Ice princess

I guess you could say I'm a little coat-crazy.  Or maybe a lot coat-crazy.  Alright, I'm downright obsessed with outerwear.  If you live in a place with frigid winters like I do (it was -4 degrees earlier this week!), owning a pretty coat (...or seven) to complete your ensemble -- rather than just covering it up -- makes the cold weather much more bearable.  And when you have a coat as pretty as this one, the rest of the outfit doesn't much matter.

This coat makes me feel like royalty (hence the post title).  This is one of a few Hell Bunny coats I own, and they're all so special, flattering and surprisingly warm.  It can be a challenge to find outerwear that looks decent over crinolines, but this coat has a very accommodating full skirt and the length is perfect for me.  The one downside to this coat is that it doesn't have pockets.  I've been wanting a muff for a while, so maybe I should get one to alleviate the problem of where to put my gloves!

Outfit Details

Hell Bunny coat: available here

Dress (underneath): c/o eShakti

Petticoat: available here

Hat: Neely Auction
Shoes: ModCloth

Have a lovely Saturday!

xox Sammi

Bear hug

Sugarhill Boutique consistently has some of my favorite prints.  Their prints are typically both whimsical and delicate, and they lend themselves well to lots of different types of styling.  This dress was on my ModCloth wish list for a while before I found a coupon code, and since I had some store credit, I actually ended up paying less than $20 for it.  I ended up really liking the square neckline, and the print is even more charming in person.

This print reminded me of the movie Brave, which I recently watched with my mom for the first time and absolutely loved.  My mom and I have an incredibly close relationship, so the mother-daughter storyline had me bawling at the end.  In addition, dialects are one of my areas of expertise (I feel like a tool putting it that way, but I'm not sure how else to phrase it), and Scottish is one of my favorites to do.  I will also be forever wishing I could be a redhead.  I can't really pull it off with my coloring, I don't think, so I'll just have to live vicariously through those who can.

Outfit Details:

Cottage Bound Dress: ModCloth
Necklace: ModCloth (similar)
Boots: ModCloth (similar)
Tights: old (similar)

Have a wonderful Wednesday!
xox Sammi

Hang on little tomato

It's absolutely freezing outside these days (it's been in the single digits this week!), but I took advantage of the warmer weather a couple of weeks ago to take some photos in this Bernie Dexter dress.  Like many of her dresses, I'd had my eye on this one for quite some time before it finally went on sale.  The print is probably better suited for summertime, but it's so charming -- and I have an adorable tomato ring that goes perfectly with it!

Like I predicted, it's been far too chilly to take photos outside (even I have my limits!), so I've spent this week working, rehearsing, exercising, and slowly checking things off my to-do list.  Oh, and staying warm with lots of tea and hot cocoa.  I haven't really felt like getting dolled up this week; it's too cold for dresses and I'd rather stay in my warm bed for an extra hour than do anything with my hair.  In addition, I started seeing a dermatologist to try and resolve my skin issues, and I haven't felt like putting on much makeup.  I've been dealing with acne for over 15 years now, and my hope is that my skin will eventually get to the point where I don't have to cake on a ton of makeup to cover up blemishes and scarring.  I wish I could be one of those girls with naturally flawless skin!  Maybe someday.

Outfit Details

Tomato dress: Bernie Dexter (available here)

Tomato ring: Hey Chickadee

Shoes: B.A.I.T. Footwear

Cardigan: thrifted (similar)

Necklace: ASOS

Petticoat: eBay

Have a great Sunday!

xox Sammi

Friday Favorites #78

Thank goodness it's Friday.  This week was kinda rough (maybe because the holidays are all over?), but here are some things that brightened up my mood over the last few days:

Barbie has kind of a negative connotation these days, and I absolutely understand why (between the unrealistic body proportions and the lame career fields, it's no surprise she isn't seen as a feminist trailblazer)... but that being said, I will always love Barbie with all my heart.  This Barbie-inspired line by Wildfox is what pastel Mattel dreams are made of.

a   //   b   //   c

(I mean, the birthday sweater is VANILLA SCENTED!!!)

This coat is pretty Barbie-esque, too (and very Valentine-y):

Truly, the '90s are back in full-force, and this iPhone backup charger is sparkly nostalgic goodness:

I could use a bit of sparkle in my life right now... and these Kate Spade gold glitter glasses(!) would certainly do the trick.

Speaking of Kate Spade, this hot air balloon skirt from their newest line is adorable:

And of course, I'm dying over this coordinating hot air balloon purse (and a couple of other fun novelty bags I found this week):

a   //   b   //   c

This red dress is so darling!

Good news, Twin Peaks fans: there is an iPhone case that not only looks like Cooper's tape recorder, but it will apparently turn Siri into Diane?  I can't tell if this is real or how it works, but I remain hopeful.  You can get this phone case here.

I adore these three dresses from Pinup Girl Clothing (two are coming soon):

1   //   2   //   3

I love all of Sara's artwork, but this Marie Antoinette piece is one of my favorites:

Someone please buy me this sweatshirt:

Revamp Vintage has a ton of amazing pieces, but goodness, I'm going ga-ga over these green beauties:

a   //   b

And here are some links I loved this week:

I can't possibly be the only one who gets incredibly nostalgic for computer games from my childhood (even though they gave me anxiety)... did you know that over 2,500 MS-DOS games (INCLUDING OREGON TRAIL AND CARMEN SANDIEGO) can now be played online?!  Check out all of the titles at the Internet Archive. 

- I loved this piece about breaking up with your breakup.

