Brimfield with Karina Dresses

Have you ever found a dress you love so much that you have in not one, not two, but three different prints?

...just me?

Karina Dresses just launched their new Brimfield collection today, and oh man, it's all so cute. I've worn this Ruby faux wrap dress in two different prints prior to this, but I just couldn't resist adding the new Meadow print to my collection. I sincerely love supporting Karina Dresses because, for starters, their dresses are some of the most comfortable I've ever owned (plus they don't wrinkle). But more importantly, it's a small, woman-run business that makes all items in the US. I've been fortunate enough to work with them a few times now, and every time I wear one of their dresses, I just want more. 

Now, let's talk sizing. I'm typically a size large or size 10, and admittedly I've started buying some things in an XL/12 lately (no shame in that - the best wedding diet is the one that doesn't exist). Most of my Karina Dresses are in a size M/L, but when I got my last dress from them, it was sold out in that size so I decided to try a S/M. Surprisingly, I actually love the fit of the smaller size! I've found that necklines of the faux wrap M/L dresses I have tend to roll and need to be adjusted, but this S/M is actually perfect. All of the dresses are extremely stretchy, so there's some wiggle room with sizing. 

Letters Only

When it comes to accessories, I've always been more of a shoe person than a purse person. I've had a habit of re-using the same bag every day for long periods of time, and I usually forget about others that I own. However, something changed recently, and I'm suddenly being drawn to more interesting bags and growing my collection. It helps that there seem to be cute purses everywhere I look lately. 

Because of my new obsession, I was thrilled to get to style a bag from Vendula London - a UK based brand that makes the most darling novelty bags. In addition to being adorable, all of their bags are vegan/animal-friendly, so I love that I carry this without needing to feel bad. 

I was immediately drawn to this post pox satchel because it felt like such a fun, quirky style, but still easy enough to style with a variety of outfits. I actually spend a lot of time at the post office (usually because I'm sending out Poshmark orders, but also because we're mailing out Save the Dates at the moment) so I also think I have a soft spot for it. The bag ended up being even cuter in person, and it's the perfect size. Whenever I'm not carrying my camera, I prefer smaller bags, so I like that this one can hold everything I need without being too large. 

Side note: Is it just me, or does this bag also give you a little big of a Harry Potter vibe? I'm not sure why, considering they use owls instead of post offices, but I still feel like this would be the perfect addition to my outfit whenever I finally get around to going to Wizarding World.

Summer to Fall with Steady Clothing

If I had to choose some sort of mission statement for the way I shop it would be this: versatility, versatility, versatility. Living in Southern California - and therefore without real seasons - we only get a couple months of "fall" and winter. Because of that, I find it really hard to justify buying clothes specifically for the seasons and instead like to only buy things that I know I can wear year-round with the help of some crafty styling. That's why I'm so excited to be partnering with Steady Clothing today to show you how to style some of their pieces for both summer and fall. Well, in my case, summer and winter. But if you live in a normal location, my version of winter clothes will undoubtedly be more fitting for your fall. 

Fall Dapper Day Recap

Hello from a Dapper Day Weekend survivor! It's been some time since I've really had the motivation to blog, but I had such a great weekend and loved how my outfits turned that I decided I put together a little recap. If you're unfamiliar, Dapper Day is an event that happens at Disneyland (in my case. It also happens at Disney World) where people visit the parks in their best vintage and vintage-inspired looks. It's a great excuse to dress to the nines with no questions asked and be surrounded by people doing the same. This was only my third Dapper Day, and it was my first time doing both days of the weekend. 

While I went to the Expo last year and just want to the parks one day this spring, I decided to do both this weekend. I went to the Expo at the Disneyland Hotel with my friend Whitney on Saturday, and while it was a struggle to get there after she got a flat tire (she and her car are fine luckily!), we managed to have an amazing time visiting the vendors and running into Internet friends. My favorite part of the Disney community is getting to meet likeminded people, and Dapper Day is the perfect storm of getting to see a bunch of people I love all in one place. As someone very introverted, I get pretty nervous showing up to these things (What if I go up to someone and they don't recognize me? What if I don't know someone's name? How can I not act as awkward as humanly possible?), I love these events because I feel really in my element. The nerves go away once I remember how truly kind the people I've met are, and it's great to bond over a shared love of Disney, vintage styles, and brands.

Keep reading for the rundown of my looks!

End of Summer Floral with eShakti

If you've followed me for a while, you'll know that my love for eShakti is nothing new. I did my first ever collab with them, and since then, I've had the pleasure of working with them multiple times and have gotten some of my absolute favorite dresses from their site. 

If you're just reading for the first time, or maybe you've somehow never been introduced to eShakti, you're in for quite a treat. eShakti makes gorgeous clothing that is all customizable, meaning that you make sure that whatever you order, it looks and fits exactly as you'd like. 

