Look of the Day: American Bohemian

 This outfit pretty much embodies everything I'm into this summer. Raw, organic, relaxed; anything that might be described in that way.

White dress? Check.

Denim? Check.

Natural/Hippie/Boho accessories? Check.

Birkenstocks? Check.

Ok, so I'm always into denim, but in the summer my preoccupation with it is twofold. It's perfect for Seattle, where it never gets unbearably hot (well, very rarely), looks crisp, unfussy and so cool with anything white.

I found the dress at Deseret Industries, which is a giant thrift store out here in the west. My mom is convinced it's a wedding dress from the early 1970s. That's certainly possible. It's was in fantastic shape, up until I took the sleeves off. They're were really puffy. Once I started ripping the seems, though, I realized that the sewing quality was much better than most vintage pieces. I can't tell you how many times I've put a shirt or dress back, because it's splitting at the shoulders or the armpit. The sleeves on this dress were attached with three different layers of stitching! I feel kind of bad about ruining all that hard work. The dress isn't ruined, though, so I guess it's okay. I had to buy white American Apparel hotpants to wear underneath. It's a touch see-through.

What are your favorite things to wear in the Summer?

 GAP denim jacket - Vintage white dress (similar) - Tocca Amethyst necklace - Birkenstocks - Thrifted straw bag (similar) - American Deadstock sunglasses

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Look of the Day: Bare Shoulders

I see a pattern emerging. I bought this blouse back in January sometime. It was too cold to wear it, but I've been thinking about it ever since. I've also been looking for more like it, and really anything in an off-shoulder style. I plan on wearing it for the rest of the summer. You will probably get sick of it.

The other day I was "Facetiming" with my mom and had two bits of news to announce. First, I bought Birkenstocks! Her response was "You bought WHAT?" I'm pretty sure I bemoaned my parents' choice of footwear my entire childhood, so I understand. I did own a pair of the close-toe Birkentstock after high school, but now I've switched over to the classic Arizona style. I wandered into Nordrstom to check out their annual sale and found these amazingly comfortable soft footbed Birks instead! They're a little trickier to style than I expected, but I've been gathering ideas from blogs like The Chic Curve and pins like this one! Even thought I'm still working out what to wear them with, I'm so glad I'll have them for my trip to New York.

That's my other bit of news! I can't give many details, but trust me, you'll be hearing about it! 

Vintage blouse - Vintage denim skirt - Tiffany bracelet - Soft Footbed Birkenstocks

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Look of the Day: Hawaiian Maxi

 I scored this fabulous maxi dress at the Memorial Day sale at Value Village. I have so many "statement" maxis, though, that I've decided to give this one up. It has the potential to fit a multitude of sizes and body types, so if you're interested make sure to check out my Etsy shop for more details!

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Look of the Day: Jersey Mini Dress

Uff da! Work has been rough. I ended my week of emotional eating with relative self-control on Super Bowl Sunday. I mean, I didn't feel completely sick. I made the most delicious green & blue cupcakes and managed to eat only 3 yesterday!

I'm not the biggest sports fan. Really, I'm your classic Seattle 'fair weather fan,' but any time my city is happy, I'm happy. Also, that was a really good game, so it wasn't torture to sit through. The best part was watching it with a bunch of awesomely funny people. How did you spend the "holiday"?

Once again, you can buy pretty much everything in this outfit! The bag and shoes aren't listed yet, but the floral jersey dress is and the belt is on sale!

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UPDATE: The sandals are finally listed on Etsy!

Look of the Day: Oasap Coat & Vintage Heels

 I've been thinking about this plaid coat from Oasap for 2 months and finally decided it was meant to be mine. There's nothing better than a coat with texture and pattern neutral enough to wear every day. It's bold, but not outlandish and the moto-style asymmetrical zipper makes it oh so cool. My favorite way to wear it is with this neon pink turtleneck from J.Crew, but I can only wear the same outfit so many times before people start noticing. Neon pink is hard to miss.

 If you're a regular reader, then you can probably guess that I only wore these shoes for the photoshoot. I love them, and if I had normal feet I would be keeping them. Instead, they're up for grabs on my Etsy shop! These beige suede heels are minimalist perfection.

Top Shop stocking cap - Oasap plaid coat - BDG pants - vintage suede heels - vintage sweatshirt

Look of the Day: A Year in Review

 Texture & print in January

Florals in February

Dusty Dior in March

Sporting April

Neon & Neutrals in May

Jeans in June

That Dress (July)

Autumn Preview in August

Scarlet in September

California Chambray in October

Mini Dress for November

Tartan December

It's been a very successful year! Here's to 2014!

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Look of the Day: Fur & Glitter

 I can't get over these pictures. The lighting could have been so harsh and ruinous, but Bella is amazing. She took some stunning photos!

 The vintage dress is from Bella's collection at Beats & Bohos. I styled it with a fur stole I inherited from my uncle's mother, and matching silver shoes and clutch. Perfectly over-the-top for ringing in the New Year! The diamond shaped earrings are a great deal on Oasap.

