Signs of Spring

Floppy Hat w/ vintage brooch: Charlotte Russe, Sunnies: Downtown Threads, Faux Fur Snood: Gifted, Lux Jacket: Classy Closet, Dress: H&M, Vintage Sweater: Thrifted, Tights: Target, Frye Boots: Originally Mom’s Call me an optimist but I’m starting to feel/see signs of spring everywhere, despite the 30 degree temps. D and I took advantage of the beautiful weather this weekend with a nice long walk along the Burlington Bike Path. The bike path is one of my favorite spots in Burlington, there isn’t a bad view to be had and it winds along some of the most beautiful parks in Burlington.

This look is the perfect mix of the winter staples that have seen me through the cold and the spring pieces I’m itching to wear. A newly acquired vintage sweater, almost long enough to be a dress, I mean a Kardashian would wear it as a dress, was the perfect base for a floral trapeze dress and my faux fur snood. Mom’s old Frye boots and a big ole floppy hat (perfect for showcasing old brooches) brought everything together.

What signs of spring and/or spring fashion are you most excited for?

January Spring

Vintage Trench Coat: D’s Mom, Knit: Shalaom Shuk, Top: Forever 21, Tiger Eye Necklace: Zinnia, Vintage Wool Skirt: Downtown Threads, Tights: Target, Steve Madden Cowboy Boots (similar)

Yesterday’s spring like temps were the perfect excuse to break out this classic trench . It was made by D’s grandmother for D’s mother over 20 years ago and couldn’t be more beautiful. I love that it’s as on trend today as it was when it was originally made and I already know I’ll be wearing it for years to come.

Luckily I like how it looks with these boots because fingers crossed I’ll have these boots forever. I bought them right before I headed off to college and after years of near constant wear I finally had them resoled last winter. The cobbler was appalled at the condition they were in when I dropped them off, he literally chided me; but in the end he was able to work his shoe magic and after a complete resoling and new heels they’re better than new.

what pieces do you hope to be wearing for years to come?

 

Polka Dots and Polar Bears

Gifted Vest, Dress (originally my Grandmother’s): Peck & Peck, Plum Tights: The Sox Market, Mermaid Bracelet: Alex and Ani

I love that I’m wearing hand me downs from two generations of Pierce women in one outfit. The Frye boots were my mom’s when she was my age and the vintage Peck & Peck dress belonged to my grandmother.

Recently my grandparents downsized and I was given  full reign over my grandmother’s collection of vintage that spanned over 60 years. This polka dot dress was one of the first pieces I choose. I didn’t have any long sleeve dresses and the classic polka dots were just too good to pass up. I paired it with plum tights and my Cher meets a shaggy dog, faux fur vest to keep it from feeling/looking dated.

I can’t wait to dress it up with a black velvet blazer, bright heels, and sparkling accessories  it could be perfect for the holiday party circuit .. which is already starting!

 What fun new frocks have you been wearing?

Pastel Picnic

Floral Scarf: H&M, Blouse: Ralph Lauren, Skirt: Downtown Threads, Tights: Target, Rose Ring: Charlotte Russe, Booties: Forever 21I know I’ve been wearing this scarf a lot but it’s hard not to when the floral print almost mirrors Vermont’s lush spring landscape. Spring is a fresh, bright, and colorfully time of year and it only seems right that your spring wardrobe reflects that.

That being said I feel like my plum tights weighed this otherwise bright look down. I thought the plum would be a brighter alternative to brown or black tights but they were still too dark against the mostly pastel color palette. I hate to admit it but maybe it’s time that I invest in nude stockings a la Kate Middleton style… then again nude tights remind me of when I was a little and my mom made me wear them with uncomfortably flouncy dresses for holiday photos. I guess you could say I’m still on the fence.

Where do you weigh in on tights, stockings, and hose? 

Plum Tights and Lace

(left):commuting shoes – (right): office shoesBlouse: Goodwill, Dress & Tights: Target, Gold Belt: Battery Street Jeans, Heels: Michael Antonio (via Endless), Coat: Thrifted, Black Boots: Old NavyI was really surprised by how much I loved this look. It’s a bit outside my usual comfort zone but not so much that I felt like I was wearing someone else’s clothes.

