Friday Favorites #134

Happy Friday! I'm very glad this week is coming to an end. And there's no better way to start off the weekend than to look at what I've been loving over the last few days... starting with some pretty printed dresses!

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This strawberry-shaped kitty house is one of the cutest things ever!

How lovely is this skirt? It reminds me of sherbet.

These book brooches are beautiful.

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I need this impressionist-themed coloring book!

This carousel swimsuit is downright adorable.

This mixer is just marvelous.

I may or may not have purchased three pints of Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams to have shipped to my door... I admit nothing... but honestly, who could resist an ice cream with peach jam and biscuits mixed right in?!

Love this plaid dress!

Oh, mint wicker handbag. You are so beautiful (and yet so impractical – sob!).

This nautical skirt is wonderful.

These flats would be so fun for the 4th of July!

And finally... Happy OITNB and Finding Dory day, everyone!

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!

Arlecchino

Like a number of pieces I've been featuring here on the blog lately, the harlequin print items from Pinup Girl Clothing were never very high on my wish list. I don't know why, but they just didn't tickle my fancy at first. But sometimes things grow on you, and by the time this colorway was re-released, I decided I might need it in my closet after all. The next thing I knew, I owned 3 out of 4 of the harlequin colorways (oops!) – though this is the first one to appear here on the blog. It's kind of fitting that I ended up liking this print, though... as one of the first "big" roles I ever played was Arlecchino (Harlequin) in a Commedia dell'arte-based play when I was little.  :)

I've been focusing on myself recently, and trying to check some tasks off my list. I'm doing well on Weight Watchers thus far and have been making an effort to take a walk every morning. My fitness level has been pretty low lately, and while I do want to join a gym this summer, I need to build up my stamina again (and it's nice to get outside). I've also been applying to jobs, and am trying to figure out my next direction in that regard. And having some more free time has been nice, since I've been able to see some more movies (Maggie's Plan was great, and I finally saw Zootopia, which I loved!). This is a time of transition for me, which can be a bit overwhelming, but I'm trying to handle it with grace and take things one step at a time.

Outfit Details

Jenny Skirt in Turquoise + Black Harlequin Print: Pinup Girl Clothing

Peasant Top in Mint: Pinup Girl Clothing

Petticoat: Pinup Girl Clothing

Belt: Pinup Girl Clothing

Flats: Amazon

Have a great Wednesday!

Watermelon Weather

It really feels like summertime now, which means I've got beach days and backyard barbecues on the brain a lot of the time. One of my favorite things about summer is that all of my favorite fruits will soon be in season. Although peaches will always top the list for me, there is something wonderful about perfectly-ripe watermelon in the summertime. And since I can never say no to a thematic outfit, I have a feeling I'll be wearing this scrumptious skirt from Unique Vintage quite a bit over the next couple of months!

I'll admit that I wasn't initially sold on this skirt, though I'm not exactly sure why. I'm really glad I took a chance on it though, because it's a really adorable option for more casual get-togethers. (I realize that my definition of casual might differ from that of others', but I'd so much rather wear a breezy and fun skirt than constrictive jeans!) Since I'm having a bit of a "moment" with off-the-shoulder silhouettes, I decided to pair it with this adorable basic black tee from UV – which is super soft and just a tiny bit sexy. I added a subtle popsicle necklace, my trusty boater hat and my favorite black flats to make a look that's perfectly put-together and yet appropriate for pretty much any summer event.

Outfit Details

Watermelon Swing Skirt: c/o Unique Vintage

Black Marilyn Top: c/o Unique Vintage

Popsicle necklace: similar

Boater hat: similar

Flats: Amazon

Thanks to everyone who expressed their well wishes on my post last week. Things are looking up now, and I'm feeling in a much better place this week. :) You're all the best. Have a great start to your week!

