the soubrette brunette: julie mollo

One thing about being a fashion blogger is that it can be really tough to silence the little voice in my head that tempts me to buy all the things. I tend to get excited about wearing or reviewing freshly acquired pieces here, and sometimes I get carried away. I have to admit that I do enjoy showing off my new purchases, and I don't especially like repeating myself, probably out of fear of boring my readers. That's silly, I know. I've always tried to be better at remixing the items in my closet, and rationally, I know that showcasing that would probably make me seem more authentic and relatable (ah, blogger buzzwords!). And although I've definitely cut down on how much I spend on my clothes, there's still that compulsive urge that eggs me on, and tells me that I need that new dress...

The closet in my new apartment actually collapsed over the weekend (sob!), and it got me thinking even more about something that's crossed my mind lately: I really need to get a handle on the emotional attachment I have to my clothes. Fashion is incredibly personal, and there's a reason why I feel so connected to the clothes I wear: namely, they serve as my creative outlet and bring me infinite amounts of joy. But I definitely need to practice letting go of the things that don't instantly provide those things for me. Letting go is hard. I have difficulty with it in most aspects of my life, to be honest. I'm a pack rat, and it's hard for me to get rid of things if I think I might use or need them one day, or if I'm afraid I might miss them. But enough is enough. I've been facing some of my fears this summer, and frankly, it's been the season of Getting Shit Done. So it's definitely time to clear out what I truly don't need, and keep only the pieces around that make me without-a-doubt happy. Once I go through everything, I'll be listing a TON of pieces in my Shop My Closet store, so keep your eyes peeled.

Neither of these pieces is super new, but I've never worn the top here before. It's still available at PUG, but I bought it second-hand in a Facebook group because I can't resist the vamp tops (I have most of the colorways at this point). I've worn this skirt on the blog before, though – it's the Retroversible skirt by Julie Mollo. She's having a huge sale at the moment, and I have to stop myself from getting the lavender/gingham one (remember, Sammi: you don't even have a functional closet right now!!!). I honestly just wanted to dress like a ladybug when I took these photos. So I did. No matter how many articles of clothing I may or may not have, I always want to have fun with fashion. :)

Outfit Details

Retroversible Circle Skirt: c/o Julie Mollo

Vamp Top: available at Pinup Girl Clothing

Melissa wedges: similar

Belt: from another dress

Necklace: similar

Have a wonderful Wednesday! Oh, and by the way: the winner of my giveaway with Le Bomb Shop has been chosen! Congratulations to Ruby and a big thank you to everyone who entered!

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I love the thought of being able to get a lot of longevity out of my wardrobe. When you're drawn to novelty and statement items, that can be a difficult goal to accomplish. I've started to embrace more basics and practical separates as of late, so when one of my favorite designers, Julie Mollo, reached out and asked if I'd be interested in reviewing something of hers, I was over the moon. Julie actually makes some of my favorite kitschy stage looks (Julie, if and when I ever form a band, I'm calling you to make me some outfits!), but I love that she also makes incredibly wearable and versatile pieces, like her retroversible skirts.

Julie's reversible skirts come in several different colorways, but this black & plaid one happens to be my favorite. I'd actually been needing a nice black skirt anyway, and I really love this particular plaid. The skirt has a side zipper that fully unzips (which makes going from one side to the other a breeze), as well as a gold button to fasten it at the top. The quality is superior, and I love the fact that both sides are really wrinkle-resistant. Julie sent me the XL size, as she told me that this style runs a little small, but I think I probably could have gone with the L (though the XL is fine and gives a bit of extra breathing room) – which means the size chart on her site is actually quite accurate. It really is like having 2 skirts in 1, which makes it an awesome staple that I'll wear a ton. I decided to style it in two different ways to show you each side of the skirt. Which way is your favorite?