Lately

Thought I'd share the bits and scraps of the last couple weeks. To know me is to know the inside of my car, and since I've spent an inordinate amount of hours in it in the last month, it has definitely provided ample time to experiment with my camera. The hardest part of this shot? Not getting my camera in the mirror!

This pretty frock has been sitting in my closet for almost a year. I really should get it hemmed to fit me, but gosh, doesn't it look romantic just sitting in the window, like a ghost of a different time?

This  1950s favorite gets some star treatment ...

And it matches my favorite bear, Sprinkle.

A storm on the way to the airport that defied physics and sanity. I still get chills thinking about driving on I-85 and not being able to see.

I made funfetti cupcakes for my friend Rachel's bachelorette party that I hosted. Baking and not burning down the house is a victory around these parts.

Objects in the mirror are closer than they appear. 

The longest distance between two places

 Blouse: NY&Co; Skirt: Kensington Square, thrifted; Shoes: Zigi Soho.

These photos by Jeremiah.

I woke up extremely late for work the other day, and this is what I had time to throw on. A year or two ago, I probably would have thought it looked like I got dressed in the dark (which actually happened this time), but I like that the colors red, black and white echo each other in both patterns. Necessity may indeed be the mother of invention -- this may end up becoming an old favorite!

The time I broke a shoe

Dress: thrifted, vintage; Shoes: Bongo; Belt: Loft; Bag Fossil. 

Sometimes I take risks in my daily photos, and whether it's dangling cameras precariously off my tripod or trying new locations, it's usually very rewarding and worth the time and effort spent. However, I have also been very accident-prone in this hobby, as my camera obituary will no doubt make you aware (spoiler alert: there were bears involved). So even though I try to wear more sensible shoes on these long walks, I decided to wear my Bongo wedges, because walking on campus isn't that bad (just sets of stairs). Wrong, wrong. The strap on my right wedge came unglued and unstrapped, and I spent the better part of 10 minutes walking down steep North Campus and hoping I wouldn't teeter to the ground. I suppose I could superglue the strap back in place, but when an adhesive is the only thing separating me from Amazonian heights to podiatry hell, I'd rather just chuck the $5 Goodwill pair and just use more formidable footwear. And that, my friends, is why I'm retiring from secondhand shoe shopping ... for now. 

But I'm not averse to all treasures found at thrift stores, like this dress.  I really love the puffy sleeves and flower print, and I think I'll end up hacking off a few inches to make it knee-length.

While I am taking a break from thrift shoes, I have to ask: have any of you purchased any secondhand, and what are your tips for finding good pairs?

Burning the candle at both ends

 Dress: Donna Ricco, vintage, thrifted;

Sandals: Miss Trish of Capri, Target; Scarf: Vintage, thrifted.

Things have been incredibly hectic the last few weeks. In addition to working a bit more this past week, last night I hosted a bachelorette slumber party for one of my dearest friends, and then today I'm heading town to spend time with family. Because of this busy-ness, I've been reverting to lots of old favorite outfits that I know will work (so I can spend more time catching up on sleep in the mornings, ha). This Donna Ricco dress never fails to make me happy in the way it can be endlessly remixed. 

On another note, I've been using the pillow hair rollers like crazy lately! As a straight-haired girl for most of my life, it's fun to actually have some texture and volume in these strands. The hairstyle above was done when I put the rollers in with dry hair, and added only a little bit of hairspray for really soft waves. I'm kind of excited to be able to have self-done hairdos in my styling arsenal now.

Have a great weekend, pals,

Shall I return to take you by the hand

 Dress: Sangria; Shoes: Zigi Soho;

 Bag: Fossil; Headband: gift from Marilou.

