hello, it's me again!

well, there go two weeks of my life! woosh!

it's been a while since I've visited the ol' blogosphere. how've you all been?

this long break from blogging was unintentional, but kind of necessary. these past two weeks have been insanely hectic, with birthdays and visitors and new routines, and I needed (and possibly still need) some time to get back in the swing of things. when all is said and done, sleep and real life win out over the internet!

I know, I know, what am I saying. I can hardly believe it myself. I've become a person who goes to bed before midnight and makes responsible, time-conscious decisions. and they said I'd never grow up!

before all this craziness, NYC still hadn't made up its mind on whether autumn should turn into summer or winter; one day it was cozy scarf weather, the next it was too warm for a jacket. it has since decided and winter is the verdict. the cold has come to stay. this outfit was one for those unseasonably warm autumn days, when the only element I had to contend with was the fickle wind. short sleeves in October, what even??

shirt- Modcloth // skirt- Bettie Page // tights- HUE // flats- H&M // bag- vintage

not the most striking photos, but it's something. beats two weeks of silence, right? RIGHT???

...guys?

not to fret- I've been planning lots of fun things for you while on hiatus. Brando and I went to Washington, DC for the first time to celebrate his birthday, and the pictures are glorious (if I do say so myself!). and with the holiday season fast approaching you just know I'm planning to shamelessly bombard you with all things Christmas. it's what I do. you'll love it.

so stay tuned ladies and gents! (are there gents reading this? for that matter, are there ladies? don't leave me!)

true colours

today's post features a couple of my favourite things; fall foliage and a vintage dress. Brandon and I had no plans on Sunday so we made the trek down to Prospect Park to see if the leaves had changed. I haven't made it to the park in a while, and it was nice to get out amongst the flora and fauna (aka squirrels) and take in the scenery. it still doesn't feel cold here to me, so it was a perfect time to look for changing leaves and autumn colours. 

dress- vintage // belt- Mango // boots- Seychelles via Modcloth // bag- Aldo (old!)

I don't have a lot else to say at the moment! life has been pretty calm and uneventful in October. I love fall but it always seems to go by too fast; soon the leaves will all be gone and I'll be hiding outfits under wool coats like the rest of Brooklyn already is. and Halloween is coming up! does it make me sound old and lame to say that Halloween has become more of a hassle than an excitement?

probably. 

who knows, maybe that's what fall is for; sleepy afternoon strolls through the park, maple lattes (yes please), and naps under cozy blankets after all of that. is autumn the lazy season? or am I just lazy?

these are the questions that occupy my philosophical mind, you see. 

it's what happens when you watch too much Frasier in a row.

happy autumn, everyone! I wish you many colourful leaves and fall-flavoured lattes. 

♥

just how you looked in the light

I've talked about before how I love the whole fanciful, ultra-feminine look. cutesy, Alice-in-Wonderland stuff that so many bloggers pull off with boatloads of delicacy & whimsy. well, this dress feels like the grown-up version of that; what Alice would wear to a tea party if she were my age. cause you know, adults are all about having tea parties. 

I kept the whimsical element with my jewellery- nothing says "magical fantasy world" like pretty little keys! the tiny blue one is my first (and currently only) purchase from Tiffany & Co. on my first visit to NYC. glorious nostalgia! 

I'm not sure Alice would accessorize a tea party ensemble with metallic ankle boots and an oversized purse. but we're in the real world, not wonderland, gurrrrl. although she may have conceded to bringing the bag once she realized it can discretely hold two whole bottles of wine. and grown-up tea parties always include wine. 

(this is the point where I would add a "thumbs up" emoticon if I knew how to make those on blogger...)

dress- vintage // necklaces- gift, Tiffany & Co., Twisted Sisters // boots- thrifted // bag- Aldo (old!)

this is my last post with this long hair! if you follow me on Twitter or, my new obsession, Instagram (which you should. follow me, I mean) you know that on monday I finally bit the bullet and got a haircut. I'm so ridiculously indecisive that I end up going way too long without one, or without trying something new. what's the big deal, it all grows back!

so stayed tuned for that excitement...

I'm sure you're dying from anticipation. don't lie. 

hope you are all having a beauteous week thus far. 

xo

talking trash with your red liquor lips

October is here and autumn is well underway, but I'm sticking with sundresses as long as I possibly can. the weather lately seems fairly happy to oblige, so I thought it a nice time to break out this cute little vintage number before it gets too cold for bare arms. it reminds me of confetti and little girl birthday parties! so naturally I thought to wear it for my busy day of New Girl-watching and grocery shopping. 

sometimes a girl needs a little glam in her daily errands.

dress, bag, & sunglasses- vintage // shoes- Modcloth // belt- Smart Set

the best accessories for any vintage dress? why a beehive and red lippy, of course! I also threw in my latest Broolyn Flea finds (I am getting so addicted to that place); cats eye sunglasses and a white bag.  the glasses were kind of a purchase of necessity- I forgot my sunglasses- while the bag was a little more exciting (for me, probably not so much for you. why would you care if I got a new bag? you wouldn't. if you do that's very sweet.). I've had an eye out for a neutral purse for a while now, and I've also kind of got this thing for chain straps that probably stems from my deep desire to own Chanel. anyway, this little beauty was only $20 so I snapped that up good 'n quick! I'm quite pleased with myself. 

all in all I think the look came out as sort of 80s-does-50s. which is a lot like life, isn't it? 

