Stop Staring in the Park

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Recently we attended a local concert in the park; one that I knew a plethora of people from my workplace would be attending. Since I had to stay appropriate for an audience of co-workers, yet I didn't want to wear jeans and flip-flops, I decided to try to class this small town up a bit with a Stop Staring dress.

A bit dressy for an outdoor concert, but at least I didn't look just like everyone else. :)  I added a couple of orchids in the hair and some glass pearls from Forever 21 to complete the look.

Now that I think about it, I've always counteracted dress code limitations with a little extra fanciness. I lived in the Midwest for a few years and I dressed in satin and velvet (but not much black) almost every day because being Goth in the Midwest at that time was scary. It's no fun to have nasty things shouted at you by cowboys in grungy old pickup trucks while you're walking down the street all alone. Being asked why you are “so dressed up” is sometimes easier to handle than being asked why you worship the devil and drink the blood of babies. Especially when you are painfully shy. But that was long ago (I would handle it differently now), and I digress...

We went out for drinks with my parents after the concert. It was actually a very lovely evening, but all in all I'd rather avoid these work-heavy events in the future unless they are mandatory. Aside from a couple of co-workers that I actually consider friends, I just prefer to remain anonymous on my “off” time, I guess.

What do you wear when you're headed to an event where you know you'll see co-workers and maybe even your boss's boss's boss's boss?

Magenta Silk and Chiffon Ruffles

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What an amazing response we had to the August One-Day Theme! I see you guys enjoyed Hats & Fascinators more than the July theme of Beads. I want to give you guys the themes you will enjoy the most, so I've decided to try doing a VOTE for the next one. Take a look at the top of the right-hand column and vote on your favorite option for the September theme. Don't like any of the choices? Feel free to leave me a comment at any time (or send an e-mail using the Contact link above) with a new suggestion.

This is the blouse that made me an Arden B fan. I was super lucky to find it in my size AND on sale after seeing it in the window and knowing that I had to have it. It’s silk with just a touch of spandex for stretch, with chiffon ruffle panels down the front and chiffon cap sleeves. Best of all, it’s magenta. Not just pink, or even bright pink, but full-on mind-blowing magenta.

I recently made the magenta hair flowers from some leftovers I had in my craft room. I didn’t realize how perfectly they matched this top until today.

There are so many skirts that would go lovely with this blouse, but I chose a simple pencil skirt from Target. I don’t wear the blouse often, as I am always afraid I will damage it, but eventually I will get brave and try this with different bottoms!

PS:  To my friend BettyZade: There is a lot of Fashion Tape holding this blouse together.  ;-D You are not alone!!

August One-Day Theme: Hats/Fascinators

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This theme idea delighted me greatly, as I have a small collection of vintage hats plus quite a few vintage-inspired hats and fascinators. I couldn’t decide which one to feature for today’s event, so I let Mr. Kitty choose. Turns out this masterpiece from Claire’s, of all places, is his favorite.

I love the dramatic size of the double-layer veil on this hat, but since I don’t have thick, fluffy hair I always feel it looks a bit strange on its own. I’ve found that adding a big bunch of feathers behind the hat (harvested from an inexpensive boa from Michael’s) balances the look out. I was wearing these same feathers the night I met Mr. Kitty, so maybe that’s partly why he likes this combo so much. :)

The choker I am wearing is a creation by the lovely and amazingly talented Hexotica, purchased from her Etsy store. This piece features two satin ribbon rosettes with bejeweled centers, with three beaded strands hanging from the larger rose. I adore this beautiful choker, and can't wait to go shopping for more of her creations.

Many thanks to Rachel for suggesting this month's theme!!

Now it’s your turn! I can’t wait to see the variety hats and fascinators in your wardrobes. Don't forget to check back throughout the day to see what everyone else contributes.



Want to participate in the Monthly Theme? Here's how:

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3. Visit all of the other participants who have entered, and show them you appreciate their theme posts!

Don't Forget - The August 1 Theme Tomorrow!

Just a reminder that the August 1 Hats and Fascinators theme day is tomorrow, August 1, beginning at midnight Pacific Time. I will leave the Linky open for 48 hours to give everyone more time to get their posts linked up. However, remember that the earlier you link up, the more people will see your post! :)

Get the complete details and rules.

Monthly Blog Round-Up for July

Continuing my new monthly Blogger Appreciation posts, here are some of my favorites from July (in no particular order).

• Hexotica has been totally wowing us lately with her newest creations; especially her breathtaking Bridal Tiaras.  If you see Gothy wedding bells in your near future, you absolutely have to have one of these.  If not, how about her equally gorgeous Victorian Spats?
• Check out this incredibly cute DIY project by Gothically Yours: A Moss Terrarium
• Flummoxed shared an excerpt from this article regarding some interesting Myths About Introverts (originally by Carl King).  I am one, and I can attest that these myths are definitely just that, and the truths revealed in the article are pretty much spot-on!  I highly recommend the book that inspired this article: The Introvert Advantage.
• Siouxsie Law shared the Facebook page for The Sophie Lancaster Foundation. I second her sentiments; you simply must check out their page and "like" it to show support for this wonderful organization. She also provides a link for more information if you are not already familiar with Sophie's story and the mission of the foundation. 
• Neverending Playlist of a Psycho composed a very well thought-out article on blog marketing, including some excellent tips on adding value to your comments. 
• Last but not least, Kitty Lovett of Bloggery of a Gothcat has announced her plan to dress in Victorian fashion every day throughout 2012!  While I wouldn't be able to commit to join her in such an undertaking, I am hoping many of you will so I can watch from the sidelines.  I plan to do several Victorian themed posts in tribute to Kitty's dedication through the year.

Purple Lace and Stretchy Pants

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My husband once went to the mall without me (scandalous, isn't it?) and had the nerve to come home with a camera phone photo of this top, which he thought I would like. So of course I marched him right back to the Wet Seal the next day so he could buy it for me. :-D Wet Seal is pretty unpredictable, in that they can have a whole wall of really cute stuff one week and a whole store loaded with ugliness the next.

I wore this outfit for a typical Friday full of errands.  Here you can see a pair of my homemade arm warmers in action, although they are worn strictly for sun protection in this outfit! No warming needed this weekend, that's for sure! The cross is from Shrine Hollywood, and I wore my hair in my new braided chignon style.  I didn't know whether it would work with my glasses, but I really liked the result.

What are you guys doing this weekend?

The First Person Who Says Anything About "Blue Velvet…"

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Here’s hoping no one really remembers that old song. Although I do, which is a bit strange since the song is 10 years older than I am… Anyway, yes I AM wearing a blue velvet blazer. And as much as I love it in person, I have to admit I love it even more in the photos. The way the studio lights accent it so perfectly, and it really pops against the grey background.

I was desperately tempted to pair this with either the tiered mesh maxi skirt from Macy’s or my black Target pencil skirt, but I resisted since those seem to be my major go-to skirts this summer. Trying to keep the variety up, but this fashion blogging thing isn’t as easy as it might seem sometimes!! :) I am pretty happy with the sheer skirt that I chose, and the whole thing doesn’t seem as top-heavy as I expected it to. When I wear a very lightweight skirt, I tend to think that a top made from heavy fabric will seem unbalanced. But the velvet is fairly lightweight, and it does have short sleeves… Any thoughts on that from my awesome readers?