happy halloween + gnomeo and juliet

Juliet: 

Oh, Gnomeo, Gnomeo, are we really doomed, Gnomeo, to never see each other again?

Why must you wear a blue hat? Why couldn't it be red like my father, or green like...

...like a leprechaun... or purple like, ummmm, like uhh...like some weird guy.

I mean, what's in a gnome? Because you are blue, my father sees red.

And because I am red, I am feeling blue. 

Oh, at any rate that shouldn't be the thing to keep us apart, should it?

Gnomeo:

 No, no! It shouldn't! I couldn't have said it better myself!

Juliet:

 Oh, my giddy aunt! Did you just hear all that!?

We're not necessarily the type of couple to dress up in celebration of Halloween, but we're definitely the fun-loving type of couple that will dress up for pretty much anything (like midnight movie premieres).

Our church hosts a harvest festival each year, and we were asked to participate in the Trunk or Treat portion! Last year we were Carl and Ellie from UP, and I'm not sure we can top that one -- it's such a popular movie and as easy as the costume was, everyone seemed to love it!

I personally love this movie though and had a blast dressing up as Gnomeo and Juliet. I think it's definitely underrated, as far as cartoon movies go. The soundtrack is packed full of Elton John songs, and the Elton John/Lady Gaga collaboration for "Hello Hello" is pretty fantastic.
The costumes (other than the hats, which I made at the last second, and the white apron) were compiled from items straight out of our closets. So the cost was only a couple dollars, for the apron and felt-by-the-yard from JoAnn's!
We decorated our trunk as a garden, using a bunch of flowers and odds and ends from the dollar store!

For my outfit, I used a new dress from Ruche (the one I talked about in my Mary Margaret post!), a sheer white blouse, an embellished tank top, a plain white apron, red tights and black boots!

catching up

Dress (remix)(shop!): Modcloth

Today is the very last day of Frocktober! (in other words, happy halloween!)

I will be posting the last few outfits in the next few days.
My halloween-themed post will be up later this afternoon, though! Can you guess what my husband and I dressed up as?
Last year our church's harvest festival and trunk or treat was actually on Halloween, and we dressed up as Carl and Ellie from UP, and it was so much fun. Obviously my costume must incorporate a dress... so we decided to stay in the cartoon genre. We chose one of my favorites! Mostly because of the great voice work, and the fun soundtrack, featuring mostly Elton John songs... have you guessed it yet?

work the skirt

Dress: J. Crew

Day 22: Last Tuesday I did something crazy and wore a skirt under my dress, instead of over it. 

It was a bold move, but I was feeling risky, and felt the need to try it out.

I got the idea from another blogger friend (Stephanie of Anie Inspired) who made this post, featuring a Frocktober outfit that layered a classic black dress with a cat-print skirt underneath it. 

I've seen ruffled and laced slips used beneath dresses in the same way, and it can be a really great tool to lengthen shorter dresses! But for people like me who have yet to invest in a fancy slip, this is a great alternative.

It can also add an extra layer of warmth, which I'm definitely going to need! Today I decided that it has finally hit the morning temperatures that require a coat and gloves before leaving the house.

Day 23: Wednesday was a comfy day for sure. I reached for the closest cozy sweater I could find, and happily it was this bright pink one!

Dress (remixed): Ruche, Sweater: LOFT, Booties: Urbanog

I was still working through my cold, and knew all of my makeup would most likely be gone by lunchtime. I wanted something easy and comfortable, but still interesting! The result was this multi-layered outfit that was bright and oh-so-comfy.
This floral dress has seen a lot of wear in my closet.. I love the colors, it's comfortable, and it's easy to put together with other things in my closet. A floral dress is definitely something every girl's closet should have. In my humble, floral-loving opinion.
I wear this one with jeans often, because it's on the shorter side. It looks really cute with my pineapple colored pants, too!

color me in critters

Dress (remixed)(shop!): Ruche, Sweater (remixed)(shop!): JCPenney

Day 20: I realized when I was compiling this week's posts that my Sunday and Monday outfits consisted of a very similar color pattern!
I guess I was feeling cheerful after a brilliant Saturday night at the fair, and a Sunday spent at Chapel Hill with our friends. They showed us around their old college stomping grounds.
It was especially chilly, so we cozied up and went to a cute little breakfast place for coffee and waffles. Then we walked around the beautiful campus and enjoyed listening to their stories and memories.
Something about college days just resonates with me - maybe it's just that way for every graduate. But I loved hearing the details they remembered, like being able to make it to class at a sprint in 3 minutes flat, or where they spent their first date.
There's an odd sense of pride in being alumni, in having belonged to a specific community...one that continues to have a legacy that you're able to be a part of. There's a kind of nostalgia there that I can definitely relate to.

Day 21: I finally succumbed to Dusty's cold, and we have thus spent the week wanting nothing more than to be home, eating soup, in our pajamas.
But since that's not always an option, I stuck to my guns and still wore a dress. Layering with tights, a loose sweater-wannabe top and a scarf helped calm my pajama cravings, and we opted for going on a little double date night at Olive Garden for soup instead!
I pretty much always/only get soup at Olive Garden, so it totally hit the spot.

Dress (remixed): Ruche, Top: LOFT, scarf/earrings: gifted

I'm finding a renewed passion in scarves this fall. I don't think I've ever truly explored the many ways to use them, and I get lost on Pinterest looking at all the different ideas.
It's kind of like the time I realized you could knot and twist belts around your waist, rather than just buckling them. It brings a whole new dynamic to such a simple accessory.

Scarves are often one of those things I forget to use, style wise. I might wear them out of necessity, like in Paris or somewhere truly cold, but every time I see an outfit I really love with a great pop of color from a plaid or floral scarf I remember: oh right! I have a bunch of those. I should wear them.
And this one's extra great because it's a pop of color and a bit of sparkle.