Military Inspirations

One trend that I'm seeing a ton of for this Fall/Winter is military inspired details. I have to admit I'm not immune. I love classic peacoats, brass buttons & buckles and tall, flat boots. There are jackets and capes at every price point - from $89.50 at Delias to $150 - $325 at Urban Outfitters (when did UO get so expensive!?). I'm in love with the Kate Moss for TopShop cape but unless I win the lottery, I'm afraid I won't be sporting it any time soon. There is an amazing little jacket ending on Ebay today. I'm betting it goes for a pretty penny. Agathe from StyleBytes seems to have found the perfect one (she even added her own military patches) that she cleverly wears with girly dresses. Since none of these lovely items are in my budget, I think my nod to the military trend will come in the form of these leg warmers with brass snaps. I think they would look great peeking out of the top of my boots.

Happy Halloween

dress: Forever 21
jacket: Banana Republic
socks: Sock Dreams
boots: vintage
scarf: vintage

This is actually my raincoat but since it never rains here I never get a chance to wear it. So I guess you could say for Halloween I've dressed up like someone who hopes it rains soon.

Wardrobe Remix 10-30

dress: H&M
tights: ???
socks: H&M
boots: vintage
layered necklace: Forever 21
locket: vintage

I guess I'm feeling a bit gothy with Halloween right around the corner. No dress up party for me this year. You'd think people in Hollywood would be crazy for Halloween, but I've found the opposite to be true. I think people here consider themselves somehow above it all. Oh well. Anyway, I thought I'd share one of my secrets with you. I'm not one of those girls that feels comfortable walking around in a super short skirt where every passing breeze could be the one that shows all your stuff to the world. The answer? One of these from American Apparel. It's like a little pair of shorts built into a tiny little skirt. It acts as a slip and keeps my dress from riding up when I walk and I never have to worry about having a Marilyn Monroe moment. I have one on right now!

Cheap Monday Jeans

I am so confounded about Cheap Monday jeans. I bought a pair last year when they came in to the store where I work. I'd seen them on many of the street fashion blogs and was really excited to try them out. I got a pair in dark black in my usual size. They seemed stiff but I figured a wash or two would help. To my dismay, no matter how many times I wore and washed them, they remained so stiff and uncomfortable I couldn't wait to take them off at the end of the day. If it's possible for a pair of jeans to make you feel claustrophobic, these jeans did just that. I ended up selling them on EBay.

I guess my memory of how much I hated them is wearing off because I'm beginning to reconsider them. Blame it on the Scandinavians. I love the way the jeans look in these photos. Super skinny with high waists, they look good with boots or flats, with shirt tucked in or left hanging out.

photos: HelLooks, Moderniteter, StyleBytes.

Now that the jeans are readily available at Urban Outfitters I'm really tempted to give them another shot. Maybe mine were just stiff because I bought the dark black rinse. Maybe the lighter ones would be softer. Maybe I just need to wash them with some fabric softener. Maybe I'm crazy for even considering it.

Wardrobe Remix 10-29

dress: H&M

tights: H&M

boots & scarf: vintage

on the iPod: Travis "The Boy With No Name"

Wardobe Remix 10-26

shirt: American Apparel
jeans: Superfine
vest: Old Navy (kids dept.)
boots: vintage
scarf: vintage

I had a completely different outfit picked out this morning but at the last second I decided I just wanted to be comfortable today. So, I ended up pulling out all my favorites: favorite jeans, shirt, boots, scarf - and then just threw on the vest to mix it up a bit. That seems to be happening a lot lately.

New at Sally Jane Vintage

There's a new batch of goodies in the store today. Loads of Fall sweaters and cute 80's dress. More to come. I'm going to try to post some shoes and boots this weekend. I wish there were more hours in a day!

Nylon Editorials

I used to feel like I was the target audience for Nylon magazine. In the past year or so I think they've either switched audiences or I've begun to grown out of it. Either way, I still really enjoy most of their fashion editorials. For instance, this month's take on Annie Hall in Central Park. I like the mix of boyish vests and oxfords with girlier bow blouses and knee socks. And who wouldn't want to spend Fall in Central Park?

Wardrobe Remix 10-25

dress: vintage (flea market find)
vest: vintage
boots: vintage
belt: thrifted in 'Bama

For the past two days I've witnessed some of the most spectacular sunrises I've ever seen. The sky has been so colorful that the sunlight coming in our apartment has been bright orange. The smoke is so thick on the horizon from all the surrounding fires that it looks like some kind of atomic sunrise. I'll be glad when it finally clears.

