When I was a very young girl, my favorite thing to do was twirl around the living room listening to the song, “Teddy Bear’s Picnic,” on the record player. Yep. Record player. Have you listened to that song as an adult? It is kind of creepy. Almost as creepy as the pictures I decided to take below.
When I saw Anthropologie’s Inez Dress, I decided what I really wanted was to take some artistic pictures wearing the dress surrounded by gnomes instead of bears. As one does… When you are me or crazy. You can interchange one word for the other.
I was kind of bummed, because the pictures did not turn out like they had in my head. Few things ever do.
For one thing, the gnomes would not sit still.
For another, they are notorious dirty joke tellers.
I had to scold the one on the left in that picture. He could not really help it. His head is full of holes.
I guess I have to let it go. They are the stars of the show afterall. ; )
Then I decided that I really needed to take pictures laying down. I had seen the most wonderful picture on Free People Me of a girl doing that. I have no idea how she did it. My try at it was a dismal failure. But it did make me laugh, although this position did not really help with stopping the gnome’s favorite distraction.
I finally gave up and took some standing pictures. These were not the shoes I had originally planned with this outfit. I will definitely pair this dress with booties in the future. However it was a long day and I needed something I could run around in. Any type of heel was not going to cut it. It would have been too easy to trip over those naughty gnomes.
I do have to say that this dress is one of my top ten in my closet. I love absolutely everything about it.
Yes, it is big. Yes, it has no shape from the front or side. But did ya see how this baby swings? It is just perfect for a Teddy Bear Picnic.
Not a Gnome Picnic.
They are no longer invited. They have to stay gnome with the dogs.
Did you go on a picnic this summer? Do you like swing dresses (it is okay if you don’t. I get it. I have friends who like more structure and fit, too). Did you have a dress like this in the 1990s? I did. I guess I am regressing. First “Teddy Bear’s Picnic,” then a dress from my teenage years. What next? No, seriously, what next? I just had a picnic with a bunch of gnomes. My good judgement is obviously gone. If it ever was really there to begin with.
I love this dress too, and loose dresses over tight ones in general as well. Your story reminds me of listening to my cassette smurf tape and dancing around the coffee table! I think my parents finally hid my tape for a while! LOL!
Thank you Heather. We are the same age. And I was obsessed with Smurfs, too. You had a cassette tape of them? I am blue with jealousy!
Sweet dreams!
Jenni
So pretty! Jenni, I would love to see a post of the 10 favorite things in your closet.
Thank you Kindra! Funny enough, I have sat down to write that many times. But then it turns into twelve. Wait, fifteen. Okay, twenty pieces. I really need to narrow it down. Oh man! I cannot choose! Maybe it would have to be narrowed down to seasonal top ten. : ). Would that work?
I hope you had a wonderful day and an even better Thursday!
Jenni
Ha ha! Darn naughty gnomes. What do you expect from tiny dirty bearded old men? ; )
The DRESS…the dress the dress!!! Wow! I think this is my very favourite of yours. Gorgeous!
That is so like me. Everything I “see” in my head NEVER comes out the way I’d planned. Ever. It’s a drag on one hand, but on the other I live my life in perpetual surprise. LOL
bisous
Suzanne
Thank you Suzanne! I love it, too. I am terrified of something happening to it. Especially with those naughty gnomes around.
Ha! I am with you. I am constantly surprised, but it would be nice for a vision to come out once in a while. I had such hopes for those picnic pictures… Oh well. I will hopefully look back at them and laugh. : )
Have a great rest of the week!
Jenni
I just have to tell you how adorable you are in whatever you wear. I am old enough to be your Mom but I get such a sense of delight when I read your blog! You are a refreshing voice in the blog world. Keep up the great work since I never miss a post!
You are so, so sweet. I read your comment earlier and I did not have the chance to respond at the time. But I want to let you know that I carried your comment with me all day and it made me smile. It is so very easy to feel burnt out. So, I very much appreciate the encouragement.
