The last of the golden sun.

Well, winter is starting to settle in here in Buffalo. It's time to grit our teeth and brace ourselves for biting winds, dark skies and endless snow. It's not all bad, though - there are also cheerful holiday parties, myriad reasons to dress up, and lots of excuses to stay in and play video games with my husband (my favorite!). These photos were taken two weeks ago on one of the last nice, sunny fall days. It seems like fall only just got here; I'll miss it! Here's to looking on the sunny side.



70s sweater: wildfellhallvintage on etsy
Trouser jeans: Habitual via Gilt
80s quilted chain strap bag: wildfellhallvintage on etsy
Trench: Priorities
Vintage Ferragamos: Estate sale

Photos by Dave

Man, do I have a few goodies to show off in this post. First off, a few months ago I won a gift card to the sweet Wildfell Hall's etsy vintage shop via a giveaway on Huzzah! Vintage's blog. There were so many lovely goods to choose from that it took me a few days to make up my mind, but I finally settled on this lovely sweater (the labels says it's by "Cuddle Knits"! How could I resist?) and classic bag. I have very few items in my closet in either beige or navy - key neutrals! - so a wardrobe gap was handily filled. I've actually worn this exact outfit quite a few times this month, and I've been wearing the purse almost every day since I got it. Thanks so much, Amy!

Also, I'm always on the hunt for Ferragamos in my size, especially their bow flats, but it always seems like everything on ebay or etsy is really narrow. Well, the morning these photos were taken, we went to an estate sale, and the lady had a WHOLE ROOM full of Ferragamos that fit me like a dream! The sale was jackpot central in other areas, and Dave and I walked from our apartment and could only take what we could carry, so I selected a few favorites and wore the best pair posthaste:



I also got a 20s lace dress, mesh beaded 50s cardigan, Peal & Co. oxfords (STUNNING OMG), a fur capelet, a 60s wool junior dress... I can't wait to share it all with you! Most of it's going into the store at some point, hopefully.

After the estate sale, we went home to store my goodies, I put on my new old shoes, and we headed out to lunch at our favorite place. Oh, it was a perfect day! Don't stay away too long this year, Mr. Sun!

On Display

60s lace dress: my grandmother sewed this for my mom's high school dance!
Moto jacket: Anna Grace
Tights: It's a mystery
Antique handbag: gift from my grandmother
Boots: Industry, via Modcloth

Photos by Dave

The title of this post is so douchey, I'm sorry. I wore this outfit to a gallery recently. My husband’s robot art was showing for a few hours at the Burchfield Penney, along with several other local artists. A band played, and spoken word pieces were performed. I have never seen so many fashionable Buffalonians in one place; I kinda wish I had taken some snaps of the other attendees! Besides that, it was a wonderful event and the gallery was gorgeous. Dave was pretty excited to have his work shown there (I love this picture; he's so cute and happy):



It was really a gorgeous set-up:





Let me tell you about this dress. It belonged to my mother in the 60s. My grandmother sewed it for her high school cotillion (either sophomore or junior year). It fits me perfectly, and came into my life exactly when I was craving a cream-colored lace dress over the summer, when Francesca kept showing all her romantically pretty 60s and 70s lace dress finds on her blog. I got the fever for lace dresses pretty bad.

One of the docents gave me a really nice compliment on my purse, which made me so happy. I respect a docent's taste! I'm having trouble dating the bag though, anyone know its era?



I really love the pattern and colors, especially those graceful gazelles!

Thank you so much for reading; I really do appreciate everyone who stops by this blog. <3

In which I look like a snotty rich lady nerd, and there is some controversy.

Vintage tweed jacket: Lilli Ann, 60s
Tunic: Express
Jeans: Banana Republic
Boots: Miz Mooz
Vintage hand-painted basket bag: gift from my mother

Photos by Dave

I have this lovely, iconic Lilli Ann jacket that my mom bought from ebay before prices for Lilli Ann were too insane. It didn't fit, so I was able to buy it from her - lucky me! It's cozy, the design is fantastic, and the fur is so, so soft. But I'm not sure how I feel about wearing fur, even though it's vintage, and wearing vintage fur is quite PC: it's environmentally friendly (you're recycling), you're not contributing to a demand for new fur, and some say that you're honoring the animal by ensuring its fur isn't rotting away in a closet, attic, or landfill somewhere.



