Category: Lifestyle

Shopping Holiday Markets in Style

Posted on December 20, 2021August 13, 2023 by stilettocity

With the pandemic still raging this year, I’ve been going to mostly outdoor events to try to stay safe in crowds. That means I’ve discovered a wealth of markets for shopping and farmer’s markets for produce and baked goods. Now I don’t know if these outdoor markets have always existed, and I wasn’t paying attention or if this is now a popular way to shop because of Covid, but I’m happy to have them.

The holidays have seen an explosion of outdoor shopping markets for gifts, with many of the booths from indie small businesses, artists and makers who need our business way more than the big box stores or the almighty Amazon. Many of the finds here are also sustainably made and environmentally more friendly than what you find in bigger retail stores.

Plus, the holiday markets are a great way to get out and safely socialize and, most importantly, wear cute festive outfits! Here are some of the markets I’ve attended and outfits I’ve worn this holiday season.

Firefly Handmade Holiday Market

This makers market was a fun way to discover some of the crafty people in town, making everything from home décor to food to jewelry. It was the weekend after Thanksgiving, so I was still in fall wardrobe mode with this 1970s crochet mini dress, floppy hat and tooled-leather purse.

Fun finds: Vander Jackets, Wax Crescent Candles, Avery Lee Designs Jewelry

Learn more about the Firefly Handmade Markets on their website.

Horseshoe Market

This enormous market which features makers and vintage goods, is one of my favorites, taking place several times throughout the year. I wore a 1950s vintage dress I found deadstock (unworn), a matching cardigan and a wool boucle pillbox hat.

Fun finds Bohemian Scrapcity, Round Trip Goods, (read my article in Westword about them!)

Learn more about Horseshoe Market on their website.

Cherry Creek Holiday Market

Conducting a marathon of being open 37 days straight before Christmas, the Cherry Creek Market featured a mix of local makers and some higher-end vendors, plus live music. The best part was walking through the Cherry Creek shopping district decked out in millions of lights for their Winter Wanderland. The temperatures were starting to drop by the time I got there, so I was happy to have my thick vintage faux fur and corduroy coat over a retro T-shirt over a base layer top and some punk rock, I mean Christmas-plaid pants!

Fun finds: Dirty Hippie Candles, Hummingbird Spa Naturals, Happy Yak, Baby Firepits

Learn more about the Cherry Creek Holiday Market on their website.

Georgetown Christmas Market

I’ve wanted to go to this market up in the mountains for years, but since it always takes place on the first two weekends of December, it’s always freezing and snowing. This year’s mild-weather season finally allowed me to go. I wore a thrifted Fair Isle sweater with a vintage plaid skirt.

Fun finds: MP Pinecone Designs, Design By J9

Learn more about Georgetown Christmas Market on their website

Holi-Gay Market at Milk Market

I loved the concept of this market! Featuring LGBTQ-owned small businesses, designers and allies, this market took place inside the Milk Market in downtown Denver’s historic Dairy Block. There was a fun mix of high- and low-end selections. I wore a vintage ’70s velour jacket and plaid scarf over a retro t-shirt and skinny print pants.

Fun finds: Coco Coquette, Christopher La Fleur Arts, Mona Lucero (read my article in Westword about her!)

Learn more about the Diary Block on their website.

Whew, that was a lot of outings this year! I got to do some Christmas shopping and get some treats for myself. I’ll be sad to see the outdoor markets go while we deal with winter weather, but it’s sure been a holiday delight – and a great opportunity to style up some of my vintage and thrifted clothing for the season!

Happy holidays!

Kastle

Category: Lifestyle

How to Stay In Touch Long Distance and Dress For Zoom

Posted on November 26, 2020November 28, 2020 by stilettocity

The holidays are here, and the pandemic is worse than ever. We are asked to stay away from loved ones when we really need that family comfort. The isolation this year has been brutal, but there are some ways to stay in touch long distance.

The winner of the quarantine era is Zoom. Being able to see and talk to people through our computers has been a lifesaver for business and for people’s social lives. There are Zoom cocktail hours, game nights and entertainment events. For Christmas this year, my family and I all agreed to ship each other our wrapped presents ahead of time and open them together over Zoom on Christmas day so we still feel together during the holiday.

Zoom events also give you an excuse to dress up. I have a Zoom social with a group of girlfriends every weekend, and I spend all week planning my outfit. It gives me an excuse to do full makeup, wear something cute and feel like myself, instead of the loungewear and makeup-free look I mainly sport during my work-from-home routine of the past few months.

With Zoom, most people will see you from the waist up, so you really only need to plan half of your outfit. Although, when I get together with my gal pals, we usually fully dress and stand back from the camera to show off the full view at some point.

