Pretty in Pink

If you haven't yet been over to Tieka's blog, head on over and make sure to check out my guest post! I'm wearing all pink! I think that's probably a first in my entire life...

Also, this outfit is a Delightful Dozen outfit. See how Tieka and Mel wore this skirt at our Facebook page.

Shop Ruche Giveaway!

I hope you guys made it through the beginning of the week! It's Wednesday! We're halfway to the weekend! To help you guys make it to the weekend (and a holiday weekend for those of you in the U.S. of A!), I have a giveaway for y'all!

One of my lovely and long time sponsors, Ruche, is offering this gorgeous nautical woven bag to one lucky reader. I imagine this bag would be absolutely perfect for a weekend at the beach, filled with a beach towel, sunglasses, snacks, and some summer reading material.

To enter to win this bag, leave a comment on this post with the following:

- Tell me what you'd wear with this bag on your trip to the beach or summer weekend party!

- A way to get in contact with you.

The giveaway will be open from now until Monday, July 5 at 9 pm akst (10 pm pst). One entry per person. Open to international entries.

Morning is the place for dew

I think this is one of my favorite sets of photos so far. They make me feel like a woodland faerie. Yesterday started out as another one of those really beautiful, cloudy and drizzly mornings, and it stayed that way pretty much all day, but right when I got home all the clouds disappeared and the sun burst out of seemingly nowhere!

dress/modcloth (Lulu Letty via Delightful Dozen) :: skirt/target :: booties/kensiegirl

Perhaps I feel like a woodland faerie in these photos, but I'm fairly certain that a true faerie of the woods would have greater control over its tiny menaces. My legs are now a battlefield of mosquito bites. In my zeal to go traipsing about the woods, tripod and camera in tow, I neglected (as I always do..) to apply any sort of bug repellant. Apparently, feeling nasty and gross after a 10 hour day is not enough repellant for bugs.

This dress (which is worn as a top here), is from Maria of Lulu Letty! The Delightful Dozen is back in the swing of things. I mean, pretty much all of my recent posts have been DD related! It's nice to get back to swapping after a kind of lull the past couple months.

Oh, and if you haven't been over to Selective Potential yet today, check it out! I'm guest blogging for Tieka today since she's a bit down and out, recovering from getting her wisdom teeth pulled. I'm actually wearing a DD item in that post too! One of Tieka's skirts– appropriate, since it's her blog!

Stay tuned in the Delightfully Tacky world this week. I've got a great giveaway coming to you guys and other Brave- related things as well.

Full Metal Jacket

It was rainy all day yesterday, and very mellow. As much as I love sweltering sunny days in summer, I also love the rainy days. The smell is so refreshing and it kind of forces you to chill out and relax. The rain got me thinking about the trip and my clothing situation in regards to camping. More specifically, I started thinking about buying a coat. I know it probably seems silly to most people to be thinking about buying a coat in the middle of summer, but it's really not that crazy to want a coat at any time of year when you live in Alaska. I'm on a quest for a certain kind of jacket though. I don't want anything fancy, more utilitarian. And not too heavy, I can layer underneath it for cooler temperatures. Despite wanting a utilitarian coat, I don't want it to be just some fleece Northface jacket, I prefer it to have some measure of style.


1. Billabong Commander Jacket 2. Empyre Impulsive Jacket 3. Element Kodiak Jacket4. Empyre Valor Hooded Moto Jacket 5. ModCloth Checklist Jacket
Since I will be wearing this jacket to do actual work like hooking up when I get to camp, making fires, working on stuff, and all other sorts of unforseen outdoor activities, I want it to be relatively durable. Of the above options my favorites are the Kodiak Jacket from PacSun and the Empyre Valor Moto jacket from Zumiez. I went to both stores today and did not find either jackets in the stores, and I'm pretty hesitant to buy a jacket online, but I might figure out what their return policies are and just go for it. Although, both are sold out of my size... perhaps I'll just have to wait a little longer and see if they come back in stock.

