10.29.2009

Recent Acquisitions: Accessories

Yes I'm a horrible spendthrift and I'm addicted to shopohol and blah blah blah. But if I wasn't this blog would be boring! I do it for you, dear readers.

Here are my fave recent accessory purchases (the first being so recent I haven't even gotten it in the mail yet!) from these fair intertubes:



black velvet hat from Perty May on etsy



vintage crocheted collar from ebay



silver twig ring (on right, and actually a belated anniversary gift from my gent) from Colby June on etsy


Also something about the cool weather makes me get super crafty. I made the following little ditties:



sock garters for my over-the-knee winter socks - I might post a tutorial for these, would anyone like that?



necklace I made - First (and awful quality) picture of the jewelry that will be in my etsy shop as soon as I have a decent amount of things ready! This might be a bit premature...but I'm excited either way!


I also have a queue of knitting patterns for a(nother) beret and some long black opera gloves for the dream cape I will probably never own. Once summer breaks I find myself knitting 500% more, I am even doing a commissioned scarf on the train in lieu of reading! What crafty things do you like to work on? What accessories do you covet lately?

10.27.2009

Wardrobe Remix for 10.27.09

10.27.09

grey cardigan - F21
green plaid button-up top - Target
black belt with silver shells - F21
black leggings - Target
grey military boots - Target


A rare day I wear no vintage! Ah Target and Forever 21, my two fave non-thrift stores. I redyed my hair (yes, dear readers, for those who did not know I am a bottle redhead with my god-given brunette locks) and I'm wearing eye makeup, though I doubt you can tell either in this picture. And, yes, I am wearing leggings as "pants," for the second time this week. My roommate gave me shit Saturday, but I don't care since a. I am wearing them with shirts that cover my ass b. I am wearing them with shirts that look super super awkward with jeans and c. I finally have the body to not give a shit. Also this is the first time I've belted a cardigan. I feel so ~*modern*~

What modern trends are you finding yourself succumbing to? I can pull of leggings as bottoms, right, I'm not just deluding myself?

10.23.2009

Winter Wants

I'm sure it's lovely orange leafy and casual scarfy in other parts of the U.S., but here in Chicago and much of the midwest we've had a shit go of "autumn" so far. With all the rain and 40-50 degree temperatures it's pretty much winter lite over here. This turn makes me act like a squirrel, only with winter clothes and accessories instead of acorns. However, cold and crummy it may be I still like to retain my personal style and am picking out pieces that I feel are stylish, versatile, and most of all: warm.

Turtleneck Dress



Dress huntress I am, I am now only looking at long-sleeve dresses this season. It's always difficult because I see so many more 3/4 sleeve dresses instead. (Like your wrists don't get cold? And don't get me started on how hard it is putting a layer over those sleeves...) I'm not usually a turtleneck girl what with my short neck, and will probably never own any top that creeps past a cowl, but for some reason on a solid coloured dress the turtleneck looks downright sassy. I'd wear it with my hair pulled back and some dramatic earrings. Above: Merino Wool Turtleneck Sweater Dress from Target, BDG Turtleneck Sweater Dress from Urban Outfitters.


Prairie Boots



I have wanted a pair of Victorian/Western heeled lace-up boots for years and years but can never bring myself to spend the money. I would in a heartbeat if I knew they'd be practical enough to wear every day. If you have a job where you can/have to wear heels every day, please dear god get these boots. The ones above are Oak Tree Farms 'Vow' Old Western Frontier Boots from Boot Barn, and that site also has tons and tons of different cowboy boots, frontier boots, wedding boots, and so forth.


Wool Tights



I cannot stress these enough. I was lucky enough to find an oatmeal-coloured pair of wool tights at TJMaxx for a mere $10 (after checking vigourously at most department and outlet stores), but might have to purchase some more in black and grey. Get them in a neutral pair like these Levante tights in Camel or spruce up the winter drabs with a bright pair like Trasperenze Ginnifer Merino tights in Rubino

a hot beverage



Okay, so this isn't clothing, but I find a lot of comfort in a hot drink when it's chilly outside. My two drinks of choice? A mug of Earl Grey Creme tea from Argo Tea (non-Chicagoans, you can order a bag of loose tea on their website) and a Soy Mocha Latte. Mmm.

