It's not easy being green

 Outfit Details:

Emily and Fin dress: ASOS

Petticoat & belt: eBay

Basket purse: Mom's

Ring: Ever Ours (similar)

Flats: YesStyle

 

 

I hadn't worn this dress in quite a while -- probably since this time last year.  It's one of my swapping dresses for Flock Together, and seeing Katie style it inspired me to wear it again.  Emily and Fin is a great label, and their dresses are especially well-suited for the summertime.  I really love the length of this one, in particular.  I own two other Emily and Fin dresses (see how I wore them here and here), and I love their vintage-inspired, casual vibe.  Side note, I ended up changing the title of this post to be something more-fitting for its content, and I later realized that it also makes a lot of sense with my little bicycle ring (because after all, Kermit is a bike-riding frog).  I appreciate serendipity.

I've kind of been "in my head" a lot lately.  Everyone grieves differently, and I think I'm still reeling from everything that's happened over the past year.  I feel a lot of pressure to act like I'm doing okay.  Sometimes, I really am.  But other times, I'm not.  People tend to forget to be patient and understanding when it isn't a situation that's directly affecting them.  I certainly don't want to drive people away by fixating on everything.  But the truth of the matter is, I'm not over my breakup, and I'm certainly not over the death of my friend.  I'm not sleeping well, and I've been having more intense mood swings than usual (I'm prone to them anyway, but they're definitely worse than normal).  I don't want to ramble on about it, but I'm definitely struggling.  Time supposedly heals all wounds, but I'm very impatient to start feeling like myself again.

   I hope you have a nice start to your week.

xox Sammi

You don't bring me flowers

Outfit Details:

Vintage floral dress: swap from Ashley

Hair flower & tulle underskirt: Forever 21

Pink heels: Marshall's 

Bracelet: old

I think most (if not all!) of us can agree that Ashley of Southern (California) Belle is one of the sweetest ladies around, with an even sweeter wardrobe.  Getting to know Ashley better through Flock Together has been an absolute delight, and I always love seeing how she remixes items.  From the moment I laid eyes on this vintage dress over on Ashley's blog, I was swooning.  Ashley wore this dress for the rehearsal dinner for her brother's wedding, and she was so incredibly kind to let me borrow it.  She managed to score this beauty for $29 on Etsy (which is amazing), and I told her that I had just one problem with it: namely, that I never wanted to take it off!  Ashley is much smaller than I am, but somehow, this dress fit me perfectly (sometimes I think of Flock Together like the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, only with dresses).  This dress might be the dress of my dreams.

I'm also envious of Ashley's dreamy pink hair (especially because of pairs so beautifully with her wardrobe!).  She opted for a slightly more casual look, and styled this dress with a pretty aquamarine cardigan, belt and pink mermaid flats.  Ashley always looks like a mermaid to me!  <3   

Did you all have a nice Independence Day?  I went to see fireworks with my best friend, Wayne, and it was a lot of fun.  This year is proving really hard for me, and I feel like a lot of the important people in my life have quickly dissipated for one reason or another.  I'm thanking my lucky stars that I have Wayne.  It's imperative to find reasons to be thankful these days.  I know being thankful is not the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the 4th of July, but I am, nonetheless.  I'm thankful for fireworks and cotton candy, and also for friends and family and my health and to live in a country that allows me to make my own choices.  So maybe Independence Day is about being thankful, after all.

Have a great Saturday!

xox Sammi

Friday Favorites #54 + July 4th promo codes!

Happy 4th of July, everyone!  There are lots of fun things in today's Friday Favorites, plus there are a TON of discount promo codes & sale information from some of my favorite online shopping destinations at the bottom of the post!  There are lots of good deals to be had this weekend, so you'd better get shopping!  :)  And now, some of my favorite picks from this week...

Anyone who knows my aesthetic knows that I love anything kitschy.  Although I tend to gravitate towards delicate, understated jewelry, these awesome novelty necklaces are perfect for any 4th of July BBQ or picnic!  I especially love the bomb pop one (and it's scented!!).  I will always adore miniature food.

a // b // c // d

If you're headed out by the pool this weekend, either of these gingham swimsuits would be ideal:

a (top, bottoms)     //      b

Boater hats are the perfect summer accessory, and these two are at the top of my list:

a   //   b

These dresses from Lindy Bop are perfectly patriotic!  I especially love the red and white checked one.

a  //  b  //  c

This little hair bow is adorable!

I absolutely adore this sweatshirt, and the fact that ASOS is selling official Disney ears!

1  //  2  //  3

My favorite pair of ears are these white ones with the flowers!

This dress by Dear Creatures is lovely (Kate was right-on when she said it reminded her of "It's a Small World") - I wouldn't think to pair lavender and mustard together, but it's such a good combo!

