Etsy Love: the Greedy Seagul

I've been enjoying looking through vintage clothing on Etsy for summer ideas. I don't love a lot of the maternity looks I've come across (with the exception of Asos Maternity), and I've been trying to find pieces that could be worn while I'm huge during the warm months, but also after the baby arrives. I'd rather not buy clothes for a short time. Most of the clothes that I currently wear or buy are things I keep for a long time.

{50's Vanity Fair Sheer Nylon Nightie}

I think this would be great for a night out with a contrasting slip dress underneath.

{40's Robins Egg Blue Vanity Fair Nightgown}

I don't know why I'm so drawn to the "nightgown" look. I love the sheer, flowy fabric. This would be fabulous with a white slip dress underneath. Even altering the length might be a consideration.

{70's Soft Floral Print Tie Back Dress}

I love empire waists. Lots of belly room before and after. Especially after, for someone like me who is already a little belly concious anyway.

{70's Gunne Sax Prairie Dress}

Ahh! Love. How great would this be with a wide belt around the waist.

{Vintage Nine West Flat Black Prairie Boots}

These would be too cute with the floral dresses.

{80's Ivory Cuffed Leather Boots}

Or these adorable boots. These would look so great with my skinnies.

{50's Light Peach Cabochon Bracelet}

I don't wear a ton of jewelry, it's got to be just the right piece that I'll want to wear all the time. This is one of those pieces.

Even if you're not preggers, check out the Greedy Seagul. They have tons of wiggle and sheath dresses I'm not remotely capable of wearing anytime this year and someone should give them a home! I hope you love their vintage selection as much as I do.

Wardrobe Basics: I need help

I'll just say it: My wardrobe is kind of dumpy. I'm lame, plain, and have no sense of adventure.

Following a few of my favorite fashion bloggers has got me to thinking about what I might want to change. I love keeping up with Veronika @ Veronika's Blushing, Stephie @ Superficial Obession and Amber @ Amber's Notebook. These girls really know how to dress. They kind of remind me of when I used to be a little more creative, but after taking my job at the dispatch center (3 years ago) it just wasn't a priority anymore. I went from working in a bank, where I dressed nice on a daily basis (uniform style, mind you) to working where I can wear my yoga pants. Who doesn't want to take up that offer every so often?

I want a change. I want to try and rebuild my wardrobe. I want it to be simple and stream lined, I don't want a TON of stuff filling my closet. But I also want enough stuff that I can continue to create different outfits with interchangeable pieces. I'm just not sure where to start though. I've heard about lists of wardrobe basics, but I just don't know how practical they seem.

This one in particular is Tim Gunn's 10 Essential Elements - Must-Have Basic Wardrobe Pieces for Any Woman:

•Basic Black Dress - The basic black dress has been around for a long time. It is often called the "Little Black Dress", and it's true that shorter skirts on the basic black dress, when they hit you in the right place, can be more flattering than a long black dress.

•Trench Coat - The trench coat is one of the pieces that is both classic and currently a hot fashion item. Most any store sells this piece now. It is great for fall and you can pick it up in a wide range of lengths.

•Dress Pants - Although it doesn't say black, this is probably what you want to look for. Black is flattering on all figures and goes with everything.

•Classic Shirt - The white shirt is a definite classic. But it can also come in many different styles to make it look trendy and not dated or like a man's piece of clothing. Find one that accentuates your best attributes and minimizes trouble spots. For example, if you have wide shoulders, stay away from large collars.

•Jeans - Everyone has a pair of jeans, but does everyone have a pair of jeans that make them look great? The wider leg, low-rise jean style has been popular (and still is) but a narrower leg is coming back along with a higher waist, which eliminates the unflattering "muffin top" look.

•Any Occasion Top - Find something you look great in that can look respectable under a jacket but bring on the fun after hours.

•Skirt - If you need dress pants then you also need a skirt. A skirt is womanly and can be flirty or businesslike. Nowadays women do not wear many skirts or dresses, which makes a lot of them fall into a rut of dressing sloppily or like men. See number 8.

