Friday Favorites #158

Happy Friday, friends! Today's Friday Favorites is on the shorter side, but I did want to share a few things I've been loving lately. I've definitely got spring fever – anyone else? Bring on all the florals and pastels and cute dresses and hats!

Please note that this post contains some affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking on one of those links, I may earn a small commission that helps to run my blog. Thank you for supporting The Soubrette Brunette!

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Are you ready for spring like me? Or are you more patient than I am? :) With so many new spring collections coming out, it's hard to bide my time! Plus, my heat was out for most of the week... so I'm definitely ready for warm weather!

Have a great weekend!

Saint Valentine

All images by Emma Rizzo Photo

Valentine's Day is here... and to be honest, I don't feel quite as downtrodden as I thought I would. Maybe it's because I'm realizing that love can take many different forms – and doesn't necessarily stop or disappear just because situations change. Maybe it's because I'm lucky enough to be spending time with a lot of people I love during the next few days. Or maybe it's because I got a lot of my crying out of the way last week. I've been saying that I'm my own valentine this year, but I also think that this year is about healing my heart. So I'm trying to focus on that instead of romanticizing what I no longer have.

Also, I might be feeling better than expected because my mom and I are having breakfast for dinner tonight and I'm just plain excited for pancakes... Who's to say, really?

I knew I wanted to feature a lot of pink and a lot of flowers in this post, so I arranged a bouquet (into a heart – totally by accident!!) and ventured out into the snowy tundra with Emma. These photos turned out dreamier than I could have hoped. If you're thinking about buying a dress from the Gal Meets Glam collection, I'd highly recommend it. I can't say enough good things about the quality! The February collection will be out on the 20th and I can't wait to see some of the resort wear (even though I won't be able to wear it for a few months).

Outfit Details

Gal Meets Glam Zelda Dress: Nordstrom

Pink feather headband: similar

Necklace: similar  ||  Heels: similar

I'm not sure whether we'll be dressed to the nines tonight or whether we'll be in pajamas, but I'm glad I have something to look forward to. And I'll be spending the weekend with some of my favorite ladies (because Galentine's Day should last longer, right?). So for now, things are looking up.

Sending you lots of love today, valentines.

PS: the winner of my giveaway has been chosen! Congratulations to Athena and thanks to everyone who entered. There will be more giveaways on the horizon, I promise.

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[CLOSED] The Soubrette Brunette's 6th Blogiversary Giveaway!

Six years ago, I decided to start a blog where I could share my outfits and connect with others in the blogging community. A lot has changed since then, both online and in my personal life. But I am always so glad I made that decision to start. Not only has it provided me with a valuable creative outlet and some really fun opportunities, but it's also allowed me to forge long-lasting friendships with some incredible people. Every February, I like to reflect on where I began and how far I've come since starting this little blog. And every February, I like to give back to my followers with a giveaway of goodies!

This year's prize package is a bit smaller than in previous years, but I tried to pick a few items that you'd all be excited about winning. :) Because I decided not to work with any giveaway sponsors this year (to make things a bit easier on myself, if I'm being honest!), that means you'll have fewer giveaway entries to worry about (which will make things a bit easier on you, too!). Here's what you need to know:

ONE (1) winner will receive:

$50 Etsy gift card

Too Faced Tickled Peach Mini Eyeshadow Palette

Kate Spade New York: All in Good Taste book

Enter the giveaway through the Rafflecopter widget below. Be sure to follow all giveaway directions and note that you must be a follower of my blog to be eligible to win (no unfollowing post-giveaway, please!). This giveaway is open worldwide and will run from now until 11:59 PM EST on Saturday, February 9, 2019. The giveaway winner will be contacted via email and must respond within 48 hours or a new winner will be chosen. The winner will be announced via the widget within one week of the giveaway's end. Best of luck and thank you for supporting my blog! 

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Beatnik

Hi, friends – long time, no blog. I hadn't taken any outfit photos since the holidays due to being busy with work and freezing cold temperatures. But I wanted to get in at least one outfit before the end of January(!). This is a cute and casual look that feels slightly beatnik-like to me. It's way too cold outside to wear a skirt right now (much less these flimsy flats!), but that's the nice thing about taking photos inside. I'm already getting sick of the snow :( It helps to remember that, like everything else, the current season is only temporary.

I don't have a whole lot of news to report, really. One thing is that I've been cooking a bit more often and am doing Weight Watchers again. I actually started before the holidays because I was feeling so lousy and I'm definitely feeling encouraged and more confident. When I did WW in the past, I got kind of obsessed with the number on the scale. This time, I've been able to approach it in a more realistic way. I'm way more focused on how I feel, rather than how much I weigh or the size of clothing I wear. Plus, it's nice to feel accountable and to get that sense of satisfaction about sticking to something. I'm lovingly forcing myself to prioritize my health (which is something I've been neglecting for a long time). One of these days, I'll get myself to the gym... maybe once the snow melts.

