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)

Watercolor Wallflower

Posted on September 18, 2014 by Victoria

Forget nap time, hopscotch, or storytelling – my most favorite activity in kindergarten by far was spent at the art easel. I channeled my inner Bob Ross and must have painted at least one happy little cloud in one of the dozen masterpieces I created that year. Oh, the joy of painting.

I often painted abstractly with geometric shapes and had a preference for symmetry, so one of my paintings ended up resembling a pizza with the most unusual toppings. The one thing all my paintings had in common was the fact that they were very drippy. At age five, I didn’t understand how to control the value contrasts of my paint with the amount of water on my brush that caused my sad pizzas, and therefore, I was sad. While I was aiming for Georgia O’Keeffe, my abstract pizza painting was something more like the beginnings of a Salvador Dali painting, saddened by the effect of the unintentional drippy paint. At least that’s what the persistence of memory tells me.

Since then, I’ve brushed off the actual brushes preferring instead to wear works of art. To this watercolor floral dress I say: I’ve found a masterpiece in you, a work of art it’s true.

I bought this dress on the clearance rack at Ross a long time ago, and while the conservative silhouette is ideal for the office, I actually wore it to a wedding recently. I have a reputation for busting a move or two on the dance floor, but the sheath silhouette restricted my movement a bit, and I found myself standing on the sidelines.

Chic Vic is never typically a wallflower, but if I’m gonna be one, then I better look my damn best. Shoooot, I make this brick wall look good.

J.Crew cardigan / Nine West dress (similar dress, dress, & dress) / Anthropologie heels (similar heels & heels) / vintage purse (similar purse)

Silver Linings Lookbook

Posted on August 15, 2014 by Victoria

All the single ladies, all the single ladies, now put your hands up!

Oh, the dreaded bouquet toss. There’s something embarrassing about parading up to the dance floor like a herd of cattle. You’re up there with all types of single ladies: the flower girls, the teenagers, the eager to be wed ladies, and maybe an old maid or two. I never actually go out of my way to try to catch the bouquet, instead opting for a blasé approach to guarantee that no bouquet will land in my closed fists. However, there was one traumatic occasion when this strategy failed. With my eyes wide in shock and mouth agape, I was so caught off guard that the beautiful bouquet dropped from my clutches and onto the floor. I stood there frozen in disbelief while a small scuffled ensued around me. A seven year old victor finally emerged from the crowd of single ladies and she proudly held up the flowers above her head while smiling from ear to ear.

I’ve already attended a few weddings so far and with a couple more still to go before summer is over, what should I wear? I’ve got 27 dresses in my closet, but it’s hard to choose one. A floral frock or a powder blue 70s’ gown? My head was spinning with so many choices. Luckily, every cloud has a silver lining, and this was a golden opportunity to cool it down with head to toe silver for a recent summertime wedding.

With diamonds and crystal beads on my wrist and roses at my feet, this silver sheath dress, once long forgotten in my closet, was brought back to life. I got excessive with all my rhinestone brooches that rarely see the light of day. The result: a blinged out right shoulder that was so heavy it caused my dress to droop. I love me a good cardigan with all my vintage frocks, and this one with a lace inset and tiny diamonds embedded throughout is perfect for my 1950s inspired silver look.

silver dress (similar dress) / vintage cardigan (similar cardigan) / Nina rose heels (similar heels) / various rhinestone brooches (similar brooch & brooch) / crystal bead bracelet (similar bracelet)

Who says silver comes second? Once wedding season is over, I think I’m going to incorporate silver into my everyday wear. Whether its a whole lotta silver, or just a sliver of silver, checkout my gold medal first place worthy looks here.

Silver Look 1