Together Again....

The best of dressing in vintage...
You can mix and match...
It doesn't need to match by year....
Pick a theme....and a color scheme........

Some things that can go together....
another in a series of posts about what to wear when you are no longer twee, and not in the nursing home yet...search ..granny chic...or...old lady chic.
and, sure, in my etsy shop now....clicky

a 70s cowgirl jacket ...with lots of chains and pearls.....
in shades of mocha and creme...and pearl....
wear it with a black or white tank top...for instant summer fun.....

with a 70s mocha linen pencil skirt....



and ivory pearly leather sandals....



With a cute basic suit...you can really mix it up!!
a 60s suit of lovely caramel wool.....with chains and pearls....


Over an 80s white lace dress...

paired with 70s leather and suede boots....
try these with a knee length skirt......that's really awesome....



under there.......a very vintage 50s corset girdle....


and a 50s bullet bra circle stitch strapless bra.....


a lovely sparkly 50s - 60s black sequin lbd....Take a great vintage basic.....perfect for any fancy occasion after 5 pm....


Be girly with .....romantic 80s black suede tie pumps....


Or go tough with an 80s cropped black leather jacket....



And.....oooo laaa laaa...80s stiletto heels studded black leather pumps....
Now there is a combo you don't see coming and going.....
Sequins, black leather and metal studs....all in Black!



Or go pretty again....with this dress paired with a Black leather jacket and the tough studded stilettos........a sassy 60s black crepe lbd...with lots of pretty lace !


Just think outside the Closet .....

Fashion dues....

personally, I encourage you to wear whatev' you wanna.
Some times you want to look a little more polished up.
My last post about some Great Tips...is here.
Remember, these are my opinions...based on staring at billions of you...and styling you in my mind. I'm asked all the time for advice...Really! I know I dress like a Dickens character...but most folks don't want to...and when I used to spend a lot of time in very conservative circles, I learned a lot about dressing well. I can do it. And so can you.
OK then, let's go.

You need to figure out what body type you are. A Pear or an Apple (chunk of wood). I read that there are several types. It really only boils down to 2.

You either carry your weight at the bosoms/belly, or you carry it on your hips/butt.
If both are large, without a defined waist, then you are a chunk of wood, with apple tendencies...(kind of a #3..but really an Apple.)
Then ...either you're slim, or slim-ish, or you are wide, or wide-ish.


this chart is from www.articlesbase.com/clothing-articles/women-..
I think it's really just 2 basic shapes.... T & H are basically the same, that is, most weight is the bust/waist, whereas A & X are pear,curvy, and usually with a defined waist about 9" smaller than the bust and hips.



What's your best asset?
Back in the day, when I was a short flat board, I didn't know. And then I figured it out...I'm curvy, like a pear.
So, what the heck. I wore things that were lighter and brighter on the top, and darker on the bottom. All my fitted skirts and dresses had to have larger hips than what a garment manufacturer allowed...so I ended up (still) with more separates than dresses.
This balances me out more, but never think that just switching up the colors and such is gonna really fool anyone into turning a 5 foot elf, into a 6 foot swan. Wanna look a little taller and slimmer? Put the bright color and pattern on top, above the hipline.

Be you. Be swell. Be comfortable.

If you have a nice torso, only more so....
fitted styles, fitted tops and full skirts, and easy fitting pants are probably your best friends. Show off that nice figure. Might as well, it isn't gonna last a lifetime.

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Or, are you Kinda the same size all the way down?
You can wear all the unfitted oversized looks you want and look fabulous.



These looks can look real sloppy...the ol' Couch Potato look isn't attractive, so what to do?

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The nice lady picture is via fashionmefabulous

The Best Casual Look Ever.
This lady is doing the right thing. She is using a cardy and blouse, the right kind of pants, and she uses the skinny belt to be on trend. This combo is gonna work on all body types. I'd hem or hike that purple shirt up an inch, tho.
Let's discuss why......



Rule #1.
The basics:
Good grooming...clean hair and skin, perk things up with a cute barrette or a scarf as a headband (not hippie style unless you are going to a hippie-theme party or attending TESC)

Clean clothes. No rips, tears or stains, unless it is a fashion statement. The older you are, the less of that you can get away with. Sorry. Otherwise, you look homeless. I'd save the "homeless" look for when I am actually homeless.
(btw, here's where to donate to help those less fortunate than we: Homeless Coalition)

A great look for almost everybody type...and there is really only 2--
Curvy,
or Block of Wood....either you're slim, or slim-ish, or you are wide, or wide-ish.
So,yes, the best look for almost everyone is......

the long top, with nice pants, Best Casual Look ever.
Whether you are tall or medium or short, the same suggestions apply.
Height variations are sprinkled in here and there.

