Trick or treat

Me at age 3. I kind of wish I still could wear this costume! Notice it was just as important to toddler me to have a purse as well as my candy carrier ...

Hope you're having a wonderful day!

Treasured: Minnetonka moccasins

 It's been awhile since I've done a "Treasured" post, and it took me awhile to figure out how I wanted to continue this series. When I first started doing these spotlights, I considered talking about just gift pieces or heirlooms, but that narrow focus made it difficult to pinpoint what exactly I loved in my closet. So I'm restarting the series with a new frame of view in just talking to you about what I love in my closet. So, here we go.

These Minnetonka moccasins have been mine since 2004, ever since my grandmother gave them to me during a holiday visit. I had offhandedly mentioned to her that my dream pair of shoes were a pair of well-made moccasins, and lo and behold, she just so happened to have a pair, never worn or used, just sitting in her closet.

I've worn these so often that they seem to meld to my feet perfectly, and like a nubby sweater or the smell of hot cocoa, they bring comfort and memories of home. I love the rich color and how they seem to go with everything I wear. I'm not much of a shoe person (I suppose dresses are my forte), but if there were ever a fire or natural disaster to come my way, you can bet that these would be on my feet and out the door first.

Happy weekend!

 An epic war between Wonder Woman 

and Jeremiah, the Black Knight, circa 2007 

(Though he had a detachable arm to battle with, 

Wonder Woman defeated him with her roommate's go-go boots).

 Hope you have a wonderful, irreverent, safe and Happy Halloween weekend! I will be stuffing myself silly with all the gummy sour candies I can find. And funfetti. There will be funfetti.

6 perfect photo locations that are right in front of you

I get asked a lot on how I find my photo spots. I live in an old college town that straddles the line between modern and historic, bustling and rural, so the juxtaposition of all these elements helps provide different opportunities.

However, some of my favorite places to take outfit photos are considered everyday occurrences --- places that seem very ordinary until they're looked at closely through a camera.

So here, I present to you my favorite photo locations, for those days when your usual spot just isn't inspiring you, or when the weather or lighting has made that place impossible to take photos of. Some of these places are easier to get to than you think:

1) The woods.

 Let's go ahead and get this one out of the way, since it's probably one of my most used places. I love going into a forest because it's usually very beautiful, scenic and can add elements of outdoorsy-ness and mystery to any photo. Bonus: You might start channeling your inner Ansel Adams and develop an interest in wildlife photography.

2) Parking decks.

What's great about this place? They're a dime a dozen just about anywhere, so you probably won't have to trek too far to get to one (you might even be parked in one right now). Parking decks, particularly the top floor of one, offer beautiful views of the sky and the street, and the clean, neutral lines can be complements to what you're wearing. Bonus: the top floor of a parking deck is usually very secluded, so you can privately take your photos.

Dodging puddles

Dress: Taylor;
Jacket: Aeropostale, thrifted;
Boots: Target;
Bag: H&M.

I drove through a torrential rainstorm to take these photos. Yeah, I know. Sometimes I do question my own sanity on these kinds of things, but I was pretty determined to spend some time on the trail and document this outfit. I figured that even if it was raining when I arrived, I'd find some sort of makeshift shelter and photograph the rain and the wet outdoors. It seemed pretty serendipitous, then, when I finally got there the storm broke and I was able to enjoy some time alone on the marshy shore. I suppose I was just plain lucky to catch the few minutes of the afternoon when it wasn't pouring out...

A rainy day deserves a nice, bright dress. This Taylor dress never fails to cheer me up, and even if the color doesn't seem to fit the season, I couldn't help but wear it anyways. An anorak jacket and boots kept it grounded for the weather. 

What do you wear on rainy gross days? 

3 new ways to wear your hairbows now

One of the things I've tried to do in remixing my wardrobe items is find new ways to wear my accessories. One of the few items that I've found extremely versatile is a hairbow I picked up from a local vintage store. I knew I had to have it, but wasn't exactly sure how to incorporate into my look, because I'm not much of a hairbow-wearer (yet). Here are some new ways to wear your old hairbows to help bring a bit of childhood whimsy into your outfit:

1) Wear it as a bowtie.

This is by far my favorite way to wear a hairbow, and it's really easy to do. Simply push the barrette of your bow into the buttonhole of your blouse and button as usual (it helps if the buttonholes are large enough to do this). I'm sure you could also safety-pin the bow to your top as well.

2) As a brooch.

