Outfit Post: Mixed Messages

This weekend I had an awesome time shooting photos for our 2012 Holiday Lookbook (in the works, and hopefully, on your screen at the end of this week!).  I also did the shopping, styling, hair and makeup--a lot of work, but even more fun!  I was inspired by one of the holiday looks and decided to try to recreate it from pieces in my own wardrobe.  I haven't done very much pattern mixing in my fashion experience, but I think I like it!

Oh, and I changed my hair color a little...can you tell?  I am really loving it.

 Outfit details:  faux leather jacket-thrifted, blouse-vintage, belt-vintage, skirt-vintage Pendleton, 

tights-random, booties-Michael Kors (thrifted)

Aurora is picking up on the outfit post modeling.  As soon as she saw the camera, she hustled right over to my side and put her hands on her hips.  I think we have a model in the making...(and her outfit is head to toe thrifted! Cardigan- Crewcuts, Dress-Lands End, Booties-Mini Boden...under $15 for it all!)

We had a busy day yesterday...from church/Sunday school, to grocery store, to blog/shop work at home, to ANOTHER grocery store, and then out for a birthday dinner (I had my first margarita in ages! And some yummy mushroom/pepper tacoes!). It was a great day, but we were exhausted by the end. My plans to measure all evening turned into snuggling on the couch with Q while watching Revenge (we are addicted!).

Hope your weekend was wonderful and productive!  I am ready for another nice, long weekend in just a few days...

xo,
Amanda

Sister Style: Party Attire

Here's a little look at what we wore to our mom's surprise birthday party.  Since she was in the dark about what was going on, we knew she'd show up in casual attire...so we dressed accordingly!  Totally unintentional, but we both ended up wearing skinnies, boots, a graphic shirt with a layering piece on top (Amanda-a leopard print cardigan, Jayme- a denim vest) and a long necklace.  Our hair is super similar in these photos too, both in color and length (and side swept bangs)!  

top-UO (thrifted), leopard cardigan-(thrifted), black skinnies-Gap, suede boots-Aldo (Thrifted!), necklace c/o Blue Nile

vest:  Free People (formerly a jacket), shirt:  Gap, jeans: Gap, boots: Candies

We were running around, cooking, putting up decorations, etc. so we were both pretty thankful to be casual/comfortable--but with a little bit of dressy style thrown in.

Also (Amanda): I liked the outfit in person, but the shirt is wide/cropped, so I needed something to nip in at the waist more:  Lesson learned...I may be passing this top on to the teenage stepdaughters (or Jayme, if she wants it!). Oh well.

And I think that's the last of the birthday posts for now!  Holiday season is on its way and we have SO MANY fun blogs coming your way...

xo,

J&A

Outfit Post: Blacks and Blues

Nothing turns around a bad day for me like getting a package in the mail. My love language (if you know anything about them) is GIFTS!  It can be the tiniest thing--like Q bringing home my favorite candy--but it's meaningful to me. I just love little presents--getting them for others, receiving them, and getting them for myself on occasion (treat yo'self!).

It's rare I buy things for me these days, but when I saw this dress on Etsy for a steal and in my size, I couldn't pass it up:

Outfit details:  1950s plaid dress-Etsy, belt-vintage, tights-random, lace up booties-thrifted Michael Kors

It was a quintessentially perfect all day outside.  Q was taking a course nearby instead of working, so we met him for lunch and he came home early!  I took him thrifting (aka, he chased Aurora so I could shop) and then we want to our new neighborhood obsession, Mom's Organic Market, for dinner. I should also say, I've been back to 100% vegan for just a little over two weeks, and I feel awesome, and I feel like I'm looking awesome...not in a bragging way, but I've lost some weight and my skin is clear and my hair is shiny, so that makes me feel happy. This time around, I'm trying to avoid soy as much as possible, and it's really helping...more vegan recipes coming to the blog, for those of you who were interested!

Also:  I trimmed my own bangs.  I'm pretty pleased, even though the side fringe is still awkwardly growing out (and tucked behind my ears).  Grow, hairs, grow!

