Partial Ingredients

Everyday Style & Recipes. Est. 2010

dress

Charcoal & Sienna

by

When it comes to personal style, where do you get your color palettes for your outfit or closet? When I’m in need of some aspirational color goals, I usually turn to nature for guidance. This look was inspired by a recent early Spring hike in the canyon. This marled mini dress from TopShop (now sadly closed/absorbed by Asos) was a perfect addition for my neutral color scheme in my closet. Where I hiked in the canyon was just beginning to turn green due to recent rainstorms, and the reappearance of wildflowers added an injection of whites, purples and yellows to the landscape. The overall appearance of this landscape was mostly a mix of reds, blacks, greys and browns, hence the color scheme for this dress. The area I hiked was also home to a wildfire several years ago, and there’s still a lot of evidence of that in the landscape with the blackened trees on the hillsides. Yes, if you were wondering I am a total dork when it comes to colors.

Now back to the ‘fit: these vintage Bruno Valenti shoes add such a beautiful pop of color into any neutrals based ‘fit. Do you ever look back at your thrifting finds, and think how lucky you were to stumble across them? These simple lace-up booties look great with just about everything — from skinny jeans, to skirts, to dresses. They have been an A+ addition to my closet recently. Also love the added vintage vibes to every outfit without looking dated or “costumey.” That’s one thing I try to be aware of and actively avoid when shopping for anything vintage. Does it make you look like you’re an extra in a period movie? If the answer could possibly be ‘yes,’ avoid at all costs!! Or not, you know, whatever floats your boat, lol.

Outfit Details: Dress: TopShop; Tights: Target; Shoes: Bruno Valenti; Necklace: Vintage/thrifted; Bag: LeatherStrata

Vintage Reds

by

I’ve been all about neutral tones lately, so it seemed fitting to mix things up and go with a little pop of color for early Spring! I have also been just a tad obsessed with shirt dresses, like this vintage Laura Ashley dress thrifted from Poshmark. Poshmark has such great vintage finds — gah! I want them all. >.< These lace-up Bruno Valenti shoes are also a vintage find from Poshmark, which have been featured in a couple of posts already because they go with so many looks. Maybe it’s me but I find shirt dress styles with a fit & flare shape to be the most flattering of all dress types. Gonna have to give a hard pass on all those trendy, shapeless “shift” dresses thank you very much! I’ve tried to make those work and have always failed, and you know what — I feel pretty okay about it. It’s more important to dress how YOU look best, not what the latest trend dictates. I also love how vintage dresses tend to offer a little more in length, unlike a lot of modern styles that are usually mini dresses. It is always a letdown when you find a dress you love buuut it’s so short that the only way to make it respectable is with tights or leggings, waaah. It’s just not that practical at least for the hotter Summer months.

On a related note, I also recently got in touch with the dance wear brand, “We Love Colors,” and they were generous enough to provide a sample of their tights. The ones I’m wearing in this post are their Microfiber Nylon/Lycra tights in Charcoal. It is a bit ironic that a brand called “We Love Colors” reached out to collab since I happen to be a neutral fanatic with an aversion to bright colors. So of course I chose their least bright color available, duh. But if you are a color fan, they have SO MANY options — and so vibrant too! Just check out their nifty guide of color options. But alas, I’m more of a black or charcoal gal myself with tights and leggings (which is perfectly fine because they have plenty of neutral options too). As for the product itself, I like the material of these tights. They seem to be made with a more durable material and are overall better made than other brands. Unlike most tights, which fall apart in like minutes it seems, these ones have held up! It’s also cool that this brand also makes most of their styles in men’s sizes as well. While I have more leggings than I know what to do with, I might try out their leggings next. If those work out I am officially sold on this brand! All styles are dyed in the United States, and are reasonably priced, so check them out if you’re looking for new tights, leggings or even workout/dancewear.