As usual, I had a tough time deciding between all of the adorable dresses that they offer, but when I saw this one, I knew it was it. It combines all of my favorite things: a collar (of course), my favorite color yellow, purple flowers, and a shirt dress. I customized the sleeves to make them cap sleeves because not only do I like the style better on myself, but I've also found that they are easier for layering under cardigans. The dress was everything I ever wanted. It even came with a slip, which is SO rare with dresses that tend to be a little sheer. Living in SoCal, I always look for thin dresses so that I can wear them in the heat and also layer them easily. The downside is that they tend to usually be a bit sheer, this getting a slip with this one was such a nice surprise.

I've already worn this dress twice, but I first wore it on Saturday to get coffee with my friend Whiteny at Morning Lavender. I'd been wanting to try this coffee shop for a while since I've been seeing people sharing photos of it, and it was even cuter in person. I did feel a *little* judged when I made a big mess with my croissant, but whatever. I can't be classy ALL the time, right?

Dapper Day Recap

My feet are still sore, I'm a little sunburned, and I still have a Disney hangover, but I survived Dapper Day! I spent Sunday in Disneyland with my fellow Dapper Day newbie, Erica, and it was a blast. Somehow, this was actually only my second Dapper Day and my first in the park (last year we just went to the Expo). I've always wanted to go, but as I didn't get my pass until this past year, I just never had a chance. Needless to say, I'm making up for it.

Erica bought a ticket since she doesn't have a pass so we just went to one park for the day. We decided to skip the expo for a few reasons, mainly because they started charging to attend. It's not much ($10), but the entire expo experience is essentially a chance to shop. Since Erica spent so much money on a Disneyland ticket, we figured it made more sense to spend our time in the park and spend any extra money on food. Which we did. A lot.

I go to Disneyland pretty often, but there really is something truly more special about going on Dapper Day. I always feel a little overdressed there (and everywhere), so it was seriously wonderful being surrounded by so many people dressed like I was. There certainly were a lot of people who dress like I do on a normal basis (and even more who dress up and dress more often and more seriously than I do), but it's lovely to see some people who don't dress like this unless given an excuse to. As vintage and vintage reproduction has become much more mainstream lately, the clothing has become much more accessible, and I love that Disney has given people an avenue (and the actual clothing through The Dress Shop) to do so.

But, of course, I'm getting to the important part: the dress. This was, well, the fourth dress I bought for the occasion. I know, it's ridiculous. I've been thinking about what to wear for the past few months - because this is a serious decision - and I finally settled on a dress about a month ago. It's a gorgeous white '50s true vintage dress that I'm in love with...but it doesn't fit. When I first tried it on, I was convinced I could make it work, but when I tried it a few days before Dapper Day, I came to terms with the fact that it just wasn't going to. I panicked and bought a dress off of Amazon that I knew would arrive in time, but I had my heart set on something vintage. With a backup dress at home, I went to a local vintage store on Saturday for one last shot at a dream dress. Naturally, I found two. I couldn't decided between this pastel one or a black and red plaid one with a pussy bow, and I ended up going with the red one. It's gorgeous and fit like a glove...but I couldn't stop thinking about how much better it would be for fall and how perfect this one would be for spring. I went back to the store 10 minutes later and got this one too. My bank account does not love me, but I have no regrets. I'll sell the first one that doesn't fit, and I know I'll get plenty of use out of the other two. Besides, this one was much better for the heat. Well, as good as it could have been. No dress was made for that heat.

Weekend Wears

Hello again, old friend! I've only been blogging when the mood strikes, and while it hasn't for a while, I'm starting to get the bug again. I miss the writing aspect, and while I share all of my outfits on Instagram now, it sometimes feels like too small of a platform for the amount of effort I put into photos. This might be my only post this month, or maybe it'll motivate me to do it more often, but I'm happy to be here for the time being. 

I did already share these outfits on Insta, but I thought it might be fun to do a little roundup of all of the outfits I wore in San Diego with links to the items. I was there for my brother's wedding, and it was the BEST weekend. My whole family was there, including on of my brothers and kids from Illinois, and because my brother married one of my friends from high school, some of my best friends were there as well. It was just so wonderful to see both families get along so well all weekend and see how loved they are, and the night of the actual wedding could not have been better. Everyone was having so much fun that the wedding was over before anyone realized because we were all having too much fun. Jon and I stayed until Monday so that we could spend some extra time with my brother from out of state and my nieces and nephew, which was the best, but the rest of this week has been tough. Going back to work after a weekend of partying and relaxing in San Diego is not easy!

