Back, with a giveaway

Insert standard apologies about blog silence here. But I won't waste your time on that for too long, because what I really want to tell you about is this awesome giveaway I'm doing!

Making It Work: Boho Dress

Although I often gravitate toward tailored styles, I also love a good boho/hippie-inspired piece. But it can be tricky to mix the funky, laid-back feel of an embroidered dress with the more conservative expectations of the workplace. Here's how I would do it:

Moody

Usually I plan out what I'm going to wear the night before. But every now and then, there comes a morning when I wake up with no idea what I'm doing. When that happens, I usually reach for a dress I've had for a while, because how badly can I screw that up? 

Making It Work: Loafers

I fell in love with loafers by accident when browsing a J. Crew catalog (yes, catalog) about 10 years ago. I turned the page and there they were: a pair of bright red loafers. And I knew that I had to have them. There were way out of my budget, but I wasn't going to let that stop me. I started haunting the J. Crew website until they went on clearance, and snapped them up for a fraction of the original price. I was overjoyed when they arrived in the mail, and tried them on immediately. And then I promptly realized that I had no idea what I would ever wear them with.

Shop update

For just a few more days, you can use the coupon code SUMMERBLOWOUT to save 35% off anything in my Etsy shop. So I thought I'd tempt you with a few items that I recently listed:

1970s boho maxi dress with daisy print | $32

Domestic goddess

So the other day I found myself sweeping the kitchen while wearing a shirtwaist and pearls ...

Faking It

I noted last year that I'm apparently the only style blogger around who doesn't love fall. There's nothing inherently wrong with the season itself; I've said before that fall is the only sane season in upstate New York. But as pleasant as it usually is, I can't forgive fall for its role as a harbinger of winter. So when it got chilly enough last week (in August, for chrissake) for me to break out sweaters, jackets and boots, I was not happy.

Making it Work: Polo shirt

I'm a sucker for a good polo shirt, so this week's Making It Work is dedicated to just that. This is the third installment in a weekly series of posts about how to style clothes in a work-appropriate way.

Making It Work: Polo shirt by plankface featuring pearl jewelry

Shop(s) Update

So I am basically in denial about the fact that fall is almost here. But I can't ignore the signs any longer. The days are getting shorter; the leaves are starting to turn; and I saw my first pumpkin-related post on social media the other day. Yup, summer is coming to an end, boo. But, good news: that means big end-of-season sales!

Making It Work: Bright trousers

Welcome to the next installment of Making It Work, a series of features about styling unusual or distinctive pieces in an office-appropriate way. Today's look features brightly colored trousers: a wardrobe item I was slow to embrace, but have come to rely on for work outfits.

Making It Work: Bright trousers by plankface featuring an alaia belt

Main Squeeze

So I have been trying to be very frugal and thoughtful about my clothing purchases these last several months, especially in light of our financial situation. But I had a moment of weakness not long ago on Instagram, and bought this dress.

Sponsor bon marche couture!

When I started blogging again in earnest earlier this year, one of my goals was to build my network by connecting with other vintage lovers (and sellers) online. And around the same time, I started reaching out to other blogs to advertise with them.

Making It Work

I'm pleased to debut a new feature here at bon marche couture titled "Making It Work."

Back in Black

So, the last few (several?) weeks have not exactly been perfect.

Five things lately (plus one)

So, I broke my camera last week as the culminating crappy event of a day of crappy events. It was just the final straw of feeling frustrated and stuck when it comes to selling vintage. I was really upset and angry about it for a while, but then I decided that I was not going to let something so simple stop me from doing what I want to do. I'm still working on some new listings, but in the meantime, here are a few Instagram snaps from the past few weeks to show what I've been up to:

1. Experienced temporary insanity. 

Shop(s) update

Ha, OK, so "DIY Week" may have been a bit of an overstatement ... I've been working on my latest project off and on for a few days now, and it's still not done! So I thought I'd highlight a few items from my Etsy and Instagram shops instead.

