I Voted // Thrifting

Dress: Balloon Sleeve Navy Fit & Flare Dress by Jessica Howard (size 8) via Gwynnie Bee

Tights: Snag

Shoes: Fluevog, Super Fine: Honour 

Earring: etXarte

Necklace & Bracelet: Vintage

Stats: 5'7" 38-32-42

I nearly sent this back to GB without wearing it...I mean...how conservative is this dress?! Things I liked about it: pretty blue, lace bubble sleeves (I like this bubble trend), & lace around the bottom. It wasn't the best cut, but I had fun styling it. 

A reason to wear Fluevogs...I think this made the outfit a bit more fun & not so stuffy. 

I love the gold pipping...& the buckles, which I didn't really get a close-up of. 

This was my first time wearing this necklace...I was thinking about getting rid of it...I really need to purge some jewelry. 

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeliner in Sabbath; Heroine, Last Sin, Alchemy, & Sonic eyeshadow by UD; MAC Burgundy lipliner; Majella lipstick from Nars; & OPI nail polish in I'm Not Really A Waitress. 

Erranding...switching between channels...2 completely different songs titled, 'Call Me' being played at the same time...the first one was terrible. At the post office...it doesn't seem that long ago that that black rectangle displaying the date was counting down to the year 2000...the reason they installed it. I'm old. Trying on clothes at the Vinny's in Sun Prairie.

I found a TON of things, but most were unsuccessful...

I was sad about this terra cotta burnout velvet maxi...it was my size, but didn't come close to zipping in back. The color was outstanding on me. A bunch of nopes...

I came home with 4 dresses, including an Effie's Heart...& this cute round rattan purse. And I made my Covid test appointment...which was my final thing I needed to do before heading to Mexico for round 2 of surgery. 

Later that day...I wore this conservative patriotic outfit to work & vote. I stuck my I Voted sticker above my breasts...I was obsessed with taking photos since I was about to get a lift. Dinner...Insalata di Finocchio (Shaved Raw Fennel with Olives) & Oven-Braises Beef with Harissa. 

 

Devotchka // Sunflower Tattoo

Jumpsuit: Sophia Jumpsuit by Free People (size L) via Nuuly

Cardigan: Jessica Howard (size M), thrifted 

Socks: Sock Dreams

Shoes: Fluevog, Go Groovy: Aubrey 

Earring: Wendy Baker

Necklace: bel monili

Bracelets & Purse: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo, Kate, & Me

Stats: 5'7" 38-32-45

I am wearing PANTS! I mean, I know you can barely tell since they have such wide legs. But. They are still pants. I couldn't resist the bright 60s color palette & pretty pattern. I would have considered buying this jumpsuit if it didn't run so big...it just seemed like something you could throw on all summer long. Nice deep pockets, great length for flats or heels, smocking on top, strapless neckline. 

I don't have much of a cardigan collection (yet)...so despite having a few different greens AND oranges to choose from...nothing quite went...so black it was. 

But Meshel, you clearly didn't care that your shoes weren't quite a match...nope, I liked the Go Groovy shape of them with the pantsuit. 

Shoes up close...

I finally dyed my hair...it was so grown out & dingy. I did it in the kitchen sink so I didn't have dye running down my body & incisions. Also, lifting my arms up is hard. Note to self: dye hair before surgery next time. 

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeliner in Perversion, Stila liquid eyeliner in Intense Black, Huda Beauty Neon palette, Bang lipliner & lipstick by UD, Bite Beauty lipliner in 72, Nectar lipstick from Sugarpill Cosmetics, & Essie nail polish in Sexy Plunge. 

I first wore these pants to see Devotchka with Kate at Stoughton Opera House. 

I bought a t-shirt...I'll wear it to pilates or hiking. I thought the face on the front was pretty & I like the lyrics on the back, you only love me when I'm leaving. They had a musician playing in the lounge...it was nice to see such a well attended show...most of them this year seem to be about 50 people. 

In the front row...

Kate & I saw them several times back in the early 00s...they were SO good (the first time was opening for Dresden Dolls in the back room of a bar in Chicago). 

This show was great, but we were a bit underwhelmed when comparing them to their past selves...which they brought out just in time for the last song, Such A Lovely Thing...which made the whole night special. Back at home...a glass of wine in front of the fire. The second time I wore this pantsuit was to get a tattoo by the fabulous Bear. They custom drew a piece to fit this spot on my leg...can you see my girls up on the wall to the left of my knee?I love sunflowers...we'll do color next time. I came home to the house smelling delicious...David made curry squash soup from the gigantic squash we had roasted...with sausages he helped make the night before during a class at Meat People. 

 

Chicago: The Art Institute of Chicago // Food // Wandering

Dress: Black Floral Contrast Trim Dress by Smak Parlour (size 0x) via Gwynnie Bee

Cardigan: Jessica Howard (size M), thrifted

Tights: ?