However, wearing fur is so tricky. I'm always afraid someone won't understand it's vintage, and why wearing it is okay. I remember wearing another gorgeous fur collar Lilli Ann jacket to greet my new boyfriend (now husband) one Christmas. He didn't know it was vintage, and was probably horrified. To me and you it might seem obvious, but not everyone recognizes vintage design.



A girl in the elevator avoided eye contact with me (or was it just my imagination?), and some crazy lady tripped me in the convenience store. At first I thought she just had some mental health issues, but maybe she was offended by the fur... ? I still wear it, and even get compliments on it, but always in the back of my mind, I'm wondering how people react.


Did I mention that it's cozy?


On another, lighter note, how great is this purse? I have a small collection of handpainted and decoupaged box/basket purses from the 60s and 70s; I just love them! They take up a lot of space though, so I'm very choosy. This one has autumn leaves painted on the top, so it's perfect for fall.



What are your thoughts on vintage fur? Do you wear it? If so, how do people react?

Happy Halloween! Brought to you by Udo Kier (NSFW)

I love Udo Kier. He is my Halloween crush forever! Please enjoy this small, but cherry-picked assortment of clips which illustrate his greatness.


One of my favorite movie quotes! From Flesh for Frankenstein.



From Blood for Dracula.



This is... so brilliant.

This guy is extremely prolific, but I highly recommend him in Flesh for Frankenstein, Blood for Dracula, Suspiria (he has a minor role in this, but it's one of my very favorite movies so I'm recommending it anyway), and Lars von Trier's Riget (The Kingdom) original tv series.

Happy Halloween everyone! And remember: Udo Kier is watching you, so you'd better be good!

How Bardot Can You Go?

Cotton moto jacket: Anna Grace, a local boutique
Striped shirt: Anna Grace
Skirt: Jack by BB Dakota, via Modcloth
Tights: a mystery
Heeled oxfords: Born
Silver bow headband: mylavaliere

Photos by Dave

You may not be able to tell, since I’m a flat-chested brunette with a short haircut, but this outfit was inspired by Brigitte Bardot, using a mishmash of different styles she was famous for: the classic, French, boat-neck striped shirt; a tough, sexy motorcycle jacket; and a poufy, feminine skirt and bow headband, which are in tune with the more innocent, girlish styles she sometimes wore.

The cotton motorcyle jacket is new, and a pretty major departure from my normal style, but I’ve wanted to try one for a long time, as I love the way it offsets feminine pieces. I love it; it’s sooooo comfortable that it feels like I've had it forever. It’s my new weekend staple.





The striped boatneck shirt is another classic staple I've been searching for, for quite awhile!



Dave told me to look tough here. Are you buying it?

Anyway, I promise that soon this blog will hopefully feature more than silly, vain outfit shots (though I kinda love doing those). The vintage gods were very kind to me this year, and I hope to share some of the amazing home decor pieces I found!

My favorite fall outfit!

Hand-me-down cardigan
Modcloth dress
Industry boots, via Modcloth
Black socks
Vintage gloves (my grandmother's)
Vintage purse (50s)

Photos by Dave.

Okay, so I actually wore this outfit in September before the wedding, but I loved it so much that I couldn't let it fall by the wayside. It was unseasonably warm that day; I had gotten all bundled up with tights and a sweater and had to remove both! So I tried the socks with boots thing. I'm not sure if I'd do it again, but I think it's acceptable. I have, erm, rather thick ankles and can't always rock the cute socks looks that other girls can. So jealous!

Do you like the scabs on my lower right leg?



These boots were on super-sale at Modcloth last month, so I grabbed 'em! They're really difficult to get on, so I don't wear them a lot, but I think they look pretty bad-ass and are fun to stomp around in.





Thanks for reading! Cheers!

Tailored and slouchy.

Trench coat: Priorities
Trouser jeans: Habitual "Rakish"
Blouse: deargolden on etsy, 50s
Purse: vintage shop, 50s
vintage necklace: gift from sister-in-law
Deer pin: decoylab on etsy
Shoes: may or may not be my beat-up old Sketchers :P

I have a new jeans crush. I bought these from Gilt nearly two years ago, but they desperately needed to be hemmed, and I kept putting off going to the tailor until just last week. They were ready to be picked up over the weekend, and oh, they are PERFECT! I love my skinnies, but they're not super-comfy. Conversely, my super-comfy old jeans aren't super-stylish. I think these trouser jeans from Habitual combine the best of both worlds: they've got a tailored/slouchy Katherine Hepburn, Annie Hall, menswear vibe to them and they are so, sooooooo ridiculously comfortable. I want to live in them. Why didn't I get them hemmed sooner?!

