A Salute to Our Troops

So it's Memorial Day and I thought I would do my own special Salute to Our Troops... Pin-up girl style!


(photo taken by the lovely and talented Erika Ogier)

So readers who have been around awhile probably remember my original pin-up post. And the above photo is from the very same calendar photo shoot that I spoke about in that post. I have an unexplainable love for pin-up girls, especially the Vargas girls. I have collected many Vargas prints and a ridiculous amount of pin-up clothing.

So, naturally, I thought that the best way to honor memorial day was to show you my favorite military style pin-up costumes! While sadly these are all pretty much ridiculously out of my budget... I still enjoy drooling over them and waiting for them to go drastically on sale, like the handful of Trashy Lingerie costumes I do own did when I snagged them. Enjoy!



(via Trashy Lingerie)


(via Trashy Lingerie)


(via Trashy Lingerie)


(via Trashy Lingerie)


(via Trashy Lingerie)


**Trashy Lingerie did not ask me to review or promote their products. I just spend way too much time on their website drooling over everything they sell.

Daily Outfit: Take Me Down to the Little White Church

What:
Tank Top: LOFT
Belt: Vintage, Esty
Skirt: Lilly Pulitzer
Shoes: Steve Madden
Necklace: 1928 Jewelry, vintage, Mom's jewelry box

Comments:
Ok I am not sold on socks with skirts. I feel like a little girl going off to Sunday School. I decided to try this out today since I wasn't actually leaving the house... aside from checking the mail and honestly I like the socks and oxfords when done by some of the bloggers out there (I am still morally opposed to socks with sandals, sorry). And maybe if I did this with different socks and specifically not WHITE sock it would look better or different... because the outfit itself is really cute... but all i see if WHITE SOCKS glaring at me in these photos.

I decided today, since I was feeling particularly lethargic for some reason, to pop in my Denise Austin yoga DVD and give it a go. My best friend and I used to do this now and then sophomore year of college, but the DVD has been collecting dust next to my Carmen Electra stripersize DVDs (also collecting dust if you're wondering). So while it did make me feel better and I know have all kinds of energy I did not have a few hours ago... dear lord did Denise Austin and her creepy eyes kick my ass! I have a feeling I will be complaining to anyone who will listen tomorrow about how much pain I am in... note to self: exercise more and it wont hurt so bad!

When:
May 28, 2010

Daily Outfit: Apparently It's Vintage Dress Week in My World

What:
Dress: Vintage, Etsy, Kittenteeth Vintage
Belt: ModCloth
Shoes: BCBG Generations, from Marshall's

Comments:
It was threatening rain and I was wearing suede shoes, plus there were sketchy moving men hanging around... so I decided to opt for a covered area to take my pictures today that wasn't my balcony. The lighting is eh, but what can you do.

I loved this dress from the moment I saw it in Kittenteeth's Vintage shop. So when it arrived yesterday I knew I was going to wear it today. I love the smocking on the top and the colors, and I am a big fan of dresses that are this length. It probably was, however, a little on the short side for work... considering I had two meetings today both of which included my manager. Eh, everyone just commented on how cute I looked and not at all on the fact that my dress hit 3 inches-ish above my knees.

Apparently not only is this Dress Week... but its also vintage dress week for me! What can I say... I love my vintage dresses.

When:
May 27, 2010

Daily Outfit: Once a Tree Climber, Always a Tree Climber

What:
Dress: Vintage, Anna's Attic (Chattanooga, TN)
Tights: WeLoveColors.com, Light Pink
Shoes: Steve Madden, from Zappos.com
Necklace: Vintage, Etsy, Purple Daisy Jewelry
Ring: Vintage, was my grandmother's

Comments:
All kinds of outfit detail photos for you this time! I finally got a good picture of this fun and ridiculous fish necklace and a good picture of my new favorite ring. It was my dad's mom's. She died when I was 12 (on my birthday no less...) but she was very dear to me, and my dad seems to think I am a lot like her. I agree from what I can remember about her... she was very matter of fact and definitely not a dainty kind of woman. So besides the fact that this ring is amazing, its sentimental too, and that makes if even more fantastic!

