Spring Collections

I know after the last post when I was going on about reveling in winter and not focusing on spring this post is a bit hypocritical. Oopsy! I've had these spring collection photos piling up on my computer for months and I thought it was about time to organize them. I had no idea I'd collected so many! Get ready for a spring mega-post.

First (above) is Orla Kiely. It's no surprise that I love the collection. I always do! Pretty 60s style dresses will always pull my heartstrings. Also loving the combination of navy blue and peachy pink... I think that'll be a big thing for me this spring.



Next is TBA's Edwardian inspired collection. I love all the dusty colored dresses and the pretty collars! I'm seriously coveting this TBA silk paisley dress right now.



Rachel Antonoff's spring collection is full of fun dresses... there's a white Edwardian mini one, a red sailor style one and one with a pretty twisted back. But my favorite is the pastel cropped blouse with the ties at the front. I'd love to wear it with high waisted shorts.



212 is a collection I just discovered via Charlotte Stokes' styling portfolio. I wish I'd known about it sooner because I'm sure it would have been one of my favorites all along. The pieces are all so classic and I'd love to get my hands of all of them. Especially all the high waisted shorts.



Next is TwentySevenNames. Who isn't in love a little bit with this collection? All the dresses look like they'd be perfectly comfortable even on the hottest day of the year.



Here's a little tease of Alexandra Grecco's spring collection. Isn't that buttoned up romper the best? It reminds me of something right off the set of Boardwalk Empire.



Steven Alan always has the best classic all-American looks. These remind me of cool New York girls with their straw hats and comfy shoes.



Last we have the French label Carven. Once again I'm loving the navy blue and peachy pink combo.

Well, there you have it... the mega collection of spring collections! There's surely more to come... I'm still looking forward to seeing what's coming from Dear Creatures, APC, Secret Squirrel, Nadinoo, Family Affairs and more!

Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes...

photos by Tom b.

- dress from Smilin' Gal Vintage
- 60s wool cardigan
- H&M coat
- vintage silk scarf
- vintage wool beret
- vintage purse
- UO boots



We're on our fourth or fifth day in a row of snow and I'm beginning to feel a bit like we're living in a snowglobe. At least today's snow was the pretty kind that only sticks to tree branches and your hair and not the kind that piles up on the streets and sidewalks. I'm trying my hardest to revel in the beauty of the snow covered branches and quiet streets rather than dream of warm days and daffodils poking their heads through the dirt.



I wanted to show you more of this dress... it has really cute deep cut sides and a hem that's longer in back than in front! But, my plans of taking off my coat and double cardigans for pictures were thwarted by the freezing temperatures. It's one of those dresses that will be perfect for spring, so I'm sure you'll be seeing it again!

Thanks so much for all of your comments on my sewing post. I'm super excited that I was able to finish my first project with such great results and I'm already looking through my pile of old patterns to pick my next project... another dress I think!

Etsy Update: Be Still My Heart

I'm not much for celebrating Valentine's Day but that doesn't mean I don't like to wear a pretty red dress! Here's a little sneak peek at the lovely dresses I'm working on adding to the Etsy shop. :)

Matchbook Magazine

Being snowed in, as we are at the moment, leaves lots of free time for things like baking brownies, watching movies and reading magazines. The movies and brownies are taken care of, but I'm in short supply on the magazine front. So it's perfect timing that I've just discovered the newly launched online magazine Matchbook. It's been a looonnng time since I've picked up a magazine and wanted to read each and every page but that's just how I'm feeling about this one.

Some of my favorite pages are interviews the founders of Whit and Marais shoes, a spread of gifts for guys that I would like to keep for myself, a travel section about exploring Peru, a behind the scenes look at Rifle Paper Co. , trivia tidbits about Princess Margaret and a discussion about the classic trench coat. Whether you're snowed in or not, be sure to check it out when you have a moment!

Etsy Update: The Color Purple

Here's a little peek at the dresses I'm working on for today's Etsy shop update. This week's additions are all inspired by Valentine's Day!

January Sewing Project

One of my goals for the new year is to try my hand at sewing. I've sewn a few things here and there over the years but I've never been able to complete a project from scratch that I'm really proud to wear... they've always turned out a bit wonky. So, this year I'm taking on the task of completing on garment from scratch every month with the hopes of adding a few things to my wardrobe I'll want to wear on a regular basis.

