autumn inspiration

In the month (ouch!) since I last posted...fall has appeared!

Mostly...we still got into the 70s this week in Wisconsin, but you can feel that hint of fall in the air. It smells like sweaters and apple cider, and I am welcoming it with open arms. True Fall Confession: I don't like pumpkin. No pumpkin lattes, muffins, candles, or pies for me! I am all about the apples once leaves start changing.

I had the best intentions of doing a fall shopping list post, but...then I accidentally went fall shopping before I had a chance to write it. So instead, here's a little bit of an autumn inspiration post!

Everyone loves a sweater in the fall (right?) I love sweaters layered with heavy classic fabrics like this skirt. My big obsession with sweaters for this fall, though? LEATHER.

That's right, got myself a sweater (a tunic-length sweater, which is my other favorite) in this gorgeous forest green color with a great leather detail on the collar. It's probably my mental connection between fall and great boots, but leather just goes great with knits.

I love everything about this look. The vibrant dress, patterned tights, cute boots, cuddly scarf. I'm really excited to recreate it with some of my new pieces - no pics yet, unfortunately, since I only got the chance to wear a sweater once before we creeped back up into the 70s, but yay! I'm always a fan of texture tights, and I'm excited to try layering them over my colored tights this year. Double warm! (Maybe?)

I also picked up a fall staple I've been craving for a long time that I'm super super pleased with:

Ohhh yeah, it's a bomber jacket! I saw it across the store and there was a swelling choir of angels. Brown (faux) leather, studs, zippers, great detailing in the stitching...I'm totally in love. I haven't had a good fall jacket besides my trench for a long time (which is great, but not so versatile for day wear). Gotta say, I feel totally bombin' in this jacket (hey-o!). The top is also new, featuring another of my favorite fall details:

Studs! There's also a stud gathering the sleeves at just 3/4-length, and they are so fabulous. A little bit of a hard edge on a very floaty feminine garment, such a big fan.

And that's my fall haul so far - I can't wait to get the chance to wear the rest of my new pieces (another sweater, a gorgeous blazer, and that dress!) and to pick up the last few things I'm still looking for. I haven't broken out the boots yet, but I have the perfect outfit in mind. As always, follow me on Instagram to see all the latest! (Plus cat pics.)

dream a little dream of spring

True story: the other day, I thought to myself, "Hey...isn't there a time where you can...just wear skirts and no jackets and not be cold? What is that?" Yup, I forgot what spring was. Anyone who lives in a northern clime can probably relate. So I thought I would look ahead, past the darkness of winter, and share a little bit of springtime.

retro spring by ficklekitsch 

Ahh, can't you just feel that warm breeze? Spring is all about color, of course, but I'm not married to the traditional pastels. Why say "oh, hey, here's a little color" when you can say "WOW, here's a lot of color!"? (I take the same stance on chocolate, cookies, and episodes of the greatest sitcom ever, Frasier.) I was feeling a little retro feminine flair when I made this outfit: pair the bold, fun skirt with a sweet pretty top (love that bow!). Like the rest of the fashion world, I'm obsessed with these metallic toed flats and darling little leather satchels. The earrings call back to both the chevron and geometric trend without being overly trendy and top it off with a chunky bracelet in a contrasting color. Since it's springtime, you'll obviously need an adorable pair of sunglasses too. I would pair this outfit with a classic trench, just in case you end up in some spring showers. Man, I just want to put this on right now. Why is there still snow on my stoop?

I'm also excited for...

Source: roadkillrescue.net via Jennifer on Pinterest

DIY! There's a great deck off the back of our apartment that I think will be perfect for any kind of outdoor projects, like spray painting. Secret confession: I have never spray painted anything. Not even once. What have I been doing with my life??? Every DIY blogger I follow has shown me how something s simple as a can of paint can transform a piece from bland to bold. I've had this project over here waiting on my Pinterest for 6 months. 6 whole months, and look what cute stuff I could be doing with a little lace and some paint? I'm definitely hoping (as I previously mentioned) to paint our new bookcase and after that, who knows! I'm still on the hunt for a dresser for my room; if I pick one up at the thrift store, it very well could end up getting a fresh coat of paint (there's a new Habitat Re/Store that just opened up the street AND a brand new Goodwill about to open, I'm going to be second-hand heaven!).

Speaking of the deck, I'm SO excited to finally make use of it! There are already some cafe lights strung through the railings, but there's so much more to be done. The deck might be half covered in snow now, but it could look like this:

Source: shelterness.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Wow! Upholstered furniture may not be in our future, but I definitely want at least a cute cafe table and chairs. Sitting outside on the weekends, writing blog posts in the sun? Hanging out with the lights on at night, enjoying the breeze with my roommate? Sounds just about perfect.

