Sunflowers + Parasols

Is there anything prettier than a sunflower field in bloom? I'm so glad I was able to find one this year, and that it was at its peak right when I came back from California! I didn't mean to wait so long to post these, but my backlog of photos is going to come in handy over the next month. And since it's been very gray and rainy the past couple of days, seeing these again makes me feel much more cheerful!

This was the dress I was the most excited to receive from the Mary Blair collection. It reminds me of Little Bo Peep (in the best way)! I love the design and the color, but it unfortunately has a few fit issues. It runs smaller than my other PUG dresses (and has the dreaded side zip!), and it's definitely not as flattering on me as many of the other dresses I own. I love all of the other elements too much to let this one go, but I'll have to come up with new ways to style it. It comes with a detachable bolero that I opted not to wear, but I think it'll actually look better with my black cropped cardigan – or I could even wear a sweater on top and turn this dress into a skirt! Either way, I think I'll be able to wear it into the colder months, which is always good news.

Outfit Details

Evelyn Dress in Mary Blair Umbrellas Print: Pinup Girl Clothing

Parasol: similar  //  Pettislip: similar

Rocking horse necklace: similar

Flats: Amazon

How perfect is this piece that Morgane drew of me in this dress?? I love it so much! If you aren't following Morgane on Instagram, you should be! :) Thank you, Morgane!

Have a beautiful day!

PS: don't forget about my current giveaway! You can enter to win a copy of CHEAP CHIC, the ultimate fashion bible! 

Get all the details + enter here.

GIVEAWAY || Win a copy of CHEAP CHIC! [CLOSED]

I consider myself to be a fairly literary girl; not only am I very wordy (and a stickler for grammar, spelling and punctuation), but I love the act of picking up a book and allowing myself to be transported to a different time and place. I think I've incorporated that philosophy into my personal style as well, since my favorite outfits harken back to a different era. So I was delighted to find out that CHEAP CHIC, the ultimate 1970s fashion bible, has been rereleased for its 40th anniversary! I had a chance to review this fun & informative style guide for myself – and one of my lucky readers will win a copy as well!

Although my personal style skews earlier than a lot of what's featured in this book, I love its message: namely, that your style should reflect what you love and how you want the world to see you. As the authors say, "Start dressing to please yourself, and in the process, you will please others." I always dress in a way that makes me happy and makes me feel great about myself, and it absolutely shows in how others see me. "Find the clothes that suit you best, that make you feel comfortable, confident, sexy, good-looking and happy... and then hang onto them like old friends." The book stresses the necessity for quality over quantity – which I find very relevant in today's influx of fast fashion – and the book made me want to have a more thoughtful approach towards the amount I spend on certain pieces and what I add to my wardrobe. These days, I try to buy high-quality, American-made pieces and vintage finds, but it can still be really tempting to purchase inexpensive, poorly-made pieces (or pieces made in terrible conditions) just because it's convenient and will do "for now." But it's so much better to have timeless pieces that will last a lifetime!

Outfit Details

Dress: ModCloth

Book necklace: Treasured Charms

Tights: similar  //  Boots: similar

CHEAP CHIC: c/o Crown Publishing Group

A couple of my favorite photos from CHEAP CHIC

CHEAP CHIC has a forward by Tim Gunn, which I personally think says so much about what a great resource the book is – after all, who doesn't love and trust Tim Gunn as a fashion authority?? The book has some fantastic vintage photographs, interviews from icons like Yves St. Laurent and Diana Vreeland, and a wonderful section on thrifting from the eras that I love most. Although I think some of the advice and "rules" could benefit from a bit of updating, I think it's a fascinating look into style from our past and shows how the current fashion landscape is so heavily influenced by everything that's come before. Great for a quick flip-through or careful perusal, CHEAP CHIC is a book that any fashion enthusiast should have on his/her bookshelf or coffee table. And you could win a copy of your very own! Scroll down to find out how!

GIVEAWAY RULES

One (1) winner will receive a copy of CHEAP CHIC, courtesy of The Crown Publishing Group and Penguin Random House. Enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter widget below. You must be a follower of The Soubrette Brunette to enter, and you can earn additional entries (which means more chances to win!) in several optional ways. This giveaway is open internationally and will run until Sunday, October 4th at 11:59 PM (EST). The winner will be chosen at random through the widget and will be contacted via e-mail (so be sure to use a valid e-mail address!). The giveaway winner must respond within 48 hours, or a new winner will be chosen.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for entering and best of luck!!

