Alpine

As someone who loves dressing thematically, I'm really glad I decided to have almost an entire month of holiday outfits – I just hope you all aren't bored with it yet! When I saw this skirt at Lindy Bop, I knew it had to come live in my closet (just look at that print!). It's amazing how much I really love separates now, when just a few months ago, I avoided them like the plague! This print actually does come in a dress version (with a matching bolero), but I love the skirt so much more. I topped off this look with an adorable bow brooch that was kindly sent to me as a birthday gift from Match Accessories (an ode to Christmas gifts!). This outfit isn't one I'd traditionally wear on Christmas, as I like to get really fancy for the holidays, but I love it as a lead-up to it... and I can continue to wear it throughout the winter!

I followed the Lindy Bop size chart and ordered up from my normal UK size, as I was afraid that it would be too tight to accommodate a sweater underneath. Lindy Bop's sizing is usually pretty generous, but since I hadn't owned one of their skirts before, I felt it was better to be safe than sorry. Realistically, I probably could've gone with my normal size, as this one is just a tiny bit big, but moving the buttons over to provide a better fit would most likely be an easy fix. I also got this cute short-sleeved sweater to go with it, and both the fit and quality are very nice. The prices of both were extremely reasonable, and Lindy Bop offers free shipping to the US with orders of $75+, which is a plus.

Outfit Details

Adalene Alpine Swing Skirt: Lindy Bop

Onassis Green Sweater: Lindy Bop

Bow brooch: c/o Match Accessories

Shoes: B.A.I.T. Footwear (similar)

Have a great start to your week!

Strawberry phosphate

Fair warning: you're going to see a lot of pink on the blog this week!  I originally intended to wear this Lindy Bop dress for my birthday back in October, but it ended up coming on my birthday, so I had to wear something else.  Luckily, it's a great Valentine's Day dress.  I love the unique cut-out detail with the peter pan collar!

This vintage milkshake brooch is one of my absolute favorites.  I stumbled across it one day on Etsy and took it as a sign that I needed to own it.  Etsy is one of my go-to resources for a lot of things, but it's especially great for finding kitschy vintage items (like novelty brooches).  I'm always on the look-out for new additions to my collection, and fortunately for my pocketbook, there are usually lots of inexpensive listings.

Outfit Details

Lindy Bop dress: available here

Brooch: Good Goody Girls Jewels

Petticoat and belt: eBay

White heels: similar

I don't think I've mentioned that I'm in a show right now called The Hit Factory, which opened this weekend.  It's an original musical revue of sorts and has a ton of great music from the 1950s and '60s.  Revues and jukebox musicals aren't typically my favorite shows to be in, but this one has surprisingly been a lot of fun.  My friend Henry (who will eventually be featured here on my blog -- he has such a great eye and sense of style, and I've been dying to take photos with him forever) drew these awesome caricatures of the whole cast!

(via Henry DuRocher)

Have a great rest of your weekend and don't forget: you have until midnight (EST) tonight to enter my 2-year blogiversary giveaway!  Prizes include gift cards to Modern Pinup and Braided Bandit Vintage, plus a huge prize package of retro goodies!  You don't want to miss out, so be sure to enter here!  

xox Sammi

What's New, Pussycat?

I had originally hoped this Lindy Bop dress would arrive in time for my birthday at the end of last month, but I procrastinated too long -- but it's not as if I can't come up with an occasion to wear a pretty dress!  I've had this Lazy Oaf jacket for quite some time, but had yet to wear it (I'm not sure why!).  It just seemed to pair really well with this dress (the pink thread is a precise match!), and the whole outfit is sort of Pink Ladies-inspired.  Oh, and I had to put my cat lady brooch on the lapel!

I took these photos before the cold weather really hit.  It's been SO cold this whole weekend, and we've been getting snow.  I just want to stay snuggled inside under layers and layers of blankets!  I'm getting excited for the holidays, actually.  I'm trying to get my holiday shopping done early.  I do the bulk of my shopping online anyway, and lots of retailers are offering a lot of discounts earlier than Black Friday (I assume because Thanksgiving is so late this year).  I think I may actually send out Christmas cards this year, too!

