Vintage Style Sunday: Olive green fall look

similar dress/similar shoes/similar hat/similar tights

It's been a really long time since I blogged. I am going to be honest, I really just wanted to quit. My husband has had two major surgeries for a torn Achilles tendon (with another surgery scheduled for a couple weeks from now). He tore his Achilles about a week after our disaster-riddled move to the Dallas area. That and both of us starting new jobs...it's just been one thing after another lately, but this blog is one of my ways of releasing some of that stress so I decided to jump back in and drag my poor husband out wearing his boot and toting the camera...he's a saint. 

similar dress/similar shoes/similar hat/similar tights

I will be starting a series where I feature vintage items from my wardrobe once a month with inspiration on how to incorporate pieces in a modern wardrobe. I fell in love with this olive green 1940s wool dress last year, I bought it, then remembered I lived in Houston; where there are literally no days in the year where it is comfortable to wear wool clothing. 

Today it was a beautiful fall day in Dallas, with a little chill and some wind. So I took this dress out for a spin for the first time!!! Some details I love are the flared skirt, slightly puffed sleeves, and the cute collar (concealed by my hair...ugh). 

similar dress/similar shoes/similar hat/similar tights 

 I paired it with some black oxford heels, which I believe should be a staple in every closet, they go with almost everything and add a touch of whimsy and class to any outfit. I also paired it with some fun polka dot tights and my vintage 1940s hat which I have featured on the blog before. My awesome sister-in-law got me the cute clock necklace at a maker fair in Oregon, it is pretty unique and this was the closest thing I could find that might be similar to it.

similar dress/similar shoes/similar hat/similar tights

The biggest thing I have learned when purchasing vintage is knowing your measurements and how you fit certain other clothes. I browsed many other olive green vintage dresses before coming across one that had measurements that would fit me comfortably. Some things to keep in mind is that slightly larger items can be easily tailored and/or might end up being more comfortable because they allow for movement, while items too small for you just won't do. Err on the side of slightly too big when you are making that judgment call. Don't purchase anything without knowing its measurements!!!

similar dress/similar shoes/similar hat/similar tights

I hope you all feel inspired to start delving into the world of vintage, it is a great way to add uniqueness to your wardrobe and be ecologically friendly as well. I will be providing more tips and tricks which I have discovered along the way as I continue this series. Do you have any vintage items in your wardrobe? If so, where did you get them? Let me know in the comments and have a great day :)

Covering the basics with Unique Vintage---modest clothing options in a modern world

skirt/blouse/heels/purse/belt/crinoline

I'm back with another addition to my series on places where I find clothing with more coverage. One of my very favorite sites where I continually find beautiful modest clothes is Unique Vintage. I own MANY of their one piece swimsuits which I might feature here at some point, and the heels, skirt, and petticoat I am wearing in this shot are from there as well. 

skirt/blouse/heels/purse/belt/crinoline

Unique Vintage's pieces are a little spendier than what I am accustomed to paying for but they also run sales and deals and honestly, the quality of their pieces can't be beat. If you know anything about me you know I am a sucker for vintage and retro styles so the fact that they sell true vintage clothes and vintage recreated styles has me goo-goo, ga-ga and needing to exercise a lot of restraint so as to not buy everything.

skirt/blouse/heels/purse/belt/crinoline

Now I want to clarify some things about myself and this blog. I have titled this series about "modesty". I find that modesty is subjective and easily misinterpreted. So here are a few things to keep in mind...

1. My version of modesty looks different than it might yours. It might look different even than other women's in my own faith. Modesty to me, means I respect myself, God, and the promises I have made to Him. I dress in a way I would feel comfortable presenting myself to Him. That looks different on different days too, if I am going to church I am going to try and show respect by dressing a little nicer. If I am working out, I am just trying to be comfortable and functional to exercise and keep my body healthy. 

To some I dress in a way that might seem stuffy, old fashioned. I get that and respect it. 

And to others I might dress in a way that is totally scandalous. I get that and respect that too. 

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2. Some people think modest dressing even goes beyond that to not dress in a way that brings any kind of attention to yourself and that style in and of itself cannot be "modest". Some people see it as being completely frugal with the money you spend, and to an extent I try to adhere to that with my wardrobe but it is all relative, and I am sure that to some of those people I am scandalous as well. But they probably wouldn't be reading a fashion blog...