More shots from our styling sessions can be found on Bella's blog, The Citizen Rosebud. Or, stop by Beats & Bohos to see some of my other picks from Bella's stash of vintage wear! She also has a lot of treasures for sale in her Etsy store

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Look of the Day: Tartan Christmas

Recently, I've had the pleasure of hanging out with the Citizen Rosebud who lives just up the hill from me. She is a fashion blogging genius with a wonderful eye for vintage. She let me go through her trunks of treasures and style some pieces. My absolute favorite was this bright scarlet skirt from Pendleton. It has a matching blazer, which we both agreed is something no normal human being can pull off. That is a lot of fiery tartan! The skirt alone is such a statement piece, I thought it would be perfect for Christmastime, when you want to wear something extra special to parties and gatherings

I paired it with a simple wool sweater, a skinny belt, and a strand of vintage rhinestones. For outdoors, the fur would be around my shoulders.

If you're interested in the skirt, you can contact me or Bella. It's also available at Beats & Bohos in the Greenwood. If you're not in the Seattle area, you can also find her vintage goods on Etsy!

We're planning a big giveaway in January, so stay tuned!

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Look of the Day: Overalls & Stripes

Have I told you how much I love my neighborhood? Well, I do! Lately, I've been feeling especially involved. I have a big project in the works with my friend & neighbor, Bella, of The Citizen Rosebud. I've been stopping in to Beats & Bohos regularly to check on my rack, and today, when I stopped in, I found my favorite barista buying some of my picks! I'm so flattered that she's gonna be wearing my clothes, haha

On Monday, Bella took some photos of my outfit. It's so refreshing to see photos of yourself from another person's point of view!

DNA Footwear sent me these Low Heel Almond Toe Zip Up Booties by Sixty Seven. The heel is just 2" tall which is perfect for my dumb feet. It means I can actually walk in them without being in pain! Sixty Seven produces all their shoes in Spain. That means gorgeous leather and European craftsmanship!

This is the typical face I make when someone else is taking my picture.

 I don't know if you've heard of the company Perfumed Jewelry, but you should write this down, because it's going to be on the top of your Christmas list! It's seriously an ingenious idea. Each necklace comes with 3 of these little jewel shaped stones that are infused with your choice of perfume. They offer some 200 different scents, so you're bound to find one you like! I chose Chanel Coco Mademoiselle. I usually only wear it on vacation, since the bottle I own is so small, but now I can wear it more often! It's also great if you or someone you know is sensitive to perfumes. Taking off a necklace is so much easier than trying to wash off a perfume! Wear it as long as you like, then just put it back in its little box.

They sent me the Enchanted Pendant in Silver Plate, but it's also available in gold plate. I recommend this darling silver heart pendant, though.

Thrifted Overalls (similar)- GAP turtleneck - Oasap jacket - Coach Willis - Sixty Seven Booties - Perfumed Jewelry Enchanted Pendant

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Look of the Day: Fall Tie Dye

It's amazing how one little spelling error can affect your entire concept of something. For instance, tie dye. I have been spelling it "tye dye" for years. Thanks to Google, though, that spelling error has been remedied and I've created new pathways in my brain! It's named after the process! I finally get it. I am a bloody genius #NotAGenius.

Here are some tips for wearing tie dye:

1. Avoid multi-colored tie dyes and go for neutral and monochromatic palettes

2. Pair with crisp menswear pieces for a perfectly juxtaposed outfit

3. Use it when pattern mixing! The organic randomness pairs nicely with strict stripes or preppy polka dots

I'm not sure why, but these sunglasses are up for grabs on my Etsy shop. They're super cool. It's hard to part with them. They're American Optical, from the 1960's, and feature heavy-duty hardware, flexi fit temples and a classic Wayfarer shape. Go buy them before I decide to keep them!

Gap jean jacket - American Apparel button down - Coach bag - vintage American Optical sunglasses - Thrifted pants - Madewell flats

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Look of the Day: Electric Blue & Autumn Rust

 Choies sent me this beautiful coat to style and it's gonna be so perfect when the weather gets grayer and the trees lose all their leaves. It will really brighten my winter!

The detail that really sold me on the coat  was the abstract shapes embossed all over. 

Oasap sunglasses - Forever 21 Dress - Choies coat - Madewell shoes - handmade scarf - Vintage hat

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Look of the Day: California Chambray

 Last weekend, I took a trip down to California to watch my mom argue her dissertation. She is now a doctor! I can't believe how far she's come, especially considering none of her siblings have a college degree. I am incredibly proud of her.

I, on the other hand, managed to cut myself on a loaf of bread. Obvi did not get her brain genes.

I was happy to have such a special occassion to wear my very first, hand-altered dress to. I actually sewed! I took the dress in at the waist, shortened the straps, and removed decorations on the bodice. It's not exactly the type of chambray dress I've been looking for (maxi shirtdress, please), but I still think it's lovely and I'm so proud of myself for sewing. I think I am getting more patient in my old age. 

American Deadstock sunglasses - GAP cardigan - Koshka polka dot clutch - Sam Edelman flats - vintage chambray dress

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