Four + Twenty

Sactownies: Get Ready to LAUNCH!

 

If I were in Sacramento, I would clear my schedule and make room for this: LAUNCH Sacramento 2012 has arrived! LAUNCH is "an annual celebration of music, art, fashion, design and architecture" and is pretty much THEE best fashion/music/design event going on in Sacramento, HANDS DOWN.

Two years ago, my faith in Sac-town fashion was restored by attending LAUNCH. I met the AH-MAZING Pamela Tuohy of 2ETN, made some great connections and had a GLORIOUS time. For a walk down memory lane, click HERE. Last year I had the pleasure of having a pop-up shop there, and had a blast! This year, I can't attend('cause I now live in Seattle,) but if YOU are in the Sacramento area, I highly suggest you buy your tickets now!

Here's why I care about it- my home-grrl, the fabulously talented LINDSAY RICKMAN is one of the featured designers in Friday night's fashion show. I know she's been working hard and I know it's going to be a great collection. So if you're in Sacramento, are you getting ready to... LAUNCH?

And for those who don't live in the area, what's your favorite fashion/festival event going on in your neck of the woods?

For more information on this year's schedule of events, go to launchsacramento.com.

#LAUNCH2012 Downtown Sacramento July 28th w/ @Chromeo @Grouplove @DJshadow @Joyformidable & more from 5432launch on Vimeo.

CELEBRATE: Frock + Roll

Future Frockstars: Best Fashion Collage Ever (Collage Credit: Misfit Sarah, Misfits Vintage)

"It’s a new era in fashion- there are no rules. It’s all about the individual and personal style, wearing high-end, low-end, classic labels, + up-and-coming designers all together."— Alexander McQueen

I brazenly lifted this amazing collage from Misfits Vintage- to see her whole series (and trust me, it's worth the click!) please click HERE.  Those women you see above, are a posse of some bad-ass personal style bloggers, who happen to top the list of my daily reads. Everyone dresses different, but they possess the same love for dressing to express. Trends be damned, your party dress should be about the party, not the label on the dress. So celebrate style in your own fashion, to your own groove. Let's frock and roll!

The Frock-N-Rollers, in order of appearance:

Krista, Peetee's Palace
Helga, Helga Von Trollop
Sarah, Misfits Vintage
La Dama, Vintage Passiones Just Like Mine
Clare, Miss Simmonds Says
Vix, Vintage Vixen
Edie Pop, Homesick Blues
Curtise, The Secondhand Years
Bella Q, The Citizen Rosebud
Desiree, Pull Your Socks Up!

Blooming with Helga, the FINALE

So my Portland adventure has come to an end. In it, I got to follow a dream, which was to meet face to face someone I most admire, and make some wonderful new friends. I got to glimpse an awesome and culture city, and get a little clearer on what I get from blogging and relish some benefits of it. Thanks to some special sponsors, this adventure was made possible. Thanks to you, dear friends and readers, this adventure was made more enjoyable. I don't want it to end, and perhaps there's a part of me that fears that when I stop relating to you my meeting with Helga, the experience will end.

But it doesn't really have to. Does it?

Blooming with Helga, Part 2

Blooming with Helga, part 2: When Bloggers Meet

Last post, I left you on a cliffhanger- I recently made a pilgrimage to Portland, Oregon, to meet the vint-tastic fashion blogger from New Zealand, Helga of Helga Von Trollop. You probably know, Helga is one of my all-time favorite bloggers, and tops my list of The 6 +40 Bloggers I Can't Live Without. Well, inside the sexy walls of the Jupiter Hotel, I got to meet this lovely woman, and her cool-as-feck consort, G-Star, and we made plans to spend a day together, doing what fashion bloggers do best: meet, eat, shop, and blog.

The meet-up started in the lobby-

Blooming with Helga, Part 1

Recently I enjoyed a little adventure that took me to another town, and a bit out of my comfort zone. I hinted about it last week here on the blog, and for those of you who follow me on Twitter, I blurted it outright: "Holy Feck! I'm am off to meet the F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S @HelgaVonTrollop and I'm beside myself with excitement." 

A BIG, BIG thanks to these lovely sponsors, Karina Dresses and Tooth Soap for making this adventure possible. Without their support and the assistance of travel agent extraordinaire, Christy Jourdan of  The Vacationistas, I would NOT have had the opportunity to make this dream come true.

Blooming with Helga is brought to you by the bright smiles of all-natural Tooth Soap

Let me back up a little: several months ago, I got word from one of my all-time favorite bloggers that she was coming to the States, and would I want to meet her?  After a few false starts, I finally did, not in San Francisco as originally planned, but in Portland, Oregon. For those of you who are in a hurry, here is the short version-

The Short Version:

I recently traveled to Portland, Oregon, where I met the fabulous Helga Von Trollop and made some new friends.  My life will never be the same.

