Dress Rescue Part Deux

I recently ran across this little wisp of a dress that was begging to be rescued. I love the eyelet lace, the pretty zig-zag seaming on the skirt and the little flutter sleeves. It's from the 30's and is definitely showing its age. It's a little dingy but nothing a good soaking and some sun bleaching won't take care of. The worst of it is the hole right at the neckline. I was hoping some creative stitching would take care of the problem but on closer inspection I realized that wouldn't do. A little brainstorming and I came up with the idea of attaching one of the vintage hand crocheted collars I found on my last trip to 'Bama. I pinned it in place to get an idea of the final product and I think I'm diggin' it. What do you think?

By the way, my last dress rescue project is still in the works (slow, I know). I'm so thankful for all of you giving your wonderful suggestions. After a bit of wavering back and forth I finally decided to go with the idea of sewing a pretty, wide ribbon around the hem to cover up the paint spots. A special thank you to whoever suggested that because I don't think I would have ever come up with that on my own. I'm on the lookout for the perfect ribbon but I haven't found one yet. Thus, the lack of progress.

Love is a flame, a devil's thing...*

60's coat: vintage (altered by me)
black & white scarf: vintage
boots: vintage
purse, gloves & beret: vintage
wool tights: Mastermind
*listening to: Danzig Lucifuge "Devil's Plaything"

This Week at Sally Jane Vintage

Here's a sneak peek at some of the items that will be going in the store tomorrow. It's takin' some real will-power to let some of these go!

The Red Coats are Coming!

These gloomy, grey, cold days make me wish for a pretty red coat to brighten my mood...


photos: All This Happiness, The Snail and the Cyclops, Facehunter (I think) and MamaStone Vintage

Since we got the interweb these hardly get used...*

dress: vintage (swap with Francesca)
blouse: UO
tights: AA
shoes: Seychelles via UO
purse: vintage (swap with Francesca)
faux glasses: vintage
*listening to: My Morning Jacket Evil Urges "Librarian"

The other day (I think it was Saturday) I was sitting at my computer just wasting a little time watching old TV episodes on Hulu when I checked the weather and realized it was 50 degrees outside. Fifty! Five-0! That's the warmest day we've had since... well, I can't even remember. I knew I had to get out of the house to enjoy a bit of warm(ish) air so I threw on my most library appropriate outfit and headed out the door. I didn't really have any particular book in mind, so I mostly just wandered the aisles, taking the the smell of the old books and flipping through any whose pretty spines caught my eye. It's a good thing I took advantage of the day because I awoke this morning to yet another blanket of snow covering the ground. Well, at least now I have a couple of books to curl up with while I wait for it to melt away.

The Ones That Got Away

As much time as I spend working on my own Ebay auctions, I'm quite a terrible Ebay-er when it comes to bidding on items. Usually I mark things to watch and then forget to check back when they're ending, or I place a bid so low I'm sure to be outbid. I don't think I've ever won a "Buy It Now" because I'm always thinkin' it over and someone else comes along and... well, you know - buys it now. And now that I've finally figured out Etsy a bit, I find myself doing the same thing. I mark a piece as a favorite and the next time I look at it, it's sold. I suppose this is the same sort of thing that plagues me when I'm in real stores. I often walk around with a handful of things to buy only to put them back at the last minute and walk out empty handed. I'm just not good at impulse buying. I really need to think about it first.

But lately, while I was thinkin' about it, I've missed out on some real gems. I think some of these are going to haunt me in my sleep...

1930's Separates

For years I've been a dress girl. It always seems like the easiest way to get ready to go out is to throw on a dress and run out the door. There's no mixing or matching and dresses always seem more comfortable than pants. But lately I've been leaning more towards separates: skirts and blouses that is. Right now what I'd really like to find are pretty tops like these from the 20's and 30's to mix and match with skirts. It occurred to me that all of these examples are knits so perhaps a knitting class is in order. This coming from a girl that once attempted to knit a scarf... an attempt that resulted in one long wonky scarf that never saw the light of day. I don't think it's my forte. So... I suppose I'll have to keep my fingers crossed that I'll get lucky an find something at a vintage store or flea market instead. It doesn't seem to me that many of these types of pieces have survived the years so I'm afraid I may be on the hunt for quite some time. But I suppose that's half the fun!
- images from Decades of Fashion

It's four in the morning, the end of December...*

blouse: vintage (swap with Francesca)
skirt: vintage (altered by me)
tights: AA
shoes: Seychelles via UO
purse: vintage (swap with Francesca)
beret: vintage
*listening to Leonard Cohen Songs of Love and Hate "Famous Blue Raincoat"

Yesterday was a whirlwind of a day (thus, no blog post). We had a photographer and a reporter from a magazine come by our apartment to talk to us and take photos for a story they're doing on loft style living spaces. That means we spent all morning cleaning, rearranging and just generally sprucing things up. Now the place is so clean I don't even want to cook in the kitchen! We ended up posing in some of the photos that were taken so perhaps I'll post them here when the issue comes out.

