Baby, I Love Your Way

Top: Yellow Faux Wrap Top by Melissa McCarthy (size 4x)

Skirt: Green Retro Skirt by Eva Rose (size 4x) via Gwynnie Bee

Teggings: Re/Dress

Sandals: Array, thrifted

Earring: Wendy Baker

Necklace & Bracelet: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo, Kate, & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

It feels like it has been forever since I wore a skirt...I'm such a dress lover...but it was fun to find a top in my closet that went with this skirt GB sent me. It's by one of my favorite labels, Eva Rose...this skirt was cotton with no stretch & a zipper up the back...with pockets. I don't have as many pattern mixing opportunities in the summer...& a skirt opens that up. I'd try more of these sturdy cotton skirts in the future. 

I bought this cheery yellow top when Melissa McCarthy clothing was coming to an end several years back...this was my first wearing of it. 

It was like Wendy made this earring to go with this blouse...

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeliner in Mars, UD eyeshadow in Dragon & Freeze, Lumiere eyeshadow from Mon Ennui Cosmetics, Big Bang lipliner & lipstick by UD, & OPI nail polish in Can't Hear Myself Pink! 

All live music, all online...Miss Tess, Dan Rodriguez, Hanah Jon Taylor Trio at Olbrich, Scott Bradlee doing Baby, I Love Your Way, & Mr. Pokey LaFarge. Blue Ox was both online & limited in person...it was so much fun to see how excited the bands were to have a live audience to interact with. Barbaro, followed by Them Coulee Boys on Friday night. Those boys are so much fun. The willow trees in the drive through farmers' market pickup. I don't recall how I first came across Heather Renaux & her hauntingly beautiful art, but she was having a sale...& these will all look amazing in my purple & red striped office. I plan on framing each one of them differently in frames I create & decorate myself. It is going to be a fun project. After farmers' market on Saturday...I went to Kate's for a backyard visit. Sigh. I miss hugging my girlie. And doing things. And. But I am grateful to be able to see her in person. Driving home from Kate's...an altered sign on E. Johnson. Carsie! Doing her monthly rent party for the boys in her band...& their adorable dog, Skunk. Carsie is SO cute...that is the entire reason I became a fan of hers...High Noon kept spamming me with her gig there & I finally looked up her music because...well, look at her...adorable. AND...her music is fantastic. She was fabulous in person.After party on Zoom for Patreon supporters...Carsie was asking what we were all listening to & I mentioned Davina...& she loves Davina too!!! I am always excited when artists I like also like each other. Glenn Crytzer Quartet with a celesta...which is a mini piano/xylophone...I loved it. And...the second night of Blue Ox with Charlie Parr finishing out the night. Barefoot...which always makes me smile. Orton Park Festival went online this year & I enjoyed watching Cycropia...however, it was not nearly as beautiful as it is at night in the magnificent oak trees. Hopefully, next year. 

Dead Horses & Memories

 Dress: Leafy Greens Ruffle Maxi Dress by Melissa McCarthy (size  4x)

Sandals: Born

Earring: etXarte

Necklace: Wendy Baker

Photography: Super Boo, Kate, & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

I bought this dress for $25 when Melissa McCarthy clothing was going out of business earlier this year...it eventually went down to $15, but I'm sure by then my size was gone. I was attracted to the unusual delicate color combination & lovely leafy pattern, as well as the fluttery sleeves. I knew being able to see the back side of the fabric on the ruffles, bell sleeves, & high/low hem would drive me crazy...& it did. I felt rather frump-a-dump in this frock. The fit was great...but it needs a lot of work if I keep it...so should it stay or should it go? 

If it stays, I would need to tack down the ruffles so the underside wasn't showing, shorten the dress several inches in front & take away the high/low hem, & perhaps use that extra material to line the bell sleeves. Is it worth all that work?

The fabric is so pretty...

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeliner in Mildew; UD eyeshadow in Seize, Jones, Mean, & Gossip; Habanero lipstick by MAC; UD lipstick in Big Bang; & OPI nail polish in Orange You Going to the Game?

I wore this outfit to see Dead Horses with Kate...outside on the lake at Edgwater's Brewgrass Fridays. The band was fabulous, but unfortunately, all they serve is terrible Friday fish fry...so we left during their set break to seek girlie food. But...not before I took pictures of us & Kate mocked my tongue sticking out move that I constantly do. 

We tried out Gates & Brovi in Kate's new 'hood...because they had Friday fish fry that we were hoping would be much better than Edgewater's...& I'm suggestible...after seeing so many fish walk past me during the concert...that is what I was in the mood for. We started out with smelt & cheese curds. The smelt was THE BEST THING EVER. Just perfect...it reminded me of my childhood when we'd go smelting in the middle of the night & come home with trash bags full of little fishies. We both had the bluegill fish fry for dinner...it was alright, but we would go back & just make a meal of that tasty tasty smelt. Also, it is pronounced Schmelt...if you're from the U.P....or apparently, Wisconsin. This woman sitting next to us had the most awesome flowery sandals...I'm on the lookout for them...I need some.

I also wore this dress to work & run errands. David & I finally checked out our neighborhood Goodwill...& found some of the clothing I donated from our garage sale. These were some of my last days packing at the old house...& I finally found my old 80s photo album. Unlike today, I hardly ever took pictures...I only brought a camera to school a handful of times, so not too many photos of that time. Me, Shane, & Mike in the first page, then Dave (my high school boyfriend), & some shots of Michael & Neil...awww. Then! Our first night at our new house...June 13th. 