Wardrobe Remix 10-24

top: American Apparel
jeans: Superfine
scarf: thrifted in AL
shoes: thrifted in AL
on the iPod: Band of Horses "Cease to Begin"

These shoes are one of the things I kept from my thrifting trip back home. I normally would not wear white shoes, but I was inspired by all the white-shoe-wearing over on Moderniteter. Other than that, there's not too much exciting going on with this ensemble. I had to throw in the towel this morning. That's it! I give in! Mother Nature, you win. It's 92 and I cannot wear tights and boots today.

photo credit: Tom b.

Art Deco Details

It’s no secret that I love all things Art Deco: the architecture, the poster art, the jewelry, the clothes. But how do you pull of an Art Deco inspired look with out becoming a Halloween costume? Let your accessories do all the work. In the past I’ve had a hard time finding pieces that fit the aesthetic, but lately it seems they’re becoming more and more popular. I’m loving these Art Deco inspired pieces from Urban Outfitters and TopShop.

Wardrobe Remix 10-23

dress: H&M
tights: American Apparel
socks: H&M
earrings: gift from my sister
shoes & scarf: vintage
cat: Rocky aka RockStar: SuperKitty

I purchased this scarf on my recent trip to Alabama. After my mega-thrifting adventures in Birmingham, I hit up a couple of small, rural shops with my mother. This particular one was in Opelika, Alabama. When we walked into the shop we were greeted by an older lady who told us everything in the shop was half off and then proceeded to talk the entire time we browsed. She told us about other shops in town, the furniture in the back room, her brother-in-law's Alzheimer's. She was very Southern and you could tell she probably didn't get many visitors in the store. I picked out a couple of scarves and a pair of silver and gold flats and told her I was ready to check out. At the counter, I could tell she was having a hard time with the math (there was no register) so I ended up having to figure out my own total and tax, then she looked at me like a foreigner when I handed her my debit card. She had to get someone else out of the back of the store to come run the card. I felt a bit like I had stepped back in time, but that's just part of the charm of the South.

Russian Shawls

I'd been admiring the big, flowered, fringed scarves I'd seen several of the street style blogs for some time. When I spotted this one on the ever-stylish Vasiliisa (who has a wonderful blog) on Wardrobe Remix, it cemented the fact that I must track down one of these lovely scarves. After many fruitless searches on Ebay and Google for "fringed scarf", "flower scarf", "square scarf" I figured out that what I'm actually searching for is a Russian folk shawl. You can find them online here and here. They come in a variety of colors and sizes. I'm a fan the black ones with the brightly colored flowers.

Wardrobe Remix 10-22

romper: H&M
scarf: thrifted in Opelika, Alabama
boots: vintage
glasses & bag: H&M
on the iPod: Thrice "The Alchemy Index: Fire & Water"

I've been a bit lazy about the wardrobe remixing since I got back from my trip. Believe me, you haven't missed anything. Lots of jeans, t-shirts, boots and scarves - my daily uniform as of late. I'll try to get back to it now. Looking over some of my past posts, I noticed that I'm always going on and on about the weather like some kind of old lady so I resolved not to talk about the weather anymore. Surely I can find something more interesting to say, right? Well, I'm not even going to make it a day without breaking my resolution because I just can't help but mention that thanks to the lovely Santa Ana winds it's going to be 94 freaking degrees here today.

Sneak Peek at Sally Jane Vintage

Here's a quick look at just a few of the new pieces that will be going in the store this week. Tons more to come! Thanks for stopping by!




P.S. Thanks ALLISON !!

Thrifting Treasures - Shoes and Boots Galore!

Here is just a handful of the shoes and boots that I found during my thrift shopping in Alabama. There are lots of 80's pumps, leather oxfords and flat boots. I ended up borrowing two suitcases from my sister for the trip home - one was packed with nothing but shoes. I can't imagine what the airport employee who had to x-ray the bag thought when he saw the huge suitcase packed nothing but dozens of pairs of shoes! All of these will be going in the store in the next few weeks. Oh, and I haven't even started unpacking the clothes yet! Stay tuned!

Kate Moss for TopShop

As much as I admire Kate Moss' style and acknowledge her influence over fashion trends, I haven't been that taken with her collection for TopShop so far. This may change with her Autumn/Winter '07 Collection. I'm especially liking the holiday dresses. They are very 1920's flapper inspired. Not that I have any fancy holiday parties to go to, but if I did, I could definitely see myself wearing one of these little numbers.

Thrifting Adventures

My trip home started with a day packed with thrift shopping. My sister picked me up from the airport and we headed straight out to all of our favorite spots as well as a few new ones. On the list of things to look for were vintage dresses and sweaters for fall, vintage shoes, shrunken blazers and jackets and vintage purses. I'm happy to report that I was able to check all of those things off my list!



We had a whole cart (in the south, of course, we say buggy) full of shoes before we even got to the clothing department. I found lots of 80's pumps, leather oxfords and several pairs of tall, flat boots - all of which will be showing up in the store. Hardly any were my size - bad for me, good for you.



