Santa!

 Dress: Varo Dress in Houndstooth by Effie's Heart (size 4x) via Gwynnie Bee (use my link to get your first month free & help me earn GB credit)

Cardigan: Avenue

Leggings: Torrid

Boots: Fluevogs

Earring: The Gilded Gypsies

Necklace: Wendy Baker

Bracelets: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

I was expecting this to be the typical black & white houndstooth dress, however, when it arrived...it appeared pink to me...such a light shade that I thought perhaps it had been washed with a red garment. After consulting with The Girls of GB, it appears it was meant to be pink & black...so I paired it with red to bring that out more. Great swingy fit & flare, good length for me, pockets, & the fabric is more substantial than the typical heavy cotton that most EH dresses are made out of...verging on a sweater dress. The only negative for me was the zipper down the front, which I'm personally not a fan of. 

The dress appears most pink in photos when the cardigan is off, so much for the red helping with that...

Why do I like this dress so much more without the cardigan? Is the cardigan too long? Too bulky? 

My make-up with this outfit included...NYX eyeliner in Jet Black & Oxblood, Sugarpill eyeshadow in Love +, NYX Ultimate Shadow Palette in Warm Neutrals, Russian Red lipstick by MAC, & Ruby Pumps nail polish from China Glaze. 

I wore this dress to attend our realtor's Christmas party at the tree farm with Angie & Toby (they recommended Pam to us). They cut their own tree down, but I chose to get a wreath instead since neither of our houses are homes with room for a tree this year. Angie & Toby neglected to mention to me that we'd be having our photo taken with Santa...they kindly let me join in their family photo since David was out of town...& a week or so later...we got a Christmas card from Pam with our picture on it...Santa! Also...the duck mobile! This is the third car this couple has covered in rubber duckies & I hadn't seen the latest model yet. It turns out Pam sold them their house too. 

I also wore this dress to take the dogs to the park to sniff & chase...& pick Kate up from work during this glorious sunset. I *think* I may have worn it to have dinner at Angie & Toby's? I can't remember...but, cat in a bag! David came home from California with suitcases loaded with Meyer lemons & mandarins from his grandma's trees...heavenly. Some mosaic steps next to where we took outfit photos...I took this because someone mosaic-ed the steps & foundation of our new house...very poorly...this is how it looks properly done. And...new mosaic at the coffeehouse. 

Thanksgiving

 Dress: Dauphine Dress in Herringbone by Effie's Heart (size 4x) via Gwynnie Bee (use my link to get your first month free & help me earn GB credit)

Cardigan: Laura Ashley Woman (size 2x), thrifted 

Tights: We Love Colors (size EE)

Shoes: Dexflex by Dexter, thrifted

Earring: etXarte

Necklace & Bracelets: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo, Kate, & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

Fabulous Frock! I wasn't expecting to like this dress very much...it was my first Dauphine style...with its substantial black waist band & dropped waist, it seemed designed to be unflattering. However, the fit was fantastic & flattering. The only thing I wasn't fond of was the hi-lo hem line...because I dislike seeing the wrong side of the fabric. I'd buy this dress once GB retires it.  

This soft 60% silk cardigan was a thrift store find & a steal at $5. And in my TWO favorite patterns together...paisley & leopard, along with the best autumn color palette. 

These rust tights were my very first We Love Colors tights...a gift from Kate. I've had them ~five years & these are still my original pair. So, I guess you could say they hold up well & are worth every penny. What did I do without them?! The cold weather months are so much more colorful with them. 

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeliner in Mildew; UD eyeshadow in Lumbre, Dirty Talk, Scorched, & Ember; Toast lipstick by Bite Beauty; & CND Vinylux nail polish in Fine Vermillion. 

David was going to be in California for Thanksgiving & I wanted pictures...so, I wore this outfit to drive to Milwaukee with David to pick up our bathroom tile...but I only took a photo of the gold glitter grout...because gold glitter grout! First, we did a little thrifting where I saw these impossibly high, outrageous Louboutin heels. I found two pairs of shoes & two cardigans. Back in Madison...we picked out our Toto toilet & washlet...we ruled out toilets that open the lid when you get near it...eeeek...& decided on a more elegant shape...the one behind the talking lidded monster. Then, to our new house to work...where I got a box...what's in the box?

 A new bunch of excellent earrings from etXarte...

Thanksgiving at Angie & Toby's...always delicious, always better with dogs...

Wine & Wives

 Dress: Dolce Vita Dress in Butterfly Print by Effie's Heart (size 4x)

Cardigan: Studio Works Woman (size 2x), thrifted

Tights: We Love Colors

Shoes: Born, thrifted

Earring: Wendy Baker

Necklace: A Luscious Thing

Bracelet: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo, Kate, & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

This dress had long been a unicorn of mine...it never came to me through Gwynnie Bee, but I finally nabbed it from one of the GB resellers. I was surprised since it was retired quite a while ago. Effortless cuteness from Effie's Heart, even though this isn't my favorite style of theirs. I've also worn (& own) this style in etched dot, citrus, & geranium. 

