Blueberries For Sal

As you may have realized, I've been planning most of my summer excursions around fruit picking. It's one of my favorite things to do. I love supporting local farms and orchards (and having fresh produce is always a plus), but I mostly enjoy having any excuse to spend time outside. I'm not a religious person, nor do I really identify as spiritual... but communing with nature is the way I feel close to something more than myself and it's sort of my gratitude practice, in a way. I never really thought about it in those terms until I started to write this post, but it makes sense that I would do everything possible to make time for it – especially when these warm days are so precious here.

Fruit picking also gives me the chance to spend time with people I love (and to dress thematically!). My mom and I had the chance to go blueberry picking during evening hours, which was a nice change. The experience reminded me of the picture book Blueberries For Sal – my mom's name is Sally and I have fond memories of us doing things like this as a kid. Of course, I had to wear this blueberry print dress from Collectif for the occasion. You know I can't resist a fruity novelty print frock!

Outfit Details

Mainline Eliza Blueberries Swing Dress: Collectif (other style here)

Necklace: similar  ||  Flats: similar

On a separate note, thank you so much to everyone who reached out to express their support for my newest venture, Dear Blossom Studios. In case you missed the big announcement, you can read all about it here. And be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram if you haven't already! You are all truly the best and I'm so excited about what's to come. Being able to focus on something new and creative has made all the difference these past few months. That's always been how I've gotten through heartbreak in the past and it feels apt that my newest project is all about blossoming and coming into one's own. 

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Hello, Little Girl

Outfit Details:

Favorite Fairy Teal Dress: ModCloth

For the Winnipeg Coat: ModCloth

Spectator pumps: BAIT Footwear

Red belt: Pinup Girl Clothing

Necklace: ASOS (old)

Hair bow: Loretta Jo's
Petticoat: eBay

Ahh, this dress.  I had lusted after this find from Collectif for the longest time, and it sold out on ModCloth for quite a while.  I had just about given up hope of it being restocked, and had almost purchased one directly from Collectif's warehouse (which surely would have been too big on me, since Collectif's dresses always run large -- I wear a small in this dress, for goodness sakes!), but it magically came back in stock at ModCloth in the nick of time!  My mama purchased this for me as a gift, and both the cut and fabric make it unbelievably darling.  I thought it'd work pretty well with my red coat from Hell Bunny, which is both retro and precious in its own right.  I meant to get a photo with the (red riding) hood up, but I forgot!  I also forgot to bring out one of my basket purses! Oops.

Maybe I should just go ahead and do a series of posts based off of fairytale characters.  It was totally unintentional to follow up my silly Tooth Fairy post with this Little Red Riding Hood-inspired one, but since I already own so many things that could work for a category like this, maybe it'd be something to think about.  Any thoughts?

Have a beautiful Saturday!

xox Sammi

Brand new cadillac

Outfit Details:

Yumi '50s print dress: ModCloth (old)

Dream of the Crop Cardigan in Red: ModCloth

White flats: yeswalker

I bought this darling dress during ModCloth's big sale during this past winter (I think it was the Cabin Fever Sale?), and it's been sitting in my closet ever since!  Since it's pretty short and made of a rather thin material, it's not a great dress for the winter, but it's a great one for summer!  This dress is almost identical in silhouette to another Yumi dress I recently wore on the blog (you can see that here), and if you know anything about me, you know that I'm a sucker for great patterns -- and Yumi gets the award for unique, gorgeous prints!  I love the classic cars and '50s drive-in/diner aspects!

My mom and I always talk about the fact that there is truly an untapped niche out there for cars that appeal to female drivers.  I suppose that's an unfair generalization on my part, in that there are women who I'm sure don't care about having pretty cars or want to have especially-girly automobiles.  However, I am not one of those women.  I would love to have a beautiful, girly car that speaks to my equally-girly personality!  There was a huge response to the newer VW bugs when they first came out, and cars like the Mini Cooper and Prius have feminine qualities (I think), and are both extremely popular.  But other than that, the choices are pretty limited.  Fiats are adorable too, but I think they're only available in stick shifts, since they're Italian cars.  There's a car commercial out now that tries to compare a beautiful red classic convertible with an ugly, generic newer car, and it tries to make the latter look more desirable (and fails miserably, in my opinion)!  Harlow Darling over at Vintage at Heart made an excellent point on Facebook that there are many wonderful brands who have successfully made their mark in the fashion world with vintage reproductions and retro-inspired silhouettes; why can't the same be true for car companies?!  There are tons of gorgeous, classic cars in my area that come out in the warm weather, and I find myself sighing and lusting after all of them.  I've even seen many for sale, but the problem lies in the maintenance aspects of the car.  Why can't some wonderfully-inventive car company made vintage reproduction cars??  Make the exterior with those classic, beautiful lines and colors, and bring the exterior into the 21st century (while keeping the retro inspiration)!  I would be the first in line to buy one!  After I master learning how to drive, that is.

I took these during a chilly spell (since then it has warmed up and then promptly cooled down again), and I thought this sweater would be perfect with it.  I really cannot say enough good things about these Dream of the Crop cardigans from ModCloth.  They are seriously the perfect length for dresses, and I am the kind of girl who ALWAYS needs to bring a sweater with me.  I love that they're stretchy and form-fitting while being really flattering at the same time.

I can scarcely believe that it's already September.  This month is going to be a busy one for me.  I'm going to have to balance up to three different rehearsal schedules (one for the show I'm both producing and starring in during the Rochester Fringe Festival, one for the Rapunzel show with the children's theater, and possibly another for the Hansel and Gretel show I did last year that may be remounted and taken into more schools), along with everything else.  Let's just hope I make it through alive!

Have a great Tuesday!

xox Sammi