novel dress: brandon sanderson

Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson // Galileo Embroidered Midi Dress

Brandon Sanderson has very quickly and easily become one of my favorite authors of all time. I recently finished his book Warbreaker, and because of the vibrant colors and societal impressions of fashion and dyes in that world I was inspired to create another Novel Dress post. This one features dresses from both Ruche and Modcloth, and is dedicated solely to the literary works of Sanderson.

I've only included books of his that I've actually read, although there are some that are missing from this list. To date I have read 12 of his stories (including 2 of his short stories and 3 of his novellas). The Emperor's Soul is one of his novellas that I have included here, because it's brilliant.

If you've never been introduced to the world(s) of Brandon Sanderson, there are a few things you should know about him. First of all, he's known for his incredible world-building skills and his talent with magic systems. He is endlessly creative. Secondly, he writes like a dang machine. He typically has 2-3 books being released every year, and those books range from light teen fiction to his epic fantasy series. He has written and published 30-40 books and stories in 10 years. The number varies depending on whether you count his short stories and graphic novels. Either way, jumpin' jehosaphat.

The last thing you should know about Sanderson is that he has his own literary universe, called the Cosmere, in which all of his fantasy books are based and connected. While you can easily read his books in any order and enjoy each world on its own, there's a much bigger, galactic-sized story happening behind the scenes if you desire to see it. There are hints and crossover characters and mind-blowing revelations all swirling around within the Cosmere, and it's a pretty thrilling fandom to be a part of. 

So go ahead and plan out your next trip to the bookstore to pick up a copy of The Way of Kings - but in the mean time, enjoy these fantastical novel dresses. :)

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson // Parfait Party Dress

Elantris by Brandon Sanderson // Emma Maxi Dress

Legion by Brandon Sanderson // Aubree Dress

The Final Empire (Mistborn book 1) by Brandon Sanderson // Peachy Queen Dress

The Emperor's Soul by Brandon Sanderson // Goldie's Groove Dress

The Well of Ascension (Mistborn book 2) by Brandon Sanderson // Endless Entertainment Dress

Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson // Amirah Maxi Dress

**see all novel dress posts**

wearing cross stitch

Blouse (shop!)/Shoes (old): Ruche

I haven't done a real outfit post in a while, but I've been feeling more inspired lately to actually get up and get dressed. During the week, anyway. Mostly because my job requires it, but also because I'm starting to enjoy dressing up my ballooning baby bump. We took these photos after dinner, so I kind of think this baby bump is part baby, part food baby. I love them both very much.

I haven't purchased any actual maternity things yet (although I was recently gifted two maternity dresses which I love), because I'm really looking forward to trying to utilize what's already in my closet. I think it's going to be a fun challenge to wear an assortment of my normal tops, skirts and dresses to accommodate the growing of a human. I must confess, though, that this beautiful blouse wasn't already in my closet...because I just bought it from Ruche...but it's not a maternity top, so I think it still counts. :)

This blouse is easy, breezy and beautiful and has the prettiest lace. The colors are so bright, and the floral pattern is actually detailed to look like cross stitch. I personally adore cross stitch patterns, so this vintage-inspired top was calling to my chic old lady style. 

Loving Lately:

• THESE, because I would like to be the head of the Bringing Jellies Back committee. I'm going to need them in every color, please. Especially the glitter.
• Making big house decisions. It can be overwhelming, but it's so rewarding and so exciting to see each tiny bit of progress. Follow me on Instagram to see the updates on #CasaSchan.
• Rifle Paper Co. Wallpaper. I understand it's impractical but so pretty.
• A Beautiful Mess. Obviously this blog isn't new, but I've been crushing hard on it lately, especially for their DIY/home posts.
• The band RHODES. They have barely any music on Spotify, but I could listen to them all day.

ruche: spring sneak peek!

Happy Friday, friends!

Ruche has provided me with exclusive sneak peek images of their brand new Spring lookbook, which launches this coming Monday! March 9th. Capture the Moment is sure to be as lovely and inspiring as all of their lookbooks, but I'm especially excited for this one because their photo shoot location was Balboa Park in San Diego, CA. Dustin and I had our engagement photos taken there (and at Disneyland), and it will always have a special place in my heart! 

I really love that first photo above, because we have pictures in front of that same little pond. In fact, I set my engagement ring on a lily pad there for a particularly frightening photo op. A gigantic coy fish was definitely approaching to swallow it whole as our photographer was snapping away. I was squealing the whole time I leaned forward over the water to carefully retrieve my treasure. It was a race between the coy fish and I, and luckily I managed not to send my ring to its watery death. It still makes my heart beat frantically just thinking about it. I was glad our photographer was one of our best friends (and incredibly talented - check out Mike Villa Visuals online, he's still based in California!). And that fishy endeavor turned out to be totally worth it.  

And BONUS: Ruche has generously offered my blog followers a special treat in honor of the upcoming lookbook launch! Use the code SPRING15 for 15% off sitewide. Perhaps you can finally buy that novel dress you've been wanting. :)

Enjoy the remaining images and check back with Ruche on Monday to Capture the Moment.

novel dress: fairy tales

the little mermaid by hans christian andersen // esmerelda lace dress

Like many of you, I have received the majority of my folktale education from the workings of Disney. While Disney undoubtedly brings all kinds of magic to life, they don't have the best track record for translating their tales with any accuracy. Not that I'm complaining - I generally prefer their sugared down versions of these beloved fairy tales to the tragic and occasionally gruesome originals.

