Smile And Wave

Vintage Here, Vintage There: Coat Weather

The week before Brett left for BOLC we took a trip to Rutlidge-Wilson Farm so the kids could enjoy the animals and play on one of the most exciting playgrounds in town! It was a chilly, rainy day but we managed to fit in a great trip right up until the skies opened up on us.

It was jeans weather but pairing it with my clogs and a cropped vintage jacket kept things feeling pulled together. The jacket was part of a Jackie O type suit that I found for $1. It was a great deal and love that I can wear them as separates!

I'm wearing: Vintage cropped jacket, thrifted. Blouse, Target. Wide leg jeans, thrifted. Clogs, c/o Lotta of Stockholm. Bag, Urban Outfitters.

Ruby loved the chickens and Sebastian loved the tractors. We got to see pigs, sheep, turkeys, some stray cats, and MINI HORSES!

Ruby's Wearing: Pea coat, Target. Vintage smock, thrifted. Skinny jeans, Wal-Mart. Mocassins, c/o Freshly Picked.

Sebastian's Wearing: Flannel, Target. Jeans, Old Navy. Shoes, Target.

Brett's Wearing: Vintage flannel, thrifted. Jeans, Target. Shoes, Zappos.

Ruby found a friend in this chicken. They were matching in their black and white. Total BFF's.

Here are some lovely vintage options for cold weather days for the littles: GORGEOUS, fun, simple, nautical, farm boy, military inspired, leather, and for rainy days.     

Be sure to check out Rubyellen's crew soon to see how they've styled things this week! They don't get the same kind of frigid weather in Southern California but I know it's gotten a bit chilly down there lately!

Thanks for stopping in and reading about our adventures. Rubyellen and I are always hoping this feature encourages other mamas to find ways to experiment with vintage in their wardrobes. Fashion isn't the most important thing in our worlds but we both believe there's value in giving attention to our wardrobes because it makes us feel better. It doesn't hurt that our husband's love it!

As young mother's that spend a lot of time at home it's been tempting for both of us to let our style take a back seat to new priorities but VH,VT has been a fun way to share outfits with each other and our readers. We don't wear vintage every day and surely still have our yoga pants moments but we're taking strides to enjoy our wardrobes lest we slip into the dark abyss of mom jeans and husband's t-shirts. Ha! Been there, done that. It wasn't pretty.

Does getting dressed feel fun to you or more like a chore? Do you love your personal style right now or are you still trying to figure it out? Do you bargain shop for your wardrobe or invest in key pieces that last for more than a year? I'd love to hear about it!

xo,

Rachel

Vintage Here, Vintage There: Pumpkin Patch Edition

We joined the Shelton family on a pumpkin patch outing on Friday to Campbell's Farm and had a lovely time. Johnny followed after Sebastian and Hope in the corn maze whilst Katie, Brett, Poesy and I wandered around making sure Ruby didn't get lost in the rows. We did a bit of everything and ended with a hayride out to pick out pumpkins. There was a chill in the air along with the smell of burning leaves. It was the whole package. Here's a little peek into our fun afternoon.

I tried getting the posed shot of both kids sitting on the hay bales. What I got was a photo that looks like Sebastian is taking a whiz. If you're wondering why Ruby looks so offended scroll down to the next photo and take a closer look.

Yes, we got the full farm experience.

Brett got a fever. BABY FEVER.

Sebastian got a sucker. It may have been the best part of his night.

Poesy charmed us all.

And we found a pumpkin even Cinderella would be proud of.

Ruby's Wearing: Vintage dress, thrifted. Leg warmers, made from women's socks from Target. Minnetonka Mocs, Ozarkland. Cardigan, H&M kids. Cowl, Hey!JenRenee.

We had so much fun at the pumpkin patch that we decided it'd be a shame to call it a night and headed to get Mexican food back in Springfield. Then we talked ourselves into Starbucks drinks on the way to Krispie Kreme for some pumpkin cake donuts. That was my favorite part.

I'm Wearing: Vanilla and Lace dress. Tights, Top Shop. Cardigan, H&M. Clogs c/o Lotta from Stockholm. Necklace, vintage. Belt, thrifted.

You'll have to ask Katie herself about her gorgeous jacket find and pretty headband. Isn't she such a beauty! Her whole family is just precious.

