Dress Review: Strawberry Crush

Hello Kittens!

Last week I posted a Perfect Pairing post featuring a dynamic duo of strawberries (if you missed it you can check out my post Matching Your Dress to Your Teaware Part 31: Sweet Strawberries for Spring and Summer here). Today, I wanted to post the full review of the dress I featured in that post.

Back in early March Trashy Diva released their Berry Chantilly collection, the second collection they released for 2017. This spring ready design features a dainty all over print of ripe strawberries on and off the vine, as well as an assemblage of green leaves, white flowers, whimsical white ribbons, and fun black outlined parasols all set against a sunshiney background of soft buttery yellow. This collection was released as a full collection with many cuts including the Hopscotch dress, the 1940's dress, the Trixie dress, the Camilla dress, a romper, as well as several separates, the Alexa tie top, the Hottie top, the classic skirt, and high waisted shorts. This collection even has a dress for the littles (children that is) with the Baby Posey dress. With so many cuts and options to chose from it makes it both hard and fun trying to pick which cut is right for you.

I immediately fell in love with the feminine flutter sleeves of the Camilla dress! I just adore ruffles and all things super girly on my dresses. I imagined pretending I was a 1930's debutante feeling the flutter sleeves gently brushing my arms in the wind. However, it appears that Trashy Diva knows me better than I know myself. When my package arrived shortly after launch date (yes, it has taken me that long to write this review!) instead of the Camilla dress it was the Hopscotch dress that was staring back at me! Since it was in my size and since it was there I decided to try it on anyway just to see it on before sending it back. Lo and behold it was love at first try on. Why did I ever turn my back on the gloriousness that is the fun and beautiful Hopscotch dress?!

The Hopscotch dress is one of my favorite cuts by Trashy Diva. This 1950's style cut features a full skirt, and modest bodice (two things I most prefer in dresses), the bodice is darted to give a nipped in look and has a cute peter pan collar that buttons with a hook and eye closure at the collar. To shy away from being too modest and buttoned up though, this dress has a front slit down the neckline which gives it a little daring without being too cleavagey. This dress also features small sparkling decorative white and rhinestone buttons along the front of the bodice, cap style sleeves, and for a fun little bit of pizazz, a cutout in the back. For full functionality, this dress has an invisible size zip and comes with pockets. This print came in a soft stretch rayon. It took me a bit of get on board with this kind of fabric as I have my reservations on how period appropriate it is and in a way it is so comfortable it almost feels wrong, but I have learned to embrace it and love that if feels almost like wearing pajamas or being wrapped up in a favorite blanket. For size reference I took my usual size in this dress. Even though the fabric has a lot of stretch and I know a lot of ladies like to size down in the stretch rayon, I like how my usual size in this dress keeps me from getting pull at the bust.

Needless to say, I decided to keep the dress. Though it wasn't the one I originally ordered, it ended up being the perfect one for me. I had a joke with my husband that I might as well join a Trashy Diva dress of the month club where I just give them my money and they send me anything they wanted as I would probably end up loving it all. In full reality, there are indeed still some cuts I have yet to try which I would love to. I'm hoping that for those cuts the right prints will come along one day. Another day Camilla, another day...

Trashy Diva Hopscotch dress in Berry Chantilly- Front View

Trashy Diva Hopscotch dress in Berry Chantilly- Front View

Trashy Diva Hopscotch dress in Berry Chantilly- Side View

Trashy Diva Hopscotch dress in Berry Chantilly- Back View

Trashy Diva Berry Chantilly- Close Up

Outfit of the Day: Plaid for Fall

Hello Kittens! 

Last weekend I got to go out with a friend for tea on Saturday (tea outing post coming soon). It was such a lovely time out and a great tea date spending one-on-one time with a friend. After tea I did a few errands around town basking in the most wonderful crisp sunny fall weather (especially after what seems like days and days of rain). Then I finished off the day playing arcade games and skeeball with Tim at Dave and Buster's. It was a really great day.


Outfit of the Day:

For this day's activities I decided to wear one of my most favorite dresses, one of two first dresses I ever bought from Trashy Diva, my Trashy Diva Streetcar dress in brown plaid. I paired this with a black crochet-styled shrug by Elle which I bought from Kohl's a few years ago and a pair of Jessica Simpson Mandalaye ballet flats which I bought from Macy's about a year or two ago. For a finishing touch I wore a pair of pink topaz stud earrings which I bought from Overstock.com several years ago.

Trashy Diva Streetcar dress in Brown Plaid- Front View

Trashy Diva Streetcar dress in Brown Plaid- Front View

Trashy Diva Streetcar dress in Brown Plaid- Side View

Trashy Diva Streetcar dress in Brown Plaid- Front View

Trashy Diva Streetcar dress in Brown Plaid- Front View

Trashy Diva Streetcar dress in Brown Plaid- Side View

Trashy Diva Streetcar dress in Brown Plaid and earrings- Close Up

Watercolor Workshop at the Dancing Cat!

