New Year's Style Idol - Mitzi Gaynor

Happy New Year, everyone!! xo Kate

what are you doing new year's eve?

My family is particularly excited about the New Year this time around because "19" is my parents' number. They met on December 19th and they've been wishing each other a happy anniversary on the 19th of every single month (not just Decembers) for almost 50 years now. I think we have to do something to celebrate the Year of Nineteen in some way, but we haven't decided how yet.

And personally, I am just SO ready to say goodbye to 2018. Aside from my health issues, this year was a struggle in so many ways, and without a doubt the worst year of my life. I haven't written much about a lot of things because they felt too raw and personal at the time but we had a lot of family health crises, and our family cat passed away suddenly and unexpectedly earlier this year, just a month after we had celebrated 15 years with her. Her absence has been felt very heavily all year, and made each successive heartache that much harder to deal with.

I decided to do one second a day this year, and there were so many times where I felt like "why did I choose THIS year of all years to record video of every single day?" but I played the whole video back today and despite all of the crushing stress and grief there were so many beautiful moments and happy days peppered in there. It was actually a joy to watch, and it reminded me that even in my very worst year I have a wonderful life. I will 100% be doing one second a day again in 2019 and I highly recommend it. When I started recording I would lament that most days I didn't record anything other than my cats, but once we lost Chloe I realized how important those videos really are. Every second matters, and every second is worth remembering.

I hope you have a wonderful 2019, guys! Thanks for reading along here. I appreciate you so much <3

dress - old | shoes - aldo

resolutions

I feel like coming up with New Years resolutions usually sets me up for failure (see this ambitious yet disastrous list from 2011) but I'm going to try my best to stick with a couple this year:

1 - Limit clothes spending to vintage and bell sleeves. My rationalization is that vintage is rare (especially when I find something I love in my size) and I might regret it if I let something special get away from me. Bell sleeves are my all-time favorite fashion trend (I even run a blog that's specifically dedicated to sleeves. I have a problem.) and I used to have such a hard time finding them. Now that they're in style again I want to snatch them up while I have a chance. So those are two spending categories that I'm allowing myself to feel guilt-free about, while I attempt to save up the rest of my money.

2 - Start running in the morning and eat relatively healthy. I'm trying something new this time around and I'm going to let myself keep eating things like pizza once in a while. I feel like every time I start dieting I go too far, cutting out everything except cucumbers and spinach, and then I just make myself sick. This time I just want to be more conscientious about what goes in my mouth -- lay off mindless snacking, eat when I'm hungry, and make healthy (but still delicious!) choices.

3 - I recently bought this book for my first read of 2017. I haven't even started it yet, but a couple times that I've started getting myself worked up over something stupid I've just said the book title in my head, almost as a mantra or something, and the little panicking troll in my head shut up for a while, lol.

That's about it! I think those should be manageable. It'll be kind of depressing if "read one book, still buy clothes but limit them to two categories, and still eat bad food but try to be ever so slightly better about it" isn't do-able, but I'm definitely going to try...

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! Yesterday my New Year's Eve dress came in the mail just in the knick of time! (talk about perfect/very last minute timing!) This is a vintage beauty from the 1970's, totally bedecked in sparkles, with dolman sleeves and a gorgeous light blue chiffon sash. It's like Elsa from Frozen meets Marlene Dietrich in Vegas. I love it. It is, however, totally unzipped in the back. I told you guys, I ate WAY too many Christmas cookies last month. I ended up having to wear something else when I went out to dinner last night but I wanted to take photos in it anyway :p

dress - vintage | shoes - 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

good things

2013 was the second year in a row that I kept a "good things" jar. (You can see my 2012 post here.) The idea is really simple -- just keep a jar somewhere in your house and whenever something nice happens, write it down with the date and slip it inside. On New Year's Eve, open your jar and you're reminded of all the pleasant things that happened to you that year!

Some of my big highlights from 2013 included adopting Arrietty (actually that was THE highlight of the year. She's amazing!) meeting Steve Carell, going to Disney World twice, meeting Sarah and Polly, getting my apartment and seeing Niagara Falls. I also wrote down a lot of little happy moments like baking cookies with my family last month, decorating my grandmom's christmas tree, when my dad & I surprised my mom with a gag gift of a year's supply of paper towels for her birthday, the first time that both of my cats snuggled up with me and we all fell asleep together, the first time I successfully made a soufflé (and it was delicious!) The little things are the ones I enjoy reading the most because they're usually the ones that slipped my mind. It's pretty hard to forget that you met your favorite actor or that you adopted the sweetest little cat on the planet, you know?

I already started my 2014 jar! If you haven't tried this before I definitely recommend it. I don't know if it really comes across here, but I struggle with being a naturally glass-half-empty sort of person and things like this definitely help me to look on the positive side. At the end of 2012 and 2013 I had jars overflowing with beautiful moments and happy memories. It's really the best way to start a new year with a good attitude and sunny outlook on life :)

ps. I reopened all of my shops yesterday if there's anyone out there who wanted to know that information.

happy new year!

I hope everyone had fun ringing in 2014! I'm more excited about starting fresh & resolutions & such than I think I've ever been before. My mini personal goals for the new year are to go back to school to finish my degree, thrift more of my wardrobe, and to start cooking at home more often (Chinese food & pizza are major weaknesses for me!)

