CollegeFashionista Feature

Today, I woke up and was super happy to see this brought to my attention via a Tweet from @CFashionista. I clicked through and lo and behold! There I was, gracing the front page of CollegeFashionista. 

Being the vain narcissist and pessimist that I am, I was slightly surprised/bewildered to see this was the first outfit of mine they chose to feature. After all, I posted pictures like this:

And this: 

Which I thought looked much more fashion bloggy/street styling, but didn't receive so much as a blink of the eye or a word of praise. So, I guess it just goes to show that sweatshirts + dressy skirts = more relatable than floral dresses and polka dots...? Clearly, I have still not figured out their judgment system. (*Cough* Especially considering many of the featured articles aren't well-written in the least...)

/rant. Whatever, I won't complain. I'm thankful for even being on the front page. Anyway, go check out my featured article over at CollegeFashionista, and while you're there, feel free to check out my other articles!

Sneak Peek of Next Tuesday's CollegeFashionista Post!

I usually don't do this (too lazy, you say? Psh. ...Perhaps you're right), but I was way too excited to refrain from posting this week. After quite some time exploring the city with my dad (our adventures included wild parrots! Poet's Corner! pink vespas!), we found this perfectly coordinating storefront for this week's photoshoot.

So much fun to twirl in this dress. 

(And yes, I do need to get my hair restyled/redyed, if you didn't notice.) 

Jade + pearls = class act.

Then add a Louis Vuitton Monogram Canvas Partition Wristlet and you're ready for Breakfast at Tiffany's. ;) Shoutout to my dad for the perfect composition of this pic!

Bearpaw espadrille wedges! Surprisingly comfy, despite their height.

Believe me, I walked the hills of SF in these babies.

Vintage dress via Grandma (seen here) | Jade Necklace (similar) | Pearl Necklace (similar) | Louis Vuitton Monogram Canvas Partition Wristlet | Bearpaw Blossom Sandals 

Masquerade, Masquerade! Paper Faces on Parade!

Be A Doll

Come and play.

Join us.

A Grandma, a Granddaughter, and Her Dress

My grandma encourages me to dress up in her vintage clothing. I happily comply.

Grandma, me, and a dress of hers from ~the 60s.

Your friendly neighborhood ketchup advertisement.

Do Try This at Home

Random day last week where Nay and I discovered we were wearing cute outfits and decided to do a mini photoshoot in the downstairs room, which was lately left bereft of its ping pong table (sad face. We're gifting it to the grandparents). Anyway, here are some of the highlights of the zany shoot:

Prerequisite creepy/dramatic picture. Please disregard the hazy colored shapes of hastily blotted Nerf Guns in the closet. Instead, feast your eyes on that lovely little lantern. It is the Pottery Barn Malta Lantern--we have several in different sizes, but I believe that one is the large. Go quick, they're on sale!

Perfect lighting + homemade terrarium = awesome.

 We then moved outside to the deck:

Yes, I did blink. Yes, I still think it looks good enough to post.

Dem legs doe. 

The wonderful dress and shoes are from my mom's cavernous closet. Things go in but rarely come out until years later.  I removed the shoulder pads and might take in the shoulders a bit because they're actually an awkward capsleeve length. I was considering leaving the shoulder pads in, but was innocently told I looked like a linebacker (yeah, no).

DIY Flower Crown | Forever 21 Basic Long Sleeve | Vintage All That Jazz Drop Waist Polka Dot Dress | Coach Legacy Mini Tanner Crossbody in Black Leather | Target Tights | Dollar Tree Socks | Vintage Banana Republic Platform Sandals

Really proud of this shot too. My photo game was on par today, as was my sister's model game. 

BDG Chambray | AG Adriano Goldschmied Stevies in Hunter Green | Nordstrom Nerd Glasses | Vans Original Classic Authentic in Black

I'm sure you'll be seeing more of us shortly! Lots of time for photoshoots coming up as Nay finishes up her finals this week :)

Oh, Grandmama, It's Me, Anastasia.