This dress is another one that I picked up at Anna's Attic in Chattanooga. I'm telling you, I scored majorly at this place. I can't wait to really accessorize this one, it has all kinds of potential for styling and restyling the heck out of it. I didn't have a lot of time this morning so I went really simple today, plus I think it can hold its own without all the other accessories brewing in my head, which is a sign of a great dress in my opinion. I did throw on some pink tights (I was going to go with my burnt orange ones, but that seems just too painfully obvious of a choice) before rushing out the door... and still being late to my meeting I might add, but I'm gonna blame that one on the rubberneckers that caused the traffic jam on the highway.

When:
May 26, 2010




This week has been declared Dress Week by Unravelled Threads, I joined the game late, but I actually did wear dresses every day this week but Monday.

Thrift Store Haul: 05.20 - 05.23

This weekend was apparently my lucky weekend for thrifting. I honestly don't usually have a lot of success at thrift stores when it comes to clothing, but this weekend my luck turned a corner and I found some really great things.

I stopped off in America's Thrift Store on my way into town last weekend and was pleasantly surprised to come out with several great items, including these three skirts all of which fit me high in the waist.



The brown skirt reminds me of a brown leather skirt that Elizabeth from Delightfully Tacky has, and I am excited to wear it once its pressed and cleaned.

Very high on the list of things to look for were high-waisted shorts. I took a few pairs into the dressing room, but not with a lot of luck at first. I have been in love with these short from Lacoste, but they are sold out and probably were out of my budget anyways. So when I saw these adorable shorts for like $2 I knew they must be mine.



I also scored this purple linen suit at Knitting Mill Antiques.



And three of the most perfect and amazing vintage dresses, all of which fit like they were made for me. And this cute vintage top as well. I was so excited to find such great dresses at Anna's Attic and I know that I will be frequenting this place whenever in town.









And a few sleepwear items too. Vintage slips are just so pretty. I even found this GORGEOUS bed jacket and sleep top. I cannot get over how beautiful they are. Now I can stop sleeping in old t-shirts all the time. My slip collection is growing larger by the day!






I also ended up with 3 belts, 2 rings, a pair of earrings and a bangle bracelet from my various outings and my digging in my mom's jewelery box. So all in all... pretty successful, don't you think?

Updated: And for those of you wondering about the grand total:

Anna's Attic (3 vintage dress and a blouse): $60
America's Thrift Store (3 skirts, 3 belts, a pair of high-waisted shorts, and 3 slips): $23
Knitting Mill Antiques (a suit, a slip, and a bed jacket & sleep top): $62
Mom's Jewelry Box (2 rings, a pair of earrings, and a necklace): $0

So 22 things for $145... I think I did pretty good!

Daily Outfit: Snapshot of the 70s

What:
Dress: Vintage, Anna's Attic (Chattanooga, TN)
Shoes: Steve Madden
Bracelets: Charlotte Russe and Vintage from the Knitting Mill Antiques

Comments:
I love love love this dress. It's so comfortable and 70s. I think this is going to quickly become a go to dress this summer and into the fall. This is one of the fantastic vintage finds I purchased at Anna's Attic in Chattanooga over the weekend. When my aunt saw this dress she gasped and then said that it looked like something straight out of her high school closet. I had never been in Anna's Attic despite the fact that its really ridiculously close to my parents' house, and wow was I missing out. The vintage wall is small in comparison to the rest of the store, but it packs a worthy punch. I found many things I loved, three dress and a shirt that came home with me and many others that weren't my size. If you live in the area or are visiting the area, look it up, it's worth stopping in for sure.

I also snuck my Brownie camera into my photos, as you can see. As soon as I started to think about outfit pictures for this outfit I knew that I wanted to include this particular camera in the photos. It's the only one of my cameras in my collection that is not in working order, but even if it was the film for this camera isn't available anymore as far as I know. But I do just love the way it looks, and this outfit definitely screamed out to be accessorized with the Brownie, so who am I to tell it no.

When:
May 25, 2010

This Month's Reading List: May

This month I'm reading:
Watership Down - Richard Adams (yes, still...)
Like the Red Panda - Andrea Seigel
Moose - Stephanie Klein


What are you reading this month?

