The Nutcracker // Thrifting // Ketamine

Dress: The Long-Sleeve Somerset Maxi Dress by Anthropologie via Nuuly

Tights: Snag

Shoes: Fluevog, Power: Coal

Glasses: Francis Klein

Earring: etXarte

Necklace: Green Goddess Vintage

Bracelet: Vintage

Stats: 5'7" 38-32-42

Orange! This abstract design was an ideal dress for me to rent as that's not typically my style. As usual, Somerset is a great fit...the long sleeves were wonderful for colder weather...deep pockets, smocked waist fits you like a glove, hook closure at the neckline, & I love a dress with tiers. 

My preferred maxi length...so you can still see the shoes & can wear both flats or heels. 

I wore my leopard glasses...

The orange in these Coals were an excellent match for the dress. The burgundy toes are patent leather & I just recently learned that Pledge will shine it up...I've been doing it to all my patent recently, I'll try it on these the next time I wear them. 

Orange make-up & jewelry...

My make-up with this outfit included...Zero eyeliner from Urban Decay; Blazing, Blood Moon, & Nefertiti eyeshadow by Huda Beauty; MAC lipliner in Chicory; Gothica & Pumpkin lipstick from KVD; & OPI nail polish in A Woman's Prague-ative.  A good mail day...I've been trying to hunt down this Effie's Heart gramophone print in a dress I liked...I don't love the fake buttons, but it's an adorable dress otherwise & better than the square neck ones that pop up on Poshmark the most. 2 pairs of shoes from the 10 Days of Vogmas that David bought for me...every day for 10 days, shoes that don't typically go on sale, were an excellent deal. My dream is to use antique gold Rub 'n' Buff to highlight the embossing on the black shoes...wouldn't that be pretty? Back in October during the Flumunity Fest there was a talk on taking care of your shoes...David took notes & then he ordered all of this...it's a few layers deep...we now have everything we would ever need to spruce up our footwear. Dinner...Sheet Pan Roast Chicken & Mustard-Glazed Cabbage.And later that day...I first wore this dress to see The Nutcracker with David. This is our second year in a row seeing this production...it's alright, but I think we'll see Milwaukee's version next year instead. Our tickets were excellent...front row center. I enjoyed watching the orchestra play. Nutcracker photo-op! How had we missed this on our way in?!The sale was so good at Ulta on my brow pencils & Urban Decay eyeliners...I had to order more online. I also wore this dress to work & thrifting at the westside Goodwill afterwards. 
I have a thing for polka dots...& David is not a fan...they are just so happy to me. This was our Christmas Eve dinner...ribs smoked on the grill with wood from our apple tree & the blueberry chipotle bbq sauce from 12 Bones in Asheville with baked apples & salt & vinegar roasted cabbage. The last time I wore this dress was at Essential Health...where I had a subcutaneous ketamine experience. 

It was pretty uneventful, but let me know that I don't have any bad reaction to ketamine & was a good intro to the more serious ketamine therapy I went on to have elsewhere. My favorite part of this experience was thinking of a question & drawing a tarot card after & reading about it.

My question was...will I ever beat my anxiety? Then I went to Gail Ambrosius to get chocolate for Kate, but I forgot they close for a few weeks after Christmas. 

 

Work // Thrifting // Girlie Time

Dress: Aqua Geometric Faux Wrap Dress by Liz Claiborne, thrifted 

Tights: We Love Colors

Shoes: Boden, thrifted

All Jewelry: Vintage

Stats: 5'7" 38-32-42

I picked up this fun bright dress while thrifting...aqua isn't my color, but those pops of orange are spectacular. Great fit & length on this work dress. I did have to pin the neckline closed. 

Quick snaps outside our building at work...so handy.

I thrifted these shoes at Savers years ago & always enjoyed wearing them, however, the size 10.5s got too big for me (they were always a size larger than I needed), but I found these on Poshmark in 2 sizes smaller. 

Despite orange being my favorite color, I don't have many orange earrings. I like the layers in this neckline. 

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeliner in Zero, Synth eyeshadow from KVD, Slowburn eyeshadow by UD, UD lipstick & lipliner in Bang, & OPI nail polish in My Chihuahua Doesn't Bite Anymore.  

Indoor farmers' market...we stocked up on bread, including from this new to us place, Sweet Grass Bread, we chose cinnamon swirl & it was fantastic. Sadly, I haven't seen her since. Origins is always wonderful, & we also picked up several loaves from Cress Springs. Collectivo for coffee...I like the Pistachio Pandan Latte. Then home for breakfast & the beginning of tree decorating. 

We sipped on egg nog while I untangled lights & David draped them on the tree. 

This topper is extremely special...it was David's maternal grandparents first tree topper & we are lucky to have it. Dinner that night was roasted sweet potatoes, cooked apples, & grilled pork chops. Sparkling water & record time at Kate's place. 

This is the dress I wore...I wore this thrifted lace number to work a few times, but never got around to pictures...maybe next time. After visiting with my girlie...I stopped at the Goodwill on my way home. 

I got everything I tried on except for the plaid skirt...which I decided was not the 90s vibe I wanted to revisit. I also came home to the Karina dresses I ordered when they were having a Black Friday sale. Lovely work dresses with a similar vibe to Leota. 