DIY Week: Vintage apron toddler dress

Happy Wednesday! I am off work this week, doing exciting things like cleaning the laundry room and grocery shopping (no joke, do I know how to have fun or what?), so instead of outfit posts, I'm sharing a few DIY ideas with you. I generally don't "do" DIY, because I'm cheap, impatient and ham-handed, so these are some pretty quick-and-dirty ideas that even the most craft-deficient person can probably attempt without wanting to throw anything out the window. Today I'm sharing my idea for making a toddler dress out of a vintage apron.

DIY Week: Bungee Cord Bracelet

Happy Tuesday! I am off work this week, so instead of outfit posts, I am bringing you some DIY/project ideas that even someone with my extremely low skill/craftitude level can accomplish. Yesterday I showed you how I brightened up some canvas slip-ons with fabric markers; today, I'm making a rope bracelet out of bungee cord.

DIY Week: Polka dot slip-ons

Happy Monday! I am off work this week, which means I have no exciting outfits to share (right now I am wearing maternity shorts and a stretched-out Gap tanktop that I bought at a yard sale). So I thought I would share a few DIY projects with you.

Spoiled for Choice

So, this is what happens when I have a lot of time to get ready in the morning:

Downhearted

Today was just a weird day. My hair is super straight for some reason, I ate a bunch of avocado for breakfast (I don't even like avocados that much) and I decided to wear a wool jumper, in July. Yeah. Weird.

Mad for Mod

After my two weeks of work purgatory, I was eager to jump back on the fashion challenge bandwagon, so it was perfect that the first style prompt for July was "Mad Men Inspired."

Playing catch-up

Whew, what a few weeks it has been ... it's just been work, work, work, mixed with toddler wrangling (aka parenting) with little time for anything else.

A Tale of Two Outfits

For me, getting dressed in the morning involves a lot of compromise. There's the outfit I wish I could wear, and then there are the realities of my life that make that impossible, impractical or just out of my comfort zone. Today was a perfect example.

Brutal

Ugh, what an awful week ... I won't bore you with the details, but let's just say I am relishing an evening spend in comfy clothes, with my beer, knitting and Star Trek. Oops, did I just reveal what a total dork I am? That's OK, I'm cool with it.

Not Working

Have you ever had a garment that just is not working, but for some reason, you try to convince yourself it is? Maybe it was a gift and you feel bad discarding it; maybe you paid a lot of money for it; maybe you really like the color, the print or the style. Whatever the reason, you just doggedly keep wearing it even though you know it's too big or too small or just doesn't suit your body type or your style. Well — meet my gray slacks.

Au Naturel

I've talked before about my minimal approach to beauty (if you want to call it that). But this is a bit further than even I am usually willing to go.

Totes Profesh

There are certain styles of dress I gravitate toward. When I saw this plaid babydoll at a rummage sale, I knew immediately I was keeping it. The trick for me, though, is styling babydolls in a way that still looks professional. Here's what I did:

As yet unblogged

I have a few lingering outfits that never made it to the blog for one reason or another, so I thought I'd throw together a post on one of them today. Because, why not?

Hobbled

So for the past few weeks, I have been wearing elastic bandages on my knees and ankles because of some joint problems that I'm having. And everyday I ask myself: Do I try to hide these rather unattractive things, or do I just wear what I feel like wearing, and say "screw it?" And most of the time, I say "screw it."

Mini post

I was all psyched to start off June with more outfit posts, but then, some things involving cameras and toddlers blah blah blah. So I only have a couple photos to share with you today, and they're from yesterday. 

Weekend Roundup

Sorry for what will be a kind of random post; I just have a variety of disparate things kicking around that I wanted to share. Calling it a "roundup" makes it seem so much more official than "Weekend Random Crap," though, don't you think?

Style Me May recap

I did a kind of half-assed job at the Style Me May challenges for a variety of reasons, including being on vacation for a week, and working like the devil (i.e. not much time for outfit pics) before and after my trip. So my recap is kind of brief. Here are a couple of my favorite outfits from the month:

A repeat of sorts

When I started (re-started) this blog in January, I made a silent pledge to myself that I would try to go as long as I could without posting any "repeat" outfits. After all, the purpose here is to showcase different clothes and also to encourage myself to wear some of those things that are gathering moss in my closet.

