Secret South

I hadn't planned on posting yet another collection this week but then an email landed in my inbox announcing the new collection from Secret South, formerly known as Secret Squirrel. I have to say I like the new name better. I never thought the name quite fit since it's a bit whimsical and the clothes are anything but. I love this collection, as I have every collection they've done without fail. The prints are wonderful and I think some of these pieces may even have me considering the color orange, something I don't think I've ever worn.

Sessun Fall 2012

Today Tom and I made a road trip to pick up some supplies for a special project he's working on and stopped along the way to stock up at Trader Joe's.  I often think if Lancaster would only get a Trader Joe's my life here would be complete!  I wore a dress and boots and threw on my denim jacket just before we walked out the door.  I think the denim jacket was overkill but somewhere in the back of my mind I was hoping it would be cool enough outside to justify it.  I was wrong!  I keep having to remind myself it's still August and not yet fall.  That's hard to do when everyday there's another new fall collection, like this one from Sessun, to gaze upon and day dream about.

Attic & Barn

I first discovered Attic & Barn last year when Madewell began carrying a few of their pieces but I don't recall including the collection on the blog.  But when this fall collection came out it definitely hit a few right notes for me.  I've been buying more prints lately than ever before and quite a few of these dresses would fit nicely in my closet.  The Madewell site says the great thing about this collection is that you can own a vintage looking piece "without expending an ounce of elbow grease digging around your local thrift stores" but for someone like me, digging around in the thrift store is half (if not more) of the fun. 

Weekend Adventures

photo by Tom b.

- vintage skirt
-  H&M top
-  vintage hat
-  Madewell Zipcode boots
-  Julie Nolan zodiac bracelet
-  Datter eye necklace

Last weekend Tom and I had a few fun adventures.  On Sunday we went to a concert in Philadelphia for a band Tom has worked with over the years.  We stopped on our way into the city and picked up seitan Philly cheesesteaks (so good, by the way) and ate them on a freezing cold tour bus.  Why are buses always so cold?  Then we drove home late at night only to return to Philly the next day for a Phillies game.  Dollar dog night!  I love that the stadium there does vegan hot dogs.  We ate hot dogs and soft pretzels with cheese (which I managed to spill all over my jeans within minutes of sitting down) and rooted the Phillies to a win over the Reds.

Then after the Phillies game we headed north towards Connecticut.  Once there, we stayed in a roadside motel so we could wake early in the morning for a photoshoot in an abandoned opera house.  Tom was going to document the empty spaces of The Sterling Opera House in support of the Valley Community Foundation and invited me to go along.  Over the years the opera house has hosted acts from Harry Houdini to Bing Crosby but has been empty for decades and is now in line for restoration.

I'd planned out a shoot that would be similar to the one we did last year at Beekman Place but at the last minute, didn't feel up to being in front of the camera so I rearranged a few things and stayed behind the camera instead.  But I did let Tom snap this one photo of me.  I'll be sharing more of the project later this week!

Etsy Sale: $20 or Less

I don't know where this summer has gone!  I can't believe it's going to be September soon.  It's time to start clearing out the Etsy shop to make room for all the fall sweaters, boots and dresses I've been collecting.  I've marked down loads of summer items to $20 or less to help make some room!  Help me find some of these pieces new homes so I can start listing fall items next week.  Visit the SALE here.  Thanks so much for stoppin' by!

Tocca A/W 2012

Continuing in the line of "I'm pretty much ready for fall at this point" posts, here is the latest collection from Tocca.  In last year's collection there was a black knit dress that I fell in love with and kept my eye on until it finally went on sale.  I placed my order and counted the days until I would have it in my possession.  But, instead of the dress I received an email saying it was out of stock and wouldn't be shipped.  I have my eye on a few things this season too.  Hopefully I'll have more luck when that sale rolls around!

In Bruges, Pt. II

Here is the second set of photos from our days in Bruges.  The city is known for its chocolate and its lace and there was plenty of both everywhere you looked.  Each street in the center of the city was dotted with artisan chocolate shops selling freshly made treats.  We sampled quite a few.  All delicious.

In one doorway there was a little old lady demonstrating lace making techniques and I was transfixed at how quickly she worked the network of pins and threads to come up with delicate, intricate pieces of lace.  Almost all the homes around the city had lace panels hanging in their windows.  

