Oh, A Pretty Dress !

a great pleasure that often comes with choosing from the flotsam and jetsam of life, from the uncountable objects of enterprise is.....
offering for sale a lovely dress or 2 or 100...
and when someone finds one I have for sale, and buys it, and then loves it so much, they want to wear it immediately and then....they send me a picture...
well, That just makes my day!

(I still love everyone who buys something from me, because without you, dearest buyer, I am nothing...well, that is a bit dramatic, but you understand)
Recently 2 gals bought spring frocks and sent me pics.

I'm late getting to this but I am so happy to have met Ang over the internet, courtesy of etsy. She's from the Bay Area (yeah!) and she bought this stunningly beautiful dress from me.

This is an 80s dress that is inspired by the New Look of Dior's late 40s collection. Dior used yards and yards of fabric because he could, after years of WWII wartime restrictions on fabric and style of fashions.




So not only does this dress have yards of fabric, it has one of the most beautiful fabrics ever designed. It was done by Karin Stevens. It was for sale as yardage in addition to being used for dresses and home accessories. I run into this dress 3 or 4 times a year, and I often see picture frames and pillows with snippets of it.
It has pink and burgundy peonies, and periwinkle wisteria. Rare, I tell you since I am a horder and treasure-hunter of dreamily beauteous floral prints.

Another pleasure I have is to find a fun day dress...you know, the kind of dress that doesn't go to big formal events...the kind of dress for the daily grind or marketing, errand-running, and perhaps a toddler playdate or PTA meeting. It's the kind of dress that bridges the gap between jeans and tshirt and a dinner date.



Here's darling Kristin and her date for the day, wearing a comfy cotton late 50s/early 60s day dress. In Kristin's other life besides being a mom (I presume) to an adorable little boy, she makes funky cute pet tags. I shall be going to her etsy shop and purchasing one...when she returns from the madness of remodeling her home. (I fully understand that..I just moved and I'm putting stuff away)

Her shop is Pure Panache Pets. Please join her email list so you'll know right away when she returns. All I can say is, that her prices are great and the tags are uniquely cute.
Click her feedback link to see her Sold tags, and then just drool !


Here's the Tacoma part of this post !
I moved my storage of special vintage to the shop, I'm sorting and pricing, and creating new displays, and we'll likely be closed until Wednesday May 20....and of course I am stupidly excited about the opening day of Tacoma's Farmer's Market...Broadway edition on Thursday May 21st.
I'll have plants and pots and other gardeny type things for sale on that day...like tote bags made of vintage fabric and birdhouses, plant shelves and decor...to bring the outside world inside or heck, leave it all out...because, 'round these parts, we don't get enough of the beautiful world outside our homes and offices....
I'm working on moving my newest old stuff out to the sales floor...and in a day or 2 I'll start publishing my garden column. Some of you know I used to have an organic farm, published a garden column, and sold at the Gig Harbor Farmer's Market in the early 90s.
Thanks for loving funkoma vintage...and making the trek down our street, even though the City of Tacoma has done everything in its power to kill all the businesses on our block.

buzz buzzzz punk tag Betsey Johnson...

I love the whimsy...I love the fun....really!
and Betsey Johnson has been delivering it since the 60s man...
a bit of bio....
Now firmly part of what was considered the “Youth Quake,” Betsey soon found herself in the unforgettable 1960’s Warhol scene. Edie Sedgwick was her house model, while the Velvet Underground’s John Cale took to wearing her designs both on-stage and off. In 1969, Betsey began her foray into retail by opening a new boutique called Betsey Bunki Nini. Directly following the opening store Betsey was offered a job from Alvin Duskin in San Francisco and thus began living a bi-coastal life for the remaining years of the 60’s.

Along with the new decade came new career opportunities for Betsey and in the early 1970’s, she came into creative control of the label Alley Cat, a label which set the trends for the 70’s rock n’ roll clothing, with bohemian and ethnic styles. In 1972, along with Halston, Betsey won the coveted Coty Award becoming the youngest designer to ever receive the honor.
so I'm so happy to list this amazingly fun top..on etsy..so Betsey...

Tacoma, You are not as cool as you think you are....

