Friday Favorites (formerly Things We Love) #5

Friday Favorites for February or for any time, but I couldn't not have that alliteration! 

1. What a Dahlia Dress in Blooms: I'm a firm believer that every girl should own at least one Bernie Dexter dress, and this dress exemplifies why!  It features a flattering shape and a beautiful print that are suitable for all body types. 

2. Carousel-Made Woman Pin: Modcloth doesn't carry very many brooches, but oh my gosh they ones they do are absolutely to die for! I love everything kitschy and carnival themed (aside from my phobia of clowns), and this brooch is the perfect classy way to represent that.  It isn't too bright or extravagant, but it is still novel enough to gain others attention. 

3. Fan Flair Tights in White: I'm a huge sucker for polka dots.  Like, if I think it is totally appropriate for everything to have polka dots, and that includes these tights!  That doesn't even mention the beautiful fan design on the top!

4. Funko POP Marvel Bobble Thor Movie 2 Loki Action Figure:  So every girl can love a super hero, but it takes special girl to love a villain, and that girl is me! Not only is Loki an amazingly complex character with a great story...Tom Hiddleston is also a mega-babe. 

5. Doctor the Recipe Shaker Set: EXTERMINATE EXTERMINATE.  Okay, so this combines my OBSESSION with Doctor Who and my love for cooking, what could be better?  I mean, I'd take a little 10th Doctor spoon.  Someone make that happen. 

6. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Barnes & Noble Collectible Editions): "There's no place like home".  I've been a huge Wizard of Oz fan ever since I can remember.  I loved reading about Oz and all of it's inhabitants, and watching the beautiful movie version.  This edition is so lovely with it's emerald city and yellow brick road colour scheme. 

7. Care to Dance? Wedge in Mint: I can't exclaim how much I love Bait Footwear and the amazing shoes they make!  They're retro-inspired, fit perfectly and they're vegan!  I love supporting such an amazing company, but it's easy because their shoes are amazing. 

8. No Hardback Feelings iPhone 5/5S Case in Gatsby: At this point it is not hidden that I am a huge book nerd.  I took countless literature classes in college, and I've read so many books but The Great Gatsby will forever be one of my favorites.  This phone case proudly shows my love for Fitzgerald! 

Guest Junebug Sammi: a quirky, kitschy accessory post

Hi there!  I'm Sammi from The Soubrette Brunette, and I'm tickled pink to be writing today's guest post for Junebugs and Georgia Peaches!  For those who don't know me, I'm a singer and actress with a love of all things retro, girly and kitschy.  My tastes border on costume-y, and I can't say no to a novelty print.  When June asked if I would consider doing a guest post for hers and Amelia's blog, I leapt at the chance; like Jana (who wrote the last guest post), I've long admired June and Amelia's sense of style via Instagram, and I've been so excited to get to know both of them better over the past few months.  Since these sweet ladies already have so much to offer in terms of vintage knowledge and swoon-worthy outfit posts, June suggested that I do something a little different by featuring my collection of quirky accessories, which includes a number of novelty purses, funky necklaces, kooky brooches and quite a few fun hats and hair accessories.  I did forget to include a few items, but here's a look at the majority of my collection, and some ways I've worn pieces in the past.  First up: hats & hair accessories!

My hat collection is one of the more vintage-inspired accessory collections I have.  I'm lucky enough to have a mother who is just as obsessed with fashion as I am, so her pieces make up about half of my collection.  Since she made her living for many years as a singer in numerous theatrical bands, and then subsequently as an actress in several musicals, I thought it was perfectly normal to have an entire closet dedicated to costumes when I was growing up.  Although I've since realized that this experience isn't the norm for most people, I feel very fortunate that I have access to some gorgeous vintage pieces, as well as an engrained love for dramatic, head-turning accessories!  I've added to her collection with hats and hair accessories from Etsy (including finds from friends' shops, like A Wild Tonic and Paulie Antiques), as well as popular contemporary retailers (like ModCloth, ASOS and Forever 21); some are vintage, some are retro reproductions, and others are just goofy and cheap.  I just love to add an additional piece of interest to an outfit, especially since I'm not too skilled with period-appropriate hair!

