Reading tends to plant thoughts in your head. My favorite authors are deeply rooted in my heart, but even blog browsing plants seedlings in my mind. Gardens are unruly things and I dislike weeding...Anyway, when I saw this dress I was reminded of how Kater wrote about wanting and wearing vintage night gowns. This dress is not vintage or a night gown, but it captures that spirit rather well. I love the soft romantic feel of it. It was the perfect dress to throw on during a sweltering day; I truly could only wear the cardigan around the air conditioned world inside. Also, a closer look at my bee wing bulb necklace from Natalie Joy. Isn't it lovely? Natalie says all of the bee wigs were collected off the streets of Portland, so no bees were harvested for their wings. It rather amuses me to picture people inching along the road looking for sadly fallen little bees and their delicate wings.

This Valentino collection is the stuff of fairy tales; such a soft ethereal palette and lovely hair and make-up as well. It's the sort of clothes I would happily wear every day, if they weren't completely impractical for real life.
Valentino F/W 2011/2012

I have the hardest time finding blouses I like; bottoms are ok, dresses are easy, but tops are a real struggle. This one by Topshop is far from perfect, but I do love how lightweight the fabric is and the pretty scalloped edges. It will layer sweetly under my dresses and give me that schoolgirl vibe I have yet to tire of. Ironically, I did attend a private school for one year of my pre-college education and have a uniform--I didn't enjoy it then. Our uniform had zero flexibility; ensembles were dictated down to our socks and there were even prohibitions on hair cuts, color, and piercings. My parents are still amused that I occasionally dress like a schoolgirl now when they recall how much I hated it then.

film stills via

Military bases can be fascinating places sometimes. My mother was telling me about ghost ships in the neglected harbor of this base. I saw them through the afternoon haze; shadowy figures along the horizon line. They stand ready, fully functioning and completely prepared for the day they are required. But the decks are empty and no crew mans the lonely vessels. And then there are these abandoned trains, rusting off the back roads. I don't know what purpose these serve, but I'm glad I'm able to visit them. My range of exploration is so limited here compared to the expanse I used to roam in Washington state last year, but there are still many interesting things to uncover.

My summer essentials have become my denim jacket, tote bag, and this little fedora. The hat and jacket are only occasionally possible in this heat, but I like the sort of casual vibe they add to an outfit. I've never really thought of it before, but I do really like my summer outfits to feel a little less pulled-together and proper than my fall/winter ones. There's just something about summer that calls for things to appear relaxed--even when they aren't!