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3. Just because I choose to dress the way that I do does not mean I will judge ANYONE for their own choices to dress in as much or as little clothing as they want to. I also don't think that modesty should be about anyone other than YOU and YOUR choices. Whatever YOU are comfortable with does not have to be explained to anyone else. Everyone is responsible for their own thoughts and actions. The way you or I dress does not give anyone a right to say or do anything to degrade or humiliate us. That says more about the person making the comment or doing something rude than it does about you.

skirt/blouse/heels/purse/belt/crinoline

At the end of the day fashion makes me happy, and finding ways to be creative with it makes me happy. Finding great new places to shop, like Unique Vintage, makes me happy and I just want to share the happiness. 

:)

DIY shibori dyed t-shirt dress---bricolage robe t-shirt teinte shibori

I am getting super antsy for a trip my husband and I have planned for Japan. This Japan fire ignited the DIY I did a few days ago. 

I had this gray shirt dress in my closet that had been chilling there for a while and it was just a little too plain for my liking. I had acquired it at a local thrift store for a few dollars and had been itching for a way to make it my own because I loved the loose, flowy shape and drape (perfect for Houston summers to just throw on). 

I decided to dye it, shibori style, which is essentially Japanese tie-dye. Shibori uses a dark blue dye and knots and wooded boards and sticks to create a resistance pattern (the lighter sections). 

Je m' impatiente pour un voyage au Japon que mon mari et moi avons prévu. Cette impatience m'a inspiré et j'ai fait ce bricolage de shibori il y a quelque jours.

J'avais une robe-chemise grise qui était un peu trop ordinaire à mon goût. Je l'ai trouvé dans un magasin d'occasions et j'ai tout de suite apprécié sa forme détendue et sa souplesse (parfait pour la chaleur éttoufante de Houston en été). 

J'ai décidé de teindre la robe façon shibori, c'est à dire le teint est d'une couleur bleu foncé et l'imprimé est fait en formant des noeuds dans le tissu et en le nouant avec des cordes, des élastiques, et des morceaux de bois. 

you will need---vous aurez besoin de

• an item you would like to dye, dye takes best to natural fabrics like cotton, silk, bamboo, rayon--- un article que vous aimeriez teindre, la teinture tiens mieux aux fibres naturelles comme le coton, la bamboo, le rayon, la soie etc

• permanent fabric dye (I used the whole pack of blue and about 1/3 of the black, the blue I found was too bright for the look I was going for)---teinture de tissu permanente (je me suis servi d'un sachet entier de tienture bleu et 1/3 du sachet de teinture noir pour avoir la couleur bleu foncée que je voulais)

• binding materials (rubber bands, wooden boards, craft sticks, rope, twine, you can get creative with this)---materiaux pour le nouage (élastiques, morceaux de bois, bâtonnets, corde, etc...vous pouvez vous servir de plein de choses pour votre imprimé)

• 1/4 cup salt, 1 gallon of water---1/4 d'une tasse de sel, et 1 gallon d'eau

• a container to stir the dye and your item in, possibly a stirring apparatus (a lot of people are able to use their kitchen sink, mine had dishes in it, lol, so I used a plastic tub)--- un récipient pour mélanger la teinture et l'article que vous allez teindre, il vous faudra aussi quelque chose pour remuer le tout (souvent les gens se servent de leur evier, le mien était remplie de vaisselle sale hihi, donc j'ai du utilisé une cuvette en plastique)

the steps---les étapes

• get your water and salt cooking on the stove---chauffez votre eau et votre sel

• to get the pattern I wanted I decided to make large knots in the corners and edges of the dress---pour faire l'imprimé que je voulais j'ai décidé de faire de gros noeuds dans les coins et les bords de la robe

• I bunched up the middle part of the dress and bound it with some rubber bands, shibori makes use of accordion pleating and wooden boards and sticks too, you can research more patterns online---j'ai retroussé le milieu de la robe et je l'ai noué avec des élastiques, le shibori peut se faire avec des morceaux de bois et d'autres materiaux pour réaliser l'imprimé, ainsi que certain plis spéciaux

• once water is steaming hot (not quite boiling) mix in the dye---une fois que l'eau émet de la vapeur melangez la teinture

• stir in the tied up fabric you are dying, let it soak about 8-10 minutes before flipping the whole item over---trempez l'article que vous allez teindre et laissez le absorbez  la teinture en remuant au moins 8-10 minutes avant de le retourner sur lui même 

• wait another 8-10 minutes while stirring around and making sure the dye reaches all visible parts of the fabric---attendez 8-10 minutes de plus en continuant de remuer 

