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Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Farmer Chic and a Parable on Plaid

Plaid is one of my favorite patterns.  I am a girlie girl who loves her lace, novelty prints, cutesy hearts, butterflies and everything else feminine, but plaid always makes its way into my wardrobe.  Here's why; plaid is the perfect way to mix pretty with cool, casual with formal, outdoor with indoor; and since those are the two "polar" characteristics I like to exude in my style- plaid is my perfect punch!  And so I bring to you; three different ways I wore plaid!  The pictures below were taken in the Poconos two weekends ago when two friends trekked up the Jim Thorpe hillside with Daniel and I to take in the view.  Ok...so we drove up, we found the road on the way back to our cabin; but look at that view! I just couldn't get enough plaid this weekend..it is the perfect accent to dresses that need a little dressing down, or a bit of warmth on top.  This bohemian denim and scarf print dress needed a topper, and when a cardigan looked a bit too "stuffy" my plaid flannel made a perfect pairing for just the right amount of outdoorsy charm.  Even Daniel broke out his plaid jacket! It was a gift from me last Fall (only $20!!!!) it's pretty exciting that plaid has found it's way back in "style" since I love wearing it so much! 

 My plaid poncho is a favorite in the Fall.  You may remember a past post when I styled this beauty with a collared shirt and pair of polka dot pants; it was a bizzare duo that somehow worked to complete the look.  When the weather is getting just cold enough, this warm flannel is just what I need for extra warmth and to bring a western/outdoorsy edge to my style.  I wore this during our 3rd year wedding Anniversary- once again, in the Poconos- what better place to wear Plaid than the mountains?

Oh Ryu, how I love thee.  I found this amazing plaid coat at Never Too Spoiled, an amazing boutique in Philly that caters to the bohemian lady with a modern femme edge.  The cut, style and details of this coat drowned me helplessly in love.  I convinced Daniel to get this for me as an early birthday gift (less than a month away now!) somehow it worked, so I could call this gem my own :) I call this jacket "Farmer Chic" since I wear a lot of plaid on the Farm I teach on, and the style of it makes me feel like a Farm Princess!

I adore this Dog print dress by Twist & Tango that I got for my birthday a few years ago from ModCloth.  It had been on my wishlist for EVER and was running out of stock so my family all pitched in to get it for me.  This dress has the same full skirt cut as the coat so I decided to wear them together and like how the two different patterns play off of each other.  It's funny how versatile this coat is; I can wear it with a pair of navy skinnies and a flannel when I am teaching outdoors, or dress is up with a skirt and blouse and fancy tights- the possibilities are endless since the pattern of the coat is more casual, but the cut and lace details are more feminine and formal.   If you are not nearby Philly and you would still like to check out this coat, you can find it here on ModCloth (slightly more expensive) but it could always go on sale, too! 

       I topped off this outfit with one of my self-illustrated moth necklaces which can be found on my etsy shop here.  I am working on more illustrations and hope to make some new necklaces or fabrics in a few months.  Winter will give me time to get busy working on creative things!
 I have truly been enjoying my work getting back outside, teaching about animals and plants and spending time with little ones.  I kind of feel like- why didn't I do this sooner?  I guess inside I always knew that a full-time business oriented job was not for me, but I tried so hard to make it work and when I stopped pushing myself to fit into that mold and just opened my eyes it was so easy to see that there was another path open to me.  I truly love teaching children. There are days that are challenging, that take a lot of patience, days when you are not on your best game, but there is so much to discover and learn, so much to be appreciated and to be grateful for.  I might not be making the "big bucks" or climbing a corporate ladder, but I am planting seeds of knowledge, igniting an interest in children as young as three, not only do I get to teach them, but they teach me; every single day!
 I wouldn't trade my relationship to nature for anything; I love being outdoors, spreading the word to protect and care for it to future generations, and doing what I can to see that it happens.  I love feeling the crunch of leaves under my feet, breathing in fresh forest air, watching the evolution of each season, all of those things I used to feel like I was missing.  
  And now I have the perfect coat to transition me into the winter; not my favorite season of the year, but it will certainly help things feel brighter!  
How do you like to wear plaid?  Do you have a place for it in your wardrobe?  Happy Tuesday and let's talk soon! 

xo, Alyssa