The Unexpected Pattern

So sorry I have been neglecting this blog. There just has been so much going on, with Christmas and now, instead of enjoying my break from school I have max hours at work, plus I have been trying to...well, do everything. Reading all the fun books that I can, teaching myself to sew, spending as much time with my husband and numerous other little things that need to get done. You know, gotta pay the bills and wash the laundry before blogging.


And so...I present to you a delightful blend of pattern on clashing pattern. But first, a piece of industrial rock:

This shirt I picked up at a garage sale brand new over the summer and never once wore it until now. I had such a hard time styling this shirt/dress thing. As I peered into my closet one day, I saw the shirt, then I saw a similar color in the delightfully versatile dress that I picked up from Old Navy for a few bucks. Boom, slightly weird (for the U.P.) outfit.

Shirt: Target

Dress: Old Navy

Belt: Forever 21

Watch: American Eagle

Socks: Forever 21

Shoes: Maurices

Yes, that is a rusted, crushed can found near my posing rock. Why am I so interested in the mixing of the modern with nature? Like the above rock, the can, why is it there? Why? There is just a juxtaposition between the surrounding woods and this piece of cement sitting in the middle of it. Maybe it is like my outfit of pattern on different pattern, a clash of the different in the unexpected. 

Christmas Gifts

I got one of the most amazing Christmas gifts ever, and I have to do a quick post on it. 


Recall a few weeks ago when I had a tour of my great-grandmother's house? Check out that post here. I had asked my grandma if we could get any of the amazing pieces of history that were left behind. Now everything was already priced to rummage, so my grandmother said she would speak to her brother, who owns the property, if she could get anything for us. 


Well, times passed and Christmas day arrived and we all gathered at my Grandma's house to open presents. As we opened our presents I couldn't help feeling a little disappointed with the gift from my Grandma. Christmas tree bulbs? That was it? 


Then when everyone was done opening their presents Grandma stood up and said to my sister, her husband, me and my husband to ajoin to another part of the house. 


She opened the door to a bedroom and set up inside was the very items we had wanted from great-grandmother's house all fixed up and beautiful looking. Mind blowing the work she and my grandpa did. 

This odd chair will grace my sister's bedroom.

My husband loved this folding chair because he thought it was unique looking and will probably take up residence in my second bedroom witch is basically my closet and storage.

This is the chair that my grandma spent forever on because as she worked on it, it was falling apart. Check out how it originally looked here.

I didn't get pictures of everything. But once I get it set up in the house which won't be for awhile (after all the christmas stuff is put away), I will get pictures.

Honestly, I have the best grandparents ever.

Curious Lengths

I found this dress in a nearby vintage store, which I've plugged before, Curious Cargo, located in the Village in Marquette, MI. 

(Sorry about the darkness of the photos. The light was fading when my sister took these, but with the flash it looked like full dark had fallen.)
I really like this dress. It fits perfectly. I should have taken a picture of it without the sweater. And a close up of the texture and print. The shoulders are so cute and a little hard to describe. Later I will take another photo, when it's warm enough to bear my arms. 


I wore it for the first time today on a trip home to bake Christmas cookies with all the girls. I got mixed reactions. From my Grandma, "I used to wear something similar." From my mom and twin sister, "I like the top, but not the bottom. It needs to be shorter." From my younger sister she just offered the appealing answer of "I really like it." Then from an Aunt, "so...you actually wear other people's old clothes?"
Why yes, yes I do. 
Now there are a couple reasons I like to wear vintage: I have always liked history and that which is not from my time is usually fascinating to me. Second, I like wearing something different, and often the outfits that I get the most compliments on happen to have an element of vintage.

However...this wearing vintage is an near foreign idea up here in the Yoop. Often the older fashions have a longer skirt. Right? And is often more modest (at least the ones that I find). This is the issue I get hung up on. That others get hung up on. 
Here I am in a longer skirt and I often hear the criticism of make it shorter and it will be cuter. But I like the longer skirts. They are flowy and pretty and just feel very feminine. Yet at other times, usually when I am wrapped up in boots and a winter jacket I look down and I think, huh, frump. But it is at these times when I'm really thinking about what others are thinking of me. 
 Should I win these haters over or chop the length off this pretty dress?

Showing a little slip...

Dress: Vintage

Sweater: Forever 21

Belt: Forever 21

Flats: Target

What do you all think of this? Long, short? 

Vintage Housewife, and another brooch

50's housewife, anyone? I wore this same outfit only with my white button up the other day and I felt like I should have been an extra in Mad Men...so 70's house wife then (Right? Isn't that when it takes place?)...Yes, I could look like Kitty from That 70's show, minus the hair...

