Day 66: Clean Up Crew

I'm going to come back and hit Day 65/Tuesdays post (more pjs!) tomorrow, but yesterday is really what is on my mind, and I want to share it while it is still fresh.

On Monday, a really wonderful vintage shop suffered from a terrible fire. The fire occurred in the apartments above, and for the most part did not come down into the shop itself. But that doesn't mean that they escaped the destruction. Smoke damage, filth from char and wet ceilings, and the sheer volume of water and flame retardant wreaked havoc of the inventory.

We spent Tuesday afternoon, and all of Wednesday helping to clean it up.

I have a LOT of photos of the interior, but it feels so personal, that I don't want to share them all. Just a couple to give you an idea of what it was like. Maybe I should have taken my outfit photos before we left home, while I still looked fresh and was smiling. But this was more real.

A large crew of people helped, and salvaged what could be saved. It was really hard and really sad to be around the things that have no hope, but honestly, there were a lot of good moments, finding things that will be wearable again with just a dryclean, or stored in closed up totes that survived.

I wanted to wear vintage, not just because of this blog, but it seemed to show a support and respect for what this business was.

Sorry for the bummer post. We are still hoping that she doesn't decide to leave the business, and I may organize a vintage clothing drive to help her replace her lost inventory, but right now it is all too fresh for them.

Shirt: Bombshell Vintage
Pants: Bombshellshocked
Keds: Goodwill

Day 64: Monday's Retro Style

Okay, so wearing an outfit that is all "retro" is pretty uncommon for me. But we mostly stayed at home, and worked in the very muddy garden, so I wanted something washable.

We picked out seeds that we still had time to plant at Home Depot. I hate that place! Talk about a fish out of water.

I love the dress because it is a cotton wrap, 50s style, and super wearable, comfortable and washable. The shoes aren't exactly right for any one era, but they're a great color.

Add Bakelite, my favorite vintage purse, and you've got an outfit.

Repro stuff: Goodwills
Purse: Estate lot
Bakelite: Various

Day 63: Sunday Color Fun

The sun decided to retire early on Sunday, so I made up for it with a little sunshine of my own. Otherwise known as butterscotch bakelite yellow.

This is my OTHER new skirt from Jitterbuggin. LOVE. Love, love, love.

I was going to use a different bold scarf for the turban, since you've seen this one already, but what the heck. I happen to love it.

The sweater? It's just a little acrylic thing, as-is - but it is RED. It's studded with RHINESTONES. It's Schiaparelli. SCHIAPARELLI. And, a picker at the bins gave it to me because he didn't want to put the work into it. I LOVE IT.

Scarf: Estate Sale
Bakelite Earrings: Gift from Lisa
Sweater: Goodwill Bins
Skirt: Jitterbuggin
Bakelite Bangles: Various, including a gift from Jesse
Shoes: Goodwill

Day 62: Sunny Saturday

Yesterday was lovely. I was really burnt out from the days of zombie-list product listing, and so Saturday we got out of the house for a variety of obligations, including grocery shopping at the Farmer's Market (much needed, we were down to condiments!), a birthday party, and the World Naked Bike Ride. My "outfit" for the WNBR consisted of a mini bustle skirt and gold paint. I think you'll appreciate this outfit more.

 

 I love this shot. Go Jesse on the flattering angle.

I own two of these 1930s caps, and sold a third. This one came from a bin of $1 hat, and even though I have the same hat in different colors, I had to keep it. 

 When I bought this 1930s day dress at the March Expo Antique show, it didn't fit, and I was mortified when I tried it on at home. The buttons wouldn't button. It pulled HARD at my gut, my butt and my thighs. I'm still not perfectly smooth at the front (and it was too hot for a girdle) but the dress buttons and wears well enough for me to be comfortable.

Dress: Decades Vintage Co, at the Expo Antique Show
Hat: Thrift Store
Shoes: Remix
Scotty Pin: Thrift Store
Ribbon: Wrapped on a package someone sent me
Cake: Not helping me fit into my pretty dresses, but really delicious.

Days 60 and 61. Work, work, work. What I wear when I don't leave the house

Let's face it. It's hard to put together a finished ensemble when you don't plan to leave the house.

Thursday and Friday I buckled down to list 40 items each day. I did it, too!

Thursday, I picked this cross between a holomuu and muu muu - it's fitted to about the waist, but frees up around the hips. Another one that didn't sell in the shop, and I kept it instead of putting it on sale. It is REALLY comfy.

Friday, I was an utter bum, as far as clothing went. I worked like a maniac for the morning, got dressed in workout gear to take a 32 bike ride, and went right back to being a bum again after my show. At least it is pretty stylish to be a bum around here. This is one of my favorite rayon dressing gowns. Jesse's favorite, too, as the front tends to fall open fairly wide (hence the funny pose.) As you can see, I heat set my hair yesterday while I working.

I love these sleeves!

And the COLORS in this print! And the little bit of shirring.

Thursday's Dress: Vintage Buy the Pound, San Francisco
Friday's Dressing Gown: The Goodwill Bins. (Oh hell yeah! I found three stellar things one day - the palm tree dress, this, and a 30s set I don't fit yet, kept it ALL for me!)

To make up for schlepping around, I really put a little effort into today's outfit/tomorrow's post!

Day 59: Back on Track and Yesterday's Wednesday Weigh In

As I have stated, I have really been struggling with this challenge. For the most part, it isn't the getting dressed up, it is the recording it, and the blogging, and getting to the gym. I tend to fluctuate between being very social and finding lots of reasons to dress up, and being a hermit workaholic. When I'm a workaholic, it's pretty much all I do. I even forget to eat. Which is bad, in the long run, for the waistline.

