The Reception

Last week I was talking about what I wore recently to a summer wedding (you can find that post here) and mentioned that I usually use weddings as an opportunity to incorporate a wardrobe change and get in as many fancy pants outfits as I can. To that end, this is what I wore to the reception. I will most definitely be packing this dress for my upcoming Vegas trip...it just sort of screams "Vegas!" to me.

dress: French Connection / shoes: Karl Lagerfeld / necklace: Jess & Jess / jacket: H&M / bracelets: Stella and Dot and Aldo / clutch: Jess & Jess

All the Frills: Exteriors

It occurs to me that, for all the times I’ve featured images of my home, I’ve never shown the outside. Well, here it is!

I was attracted to this place because a) the tallness and narrowness sort of reminded me of the structures in my beloved Edinburgh (and it is tall, we have three floors and a basement, so four in total) and b) no yard – because I am terrible at caring for things like that. And yeah, that’s my cat in the window. He was really confused as to why I was outside taking pictures.

Weekend Reading:

Apparently the oldest written documents in British history have been discovered.

So, full warning, these cadaver photos from nineteenth century Paris are a bit unsettling – but also fascinating.

This article pretty accurately describes a lot of dudes I’ve encountered.

Yeah, historians are essential for society. Historical knowledge is to.

Yeah, all these things are totally legit. 

Summer Wedding

I went to a wedding recently. I always use weddings as an opportunity to get really dressed up, regardless of whether it’s a super formal function or not. I also like to do an outfit change and wear something different to the reception than I wore to the ceremony. Basically I just go for it with weddings! Anyways, this is what I wore to the afternoon ceremony. I did, at least, make it a bit more casual by adding the cardigan (which was necessary as it was a cold and rainy day).

dress: H&M / shoes: Arturo Chiang / clutch: Jess & Jess / rings: Stella and Dot and Benatra / bracelets: Stella and Dot and Aldo

Gothic Summer

Yeah, this is about as summery I get – strutting around in the heat and doing my best Morticia Adams impression. I regret nothing!

skirt: ASOS / top: thrifted via Value Village / shoes: Courtney Love for Nasty Gal / sunglasses: Aldo

All the Frills: Wedgwood

My parent’s recently returned from a month in Hawaii (they go every year or every other year) and my amazing mother went a bit nuts on my behalf in the Wedgwood store.

Weekend Reading:

• I’m currently watching the remake of Roots and remember watching the original with my parents (after it had already aired, I think I was about 8 maybe?). The experience of it as a child shook me to my little childlike core.
  
• I really enjoyed this piece that picks apart a ridiculous article on qualities to look for in a husband.
  
• I can’t deal with an unread email. I just can’t do it.
  
• These abandoned castles and mansions are majestic.
  
• This article about adorable animals being jerks has basically destroyed otters for me.
  
• People who put two spaces after a period are the bane of my existence. I’m not joking. I’ve gotten into actual scraps at work about this. 

Harrowing

So I had a somewhat harrowing experience in this outfit. My doctor wanted me to get a bunch of blood work done – mostly just routine and arising from a recent annual check up, some family history issues involving blood clotting, my ongoing B12 deficiency, etc, etc. So I dutifully fasted for 8 hours (it actually wound up being more like 10) and decided to stop off at a blood lab on my way to work, get the blood drawn, and then stop for a coffee and a muffin before hitting the office. Easy, right? But I was in for a bit of surprise because they proceeded to draw over 15 vials of blood at the testing place. I’ve never felt so queasy and light headed in my life.

top: Primark / sandals: Aldo / jacket: Simons / necklace: Jenners / sunglasses: Aldo

Celebration!

I wore this to work recently and it is far and away one of my favourite work ensembles – I love how the red shoes just pop with all the black, not to mention all the little faux leather details on the pants and blazer. Yeah, I’ll totally be wearing this again soon. I will also be wearing these shoes out on the town this weekend for a little celebration as I got word recently that my book revisions were well received and the whole, arduous process remains on track!

pants: H&M / top: Joe Fresh / blazer: ASOS / necklace: Aldo / shoes: ModCloth

All the Frills: Little Crowns

I purchased this little crown at a local store called Tattered Rose. The shop feels to me like the inside of Courtney Love’s brain, and so I love it for that if nothing else. Anyways, isn’t this little crown like the cutest thing?

Weekend Reading:

• I rather enjoyed this little opinion piece on the literary canon.
  
• This weird early modern epidemic has always fascinated me.
  
• You know I can’t resist cats.
  
• I am obsessed with this dress.
  
• Oh, Mark Ruffalo, no.

Las Vegas, Here I Come!

I think I found a print that is not plaid but that I’m totally on board with – mostly because it involves green. In other news, it's been a pretty stressful month or so at my office. I won't get too into the details but there's some significant management changes (including with respect to my position). Top that off with the MASSIVE amount of work on my book and article project that I've been doing over the past few months and I finally hit my breaking point. So, in response to all this stress I decided to do the most adult thing I could think of: run away on a lark to Vegas for a few days with friends to make my fortune at the slots (that's how adults handle these things, right?). Anyways, I leave in about 4 weeks!

Yeah, this facial expression (captured in the midst of me bellowing at an arrant cat to get off the counter) is unfortunate.

top: H&M / pants: RW and Co / necklace: F21

Memories in Plaid

There’s just something about plaid that always puts a smile on my face – I’m not a huge fan of prints typically (on me that is), but plaids are a whole other story. Plus I acquired this dress on my last trip to Scotland...so, you know, memories and all that jazz.

dress: New Look / shoes: ZooShoo / jacket: ASOS / necklace: Aldo

Cardigan Crush

A cardigan I simply don’t wear often enough…

dress: Banana Republic / tights: Target / cardigan: Simons / necklace: Jenners / ring: Benatra