nepotism and holiday shopping!

My dad has owned a small mail-order music t-shirt company since the late 1970's, and since times are tough right now I thought I'd try to help him out a bit! He had a huge setback this year when his web host suddenly went out of business without notice, so we had to quickly move the whole site over to Shopify and his sales have really stalled out ever since that happened. If anyone on your Christmas list is a music lover (or movie lover -- he has some movie shirts, too!) this is the perfect gift! He has merchandise on hundreds of bands, everyone from The Smiths to The Killers, from Radiohead to The Spice Girls. If you like them, my dad probably sells their shirts. And he's still running his Black Friday sale, so you can get 10% off with code "108" (It's a Lost reference, if you're curious!)

And if you're a giant fan of The Killers like I am, he has a lot of their designs in the shop right here. This is the one pictured above. (Sidenote - thank you to my dad for supplying me with an endless supply of band tees for whatever band/artist I'm currently obsessed with since I was like 5 years old!)

And now it's my mom's turn! ;D My mom runs a little etsy shop called Baubles Bangles and Beans, where she sells handmade earrings. She sells two kinds -- coffee bean earrings, made with real fair trade coffee beans, and "extreme decaf" earrings, which are similar to her coffee bean style, but without the coffee! My mom is so cute, it's ridiculous... I am not exaggerating in the least bit when I say that each time she's made a sale she's positively GIDDY with excitement. She usually has the order packed up and ready to go within like 10 minutes because she's so excited that she made a sale. It's so adorable! And this year she's 4 sales short of hitting her annual goal of 12 sales per year. If you help her reach that goal it will literally MAKE HER YEAR.

So if you have a coffee addict on your Christmas list, this is a pretty cool gift, right?! She offers free shipping on all orders, no coupon necessary (and you know you'll get it for Christmas since she ships it within like 10 seconds of your order, lol)

If you order from either of my parents and mention me or my blog in the notes section, I'll be sure to throw in some goodies from my shop as well, as a huge THANK YOU for supporting my little family of weirdos :)

And last but not least, a shout-out to my brother's burgeoning company, Welsh Knight, where he sells travel pillowcases. I love this idea so, so, so much! I have very sensitive skin so the idea of having my own pillowcase with me when I'm on the go is a dream come true. I used to take one of my own pillowcases from home, but honestly half the time I ended up leaving it at the hotel by accident and that's unacceptable when you've built a very curated collection of vintage-floral linens. Now I take one of my brother's travel pillowcases and I don't have to worry all that much if I accidentally leave it in Disney World ;) This is SUCH a perfect gift for someone you know who loves to travel! You can check out his pillowcases right here. (I can't guarantee he'll let me know if you leave a note saying I sent you, but it's worth a try!)

modcloth sale alert!

Do you remember those Staples commercials that used to play in August/September with parents doing back to school shopping to the tune of "It's the most wonderful time of the year"? My mom always hated those because she said that she missed us too much when we had to go back to school (I have the best mom ever) and of course we hated the commercials too because, well, school!

Anyway, now that I no longer associate September with homework and bullies, it really is "the most wonderful time of the year." That's right, it's time for one of Modcloth's huge 70% off sales. Now that's something worth singing about, right?! :D

If I had the money I'd probably be adding one of each of these dresses to my closet but for now I'm sticking with this one. It reminds me of a vintage dress, with the bow and lace. I used to stock up on the really cheap dresses during these sales, the ones that were marked down to like $15, but now I tend to get one or two that were marked down from a much higher price point, something that I could NEVER afford to buy full price. I think I'm more likely to keep and wear them, rather than just buy them because they're cheap. And this dress was originally $147 so catching it for $43 is pretty exciting!

You can shop the sale here!

twenty four dresses

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Le Bomb Shop asked me to pick my favorite dresses for a promotion and believe it or not, it was hard to narrow it down to just 24! I probably could have filled this up with mint polka dotted frocks alone (seriously!)

I've been a fan of Le Bomb Shop for ages. I bought my first vintage-style dress from them way back when I still had to ask for my parents' permission to place orders on the internet. I love the idea that there are other young girls out there right now, making their first Le Bomb Shop purchase and getting a nice helping of self-confidence, finding their style and feeling like their clothing finally reflects their personality. Sometimes you're ordering more than just a dress :)

how to pack for a disney trip

I'm leaving for Disney World in exactly 9 days (eek!) and I think I've finally been there enough times to have some handle on what I should pack and what I definitely shouldn't. One of the things I love about Disney trips is that I feel like I can dress even more colorful and whimsical than usual. I know, I know...  I don't exactly wear business suits in my daily life, but most of my Disney ensembles push the boundaries of what I'd normally wear at home.

