silver threads and golden needles

(Outfit: 1950s dress, Antique lace collar, Remix 1940s reproduction shoes)

Hey everyone... sorry it's been so quiet over here, but I literally have not touched my computer since Wednesday. I just got back to school this evening after a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday spent hanging around at home with friends and family. I hope all you Americans/Thanksgiving celebrators had a wonderful holiday!! I had a quiet little meal with my parents, which was really nice. We made the turkey with a delicious cajun seasoning, but the highlight of the evening was my mother's cayenne-and-toasted coconut sweet potato dish. Mmm.

So here's a little outfit post featuring a favorite dress of mine. I've had it for a couple of years, but I never get sick of it... it's just so cute. I wanted to use my mother's amazing gold brocade-and-velvet curtains as a backdrop, but I had to wait 'til it was dark out or else the light from outside took the detail away-- unfortunately this made the photos a bit shadowy, but I quite like the effect!

Full length (I'm still in love with my Remix wedges!):

One of the best parts of coming home was seeing my pets again! I'm an only child, and strange as it may sound, our animals really are a part of the family. My dog Banjo was so excited to see me, too, which was adorable. My horse Chinook wasn't too thrilled to get hauled out of the field and saddled up again, but I didn't take it too personally ; )

Here's a little picture of Banjo I snapped the other night... she's very photogenic!

key to the highway

(Outfit: 1940s dress; Edwardian corset cover; Stetson hat; unseen Stetson cowboy boots)

Hello!

Here's a quick outfit post taken back home the other weekend. I have since sewn a hook-and-eye inside the dress bodice to close up the opening, as it's clearly pretty awkward having another shirt on underneath. It looks a lot better now, so I tacked an "after" picture at the end, but I like these pictures anyway 'cause we have the best wallpaper in our house!

I'm madly in love with this dress; it's perfectly 40s (rayon? check. shoulder pads? check. beautiful pleating too subtle to show up on film? check.) I've been wearing this guy like twice a week since I got it a month ago-- it's just too easy and perfect. I also feel obligated to mention it was a whopping $9.99 at my favorite antiques store. Seriously one of my best bargains ever!

I love this song so so much; old country-western and early/proto punk bands are my favorite kinds of music, and this 80s/90s L.A. band was like the best of both genres.

ET VOILA! Dress as it is meant to be.

expecting to fly

There you stood

on the edge of your feather,
Expecting to fly.

-- Neil Young

(Outfit: 1940s silk bed jacket; 1960s slip; Stetson boots; F21 tights)

Remember the house I talked about and took some photos of in this post? Well, I snuck in again last time I was home for a few last pictures. I was by myself that time and terrified, so I stayed in the living room where I could dash right out the window if a hibernating bear or murderer walked in! It's funny, I've explored every inch of that house by myself in the summertime, but in the fall and winter it gets this spooky, foreboding look and I can't bring myself to go in, no matter how pretty some of the upstairs wallpaper might be!

Anyway, enough grimness! I have recently discovered that wearing sufficiently dated slips and nightgowns as day wear seems to work marvelously well; great to find that out just as winter sets in, lol. These pictures are a little awkward 'cause it was freezing out, but this little pink slip has turned into my favorite around-the-house dress (worn with another slip underneath, of course!). It's a different look for me, that's for sure, as I'm usually obsessed with tailoring. Do any of you have lacey slips or nightclothes that are just too pretty to go unseen?

Oh, and I just noticed I've hit the 50 followers mark-- so exciting, especially as I've only really been at this for a couple of months. Thank you all so much for actually being interested in my little blog; it means a lot!

ecoutez l'histoire de bonnie et clyde

(Outfit: 60s faux mink coat; 50s felt cap; 50s Saks Fifth Avenue cashmere sweater; 50s Pendleton skirt; Vigoss oxfords)

Like many of you I'm sure, Faye Dunaway's portrayal of Miss Parker in the legendary film Bonnie and Clyde has been one of my favorite fashion references for years. The combination of Faye's gorgeous 60s cat eye liner and hair with the sleek 30s silhouettes of her skirts and sweaters has been hugely inspiring to me.

Though Faye will always be Bonnie Parker in my mind, Brigitte Bardot's take on the infamous gun moll is also worth a look! She brings a whole 'nother level of late 60s chic to the role alongside Serge Gainsbourg in the music video to their song about the outlaw couple.

Youtube wouldn't let me imbed it, but be sure to watch the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsTMhScumOE