Summer's Last Hurrah

Just when I thought Summer was over and started to put tropical things out of my mind (and hope in vain for another cool front), more tropical goodness put itself in my path rather unexpectedly.

It began last weekend with a couple of random antique store and roadside market stops.  I don't wear bangles a lot.  Small bone structure makes for scrawny wrists, and hands that can Houdini out of almost anything.  I still couldn't resist these:

They're not as squared as some I've seen, but will be interesting among my round bangles nonetheless (when I remember to wear them).

I also found an interesting addition to my handkerchief collection:

It appears to be a late 60s or early 70s hankie, made in Japan of a nylon and polynosic blend.   "Polynosic?", you say?  Polynosic, indeed.  It's code for rayon.  Rayon has lots of tricky code names, and lots of nasty tricks that textile manufacturers and other companies won't tell you about.  If you love your girlybits, you can read this article, and if you process and file that information in your brain, it will change the way you do some things (including products you buy).

I really use handkerchiefs... forserious.   Ones with souvenir prints and 3-d applique work will never make it into my purse, however, and are collection-only.  Maybe next week would be a good time to show pieces from my collection- untouched artsy ones as well as pretty printed ones that get used during church, sad movies, funerals, and allergy season.

So, last week was a blur, but I did come across this beauty:

It's a Les Bernard coral necklace.  Judging from the clasp, it's probably late 50s or early 60s.

This thing here... this is a gem.  Not a literal gem like the precious coral above, but a deadstock Kamehameha piece with the paper tag still inside.

As far as I can tell, it's an early 60s piece.  The bust is more rounded than a typical 50s silhouette, but the bottoms are still pretty high-waisted.  I wish Dolly had legs, so I could put the bottoms on her rump and display them properly.  I found this beauty at Beatniks in the Heights.

And so, as I long for sleep and prepare for a busy weekend (including making glamour happen with Mileslove Studios Eye Candy), I leave you with this.

Are You Not MEN?!

In my weekend wanderings, I met a lovely couple.  The lady makes customized hula hoops, and the gentleman designs men's shirts.  Being a small-scale designer myself, we discussed fabric and production while I perused the available designs.  Had I been a man or had one to shop for, I certainly would have bought one of his shirts for several reasons.

First and foremost, all of his designs are made in the U.S.!  I love that.  Like myself, he never wants to outsource production and would prefer to pay American people a living wage.  It does keep cost higher, but frankly, you pay about the same retail price for clothing manufactured overseas.  (For example, I do love Trashy Diva, but was disappointed that their dresses are not American-made, which I expected for the prices.)  Not only are Flameless Shirts made in the U.S., but (clapclapclapclap) deep in the heart of Texas!

Designer Brooke Wilton makes classic men's shirts with a vintage-inspired style, unusual modern fabrics, and cool details (right down to the buttons!).  Some of the shirts are allover print, but my favorites are actually the accent ones like this Japanese wave print.  The print is even on the underside of the button placket, and I love the diagonal split pockets!

This is one of my favorites, and soon-to-be discontinued because the fabric is out of print:

Jellyfish!!!!  Maybe it's because I'm from the sea myself (as a little girl, I aspired to be a mermaid when I grew up), but I love this to bits!

The construction is high quality- you can tell he works with skilled seamstresses to make shirts that are built to last.  He pays attention to detail and includes print in unexpected places like button-placket facing, and chooses unique buttons to complement each print.

And so, to all my guy friends wanting custom western suits, the answer is still "no".  Sorry, I'm not doing all that interior hand-stitching.  I do recommend checking out FlamelessShirt.com or their Etsy store for locally-made high-quality menswear that's out-of-the-ordinary. 

All photos courtesy of Flameless Shirts

Paradise Found

So I had absolutely no Hawaiian or otherwise tropical vintage until this past year.  The following pieces were all found in the same place.

Firstofall,   I look through eBay and Etsy regularly at all types of vintage things- things I'm seeking, but cheap.  I still look at the pricey things, but it's more of a learning experience.  I like to know what else to look for.  I have never seen the label that this bears: Lani. I haven't found it anywhere.

