BIG BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY! [CLOSED]

My (27th!) birthday is this week, and longtime readers of my blog know what that means: it's time for my annual Big Birthday Giveaway! You guys make me feel special 365 days a year, so I like to celebrate by showing my appreciation for all of your support. This year's giveaway is extra-awesome because it features a bunch of brands and artists I absolutely love... and there are three incredible prize packages up for grabs! Read on to find out more...

In the past, I've always had one huge prize package for one winner. This time, you can enter the giveaway to win 1 of 3 awesome packages that I've put together with my amazing sponsors (which means more chances to win, yay!). I've put all of the entries into one big widget, so once you've completed the mandatory entries + whatever optional entries you'd like, you'll be entered to win all three packages. In the interest of fairness, prize package selection will be determined by the order in which the winners are chosen (i.e., the first winner chosen will be awarded prize package #1, and so on). These prizes are so good that it almost makes me wish I could enter my own giveaway! :) Here are the details on each prize package:

Prize Package #1: Cherry Tierney Halter Dress from Unique Vintage, choice of Mandie Bee Sweet Sweater + accessory goodie bag from Heart of Haute, your item of choice from Erstwilder, Disney jewelry pack from Femme de Bloom, butterfly hair bow from Beauxoxo

Prize Package #2: Choice of cardigan from Voodoo Vixen, Retroversible Crop Top from Julie Mollo, Super Floozy pink & black purse from Sourpuss Clothing, pink lucite Disneyland jewelry set from Match Accessories, vintage brooch + barrette set from Mane Message

Prize Package #3: $50 gift certificate to ModCloth, floral headphones + other goodies from Ankit, a Leslie Knope brooch from Kate Gabrielle and a unicorn brooch from I Love Crafty, disco travel mug and kissing booth + Sims hot date lapel pins from Hello Holiday, adorable cupcake novelty purse, copy of Style Me Vintage: Tea Parties, e.l.f. eyeshadow palette, 1/2 lb. bag of salt water taffy (my favorite treat!)

Enter the giveaway through the Rafflecopter widget below. Three (3) different giveaway winners will be chosen at random through the widget; prize packages will be determined by the order in which the winners are chosen. You must be a follower of The Soubrette Brunette to enter (no unfollowing after the giveaway ends, please!). The giveaway is open internationally and will run until 11:59 PM EST on Wednesday, November 4th. Winners will be contacted via e-mail (so be sure to provide a valid e-mail address!), and must respond within 48 hours, or a new winner will be chosen.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks so much for entering + best of luck!

Pink princess

I don't think anyone can accuse me of not being a girly-girl. It's not that I feel like I have some obligation to be ultra-feminine or anything; I just happen to like it, and I feel like the most "me" when I'm wearing something pretty. I think it goes without saying that I feel like a total princess in this Unique Vintage dress – and I love it. It's the perfect birthday dress (pink AND polka dots!), which is very convenient, since my birthday is in just a few days!

The one drawback of this dress is that when I first received it, it was a little too revealing on me. I had initially asked for the next size up, but it proved to be much too big on me. The strapless top portion in this size isn't quite accommodating enough for my body, but this was an easy fix with a trip to Jo-Ann Fabrics for some ribbon. I have a really good color memory, and I happened to find some beautiful ribbon (in the clearance section!) that matches this dress perfectly. My mom sewed the ribbon onto the bodice to make halter straps (thanks, Mom!), and it instantly transformed the dress! I love it even more now, and it looks even more birthday-like – I look like a literal present!

Outfit Details

Dandrige Dress: c/o Unique Vintage
DIY halter straps: Jo-Ann's (similar)
Cake ring: Le Petite Bonbon

Bettie Page shoes: Amazon

Necklace: gift from Mom

Petticoat: similar

Have a great weekend – and don't forget to check back on Monday for something really exciting! :)

Friday Favorites #109: Birthday Wish List

My birthday is fast-approaching (it's only 5 days away!), so this week's Friday Favorites is doubling as my birthday wish list. I'd be lucky to get just a few of these items (and I've essentially resigned myself to the fact that I may never own a Kate Spade bag), so here are some of my ultimate birthday dream presents:

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

i   ||   j   ||   k   ||   l   ||   m   ||   n   ||   o

   p   ||   q   ||   r   ||   s   ||   t

And speaking of presents... be sure to check back here on Monday. If I'm getting gifts, my readers will be too! If you've been following my blog for a while, you might know what's coming... and let's just say you don't want to miss it! ;)

Have a great start to your weekend!