I can't wait for spring.

commitment issues

Sometimes, it feels like "committed" is in the same family "interesting" or "distinct" often fall into when describing style; even if you don't like what someone is doing/wearing, you can at least applaud them for "committing" to their look! I don't totally agree, though. I think that committing to a style is something that should be applauded! It takes a lot of guts and a lot of effort to maintain what I would consider an "intense" style; to be honest, I'm a little jealous of those people! I adore the aesthetics of a lot of these subcultures (like lolita, Goth, rockabilly, etc) but I definitely do not have either the guts or the dedication to really commit to the look...I want to visit, but I don't think I could live there!

I suspect many of you have the same dilemma, which is the reason for my new series: "Commitment Issues." I'll be taking inspiration from fabulous styles that require some serious commitment to make them work, and showing you pieces that let you bring elements of that style into your own everyday look!

Up first: Lolita. Lolita started as Japanese street fashion; there are a ton of subcultures and substyles that I won't even pretend to be informed enough to speak about. But the bare bones essential (and what most people think of when you mention Lolita fashion) is looking like a Victorian doll. What I'm inspired by today is the "Sweet Lolita" style: lots of deliciously fussy girly details!


Photo from a great source for girly inspiration, ALB in Wonderland

If I had to sum up the best way to put the over-the-top frothy confection of Lolita style into every day in one word, that would would be ruffles. (The second word would be pink.)

ladylike ruffles by ficklekitsch featuring a tie blouse

I would wear every single one of these pieces, and I wouldn't even consider my style to be that girly! Seeing them all together is a little bit of a pink/pastel ruffled explosion, but consider pairing one of those fussy tops with a black pencil skirt or some wide-legged trousers and you've got the right idea. Those comfy shorts seem a little far out from Lolita, but this is about making it work for your everyday...I think they kind of look like bloomers, which definitely fit with the Victorian doll idea. Next up, accessories!

sweet accessories by ficklekitsch featuring brim hats

I took the "sweet" part pretty literally here; bows, more pink, cupcakes, flowers, all great ways to add a girly touch to any outfit. One of the things I love most about Lolita style is the dedication to a theme in an outfit--there's a reason they call them "coordinates"!

If you need more inspiration for making Lolita style work, I highly recommend checking out Cupcake's Clothes. Georgina has some great full-out Lolita fashion, but also works the same ultra-feminine aesthetic into all her outfits (and looks super cute!)

Could you pull a little bit of Lolita-inspired flair into your outfits now? What style have you always secretly loved but aren't willing to commit to full-time?

girls of the silver screen

A long, long time ago, my incredibly stylish little sister told me I create some outfits inspired by film genres. And it was an awesome idea. We've all been inspired by a particularly stylish character (I saw 50/50 this week, and I was struck by Bryce Dallas Howard's wardrobe. Gorgeous!), but copying a favorite fictional icon's look can feel a little costumey. There's plenty to be mined from the genre itself, allowing you to take a more subtle inspiration.

indie flick by ficklekitsch featuring a skip hop backpack

Take inspiration from the quirky yet infinitely stylish gals of indie flicks! Plaid, bright contrasting colors, and a touch of whimsical flair with the cute backpack (What self-respecting indie kid doesn't love an owl?) It's a little hipster, a little thrifty, and guaranteed to make you feel one set of fabulous bangs away from being Zooey Deschanel.

action star by ficklekitsch featuring post earrings

The funky indie style a little cute for you? Maybe you should draw from action movies and dress to impress (and kick ass!) Dark and stripped down is the name of the game; you have to be ready to run from an explosion or get into a car chase. But glam isn't totally out of the question! I paired this look with some tattoo-inspired jewelry to stay a little edgier.

mystery vixen by ficklekitsch featuring a double breasted jacket

If your glamorous instincts just can't be contained, go full femme fatale! Every noir film worth its salt had a mysterious lady floating through, looking irresistible and knocking them all dead with her swaths of brilliant color and dramatic style. I thought the keyhole ring added a subtle wink to the theme of mystery. The hat could take you over a bit into costume territory, but if you have the confidence to rock it, please do! Every day, I wish that dramatic hats would come back into style outside the Kentucky Derby and the odd royal wedding.

These are just the first three I thought of, but I love the idea of dressing to a genre theme. I'd love to find a way to work fantasy (Game of Thrones, anyone?) or historical film into my wardrobe.

What movie genre are you inspired by? Do you want to be an indie darling or maybe the charmingly eccentric heroine of a romantic comedy?