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?)

Flower Power! Part Two!

Last time we talked florals, they were entirely of the patterns-printed-on-clothing variety. Since then, I’ve realized that flowers are literally everywhere in my life and on everything, including my head and toes!

I scored the hatbox for a few bucks at a little thrift store in Frederick, Maryland.  Aside from the daisy pattern on the side, it's cool because it's local to DC...which I also consider myself local to even though I don't visit that often.  Inside the hat box I've been storing a few vintage fascinators and assorted supplies for making floral crowns!

I got the vintage millinery flowers off of eBay (and I highly recommend this dealer; great selection/prices and so kind!) and while the twine and tape were thrifted, they're easily and cheaply available from craft stores. 

Now, I haven't gotten around to (ahh, isn't that always the case...) actually making my floral crowns  but  mentioning it on my blog certainly motivates me to follow-up on this like it's going out of style...aka going to an outdoor music festival circa 2012.  Anyway, it started last year when I actually paid full-price for one I saw on the Free People website, got it in the mail and was not impressed, and decided it was an easy diy.  Because. Obviously.  But until I get my diy-time, I can get some floral headpiece action with these babies:

I have a bit of a bigger head and big hair doesn't help but these floral fascinators are truly one size fits all (I wish I could find the picture of my brother wearing the gold one...) and the detail put into the design and the flowers is incredible.  They add some serious interest and whimsy to your ensemble.  

I need to build up my fierceness to wear them on a more regular basis and/or go to San Francisco and/or find a church with a rich and proud tradition of women rocking awesome headwear to get inspired.  When I was interning at the vintage boutique in college, I loved that I got to spend a Saturday morning helping an octogenarian pick out a new church hat and later saw a young lady trying on some of the same hats for a theme party.  Vintage: it brings generations together!  I have a couple of fascinators (and a watercolor floral pillbox hat!) going up in the shop.  

And speaking of awesome head-attire and flower-related-adornments, I love this girl's style.  And I've always been a fan of this one...  So naturally, I was delighted when I noticed Zoe was rocking Frida earrings in a recent post:

Those glasses. That crown. Those earrings. That lipstick.  That ribbon.  Everything.    

 

These docs are more evidence of my nineties grunge-meets-granny floral appreciation.  I live in them during the colder months and they're holding up nicely.  They make me smile whenever I happen to look down and they seem to make other people smile, too: they're crowdpleasers that have collected compliments from random people at random places and times.  Example: peering underneath bathroom stalls...   

I got them off of eBay a few years ago and I've only occasionally seen them in thrift stores (usually marked up, but not over $20) yet never in my size!  Dr. Martens has had a bunch of floral patterned boots over the years, but these are my favorite.

Floral brooches are something else I've been collecting for awhile.  Consequently, they're a little harder to part with, but some of them will be in the shop.  The one in the first row, third from left is a favorite; it's usually affixed to my coat lapel or the front pocket flap of my denim jacket.

Remember in the mid-nineties when sixties hippie-style made a comeback? (How about those flared jeans from Mudd that came with their own fringed/crochet belt?!) And daisies, notably Gerbera daisies, were everywhere, too?  I had earrings for that.

They'll be in shop.  And they'll be sold in a bundle with a couple of other nineties gems from Claire's Accessories. 

In the daisy department (there is no actual daisy department), I also have a recipe box and a trivet going to the shop.  Perfect for the kitchen!

In the bedroom, I've got these flowers on my walls:

And these ones in other places:

The trays are great for corralling the random junk that collects on top of coffee tables and dressers.  That cookie jar kind of reminds me of a chamber pot and presently it's just on a bookshelf.  The hangers were thrifted and I intend to make more using other wooden hangers and fabric scraps and the iron side table is perfect for plants!  In the shop, I'll have a couple of pillows, a tray, and a really cool new old stock thermos just waiting to go on your next picnic.  The tag (still attached!) says it's 'perfect for home & patio, picnic & camping, sporting events or office' so you probably definitely need it (if you don't already own one!) since I definitely don't need two...

The comforter below was thrifted maybe five or six years ago and it has since become a personal summertime favorite and a picnic/beach essential for me.  The pattern is one part Marimekko and one part Vera Neumann and it is colorful, kaleidescope-like perfection:

I've grown quite attached to this comforter, not in the sense of carrying it around with me like Linus, but whenever I look at it I'm reminded of fun times outdoors with family and friends.  

On a morbid/bizarre (but probably not so bizarre) note, when I was a kid (and before I'd gone to an actual funeral) I thought of caskets as, literally, little beds (because c'mon, what else would a 'final resting place' look like?!) and imagined that, whenever I died, I'd be wearing pajamas and tucked into my casket with my Sesame Street bedsheets and comforter.

