I've Come Out of the Closet!

Hello friends, 

Long time no see! I've just realized that I haven't posted in this blog since May. I missed sharing my outfits! So please feel free to praise or critique me - from you, my loves, I accept it all. I missed you and this form of creativity and connection with like-minded people a lot! I can only hope that some of you have missed me too. :)

Beauty of Gray and Vintage

Why not post the most recent outfit and tell you a vintage story. So, Justin and I took these pictures last weekend, and it was quite freezing outside! It would really be wiser to wear one of my parkas on a day like this, but I wanted to show off my elegant all-gray attire before I show off my coats and parkas. 

Spring Epitome & Vintage Desk

Every Spring, with no exception, the world of fashion explodes with floral dresses - mostly in soft pastel colors. I confess, I am tempted to join the fun, but pastel tones don't work that well with my pale freckled skin. I am more of a jewel tone and warm earthy color girl who blossoms in bold pattern and strong color dresses. But this frock, I thought, offered a beautiful balance of fresh soft pastels and strong bold colors on a dark background reminiscent of the bareness of early Spring. I appreciate the comfy style of it while also being so striking. So you understand - it had to be done!

The Way We Vintage

 

Earlier in March, we hopped in the car and drove to the new location of our favorite antique mall. Some of you might remember that some time ago, the mall which was located in one spot for 26 or 27 years, had to find a new home. Well, they have finally re-opened, and the visit became the sort of event I've been missing, the one that inspired me to dress up a little.

Meet Me at Twilight

 

Sometimes, to get unstuck, all we need is to break loose from the tension of the old patterns. That will allow us to see a new possibility, a new opening that most probably was always there, dismissed as unsuitable, as "not good enough"...

Happy New Year!

To all my friends and readers, a very Happy New Year! 

May it be kind and healthy to you and yours! 

I Voted!

So it happened, my friends - I voted! Justin and I received our ballots in the mail, filled them out and dropped them at the official voter's drop box this very evening. (Anya is not old enough to vote just yet, but she will be very soon, just in a couple of months, ready for the next election.) 

Two Autumns, Two Ways to Live

"Have you ever dreamt that you'd be living in such a beautiful place?" asked Justin on our last forest walk. And here is my honest answer.

Family in Fall, Sauerkraut Recipe and New Home

In my last post, I wrote about traditional Fall celebrations in the US which my family and I love, but this time of year is even more precious and beautiful to me for many personal reasons. You might notice it too, life usually brings us things in clusters. One such "cluster" is birthdays in my family. Of course, whenever a few people gather, some of them most probably were born reasonably close to each other, and it's especially true when we talk about a large family. I mean, there are only 12 months in the year, aren't there? But some such coincidences seem more like serendipity or kismet, if you will.

Autumn in America

I wouldn't be at all surprised if an all-American survey showed that majority of the population considers Fall their favorite season. Autumn in America is nothing short of amazing. September still feels like Summer, and in many states most of October too. Besides sunny warm days, it bursts into all shades of yellow, orange, red and purple. November brings one of the most beloved holidays, Thanksgiving, and preparation for the winter celebration extravaganza. And of course, we can't overlook Halloween which children and adults alike simply adore for its unique spooky spirit: costumes, candies, party fun and home décor. Speaking of which, I gave all the rights to decorate our home for Halloween to my daughter and husband since they absolutely love it. But one of the things that makes Autumn and October in particular really fun for everyone is visiting a pumpkin patch. Many farms open their imaginary doors to the public during the whole month, offering hey rides, corn mazes, petting zoos and of course pumpkins of all sorts, shapes and sizes. I would say that other than football and Halloween party games, America's favorite Fall game is playing farmers!

Transition Made Easy: 7 Outfits for 7th Blogiversary

SEPTEMBER 2013

It's hard to believe at times that I've been writing this blog for almost exactly 7 years (the actual anniversary is in early September). When I look back to these 7 years, I remember them with a fond heart, and I feel a little sad that I don't seem to find time for blogging these days. I certainly didn't loose interest in dressing up, and hopefully I'll continue taking pictures of my future outfits and posting them on a regular basis some day. But before I can do that, I'm in a transitional period - I'm not where I used to be any more, and not where I want to arrive yet. Which is an interesting place to be! Today, in honor of my upcoming 7 year Blogiversary, I went through my blog to find some of my favorite transitional outfits which I'm happy to share with you just as a reminder to myself and my readers that transitions don't have to be hard or boring. Let's see how we can play with them!

New Year, New Happenings

Hello beautiful friends,

I haven't had the chance to greet you and wish you a VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR yet!

They say that distance makes the heart grow fonder, and that's so true - the longer I don't post and chat with you, the more I miss blogging and all of you. At the same time, it's harder to go back to the old routine of posting regularly. So for a while at least, there won't be any regularity here. But I do want to share some of my life happenings as well as outfits with you.