Uncomfortable

A quick post tonight to showcase my "Out of My Comfort Zone" look in which, gasp, I wear sandals!

Bombshell

I don't normally think of myself as a "bombshell" sort of person. I don't expect to turn heads when I walk into a room, or get hooted at when I pass a construction site. (Does that actually happen, or is that just a cartoon/sitcom trope?) But in this dress, boy, I feel like a goddamned bombshell.

Memories, and More About Makeup

Meet me from 15 years ago — or, at least, a modern-day facsimile of same.

Makeup Test

So, in case it wasn't patently obvious: I am not really a makeup person. I don't have anything against makeup, or people who wear it regularly; I sort of regard it wistfully, as a curiosity, the same way I regard people who actually "style" their hair. The truth is, I'm lazy and I can't be bothered to do stuff like that every morning (mostly because I'm too busy picking out my outfit ...)

Best Foot Forward

Wow, I feel like I've been gone forever! I had a great trip to Oregon to visit my parents, and I hope you enjoyed reading my interviews with other bloggers. I hope to feature more items like that in the future and would welcome any suggestions you have.

Interview: Elycia of loveelycia

Today's interview is the last in a series of chats with other bloggers and vintage sellers, featuring the very lovely Elycia of loveelycia (I am not smart enough to do the fancy heart thing like she does so, there you go).

Interview: Joanna Go of CutandChic Vintage

Happy Saturday! I am away on vacation, so I've put together a few posts featuring interviews with other bloggers and vintage sellers. Today's interview is with Joanna Go of CutandChic Vintage.

Interview: Priya of Perfectly Priya

Hi everyone! I'm in beautiful Oregon (my home state) right now visiting my mom and dad, so I've scheduled some posts featuring interviews with other bloggers and vintage sellers. The series kicked off with an interview with Kristian Satterlee of Never Fully Dressed (Without a Style); up today is Priya of Perfectly Priya.

Interview: Kristian Satterlee of Never Fully Dressed (Without A Style)

I am away on vacation this week, so I've arranged a series of interviews with some of my fellow style bloggers. Each one has a distinct personal style and point of view. If you aren't already reading these ladies' blogs, I hope you will check them out, and if you're already familiar with them, stick around; you may learn something new! Today I'm happy to share an interview with Kristian of Never Fully Dressed (Without A Style).

ModCloth fashion challenge

I was beyond excited when I was approached by ModCloth to participate in their weekly Wanelo fashion challenge. Wanelo is a site that's a bit similar to Pinterest, which allows you to save and organize items from across the interwebz in one spot. I have been posting all the items from my Etsy store there since the beginning to help build an interest in my shop, and I enjoy poking around a bit there too to see what other people are interested in.

Ain't No Half Steppin'

I don't tend to do things by halves. Tell me to wear green, and I'll wear all the green I can pile on. Tell me it's Hawaiian day at the office, and I might just show up in a grass skirt. Hence today's look.

 

A Rather Dull Fiesta

I used to have a stockpile of Mexican embroidered blouses, left over in part from my grandparents' frequent travels to Central America. Somehow along the way I lost almost all of them, except for this one, which used to belong to my mother. I looked at the tag today, expecting to see that it was from Oaxaca or someplace, but, nope — Vancouver!

We'll Always Have Paris

I went to Paris for the first time when I was 11 years old (in fact, I celebrated my 12th birthday in the City of Lights). As a budding fashionista, I remember being humiliated about having to wear a fanny pack in the city known for its haute couture, and being thrilled to purchase an embroidered cross-body bag at a local flea market.

Glum in Gold

It is with a glum countenance that I reflect on the fact that today is the last day of April. Normally when I think of the month, I imagine green grass, daffodils, leaf buds on trees and sunny days mingled with rain. But we are way behind this year. Leaf buds are only just starting to peek out now, and the spring bulbs are just hesitatingly making their appearance. So if I'm still dressing a bit like December, forgive me.

I Don't Know Boho

One of the things the Style Me April prompts have illustrated is that my closet lacks some stylistic variety. A number of times this month, I've looked at the prompt and opened my closet, only to say, "Apparently I don't do ___________" (whatever that day's prompt was all about). And apparently, I don't do "bohemian."