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?

 

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