Shoes: Fluevog, Go Groovy: Aubrey 

Necklace & Earring: Wendy Baker

Bracelets: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 41-39-53

I adore these cutesy schoolgirl dresses from Smak Parlour...I just wish this one had black trim instead of white...I tried to cover it up as much as possible. Good fit & about the shortest length I feel comfortable wearing. The fabric is a bit cheap feeling, but it was a great one & done...& fun to style. 

I mostly wore this with the cardigan, but wanted to show the dress on its own. 

It's difficult to see here, but these tights have black stripes. This was my first time wearing these Aubrey's I bought over a year ago. Go Groovy shoes were definitely called for with this print. 

As was winged eyeliner...

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeliner in Perversion, Stila liquid liner in Intense Black, Huda Beauty Neon eyeshadow palette, Bang lipliner & lipstick from UD, Clockwork lipstick by Sugarpill Cosmetics, & OPI nail polish in A Woman's Prague-ative. 

A wee bit of shopping at Ulta, the beauty supply, & Sephora.

I did not wear this dress on this day...I wore the Leota Rose dress, but forgot to include this on that post. I traveled down to Chicago again to visit my boyfriend, André, at a pipe show. We had breakfast at The Original Pancake House before heading into the city to go to The Art Institute of Chicago. Miniatures have always fascinated me...so these perfectly decorated period rooms are always a favorite. 

This Chagall takes my breath away every time...I sat on the bench for a while & just took it in. 

Selfie in the dress I was wearing...

More art that caught my eye...

André & his Ferris Bueller's Day Off moment.

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec...

Eyeballs & breasts on platters...

After the museum, André wanted some Chicago deep dish pizza...you would think I would have a favorite place...but we've always defaulted to Giordano's. We decided to try Lou Malnati's because it got great reviews. Giordano's is better...I'm going to make it my mission to find a truly great Chicago pizza...if you have any suggestions? The next day, André had pipe stuff to do...so I drove into Chicago to wander. First stop...tacos at Antique Taco...the best food I had that weekend. 

Back to Fluevog & a few thrift stores in the area. I really liked the color & pattern on this dress, but the fit was too baggy. Also, this was the day I actually wore the outfit in this post. 

Back at the hotel...I went to the pipe dinner with André. I was supposed to stay until Monday, but I ended up leaving on Saturday. There was too much waiting around for me with nothing to do. It turns out even though pipe shows are full of sexy men in beards...they are not that interesting to me. 

 

Farmers' Market with The Girlie // Swimsuit Shopping

Dress: Royal Floral Wrap Dress by Jessica Howard (size 14W) via Gwynnie Bee 

Tights: We Love Colors

Shoes: Ann Taylor Loft, thrifted 

Earring: etXarte

Necklace & Bracelet: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 41-39-53

This royal blue was so vibrant & springy...conservative, but still cute. I had to pin the neckline closed, but otherwise everything was great...especially the handkerchief hem & the flounce. 

I almost look like I have boobs in this dress...I miss my boobs. 

I nearly forgot there were pockets...

I was so happy to wear this flower earring...it's been a while...

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeliner in Roxy, Grass eyeshadow from Lime Crime, Kat von D eyeshadow in Swoon, Big Bang lipliner & lipstick by UD, & OPI nail polish in Holy Pink Pagoda!

I first wore this dress to shop at the westside farmers' market with Kate...but I must have gotten up awfully early because I apparently had time to stop at the salon where I buy my skincare AND dash into the co-op to get coffee (we were still trying to adjust our subscription to Spyhouse...it turns out we need an every 2 week delivery because we were running out at 4).

Carsie & Joe...live on Facebook. My current favorite moisturizer from Éminence. Leftover salmon salad for lunch on our front porch on a gorgeous day.

The girlie came home with me to talk to David about financial stuff & Jason picked up lunch from Banzo on his way to fetch her & we all visited. Our Magnolia tree always looks pretty in the spring. 

Later that day...I made us dinner, 2 Christopher Kimball/Milk Street recipes...Fennel, Tomatoes, & Harissa Chicken en Cocotte, served atop roasted cauliflower/garlic...alongside Roasted Fennel with Rosemary. I also wore this dress to work a few times. After work, David & I popped into Lands' End to exchange the swimsuit he bought me for my birthday. Women's sizing is so confusing...how was he supposed to know there is a difference between a size 14 & 14W?! I ended up with the regular size 16. 

The funny thing about this swimsuit...I had my eye on it...my favorite pattern, paisley, mixed with the different colors on the top & bottom...& I need a bit of a skirt because I've got a lot of loose skin that spills out. David didn't even know...& this is the one he picked for me out of all the swimsuits online. He knows me. Ulta was having a sale & I wanted to try this foundation by Nars...but it was just terrible & settled into every one of my pores like no other has ever done...oddly enough, I picked the exact right shade...online. And my May Boxy Charm.