 Skirt: Vintage

Shirt: Vintage

Belt: Forever 21

Shoes: Target

Necklace: gift from sister

Brooch worn in hair: vintage via grandmother

Sorry there aren't too many pictures, the wind was a crazy torrent beating against everything. Including my hair. It's an unfortunate side-effect of living so close to a lake. My hair was pretty nice looking until the wind ripped it up, but I still wanted to show you how I decided to style the brooch. I just pinned it to a hair tie and ta-dah! a pretty new hair accessory. Plus I wanted to juxtapose something with the blue so I went for green.

Facebook, a Cemetery, and Polka Dots

You can follow me on facebook now! I just started it, so it is a little in the beginning stages. I figured I get this blog on facebook as many page visits are from facebook and figured that would be easier for you facebook users. Should I use the word facebook one more time? Also, this is the U.P. and many people haven't quite moved on to things like Twitter and Pinterest and Instagram. Case in point, when I mentioned I had a Twitter account to a friend I got this reaction: "Really! I didn't know anyone up here had Twitter. What do you do with it?"
 I will keep the page updated about posts, keep extra pics posted, and general news, I guess.


And now on with the post:

Sweater: Forever 21

Dress: Given to me by my sister

belt: Forever 21

Tights: Kohls

Socks: Hue

Boots: Born

I think my husband took this. It makes me dizzy looking at it, which I think makes it cool.

I was tired of the shots just taken with trees in the background so I decided to switch it up and get some civilization up in the Yooper blog. Actually it's a cemetery. Is that weird that I posed for pictures in a cemetery? My husband did for his prom pictures back in the day. So maybe not so weird. I will have to come back in the summer to get some photos because this is the prettiest cemetery I have ever seen, with quiet still ponds and lily pads floating and blooming their bright white flowers. Yep.


Let me know how the facebook thing is working.

Birdy

Just quickly posting this as I chow down on mac and cheese and take a wee break from studying.

Discovered this delightful gem via Vogue. She's a 15 year old with a gorgeous voice and seems to wear appropriate attire for such an age, which is refreshing!


Check out the song, it's beautiful, and all her other songs, too. 


Later today I will hopefully be able to get a more complete post up, because you all miss me don't you. It's okay, I miss you too. Alot, actually. Blogging is...okay, gotta wrap this sentimental stuff up and get back to smashing my head with books, which I call the memorization process, to prepare for my tests...blah.

Debris of Civilization

The cold has arrived and I find that I am not prepared. Sadly I am tired of it already. If it would actually snow, I don't think it would be too bad; I love the snow. Every morning I wake up to a slight dusting of snow (no true snow fall has occurred and always at night when you can't see it) and a piercing cold wind that makes my fingers not work properly. Makes me wonder how January will go...

Umm...trying to balance on this slab of cement. It hangs out on the side of this woodsy path I stroll along with my pup and I don't know why. Ahh, the debris of civilization littering the wilds of nature.

Shirt: Target

Belt: Forever 21

Skirt: Thrifted

Boots: Don't remember

Pendant: Vintage

Watch: American Eagle

Every time I wear this skirt my sister thinks it looks like a granny's dress. But I like it. It's flowy and feminine feeling. Seriously, try the long skirt. Just do it Yooper girls. They are fun and pretty feeling. Peer pressure here. What are you gonna do? (wear the skirt).

Then there's the braid. Like it? It turned out pretty well, eh?

How are all of your Christmas plans going? Getting all prepared? Anything special going on? Any sweet Christmas outfits? I have not thought that far at all. Well, I have but I've been trying so hard to put those thoughts in a mental gift-wrapped box until my finals are finished. Two left! Then freedom...and hopefully more posts.

Hunting Season II

Hunting Season II: Another round of photos taken at hunting camp. I should have gotten some shots of the actual hunters, but they aren't as cute as me.

Braid!

I've got the Grinch smile going on. See it? Like, yeah I'm goin' to go steal myself some Christmas. But not really. Check out the retro earring.

See orange vest. It looks good with everything during hunting season, mostly because it needs to be worn in the woods.

Shirt: Target, ages ago

Tank: Burlington Coat Factory

Jeans: American Eagle

Shoes: Payless

Jewelry: Vintage

This weekend I'm going to try and get some Christmas up in my photos because it's that time of the year and I'm so excited! In fact later today we are going to get our tree. My husband is pulling for a Charlie Brown tree and I like a giant, pretty, full tree. What do you all prefer?