Outfit Details

Polka dot sweatshirt: Target (Who What Wear)

Black skirt: similar  ||  Belt: similar

Slouchy beret: similar  || Dog necklace: similar

Black flats: DSW (Sketchers)

Have a great start to your week!

Friday Favorites #157: Valentine Wish List

It's been about a month since I last posted anything here on the blog. In all honesty, I've been busy working, spending time with friends, cooking, and taking care of myself. It's also been WAY too cold to muster up the courage to take photos outside. But since Valentine's Day is just around the corner, I thought this would be a good time to share some of the pretty and pink pieces I'm looking at lately!

Please note that this post contains some affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking on one of those links, I may earn a small commission that helps to run my blog. Thank you for supporting The Soubrette Brunette!

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2018 Outfit Round-Up

At the end of every year, it's customary for me (and many other bloggers I know) to put together an outfit round-up post. It's a fun way to look back at my fashion choices from the past 12 months and reflect on how things have changed during that time.

Normally, I have a lot of outfits to choose from. But this year, it's dawned on me just how little I blogged during 2018. I published blogs only about once a month until more recently. At the time, I chalked it up to being too busy and too tired. Those things were certainly true, but I also think I was spending a lot of time being worried and worn out emotionally and giving too much of myself in situations that were probably unhealthy. When I looked back on some of these photos, I remembered quite vividly how sad or anxious or stressed or mad I was about situations I really didn't have much control over. There were some very bad days happening behind the scenes. It's amazing how we can rationalize a really messed up version of what "normal" is when we're in the midst of it. I didn't even get a chance to publish a lot of the photos that I took – and when I did, they were often delayed so long that they were out of season once I put together the posts. Sometimes I didn't post anything because I just wanted to enjoy the experiences that were truly good because they had been so rare. It wasn't until late summer and early fall that I felt like I was finding my stride again, and I know that timing isn't coincidental. It was when I finally started to feel like myself again and like I had some semblance of control over my life.

The truth is that this year has been really hard. I don't think I realized (or admitted) just how hard until now. I know that a lot of people are finding themselves in much more trying situations that mine. But I also don't want to minimize what I'm going through, either. It makes me sad to know I didn't have the energy to put into my blog last year. It's disappointing I felt so drained that my creative outlet felt like too much work. That happens, I suppose. But I'm hoping that in 2019, my spirit will be a bit renewed. Isn't that we all hope for?

Without any further ado, let's take a little look back at some of my posts from the past year. Which one was your favorite? What do you hope to see more of here in the coming year? 

January   ||   February   ||   March

April   ||   May   ||   June

July   ||   August   ||   September

October   ||   November   ||   December

Sending love and light to you for the rest of this year and into the next.

Please Come Home For Christmas

All images by Emma Rizzo Photo

Well, it's Christmas Eve. It's finally here. I've really been looking forward to having a quiet celebration with my parents. We open all the major gifts (apart from the "Santa Claus presents" that are saved for Christmas morning) and eat a lot of appetizers. It's changed a lot from the Christmases we had when I was young, but it's a nice tradition. The last couple of Christmases weren't what I imagined, and yet I'm still anxious about what this one will be – and how I'll feel once it's over.

I'm not normally one to feel melancholy around the holidays. At all. I'm hoping that by the time this post goes live, I'll feel a lot more excited and a little less lonely. I know I'm very lucky to be spending the holiday with my family and I know I'll be spoiled with gifts. I'm so thankful for both of those things. But I also can't help feeling a bit blue. All those sad Christmas songs on the radio give me the impression that I'm probably not alone in that. The bottom line is that things change and it's hard and I'm trying to make the best of it. Cheers to that.

Speaking of making the best of things... I recruited Emma to come with me to the Christmastime event at the Genesee Country Village and Museum this year and she was sweet enough to oblige and snap some photos of me (in the pouring rain, no less!). It's such a great place with so many historic buildings that have been transplanted to their grounds. I wish I could live in one of these darling houses! I decided that while this emerald green outfit isn't from the right era at all, it would look perfectly festive in this environment. Emma was a real trouper and a true friend to take these photos of me in the cold and the wet. It's a testament to her skill and her positivity that they turned out as well as they did!

Outfit Details

Katie Dress and Jacket Set: Tatyana

Poinsettia hair flower: Stardust Dames Boutique

Gold heels: B.A.I.T. Footwear (similar)

Wishing the happiest of holidays to you and yours, my friends.