Fall Link Lookbook

Hello my dears!  I had to take a bit of a blogging hiatus, due to a time consuming project, but I am officially back and ready for fall!  The air has been crisp in the mornings lately and it was the nudge I needed to get excited for fall fashion, Halloween costumes, and pumpkins.  In celebration of all things fall, I thought I'd share some of my favorite links to my current inspirations/wants.

The Baroque look.  
Imagine you've stepped out of a painting.

Top Shop's take on Baroque.

Baroque boots.

Bright colors to match the turning leaves.
Red cords from Madewell.

What could be cozier than a cardigan?
This cardigan has a fun twist with its rabbit pattern.

Sometimes trousers are tres boring. I love this unique twist on an old staple!
Trousers with a flouncy ruffle.

Tops:
 Peter pan collar AND a peplum!

Looking forward to trying this new do--perfect for keeping your hair out of your scarf's way.
 Side twist chignon.

The perfect ballet flats to go with everything.
Michael Kors Fulton Flat in "gunmetal."

Skirts and dresses!
A whimsical skirt for frolicking in the leaves.

Green Ruffles

Gold glamor.

Tights.
 I want to wear my heart on my knees.

And last, but not least, Halloween costume inspiration!
I'm thinking of channeling Lady Mary from Downton Abbey.


What are you excited about wearing this fall???  Have you put together your Halloween costume yet?

I hope everyone had a gorgeous weekend!

-Annie <3

French New Wave

I adore channeling the piled high hair and 60's cat eye makeup of French New Wave star, Anna Karina, along with the playfulness of modern French actress, Audrey Tautou.  Friday evening brought gorgeous weather to my corner of the world, so I couldn't wait to play in the park and pretend to traipse through a Godard film or Amelie.  There's something effortlessly carefree and chic about certain French film screen icons.  These women don't seem to be weighed down with glossed perfection--they're too busy embracing their best assets and having fun! I completely agree with the post about American versus French style on the HIP Paris blog here.  There's more to life than perfect curls and matching accessories!

Top: Anthropologie.  Jeans: Madewell.

Do you have favorite screen icons you love to channel?  Tell me your inspirations!

For more Adventures in Wonderland, follow me on Twitter and Pinterest!

Beautiful Chaos

Summer took its last official breath in the United States and even though it still feels like summer outside, everyone will be taking inventory of their scarf collection very soon.  I'm slowly coming around to the idea of autumn leaves and pumpkin patches, but I'd rather think about my pretty weekend just a tiny bit longer.  Cherry flavored Italian ice, hot sunshine, late summer blooms, and books are some of the lovely things that occupied my time.  I attended a festival that was specifically invented for people like me because it was entirely dedicated to books.  I had a chance to see Erin Morgenstern (author of The Night Circus) up close and personal, as well as the authors of the Caster Chronicles series, Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.  I bought their newest book, Beautiful Chaos and can't wait to get started.  The series is sort of Harry Potter meets a Southern Gothic atmosphere.

There are few outfits more comfortable to wear on a hot day of perusing books and listening to authors than a long strapless dress.  I love this one in particular, because the colors are just dark enough that I can fool myself into believing I'm dressed for autumn.  Secretly, though, I'm always reminded of more tropical environments because the dress happens to be a lucky find from the "BouTiki" inside Disney World's Polynesian Resort.  There's plenty of magic in this dress between the Disney connection and the Polynesian vibe, which simply adds to the magical feeling I have whenever I'm surrounded by books.

Dress: Disney's Polynesian Resort BouTiki.  Sandals: Nordstrom.

What did you do this weekend, my dears?  I hope it was filled with your favorite things!

PS: I'm slowly integrating social media into my blog.  For sartorial snippets and whimsical musings, you can follow me on Twitter and Pinterest.

-Annie <3

Insta-Adventures: Indianapolis Travel Diary

What could be more alluring than stepping into an airport?  With a passport in hand and enough money in your pocket, you could find yourself transported anywhere in the world within hours.  The stress of the airport often overwhelms me.  But as I rode the train to my gate last Friday, I was struck with wanderlust by the magic of it all.  Although I would have loved it if I could have hopped a plane to my favorite city (London), this trip brought me somewhere very dear to my heart: Indianapolis, Indiana.  Home to the Indy 500 and some of the best friends a girl could ask for.

Contrary to popular opinion, the Midwest has a lot to offer.  Indianapolis is quiet compared to other cities I've lived in (shout out to the constant squeaking of BMW horns in Los Angeles), but it has plenty of elegance and charm.  While I was in town, I stopped by the Indy Fringe Festival, so I had an opportunity to catch a fantastic one-man re-imagining of Peter Pan called I Am Peter Pan.  I wasn't sure what to expect with one actor playing multiple characters, but I walked out of the theater completely impressed.  I've always been enamored by the Peter Pan character and story.  There's something beautiful and tragic about choosing to never grow up.  The creators explored the complexity of this theme all too well--bringing to life the wonderment of childhood and the sadness that often weighs upon our minds and pushes us into "adulthood."  If the company's other shows are anything like the one I saw, I definitely recommend checking them out.  You can find out more about them here: No Exit Performance.

One of my best friends works for the Indiana Repretory Theatre (pictured below), so I can't wait to visit again during their season for a show, as well! 

Another highlight of my trip (that I sadly couldn't take photos of) was a traveling exhibit at the Indianapolis Museum of Art.  It's called Snapshot: Painters and Photography Bonnard to Vuillard.  You can find out more about it here and it's well worth the admission price if it comes to your city.  The exhibit showcases early experiments in photography by painters and the influence/connection between their photographs and paintings.  Most of these early photographs were absolutely breathtaking.  I dare all of us to come up with anything half as pretty with our digital cameras.

For anyone interested in gluten free (or anyone who has to eat gluten free like I do), there were several fantastic options in Indianapolis from Pei Wei, to Cafe Patachou, to Scotty's Brewhouse.  I stopped by Scotty's as soon as I left the airport and it was difficult not to devour the smothered bar-b-q bacon chicken and yukon gold garlic mashed potatoes in five seconds flat.  American pub food at its finest! 

The rest of the long weekend was lovely.  Meandering walks along Mass Ave., stopping for delicious yogurt coffee, sleeping in, brunches at noon, dancing all night in a living room full of my favorite ladies, Nora Ephron movies, long chats about art and life, adventuring through a cemetery and an abandoned insane asylum (more about this Gothic adventure will be coming soon), and enjoying the prettiest sunshine I could have asked for on my Indiana vacation.

Who says you have to travel somewhere exotic for the perfect vacation?  What are some of your favorite lesser-known destinations?

I hope everyone is enjoying the last official week of summer!

-Annie <3