Ever since I was young, I’ve been obsessed with Broadway musicals. While my sister was rocking out to the latest boy band, I was belting out showtunes in my bedroom. And I knew them all: I languished over Les Miserables, playing Eponine and her unrequited love. I was Christine, both fearful of the Phantom and hypnotized by his music. I hopped and skipped around the furniture to Cats, rode the horses in Carousel, and allowed myself to be eaten by the greed of Audrey 2 in Little Shop of Horrors. It’s safe to say I was a dramatic teenager.
I didn’t just do all this in the privacy of my bedroom, however. I really found myself in the theatre, performing in productions all through high school and college. I joined a community theatre in New Zealand during my PhD, and I am completely convinced that my success in earning my doctorate had a lot to do with having an emotive outlet on stage at night.
Although many years and miles have traveled underfoot, my love for the theatre is still ever present. I haven’t been on stage in years, but I still lose myself in the stories and the music. Should you drive past me on my way to the lab, chances are I’ll be belting out show tunes with abandon.
So, it should come as no surprise that the minute Hamilton hit the stage, I was hooked. I’ve memorized every song and every harmony and watched all of the “Making Of” documentaries I can get my hot little hands on. I’m still carefully plotting a way to get tickets (now that we’re in the US, this becomes an actual achievable task). And in the meantime, I can rock this stunning Hamilton dress from Unique Vintage and sing my little heart out about our founding Secretary of the US treasury…
The minute I started spotting this dress on some of my favorite fellow bloggers, including Paola from The Hepburn Movement and Amy from Miss Amy May, I was smitten. Although my wardrobe is primarily true vintage, I do love a good vintage-inspired piece, particularly when it stays true to the era I love so much. And the details on this beauty are so spot on (I’ve actually seen a true vintage dress this one was likely based on!) I love the mix of solid and stripes, the diagonal buttons, the tie shoulders, and the perfect pocket. Needless to say, UV definitely got it right with this one (and I may have already bought it in black and white too. eh hem).
There was a bit of back and forth on sizing with this dress based on reviews. But, I went with my usual medium and found it to be perfect. I’m a 35-36 bust and 27-28 waist, and I thought it was perfectly fitted but not overly snug. My favorite feature was the tie straps – for other long-waisted gals such as myself, this dress will be your best friend. I could get it to be the perfect length in my torso. Some of my more petite friends have had to tie it nearly to capacity, but I have yet to hear from anyone it hasn’t worked on yet.
It’s also made of a lovely breathable and mashine-washable cotton (those of us in humid climates rejoice!). As I’m experiencing my first summer in the South, I am more grateful than ever for cotton frocks that are easy to wear and just as easy to wash.
As it turns out, this dress is perfect for the hotter-n-Hades weather I’ve found myself in today. I’m actually in Austin, TX for my most favorite annual shark conference. Basically, a whole schlew of fellow shark nerds travel from all over the world once a year to decend upon a city and share our research. And although we shark scientists work really hard, we really are just a bunch of kids running around yelling, “Sharks are cool! Sharks are cool!” (as one friend put it, it’s basically “Sharknerdo”). This is always one of my favorite annual events, because I get to be surrounded by people who simply get my nerdery and share in the pure joy of getting to do what we love every day.
So, dress on and Hamilton playing on a loop this morning as I got ready, I’d say I’m ready to take on the day and finishing prep for my talk on Saturday. I also have big plans to tackle the vintage stores of Austin later in the week if I can find a gap in presentations. The lovely ladies of Instagram gave me a great list of shops to visit. And it’s one of those times that I wish that life came with a soundtrack. Because I can just hear first the famous notes of Hamilton, as I march the pavement in anticipation of what might await me.
Just you wait…
xoxo
Outfit Details:
Dress: Hamilton Dress via Unique Vintage
Necklace: gift (similar)
Handbag: Modcloth, sold out (similar here & here)
Shoes: Bettie Page, sold out (similar here & here)
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