Tee Party Afterparty!

The Rocky shirt got me thinking of other movies with memorable tees.  Here are two more vintage favorites:

Jean Seberg as Patricia in Breathless (1960) and the Rodarte t-shirt designed for the 50th anniversary.  Polly tee from A.P.C. and the original Polly tee from Qui êtes-vous, Polly Maggoo? (1966).

Coincidentally, both of these films are French and made me realize I've been on French movie binge lately.  It probably started in July, when Turner Classic Movies featured a bunch of films by François Truffaut.  (The 400 Blows!)  And then Amélie is easily one of my favorite movies...and I love this song (and the corny choreography, and the metallic jeans) from Les Demoiselles de Rochefort almost as much as I love "Gonna Fly Now" from Rocky.

This isn't a movie blog so I'll bring it back to fashion and that statement t-shirt dilemma we discussed last time:  Clearly, what I need is this PARIS tee from Madewell.  But I've never been to Paris!  But I want to go!  (One day...)  Plus, the shirt has a nice feel to it and, really, it's no worse than wearing my vintage ARMY tee when I've never been in the army:

So the vintage army tee would also go well with those camo-printed jeans... Army tee is in the shop.

I have been to Disney World and I love this vintage Mickey Mouse sweatshirt that's also in the shop:

M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E!

I'm no lifeguard, but I love the perfect distressing on this vintage lifeguard tee:

I rescued this shirt.

I also love this one: super soft and sheer and also raises so many questions:

Step aside, unofficial lifeguards.  Marmaduke does pool parties right.  Is it a crime to imitate an official lifeguard?

Is imitating a lifeguard better or worse than misleading people to think you've stolen/borrowed your clothes from any Tom, Dick, or Harry?  Or Bill?  I'm in love with the screenprint on this vintage sweatshirt despite not knowing the Bill who owned it previously:

This screenprint is pretty rad.  I imagine Bill may have been a badass and I can only hope he had a matching tattoo.

A few months ago I sold most of my brass nameplate belt buckles from the seventies.  They were awesome.  Inevitably, whenever I wore one I'd endure half a dozen conversations regarding whose belt I was wearing and why.  (My favorite non-answer: 'Trophies.')  I don't think my name is terribly uncommon: my parents didn't opt for a creatively-spelt version of it and it's the kind of name you can find printed on a keychain at an airport kiosk or boardwalk shop.  But I've never seen the belt buckle incarnation.  When I decided to settle for my initials (and the even more popular nickname 'Al'), I finally, finally, finally found a plausible vintage buckle of my I very own:

I like to wear it casually with jeans, usually with the buckle off-center on my hip.

Having just the initials (or the word 'Al') is probably more understated.  Like the Hermès Constance belt.  And speaking of designers, I thrifted a knock-off Moschino bag a few years ago.  It had a broken strap I thought I could fix but it was beyond repair, or at least not worth the cost of a professional repair.  Anyway, I harvested it for the gold-tone metal letters:

Moschino No-no.

There's no 'A' or 'L' for my own name but I'm thinking of using them to accent key fobs or maybe cuff bracelets made with scraps of vintage fabric.  I've been feeling crafty and have a few projects in various stages of completion...I'll be sharing some vintage re-works soon!  In the mean time go watch Les Demoiselles de Rochefort.  Or at least the opening.  Take notes on how you should get out of bed every morning:

Timeless fashion in this movie.

Tee Party!

Forgive the fashion magazine-y play on words.  I couldn't resist.  I'm genuinely excited about styling tee shirts and finding the perfect screenprint is something to celebrate.  And unlike, say, certain statement bags or statement shoes, a statement tee shirt is relatively affordable.

The very first Vintage Adoption Agency collection was about my love of random souvenir tees from places I'd never been and the sometimes ironic disconnect when statements made by t-shirts have no significance or meaning for their wearer.   

I had written, 'when you wear a screenprinted shirt, you're literally wearing that image (or text or logo) across your chest and your heart...in a sense, every shirt you wear could (should?) be interpreted as something you 'heart' or love.''  And I also shared an experience where I got called out for not being terribly familiar with the athlete referenced on my vintage tee:

My most memorable t-shirt-instigated interrogation happened when I was wearing a shirt featuring a NFL player as a kitchen appliance (refrigerator) while pumping gas.  I heard a guy's voice bellow from the adjacent gas pump: "Whoa, whoa!  That shirt is OLD SCHOOL!  Whatchu know 'bout that, honey?" (Answer: Nothing.)  Apparently, William 'the Fridge' Perry was quite the football star.  He even has this jam dedicated to him and his own brand of barbecue sauce.