Yesterday I finally got around to tackling January's project. I picked a simple 60s dress pattern with a darted bodice and lightly gathered skirt and used an inexpensive printed cotton fabric from a local fabric store. Since it was my first project I didn't want to use vintage fabric or something expensive just in case it all went awry! I was going to take some "during" photos to show you how things went, but this being my first try, I wanted it to be pressure-free. Next time I'll take photos!

As you can see from the photos I actually completed the dress! Most of the sewing was done yesterday under the helpful eye of the best instructor I could have (thanks Mom!). Minimal use of the seam ripper was employed. ;) I couldn't find my zipper foot yesterday so I had to put the zipper in by myself this morning. Truth be told, if I'm going to be 100% happy with the dress I think I'll take the zipper out and try it again. There are a few pesky wonky stitches that I know will bug me if I don't fix them. The dress called for a tie belt, but I wanted to do a button tab belt instead to test my button hole skills. They're not exactly the prettiest button holes I've ever seen, but technically they're holes and a button went through them so... mission accomplished! Now if only it would stop snowing outside so I could actually wear it.

Zap & Co.

Thursday afternoon, after a pho soup lunch, I did a little walking around downtown and stopped into all of my usual spots. Of course no around town walk would be complete without a trip to Zap & Co. There was nothing unusual about the day and the store was brimming to the edges with vintage goodies as it always is. Little did I know that would be the last time I would ever be able to go into that lovely shop. Later that night the store caught fire and everything was lost. Not only was an amazing one-of-a-kind vintage collection lost, but worst of all, the owner was inside when the fire started and was badly burned.

I've had this post sitting in my drafts all day because I wasn't quite sure what to say about it all, but it felt strange not to say anything at all. It's one of those real-life things that makes blogging a bit tough. The loss of the shop has cast quite a shadow over the mood of downtown Lancaster. It was a landmark and a real treasure for the city.

Etsy Update: Dresses in Blue

I've finally added a new batch of pretty dress to the Etsy shop!

Candace Meyer

I'm trying to prepare myself mentally for the task of styling my first photoshoot. I'm used to putting together outfits for myself and standing in front of the camera for Tom, but the thought of styling someone else is, I must admit, more than a bit daunting. So... I've been studying editorials like my life depended on it. I particularly like this one shot by Candace Meyer. You may remember her name as the photographer that shot the Babes in the Woods editorial I posted a week or so ago. Actually there's all sorts of wonderful photography on her site so be sure to check it out when you have a free moment.

Etsy Update: Knits

Here's a look at another batch of goodies I've just added to the Etsy shop!

Cold and Grey

- Kate Moss for Topshop cape
- Fletcher for Lyell shorts
- H&M top
- H&M knit tights
- Jeffrey Campbell boots
- vintage fur muff (that doubles as a purse!)
- vintage wool beret

Thanks again for all of the well wishes over the last week. I'm finally back on my feet and feeling like myself. Yesterday I made it to two different thrift stores and came home with a couple of bags of spring and summer clothes that I'll have to put away for a few weeks until it's time to do a makeover on the shop! I have to admit I'm pretty excited for that. Otherwise, it's so cold and grey I haven't felt like getting out too much... although today I'm heading out to eat pho soup for lunch. Mmmm! Just the thing to cheer me up when I'm chilled to the bone.

Etsy Update: Smilin' Gal Vintage

At long last! I've finally updated the Etsy shop with these lovely pieces from Smilin' Gal Vintage.

Whistles

I love, love, love these vintage inspired frocks from Whistles. Making a mental note to keep an eye out for more printed silk and rayon dresses for spring.

Braids

from a series entitled college fashions, 1941, alfred eisenstaedt

I've been wearing my hair in braids for the past few days as it's been driving me a bit crazy and I'm doing everything possible to keep the scissors out of my hands, lest I end up with bangs again. I was so excited to see these old Life images on Tara Lynn's blog! They've given me all sorts of new ideas for keeping my hair out of my eyes while it grows out.

The world is such a wonderful place...

photos by Tom b.

- 20s silk chiffon blouse
- Fletcher for Lyell shorts
- UO sheer tights
- 30s peep toe pumps
- vintage carpet bag
- vintage wool beret
- listening to: Band of Horses - Cease to Begin "Ode to LRC"



Here is another batch of photos that's a bit of a blast from the past. Tom and I took these just before I got sick last week and just before the weather turned nasty and cold again. I'm looking at myself in these and I feel like I must be freezing but it was one of those not-too-cold days that feels pretty good after weeks on end of below freezing temperatures. You'd better believe if I wore that outside today I'd freeze my head off!



