Girl Squad: Tea Time Style

Ashley and I are joining Katie and Amanda over on their blog today for a special group post! We've teamed up with Deer Arrow to style their adorable "tea time" brooches – and we each happened to wear them with beautiful vintage pieces. I'm obsessed with afternoon tea (what's not to love??), and have several tea-themed pieces of jewelry, but this little brooch set is by far the sweetest in my collection. We figured that this group post was the next best thing to getting the four of us together for teatime – though I can't wait for when that finally happens!

Outfit Details

Dress: Oh My Gato Vintage

Brooch: c/o Deer Arrow

Shoes: B.A.I.T. Footwear

Follow me over to Junebugs and Georgia Peaches to see how we each styled our brooch sets!

Peaches and cream

Even though this week signals the end of summer, I just had to post my peach picking photos from last month. I made it my mission to pick as much fruit as possible this year, and since peaches are my favorite fruit in the whole wide world, I insisted that we go this year – especially since I had the perfect dress, purse and pin for it!

When Pinup Girl Clothing announced all of the pieces in their Junebugs & Georgia Peaches collection, this peach gingham Dee Dee dress was my #1 have-to-have-it pick. It's just so darling, and though I know some people have experienced slight fit issues, I have to say that this style fits me perfectly. I love it so much that I now own it in three different colorways!

The peaches we picked were absolutely delicious, and we devoured them with vanilla frozen custard and biscuits. I have plans to go apple picking next week (in a corresponding outfit, of course), and I can't wait for all things fall. It's been very summery here, and although I'm sure I'll regret it later, I'm very eager for things to cool down a bit. Bring on sweater weather!

Outfit Details

Dee Dee Dress in Peach Gingham: Pinup Girl Clothing

Peach purse: ASOS (similar)

Peach brooch: vintage (similar)

White flats: similar

Have a peachy start to your week!

PS: Don't forget that you still have time to enter our Blogs, Besties & Brooches giveaway! You can enter to win 1 of 5 $100 AUD gift cards to the all-new Erstwilder.com! Get all the details and enter here. The giveaway ends this week, so hurry! <3 

GIVEAWAY || Blogs, Besties + Brooches with Erstwilder! [CLOSED]

It's been a while since I've done a giveaway, so Ashley and I were thrilled when Amanda + Katie asked us if we'd like to co-host an awesome giveaway with them, courtesy of Erstwilder! I bet most of you are probably pretty familiar with their quirky designs by now, but whether you're a longtime fan or have just discovered them, you're bound to fall in love. The four of us really enjoy collecting these pieces, and because they're the sort of thing that's perfect for sharing with your best friend(s), we're so excited to be giving FIVE of our readers the chance to win gift cards from the new Erstwilder.com!

Outfit Details

Katie – Dress: Pinup Girl Clothing // On the 45 Brooch: Erstwilder

Amanda – Dress: Pinup Girl Clothing //  Retro Rollers Brooch: Erstwilder

Sammi – Dress: Pinup Girl Clothing // The Bare Essentials Brooch: Erstwilder

Ashley – Dress: Pinup Girl Clothing // Guitar Hero Brooch: Erstwilder

To enter the giveaway, use the Rafflecopter widget below. We're giving away FIVE (5) $100 AUD (roughly $71 USD) gift cards to Erstwilder.com. The giveaway is open internationally and runs from now until midnight on September 24th. You can enter from any of our blogs (your details will be saved within the Rafflecopter widget, so you don't have to re-enter or have duplicate entries). Details about all of the ways you can enter are below the widget!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

As you can see, you can earn entries by following our blogs, signing up for the Erstwilder newsletter, and liking Junebugs and Georgia Peaches on Facebook. In addition, you may ALSO enter the giveaway via blog comment and/or Twitter ONCE PER DAY. For your first comment, tell us your favorite Erstwilder.com design! For each additional comment, tell us what you'd like to see made into a brooch!
We've also added an Instagram share ONCE PER DAY entry option. You don't have to return to the widget for that – we'll be manually imputing those entires ourselves – so you only have to post the image on Instagram and follow the instructions below. However, since the majority of entries are found right here on our blogs, you have a better chance of winning by entering those, too! To enter via Instagram:
1.   Repost the image below on Instagram (you can also find this image on each of our Instagram accounts) 2.   Follow @modernjunecleaver OR @ameliajetson OR @thesoubrettebrunette OR @southerncaliforniabelle (just one of us is required, but you can follow all 4 of us if you'd like!) 3.   Follow @ErstwilderOfficial 4.   Hashtag #BFF4Erstwilder

Best of luck! We can't wait to see who wins! <3 

California Cuties on Junebugs and Georgia Peaches!

It's a magical thing when internet friendships transition so seamlessly into the "real world." I'm lucky enough to have an awesome little girl gang that extends far beyond the blogosphere. As most of you know, I recently spent some time in California with Ashley, and we of course made sure to take ample outfit photos during my visit. While our two other besties, Katie and Amanda, are recovering from their weekend at Dragon Con, Ashley and I are guest posting over on their blog (in coordinating pieces from Pinup Girl Clothing)! Follow me over to Junebugs and Georgia Peaches to see more!