By the way, the bag I'm carrying was my first-ever vintage find (about 10 years ago, now)! I've been taking it everywhere lately; it's one of those pieces that seems to accent just about every outfit, and can be dressed up or down. I think it deserves its own special post.

I wore this to a casual brunch with Dave and his parents. It was a perfect, lazy, sunny fall day. We went to the market, explored a bit of the Elmwood neighborhood, and then went home to relax. I think the sneakers kind of ruin the outfit, but I knew I would be doing a lot of walking that day. Next time I'll try some oxfords.

Clyde's Rebirth giveaway!

This girl has the prettiest jewelry in her shop, and I love the way she styles her vintage. Lots of covetable brown leather bags in her lookbook! Quite the generous giveaway (and genius advertising), no? Sign me up!

Intermission

It's been quiet around here lately. I have a good excuse, though! Preparing for the wedding took up most of my time and energy, and afterwards Dave and I simply wanted to relax for awhile. We're just now starting to get back into our normal routines. The wedding was perfect and beautiful, by the way. I wore vintage, and Dave looked super handsome in his suit. I'm such a lucky girl to have such a cute new husband, who also happens to be my very bestest buddy! I can't wait to share photos!

I've also got some outfit posts on the way, along with some extra bonus tidbits. While I'm playing catch-up, please enjoy these charming 60s ditties which are making my heart happy at the moment:

Best Lazy Day Ever

Oh my goodness, this has been the busiest summer ever, and my blog has really suffered from the effects - this is my first update in over a month! July and August were filled with wedding planning, lovely bridal showers (courtesy of my future mom-in-law, sisters, and aunts - thanks, ladies ♥ ), art shows, and Quest For Friends performances. Intense! Although it's all been fun, Dave and I haven't had a weekend to ourselves in forever. This past weekend, however, was gloriously free of commitments, and we had two days completely to ourselves to do whatever we wanted! Heaven!



Shell pink tank: my mommy gave it to me
Silk pixellated skirt: vintage (80s), from mimisgamine
Vintage granny shoes: yard sale, purchased directly from the granny herself
Bag: vintage (70s?), gift from my mother
Beaded rope necklace: lilypickford, purchased at a local craft show
House ring: wewear
Swan ring: gift from Dave, from the Elmwood Art Festival
Gold earrings: gift from my gramma

All photos by Dave

We opted to spend our weekend videogaming (Brutal Legend for the win!), art festivalling, and eating really good food.


Nom-town USA!

Brunch on Sunday was to die for. We went to Bistro Europa, one of our favorite local haunts, to sample their deluxe breakfast options for the first time. He had rosemary-basted eggs over polenta, and I was a bit daring with their version of a Grand Slam: truffled potato hash, tempura fried egg, and braised pork belly. I wasn't sure I would like it (especially the pork belly), but it was melt-in-my-mouth incredible. I also had a huge mimosa made with fresh-squeezed o.j., and we split a basket of their wonderful home-made pastries, which contained the best croissant I've ever had. The prices were all quite reasonable, too! I'm aching to go back.

Oh, and while we were there, I ran into the lovely Jess from Feathers and Rags! It was odd but nice to run into a fellow Buffalo blogger; there are so few of us. She was very sweet and gracious!



Next on the agenda was the Elmwood Art Festival, an annual celebration in the heart of one of my favorite villages in the city. Many local crafters come to strut their stuff! I was surprised to come across a young, local fashion label this year, Aella. I don't know much about indie Buffalo designers, other than the fact that the few I've seen haven't really been to my taste and just seem to regurgitate trends from 5 years ago. Aella was different though: fresh, girly, simple, with luxe fabric choices. I'll have to find out more about them, maybe for a future blog post.



This guy was at the festival last year. He makes awesome rings, and resizes them while you wait. He's fun to watch! I lost the mystical owl ring I bought from him last year, so Dave sweetly bought me a different one...



It's a magical swan! It gives me +20 MP.





And that was that! Thank you for reading!

Shop Update: It's All In the Details

This update is all about simple, classic pieces with subtly exquisite detail.


1960s Charade! Dress



1970s "This Ain't No Grocery Shopping Dress" (belonged to my grandmother!)



