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I know I haven't been hitting you guys with a lot of daily outfit posts lately. Truth be told, I'm still in the US for another few weeks, and this being a pandemic, and it still being pretty damn hot out there right now in Florida, I'm really only ever in a pair of cutoffs and a -shirt most days. Or in my scooter gear if I'm going somewhere. There's not a lot of variety in my sartorial diet right now. But that doesn't mean I'm not thinking about sartorial things. I'm still curating the vintage shop, and in doing so I inevitably happen upon pre-loved pieces that find their way into my closet. This is one of them. In fact, come to think of it, with the exception of the jewelry and shoes (okay and the underwear), absolutely everything about this look is secondhand. The jeans are early 2000s era bootcut Hudson Jeans (that I was going to list in the vintage shop then lost the heart), the gorgeous leather belt an unbranded but truly spectacular seven dollar thrift store find, the tank from a Goodwill haul last summer, and the piece de résistance - this duster. I think this duster is originally from Target (pron: Tar-jay), and it was actually on one of the mannequins in a thrift store in my hometown a couple of weeks ago as I walked in with my sister. It was rumpled and the fringes were all knotted and tangled, but I knew instantly I wanted it, so I wrestled the manneqin for it right there and then, with an audience of people gawking at me. I handily won the wrestling match, by the way. Skinny b**ch never stood a chance. It took a good washing and me literally combing-out the fringes on the thing with one of those little black barber shop combs, but it was worth it in the end. It's a beautiful piece, and I'm really loving how you can just throw it on and go. And yes, I gave the poor mannequin a different top to wear to cover herself in her humiliation of such a decisive defeat. I'm not a complete barbarian.

Another wonderful surprise package from RealHer found its way to me a little over a week ago. They've rolled-out five new shades of their Matte Liquid Lipstick, and sent them to me to take for a spin. For most of last week, I wore a new shade every day. You'll remember from my post not so long ago that these RealHer liquid Matte lipsticks are literally the only liquid matte lipstick I'll even go near. They stay on beautifully, aren't overly drying, and can be used as a stain or a base to create endless other looks. Just today, I had no makeup on, but put a bit of one of the pink shades on before I nipped out on my scooter. the weather went from Florida sun to wind to drizzle while I was out, but my lips stayed put. That lipstick looked the same when I came home hours later as it did when I put it on. These new shades really go from one end of the spectrum to the other, and even though at first glance I thought perhaps some of them might be...er...challenging for me, especially with a bit of sun on my skin, They are all pretty wearable, albeit with differing levels of drama. Just like real life, I suppose. I did this little experiment by wearing these shades exactly as I would in my daily life, as opposed to as one might for the camera. In other words, if it looks like I'm wearing minimal make-up, that's because more often than not, I am. That's how I roll most days, especially when it's hot outside. So let's get to it, shall we? Shade: I WILL RISE This was the lightest shade of the bunch, and probably too light for my slightly olive, tanned skin. It was sort of like putting concealer on my lips, but in the spirit of the exercise, I decided just to go with it and make it into a LEWK. On me, this shade really was a very 1960s white-out kind of shade so it cried out for a dark eye. So that's what I did,. It's more makeup than I normally wear during the day, but I ended up really liking the look. Even with my bra strap hanging out in the photo. Yep. We're all about keepin' it real over here at Highland Fashionista HQ. Shade: I AM ENOUGH This is a shade that I would buy ten thousand times over. In fact, it's a shade that I probably have ten thousand versions of right now. On me, I Am Enough is a perfect neutral shade for those low/no makeup days as well as a perfect base for any other. It is the kind of look I wear every day and offers just a hint of color. I especially liked this one with a bit of sun on my skin. For me, I consider this shade an essential. Shade: I AM BRILLIANT I Am Brilliant is a lovely mauve-based pink that I would place firmly in the "everyday" category. Because I have sun on my skin right now, it was a bit on the light side for me at the time of this photo, but this is one that I would say is slightly more intentional and finished of a look (than say the more neutral previous shade I Am Enough) in that it gives a hint of color without needing to scream it at you. I think we've all had enough screaming in 2020, am I right? Shade: I AM A GODDESS My reaction when I first encountered this shade was "...oh boy" followed by a conciliatory "well, it was nice of my 1990s lipstick to pay me a visit after all these years." Once was the time I wore a shade this dark as a part of my larger 1990s uniform. That was nearly three decades ago, and if I do go dramatic these days, I tend to favor brighter reds, pinks, and corals on account of the hair. That said, the shade was not as harsh on me as I had envisioned. Granted, I think this shade would look best on someone a with dark skin, or conversely, someone with porcelain skin who's really making it a look, but I did manage to find a happy balance with this one. It is a very blue-based shade, and with sun on my skin, it made for an odd contrast. I also found it to be way too opaque if I applied it straight from the tube with liner and allowed it to dry down; it required a bit of blotting, and was a bit harder to get even due to the relative opacity of the shade. Would I buy this shade? Probably not at age 49. My 29 year old self would have been all over it. But this shade is a commitment, and I am inherently lazy. But you never know - these days I tend to eschew certain shades, then shortly thereafter wish I had it when something comes up. Shade: I AM AMAZING I saved this one for last because it was hands-down my favorite. I AM AMAZING is a bright, firey orange-red (the swatch in the photo just doesn't do it justice). I knew the minute I unpacked this one it was going to be the favorite. This is how I like to bring the drama. On me, this shade had all of the drama of the darker I AM A GODDESS, but without the trickiness of application. Perhaps it is on account of the warmer shade matching my skin tone better, but this shade went right on without any hassle, and stayed there. This shade is one of those shades where the lipstick is literally the only makeup you will need. And yes, it shouts. But I happen like its message.

