Silver Flowers on a Blue Field

I’ve always liked that flags and coats of arms are described as having a design element on a “field” (like a red lion on a green field).  I just think it’s both a lovely and effective way to describe them.  So it made me quite happy to be able to describe the "blouse" in today’s outfit in a similar manner:

Here is a close up of the aforementioned print:



The background looks black here, but it really is navy.



The “blouse” on this outfit is actually a tank dress (Gap, thrifted) that is a bit too short for me to wear as a dress but that I love the print of.  I decided to try it today as a top, paired with my blue high-waist skirt (vintage, thrifted) and navy platform sandals (MRKT via DSW).  I added a thin belt (Gap), watch and blue and white bracelet (local craftsman).

I’m always hesitant to layer dresses under skirts because my hips have threatened to join my thighs in rebellion if there is too much volume.  However, I think the thin fabric of the dress works well under the thicker, stiffer fabric of the skirt in this instance.

Today’s Takeaway?  When layering, pay attention to the thickness of the fabrics involved – it can be the difference between looking sleek, and having to fight off an attempted coup by volume-hating body parts.

Happy Wednesday, All!

Gracey

WeeCap for July 16th and 17th

Really, this is a weecap for July 15th and 16th as I didn't take any pictures on Sunday the 17th (although I did wear clothes).  I don't supposed the particulars matter too much though, so let's get started!

After work on Friday, Alex and I went to the Salem Art Fair and I wore this:

  

Fair warning: I love this tank so you're probably going to see a lot of it this summer.  I paired the tank (Ross) with grey cut-offs (v. old), black gladiator sandals (Target), some bangles (garage-saled) and some 80s sunglasses (same garage sale).

While at the fair we listened to two absolutely wonderful bands.  The first was Billy D and the Hoodoos; they are identified as a "roots" band, but I'm not sure what that is.  They sounded sort of bluesy to me and where absolutely fabulous.  The second band was a group called the Ty Curtis Band and they are definitely a blues band.  We've gone to hear them play before and they're always just wonderful.

On Saturday morning I did a little thrifting - one piece of which you'll see on Thursday for the special Everybody, Everywear thrift challenge - and then (finally) finished hemming the dress I wore that night.  I apologize that I couldn't get a very good full length picture of the outfit but you can get the gist of it here:

The dress is vintage (thrifted) and was (rather poorly) altered by me.  I hemmed it but don't have the skills to mess with the blouson effect at the waist, so I added a sequin sash to give me a bit more of a waist.  I wore a pair of strappy heels (Nine West, v. old), a vintage clutch (thrifted), a vintage tassel necklace (borrowed from Alex), bracelets and gold chandelier earrings (Target).

Here is a close-up picture from dinner:

Dinner was at a lovely restaurant in Portland called Gilt.  The decor was very cool, all dark reds and old gold with the most interesting light fixtures:

For dinner it was (from left to right) Jenny, Lori, myself and Alex:

After dinner we were supposed to go to Darcelle XV for a drag show, but unfortunately Jen and Lori were half an hour late for dinner, causing us to be half an hour late for the show which filled up before we could be seated.  Luckily, Alex and I always have a Plan B in a blues club called The Candlelight Room.

The Candlelight Room is located near Portland State University and hands-down has some of the best live music in Portland.  It's small and sweaty and they play the absolute best blues there.  On Saturday night we listened to Richard Arnold and his band play.  They played blues, but they also played some old Motown and a little Broadway; and everything they played was great.

During one of the band's breaks, we were talking to a man named Elliot who sang a couple of songs with band, and it came up that it was Alex's birthday.  And Elliot and Richard began singing Happy Birthday to Alex, a capella, right there on the street corner!  It was fabulous.  Richard has a gorgeous low voice (baritone) and his and Elliot's voices harmonized perfectly.  I know I should have taken a picture, but I was just too thrilled with the moment to remember my camera.

All in all, it was a wonderful weekend.  No drag queens, but lots of sequins, and that always makes a girl feel good.

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend too!


