Category Archives: Uncategorized

The Old Lady by the Seafoam Green

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I have a lot of old lady tendencies. I sleep early. I drink warm water instead of ice water. I like to sew. I dress conservatively. Actually I’m just a young lady with an old soul for fresh style. And nothing says fresh as a spring breeze by the sea better than seafoam green.

I picked up this minty fresh 1960s beauty in a dimly lit basement of a vintage shop on my recent trip to Toronto. I was immediately drawn first to the beautiful color of this dress, and second to the chiffon-like material. I admit I felt a bit like a flower girl due to the youthful empire waist, bow at my back, and flowers under my bust, but for only $10, I couldn’t pass it up.

I consider myself a fashionista of sorts, but even so, I was stumped at what to wear with this dress, especially the shoes. Gold or silver metallic? Definitely no black. Perhaps white shoes to go with the white flowers? When all else fails, I stick to a simple nude pump.

I kept the accessories simply light and bright to go with the springtime airy feel of the dress: a single strand of white pearls, sparkly white floral clip on earrings, and one blue floral cloisonné bangle. Easy breezy!

seafoam green dress (similar here and here)

Seafoam Green

Dressed to a Tee

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Even this vintagenista likes to wear a casual tee shirt every now and then. How about a tee that represents the city from which I was born and raised? Oakland, smokin’.

I got this awesome tee shirt at fiftyseven-thirtythree, an Oakland based apparel company that specializes in not your mom’s screen-printed graphic tees and artwork oozing with street edge. Although paying $30 for a tee shirt is steep in my opinion (those funds could go towards a vintage dress!), at least it supports local business. Lucky for me, I happened to chance upon this grapefruit hued shirt in the bargain bin. I got five on it! Or more like ten, which is how much I paid for it.

May: Dressed to a Tee

Cardigan (options here + here) / Tee (options here + here + here) / Hat (options here + here)

My favorite thing to do with a casual modern tee shirt is to juxtapose it with feminine elements. I scored this high contrast black and white beaded cardigan at Buffalo Exchange in almost excellent condition, complete with silk lining underneath. Ripped jeans and studded booties complemented my rockin’ vintage look, topped off with a vintage silk pillbox hat and a blingin’ brooch.

Representing Oaktown and vintage at the same time! Oh how I love it.

The Feminine Cardigan

Feet on the Street

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There is only one Bill Cunningham, and with good reason.

I tried my hand at capturing street fashion on my recent trip to Toronto, but it was not easy. The cold temperatures and my nervousness caused my fumbling fingers to drop my little PowerShot camera after taking only two photos. Thankfully I still had my iPhone. With each person I approached, I found it easier to introduce myself to strangers and ask for a photograph. Everyone complied – how could they not? I was paying them a compliment. The key to being a good street photographer is all about timing. If you see someone with a cool outfit, go for it! Do not hesitate, or your opportunity will literally pass you by, as it did for me many times.

The rain was not conducive to photographing street fashion. I was only able to capture the Torontonian from the surface, bundled up in a big overcoat, often with a fur-lined hood, and boots. The men are quite stylish, layering their outfits in interesting ways, and accessorized with hats, fun socks, and man-bags, though I was too shy to approach many of them. There isn’t a word to accurately describe the essence of the Torontonian style, for it is as eclectic as the fashions I see in San Francisco.

Toronto Street Style

Dreary weather aside, I spent the days walking around the city until my feet ached, getting to know the public transit system in order to find DeGrassi St., eating more than twice my weight in horse tartare, smoked sweetbreads, and dumplings, visiting some museums with amazing mixed media installations, and discovering the many beautiful murals/graffiti art that covered the empty walls and alleys of the city. I was rained on and the wind-chill was ridiculous, but that didn’t deter me from visiting a dozen or so vintage shops. Vintage furs are cheaper and more plentiful there, and I only wish my carry-on bag wasn’t busting at the seams.

The next time I visit Toronto, it will definitely need to be in warmer temperatures. Stay tuned if you want to see the drool-worthy vintage goodies I brought back!

The Sights of Toronto

Motherlover

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Yo momma’s so big they call her Mother Earth. Oh snap!

Bad joke aside, Earth Day is near, and that means it’s time to put on some gloves and do the earth some good, whether it is picking up litter, cleaning the creek, or repainting a local community center.

Even if you aren’t able to dedicate that day to any of those activities, that’s okay. Because you really should be showing Mother Earth you care with your daily contributions: make sure the recycling has recyclables only, use reusable bags, throw food scraps and other biodegradable items into the compost bin, and don’t litter! Remember this mantra: recycle, reduce, reuse, rot. Repeat!

