The animal novelty print trend has been going strong for over a year now (see my “Trends I Loved in 2012” post), so there are LOTS of choices out there besides cats. How to know which way to go — or even which animal to choose?

Below is my Polyvore collection of 6 different ways to wear animal novelty prints, featuring a menagerie of stylish options:  elephants (definitely having a moment right now), dragonflies, bees, rhinos, flamingos, hens, pelicans, swans, cats, dogs, parrots, giraffes, leopards, sparrows, ostriches, owls, and ducks. I’ve also included close-ups of the prints below each inspiration board.

1.  Go bold

2.  Go small

3.  Go stylized

4.  Go delicate

5.  Go accessorize

6. Go subtle

Last but not least, my final inspiration board features a subtle take on the trend. Instead of featuring animals straight-out, these prints reference them through graphics like birdcages, feathers, and horse bits and bridles.

Besides my aforementioned fondness for cats, my personal wardrobe also houses owls (Gertie, my owl sweater), birds (necklaces), bees (earrings), and butterflies (earrings). Do you have a favorite way to wear animal novelty prints — or a particular go-to animal? Please leave a comment and let me know!

Link ups:  IFB Project #100:  Write a List  /  Friday’s Fancies  /  Fashion Friday

Related articles:

• Crazy cat prints (looplooks.net)
• How She’d Wear It with Style and Cheek – Prints (theladyandthebeard.com)
• P for PRINT (tuesdaytheory.wordpress.com)
• TREND ALERT- Wild and Wonderful (whisperboutique.wordpress.com)

Inspiration:

Inspiration Monday – June 17, 2013 – Eva Mendes

Interpretation:

Below is my best attempt at “The Paparazzi” blogger pose, subtitled “I have NO idea there is someone taking my picture right now, but I’m determined to look my cutest all the same.”

I chose a graphic tee — this one reads “te quiero mucho” (Spanish for “I love you a lot”) — and switched the denim on the bottom to a skirt. I also chose a fabric headband to echo Eva’s head wrap. And at the last minute, I added a statement necklace, which in retrospect, is my favorite part of the outfit. It links the black in the headband to the black wedges, and adds an unexpected, whimsical touch to this casual look.

Details:  Graphic t-shirt:  ModCloth, old  /  Denim skirt:  Fall fashion swap  /  Black wedges:  Target, last spring  /  Jet necklace:  Florence Adams, c/o giveaway  /  Fabric headband:  Lori’s Shoes, Chicago, 2007

Link ups:  Inspiration Monday  /  Funday Monday  /  Monday Mingle  /  My Style Mondays  /  Thrifters Anonymous  /  Style Sessions  /  Real Girl Style  /  Anything + Everything Blog Hop

Related articles:

• Thrifter Thursday: Denim Skirts (rubysnpurls.wordpress.com)
• Denim In Summer (fashionshoesforyou.wordpress.com)
• Denim Skirts Never Went Away, How to Rock a Denim Skirt (uberchicmichi.com)

And here’s a little sneak preview of the post I’ve got set for Wednesday. (Why am I waiting until Wednesday? To participate in Marionberry Style’s “Trend of the Month” challenge — and there’s still time to participate!) To honor Father’s Day, I wore one of my father’s ties on my last day of work for Spring term. 

So you’ll see more pics of this awesome vintage tie, and the whole outfit, on Wednesday. Stay tuned!

By the way, those wide ’70s ties are the BEST for wearing as sashes, or obi-style tie belts. I have stitched together two ties of my dad’s before, as seen below. A fun — and simple — project, and you can find great vintage ties at almost every thrift store. 

As I wrap up my first academic year as a faculty librarian at my community college, this is a heads-up that my outfit posts on my style blog this summer will definitely be more casual in nature. Because of my faculty contract, I’m off for the summer!!! I still will be in and out of the library because of a summer project I’ve secured with external funding, and I will be attending a national library conference at the end of this month. And my husband and I are looking forward to exploring more parts of our beloved Portland, so y’all can look forward to more varied background locations throughout the summer.