Have you hit up the pumpkin patch yet? Are you a pumpkin carver or a pumpkin pacifist? I like to save mine through Halloween until we get through Thanksgiving. Cheap or sentimental...not sure.

Here are a few other lovelies I'd wear to a pumpkin patch: this dress, this blouse, this poncho, this dress, and these boots.

Head over to see Rubyellen's newly expanded family and the poncho she made for Soul. I need to use that idea for my Ruby! I absolutely love how she dresses her girls. They are always so stylish!

xo,

Rachel

 

 

Vintage Here, Vintage There: Denim and Leather

Late in the summer our family took a trip to the library to escape the heat. It's hard to remember that hot, hot heat in the grip of beautiful fall weather but I remember not wanting to do much except find another place with cool air. The library it was!

I chased this one around while the boys read and played at the computer. We picked out a few of my favorite books to take home and ran around the kids' section some more.

Once they were ready to move on we found a quiet part near the back to take some fun photos. I knew the lighting would be a bit off and we had to work with two kids who were ready to go home but I'm so glad we made the effort. What a fun memory.

Plus, I wanted to show off my new clogs! Jonny and Lotta of Lotta from Stockholm generously sent Rubyellen and I each a pair of our choice to share in our VH,VT feature. They have a lovely selection of traditional clogs, trendy clogs, and clog boots! They carry clogs for kids and have a great sale selection. I've been wearing them regularly since they arrived and get asked all the time if they're Swedish Hasbeens. As Rubyellen mentioned, they're a bit more affordable and so comfortable. My tip for breaking in your clogs is to wear them with socks or hose around your house until the leather softens a bit and then you'll never want to take them off!
I'm wearing: Vintage shirt, thrifted. Jumper, Target. Vintage belt, thrifted. Clogs, Lotta from Stockholm.

Ruby's wearing: Vintage shirt, thrifted. Denim jumper, thrifted. Saltwaters, eBay.

Blurry shot but so funny.

The whole time Brett was taking pictures Sebastian was trying to get in the way. That little boogar kept running up and down the aisle and jumping in the shot on purpose! We had some fun with it but I'm not gonna lie, taking outfit photos with little ones sometimes takes more patience than I have. Here are a few examples of Sebastian getting in on the action.

Here are some pretties I'd wear with clogs: this, this, this, this, and this.

You've GOT to go see how beautiful Rubyellen looks in her plaid dress and peep toe clogs! I just have to say, DANG GIRL! Didn't you JUST have a baby? Like yesterday? She looks killer in her pretty ensemble and I'm ready to put the red peep toes on my shoe wish list!

A big thank you to Lotta and Jonny of Lotta from Stockholm for such darling shoes. If clogs are on your wish list go see what they have to offer!

xo,

Rachel

What We Wore

The day after I got back from Chicago, Brett dropped S off at Kindergarten and took Ruby and I down to Whistler's to get mini burgers. YUM! It's a cute little nook behind a bar & grill and tucked in next to Heart's of Fire tattoo.

I wore one of the vintage dresses I found at a pop up shop hosted by two Etsy sellers during Renegade. Elsie spotted it, brought it over to see if I liked it, and pretty much told me I needed to buy it. I didn't argue.

I'm wearing: Vintage dress, Bombshell Shocked. Mustard tights, H&M. Shoes, Target. Vintage belt, thrited. Vintage purse, Tiny Yellow Bird.

I've discovered the trick to keeping Ruby (almost) still enough to get a good shot of her outfit.

Ruby's wearing: Vintage dress, Holliez Hobbiez. Skinny jeans, Wal-Mart. Saltwater sandals, eBay.

I think I might live in those mustard stockings all season! If you've got a little one I highly recommend checking out the skinny jeans at Wal-Mart. They fit really well and are soft enough that Ruby doesn't mind wearing them. Regular jeans? I think we've hit the age when those may not be an option for awhile. She's not a fan.

Let's all promise not to wear pajama jeans, though, okay? At least not out in public.

xo,

Rachel

 

Vintage Here, Vintage There: Wedding Shower Attire

This weekend I was able to attend Sarah and Doren's wedding shower which was hosted by Elsie and Emma at Red Velvet. I brought Sebastian with me but Ruby had to stay home and take a nap. She missed out on some yummy donuts! It was a chance to wear a skirt I'd recently thrifted in my attempt to mix up my wardrobe a bit.

It was a beautiful shower with confetti, balloons, donut hole skewers, and chocolate milk. Sebastian was in heaven!

