Retro Tropics

I just got this dress on Saturday, but I already couldn't wait to wear it immediately. I picked this up at Dapper Day Expo, which was an absolute delight. Erica from Sweets and Hearts met me at my apartment, and we had the best day trying to look cool among the pinups. It was both our first time, but it definitely won't be the last. Neither of us could afford to go into the parks, but the expo has gotten so big that there's almost no need to anymore. There were a ton of vendors, including everyone Unique Vintage to Sidecca to Unicorn Crafts and more. I finally got to meet Melanie from Femme De Bloom there, as she had a booth set up, and she was just as adorable and sweet in person. We also met up with Ashley from Southern (California) Belle and had a mini Flock Together reunion, which is always a treat. 

Since Erica lives pretty far, we figured we should make her time in Orange County worth it. After getting some food from Earl of Sandwich in Downtown Disney, we went to The Loop for ice cream and churros. I have to admit, it was well worth the hype. It turns out that it's only about 10 minutes away from where I live, so I will definitely be going back.

I definitely wasn't planning on picking up any dresses from the expo, but Retrolicious was having a deal if you bought two, so Erica and I each got one. I have no regrets. This dress is basically everything I've ever wanted, and I think it's easy to understand why I'd wear it the next day. Plus, it's so fun paired with equally bright shoes. 

Vintage Blooms

This weekend somehow managed to be a good weekend for both my closet AND my wallet. Okay, fine. The things I bought probably did not do my bank account any favors, but I managed to not to have a panic attack. I was lucky enough to hit up the B.A.I.T. warehouse sale in the LA area with my friend Whitney, and it was a huge success. Warehouse sales always sound scary and full aggressive shoppers, but the B.A.I.T. one was small, calm, and just as cute as the brand itself. I picked up about six pairs immediately, and I ended up walking out with three pairs for $40. Considering one pair normally runs for about $60, I'm pretty stoked. We ended up stopping for breakfast in one of our favorite areas and stopped in some vintage and antique stores, where I picked up this dress. It doesn't quite fit my chest, but it was cute and on sale, so I'm making it work. I want to say that it's from the '70s, but it's probably more like '80s. I'm telling myself that it's '70s era though, so just let me have this. 

Really, though, the best part of my weekend was finding out that I don't have to pay nearly as much in taxes as I expected. I've been quietly freaking out about taxes for the past month or so considering I actually have to pay this year, but I went to my dad and brother's accountant and she turned out to be a miracle worker. Phew!

Apricity Eve Dress + Brown Wedges

What's this? An actual outfit post with photos taken outdoors? What are the chances? I hung out with Erica on Saturday, and it was the perfect opportunity to actually take a cute dress out of my apartment for the first time in a while. We met up in Burbank for brunch and thrifting, and it was as wonderful as it always it when I see her. We both found some cheap thrifted finds, and I got my first lipstick from the Besame store. We also visited Ashley at the Pinup Girl boutique for her last day of work. I hadn't seen Ashley in over a year, but it felt like no time had passed. Erica and I had never been in the PUG boutique, so we had a ton of fun getting to see all of the gorgeous items in person finally. Even if I'm too cheap to actually buy anything from there. I'll just settle for swooning over Ashley's wardrobe for now.

I got this Apricity dress recently after staring at it for months, but I had been waiting until it was warm enough to wear without tights. I sized up, as I usually do with button down items, and while it's a little big in the shoulders, it was a good call. I have such a weakness for Apricity items, and this one is no exception. I think everyone has their brands that they remain loyal to, and Apricity is definitely mine. I can't get enough of it.

Striped Dress + Blue Wedges

If these photos are too bright, blame the Oscars. I normally do my best to wait until the sun goes down a little to take photos (schedule permitting), but when these were taken on Sunday, it had to be during the brightest part of the day so that I could drive to my parents' house to watch the awards. The Oscars will always be well, irrelevant and a little dumb in the long run, but I'll always watch them. My mom and I have had a tradition of watching them together every year for as long as I can remember, save for the years I was away at college. We always get more excited than we should, and I live for giving my commentary throughout. I saw all but two of the Best Picture nominees, and while ceremony itself was hit or miss, I was happy with almost all of the awards handed out. Spotlight was one of my favorite movies of the year, and I could not have been happier to see it win. My other favorites of the year included Mad Max, Room, and Ex Machina, so seeing those take home trophies made it worth it. Actually, seeing how Jacob Tremblay was to be there was really what made it worth it. That kid is the cutest.

I got this dress in a swap ages ago, and I wear it almost weekly. Somehow, though, it had yet to make an appearance on the blog. I've been styling it a variety of ways, but this weekend called for minimal effort. Luckily, throwing on this pair of blue wedges means outfits instantly get dressed up.

Skeletor

What's this? Indoor photos? I don't love how they look, but the only time I had to take pictures last week was when it was super bright outside, so I had to improvise. I had had this dress that I borrowed from Jessica (AKA my blogging/life soul mate) sitting in my room for far too long, so I decided it was time to take it out for a spin before sending it on to the next Flock Together girl. Well, this was actually the second time that I put it on. The first time, I wore it to hang out at my brother and sister-in-law's house, and I actually took photos in it. Because I'm overly critical of myself, I decided that I hated how I styled it, and wore it one more time before mailing it out. This time, I went simpler, and I like it much better. When in doubt, this trusted jacket and blue wedges never fail.

Despite my weird struggle with it, I can't get over this dress. The fit is to die for, and the skeleton print is the best. Who knew that skeletons and collars would be such a match made in heaven?

Hello, Plaid

Things have been busy lately, and I have too much to say, but for once I'm going to save my rants about my personal life for the end of this post because I have to talk about this dress first. A little while ago, this dress appeared on Modcloth during a week when new arrivals happened to be on sale. I immediately put it in my cart without thinking, as if I were possessed by some sort of dress addict with a problem on par with alcoholism. Just as I was about to make the purchase, however, the logical part of my brain suddenly woke up and yelled at me to shut it down. I really didn't need to spend the money, even if the $65 dress was only $38 for a very limited time. I kept thinking about it all night, but I knew that I did the right thing. Somehow, though, I got lucky. I'm not a big believer in fate, but I have to admit it was a crazy coincidence that my brother and sister-in-law happened to send me my belated birthday present in the form of a Modcloth gift card the very next day. Immediately, I went to the site and put this dress back in my cart. It was kismet. It arrived soon after, and it's just as perfect as I hoped it would be. For my first time wearing it, I went with cat eyes and blue wedges, but I'm already looking forward to colder weather so I can pair it with cardigans and a scarf. I'm also a little bit obsessed with this set of photos that Elyse took for me, so I kind of can't stop staring at them. Is that narcissistic? Probably. You'd do it too if you had this dress.

As for my non-dress life, I've had a great past few days or so, even if they did come with a lack of sleep. I saw "Skeleton Twins," a fairly serious and excellent film starring Kristen Wigg and Bill Hader, on Thursday, watched "The Room," the greatest worst movie ever made (I could talk for hours about this movie. If you like movies that are so bad they're good, this is the holy grail.), over pizza and margaritas with some good friends on Friday night, and I went to a beautiful wedding for a family friend on Saturday. Yesterday, I continued my coffee tour of Southern California with my friend Chelsea by spending the day in Venice and Santa Monica, drinking iced coffees from Intelligentsia, eating delicious sandwiches, and wandering in and out of adorable stores on Abbot Kinney. I followed it up by getting more coffee with Adam last night, so yeah, I celebrated National Coffee Day like a pro.