The following is part one of the Not-So-Short Version:

Outfit Post: My Huckleberry Friend

I've been eyeing this dress all summer. It was a limited edition run, so when my size sold out, I was disappointed but not all that surprised. It was a perfect dress. Classic, iconic and a bit quirky. In short, something that should be in my closet.  So what a wonderful little surprise when I get a note from Hilary over at Karina Dresses, that one singular dress IN MY SIZE was returned and available, and would I like it? YES, yes friend, I would.

CITIZEN LOVES: Over 50 Feeling 40

Pam Lutrell's Over 50 Feeling 40 was one of the first handful of blogs I found when I began my search for +40 bloggers back in late 2010. It was one of the first 25 posted, and one of of my early +40 blogger must reads every morning over coffee.

It seems fitting to feature Pam here at the Citizen Rosebud, because Pam has been a big supporter of other +40 fashion bloggers, as well as being a great example of what personal blogging can do. What started out as her personal journey towards re-discovering HER style has now grown into a blog that women from all over, of all ages can easily relate to.   And Pam wants you to feel good about yourself and your style. Very, very good. 

I feel very, very good about sharing my love of Pam and her blog with ya'lls.  I wanted to get to know Pam a bit better, and am sharing the following interview, so you can get to know Pam a bit better too.

THE CITIZEN: What's your name and your daytime gig?  

PAM LUTRELL: Well, in my life I have been known as Pamelita, Mickle Mackles, Skipper, and Simply Pamell, but for now, just Pam Lutrell!  I'm a high school journalism teacher and freelance writer.

THE CITIZEN: Your blog, Over 50 Feeling 40 shares your personal journey in re-discovering fashion/style and your dedication to having a healthy body. What triggered this renewed interest in style, and physical fitness? 

PAM LUTRELL:  I had a wake-up call when I turned fifty, from a driver’s license photo.  Basically, I had let myself go while raising three children; so over 50 feeling 40 represents a new attitude of having a great second half of life. I've been on this journey to improve myself and experience daily joy for the past 8 years.

THE CITIZEN:  Who inspires your fashion, and why? 

PAM LUTRELL:  Oh my...

+40 Blogroll: New For July

From what began as a quiet list of 25 bloggers posted back in February 2011, is now nearing a resounding 200 count. That would by month's end there will be over TWO HUNDRED bloggers in their forties, fifities, sixties and beyond,  blogging about personal style + fashion. 

Yup. You might feel invisible, but you are blogger, hear you roar. 

Whether you are re-discovering your own style, sharing your personal style or on a mission to help others with their style, you are in good company.  And for those who appreciate style for all ages, this list is a great start to explore the diverse spectrum of style.


Here's some of the newest additions to the +40 Blog Roll.


 This Month on the +40 Blog Roll:

• Bag and A Beret 
• Allways in Fashion 
  
• Bad Advice  
• Dividing Moments
• Femme et Fleur
• Girl Re-worked  
• Grit and Glamour <---Happy 40th, V!   
• Highly Irregular Style 
• In My 40's and a Thrifter Diva
• Mirabillis Fashions  
• Nora's Notebook 
• Seen in Sacramento 
• She Loves Outfits 
• Shoe Axis   
• Spelunkia
• The Fashionable Bureaucrat 
• The Lazy Mazei Files 
• The Online Stylist 
• Truly Becoming
• Tziporah Salmon    
  

If you know of someone who is over forty years of age and blogs about fashion/style, please let me know in the comments, and I'll add their blog to the list!

Speaking of +40 Style, I've recently been honored to be featured over at 40+ Style. I hope this ESSENTIAL +40 style blog is already on your blog roll! If you'd like to take a moment and check out my tips that I shared with Sylvia on how to dress in your own original style,  you can do so by clicking HERE.

This post is part of Visible Mondays.

 You can see other visible, and confident people over at Not Yet Dead Style.

Outfit Post: Aztec Polka Dot

What has two thumbs and is black and white + red all over? 

This girl right here.

You're observing my  last days as a red-head. By the time you read this, I will have returned to my regular role as a lovable brunette. The red is a bit too much maintenance for my taste, but I sure enjoyed the fire-engine tresses while I had 'em! 

I really like how my colored hair made every outfit look like a fashion statement. Case in point- this super casual T-shirt layered over my rayon polka dot romper/onesie. Big, baggy and comfy, the outfit gets a boost from the bright mop top. 

Celebrate

Happy Fourth of July to my fellow Yanks! I'm thinking of dressing up in head to toe gingham (in red white and blue, of course) and seeking out some fireworks and some BB-Q.
Beyond the national holiday, however, I'd like to take a moment and celebrate MY independence. I am creating a life where I can feel good about what I'm doing, and how I'm doing it. I celebrate Independence today-  to those who choose to run small independent businesses. I am committed to supporting small businesses, and the people who run them, who are, in my opinion, the foundation of the American Dream. I feel fortunate to live in a society where I can vote with my dollar and make my voice heard. I would like to raise my voice to join others to create a loud chorus that sings the culture of opportunity and sustainability. 

