#tbt Fashion Rosebud: The Sundress

Back in the olden days, when I had a waist (and a bust, for that matter), I had a cache of 50's sundresses.
This was one of my favorites:

1996, Estes Park, CO
Twill shirt now a studio apron.
The Sundress, skirt portion lost in Repair Mountain.
Fluevog clog sandals, still going strong! 

The bodice was reinforced (really!) with interfacing so no bra was required (in fact, it gave me a bigger, more 50's bosom). PERFECT for summer and for summer roadtrips! I wore it so much, the left side straps got shredded from the friction against my seatbelt.
To me, that dress says: summer, the open road, destination unknown.

Have a garment that whispers summers past? Link and tell!

Striped Rejuvination

This piece of green-striped rayon has been through several sartorial permutations.
I'm too hot and grumpy to search for a photo of it's first incarnation today. 
Maybe I'll add it later -- it was a strappy empire waist undergarment for an olive green poufy skirt that I wore with a red Chinese dragon print corset-style top. Or maybe I'll sketch it for you. Later. 

Next, I turned it into a tunic and wore it. A lot.

Oh look, that's when I had pansies next to the metal tub!
And the old favorite clog-style mules!
(I just grabbed the first photo that popped up).

It was starting to irritate me this summer. I want to wear as few garments as possible and the narrowness of where it hit on my arms was NOT GOOD.
Layering was not going well, it was too long:

So in one of my trying to get an outfit for the day frenzies, I ripped 7" off the hem:

Aaaaah. Better proportions. AND NOW I had fabric to use for sleeves!
Yay me!

You remember my new mission to put sleeves on everything, right? 
This is the third revamp in three months. Slow going -- at this rate, Repair Mountain will recede in maybe five years. Ha.

In addition, new shoes:

Mexican huraches purchased on Olvera St, downtown LA. $22, new! Super comfy!

Linking up with Patti's Visible Monday.
Because hidden biceps and visible knees.

#tbt Reminiscing on Reminiscence

It's more family-portraits-for-the-Christmas-card outtakes, circa early 1980s:

Today, we put our focus on my legs! the 3/4 sleeve boatneck top, which I wore WAY tighter than this mannequin:

[I can't believe it still exists! Thank you Google! Source: Reminiscence] 

I had at least a dozen.

Reminiscence is a boutique in NYC that became well known for inexpensive garment-dyed and retro-inspired sportswear and quirky accessories and gifts. Aline Smithson first introduced me to the shop in 1978, when we both still lived on the upper west side. After I moved to Providence, and started a costume jewelry line, they bought my glass bead earrings and necklaces (I'm now slowly adding old inventory to Poshmark. You may have to sign in to see the link).

In Providence, my main form of employment was Patucci and Mark's store The Front Porch. They resold many items from Reminiscence, and I purchased a lot of their tops, jeans (the balloon leg jean! Yeah!), and shorts. Fun times. HOW did we ever make a living? I have no idea.

Did you have a favorite tee that defined a stage in your life?
Add to the Fashion Rosebud linkup!

Todd Oldham Jean Jacket

What happens when you see the origins of your favorite patterned jean jacket?

You go a little bit insane, that's what.

The Todd Oldham All Is Everything exhibition at the RISD Museum had examples of all the components:

Todd Oldham, Pantone Dress, Spring 1996 | Todd Oldham, Pantone Print, Collage, 1996 

Detail of Pantone chip collage

The jacket is a double printed denim, with the Pantone print on the outside, and a tufted upholstery print on the inside:

The original "Tuft" garments were in the exhibition as well:

And that's not all!

Back at Patucci and Mark's place, a similar vintage wallpaper was in a panel of the armoire next to my bed!

Pattern heaven, my friends, pattern heaven.

See all of my (unedited) Todd Oldham exhibition photos in my Flickr Album here.

