Fall Dapper Day 2019

Fall Dapper Day this year arrived bright and beautiful and.... chilly! Usually Dapper Day is quite warm in Florida (as it's very warm for much of the year here). It was actually so chilly that I almost changed my outfit since I actually planned an appropriately for warm summer weather. But I just packed some layers to add on as it got chilly in the evening and it all worked out great.

Dapper Day was back in Hollywood Studios this year after a few year hiatus while the park got a major overhaul. Now that Toy Story Land and Galaxy's Edge are open, the event made it back to our favorite retro park. And all of the Christmas decor was up so it was extra magical this year.

I had the pleasure of hanging with Paola, Anna and Martin. There wasn't a big meet up like I attended for Spring Dapper Day but I've been to enough events to run into people I know. And everyone is always so friendly that all you need to do is go up, introduce yourself and gush about everyone's outfits. Even a confirmed introvert like me ends up meeting new people every year.

My outfit is a darling shirt dress that I found at a local shop while hanging with my friend Kate just a few weeks before Dapper Day. It's a super cute 1950s style dress. It looks and feels really authentic but there are a few details that make me think it's a (later) homemade reproduction from a vintage pattern. The fabric, print and cut of the dress are so authentic that I don't care if it's 100% vintage.

The atomic print and cute sleeve ties jumped right out at me when I saw it in the boutique. I often have hard time finding dresses off the rack that fit but this one fit me so well that I just had to have it. It's made from a light weight cotton and is so easy and comfy. Many people go over the top fabulous for Dapper Day but comfort is must for me since I've had all day at the parks.

Dapper Day is so much funner with friends. People watching solo is nice but I love sharing the day with friends. We had so many laughs and oohing and awwing over how fabulous everyone looks. Girls just want to look amazing and tell other girls (and guys) how great they look. I love events like Dapper Day where we can all celebrate how great we all are without having to feel like someone is a winner and someone is a loser.

I love Hollywood Studios at Christmas time! It's so beautiful and magically retro. There is so much Christmas decor all over the park. They also have some great Christmas shows that I highly recommend. It got chilly and I didn't end up staying to see the shows on Dapper Day but I went back this past week to watch them.

Another great Hollywood Studios holiday offering is a holiday version of the Frozen Sing Along show. I saw an absolutely amazing performance of this show on Dapper Day. Live theater is so amazing and I love that Disney provides such amazing live performances for many people who may not have the opportunity to see live shows in their every day life. The Frozen show, in particular, has such rewatch-ability even without the extra holiday additions.

 I had such a great Dapper Day this year! I couldn't end this post without giving a shout out to the wonderful Erick from Erick Paul Photography who took all of these lovely photos. Thanks so much for capturing this wonderful day!

Dapper Day Spring 2019

Dapper Day is one of my favorite Disney days each year! It's a sort of fashion flash mob where people dress up to go to Disney like they did when Disneyland first opened. Many people dress in a vintage style but all dapper looks are welcome!

This year, spring Dapper Day was forecast to be in the upper 80s so comfort was key in picking out my Dapper Day outfit. Usually, I stick to cotton or linen for these super hot days but this year I had an ace up my sleeve.

Just before Dapper Day, Crowned Athletics released their newest princess running top inspired by my favorite princess Belle. I had some yellow cotton sateen in my stash set aside for a yellow circle skirt so I whipped on up last minute to wear with the yellow Belle top. So, tada!

I absolutely adore this top! It's so beautiful and I love the lace detail in the back. It's so perfect for Belle. And it was so comfortable. I think this is the most comfortable Dapper Day I've ever had. It's usually hot in Florida!

My friend Melissa came out with me. She wore a really pretty pink vintage repro dress. We didn't plan our outfits together at all but they look really nice together. And her hair turned out so cute!

We had loads of fun checking out the Flower and Garden Festival and eating tasty things. Epcot definitely has the best food options so I'm glad we ended up going to the Epcot Day. Overall, it was a really amazing day. Dapper Day is an awesome time for people watching and we saw so many great outfits and bounds this year!

I can't wait for next Dapper Day!

Further, Higher, Faster

Growing up, I was never into comic books and the only super hero cartoon I watched was Sailor Moon but have have enjoyed all of the Marvel films that have grown into the MCU. One thing that has been lacking from this great movie universe was strong women. We have Black Widow who is awesome but she still hasn't gotten her own film and, to be honest, the sexy, undercover assassin stereotype always seemed to fit more of what a guy would want out of a female superhero that what I would like. Black Panther gave us so many great strong women, and all women of color! We got the warrior, the social justice champion, the genius and the wise queen all in one film! I especially loved Shuri and I would 100% be behind her getting a stand alone film or TV series. But the heroine I've fallen head over heals for is Carol Danvers, aka Captain Marvel.

I'll be the first to admit that the movie is not perfect and that I definitely wouldn't say it's the best Marvel film from a film critique perspective but I love the story that it tells and the message that it sends to young girls. One of these is how we should respond to sexism and discrimination against women (though these lessons could be applied to any sort of discrimination). Every time she gets shot down, Carol gets back up and says "You don't get to define my limits."

