Picture Perfect: Gemini

Today I hit a modest milestone- I am now two years from the big FIVE-OH.  It's funny about living, and growing older: in your head you are the same, unchanging "ME," and feel like an eternally 25 year-old. I feel the same big eyed wonder-bumpkin I felt when I was in my twenties, only chubbier, saggier and more easily irritated by what the kids these days are calling music. 

Getting a Leg UP: Leggings from Simons

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post

Simons of Canada is a highly respected department store that's been around since the turn of the LAST century. Keeping it up to date, they offer style choices perfect for the here and now- contemporary fashions, current in trends, and realistic on your budget. You're not a fashion victim here. You are a happy shopper. Personally, I like how they seem to be catering to more than just the 20 something fashion crowd, especially when it comes to their offering of leggings .

Check these out. The galaxy print legging is one of the most popular legging prints of ALL TIME. Anywhere. What is it about an intergalactic graphic that feels nostalgic, futuristic and au currant, all at the same time? There are several "space odyssey" options, even in Simons' tightly curated collection of a mere 15 pairs of leggings.

Hot Wired

Two wonderfully quirky jewelry pieces of jewelry, handcrafted from wire. Made years apart, by different artists, both gifted to me. I treasure them. Strange how they both "match" each other, each a warm copper wire and a flower motif. The most recent was a gift from the delightful Val Sparkle, during our recent blogger meet-up on her last visit to Seattle. I had such a good time meeting Val, and like many of my blogger pals, we felt instantly at ease, as if we already knew each other.

I suppose we do.

Outfit Post: Into the Dark

Summer. 
You might be thinking ice cream pastels, sun-bleached ivories or chalky whites.  Summer's come hither,  with its leggy hours that dip well into a long evening. Summer calls into play a flirtatious 4 o'clock sun, dancing against the leafy shadows of the tall trees that line the streets you find yourself. You succumb to the charms of chiaroscuro. It's a good season.

With the bright summer sun, also comes your summer shade. Simple, dramatic, cuts-t0-the-chase dark clothing options that turn a bright summer, into a summer of cool. Midnight blacks carry the day. Clean lines + dirty minds. 

Is there such a thing as a good-girl Goth? This avant garde licorice hued sleeveless trapeze dress sets sail, broodingly over a pair of Gothic black printed leggings. Observe the pouty girl in her sky-tower sandals, black patented + studded, who is as prone to kicking out as much attitude as an arrogant rooster presiding over its high noon. 

Cockerel, I think you've met your match.

Now Wearing: 

• oversized shades
• vintage 1980s silk necklace (listing soon)
• black nylon sheath dress, BE
• vintage print sash, yard sale
• leggings c/o Romwe
• Fluevogs, consignment shop

Edit: I added the Chris Cornell video due to Ulla Marie's suggestion. She is never wrong.

Shiny Get Lucky

Get Lucky. I felt so lucky when I found this perfect pair of UNITED NUDE booties on the shoe racks at Value Village last summer. Costing a little less than a twenty-spot for a $200 pair of shoes. They are not only super stylish, their mid heel and supportive elastisized body are the most comfortable shoes I've ever walked in. Correction: STRUTTED IN.

Outfit Post: True Original

She's a true original
not some store bought rebel.

Whatever path she finds
its hers to take

THIS IS 40: Open Call

Calling all +40 women! I'm looking for a few brave, non-blogging souls who'd like to share themselves, and their style for the Citizen Rosebud 's series, "This is 40." I'm looking for women who embrace their originality and age and are comfortable in their own skin. If you are such a brave sister, please message me, I would LOVE to feature you. I want to show that there is a teeming world of diverse and strongly beautiful women. Bad-Assery doesn't stop at 40. It's just getting started.

You are not invisible. 
You are BEAUTIFUL. 

And this is, 40.


Please send all submissions + inquiries to: bella@thecitizenrosebud (dot) com 

Romwe, the people

Affordable Fun Leggings. Mass Produced. Sold Online.