The label also says it's hand-printed.  The accent paint is gold.  This has to be old stock.  For being white, it's super clean.  The zipper is metal, which could be done in a modern repro, and the elastic is still good, but the boning is absolutely shot. (Boning being present is usually an indicator of vintagey goodness in the first place in pieces like this.)
The frogs above the splits on the outer leg are a cute detail. I wish my camera had cuter focus.

This next piece is a Catalina.  The label even notes that the fabric design is copyrighted.  They don't fool around.

Ahhh, a sarong swimsuit... imagine my delight in finding it. :)  It paled in comparison to my delight in finding this next piece, which induced an episode of thrift apnea and a dang-near heart attack.





I keep sifting in this one place, thinking "One day, I'll find a sarong".  That day happened.  I flipped past a late 60s Malia sundress, Hawaiian, but not what I was looking for.... and then I found this:

It's old stock.  I wanted to jump out of my skin like that Calvin and Hobbes cartoon, but I kept a calm facade.  It's by Sun Fashions Hawaii.

There are so many pretty details, I can hardly stand it!  The print is interesting- paisley pineapples and seaweed, and I love the foldover on the bust!

So there you have it- my first sarong, which I've been waiting to wear, and will wear this weekend.

Tropical Paradise

With the end of summer drawing near, and the official first day or autumn approaching, I've just inventoried my recent lucky finds- all full of tropical goodness.  I was born and raised in a subtropical climate myself, and count myself a tropical creature to some degree, along with my friends from places like Guam and the Phillipines.  I always wanted to be a hula girl when I was little- Marisa informs me she would have traded places in a heartbeat.  I would have been the most blindingly pale hula girl of all time.

Anyway, I'll be commemorating the close of summer by wearing some of my tropical vintage this weekend to events here and there.  I just wore this baby again today:

The whole ensemble cost me a whopping $15 at one of my favorite vendors at the 2012 Lone Star Roundup.  I've told you I can't enjoy things that cost too much money.  I enjoy this outfit thoroughly.  The plumeria border print on the skirt is adorable.

I may redo the whole thing if I ever have time, to expose some of the darker print that's hidden under the hem.  However, with my curator job restarting for the fall semester and studio work picking up again, I'm behind on custom orders and it could be a while.

I acquired this beauty super el cheapo:

It's a Rose Marie Reid of California "Draped Sheath".  Not exactly Hawaiian, but tropical-looking enough for this Irish girl, and a good example of New Look-era "ethnic" print nonetheless.  Besides, it fits like a dream.  (If you clicked on the Irish link, I'm convinced that octave-skipping and keening are innate, and part of Irish DNA, but that's a whole 'nother cultural discussion.)

I wore this precious thing a couple of weeks ago.

It appears to be 1940s in every way from the cut to the print.  It seems to be homemade, and the original v-halter strap has been cut out (alas).  The photography studio I work for bought it from a dear friend of mine, and no one ever used it for a shoot, so it was on it's way out in our upcoming wardrobe sale.  Despite my love-for/reluctance-to-wear yellow,  I bought it.  I love it.  The print alone is fantabulous, and it fits me way better than it fits Dolly.  (Dolly could stand to eat a sandwich... if she were real. It's clipped back on her.)

It says "Kamehameha", "Aloha Hawaii", and "Waikiki girl" amidst pineapples, hibiscus, flying fish, hula girls, King Kamehameha, tropical fish, fishermen, canoes, beach scenes, and foliage.

I found these a while back for an amazing deal- almost free.  They were bought as a gift that never got to be given, and now must find another purpose.

They're awesome.  I've been researching a bit, and I have yet to find any quite like this.  The label is either 50s or early 60s as far as I can tell.

"Polynesian Bazaar"- and they're in such good condition!  The coin button is perfect, and the gold paint has oxidized but is still there-  I have half a mind to restore it.  Finding men's vintage in such good shape is a special treasure, since men have worn their clothes into the ground since the dawn of time.  Someone probably wore them once, probably at the request of a lady, and never again (if at all).

I have more tropical pieces to show, all of which came from the same little goldmine I like to haunt.  I'll show you those later.  Soon.  I'm off to some preparation work for a fashion show, so check back and I'll show you exactly what I'll be wearing this weekend. :)

Toys in the Attic...

