Fall colors, summer dress.

talk to the armpit. haha. sorry for the in yo face arm pit action all the time.

there’s some bananas on my lapel, a recent purchase from Etsy.

a Long Beach sunset and it matches my dress.

More film photos (Portra 400) taken after work the other day. I am so happy about Spring and the longer daylight hours! Now, if I can just be more productive after work. This Spring, I need to do lots of Spring cleaning, get some of my finds up on Etsy, practice more yoga, dance a lot more, and start meditating on a regular basis. I also wanna go on a long bicycle ride. What are your Spring goals?

love to you,

Crystal Lee

Outfit: vintage swimsuit dress, tweed blazer, Bass oxfords (thrifted), banana brooch (Etsy)

Isadora Duncan (1878-1927)

Isadora Duncan, mother of modern dance, free spirit of American origin, but really belonging to eternity, moves me. She didn't give a rat's tail about schools, systems, and professionalism when it came to dance. To her, dance was a biological function, a natural way of being, a universal endowment. I too believe that the dance exists in everyone, just like I believe there is a song in everyone. Her movements expressed the noble ideals of human kind, her true self. Her unifying message can likewise be found in Deepak Chopra’s "the Seven Spiritual Laws of Success", which I am currently reading. (I read a lot of self-help books and/or spiritual guides.) Chopra contends“our essential nature is one of pure potentiality." I have such a desire to fearlessly sing my life. I haven’t been quite as successful as I would like in bringing my essential nature to the surface, but it’s so refreshing to think that in each of us there is an unlimited surplus of pure potentiality, which can be tapped into with just a little effort.

Dance is the movement of the universe concentrated in an individual.
– Isadora Duncan

Dancing must express humankind’s most moral, beautiful, and healthful ideals.
– Isadora Duncan

Place your hands on your heart, listen to your soul. There is the true revolution. Let the people place their hands in this way on their hearts, and in listening to their souls they will know how to conduct themselves.
– Isadora Duncan

My motto - sans limites.
– Isadora Duncan

When your actions are motivated by love, there is no waste of energy.
– Deepak Chopra

You must learn to get in touch with the inner most essence of your being. This true essence is beyond the ego. It is fearless; it is free; it is immune to criticism; it does not fear any challenge. It is beneath no one, superior to no one, and full of magic, mystery, and enchantment.
– Deepak Chopra

We are divinity in disguise, and the gods and goddesses in embryo that are contained within us seek to be fully materialized. True success is therefore the experience of the miraculous. It is the unfolding of the divinity within us.
– Deepak Chopra

For further reading – Deepak Chopra’s “The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success”, and Isadora Duncan’s “My Life”

all images from the NYPL Digital Gallery.

we match the clouds

Note to self: I really need to find a white 50s wiggle dress like Stacy's. I'm wearing a hacked moo-moo dress that has been waiting patiently in my closet for a day when fluffy friendly clouds fill the sky. Voila! the day has come. it's been after the rain weather around here all weekend, though there hasn't been any rain. the air is crisp and invigorating. it's beautiful.

My weekend thus far has been lazy, but fun. On Friday night, I sang "If I had a Hammer" by Peter, Paul, and Mary, at karaoke. Even though I sing it at the top of my lungs while driving or in the shower, I thought it was kind of hard to sing at karaoke. I definitely botched some of the higher notes. But I was proud of myself for staying out passed 10:00 p.m. Jesse sang "Cupid" by Sam Cooke. He is so mind blowingly good at karaoke. He's known throughout all of long beach for his karaoke skills. Yesterday, I went to photography class and developed stop action shots of Stacy jumping in the air like Ann Margaret does on the cover of Life magazine 1965. I'll show you some of my photography assignments when my teacher gives them back to me. I am enjoying my photography class so much. I especially enjoy being in the dark room.

In a little bit, I'm gonna pick up my little niece Anna, and we're gonna go for a little hike, and I'm sure I'll dress the poor thing up in vintage clothing and take tons of pictures of her. She's such a good sport.

I hope ya'll are having a wonderful weekend.

much love,

crystal lee

Outfit: 60s ocean & clouds dress w/eyelet yoke (thrifted & shortened by me)

Spring time is for laying in the grass

Outfit: vintage yellow high waisted skirt, tshirt, vintage scarf (thrifted), stormy blue Minnetonka moccasins.

I want you so bad

Man, I want these cheetah Vision Street Wears from 1987 so badly, but they're too small. They're up for auction on ebay. I have yet to come across another pair like this. I have faith that I will find a similar pair in my size during my lifetime. I may be 80 years old rockin these cheetah babies, but they will be mine.

CM + THOMSEN Collection

Behold the delicate artistry of my gal, Cheri Messerli, who has lovingly hand painted the perfect little dress in a collaboration with Parisian brand Thomsen. Oh the lovely places where this dress could be worn! My imagination soars.

images from Thomsen blog

Palos Verdes Botanical Gardens

Hiya friends,

Life is short, so I surround myself with beauty just as much as I can. The other day Stacey & I went to the Palos Verdes Botanical Gardens to walk amongst the flowers and succulents and snap some photos. I tried out Jesse's fancy Cannon DSLR camera (he let Stacey borrow it), but I still like film best. There's something magical about it. I am by no means a skilled photographer, yet with film I sometimes manage to produce an image that is pleasing to my relic soul.

film photos, Fuji Velvia 100:





some velvet roses







digital photos:

Wherever you go, go with all your heart. - Confucius

Old shit is the best shit. - Crystal Lee

Outfit: vintage 50s taffeta skirt, 80 corset top (thrifted), Michael Kors espadrilles