Four Ways - Black Vest

I was feeling a little blank when it came time to do this week's Four Ways installment so I went for the most trusty piece in my wardrobe: my little black vest. I know there's nothing revolutionary about this piece, but I can't tell you how many times I reach for it to finish off an outfit.

• Any day I don't want to put any real effort into thinking about what I'm going to wear I throw on jeans, a t-shirt or oversized flannel and top it off with the vest. It instantly takes a jeans and tee look that could be bland and gives it a little something extra.
• You can thank Alexander Wang for this one. His grunge inspired F/W runway show was one of my favorites. The monochromatic palettes of black and grey, the men's inspired pieces, the grungy boots - I loved it all.
• I'm feeling very Bonnie Parker meets Annie Hall in this one. A high waisted wool skirt topped with the little black vest is one of my favorites.
• I have several flowery spring dresses that I'm dying to wear but it's still just a bit early to pull out of the closet. Until then, I'll be pairing them with black tights and my vest and hoping for warmer weather.

Alright ladies - I'm coming up a bit blank on what to feature next. I'd love to hear from you about what you would like shown. Is there a piece you bought that you're not sure how to wear? Something that you've seen on the runway that you'd like to work into your wardrobe? Let me know! :)

What I'm Wearing

sweatshirt: thrifted
jeans: Cheap Monday
shoes: H&M

A lazy Saturday at home working on updates for the store and watching really good bad movies like Dirty Dancing.

What I'm Wearing

shirt: J. Perse
cape: vintage
jeans: Superfine
boots: UO
necklace: UO

When I first picked up this cape it was hanging in the dress section at a second hand store. I thought it was a skirt. When I got into the fitting room I couldn't figure out how to put it on, as there are no zippers or buttons. After much pulling and tugging I finally figured out it was supposed to be worn as a cape.

Vintage Sunglasses

I've been sporting the same oversized H&M sunglasses for the past two summers. Sunglasses are one of those things that I never want to spend much money on as I'm always dropping them across the pavement or sticking them in my purse without a cover. I'm amazed even as I write this that I've inexplicably kept up with a single pair for two years. Since the current pair are a bit dinged and scratched I'm thinking it might be time for a new pair of fun summer shades. A couple of Google searches turned me onto the selection at 80spurple.com. They have quite a variety of vintage and retro shades. Most are reproductions but they do have a selection of vintage deadstock glasses. You can go incognito like Jackie O. or rock it like Kanye. The best part is they seem to all be priced at under $20.

Today at Sally Jane Vintage

Here's your sneak peek at everything that will be posting in the store today. Enjoy! Be sure to stop in and check it out. Thank you so much! - SJ

Salvation Army

It was a beautiful day yesterday so I ventured back out to the Salvation Army for a day of half-off thrifting. I'm enjoying the hunt for vintage clothes much more here in Pennsylvania than I did in LA. Although I found some amazing pieces in LA, it always felt like a competitive sport. I would walk into a vintage store and instantly feel pressure and anxiety. There were always a dozen other girls, grabbing things left and right and I always felt like I was missing out on all the good pieces. Here, I'm shopping shoulder to shoulder with little blue haired ladies and Mennonite women in their bonnets. Gone are the C-list celebrities and movie stylists. Good riddance! As for my haul yesterday I found lots of cute, summery dresses that I'll be listing in the store as well as a few last minute cold weather pieces. I was smitten with those black and white oxfords. They were even in my size! But when I picked them up I realized the insides were completely falling apart and flaking off. It was a little gross so I ended up passing on them. :(

What I'm Wearing

shirt: American Apparel
skirt: thrifted and altered (see post below)
jacket: H&M
tights: H&M
shoes: UO
earrings: American Eagle

These earring were a shiny brass color when I bought them. I dipped them in rubbing alcohol to take off the shiny coating and colored them in with a black sharpie marker. Then I rubbed them with a cloth to take off most of the marker ink.

Sewing Project #1

Thrift stores in these parts are plagued with these long, flowy hippie skirts. Since I'm not partial to Birkenstocks and patchouli I usually just pass them by. The last time I was out thrifting I broke down and bought a couple because I liked the ethnic print fabric. They've been sitting on my sewing table for weeks just collecting dust because I wasn't sure what to do with them. Well, yesterday I got on a sewing binge (I had to stop because I ran out of thread) and this long skirt was turned into two mini skirts. When it comes to sewing projects it doesn't get much more basic than this. Cut and hem. That's about it. Maybe I'll keep one for myself and put the other one up in the store.

Birthday Swag

Expect to see these pieces in action sometime soon (or at least when the weather finally warms up a bit).





I haven't worn heels in years but lately I've been craving those extra couple of inches. I can wear these shoes with everything from jeans to dresses. The Marc Jacobs inspired buckle boots are already getting some use.

