Hold onto your hat (Flock Together)

Happy Wednesday, everyone!  I'm posting over at Flock Together today, highlighting one of my favorite accessories: the hat!  I've compiled some of my favorite looks from my fellow Flock Together members that feature the chapeau.  Below are some of my favorite looks from these ladies, but you should head on over to Flock Together and read the full post here!

Katie of Butterfly Loves Snapdragons

Marisa of The Shades of Monet Chronicles

Amy of The Amy Loo Blog

You can find much more from some of my favorite ladies around in my post!  Have a great day!

xox Sammi

A taste of honey

Outfit Details:

Bee My Honey Dress: ModCloth (similar here)

Cardigan: Old Navy (similar here)

Jelly flats: ModCloth (similar here)

Hair bow: American Apparel

Belt: from another dress

Spoon ring: Mom's

I haven't worn this dress in a year. I wore it only once last spring, during an outing with my then-boyfriend.  The zipper broke that day, and then soon after, so did our relationship. I've been thinking about it a lot lately (the relationship, not the zipper). I'm not sure whether it's because I'm seeing someone new, or because I'm rehashing things with a mutual friend (and other friends as well), or because the reality of the situation is still settling in for me. It's probably a combination of all three. I yo-yo between seeing everything very clearly in hindsight (as one is wont to do) and being grateful that I'm no longer in that situation, and then missing aspects of our relationship and wondering if I was in the wrong. I caught up with an old friend yesterday, and we talked about how you can come to rationalize just about anything in a relationship. I did a lot of that. My ex probably did, too. We convinced ourselves that we were supposed to spend our lives together, and I really never questioned it. There's a small part of me that still wonders about it. I know ultimately that I am better off now, but I have been thinking a lot about whether or not there is even someone out there who is better-suited for me.

I have never wanted to be cynical; I believe in vulnerability and beauty and true love and joy. I think I need to stop sweeping my feelings under the rug, and just allow myself to feel the way I do. Avoidance helps for a while, but you can't live your life that way. Long story short, this is why I decided to wear this dress again. Yes, it's associated with my lost love... yes, it's painful to think about the fact that he is not in my life anymore... but I will never get to a better place with any of this if I don't challenge myself. I want to move forward in my life. It's strange that a piece of clothing could symbolize that for me... but then again, maybe it's not so strange. Though I didn't manage to mend the relationship, I did mend the zipper by myself. And it's also up to me to mend my heart. No one else can do that for me. I've never been good at letting go of situations or people. But I'm tired of carrying it around with me. I guess admitting all this is the first step to freeing myself of it. I consider myself to be a genuinely happy person, most of the time, but like I said in my last post, I would say that I'm struggling a bit at the moment. Thank you all for allowing me to express this, and for listening. I want my blog to be a positive place, but even more than that, I want it to be an honest one. I do love a healthy dose of fantasy in both my sense of style and my chosen career, but I can't play pretend all the time. I know this isn't the typical escapist copy that I write, so I truly appreciate anyone who has actually read all this, and those who are willing to keep reading. 

In closing, I am hopeful. I know I'll figure it out eventually. It's just going to take some time.

Have a beautiful Monday.

xox Sammi

Merry-go-round

Outfit Details:

Carousel dress: c/o Bonne Chance Collections

Pink coat: ASOS (similar here)

Castle ring: Sammydress

Tights: Target

Boots: eBay

This dress is so much fun!  I'm so enchanted with the print of the skirt -- not only does it have carousel animals, but it also has bows and teacups!  Plus, the colors are pretty perfect.  The kind ladies at Bonne Chance Collections actually sent me this dress as a gift, for which I am so grateful.  They have been nothing but kind and supportive towards me and my blog.  I was disappointed when another version of this dress sold out on their website, and they were so sweet to send me this one!  I wish it were a little roomier in the bust, but it's too cute a dress to be sitting in my closet!

This weekend is filled with shows for My Son Pinocchio -- we had our two school shows yesterday (where kids from various schools come to see the show on field trips), and then we have one show today and two tomorrow.  This show isn't really physically-demanding for me, by any means, but for some reason, it's really exhausting.  I'm not sure if it's doing the show on top of everything else that's going on for me emotionally, or whether it's because I'm out of shape, or what... it's most likely the combination of these things, haha.  I know I really need to make some changes in my life, but I'm finding that I'm short on willpower these days, and I am definitely struggling more than I thought I was. These last 6+ months have been emotionally-trying, and I'm still trying to sort through and come to terms with everything.  It's hard.  Sometimes I think I'm over things, but the truth of the matter is that I'm not, and have a long way to go yet.  But recognizing that you're struggling is a good first step to figuring things out, I think.  I usually want this blog to be a place of escape and positivity, but not at the risk of feeling like I'm deceiving anyone -- lest of all, myself.  So thanks for bearing with me, friends.

