Beyond the sea

What summer isn't complete without a jaunt to the beach?  About a week ago I had a girls' weekend near the water and I can still hear the waves crashing on the shore and feel the sand under my feet:

Wish You Were Here!  (Fun fact: That's also the title of one of my favorite jams in high school...)

Despite a freak near-death drowning incident in Key West when I was younger, I love being in the ocean...or just near it.  I spent an afternoon napping on the beach (another choice jam...) and it was the best, most tranquil nap ever.  Maybe it's because of all those negative ions or maybe I've just been brainwashed by singing along with Sebastian to that catchy little jingle in The Little Mermaid.  But, most logically, my obsession with the sea is easily explained by the fact that I'm a water sign.  (And by this very scientific reasoning we can also deduce that air signs like being around air and earth signs like the earth...and fire signs are pyromaniacs. ) 

Cartoon of me at seventy, channeling Little Edie and a photo of me at seven, dressed as a gypsy fortune-teller for Halloween.  Full disclosure: I already own and wear all the pieces illustrated in my Advanced Style moment.  And another fun fact: I downplay how much I love reading horoscopes.

Anyway, the beach.  And beach style!  In middle school I had a strange obsession with surf culture.  (And a shout out to the Pacific Sunwear at the local mall for helping me look the part in all those Roxy boardshorts and Billabong tees despite being landlocked and not actually knowing how to surf.)  I dreamed of hanging loose, or hanging ten, or...whatever.  I really had no idea.  But I imagined I could be a modern-day Gidget, learning how to surf with the help of all my hot guy friends, who had nicknames like Moondoggie and partying on the beach. 

I've only seen the movie version with Sandra Dee.  I just like this book cover.

Fortunately, my idea of seaside style has evolved since middle school.  Finding the perfect-fitting and wearable and a pattern/color I love and flattering (tall order, I know) vintage swimsuit or romper has eluded me of my Esther Williams moment.  I've had much better luck going the vintage route with creative cover-ups.  I love an embroidered Oaxacan dress or tunic for the beach or poolside; they're cotton and breezy and just really beautiful with a bohemian vibe.  I happened to be wearing the shorter one below when I was selling vintage at a flea market a few years ago:  

This older Mexican lady complimented me on it and she was so kind and friendly and so knowledgeable about these embroidered designs; she explained the meaning behind everything in the design...from the direction the little people were dancing, the types of flowers, etc. might reveal if you were single or taken or otherwise tell a story about your family.  She knew exactly where and when mine had been made just from the stitching!  Here's a closer look:

See the little pink and yellow people around the bust?

  

It was such a cool experience!  To use some [stereotypical assumptions of?] surfer-lingo, it was all good vibes, man.  I was totally enlightened!  Unfortunately, it was also about a hundred degrees outside and I can't remember the specifics of what she said and I wasn't able to find any other info along the same lines about it on the internet...and that's where this lazy girl's search for answers ended.  I know they're popular souvenirs and  so the designs have been simplified and/or made with machines and I usually see ones for sale just described as 'Mexican embroidered dress/tunic/caftan' with no other specifics, except maybe an era.  Was that adorable abuelita awesome or an awesomely insane mirage?  Cue Unsolved Mysteries theme song: If you have any information about this, write to me at vintageadoptionagency@gmail.com, or in the comments!  I'm really curious about it and it'd be cool to know (again!) what, if any, meaning the different patterns have.

Sorry, guys.  This one sold faster than I could get this blog post finished...

The one above was full-length with a more unusual pastel-rainbow gradient embroidery..and hot pink floral details.  I think it's newer than the black one.  Here's another Mexican dress in my personal collection; this one has pintucks and rows of lace: 

It's another adorable beach-y option, probably from the sixties or seventies.  More often I see maxidresses with bell-sleeves in this style.  Here's one on eBay from Tachi Castillo that I love:  

The color!  The dropwaist! 