For clothing, I like to opt for simple sleeveless dresses in really fun, colorful prints or comfortable high-waisted shorts with tights underneath. I go a little polka-dot crazy on Disney vacations (blame Minnie Mouse!) and tend to pair most of my brightly colored pieces with pops of black and white. No matter how something looks, though, the key is always comfort. You don't want to be hiking down shorts, pulling up pants or adjusting your neckline when you should be having fun! I usually plan each day's outfit before I go, take mirror selfies at home, and then reference them when I get dressed in the hotel. It makes getting ready in the morning go super fast!

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During my last few trips, I opted to wear a backpack instead of a purse. It usually (depending on the size) can hold way more than a purse -- perfect for packing some backup deodorant (trust me, you want to bring it if you're visiting in the summer), some snacks and a sweater or wrap for chilly indoor attractions or cool Orlando nights. And if you're a pin trader like me, it holds way more pins than a pocketbook does ;)

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Shoes! I can't stress this enough -- make your shoe choice based on comfort, not style. Style-wise, polka dotted sneakers wouldn't be my first pick for any outfit, basically ever. But I'd much rather spend my vacation enjoying myself rather than limping along in blister-covered feet. Ouch! Unfortunately, I speak from experience. In 2011 I brought along cute shoes that weren't broken in yet and I ended up buying an emergency pair of crocs so that my feet wouldn't be howling at me for the rest of the trip.

My tried and true favorites are the saddle shoes from Payless (#1 below.) They're SO comfortable, I can't even. Plus they look slightly more stylish than crocs ;) In general though, I think any shoes that you KNOW are comfy will work. I've worn my favorite asos t-strap flats with hardly any arch support and my feet were fine. As long as you know the shoes can withstand tons of walking, they should be okay.

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In addition to the basics, there are some must-have accessories that I never leave out of my suitcase. If I'm going to be wearing any dresses or skirts, I always pack shorts to wear underneath. Depending on the dress, I'll wear bike shorts or slip shorts (btw, I wear slip shorts basically all the time, even when I'm not in Disney. They prevent wind-triggered flashing and help make unlined dresses look opaque. They're amazing!) This way you can enjoy all the freedom that comes with wearing pants, but you're wearing a dress. Wonderful!

Obviously you also need sunglasses. Extra points if they're pink and heart-shaped ;) But seriously, only bring ones that actually block out the sun. You want to be able to gaze up at Cinderella's Castle without having to squint.

I also always pack some kind of sweater or sweatshirt, even if I'm visiting in the hottest time of year. Some of the restaurants and rides can be really cold, plus after the sun goes down sometimes it can get pretty chilly.

If you have a cell phone, definitely bring a back-up battery. I take a ton of photos and use the Disney World app (it has maps, updated wait times, menus, etc.) so my battery is usually waning by the end of the day.

Last but certainly not least -- Ears!! Of course, you can buy ears at pretty much every store in Disney World, but if you plan ahead you can get some really cute ones from House of Mouse on etsy. They have themed ones for tons of rides and movies, plus these super pretty daisy ones that I have in my own ear collection. I can't wait to wear them with my pink hair next week :D

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I also like to pack a lot of the things I'd normally keep in my purse anyway -- hand sanitizer, lip balm, extra bobby pins, etc. If you're going to be staying in a Disney hotel, try to think of every possible toiletry you might need and bring it. They have some necessities in their gift shops but they can be pretty expensive. No matter how hard I try, I always end up having to buy something on every trip -- a toothbrush, safety pins, nail clippers, etc.

And while the rides and attractions are all incredibly fantastic, I highly recommend packing a book or a sketchpad & pencils. On every trip I try to take a little time to sit down and read or draw, and it's always one of the highlights of my vacation. Last September I sat on a bench in a little secluded area with a perfect view of the castle and read for a couple hours while listening to the enchanting music that Disney pipes through the park. It's a really relaxing, peaceful way to enjoy the magic.

And if you do a horrible job of packing anyway, end up with achy feet, freezing limbs and your sunglasses are doing nothing to shield you from the blinding sun, don't fret, Disney has you covered. Your packing folly comes at a price (and usually a steep-ish one) but the stores are well-stocked with everything you might need if you're in a jam ;)

modcloth sale alert! (it's a good one!)

I get really excited about modcloth sales since a lot of their items can be too pricey unless they're marked down -- but I'm really REALLY excited about this particular one because it's chock-full of super cute items. Sometimes the sale section is stocked with pieces I wouldn't want anyway, but this time it's literally almost 4,000 (!!!) ridiculously cute and pretty things marked down a whopping FIFTY percent. YESSS.

