Wednesday, January 20, 2010

FASHION ART




I know, I know, the holidays are officially over. And for the most part I am happy and ready to be back to work. The holidays feel like this dreamy time, this out of time-time where real life is sort of suspended, at least for many people I think. And the sober reality sets in just around now and we're supposed to let go of all the pretty elements that the holiday's usher in; but as I suspected I still want to wear shiny things and sparkles to boot. I also want to linger long in my bed and eat late breakfasts every morning. At least today's reality comes in the form of Saturday which allows for a little buffer before the reality of Monday sets in. And it seems Mr. DG isn't ready to let go of the Christmas tree, he will not let me take it down. I suppose we all have our attachments!
 



It was the one night of the year it felt completely within reason to wear huge vintage rhinestone earrings AND a silver fix fur stole, gotta love New Year's Eve! And having never actually worn a fur stole before I found it surprisingly warm and not just for "show". We were at a restaurant that was slightly chilly so I kept the stole on and it did the trick! I did have to remove it when I ate my beet soup, I was terrified of spilling on it, can you imagine? That would have been a terrible start to 2010. But then if I had spilled it on the top of my dress, well, that would have been just fine, ha!
 



Happy New Year and merry sale! 
 



Thing is, I am partial to vintage jewelry. Like fur, I tend to feel it's better just to buy up what's out there because there's plenty out there. That being said, sometimes new jewelry sort of hits the mark for me and Winifred Grace does just that. Also, I admit per my last trip to the mall yesterday, Banana Republic also seems to be hitting this mark, but I digress, this post is about Winifred Grace and the subtle but glamorous jewelry I find really appealing. Last night I watched 'Gentleman Prefer Blondes' and watched it expressly because of my new found attraction for fancy jewelry. I just love how unabashed Marilyn Monroe's character is and also how she says the word "diamonds". If you haven't seen it, the holidays are the perfect time for movie renting!
 


If all these items didn't "belong" to the shop I might have myself an outfit for New Year's Eve. And I have started wondering why we only have one small window of time where it's acceptable and almost required to wear sparkly things. I myself think I'll don all things sparkly well into the new year!



Today was a lot of errand running and I knew I'd want to be warm, so I wore this cute pair of 1950s wine wool ski pants I got over the summer. Wouldn't you know it that half way through the day the side zipper broke. When zippers break it's especially crappy because because I really don't like replacing them.  Good thing I am going to my mother's for Christmas eve and Christmas where I can lug all my more laborious sewing projects, merry Christmas mom!
 




I've always considered myself a 1930s-1940s gal, I have gravitated to the styles of those two decades throughout my entire life. But lately I've found myself attracted to the very early 1960s. Perhaps it's Mad Men, I admit, but it's also the film, 'An Education' and the recent visit to the Motown museum. It's also worth mentioning that this style switch might be spurred by my hair length, which lends itself well to the look of 1961. Along with that is how the styles of the early 1960s seem decidedly "grown up" and very "smart". I am having fun expanding my personal vintage collection by scooping up pieces not unlike the ones above. Never will I abandoned my love of 1930s-1940s clothing, not a chance. I see this more of a broadening. Vintage fashion is surprisingly unstatic, there's too many years of fashion history for that. I love how new vintage obsessions can be sparked so easily. I'm collecting rhinestones by the dozens it seems, a gem I used to pass up as though they were rocks.
 



I am a bit of a neat freak, I like things real tidy and wig out a little when things aren't that way. But when you go to the same mindblowingly amazing estate sale two days in a row that is basically a vintage warehouse you just somehow deal with a little chaos in your house. I am doing some deep breathing, but am also way way excited about the things I have found in the past two days. It'll take me a month to process it all (sort, clean and photograph), but it's terribly fun sifting through what I have got. All the shoes! All my size! Every dress has it's belt and all it's buttons! Sigh...I've got my work cut out for me, but it's a beautiful mess to be in for sure.
 



