Friday Favorites #123

Another weekend is almost upon us! We had a huge snowstorm this week (we still have around 18" of snow on the ground), so I've been trying to stay inside and keep warm... which gave me a lot of time to do some internet window shopping. Here are some things I've been coveting this week...

There are lots of aquatic pieces being released for the spring and summer, but these are a few of my favorites:

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Novelty bag time!

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Mint + peach has to be one of my favorite color combinations, and when you add gingham to the mix... watch out! This dress has to come live in my closet.

These phone cases are the cutest!

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This Lucky-Charms-inspired marshmallow print dress from Book of Deer is wonderful!

I need this heart-shaped ottoman!

This strawberry coat is amazing!

If you saw my post on Wednesday, you'll know that Erstwilder's newest picnic-themed range launched this week... and I want pretty much every design in it.

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This dress is giving me spring fever!

This hat print button-down is so fun!

These power banks are both funny and practical.

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I want this Twin Peaks brooch!

I love this story!

(via)

And finally, this video further cements the fact that I need an otter (or several).

Have a wonderful weekend!

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 and brands I absolutely love. Thank you for supporting The Soubrette Brunette!

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!

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This spiderweb cardigan is creepy-cute at its finest!

Gimme all the adorable Pusheen merch, please!

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These ballet flats are perfect.

I love this purse!

These shoe print dresses are so darling!

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I'm swooning over these pastel babydoll slips!

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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...

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... 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! :)

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 and brands I absolutely love. Thank you for supporting The Soubrette Brunette!