A Tower of Giraffes

Posted on October 25, 2016 by Victoria

No two giraffes have the same spotted pattern, just like how no two vintage items are alike. And it goes without saying, no other fashion blogger is quite like Chic Vic.

I have dreams about going on an African safari someday, to see lions in their natural habitat, to watch a heard of wildebeest by the watering hole, and to hear the thunderous trumpet of elephants big and small. The glowing sun sets on an outstretched endless horizon, outlining the majestic silhouette of baobab trees before it melts into the earth to give way to a starry, starry night.

But since that trip remains but a distant dream for now, this giraffe blouse will have to quell my wanderlust.

Urban Outfitters sunglasses (similar) | vintage head wrap (similar) | vintage coat (similar) | vintage blouse (similar) | Express jeans (similar) | Urban Outfitters shoes (similar) | tortoise shell bangle (similar)

A tower of giraffes roam freely along the hem of this vintage blouse, their lithe spotless bodies in solid hues seemingly in motion as if we were observing them from a far distance. The orange, brown and cream colors match equally well with my tortoise shell accents and my printed headscarf in the same color scheme. I juxtapose the soft luster of the blouse and headscarf with a heavily textured cream coat from the 1960s. Though unfit for an African safari, this outfit is perfect for a mild autumn day.

Unbuttoned

Posted on October 11, 2016 by Victoria

What buttons up, must button down.

A concatenation of events in my personal life (all good things!) has caused me to derail off the blogging track. It was still blue skies and hot as balls since my last post, but now I wake up to brisk mornings and brown leaves on trees. Seasons have changed and I even passed my four year Chic Vic blogiversary without realizing it. But now I’m back up in the game like Mark Morrison, and onto the chain reaction fashion series I go.

I always aspire to achieve that minimalist closet of must-have basics and versatile neutrals that mix and match like the Parisian chic items from Amour Vert. But honestly, it feels a bit bland to be minimalist all the time. I still cannot completely let go of the fantastic prints, bold pops of color, and one of a kind vintage threads I’ve amassed over the years. At my style core, that is what Chic Vic is all about – a flavorful melange of style that is uniquely me.

OOTD Fashion Style

Saks Fifth Avenue dress (similar) | Forever 21 top (similar) | Jones New York skirt (similar) | vintage belt (similar) | vintage heels (similar) | vintage purse (similar) | vintage necklace (similar) | vintage watch (similar)

I am neither a wallflower nor am I a limelight seeker by any means, but I do like to sit back and let my clothes do the talking for me. This dress is as rambunctious as a neon highlighter, and definitely gets me noticed even when I’m not soliciting attention – especially when I wear it unbuttoned.

The basic, versatile, and ever trustworthy neutral navy, like a steadfast friend, offers the perfect stage for the neon green to shine with all her retro glory. Worn unbuttoned like a jacket of sorts, it adds the right amount of 1960s spunkiness to the conservative pencil skirt silhouette, while accenting the neon green color pops of my blouse. I’m head to toe thrifted, and that’s soo Chic Vic.

So before you stow away your summer shirt dress in hibernation, think again. Or rather, think it unbuttoned.

Chain reaction fashion: December | January | February | March | April | May | June | July

July: Green and Yellow Brights

June: My Pretty Petticoat

May: Eyelet Blouse and Citrus Hues

April: Shirt Around the Waist

March: Tonal Denim and Ornate Paisley

February: Preppy Stripes and Casual Chambray

January: Leopard Faux Fur & Preppy Stripes

December: Brr for Fur

Green and Yellow Brights

Posted on July 27, 2016 by Victoria

If it’s what’s underneath that counts, maybe it should be worn on the outside.

The story behind this petticoat comes from a faraway unlikely place. Not too long ago, I traveled to Bolivia and explored the country’s sights and culture from dusty small towns all the way up to the highest capital city in the world. My style eye is most alert when I’m in a foreign land, and I couldn’t help but be inspired by the traditional “cholita” fashion.

Image 1 | Image 2 | Image 3

“Cholita” was once a derogatory term for indigenous women in Bolivia. Only recently in the last decade or so has this term become a source of pride and empowerment. Even as society modernizes around them, older cholitas as well as younger generations still maintain this way of traditional dress that harkens back to the Spanish Inquisition. It varies slightly by region, but in general their ensemble consists of a bowler hat, shawl, blouse, full pleated skirt, and multi layered petticoat.

