Auralai & Chris Pureka

Dress: Maxi Dress in Black Tropical Print by Kiyonna (size 4x) via Gwynnie Bee (use my link to get your first month free & help me earn GB credit)

Sandals: Born

Earring & Necklace: Babil & Bijou

Bracelet: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

I'm in love with how fabulous this wall & maxi look together. This is the second Kiyonna I've had in this style, the other one...I also wore to The Shitty Barn. Gorgeous dress if you just stand still & pose like the goddess you are...but as soon as you take a step...the top slides right off your shoulders & exposes your bra (straps AND cups). So, if you need to look stunning while being a human statue...this is the dress for you. 

Plunging front...plunging back...this dress would also be tremendously suitable for seducing someone at home. 

Picnic with the girlie at The Shitty Barn. Those carrots were the BEST...& raspberries, yum. Check out this chick's skirt! Cherry Velvet uses this Tula Pink fabric for one of their dresses...so cute...I should have asked her if she made it herself, but that would require talking to a stranger. 

Kate & I took several dozen selfies before we finally got one where we were both in the shot & not blurry. I was sweating off my make-up & not looking pretty on this hot humid evening. 

Auralai, followed by Chris Pureka...a lovely evening at the barn. 

My make-up with this outfit included...NYX eyeliner in Gypsy Blue & Azure, Make Up For Ever eyeshadow in Tangerine, Anastasia eyeshadow in Phresh & Orange You Fancy, MAC lipstick in Korean Candy, Bite Beauty lipstick in Blood Orange, & OPI nail polish in Orange You Going to the Game?

The Lowest Pair

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

Sandals: Born, thrifted

Earring: etXarte

Necklace & Bracelet: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

This dress is sorta pastel isn't it? And I like it. Or it is just that I always love a good scarf print dress? Hmmm...whatever...I enjoyed wearing this handkerchief hem dress...the vibrant colors & gorgeous print were marvelous. I don't really get blouson dresses...kind of shapelessly pointless...but I was smitten with everything else about this pretty frock.

Side view...

Kate, Jason, & I took a chance that the rainy weather wouldn't get in the way of our seeing The Lowest Pair out on the patio at The Edgewater. Kate fetched us food...falafel from Naf Naf, a place I'd never tried. YUM! We got it in a bowl, served on a bed of hummus with all the sauces. Delicious. 

The Lowest Pair were amazing & I was able to get some albums for my collection. The last time we saw them was our final show last season at The Shitty Barn. The girlie wore her Grow A Pear shirt which not only matched the band...but her pear cider. It started drizzling just as they were finishing up for the night...the nervous sound guy started wheeling the equipment away...so they played the last song unplugged as we huddled under the tent with them. Adorable. 

My last pedicure of the season.

My make-up with this outfit included...NYX eyeliner in Gypsy Blue; Kat von D eyeshadow in Synth, Misfit, Vinyl, Love, & Swoon; Crush lipstick by Urban Decay, Pomegranate lipstick by Bite Beauty, & My Gecko Does Tricks nail polish by OPI. 

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More Tutti Frutti

 Top: Rico Top in Tutti Frutti by Rachel Antonoff (size 3x) via Gwynnie Bee (use my link to get your first month free & help me earn GB credit)

Skirt: J. Jill, thrifted

Sandals: Born, thrifted

Earring: Wendy Baker

Necklace: Babil & Bijou

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

I am nuts about this tutti frutti pattern by Rachel Antonoff...such lovely colors. I wore a dress in this design (completely different material) earlier this summer. The top is a lightweight semi-sheer cotton...I adored the cutout shoulders. However, it was quite shapeless & tended to roll up at the bottom as the edges were just serged. Also, this top came to me worn out...the colors were faded & the serged edges were fuzzy (see close-up of make-up below). Despite all of that...I wore this outfit several times...I had the perfect cotton J. Jill skirt to go with it & it was comfy to sit around the house in & run errands. 

Rachel Antonoff designed a collection especially for GB...her styles are fun...hopefully she has learned more about plus sized bodies for better fit in the future. In addition to the 2 tutti frutti garments, I've also worn her dissected frog dress...all with fit issues, but amazing patterns.  

Some Savers finds...

Play! by Sephora...August box...

While David was in California visiting family...I had the girlie over for dinner. I made slow roasted salmon with fennel & citrus & sliced up some heirloom tomatoes topped with basil from our garden...Kate brought lovely wine & her adorable smile & fabulous company. 