The days that I don't blog, I probably didn't get any sort of workout in either. Usually.

I'm finally back on track, but loosing focus made my number for my weigh-in a little disappointing for two full weeks. Thankfully, we are eating mostly healthfully, so there is still a loss!

Current Weight: 178.0 lbs

At Last Weigh in: 179.7

Starting Weight: 185 lbs

Weight Loss to Date: 7 lbs

It is amazing the difference that seven pounds can make. I bought two of these Jitterbuggin skirts a few weeks ago, closer to the start of the project, and purposefully bought at size down from what fit at the time. These are solidly a 32" waist with relatively slim hips for the cut. I love it in red! Going to be a favorite for as long as it fits - and then I'll buy the next size down.

Okay.... so this is what happens when you ask a boyfriend to take photo of the chest detail. Of course, I meant on the sweater!! On the plus side, this shows some good vintage bra lift and separation. 

Why keds? We left for bicycling a new little bike path near our house right after this.

Sweater: Thrift store in San Francisco

Skirt: Jitterbuggin'

Shoes: Keds, Goodwill

Necklace: Ray's Ragtime

Half a week in short - Days 56, 57 and 58

So, on Sunday, Jesse and I hosted a little brunch on lawn. I brought out the camera, and snapped photos of Sarah (Stutterin Mama) who looked super cute, then she took photos of Jesse and I at the barbecue. The next day, Jesse took a couple of me in my cute DeWeese Hawaiian before we left on our bike ride.

Turns out, there was no SD card in the camera.

Solanah took photos of the outfits, I threw them on at the end of our shoot, but it isn't the same.

This has been a week of "throw on the dress and go." This simple zip-front 1940s housedress is one of my favorite go-tos for that.

And this DeWeese Hawaiian was once in the shop. It never sold, and I don't know. I ended up keeping it, and am so glad. I rode 20 miles on my bike in this dress on Monday.

 Finally, while I should have been blogging after our photoshoot Tuesday, I threw on this dress, that didn't zip when I started this blog. I love the magnificent shoulder pads! We went out to hear the Saloon Ensemble play - a jug band, essentially, with some of the raunchiest bar songs ever.

A favorite souvenir scarf. I did end up taking it off shortly after, my curls were pretty and the rayon scarf kept slipping anyway.

Tomorrow, you'll get today's post - on time and everything!!

Thanks for your patience and support while I catch up with my busy life. xoxo
Julie

Day 55: Out for an Outing. The hat says it all.

First off - gals, I am having real problems with consistency! I am so sorry. I am going to tack days onto the end of the year for outfits - I don't see another solution. Somehow, we just forgot to photograph Friday's outfit, and makeups seem like cheating. Friday was SUPER busy, one thing after nothing, all the way to getting home at 1am. Also, if I don't post a blog - I probably didn't get to the gym. It's frustrating.

Saturday, however, was another story entirely. A film student came up to do a film on vintage lifestyle. Janey of Atomic Redhead organized the day - you can read about it on her blog soon, I'm sure. Solanah took all the photos - you can tell!

Anyway, I felt the need to dress to impress.

A really grand outfit is more than just a striking dress, or blouse, or hat. It is made in the details. Like a coat that wears on one's shoulders, or a massive novelty brooch.

... or a blouse with a bow....

... or a statement handbag...

... or a unique use of veiling.

Or heck, all of the above. That's my style!

1940s wrap skirt (what a cheat, it actually doesn't fit yet): Bombshell Vintage
Late 1930s Novelty Blouse: Mystery Mister in San Francisco
Late 1930s Hat: Vintage Blue Moon, at the Santa Monica Vintage Expo
Handbag: Antique store in Las Vegas
Shoes: Faryl Robin, at Goodwill
Brooch: Magpie
Coat: Goodwill, I THINK
Vintage stockings (which were sagging at the end of the day) Goodwill bins

Hopefully, this outfit will answer the question I've now gotten a few times - don't you EVER buy your clothing retail? I do, I just haven't for a long time, because of weight gain. I haven't wanted to invest in being the size I'm at. A lot of my smaller sizes and hats, and more impressive accessories were purchased retail.

Days #52 and #53 - For the Gals who Dressed Like Boys

This Wednesday and Thursday, my days were a mush of shopping for the store, doing back-end organizing. So even though I was getting out of the house, I wanted to feel comfortable. You know how I love my Jitterbuggin pants. So I wore them (yes, two days in a row!) and took some cues from Kate Hepburn and Garbo.

I love this sort of look. I used the same plaid neck scarf from early in the week, and actually used it at the neck. The turban isn't super masculine, but the overlook look is smart and put together. And casual, of course.

Pants: Jitterbuggin
Blouse: Bombshell Vintage?
Scarf: Estate sale
Cufflinks: Forenza! Bought at an antique show.

I was only a little men-styled on Wednesday. On Thursday, I had a buying appointment, and I went all the way!

This is a new tie of Jesse's that Sarah of Stutterin' Mama found for him. 

Can you get away with being cut over a rootbeer float when you're very smartly put together? Maybe. I think Jesse looks more put together than me! Sorry for the lack of lipstick. It was already gone when we finally got a break in the rain. 

 
Hat: Goodwill
40s Peaked Label Jacket: Goodwill
Dickie: Estate Sale
Tie: Antique Show
Shoes: Antiques by the Bay

IN OTHER NEWS! We are going to Burning Man! We didn't think we would make it! Tickets are impossible to get this year, but a campmate came through for us. Yay! That means I need to be much more consistent about this project than I have been. The days I get to busy to post - I probably haven't worked out, either. And that won't work. It sucks to be heavy out in that heat! Hurray us, though, I'm excited!