Hustlin'

I'm back, and with me my totally natural poses I know you missed so much. Sorry I've been so off the radar. I miss you, I do. It's just that life lately can best be described using the genius lyrical stylings of Rick Ross: E'ry day I'm hustlin'. 

Since the move Jonathan and I have found ourselves pretty damn happy. Ready to bite off more than we can chew. Prepared for what the universe has in store for us. We gotta make dat money tho, so I've been SUPER preoccupied pouring myself into practices that allow me to bring home the bacon. Obsessing over my photography website, creating a pet photography website, making facebook pages for said services, shooting my face off, printing business cards, basically being a fucking business woman, don't make a big deal about it. Check it out the site here if you'd like! 

I've also had some luck selling vintage goodies on our Etsy store. This, I've found, at least pays for our thrifting addiction. 

I'm finding myself drawn towards feminine pieces lately. Without fail I come home from a thrift store or a pile sale, and I take out my goodies only to realize I've purchased 8 floral dresses. Like the one I'm wearing here. I think somehow watching Fried Green Tomatoes as a young girl permanently affected my taste in clothing. It also affected my feelings towards Kathy Bates. Which are positive ones. 

TOWANDA!!!

Dress: For Sale Photogramps Vintage

Sweater: 90s Anne Taylor (similar)

Shoes: Vintage Cole Haan

Most Popular

When I busted out these platform Superga sneakers for the first time, my friend Rynn said she hated them. They reminded her of the shoes popular girls wore in middle school. Then I thought about it...well I'll be damned if these aren't basically the same shoes Hayley Duff wore when she portrayed black top bully, Summer Wheatley in Napolean Dynamite! (The wardrobe styling in that movie is amazing and incredibly on point). Although the whole "popular girl shoes" thing is a hilarious perk, it's not the reason I purchased them...which is more along the lines of a $14 impulse buy at Ross Dress for Less. 

Rynn's comment did get me thinking about the fashion fads of popular girls in middle school though. I remember arm cuffs having a moment. Adidas shell toes and those hideously thick Doc Martin sandals were definitely a thing. All things GAP and chokers too. Also, for some reason hoards of them would  dress as babies for halloween (was that just at my school?)...pajamas, giant bottles, pacifiers, and somehow body glitter slipped into the whole equation...?

I always thought if you're going to wear pajamas for Halloween whhhhy the F would you go as ANYTHING besides T.L.C. a la the Creep video? (I've got dibs on Left Eye).

I cannot complete this post without mentioning the Dolly Parton belt. It's bold, but I wear it with pride...particularly in LA. No shame. Next to a few diamond rings, it's pretty much the best thing my grandmother (may she rest in peace) ever gave to me. Nana was into glamourous/gaudy accessories.

Jeans: Urban Outfitters (Similar), Belt: Gifted, Shoes: Superga, Bracelet: Thrifted 

Shirt: Thrifted, Sunglasses: Similar

Fights, Faux Pas, Food and Fashion

After an emotional day, it's easy to throw on a pair of boyfriend jeans, but let's face it: Denim is the mashed potatoes of fashion. A go-to? Absolutely. But like mashed taters, jeans are obvious, lack elegance and you can pretty much pair them with anything. Sometimes after a rough day you just need to feel....pretty. 

The day these photos were taken Jonathan and I had a fight. Not just a little tiff, but a full on, don't talk for hours misunderstanding. I'm aware it is a faux pas to discuss personal matters on the world wide webs (personal matters that have any sort of negative connotation anyway, because after all we are all leading picturesque drama-free lives) People come here to escape, and it could be considered classless to air your dirty laundry on the internet. Which is why I won't go into any detail except to share these two things: 1. The happy ending (not that kind, you pervs!) 2. My style revelation.

Thankfully after 7 years together, we've figured out when to walk away and when to come back level headed and discuss rationally, egos aside, what the ef is going on. Truths get told, vulnerabilities are revealed and what's left is a simple fact: we love each other endlessly through it all. We are our number 1 priority, and each of us would not be who we are without the other. There is nothing more satisfying than coming to this place after a disagreement with someone you love. It's peaceful and safe.

You and/or they were being a dick/were scared/were insecure/were being selfish/or what-have-you, and you still love each other. In fact you love each other more, because between the two of you, you've created enough trust to share your fears and show even the weakest sides of yourselves.

