in which i sing the blues

I hereby declare this FLORALS WEEK.

(dress: f21; skirt: thrifted; shoes: seychelles; necklace: uo)

This floral dress is my go-to when I'm off-duty (aka not posting outfits, aka on weekends). I think I wear it more often than anything else in my closet, because it's the perfect shape and has a sweet folk-y floral print. It can really only be worn one way, but since blogging introduced me to the brilliant remixing secret of layering skirts over dresses, I thought I would try to style it up in a new way. The dress is a bit longer than my skirt, which would be awkward if I didn't act as if the extra fabric underneath was intentional. I think it kind of works. Most importantly, it's like a whole new dress! Also, can I just say that I pretty much have to physically restrain myself from reaching for a straw hat every single morning? They're so wonderfully versatile, and during the spring/summer I want to wear them with everything! It probably doesn't help that I have three different hats that essentially serve the same purpose.

The weather has been brilliant around here this week--sunshine, blue skies, and the perfect balance of cool breeze and hot heat. When I finished Valley of the Dolls this weekend I immediately reached for another book (Bluesman by Andre Dubus III) and so far it is the perfect summertime read. It makes me want to pick up a harmonica or a guitar and start learning old blues ballads so I can sit and sing them by the riverside at dusk, or jam with friends late into the night with the windows open and the music echoing off the surrounding mountains. It reminds me of lazy summer days spent laying in the grass while my friend S played the guitar and sang and we ate raspberries off the vine at my parents' house, or went swimming and laid out on the raft and drank beers around bonfires and the days and nights all blurred together and I just felt so happy and relaxed. It's hard to recreate that mindset now, with a "real" job and all my best girlfriends scattered to the wind or similarly swallowed up with responsibilities. OH, how I would love to just quit it all and live like a gypsy...