I’m not the biggest fan of polka dots in fashion. For me personally, I tend to find them a bit, well, polka-dotty! And the older you get the harder it becomes to pull off this whimsical print.

But don’tcha just love a challenge?

Me, too!

So with a wee bit of internet surfing, I discovered today’s VPOD. This lovely summer dress mixes dotted swiss with a bold geometric print for a combo that’s not too sweet, not too flashy, but just right.

Of course, there are other simple ways to add a few extra servings of polka dots into your fashion diet.

If you can’t bear the thought of wearing the print from from head-to-toe, try sporting a polka dot scarf for the day, grip a polka dot clutch or grab a fun piece of jewelry that will have’em seeing spots.

And don’t forget about your humble abode which might also benefit from the quick style boost a few polka dots can bring. One dotted pillow, lamp or throw may be all you need to bring a smile to your face.

Plus I love this idea for making the boring, ho-hum job of storing year-end documents a little more fun. Head down to your office supply store and pick up a packet of colorful round price stickers to brighten up those plain ol’ cardboard document boxes. Who says filing can’t be fun?!

This is the power of polka dots for Vintage Crusaders.

Dress available at Great Lake Outfitters.

(Image Credit: Storage boxes discovered in Metropolis magazine. Disclosure: Zuburbia is an affiliate member of the eBay Partner Network. To receive the VPOD free via email with detailed size and price information, sign up for the growing email mailing list here. Your information will never be sold or shared and you can easily unsubscribe at any time.)

When it comes to punctuation marks, exclamation points are definitely my favorite.

I mean, commas and periods don’t strike me as particularly special. They’re just utilitarian and necessary.

Semi-colons and colons often leave me befuddled.

And while I do deliberately use a lot of question marks (which definitely come in a strong second), I still hope that when the tally is taken upon my final breath that I will have lived a life with far more exclamation points than the average gal.

Now all of us use punctuation marks as we’re creating and living our life stories, but most people limit exclamation points to the Big Moments: graduations, weddings, births, dream jobs, dream houses, long sought-after awards.

Somehow, though, I’ll bet that the guys and gals who go through life with the biggest smiles on their faces are the ones who have figured out how to add exclamation points to all their not-so-special days, too.

I mean, there’s a huge difference between

Off to work.

and

Off to work!

And while you might envy actors who are able to recite lines that have punctuation marks added in all the appropriate spots, don’t you prefer being able to PLACE THE EXCLAMATION POINTS IN YOUR OWN LIFE STORY WHEREVER YOU PLEASE?

One theory suggests that the origin of the exclamation point comes from the Latin word for joy, IO, and that the exclamation point was born when someone wrote the “O” underneath the “I”.

So just think of every exclamation point that you can add to your life story as adding an extra helping of joy.

You can think

Time to do the laundry.

or

Time(!) to do the laundry.

or

Time to do the laundry!

It’s really up to you.

Of course, you can also add quite a few exclamation points quite easily with today’s VPOD, an amazing 1950s dress that is punctuated all over with these joyous symbols.

It’s a fabulous style exclamation for a Vintage Crusader!

Available at Coldfish Vintage.

(To receive the VPOD free via email with detailed size and price information, sign up for the growing email mailing list here. Your information will never be sold or shared and you can easily unsubscribe at any time.)

One of the great pleasures of the New Year for me is cracking open a fresh journal and flipping through the blank pages while imagining the stories, adventures, and yes, even the potential trials and tribulations, that I’ll be committing to ink in the days ahead.

Before our digital age, the watch keeper on ships would keep a slate tablet near the helm on which he recorded speeds, distances and headings on the voyage. If there were no problems, when the shifts changed, the new watch keeper would simply “wipe the slate clean” and start recording all over again.

For me, my new journal every year is a clean slate just waiting for the next chapter in my story to be written.

And since I believe that we are all co-writing the script that is our lives, I believe it’s important to spend some time thinking — and dreaming — about the stories we’d like our pages to contain.

Equally important, though, as I discovered during a coaching call last week, is deciding what to put to rest now that 2011 is past. To what and to whom have you been directing your energy and attention that no longer needs, warrants or deserves your energy moving forward?

Hmmm…I’ll let you stew on that one for a moment…

Completing this introspective process of examining and dreaming is just Step One of the Clean Slate Process that a New Year brings.

The vital step, Step Two, is to actually commit your resolutions, goals, priorities, or whatever you want to call them, to paper. Write’em down ladies and you stand a much greater chance of seeing’em happen!

This poster by Jessica Patterson gives you plenty of space to do just that and it also offers a helpful reminder in its small print:

Mistakes are important sometimes, and part of this “resolution,” by nature, includes learning from and improving upon lackluster efforts and failures (should they happen to happen).

You see, the good news is that you don’t have to wait for January 1 every year to start with a Clean Slate. If you find you’ve fallen off the Resolution Wagon in March, just dust yourself off and hop back on!

Every day of your life dawns fresh and new with the opportunity to always improve upon yesterday.

Every day you exercise your creative freedom to make the same or different choices.

Every day you choose to engage in habits and activities that support and enrich you or you choose to engage in habits and activities that don’t.

Every day you interact with people who lift you up or you interact with people who bring you down.

So if you’re gonna build up one muscle this year to really change your life, forget about your triceps or quads and focus all your concentration and effort on strenghtening your Choice muscle. It will have the greatest effect in every area of your life including health, relationships, business and even style.

