Gold Digger

Posted on January 13, 2015 by Victoria

Although my new year’s resolution is to become more of a fashion minimalist, deep down I ain’t nothing but a gold digger. Oh I’m a thrifting friend indeed.

When you’re thrifty, every trip to Goodwill is like panning for gold. I struck it rich and found this gold laden, sequin encrusted cardigan during one of my routine first-donate-then-shop trips. It has become my designated statement cardigan when I need a quick way to glam up a pair of jeans with minimal effort. To let the cardigan shine, I wore all black and played up the color of the sequins by adding extra gold toned accessories to the rest of my outfit.

Feeling bold and empowered by gold, I decided the outfit needed a superhero’s touch in the form of a cape. The black cape adds subtle drama and also allows the sequins to peekaboo through the front. The arm holes help frame sequined detail on the sleeves that would otherwise be hidden from sight with a regular coat.

My outfit isn’t suited for the snow, but this snow bunny wasn’t really planning to hit the bunny slopes anyway. Black diamond you say? Where can this gold digger get her hands on one?

Zara cape (similar) / vintage cardigan (similar) / Silence & Noise blouse (similar) / Forever 21 pillbox hat (similar) / Kimchi Blue suede boots (similar) / vintage belt (similar) / vintage flower brooch (similar) / vintage bow brooch (similar) / vintage cape clip (similar)

Feast Your Eyes

Posted on November 26, 2014 by Victoria

I hope you can agree with me that there is much to be thankful for in life. If you have decent friends and family (minus the crazy aunt), then chances are you already have come up in life. But sometimes the going gets tough, and when it does, I often remind myself that things could be worse. And by worse I mean succumbing to gym clothes for Thanksgiving dinner.

Yes, stretchy gym clothes are quite comfortable, I agree. Yet gym clothes have their place in the gym, and there are alternative ways to stay comfy without compromising style. Whether you’re attending a Thanksgiving dinner with family, or enjoying a potluck Friendsgiving, be sure to steal the feast’s spotlight by being a feast for the eyes! Who says you can’t be well dressed while being well fed?

Turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce will be consumed, with food stains sure to follow. Black will be the color of choice. Not only can it withstand the stain of spilled red wine, its slimming effect will be much relief after so much gluttony.

Between a figure forgiving shift dress or a glammed up pair of jogger pants, the choice is up to you. Just remember that gratitude is the best attitude, so wear it on your sleeve.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Above: stacked rings / clutch / pump / necklace / blouse / sequined jogger pants

Below: turban beanie / beaded clutch / studs / platform booties / jeweled tights / shift dress

Fat Fashion Tuesday

Posted on March 4, 2014 by Victoria

Ah, Mardi Gras! Tis the time for eating richly, drinking heavily, dancing crazily, and all around non-stop partying as a way to celebrate before starting the solemn days of Lent. Although I am not religious and haven’t had the opportunity to participate in Mardi Gras New Orleans style, it doesn’t mean I can’t dress to impress for the occasion.

In order to look the part, one must wear the official Mardi Gras colors of purple, green, and gold. To get away with all the vices committed on this day, a mask is the absolute needed accessory – the more elaborate, the better. I chose a sequined out mask complete with a burst of feathers that completely hides one side of my face. I feel a bit like Phantom of the Opera – I’m ready to run amok and paint the town red.

I’m not about to flash strangers just to collect some plastic beads I’ll never wear again, so I’ve decided to furnish my own. I love this 1960s multi-strand necklace in varying shades of green, from Kelly to emerald and everything in between. I even threw in a multi-strand pearl and chain necklace to mix it up and incorporate some gold into my outfit. And who says the beads have to be in necklace form? You may recognize this beaded number from my Gatsby days. This time I decided to wear it backwards and unzipped as a vest cardigan. The dangling beads and sequins on the vest cause quite the stir when it rustles as I shimmy.

Now it’s time to shake what your mama gave ya and earn those covetable beads!

vintage sequin top (similar top & top) /Jones New York blouse (similar blouse) / Zara jeans (similar jeans) / vintage green necklace (similar necklace) / Urban Outfitters pearl necklace (similar necklace) / Enzo Angiolini pumps (similar pumps)

Do the American Hustle

Posted on January 13, 2014 by Victoria

Fur. Sequins. Disco. If 2013 was the year of the 1920s, then 2014 is the year of the 1970s.

