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Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Brick House

She's a Brick House. Oh so mighty, mighty.

I don't normally wear tiny little dresses and short coats- but when I tried on my new striped dress from StripedShirt.com, I felt so frisky, that I did it. This outfit is a triple strike of stripes: the dress, the cardi, and the scarf. I was so fired up from my stripe overload, it seemed natural to pair it with hot-house tomato red tights and my fierce fire-engine red IZOD fake leather biker jacket. 

I won't be coy: my curves were HANGING all over the place! But I felt ok about it. While I haven't dressed like this in YEARS, once I put together the outfit I wondered why I hadn't done so sooner. I didn't feel an ounce of frumpy, middle-aged or matronly. I feel flirty and mobile: so much so that I walked nearly 3 miles in this brick house of an outfit and was super comfortable wearing it.



Stripes are rock solid. Bam. Shake it down, now.
The only thing I'm still wrestling with, is that I prefer an overcoat that covers the most of me, so cute biker jackets just don't feel like they are there to do honest work- mostly they just look cute. This Brick House needs her uh, bricks covered, if you get my driftwood. Come spring, that'll be less of an issue. So I think this biker jacket thing might be something I play around more with in warmer weather.

Thanks to the lovely Clare who sent me detailed instructions on how-to (after wowing me with the STAUNCH-IEST photo-collage ever) and the expert tutorial on PicMonkey overlays by Frocktasia, I made my first collage-y like pics for this post. Brick on brick on brick on motherfuckin' brick- Bam. A Brick House. And lots of stripes. Deserving a pat on the back, and a Ta-dah moment, donchya think?

Built Like An Amazon
Now Wearing:
  • Prada Sunglasses c/o Sunglasses Shop
  • Scarf, Buffalo Exchange 
  • IZODsynthetic leather biker jacket, Goodwill
  • Grey Striped Cardi,Value Village
  • Striped Dress c/o StripedShirt.com
  • We Love Colors Tights, buy HERE
  • Boots, Labels Consignment

Linking up the luscious Lakota for Ta-dah Tuesday

38 comments:

Vix said...

Wow! What a visual treat you've given us today, Bella!
Love the brick house of an outfit effect and whaddaya mean "curves hanging all over the place"? You look amazing, the clashing stripes, the red leather, lady, you're a rock star! xxx

Suzanne said...

Fun collages!

Better to be a brick house than a pre fab condo I say any day : )

You look hot and not as in "I've got one messy hot flash burning me up from the inside" hot.

Rather the " You're going to be so messed up when I get through with you" hot.

Stripes with stripes. They will call this look the "escapee tuxedo" LOL

bisous
Suzanne : )

Penny-Rose said...

This outfit is great - stripes look great on you. I can not see any hanging out curves, all I can see is awesome. Picmonkey is great - looks like you have mastered the overlay - yay.

Anonymous said...

I like the look of the red jacket with that dress. It nips you in at the waist and helps define it. The dress is terrific and you rock horizontal stripes far better than I ever could ;-)

Spashionista ( Alicia)

Patti said...

Oh yes! to the fabulous red jacket! And the collage too. And the Commodores, now I have a song for the day : >

prophecyfire/ D. gansmann said...

love your site and what your doing with this here

The Cranky said...

Great photo effects and RAWR to the outfit! What a sizzling combination of fun elements and you look fantastic.

Sara Kristiina said...

Gosh I love that jacket!

Unknown said...

bada-bing! loving this post! and i think you should wear minis all the time! for serious! the tights make it super safe at any age i think! xoxo

Gracey the Giant said...

You look wonderful in this outfit! I too like my bricks covered, but I think it's good to step out of our comfort zone sometimes. Especially when stepping out looks this fab!

Unknown said...

Got a big soft spot for booth stripes and roses so i just love it! The collage was great!

Closet Coach said...

You are WERQ-ing it! Don't be afraid-a no bricks.

Anonymous said...

If it is possible for a red rose to grow from a brick wall it would be you Bella! I think you are gorgeous, honest, creative, and strong. Hey, that's all the things bricks contain. ;)

Unknown said...

HOT,HOT,HOT!
hugs
reva

Highland Fashionista said...

this looks amazing on you. I may have to try to re-create something like this........thanks for the inspiration. Imitation is indeed the highest form of flattery....

Unknown said...

woo woo woo that background is awesome and the dress is gorg.
amanda
http://thingstoholdandstir.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

Definitely creeping more to the covered bricks myself, these days, but man, I always feel weirdly happy and carefree when I stop being self-conscious, and just wear what I want.

You look fantastic in this, and I'm glad it put a spring in your step!

Becky said...

Niceeeee!!

Krista said...

She's a brick house! Love this photo trickery! I also adore your outfit!

Pam @ over50feeling40 said...

Love it with the red coat and scarf!! Very creative post!

Tilda E. said...

Stripe-zilla! Tearin' up the town!
Love the "brick house" photo :)

Meghan Edge said...

You look fierce!! :-) Love it.

Amber of Butane Anvil said...

Yowza, Bella! You look amazing!!! Fierce as ever. I love that second photo, so right on! My favourite is how the feeling-good-wearing-it shines through.

Idee Fixe said...

LOVE the outfit & yes you look amazing! Black & white stripes are one of my favs, very Tim Burton! XXX

Anonymous said...

Shake it down shake it down shake it down now

You look fabulous! Matronly ain't gonna work for our generation. We can dress however we want, and be cougars!

Señora Allnut said...

wouuu, loooove all that stripes and red!! you look so gorgeous and cool! and so fabulous layering and cute red jacket (although it would be more sensible to wear a long coat!)
And i'm enjoying all that pics, music and wonderful words!
besos

Unknown said...

I love the way you did these pictures, so cool! That striped dress does look amazing on you. Love all the stripes. Very frisky!

The Dainty Dolls House said...

I think you look gorgeous, love me some stripes any day :)) x

Anonymous said...

"She's a brick a-house. She's mighty mighty, just lettin' all hang out!"

Love the outfit!! and the photoeffects are really cool!!

Kaffesoester said...

Awesome pictures Bella! It's like in the photo magazines - only better, because you're the model!

The outfit is great, I love stripes with stripes. Red is definitely one of your best colours, so stripes with red means gorgeous, sexy and super cool!

Lakota [Faith Hope and Charity Shopping] said...

I love this! You look hot (and thin also. Been working out?). Much as I hate to say it, I agree on the leather jacket thing, at least when it's this bloody cold. Nearly froze my butt off earlier in my cute little leather. Tomorrow I'm breaking out the thermals and fun furs!
x

GeeGee said...

Stylish set! Brickwall is one of my favourite background.

Anonymous said...

Bam, so Bam! And can I thank you again for introducing me to PicMonkey. I love it so. You have gone Royale+++++++ with this.
x Laura

Miss Simmonds Says said...

No hanging curves, they all seem perfectly placed in that divine dress. Love the photo editing!! It looks great! Your stripe riot is amazing! Wear more stripe riot outfits! Zxx

The Style Crone said...

Amazing! You knocked me out with your visuals. Love the stripes with red!

I remember dancing to "Brick House' like it was yesterday.

BonBon Rose Girls Kristin said...

That dress is SO up my alley!

The Goodwill Fangirl said...

Bella, I would KILL for curves like yours. You look fantastic in this dress, and I'm dying to go home and miss 'round with PicMonkey now :)

Crystal Hammon, ABC, MLS said...

Artful, as usual! That look is a killer on you. I long to wear horizontal stripes. You have NO idea how bad they are on my pear shape ;-(