The dress on the left was ultimately rejected - it was a little bit Twiggy meets Judy Jetson and a lot scary. The little military style coat on the right was one of my favorite finds of the day.



This furry Russian style coat was another favorite find. We couldn't wait to try it on, so we ran over to the furniture department to find a mirror. So cute!



It was only the first store and we left with a cart full of clothes, shoes and bags. And we still had several more stores to go to before the day was over. The thrifting gods were certainly with us that day!

Going Back to Cali

I've returned to California after a week long adventure in the South. Mostly I was visiting friends and relaxing with my family, but I did find plenty of time for stocking up on vintage goodies for the store. I'll be posting tons of photos in the next couple of days so keep an eye out. There's lots to catch up on. It's good to be back!

Sweet Home Alabama

Tonight I'm hopping on a red-eye flight and heading to my home state of Alabama for a week. I'll be visiting family and friends and leaving lots of time in between for thrift shopping. I already have a whole list of shops to hit up and I'm hoping to discover some new ones as well. You know what that means, don't you? I'll be bringing home tons of vintage dresses, coats, shoes and bags to sell in the store. Yay! I also plan on having a photo shoot with a new model. So just hold tight and I'll be back with updates and photos next week. See you then! Cheers - Sally Jane

Wardrobe Remix 10-10

dress: vintage
scarf & tights: H&M
boots: vintage
on the iPod: The Good, The Bad & The Queen

Yesterday I was having a really "ugly" day - thanks in part to a zit that has decided to take up residence on my right cheek (thank god for photoshop!). Ugh. What better cure for the uglies than putting on a cute outfit and going to a show? So that's exactly what I did. My boyfriend and I saw Bat For Lashes and they were really amazing. And while I thoroughly enjoyed the band, being there just reinforced every antisocial tendency I have. Why do I always get stuck standing behind the girl that watches the entire show through her camera phone? You know, you're actually at the show - in person - enjoy it! And to our left was the completely trashed, overly enthusiastic, rhythmically challenged duo. Ever seen the opening scene of "The Jerk"? I was standing next to that guy last night. Only less endearing. Well, the outfit worked for me last night, so I decided to wear it again today.

Flea Market Finds

Sunday's flea market did not turn up the brass buttons I was searching for, however, I did not walk away empty handed. Every time I go to the flea market I head straight for the same spot - a clothing stand run by Brittney, one of the designers behind the line Fremont. Some how she has always managed to compile a collection of the most amazing vintage dresses. I had limited myself to only looking for fall/winter pieces (otherwise, I'm just tempted by everything). I really lucked out because tucked in between lots of cute little sundresses, I found these two...

The first is a wool mini dress with pleats and brass buttons down the front (OK, so I did buy some brass buttons after all). I'm always a sucker for these kinds of details on a dress. It's also fully lined and has pockets. Pockets!

Next I found this 70's mini dress with a paisley print (looks like it used to be long but has been altered). I love the fall colors and long sleeves. I can't wait to wear this one with tights and boots.

Wardrobe Remix 10-9

shirt: H&M
vest: Urban Outfitters
jeans: Superfine
shoes and scarf: vintage
on the iPod: Feist "The Reminder"

Up bright and early to the post office = Casual Tuesday. Tonight we're going to see Bat For Lashes at the Troubador. Can't wait!

Wardrobe Remix 10-8

dress: H&M
tights: H&M
shoes: vintage (Ebay)
purse: vintage (yesterday's flea market)
on the iPod: Editors "An End Has A Start"

I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed by everything I need to get done before I leave Wednesday night for my trip back to Alabama. Instead, I'm stuck at work getting no work done. I think that's the definition of irony.

Coming Soon to Sally Jane Vintage

Here are just a few of the goodies that will be going up in the store this week. Please note that I will be out of town from the 11th-17th so if you're the lucky winner for one of these items there will be a slight delay in shipping. I'll mail everything out as soon as I get back. Thanks for looking and come back soon!

Fairfax Flea Market

One of my favorite ways to spend a Sunday afternoon is wandering through the Fairfax Flea Market. I've been so preoccupied with getting the store up and running that I haven't been in a couple of months. I have a jacket that I would like to replace the buttons on - some big antique brass buttons would be perfect. I figured if I could find them anywhere, I'd find them at the flea market. Well, no luck on the buttons, but I did see about a million other things I could have blown my paycheck on. Here's a taste...