You guys! It was so weird...I was just sitting there in the house, chillin', drinking a beer, and I had QVC on for background...and then a few days later this jacket arrived at my house! I think that my transformation into Eccentric Florida Lady may be nearing completion. I'm riding around the town on a powder blue scooter in a glitter flames helmet, and quaffing cocktails while ordering from QVC. All I need is a velour sweatsuit and maybe a turban, which come to think of it, both of which would be great for the vintage shop. Okay, that said, I really didn't know what to expect with this, but when it arrived I was really pleasantly surprised. This blazer is made by Kim Gravel, and it's super stretchy and comfy. The whole jacket is soft, no stiff collars or restrictive sleeves or anything, yet it has enough structure to look sharp. It really is the perfect amount of comfort and shape. And the whole reason I bought it, the print, is the perfect snow leopard for my black and white hair. Want to entice me to buy your product? Make it a black, white, and grey animal print that matches my hair. Apparently that's all it takes with me.

Guys, I'm no Nostradamus, but from where I'm sitting, it looks like we''re barrelling headlong into another round of quarantine and lockdowns. And just in time for flu season, no less. It was one thing to be doing the social isolation thing in the spring and summer months; you can still get outside and sort do a modified version of whatever your thing is in summer. But now a majority of us are going to be moving this microbial rodeo indoors? Yeesh. But since we're being realistic, and I am nothing if not realistic, we might as well do this thing in style. I mean, come on. It's not going to do anyone's mental health any good to have to exhume the putrid remains of last spring's lockdown sweatpants, is it? No it is not. I see absolutely no reason we can't bring back a little swoosh into our lying-around game. Add a little silky fabric here, maybe an ostrich-trimmed mule there. More Slim Aarons, and less People of Wal Mart. Come on guys, we can do this. I'll leave you with a few photos for inspo.

