Westminster & 5th Vintage: Shop Our Closet, Homies!!!

Click here to shop vintage, daaaahling. 

I'm sure it comes as a SHOCK to anyone who reads this blog or knows anything about me at all, but Jonny and I decided to share our vintage finds with the world....

and for such a reasonable price! ***wink/double finger-guns combo*** 

Check out our Etsy shop, Westminster and 5th, in the side bar! ---------->

There will be plenty of items that have been featured on the blog for sale, plus more! And mens stuff too! What we have up now is the tip of the ice burg, and we'll be uploading more items in the following few days, so check back!

Have a happy weekend!!!

Festival Season: Loquat Cocktails, Crazy Pants, Hippies, Phish Dancing etc.

 What would happen if a kooky art lady and a ninja had a baby? 

These pants. 

Our weekend was full of grass sitting, beach hanging, BBQ having, and regret.......of everything we ate at aforementioned BBQ's. On Saturday we made our way up to hippie heaven, aka Topanga Days. It's a small music and arts festival in Topanga, CA. Great place to watch people Phish Dance. You know, the gyrating/flailing dance that hippes do at jam band concerts. So I says to myself,
"what a perfect excuse to wear the crazy pants!"
I love them even if they resemble the innards of a clog-wearing art lady. I threw on my Ramones denim jacket and the hat to even out the hippie vibe.

After the grass grazing and people watching at Topanga Days, we cruised to a friend's house for a BBQ, and Loquat cocktails. I know...wtf is a Loquat? Growing up in Texas my exposure to fruit consisted of 

 apple. 

Since moving to California our fruit horizon has broadened, and now we eat (and drink) things like Loquats, which have a mild peach-citrus-mango flavor. Check out our friend Zach's recipe at the bottom of the post! 

 Topanga thugs, up to no good. 

Boys that like to snack. I told Jonny he could keep the mustache if he rocked it with the Fresh Prince hat. The outcome was amazing. 

Loquat Cocktails
1 loquat, muddled (you can use mango too)
Club Soda
Pinch of brown sugar or simple syrup
1 shot of dark rum

In a glass, muddle your loquat (or a peeled mago) with a bit of brown sugar, and a splash of club soda. Add a shot of rum, and ice that mother doooooown, stir and enjoy!

10 Tips for Revamping Your Wardrobe on A Budget

Broke or on a budget and a new season upon you? I feel you, and I'm here for you, girlfreeeen. There are ways to give your closet a makeover even you don't have the money to shop.  Here's some tips to revamp your wardrobe when your wallet is looking a little frail.

1. Have a friend re-style your closet. 
When you've been looking at the same clothes everyday it's easy to get stuck in a rut. Closet full of clothes and nothing to wear, classic conundrum. Have a friend come over and re imagine your wardrobe! How would he/she style that maxi skirt you've been pairing with crop tops again and again? Have a glass of wine and style some looks out! Take pics to get inspired when your sartorial bubbles are getting flat.

2. Clean out your closet and uncover hidden treasures.
Wait..what? Get rid of stuff when you can't replenish the goods!? Yes! When you gut your closet, you're guaranteed to come across pieces you may have forgotten about. Get inspired by some older pieces you haven't worn in a while that may have gotten lost in the shuffle. You're on a budget what else do you have to do?!

3. Trade the old for the new. 
After you've cleaned out you closet you'll have loads of stuff you don't want anymore, right? Take your duds to Buffalo Exchange, Wasteland, or Crossroads Trading Co. They'll give you cash or store credit for you old threads. You can get a few new pieces or a fist full of cash! Your garbage as a form of currency!! Who knew!?

4. Don't underestimate the power of thrift stores. 
I'm a firm believer in shopping at thrift stores year round, but I know some of you aren't. If you're on a budget, however, you might not have a choice. To make it easier on yourself, keep certain pieces from your closet in mind, and find them mates! If you're not an experienced thrift shopper and you get overwhelmed, ask a pal who is to tag along and help you out. For more tips on thrift shopping look these ten tips for thrifting.