So, before the Mix was the Mix, before Jonathan bought Ida's and rivaled the Slutstone for gays/drink......in dt Tacoma, we were there, drinking and tipping heavy. Because they do Not serve food, we (and many others) went next door to psp...Spreading the Wealth and Being Local......so Jonathan always made it clear to his staff that it was cool to leave the pizza box as a courtesy to ...the fucking people who pay the bills........the patrons who spend and drink....
So tonight, the first time I ever even ever, left a pizza box, bartenderess Yelled at me walking out the door.......HEY TAKE YOUR PIZZA BOX!!!!!
So I did. and tossed in the street. then a tiny fella picked it up and brought it to me...so I tossed it in the trashcan.
Point? When is it OK to piss off a patron? When is OK to (try) to embarrass a HEAVY TIPPER, bitch?
Never again at the MIX.
You are not the only bar in the downtown area.
This is not the only bar that has recently pissed me off. A new bar up on the eastside kicked out my friend Chris because he's black, and so , of fucking course, he's a drug dealer........so ....screw you. We'll drink at Fergies where we are treated like gold.
You know, Mark and I never had any trouble at any bar in Tacoma, ever until you all began thinking you are Cool.......
Word up. Not.
You are in Tacoma. As am I.
Clearly you fucked up and ended up here.
If you had it really going on....
You'd be elsewhere.
Love, Tressie

UPDATE...and an answer to crenshaw's comment in the comment section...
Word Up, Samantha came in the shop and apologized for her rudeness. I think that is wonderful, and apology accepted !
****I love this dirty little town...I loved it just fine. What's with this sudden attitude?
I don't get this at Harbor Lights...never ever and I could tell you stories...El Groucho, who might have reason to be uppity, has always treated Mark and I swell! Even when Glen had to send his burger back for more cooking, even when the giggling was too loud (celebrate!) the staff was Divine! If they felt disdain, they never ever showed us...
I'm not a hipster, not a yuppie...just that weird Creative Class resident that can't be put in a box...
These observations crenshaw, I'm sure, will fall on deaf ears....there is no need to be arrogant or mean...tho I'll admit, I am p.o.'d ...and Tacoma, truth hurts. If you were a flesh and blood child, and you are acting like one right now, I'd put you on phone restriction and give you a few extra chores. And make you write Tressie an apology.

Just to name names, the Crown bar flipped attitude...Maxwells was right on the edge, and I can't do Silverslut anymore, ugh. Sea Grill was r.u.d.e. 2 years ago Stanley's had some poorly trained staff, and I called out the manager on the rotten service...He bent over backwards to make it right, and I've been a repeat customer since that time............
I have more...I try to support new biz as well as the old favorite haunts...the ones the kids call "dives"...as they Lifestyle Tour my actual life in their spare time. I was just telling a girl tonight that both of my oldest kids worked at The Starvester, oh, about nearly 19 years ago...

This is a big issue with me for a few reasons, one is that I am working class and so is wait staff...I heartily respect them and reward good service, since minimum wage sucks...my mom had a restaurant/bar and I spent much of my childhood peeling potatoes, washing beer glasses and chores chores chores....and let's not forget Steilacoom Forge Deli....mine.

Let's hope when some new blood gets on the city council, they show some Common Sense towards the Common Man...and stop acting like Nellie on Little House on the Prairie....and maybe we'll see some Trickle Down old-fashion kindness and respect in our town again...

(yes I was gonna drive back up and pick up my box from the street,after I loaded Jasper,Glen and Mark in my car, to drive home..I was sober and only being a bit dramatic!)(gee. I think I actually have made another post)**************

I view Tacoma...without rosey glasses, beer goggles....

or that profound sense of childlike wonder........I've been here for almost 27 years....until about 10 years ago....nothing changed....nothing much....which was fine because that allowed me to buy a few homes and live in them.......but now......
Things have really changed.........ha ha....I'll never own another home unless it has 4 wheels and a portapottie........
hee hee...........
But, I started this blog about a year and a half ago........because I was driving my friends batty.....with my opinions.
I discuss a lot of things......sometimes I wax about the cruel way that the working class is discarded.......and now that hundreds have been layed off from Russell, now the Docker Clan, can feel some of the pain that us working class types feel all the time.
My son drives truck, my dil works at Fred Meyer, my sil is a limo driver in one of the richest places in California (with his degree in poli-sci), my dd and her dh are students again......
so........
I'm seeing my rant about the stupidity of how this town has recently been governed, or rather ....
NOT governed. Rich people have condos, homeless people have mealtimes at 4:30 if they walk to the shelter.
Drivers have to swerve to miss potholes the size of Rhode Island.........I've never ever seen roads this bad around here. It is a disgrace.
So.
I'm seeing articles like this one in .....The Volcano's Spew by Joe Malick.....that decry the very same thing I've been chatting about here...cyberly.
Way to Go !!
Keep this up and we'll actually elect folks who give a shit about this town....like they used to....before the City Council and their Fearful Leader came here to modernize Tacoma by buttering the toast of the RICH with the sweat of the working class....and monetizing every blessed thing......