This past weekend I got to go to a watercolor workshop with a friend at the Dancing Cat in San Jose

While art was one of my favorite subjects in school and I was sure to try and take as many classes as I could, watercoloring is something I had absolutely no experience with so I was excited to try this workshop out. Not to mention that I haven't been to the Dancing Cat since they reopened several months ago and so I was excited to re-check this place out.

The Dancing Cat is like a cat cafe minus the coffee. It's really more like a club house for cat lovers which provides a comfortable home for several homeless and family-less cats while they wait for their new forever home. You can see my previous visits to this cat cafe here, here, and here. While they changed a few aspects of the place, the spirit of it remains the same. It was great getting to see all their cats running around freely and lounging away like there's no tomorrow.

As for the workshop, I thought it was very well organized. We arrived a little early and was able to grab some coffee at a nearby coffee shop before getting started. When it was time and we walked into the Dancing Cat, the large center table they have was decked out and ready with all the necessary supplies we would need for the event. The instructor Frances Marin was very informative and helpful keeping instructions simple and yet making it easy enough for us to feel comfortable to just jump right in. Once we got started and throughout the workshop she would come around to each of us giving us individual feedback, suggestions, and encouragement. Periodically she would give further instructions to the group in general to help us along in our work. While it seemed that everyone was working at a different pace, I never felt rushed or discouraged if I was at a different place or working in a different pace from the other students in the workshop. Frances Marin was great with leading this workshop knowing that everyone works at a different speed. Also, I don't think the cats played a small insubstantial role in keeping us calm or giving us necessary distractions when we needed it. The Dancing Cat was very smart as well in selecting some very nice calming jazz to play in the background during the workshop. 

Overall, I had a great time at the Dancing Cat and at this workshop! I'd love to do the workshop again if they offer it again in the future. In any case, I will be sure to be back for visits with the cats. 
 

The Dancing Cat, San Jose, CA

Colorful fun ambience at the Dancing Cat, San Jose

Art work and comfortable couches for the cats and humans at the Dancing Cat

Adoptable cats currently available

The table set up and ready for us for our watercolor workshop

Watercolor station for one

Kitty wants to join in

My watercolor station set up. My inspiration, my sweet girl Murkurie

Another cat says he's ready to join in

This one got tired. Says time for a nap

And a little bit of a drink

Lounge cats at the Dancing Cat

Look at that luxurious tail!

End of the watercolor workshop

Me with my masterpiece ;)

Murkurie on bed with Murkurie on wall

If you missed it, you can check out the Outfit of the Day post from this adventure here.

Outfit of the Day: Spooktacular Separates!

I had a super busy weekend last weekend in the best of ways!

Outfit of the Day (Saturday):

On Saturday I went out with a friend to the newly reestablished Dancing Cat Cat Cafe in San Jose (welcome back Dancing Cat!) where we spend the morning taking a watercoloring workshop and painted some cats! (More about that in my next post ;) ). Later that evening, after the watercoloring workshop I went out with Tim to our local Halloween haunted house, Fear Overload, and got our Halloween fix for the day. After that we went to the local 80's arcade to end the evening playing some games.

It was expected to rain off and on that day and I wasn't really in the mood to don on a dress for the watercoloring workshop so instead I opted for a sweater and ankle trouser set. I just got this Lucy Fur Halloween cat sweater by Sourpuss from Cats Like Us a few weeks ago. They had initially sold out in my size and one of the owners, Julie Ann, was super awesome enough to notify me when they got my size back in stock after someone returned one. And for those that missed it and have been looking, Cats Like Us recently got a full shipment of reorders of this sweater in stock! I paired this sweater with a pair of ankle trousers by Myrtlewood which I bought several years ago from Modcloth. I wore this with a pair of basic black flats and for a finishing touch, a pair of cat earrings by Rosita Bonita which I bought from Trashy Diva last year.

Sourpuss Lucy Fur Vintage Cat sweater and Myrtlewood ankle trousers- Front View

Sourpuss Lucy Fur Vintage Cat sweater and Myrtlewood ankle trousers- Side View

Rosita Bonita cat earrings- Close Up

Outfit of the Day (Sunday):

On Sunday another friend and I had plans to go out for tea at one of my favorite tea places, Tyme For Tea in Fremont-- look out for that post coming soon! :)

It was another rainy day, this time pouring raining, but I didn't let that stop me from getting dolled up in a fun creepy theme for October tea. For the occasion I knew I wanted to wear my Venus Fly Trap skirt by Pinup Girl Clothing which I bought from them earlier in the year. To give the skirt extra fullness I also added a crinoline under my skirt which I got for cheap from Amazon last year. I wore this with a basic black sweater which I got from a small boutique shop in Australia several years ago, an Elvira cardigan by Kreepsville which I got as a gift from my husband last week, and a pair of trusty basic black flats. For a finishing touch I wore this with a pair of spider web tights which I've had for several years but forgot where I bought them from (maybe Hot Topic?). I also wore this with a black hair flower I bought a couple years from our local vintage shop, Vintage Alley, and a pair of spider stud earrings, also bought from Vintage Alley a couple years ago.