I shall go back again to the bleak shore And build a little shanty on the sand In such a way that the extremest band Of brittle seaweed shall escape my door But by a yard or two; and nevermore Shall I return to take you by the hand. I shall be gone to what I understand, And happier than I ever was before. The love that stood a moment in your eyes, The words that lay a moment on your tongue, Are one with all that in a moment dies, A little under-said and over-sung. But I shall find the sullen rocks and skies Unchanged from what they were when I was young.  - "I shall go back, " Edna St. Vincent Millay.

The face in the window

Doesn't my title sound like a Nancy Drew mystery? I suppose the only thing in common that I have with my favorite girl sleuth is that I am letting you in on a secret -- you're finally seeing the interior of my house in my first-ever indoor outfit photos. And while a study on personality can be done based on studying others' homes, I don't think you'll be able to glean much about me in these photos. I ended up taking them in a kitchen corner, where the best light was (and that wallpaper, as much as I like it, has been here long before me). Still, it is a step, albeit it a small and experimental one. I had fun challenging myself with indoor photos, playing with camera settings and taking advantage of what little natural light was still left outside. With the play of shadows against the vintage pale dress, I felt a little like an elusive ghost so common in those detective capers.

You've seen this Jane Baar dress before. I haven't been able to part with the length yet,  but it just lends itself well to drama. And I think Nancy Drew would be okay with that.

Goldy-locks

 Dress: Jeri Ann, vintage; Shoes: Zigi Soho; Bag: Fossil.

I don't really experiment with my hair that much, but with a lot of formal events coming up this summer, I decided it was time to learn how to play around with it. My hair is thick but sensitive to change, so I don't regularly use a lot of products or heat styling methods. So I was super glad when I discovered pillow hair rollers at Target the other day. They're just like regular hair rollers except they're super plush, which means you can sleep with them in and not wake up with a migraine the next morning (I guess that makes them a little more like rag curlers in that sense). I woke up with crazy curly hair the next morning and ended up brushing it out 15 times and added a little hairspray, and what you see above is the end result. I think I am definitely going to experiment with them a lot this summer, since the curls seem to hold up against the humidity around here!

My sailboat dress is a special gift from Jeremiah. I had admired it in a vintage shop the other day, and regretted leaving it there. So on a particularly bad day last week, I went to visit the store after work, and was bummed to see it was already purchased. I spent the whole car ride home feeling a little sad, and reprimanding myself for being so silly over clothing, even if it was a dress that looked like it was spun from sunshine. And then I came home and, as if to prove its own magical qualities, it was sitting on a chair. Jeremiah had purchased it a couple hours before I came home. Those are the best kinds of surprises, and I think I love it even more for that.

It feels like morning in your eyes

 Dress: Elie Tahari, salvaged from Aunt P.'s closet; Scarf: gift, from Italy; 

Shoes: Zigi Soho; Sweater: Faded Glory; Sunglasses: vintage, thrifted. 

I've worn this dress before several times, but never just by itself, so the warm weather has afforded the opportunity. This Elie Tahari dress is one of the few designer pieces I have in my closet, and I salvaged it from  Jeremiah's very stylish and wonderful Aunt P., she of the awesome hand-me-downs. I really love the construction of it and I always feel like a super-sophisticated version of myself whenever I wear it. It feels reminiscent of  the sporty/preppy looks of Betty Draper (especially in her Main Line getups) or Daisy Buchanan. 

I am really happy with how these photos turned out. I usually take my morning photos during the weekends when I have a lot more time, but yesterday I went really early before work and witnessed a blood-red sunrise. I don't consider myself religious, but there's definitely something spiritual, almost otherworldly when you're privy to the secret machinations of a park just as the sun is coming up. I've gotten to the point where I feel disappointed when I oversleep some days and miss these few precious moments.

The scarf I'm wearing has some special significance to this weekend. My friends Val and Sam gave it to me as one of the souvenirs from their trip to Italy last summer, where they got engaged. I'm going to see them get married Saturday!

Giveaway winner

The winner of The Trendy Boutique watch giveaway is...

... Jessica! Congrats -- please email me to claim your prize. Thanks to everyone for playing!