These apples

I've really loved taking photos in orchards this year. Whenever I've gone fruit-picking, it's been such a serene (and delicious) experience. I think I'm the kind of person who needs to be surrounded by nature on the regular. I've never liked camping or have considered myself to be particularly outdoorsy, but going to places like these makes me feel really happy. My best friend Wayne and I decided to check out The Apple Farm last week, and it was a particularly good choice: we had a gorgeous fall day (the sky cleared up even more after I took these photos), they have a huge variety of different kinds of apples to pick, and they just happen to make the best donuts I have ever tasted in my life. All in all, it was a wonderful afternoon.

I knew I wanted to wear this sweet Keira dress from Voodoo Vixen for our excursion. It has both apples and strawberries on it, which means it could be worn throughout the seasons, but I think it's a great piece for early autumn. The color combination is so unique, and I got tons of compliments on it throughout the day (and into the evening, when I just changed my shoes and headed out to a work party). I normally dislike side zippers, but this one is much more accommodating than most, and I didn't have to worry about the buttons gaping in the front (which is a common problem I run into with most dresses of this style). I found this dress to fairly run true to size for the most part; Voodoo Vixen tends to run a little big in the waist for me, but luckily, the addition of a belt solves that small issue. (This dress does come with its own fabric belt, but I opted to swap it out for a different one from my own collection for these photos.) I also decided to finally take my novelty apple purse out for a spin!

Outfit Details

Keira Dress: c/o Voodoo Vixen

Cropped cardigan: ModCloth

Apple purse: available here

Belt: from another dress

Pin: gift from Midge

Boater hat: similar

Shoes: similar

I know it might sound silly, but I think it's important (at least, for me) to make time to do things like this. It becomes really easy to say you're too busy or have to take care of other obligations first... but I've found that this kind of thing actually recharges me and makes me want to tackle other things afterwards – and it puts me in a much better mood! Fall activities are my favorite, by far. Next up: going to a pumpkin patch! What's on your autumnal to-do list this year? 

Have a great Wednesday!

PS: the winner of my CHEAP CHIC giveaway has been chosen! Congratulations, Lisa! Thanks so much to everyone who entered (and don't be discouraged if you didn't win – I have something very exciting coming up very soon, so stay tuned). <3 

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At home with Ankit

I am both a homebody and a slave to technology. I rely on my Apple devices more than I'd ever like to admit, and these days, I can't wait to kick back on my couch in the evenings. It should also be of no surprise that I love being surrounded by pretty, quirky things – which is why I was so happy when Ankit reached out to send some of their awesome items for review.

Ankit has so many fun pieces to choose from (you've probably seen them at Forever 21, ModCloth, Nasty Gal and other stores), but I was most taken with their home decor and tech sections. We recently bought an adorable midcentury-inspired futon for my room, and I realized that this pillow would look perfect with it. It looks even prettier in person than on their website! It's of very nice quality, and the vibrant colors really brighten up the space.

I inadvertently went with a floral theme, since I also chose these lovely floral headphones and cactus power bank. The headphones are a great alternative to my normal earbuds, and they're noise-isolating, which makes them great for long trips or when you just want to tune out the rest of the world. Plus, they're way more beautiful than most headphones you see!

I'm also a huge fan of power banks and mobile chargers; my battery tends to drain pretty quickly (and always at the most inconvenient times!), and I love that this one is both adorable and super-functional. It provides up to 8 hours of talk time, and works with both Apple and Android products! The one drawback is that you do have to provide your own power cord (the cord that it comes with is just for recharging the device), but it's an easy fix. Power banks are a total life-saver (especially this one – it comes pre-charged!), and it's the perfect size and shape for your pocket or purse.

This post is Pumpkin-approved!

Many thanks to Ankit for these items (they were sweet enough to send me their fun emoji coasters and a daisy contact case, too)! Their website is filled to the brim with unique gift ideas, tech must-haves and adorable decor additions, so be sure to check them out! 

Please note: This post is sponsored, which means I was gifted items in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are 100% my own.

Friday Favorites #106

This week flew by for me, but I'm grateful for the weekend! Here are some things I've been swooning over this week... starting with these amazing shoes!

a   ||   b   ||   c   ||   d   ||   e   ||   f   ||   g   ||   h

How cool are these Jeffrey Campbell flats??

I'm obsessed with Hell Bunny's coats, and I've decided I'm gonna need this one!

Kate just added some adorable Halloween brooches to her shop! I especially love this one.

I adore these autumnal dresses!

a   //   b

Not only do I think this scent is hilarious, but I love Firebird Bath & Body! I have a bunch of their roll-on perfumes and they are absolutely lovely. Check out their shop here.

I have only a handful of hats that I like wearing, but I might have to add this one to the rack. It's absolutely gorgeous and I love the flat brim!

This might be a bit matchy-matchy for some people, but I love these pieces together! The color is divine and would be perfect for the fall and winter holidays!

a   ||   b

I very rarely wear a watch, but this Beauty and the Beast one might make me rethink my stance:

Here are some cute novelty purses to brighten your day! I'm dying over the space blaster!

a   ||   b   ||   c

This lapel pin is the cutest:

And I love these pins from You Were Swell!