I’ll leave the full traditional dress up to the experts – the cholitas – but I found a way to integrate a part of their fashion into my vintage wardrobe.

While the cholita’s petticoat is cloaked under colorful voluminous skirts, I think it’s too beautiful to remain hidden. I may have worn it as a petticoat in my last chain reaction fashion post, but this time I’m showing it off – or at least one layer of it.

Wearing the petticoat as an outer layer, I complemented its cheery yellow with a punchy lime green dress that’s just as bright. The sheer fabric lets the right amount of green peek through, offering a color contrast to the intricate floral embroidery and scalloped hemline. It clearly is a statement piece all on its own.

chain reaction fashion: July | June | May | April | March | February | January | December

July: Green and Yellow Brights

June: My Pretty Petticoat

May: Eyelet Blouse and Citrus Hues

April: A Skirt and Shirt Around the Waist

March: Tonal Denim and Ornate Paisley

February: Preppy Stripes & Casual Chambray

January: Leopard Faux Fur & Preppy Stripes

December: Brr for Fur

Eyelet Blouse and Citrus Hues

Posted on May 25, 2016 by Victoria

It’s official: this weekend marks the unofficial beginning of summer.

Fashion OOTD Vintage Dress

Once called Decoration Day, Memorial Day has been celebrated since the late 1800s, but only after WWII did it become a regular day of remembrance for those who have died serving our country.

Emerging victorious from the dark cloak of WWII, post-war American life was filled with a renewed sense of hope and vigor. Those who had contributed to the war effort either abroad or on the home front were eager to resume regular life again. Consumerism was at an all time high, along with a booming economy and baby making. Dior’s “new look” became revolutionary, and fashion was ruled by excess and the need to express conformity. Women had specific clothing designated for housework, lounging, errand running, and social gatherings.

source: the people history

What’s considered conformity in one decade becomes individualist in another. Who knew that this post-war dress would find its way into the hands of a millennial? While this dress might’ve been the designated uniform for housework back in the 50s and 60s, it has certainly become my unique go-to dress for picnics and Memorial Day barbecues.

vintage shoes (similar) | vintage dress (similar) | vintage purse (similar) | Forever 21 belt (similar) vintage blouse (similar) | Urban Outfitters sunglasses (similar)

The faded citrus hues of tangerine, orange, and lime still pack a cheery tart punch, garnering compliments whenever I wear it. With a retro blooming wildflower variety print that resembles 1960s wallpaper, I layer my eyelet blouse from my chain reaction fashion series over the classic fit and flare silhouette to create a completely “new look” of my own. The eyelet blouse adds a subtle texture contrast to the patterned print of the dress, allowing the juicy citrus colors of the bodice to squeeze through.

Happy Memorial Day!

Chain reaction fashion: May | April | march | February | January | December

May: Eyelet Blouse and Citrus Hues

April: Shirt Around the Waist

March: Tonal Denim and Ornate Paisley

February: Preppy Stripes and Casual Chambray

January: Leopard Faux Fur & Preppy Stripes

December: Brr for Fur

A Sixties Summer

Posted on June 29, 2015 by Victoria

I’ve had many summers I loved, but none more than the one I’m presently in.

This is my summer of love around the world. For the past few months I have been roaming away from home. Whether it is climbing a mountain, exploring a village, or eating local specialties in another country, I am fulfilling my heart’s desire of wanderlusting.

Although my surroundings are always changing, one thing remains constant: while summer has barely began, I’ve been feeling the heat for some time now. I don’t particularly like sweltering and turning brown in the sun, but I do look forward to saying aloha to my collection of summer dresses when I return home.

pashmina turned headwrap (similar) / vintage maxi (similar) / mixed bangles (similar) / Urban Outfitters sunglasses (similar) / Ecote heels (similar)

From the archives is one of my faves. This 1960s maxi begs for a fun time at a tiki bar where I can cool down over a flaming scorpion bowl. The stinger in this outfit? A head wrap in the same punchy bright fuchsia that matches the bold watercolor haze of the dress. I had a little too much fun over accessorizing the outfit, stacking on more bangles than I would normally wear. But when one channels the 1960s, one must go with a bang, or several.

This dress is definitely made for a summer of love.

Preppy Pep

Posted on February 5, 2015 by Victoria

Who can turn the world on with her smile?