5. Host a clothing swap.
Any excuse to throw a party, right? Get a group of friends together and have everyone bring items they have expired or don't wear anymore. Drink wine and barter your faces off! (I know this is my second tip telling you to drink wine with your friends, but you're broke...no one's judging you).

6. DIY till you dye!
You can completely transform old rags into riches with scissors, dye or thread and needle. Even if you're DIY challenged, simple tricks can totally change the vibe of a piece. Hack off the sleeves of an old sweat shirt, fringe the bottom of a tee, or cut off and embellish some old jeans! You can get some inspiration on my Pinterest board if ya'd like!

7. Closet Crash!!!
Got a mom, dad, brother, boyfriend, or even better: a grandma? Kindly ask their permission to borrow and/or have some items. "Daddy, can I haz white button up?" (It will look totes amaaaaze with skinny jeans). Channel Stevie Nicks with your mama's burnout scarf. And what better way to spend an afternoon than bonding with Nana, talking about her old clothes and costume jewelry?! (And asking for some hand-me-downs).

8. Use gift cards.
If you have to get some retail therapy and you're going to spend the money anyway, buy gift cards at Giftcardgranny.com for cheaper than their actual value. You've saved the money before you even stepped foot in the store! What's more: promise yourself you won't spend more than what's on the gift card when you shop.

9. Channel the transforming power of accessories. 
Accessories are often cheaper than actual clothing. Spruce up a bag with a scarf like this. You can build an entire look around a reasonably priced statement necklace like this one.

10. Think outside the box
Try out styles you haven't before. Tights with shorts? Underwear as outwear!!! Don't be afraid to mix and match things you haven't before. Set aside some time for trial and error when trying out new styles to avoid frustration.

The Original Tribal Trend

I've been really thinking about our motivations behind wearing certain styles recently. I know tribal has become a huge trend in the past few years, but for the life of me I don't know why it became so hugely popular. The trend seems to be a watered down regurgitation of the social and artistic movements of the 80's and 90's. These movements inspired fashion trends at the time, but those trends seemingly came from a much more meaningful place than the tribal thing going on now.  

We already discussed Paul Simon's Graceland this week which was not only his opus, but a political statement on the apartheid happening with South Africa at the time. Then you had the popularization of hip hop with Afrika Bambaataa and groups like A Tribe Called Quest. The graffiti movement a la Basquiat and Keith Haring (both heavily influenced by African culture, tribal colors and patterns). There were shows like "A Different World" and artists like Queen Latifah. All of these artists popularized the tribal/african style and trends in the 80's and 90's. 

Although the trend now seems to be tribal ANYTHING whether it be Native American or African, I don't see the motivation behind it. No social or artistic movement, and I can't help but wonder why? After examining it for a bit I've realized it's actually sadly ironic. Patterns mimicking art created by tribes of people historically oppressed by white Europeans now being reinterpreted by Ralph Lauren and worn by white people everywhere! Vogue Netherlands recently featured white models painted in black face sporting trends influenced by African culture. 

This isn't so much me hating on the newer tribal trend as it is me trying to re-examine our motivations in trends in which we choose to partake. Do we wear things intentionally or are the pieces we wear strictly aesthetic and meaningful in no other way?

What do you think is the motivation of the new tribal trend? Is there one? 

Are there any socio-political fashion trends you've noticed happening recently?

Do you find the models in Black face offensive, or do you think it's drawing attention to the very thing I mentioned in the previous paragraph?

So many questions! Too heavy for a Wednesday?