Back to The Best Casual Look ever...
Rule #2.
Wear pants that are pegged only if you have no Big Hips, like leggings or those hipster things. If your top covers the hips/butt...then go for it, otherwise.....
Wear pants that have straight legs.
But No...Not ever....bad pants with Full thighs + skinny ankles. That look from the 80s was for teenagers and even they looked bad. Picture via TheFashionPolice.



Very tall chicks can wear bells. But bells, if not HUGE, can be worn by everyone.Scale is the key.
The older you are, the darker the denim. Younger gals can wear almost anything in the pants department.
The chubbier your bottom parts, the less tight you want, if the goal is to look nice.
Wanna look like a sausage? Go ahead. But ...don't.


OK, So now you got your pants just right.



Now, over your carefully chosen pants, wear a Tunic.
A Tunic. Simple.
Sorry for the letdown. A tunic stops at about the hipline or goes on to the knee point.
Why a tunic? Because it's easy to wear, no tucking in to chop you just above the belly, and covers all.

A tunic can be loose, flowing, structured or fitted like a long t shirt. If you are shorter, you can match the tops and bottoms in color. Taller, you can mix colors and patterns if you like.

Sling a loose belt around it at the waist or at the hip bones.
You'll look fab!



This is a great look for almost anyone, really.
Believe it or not, the key is The Ankles!
If you are wide, beware the skinny ankle pant. It will make you look like you are balanced on teacups.
Just choose pants that are wider down there.

Next, pay attention to your heel height. Sometimes a flat shoe is best, if the tunic is on the shorter side, or you are tall.
A small heel, nothing over 2", looks fab.
Nothing looks more ungraceful that a woman of any age tottering on heels over 3".
Trust me.....mincing little wobbly steps are stupid.
What, are you ancient Japanese women? No. Stop hobbling yourself in shoes that look like torture devices, and make you look as graceful as a drunk at 3 am on New Years Day.




Rule #3.
The one trend I really am not liking all that much, and this pains me....I don't like the cinched in the middle belt thing. Only the very slim can make it work well.
This observation pains me because I own a lot of really cute belts. I try to cinch it in at my waist....
And I observe one of 2 things happening........

Boobs that seem to fall over the belt, no matter what...
and accenting the big belly.
Not attractive, not artful.
A Reuters photo of Mrs. O.


I'm not liking this one at all....how much better...with a skinny belt, a longer and looser top.

Mrs. Obama is tall and thin (pearish) and she usually sticks to skinny belts. If you are gonna do it, try a skinny belt and let it fall gently towards the hips.
Or just display your pretty belts.
I do wear belts to actually hold up my jeans, or around the hip bones for a casual look.


Here is a fabulous woman who is doing it well, via Fabulous After 40 (nice blog, but a bit uptight)



One color/layering trick that really does work pretty well as the nice lady in the picture just above demonstrates, is to wear a darker cardigan/jacket/vest with the same color for pants, and choose the brighter/lighter colors and patterns for the blouse. This works because the eye sees a dark frame, with attention-getting color in the center top of the body. The eye looks upwards and dismisses the outline, and like magic, you look a little taller and a little slimmer.

The trick is to make the cardy/jacket/vest longer than the blouse, or else you've defeated the whole fool-the-eye thing. The thing to pay attention to is where the cardy/jacket/vest stops on your body, and please, don't wear anything that's too tight.
Unless you just really love Sausage/Hooker as a fashion statement.

On sultry days...my alyssum and stock intoxicate

the passersby of my tiny messy garden.
I see them walking, and they turn their head towards the wafting sweet scent...
Are they thinking "Did I just smell something sweet?"


floral and Persian rug patch print 60s vintage dress in a size L+




Summer florals on a darling vintage romper sunsuit



Maybe they notice a tiny messy garden on their mission to get from one place to another.
I hope so.
I hope it sticks in the back of their mind as they go about their day.
Maybe it's a spark of a reason to be a bit more grateful, to straighten their back, to make a good choice and live well.


Luscious full blossom vintage romper jumpsuit in a large size


Ferns on a silk Vera vintage scarf



I've just put some nasturtium seeds in a can with water to soak overnight. And tomorrow I'll pull the weeds, and poke small holes and put the very plump seeds in my secret garden.
In a month and a half from now, there will trailing pepper-tasting leaves and sweet orange and gold and yellow nasturtium flowers for the passersby.


