Beige and Peach to the (Wardrobe) Rescue

Tricky, tricky beige. Is there a simpler, yet more confounding colour to build an outfit around? I was attracted to this skirt for the turquoise and coral details, but I rarely wear it as I lack tops in *the right shades* of turquoise and coral. I'm sure you've experienced similar wardrobe issues. Enter, a beige sleeveless tunic.

Oooh, exciting.

 Quite possibly the ugliest top I own, this nylon zip-back vintage number is an indispensable layering piece when I need a neutral.

 Ta-da! Suddenly, we have an outfit. Is the match perfect? No, of course not, but the top bridges the beige and coral in the skirt just enough to pull everything together. I'm happy I finally found a way to wear this silk skirt as it has been hanging on the back of my bedroom door seeking inspiration since early spring. Sometimes I need to live with a piece of clothing before wearing it. I have things I purchased years ago still seeking a proper outfit, but I've learned it is better to wait than wear something I'll be displeased with, just to get it worn. Obviously, I have plenty of storage space, but I'm also selective about items I keep around. If I didn't love this skirt it would have been moved along by now. If you do however love something, give it time-you never know when a beige tunic will come into your life to make you look at your clothes with fresh eyes.

The three bangles at the back are wood, painted to look like cloisonne. The two bracelets at the front are genuine. The brooch is a hand-painted ceramic I bought for .59 cents last week at Thrift World.

Outfit Particulars:
Silk skirt-Hand-Me-Ups (I think)
1960's nylon tunic-Hand-Me-Ups
Bolero-Goodwill
Gold vintage shoes-Goodwill
Vintage Gaymode handbag-Goodwill
Belt-Thrift World
Brooch-Thrift World
Painted bangles-Goodwill
Vintage clip earrings-New Life Thrift
Clamper and bangle-Both Hand-Me-Ups
Fragrance-none, kiddo's asthma is kicking up again. He's never been triggered by fragrance, but why risk it?

This dress is on the peach side of beige.

 It really is too big, and as a result looks funny in the arms. I appreciate a roomy dress as much as the next person, but I don't like being swamped by my clothes. Still, it was worth wearing just to show how well peach/beige works with brown.

I've done the peach/brown thing before-this was back in 2014

What can I say? I'm a creature of habit.

Summer before last, I wore it with brown and blue.

 But in the heat, nothing beats keeping it simple. I thought about adding a jacket, and the thought better of it.

Outfit Particulars:
1970's polyester dress-Goodwill
1960's straw bag-garage sale
Marbled bakelite bangle-Hand-Me-Ups
Vintage earrings-Etsy
1970's bracelet-Hand-Me-Ups
Hat-K Mart
Vintage sandals-Sequels
Hard-to-see coral brooch-Thrift World

This grasshopper was hanging about as we took photos. I can't tel if he's shedding skin or if he has injured wings. Any grasshopper experts out there? We set him down in the nasturtiums and he's stll hanging out hours later.

In other news...

We've been spending the week finalising our State Fair entries as the paperwork needs to be in by the 9th. The past week was spent adjusting recipes, working out what needs to baked with sponsor's products (flour, sugar, yeast, etc.), and setting a baking schedule. As with most things, good time management is a must. Some things like decorated cookies, tea breads, and candies do better made ahead so they can age. We'll get those items out of the way, and then work out what can go in the oven as we wait for yeast breads to rise, etc. We took this approach last year and I was ever so glad we did. Having a large wall calendar to consult each day makes it seem so much less overwhelming. I think Danny has around 50 entries (some are jams/chutney/etc. that were completed months ago) some requiring more hands-on time than others. Mapping your time out step-by-step saves a good deal of frustration...and let's face it, frustration is best reserved for icing that won't set, or breads that won't release from the "non-stick" parchment. You can't anticipate everything, so best not to use up your patience on the avoidable.

I can't believe school will be starting again in just over a month. We have an interesting year set up, and I'm looking forward to doing some more in-depth studies with Danny. I'm probably going to regret the piano lessons, but I feel bad that we have a perfectly good piano sitting in a corner collecting dust. Hopefully, Danny will appreciate it when he's older. I still sort of have childhood trauma from my mum screaming at my sister from the next room, "COUNT!" as she'd practise her scales, etc. I won't do that-I'm just going to get ear-plugs, and some extras for the neighbours. Can't possibly be worse than the kid across the street learning to play the drums.

I'll leave you with this little blissed-out fellow who clearly isn't suffering from allergies or contest anxieties (not my photo).

I'm off to check the dried fruit supplies. Have a lovely weekend.

The Moon's the North Wind's Cooky

Well that was fun! We had a terrific view of it from the college next door at the top of the hill.