These were taken at Rock Ford plantation one day when we stopped to see the deer that frequently gather in the adjoining apple orchard. Unfortunately it was a bit early in the day to catch them and I'm sure they were still hidden out among the brush trying to keep warm. The funny thing is, I didn't realize until later that the last time I stopped to do the same thing, I was wearing this exact blouse!



After a weekend of mostly resting, I'm finally feeling like myself again and the blog should be caught up to real time after these photos. I've even started planning out this week's Etsy updates. Lots of pretty dresses and cozy sweaters are on their way. I'm actually excited to get back to work!

Wrens and Knobs

In my quest to include a weekly photography feature on the blog, I've been scouring lots of Tumblrs in search of photographers or collections that catch my eye. I discovered Wrens and Knobs and Distortions of the Trunk through Alice's blog and was instantly transported to another world; a world full of sailors and ruffians, foggy shorelines, old world tattoos and wooden ships. The stories I imagine these men could tell!

All American Spring

After a week of being stuck indoors I've got a bit of cabin fever. I can't wait to get back outside for some fresh air and sunshine. Of course, the sunshine is in short supply around these parts right now. And the fresh air freezes your lungs with every breath. So... I think I may have gotten my first little bite from the spring bug. I'm not totally ready yet, but this All American Girl collection from ASOS has me thinking about bare legs and picnics. I'm not usually a fan of white shoes, but a pair of white oxfords may be in my future.

Feeling Better

photos by Tom b.

- Anthropologie silk chiffon dress
- AA tights
- 40s peep toe pumps
- vintage carpet bag
- vintage wool beret



Anyone that lives in or around Lancaster can attest to the fact that these photos were not taken today. As we speak, the city is blanketed with about 5 inches of snow. These were actually snapped a couple of weeks ago when I recreated the outfit I wore for our first Pennsylvania Christmas (we usually drive down to 'Bama for the holidays). When I saw the red barn I knew it would be the perfect place to stop and take photos for some seriously belated Christmas spirit. I didn't get around to posting them right away, then it sort of felt like the moment had passed. Today I'm cashing them in as my "get out of jail free" card since being sick and homebound for the last four days has left me with nothing much to blog about.



Thanks so much for all of your well wishes and the get-better-soon notes that have come my way. I'm feeling much more human today and I'm sure by tomorrow I'll be operating at 100%. Fingers crossed! Today I'm finally getting out of the house and to the post office (which I should have done on Monday!). My sincerest apologies to anyone who bought something from the Etsy shop and hasn't received their package yet! I promise they're going into the mail today.



Speaking of the Etsy shop, none of the pieces I had scheduled to add this week will be added... lots of pretty things from Smilin' Gal Vintage, another batch of coats and capes and more cozy sweaters. Look for them next week when things will get back to normal around here. It's funny, but I'm not yet ready for spring time clothes for myself, but I'm sort of starting to itch for spring time shop updates. I'll try to hold off for a few more weeks!

Photo Favorites

calivintage, mags, thesnailandthecylops, mariehochhaus, heterotopia, alisonscarpulla, aliciabock, calicocourtneybrooke, anjalouiseverdugo

You know those days when you're so sick you can't imagine ever feeling normal again? Yeah, that's me right now. I've been in bed since Sunday night and I'm slowly trying to return to the land of the upright. It'll be nice to feel human again. Until then, please enjoy a collection of photos from my Flickr faves!

So little knowledge known to me...

photos by Tom b.

- Dear Creatures dress
- H&M knit tights
- Jeffrey Campbell boots
- vintage wool beret
- vintage Coach bag
- listening to: The Veils - The Runaway Found "Talk Down the Girl"



I'm not in a terribly wordy mood right now so I think I'll let the photos do most of the talking for this post. Long story short, we had a lovely weekend. A little bit of snow that's already mostly gone, lots of rearranging the furniture in the house as we're still trying to decorate, skipping our usual First Friday outing in favor of dinner at home and a little bit of piling on the couch to watch a Firefly marathon (can you tell I'm a Joss Whedon nerd?). Did you have a nice weekend too?

William Christenberry

William Christenberry on iNCONTEXT.TV from dutch rall on Vimeo.

Many of you expressed interest in the post I did about Southern artist William Christenberry. If you have a few minutes to spare, this is a wonderful video that show his photography as well as his sculptures and drawings. Definitely worth a watch!

Etsy Update: For Your Feet

Things for your feet! Available soon in the Etsy shop. Thanks for stoppin' by!