Beyond floral comforters, I have a stash of vintage bedsheets that I have assorted plans for.  But I'll get to that in another blog post.  (And maybe this blog post could have just been called a diy project to-do list...)  As far as linens go, I also have some great floral (of course, see theme) vintage (also, a given, see blog) tablecloths around.  I love the pom pom fringe on this one:     

In other tablecloth news, I scored the Soraya Maxi Dress from Anthropologie last week.  I don't recall being mesmerized by it online, but when I saw it in store I freakin' loved it!  I didn't see my size at first, which wasn't a biggie since I really had no intention of buying it, so I was pleasantly surprised when I found it in the sale section being sold 'as-is' (and at almost $100 less) because the zipper had gone off track.  Now, sometimes I've seen a bunch of the same product in the sale section of Anthro because they all have an identical issue and it's clearly some kind of design defect but this was random and it should be an easy fix, as I won't need to replace the whole zipper.  So it's just a matter of finding the time for it!  But back to tablecloths... I went to read the reviews for this dress and several people complained that it looked/felt like too much of an old tablecloth for their liking.  Ironically, that's exactly what it reminded me of and exactly why I love it (oh yeah, and it's flattering) so I'm not sure what that says about me...  

Once the zipper is fixed, I'll probably wear it with my platform espadrilles and with either a denim jacket or cropped sweater (shown) so I don't feel overexposed.  Other items on my mending to-do list include the purple and blue floral blazer on the left.  I love the old-lawn-chair-cushion-chic of the pattern and I've worn it on and off for a little over a decade but I've always wanted to change the buttons (easy) and the lining (not so easy). The lining is torn in a couple of places and since I usually scrunch the sleeves I was thinking it’d be fun to do it in an unexpected contrasting color like a bright red-orange. 

The yellow blazer on the right (made in Paris, ooh la la!) just needs to be drycleaned (easy). The fabric on it is great and so cheery and I love how it looks when worn casually with a white blouse and slouchy jeans, not unlike the way this yellow blazer is worn.

The fit on the blazer above is amazing and I love the strong shoulder/short sleeves but I haven’t worn it in a long while. It might be headed to shop! I also love the fabric on it, check out that detail of the raised petals!

Aside from (hopefully!) documenting the diy projects mentioned above, I think I've shared enough flower-related things for now...all that's left more to do is step away from the computer and smell some actual roses.  I'm a decent woman who exports flowers...the rest of the floral things will be in the shop this week!

Lastly, did anyone else finally get the opportunity to be an actual flower girl in an actual wedding only to commit career suicide by forgetting to do the one thing you're supposed to do?

It was the most important day of my life.  I received my cue to walk down the aisle.  All eyes were on me.  My hair, my dress, my shoes...perfection.  But I was forgetting something.  What was it?  What was my mom hissing at me through that strained smile?  I nodded and smiled harder.  I may have tip-toed.  I may have done the Miss America wave.  I definitely did not do anything with the silk petals in the ribbon-adorned basket I was holding.  When the bride appeared at the end of the aisle, I may have felt upstaged and it may or may not have shown on my face...

Flower Power! Part One!

I love a good floral print.  Not so much the cutesy ditsy florals, but colorful and graphic high-contrast patterns against dark backgrounds have always been a favorite.  This spring, I've picked (HAHA! Get it?) some excellent ones for the shop:

Some of the styles above have already sold (and in the future I'll blog about new arrivals while they're still...new arrivals) but I'll be adding more over the next few days.  The shirt minidress (second row, far right) is still available AND it's from Liz Claiborne AND it reminds me of something Janeane Garofalo's character might have worn in Reality Bites:

(Also note Winona's floral maxi.)

In a later nineties movie reference, this fitted rosebud dress (that I juuuust listed!) channels Bianca Stratford's in 10 Things I Hate About You:

And here it is again worn with a cardigan over it! (Also known as: I need to incorporate this gif into my post.)

Oh, snap!

This gardenia(?) dress is also available in the shop.  I was captivated by the pattern.  The fit is flattering and flow-y as it is, and, if you're inclined to reworking dresses, you could get an entirely different look just by creating a hi-lo fishtail hemline and subtracting the sleeves:

I have a few go-to dresses in my closet and they happen to be covered in flowers.  Golly, floral prints sure are versatile!

This ruffle-hem dress, shown with a cropped tee over it (80s workout wear courtesy of my mom...) appeals to my punk-lite teenager self.  A decade (and a half) ago I might have added round sunglasses and a beret but these days I play down the edginess of the dress with a cardigan.

This romantic number (hello, red roses!) has a bit of a 40s vibe with it's strong shoulder and no frills silhouette.  It's a modest and girlie option for date night with ankle-strap high heel sandals and a contrasting belt.

