hot pink work clothes

 

Most of the outfits that grace this blog are my weekend attire, but this hot pink number is an outfit that I wore to work, where I have to at least dress the part of a professional. And even though I can’t wear crop tops into the office, I still have a fair amount of freedom. I mean I’m wearing a 50s hot pink mohair coat (which I recently thrifted for $3!). When I do leave the office setting (which I will do one day in the near future), I might actually miss daily dressing up as a professional. But then I guess I’ll just have to take the office to the streets, or to the Port of Los Angeles, in this case. If you’re wondering why I’m hanging out at the Port of Los Angeles, it’s because minutes before I was wearing a long Gunne Sax, tied up in heavy rope, laying on the railroad tracks, for Stacy’s photography class assignment. We definitely got some lookers, which I scared away with a most heinous facial expression. Thanks to my friend and vintage selling partner, Stacy, for taking these photos.

Outfit: 60s knit dress, 50s mohair coat (thrifted), shoes (Stuart Weitzman).

90s cowgirl

This outfit, composed of a thrifted 90s leather skirt and a recently acquired halter top, which was a hand me down from a dear friend, was influenced by this editorial. This outfit marks the 100th time my belly button has been blasted across my blog. I should have entitled this blog post "belly blasting." Boy, there's something about sunshine that just compels me to prance around half naked.  The sun on my skin, bare feet on the ground, this is happiness.

pinstriped

I wore this 50s bustier and 50s skirt on Saturday to “Citizen Twain”, Val Kilmer’s one man show about Mark Twain (Val Kilmer was spot on in his interpretation of Twain, especially in capturing the famed author’s mannerisms & dialect. He also reenacted a scene between Huck Finn & Jim, playing both characters with tremendous accuracy).  Because I really only wore my outfit in the dark, I felt obliged to wear it in the sunshine the next day when Pete & I hung around San Pedro & Palos Verdes, my favorites towns across the bridge. Later that evening, Pete & I shared fish & chips at Whale & Ale, a pub in Pedro. It was our first time there, but we were impressed with the food and the service.  As unofficial spokesperson for San Pedro, I encourage all ya’ll Southern Californians to spend some time in this hilly old port town. It definitely has a small town feel, even though it’s technically part of Los Angeles County.

This was a blissful weekend - one of those weekends where everything I like to do fits gracefully (no mad rush) into those two cherished days. I drove my niece around Long Beach with the top down in my convertible. She was delirious with the new found freedom, exclaiming “I feel like I could reach out and grab a cloud!” I hung out with some of my best buds. I ate lots of good food. I shared a sunset with my beau and then ended my weekend with Mad Men. How amazing were Megan’s get ups? She had damn near 10 wardrobe changes for the premiere, and I coveted all of her outfits.  

Outfit: 50s bustier (hand me down from a friend), 50s skirt (thrifted recently), Jcrew ballet flats

an Easter get up

Happy Spring!

built for speed

One snap of a vibrant outfit I wore recently, seated on the now empty bleachers that will be soon be filled with racing fans for the Grand Prix in Long Beach. Though the incessant whizzing of the race cars drives many Long Beachians nuts, as one who has always been drawn to fast times, I find the steady hum to be comforting - a reminder that despite my 9-5 job and adult responsibilities, underneath it all I still really feel that I am built for speed.

This weekend, I let loose with some dancing to Restaurant, a sped-up stripped-down country blues band, and instead of making plans for my family for Easter as the responsible head, I spent the day at a brunch with dear friends, eating tons of spaghetti and way too much pie and cake. Hope you had a nice Easter too!

Outfit: vintage Orlon sweater, Ralph Lauren checkered blouse, vintage electric blue shorts. (thrifted), Espadrilles (Michael Kors).

New In Shop: faded denim lasts forever.

Styling by me. Photos by my friend Jay. 

Hiya friends. Just stopping in to show you a whole lotta my face and navel, and for good measure - some sweet faded denim that I listed in the shop.

Vintage 90s Light Wash Overalls.  Vintage 90s Versace Denim Dungaree Overalls Dress. Classic Levi's 501 Distressed Ripped Jeans.

Did ya'll have a nice weekend? I finished mine off with a feast at Boiling Crab in Garden Grove, my favorite place ever to eat. I can eat anyone under the table at this fine institution that serves up crab legs, shrimp, and crawfish in a bag of spicy sauce called "the whole shebang." It's a messy beautiful experience and well worth the visit if you live in Orange County.

p.s:  I intend to list some more Medium and Large sizes in my shop in the near future. Because I'm purging my wardrobe, most of my vintage inventory is of the Small variety. Sorry about that.

Inspiration: vintage playclothes

Image # 1: A stunning Lauren Bacall wearing a Carolyn Schnurer turnout of a navy off-the-shoulder, bare-midriff top and brown shorts.  Photographed by Louise Dahl-Wolfe for Harper’s Bazaar, May 1945.

Image # 2: Two models peering into the stable at the Tijuca, Brazil, plantation of Raimundo Castro, one in a Carolyn Schnurer playdress of rayon with matching shorts underneath, the other in kilt and bra-to outfit in rayon by Duchess Royal. Photographed by Louise Dahl-Wolfe for Harper’s Bazaar, May 1946.

Image # 3: This Carolyn Schnurer shorts outfit appeared on a 1950 cover of Harper’s Bazaar. Based on a djellabah, the top was made of white oxford cloth with white cord passementerie. Hat by Mr. John, Vera scarf. Photographed by Louise Dahl-Wolfe in Tunisia.

Image # 4: This couture ensemble, designed by Mme. Grès, was made with an abbreviated top, just-below-the-knee trousers, and knife-pleated overskirt. Photographed in Tunisia by Louise Dahl-Wolfe for Harper’s Bazaar, 1950.

All images scanned by me from Resort Fashion: Style in Sun-Drenched Climates, Caroline Rennolds Milbank. Rizzoli, NY.