Outfit Details

Lindy Bop dress: Pollypop Boutique

Lazy Oaf cat jacket: Nasty Gal

Cat lady brooch: flapperdoodle

Saddle shoes: Payless

Petticoat & belt: eBay

Have a great Sunday!

xox Sammi

Baby's in Black

I don't wear black very often on my blog, which is sort of funny, since I essentially lived in black clothes not too long ago.  When you're a theatre student, wearing black is a requirement for a lot of classes, but since graduating from college, I wear it far less often than I used to.  Still, it's nice go back to black every once and a while, and who doesn't love a good LBD?  I only own a couple of black dresses, and this one is probably the most formal one I have.  I wore this Lindy Bop dress back in June when I sang with my dad's band during the Rochester Jazz Festival, but hadn't worn it since then.  I wasn't totally in love with it the first time I wore it, honestly, but it's grown on me a lot since then -- and looks about a million times better with a petticoat!  This would be good cocktail party attire... but since I don't often frequent those, I think it'd be a cute New Year's Eve outfit, too.

I've been working a ton this week, and my parents have been away on vacation, so I've had the house to myself.  I've spent lots of quality time with Pumpkin (who has been extra snuggly), and the time alone has actually been very nice.  I've thought many times about whether I'd want to live alone if I moved, and this has been a good test for that on a small scale.  Oh, and my best friend Wayne is finally home from the hospital and on the mend.  So, good news all around.

 Outfit Details

Dress: Lindy Bop

Heels: ModCloth (similar)

Belt: from another dress

Necklace: similar

Petticoat: eBay

Have a great Sunday!

xox Sammi

Toadstool

Outfit Details

Dress: Lindy Bop

Shoes: BAIT Footwear (similar)

Mushroom brooch: ASOS (Cath Kidston)

Mushroom purse: antique co-op

Isn't the collar on this dress wonderful??  This is my second dress from Lindy Bop (I have yet to wear the first one the blog).  I've featured a lot of their dresses in my Friday Favorites posts, but hadn't taken the plunge into purchasing anything until very recently.  I think their pieces are fantastic for girls who want to achieve a 1950s or pin-up style look without breaking the bank.  Their dresses tend to be made of a lighter weight cotton, which is a nice option for summer.  Both of my dresses came quite wrinkly (God bless the portable steamer!), but I suppose that's a small price to pay for a difference in price.  Sites like Pinup Girl Clothing have pieces of excellent quality, and it shows in the craftsmanship and the fabric itself (many of their dresses are made of heavyweight sateen), but even so, I can't often justify the $150 price tag when I can get a dress like this for less than $50.  I will say, though, that the belt that came with it is really not of very good quality, as it's very flimsy and seems like it might rip easily.  Luckily, I have other belts that will go with this dress.  My guess is that I may actually get more use out of this dress than I will with my PUG dresses, simply because this is something that can be styled in a multitude of ways, for a variety of occasions.  Lindy Bop carries an incredible variety of silhouettes and styles, and their pieces are perfect for a budget-friendly treat!

On a non-dress note, I had a driving lesson yesterday (my first since last year), and it went way better than I'd thought!  I have a lot of anxiety about driving (it stems from high school, but has gotten worse since, after having avoided it for so long), but I have a new instructor now that has made me realize that I actually have a lot of natural ability and don't need to stress nearly as much about that as I have been.  It's really amazing that a different instructor can make all the difference.  Sometimes you simply click better with certain people.  That's been a factor in other areas of my life (like past acting teachers and vocal coaches), but it's applicable here, too.  It's a really nice feeling when someone can make you believe in your own abilities, and it's such a great motivator.  I've been struggling with a lot of things lately, but finally facing my fears -- in a non-threatening way -- has done wonders for my mood!  :)

Have a great Tuesday!

xox Sammi