Current Etsy Love: Summer to Fall Transition Skirt

Grey wool skirt with embroidered accent $70

I really don't remember how I came across this skirt but when I saw it, it really stood out from the rest. I thought being made mostly of grey wool but trimmed at the bottom with this really pretty embroidered fabric, it made the perfect summer to fall transition piece. Of course, I can't even think about wearing something like this for a couple of months yet. But there are quite a few of you out there who can! Don't you just love the contrast but how everything just works together so well?

Etsy Finds: Autumnal Inspired Jewelry

Honey quartz and sterling earrings $16

Sterling pumpkin seed lariat necklace $45

Pumpkin and sage polymer clay necklace $36

Even though it's still reaching triple digits here, reading all the blog posts about how people have been recently feeling a little crispness to the air has gotten me in the spirit of all things Autumn as well.

I came across a few jewelry artists via Etsy that have seemed to capture the very essence of the season in some really beautiful pieces. I love things that are obviously inspired by something without screaming, "I'm wearing jack-o-lanterns on my earlobes!!!"

I think you'll agree that these pieces are perfect for the coming months.

The OC Fashion Haul

Calvin Klein blue shirtdress, originally $119, paid $26
Ralph Lauren black and white shirtdress, originally $168, paid $42

Well I think this might be one of the more personal posts I've done but I'm so dreadfully behind on reading up on blogs and surfing the internet that I don't have any surprising loveliness to share with any of you.

What I do have, however, is my fashion haul that I've made over the past 3 days. I was going to dedicate most of the trip to thrifting, but I went to quite a few thrift shops on Sunday when I got here, and was somewhat disappointed in them. Yesterday I did go to a Goodwill that I remembered from my last trip here and got a couple of lovely things for the shop as well as a vintage Jewish cookbook from the 50's for my cookbook collection.

So, I now present my haul. The stores where all of these were purchased from are TJ Maxx, Nordstrom Rack, and Macy's, or Messy's as my husband likes to call it.

DKNY blue and white striped full skirt, originally $295, paid $49

Ralph Lauren black twill full skirt, originally $90, paid $35

Michael Kors white eyelet tunic, originally $100, paid $40

Theory navy twill swing jacket, originally $335, paid $29

Tulle khaki walking duster coat, originally $88, paid $11

I hope no one takes this post as me bragging about what I've bought. My intent, is to show everyone that if you are willing to dig and take some time, you can find quite nice things at very affordable prices. This is true for internet shopping as well. If you are willing to compare site to site as well as hunt for coupon codes you can get good deals without even leaving your house!

Hopefully I'll have something lovely for you all on Monday! Until then, I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend! I'm so excited to get back to Texas!!!!!

Going to California

Well this next week I'll be accompanying my husband on a business trip to California. I'm not sure I'll be able to post as often as I have been, but I'll check in every so often, hopefully with some interesting finds as I'm dedicating most of this trip to going to thrift stores!

To get the mood going, I'll leave you with a very appropriate song and one of my favorites!

I hope all of my Texas readers, who are staying in Texas have a wonderful shopping weekend, it's tax free shopping down here for back to school.

I hope everyone has a glorious weekend!

Etsy Find: Jewelry by BlueGreenGrey

I really love how delicate and botanical these pieces are and the prices are great! You can find the shop here!

Zooey, a cardigan and cute shoes. What else is needed?!

I was just waiting for someone with a scanner to scan this! I really need to get a functioning one. Yay for cardigans and cute matching shoes! I want to be Zooey! Via.

An obsession of mine..........

Ok, I have a thing for opera length gloves. You'll be seeing more of them as the weather cools off. Via.

The Father of Modern Day Sandals: Bernard Rudofsky

Bernardo - Bernard Rudofsky from Bernardo on Vimeo.

Interesting.

Oh how I love this. Via.

How I Love Thee Domingo

These are really unlike any other shoe I have, but I just love these! I think if Marie Antoinette lived during the disco era, she would have owned these.

Big Daddy Pants!

I love these pants! Perfect for girls like myself with little waists and ample bottoms. Find them here.

Vintage Lace Jewelry. Featured Etsy Seller: That Old Blue House

In recent weeks there has been a lot of talk about the resurgence of lace when used as an element in fashion. With a lot of the 80's designs being revived, it's no surprise that lace, which was popular in the 80's, is back again as well. Hopefully, this time around, it'll be done a little more tastefully.

There are many vintage clothing pieces made out of lace including dresses, skirts, blouses as well as shoes and handbags. Sometimes these pieces can seem a little overwhelming if you aren't sure how to wear them or really don't have an occasion to wear them. In this case it's best to wear it in small amounts and the perfect avenue to do this, is with jewelry.

