Pretty Girl

Unfortunately, today meant saying goodbye to our beloved Pretty Girl. Our house and hearts are feeling a bit empty right now. I need a couple of days to get myself together. Thank you for all of your well wishes. I'll be back later this week. - SJ

*To read a little more about Pretty go here.

Ah, Louise

I'm still not quite up to par so here are a few photos of one of my favorite fashion muses, the unstoppable mystery girl - Louise.

Photos taken from Garance Doré, Cafe Mode and Punky-B.

Motorcycle Jacket Going Up For Sale

I know that there are several people out there coveting the faux leather motorcycle jacket from H&M. I've seen them pop up on blogs all over the world. Well, if you're one of those people, this might be your lucky day. You heard it here first - I'm selling one this week. Here's the deal: When I first saw the jacket at the H&M in LA, I purchased the smallest size they had - a US size 4 (UK 8). When I got to Pennsylvania, I found a smaller size and ended up buying that one and putting the size 4 away. I had pretty much forgotten about it until I was going through my closet and found it hanging in the back. It was only worn a few times and is in perfect condition. It will post along with all the rest of this week's goodies on Thursday afternoon.

What I'm Wearing

t-shirt: vintage
jacket: H&M
jeans: Superfine
shoes: vintage
scarf: vintage
necklace: UO
sunglasses: H&M

The last few days have been very worrisome and stressful for me. We returned home from NY to find one of our cats had become very, very sick while we were gone. I've been tending to the poor feline for the past few days and now she's been admitted to the vet. Even though I have several new, lovely things to wear, fashion has been the last thing on my mind. I've been living in jeans and tees. Combine that with the constant downpour of rain outside and it's not too exciting to get dressed right now. Hopefully things will pick up later this week.

New York City

All photos taken by the wonderful Tom B. Thank you!

We're back from a whirlwind trip to the Big Apple. Lots of walking and eating and shopping and eating some more. We spent two days on foot exploring the city, going in every cute little shop we passed on the street and hunting down the best vegetarian food the city has to offer. We were able to crash at a friend's apartment in Chelsea. I'm always excited to spend a little time in NY. I love the energy of the city and finding new inspirations around every corner. Here are a few shots from our adventure. Wish I could write more but right now I'm exhausted! I'll be back to regular posting tomorrow. Thanks for checking in!

We're Off To See The City...

I'll be in NYC for the next couple of days. I'll be back on Friday with lots of pictures and reports of our adventures. See you then!

Zap & Co.

It was beautiful outside today and my sister and I spent all afternoon walking around town and enjoying the sunshine. We went to Central Market and bought cups of fresh apple cider from an Amish stand and visited the Charles Demuth museum. Afterwards we went in all the vintage shops downtown including one of my favorites, Zap & Co. The back of the store is packed with dresses and shoes from all eras but the best part by far is the art deco collection. There are cases packed with jewerly, hats and bags from the 20's and 30's. Not to mention all the kitschy ashtrays, bar sets and books. Here are a few shots from the store.

Super Sneak Peek at This Week's Auctions

Since I'm still feeling under the weather and have no intentions of sharing photos of me in my pajamas, I decided to treat you to a super sneak peek at some of the items that will be posting in the store this Thursday. Some of my favorite pieces so far! That fitted floral dress is going to be hard to part with and the green hot air balloon skirt is so cute on.

In other news, my sister is flying in tonight for a visit and will be here for the rest of the week. Yay! We'll be doing some local thrift shopping as well as spending a couple of days in NYC. I'm sure we'll have photos of our adventures. Stay tuned for more to come!

Monki

I'm spending the day sick on the couch, comfy in my pajamas, watching an America's Next Top Model marathon and doing a little fantasy online shopping. Mostly I've been lusting after all the simple but unique pieces at Monki. I guess I'll have to keep it in my fantasies, though, since the line doesn't seem to be available in the US. That got me thinking (uh, oh!). Is there a service out there somewhere that will let you order things from companies that don't ship to the U.S. and then forward the package to you? Well, there certainly should be! An exhaustive Google search left me empty handed. However, good news for all of you outside the States. Been craving something from an American store that doesn't ship outside the U.S.? Apparently you can use this service and order from any company in the States and they will forward the package to you anywhere in the world. Among the listed companies that they work with are Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie and Delias (and many more).

