Polka Dots + Picnic Pies

This outfit has to be one of my favorites to date. Even though two of the main components of this ensemble are from overseas, this post just screams "Americana" to me! This fantastic dress is from UK-based vintage reproduction brand, Vivien of Holloway. I was familiar with some of their designs prior to receiving this dress for review, but I wasn't well-versed on the fit and quality of their garments. The construction is absolutely top-notch on the "Grace" dress you see here, which comes in many other colors and patterns, and I love the silhouette on my frame (though I have to give some credit to my Rago waist cincher and this longline strapless bra for making everything look so smooth!).

The fabric of this polka dotted dress is of a nice cotton sateen, which is a nice weight for the colder months and stands up well if you want to wear a fluffier petticoat. The skirt isn't lined (nor does it have pockets), but because I loved this dress even more than I anticipated, I didn't mind in the slightest. The price point is on the higher end of the spectrum, but I feel the superior construction warrants a higher price (especially for a dressier garment like this). Even though I asked for further assistance on sizing, Vivien of Holloway's size chart is special in that there are no lettered or numbered sizes (i.e., no "S/M/L" or "6/8/10") – instead, you choose your size based on your bust, waist and hip measurements, which is much more helpful for online shoppers. Just be sure you know (and are honest about) your measurements! The dress with my measurements (B38, W30) fit like a glove, but if you're in doubt, you can always ask their customer service team! I'm inclined to think a girl can never have too many polka dots in her life... so if you're like me, you can find their vast selection of polka dotted pieces here.

This may have been my first Vivien of Holloway dress, but it's certainly not the first time I've featured a piece from Erstwilder here on the blog. The Australian-based brand just launched their wonderful "Pinup Picnic" collection, and I'm swooning over all of the designs. I have a couple of the other pieces from this new line waiting to be styled (stay tuned!), but I thought this "Be My Cherry Pie" brooch fit in perfectly with this mid-century look. I felt like I had a matching pie on the windowsill waiting to cool! The detail on this piece is really amazing (the lattice work is its own separate layer, and there are hidden hearts on the pie server and inside the pie filling!), and it's already become one of my most-loved pins. The entire picnic collection is now live on the Erstwilder website, and it features TONS of food-themed pieces. Be sure to check it out here!

Outfit Details

Polka Dot Grace Dress: c/o Vivien of Holloway

Be My Cherry Pie brooch: c/o Erstwilder

Petticoat: Pinup Girl Clothing

Vintage gloves: Etsy (similar)

Heels: ModCloth (similar)

Vintage hat: Etsy (similar)

I almost forgot to mention: the winners of my recent giveaway have been chosen! Congratulations to Elise, Paola and Ashlee, and thank you SO much to all of you who entered and continue to support my blog! <3

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Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Lucky in love

I don't consider myself to be very lucky in love. I'm fortunate in many ways, but when it comes to matters of the heart, I've historically been a bit... cursed, shall we say. Maybe that's too strong a word. This isn't a "woe is me" kind of post (on the contrary, I feel sort of amused by the whole thing as I'm writing this); I've had a few rather dysfunctional relationships, a couple of bad breakups, a lot of unrequited feelings... but there's been a lot of good in there, too. I've fallen head-over-heels and have been loved hard. I've been "the other woman" and "The One." I wear my heart on my sleeve (and sometimes in purse form), and I usually listen to and follow it pretty closely. I've spent the last year or so trying to heal my little heart, and I've let myself love again, in spite of all the risks. Allowing yourself to be vulnerable is one of the bravest and most beautiful things you can do, in my opinion, and I feel glad that I can be in that place again – even if it means getting hurt in the process. Our hearts are so resilient, aren't they? A couple of years ago, I don't think I would've been able to look past what I'd experienced (much less be thankful for it), but here I am: happy, hopeful, and loving myself more than ever. So maybe I am lucky, after all... lucky that I feel so deeply, and lucky to be where I am now.

Moving on to something more superficial...  I have to take a moment to say that this Tatyana dress is AMAZING. I don't think I'm doing anything fancy for Valentine's Day, but if I do anything that requires changing out of pajamas, I'll be wearing this. I was initially a little worried about how it would look on me, but I was so thrilled when I tried it on after receiving it for Christmas (thanks, Mom!). It's playful and sexy, but I still feel totally well-covered and classy in it. It also fits like a glove, which always helps. I decided to keep it fairly simple with the accessorizing (well, except for the holiday-appropriate novelty bag), but I'm already thinking of other ways I'd like to style this special dress. It's currently out of stock at Tatyana, but you can sign up for the waiting list!

Outfit Details

Shame Red Circle Dress: Tatyana Boutique

Skinnydip Lady Luck purse: ASOS

Petticoat: Pinup Girl Clothing

Shoes: ModCloth (similar)

Vintage hat: Etsy (similar)

Have a wonderful Valentine's Day!

Friday Favorites #122

It's nearly the weekend, and I'm looking forward to eating lots of chocolate (aka the best part of Valentine's Day) and sleeping late! And of course, I've been eyeing a bunch of fun things this week...