Speaking of lavender, this lilac bag has stolen my heart!

And because lilac and mint are my favorite color combination, I have to mention this adorable minty polka dotted dress from Sugarhill Boutique:

If you're searching for something to satisfy your sweet tooth... look no further than these little (change?) purses from H&M!  We don't have an H&M where I live anymore, but at least they have an online shop now!  I especially love the donut one.

Okay, without further ado... on to the promo codes and discounts!

American Apparel: 25% off site-wide with code USABDAY

ASOS: 20% off of full-priced items with code PARTYINTHEUSA

Betsey Johnson: 30% off select items with code BABE30

Boohoo: 24% off everything for 24 hours with code GOTIME

Chicwish: 40% off orders of $50+ with code JULY4

Delia's: 40% off of full-priced items with code FIREWRK

ever+mi.crush: 40% off full-priced items with code BOOM40

Flapper Doodle: 50% off orders of $20+ with code CHRISTMASINJULY

Forever 21: up to 65% off sale items (no code needed)

The Kissing Tree Vintage: 20% off Etsy store (no code needed)

LuLu*s: 15% off site-wide with code stars15stripes

Missguided: 10% off all orders with code 4JULY10

Miss L-Fire: 20% off red, white & blue shoes from current collection (no code needed)

ModCloth: 10% off full-priced items with code JULY4, plus 50% off thousands of items (no code needed)

Nasty Gal: up to 80% off select items (no code needed)

The Oblong Box Shop: 15% off most full-priced items with code ROCKETS20

Pinup Girl Clothing: 15% off all swimwear with code CCSWIM4

Poppy England: online sample sale (no code needed)

Raleigh Vintage: 20% off everything (no code needed)

Rococo Vintage: 20% off store-wide with code FIREWORKS

Ruche: 20% off site-wide with code ANNUAL20

she and reverie: 25% off with code PARTY

Sourpuss Clothing: 20% off site-wide with code FREEDOM

Sugar Doll Swim: 30% off site with code AmericanGirl30

Tatyana: 20% off site-wide (no code needed)

Unique Vintage: 20% off all UV brand swim with code UVSWIM

Urban Outfitters: up to 70% off sale items (no code needed)

Have a great 4th of July!

xox Sammi

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 only link to items I absolutely love, from companies I wholeheartedly support.  Thank you for supporting The Soubrette Brunette!

Fireworks (Flock Together)

Happy (almost) 4th of July, everyone!  I'm posting over on the Flock Together blog today in an awesome Bernie Dexter dress that I borrowed from the lovely Jana!  Although the print is technically of rocket ships, I've decided they could also easily be bottle rockets -- and what could be more Independence-Day-appropriate than fireworks?!  Follow me over to Flock Together to get all the details & see how some of the other girls styled this lovely dress! 

 Have a happy and safe holiday!

xox Sammi

You are a garden rose

Outfit Details:

Flora Dress: Voodoo Vixen

BAIT Footwear spectators: ModCloth

Necklace: Forever 21 (similar)

Okay, so here's some real talk about this outfit.  First of all, I absolutely love the colors and print of this dress.  I've mentioned before that I can be picky about floral prints, but this one is incredibly stunning.  I have some major love for UK brand Voodoo Vixen, who makes this dress; they have really great prints and do some awesome vintage reproductions.  And normally, I'm all about a fit & flare dress.  But unfortunately, there is something about the fit of this dress that just doesn't work on me.  I think part of the problem is where the pretty pink piping and the seaming falls on my body -- it emphasizes some areas on the sides that I'd rather not.  It might be the kind of thing that could be corrected with some shapewear underneath, but that's not an ideal solution for hot summer days.  I think the seaming on the bust is a little strange on me, too.  All in all, it's a gorgeous dress, but I'm still on the fence about whether or not it'll remain in my closet.  Since I've had good success with the first week of relaunching my "shop my closet" store (again, thanks to all of you who've already purchased something -- and to those who haven't, there are still plenty of great pieces left!), I'm definitely going to be doing at least one other update within the next month or two, so I'll have to decide whether this dress and I will stick it out or part ways.    

The Jazz Fest gig on Saturday went well, under the circumstances (i.e., having no real sound check and not being able to hear ourselves the entire time).  We had a pretty huge turn-out (thousands of people!), so that was cool.  But the calling hours and funeral for my friend were also this weekend, and those were incredibly difficult.  These past couple of weeks have been a bit of an emotional roller coaster.  I think I've been trying really hard to keep it together.  I go back and forth between being motivated and wanting to curl up into a ball.  I guess maybe that's part of my mourning process.  I'm frustrated because I feel like I'm stuck in a "one step forward, two steps back" situation sometimes.  I suppose a little headway is better than none though, and I'm trying to remain positive, even though it's proving hard.  Mostly though, I just miss my friend.

