Pinup, vintage fashion, vintage home, Jane Austen's Emma, and Miracles from Molecules!
I celebrated Independence day with some great new American-made accessories by Jean Peplinski at Planet Pinup!
Her pinup-inspired fabric hairflowers, hairscarves, 1940s-style snoods, bows, fascinators, and other fashionable frills are beautiful, filled with personality, and totally original!
Back in November I posted about pants. I’m happy to report that the long Laura Byrnes High-Waisted Trousers in black fit as well as the cropped version I love!
They hit just below the ankle, which is a good length for cigarette-style pants. The high front waistband totally controls my loose midriff skin and the stitched front leg creases keep the pants looking crisp and fresh.
Here, I paired them with my Laura Byrnes Joanie top and ReMix slides. The result is very Kim Novak circa Bell, Book & Candle with a dash of cowl neckline from an original series Star Trek skant.
Those who want in the high-waisted trousers in other colors (they come in red and a rich royal blue, too) should know that the blue version runs a bit leaner than the black. Size accordingly!
For the record, I’m 5’8″ tall with about a 34″ inseam.
I purchased the 2x size for my 32/33″ waist and 48″ hips.
Most of you probably know that I’ve lost around 150 pounds over the last several years. I’ve battled with crappy body image for much of my life, and medically influenced massive weight gain in my mid-twenties certainly didn’t help. My goal has never been to get “skinny” or hit some sort of arbitrary weight goal. I’m happy just to feel comfortable with my body again, and the photo shoots in which I’ve participated this year have definitely helped with that. My most recent shoot happened this September at a custom car shop in Sacramento, with the superlative photographer Holly West. Continue reading “Outfits of the Year: Pinup fun with Holly West, Deadly Dames, and new friends!”
People tend to create longstanding relationships with the clothing brands that fit their bodies and their lifestyles the best. Two of my most meaningful fashion relationships have developed with New Orleans-based, vintage-inspired Trashy Diva and Los Angeles’ Pinup Girl Clothing. This holiday season, in true fangirl fashion, I’ll be wearing pieces by both Trashy Diva and PUG! Continue reading “Holiday Fashion: Lilian and Monica”
Lately, a lot of my friends have been talking about pants. For me and for many others, pants are a touchy subject. My crazy waist-to-hip ratio makes it hard for me to find pants that fit comfortably and attractively. As I’m roughly 42-32/3-48″, a pair that fits in the hip is almost always too big in the waist. Sometimes, pants are fine in the thighs and WAY too baggy in the knees/calves. Continue reading “The wonderful world of PANTS: Part Un”
But wait! There’s more! Edited on Wednesday, November 21 to add more sales!
For those who love clothing, shopping on the internet, and epic sales, Thanksgiving week is your dream come true! Here’s a smattering of online retailers offering excellent sales on plus and retro styles this week:
‘Tis the season for spooky festivities! While some current Halloween traditions have roots that stretch back to antiquity, our contemporary children’s holiday activities – like parties, games, costume parades, and even trick-or-treating – were actually devised in the 20th century as ways to keep kids from partaking in the destructive and dangerous pranks that plagued the season in the 1920s and 1930s.
The following Halloween party ideas come from a wonderful Halloween Program Kit distributed by the Cooperative Recreation Service in Delaware, OH, in the 1930s. My copy is stamped as the property of the Fresno, CA, Works Progress Administration. The kit – marked #28 in the series, revised – was edited by Lynn & Katherine Rorhbough. Continue reading “A 1930s Halloween”
I know I beat you guys over the head with my cardigans all the time, but having just acquired a new one, I thought it might be handy to remind everybody what a super accessory a vintage cardigan can be!
Not only are they practical – they tend to be well-made, warm, and competitively priced (beaded vintage is almost always a better deal than the contemporary alternative, for example) – they’re adorable! My latest is a pink wool, Angora, and nylon blend from Hong Kong. It’s lined and profusely beaded, which makes it perfect for work or a fancyish event of some sort. Continue reading “Seasonal Fashion: Fuzzy vintage sweaters, perfect for fall!”