MMoCA // Lucille // Airness

Dress: Pleated V-Neck Dress by Anthropologie (size 10) via Nuuly

Tights: We Love Colors

Shoes: Fluevog, Bellevues: Laura Evans 

Earrings: Heidi Daus via Ebay 

Necklace & Bracelets: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 38-32-42

I was attracted to all the bright colors in this dress...but when I tried it on, I thought...oooooh, it's fairly conservative...but I can make anything work. Excellent fit, perfect plunge on the neckline, swingy pleated skirt, back cutout, necessary zipper up the back.

Despite all these colors...I didn't have any shoes that were spot on...but I think these worked. I clearly need more shoes. 

I bought these with the intent of painting the brown part olive...but it just never happened. 

I could have put more effort into this ensemble...nothing I picked was quite right. 

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeliner in Mars; Bud, Rustler, Whiskey, & Hold 'Em eyeshadow from UD; NYX lipliner in Pumpkin; Hypnotic Rust lipstick by Make Up For Ever; & OPI nail polish in A Woman's Prague-ative. 

I first wore this dress to spend a completely lovely spontaneous day with my love. I'm the one who plans everything we do, but on this day, David sent me a link to an art exhibit he wanted to contemplate...so we wandered through MMoCA, as well as checking out some of the galleries at Overture. 

Then we walked to the capitol to take outfit photos...

Followed by...dinner at Lucille...where we requested our favorite table...then asked to be moved somewhere warmer. 

Great view...but brrrrrrr. David began with a cocktail, Spicy Pina Mojito (Pineapple Plantation Rum, Don Q Puerto Rican Rum, Fresh Lime Juice, Sugar, Ginger Beer, Muddled Mint)...& I had a Hotel Nacional (White Rum, Aged Rum, Apricot Liqueur, Simple Syrup, Pineapple, Lime). And...the usual pork shoulder nachos...because they are amazing. 

And our favorite pizza...Al Pastor steel pan pizza (Aji basil cream, mozzarella, roasted mojo pork, adobo sauce, blistered tomatillo pineapple salsa, fresh cilantro) & our two favorite drinks on their menu...Mexican Firing Squad & El Diablo. 

Grocery shopping...fresh curry leaves from the Asian market...local dry-aged ribeye at Meat People Butcher...& can't leave out the doggies...

Dinner...Indian Butter Chicken...yummmmm...

Oooooo...new Fluevogs! I may have gone a bit overboard on their January Encouraging Sale...especially during the additional 15% off all sale shoes. I don't regret a thing. I also wore this dress to go to Forward Theater Co production of Airness with David. 

A play about competitive air guitar...it was light & fun...AND featured our two favorite actors from APT, Marcus Truschinski & Josh Krause. 

 

Grown-Up Book Fair // Lymphatic Massage // Thrifting

Dress: Peppi-Winter Plaid Dress by Louche (size L) via Nuuly

Belt: Vintage via eBay 

Tights: Snag

Boots: Fluevog, East End: Woodland

Purse: gift from David

Earring: etXarte

Necklace: former Etsy shop

Bracelets: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 38-32-42

Little House on the Prairie chic...loved it. Stunning saturated navy & green plaid pattern in a nice heavy winter appropriate fabric...lots of material, so wearing a cardigan over it wasn't possible or necessary. However, even with the smocked top, this dress was huge on me. Part of it is my fault (I'm a fairly reliable medium these days), but this dress also runs at least one size too big (all the reviews state that, but it was brand new when I closeted it). Deep pockets & a back button closure. I got endless compliments while wearing this. 

I wanted to make this work as an outfit, so I immediately purchased a belt on eBay to bring it together. I searched for '80s vintage blue buckle belt'...this is pretty much exactly what I had in mind...it adds to the Vivienne Westwood vibes. Unfortunately, this belt skews more blue than green...it looked navy in the photos...but close enough. I desperately need a belt collection now. So much catching up to do! 

Even though my skills for building this look were fairly good given what I had to work with...what really put it over the top were these Fluevog boots I had just gotten during their after holiday sale. 

Aren't they gorgeous?! They were the oldest pair on my wishlist & there were only 2 left in my size. 

And to carry the yellow through elsewhere...a small pop of yellow in my bracelets. 

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeliner in Sabbath; Dragon, Heroine, & Lucky eyeshadow by UD; NYX lipliner in Pumpkin; Toast lipstick from Bite Beauty; Heat lipstick by UD; & OPI nail polish in A Woman's Prague-ative. 

I first wore this ensemble to attend the sold out Grown-Up Book Fair at The Sylvee. I waited too long to buy tickets to the first one last year...so I immediately grabbed one when they went on sale. This bag policy gets me EVERY time. 