I'm not immune to the ditsy floral craze for spring so I've stocked up with a little dress and a romper. I can't wait for warmer weather!

I don't wear a watch and never know what time it is so this pocket watch necklace is both pretty and functional. Who could ask for more?

Forget everything I've said in the past about Cheap Monday jeans. I think the pair I had before were possessed by the devil. These, however, are p-e-r-f-e-c-t.

A Decidedly Unfashionable Post

I know it has nothing to do with fashion but here's a peak at what's been keeping me from the bloggin' for the past few days. My boyfriend and I have been on a couple of photo excursions to local sites. We both love exploring abandoned buildings so it was quite fun although a bit dirty and more than a little cold. At times we were more than welcome to wander around and take photos. Other times we were doing a bit of trespassing. The grounds keeper at the amusement park was even nice enough to unlock the old carousel building and give us a couple of souvenir ride tickets left over from the 70's.

Stehli Silk Mill





Urban Place

Rocky Springs Amusement Park

What I'm Wearing

top: H&M
skirt: thrifted & altered
tights: UO
shoes: UO

I wore this out to dinner over the weekend. Other than that I've been terribly preoccupied with some non-fashion photography I've been working on. The places I've been photographing sometimes require trekking through inches on mud, lying on dirty floors and crawling through windows or half-open doors. Needless to say, the wardrobe required isn't exactly something you'd care to see. Function over form in this case. However, I'd love to share some of the photographs with you. I'll post them later this afternoon.

What I'm Wearing

hoodie: American Apparel
sweater: Urban Outfitters
jeans: Superfine
boots: vintage
gloves: Urban Outfitters
scarf: H&M

One of my favorite past times is exploring old, abandoned buildings, warehouses and homes. My boyfriend and I are putting together a collection of photographs from all of our excursions. We spent today exploring an old amusement park and we have another outing planned for Sunday. When we get all of the photos ready I'll be sure to post a link to the site.

New at Sally Jane Vintage

Here's a peak at everything that will be going up for sale in the store today! Be sure to stop in and check it out. Thanks as always for stopping by. Cheers - SJ

What I'm Wearing

dress: thrifted
shirt: American Apparel
tights: UO
shoes: vintage
jacket: H&M
locket: vintage

What I'm Wearing

dress: vintage
jacket: H&M
scarf: H&M
tights: UO
shoes: vintage
locket: vintage

Four Ways - Black Pencil Skirt

One of the most versatile pieces I have in my closet is my stretchy, black cotton pencil skirt. Mine happens to be this one from American Apparel but I've seen loads of them for sale in stores and on other sites.

• Any day I don't feel like wearing jeans, I can throw on this skirt and a pair of tights with whatever I would usually pair with jeans. Lately I've been living in oversize flannel shirts, this faux-leather jacket and vintage boots.
• You can vary the length of the skirt by turning it down at the waist. I look forward to wearing this once the weather warms up a bit.
• This is where it becomes really versatile. Whenever I wear a sheer dress that needs a slip but I don't want any straps to show, I pull the dress up and wear it as a, um, "tube slip?".
• I've also been known to wear it as a tube top in the summer. I think most strapless tops are too short so this works out nicely.

*Apparently American Apparel really liked this post! ;)

Anna Sui

I really loved Anna Sui's spring collection so I was excited to see what the fall collection would hold. When I first looked at it I was a bit overwhelmed. So many patterns and colors and textures. It was a lot to take in. I decided to put it aside and take a look at it later. On the second take, I found that I was most drawn to the Native American influences in the collection. While it's not a look I would want to wear head to toe (a little bold for me!) I would like to try to add some feathered or beaded accessories to my repertiore.

(All of the jewelry on the top row is from UrbanOutfitters.com and the ones on the bottom row are from EBay.)

What I'm Wearing

t-shirt: my boyfriend's
jeans: Superfine
vest: H&M
scarf: vintage
shoes: vintage

Lesson for the day: It pays to have a boyfriend with a closet full of buttery soft vintage rock t-shirts.

Dear Shoe Gods...

This is what I want for my birthday. OK? Size 37 please. I'm willing to beg, borrow, trade or steal. Thank you. - SJ

What I'm Wearing

shirt: American Apparel
jacket: H&M
skirt: thrifted and altered
tights: Undercover
shoes: H&M
scarf: vintage

This is a smoke stack for one of the old furnaces that helped power the cork factory in which I now live. There is a lot of construction going on around our apartment due to the renovations and many of the buildings have been left open. I plan on sneaking inside and taking a look around. But for now we're off to eat some Thai food.