so I've been planning to post my Gardening Column

that I wrote for Tacoma Weekly back in the day....like 15 yrs ago day......yeesh. Back when it was all on newsprint. and used to sell organic heirloom veg and flower starts, plants and produce, and other crafty/farm-made things..... at the farm and at Gig Harbor Farmer's Mkt....
I will scan the originals and then, type out the whole thing.... pretty darn funny.... I used to own an organic farm, 10 acres worth.......
now, I own nothing.
Shortly after May 1st, I should be ready ...if I have internetz by then.....
But my first job was gardening ...I was 4 years old and I pulled weeds for a penny a weed....underneath the hydrangeas and ferns of a shirt-tale relative's front garden beds in San Jose (Cali not central/south America!)
...and I will be scanning and posting pictures of the farm and the funky funky house I used to have........ It's all part of my plan....to grow green and crack wise.......

What's a micro-tiny Business to Do?

I want internetz at my shop on Broadway. Click/Rainier Connect will do it for 1500 dollars "for construction". wth. This is not the Wired City. I've been with click for nearly 10 years. One of the first click customers. wth.
Clearwire is affordable, but reception downtown? dunno how reliable. Blackjack smartphone....mmm....doable, but how reliable? dunno

Qwest will run a dsl line for affordable $$. Might do that.

iPhone ...must jailbreak to tether to laptop.......mmm...ok. But what if I am the unlucky one who bricks it??? they way things are going....;-(

To go to fancy coffee/internetz, I will need to buy a new battery for Vaio....OK.
Will do that till iPhone has legit tethering, probably.

Maybe Derek has a cheepo plan for me ...I'm probably just too cheap for that !!
Lots of ins ...lotsa outs, Jackie. Lotta strands to keep in ol' Duder's head.

Bottom line:
Tiny businessessss in Tacoma are essentially told to fo if they want click.
That $$-demand drives tiny business to some other place besides click.
I have been a very loyal customer and sang the praises of click for almost 10 years. Not anymore.
Do you hear that Jake Fey?

Marty Campbell?

Oh sure, bend over for Russell. Bend over for LeMay. Rip up my street so condo buyers will have a pretty sidewalk/dog poop mini-park. Point is MOOT, since I'm out of business anyway.
In Tacoma anyway. Thanks Broadway LID. I enjoyed being a Placeholder for You ....now et tu Gentrification???
This town hates tiny business.
I'm closing the shop and going back to internet only. When I can find some.

The Earth loves a Vintage Wedding.......

Of course you should choose a vintage wedding dress...

because it's better to use what is already here, better to use what comes from a local source, better to think about the disposal problem...I know...but you are a GrownUp now!

vintage and handmade wedding ideas here at etsy

you know me...I like marriage so much...I did it twice.
I think everyone should have the right to marry...
the old joke: Everyone should have the opportunity to be miserable like the rest of us !!
(ha ha)
But seriously, marriage takes work and a pretty wedding takes some pretty stuff.........
My 2 weddings were all diy...1st one made my dress (duh) of natural crinkle gauze (duh) from India and I embroidered pretty flowers all over it, and made a matching shirt for the groom (duh)

The second wedding was an elopement affair because I was under too much pressure to invite/feed/entertain/mollify about a 100 people and I was not up to it. (everybody will tell you what to do...few will actually help)

Traveling to San Francisco to be married at City Hall in 1997, my second wedding dress was a lacy antique silk slip that was mostly falling apart..
I made that into the mini skirt, then for the blouse I used a 70s faux Victorian blouse that I remodeled ....
I wore some new/edwardian style shoes....and paired it up with my favorite leather jacket. I was hot! Mark wore a thrift store linen suit, with a bright blue shirt and a vintage pink/blue tie and 2 tone Saddle shoes.
Vintage sunglasses of course.
The pics are packed away.....after my big move I'll copy them and post them for you all to laugh at.

So....a Vintage Wedding Dress?
I always buy pretty white dresses for my shop and I adore vintage lingerie for the bride. A bride and groom should indulge themselves (sensibly) for their wedding and honeymoon, because soon enough, it won't be about just you 2. There is real life.

Right now I have these on etsy:
a loverly Emma Domb from the early 60s...it is tailored in the front and girly on the back! I love love love the deep back and the bows.








Going more Bohemian?

70s crinkle gauze with sheer lace. This is ethereal and fairy.







Like the tailored look? Classic ivory wool boucle set by Tina Hagen.