But anyway, the outfits. The last dress in this post is what I wore to the rehearsal lunch (definitely overdressed, but whatever) and the other two were a couple of your typical "getting food with family in San Diego" looks. You know the ones. I was a bridesmaid, and while the dress was really pretty, it felt good to be in my own retro clothes after the wedding. Also, I should stress that this post is in no way sponsored by Unique Vintage. I just happened to place an order that came in right before we left and couldn't help but bring all of my new pieces with me.

Top: vintage (similar, similar) | Skirt: Hell Bunny via Unique Vintage | Purse: Thrifted | Shoes: BAIT Footwear (similar)

Top: Voodoo Vixen via Unique Vintage | Skirt: Vintage via Elsewhere Vintage  (similar)| Cardigan: MAK Sweater (similar) | Shoes: BAIT Footwear

Dress: Unique Vintage | Shoes: BAIT Footwear (similar)

Dressing Professionally with Vintage Inspired Style

In case you're not aware, I work for an eCommerce consultancy. My office is small and extremely laid back, but about once or twice a week, I'm attending client meetings at large clothing brands and retailers' offices. All of this begs the question: what's a gal with vintage-inspired style supposed to wear? I've seen plenty of how "to dress professionally in your 20s" articles, but I've seriously been struggling with having a creative job and maintaining my personal style. I'm in a position where I don't have to wear typical professional clothes like blazers, but it also doesn't feel appropriate to wear puppy dresses and ice cream skirts. To make matters more complicated, I'm pretty young for the position I'm in and often meeting with way more experienced people, which means that I don't want to go out of my way to look younger.

I've been thinking a lot about this lately, and I feel like I've started to do a better job of buying items that feel like "me," but still make me feel like I can be taken seriously if an eComm executive stops by our office (which honestly could happen any day). I have a feeling others might be in a similar position, so I've put together a few tips I've picked up anyone else in that very specific niche of "dressing professionally in a creative job as a modern vintage girl":

Puppy Dress Addict

What's up, first post of 2018? I'm running on a new year high of new motivation and new clothes. I hadn't purchased anything new in a couple of months to prepare for Christmas...and then I immediately bought a ton of items during sales the day after Christmas. I have no self control, but I'm stoked about the new items I got so I'm not even that mad at myself. My favorite item by far is this puppy dress for obvious dress. You may remember that I have another puppy dress so it should come as no surprise that this one is also from Dangerfield Clothing. Have you ever seen a dress more perfect? I'm so happy with how this one fits, although if you're considering buying it, I'd add that it's runs a little large, particularly in the chest. I highly recommend it.

Of course, if you follow me on social or caught the end of my last post then you already know my biggest news of the year so far. I launched a pin shop! It's called We Said Shop, and I'm running it with my brother, Lucas. After being so into pins, I had the idea to create my own sometime last year. I wanted to make ones that I'd like wearing - pins with quotes from my favorite TV shows - but work got hectic, and I never made it happen. Fast forward to a few months ago, Lucas had started getting into pins as well, and he asked if I still wanted to start a shop. We decided to do it together, and it's been such a blast coming up with designs and working on all of the business aspects. We just launched last week with three designs based on our favorite shows: The Office, Parks and Recreation, and Arrested Development. I'm so excited to see our store grow! If you haven't already, please check out the shop and follow us on social!  

Watermelon Fall

Oh, oops, is it supposed to be fall? Let me just break out my blanket scarf and knee high boots in this crisp 90 DEGREE weather. I know I complain about the heat every damn year, so I'm trying to embrace it for once. It's not that I necessarily like the heat, but I feel like I really found my style this summer. I had a lot more fun with color, tried new brands, and picked up some solid pieces that I think I'll have for a while. I normally would never say this in any other year, but well, I'm not ready for fall clothes. Don't get me wrong, it would be nice to throw on some tights and not melt in my cardigans, but have you seen this watermelon dress? I can't wait to wear this sucker all year long.

I don't have much to say today, since once again my entire life is mostly devoted to work. I do get to see my friend Katie tonight at Disneyland while she and her husband are in town from Washington, so I'm pretty pumped about that. I also finished watching The Golden Girls finally, so there's that. Any suggestions for long running series that I should watch next? I'm pretty set on finally tacking one of the Star Trek series next, but I'm open to suggestions!

Museum of Ice Cream

What does one wear to the Museum of Ice Cream? It feels like a lot more pressure than it should be. I spent more time than I care to admit trying to put together the perfect outfit, and after all of that work, I like to think that I succeeded. 

