Sunhats & Sunflowers

Sunflowers are one of my favorite blooms to have around. They're just so cheerful! This is my second sunflower printed dress (it actually has two of my favorite flowers – sunflowers and daisies), and I couldn't wait until late summer to wear it here on the blog. It's actually an older Hell Bunny dress, but I'd been wanting it for quite some time and hadn't had much luck finding it until now. It's the perfect match for this sunflower Erstwilder brooch, and my mom was sweet enough to get me a little sunflower bouquet to make me smile.

Outfit Details

Hell Bunny sunflower dress: swap group (similar here + here)

Sumptuous Sunflower brooch: c/o Erstwilder

Boater hat: Pinup Girl Clothing

Petticoat: Pinup Girl Clothing

Flats: similar

Today is the first day of my new job, and I'm pretty anxious about it, but optimistic. I've said it before, but it's really scary to venture into brand new territory. This week is going to be crazy-busy; I'm moving into my new apartment this weekend, so between getting adjusted to working full-time and packing and everything else, I'm probably going to be stressed out and perhaps not able to blog as much as I'd like – but I have to believe it'll all work out and will be great in the end. Thank you to all of you who have offered words of encouragement and advice – it's been wonderful to have your support.

Friday Favorites #135

TGIF! This week has been pretty stressful, as I'm getting ready to start a new job in a few days and am packing up all my stuff to move into my new apartment. But I'm super excited about getting to decorate my own place... which inspired a big part of this week's Friday Favorites post! I'm starting off with a bunch of pretty things I'd love to have in my new home:

a.  standing mixer

b.  wall clock

c.  retro compact fridge

d.  book cover shower curtain(!!!)

e.  meadow tapestry

f.  jazz serving tray/catch-all dish

g.  midcentury sofa

h.  carousel pillow

i.  floor lamp

j.  peony print

k.  end table

l.  striped rug

m.  kate spade dishes

n.  peach pillow

o.  pink chair

p.  dressing table

I'm obsessed with these film-themed posters! They'd make for great wall art. You can find them all (plus a bunch more) here!

The Royal Tenenbaums poster

Amelie poster

Breakfast at Tiffany's poster

I'm basically getting a separate dressing room/closet room in my new place (squeal!), which means I can *totally* justify buying more clothes to put in it... right? No? Well, I'll just lust over these pieces from afar then... starting with this adorable Bernie Dexter dress!

I literally just packed up all of my purses yesterday. They may or not fill two HUGE cardboard boxes. This is how you know you have a problem. And yet, it doesn't keep me from wanting these:

a   ||   b   ||   c   ||   d   ||   e   ||   f   ||   g

How pretty is this dress!

I love these cute skirts too:

1    //    2    //    3

As excited as I am for getting my apartment all set up, I've been incredibly anxious for the past couple of weeks. I think I might need these coloring books to help me unwind!

a    ||    b

And finally... I've been trying to justify getting the new Dita cardigan for weeks, and I may just have to reward myself for my adulting by making a totally frivolous, ridiculous (but beautiful) purchase.

That's all for this week! Have an awesome weekend!

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Green gingham

If there is a more summery pattern than gingham, I'd love to hear what it is. Or maybe I wouldn't... because let's face it: gingham is kind of the best. I fell in love with this peach-trimmed green gingham dress when I first saw it on ModCloth, but for some reason, I waited a while to style it here on the blog. July seems like the prime month for gingham-wearing, and since the last couple of days have been incredibly hot, I felt like it was high-time to wear this beauty. Even though I don't have a Southern bone in my body, I feel like an honorary Southern belle when I wear this dress! I need a backyard BBQ in my future so I have another excuse to wear it.

Outfit Details

Cookout on the Town Dress: ModCloth (on sale!)

Rotary dial telephone pin: Little Arrow

Shoes: B.A.I.T. Footwear (similar)

I start my new full-time job next week (and my lease begins next Friday), and you could say I'm a bit anxious about it. It's unchartered territory, and I'm very nervous about so much change happening at once. I'm also trying to get a lot of blogging done in advance, since the next few weeks are going to be super-busy and I'll be adjusting to a lot of new stuff. Eek! Wish me luck!

Have a great day!

Independence

Happy 4th of July! I guess it's sort of apt that today is Independence Day, since I've been thinking a lot about my own impending independence lately. I signed the lease on my brand new apartment last week(!!!), and I'll be both starting my new, full-time job AND moving in to my new place next week. Needless to say, I'm already pretty stressed out. Even though I'm taking positive steps to becoming a "real adult," it's still very overwhelming and I keep asking myself if I'm doing the right thing. Ultimately, I know that popping my own little safety bubble is imperative to my personal growth, and though I'm nervous about what the future holds, I think (read: hope) I'm doing something that will make me happy. It might not look like what I had pictured for myself a few years ago, but then again, I'm not the same person I was back then, either. I know I'll continue to make a lot of mistakes (which, as a Highly Sensitive Person, I hate doing), but that's also how we learn. I can't let fear of the unknown hold me back from forging my own path. So today, I'm going celebrate my own independence just as much as that of our country.