Friday Favorites #133

It's Friday again (thank goodness), and although I had thought about making Friday Favorites an every-other-week post, I ended up having the time to put one together this week. Here are some things I've been loving lately:

These Betsey Johnson bags are so silly and fun!

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This pizza necklace is super cute.

I'm obsessed with this vintage strawberry print dress:

These watermelon drink umbrellas would be adorable for summertime entertaining!

How darling is this lobster print retro swimsuit?

I desperately want this mermaid-worthy shell pool float.

This seahorse cosmetic bag + compact set would be perfect for summer trip:

And this skirt makes me want to go on a tropical getaway, stat.

This 80's eyeshadow brooch from Tatty Devine is awesome!

These Jeffrey Campbell heels are beautiful.

This lip balm set is so sweet!

This little detangler comb has a cute little face AND it's peach-scented!

Love these floral dresses!

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And this one, too:

And finally, I don't like flowery or strong perfumes, so this is my go-to fragrance these days. It's an awesome fresh scent for summertime (and it's unisex)!

Have a great 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!

Bonjour, Paris

It's rare for me to meet a novelty print I don't like, so I'm not sure why I wasn't immediately drawn to this Paris print Jenny dress from Pinup Girl Clothing. It wasn't until I saw it in person (when Ashley picked me up at LAX for my visit last summer) that I realized how great it really is. It's beautifully detailed and I love the color scheme. I have a few solid color Jenny dresses, but this one seems much more fun – plus, this new run has pockets!

I'm going through a bit of an emotional struggle right now, so I've been trying to distract myself and get out of the house as much as possible. I've seen a couple of good movies (Love & Friendship was delightful, and Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping was ridiculous, raunchy and stupid in the best way) and I'm spending a lot of time with friends and my mom. I'm also back on Weight Watchers (after a particularly horrifying, long-overdue weigh-in) and am feeling generally motivated. So I guess you win some, you lose some. I'm just trying to focus on the positive, which is all I can really ask of myself.

Outfit Details

Jenny Dress in Paris Print: Pinup Girl Clothing

The Bare Essentials Brooch: c/o Erstwilder

Crionoline: Pinup Girl Clothing

Kate Spade flats: 6pm (on sale!)

Have a great day!

Lucky LBD

I've never liked wearing my hair up. With my round face and lingering insecurities, I tend to cling to my long hair and intertwine it with my femininity and level of attractiveness, even though I know it's all in my head (or rather, on it). But in my constant quest to get out of my comfort zone in the name of personal growth, I decided to try something a little different for these photos and try a polished-yet-lazy-slash-dirty-hair-'do – which I'd never normally show here on my blog out of sheer vanity. I don't usually get the best reactions from people when I wear my hair this way either (which isn't an attempt to fish for compliments, I promise), which made it even more surprising when I discovered, while editing these photos, that I was really happy with how they turned out. It just goes to show that you should always challenge yourself to try something new, even when (or especially when!) it scares you a little bit; a new hairstyle might not be as big of a risk as a career change or a new relationship, but you'll never know until you try – and in the end, it's only temporary.

I think it helps that this Luck Be A Lady dress from Le Bomb Shop has a pretty sexy silhouette, so it'd look great with almost any hairstyle. I'm kind of obsessed with off-the-shoulder pieces as of late (though finding the right bra to wear with them can be a trial), and this dress provides a lot of stretch and actually feels pretty casual, even though it'd be easy to dress it up for a more formal occasion. I wish it were a little more forgiving around the arms, but that's not a detail that bothered me all that much. I feel awesome in this dress (even with my hair up!), and I think it'll be my go-to LBD for summer nights out!

Outfit Details

Luck Be A Lady Dress in Noir: c/o Le Bomb Shop

Bandana: similar  ||  Belt: eBay

Heels: B.A.I.T. Footwear

Can you relate – is there something about your appearance you use as a security blanket? And do you like to push yourself to get beyond it? I'm making it a goal to keep getting outside of my comfort zone this summer!

Have a great start to your week!