Tag Archives: style

The First Year

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When I first started this blog , I didn’t really know where I was going or for how long I would maintain it. Now a year into it, I am still refining my voice on style and fashion. I plan to continue to catalogue my vintage journey through flea market finds and my dense closet, while providing style tips for my followers. I hope you continue to enjoy reading my posts as much as I delight in writing them.

The hardest part about blogging is finding the time for it when I have a 9-5 job. Taking photos can be a challenge; it has to be the right time of day for optimal lighting. I am picky about my backgrounds, and sometimes my face isn’t always photogenic, my posing is awkward, or the photographer isn’t available when I am. I often encounter writers block – what have I not written about already? Is the topic interesting? Am I witty enough? I tend to over-edit my posts, reading them over and over again for grammatical errors as well as to improve the content as much as possible before publishing. And finally, the hardest part is finding similar items for the outfits I’m wearing. It is a challenge to find clothing in stores that are comparable to my thrifted and vintage items, but I do my best – all for my readers.

If you asked me for my favorite decade of dress, it is hands-down the nifty fifties. Yet, as I go through my archives, I realize I have an overwhelming amount of posts dedicated to the swinging sixties. Had it not been for my blog, I don’t think I would’ve realized this about my own style. I’ve had to dissect and analyze each vintage item with detail and do diligence researching the history of a silhouette or the origin of a style with great accuracy. As a self declared fashion blogger and vintage lover, I must be a credible source for my followers. I don’t just pull this stuff out of nowhere.

Between my whimsically styled outfits to my witty and innuendo filled written content, I don’t think I can pick a favorite post. That would be like a parent saying that they love one child more than the other, and that’s just not possible, now is it?

It feels like just yesterday that I started you, oh humble blog. And now with the mere blink of an eye, a year has already passed. I must be getting senile at age 1 because I forgot my blog-birthday had passed a few days ago. Although I am not famous (yet), I am thankful to have a handful of followers (and growing). My dear readers, you love me, you really love me! Happy belated birthday blog!

Jan: You Can Toucan
Mar: Green with Envy
Apr: Flower Power Suit Part 2 – Pattern Play

A Little Birdie Told Me…

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…That whomever said it is wrong to wear white after Labor Day is a Dodo bird.

Labor Day is supposed to mark the end of summer, but my golden tan and the hot asphalt outside beg to differ.

Even in this 90-degree weather, I’m maintaining a cool 60s. I was smitten for this sweet 1960s eyelet blouse when I laid eyes on it; anything eyelet exudes an air of innocence and a demure-like quality. What I love about wearing white is that you can treat it as a blank canvas. Just add some colorful accessories and voila, you’ve got yourself a masterpiece.

I chose a vibrantly colored scarf with three birdies on it and perched my new feathered friends atop my head. I accented the yellow in the scarf with matching wooden canary earrings. My wrists wouldn’t be complete without a cloisonné bangle and a vintage two-toned wooden cuff. Is it possible to take this outfit up a notch? I went from the 60s to the 70s with my newly acquired pair of Swedish Hasbeen wooden clogs, which originated in 1970s. Who doesn’t like wood?

I guess the age-old fashion faux pas of wearing white after Labor Day and the Dodo bird have something in common after all.


60s vintage eyelet blouse (similar) / Urban Outfitters jeans (similar) / vintage bird scarf (similar) / wooden canary earrings (similar here & here) / 70s vintage wooden cuff (similar) / Swedish Hasbeens

Party Like a Rockstar

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Or how about dress like one?

Mercy Vintage recently hosted a pop up shop featuring limited one of a kind items from the closet of Kim Gordon, rock icon from Sonic Youth.

It was a hot summer evening as a small crowd of people gathered into the cozy boutique. With a glass of spiked lemon ice tea in hand, and a plate of delectable pickled veggies in the other, my eyes devoured the sights of Kim’s clothes – all in perfect vintage condition and only at an arm’s length away. Marc Jacobs, Pucci, and Alexander Wang were amongst some of the designer duds for sale, as well as other vintage items.