I get asked about my affinity for westernwear all the time. I suppose it's not an obvious choice for someone from a mid-sized city in Wisconsin (not exactly the heart of the west), who has spent the last few decades travelling the globe before ending up in the Scottish Highlands for most of the year. Again, not exactly a place where you hear the jangle of spurs in the supermarket. I suppose it all began with this guy. I think I was maybe 10 years old in this photo. That's Prince. He was our horse when we were kids, and even though he definitely had his own ideas about what he wanted to do in any given moment (because horses), he was a very good boy. Even though we tended to ride him in English tack as much as western (that's just what our instructor tended to teach), I always really appreciated, and even preferred the comfort, ease, and light-handedness of classic western horsemanship, and of course all the accompanying gear. Plus, I have never been able to keep a pair of traditional light or white dressage breeches clean. Not even for five minutes. Not even for two minutes. How do people do that!?!? I'm 49 this week and I still can't do it. The weather can pretty much give you its full "greatest hits" treatment in Wisconsin in the course of a trail ride, and western clothing always made me feel like I was wearing the right thing to get too hot, too cold, wet, muddy, dusty, grasshopper-y or whatever else was in the air that day. Skip ahead to now-times. Living mainly in Scotland over the last twelve years, I found myself slowly creeping back into my cowboy boots. Geographically it may seem a bit weird, but when the climate is often the same whether it's January or July, you're probably not going to be too far from dressed for the weather in a pair of jeans and boots. I suppose my return to working around horses more often again also had something do do with it, but it was really working on finally launching my vintage shop that got me really thinking about my westward-leaning sartorial tendencies. That tends to happen when you're faced with a mounting pile of vintage clothing, comprised quite heavily of western and western-adjacent pieces that one needs to inspect, catalog, and photograph. In doing so, I've learned a few things, as evidenced below. Oh, and these photos are clickable by the way - should you want more info on the pieces. Because what kind of shop owner would I be if they weren't? Westernwear is Fun For me, fun is the primary motivating life force. Life is simply just too short for anything else. While launching my shop, I realized that there are a ton of amazing vintage sellers out there, each with its own unique signature from the everything-goes eclectic to lingerie-only to neutrals-only super-duper austere. Looking at my pile of colorful, fringey, boldly-patterned and textured vintage goodies, there was really only one way that this thing was ever gonna go. Whee! Westernwear is Comfortable Granted, there are always sartorial exceptions to my claim that an entire fashion genre is comfortable, so please don't send me photos of your most uncomfortable western-themed, concho-encrusted bustiers. I get it. Choices have a lot to do with comfort. But by and large, western-themed garments span a broad range of styles that allow us to make comfortable choices. Fuller skirts, boot cut and bellbottom jeans (my favorite), and wide sleeves are very much a thing, and I'm here for it. And perhaps more poignantly? Not a sweatpant or yoga pant in sight. Wait, what are we supposed to call them now? Pandemic pants? Apartment pants? Yeah, whatever. Those. Westernwear is Distinctly American I suppose my status as an expat of over a decade has a lot to do with my nostalgia for western-themed Americana, but nonetheless, there really is no other style of clothing that screams AMERICA at the top of its lungs in this way. We're always the loudest in the room, aren't we? But you can't beat Americana westernwear as a sartorial choice for a summer BBQ. In recent times, what with all the political unrest and unsettling nationalistic carrying-on and such, wearing distinctly America-themed, lighthearted clothing almost has an element of shame attached to it for a lot of people. But I think that is exactly why I feel so strongly about it. Not because I'm some super-extreme nationalist (and if you've been reading for a while thank you for laughing at the very idea of that), or because I think that America is the greatest country on the planet 100% of the time, because trust me we're not...no country is "the greatest" 100% of the time. But rather because I think it's important for us to remember that fashion is expression, and expression is for everyone. So-called "patriotic" sartorial choices are simply not the domain of a particular ideology, and I positively recoil at the idea that the co-opting of something like our national flag to express dodgy ideals has become a thing we might have to discuss. Yet here we are. Americana-inspired clothing, whether it be a simple t-shirt with the flag on it or a full red white and blue sequinned, skin-tight bodysuit with led lighting sewn into the lighting that is so bright you actually have to plug it in to recharge at night - that should be a bit of fun that we can all enjoy, not an emblem of a particular movement. Particularly a movement that does not include all of us. Right Prince? (he agrees, even if he's looking a bit annoyed with his rider at the moment, who I'm pretty sure has her hat on backwards in this photo.)

Last week, my sister showed up for our road trip in a canary yellow mumu, and it was the cutest darn thing ever. Admittedly, this took me completely by surprise . As much as I love all things fashion, up until that point I never really considered a mumu to be "real clothes." Over the decades, the poor, long-suffering mumu has often found itself as the butt of jokes, referenced when once attempts to paint a mental picture of a Mrs. Roper type, or perhaps an alcoholic cougar hoping to lure the pool boy into her den. I'm always glad to be wrong when I am able to shed one of my ingrained prejudices against certain fashion items, and my mumu revelation after gazing upon my sister's canary-hued realness was one of those times. The mumu is not the domain of the eternally drunk and chronically pantsless - the mumu is iconic. It is colorful, it always fits, and it is insanely well-ventilated. Less crazy cat lady, more Slim Aarons. To that end, some of you may have noticed a few changes in some of the links and icon graphics on the site - namely those for my Etsy shops. I am currently in the process of expanding my Highland Fashionista Etsy shop (once the depository for things I've knitted over the years) to include vintage items. I'm sort of "soft-open" right now, and will stage a more coordinated re-launch in the coming weeks once I've gotten through a little more inventory. The knitwear will re-appear in the shop when I return to the UK. Having been touched by the Mumu Angels last week, I could think of no better time to grab a few of these pre-loved classics for the shop and take them for a test drive. Let us all welcome the mumu back into our non-sarcastic fashion vernacular. Huzzah! 80s era Hawaiian print mumu / 80s-90s era green mumu