Sarah and Doren got a lot of lovely gifts but Penelope kind of stole the show in her handprinted donut dress. Elsie made it just for the occasion and it was completely adorable.

We gifted them a vintage typewriter in my favorite shade of blue because typewriters are pretty darn romantic and they both appreciate a good vintage piece. I hope they write love letters to each other on it.

I found this skirt at the local DAV for $3 as well as another in a bold shade of blue. I almost put it back because I didn't know if it would work in my favor but I'm so glad I didn't.

I like that I can pair it with a jersey tee and flats or maybe add a blouse with an ascot and oxford heels for something a little less casual. The color is perfect for fall.

I had Brett take these photos of us together after I got back from the shower so I could use them in this feature. Ruby had a sweet little Kewpie doll curl and I'm so glad we got a picture of it!

Ruby's wearing: Vintage dress, purchased online (can't remember where). Cut off leggings, Target. Saltwater sandals, MySaltwaterSandals.

I'm wearing: T-shirt, Target. Vintage skirt, thrifted. Suede flats, thrifted. Vintage sunglasses, thrifted. Belt, thrifted. Necklace, With Care. Ring, F21. Vintage bracelet, gifted from Katie.

It's hard to tell the color of my polish in this photo but it's a mix between lavender and mauve (?). It's Lady Like from Essie's new Fall Collection and was actually gifted for my birthday from Sarah, the one who's shower I attended.

With the cooler weather and a general need to not wear the same things every week I've been trying to incorporate a few mix and match pieces that will help my wardrobe feel more versatile. This skirt is a bold color but can mix with a variety of neutrals to create a few different outfits. Vintage dresses are great because they are an easy outfit but it can feel a bit repetitive after awhlie so I've been having fun experimenting with separates.

Here are a few more separates I spotted this week: This gorgeous wrap sweater, this maxi skirt, this gingham top, this cut out blouse, these cute sunglasses, and these high waisted jeans.

How have you been experimenting with your wardrobe lately? What have you wanted to try out with a new season upon us?

Go see how fantastic Rubyellen looks in her most recent VH,VT post (taken a few weeks ago) and, of course, her sweet trio of little ladies. It won't be three for much longer as she's due any day now and we're all so excited to find out if she'll be passing along vintage dresses or shopping for vintage overalls for baby number four!

xo,

Rachel

 

 

Vintage Here, Vintage There: My Vintage Hand-Me-Down

For those who are new to Vintage Here, Vintage There, Rubyellen and I started this blog feature last November as a way to share with each other and our readers different ways to incorporate vintage into our wardrobes. It's given me a lot more motivation to dress up and experiment with my style and helped me not to fall prey to the yoga pants. Those are only for working out now! And maybe Saturday mornings.

We thought it might be a way to encourage other young moms that spend most of their time at home with little ones to see how fun it is to incorporate vintage (or just things that make you feel pretty) and how much it can change your demeanor. For reals! Anyway, thanks to those of you who have left sweet comments or shared links to your own ensembles. We love hearing from you and knowing there are so many mamas and babies out there that get that same excitement over clothing and accessories from days gone by!

This week's Vintage Here, Vintage There is about what we wore to my (early) 30th birthday party last week. I mentioned feeling like I wanted something new to wear over Red Velvet weekend in a recent skirt DIY post. Well, I was feeling the same way on Sunday before the party so I made another one. This one is made from a vintage dress that was about six sizes too big and full of holes on top. I didn't feel bad AT ALL about cutting into it. I'll share a little DIY about it next week.

The top used to be my mom's when she was my age. It's a little hard to see in these photos above but it's an eyelet fabric with two buttons at the top and sleeves that roll up a bit. It's sweet and in great shape and I loved getting to wear something that used to be my mom's.

I paired it with a woven gold belt and those wedges from Target that I love so much.

Ruby wore her shiny, pink Saltwaters and a blue vintage dress that might still be a little big on her. I told Ruby to never grow up and stay little forever and I think it may have worked!

You can see residue of at least one cake pop on her sweet little chin but she ate her weight in blueberries, too. It's not for lack of trying, ya'll. Also, Emma makes the best cake pops any of us has ever had. They aren't too rich and leave you wanting another and another. I may have had three later that night. Happy birthday to me!

Ruby's wearing: Vintage dress from Nanna's Attic. Saltwaters from My Saltwater Sandals.

