Almost immediately following my last collaboration with the amazing Lucy Baribeau, where we brought one of my most coveted vintage trompe l’oeil prints into a modern day reality, we started chatting about the next colorway. Truthfully, they have all stolen my heart in different ways, and it was only a matter of time before each one ventured to my sewing table…
To me, there are two key ingredients to wearing vintage: The first, hands down, is confidence. Wear it like you deserve it, cause you do. The second, is having a proper foundation. I’ve tried just about all the products out there (at least it feels that way). And today I’m sharing my thoughts on a company I recently discovered: Glamorous Corset.
There are few things in life that incite emotion more quickly than music. And it doesn’t even have to involve any words at all. The very best theme songs or movie scores are gripping specifically because there are no words. Think about the dread the iconic two tones from Jaws evokes. The uplifting feeling of adventure from Indiana Jones. And you say “Pink Panther” to just about anyone from my generation and you’ll be treated to a chorus of, “Badum. Badum. Badum-dabdum. Badum-dabdum. baduuuuuuuuum!”
Over the years, I have amassed quite the vintage collection (yeah, no one is surprised). And with that collection comes the responsibility to care for it to ensure its longevity. Now, nobody likes laundry, but cleaning vintage is a necessary evil (even moreso in my southern climate!). On several occasions, I’ve been contacted by many of you lovely would-be collectors about tips for cleaning, steaming, and caring for vintage. Truth be told, it can be a daunting task – so I’ve decided to start a series here on the blog to help you navigate the sudsy waters.
I remember when I was just starting out in science as a fledgling PhD student, I used to sit and worry about running out of research questions. It was inconceivable to me that I would have enough words to say or things to explore past my PhD, so focused was I on my singular task. How can it be possible to sustain an entire career, I wondered? Is there a point in every scientist’s life where they simply have exhausted their lists of possible projects? Naively I thought there must be.
Things don’t always work out according to our plans. And now in my 30-somethingth year, I’m learning to be okay with that (for a Type A person who likes control and order, this is a tough one for me). As you’ve guessed by now, I’m a bit of a planner. I love lists and spreadsheets and checking things off with gusto. Sometimes I write things down I’ve already done just so I can check them off. And of course, I always plan my outfits for my events (even moreso since I started the blog) down to the last rhinestone encrusted…
When I was younger I was obsessed with candy buttons. You know what I mean – the dots of candy stuck to the long strip of paper, in a stream of rainbow colors. You would systematically go row by row, peeling them off with your teeth and convincing yourself they had different flavors. In truth, they basically amounted to little more than sugar and cornstarch, and you always ended up eating more of the paper than the actual candy…
Although I am an equal opportunity 1950’s huntress, there are a few things in particular that make me weak in the knees. Uber full skirts. Border prints. Appliqué. But, I cannot deny that vintage trompe l’oeil (or prints that deceive the eye) steal my heart every time. 2D prints designed to look like ribbons or ruffles and bows – I will literally start salivating. I knew I loved this style of artistry before I even knew it had a name. I have been lucky enough to slowly add trompe l’oeil prints to my collection over the years (case in point…
If you haven’t already guessed it, I have pretty strong feelings about my personal style. I know what I like and what I don’t like, and generally go with what makes me happy. I actually prefer to shop alone – spending as long or as little time in a shop as I like, never looking for an outside opinion on whether or not something suits me. It took awhile for me to get comfortable in my shopping skin. So, you can imagine my feelings when it comes to someone else shopping for me…
There is something so crisp and fresh and zesty about summer. The downside is, the humidity makes my hair do one thing and one thing only: lie straight and flat. Like a seal coming out of the water, it falls in sheets around my face. As a now-mature 30-something-year-old woman, I have decided to stop fighting City Hall and embrace the state my hair prefers to be. For the next few months, I predict fewer curls will grace these cyber pages. But, I’ve chosen to pick my battles and appreciate that my hair is its own independent woman. Cause when…