My blog has been my pride and joy the last two plus years, but lately I have had a hard time squeezing it into my schedule. With extra work piling up at my full time job, a recent part time gig, and personal plans I’m working on, you can imagine this working girl is quite beat when she punches out to knock out midnight, only to punch in again the next day at 6am. When the #firstworldproblems gets tough, I ask myself, WWMTMD?

The Mary Tyler Moore Show was a popular sitcom in the 1970s, starring Mary Richards as Mary Tyler Moore. It’s about a young woman in her 30’s who relocates to a big city, finds new friends, becomes an independent working woman, deals with issues surrounding that decade, and everything that comes along with that.

While I’ve only seen the opening credits and heard the catchy theme song, falling short of watching an actual episode, I can still relate to Ms. MTM on a few things. We’re both independent working women. We’re the same age. She works in journalism. I studied communications and am a blogger. She twirls around in a busy intersection and tosses her hat up in the air. I’ve had the desire to do the same for the longest time.

BDG wool beret (similar) / vintage shift dress (similar here, here & here) / vintage blouse (similar) / vintage scarf (similar) / Hue tights (similar) / G.H. Bass & Co. shoes (similar) / Coach purse (similar)

While the 1970s isn’t one of my favorite fashion decades (but I have channelled that decade before), I feel like this is an outfit that the 1960s MTM would wear – she was a big fan of abstract prints, florals, and colors on the show. This wool shift dress is another beauty I inherited from my aunt when she cleaned out her closet. Custom made for her in Hong Kong back in the day, it now fits me like a glove. Although winter’s been mild in the Bay Area, the temperatures still drop it like it’s hot enough for me to wear a wool dress. For that preppy look, and to stay warmer, I layered a chiffon blouse underneath. Tights are a must – in pop of color of course. Add in some gold hued saddle shoes (yes they were popular in the 1960s!), and this working lady is running late for work again.

With a preppy pep in my step, I’m gonna make it after all.

Illustrious Luster

Posted on October 8, 2014 by Victoria

Miss Mary Mack ain’t got nothin’ on my gold buttons.

This jacket was a recent acquisition from my vintage shopping adventures in Portland over the summer. The babydoll-esque silhouette and statement buttons tells me that this piece could possibly date back to the early 1960s. I immediately fell in love with the shiny gold buttons, and while the chest pocket is too tiny to hold anything, it adds a small amount of charm to the jacket nonetheless. The jacket’s lightweight hand and classic ivory color will make it a perfect companion for many dressy occasions to come. It definitely deserves to be worn with something equally pretty, luminous, and rad – perhaps a little plaid?

I often associate plaid with button up shirts and preppy pleated school girl skirts, but this sheath plaid dress proved me wrong. I rarely fancy a pastel palette, but the lustrous sheen of the silk shantung made this dress rather fancy. Although not quite as fitted as a sheath should be (oh the downsides to shopping vintage!), it’s no problem that a simple belt can’t fix.

To show off the dress or the jacket? That is the question. But buttons this big are virtually fumble proof. I guess I should loosen up my buttons and show off my guns. And no, I ain’t frontin.

Oct. 2014: Illulstrious Luster

vintage jacket (similar) / vintage Erez Levy dress (similar) / Nina pumps / vintage purse (similar) / vintage crystal bead cluster earrings (similar) / vintage crystal bead necklace (similar)

Aloha Summer, Aloha Autumn

Posted on September 24, 2014 by Victoria

Autumn has officially begun, but the weather lately has me thinking otherwise. It’s been warm and muggy, and the humidity in the air isn’t doing my hair any justice. Am I in the Bay Area or am I in Hawaii? Actually, let me rescind that statement – even Hawaii doesn’t experience humidity like this.

The first time I went to Hawaii, I participated in all the touristy activities you can think of. When one is in the Aloha State, one attends a luau, eats spam musubi, and dons a sarong. Ah yes, my first authentic Hawaiian sarong! It was a pale tie dyed yellow one with painted flowers that I absolutely loved. However, as soon as I returned home, the poor sarong never saw the light of day again. To it I say “mahalo” for keeping me covered up and preventing sand from getting into my beach bum.

It has been years since I set foot in Hawaii, but that doesn’t mean I can’t get into the aloha state of mind. While there is no appropriate situation to wear a sarong around here, I’ve somehow amassed a collection of vintage Hawaiian dresses to take its place. From maxi dresses to mini dresses, and even a blouse, the only thing missing from my collection is a muumuu.