I love wearing brooches, and so I wanted this bow to create kind of a statement look that adding a brooch can do to an outfit. This is as easy as the bow-tie look -- just stick the barrette in a buttonhole a few inches down your sweater. You can also safety-pin it to another spot on your top as well.

3) On a necklace.

Another simple way to incorporate your old hairbow? Attach it to a necklace and make it a pendant. I added mine to an old shell necklace to create a romantic look with my plaid shirt. 

What are some other ways you can think of to wear a hairbow? What new ways have you worn your accessories?

See all my outfits with hairbows here. My green hairbow was made by Treasure Box of Bows.

Skirting the issue

Shirt: Gap;

Pleated skirt: thrifted;

Shell necklace: Aloha Stadium,

Honolulu, HI;

Bow (attached to necklace): Treasure Box of Bows;

Moccasins: Minnetonka,gift.

If things look a little different around here, it's because I'm tinkering around with my blog header, so please excuse the changes the next couple of days. It felt like time for a new header, but I'm not quite sure I like this latest version yet. I was going for more of an illustration rather than a photographic header. Either way, I should not be allowed to design things past my bedtime...

If I had to title this outfit, it would probably be 1940s schoolgirl. All I'm really missing is a satchel. This skirt has been a great addition to my closet -- it makes almost any piece instantly more feminine and romantic. I've also really been drawn to yellow/green this fall. They're usually not colors that I turn to (I never really thought they went well with my skin tone, but then again, I'm no expert on cool/warm complementary colors on skin tones), but my outside photo spots have really been inspiring me.

I'm making some last-minute adjustments to my Halloween costume! I don't know if we're going to be going to any parties this weekend, but we may just hand out candy. What are you going as this year?

Sponsorships now available

I'm pleased to announce that for the first time ever, Sidewalk Chalk is now open for sponsorships for November and beyond! October was a big month for daily visits and page views for the blog, and readership is continuing to grow. If you're interested in sponsoring for November, e-mail me at childhood.chalk [at]gmail[dot] com for my media kit, as well as stats and rates, which are both blog and business-friendly.

Hope to work with you soon!

Let's find our initials in the old stones

Dress: vintage, thrifted, Liz Roberts;

Belt: Ann Taylor Loft;

Carpet saddle bag: thrifted, vintage;

Watch (as necklace): Waltham, vintage, gift;

Shoes: Target.

Campus is so quiet on Sundays, so Jeremiah and I took a walk around when he had to make a stop at the library for some reading materials. I picked up some Jane Austen and Hitchcock-related books -- my late-night movie sessions have gotten me obsessed with these two artists.

It's so weird sometimes living back in my college town now that I've already graduated -- I'm so used to seeing these places through a student's eyes. I decided to play tourist and take some photos of my favorite areas. Being behind the camera can be so different than just being there. You're open to seeing courtyards as more than a place to walk through. You're forced to see an old building as more than the place that held your Latin class, but as a work of classic art itself. 

I wore a favorite dress to idle around in during the day. After a year of owning it, I've decided to not hem up the length. Usually I do this because I'm petite, but I like this one the way it is. I've styled this dress similarly before, but I really love the blue/white pattern with red accents.

It's the beginning of the week, but I've got so much I need to accomplish on my to-do list. Happy Monday!

And the winner is...

Per random.org, the winner of my vintage handbag giveaway is ...

I've got nostalgic pavements

Top (underneath): Banana Republic;

Sweater: Old Navy, from Marilou;

Scarf: vintage, thrifted;

Leather skirt: Old Navy, thrifted;

Shoes: Zigi Soho;

Carpet saddle bag: vintage, thrifted.

Photos by Jeremiah.

Listening to: "Mouthwash,"

by Kate Nash.

 

Here's what I wore Friday night downtown. Jeremiah and I were just grabbing food, so I really just kind of threw this on without any forethought. I ended up loving how it turned out -- it seemed to fit the indie/artsy/collegiate vibe of downtown. I have walked on that sidewalk on the main street hundreds of times, but never really noticed the wall and how it was perfect for providing framing in a photo. Many of the buildings in the Athens area are older brick and Gothic-revival style buildings, so this one was a bit of a quirk.

Now that the weather is getting chillier, I'm foreseeing lots of outfits with my leather skirt. I'm not much of a leather wearer (yet), but the pencil length has made it easier to break into.

Links a la Mode

I was pretty darn excited to be included in my first IFB's "Links a la Mode" for my post on how to pose naturally in photos.

