Thursday, May 29, 2014

Blue, White, & Western

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This week has been a little crazy. I'm counting down the days until the weekend. Two to go. Sometimes my favorite outfits are the ones I don't (or almost don't) photograph - this was one of them. Worn yesterday, first to work and then to grab the ingredients for tacos at the grocery store. My wardrobe is slowly being taken over by white floaty dresses and western boots. Chris is back from a trip up North, and I'm happy to have him (and his phenomenal cooking skills) back. I am, at this moment, deleriously tired. Cheers to Thursday.

+ This dress is quite see-through. To fix that, I purchased a polyester slip at the thrift store and trimmed it to the length I needed. It cost a buck, and the polyester doesn't fray. Slips are great.
+ Hannah from The Braided Bandit is very kindly offering Orchid Grey readers 30% off all items in her shop. Enter the code "ORCHID30" at checkout.

+ Save 15% off your order from Black Crystals with the code "ORCHIDGREY"

Wearing: Jacket: vintage via estate sale // Dress & earrings: Lulu's (c/o) // Bag: second hand via Avalon // Boots: Vintage via The Braided Bandit (c/o) // Necklace: Black Crystals (c/o)

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Dots, Spots, and Cat Ears

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I've had this dress for a few years -- in fact I think the last time I wore it was for our engagement photos (Chris's beard is so little!) -- but for the past couple it's been relegated to the back of my closet. While It's not necessarily my style so much anymore (I've recently become more aware of what I might personally consider to be "too young" for my personal style), I just can't bear to part with it for some reason, I just love how crisp the dots are and the sturdy fabric. I wish I could stick to those rules about parting with things you haven't worn in six months or a year -- but I'll pull things out of retirement years after not wearing them only to find a new way to style it.

+ I got a haircut. It feels good to have less of it.

+ As a (very) late birthday gift, Chris gifted me this sweet kitty-ear bracelet made by our insanely talented friend, Michael. I am obsessed.

Wearing: Dress: MinkPink // Jacket: Vintage Lee from Avalon // Boots: Thrifted (similar) // Choker necklace: Thrifted // Necklace: Seahag & Walrus (c/o) // Kitty bracelet: Michael Studebaker

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Split Personalities with Zero Gravity

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How do you get dressed in the morning? I'm not talking about socks-before-pants-before-shoes, but how you approach choosing what to wear. Is it emotional? Is it dictated by what's in store for the day? Fashion allows you to explore all sides of yourself. What you choose to put on your body is where fashion and personal style intersect. While fashion is dictated by the designer's emotions -- what they were feeling at the time of creation -- personal style is where you get to transform their vision and make it entirely yours

Waking up in the morning, I dress for my moods -- I could be feeling romantic or grungy (usually grungy or romantically grungy) -- but I also approach my closet with the day ahead in mind. While I'll certainly be dressing for what the next twelve hours have in store for me (photo shoots at work where I have to bend and twist and sit on the floor often require loose shorts and sandals and general frumpitude), even on my most casual days I'm also looking to translate what I'm feeling.
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Lucky for us Zero Gravity and its ridiculous selection of expressive cases exists. When an old friend who works at the company reached out, I was really excited to collaborate - the company is rad, but more than that I was excited to connect with a friend who's doing cool shit. Indecisive as I am, I picked out a dreamy pastel case and one in more earthy tones, so I can switch 'em out when the mood strikes, which is often. I love changing up my look -- we have to clothe ourselves every day for the rest of our lives, why not make it interesting?

These outfits were worn to work on separate days - I tend to start my week more casual and work up to dressier looks. I found these coveralls on a thrifting trip this past weekend, I've been on the search for a mechanic's jumpsuit for awhile, and finally found it in the "uniforms" section. Always look everywhere when you're thrifting, even in the men's uniforms and children's coats.

Outfit 1: Dress (similar) & jacket (similar): old ModCloth // Heels c/o Lulu's // Necklace: old J.Crew // Lipcolor: Revlon

Outfit 2: Coveralls: thrifted vintage Dickies (similar) // Crop top c/o Aeropostale // Sneakers: Converse // Sunglasses: Urban Outfitters

Bonus neighborhood cat that I want to steal and make mine:
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Disclaimer: while I accept c/o product on this blog all opinions expressed are my own, which I hope is obvious.

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Color Bomb

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I am more than a little bit obsessed with these crop tops. I know, a grand statement to make over a small piece of clothing, but true nonetheless. See, I'd been eying a similar striped top from Nasty Gal last year (one that was three times the price, mind you) but it sold out in my size before I could grab it. And I would have bought it, too, because a striped crop pretty much goes with everything (floral pants? Check! Patterned midi skirts? Check!) So I was delighted to find a bunch of styles available from Aeropostale this season for a fraction of the price and great quality. Sometimes you find your favorite pieces in the most unexpected places. For anyone wondering, they run true to size and there are no issues with sheerness, just a nice, thick jersey (same goes for the black version).

Oh, and did you notice that it's suddenly summer? Because it is. No complaints here, it's been in the high 70s - 80s all week, and we've even had some thunderstorms, the best. This warm weather has me suddenly inspired to put a little more effort into my outfits and I've been in a scary-good mood all week. This really is the best time of year, each weekend feels full of possibility, and it's just so nice to see people out and about.

Also, I am fully aware that these pants are BANANAS. 