Haha starting out the post with a quote from that golden animated VHS of yore, Anastasia. Can you believe that came out sixteen years ago? I was two, and I can't believe it either. (To clarify, I didn't watch it until much later than two years of age, although watching it that early would explain some of my mental issues.) I'm home for Christmas break and it is GLORIOUS. Anyway, here's a tad bit of photo spam of a vintage/ethereal photoshoot from our grandma's house on Saturday. The lighting was perfect, and the DSLR was conveniently there (lies. I brought it purposely), as were a pair of lovely vintage opera glasses and a multitude of vintage dresses (truth, although both were provided by our grandma).

So raise your (opera) glass!

Vintage Handknit Cardigan by my Great-Aunt Sylvia | BDG Chambray Buttondown | Ralph Lauren Denim & Supply Ankle Zip Floral Jeans | Vintage The Limited Salmon Crew Socks

My grandma's old dress from the 50s or 60s! It fits like a dream--which is to say, quite imaginatively, I guess. I don't know how people are expected to know how a dream feels. Anyway, this dress fits me quite well.

Yes, I posed in the hallway with the receiver to my head, a demure smile on my lips as the automated operator whispered sweet nothings tinnily into my ear.

Clearly, I am overly ecstatic to be home.

There were, of course, many more photos, through which I am currently sorting. Expect another post soon!

History Lesson

Just got back from rummaging cleaning house at Grandpa’s again. Well, after that we went to drop off a lot of the clothing at the Goodwill kiosk, and then S-mart and Winco to get groceries for Auntie Lea and him and me, but the highlight of the day was rummaging and scavenging from the upstairs bedrooms.

It sounds bad, but I did not want to donate the stuff to Goodwill or Salvation Army or anywhere of the sort. Before I sound like a callous sociopath, let me explain. I wanted to save it all. Each piece there had so much history and intrigue, and the fact that it belonged to my great-aunt and great-uncle and my grandpa and maybe even their parents is simply amazing. Each piece is a testament to good construction and strong materials and unique detailing and proper storage (cedar blocks for the win) and should be exhibited as such. People at thrift stores will not be buying this stuff for the pieces’ history, is all I’m saying. They will buy for necessity or for Halloween costumes or for themed parties and will not care about the craftsmanship or the details like the button cowl or handsewn labels of well-known designers who faded long ago. In fact, they may buy in spite of the era-specific detailing. They may even cut out the shoulder pads. I couldn’t help but want to save and caress and wear and appreciate each piece. Each distinctive, somewhat crazy handknit sweater. Each tailored 100% wool Pendleton suit. Each slightly-too-big Harris Tweed blazer.

And so, I saved all that I could. Don’t get me wrong—I couldn’t save it all. Goodwill got at least four garbage bags worth (to my chagrin). But I saved pieces I figured I would actually wear and ones I considered too precious to part with. Read: all of the sweaters I could get my hands on, plus a lot of the jackets and blazers. Even a few men’s wool houndstooth ones. And a navy suit of my great-aunt’s that is technically too big but the pants are elastic so whatever.

Of course, I wasn’t allowed to bring all that to my dorm room. For now, I only have a multicolored windowpane plaid cardigan (Alfani, size large, made in Italy, wearing it tomorrow with a BDG chambray and highwaisted Current/Elliott skinnies); a lightweight geometric pullover in eggplant, maroon, forest green, butterscotch and other colors (fabulous, Club Room, size small, 100% Merino, made in Italy--will wear Monday); a houndstooth men’s blazer (rescued last minute from the Goodwill bag); a charcoal gray wool men’s Member’s Only jacket (couldn’t resist, knowing the past popularity of the brand); and a Club Room burgundy wool bomber (also men’s, but cute oversized and with a superwarm flannel plaid lining). The rest is stored in one of those big plastic storage tubs, awaiting my mother’s pickup for dry cleaning and then subsequent wearing by me!

My Member's Only jacket looks exactly like this one.