And here are a few ways I've adorned some headwear in the past:

Next up on my list: quirky jewelry!  I didn't make it my goal to have a collection like this, but I've also never been the kind of girl who is drawn to flashy or expensive jewelry.  I tend to gravitate towards inexpensive, silly pieces; I'll justify spending money on a dress, no problem, but spending more than $15 on a piece of jewelry is a pretty rare occurrence for me (one of the only exceptions was a Betsey Johnson item -- but it was still on sale!).  Thus, my jewelry collection consists of a lot of $2 Forever 21 necklaces and quirky vintage brooches from Etsy.

And finally, probably my favorite category of my accessory collection: extraordinary handbags!  I own a couple of neutral bags that I wear on a regular basis, but like my jewelry, I really dislike spending a significant amount of money on something "ordinary," even if I use said item all the time.  So instead, I have chosen to splurge on a bunch of completely impractical bags that I love, ranging from kawaii to vintage and everything in between:

I love incorporating one or two quirky elements into an outfit (normally worn with a pretty dress as the foundation), and these bags are a great way to do that.  Although I love being influenced by costumes, I don't want to look ridiculous -- just special!  I get a kick out of having one-of-a-kind (or nearly so) pieces, since they're always conversation-starters, and I love being able to wear unique things that can't be found in any mall in America.  I definitely don't have to worry about that with these!

Do you utilize accessories (quirky or not) in your wardrobe on a regular basis?  Would you dare to wear some of these more outlandish pieces, or do you prefer to keep it simple?  :)  Thanks for checking out my quirky accessories collection, and for sticking with me through this photo-heavy post (apologies, but there's no other way to document it)!  I hope to see you around The Soubrette Brunette, and thanks so much again to Modern June Cleaver and Amelia Jetson for letting me take over their delightful blog for the day!  

Have a great Wednesday! 

xox Sammi     

June's Sunday: Nashville Flea Market + Picnic with Friends

This little peach did a little bit of picnic'ing and exploring! First came the exploring! Every third weekend the big Nashville Flea Market at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds takes place!  I've had really good luck over the last couple years finding little trinkets and vintage pieces, so I always go, I also always have my eyes open to adopt new taxidermy pieces for Collin and I's not-so-alive pet collection. (This is going to be a very photo-based post, let me know what you think!)

I actually completely forgot to take cash this time and basically none of the vendors have a way to take cards, so I did a lot of window shopping and people watching.  Which is just as fun to me because some interesting characters come to the flea market!  One day, a few of these envy inducing Pyrex pieces and vintage glasses will come home with me, but not this time! 

So many cowboy boots! They're at almost every booth... I mean it is Nashville!

I didn't stay at the flea market for long because by around, oh I dunno, the 5th person that said I "look like the girl from Criminal Minds" I was ready to go. Amelia knows.... that. phrase. is. my. kryptonite! Luckily, my new friends Kellie and her husband Clay from Bread+Brush Creative invited me over for a picnic and the weather was beautiful, so of course I had to go!  I snapped a few more photos before leaving the flea market though!

I ran to the grocery store, grabbed some watermelon, threw it in a pyrex and headed over to Kellie and Clay's to get my picnic on!  Tennessee's weather is totally unpredictable, so if you get a chance in February to pretend it's summer for a day... you take it!

Some of their other friends came over + some of my other new favorite people showed up, and I got to hang out with them.  Below is Jennifer, my favorite professional baker, and one of the only ladies I've ever met who looks AMAZING in overalls... and all the rest of the time.  She works with Collin in the kitchen at Barista Parlor here in Nashville and makes cookies and macaroons that are something to write home about. Talented lady, this one.

What did you do this weekend? Did you luck into good weather?

Also, what do you think of the mostly photo post?

