Wildflowers

I promise, I'm done styling my floral dresses after today... but I think I might've saved the best for last. Although Trashy Diva's Wildflowers Collection came out months ago, I've been waiting for the right occasion to wear this dress. I haven't always been drawn to a lot of TD's floral prints in the past, but this one is a real winner.

This is my first "Streetcar" style dress, and I'm totally in love. After looking at these photos (and consulting with Ashley), it seems like it needs a tiny bit of tailoring in the shoulders. But other than that, it's absolutely perfect in every way. I love the pussy bow detail (though I need to get better/faster at tying it) and I'm glad it's the kind of dress that I can easily wear with a cropped cardigan throughout the year. And even though I hate side zippers with a passion that burns brighter than the sun, I'm completely willing to overlook it with this dress – it's that good.

When the sunflowers bloom in late August or early September, I usually head out to this one farmer's field located west of the city. But this year, his sunflowers didn't take! Fortunately, Wickham Farms held an event they called their Sunflower Spectacular, which featured 15 different varieties of sunflowers over five acres of land. Some were so tall that I felt like a little fairy! My mom and I had a delightful afternoon amongst the blooms. I'll definitely be going back next year.

Look how tall they were! (And I'm 5-foot-7!)

Outfit Details

Streetcar Dress in Wildflowers: Trashy Diva

Vintage daisy brooch: Trashy Diva (similar)

Flats: Aerosoles

Have a beautiful day!

Friday Favorites #151

Wow, it's been a WHILE since I did a Friday Favorites post, huh? I'm finally embracing all things spooky, which makes it the perfect time to share some of the things I'm loving lately with you all.

These ghoulish pieces from Unique Vintage speak to my almost-Halloween-baby soul.

a   ||   b   ||   c

This Betsey Johnson PSL bag is actually anything but basic.

And I'm totally taken with this harvest print dress from Hell Bunny:

Although I'd love a pumpkin pie purse, this Kate Spade cake bag would be a sweet substitute.

And these Irregular Choice heels are enough to put a girl into a sugar coma.

I love these little Kate Spade dishes (and popcorn bowl!):

1   ||   2   ||   3

This David Lynch brooch is a must-have.

I just adore these cozy jumpers from Joanie Clothing!

a   ||   b

This literary dress is so pretty, too.

I'd love to curl up with a good book under one of these lamps:

a   ||   b   ||   c

I know most people don't keep address books anymore, but this could could convince me to...

I've been thinking that I need to create an actual workspace at home (right now, I just work on my couch). I already have an adorable desk, but I'd like a nice chair like these to go with it!

1   ||   2

I might need this Dapper Dans tee.

And how cute is this Collectif music skirt!

And finally, this new Kat Von D palette is sooo cool. I don't think I'd make good use of the colors, but it's stunning to look at!

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 really love. Thank you for supporting The Soubrette Brunette!

Briar Rose

Another day, another floral. I'm trying to work through my photo backlog so I can start showcasing more autumnal outfits! If you're not a florals-in-fall kind of person, I think this Micheline Pitt For Unique Vintage "Budding Beauties" dress could work well for a Disneybound or quick Halloween get-up. Pretty much all of my outfits could become costumes in a pinch!

Although this rose print dress definitely skews more summery, the heavy cotton sateen works well for any time of year. Next time I style it, I'll be opting for a cardigan and ditching the belt (since the waist of the dress is a bit below my natural waist, I think it makes the belt look funny). I really adore this dress overall and I think the small details make it special. I sized up to an XL in this dress due to the way the bust is constructed, which was definitely the right move. While the waist might be half-inch too big, the bust is perfect – and I think that's what matters with this kind of dress.

Outfit Details

Alice Budding Beauties Dress: Micheline Pitt For Unique Vintage

Rose headband: similar  ||  Heels: Chase and Chloe

Lately, I'm trying to achieve a better balance between my work and my personal life, so I'm trying not to work later into the evenings (and consequently, give myself more time to blog for pleasure). But I'll be starting rehearsals pretty soon, which means life is about to get busy. It seems like there are never enough hours in the day to do everything... Wish me luck in trying!

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Natalie

This weekend really felt like fall (and yes, I know it's October), but it's supposed to warm up again this week! Since the weather can't seem to make up its mind, I'll keep on wearing cute florals for as long as possible. This adorable little dress from Dolly and Dotty has been a great summer staple but it'd be easy to layer for cooler weather. For this post, I decided to go full-out garden party and opt for a hair flower and parasol.

Dolly and Dotty has definitely become one of my go-tos for affordable, cute dresses. Although their gingham halter dresses are my all-time favorite, their other patterned dresses are really nice, too. This fabric has a bit of stretch, which makes it super comfortable. The only downside is that there's probably slightly too much room up top as a result, which is a rare occurrence for me. I've become accustomed to longer skirts, but this dress is actually a really nice length. Plus, it has pockets! It'll be a great option for occasions that require a bit of dressiness without dressing to the nines.

I spent most of this past weekend cleaning. It was MUCH-needed. I'm a horrible housekeeper, to be perfectly honest. I'm incredibly messy and it stresses me out a LOT. I always vow to be better... but then I get lazy and then pretty soon it looks like a bomb went off in my apartment. The best thing I've found is to take care of little things right away instead of procrastinating, but it's hard to get up the motivation sometimes. Any tips you've found for staying organized?

Outfit Details

Natalie Retro Floral Dress: c/o Dolly and Dotty

Hair flower: similar  ||  Parasol: similar

Necklace: similar  ||  Heels: Amazon

Have a wonderful start to your week (and month!)

Pretty As A Postcard

Happy Tuesday, friends! It's been a minute since I had a chance to put together a post. I had a great time enjoying the Rochester Fringe Festival last week, but seeing so many shows left me no time to blog. I'm trying to create a better work/life balance for myself though, so I'm hoping I can get back on schedule soon. That said, I'll be starting rehearsals for a show in a week or two... so I'm trying to figure things out quickly without putting too much pressure on myself.  :)

It may be the end of September, but it's been hot as all get-out for the last couple of weeks. I actually don't mind that much, since this summer was pretty temperate and I didn't get much of a chance to wear seasonal clothes. It's going to cool down later this week, but before it does, I'll be wearing this J.Crew postcard print dress as much as humanly possible.

Ashley was the ideal enabler and convinced me to buy this dress when it was on sale. I'm really glad I did, because it's the kind of dress that works in nearly any situation. I love the off-the-shoulder neckline (so much that I actually like wearing my hair up with it – and that never happens!) and it's so easy to wear. Whether you're running errands or on vacation, this is a great go-to. Unfortunately, it's completely sold out, but I found a few good dupes! Scroll down to the outfit details for my picks.

Outfit Details

Postcard print dress: J.Crew (similar at ASOS, Macy's, and Nasty Gal)

Necklace: similar  ||  Toni Pons wedges: available here

As much as I'm enjoying wearing my summer wardrobe, I'm finally feeling ready to do fall things! I hope there'll be some apple and pumpkin picking in my future. What are you hoping to do this fall?