Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Toadstool

Outfit Details
Dress: Lindy Bop
Shoes: BAIT Footwear (similar)
Mushroom brooch: ASOS (Cath Kidston)
Mushroom purse: antique co-op




Isn't the collar on this dress wonderful??  This is my second dress from Lindy Bop (I have yet to wear the first one the blog).  I've featured a lot of their dresses in my Friday Favorites posts, but hadn't taken the plunge into purchasing anything until very recently.  I think their pieces are fantastic for girls who want to achieve a 1950s or pin-up style look without breaking the bank.  Their dresses tend to be made of a lighter weight cotton, which is a nice option for summer.  Both of my dresses came quite wrinkly (God bless the portable steamer!), but I suppose that's a small price to pay for a difference in price.  Sites like Pinup Girl Clothing have pieces of excellent quality, and it shows in the craftsmanship and the fabric itself (many of their dresses are made of heavyweight sateen), but even so, I can't often justify the $150 price tag when I can get a dress like this for less than $50.  I will say, though, that the belt that came with it is really not of very good quality, as it's very flimsy and seems like it might rip easily.  Luckily, I have other belts that will go with this dress.  My guess is that I may actually get more use out of this dress than I will with my PUG dresses, simply because this is something that can be styled in a multitude of ways, for a variety of occasions.  Lindy Bop carries an incredible variety of silhouettes and styles, and their pieces are perfect for a budget-friendly treat!





On a non-dress note, I had a driving lesson yesterday (my first since last year), and it went way better than I'd thought!  I have a lot of anxiety about driving (it stems from high school, but has gotten worse since, after having avoided it for so long), but I have a new instructor now that has made me realize that I actually have a lot of natural ability and don't need to stress nearly as much about that as I have been.  It's really amazing that a different instructor can make all the difference.  Sometimes you simply click better with certain people.  That's been a factor in other areas of my life (like past acting teachers and vocal coaches), but it's applicable here, too.  It's a really nice feeling when someone can make you believe in your own abilities, and it's such a great motivator.  I've been struggling with a lot of things lately, but finally facing my fears -- in a non-threatening way -- has done wonders for my mood!  :)

Have a great Tuesday!
xox Sammi

16 comments:

  1. Cute dress and that's great about driving! I took lessons and went to take the test twice..only to have it rain..I guess it wasn't meant to be. I hate driving.

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  2. I love this dress and bag/box! I looks like a cute, vintage lunchbox in my opinion. And good luck with your driving!

    Theatricality by Mariah

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  3. This post made me happy for several reasons. 1) Totally with you on the spending issue. I drool (sometimes literally) over PUG dresses, but I just could never bring myself to spend that much. If I have $150 to drop, I'd rather get something vintage that is truly unique and has a history, although I definitely see the pros to buying repro. Both you and Junebugs and Georgia Peaches have had good things to say about Lindy Bop, and I'm thinking I'll have to pick one up when I start shopping for fall.
    2) Mushrooms! The dress is really cute, and that's a totally unexpected, but also really playful thing to pick up from it. And I love the wooden purse, I've been wanting to find one for a while now, and the decoupage mushrooms make it really sweet and fun.
    3) I'm 27 and have never had a driver's license. I've also been kind of scared to learn at this point, but hearing that someone else had the same issues and is working through them gives me some hope.
    <3
    Jessica, cakesandcakesvintage.blogspot.com

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  4. Super cute! This dress reminds me of the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland :) and oh my goodness thank you for the link to that clothing site, so many affordable cute dresses!
    http://www.thepinkfoxdesigns.com/

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  5. This dress has a fun sense of whimsy. It is so fun to see the kick pleats on a person like this (bet it is so fun to dance in that dress!).

    Good luck with the lessons and good for you for learning!

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  6. That dress is absolutely gorgeous, and red looks really good on you! You always have the cutest purses!

    xo, Serli
    www.lesoleilchic.blogspot.com

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  7. I wrote a very long comment only to have Blogger crash on me, but I thought I'd attempt to summarise on the driving thing at least...

    I'm definitely a nervous driver, but when I first attempted to learn at 18 I was so scared of it all I took the test 4 times and failed in dramatic ways each time... coming back to it a few years later at 24 I was still very nervous, but I had a great instructor this time and, crucially, I learned in an area I didn't know in central London - it was basically as hellish as it's ever going to get on the road! Which, at the time, was terrifying, but I had an instructor who could intervene if anything got too hairy, so I eventually lost the fear a bit. That same year I took a test and passed with one minor fault. A few more years passed before I had access to a car (this year, in fact) and I've felt scared all over again, but am just trying to accept that for some people driving isn't that comfortable and as long as you know what you're doing and be extra cautious if it helps you, it's ok. I also don't make myself do too much more than I want to, but a little bit of pushing seems to help. I always think if I can learn to drive, anyone can!!

    It's just not as easy for everyone, but it's ok :) x

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  8. Every single outfit you post is ridiculously cute. I love this toadstool outfit! And YES. The instructor can make all the difference - almost scary how much influence they can have, isn't it? Glad you found a better instructor this time around!

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  9. Such a cute outfit- love the little mushroom brooch! I too am a very nervous driver. I'm not sure where the anxieties stem from, but I've been driving since high school and I still don't love it. My nervousness was not quelled by my first driving instructor, though! She made me so anxious- she yelled at other drivers and took me out on a main highway for my first ever time driving! Yikes! Luckily, for the second lesson I got a new instructor and he was great! I was much more at ease and had a much better time. I managed to pass my test on the first try after learning from him, so an instructor can definitely make or break driving for a nervous nellie like myself! It's great that you have a better instructor now! :-)
    -Melissa

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  10. Love how happy you look in this dress and thank you for your honest insights into websites, too! Now, driving and driving instructors ... we should talk, my friend. I did not drive until I was 21 on purpose, yes ... lots to share, including a geriatric driving teacher who slapped me on the hand when I made a mistake, and then there was how I was awarded a license finally... that was 30 years ago, but your sharing brought it all back - so glad to read you have such a good teacher!

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  11. Wahhhh this is like the cutest dress I have ever seeeeeen <3 I don't have any Lindy Bop dresses (yet) and I have a feeling I MUST get one! Maybe for my birthday hehehehhe. You are stunning as always!!! Serious fashionista heyyyyyy

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  12. I wish you all the best in your continued driving lessons, its great to hear you're making progress and you have a supportive motivator. This dress looks lovely on you. I can never justify the high cost of PUG dresses (give me a couple years out of college,) so I love hearing about different, cheaper designers.

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  13. I love the mushroom brooch, too cute! Alex

    tobebeautifulingodseyes.blogspot.com

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  14. You officially convinced me that I need this dress!!

    xoox
    Amelia

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  15. My sister waited a while to start driving and she had growing anxiety about it to. Once we got her on the road this summer the anxiety really eased up. I hope yours continues to too!

    In other news, this dress is just amazing! I love the collar and the contrasting pattern in the pleats. It's so pretty on you!

    Jamie | PetitePanoply.com

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