Details: Dress: Vintage, Laura Ashley; Boots: Vintage, Bruno Valenti; Tights: We Love Colors; Bag: Leather Strata (Etsy); necklace: Etsy

Babydoll Swing Dress

by

I’ve never been a huge fan of babydoll dresses or tank tops as they tend to be a bit unflattering for me personally. I see them on other people and they look great so I think it’s just me! I think I am more of a ‘fit and flare’ gal. This babydoll dress from American Eagle is the exception and I love how it fits. It’s somehow very flattering even though its loose and flowy — not boxy or tented out like I would expect. It’s always nice to be pleasantly surprised by a great fit.

Since it’s been warming up here, I have been wearing this non-stop! It’s so light that it is perfect for hotter days. Seriously, I wore this when it was 89 degrees and it was a life saver. It looks great dressed up or down, as a casual look with sneakers or with heels or sandals. I’m partial to the Converse All-Stars myself. Spring days tend to have colder nights so I paired this with a cozy pullover sweater…perfect for late night bonfires during this gorgeous time of year. Today is Memorial Day and it’s great for a cookout or picnic. Make sure to wear it with a wide brimmed sunhat to protect yourself from those rays!

Outfit Details: Sweater: American Eagle; Dress: American Eagle; Shoes: Converse; Bag: Leather Strata; Sunglasses: Urban Outfitters

Spring Violets

by

Spring is always a weird time–65 degrees one day, snowing the next. This outfit brought to you by the fickle nature of Spring, when you really want to wear a dress and sneakers, but you also gotta wear tights and a cozy sweater because we’re not quite there yet. It’s close though! I can feel it. The rhubarb plant in our garden sure knows it’s Spring, snow and freezing temperatures be damned! I’m always amazed at the early Spring plants that can tough out a freeze.

This sweater, from American Eagle, is a perfect pullover and so soft! I feel like these types of ultra soft sweaters don’t really hold up during the washer/dryer — they get kind of dry and scratchy but this one has held together quite well! The skirt is actually a full length chiffon wrap dress from Abercrombie and I absolutely love the pattern and the quality of this one. It has become a closet staple since you can easily dress it up or down.

Since warm weather is right around the corner, we recently splurged a bit on these incredible linen sheets from Cultiver (which were on sale but still pricey for sheets). I hate being hot at night (I mean, who does) but waking up at 3AM sweaty is the actual worst. These sheets are made from a 100% natural flax fiber that is breathable and helps regulate temperature. I was a bit unsure about Linen as a material to sleep in. Kind of scratchy right? But nope, I was pleasantly surprised that these come soft right out of the box. They are seriously the most comfortable sheets ever and worth the splurge. They come in a variety of colors that are all so gorgeous, I kind of want them all!

Outfit Details: Dress: Abercrombie & Fitch; Sweater: American Eagle; Tights: Target; Necklace: Etsy; shoes: Vans

Into the Rockies

by

We’ve recently had a bout of lovely Fall weather and it has been so gorgeous! I took advantage of the milder temperatures by posting one of my latest favorite dresses from Abercrombie & Fitch. I initially bought this one in the snake skin pattern (not without some amount of trepidation) but it turned out to be a lovely dress! So naturally I had to see what the floral pattern was all about and bought another (it didn’t hurt that it also happened to be on sale). Needless to say I am thrilled with this one as well! This dress has more of a viney pattern than a typical floral design that I just love. It goes great as a Fall layering base — pair it with a cardigan, jacket and tights and you are good to go for cooler weather. This dress is weirdly versatile; it fits in well as part of an every day outfit but could be dressed up for a night out or even a wedding.

I also recently discovered this Etsy shop that sells Babouches in all kinds of patterns and colors. What are Babouches you ask? Well, they are pretty much a slip-on shoe that hails from Morocco. These simple black ones with a foldable heel caught my eye (one of the few they sell with a foldable heel). They are perfect for a more minimalist wardrobe and I am a big fan!

Over the weekend, we did a little road trip to check out the Aspens changing at Rocky Mountain National Park. While I do miss the Midwest falls that have a huge variety of colors, the all yellow trees along the mountain sides are truly stunning! It’s neat to see the little veins of gold in the distance in between all the evergreen trees. If you’re in Colorado, it’s worth checking out this time of the year.

