the whole ensemble

HAT: Gretchen Fenston | DRESS: Vintage | SHOES: Miz Mooz via Zappos | HANDBAG: Borrowed | BROOCH: Vintage via Etsy | GLOVES: Vintage via Etsy | PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee via Instagram

gretchen looks ravishing in a vintage ivory suit and hat of her own design

PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

rear view of pleat & button detail

PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

patricia (left), tatyana (right) and i (center) model fenston millinery

PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

rear view of gretchen & her glamourous gals

PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

checkmate: tatyana (left), gretchen (right), and roddy (Gretchen’s husband, center) come across a darling young dandy

PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

i heart tatyana’s stockings & entire ensemble

PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

friend amy winn said a big hello when we bumped into each other on fifth ave!

PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

Modeling Gretchen’s hats in the New York City Easter Parade every year has been one of the greatest honors of my life, so much so that Easter is now by far my favorite holiday! Tourists and press photographers come from far and wide to capture the spectacle of stylish, inventive people promenading up and down Fifth Avenue in extraordinary headwear.

As I parade with Gretchen and her friends, people from all over the globe gather around me and tell me how beautiful I am. They ask to take their picture with me. The look in their eyes is all admiration and wonder, but the very next day I would be unlikely to turn their heads at all. That’s the power of a Gretchen Fenston hat.

It’s a real ego boost! As Easter Sunday comes to a close, the high begins to wear off, but one driving question remains…

Whatever will I wear next year!?

POLAROID CREDITS: David DeNee

While the last day of my twenties was a surreal experience, the first day of my thirties holds some exciting new promise.

I don’t have to take shit from anyone anymore, right?

When I get a boatload of last minute work dumped on me that would take all night to complete to my standards?

Um, I don’t know if you guys got the memo, but I’m thirty now.  I’m too old for all-nighters!

When my mother tells me not to “talk like a baby” when I do my silly sleepy voice?

Mum, I’m thirty! I’ll talk how I want!

When Dave wants to do the aerial inverted double dip… again?

Davey Jones, I’m thirty and tired.  I can only do acrobatics once a night now.

And when someone dares try to upstream my cab hail?

Thirty! In your face! Now get outta my cab!

Kidding aside, while I’m sure I’ll have many wonderful adventures in this new decade, I can’t help but fantasize that thirty is going to be some metaphorical magic bullet to making it easier to say “no.”  I am entering this decade a little more established, self-aware, and practical than I did the one before.  Thirty might be just the excuse I need to take better care of myself, so I have more time and energy to devote to the things I’m most passionate about: style, design, storytelling, drama, equality, and love.

To help me make a change, I’ve given myself a labor of love. In honor of my thirty years out of the womb, I’m announcing thirty posts in thirty days!  Starting today and running for the rest of the month, I’m going to post EVERY SINGLE DAY!  We’ll look back on the most stylish events of the year so far, catch up on my ModCloth Year of Dresses, relish in my fun and fancy birthday plans, discover nostalgic inspiration in the wild, and look ahead to my flirty thirties.  I’ll top it all off with a vintage bling giveaway sponsored by Hester Fleming Vintage!

I know what you’re thinking.  If I haven’t been able to post regularly for some months now, how am I going to post every day for 30 days?  How am I going to carve out that much time to do what I love?  What’s different now?

Easy.  I’m thirty!

See you tomorrow.

DRESS: Vintage from Pin Up Queens | HANDBAG: Vintage | EYEWEAR: Warby Parker | Hat: Vintage via Etsy | SHOES: Seychelles via DSW | PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

My life has been getting in the way of my documenting my life. My professional life in particular has become stupidly stressful. I’m locked into this cycle of busy work emergencies that routinely bleed into the middle of the night. Last month I miraculously functioned without sleep for days and days in a row all in the name of work that would probably be more manageable if I simply didn’t care about it quite so much.

But I do care.

Yes, I care about my career (and my inspiring colleagues), but I also care deeply about all the other things that are slipping through my fingers while a work/life balance remains unmanageable.

I’ve missed out on friends’ birthdays, networking opportunities, freelance deadlines, dance classes, yoga packages, medical appointments, and countless cuddle sessions with Dave and our two cats.

And, of course, I’ve missed out on all of you.

Oh and I’ve been doing some stress eating, people.  Turns out I’m 10 pounds heavier than I’ve ever been before in my life, so my January ModCloth dress, for example, no longer fits!

But today I’m taking my life back.

how sarah got her groove back…

DRESS: Vintage | PHOTO CREDIT: Melinda McCoy & David DeNee

Today I joined Weight Watchers to help me make a change in my eating and exercise habits. And today I’m taking one of my cats to the vet because I love him and he needs me. Tomorrow I’m finally coming through for a non-profit I volunteered to do graphic design for. Thursday I’m giving good old fashioned therapy a try to work on balancing my passion for my career with all my other passions (This also qualifies me as a real New Yorker I’m told!). And Friday, with any luck, I’m going dancing!

