A Very Vintage Christmas

(Dress: vintage from Ebay/ bow: Forever 21/ shoes: Target)

This Christmas Eve I was lucky enough to get to wear one of the most beautiful dresses I've ever seen and which I am lucky enough to own. I was quite overdressed for my family's humble gathering at my abuela's house, but I always take the chance to take out some of the fancier pieces in my closet on Christmas. Otherwise they would barely see the light of day, other than when I throw them on in my apartment on the days when I'm overcome by the beauty of a particular vintage gown. Besides, isn't it right to wear some of my favorite dresses on my favorite holiday?

This dress is by far my favorite in my closet now and maybe ever, because it has everything I could ever want in a dress. I love sheer bishop sleeves with cuffs, details like belts and buttons that add to the design and remain consistent with it, chiffon and velvet combinations, sheer layered skirts that I can twirl in, cinched waists, and romantic floral detail. This gorgeous gown has it all, including registers and registers of roses, my absolute favorite flower.

This dress even looks very similar to this beautiful dress featured in the Katy Perry cover story of Vogue for July 2013, which had the most beautiful and romantic dresses in shades of red and black that I have ever seen. I'm still dreaming of the day I find a similar dress to this Dolce and Gabbana one, which was my favorite in the whole article. Maybe Santa will bring it for me one year, if I'm really good...

On this Christmas Day and everyday, I hope you enjoy your family and friends and wear the things that make YOU happy, even if they are dressy or different or even super casual. And remember that you don't have to wait to be invited to a ball to put on your favorite gown and feel beautiful! I certainly never do.

Love,
Michelle

Back to School: A Week in Outfits

What a first week to the semester! Not that it was super exciting for me or that I did anything super cool but just that I really like my classes and teachers (at least for now).  I love being an Art History student because of how interesting my classes are, and this semester promises to be especially so as I start on my Museum Studies minor and also taking my last studio art class. I don't like to brag or anything but while other people worry about Chemistry and Business classes, I am going to be building a boat out of recycled materials and put together an exhibit about combat photos in World War II!

Anyways, I just figured I'd share all the outfits I wore this week to school. Dressing up for school can be a bit of a challenge for me in the beginning of the semester, since my instinct usually is to dress up super fancy, which I feel sort of weird doing at a university where almost everyone wears t-shirts and shorts.  Usually in the beginning of the semester I tend to try to dress more "normal" but later on I just stop caring what people think (like I should've been doing all along) and dress in whatever I feel like, weather permitting.

Here is me trying to not stick out too much on the first week of school:

Monday:
Bumbling About and Figuring Things Out

Usually I have an outfit planned out in my head a bit before the first day of school, but this year I didn't. Instead in the morning I just threw on a dress I haven't worn in a while and then accessorized it in a way that coincidentally matched my notebook. I guess not so coincidental though given the thirty percent chance I'll be wearing red on any given day.
(Dress and head wire: Forever 21/ cardigan: Wet Seal/ bag: Target/ necklace: Epcot)

Tuesday:
Disney Drop/ Add Aspirations

I really like the classes I'm taking this semester but I also really wanted to try to get into the Disney Art History class that was full. My favorite (and I think currently my only) vintage Disney t-shirt of Flower, after whom I will one day name my pet skunk.  No luck getting into the class, but at least I still looked cute.
(T-shirt: vintage from Etsy/ skirt and purse: Target/ jacket: from a tourist shop in Bermuda/ head wire: Forever 21)

Wednesday:
Getting into the Spin of Things

Probably my favorite outfit this week with all the jewel tones and the beautiful necklace. The chance to paint on some matching purple and turquoise cat eye eyeliner was also wonderful. Wednesday was nice because it was the first real day of class, I had finalized my class schedule, and I invented hot chocolate ice cream floats.

(Dress: Forever 21/ open cardigan: Target/ earrings: Sale Rack in Miami/ necklace: Lulu's)

 I had a lot of fun taking pictures of this outfit (obviously) and am actually beginning to learn how to photograph myself in my new apartment with the self timer mode on my Canon.

Thursday:
Basically Friday (Hurrah!!)

I don't wear this beautiful dress often enough. I love how all the dots get closer together at the bottom and the band of flowers. Another thing I love is that I only have classes Monday through Thursday, so Thursday was a very easy day to get through.
(Dress: thrifted from Goodwill/ earrings: Claire's/ shoes: GoJane)

I have no outfit pictures from Friday, which I spent cutting and painting paper flowers for my wall in my Minnie Mouse PJ's literally all day. It was glorious honestly.