They did a great job of recreating the feeling of the Scholastic Book Fairs of our youth. 

I colored & made a button out of 'I Like Big Books'...which I displayed on the tote of swag they handed out at the door. 

My favorite Wisconsin coffee...Wonderstate...I had to get the I Read Banned Books bag.

Nightmare Before Christmas tarot deck...Hot Lunch serving hot lunch...And look! It's Lindsay's book, Madison Chefs. Used books & specialty cocktails. I'm glad I went, but probably wouldn't go again unless someone really wanted to go with me. I also wore this dress to work & a final time to get a lymphatic massage from Courtney. She thought my outfit was spectacular & immediately commented on the Vivienne Westwood vibe I was putting out there. Courtney is doing wonders for me...my body has let go of so much fluid...especially my thighs. It is normal to have swelling up to a year after surgery...but everything was just so tight. At first it was painful when she pushed on those areas...but fast forward to the 2 weeks around the time of these photos (2-ish weeks ago)...I lost 17 pounds of what I'm guessing was water weight...& it shows. My thighs are back to normal...saggy skin instead of full of water. After massage...I stopped into Goodwill on my drive home. I discovered several cardigans, 4 dresses...including a never worn Effie's Heart...brown boots, & a button-up shirt covered in oranges that I'll probably never wear...but, oranges. 

 

Sal's // Sun Prairie Vinny's // Madison Symphony Orchestra

Dress: The Somerset Maxi Dress by Anthropologie (size M) via Nuuly

Tights: Snag

Shoes: Fluevog, Baroques: Rubens 

Earring: etXarte

Necklace: Green Goddess Vintage

Bracelet: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 38-32-42

These Somerset maxi dresses are always so easy to wear...cute & stylish, with pockets & nice waist definition with the elastic. This green velvet was a dream...as a faux redhead...it's my color...in some lights it leaned more olive...but mostly more of a Christmas green. Wonderful cool weather dress. I folded the collar under because it wasn't laying right, plus I prefer a v-neck. This maxi was the ideal length for me...gotta show off those Fluevogs! It could be dressed up or down...but despite the velvet, I don't think of the Somerset dresses as being too formal...I wouldn't wear this to a wedding unless it was on the casual side. Tiers of gorgeous green velvet...lovely. 

I get so much wear out of these sparkly orange tights...I only wish the glitter were gold rather than silver. On that note...you have NO idea how long it takes me to write these blogs since I'm constantly being distracted. Just now...I went off for nearly an hour looking into colored tights with gold glitter. I need these (out of my size :()& oh, goodness...definitely orange leopard glitter!

I decided rather than trying to match this shade of green...olive/chartreuse was the way to go so everything stood out more. 

This was my first time wearing these Rubens in green...they were my wedding shoes in burgundy. I found these olive ones on Fluemarket in perfect condition. 

My whole look...vintage lambswool coat with a fur collar found at Elkhorn last summer. 

Green & orange...my favorite flattering color combo...

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeliner in Mildew & Overdrive; Azalea, Jasper, & Agate eyeshadow from Natasha Denona; UD eyeshadow in Dragon; Vestment eyeshadow by Kat von D; NYX lipliner in Pumpkin; UD lipstick in Heat, & OPI nail polish in A Woman's Prague-ative. 

Accessories photo...I found that green fancy purse at a local shop...it's used, but not old. 

His & her Fluevogs on our way into dinner at Sal's in Sun Prairie. I had a classic favorite, a Corpse Reviver no. 2 (State Line London dry gin, Lillet Blanc, Clockwork Orange, lemon, Herbsaint). We had to begin with their calamari...as we were amazed by it last time...even though it had broccoli instead of Brussels sprouts (the waitress lied!). David had his favorite food...pizza...this was a Joey Bananas (Wisconsin mozzarella, Tempesta uncured pepperoni, Sartori MontAmore cheese, jalapeño, red sauce, spicy honey, fresh basil). 

I decided to try something I think about every time, but then end up getting something else...Shrimp Scampi (house made gemelli pasta, wild caught shrimp, Calabrese chili, butternut squash, spinach, wine, butter, Sarvecchio, parsley). We had ~30 minutes after dinner to stop by Vinny's...it's one of my favorites...we didn't have a chance to go through everything as they were getting ready to close & we had a concert to get to in Madison. Madison Symphony Orchestra...with guest pianist, Yefim Bronfman (we were not impressed). 

The obligatory selfie in front of the pretty hanging lights in the entrance of Overture. 

As well as the requisite photo of David kissing me. Awwwww. 