Happy Sunday!

But any excuse to wear this lovely patterned frock would be a good one. Cocktails, anyone? (And that IS a hint. )

Happy weekending!

Link ups:  Friday’s Fancies  /  Fashion Friday

Related articles

• White out (librarianforlifestyle.wordpress.com)
• Summer Breezes: What to Wear for a Summer Wedding (weddings.answers.com)
• What to Wear to a Wedding (borntobeabride.com)
• What To Wear To A Summer Wedding (lindsay-primeau.com)
• Summer Wedding Style: A Universal Cocktail Dress (stylebugdaily.com)

Inspiration:

White Center by Mark Rothko, 1950, oil on canvas

Interpretation:

I combined shades of orange and white (camp shirt), pink (skinny belt), black (shoes and tank top), and berry (pencil skirt). And although I didn’t do straight up-and-down color-blocking, I went with a pencil skirt in order to echo the leaner silhouette in the painting.

I also (unintentionally) added in more colorblocking with my umbrella — it started downpouring just before I got home after work!

Details:  Gingham shirt:  Old Navy, gift-carded last spring  /  Pencil skirt:  LOFT, last fall  /  Pink skinny belt:  Kohl’s, gift-carded last spring  /  Flats:  Payless, last summer  /  Umbrella:  old

And I’ve worn this pencil skirt with several different color combinations, including grey and white here, black and yellow here, and navy here.

Link ups:  SIA  /  Look What I Got  /  What I Wore to Work  /  Friday’s Five  /  Casual Fridays  /  Fashion Informant Linkup  /  Friday Favorites Remix  /  Watch What I’m Wearing  /  Sunday Style

Related articles:

• The Polished Pencil Skirt (thestylefixer.com)
• Pops of yellow (librarianforlifestyle.wordpress.com)
• Bored With Your Pencil Skirt. Try This One. (forbes.com)

Details:  Peplum top:  JCPenney, gift-carded this spring  /  Black skinny jeans:  Target, last winter  /  Flats:  Payless, last spring  /  Grey cardigan:  August Silk via Nordstrom Rack, last winter  /  Skinny belt:  Fall fashion swap  /  Circle drop earrings:  Lia Sophia, gift from husband, old

And here’s a close-up of my hair. I made a side ponytail, but didn’t pull the hair all the way through at the end, and just wrapped the ends around and pinned them to the base of the ponytail. It made for a pretty, no-fuss side-do (vs. updo), a style I have gone to the well for many times before (see here).

Link ups:   Sunday Style  /  YOLO Mondays  /  Monday Mingle  /  Style Sessions  /  Real Girl Style  /  Anything + Everything Blog Hop  /  Wardrobe Wednesday  /  What I Wore Wednesdays  /  Whatever Works Wednesday  /  Dress for the Day

Related articles

• Pops of yellow (librarianforlifestyle.wordpress.com)
• Peplum Love (shophopesblog.com)
• Casual Friday: My First Peplum! (queenmamiboo.wordpress.com)

And for this final travel post, thank goodness it was during summer, so you’ll be seeing much more variety in my travel wardrobe! And you might even recognize a few pieces.

Pausing at a scenic overlook on the north shore. And by the way, it’s so strange seeing myself in glasses that were two pairs ago! And yes, I still have that cardigan, seen here, and that tank top, seen here.

At Kindred Spirits Inn, where we stayed in Cavendish. It’s funny to see me experimenting with hats even way back then… but as I recall, this hat did not stay that long in my wardrobe.

At Avonlea Village, Anne meets Anne… and we’re not the only ones captivated.

Another vacation, another friendly cat to pet!

The striking red cliffs of PEI, just as vivid as they are described in L. M. Montgomery’s works.

I love the ’70s vibe of this photo above. (And yes, I still have that hoodie, seen here.)

