Summer Maxi

People swear that maxi skirts and dresses still keep you cool in hot weather.  I was skeptical (so much fabric!) but, I thought I'd give it a try today:

I paired my black maxi (Target (similar, tall available)) with a black and white striped tee (Old Navy (similar)) and brightly colored sandals (Ella Moss via Piperlime (similar color)).

I also added a braided belt (thrifted) and a vintage squash blossom necklace:

Via Lil' Gypsy Vintage (similar here)

And, I have to admit, wearing a maxi was pretty okay for most of the day.  Right up until I got on my bike to ride home.  Riding a bike in a maxi skirt is never great.  Riding a bike in a maxi skirt in 90+ weather is even less great. But, I will say that the maxi was a great choice for the air conditioned office; my legs often get chilled and they didn't at all today.

So, the final verdict?  Maxi's are pretty great for summer, as long as you're not trying to ride a bike in them:

Happy Wednesday, All!

Gracey

Spots, Dots & Par-rots

I'm wearing spots, dots and par-rots today:

I've often yammered on about how I love animal and green together because something something jungle.  I continued that "jungle theme" with my new (to me) parrot brooch:

So green.  And parrot-y.  (Not parody, parrot-y; if it were a parody of a parrot, it'd be Conan O'Brien in a parrot mask or something).

I found the brooch in my favorite local vintage shop, Lil' Gypsy Vintage, and thought it would be perfect with my animal spotted cardigan (Anne Taylor via Goodwill) and green dotted pants (LOFT).  I also added a vintage Monet bracelet (via Red Fox Vintage) and my cap toe wedges (Bandolino via DSW).

Yay!  Jungle!  Sort of!


Happy Thursday, Everyone!


Gracey

P.S. if you haven't entered my Shabby Apple giveaway, today is the last day to do so; don't forget!

Shop the Look:
Similar green dotted pants (Tall available)
Similar spotted cardigan
Similar cap toe shoes
Similar vintage parrot brooch

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Getting Dressed Can Be Fun

Sometimes I can’t find anything to wear.  Or, perhaps I should say that I can’t find anything that I want to wear.  This has been the case for the past couple weeks.  Sure, I get dressed, but I’ve mostly just been phoning it in with uninspired color combinations and my usual half-assed accessorizing.  When this happens, I try to wear something that helps remind me that getting dressed can be fun.  Today’s outfit is just such a reminder:

This outfit is fun:

 

It’s plaid (men’s vintage golf pants) and houndstooth (vintage via Vintage by the Pound) together.  As they were meant to be.  And it’s layers of bracelets and big, chunky necklaces.  The red necklace is made from vintage African beads & brass (gifted) and the other is a silver & turquoise squash blossom necklace (vintage via Lil’ Gypsy Vintage).

 

They are very heavy together, just in case you were curious.

But, they are also awesome together.  And they are awesome with the houndstooth and the houndstooth is awesome with the plaid.  And it’s basically an outfit made of awesome:

The best part, though, is that it combines two of my current trend obsessions.  Printed suits (yes, I know it’s not a suit, but I feel like we can all pretend it is and still sleep at night) and global/boho chic.  Really, the only thing I’d change is the shoes.  I love these sandals (old Banana Republic “Natalie”) but I think this outfit could take a bolder shoe.  I was afraid a different shoe would be too much, but now I don’t think so.  I’ll definitely try something different next time.

What about you, Reader Friends?  Do you get in style ruts?  What do you do to remind yourself that getting dressed can be fun?

Happy Wednesday, All!

Gracey

Clothes, Clever Title, Descriptive Words

I am exhausted today, folks.  Ex-haus-ted.  For reals.  And therefore, although I wore clothes, I pretty much have nothing to say about them.  But, here they are anyway:

And here are some descriptive words about them: I wore this outfit today; it was warm and bike-friendly.  I chose a gray sweater (Old Navy) and orange tights (Spanx via Nordstrom) to pick up the colors in the skirt (vintage, thrifted).  I like this skirt a lot.  It’s wool and plaid and pleated, so that’s fun.  I also wore a belt (thrifted), riding boots (Born Crown “Sosie” via Nordstrom) and a vintage moss agate necklace (via Lil’ Gypsy Vintage).  This outfit makes sense.

Now, let’s talk about why I’m so tired.  I stayed up late, late, late last night finishing Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.  Have any of you read that book?  What did you think?  I think the premise was great, but even with the unusual plot, it felt a little cliché to me at times.  But, that could just be because I watch too much television.  Or, not enough…  I don’t know.  I don’t feel like I’m articulating my thoughts well enough (I am exhausted after all), but, what it comes down to, I didn’t always believe Amy’s character.  It seemed a little too contrived and manipulative on the part of the author.

Anyway, if you’ve read it, I’d love to hear what you thought.  And if you haven’t read it, I definitely recommend it and then we can discuss.  

Happy Wednesday, All!

Gracey

Bonus Footage: Gracey Goes to the Opera

Last Saturday, I went to see Don Giovanni at the Portland Opera with my best group of girl friends, Alex, Jodi and Erica.  We went to dinner at Gracie's and dessert at The Driftwood Room, both in the Hotel DeLuxe, before the show, and it was delicious.  After we ate, we had to rush across town (I like to linger over my champagne cocktails) to the show, but we made it and saw a fabulously modern rendition of Don Giovanni.  It was my first opera and I'm hooked; I'll definitely be going back.

