To infinity...and beyond!

Oh, hey! Hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Year and has been well since that last post!   My hibernation was awesome!   And productive!  And I come bearing gifts; I'm revealing how I've made one of a kind infinity scarves from a fairly common thrift shop find: vintage maxi skirts from India!

 I usually roll my eyes when I see stupid-easy diy projects on blogs, but I hope this is helpful and informative to some!  This is my first tutorial; let me know your thoughts!

In today's class, we'll learn how to make something awesome even awesome-er.

The downside to seeing the potential in everything, and not being able to resist a deal (or a pretty pattern), and frequenting thrift shops, is that I end up with clothes (and other things) awaiting modifications before I can use them. And until they've been tweaked, they're sorted into a semi-organized tower of plastic storage containers that haunt me:

A few years ago, I fashioned an infinity scarf from a vintage gauzy Indian maxi skirt. It turned out beautifully and I made a couple for friends and sold some in the etsy shop. Recently, I had my seamstress* whip out a few more using the rest of the skirts in my collection. The lovely woodblock-like printed patterns with floral motifs or elephants or peacocks and other designs are almost always from India and usually made out of a really lightweight material. These skirts (and printed dresses and blouses) were popular in the 60s and 70s.

Dem colorz, dat pattern... *swoon*

The blouses and dresses are harder to find (and consequently more expensive...not sure I'd cut one up!)  But I see the skirts often enough... Unfortunately for me, the fit isn't super-flattering on my body; I feel like there's too much fabric on my hips and the length is always wrong. And often, the elastic waistband has dried out and there's a tear or stains near the hem where it probably grazed the ground or was stepped on. But the patterns! They're sooo good! And using the material for scarves is easy and perfectly showcases the print! They're such a fun and colorful layer to add to your outfit! Huge infinity scarves are a favorite because they're foolproof to style; just loop it around your neck a few times and go! Let's get started!

  

Things you need:

• A skirt. Duh. You can basically use any skirt for this, but consider a lighter-weight, not-scratchy material that'll drape nicely around your neck. And, for ease, don't use a skirt with gores or tons of panels. (I mean, you can, but it involves more math than I want to explain.) 
• Scissors. 
• Thread. 
• A needle, if sewing by hand, or a sewing machine, or a seamstress 
• Pins (sewing or safety, dealer's choice.)

Clear, easy-to-follow Instructions:

1.  Cut the waistband off the skirt.  We don't need it.  Try to do this in a straight line and as close to the waistband as possible.  But don't stress about that too much...

Snip, snip.

2.   So now you have a big tube.  Or maybe it's a funnel... Whatever.  You could, theoretically, call it a day at that last step, but the fabric is oriented the wrong way and it's so weird how that one edge is jagged, it just looks like you're wearing a skirt around your neck!  So we're not done yet!  Lay the skirt flat and rip open the side seams so you have two rectangles.  Or maybe they're squares... Whatever.  It's okay if the edges get a little messy, in fact, it's good.  Try not to use your scissors.  If your skirt doesn't have a side seam, or it has more than two panels, just tear it into equal pieces; they do need to be the same width.  (You only need two, but you can use more to make one really long scarf, or multiple scarves, or other things.**)

Frayed edges are yer friends!

3.  If you don't want to do any sewing, you could call it a day here...you have not one, but two basic scarves!  One for you, one for a friend!  Here's one I didn't finish because I wanted it to show the unfinished, fringe-y edges.  And it's okay!  You can't even tell!  It still works!  Yay!  But read on if you want an infinity scarf.

It's not so bad to be basic.

4.   Now let’s look at our two panels.  We’re going to sew these together width-wise; stitching along the hem and stitching along the top (where we removed the waistband) to make a big loop. We can do this two ways: stitching the panels hem-to-hem and top-to-top, or stitching them top-to-hem and hem-to-top.  Does this make sense?  For example, sometimes stitching the two hems together creates a big block of a single color (like if the skirt had a solid border).  If this is your first rodeo, I recommend stitching top-to-hem and hem-to-top because it makes the next step easier…  But it doesn't really matter which option you choose; it just depends on the pattern and your preference.  Use your pins to secure the two panels together, right-sides facing out, with the finished hem of the skirt overlapping on the right side of the fabric. 

