[Enid] C is for California Souvenir Scarf

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C is for C_ _ _ _ _ T_ _ _ _

SpyCam. Tonga Noir

Are You Ready for "Wear Your Lilly Day"?

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Lilly Pulitzer, the brand, has decreed that June 20th is "Wear Your Lilly Day"

Lilly is an iconic preppy brand. I remember tons of friends and relatives sporting her shifts over the years -- Fourth of July parties, summer "dress up" occasions, etc. They were too stuffy for my taste (and probably too expensive for my mom's budget). My grandmother wanted me to wear Lilly in the worst way (as well as those Belgian loafers) but I resisted. I had my own style thing going on -- in 5th grade, I was already sewing my own creations. Yes, I made a-line shifts, but the prints were not the preppie brights of pink, lime, and yellow.

I have a Lilly that I got from Larry a while back. It's WAY too small, and I don't think I want to wear monkeys in coconut trees -- here is a sketch:

sketch available on Society6

And here is a photo:

I'm offering this for sale on Etsy for $48 + shipping. It's a nice hefty cotton seersucker and fully lined.
90's vintage, tagged size 6. Click on this Etsy link to get size specs and see more photos.
Maybe you'd like to add it to your collection!

52 Pick-me-up: Roaring 20s

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Once again, I face my closet with a retro quandry. I couldn't even find my sketches of 20's costumes that I did back in college (I'll keep looking for those. Now I have a mission). (Can't even find the post with a picture of one. This is getting ridiculous!)

From the archives is this:

originally seen here, July 2012

I refurbished that green/navy striped tunic the summer of 2012. I wear it at least once every two weeks. For yardage purchased for under $4, an excellent cost-to-wear ratio!

In the above-linked post, I'd promised directions on how to make the jacket. I made it from sari fabric, and it was created from two rectangles. I got the pattern from a Laurie Herrick hand woven coat that I saw at the Portland Museum of Contemporary Craft.

originally seen here, June 2011

I never followed through on that. Oops. Will rectify... sometime.

As a final flourish, here's a page from a 1920's Montgomery Ward catalog:

source: Dover

The above immediately brings to mind Ms Desiree, of Pull Your Socks Up. Click on over there and you'll see what I mean.
But before you go, how are you doing finding some 1920s in your closet? Link and tell!

An InLinkz Link-up

52 Pick-me-up: 10s (1910s or 2010s)

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It's been a few months (September!) since a historical challenge on 52 Pick-me-up. This week, it's the 10s.
I've been so busy with my Sketchbook Project of maps that I have no inspired outfit to share. I did a quick Pinterest search today for "1910 fashion" and found some goodies. I put my finds on my "Reference for Posts" board.
This image gave me a smile:

Gloria Swanson and Teddy the dog, from 1917

Pinterest linked it to here, and with a little internet sleuthing,
I found that it's a publicity still from the film Teddy at the Throttle.
This post gives more details and provides a YouTube link.

My current bathing suit is very similar, but it's a rare day that you'll see me in it!
Perhaps the headgear doubles as a flotation device. The fur stole is especially useful!

Think first season of Downton Abbey and you'll be on the right track for the 1910s.

I guess for the 2010s, you could look back at a 2010 magazine and see what's in there. Probably not a long enough lapse of time to be meaningful, but maybe you'll find something that we all thought was so cool three years ago and now looks silly.

I'm sure you can all do better than me! Do share your historical adaptations!

My Mildred Pierce Moment

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When the evenings get balmy, my friends Anita and Russ do movie nights at their home. These are not simple DVDs in the HD-TV affairs. These are old-style 16mm films projected on a screen installed over their pool, with the entire back yard decorated in theme with the film. And we dress the part!

Last night's movie was Mildred Pierce -- the original version starring Joan Crawford.

Burt and Pie-baking Mildred

Bow ties! Burt and Wally [Severo and Stephan]

In Monty's Malibu Beach House [photo by Stephan]

Linda vamps as Glam Mildred

Burt and Veda [Russ and Anita] introducing the films

As the sky grew darker, the viewing started with a few shorts:

Then things took a turn for the noir...

Wally and Mildred [Stephan and Linda]

More over on the Glutton, just because.

Here's a great summary of the plot, plus a photo that inspired my look.