An Incomplete List

I'm not feeling 100% today. Sore throat, sinus pressure, achy muscles, the whole nine yards. I don't think the fact that I stood on my feet (in non-supportive sandals, mind you) in the blazing sun for five hours yesterday at an Obama rally helped. I was seriously exhausted when I got home. So, no pictures today. Instead I'm going to finally post a list I've been tagged with a couple of times (first by FashionDisciplexxx).

First let me start by saying I am a list-maker by nature. Everyday I write a list of things I want to accomplish and get great pleasure in marking those things off my list. I've been known to write down something I've already done just so I can mark it off. However, when it comes to making lists that define who I am, what my likes and dislikes are, I am none too accomplished. The list is constantly changing, evolving. This incomplete list has been sitting in my computer for a least a week and I haven't been able to finish it yet. I fear I never will, so I'm just going to share with you what I have. Enjoy!

8-ish Things I am Passionate About

1. traveling
2. photography
3. music
4. fashion
5. starting my own vintage store
6. spicy food
7. Silk soy chocolate milk

8-ish Things I Want To Do Before I Die

1. learn to speak another language (German? Spanish?)
2. learn to play the cello
3. travel the world
4. be financially independent
5. own my own vintage store (a real brick & mortar one, not just online)
6. fix up an old house
   

8-ish Things I Say Often

1. What, am I an idiot? (said in a Seinfeld voice)
2. I’m hungry.
3. Where’d I put my phone?
4. Y’all (I am from the South after all)
5. Fixin’ to (another Southern staple – as in, “I’m fixin’ to go to the store. Do you want anything?”)
6. Buddiieee! (The cat. She gets blamed for everything that goes wrong in the apartment.)

8-ish Books I Have Read Lately

1. The Man in the High Castle – Philip K. Dick
2. Encounters with the Archdruid – John McPhee
3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – J.K. Rowling
4. The Bell Jar – Sylvia Plath
5. In Cold Blood – Truman Capote
6. (next) – The World Without US – Alan Weisman

8-ish Albums I Could Listen To Over and Over

1. Beatles – anything post-mop top years
2. Killswitch Engage – Alive or Just Breathing
3. Joy Division – Substance
4. Boysetsfire – After the Eulogy
5. The National – Boxer
6. Fiona Apple – When The Pawn…
7. My Morning Jacket – Z

8-ish Things That Attract Me to My Best Friends

1. loyalty
2. the ability to listen
3. a dry sense of humor
4. willingness to laugh at themselves
5. loves to thrift shop
6. doesn’t mind sitting at home
7. loves Belgian beer
8. wearing a size 6.5 shoe doesn't hurt
   

Summer Sandals

I've always been pretty blasé about the existence of gladiator sandals. I've never found them particularly offensive nor have I ever felt the urge to go out and buy a pair. I picked these up at a thrift store in Alabama on the move from LA to PA. Since it was the middle of winter at that time, I put them aside to sell in the store once the weather turned warm. When I was getting dressed this morning something made me think of them and I pulled them out of storage. What'd ya know?! A perfect fit. I think I've just found my new summer sandals. Oh, and they're made by company named Razzmatazz which I think makes them even better.

What I'm Wearing

dress: vintage
scarf: vintage
shoes: vintage
bag: vintage
sunglasses: H&M
earrings: UO

I walked outside today and it's downright hot! A bit unexpected but a welcome change from the cold. I have lots of summery things in my closet that I've been dying to wear so I thought I'd break a few out today. I bought this dress at the Fairfax Flea Market (wow, I miss that place!) before leaving LA but it's been to cold to wear until today. It has pretty crocheting at the shoulders that you can't see in the photos. The scarf and bag were picked up at the thrift store this week. The earrings I've had since last summer. I know earrings aren't technically seasonal but somehow these feel like summer to me.

