"I Love My Scarf"

Ever wondered how Parisians find endless ways to wear a scarf? Hermes is certainly in the 'too expensive for me, or my dogs, to ever have category,' but "I Love My Scarf" has tons of inspiration.

Check it, and drool.

Catchy Catchalls

I have been doing a lot of getting ready to get organized lately. That means buying things like a new desk, an extra dresser, and adorable little vessels to toss odds and ends in.

I am still working on finding furniture, but these are a few catchalls that I have picked up recently. My favorite is the honeycombed ceramic bee dish. Does it really get any more precious than that?

Um, no, and eventually I will get around to the actual organization part.

Casual Friday

Wore cut-offs with this cut-out blouse to work today. Cut-offs FTW!

Symbol of Modern Living

Here is some real deal vintage porn for you- a Pyrex ad from the December 1959 issue of Ladies Home Journal. My husband came across this gem in our basement stash of old magazines.

We would drink way more coffee at home if I could serve it up in the fabulous "Kaffee Klatch Set," but perhaps my favorite part of the ad is their slogan, "a symbol of modern living."

Oh, and yes, my man was reading a vintage LHJ, hot.

Dreamy

Louise and Ewa.

Etsy Has Me All Sorts of Busy

After a long holiday weekend of photo taking and editing, my Etsy shop is finally up and running! Measuring, penning descriptions, and trying to speed up the process of listing my items has kept me busy all week. So busy, I think a measuring tape draped around my neck is my new, most-worn accessory.

I will be adding more dresses, tops, skirts, shoes and handbags over the weekend, and in the coming weeks, but these are a few of my favorites so far.

My next few updates will be themed- expect Fabulous Florals, Stripes and Dots, and Bold Prints.

Love me, bookmark me, whatever. All sales must be done through Etsy, but I will waive shipping costs for locals, just let me know what you love!

Print Picks

Just a little Etsy tease from the many, many beautiful things I photographed today.

Ethnic-Print Dress

Thankfully the maker of this a-lined ethnic-print dress decided to keep the cut simple when creating something with this fabulous, fabulous, fabric. Although I am certainly wrong on one, this print feels both Native American and African to me.

I dressed with the Native American side in mind, pairing it with a fringed leather handbag, wooden-heeled peep-toe wedges, and turquoise-colored hovering bead earrings.

100% thrifted, 100% vintage.

Photo Progress At Last

I stumbled upon my dress form over a month ago now, and have since been struggling to take decent photos. The (lack of) lighting and oddly colored walls in our house are just really unsuitable for this task.

A super generous coworker let me borrow a couple back drops and professional lighting for the weekend, and it seems to be doing the trick. Here is our dining room turned photo studio, and one sweet floral and swiss dot dress that had its big photo op today.

Go-To Summer Dress: Chambray Comfort

It has been a really hot summer, already, and this dress keeps getting pulled out of the closet to help me through the worst days.

Why do I love it? Besides being as comfortable as a housedress, well, because it is a housedress, I was sold by the super-soft chambray, giant pockets, and pleated seams. And, with a belt thrown on, I feel comfortable wearing this housedress out of those house.

The Evil Temptress That is Anthropologie

Anthropologie is one of the few 'new stuff' stores with the ability to make me feel all consumerist. Their often vintage inspired, always over-the-top beautiful, clothes and housewares bring out every bit of giddy girl in me. The store is perfectly arranged, smells lovely, and really is just a big 'oh' and 'ah' fest.

It's always the dresses that get me wishing that I could temporarily ignore my thrifty nature (and low bank balance).

On a shopping trip last night with my dear lady-friend, Megan, I tried on the Chromatic Canvas Shirtdress. This ultra-flattering, brightly colored painterly-striped frock looked perfect with the vintage nude sling-back wedges I happened to be wearing. So perfect, it makes me want to restyle this model, and leaves me wondering, why is she not wearing the thin black belt that comes with this beauty? At least on me, I liked the added definition at the waist, giving the dress a more vintage-feeling fit.

I did not see the other dress, Primula, that caused me a bit of keyboard drool, in the store. Probably a good thing because I am not sure if my power to say no could stand up to that darling print and peek-a-boo lace.

Once again, I will resist temptation, yet take the inspiration. Which this time means keeping my eyes peeled for a shirtdress of the brighter, funner, and saucier variety than those already residing in my closet.

Stuck a Feather In My Hat

Fort Wayne's Coney Island

I spent this weekend in Fort Wayne, my hometown, visiting with family. Every trip there, I plot to sneak away from everyone to enjoy some of the Fort Wayne that I miss. Mainly, my old favorite thrift stores. Like almost every trip, my plot was scrapped in order to squeeze in as much time as possible with my loved ones that I do not see nearly enough of.

I suppose I should be thankful that I enjoy hanging out with my family enough to pass up thrifting.