Once again I'm honored to partner with Scotland-based Eternal Collection in what turns out to be a very well-timed post, what with the beautiful, sunny weather we're having in Scotland right now. As most of you regular readers already know, in warmer, sunnier weather, I tend to choose bright colors and riotous floral and tropical patterns, requiring very little from my accessory game other than a little flash of something - just for balance and to feel "finished." At least, that's how I like to think of it. This Seashore Amazonite and Freshwater Pearl Bracelet fits the bill exactly. Often when it's warm, or more often when I'm packing my outfits for a warm-weather trip and have a finite amount of stuff I can bring (because the airlines practically require a second mortgage to check a bag these days), I usually will only bring one, maybe two main pieces of jewellery with me, so whatever I bring has to be versatile. And this bracelet really is. It's got just a bit of color, a bit of silver, and a sprinkle of the kind of whimsy that I tend to love in my summer clothes. While my next trip across the pond is yet a few weeks away, I'm already mentally packing those few extra things I'll put in my backpack, and this bracelet from Eternal Collection is definitely one of them. What's even better, they are having 50% off of a lot of the styles on their website right now, so get in there you guys! The other stuff: Palm Beach Sandals, similar / Lilly Pulitzer Essie top / thrifted cutoff shorts (old) / Lilly Pulitzer Marlow dress (past season), more recent season / Michael Kors Sandals (old), sort of similar (£££)

This post is for astute reader Kelly, who has been asking me to do more Lilly Pulitzer posts for some time now, and I have not gotten around to them because a lot of my Lilly stuff is in Florida, which is currently the viral epicenter of the universe. Thanks for your patience Kelly, more are on the way at some point, I promise. This is the Lilly Pulitzer Essie top. I have several of these. They fit well - with a certain amount of ease that works well when the weather is hot. And, perhaps most relevant to my affinity for them and in keeping with reason Pulitzer began her line of rather vibrantly-printed clothing in the first place - they effectively camouflage any dirt you get on yourself, which naturally is a favorite pastime of mine. This particular evening, I paired it with my Free People bellbottoms, really in more of an attempt to keep out the mosquitos due to the fact that at the time, I had not yet completed my two week quarantine after flying to the US from the UK, and needed to be able to sit outside at a distance from my family for a meal and not become part of the menu myself. This is one of those looks that just sort of happened; unwashed hair (you can always tell because of what I like to call my "emergency braids"), a quick pull-on top, and by the time I got to the bellbottoms I started to realize that I actually was creating sort of a thing here. I decided just to go with it, and I rather like the effect. It's like something that the black sheep older sister of a super- preppy 1970s family is wearing as she pulls-up to the country club in her VW camper van, knowing full well they have a "no denim" rule.

A bit of a different background for you guys. I'm in the US at the moment, and yes, I had to fly back mid-pandemic. I am currently on day 9 of my quarantine, so my trips outside are sort of limited to workouts and outdoor socially-distanced dinners in my mom's back yard, which is where I snapped this with my iPhone. Flying in the middle of a pandemic wouldn't have been my first choice, but sometimes things cannot be helped. Anyway, so far so good. I wore all my super-sexy PPE gear on the plane (well, I wore a mask and goggles. Not the gown, gloves, and face shield), and overall people were pretty well-behaved. A few people got lazy with the masks mid-flight but the flight attendants were pretty quick to correct that. And just another reminder to everyone, if you're wearing your mask below your nose.....no. Just, no. That is tantamount to only pulling your bra up over one boob, or if you're a guy, pulling on your trousers but leaving the fly open and letting your family jewels hang out the opening. Just, cover both your nose and mouth, okay? Okay then. It is hot here. I mean HOT. I've been averaging two showers a day after workouts and being outside, and I have not put a stitch of makeup on the entire time I've been here. But what's good about the heat, besides actually getting to experience real summer, is that is that I finally get to wear this jersey dress I found at Gap about 100 years ago and have hardly worn. In Scotland it's just not all that climate appropriate. Normally I'm not really gravitating to black clothing all that much any more, nor would I think of it as a hot weather color, but this really is a perfect travel dress. The comfort of the heavy jersey fabric, the drape, the fact that it's long enough to be able to sit any way you like in it, but that the curve in the hemline on either side makes it easy to walk....it really is perfect for hot weather. Oh, and it doesn't wrinkle. Because I hate to iron. When travelling, unless it's some sort of special occasion or emergency, I'm probably not going to do it. Life is way too short for ironing. Gap dress (old), similar / M&F "Twister" straw hat / Target sandals (ancient), similar

