Tuesday, May 3, 2011

the West Coast is Cowboys...

Hippies and Mexicans....
allow me to demonstrate....
In the beginning there were Mexicans...
because the West Coast and therefore, California was uh, North Mexico...
then...cowboys arrived to poke some cows...as in ....cowpokes...
Then, finally...the hippies arrived when the cows had done been all poked...
And that explains the freshest from funkomavintage this week....


a beautiful burgundy and teal 30s - 40s wool and silk serape.
Just biding their time since the 1846 - 1848  US war with Mexico, and now, they are moving back in...tho Arizona is a bit pissed about that....and that's why we have Cinco de Mayo! (not really, May 5  commemorates the Mexican's unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla in 1862)




Its design of stripes in gorgeous colors and a center geometric pattern,  is a blend of indigenous and Spanish designs. The rectangular pieces, woven of wool, and later, silk and linen,  were used by people in Mexico and the Southwest in the nineteenth century. It was worn as coat, and used as a blanket. They're still used today, but mostly as decoration in the home and as the preferred seat covers for rockabilly hot rod cars....

This one has silk woven in the center Eye of God...and makes the lovely tied fringe...


Cowboys. You know 'em, you love 'em....and you mammas, don't let your babies grow up to be 'em. However, everyone looks sexy in cowboy clothes, and cowboy boots.
It's true!
Here's a pair of 1950s Acme inlay boots. Cutouts in the shaft leather show other colors to peek thru in the design. The 2 rows of stitching further accent the trippy design. The little square toe and the cut away boot heel. Leather sole and pegged with wood. Top Quality!





and here's a pair of 1970s boots, based on the good ol' cowboy boot. It's a fancy fancy take on the good ol' cowboy boot with the pull up straps and general feeling. It adds a higher heel, a small platform, and has the 70s color and type of Frye campus boots feeling with it's stitching and lacing. Square toes and fantastic authentic rustic wear.





So, hippies. They were invented in San Francisco in the 60s. They loved the crazy beauty and the good pot, and sweet vibes, man.

Handcrafts flourished in the 70s because we wanted to be more natural....like...make your own food, make your own clothes, make your own belt to hold up your handmade pants since you need to make more food, Skinny.


Beautiful belt of tawny 70s leather, this is quite thick, and the stems are hand cut, the flowers and leaves are stamped with a tool, by hand, and not a machine, then they were painted with orange and blue leather paint.


......Man, I worked my way thru high school, all 2 years, by making stuff instead of the dreaded babysitting and house-cleaning jobs teenagers usually have to do.
So let this be a lesson to you young kids....Learn a craft!!