We had a lucky break with the weather, and the skies cleared for the first time this week. I do hope Danny remembers these things when he's old and complaining his parents never did anything fun with him.

In other news, I'm still dressing like it is 1977. Clearly influenced by my decision to wear blue and yellow, Danny selected a couple new shirts for himself. Can you believe my baby needs shirts this long? Holy shit, that kid is tall. He didn't get that from my side of the family.

I'm going to make a point of posing next to as many pumpkins as possible this autumn. Why not? Right?

I broke out the cloisonne to wear as a set today. Guess what perfume I wore. Go on, guess. There's a review coming eventually.

Outfit Particulars:

1970's home-sewn (not by me) skirt-Goodwill
Polo neck-Gordman's (last year)
Knit short-sleeved sweatery-thing-Kohls, a couple years ago
Clogs-Hand-Me-Ups
Tooled handbag-New Life Thrift
Rhinestone hair comb-Sally's
Cloisonne set-Hand-me-Ups
Fragrance (did you guess it?) Guerlain Parure (get it? Ain't I clever?)

The gardenia gave off one last bloom for the season. We came home this evening and it really did fill the warm, still air. if only I could find a gardenia perfume that smelled like that. Inspired by Sue, I'm going to try and get more photos of my garden in the dark. Not that my garden looks anything like her backyard paradise.

The next time we get a super-moon/eclipse I'll be quite elderly. Danny said he'll come break his Papa and Mama out of the old people's home to view it again. I'm gonna hold him to that promise.

You May Now Wear White, If You Care About Rules

We've made it to Memorial Day weekend, the accepted start of summer in the United States. You wouldn't know it by the freezing cold (and rain, but thankfully not freezing rain, though that isn't impossible) but if you are the sort of person that cares about fashion rules, the white shoes and bags can come out of storage. 

I think we all know how I feel about fashion rules.

I don't have the sort of constitution that could manage a trip to the pool for the opening weekend in this weather, but there's a birding hike at one of our beautiful State Parks on Sunday. Sure, it will be muddy with all the rain, but that's what old boots are for. I might have a difficult time convincing the boys to tag along, promise of rare warblers or not. 

I'm going to plant the string beans and patty pan summer squash tomorrow as well. It feels late, but though we are slow to warm in Omaha, I know that it will be sweltering well into October. 90 days to harvest leaves plenty of time to grow. This year, I'm doing the squashes on a trellis. I saw a similar construction at last year's fair and I was determined to give it a try at home. The tomatoes and basil are struggling in the cool weather, but if they survive then they should be the stronger for it. We have the tiniest tomato on one of the plants, and a few flowers, but that's it, and they're all rather small. The smallest of the varieties that is barely growing is called (wait for it) German Johnson. 

Ahem. Moving along...

 Hey everybody, I found earrings to match my necklace. Cool, eh? 

This dress was a gift from my dad, late 80's-ish (the era, not his age). I've removed the shoulder pads to make it more wearable. It wasn't my style then, but I could see why he thought I might like it-the cold rayon, the tasteful floral print, the wearable colours, etc.

Still not my style, but perfect for this sort of weather. Unlike so many rayon dresses, this is lined with an acetate that neither clings not creates static. It is a rare day that I can wear a dress or skirt without the addition of a slip. That alone makes it a keeper. 

I think I like the sheer white tights. Maybe. I keep thinking they make me look like a nurse, but all the nurses wear surgical scrubs these days. Pity the poor fetishists. What I really need are pale pink tights like Talbotts sold years ago. They matched my skin tone perfectly, but I might have been alone in that as they were discontinued. Anyone know where I can get pale pink sheer tights? I'll love you forever if you do. Aw, I'll love you forever anyway!

Outfit Particulars:

Dress-80's, gift

Vintage Margaret Smith handbag-Hand-Me-Ups

Vintage Naturalizer pumps-Thrift World

Cloisonne bracelet-Goodwill

Necklace and earrings-K Mart

Yellow cardigan-Goodwill

Lippy-Revlon Fuchsia Fusion (say that ten times fast)

Fragrance-White Shoulders (I reek in honeysuckle and rose, even if the garden does not)

We found the most disgusting mould growing in the mulch tonight. I made Mr. ETB dig it out. It was yellow, and sickening and is nicknamed, "Dog vomit mould." I guess that's better than the "Dog penis" mould we had all over last year. 

Really, in MY garden! How dare it?!

So what about you? Do you wait for a certain date to wear white (or wear velvet after Christmas), or do you wear whatever you fancy? Do tell.

Whatever you're wearing, I hope you have a lovely weekend.