On the Catwalk

I never thought I'd walk a cat on a leash. Not ever. But then Waldo happened.

Outfit: Dress, J. Crew, via Avalon Exchange; scarf, Modcloth (old) (similar); shoes, Marshalls; tights and cat leash, Target.

In case you don't know, he was a stray we brought in from outdoors that's been spooked by a variety of stimuli outside, like speeding cars and rain. He'll cry, howl, hide, or sometimes, have a combination of those reactions to those things. We call it kitty PTSD, probably as a result of his abandonment.

However, he's an extremely friendly, affectionate, people-loving cat otherwise. And he does love looking out the window. And following the sound of birds. We live near a busy road, and don't really have a yard, so Mark and I have been trying to leash train him. I think it's a nice middle ground where he can breathe some outdoor air on occasion while not completely freaking out.

The vet guessed he was about five months old in the fall when we took him in, and I did some reading online about leash training cats. Basically, the younger they are, the more adaptable they will be.

So we occasionally strapped the harness onto him in the winter, rewarding him with an excessive amount of treats for tolerating it. But just within the last few weeks, we began taking him outside with the leash because it's finally freaking warm enough. But I'll tell you now: Cats aren't like walking dogs. I kind of just follow where he wants to go, within reason.

Waldo tends to start slow. He'll bask in the sun for a few minutes, laying around and adapting to the outdoors, and then he'll start walking when he's ready. I've been taking him out about once a week for 20 to 30 minutes. It's just enough time where he can get his paws dirty and explore some fresh scenery.

A friend who walks her cat outside told me it's been a great way to curb door dashing. Her cat associates the leash with the outdoors and he'll purr as she's putting it on. Waldo isn't quite at that point yet.

For this photo shoot we drove to a nearby park, so Wally was a little more nervous than usual about going outside, but I think he did really well. Hopefully we'll make it back over there soon.

In other news, ahh it finally feels like spring. A dress without a sweater was totally doable on this day, with the high temp reaching a fiery 60 degrees! Also, I hope you enjoy the new look. I made some tweaks to the layout, including a new banner and navigation bar. I kept the polka dot background (for now) for some flair. :)

So how have you been? Enjoying the warm weather? Have you ever tried walking a cat? Haha.

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?

Ready for Takeoff

When your dress has an outer space print, you're bound to get compliments.

I bought this dress from Modcloth as a birthday gift to myself in July. While I hated dropping $75 on a dress, it was so worth it. The sweetheart neckline and the print were just too much to pass up. I literally get compliments every time I wear it.

While I was living in Ohio last winter, I visited the Air and Space Museum in Wapakoneta, Neil Armstrong's hometown. I kind of wish I had this dress to wear there. It would've been perfect.

As for the denim jacket, it's a pretty recent development. I used to hate denim jackets, for one reason or another, but I think that might be because I always see people wearing those jackets with jeans. It totally adds a badass factor in the wardrobe.

I'm trying to get myself away from a cardigan addiction, since that's my normal go-to for outfits with dresses. I think this works pretty well.

In other news, I'm loving this summer-like weather. After the incredibly harsh winter, I enjoy seeing all the greenery and the cartoonish clouds. And for fair complected folk like me, getting sunburnt after being outside for an hour. Haha. I have a really weird triangle-shaped burn on my chest from the day I wore this outfit. Can't win 'em all.

Outfit: Dress, Modcloth; Denim Jacket, H&M; Shoes, Marshalls; Ring, flea market; Sunnies, Avalon (secondhand store).

What are some of your splurge wardrobe pieces?

PS In case you didn't hear, as of yesterday, THE GAY MARRIAGE BAN IN PENNSYLVANIA WAS RULED UNCONSTITUTIONAL. So happy for all of my LGBT friends. :) :)

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?