Have a great Monday!

Shortcake

I'm lucky to have friends who are as sweet as strawberries. Case in point, this Emmy dress used to belong to Amanda – and because she knew it was one of my "unicorns" (and it was just my size), it now hangs in my closet! This yellow color is so cheery, and I'm in love with the embroidered strawberry collar. I'm so thrilled to have both this dress and such wonderful people in my life.

I can't believe it's already July! I feel like summer has just begun, but this season always goes by so quickly, doesn't it? This month is going to be pretty busy; in addition to the show I'm in, I'm crossing my fingers that I can go down to New York for a weekend towards the end of July. As far as the Independence Day agenda, I'm hoping to watch fireworks with my best friend, Wayne, again this year (assuming he feels up to it and the weather holds out). I sort of wish we were doing a BBQ sort of thing, but since my dad has a gig, that won't be happening this year. Do you have any fun 4th of July plans?

Outfit Details

Dress: Emmy Designs (from Amanda)

Strawberry ring: Urban Outfitters

Shoes: BAIT Footwear

Petticoat: similar

Have a great day!

Sun Jellies Bag Swag on Junebugs and Georgia Peaches

Good morning!  I have a quasi-crafty post in store today.  Ashley and I are posting over on the Junebugs and Georgia Peaches blog -- along with resident Junebugs Amanda and Katie -- to show you how we each embellished our Sun Jellies tote bags for spring!  I've fallen head over heels for these colorful, versatile bags, and I loved seeing the spin we each put on our totes.  Plus, I'll take any excuse to have a combined post with my three best gals!  Follow me over to Junebugs and Georgia Peaches to see how we styled our Sun Jellies bags!

xox Sammi

Junebugs and Georgia Peaches: Disney Stowaway

Happy Saturday!  I'm posting over at Junebugs and Georgia Peaches today while June + Amelia are off in warmer, Disney-filled climates.  I've been suffering from Disney Fever lately, so I'm highlighting some of my Disney-worthy ensembles (and sharing some pieces from my wish [upon a star] list), like this Minnie-esque outfit below!  Follow me over to Junebugs and Georgia Peaches to read the full post!  <3

a  //  b  //  c  //  d  //  e  //  f

Have a wonderful weekend!
xox Sammi

A toast to 2015

I'm totally dismayed -- how is it almost 2015?  A lot has happened over the past year.  If I'm being perfectly honest, it's been a very difficult year, filled with a lot of loss.  I've struggled a lot to find my footing and figure out a direction for my life (which is something I'm still working on).  But there's also been a lot of soul-searching and self-discovery, and learning more about yourself and what you want (or don't want) is never a bad thing.  Navigating your mid-20s is tricky enough without essentially having to scrap the plan you had for your future, but if nothing else, being adaptable -- and daring to re-imagine something more for yourself -- improves character and makes you realize how strong you truly are.  I am fortunate to be surrounded by people who care about me and I've been given some great opportunities along the way.  And even if my life doesn't currently look like how I envisioned it, I am looking forward to what the new year might bring.

One of my favorite facets of caring people in my life include the dear friends who I have met through blogging.  Even though I haven't met most of these blogging ladies in real life, their friendships have meant the world to me, and I feel very lucky to have made these virtual connections with such wonderful individuals.  Two of these individuals are Amanda and Katie of Junebugs and Georgia Peaches, who were kind enough to send me this beautiful Voodoo Vixen dress!  I drink very rarely (I'll have a cocktail maybe twice a year), but this martini print dress is so darling, and I thought it'd be perfect for New Year's Eve.  I usually like to opt for sparkle or luxurious fabrics for NYE, but this is such a fun alternative!  Although I'm working all day and planning on a low-key night in (not my ideal choice, but them's the breaks), I still like to dress up for the occasion!

What are your plans for New Year's Eve?  And more importantly, what are you wearing?  :)

Outfit Details

Dress: gift from Amanda & Katie

Black coat: Tatyana Boutique

Belt: from another dress

Heels: Aerosoles

Ring: Forever 21

Petticoat: eBay

Tights: ASOS

I hope you all have a fantastic & safe New Year's Eve!
xox Sammi

Junebug Wedding: What I'd Wear for Amanda's Big Day!

Good morning!  I'm doing a special guest post today over at Junebugs and Georgia Peaches!  Junebug Amanda is in the midst of the countdown to her wedding, so she asked if I'd be able to do a guest post for her.  Since she and Katie are two of my favorite bloggers, I didn't even hesitate for a second!  Amanda was sweet enough to actually invite me to her wedding, so I decided it might be fun to do a post about what I would wear for her big day (had I been able to jet off to Georgia)!  Follow me over to Junebugs and Georgia Peaches to see my full post -- which features a gorgeous dress that really reminds me of these Southern beauties.

