heavenly houseboat blues

I rode my old guitar to heaven
But heaven didn't feel too much like home
So I'm headed out on to them lonesome oceans
In my ruby-studded houseboat to roam

--Townes Van Zandt

(Outfit: Victorian slip, Victorian camisole, handsewn moccasins from the Taos Pueblo)

Hello all!

My interview at Q's Daydream is up!

When Quincy first contacted me about doing a little feature for her blog, I thought for moment she had the wrong blog! I've been reading Q's Daydream for a couple of years now and I consider it one of my absolute favorite vintage blogs out there. To get to do an interview for her amazing blog was an incredible honor, so thank you Quincy!! And welcome to my new followers : )

the wildwood flower

While browsing the Life photo archives on Google Image Search, I stumbled upon these beautiful pictures of the one and only June Carter. Many people, myself included, seem to think of June and immediately jump to images of her with Johnny. She's so enchanting and talented in her own right, though. I love her sweet 50s style here; what I wouldn't give for that ruffled dress...

the dark end of the street

Quick post today; I should be writing on a lab report right now, but I took a few minutes off to procrastinate. Today I wore one of my go-to, simple but lovable 50s day dresses with my vintage men's oxfords (yes, they're a men's size 6!), some ruffled ankle socks and my amazing $10 1940s plaid blazer. I love that little jacket; it's in perfect condition, and like all 40s pieces, amazingly tailored! You can see the nipped in waist even when it's on the hanger. Amazing.

Going home this weekend; I can't wait to see my dog again : ) I'm also excited to take some outfit pictures outside my little dorm room!

antique fair finds

(Sorry about the blurriness, but isn't he cute? He's all hand-stitched, and most likely from the Depression era)

Hello all! I went to an antique fair last weekend where I managed to score all these pretty things for about $40 total! It was a real victory. My favorite finds by far were these two adorable children's books. "Whose Little Kitty Are You?" is from 1913, and "Peppy Pup" from 1922. The illustrations are just the sweetest! Also found: some pretty hair combs (I'd never used them before, but they're actually really great for my long hair), a 1940s silk bed jacket, a 1950s gingham day dress, and a hand-stitched toy dog made from feedsack material.

The red bakelite comb in action:

Just a sneak preview of the bed jacket; I have an outfit post planned once my new camera comes. It's very capelike, so I am indeed wearing it as clothes (as opposed to pajamas). It's just too pretty to waste as sleepwear!

make me a poster of an old rodeo

(That Elvis album to the left is a 1956 original of his second album ever!! Found it for a buck at the thrift store; I'm such a geek, but it was a thrilling day.)

Just a little outfit post today; I ordered my new camera today and I'm going to get a tripod too. No more awkwardly asking friends to be my photographer or lugging around boxes and chairs to use as stands, hooray!

My dress is from the 1950s; it was originally to my ankles so I hemmed it, but it's way too short now. Oh well, I wear it anyway. My "belt" is actually my dad's plaid bandana (shh, he doesn't know I took it to college), my boots are the beat up Ariats I wear when I'm actually riding horses, and I forget the socks' story but I love them. The suede vest was hecho en Mexico and is actually from my childhood dress-up box.

I was a kind of cowgirl-flower child hybrid in middle school and my first two years of high school, and I was definitely harkening back to those days today. I'm definitely going in a late 60s/70s direction for Fall. All summer I was doing red lips and stockings and neat little chignons, and now nothing looks better to me than wearing my hair in long curls with gauzy dream-like antique dresses and cowboy boots.

Of course, no one does the gypsy cowgirl look better than Miss Emmylou Harris! I have my Blue Kentucky Girl vinyl album propped on my dresser right now for inspiration when I'm getting dressed.

dream up, dream up

These pictures aren't mine, so click on the photos to see the photographers' Flickr links!

Man oh man, I cannot wait to get back home and start taking pictures! Being a vehicle-less college student on an urban campus is not an ideal situation for a lil ole pastoralist like me, haha. But I'm living vicariously through these Flickr shots. I love finding everyday things left behind in abandoned houses; they tell so many stories and make the lives once lived there seem so much more real. Not gonna lie here, I have salvaged several souvenirs from local ruins, and I'd have several more if I ever stumbled upon any of the lovely dresses some of these photographers have discovered.

In slightly related news, my current camera is very cheap and has seen quite a bit of wear, so I'm currently researching camera brands and getting ready to get myself a new camera! It's a little bittersweet; me and my old HP Photosmart have been all over the world together; *sniffle* each scuff on its grey plastic shell tells a story. Ah well, I got some serious birthday money from the family in Britain, and I'm so excited to get a decent quality camera for the first time!