Gracey

Seen It All Before

Well, not all of it, but I did wear two pieces of this outfit last week:

I wore both the dress and the belt last week, and in the same outfit last week.  How’s that for lack of imagination?  Pretty good, no?  I did mix it up a little bit though.  Last week I wore the black dress layered under another dress.  Today I repurposed the black dress (thrifted) to act as a skirt under a sheer, silk, dolman-sleeve blouse (thrifted).  The owl belt (Ross) is still being worn as an owl belt, for obvious reasons.  And I added my new-to-me black platform sandals (rummaged) and also-new-to-me vintage carnelian earrings (via Lil’ Gypsy).

I really liked this outfit, but I’m not sure the photographs do it justice.  The sleeves, for example are huge (talk about drama, right, Erin?) but you can’t really see that in the photographs.  You’ll all just have to imagine that I look more svelte and less poofy in person.  (Actually, I'd like you to imagine that with all the outfits I post, not just this one).

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.  Mine didn’t go exactly as planned (no drag queens but we added street corner serenades), but you know what they say about the best laid plans of giants and friends.  I'll post full details on my WeeCap a bit later.

Happy Monday, Everyone!

Gracey

You Want Accessories? Oh, I’ll Show You Accessories

Unlike Thursday’s unadorned dress, I wore the heck out of some accessories the past couple of days.  I didn’t wear much of anything on Friday – I had the day off and it was sunny so most of the afternoon was spend sunbathing with the dog.  For some reason, our dog loves himself a good lawn chair so we laid out both Friday and Saturday afternoons.  Otherwise I ran some errands but mostly did nothing.  Let’s just say I got A LOT of reading done.

On Sunday, however, I had reason to get out of the house.  I went shopping and bought some shoes, went to lunch and then on a date with my current favorite person to date.  We went out to Multnomah Falls along the Columbia River and it was absolutely gorgeous:

View of the Falls from near the bottom

View from the Falls from just above the bridge

And yes, I was accessorized:

I wore these maybe-slightly-too-big khaki shorts (Target) with a new yellow blouse (also Target) and accessorized with my favorite vintage turquoise-beaded cuff, a turquoise ring, vintage blue glass bead necklace, multi-colored medallion earrings, a vintage Anne Klein clutch and pewter sandals (Lovely People via Ideeli).

After the falls we went to a graduation party, for which I traded out my sandals for these fabulous leopard print wedges (Tahari via DSW):

Today I kept the accessorizing bonanza alive:

I paired a jersey dress (Target) with a thin leather belt (Gap), one of my new scarves (Nordstrom), a wood bangle (Alberta Street vendor), unkempt hair (it was just so very kempt the day before) and my new favorite shoes: blue platform sandals (MRKT via DSW). 

Seriously, folks, these are easily the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever worn.  They feel like they have at least a half-inch of padding in the soles and the straps don’t pinch or cut into my dear piggies.  And the color!  I’ve already decided this lovely periwinkle will go with everything.  Like this dress!  And this scarf! 

I know, I know; that’s a lot of enthusiasm for a Monday, but it was sunny this weekend.  In Oregon!  And I bought shoes.  And scarves.  Really, you’re just going to have to cut a girl some slack.  I will end it here though. 

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend too.  And Happy Monday, All!

Gracey

Inadvertent Matching

Daily Outfit for Wednesday, May 25, 2011

I didn’t mean to match my umbrella today so I think we all just got lucky with this one:

See?  Don’t you feel lucky?  Me too.

For this unintentional-umbrella-matching outfit, I paired my black cropped pants (Banana Republic) with a cream tunic (Nordstrom), black peep toe pumps (Aerosoles), a gold charm bracelet (Banana Republic) and a gold belt worn as a necklace (via Mabel & Zora).  I don’t usually wear such bright yellow gold, preferring muted, more brass-like tones, but I thought the bright gold would pop nicely against this otherwise plain outfit.

I was actually surprised at my decision to wear my belt as a necklace.  I know that seems ridiculous because it was my decision, but I was running late and didn’t have time to think it though.  I remember seeing other bloggers wear belts as necklaces and possibly vice versa and I remember thinking “Whose waist is small enough that their belt could double as a necklace?  Mine certainly isn’t.”  Well, my waist hasn’t gotten any smaller, and I don’t think my neck has gotten any bigger, but I think this works for me.  So, in case you were wondering, yes, giants can wear their belts as necklaces. 

How about you all?  Do you ever surprise yourself (pleasantly or otherwise) in your decision to wear something?

Gracey