I like my Fridge shirt because it's my favorite color (navy blue), insanely soft, and even reversible! I don't like football.

I still wear that shirt, just not as often during football season... It's not unlike how everyone had (or wanted) a Starter jacket just because they were colorful and made of that shiny windbreaker material.  (Loved those purple and teal Charlotte Hornets.  Basketball, yes?  Who cares.)  Similarly, I appreciate these sporty tops only for their artwork:

Gooo teams! Go check them out in the etsy shop!

The vintage Miami Hurricanes sweatshirt is insanely soft and I love the fading on the felt print.  The Lakers tee was made with that signature eighties puffy paint on the yellow and the Honolulu Marathon Clinic jersey made me think of the awesome Étoile Isabel Marant Rosa tank...  Fashionable wearers can style these tops to look cozy and cool (check out these tips, too) and it'll probably (reasonably?) be assumed that they're fans of the team (or clinic) they're representing.

Naturally, I loved how the Man Repeller much more eloquently reflected on this graphic tee conundrum (plight? dilemma? hyperbole?) and compared fashion to temporary tattoos:  'A graphic t-shirt that includes words or a clear sentiment should probably crystallize the makeshift, fleeting tattoo which is why I’ve been wondering how often people actually believe in the graphics they’re wearing.'  THIS!  And then, 'While it seems important to remain true to your tattoo and the story you’re using your clothing to tell, what happens when irony gets lost on your audience?'  THAT, TOO!  Excellent question.  Now readers, reflect on the meaning of dress in the context of what our t-shirts communicate.  Plan your response and then write an essay...  Homework: just in time for the back-to-school season.

Choosing a t-shirt is potentially complicated and fraught with all kinds of social implications.  But probably not.  My criteria still comes down to favorite colors, good designs, and the perfect drape-y fit and feel.  And thank goodness t-shirts are temporary!  Similar to how I credited PacSun for helping me look like a landlocked surfer girl in middle school, Hot Topic is responsible for helping me pay homage to every eighties and early nineties cartoon show I only vaguely remembered with dozens of colorful ringer tees (and their coordinating shoelaces, wallets, sweatbands, and patches) in high school:

Sweet youth.

Just as I've realized I can go on a vacation without buying a t-shirt as a souvenir, I've also realized I can be nostalgic about the animated shows from my childhood without owning their commemorative tees.

That's what I tell myself.  (This was tempting.)  In reality, I don't think I've evolved that much; I've just gotten more selective and prefer subtler references in my graphic tees.  These days I'm less likely to reveal my allegiances with a particular tv show, or band, or logo.  It's less of a statement and more of...a whisper.  A nod that only speaks to super-fans.  Except, when it's not. 

I finally saw Rocky.  Better late than never but a bit surprising if you consider that I've had the theme song "Gonna Fly Now" in constant rotation for years and wasn't familiar with any of the (six? seven?) Rocky movies.  I was mostly in it for the famous training montages set to the theme song.  (Also, conveniently, compiled in a YouTube video.)  

Now, full disclosure: boxing and boxing movies* are not my jam.  But I love cheering for the underdog and found myself rooting for Rocky and was genuinely surprised—shocked, I tell you, shocked!—that he didn't win the fight.  No spoiler alert there because everyone else has seen it, right?  Rocky not winning the fight (yeah, yeah, yeah, so he got the girl) would be like E.T. not getting away from the cops.  (Not sure how well that comparison works, but I was expecting a Cinderella Man-like victory...but it was also much less traumatic than how Million Dollar Baby ended.)  

So I had to watch Rocky II.  And in this second installment I noticed Rocky wearing a lovely 'Win Rocky Win' muscle tee while training and naturally, logically, I found a similar design for cheap on eBay:  

Winning.  With style.  Loving how the vintage brocade blazer contrasts with the red font and the touch of black leather channels Rocky a little more with a bomber from Madewell.

While searching the interwebs for a movie still of Rocky wearing said tee, I discovered that it was actually gifted to him in the first movie by his girlfriend...but the scene got cut!  Same design except it was light blue with red lettering and in the second film, he's wearing a light gray version sans sleeves.  