Sequins by day, why not!? I figured paired with other cozy clothes they are just about excellent. I found this great sequined t-shirt at just about the junkiest vintage store I'd ever been to last month and unlike so many of my clothes (only getting worn once), I've already wore this baby twice! And I have resolved to keep it in rotation well after the holidays have past because, why not?
 



Never, in all my years, was I ever a fan of leopard print or any animal print at all really. I couldn't stand it actually. So imagine my surprise when I came across this little Jonathon Logan number and before I knew it, found myself purchasing it. Completely out of my normal style in so many ways, there was just something about it that I liked. Little did I know that once it arrived in the mail it would works it's magic on me twofold. I am totally converted, I love this leopard print dress with all my heart. Midweight fabric, scoopneck, fitted waist with unique tie belt and full skirt - what's not to love? I did not anticipate not even wanting to take the thing off...but that's exactly what happened. It fits like it were made for me, which only makes my love affair with it all the more potent. Jonathon Logan dresses are some of my favorite, they were well made mid-priced dresses, sort of like the JCrew of the 1950s-60s. Something lots of people could afford but also nicely made. Dear me, I am in love...

FASHION ART (PART 1)



Be warm!
 



My new hair, freshly fringed. The verdict is in and I like it. I though I didn't but I was being stupid. I like it up more than down which is good since I sort of live with my hair pulled up. What I like best about this hair is that it's total wash and wear hair. I just dry it or let it dry and this is what I get - which is okay by me!



And more of my head here in a little hat preview...
 
 





 Finally! We have the snow, snow snow snow. I don't mind if we get some more even. Save for my trip to the post office I've got nowhere to go. So here are some scenes of dear golden on a snow day, which contrary to a fun snow day where you get our of school, my snow day means I  can hole up in my house and work work work - mostly today will be cleaning and mending and I think I'll make a daytime fire even, because I can.



And also...a shop update! 

 


Tuesday I was out shopping for the shop at some of my favorite spots and at my last stop of the day I found this 1920s black silk chiffon beaded dress - in PERFECT condition, no rips, no tears, no missing beads. Amazing. I bought straight away and thought I'd put it in the shop, but I made the mistake of putting it on and it's even BETTER on...so it's mine (at least for now). And the cute little cotton sailor blouse that I found Tuesday is now soaking in a bath of Oxyclean and I cannot wait to see it's brilliance later tonight!
 

 



I hate when this happens. I got my bangs cut today and well, this is me before I got my haircut - I think it might have been better not to look at photos of my hair pre-bang cut. Until moments ago I loved the bangs, like a lot. It didn't really occur to me that I could just stop liking them. Thankfully there isn't anything wrong with them so I don't think I'll be unhappy about them much longer, but still, I was in my honeymoon stage with them until I reviewed some photos of my hair from just recently. This all being said I realize that I was not going to be able to stop myself from cutting them, it was only a matter of time. It was either cut the bangs or cut all the hair. So, this post as banal as it all sounds is all about my silly hair. My silly bangs, which will have their photo on here in a matter of days I am sure, but here lies my old, ladylike hair, may it rest in peace...until I decide to ride the bobbypin lightening for another collection of months and grow them out again. Women!
 




The laziness has past and the shop is in full swing, I've added a lot the past 24 hours and well, there's always more to list, but today I am going for a haircut and manicure and a little shopping (for the shop of course!).
 



I've been quite lazy. Laziness is sort of insidious isn't it? I mean, it took me forever to settle down, stop working and take a break and well, now that I have it's really set in and I find the notion of working as hard as I was before Christmas pretty unattractive. This lazy has really grown on me. I've milked it, nurtured it and lauded it. And now I am must bid it adieu because I have a house full of vintage to put in the shop. I am excited for all that I have to add to the shop this month though, which I am relying on to get me going once Monday morning comes. Until then I'm hanging on to this final day of my foray into laziness. Hopefully I can shed it easily, but it's going to take a lot of coffee..

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