Retro Fashion Inspiration: The Brady Bunch

 

 When I was little, I was obsessed with The Brady Bunch. So much so, that I wrote letters to every cast member of the show, hoping that I would receive a letter back. To my surprise, both Ann B Davis (Alice!) and the creator of the show (Sherwood Schwartz) sent me back signed photos, and hand written notes, thanking me for taking the time to write to them. I've always been drawn to innocent, wholesome shows (like Full House, another favorite), especially those that revolve around amazing wardrobes. I'm pretty envious of all the girls' outfits on this particular show (and their hair, for that matter), and thought I would pay homage by sharing a little collage of some of my current favorite Brady Bunch-inspired clothes and home accessories that are selling on Modcloth and Bait Footwear's websites right now. Enjoy!

01. Show Me The Honey Dress |  02. Prancing Through The Poppies Top |

03. Le Marais of Light Top |  04. Yesterday Aqua flats |  05. One in a Medallian Top |

06. Vinyl Fantasy Dress |  07. Colorful Charm Pillow |  08. Bandstand A Chance Dress |

09. Ring True Desk Phone |  10. Greenery Greetings Dress |

Quite the Ladybug

Most days, I throw on whatever's in my closet that I haven't worn in a while. I'm all about effortless outfits. This one in particular was thrown together in a matter of seconds. I love the sweet striped detail of the dress, paired with the scalloped red/orange cardigan. I just found this Beatles pin floating around in my jewelry box, and decided to throw it on as well. The wedges I wore to The Great & Powerful Oz premiere back in February, and I love them to pieces! Teal is pretty much one of my favorite colors and I always try to wear it no matter what. The ladybug purse I just purchased from Modcloth, and I am in love! I can't wait to wear it all spring and summer long.

 

Dress: Anthropologie [no longer available]

Cardigan: Anthropologie [purchase here]

Ladybug bag: Modcloth [purchase here]

"Hetty" Pump/Franco Sarto via Nordstrom [purchase here]

One thing I should also mention is that I styled my hair using all DryBar products (except for Moroccan Oil volumizing mousse which you can buy at DryBar, and 12 Benefits which is sold at some salons). Their hair products are a miracle! I now have their 1" curling iron, 100 heat proof oil (my all time favorite product hands-down), hairspray, both hairbrushes and dry shampoo and so far, they have done wonders to my hair. Curling is a cinch because the iron has a barrel that moves as you curl, which means it basically does all the work for you. It costs $125 and you can find it at any DryBar location or at any Sephora.

Western Flair

Lately I've been obsessing over this simple denim jacket (they're everywhere lately!) that I bought recently. It goes well with pretty much everything in my closet, and it was really affordable. Today, I decided to pair it with one of my all time favorite Anthropologie dresses (complete with a tulle skirt underneath), ankle boots, and tights that have cute studs adorning them. I also had to add in the mint green crossbody bag, because mint is popping up everywhere and it's the best color.  What do you pair your denim jackets with?

Outfit Details:

Denim Jacket - Forever21

Dress - Anthropologie

Tights - Urban Outfitters

Boots - Aldo via Nordstrom

Butterfly clip - Anthropologie (not on the website but currently in stores)

Bag - JCrew

Whirlwind Weekend

This weekend has gone by incredibly fast! It was supposed to rain both days, but yesterday turned out to be pleasantly sunny and even a little warm. I spent Friday night with close friends celebrating my upcoming birthday, and Saturday ended up being spent in bed. I guess I had a little too much to drink at my party (two whole drinks.. total lightweight over here). Today, Chris and I spent the afternoon exploring downtown. We stopped by Bottega Louie for a box of macarons and their famous peanut butter terrine, and then made a stop at the Grand Central Market. I am now cuddled up in bed watching the SAG Awards, and I am getting super excited about my birthday on Tuesday. Hope you all have a wonderful start to your week!

 

I couldn't resist purchasing this cake hat from my favorite local shop, Sweet Xo. I plan on wearing it for my birthday on Tuesday, all day. I have no shame. I will be 28 going on 5 and I'm totally ok with that.

 Outfit Details:

Dress - Modcloth Glacial Relationships dress

Cardigan: JCrew

Belt: Anthropologie (no longer available)

Bag: Cambridge Satchel Co.

Boots: Forever21 (no longer available)

Horsing around

I live in a neighborhood where pretty much everyone owns a horse. In the summertime, my boyfriend and I like to walk around petting all the horses we can, stopping by our favorite swing (which I will feature in another post soon!). I think there's something special about living in a place where nature is all around you, and the quietness of the outdoors is something worth cherishing. I know that when we move someday, we will miss the tranquility of living in this canyon.