Amelia's Everyday Make-Up Look

I'd like to preface this post by saying that I am definitely not a make-up artist, cosmetologist or even someone who has worn make-up their entire life.  I grew up in a house where my sister and I were more concerned with playing Donkey Kong and backyard wrestling than lip-gloss and eyeshadow.

I have definitely grown to love make-up, and that's why I wanted to share my quick and easy pin-up inspired make-up.   This is my daily make-up, and I feel like it's appropriate for work (I mean..depending on where you work) and daily life, but it still has a clear retro feel.

This is a look that when practiced takes 10 minutes.  I don't know about y'all, but when I'm getting ready for work the last thing I have time for is putting make-up on.  I mean, I have coffee to drink!

The first thing I do is put on foundation.  I know people do different things in different orders, but I have acne so until that is covered up I am never really happy with my over all appearance. After that I apply a blush and highlighter too my cheeks.  Now comes the fun!  My natural brows have a nice shape so I color them in with Nyx brow powder because it's one of the few powders that actually has an auburn color!  Praise the red-head make-up gods!

Next I apply Urban Decay's Primer Potion in Sin to my lids. This saves me the time of applying a primer and a base colour, because Sin is a gorgeous color.  Next I apply Mugshot (middle color in the photo above) from the Naked 3 Palette to my crease and my outer lash line.  This color is great for my greens eyes and it's not too dark or harsh. After, I apply eyeliner and Benefit They're Real! Mascara.  Since I have horrible vision this is especially testing for me, and every day my winged eyeliner is a little different. ;)

Finally, my favourite part of getting ready is picking my lipstick for the day.  I will be the first to admit that I have a problem..a problem that I buy too much red lipstick! When I go shopping one of the first things I always do is look for a new red lipstick!  Since I am so pale with pink undertones I stick to true reds.  No orange or pink undertones here!  My favorite red lipsticks include Revlon's Matte Really Red, which is becoming more and more difficult to find, Lime Crime's Velvetine in Red Velvet, and Stila's Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in fiery.  Lime Crime's Red Velvet is my all time favourite red, but I'm always on the hunt for something a little cheaper since I use so much red lipstick!


My make-up look is in no way perfect, but to me it is the perfect easy pin-up look.   By pairing a light eye and classic winged eyeliner with a red-lipstick a pin-up look is effortlessly created!

It's pretty clear that red lipstick is my go to make up look.

What is one make up item that you cannot live without?  

Guest Junebug Jana: How to Style Swing Dresses with Tights

For those of you who don't know me, I'm Jana, from Small Town, BIG SMILE! When June & Amelia approached me to do a guest post, I was flattered. I’ve been following these two stylish gals on Instagram for some time now, swooning over their impeccable vintage style.  When they decided to start a blog, I was so excited to get to know them in more than just a ‘photo’ post, as is Instagram.  Thanks to June, I’ve become acquainted, and quickly addicted, to Bernie Dexter dresses.  This is the inspiration of my post today.

My go-to look with all of my Bernie Dexter dresses is either bare-leg, or seam-back pantyhose.  I think this keeps the style of the dress very classic and true-to-vintage styled. Especially with the back-seam.  While on some cold days I’ve actually gone to the extreme of doubling up and wearing two pairs of pantyhose, it’s not always the most practical option (or the most comfortable).

On the colder days, I turn to tights. I begin my winter styling by looking in my tights-drawer (which is actually a vintage storage box for a record player) for some complimentary colour options.  Once I have those selected, I narrow it down by which I think will look best with the colour-scheme.  In this instance, because the dress is so colourful and patterned, I chose to exclude the more colourful options of the red or mustard.  The red may actually go very nicely with a cardigan button overtop of the dress, but that’s for another day.

The dilemma I run into with full-circle skirts is that they can feel visually heavy when paired with dark tights.  A way to balance this is to wear a higher heeled shoe, or to throw a cardigan on the top that matches the tights.  This also gives the outfit a more casual feel.

While black can seem like the logical, neutral option, in this instance, I personally find it gives that ‘heavy’ feel that I mentioned… Also, because there’s no black in the dress, it tends to stand out quite and not really compliment the dress. For this reason, I prefer the brown. It blends better with the dress, and keeps the focus on the dress itself.