• at this point I actually took my dress out of the dye, but you can wait longer (about 40 more minutes) and the color will come out deeper and richer, I wanted mine to have a faded look---c'est à ce moment-ci que j'ai sorti la robe, vous pouvez laissez tremper l'article jusqu'à 40 minutes de plus si vous voulez une couleur plus riche et vive, je voulais un look un peu délavé 

• take your item to another sink area or a bathtub/shower area (this gets a little messy and you may want to wear gloves)---transportez l'article à un autre evier ou bien une baignoire ou le sol d'une douche (cette étape peut être salissante, il serait judicieux de porter des gants) 
• rinse and wring your item out with cold water for 10-15 minutes, do not unbind it yet---rincez et essorez l'article encore noué avec de l'eau froide pendant 10-15 minutes
• once very little to no dye is coming out of the item you can unbind it and set it to dry---une fois que très peu de teinture coule du garment vous pouvez le dénouer et le mettre à sécher

Enjoy! Profitez!

If you want to see more DIY tutorials please let me know in the comments section, or if they are not your thing also let me know ;)

Si vous voulez voir plus de tutos bricolages faites-moi savoir dans les commentaires, si ce n'est pas votre truc préféré laissez-moi savoir aussi ;) 

3 surefire steps to get you out of a fashion rut

They say the first step to overcoming a problem is to admit and acknowledge that there is one.

So...I have a confession to make, and that is that I have been in a bit of a styling rut as of late. Maxi skirts and button up shirts, you have been so good to me, but I think it's time we see other people, errr, outfits.

Now if you are in a similar boat you have come to a safe place where you can find out ways to get yourself out of this rut. 

1. find out why you are in the rut

Discovering the "why" behind a phenomenon leads you to solutions. There are usually several factors at play when you find yourself in a rut, I am going to tell you some of the most common ones.

• weather and weather changes it has been humid with a capital H here in Houston, on top of being hotter than Hades with the occasional torrential downpour; since people are creatures of comfort and habit it is hard when you have been dressing for a certain type of weather and it changes or when you are trying to survive extremes in climate.

• health conditions sometimes people lose or gain weight, or are pregnant/post-partum and their bodies change and they struggle to adapt to those changes. Sometimes you get surgery or a condition which requires certain amounts of movement and breath-ability in your outfit or certain types of fabric, sometimes you get a skin condition that requires you to cover up (I had a bad bout of stress-related eczema on my legs and I didn't like showing them, so I wore a lot of maxi skirts). 

• stress when your mind is on other things (whether it be work like me, family or other situations) you tend not to care as much about the things you are wearing and you start reaching for combinations which all kind of look the same or suit an immediate need.

• work dress codes because I have to wear professional dress a lot, most of my outfits gravitate to that end of the spectrum and I miss having a great casual style, so that is something I am working on. I still really like dressing up though, which is why the majority of my featured looks are a little more on the formal side. My husband has the opposite problem where he wants to transition to more "adult" style but his workplace is very casual. 

• limited wardrobe this is not the case for me but I hear a LOT of people talk about this. I think that to an extent this can be a real problem, but I also don't believe you should have to do an expensive and complete overhaul. People do so much with minimalist and capsule wardrobes these days and I find that usually people who complain of this usually have ill-fitting clothes or clothes that don't truly reflect their personality and style.  See my thoughts on this here, here, and here. 

2. creative remedies to the problem

• so the weather is awful or it has changed...if it is very cold, layer or invest in some more insulating fabrics. If it is hot, DON'T layer. Find classic pieces in lighter fabrics and flattering but looser cuts. Find a variety of seasonal items so you are not stuck only wearing linen pants or bermuda shorts in the summer. Try on something different that is in season at your local thrift store so you can visualize yourself in it and try it out without investing a lot of money. There are SO many kinds of clothes out there and sometimes you won't know you love summer dresses until you just try one on that really rocks your world. 

• your body requires a little extra care... there are ways to find different things to flatter a changing body, it just requires patience and a positive outlook. Again, I think the key is to try different things. Right now looser fit tops are in style which tend to be forgiving and can work well for a variety of needs. Just keep in mind if you wear something loose on top you've got to balance it out with something a little more fitted on the bottom. And vice versa, if you wear something tighter on top, it just tends to look more balanced with something less fitted on the bottom. 

• stressed out...remember that you can't function at your best if you don't take care of yourself. Try to set small goals if you are feeling like looking good isn't priority number one, maybe you can set aside one day a week or per month (depending on your circumstances) where you dress up. I promise that when you set this goal and make a special effort and take that extra time you will be able to go about your day with that much more vigor and confidence.