If I wanted to go in a less hippie and more chic direction, I have this unlined eyelet LBD that I could totally style into a more retro-glam vacation-appropriate look:

 I'd wear it over a solid black strapless bandeau and matching high-waisted bottoms.  I was inspired by Anna Dello Russo in that Dolce & Gabbana lace shift a few years ago but here the more modest cut of the dress would balance the peekaboo effect.  During the day the dress could be accessorized with a straw hat, woven belt (worn backwards), and flat leather sandals.  Later, I'd switch up the crafty belt for one with a gold-tone seashell buckle (mine is from Mimi di N) and swap the sandals for dressier platforms.

Lastly, what's a trip to the beach without a stylish way of transporting all your beach essentials?  I love colorful woven market totes!  They're pretty to look at, yes, but they're also extremely sturdy and practical.  Plus, many have leather straps so they're comfortable to carry and easy to sling on your shoulder.  Over time, the straps get softer and the colors become more muted.  It's an obvious choice for the beach but I like keeping a few in the trunk of my car for impromptu stops at yard sales or farmer's markets...or as an alternate in case I forget any of my other reusable bags and want to avoid paying a certain bag tax:

Perfection.

These are the two (above) that I find myself using most often.  So, why the hell am I keeping all of these:

Pick a bag, any bag...

Answer: I'm insane.  Or maybe greedy.  I just need options...  But I'm definitely running out of space.  ALL MOST (they're moving fast!) of the bags shown above are available in the etsy shop.  (Not so greedy, afterall...) 

Ughhh...beach withdrawals.  Writing about the beach and beach style makes me want to plan another escape.  Blog post, what?  I have to research my next holiday... Enjoy what's left of summer; SPOILER ALERT! it's almost over!

Black and/or White and/or Leather and/or reminds me of a Michael Jackson song

Lots of black and white patterns happening in the etsy shop right now: 

I live in my black and white polka dot scarf because it works with everything.  EVERYTHING.  Black and white patterns are easy because you can accessorize them with any color...and, more obviously, just pair them with solid black or white.  I usually like to add another color into the mix, like red.  Um, can we get a close up of that red leather jacket?

This red leather jacket was a great find.  I love the color and the snaps down the front and the zippers and the fit...it's fantastic.  I know I'm biased, but really.  It's red and it's leather and it's fantastic.  (Insert second Michael Jackson reference here.)  It was originally part of a skirt suit.  How cool was the lady who originally wore this red leather jacket (and skirt)?  Answer: Too cool.  Leather jackets make everything cooler and I love a cool leather jacket.  

A few years ago I thrifted this black leather jacket and I love the way it makes me feel.  It's collarless and really minimal without a lot of detailing like big zippers or pockets and it fits me perfectly.  I see a lot of leather jackets and coats in thrift stores but they're usually of the weirdly-cut and over-sized bomber variety or some kind of trench coat and blazer hybrid.  (Pssst!  And if you are still looking for that perfect leather jacket, spring is a good time to hit up those smaller thrift stores that don't discard/pack away their out of season stuff because it's priced to sell quickly and not take up precious space on the salesfloor!)  

Leather skirts are another item I always come across in thrift stores and I've amassed quite the collection of them in unusual colors and flattering fits.  Leather skirts are a great base layer for the rest of your outfit and have such a great texture/tactile feel that really adds dimension.  And, they can be styled to look luxurious or tough or bohemian or professional and can be worn throughout the year.  Just add a cool t-shirt and you're done.  

In the spirit of spring cleaning, and you know, trying to whittle down my closet to things I actually wear and/or can't live without, I'm selling some of my leather (and suede!) skirts.  While I don't follow a one-in-one-out rule when it comes to purchasing clothes, I added two new leather skirts to my personal collection.  They may seem like completely unnecessary additions, but I really love them:

    

I thrifted this dark green leather pencil skirt and it's the perfect color...it looks so luxurious!  I liked the way By Malene Birger had styled a darker green leather pencil skirt with bright green top from Summer 2012.  (Yep, summer.  I said leather skirts are year around...)  Above, I show mine with a striped thermal (and that diy pocket knife necklace I already talked about) but for spring I'm going to try it out with a brighter top.  (This look shows almost the reverse color scheme with a bright green skirt and a dark blazer and I love how it somehow works together.)