The blouse I’m wearing is one of my favorite thrifting finds. I found it abandon in the housewares department at Goodwill for $3 and I haven’t stopped loving it since. The lace collar and detailing on the shoulders harken back to one of my favorite periods in time and fashion, the Victorian Era.

In the late 1800’s fashion was ruled by cultural and social restrictions; how you dressed communicated your social station. Looser garments were reserved for the working class while propriety dictated that members of the upper class wear numerous layers and restrictive garments. Women in the upper class wore  layers of under garments (in the hopes that undressing would be so taxing it would be avoided) and laced into corsets and rigid garments that made even the smallest tasks arduous, further instilling the belief that women were the weaker sex.

While I’m glad my mornings aren’t spent wrestling with corsets and crinoline I can’t help but love the fashions that came out of this era.

What era in fashion speaks to you? Do you find Victorian inspired looks restrictive and rigid or delicate and feminine?

For more Victorian inspired fashions follow Wore Out on Pinterest!

Color Mixing Superstition

Glasses: Eyefly, Blazer: UO, Dress and Tights: Target, Booties: Old Navy, Watch: Thrifted, Lipstick: Party Parrot, Iris Apfel for MAC I’ve never really bought into the superstition surrounding Friday the 13th. My first kiss was on Friday the 13th and while that relationship was short lived (as most relationships that begin on school buses are) I lay no blame on the date.

I may not buy into it but Friday the 13th seemed like the perfect excuse to give a new outfit a whirl. I know it’s hard to tell in these photos but my tights are actually a deep plum color. I liked how the jewel tone tights and almost metallic teal color of the dress complimented each other. I’m pretty hesitant when it comes to mixing colors but since these tights were such a deep purple I figured they would act as a neutral.

I bought this brocade dress almost two years ago and now it’s a bit too big so I used the skinny black belt to give it more shape. While belting it was a quick fix I think for the long run I’m either going to consign it or have it taken in. There’s no use letting ill fitting clothes take up precious closet space!

 Are you comfortable mixing colors or do you tend to wear a lot of neutrals? How often do you have clothes altered? Do you use a tailor or DIY?

Remember this Skirt?

Sunnies: Greece, Scarf: Gifted, Coat: H&M, Denim Button-up: Walmart, Skirt: Old Gold, Belt: Forever 21, Tights: The Sox Market, Socks: Gifted, Boots: Old Gold The last time I wore this skirt [here] I missed the mark a bit. I’m much happier with my second attempt. I think the chocolate brown tights and worn in rodeo boots work well with the denim button up while the vintage Italian wool skirt keep the look for being too casual… or western.

I’m really getting into colored tights this fall and these brown tights from the Sox Market have become a wardrobe staple in the last few weeks I’ve had them. I was unsure about colored tights until I started working them into my wardrobe and now I love them. When it comes to trying new trends I advise looking at what you’re already comfortable with and going from there. In my case I own half a dozen pairs of black tights so I opted for grey and navy tights first. The dark neutral tones reminded me of my black tights and made my new colored tights even easier to style.

What new items have you been playing around with styling?

Wore Out’s Look of the Week

Woohoo, it’s Friday! I’m really looking forward to this weekend, it’s suppose to be beautiful and D and I have some fun plans in the works! What do you have going on?

Also I wanted to say thank you to everyone who has stopped by Wore Out’s new facebook page, it means a lot. I promise I’ve got good stuff in the works so stay tuned! Speaking of juicy content… Wore Out’s Look of the Week is…

Coury of Fancy Treehouse!When I saw this outfit my jaw literally dropped. The colors all work together beautifully. I always struggle when it comes to color pairing, so a post like this is inspiration at it’s best. In love with Coury’s jacket too? Good news it’s for sale in her shop! It’s not just her color mixing that inspires me, Coury’s looks are as enviably as they are effortless. Simply put her style is graceful. The flowing hemline, boho chic accessories and artfully layered pieces create a seamless look that is both on trend and representative of Coury’s personal style. She styles the whole look; from makeup to accessories to backdrop everything fits into place perfectly without looking fussy or staged. Oh and did I mention she has the cutest dog ever?!

Stop by Fancy Treehouse for endless inspiration and on trend looks that are anything but generic. Can’t get enough of Coury’s killer style? You can find her over at the Delightful Dozen too!

What do you love about Coury’s style?