1950s Candy Floss Blouse

Thanks for looking; hope you enjoy!

Current Jewelry Obsession: wewear

As I'm sure you already know, Etsy is chock-full of amazing jewelry finds. Something new comes on the scene every day, but it's rare when a designer strikes me as hard as wewear did when I discovered them a few days ago. Their self-described "whimsical statement" pieces really speak to my vintage, carnival, and kitsch-loving heart. What's more, they're an adorable boyfriend-girlfriend duo who cast their own molds and hand-paint all the enamel. Gah, I'll stop blathering - see for yourself!


Swan Lake Ring



Full House Ring



Ferris Wheel Ring (really spins ♥ ) and Carousel Pendant with Necklace



Seal-inspired Round Initial Ring (can I have one for each of my initials, please?)

And those are just my favorites! The other jewelry on their site is equally amazing, and I honestly think these guys are going to be huge. Oh, and just to be clear, I'm not receiving any kind of compensation from wewear for writing this post - I'm just an eager beaver fan who wants to share with others who may not otherwise have seen the amazingness. Hope it spreads like wildfire!

My Birthday Dress

For my birthday this year, I bought myself a very special treat: one of the prettiest vintage dresses I have ever, ever laid eyes on. Even though it broke the $100 barrier (I have never, ever purchased a dress that expensive), I bought it on the spot, without a moment's hesitation. That's how much I loved it! It definitely is one of my top 2 favorite dresses in my collection now (maybe even my very most favorite - not counting my wedding dress). I've decided that even if I outgrow it; even if the seams split or the skirt rips; even when I'm too old to wear it, I will never, ever sell it or throw it away. I will hang it where I can see it and love the hell out of it for always.



40s dress: from the amazing DearGoldenVintage, who bought it from the original owner, who wore it to Lake Leelanau back in the day (I love knowing the provenance!)
Spectator oxfords: Steven by Steve Madden, via Gilt
Hot pink 80s crossbody: my mother's, then my aunt's, now mine

That collar is just too, too good.

My birthday itself was splendid! We ate alfresco at Globe Market, did some shopping, got ice cream, and had a lovely stroll around the neighborhood. Dave got a wonderful quiche and some kind of nom-tasting salad for dinner:







I ordered Birthday Blast ice cream, which ended up being kind of gross-tasting but in an awesome way. The dude at the counter kindly scooped me extra when Dave mentioned it was my birthday. It was pretty epic:



I couldn't finish it all; Dave had to help! After that was polished off, we headed home, where I drank a huge glass of champagne and fell asleep. EXCELLENT.

Mini Shop Update!

Holy wow, you guys! I actually updated my etsy shop! I only added three new items so far, but I'm crossing my fingers that I'll have the chance to photograph some more. I genuinely love each of these pieces, and am tempted to keep that Lanz dress even though it's too tight on me... it's all about the prints, baby!

(As you can see, I also ended up going with a different background, at least for these shots. I'm planning on playing around to see what works best.)


1970s Lanz Originals "Hold Onto Your Hats" Dress



1970s "Triple-Scoop Ice Cream Sundae" Dress



1950s "Avast Ye!" Spanish Galleon Print Circle Skirt

Thanks for looking!

Independence Day

Here are a few photos from my 4th of July. It was such a dreamily lovely day, and I think these photos really reflect that (thanks, Dave)! The barn photos were taken at my Dad's farm when we went to visit my parents that morning. I used to play in this barn when I was little. It was starting to fall apart even then, but it stood strong until about a year ago after staunchly fighting a long succession of savage Buffalo winters. It's a bit sad, but I also think it's very beautiful. I love delapidated barns, and always have.



80s polkadot dress: Vivienne Tam East Wind Code
Vintage crossbody bag: gift from my mother
Sandals: Bass


We moved on to my aunt's beautiful house for afternoon/evening celebrations. We picked berries, had our traditional waterballoon fights, ate stunningly delicious picnic food, and I took a turn on the swing - or maybe I just pretended; that thing was kind of rickety!









These red berries are supposedly poisonous, so I didn't eat them. I do think they're gorgeous though; anyone know what kind they are? I'm always secretly curious how they taste, but I'm not brave/silly enough to try them. It's that whole forbidden allure.



These, however, are perfectly edible! Instant snack, nom nom.

Hope everyone Stateside had a great Independence Day, and that this coming weekend is equally awesome!