I came across the leather skirt above from Phoenix Vintage Design on etsy when I was searching for leather skirts comparable to this one:

Now obviously, they're not the same.  They're both leather and both black and they both have an asymmetrical zipper detail on the front but they're not the same...so it was a completely justifiable purchase.  The one I was selling didn't quite fit me decently and the one I bought sits higher on the waist and has the pocket and zipper detail on the front...completely justifiable.  One in, and one out!

Maybe you've realized I use (and wear!) that green army jacket a lot when styling looks for the shop; as seen above...in 3 different places.  I got it a few (?) years ago and it's from the Reformation.  It's like that black and white polka dot scarf in that I wear it with EVERYTHING.  It's great for layering.  It softens the look of leather.  And it toughens up a lace chemise:

And.  AND I was playing dress up and discovered a whole new way to wear it!  Underneath a vintage sequined vest!  Is this a do or a don't?  Pretty sure I'm going to be doing it...  

And, one more shot of the jacket in action, this time over a sequined and beaded dress.  Over or under something sparkly...it just can't be beat... 

Black and gold fit and flare dress and blue velvet bag are still for sale.  Speaking of black and gold and beaded...  This is the back detail of an awesome jacket (part of a 3-piece outfit) available in the shop.  The tank top has the sunshine and clocks/roman numerals and the waistband of the pants is beaded and the back has the huge beaded sunface patch shown below.

I know this post started with black and white, and I'm going to end it on a black and gold note because I've also been seeing and loving that color combination lately:

Okay, so the belt above is black and gold (it's the Mimi di N one I mentioned earlier) and the dress is black and white and tan.  The dress also happens to be vintage Liz Claiborne, and further proves my point that vintage Liz Claiborne pieces are treasures.  This is my go-to dress when I don't know what to wear...it's been to a wedding, a funeral, a dinner party and a few other random places since I've acquired it.  Compliments galore every time...  

Both of these black pieces would just be boring basics without the gold studs.  The eighties dress is fitted and so comfortable and the skirt is another really versatile piece.  And I almost overlooked the necklace: black and gold heart-shaped scorpion necklace (because I'm a Scorpio, just like Ad-Rock...)

To tie-in another Beastie Boys reference, the top picture features an idiom bangle from Kate Spade: I'd been eyeing it for a little over a year, freaked out when it sold out online, and immediately purchased it when it randomly reappeared.  The outside says 'No Sleep Till Brooklyn' and the inside reads 'Turn the Tables'.  The black and gold handbag is vintage and reptile-embossed and so small and cute.  

I got the gold sneaker wedges on sale from Anthropologie and love wearing them with black skinny jeans.  The black beaded, silver sequined, and (rose) gold embroidered khussas were a souvenir from...London, of all places: this was before they were everywhere in the US (2004-ish?) and I thought they were so unique when I saw them at a street market.  They came in a million colors but this was my favorite color scheme (of course) although they're a little small...and/or just really uncomfortable.  The lady at the stall assured me they would stretch a bit and conform to my feet (hence why I labeled them 'left' and 'right') but I think they're too pretty/precious to wear and otherwise come into any contact with the ground so I have them propped up on a picture frame... 

There's going to be a lot of 'gold' (more accurately, gold-tone) coming to the shop soon: I'll be adding some fun vintage pendant necklaces later this week!

Until the next blog post, stay gold reader(s), stay gold!   

Holidayz Collection Highlightzzzz

It's been a crazy productive month for the Vintage Adoption Agency!  Cray-cray CRAAAAY-ZAY!  I want to keep this momentum going into the new year...because I love it!  And I hope you're loving it, too!  As promised in the last post, I updated the etsy shop with a ton of bags and now the Holidayz Collection is up, too.  Unintentionally, it features a lot of the color red...and I love it!  That color is everywhere, and for good reason.  It looks amazing.  Here are three of the fancier dresses from the collection:

Painting the town red, anyone?