For my inaugural opera, I wore this:

I found this dress for under $10 at my now-defunct local Salvation Army.  As soon as I saw it, I knew I'd found my opera dress.  I paired my opera dress (vintage, tag says Styled by Linda Jane), with fishnets (Target), a vintage fur (also $10, at a garage sale), Franco Sarto pumps (via Nordstrom) and a vintage clutch and jewelry.

The earrings are vintage, via Ray's Ragtime, the bracelet is vintage, via Red Fox Vintage, I can't remember where the ring is from and the clutch is also vintage, also Salvation Army.

Alex also wore vintage:

She borrowed my vintage pleated dress, vintage clutch (thrifted) and belt (Target).  She is also wearing leopard heels (thrifted), opera-length bejeweled gloves (Lil' Gypsy vintage), her mother's prom fur (so cute!) and her grandmother's vintage jewelry.

This weekend, I'm (sadly) not doing anything so fancy.  I'm heading up to a football game at Portland State, looking for a button for my new vintage coat and going to the Chart House.  Even though I did go to school at PSU, I don't think I'm going to root for them.  Instead I'm going to root for myself to stay warm and dry.  Go Gracey!

Happy Saturday, All!

Gracey

Bare Legs and Booties

It has been unseasonably warm here in Oregon over the past few days, giving me the opportunity to wear things I usually can’t in November.  Like yesterday’s suede boots and today’s bare legs and booties:

Seriously, it’s in the 60s today and, so far, no rain, so I figured it was a good day to go without tights and to wear these animal print booties.  They’re calf-hair, so they’re water resistant, but I worry about getting them muddy.  (Now that I have to walk to work like a plebe, I have to think about things like that).  No worries today though; it really is the perfect weather for wearing the booties (80%20 "Tessa" via Piperlime) and my favorite pleated skirt (thrifted) sans tights.  I paired the booties and the skirt with an open-weave sweater (Old Navy), vintage bracelet and a vintage, moss agate necklace (Lil’ Gypsy).

Happy Tuesday, All!  And Happy Election Day, U.S. Reader Friends!

Gracey

Hip Buttons

I thrifted this blouse last month.  The tags are cut out, but I’m pretty sure it’s from the 80s:

How can I tell?  Well, there were shoulder pads, which I removed, the color scheme is questionable at best, and there are hip buttons.  Ridiculous, gold-accented, non-functional hip buttons.  I seem to have a vague recollection of the 80s being a time when they put buttons on everything (much like the early 2010s being a time when they put birds on everything).

I also think it might be from the 80s because I have no idea how to style it.  I’ve found that a lot of the clothes I’m viscerally drawn to but don’t know what to do with are from the 80s.  Basically, clothing love – styling ideas = 80s.  And today’s blouse definitely fits that equation; I adore it and have no idea what to do with it:

I knew I had to layer the top over something, in this case, a black tank (Target), otherwise we’d have an “oh, hey there, boobs” moment for real.  But, aside from that obvious piece, I had no idea what to do with it.  I thought at first that I needed to go with skinny bottoms to balance the blouson effect of the blouse.  That turned out to be a surprisingly horrible idea, so I did the opposite; instead of skinnies, I decided to go with a wide leg jean (Banana Republic).  I also added platform booties (Nine West via TJ Maxx), a vintage moss agate necklace (Lil’ Gypsy Vintage) and a vintage Monet bracelet (Red Fox Vintage).

And I think it worked.  Of course, I have no idea how I’ll wear it next time around, but I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.

Happy Tuesday, All!

Gracey

That’s the Spirit!

Today is the Everybody, Everywear Back to School Challenge.  Having not been in school for years (don't worry how many, it's not important) I decided to show my school spirit by wearing the colors of my alma mater, Washington State University:

According to our fight song, we're supposed to "win the day for crimson and gray"*:

So I paired a crimson pleated sweater skirt (vintage, thrifted) with a lightweight gray sweatshirt (Old Navy) and tasseled booties (Seychelles “Clue” via 2011 NAS).  I then realized that in my attempt to go “sporty” I looked like an old-timey cheerleader, so I quickly added a turquoise and silver necklace.  Because, let’s be honest, you can’t do cheers in a squash blossom necklace (vintage via Lil’ Gypsy), you’ll knock your teeth out.

In addition to the turquoise necklace, I also wore my new turquoise earrings (vintage via Lil’ Gypsy):

Looking at my outfit, I think it’s unfortunate WSU’s colors don’t include turquoise.  Don’t you think this uniform would look better with a pop of turquoise?

Image via Fresh University

Like the numbering.  Or the helmet.  Oooh, a turquoise helmet would be sooo pretty.

Even though my team doesn’t have pretty helmets, I have spirit, yes, I do.  I have spirit, how ‘bout you?!  You do?  Well, then, make sure you’re linked up over at Everybody, Everywear!

And have a Happy Tuesday, Everyone!

Gracey

*Our fight song also says we're the "best in the West," but that hasn't been true for over a decade.  Sad face.