the soubrette brunette: banned

Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Drive-ins + Diners

Gosh, I can scarcely believe it's already June! It definitely feels like summer, which makes me think about all the fun things I want to do over the next couple of months – including a trip to one of the drive-ins in the area. I think they mostly show modern movies, which is sort of a bummer, but I have to do some more research. Luckily, I'll have this adorable drive-in + diner print skirt to hold me over until I can get to one!

This outfit is on the loud side, even for me, but I kind of enjoy it. This skirt is the same style as the one I wore in this post last month – I like the red one a little bit more for its versatility, but I couldn't pass this one up either. I'll probably wear it with a more neutral top in the future, but since there are so many options for color pairings, I wanted to try it with this top from Collectif. I own a lot of the peasant tops from Pinup Girl Clothing, which are great quality but are often a little too revealing, so this Dolores top is a great alternative. (This colorway isn't available directly from Collectif anymore, but I tracked it down at Stars and Swallows in select sizes.) It's not as structured as the PUG top, but I feel more covered in it and I love the matching buttons! Both of these pieces will pair well with the subtler basics in my wardrobe, but it's nice to know they can be worn together when I'm feeling a bit adventurous.

Outfit Details

Collectif Dolores Top in Pink: Stars and Swallows

Banned Diner Skirt: ShopVDM

Pancake brooch: c/o Erstwilder

Kate Spade flats: 6pm

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Vinyl

I'll start out by saying that this ended up being one of my favorite outfit posts in a while. This rockabilly record skirt by Banned Apprel really encapsulates my kitschy, retro sense of style, and I'm obsessed with the vamp tops from Pinup Girl Clothing. Even though I love my pastels, for some reason, my red-and-black ensembles end up being the ones I like the most – maybe because they're still fun but have a slight sexiness to them.

Because the Banned website is for wholesale retailers only, I had to search a little bit until I found a site that was carrying this adorable skirt. Viva Dulce Marina (or VDM) carries a bunch of brands I really like, including Banned. I ordered according to the size chart that VDM provided (which was spot-on), and it's safe to say that this skirt runs big. I ordered the medium in both this and another Banned skirt, and they fit perfectly. The material is a lightweight cotton – which is great for summer! – but it's stiff enough that it holds a nice shape with a petticoat underneath. Although this skirt will pair nicely with a number of tops I own, I absolutely love the vamp tops because they have great structure (I'm able to wear them without a bra if I need to) and they give a great silhouette. I know I'll get a ton of wear out of both pieces, and I can't wait to style them in different ways!