The dress on the left is one of the pieces that I've reworked.  As explained in the description, it came with these *awful* *ridiculous* sleeves and they've since been removed.  Now the dress is looking a million times more sophisticated.  I can imagine an Old Hollywood star wearing this...with sparkly jewelry and opera gloves and either a long velvet cape or a mink fur on her shoulders.  The sequins on the body are soo pretty; they're a really shiny, opaque red that I've never come across (and I've seen many, many sequins...):

Oooooh. Pretty...

There are a couple of other reworked pieces in the Holidayz Collection that I'm quite pleased with: a red and gold skirt made of the most A-mazing material, a metallic purple skirt, and a really cute little dress that has a neck sash that can be tied into a bow.

A-mazing, right? No exaggeration.

And now, the rest of the skirts from this collection in all their horribly-edited glory!

Well, you get the idea.

I had a lot of fun styling these looks.  I tend to wear vintage pieces in a more casual way, so my instincts were to dress-down the fancier skirts with an army jacket or over-sized shirt.  Obviously, they'd look great with a nice silk blouse or a button-down shirt but I  hate when things start to look too precious and I didn't want to show you, savvy reader, anything too obvious.

(Speaking of obvious, or just an observation on Christmas party ensembles: why is it that the kindest people wear their 'ugly' Christmas sweaters with sincerity and (a good majority of) the people wearing them for 'ironic purposes' are probably on Santa's shit list?  Is there an inverse relationship between good taste and good manners?  Dedicated to all the grandmas, elementary school teachers, generous uncles and unusually friendly cashiers at the grocery stores rocking their Christmas-themed sweaters, sweatshirts, and musical socks with pride this holiday season...  I support you.)

While I don't have anything overtly Christmas-y in my outfit rotation for the festivities, I like the idea of giving a subtle nod to the holiday by strategically pairing the colors for my outfits...something not-necessarily-Christmas-y in red with something else not-necessarily-Christmas-y in green, et voilà: a subtle Christmas-y look!  Here are four skirt looks from the Holidayz collection that prove the formula: they work year around (or at least all winter) and can go in a more seasonal, Christmas-y direction with the right accessories:

Red + Green = Festive.

Looking at the picture of all the skirt outfits also reminds me: shoes will be coming to the shop soon...and I still have to add the belts!  That belt with the silver bow buckle is a personal favorite and it will be for sale in the shop.  It got a lot of mileage when I was styling this collection.  It's made by Mimi Di N and from the eighties.  

Mimi Di N Vintage Silver Bow Belt Buckle and Black Patent Belt

This designer and princess (yep, for reals!) had some really quirky belt buckles in the 70s and 80s: seashells, leaves, elephants, koi fish...  It looks like many of the designs are available through the 'official' website but you can get a better deal on eBay or etsy.  I'm always excited when I come across them for really cheap in thrift stores. (Seriously, if you're an avid thrifter, eventually you will come across one and it will be your lucky day because they seem to never get marked up/priced too much higher than whatever the other belts are selling for.)  

My all-time favorite belt buckle is by this brand and the belt part (and some other random bits of lace and ribbon and other notions) had been bundled into a plastic bag for about $1.50...I figured the leaves were some kind of old door ornament/brass decoration and planned to use it in a mixed media project.  I was VERY pleasantly surprised when I realized it was a belt buckle...and the tan strip was the attaching belt!

Does the Thrift Store Score Dance #407 

Weirdly, but as seems to happen in the universe, shortly after I scored my first Mimi Di N belt, I came across this one, also with leaves:

Collecting them all, apparently.

Another fun belt in the collection is this gold-tone one with a cool nautical-looking crest on it:

So preppy and nautical...

Which I show styled over one of my latest (non-vintage) purchases from Madewell and under a beaded jacket from the collection:

Clearly, I'm loving this color-scheme right now...

So the rest of the belts and shoes will be added shortly...in the mean time, have you seen all the time I've been wasting fun I've been having with all the vintage-y, Old Hollywood-y, Christmas-y, cutesy, street-style-y and fashion-y imagery on tumblr?  A (belated) Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!