Random Things

Usually when I hit the thrift store I stick to the clothing and shoe aisles. Yesterday I took a detour through the housewares section and ended up finding a few fun pieces. I couldn't resist this pretty little vintage vase. I'm not a smoker, but I'm sure I'll find a good use for these square little translucent glass ash trays. I think I'll line them up on my dresser to keep earrings and small jewelry in. Who could walk away from a set of Return of the Jedi glasses? Apparently not me. In more apparel related finds, I also scored this red suede fringed purse which I'm looking forward to wearing with little black dresses and sandals.

Spring Has Sprung at Sally Jane Vintage

Just in time for warmer weather, here's your super sneak preview of all the pieces going up in the store today. Loads of pretty summer dresses and tops, high waisted skirts and shorts and cute strappy sandals. Be one of a kind! Shop Sally Jane Vintage! Thanks y'all!

What I'm Wearing

shirt: vintage
shorts: vintage
cardigan: vintage
suspenders: H&M
tights: UO
boots: vintage
on the iPod: People in Planes

I'm off the the thrift store again. Today I'm wearing two of my favorite finds from last week: a little floral print button up shirt and a boy's cardigan. I'm enjoying my walks now that the weather has turned beautiful. The Bradford pear trees are all in bloom.

What I'm Wearing

t-shirt: American Apparel
shirt: vintage
jeans: Superfine
suspenders, shoes & sunglasses: H&M
scarf: vintage
on the iPod: The Kooks

On the walk home from the post office today, I stopped to enjoy the green grass and the blue sky. It was nice to be out in the sun.

Patches

Of all the crazy things I've found at thrift stores, this is definitely one of my favorites. I've been looking for old patches to sew onto a blazer or jacket. I figured I might be able to find an old uniform or shirt at the thrift store with a couple of patches on it that I could use. Last week I found this vest, covered with patches from all over the world. Apparently it belonged to someone in a caravan club (there's a Slo-Pokes Caravan patch on the back). It seems they bought a patch in every country on their travels. Now my only problem is going to be deciding which ones to use!

What I'm Wearing

dress: vintage
jacket: H&M
boots: UO
hat: vintage
sunglasses: H&M

I think this ensemble is proof positive that I've watched one too many 90210 reruns. This dress was in the batch of goodies I found last week at the thrift store. These photos are from the photoshoot for the store, but I'm not sure if I can bear to part with it just yet.

Frälsnings Armén

I know I promised photos of all the treasures I picked up at the Salvation Army this past week. Sorry I haven't gotten around to it yet. It's taken me a couple of days to get it all organized, much less take photos. I'm super excited about all the things I found that are going up for sale in the store. I have enough stock for several weeks worth of sales. Let's put it this way - I had to call my boyfriend to come and pick me up because I couldn't carry all of my bags back onto the bus.

I've never had that kind of luck at the thrift store before. I'm not sure what was going on but it seemed as if several old ladies had gotten together and cleaned out their closets. Every aisle was loaded with little ruffled blouses and 60's house dresses. Most of the clothes had name tags on the collars. Names like Agnes and Helen, Margaret and Sophie. I think at one point I had Mildred Bidgood's entire wardrobe in my cart. And that's not all! I also found tons of treasures from the 80's and early 90's. Cute little flowered sundresses and summery sandals as well as fitted acid washed skirts and stretchy mini dresses. Here are a few highlights (all of which will end up in the store):


70's & 80's mini skirts & wrap skirts, 70's & 80's blouses


ethnic print dresses, 70's sundresses


80's & 90's cotton dresses, secretary style ruffle blouses


70's & 80's secretary style dresses, 60's bags & shoes

And this is just the tip of the iceberg! Right now I don't even have enough hangers to hang all the clothes on my racks. All I know is the readers of SJV are going to be a well dressed crowd this summer!

*Special thanks to elins for providing me with the name of this post: the Salvation Army in Swedish!

Four Ways - Inspired by Lou Doillon

First of all, thanks so much for all of your suggestions after my last Four Ways post. I got a lot of great ideas that I will be incorporating into some future posts. Now, on to today's post...