This 1960s beauty was likely a maxi dress, until some previous owner transformed it into a mini shift dress. The blue and green hues remind me of the clear blue water on the Hawaiian shores. I love the unexpected splashes of red on the dress, and accented them with my red peep-toe pumps. Remember fellas, a flower behind her left ear means she is taken, but behind the right ear means she is single. How about a huge tissue paper flower fascinator as big as her head? It means she’s a fashionista, so be dressed to impress.

If this dress doesn’t get me lei’d, I don’t know what will. Why, a plane ticket to Hawaii of course.

vintage Hawaiian dress (similar dress) / Seychelles peeptoe pumps (similar shoes) / vintage earrings (similar earrings) / DIY tissue paper flower

Puttin’ in Pleats

Posted on July 31, 2014 by Victoria

I’m a good sport about putting balls into holes. Any stroke will do it, right?

From the conservative dress of the 1800s, to the short hemlines of the 1960s, women’s fashion in sports reflected societal norms of dress of the time. As more women participated in sports, there grew a demand for practicality and functionality for they needed the same ease of movement as men. Restrictive forms of clothing gave way to the sportier and shorter silhouettes seen today.

I recently had the opportunity to try my hand at golf for the very first time. Interestingly, golf began as a social club for young men and women to meet each other. Thus, it was important for women to be dressed to impress should they encounter a suitor. For them, golfing was more about the fashion than the sport itself – they were dressed to a (golf) tee.

Nowadays, golfing is purely focused on the sport, but that did not deter me from looking my best on the fairway. Excited to get my Tiger Woods on (in the pro-golf sense), I seized this opportunity as an excuse to wear my tennis dress.

Daiso hat (similar hat) / vintage tennis dress (similar dress) / thrifted shoes (similar shoes)

Yes, I said tennis dress. But the sport is golf, no? While the sports are different, they do share some commonalities in their fashion evolution whether it be long sleeved blouses, rising hemlines, or sweater cardigans. I feel this dress could probably work in the game of golf. The little drop waist pleats must’ve been made for this game as one has to stick their butt out quite a bit just to putt the ball. Pass me the wood please!

Unfortunately, I didn’t meet any potential suitors on the fairway and failed to make a hole in one. Where’s a caddy when you need one? I guess I need to step up my game or just stick to driving the golf cart. Fore!

Pop Goes the Arteest

Posted on June 27, 2014 by Victoria

Pop quiz: What does Chic Vic enjoy in addition to poppin’ tags? Pop art!

As much as I’d like to believe that I’m artsy fartsy, I can’t say I’m in the know of what’s hip and happening in the art scene. However, as the occasional museum goer, I do appreciate aesthetically pleasing things. It’s hard for me to name my favorite art genre, but pop art is one category that easily pops into my mind.

Pop art was a movement that started in the 50s and 60s that challenged the norm.
The conventional art form at the time was fine art, which was generally very elite. Pop art was a countermovement to this, with the attitude that art should be accessible by everyone. Pop art employs the use of everyday commonplace objects and elements found in consumer culture and poses them as art in satirical ways – thereby making art more easily attainable for the average person. Famous pop artists include Andy Warhol, Richard Hamilton, Roy Lichtenstein, and many others.

Marilyn (1967)

Just what is it that makes today’s homes so different, so appealing? (1956)

Drowning Girl (1963)

I recently attended a pop up shopping event, and among the sea of vendors, one particular shirt popped out at me. Indeed it was the vivid pop of color that caught my eye – it was a Roy Lichtenstein wannabe and I wanted it to be all mine. Lichtenstein is well known for his satirical humor based comic book inspired artwork, recognizable by his signature use of Ben-Day dots.

Drawing inspiration from this copycat Lichtenstein-esque tee shirt, I applied his comic book technique to my outfit and Ben-Day-ed myself. The polka dot scarf, the black and white multi-strand beaded necklace, and the perforated clutch bag all spotlight the Ben-Day dots and dotted embellishments all over the tee. Now

I love this look more than anything…

J.Crew cardigan (similar cardigan) / pop art tee (similar tee shirt) / Urban Outfitters pants (similar sailor pants) / vintage Nina pumps (similar pumps) / Gianni Bini clutch (similar clutch) / thrifted necklace (similar necklace) / thrifted scarf (similar scarf)