find the fall {frocktober, days 29-30}

Remixes:

Outfit 1: Dress here and here

Outfit 2: Dress / Cardigan

The last few days of Frocktober were by far my favorite. Not because of the dresses or the outfit combinations, but because we were able to take off on a little vacation to find the Fall. We had long been planning to visit our friends Colin and Victoria in North Carolina, and a few months ago we finally took the plunge and bought the tickets. It's something we've been looking forward to ever since.

After our red eye flight from Arizona, they came and picked us up at the airport in Atlanta and we began the long drive to the mountains of Blowing Rock, North Carolina. Even though we were functioning on about four hours of sleep, the crispness in the air was enough to rejuvenate us. (Although I won't deny a few car naps on the way). When we finally got to the mountains the evening of the 30th, pulling into the driveway right at sunset, it was as if the mountains themselves were sighing along with us. This is the life.

this time last year

spider lady of shalott

Looking back on my style posts around this time last year has brought on a very acute sadness for the lack of changing leaves here in AZ. Part of me absolutely loves the gorgeous Fall weather here (gorgeous meaning sunny: a tad nippy in the evenings but bright and almost warm during the days). The other part misses my collection of boots and tights and scarves and gloves and hats. I've kept them in boxes, more content to keep them out of my sight than to remind myself how beautiful they all are.

This morning I did break open one box labeled "Caitlin Winter" (can that be my alter ego? because I dig it) and clutched all of the beautiful sweaters to my chest. Oh, how I have missed them. It felt like an early Christmas gift.

In looking back on last year's style, I grabbed a few photos of my favorite looks from the end of October through November for this wintry recollection post. More for me than you, but even so, I hope you enjoy.
This was around the time I started getting restless with my hair, and began curling it every day and going rogue by parting it down the center. I then dyed the tips red in an act of uncharacteristic edginess. It was also a rather glorious time of friendship, afternoon dates, road trip adventures, sleeping in, discovering new things, and loving life. Great memories swirling among those Autumn leaves.

frocktober: the end

afternoon dates

the tapestry bag

the vintage slip

fall is for frocktober!

Autumn is...

birthday month pumpkin spice hay rides kettle corn weekend trips sweater weather burnt orange scarves plaid changing leaves crisp mornings harvest festivals the state fair thanksgiving fireside evenings pumpkin patches pumpkin everything s'mores camping apple cider halloween movie nights scented candles couch cuddles tights & boots spices hot drinks cozy socks caramel golden

And most of all, it's Frocktober. 

Happy first day of Autumn, friendlies!
This time of year is especially dear to me since living in Virginia -- now that we're back in Arizona, this season will look quite different. No changing leaves, the weather isn't crisp or cool yet.
Of course, all that really means is we'll have to be more creative in appreciating this season. We'll have to go visit a pumpkin patch, go to a fair, bake some homemade pies, visit Starbucks way more often (done and done). 
And, of course, Frocktober -- which will be in full swing starting next week! 

For those of you who don't know, Frocktober is my month of dress-wearing. An entire month of daily dresses! The collage above is my Frocktober 2013 challenge. This will be my third year embarking on this personal style adventure!
If you'd like to join me, I would be more than happy to induct you into the lovely Frocktober Sisterhood. The Frocktober challenge is mostly just to encourage you to experiment with your wardrobe, stretching your remixing abilities and inviting you to see your closet with brand new eyes. Even if you're active or you normally wear jeans to work, there are plenty of ways to utilize your dresses for more than just fancy-wear. And Frocktober will show you those ways. 

Follow along with me starting October 1st! And definitely let me know if you're joining me, and feel free to borrow my Frocktober Sisterhood pin for your blog if you have one!

#frocktobersisterhood

ace of patterns

This week I was shamelessly envious of an outfit I saw that featured the above-left skirt. It was worn by the lovely Rebecca of The Clothes Horse. 

I love her blog for many reasons. She loves foxes, she's an artist, she met and is now engaged to an Irishman (which means incredible Ireland posts), she has tried every possible hairstyle (including the pixie cut, and coloring it red, blue, blonde, pink...), she is wonderful at remixing, and she is brave. I don't think she would ever worry over the question, what would people think of this outfit? She has a style very true to herself and I always love being surprised by the things she loves. In one post she'll be clad in a denim jacket and knee-high gladiator sandals, the next in a renaissance painting skirt with pink hair and milkmaid braids. She's fascinating and I find myself wishing I could borrow her clothes. 

Thanks to that post, I am now daydreaming about similar items from Chicwish. They know how to do patterns! I was practically drooling yesterday. Their clothes are so fun and unique. I'm putting every single one of these items on my birthday/life wishlist. 

Update: just found a few of these items for even cheaper over at another Clothes Horse inspired discovery, Sheinside! They have the painting skirt and the amazing dress below, as well as a stupid number of swoonworthy $20 dresses like this and this. You're welcome. 

But mostly this dress: 

It's gorgeous. So gorgeous. I could have my own Reign-themed party. And I can just imagine the Fall leaves swirling around me. Even though I live in Arizona. Which is how inspiring this dress is!

But take a gander at the rest of these beauties. 

Which one is your favorite? I absolutely love the London-inspired skirts. I love anything London, really. They're a bit long for my taste, I usually like knee-length skirts a bit better than midi-length. But their wanderlust hems are delightful. They remind me a little of a dress I tried on in Anthropology once - one of those true non-buyers remorse situations.
The floral/galaxy dress above the London skirts reminds me heartily of Guardians of the Galaxy, which I'm totally fine with! I could go on and on. Needless to say, my Chicwish (and Sheinside!) wishlist is steadily filling up.
I think I feel the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

frocktober: the end

Halloween dawned drizzly and melancholy, which I suppose was fitting for the holiday.

We actually took these pictures in the light rain that afternoon, but the beautiful tree above me blocked almost all of it.

I was imagining all the kids praying for clear skies before nightfall so they could trick or treat in good weather!

Our Halloween was simple. Candy, apple cider, pumpkin carving, and Children of the Corn. Can't get more Halloweeny than that!

I must say, I enjoy scary movies. But I'm very, very picky, because I'm very easily scared. So if I'm going to spend the night in total terror, I want it to be worth it. It needs to be a great movie. (Secret Window, The Orphanage, Signs...ok, ok, I know. Signs isn't that scary. But when I saw it in theaters at 14, it was scary enough.)

Or, as was the case with Children of the Corn, it needs to be so old and so cheesy that I can still sleep at night. 

Dress: Lauren Conrad/Kohl's, Top: Ruche, Booties: Urbanog

I've always enjoyed a little bit of creepiness. I enjoy cozying up with Dustin, anticipating the strange and terrible, plugging my ears and squinting my eyes if it's particularly intense. 

Even better is watching a great scary movie (or show -- have you watched Sleepy Hollow? One of my favorite new shows this Fall!) with a group of friends.

I don't celebrate Halloween, really -- I just like candy, and cider, and carving pumpkins. I love Fall, and that's all Halloween really is to me. It's wearing orange tights and binge-eating almond Snickers. It signifies the last big bash of my birthday month, my lovely October. It's the beginning of Thanksgiving time. It's a time to sit in the living room, jumping up whenever the doorbell rings, to see the cute groups of kids running around like I used to do, asking for candy. It's not evil, it's just imagination. I'm a lover of imagination, stories, magic, beauty, fairytales. 

October (and, in effect, Frocktober) was a beautiful month. A little sad to bid farewell.

But very excited for all the treasures of November! Even if the leaves aren't quite as bright, I'll just have to burn more candles and hang some glitter to make up for it.