This is my latest favorite in the floral dress department.  The fit is really flattering and I love the criss-crossing (RIP Chris Kelly) strap detail at the back.  It's an fun strap design but it's a situation that requires a specific brassiere.  I've gotten around that by wearing it underneath my army jacket, last seen here.  When I look at it on my dressform, I'm not so sure I like the proportions the jacket creates...next time I'll try it with a shorter, fitted denim jacket...or a denim vest!  I do like how I accessorized the dress so here's a close-up of those details:

The Aesa pendant necklace is a favorite I got from Totokaelo a couple of years ago.  As a cheapskate, it was a bit of a splurge even at the sale price but since I wear it almost everyday, the cost per a wear is literally pennies. (#fashionistalogic!)  The gold-tone leaf choker was an eBay score, also acquired a few years ago.  The pin belongs to my dad, but it's been on loan for awhile.  The square buckle belt was thrifted and I haven't found a dress it doesn't look good with. 

There are quite a few skirts in this floral collection.  Some favorites:

This one sold a couple weeks ago.  I love the teal/purple/green on navy color scheme and I'm partial to how I styled it.  Stripes (and polka dots!) are the neutrals of patterns, they go with everything and look great with floral prints:

Exhibit A: Pattern on Pattern.

The skirt below was for sale.  And it didn't sell since I decided to hang on to it a little longer.  I showed it with a white tee and denim jacket (far left) but offline I actually styled it as shown on the right.

   

Acquiring things for the shop and then reneging on it happens entirely too often, but  the next few skirts are for sale in the shop...if only because they don't fit me.

There's that Liz top, again!

I'm really tempted to keep this skirt, too.  Unfortunately the color doesn't really flatter me.  I have this weird thing about brown people wearing brown and people wearing flesh tones in general.  But look at that sweet pindot and those blue roses!

Here are not one, but TWO awesome, floral-printed takes on a white denim mini skirt.  I love the coordinating daisy zipper pull of the one on the left (from Esprit) and I don't mind the pastel purple and gray rose pattern happening on the right one.  I feel like both of these could have been taken from Kelly Kapowski's closet.  (Because this blog post hasn't reached it's quota for nineties references.  What can I say?  I'm a nineties bitch.) 

Tune in next time for part two of the florals post: flowers on shoes and blazers and housewares, oh my!

Reason #4,467 why I love Liz

Okay.  So it's no secret that I love older Liz Claiborne pieces.  And, as tempted as I am to keep this dress a secret until I can acquire it, I had to share it with you all:

Vintage Striped Military Dress

Striped shirtdress from the one and only Liz Claiborne.  And, I love that Liz's greatness is acknowledged in the description: 'Liz Claiborne in the 80s and 90s understood the modern sophisticated, independent woman.'  Co-sign... It's available for $38 in ARKCalifornia's vintage shop on etsy.  Buy it now.  Before I do.  (Sure, I already have a striped Liz dress but it's completely different...)   

In other vintage Liz news, remember that denim barn jacket I was drooling over?  I finally broke down and got it.  No regrets.  Like I said, it's great with a striped minidress (hell, any dress...) now and later with black skinny jeans and ankle boots:

It's Liz, bitchezzz!

With this one acquired, I'll probably be selling the fleece-sleeved denim baseball jacket so look for that in the shop soon.

And in other not-so-secret news, the Vintage Adoption Agency etsy shop is having a bit of a spring cleaning sale: 25% off of everything through the end of April!

Tie-Dye on a Tuesday Afternoon

Now that it's finally feeling like spring, I can enjoy the great outdoors during this short sweet spot before it gets too hot, or the cicadas return, or the pollen count gets out of control.   It means I can relocate certain craft projects out of the basement and outside.  And this is especially ideal for said projects that involve working with materials that are best used in a well-ventilated area...like bleach!  

Recently I broke out the bleach to tie-dye and otherwise experiment with a few things.  My favorite transformed piece from the afternoon was a top I got in China a few years ago.  Last fall I wrote about collecting all kinds of souvenir t-shirts but this one is different!  

It's more like a traditional Chinese top than any old standard screen-printed t-shirt with a landmark on it...  I admired it on the lady (above) leading our boat tour and  then I found my own 'authentic' fat 'tourist-sized' version in a street market a few days later.  I bought two; one for my mom and one for me.  Of course, my mom has never actually worn hers so I experimented on that.

And it turned out great!  The material took to the bleach really well and I love the effect I was able to get!    The top was cool before, but now it's one of a kind!  This one is going to the shop since it doesn't fit me (and my mom doesn't wear it...) so I'm hoping I can get a similar effect with the one I bought for myself.  Here's how I've styled them:

I like buttoning this top different ways so it drapes differently and to get a cowl-neck effect:

It's many tops in one!  I've seen blue and white or patterned indigo pieces in a few places this season.  I love this jacket from J.Crew (below, left) and this one from Plentiful Jenn on etsy (below, right):

I'll share pics when I get around to bleach-dying the other one!  (Hopefully, it's before my window of perfect-conditions-for-working-outside closes!)