I hope this post helps to eliminate lots of trial-and-error of attempting to wear these swing dresses in the winter! I definitely would have found a post like this handy when I first started to wear them, so I’m hoping you will too.

Smiles,

Jana

Shop the look here:

Amelia's Anything But Traditional Valentine's Day

So when I say that my Valentine's Day was anything but traditional I am not exaggerating.  Two days prior to Valentine's day my little Georgia town was hit by another spree of crazy weather!  This time instead of snow we had ice, and with ice came down the trees and the power lines.

Luckily, my house wasn't hit by the massive tree in our front yard, but holy crap that's so scary!

Since my town, my work and my house were all without power my plans to make Michael a card and buy him candy were definitely thrown out the window. However this didn't stop me from dressing up and enjoying a lovely dinner.




For Michael and I this is our third Valentine's Day together, and our last before we are married. Our tradition every year is to go to our favourite tapas restaurant and eat so much food that we end up hating ourselves.  Words cannot describe how delicious Smoked Gouda Nachos are, but you can use your imagination. Michael also bought me a dress I had been eyeing for a while, and I bought him a WWE inspired flash print!  I definitely was not prepared to be without heat and power for a few days so this Valentine's Day was very different than our usual elaborate days.  However, it was almost fitting, because we spent our time together without electronic distractions.





To top off our eventful day the day ended with an EARTHQUAKE.  Seriously, an Earthquake??  Luckily, it did not rain frogs and there were no locusts to be seen.

The only thing traditional about my Valentine's day was my colour palette!  I stuck with traditional pinks and reds and my skirt even had roses!

How did you spend your Valentine's Day?  What is your favourite part of Valentine's Day? 

Wedding Bells: Watchout World, June Starts Dress Shopping! (Dolly Couture + More!)

You got to hear my engagement/proposal story here, but now it's time to start planning! Collin + I are getting married on September 27, 2014 at a little barn in Appling, Georgia (outside our hometown of Augusta, Georgia)!  Because of my interest in fashion and my vast collection of carefully collected dresses, I think it was largely assumed that this would be my favorite part of the wedding preparations. Well, it might surprise you to hear I was literally dreading this part of the wedding planning process.  I've experiencing a lot of stress over it, which is why I'm starting the dress shopping so early.  It's totally ridiculous of me, but every comment along the lines of "I can't wait to see your dress after seeing what you wear every day" makes me feel a little more anxiety about finding the "perfect" dress.

Trying to find a wedding dress to my liking and trying to find a day dress to my liking are like night and day, so different!  The sort of wedding dresses I'm interested in are largely unrepresented in bridal stores + boutiques, so just like my normal wardrobe (95% of which is purchased offline), I've taken to the internet to find the "perfect" dress.  I've learned quickly that shopping for a wedding dress online comes with its fair share of negatives.

Vintage Wedding Dress I purchased off Etsy

My first wedding dress experience was a nightmare come true. After checking that the measurements would equal my own, I bought this lovely vintage dress off Etsy.  I was thinking "it's one of a kind, it's a vintage + fit and flare and it's basically perfect" not to mention it's absolutely lovely, really inexpensive and basically exactly what I'm looking for.  I buy dresses this way A-L-L the time, no problem!

Well the dress arrived and after lacing into my corset, throwing on some heels and a petticoat and putting it on... it looked AWFUL. I didn't like a single thing about it.  My mom told me she thought it was repairable but I was "over" the dress at that point.  I text ranted with Amelia (who is of course my Maid of Honor!) and we took some time to "mourn the loss" of the wedding dress, I mean, I thought I was DONE with this part (I was being a little irrational, but she humored me, and she's planning her wedding simultaneously ladies, that's amazing best friend!).  We bounced some ideas off of each other and  I was back to looking!