...that's code for "crazy".  I've been called worse.  Being a toy in the attic is a different story; a doll among interesting junk in a fancy attic setting.  Mileslove Studios Eye Candy's current photo set is a creepy doll theme in a deluxe attic of sorts, booking for Sunday, September 30th.  It's my job to make people look fabulous, alongside Jenni Davis Makeup, and to make you wanna book a shoot, so here's the promo shot:

I got to wear my vintage 1920s combination for this shoot (I'll post a photo of it on it's own later). Over that is the first corset I ever bought- a Versatile Fashions piece (from back when they were quality, before the company changed hands) I scored at a resale store for a mere $15, which is way more affordable than $300.  Those heels are Betsey Johnson, procured from a Ross store years ago for under $20.  Being Scottish, I'm a cheapskate.  It's in my genes.  I've said before I can't enjoy things that cost too much money (over $20 is pushing it for me, really), so there you have it.  It's built into my radar.

At any rate, once this set is shot, it's coming down.  We won't be keeping all of the creepy dolls, and we won't be precariously perching all of these weird and interesting vintage and antique curios among each other again.  We'll be onto the next set...

More Vintage for the Kitschen

Out with the old, in with the new... old stuff.  I'm getting rid of some napkins I wasn't crazy about, 'cause today I found these:

I love having things no one else has, especially when I find them super el cheapo.  I seriously have a hard time enjoying things that aren't a good deal.  When I passed through the Hill Country on the way back from accompanying a dear friend to a photo shoot in Austin a couple of weeks ago, I found these:

I had actually set them down on the shelf above the aprons I was perusing, and didn't remember until I was almost in the next town.  Sooo, like a crazylady, I called the number on my receipt, and the kind lady from the little shop found them just where I had left them, and sent them to me- paid over the phone with a little added on for shipping.  I was afraid they had arrived early and been stolen when someone ripped 1/4 of the mailboxes here out of their unit.  (Crackheads.)  Either way, one of my neighbors got them in their mailbox, either by accident or by the clever kindness of our postal carrier.  

Now, being artsy and all, I have an affinity for hand-embroidery, which I took up as soon as I could ask my momma to thread an embroidery needle with floss. Sublime Stitching got me started again a few years ago, so much so that I sometimes draw my own designs or do custom orders- like the time an older lady at work had me embroider a fitted tee to say "Cabrona" in pretty cursive.  I love handmade vintage goodies, like this little appliqued and embroidered towel that I found today for almost nothing. 

I found more than linens today.  I found a spoon rest- or at least a dish I'm gonna use as a spoon rest.  I've kinda had my heart set on a particular Japanese-made lemon one, and missed it in 2 auctions.  That was my secret I wouldn't tell.  However, I found an "onion" pattern California pottery dish today.  It looks like a big ol' clove of garlic, and I've been known to eat a whole roasted bulb of it on a single piece of toast (I swear that stops sickness in it's tracks, and besides, it's yum), so this is great!

Strawberries and garlic! Yaaaaay!

In other news today, poor New Orleans, which I love so much (along with the friends who live in it), apparently just got a lot of rain and winds unloaded upon it by Hurricane Isaac on the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Ironically, some of my friends there I met as Katrina evacuees... who moved back.  Oh, the perils of living on the coast.  At any rate, I collect old plates and glasses from places I love, and I found this the other day for practically free:

And speaking of things that are turquoise, I don't think I ever showed you this:

My neighbor gave this to me a while back, and I cleaned it up quite a bit, or tried anyway.  It was dark when I came home from dancin' that night ('cause it was night), and she just started handing me vintage treasures of all kinds- magazines, hats, a radio, souvenir plates... and the thingy pictured above.  "Car parts!  I love old cars!"  It's dark, she's handing me all this cool stuff, I'm tired..... that thing is not a car part- not a window handle at all.  It's a can opener!  Therefore, it goes in the kitchen. 

Now I just need to find a way to get the rust off without also inadvertently getting rid of any of the paint.