I preferred to get mine in a charcoal gray and I love how this tee looks layered underneath different jackets!  I feel ready to pass my next t-shirt-instigated interrogation!  Once my bit of accidentally-discovered scene trivia is shared and the rest of my Rocky-related movie knowledge exhausted, I can confidently throw some air punches and hum "Gonna Fly Now" as I jog away from the conversation, victorious.

*A few days ago I was trying to think of some movies about horses that aren't super dramatic and/or full of clichés.  It's damn near impossible.  Movies about boxing are the same way!

       

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!

Beyond Stripes and Polka Dots

Do any of you remember Ms. Frizzle from the Magic School Bus books and, later, the cartoon?  She was the awesome, eccentric, and enthusiastic elementary school teacher fond of taking her students on EPIC field trips.  (Outer space, anyone?  Inside the human body?  Travelling back in time to learn about dinosaurs?)  Educational and entertaining...and a sartorial inspiration.  Ms. Frizzle always coordinated her ensemble to the field trip destination or topic.  The patterns on her dresses and her accessories always related to the subject du jour.  Take the field trip to space: Jupiter earrings?  A shirtwaist dress featuring stars and planets?   Solar system headband with dangling planets?  You just know the field trip will literally be out of this world:

Off to space.  Obviously.

When it comes to wearing patterns in my own wardrobe, I'm partial to the classics: polka dots, stripes, plaids, and, as you know, florals.  But lately I've been drawn to more offbeat patterns and wishing I had somewhere cooler than the suburbs of Maryland to wear them.  And, I wonder where Ms. Frizzle might have worn them:

This vintage skirt was thrifted over a decade ago and it's in my personal collection.  It has giant waves all around the hem and a volcano in the background.  The print reminds me of the famous Japanese woodblock print, The Great Wave off Kanagawa by Hokusai:

Ms. Frizzle might have worn this skirt to take her class on a trip to Japan.  In these tough times, and lacking a Magic School Bus of my own, the best I can manage is taking a metro ride down to the Smithsonian's Freer and Sackler Galleries of Asian Art, which in fact has some of Hokusai's other artwork.  Plus, it's free and it's air-conditioned.  Winning...with style.  I'd top it off with a plain tee and my easy-to-walk-in cork platforms for an afternoon of cultural appreciation:

Konichiwa, bitches!

Here's another from my personal collection.  I got this one off eBay last year.  It's covered with falling chairs!  I'm not sure if there's a Ms. Frizzle-worthy field trip to this, but I imagine she also coordinates her patterns to her weekend plans.  Maybe she's going to the upholsterer to decide on some crazy fabric swatches for her sofa.  I could wear it to Ikea!  (Although these don't look like the kind of chairs you assembled yourself from a million pieces that came from a little cardboard box and I don't think I'd willingly venture to an Ikea on a weekend...)

 And since we can't go more than a post or two without highlighting Liz Claiborne, check out that vintage belt:

This one's going to be in the shop.  The duck pattern would be perfect for taking the class on a simple nature walk by the lake!  (Tough times, remember?)  This skirt would be cute for a picnic, too!  But not if it's 100 degrees outside.  My thematic indoor activities would be watching a Duck Dynasty marathon on TV...or going old school and playing Duck Hunt on Nintendo!

Duck duck goose.

This next dress is so playful and fun.  It's silk and it's from Bill Blass.  If it didn't have polka dots (some of them topped with sequins!) and painterly sunglasses and sunhats it'd be just another serious-looking eighties shift dress:

The sleeve length still feels a little frumpy to me so I've been disguising that under different layers:

I imagine this is what a younger Ms. Frizzle might have worn out shopping and if she did wear it on a field trip, the Magic School Bus might have been headed to Fashion Week!  This dress is staying in my collection for now but I have another accessory-patterned item headed to the shop:

This top is also made of silk and also covered with accessories.  There's a bit more variety with bags and boots and belts and scarves.  It's another one Ms. Frizzle could wear out shopping.  It reminds me of all those different Nicole Miller patterns from the early nineties.  I bet Ms. Frizzle was a fan.  You have to dig to find the random assortment of them on eBay and here are two of my favorites from an etsy seller that has a good stash of them in her shop, Hooked On Honey:

Left/Right

Perfect tops for dinner and a movie, no?  The snacks remind me of another shirt with a random food pattern that I sold at the beginning of this year.  It had different types of pasta all over it.  So random but so cool and I loved the contrasting trim.  Ms. Frizzle and class go to an Italian restaurant and make their own noodles!

Love you, pasta shirt.  Miss you.

