Frivolous Universe

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Tag "antique jewelry"

Kelly: Olive is one of my favorite pseudo-neutrals. Pseudo-neutrals are colors that can stand in for neutrals in any outfit, adding more visual interest.  Khaki, black, and white are expected and do no favors for the skin tone. It’s more interesting to use olive, burgundy, camel, nude, or rust.

Nicole: If this skirt were black it would be soo boring! This is a work outfit.  On Wednesdays I host.  I don’t get paid as much, but the fact that I can wear whatever I want makes up for it!  This week I wore a vintage pleated skirt with sheer, flower printed blouse.  

K: I shortened this skirt by 12 inches. While I love it, I wonder if I would love it more longer. Thoughts?

N: When I wear full skirts and knits to work, the other host calls them  “Jane Eyre outfits.”

N:  Ms. Friday Bethany gave me these gorgeous vintage earrings as a going away present!  Thanks, Armor Bijoux! Also, look at the adorable embroidery on the collar of my cardi.

K: Vintage Middle-Eastern jewelry goes with EVERYTHING.

N: Vintage clothing has such great details.  Pleats for days, buttons, and an interesting waist-line.  Woven belt ties it all together.

N: Purple tights and purple boots to go with my purple cardigan.  These boots are Born, and were a prezie from my lovely Mama a couple birthdays ago.

N: My skirt, sweater and belt were all purchased second hand.  The shirt is an Urban Outfitters brand, but I actually found it in a free backpack…shh, don’t judge me.

K: A free backpack that someone left at the yoga studio. Okay, now judge her.

K: Same color skirt, totally different silhouette: vintage tie-waist jacket and olive pencil skirt.

K: Bethany Walter, our Friday contributor, found this union-made 70s polyester jacket at a thrift store for $4.00. I love the 70s. I swear clothes from that decade fit me better than any other. Runner up: 90s. I love the colors and pattern. It reminds me of linoleum.

N: Clothes from the 50’s definitely fit my figure best, with the 90’s being my second as well.  Who doesn’t love a good crop top?

K: I almost gave these department store shoes away in September, because I didn’t wear them all summer. They just felt too heavy with all of my girly, hippie summer frocks. But then I discovered them with socks. Socks have the power to make or break an outfit, and these chunky platforms with chunky socks make the perfect fall-outfit anchor.

K: I wear this wool wrap my grandmother made almost everyday. It is as warm as a winter coat and can wrap three times around my head in case of freak blizzard.

All clothing was purchased second-hand or rescued from the yoga studio.

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I met Ira Glass on the day I wore this outfit. I even got to hand him a Story Story Night poster depicting him as a potato (welcome to Idaho, Ira).

Thankfully, I wasn’t spotted by any oompa loompas. If they’d seen me, Mr. Wonka’s minion surely would have mistaken me for Miss Violet Beauregard and wheeled me off to some unknown corner of the world. And then I never would have met Ira. And that would have made me sad.

I know I risk being mistaken for a giant blueberry in this coat, but I absolutely must wear it. Any opportunity I get. It is amazing.

(The other stuff I’m wearing is pretty great too.)

Coat: Worsted wool – made around 1950 by Hirshcraft. Purchased at an antique store. Scarf: Raw silk – new. A gift from mom. Clutch: Bakelite – made around 1950.  Once belonged to my manfriend’s grandmother.


Blouse: Silk, lace, abalone buttons – made around 1900 (over 100 years old, and this top still looks incredible. I don’t think I can ever buy new clothing again….) Purchased at a vintage clothing store. Skirt: Velvet – made around 1960 by The Villager. Purchased at a vintage clothing store.

Earrings: Black pearls – new. A gift from mom. Necklace: Pearls & silver – made around 1890. Once belonged to my great-grandmother. Rings: Diamond & gold – made around 1920. Purchased at an antique store. Gold filigree – made around 1910. Once belonged to my other great-grandmother.

Shoes: Patent leather, brass – made around 1970 by Selby. Purchased at a thrift store.

I love the way this necklace so perfectly complements the detailing on the blouse. They were both made around the same era, so they really do belong together.

Something I’ve noticed as I build my vintage wardrobe is that eras in fashion can oftentimes be paired to create a unique look that represents multiple decades of style. In this outfit alone, I am spanning more than 100 years of design. Beautiful.

 

 

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I love dressing mostly-mono-chromatically. The outfit is one dominant color, broken up with different textures and accent accessories.  This pairing of a gray-taupe floral blouse with gray-blue trousers reminds me of our little stucco duplex in Boise’s North End.

Ah, a tie-neck is so bleeping demure.

The outfit is thrifted. The accessories are not. This belt I bought at the mall five years ago.

Same for the loafer-pumps.

This bag is gorgeous, but I would never spend so much on something new again. I regularly find beautiful bags in thrift and antique stores for a quarter of the price.

Nicole is posing with her roommate’s cat, Mona. They are both wearing tuxedo jackets. Nicole has paired hers with a turtle-neck and a high-waisted, acid-washed denim skirt.

Antique bell earrings from the antique store across from Harry’s in Hyde Park, Forget Me Not Antiques.

Reversible vintage bag from same store.

And black suede boots. Yowza.

We made this skirt by cutting the top off of a denim halter dress we bought at the Lux. I love the zipper trim.

Wednesday is Nicole’s birthday!! Please send tokens, trinkets, toys and things to:

Nicole Or-I’ll-Bone-Ya
General Delivery
Brooklyn, New York

I’m sure they will find her.

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