FASHION OF LIFE (PART 3)

photos by Tom b.

dress: thrifted Ann Taylor
top: 1920s net blouse
shoes: 1930s oxfords
belt & purse: vintage


Spring is finally, finally in the air. It seems like over night the forsythia started to bloom and the cherry trees aren't far behind. I just hope it lasts. The weekend was a bit rainy and windy but I didn't mind. On Saturday afternoon I went to a card-making workshop and it was such a good time! I haven't had that much fun with scissors and paper since I was a little girl. I ended up with three lovely spring-themed cards to take home with me. Now I just have to decide who to send them to. They're almost too pretty to part with. Renee, who taught the workshop, also has an Etsy shop - 

 P.S. I get lots of requests for larger sizes. Please note that several of these pieces are larger than the usual XS - S size. They're just pinned to show the proper fit. Thanks so much for stoppin' by!

 

I just finished watching Fried Green Tomatoes for the umpteenth time (I think I have a weak spot for stories set in Alabama). For some reason I can’t find any decent still shots from the movie online which is a shame because it showcases just the kind of simple cotton frocks I’m so in love with right now. Am I missing the secret Fried Green Tomatoes website or something?

I wish more of those pretty dresses had managed to weather the years but it seems that most of them have just disintegrated. And when I do find one, it tends to be well above my budget. Such is the case for Dorothea's Closet. It's packed full of just the type of dresses I wish were packing my closet. Unfortunately they're well out of my budget, but it doesn't hurt to look, right?

 

Vintage shopping over the past couple of weeks has turned up some real treasures. Unfortunately (for me) none of them are in my size so fortunately (for you) they'll all be going into the store in the next couple of weeks. I've sort of put a self-imposed ban on all things polyester in my closet and have been on the look out for great pieces in natural fibers. I finally ran across a stash of cotton day dresses and a pretty floral pin-tucked blouse in the softest of cottons but like I said, not my size.

I've also been on the hunt for the perfect sailor blouse. I'm not the biggest fan of sailor dresses (on me) because they just come off as too juvenile although I think they're adorable on other girls. So I figured a sailor blouse would be the perfect alternative since I could pair it with a more grown up skirt. Figures I would run across the perfect one this week (in a poly-blend but I think I could make an exception). Of course, it's not my size either.

 Before discovering the collection I’d never seen photos from that era that exhibited such vivid colors. I couldn’t help but wonder exactly how the photos came to be and who the photographers were behind the images.

The Farm Security Administration (FSA) was a New Deal program designed to assist poor farmers during the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. The photographs of the FSA Photograph Collection form an extensive pictorial record of American life between 1935 and 1944. Among the photographers assigned to the project were four women: Dorothea Lange, Marion Post Wolcott, Esther Bubley and Marjory Collins.

Dorothea Lange: She is probably the most well known of the group, and is responsible for one of the most well known images of the Great Depression, “Migrant Mother”.



Marion Post Wolcott: She began studying photography during her time in Vienna where she witnessed first hand the rise of the Nazi party.



Esther Bubley: In 1954 she became the first woman to win first place in the international division of a contest sponsored by Photography magazine. She received a trophy depicting a male photographer.



Marjory Collins: She was involved with the Civil Rights movement in the US and founded an independent feminist publication.


 I'm still in the process of cleaning out my closet which includes a lot of non-vintage goodies. I'll be putting lots of it up on Ebay in the coming week. So far I've got these two pieces listed...

top: 50's rayon blouse
skirt: 50's vintage (altered by me)
shoes & purse: vintage

After the excitement of going to my first auction on Saturday all I wanted to do was stay home and veg on Sunday. It's a good thing too because the afternoon brought in some big Southern-style thunderstorms complete with hail and tornado warnings. I think that's sort of rare around these parts but it made me feel quite at home. Tom and I stood in the window of our place and watched the crazy cloud formations and listened to the hail pounding on the metal roof. At one point it was so loud we couldn't even hear one another talking!

 There's a major spring cleaning in the works over here. I'm cleanin' out the closet! All of these pieces are now in the Etsy boutique and there's lots more on the way...