I hope you have a nice Wednesday.

xox Sammi

Blogger Interview: Angela from The Passionista

Happy July 1st, everyone!  This summer is already going by way too quickly for my taste.  But with a new month comes a new blogger Q&A, and this month's interview subject is Angela from The Passionista!  Angela is a super-adorable fashion student (and proud Vespa owner!) who's new to the blogging scene.  Get to know more about this print-loving lady below!

Name:  Angela

Age:  23

Where do you blog?  My blog is The Passionista!  It's a personal style blog with added bits of DIY for right now.

What do you study in school?  I'm in my junior year as a fashion merchandising major at Kent State University.  I also sell vintage clothing on eBay (though I'm looking to switch over to Etsy soon).

How did you get into blogging?  I really started my blog as a style portfolio, but I started noticing how inspiring other bloggers were, and I just wanted to be a part of this super creative community!

What's your dream job?  To work at ModCloth.  Like, any position.  I'd polish shoes for them if it meant I could be a part of their wonderful company, haha!  But seriously, their Pittsburgh office is only an hour away from me and it would be a dream!

Favorite musical artist:  The Beatles

Favorite musical:  Mama Mia!

Favorite movie:  This is crazy that I'm picking just ONE, but I'm going to have to go with Stepbrothers, with Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly - so hilarious!

Favorite food in the whole wide world:  I would bring dishonor to my very Italian family if I said anything but pasta here.  So yes, pasta!

Favorite book:  My Life in France by Julia Child

Favorite guilty pleasure:  I couldn't be a fashion major if my guilty pleasure wasn't shopping.

What's your favorite season and why?  Spring is most definitely my favorite season because of the treacherously long winters we have in Snohio -- oops, I mean Ohio -- so it's like the light at the end of the tunnel.  Also, my birthday is on April 13th AND I get to ride my Vespa again after a long winter of it being locked away ;)

Does your Vespa have a name?  Yes!  Her name is Vivian, or "Vivi" for short!

Do you have a celebrity crush?  Yes - Jason Mraz.  I've attended 4 of his concerts, and planning on another during his upcoming fall tour.  Swoon.

Which actress would play you in the movie version of your life?  Mindy Kaling, all the way.  I've been told by friends that our senses of humor are similar.

If you could live during any other time period, what would it be?  Definitely the '60s -- I would be one of those crazy girls at a Beatles concert, wearing an awesome Twiggy-inspired frock.  :)

How would you describe your personal style?  My style is forever changing.  I like to switch up my style daily so sometimes it's very classic and vintage-inspired, and other times it's full of prints and polka dots.  I like to dress based on how I feel... but if I'm having a bad day, you can bet I'm about to put on something colorful!  

Do you have a style icon?  If so, who?  My grandma is my #1 style icon.  She knew how to keep things interesting, feminine and classy all at once.  Whenever I see photos of her, I take note of everything she was wearing, down to the accessories.

What's your most beloved article of clothing?  I have one vintage black shirtdress I received from my grandma, and it will forever be my favorite.  It's so simple, but very elegant.  My family always says I got my style from her - she was such a classic beauty and I miss her dearly!

What's your favorite place to shop or favorite clothing brand?  ModCloth, ASOS and Simply Be are my three top faves, but nothing beats a good vintage/thrift store find!

What's your go-to accessory?  Glasses are my necessary accessory, but I love unique and colorful frames!  I'd probably wear them even if I didn't have bad eyes.

If you could wear only one outfit for the rest of your life, what would it be?  I'd definitely wear a dress (with pockets), flats and a cardi.  Keep it feminine and comfortable!

What's been your favorite post from your blog so far?  My favorite post so far is "On Self Confidence."  It was one of those posts that I hesitated writing, but I also felt really compelled to share my self-confidence struggles and successes.  I'm a true believer that everyone at any size can feel fantastic about themselves.

What are some other blogs that you love?  Besides The Soubrette Brunette, I love Annabel and Lee, The Red Lip Chronicles, and Thriftburgher.  They're all really great and super-inspiring ladies!

Anything else you'd like to mention?  I'm a Style Ambassador for Coastal.com, and if you aren't already familiar with Coastal -- and you just happen to be a girl (or guy!) with glasses -- you should check them out!  They have a really unique selection of eyewear that's available either as a prescription or for fashion purposes.

Thanks so much to Angela for being a part of my blogger interview series!  Be sure to check out all of her adventures over at The Passionista!  If you'd like to be considered for my monthly interview series, be sure to send me an e-mail! 

Have a great Tuesday!

xox Sammi