Melania-Abalone blouse

Sartorial Saturday–Anxiously Awaiting Autumn

I don’t know about anybody else, but I am so tired of the heat and humidity of summer. I’ve been hopefully thinking ahead to autumn and cooler days, which had me going through my wardrobe, trying to style an outfit for fall in a fresh way. That’s when I remembered that I’ve been wanting to try wearing a sleeveless dress over a blouse:

I paired the Melania-Abalone blouse with the Jolene-Plum dress (both from the 2021 Miss Candyfloss Toujours Elegant collection). At first glance, you might wonder why I chose these two pieces. The answer is simple…I have worn both the dress and the blouse with the Verena-Bo blazer from the same collection, so I knew they had enough in common to make it work!

I accessorized with a stack of Splendette Duchess Bangles and an Erstwilder brooch like I usually do, but I wore the brooch in a different way this time, pinning it on the bow at my throat…I really like how that looks, and now I wish I had more blouses like this so I could try it with other brooches!

This is a bit more pattern than I usually wear in one outfit, but the dress almost comes off as a solid neutral because the print is so small, so I don’t think it’s too visually distracting.

I really like the blouse and dress look!

I can’t wait to see what Miss Candyfloss has planned for their new autumn/winter collection!

Sartorial Saturday–Inspired by Downton Abbey

“I am not ‘miss,’ I am Lady Mary Crawley.”

Most of my wardrobe consists of retro fashions, and most of those represent the 1940s-60s (but primarily the 1950s). There’s something about today’s look, featuring the Melania-Abalone blouse and Becky-Bo skirt from Miss Candyfloss, that just screams Downton Abbey and the 1920s to me, though!

I love the bishop sleeves on the blouse, and the skirt is so soft!

I think the paired hat, which I’ve had for years, but looks like it was made to go with the outfit, is a big part of the look. So is the Art Deco brooch from Erstwilder and a long string of pearls. And the details on the blouse, including the sweet bow and lovely buttons, also add to the opulent feeling that reflects that time so well:

This is my first pair of separates from Miss Candyfloss, and to be honest, in a reversal of my usual concern over fit when buying a dress for the first time, I was really worried about how these pieces would work. I followed the size chart, which recommended a size larger than my usual in the skirt, and I’ll be honest…that was unnecessary. The skirt is quite big in the waist, and I’ll need to have it tailored eventually. For now, though, a pin in the back was enough to adjust the fit. The blouse, on the other hand, fits perfectly, and I couldn’t love it more!

I love this color palette and these fabrics for fall, and I’m looking forward to finding different ways to wear these pieces!