(Where are the) Dog Days of Summer

Never in late July/early August did I think a cardigan would be suitable for midday in the Northeast. Normally it's hot, muggy, and the last thing I want to be wearing is a sweater. But this summer has been very cool and rainy. I hate hot weather, so I can't complain. It's just weird.

Outfit: Dress, Room 334; shoes, Marshalls; circle scarf, flea market; cardigan, H&M.

Add a pair of tights to this outfit and this is my go-to fall outfit template: Dress, cardi, booties, scarf, tights. Also, have to thank Elana from Room 334 for selling me this lovely dress for nothing! (She wore it here.) I couldn't resist getting it. I don't really have anything like it in my closet, so it was easily justified. The details seen in the photos really don't do it justice. The fabric has a subtle shimmer to it, too.

In case you're wondering, Kim and I found this wonderful scene just a few blocks from our office, on our lunch break no less. I love lame graffiti... Especially that big, rabid dog head. Hehe.

Depending on where you live, of course, have you altered what you normally wear for summer?

Flower Child at the Farm

I visited my co-worker at her family's farm, Paskorz Berry Farm, over the weekend.

It was a beautiful place, tucked behind some houses and hills. I've been a huge fan of berry picking and canning over the past few years, so it's really exciting to know someone whose family owns a farm. And there's the whole utilizing locally grown foods, too.

Overall, my weekend was insanely busy. Friday night I went to the bar with a really old friend from elementary school who's moving out of the area, and subsequently ran into a bunch of other high school friends. And then on Saturday, a friend from Portland, Oregon was unexpectedly in town for the weekend, so we had brunch at this place some of my friends keep raving about, made our way to the arts festival for a little bit, and went to the Strip, a cluster of indoor/outdoor vendors and market goodies. That was all before seeing Kim at the berry farm, although briefly, because I didn't want to force her to pick berries when she was already out on the farm all damn day.

She was happy to take pictures, though, so I am thankful. I didn't really plan on photographing this particular outfit, but it's something I've worn a few times in recent weeks because it's bright and comfortable.

On Sunday, I cleaned the hell out of the house, my dad and the in-laws came over, and we cooked on our new grill for the first time.

Hopefully this week I'll be making some strawberry jam, from this very farm.

Outfit: Dress, Modcloth; Cardigan, J. Crew Outlet; Shoes, Toms (similar); Sunnies, Avalon (secondhand store).

What did you do over the weekend?

Road Trips are like a Wild Goose Chase

This skirt makes me want to go on a road trip.

My coworker Kim shot these photos beautiful for me after work last week. They were taken at the local conservancy. Going there almost felt like a mini road trip.

Apparently it gets even prettier in the summer.

Those geese in the photo are deceivingly adorable; they kept hissing at me and sticking their tongues out! I guess they were just being protective of the young ones, but still.

Anyway, I was so happy to incorporate this skirt back into my wardrobe. It makes me think of road trips, summer, having a good time. The a-line cut is incredibly flattering. It's also extremely versatile; it can be dressed up or down. Best of all, I bought it half off during a ModCloth sale a few years ago! It's held up really well since then, even though I wear it a lot.

Outfit: Skirt, Modcloth (old); shirt, Target; cardigan, J. Crew (outlet); flats, Famous Footwear.

What are some of your summer wardrobe staples?

In Bloom

I don't think I'm a very photogenic person, but that won't stop me from posting the occasional outfit photo. I've always loved dresses, avidly collected them for years, but it's probably only been about a year-and-a-half since I started actually wearing them on a regular basis.

Despite this dress being kinda short for me, I couldn't resist the daisy print and flattering hourglass silhouette. Daisy prints are so 90s chic! This is the first time I've worn it without a pair of opaque tights. Full disclosure: I don't like my legs at all, and try to keep them covered as much as possible. They're so pale. And knobby. But I'm hoping this blog pushes me out of my comfort zone, with fashion and otherwise.

These photos were actually taken in my parents' yard. To say my dad has a lot of quirky decor is an understatement. I guess some of it is kind of endearing. And he enjoys gardening, so there's a lot of various flowers in bloom and other greenery right now.

The latest runway craze: The T-Rex!

Outfit: Dress, Target; Cardigan, J. Crew (via Outlet store); Shoes, Marshalls; Ring, flea market; bag, ModCloth (similar).

Are there any flaws, physical or otherwise, that you struggle to embrace?