Even so, I am fascinated by them. I love that some of them have been circulating for centuries, their creators forever anonymous because they were oral storytellers. I have always been drawn to these adventures, even the macabre ones. I have vivid memories of poring over a beautifully illustrated book of Irish Legends that my dad bought us when I was a kid. Some of those stories are absolutely horrible (lovers beheaded, trapped for eternity, cursed, abandoned, etc.), but I loved them all.

These are the inspirations for this novel dress installment. Enjoy the nostalgia of these well-loved stories and their matching dresses on this rainy Monday morning.

(Click here to see all of the novel dress posts). 

thumbelina by hans christian andersen // beach stroll floral dress

goldilocks and the three bears by robert southey // golden age asymmetrical dress

beauty and the beast by jeanne-marie le prince de beaumont // loyal love floral dress

little red riding hood by the brothers grimm // finding love lace dress

hansel and gretel by the brothers grimm // corner shoppe gingham dress

jack and the beanstalk by steven kellogg (orig. by benjamin tabart) // mont rose striped dress

sleeping beauty by charles perrault // cheer me up lace dress

ali baba and the forty thieves from arabian nights // maura paisley dress

rapunzel by the brothers grimm // asymmetrical tank dress

mixing florals

I absolutely love mixing prints, and florals are one of the best prints for mixing and matching. They go perfectly with polka dots and stripes, and sometimes even with other florals. Mixing patterns can be incredibly intimidating for some people, but once you get the hang of it you find the rules that work for you and your style and can mix it up like a pro.

Ruche's print-mixing feature Spring Floral Edit premiered this morning, and it's one of my favorites so far. I love the polka dot top layered over golden floral print. That green daisy print top with the black and white stripes is also fantastic. I just had to share. 

In addition, Ruche is having a Style Steal sale for today and tomorrow only, with many of my Novel Dress feature dresses included in the sale for 50% off! See if you can find the dresses for Wizard of Oz, A Wrinkle in Time, The Lies of Locke Lamora (which I love and am currently wearing), and Anne of Green Gables. My Valentine's Day dress is also included in the sale. 

Happy Friday Eve, friends. The weekend is swiftly approaching!

novel dress: classics

romeo and juliet by william shakespeare // forbidden romance floral dress

I'm not sure how I unlocked this strange fascination, but I cannot get enough of matching dresses and literature (see my first and second novel dress posts!). I tried to keep it classic with these choices, which was a fun challenge. So far I've only included books that I know and love, but this collection includes two stories I haven't actually read yet -- Little Women and The Wizard of Oz. Looking through book lists, especially of classic books, always heavily reminds me of my ever-growing to-read list. I'm sure my life will be spent constantly adding to that list, which is both exciting and depressing considering the time restraints on life. I hope there's a very big library in heaven.

This post is partially inspired by Ruche extending their sitewide Perfect Match Sale for 1 more day! It ends tonight at midnight. Which means that every dress in these posts (including the sale dresses!) is an extra 25% off. Shopping is a great way to fight those midweek blues.

Enjoy!

the adventures of sherlock holmes by sir arthur conan doyle // night at the theatre dress

treasure island by robert louis stevenson // marcelline printed dress

the great gatsby by f. scott fitzgerald // constellation sequins dress

the wizard of oz by l. frank baum // pebble lane colorblock dress

little women by louisa may alcott // trixie polka dot dress

moby dick by herman melville // jemima dress

emma by jane austen // leanne lace dress

a tale of two cities by charles dickens // love in bloom floral dress

the hobbit by j.r.r tolkien // winter solstice dress

floral valentine

Looking forward to special occasions always inspires me to go dress shopping. There's something exciting about wearing a dress for the first time on a special date night. While I wear a dress almost every day, I very rarely get dressed up to this degree. When I saw this floral dress over at Ruche, I knew it was the perfect fit for Valentine's Day! (P.S. Today is the last day of their "perfect match" sale for 25% off sitewide!).

This weekend has been so refreshing. On Friday I had completely forgotten that I had Monday off, so it was a really pleasant surprise to leave work with 3 whole days off ahead of me! Our Valentine's Day was delightful, and we spent all of Sunday with Dustin's family. Today is my bonus day of pajamas, Posie-making, Friends-watching, and coffee-drinking. There's nothing better than a Monday spent doing nothing. (Introverts unite!).

be mine

Happy Valentine's day, everyone!

I'm currently all fancied up and getting ready for Dustin and I's date night. We're seeing Kingsman: The Secret Service and going out to a new restaurant, Olive and Ivy! I can't wait.

Yesterday's outfit was definitely due to my novel dress series. This dress was inspired by The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch, and once I posted about it I couldn't help but buy it. That series has been so much fun to read and even though I'm the one that named it a Lamora dress, I needed to own it anyway. I'm really glad I took the leap, because I love it. It's much silkier and brighter than I originally thought, which is totally fine by me!

Overall, this post is just a quick note in honor of one of my favorite holidays. There are plenty of valentine naysayers out there, but I think it's beautiful that there's a day set aside for love every year. Of course, we should always show our loved ones we cherish and appreciate them, but Valentine's Day brings with it sweets and chocolate-shaped hearts, little cartoons of cherubs and Disney characters, Galentine's Day (cutesie term for honoring besties), and so many other fun ways to celebrate. Whether you're dating someone and dressing up for romance or simply dressed in pink and red to go out with your best friends, it's a day worth celebrating. We are lucky to have so much love.

Dress (shop!): Ruche