So I'm now on my third pair of cute leggings by Romwe. Romwe is a fast fashion shop of sorts, so meh, it's an interesting way to try street style trends, but I can't vouch for the ethical/sustainable aspect of its manufacturing. I do like the varied and very cute prints available in their leggings. The leggings I ordered: all adorable. LOVE each and every print.

If they had consistent sizing, and a better grasp on quality control, this review would be a little more glowing in terms of product, but the down side is that a ONE SIZE legging came at way to big in the waist, as well as a Medium sized legging. Too big in the waist? Size Medium? I have a thick waist in proportion to my figure, so I can't help but wonder what the myriad of 20-something waif bloggers are going to do when they get their super cute leggings from Romwe and how these are going to stay on their tiny waspy waistlines.

Also, since the product is made and shipped from China, your order comes 2-3 weeks from the time you placed it. Which seems strangely snail-paced in our 21st Century blink-of-an-eye Amazon Primed overnight-24-7 global marketplace. I probably wouldn't be so cranky about how long it took to get my order, if the leggings had actually fit- but all were ill-fitting at the waist. Every single pair was too loose in the waist and I had to pull a SPANX panty over them to keep the waist to prevent the leggings from falling off me.

I do confess that the prints were a knock-out. I loved each and every one.

Black on White Abstract Tribal Print? Check.
Black Florals? Roger that.
White on Black Alchemy Print? Double Check.

The prices range start $29.99, and go up to $60-80 bucks. Most run in the neighborhood of $35,  which is an affordable option to try out interesting, bold prints. They are definitely cheaper than the $100+ Black Milk options, although, I'm going to squeeze out the old adage of  "one gets what one pays for."  Ahem. 

Check, check and DOUBLE CHECK. Floral leggings by ROMWE mingle with a double dose of gingham.

For now-
Romwe's got a FLASH SALE going on. From now until the 23rd.  Up to 80% OFF! 200+ styles! There's a limited supply, and no restocking once sold out, so get there first, and shop the best.  
Hurry up >> Romwe Outlet Falsh Sale!

Disclosure: I received product from Romwe for the purpose of this review. Also, I'm signed on as an affiliate, so any clicks on the above links may result in a commission sale that earns me a little bit of spending cash. 

20 on +40: Cameras + Coffee vs The Beret ROUND ONE

20 on + 40
Note:  To showcase the wide appeal of +40 bloggers that goes beyond their own age-group, I'm starting a new blog  feature, the 20 on +40. This feature will showcase 20 other friends in the community who pick their favorite +40 blogger, interview them, and write about it.  This is the second of the series.

Canadian beauty, +40 style blogger Melanie is an artist from Vancouver. Her personal style blog, A Bag and A Beret hit the ground running last year, and her voice, style and face made powerful impressions on anyone ever visiting her blog. Thoughtful, introspective explorations of style ala Cindy Sherman and Mel's artistic flourishes of dress hang seamlessly with her nearly model good looks. It's a powerhouse style impact: bold dressing on her lithe figure, and that unforgetting piercing blue stare. 

Decades apart, and across the Atlantic resides a certain Roz Jana, a 17 year old  fashion wunderkind, who already has been peeped at from around the world on a slew of street style blogs. This teenager  has written expertly on the subject of fashion for the likes of Oxfam, The Guardian and British Vogue.  Like Mel,  her leggy figure and gorgeous face could easily be confused for that of an off-duty model, but Rosalind's interests seem to lie elsewhere.  As good as she looks in front of the camera (you can see how good on her blog, Clothes, Cameras and Coffee) it seems apparent that Roz would rather be behind it, or at least behind a  good typewriter, clacking out in resounding Querty beat, her thoughts on fashion, feminism, and  taking a poetical turn at her arts + letters. Clearly, these two are kindred spirits.

So it came as little surprise, when I asked Roz to interview her favorite +40 blogger for this series, that Roz picked Mel in a heartbeat. What did surprise, however, was how they both wrestle with body image, artistic ambitions,  and their take on the fashion industry.

Eat My Arm Candy

No calories. Yet DELICIOUS. 
So go ahead and binge on some arm candy. 

