Christmas Day

 Dress: Swing Dress in Purple Floral Print by Alice & You (size 28) via GB Shop 

Leggings: Torrid

Socks: Sock Dreams

Shoes: Dansko, gift from David

Earring: etXarte

Necklace: Wendy Baker

Bracelets: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

I last wore this dress back in early spring of 2016...I sent it back to GB, but bought it from the shop a short while later for $15. 2016 was the year of the swing dress...& I bought several. This outfit was so comfy...I wore it December 25th, 26th, & 27th. 

Now that all my clothing is organized...I discovered these amazing anklet socks in my solid color sock bin...I love them! I need more solid socks in my life to wear with leggings in the cooler months. Luckily, Sock Dreams was having a sale...so I bought all the cute anklets they had. 

Clearly, the flowers in this dress are two different shades of blue...& not purple like the title suggests. 

My make-up with this outfit included...NYX Faux Black eyeliner in Oxblood; Bang Bang, Turn On, & Young Love eyeshadow by Urban Decay; UD lipstick in 714; & China Glaze nail polish in Ruby Pumps. 

I first wore this outfit Christmas Day...honestly, I went into my closet & threw on the first dress I saw with red in it. Our only plan for the day was to go to Indian buffet with friends, so I wasn't feeling too fancy. But first! Super Boo & I opened gifts. David bought a print of this painting last summer (the original was $10-12,000) at Art Fair on the Square. I took photos of how the artist framed his work so I could replicate it. I bought old wood at Deconstruction Inc (all the nail holes & weathering are genuine), as well as a drawer handle & other hardware. This is obviously not complete yet, but I'm still working on it. 

David surprised me with this stunning Miriam Haskell vintage necklace...she is my favorite jewelry designer from the 40s-60s. I used to collect her back in the 80s & 90s, but her stuff goes for ridiculously crazy amounts now. I need to take a video of this necklace...it has a water feature! That upper right bit on the pendant is filled with water & chips of opal & gold that float around...how crazy is that?! The lady he bought it from had the matching bracelet, but she SOLD IT SEPARATELY! Who does that?!

Indian buffet...there were 10 of us, plus this little sleeping niblet. Afterwards, we took outfit photos, then went home & watched Christmas movies. Our favorite this year was Christmas in Connecticut from 1945. We also watched Shop Around the Corner, The Apartment, & re-watched White Christmas. 

The day after Christmas...I had a client & David was going to check out Sur la Table...which is just a few stores away from Lush...so I asked him to pop in to see if they had any of my favorite cleanser left...Bûche de Noël, since it was their buy one get one free sale. I told him to just get one since it will go bad before I can use it all. But the lady at the counter informed him that customers freeze them successfully...so he came home with six. 

The following day...I had an appointment to get fitted for compression socks...my doctor thinks wearing them will help my legs heal better. Then...Indian buffet again...a different restaurant. We also bopped into Target for 1/2 price Christmas swag...& found THE BEST THING EVER...2 foot tall gold tinsel trees! For $4! We got the last two they had left...they will be perfect in our rec room next year. Finally, we shopped 40% off Christmas at Orange Tree imports...they carry a lot of Old World Christmas ornaments & we got a bunch. It all got wrapped up before I could take photos...& David packed them away in boxes when we got home. 

The last Ulta haul of the year...20% off sale, plus Urban Decay discounts a bunch of stuff 50% off that they're getting rid of. 

We had dinner with Angie in the evening...David & Freddy...he just gets cuter every time we see him. 

Shook Twins // Brett Newski

 Dress: Swing Dress in Geometric Print by Alice & You (size 28) via Gwynnie Bee Try Then Buy

Teggings: Re/Dress

Sandals: Dansko

Earring: etXarte

Necklace: Wendy Baker

Bracelets: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

I love swing dresses...they make me feel like a little kid...twirly & girlie. And I adore the retro pattern in this one. I last wore this over 2 years ago...with completely different jewelry. It always amazes me when I rewear an outfit years later & discover...I picked the same accessories...but not this time. 