My 1950s outfit was inspired by Earth Day, albeit I will likely be wearing something less than blog-worthy in any actual dirty activities. Once again, I sourced a vintage top from mommy dearest. Just short of a tunic, I love the casual relaxed fit and the multi colored windowpane print makes this anything but a boring shirt. The ties at the sleeves are a fun and practical detail – I’m ready to roll up them up and get my elbows a little dirty. I paired it with my relaxed fit jeans and some easy mini-wedge canvas slip-ons. A headwrap is a must for this look. I found an excuse to use my repurposed Starbucks coffee bag purse that I got for free at a yard sale some years ago – just one example of something getting a second chance at life and saved from a landfill. Mother Earth is smiling.

So be an Earth Day ho, grab a hoe, and get knee deep in the weeds.

shirt (similar here, here, + here)/headwrap (similar here + here)/shoes (similar here, here, +  here)

Motherlover

What’chu talkin’ ‘bout, Willis?

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Itemize deductions? Report investments? Self-employed? Tax season can be quite taxing. Luckily I have my own CPA to take care of the nitty gritty for me. This year I actually got a refund from the IRS. Which means its time for some IRS -Impulsive Refund Shopping.

I’ve been on the hunt for a vintage Coach handbag for some time now, in particular, the Willis style handbag. My weapon of choice: Ebay, the world’s largest thrift store. To be an Ebay bidder, one must have incredible patience, be willing to ask questions, cross-examine photos, and be able stay calm in the event you are outbid. But how much am I willing fork over? With my refund directly deposited in my bank account, I sought out many sellers, lost some bids, but finally my patience paid off. When my baby Willis arrived in the mail I actually jumped for joy and immediately transferred all the contents from my old purse into my new old purse. It’s the perfect size, and the handle + long cross-body strap is so functional.

Still afraid of shopping on Ebay? Don’t worry; Coach has got your back. Called the Legacy Collection, Coach has brought back these old styles – but you will have to pay a pretty penny of course. My favorite style is the Willis because of that little handle at top and its “just right” size, but I love all their other designs as well.

olive green jacket (similar here) / oversized cardigan (similar here and here) / graphic tee (similar here and here)

I recently went on a shopping trip with some gal pals in San Francisco’s Mission district. In usual San Francisco fashion, the weather was slightly overcast and windy with a chance of rain. The key to dressing for this is to think like an onion: dress in layers. Start with a casual tee, then a chunky middle layer (I chose an oversized cardigan), and finish with an outer shell. Since it wasn’t too cold, but I needed to be concerned about the possibility of rain, this olive windbreaker was just the right fit. Still riding on the high of my urban turban, I pulled a leopard version of it to disguise my unruly hair. Finish with the perfect Willis handbag.

That’s a good one coach! Now go do your taxes, you procrastinator you.

Rainy Day

The Intricate Elie Saab

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I know that the Spring 2013 Fashion Week ship has long ago sailed, but I finally caught up with Elie Saab‘s mesmerizing designs from his spring couture collection. Your grandma would approve of the long sleeves and demure neck to ankle coverage, but modest gowns these are not.

His gowns are like a fine optical illusion, for the varying transparencies of lace and tulle makes it hard to determine where the dress begins and ends on the body. Combined with the strategically placed come-hither intricate bead work and embroidery, Saab creates an understated allure that simultaneously leaves little and plenty to the imagination. In fact, I imagine myself to be quite the alluring illusion in one of his gowns, even if only in my dreams. Le sigh.

What an allursion!

 

The (flower) Power Suit Part 3: Totally Tubular Turban

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You’ve read part 1 and part 2. And now, I present to you the highly anticipated concluding chapter to my three part flower power suit saga that you will want to sink your teeth into Twilight style. 

A couple of weeks ago, a friend asked for my opinion on the turban fashion trend and whether or not she could pull it off. Having never tried one, I scoffed at the idea, and naively advised that it only looks good on those with modelesque facial features, and not on the average Josephina.

Fast forward to the present: I’m eating my humble pie and boy does it taste so fashionably good with a hint of style. I recently gave the turban headband a try, and I love it. I often have trouble with scarves slipping and sliding off my head, but there is something about the cocoon like wrapping of the turban that alleviates this issue. I now have the perfect solution to bad/dirty hair days! Oh happy day.

Although turbans have long existed in many cultures as customary headwear, it made its first appearance into the fashion world in the early 1900s with the help of designer Paul Poiret. It eventually became quite popularized in 1970s and morphed its way into a looser fitting hat. Since then, the turban has remained totally tubular on the fashion radar, even making its way onto the runway in past ready-to-wear shows.

Since I created a ladylike outfit with the flower power suit’s skirt, I decided I wanted to go a little less dainty and feminine. I wanted my next look to be cool, hip, and funky. My green silk scarf matched the suit jacket perfectly, and I decided to give the turban headband a shot. While there are many ways of wrapping a turban/turban headband, I stuck to the simplest method: 1) hold a long scarf behind your head, holding the ends; 2) bring the ends towards the front of your head and single knot in the front, but keep the original left end on the left, and the original right end on the right – do not swap sides; 3) bring the ends to the back of your head and tie together; 4) add some pizzazz to your turban headband by pinning a brooch in the front.