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking on one of these links, I may receive a small commission, which helps to run my blog. I link only to items and brands I absolutely love. Thank you for supporting The Soubrette Brunette!

Cake and presents

It's my 26th birthday today!  Honestly, it doesn't really feel like anything special this year; maybe it has something to do with the fact that being in your mid-to-late 20s isn't as exciting, or maybe it's just the circumstances in which I currently find myself.  I'm not doing much of anything to celebrate, other than going out to dinner with my parents.  This year has sort of been weird, but I'm trying my best not to feel down.  Fortunately, it's difficult to feel down while wearing this dress!  It's originally from ASOS, but I'd been searching for it on eBay for what feels like forever -- I even missed out on it once before in a smaller size.  This was truly serendipity though, because I happened to find it one day in my exact size for a reasonable price, and I knew I had to have it!  It's such a fun print (especially for someone who loves tea parties as much as I do!), and I just adore its little details, like the built-in crinoline and heart cut-out in the back.  It really is the perfect birthday dress, and wearing it feels like a present to myself.

Speaking of presents... I had an unexpected, extraordinarily-good mail day the other day.  I came home to find packages from two of my favorite internet friends!  Amanda had sent me a beautiful dress and blouse (from Voodoo Vixen and Steady Clothing, respectively) that she couldn't use, and Kate sent me an absolutely gigantic mystery box!  I couldn't imagine what she had sent me, and I gasped in surprise when I realized that Kate had sent me tons of dresses and sweaters!  Turns out that she was doing a big closet clean-out and thought I would be able to put them to good use.  I was so incredibly touched that she had thought of me, and that she would be so sweet to send me all of those pretty things -- including another ASOS dream dress that I had missed out on!  I feel very lucky to have two such wonderful friends in my life (especially because we've never met in person!), and these packages were so timely and made my birthday feel much more special.

Oh, and let's just talk about this donut clutch for a second.  It's perfect, and I was powerless to resist it.  This exact clutch is included in my Big Birthday Giveaway, and there's still plenty of time to enter, so make sure to do that if you haven't already!  In addition to this sweet purse, there are gift certificates to ModCloth and Unique Vintage, a copy of Not That Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham, art and jewelry from some wonderful friends (Modern Girl Blitz, Flapperdoodle, Wanderlust Print Co., Rachel Sullivan Illustration & She Loves Cute Stuff), and so so so much more up for grabs!  Get all the details and enter the giveaway here!  :)

Outfit Details

Tea Party Print Dress: eBay (originally from ASOS)

Teacup necklace: ModCloth (similar)

Hair bow: Clip a Bow Boutique 

Donut clutch: New Look

Tea set ring: exact

Heels: Amazon

Have a sweet day!

xox Sammi

Big Birthday Giveaway! [CLOSED]

It's finally time for my Big Birthday Giveaway!  I know I don't hold giveaways on my blog very often (which is something I'm going to work on in the future), but I always do one in February for my "blogiversary," and this year, I wanted to hold one for my birthday as well.  Since it's been a long time since I've hosted a giveaway, I wanted to make sure this one was HUGE -- and boy, is it ever!  I've been compiling a bunch of wonderful stuff for this, and I hope you're all as excited as I am for...

In total, this prize package is worth over $300!  I've included two gift certificate prizes, a bunch of awesome Etsy art and jewelry, a delectable novelty purse, a fantastic book, beauty supplies, and a ton of great retro nostalgia and cute gifties.  Basically, it's a big birthday care package of all the things I'd personally love to get.  :)   Here's what's up for grabs!

I'm so happy with all of the fun & cute things I managed to gather up for this giveaway!  This prize package is absolutely gigantic, so if you're overwhelmed (like I am!), here are all the details you need to know:

One (1) winner will receive:

- a $50 Unique Vintage gift card

- a $25 ModCloth gift certificate 

- a novelty donut clutch from New Look

- a copy of Not That Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham

- a collar clip set from Flapperdoodle

- a lipstick brooch from Modern Girl Blitz

- an ice cream ring from She Loves Cute Stuff

- a print of your choice from Wanderlust Print Co.

- a non-customized print of your choice from Rachel Sullivan Illustration

- DVDs of Disney's The Aristocats and Oliver & Company

- a My Little Pony dress-up mug 

- a pair of pink cat eye sunglasses

- an eyeshadow palette from e.l.f.