I found this duster-style vest on Ebay for under $10, and thought I'd give it a try. Normally I don't have much use for clothes that are more form than function, and this is essentially just a big swath of fabric, and in a size larger than I usually wear, no less. However, I've discovered that in warmer weather, sometimes you might be bumping about the place in just a t shirt or tank top, then suddenly you go inside or out in public (not so much these days) and you feel sort of naked all the sudden. Doubly so if you live somewhere where they ride the air conditioning really hard. That's where this top comes in handy. Yes, it's essentially just a tablecloth-sized piece of fabric, but it hangs nicely, and gives-off a kind of dramatic swoosh when you move around in it that makes you feel all fancy, or maybe like a vampire stalking about in a cape or something. I don't know, it's just nicer than feeling a bit exposed in summer. Is it something that I'll wear a lot? Probably not, but in a pinch when you don't feel like getting changed and want to throw together some sort of look before running out the door? Absolutely.

This is a simple cotton shift dress made by the aptly named European brand Nude Atelier, and let me tell you...it is COMFY. Seriously you guys this thing is as comfy as a mumu. The dress came in my subscription box from Lookiero (who are not paying me, I hasten to add), which I do on-demand every once in a while just for inspiration. When I first laid eyes on this piece, it was one of those dresses that I normally would not have not given a second look to for so many reasons. It's midi-length (which I have always found a difficult length, although admittedly, it's growing on me), it has very little hanger appeal (okay, not the end of the world but still), it isn't a particularly colourful or eye-catching print (you know me well enough to know I like color and pattern), and overall, at first glance it seemed to be the sartorial equivalent of a massive yawn. That said, the entire reason I occasionally dip into the world of online stylist edit boxes is to try and push myself into things I might not ordinarily try. Well, that and it's also fun. And now that I've discovered that there is an "on-demand" setting for these subscription services, I feel more comfortable about doing them, as you can chose your deliveries to come only when you're feeling that your budget allows. This being a slip dress, I almost didn't try it on. Having been alive and in my 20s for the 1990s, in my mind slip dresses were and are the domain of those wraithlike girls that were a thing during that era. I can say with good authority that I am not, nor have I ever been one of those girls. I am, in the words of a riding instructor I work with from time to time, "built for work ". I consider this a high complement by the way, particularly in the context of having been sat atop one of his very well-appointed reining horses at the time. Anyway, this dress. It's made of the soft combed-cotton and is lined (also cotton). It breathes. It's roomy. It looks cool belted. It looks cool with my boots or with sandals. It's perfect for hot weather, or layering-up. And perhaps most importantly, it got me to try something new, and succeeded in closing the deal. If you're in the UK or Europe (sorry fellow Americans, they're not in the USA at this time) and want to give Lookiero a try, you can get 10% off by entering the code: LKKRISTIN2LBD Dress: Nude Atelier via Lookiero / Ariat belt / Dan Post "Heartbreaker" boots (old), similar / sterling silver star dangle earrings from a sale at TK Maxx, similar / Judith Ripka heart ring, Judith Ripka multiple heart ring (old), similar / Oasis bag (currently unavailbale), similar

Well heloooo there! Yes, it's been a while. Things have been a bit hectic lately, but today I managed a quick run out to the back shed to take a few snaps of this badass shirt that I'm wearing today. I'd been stalking this Ryan Michael shirt that I'd seen in a couple of places online, but it was always just too dang expensive for me for something that I didn't really need. It was getting harder and harder to find (almost impossible now), and I had sort of given up on it, when one day, one of the few eBay alerts I've ever set in my life pinged at me, and there it was, about a third of the price, and in my size. Yes please. It's a combination tie dye and plaid, combed cotton, western snap front, fully plaid-lined, double-layer tiered wide bell sleeve with an unfinished hem. Whew! There's a lot going on here. I know, it's wild, and granted, this shirt is what I would call a specialist shirt. You do not want to reach over a bowl of cheesy Ro-Tel dip in this baby. You certainly do not under any circumstance want to pass the potatoes over a votive candle. I've actually seen this. My dad and mom used to host my dad's foreign university students for dinner when we were little, and I watched wide-eyed as a girl from England lit her chiffon bell sleeve on fire at the dinner table. Everyone made a huge fuss, but for my 9 year-old self it was totally amazing. Chiffon really goes up you guys, I'm serious. Such drama. Maybe that's why I like this weird, wild shirt so much. THE DRAMA. Without the fire. Ryan Michael Shirt (sold out), similar / thrifted J Crew denim skirt, similar / Dune sandals (old), similar / Shyanne earrings (old), similar / turquoise and chrysocolla rings (old), see similar in images below