Grease and Little Shop of Horrors are two of my favorite retro(ish) musicals, and I need these brooches in my life!

a   ||   b

This spiderweb cardigan is creepy-cute at its finest!

Gimme all the adorable Pusheen merch, please!

a   ||   b

These ballet flats are perfect.

I love this purse!

These shoe print dresses are so darling!

a   //   b

I'm swooning over these pastel babydoll slips!

 1   ||   2   ||   3

And how beautiful is this bra and panty set?

This charger is so festive!

This tee looks so cute and comfy:

These 19 tweets about Valentine's Day are too good.

I might need these skirts in my life...

a   ||   b

... And this one, too:

I know it came out a while ago, but I binge-read this book in 2 days and am now sort of obsessed. Her story is so fascinating!

There's a Minnie Mouse collection coming to Sephora this spring!

I also cannot WAIT for the Irregular Choice x Alice in Wonderland collaboration! Read a bit about it here.

Finally, I really enjoyed this article on Paul Reubens. I grew up watching Pee-wee's Playhouse, and I'm eager to see his new movie that's coming to Netflix.

Have a great holiday weekend! And check back tomorrow for my Valentine's Day post! :)

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Rosette

I'm feeling sort of indifferent towards Valentine's Day this year. Don't get me wrong; I really enjoy the kitsch of this particular holiday, and any excuse to eat a lot of candy and celebrate the people you love is always great. But I don't really know what (if anything) I'll be doing – other than perhaps going out for brunch with my best friend – and I feel neither bitter about nor excited by February 14th. I guess I just have no expectations, and maybe that's okay. If it ends up being a delightful day, then that's wonderful. And if it's not, then I won't be disappointed. Managing my expectations is actually a goal of mine this year, and there's no better time than the present. This all sounds sort of depressing, but it isn't meant to be. I actually just feel sort of content about the whole thing. Whatever will be, will be (a rare sentiment for an anxious, sensitive person!)... and if nothing else, I will have Reese's peanut butter hearts. So that's enough of a reason to rejoice.

This dress (which actually might be more of a nightgown?) is a vintage find I snagged from one of the clothing swap + sell groups I belong to on Facebook. If you're trying to hunt down a specific piece or are a vintage-lover, I highly recommend seeking out some of these groups, since oftentimes items are listed there before eBay or Etsy. I'm honestly not 100% happy with this outfit (i.e., I wish I could find my nude slip and wore a different cardigan), but I like that it's a bit dreamy and romantic, and it's a bit of a departure from what I've worn as of late. The rose brooch is also vintage, and reminds me SO much of my late-Grandma (peach was her favorite color, and for whatever reason, the pin immediately spoke to me). Wearing vintage pieces already makes me feel like I'm carrying a bit of the original owner(s) around with me, and I love the idea of being able to wear someone's history and continue it by giving a piece new life. And being reminded of someone you love while wearing a vintage piece is even better!

Outfit Details

Vintage dress/nightgown: Facebook group

Brooch: Sweet Bee Finds

Cardigan: ModCloth

Hair flower: similar

Heels: similar

Don't forget: today is your LAST DAY to enter my 3-year blog anniversary giveaway! You could win 1 of 3 incredible prize packages from some awesome sponsors. Don't miss out! Hurry up and enter here.  :)

Belle

I have a soft spot in my heart for pale yellow dresses; there's just something about them that's very feminine, yet unexpected. I wore the mint version of the Unique Vintage Garden State dress in this blog post from last winter, but when they recently released it in some new shades, I knew I needed to have this yellow colorway. I also knew I wanted to pair it with this Beauty-and-the-Beast-inspired rose brooch from Deer Arrow – because honestly, as a lover of all things Disney, how could I not style this in a "tale as old as time" kind of way?

I'm thinking about change this week. This is a pretty extensive topic to cover, but I'm trying to figure out the next steps I want to take for my life. I've been living in this little safety bubble for quite some time now, and though I've crossed some major things off my to-do list, I still have a lot more left to tackle. I've been in a "caught in limbo" state for the last few years – pursuing my passion on a small scale, but feeling sort of left behind in terms of hitting certain milestones. It's always taken me a little bit longer to forge my own path, and I'm okay with that, but I don't want to feel stuck anymore just because I don't know what I want. I don't feel a strong pull to up and move somewhere else at the moment, but I don't think I want to feel settled here yet, either. I get really overwhelmed when I think about all the things I need to do, so right now, I need to focus on just a couple of major pieces of the puzzle. Taking these steps is a scary thing, but I have to remember that being brave means doing things before you necessarily feel ready, and putting myself outside my comfort zone is the only way I'll grow and learn... and I definitely want to do that. Anyone else feel this way?

Outfit Details

Garden State Dress: c/o Unique Vintage

Spellbound Rose Brooch: c/o Deer Arrow

Petticoat: Pinup Girl Clothing

Shoes: B.A.I.T. Footwear

Have a great start to your week!

PS: Don't forget, you have just a few days left to enter my 3-year blog anniversary giveaway! Get the details and enter here.