 

In your world, how will you celebrate your independence?

Pattern Play: 6 Simple Tips for Wearing Mixed Prints

If you're a regular reader of the Citizen, you're probably aware that I am a big fan of wearing mixed prints. Early blog attempts can be seen HERE, HERE and HERE. As you can see, there's a common thread in the way I pattern mix, a method to my madness so to speak, and I'm going to share it with you today. 

One of the easiest prints to mix, in my opinion, are floral patterns. You can do a fair share of mixing floral prints with pretty much everything from polka dots, stripes, leopard, and get this: FLORALS. It's so much fun! A small sampling of my past efforts can be seen HERE and HERE.

The "mastery" of mixing is probably in the eye of the beholder: consider the outfit that received the most compliments, was also the one that got me compared to a Christmas tree, and not in a good way. I did a clever twist up of floral on florals in a hard to match hue of pink/orange with creams and browns. I still think it was genius and not just because I was wearing my Iris Apfel inspired sunglasses. You can peek at the Christmas Tree Disaster/Nobel Prize Nominee for Pattern Mixing outfit HERE.

Pattern mixing may look complicated but anybody can wear mixed prints when you apply the following six simple tips.

Blooming, Madly

This July, here at the Citizen Rosebud, the theme is celebration. This month, I'd like us all to celebrate. Cheesy as it may sound to you, I like to focus on the  positive and be grateful for whatever I have, even if it's not much;  it's a way to keep focused and a means to keep your spirits up.  So get out your sparklers, put on your party dress + dancing shoes. Let's light up the sky and celebrate!

And speaking of grateful,  I'd like to take a moment to thank some good folks- the corporate sponsors. 

Please say hullo to my newest sponsors, Tooth Soap and Sunglasses Shop, and French Cuff Consignment.

One of the BEST consignment shops in Sacramento, California is run by a mother and daughter team, Corey De Roo and Darcie McNie- French Cuff Consignment. Their shop on J Street thrives in the heart of Midtown. It is bustling and full of great finds, and you'll be delighted to know that they also have an online shop, so even the non-Sactown natives can get a slice of great fashion + their friendly customer service. For the month of July, you can get 20% off your online purchase when you use this coupon code at check-out: ROSEBUD.

Tooth Soap is a line of all-natural, fluoride-free, whole food-based tooth and gum cleaner products, a total cleansing system formulated to truly clean your teeth, and aid in your health. Tooth Soap uses non-toxic, sustainably derived ingredients, and is a truly "GREEN" line of products.  Tooth Soap is also a woman run company, so there's quite a bit about Tooth Soap for me to grin about. And, I'm personally an enthusiastic user of its products. Take 30% off your Tooth Soap order when you use coupon code: CITIZEN. 

Sunglasses Shop is an U.K. based online store selling, you guessed it, sunglasses. From Prada, Mui-Mui, Chanel, Dior and other designer brands to classic shades like Ray Ban, Polaroid and Oakley. Sunglasses Shop pretty much sells every kind of sunglasses under the sun. Great selection, fast delivery and good prices make the Sunglasses Shop the place to go to buy your shades.   From July 2nd-July 16th, you can get 15% any sunglasses purchase with coupon code ROSEBUD15.

Karina Dresses. My very first corporate sponsor is still one of my biggest supporters. I'm proud to represent Karina Dresses as a "brand ambassador."   Manufacturing in the U.S.A. is not an easy feat in this economy but Karina is committed in doing just that.  Karina Dresses is also committed in sending out an empowering message to women: Feel comfortable in what you wear and in who you are. When you put on one of their easy-wear, easy care dresses, you'll feel an instant rapport with your Karina dress.  This July, take $30 off your purchase of any Karina dress online when you use the coupon code ROSC30.

Funkoma Vintage. Back from vacation, and back on the sidebar is Funkoma Vintage. Funkoma is a Seattle-based online purveyor of  vintage, furniture and hand-mades, sold on Etsy. You can check out all the fine wares over at funkomavintage.com.

OMHU.  OMHU is best known for its award-winning + stylish medical canes. Danish designer Rie Nørregaard teamed up with luxury marketing strategists Suzy Korb and Susan Towers to create their quality and elegant products for the differently abled.  I love the OMHU motto: "Life is imperfect + beautiful."

I've got some pretty great happenings to celebrate with you this month, and I hope we all have fun.  So, are YOU ready to bloom madly this month?

Putting a big grin on my face is the lovely sponsor: Tooth Soap

Thanks for reading and for all your support!          -Bella Q