We’ve been really fortunate with the weather this week. Low-to-mid 70s is my ideal temperature, when you can wear long or short sleeves, a light jacket, cardigan, shorts… pretty much anything goes and you’ll be comfortable! It’s been beautiful and sunny, and I’ve been soaking it up as much as possible.
I snapped a few photos outside today during lunch. I really just wanted an acceptable one for Instagram, but decided to put together a blog post instead. They’re not all the best lighting, but sometimes I stop myself from taking blog photos because of something like that, which means less sharing, and that’s silly. I’m obviously not a professional photographer nor a professional blogger. Hell, I can’t even find one spot within my house or yard that’s uncluttered or picture perfect. That’s just life. So, I feel like you can forgive me the dappled sun and shadows for some photos, right? 😉
It’s casual Friday. (Full disclosure: when you work from home, every day is casual, so really it’s just Friday.) I have a little bit of a Frida Kahlo inspired vibe going on today. It all started because I wanted to see if I could fake some maiden braids. I’m in the interminably long process of growing out my hair.
I parted my hair down the middle, braided what I could starting pretty high up on my head (about ear level) pinned up the braids, then piled on the hair flowers to hide the fact that the braids get nowhere near the top of my head and needed about 20 bobby pins to stay put.
I wasn’t very careful with my part or anything and never intended on taking photos when I slapped this hairdo together, but I was pretty pleased with the result so here we are, half-assed part and all.
And before anyone protests to tell me how much you like my hair short—thanks, but like I said, I’m growing it. I love my short 50s style too! But it’s a style with very little wiggle room. Either it’s set, or it’s mostly hidden under a scarf. There’s really no in-between, because especially at a shorter length, my hair looks pretty blah just down. After a year and a half, it’s time for a little change again. And I can always cut it again if I get tired of growing it.
I was pretty pleased with how this impromptu hairstyle turned out. I suspect this is going to show up a lot this summer!
When I got dressed, my first thought turned to a peasant blouse to go with the flower crown look, which I paired with one of my favorite pair of vintage capris. If you read my last post, you can see the fit on these—nice and easy, what I’m hoping to emulate in some sewing this summer.
And I added a heavy beaded Bakelite necklace and laminated Bakelite earrings. And no makeup… except my eyebrows, because with dyed red hair and naturally dark eyebrows, I pretty much always do my eyebrows (er, unless I’m being lazy and hiding them behind a different style of glasses). 😉
Rarely do I share photos of myself without makeup, unless we’re camping or something. Rarely do I even like photos of myself without makeup. I mean, I’m not hugely into makeup anyway… my routine consists of powder (foundation or tinted moisturizer under if I’m going out, sometimes), doing my brows, mascara, blush, and lipstick. But I really love red lipstick. And having some hangups about my face, it often helps me feel good about myself.
But for once, instead of thinking I needed lipstick to tie my whole outfit together or perk up my face, I left things natural. And for once, I don’t hate the result. In fact, with this outfit, I’m kind of into it.
I had fun puttering around the yard, enjoying the flowers. Things are really starting to come up in the garden. We’re hitting peak peony time!
A few roses are starting to open up too, as well as a couple of our clematis.
It’s so lovely out right now! And it’s a fleeting time, so I have to enjoy it as much as I can. Maybe I’ll just pop back outside later this afternoon and see what inspiration the garden gives me…
outfit details
peasant blouse – Vivien of Holloway
1950s capris – misc.
Bakelite necklace – Instagram sale
Bakelite earrings – misc.
sandals – Target
I lie your hair all lenghtsand everyone needs to change things up! I have recently decided to go compltely 1950s with my style, 1949 to about 1962 to be exact, and am selling off all of my clothes from earlier decades. I get alot of but why? questions my answer because its what I feel like now.
(Im also always changing my hair)
Thank goodness for hair flowers and scarves, right?!! You may have seen it on Instagram but I may have changed my mind after all and may go shorter… oof! My opinion on my hair can really turn on a dime. 😉 Your hair always looks cute in all the styles and colors you’ve had!
I’ve been all about the braids t, since I went to Nashville Boogie last month- my hair REFUSED to hold onto any curl whatsoever in the southern humidity. Normally my lazy hair is just a ponytail (my hair is long, getting TOO long tbh,) but I’m thinking once the Chicago summer ramps up I might go with braids in some form or another to keep cool and still look cute 😉 And flowers hid so many sins, hallelujah!
P.S. your garden flowers are bee-yoo-tee-full!
Braids are a big win for humidity in summer, when my hair is long enough for them! The humidity just sucks the life out of my hair too (and bizarrely sometimes super dry weather, like my hair is just “WTF” about it lol). But I may have changed my mind and might be getting a hair chop, we’ll see! Ha ha!
Fabulous photos, I love the different look!
Thanks!
Love the Frida look! Also i love peonies, and yours look spectacular. Ours have not come up yet. 🙁
Thanks! You’ll be enjoying your peonies when ours are gone then! 🙂
Very pretty hairdo, I might have to try and do something similar!
Thanks! I may have totally lied in this post and be on the cusp of cutting my hair, but it was a really fun hairstyle to hit on for a shorter hair length!
I love your hair like this – I’m wondering if I can emulate it with my stringy crap!
You could TOTALLY try it!!
You look wonderful with no makeup!
Thank you! 🙂
Ooh, you look amazing in these shots! Outfit, hair, jewellery, everything’s on point!
I have a question about this style of peasant top, though. Being inspired by your love for them, I recently picked up the Hell Bunny version in cute lemon print. The sleeves felt super comfortable when I tried it on: not too restricting, plenty of space to stretch and move, and not cutting into my skin. I wore it two days ago for the entire day, and felt fine. But when I undressed at night, I noticed that where the bottom elastic on the sleeves sat, I had raised, red lines on my skin, and they didn’t go away immediately. I could still see them the following day (though the puffiness had gone down a bit), and even two days later I can see some rough skin where the elastics were rubbing. I’ve examined the garment and there are no sharp edges on the seams or anything — it just seems to be from the movement of the elastics over the course of the day, and it didn’t really hurt. How do you avoid this? Or do I just have weirdly sensitive upper arm skin?