After our resolution, we went for a walk in the park and then had an impromptu date night. I wanted to feel pretty...fast. Denim wasn't going to cut it, but I was in no mood for a fuss. I immediately went for this dress. I love the simple things in fashion that are just so elegant and comfortable. In them, you feel amazing just sitting on a porch barefoot or they can be thrown on with a messy pony tail and a few accessories and BOOM! Instant classic beauty vibe a la Grace Kelly.

Colorful vintage dresses, kaftans, pearls, a swipe of red lipstick...these things are to fashion what a great pasta dish is to cooking. It's not just comfort that counts with a great cotton vintage dress, although it is always there. Like pasta, with these things there is always an opportunity for complexity, but they maintain their simplicity, their comfort and their inevitable elegance. 

What easy, elegant pieces do you have in your closet?

 

Smashbox Lipstick · Bebe Sandals · Dorothy Perkins Clutches

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 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

90s Trends: The Good, The Bad, and The Rachel

 We must now discuss how exciting it is that 90's clothes are considered vintage. For me, it is the first decade that has made a come back in fashion that I actually experienced in the first place. It's an exciting feeling. However, because I was mostly in elementary and middle school in the 90's, my style consisted of stirrup tight pants, lisa frank, sweat shirts with puff paint, ad nauseum (jk, don't ad nauseam. Nothing about that list makes me nauseous. It's all amazing). I will also say with pride that I diiiiid get into the grungier stuff in middle school...overalls, flannel, converse etc.

It's an amazing thing to watch an era make a comeback like that. Now, according to Urban Outfitters it's cool to wear t-shirts featuring wolves howling at the moon and/or horses galloping into a sunset. (if you found a shirt featuring both...well, holy moly,  you could probably sell it at a vintage store for $50).

If I'm remembering correctly, only super nerds wore that shit in the 90's. There was always a girl that wore a horse shirt everyday of the week, and sadly she didn't have very many friends. Here's the thing though, wolves howling at the moon ARE really cool. Same with the horses galloping. I mean....have you ever seen wild horses.......galloping? No? Me neither, but I fucking wish I could say I have.

So maybe those nerds sporting the wildlife tee's in the 90's were actually cooler than the rest of us. They knew wildlife was legit enough to wear on a t-shirt and they didn't care who else thought so. Everyone else is just now catching on.

Wildlife t's aren't really my thing now-a-days. That was just an observational rant. However, the 90's trends that made a come back which most excite me are as following:

-Denim vests
-Little Floral Dresses
-Dr. Martin Boots
-Joseph Gordon Levitt
-High-waisted Denim
-Friendship Bracelets
-Heroin Chic
-T Shirts with Thug Versions of our favorite Looney Tunes (oh shit, is that just me?)
-Crop Tops
-90's style Ralph Lauren

And 90's trends that kinda gross me out that may or may not have made a come back:
-Sketchers
-Puka Shell Necklaces
-Dr. Martin Sandals
-Baby G Watches
-The Caesar Cut. ---- THE WORST
-The Spiky Hair Bun
-Brown Lip Stick
-Jncos
-Electronic Dance Music

90's trends I still can't decide on:
-Mandarin print

How 'bout you guys? What are your favorite and least favorite 90's trends?

{Black Hat: Gifted (similar here)}{Levi's Denim Vest: Thrifted Vintage (here's one!)}

{Knit Crop Cardigan: Vintage}{Wedge Booties: Urban Outfitters (old)}

Give Pleats a Chance: In Defense of Pleated Pants

 Guys, I really just can't get enough high-waisted pleated pants in my life. They remind me of Meg Ryan in her pre-plastic-surgery-disaster-rom-com days. (French Kiss = one of my favorite movies). I know there are a lot of pleat haters out there (non-pleat-lievers....yikes, that was a reach), and I get it. Maybe you think they highlight your fupa, or maybe you don't like the way they poof up when you sit down. And I won't argue that pleats don't do either of those things, but I will say give pleats a chance.

I feel like so many people just have this blind hatred towards pleats. Like ANYTHING featuring the folds of cloth will make them shoot laser beams made of death daggers out of their eyes and mouths. Why so much distain for the things? Was it universally decided that nothing can make you look like a Goodyear Blimp more than pleats? Everybody just needs to caaaalm down.

If pleats are anything they are quirky. And I love a small (or big) touch of quirk in every look.

Take this outfit for example if these pants weren't pleated it wouldn't be near as charming. They add to the nostalgia and billow-y-ness of it all, but still keep it looking tailored. They also act as a sort of horizontal mirror for the pleats on the shirt.