I'm hopin' for Raleigh

I was so excited when Maria of Lulu Letty joined the Delightful Dozen. She has such great style and I couldn't wait to see what she put up for swap. I was so thrilled that she put up her Lulu Letty ModCloth dress! I remember seeing it on her when she was featured on ModCloth and I fell in love with the simple chambray dress. It actually reminds me a lot of the dress I styled up at the Revolve photo shoot, only way less expensive!

dress/lulu letty modcloth dress (via Delightful Dozen) :: boots/ minnetonka

belt/forever 12 :: scarf/courtesy of Rare Treasure

Secret time: I play guitar. I'm not that great at it, but I do the best I can. I don't really have enough time in the day to practice all the time. This guitar is actually my little brother's but he stopped playing guitar years ago, so I have "borrowed" it. Both of my guitars got left in Washington when I moved up here. I'm excited to grab them when I drive through Washinton on my trip. Hopefully I'll have more time to play, and maybe actually finish one of my own songs. I have a music myspace, but all the songs I've posted are covers. Nothing fancy, just recorded with my Mac and GarageBand.

A guitar is the best accessory, though. Anyone looks about 100 times cooler the instant they're holding a guitar. And boys become 100 times more attractive with a guitar, pretty much universally. Why is this? I am not sure. Maybe it has something to do with guitar players knowing what to do with their hands... haha! I think people who play music use their brains in a different way too. The visual mentality is pretty ingrained in me, and I try to make my brain think in a more musical way, but it's not natural for it to be like that. It's more of a second language than a first language. Consequently, I'm not very confident when it comes to my music. Hopefully with more practice I'll gain a little confidence.

back to black

I went out to Point Woronzof for these photos. I think that's another place I haven't been back to since going there with my ex-boyfriend from high school. I have no clue why we went to these places. I think we were just chilling out and going to random places like you do in high school. It's a neat place because it's right at the end of the runway of the Anchorage International Airport, so huge jets are taking off every few minutes right above your head. It's not really a place to explore in heels though, so next time I go I'm wearing flats for sure. I think I would wear heels more often if I weren't climbing around all the time. Flats make for better exploring shoes.

dress/Kensie (via Idee Geniale/Delightful Dozen) :: bag/thrifted+DIY :: booties/payless

bracelet/mom's hand-me-down :: necklace/courtesy of dolly & boy

When I was in LA, someone at the Revolve photoshoot asked me if my bag was Alexander Wang. I was so stoked because I had seen the Wang studded bag and knowing I'll never be able to afford it, I decided to just DIY the bag. So I went to a thrift store, got a leather bag and then proceeded to stud away! It's definitely one of my favorite bags.

Studs were kind of my inspiration piece for this outfit, but I couldn't find my studded bracelet! I went with a silver cuff instead. Probably a little classier. I haven't been feeling very creative in the outfit department lately. I'm not sure why that is, probably just one of those dang funks a person gets into for no apparent reason.

I liked this location because you can see Susitna right behind me. The legend of Susitna, or Sleeping Lady, is pretty interesting. The mountain literally looks like a lady lying down and sleeping. When I was really young, maybe 8 or 9, my Dad and I flew over to Susitna and landed on the top. It was really cool. I remember grabbing a pyrite rock, thinking that maybe it was gold. Haha. Fools gold indeed.

The Remix

Well, when I mentioned I was going to style up that shirt again with a red skirt, I didn't mean that I was going to do it the next day, but... I did. I like this top too much! I bought this skirt months ago... maybe even a year ago and have never worn it. I didn't like the fabric and how it fit, but with this ensemble I don't mind it. I'm glad I got to wear it finally.

This outfit kind of reminds me of something Joan Holloway, from Mad Men, would wear. Not to work, but maybe at home. Casual, but still with some hallmarks of Joan. Though, an outfit like this may be a later 60's outfit for her. Jane would definitely wear something like this, I think. She became the sort of neo-Joan, though is decidedly turning into a bit of a trainwreck. Gosh I'm excited for the new season of Mad Men. I tried to get my hair to do something Joan-esque, but I was so not into putting that much effort into my hair today.