Alika Dress by Bettie Page Clothing

After my bad experience, my first reaction was "I'm so over this, I quit!" and I considered ordering a dress off Modcloth like his adorable Alika Dress by Bettie Page Clothing and being done with the "dress thing."  I actually still like this dress better than a lot of the dresses with 4 figure price tags I've looked at.  But giving up is so out of character for me, half the reason I end up with the wardrobe pieces I have is because I LOVE the hunt and finding my wedding dress shouldn't be any different.  If this was "the dress" for me I wouldn't care where it was from or how much it cost, but I know it wasn't the dress, it was a dress, so I moved along and kept on 'lookin.

Bliss Dress by Whirling Turban

Say hello to the Bliss Dress by Whirling Turban!  When I look at their website, my pupils are immediately replaced by hearts. I've had my eye on this dress and another (neither have been totally ruled out) so I requested a loaner dress.  You can't try their dresses without requesting a loaner and having it shipped because they're located in Bali.. you read that right BALI! The company directs you to a personalized client page they set up for you, you answer a bunch of questions and then they tell you you have to pay for + order fabric swatches first (ok, not a big deal, I picked + ordered three, but I've been waiting on them for three weeks...). I would LOVE one of these dresses, but because I'm a little jaded after my bad experience, I don't know if I have it in me to put all my trust in another dress I can't try on. What you y'all think?  I just wish getting a loaner was easier!

San Marino Dress by Dolly Couture

This lovely little lady is wearing the San Marino Dress by Dolly Couture. I'd seen a few of their dresses around, but it wasn't until a reader mentioned that her dress was from there + she'd had an amazing experience that I decided to take a look... I'm so glad I did! First off, all of their dresses are TEA LENGTH (if you don't know this little fact about me... almost everything I own is tea length haha.)  After doing some lurking, I found out they have mini, residential in-home boutiques, five to be specific, well guess what... one of them is in Nashville!  If that's not a sign, I don't know what is!







I spent a few hours a couple Saturday's ago with a lovely lady named Lucy (I went alone, my mom and 2 of bridesmaids including Amelia are in Georgia and the third is studying for the bar exam) and it was an amazing experience.  She had about 10 dresses there and although I disliked several right off the bat, and disliked several more once they were on, I found one I actually really liked (although it was way too long + two sizes too big and had to be clamped!).  We looked at swatches. Talked venues. Talked about everything weddings entail + some more.  I could not more highly recommend this process, it was so personalized and completely pressure-free.  Dolly's dresses are also completely customizable.  You can change the color, the sleeves, the length, the waistline, you can add things and take things away, whichever dress you choose is basically a shell for you to play with.

Here's a little peek into my Dolly Couture experience / what I look like when forced to wake up early

I've spent almost every day for the last couple weeks shooting emails back + forth with their Sales and Marketing Manager, Abby.  In a few exchanged emails a day, Abby has helped me build/customize a dress. I added things, subtracted things and ended up with a dress that I feel 95% sure about.  But, the last couple of days have given me cold feet and I'm having this crisis that it might not be "quite 1950's enough" *insert eye roll here ladies, I probably deserve it*.  This is something I do to myself ALL the time.. WHY?! But. that's the whole reason I wrote this post, because I want advice from you ladies!

Did any of you ladies have pre-dress purchase jitters?

Advice + experiences + all comments welcome!

Things We Love #4

Sorry for the absence of our Things We Love Thursday posts, they are back by request + popular demand and we're trying out a new format out, woot! Put on your captain hat and grab a mason jar of fruit-garnished, pink lemonade *spike it if you like* I'm sensing a (perhaps vague) theme this week!

1. Have a Confetti To Make Thigh Highs: I expressed my love for thigh highs a while back on this 'Things I Love" post.  Corseting makes wearing tights a pain but also, my corsets have garter straps!  Even if you don't corset, you can always grab garter belt (like this one by What Katie Did) and rock thigh highs that way! My opinion is, of course, a little jaded, but I think vintage lingerie adds a little sexy to your outfit, even if you're the only one who knows what's under there.

