Picnic

Apparently, this past Saturday was International Picnic Day, so I felt it was a fairly appropriate time to finally post these pretty picnicking photos (better late than never)! My best friend Wayne and I decided to have a picnic in Highland Park a few weeks back, right at the end of lilac season. Rochester has a huge lilac festival every year, and Highland Park is the best place to go when they're in bloom (they have over 500 different varieties!); they're my favorite flower (peonies come in at a close second), and being surrounded by their beautiful scent whilst snacking on delicious treats was such a delightful way to spend the afternoon.

To be honest, I'll use any excuse to have a picnic, and finally getting the chance to wear this Trashy Diva dress was a much better excuse than most. My parents surprised me with this beauty when they returned from their recent trip to New Orleans, and it's seriously one of the most flattering dresses I own. I love the features of this "Lucy" style: the oversized pockets, the adjustable tie straps, the cute buttons, the fit, and of course, the gingham print! Red gingham is an obvious choice for a picnic outing, and I finished off this subtly thematic look with my picnic basket purse and Erstwilder soda pop brooch.

Outfit Details

Lucy Dress in Red Gingham: Trashy Diva

Sal's Soda Pop Brooch: c/o Erstwilder

Picnic basket purse: Accessorize

Boater hat: similar

Shoes: Aerosoles

I'm finding out that "adulting" is no picnic. This is going to be a bit of a transitional kind of summer for me. I'm most likely going to be accepting an offer for a new job this week, and then I'll be moving out and living on my own. It's definitely time, but it's scary. But I'll never get anywhere new if I don't push myself outside my comfort zone, and I've been putting off having an actual adult life for too long. I tend to question my own capabilities a lot, but I guess none of us knows what we're doing at first. I've always been a little behind everyone else in reaching certain milestones – there's nothing wrong with that, I suppose, but you have to know when it's time to leave the nest and fly on your own, even when it might feel safer to stay. And I guess this little bird just needs to trust that she knows how to flap her wings and find her own way.

Priscilla

One of the little things I enjoy about blogging and social media is being able to match outfits with virtual friends across the country. Acquiring one-of-a-kind pieces brings a me particular kind of joy, but I also love being able to share a sense of style with other girls around the world – and being able to "twin" with my bestie is... well, it's the best! Ashley featured this same dress on her blog last Monday, and since I recently acquired one for myself, I decided to style mine today. Even if it's delayed by a week, I still get a kick out of showing off our coordinating ensembles!

This dress by The Pretty Dress Company is just so... pretty! This print was too great to pass up, especially since Unique Vintage is now their exclusive retailer for the United States (see their full selection here). This is only the second dress I've owned by this brand, but from my own experience, the quality is really nice. The fabric is thick stretch cotton, and it's surprisingly comfortable (and has pockets!). The bodice is a bit roomier than I'd like (probably due to the fact that the fabric has some give to it – plus, I followed the size chart and went up a size from my normal selection), and because of that, I wish that the straps were adjustable... but at least shortening the straps would be an easy tailoring fix, and it certainly won't keep me from wearing this beauty.

Outfit Details

Priscilla Miami Midi Swing Dress: Unique Vintage

Shoes: B.A.I.T. Footwear (similar)

Petticoat: Pinup Girl Clothing

Belt: similar

I had a pretty low-key weekend that included seeing Finding Dory (which was wonderful), watching the first couple episodes of OITNB and spending Father's Day at home with my parents and grandparents. I'm still going through a bit of an emotional time, but I keep reminding myself to "just keep swimming," and that seems to help. :) Have a great start to your week!

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!

a    ||    b    ||    c

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.

1    //    2

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!

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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!