Outfit: Orange August

 

I've been obsessed with orange for years, but it really makes it clear that I have an obsession during this photoshoot... I think in retrospect that this could have used orange heels.. I guess that might need to become a mission of mine. Does the perfect pair of orange heels exist? I need help looking.. haha. Anyway.. I am another year older and here's hoping I'm wiser, too! No longer 29 and holding... I am proud to be 31 in all it's glory. 

these amazing orange hair clips are from Dear Thistle.. a local Chicago designer! She is so sweet... check out her designs!

I have passed my first year in ultrasound school which is pretty intense so far.. I just recently passed my SPI physics ultrasound board exam and it was so nerve racking. Most of my time is spent studying but I managed to snap these while on a small break in between semesters. It's been really hot in Chicago lately! 

This necklace and orange earrings are from Wolf and Moon.. my latest obsession! Aren't they incredible? 

outfit details:

dress: unique vintage

orange clips: Dear Thistle

orange necklace & earrings: Wolf & Moon

shoes: Swedish Hasbeens

hat: Gigi Pip

love, polly

New Orleans Travels

My first trip to New Orleans was a solo adventure booked on a whim. I arrived mid-June during the rainy season.. I couldn't believe how much it rained. I stayed in a friend's quaint little studio apartment with her two adorable cats and a ton of her plants. Thanks, again, Zahra.. (I love seeing your living spaces.)

It turns out my friend Katy and her partner Roehm opened a Rubber Library Flower Bodega that I spent a couple days browsing through in Bywater, as well. They have created such an inspiring space to read, explore and buy flowers. 

I visited the botanical gardens where I saw an original Louise Bourgeois spider sculpture that I've spent so much time researching, and of course I had donuts and coffee two times at Cafe Du Monde. 

I loved roaming the French Quarter and seeing the beautiful colors and listening to the music drifting from all around. One day as I was walking around I spotted a steamboat playing an enchanting old tune out of what appeared to be brass pipes.. it was just pure magic from another era. I found a few vintage clothing shops in the quarter along with lots of antiquing. My Great Grandparents drove from Mississippi to take me to dinner in the quater one night, too!

I highly recommend touring the circa 1823 Pharmacy Museum Apothecary in the French Quarter, as well. You learn so many interesting facts about the way medicine was and honestly it made me laugh really hard. It's an excellent value, at $5.

My favorite part of the trip was touring through the old cemeteries and reading the inscriptions on the tombs. I took a $20 guided tour of the oldest St. Louis Cemetery 1 in New Orleans and honestly I think it was worth it to hear about the history and hauntings. New Orleans is a very unique city that will always hold a special place in my heart and I'll never forget this trip. I am looking forward to going back! 
Also, I've never eaten so many crab cakes and gumbo in my life.. and what they say about alligator is true: it really does take like chicken.

love, polly

Outfit: Shake it Up

 It's amazing to me that I snapped these photos around 7 pm and they're still over exposed. I thought for sure the lighting would be perfect but they didn't turn out too bad despite that fact. I used to wear scarves as summer bandeaus quite often a handful of years ago but now I almost think it's too revealing for my style. I am slowly turning into a buttoned up grandmother and I think this outfit was an attempt to shake that up. I usually have one semi-revealing summer outfit and I'm thinking this is the limit for the year... haha. This watermelon scarf is one of my favorites from my mother. She gave me a lot of her beautiful scarves and I will keep them forever! Also, I will keep naming all my outfit posts after songs by The Cars....forever.

Outfit details: socks-American Apparel

heels- Steve Madden

scarf, purse & fascinator hat- vintage

petticoat- c/o Chicwish

love, polly

Outfit: True to You

 Today was a bit lazy and it suited me perfectly because I had time to walk home from work and pick a wildflower bouquet along the way. Building this bouquet was a lot of fun and of course I had my clippers because I was coming from work. I saw some gorgeous Smokebush and was content at just having that at first until I saw some wild Fennel... then I added Echinacea, Salvia, Hydrangea, Day Lily and grasses. So fun! I love Chicago in the summer!

And of course this post is named after a song by Ric Ocasek (of The Cars) True to You ... what a great man. 

love, polly

Outfit: Cityscape & Lavender

So, I've been running around like a mad woman per usual lately... and summer in Chicago has me realizing once again why I moved to this beautiful city. I always wonder if it's worth it in the winter when I am freezing & depressed but eventually I make it through somehow. Anyway, Stylewe sent me this dress this week and it's pretty fabulous and innocent. For some reason I have been very attracted to lavender lately so I have lavender socks, nails and eyeshadow. My friends Austin & Elliott went with me on this shoot as sort of a fluke... none of us were planning to get together, initially- let alone for a photoshoot. It turned out that I finished sewing a shirt Austin and I designed together so we thought we'd take him out in his new top for photos, too! All in all, it's always nice having someone take my photos at the beach rather than my tripod. Anyway, it turned out to be a gorgeous day by the lake and now I apparently make men's tops. XO

Outfit details: Dress c/o StyleWe

Platforms c/o Karmaloop

gloves- my Great Grandma Frisina

socks- ebay

fascinator hat- gift from Slideshow Vintage

love, polly