Daily Dress Up

Photo: Living a Better Life

I went to take Delilah out this morning, fearful that the gusty gale I'd heard rattling the windows all morning would sweep us up and away as easily as it did the dried and brittle maple leaves that darted around helplessly in it's whirlwind of fury. As I creaked opened the back door prepared for the inevitable icy blast to whip through my clothes and burn inside my nose, I was thrown off guard by the moderately cool air that playfully kissed my cheeks. The curls of wind invited me out onto the deck and the ferocious movement of the branches I had previously seen as violence revealed itself instead as cheerful dancing. I must say, I have mixed emotions about this kind of gentle climate still showing up in November. There's no way it could snow in with temperatures like these, and I am so desperate for a white holiday season! On the other hand, the moment it snows I will have to figure out an alternative method of transportation as my itty-bitty convertible Nissan 350Z is slightly more sunshine and speed than blizzards and black ice. Not to mention that it's fairly hard to complain when the weather permits you to step outside in cute outfits without the eskimo factor.

I finally have all my clothes and shoes put away as of today... or so I thought. Several boxes of my winter-wear and nicest shoes have vanished under my mother's watch. She claims to remember boxing them up when my parents cleaned up the house and put it on the market this past summer. A whole slew of things went into storage. This was allegedly where I would find my things. Not so. Thus, the search continues for the boxes that contain my super-luxe black cashmere cowl-neck sweater and my chalky brown suede fold-over cuff booties. I should establish a reward for their recovery! Perhaps that might incite little more urgency into the attention of the search party... Good news though! Though my precious treasure chest of apparel is missing in action, I did stumble upon my grandmother's vintage fur stole in one of the wardrobe boxes marked "Dress-ups." Hah! Dress-ups! Please, this puppy is meant to be worn in the real world. Don't you agree? 

For now though I am making do with the clothes I have and the weather I am given. A basic black bandage skirt (ok maybe not SO basic, the high waist and the ruffled texture add a little extra) paired with a loose and open-knit thin sweater is an easy ensemble that effectively toes the line between dressy chic and casual. I added a pair of sheer black pantyhose and my black American Apparel thigh-high socks to warm up my extra long leggies. My oxford-style booties are from Buffalo Exchange in Austin. They have a small hidden platform underneath the ball of my foot so they're much more comfortable to walk in than they look. The finishing touches to any outfit I put on usually come from a last minute stroll through my mother or sister's room. In this case, I stole my sister's nubby charcoal gray boyfriend blazer and snagged a vintage gold medallion tassel necklace out of my mom's jewelry stand. The chunky pink cocktail ring is my own, however, and hails from my beloved fashion heaven: Forever 21. 

Friends start coming home soon! I cannot wait! I have had way too much parental company and far too few margaritas to cope with it lately. Someone come rescue me! 

-S.

Click below for more snapshots...

My Fair Lady

    

Please pardon the delay in posting... I suppose it does not speak well of my commitment to my baby blog but I assure you it is justified! I have been in New York for less than a week and spent the majority of my time mapping out my academic and professional career plan for the next five years. It has been a struggle lately to establish a clear path for myself. Taking this break in New York has allowed my thoughts to sort themselves out and I have officially created a plan!  I'm excited to move forward now, which hasn't been the case in a while. Things are going to get busy in the near future so I hope I manage to keep on top of things. Wish me luck!

During one of the few moments I was able to drag myself away from my to-do list, I went to the Dutchess County Fair in Rhinebeck, New York with my parents. Normally I would be a very cranky camper waking up after an hour of sleep for the hour and a half car ride to the fairgrounds. Lucky for me the weather was absolutely brilliant. I have forgotten what the Northeast is like in the fall. Right around my birthday there is a noticeable shift in temperature, coupled with a pleasant drop in humidity. It's like the air is whispering sweet nothings into your ear every time it breezes by, letting you know that sweaters and apple picking and newly-sharpened pencils are right around the corner. I love county fairs in the autumn. They are the perfect farewell to summer, and the Dutchess County Fair in particular was quite exceptional. We weaved our way through barns of livestock and plants, into a sea of people pausing to watch a thin German man juggle with fire, and continued into row after row of craft booths and vendors. The air was ripe with the warm aroma of fried dough and grilled hotdogs and the growing lights of the carnival rides were brilliant against the fiery sunset backdrop as evening neared.

 

I had the chance to get a little snap happy with my camera while I was there. The content of my photographs is poorly balanced though as I became increasingly fatigued and took fewer and fewer pictures into the evening. Looking back through my photos and my memories a couple days later now, I was inspired by the unusual mix of sweet nature and glitz that exist in the county fair setting. There is something quirky and fresh about playing with demure laces, distressed fabrics and pastel florals added to bold colors, sequins, and graphic prints. It'a almost Lolita-esque: a youthful, feminine tomboy quality, sexed up with a racy, more daring edge. Stick to letting one style or the other dominate the look to avoid appearing overdone and conflicted. The alternate look can complement the main theme through accessories and touches of adornment.