• work dress code...I plan on doing a whole other post about infusing your personal style into a professional wardrobe. This is more for those people who find themselves wearing the same skirt set or slacks and blazer to work every day. Easy and quick ways to add variety to your work clothes is to incorporate different colors, cuts and accessories. There are now many different styles of slacks for women; high-waisted, paper bag waist, tapered leg, wide leg, I could go on and on. There are also a variety of prints and colors out there, not just your classic neutrals. If you are typically a pants person try some dresses and skirts, if you are typically a dresses and skirts kinda gal try some pants. Spice it up! Just trying things on never did hurt anyone, and just remember that most changing room lighting is evil so don't get depressed in there ;) 

• limited wardrobe...as I mentioned prior to this post and in many others, there are ways to be flexible with a small wardrobe and cheap ways to improve on a wardrobe that you feel is lacking or doesn't reflect your personal style. Two good resources for revamping your look can be found here and here. 

3. be gentle with yourself and have FUN with clothes

• try small tweaks on what you already do, I still wore a button-up shirt in this outfit but I wore a different kind of bottom and shoes. I also went for a completely different silhouette and color scheme than I have in the past few months. I wore a necklace which I hadn't done in a very long time; accessories are a small but powerful way to change your "uniform". A necklace, a statement scarf, some earrings or bangles, a hat, a headband, the possibilities are endless.

• take it slow, make sure to pamper yourself in other ways. I am a firm believer in the healing powers of doing your hair and make-up, or taking a day to do something you really enjoy, or painting your nails and listening to some good music. You will feel more inspired when you are taken care of in other ways.

• you don't have to dress up every day, but do plan and organize yourself so that you can set aside a dress-up day where you take the time to consider it and let yourself feel awesome.

• try something super out of your comfort zone just to change things up. For me that would probably be wearing high-waisted wide leg pants. I bought them awhile ago because they looked awesome on a friend of mine but I tend to shy away from them since they are so different from what I usually wear. My challenge to myself will be to find different ways to wear them and just wear them more often. Remember, this is all supposed to be FUN so go out there and have an awesome time trying new things and being brave with your fashion choices.

I want to take a minute to thank you for showing your support by reading this blog post, please share it with your friends if your found it helpful or comment below if you still have questions about this topic. I am interested in hearing from my readers and in engaging with them all on a deeper level.

Merci!

looks inspired by MUSIC ft. The Submarines --- looks inspirée de la MUSIQUE des Submarines

Am I the only one who hears a song and pictures myself in the music video? I sure hope not because that would be embarrassing...

In any case, I bring you a new series where I find inspiration from the music I listen to, I think it's fun because it brings together two of my interests and I know I am not the only one out there who loves music.

One of my favorite all time songs can be found here. It is a remix of The Submarine's song "1940", and listening to it always makes me feel like an awesome retro queen if only in my daydreams. 

My outfit today also made me feel this way. 

I stuck with another one of my signature outfit formulas:

Print in neutral colors+ another different print in the same colors+ pop of color+ neutral accessory

I also try to make sure that the look is cohesive in terms of the era it appears to be from, it's all pretty prim and proper and reminiscent of the 1940s/1950s.

 To complete the look I opted to pin/curl my hair back and add a little winged liner and a bold red lip.

Blouse: $3 on vinted, originally from Forever 21

Skirt: free at a clothing swap in Utah, originally from DownEast Basics

Tights: Gift from a few years back, I think they're Charlotte Russe...

Shoes: $8 on vinted, originally from ModCloth

Suis-je la seule à m'imaginer la vedette d'une vidéo musique quand j'entends une chanson que j'adore? J'espère que non, ça serait gênant...

De toute façon, je vous présente une nouvelle série où je m'inspire de la musique pour créer mes ensembles. J'aime beaucoup la musique et je sais que je ne suis pas la seule donc je suis contente de pouvoir partager un autre de mes intérêts.

Une de mes chansons préférées actuellement c'est un rémix de 1940 des Submarines. Cette chanson me donne l'impression d'être une reine rétro!

Ma tenue m'a donné cette même impression. 

J'ai utilisé une de mes formules pour la création d'une tenue:

couleurs neutres et un motif+ motif différent couleurs semblables+ couleur vive et continu+ accéssoires neutres

J'essaie aussi de faire attention à ce que le style ne soit pas en désaccord. Ici je tire des looks des années 1940s/1950s. Même pour ma coiffure et mon maquillage j'ai fait un éffort, histoire que ça fasse un look complet.