Ronettes pin set   //   Audrey Horne pin

Finally, please enjoy these 21 pictures of cats on glass:

(via Buzzfeed)

Have a great day!

PS: Don't forget, you have just a few days left to enter my CHEAP CHIC giveaway! Enter to win a copy of the ultimate fashion bible (with a forward by everybody's favorite fashion authority, Tim Gunn) here! Giveaway ends on Sunday at midnight, so hurry!

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!

Sunflowers + Parasols

Is there anything prettier than a sunflower field in bloom? I'm so glad I was able to find one this year, and that it was at its peak right when I came back from California! I didn't mean to wait so long to post these, but my backlog of photos is going to come in handy over the next month. And since it's been very gray and rainy the past couple of days, seeing these again makes me feel much more cheerful!

This was the dress I was the most excited to receive from the Mary Blair collection. It reminds me of Little Bo Peep (in the best way)! I love the design and the color, but it unfortunately has a few fit issues. It runs smaller than my other PUG dresses (and has the dreaded side zip!), and it's definitely not as flattering on me as many of the other dresses I own. I love all of the other elements too much to let this one go, but I'll have to come up with new ways to style it. It comes with a detachable bolero that I opted not to wear, but I think it'll actually look better with my black cropped cardigan – or I could even wear a sweater on top and turn this dress into a skirt! Either way, I think I'll be able to wear it into the colder months, which is always good news.

Outfit Details

Evelyn Dress in Mary Blair Umbrellas Print: Pinup Girl Clothing

Parasol: similar  //  Pettislip: similar

Rocking horse necklace: similar

Flats: Amazon

How perfect is this piece that Morgane drew of me in this dress?? I love it so much! If you aren't following Morgane on Instagram, you should be! :) Thank you, Morgane!

Have a beautiful day!

PS: don't forget about my current giveaway! You can enter to win a copy of CHEAP CHIC, the ultimate fashion bible! 

Get all the details + enter here.

GIVEAWAY || Win a copy of CHEAP CHIC! [CLOSED]

I consider myself to be a fairly literary girl; not only am I very wordy (and a stickler for grammar, spelling and punctuation), but I love the act of picking up a book and allowing myself to be transported to a different time and place. I think I've incorporated that philosophy into my personal style as well, since my favorite outfits harken back to a different era. So I was delighted to find out that CHEAP CHIC, the ultimate 1970s fashion bible, has been rereleased for its 40th anniversary! I had a chance to review this fun & informative style guide for myself – and one of my lucky readers will win a copy as well!

Although my personal style skews earlier than a lot of what's featured in this book, I love its message: namely, that your style should reflect what you love and how you want the world to see you. As the authors say, "Start dressing to please yourself, and in the process, you will please others." I always dress in a way that makes me happy and makes me feel great about myself, and it absolutely shows in how others see me. "Find the clothes that suit you best, that make you feel comfortable, confident, sexy, good-looking and happy... and then hang onto them like old friends." The book stresses the necessity for quality over quantity – which I find very relevant in today's influx of fast fashion – and the book made me want to have a more thoughtful approach towards the amount I spend on certain pieces and what I add to my wardrobe. These days, I try to buy high-quality, American-made pieces and vintage finds, but it can still be really tempting to purchase inexpensive, poorly-made pieces (or pieces made in terrible conditions) just because it's convenient and will do "for now." But it's so much better to have timeless pieces that will last a lifetime!

Outfit Details

Dress: ModCloth

Book necklace: Treasured Charms

Tights: similar  //  Boots: similar

CHEAP CHIC: c/o Crown Publishing Group

A couple of my favorite photos from CHEAP CHIC

CHEAP CHIC has a forward by Tim Gunn, which I personally think says so much about what a great resource the book is – after all, who doesn't love and trust Tim Gunn as a fashion authority?? The book has some fantastic vintage photographs, interviews from icons like Yves St. Laurent and Diana Vreeland, and a wonderful section on thrifting from the eras that I love most. Although I think some of the advice and "rules" could benefit from a bit of updating, I think it's a fascinating look into style from our past and shows how the current fashion landscape is so heavily influenced by everything that's come before. Great for a quick flip-through or careful perusal, CHEAP CHIC is a book that any fashion enthusiast should have on his/her bookshelf or coffee table. And you could win a copy of your very own! Scroll down to find out how!

GIVEAWAY RULES

One (1) winner will receive a copy of CHEAP CHIC, courtesy of The Crown Publishing Group and Penguin Random House. Enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter widget below. You must be a follower of The Soubrette Brunette to enter, and you can earn additional entries (which means more chances to win!) in several optional ways. This giveaway is open internationally and will run until Sunday, October 4th at 11:59 PM (EST). The winner will be chosen at random through the widget and will be contacted via e-mail (so be sure to use a valid e-mail address!). The giveaway winner must respond within 48 hours, or a new winner will be chosen.

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Thanks for entering and best of luck!!