Is everyone stoked it's Friday? I am. Time to catch up on a weeks worth of sleep!

skirt/thrifted :: top/from Idee Geniale via Delightful Dozen :: shoes/thrifted

Hello all! I have some sponsorship spots available for the month of July! If you're interested, check out my sponsorship info page or email me for more info/my rates at delightfully-tacky@hotmail.com.

Till we have faces

I'm so excited about Delightful Dozen swaps this summer! I'm trying to get all the swapping in that I can since it will be harder to participate when I'm on the road. Though, maybe I'll get to do swapping in person! I saw this top on Mel and swooned! Surprise for me, she snuck it in her most recent Dozen package! I'd forgotten how she wore it and ended up pairing it with a navy skirt just like her, haha. It's hard not to with the adorable little navy triangles! Maybe I'll quickly style it up again before sending it back and do a red skirt to match the red triangles....

I feel like I'm usually more clashy-clashy than matchy-matchy when it comes to my outfits, but sometimes my sails just catch a gust and I go with it.

top/idee geniale (via delightful dozen) :: skirt/thrifted :: shoes/keds (thrifted)

My mom said I looked like a vintage airline stewardess. I should try to find some wings to pin on! One time I wore this skirt and went all out with the vintage airline stewardess inspiration, this ensemble is decidedly less derivative. That photo makes me miss my long black hair. Sometimes I forget how much I really cut off back in December. One of these days I'll be ready to go back to black. Another girl who is tempting me to go black is this girl from Chictopia. Ugh, dark locks are calling my name!

Typical Alaska, a moose tried to join me on my photo shoot. Well, kind of. He was across the water from me, but I kept hearing him rustling around in the brush munching on branches, so I was keeping one eye on him while doing my photos. I'm well aware of how dangerous moose are (you have no idea...), but with the truck nearby I wasn't really concerned. Plus, there was a moat between us so we were just chilling out doing our own things.

On an unrelated note... Don't forget to use the promo code "dtacky15" to get 15% off your purchase at LA Vintage, valid till the end of June (limit one use per customer)!

Blogger of the Moment! The Tenth Edition...

I remember happening upon A Thought Is The Blossom last fall and I could tell it was going to become one of my favorite blogs. Starr takes such ethereal photos and I just wish I could jump through the computer screen to go join her on her amazing photo adventures. Not only does she have great photos, but she always has the most pleasant outfits. She wears vintage so naturally. She’s one of those people that just naturally exudes that vintage spirit. Lovely through and through. I hope we get to meet in real life some day. Perhaps I’ll get to see her in my Winnebago travels! Get to know Starr a little bit yourself...

Delightfully Tacky: What inspired you to start a blog?

Starr Crow: It all started with an unhealthy Myspace obsession with vintage clothing shops like Bittersweet Styles, Mousevox, Bleubird, Lullie, and Mama Stone. From their I discovered Sally Jane and Liebemarlene and immediately knew I had to get it on the mix. I was so enthralled by the creativity and inspiration that filled the pages of their blogs, and I was so encouraged to create my own fashion fairy tale.

DT: You seem to go on photo adventures all the time with your friends, where is your favorite place to take photos?

SC: I really can't name one place in particular, I just like areas that look like forests with lots of tall trees and scattered drops of light shooting down. The light has to be pretty dramatic, and the area has to be free of civilization. The only structures that can be in the background have to be abandoned! I'm a little OCD about not getting street signs or anything modern-looking in the photos too, but I like people to think I'm in the middle of nowhere. The locations aren't really as dreamy as they look though. They're usually surrounded by ugly buildings and new cars.

DT: What is it about vintage clothing that you love?

SC: The feeling of originality when I'm wearing it. I love that most vintage pieces are handmade and that no one else in the world has the same exact piece. I love the quality, the fabric, the prints, and the nostalgia that comes with wearing certain styles. I'm all about people and stories and characters, and I love getting to play into these faded lifestyles through clothing.