 

Floral Sweater: Forever21
Pink Blouse:    Forever21
Purple Stevie Ankle Pants - Anthropologie: No longer available
Animal ring: Gas station/Car wash
Ankle boots: Urban Outfitters (no longer available)
Crossbody bag: Forever21 (no longer available)

Digging Through The Old

I'm at the point right now where the only way I can create new outfits is to dig through my closet. (Hello, lack of funds. So sad.) I wanted something comfortable but with some edge, so I opted for this flowy shirt layered over a black chemise (so I could get that length I needed), paired with black shiny leggings and my newest black Roxy boots. Overall I'm pretty happy with my outfit! It goes to show that it is totally possible to have brand new outfits when you think you have nothing!

Top: Anthropologie
Chemise: Nordstrom BP
Leggings: American Apparel
Shoes: Roxy Boots, Macy's
Lip Color: Duwop in Private Red

Monday Monday

Today has been somewhat of a slow day. I spent most of it in bed watching Spice World (yes, the Spice Girls movie from 1998), and making a necessary trip to Chipotle. I've realized that I didn't take a picture of the outfit I wore on New Years, so I put it back on today to share here. I ended up loving the look I pulled together. The pink mixed with the blue is just so fun, and of course the sequin detail on the bust is amazing. If I could, I would have switched my bag out for something else, but it's.. my only bag! (That needs to change. Fast.) I wish I could wear this outfit every day. Don't mind my goofy mug in these shots.

Jacket: from Sarah Jessica Parker's line "Bitten". It was only $10!
Dress: Aqua, Bloomingdales
Shoes: JCrew
Bag: Urban Outfitters

Lazy Sundays

Chris and I woke up this morning with the urge to make a Trader Joe's run. We used to love getting up every Sunday and making egg and bacon biscuits, but had been taking a break from them for a long time. These biscuits are definitely something to treat yourself to on a Sunday, but not every day. These are super cheap & easy to make and are the perfect indulgence. If you don't have a Trader Joe's near you, you can still buy all the ingredients at your regular supermarket.

Sunday outfit:

Button-down, Cords in "Garland", Necklace: J. Crew
Leopard print flats: Target
Lipstick: Revlon "Love That Red"
*I'm on the shorter side, so finding pants that fit is a difficult task. I found this great pair of high-waisted corduroy pants at J. Crew for around $88 (but well worth the price). Since they're long on me, I just roll up the bottoms! Perfect to pair with one of their signature "Perfect Fit" button-down shirts and a simple necklace.
J. Crew cords (selected colors currently on sale for $79.50, normally $89.50): http://www.jcrew.com/womens_category/pants/corduroy/PRDOVR~50834/50834.jsp

Made with:

*Buttermilk biscuits(ours were ready-to-bake)
*Eggs (scrambled with pepperjack cheese)
*Applewood Smoked Bacon (we like to spread some maple syrup inside the biscuits for an added touch of sweetness)



Ringo, watching all the breakfast-making action from under the table

Thanksgiving Day

This Thanksgiving was probably the easiest and less stressful it's ever been. Normally Chris and I celebrate twice because of our two families. But this year we joined forces into one giant 23-person celebration including friends and close family. I still can't believe we even have leftovers.

My Thanksgiving outfit I threw together after finding this amazing sequin cupcake sweater. I knew I wanted to keep the outfit mostly black, since the sweater was so flashy.

Coat, Skirt, Tights: Forever 21
Sweater: Urban Outfitters
Bow flats: Target

I'm pretty impressed by the interactive table game I put together (inspired by an art kit I found at Paper Source) that I only spent $3 on. Each guest filled out a card where they listed the things they were most thankful for anonymously, and Chris' 9 year old cousin read them out loud while we all ate pie in the kitchen. I encouraged everyone's answers to be somewhat silly, and they definitely turned out to be. So much laughter ensued.

The table set up :



Close-up of my place cards:



The prettiest centerpiece (on our other table):




The appetizer spread:



...complete with two kinds of cheese and honey (my favorite part).

We actually had a first course which was butternut squash soup (not pictured) with bits of blue cheese and sage, and then this glorious salad (those croutons were homemade by Chris' grandmother). I loved the touch of pomegranate seeds.



Classic Italian family pasta course.



Some of the guests enjoying their owl place cards (Robin decided to turn hers into a necklace)



The long line of yummy food



The plate. Cannot get over the sausage stuffing, and my mom's amazing sweet potatoes.



Lots and lots of pies (Back to front: Two apple pies, Two pumpkin pies (one with walnuts), and my chocolate chess pie. Chris' grandmother made the apples & pumpkins and those chocolate truffles. Not pictured: Brownies.

The next day, the whole family decided to walk down the street to the tire swing.

For an early dinner, Chris and I took our friends to one of our favorite places, Umami Burger. I'm still drooling over my favorite on the menu: Truffle Burger. I would eat there every day if I could. But that would not be good for my health.

And finally, a reflection on the wall due to the sparkles on my sweater. Love how this turned out.