There's a very vocal section of the Marvel fandom that is upset about this film and thinks that it is just about some sort of extreme feminist agenda. The fact of the matter is that while things have improved, racism and sexism are still alive and well today and that is not ok. Comics are not just for boys. Sports are not just for boys. Being strong is not just for boys. Fashion is not just for girls. Expressing your emotions in public is not just for girls. Being a stay at home parent is not just for girls. These are all activities for humans and we're all human.

Sadly, these upset fans are proving the exact point they are arguing against. 

One thing that I didn't like about the film the first time I saw it was Carol's extreme power up towards the end of the film after talking to the Supreme Intelligence. I still think it was a bit of a stretch and I like to see my heroes work for their powers but on my second viewing, I realized the picture the film was trying to paint here. This is what happens when a woman wakes up and realizes that she is strong! And it is amazing!

It is only when Carol frees herself from the arbitrary rules created to keep her down and that she realizes that she has nothing to prove to the world that she reaches her full potential. I think too often that as women, we allow ourselves to be limited, consciously or unconsciously, by "rules" set by society, tradition or even ourselves. I hope that this film helps women turn their I can't into an I can. I'm realizing that I can be more than I ever though I could be. I am strong and I have so much to give to the world!

Another thing I love about Carol is that she has a strong drive to do the right thing which I think is common in many women. She joined the military not to prove she was better than a man but so that she had a shot at doing something that would save lives! We can see that in her decision to pilot Dr. Lawson's plane during it's fateful last mission. Dr. Lawson wanted to go alone but Carol knew that if wars and lives were at stake, she couldn't sit idly by. Even when she was living with the Kree, she still tried to do her bit for the Kree Skrull war. And when she found out that the war was not what she thought it was, her first instinct was to brave dangers to try and make things right. And isn't that what a super hero is supposed to do?

When we take a look at our beloved male heros, many of them do not have this attitude from the beginning. Tony Stark is far from a hero when we meet him and he's still got his share of character flaws. Thor is so bad that his dad grounds him from his power and kicks him out of the house. Hulk has his own set of issues that cause Bruce Banner to go into hiding. Probably the Avenger who is most like Carol in this respect is Steve Rodgers. He also had a strong desire to stand against evil even when everyone around him told him that he had nothing to give.

Hopefully, this next phase of the MCU will give us more strong female superheroes. Until then, we're the ones who have to show the world that we can go further, higher, faster.

Evil Sea Witch

It's no secret that I love dressing up. I love vintage style, historical costuming and Disneybounding. There's something magical about feeling all put together even if it's just for every day life! So it's probably no surprise that I also enjoy getting dressed up for running and the gym.

But what exactly can you wear for an active day that looks put together but lets you move? Bonus points if it's Disney related. Enter Crowned Athletics.

Crowned Athletics is a small business that produces beautiful athletic wear inspired by our favorite characters. I wore their After Midnight Princess top for the WDW Marathon Weekend Half Marathon and it was a blast to run in. I loved it so much, in fact, that I had to pick up another of their tops.

I really wanted to try one from the mermaid line so I decided on the Sea Witch Villain top. The design lines of this top are stunning! And I love wearing black so it was really a no brainer for me to get one. And I also ordered the Vampire Mermaid headband to match.

Aside from running or hitting the gym, I thought that this top would be perfect for wearing to the parks. It gets crazy hot here in Florida and even the most dedicated fashionista has to make some concessions for the weather. When I wore this outfit to Epcot and Hollywood Studios, I felt awesome! 

I was never an athleisure person. Gym clothes were for the gym and nowhere else! But I'm pretty sure this top has changed my mind! Yes, you can tell that it's made from stretchy tech fabric but it's so stylish and flattering that I didn't feel like a frumpy mess. I really love the cut of the "tail" in the back. It's so flattering for those of us who are pear shaped. And the mesh cut outs give it just a hint of sexy.

I'm used to getting a lot of looks and comments at Disney. Most people go super casual on their vacations, after all. And this outfit was no exception! I had a really great cast member interaction while check out the new Incredible's Municiberg area in Hollywood Studios. One of the citizens of Municiberg said I looked like a super villain and that she loved my super suit. Be still my villain loving heart!

I'm definitely going to be wearing this top again and again for Disney trips especially in the summer! And if you guessed that it will also be making an appearance at Princess Half Marathon weekend, you wouldn't be wrong!

This post is not sponsored. All items where purchased by me and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

An Open Letter to Vintage

This post was inspired by Courtney of Be More with Less. She did a decluttering challenge on her Facebook page over the summer and one of the day's tasks was to write a breakup letter to your stuff. I decided to write my breakup letter to a certain category of stuff that has been a huge part of my life but now I'm ready to let it go.

Dear Vintage,

Thank you for being such a huge part of my life over the last six years. You have helped me to grow so much. You made me fee beautiful, helped me find friends and become more out going. You helped me learn new things and challenged me to do things I never thought I could do.

But it is time to let go. You have become a costume and an obligation instead of a joy. You make me feel young, immature and out of place. I have grown out of you. You are still beautiful and I may use you from time to time but it is time to remove you from my everyday life. It is time to let go.

I'm trading you in for more time, more energy and more comfort. I want the freedom of owning less, making less and consuming less. I want to be more approachable and more authentic. I need the freedom to move on to other things that I am more interested in.

My house is not a museum. You are not my responsibility. I am letting you go.

-Stephanie