DT: Besides blogging, what are your hobbies? What do you love doing?

SC: Well, blogging does take up quite a bit of my time, but that's okay because it's kind of like a job and a hobby anyway! My favorite thing in the world is playing dress up. I love styling clothes and could stand in my closet for hours throwing outfits together and making sassy poses in front of the mirror. Then there's photography. I kind of happened upon this hobby after starting a blog, and I'm so happy I did because it's turned out to be one of the biggest loves of my life. I love going on photo adventures and creating little stories with my clothes and my camera. Other than that I love going to shows at this grungey little dive bar in town called White Water (think band guys with beards and plaid shirts and girls in all the latest trends), listening/dancing to vinyl with my boyfriend, and thrifting my little heart away.

DT: Do you go to school/have a job? If so what do you you study/do?

SC: Yes and yes. As far as a job, I survive mostly off of the sales from my Etsy shop, Action Is The Fruit. When I'm really desperate for money, I might pick up a shift at my old job waiting tables at a historic hotel in downtown Little Rock. It's nice to not have to work at the restaurant all the time, but it's also great to have that bit of financial security there if I need it. As for school, I'm finishing up my bachelor's degree at the University of Arkansas in Little Rock. If I hadn't changed my major 15 times I might have finished on time, but here I am still a couple years away from completion! Right now I'm studying journalism, public relations, and film, but ask me tomorrow and my answer might be different. Hopefully I'll stick with these three subjects and make it out of the MassComm department with a degree. My friend has asked me to help with a film she's writing for next years Little Rock Film Festival, so maybe I'll be able to work on a film soon (my dream)! There's also a possible opportunity (in the works) to write a weekly fashion article for a local newspaper, so hopefully the journalism degree will be able to help with that too! But, like I said, ask me what tomorrow and my answer will probably be tremendously different.

DT: What would you say your dream job would be?

SC: I would love to work on editorial type photoshoots either as the photographer or the stylist, and I would

also love to travel the world and experience different cultures. I'm really inspired by Sophia Coppola, Leith Clark, and Ellen Von Unwerth and would kill to have a job that allowed me to work with super feminine and romantic elements. I know that's a bit unrealistic which is why I try to create these type scenes on my own. I know my photoshoots are on a much smaller scale (and budget), but they allow me to live my dream job. Even if nothing else were to ever come along, I'd be perfectly happy doing what I'm doing now for the rest of my life! It really does make me happy.

DT: What is your favorite part about living in Arkansas?
SC: Well, I guess the thing I love most about is that Arkansas is the fact that it's home. It's where my family and my friends are, and therefore, it has a pretty tight hold on my heart. Other than that I love the people. People always talk about 'southern hospitality', but you can't really understand it until you leave the south. The people are really really nice here, and most of them are always willing to help a neighbor out. I love that I live in a rather small place (even though it is the capitol of our state), and I love that the creative field isn't a really saturated market. There's lots of great vintage, lots of rich history, and some really beautiful places to see. After all, we are 'the natural state'. Things I don't love: the fact that most every girl thinks she needs to be married by age 22 and have a baby by age 23. Also, I hate that we don't have an American Apparel, an H&M, a Zara, or an Urban Outfitters. We're left out of the fashion world! We just got a F21 a few years ago, and they're just now putting an Anthropologie in, but lord knows I can't afford those prices.

DT: Where do you find your daily inspiration?

SC: I find inspiration everywhere. It's the way the light hits my sheets in the early morning. It's the way my mind interprets the melody from my favorite song. It's the print that reminds me of a scene from my childhood. It's laughter. It's a familiar smell. It's a story. It really has no limitations! Then there's bloggers. Oh, bloggers! The reason for too much time spent on the internet. I like the world with bloggers though. Do you remember when magazines told us what to wear? I feel lucky to be a part of this generation. It's the beginning of a very cool future in fashion, and it's an absolute pleasure to be a part of.

