Jolly Holiday

All images by Emma Rizzo Photo

Happy Monday! I meant to post this look by Atomic Jax before Halloween, but I kind of forgot how trips to Disney World don't provide much downtime. Fortunately, you can Disneybound at any time of year – and with the new Mary Poppins movie coming out next month, I'll bet I'll be wearing this dress when I see it in theaters!

This was one of those days where everything went wrong (fellow bloggers will know what I mean!). I wanted to take photos on this historic carousel, but it was inexplicably closed even though it was supposed to stay open through Columbus Day. Fortunately, Emma is a master at rolling with the punches and managed to capture some nice shots on the boardwalk. We also had to deal with some heckling from old white dudes playing volleyball on the sand, which we captured on video and powered our rage for the rest of the afternoon. Just the kind of feeling we'll want to hold onto going into tomorrow. Which reminds me: VOTE. Our lives literally depend on it.

Outfit Details

Custom Bert Swing Dress: c/o Atomic Jax

Cropped cardigan: available here

Mary Poppins penguin pin: similar

Flats: Aerosoles  ||  Boater hat: similar

Speaking of Disney characters, thanks to everyone who entered my birthday giveaway! I had a great time in Orlando with my mom (I'll put together a post with some photos soon), though I'm definitely feeling my age now... I spent most of the weekend in bed, which gave me time to pick a giveaway winner. Congratulations to Aly and stay tuned for future giveaways!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Have a great start to your week!

Jack and Sally

It may be March 1st, but snow is in the forecast for tonight (after a couple of very spring-like days!). Winter isn't over quite yet, which I'm not so thrilled about – but it does give me the chance to wear this Nightmare Before Christmas-inspired dress! Then again, I can wear this fantastic frock at virtually any time of year. With amazing artwork by John Varvir, this halter-style number will be getting tons of wear. I decided to style it in a wintery way for these photos, but I can't wait to wear it TONS next Halloween and Christmas.

This dress has convertible straps, so it can be worn in the traditional halter style or in a criss-cross pattern around the front. It's also boned to hold its shape and fits like a glove. I'm always excited by Jackie's designs, but I cannot wait to wear this to Disney World next year for my birthday! (Did I mention my mom and I are going right before Halloween?)

Outfit Details

Halter dress: c/o Vintage Inspired By Jackie

Faux fur shawl: similar

Brooch: Femme de Bloom

Heels: Irregular Choice

Have a great rest of your week!

The Soubrette Brunette's 5th Blogiversary Giveaway! [CLOSED]

I'm sort of in awe that this month marks five years (?!?!) of blogging here at The Soubrette Brunette. From the beginning, this little space has been a fantastic creative outlet for me and a way to connect with some of the most wonderful people I've had the privilege to meet. While I don't have as much time as I'd like to devote to blogging these days, it's still such an important part of my life that I truly treasure. Every February, I host a giveaway to thank all of you for sticking around for the fashion and my little musings. I have a great prize package this year that I can't wait to give away to one lucky winner! Read on to find out what's for grabs and how to enter.

One (1) reader will win:

• "Hitchhiking Ghosts" border print skirt from Vintage Inspired By Jackie x B-Rex
• Pink-haired pinup tee from Crazy4Me Style
• Choice of lapel pin from We Said Shop
• Choice of two (2) Sephora #Lipstories lipsticks (from available shades at Sephora.com)
• $25 Etsy gift card

Enter the giveaway through the Rafflecopter widget below. There are some entries that are mandatory for you to be eligible for the giveaway, while others are optional and will give you extra chances to win! Be sure to follow all giveaway directions and please note that you must be a follower of The Soubrette Brunette to win (no unfollowing after the giveaway ends!). This giveaway is open worldwide and will run from now until 11:59 PM EST on Sunday, February 11, 2018. The winner of the giveaway will be contacted via e-mail (so be sure to provide a valid email address and check your inbox on February 12!) and must respond to the "congratulations" email within 48 hours or a new winner will be chosen. The winner will be announced on the Rafflecopter widget in this blog post (and others) within one week of the giveaway's end.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Whether you've been with me since the very beginning or you're a relatively new reader, I'm so happy to have you here. Thanks for entering and best of luck!

Haunted

My countdown to Halloween continues with today's spooky ensemble! This Vintage Inspired By Jackie x John Varvir skirt ticks several of my boxes: it's novelty border print with a niche pop culture reference that not everyone will get. At first glance, it just looks like a book print (which is cool enough in itself)... and then you realize that it's the Handbook For The Recently Deceased from Beetlejuice. I thought this haunted house brooch from Modern Girl Blitz was a match made in... wherever ghosts go. :) And I love how this Heart of Haute blouse makes the skirt look like it could actually be a dress!