[8/12 update]

Links à la Mode, August 4th

This post was included in IFB's Links à la Mode, a compilation of their 20 favorite links of the week. I share the honor with:

• Al Balsam Life: The Ultimate Summer 2016 Bag Guide
• Cat Eyes & Skinny Jeans: {What’s in My} July 2016 Pool Party Glossybox!
• Elements of Ellis: Black Vest
• Epouser La Mode: Double Denim
• Everyday Starlet: Kylie Jenner Snapchat Makeup Routine | Using All Drugstore Dupes
• Five Feet Five: A Black Striped Maxi Dress
• Five Foot Nothing Shopping: The Petite Girl’s Festival Look
• Goldwill Digger: 3 Easy Ways to Spread Your Wings and Break Out of a Style Rut
• High Heeled Vogueaholic: Ditch the Dresses | 4 Ways to Style Rompers
• In a Nutshell: Don’t You Want to Go For a Swim?
• Life in the Fash Lane: Hat Attack
• Lil Miss JB Style: Repetition
• Purushu Arie: India Can Emerge as the Saviour of Couture on a Global Scale
• This Season’s Gold: Heat Wave | Strapless Sheath with a Touch of Gold
• Splash of Teal: Style Report | Most Comfortable Work Heels this Summer
• Spy Girl: Todd Oldham Jean Jacket
• Sweet Tea Salvage: DIY | Vintage Botanical Print Collage
• Tales of Two: Styling a White Leather Skirt
• The Wanderbliss: Monochrome
• Wish and Wear: For Work and Pokemon Hunting

SPONSOR: Shopbop Terez, FRAME Denim, Fjallraven Backpacks, Driftwood, La Vie Rebecca Taylor, laContrie, Denim Rompers, Bucket Bags, Choker Necklaces, Men's George Brown BILT

December Over-40 Blogger Meetup -- Only 4.5 months Away!

December 2-4, 2016 
Santa Monica, CA 
Big Over-40 Blogger Weekend! 

OK, so I haven't said very much about this, nor have I updated the page with the email signup.
Bad hostess, SpyGirl, bad.
I HAVE been contemplating it, never fear.
Twelve of you have even signed up for the email list! Thank you ladies!

Connie, Jean, Patti,
Suzanne, Melanie, Pao,
Senora, and [didn't sign up but hope they are still interested] Glenda, Heather

Yes, I AM able to count. Seven of the twelve have already been SpyGirled.
Lisa, Rena, Jodie, Autumn, SJ -- you're next (if you wish).

The meetup coincides with my exhibition of Fashion Sketches titled Fashion Rainbow to be held at TAG Gallery, Santa Monica, November 22-December 17.

I've been busy working procrastinating on it and am slowly filling in my rainbow grid:

[click on image to see bigger]

Many slots yet to fill!

Meetup Event Ideas

Friday, Dec 2
Daytime could be adventure time, with groups going to various shopping meccas, guided by local experts (Heather and Glenda hopefully).
7-8pm I'm thinking of having a special private VIP reception for my collectors and muses.
YOU are the muses (and some are collectors too. I thank you)!
8:30 Dinner somewhere in Santa Monica.

Saturday, Dec 3
AM, meet for breakfast? (I might have to teach 9-noon).
Daytime, more touring?
5-8pm is the Artists' Reception that is open to the public. I'll have to be there, you can find your own trouble!
8:30 Dinner somewhere in Santa Monica. It's really sad to go home solo after a reception. Let's eat!

Sunday, Dec 4
10am-? Perhaps a continental breakfast and garment swap at the gallery?

Lodging
I suggest staying in Santa Monica.
There is a new Metro train that is 2 stops away from the gallery.
(Severo and I just rode it to downtown LA last night and it was fine -- dare I say, fun.)
Pao found some sweet air/lodging deals on Expedia and I'll send out the details in the first newsletter, sometime this week.

Transportation
I suggest a taxi, Uber, or Lyft to get from LAX to the hotel.
If you rent a car, use the major rental agencies (Budget, Enterprise, Hertz, etc). Be advised that a parking fee will probably be added to your hotel bill. Free street parking in Santa Monica is nearly impossible to find. SM Parking Enforcement is super vigilant, you don't want a parking ticket.
For shopping expeditions, Uber, Lyft, or public transportation (will take longer) are the best options.
Parking is difficult (or expensive) everywhere.