{T-Shirt: Vintage (Similar Available here)}

{Shorts: Vintage (Similar)}

{Shoes: c/o Charlotte Russe}

{Glasses: Similar}

{Blazer and Earrings: Thrifted}

Silence & Noise Blazers · Gap Tees · Levi's Shorts

Eastern Thoughts Western Wear

Maybe it's time to re-examine your relationship with inanimate objects when you feel you just might die if you don't have something. When I stumbled upon this dress in Goodwill, I'm not gonna lie, my blood pressure rose, my throat tightened. If there was a giant rip, or it didn't fit, or anything prevented me from owning this garment, I was going to put on a wedding dress, recite nursery rhymes and walk into traffic. 

Cacti? Lassos? Longhorns? A vintage label reading "Ida Clair"??? This dress maaaay be my soul if my soul was clothing. 

CLEARLY this dress was put here by the Gods for ME. THE Texas girl who just happens to be rummaging through the jam packed racks of garments at the Goodwill in West Hollywood. The vintage lover, the anything-that-has-to-do-with-Texas lover. Me, me, me!!!

I'm pretty sure if I saw this dress on someone else, say a gal (or guy... who's judging?) who isn't from Texas or who didn't love vintage, shameful thoughts might pass through my mind. Those of the envious variety. Those of the entitled variety. "I should be the one sporting that fine, fine, western garment...that bitch has probably never ever SEEN a real lasso!"

Shameful, shameful thoughts. 

I've observed others experiencing this "Fashion Identity Crisis". Let me clarify: I'm not talking about your classic identity crisis in the sense of you don't know who you are fashion-wise: 

"I'm a total trend whore, betch!!" 

"I'm a boho rocker babe!"

"I'm a brand slave and I'm judging you."

"I'm Sporty Spice!" 

I'm talking about the identity crisis where you think you know who you are fashion wise. Like you know so hardcore who you are that no one else can rock your style. You sport a broach as a bow tie or wear a tie as a belt (don't do that, ew) and then you see it at Urban Outfitters and you Hulk out with rage. 

"Hulk no trendy! You take Hulk's idea! Hulk no serve up funky accessory irony if teenie-boppers do!"

Here's the thing. And this is where you might get up in arms.....

Our style has nothing to do with who we are. 

Who we really are. Like who we ARE are. Okay you get it. 

Neither does the music we listen to. Neither do the shows we choose to watch or the books we read. Sure all these things are extensions of our sesibilities and tastes, but people with GREAT taste can still be total dick holes. And people with the worst taste -like Teva's with socks taste- can have hearts of gold. And we need to remind ourselves of that sometimes. 

Not to go all Echkart Tolle on your ass, but I've come to understand we find ourselves irritated when  something we feel we've discovered becomes trendy, because some part of our brain feels like it's a part of us. When everyone else starts doing the things that helped define us, that thing gets weakened and taken away. And our egos hate it. 

{Glasses: Similar}

{Dress: Thrifted Vintage}

{Bag: Thrifted Vintage}

{Shoes: Cole Haan (also amazing)}

{Headband: Similar}

Vinyl Veekend: Paul Simon's Graceland

I thought I'd do something obvious this weekend. Paul Simon's Graceland. His opus in my opinion. I'm sure some of you are all like "OMG, duh...this is my favorite album already!!!" I hope, but I thought I'd share for the people who haven't experienced the pure genius of this record.

If you have a record player, buy this album. As you can see I got it at Half Price Books (which they don't have in LA, kill me now) for $3.99. You WILL NOT regret this purchase. Paul Simon is probably my favorite singer-song writer of ALL time. Graceland is without a doubt in my top 5 albums of all time, and this album is such a good summer jam!

Here's some things:

1. Lady Smith Black Mambazo, a South African a cappella choir is featured on this album. Did you hear me? African a cappella singing! If that is not reason enough for you to give it a listen then...well, I guess I just don't know who you are anymore.

2. When I first laid eyes on Jonathan "You Can Call Me Al" (one of the hits from this album) was playing on the jukebox at Bennigan's. Yes, Bennigan's. Me and J's origin story is peppered with little white trash details, and we aren't ashamed.

