Quite a Dotty Pin-up

Subtitled: 

Hodgepodge Hottie

I had some fun with print-mixing!  AND a retro silhouette with a modern twist!  
I was attempting one of those
that doesn't got together AT ALL, but somehow it just...goes together
kind of looks.  This is something I don't do really often, so I'm quite a novice, but I thought it turned out.  :)  Probably because I stuck with a fundamental element that I know quite well: a retro silhouette.

A little bit tropical, and little bit pin-up, and a LOT a bit crazy, that's me!

Showing that little piece of skin right under your ribs (above your belly button) has been such a hot thing to do this Summer.  This is the first time I've ever accomplished it in a classy way that I actually like (...aaaand it's already September...sigh, I'm a little slow, I guess).  But I put a Fall trend in there, too, to sort of bridge the gap: red lips with plain eyes and very pink cheeks.

detail of the print-mixing

Top: thrifted || Skirt: thrifted || Belt: thrifted || Shoes: Target || Bag: thrifted || Arm Party: thrifted || Scarf: thrifted || Sunnies: Marshall's

Rockabilly-Style BBQ

Dear readers, I apologize for my extended absence! 
My uploading process (meaning: emailing my photos from my phone to my online email account...woo! fancy) has been failing me lately (luckily, my phone is up for upgrade in about a month!  I'm looking around for one with a better camera to hopefully give you better quality photos). 
So forgive me, my friends, and I hope you enjoy this simple little summer ensemble featuring my: 

Cute Little Rockabilly-Style Halter Dress

A friend of mine was all like: "Those are, like, girly Michael Jackson shoes!"  I was flattered.  :)

These photos were snapped at my folks' house just before dinner on Sunday evening.  You can see the smoking grill just behind me...mmm...

I'm communing with my mother's plants; trying to convince them to stay alive!!!  Mama is a serial plant killer [and she doesn't wear jewelry, and she's allergic to perfume...we can never get away with buying her cliche gifts!  thwarted, again].

Looking at these photos, I'm pleased to see that my tan is fading a lot.  :)  I can't seem to help wanting to tan for summertime when my thighs are hangin' out of shorts/bikinis (*shudder*), but I always feel more like myself when I'm paler. 
What about you guys? 
Do you tan even though it's bad for your skin (like I do)?  Do you like how Hollywood stars and models seem to be turning back to "pale is pretty?" 

Dress: thrifted || Brooch: thrifted || Necklace: gifted || Shoes: thrifted || Watch: thrifted || Bag: Aldo

Two Questions to Start Off This Post:

Question 1.) How can you wear jeans and a t-shirt to be comfy and still somehow be fashion-forward?


Question 2.) How awesome is Q'doba?

Now, I betcha I can answer both of those questions...

Answer to Question 1.) Colored denim is the way to go! 
It started to pick up speed this spring, was really coming into its own during summer, and now for fall and winter, colored denim is a MUST.  They're even making it more fancy: coating/lacquering colored denim with different finishes.  I'm excited to try a helping of that trend!  How about you, dear readers?
It always helps to pair fun things with your denim to keep the fashion vibes going, too: I took an oversized tee and did a bit of fixing to it (you'll see a better photo below), and then threw on nerd glasses and an arm party (one of which I am very proud, and I hope the Man Repeller would be, too [she coined the phrase, "arm party," after all]).

Answer to Question 2.) Very.
They serve fabulous, HUGE burritos, give me extra steak on my fabulous, HUGE burrito, and then let me sit on their patio tables and shove chairs around without so much as a word.  Q'doba, I salute you.

You can see the shirt I DIY'd a bit better.  

Here's the story:
 It was super-clearance time at our local Boston Store (well, prettymuch everywhere, actually; everyone is making room for new fall merch), so I went and indulged.  I got these pink Calvin Klein jeans that I've been coveting since the beginning of summer, and I haphazardly threw a size Large t-shirt into the bag (it was on clearance for $3.00), as well.  I get home, and it turns out I love the tee!  It's light as air, and has the cute pocket and V-neck, buuuut it's simply too big.  I wanted to keep the oversize vibe going, though, so I just picked up a pair of scissors, cut a line straight up from the bottom of the shirt until it was about three inches long, and then tied the two sides together to create some fit and added interest. Boom.  :)

Anyway, my denim and my shoes are both Calvin Klein, and both pieces really speak my soul.  Calvin Klein has always been one of my favorites: it was that brand that brought me into the world of fashion and style.