One night we went to the oldest bar in Bruges, one that's been continually operating in the same location since 1515.  That means they're about to celebrate their 500th anniversary!  Crazy old.  The beer selection was, of course, amazing.  Especially considering Belgian beers are by far my favorite anyway.  Three different kinds of Hoegaarden?  Yes, please! 

Dear Creatures Fall 2012

Each season I look forward to seeing what Dear Creatures comes up with and every time I find a few things I'm completely smitten with.  But, I'm afraid I might be "aging out" of the line as a whole.  As cute as I think a cat-face sweater is, I'm not sure it's age appropriate for me.  I do however, like some of the simpler pieces and can't deny any lookbook that features a real live feline.

Guest Post on Fancy Fine

Remember the other day when I mentioned taking photos for a guest post?  Ashley from Fancy Fine was kind enough to let me take up a little bit of space on her beautiful blog while she's getting settled into her new digs in PA.  I'm so excited to have her as my almost-neighbor and planning out vintage hunting adventures with her.  See the post here! 

Etsy Update: Sundresses

Is it possible the hottest days of summer are still to come?  I still have plenty of sundresses that need new homes.  These and more have been added to the Etsy shop.  

Etsy Update: Seeing Stripes

I'm always a sucker for a striped dress!  I've just added these four to the Etsy shop.  See these and more here.  

Etsy Update: The Color Purple

I've just added a few dresses, all in the hue of purple, to the Etsy shop.  I've got more updates coming soon but Etsy being a bit fickle this morning.  As soon as it gets itself straightened out, I'll get back to work!  

In Bruges, Pt. I

The next stop on our travels was the lovely Belgian city of Bruges.  I have to admit I would have never heard of the city if not for the movie In Bruges.  What a strange introduction to the city.  I have to say it certainly lived up to all of our expectations.  To say that the city is charming is such an understatement.  Every corner we turned solicited "oohhhs" and "aahhhs" and felt more like stepping back in time than any other place I've ever set foot. 

A few of our favorite moments: 

•  Our hotel room (we were mysteriously upgraded to the "chocolate suite") was located right on the canal and we could open our window to see the ducks swimming by. 
• The streets were swamped with tourist during the afternoon, but we awoke early enough that the city was virtually empty and we had the Markt all to ourselves. 
• If you ever get the chance to eat a fresh Belgian waffle from a street vendor, do so right away!  I got mine "met chocolade".  SO good.  
• More to come...

Uttu from Istanbul

Perhaps it's telling of my age, but I can hardly read the word "Istanbul" without getting that song stuck in my head.  If you now have it in your head... you're welcome!  But now perhaps I'll think of Uttu, an Istanbul based fashion line, designed by Gökçe Çıbık.  She was kind enough to send me an email letting me know about the debut of her first collection and I was so pleasantly surprised to discover her sweet designs and well-styled look book. 

I'm making career of evil...

 - 60s lace shorts & top
 - Anthropologie sunglasses
 - Julie Nolan zodiac bracelet
 - 70s jute market bag
 - 80s Etienne Aigner flats
 - listening to (it's playing on Tom's iTunes as I write this): Blue Oyster Cult "Career of Evil" (lyrics by Patti Smith) 

Yesterday I walked downtown to shoot some photos for an upcoming guest post I'm working on.  More on that later this week.  Anyway, here's what I was wearing.  I haven't shown up around these parts in a while (except in vacation photos) so I thought I'd pop in quickly to say hello.  Hello!

Wren A/W 2012

I have to admit I'm still enjoying the simplicity of getting dressed for the summer heat.  A dress and a pair of sandals, and I'm ready to head out the door.  However, I have started seeing a lot of fall collections debuting so the first little bits of excitement for layers and boots and sweater have started creeping into the back of my mind.  The first collection that really got me thinking about it all is the fall collection from Wren.  Looking through my closet, I've been surprised lately at how many bold prints have been sneaking their way in;  something I would have avoided completely a year ago.  This printed dress is especially tempting to me.

Etsy Update: Summer Dresses

And last but not least, here's a batch of cute summer dress that have just been added to the Etsy shop. 

Etsy Update: Summer Blouses

And now I'm back with another quick Etsy shop update.  This time it's pretty summery blouses.  These are all available in the shop right now so be sure to check them out! 

Etsy Update: Summer Skirts

It's that time again! I'm stocking up the Etsy shop with lots of summery favorites today. The first batch contains these cotton and silk skirt. Hop on over to the shop for these and more...