I also couldn’t help but sift through the racks of Mercy’s regular merchandise. They have an amazing collection of dresses ranging from casual cotton day dresses to fancy chiffon and tulle fit for prom – no wonder I love shopping here. All of the frocks were so darling and I swear I heard one call out to me, “Chic Vic!” To my surprise, it was not a dress, but Brandy, the fashionista-confectionista blogger from Will Bake for Shoes. We oogled over which of Kim’s pieces were our favorites.

Alas, I was good to my pocketbook by not spending a dime, but I assure you this is one act you don’t want to miss out on.

Floppy Wall Flower

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Whoa! I’m Blossoming every time I put on this floppy denim hat – minus the oversized flower.

I hastily bought this hat a few seasons ago for a summer trip. Although it is cute and my face is shielded from the sun’s harmful rays, I always feel like I will walk into a tree or a telephone pole – it’s just too damn floppy for my own safety. Yet, as most fashionistas do, I sometimes sacrifice comfort and practicality for visual aesthetic. Floppy this hat might be, but a fashion flop it is not. The camera captured my floppy hat in all its glorious motion.

The light denim color of the hat lends itself well to this thrifted silky blouse with washed out citrus colored flowers and a dash of sky blue. Likely once a home sewn project, I date this shirt back to the 1960s. The print is reminiscent of wallpaper, floral motifs on dishware, and flower power stickers that were all the rage in that era.

I wore mid rise denim skinnies to balance out the blouse’s short boxy silhouette. The fact that my jeans are nearly the same shade of denim as my hat is no coincidence. Why, that’s just made in the shade.

Where my girl Six at?

Citrus Summer

Birds of Paradise

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My dear toucan, it’s been a while. You’ve brought some friends I see.

This dress is certainly a tropical paradise indeed. Against a backdrop of an otherwise blueprint like design of a jungle, the colorful parrots and toucan seem like they will take flight right out of the dress. Not to mention the yummy mystery fruits that look ripe for the pickin’.

To accent the orange details on the dress, I wore a bright tangy scarf of the same hue. The lightweight weave is perfect for protecting my arms from the blazing sun. The beauty of a scarf like this is that it can be draped over the body in endless ways, with each drape creating a subtly different look. I accessorized with a double strand of oversized faux crystal beads to add some dimension to the matching green background of the dress.

My scarf hangs low, it wobbles to and fro, I can tie it in a knot, and I can tie it in a bow. I can even throw it over my shoulder.


H&M dress / H&M necklace (similar) / Me Too shoes (similar) / orange scarf (similar)

Mad for Paisley

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Are you mad for Joan, Betty, or Peggy?

While I’m mad for Don Draper, the ladies of Mad Men each have their own distinct style that I covet. Whether it is curve hugging sheath dresses for Joan, sophisticated fit and flare for Betty, or innocent and conservative office attire for Peggy – I have items in my closet that can easily identify with each of their style personalities.

I would say this abstract paisley dress fits Peggy’s style personality best. The conservative high neckline and feminine flared out skirt makes this dress oh-so office appropriate. I can picture Peggy wearing this dress as she climbs the corporate ladder. If that corporate ladder were Don Draper, I’d try to climb it too.

Look who decided to join Peggy for tea time: why, it’s none other than Velma from Scooby Doo!

vintage dress /vintage earrings (similar) / Urban Outfitters necklace (similar) / Guess platform pumps (similar) / silver & gold cuff (similar)

 

Chevron for Velma

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Get that pinky in the air because it’s time for some afternoon tea – would you like a Scooby Snack with that?

Although I always felt it was highly unrealistic that a bunch of meddling kids were able to solve not-so-ghostly mysteries, I still loved watching old school Scooby Doo cartoons. I used to actually believe Scooby snacks were dog treats and nothing else.

My favorite character was Daphne, with her red hair, green scarf, and chic purple shift dress. Yet for this post, I decided to channel Velma, the less glam, but more intelligent female in the Scooby gang. This was my chance to give Velma a style makeover. Let’s start by ditching the baggy turtleneck sweater and pleated schoolgirl skirt.