3. I have peed in Paul Simon's toilet in his New York City apartment where I also looked over his MASSIVE collection of poetry books. He was not home. (Long story).

4. When I was a child my mom played lots of folk music, which is where my affair with Simon and
Garfunkle started, and is what lead to my discovery of this album later in life.

5. If you like the stylings of a little band called Vampire Weekend, you have this album to thank.

6. I want to learn the dance moves L.S.B.M. jam out in this music video. All of them.

Jonny sells vinyl on ebay if you want to have a looksee go HERE. 

Happy Weekending!

Adventures in Big Sur

Have you been to Big Sur (or more inappropriately Big Fuggin Sur)? How I have gotten this far in my life and not witnessed the beauty that this place has to offer is a mystery. When we began to ascend the PCH approaching Big Sur I almost teared up around every bend in the road. (Pro-tip Andrew Bird is the best nature gazing music EVER). 

We took the camping trip for our two year anniversary. Maybe you're thinking what I was thinking. Camping? For a wedding anniversary? Yaaaaayy.... Sleeping on the grooound.....

But that is because where I grew up, "camping" meant "sleeping in an otherwise mostly deserted nature-area because we had no where else to consume alcoholic beverages" Ya' know, CAMPING! Also I went hiking. Which turns out is just walking in nature. For some reason I thought it would involve climbing and being forced to eat granola or something. So now in my late 20's, I realize that I love hiking AND camping......with an Airstream. 

Big Sur is one of those magical places that sucks away any anxious thoughts that typically riddle your skull in real life. It's no wonder Kerouac and Henry Miller chilled here. The weekend was full of sticking feet in waterfalls, visiting local cafes, watching sunlight glimpse through the thick shade of the Pine and Redwood trees, cruising on the edge of cliffs (this is where aaaaallll those car commercials are filmed), and drinking wine and whiskey, warming our toes by the fire. 

Being unplugged for 3 days was a gift. On the drive home, once we got a signal, I began to catch up on  social media happenings. In doing so I became intensely aware of how certain updates and photos made me feel. It was so easy to just stop following people or hide them from my feed. I suppose when you see it everyday any negative feeling that pops up just becomes normal. To be away from it was eye-opening. Ain't nobody got time for that. 

Lula just exploring naked like a BOSS. 

The cutest (and only) coffee shop in Big Sur

Henry Miller Library. Strange lawn art. 

If my mother was a restaurant she was be Deetjen's.

Playing Favorites: High Top Chucks

Sentiment. Such a human thing. And wearing it? Even more so. Whether it be a necklace, a scarf, an old shirt, or in my case: shoes, when you put an item on that carries emotional value it's comforting. These shoes are most definitely velveteen rabbits (I've loved the life right into them). They don't smell as bad as they look like they do. They are worn to bits, and of all my fashionable footwear they are hands down (feet down?) the best shoes I own.

Originally my little brother's 'every day' kicks, they became worn out and morphed into his lawn mowing shoes...the white rubber is stained green. He wears a bigger size than me, so they resemble clown shoes ever so slightly (I like to keep my footwear floppaaaaay). They have holes, the laces are busted and I wouldn't want it any other way. Now that I think about it they are probably my favorite piece in my entire closet.

People pay good money to sport sartorial selections as perfectly destructed as these Chuck Taylors. 

I grew close to my little brother in our high school years. We explored the suburban teenage pop-punk, angsty, drinking beer in woods, converse wearing, hot pink and green hair dying horizons together, and he did it all while wearing these shoes. I'm afraid when they become completely unwearable I might have to bronze them.

Funny how nostalgia can take something representative of such an uncomfortable time in life
(teenage-dom) and transform it into...well...ultimate comfort. On days when "I just need to do me, y'all" (i.e. no makeup, jeans, and a non discript shirt) these hightops are a go-to.

