Wednesday, December 30, 2020

Face in Time (Emily and Fin)

I have had this dress FOR SO LONG! When I started seeing glimpses of this Emily and Fin Face in Time print, I knew I had to get a dress when available. I also knew that my close friend, Jen, would adore one, too. So I decided to snag two Abigail dresses from Modern Millie back in October - one for me and one for Jen. 

But then realized...oh. I couldn't share it before I gave hers to her! 

Wednesday, December 16, 2020

Marvelously Marigold (Collectif x ModCloth)

I won't lie, it's been TOUGH not spending a ton of money. While I have treated myself to the occasional dress on sale (or with any discount code I can get my grubby hands on), my spending has been greatly limited compared to other years due to STILL being jobless. Especially around this time of year! I've been dying to get festive but alas...nah. 

It would be one thing if I just didn't have the means to get anything new. But it's a whole OTHER thing when not ONE piece of festive clothing fits. YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT. None of my Christmas outfits fit me this year. Not a lot of my wardrobe fits me right now. IT'S FUN TO KEEP DISCOVERING THAT!

Wednesday, December 2, 2020

Marlene's Fur Coat



I have something so fun to share today! Right in time for chilly December to arrive, I received the kindest (and coziest) gift package from a family member. Earlier in the year, he had helped move his mother to a much more manageable apartment complex and helped her clean out her house. He found LOTS of goodies and, knowing my love for all things vintage, collected a few for me! 

The reality of COVID delayed the actual mailing of said goodies but I didn't mind! Receiving it recently made for an unexpected surprise and it was SO fun to open it up and explore pieces from the past. Among the goodies was this lovely vintage coat with a fur collar. 

Wednesday, November 18, 2020

Buttons & Bows for the Holidays (Voodoo Vixen)

I know. It's November 18th and I'm over here sharing a holiday-themed post. Turkeys haven't been even been cooked and shopping in the wee hours of the morning hasn't even happened. But you know what? Even though I am ALWAYS eager to celebrate Christmastime early, this year just feels like the ONE year I can do it without someone rolling their eyes at me about it. 

Why? If you haven't heard, 2020 has become the year of NO RULES. There is enough weird, difficult, confusing, ridiculous, unbelievable, and downright wacky stuff going on that celebrating the holidays and getting into the cozy Christmas spirit ASAP seems like the only rational solution to all this.

Wednesday, November 4, 2020

What's Sara Reading? Pas de Deux by Sara Patnaude

Nope! You do NOT have to adjust your television screens. This is a book-inspired outfit post for MY OWN NOVEL!

Yes, you heard that right! As many of you know from previous posts or on Instagram (by the way, I have a writing Instagram and Facebook page now so please go follow if you're interested in that!), I have been using my unexpected plethora of free time (thanks, unemployment!) to polish up my most recent novels to self-publish on Amazon.

Wednesday, October 28, 2020

Tiger Lily (Smitten Kitten Unique Boutique)

I am back today with another beautiful dress by Smitten Kitten Unique Boutique. Like last week's post, this dress is a new dress in their original line that just hit the store earlier this week, called Hawaiian Purr. And just like last week's dress, this one is the perfect fit, fantastic quality, and absolutely swoon-worthy!

I prioritize a dress made of 100% cotton. Though not stretchy, there is nothing more comfortable than a cotton dress. When made well, they fit well and last a very long time. This one from Smitten Kitten is no different. I love the zip front and full skirt. It has such an ease to it that I often look for in my dresses. Sure, I like to look fancy but I definitely don't want getting dressed to be TOO much work. 

Wednesday, October 21, 2020

Fall Foxes (Smitten Kitten Unique Boutique)


I'm going to preface this post by saying what we are all thinking - these are the most fall-in-New-England photos ever taken. I know. I KNOW! The lake, the leaves, the colors on my dress, and the cute little foxes snoozin' among the acorns and fluttering leaves. 


What can I say? I LIVE IN NEW ENGLAND!

Wednesday, October 14, 2020

If a Black Cat Should Cross Your Path...

How MUCH bad luck comes to you when a black cat crosses your path REALLY? Asking for a friend...

Because the last thing I need right now is more bad luck so if inserting these black kitties into these photos means I am ASKING for a curse of some kind, I am SCREWED.

Wednesday, October 7, 2020

Scarlett Fever (Collectif)

What is it about trench coats that make you feel like a badass when you're wearing them?

Wednesday, September 30, 2020

Don't Tess with Me (Dolly and Dotty)

Well, I had a fun surprise recently! I love to enter giveaways and contests that my fellow blogger goddesses hold and sometimes I even win them! Sometimes - let's not get too crazy here. I still stand by the claim that I am not very lucky and don't win very many contests. 

Recently, one of my favorite style bloggers, The Soubrette Brunette, had a Dolly and Dotty giveaway. I, of course, immediately entered and did all the required steps to be qualified to win. Like all the other giveaways I enter, I promptly forgot about it and carried on with life.

Wednesday, September 23, 2020

Wednesday, September 16, 2020

What's Sara Reading? A Happy Catastrophe

 

Oh my word. I haven't shared a book review in A YEAR!? How is that even POSSIBLE? I seriously have no idea where the last 12 months have gone but, then again, I guess you could say I had a few other things on my mind since then.

Well, despite the gargantuan gap, I am here today to share a book review and inspired outfit! Let's bring the "What's Sara Reading?" series back from the literary dead, shall we? I ordered A Happy Catastrophe during a Kindle sale, thinking nothing of it besides thinking it sounded like a good read, and it became a happy little moment of kismet.

Wednesday, September 9, 2020

Falling for Fall (Vintage Sweater)

#SorryNotSorry that, from my perspective, it's now fall. I can't help it. While I enjoyed some warmer weather this summer, once we enter the months that end in "ber," it's FALL and all things spook. Then the countdown to Christmas is ON!