Have a great Saturday!

xox Sammi

Friday Favorites #44

Another week's gone by, and my spring fever is in full force!  I'm really into home furnishings this week (more so than dresses, even -- a shocker!).  Here are some of the dreamy home goods I've found.  I especially love the pillows shaped like sweet treats, the magic wand whisk (I'm playing a fairy right now, so this is too perfect), and the retro tins!

a // b // c // d // e // f // g

h // i // j // k // l // m

This botanical cake stand is so pretty:

I think I'm getting more into florals lately (I've said before that I can be picky about floral prints) because I desperately want to see flowers outside.  I really adore these two floral pieces:

a // b

I'm in the market for a pretty pink dress for spring.  Any of these three would do nicely:

1 // 2 // 3

These Mary Janes are so sweet:

I want all of the unicorn decor (decornicorn?) that there is, and this jewelry dish is no exception:

This lavender dress is absolutely darling.  I actually like the back more than the front!

Bunny slippers loafers!  I want these for Easter!

Also, these emoji loafers are nothing short of amazing:

Charlotte Olympia sure knows how to make cute (and ridiculously priced) handbags:

A // B

I adore the colors of this retro frock, and the syfy ray gun print is pretty rad:

Sweetest socks ever!  Sprinkles and ice cream!

a // b

And speaking of sweet, these retro appliances and furnishings really hit the spot:

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5

6 // 7 // 8 // 9 // 10 // 11

Some of my favorite links this week include...

Samuel L. Jackson's reading of Boy Meets World slam poetry:

These stunning human and animal portraits by Russian photographer, Katerina Plotnikova:

The cast of The Lion King performing "Circle of Life" on a plane:

This list of 69 inventions every girl wants, needs and deserves

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

xox Sammi

Name game

Outfit Details:

Customized name necklace: c/o oNecklace

Top: ModCloth (similar here)

Pants: ModCloth (similar here)

Cardigan: Forever 21 (similar here)

Character shoes: old

As a blogger, one receives an influx of e-mails from companies looking for exposure for their products or services.  Many times, the company's offerings will not be in-keeping with my personal aesthetic (or "brand") -- or sometimes will be totally impersonal or just plain bizarre -- and I will have to decline.  But sometimes, a new company will reach out to me, and I'll find that their products are a great match to my own point of view.  I always want to stay true to who I am, and I would never accept any item or service for free if I would not fully endorse or purchase it on my own.  Luckily, when oNecklace contacted me, I found that their jewelry was perfectly suited for my taste, and I'm ecstatic to have a necklace that bears my name!

I was tempted to give in to my desires to emulate Carrie Bradshaw with this necklace, but then I saw the retro-inspired script of this necklace, and I knew it would be a perfect fit for my many rockabilly dresses (though I am wearing pants in this post -- so rare!).  The chain is actually a bit longer than what's shown here, and the quality is fantastic.  Most of my jewelry is definitively on the cheap side (I don't often spend more than $15 on any one piece), but this necklace is 24 karat gold plated, and the difference between this and my inexpensive, now-tarnished necklaces is pretty obvious.  I'm also a sucker for customization, and not only can you customize exactly what you want on the necklace (you can get initials and monograms, too!), but you can also customize the type of chain and its length!  You can even preview how your name would look in different fonts before you order.

I've turned down jewelry sponsorships before, but I'm really glad that I decided to partner up with oNecklace.  I can be really picky about the kind of jewelry I wear (I dislike flashy things, and I'm drawn to either kitschy, unique pieces or very simple, delicate ones), and I can say nothing but positive feedback about my communication with the company representatives, their prompt shipping, and quality of the necklace itself.  If you'd like to snag your own customized piece, the kind folks over at oNecklace have offered a 10% discount when you use the code soubrettebrunette at check-out!  :)

Disclosure: I was not financially compensated for this post, but did receive a product for review purposes.  All opinions are completely my own, based on my experience.  Any company or product endorsed on this blog is one I fully believe in and support, and would continue to do so, regardless of whether items are gifted or are paid for by me.

Have a great Thursday!

xox Sammi