No Good at Goodbyes: The Sentiment Behind Cleaning Out Our Closets.

We are moving. I feel like that is all I have to say to instigate moans and groans from any person I'm speaking too. Yes. It's a huge pain in the ass, but there's always a silver lining. This time I'm focusing on how desperately I need to shed some preverbal skin when it comes to my wardrobe. This used to be a huge issue for me, as I apparently had some OCD/hoarder tendencies. 

"That rumpled up shirt has been hanging on the back of my desk chair for 6 months, and I've been having really good luck lately, so just don't fuck with it...okeeeeey?"

It might have not been that bad, but my closet was full of shirts with holes, dresses with stains that maybe I could hide with a another layer. Not to mention if a garment is not damaged at all, but just hasn't been worn in 3 years. I'm learning to get past it though.

Selling vintage has helped. It's thrilling to know that something you've provided to someone else is getting love. Something that was just sadly hanging around in a thrift store or in the back of a closet ... feeling lonely...worthless...all potential talent going to waste.

Okay so besides being OCD, I apparently give inanimate objects emotions. 

So now as I comb through every single piece of clothing I own, I ask myself if someone could put it to better use. If so, to Buffalo Exchange or to the Etsy store it goes. If it's damaged, well then it's only fair to make room for another piece. Give someone .... errrr .... something SOMETHING else a chance.

This dress is slightly too big, and although I LOVE the off-beat color and the low-v back ... I've got to sell it, so you can grab it at our Etsy store if you love it too!

 Shoes: Kenneth Cole (similar)

Dress: Vintage, Westminster and Fifth

Earrings: JCP (similar)

Asos Earrings · Topshop Earrings · Chie Mihara Flats

A Fishing Town with a Drinking Problem

 I'm pretty sure the tourist department of St. Augustine Florida needs to give me at least a couple thousand doallars. For real, I'm singing that tiny town's praises every chance I get. Proof here, here and here. What's not to love? Being the oldest city in the U.S. located near what happens to be one of the most beautiful beaches, it has everything.
Inner coastal salt water river with oyster beds, manatees, dolphins, and all together adorable "drinking town with a fishing problem" charm? Yes. Gorgeous Spanish architecture ? Si Señor! Historical (haunted? see orbs in photograph below..spooooooooky) downtown with one of the oldest cemeteries in the nation AND a haunted lighthouse? Ehhhh I'm not too into being scared shitless, but if you are...this is your place. Ponce de Leon's supposed Fountain of Youth? Who doesn't need one of those?

Pirate history! Sea turtles! Gorgeous Spanish Moss! HUGE thunderstorms!

And finally the most beautiful un-commercialized beach. That's right. No high rises, no Señor Frogs, no ass wangs trying to sell you stupid Rastafarian-style hats.

Everyday a tidal pool forms when the tide goes out. It can get about 3 feet deep or so, and becomes this sort of wading lagoon for people who aren't necessarily wanting to deal with the Atlantic waves. I did lots of wading there. And I didn't want to come home.

Vintage Dresses: The Stories in the Seams

Thankfully (or not so thankfully depending if you're judging by the dollars in my wallet) my mother and godmother taught me to appreciate fine things. I won't ever forget the first time they took me to a vintage clothing store. As we approached the shop, I smiled as I noticed the little cottage with kelly green wood detailing and a green front porch with a porch swing. Ahab Bowen was the name of the store, and it was once a Dallas go-to for vintage. Super reasonable prices and a well curated collection of pieces. It sadly closed down a few years ago.

As I looked through dress after dress I remember having the very simple, but very important realization:

"They don't make stuff like this any more"

What's more is I thought about how each dress came with a memory, and since we typically don't know the story of each piece ... we can make that memory up! Imagining for what purpose the previous owner bought or made a vintage dress is half the fun of buying vintage dresses, amiright?

Made to wear to her best friend's wedding. Bought specifically for her daughter's graduation party. She wanted to make her ex-boyfriend eat his pathetic heart out. She just felt like spoiling herself. It was obvs a Sandra D scenario, and she wanted to impress her bad boy crush. 

The possibilities are endless.