Picture from baristahands on etsy.

10.21.2009

Laziest Wardrobe Remix Post Ever

It's surely the last nice day in Chicago for the year, and my outfit is post-worthy, but I didn't have time to snap a pic. So here is an exercise for your brain. If you scroll really fast maybe it will look like an optical illusion!

I wore this dress:

07.18.09


...with these tights (such an old picture, ugh):

09.18.08


...and these shoes

05.30.09


...and this blazer

09.26.09


See? Cute! I hope I never do this again. At least all these pieces have been photographed before, eh?

I love these tights and I've had them forever. I got them in high school...7 years ago? They reminded me of tights I had as a girl, and I have them in white also. I'm really glad they came back in style so I feel slightly less like "girl with weird tights," although for how popular they are I am having a hard time finding a cheap pair for a backup when these eventually rip.

10.20.2009

10.15.2009

On Why I Blog

Sometimes I get excited at the seemingly never-ending slew of fashion and design blogs on the internet, but sometimes I get really daunted and self-conscious. For one thing, I work full-time, so I can't blog whenever I get the urge to write something. I can't even take an outfit pic every morning before work because of time! (Though I suppose I could wake up a bit earlier each day and do that.) I have a myriad of unfinished bits of entries, and have very few pictures of my own because most of the time I find to write is when I am at work.



It used to be different. When I was 16-17 I was on livejournal, taking photographs and writing entries all the time. I had photographs that were the blossoming of my self-portrait oeuvre, but also looking back some are reminiscent of amateur fashion editorials (fashion blog photography, anyone?). I was inspired by fine art photographers, fashion spreads, other livejournalers, art, early cinema, etc. I was thrifting a lot and watching Turner Classic Movies pretty much non-stop.



I had a lot of weird clothes that I thrifted purely for photographing myself in, some of which I am selling now. This dress you might remember from an entry a few weeks back about vintage dresses I was going to sell:



And this dress is currently in in my shop, the vintage stole is my grandmother's:



I started expirimenting with crazy makeup, too. So begins a long affair with eyelash glue (I later did a series in college with miniatures glued to my face). This isn't a mask, these feathers are glued to my face! The pearls in my hair is similar to how I did my hair for prom a few months previous, and dress and gloves are vintage.



And, more like the wardrobe_remixes of today, I would take outfit posts on many days. Here are two outfits I particularly liked at the time:



Many of these photographs are super embarrassing (boy how I want to go back in time and tell myself to get bangs), and some of these outfits are perfection except for some unfortunate choice in shoes or eye makeup. Still, I feel proud in some strange way to be almost "ahead of the curve," and glad I documented my youth so well. It's neat going back and saying "oh yes I should look for that skirt" or "I never thought to pair that hat with that dress." And of course, I was more risky with my choices back then, such as being unafraid to wear a garish coat or unusual hat (or any vintage hat, really, at the time). Maybe this blog is an extension of that part of me from high school I want to keep alive, and part of it is to share ideas I have for various things (and those have been lacking, too). Either way, I need to post more!

10.14.2009

Little Shop Update

I've been super super super busy but I'm still trying to list these etsy items in a speedy fashion (har har, fashion, get it). Last night I added these four beauts to the shop:

Prairie Rose Red Floral Maxi Dress Blue and Black Paisley Secretary Dress with Belt

Prairie Rose Red Floral Maxi Dress , Blue and Black Paisley Secretary Dress with Belt

 1920s Navy Nautical Double Breasted Dress Hot Pink 50s Party Dress Size Medium


1920s Navy Nautical Double Breasted Dress, Hot Pink 50s Party Dress


More items to be added throughout the week!