If you're itching to take a look, you can view the sale section here. Everything pictured in my image is on sale (including this dress I wore in my last outfit post!) yay!

I only have eyes for you

Bait Footwear released some of their classic styles in pretty new colors today and I am majorly swooning! I think my favorites are the light pink t-strap shoes and the light blue sandals. Bait has slowly been taking over my shoe collection over the last few years. Every time they release a new color or style I have the hardest time resisting -- the designs are timeless and cute, and the colors are all so fresh and beautiful! I'm getting to a point where I have a Bait shoe for almost every outfit and I wouldn't want it any other way. They're adorable, unique, and (maybe most importantly) comfy!

ps. This isn't a sponsored post, I just really love their shoes A LOT.

stupendously exciting announcement!!

The dress that I designed earlier this year for Dahlia is now available for sale exclusively at Ever + Mi Crush!! It's available in sizes small, medium and large in limited quantities, so if you're interested in snagging one, hurry hurry hurry! ;)

I'm so excited about this!! As I said in my original post about the dress, I had thought the dress was going to be available to purchase and was slightly heartbroken when I found out it wasn't. Then Christen from Ever + Mi Crush swooped in to the rescue and arranged this wonderful exclusive limited run! It's been so much fun working together and I'm so excited about this collaboration!! :D

The dress is a beautiful cream color with a warm grey lining, double layered scalloped collar and sheer bell sleeves. It comes with a matching cream belt with a warm grey buckle and pretty grey buttons on the collar.






As an added bonus, the first 10 orders will all receive a signed print of my original design sketch! The dress was inspired by Hypatia; her warm grey and light cream coloring, her fragile beauty, and her innate sweetness. Ever + Mi Crush named the dress after her, too -- it's called The Hypatia Dress!



This is my inspiration board for the dress. My main concept was creating something that looked like vintage but would actually fit (oh how many times I've shed a tear over a pretty vintage dress on etsy that had a 23" waist) Also since it's a neutral (well, a combination of neutrals - grey and cream) it can be remixed in a bunch of different combinations.

Which leads me to my next fun surprise -- I'm going to have 5 outfit posts next week with 5 different ways to wear the dress. Of course I think it's lovely on its own with a pair of pink flats, but this little number can also be styled in so many different ways! One of my favorite things about it is that it has unique details (like the collar and matching belt) that make it work without any added accessories, but they're subtle enough that you can add on layers and punches of color without it being too much :)





You can check out the dress (and the other pretty goodies Ever + Mi Crush has to offer!) over here! They also have Dear Creatures dresses on sale for only $30. Just saying ;) 

follow the fleet

Yesterday Sammi from The Soubrette Brunette (aka the queen of finding cute clothes!) pinned the most adorable dress on pinterest, and when I clicked through I found Fleet -- a shop with an overwhelming amount of pastel goodness! Look at these! I think the powder blue and lilac ones are my favorites but honestly I want every single dress they sell. I just had to share, these are too pretty not to! :D

modcloth sale alert

I just saw modcloth is having their cabin fever sale today! They have like 2,000+ things marked down 70% off.. I wonder if it's a coincidence that it starts on blue monday (supposedly the most depressing day of the year) I don't know about you but when I'm feeling blue I usually either spend money or eat. Or watch the Office. Or all three at once.

I was pretty good though and only bought one single dress (the plaid one in the bottom left corner) I do love these other pieces I pictured above though! I wish I could justify buying one more coat because the side-button closure and pretty colors on the grey one are just so tempting!

You can take a peek at all the other goodies on sale here! The site was kind of wonky when I was trying to buy my dress but hopefully they've fixed it (or are fixing it) now..

posh frock friday

dress - modcloth

tights - h&m maybe?

shoes - francesca's

pink braid - asos

The modcloth restock notification alert is dangerous... within seconds of finding out this dress was back in stock I'd already purchased it. Isn't the color something else?! It reminds me a lot of these tights (which also inspired me to pair the dress with purple!)

Also yesterday I discovered that I have a cat who plays fetch! Every time I throw this little pink mouse down the hallway, Hubble runs after it, scoops it up in his mouth and brings it back to me. When I got him a bed with dog bones printed on it I joked that he would be my dog cat, but I never would have guessed he actually WOULD be like a dog! haha!

ps. I have a little hair tutorial post coming up later :)

uh-oh spaghetti-o!

