My 30th Birthday Soiree

I turned 30 this week, and in celebration, I threw a Downton Abbey/Gosford Park-themed birthday party last weekend.  Nothing beats a group of friends who are amazing sports (everyone showed up in costume!) and many, many bottles of champagne.

A few photos from the party:

 2014 and my 30th are going to be a good year. I can feel it.

Mad for plaid.

This weekend, the sweetest guy in the world, Gino, had a plaid-themed birthday party. We all decked ourselves out in the plaidest of prints and headed to HoM for plaid and ping-pong. And beer. 

I realized that seek vintage has more than its share of plaid, too, so if you're in the market for adding some print to your wardrobe...

(Don't forget that everything at seek vintage is 20% off with the code HOLLYDAYS11!)

It's party time!

With the holidays comes an influx of parties--office Christmas parties, family gatherings, New Years Eve events--and seek vintage is newly stocked with some excellent party attire from days past.

Plus, from now until December 20, use the code "HOLLYDAYS11" for 20% your seek vintage order!

(Click the images to be taken straight to the item on Etsy.)

More items for winter and holidays will be added throughout the week!

Playing dress-up.

I am 27 years old, and I have a dress-up box. Maybe a future blog post will be dedicated to its contents. If you're curious, this is one of its items. I also occasionally like to put on my senior prom dress, just for kicks.  If you're someone who appreciates the joy of playing dress-up, then you might enjoy this gown I listed on seek vintage SOLD:

The tint of these photos isn't 100% accurate. The blue is actually lighter--almost a seafoam green. The skirt swishes when you walk, and the side zipper and hooks squeeeeeeeze your waist into its tiniest size. My dress up box is weeping that this isn't one of its contents, but I'm hoping this dress goes to a high school girl with a romantic heart--someone who has vintage sensibilities and wants to dance the night of her winter formal or prom away on the shoulder of a handsome gent with a side part and a dimpled smile.

Ahoy.

More often than not, I feel like I was born in the wrong era. I mean, I get a huge kick out of technology, but I really, really love diving into the past whenever possible. When I got invited to an "I'm on a Boat" party, my first thought was to go as some sort of all-American 1940s pin-up girl. Then I decided that most people would be going the red, white, and blue route, so I decided to finger-wave my hair and go for some sort of 1920s Russian sailorette, complete with Clara Bow lips and blinged-out shoulders.

I love a good theme party.

Jazz Age Party on Governor's Island

The 1920s might be my favorite era, so looking at the pictures The Sartorialist takes of the Jazz Age party on Governer's Island every year makes me nothing less than envious. Especially since I'd love to have a Gatsby summer. I have to go to this one year. I have to.

All images from The Sartorialist.

Living vicariously.

I think my life is pretty great--I might whine about little things here and there, but all in all, it's pretty fab. However, every time I read my favorite Swedish blogger Sandra's posts, I get a serious case of envy. 

Two of Sandra's friends got married, so photos are from the wedding reception and post-reception late night picnic. 

Just a typical Spring day in Stockholm...

I want to hang out with them and wear this dress:

with this headband (and that red lipstick):

My Friday, visually: