Urban Expeditions

Since it's starting to warm up, I've been getting excited about exploring Tacoma more. In the winter I just want to huddle up in a warm little nest and only venture out for provisions, but now that it's summer, I want to make an effort to discover cool nooks and crannies in this town. Yesterday we ventured over the 21st st. bridge to look around in the Port of Tacoma area, which I've never been to. It's so interesting that Tacoma is a huge port city because where we live we just don't see it. We're just surrounded by little shops and restaurants and bars, it's easy to forget that there's this huge industry just a few miles away. I really love looking around industrial areas. As we walked back to the car from taking these photos, Dan & I were talking about how much beautiful color and texture abounds in industrial areas. I love the peeling paint and the dripping rust, there's such a vibrancy about it.

dress/courtesy of modcloth :: t-shirt/h&m :: top/courtesy of free people

shoes (on sale!)/courtesy of blowfish :: necklace/courtesy of jewelmint

shades/vintage :: bag/courtesy of handbag heaven :: photos by Dan

I still haven't hemmed this dress, so I decided to tie it up to keep from stepping on it, but I ended up wearing tall enough heels that that wasn't a problem. I loved the way the skirt looked knotted up, though, so I left it. I've been having fun attempting to sort of return to my punk rock style from back in high school. Of course, back then it was more of just wearing jeans and West Coast Chopper tee shirts (my best friend and I were obsessed with Jesse James and Monster Garage...). In a lot of ways, this kind of style is a lot closer to my stylistic "roots" than super feminine, 50's silhouettes. I love that I don't have to stick to one style though. I can wear a nipped waist, flared skirt dress one day and a skull t-shirt, platform lace-up heels and plaid shirt the next. It makes dressing up so much more fun, to not have to feel tied down to one style.