If you do visit Colorado, don’t forget to wear sunscreen! Especially if you are hiking in the mountains, the sun is incredibly powerful. EltaMD’s Broad Spectrum Physical tinted sunscreen is my favorite. It goes on totally matte and is a perfect base under makeup. Shop Here.

Outfit Details: Dress: Abercrombie & Fitch; Shoes: Etsy/Fezsouk; Jewelry: Forever 21; Hat: Brixton

Labor Day Whites

by

It seems like the old rule for not wearing whites past Labor Day is pretty much dead, isn’t it? So in honor of that old, dumb rule here’s nearly an all white dress right before Labor Day! I guess technically it is more of a beige but oh well. I have had a bit of a love affair with anything linen this year and this dress from Urban Outfitters is perfect for late Summer days. Summer seems to have gotten a late start this year and has been especially hot and dry the last few weeks of August. I think it’s reached the 90s almost every day this month, ack! This dress is made from such a nice breathable material for hot Summer days and it has helped keep me cool for sure. I paired this dress with a few leather details–including these Royale Flats from Free People and this great saddle bag from Etsy. It has been my go to bag this Summer and holds all my favorite stuff!

Dress: Urban Outfitters; Shoes: Free People; Bag: LeatherStrata Etsy Shop

Snake Print Dress

by

I have no idea how I fell in love with this dress. There are two factors here that would make this so improbable that I can hardly believe it. First off: I HATE snake skin print. To me it’s the heavy hitter of trashiness, second only to leopard print. Hate it. I probably don’t need to explain my reasons, you probably already know and are on the same page. Moving on.

Second: the brand is Abercrombie & Fitch. I actually worked at Abercrombie Kids briefly while I was in high school and let’s just say the brand has come along way since then. They have some awesome, well made clothes for reasonable prices that don’t look like kid-wear. No longer do I see the gaudy “AnF” writing on everything nor do I see the oversized moose insignia stitched on everything. Gotta take my hat off to them for getting me to buy something snake skin, seriously. I mean come on, the pattern is gorgeous though right? Also, another awesome thing with their sizing on this dress: they offer this in tall which they recommend for anyone over 5’8. I’m not over 5’8 but I bought it anyways to get an extra few inches in the length, which paid off. I don’t like mini dresses and having the option to add some inches was great. Another smart touch to this wrap dress was the little snap enclosure. While I love wrap dresses it can be annoying to keep the front always secure so that little snap was a perfect touch. I love all the little details of this dress and it’s great to branch out into something I don’t normally wear!

Dress: Abercrombie & Fitch; Bag: unbranded; shoes: Birkenstock; necklace: Urban Outfitters

Next up is a bit of a makeup experiment. I was curious whether my favorite — but pricey — concealer by NARS (the Radiant Creamy Concealer in Chantilly) could be duped by a more affordable brand. It’s hard to find a perfect tone for fair skinned folks so I thought it would be tough to beat since NARS’ offering is a perfect skin tone match. NYX’s HD Studio Concealer in Porcelain (retails $6) gives a pretty good run for its money though and I was overall very happy with it. The coverage is pretty much the same but maybe slightly less creamy. The tone is a very good match but has a bit more of a pinky tone than NARS. For 1/5 of the price, their dupe is a pretty amazing option. I have tried both as an undereye concealer and am happy with both of them. If you’re a pale person like me and have been on the hunt for a perfect fair skin concealer, try both of these out!

Buy here: NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer and NYX HD Studio Photogenic Concealer
The best drought tolerant potted herbs: sage, rosemary and thyme. Great to have around for cooking!