This is one of Sam’s favorite shots during this PEI trip — he was capturing action shots of me years before this style blog started!

Foreshadowing of our Scotland trip! This is outside our favorite restaurant in PEI, Cafe on the Clyde, located in New Glasgow.

The view across the Clyde River to the New Glasgow United Church. On this second trip, Sam and I fell in love with the distinctive church architecture on the Island.

A cool sculpture in the Gardens of Hope in New Glasgow.

In the gardens, a local artist continues her craft on a rainy afternoon.

Me amongst the roses. I still have that cardigan, seen here, as well as that tank top, seen here.  The tote bag lasted for several years, and went with me all the way to the UAE.

Taking a break on the beaches of the north shore. The swimsuit I’m wearing here is one of the ones I took on our trip to Thailand!

The Cavendish Cemetery, the resting place of the author.

What, me visiting a library?! This time, it was the Confederation Centre Public Library, in downtown Charlottetown, the capital of PEI. (And those long shorts are also still in my wardrobe, last seen here.)

On the Wood Island ferry on a day trip to Nova Scotia, watching the wake. You can also see that pink-white-and-brown striped top in action in this UAE flashback post.

The Confederation Bridge, outside Summerside.

Resting on a bench along Spinnaker’s Landing in Summerside. I love this photo because of its striking composition — and Sam’s shadow as he takes my pic!

Taking a tour of Bideford Parsonage, where L. M. Montgomery stayed for a year while teaching, we got to see the site of the real linament cake fiasco! (If you’re a fan of Anne of Green Gables, you’ll know what I am talking about — and have a huge smile on your face right now! )

Pretty as a postcard at West Point lighthouse.

Contemplating the sea along the North Cape.

The next day, on the opposite coast of the island, we met a wise wooden seaman keeping guard at the Montague Waterfront.

Enjoying a seal-watching tour together. Sam picked up his “PEI Dirt Hat” on our first trip — it’s dyed with PEI’s famous red sand. And my old glasses had clip-on sunglasses, while though efficient, did not provide that much coverage. This was PPS (Pre Prescription Sunglasses).

We both happily completed the Tip-to-Tip lighthouse certificate! This meant we visited the lighthouses on both the westernmost and easternmost points of PEI.

Enjoying a beautiful walk along St. Peters Bay, on our way to the half-buried, half-forgotten lighthouse in St. Peters Harbour.

This is the smallest lighthouse on the Island, set amongst the shifting sands along the north central coast. You can see the evidence of those shifting sands by the height of the original door and the additional side ladder!

Along the Victoria Park boardwalk in Charlottetown on our last day. The main reason I included this shot — besides this park being one of our favorite spots in the city — is because I still have the entire upper half of this outfit — the light blue cardigan, the brown sweater vest I’m using as a shell underneath, as well as the floppy summer hat.

As the sun sets on these travel posts, I hope y’all enjoyed travelling with us back in time through the countries of Thailand, Austria, Scotland, the Netherlands, and Canada. Tomorrow, we’ll be back to our regularly scheduled style programming.

Did you enjoy a travel mini-holiday? Would you like to read more travel posts? If so, please leave a comment and let me know!

And it was a longer trip than anticipated! On the morning that we were set to board the plane back to Abu Dhabi, we learned of the volcanic eruption in Iceland that would shut down transportation options all across Europe for the next week. So we ended up staying in Amsterdam for the next 8 days! Thank goodness for the Museumkaart (“Museum card”) that we bought at the beginning of our trip; in one of the most expensive cities in the world, we saved a lot of money by visiting more free museums included on the card.

One of my favorite photos from the trip! This is a wide shot of the Museumplein and an “I Amsterdam” sign in front of the Rijksmuseum. My favorite detail is catching the dogs running across the pool.

We stayed in De Pijp (“The Pipe”) district of Amsterdam, in the Between Art & Kitsch B&B. We stayed on during the volcanic period, as well, as no one else was able to come into the country to fill their reservations! This pic is on our first day there, on the canal on our way to the Museumplein.

