Patchwork Girl

Posted: June 29, 2020 | Author: Salazar | Filed under: Clothes, Style Imitating Art | Tags: beige plaid dress, belt, blue, blue button-up, brown, brown heeled oxfords, style imitating art | 5 Comments

For this week’s SIA, inspired by Anne Ryan’s “Number 453” (it looks like patchwork, hence my post title), I knew I’d wear something blue and something plaid, both of which I have plenty of in my closet. However, I didn’t want to wear my blue jean culottes again, and my plaid shirt doesn’t quite match the colors of the piece.

Then, by a stroke of luck, I came across this plaid dress at an online thrift store, so I snatched it up. The problem is, I didn’t realize it was an empire-waist dress (that’s the thing with thrifting online; the photos can look deceiving) and the top is too short on me. Luckily, the waist is elasticated, so I could just unbutton the top, tuck it into the waistband, and voila, I have a skirt! I paired it with my blue linen shirt, brown oxfords, and navy belt, and it’s a perfectly acceptable outfit for SIA. I thought about chopping off the top of the dress to turn it into a skirt permanently, but in the end, I decided to keep it as a dress. That way, I can wear it both as a skirt and a dress.

Don’t forget to check out Daenel’s blog on Wednesday to see other outfits inspired by this piece!

Lighthouse

Posted: July 15, 2013 | Author: Salazar | Filed under: Clothes, Style Imitating Art | Tags: beige, beige plaid dress, black strappy heels, red, style imitating art, wrap skirt | 3 Comments

I spent my weekend finishing up the first part of A Storm of Sword (I got the UK paperback edition, which is split into “Steel and Snow” and “Blood and Gold”), but I’m wondering if I should read the second part now, because it seems season 3 has covered most of the storylines in the first part and I don’t want to get spoiled for season 4. Plus I’m not keen on reading the Red Wedding chapter any time soon, so maybe I’ll hold off on that.

Anyway… moving on to this week’s SIA outfit, which is inspired by Jamie Wyeth’s “Lighthouse“. Confession: I didn’t wear this exact version to work. I replaced it with my workhorse Banana Republic skirt because this red one is too full for me to ride my bike safely in it and too focus-pulling for me to feel comfortable. But the top (which is actually a dress) is perfect for the painting, so instead of coming up with a new outfit entirely, I just put on a new skirt.

Don’t forget, head over to Jess’ blog to see other style interpretations of this painting!

Dress (worn as top): thrifted, Skirt: vintage, Heels: borrowed from my sister

Big Bow, Little Bow

Posted: February 20, 2013 | Author: Salazar | Filed under: Clothes | Tags: beige, beige plaid dress, brown mary-janes, cropped cardigan, green, tights | 3 Comments

I’ve had this dress for a while but it doesn’t get a lot of wear, because it’s a bit of an awkward silhouette – it’s not quite a normal shirt dress and not quite a drop-waist dress, but somewhere in between. Plus the material is a bit too thick to be worn in the summer but the skirt is too short for the colder months. It seems like a no-brainer to wear it with tights, so I don’t know why I had to see a brown plaid + blue tights combo on Lisa Hannigan to make me realize that. Admittedly my version is a bit too twee because my dress is shorter and I chose to wear heels instead of the boots I’m sure she was wearing. I’m totally not style-stalking (is that a word?) her or anything 😛

Whenever I wear something twee I feel obligated to do this pose

Dress & Heels: thrifted, Cardigan: swapped with my sister, Tights: Kohl’s

Kryptonite

Posted: April 19, 2012 | Author: Salazar | Filed under: Clothes | Tags: beige, beige plaid dress, belt, plaid flats | 13 Comments

If you have been reading the blog for a while, you know how I am with kids. I’m not just bad with them, I have a nearly crippling fear of them. So imagine my horror, when I was setting up my tripod to take these photos and a little girl out walking with her mom came running up to me with this huge grin on her face. In that moment I felt like one of those victims in Godzilla (even though the girl only comes up to my knees.) Then she said “Hi!”, and for a panicked second I almost screamed “Get it off me! Get it off me!” before I realized she was nowhere that close to me. I managed to squeak out a breathless “Hello” and walked on, so hopefully the mom didn’t think I was a weirdo (I totally am though.)

That has nothing to do with the outfit, because I don’t have much to say about the outfit. Except this: I just realized all my dresses are on the short side. Only a couple of them come below my knees. Maybe that’s why I don’t wear them often enough.

Dress & belt: thrifted, Flats: Payless

Neutral

Posted: February 1, 2012 | Author: Salazar | Filed under: Clothes | Tags: beige, beige plaid dress, brooch, tan boots, tights, trench coat dress | 16 Comments

Today’s ABC’s of Style challenge is “M for Monochromatic”, which did throw me into a loop for a bit because I just did it for the Winter Edition Challenge last week. But then the Winter Edition Challenge prompt, “Dress up a Coat”, gave me an idea. I knew I wanted to wear my new Modcloth coat, and since I went with bright monochromes both time before, it also allows me to go neutral this time. Isn’t it nice when someone tells you what to wear?

Also, I think these boots are goner. I wanted to give them a second chance, I really did, but I just don’t like how they hit me at the widest part of my calves and make my legs even stumpier. Anybody wants a pair of 7.5 tan, mid-calf boots?