Handkerchief Hem Floral Dress

Dress: Navy Floral Handkerchief Hem Fit & Flare Dress by Taylor Dresses (size 8) via Gwynnie Bee

Teggings: former Re/Dress

Sandals: Alegria 

Earring: Wendy Baker

Necklace: Colleen Toland

Bracelets: Vintage

Stats: 5'7" 38-32-42

Pretty colors on this navy dress with pink & green flowers...sheer sleeves, handkerchief hem...lined, but since it's shorter than the skirt, the bottom is also sheer. Light feminine dress...rather low-cut, so I had to pin the neckline closed for work. 

It blows my mind that these plus sized teggings still fit me...soooo stretchy...Snag tights too...We Love Colors are baggy on me, but I still wear them while I try to replace them with a smaller size.

I have the matching earrings & bracelet for this necklace...but just wasn't feeling the coordinating vibe. 

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeliner in LSD; Rose Burst, Grass, & Candles eyeshadow from Lime Crime; BECCA lipliner in Mood; Big Bang lipstick by UD; Bite Beauty lipstick in Meritage; & OPI nail polish in 15 Minutes of Flame. 

Our Burlap & Barrel subscription box...more exciting than make-up. Sunday market band. Another boot to add to my Fluevog most wanted list.

The stems were so thick on the sunflowers I got at market...David had to use 2 knives to cut them. Picking apples for dinner.

Our CSA gave us SO MUCH CORN...we'd throw it on the grill every week with some apple wood from our trees David trimmed...YUM. I was delighted to discover these ever bearing strawberries at the Tuesday market...I was getting 6 quarts at a time. 

Downtown market on a Wednesday. Ugly new glasses...it's what my insurance would pay for & I thought...I can always use them for craft projects & painting...activities where I might not want to wear glasses I like. 

Oh! These Jeffrey Campbell retro looking shoes I found on Poshmark are spectacular. My most cooked meal...salmon with whatever veggies are in season. Taking pictures of dresses to sell on Poshmark...it's been most difficult to let go of my Effie's Heart & Cherry Velvet dresses...but they need new homes where they get worn. 

 

Who's Your Baghdaddy? Or How I Started The Iraq War // Sal's After Hours

Dress: Printed V-Neck Dress from Plenty by Tracy Reese (size M) via Nuuly

Sandals: Fluevog, Picnic: Kerry

All Jewelry: Colleen Toland

Stats: 5'7" 38-32-42

All the colors...all the patterns...of course I adored this dress. It caught my eye in the Anthropologie window, so I was pleased to get it from Nuuly. Slip dresses are not the most flattering on a pear-shaped figure...but I don't mind stepping outside my fit & flare comfort zone. A great maxi length on me as I could have worn flats if I wanted to, adjustable straps, zip up back, not bra friendly. 

These Fluevogs are a bit too chunky for this dress...I wanted to wear some purple snake print heels...but I could only find one of them...now you know the state of my closet.

I think these are my most worn Fluevogs...it's easy to find outfits to wear with them with all those colors. 

Bruised from surgery...

I wore this dress to see a play at UW with David...but first, pictures at the capitol...then a walk to Memorial Union...it was a hot day & these kids had the right idea. A client recommended Who's Your Baghdaddy? Or How I Started The Iraq War. I looked it up & I was skeptical...it sounded horrible...a musical comedy about the Iraq war...hmmmm...but...I trust this person, so we got tickets & went. We were greeted with doughnuts (declined...chain, not local...snob) & a friendly welcoming vibe. It became clear we were at a support group meeting & all the actors were talking to us in character like they knew us or were happy to meet us. 

This play was delightful...singing, dancing, rapping, hilariously funny & serious too. I'm so happy we took a chance. Afterwards, we were hungry...but all the kitchens in Madison close at 10...however, we discovered that Sal's on Livingston will serve you pizza at the bar until 11...we dashed on over. I began with a seasonal cocktail, A Currant Affair (Death's Door gin, Aperitivo Nonini, champagne currant syrup, lemon), garnished with market currants...it was fantastic. Sultry selfie. 

David had a Blackberry Jalapeño Marg (Agave de Oro Blanco, Clockwork Orange, blackberry jalapeno syrup, lime). Then...the pies...for David, Fat Uncle Tony (mozzarella/romano, pepperoni, sausage, bacon, red sauce, basil), while I chose a Pie Elote (mozzarella, roasted corn, bacon, Calabrian chili, Serrano chili & lime mayo, tajin spice, micro cilantro)...my pizza was outstanding...they both were, but this was my first corn pie. 

We had a lovely friendly bartender, Jamison, who made sitting at the bar fun. One more drink before heading home...David got The Old Razzle Dazzle (Sal's single barrel Wollersheim Two Mile bourbon, amaro nonino, raspberry mint syrup, lime) & I had The Final Flight (Death's Door gin, heirloom genepy, creme de violette, lime). A completely enjoyable evening. 

