i'm addicted to cigarette pants

You know what really sends me? Cigarette Pants! I love em. I want them in every color in every fabric, but they're hard to find and often times expensive (especially the coveted gold lamé ones). I recently won these velvet purple embroidered ones off of ebay for a fair price. Aren't they fancy?!

Outfit: vintage purple velvet cigarette pants (Ebay), vintage pink western tie (Etsy), 50s polka dot shirt (thrifted)

clowning around in a jester dress

Hi! Smiles! I am giddy inside because my photos turned out nicely. This film was perfect for capturing  the super sunny Christmas Eve we spent in the Antelope Valley (though this first photo was taken in North Hollywood, and several of the last photos were taken in San Pedro).  I think I'll admit right here that I don't know much about photography, so a good film can make all the difference. I do however know a thing or two about silly vintage dresses, and this vintage mini "jester" dress is no joke.

In this act, I will scratch up my face with Joshua Tree needles.

my favorite photographer (ok, he's my only photographer but still the sentiment stands).

These next photos of the Jester Queen and the Lemon Princess were taken using Fuji Superia 400 speed film, a few days before Christmas. I hung out with my niece for much of the holiday since I was off work for a few days. I'd hardly call it babysitting though. She is my little bud who accompanies me on hikes ill suited for little legs and lets me hound her incessantly with the camera. She'll even trespass for me.  She is welcome addition to the gang - Anna, my tripod, and me. I call her my vanity alibi because when she's in the frame, it doesn't look like I'm obsessively taking photos of myself.  Why, I'm just taking photos of the cutest lil gal ever.

The last photos in my bag of goodies were taken using the "impossible project" film.  It was my first time using this instant film, and I can't say I'm too happy with the results. The images were very faint so I tweaked them a little in Iphoto.

Well, I'm currently warming my buns in front of the wall heater as I type, listening to the Grateful Dead on record, and intermittently nibbling on random bits of food. I'm satisfied.

Outfit: vintage jester mini dress (Wasteland Vintage in Los Angeles, while shopping with this charming little devil.), Calvin Klein pumps (thrifted).

all the babies in my life

Good morning, everybody. The rain is pouring outside my bedroom window, and I am having a hard time getting out of bed. I'm lost in reverie again. When I was a teen, I spent countless hours daydreaming out my window, as the rained poured down, of finding a prince who would twirl me around in the rain while I wore a poufy fancy ballgown. I was always dating schmucks at the time. I feel so lucky to have found a prince who would work hard to bring any of my daydreams to life, though I haven't really pushed Pete to twirl me in the rain; maybe that daydream isn't quite as relevant now.
I'm also feeling fortunate for all the babies in my life. You've all met my niece Anna through photos on many occasion, but you haven't really met Nicholas, my new baby nephew. He is just the sweetest, most well behaved baby. I hold him until my arms get all tingly and numb. I love to cut up in front of him so I can see his big baby grin.

may all your daydreams come true,

Crystal Lee

summer in black and white

Happy, Happy, Summer.

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

the blessed unrest that keeps me marching forward

In an effort to step up the “risk-factor” in my life, yesterday, I went to the track to skate with the Wreck League (recreational league) and got my ass handed to me.  I hadn't been on the banked track in over two years, and I was bout as rusty as a pair of old metal skates left to rot in an abandoned tool shed.  I'm bruised and battered and my ego is shattered, but I will probably go back for more another time.  Now, I'm thinking about less-painful physical activities.  I'm really interested in taking some classes at the Circus School in Los Angeles, and I'm especially keen on the aerial classes. Has anyone tried this before?

Another thrill seeker is my little niece Anna who just keeps getting more ballsy with age. I really admire children and their no-fear attitudes. When we were hanging out in San Pedro the other day, she would run up steep hills, lead us through wire fences, pick up sticks and pose like some kind of miniature warrior, and we could hardly keep up, though we were certainly trying.




Outfit: 60s babydoll lingerie top, vintage leather shorts (thrifted), ballet flats (Nordstrom's Rack). Anna is wearing an 80s dress (thrifted).

my film might be ruined, but my memories remain intact

Introducing some photos from last weekend when Pete & I took my niece hiking at the Oak Canyon Nature Center in Anaheim Hills. Anna had a great time chasing lizards & bunnies through the forest. She only tripped about 3 times, which is a record for her. We played on the stage, introducing each other before our respective performances, and attaching many superlatives to our names. Anna sang “Hard Knock Life” and “Tomorrow” from Annie. I did a hand stand. Pete did some yoga moves. We are very good at entertaining ourselves. Anna dressed herself, which is why she’s not wearing vintage. I somehow looked like a massive Laker’s fan in my purple & yellow clothes. My dress is covered in a splatter paint print, but it’s kind of hard to see.