2.  Carmen-Inspired Fruit Hair Clips: For every five of you that thinks these fruity-licious hair clips are cheesy and horrible, I'm hoping one of you loves them.  Pinup Girl Clothing carried these and a little Fruit Cocktail Hat, but both items went out of stock a while ago. Well, I managed to hunt them down on eBay! Bonus, the adorable lady that sells them is the one that makes them!  I totally encourage you to channel your inner 1950s Tiki + Hawaiian side and grab one, even if it's just to wear with your swimsuit!

3.  Vintage Dancer Dress at Modcloth: My name is June and I have an addiction.. to dresses with matching belts! Usually this only applies to vintage pieces that happen to have the original belt intact... but this dress is an exception because it's REALLY cute.  Is there such a thing as a nautical tea party? Can it be held on a boat? Can we drink tea and eat cucumber sandwiches? Because I'm totally wearing this there!

4.  Only a Pastry Pin: I'm a little teapot... BROOCH! This little  teapot is a relatively inexpensive brooch carried by Modcloth.  I lurk their brooches often as they tend to sell out rather quickly and I was so stoked to find this one!  I tend to buy rather.... loud... accent pieces so this neutral colored bit of adorable is a perfect offset for an outfit that already has enough going on.

5.  Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children: The Graphic Novel: Amelia just finished this book and I'd finished it a while back, so I almost hyperventilated when I saw that they'd come out with a graphic novel version!!!  (Immediate photo texts were sent from Target to Amelia so we could nerd out over it.)  For those of you who've read this book, you know that it's an amazing choice to be made into graphic novel form.  For those of you who haven't read the book... maybe this version will be what convinces you to read the story of a boy named Jacob. A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A band of peculiar children. And a strange collection of very curious photographs.

6.  Pinup Couture Wicker Purse in Pink: I've been eying this bag since the day it was released on Pinup Girl Clothing's website.  Pink usually isn't my go-to color for bags or shoes, and this bag actually comes in other colors (black, red and white) but I love how the pink version contrasts with the little fruit charms, it's like carrying around a little bit of tropical all the time.  Not to mention, my accessories hardly ever match, so why not pink?!

7.  Betty Heels in Coral by BAIT Footwear: BAIT posted these on their Instagram the other day and I fell in love immediately, they might even end up making an appearance at my wedding reception ; )  Peep toes + Bows + Ankle Straps! What more could a girl ask for!? I absolutely love the coral shown above, but they also come in (a very lovely shade of) yellow and black... and they're vegan!

Wedding Bells: Accio Wedding

The last 'Wedding Bells' post that I made featured my Very Potter Proposal.  Since then many of you have expressed your interest in wedding planning, and how I'm incorporating my Harry Potter theme into the wedding.  Also, I know the summoning spell, Accio, doesn't quite work like that, but oh I wish my wedding was here already!

First, I'll sadly admit, that I am queen of procrastination.  Someone make me a crown it's seriously a tragic character trait. That being said, I reached my personal deadline of sending out my wedding reception invitations 8 weeks before the reception.  I say wedding reception, because we are getting married at the court house, and celebrating with a reception.
The second sign that I'm having a Harry Potter wedding is my invitations (the first sign was my Harry Potter engagement pictures).  I can't spoil what my actual invitations look like, but they are Harry Potter themed, and lucky for me, I was able to use the limited edition Harry Potter stamps!  These stamps really made a statement, and it was so fun picking out which stamp to give certain friends! It was difficult to pick which stamp to give Miss June simply because so many of the characters remind me of her!

So, now that my invitations are sent out my main focus is making sure it is well themed, but still super classy. One way I plan on doing that is by incorporating paper flowers with real flowers.  I've been making these paper flowers out of Harry Potter book pages, and it is a super tedious craft!  But I love the look and added touch of having Jo Rowling's words in my bouquet.

Another way that I'm representing my theme is by having a Honeydukes stand!  If you can't get married in Hogsmeade you might as well bring parts of Hogsmeade to you! So having a candy bar/station at a wedding isn't a new idea, but I'm doing a spin on it and having it represent Honeydukes!  Included are Honeydukes bags, colorful candy (including lemon drops), a Honeydukes sign, hand made chocolate frogs and perhaps some wizarding cards with Michael and my faces on them!