Outfit Post: Go Ask Alice

I've received some wonderful gifts recently. One of the girls who run Atlas (the shop where I am selling a rack of my vintage) is a gorgeous, stylish creature named Crystal, and she paid me a high compliment when she described my style as "Sixties Meets the '90s." I mean I love mod, and I love the innovative styles of the 1960s, but my era of identity definitely comes from the grunge era. And I like things a little dirty. Pure sixties retro is often a bit too pristine for my taste, so I like to "dirty" up my vintage a bit. What I mean is that I like things cut up, frayed, and having a patina of age about it. I don't need my vintage to be in mint condition- I like a garment with a bit of history. Dog-eared and frayed at the edges, suits me.

Street Feet Product Review: Silver Linings

Rainbows, Summer Skies, and Kicking Studded Sandals All Call For Silver Linings.

 Spring and summer season means I go sockless whenever and where ever possible, whether it be pump kicking, sandal wearing or walking across town in my sneaks. I won't pretend my shoes smell like flowers, going sockless can sometimes mean your shoes can stink, and it's no rose bouquet. So, I am trying out a remedy, an easy to use shoe insert called "Silver Linings." The secret weapon? Anti-microbal silver-based technology. 

Guest Post: I Love My Lemonade Life

+40 Fashion Blogger, and #SHOPSECONDHANDFIRST advocate, Debbie is part of the Rosebud Community

Hi!  I'm Debbie and Bella invited me to guest post today about my Lemonade Life.  "What's a Lemonade Life?" you might ask.   In a nutshell, it's a belief  that even though life is sometimes sour, we can still sweeten it up by how we live.  I Love My Lemonade Life is actually my second blog.  My first blog was "Thrifty Girl Vintage", which I started in 2011. 

It was fun meeting other bloggers and learning how to blog.  But after a year or so, I decided to take a break and concentrate on my real life.  I lost thirty pounds, started exercising, and worked on my spiritual life.  But eventually I missed the blogging community and my friends there.  I missed having an online voice and I also missed having a creative outlet.  I realized I still wanted a personal style blog with a focus on thrifting, but I wanted to broaden my scope to include writing about how to live joyfully.  That's how "I Love My Lemonade Life" was born.  My blog's motto is "Life is often sweet, sometimes sour, but God is always good." 

Gingham Khan

Gingham Khan: The Plaid That's Gonna Take Over the World

If you're afraid - don't do it. If you're doing it - don't be afraid!” ―Genghis Khan

Just like Genghis Khan, Gingham Khan is taking over the world. I mean what feels more fresh + wholesome than a pile-up of prints including this classic summertime plaid? Or what could be more edgy and fashion forward than these very same vanquishing hordes of gingham checks? After all, this IS black, white, and checkered, peeps, which is  very, very-FASH-ISH circa this Spring 2013. Oh-so au currant,  and I, my friends, am wearing it.

Mother, Daughter, Karina Dresses

Mother and Daughter.

Recently my mom paid a visit to the Pacific Northwest. We've been having a blast together, hanging out, catching up, and me showing her my stomping grounds here in the Emerald City. As a Mother's Day gift, I gave her something she'd been admiring for quite a while, a dress from Karina Dresses. I even ordered us matching ones, so we could play dress up, something I remember having fun doing as a young child.

I've got a guest post over at the Karina Chronicles- featuring a series of Mother-Daughter portraits of me and my preciosa mamacita. And of course we couldn't resist wearing our lovely new frocks from Karina. You can see us in our full technicolor glory by clicking HERE.

Happy Mother's Day, my dears!

SECONDHAND FIRST: Mother/Daughter Edition

Two wonderfully stylish women on my blog roll, just so happen to be mother and daughter. They are the delightful Ariane and Izzy, both residing in Quebec, Canada.  Each could be the posterchild for wild, colorful street style.  Not only do they each have a personal style blog, Izzy and Ariane have recently collaborated to start a Montreal street style website. Collectively, Izzy and Ariane are avid thrift shoppers, which makes them the shoo-in selection for a Mother's Day weekend SHOP SECONDHAND FIRST showcase.  Meet mother, daughter, AND major style babes, Ariane of Style Sud'est, and Izzy of YeYe Style.

