2013. polly pocket.

stitchview cardigan by madewell. la la leaves dress by marc jacobs. thrifted sash. gloria wedges by bed stu.

i’ve owned this dress almost as long as i’ve been blogging. it’s a quintessential “linda” dress (navy blue, quirky print, pockets) and it compliments most of the cardigans in my closet. i wore it to school last week with a hot pink sweater and a 99¢ belt.

our intermittent internet (say that three times fast) of the last few weeks appears to be back to normal; michael thinks our network had a glitch or two. i spent our downtime gardening, doodling, cleaning, and excercising! i’m excited about posting regularly (again) and sharing some new designs in my etsy shop. i hope the sun is shining wherever you are.

the look | similar sweater | similar dress | wedges

2013. pink mochi.

stitchview cardigan by madewell. j.crew dress. vintage judith lieber belt. swedish hasbeens super high clogs. hand printed grocery tote.

i wore this ladylike outfit several weeks ago but never got around to posting it (until now). if you’re new to blogging, save all of your photos! they can help you out during busy times.

rosa (of rosa loves…) and angela (of notes from the dressing room) might remember the dress. last summer, michael and i walked around DC all day and the summery white frock kept me cool and polished. i didn’t even spill gelato on it while meeting them. it was a christmas— in july— miracle.

the look | similar cardigan | similar dress | shoes

2013. ugly duckling.

stitched cardigan by madewell. band of gypsies dress. tory burch reva flats. rebecca minkoff bombe bag.

i present my friday and saturday outfit. the dress is a “house dress” i.e. it’s too flouncy for school but it’s decent with shorts.

i like my big brown cardigan, but michael does not. i met him for happy hour on friday and he said, “are you really wearing that ugly sweater?” after his remark, i consoled the sweater by telling it that he had a bad day and felt like taking it out on someone. i bought the sweater ice cream. just kidding.

instead i wore the sweater two days straight. don’t mess with the way i dress.

the look | similar sweater | similar dress | similar flats

2013. miss sunshine.

cardigan by halogen. scatter dot dress by j.crew. vintage belt. gloria wedges by bed stu. william rast sunglasses.

the classic, breezy dress means a lot to me— at age 6, my favorite frock had dozens of navy dots, and twenty-odd years later, i got engaged in the grown-up version. i’ve worn it with several cardigans and my jean jacket.

on monday, i paired it with a yellow sweater and clogs (probably my favorite combo yet). while he snapped pictures, michael said, “make a pensive face… make a giggle face… make a madewell face.” this is it.

get styled by miss sunshine on saturday, march 9th from 5 to 7. details here.

the look | similar sweater | similar dress | wedges

2013. brown hare.

stitched cardigan by madewell. joie rancher tee. verdugo leggings by paige. rebecca minkoff doll boots and bombe bag.

the older i get, the more comfortable i am wearing what i want and what i deem beautiful. i know this cardigan is sort of oversized and kind of shapeless; its color resembles beatrix potter’s bunny family. at some angles, it makes the upper half of my body look huge.

but i like it. at thirteen, i worshipped fashion magazines and wanted to resemble the models. at thirty-one, i understand there are rules and trends but you don’t have to follow or adopt any of them. if i wake up one morning and want to dress like a brown hare, more power and more carrots to me.

really— more carrots. this was my grocery shopping outfit.

the look | similar sweater | tee | similar jeans | similar boots

2012. gold toes.

cardigan by halogen. pintuck silk tunic by alice + olivia. high-rise jeggings by paige. metallic flats c/o wanted. earrings from adelante boutique. missibaba tote from etcetera, etc.

my taste in jewelry is bipolar— i like simple, elegant sort of pieces and things i call “intriguing” that others may label as glitzy or strange. i bought these earrings over the summer because i loved the colors, shapes, and mixed materials. the good thing is that michael likes them, too. the bad thing is that my hair usually hides them.

i’ve been a busy bumblebee this week preparing for our winter break. today my kids and i made hot cocoa with marshmallows and watched the polar express. tomorrow we’ll host our families for a little craft and a lot of finger foods. send some napkins and wet wipes our way!

the look | similar sweater | similar blouse | similar jeans | similar flats

2012. raspberry rush.

stitchview cardigan by madewell. soft joie tank. verdugo leggings by paige. miz mooz clogs.

on saturday, M and i finally went to see ben affleck’s new film argo, and we loved it. the movie has great, suspenseful cuts— you feel terrified one minute and relaxed the next. if you haven’t seen it, we highly recommend it!

i usually wear jeans and cardigans to the movies because of the chilly temperatures. i paired the cheerful sweater with an equally bright top and reluctantly shared a bucket of popcorn with M as big as both our heads. all in all, we had a perfect afternoon.

the look | cardigan | similar tee | similar jeans | similar shoes

2012. tag along.

ralph lauren cardigan. tie dye print tank from tj maxx. clover shorts by madewell. miu miu sunglasses. wanted sandals.

on saturday morning, M scouted locations for a photo shoot, and i tagged along because i had nothing else to do (and another reason listed below). like a good man, he treated me to iced coffee and a muffin and took some candid shots (see above).

if you check out my archive, you’ll notice a big difference between then and now. when i started little tin soldier, i used an old point-and-shoot from college and took pictures secretly in M’s mom’s living room. the paper dolls were quickly drawn and somewhat cartoonish, and outfits seemed more relaxed (i was finishing up graduate school).