There is nothing I would change about this dress...perfection. 

I'm yet again lacking jewelry/make-up photos because of our move...it may be a while before I have a set up I'm happy with.

I wore this outfit to see Brett Newski & Shook Twins at The Shitty Barn. Brett was filling in last minute for Shawn Butzin, who was having car trouble...& I'm so glad...because he was my favorite of the evening. 

I also wore the majority of this outfit to wander around Elkhorn Vintage Flea with David....soooo many pretty things!

I loved that girl's parasol! It was black with tinges of red...I should have asked her where she found it. Tasty Mexican food after antiquing. Also, my trusty, ugly but comfy, Clarks sandals that I bought in San Francisco back in 2003 finally bit the dust...the sole fell apart as I walked around. Those shoes have made walking around a breeze in Spain, Italy, France, Seattle, Chicago, San Francisco, NYC...they will be missed. 

We came home with a bedside table & lamp for me...& a heap of jewelry...a lot of it Bakelite. And my latest Wendy Baker creation came in the mail.

My Life As A Zucchini

 Dress: Lace Up Dress in Navy Paisley by Alice & You (size 28) via Gwynnie Bee Shop

Cardigan: Talbots, thrifted

Leggings: Torrid

Shoes: Boden, thrifted

Earring: Vintage 80s

Bracelet: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo, Kate, & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

I had this dress from GB last year & liked it well enough to buy it when it showed up in the GB Shop for $11...my only complaint about it is a bit too much gray for my liking...but, paisley. Great fit & length. 

I've had these gray & black striped leggings from Torrid for over a decade & this is my first time wearing them. The cardigan I thrifted a few years ago & this was also its first outing with me...I decided to throw it on to wear once before I donated it...but it turns out I adore it. Both Kate & our waitress agreed I should keep it. 

These photos were taken outside a pretty old church in Milwaukee.

I wore this ensemble for the last day of film fest. My favorite movies this year were: Lost in Paris, Bugs (documentary), My Life As A Zucchini, & Frantz. Pizza before our final film...including Nutella pizza for dessert, which three of us shared...my curiosity is now satisfied & I won't have to have it again. 

On another day...burgers at Alchemy with David & sweet potato fries. Some pretty art in the bathroom at the co-op. And the final indoor farmers' market of the season with the girlie. 

 Savers 50% off sale...

Super Boo & I traveled to Milwaukee for the day because Wednesday is 20% off everything at ReStore...look at this fabulous olive velvety love-seat we scored! We also came home with a coffee table for our rec room, several light fixtures, & a few doors. Then on to I.M. Salvage to pick up some doors we bought the last time we were in town...that place is a trip...it would be the perfect location for a movie shoot-out...vast, dark, & so many places to hide. They have row upon row of old toilets & tank covers...& I finally discovered the source of the creepy hellos that echo through the place...way up high...there is a parrot. A guard parrot. Also, they are holding our doors hostage in a room that only the owner has the key to & despite us leaving for a few hours & coming back...the doors remained there. 

WasteCap is a new to us salvage shop...expensive, but so many treasures. All those bits of wrought iron *swoon*...& that cherub fountain. We loaded up on doors there...8, I think...those were totally reasonable. 

The friendly adorable woman working there suggested we try Oscar's for lunch...she recommended the Aloha burger...how did she know?! Pineapple & avocado is my new favorite accompaniment on my burger. 

My make-up with this outfit included...Abyss eyeliner by Urban Decay, NYX eyeshadow palette in The Brights, Modern Renaissance eyeshadow palette by Anastasia Beverly Hills, Blood Orange lipstick by Bite Beauty, MAC lipstick in Dozen Carnations, & OPI nail polish in Do You Sea What I Sea?

