much snake print! 

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

2 Dresses I Did Not Feel Pretty In

This is my Mitzy pose, I am saying, "Hi, my name is Mitzy, so very nice to make your acquaintance." I was wearing this cardigan the normal way & Kate suggested this 80s preppy look...I actually used to wear sweaters this way when I was in middle school. 
 Dress: Tweedy Tribal Dress by Nic + Zoe (size 3x) via Gwynnie Bee (use my link to get your first month free & help me earn GB credit)
Cardigan: Old Navy
Teggings: Re/Dress
Sandals: Born
Necklace & Bracelet: Vintage
Earring: etXarte
Photography: Kate & Me (iPhone)
Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64
I wore these 2 dresses on consecutive days & am sticking them together because I wasn't thrilled with either of them...but I try to wear everything GB sends me. Nic + Zoe is a brand I like, but this dress (also worn by Kate below) was just too boring...it was heavy (but soft) & felt like a kitchen rug my mom had in the 70s. The fit was boxy & I hated the navy seams...they puckered & laid weirdly on my butt. 

I wore this unfortunate outfit to drive to Verona to distribute brochures for couple therapy, take Olive for a walk around the neighborhood, & pick Kate up...we attempted to take pictures with the wienermobile, but the sun was not cooperating. 
 It's a girlie in green & orange tights...who looks cute in everything!
 Dress: Understudy Polka Dot Sweater Dress by Poppy & Bloom (size 4x) via GB
Teggings: Re/Dress
Socks: Sock Dreams
Shoes: Fluevog, vintage 90s
Necklace & Bracelet: Vintage
Earring: eBay
I wore this ridiculous outfit to go to my first garage sale of the year & to pick up Super Boo from the airport. Had this dress been black, I would have liked it...however, it was grey, which is so not a good color for me. The fit & length were great & it was lined. A lovely dress, just not for me. I decided to have fun with it & add clown colors to distract from the grey. The only thing I found at the garage sale were 2 scarves. The orange & black floral pictured above is a stunning dress Kate got me to wear for my birthday. I was complaining in The Girls of GB rant thread that I had no pretty GB at home to wear for my birthday weekend...so she bought me a City Chic dress....isn't she the sweetest?!
My make-up for the day, including my new Make Up Forever orange eyeshadow mixed with Nars & MAC's Korean Candy lipstick. 
Dragon from Urban Decay's Vice 3 palette mixed with the lime & orange shadows from MUFE, the same MAC lipstick from the day before, & OPI My Gecko Does Tricks from the Spring 2015 collection on my nails.
I am in love with the necklace/earring combination above & need to remember to wear it again with an outfit I like.
At least there's always pretty jewelry...

Monday, May 18, 2015

Lotus Traders

Leggings: Roamans
Sandals: Earth, thrifted
Glasses: Lafont
Necklace: vintage, thrifted
Earring: etXarte
Bracelets: vintage, thrifted
Photography: Kate & Me (iPhone)
Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64
I wore this outfit, made up of all my own clothing (no GB at home), to drive to Spring Green. I adore this warm brown boho top from Lotus Traders. They have some wonderful garments, all made in Bali, that have held up extremely well for me over the years. I can wear both their 3x or 5x (there is no 4x). This top is made of a crinkly rayon fabric with no stretch, but the bodice is smocked, so the fit is perfect. It was fun shopping for something to wear in my own closet...I need to do that more often. 
 It was an extremely windy day when I wore this & I got a lot of compliments from people...a few who said they watched me as I walked & commented on how lovely this looked blowing around me in the breeze. I *did* feel like sexy Stevie Nicks wearing this twirly gypsy top.
Poor girlie, she had to take all my photos while Super Boo was in California...but yay, more pictures of Kate...wearing the same dotty Taylor Dresses dress I wore here
I traveled to Spring Green, home of American Players Theatre & Shitty Barn, to explore local businesses that might have room to display our brochures for couples therapy. People are really darn friendly in Spring Green...every single business I walked into, I was greeted with...what brings you to town? I guess the down side of that is if you live there...they know everything about you. Above is the window of Arcadia Books, a charming shop...& a garage? on the way to downtown that I want to take outfit photos in front of some time.
I made BLT wraps for dinner when I got home...it is one of my go-to meals in the summer. 
I hardly ever wear these tortoiseshell glasses, they are adorable...the inside is leopard. 
My make-up of the day, including...MAC Bronze Shimmer lipstick,  Factory shadow from Urban Decay's Naked 3 palette, & Amaretto & Marzipan shadows from Too Faced Chocolate bar palette. 

Sunday, May 17, 2015

Purple Pattern Mixing

 Dress: Majestic Fit & Flare Dress by Triste (size 5x) via Gwynnie Bee (use my link to get your first month free & help me earn GB credit)
Cardigan: Willow Bay, thrifted
Tights: Catherines
Shoes: ?, thrifted
Necklace: Babil & Bijou
Earring: etXarte
Bracelet: Wendy Baker
Photography: Kate & Me (iPhone)
Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64
I wore this outfit to attend a celebration of life & run errands. I liked this dress more than I thought I would considering all the white involved. I often get these GB house brands in my usual size, 4x, but I prefer the extra room when I size up. These fit & flares are so easy to wear and come in some fun patterns...I liked all the purple in this one & was especially fond of the light greeny gold color because it meant I could finally wear these shoes I found months ago at Savers. Luckily, I couldn't remember where I tossed my purple cardigan, because I had to throw on this argyle one for some pattern mixing fun. 
I get tired of the same old poses...so I was trying something new above. It may have worked, but I like to open my mouth & make weird faces...it is actually difficult to find photos to put up here because I have my mouth open in so many. 
Before I had my therapist license, I had my cosmetology license. A woman whose nails I have been doing since I was 21 lost her husband (he was 90) & I attended the celebration of his life. It was really lovely, with funny stories & delicious food. 
When I got home...make-up mail! I kept buying & returning purple liquid liners from Sephora, so I went online to see if Stila or Urban Decay had one...& Urban Decay had all their waterproof liquid liners on sale for $10! So of course I had to buy 5 so I could get free shipping & free gifts. 
My make-up for the day, including Freakshow & Hoodoo shadows from the Urban Decay Vice LTD palette & a combination of Bite Beauty Cashmere Lip Creams in Port & Burgundy.
 Aren't these kitten heel brocade shoes fantastic...with rhinestones...
I clearly need more purple jewelry...