I don't shave my legs as my hair is super light...but once a year (usually spring...but I didn't get around to it until August this year) I wax this area on my outer calf below my knee since the hair there is visible. I have found waxing makes this hair grow back less & less...obviously the little bit of hair was not bothering me since it took me so long to get to it...but it is SO satisfying to rip the hair out. Is it just me? 

Olive frolicking at the dog park...I took Rye to doggy daycare, so I gave her some special time too. 

New dress from City Chic...I wore this from GB, but bought it new from CC for less. 

Pretty flowers at the Sunday market.

Then there's this douche nozzle...who hit my car in the parking lot at farmers market with his door fairly hard. I called after him, but he ignored me. When I finally found him with his 2 kids at market, he very sarcastically said...oh, soorrrry, it was them (meaning the kids). I just wanted him to sincerely apologize...so I was shocked when he was so rude to me. So I asked for his insurance information & he said...um, no...things happen...& he walked away. I told him that was a nice example he was setting for his kids & he replied...oh, like they know what I'm doing at five. Oh, I think they already know who you are, sir. 

All the spray paint! I have many bits & bobs that need color in the backyard. 

My make-up with this outfit included...NYX eyeliner in Deep Purple, Anastasia eyeshadow in Punch Fuchsia & Unicorn, Lime eyeshadow by Make Up For Ever, Follow Me eyeshadow by Too Faced (not pictured), NYX lip palette in The Plums, & OPI nail polish in My Gecko Does Tricks. 

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The Central Park Sessions: The Saharan Session

 Dress: Essential Wrap Dress in Green Print by Kiyonna (size 4x)

Teggings: Re/Dress

Sandals: Clarks

Earring: Babil & Bijou

Necklace & Bracelet: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

I last wore this dress in September 2014...I had forgotten how short it was...indecently so. I can't believe I wore the same accessories as I did last time...you'd think I didn't have any other green or black jewelry. I adore Kiyonna wrap dresses...I just wish this was a few inches longer. 

I found these black patent leather Clarks on eBay...I have a pair just like them in flat black that I've been wearing for over a decade when I have to walk a lot...they've been all over with me...San Francisco, Barcelona, Italy, France, Seattle...but they are looking quite sad...so I'm hoping these will replace them. Shiny makes comfortable sensible shoes a bit more fun...yes?

When I learned this lovely historic old home was having an estate sale...I had to go drool over the magnificence of this stunning late 1800s house. It's okay from the outside...but inside it is spectacular...fireplaces in all the downstairs rooms (& bedrooms too, though those were still being used & not open), curved glass windows in the library leading to a circular back porch, 12 foot ceilings & pocket doors *swoon* I left with nothing...but it was wonderful to take it all in. It is for sale for just over a million $$. 

I took myself out to Indian buffet for lunch afterwards. Then in the evening...live music with Kate...The Saharan Sessions...we missed the first band, then it poured...I tried to get a photo of all the people huddled in the tent with us as a massive amount of rain fell...but all I managed to capture was another woman trying to take a picture of the rain...as if we'd never seen rain before. 

After it cleared up...Kate danced to Daby Touré...though there were 2 men that were such interesting dancers I had to take a video & I spent most of the time watching them. The headliner was Fatoumata Diawara from Mali. 

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeliner in Zero, Sephora eyeliner in Brown, NYX eyeshadow palettes in Avant Pop-Art Throb & Brights, Make Up For Ever eyeshadow in Tangerine & Lime, MAC lipstick in Korean Candy, & OPI nail polish in Orange You Going to the Game?

Colin Stetson & Sarah Neufeld

 Dress: Sam Dress in Frog Print by Rachel Antonoff (size 5x) via Gwynnie Bee (use my link to get your first month free & help me earn GB credit)

Teggings: Re/Dress

Sandals: Array, thrifted

Necklace, Bracelet, & Earring: Wendy Baker

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

Oh, shift dresses...why do you come in so many enticing patterns? I had to try this dissected frog dress...because...fun! At least 1/2 a dozen women sought me out at a concert to tell me how awesome my dress was...they just meant the print though...it is quite eye-catching. And that was the only thing I liked about this shift...but then, I suspected as much. The fabric was similar to scuba, but even thicker & heavier...& my land...it was *short* when sitting...most of the women who complimented me called it a top. The fit was way off, just like the other Rachel Antonoff dress I've worn...tight on the bottom, huge up top. Also, both of my arms could have fit into one armhole. 

