Skirting the Issue

 For the past few years, I've been shying away from skirts. With the weight that I've put on in my belly and hips, I felt skirts accentuated it even more. Sure, the waistband usually hit me at my smallest point, but then the fabric just pushed out too much (especially my profile). Dresses didn't do this to me so I stuck with dresses. I sold off many of my skirts and wasn't really buying any for a long time. That is until Anthropologie tempted me too much this Summer with this cute gemstone print and this stamp print. And now the skirt featured here of course! One thing that all 3 of these new skirts have in common that was appealing to me is elasticity in the waist. The gemstone print waist is entirely elastic - the stamp print, and this one, have a flat front but elastic in the back. This really helps with fit as weight fluctuations occur.

I couldn't resist the folksy print on this skirt - animals like foxes, bunnies and birds mirroring each other - it is completely what I love and expect from Anthropologie. The colors are perfect for Fall, although I kept things pretty basic with a black tee and jean jacket. I'll be looking to restyle this by pulling more of those colors soon!



Eva Franco Whimsy Midi Skirt : Anthropologie

Latigo Sandals : Anthropologie (old)

Black Tee : Meijer

Jean Jacket : TJ Maxx

Sunglasses : Target

Then and Now : Otomi

Popping in with another "then and now"..... this time with one of my all time favorite embroidery patterns : OTOMI!!! The collage above are my newer pieces and the collage below is from previous years. These new looks I am showing could not be more simple - really casual tops thrown on with jeans. That's it. These past looks have a little more oomph to them - especially the jacket I made with one of my thrift store panels (also made these pillows - man that was one of those thrift finds you remember forever).

First up is this Nanette Lepore peasant top. Nanette did an entire swimwear line with this embroidery this past Summer and this top was considered a cover up. The Isla Marietas collection was sold at many retailers - I ended up getting my top at Macy's. I am linking to some eBay listings here.

This past Wednesday was our last "hot" day (or at least I think it will be). Ugh, it was too hot for any jewelry and I feel like a sweaty mess here! This Johnny Was tank (eBay) and wide leg jeans (Loft) kept me as cool as could be though.



And........ a few days later there is a chill in the air so it was perfect to bust out this long sleeve henley! The otomi pattern is printed on this top by Relativity, an exclusive brand of the now bankrupt Younkers.

Vintage Tunic

This tunic is one of those rare, vintage Anthropologie pieces that I finally snagged on eBay after years of looking. It's by Floreat and it's bright colors, pattern mixing, embroidery and flowy fabric checks all the boxes for me! It even has pockets! So easy to throw on with jeans and go! Per usual, I'm showing a "new to me" top with all the old standbys!

Floreat Embroidered Patchwork Tunic : vintage Anthro

Mossimo High Rise Jeans : Target

Sandals : Payless

Necklace : Express

September Sapphire

Yesterday was my birthday - I survived the first year of my 40's! My birthstone is Sapphire, so this dress seemed fitting. Since it was a recent purchase, it feels like my gift to myself. I have a really hard time purchasing things at full price but I had to make an exception for this dress. So I thought I would share my thought process in why/when I buy something that is not on sale.

If you've been following me for a while, you know that I love a good deal. I check websites daily to monitor prices (I bookmark items I want or create a wishlist if the site has one). I comparison shop. I wait for sales and use coupon codes. I don't mind shopping secondhand, not only in person but online. When I pay full price for something it might be because I can sense it is going to sell out before hitting sale. It might be that I simply can't find it online to monitor the price. It might be that I want to support a small business or consultant.

So let me tell you the story of this dress. I recently mentioned that I was finally able to visit a few boutiques in Detroit in person that I've been wanting to see for some time - The Peacock Room and Frida. I saw this Johnny Was dress at Frida and fell in love. It was the most gorgeous color and fabric. Even though I usually gravitate toward prints, the multiple eyelet and embroidered details of this dress truly made it a statement piece even though it is a solid color. When I got home, I set about my usual online search. But I could not find this dress anywhere! Johnny Was has it on their site, but only in black. Another boutique I found it at had it in white. And the only site I could find with this color was sold out. So I let it stew for about a month. Then I went back to Frida and bought it.

Of course the peacock feathers did it for me too! I can honestly say that a good dress is my favorite piece of clothing. They are comfortable. They are easy to accessorize. They make you feel like you have your shit together, even if you don't. They are cool in the Summer. They are warm in the Winter with the right layering. I always feel my best in a dress!

This dress doesn't need much - I kept it simple with a brown belt and sandals. As it gets cooler I plan to throw a jean jacket over it and swap the sandals for boots.

Johnny Was Dress : Frida (Detroit)

Belt : Kohl's

Sandals : Payless

Sunglasses : Target