Retro, vintage inspired dress….and yes, it’s me!
Wow, it’s been a really long time. It’s late at night and I suddenly had an urge to do a little post. I’ve been drawn to vintage inspired clothing lately, so when I saw this dress at Ross, I totally wanted it.. and ended up getting to buy it! 
This is it! It’s by Calvin Klein, but was a pretty good deal since I found it at Ross. I love the Audrey Hepburn-ish look of it. I love Audrey style! She always looked so classy. Someone also called this look reminiscent of Jackie O.
I can’t post too much right now as I want to spend time with my daughter, (yes, she’s up at midnight with me 
) while I’m feeling ok. It was kind of a rough day for me, and it’s been a long road of feeling ill for quite a long time. I’m still not out of the woods, but am doing a lot better than I was, thank God! I have more pics I’d like to post, but I haven’t worked with WordPress in a long time and things seem to have changed? I’m going to need some time to figure it out, but hope to add the others soon.
xo!
Tracy
(not sure why this became so small?)
Sitting Pretty and French Fashion Inspired at Hometown Christmas!
This was taken a couple of weeks ago when my sis came by and dragged me out of the house to go downtown and check out the local ‘Hometown Christmas’ festivites. At first I didn’t feel up to it, but then something sparked up inside me and I decided to throw something on and go. I went with one the most comfy outfits I own, which also happens to seem very French inspired to me (love French style!)
I know you can’t really see it, but my super soft babydoll dress is striped in black and white. I wore my favorite fleur-de-lis earrings, my black leather knee boots, and my authentic Parisian beret (a yard sale find! The seller told me about how she’d purchased it in Paris years ago. Score!) My jacket is a fab grey tweed that I got a few years ago – it’s so “me” that when I saw it I had to have it. Thankfully, I was able to purchase it, and it’s been well worth the price paid.
The boot heels helped me sit so comfortably in my little chair, and I felt great once I got out (although the roads were a little rough to navigate – this has been a hard adjustment for me; you don’t realize how many potholes there are until you take an indoor wheelchair out and about.) But, I had lots of help and was able to lift my bottom up off of the seat while someone pushed me through the rough patches.
I hope that everyone is having a wonderful Christmas Season!
xx
Tracy
A Dedication to those beautiful spirits who struggle daily with pain of all kinds.. you are STRONG and YOU ARE LOVED!
For all of those with beautiful, whimsical, God given notions that are somehow held back, for all the clouded minds..by pain, medication, emotional distress, anxiety.. for all those who find small windows of time and short intervals in which to pursue their fancies, while their heads simply overflow with them. For all those who are struggling with their bodies/minds, yet have so much to offer; who dream of castles and get lost in literature, for all of you ‘from the race that knows Joseph,’ you know who you are!
(I saw her basic shape in some tile in my home, (lol) and then my imagination took over – once I was done, my mom helped me to realize how much she actually sort of represents me, and those in similar situations to me.)
xx
Tracy
A dress that brings out my inner ballerina
As some of you know, I’ve been going through a difficult time for a very long time. I’ve had pain that has me screaming at the top of my lungs and moaning relentlessly; it is just that bad. I’m very surprised that the cops haven’t been called over here many a time.
Anyway, my sweet mom has been incredibly supportive and helpful throughout this season of horrendous physical pain. She cares even when I have to tell her I just can’t visit right then. When I’m going through something like this, I guess I do better when it’s mostly just me and God. I come home after taking kids to school and crash, as sleeping is the easiest way to get through a period of insane pain. When I can do that, it’s a blessing. So, this is a lot of the reason why I haven’t been great about posting. I still enjoy going out, searching out a fun locale, dressing up, and cavorting around in front of my camera, lol..I just don’t feel much like it very often these days. I have high hopes that this period will pass soon though, and if I feel that God is giving me peace about “playing” in this way, I know that I’ll want to go out more often. Today I feel a bit of Fall in the air, FINALLY! This has an immense capacity to lift my mood. When I feel ok, Fall tends to bring out my creative side. So, I’m hoping it will be an aid to my recovery.
Anyway, I went out last week and played wannabe ballerina again – I had a brief time of feeling up to it, and my dear mom had brought me this pretty dress as a pick me up. I’d tried it on before at a friend’s photoshoot, and really wanted to purchase it for my daughter Idelle and myself. My mom, sweet “Marmee” that she is, kept looking for the store where it was kept to be open, and when she finally found it open, she went in and nabbed it. Thank you Mom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So, here I am, in all my poser ballerina glory *wink
I’ve always liked the idea of being the quirky French girl, lol, so here’s a shot at ‘quirky,’ and this effect is called ‘Camille.’ My maiden name is French, so I know there’s some French in there, mixed in with plenty of other nationalities. I guess you could call me a “mutt” lol!
oops, I see that I didn’t get the lovely, wide straps spread out in sync, but I did a hurried change in my van, so I guess that accounts for that, lol (will be more careful next time!)
