On Sunday, the sun was shining, “born in the wrong era” was the prompt for#StyleMeApril, and I had a vintage 1950s day dress from Treasure Trove Vintage that I was DYING to wear.   Talk about the stars alining:  it was THE perfect dress to wear to the Rochester Blogger Network Blogger Brunch at Hogan’s.

Dress: Treasure Trove Vintage, altered by Tanvi Asher of Peppermint/AsherBridal
Belt, Bag: GAP
Shoes: Nine West

Ladies, I have to share this with you:  walking down Park Ave in this dress I got more catcalls than I’ve ever received in my life.  Granted it was the first beautiful spring SundayFunday… but college boys were hanging out of their cars, heads were turning, horns were honking, and one or two guys yelled “You’re beautiful!”

Some girls would be offended by whistling and honking, but I was flattered.

Why am I sharing this?  Because it shows that a dressed up woman is still a novelty.  (Not to mention it did wonders for this thirty-something, minivan-driving mamas’s ego…)  My personal vanity aside, the attention is proof that women don’t wear dresses enough, nothing beats a feminine silhouette, and sex might sell, but (to quote Usher) guys still want a “lady in the street.”  So take note…

Bag: GAP
Watch: Timex
Ring: Vintage
Sunnies: Ross
Bracelets: c/o Kluster, Alex and Ani

One of the things I love about fashion right now is that anything goes.  I’ve always loved to play dress up; I was thrifting and buying up vintage pieces long before it was in vogue.  I love that the current climate not only allows, but encourages creative expression.  I can dress like Donna Reed one day and Daisy Buchanan the next.  I can unleash my inner flower child, channel Betty Draper, and then rock out with my grunge out a la Angela Chase.  Today’s hipster may be yesterday’s weird, but all I know is that it’s a great time to feel like you were “born in the wrong era.” You can wear what you want, how you want, and rock a wardrobe as schizophrenic as Rochester’s weather.

Eccentric is the new cool… haven’t you heard?

xoxo

Jenny

See this dress?

You should buy it.

And not just because it’s cute.(Which it totally is.)

But because it is the perfect addition to any wardrobe, comes in a variety of colors, and is $12.99 for Shop Your Way members.   Not a member?  Buck up, because it’s going to run you a whopping $13.99. (But why would you want to do that?) Don’t look so glum!  You can sign up as my client right now and get it for the member price! Then you can look fabulous in its a-line construction that flatters any figure and rest easy knowing its straps are wide enough to avoid the dreaded peek-a-boo bra strap.

Did I mention it’s $12.99?Because it is…

And now I’m going to let you in on a little secret:  I got this dress FOR FREE with Shop Your Way Rewards Points.  Yes free.  This dress was free.  And it’s super-cute.  And you need to sign up as my personal shopping client so that you can start earning rewards points, get the scoop on the hottest fashions at the lowest prices, and start getting shiz for free.  You can’t help but be happy when you’re rocking a free dress.  You deserve to be this happy:

That’s stand on one leg, spread your arms wide happy.  You can’t buy that kind of happy, but you can by a kick-ass dress for $12.99 at Sears and hire me as your free personal shopper.

It’s a start.

Get happy and sign up here.

xoxo

Jenny

“You brought music back into the house. I had forgotten.” ~ Captain von Trapp, The Sound of Music, 1965

Disclaimer:  If you are averse to lame metaphors or are actually looking for some fashion or styling advice you might want to skip this post.  Things are about to get DEEP.

On Friday I paid a sitter to watch my kids so I could get ready for an event.  Yes, that’s right $10 an hour so I could do my hair, listen to music, and get ready in peace.  (I have an almost five year old and a two year old – this does not happen otherwise).  It was then that I realized something.  Music.  I was listening to music, something that I used to do all the time.  I used to be one of those people who listened to music 24/7 – music was the backdrop of my life… until it wasn’t.

I never really thought about it, but over the years I started listening to music less and less.  Sure, I’d have the radio on in the car, but at home I’d opt for silence or have the tv on in the background.  The hubs isn’t a real big music fan, so he would never be one to put it on either.  There were a variety of reasons why things had changed:   I grew up, got married, had kids, there just wasn’t time to listen to music.  Right?  It never occurred to me that there could be a REASON that the music had stopped…

Then as I fought with my flat iron to tame my wild hair, David Gray’s White Ladder came on.  Immediately my mind went to my best friend who passed away almost 9 years ago.  I took a moment to reflect on how long he’s been gone and how even after all this time I can still miss him so much.

That’s when it hit me like a ton of bricks.

Of course.

I stopped listening to music as a means of self-preservation.  Every song would have reminded me of Nick.  We were inseperable.  He was the older brother I never had.  He is intwined in my entire high school and college experience.  Is there anything more ingrained in our subconscious; anything more adept at triggering memories than a song?  It makes perfect sense that after losing Nick I listened to music less and less – it would have hurt too much.  EVERYTHING would have been a painful reminder of what I had lost and avoidance always has been my coping mechanism of choice.  So my cds grew dusty, my itunes account went silent, my ipod was rarely played.  New music would be safe (no memories attached there) – I could listen to the radio in the car without a second thought.

That’s when I realized it:  I’m Captain von Trapp.  I stopped the music in an effort to save myself, when I should have just given myself permission to FEEL.  Alas, hindsight is 20/20.

I still get choked up and tears still come nine years later, but I’m ready to have music in my life again.  I’m ready to remember with a  smile knowing how much joy is wrapped in those memories and the music that will forever be tied to them.

I’m ready to come to terms with the fact that I am always going to miss him, that it is not going to get any easier, but I am so blessed to have had a friend like Nick,  if only for a season.  Everyone should be so lucky.

Keep loving.  Keep Living.  And let the music play on.

Happy Friday kiddos!

xoxo

Jenny

PS- How hot is Christopher Plummer in The Sound of Music?!  I mean honest to goodness that is a MAN right there.

PSS- Speaking of MEN, I need to add that I have the best, most supportive and wonderful husband a girl could ask for.  We were newly dating when I lost Nick and when I fell apart he was there to pick up the pieces.  That man is my rock.  I am so, so blessed.  I wish you could have seen my his face when I explained this theory to him. (“Because you both stood against the Nazis?”)  As we chatted about it, the song that reminds him of a dear friend he lost came on the radio (this song is NEVER on the radio)… we just smiled at each other and wondered aloud if maybe they were together up there and maybe music was their way of letting us know that they’re gone, but not forgotten, and that we can remember them as we like best:  in our hearts and in a song.