In my search, I found Etsy seller That Old Blue House and her wonderful vintage lace pieces. She offers earrings, pendants, as well as brooches made with various types of vintage lace framed beautifully within glass and silver which have been given an antique patina. Best of all, all of the pieces shown here are $22. They are a great way to introduce the lace element to an outfit without investing a lot of money. As well as lace pieces, there are needlepoint, quilt, and printed fabric pieces, all lovingly turned into wearable pieces of art. So please visit her shop here, I'm sure you'll find something that you can't live without!

Mirror Mirror........On My Vanity

Ok, how cute are these?! Pottery Barn Teen is offering these in both Pink and Pool and there is even a matching hair dryer, curling iron and straightener. Not sure what the quality of the hair styling tools would be, but they sure are adorable and if I hadn't already bought my new makeup mirror, I'd be all over this one! I love that the mirror and the hair dryer also have a vintage feel to them.

O Lovelies

Ever since seeing Jen's (from The Fabled Needle) over-the-knee pink socks from Sock Dreams, I've been dying to have a pair of my own. I've never really justified buying any because I probably wouldn't ever wear them outside of the house and it just never gets cold inside the house during the winter months. But all this talk of new fall designs and seeing the fall apparel wish lists of other bloggers REALLY has me craving some soft, cuddle me up items. You know the kinds of things that you wear when it's snowing outside, drinking a hot cup of cocoa while snuggled into a overstuffed chair in front of the fireplace? The over-the-knee socks fall into that category for me. I think I need some, specifically these.

If you thought Kate Spade was only for accessories.........

.....well think again! Kate Spade now has their own clothing line as well! I must say they do have quite a few adorable pieces to offer and they all evoke that slightly vintage yet ever so preppy vibe that has always exuded from their accessories. It just debuted today so run your little self over there and take a gander. I'm already in love with so many pieces! Find it here.

Betty Brader: Fashion Illustrator

I just wanted to write this post to highlight an illustrator that I hardly ever see mentioned and I think her work was ingenious. I couldn't find much info about her, but maybe some of you have a bit more than this. She was born in 1923, and she died in 1986. She married an artist in 1955 by the name of Frank Nelson Ashley. Throughout her career she worked for various department stores and advertisement agencies. I really think her work was extraordinary and I wish I could find out more about her. All of her work perfectly captures the spirit of the times in which they were created. I really wish there were more illustrations involved in today's fashion advertisements.

Vintage Etsy Finds: Cross Stitch in Fashion

50's green gingham cross stitch dress - $42 found here

Cross stitch skirt - $45 found here

Swedish cross stitch handbag - $14 found here

50's gingham cross stitch full skirt - $22 found here

50's blue cross stitch dress - $38 found here

Cross stitch blouse - $16 found here

Dutch cross stitch clutch handbag - $10 found here

Embroidered rose screw back earrings - $14.50 found here

Blue and white cross stitch dress - $16 found here

I've always loved the look of cross stitch. I can remember watching my mother work on very tedious counted cross stitch projects that took a lot of time and A LOT of patience. She taught me how to cross stitch as well, but I never really had the patience to finish a project. A lack of patience and an abundance of procrastination are two things I've been fighting my whole life.

Back on topic, I thought it would be fun to find vintage fashion pieces that involved cross stitch or embroidery that is closely related to cross stitch and here's what I've found! I hope you find something you love!

Shoe Love

Oh how my heart yearns for these! Aqua patent and suede all wrapped up in a yummy package. Vintage detailing within a modern interpretation. Find them here.

Ebay/Etsy Finds: Vintage Toile

50s Silk toile wiggle dress - $32 found here

70s Toile maxi dress - $75 found here

I've come across a couple of posts in the blogosphere the past couple of days about toile, and it got me thinking. I wonder how much toile was used in vintage fashion? I know it was used centuries ago, but I'm talking about during the 20th century. Surprisingly, there are some really great toile pieces out there! I've highlighted some that I've found both at Ebay and Etsy. Hope you find something you love!

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!!!!

Fashion in the Kitchen

I love cookbooks, especially vintage ones. But what I REALLY love is when my first interest, fashion, and cooking meet. So I was pleased to learn in the September issue of Glamour, of a new cookbook that will be coming out shortly entitled American Fashion Cookbook. Of course, this has been done before, and I happen to have two examples of this. Fashion Cooks, which was put together by the Fashion Group of Chicago back in 1955 and Cooking After a Fashion, put together by the Fashion Group of Miami in 1968. I guess as with actual fashion, book trends are recycled too. You can purchase the new book here. You can purchase the Chicago book here. You can purchase the Miami book here.

Lounging Perfection

Am I the only one who has been on a life's pursuit to find a robe or kimono exactly like this one? I've yet to find one. And isn't her bedroom ideal? We have Andie Walsh to thank for being the original connoisseur of vintage clothing, she loved vintage before vintage was "in". Photo is courtesy of this lovely blog I stumbled upon here.