Wednesday, September 2, 2020

Juggling Judy (Collectif)



When I think of the name Judy (of which this gorgeous dress is named), I think of two things: my mother (I feel like everyone knows a mom named Judy) and that truly bizarre YouTube channel that blew up back in the beginning of viral videos by the name of Fred. Anyone else obsessively watch his videos as tweens and quote them daily? "I LOVE Judy! But she's such a brat!" No? No one? Just me and my sister?

OK then. 

Tuesday, August 25, 2020

Ch-Ch-Changes (Unique Vintage)

Well! As the title of this post may suggest, this summer has been full of surprises, twists, and turns. Some of them I am not sharing openly with the world but on top of those private challenges, there haven some cherries on top, let me tell you!

As you may have heard from Instagram and last week's blog (I mentioned it there quickly), I am now unemployed. I took a week off earlier this month to use up from PTO I'd soon lose and upon my return - at 9am on Monday morning - I had a meeting with my boss and HR in which I was told my position had been eliminated. 

Wednesday, August 19, 2020

Misty Eyed (ft. Ebone & Ivory)


Check out my new wheels! Ever since Cody and I rented cruiser bikes in New Orleans last December to ride through the park, I have been dying to get my own bike. I had a bike growing up but was never very athletic or cared much about it. 


I found these Huffy cruisers earlier in the year but cut to COVID and suddenly you couldn't find a bike anywhere or if you did, the cost was WAY up and not worth it. Still, I kept a couple different models in my favorites and kept an eye on them. 

Wednesday, August 12, 2020

Summer but Make it Spooky (Tatyana)

Did I save the best dress from Tatyana for last? Not sure as they were ALL just lovely. However, I definitely saved the best photos for last because now that we're inching toward mid-August, I feel my spooky side beginning to surface. 
Once September hits, I am in full fall mode and with that comes changing leaves, apple cider, pumpkins, and Halloween decorations! I cannot WAIT to dig my Halloween supplies out of storage and get this house spook-ified. 

Thursday, August 6, 2020

Day In, Day Out (Tatyana)


I know, I know - TWO blogs in the same week?! I can't remember the last time I posted twice in one week. Actually, I used to post twice a week EVERY week in the first years of this blog. Looking back I have NO idea how I kept up with that schedule but I guess I had more time on my hands back then.

Wednesday, July 22, 2020

What a Catch, Doheny (Unique Vintage)


Before we get started, did anyone catch the reference in the blog title? Here's a hint - I replaced "Donnie" with "Doheny." No? No one? Aw come on! Gotta find my mid-2000's emo appreciators out there somewhere...


I did a little birthday shopping a couple weeks ago (I feel like I have said this a few times already...perhaps I did A LOT of birthday shopping, oops!) and decided that instead of feeling bad about all my pretty dresses that certainly won't fit anymore (hello extra fluff! WeLcOmE tO mY LiFe!), I'd splurge on a few new ones that will! 

Tuesday, July 14, 2020

32 Looks Good On You (ft. Pastello Dresses)


Although I had originally hoped it would arrive for the second-best holiday of the year, National Donut Day (obviously, Christmas comes first), there have been so many shipping delays lately that it did not even come CLOSE. It was all A-OK, however! Instead, this adorable handmade dress from Pastello Dress on Etsy came just in time for my birthday weekend!

Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Hey There, Jemima (Collectif x ModCloth)


Sometimes ya just need a new, reliable, summery staple for the hot days when you can barely think let alone bother getting properly dressed. And boy do we get plenty of those every summer!


I try to make sure I have a few easy dresses I can pull on and be good to do with. Typically they're sleeveless cotton dresses, ones that don't take much effort (and even better if they don't require a bra!).

Wednesday, May 20, 2020

cRaZy CaT LaDy (Bernie Dexter)


This Crazy Cat Lady dress by Bernie Dexter was one of those dresses that pulled a switcheroo on me the more I saw it. When it was first released, I thought the collar and sleeves of this new style were adorable and the print was cute but wasn't sold on making sure it was added to my wardrobe.

Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Way Out West (British Retro)


It finally arrived! This gorgeous swing dress from British Retro that I ordered before all this COVID madness began finally made it to me! It was no one's fault, international shipping has been massively impacted by everything and it's arrival just took quite a bit longer than expected.


Tuesday, April 21, 2020

April 21, 2020



Little one, you were supposed to be born today but we are not welcoming you or meeting you and while I never got to hear your heart beating or feel you move within me, I felt you leave me and know you existed.

You never even got the chance.

Little one, you were supposed to be mine, supposed to grow and grow to emerge screaming, full of life in my arms.

I never even got the chance.

Little one, you'll never know how much you meant to me, how much you still mean to me, and how much you'll always mean to me even though we never met.

We never even got the chance.

*

(A huge thank you to DJ Kerr for helping me get my idea onto paper in the form of the line drawing above to symbolize the life that was never given the chance)

Wednesday, April 15, 2020

Mellow Yellow (Unique Vintage)


Quick mid-month check in time - how's everyone doing? Things have been interesting on my end! I was furloughed from my job a couple weeks ago. I didn't expect that to happen but then boom, the CEO called for an urgent conference call and all 40 of the employees on it were told they were laid off "temporarily" until mid-May. I put that in quotes just because...well, I can't say I believe it to be true. I don't see this ending by mid-May or companies getting back their footing so soon. But I suppose we'll see what happens!


I won't lie - I am mostly A-OK with what happened. I was getting burnt out at work and hadn't taken much time off in a very long time so having forced time off is kind of a blessing. Sure, I am a bit worried about my job not resuming come May but I also have been making the most of this unexpected time off.