My wardrobe on this trip is very similar to what I wore on our Vienna trip:  lots of jeans + comfy shoes + Vienna coat + scarves.

My husband Sam looking very cool and relaxed during our obligatory canal boat tour.

Not an optical illusion — most of the canal houses are built to lean. On the canal boat tour, the guide said they fish out quite a few cars — and a lot of bicycles! — out of the canals every year. It’s not hard to see why.

Accordions! This is in our favorite park in the city, the Vondelpark.

This is a still life photograph I captured, right after our visit to the Van Gogh Museum. I was feeling inspired.

In Hoorn, where Sam’s Dutch relatives used to live. Although my wardrobe is almost the same as in the Vienna trip, I did add a blue knit beret, seen above in the park pic, and a crossbody bag that was easier for traveling.

On the way back from Hoorn. The public transportation system in the Netherlands — like most of Europe — is fantastic. We had no problems navigating the trains, even out to surrounding areas like Hoorn and The Hague.

Another European city, another zoo, another cat, another bench. Bliss.

This pic at the Artis Zoo never fails to crack me up! Dinos loose in the city, aaaggghhh!

Another courtship statue (see the Vienna post) — but I’m not having any of it, obviously!

Sam, I am.

The best public library I’ve been to yet, the Openbare Bibliotheek Amsterdam. We also enjoyed their free wireless during the unintended excursion of our Spring Break vacation, to update our family members and work colleagues.

In The Hague, waiting outside the (fantastic!) M. C. Escher museum. Sam always manages to catch a photo (or two or three) of me sitting on a bench, wherever we go.

We also took a canal boat tour — at night! So lovely.

We ♥ Holland! This is the blue heart in the main square in Delft, the birthplace of my favorite artist, Johannes Vermeer (see also my post on our Vienna trip). We took a day trip around the Netherlands on what we thought would be our final full day on our trip.

Sam had big shoes to fill at the Madurodam park of miniatures.

Another day, another bench! In Sarphati Park, on what we thought was our final morning in the Netherlands. Modern art that is also practical? Me likey.

Cancelled, cancelled, cancelled. A glimpse of the first effects of the Icelandic volcano eruption.

Going with the flow at De Kroon cafe, on the Rembrandtplein.

I couldn’t agree more! Window – and sidewalk – shopping in the Jordaan district.

Trying everything I could to get us back home to Abu Dhabi, where we were living and working at the time. This was at an exhibit at the Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam.

Having fun — but not THAT kind of fun! — in a replica of a Red Light District window exhibit in the courtyard of the Amsterdam Historisch Museum.

Enough said.

Hope you enjoyed going Dutch! Our final stop on this travel flashback tour will be in Prince Edward Island, Canada.

Related articles:

• Destination of the day, Amsterdam, Netherlands (comparetravelsave.wordpress.com)
• I AMsterdam (passportstories.wordpress.com)
• Make Your Euros Go Further in Amsterdam (epicatravel.com)
• Off to the Nether-Netherlands. (cherylhalverson.wordpress.com)
• 5 reasons to go to Amsterdam (lauranathalietravels.wordpress.com)
• The Netherlands (andtheyreoffblog.com)
• Shopping Guide Amsterdam: De Pijp part 1 (30smagazine.wordpress.com)
• Shopping Guide Amsterdam: De Pijp part 2 (30smagazine.wordpress.com)
• That 20th Trip to Holland (barrypiatoff.wordpress.com)
• happiness in holland (hanshaffer.wordpress.com)

We spent our entire vacation wandering the highways and back roads between this, the “gateway to the Highlands” and Inverness, the “capital of the Highlands.” We stuck to the Grampians region and visited castle, towns, and whiskey distilleries all along the northeastern coastline.

We first arrived in Aberdeen by plane and rented a car. On our way to our B&B in Keith, we stopped to see several ancient Pictish stones — a good break from the stress of driving on the “wrong” side of the road. And here we stopped to take a pic with the Maiden Stone, located between Inverurie and Insch.

