Autumn Neutrals

Posted on November 1, 2017 by Victoria

It’s been a long time, since I left you, without a blog post to view.

An entire season has flown by faster than a summer love, and even my 5th year blogiversary has come and gone without me posting about a single summer outfit! But now, I shall fall like daylight savings back to my old blogging ways.

Although I have never been to the East Coast during autumn, I’ve heard that it’s beautiful at this time of year. Imagine leaves on treetops transforming from evergreen to magnificent shades of moss, amber, marigold, and caramel with a gradient of hues in-between.

We’ve got our own version of fall in the Bay Area. The leaves start to curl and rustle in the wind before they fall to the ground in crispy brown, tan, and olive heaps around me. Taking a cue from mother nature, I’m dressed for the season in a palette of neutral hues, gold accents, and pattern play.

daughters of the liberation jacket (similar here & here) | thrifted blouse (similar here, here & here) | DVF skirt (similar here & here) | thrifted pumps (similar here & here) | vintage coach purse (similar here)

It’s the perfect sweater weather, so let’s skirt the rules in a chic sweater skirt. Comfortable, stylish, and warm, the wild print of a big cat plays up the meow factor of my pussy bow blouse. The graphic window pane print juxtaposes with the organic leopard spots, but I keep it all in the neutral playing field. An olive green jacket with rolled up sleeves gives my OOTD just the right amount of utilitarian edginess and laid back casual cool to balance out my prim and proper ensemble.

I’m feeling quite positive about this neutral outfit!

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

Baroque Brocade for the Holidays

Posted on December 24, 2014 by Victoria

ModCloth blouse (similar) / vintage belt (similar) / vintage skirt (similar) / Anthropologie tights (similar) / Vince Camuto pumps (similar) / vintage fur stole (similar) / vintage clutch (similar) / vintage cuff (similar) / vintage earrings (similar)

If I could deck the halls of my home this holiday season, I would do it not with boughs of holly, but instead go broke for Baroque. On second thought, perhaps I’ll just get decked out in a budget friendly Baroque inspired outfit.

Ceiling fresco 1691-1684, Andrea Pozzo

Baroque style emerged in Europe during the 1600s. This style permeated into all art forms such as fine art, architecture, music, literature, and of course, even fashion. Baroque was all about creating excitement and drama through display of opulence and grandeur; it was a time of indulgence. I won’t get into the religious and historical details of the Baroque period, for they are just as intricate as the style itself. While Baroque manifests itself differently in each art form, in fashion it is characterized by textured fabrics, ornate embellishments, curlicues, and abundant details with ribbons, pearls, and delicate gold embroidery.

It’s no joke that I have no great wealth to show off, so I decided to poke fun at Baroque’s opulence. If anything, I display an eminence of vintage and thrifty finds. I captured the essence of the Baroque style with embroidery and brocade in the shiniest of golden threads. Saving the wide long skirt and plunging décolletage revealing neckline for another day, I opted for a modern silhouette in a sleeveless blouse and slim pencil skirt.

Don’t let the shiny threads fool you – this is just pattern play: holiday edition. When mixing patterns, just follow a few rules. Pay attention to the scale of the pattern (mix big and small), fabric texture (shiny with matte), fabric weight (e.g. silk vs. velvet) and color scheme (same color family or neutral). In this outfit, I decided to go with multiple elements to create a lavish outfit brimming with drama for your momma. Despite all my Baroque details clamoring for attention, it might be the vintage fur stole that stole the show.

We finally started getting rain in our drought induced state of California, but I won’t let it rain on my Baroque brocade parade. Unless the precipitation is of the paper kind.

Happy Holidays!

Mom Jeanetics

Posted on May 9, 2014 by Victoria

I’m not planning to be a mom anytime soon, but that won’t stop me from wanting to sport the “mom jeans.”

If you’re lucky to get it from your momma – a pair of hand me down jeans – then you’re already one step ahead of the trend. I call it jeanetics. But what exactly are these so called “mom jeans”? They are characterized by a high waist, slight bagginess in the crotch area with optional pleats, and a tapered leg opening. In other words – they are quite unflattering in that they make your butt look bigger than it is, while simultaneously flattening it. Call it pancaking.

All of this sounds like bad news bears, but oddly enough, it is precisely the ill-fitting unflattering way of the mom jean that makes it so charming.

The tomboyish cut makes it a perfect candidate to juxtapose with feminine elements, such as high heels and a girly top.

Or, you can embrace the boyish look with a cropped tee and sneaker flats, with the hem of the jeans rolled up to show some ankle.

I may have gotten my single dimple from my momma, but mom jeans I did not. However, I did score this vintage Levis jeans upcycled into a pencil skirt. I imagine that they were a pair of mom jeans in their previous lifetime, and so I styled them accordingly: with a soft knit top, wedge heels, a fancy belt to accentuate the high waist, and a healthy dose of girly accessories.

To all you mothers out there: wear those mom jeans up high, loud and proud! Happy Mother’s Day!

vintage top (similar top) / upcycled vintage Levis (similar denim skirt) / Natural Comfort shoes (similar shoes) / vintage belt (similar belt)

Jungle Fever

Posted on July 19, 2013 by Victoria

I’ve got jungle fever – and I don’t mean in the Spike Lee sense.

Although I have never been in a jungle, I have trekked through lush rain forests on several occasions. I would imagine the jungle experience to be similar, complete with the sights of gigantic oversized ferns, hot and humid temperatures, and the sounds of frogs, birds, monkeys, and other critters that inhabit such an environment.

Since I have no plans to venture into a jungle anytime soon, I will gladly settle for this amazing blouse I recently purchased on sale from H&M. As a part of their Conscious Collection, this blouse epitomizes my style in every way; it is soft, flowy, feminine, and most importantly, it has a beautiful printed design. The illustrated jungle scene is depicted as a half fantasy, half realistic utopia.

I paired the blouse with a thrifted cream pencil skirt. Since the skirt is so light in color and form-fitting, I could not tuck in my blouse as I would normally do with a pencil skirt. To remedy this problem, I simply wore the blouse untucked, and added a skinny belt to keep the outfit looking neat and polished.

I’m thirsty from all this blogging. Time for some jungle juice.

H&M blouse (similar) / thrifted skirt (similar) / Me Too heels (similar) / vintage earrings (similar) / vintage Avon necklace (similar) / vintage belt (similar)

The (flower) Power Suit Part 2: Pattern Play

Posted on April 3, 2013 by Victoria

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

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

Posted on March 29, 2013 by Victoria

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?