I wasn't sure what I was going to wear but Francesca and I decided to do a little temporary swap to get us out of our winter wardrobe blues. When I opened the box I couldn't believe she'd sent the most gorgeous blouse. So of course, it's all I want to wear right now. It's so delicate I really didn't want to wear it out of the house so it was the perfect little thing to wear for the interview and photos. I just ran outside quickly (in the cold!) to snap these photos for the blog.

Sneak Peek at This Week's Auctions

Here's a little peek at some of the items that will be going in the store this Friday...

She wants to live in a place that has a number in a name*

fisherman's sweater: vintage
wool skirt: vintage
faux fur scarf: taken from an H&M sweater
wool tights: Undercover
snow boots: vintage
beret, gloves & belt: vintage
purse: vintage
*listening to Bat For Lashes Fur and Gold "Prescilla"

It's been so cold here (and everywhere it seems) that I'm usually bundled up like an Eskimo just to step outside. I'm still sort of enjoying the cold weather, I just don't like being cold. There's a difference! My favorite thing to wear on these days is my Maine fisherman sweater. At least that's what I call it. It reminds me of those sweaters that you see lobster fisherman wearing as they bring in their daily catches. Hmmm... I just checked the label and it says "Handmade: Kennebunkport". Ah ha! So I wasn't just making it up after all.

Let's All Just Take A Moment...

We'll be back to regularly scheduled programming soon...

*For those of you wondering, the story of these photos can be found here.

Pearl Lowe

I was wandering, rather aimlessly I might add, through the depths of the internet in a fit of boredom when I ran across an article on Pearl Lowe. I really didn't know anything about her, but the photos in the article instantly caught my eye. It wasn't until later that I put two and two together and realized that she's a bit famous in a tabloidly kind of way for being the mother of Daisy Lowe, Gavin Rossdale's daughter in his pre-Gwen days. All of that couldn't be less interesting to me... I was much more taken with her quirky style, pairing pretty floral dresses with colorful tights and the eclectic interiors of her country-side home. I've compiled a few of the shots from the article. If you'd like to see (and read) the whole thing, you can download it here.



With my curiosity piqued, I dug a bit further to find out more about Ms. Lowe. It seems she offers her own line of pretty lace dresses, pillows and curtains. The site states that "Pearl hit upon the idea of making lace curtains when she could not find any pink lace curtains for her bathroom. She decided to dye her own." She also offers a selection of vintage dresses from the 1920's and 30's that reflect her own playful, colorful style. Of course, they are in the buy-when-I-win-the-lottery price range for me, but fun to look at nonetheless.

A Few More Goodies for the Store...

Remember, new auctions will be up in the store this afternoon. I finally got around to snapping photos of a few of the shoes and boots I have in stock so I'll be adding these as well...

You know me better than I knew myself... *

photos by Tom b.

dress: vintage
tights: AA
shoes & belt: vintage
*listening to: People in Planes Beyond the Horizon "Mayday M'aidez"

I promise I had very good intentions of getting dressed and taking some outfit photos today. However, I'm now sitting in front of my computer staring at the little temperature icon on my toolbar and it's sitting stubbornly at 8 degrees. If I do happen to make it out of the house today I'm probably going to look more like an eskimo or a Maine fisherman than anything else.

So instead, I found a few extra photos from our recent jaunt to Alabama. The photos were taken while Tom and I were hanging out down at my parent's cabin. I can't imagine wearing that little spring-time dress right now but I'm glad I had a chance to wear it while I was there.

Turn of the Century Children

Recently I read an interview with Zooey Deschanel (I can't remember where!) and she was asked about her fashion inspirations. She mentioned that she always gets a little jealous of children's clothing. I have to admit I share her sentiment. While I don't like dressing child-like or coming off costumey, there is something about the details in children's clothing that always gets me. I think it's the little pleats and ruffles, the button details and the Peter Pan collars; all the charming bits and pieces that don't always translate well to adult clothing. I'd like to have grown up versions of these little turn of the century dresses...