10.13.2009

Wardrobe Remix for 10.13.09 and Thee Greate Etsy Debate

10.13.09

ivory lace detailed blouse - huzzah vintage on etsy
black and white sundress worn as jumper - thrifted
tan stockings - marshall's
rust-coloured kitten heel maryjanes - target years and years and years ago


This is the first clothing item I have bought on etsy, and I love it. I had been looking for a basic white or off-white button-up blouse with just the slightest bit of detailing what wasn't gigantic on me (especially in the arms, all shirts look like poet shirts on me for some reason). I had been thrifting and couldn't find anything but even more shirts I could swim in. New styles of shirts STILL didn't fit me and were way too expensive. This blouse was reasonably priced and in great condition, and was just what I was looking for.

I know a few people who have qualms with people buying and selling vintage clothing on etsy. These people include some of my close friends, and even my boyfriend (at some point anyway, when I was considering it. Not sure how he feels about it now that I'm already selling). I started selling on etsy because I felt that the vintage pieces I was selling on eBay weren't going to the right owners. I felt like more people looking for vintage pieces were going to etsy unless they are following certain sellers on eBay. I like selling new pieces on eBay because a. that's where people look for new items discounted and b. I can get rid of it faster. With vintage it is nice to take your time, wait for the right person to buy the item, and do so yourself. I like the idea of selling, and even more so buying, at a fixed price instead of getting into a crazy, frantic bidding war.

I hear people saying that people who sell vintage clothing on etsy are just thrifting and jacking up the prices. While I can see that side of the argument, I first started selling clothing I already had that I felt should go to someone who would enjoy it more (and in some cases, whom it would actually fit). In regards to selling garments purchased for the shop, well, we are doing exactly what people at vintage clothing STORES do. Granted, you can say the same is not fair either and wokka wokka, but a lot of sellers (in store and online) sort through piles of garbage to find things that are wearable and stylish. They clean the garment, repair minor imperfections, and promote their wares. They do it so you don't have to. Some vintage stores and etsy sellers do overcharge, but many sellers I have seen are very reasonable. $18 for a blouse may seem crazy when you could have thrifted it, but you didn't. The seller did. You might never have even found it yourself (I didn't). That's the whole point of reselling vintage- digging up one-of-a-kind items and reselling them to people who can actually wear them.

There. That's my self-defensive rant for the day. What are your opinions on it? I know some of you sell and some of you buy on etsy. I'm very curious about any debates you've had!

10.08.2009

Things I Love Thursday - 10.08.09

It's a day late, though I did write most of it last night before I passed out. But better late than never, right? And there's lots of pretty pictures.

nude pink - As I was getting rid of a few shirts and sweaters in the spring, I noticed that pretty much everything I was discarding was pink. I thought, well, I'm just not a pink sort of girl and let it rest. But lately seeing pale, nude pinks popping about, and even really desaturated dusty pinks, makes me want to don the designated colour of my gender (though, true fact, blue was originally a girl colour and pink was a boy's!). All of the below is from Urban Outfitters:





Halloween costumes - I'm so excited for Halloween every year. Once September ends I am starting to make plans, hoping someone I know is having a house party (so much more fun than a bar, and a lot fewer sexy Dorothys that way), and deciding on an outfit. I love having an idea I'm really excited about, searching for all the pieces to put it together, and doing all the crafty sewing/painting/altering/building for it. Having a store bought costume is no fun! Here are my costumes this year:



Little Pete (my brother is going as Artie) and Lamb Chop.


What are you dressing up as for Halloween?

Single Stone Studios on etsy - This list might as well be "stuff I've favourited on etsy this week." I mean, the place is becoming my security blanket. Anywho, these guys have AMAZING vinyl wall decals, mostly but not limited to trees of various sizes and species, birds, chandeliers, and abstract shapes such as swirls and argyle. I have always wanted tree wallpaper, but I think that when I finally have my own place I'm going to get different vinyl trees for each room. Check out how dreamy the winter birches look:



Faux Pas to Fabulous - This blog feature on ModCloth is such a great idea. It's one thing to cringe at some very ugly outfits celebrities decide to don, but it's way more awesome to find the core of why they made that outfit decision and show where they took a wrong turn. Fashion psychology anyone? Read it here.

wool capes - Maybe it's the fall weather making a bit witchy, or the Victorian novel I'm reading, but I have been scouring racks for a perfect wool cape. It's not functional for everyday wear, so it would need to fall in the price range of "novelty item" in my budget, but it would be so warm and classy over a cocktail dress with a clutch in my hand as I'm going out in the evening. I can't decide whether I like the classic look of a vintage cape or the stylistic shaping of a modern cape:



Vintage nurse's cape from ebay, Cape of Good Hope from ModCloth.