I recently hit the theaters and caught up with the con men of American Hustle. I had a vague idea of what this movie was about, but I wasn’t prepared to be dazzled by the skills of costume designer Michael Wilkinson. Never before have con men looked so sexy and I have definitely fallen for their swindling ways simply due to their well-dressed appearance.

The movie has changed my views on 1970s fashion, as I became entranced by the clothing and hairstyles of the female lead characters, Sydney (Amy Adams) and Rosalyn (Jennifer Lawrence). Both ladies are foxy in their own right, and Wilkinson’s genius styling of vintage and contemporary pieces is simply a feast for the eyes. It allows the audience to visually understand the how the characters are polar opposites. While they do not represent the entire spectrum of 1970s fashion, they certainly depict the essence of swanky disco trends in NYC during that decade.

In one corner, there is Sydney, with her long wavy hair, wrap dresses, and plunging necklines; she portrays a sexy, confident, and powerful con woman. In the other corner, there is Rosalyn, with loose curls piled high on top of her head and body-hugging jersey dresses – she represents the bored suburban housewife.

I was less sold on the men in the movie – who likes a balding Christian Bale with a protruding belly anyway? I also prefer Bradley Cooper sans curls. I’m not a fan of the unbuttoned dress shirts and exposed chest hair on a man – to each their own, I suppose. Despite my general dislike of pointy dress shirt collars and wide lapels, I do however appreciate the silk ascot ties donned by both Bale and Cooper.

Pros and cons of American Hustle? There are many pros in this movie: the fashion, the acting, the plot, and the con men of course. At one point I was confused about who was conning whom. As for the cons…well, there are none, except for the con men.

Rosalyn vs. Sydney by chicvic featuring a long pendant

Plus None

Posted on December 12, 2013 by Victoria

In the days leading up to Christmas, you can bet that water cooler chats across the nation will consist of one topic only: the office holiday party. This prompts a multitude of questions: Are you going? What are you wearing? Who are you bringing?

For the youngins out there, this is the working adult’s version of a winter formal. Unfortunately I won’t be a plus one to any holiday parties this year – nobody asked Chic Vic to be a date! On the plus side, my company’s throwing a Gatsby themed party – and I already know what I’ll be wearing.

In case you don’t have a 1920s holiday party to attend yourself, you can still bring out all the glitzy, shimmery, shiny, and fancy things you’ve neglected in your closet all year. If a pine tree can be decked out in lights and tinsel, why can’t you? Whether you choose a dress or opt for pants, just make sure you don’t let that tree outshine you.

A Holiday Affair by chicvic featuring shell tops

Beautiful Little Fool

Posted on June 14, 2013 by Victoria

“That’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool . . . ” – Daisy Buchanan

I guess you can call me a beautiful little fool for attempting to rival the looks of Ms. Daisy Fay. After all, she wears the finest pearls that money and buy and has two men vying for her love. Who wouldn’t be jealous?

Perhaps one of the most popular fashion decade amongst vintage experts and amateurs alike is the flapper style of the Roaring 20s. The style of this decade consisted of shapeless shift dresses with boxy straight cut silhouettes. Gone were the constricting corsets of past eras, and this was the first time there was so much exposure of the arms and legs. Shoes also became important in the outfit, as they now were visible because of the shorter hemlines. Mary Janes and T-straps were the popular shoes of this era, with their aesthetically pleasing design and practicality for dancing.

After watching The Great Gatsby, I was inspired to get jazzy and celebrate the 20s while I am still in my 20s. I got this awesome sequined wool top during my solo trip to Toronto a few months back. Not only does it shine and sparkle under the lights, but also when I move, the sequins rustle like the sound of leaves blowing on the treetops during a breezy autumn day. I wore it over my LBD, and with my already boyish figure, I suddenly created a flapperesque silhouette of a dress. Add some gold T-strap heels and a velvet turban headband (I used a strip of fabric scrap), and I am ready to do the Charleston all through the night. I probably could’ve used one strand – or ten – of pearls, since the 1920s look isn’t complete without tons of costume jewelry. Oh, what a fool I am!