What I Wore: The Modern Vintage Edition

You're all a smart bunch of people, I'm sure it hasn't escaped you by now that I love vintage and retro style and even sell my own finds on Etsy. Well, when the Internet first starting being a huge shopping hub (wow, that sentence makes me feel ancient even though this was probably only 10 years ago or so), it opened up a whole new world of vintage possibilities! I spent so much time searching online for the perfect 40s style dresses and rockabilly handbags. It was a sickness. Still is, I guess. However, back in those days, your options for true vintage and vintage reproduction were limited and pricey. I would drool over styles from Stop Staring! hoping that I could one day afford something from their collection. And I still do.

Of course, now the Internet has made it easier than ever to find vintage reproduction styles for any price range. It's really nuts how easy it is and I find a new favorite site every day. The dress below is from a store in the UK called Voodoo Vixen that I just discovered a few months ago!

What I Wore: The Time Travel Edition

I've been obsessed with 70s style all summer. I don't know why or where this love of all things 70s-biker-chic came from, but I'm into it. So into it, in fact, that all I can do is daydream about moving to California and riding on the back of a motorcycle over winding trails. I better re-watch Sons of Anarchy or something.

Anyway, that's where today's outfit inspiration is stemming from. Ever since I started this weird, retro 70s obsession, I've been hunting for a pair of high-waisted, tight, bell bottom jeans. They were surprisingly hard to find. Or maybe not so surprisingly, if you're a sane person, unlike me. But find them I did and my world will never been the same.

What I Wore: White Summer Dress Edition

A few weeks ago I talked about my love of summer whites, especially when you've got that sun-kissed summer glow going on. Something about that summer heat just screams a need for bright whites and bright colors, which was definitely the inspiration for today's outfit.

Interior Design: White Interiors with Lively Details

It's summer, it's sunny, and the plants are coming in. There's nothing more warming for your decor in the summer time than house plants. Do they have to be over-abundant and difficult to care for? Absolutely not. Just like this minimalist home demonstrates with them scattered delicately throughout for a little touch of life.

White Hot Summer Outfit Ideas

Summer fashion trends come and go. Neons, florals, boho — we see it all on a rotating schedule. Even though I'm always in love with new summer trends, there's one that I'm always really excited to jump back into and that's white. It's called a white, hot summer for a reason! There's just something so essentially summer about tan skin, white dresses, and bright details.

Monday Design: Outdoor Dining Decor

It's summer! Well, mostly. I wish it was a little warmer most of the time, but it's still sunny and warm enough to hang out on my brand new back deck. With a brand new deck come brand new fantasies of decorating an outdoor party space! Even though I am a terrible host and mostly just like hanging out alone, doesn't mean I can't dream of a perfect outdoor hang out that people would love to chill in - if I would ever invite people over.

Anyway, in preparation for summer fun, I've pulled some inspiration for outdoor decor.

60s Chic in Warby Parker's Palm Canyon Collection

Like all style conscious girls, I love a good pair of specs. There's nothing worse than not feeling like putting your contacts, but having no other choice. So I make sure I have choices, lots of them. Thanks to the Internet, the perfect pair of frames doesn't have to set you back $600 at the eye doctor. Sites like Warby Parker have made it so easy to have a collection of frames instead of one pair that you have to wear until they break (we be-speckled ladies have all been there). BUT because it's so easy, I'm also constantly shopping new frames and the one set I haven't been able to find is the perfect brown/neutral pair. The time has come, my friends!

What I Wore: The Twiggy Edition

Nothing makes me less happy like an amazing vintage dress that almost fits. I mean, come on fashion gods! Do me a solid? This vintage 60s shift dress is the most adorable thing I've come across in a while and my boobs are just not cooperating. Frustration! 

Thursday Tutorial: The Tiny Flowers Bracelet

I have to be honest with you guys, I have been sitting on this one for a long time. In fact, one of the outtakes from this tutorial is a shot of a severe snowstorm happening outside my window. Yea, that long. So I apologize for being a crafty but lazy blogger. Anyway, since summer is coming I thought it was still a good time to share this tutorial for my tiny flowers bracelet!

Monday Design: Gorgeous Garden Designs

Seriously? Spring is still not here yet? I made the huge mistake of putting all my winter coats into hiding when I was over at my parents' on Easter. And, naturally, the temperature dropped to the 30s the next day. That's what I get for not having the foresight to check the weather. Anyway, enough bitching (although a good bitching is always necessary). Instead, I'll daydream. Thank you.