In the back garden of Craighurst, the B&B in Kent we stayed throughout the duration of our trip. That orange-and-brown bag is actually a camera bag that has proven to be a fantastic travel bag throughout the years! And once again, it’s going to look like I’m wearing the same thing in almost every photo, as I planned almost everything around this tan quilted coat, a few pairs of dark jeans, and my hiking boots.

Our first real excursion was climbing up to the Dunnideer Hill Fort, the remains of a 13th-century castle tower built within an ancient Pictish fortified settlement near Insch. One of our favorite memories from this trip was the picnic lunch we ate there, tucked into a corner and out of the brisk wind.

A sweeping view of Elgin Cathedral from its front towers. Mostly in ruins, the cathedral is still impressive for its scale.

Enjoying the gardens and grounds of Balmoral Castle, summer home to British royalty since Queen Victoria bought the estate in the mid-19th century.

Taking a picture break along the river at Balmoral.

A (foggy) view of Fraserburgh’s Kinnaird Castle, which was converted into Scotland’s first lighthouse in the late 1700s. We stopped to explore the Scottish Lighthouse Museum on the way to meet Sam’s Scottish relatives.

The beautiful gardens at Leith Hall.

Enjoying a quiet shaded lane in the gardens of Cawdor Castle. Finally, a pic of me in something other than jeans!

Sam joins his clan in spirit at their memorial gravestone on the moors of Culloden, just east of Inverness. The Battle of Culloden, which took place in 1746, was the last hand-to-hand battle to take place on British soil.

Urquhart Castle overlooking Loch Ness, about ten minutes south of Inverness.

Sam looking quite handsome in his tweedy blazer and earth tones, posing in the grounds of Urquhart Castle. After our trip to Loch Ness, we went back to Inverness for a kilt fitting at Highland House of Fraser. You can see shots of Sam kitted out in his kilt here, here, and here.

Taking a rest on the front steps of the entrance to Haddo House, a lovely and well-preserved 18th-century home.

Walking (very carefully) out among the Bullars of Buchan, natural stone caves and pillars formed by sea erosion along the Bay of Cruden.

Dunnottar Castle, south of Aberdeen. This was our final castle visit — and what a majestic setting! The castle sits on a peninsular cliff jutting into the North Sea and connects to the shore by only a thin, natural wall of rock that you glimpse in the lower left of the pic above.

Does this sweater vest look familiar? You can see more recent combos with this vest here and here.

We make it a point to visit a library of every new place we visit, as seen already in my Thailand and Vienna posts. In addition to the Central Library in Aberdeen, seen above, we also visited the Keith Public Library, a small local branch just down the street from our B&B.

Yep, it’s another vacation tradition for Sam to catch a photo of me sitting on a bench! Here I am enjoying the sunshine in the Union Terrace Gardens in Aberdeen.

Hope y’all enjoyed our break to Scotland. On Monday, we’ll be travelling back to the European mainland, to the Netherlands.

Related articles:

• Stirling Castle (londonedinburgh.wordpress.com)
• Dunnideer Castle (en.wikipedia.org)
• Who you gonna call? Scotland’s seven spookiest locations (thescottishsun.co.uk)
• Inverness, Scotland & Loch Ness (gastography.com)

Vienna:

Our first night in Vienna, we had forgotten it would darken so early — this picture on the Zollamtssteg Bridge was taken about 5pm! You can also catch a glimpse of our *fabulous* long coats that we bought specially for this trip. We still refer to these coats as our “Vienna coats” — we picked up both coats in the UAE (mine from Mango, and Sam’s from Zara).

This was one of my favorite pics from our trip! This is of the Neues Rathaus, the ornate “new” city hall built in the late 19th century, glowing over the lighted trees and Christmas market of Rathausplatz.