THE CITIZEN:  Ariane, how much influence does your daughter have on the way you dress now?

ARIANE: She inspires me all the time! I love how she mixes patterns and colors.

Plus Awesome. Two Generations of Style. One Happy Family.

THE CITIZEN: Izzy, how much influence did your mom have on your style? Were you embarrassed of your mom's dressing when you were growing up? How do you feel about her way of dress now?

IZZY: My mom influenced me at a very young age, I remember as a child my mom would take me to thrift stores, I remember it the most when I was in my early teens we would go to Salvation Army on Friday nights, with my grand-ma and try on all kinds of clothing. It was heaps of fun. I was never embarrassed by my mom's way of dress; she always wore something different. Nowadays, she wears a lot more vintage: she got that from me! I love the way she dresses now, it's fun and she doesn't take her self too seriously.

THE CITIZEN: Izzy is a fashion designer- did she show signs of this talent as a child?

ARIANE:  Izzy loved clothes at a very young age but it's probably Mom's fault, I used to buy a lot of clothes for her! I loved to dress her up in a different outfit every day, and Izzy started pattern mixing very early on. 

THE CITIZEN: You are both fashion bloggers, who started first and what triggered the blogging? 

ARIANE: Izzy was the first to blog. I started doing it because I thought it'd be great to show how what she wore or styled could be appropriate for women over 40.

THE CITIZEN: Give me three words to describe the other person's style.

Shoe Shine: Summer Kicks

Share YOUR stellar summer kicks!

I'm wearing a summer bright, white patent leather pair of Laura Ashley Mary Janes, similar to the flats I wore as a kid to Sabbath school. Turns out they are probably children's shoes, lol. My feet are pretty small. I loved wearing these to the Chihuly Garden and Glass exhibit at the Seattle Space Needle recently. I felt so fancy in these patent leather flats, and they were very comfortable for a day of family fun, art and culture! 

What are your favorite shoes for summer?

e-Shakti Dress Review: Nautical Ought-ical

eShakti is a dress brand that I'm aware of because other bloggers are writing about them. This is proof that fashion blogger buzz works, and I've long admired their vintage-inspired day dresses, available online.  Last year, I found a cache of eShaki dresses donated to my neighborhood Value Village thrift store, so I got to see them up close, I was impressed; they looked stylish and well made. After emailing them several times with no reply, they finally found me- it was perhaps the first Dear Ms. Blogger email I didn't immediately mark as spam and delete but hit reply. They wanted me to review a dress. And I badly wanted to, too.

Thank You

Bella Lemonade

Happy Friday, lovelies!

The above pictures have a theme in common, and not just that they were all taken on my iPhone. They showcase "ME" in my element. Literally, in my own front/backyard. I have taken my own adage to heart, and have chosen to "Bloom where I'm planted." I'm no longer waiting for the ideal location, the perfect photography studio (or even a mere decent one, lol) or the "right" circumstances, to live out the life of my dreams, but I am moving forward, proverbial balls to the wall, and just getting things done.

That's me, modeling a hat, a ring, a pair of shoes, all outside my own front door stoop, setting up shop and posting pictures taken under these less than ideal circumstances for my online shops. I'm determined to flourish being a creative and constructive spirit for my community! I would have rather have had some studio set up where pictures can be tastefully done, but I don't have the space in my tiny little house for that. And for the moment, I'm ok with that. I've things to do, and am making the best of my situation.

Which reminds me, I've got a guest post over at I Love My Lemonade Life. There, I share a simple life recipe for Making Lemonade. Do take a moment, and have a read. Let me know what you think in the comments.

And happy WEEKEND!

Shoe Shine is Next Wednesday!

Shoe Shine: Share the Kicks That Make YOU a Star.

 

Don't forget that one week from today is Shoe Shine! Every second Wednesday of the month, we are going to link up to your favorite shoes. You can link up the shoes that make you feel like a super star. Any url image link will do, so whether or not you're a blogger, anyone can join in! Next Wednesday, May 8th, link up your stellar shoes here, and leave us a comment. The post will be open for link ups until Friday- so you're never late to the party. Please join us!