Speaking of it, I found this amazing silk shirt with a pleated bib at a thrift store, and decided to get all soft and springy with these pants and vintage "sleep over" bag I used as a clutch.

{Pants: Thrifted Anne Taylor (similar)}{Shirt: Vintage}{Earrings: Dolly Python}

{Bag: Vintage}{Shoes: Nina (similar)}

How to Wear A MuuMuu/Kaftan (and look like a baller)

(Note: It is not baller to let your white ankle sock show, I know).

 A muumuu, a kaftan... call it what you will. The point is: no one will know whether or not you're wearing underpants. We've seen similar garments on the runway and in the Walmart, (If your from a small town you call it THE Walmart) and if you're like me you have fantasized about wearing this pajama-like garment in public and doing it with PAZAZZ. The question that begs to be answered is, how do you style a muumuu?

I'm sure many people are appalled at the thought of wearing what is normally considered to be house lounging clothing in public. I however, am a big fan of this look for several reasons.
 A. I already mentioned the underpants thing.
 B. It's a breath of fresh air to any wardrobe and social situation
 C. The cat lady/eccentric weirdo implications.
 D. Comfort factor is turned up to 11.

Things to keep in mind when rockin' this roomy garment HARD:

- Attaining a muumuu and/or Kaftan is relatively simple. As I've mentioned before in this post, you 

  can find one Ross Dress for Less, or in this case with less, ya know,  since you won't be
  wearing underpants. 

  Go Here, here and here for other rad Kaftans/Muumuus.

- Avoid the silkier materials if you're going for a wallet friendly muumuu. Cheap silky materials tend

  to look tacky particularly when they are adorned with bold patterns. 

- Rounded toe ballet flats are too easy with a look like this. If you want to wear a shoe you 

  can slip on, consider something with more of a pointed toe

- As far as footwear, a minimal sandal would work or booties like these 

- Biker jackets add edge for a less beachy more urban vibe.

- You could always go super 70's with a scarf or turban on your noggin and radical curls.

- In the summer time, don't be scared of a giant hat. Especially if you're close to a beach! 

- A bold lip color will remind people that you are aware you are not in your pajamas. 
  I'm wearing Elf lip stain. Elf is super cheap and cruelty-free. 

- I would avoid anything too overly beaded. You might teeter on the edge of costume-y. Wear

  a geometric metal cuff, or a metal neck like this. 

  

And then there's this one:

{Vegan Leather Jacket: Buffalo Exchange (similar)}{Hat: Vintage}{MuuMuu: Vintage}

{Boots: Vince Camuto}{Lips: Elf}

Polka Dot Palazzo Pants

 Oh my word, y'all. This month has been crazy busy. The weather is starting to get beautiful and my loved ones from Texas are flocking to LA. Not complaining, because my house has been full of best friends and siblings and my sweet parents HOWEVER when getting dressed all I have time to do is throw on something with an elastic waist. (This is the time where I would pull my elastic waist band away from my belly with my thumb, give you a wink and snap it back).

Enter polka dot pocketed palazzo paaaaaants! (I win at alliteration).
P pants (what I'm calling palazzo pants from here on out in this post, for your pleasure) are one of the most hilarious pieces of clothing to me. Mostly because people think you're wearing a skirt, and then when you do a deep lunge everyone is happily surprised at the P Pant cuteness.  (Kinda like a skort. Skorts are hilarious to me too, but I don't do deep lunges in them). P pants also happen be one of the most comfortable pieces of clothing. All the freedom of a skirt, but you can can do high kicks.

I kept the rest of the outfit easy as well. The sweater shirt is one of my favorites (it kinda has the same affect on the girls as the one in this post) I'm quite sure I have never seen another vintage piece quite that color green. The three watches are a go-to when I'm accessorizing, and don't have time to think. And finally, the neutral brogues...if you don't have a pair, you should getcha some. They go with EVERYTHING in the summer and spring. Seriously. I'm trying to think of what they don't go with and I can't.

{Shoes: Gifted Kenneth Cole  (similar and not as expensive here) 

(and these in brown and white for a no lace version...adorable!!)}{Panama Hat: Thrifted (similar)}

{P Pants: Thrifted (I found these on ASOS they aren't capris but they are polka dotted and super cute!}

{Shirt, Belt, Watches and Bag: Thrifted}