Green highlighter on the finished edges that were the hem of the skirt.  If I stitched this together as shown, I'd consider it top-to-top and hem-to-hem.  It's easier to turn one of the panels upside down so the finished hems get stitched over the unfinished top edges on both panels.

5.   Once you’ve pinned down the edges, you’re ready to make it official and sew them together!  What’s really cool about this is that you don’t need to be #prolevel to sew this.  The material is forgiving and the pattern on the skirt will hide any uneven stitches.  Hopefully, you’re stitching top-to-hem and hem-to-top, this way you can just follow the line of the hem as it overlaps the top of the other panel (making a long rectangle), and then follow the hem line from that panel over the top of the first one (making it into a loop).  Does this make sense?  Here’s a picture:

6.   Stitch together the other ends.  In the photo above, you can barely see where the second row of stitching was done; it goes right along the hem to attach the other panel underneath it.  On the reverse side, excess fabric was trimmed away.  You can stitch a single line or two.  I've done two.  Again, I just went over the stitching on the hem.

7.   Now you have a big loop!  Whoomp there it is!  THIS is your infinity scarf!  Depending on the original dimensions of your skirt, your scarf may be really long or maybe it’s short and wide.  It’s okay!  These come in all shapes and sizes and they’re all beautiful!  Real talk.

I believe this skirt had four panels.  I used them all to make a longer and narrower infinity scarf.

Your infinity scarf can be worn in many ways.  Not an infinite amount of ways, but several.  Shrug, shawl, or wrap dress/sarong, anyone?

Mostly, I just end up doubling it over my neck twice.  And it’s easy to convert into a snood should you get caught in a downpour!  The one on the right is probably my favorite.

I also love this blue and white tie-dye one.  I’m seeing a lot of that this season and I’m a little sad I sold it!  So pretty!  It's not an Indian print, but the material; slightly sheer and crinkly, was suitable for a scarf.  If you look closely, you can see one of the panels was stitched along the sides (versus at the top and the hem) so it doesn't drape the same.  It's not bad, just unique!  There's no wrong way to go about this.

Look from Madewell Spring 2014.  They have a similar, non-infinity scarf here.

I went a little crazy and turned a few regular scarves into infinity scarves.  You can easily stitch the ends together on a long, rectangular scarf, or use two large square scarves.  Or stitch together several in a large patchwork panel.  Infinite possibilities!

Let me know if you make anything!  Share your masterpiece on Instagram, or here!  And check out the shop if you’d like to buy a finished one!

*My speedy seamstress, Hilda, completed the ones shown after I cut and pinned the pieces together.  It's amazing and insane how quickly she works, but, I assure you, this is an amateur project and shouldn't take longer than an hour, tops.  Unless you're simultaneously hate-watching a Lifetime movie: why isn't the leading lady questioning this sketchy man/situation/her acting career?  Or you're threading your sewing machine the wrong way and almost break it in frustration.  Or your cat thinks the panel of skirt fabric you've laid out is, in fact, just for him...  In any of these instances, it may take significantly longer to make a single scarf.

Mine! That'll be all.

**I had a skirt with three-panels and used two panels for my infinity scarf and applied the third to the back of a button-down shirt.  Still need to finish it, but you can already see it’s going to be boho-cape-chic!

(Not sure what happened with my font size up there...I tried to fix it and then it messed up the rest of the formatting and then I gave up.)

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!

       

Plaid Shirts. Revisited.