So here's I am. No make-up (not trying to make a statement or anything, unless the statement is "I'm lazy"), jeans, nappy hair and my favorite shoes.

What's the story with the sentimental pieces in your closets? I wanna know about 'em.

{Glasses: c/o Firmoo}{Shoes:Gifted}{Jeans:DKNY}{Shirt: Thrifted Raplh Lauren}

A Brief History of Polka Dots: And How to Wear Dots

The Polka Dot. Established as a staple in fashion by one, Minnie Mouse in the 20's. Popularized by Lucille Ball and Marilyn. Used in the 50's as a post war pick-me-up in Graphic Design. And perhaps most endearingly, named after a dance all the rage in the 1800's...you guessed it: The Polka.

These cute little guys had a rough go at it in the early days. Popular opinion was they resembled measles and other infectious horrifying diseases (cute, huh?). Eventually, and only a little less disgustingly, they found a way to make themselves useful through patching ---> the dark dots or "moles" folks would place on their faces to cover blemishes. I guess the pounds of white makeup didn't do the trick.

Finally, Minnie busted on the scene with her red Polka Dot skirt, and they've been on popular fashion's good side ever since. Disney characters have a way of defining certain styles don't they? (See: Ariel with purple and green (right, Gaby?), or Tinkerbell with the Pixie cut (she's the reason I had one). 

I have a personal love affair with Polka Dots mainly for the manner in which they serve up pattern mixing perfection in any scenario. These black and white shorts are a favorite of mine. They look adorable with so much, I have a hard time deciding what to pair with them sometimes.

Maybe a bold striped shirt for more pattern mixing fun times like this one. 
Floral like this would work too.
Dot on Dot is also a fun treat. These multi-colored dot platforms aren't for the feint of heart.
Or this vintage sheer shirt would be killer.

Style tip: When mixing dots, (or any patterns) it's best to vary in the size of the pattern in different pieces. Small dots? Big Stripes!

My favorite Polka Dot moment? Gwen Stefani's navy and white dress in the Don't Speak video. I've been looking for that damn dress since I was 14.
Do you Dot?
Any favorite Polka Dot fashion moments out there?

{Shirt: Vintage - For Sale Here}

{Clutch: Thrifted}

{Glasses: Husband's Vintage Ray Bans (Similar)}

{Shoes and Cuff: JCP}

{Shorts: F21 (soooo old, but here's cute ones)}

{Jacket: Buffalo Exchange (Similar)}

Sources for this post: here and here.

Real Talk: Parabens in Personal Lubricant

{via}

I had somewhat of a horrifying revelation recently. As you may or may not remember from this post, I have been hyper selective with my skincare products lately, purging all products containing parabens (alliteration all-star), and also purging products that are not cruelty free. In my crusade I forgot one most important product in regards to genitalia paraphernalia: personal lubricant. 

GASP! I know. That's why I'm calling this segment "Real Talk," y'all! I mean, if we're going to talk about cruelty free and organic skin care, we can't leave lube out. Some women use it for added fun, some use it out of necessity, some with a partner and some when they are having "me" time.

"It is the unsung hero of sensual accessories" said the girl at the adult novelty shop. 

(which is the only place you can physically go to have more than 1 or 2 choices of lubricant). Not only is lube regularly used by women, but it is directly absorbed into our bloodstream through a pretty damn special place...

our pita pockets.

I said pita pockets instead of vaginas to make everyone comfortable. We good? Alright moving on.

If you are unfamiliar with the paraben controversy here is a little over veiw:
-Parabens are used as preservatives, as they are anti-bacterial and anti-fungal.
-Parabens are used in beauty products, cosmetics, sunscreen, shaving cream, body wash etc.
-Parabens mimic estrogen and have been found in the tissue of cancerous breast tumors.
-Parabens are known hormone disrupters.
-Certain parabens can actually accelerate the aging process.
-All commercially used parabens are synthetically produced.