Which would you choose?

10.07.2009

What's your opinion?

Dear readers (since it seems like I am ever-so-gradually having more readers visit my blog),

I hope I can write a TILT entry for tomorrow, but I have been supercrazybusy lately, and after work tomorrow I am going to a concert BUT I felt like posting in case there is some absence on my part.

But mostly I really wanna know what people think about this look.



What is your opinion on opaque tights and open toed shoes?

Peeptoes or full-on sandals, and opaque tights in any color, how do you feel about this style? When does it work? When doesn't it? I've been considering it myself to get more use out of my purchased-too-late summer heels, but have yet to have the opportunity (or nerve). I'm eager to know what you think!

10.05.2009

slubird shop update

It took me over a week but I finally finished listing everything. I actually sold a few things in the meantime, ha. But there are still plenty of awesome goodies left.



All that and more at slubird on etsy.

---

When you shop for vintage on etsy what do you like to look for? Broader range of size? Weird patterns and textures? Amazing details? Nice basics?

10.03.2009

New Old Dress

All my internet selling is giving me an advantage: I can tell by a picture and measurements how well something will fit me, something I wasn't too amazing with before. Maybe it's because most websites' measurements are wrong- Delia's says I'm an XL; I order the Medium and it fits me fine.

So, when I my search for a green cocktail dress continued this fall (I had no luck last season, but I guess that's a good thing since anything I bought wouldn't fit me now), and as dismayed as I was that The Joan Dress sold out before I could procure the funds, I did find quite the beaut on ebay last week.

02


It fits like a glove and is the perfect shade of green! It's from the 40s (and it's got the metal zipper to prove it), a few minor stains but otherwise in good condition, and was only $21! I may hem it (I tossed it over to the fashists to see what they think), but do you think I should, readers? I am short so it is a bit lengthy, but yet it's vintage and I feel the length adds to the style, and I would always wear it with heels. What would you do?

I have more pictures of it at my flickr!

10.01.2009

Things I Love Thursday - 10.01.09

monthly astrology forecast - Every first of the month I think "Oh boy, a new astrology forecast!" Read yours here.



vintage hats - Now that my hair is getting long my hatred of hats is subsiding. It might also be in part to it not being worn as curly as it can be lately, though. At any rate, I find myself searching for an everyday-yet-glamourous topper. This beret found on ebay is cute, but it harkens the DYI spirit inside of me. I wouldn't be surprised if in a few months time I have a full-on millinery hobby budding!

fall baking - As the temperature drops, my appetite becomes more ferocious. I see more leisurely breakfasts of french toast, bacon, and coffee on my days off in my future. But aside from that, I long to have an excuse to try my hand at a pecan pie, pumpkin muffins, chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, and of course whipping up my tried and true banana bread.



Left to right: birdqueen, tree & kimball, both on etsy.


jewelry making - Another creative surge of energy I am getting is from the endless amount of inspiration I find browsing etsy looking at gorgeous jewelry. I have been meaning to experiment with that for a while, too, and am browsing supplies all over the place. Here are some of my favourite etsy sellers lately, whose work I love to ogle:
birdqueen
chinacherie
mama's little babies
ragtrader
tree & kimball

the great closet purge of 2009 - I'm getting there! I photographed a bunch of stuff for etsy and ebay last weekend, and the etsy listings are gradually being put up. I'll have a bigger post when I'm finished, but I added about a dozen things so far if you want to have a look.