- all photos from Flickr

This Week at Sally Jane Vintage

Here a sneak peek at what I've been working on for the past couple of days. All of these pieces will be in the store as of Friday afternoon (barring any unforseen technical difficulties like last week). Thanks so much for stopping by! Love ya!

Gonna buy you a red dress and put feathers in your hair...*

photos by me and Tom b.

dress: H&M
tights: AA
shoes: Seychelles via UO
belt, purse & beret: vintage
"listening to Marissa Nalder Songs III: Bird on the Water "Silvia"

Domino

I've always loved having magazine subscriptions. Each new issue always feels like a little gift stuffed into my mailbox. And nothing is better than getting presents in the mail! But in the last year or so I've sadly let all of my subscriptions run out. Even the mystery Entertainment Weekly subscription that started showing up in the mailbox with no explanation has stopped appearing. With my coffee table woefully empty I figured it was about time to start looking for a new read. Domino caught my eye and as if they knew I needed just a little convincing they went and put one of my favorite gals on the cover. Who wouldn't want a peek into her digs? I was going to steal all of the photos from the Zooey-slide-show and post them here, but I figured I'd be nice and not. Instead I'll leave you with a collection of some of my favorite Zooey images and redirect you here to see a bit of her very blue living space.

Bows and Bows and Bows

Even though I'm sort of enjoying the cold weather (it's such a departure from the mild LA winters I'd grown accustomed to), I have to admit it's leaving my brain in a bit of a fog. I've had these photos sitting on my computer for a few days and I just made the connection of what they all have in common. Bow ties! I suppose after seeing that Anthropologie blouse and getting it in my head that I was going to try a DIY version of it, I've had bows on the brain. I really like how they're a nod to the gender-bending ensembles of Annie Hall and Katherine Hepburn, but still with a very feminine touch. I actually bought some fabric at the thrift store last week with intentions for that DIY project but once I started sewing I realized that it was not the type of fabric that was going to drape the way I want it to. Back to the drawing board! In the meantime, I'm going to also be on the lookout for long satiny scarves to use as bow ties a la Miss Bow herself and a couple of my favorite flickr-ers.

As the winter turned the meadow brown...*

lace blouse: vintage
sweater: A&F via Salvation Army
skirt: vintage
tights: AA
shoes: Seychelles via UO
hat, belt, purse & gloves: vintage
*listening to: Fleet Foxes Sun Giant EP "Mykonos"

I'm finding inspiration for outfits pretty far and few between these days. This ensemble is a result of playing dress up in my closet for about half an hour before I finally settled on something I liked. I've been wanting to wear that pretty lace blouse but it's so sheer and probably not the most reasonable thing to wear in sub-freezing temperatures. When I looked in the mirror I felt a bit like an old timey magician. Maybe that's the influence of recently watching The Prestige playing on my subconscious. I suppose now I'll have to figure out how to pull a rabbit out of my hat. On the other hand, self decapitation sounds like an interesting trick...

This Week at Sally Jane Vintage

Whew! What a whirlwind of a day. I'm finally finished with this week's batch of auctions and they're all ready to go. Look for them tomorrow afternoon in the store. Thanks a million!

Brown Paper Packages Tied Up With Strings...

These days are so grey and gloomy I hardly have the energy to put on a cute outfit or browse my usual fashion sites. This time of year seems to always bring a creative drought for one reason or another. Winter is dragging on, spring is not yet on the horizon and the cold seems to be invading my very bones. Here are a few of my favorite things I've been dreaming about to keep my spirits up:

• Antique Steiff animals - what's cuter than these vintage German stuffed animals? Not much, I tell ya'!
• This girl's outfit from Stockholm Streetstyle - it's everything I love right now from the color palette to the bow at her neck to the flowers in her hair.
• Lindsay Pemberton's teacup bracelets - she cuts off the tops of vintage teacups with a diamond saw and makes pretty bangle bracelets from them. Genius!
• Lace Tape from Matter - what a pretty way to dress up my brown paper packages.
• Raven hangers from Birkiland - wouldn't it be even more fun to get dressed in the morning if your clothes were hanging on ravens? Maybe I'd even get around to putting my laundry away more often.
• Miamizeiss' fashion set on flickr - I especially love the clothes in this shot.
• The Selby - I love the voyeurism of being able to peek into other people's homes. Especially when those people are amazing, talented artists.
• Terrariums - I'd like to think of myself as one of those people with a green thumb, but the truth is, I've killed every house plant I've ever had. I think I could handle one of these pretty little terrariums.
• Audubon bird prints - I'm a sucker for anything vintage-bird related. Someday I hope to have a wall covered in framed prints like this.

