Carousel Roses

I don't mean to keep taking such long breaks between posts. Even though the days are a bit longer now, it seems like I somehow have less time in which to get everything done. And to be honest, I'm trying to actually savor what free time I have doing things other than editing photos. Maybe one day I'll actually achieve some balance in my life...

But at least I got the chance to enjoy the flowering trees this year. And while spring may have already come and gone, I'll be wearing this dress all summer. It is, without a doubt, my favorite piece I've ever gotten from Sourpuss Clothing. It's really nicely made (and doesn't wrinkle!), with adjustable straps and a longer length skirt. It's a little too revealing to wear to work, but it's comfortable, flattering, and has pockets – so you won't hear any complaining from me! It looks like it's no longer available at Sourpuss, but they still have the skirt version and a swimsuit. You could actually pair the two together to create the perfect beach day outfit! If you're interested in getting one of these pieces for yourself, you should be able to score 25% off your Sourpuss Clothing order through today with the code SUMMERTIME.

Outfit Details

Carousel Roses dress: c/o Sourpuss (other styles here)

Heart necklace: similar  ||  Flats: Aerosoles

Parasol: similar

A little life update: I'm doing a reading of an original musical next week. It's nothing too major, but it's with a small, all-female cast of some really talented women whom I also like a lot. And it's all about puppy dogs. I'm also excited to spend a long weekend (more or less) at the lake for the 4th of July. I'm planning to take a day trip or two with my mom this summer. And I also really need to get active again after the holiday, though I'm struggling to figure out how (again... balance...).

I don't always get super-personal on this blog, especially not these days. But for those of you who engage here or on social media, please know that I really appreciate your presence and support when I'm feeling down or overwhelmed. I'm learning that we're all just figuring things out as we go and that no one has the answers – and I'm trying to be okay with that and listen to myself very closely to find out what I truly need. That's all you can really do, right?

Clowning Around

Does anyone else feel like there simply aren't enough hours in the day... EVER? Even though the sunlight is lasting longer, I'm still feeling like I don't have nearly enough time to get everything done in a given day – hence why I've once again fallen behind with blogging. I've actually been taking a ton of photos lately, since the weather's been pretty great. It's the photo editing that I'm struggling to keep up with. I have a lot of fun things on the horizon, so thanks to you all for sticking with me!

This dress from Sourpuss Clothing definitely falls under the "fun" category! I'm obsessed with anything off-the-shoulder lately, and this print appeals to my love of all things circus. I don't have a fear of clowns in the slightest (though I might think differently if I ever watched or read It), so this dress is purely an adorable novelty print in my eyes. I love the pom-pom ball trim, too! This dress style (called the Fiesta) is a bit tough for me in terms of sizing; the waist in this XL is fairly generous – to the point where I could have sized down – but I don't think my bust would have fit in the size large. I will say that this dress is extremely comfy and easy to wear, which means it'll be getting a lot of use this summer.

Outfit Details

Clowning Around Fiesta Dress: c/o Sourpuss Clothing

Belt: similar  ||  Necklace: similar

Jelly flats: similar

I'm going to try to prioritize posting on a more regular basis from now on (especially because I have such a substantial backlog of photos to get through!). I have so many summer adventures I'm planning to go on – and outfits I'm planning to wear – and I can't wait to share them all with you!

Have a great start to your week!

Stray Cats

This year, I've been challenging myself to embrace new fashion elements and remix items I've showed on my blog in the past. I initially styled this Stray Cats blouse with cute leggings-style pants, but I really hated how it looked in photos. So instead, I decided to style my lavender Jenny dress as a skirt and pair it with this top! It's a really easy way to remix pieces and a layered blouse can be a great alternative to a cardigan. I just tied the bottom of the shirt to make it a bit more cropped and rolled it under and up to my waist before hiding the bulky portions with a wide black belt. I do this all the time and it instantly doubles my wardrobe!

I tend to have trouble with button-down shirts (fellow well-endowed girls will understand), but I ended up really liking this top from Sourpuss Clothing. I sized up to the XL to accommodate my chest, and I found the fit to be nice overall. The design is super cute (I have a thing for puff sleeves), and of course, I enjoy the fact that it's Stray Cat-themed. I wouldn't say I'm an extremely knowledgeable of the Stray Cats, but I like their stuff a lot. I also just realized that they were in one of my favorite childhood movies (a really obscure film called Mother Goose Rock 'n Rhyme)! I have a very eclectic taste in music – thanks, Mom and Dad! – but I definitely have a connection with rockabilly. I have this fantasy of being in a rockabilly-style band someday... maybe it'll happen down the line.

Outfit Details

Stray Cats Lolita Top: c/o Sourpuss Clothing

Lavender Jenny Dress (worn as skirt): Pinup Girl Clothing

Belt: from another dress (similar)

Shoes: B.A.I.T. Footwear

I was so hopeful that spring was here, but this weekend was SO cold! We had a crazy wind storm last week, and now there's fresh snow on the ground. I know that's typical for March here in Rochester, but I'm sick of staying indoors. On the bright side, it gave me the chance to list a bunch of stuff in my Shop My Closet store (there's still a bunch of great stuff up for grabs – don't forget, you can use the code SOUBRETTE10 for 10% off!). I think it's supposed to warm up a bit this week, so I'm hoping I can spend at least a little time outside. Have a great start to your week!

