What a novelty

Hi everyone!  Sammi from The Soubrette Brunette here.  Since I am still recovering from having my wisdom teeth taken out (major ouch!) and was unable to take photos with a swapped item, Katie suggested that I do a little round-up of one of my favorite style elements: the novelty print!  I always say that I can't say no to a charming, kitschy print (and my wardrobe contains far too much proof of this!).  Here are some of my favorite novelty printed pieces that I've styled over the last year:

Most of my favorite novelty prints involve food in some way -- especially if the food in question is something sweet!  I definitely have a bit of a sweet tooth, and I love expressing this in what I wear!  

Milkshake print dress // Pie print dress

Dessert print dress // Breakfast print dress

Orange print dress // Apple print dress

Ice cream sandwich print dress // Licorice print dress

I'm also a big fan of both drinking tea and tea parties... thus, I have an abundance of tea-related prints in my closet!  It's very hard to me to resist buying these types of prints!

1 // 2 // 3

Since I'm a fan of anything that's cute and fuzzy, animal prints are a must (and not like leopard print!).  Like many bloggers, I have a penchant for cat prints, but I also like even kookier ones (like the seagull and fish prints seen here).

Cat print dress // Seagull print dress // Fish print two-piece
(There was something really exciting happening over to my left, evidently.)

This critter dress by Knitted Dove has definitely been a favorite amongst the Flock Together girls!  I mean, who could resist a dress with all sorts of woodland creatures on it?  You can look at my post here, and check out how Hannah, Ashley and Marisa styled it as well!  I really love how well this dress is able to transition throughout the seasons -- especially since novelty prints are usually considered to be such statement pieces, and sort of lacking in versatility!  Not so!

And finally, another favorite of mine: nostalgic prints.  This is sort of a category I've come up with on my own, which includes retro-inspired prints, as well as ones that conjure up fond memories from childhood.  These are definitely the most twee of the bunch, I guess, but they also make me the happiest when I wear them!  And that's really what matters in the end.  :)

Little Red Riding Hood print dress // Circus print dress // Neverland map print dress

Beauty salon print top // Drive-in print dress

Muppet print dress // Lambchop print dress

Thanks for checking out my (lengthy) round-up!  Tell me: are you a fan of the novelty print, or is it just too much for you?  Would you ever try a novelty print, if you haven't before?  Do you own a really cool vintage novelty print piece?  I'd love to hear about it!

xox Sammi

Hawaiian Style Roundup

Hello!  Hannah from The Braided Bandit here bringing something a bit different! As I am currently traveling around Hawaii, I thought I would do a little roundup of a few of my favorite snaps from my current and previous adventures here.

I have family on the big island, so my family usually comes for a visit over Christmas and New Years.  These photos are from the past three years here.  I like to keep things colorful, airy, and comfortable, and it's always an even bigger treat escaping in the middle of a Colorado winter (but not such a treat coming back in the middle of January!) Anyway, I am keeping this short and sweet but I hope everyone had a wonderful New Year! What was your favorite vacation ever?

xo Hannah

Round-up: What We're Watching

Who doesn't love a good show? If you're looking for something new (or just someone to gab about the latest episode with!), here's what we're watching:

Kristian of Never Fully Dressed (Without a Style) is watching: Doctor Who

Is it geeky? Maybe, yes. But Doctor Who is also as cool as bowties (Bowties are cool.) and I love it! You can see all of Time and Space when you travel with the mysterious Alien known as The Doctor in his spaceship (That looks like a London Call Box)! It first premiered on the BBC in the 1960s and continued on into the eighties. The franchise was brought back to life in the 2000s; last night was the season 7 (or season 33, depending on how you count it) finale! Next up? The fiftieth anniversary special! Can you imagine? This thing is so good it's been around for 50 years and is still going strong. It's a perfect time to start watching if you haven't before (the anniversary episode isn't, sadly, until November). You could easily jump on with the current re-launch of the franchise with Netflix, iTunes or Amazon. If you love adventure, excitement and just a little bit of silliness, this is a show for you!

Rachel of Floral Prints and Common Sense is watching: The Mindy Project

Let's be real guys, to say I'm only (obsessively) watching one show would be a downright lie. I've got a whole round of favorites I watch daily on Netflix and Hulu. But The Mindy Project is definitely in the top 3! When I talk to my friends about TV shows, I find that this one is surprisingly under watched. And it's really a mystery to me why. Mindy Kaling is funny and cute and basically a national treasure, and this show has everything I love: comedy, romance, drama, and fashion. If you're not watching it, you should be.

