Odds and ends

Lately, I think because I've been thinking mostly of the store when I thrift, I've been picking up things that look like others will enjoy them. I've been feeling a little burnt out on the thrift and the last couple of times I've gone, have done so with a bit of reluctance. Which, to someone who derives much of their pleasure from thrifting is deeply disturbing.

Determined to re-instate my love of the thrift, I went on a weekday and forbade myself from buying anything that was filtered through the "yeah, but would someone else pay for this?" lens.


I ended up with some gloriously comfortable, 1940s style pumps with a mini Cuban heel, some blousy culottes whose art nouveau-ish pattern you see in the foreground, a 1950s bracelet, a tartan bangle (which is as far as I will take the whole "Vivienne Westwood Again" fall trend) and possibly the sweetest album cover I've ever seen (and which reminds me of a certain Paraphernalia necklace that's been on my wishlist for ages). I can't decide whether to frame it, or turn it into a photo album cover. I also ended up with an early 1980's reversible green/white whale print on navy slicker, a pair of purple leopard zooba pants, and yet another Madras skirt...

Coolest thing at the thrift store that I didn't buy?


A gold spray-painted boombox, at home in the thrift's "cool stuff" vignette with the lava lamp. Kinda regretting this now, but alas, I have no space and no tapes.

What would you do with a functionless, gold boombox?

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Weekend Warrioring

Ah, the weekend... Saturday, Chantal came over to model some of the goods for the store and it was such fun and she looked (and was) terrific!

I had never tried the dress below on, but when I saw it on Chantal I just had to! It perfectly fills the gap in my wardrobe where a semi-dressy, conservative item should be. I love the shape, and of course brown and navy are an irrepressibly classy combo. I've got a nice, "luggage brown" skinny belt to pair with this and the heels in the pic.

That evening, I visited my Cincinnati friends and folks. My friend Jenn, my Dad and I went thrifting Sunday morning in the vintage mecca that is the Village Thrift of Newport, KY. My Dad was so fun to try things out with! His favorite suggestion is a "sash".

I left with a few of the Seventeen magazines I have stashed in the parents' house from the mid 1990s, as well as one I have from 1982 (featuring a 19-year-old Whitney Houston's advice on dyeing your eyelashes)! Scans to come! I'm excited about the 1994 issues especially, featuring lots of terrific geek chic looks...




Here I am today, creepin' in my man's basement as I take flat measurements for the incoming dresses! Trench, mildly Mayim Bialik reminiscent blouse, and penny loafters are vintage and thrifted, the black skinny jeans are from Urban Outfitters.






[Mayim image via www.liberalbanana.blogspot.com]

This just in: Dresses are Dead, but Fear Not!!

Dresses are Dead, so says the NY Times in this piece by Guy Trebay.

Magazine editors and the higher-ups in the fashion biz are saying that dresses are on their way out. I agree.

For the last twenty years or so, dresses have been a fringe-type fashion statement, worn only by the most girly of girls or womanly of women. For you see, a dress has special powers, able to capture, in essence, femininity and project it to the world. When I wear a dress, I feel supremely female and I don't wonder if I'm put together or not, for a dress requires only the matching of bag and heels...

The mainstream American woman is perhaps, too low-key to project such an image, and jeans and chinos rule supreme! But there has been a rise in the popularity of ultra-casual jersey dresses, and these seem to have struck a note with a wide swath of these women. Sadly, these dresses, unless super well-made, look wilted and shapeless and wholly unflattering. These dresses are thankfully fleeing the stage. These dresses are going out of style. These proliferate garments, when they go, will take a huge chunk out of the dress scene, but those that remain, and their wearers, are safe from fashion nay-say-ery.

Because for those whom dresses suit (women who believe they are more comfortable/look better than jeans or pants), it is an iconic style, a signature.

Here I am sporting my newly thrifted denim jumper... in fact, I am 100% thrifted today



And for the aforementioned ladies, a whole plethora of amazing vintage dresses (some bona fide collector's pieces!) are going up in the store over the weekend, so keep your eyes peeled!