Of course it is a controversy, so there are groups (FDA...totally trustworthy) who think parabens are alright to use daily. If you are interested to learn more you can go here, and here 

Hormone disrupters? Mimic estrogen which causes cancer? Worst of all: ACCELERATED AGING!!!? (Not the worst. The cancer thing is the worst). I'm thinking we should probably avoid putting this stuff in our uteri. I figure if there are products out there that don't contain parabens, better safe than sorry, right?

So I conducted some serious scientific research (I googled it) to let you know you have more than 2 or 3 choices when it comes to the slippery stuff. (It doesn't so much feel that way if you're shopping for it at Target or Walgreens. KY has a monopoly on that shizz).

Water based lubricants: apparently these are great because they're easily washed off and they're sex toy compatible (look, I don't know what you're into, I'm just spittin' facts!), however they dry up faster. Silicone based lubricants stay slicker longer and cannot be absorbed by the body. Another plus? You can use them in water. In the hot tub! In the rain! (Again, I don't know what you're into).   However, they are more expensive and can stain sheets.

If you're sensitive, avoid any product with glycerin as it contains sugar and can cause yeast infections. Also, some women are irritated by silicone so it's good to test it out first.

Either way, both of these options are better than parabens in my opinion. For more info you can go to
http://www.hollisticwisdom.com, there's tons of info on this site, and lots of natural lubricant options here. 

And here's a link to a natural alternative specially made for women with sensitivities and allergies: http://www.sliquid.com/

Although, it may seem like a taboo topic, we need to educate ourselves on exactly what we're putting in our bodies. Do your research and find out what will work best for you! It feels so good to make an educated decision when acting as a consumer. For me personally, from food and beverage to beauty products and sexy fun times, the more organic the better.

Style Slip-Ups: Learning from Our Mistakes.

Besides how oddly shaped my skull is, what is the first thing you think when you look at this photo? Maybe it's, 

"Girl you a 'ho in dat see thru dress" 

or maybe it's, 

"A license plate clutch? What is this, 1994?"

If it's either of those things you're wrong. I'm not a 'ho, and the license plate clutch is CHEESY AND AMAZING. The answer I am looking for is: the shoes are wrong. However, I decided to go ahead and post this look so we could have a chat about how mistakes like this can be used for growth in the sartorial departments of our lives. 

After taking these photos almost a month ago, I hesitated posting them because I felt so strongly that I made the wrong choice as far as foot accessory. Leaving the house at the time I felt totally confident and even proud of my entire ensemble . Hellllooooo.. sheer secretary dress revealing hot pants underneath? The answer is almost always yes. However, after reviewing the photos I wondered how I could've chosen these dainty little wedges as opposed to a shoe that balances the look out more. (Maybe some sort of black boot?)

I decided to go ahead and post the look to make this very point: it's important to learn from our style slip-ups, and what better way to learn than from documenting and analyzing? What else am I getting from this (or any) style blog? 

A false sense of importance? Yes, most likely.

But really...with each outfit posted I discover something new, or become more brave, or learn to deal with the shame of looking like a complete and utter idiot in front of my millions of readers (sarcasm, a little self deprecation never hurt anyone). It's alright to look back and cringe not only at poor style choices you've made, but at any poor choice you've made.

(Unless the choice was clear bra straps with a tube top. In that case DON'T LOOK BACK. DON'T EVER LOOK BACK!!!!).

The silver lining is that we're learning and growing from our mistakes, and never shall we ever sport clear bra straps with a tube top again.  

Any style mishaps you've learned from? 

What shoes would you have rocked with this outfit?

{Dress: Vintage (Similar)}

{Jacket: Vintage (Similar Here)}

{Shoes: Red and Violet available here}

{Licence Plate Clutch: Gift}

{Belt: Grandmother's}

{Glasses: Cotton On (Similar Here)}