In the Milo Café next to the Architekturzentrum Wien (the Vienna Architectural Center) in the MuseumsQuartier. Our hotel was just one street over from the MuseumsQuartier. We stopped here for a coffee and a light lunch after visiting the Leopold Museum.

Another personal shot in the Milo Cafe. I tend to take pictures “on the bias” (on an angle), and this is one of my favorite pictures of Sam.

Another favorite moment during our trip! This is in the Kunsthistoriches (Art History) Museum, and I was on the hunt for the lone Vermeer painting in the museum, “Allegory on the Art of Painting.” When we got to it, a painter was painting a copy of Vermeer’s painting, which depicts a painter in the middle of painting! Life imitating art — moments like these keep you smiling!

From the Kunsthistoriches Museum, a view of the Maria-Theresien-Platz and its Christmas Market, with the Natrualhistoriches Museum opposite.

The Christmas tree in the Stephansplatz, with the huge Stephansdom Cathedral looking (looming?) over it.

Pausing in front of the small chapel that accompanies the Friedhof der Namenlosen, located outside the city. It took quite a few trains and buses (and an extended walk) to get there, but it was well worth the visit. The cemetery, whose name means “Cemetery of the Nameless,” was established during a brief period in the 1930s to bury the bodies of unknown or unclaimed drowning victims and suicides that washed up on the shores of the Danube Canal nearby. It’s also featured in the one of our favorite films, Before Sunrise.

At the zoo on the grounds of the Schloss Schönbrunn, the summer palace of the Habsburgs. One section of the zoo held a few yaks and some Himalayan birds, as well as Tibetan prayer flags and prayer wheels. (Foreshadowing our trip to Thailand!) You can also see a better view of Sam’s fabulous Vienna coat.

Me on the tree-top walkway, with the Schönbrunn palace in the background. This view was billed as one that not even the Emperor had — the zoo walkway was built after the fall of the Empire. It was an impressive city view, to be sure.

Another trip, another pic of me sitting on a bench. This time, he caught me petting one of the very friendly zoo cats, who followed us into the Monkey House.

At the top of the Belvedere gardens, with the Lower Belvedere in the distance behind. The Upper Belvedere was one of the best museums we’ve ever visited! That’s where the best of the Gustav Klimt paintings are held, including The Kiss.

And I know it looks like I’m wearing basically the same outfit in every pic from this trip! I did wear a standard look combining:

a sweater (I brought thin sweaters in blue, pink, and purple)
+
a layering piece (for warmth underneath the sweater)
+
a pair of pants (I brought 2 pairs of jeans and my black trousers)
+
a pair of black shoes (sneakers or rubber-soled ankle boots)
+
a long coat (my grey Vienna coat)
+
a shoulder bag (a deep pink/purple bag that I had had for years)
+
accessories (a scarf, silver or purple, and a grey beret)

The Danube Valley:

We took one organized tour during our trip, a one-day trip down the Danube. There’s an old saying that the Danube River looks blue only to those in love. It sure looked blue to us! ♥

Having fun in front of the “proposal” statue in Krems, a little medieval town where our tour bus stopped for a coffee break and an hour of sightseeing/shopping. We bought that black-and-white tweed hat Sam is wearing in a tiny but charming little hat shop in town.

Posing in front of the main room of the library in the Benedictine abbey and monastery in Melk. (Told y’all I visit a library in every new place we visit! )

The beautiful winter sunset over Melk, the abbey, and the Danube-valley hills.

Hope you enjoyed a winter view of Vienna. Tomorrow, I’ll see y’all in Scotland!

Related articles:

• Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna’s Versailes (jltraveling.wordpress.com)
• Last Day in Vienna. (horninreallife.wordpress.com)
• Travel: Palaces of Vienna (cestlaju.com)
• Vienna Calling. (cherylhalverson.wordpress.com)
• Vienna’s the place to be (scarlettfriesen.wordpress.com)
• Vienna Street Bites (streetsauce.wordpress.com)