I also found this letter Shane wrote to me in the early 00s...he wrote me 3 letters over a 2-3 year period & this one was living in one of my jewelry cabinets...still in the envelope, addressed to...Meshel Dear Darling. He'd write me these letters & leave them with flowers in my driveway or on my car. I miss him so much. 

Jungle Boogie

 Dress: Jungle Floral Button Front Maxi Dress by Melissa McCarthy (size 4x) via Gwynnie Bee (use my link to get your first month free & help me earn GB credit)

Teggings: Re/Dress

Sandals: Born, thrifted

Earring: Kerala Rose

Necklace: Babil & Bijou, former etsy shop

Bracelet: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

I was disappointed this dress had two breast pockets...what are you going to put in there?! Oh, but the colors & design...that dark dreamy floral...this is a maxi you could wear all summer into fall & winter. And it grew on me as I wore it...but I sent it back because GB wanted too much for it. However, this dress is on sale right now at Melissa McCarthy's page. It's marked down to $49, plus if you buy 3 garments, another 30% off...& with 4 items, 40% off. She has some dreamy dresses that were sold out in my size, but I managed to find two dresses, a top, & a skirt for under $100. Her 4x consistently fits me. This georgette gorgeousness has no stretch & a matching draw string belt...& pockets (where pockets belong).

We did a quick photo shoot in the rain (like ~20% of our picture taking) back when I didn't think I liked this dress much. I'm excited to style it again for winter. And! A cardigan will cover up the pockets I don't like.

I found these sandals for $4 at a thrift store...even though earlier this year I bought some black Born flower sandals...they're different though, right?

My makeup with this outfit included...NYX Jet Black eyeliner, Relic & Sabbath eyeshadow from Kat von D, NYX lipstick in Alabama, & Skyfall nail polish from OPI. 

This Kat von D palette is a must...the colors are extremely rich & pigmented. I'm so happy David surprised me with it. 

One of the last outdoor farmers' markets of the year...mushrooms from our favorite mushroom couple...& a girlie.

Angie & Toby invited us over for delicious dinner & blurry Val.

All my black tights come from Catherines. October's Play! box.

Make-up! There was a NYX sale & a 20% off sale at Ulta...so I had to get some pretties...

Cyrano de Bergerac

 Dress: Hurricane Kimono Maxi Dress by Melissa McCarthy (size 4x) via Gwynnie Bee (use my link to get your first month free & help me earn GB credit)

Sandals: Born

Earring: eBay 

Necklace & Bracelet: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

The colors in this dress are gorgeous & the pattern is unusual & mesmerizing...but why do I see vaginas in so many dress patterns? I know it's not just me. The Melissa McCarthy website calls this a Kaftan...which, to me, is something you wear to lounge around the house...& this was certainly comfortable enough for that. I enjoyed wearing this one time to see a play...& sending it back. I strongly dislike when the back of the material shows on a garment when it does not match the front...it just looks sloppy. 

I shouldn't be so hard on this dress...besides an abundance of the back of the fabric showing...this dress was fantastic...I would love a dress like this to throw on to run errands...it's an excellent maxi dress length on me...I just wouldn't normally wear it out to an event...but as this play was outside in the dark & I wanted pictures...

I forgot how much I love UD Roach eyeliner (brown with copper & gold shimmer) & Kat von D Gothica lipstick (copper brown with copper & gold sparkle)...I don't wear either of them nearly enough...

My makeup with this outfit included...Roach eyeliner by Urban Decay, NYX Ultimate eyeshadow palette in Warm Neutrals, Kat von D eyeshadow in Analogue, Gothica lipstick from Kat von D, & Toucan Do It If You Try nail polish by OPI. 

David & I had a warm autumn evening for Cyrano...which American Players Theatre did marvelously. September's Sephora Play! box. 

The Unexpected Man

 Dress: Multi Chevron Maxi Dress (Shirred Empire Maxi Dress in African Geo on MM website) by Melissa McCarthy (size 4x) via Gwynnie Bee (use my link to get your first month free & help me earn GB credit)

Sandals: Nurture, thrifted

Earring & Necklace: eBay 

Bracelets: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

This dress is just spectacular...look at those vibrant colors! It's a true wrap dress that ties just under the bust like I prefer...amazing fit...the fabric was oh, so, soft & a perfect maxi length in front. This is a goddess dress for sure. What prevented me from purchasing this stunner? The train in back was too long for me without at least 3 inch heels...& I could see things in the dress. Specifically...vaginas, angry monkeys, & surprised birds. But I enjoyed wearing this for an evening out with my Super Boo. 

This was my very first Melissa McCarthy dress...I have not liked a lot of her stuff...but she currently has a few dresses in her collection that I covet. 

David & I drove around Spring Green before the play & found this lovely old building to take pictures with. 

My make-up with this outfit included...Kat von D eyeshadow in Echo, Dark Wave, Synth, Analogue, Fran, & Legend; NYX Liquid Suede lipstick in Orange County; & Atomic Orange nail polish from OPI. 

I wore this dress to the east side farmers' market...look at all that purple veg! And to American Players Theatre to see The Unexpected Man with David. This was actually our second play of the season at APT, but I wore that dress again...so it will be in a later blog post. This play was our favorite so far. 

The next day I wore this dress to have lunch at Alchemy with David & to do a bit of garage sale-ing...I spied these Deco light fixtures on craigslist & wanted to check them out for our basement rec room...there were three of them & they were perfect...decorative without being too low hanging. These ladies also had a ton of vintage silverware that I nabbed. And a HOOOO HA license plate. 

I'm sticking this Burda pattern here so I remember to look for it next time I'm at Jo-Ann Fabrics. Isn't it pretty?