Oh, how the urban turban transforms this outfit! Suddenly the suit jacket doesn’t seem like a conservatively boring 80s jacket. I bangled it up with a ton of colorful cloisonné arm candy that I’ve had in storage, and the look wouldn’t be complete with a pair of studded booties – my go to shoes when I don’t want to be a goodie-two-shoes.

Wasn’t that totally tubular? Now be like Willow and wave your hair back and forth. But not too hard, cause that turban might fly off your head.

The (flower) Power Suit Part 2: Pattern Play

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I’m a sucker for prints and patterns.  Without it, my fashion life would be reduced to a sad and lonely existence of drab solid colors. I always try to incorporate some kind of pattern into my outfit, even if its just a small scarf tied around my neck. And what could be better than one pattern, you ask? Two (or more) of course!

Mixing patterns can be a disaster if you don’t know what you’re doing. Worst case scenario: you might end up looking like you got dressed in the dark. However, when done right, the outcome can be quite harmonious, as both prints can complement and enhance each other. A simple key to achieving this is to combine one neutral secondary pattern with one main focus pattern for a fun pattern play date!

Although my flower power suit skirt is quite busy in both the floral pattern and color, it did not deter me from wearing it with a polka dot blouse (I told you I would feature more polka). The reason why this works is because the blouse is neutral in color (black and white), as well as neutral in pattern (stripes are another good example). I love the attached necktie on the blouse, and the fact that it mirrors the secondary white dot pattern in the skirt is no coincidence – yes, I’m that good. Drawing from the colors of the flowers, I made sure to keep the rest of the outfit just as fun and playful with a pair of yellow peep-toe Mary-Janes and a cropped green sweater cardigan. The look wouldn’t be complete without an over-sized silk flower pin.

From Dynasty to Mad Men, I just turned one half of this 1980s power suit into a charming retro-modern 1950s look that I can actually wear to work. Talk about time travel. Thanks for the ride, Doc. Stay tuned as I voyage back to the future!

Apr: Flower Power Suit Part 2 – Pattern Play

The (flower) Power Suit: Part 1

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I love me an 80s themed party. There’s just something inherently fun about getting decked out in the most ridiculous fashion (leg warmers, stirrup pants, Members Only jackets – pick your poison) and dancing to Madonna and The Cure that gets me pumped up.

For these reasons, I have a love/hate relationship with vintage fashion from this decade. I love it because some of the silhouettes from the 1980s are borrowed from the 1940s. I hate it because everything else is…quite “interesting” looking, to say the least.

Luckily for all you 80s fashion lovers out there, I found myself with feelings of love when I purchased this silk flower power suit (for only $6!). I fell in love with the brightly colored pattern; it looks almost like flower camouflage. Although this suit is like, totally 80s, I was able to overlook it after I detached the shoulder pads. Originally a double-breasted jacket, I removed the second row of buttons to give it an asymmetrical flair. I enjoy the subtle side peplum on the jacket, which is a 1940s silhouette. And who doesn’t love a pencil skirt? Certainly not I.

I pity the fool who wears a suit as a…..suit.

Happy April Fools’ Day! Did you really think I would wear this ensemble as it was meant to be worn? Stay tuned if you want to see how I wear these as separates.

Good, it’s Friday. Best if it’s Sunday.

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Bargain hunter I am. Egg hunter I am not.

Easter is around the corner, and the only egg hunt I’ll doing will be for cage free ones at the grocery store. While I do not celebrate the occasion, I do find it necessary to sip bottomless mimosas at brunch whilst wearing my Sunday best. And a Sunday best would not be complete without some sort of headpiece.

I recently stumbled upon All Things Vintage, a darling vintage boutique nestled in one of Oakland’s neighborhoods. Walking into the shop, I felt as though I took a step back into the ghost of fashions past. They had tons of hats, and a pretty floral pillbox one caught my eye. Although I was looking for something sturdier, made of wool or felt, the floral arrangement on this look-at-me red was too adorable to resist. After a quick lesson by the shop owners, Lucy and Claudia, on how to wear the hat (I do what with the combs? Is the hairpin optional?), I was ready to begin mixing and matching outfits to wear with it.

I wanted to keep my ensemble interesting, without taking attention away from the busy hat. I chose a high waisted red pencil skirt and an open knit white cardigan to go with it. Alas, Easter wouldn’t be complete without a peep of yellow, in the form of a silky blouse. I love how it peek-a-boos through the cardigan, creating the illusion of a printed pattern while also adding textural depth. Except for the blouse and shoes, everything is thrifted!

Hey Cadbury, where my peeps at?