 

photos by Tom b.


dress: vintage
tights: AA
shoes: Seychelles
purse: vintage
*listening to: Radiohead In Rainbows "Jigsaw Falling Into Place"

Tuesday afternoon Tom and I went to the local college to attend a lecture with Christo and Jeanne-Claude. I've never been lucky enough to witness one of their creations in person. Did anyone get to walk through the gates in Central Park? The lecture plans were a bit last minute for us and I wasn't really sure what to expect. I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised and very entertained. I was afraid it might be dry and boring with the artist prattling on about themselves and their work. Instead we were treated to an hour of the two of them joking and teasing one another, acting every bit the old married couple that they are, during a side slow presenting a new project they're working on - wrapping a river!

 For me, my birthday has always been a great harbinger of spring. Falling just a couple of days after the official start of the season it brings with it red breasted robins, daffodils and dogwoods, sunny blue skies and afternoon rain showers. Well, not so much this year. I’m still adjusting to living in the northeast and the idea that spring doesn’t really begin just because the calendar says so. I’m still waking up to temperatures with wind chills in the teens. Ugh.

Well, regardless of spring’s stubbornness to show its face, I’m still thinking about spring things like pretty sundresses and strappy sandals. I don’t usually torture myself by looking at things online that I know I could never afford but I thought it might be fun to go on a little fantasy shopping trip. You know, make an outfit that would be my ultimate spring wear if only I could muster the doll hairs to afford it. The only problem is, as I began collecting pictures of things I liked this little project grew into two outfits, then three, four, five, six! Apparently there’s a lot of good stuff out there I never really bother to look at. ;) So… if I hit the jackpot tomorrow there’s a good chance that all of these would be hanging in my closet by the end of the week.


1. Marc by Marc Jacobs top, Luella skirt, Chie Mihara shoes, Linda Farrow sunglasses 2. APC dress, Chloe bag, Anthropologie shoes 3. See by Chloe dress, Marc Jacobs hat, Anthropologie shoes

4. Lover dress, Mui Mui headband, Topshop shoes 5. Steven Alan dress, Rayban sunglasses, Topshop shoes, vintage Gladstone bag 6. APC dress, Lover hat, Topshop shoes
 First of all, thank you so much for all of the birthday wishes yesterday. I'm still rackin' my brain, trying to figure out how you all knew! It was a very good birthday as far as birthdays go. I spent the day eating homemade carrot cake, wandering around the thrift store, having lunch downtown with my boyfriend, getting a massage and just generally taking it easy. A perfect day really.

And to top off my perfect day, I received the most perfect gift. My mother (hi Mom!) sent me my great-grandmother's silk flapper dress. It's the most beautiful dress, made even more special since it's truly a family heirloom. I love all the little details - the delicate pleats across the skirt, the handsewn snaps on the shoulders, the pretty lace collar. It's much too delicate to wear (I think I might try to put it on just once to take a photo) but it will look so nice just hanging on the wall where I can gaze at it every day.
 

 I'm adding these pieces to Etsy tonight and an Ebay update is in the works for tomorrow. Thanks for stoppin' by! Love ya! - SJ

 

dress: Urban Outfitters
tights: AA
shoes: 30's oxfords
hat & purse: vintage


It was one of those days where it was just warm enough to have either bare arms or bare legs, but not both. Of course I've been dying to get out of my tights but even more so I've been dying to wear this dress. I reminds me a lot of the pieces from the Lover collection that I'm so fond of. I'm still looking for a Lover-like straw boater hat to no avail. Anyone have any luck with that?

 I'm also working on a big update for the Ebay store this weekend. Loads of sundresses and summer sandals. Thanks so much for stopping by! Back to work...


Today I'm out of my mind busy trying to get ready to post new Ebay auctions and Etsy items. Whew! I had a whole post planned out about the rainy season and how I'm always on the hunt for pretty vintage umbrellas but my brain has slowly turned to mush and I'm having a hard time writing anything that makes sense. Suffice to say, I like vintage umbrellas. I really want one that gets all pointy on top (like Francesca's in the photo). I'm sure there's a technical umbrella term for that but I don't know what it is. Rather than ramble on about it, enjoy these photos of some of my favorite Flickr girls showing off their lovely vintage umbrellas.


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