For me, this piece was a gift from my godmother to wear to a premier of one of Johnny's movies at the Tribeca Film Festival. There is not much more classy than black lace/mesh with a nude underlay. I only wear this dress on special occasions, but I plan on passing this bad boy down to my spawn, who I will hopefully teach to love well made clothes.

I was SUPER inspired to do this post for two reasons: 1. The Zogalis twins did this awesome hair and make-up for a ModCloth test I was lucky enough to be a part of. You may have seen pics if you follow me on Instagram.
2. IFB is featuring a few blog posts based on amazing vintage pieces soon. I figured with how much I love this stuff, I'd be a damn fool not to share my link!

Dress: Ahab Bowen

Shoes: Cole Haan

Hair and Makeup: Special thanks to ModCloth and the Zogalis twins. 

Venice Canals

Venice, Ca has some spooky weird history... Amusement park fires, underground tunnels ... rollerblading. Also amongst the weirdness: the Venice Canals. They were built by Abbot Kinney around 1905 to add to the glory of his genius idea, "Venice of America."

Dude wanted to literally recreate Venice, Italy ... but in So Cal. 

Like most things novelty, the canals were a tourist hot spot for a few years, but then cars happened, and everyone got really pumped about cars (not so much canoes) and forgot about the canals. Venice was annexed by Los Angeles and eventually turned into "the slum by the sea" and the canals basically became west nile-trash-heap-swamps. 

Then in the 90's they were renovated. ( I love the 90's). Now that Venice has become super-duper gentrified, houses on the canals are considered prime real estate. And the neighborhood has got to be one of the most charming spots in the U.S.. All the houses nestle up to sidewalks lining the canals, and there are little white bridges for crossing. Each house has a little doc and most of them, paddle boats. 

I should be a history teacher! 

Shorts: Vintage Calvin Klein (Similar)

Shirt: Vintage Gitman Bros for Nordstom: Available Here (sold out)

Necklace: Vintage (Also super rad)

Belt: Thrifted

Bag: Vintage Coach

Links a la Mode!

Gotta love IFB! Thanks to the crew over there for including me in this week's Links a la 

Mode! Rad bloggers, rad links. Click through and enjoy!

Free To Be Me
Today is a national holiday here, Independence Day. Common themes celebrated, among hot dogs and fireworks are notions of freedom.. but what does that freedom mean if not free to be ones self? This week we have a great array of posts that reflect the freedom to be as you are, whether it be wearing a crop top in your 40's , dissecting the shoes of women's right's hero Wendy Davis, or discussing the oft not discussed issue of the rise in plastic surgery for men. Of course we also have all the goodies you'd expect from a fashion roundup, so relax today and read these links!

Links à la Mode: The IFB Weekly Roundup

    
All Things Kate: Fashion Flashback: Christian Dior
    
Anything You Can Buy: Store Credit Cards: Savers or Enablers?
    
Attire Club: Discussions On Men’s Plastic Surgery 
    
DIY Doyenne: 12 Simple Ways to Build Engaged Blog Traffic
    
DressCode: HighFashion: The 10 Definite Mens Must Haves in Summer 2013
    
Fashion is Evolution: DIY Mui Mui-inspired glitter shoe video tutorial
    
Fashion Thrill: The Mystery of Chanel No. 5 
    
Fashstash: Like a Maharajah | Jeetinder Sandhu
    
I Can Style U: What Are Men Really Wearing This Summer?
    
Inspirations & Celebrations: Best Shorts For Your Body - Summer Style Guide
    
Lover of Clothes: The Other Side of Blogging
    
Not Dressed as a Lamb: How To Embrace The Crop Top Trend In Your Forties
    
Rose & Pine: Summer Skincare Tips & Summer Skin Essentials
    
Sobbing on Fifth: The Trend: Match Your Mani to Your Clutch
    
Sophisticated Lace: The Shoes of a Female Hero
    
Style Bizarre:3 Ways to Accessorize your Swimsuit
    
Style Convict: 4TH OF JULY STYLE GUIDE 
    
The Photogramps: How to Wear Tropical Print
    
Un Femme d'un Certian Age: Style Crushes: What They Can Teach Us
    
We Are Ready Made: TOO MUCH CONTROL?