teaching Anna about Narcissus

making Oak tree shapes









This past weekend was beautiful, despite the fact that the film chronically it was somehow ruined. It’s a wonder that the photos from last weekend turn out when they were from the same roll of film, but I can’t dwell on it. On Saturday, Pete & I went to a musical called Rock of the Ages” featuring actresses & actors ages 60 and older. We went primarily to see the guest star “grandma” (Pete’s sister-in-law’s grandma), who is 81 years old, and who brought tears to my eyes with her rendition of Patsy Cline’s “Sweet Dreams of You.” Grandma used to perform as a country duo with her husband, and they even performed at the Grand Old Opry. Rock of the Ages was super fun to watch & very inspiring; I just love the elderly. I wore a white 60s lace mini dress (hacked haphazardly by me) that features a large mint bow at the empire waist. The old folks seemed to love it because I received tons of compliments.

On Sunday, we spent the day in Lancaster to witness the blooming of the poppies, attend the annual Poppy Festival, and hang with family, including Pete’s lovable one-year old nephew. The poppies were not as bountiful as last year, but still they were a sight to behold. I wore two outfits. My first outfit (which I had saved specifically for this event) was a 1930s yellow dress with orange poppies & wildflowers with a straw 50s sunhat. My second outfit was a 1950s pouf dress featuring teal flowers & turquoise bow at the waist. I purposefully ripped out all the crinoline underneath, and I’m not sure why I hadn’t thought of that earlier, as it always itched me like crazy. I suppose I will have to recreate and show you these quintessential Spring outfits another time.

This weekend I was also blessed with a dream that my siblings and I were riding around in my mom’s big old Dodge Van. My mother was swerving all over the road as usual. My youngest brother unwisely brought a glass of milk into the van & it spilled everywhere. Meanwhile, I was half hanging out the window, trying to jump onboard a moving vehicle. My mother was grinning widely, happy to have all her children together, while we were all crying, both from laughter & actual fear. When I awoke from this dream, I recalled our cross country trip from California to Windsor, Canada, and back. We were in Wyoming and I was jostled from my sleep to find my mother swerving into the night, lighting flashing across the sky, and rain pouring wildly. She was eating a slice of watermelon. “Mom, I think you should stop driving, and let David (my then boyfriend) drive. “Oh I’m fine, I’ve got this watermelon to give me energy.” We convinced her to let my boyfriend drive & she climbed to the back of the van into the pulled out bed and instantly fell asleep. The Dodge Van was far too big for her, but she wanted a vehicle that we could travel in as a family. She had the van for a long time, and it became a moving pig sty that embarrassed us immensely, even though we were the ones who destroyed it. In retrospect, it was fuckin comical. No matter how big or awful a situation became, my mother never admitted defeated; she just sailed into the night, oblivious to the thunder storm.

wishing you beautiful dreams,

Crystal Lee

Outfit: vintage splatter paint dress, Oh Deer shoes, (thrifted).

teach your children well

“Hey, Anna, you wanna run up that hill with me?”
“Not really.”
“Come on. I just watched you play on 2 playgrounds. Auntie likes to play too.”
“Oh ok.”
“Wow, this is a really steep hill. Are you sure you can do this?”
“ I can just try my best.”
“Goodness, I’m getting tired.”
“You can do it Auntie because you’re big and strong.”
“ Geez, Anna, I can’t believe you’re doing this uphill hike with me, especially since your legs are so much smaller than mine.”
“That’s because I play and jump around and have lots of energy all day long.”
“Well, you should probably get some rest sometimes. We’re almost to the top. ... We made it”
“Yay, we made it! “ I have to go pee.”
“Why didn’t you go when I asked you at the bottom of the hill?”
“I didn’t have to go then.”
“Well, we’ll head back down. But if you really have to go, why don’t you just cop a squat.”
“What does that mean?”
“Squat down and pee. Don’t pee on your shoes or on your clothes. ”
“ Will people see me?”
“There’s noone here.”
“I don’t know.”
“You’re going to have to do it at some point in your life, believe me.”
“ Oh, ok. I can just try my best. ..... I can’t do it.”
“Alright, next time. Let’s race down the hill and get you to the bathroom.”

Christmas times a coming

I want to play in the snow!

baby blue

Here I go again – exploiting my cute lil’ niece, Anna, for my fashion blog,- though I doubt she minds, considering we’re on the same ham frequency. I would have loved to show you more pictures of my blue sparkly jumpsuit, but my undergarments were showing, and it just ruined the outfit. My niece was rushing me out the door, and I had no time for styling.




Anna’s outfit - vintage knit elephant dress (thrifted), shoes (Vans)
my outfit - vintage blue sheer disco jumpsuit (thrifted), shoes (Aldo)