Chemise: $3 de chez vinted, d'origine de Forever 21

Jupe: gratuite, trouvée à un échange de vêtements en Utah

Collants: Cadeau d'il y a un moment, je pense qu'ils viennent de Charlotte Russe

Chaussures: $8 de chez vinted, d'origine de ModCloth

online consign like a pro: the thredup special---devenir pro de l'occasions en ligne: spécial thredup

Hello everyone! I have recently found myself with a little extra time on my hands what with the flooding going on in my town and subsequent road, school, and business closures...so I gladly bring you the first of a special series on online retail and consignment :) 

All items seen in the pictures are from ThredUp. These are not the only items which I own that came from there, just a snapshot. I unfortunately do not have pictures of items I have sold to them. 

One of the topics I get asked about frequently is online consigning: buying and selling clothing which is lightly used (sometimes new!) through apps or websites. This is what would I consider to be one of my hobbies and something I have gotten relatively good at over the years and it is something which I thought would be best tackled in separate posts to truly do justice to all the companies out there.

 I will attempt to list out only important basics and let you decide how to use that information as you play around with these apps and websites and find your groove and form your own opinion. I want to note that though these companies are not paying me currently to write about them, I am not against the idea of partnering with them at a future date.

Today's focus is on ThredUp.

If you are familiar with the classic consignment store business model, ThredUp does this with a 21st century twist.

How it Works (Seller Side): 

• ThredUp sends you a free giant bag in the mail to fill with your gently used clothing, shoes, and accessories (they currently only accept women's, juniors', and children's items...sorry dudes). Keep in mind they prefer certain brands but will really accept anything in good condition that could still be considered "in style". 
• The company assesses the potential value of your items and offers you a price should you accept it (there is an option where they send you back all your stuff if you are unhappy with their offer).
• You get a payout even before your items sell and you are guaranteed a payout which is something that I consider to be a HUGE plus to doing business with ThredUp.
• You also have the option of cashing in your offer for a higher amount of store credit, which leads me to discuss some things I have noticed as a shopper there

The Shopper Pros/Cons

• Pro: a wide selection, this is great if you are looking for anything from basics to that killer pair of aztec print jeggings (as seen above)
• Pro: great ways to filter by size, style, color, etc...basically anything you can think of
• Pro: merchandise is easy to see, all pictures are well lit with a neutral background,and pertinent information about each item is listed as the workers are meticulous when assessing the clothing coming in

• Pro-Con: depending on your tastes and life stage this observation of mine can really be either. When ThredUp had just begun I feel like their selection and styles available reflected more of what I personally like (funky, eclectic stuff), as it has grown I have noticed that it now tends to favor a more mature and somewhat preppy style. That is not to say you can't find some awesome boho/edgy/funky stuff, you just have to have patience and know what you're looking for.
• Pro-Con: you do have to pay for shipping if your order is under a certain monetary amount. However, the shipping is not unreasonable at all, and for the minimum amount (last I ordered it was $75 to get free shipping, in the past it was $50, I think it might also depend on what deals they are running) you can get quite a haul of good stuff, think, several outfits.

• Con: a wide selection. I know this is also listed in the Pro section, and bear with me, sometimes you just want to narrow stuff down and it becomes impossible when you are looking through heaping mounds of clothes. Some people get overwhelmed by the hunt, I live for the thrill of it...just know that there is a TON of stuff to sift through on here. 
• Con: I have noticed lately that sometimes the price points are not as desirable as I feel they should be for consigned clothes. A lot of the stuff on here is designer and therefore retains its value. This I feel is also subjective based on personal circumstances, but the prices have gone up over time as a general rule with ThredUp. 

Final Thoughts and Recommendations

• I highly recommend sending in items when you know you have a lot to send in and you are just overall cleaning out and you don't mind not receiving a huge payout for it. The positive here vs other websites where you put up a classified for each item is that you are guaranteed a payout and it is immediate.
• I recommend subscribing to their emails so you stay informed on the deals they are running
• When shopping look for items that are name brand/quality/designer and look for it in the lower price range areas (they have a "basement" section which is like their clearance, a "last chance" section, and a filter for price range and brand). I usually don't care at all about brand, but keep in mind that if you're paying for something at what I consider a mid-range consignment price plus a shipping fee you may as well make it something that might last a little more than the Forever21 graphic tee (I love them, just saying...). 

Have you ever tried ThredUp? Did you love it? Which online consigner would you like me to feature next?

Mes amis et lecteurs francophones, malheureusement le site web dont je parle dans cet article n' existe pas encore en dehors des États-Unis. Profitez-donc des photos et renseignez vous auprès des directeurs de l'entreprise pour savoir s'ils veulent aggrandir leur business et l'amener au Canada ou en France :)