You are a garden rose

Outfit Details:

Flora Dress: Voodoo Vixen

BAIT Footwear spectators: ModCloth

Necklace: Forever 21 (similar)

Okay, so here's some real talk about this outfit.  First of all, I absolutely love the colors and print of this dress.  I've mentioned before that I can be picky about floral prints, but this one is incredibly stunning.  I have some major love for UK brand Voodoo Vixen, who makes this dress; they have really great prints and do some awesome vintage reproductions.  And normally, I'm all about a fit & flare dress.  But unfortunately, there is something about the fit of this dress that just doesn't work on me.  I think part of the problem is where the pretty pink piping and the seaming falls on my body -- it emphasizes some areas on the sides that I'd rather not.  It might be the kind of thing that could be corrected with some shapewear underneath, but that's not an ideal solution for hot summer days.  I think the seaming on the bust is a little strange on me, too.  All in all, it's a gorgeous dress, but I'm still on the fence about whether or not it'll remain in my closet.  Since I've had good success with the first week of relaunching my "shop my closet" store (again, thanks to all of you who've already purchased something -- and to those who haven't, there are still plenty of great pieces left!), I'm definitely going to be doing at least one other update within the next month or two, so I'll have to decide whether this dress and I will stick it out or part ways.    

The Jazz Fest gig on Saturday went well, under the circumstances (i.e., having no real sound check and not being able to hear ourselves the entire time).  We had a pretty huge turn-out (thousands of people!), so that was cool.  But the calling hours and funeral for my friend were also this weekend, and those were incredibly difficult.  These past couple of weeks have been a bit of an emotional roller coaster.  I think I've been trying really hard to keep it together.  I go back and forth between being motivated and wanting to curl up into a ball.  I guess maybe that's part of my mourning process.  I'm frustrated because I feel like I'm stuck in a "one step forward, two steps back" situation sometimes.  I suppose a little headway is better than none though, and I'm trying to remain positive, even though it's proving hard.  Mostly though, I just miss my friend.

I hope you have a nice Wednesday.

xox Sammi