Now that it's officially spring(!), it's time for a seasonal outfit round-up to say goodbye to winter! I'm definitely eager to bid adieu to the cold and snow, but I did manage to post some fun ensembles during the past few months. Here are a few of my favorite wintertime posts:
I think February was probably my favorite month of outfits overall, but my favorite outfit of the season was definitely my Christmas Eve outfit. The winter holidays are always fun to dress up for, but I'm looking forward to what I'll wear during the warmer months! Did you have a favorite post from this season?
Surprise! I've decided to do a little giveaway today! I'm really getting into the spirit of the season these days, so I thought it might be nice to spread some Christmas cheer. One lucky winner will receive this adorable little set of wintertime accessories, just in time for the holidays!
I've compiled this package from 4 awesome Etsy sellers -- partially because Etsy is a fantastic resource for unique gifts, but more importantly, I think small business owners and artists are really undervalued in our society, and we should support them as much as possible (not only during the holiday season, but all year round!). It's so tempting (and sometimes necessary) to buy from bigger chain stores during the holidays, but I've found myself buying from Etsy shop owners more and more each year. The pieces are always made or curated with such care, and knowing that I'm supporting someone else's creative endeavors is like a present in itself! So without further ado...
Entering the giveaway is easy! Just use the Rafflecopter widget below. The giveaway will run until midnight on Friday (it's a bit of a shorter time frame to enter, but I want to make sure I can ship out the prizes to the winner as soon as possible!). The winner will be announced here on my blog by Sunday morning. The giveaway is open internationally, and you must be a follower of my blog to enter. Please make sure to leave a blog comment that includes a valid e-mail address!
It's the first day of Spring! Back in December, I started did a round-up post with all of my autumnal outfits. Now that the vernal equinox is upon us, I decided to bid adieu to winter with a round-up that features my favorite outfits from the past few months. Here's hoping that warmer weather is on its way!
This winter was the first time I braved the icy temperatures and snow drifts and took photos outside, and one thing's for certain: I'll be overjoyed to not have to incorporate boots into my outfits anymore! I think I managed to do pretty well in terms of posting actively, despite the less-than-perfect Upstate weather. I was also ecstatic to be able to escape to Florida for a week on vacation, which allowed for both flats and a welcome change in scenery (and temperature). This winter welcomed new followers, new friends, and a new boy in my life. Despite having a rough autumn, I'm finding my stride and my strength again, and although there are things that scare me about the not-to-distant future, I'm excited to see where things are headed. I always remind myself to find the joy in life, and there's nothing more representative of that to me than spring being on its way!
Outfit Details:
Bernie Dexter Amour and More Dress in Plaid: ModCloth
(no longer available, but similar styles here and here)
Heart necklace: ASOS (no longer available)
White heels: jcpenney (similar here)
Red boots: DSW (old)
Red coat: eBay
We ended up having a white Christmas! All the snow had melted by Monday, so I was afraid we'd have green grass showing... but miraculously, we got a dusting of snow that night, and then all through the first half of Christmas Eve day, so it was the perfect amount for the holidays! Our Christmas Eves are pretty low-key these days. We used to have huge celebrations with my mom's family (she had three other siblings, all with lots of kids), but it's kind of strange and sad when families drift apart as you get older. I think there is oftentimes a lot of pressure on families to make the holidays special when the kids are young, and the cracks start to show as you get older. Or at least, that's how it is in my family. Now, it's just my parents and me for Christmas. Which is really nice, don't get me wrong. But I do miss those big, festive Christmases of my childhood.
Isn't this dress all kinds of amazing??
We still open nearly all our presents on Christmas Eve (we save the little and silly things for Christmas morning), and we have lots of yummy snack-y foods. I got some really wonderful things from my parents last night, including my new DSLR(!!!), a few books, a couple of dresses (a black velvet one from Urban Outfitters and a pastel vintage dress from Etsy), aaaaand... MY DAD GOT MY MOM AND ME TICKETS TO SEE HEART!!! They are coming to Rochester in April, and he got us fifth row seats!!! I knew about almost all of my presents, but this one was a complete and utter surprise. I am so so excited! My mom and I both really love Heart, and I haven't been to an actual concert in forever. It was really sweet of him to do that (especially since he's not even going!). I am a really lucky (and spoiled) girl, to have such generous parents. Since I love giving gifts just as much as receiving them, I tried to make sure I got both of my parents really nice, thoughtful things they would enjoy; I got my dad a bunch of books, a couple of CDs, and a wine stopper that has a drum design on it (since he is a drummer who definitely enjoys his fair share of wine...), and I got my mom all the Friends seasons on DVD, some Betsey Johnson jewelry, and a little art print about gardening.
Today, we're starting off the day with a breakfast of orange rolls & cinnamon rolls, sausages and fruit... and then we'll be headed out to see Saving Mr. Banks (could there be a more perfect Christmas movie for me?!), and then out for Chinese food (like the typical Jews we are). It's always interesting to see how traditions evolve. You'd think that traditions would just stay traditions forever, ya know? We started doing the movie-and-Chinese-food thing when I was in college; prior to that, we'd always done more of a sit-down dinner or leftovers or something, or gone to relatives' houses. The holidays are always nostalgic, but I like to remind myself that making new traditions can be really special, too. I have a lot of friends who are on cruise ships or national tours who may not get to come home for Christmas, which would be really difficult, but it's also a chance to make new memories and traditions. I wonder what my holidays will be like in a few years, or when I have a family of my own (assuming that will happen at some point). It's been weird not having a boyfriend this year to shop for or to kiss under the mistletoe -- and it's especially weird (and, if I'm being honest here, pretty upsetting) knowing that he does already have someone new to do those things with (..... I'll just let that sink in). That's a whole other topic for a whole other time, but getting confirmation about that piece of information did put a bit of a damper on my Christmas, as much as it pains me to say it. Even though I know that I am probably much better off without him, it still stings. I guess I'd rather know than be in the dark about it. But when all is said and done... I still choose happiness. I choose to enjoy my holiday and spend time with people who do love and care about me. And I choose to not let people who don't take anything else away from me. I will be merry and bright, and dammit, my Christmas will be white. :)
I opted out those red moon boots (as I call them) for white heels during our festivities -- much better! :)
Have a very merry Christmas! Sending love to you all.
I don't know about you, but I'm definitely in the full swing of holiday cheer! Our house is all decorated, and I'm eager to start baking Christmas cookies and planning our Christmas Eve festivities! Christmas-y apparel is popping up all over, and here are some of my favorites:
a // b // c // d // e // f // g // h // i // j // k
I especially love the Christmas pudding fascinator, the gingerbread house purse (which was available at ModCloth, but sold out very quickly), and that Tatty Devine heart brooch! I would also love to get my hands on those red snow boots, since it's so difficult to find pretty shoes that are weather-resistant!
Isn't this Christmas kitten dress from I'm Your Present just precious? The shop has tons of other Christmas goodies too -- perfect for kitschy stocking stuffers!
And speaking of Christmas kittens, I'm so in love with this kooky cat skirt (which may or may not already be on its way to me... oops):
And finally, this vintage number is so dear! I love the rosette on the belt!
I always opt for a dress on the holidays, and this year, I'll be wearing this Bernie Dexter dress on Christmas Eve (when we do the bulk of our celebrating). Do you go more casual on the holidays, or do you like to get gussied up like I do? I'm always curious to know about other people's traditions!