•Day Dress - Women also are not wearing as many dresses anymore. It was certainly liberating to go from the '50s when women wore dresses every day to wearing more practical pants for gardening, exercising, and so forth. But the dress does not have to be abandoned altogether. They can be very flattering, and there is nothing wrong with "dressing up" for daytime.

•Jacket - A jacket does not have to be masculine. Find one with a proper, fitted shape. Women's jackets should follow the silhouette of a woman's body and accent the hourglass curve at her waist. It is also a perfect piece to put with the skirt or dress pants, and white shirt. Or make it casual with a pair of jeans.

•Sweatsuit Alternative - As mentioned before, women wear fewer skirts and dresses these days. But some women have taken casual to the extreme and spend days on end in sweatsuits. It is possible to be casual and comfortable without looking like a slob. Find a comfortable material (that's why this doesn't say jeans again – denim is not as comfortable as a nice soft cotton) that you would want to wear every day. It could be khakis, cords, a cotton dress, or much more

The only thing I have from this list are jeans, and would they be jeans to Tim's standards? I'm probably thinking not. Does this list seem practical? What exactly am I looking for when it comes to wardrobe basics? Perhaps I should contact one of my favorite bloggers and see if they would be willing to help a poor soul like me and create a post on fashion basics for the beginner.

What kind of style do you have? Do you think these are reasonable basics? I'd love to know!

Is it that time of year yet?

Victoria's Secret loves me. They send me catalogs almost weekly. They must think I'm pretty special, huh? No? No, you're right. It's actually I that loves Victoria's Secret. I shop enough online they see it fit to send me catalogs almost weekly to ensure I continue to spend my life savings through their website. I might have a shopping problem. I'm glad we were able to talk this out.

Yesterday I received a Swim 2010 catalog and it's a little different than the one I received a few weeks ago. There were a few new suits and I found a few more that I love. Am I imagining that perhaps the price of most swimwear has gone down? Or has my brain just settled on the prices and sees them as normal now? Either way, I can't say many of the suits were what I'd consider to be too expensive.

Normally I don't buy up on new swimwear every year. I live in Washington and there isn't swimming weather here often. When I was a kid, I'd argue that point, but the first 70 degree day of the year doesn't equal swimming weather. The waters around here are still freezing! I'll add this piece of wisdom to the list of why I enjoy being an adult. The suits that I wear every summer have been a part of my wardrobe since 2006. They're Victoria's Secret and still look brand new. I purchased them for my second trip to Vegas. I love them, and that's why I still have them. I even took them to Hawaii in 2007 without bothering to purchase something new. But this year I I've found so many new pieces that I love, I think I'm just going to break out and buy a little something new.

My reason? VEGAS! My fifth trip to Vegas is planned for this June with a group of friends, and I'm already counting down the days. I can't quite explain what it is about that place but I absolutely love it. I love the people, the weather, the entertainment, the freedom. I just love Vegas. I went last June with my sister-in-law and two other ladies and we had a great time. There wasn't enough pool lounging time, but that's what this trip is for.

After looking through my catalog yesterday, I've found a few favorites and I'm hoping to pick one or two up for my trip this year.

I'm not keen on showing my buddah belly, but I also don't want a one piece suit. This is almost the perfect combination.

I love the pattern of this suit. It's a great take on the classic black bikini, but the pattern isn't so far out there I couldn't keep a hold of it for a few years. The bandeau top is debatable for my smaller chest though.

Everyone needs an animal print suit. And I think I need this one. Benefit: this top works well with my smaller chest!

It's black (my favorite) and I love the stars. And bonus, my husband loves this suit too.

I'm loving the retro look of this suit, and I like that the bottoms have enough coverage that they might very well assist in blending my problematic love handles in to the overall look... Thought provoking.

I'm really loving this dress. Yellow seems to be a new love for me this year.

I wouldn't say any of the suits I've chosen are all that spectacular. But they're a little more daring, at least color wise, than I would normall choose. I'm a typical black bikini kind of girl. Even the yellow dress is a stretch for me fashion wise. I don't wear dresses often, and generally live in a tshirt and jeans. As I get older it seems my taste is becoming a little more feminine and I really care less of what others might think of what I'm wearing and concentrate on the fact that I alone love what I'm wearing. Above all though, I'm just really ready for some time in the sun poolside in Vegas.