Happy Friday!!! 

xo,

Amanda

Outfit Post: Rockraiser

My band got the chance to perform for a really good cause this past weekend, at one of my very favorite venues Virginia.  It was pretty surreal to be playing music on a stage where I have seen so many shows by artists I love!  We had a blast, and it's safe to say it was our best show ever to date...as well as my favorite performance outfit so far.

Here's a little peek into the evening and what I wore:

 Outfit details:  beret-vintage, dress-vintage (coming soon to the shop!), heels-thrifted, belt-vintage

My two biggest fans were there, and it was a decent crowd for a Sunday night, competing with football and the Emmy awards.  I felt a little bit like Ms. Joan Holloway, Christina Hendricks, here...complete with the curves.  I asked Q if the dress was too tight before we went out, and he said, "Noooo..." and gave me googly eyes.  So I kept it on, even though it made me a little anxious. In the end, I felt so good.  Moral of the story:  I think every woman needs a red beret and the perfect LBD and a great red lipstick. I swear, I felt so sexy that I wasn't even nervous. ;)

Oh, and we have some more berets (just not red...yet!) coming to the shop soon too!

xo,
Amanda

Outfit Post: Beach Babe

Happy 4th of July!!!

Today's outfit is not red, white and blue (gasp!).  And it's a picture of me in my bathing suit (second gasp!).  Well, sort of...I am accepting my mama curves these days, but not to the point that I'm comfortable for half naked photos for all the world to see!  That's why I love a good vintage coverup--I found this one just in time for our vacation:

 Outfit details: retro bathing suit (Walmart--I KNOW! Another gasp.), floral sarong-vintage, hair flower-Forever 21, bracelet-random 

We took these photos at Cacapon State Park--Aurora, Jayme, my mom and I all had on black or black and white bathing suits, so we got a great shot together.

The bathing suit is a 50s style, and the wrap is more of a 70s floral, but I think they work well together.  I actually did briefly remove my sarong to sit in the water--you know it's hot when I don't give a damn who sees my pasty, squishy white legs!

Hope you are enjoying a day off, cold drink in hand, thankful for your freedom. ;)

xo,
Amanda

P.S.  Wanna wrap yourself in a cute vintage coverup?  Here are some similar vintage sarongs from Valley of the Sun, Bad Cholla Vintage (a matching set!), gogo vintage, and Alicja Vintage.

Outfit Post: Art-o-Matic

After an amazing weekend, it sure is hard to come back to "work."  The rainy skies make it a little easier, though, as though the Universe is crying with me.

What made this an amazing weekend, besides the weather?  An awesome Father's Day, celebrating the best dad EVER(!), and a Crooked Hearts performance at Art-o-Matic.  It was our biggest performance to date, and we had an incredible time! So many family members and friends came to support us, and the sound was awesome.  And best of all, my outfit was awesome, if I do say so myself:

Outfit details:  dress-Betsey Johnson (thrifted!!!), purse-vintage, sandals-Blowfish 
 

I did my own hair and makeup, and was so pleased with how it turned out that I had to take gratuitous photo (you can follow me on Instagram @mandamiska for more of-the-moment photos, etc.!).
  My friend Kathryn also got this great shot at the show, and our friend, Quin, was doing professional videography, so stay tuned for some Crooked Hearts video goodness in the future (even sooner if you LIKE us on Facebook!).  I met my bandmate's sweet 9 year old niece for the first time, and the first thing she said was:  "She looks like Katy Perry!"  It was the sweetest thing ever, I almost cried from laughing. I told her it was the best compliment I'd ever received (even if I don't think I'm nearly at Katy's hotness level).  I think it definitely boosted my stage confidence. ;)

Also--this dress!  I found it last week while thrifting,  and it fit like a dream, even though the tag had a much smaller number on it than I usually wear--the bodice has elastic and the halter is adjustable, so to my surprise, when I tried it on just in case, it was perfect.  I squealed a little. Betsey Johnson? Fruit print? 1950s style? It was a match made in heaven--and perfect timing.

Back to the grind now--Mondays are terrible for me, but the rest of the week is smooth sailing.  We have some great blogs in store, so stay tuned!

xo,
Amanda