Boots & Billy Pilgrim

Red reading glasses found at Meijer (my very first pair) do double duty as accessory with my favorite Old Gringo sugar skull boots and an embroidered lace jacket. I found the tulle and cotton dress in a local Austin, Texas boutique last fall.

If you follow Red's Shoe Diaries, you probably already know from a recent post that I've recently succumbed to the need for reading glasses. It took exactly two days for me to understand why people usually own multiple pairs, and it's not just because they want to match every outfit. Those little suckers are hard to keep track of! 

The bead and crystal pendant was a Parisian find several years ago.

That said, they really do make a difference, whether I'm reviewing a contract or reading Slaughterhouse Five for the second time. I first experienced the famous Kurt Vonnegut novel as an 8th grader, primarily because it was one of THOSE books... you know, the ones behind the counter at the school library that require a permission slip from your parents to check out.

The embroidered jacket is a remarkable match for my embroidered, handmade leather boots. I've had the boots a few years, but stumbled across the jacket last month at Steinmart. It had a black lining when I bought it, but it obscured the intricate detail of the sheer embroidered outer fabric, so I cut the lining out of it.

I decided to read it again this Spring because I've been frequenting the author's childhood home in Indianapolis. Though I didn't know it when I first met Billy Pilgrim and Kilgore Trout, Vonnegut is a Hoosier native, having spent his early year in the city's Butler-Tarkington neighborhood. Over the last several months, the historic home (rumored to be haunted) has been transformed into this year's St. Margaret's Hospital Guild Decorators' Show House. 

When I bought these boots, I thought I'd forever be stuck wearing them with solid colors, but a year later I happened on this floral print dress from Zulilly; and then in December while walking down the street in Downtown Las Vegas at midnight, I hit the jackpot with the sugar skull purse from a street vendor (and I was even wearing the boots and dress at the time). These boots have some good juju! 

As a member of St. Margaret's Guild, I've been fortunate to witness the transformation of the home first hand, but from April 29th - May 14th, you can see it, too! The Show House is a tradition dating back to 1907, giving central Indiana residents the opportunity to peek inside some of the most architecturally significant and historic homes in Indianapolis while also showcasing the latest design trends. As if that weren't enticing enough, all proceeds go to support Eskenazi Health and its programs for underserved populations. Find out more and get your tickets here.

The Guild also hosts other events related to the Decorators' Show House, one of which includes a special celebration of Kurt Vonnegut by another reknowned Hoosier author, Dan Wakefield (of "Going All the Way" fame). If you're a Vonnegut fan (or a Wakefield fan), consider joining me on the evening of May 3rd for a tour of the show house and gardens followed by appetizers, beverages and personal stories about Vonnegut from his friend, Wakefield. Reserve your spot here. It's the perfect way to celebrate "the Year of Vonnegut" and support a great cause at the same time.

Fashion is what you buy; Style is what you do with it!