- a pair of cherry earrings by Hey Viv!

- a pretty unicorn necklace

- a fast food lip balm set

- a cute pair of kitty socks 

- a pot of peach panda hand cream

- a fall assortment of salt water taffy

Entering the giveaway is easy - just use the Rafflecopter form below!  There are some mandatory entries, as well as optional ones that will increase your chances of winning.  The giveaway will run for one week (it starts at midnight on Sunday, Oct. 26th and will close at midnight on Sunday, November 2nd). This giveaway is open worldwide, and you must be a follower of my blog to enter (no un-following after the giveaway closes!).  The winner will be contacted via e-mail, so be sure to leave a valid e-mail address in your comment.  The giveaway winner will be announced on my blog by Wednesday, November 5th.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Best of luck! <3

xox Sammi

Friday Favorites #69: Birthday Wish List

For those of you who don't know, my 26th birthday is on Tuesday!  I thought it might be apropos to make this week's Friday Favorites post into a birthday wish list.  Some of these pieces are brand new arrivals, and some of them have appeared in previous FF posts... but either way, they're all items I'm dying to unwrap!  :)

a  //  Irregular Choice cherry deer heels

b  //  Black & white polka dot swing dress

c  //  Lindy Bop 'Tuesday' collared swing dress

d  //  Yes Please by Amy Poehler

e  //  BonLook Keiko Frames in Lily White

f  //  Crust Be Dreaming USB Warming Pillow

g  //  Melissa + Karl Lagerfeld ice cream heels

h  //  Hey Viv! pink pillbox hat

i  //  Tatty Devine poodle brooch

j  //  Mermaid Perfume Spray 

k  //  My Little Pony: The Complete Series

l  //  Tending the Tunes Sweater

m  //  Moschino mirror iPhone case

n  //  Lime Crime Lipstick in Glamour 101

o  //  Be Still My Locket Necklace 

p  //  Betsey Johnson radio crossbody bag

q  //  Flower veil hair combs

r  //  White faux fur tied cape

s  //  The Vintage Tea Party Book

I won't be doing much celebrating this weekend (I'll be working and performing, instead!), but I do have something very special planned for Sunday right here on the blog!!  I promise that you won't want to miss it, so be sure to check back later this weekend.  <3  

Have a great Friday!

xox Sammi

This post contains affiliate links.  If you make a purchase after clicking on one of these links, I may receive a small commission, which helps to run my blog.  I link only to items I absolutely love, from companies I wholeheartedly support.  Thank you for supporting The Soubrette Brunette!

A whiter shade of pale

Outfit Details:

Hypatia Dress: ever+mi.crush 

(also available at Emerging Thoughts)

Double tea ring: similar here

Bow belt: from another dress

Mary Jane heels: estate sale buyout store

It's no secret that I really adore Kate Gabrielle's aesthetic, so when I saw that this gorgeous dress that she designed for Dahlia was being carried by ever+mi.crush, I knew it was a piece that needed to be added to my wardrobe.  It's such a dreamy dress, from the color (inspired by her sweet kitty cat, Hypatia, who recently passed away) to the vintage-inspired silhouette... and don't get me started on the amazing collar!  I ended up wearing this on Monday for my birthday, and got a lot of compliments on it (which is truly a testament to Kate's lovely design).

I ended up swapping the belt the dress came with, because I couldn't figure out how to get it to stay as tight as I needed it to (it's one of those fabric belts that you have to weave through a certain way, without holes or a prong), but I thought this bow belt was darling with it.  Oh, and this dress gave me the opportunity to wear my new (to me) off-white Mary Jane heels!  I found them on a whim at this amazing estate sale buyout store for $10!  I'd been looking for white Mary Jane heels everywhere, and these just happened to fit me perfectly.  I'm so enchanted with them.

In other news, our production of Rapunzel! Rapunzel! A Very Hairy Fairy Tale (that's the full title, which I realized I'd never mentioned) opens this morning!  We have two shows (one at 11 AM and the other at 2 PM) today, and our theatre company partnered up with a local salon to do something called a "Braid Parade" before the first show, where a ton of little girls get to sign up and get their hair braided by stylists (for free!) and then get to parade around for the audience.  It's going to be so cute, and I'm looking forward to seeing a bunch of little girls dressed up like princesses!  Hopefully they won't be too scared of me for the meet-and-greets (that happens when you play the villain, sometimes)!

Have a wonderful Saturday!

xox Sammi