Erica of Sweets and Hearts is watching: Hannibal

If you like scary/weird/mystery shows like I do, I highly recommend Hannibal. I'm a little ADD when it comes to watching television and end up half-paying attention to shows while I work on other things at the same time, but when this show is on, I drop everything so I can fully experience it. It is just that good. Seriously. It follows the slightly emotionally unstable Will Graham who helps profile criminals for the FBI by getting into the minds of the killers. The creepy and articulate Hannibal Lecter acts as his therapist/advisor while lurking in the background and complicating things. If you liked Pushing Daisies or Dead Like Me (a couple of my old favorites; RIP), you'll love this show too (it's the same producer/writer!). There are trippy dream sequences, strange (but creative) murders, and dinner scenes that make me...uncomfortable (but in a good way). It's dark and at times, a little gore-y, but it's very complex and visually stunning. I really hope this gets renewed for a second season!

Elana of Room 334 is watching The X-Files

Ask anyone who knows me. If there's one thing I talk about more than fashion, it's TV. I was the entertainment editor of my college's newspaper for a year, and I don't think I wrote about anything more than TV shows. Want to read a 2,000 word article on the return of "Breaking Bad" or "Mad Men?" I've got you covered. Care about canceled-too-soon shows like "Arrested Development," "Party Down," or "Firefly?" I've probably written 10 articles and one research paper on the subject. Lately though, I decided I needed a show that had survived more than three seasons to hold my attention. Enter "The X-Files." Just about all I've been doing for the past couple of months has been watching this long-running show about two FBI agents who aim to uncover the unexplained and the paranormal. I can't get enough of the friendship between Mulder and Scully; they have got to be two of the best characters ever written. Plus, Dana Scully has become my role model and is one of the strongest female characters I've ever seen.

Jessica of Midwest Muse is watching Ghost Whisperer

For me, the better question would be, "what are you not watching?" I'm a self-proclaimed television junkie. I marathon television shows as if Netflix were going out of style. There really isn't much I won't and probably haven't watched. I like the obvious shows (Arrested Development, Dexter, Breaking Bad, Parks & Rec) and the notso obvious (Pretty Little Liars, Hart of Dixie, Nashville). This year, I will say goodbye to a lot of my favorite shows (did anyone else tear up during the Office finale or laugh a lot during 90210's?) and so, that's more or less how I landed on the Ghost Whisperer. I turned on my Roku one night and there it was, Jennifer Love-Hewitt staring at me. I've always loved her and well, I'm completely out of things to watch. The title legitimately describes the entire show. Jennifer Love-Hewitt's character Melinda can talk to the dead. They find her when they need help & she gets to spend the whole episode lookin' crazy and solving crimes and mending bridges so the dead can cross over. At first, it followed a pretty basic (mostly generic) set up each episode, but the show is growing and progressing. The ghosts stop being average ghosts and there area all sorts of demons/crazy spirits. It's really good in that cheesy kind of way. It's also a bit creepy. When I say creepy, I mean, you have trouble sleeping and start thinking that gust of wind was actually a spirit and you're always lookin' over your shoulders. 

Katie of Butterfly Loves Snapdragons is watching The Twilight Zone

It shouldn't come as a shock to those who know me that I am a fan of vintage television. I love anything from the 1950's and 60's especially. One series the my husband and I watched in its entirety on netflix is The Twilight Zone. The series was created by Rod Serling who is a master of narration and clever plot twists. I thought initially that the series might be too scary or out there for me, but as I watched it I found it surprisingly interesting and evocative of the feelings of the time period. I loved to see the predicted future through the lens of a 1960's camera. The show is full of commentary on a range of topics including science fiction, social commentary, and the downright bizarre. A few episodes are laughable and poorly written, but as a whole we found the series to be one of our favorites. It was even better to watch in the dark if you want things a bit creepier! Not to mention, the fashion inspiration for me was definitely a perk to watching The Twilight Zone.

Roundup: Blogs We're Loving

We're so excited to introduce a new monthly series! Each month, our members will be sharing something new with you that they love at the moment. We hope we can introduce you to some of our favorite things and we encourage you share yours as well in the comments. For our first roundup, we thought we'd give a little back to the blogging community by sharing which blogs we're loving at the moment.

Rachel of Floral Prints and Common Sense

One of my favorite blogs at the moment is Bow Ties are Cool, run by novelist and London-lover, Meg. She's got an adorable quirky style that she pulls off effortlessly, fun commentary, and is super nice. Go check her out!

