I Once Was Blind

Ext. Fortwood District - Evening
The sun dripped out of the sky that evening the way honey pours from a mason jar, covering her in it's sweetness. Towards it she walked, squinting as the world began to blur around her. Against the light she saw it, his shadow, just like she knew she would. Blindly, desperately, she continues, calling out with a fragile scream. "Stay this time." she offers, only to be answered by the lonesome blues of twilight and the piercing sound of silence.

Hellooooo my dear humans! I'm fresh in from playing in the sunset to bring you these hopefully not too overly edited photos. I have no self control when it comes to the "grain" slider, I confess. Despite all of that, you should still be able to tell that I am wearing what is pretty much the most perfect summer top ever. It's yellow, it's gingham, it's worn sans bra...need I say more? 

So, you have full permission to laugh at me for what I'm about to say, but I learnt this week about an insanely cool app that I'm pumped to have just downloaded called Wattpad. They are not sponsoring me to say that, I am just genuinely getting good vibes from the thing. Basically, it's an app for reading and writing stories, which is definitely something I enjoy doing. This leads me to my next point, which is that I really want to try my hand at it (literally) and write a full story for it. What I'm thinking is that I will choose one of the style stories that I have already done, and sort of expand it into a full text, but the question is...WHICH ONE?!?!?!?!?!!!?!?!?!?!?!!!!?! I'm biased and attached, and am having a hard time deciding. So, if any of you have a favorite, or can think of one that you would like to see expanded on, then please do let me know! As always, you can comment below, you can tweet me @desfleurae,  or slide into my Insta DM's @tennesseeroseblog. Hit me up!

Credits:

Top: Vintage

Shorts: H&M

Shoes: Target

End of July Playlist

Int. Her Heart and Soul - Day
And she continued to bloom.

Considering it's 1 AM right now, I'm not sure if I should greet you with good night or good morning. I can't possibly say good morning if I haven't slept yet, right? Either way, I would suggest that it's a good time for some music, which is what has led to the making of a brand new playlist. Maybe because it's late or maybe because I just like it, this one is comprised of a lot more dreamy pop type songs than my last. Please, feel free to have a listen while I return to my So You Want To Learn French YouTube lesson, because what else would I be doing at this time of night...er...morning?

Sweetheart

Ext. Julie Darling Donuts - Day
Dressed head to toe in candy colors she lingered around her favorite donut shop smelling the sugary cakes as they baked and eventually giving into one. Though the sidewalk reflected the sun's heat on the pavement all she could feel were the world's cold arms around her. She met her own eyes in the window with a look full of confusion and pain wondering if anyone else was able to see her broken heart. Crossing her arms against her chest she sighs and thinks how true it is that the ugliest things can happen in even the prettiest of places.

This past week, I watched as the heart of my city broke. Tragedy came as it almost always does, unexpectedly, leaving 5 dead, an entire country confused, and Chattanooga to pick up the pieces of someone else's anger and pain. I am not naive enough to think that violence is an unusual occurrence, but I will admit that it feels different when it happens only five minutes from you, in places you pass everyday, and by a face you recognize from a college class several years ago. Bravely though, this city has met it's affliction with a great deal of strength. While, we are mourning, we are also coming together. And while love is a rare thing to find in the world today, I'm happy to say that I can see traces of it here.

Sorry to bring so many of the feels over here guys, but I really felt like that incident, a defining moment of the past few days, had to be addressed. Have to say though, that this was perfect timing to accidentally wear a patriotic outfit. And really, when is it not perfect timing for a donut? 

Credits:

Dress: Vintage - The Clothing Warehouse

Shoes: Forever 21

Outfit Video: Californication

As maybe you've noticed, it's been a minute since I uploaded a new YouTube video. However, I'm super determined to really pimp out every area of my social media/blog, so I dug up some videos that I had taken of THIS outfit a couple of months ago and turned them into a miniature style film. I'm certainly not the best at this yet, but you gotta start somewhere, right?  

Also, I gotta ask, who else out there has had "Honeymoon" on repeat since Lana dropped it yesterday?! If you find something you love, play it 'till you hate it - that's what I always say. Funny thing is, I'll probably never tire of her sultry ghostly vocals.

Run

Ext. Forest Path - Day
It had happened again. Without her even realizing it, or  even really knowing what it was, something unlocked the box in her mind that held pieces of her past and heart alike. For a second, she were back in that very moment feeling her blood rush excitedly through her veins, only to rip herself back out of it grasping for reality and choking on the pain in her chest. Turning to run from whatever may have triggered this she thought how it's the beautiful memories that are often the most haunting.

Hello, hello! Notice anything different? I finally took the plunge and chopped a couple of inches off my hair. I know, I know, you're all gasping in unison and wondering what have I become?! Well, I'm not sure, but I think I kind of like it. Though, I do wish I had my hairstylist with me everyday to fix it up as bomb as she did when I first got it cut...yet again I am reminded that I am not Beyonce. Also, I have to say that I'm pretty excited about getting some light leaks to naturally show up in these pictures. I'm serious ya'll, #nofilter. Even at 22 I'm still a bit of a Pollyanna, and get really excited about rainbow reflections. 

