challenge accepted

Like I said a couple posts back, I've been feeling rusty when it comes to putting outfits together. I've been a little under the weather for the last few weeks, so I've just been wearing pajamas or sweatpants pretty much all the time and then when I really do have to get dressed and leave the house I feel like I have no idea how to actually DO THAT? Ok, I'm slightly exaggerating, I definitely know how to throw something on really quick and get myself clothed. But putting together something cute is taking a little more brain-work than usual.

One of my favorite youtubers recently did a video where she randomly chose three products to use for a makeup look, since she was feeling uninspired and needed a challenge. I loved this idea so I decided to do it myself with clothes! In my case I closed my eyes & randomly selected a belt and a dress and then built the rest of the outfit around it. I don't know if I'm 100% happy with the final product (even though it's technically light blue and maroon I still always feel kind of silly wearing shades of red and blue if it isn't the 4th of July, haha) but it was nice to give myself a challenge and force myself to come up with something. If you're also experiencing a style rut I highly recommend giving it a try! :)

dress - asos | shirt - asos | belt - dorothy perkins
shoes - bait | purple rug - amazon

the truth is out there

Today is the day!!! I still can't believe that I'm going to be watching a NEW episode of The X-Files tonight. I don't even know if I'll believe it after it's happened -- it just seems unreal! I started out reading everything I could get my hands on when the reboot was first announced, but for the last few months I've done a 180' and started avoiding all of the articles and publicity instead. I just want to have a totally fresh approach tonight and go into it without any preconceived expectations. It's kind of like Fox and the cast & crew have been lenient parents who are totally ok with peeking in the closet before Christmas if you really want to, but I'd rather be completely surprised on Christmas morning.

If you're wondering why I went with a bug-print dress, it's partially because I don't own an X-Files or alien dress (YET) and partially because it's an ode to the season 3 episode, "The War of Coprophages" in which a town is attacked by killer cockroaches.

In 2013 I did another X-Files outfit post to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the pilot, and I wrote a bit about my favorite episodes and my recommendations for where to start if you aren't already a fan. If you're interested you can take a peek right here.

dress - modcloth | sweater - trashy diva | shoes - gift from casey

"I liked the X-Files before it was cool" brooch - my shop | blouse - asos

mulder and scully collar clips - my shop | belt - I don't remember
purple rug - amazon

the sundance kid

I never seem to notice how badly my roots need touching-up until I see photos of my head. Oops! I've been using pink conditioner for the last few months and that's been stretching out the time between dying for so long that I kind of forgot I even needed to bleach my roots once in a while.

I went out to the movies today and realized while I was getting dressed that I actually hadn't gotten dressed in a week. AHH! A whole week. I mean, I changed pajamas each day but... yeah. I need to get out more. And get dressed more. I was mostly happy with my outfit today but I felt so rusty putting it together. Meanwhile I'm become too well-versed in figuring out which sweatshirt works best with which flannel bottoms. I MAY NEED HELP.

So, which movie did I go to see, you ask? TCM is releasing (I think) one classic movie each month in theaters, and this month it's Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. I think the last showing is at 7PM tonight so if you don't have plans yet, see if a local theater is playing it! I went to AMC and I think Regal plays the TCM films, too. It's such a good movie (one of the only westerns that I'm really fond of), Robert Redford and Paul Newman are just so perfect together (and so perfect to look at) and it's one of those films that really is enhanced by seeing it on a big screen.

dress - dahlia | shirt - asos | necklace - f21
shoes - bait footwear | purple rug - amazon

new years eve, take two

So many things.

Okay, so I got this shirt in the mail about two weeks before New Years Eve and it just seemed so perfect for the occasion. It's a still of Romy Schneider from Henri-Georges Clouzot's Inferno (there are so many good stills from this, I included some below) and even though it's technically a printed t-shirt it's just so sparkly? Anyway, I quickly ordered this skirt because it matched the top so well.

Flash forward to New Year's Eve. The skirt hadn't come yet, so I wore the outfit that I posted the other day instead (which worked out well, anyway, since I'm practically planning a wedding to that dress, I love it so much.) Then the skirt DID come in the mail and I decided to wear the outfit today, because who says you can only wear giant sequins one day of the year?

Here's the catch -- this came out nothing like how I had imagined it in my head. Yes, the skirt does match the shirt perfectly. I got that part right. But... in my head I was going to look like a hip girl from the 1960's on her way to a New Year's Eve party at a club with a rotating dance floor and very orange furniture, and maybe I meet some hip boy from the 1960's who might be French but I never know because we dance all night without speaking a word.

Instead I kind of look firmly planted in 2016, right? The skirt's making me look more hip-py than hip (haha.) And my belt is definitely crooked.

At least I tried. And even though it's not what I was going for, I do like this outfit. It's certainly (at least shape-wise.. and maybe color-wise too?) not in my usual wheelhouse, but that's good. I've been in a style rut for a while and it's actually nice to feel like I'm stepping outside my comfort zone and ughhh this post is getting way too long when you consider I've just been talking about an outfit the whole time.

Okay, here are those Romy Schneider stills I promised:

shirt - maison bardot | skirt - asos | shoes - bait footwear

happy new year!

Happy New Year! Sorry I went kind of MIA again, I just had a very stressful December and I am super drained. That being said, I'm ridiculously excited about 2016! I know my blog tends to give a pretty happy impression (probably because of the colors I guess?) but I can get really blue really easily, and I don't usually have a lot of optimism when we go into a new year. But I'm kind of giddy about this year. I'm going to Europe for the first time, The X-Files is coming back, I'm going to TCMFF again, I started the year with a good hair day... things are looking up!

I actually took these photos this morning, but this is what I was wearing last night for New Year's Eve. I didn't get a chance to snap decent pictures yesterday but this vintage dress was too good not to share. The top is made from a sparkly woven material, it almost looks like chainmaille! It kind of combines my two favorite eras - the 1960's and the 1300's, haha!

I hope everyone has a wonderful New Year's Day and a terrific 2016 :)

dress - vintage | shoes - bait footwear | necklace - forever 21