What I Wore: The Boot Edition

I love boots. Cowboy boots, ankle booties, motorcycle boots, any kind of boot. They are my favorite kind of shoe. Wearing boots again comfortably is what I'm always most excited about when the weather starts to get cooler. However, as much as I wish I could buy a new pair of boots whenever I want, financially it makes more sense for me to hold on to them until I absolutely need a new pair. Well the time has come. All my current boots are worn down at the heel to the point of being dangerous. You know what that means? I get to buy new boots and not feel bad about it it! Which is exactly what happened. 

What I Wore: High Waited Shorts Take 2

Does anyone remember these shorts from this outfit disaster? Well I'm trying it out again and I think I did a much better job this time around. Or at the very least, I was totally comfortable in this one. Even though there is a whole lot of blue going on. I'm going to go ahead and give myself a pat on the back for this one. It's easy, simple, and leggy. Win? 

So the high waisted thing is kind of running it's course. You don't really see as many pants or shorts that are high-waisted. I think a lot of women got scared that they were getting the whole mom-pant thing going when wearing them, but I still love them and you can't make me stop! For my body type, they are perfect because I have stumpy legs and a long torso so sometimes dresses and shirts end up way too short. They are the perfect solution so I don't think I'm willing to give up the high-waisted thing any time soon. Besides, I love the vintage vibe that shorts like this and high waisted capris give any look. I mean, be honest with yourself, can you really put on a high-waisted pencil skirt and not feel like a pin-up girl? 

What I Wore: The Scooter Edition

First thing first: no, this is not my scooter. I really wish it was. How cool would that be? It belongs to my friend and it just happened to make a fun backdrop. Moving on to the outfit. Sleeveless dresses, let's chat about them a bit shall we? I used to hate wearing anything sleeveless like this because I've always been really self-conscious about my arms, so anything that showcased just arm and no shoulder made me feel weirdly exposed and naked. I know, it doesn't actually make any sense, but that was the deal. The older I get the less self-conscious I am about things like that so I've recently re-discovered and embraced the sleeveless dress (like for my Birthday outfit)!  

What I Wore: The Tourist Edition

A couple weeks ago I took a little staycation here in my lovely city of Chicago and it was a blast! Well I guess any kind of vacation usually is, huh? I wish I could still be on vacation, but at least I took a little time to recoup. Anyway, today's outfit post is from a little trip I took with my friend to the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago and I got the chance to feel like a tourist! It's a really fun museum with lots of crazy art that I will never understand and lots of crazy art that just makes me admire the incredibly talented people in this world. It involved a trip downtown and lots of walking so I had to put on my best and most comfortable tourist gear and jaunt around Chicago a bit.

What I Wore: The Summer Lovin' Edition

Hey all, time for another narcissistic post all about me! I guess this whole blog is kind of like that thought isn't it? In all honesty, outfit posts make me feel a little silly, but I just love sharing outfit ideas and especially when I find out about new store of sales so I'm going to keep doing it. Hope you don't mind ;)

Anyway, on to the good stuff: maxi dresses! I think I heard a groan or two from the audience. Okay, so I know they're not as popular as they were a few summers ago, but I can't seem to give them up. It's probably a tall girl thing, but I'm curious to know if you shorter ladies out there love rocking the maxi dresses too. I feel like I'm partial to maxi dresses and maxi skirts because I'm 5'9" so everything that's not a maxi is usually too (and sometimes TOO) short on me. Maxi dresses just make me feel comfortable, covered, and surprisingly very lady-like. There's some sort of classic, elegant feel to maxi dresses and even though I am by no means classic or elegant (or a lady) it's nice to pretend sometimes, knowwhatImsayin?

What I Wore: The Shedd Aquarium Edition

I LOVE the aquarium. Period. Done. Love it. It is my favorite tourist trap in Chicago. I go to Shedd Aquarium every year around my birthday because it's the only time of year I can guilt people into going with me. Although I'm finally starting to realize that I'm not the only aquarium lover in the bunch and I probably don't have to guilt as hard as I have been.

These pictures were taken right along side the aquarium on the long winding path around it. It's days like this that make me love Chicago and never want to leave. But don't you worry, I'll be eating those words as soon as winter rolls around. Also the wind was kickin' that day and my hair looks nuts in absolutely every photo for this outfit, but I figured you could still see the outfit well enough so it shouldn't really matter. Let's face it, you're not here to see me, it's all about clothes! And you get to see a little backdrop of the city and Lake Michigan so that's nice. Oh lake, how I love your ecoli goodness.