Wish me luck.

{ what i wore }

Thanks to Gretchen Fenston, Kate Spade, ModCloth, and the vintage gods, I looked presentable at the Independent Fashion Bloggers Conference last week.  I’m tickled that some of my fellow bloggers shared my style with their followers!

day 1: i ain’t nothing but a houndstooth on my way to the conference

HAT: Gretchen Fenston | COAT: Vintage from jinglekell on eBay | BAG: Kate Spade | TIGHTS: Free People | SHOES: Mojo Moxy | EYEWEAR: SEE | PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

day 1: mustard was the color of the day complete with gretchen fenston bonnet

HAT: Gretchen Fenston | DRESS: Kate Spade | BAG: Kate Spade | TIGHTS: Free People | SHOES: Mojo Moxy | CARDIGAN: Knit via Daffy’s | EYEWEAR: SEE | PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

day 2: my first modcloth year of dresses pick was a winner on day two of the pro blogger event

HAT: Gretchen Fenston | DRESS: Stop Staring via ModCloth | SHOES: Pink Studio | EYEWEAR: Moscot Vildas | NECKLACE: Vintage, a gift from Courtney Loren Brown | PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

day 2: dave’s vintage minolta autocord charmed many a fashionista & photog in attendance

HAT: Gretchen Fenston | DRESS: Stop Staring via ModCloth | BAG: Kate Spade | EYEWEAR: Moscot Vildas | NECKLACE: Vintage, a gift from Courtney Loren Brown | PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

{ what I saw }

Check out some of my fellow attendees sporting styles after my own heart:

lilah ramzi of part nouveau in vintage

PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

jasmin rodriguez of vintage vandalism in a trashy diva dress i really want!

PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

egyptian-american beauty winnie détwa in asos & forever 21

PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

emily kammeyer sporting a hat of her own design

 PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

{ who I met }

In the days leading up to the conference, I couldn’t help but worry I was about to enter the fashion lion’s den.  What I found was a room full of kindred spirits, like Victoria of Haute on the Spot with her zeal for designer bargains, Hester Feming with her love of old treasures, and Alexandra Frumberg with her talent for striking portraiture.  From sociology PhD candidate Jennifer Whitmer’s fascination with the social meaning behind what we wear to MAGNIFECO founder Kate Black’s commitment to lessening the impact of it and from Urban Fieldnotes photo-blogger Brent Luvaas’ appreciation of street style to Lipstick and Highwaters maven Tiffany Nakamura’s knack for embodying it, I was surrounded by engaging, curious, like-minded people, many of whom have become fast friends.

tiffany nakamura and i prove that opposites attract at ifbcon 2013

PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

{ what I learned }

Inspiration was the real star of IFBcon.  While all the technical business advice was tremendously valuable, I quickly learned that the only way to really grow as a blogger (and perhaps, as a person) is to make creative, original content the number one priority.

“revel in the freedom of just getting started.”

 -Jake Gallagher of Wax Wane 

from the very first panel on the first year of blogging, the entire IFB conference seemed to be designed with my personal success in mind.

PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

“step out of your comfort zone & don’t be afraid to fail.” 

-Geri Hirsch of LEAFtv

lulu frost designer lisa salzer spoke to the importance of surrounding yourself with positive energy and never letting doubt prevent you from doing what you’re meant to.

 PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

“if it doesn’t make you crazy like teenage love, you probably shouldn’t be blogging about it”

- Tina Craig of Bag Snob

And the conversations continued fluidly on other platforms.  For example, Tina Craig of Bag Snob took to twitter after her moment on the IFB stage to encourage us to aspire to be ourselves rather than our idols.

“you can be the poorest person on the planet, but fashion still matters, because it’s your identity.” 

-Neil Blumenthal of WarbyParker

While every speaker had a big impact, Warby Parker founder Neil Blumenthal was my particular favorite.  He reminded us that vulnerability is more engaging than strength, encouraging us to keep our work personal. Warby Parker certainly does! Their quirky, fun, retro chic brand’s recipe for success was inspired by the style of their grandparents’ generation mixed with the work ethic of their parents’ generation. It makes for some really imaginative productivity, like their delightful New York Public Library stunt in 2011. While they know it’s not the number one reason most people buy their specs, Warby’s “do good” work around the globe is a real turn on for me as a consumer. In fact, I was so enthused after IFB; I went home and bought three more pairs of whimsical Warby Parker glasses to keep my current pair company. (Gotta love flex spending!) Stay tuned for future four-eyed pictures and my earnest attempt at creative, original content made just for you.