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 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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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