Category: shopping

Once upon a time there was a woman who loved fashion, and loved stories. In her heart were tales of pigs who loved, bears in houses, wolves who could blow those houses down, and dinosaurs. These fairy tales (which I believe are true, and oh so valuable) share space with dresses; dresses of magic, dresses that were pink and fun, and had sleeves that looked as if they could fly away.

The happy ending? There’s room for both. Magic and reality. Fashion and fairy tales. Stories.

This is a story of a dress. My tailor, who knows (and takes in), so much of my fashion and what I do with it; gave this dress to me. It was given to her, and she thought it was perfect for me. And it fits like a dream. A guess? It’s from the 1970s, it’s the perfect shade of pink, and the sleeves alone are amazing.

This is a story of fairy tales. As you know, my mom, sister, and I recently went on a road trip. On a part of this trip, we got to stop in Abilene, TX; my mom’s family is from there, still lives there (some), and this amazing Fariy Tale garden is there. This collection of statues from our favorite childhood stories can be found in the downtown area, features amazingly detailed sculptures, a tree where you can buy a leaf with your name on it, and was put together by my family member, Pam Tippen. More details can be found here

This dress was a perfect fit for all my favorite fairy tale stories; it also went well with dinner and drinks, and the most amazing cake! And the shoes! Fit better than Cinderella’s, and are a fan favorite.

I hope that today you wear something that makes you feel like a fairy tale, and that all things have a happy ending!

XO RA

Shop my picks:

If you’re loving the stories and the fairy tale we’re creating here, there’s still time to be a part! Please look at our iFundWomen proposal, give, and share!

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Gone Fishing…..I caught shoes!!

I’ve shared a lot with you about my family road trip (and we have a couple more shoots from that-and they might be my favorite). This was an idea that we had on vacation, that didn’t come to pass, but I couldn’t resist creating it: Gone Fishing. We know that I love juxatipositons, editorial shoots, and all things fashion in non-“fashion” settings, so it flows that a shoot in high end vintage of me fishing would be something I would love!

Let’s be honest, fishing can be like shopping. You have to plan (budget), set aside time (or go online), be patient, and hopefully you catch what you wanted! While the original plan was to shoot me in heels fly fishing, we couldn’t make that work in Colorado; so instead it was me, a fishing pole made out of stick and twine, and a river. Things didn’t go to plan, but the good news? I caught Gucci, so all’s well that ends well!

Some notes: I spent the planning period of this shoot calling a fishing pole a fishing stick, maybe I should stick to shopping.
Also: if you know of a lake/river/ocean where I can catch Gucci please let me know ASAP.

As for fashion: I’m a firm believer that you can wear what you like where you like it; yes, I’m the woman high-fiving the kids in tutus in the grocery store. And this outfit! This top is vintage YSL (circa the 70s, early 80s). I love the puff sleeves and the lace up detail. I wear it with jeans, skirts, tuxedo pants, it’s the perfect boho glam piece. Every one needs a great black maxi skirt in their lives (if you don’t have one, I got you covered), and these shoes! Gucci. That color. That heel.

I hope that you’re out catching whatever makes your heart happy! Shop my picks below!

XO RA

Get some great vintage:

Loves!! Have you ever heard of Cadillac Ranch?? It’s an art installation on the side of the road out in north Texas. Starting in 1974, Chip Lord, Doug Michels, and Hudson Marquez began burying Cadillac cars in the ground. In the 1980s people began spray painting them (there’s a store near the site where you can buy spray paint if you want to!). Literally, this is a field off the highway, you can read more about it here.

This was one of the most fun, spontaneous, and hard to stage shoots I’ve done (and I shot a cocktail dress on a paddle board!). My family and I knew that we would be driving by, and luckily I had a dress for that in the car (more on that….). We didn’t plan the shoot, we couldn’t help that there were a ton of other people around, we couldn’t help what time we got there. But loves! What a fun background! What a statement! What a shoot!

And this dress! It’s Zara. I bought it because I love the Missioni, vintage vibes, and it hasn’t failed me yet! I wore it on my family road trip, in front of cars, with or without a belt, to a wig party, and to brunch. It doesn’t need much help, though I love it with the gold belt and sandals. It goes with heels and flats, and will be perfect all the way through fall. And how great does it go with these cars?

This shoot at Cadillac Ranch was everything I love about fashion, art, and shoots. Completely fun, a little out there, a little off the cuff, and in the end-perfect!

I hope that you have a great weekend! You can shop my picks below!

XO RA

A great place to find some great Missoni:

Loves! I have a confession: I ordered these “Product of a Strong Female” for my mom and sister as well. The thought was that, on our epic family road trip, we could all wear them and photograph them. Well, the mail got in the way of that, as they didn’t come before our trip, but during our trip (Murphy’s Law). The good news? Now they’re here! And in the theme of yesterday’s “Fashion Gives Back” it’s a chic shirt, with a strong message, that gives back. This shirt was available on Omaze, and this shirt gave back to Baby2Baby. Unfortunately, this campaign has ended, if you want information about Baby2Baby and how you can support this group that helps women and kids, you can read all about them and get involved here.

Let’s talk about Strong Females, shall we? Because these shorts are some of my fave, I love these mules (ironically I just found out that my great-grandma, a badass in her own right, loved heeled mules, so I love these more), the scarf around the ankle with a brooch (I copied the brooch and bandana from a friend, and another friend has been rocking an ankle/leg bandana, I have a friend who sells amazing vintage jewelry), and these earrings (made by another badass female). And then, there’s my mom–a strong female who raised me to be confident and fearless while remaining a lady. I am surrounded by amazing women, and I am so grateful for it!

In fashion news: I love a great staple outfit that can go anywhere in the summer. This combo (classy shorts and a graphic tee) is one to keep in your pocket. And if you happen to celebrat the strong females who made you while you’re rocking it? Rock on!

XO RA

These earrings are Cassandra Collections (Instagram @cassandrascollections), and my gal Bloomers and Frocks (@bloomersandfrocks) usually has a selection of articulated brooches.

Shop my similar picks below:

Of course, if you want a shirt that gives back, check yesterday’s post!

And if you want more options for rent check out:

In my humble opinion, Summer is sweeter by the water (lakes, rivers, pools, the ocean). And life, in general, is so much more interesting when we let go and dive in. (Yes, diving in is hard, no, don’t worry, this isn’t an inspirational post. Though great “diving in” clothes” inspire me!) Between my love of all things vintage and all things water, I couldn’t resist this Jcrew sweater with vintage divers printed on it! It’s light weight enough so you don’t die of heat stroke, but still keeps you warm on cool summer nights!

And these pants! These are from Outdoor Voices (you can read about my experience with them here), and these pants are quickly becoming one of my fave go-to’s. The texture really elevates them, and I’m obsessed with this color~ I’ve worn them as a bathing suit cover up and with heels and a “going out top”. They fit impeccably, and you need a pair!

While it might be expected, we couldn’t resist shooting this look on the road during my recent family vacation. Yes, you are looking at the indoor pool of a hotel in the middle of no-where, where we stopped for the night. (Side note-it was a great hotel! And the pool was heated!) I scared my mom a little when I pretended to dive in, there were some shots I made her take over and over again, but we had a good time! (And yes, I really wore this outfit to hang out at the pool!)

It’s Monday. Let’s dive in, shall we??

You can shop my picks below!
XO RA