Overall, I have had a fun time thinking of subtle ways to incorporate Harry Potter into my decor, my cake/desserts, pictures and even my guest book!  I don't want to spoil any of the major decorations, but in just 8 weeks you can see my Harry Potter wedding come to life!

What would your dream wedding be like? 

June's Little Home: My Dressing Room a/k/a My Suitcase Addiction

Y'all saw my Mid Century Morbid Living Room a while back, so I thought it was time to share a little of my home again.  I have an affinity for older homes and you know what that means: tiny closets!  Until we purchased our current home last October, I built my "closet" on the wall in my bedroom which caused mass pandemonium in the mornings when trying to get ready.  It also reduced my bedroom down to the size of a cubicle.

Buying our home was my chance to expand my territory because Collin + I had a second bedroom!  Collin (shockingly) agreed to let me turn the room into my dressing room/office/sewing room.  He's the one that did all the building (I love my little handyman) and after some trial + error of the entire thing literally RIPPING out of the wall, think BIG holes and the room raining suitcases, we were able to get our makeshift wardrobe to hold all the weight using about six L brackets, a strong pipe, wall anchors, an impact drill and a 2x4 for the shelf.  It's great to finally have somewhere to store my suitcase collection and of course my clothes! I've been collecting suitcases for about 8 years now and now my family picks them up all the time as well, the collection is getting a bit out of hand.

I found this amazing 160th Anniversary Singer for about a quarter of the normal price on Cyber Monday a couple of years ago, so I purchased it. Sadly, I started my first year of law school two weeks later and just never had the time to learn! Instead of hiding it away in the closet, I keep it out as a constant reminder that I need to "get on it" during my (limited) breaks from school. I'm GOING to learn to make the infamous 30 minute circle skirt, so help me God.  This is also blogger central, where I sit at to write all my posts while I stare at my little windowsill cactus garden, which didn't photograph very well, but trust me, it's cute haha.  I also spy: a sign by Kaelah Bee / a Quibbler / a vintage circle skirt pattern.

Of course the main purpose of this room is to serve as a place to keep my clothing.  Let's be honest, if I'm not paying bills / student loans / fulfilling some other financial obligation, I'm probably spending my money on clothing.  I try to do this as practically as possible by only shopping when a promo code is active, hoarding store credits and selling something every time I buy something... of course... certain pieces have warranted exceptions. But,  I attempt to purchase things keeping in mind that I save clothing for years so my wardrobe is made up of things old + new and things that were purchased last week + 7 years ago. But, I buy things in hopes that they'll become permanent pieces of my wardrobe.  Also, I absolutely hate folding things, that's probably because I worked retail for a little too long, but needless to say, I hang everything with the exception of underoos + bras + stockings.

 

I don't wear much jewelry because I have A-L-O-T of allergies, but brooches are some of the little things that make me happy and they don't touch my skin, yay!  Collin's morbidity spills out into the entire house, so this deer skull was made into a jewelry rack.  I've had a few ladies suggest the fabric/picture frame brooch storage idea, but I like to leave mine out and easily accessible, I don't consider it clutter, but convenience haha.  I'm also so grateful + excited to have such talented friends / artists who throw in little bonuses when I order things / sweet readers and IG followers who send me little gifts.  Here's where I got a few of these things: bottom row of confetti lucite brooches by Luxulite / You're the Cat's Pajamas Print by Honey and the Hive / gnome brooch by Jesiiii.

The room isn't done quite yet, I still need to get some art on the walls (if you're an artist and your art fits my decor, let this lady know!) Also, in case you didn't notice, there is a very plain, un-photographed wall awaiting the perfect vanity, but hey, it's a start! One day I won't have to sit in the floor indian-style with my face two inches from the mirror to do my hair + makeup!

What is your closet / work space / inspiring place like?
What have you done to make your house more "you"?