11/29/13 update: linking up with Sacramento's Share In Style: Movies. Go check out everyones interpretations of films past and present.

52 Pick-me-up: Boyfriend/ Girlfriend

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The Boyfriend or Tomboy look is very popular right now, The idea is to wear masculine ("Boyfriend") clothing, maybe mix it up with feminine touches. This is nothing new, it's a style chestnut. Chanel took men's sailor jerseys and pants and built her empire from those. Madonna donned men's boxers as outerwear in Desperately Seeking Susan and a trend was born. I've been wearing men's jeans since the 70s, as discussed in this old post. And think of all the women we've seen in a crisp white classic men's buttondown shirt.

For my look today, I thought I'd wear a band tee. The band that my boyfriend is in!

ooooh, nice bedhead, SpyGirl!

This required some scavenging. The shirt was not in the active "small tee" drawer. So I looked in the "too small but I still like it" box. In the process, I found the Mexican tourist skirt (in the "to fix" box). [I was wondering where I'd put that!] Note that all these boxes are in the middle of the livingroom and have been for months. I got distracted from my massive closet sorting, and, frankly, it's not all that much fun. The drawback (aside from having to navigate around them) is that I can't complain about Severo's heaps in the kitchen until I put them away. No, I'm not going to share a visual. You can only imagine!

Do share your interpretation of Boyfriend/Girlfriend below. You can even post more than once if you have a few versions. Please no more than six! And no repeats of the same outfit!
And, dudes, it's not just for the ladies --  I'd love to see you men out there try some girlfriend stuff!

VOGOFF Hits the Digital Newstand!

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Melanie, of Bag and Beret, is the force behind a zany spoof on fashion magazines called VOGOFF.
She put out a call for submissions in April, which you really need to read -- so hysterical!

Here is my VOGOFF spread:

[image © Melanie Kobayashi 2013] 

I was working out my inner Nagel. I love how Melanie dropped me amidst the pansies.
[Side note: the landlady DREAMS that our lawn looks like that!]

Here are some more photos from my session, which was done with the camera placed high on a ladder set on a ten second delay self-timer. EXTREME pain resulted from the multiple times I ran back and forth from the camera to the set.
Oh, how I suffer for you!

I did lots of Fashion Victim poses

Close, but realized that I need my 80s sunglasses

Nothing like a good hand selfie

This one made the cut.

As did this. That rose is from my garden and I probably turned it into jam.

Here are my notes-to-self I typed here in a draft before I did my thing in the back yard. My photo shoot didn't quite go this way, but it makes for a fun fashion poem:

Me, the back yard, covered with the guest quilt, which will be PSed with all the +40 sketches
or printouts?
leopard pillows?
naked?
reading VOGOFF w/Mel's sketch?

victim of the 80s
fashion sketches from OTIS
spewed about back yard 

That last bit is almost a hiaku!
Let's make it a proper one (3 lines/ 5-7-5 syllables):

Victim of eighties
Crinoline and school sketches
Spewed about back yard

Thank you Melanie, for inspiring me to go even crazier than usual!
Joining up with Patti's Visible Monday -- click on over and join the party!

*disclosure note: I used Aloxxi Flexible Hairspray to get my 80s inspired updo, gifted at a LuckyFABB event. Everything else I purchased in the 80s and 90s, except for the currently available Cover Girl #305 Hot Passion lipstick. I'm still trying to remember where I got that crinoline...

Details:

Black nylon/spandex bubble knit tube dress -- Trash and Vaudeville, NYC 80s

Pink petticoat -- Cowboys and Poodles on Melrose, LA? Screaming Mimi's, NYC? 80s

Red/black stripe cotton/spandex leggings -- Betsey Johnson 79(?)

Booties -- Norma Kamali 85

African bracelets + necklaces -- Jone Pasha, Providence RI, 80s

Jumbo Chain necklace -- Patucci, The Front Porch, Providence RI, 80s

Sunglasses -- vintage from optician Providence, RI 80s

Gingham yardage -- Guess sample yardage sale, 86

For Mom

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Here you are, as I imagine you looked before I was born, in your Best & Co. suit that neither of us will ever fit into again. Our svelte days are behind us, but that's OK. We're still having lots of fun!
Hiding from bush destroying elephants...
Escaping voracious mosquitoes...
Walking on beaches...
Chasing sunsets...
Enjoying the good things in life!