 

Charlie Parr // Them Coulee Boys

Dress: Tiered Lemon Mini Dress by Rachel Parcell (size M) via Nuuly

Sandals: Born via Poshmark

Earrings: Wendy Baker

Necklace: The Embellishing Room

Bracelets: Vintage

Stats: 5'7" 38-32-42

I need ALL the fruit dresses...especially citrus. Adorable lemon dress on a light blue background. Great fit thanks to the shirred back & adjustable ties at the shoulders. The boob "pockets" were slightly weird/ill-fitting with a bra, so I went without & that solved the problem...I don't think this would look right on anyone with larger than a C cup as that space is on the small side. This lightweight cotton dress came to me super wrinkled, so I had to spend quite a bit of time steaming it. 

Perhaps the sewn in boob areas were to mold your breasts to look like citrus? 

This was just a week after my chin lift revision surgery...so still puffy with bruising.

I love these glasses David surprised me with...I wear them far more than I do my leopard frames.

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeliner in Loaded; Analogue, Fran, & Legend eyeshadow from KVD; Sugarpill Cosmetics lipstick in Clockwork & Nectar; Essie nail polish in Aim to Misbehave; & OPI nail polish in Orange You Going To The Game?

I first wore this dress to a follow-up appointment with my surgeon who fixed my neck...I think we took the remaining stitches out on this day & I won't go back to see him until January so he can make sure everything healed nicely & take photos. Afterwards...I headed over to Edgewater to secure a table for Charlie Parr. All the tables were taken, so I strolled across the patio to a different section & found a free one...which I then had to drag quite a ways to get it in front of the stage. It made a terrible noise & this is how you know you are not a hot young thing...not one guy watching this offered to help...although one woman did make an encouraging woman power gesture at me. 

Kate & Jason arrive! I made us a new picnic recipe I found on NYT Cooking, Sheet-Pan Roasted Salmon Niçoise Salad. It was delightful! I was excited there was enough left for me to share with David when I got home. 

Kate's favorite thing is when I take pictures of her eating...can you tell? Cuties!

Char Parr!

These sandals fell apart as I was wearing them. I bought them new on Poshmark & only wore them ~4 times. Born have been crumbling on me lately & it makes me sad as I adore these flower shoes. 

The second & final time I wore this dress was to Kate's Summer Sunday Spirit-free Spritz Soirée (though it was a Saturday because she switched the date)...I had a fridge full of stuff from our CSA that I needed to use...so I cut up a yellow doll watermelon, cantaloupe, & cucumbers...doused them with balsamic vinegar & a dash of salt...& threw in some fresh basil...& this has become my new favorite thing to do with fruit. YUM. 

We mixed up some delightful concoctions & had a lovely visit.  

We mixed up delightful concoctions & had a lovely visit.

Then I headed over to Orton Park Fest for a 5pm Them Coulee Boys show. They had a wooden stage laid out on the grass & I took a place up front & danced through their whole set. They just get better & better. It was so much fun! 

My after dance glow...walking back to the car. I parked by Sultan, a new Pakistani restaurant...it smelled soooo good. 

 

NA Sparkling with Kate // Ben Sidran's 80th Birthday Celebration

Dress: Folklore Floral Brittany Fit & Flare Dress by Leota (size M) via Gwynnie Bee Try Then Buy

Sandals: Born via Poshmark

Earring & Necklace: Wendy Baker

Bracelets: Vintage

Stats: 5'7" 38-32-42

This is a happy dress & I'm quitting GB after a decade...so I bought it with the points I had. Leota is always a solid work dress, but this fun print can be worn everywhere. It has a long attached belt that can be wrapped around a few times...great fit & length. 

I wore this to work with teggings, but everywhere else I went bare legged. 

Fantastic sandal find on Poshmark...

Multi-colored jewelry...

I first wore this dress to Kate's for an NA sparkling tasting...

We drank refreshing beverages...& Kate gave us a fashion show of her variety of swimwear for her upcoming vacation. All adorable. 

My favorite...black & white stripy combination...

And more stripes! Afterwards...I headed over to the nearby Goodwill on 50% off tag day. 

2 of the 4 items I brought home were 1/2 off...

On another day...I think this was Vinny's on Willy St.

But...I guess I never took pictures of anything I got...I know there must have been a few things. And yet another day at Vinny's...

I believe this was also Willy St...I washed that peach lace cami & the crocheted part shrunk & is now shorter than the lining. 

Why didn't I get this first skirt?! It must have been too big. 

Pretty fresh flowers from Sunday market...& an all market dinner...

The final time I wore this dress was to get a facial at Aniu...where I ogled the OPI polishes...our local beauty supply only carries them online now, so I never get to see them in person. 

Ahhhh...facial time. I really lucked out getting this appointment with Sara...she must have had a cancellation, because otherwise I have to plan several months ahead to schedule. I was reading an article about North Street Cabaret & I like the Nietzsche quote they ended on, "without music, life would be a mistake."

And speaking of North Street Cabaret...later that night, that's where I was for Ben Sidran's 80th birthday celebration. His son, Leo, was on drums...the talent on that stage was astounding. 

I haven't seen Ben play since the 90s...& he lives right here in Madison. Disjointed jazz is not usually my thing...but Ben does it right...& he's such a wonderful storyteller with decades of memories to share. I can't believe I nearly stayed home. When it was all over...the guy sharing my table led the room in singing happy birthday.