Lastly, I've got another recent find headed to the shop.  This is the cutest, most perfect/adorable/cool sundress for the beach.  Naturally, it features seashells.  Ms. Frizzle might take the class to the seaside to learn about crustaceans and I'd wear it while eating them (crab cake sandwich, please!) at the best seafood restaurant on the boardwalk:

The neon-ish color scheme is everything.  And it feels new and unworn!  And it's not your typical teeny-tiny vintage size!  Triple win!  It'll be in the shop soon!  I'm going to make like the toaster on another random vintage pattern (technically, a screensaver) and fly:

Memories...

 Get it? 'Fly'? Because they're flying toasters? I'm totally the Carlos character of Ms. Frizzle's class...

Red, White, and the Blues

Guys.  It's already July.  When did that happen?!  How is 2013 more than half over?  I'll just spend the next six months in bewilderment, marveling at how so much time can pass with so little getting accomplished while scrolling through my instagram feed, browsing my favorite online stores, catching up on DVR-ed programming, and having napping contests with my dog and cat.

Remember this?

Well.  I've always been my own worst enemy.  I am much further along with this little undertaking known as the Vintage Adoption Agency than I was when I first thought of it; it's a tangible thing you can see!  But, sometimes, I still feel behind schedule.  Part of that feeling is probably imagined and part of it is probably (definitely) my own fault for procrastinating.  Reading the results of this survey of other vintage sellers from vintage-loving patron saint Sammy Davis was the proverbial chill pill I needed a week ago.

Cue weepy, self-involved blog rant/confessional:  I L-O-V-E sharing vintage pieces with the world and selling vintage has been a process I'm still tweaking and building into something sustainable.  In the movie version, this is the tedious part where all the hard work takes place.  It's a montage in double-time set to some inspirational music.  In real life, there's no fast-forward button.  Some days, there's not even whistling while you work.

There are the imagined shortcomings and the actual setbacks.  Then there are the haters.  Not limited to my personal favorites: the well-meaning but skeptical older relative(s) anxious for you to give up and settle down and the condescending frenemy consciously complaining about the kind of #1stworldproblems you wish you had.  It's enough material to fill the verses of a rags-to-riches rap song.  But, anyway...it's all good.  This is my dream!  And I'm working hard to make it work and I'm hopeful.  I'm becoming an independent woman!  Because this is 'Murica, dammit!  And it's July!  Already!  Whose ready for Independence Day?

My low-key 4th of July look consists of classic summery pieces in a vaguely patriotic color scheme.  The vintage wicker basket-style purse is the closest I'll get to a Birkin bag, the white Lee cutoff bermuda shorts are cute but ill-advised since they're unlikely to stay white between consuming bbq-foods and sangria, the contast-sleeve tee from Madewell is a new favorite that reminds me of Edith A. Miller's, and the deadstock thrifted sneakers are made of a nice breathable woven linen material, although also ill-advised and likely to acquire a greenish patina from the backyard...I may be swapping them out for a pair of flat leather sandals.

Independence Day, patriotic color schemes, and gang affiliations (seriously?) aside, red, white and blue is an ideal summertime palette:  it's crisp and refreshing with a pop of color... Navy blue is one of my favorite colors and pairing it with white brightens it up.

This is my classier, alternate look for the 4th of July.  Assuming the shorts survived any unsightly food/beverage spillage, I could switch out the tomboy tee for this embroidered halter from Anthropologie.  I added a vintage leather belt to emphasize the waist.  And my feet will have the pop of red in the form of these wedges, also from Anthropologie, and also bought on sale...a few years ago (and still going strong!).

Navy and white looks even more timeless and nautical when it's done in stripes:

In the navy, baby!

The navy dress on the left is from my personal collection and it's from...Anthropologie.  (Geez, three items in one post? I'm not affiliated with them, I swear.  It was in their lounge section a few years ago, which was a good place to find summer dresses to wear outside of your lounge area because they were usually cheaper than the other day dresses.  I'm using past tense because I just did a quick check of their website and don't see any that prove my point.)  I belted it with the same vintage leather belt shown on the halter above and I paired it with my new favorite necklace, shown below.  The seventies dress in the middle has double straps and it also looks great belted.  Both the dress and the belt are in the shop.  The entire look on the right, including the empire dress, is in the shop, and the dress has the best nineties babydoll silhouette; an empire waist and short, a-line skirt.  And the 'stripe' pattern is actually columns of little flowers!

Can't forget to coordinate with the accessories...vintage Native American (the irony!) cuff on loan from my mother, wrench necklace from the über-talented Molly of Rackk and Ruin, and a thrifted shield pin.