Elana of Room 334

Ever since Nataly of Art Fawn (who I've had the pleasure of meeting in person and becoming friends with) revamped her blog and starting doing outfit posts recently, I've been slightly obsessed. Nataly is an Orange County native like myself and is the absolute sweetest. Her blog is the perfect mix of minimalist style, honest writing, art, and photography. I'm amazed she doesn't have a bigger following yet!

Marisa of The Shades of Monet Chronicles

One blog I've had my eye on for quite some time now is Diversions.  Stef, an Austrian gal living in England, has a perfectly eclectic and colorful style that mixes vintage with some of the cutest and quirky little accessories I've ever seen - truly my kind of style to a T.  Sweeter yet, she often does posts about her vintage dollhouse in which she is always changing up it's interior design.  She's a music lover, old film buff, book worm, and a creative photographer - my favorite is when she clones herself in her photos.  Now this is a gal after my own heart!


Jessi of Haircut & General Attitude
I was lucky enough to find this gem of a blog just a few days ago and I'm already hooked. Lauren of Introvert's Introduction is just darling! She's an Alaskan native living in the beautiful state of Oregon, so her photos often have the gorgeous backdrop you see here (she's also a talented photographer so that adds to the beauty!)  I related to her layered, girly vintage style and introverted-ness right away!

Kristian of Never Fully Dressed (Without a Style)

October of October Rebel is a new blog-obsession of mine! There is a nostalgic feeling to the blog. The music she loves is laid-back, the woods she photographs regular dream-like, and I am constantly inspired by the classic, timeless feeling of her clothing.
Jessica of Midwest Muse When I first started blogging, I somehow met Sharde of The Style Projects. And I've been in love with her blog ever since. She's a drop dead gorgeous hair stylist living in the California Bay Area and her photography and style make me swoon. She mixes prints, bright colors, and chic femininity like I've never seen before. She's also incredibly talented and ridiculously sweet.
 

 Katie of Butterfly Loves Snapdragons

A few months ago I came across a wonderfully sweet blog called Hello Mr. Rabbit. Each time I visit I am enamored with her charming style full of loafers and vintage. Her layering skills are ever inspiring, and she always comes up with the most delightful combinations. I love that her blog is also infused with photos of daily whimsies, such as details of her home or a fun meal. Not to mention, the gal behind the blog is simply a sweetheart and I've been so glad to get to know her a bit. All in all, Hello Mr. Rabbit is an aesthetically pleasing place to visit and you will not be disappointed. :)

Flock's Photo Roundup

With so many of us and such little time, we don't really get a chance to tell you more about ourselves in each post. To help you get to know us better, we'll be doing an Instagram/photo roundup every so often. Make sure to follow those of us with Instagrams as well!

This week, Elana of Room 334 (@room334) officially became editor-in-chief of her college's newspaper. It's a lot of responsibility but she couldn't be more excited!

Rachel of Floral Prints and Common Sense doesn't have an instagram, but she recently finished her finals and now has plenty of time to do her own art! Here's a work in progress!

Dus (@CuddlyCactiBlog) doesn't have any such exciting news this week, but she did survive one of her classes in her second quarter of grad school while working 40 hour work week - a major relief! Now she's just got one left, and is feeling fortunate to have such kind coworkers, including one who knit her this green beret!

Marisa (shadesofmonet - instagram) went to chop down the perfect Christmas tree with her family as this is one of their traditions every holiday season.  Tractor rides out onto the tree farm are pretty funny as Marisa's dad will break out into Christmas song - yes, in front of a whole tractor full of strangers.  This year's tune was "Good King Wenceslas" - so random!  Anyhow, our boots were on ready to tread the muddy hills in search of our perfect tree and hip hip hooray - we found it!

 

Katie of Butterfly Loves Snapdragons (Midwesternbutterfly on instagram) fell in love with these vintage inspired bow heels. They go perfectly with any A-line dress or even skinny jeans. Swoon!

Hannah (BraidedBandit on instagram) had fun crafting this holiday lettering inspired by these monograms from Anthropologie! She also celebrated her birthday and is happy for all the great people in here life!

Erica (sweetsandhearts) visited her super talented/creative friend Liz (one of her best friends from high school!) who just graduated from Cal State Long Beach's graphic design program. Liz's final group project--as well as the other presentations at the show--was amazing and inspiring. Aren't the emoticon faces cute?

Jessi of Haircut & General Attitude got dressed up with her Hubby for a celebration dinner with the extended family. Afterwards they headed to their favorite tree lot to find a super tiny super cute tree for their apartment. Real trees are a favorite tradition and a must in her family!