I did have the pleasure of visiting a Fort Wayne landmark this time around- Fort Wayne's Famous Coney Island. The little diner-style hot dog dive has been in business since 1914, and nothing on the short menu costs more than $2.50 (a hamburger). As their name suggests, the place is famous for their coneys- a thin dog on a steamed bun topped with Cincinnati style chili, chopped onions, and a line of yellow mustard.

This is the type of place where customers use the back entrance and are allowed to walk through the kitchen to get to the dining room. After descending a few wooden stairs, the path takes you past giant pots of chili simmering on the stove with handmade signs warning, "HOT!"

Although I am sure I ate at Coney Island several times during my childhood in Fort Wayne, the time that sticks out in my memory is a late night visit with my dad in my pre-vegetarian days. We sat near the front and made up stories about the large table of large men in the back and their adventures in the Russian Mafia. Perhaps I was his designated driver that night...

Point is, this is one of those places that could not be anywhere else. It feels exactly like Fort Wayne, and full of people who appreciate the connection to a place and tradition, even if it happens to be something as seemingly simple as a hot dog joint.

I certainly did appreciate it today.

Recall my recent complaining about rarely finding vintage shows in my size?

Once again, persistence and patience in thrifting was rewarded- today I scored two pairs of sandals that are big enough for my hooves.

I have a feeling you will be seeing a lot of these in a special project I have planned for my blog starting on the quickly approaching first day of summer. That's right, a plan. Get excited.

To Denim or Not to Denim

So we have all noticed that denim, and lots of it, is all sorts of in this season, right? I am thinking this '80s Jordache vest would add just the right amount over an ultra feminine white or floral dress.

This is in my 'to be sold' pile, but I may have to give it a whirl first.

The Dog Ate My...

What do you get when you add that handsome pup of mine and a beautiful Mid-Century sofa?

Bad things, very bad things. So bad I will spare you from having to witness the horror.

Last week we said goodbye to our sofa which was upholstered in this ornate Oriental print. Our dog Barley has a bit of a chewing problem. Over the years he has chewed on more things that I can, or wish, to list, but this was certainly the worst incident. We had not paid much for it, but it was still terrible seeing such a great piece of vintage furniture destroyed.

It was not so terrible that I entertained the idea of tossing Barley out with its shredded remains, or the remains of any of his prior victims. No matter how shitty of a beast he can be, I have long accepted that cool stuff comes and goes, but he is a part of our household until the end.

And yes, we have tried to crate him. Maybe due to his shelter dog past or whatever landed him in the clink in the first place, he hated it, and honestly, I might have hated it more.

I am a softy, but hey, this dog has issues, and how mad can you really be at that sweet wrinkly face and those big brown eyes?

Another Etsy Preview

There is one plus to being a clotheshorse with inadequate closet space- discovering forgotten treasures in dark closet corners.

I guess our basement has some dark corners too.

I noticed the bright green strap of this handbag poking out of a box while changing the furnace filter this morning. Although I thought I had found everything worth a damn during the recent task of going through my basement stash, here was another box of vintage ready for a new home.

The bright green Kelly Bag is a mint condition Mam'selle with the original mirror. The beaded bag with tiny embroidered flowers is made by Lumured. Both of these summer-friendly handbags will be included in my first batch up for sale.

First Rule of Wearing Vintage

Never leave home without them.

Ruby Slipper Nails

I end up sticking with one polish for my fingers and toes for pretty much the entire summer, every summer. This is another of my thrifty lady moves; I find one perfect color, and use almost every drop of the bottle during the season.

Last summer it was Cover Girl's Coral Rose. This summer it is Revlon's Frankly Scarlet.

Due to the often wishy-washy coverage of shimmers, I typically prefer cremes, but Frankly Scarlet goes on as a true, deep red with just the right amount of gold fleck.

It is like ruby slippers for the nails. Love.

Woodruff Flea

Thanks to getting up ridiculously early this morning I managed to hit all three Drives at the annual Woodruff Place Flea Market before the rain started. Here is a brief recap:

East Drive: A fellow with some great architectural antiques like doorknobs, light fixtures and such is in the 900 block. He also had some excellent news, a marketplace for antiques of all sorts will be opening the first of July on 16th Street at the Monon.

Middle Drive: A fellow with several purchase-worthy lamps is set up on the 800 block. I am kicking myself in the ass for not the buying the mint condition MCM lamp shade he had for sale. Across the street is a sale with a few rough, and therefore pretty gross and creepy, taxidermied animals, pretty sure the same ones I have seen in years past.

West Drive: 800ish block there is a gentleman with a good collection of very old vintage, mostly dresses, but also some underclothes and hats. A lot of it was stained or too old to actually wear, but there were a few gems that probably will not last.

So out of all of this, what did I buy? Only this Napier necklace. In addition to being huge and having a lion, I loved its '70s take on regality and filigree.