That's the way

  The first post of 2015 is actually some pictures I never got around to posting in December. Taken after a good chunk of my family had seen the last movie in the Hobbit series, this photo series/outfit post is remarkable in that I am smiling in at least one of the photos. It's so much easier to have your photo taken if someone else is in it too. 

(My uncle decided to photo bomb. My mother took all of the photographs.) 

Dress: 1920s, estate sale

Sweater: thrifted

Tote: Shakespeare and Co. 

Belt + necklace: vintage

Shoes: Jeffrey Campbell

(This is my "What the hell are you doing? Please get out of my picture" face.)

(And this me when I'm amused. If only you could hear my laugh. It has been described as sounding like how a dolphin would laugh.)

Inspiration: Penny Lane

  I first saw "Almost Famous" this summer and have since watched it an abnormally large number of times since. From the first viewing on, I have been in love with Penny Lane's sense of style. This is in spite of the fact that I have in the past hated 1970s clothing. I think part of my love for her costumes has to do with the romantic and interesting yet unfussy vibe they give off, and the mingling of old and new pieces. 

  The costume designer of "Almost Famous" said she used a little vintage for Penny Lane's wardrobe but mostly handmade the costumes (with the help of her team). The famous coat was inspired by the coats of the 1920s and her lacy crop tops were made out of table cloths. She found the jeans Penny wore in Seattle! vintage stores. What I want to know is where did she find that perfect peasant blouse?

  I hope to dress a little more like her come the new year. I've already bought my peasant blouse.

Our love is here to stay

  It is one of my all time favorite times of year: the Christmas season! I have very few original thoughts about the Christmas season, so I won't bother listing them here. I mostly like how all of my family is nice to each other and we do fun things together. Also I have never been to Pike Place Market in December before (in spite of living in the Seattle area for six years). It is so beautiful. Downtown in general is a fun place to meander during the holiday season, with its lights and window displays. 

  Also here is the closest thing I can do to an outfit photo right now. It is dark by five p.m. here. I'm wearing a 1940s dress with my coat and my grandmother's slip on shoes. I am fashion, clearly.

Inspiration: The best fashion book ever?

  I must admit, I have always thought of fashion books as poorly laid out wastes of space. However today my aunt brought home an $100 book that changed my way of thinking. It is entitled "Madeline Vionnet" and is written by Betty Kirke. Vionnet was a fashion designer from the 1910s until the start of the Second World War. She is known for creating clothing that moved with the wearer and inventing (or popularizing) the bias cut. Her creations are geometric, drapey, feminine, and unfussy. In other words, they are timeless and positively perfect. I've spent two hours just looking at the illustrations and photographs. The book also includes information about Vionnet's techniques, inspirations, and personal life (which I will start reading soon). Did I mention it includes patterns to make some of her dresses? Insert heart eyes emoji here. 

Found

 Today I found what may be my last estate sale find of the year. They tend to drop off as the months grow colder, don't they? Anyway I found an (early?) 1930s blouse made of cotton lawn with ruffles trimming the collar and sleeves. If I can get its assortment of stains out, I will wear it with high waisted jeans and skirts. I am planning to try to make a pattern of it and sew it up in some blue and white flowered lawn I have. Wish me luck!

P.S. For once a picture I took turned out how I wanted it to. Don't you love that?

Beyond the keep

These pictures were taken a few days ago in Fremont(a neighborhood in Seattle). Our car broke down, so we decided to salvage the rest of our day and bus to the Fremont Sunday Market. It was the best time I've ever had at the market. I saw treasures like locally made silk blouses, hummus, 1910s lace, and perfect fitting vintage denim jackets (I may have to go back for that one next week). The weather was my favorite type, sunny but with crisp cold fall air. 

I'm wearing battered 1940s jeans I got from eBay, a silk scarf I found at an estate sale yesterday in Ballard, and a 1950s cashmere monogrammed cardigan from Atlas Clothing (that I found today). This is one of my favorite outfits I have ever worn because it is so comfortable. I can literally not stop wearing these jeans. I feel like a rebellious 1950s teenager in them. How did I go so long without trying vintage denim? 

Panic on the streets of London

 Sadly the post title is pretty accurate because we kept getting lost and took the wrong train at least once. This is just a collection of places we went to or passed on our 3 1/2 day stay. It was delightful and unexpected and made me want to live there.

My favorite places we went to in London were Leftovers vintage and Simply Fabrics (both in Brixton), and Konditor and Cook (the best bakery I've ever been to). Pub-wise I loved the Twin Towers pub (Gypsy Hill/Crystal Palace) because of its delightful Irish proprietress, delicious apple cider, and pub cats (!). Next time I will use her as a guide to the city instead of the guidebooks. She had so much more interesting suggestions. 

(My really crappy picture of Konditor and Cook. ^ Their lemon tart is a revelation.)

(Leftovers Vintage: a tiny paradise of well chosen 1900s-1960s clothing. Sadly nothing I tried on fit, although I did buy a 1930s leaf shaped belt buckle.)

Part 3 of the Europe trip series.

How many secrets can you keep?

 Me plus the pastel 1910s buildings of Essen equals a love affair for the ages. 

(I am wearing an Edwardian blouse, 1950s cardigan, and a thrifted Anthropologie skirt.)

 

Post 2 of the Europe trip series

Schloss Lembeck.

  One of my uncles (one I am not very close to, who lives in Germany) got married in a castle. Well technically it's just a rather fancy manor house. Either way it was a gorgeous place with beautiful grounds and a moat. It was not nearly as glamorous and over the top as I thought a castle wedding would be. It was just in a room on the ground floor of the castle. We had to get in and out pretty quickly and got no real tour of the castle. The wedding party had champagne and orange juice on the grounds of the castle after the ceremony. That was easily the best part. 

I wore a 20s dress from a nearby estate sale a year ago, clogs from Lotta from Stockholm, and a rather ratty 50s sweater from the Goodwill that I've worn to death. And a star barrette from Giant Dwarf. I wore a 1920s teddy as a slip because I forgot to pack one. 

Installment 1 / infinity of the Europe 2014 posts.

Les Annees 50s at Musee Galliera

 I have been to a grand total of 5 museums on my trip to Essen, Paris, and London. My absolute favorite was Musee Galliera. "Why?" You may ask. Because it is a fashion museum. I have never been to one before and I have truly found my happy place. I love it more than flea markets, baguettes, and the rest of the other trappings of Paris. 

Les Annees 50s is an exhibit spanning the years 1947-1957, featuring clothing by French couturiers such as Christian Dior, Jacques Fath, Mme. Gres, Gabrielle Chanel, and more. It even had the iconic Dior bar suit from his a/h 1947 (New Look) collection. It also has accessories, magazine covers, and sewing patterns from that era. And... they are screening movies of that period too! It is the best and if you are in Paris in the next month or so (or live in Paris) you need to go see it! 

(Pictures via vogue.fr, because cameras are not allowed.)