I'm wearing: Vintage top, mom's. Repurposed vintage skirt, thrifted. Belt, thrifted. Shoes, Target. Vintage ship necklace, thrifted.

Here are a few vintage skirts I'm crushing on: pencil, floral, denim, A-line, navajo print, and floral.   

Next you'll want to see Rubyellen's new vintage wedges and get a sneak peek at one of Misha Lulu's new pieces from her upcoming Fall line. Big news over there!

Have you ever cut into something vintage that didn't work for you and made something that did? How'd it turn out?

Thanks for being such gracious readers!

xo,
Rachel

Vintage Here, Vintage There: Featuring Tea

This week's VH,VT is a little peek into a morning of family fun at the park. Well, actually it was fun for about twenty minutes and then Mama got hot and cranky and the kids decided they'd had enough picture taking. Nevertheless, they looked adorable in their Tea clothes.

I found a vintage croquet set at a garage sale earlier this month that brought back some fun childhood memories. I had Sebastian try it out recently in our front yard and he was hooked so I thought it'd be fun to take our game to the park and teach Ruby how it worked.

We grabbed Starbucks on the way there and told the kids they could have their treats after we took photos. Sebastian helped me set up the wire arches that poke into the ground. Ruby followed after him and pulled them all out.

Here Sebastian is stepping in front of our photographer, also known as Brett. Ruby stole his coffee while he wasn't looking.

Ruby was most interested in throwing the croquet balls around whilst chewing her fingernails.

I had to explain to Sebastian why throwing the croquet balls into the air to see where they would land was a bad idea. It had something to do with his little sister's head.

That's when Ruby decided it'd be fun to try, too.

Then I got serious. I lined them up and made them watch as I showed them how it was done. Pardon my blisters. I've been teaching Sunday how to go on walks, too.

Just kidding. I really don't know how to play either.

It's like miniature golf, right?

I'm wearing: Vintage button up shirt, thrifted. Cut-off jeans, tank, shoes, Target. Headband, handmade by Elsie. Vintage purse, thrifted.

Ruby's wearing: Dress and leggings, c/o Tea. Vintage Minnetonkas, thrifted.

Sebastian's wearing: Tee and shorts, c/o Tea. Toms, the mall.

I know both kids will get a lot of wear out of what I chose from Tea because the clothing is high quality and easy to mix-n-match. Ruby, being the petite thing she is, will be able to wear this dress over leggings and a long-sleeved tee through the fall and winter months, and possibly into next summer as a top!

Sebastian's shirt can be layered for back-to-school and those shorts, made of a soft cotton, are his new favorite. He's the kid who refused jeans for weeks at a time when he was younger in favor of his 'soft pants' (sweats). These shorts are the perfect solution! They're super comfy but still well constructed so they don't look sloppy. I think he wore them three times last week.

More favorites from Tea for girls: Ancho stripe baby dress, Polanco Chambray Dress, Skinny Pointelle Leggings, Racerback Stripe Tank.

More favorites from Tea for boys: Abuelito Cardigan, Tigre Graphic Tee, Workwear Cargo Pants, Surf & Turf Sneakers.

Rubyellen and I were more than happy to share some beautiful items from Tea clothing! Head 'over there' to see what her girls are wearing and what she has to say about her selections. I think we need to be real live neighbors so Ruby and Soul can trade clothes!

xo,

Rachel

 

Vintage Here, Vintage There: The Bee's Knees

This week we had the chance to go to a small ceremony at Missouri State for Brett's commissioning. His mom and I were able to pin his 2LT bars on his uniform and then had cake and punch and went to to lunch with his parents.

I wore the vintage tulip dress from RVA. It's one of my favorites because of it's cut and fun print.

We parked right across from the other end of the alley we've used a few times for photo backdrops so we braved the heat for another five minutes while Sebastian waited in the car and got some photos. Brett is such a trooper!

I styled my hair in as big of a beehive as I could get without getting serious and using a loofa! I did lots of back combing and then used a smooth top layer to cover it and secured things with bobby pins and lots of pinned mini buns all underneath it. Of course I forgot to ask Brett to get a photo of that part. It's most noticeable in the photo above.

I loved getting to wear a huge beehive at Elsie's wedding. She's got an easy tutorial on her blog right now that teaches you how to do your own. You can make it huge or opt for something more subtle but it's always fun to try something new!

