trans•atlantic petals:The Hague

If Amsterdam is a quarter-life musician in chuck taylors & a breton stripe sweater, The Hague is it's rule-following lawyer cousin -- with a quirky sense of humor.

Our buttoned-up 2nd stop was quite a diverse one; with the cool, architectural artwork @ the MC Escher Haus & the surreal Lewis Carroll whimsy of Madurodam {a 1:25 scale model of a Dutch town; complete with all the famous landmarks}.

Here are a few shots from the royal courtyard.

jeans: tulle, blouse:Bit by Bit, cardigan & boots: Amsterdam, bag: Duluth Pack, rain jacket: Amazon {FREE with credit}, earrings: Forever 21 {gift from my mom}.

Another wise decision I made in packing for this holiday was to represent our home by carrying my Duluth Pack cross-shoulder bag. I recommend Duluth Packs for anyone, anywhere. They are beautifully crafted, rustic•chic backpacks, purses, totes, & more. The fine folks who make these satchels value their Midwest|Nordic integrity by guaranteeing all purchases for life with free repairs.

Learn about it.

photos by Peanut.

trans•atlantic petals:amsterdam fine style

The cool daytime temps in beautiful Amsterdam continue to dip with the sun.

This means that my tricky afternoon turned into an emergency evening.

It was time to bundle a bit. I stopped into the H&M: Dam Square and purchased a pair of sturdy brown boots, a couple of cardigans + some knee-highs.

This combination of staples actually sustained me through most of our trip ~ it certainly made a lot more of my items feasible via layering.

This new striped cardigan of I picked up flaunted it's camel colored elbow patches and it was a no brainer.

These boots literally saved our trip. There's no better way to say it.

I made a pretty blatant rookie mistake that I was well aware of & I know better than, and I ended up taking a risk and getting a wonderful pair of boots by the magic of fate.

So I'm not sorry that I made this decision.

dress: Forever21, cardigan, boots & knee highs: H&M, leggings: Target.

photos by Peanut.

Don't Call it a Comeback

There are various reasons which have lead me to this nearly-one-month long absence from this here blog. Some are big {Rob in Europe/no photag, deeper consideration of my philosophies re:this blogging endeavor...}. Some are small {being gone myself to join Rob for 10 days, thinking breaks are good in any case...}.

I really liked blogging when I first started. It felt like a fun stress release, a creative focus & an exciting way to reimagine my personal style & the styles of others. It helped me understand style more as a fabulous art-communication hybrid. Then it became something that I felt tethered to & guilty when I neglected. Then it became something I began to over-think myself out of even wanting to do. But then...

I went on an incredible trip {a couple of weeks ago}, and snapping the sites & moments on our big adventure made me remember something that I always loved about blogging nomatterwhat; I love the avenue that it provides for me to experience 'moments' {outfits, evenings, adventures, et al} that much more, to revel in it that much longer, to remember it that much clearer.

I don't want to give that gift up yet.

I've had some moments lately. I'm excited to share them with you.

blouse & tights: Gap {outlet}, cardigan: Merona, skirt: Uncommon Items {Milwaukee}, belt: Charlotte Russe, earrings: Urban Outfitters, hobo bag: Miche, scarf & oxfords: Amersterdam, nail polish: Sally Hansen Salon Series ~ Summer Plum.

photos by Peanut.

Oh, Blogger, Where Art Thou?

I've been basking in every moment of alone time I've been able to steal with my dear husband who is venturing out for a big adventure and very soon. The blog has taken on some inevitable neglect in the wake of this. Naturally.

I wore this dress recently when we attended my stepsister's wedding at a vineyard & winery {photos to follow}. It was $20 at a little vendor stand during Sidewalk Days. Her tent had no name. She was just a quiet woman with lovely, affordable dresses. Magical.

The wedding color was purple, so it was fun to have something breezy to match. I did do quite a bit of surveying about the questionable tact of wearing white to a wedding. It's a a largely outdated notion, according to my sources. So, I wore it happily. What do you all think about dress rules for wedding attendees? Is this a polarizing issue?

I got to have him with me on this pretty day.

ps: I colored my hair red{ish-goldish}.

dress: the mysterious vendor, cardigan: Merona, belt: Charlotte Russe, earrings: Forever21, sandal wedges: Attention, nail polish: Sally Hansen Salon Series ~ Thinking of Blue.

photos by Peanut.

Take From Me My Lace

Everybody|Everywear {lace}

This month's EBEW invitation is lace. I don't wear much lace {though I adore the antiquated appeal of it}. Fun fact; my wedding dress contained not a stitch of lace, in favor of gauze.

Whether white & crisp or black & slinky, it's tough to deny that lace balances young, doll-like qualities in masterful measure with elegance & wisdom.

I met this challenge by creating a faux bib on this sundress, layering a full lace blouse beneath it.

dress & earrings: Forever21, lace turtleneck: United Colors of Benetton, cardigan & boots: Target, tights: Gap, nail polish: China Glaze ~ Flyin' High.

photos by Peanut.

The Day I Became a Godmother

On Sunday, our lil nephew nugget was dedicated and we became his Godparents. It was a gorgeous, perfect day. A few sweet moments are sure to follow in a not-too-distant-future post.

dress: Vera Wang {thrifted ~ $15!}, cardigan: Merona, heels: Bongo, necklace: Two&Co., earrings: The Electric Fetus {gift}, nail polish: China Glaze ~ Flyin' High.

photos by Peanut.

costume

I bought this for this year's Lumberjack Tea Party Costume Bash.

{just kidding}

tank: siksu, cardigan & corduroys: Charlotte Russe, loafers: thrifted, earrings: gift, button bobby pin: Sassy Peaches.

photos by Peanut.

Highs in the 70's

Things are glorious up in here. My new job is smooshing up my brain quite a bit {in a good way}, and I really really like it + everyone I work with is really coolsmartfunnynice.

Summer is creeping in slowly {which I actually prefer... hotter than hot temps spend plenty of time around the big lake, and with no a/c, I'm more than fine with lows in the high 40's to highs in the low 70's}. Speaking of 70's, I just got these jeans last weekend and I'm super into them. It's not often I buy jeans with plans to tailor them, but these comfy pups were more than worth the few pennies it cost to have it done!

These earrings were a gift from a dear, dear friend of mine. Aren't they special? And they move so well...

blouse: fun+flirt, cardigan: Mossimo, jeans: Epic Blue, clogs: Sanita, earrings: The Electric Fetus {gift}, nail polish: Sally Hanson Salon Series ~ Yellow Kitty.

photos by Peanut.

A Serious Woman

I feel very serious in this dress.

It's deep navy color & structured line is much more earnest and architectural than my typical choices. But when I saw it on the rack, the pleated shoulder seam caught my attention and eventually I decided that the sweetheart faux-neckline was such an effective balance of modest and tart that I simply couldn't pass it up.

{Bonus: it was $13.}

All perfection aside, I simply couldn't ignore the opportunity for a little whimsy-contrast. These shiny yellow ballet flats are from a tiny pink shoppe in Milan, Italy called Lolita. I got them last summer on a trip there. They are comfy & fun {+ these bad boys were only $10 USD}. This sweet headband was a gift from my wonderful, fabulous friend Ilsa. Thank you soooo much again, love!

dress: Charlotte Russe, cardigan & tights: Gap, headband: gift, yellow flats: Lolita Milano

photos by Peanut.