Thank you for making my day! : )
Have a splendid rest of the week!
Jenni
That dress is just so pretty and there are so many ways one can wear it. I was just picturing this with leggings in the winter, but in the winter I am so cold, I just grab jeans.
My problem with picnics is that I am either too cold outside or wind blows my hair while trying to eat. So I have never been a fan of the picnic but I do like eating outside if there is an overhang or some type of protection from wind and I can sit in a chair.
I agree that taking a picture while laying down is so hard. I thought it would be easy but it’s so hard to get the right angle. I was trying for the Joni Mitchell look where she is laying down for her record cover. I think you have the right angle in your picture.
Have a great day,
Stacey
Thank you Stacey. I love leggings. I am always, always hot. Seriously the other night I slept with an ice pack and a wet wash cloth draped across my brow. So, I am not a huge fan of jeans. We could share a wardrobe. : )
I agree with you about picnics. My problem is always the bugs. I do like this one place my husband and I go sometimes. It has outdoor seating and nice shade.
Thank you about the laying down picture. Those are tricky. I lie the one you did.
Have a great Thursday!
Jenni
Totally adorable and so whimsical and fabulous! Adore you! The dress steals the show. Those silly gnomes can’t even compete! 😉
OXOX
Dawn Lucy
http://fashionshouldbefun.blogspot.com
Awww. Thank you Dawn! Ditto. The gnomes are silly. Darn if they don’t have my heart, though. : )
Have a fabulous Thursday!
Jenni
awe! so totally cute! I love that dress and your gnome friends are the cutest!
Thank you Melodee! I hope you are doing well. You must be so busy with the school year starting. I miss your posts on your blog. : )
Have a lovely week!
Jenni
Yay! I was waiting for you to do a post wearing this dress. It is so awesome! Definitely one my favorites on you! I have to say it is a bit scary seeing you surrounded by gnomes.
Thank you Cynthia! Those gnomes are definitely something else. I will be scared if I ever wake up and they are surrounding me! : O
I adore that dress. I cannot wait to style it again with tights and booties in the fall.
Have a wonderful Thursday!
Jenni
I used to know all the words to the Teddy Bears’ Picnic when I was a kid. I don’t remember them now…is it really creepy? I’ll have to Google. Gorgeous dress and I love the photo of you sitting with all the gnomes. 🙂
Thank you Rachel. I used to know the words, too. I looked them up last week and was surprised to see they were a little dark. Spooky. Maybe it is just me. ; ).
Have a lovely Saturday!
Jenni
I love these pics! So fun. I am a lover of swing dresses….they are not super nursing friendly (hello, here is my undies for all to see while I hike this dress up!) BUT, once I am done nursing, i plan on getting a few more!
Thank you Alicia. I remember those nursing days so well. I breastfed each of my kids to fifteen and thirteen months. Which is a total of twenty eight months of no swing dresses. It is such a happy blur, though. Even not nursing, clothes can be tricky. I lifted the orange juice container to my lips to take the last swig from the jug today (something I have never done and do not know where the impulse came from) and dribbled juice down my shoulder and all over my top. : )
Have a fun weekend!
Jenni
I love this dress on you, it was made for you! Totally your style! I love all the materials, but they are perfection together! I think it would be too short for me & that the swing of it, the fullness, although good for the figure, would make me feel like & worry that my bum was hanging out! But since you aren’t as tall as me I think it’s perfect on you!
*****in no way do I intend for any of that to sound bad! It’s so hard to convey tone when you are writing, so I just wanted to clarify! I mean this comment to be a complement for you!!!!!******
HAPPY DAY TO YOU FRIEND!
Thank you so much Rebecca! I definitely took it as a compliment. It was very, very sweet. I know what you mean about the written word. I have a recipe post coming up in an hour and I wrote it as a funny piece about a silly fight my husband and I had. And I hope it does not come off as a real fight. You just never know how something will be read. But thank you, thank you for your kindness! : )
Have a sweet week!
Jenni