Red Velvet

Helloooo, snow! Christmas is but 11 days away, which means I've been severely slacking on my holiday outfit posts – so I'd better get crackin'! I've been meaning to style this luxe velvet dress from Sourpuss Clothing for weeks, but the time really got away from me. Fortunately, it's the perfect Christmas dress. Red velvet is just so quintessentially jolly, and I love that it's stretchy (ideal for big holiday meals!) and has the cute little bow on the bust. I decided to style it in a casual way for this post to prove that I don't always dress to the nines... but I enjoy the fact that this dress would look just as great with a pair of heels as it does with a biker jacket and boots!

I didn't get a tree this past weekend, so finding an artificial one is on my to-do list. I'm thinking I might go for obnoxious, tacky white – but they're difficult to find if you don't want to spend a lot. I still have a few presents to buy (and all of them to wrap!)... plus, I need to bake cookies and watch Christmas movies and go look at Christmas lights and arghhhhh why can't time slow down!? :)

Outfit Details

Velvet Vivienne Dress in Red: c/o Sourpuss Clothing

Jacket: Forever 21 (similar)

Brooch: Deer Arrow

Boots: similar

Hat: similar

Have a great day!

Backseat Baby

After being sick for the last week, I'm starting to feel like myself again. It's good timing because I've just started rehearsals for a new show – and I'm also itching to take holiday outfit photos. This outfit might seem a bit more appropriate for Halloween than for Christmas, but as someone who loves spooks & sorcery all year round, it felt perfectly suited for a November day.

Although I tend to carry around the same couple of purses all the time, I do have an extensive bag collection. This "Backseat Baby" spiderweb purse from Sourpuss fits right in. I love that it has a vintage-inspired clasp and the ideal amount of edge. (I also enjoy the fact that I actually am a backseat baby – my mom's band was called Backseat Sally!) This purse actually matches the purple Jenny dress I'm wearing perfectly, though it doesn't look like it in these photos. I had to bring it all together with the Steph Buscema fortune teller print scarf that Ashley gave me!

Outfit Details

Jenny Dress in Dark Purple: Pinup Girl Clothing

Purple Spiderweb Backseat Baby Purse: c/o Sourpuss Clothing

Steph Buscema fortune teller scarf: gift from Ashley (available here)

Chase & Chloe heels: Amazon

Have a great start to your week!

Big Birthday Giveaway! [CLOSED]

It's that time of year again: time for my annual big birthday giveaway! Every October, I love to give my lovely readers a little treat (much more preferable to a trick, if you ask me). My birthday is on Friday, so I'm kicking off my birthday week by giving you all a chance to win some wonderful prizes from some of my favorite brands! Read on to find out how.

I'm keeping this year's birthday giveaway a bit more *intimate* than in previous years. Really, things have just been so busy that I decided to make it a bit more exclusive and less overwhelming for myself. In the past, I've given away a bunch of smaller prizes for several people, but this year, I've opted to giveaway a HUGE prize to one lucky follower. Here's what's up for grabs!

The winner will receive:

- Red and Black Pindot "Diana" dress from Unique Vintage

- Your choice of "Estelle" blouse and circle skirt from Heart of Haute

- Purple spiderweb Backseat Baby purse from Sourpuss Clothing

- Wanda Woodward pin + "Really Good Hair Club" print from Dreaming of Johnny

- "Liv" cardigan from Voodoo Vixen

RULES: Enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter widget below. There are mandatory entries you must complete to be eligible (one of these is that you're a follower of my blog – no unfollowing after the giveaway ends, please). There are also optional entries you can complete to increase your chance of winning. One (1) winner will receive all of the prizes listed above. The winner will be contacted via e-mail, so be sure to provide a valid e-mail address. The winner must respond to my e-mail within 48 hours or a new winner will be chosen. The giveaway is open worldwide and will run from now until 11:59 pm EST on Sunday, October 30th (right on the stroke of Halloween – spooky!).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for entering and best of luck!

GIVEAWAY || Sourpuss Sparkle Clutch [CLOSED]

If you were bummed about not winning my last giveaway, you're in luck: I have another awesome giveaway for you today! The folks over at Sourpuss Clothing were kind enough to send me this adorable dress + matching sparkle clutch, and they've sweetened the deal by giving away this same clutch to one of my readers! Read on to get all of the details and enter to win!

Outfit Details

Dress: c/o Sourpuss Clothing

Red Sparkle Clutch: c/o Sourpuss Clothing

Heels: ModCloth (old)

Necklace: ASOS (old)

I have an ever-growing collection of purses, but I really love this red hot clutch for its versatility and sass! It's perfect for a night out on the town; it's surprisingly roomy, and it has a great sparkle and sheen to it. I'm definitely glad I get to keep one of these for myself, but I'm doubly glad that one of my lovely followers gets to win one, too! Here are the giveaway rules:

One (1) winner will receive this red sparkle clutch from Sourpuss Clothing (shown above). Enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter widget below. You must be a follower of The Soubrette Brunette to enter (no unfollowing after the giveaway ends!), and you can earn additional entries in several ways. This giveaway is open internationally, and will be open until Sunday, May 3rd at 11:59 PM (EST). The winner will be chosen at random through the widget and will be contacted via e-mail by Tuesday, May 5th (so be sure to use a valid e-mail address). The winner must respond within 24 hours, or a new winner will be chosen. Thanks for entering & best of luck! <3 

a Rafflecopter giveaway