This elegant little number came from DevineStyle Aurora in Corning. I think it has a touch of the ballerina, as well as a touch of French chic. I can picture Audrey Hepburn in it, and it fits both Idelle and I just perfectly, so she’ll be able to wear to a school dance or two (although she plans to rock it with her Converse =D ) I am wearing it here with my Corso Como ballet flats – they’ve become the staple shoe that I’m always looking for. I love the cloth lining, (which makes less need for socks or tights) and the flexibility of them.
Hugs to all and here’s to looking forward to a healing and happy Fall!
xx
Tracy
Rooski Boutique! New Local Boutique Adds Style to Corning – Check out this little Parisian Chic number I purchased :)
Hello there! I am back and hope to be posting more regularly again – Fall is around the corner (although it’s still getting really hot where I live here in NorCal *sigh.) I felt a bit of the Fall atmosphere the other night when out for a walk (or roll, in my case ;)) It gave me that familiar feeling of excitement that I tend to get when Fall sets in with its brisker temperatures and cool breezes that send swirling little torrents of crackling fallen leaves scooting down the sidewalks. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, I just can’t wait! The lovely atmosphere after the looooooooooooooooooong HOT summer has a lovely tendency to inspire me creatively, and I feel a renewed and refreshed desire to work on creative projects.
I have also been quite sick with the Lyme disease I’ve mentioned to you all. It seems to cause a lot of pain, and, as I’ve shared before, walking for any distance, (even a small one) has shown in the past to really exacerbate that pain. So, as a pain management tool, I’m still using my wheelchair whenever I need (or want) to walk around anywhere. It works great, at least inside and on smooth concrete surfaces, and I’m able to go along on walks and shopping trips. I’m so very thankful for it! I was able to get it through the donations of kind friends and family members, and it has allowed me to have so much freedom that I’d otherwise have missed out on. Thank you again to everyone that helped me! You all are WONDERFUL!
Okay, on to the outfit! lol
I am wearing a wonderfully cute and comfortable slip on dress that I purchased at a new boutique here in town. It is called the Rooski Boutique, and I just love it! This town REALLY needed a classy, stylish clothing and accessory boutique, and now it has one; I’m so glad and am already such a fan! It is decorated so creatively inside with many great, handmade pieces – it is SUPER inspiring to me. It makes me want to re-vamp my house and add some creative, handmade touches here, just like the owner at Rooski has done with her store. My recent shopping experience at Rooski was fabulous – I didn’t want to leave; the atmosphere is so inviting. I loved the music that was being played, the girl working there was so helpful and friendly, and just being allowed to go into the darling dressing room felt like a treat; I almost felt as though I were being pampered. What really got me going was the fact that when I walked in, I was immediately welcomed with the fact that everything in the store was half off! The prices aren’t bad to begin with, so this got me really excited!
I like to wear the dress with capri length leggings, as shown in my pictures. The dress material is so soft and light; it feels like a second skin. You really couldn’t find a more comfortable outfit. In this shot, I’m wearing it with my Corso Como ballet flats, (also wonderfully comfortable) and a wig from my growing wig collection! I have come to really like wigs; they allow me to try so many different looks with ease. I can have shorter hair in seconds without having to commit to it, and I can try out any look that intrigues me. This one is my current fave – it is very comfortable and I like the style so much. It has a hint of curliness along the bottom back that adds a little touch of pizzaz; it makes me feel stylish! I think it goes well with this dress, which strikes me as having a bit of Parisian flair with its black and white stripes.
Now I’m wearing it with my own hair flowing, along with a super cute pair of sunglasses that I also bought at the boutique. It seems that all my sunglasses have been breaking so quickly on me lately, so I was thrilled to pick these up from Rooski – they are of good quality, and I only spent $4 for them! (and yes, I did wear this outfit two days in a row, lol; it’s one of those ‘go to’ outfits that you want to wear all the time, as it’s just SO comfortable, yet stylish too!)
I’m wearing my little ankle strapped wedges from Wanted Shoes here. The shoes are so my style – just a little bit of height, but not so much that I can’t walk in them, and I love the look of an ankle strap. I ended up selling off most of my high heels, as I found that I never felt strong enough to attempt walking in them, but these I can handle. I’ve also found that I sit better in my wheelchair when I have heels on.