This piece on 21 Oddly Satisfying Disney Moments is SO spot-on for me!!  Numbers 6 and 10 were some of my favorite animation moments as a child.

Evidently, Joni Mitchell is modeling for Saint Laurent, which is pretty cool.

(via)

And finally... this list of 15 places in London for afternoon tea pretty much sealed the deal that I need to go there... especially since our one local teahouse just experienced a bad fire!  :(

That's all for now!  Have a great weekend!

xox Sammi

This post contains affiliate links.  If you make a purchase after clicking on one of these links, I may receive a small commission, which helps to run my blog.  I link only to items I absolutely love, from companies I wholeheartedly support.  Thank you for supporting The Soubrette Brunette!

Label Love: Retrolicious by Folter Clothing

I'm sure most of you know by now that I can never say no to a novelty print.  Luckily (or unluckily, for my bank account), the Folter Clothing brand always has me covered when I'm jonesing for a fun or funky printed dress.  Because I've been a longtime fan, I'm highlighting some of my favorite prints from Folter's sub-label, Retrolicious, in today's installment of Label Love.

Original posts: 1  //  2  //  3 (borrowed from Marisa)

Founded in 2005, Folter Clothing is an L.A.-based brand that likes to juxtapose tough + creepy with pretty & delicate.  Skulls, zombies and spiders often adorn their dresses, but in a way that manages to be much more charming than off-putting.  Retrolicious is Folter's other line, which focuses more on vintage-inspired prints that are often colorful or kooky.  As I am more inclined to be drawn to dresses that are more silly than scary, I tend to prefer this line to Folter's main label.

Original posts: 1  //  2

Folter sells their clothing on their own site, and is also carried by ModCloth, Unique Vintage, Sourpuss Clothing and Amazon.  From personal experience, I've found that their dresses tend to run a little small (especially since their fabrics typically don't provide stretch), so I've learned to size up if I'm between sizes.  Their dresses are usually unlined (which makes them good for summer ensembles and as layering staples), and their dresses usually range from $60-$115 in price.  If you're on the hunt for a unique yet wearable print, this brand is a great place to start.

Original posts: 1  //  2

I have a pretty sizable collection of Retrolicious dresses, but here are a few I'm still coveting:

a   //   b   //   c   //   d

On a separate note, it's strange to look back at some of my old posts!  I haven't worn some of these dresses in quite some time, and although I'm never fully satisfied with the quality of my photos, peeking back at some of these photos from early on make me realize how far I've come with that (though I still have a lot to learn, since most of what I pick up is through trial and error).  One thing that has stayed the same, however, is my love of whimsy when it comes to fashion, and Folter has no shortage of that in their pieces!

Original posts: 1  //  2  //  3

What about you?  Are you a fan of the Folter label?

If you own any of their pieces, let me know which ones you have in the comments!

Have a great Wednesday!

xox Sammi

White gold

I've always loved matching dress & coat sets.  This outfit didn't come as a set (I bought the dress a couple of years ago, and the coat was one of my Christmas presents this year), but I think they look pretty perfect together!  I ended up being a total couch potato on New Year's Day, but had I gotten dressed up, I would have worn this outfit, for sure.

It's supposed to get really cold and snowy here this week.  I don't mind the snow, but I'm not looking forward to 18-degree temperatures (that's just way too chilly for photos!).  But on the upside, I can start tackling some of my resolutions!  I definitely want to get back to exercising, and I also really want to learn how to sew this year.  I'd love to be able to make my own dresses!  I'm spending lots of time on sites like Spoonflower in anticipation of buying fabrics to use.

  Outfit Details

Dress: Kohl's (similar)

Coat: gift (similar)

Necklace: similar

Shoes: ModCloth

Have a great Sunday!

xox Sammi

Friday Favorites #77

Good morning!  I hope you all had a wonderful start to 2015!  In other news: it's Friday already?!  Here are some of the things I've been loving this week...

If you know anything about my sense of style, you'll have guessed how much I adore this apple purse!

How silly are these carrot mittens?!  There are lots of different fruit + veggie versions, too!

These breakfast sandwich rings are so delectable and delicate:

I wish I played the ukelele so I could have this sweet cupcake one!

I wish this darling dress came in my size!

B.A.I.T. Footwear just started carrying these super-sparkly heels!  I can't wait to see their full spring line.

I absolutely need this cosmetic bag:

How gorgeous is this dress (coming soon to Pinup Girl Clothing)!?

These My Little Pony boots are so fun:

I have to admit that I ordered this dress as soon as I saw it.  It's the perfect color and shape!

This little hot air balloon is actually a bird house!  How cute!

I don't yet own any Swedish Hasbeens, but I always admire them.  This pair is so pretty!

I'm the kind of person who needs a new planner every year.  As much as I like my iPhone, I need to physically write things out and have my schedule in front of me (especially because my hours and activities are always changing).  I love the planners from this shop, because they're made from recycled books.  It was hard to decide on one to order (I ended up going with a retro Barbie one!), but this one was one of the top contenders: 

If only this scalloped beauty were a better silhouette for me!

And speaking of scalloped beauties, this swimsuit is beyond adorable:

This balloon animal necklace is too cute to pass up!

...As are these sewing pattern note cards:

And finally... this is the prettiest bistro chair!  Which reminds me that I need to add "painting my bistro chairs" to my list of resolutions for this year... oops!

Have a wonderful weekend!

xox Sammi

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking on one of these links, I may receive a small commission, which helps to run my blog. I link only to items I absolutely love, from companies I wholeheartedly support. Thank you for supporting The Soubrette Brunette!