And should you be interested in a Clean Slate for your closet, simply let go of all the dazzle, glitz and glam for a while and step back to a more organic, pure palette like the one offered by today’s VPOD, a simple khaki cotton dress.

It’s Clean Slate dressing for a Vintage Crusader!

Available at Ramona West.

(Image Credit: Jessica Patterson, Flickr | To receive the VPOD free via email with detailed size and price information, sign up for the growing email mailing list here. Your information will never be sold or shared and you can easily unsubscribe at any time.)

GET READY, GET SET, BID!!!

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Vintage 1960s Eloise Curtis Metallic Cocktail Dress (hylian_reploid) | Vintage 1950s Coat (bustownmodern) | Vintage Vendome Fishnet Bead Necklace (funtiques-warehouse-ll) | Vintage 1960s Sequin Fringe Romper (thriftwares) | Vintage 1980s Christian Dior Sheared Mink (panachevintageclothing) | Vintage 1920s Whiting & Davis Handbag with Provenance (smith*house*antiques) | Vintage Pauline Trigere Dress (goodgollymissmollysmamma) | Vintage 1969 Royal London Lunch Pail Handbag (supellexdecormodern) | Vintage Nixon Paper Campaign Dress (ladyleabrown) | Vintage Cashmere and Fox Coat (booboopeedoo) | Vintage 1980s Boots (vivalavintageshoppe) | Vintage Geoffrey Beene Dress (shootfits) | Vintage Juliana Bracelet (aneyefortreasures) | Vintage Missoni Metallic Palazzo Pants (janelle_p) | Vintage 1990 Chanel Belt Bag (nina_furfur_japan) | Vintage 1960s Mr. John Hat with Box (lovespyvintage) | Vintage Christian Dior Cashmere Wool Coat (danevintage) | Vintage 1940s Kitten Print Blouse (mynoble) | Vintage Juliana Book Piece Owl Necklace (uniquepossiblyantique) | Vintage 1930s Silk Floral Dress (gildedrage) | Vintage 1950s Dress (panachevintageclothing) | Vintage 1960s Coat (millstreetvintage) | Vintage 1967 Pierre Cardin Dress (finian*s) | Vintage 1960s German Modernist Bracelet (hoboro99) | Vintage 1980s Trench Cape Coat (mamastonevintage) | Givenchy Bib Necklace (vava-voom) | Vintage 1970s Suede Fringe Cape (kukuvintage) | Vintage 1950s Silk Chiffon Cocktail Dress (millstreetvintage) | (Disclosure: Editorial selections are made by Zuburbia without promotional consideration from Bay sellers but Zuburbia is an affiliate member of the eBay Partner Network)

PLEASE NOTE that Zuburbia does not endorse the use of fur, feathers, leather or animal skins in fashion. These selections are offered only as more thoughtful and eco-friendly alternatives for contemporary fashionistas who have not yet eliminated animal products from their wardrobes.

(To receive the eBay Roundup via email, sign up for the growing email mailing list here. Your information will never be sold or shared and you can easily unsubscribe at any time.)

Going, Going, GONE!

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(Auctions all end within the next 5 days.)

Vintage 1970s DVF Dress (indiecultvintage) | Vintage Chanel Crystal and Pearl Necklace (deesigns726) | Vintage 1920s Dress (monicasvintagefashions) | Vintage 1980s Lynx Vest (trendsettervintage) | Vintage 1960s Roger Vivier Pumps (toughluck4every1) | Vintage 1950s Lace Cocktail Dress (redhousevintage) | Vintage Lanvin Lucite Necklace (mercadosquare) | Vintage Gucci Sweater (quitajean) | Vintage Roberta di Camerino Scarf (wpq652) | Vintage Saks Magid Evening Clutch (925sfairtradeinc) | Vintage 1980s Fringe Leather Skirt (bustownmodern) | Vintage 1930s Ermine Capelet (samaroni1) | Vintage Vera Tote Bag (blackcadillac59) | Vintage 1960s Paganne Maxi Dress (vailgal2001) | Vintage 1960s Glitter Evening Bag (livinlifesawa) | Vintage Chanel Scarf with Box (livinlifesawa) Vintage 1960s Lilli Ann Cape (bustownmodern) | Vintage 1960s Scholz & Lammel Enamel Bracelet (hoboro99) | Vintage 1950s Metallic Dress and Jacket (panachevintageclothing) | Vintage Pucci Velvet Skirt (guillachago) | Vintage Pierre Balmain Jewelry Wallet (mcac_38) | Vintage Mink and Leather Bomber Jacket (icollectreasures4u) | Vintage Paganne Maxi Dress (daisysvintage) | Vintage Juliana Necklace (info18cx) | (Disclosure: Editorial selections are made by Zuburbia without direct promotional consideration from Bay sellers. Zuburbia is an affiliate member of the eBay Partner Network).

PLEASE NOTE that Zuburbia does not endorse the use of fur, feathers, leather or animal skins in fashion. These selections are offered only as more thoughtful and eco-friendly alternatives for contemporary fashionistas who have not yet eliminated animal products from their wardrobes.

(To receive Going, Going, GONE via email, sign up for the growing email mailing list here. Your information will never be sold or shared and you can easily unsubscribe at any time.)