A Rosy Disposition

Posted on September 18, 2018 by Victoria

A rose is a rose is a rose.

If anyone is still following my blog, you may have noticed some slothfulness on Chic Vic, as I’ve only managed to churn out one dinky post this year. And now it’s already September which means 2018 is practically over and I’ll be counting down to Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve in no time. Where, what, and why, you may ask, has Chic Vic gone? Well, I’ve been werking it.

Much has transpired since my last life update. I have finally established a stable freelance wardrobe styling career (technically an assistant, but that’s a minor detail). Luckily, clients have found me pleasant to work with (yay!) and for the most part, my calendar has been booked solid every month. As strange new faces become familiar friends in the game of rotating freelancers, I’ve been learning a lot from all the wonderful people I’ve met so far. Everybody has some passion project they’re working on, and the creativity and ambition are contagious.

Instead of styling myself for blog photos, now I style other people in order to build my portfolio. I’m constantly brainstorming for the next photoshoot even before the current one wraps up. To all the budding creatives out there, you know that TFP hustle I’m talking about. My creative juices have been flowing towards this endeavor, and at the end of the day, there’s little reserve left for my humble blog. Oh yes, the blogging struggle is real.

In other adulting news, I’m a homeowner now (can someone say 30 year fixed mortgage?) aaaaand I have gained an Instagram husband till death do us part. I apologize for keeping ya’ll in the dark about my IRL personal stuff, but since I need an alibi for my absence from the blogosphere, I’m coming clean about what I’ve been up to – so let there be light! Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, I can finally stop and smell the roses, 1950s style. Let’s get back into fashion, shall we?

From my photo archives, I present to you a flashback to the fifties with a fit and flare floral gem that I’ve only managed to wear just once. I love how the low sexy back juxtaposes the demure high neckline. With my hair covered up in a similar rose printed headscarf like a sister from another mister, I feel as though I’m I channeling Rosie the Riveter all the while giving off some serious 1950s housewifey vibes. The only thing that would knock the socks off this look is a pair of Bobby socks to go with my fancy floral saddle shoes.

Between the barely breathable cinched waist and the scratchy crinoline action underneath, the only type of housework I’ll be doing in this dress is lying the f*ck down, Ali Wong style.

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.

One Shift Dress, Two Ways

Posted on June 17, 2016 by Victoria

Fashion Style Shift Dress

When is a shift dress not just a shift dress? I ponder the all-important question of whether or not I should keep my pants on for some shifty business.

Look 1: H&M dress (similar) | necklace (similar) | pashmina (similar) | vintage Levi’s (similar) | bangles (similar) | vintage clutch (similar) | vintage heels (similar) | Urban Outfitters sunglasses (similar)

Look 2: H&M dress (similar) | H&M necklace (similar) | pashmina (similar) | Me Too heels (similar) |Urban Outfitters sunglasses (similar)

Fashion Style Shift Dress

I love shift dresses for their easy shapeless silhouette, which seems to be made for a not-so-easy shapeless silhouetted gal such as myself. I wore this dress to a summer wedding a couple of years ago, and it was the best decision ever. While everyone else was restricted by their fitted frocks, I was able to let myself go at the buffet line until I passed out from sheer gluttony.

Recently, I was rifling through my closet searching for something summery to wear when I heard the familiar croak of my feathered friend. I had so much fun at that wedding – won’t you please wear me again?

Fashion Style Shift Dress

With a blueprint of a tropical paradise serving as the backdrop, the orange-beaked toucan and two birds of a feather in flight invite me into their lush oasis. Flowers and fruit come alive in tangy color pops as juicy as fresh squeezed orange juice on a hot summer day. Oh yes, I rediscovered this dress just in time for summer. But I have different plans for you this time around, my dear toucan.

I’m taking the “dress” out of the shift dress and ditching shaven legs for a roomy pair of mom jeans. The hem of my tropical shift meets my vintage Levi’s in a concrete jungle combination. I wrap my head around a head wrap with stacks on stacks on stacks of bangles upon my wrists. Meanwhile, the toucan is tucked snuggly against my waistband, his orange beak just barely peeking out to observe the world around him.

A tropical paradise in a pair of mom jeans. Shifty business indeed.

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.

Winter: That’s a Wrap!

Posted on March 20, 2014 by Victoria

I know it’s officially the first day of spring, but I am finding it difficult to part ways with winter, especially since we barely had one in California. As a fashionista with a coat obsession, this was the ultimate curse. So many coats, jackets, and sweaters untouched this season! Winter, this is my last ode to you.

The mild California winter allowed me to wear my mid-weight items without feeling frigid, such as this poncho. The perfect length for my petite frame, this poncho was a souvenir purchase from my trip to Mexico last December. The taupe hue and allover geometric pattern made it a fast staple in my closet.

Inspired to go for a tribal look, I tried a head wrap on a whim. My only practice was in the reflection of my car window right before the photoshoot. Please excuse my elementary attempt, as there is no method to the madness going on atop my head. This green scarf is a souvenir from my trip to Peru a couple of years ago. Both the scarf and poncho hold a special place in my heart and in my closet, as they were both lovingly curated from my world travels.

What do you think of the head wrap? Chic Vic or not?

So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, and goodbye to winter. And that’s a (head) wrap!

Peruvian scarf (similar scarf) / Mexican poncho / 5733 graphic tee (similar graphic tee) / BDG jeans (similar jeans) / Vintage Cobbie Cuddler boots (similar boots) / Daiso sunglasses (similar sunglasses)

Motherlover

Posted on April 18, 2013 by Victoria

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)