In a recent post I cited Lou Doillon as a great wardrobe inspiration and many of you agreed. I think what's so special about her is she always manages to look both classic and completely modern without ever looking like she's trying too hard. It seems that she achieves this by mixing vintage pieces with newer ones and always throwing in one of her signature men's wear inspired flourishes. Namely, a pair of suspenders and a fedora. She also seems to favor neutral tones and high waists. I realized that I have a lot of these items already in my closet and I'm not utilizing them. I rummaged around and threw together four looks that are inspired by Lou. This isn't meant to directly mimic her as much as it is to show that you can put together a look using basics you already have hanging in your closet.

• First I paired a lacy white vintage dress with a little boy's blazer. I finished it off with black tights, socks and oxford heel and of course the fedora.
• Next, a wardrobe basic of jeans and a tee get taken up a notch with a high waist and suspenders.
• Another fun, casual look pairs high waisted vintage cut-offs with black tights and flat boots. I topped this off with super soft layers of vintage shirts.
• Last, my favorite jeans get a little girly with a flowery vintage blouse and frilly heels. The hat and suspenders give the look a little edge and keep it from being too sweet.

What I'm Wearing

shirt: American Apparel
vest: Urban Oufitters
jeans: Topshop
scarf: H&M

It's so nice to finally be outside with no sleeves on. I hope the weather stays warm.

What I'm Wearing

t-shirt: American Apparel
jeans: Cheap Monday
shoes: Converse
scarf: H&M

Today was supposed to be spent solely in front of the computer, catching up on work and getting ahead on a few things. A little after lunch I saw the weather report pop up on my screen and realized it was 71 degrees and sunny outside. I quickly thought up a reason I just had to get out of the house, threw on jeans, a tee and my trusty Chucks and was out the door in minutes.

Today at Sally Jane Vintage

Here's your sneak preview of all the lovely items that will be posting in the store later today. Cute dresses, lots of 80's sweaters, a perfect little navy blazer, and some fantastic boots. Be sure to drop by and check it out. Thanks so much!!! - SJ

More Shoes!

Ever since I saw this photo on Altamira, I've been keeping my eye out for a pair of black and white patent oxfords. Last night, in a bit of online browsing, I came upon these from Forever 21. While they aren't exactly the shoes the girls in the photo are wearing, they are certainly an affordable non-leather alternative. The only thing I have to complain about are those silly little tassels F21 put at the end of the laces. Why is it that they have a knack for always taking things one step too far?

What I'm Wearing

shirt: vintage
jacket: H&M
jeans: Superfine
boots: vintage
scarf: UO

It's Wednesday so you know what that means! Half off day at the Salvation Army. I'm on my way to the bus stop now. I'll let you know how it goes. :)

Lou Doillon

Lately it seems that when I feel like dressing down a bit, I'm leaning toward masculine inpsired looks. No no does this better than Lou Doillon. I love the way she mixes in a pair of suspenders or a blazer with her jeans and dresses, taking each look up a notch. She somehow manages to always look classic yet completely modern.

What I'm Wearing

dress: thrifted & altered (see below post)
sweater: vintage
jacket: H&M
tights: UO
boots: UO
necklace UO
hat: vintage

Here's the dress I worked on over the weekend. This summer I'll be pairing it with strappy sandals but for now I'm still working with lots of layers. Come on spring!

H&M Dresses

Yesterday I was a bit stir crazy in my apartment so I decided to get out for a bit. I spent the afternoon people watching and enjoying a grande soy hot chocolate and a huge piece of coffee cake. After that I amused myself by trying on some dresses at H&M. Note to self: next time try on dresses before the snacking.



First up was this strapless dress. I loved the simple cut and color (black is always going to be my first choice I think). It has pockets which is a definite plus. The problem was breathing, something I am quite fond of. I understand a strapless number needs to be tight as to not fall down, but I could barely move in this. NEXT!



The H&M in my town does not carry any of the Trend line - mostly the Divided line and what I refer to as the "business casual" section. That's where I was surprised to find this dress. I love the mod style and the simple color palette of black and cream. It would be better if it had pockets and was about four inches shorter. I'm not a fan of the "to the knee" length but since I found with all the other businessy clothes I guess they were making it office appropriate.