Daily Outfit: The Lens Cap Conundrum

What:
Dress: Lilly Pulitzer
Bolero: Anthropologie
Shoes: Nine West
Clutch: Linea Pelle, from Bluefly.com
Necklace: Vintage, Unique Jewelry & Gifts (Clinton, TN)
Ring: Vintage, my grandmother's

Comments:
This was outfit number two. And I love this dress. I wore it to Christmas Eve dinner this past year, but didn't get to fully enjoy wearing it becuase I was sick as hell and so it was nice to wear it at a time when I was able to enjoy it. And look, look! I'm wearing the bolero again! And I really love it with this dress! Yay for finding more ways to wear it.

The pearls (they're plastic) were a great find. I have been looking for a multi-string pearl necklace for awhile and I happened across this one in an antique store in Clinton, TN for a mere $8. I was thrilled.

My friend from High School, Lacy, got married on Saturday. It was such a beautiful wedding. The venue was so pretty, she looked beautiful, and the reception was fun. I also got to hang out with and catch up with a few of my other friends from High School. At one point one of my friends went to the bathroom and apparently dropped her lens cap in the toilet while it was flushing and wasn't able to retrieve it. Later, near the end of the night she went into the bathroom and returned quickly saying, "We have to leave right now." Apparently the lens cap had clogged the toilet and flooded the bathroom.... whoops! I laughed myself to tears. I also got a giggle at the point where Lacy's husband shoved cake in her mouth and she ran into the kitchen and the photographer followed after her... it was so hilarious! It was a great time.

When:
May 22, 2010

Wedding Pictures: (Courtesy of my friend Ashley)


The Happy Couple!


Some of my friends from High School


And my mother and me

Daily Outfit: Birthday Cake Drama

What:
Tank: LOFT
Skirt: ModCloth
Belt: Thrifted, America's Thrift Store (Chattanooga, TN)
Shoes: Vintage, Etsy
Ring: Vintage, my grandmother's

Comments:
The day started too early for a Saturday with four boxes of confectioner's sugar and too much Crisco to be healthy. My dad and I made my niece's birthday cake (from scratch I might add) and decorated it. It was a dramatic start to the day as there were definitely moments of me yelling, "You need to calm down... it's just a cake for the love of god!"

This was one of two outfits I wore today... well technically three, as I changed into a third, but never made it out the door because my body decided it was just not going to happen today. The outfit for my friend's wedding you will see tomorrow. This was another go at the nautical theme, but much more casual this time around. It was perfect for a summer day and a birthday party.

When:
May 22, 2010

Daily Outfit: Sugar Shack

What:
Blouse: Lilly Pulitzer
Skirt: Thrifted, America's Thrift Store (Chattanooga, TN)
Belt: Thrifted, America's Thrift Store (Chattanooga, TN)
Shoes: Vintage, Etsy
Ring: Vintage, was my grandmother's
Necklace: 1928 Jewelry, Vintage, was my great grandmother's

Comments:
I have had the best thrifting/vintage shopping weekend EVER. I'm serious that I don't think I've gotten this lucky in awhile. I scored 3 vintage dresses, 1 vintage blouse, 3 thrifted skirts, 3 vintage slips, 1 thrifted pair of high waisted shorts, and 3 thrifted belts. Plus a vintage necklace and ring that were "thrifted" from my mom's jewelry box. I'm telling you... great finds!

The skirt I'm wearing is actually one of my thrift finds and so is the belt. I love the vibrant blue of this skirt. And I just happened to have packed this lovely Lilly top that I have had a little difficulty styling so far, and wham! This is probably one of my favorite outfits in a long time! I felt so cute and stylish! And the accessories just add to my love of this outfit, because not only are they beautiful vintage, but they are family pieces, which makes them even more special and beautiful. The ring was my dad's mother's and the exact kind of ring I have been searching for. I'm honestly bubbling over with excitement today... you have no idea!

Oh and... Worst pick up line I have ever been the recipiant of: "Hey, call me if you ever want to join the Army." (Hands me his business card.)

Yeah... that actually happened.

When:
May 21, 2010