Ashley of Southern (California) Belle (instagram southerncaliforniabelle) had a big week because one of her best friends from high school moved back home from living in Australia for the last few years.  They will be planning their weddings (or lack of one) together!  She is also pretty excited about her new favorite dress from Modcloth :)

Kristian of Never Fully Dressed (Without a Style) has been busy with Christmas Traditions this week! She went with her boyfriend and his family to the mountains to cut down a tree. They also visited several small towns' "Christmas Strolls" shopping for ornaments to add to their small but growing collection. Together with some family heirlooms these new decorations made the living room a magical place to be! More decoration photos are on her instagram feed (instagram handle is withoutastyle)


Jessica of Midwest Muse snapped this shot of her city on a foggy morning. She loves taking photos of cityscapes, skylines, and especially of Akron, Ohio. This is also one of her most liked instagram photos! Follow her: imnoastronaut

Inspired: Halloween Costumes

With Halloween right around the corner, we decided to do a round up of our favorite costumes. Both our own and our inspiration. What are you going to be for Halloween this year?

Jessica of Midwest Muse and her family/friends dressed up as the cast of Arrested Development AKA the best show, ever. She was Ann (third from the left). This was so good, even Franklin the puppet made an appearance.

Dus from Cuddly Cacti had spent the previous Halloween in Mexico and, inspired by her city tour about the Day of the Day, dressed as La Catrina. The costume came together by thrifted finds, a bit of super glue and staples, and face painting assistance from a friend. She shared a bit of the history behind La Catrina in this post.

Erica of Sweets and Hearts didn't even know what she was doing for last year's Halloween until the day before, when her friend found out that the local pottery painting place waived the fee for anyone who dressed up that day. In the mood for something artsy/silly she had to put a costume together last minute. Luckily, she discovered she had a rather large assortment of polka-dotted items and settled on a poufy sweetheart dress by Freebird. She accessorized it with a red bow belt from Forever 21, blue and yellow bow flats by Restricted, and of course, her Minnie Mouse bow headband from Disneyland.

Marisa of The Shades of Monet Chronicles decided to shop her closet and spend next to nothing for her Halloween costume last year.  So with a vintage skirt & tapestry bag that were her mother's, old granny boots, a vintage hat, and UO blazer she concocted a Mary Poppin's costume.  Her hubs was Burt of course!  The only money spent was 99 cents for a sprig of daisies that were pinned onto her hat.

 Hannah of The Braided Bandit loved the movie Moonrise Kingdom, and the following scene was one of her favorites! Though she is actually going as Cat woman this year, she thinks that dressing up in Suzy's Raven costume would be so fun! "No, what kind of bird are YOU?"

Elana of Room 334 has never gotten too into Halloween, so she doesn't have a great costume to share. This year, she's hoping to pull out a pop culture reference for $0. Though she's still considering dressing up as Andie from The Goonies, she's thinking about throwing on an army jacket and jeans and parting her hair down the middle to be Lindsay Weir from Freaks and Geeks.
 

Katie of Butterfly Loves Snapdragons has grown up thinking she was Rapunzel all  her life. Before she lopped off 12 inches of her hair to donate to Locks of Love last year, she knew she had to take a swing at being her Disney twin! With a full length, puffed sleeve princess dress and a simple sunflower, not much was needed for this Halloween costume. The dress was 80 cents at the thrift store and she had flowers left over from making a flower crown. Easy peasy!

Katherine of Of Corgis & Cocktails is more for costumes for her corgi more than herself. Teemo sported his biker costumer complete with a little side car to go along with Katherine's cat lady costume which will be featured on her blog later this week. The tights and shoes are just a small part of the kitty items! Essentially, if you own a lot of items with animals on it, you can make a quick 'crazy cute cat lady' costume.

Rachel of Floral Prints and Common Sense was a jellyfish one year, but for some reason has no picture of it. It involved a huge pink sombrero with ribbons hanging off of it. Fortunately, she's also had a lot of experience dressing up in other situations, like as the wicked witch from the Wizard of Oz. Don't ever pass up a chance to wear face paint.

Jessi of Haircut & General Attitude is planning on using her love of vintage to it's full advantage this Halloween and dressing as a 1950's housewife while her Hubby goes as a milkman (get it?! so scandalous!) But, since she's been slacking on pulling it together there's sadly no photos. So here's some throwback pics of Halloween '94 where she went with the classic cat.