I enjoyed this unusual color combination, however...it made it difficult to find things to go with it. In looking at these photos, I regret the black shoe choice...I'd go with brown next time. I even have a pair of brown Born shoes with flowers that are this shade. 

Back before GB, I never wore blue. My mom got me this vintage blue bracelet from a flea market in Toronto when I was 16...I kept it all these decades because it was just so pretty & it was the first time my mom picked out something for me that was my style. Now I wear it at least once a month. 

My make-up with this outfit included...NYX eyeliner in Gypsy Blue, Synth & Hyperballad eyeshadow from Kat von D, NYX eyeshadow palette in Warm Neutrals, Gothica lipstick from KvD, & OPI nail polish in Brisbane Bronze. 

David & I finalized our shower fixture choice...a bar similar to the one shown below, but with the handles of the sink faucet & a more decorative shower head, in oil rubbed bronze-hand relieved. I thought the handles looked like tentacles that could come alive at any time...so I kept walking my hands over to David like tentacles...I'm sure the woman helping us thought we were nuts. 

Shopping at Sephora during their annual fall 20% off sale. I really wanted that Natasha Denona Sunset Palette...but $129!? I couldn't do it, but I'd like to try her eyeshadows some time. I *finally* got to smell Kat von D's Saint & Sinner fragrances (I hardly ever go to the mall)...Sinner is lovely, but not quite me. November Sephora Play!

Colors by Llarowe lured me in with their Mean Mr. Grinch, a blackened copper green shimmer polish...so of course I had to get a few other colors as well. 

 My Sephora 20% off shopping spree. Spreeeeeeeeeeeee. 

Kate invited me to her wine tasting group, Wasted...where the theme was Thanksgiving Riesling. So many delicious wines & tasty nibbles. I made an amazing kale salad with butternut squash, pomegranate, & pumpkin seeds. Lindsay (drinking wine above) wrote about the tasting for the Cap Times (where I stole the two photos below). 

After the tasting...on to The North Street Cabaret to see Crane Wives (a band we've seen at The Shitty Barn). The venue had only been open a few months & it was adorable...check out that wallpaper border! We got food from their sister bar, Tip Top Tavern, across the street...because they were still working on their own menu. Great space...I'm excited to see more bands there. 

Symphony & Cocktails

 Dress: Mae Wrap Dress in Deco Rose Foil by Leota (size 5L) via Gwynnie Bee (use my link to get your first month free & help me earn GB credit)

Cardigan: Coldwater Creek (size 2x), thrifted

Tights: Catherines

Shoes: Adrienne Vittadini, thrifted 

Earring: etXarte

Necklace, Pin, & Bracelet: Vintage 

Photography: Super Boo, Kate, & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

I loved this dress online...such a gorgeous subtly shimmery festive look. I would have bought it had it lived up to my expectations...but...this dress was a disaster...the bottom half was great & one side of the top. The top side of the faux wrap (on the left as you look at my photos) was so huge that I could have easily fit several adorable puppies in there with room to spare. It's obviously a design flaw as it's ridiculously out of proportion to the rest of the dress. So, the pin is there out of necessity. Everything else about this dress was lovely...especially the textured fabric & gold metallic design. However, having an extra 6-8 inches of fabric eclipses all the positives. 

The dress pattern reminded me of leopard & tiger markings...so I immediately thought of this gold & black leopard cardigan...

I should start sticking my shoes in my make-up/accessories photo...these beauties are covered in black rhinestones in various shapes & are splendid night on the town kicks. 

My make-up with this outfit included...Too Faced eyeshadow in Gilded Ganache, Crème Brûlée, & Marzipan; Rustette eyeshadow by Mon Ennui Cosmetics; Urban Decay Stargazer eyeshadow; Apricot lipstick from Bite Beauty; & CND Vinylux nail polish in Fine Vermillion. 

I first wore this dress to work & to attend the symphony with Angie & her grandma. A few times a year, Madison Symphony Orchestra has open dress rehearsals that you can attend for free. And I must say...I enjoyed it immensely more than the regular symphony...the players all wore their street clothes so you could see their style & stopping to talk about what could be better in how they are playing was interesting. There was a guest guitarist & the concert was entitled, Troubadour: Two Faces of the Classical Guitar. 

The second time I wore this dress was to check out Cocktails in the Conservatory with Kate. There was a decent DJ & delicious ginger cocktails to sip while we sat & chatted in the delightfully tropical conservatory in the dark. Check out the terrible picture of me sipping my drink...which I included because...look at all that extra sloppy fabric...& that's only half of it. 