Pinup Girl Clothing Venus Fly Trap skirt and Kreepsville Elvira cardigan- Front View

Pinup Girl Clothing Venus Fly Trap skirt and Kreepsville Elvira cardigan- Front View

Pinup Girl Clothing Venus Fly Trap skirt and Kreepsville Elvira cardigan- Side View

Pinup Girl Clothing Venus Fly Trap skirt and Kreepsville Elvira cardigan- Back View

Pinup Girl Clothing Venus Fly Trap skirt and black sweater- Front View

Pinup Girl Clothing Venus Fly Trap skirt and black sweater- Front View

Pinup Girl Clothing Venus Fly Trap skirt and black sweater- Side View

Spider stud earrings- Close Up

Pinup Girl Clothing Venus Fly Trap skirt and spider web tights- Close Up

Fox- Close Up

Outfit of the Day: Jason Kitty, French Kitty

While last weekend was a long one (three days with the Labor Day holiday), it was a pretty low key one.

Outfit of the Day (Saturday): 

On Saturday I was out of the house earlier than usual to pick up some bagels for breakfast and then later in the day I went out shopping for jeans at Old Navy and Macy's. It's news to me that major retailers like these are now stocking high waisted jeans! I love that high waisted jeans are back! I hope they will never leave again. Anyhow, when I was picking out what to wear for the day I had it in my mind that this was going to be another modern take on an 80's does 50's look (see my last look here)... I mean heart printed top, chambray skirt?? Sounds pretty 80's influenced to me. But when I had everything on together I realized it didn't really look all that 80's inspired at all, maybe a little 60's school girl geek chic? Anyhow, I dug it, so that is what I wore for the day.

I paired my Trashy Diva Chambray Circle skirt with a red and blue heart printed top (gifted a couple years ago from a friend), a red cropped cardigan I got from Forever 21 several years ago (oh why did I not buy the white and black versions of this cardigan while I was at it!), and classic red Vans. For finishing touches I also added a red belt which I took from one of my Hell Bunny dresses, a new Friday the 13th inspired Jason Kitty brooch which I got from the wonderful Etsy shop DanielleVGreen about a week ago (thank you Junebugs and Georgia Peaches for pointing me in her direction and thank you Danielle for being such a wonderful and accommodating seller). I also wore this with red button stud earrings which I got from a local retro reproduction shop, Vintage Alley, a couple years ago, and a charm bracelet with a Mickey tee charm (I think from Disneyland several years ago) and a cupcake charm another friend made for me several years go.

Trashy Diva Chambray Circle skirt with red Forever 21 cardigan and red and blue heart top- Front View

Trashy Diva Chambray Circle skirt with red Forever 21 cardigan and red and blue heart top- Front View

Trashy Diva Chambray Circle skirt with red Forever 21 cardigan and red and blue heart top- Side View

Trashy Diva Chambray Circle skirt with red and blue heart print top- Front View

Trashy Diva Chambray Circle skirt with red and blue heart print top- Front View

Trashy Diva Chambray Circle skirt with red and blue heart print top- Side View

Charm bracelet (awkward angle)- Close Up

DanielleVGreen Halloween Cat brooch and red button earrings- Close Up

Outfit of the Day (Sunday): 

Sunday was another low key day. In the morning I helped my husband out with some projects he wanted to get done in the backyard and for a reward he took me out to lunch at Chili's. After lunch we wandered around the mall for a bit, checking out the toy store and where they are in the works of putting together the seasonal Halloween haunted house, Fear Overload. We've never been to this one in the mall before but we are definitely looking forward to making it happen this year. 

There was no particular reason why I chose this outfit to wear this day other than I knew Autumn will be coming soon and we are on the last few relatively warm enough days to wear this Bernie Dexter Paris dress in Turquoise and Red Frenchie (i.e. Eiffel Tower print). I got this dress just recently as an extra birthday gift from my husband which he got from Zulily. I paired it with a light blue/turquoisey cardigan I got from Target several years ago and red Vans. For a finishing touch I wore my Erstwilder Farrah the French Kitty Brooch and a pair of red floral studs which I got from Forever 21 several years ago.

Bernie Dexter Paris dress in Turquoise and Red Frenchie- Front View

Bernie Dexter Paris dress in Turquoise and Red Frenchie- Front View

Bernie Dexter Paris dress in Turquoise and Red Frenchie- Side View

Bernie Dexter Paris dress in Turquoise and Red Frenchie- Front View

Bernie Dexter Paris dress in Turquoise and Red Frenchie- Front View

Bernie Dexter Paris dress in Turquoise and Red Frenchie- Side View

Red Floral Stud Earrings from Forever 21- Close Up

Erstwilder Farrah the French Kitty Brooch- Close Up