Photo Friday: Surf and Sun

Can you believe it's the middle of July and I STILL have not been to the beach. Not even once? I actually live about 5 blocks from the beach too and still nothing. I am a horrible example of a Chicagoan in the summer. Well I have some vacation time coming at the end of the month and I plan on rectifying this situation. I bought a new swim suit and haven't even used it. I'm pissed, and after all that talk about retro swimwear too. So I'm forcing myself to pull out all my cutest beach outfits and get my butt in the sand.

In the meantime, let's gather some sandy summer beach outfit inspiration together shall we? I always tend to lean towards the surfer style California girl beach look, which is why I loved this fashion editorial from this month's Vogue Paris featuring Magdalena Frackowiak. Her tousled hair and big sweaters thrown over tiny shorts and tinier bikinis is how I always imagined I would dress if I lived at the beach. Seems appropriate enough to me.

“Baignade Interdite” : Magdalena Frackowiak : Vogue Paris June/July 2012 : Knoepfel & Indlekoefer

Thursday Tutorials: Easy Summer DIYs

A little disclosure, I work for a little crafting site. I manage the social media for it as well as it's 13 other sister sites. Well working for a crafting site has its ups and its downs. The ups? I sometimes get some craft supplies for review and I've met lots of very cool wonderful people. The downs? I sometimes get some very cool craft supplies for review. Why is this a down you ask? I'll tell you why. It's because between work, the Etsy store (and the other smaller Etsy store), and this blog my time is very limited. And I realized at a meeting yesterday when we were asked what crafts we do at home that I'm less of a crafter and more of a craft supply hoarder. What do I make? Not a whole lot. What can I make? Everything!

So I've made a new mid-year resolution! Clean up my crafty crap! Now I've written some tutorials for this blog before, but I could write them way more often. Now, I'm actually going to try to (key word there is try, remember that).

Luckily, working in the craft industry I've come across a lot of cool tutorials and such. I've rounded some up for you (and me) today to get inspired and motivated! And most of all, to clear some space in my tiny, tiny apartment that is currently being overrun by fabric and yarn.

Easy Summer Tutorials

I've mentioned this before but some of you may not be familiar with my good friends over at CraftFoxes. I've written a couple articles for them and they did a little interview with me a while back, but besides being fun and awesome people, the site has a wonderful collection of tutorials.

What I Wore: The Summer Hats Edition

I already mentioned in yesterday's post that I am a fan of hats, I just don't think I can pull them off. Well, nothing has really changed since yesterday, but I found this hat for $3 at the thrift store and I thought I'd give it a shot. So this is me, giving it a shot. Alright, full disclosure time, I don't hate it. Didn't hate it. BUT wearing a hat is really, really, really annoying. I'm guessing it's one of those things that you have to get used to, like wearing heels or bracelets, but geez.

Anyway, straw hats make me feel very vintage, so most of the items from today's post are either thrifted or gifted. I guess that's the good part of looking like a hipster all the time, you can mix old items in with thrifted items, with new items. Also, I'm in my 20s and broke so buying new clothes all the time sometimes means I can't eat. Oops. The price of fashion I guess. Which is why I'm keeping it cheap! Nothing wrong with that right? Hope you like the look!

Tuesday Trendspotting: Hats, hats, hats!

Hats! Hats! Hats! Summer is the season for some of the cutest hats isn't it? Seems that way at least. Winter always brings about some knit and crochet hats, but nothing like the wide brimmed and structured goodies in the summer time. Or maybe hats just seems easier to wear when below zero degree winds are not blowing them off your head. Anyway, I've never really been a hat girl, just an admirer. I have the hats-look-totally-weird-on-me complex so I've always stayed away from buying them. As of last summer I've been trying to get over my hat-phobia and it's a slow process. In the meantime, I've been an admirer and it's been a great season to be that.

I've collected outfits and inspiration from some of my favorite fashion bloggers around the web to show you what I mean. I recently picked up a little hat from a thrift store in my neighborhood (pics to come in tomorrow's outfit post!) and I'm trying out the whole hat thing. I am not promising amazing things. However, I hope this collection of hat centered outfits inspires you to pick up a few new dome-toppers!

Mandi from Making Nice in the Midwest