Brand New Key.

Yesterday, in an effort to go places spontaneously more often, my boyfriend and I drove down to Woodstock. It was a nice mild day, although a few of my favorite shops have closed since we were there last, like Chez Grand'mere, and made my mood droop just the tiniest bit. Next time I want to take a trip to another nearby town and inspect an antique store I've heard rave review about, but this time we ate giant cheeseburgers and loads of tea, a few bars of soap that I have a very hard time not licking (it smells soo good!), and a My Little Pony Seahorse.



I grabbed this skirt on Friday from my favorite antique/vintage store on my weekly visit. I almost didn't see it--the pile of dresses I tried on over my clothes were all a bust--and I was ready to leave with just a sweet little blouse before I saw a crumpled pile of keys on navy blue sitting by the register. I ran to the back, slid it on over my jeans to make sure it fit my waist, and it was mine! All mine!

It is exactly the kind of thing I always hope to find. Something not too twee, but with a certain silhouette and something silly about it, like little keys. I ironed her right up and tossed her in the dryer for a quick fluff with lavender oil so I could wear it the next day without smelling musty.

Next week, even though we are going to NYC for a concert and to visit a lovely friend, I think I might grab the floor-length floral dress from that shop. I've been staring at it for years, it would require almost no mending, and is generally a dream. Hopefully no one else will fall in love with it before I get there, or it would be the most tragic of love stories for me.

Also, thank you to everyone who left me their links, and thank you to all of you lovely darlings who have linked to me! I'm so excited to read some new blogs <3 I think I've gotten everyone who left one, but I'll be checking still through the next week or so to make sure.

Pictures taken by John M.

Keeping House.

Of all the things I ought to be doing (school-work, laundry, mending, buying jelly) this is one of the, but probably not the most pressing. Nevertheless, it is something to be done before I forget (once again).



This past year (year!) I've been really awful about my links list. And so, if you've linked me and would like to be linked back, if you've changed a blog address and I've neglected to update it, if you'd be so kind as to drop me a little line here I'd be pleased as punch to mend or add to the list!



Pictures taken by John M.

Chasing Spring.

The weather is bad again. I am all rainy and soggy running around in my keds, still waiting for it to be summer. I try not to constantly talk about the weather, to be always waiting for it to get better, but it seems in recent years that it agitates my mood more than it used to.

In the meantime I have sunny pictures to look at while I constantly check the 10-day weather report. I stared at this dress on etsy for ages, and when it went on sale I snapped it up instantly. It's different than I thought it would be, less fitted than I expected somehow, which is kid of a nice surprise anyway. It's quite a tattered little thing, but I couldn't wait any longer to wear it. I stitched up the hem a bit in places, but left a tiny stain and some of the teeny bits that are a bit raggedy. It's another one of the hoarded spring/summer dresses from the winter, and I love it if only for its funny buttons and color.



Pictures by John M.

Bad Dress Dreams.

Every weekend my boyfriend obligingly takes me up to Saratoga, usually on Friday or Sunday, and I drag him around to all the antique and vintage places there and on the way. Sadly, I think I've just about picked my way through most of them for a few weeks (even though I still faithfully return the next weekend to see if they've gotten anything new in) and will have to mosey off and save my pennies for a while.

Generally what happens is I see a dress, don't buy it, and think about it for a week before going back and handing over my pennies. Like this one:



Oooh, boy, did I hem and haw over her. I loved it, it's blue. It has little flowers, is old, little snaps, cloth covered buttons, and all that. But just look at those sad-eyed droopy tears! She was still a pretty penny, even with the rips, but I had a horrible dream that someone else bought it! It was terribly. Just about the worst nightmare ever, so that very day we drove out to Saratoga and I got my grubby little hands on it.

Since then I've just been staring at it. Such a dilapidated little dress, with little holes. I suspect some spiders or other variety of insect was living in it for a while (oh, ew) because of the little spun-web type things lurking in some of the folds and a few tell-tale holes that I surmise were nommed upon.



I tackled the tears since these pictures, but it just doesn't look right. I need some kind of little bit to put over it, to help reinforce the threads and cover up the odd-seam. I just don't want it to look thrown on, like it is hiding an obvious defect!

In the meantime, I left a pair of 1950s Montgomery Ward overalls at Divinyl Revolution (formerly Last Vestige). They were adorable from the front but a heinous crime from the back. But, you know. It's been 3 weeks, so I might just have to suck it up and wear them all droopy, or hope the tailor can help me out.

Dresses off, Pants on.

Part of there reason outfit posts got sparse there for a second is that I've been dressing with purpose less often. I was so stuck in winter doldrums, and now that it's spring and my closet is (makeshift--I don't have a real-life closet) burgeoning with little dresses I'm trying to wait till it gets really honest-to-goodness (second most overused phrase of mine) warm out.

Most of the time I end up in something like what's above. Not all the time, but if I have to run around on errands and the weather is touchy, or if I'm exhausted from any number of things, I toss on some crisp jeans, a favorite t-shirt (I have two of this one--in different sizes--and I toss it on when I honestly have no idea what else to wear), and a ridiculous cardigan. The usual bow is tossed in my hair--I need to have at least one thing be just a little bit fussy or I feel too usual, casual, background.



But in the interest of documenting real-life (maybe not real-life, but rather documenting other little moments of life clothes) clothes, here is my slightly more every-day outfit.


Pictures by John M.

Dresses in Waiting.

Dudes, I have been waiting to wear this dress for ages. I almost wore it two weeks ago for a daytrip, but decided against it. Today we hit eighty degrees, and a few above, with sun, sun, sun and a nice little breeze. It couldn't have been more perfect--all the funny little buds are starting to pop out, so all the plants are kind of hazy and lovely, and some of the flowering trees have already started (much to the chagrin of my sinuses--but we're armed with all manner of pills and allergy accouterments around these parts) blooming.





I stared at this dress forever. It's a total weird-o. It's a wrap dress, with a button at the nape of the neck, with giant pockets and a scalloped neckline. And the print! Ahh! It's one of the spring and summer vintage dresses I hoarded while being barraged by frigid winds and snow.

It had a sister dress, but that one was a bit more fussy, and I couldn't justify taking them both home. Even at half-off I almost left this pretty lady on the rack, but an impulse said I ought not to, thinking wistfully of summer days. It's got a few holes in the back, teeny ones, that I still have to mend, but at the moment those aren't so bothersome and I wore it to the park anyway. Lots of people, lots of dogs, and a few ducks.




Despite my allegiance to pin curls, last night I attempted rag-curling instead. I'm not used to it at all, and it took me a while to get them in, but I do quite like the result. It's a bit frizzier, less prim, than the pin-curls, although a few of the back curls fell out by the end of the day. Practice, practice! If I have patience, but I might just stick to the pins simply for speed.

(Photos taken by John M.)