What a Vignette! (Keep reading! It's a contest!)

NOTE: This contest ends today, Monday, November 10th, at 7p.m. MST (Mountain Standard Time.) Keep reading, and enter before it's too late!

When I was a little girl, I loved to play dress-up. And my guess is, I'm not the only one. I loved to carry my mom's briefcase around the house, decked out in heels and a sensible skirt and top, playing the role of a capable and competent businesswoman. My grandmother had the most magical collection of gowns and jewelry that we wore as we pranced around her house, giggling as we greeted our (imaginary) princes and danced with them across the ballroom (living room) floor.

As adults, dress-up might be a little less rooted in fantasy, but not any less fun. Now dressing up is about what dress says, I deserve this job, or what shoes say, You'll be sorry if you don't ask me out!, or what accessories let everyone know that if they're looking for fun, they can find it with you. Our clothes speak just as loudly and just as clearly today as when they turned us into fairy princesses years and years ago.

Here at Shabby Apple, we want to hear the stories that your clothes tell. And so, out of the goodness of my extremely large heart, I have designed a little contest just for you. It goes something like this:

1. Put together a vignette, using a dress, shoes, bag and any other accessories you'd like from the Shabby Apple Web site. Put together an outfit you would want to wear, something that would make you feel feminine and fun. If you need a little help getting your fashion brain started, take the test in our Fit to Flatter section and see what dresses look best on you.

2. Choose a name for your masterpiece. What does this ensemble represent? What does it mean to you? What story does it tell? Pull out all your creative stops on this one and have fun!

3. Post your vignette and the story behind it on your blog. Also, you must include a link to Shabby Apple in your post. If you don't have a blog, post it on a friend's blog. If you don't have any friends with blogs, let me introduce you to the new century. Also let me know and you can use mine. I might ask you for cookies in exchange, but that seems only fair.

4. Once you've posted about your vignette somewhere out on the Interweb, come back here and leave a link to your post in the comments section of this post. I will go out, visit your blog (or your friend's blog, or my own blog) and read all about it. (I will also, fair warning, probably start stalking you on your blog once I know where to find it. It's just what I do.)

5. I will narrow all the entries (and I am hoping there will be a lot!) down to five finalists. I will post the five final vignettes here, in a separate post.

6. Then you, dear reader, will come back and vote on the final five. Whoever gets the most votes is... wait for it... the winner! And the winner's prize is the very vignette she designed! Because we love you that much.

The first stage of the contest (where you design and post your genuis), will run until Monday, November 10. I will post the final five on Wednesday, Nov. 12 and voting will close one week later, on Wednesday, Nov. 19. The winner will be announced the next morning, and a fabulous ensemble could be headed your way.

So, what are you waiting for?

Go play dress-up!