To conclude: here's a quick peek at my latest mani experimentation and then the Rundown:

Thanks, as always, for reading!

An ombre/gradient of pastel pink and mint.

Jeans: Calvin Klein || Shoes: Calvin Klein || Tee: Studio Works || Bag: thrifted Louis Vuitton || Nerd Glasses: Forever 21 || Arm Party: thrifted

Suspendered Animation

Photos by my lil brother (unfortunately taken with my phone: sorry for poor quality)

That's right, ladies and gentlemen: I'm wearing suspenders!  Woo!  And loving it.
Found these beauties at a thrift store for less than a dollar.  And they, plus a belt, turned a pair of styleless, hip-hugging shorts into some trendy, high-waisted shorts.  :)  My brother commented that I looked like a hipster.  I told him: that's OK; I just wear what I like! 

This outfit makes me really happy.

I hope you all, my darling readers, don't get bored with black/red/white...they're my favorite colors to put together: you'll probably see it a lot on my lil blog.  In fact, you probably already have lol...
I like wearing super-contrasting colors because I have super-contrasting hair and skin.  My hair is nearly black and my skin is nearly translucent haha (these photos have been taken at a time when I still have very perceptible tanlines, soooo I'm usually even whiter than they show!).  


What are your favorite colors/combinations to wear?
Or do you think a bit more outside the box than I do?  ;)

You can kinda see my mani: pale pink with b&w stripes on the ring finger.
Love this color coral for lipstick!  It makes even my tiny mouth really POP. 

Shirt: thrifted || Collar: H&M || Tie: DIY || Suspenders: thrifted || Shorts: TJ Maxx || Bracelets: thrifted cuff & wrapped necklace from Forever 21 || Shoes: thrifted || Belt: White House | Black Market || Bag: Forever 21

Goodness, I didn't really realize how many pieces are in this outfit!  haha  It seemed like I just kept writing and writing and writing the Rundown!

Three Casual Looks (subtitled: H&M Belt Spectacular!!!)

First of all, I want to say:

for giving me over 50 followers via G.F.C.!!!

I am so excited!  It seems like I started this blog such a short time ago...just last November.  And I hope that my content and blog with only keep growing bigger and better from here.  

Thank you so much for caring about this little artistic outlet of mine.  :)  You inspire me!

And now I'll give you what you came here for: some fashion! 
And--because I'm so happy--I'm trying something new: giving you three outfits in one post!  Relaxed and casual outfits.

And I didn't even realize until I was captioning these photos that I'm sporting the same belt in all of them!  My beloved H&M belt...it goes with so much and actually fits my waist!  It's long enough to tie in fun knots, too.

I ran to the library and grocery store in this ensemble.

I'm much more of a dress kinda girl.  All the magazines are telling me that pants are the chic thing right now, but I often feel better in a dress.

And dresses don't always have to be "pretty," either (though I do like them that way); pairing my ruffled rainbow-striped dress with cowboy boots and aviators (see below) adds a bit of edge:

Dress: Target || Bag: thrifted || Sunglasses: ? || Belt: H&M || Boots: Forever 21 || Watch: ?

Now here's the same belt again with another dress.
I wear this belt all the time, and the greatest part of it all is that I merely bought it in conjunction with a skirt.  I never knew how much I would use it: I just lucked out that it came with the skirt!  God looks out for me so well.  :)

This was worn to a pool party at my friend's house (on a VERY HOT DAY)..  I adore these shoes!

Shirtdress/Belt: H&M || Scarf: thrifted || Bag: thrifted Louis Vuitton || Watch: ? || Shoes: Calvin Klein from Marshall's || Sunglasses: Marshall's || Earrings: thrifted