Aloha Summer, Aloha Autumn

Posted on September 24, 2014 by Victoria

Autumn has officially begun, but the weather lately has me thinking otherwise. It’s been warm and muggy, and the humidity in the air isn’t doing my hair any justice. Am I in the Bay Area or am I in Hawaii? Actually, let me rescind that statement – even Hawaii doesn’t experience humidity like this.

The first time I went to Hawaii, I participated in all the touristy activities you can think of. When one is in the Aloha State, one attends a luau, eats spam musubi, and dons a sarong. Ah yes, my first authentic Hawaiian sarong! It was a pale tie dyed yellow one with painted flowers that I absolutely loved. However, as soon as I returned home, the poor sarong never saw the light of day again. To it I say “mahalo” for keeping me covered up and preventing sand from getting into my beach bum.

It has been years since I set foot in Hawaii, but that doesn’t mean I can’t get into the aloha state of mind. While there is no appropriate situation to wear a sarong around here, I’ve somehow amassed a collection of vintage Hawaiian dresses to take its place. From maxi dresses to mini dresses, and even a blouse, the only thing missing from my collection is a muumuu.

This 1960s beauty was likely a maxi dress, until some previous owner transformed it into a mini shift dress. The blue and green hues remind me of the clear blue water on the Hawaiian shores. I love the unexpected splashes of red on the dress, and accented them with my red peep-toe pumps. Remember fellas, a flower behind her left ear means she is taken, but behind the right ear means she is single. How about a huge tissue paper flower fascinator as big as her head? It means she’s a fashionista, so be dressed to impress.

If this dress doesn’t get me lei’d, I don’t know what will. Why, a plane ticket to Hawaii of course.

vintage Hawaiian dress (similar dress) / Seychelles peeptoe pumps (similar shoes) / vintage earrings (similar earrings) / DIY tissue paper flower

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)

Terrific Twos

Posted on September 12, 2014 by Victoria

I have noticed it has become increasingly more challenging as of late to maintain my blog on a regular basis. Whether it is the occasional writer’s block or an outfit obstacle, I think I know the reason why. Chic Vic turns two years old today.

I’ve heard of the “terrible twos” with regards to the little humans we call children, but can this phase apply to something non-human, like a craft, skill, or hobby? Maybe, just maybe.

Blogging is a great pastime of mine, but it’s not all that easy. Although nobody is pounding on my front door (or rather, in the comments section of my blog or Chic Vic Facebook page) demanding a post, I still expect myself to deliver something at least once per week for my readers. The writer’s block can make this a challenge, and being my own worst critic often exacerbates the problem. Is my writing witty and engaging? Is the outfit blog worthy enough in the first place?

Despite all that, I still love doing what I do. Blogging is an outlet for me to voice my thoughts not only in creative writing but also in style experimentation. I’m still learning how to pose like America’s Next Top Model, and I don’t know how to maximize all the functions on the camera just yet. I challenge myself to think of new topics to write about instead of just plainly describing what I’m wearing. I love winning over new readers from all over the world. When I hear friends of friends comment on how much they like my blog, I know I’m doing something right. Maybe this phase should aptly be called the terrific twos instead. It’s not so terrible after all!

I have a humble amount of followers – what would I do without you? Thank you for every like and every comment that you leave. If you’re a passive follower, I thank you too. I don’t know what the future holds for me, but hopefully it involves reaching blogger celebrity status.

Jan. 2014: The Mystery in the Woods

I’m a Hustler Baby

Dirty Flirty Birthday

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)

Red + Green Holidaze

Posted on December 23, 2012 by Victoria

There’s an elephant in the room and it isn’t white. Because white shouldn’t be worn after Labor Day, duh.

If you’re wondering what to wear to that white elephant party, look no further than your Christmas tree. The red, green, and sparkle that are associated with the holiday’s décor can be applied to your outfits as well. This is the only time of year that you can pull off these color combinations while being appropriately called the Grinch, Santa, or a Ho (ho ho). I’ve been nice and naughty; may I have hot coal with that?

Red and green can be effectively worn together with careful accessorizing. I cheated with this awesome 80s dress that has pops of bright red roses with olive green foliage, purchased at Salvation Army during one of their regular weekend sales (50% off all clothes!). All it needed was some TLC: I removed the shoulder pads, reinforced the buttons, washed, and pressed it. I didn’t think my outfit screamed Christmas until someone at work exclaimed, “What a great holiday dress!”

This dress is an example of 1980’s “power dressing.” As more women started to enter the work force in that decade, the emergence of shoulder pads became in vogue in order for women to feel equal to their male counterparts. The rise in shoulder pad popularity correlates with women’s increasing role in the work place, as evidenced in the 1940s war era as well. In fact, some fads synonymous with 1980s fashion can be traced back to the 1940s.

To soften the power-dress look and stay warm in the frosty weather, I added a vintage knit sweater cape with gold detail buttons that I found at Mercy Vintage. As there are no visible tags, I can only imagine it was lovingly knit by some adorable granny in her rocking chair with a pet cat named Sylvester at her feet. I completed the look with herringbone fishnets and a pair of high platform peep-toe pumps with rhinestone details to keep the outfit from looking dated. All I am missing is a poinsettia or mistletoe brooch on my cape.

Santa, I hope I don’t get stuck with a shake weight this year.