Full blossom roses on a full skirt vintage sundress


Square bodice, puckers and a full skirt vintage sundress




Precious pen and ink floral on a summer sky blue vintage dress


White posies on black vintage dress

A Couple and their accessories...

Sometimes a sweater is what I want and then there are times.......
a trim little jacket is it...

Start with a basic navy jacket, a 70s wool blend...because the quality is fabulous, and the dominant style was cropped, nipped waist, and pockets !
yes, these are both listed in my etsy shop.

A cropped style is great on almost all bodies....it doesn't hug the butt like a longer jacket might, or gap over the butt, or cut you off at an unflattering line.....a jacket will only be your new best friend if it fits right.....
this style just skims the hip bones and has panache!





A pearly necklace, a few pearly necklaces would be fab too......a perfect basic to play with....the steampunk queen of romance is only one way to style this.....but it's my favorite.
so I paired it with a white lace dress...which is so sweet
(get out your wedding dress and wear it! kidding.) to start with...

Then I tucked a white millinery rose in the hanky pocket...along with some pink netting from an old hat ....and hung a pair of 50s vintage pink gloves from one pocket.

These brassy buttons have Crowns, and Elephants and Dinosaurs embossed on them....(look!)


Here it is in its plainness........so many things to do! A plaid skirt would look nifty with a white lace blouse...or a print skirt for a feminine look.
Pair it with stripes for even more steampunk Victoriana ...

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And another look from a simple navy jacket....also a 70s one but this one has puffy sleeves. Beware! if you are over 40, it might be too juvenile...or not.

This style is more hunting jacket and the front has nifty pointy hems and I really love the tiny buttons.
I tucked a knit lace doily in the hanky pocket here, and pinned a huge vintage red velvet chrysanthemum on a lower pocket.
For a schoolmarm in the wild west I added an Indian blanket vest. (a rhyme!)
This look would be smashing with a golden brown suede or velvet skirt or dark grey leggings and chunky boots....



It starts with a simple jacket....and the romance, the style, that gives it a fairytale aura is all in the details....
A trim navy jacket is more polished and formal than a sweater...
more "lunch in a fancy restaurant jacket", instead of "brunch on late Sunday with a hangover sweater".

White Lace and Promises.....

White lace is so happen' for spring...it's not just for brides and babies anymore...

80s body con long white dress I was soooo tempted to keep...but I chose another 2 white lace dresses for myself for spring.....
If Morticia bonked her head and decided to be The White Queen For A Day....she might choose this...

And then...she could top it with an 80s black moto jacket ...just to get back to form.....

Fantabulous !




But maybe she'd like to play Suburban Lady for A Day...she'd look Glamourous in these 50s mylar wedge mules and the matching handbag....
Gold metallic and a Persian print.......so matchy matchy, but easy to wear with lots of other things...that matchy-matchy wouldn't be a problem for her......



Maybe she'd like to be a hip 70s chick and wear these bitchin' boots with her vintage Addams denim jeans........It could happen!



But she'd like these better I think....So edwardian noir ....black leather...curvy romantic heels....you know Gomez loves romance !

Under where? Underwear. Panties. Knickers, Nicky

the history of Vanity Fair.... with research from the pretty Ang of ehappyvintage.com
well if you have never felt the ultra sexiness of vintage nylon....girlfriend or boyfriend !
You must try some before your mortal coil unwinds.
There is nothing silkier, they are silkier than silk...

No worries OK. I'll be listed mountains of vintage lingerie in the next few months...I think the warm weather is the perfect time for some sexy undies....














This lovely thing is a 50s Vintage Vanity Fair nightgown.. it has the white satin label woven with light blue thread.It is just as silky as the panties since it's made from the same nylon tricot. Later, in the 70s, came the Dupont Antron III nylon....not quite as soft...

this is a dream!!
ha ha.

the Old Red White and Blue is a Fashion Do!

Cute Classic plaid pleated jumper dress....or as they say in the UK...a pinny!




While the days of Matchy-Matchy are over (yeah) creating an ensemble that looks good together and is functional...let me type that again......
Functional...
is not really a challenge if you give your wardrobe some thought about 3 main points......
Which are~~~~
1. What colors look good on you?
2. What shapes work for your body type?
3. What are the clothes for the day supposed to do?
I'll answer those questions as I move thru this very colorful post!

