Every time I return to my Arkansas hometown one of my first stops is my "special place," Lake Fayetteville. Compared to the grandeur of Chicago's Lake Michigan it seems more like a glorified pond, especially since swimming and fishing are prohibited, but I have fond memories of sitting and reading by its shores, calmed by the rustling of the trees in the surrounding woods and the gentle lapping of the water.
While it might seem strange to visit a lake in the winter, the sculptural quality of the bare tree branches and the crackling piles of leaves invited me to explore the shoreline. It helped that it was in the 50s and ridiculously sunny during this shoot, I love the way the warm golden light interacts with the vivid blue skies and the water in the photos. Oddly enough my outfit also mixed together warm and cool hues so I ended up matching the landscape.I'm wearing a 1960s dress that I found at a Chicago rummage sale a few months ago-- my mom shortened it to a more wearable length. I've always loved plaid and especially enjoy the unusual colors of this dress, it can easily be worn in the winter or spring.
My purse is from the late 1970s/early 1980s and was thrifted in the Philippines. It has a slight Native American feel to it, right?Warmer weather meant I could pile on the accessories-- the 1960s charm bracelet features a different model of phone on each circle and is from a consignment shop in Evanston. I thrifted the 1960s lucite bracelets in Fayetteville.My greatest thrift score on my trip home was this pair of leather lace up boots. I love that they are two-tone, flat and Made in the USA. Best of all they were only $4!! Pretty amazing find as my feet are HUGE (9 1/2-10).The cozy gray cardigan is from the 1950s and was dug out of the attic of an estate sale. My mom gave me the sweet aqua pin for Christmas and it's probably from the 1970s.You'd never know it from these photos but Lake Fayetteville is located right off a busy highway across from our town's mall. It truly is a small slice of nature in the middle of the suburban sprawl.
Do you have a "special place"?