My big huge super resolution is more of a life mission. I've decided that I want to do everything in my power to spread kindness. In my day to day life, online, in my business, at school, everywhere. I want to find new ways to appreciate the kindness I receive and reciprocate it. I want to find ways to intertwine the things I do on my blog with my favorite charities (more on that later this week!) I want to come up with ideas for fostering a higher level of civility on the internet and spreading those ideas as best I can. I want to create artwork that inspires kindness and thoughtfulness. I want to shine a spotlight on sweet souls doing kind deeds and lovely bloggers who brighten the web with their good-hearted warmth.

In this era I think we're surrounded by negativity more than any generation has been before, but the world would be such a happier, more lovely place to live in if we all lived by one simple rule -- be nice to each other. I know it would be impossible for me to actually make any sort of dent in the collective rudeness of our species, but starting this year I'm going to try so hard.

dress, shoes, and hat - vintage

Looking back on 2013

Usually I'm able to look back on a year and conclude if it was a good one or a bad one, but 2013 is a lot harder to define. It was phenomenally wonderful and horribly, horribly bad. I lost Hypatia in February and my business suffered its worst year ever, and both of those things clouded all 12 months for me. But I also adopted Arrietty, got my first apartment, saw Niagara Falls, went to Disney World twice, and met Steve Carell and other cast members at the Office wrap party in Scranton. I finally realized what I want to be when I grow up (an elementary school art teacher) and I started driving again after almost 10 years away from the wheel. 2013 might very well have been the worst year of my life and the best.




Favorite outfits: first outfit of 2013 & everybody pants now
Favorite posts: The slumber party kit & good things that happened in 2012
Moments: I was modcloth's blogger of the moment, and I discovered Yogurtland which started a year-long obsession for me and my dad




Favorite outfits: polkadots and moonbeams & shamrock shake
Favorite post: DIY cat toe shoes
Moments: We celebrated Hubble's 1st anniversary and Chloe's 10th, I said goodbye to Hypatia




Favorite outfits: the happiest place on earth & to distraction
Favorite post: sweet & gentle
Moments: I adopted Arrietty, I read The Hunger Games books and loved them, I celebrated my 3rd blog anniversary




Favorite outfits: lilac ruffles & with a smile and a song
Favorite posts: my disney outfit posts
Moments: my dad turned 60, Jurassic Park 3D came out and I saw it multiple times, I went to Disney World with my mom




Favorite outfits: backwards buttons & daisies
Favorite post: if you like it then you should have put a coat of paint on it
Moments: I went to the Office Wrap party in Scranton, met Steve Carell, and had the best weekend of my entire life, I did my first art show in 2 years, I got my first tattoo




Favorite outfits: posh frock friday & I have no idea
Favorite post: what's old is new again
Moments: I saw Niagara Falls, I met one of my best friends in real life, my bedroom was featured on Teen Vogue, I got a new car and took it on its first road trip




Favorite outfits: fit for a princess & periwinkle and sea foam green
Favorite post: television cozy DIY
Moments: I dressed up like a minion, Mental Floss started carrying my Puns Intended prints in their store, I shared 10 things you might not know about me, Dahlia produced a dress that I designed (inspired by Hypatia!), I finally realized what I want to be when I grow up




Favorite outfits: polkadots and moonbeams & clouds and rainbows
Favorite post: ode to a very sweet cat
Moments: I went 2 straight years with at least 1 sale per day in my etsy shop (that streak has since been broken, but it was lovely while it lasted!), I participated in GISHWHES (the greatest international scavenger hunt the world has ever seen) and had a complete blast




Favorite outfits: paws for thought & summer nights
Favorite posts: the elusive chloe & daisy button restyle
Moments: I dyed my hair purple, ever + mi crush started carrying my Hypatia dress, I went to Disney World again and got to participate in Dapper Day, I celebrated the 20th anniversary of The X-Files pilot, I got to meet up with Polly in New York




Favorite outfits: hearts again & sweatshirt weather
Favorite posts: my hypatia dress outfit posts
Moments: I got my apartment!, I had my first party at my apartment, I dressed up as Princess Unicorn from The Office for Halloween, I went to NYC to attend a lecture with my dad and we had so much fun!




Favorite outfit: trousers and cats & christmasitis
Favorite post: my cat friendly menorah
Moments: I turned one year older, I finally finished my 2014 Flapper Doodle calendar, I officially moved into my apartment (and also bought a bed for my room at home so I can still sleepover!), I passed 9,000 sales in my etsy shop




Favorite outfits: time flies & mirror mirror on the wall
Favorite post: pet name book display & christmas freebie
Moments: I went to The Film Forum's Barbara Stanwyck tribute with Kyle in NYC (we saw The Two Mrs. Carrolls), my Aunt Annie turned 102 (though I sadly missed her party since I was sick), I had my first Christmas with my new apartment & Arrietty. I shared my new private instagram account.



Some things I was absolutely obsessed with in 2013:

TV: Fringe, 30 Rock, The Walking Dead, Ancient Aliens, Supernatural, Derek, Breaking Bad, Terriers. MUSIC: Goldfrapp, Joy Division, New Order, Marianne Faithfull. FOOD: Frozen yogurt, coconut everything, fried green beans, eggs in a basket. BOOKS: The Hunger Games, Where'd You Go Bernadette, Gulp, Is It Just Me? VINTAGE: The perfect pink robe (found it!), bell-sleeved lace blouses, 60s party dresses, scalloped lamp shades, lace bed jackets. RANDOM OBSESSIONS: decorating my apartment, Greg Kinnear, dinosaurs, finding unique white blouses while thrifting, documentaries about the plague, searching "kitsch" on pinterest, salt and pepper shakers, Disney pin collecting.