Rachmaninoff's Concerto No. 3 Played by George Li & Symphony Tacoma

Hello lovely friends and readers,

Are you still here? 

Anyone? 

Sorry for the long radio silence. I know it's been a while since I last posted or commented. It has been the most surprising Fall, life got busy, and I will tell you more as I get a chance, but today I offer to take you to one of the most memorable concerts I've been to in my entire life. And I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in this impression as the gorgeous Pantages Theater was packed to the fullest and burst into the longest standing ovation right after George Li played the last notes of one of the most technically challenging piano pieces ever created, Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3. 

Modish Matrons #40: Fifty Shades of Fall

I love Summer, especially here in the Pacific Northwest, for its warm sunny days without extreme temperatures or humidity. But by the end of the season, I am really looking forward to Fall. I adore the Autumnal crisp fresh air and magical soft light, the changing colors of leaves, and the promise of a new beginning every single Fall, no exception... And I adore Fall fashion.

Modish Matrons #36: Garden Party at Beate's

Oh how time flies. I've just barely come back from my TRIP TO PARIS, and I am now leaving again! This time, I meet my beautiful friends TINA und BEATE at the garden party of the year which Beate hosts in her cozy and luscious garden. 

Outfits and Buildings Telling Stories

It takes time to build a unique collection, and that goes for creating a unique wardrobe as well. Some of you might remember the story of this tapestry coat (OCTOBER 2017), how doubtful I was, keeping the coat in my shopping cart while browsing Goodwill, then leaving it behind, driving back home only to return to the store to rescue this jacket the very next day. I don't know whether it is vintage or not (the label doesn't suggest vintage), but it is well made and I have no regrets purchasing it, even though I did not really need another jacket. But that's the beauty of being a collector - you certainly don't need to add to your collection, but if a new find brings you joy, then that's the right thing to do! And so this jacket joined my general collection of jackets and coats, and is now also a part of my particular collection of tapestry jackets and coats (see my other tapestry coats in APRIL 2017 and MARCH 2019). Unlike many modern pieces which only imitate tapestry (while being prints), all of these pieces are actually made of woven fabric.

April Showers, Fridays for Future and My Contribution to the World

Thank you so much for your wonderful comments on my previous posts!!! They brought so much joy to my heart, and I mean it. I do miss interacting with you guys, and I feel like I am very much behind each of your real life series. I lurked at your blogs a few times in the past few months and have every intention to catch up some day, though it is still challenging at this point. I thought that my workload would be lighter in April, but boy I was wrong! After finishing with one gig, I continued keeping myself busy with new ones, and after family time, trying to keep the house in at least a tiny bit reasonable state of chaos, and time to rest and recharge, there is very little time for blogging and fashion. But it isn't a bad thing, and even rare style and blog encounters can still provide fun as well as a break from other activities and responsibilities.

Modish Matrons #34: Humor in Fashion

Welcome to Modish Matrons April Fools edition!

Comment YES if you can't imagine life without humor. 

YES!

Humor comes in so many forms and shapes, styles and flavors, tastes and traditions, that it probably shouldn't surprise us that at times we don't get each other's sense of humor at all. I pretty much always am open to any interpretation of the themes I come up with, and always ready to relax the rules simply because to me, the greatest beauty of life lies in freedom, and that includes the freedom to understand, interpret and express ideas in the way that is unique to each of us. That being said, I don't expect everyone to approve of  or even understand my vision, and I am eager to see your interpretation of this theme. 

From January to March

Hello friends,

This is a catching up post before we get to Spring at full swing here In The Writer's Closet. I gathered a few outfit photos which were taken any time from January through February and most recently March outfits...and of course, some of the life events which went with them.

Modish Matrons #33: Old Thing - New Way

Long time no see! 

How have you been, dear friends and readers? February proved to be a super busy month despite being the shortest one, and March is going to be even busier. A few times I tried to finish a post which I started back in January, but alas, it still stays unfinished in my drafts. It's challenging to find extra energy or time for new photo sessions these days. But I couldn't miss my favorite style party with my dearest friends, TINA und BEATE! So on one of the last windy February days, Anya and I stopped by a beautiful park featuring some of the oldest buildings in the area. The park was recently revamped which fitted our March theme to a T! You see, Beate suggested to wear our oldest clothing item in a chic new style. Which our park definitely has done brilliantly - the 1930s art-deco lighthouse (the only lighthouse in Pierce county, by the way) and even earlier lighthouse keeper's cottage now got a fresh treatment in the form of a concrete path leading to the lighthouse from a newly built parking lot. So now we can visit our good old friends, the lighthouse and the cottage, in any weather, even on a rainy day.