As you may already know, I am particularly fond of vintage clothing. There is something unique and timeless about them that I find endearing. This dress in its natural state has large, puffy sleeves. I always meant to alter it myself but I never did get around to it. A simple fix was just to roll it up a bit so as to seem like my shoulders were being gobbled up by all that fabric. I think it looks rather nice this way. The only problem is that the dress doesn't stay buttoned! I had already left the house when I realized this misfortune. Luckily for me, no one else was around to see. And the bobby pins I found in my backpack saved the day!

 I feel as though I'm being bombarded left and right with talk of the approaching fall season. I'm beginning to see pumpkins everywhere in all their bumpy imperfections and varying shades of orange. Is it any wonder that I jumped on the computer and googled pumpkin recipes? Instead of rejoicing, I raised my fist at the oven because it was much too hot to turn on. It already felt like an oven inside the house. And then, I stumbled upon this pumpkin pie yogurt parfait recipe and all was good again. I tweaked it to my liking by putting just one layer of yogurt and pumpkin in a one-cup mug. I sprinkled (a lot) of pumpkin spice and drizzled some honey all over it. Admittedly, pumpkin is one of my favorite things to eat so I've been eating this parfait for the past few days!

The title of this post came upon me while I was thinking of Milan Kundera's The Unbearable Lightness of Being, which I've been reading for the past few weeks. I'll admit this is not a fast, easy read for me. I am glad that I am now able to understand the philosophical ideas Kundera takes into consideration. If I read this book five years ago, I probably would have put it down right away. Anyway, there is something about the color of lilac, or even lavender, that attracts me so. Was it a fortuitous event that when I happened to glance upon the color for the first time, I was inundated by a great love for this soft, delicate hue and knew instantaneously that this was the one - the favorite? I like to think so.

I tend to avoid shift dresses because my large bum usually turns it into something else - a loose, ill-fitting bodycon dress, if you will. But once in a blue moon, a darling dress like this comes along, waiting for me to snatch it up. I found it in the sale section of Forever 21. No more than $10, if I remember correctly. It's an old dress but it's held up well over the years. I was drawn to the floral crochet lace overlay pattern that allowed a bit of the soft blue lining to show through. I can only ever see myself wearing it in the summer time, but we'll see. I thought I'd mix it up with this mustard polka dot print blouse. It's another one of my purchases from Japan. The boutiques there sell the cutest things. If I had room in my luggage, I would have come home with so much more.

Now that I'm older (and wiser), I am able to discern the quality of product. I learned a lot about the quality of fabrics and the construction of clothes when I was working in the Fashion District. I wish I had that knowledge when I was younger. I would have carefully examined the fabric and stitching before buying. If it met my standards and the price was reasonable, I would allow myself to buy it. Of course, this also applies when I go thrift shopping. These days, I've developed such a critical eye that it makes shopping almost impossible. What have I done...!

 "Not keep a journal! ...How are your various dresses to be remembered, and the particular state of your complexion, and curl of your hair to be described in all their diversities?"

-Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey (1817)

 Yes, how are they to be remembered? I suppose the modern day equivalent to that quote would be the blogger's photo-stream of collected outfits. Whether or not the clothing is worn for a specific purpose, it is photographed - an instance of a living memory captured forever on camera. And always, a story is written in memorabilia. A snippet of one's life unlocked and shared with eyes other than one's own. There is a vulnerability and strength in that kind of exposure. That is what I think, anyway.

 This dress has been with me for quite a long time now. I bought it off eBay for a fairly good price. At the time, I was not familiar with the brand Free People. I knew only that it was vintage. I was smitten with the blue plaid pattern and the fact that it was a button-up. I eagerly awaited its arrival and when I put it on, it was instant love. It's a fairly simple dress but it has the most amazing cut. Nicely flattering, I must say.

 It was one of those soft baked days when the wrath of the sun was made gentle by the draft of cooling winds. We enjoyed tasty arepas from our favorite Venezuelan restaurant. It has a special place in my heart for how homely and welcoming it is. It is quite a distance from us so it's always a treat whenever we're able to stop by. It's such a beautiful area that we usually like to take a stroll around. We discovered this alley along the way.

 I felt so womanly in this outfit. The dress has a delicate floral print and feminine silhouette. Flutter sleeves and buttons? Oh, my. It couldn't get any better. And as much as I love these vintage sandals, they don't seem to love me. We had done a lot of walking that day and sadly, I came home to a couple blisters. That won't stop me from wearing them, though! I've had them for quite some time. Despite how much they've hurt me over the years, I've grown deeply attached to them.

Oh, lovely day. Beads of sweat collected and quivered at the bridge of my nose. More threatened to roll down the sides of my temples. My hair clung to the back of my neck in the most awful, desperate way. I swore I would not let it defeat me and vowed to be free of this heat. I fled the confines of my home in pursuit of happiness, donned in this light cotton blend dress. It is quite flattering the way it cinches at the waistline. I love the way it blows in the wind, but I have to be careful or everyone will see my undies. And trust me, they're not cute at all.

 I dearly wanted to put my hair up in milkmaid braids but sadly, short hair has its limits. So, I improvised with this braided updo instead. I find these days that I'm more willing to style my hair, which is normally rather unkempt. There was a time in my life when I couldn't be bothered to put a comb through it. It would get tangled again the second I was done. Mind you, I'm still lazy when it comes to these kinds of things. It's an improvement, I suppose.

When I saw this little opening in the mix of flora, I hopped right in. I couldn't resist! I felt a tad guilty as it was part of the landscape of a fairly well-known mission and wondered if I was defiling it in some way. It is open to the public and there were other people there as well. So, my feelings may have been unwonted. Anyhow, evening sun peeking through shaded shadow produces such a enchanting luminescence. I am beginning to favor this kind of lighting. It feels almost nostalgic like a memory treasured and locked away in some capsule, tinted and faded by the eroding of time.

I've had this skirt for a while now. It used to be a midi but I had it altered to a shorter length as it looked rather frumpy on me. I have no regrets. I think it looks much better this way. It's one of those skirts I tend to grab when I'm feeling lazy, but still possess that minimal desire to look slightly put together. I adore the color. A bright rust red fit for any season. It might be questionable in winter though. And the buttons! The buttons! Those are sadly indeed faux pockets - one of the worst things to ever exist.




What I wore:
Top: Boutique in Japan
Skirt: Vintage via Esty
Sandals: New Look

One does not apply wintry wine red lipstick in the summer. Bright reds, strawberry reds and cheerful corals, yes! But those deep burgundies, dark and velvet in their richness, are the forbidden fruit of hot sweltering summers. It may not be season appropriate right now, and many will agree, but I'm not one to constrain myself to the rules of fashion and beauty. I will admit that I find myself reaching for lighter shades more in the spring and summer and darker for fall and winter. I am a creature affected by the seasons and changes in climate, and so adapt my wardrobe and beauty routines accordingly - most of the time, anyway.

When I first laid eyes on this boater hat, woven in crude straw and adorned with a cute simple sash, I put it on only to think, "Oh my, how utterly useless. It doesn't provide any shade at all." And then I proceeded to buy it because why not? It's a rather charming hat and goes with everything. It's especially good for bad hair days. And perhaps at the right angle, it will serve its purpose!


While I definitely do not possess any of that Parisian chic or French girl vibe, though it's in my blood somewhere (I'd have to dig deep), I thought I'd give it a go with the red and stripes in honor of Bastille Day on Tuesday. Better late than never, right?

What I wore:
Dress: H&M (sale)
Flats: Burlington's
Hat: Forever 21