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

A Day at the Lake

OMG, LOOK:  flats.

Hubby was kind enough to take these pictures for me.
We were at a family party, and I totally forgot to photo-document my outfit until it was dusk!  I tried to brighten the photos uyp a bit when I edited them, but...it only sort-of worked.  Oh well: you still get the gist, right?

Now, this gathering was a shorts-and-t-shirt affair.  But I'm none too keen on shorts: much prefer a (more flattering) skirt.  So I intended to just throw on some cool and comfy cotton clothes for the long drive up to my aunt's cottage, annnnnd then I thought, 'wow, this belt would give me a nice cinched waistline...and I wonder if I could pin this brooch on...and oh, look how cute my oversized faux pearls are! let's just try them on for funzies...' and so on and so on.

And all of a sudden, I was overdressed.  :( 

Now, overdressing used to be a gargantuan faux pas...let's hope that that rule isn't as stringent anymore. 
Actually, rules in general are kinda "out" when it comes to fashion at large, so I'm probably pretty safe.
Thoughts?

Anyway, my family usually gets a kick out of my clothes, so I didn't let them down, at least. 
And the afternoon and evening were lovely: sitting outside by the lake and chatting while sipping my uncle's fabulous brandy Old Fashionds (sweet for me, of course).

Top: thrifted || Skirt: thrifted || Brooch: ? || Pearls: thrifted || Flats: hand-me-down || Bag: Forever21