What I'm Wearing

shirt: thrifted
jacket: H&M
leggings: UO
socks: Sock Dreams
boots: vintage
hat: from Maxfield

Today was filled with fun things like getting up before sunrise to take the cat to the vet and going to the post office. At least it was a beautiful day and you finally get to see something besides the inside of my apartment. I'm sure you're getting as tired of looking at that brick wall in my photos as I am.

New Today at Sally Jane Vintage

Lots of cute pieces going up for sale in the store today! Be sure to put your bids in! THANKS!

Greener Printer

A couple of weeks ago I placed an order online with Greener Printer for business cards to use as hanging tags in all the items I sell in the store. I had never used the company before but they came highly recommended. They print on post-consumer recycled paper using soy or vegetable based ink and use no chlorine in their processes. They also invest in Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) to offset 100% of their non-renewable energy consumption with renewable energy sources, such as wind. I even received a phone call from their customer service when my order was ready to ship. Who could ask for more?! If you have any printing needs, I highly recommend that you check them out. I couldn't be happier with the final product.

Tights, Tights, Tights

Rodarte, Sonia Rykiel, Emma Cook, Anna Sui (don't even get me started about those shoes!)

I'm finally, finally getting around to really going through the Fall/Winter show photos. One thing I'm noticing is lots of funky tights in all colors, patterns and textures. I've always loved colored tights. I tend to wear a lot of neutral colors - black, grey, white. Tights are always an easy and fun way to lend a pop of color to an otherwise simple outfit. While I've always favored solid color tights, looking at the photos from the shows made me want some color-blocked or patterned tights. Joy of Socks has the most eclectic collection of tights. I'm pretty smitten with the peacock ones and the blue tie-dye lurex ones.

Four Ways - High Waisted Pleated Pants

This was a tough one for me and I'm still not convinced that I got it 100% right. I definitely figured out that one key element to keeping the pants from becoming too mumsy is the length. These happen to be petites so they are naturally too short for me which worked out perfectly. The other pair I got, the light grey ones, come down to my ankles so they are going to have to be altered.

• First I paired the pants with a plain white v-neck tee and an oversized cardigan. A vintage locket and black high heeled oxfords complete the look.
• Next I went for a casual, layered look using a simple long sleeve black tee and a slouchy grey striped tank. I added a purple beret for a little color and vintage black and white patent shoes.
• Then I paired the pants with a lacey top, vintage shoes and locket. I'm not sure whether or not a belt would have helped this look.
• The last look layers a vintage rock tee, vintage woven vest, a black blazer and my favorite ankle boots.

What I'm Wearing

tee: James Perse

hoodie: American Apparel

jacket: H&M

jeans: Superfine

scarf: vintage

boots: vintage

What I'm Wearing

shirt: American Apparel
skirt: H&M
jacket: H&M
tights: American Apparel
scarf: H&M
necklace: vintage
shoes: vintage

High Waist & Pleats. No, Really.

Le Blog de Betty, Moderniteter, Only Shallow

The last time I considered wearing a pair of high-waisted, pleated pants I had braces, a bad perm and New Kids on the Block were playing on the radio. Proving once again that fashion is indeed cyclical those pants of yesteryear are once again showing up on runways and fashion blogs. I've been adamant in my belief that if you wore a trend the first time around (for me: neon, acid wash, anything "jelly") you can't go back. But for some reason, I've been tempted to try this one out. Blame those stylish Scandinavian girls. I figured the easiest way to try it out without breaking the bank was to find a few pairs of pants that fit the bill at the thrift store for just a few dollar. That way, if I end up hating it, I haven't blown too much money. So, that's just what I did. I picked up two pair of grey pants (one light cotton blend and one darker wool blend) and a pair of khaki shorts. I'll admit that when I first tried them on I felt like some one's mom, but I think with a little styling I'll be able to pull it off. I guess we'll see.

What I'm Wearing

With the rain pouring down outside I can't bring myself to change into what I was going to wear out tonight. Instead I just changed shoes and threw on a big scarf and my faux leather motorcycle jacket. Maybe next time!

What I'm Wearing

dress: vintage

sweater: Urban Outfitters

tights: H&M

boots: vintage

scarf: vintage

I can already tell that I'll be living in this dress come summer. Right now I'll have to settle for layering it with tights and sweater. Today is reserved for fun stuff like taking the cat to the vet and going to the post office. My boyfriend and I are going out tonight to some local art galleries so I'll try to take a photo of my "going out" ensemble. I'm always posting the everyday stuff I wear but never when I get dressed up.

Summer Tops

I look out the window and all I see is a cloudy, white sky and bare trees. It's definitely still winter but that hasn't stopped me from thinking about summer. It's that time of year when I'm getting ready for the seasons to change. For this summer I love the idea of tops that look plain and simple from the front but offer surprise details in the back. All of these are on sale at Urban Outfitters (I swear they should be paying me, but alas they are not). I'm partial to the black ones of course, but they do come in a variety of colors.