Modcloth is having a huge sale again... Is it possible to be a dress junkie? Because I just took some money I had put aside towards paying off my student debt and spent it on new dresses. eeek! But I'm seriously not feeling the least bit guilty because these babies were all ridiculously marked down, and they had all been sitting patiently in my wishlist for months just waiting for the day that modcloth would reduce their price so they could come home to me.

I'm so helpless when it comes to these sales (can you tell?!) but I don't think I've ever regretted indulging myself when they come around. Some of my all-time favorite dresses were snagged during huge modcloth blowout sales, and I know that some of the dresses arriving on my doorstep this week will be future favorites that I'll love for years to come :)

Here are some of the ones I snatched up today (from left to right)

1. Vibrant variety dress - $47.99 $13.99

2. Wish in the wind dress - $109.99 $32.99

3. For the right moment dress - $149.99 $44.99

4. Out to sea foam dress - $64.99 $18.99

5. Seeing bubble dress - $107.99 $31.99

6. Fondue of you dress - $119.99 $35.99

perfect for the occasion

I don't know about you, but probably half of the clothing I own was purchased because it would be perfect for [insert event here.] I'm not talking about one time events like an art show opening or going on vacation, just casual occasions when wearing a certain article of clothing would be pitch perfect. For instance, when I bought this dress I knew I'd be wearing it pretty much every time my family and I went out for ice cream. It just screams "wear me when eating ice cream!!"

Here are some examples of dresses I adore and places I'd love to wear them!

1. star print midi dress ($17) would be absolutely perfect for going to the planetarium! Or add a sweater, tights and boots and it would even be great for laying on the hood of the car doing some star-gazing at home.

2. multi color block dress ($57) just screams "roller skating!" doesn't it?! I'm a pretty crappy roller skater, but I always think it looks like fun :)

1. zest is more dress ($49) reminds me so much of Belle's gown! I already started making a dress to wear to see Beauty & The Beast 3D this weekend but if I wasn't, I'd totally buy this and wear it to the movie!

2. good enough to eat dress ($69) would be ideal for a county or street fair! I have this one and let me tell you, it makes drinking a milkshake or eating a funnel cake 100x more fun!

1. paws and play dress ($59) I love wearing cat themed clothing when I do volunteer work for my local animal shelter. I wore this one to the book-wrapping fundraiser in december :)

2. painted lovely dress ($59) You could go to the art museum and stand in front of a Jackson Pollock painting in this dress and nobody would even know you were there.

1. graceful greenery dress ($129) I would love to wear this to a garden estate like Winterthur! I haven't been there in a few years, but last time I went with my family it was just so pretty and for some reason I remember it smelled heavenly! Not like flowers, just really sweet.

2. seasons to believe dress ($129) This green frock would be so pretty for St. Patrick's Day! When I was little I used to celebrate by dying *everything* with green food coloring. Eggs, milk, rice... I think this dress is much more appetizing ;D

1. blue striped dress ($99) If I went sailing I'd say this would be a fantastic sailing dress.. but since I'm a land lover, I'm going with a trip to the seashore instead ;)

2. pink floral print dress ($55) I have so much fun choosing an easter dress every year, and I definitely have my sights set on this one already, even though it's only January! The colors are just so springy and easter-egg like!

reorganization

dress - handmade

cardigan - forever 21

shoes - target

tights - we love colors

bag - h&m

On Saturday we went to IKEA to get some new things for my bedroom/studio. We only go about once a year and it always feels like a vacation, so I was really excited! I even made some vegetarian meatballs to bring with me so I could dip them in the swedish meatball sauce (although I'm still SO annoyed that they got rid of the old potatoes in favor of mashed.. now it just feels too much like hospital cafeteria food to me.)

I ended up getting a ton of things to help organize my room better, and then spent all night Saturday and all day Sunday assembling furniture. I can't even feel my right hand anymore after using the screwdriver so much, but it turned out amazing! It's much more functional now then it was last week, and my supplies are so well organized that I feel a lot more motivated to work!

I think I've become a bit of an expert on cramming a lot of function into a little space. My room is only 11' x 11' yet I have a queen size bed (on risers so I can use all the under-the-bed space for extra storage) and an 8' long table, along with a closet I converted into an office space. I don't think I've ever really shown photos of my room (except for the little piece in the background of my outfit pictures lol) so I think I'll do a little tour on my blog this week :-)

I might dig up some old photos to show how it's evolved too... I've been in this room since I was 6 years old! It started with a Beauty & The Beast theme, then evolved into a Frank Sinatra shrine, and then it was a dark, dimly lit Moroccan hideaway (or at least I tried to make it look that way). My favorite is definitely its current state, though. A teal and grapefruit bedroom/studio that I share with my fluffy little feline, Hypatia! :D