Our view of the stage...the musicians warming up. The highlight of the night for both of us was Béla Bartók's The Miraculous Mandarin. Even without the visual of the ballet dancers...you could hear the story being played out with the instruments. It was captivating...like good music should be. 

Our Vinny's haul...4 dresses (I immediately ruined? the red sweater dress by washing it...it stated dry clean only...but they always say that...the water disrupted the pleating & I'm not sure it can be fixed), 4 sweaters, 2 cardigans, a fuzzy wuzzy black jacket, gym clothes, & shirts for David. 

 

Wasted: Sparkles // Sal's

Dress: Tiered Button-Front Dress by Anthropologie (size M) via Nuuly

Tights: ?

Shoes: Fluevog, Truths: Alison 

Earring: etXarte

Necklace: Vintage Miriam Haskell

Bracelet: former Etsy shop

Purse: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 38-32-42

This dress is such a gorgeous shade of warm red...the fit was slightly big, but the drawstring waist helped with that. Pockets & buttons down the front...could have used a button between the one I have buttoned at the neckline & the one at the waist, but there was enough fabric that it didn't gap open. The feel & flow of this dress was marvelous...& I adored all the tiers. This is the ideal maxi length for me...I can wear heels or flats & it shows off my shoes. 

This dress could easily be dressed down...I always think buttons & collars make a dress more casual...but I'm just a fancy girl. I nearly didn't go with these Fluevogs because they didn't seem dressy enough...but after wearing them a while & seeing them in photos...it was a great choice. If I had a belt collection, I would have picked something with presence for this look. 

This may be my first time wearing these 'Vogs? They are lovely. I am unsure where I picked up these sparkling red tights. 

It's been a long time since I wore this necklace...it had a ribbon attached to the back because it didn't fit me the last time I put it on. I was able to cut that off & wear this as a choker as intended. 

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeliner in Alkaline & Double Life; Nefertiti, Celestial, Saffron, & Blood Moon eyeshadow by Huda Beauty; Burgundy lipliner from MAC; Kat von D lipstick in Russet; Cruella lipstick by Nars; & Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics nail polish in Black Metal Dahlia. 

I wore this dress for a Saturday full of fun. Firstly, Wasted: Sparkles...which is always the January wine tasting theme at Lindsay & Patrick's house. I walked into the kitchen to Lauren cutting up this delicious carrot cake (recipe by Smitten Kitchen) as it didn't fully cook in the center. I immediately started devouring the not quite cooked bits...YUM...carrot cake is my *favorite*. Lindsay also made Deb Perelman's Spicy Crushed Olives with Pistachios...so good & citrusy...a wonderful winter snack on crusty bread. 

All sparkles...all the time. My perfect situation. We began with a non-alcoholic sparkly, which wasn't bad & we decided tasted like raspberry lemon kombucha. Patrick pouring. David's Iggy Fluevogs totally upstaged mine...they are fabulous. Lindsay takes notes. 

This may have been our favorite bottle of the afternoon...

And a final Smitten Kitchen recipe, Slow-Simmered Lentils with Kale & Goat Cheese. And that carrot cake I thought couldn't be better...elevated with brown butter cream cheese frosting...I'm sure I ate 1/2 this plate & most of the frosting. 

Obligatory selfie. And we finished off with some non-alcoholic cocktails that had been gifted to Lindsay (she is a food & arts writer for a local paper)...oh, the faces that were made. I didn't care for any of them. After wine tasting was over...David & I headed to Sal's on Livingston. I sampled a new cocktail, Rye the Long Face (Sal's single barrel limousin rye, St. Elizabeth allspice dram, Demerara syrup, Angostura bitters, Bittercube cherry bark vanilla bitters). 

We began with chicken wings...they are never going to top their former offering...chicken wings with kimchi & Alabama white BBQ sauce. David drank a CranApple Cobbler (Etesia bourbon, spiced cranberry apple syrup, lemon).

This has traditionally been our favorite Sal's location...but on this evening, we were really let down by their signature pizza. The dough was tough...it seemed to have not rested long enough & the salt was forgotten. We took a few bites & sent them back. Our waitress apologized & the chef came out & talked to us...but no one asked if we wanted to order something else. So we didn't. I thoroughly enjoyed their homemade pappardelle & this entire dish...Bolognese (Wells Farm beef & pork ragu, pancetta, Sartori Sarvecchio, basil). A butterscotch pudding was gifted to us for the pizza disaster, which was nice...but we still would have preferred to have been asked if we wanted to order anything else...as David barely got to eat. Later that night...I caught Amanda Palmer on Instagram live.