And more Black Friday buys...flower necklaces from bel monili & a new bottle of my cold weather scent, Ginger Essence from Origins. Another day, another thrift store. I wonder why I passed on that mustard cardigan?! It must have had some pilling. 

Weird mixed pattern sweater from Anthropologie...will I ever wear it? Interesting color combination...I liked the puffed shoulders & of course, orange. Fluevog sandals & Effie's Heart strawberry dress found on Poshmark (replacing some of the dresses I had in my previous size). 

I forgot to post these gold Coach duck boots David found for me at Retique...they were tagged the 1/2 off color of the week & for $15, I couldn't say no...& I have been wearing them to work every day since there's been snow on the ground...& then changing shoes. Courtney was on vacation in Japan, so I saw her colleague a few times. I wore this red & black leopard maxi, again...no pictures. Dinner with Kate! Jason was out of town, so we had them over for salmon with salt & vinegar roasted cabbage...yum. 

More thrifting...sadly, that red velvet dress was too big, such a gorgeous color...everything else came home with me, including a brand new Anthropologie mixed print dress. I find some good stuff at our local Goodwill on the north side...there is a ritzy neighborhood near there, Maple Bluff. Not surprisingly, areas with money have better offerings. 

I now own all 3 fun colors of these Fluevog Mille Miglia shoes (lime & purple are the other ones)...I couldn't resist these I got for a steal on Fluevog B/S/T. Speaking of Fluevog, for the past several years I've participated in their gift exchange & for the first time...I actually received a gift! It was a nice thought & I appreciate it...but I feel my person just gave me lots of random stuff they wanted to get rid of as none of it had anything to do with the interests I listed. I only kept the Burt's Bees lip balm. 

Ulta was having a buy 2, get 1 free sale on UD eyeliners...I got replacements/back-ups for some colors & 3 new to me colors. There was also a NYX sale & I need to be well stocked on my eyebrow pencils...AND the best thing was not only were these excellent deals, but I had a $20 off coupon as well. David ordered me 3 sparkly pairs of tights...gold, black, & copper...I immediately stuck my fingernail through the gold pair while trying them on...& one size fits all doesn't really do it for my big butt & thighs. The final time I threw this dress on was to have my very first ketamine therapy session...& there was this cute dog, Bentley/Benny. Home to cook dinner. I'll talk about my ketamine experience more down the line. I'm going to do a series of 6 sessions in a row (1 a week) & I will say...it's unlike anything I've ever experienced. I highly recommend it to everyone, but you have to be willing to really let go & enter into it with intension of what you'd like to work on...for me, it's anxiety. 

 

Madison Symphony Orchestra: Monumental Moments // Visiting Kate // Thrifting

Dress: Theresa Dress in Trolley Print by Effie's Heart

Cardigan: The Limited 

Tights: Snag

Shoes: Fluevog, Bellevue: Pearl Hart

Earring & Necklace: former Etsy shop

Bracelet: Vintage

Stats: 5'7" 38-32-42

I was wearing this dress in too big a size so often that I decided to get one to fit me. Being a true wrap, it's easy to throw on & you all know how I adore Effie's Heart. 

I wore this dress a handful of times right after getting home from surgery since it's so forgiving & hid the drain I was wearing. These photos were taken over a month after surgery & I've got 3 drains because I had fluid collecting in both my thighs & abdomen. I still have a lot of swelling...but it will soon all be better. I hope. 

Fluevogs from my favorite family, Bellevue, found on Poshmark. 

I didn't put a lot of thought into this outfit as I wasn't feeling pretty & was just happy to have clothes on my body that didn't make the drains too obvious. 

I came home to a glorious explosion of color in Madison...& shoes.

And clothes. I was in Mexico for a week recovering & there were sales. It's always comforting to come home to the food I'm used to...I missed my salmon & veggies. 

Honey nut squash are my favorite...especially with lots of butter & roasted garlic.

My first outing after getting home...the symphony with David. I skipped 2 concerts as I just wasn't feeling up to it, but I felt safer & not as vulnerable with David by my side. I loved the lead violinist's dress. 

David & I went to see a movie at an actual theater...again, it was what I was up to...it was especially luxurious with the cushy recliners...thank you to whoever came up with that idea. More yummy meals at home.

Every once in a while...I have a craving for grilled cheese. A visit with Kate & their friends. They found that mushroom in their yard...& ate it. 

We talked & listened to records...Elizabeth Moen, Banditos, & Buffalo Nichols. I'm always cold...so I cozied up in Kate's fox blanket. And afterwards...a brief trip to the Goodwill by the girlie's house. 

I also popped in to Aniu salon to get some moisturizer.

The next day...a trip to Goodwill by our house after work.

Sunday & Monday are 1/2 price tag days & this particular week was blue, so I scored some deals. 

Sephora was crazy busy, they were having their sale & only 3 people working the whole store...I waited in line to pay for just about an hour. Those 2 Natasha Denona palettes on the ends & the Too Faced Better Than Chocolate palette were all so pretty...but do I need more eyeshadow?

A trip to the west side Vinny's in my after surgery gear & swelling...

At least 1/2 the things I buy second hand still have the tags attached. A few shirts for David too & my annual stock up on Make Up For Ever foundation.