New at Sally Jane Vintage

Here is a peek at all the items that will be posting in the store today. Be sure to stop by and check it out! Thanks as always!

New Thrift Finds

Today I ventured out to the local Salvation Army. It must have been the day to go because it was packed. I mean so packed it was hard to push my cart up and down the aisles without running over a little old lady or a screaming toddler. At one point I may have "accidentally" bumped a lady that was too busy chatting on her cell phone at full volume to notice she was taking up the entire aisle. And I think there may have been an incident where I told a four year old to be quiet and that he was being weird. He was walking around talking into a toy phone whispering "I'm a stranger and I'm in your house! I'm coming to get you while you're asleep! I'm a stranger!" Seriously. What is his mother letting him watch?

I digress. On to the good stuff! Turns out it was hella-packed because Wednesdays are Half-Off-Family-Days. You mean those three dollar shoes are half off? Sure, I'll take them. Thanks! So of course I came home with four huge bags of dresses, sweaters, shoes and bags to sell in the store. Only a few items are trying to make their way into my closet. The little 90's flower print dress looks perfect for this spring and it just screams Brenda Walsh. I think I've watched one too many 90210 reruns on the Soap Network. The suede patchwork hippie bag might have to be my summer bag. Is it completely passé to carry a suede bag in the summer? More importantly, do I care if it's completely passé?

Last but not least, these little 60's patent mary-janes might be the sweetest shoes I've ever found. They are in great condition and are only the tiniest bit snug on my toes. Actually it's just my little toe that's getting in the way. I might be willing to lose the toe and keep the shoes. Seriously. Don't tempt me.

What I'm Wearing

dress: vintage
blazer: vintage
belt: vintage
scarf: vintage
tights: H&M
boots: Urban Outfitters

Minnetonka Boots

Last week on Project Runway, Tim Gunn was giving some constructive criticism to finalist hopeful Chris March. Chris had included some, um, human hair (!) as trim in his collection. The ever-so-wise Tim put it this way: When you walk into the monkey house at the zoo, you think "Oh my god, it stinks in here!" But after a few minutes, it doesn't smell so bad. And then a little while later, you think it "Oh, it's really not bad in here at all." But anyone else freshly walking into the monkey house thinks, "Oh my god, it stinks in here!" Tim thought Chris had been living with his collection for too long because the horrible human hair trim had started to really look good to him.

In other words, you can get used to just about anything if you live with it for long enough. I think that's what's happening here. When I first saw people wearing the Minnetonka boots, my initial reaction was - Oh great, it's gonna be the new Ugg boot. My detest for them was not to be taken lightly. But... now I'm not so sure. I'm going to put the blame squarely on the shoulders of Miss Moss who, granted, could wear a potato sack and still look lovely. I still haven't completely made up my mind. As Heidi would say, "Are they in or are they out?"

What I'm Wearing

dress: vintage
jacket: H&M
faux fur collar: H&M
tights: American Apparel
boots: Urban Outfitters

Four Ways - Navy Blazer

A navy blazer is one of the most versatile items you can have in your closet. You can dress it up, dress it down, wear it when it's cool, wear it when it's warm. They are all over the runways right now, but you can easily snag one for mere dollars at a thrift store.

• The first outfit has a nautical feel thanks to the classic navy and white stripe tee. Throw on a colorful vintage scarf, a pair of skinny jeans and some white oxfords and you're ready to go.
• Don't be afraid to mix black and navy. Layer the blazer over a comfy, oversized flannel shirt with a pair of black jeans for an everyday, casual look.
• On warmer spring days wear the blazer with a simple white tee and a pair of high-waisted shorts.
• For a dressier look layer the blazer over your favorite dress and add a faux fur collar.

What I'm Wearing

sweater: vintage
jeans: Superfine
boots: Urban Outfitters

It seems that lately I've been craving things with animal faces on them (cat tees, wolf tees) so I was thrilled when I found this tiger print sweater at a thrift store over the weekend.

Rue du Mail & The Beetles

Proving that inspiration can come from anywhere, the Rue du Mail collection draws on the shimmery, dark metallics and lines of none other than the creepy, crawly beetle. The result is a collection of wearable minis paired with dark tights and ankle boots.

The Girl Can Do No Wrong

It's been a couple of months since I've done an "It Girl of the Month" post. It's been partially due to blogging laziness and partially due to the fact that I haven't been terribly inspired by anyone in particular. But when I saw that once again the lovely Louise (aka Miss Pandora) from The Lipstick Lollipops had been snapped by The Sartorialist in Paris, who to pick as Miss March suddenly became a no-brainer. I've been semi-obsessed with her style ever since I first saw her show up on The Sartorialist. Here she proves it's no fluke that she looks flawless everytime she leaves the house.