IFB recently posted an article about being a better blogger, and it inspired me to reflect on the past and plan for the future. i tweeted, if you want to evolve your blog, constantly improve it. in 2010, it meant sharing my hobby with M who initially raised his eyebrows but used it as an opportunity to explore digital photography. it meant actively studying illustrator and photoshop to draw prettier illustrations. it meant falling in love with art again and having the confidence to share it. now it means learning to shoot with a DSLR, the thought of which makes my hands shake with nerves and excitement.

i’m not a “professional” blogger, but blogging helps me refine, acquire, and investigate different professional skills. sometimes i’m asked by new bloggers how to get big, get followers, or get partnerships. there’s no one-formula-fits-all answer. i can say, be determined, kind, and well-rounded. be the best version of who you are. those traits will stay with you longer in life than being famous.

the look | similar cardigan | similar tank | similar shorts

2012. golden hour.

ralph lauren cardigan. tribal print tank (thrifted). clover shorts by madewell. gloria wedges by bed stu. miu miu sunglasses.

like many women, i have a love and hate relationship with rompers (or playsuits as ASOS calls them). you see them in stores or magazines and think, oh that’s cute! then reality inevitably sets in: you will spend twice as much time in the ladies’ room, and a lot of these rompers are super duper short.

on wednesday, i created a faux-romper with a printed top and silky shorts in the same color family. call it a… daysuit?

the look | similar cardigan | similar tank | similar shorts | wedges

2012. horse show.

ralph lauren cardigan. silk tunic by DVF. vintage dotty smith horse head belt (from hunt.gather.style). verdugo leggings by paige. pointed toe leopard loafers by brigitte bailey.

after a mostly rainy week, M and i return to semi-regular outfit posts! i liked my green and blue outfit from thursday so much that i recreated it on saturday. i’m still thanking sydney for finding such a beautiful blouse for me.

if you’re going to be in austin during the texas style council conference, sydney, sharon, and grechen will offer more vintage and contemporary wares through hunt.gather.style, their seasonal pop-up shop. etcetera is playing host to the ladies on march 10th from 2-5 p.m. mark your calendar!

the look | similar cardigan | similar blouse | jeans | similar flats

2012. big bang theory. 

ralph lauren cardigan. polka dot tank by j.crew. verdugo leggings by paige. tory burch reva flats. andé clutch (thrifted).

look, ma! i did it! i gave myself a haircut, albeit a small haircut. in several calculated snips, i transformed my long bangs into cute, hip ones. i’m surprised by how much i love them. i’ve had sideswept bangs for more years than i’ve had this blog. sometimes a little change is all you need— but not too much change. that’s why i wore this outfit on saturday and sunday. 

thank you to everyone who entered my blog birthday giveaway! i’ll announce the winner tomorrow. stay tuned!

the look | similar cardigan | similar top | jeans | similar flats

2012. seafarer. 

ralph lauren cardigan. silk striped tee by j.crew. green twill pants from tj maxx. steve madden selena wedges.

call me frog legs; styling these green pants have been so much fun. i wore them on tuesday with one of my favorite striped shirts.

i’m overdue for a haircut. after christmas, i trimmed my bangs with craft scissors (and that wasn’t the first time). i don’t plan on making any drastic changes; i love having long hair. if only it would dry and curl itself…

the look | similar cardigan | similar tee | similar pants | similar wedges

2012. skipper. 

cardigan from old navy. bb dakota tank top. UO corduroys. handmade necklace. steve madden selena wedges.

happy new year! i wore this outfit on sunday to the grocery store and yesterday to school. i bought the sweater over winter break because it reminded me of a j.crew jacket. the sweater is ribbed cotton instead of wool but still very cute.

i’ll return later this week with a blog anniversary post. little tin soldier is turning two years old! thank you for being part of this storybook (and sketchbook) of my life.

the look | cardigan | similar tank | corduroys | similar wedges

2011. blue christmas. 

vintage grandpa cardigan. jersey dress by talbots. j.crew belt. madewell leather sandstorm boots.

remember my post on ugly sweaters? here’s another eccentric cardigan; the sweater is thick, oversized, and cozy with an allover southwestern print. i found it at goodwill and later tried to pawn it off to indiana. then i put on a brave face and styled it. it received oohs and aaahs from my children and oh nos from M. oh well.

happy wednesday!

the look | similar sweater | similar dress | boots

2011. hot pink. 

lucca couture cardigan. equipment signature blouse. madewell high riser jeans. hunter boots.

i have a confession: i like ugly sweaters. i grew up watching the cosby show and loving every single outfit worn by vanessa and rudy huxtable. they would fight over this cardigan, and vanessa would inevitably wear it to a school dance. clair would console rudy by letting her play “dress up” in the closet, only to discover a more spectacular sweater. i just turned my blog post into a fictional cosby episode. where’s my emmy award?

p.s. i envisioned the outfit with my gold reva flats, but they’re not built for wet weather. on the other hand, hunter boots love rainstorms, indie rock festivals, and suburban grocery stores.

the look | cardigan | blouse | jeans | boots