I'm really excited for this weekend. I'm not sure whether I'll actually be doing any Halloween-y things, but it's my birthday tomorrow! My mom is making a nice dinner for us tonight, and then I'll be having high tea tomorrow afternoon to celebrate. If nothing else, I'll be eating lots of good food and spending time with people I love – and after all, isn't that what birthdays are really about (when you get older, at least)?

Outfit Details

Betsy Blouse: c/o Heart of Haute

Book For The Recently Deceased Skirt: c/o Vintage Inspired By Jackie

Haunted House Brooch: Modern Girl Blitz

Belt: similar  ||  Heels: similar

Speaking of birthdays, if you haven't entered my giveaway yet, now's the time! You could win a different skirt from Vintage Inspired By Jackie plus a whole slew of other *magical* goodies. Get the details and enter here before Sunday!

PLUS, Jackie has generously offered my readers a 20% off discount on this skirt from her shop through the weekend! Just enter the code BDAYSAVE20 at checkout!

Have a frighteningly ghoul-d weekend!

Lady and the Tramp

My search for the elusive and highly coveted vintage Lady and the Tramp skirt may never truly end, but at least I finally have this wonderful reproduction version! I hinted in a post a few weeks ago that I'd soon be styling this creation from Vintage Inspired by Jackie, and I ended up loving this entire outfit. It's almost a Disney-bound, actually (if only I lived closer to Disney World or Disneyland!). 

I've always really identified with the character of Lady for some reason, and I bought this brooch from Lillian Madison designs a while back just in case I'd ever find my own matching skirt. The movie's become even more symbolic because I recently learned my boyfriend's favorite Disney film is Lady and the Tramp (which is funny because I've always thought of him as the Tramp to my Lady!). After going through months of trying to get a skirt like this from a different seller (who, unbeknownst to me, made it a habit of stealing other peoples' designs and taking money without fulfilling orders), Jackie saved the day with this one! The design is absolutely spot-on. While I do wish the fabric were a bit thicker and softer to the touch, I'm so glad a skirt like this is mine now! This skirt isn't currently listed in her shop, but Jackie regularly takes on custom orders. Be sure to message her if there's something you're dreaming of!

Outfit Details

Novelty Dogs Border Print Skirt: Vintage Inspired by Jackie

Cardigan with Faux Fur Collar: eBay (similar)

Lady Brooch: Lillian Madison Designs

Belt: from another dress (similar)

Heels: similar

The snow is gone here for now (fingers crossed that it stays that way), but I don't think spring will arrive for a while yet. At least it's sunny outside today! I always forget how much that impacts my mood. I hope you have a great start to your week!

Siamese (If You Please)

Like many women, I'm in love with those vintage Lady and the Tramp skirts... but since they sell for $700+, I've resigned myself to the fact I'll never get my hands on one. There's another one inspired by the movie that's referred to as the "Si & Am" print, though the cats on it don't really look like the Siamese cats in the film. This Vintage Inspired By Jackie dress, however, looks exactly like those bad kitties!

After playing a cat in my last show, I'm really glad to have some free time back. As much as I love doing children's theatre (and believe me, interacting with kids was a blessing during this emotionally trying time), I've learned that I don't do well when I don't have ample time to recharge. When I was younger, I wasn't working full-time and would do as many shows as possible in order to stay physically active and creative. But now that I work 40 hours a week at a job that's both demanding and creative, I need downtime to prevent burnout. Suffice it to say, although I enjoyed being a cat for a bit, I'm glad that now I can just wear dresses with cats on them instead. :)

While Jackie made this print into a dress for me, it can also be ordered as a skirt (in several different colors!). Just send her a message – she can make you almost anything! Although I wear skirts a lot more now, I do like a lot of the details of this design. It's made of 100% cotton and keeps its shape without the use of a voluminous petticoat. Personally, I wish the fabric were a bit softer to the touch, but it's not something I notice much when wearing it. Since it's a relatively new design, I made a couple of suggestions to Jackie about fit for the future, which she was gracious enough to implement. One thing to note: this fabric has no stretch whatsoever, so I'd strongly recommend making sure you have ample room to breathe. If in doubt, give yourself at least an extra 1/2 inch. I'll be debuting another design Jackie made for me very soon, and I can't wait to style it.

Outfit Details

Cat border print dress: c/o Vintage Inspired By Jackie

Cropped cardigan: available at Trashy Diva

Black flats: similar

PS: Have you entered my 4-year blogiversary/Valentine's giveaway yet?! I'm giving away an adorable prize package of sweet treats! Get all the details and enter here through Saturday!