I went to the Museum of Ice Cream on Saturday with Erica, and it was a TON of fun. We got our tickets back in May or June, and it was worth the wait. We started off the night getting delicious pizza down the street, and then immediately were handed chocolate when we walked into the museum. It was everything I was expecting, but also quite fascinating to see in person. While the desserts and artwork were amazing, it really was just a long line of people taking photos for Instagram. Not that I'm complaining; that's obviously why I was there too. That said, it was hard not to chuckle once I realized that every room would be a moment of looking at what was in it until everyone would disperse to find the perfect spot to pose and take pictures. Considering how social media obsessed people are, it's a pretty genius concept for a museum. Even after being hyper-aware of the true reason of its existence, I couldn't resist it. I like to think that I don't fall into many of the negative traits of millennials, but when it comes down to it, I'm a millennial through and through. How could I not take photos with the pink phones, the hanging bananas, or the rainbow gummy bears? What am I, some kind of monster who can get on a swing and not take a Boomerang? Nah. I'm still about that life, and I'm so happy I had Erica with me to do cheesy poses and know when to take a camera shot vs. an iPhone shot. That's what true friends are for.

And as for the perfect outfit? I got a Modcloth gift card recently, and I couldn't help but get this skirt with ice cream and pie on it. It seemed like a match made in heaven with my pink leather jacket (which, yes, was the exact same shade of millennial pink as the sprinkle pool) and my rainbow wedges. I want to live in this cheerful outfit every day, but I also want to live in this museum. That pink soft serve at the end was messy as hell, but I still can't stop thinking about it.

Meadow

Oops, I certainly didn't mean to take a week off of blogging. I've still been taking outfit pictures and posting on Instagram, but work has been so busy that I've been crashing early every night. I couldn't keep up that, though, because this Apricity dress deserves a full post. As you know, I've been a huge fan of Apricity since its inception, and I've been fortunate enough to be in touch with Eileen, the brand's designer and founder. When I last talked to her a couple of months ago, she mentioned some new designs, so I've been eager to see what she was talking about. She sent me photos of her new design, the Meadow, early last week, and I couldn't believe how perfect it was. 

I'm such a sucker for a dress with a cute back, but being on the bustier side, I can't pull off backless pieces that require going bra-less. This dress is the answer to all of my struggles with its sweet back panel. I have a few other Apricity dresses, all of which I'm in love with, but this one is quite possibly my favorite. It's so lightweight and feminine, and I love how versatile it is. I'm already thinking of a million ways to style it. 

Orange Floral

I don't normally post two days in a row (although remember when I actually did have time to post every day on summer breaks during college??), but I took these photos on Sunday and I honestly couldn't wait. In yet another installment of "things I bought while telling myself that I would stop shopping," I scored this vintage dress on Whurl during Melissa Cripe's closet sale. I've been following Melissa on Instagram for a while now and have been such a huge fan of her style, so I was embarrassingly excited when I saw that she was selling some of her vintage collection. I always look forward to the special closet sales that Sam arranges on Whurl, but it was definitely a bummer that I didn't see anything that would fit in the last few. Luckily, I'm relatively the same size as most of the items Melissa was selling and before I knew what I was doing, this beauty was in my cart when I saw how affordable it was. Sure, it's a tad small and I definitely had to unzip it after eating some biscuits and gravy. But hey, it was worth it.

I also picked up this cute little purse while I was in Illinois. One of my favorite parts of going to college in the tiny town I lived in was the second hand shopping. There are a handful of thrift stores there, but there aren't many people who wear the same style I do, meaning there's little to no competition for the items I like. A vintage furniture and accessories store opened up since I had last been there, and I fell in love with this patent bag and the $10 price tag. I originally got it with the intention of selling it, but it's too good to part with. We all know it would end up in a pile in my room that I would never sell anyway. Might as well keep it and use it forever.

Vintage Plaid and Pleats

I can hardly focus on anything at the moment other than my vacation. I'm leaving for Illinois tomorrow, and I'm far more excited than anyone would expect someone to be about a trip to a small town in Illinois. If you've missed me talking about it before, I'm visiting the town where my brother's family lives and where I went to college. I only see my family about once a year, and I haven't been to Illinois or seen most of my friends since I graduated three years ago. I'm also just excited to just have a week off from work. I'm looking forward to a week of family, friends, Midwestern food, drinks, and relaxation. Is it Tuesday yet?

The one thing I can allow myself to think about that's not my trip is this PERFECT vintage button down. I follow a ton of vintage shops on Instagram, but I always get disappointed to find that items I like are either too small, too expensive, or sold to someone else before I've even gotten a chance. I happened to see this top and a dress from Hearts and Hearts Vintage for cheap last week, and I couldn't believe how perfectly this one fit. I rarely find button downs in general that fit well over my bust, let alone vintage ones in great condition. I'm a bit obsessed. Sophia got this to me crazy fast and was super sweet, so I definitely recommend checking out Hearts and Hearts Vintage!