Dressing for Zoom also allows you to accessorize! A pin or a scarf can really dress up a look and add some personality. Plus, it gives you an excuse to do some therapy shopping for little things that don’t break the budget. I certainly have done a bit of that!

Ideas to Dress Up For Zoom

Scarves – tie them around your neck or in your hair, and you’ll always look polished.

Hats – a fun hat or cap can be a real conversation starter. It can also be a good theme for a Zoom party.

Peter Pan Collars – this retro trend is perfect for Zoom. There are loads of beautiful hand-sewn and embroidered collars available on Etsy that just tie around your neck. They really jazz up a t-shirt or sweater.

Brooches / Pins – Brooches can add a touch of elegance to any outfit. Look for ones that reflect your personality and love of things like flowers or animals.

While Zoom is a great way to use modern technology to stay in touch, there are still some old fashioned ways to keep communication lines open while we are all apart.

Five Ways to Stay in Touch While Staying At Home

Letter writing – pick up some pretty stationery and write personal letters to friends and family or strike up a pen pal with a senior isolated in a long term care facility.
Book and movie club – read or watch the same movies with your friends and then set a date to discuss by phone or Zoom
Game night – games are easy and fun to play over Zoom. Pictionary, Charades and Bingo work well over the computer screen.
Take a class making crafts– do you knit, draw, paint, do photography or want to learn how? Sometimes having someone to gift your creations to is motivation to learn a new artistic skill. Explore your artistic side with distant friends and share your creations.
Outfit shares and clothing swaps – Putting together cute outfits for me is therapeutic. I dress up for my Zoom parties and take photos for Instagram. But you can also partner with some friends to swap outfit photos and clothes through the mail (since in-person shopping and budgets are limited these days). Trust me, getting dressed in a new outfit will definitely make you feel good for a day! And since we can’t go anywhere, it’s nice to have someone to share your new look with.

So kick off the holidays by vowing to keep in touch with long-distance loved ones in new and creative ways.

Until next time,

Kastle

Category: Lifestyle

Why It’s Important to Vote

Posted on October 19, 2020November 4, 2020 by stilettocity

Election day is coming. You may know by now it’s important to vote. But do you know why? Do you know what you’re voting for?

This year has been unlike any other. We knew it was going to get crazy with the presidential election coming up. But back in the blissful “before times” of January and February when we were going about our regular business, going to work, socializing with friends and gathering with family, we had no idea what was coming.

Now we’ve experienced the coronavirus pandemic that’s killed 220K people in the United States, civil unrest, explosive levels of violence breaking out on our streets, sky-high unemployment and the crushing isolation of trying to avoid human contact. It’s no wonder our anxiety levels are at an all-time high.

Why Voting Is Important

This goes back to why it’s important to vote. How our government handles a major societal crisis will determine our emotional comfort levels, our ability to find work, take care of our loved ones, and even be able to leave the house and feel safe.

Voting is the one power we have to affect what our future will be. We don’t get much say in what the government does, but we can help elect officials who we hope will represent our preferences in how we want to live our lives. If they’re doing their job, they’re looking out for US, not other interests.

How to Vote

Every state in the U.S. has different deadlines for registering to vote. You can check to see if you are registered at the Rock the Vote website. If you requested an absentee ballot, you can conveniently vote by mail. In the year of COVID, this is an easy way to get your vote in and social distance. Be sure to check your state’s deadlines for putting it in the mail, so you get it postmarked in time.

With all the fuss about the mail these days, the best way to get your absentee ballot in is to physically put it in a ballot dropbox. Make sure it is an official dropbox as I’ve seen reports of dummy boxes going up to trick people. Look to see where the dropboxes are for your county.

You can also vote in person. Election day is Tuesday, November 3, but many states now offer early voting days to beat the crowds. Voter turnout is at record numbers this year, so plan wisely to avoid getting stuck in long lines.

And of course, when you vote, be sure to wear your “I voted” sticker. It’s the best fashion accessory you can have!

How to Help People Vote

This year, I volunteered to help voter turnout because I feel so strongly that we need to take control and get a grip on what’s happening in our country.

I volunteered to write nonpartisan letters to people in populations with a low voter turnout to encourage them to vote. It felt really good to write those heartfelt notes and drop them in the mailbox to encourage people to use their right to vote and make a difference.

If you want to take action, you still can. You can volunteer to be a poll worker or work to help stop voter suppression. You can also just check in with your circle of friends and family and make sure they’re committed to voting and know how and where to cast their ballot.

So get your ballot in and rock the vote! I want to see you wearing your “I voted” sticker!

Kastle

Tags: how to help voter turnout, voting, why it's important to vote