...I mean it probably is, but I'm not sure how. I'm just not coming up with a solid way to end this post.  is life just a mixture of one era emulating another, a swirl of colours and textures out of date and out of time? trying to form some semblance of cohesiveness in the bigger picture?

IT COULD BE.

you guys should know better than to listen to me. especially when it's late and I've been watching animal trainers on talk shows all night. it starts out educational, then it's just about seeing a lemur maul Conan O'Brien. 

I should go now... 

happy weekend! ♥

grey skies are gonna clear up

I love a good rainy day once in a while. the temperature is nice, everything is quieter, and I get to use a prop in my photo shoots. 

it seems I'm sticking with the 70s theme this week. and lucky for me, there's a classic VW camper van parked in front of our building; the perfect backdrop to a boho-traveller type outfit. 

dress- vintage // boots- Sam Edelman via Modcloth // belt- American Apparel // earrings- St. John's gift shop, somewhere on Water St.

after seeing these pictures I changed into a wider belt, which made the waist more defined and the whole dress a little less "billowy sack." but, billowy sack or no, I love this dress; it's comfortable and makes me feel like I'm in a touring folk-rock band. which again, fits with the 70s theme. 

now if you'll excuse me, I clearly have to take up learning the banjo...

your best shot

today marks the first time in a long, long while that I've attempted to take my own outfit pictures. 

it did not go well.

I mean, I got the job done and all, with minimal stares or awkward interactions with passers-by. but it's just so hard to get the angles right and be creative when you're trying to pose for a tripod. oh well. with the days getting shorter and Brandon getting home later, I'm going to have to either get used to it again, or figure out alternative posting schedules. oh autumn, how I love thee, but you do create problems for the style blogger...

dress- vintage // boots- Aldo // necklace- Modcloth (very old!) // tights- American Apparel

(plus, you can see the camera remote in every picture! oops.)

as you all well know by now, nothing causes me closet envy quite like over-priced, tiny-waisted vintage dresses. vintage boutiques and many Etsy shops seem to reserve retro gems for the rich and slender type, while I'm more on the "curvy and broke" spectrum. thankfully, one of the great things about all the flea markets and thrift stores in Brooklyn is that I can actually find stuff that fits me at a far more affordable price! lately I've been drawn to a more 70s dress, like this one, with longer lengths and stretchier fabrics. I like how they look with boots in the cooler weather. plus, they tend to run about $20 rather than the typical $80 for a perfect 50s party dress. so win-win! 

thank you, Brooklyn hipsters, for making this possible.

what's new, pussycat?

well, hello, September! 

it hasn't really sunk in that summer is technically supposed to be over; for one, it's been hot as balls. also I've been too busy to notice! Labor Day weekend was marked with visits from far-away friends and plenty of cocktails, and this past week was a blur of meetings and meet-ups and exhausted evenings spent falling asleep in front of a netflix screen. still feels like summer to me!

to top off this crazy week, Brandon and I joined a friend in Jersey City for a house party. if there's one thing I know about parties, it's that you should always wear an item of cat-themed clothing.

segue! 

crop top- American Apparel // skirt- thrifted // bag- fr. a flea market in Berlin // shoes- Modcloth (on sale now!)

see these shoes? these are the best shoes ever. 

here's to new shoes, a new season, and a new crazy week. 

cat crop tops for everyone!

(I feel like the writing in this post- and I use that term loosely- properly demonstrates how tired I am/have been. relihbnoFDCEJKRNDS888 --see that was me falling asleep while typing.)

♥

all for you

lately I've been re-discovering my passion for Etsy, and my near-daily browsing had lead to some serious wardrobe envy.

I have two qualms with vintage dress shopping; the first is that it has gotten unreasonably expensive. when I first started buying vintage, I remember most dresses were around $40-$60. I thought that was fair; pay about $50 for a regular, new dress, or $60 for a more unique one. now most vintage frocks cost closer to $100+. I get that they're kind of "in" now, and that they're like forty years old... but then, they're like forty years old. 

anyway, the second issue I have is that most of the dresses are made for women of a much more svelte figure. the further you get from a 25-inch waist, the fewer options you have. whenever my eyes drift over an exquisite example of classic fashion design, I instantly prepare myself for heartache, since most likely it would only fit me as a sleeve alone. 

but my loss is your gain! (well, technically my gain is your gain, if you get my meaning...)

because I've curated for you a dream closet of Etsy finds that will have you looking vintage fabulous through all seasons. I can't fit into most of these pictures of sartorial perfection, but maybe you can! (skinny bitches...)

1919 Vintage // 1919 Vintage // 1919 Vintage

Raleigh Vintage // The Vintage Studio // Hollie Point 

Zwzzy // Zwzzy // Zwzzy

1919 Vintage // 1919 Vintage // Salvage Life

1919 Vintage // Very Vintage // The Vintage Studio

....and if you aren't absolutely in love with that last dress yet, look at it up close!

now that's a Christmas dress if I e'er did see one.

so go. shop. enjoy your small waists and slender build. be the envy of all your friends. 

oh, and if you buy one of these, let me know! and send me a pic. 

not to be creepy or anything, just 'cause I think that would be fun. I've developed a sort of relationship with these unattainable dresses, and it would be nice to know they went to a good home. 

♥