The reason I don't like shift dresses...I could say it's because they aren't flattering, but eff flattering...I love a flowy swing dress. I guess I don't care for the shape they give me...I gaze at that photo below & I see a stand up arcade game. Here, I look like Frogger. 

 A lot of excess material under the arms...that is not a happy face. 

I adore this sparkly pink polish, but can never entirely capture the glitteryness. Melissa Masse sent me 4 dresses for a size 26+ blogger feature Marcy is doing...so amazingly generous...& none of them fit. None of them. I know it doesn't make any sense...but I felt bad about myself...not just bad...but like a less than person. She was so extremely sweet in her response that the feeling immediately went away...but it shook me. I took a photo of the maxi dress with the fabric I gasped over...& she told me she would make me a fit & flare dress out of it herself (the other dresses were made by one of her sample makers that doesn't do much plus size). OPI fall polishes...so pretty. I keep up my cosmetology license so I can buy my nail & hair stuff cheaply at the beauty supply stores. 

David & I after voting...no make-up yet at this point in the day. The Shitty Barn...opening, Chants...then Colin Stetson & Sarah Neufeld. 

I nearly didn't make the trip out to the barn for this show. I was supposed to go with Angie & Toby, but they were exhausted...& I listened to Colin Stetson (Arcade Fire, Bon Iver) & Sarah Neufeld (Arcade Fire) on YouTube...& quite honestly, their music hurt my ears...my whole body would relax the second they stopped playing. Why would I drive out to Spring Green by myself for that?! I don't know...there was something pulling me there. In person...they were mesmerizing...their music was like the most heartbreakingly vulnerable conversation, a lonely savage beast, a stampede of enraged elephants, a heavy metal rhino. I was enchanted. 

I filmed a little snippet of what I saw before me, but I know you must experience this in person to really hear it. 

My make-up with this outfit included...NYX eyeliner in Moss, NYX Avant Pop eyeshadow palette in Art Throb, Urban Decay eyeshadow in Junkshow & Last Sin, Cranberry lipstick by Bite Beauty, & J'adore My Mani nail polish by Morgan Taylor. 

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Sean Hayes at The Frequency

 Dress: Floral Delight Dress by City Chic (size XXL/24) via Gwynnie Bee (use my link to get your first month free & help me earn GB credit)

Teggings: Re/Dress

Sandals: Array, thrifted

Earring: Babil & Bijou (no longer online)

Necklace: A Luscious Thing

Bracelet: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo, Kate, & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

This pretty party frock was full of gorgeous colors & a delight to wear. The flattering fit & flare shape, the tulle underskirt that added a bit of fluff, & pockets...charming. The only odd thing about this dress is that the bust was lightly padded...? I will sheepishly admit to you that I own this dress in a purple & black hydrangea print that I've never worn. I would be horrified to know how many dresses are languishing in my closet that have never gotten any attention from me. 

The only time we could fit pictures in this day between clients was at 1 in the afternoon...terrible lighting...but I like to have photos taken on the day I'm actually wearing the dress. 

Dinner with Kate, Angie, & Jason at Graze before seeing Sean Hayes. Cocktails...I had a Miami (Hayman's Old Tom Gin, Fruitlab ginger liqueur, rosemary syrup, lemon juice, Bittercube Jamaican #2 bitters)...but what did I have for dinner??? Angie & I shared cheese curds for an appetizer...but I have no photo of what I ate. How can that be? And just when Angie stated...I forgot how many pictures you two take when you're together. See, it's because if I don't take them...I forget everything. Perhaps the girlie took a photo of me with my food? Oh! I just remembered...I had Friday Fish Fry! All fried food...but not all the time. 

Sean Hayes & his band sat next to us! Jason & Kate posing with an unsuspecting Sean between them. 

Kate & Angie with their dinner. The capitol as I walked by it on my way to the venue. An early show...I was the first person to arrive (everyone else went for a walk). I have quite a bit of anxiety about sitting close...so I like to get to places when the doors open. Or I flip out. 

Kate wearing Jason's hat...I don't know that I've ever seen her in a baseball cap before. Still cute. We saw Sean Hayes last year at The Shitty Barn & were excited to see him again. He was amazing. 

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeliner in Abyss, UD eyeshadow in Junkshow & Last Sin, Kat von D eyeshadow in Dark Wave, Bite Beauty lipstick in Winterberry & Cranberry, & This Color's Making Waves nail polish by OPI.

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