Wardrobe Remix 10-5

dress: public school uniform, thrifted in Alabama
t-shirt: Urban Outfitters
scarf: Urban Outfitters
shoes: vintage
tights & sunglasses: H&M
on the iPod: People in Planes "As Far As The Eye Can See"

In less than a week I'm flying home to Alabama to visit family and friends. I'm very excited about the trip. I can't wait to be somewhere where the leaves are actually changing. LA does make you miss the seasons. Also, I'll be hitting up every thrift store within a hundred mile radius (OK, maybe not that far). I hope to be coming home with tons of stuff for the store, so keep an eye out. I'll let you know how it goes.

New at Sally Jane Vintage

Lots of new items going in the store today. Be sure to check it out! Thanks!

Wardrobe Remix 10-4

2 slips (layered) - vintage
tights - H&M
boots - vintage
sweater - Urban Outfitters
necklace - vintage
sunglasses - H&M
on the iPod - The Smiths "Meat is Murder

The wonderful, grey, cloudy sky I awoke to this morning is already turning clear and blue.

Rain Boots

My first winter in LA I think it rained every day for at least a month. I thought surely everyone had lied to me about "sunny" Southern California. The next winter it hardly rained a drop. I honestly can't remember using my umbrella at all. The rainy season is once again approaching and while I don't know if it will actually bring any rain with it, I am reminded that I do not own a pair of rain boots. While this fact has been relatively inconsequential in winters past, my current non-car-owning, walks-a-lot self could definitely use a pair. Here are my requirement:

• a solid color - yes, I know there are lots of cute, printed ones out there - leopard spots, polka dots, rainbow stripes - but I want a pair that I will wear for years without growing tired of them.
• light weight - as in they don't weigh a ton. I just want to walk in the rain, not get a lower body work out.
• skinny - to fit my skinny legs. I do not wish too look like a kindergartner playing dress up in her mother's rain boots.

So far my favorites are these from Free People, but I do think they are kind of pricey. I like the brown, but am also quite tempted to get yellow or red to brighten up those rainy days.

Wardrobe Remix 10-3

top: Forever 21 (it was a dress and I put it in the dryer - now it's a shirt)
jeans: Superfine
scarves: vintage
boots: vintage
bag: H&M

It’s become part of my daily routine to stop during my walk to work to take photos for Wardrobe Remix. I’ve even found the perfect shady courtyard where I can prop up the camera. This morning, however, my lovely courtyard was occupied my a homeless man who was relieving himself in the corner. Gotta love living in the city, right? Moving on…

Wardrobe Remix 10-2

sweater: vintage
jeans: Superfine
boots: vintage
locket: vintage

on the iPod: Travis "The Boy With No Name"

I had a completely different outfit picked for this morning, but it seems the weather is just not willing to cooperate with me. The high for today is 86 which seems completely backwards – shouldn’t it say 68? I’ve really got to put a call in to the Weather Channel about that. I compromised and still wore a sweater, albeit a short sleeve one. Let's hope for cooler days soon.

Ms. October

Every year when the weather starts to turn cool I, like every other girl it seems, goes through a style transformation as we put away our summer dresses and drag out our sweaters and tights. And every year, without fail, I go through a distinct Bonnie Parker phase, complete with berets and scarves, pencil skirts and tights. For that reason, I've dubbed Faye Dunaway, the consummate Bonnie Parker as Ms. October. With roles in "Bonnie and Clyde", "Chinatown" and "The Thomas Crown Affair", Faye played some of the most stylish ladies on the big screen in the 60's and 70's.

Coming Soon to Sally Jane Vintage

Here are a few of the great vintage finds I'll be bringing to the store this week...

Also, please note that this week's auctions end on Friday the 5th and Monday the 8th instead of the usual Sunday. Thanks for stopping by as always!

My Love For You...

When I started Sally Jane Vintage nearly two months ago, I also started this blog as a means of documenting my progress, promoting the store and just ranting about fashion in general. What I didn't expect was meeting so many other cool girls with the same interests and passions from all backgrounds from literally all around the world. It has been a most unexpected and rewarding experience. Just last week, through Wardrobe Remix and our blogs, I had the pleasure of "meeting" Meighan from My Love For You Is A Stampede Of Horses. Her blog is chock full of posts about fashion, music, art, crafting and much more. I definitely recommend it as daily reading. She was also kind enough to feature a post about Sally Jane Vintage which you can find here. Thanks Meighan and keep it up!

Wardrobe Remix 10-1

dress: vintage
tights & sunglasses: H&M
shoes: vintage
on the iPod: Bat For Lashes "Fur and Gold"

This was one of those Monday mornings that the only thing making me get up and get ready for work was the promise of putting on a cute dress. Does anyone else ever have those days? This is one of my favorites (I seem to have a lot of favorites, don't I?) but it doesn't get worn often because it is one of the older pieces I have in my closet. I imagine that it's nearly 40 years old and while it is in exceptional condition and I've reinforced most of the seams, I'm always afraid that it's just going to fall apart. But today was a Monday that warranted breaking out something special.