 The girlie dancing queen...it was a charming evening. 

Risk! & Ukulele!

 Dress: Galaxy Faux Wrap Dress by Jete (size 5x)

Tights: We Love Colors

Shoes: l.e.i., thrifted 

Earring & Necklace: Babil & Bijou, former etsy shop

Bracelet: Age Before Beauty

Photography: Super Boo, Kate, & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

I never received this GB house brand dress from them before it was retired, but recently bought it from one of the GB resellers. Fabulous fun galaxy print in a style I adore & have also worn in geometric print & retro floral & own in autumn leaves & abstract fan. I've worn both sizes 4x & 5x, but prefer the fit on the larger size as it's quite body hugging.  

Check out that booty...

I have such a stupendous shoe collection thanks to thrifting...I would have NEVER bought these shoes new...but for $2?! Sure, I'll take a chance...I thought they were perfection with this outfit. 

It is amazing to me that this mural is spray painted...I don't typically care for faces as a background...but I made an exception.

My make-up with this outfit included...LSD eyeliner by Urban Decay; UD eyeshadow in Specter, Lithium, Vega, & Galaxy; NYX Cosmic Metals Lip Cream in Ultraviolet; & Cosmo with a Twist nail polish from OPI. 

I first wore this dress to see the Risk! podcast live with David, Angie, & Toby. The only photo I took was of Kevin Allison, the host...because the storytellers were telling very personal stories & it seemed disrespectful. Angie introduced me to this podcast & it's one of my favorites...it also brought another podcast to my attention that brings me heaps of amusement, Bawdy Storytelling. The live event was fabulous...I love hearing people's stories. 

I wore this dress again to attend a free ukulele workshop at the library with Kate...which was so much fun! We didn't know what to expect, but it was so well organized & run. The MAUI group was in charge & everyone was given a ukulele to use & assigned their very own helper...the girlie & I shared the nice man below...sitting next to me in the hat. We learned some chords, then spent over an hour playing & singing songs. I nabbed the group shot from this blog. It took several days for my fingers to stop being sore...but I need to get my own uke now!

After ukuleleing...David & I went to dinner at Angie & Toby's...where there was dog cuddling (Molly on my lap!) & tasty food. 

I get a tub of Lush's seasonal Bûche de Noël cleanser every November...it has bits of cranberry & ground almonds...satsumas & brandy...it smells amazing, gently exfoliates, & moisturizes. I'm going to try freezing part of it to see if I can make it last an entire year...usually around August, I open up the pot to find it has grown fuzzy mold...not bad considering they suggest it is best used within three months. 

Creditors, The Final APT Play of the Year

 Dress: Sarah Dress in Festoon by Effie's Heart (size 4x) via Gwynnie Bee (use my link to get your first month free & help me earn GB credit)

Tights: We Love Colors

Shoes: Dansko

Earring: etXarte

Necklace: etsy

Bracelet: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

The Sarah dress is my new favorite Effie's Heart style...I wore it a few weeks ago in arrows...& foolishly, I sent them both back. I am hoping they will find their way into my closet at some point...either through the shop or GB resellers. The fit, length, cut...it's all perfect...I wouldn't change a thing about this dress...how often do I say that?! 

Several years ago for Christmas...David gifted me this lovely burgundy purse...I LOVE it! It is pretty much the purse I use all autumn & winter. I don't change my bag to match my outfit every day...that would drive me crazy. However, that doesn't stop me from collecting purses. 

I found these brand new shoes on eBay...they were sold as lime green & looked bright in the photos...I was so excited....however, they were not as vivid in person...but I was pleased to finally find an outfit they coordinated with. 

My make-up with this outfit included...NYX Faux Blacks eyeliner in Oxblood; Rewind, Vinyl, & Löve eyeshadows by Kat von D; Bite Beauty lipstick in Tannin; & We The Female nail polish from OPI. 

I wore this dress to travel to Spring Green with David for the final American Players Theatre play of the year, Creditors. Inside, of course. Selfies before going in to the play. I nabbed this photo online since my pictures of the empty stage are boring...AND...the person that snapped this was sitting where we sit. Real life married couple, Marcus Truschinski (my favorite!) & Tracy Michelle Arnold, play a married couple in this fascinating story of manipulation & revenge. 

I also wore this dress to get a paraffin wax treatment at my hand therapist appointment for my arthritis. And to search for tile for our entryway...which we finally found! It's not bright, but it is porcelain (great for a high traffic area)...& we found a fun design idea on pinterest...herringbone, but in loooong 3x20 inch tiles.

Savers 50% off sale...my cart before trying on & rejecting...I said no to the boots...but now I'm regretting it...I just don't see myself as a short bootie person though. Check out these prices...1/2 of $3.49...ridiculous! 

What I brought home...I already had a pair of those blue-tipped shoes...ooops!