Bouquet

I haven't been posting during the weekend lately, but I couldn't wait any longer to post these! I'd been eyeing this beautiful bouquet print dress from Heart of Haute since it came out in the spring, and I'm so glad it finally made its way into my closet. This Mercedes style dress is the same as the one the wore in this post. I love the higher neckline of this style, but it also comes in the Milan and Marsailles styles – both of which are really pretty. The Mercedes fits a bit tighter in the bust than some of my other Heart of Haute dresses, but I love how versatile it is; just because it's a pastel floral doesn't mean it won't transition into fall! I just added a cute cropped cardigan (and a new Erstwilder brooch) for a sweet look that's perfect for early autumn.

The past two weeks have been very busy, but very enjoyable. The Rochester Fringe Festival ends tonight, and though it's been stressful, I've been able to catch some wonderful shows. I love Fringe because there's always such a variety of captivating art being created right before your very eyes. And it also gives me an excuse to wear all my wildest outfits! ;) This year's Fringe had it all: circus, burlesque, drag, musical theatre, improv, visual art, dance, music, film, and so much more that can't even be categorized... it makes me feel very fortunate to live in a community where this festival can thrive, and we are all the better for it.

Outfit Details

Mercedes Dress in Bouquet: c/o Heart of Haute

Fairest of Them All Brooch: Erstwilder

Cropped cardigan: Trashy Diva

Spectator heels: similar

Petticoat: similar

Don't forget: you can always get 10% off your Heart of Haute order with the code Haute10!

Have a wonderful rest of your weekend!

Summertime Outfit Roundup

Happy Autumn! I feel like this summer really flew by – but maybe that's because I managed to fit in so many fun things! Here are some of my outfit (and real life) highlights from the past few months:

June

Never Never Land  ||  Lilac Lane  ||  Sweet dresses + sweeter friends

When life gives you lemons  ||  Strawberry Patch  ||  Poppies + Popovers

In June, I went out in search of lilacs, poppies and strawberries! I busied myself with rehearsals and received dresses from my dearest friends. I even won an Instagram contest! It was very nice start to the summer.

July

Shortcake  ||  Barbecues + Boat Docks  ||  Choo choo!

Cherry Orchard  ||  Gingham girl  || Painting the roses red

In July, I went cherry picking and visited a rose garden right in the middle of the city. I also visited a transportation museum, watched fireworks and performed in an awesome show. July was a pretty memorable month!

August

Rose of Sharon  ||  Pals + Pastels  ||  Anchors aweigh

Garden Royale  ||  Popcorn Love  ||  Aeroplane

August was filled with friends on both the west and east coasts! I finally met both Kate and Ashley in person, and it was wonderful to find out that our friendship extends beyond the Internet. I also got to see old friends, and it was nice to know that time and distance doesn't change real, lasting bonds. Plus, I saw a few great movies, went to Disneyland and the Renaissance Faire, and ate a lot of yummy food!

What was your favorite thing you did this summer?

Peaches and cream

Even though this week signals the end of summer, I just had to post my peach picking photos from last month. I made it my mission to pick as much fruit as possible this year, and since peaches are my favorite fruit in the whole wide world, I insisted that we go this year – especially since I had the perfect dress, purse and pin for it!

When Pinup Girl Clothing announced all of the pieces in their Junebugs & Georgia Peaches collection, this peach gingham Dee Dee dress was my #1 have-to-have-it pick. It's just so darling, and though I know some people have experienced slight fit issues, I have to say that this style fits me perfectly. I love it so much that I now own it in three different colorways!

The peaches we picked were absolutely delicious, and we devoured them with vanilla frozen custard and biscuits. I have plans to go apple picking next week (in a corresponding outfit, of course), and I can't wait for all things fall. It's been very summery here, and although I'm sure I'll regret it later, I'm very eager for things to cool down a bit. Bring on sweater weather!

Outfit Details

Dee Dee Dress in Peach Gingham: Pinup Girl Clothing

Peach purse: ASOS (similar)

Peach brooch: vintage (similar)

White flats: similar

Have a peachy start to your week!

PS: Don't forget that you still have time to enter our Blogs, Besties & Brooches giveaway! You can enter to win 1 of 5 $100 AUD gift cards to the all-new Erstwilder.com! Get all the details and enter here. The giveaway ends this week, so hurry! <3