I think that one of the reasons I wore my Secret Squirrel skirt the other day was that I had this collection in mind. This is another one of those Australian winter collections that has Atlanta early spring written all over it, from the pale colors to the silks to the prints that look especially good to me right now. Secret Squirrel is definitely one of my favorite labels (doesn’t hurt that it’s Australian) and it’s been fun to see how the label has grown over the last few years, especially since it’s going in the direction I’m trying to head in. Which is simpler, more sleek. I’m trying to add more color to my wardrobe, so I like all the oranges and purples and reds, which I have to say were not my favorites when I first saw this collection a few months ago. But now . . . I’d wear any of it in a heartbeat. I like it.
Photos by Drew
Dress: Catherine Dress, gift from Alexandra Grecco
Shoes: thrift store
This is the first red dress I’ve owned in, oh, ages. Around five years ago red was my favorite color, and my car was red and so was most of the furniture in my apartment. Then over the years I stopped wearing it, mostly because I was more into neutrals and other quiet colors. Red was for femme fatales and Bette Davis in Jezebel, but not for me.
Then a few weeks ago Alexandra Grecco, one of my favorite designers/bloggers, offered to send me the Catherine dress in red, and it was so gorgeous that it changed my mind on wearing the color. It doesn’t hurt that the dress leans more ingenue than femme fatale—it’s delicate and sweet, but not too sweet. Simple and just right, and I can already tell that I’ll be wearing it to every wedding/fancy event (not that there are many) that pops up this year. Alexandra wanted me to let you guys know that she’s taking pre-orders right now for the Scalloped Mesh Bell Dress, which is one of my all-time favorites from her. She’s doing a small run on them for spring, so if you’re interested be sure to pre-order and get your name on the list.
Drew took these photos last week because it was supposed to rain this weekend (but didn’t), and we went to a little 1870s-era church to take photos of my dress and the building itself. I wish we’d gone this weekend instead because it turned out to be sunny and 70 degrees. Well, Saturday was cloudy so we went to Antiques Row and to a thrift store, where the only thing I bought was a Cabaret soundtrack record (last week I spent too much time one night watching Liza Minelli clips on Youtube, and sometimes I feel like dressing like her). We went to the mall too, but just to look. (still plotting what to buy with my Madewell gift cards from my birthday two months ago–I’m slow).
Last night I was extra boring and stayed in and baked (cinnamon raisin bread) and watched British tv shows on Netflix (I watched something from the ’70s about Wallis Simpson and the Prince of Wales, and the clothes are beautiful but the actress playing Wallis just isn’t good—southern accents where there shouldn’t be any and not really as chic and bitchy as I imagine W.S. to be). And today I ran and tonight we’re making sushi and watching Downton Abbey instead of the super bowl.
PS–I found these shoes in a thrift store last Friday, and they’re ’90s sparkly with thick heels and they’re my favorite thrift store find in a long time, even if they did tear up the backs of my heels from wearing them tightsless.
To Be Adored is definitely one of those labels whose collections I look forward to seeing most each season, and after seeing little hints of their collection scattered around I’m so happy to get a look at more of it. Especially since it’s so bright and cheerful and sunny Friday afternoon good. There are a lot of different looks in this collection, which I like. I like how it goes from quintessential TBA Edwardian children type dresses to simple sun dresses to a dress you’d expect to see in the pages of an old ’70s British Vogue.
Credits: . . . . Clothes: TBA . . . . . Photos: Harley Weir . . . . . . . Stylist: Lyson Marchessault . . . . Photos found via HPR London.
Samantha Pleet’s collection at spring 2012 fashion week was one of the ones I really fell in love with. I’m a big Samantha Pleet fan anyway and usually end up liking all her collections, but this one especially drew me in and made me excited about new seasons and new kinds of clothes. Clothes with lots of cut-outs (probably scary on me, but adorable on the models), subtle prints, and pale desert colors that give simple sundresses and Ruby Keeler-worthy playsuits a really modern feel. And isn’t that jewelry amazing?
Photos by Drew
Necklace: Vial Element Necklace from Natalie Joy
Blouse: Madewell (gift from Jamie)
Skirt: Secret Squirrel (from Silent Sundays)
Sunglasses: Karen Walker
Belt: thrift store
Shoes: Ferragamo, from Kudzu Antiques.
This weekend it was sunny, but not warm, and definitely not as warm as it might look in these pictures. I was too stubborn to bring out the black tights, wanting to wear things that were halfway spring-ish instead. After we took these pictures I threw on a coat and boots to go eat veggie burgers at FarmBurger and then brave the always crazy (but good) farmer’s market. It was sunny and cheerful the whole weekend, though I stayed inside for most of it, baking, reading, Downton Abbey-watching . . . I didn’t get much done, but it’s ok, because this week I’m going to try to catch up on just about everything I’ve been slacking on. Running, email writing, blog/work stuff, and most important but most scary of all: go to the DMV to get a new license. (I finally got my name changed last week, a good three months after I ought to have done it, ugh).
So nothing interesting to write about my weekend at all, but I did like this outfit because I like wearing longer skirts lately and because I’ve worn this blouse Jamie got me lots of times since I got it but not on my blog yet. The shoes are practically flat, and I think I had Hannah of Foxtail and Fern in mind when I bought them, because she finds the best vintage Ferragamos. These may look sensible, but they dig into the back of heels still, which explains why I had to change into less sensible but more comfortable boots when we went to the farmer’s market. And the necklace is one of my new favorites. I’ve loved the jewelry line Natalie Joy ever since Natalie collaborated with Anja on a gorgeous lookbook, so when Natalie offered to send me a necklace I was really excited. This particular necklace is one from the spring line and has a tiny little dandelion seed in it (though if you’re looking for one similar that’s in the shop right now this one is pretty close). Natalie’s stuff is so good and modern, and would go just perfectly with the clothes in my dream wardrobe that I’d like to overthrow my current one for. More grown-up, for sure.
PS, is anyone else as excited as I am about the 4th season of RuPaul’s Drag Race?!