I stumbled upon this groovy 1960s dress at a yard sale one day. The deep orange color is true to Velma’s style. The white chevron pattern adds some dimension to the dress, and is a far improvement to Velma’s drab solid orange uniform. I introduced a new color to her outfit – a pop of green in the form of a beaded necklace with a brooch pinned to it. There is nothing ruh-roh about this outfit.

Move over Daphne, there’s a new fashionable female in the Mystery Machine. You can blame this meddling stylist!


vintage dress (similar chevron blouse, skirt, dress) / Claire’s necklace (similar) / vintage brooch (similar) / Pour la Victoire pumps (similar)

Stripes on Stripes on Stripes

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I attended my very first clothing swap party some months back. A clothing swap party is exactly what it sounds like – all you need is a person to host the party and a group of gals to bring in unwanted clothing/accessories/shoes/handbags. The rules will vary from party to party, but the single most important requirement is that all who participate must contribute something to the swap. What better way to empty your closet and also shop for a “new” wardrobe? Let the swapping games begin!

I almost passed on this pair of striped shorts. It is a size too big and the Bermuda style looks tomboyish on me, but I saw the potential – and it was FO’ FREE! There was no need to worry about buyer’s remorse here.

My inspiration for this outfit materialized merely by accident. I’ve gradually accumulated blue and white striped items in my closet, and one day I had a stroke of genius to wear all the stripes together. If you’ve been a reader of mine from the beginning, you know that I’ve always been a bit nautical by nature. I wore my go-to maritime rope belt with my favorite compass necklace; it will come in handy in case I get lost at sea. Not one to be too matchy matchy, I also threw in a vintage brown and goldenrod paisley scarf for good measure.

I’ve got on more stripes than I can spot.


Truly Madly Deeply striped shirt (similar here & here) / Japanese bermuda shorts (similar) / White Mountain espadrilles / Urban Outfitters rope belt (similar here & here)/compass necklace (similar) / Urban Outfitters zodiac watch (similar)

Net Werk It

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I recently attended a happy hour network event to mingle with other industry professionals over drinks. Half informal, half business professional, this occasion called for a fine line between looking fashionably casual and professionally boring.

The easiest way to pull this off is to isolate a single business professional piece. This can be a suit blazer, a pair of trousers, a suit skirt, or even a business dress. Then finesse that piece with more casual items and don’t forget to accessorize. The result is a perfect harmony of casual professionalism, with a dash of style.

I started with a navy pencil skirt as my building block, and paired it with a vintage eyelet blouse. With a little help from my rhinestone gecko, I incorporated some green into my outfit, and all it took me was 15 minutes. Now if only if I could save some money on my car insurance.

Looking sharp with my business card in one hand, I was ready to werk it. May I have a drink and a job with that?


Jones New York cardigan (similar) / vintage eyelet blouse (similar) / Banana Republic skirt (similar) / Old Navy gecko bracelet (similar) / Me Too shoes (similar) / vintage Coach (similar)

My Sassy Girl on the Lawn

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It’s been a while since I’ve sprawled out on the lawn and listened to awesome live music.

Call it cheap seats if you will – I prefer the term budget conscious seats. Having to sit/lay/squat/stand on the lawn for several hours can bring a host of problems, mainly, “What should I wear to stay comfortable yet still look cute?” I had to rule out the mini skirt, stilettos, and anything bodycon.

I decided to go with my worn in soft skinny jeans, a loose fit tee, flat sandals, and a light scarf to cover my bare arms. I love how the girl on my tee-shirt has such a sassy smirk on her face. I accented the colorful floral in the shirt with my floral bangles, ring, and floral details on my scarf. My sassy girl sure loves flowers.

As I lay down on my blanket, the smell of weed drifted through the air. I stared up into the sky and waited for the stars to appear while beautiful music bathed my subconscious.


Zara tee (similar) / Silence & Noise jeans (similar) / Franco Sarto sandals (similar) / old scarf (similar) / old cloisonne bangles (similar) / Forever21 ring (similar)