Wearing: Crop top c/o Aeropostale (FYI - it's $6 bucks now) // Pants: Thrfited // Bracelet: Thrifted // Sandals: BC Shoes // Necklace c/o Seahag & Walrus

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Ozzy Was Here

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I came across this cluster of crosses on a cold run this past February. Alone at the time, and with dusk drawing near, I didn't stop to poke around (while the local cemeteries are some of my favorite routes to run, I manage to creep myself out big time -- it makes me move just a little faster.) Maybe I'm casting myself as a stereotype to only return with a man, but whatever, I knew Chris would appreciate the location. And the crappy "Ozzy" graffiti. This particular section stood out because it's just crosses situated at the crest of a hill, while most of the surrounding markers are low and small, these just tower over everything.

I've found running to be one of the best ways to acclimate to a new city/neighborhood. While my walking routes are pretty standard (the grocery store, library, coffee shop), running has allowed me to explore streets and roads I may not otherwise have a reason to go down. I've been (attempting) to step up my run game lately, with a goal of cancelling my gym membership. After a day of staring at a computer, I've been craving that time to just unplug and reconnect with the world. It doesn't hurt that Pittsburgh is the most beautiful place ever this time of year.

About my outfit: I grabbed this dress at an recent estate sale a couple of months ago, the pattern stood out to me, but once I got it home and on my body it was the ugliest dress. Like, a maxi-drop-waist-peplum-exposed-pocket catastrophe. After hacking off the bottom and cuffing the arms, it became actually kind of pretty. I accentuated the drop-waist with this vintage chain hip-belt I picked up at another estate sale. Sometimes all you need are scissors. The exposed pockets still confound.

Also, my husband is a total babe and can grow a beard like no other. Damn.

Wearing: Dress, Jacket, Belt: Vintage via Estate Sales // Bracelet: Vintage // Necklace c/o Seahag & Walrus // Boots c/o Shoemint

Monday, May 12, 2014

Made in Maine

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If you couldn't tell already from the monstrous amount of photos posted to Instagram, Chris and I went to Maine last weekend. I usually like to be more secretive about trips until after they've been taken, but hell. It was a last-minute decision, I had already taken the days off work, so why not hop in the car and head North? A short fourteen hours later -- and an overnight stop in Massachusetts to see our friend-family -- we were there.

It's no secret to family and friends (and pretty much anyone with ears) that New England -- and Maine and New Hampshire in particular -- is our favorite place. And we miss it, hardcore. It's easy to forget, living far away as we do and only visiting twice a year or so, how much more at ease we both feel as soon as those state lines are crossed. The air feels cleaner, it smells sweeter, there's space. When I was younger, all I wanted to do was get the hell out, but now that I'm older, all I want is to get back. I never expected that.

We were mostly there to surprise my mom for her birthday, so it was especially nice to not have any plans. Our visits are typically planned around holidays or events, so to have a schedule that was pretty much wide open left plenty of time for bonfires, hiking, and of course a stop at the local church thrift store. Honestly, it was just nice to sit on the back steps of the house I grew up in and drink coffee and read while Chris threw a ball around with my mom's dogs. I'll count that as a vacation any day.

Come Wednesday morning, it was especially difficult to get in the car and point our compass back to Pittsburgh, but man was it a nice surprise to get back into town and be greeted with 70+ temperatures and GREEN. It's suddenly almost summer here and beautiful.

Photos, top to bottom:
1 - 4: Hiking with my mom.
5: Zebediah (Zeph's brother who now lives with my mom) caught a tree swallow. It didn't make it, unfortunately.
6 - 11: A rainy day at the ocean

Friday, May 2, 2014

Currently...

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Listening: To the conversations of older men. I'm currently sitting in my favorite coffee shop on the North Shore of Boston and I couldn't be happier. There always seems to be a group of men here in the mornings, taking up a corner, discussing interesting things. I'm eavesdropping. I can't tell if they've just met, or are longtime friends.

Considering: Stopping by my college to drop a note in an old photography professor's mailbox.

Making: Use of my morning to answer emails (finally) and send thanks to recent collaborators, because I've been pretty bad about that lately.

Eating: All the snacks. We're on the road, so yesterday consisted of foods that tasted great but caused my stomach to feel terrible. I'll never learn my lesson.

Drinking: A soy latte. It's very large.

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Reading: Gone Girl. I finally went to the library and paid off my $5 fine. Now I have all the books.

Wanting: Someone to give me all the answers.

Looking: At how much my old town has changed. The last time I was here, everything seemed to be flourishing, this time, while there's a lot of new, some old stand-bys have shuttered. It's sad.

Wasting: A perfectly good avocado. I left it in the car last night, and I fear it can't be saved.

Enjoying: The company of people I love.

Waiting: For Chris to wake the f! up. It's only 9:00 a.m. though and we have the day off.

Planning: To make a stop at Savers in Portsmouth, NH. Chris doesn't know about this yet.

Loving: The smell of the ocean, the feeling of fog.

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Hoping: I get to go to Portland on Sunday. I want to see boats.

Smelling: THEOCEANHOLYSHITTHEOCEAN!

Touching: Other people's cats.

Wearing: An oversize football jersey-style tee, jeans that only make me feel confident 50% of the time, "white" (dirty) chuck taylors, a motorcycle jacket. Yesterday's clothes.

Thinking: That I have to get my shit together. I've been stressed lately and haven't been treating myself with as much care as I should.

Feeling: Nostalgic.

Knowing: That we have the best cat.

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I mean, really.