And my burgundy bomber looks like this, except more burgundy, of course. ;)

Labels inside many of the tweed blazers, which are awaiting TLC in the tub. (Source)

Walk in the Past

Yesterday afternoon, our family spent the day rummaging cleaning out our great-aunt and -uncle's house, as my grandpa, who used to live there, is moving back to San Francisco full time. This allowed the older kids present (my cousin Meghan and I) to explore the previously unvisited, mysterious Upstairs. 

And boy, it did not disappoint.

Rooms with vintage floral wallpaper and walk-in closets and steamer trunks and vintage newsboy caps. Old luggage and wool and fur coats and a perfect matching set of twin beds and a vanity. Retro heels, some still new in box and nestled in tissue paper, unworn, and the loveliest vintage purses and dresses you ever did see. 

It was a vintage lover's dream.

Unfortunately I don't have photos of it all--I didn't come prepared, as my mom, aunt, and cousins swept me up from my dorm room and whisked me off to lunch as soon as I awoke (to be fair, I had been up until 5 the previous night, and woke up at 12, but that's a story for another time). Over the course of the day, we snacked constantly, explored extensively, divvied up clothing and purses, and even managed to put on a lengthy fashion show, in which my Auntie Lea suggested dresses; I modeled my great-aunt's aforementioned dresses; my grandpa told me I looked smart and to take them all; and Meghan begrudgingly snapped a few pics.

My Great-Grandfather Henry's newsboy cap | His luggage | My Great-Aunt Katherine's dress, purse, and heels | My Great-Uncle Bill's belt

I ended up taking home the above muted chartreuse dress; the purse; the belt; a slightly oversized gray and magenta houndstooth wool shift (it actually looks pretty modern couture); a super mod hot pink statement sleeveless shift with big pink buttons all down the left side of the back; and a black dropwaist pleated dress with a matching black, ecru, and celadon striped blazer. Each piece is so perfectly vintage and unique in its own way, yet I can definitely see designers today being inspired by the silhouettes of the past. I can't wait to wear them! 

I absolutely love exploring and trying on vintage clothing, especially when it once belonged to my relatives. Exploring the old house made me feel as if I were walking straight into bygone days, walking back into decades past where the times were simpler and fashions more modest. Wearing my relatives' old things makes me feel as if I have some sort of connection with them, and makes me wonder at the stories stashed in their--and their clothing's--pasts.

Random Throwback... Even though it's not Thursday.

I could've sworn that I already uploaded this pic along with a few others. However, I couldn't find them in the archives. Which means I either accidentally deleted them, or actually did not ever upload. Hmm. If I already did upload, my apologies. I'll keep it short. Here's me sort of reading a magazine.

Plaid Jacket-Nordstrom | Vintage chambray | Bottle green cords-Forever 21

Ferragamo Fantasies

Gap-Jean Jacket | Vintage Belt 

Bloomingdale's-Aqua striped tee | Anthropologie-Holding Horses Patched Boyfriend Jeans | Vintage Silk Scarf | Vintage Ferragamos | Swatch Watch | Karmaloop-Over the Knee Socks | LA Swap Meet-Fedora

Ferragamos and LA Swap Meet Fedora.

To Grandmother's House We Go

Sorry for the lack of posting recently. I've had to commence the struggle against college apps, which is quite an unfortunate load to tackle. Not to mention that old jealous standby, homework... 

Anyway, here's a bunch of pictures we took at our Grandma Lila's house. She has some pretty darn awesome vintage stuff since she's a major packrat.

Vintage thermoses. 

Creepy creeper.

Madewell Indigo Dot Dress | Vintage hand knit vest

You can't really tell, but I'm wearing this rad vintage Calvin Klein denim overall dress.

UPDATE: It looks exactly like this: 

Source. 

Grandparents' bathroom lace curtains and ceramic figurines. 

Cool kid in the house, obviously. 

All vintage: Faconnable orange gingham men's shirt | Handmade vest |  high-waisted Jag Jeans