What I'm Wearing

photos by Tom b.

sweater: old Gap
skirt: vintage (altered by me)
tights: AA
shoes: Seychelles via UO
hat & collar: vintage

I've had this little hand beaded collar in my arsenal for several weeks but couldn't quite figure out how to work it into rotation. I kept looking for just the right dress to attach it to but nothing seemed to work. Finally I realized I was limiting myself in only thinking it would work with a dress and voila! I used it to revamp this Gap sweater that I've had for ages. What is it about those black and white stripes that makes one feel so quintessentially French in all the best ways? Oh, and if you look veerry carefully you can see that these photos were taken while I was still in 'Bama. Do you see what I mean? (look in the reflections)

New Vintage Finds

Somehow or another I've managed to not make it to any of my favorite local thrift and vintage stores since well before the holidays. Luckily my trip to 'Bama was filled with thrifting adventures so that helps a bit. I do feel like I'm going through thrifting withdrawals, something I hope to remedy later this afternoon. Here are a few of the latest things I've picked up:

• My vintage camera collection is growing by leaps and bounds. Going through all of my old family albums made me nostalgic for the look and feel of real film. I do love my Photoshop but nothing will ever beat the real thing. I'm especially excited about the still-new-in-their-original-boxes set of 60's Kodak Instamatic cameras. The 126 film is hard to come by and I'll have to send it off to be developed but it'll be worth it. Little square photos! I can't wait!
• I told you about the local vintage spot that was closing its doors at the end of the year. I did manage to stop in on one of her last days of business. The store was already being moved out and the once full shelves were looking a bit sparse. I was able to pick up this 60's houndstooth coat for a real steal. I think it was a little boy's coat and has the cutest shrunken fit and Peter Pan collar.
• I can't wait to try out these vintage hand crocheted collars. Each one is a little different and I love them all. I think before I wear them a little tea staining is in order.
• This headband is cute but seemingly impossible to photograph. I think I captured it fairly well. It's brown velvet and is made up of three layers of bows. It came attached to an actual headband but when I put it on it was all wonky and warped so I tore the bow part off and it's much better. I just attach it to my hair with a couple of bobby pins and it's ready to go.

DIY To-Do

I, like many others I'm sure, can spend waaaay too much time fantasy shopping on the Anthropologie site. And every time one of the catalogs come in the mail, I get a bit weak in the knees. Not so much for the clothes in that case, but all of the wonderful locations they use. Hi, Anthropologie? Can I please have a job styling your photo shoots? Thanks!

Unfortunately most of my shopping lately has been just that - fantasy shopping. But just because I can't hit the "buy" button doesn't mean I can't take a little inspiration from my virtual shopping cart. Case in point - these two way-out-of-my-budget blouses. I've had these photos saved in my sewing to-do file for ages but haven't gotten around to putting them into action. Hopefully publishing the idea here will give me the little kick in the pants I need to finally get around to it. Both seem like they would be easy enough to accomplish. For the white blouse I need to find just the right black fabric to make a big, drapey bow. And the black one just requires a fitted black tank and a simple bow on the shoulder. The next time I'm at the thrift store I'm going to keep a special eye out for the materials and I'll let you know how it goes.

What I'm Wearing

photos by Tom b.

shirt: UO
skirt: vintage
tights: AA
hat & purse: vintage
shoes: Seychelles via UO

On our drive down to my parents' cabin through rural Alabama, the roadsides are dotted with these sorts of abandoned houses. Not being able to pass up an opportunity to snoop around we, of course, stopped to take photos. This place was locked up tight but looking through the windows we could see that all of the original furniture was still arranged in the living room, sitting untouched for no telling how many years. Like a time capsule! We snapped a few photos for the blog and then I went around back to try and lure the cats that were living under the porch out to play while Tom took more photos.

We're safely back home now but I have a few more photos from our trip that I'll be posting over the next few days. We didn't have an internet connection while we were at the cabin so I couldn't post the photos as we took them. I have to say, looking back at these photos makes me a little sad to come back to the cold when I was walking around comfortably in short sleeves just a few days ago. I think that might be the first inkling that I'm getting ready for warmer weather.

New Auctions at Sally Jane Vintage

Now that the holiday season is behind us, it's back to business here at Sally Jane Vintage. A new batch of auctions will be posting in the store tomorrow afternoon. There are lots of cute mini dresses, a beautiful tweed cape and the cutest 60's coat that I was so tempted to keep. There are also oxfords and boots in a variety of sizes. Thanks so much for stopping by and Happy New Year!