In the shorts department, I've noticed a lot of red and/or white and/or blue happening:

The red and white gingham shorts (with welt pockets!) were made for a picnic and would be so retro with a white blouse tucked into them and a wide belt.  The striped shorts are new old stock; their tag announces they are 'the new fashion look mini short' and they'd be great with a chambray shirt.  The high-rise denim shorts have their own tie-belt, star-shaped pockets and a giant star patch on the backside.  The red high-rise pleated trouser shorts are from LizSport (but, of course) and the fit is really flattering.  (I also have an identical pair in teal.)  Speaking of Lizsport, I also have this red polka dot two-piece ensemble and two pairs of navy polka dot shorts headed to the shop:

I got the red ensemble and one pair of shorts at different thrift shops awhile back and a few months ago I came across the second pair of navy shorts.  They're more or less the same fit, but one pair was probably hemmed and the other has the original cuff.  They're preppy and playful... I don't know if I'd necessarily wear the red set together but I love the idea of pairing the vest with a silk blouse and high rise jeans and wearing the shorts with a casual tee.  80s Liz Claiborne, you've done it again!

Wishing everyone a fun and safe Independence Day...or if you're not celebrating that, happy belated Canada Day and/or have a nice, relaxing Thursday evening and count your blessings on all the fingers you didn't lose in a freak fireworks-related accident.

Bali High

I recently scored this awesome dress from the Hunter Gatherer's Etsy shop.  From the front it's more or less a plain little white dress with some subtle detail on the sleeves and at the neck but turn it around and BAM! it has an amazingly intricate floral cutout detail on the back:

The style of this detailing is called Bali cutwork...or Bali embroidery...or Bali crochet...or even Balinese lace. Fittingly, it did originate in Bali.  Whatever you call it, it became a popular embellishment stateside in the late seventies and eighties on dresses and tops.  Usually I see it in floral or leafy patterns, with colorful contrasting thread details or in pastels.  I noticed a cheaper iteration made a comeback at some fast fashion retailers a few seasons ago and cover-up and sarong versions have become a staple in tourist-y boardwalk shops.  I love that it's breezy and that it's less delicate than actual lace!

Turning around was never this dramatic...

I'll be wearing my dress on hot summer days with a leather belt and strappy sandals and I'll be adding this Balinese lace top to my shop.  The detail at the neckline is perfect for showcasing a necklace!  And it looks great worn casually over denim shorts or tucked into a skirt without adding bulk.  The design is more subtle than revealing but still an interesting alternative to a black t-shirt:

Elsewhere on the internet (or at least the etsy universe), I'm really loving these two Balinese cutwork dresses:

The red one is really bold and strategically designed and the black one has a more unusual animal pattern; check out those critters hanging out along the hem!  This one has Bali detail and contrasting solid-colored flowers...it almost looks like neon signage and I like how it's styled for cooler weather with opaque tights and platforms!

Writing about Balinese lace reminds me of the scene from Rodger and Hammerstein's South Pacific when Juanita Hall (as Bloody Mary) sings "Bali Ha'i" and (because surely you, too, love kitschy movie musicals from the golden age...) I had to share some random facts I learned when I was looking for the movie clip of the song:

1. It was dubbed! Now, dubbing musical numbers isn't shocking BUT Juanita Hall had played Bloody Mary (and sang!) the song in the original Broadway version, so why was it dubbed?  Go read the blurb about it under the YouTube video.  And 2. (and I'll add a disclaimer as this is probably definitely just my own ignorance) Juanita Hall was African American!  That surprised me since, well, Flower Drum Song is the only other musical I recognized her from...and she also plays an Asian lady.  Check out "Chop Suey," which she sang in Flower Drum Song...or at least I think she's singing it!  (Bonus: There are some choice dance moves in the group number towards the end!)

Anyway, let's bring it back to fashion: Juanita's costume in the "Bali Ha'i" scene is surprisingly on trend*...over 50 years later:

She's rocking a topknot, army jacket, long scarf, AND statement necklaces!  Timeless!  I created an identical look using my beloved army jacket, an old Old Navy scarf, a vintage blouse from the shop, and necklaces from Madewell and Forever 21.  Now if only I could copy her voice...

*Okay, not her entire outfit.  I can't really get on board with what's happening below her waist because the pants look like gauchos and she's barefoot.  (Remember gauchos?! Those universally unflattering wide-leg capris?)