I'm wearing: Vintage dress, Red Velvet. Vintage sunglasses, thrifted. Belt, thrifted. Shoes, ModCloth. Vintage necklace, thrifted.

My favorite new accessory is this little necklace I picked up at a flea market on the way home from my MIL's house a few weeks ago. I'm not sure what it's made of but it sports a ship and looks like something that should've cost more than $2.00!

Ruby's wearing: Vintage top, thrifted. Jeggings, Target. Mary Jane's, Payless. Amber necklace, Amberizon.

Technically, Brett is wearing vintage, too. Ha! These uniforms are being phased out this year because the Army has new ones. Once he knows what he'll be branched he can order a new one so for now his Class A's are olive. It reminds me of WWII.

Some vintage shades to get you through the rest of summer: Mod, oversized, aviators, 70's, 80's, wayfarers, and plain fantastic.

Head over to Cakies soon to see how she and her girls wore vintage to the beach! I love seeing all the ways she can still enjoy wearing or accessorizing with vintage throughout her pregnancy. I am in love with her shoes this week! She's such a stylish mama.

Next week Rubyellen and I have a special edition of Vintage Here, Vintage There that we're eager to share! Stay tuned...

xo,

Rachel

 

Vintage Here, Vintage There: Surprise Photographer

We took a little drive through downtown earlier this week and found a fun mural. Without our regular photographer we had to get creative so I told Sebastian he could try it out. I thought it'd be fun for him to use the camera and that we MIGHT get some of those happy accident shots.

We weren't there for more than two minutes when a friendly face got out of her car with her son and volunteered to take our pictures for us! We recognized Jessica from the downtown YMCA and learned how she used to work in a portrait studio during her college years. It was so sweet of her to offer to stop in that heat and do us a favor!

I'm wearing: Vintage Mexican embroidered dress, thrifted. Vintage mocassins, thrifted. Vintage leather belt, thrifted. Vintage scarf, thrifted. Sunglasses, gifted from SIL from F21.

Ruby wore: Vintage dress, thrifted. Shoes, PayLess.

Sebastian's shirt is from Happy Family on Etsy. He loves T-Rex and the color red so he was over the moon when this came in the mail earlier this year. Apparently shoes are optional this summer.

Many thanks to Jessica and her son for helping us get some shots while our regular assistant is away! Kindness from strangers goes a long way these days!

Here are a few little frocks and little shoes for getting lost downtown yourself: plaid, lace, mocs, dots, stripes, sunsuit, sandals, anchors, pleats.   

Hoping to get a 4th of July VH,VT post up on Tuesday! Have you picked out your festive outfit yet? There are SO many great vintage dresses in red, white, and blue! Sailor outfits or navy rompers for the boys, too!

Be sure to stop by Cakies later tonight to see what Rubyellen and her gang wore this week.

xoxo,

Rachel

 

Vintage Here, Vintage There: Date Night

Last weekend Brett's mom was in town and was able to watch the kids while we took off to celebrate our ninth anniversary a few weeks early. Brett will be out of town on our actual anniversary so we were thankful to get to sneak that special time in before he takes off for Army camp.

We kissed the kiddos goodbye and headed downtown to eat at Maria's and grab some cupcakes from The Cup (only because Red Velvet was closed, duh!). I had Brett take some quick photos in an alley way before the calorie fest began. Oh yeah!

I wore my new pink dress from Flour Clothing. It felt like the perfect ensemble to celebrate nine years of hugs and kisses.

I wore: Vintage dress, Flour Clothing. Vintage belt, thrifted. Vintage Enid Collins purse, handed down from my grandmother. Shoes, ModCloth. Cocktail ring, F21.

Ruby didn't come with us on our date but she did wear a cute little vintage top that day. Unfortunately, the top is no longer with us. The tricky part of tops connecting tiers with lace is that lace isn't quite tough enough to withstand a toddler that spends a lot of time crawling around after her new puppy.

Ruby's wearing: Vintage top, thrifted. Bloomers, thrifted.

Here are a few pretty dresses for your next date night: Sparkly, pale pink, floral, garden party, picnic, and eyelet.

Head over to see Rubyellen's lovely maxi skirt and how her three littles look in red, white, and blue. I always love what she dresses her girls in. It makes me wish we could live in the same neighborhood and share clothes!

We'd love to see what you've been wearing lately! Feel free to share a link in the comment section below.

xoxo,
Rachel