 

SPONSOR: Shopbop: Elizabeth Cole, Fleur du Mal, Jay Ahr, J Mendel, шопбоп, Mugler,  Fjallraven,  Lead,  Tess Giberson, 30%, & 50% Sale

Dose of Doggy: Izzy the Pound Puppy

 Izzy's from tha' streets. My friend, Nicole found Izzy at the pound a few days ago. When Johnny and I were introduced to her we nearly cried! I LOVE it when a lost pup finds a good home, and her and Nicole are perfect companions! Yesterday Izzy starred in her first photo shoot. I'm sure there will be plenty more to come. 

So here's some cuteness to fuel your weekend. Hope everyone had a happy 4th!

A Little St. Augustine Get Away

What happens when a Golden Girl & a carton of Tropicana O.J. have a baby in a Boca Raton Retirement home?

Answer: This tropical 2 piece realness. 

Jonathan and I just returned from a relaxing get away in St. Augustine, Florida, which as you know if you follow along, is where we got married 2 years ago. I stumbled upon this little number in the first thrift store I stepped into for a whopping $3.50, along with many other goodies I'll be posting to the Etsy store today! 

Every time we go to St. Augustine we can't help but entertain the idea of dropping everything in our lives and just moving there. I could shoot weddings and portraits and sell vintage online, and Jonathan could paint (although it's a small town, St. Augustine has a booming art scene), get some part time job and we could gig out together (there's high demand for singer songwriters at the restaurants, cafes and bars there too). We wouldn't be rich, but we'd live near our favorite beach and live simply. 

But we always opt for plan B, which is get rich THEN buy a summer home on the beach. And alas! We materialize back in LA with all the other little fishies. 

Back to the grind. 

I know I'm not the only one with escapism fantasies like that. What are yours? 

Apparently this jumpsuit made me feel so sassy i did this pose. I guess the Golden Girl was Blanche. 

Sorry I'm not sorry. 

Alright, I'm a little sorry.

For real tho, what's this face?

I certainly look proud of myself. Pretty sure I've been making this face since I was 4. 

Tropical Realness: Thrifted (Similar)

Bag: Dooney and Bourke

Shoes: c/o Charlotte Russe

The Ugly Truth Behind Gingham: A Picnic In My Pants

Does anyone else get creeped out by gingham? It seems to have a permanence in the realm of fabric that will forever recollect thoughts of a certain facet of Americana vintage. The same way patchwork recollects American prairie life, or blue and white stripes, that lovely sailing/Kennedy/holiday in the Hamptons/nautical vintage vibe.

But gingham is different than those other well-known patterns. It conjures up a A 1950's American splendor flavor, to be more specific. Gingham is known for picnicking. Picnicking!

I will never forget the scene in Madmen where the Drapers, on a happy little road trip, stop to have a picnic in a meadow! Don (an alcoholic who is having extra marital affairs) looks at Betty (who will later in the episode vomit in her own lap) lovingly while their children Sally (who will soon be forced to visit with a child psychologist) and Bobby (there's not much goin' on with Bobby) play. After lunch they hop back in their brand new Cadillac and go on their merry way...leaving all their garbage to blow in the wind.  Ya know, a regular 1950's picturesque picnic!!! 

So that is what's creepy about gingham. A fabric used for picnicking, which is an act that represents sheer relaxation and happiness, becoming popularized in the height of a time where people were desperate to hide any sort of disfunction of ugliness. 

My life's a picnic....I SWEAR!

Now, thanks to the Oscar de la Renta 2013 resort collection, gingham is back and people are paying a pretty penny to participate in the happy little trend! Trendiness is not, however, why I purchased these shorts. I bought them for 2 reasons.

First, They are totally 90's GAP, a line of clothes which carry their own sort of nostalgic Bush era, 90's prep creepiness (in a good way) vibe. And secondly, so I could say, "there's a picnic in my pants, and you're invited."

What patterns do you love and why? Is it purely aesthetic, or do you get into the symbolism of it all?

Bed Stu Boots · Urban Decay Lip Stain · Kule Button Front Tops
Shorts: Thrifted GAP
Boots: Vintage, Dolly Python
Silk Shirt: Thrifted
Necklace: Stolen (woops) from my mom
 Hat: Thrifted