look at that flat footing gal go

Just spending my morning with flat footing on the brain. I wish I could really get down in this style of dance. I suppose I could take some lessons, but I swear I'm the worst at following directions when it comes to dancing. Sometimes when I dance to Neil Young's "Old King", I think I come awful close to flat footing, but that's probably just my perspective(imagination).




What's your favorite song to dance to? Do you ever get freaked with how fast life moves in the face of how darn much there is to learn, experience, and love?

I stayed up later than usual last night playing 80s-90s Trivia Pursuit (Young People's Edition) with a group of friends, and this morning I'm gonna create some more memories kayaking in Newport Harbor with my best friend.

As soon as I finish this roll of film, I'll have lots of outfits to show you.
Enjoy the sunshine!

I'm going to see Dolly Parton perform tonight!

YIPPeeeeee! Outfit photos coming soon.

Photo Source: flickr

when work is play

some lo-fi photos taken with my point & shoot camera from two weekends selling at the Flea Markets. First up, Rose Bowl Flea Market in Pasadena. I wore my knit 2-piece alphabet Courier print skirt and sweater thinking it'd be cool out, but turns out it was the hottest day of the year. Ok, I know I say this about a lot of my wardrobe pieces, but seriously, this 80s set is one of my favorites and it's such a shame the print is so hard to capture in a photograph. I found the skirt first and then like a year later I found the matching sweater; both items hailed from different times and different thrift stores. Talk about luck. God is on my side when it comes to thrift store shopping.

Underneath my sweater, I wore a shirt by teenage millionaire featuring a vato and a hina chillin' in front of a motorcycle.

Stace passes the time by playing dress-up.

We entertain (and horrify) the patrons with a serious art piece: piranha boobs (which is for sale by the way in Stacy's store, Fancy Disaster, if you're interested). Piranha Boobs, it's also the name of our band. Hee-Hee. j/k

At the Veteran's Stadium Flea Market in Long Beach, I bought two vintage dresses from the vendor across the way (before even selling one item). Both of the dresses I bought are green, a color I seem to be drawn to these days. One of the green dresses is a 1950s Girl Scout's leader's dress. I never was in Girl Scout's and I don't think I would have made a very good leader, so it was a thrill to find this dress in my size, where at least I can pretend.

Don't worry, I'll dedicate another post to these dresses.

At the Veteran's Flea Market,I was smart & wore a bikini top and my Jimmy Z skirt(with attached bloomers).

Selling at flea markets can be hard work, but the time passes quickly when working and hanging with my good friend, Stacy. Later that day, I went bicycling with Pete and then to Fingerprints, our local record store.

I highly suggest ya'll come visit me when I'm selling at the Flea Markets cause I am a ridiculous push-over. At one point, I had to delegate pricing to Stacy because I was ripping myself off. I just can't resist cute doe-eyed Japanese girls chanting in unison "ten, ten, ten, ten, ten'. and I just love people and I like to make them happy when I can. I'm not much of a business woman, but I think my humanistic approach will pay off in the end.

wishing you happiness in all your endeavors,

Crystal Lee

summer time fun

Capri Sun = summer time

Jeremy Scott

80s comic strip dress -  a favorite piece

I hope ya'll are enjoying Summer just as much as I am!

down by the river bed in vintage Versace

In the Summer time, nothing beats early evening bicycle rides around town. The other day, Pete and I bicycled to the Lighthouse and then to the river bed, an iconic landmark in my mind’s topography. I recall teenage summers spent endlessly walking, talking, and coming of age. All along the river bed, I experienced my first fickle crush. and my first hit of pot - I pretended to see the letters of the alphabet swirling about my head; I’d catch the letters in my cupped hands and then release them dramatically. I’ve always been prone to putting on a show. my beautiful friend Danielle always walked the river bed with me - she was a reckless poet - who later moved to Indiana to straighten out her life, and instead ended up stripping, getting hooked on drugs, and something about a prostitution ring. I haven’t spoken to her since I was 21 or so, and I really really wish to see or talk to her again. Under bridges, through sewer tunnels, kicking rocks, cracking jokes, fearless, and free. Today's river bed is filled with last season’s rain, and I sit on big sparkling white rocks, wearing my recently thrifted Versace denim jumper - an outfit I know I would have worn back then (though I would have been ignorant of the Versace label).






Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose. from ~ The Wonder Years

Memory... is the diary that we all carry about with us. ~Oscar Wilde, "The Importance of Being Earnest"

The past is never dead, it is not even past. ~William Faulkner

today I turned 15

If you want to feel(and look) like a kid again, throw on a pair of overalls. These overalls are extra special because they're tan corduroy. After all these years, I just realized that that the straps need to be crossed in the back for a proper fit. This jumper is almost too tight, so I better wear it while I still can.

Forgot to mention that I dyed my hair red about a month ago. I like it because it looks natural (I had red hair a good portion of my teenage years; it somehow turned red following a bad perm, and then red again after the bleaching incident, and throughout my life there were always many red hairs along with the brown)but it's starting to really match my skin color, and I'm not sure how I feel about that. I can not stop getting tan. I'm using sunblock but the sun is hot on my tail. ok, enough about me. do you have any hair horror stories to tell? do you have any outfits that slow down the aging process?

Many thanks to Peteheart for taking the photos.

Outfit:70s top & overalls (thrifted); 70s shoes (vintage store in Lancaster, PA)

Seeing is Believing: A Fave Editorial

I shall never tire of this delightful editorial from Elle Magazine March 2010, with styling by the talented Camille Bidault-Waddington. It's bloody brilliant, lingering in my mind like a first kiss, informing my wardrobe choices quite often. I'm going to workout right now, but what I really want to do is dress up in vintage mix-match prints and pose in front of mid century coastal hotels and pastel backdrops. the day is still young.

summertime after hours

some uncharacteristically placid photos of me. After 8 hours in an office everyday, it's so nice to be able to spend some time outdoors after work.

I have yet to set sail in Elliott's sailboat, but I'm hoping to get around to it sometime this Summer. These photos were taken after work in San Pedro, my favorite town, which I've mentioned frequently on this blog. I guess I love it because it's an old port town, nearly desolate, and Bukowski used to frequent all the dive bars there.

I recently thrifted both of these dresses. The first dress is from the 70s and features red poppies. The second dress is a 50s wiggle dress. I don't generally wear all black because 1) I'm not trying to look any skinnier and 2) it's too somber for my personality, but this time, it went quite well with the overcast sky.

I have been having incredible luck at the thrift stores. A couple of days ago, I scored a Versace Denim jumper dress. It's unbelievable & fits just right. I'll show it to you soon.

Oh ya, I'll be selling at the Rose Bowl Flea Market in Pasadena this Sunday with Fancy Disaster Vintage. I have really amazing stuff in stock, so come on out if you get a chance. Plus, I'd love to meet you.

until next time ....

summer in black and white

Happy, Happy, Summer.

last 3 photos taken by my friend Adriana w/my camera.