Have a great day!

xox Sammi

My Favorite Outfit: Modern June Cleaver & Amelia Jetson

Note from Sammi: Hello, lovely readers!  I am currently out of town with *very* limited internet access, so I've decided to start a little mini-series on the blog while I'm gone.  I've asked some of my favorite blogger ladies to contribute a guest post about their absolute favorite outfits from their own blogs!  It's kind of a Sophie's Choice situation (at least, I know it would be for me!), since these are some of the most stylish girls I know, but I'm so excited to see what they've chosen!  Today's guest bloggers are Modern June Cleaver and Amelia Jetson (otherwise known as Amanda and Katie) from Junebugs and Georgia Peaches!  This dynamic duo never fails to impress with their fantastic '50s looks!  Without further ado, here are June and Amelia with their favorite outfits!

Hello, Soubrette Brunette readers!

As Sammi said above, we're June + Amelia.  Some of you may know us from our own blog or Instagram, but we're stoked about being here! We've only been blogging since January and are excited to work with someone who is so well-spoken, interesting + stylish.  Now that we've gotten our lady crush on Sammi out of the way, we'll tell you a little about our all time favorite outfits.

Modern June Cleaver

Hello, I'm June! If you'd asked me what my favorite outfit was a week ago, it would've been something totally different.  But this week, it's this Peek a Boo Top by Steady Clothing paired with the High Waisted Thrills Skirt in Olive, Wide Shakira Satin Belt by Pinup Girl Clothing, Persia Heels from Miss L Fire and Carmen Fruit Clips by Andy's Eye Candy.

These Miss L Fire heels were inspired by Great Gatsby era fashion, but I hopped in my TARDIS and brought them forward 30 years, to my usual, late 1950s inspired style.  I really love this top because I think it's a flattering way to show a little skin but not full out cleavage which makes me feel totally awkward.  The skirt has a great shape and accommodates a large enough petticoat to achieve the perfect amount of fullness.  And I actually don't usually like big hair pieces, but I LOVE these, I'm definitely channeling my inner Carmen Miranda, who was actually equally as adorable without the fruit hats. ; )

Tied for first place this week as my favorite outfit would be my Bernie Dexter Beatrice Dress in BBQ Print (I'm sorry I can't link it, she no longer sells this piece.)  This was my birthday dress last year and my first Bernie, so it holds a special place in my heart.  I can't decide if it's the dress or the fact that I'd just officially reunited with my now fiancee, Collin (proposal post + video here).  My opinion might be a bit jaded.

Bernie Dexter's dresses always have adorable prints and have in-seam lipstick pockets, which is awesome.  All dresses with pockets automatically get preferential treatment, because I mean... who doesn't love hidden pockets?!

Amelia Jetson

Hi there, I'm Amelia!  It's hard to choose one outfit that I love the most so I had to choose two.  The first outfit is the Trashy Diva Annette Dress in Sci-Fi print, which is sadly no longer made.  This dress is one of my favorites, because it reminds me of Ms. Frizzle!  I just need a magic school bus and a pet chameleon and I'll be set.  I love this dress for its print, quality and overall appearance. I simply paired it with a lucite cherry brooch and my B.A.I.T. Irene's in red.  This outfit will definitely continue to be one of my Summer essentials!

I must have a love for dresses that are no longer being made! This was my dress for June's birthday last year, and it was my first Hell Bunny dress also.  I love the color on this dress and the polka dot print. The back is a deep 'V', which makes it a fun Summer dress!  I paired it with plain red patent shoes, because I love the color combination of light purple and red!   

  Honorable Mentions

Left: Amelia in her Bernie Dexter Veronique Dress in High Street print and June in her Sugar Doll Dress in Yellow Cherries  |  Right: Amelia in her Vintage Geisha Print Dress and June in her Pinup Girl Clothing Harlequin Print Jenny Dress. 

We're excited we got to share a few of our favorites with you, and we hope to see y'all around the blog-o-sphere!

xoxo,

June + Amelia

Quirk & Kitsch: an accessory guest post for Junebugs and Georgia Peaches!

Hi, all!  I'm doing something fun and different this morning: I'm today's guest blogger over at Junebugs and Georgia Peaches!  For those of you who are unfamiliar with this new-ish addition to the blogosphere, Junebugs and Georgia Peaches is run by the cutest, retro-loving, auburn-locked pair of besties you'll ever see: Modern June Cleaver and Amelia Jetson!  I've had the privilege of getting to know these two lovely ladies over the past few months via Instagram, and they are such sweet girls with wardrobes to die for!  I was absolutely thrilled when I found out they were starting a blog, since they both have such great style and somehow manage to look adorable 24/7.  I was tickled pink when June reached out to me about doing an ad swap, and when she mentioned the possibility of doing a guest post for them, I leapt at the chance!  

Seriously, no one should be allowed to be this adorable.

Since these two already have great posts on vintage-inspired fashion, June suggested that I do a post about my beloved collection of quirky and kitschy accessories.  I initially was going to do a post just about handbags, but then I decided to broaden it to include hats and hair accessories, jewelry and my novelty purses!  I've showcased a lot of "out there" accessories on my blog over this past year, but I've never really shown my whole collection in this way before... so if you're curious to see it in its (almost) entirety, head on over to Junebugs and Georgia Peaches to have a little look-see!  Here's a little taste, but be sure to click here to see all the rest!  :)

Have a great Wednesday!

xox Sammi