Lots of great weekend reading here -- check it out!

 

The Blogging Diaries- Introspects, insights, and inspirations

Edited by: Marie Denee of The Curvy Fashionista
As bloggers, we often find ourselves looking to other blogs for inspiration. Sometimes we look to our closets, magazines, or in the mirror. This week's roundup fashions some of the most introspective and insightful posts from bloggers who reach across the blogosphere as they look for ways to build upon, contribute to, and pull inspiration for and from the fashion world.

• 365 Fashion Rehab: Lessons from a (Reformed) Shopaholic: A beautiful handbag repaired (for free!). One more reason to buy quality over quantity.
• Boheme Noir: The first ladies of Vogue - a closer look at the most important editors in chief.
• Daisy Dayz: Friend Friday: How to learn from your mistakes and let your blog grow
• Devilishly Pleasurable: Reflecting on the evolution of my blog and tips for better blogging!
• Fish Monkey: The notion of flattering dressing is oppressive and unnecessary. Rather than conforming, why not chose a different shape?
• Hazel Eye Personality: Who has what it takes to be the next big and game changing designer? It takes a lot of time, passion and sanity to make it in the fashion world.
• Independent Fashion Bloggers: Work Smarter, Not Harder–3 Ways to Massively (and Permanently) Increase Your Traffic.
• Miss Viki: "Love Me" and what is wrong with our beauty ideals, if anything?
• No Guilt Fashion: I put on my game face and tried out my biggest fashion trend fear
• Passionista Place: qvc, hsn...oh my! find out why home shopping networks have become a bit of an addiction for a modern passionista like me.
• Seamstress Stories: Reflections on the role that mirrors play for our body image and self-perception.
• Showcase Edge: Indie Fashion Goes Back to the future. A look at designers who hand-make clothing inspired by times of the past
• Sidewalk Chalk: I'm a poser, baby: 7 steps for posing naturally in outfit photos
• Stylish White Female: Transitioning from vegetarian to vegan: Some things are hard to give up. Fur is not.
• Taxonomy of my Wardrobe: Shopping the Wardrobe. My version of this month's Harper's Bazaar Buy Now wear Forever list selected from my own wardrobe.
• The Coveted: Three Way With a Long Chiffon Skirt
• The Curvy Fashionista: Nordstrom reaches out to plus size fashion bloggers to collaborate on its newest plus size endeavor- Sejour
• The Demoiselles: She is not a fashion blogger. She's just a woman, sitting in her bathtub.
• The Simply Luxurious Life: In a world that seems to be changing quicker than the seasons, what does it mean to be a lady?
• The Wondergirl: retail-me-not: waxing poetic on two interesting happenings of late in the world of specialty retailing.
• Vogue Mornings:How not to lose motivation when blogging, a few quick solutions to the problem many bloggers face.

Queen of this autumnal fire

Dress: Jennifer Moore, thrifted;

Sweater: thrifted;

Boots: Target;

Necklace: gift, from Marilou.

There's still time to enter my vintage handbag giveaway. Need some "Mad Men" in your life? Enter here -- it ends tonight.

I woke up with every intention of wearing something else, but the colors in these pieces seemed more fall-like. This morning was the first day where I could actually see frost on the ground, so guess who regretted not wearing a warmer sweater out to the trail? This girl. Though the pockets on my sweater were big enough to shove my frozen fingers into. I'm finding new uses for those pockets everyday besides holding my candy.

In other news, if you're new here, welcome. I'm so happy you're here, I feel like bustin' a move. No, really. Let me try that again, once more with feeling: 

 See?

Happy weekend! Got any plans? 

Miss Scarlett, I presume

Dress: Liz Claiborne, vintage, thrifted;

Shoes: Target;

Cougar bracelet: vintage, thrifted, 

from Finder's Keepers.

Here's the stream of consciousness that was going through my head when I got this dress: Red. Scarlett O'Hara. Tailgating attire? 1980s. Red. Joan Collins. Designing Women. Red. RED.

Totally, totally sold on it. I even love the little squares in the pattern of the dress because I think that is such a 1980s clothing feature. The red is really not toned down at all in real life -- it's so in-your-face-I've-arrived red, and I love that it's such a bold color. I contemplated waiting to wear it until I got it hemmed up, but I kind of like the longer hemline, especially for fall. I wore this to the farm park for photos and to trivia.

What kind of colors (and hemlines) are you embracing this season?