This is a great outfit to wheel in as well. I am perfectly well covered, and feel completely free to wheel just as fast as my little arms can carry me! :D I’m finally getting some good arm workouts in – my arms never used to get much work before this; I think they’re actually starting to get a little toned. Cool!
This and the shot after it were taken by my son, Doran, while I was playing at the school after dark. It was a lot of fun!
tried a couple of photo effects here – they’re fun to play around with
I took this one in an attempt to show off my new earrings from Rooski. They are so pretty; they’re fleur-de-lis designs with beautiful detailing on them. They are really striking and are the reason why I went into the boutique that day….I’d seen these there before, but hadn’t had the money right then to buy them. What a lucky girl I was to walk in on a half price sale, so of course I ended up leaving with much more than just the earrings. *wink* =P I’ll try to get a better pic of these later, as they really are so cool looking.
This is a necklace I already had, but I decided that I had to wear my little Eiffel Tower with my Parisian dress!
SO, if you’re local, I highly recommend checking out the Rooski Boutique. It’s right on Solano Street and still has its ‘Grand Opening’ sign up. It’s a fabulous addition to my hometown – it’s delightful and tasteful, and everyone I’ve met there has been so nice. This little town has long been in need of places to buy clothing, and now there are a few, but Rooski offers the nicest shopping experience by far. The prices are great too, esp. if you happen upon a half price sale! I got some adorable little accessories for my daughter, Amelia’s, upcoming birthday. I know she’ll love them.
It’s great to be back! It’s still a bit too hot for my liking during the afternoons, but I know that Fall is really getting close; when the weather does totally change, then I’ll really want to get out there to take pictures!
How is everyone out there in blogland? I’m feeling hopeful about my situation and feel like God is beginning to answer my prayers. I’m trying to take it easy, but love being able to get back into the swing of things a bit. I hope to hear from all my blog buddies, and maybe meet some new bloggy friends! =) If you leave me a comment, I’ll be sure to visit your page and return the favor. I love getting comments and finding friendships through this creative little venue.
I will leave you with a very cute little Parisian Chic model, my daughter, Idelle. (This was taken a few years back, when I was just getting started with taking fun outfit shots and posting them. I could never get her to wear an outfit like this now, wah!)
xo!
Tracy
(my outfit)
dress: JJ Authentic from Rooski Boutique
sunglasses: ‘Audrey’ from Rooski!
ballet flats: Corso Como
earrings: Rooski boutique
strapped wedges: Wanted Shoes
wig: eBay
capri leggings: Forever 21
Eiffel Tower necklace: Forever 21
Sneak Peek of the Shoot!
^My friend Bekah is the one on the ground, taking the shot. She said she was pulling stickers and grass out of her bum for hours afterward, lol..poor Bek! She’s dedicated and takes her work seriously! She used to model professional, so I can learn a lot about poses, angles, etc., from her (not that I’m ever going to model professionally, lol, but it’s still fun stuff to learn and play around with :))
^..and here’s her resulting pic, with her edit.. When I first saw it, I was like, oh, she has a new pic up….wait, is that me? I hardly recognized myself at first, lol.
Anyway, thanks Bekah! It was really fun for this short gal that’s always been a little intrigued with modeling to play model for a day.
Hugs to all,
Tracy
Some pre-shoot pics
My daughter Idelle and I got to model a few things for a local clothing store yesterday. It was fun! I’ve always sorta wished to model a little, so I couldn’t pass this chance up. Anyway, the gal who set it all up took most of the pictures, and she’s still editing them, but here are a few pre-shoot pics that Idelle and I took. There’s only one of Idelle because this is the only one she liked, lol..she loved her Converse with the dress..wasn’t so big on the heels, lol. I did more being on my feet than I can normally handle, but it was fun to be a part of something like this! Next time I’ll bring my chair or at least a stool! I wore platforms..craziness. I sold my two pairs of platforms when I realized I just never felt strong enough to wear them.
This dress is really wayyyyyyy too short for comfort for me; I’d never wear it out, but I like the color and the brass toned embellishments.
My Idelle rockin’ a dress and Converse :) We both want this dress to share!!
Here’s one my friend, Bekah, took and edited of me..I like the Tim Burton-esque feel of it. I was actually holding a tilted frame in front of me. and yeah, standing and walking in heels..not so good for me. But, I made it!
just a sneak peek! Miss you guys.
xoxo
Tracy
Dresses and shoes (except the Converse): DevineStyle in Corning, CA
Converse tennies: Famous Footwear