Speaking of things that are turquoise... and rain...  let's throw in some suede fringe and mullets while we're at it.  I love this song, and it's relevant on a lot of levels right now.  I always assumed it was Randy Travis when I was little, (bless his heart- you seen the news lately?), but I looked it up to have a listen and found out otherwise today.  My Daddy always says "You learn somethin' new every day."  Now I gotta call him and learn how to get the rust off of that can opener without hurting the paint. 

God Bless Friends With Trucks.

I've been looking for a mid century desk for months now.  I missed 2 by the skin of my teeth.  I found one of them on Craigslist and it would have been $25.  Another I saw on someone's porch and it would have been the same price, but I agreed to work late the day I was supposed to pick it up- it's now on Craigslist for $325 and happens to be a Johnson Carper.  It was initially listed at $125 until they did some research.  Talk about kicking myself....
At any rate, I've kept my eyes peeled and got a desk and matching chair this weekend super el cheapo, which a dear friend eversokindly helped me pick up today.

TADAAAAA!!!

I cleaned it up all nice and prettylike with some Old English, inside and out.  Yes, the post-it note really says "Don't waste your time on FB."  It's really effective.  Now I just have to find a way to hide my cords a little better.  I may uncover the original yellow upholstery on the chair, or possibly use some of my boomerang printed barkcloth instead.  So with a side table holding my printer, and the corner table being shifted, the rest of the space looks like this:

The other side table is about to find a new spot, possibly in a walk-in closet to temporarily help me organize some vintage.  Quite a few things have sold on my Etsy in the past couple of days.  I'm about to take on my to-be-sold closet and organize the holy hell out of it.  More stuff needs to go, either via Etsy or eBay, to new homes.  It would help if that closet hadn't gotten crazy.  Wish me luck, I'm goin' in...

... And So It Begins...

I just sent a happy client on her merry way with another new custom outfit, this time with my own label sewn inside.

Desi loves retro looks, and besides, as the wife of the frontman of Sam Navarro and the Lone Star Devils, she has to represent.  This time, she wanted a dress that looked like it was made from a Mexican blanket.  I hunted down some out-of-print serape cotton for her, and got to work adapting patterns and drafting the extra details.  She now is the proud owner of this ensemble:

She wanted something that would stand out, not something mass-produced anyone else would have.  She got a custom design and couture quality,  'cause that's how I roll.  Even the stripes match up on the seams.  I bumped up the definition on the photo to make the seam more obvious.

More coordinating separates are in the works for this outfit, and I'l be starting my next custom order tomorrow.

Random Thoughts Du Jour

I found some things this weekend, but I have to finish cleaning my living room so I can take proper pictures to show you without embarrassing myself with my domestic discombobulation.  My living room has been a workspace recently.  I'm finishing a custom 2-piece outfit for the lovely wife of the man behind Sam Navarro and the Lone Star Devils.  I'm about to start a romper for the fiery lil' shop girl at Red Rocket Speed Shop.  I just finished mending and reinforcing bolster covers for Blue Tree Yoga, one of my favorite places.

Running errands this morning, I came across a present for my momma.  I'm willing to bet she doesn't follow this blog, since her computer takes forrrrevvvverrrr to load photos.  (If you clicked on the link, yeah, I really did that.)  So.... you get to see her present first.  Don't tell her. 

This is so my momma; censored a bit.  With our childhood and adolescent "why"s and "why not"s, we sometimes got "This is my house, and I'll do as I damn well please" in response.  I'm already curious to see where it goes in the house.

With August in all it's sweltering glory upon us, it's time for people with spooky parts in their hearts to start scouring craft stores for Halloweenie goodness.  Sometimes I like to wait and let it all sneak up on me, for that kid-at-Christmas feeling.  I went in to Michael's for pearlizing medium a couple of weeks ago and found that they were putting some spookiness out.  I already got some eyeball ribbon. 

I love eyeballs.  Maybe I'll have to do an eyeball accessory blog entry soon.