The answers are quite different if you are um, past 50. I think, in your 40s you can still get away with much of what you wore in your 30s...as long as you give up dressing like a teenager...don't get your styling tips from Seventeen or Teen Vogue....

(Erin Wasson is a classic Bad Example of what you don't want to resemble)
Do not use these folks as an example as you dress yourself unless you want to look like a Lunatic, in a non-creative way.
There's crazy, and having a ball ya'll...and then there is Out On A Day Pass and Dressed From The Dumpster........
avoid the latter.

I think this pic of young bloggers who live in their own mirrored paradise is from The Coveted.


No.No.No.

Because......
Past 50, if you don't want to look like Old Clown or Aging Debutante, it does take some practice...but La Vida Loca after the children move away, when you can turn their old bedroom into a dressing room of your dreams....
Well, don't let anyone tell you, that middle age is boring.....because it is a fresh start to become the classy interesting person that was hiding underneath the weight of kid's sports, kid's dance class, kid's doctor appointments...blah blah blah....
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I love a great little blazer to add the final bit of polish...to an outfit...It provides a pop of color...or creates a narrow silhouette and tricks the eye to sculpt the body in a taller thinner line....
In the next day or 2, I'll list some cute little cropped jackets and pair them with darling dresses...perfect for the early Spring days...


Listed right now, a petite blazer with a wonderful gold bullion crest and goldtone buttons....
This type of jacket makes everyone look really swell, and put together.
It must fit you well and not bind, it shouldn't be too long or too short for your body...and get a quality fabric...damn the label...buy the best you can afford...oh, and mix it up with something pretty along the way, so you don't look like you joined the military..........nothing wrong with the military, but unless you are on active duty, don't dress like them.....Just don't.




1. What colors look good on you?
Navy looks good on almost everyone...and it's snappy.
2. What shapes work for your body type?
Get one that fits you. An oversize blazer looks sloppy on everyone now except gals under the age of 25. Why? Just believe it!
3. What are your clothes for the day supposed to do?
Keep you warm,(or cool), make you look smart and function well. So think about fabric for the time of the season...wear what suits your body, and don't be a slave to fashion magazines (that just makes you look brain-dead), and function? Whatcha got against pockets?? And get a smart bag just big enough, that is not made of plastic and has a grocery store logo on it.

A fab little 70s floral applique clutch can really really add PUNCH to a so-so basic, or a staid ensemble.
One of the things I love about this one, is it is a near-perfect match to the 70s silk dress coming up next....same era, same inspiration...similar prints but not boringly Matchy-Matchy....



This is a 70s vintage Nordstrom dress in silk. An easy tuxedo bib fit, so eat all the dessert you want....or it looks cute cinched with a belt if you wanna........and tie the secretary bow...or not....Me, I'd not tie it, and add a long necklace with one or 2 chunky charms.
See how close this print is to the bag up there?? hmmm?


Cute accessories can bring a smile on a gray rainy day....makes the pain of pulling out bill money and little less ouchy.




A red Coat. nuff said. Never boring. Great style for dressing up and down. Wear with slacks or jeans or a dress and boots or a cocktail dress and open-toe sandals.
Looks cute always....




A very cute dress...in red and black. Lightweight poly woven fabric is flowing and easy to care for. Very flippy! Makes you wanna skip in sandals to the ice cream shop!




Chevron stripes in reds and blues with a splash of yellow....wow!



a classic little plaid skirt.......32" waist. Perfect with a cropped jacket or a soft cardigan and ballet flats....so FLOTUS....






Didn't forget the fellas....A classic Levis jacket. No pockets on this one. So, when you choose pants with pockets to carry your stuff, do us all a favor and DO NOT wear denim jeans (maybe black denim is OK) with your denim jacket...
Because, you will Look Like....
Dennis Weaver in McCloud. Dennis was a super swell guy, but PLEASE don't repeat the urban 70s Cowboy look, unless you are going to a Cowboy Costume Party.Original Vintage 70s Levis Indigo jacket....everyone copies this one...from Ralph Lauren to Ann Taylor to Wal-Mart, to DisneyCorp's Hannah Montana and Lizzie McQuire, and Health-Tex for the infants (cute!) (I just saw some young bearded rock star type guy wearing one...a knock off...gee fella this one is better and tres cool !)



A blue suit. Wow. What a great look. Not boring. Nice fine tailoring. And...sharkskin! Fab with a crisp white shirt and a black tie, eh?
Or, all pale blue shirt and satin tie, or a small calico print.



Repeat after me...."You never go wrong with Italian Leather Shoes"...