I love you Mom!

Crazy Quilt - Leopard Print Qiana

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Aline discovered the millinery supply places in midtown Manhattan and we both went a little hat crazy. I sold six of these leopard numbers to Fiorucci. They were even displayed in the windows!

WHY didn't I take a photo of that accomplishment? WHY????

I really did swan around the upper east side in retro suits wearing cocktail hats and uncomfortable high heels -- for a few months anyway. Illustrated above is one I swiped from my mom -- a suit from Best & Co that SHE wore when she lived in Manhattan before I was born. I'm sure I wore it when I went to my first designer cattle call with Mauricio, the accessories buyer for Fiorucci. (I remember getting overheated due to my nerves + the wool). I sold him the above mentioned hats and "Reality In a Box" pins (to be discussed at a later date).

Are you too young to know about Fiorucci? Well!
Here's a good overview with some videos.
Then, here's a NY Times article with some history.

HEY!...Hello there!...
Are you back from partying with Klaus?
Are you now proficient at zombie 1978 dance moves?
Are you seriously wishing for a way-back machine?

My Fiorucci tee
I had red sunglasses like this and could be all matchy matchy with my shirt

Finally, here's some intel on Qiana:
 "Qiana is a silky nylon fiber developed in 1962 at the DuPont Experimental Station by Stanley Brooke Speck. The fiber was christened Qiana when introduced by DuPont in 1968" [wikipedia] [oh good grief. NOW I discover I misspelled Qiana in the sketchbook, as you can see up at the top. DOH!]


I am still searching for the slides of me in my hat collection...
I will persevere and find them, I promise.
They are not in the slide box labeled "hats". Most unhelpful.

Neon Preppy -- #OOTD

OK, OK, it's neon tropical. This loud shirt from the Larry archives makes it's sartorial debut today.

Hot pink and green always remind me of Lilly Pulitzer and Lilly Pulitzer reminds me of my preppy school-mates (I went to Emma Willard, a girls' prep school).
Oh! I just remembered that I also grabbed a Lilly from Larry with the intention of selling it!
Here it is:

Yep, monkeys are in those coconut palm trees

It will appear on Threadflip soon, after I press it and take enticing photos. It's tagged a size 6.

Meanwhile, I'm certainly visible today...
Visible Monday over here, do click and partake!

Off-White for Summer

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"Don't wear white before Memorial Day" "Don't mix plaids" "Don't wear black and navy"
Who wrote these rules, anyway? [Here's a fun circa 2008 article expanding on ways to break them]

Well, you know me. Sartorial rules were made to be broken. Or stretched to the limit...
School uniform that requires "shoes that tie"? Hello hiking boots. And a 15" skirt.

Tell me to "start wearing pantihose"?
Hello bright tights!

What does this have to do with how I'm going to wear white this summer? Nothing!
In fact, I won't be wearing white, because it makes me twitchy. Too much pressure to avoid spills. I prefer off-white, in the rectangular silhouette known as a huipil.

The indigenous people of Mexico (and other points south) know how to beat the heat in a loose, usually hand-loomed garment that slips over the head. Of course modesty often requires the addition of a skirt, which kind of defeats the purpose of staying cool with minimal clothing, but I'll be a gringa and a cultural vampire and just wear it the way I want to. Call me insensitive, I don't care. I'll be cool and comfortable!

This is part of Fashion Beauty Friend Friday, a weekly series hosted by Katie of Modly Chic.
Click on over to see how others are wearing white this summer.

Layer Up - Dress over Pants

I was wearing this look back in the 60s! 

Didn't wear this on Saturday
for the final day of the Layer Up challenge.
Am planning this for flight to Austin in March --
it's close to what I wore flying home from NYC
a couple of weeks ago.
Very comfortable and not too schlubby,
judging from these photos.

Here you can see the dress over the pants clearly.
I might remove the side seam pockets --
they look stupid and I don't use them.

Thus concludes a week of another fun fashion challenge from Megan and Keely. I think the Tues LACMA outfit was my favorite. Or is it Monday's? No, wait, Thursday's! Which one do you like best?
Here's a visual recap of the week:

The Ladies who Layer