Swing Dress in Patchwork Paisley

 Dress: Swing Dress in Patchwork Paisley Print by Alice & You (size 28) via Gwynnie Bee (use my link to get your first month free & help me earn GB credit)

Teggings: Re/Dress

Shoes: Boden, thrifted 

Earring: etXarte

Necklace & Bracelet: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

I've had this post up for over a week without any text except for an explanation of why there was no text...I was in Tennessee for a week visiting my parents. I was hoping to post from there, but I couldn't get Blogger to work on my iPad...there is no longer an app for that! I might have to switch where I blog. Where do you like? 

I loved this dress! The colors, the pattern...the SWING! I made it mine. It's the same dress as the others I bought by Alice & You...purple floral & geometric print. 

The colors on this wall are fantastic...the whole picture...

Torrid leggings during a 50% off sale...both sizes 4 & 5 work for me...I'm going to stick to 4 from now on.

All the colors are represented in this dress...so I had to put as many as possible on my face too...

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeliner in LSD, UD eyeshadow in Fringe & Urban, Too Faced eyeshadow in Follow Me, NYX eyeshadow palette in The Brights, Aubergine lipstick by Bite Beauty, & OPI nail polish in I'm in the Moon For Love. 

Dan Savage's HUMP! Film Fest

 Dress: Lace Up Dress in Navy Paisley by Alice & You (size 28) via Gwynnie Bee (use my link to get your first month free & help me earn GB credit)

Tights: We Love Colors

Shoes: Mossimo, thrifted

Earring: etXarte

Shorter Necklace: Vintage

Longer Necklace: Babil & Bijou

Bracelet: Age Before Beauty

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

I wore this dress out on a Saturday night & again on Tuesday to vote & spend the day with Super Boo. I had this style of dress last month in teal check...however, the fabric is completely different...this dress is the typical slippery poly, while the check was closer to flannel. My favorite pattern is paisley, so I was in love with this dress, but there was too much grey in it for me...otherwise I loved the colors, fit, & length. The lace up front doesn't lay quite right when completely laced up...I wore it folded under in a v-neck on Saturday which I liked better. 

On Saturday night David, Angie, & I went out to dinner at Alchemy...we were meeting there at 5 & I was expecting this dress to come in the mail...at 4:30 our mail still hadn't come. I had done my make-up & picked out accessories based on the photos on GB. Finally at 4:39...the box was delivered...I threw it on & we left the house. The tights & shoes were a good match, but when I wore this again on Tuesday I changed my make-up, nail polish, & jewelry. 
The burgers at Alchemy are so amazingly good...this was the apple rum grass fed beef burger with sweet onion rum relish, habanero  aioli, & house made pickles. For dessert we walked over to Chocolatarian...I chose my 2 favorite wine pairing sweets from the night before...key lime white chocolate square & a chocolate bar with peanut butter & salted caramel. 

Then on to the Hump! film fest with Dan Savage. Super Boo & I had gone 2 years ago...but missed it last year. Hump! features many short (5 minutes or less) amateur porn videos made by people of all sizes & sexual expression. It is awesome. 

On Tuesday we voted for Bernie! Then went to Alchemy for lunch because I couldn't get that burger out of my mind. I had the exact same meal, including sweet potato fries...but I changed my drink from a Moscow Mule on Saturday to a Philosopher's Stone...which is what David drank on Saturday & I had been envious of. Then down the street to Gail Ambrosius to collect our free sea salt caramel for voting...& couldn't resist getting a 6 piece box to bring home...2 were eaten in the car before I snapped a photo. David & I sat in the driveway talking for a bit...I find I have some of the best conversations sitting in the car. 

This is V for Vote & not peace...but peace is good too. 

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeshadow in Chaos, a mixture of 4 orange eyeshadows from the Morphe Brushes Color Glam Palette, a mixture of Bite Beauty lipstick in Blood Orange & NYX Hippy Chic, & OPI nail polish in Aloha from OPI. 