I always feel celebratory when I wear cute dresses (it's the little things!), especially for holidays. This Emily and Fin dress isn't traditionally patriotic, but I love that it features red, white, and blue. Their "Jenny" style dress is one of my favorites, and the synchronized swimmer print is one of the most adorable (yet subtle) ones I've seen! This dress is super comfortable, and I adore the button-down front and big pockets. Since it's made of lightweight, breathable cotton, it's an excellent summer dress. I know Emily and Fin can run long on some people; this dress might be a bit more flattering in a slightly shorter length, but since I really don't like worrying about whether my hemline is too short, it fits my needs in a dress! It'll be perfect for what I have planned for tonight: watching my dad's band  play and enjoying the post-show fireworks. What are you doing for the 4th?

Outfit Details

Brunch With Buds Dress in Swimmers: ModCloth

Boater hat: similar  ||  Flats: Aerosoles

Bracelet: similar  ||  Necklace: similar

Have a great holiday!

Red Fans

Although I don't normally do outfit posts on Fridays, I'm super excited to share these photos featuring pieces from Trashy Diva's newest collection, Red Fans! This range just launched on Wednesday, and clearly, it's a total hit (and going fast!). The sweet ladies at TD were kind enough to send me a pair of separates from this new line, and since I'm a newer convert to the world of separates (especially those from Trashy Diva), I'll be reviewing some of the finer details of these pieces in today's post – and showcasing this beautiful Asian fan print against the scenery of Sonnenberg Gardens.

The two pieces I'm wearing here are the Lena blouse and the Honey Baby skirt. I was initially a little nervous about wearing these separates, since I wasn't sure how the length of the Lena blouse would work on my frame. However, my worries melted away when I realized the final effect really looks like a dress, as the blouse is easily able to tuck into the high waistband of the skirt. Funnily enough, I actually decided to untuck the blouse from the skirt after I took these photos, and I loved that result just as much; it shows a tiny bit of skin – the section of midriff that looks good on pretty much everyone – and it's a fun & flirty look that can't wait to wear again throughout the summer.

As with many Trashy Diva styles, I did size up a bit in these pieces. The lightweight cotton (a great choice for summer) has stretch to it, and the Lena top has elasticized panels that provide additional stretch; because of this, I could have potentially worn my normal TD size in the top (which is a 10), but the 12 also fits well, and the adjustable straps are definitely a bonus. I love how the Honey Baby skirt has a contrasting black panel (which makes it pair so nicely with the Lena), and the size 12 fits me perfectly. Although the skirt is a bit shorter than I'm accustomed to, I think it's really flattering – and it has pockets! Of course, I love the look of these pieces together, but I'm eager to mix-and-match then with other items already in my closet. The rest of the Red Fans collection is really lovely, with lots of different styles to choose from. Be sure to check out the full collection here! All I can say is, after trying these separates... I'm definitely a fan. ;)

Outfit Details

Lena Blouse in Red Fans: c/o Trashy Diva

Honey Baby Skirt in Red Fans: c/o Trashy Diva

Belt: available from Pinup Girl Clothing

Shoes: Chase & Chloe

Hair flower: similar

Have you tried any separates from Trashy Diva? And are you as big of a fan of this new collection as I am? :)

Have a wonderful weekend!

Betsy

I'm always eager to add a pretty floral print to my wardrobe, and the Betsy dress from Voodoo Vixen really fits the bill. I love that it's both a subtler floral and an LBD, as that'll make it versatile for many occasions throughout the year. I've owned several Voodoo Vixen dresses, and though I've found most of them to run pretty true to size (and even a little big in the waist at times), I would definitely recommend sizing up in this style if you're well-endowed. Because of the side zip, it was a bit of a struggle to get this dress on – but I absolutely fell in love once it was on! It's flirtatious and fun without being bare in any way; I love a good cleavage-bearing dress or top, but I don't get nearly as much use out of those pieces, and I'm always reminding myself to diversify my closet with items that will allow me to get a lot of longevity out of my clothes! If you've got your eye on the Betsy (or any other beautiful Voodoo Vixen dresses), you can use the code Sammi20 to get 20% off your purchase on their website!

Outfit Details

Betsey Dress: c/o Voodoo Vixen

Beauty Everlasting Brooch: c/o Erstwilder

Belt: from another dress  ||  Shoes: BAIT Footwear

If you follow me on Instagram, you might've seen that I've been kind of stressed out. Lots of changes are happening in a very short period of time, and while it's good stuff, I've been feeling really overwhelmed and anxious. I just want to thank anyone who reached out with wonderful self-care ideas and anxiety-reducing remedies. It really means so much to me! I'll update you all on these changes very soon.