Prairie Dress & Spring Cuts

by

Spring is always a wacky time in Colorado, it’s never clear when you can wear Spring attire or bundle up in layers again.  Lately I’ve been into longer “prairie” inspired dresses and when it finally warmed up I jumped at the chance to wear this one from Adored Vintage! Adored Vintage has been a recent favorite online boutique–they have so many gorgeous options for Spring!  It was hard to limit myself to just a few pieces since they’re all amazing.  Love the ditsy floral pattern and the color of this one.  While I salivate over Christy Dawn dresses, the price point is a little much for me, and this one is way more affordable.  And just as beautiful might I add!  Since I’m on a dress and sneakers kick (no pun intended) these converse All-Stars add a perfect casual vibe to make it a more every day or “out to brunch” outfit.

Oh, and as you’ve probably noticed already, I lopped off a good 8 inches of my hair a few weeks ago.  Does anyone else grow out their hair and cut it all off for Summer?  It feels amazing getting rid of the unhealthy ends and the excess weight!  Since I’ve gone with longer hair styles for several years, I had to relearn how to style short hair, and that required an addition of several products into my routine.  I’ve always loved natural waves but it was so easy to throw wet hair in a braid and be good to go in the morning.  Now that’s not really possible so I’ve started using Bumble and Bumble’s BB Texture Cream and Ouai Wave Spray on damp hair in the morning.  I just scrunch with my fingers and voila–laid back beach waves!

Outfit Set:Outfit Details: Dress: Adored Vintage; Shoes: Converse; Bag: Unbranded; Necklace: Forever 21

Vintage Florals

by

Lately I’ve been enjoying the warmer weather and getting into more vintage items for Spring.  Being able to wear dresses and skirts without tights or boots has been amazing!  Instead of going to the local thrift store, I’ve been finding some really awesome boutiques online that have great vintage finds.  I recently discovered a couple Etsy shops that sell dresses and other items from all different eras.  This floral dress is from FoundPretty and looks to be from around the late 80’s/early 90’s.  I was drawn to the pretty pattern and flowy shape of the dress.  It’s a perfect dress to layer up for Spring!

While this is easier said than done, I always try to keep vintage pieces looking modern.  My general rule of thumb is one or two vintage items max per outfit.  Anything more can, but not always, start to look a little costumey.   I personally love pairing dresses with laid back sneakers like these “Old Skool” Vans for a fresh, updated look.  And you get to avoid wearing heels which is always a plus!

Vintage Florals - The Partial Ingredients blog

Outfit Set:

Outfit Details: Dress: FoundPretty, Bag: Vintage/Etsy, Shoes: Vans, Cardigan: Bajee Collection

Victorian Dreams

by

Over the holidays, my Fiance received an amazing gift for a one night stay at the Nagle-Warren Mansion Bed & Breakfast in Cheyenne, Wyoming.  We decided that spending the weekend before Valentine’s Day would be a perfect way to use this gift, and also check out the local sites!  Last year we toured this historic house with family, and were amazed by the beautiful decor and history of the place.  The Nagle-Warren mansion was built in 1888 on the “Cattle Baron Row” in downtown Cheyenne.  This mansion is one of the few standing historic buildings as most were torn down due to faulty soil and foundation problems.  This place was fully restored to as close to original condition as possible, and it is a simply beautiful place to stay!  Not only was the place gorgeous and full of history, the owners were friendly and provided the best hospitality.  Even the ghosts were friendly!  Just kidding, we did not detect a single ghost.  The only visitor we got was a very friendly house cat who came to hang out with us in our room for a while.

We stayed in the the Francis E. Warren room, which was named after the U.S. Senator, and it was so beautiful!  I thought this comfy, chiffon dress by Sage would suit the decor of the room and I think it fits!  I think it evokes some Victorian style vibes, don’t you?  As always, Etsy has the best vintage stuff and this leather saddle bag is perfect for the occasion.  I chose some pretty gold layering charm necklaces from Etsy to complete the look as well.  Prior to the Nagle-Warren Mansion, we also did a little hike at Curt Gowdy State Park, and it was great checking out the local parks in Cheyenne!



Outfit Set:

Outfit Details: Dress: Sage Boutique, Bag: Vintage-Etsy, Necklaces: Etsy, Shoes: Free People Royale Flat