Last, I tried on the dress that everyone seems to be talking about. They did not have it in my size so I tried it on several sizes too big just to get an idea for it. I have to say I was not instantly in love with it but I didn't realize before picking it up it is one of their $19 dresses. I figured it was going to have a $40 price tag at least. The fabric is super light and silky and for $19, if I ever find it in my size, I could see giving it a go.

Check it Out!

My ever-so-talented boyfriend Tom, who accompanies me on all of my photographic excursions, now has his photography and artwork displayed for sale at imagekind.com. If you're at all interested in photography you should definitely check it out. Here's one of his photos, taken of um, me(!) at a 70's themed costume party last summer.

Sewing Project

On a recent trip to the thrift store I happened upon this dress. While the silhouette looks like something a first grade teacher would wear, I liked the tribal print, the deep armholes, the patch pockets and the buttons up the front. There was definitely some hidden potential here.

I ended up raising the dropped waist, taking up the shoulders a bit, taking it in down the sides and cutting about seven inches off the bottom. That sounds like a lot, but it really only took about an hour. I'm happy with the final result and I'm sure I'll be wearing it this week.

Lou Doillon for Lee Cooper

I am so, so, so in love with these high waisted shorts by Lou Doillon for Lee Cooper. I think I would live in them all summer long if only I could get my paws on a pair. But Lee Cooper doesn't seem to ship* to the US. :( I guess I'll have to keep my eyes peeled for something stateside that will satisfy my craving.

*Update: Lee Cooper does ship to the US! Yay!

What I'm Wearing

shirt: J. Perse
skirt: thirfted & altered
jacket: H&M
tights: H&M
belt: vintage
scarf: made from a thrifted skirt
shoes: UO

It's pouring rain again today so I spent the morning in front of the sewing machine. I altered several dresses to sell in the store as well as this skirt. If my wardrobe was lacking anything lately, it's been short skirts. I have a plethora of below-the-knee wool plaid skirts but I've been craving more mini's. This was a longer skirt I simply cut off and hemmed. I also had another long hippie skirt to sew but rather than make two skirts out of it like I did last time, I made one mini skirt and used the rest to make this scarf.

What I'm Wearing

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

I stopped into the Asian market today to stock up on tofu and rice. I also picked up some Prig King and Massaman curry paste. Mmmmm.

Today at Sally Jane Vintage

All of these lovely items will be going up for sale this afternoon in the store. Be sure to check it out. Thanks as always!

What I'm Wearing

shirt: American Apparel
vest: thrifted
jeans: Superfine
jacket: H&M
boots: UO
necklace: UO

This is the vest that I picked up at Goodwill on the way back from our weekend adventure. I like it with the jeans and jacket but I think I'll try to mix it over a dress as well.

Thrift Finds

On the way back home yesterday, we stopped off for lunch and a bit of thrifting. I found a handful of summer dresses to list in the store as well as these flat black boots and gold lion's head belt. The boots aren't remotely my size (they're an 8.5 US) so they'll be up for sale too. They're in near perfect condition and will make a great addition to someone's wardrobe. I don't usually bother selling small accessories so the belt will be staying with me. I also found a vest that I'm contemplating keeping. I think I'll wear it tomorrow and see how it works out.

More Photos

I'm feeling a bit under the weather and don't plan on changing out of my pajamas, so no outfit photos today. Instead I'll show you a few photos from this past weekend's photography excursion through rural Pennsylvania to Eastern State Penitentiary.

The first set is from the drive through the rural PA countryside. It is littered with abandoned farmhouses and barns. This one had newspaper from 1938 nailed to the inside walls to act as insulation. I didn't notice the date on the newpaper until I got home and was going through the photos: March 30th. Exactly 70 years to the day!

The second set is from Eastern State Penitentiary. The prison, located in Philadelphia, was the brainchild of Benjamin Franklin and was opened in 1829. At one time Al Capone was housed there. It closed its doors in 1970.