My neighbor Paul is a spooky one.  He's always the first to leave a Halloween or Valentine trinket on my doorstep.  (It's not what it sounds like- he's gayer than the sunshine and still spooky-as-all-get-out.)  The other day,  I received this:

I've been trying so hard to get rid of excess stuff, and have parted with so much of my Halloween collection, however this little token of friendship will make a lovely hanging vase for cuttings. There are bats on it, too- someone dear to me took me to the Waugh bat bridge for the first time about a year ago, and I've gone back to watch them a few times recently.  They're so cute and squeaky, and I love anything that eats mosquitos.  

A more coherent blog next time, forserious.  Soon.

A Little DIY Goodness

I have to admit it... I almost can't stand it when I have something really ordinary- especially if it's something I have to use and look at all the time.  My old planner was too bulky and I was just tired of it, so I picked up a new little one that will fit in my purse.  In found all of the designs at Target less than desirable.  Sorry, "thomaspaul", your stuff is just not up my alley.  Regardless, I fretted not.  I had plans... for my planner.  (If you know me personally, you know this sounds especially ridiculous from a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants type of gal like myself.)

 TADAAAAAAA!

And so, with leopard printed cardstock from my hairbrush packaging (which I saved about 2 years ago like a crazylady), some black tape from my fashion school days, and spiderweb print ribbon, my planner is customized!  

I've had a busy week of sanding the rust off of my new/old toolbox (resulting in rustdust all over my carpet, hands, legs, face...), stripping the old crackity veneer off of the 50s coffee table from the side of the road, sewing custom orders, and transferring all of my vintage patterns into acid-free comic book bags.  

And I leave you with this:

I made the mistake of sewing the mate to what was a pair of these sequin appliques on the hip of a black bikini over a decade ago.  Bad idea.  I backed this baby with fabric and mod podge, with a tack pin sandwiched in between, and now I can wear it on dang-near anything.  :)

There's a lot more to come between all of those aforementioned projects, y'all get ready!

I Like Bras a Lot.

Not so much modern bras, like the squish-up ones under my t-shirts.  I like the old-school, utilitarian, dramatic look of bullet bras.  If you follow my blog, you know this by now.  I collect them.  I've limited myself to only collecting the ones I can wear.
I bet you think circular bras like the 8-ball one on the old-school Lady Luck stickers and patches are only in cartoons.  Think again.

Photos courtesy of eBay seller patngail.  Check out their auctions. 

Lookahere.... and here.  I'm not sure how long those links will lead to anything you can see, but they exist.  I want one...  bad.  I missed those.  I wish I had a photo of one of my own to show you, but alas.  (insert hand-to-forehead here) The search continues.

Vintage Household Odds and Ends

So... running errands today did not include a written list.  That means I deviated from the intangible to-do list in my head and stopped by a charity shop and found a few things super el cheapo.  I also found something on Sunday, and there's something I forgot to show you a long time ago.

I quit smoking years ago.  I love cigarettes.  I miss them.  I've also seen someone die a slow, painful death from lung cancer, and I hate the idea of developing what I call "hag wrinkles" around my mouth.  I bought a cool ashtray anyway.

It looks like it hovered into my home from outer space.  I love it.
I also bought a planter.  I've been looking for more.  Plant pots these days just aren't the colors I need.  This one had a few imperfections, but I'm just gonna fill it with dirt anyway, so who cares?!

This baby's going on top of my room divider shelf alongside the other one.  I'm putting soil and a rooted cutting in it tonight.
So, I may or may not have mentioned that my tool arsenal has outgrown my toolbox.  Being raised by a carpenter, I was sent out into the world with one when I left home, and being raised by a carpenter, I fix or revamp a lot of things myself and acquired way more tools than my toolbox could hold.  I was not about to pay a lot of money for a cool old toolbox at an antique store or online, so I was delighted when I found this:

It's huge.  I'm not sure if it'll fit on the floor of my coat closet, but I'll make it fit somewhere around here...
A while back, I found a bunch of cool, cheap stuff at an estate sale.  Among these things were these:

I never knew colored aluminum coasters existed.  I've seen pitchers and cups galore, but never coasters!  Seems like they wouldn't be very effective at keeping condensation off of surfaces, or not scratching them.  That's precisely why I'll be backing them with felt- I can't scratch up my formica!  Maybe I'll try it on one of them and see how it works.