Feeling interested? Excited?
Please join the A list! Adding yourself to the list increases the odds of a SpyGirl portrait!

Subscribe to the 40+ Blogger Meet-Up mailing list

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See you in December?

#tbt Suede Mini Skirt, 8th Grade

Somewhere in the house (or garage) are my school yearbooks from 5th-8th grades.
My 8th grade school portrait comprised of this look:
[insert photo when I find it] 

These photos, shot by my mom, will have to do as a stand in -- I don't have time right now to find the yearbook to take a photo of the portrait.

That's our summer house behind us. In the 90s, Mom built an all-year house on the same piece of property, closer to the highway. These were shot for a potential Christmas card image. That's why we're all dressed up and posing with the dog. I can't remember if that's Honey or Ginger -- I grew up with Golden Retrievers.

What makes this outfit so special?

I got the suede mini and leather wrap belt in Poughkeepsie (which was "the big city" for me then) at a hep boutique.
The tee with many buttons? Can't remember. Sears? Can't see and can't remember the shoes, so I made them up. 

I felt comfortable in my skin.
I was full of badass girl power!

Funny, it's not how my 8th grade instructors saw me.
While at my mom's last week, I came across a pile of paperwork set aside for me that included all my elementary through high school report cards. Apparently in eighth grade I was a distracted student, not doing my work, a bored malcontent. Ha! Maybe I was! I was ready for bigger horizons!

The suede mini (all 15 x 30 inches of it) is my Fashion Rosebud for the week.
Is there a story lurking in your closet? Link and tell!

Summer Travel -- Packing Light

Last week I bombarded my Instagram with my week-long whirlwind adventure on the East Coast.

Fun times! 

I did not want to pay for inflight checked luggage, was traveling by various modes of transportation (plane, ferry, bus, subway, train), and needed to keep my load streamlined. I required a range of garments to take me from the city (Providence and Manhattan) to casual 4th of July activities (and inactivity) at my Mom's. Not to mention a Smithereens concert in the Hamptons. 

All packed and ready to go, with a Züca roll-aboard and Fabletics tote.
This is before I realized that I could use the tote's yoga mat straps to anchor my pillow.

For packing, I've been using an ever-changing Excel doc for years.

Both a hand-written list and my Excel chart. 

The Monday before I left, I came up with a perfect travel outfit:

I added black modal lounge pants and clogs and wore this on three (maybe four) days of my trip, including my day in Manhattan with Ally (see Ally's writeup here). Perfect fabrications for summer in the East (cotton, rayon modal) and the knits gave comfortable stretch.

The Züca roll-aboard comes with a set of six zippered pouches, which helps compartmentalize one's packing.
Here are the socks that I packed:

I only wore the two pairs in the foreground. The weather was too hot.

Another item that I didn't wear was what I call my "Paris" tunic,
so called because the print reminds me of a 50's French illustration style:

I just wasn't feeling it.

To be more efficient, I now save my packing charts and notate which garments did not get worn. This can save me from packing them again. With the above tunic, I remember thinking "If only this were 4" longer." I have more of the fabric, so it has been sent to the Sewing Mountain for rehab.

Linking up with My Refined Style
and
Patti's Visible Monday

Do you ever pack the same thing over and over and never wear it?

#tbt What Is Your Fashion Rosebud?

[Inspired by The Rosebud Project, a photo project by Hugh Hamilton]

"Rosebud..."

Your assignment:
1) Go watch Citizen Kane. No, not just the clip above -- the whole dang movie!
     available on NetflixDVD or iTunes
2) Consider a powerful memory from your youth, one that shaped your core, one in which fashion was involved.

3) Write blog post.

4) Link!

As Hugh says in his IG project's tagline "...everyone has a Rosebud".

Happy 4th!

Here's to vacations that include seeing friends (and fashion exhibitions)!

With Patucci in Providence 

Todd Oldham at the RISD Museum

With Ally at The Met, NYC

Pink and poufy, Manus X Machina

Linking with Patti's Visible Monday