Wisconsin Film Fest Planning with the Girlie

 Dress: Swing Dress in Purple Floral Print by Alice & You (size 28) via Gwynnie Bee (use my link to get your first month free & help me earn GB credit)

Tights: Catherines

Shoes: Andiamo, thrifted

Purse: gift from Kate

Earring & Shorter Necklace: Babil & Bijou (no longer online)

Long Necklace & Bracelet: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo, Kate, & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

I wore this swing dress out to cocktails & dinner with Kate. GB sent me these 2 Alice & You swing dresses back to back...I liked the first one better...it gave off a more vintage '60s vibe to me...also, I am fairly sick of floral patterns. I liked wearing this though...I am kind of obsessed with swing dresses right now & may try to make my own for summer. Despite it being the same size, this dress seemed shorter & less full than the first one. Let's talk about the color...purple? To me, this dress seemed to have 2 different shades of blue, outlined in black...I do not get purple. Another fun dress!

Girlie Happy Hour! Yay, look...it's my girlie! We tried a total of 6 cocktails...& I liked every one of them! We started out with Disco Roots (Monkey Shoulder Scotch, housemade sarsaparilla syrup, Angostura bitters, grapefruit juice) & Dating is Dead (Citadelle gin, Matilde Creme de Cassis, housemade rosemary syrup, lemon juice, cava). Also, olives & frites. And the cutest ever girlie!

Yum! Kate thought I should use this as my Facebook photo, but looking like a lush does not help my professional image...even though this *is* Wisconsin & I look adorable. Carrot/Ginger/Peach soup with lemongrass, fried shallot, chive, & sesame oil...does that not sound like the most heavenly combination you've ever heard?! It was quite tasty. I had their beer battered perch fish fry...because...Friday...& I've never had it before...it was delicious. Our second drinks were Green Gloves (Don Q Anejo & Plantation 3 Star rum, Yellow Chartreuse, housemade winter tonic syrup, honey) & Otachi Attacks! (Buffalo Trace bourbon, Amaro Montenegro, housemade Chinese 5 spice syrup, lemon & orange juice, Bittercube Jamaican #1 bitters). Then...down to the serious business of...how are we going to fit in all these movies we want to see?!!! The end total is...David & I are going to 21 movies each & Kate is going to see a much more reasonable 13. The tickets went on sale the next day at noon...the online buying process usually gives me a full blown panic attack because there are so many glitches...but this year, for the first time...just mildly anxiety producing. 

I love my adorable record purse! Kate got it for me as a NYE gift & it is just perfect. I told both Kate & David that I wanted a specific record purse as a holiday gift...but they both refused to get it for me because they apparently know my taste better than I do. This purse is SO much better than the one I *thought* I wanted. Our last drinks were a Moscow Mule (vodka, lime juice, Koval Ginger Liqueur, carbonated water) & I *think* Kate got a Sazerac (rye, bourbon, Demarara, absinthe, bitters, lemon oil). This was the sad day Kate broke the news to me that she quit GB. No more matching girlie dresses. 

After leaving a tipsy girlie to walk home...I took myself to Ulta because NYX was buy 1, get 1 50% off, plus I had a coupon for another $3.50 off...cheap make-up...I cannot resist. I wanted this palette after seeing Cora show it off in this video on Vintage or Tacky...I also picked up this black eyeshadow base for when I want dramatic nighttime eyes. Then home to a good mail day...a package from Teri of etXarte...she is so sweet...she makes me single earrings & puts up with my pickiness. She creates, sends me photos of earrings I might like, & when the stash gets big enough...she sends them off to me...often with a free earring thrown in. 

My make-up with this outfit included...NYX eyeliner in Deep Blue, Sugarpill eyeshadow in Love+, Anastasia eyeshadow in Blue Velvet & Buttery, Urban Decay lipstick in F-Bomb, & OPI nail polish in Little Red Wagon.