P.s. I fully apologize for my week long absence! I got kind of overwhelmed with work this week and never had time to edit any of my pictures and when I tried I kept falling asleep and blah, blah, blah, I promise it won't happen again, or at least definitely not regularly!

Credits:

Shirt, Shorts, and Shoes: Forever 21

Hat: Missguided

Pearls: Vintage

Tips For Vintage Shopping

Int. The Closet - Day
She liked to think of her closet as more of a time capsule. Pieces of lives that she hadn't lived hung on the rack in a variety of colors. Spinning around the room she threw open the doors to the possibilities of who she could be that day.

Oh, how I would love to wake up each morning to a big closet full of pinks, yellows, blues, plenty of old, and just enough new. A collection of endless stories at my my fingertips, and I rummage through to find the perfect one making a mess of colors on my floor and doing pirouettes in front a large gold mirror. I imagine getting dressed is probably something like that for Taylor Swift. For the rest of us, building our dream closet will more than likely be a life long process. If you're anything like me, you're aiming for the perfect combination of vintage and modern, so that you look timeless, but not out of date. While there's no real rules to vintage shopping, or  figuring out what pieces are good or bad, I thought I'd share a few of the things that I look for when I've got an Etsy wish list on the rise and some dead presidents in my pocket...err Paypal account.

1. Investigate - Just because you're buying a vintage item doesn't mean that you want it to show all of the years it's seen. Stains, tears, unravelling seams? I say pass. With that said, there are plenty of good vintage items out there that are made a 10 with just a hem or sleeve adjustment, and if that's all the item needs then I give it a thumbs up. Just keep in mind that you shouldn't buy anything that you know you don't have time/won't ever get around to fixing. I recently passed up a pretty little pink lace trimmed dress from the 60's that I had my heart on until I realized that the zipper constantly got stuck and would need to be replaced. Yes, that's an easy task to fix, but I knew I wouldn't have time to do it soon, so I left for the next seamstress looking for a project.

2. Integrate - If you're like me, when you first walk into a vintage/thrift store you become equal parts excited about what you might find and dreading all of the junk you are going to have to search through. Try and remember that what you're looking for are pieces that will fit in rather seamlessly with the clothes that you already own. You want to actually be able to wear the vintage pieces you purchase without thinking they look dingy, old, or costumey. Try the vintage top on you're considering with your jeans and the vintage dress against your modern shoes. If they can't get along, then tell 'em so long. (p.s. I am not saying you can't create a beautiful head to toe vintage outfit, just giving a little general guidance.)

3. Instigate - Chances are you aren't going to just happen upon those vintage gems. If that's how it worked then I'd have so much I'd be working out in vintage Chanel and sleeping in all my 60's minis. Unfortunately, tracking down these "oh my gosh I can't believing I'm holding this in my unworthy hands!" items is ALOT of hard work. That usually means many trips to the thrift/vintage store searching through the racks and often leaving empty handed, or playing mind games with yourself trying to figure out all of the different ways you can search for one thing on Ebay. Like they always say though, persistence pays off and eventually you'll find something that makes it all worth it. Since Chattanooga doesn't have many reliable stores I often have to turn to Nashville, Atlanta, and mostly online. Usually, I just get on Ebay or Etsy and trying searching for terms connected to an item I might be interested in. Also, ShopWhurl is a new app which has made vintage shopping super fun and incredibly easy! As for my favorite online stores, I usually look to Grey Dog Boutique (especially their Instagram), The Fancy Treehouse, and The Loved One (though they are currently taking a break).

Hope this helps! If you know of any bomb vintage stores, or have any other tips you think I should know about, please feel free to send them my way. As always, you can use the comment box below or hit me up on Instagram (@tennesseeroseblog), Twitter (@desfleurae), or even tumblr (sweettennesseerose.tumblr.com).

The Long Way Home

Ext. House 320 - Day
The sky clears and steam rises off of the pavement as she shuts her umbrella and decides it's a good time to take the long way home.

Ever since I opened the box containing these fitted denim overalls I've practically been searching for opportunities to wear them. This even includes deciding on a grocery shopping trip to Wal-Mart, which is easily the most avoided task on my to-do list. (You would be amazed at how long I can stretch out cereal, fruit, and leftovers). So, yeah I've basically become your little sister that wants to only wear her Elsa shirt everyday. In all seriousness though when after probably two years of searching, you find a pair of overalls that are the perfect wash, aren't baggy, and that have a high waisted fit, then the struggle to not wear them for the rest of your life is what's real. Another good side effect is the fact that these babies are pretty prone to make other people want to compliment them on you too. Having a bad day? Wear the overalls. I've also been asked about three times where I was going in my dance outfit. It's a question I'm not sure how to answer except with like "oh, Wal-Mart" since that's where I was going, but I do love the idea that they think I look like I could break out in a tap dance at anytime, because you know, I definitely could/would.

Hope everyone has a happy 4th of July!

Credits:
Shirt: Vintage
Overalls, Bow Tie, Shoes: Asos
Umbrella: Target