Ebay

Slowly but surely, I am purging out my vintage collection. There are pieces that I'm not too crazy about or have been photographed too many times.

A few days ago, I listed my first item on ebay: a 1963 Enid Collins handbag.

I took it out today for one last spin while running errands.

Dress: Anthropologie via Buffalo Exchange - $20

Purse - 1963 Enid Collins - Starting bid $8

Shoes: super old!

Bracelet: 1960's Trifari via thrifted - $6

You can find this 1963 EC purse depicting the 4 seasons here.

I hope the next owner gives it a good home. 

-A.

Thrift Store Finds: Jewelry Edition

The thrift stores have been nothing but good to me lately.

To many the jewelry section of thrift stores is either nonexistent or a sea of cheap, neon, and dated pieces. I promise if you have to patiences to dig, you'll find gorgeous pieces or the past and/or something fun, quirky, and kitsch.

However, it really is a hit or miss.

Necklaces:

 Okay, this is one of my all time favorite finds! I think everyone who knows me or reads my blog knows that I have an affinity for cameos. They're just so feminine and romantic! I remember being little and my mother always being a fan of them. I could go on with how much I love them and why..but I'll share with you another time. There's actually a funny-ish story behind this 1960's all black cameo. The lady at the cash register mistakenly punched in 2.99 instead of 12.99. It was a pretty awesome mistake and was lucky to get it at that price!

I thought this 1960's piece was fun. It really reminds me of tooled leather. Is there a name for it? At 99 cents, this was the cheapest piece of jewelry I bought.

Just a plain black beaded necklace. Great layering. I actually think I'd like to pair this with an oversized black onyx and mother of pearl cameo my mom gave me. Hmmm...

This ring!! I have the matching brooch!!! I was so excited when I pulled it up from the bottom of a bin. Oh the possibilities!!! Definitely from the 60's and worth the $6.

I thought this ring was funky and cool. I'll probably wear it with a casual outfit. I'm sure people are bound to ask questions whenever I decide to wear it. $2

I fell in love with this 1960's glass stone ring. It's absolutely clear when off, but when worn it has this blueish/blackish tint. It's really interesting. It also has flowers on the side of the setting. I think this was $3.

As for clothing & shoes? I've been finding some amazing designer pieces! Be sure to check instagram to get sneak peeks of my most recent finds and projects I'm working on.

-A. 

A Love Letter to Plaid: School Girl Plaid

The weather seems to finally be cooling down here. If you've been a long time follower of this blog you should know what this means for me! It's time to whip out the plaid! I still have a deep love for plaid and over the spring and summer, I added even more to my collection. 

How I wish I would wear traditional plaids during summer. Don't get me wrong I still love gingham, madras, and all other check patterned light weight fabrics we see. There's just something about the fall color schemes and the touch of flannel and wool on a cool day that makes it way more enjoyable. 

Do you feel the same way? What print or fabric do you absolutely love?

Yesterday was date day and I chose to wear plaid (of course!). 

The weather was cool but it was far from cold. I paired a short sleeve knit blouse that is one of my all time favorite and was given to me by my mom. It's an Anne Klein from Dillard's and I've had it for years! I absolutely love the fit and it has such a versatile silhouette. The skirt happens to be an early 90's (cringe!) school uniform skirt that I picked up from one of my local thrifts for $1!! I absolutely love the length and the fact that the pleats don't start until after the hips. No alterations were needed at all! It is a teensy weensy bit big, but not noticeable. You can find the exact same t-strap flats here. They okay for every day wear, but I prefer something of higher quality. I'm still on the lookout for something under $40, but these will do for now. To finish the outfit, I of course put on a vintage brooch. 

Please excuse my dandruff -__- This cat or fox? brooch is from the 60's and I found him at an antique mall in Irving. He makes me think of cat in the hat and was only $1.50 so I had to take hime home with me. 

Date day included lunch at Eno's Pizza in the Bishop Arts district. I'm not too crazy about that place, but we were starving and had no clue where else to go. We ended the date with a slice of pie a la mode from Pie Emporium. 

I can't wait to share my next plaid outfit with you! Oh and keep an eye out for my $2 Burberry merino wool sweater blouse.

-A. 

Rotating Wardrobe

So I have question. How many of you rotate your wardrobe? Do you have a system?

I have a fairly large closet so I don't store any clothing away..except maybe sweaters. I'm hoping to get on a system though. That way I can wear garments more than once a year.

That brings me to my most recent OOTD, a dress I last wore on my last birthday.

I swapped a vintage purse for this dress from @vintagegirlproblems. I wish she'd get on instagram more often, I really miss her presence! (I hope you see this Lea!)

The dress is a mid 1960's dress that appears to be handmade. The bodice is buttoned up in the back with hot pink buttons to match the skirt. It's also 100% cotton. I paired the dress with my very first brooch, a 1950's poodle, that I bought when I was a sophomore in high school for 75 cents. I miss finding cute kitschy things for super cheap!

 My sandals are a recent purchase from the Naturalizer outlet and were on sale for $17. I do have to give them credit for always having vintage inspired shoes. It's a shoe brand quite popular in my closet, but rarely seen in the vintage wear. I also bought some nude t-straps I'm dying to wear! 

I'm a bit obsessed with paisley right now and am currently working with some 1960's paisley fabric. Hopefully the reveal will be soon.

This was worn on a really hot day spent with one of my oldest friends and boyfriend. We spent the afternoon chatting, sipping on cocktails, and eating pie from Emporium Pies. You should give it a try if you haven't! 

I also did a bit of shopping afterwards! I came home with $5 t-straps from Urban and lots of kawaii stickers. I'm really obsessed with stickers right now btw. I've gotten super hardcore about using my planner not only to schedule my life, but to also journal a little about my days. Apparently it's a thing too! Search filofaxing or planner enthusiasm. It changed my life! LOL But seriously, I was impressed with what I found. 

                                                                          -A. 

                                                                    

Circus Dress

Just thought I'd share my most recent creation.

The Circus Dress. 

Since sewing,  I've always stuck to the 60's. I really want to sew some of my older patterns...but I'm a tad overwhelmed. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's the age of the pattern. I decided to tackle that fear/feeling with Simplicity 1583 from 1956. The pattern came from my stash.

As for the fabric, it also came from my stash. I can't find any markings on it, but it was 48"-ish in width. I bought it (2 3/4ish yards) at a thrift store in North Carolina in 2009 for $2.20. I had no intention of ever turing it into an article of clothing, but loved the print. So the mystery remains, is it a replica or true vintage? My gut says it's a really good replica. I also wish I had some left over to sell! 

Oh I suppose I should mention that this is a two piece set, not a dress. I just keep calling it a dress. lol. Well anyways, the skirt was super easy so sew! Just a plain dirndl style skirt. The top was easy until I got to the V shape panels and sleeves. I think it came out a bit wonky, but I don't think it's too noticeable. Oh well! The top is still wearable. I'm really looking forward to wearing the pieces with modern separates. 

So now I leave you to a ton of photos! My boyfriend and I found this super cool building near downtown and had an audience of 6 working men while being photographed hahaha! So enjoy my awkward facial expressions! (;

My shoes were a $14 find from DSW and my clutch is Oh la la! (Korean brand) from Daisy Blossom. My necklace is vintage 1960's and jade bangle. 

Oh!! Don't forget to enter my current giveaway! 

-A.