Last year, we had the Autumn Shirt Collection.  I parted with a lot of plaid shirts with color schemes that reminded me of fall foilage.  (And also, my elementary school bus driver and the Brawny paper towel man but only in the best, most authentic and fashionable way possible...)  This time around I've got a set of plaid shirts dominated by bright, saturated colors:

Looking at all the blocks of colors and pattern lines makes me think of digital color grids...or a kaleidoscope!  Interestingly, two of the shirts (and one plaid skirt) are vintage Liz Claiborne!  Oh, yeah, and I threw in a colorful patchwork shirt, too...

Back in March, I saw a post on Tomboy Style about pairing winter-y tartan plaids and white jeans together for a fool-proof spring outfit.  I think it's a great look, and, by that logic (light-colored jeans + winter plaid = ideal spring outfit), I think the inverse also works: summer plaid + dark-wash denim = ideal fall outfit.  These plaids'll look great with denim shorts now and later they'll brighten up high-rise skinny jeans and even look preppy-chic underneath a blazer.  Never mind that these aren't summer plaids, per se, it's the rest of your outfit that makes them work in any season.  Alexa gets it:

Alexa Chung forever.  Now and Later candy...not so much.  Photos from RDujour.com

Of course, some of these plaids aren't as transitional and are probably better suited for summer.  This sleeveless number from Liz Claiborne (below, left) has an over-sized madras-like pattern and is a gauzy material.  I'd describe it as 'eighties mom-style goes on a long car ride' ...I can't really pinpoint my reference for this, it's not exactly Ellen from National Lampoon's Vacation but, as always, I do mean my references in the best possible way because these are all items I've personally chosen and love!  Does it remind you of anything, or anyone?  The short-sleeve plaid on the right is presently in my personal collection and it feels strictly summer, too, and reminds me of the eighties.  And also, summer getaways, especially when knotted in the front Dirty Dancing-style: just add denim shorts (double-cuffed) and Keds:

And here's another still of Baby from the same blog post where I got the above image, wearing a plaid shirt.

Related sidenote: Has anyone seen Sleepaway Camp?!  It's an eighties horror movie I'd never heard of until I caught the (surprising!) ending of it on television a few weeks ago.  Normally, I hate watching a movie mid-way but I couldn't resist this one.  All I have to say is: Wow.  And, despite how it turned out, I still feel like I missed out by never getting to go to sleepaway camp.  Probably because of all the other, non-scary movies that made sleepaway camp seem AMAZING.  Like, what if I somehow had a long-lost twin I never knew about?!

This next plaid feature isn't as bright as the previous ones, but it's an all-time favorite in my personal collection.  It is from the eighties (1980 to be exact) and was part of a special collaboration between Levi's and the Olympics.  It's paper-thin perfection and it's over-sized, almost tunic length on me.  I've replaced buttons on it and mended a few tears.  And it's still going strong.  It reminds me of art class in elementary school where students would wear random, donated, (mostly men's) button-down shirts as smocks when painting or otherwise getting messy.  To think I was exposed to hobo-chic and thriftiness in elementary school!  Who knew?!  Are schoolchildren still doing this?!

Going for the Olympic Gold...in this beautifully worn-in 33 year-old plaid shirt.

Earlier in this post I suggested wearing plaid shirts underneath a blazer, but what about wearing a plaid blazer?  Can it be done?  Without looking liking a used car salesman or taking hobo-chic too literally?  And not looking too preppy or too punk-y?  I haven't found the right plaid blazer that balances that.  Last year, Zara had this blackwatch plaid suit that looked amazing and I have a plaid skirt suit I bought for the skirt.  I love the skirt with a plain tee or a chambray and ballet flats or sandals.  The brand is Country Suburbans and I like to keep it from looking country-club-casual... I would never wear it with the matching blazer:

I haven't quite figured out a look that I love involving this blazer.  It has a great fit but I don't feel like myself in it because it hasn't been easy to style to my taste.  How would you style it?  It may be headed to the shop!  Also coming to the etsy shop: a plaid dress and a pair of plaid shorts!  Plaid everywhere! Cue dramatic cliffhanger: Could plaids be the new florals?!  Hmmm... 

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.

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...