DT: Has blogging helped you grow/change/learn about yourself? If so, how?

SC: OH YES, in ways you couldn't even imagine. Who was I a year ago? It's so rewarding to go back and read my first entry and to see how much I've grown since then. My photography has improved immensely, and I've developed a confidence that was no where to be found a few years ago. I used to be a very depressed person who was constantly bored and in need of entertainment, but now I can entertain myself for hours. I'm always happy, I'm more creative, and I'm full of ideas and projects. Blogging has introduced a new and wonderful life that I am so grateful for. I love who I am, and all the things I stand for (which I couldn't say before). I honestly feel like I'm living a fairy tale most of the time.

DT: If you could live/visit anywhere in the world, where would you go?

SC: I've never left the country, so you can only imagine how long my list of 'places to see' is, but I think if I had to choose one place it would be France. My art history class gave me a great appreciation for the history of that country, and ever since leaving that class I haven't been able to forget all those gorgeous Gothic churches. I've also always had a desire to visit Tonga in the Pacific Islands. After reading a long National Geographic article about the

culture of their country, I was determined to one day visit their land. My anthropology teacher studied amongst the Pollopese people in the Pacific Islands, and her stories only fueled my desire to one day visit such a simple and very-different-from-us place. It's quite fascinating to see people surviving without all the machines we use in our culture. The men fish and the women harvest tarot. Their material needs are limited, and they're relationships are deep. I think it would be a very enlightening experience.

DT: What do you see yourself doing in 5 years?

SC: That's always such a hard question to answer. If you would've asked me 5 years ago (when I was 19) what I'd be doing today, there's no way in hell I would've said this! My personality and desires are always changing, and my constant goal throughout the process is to remain happy. As long as I'm happy with what I'm doing I'll have no complaints. I like the direction my life is headed, and I'd be more than satisfied if this road keeps going. I'm no fool though, I know detours and speed bumps are bound to slow me down, but as long as I'm able maintain my life, my love, and my happiness, things will be okay.

See more of Starr at

her blog :: chictopia :: lookbook

Wind in the Willows

Though the wind has subsided for the past couple days, these photos are from the weekend when the atmosphere was decidedly less tranquil. Dealing with the wind was quite an ordeal! I tried two times to go out to Beluga Point to take pictures because it's just stunningly beautiful out there, but the wind was so strong it nearly blew me over. Only a couple pictures turned out from there. It's kind of a touristy spot too, so I kept being interrupted by lookie-loos. So here I am, back in my usual spot, with the usual suspects... plane, truck, dog.

dress/modcloth (from Tieka) :: shirt/jcrew (mom hand-me-down)

necklace/handmade :: shoes/thrifted

Yesterday was summer solstice and I started thinking that I wished I could've made something of that day. I wish I could've been outside for all 19 hours the sun was above the horizon and then languished in the twilight of the other 5 hours before the sun came up again. I wished I could've spent the entire day with a human being I loved, but alas. For now I am a lone wolf. Then I began hoping that maybe next solstice I could do something special. I don't even know where I'll be by then. Still RVing? I can't even begin to guess. Thinking back to last solstice, I'm not exactly sure where I was, but I know I was in the midst of being broken up with and leaving the city I called home for four years. It was the beginning of rough seas.

Years seem to go by so quickly. We are already halfway through 2010. How does time simultaneously seem to go by so quickly, and yet one year from now I know for a fact that I will look back and say, "If you had told me one year ago that I'd be here doing this, I wouldn't have believed you." I am hoping for good things while the earth makes its travels about the sun again. For some reason this seems more like the start of my year than January 1. I like the idea of being on a more celestial calendar. Who the hell is inspired in the dead of winter on January 1? All I want to do is eat left over Christmas cookies and sit around being warm and lazy inside. Summer solstice seems like a better time to start a new year. Thinking about what I'll be doing between now and then next time the sun is this high in the sky.