Nov 27, 2012

under the (fashion) influence

Hello all! So on tumblr the other day this lovely anonymous send me an ask saying "may i make a blogspot post suggestion? perhaps your main fashion icons/style icons. not just current ones, but the chicks who really got you into the mod style :)" and of course I couldn't say no! Actually, it's a genius idea and I'm so stoked to have requests now, so thank you, anon. Believe it or not, but I have a lottttt of influences and I'm still being influenced by a ton of bloggers, vintage folk, art, etc. Enjoy, you fine people! (i love exclamation points! they!are!just!great!okay i'm done! now im done)

1.) The Who
I got into The Who because I love Queen and I read that they really liked the who (along with the jimi hendrix experience and the beatles) so i decided to check them out. now, they're my favorite band! This was the first time i was exposed to the mod target and I fell in love instantly. THUS A MOD WAS BORN.

2.) Twiggy Lawson
I can honestly say I found her by accident via tumblr, and i fell in love. In the 60's she was such a doll (and still is!!), and i adored her style and the fact that she ate so much food and didnt loose weight. go gurl. She modeled for all the great designers/photographers. One was Mary Quant...

3.) Mary Quant
Let's face it: she's God! She invented the go-go boots, hot pants, and mini skirts. Those are three of my favorite things EVER. Plus she was best friends with Vidal Sassoon- who was indeed the best hairstylist in the world.

4.) Batman (1960's)
Okay first off the series was so cheesy and colorful, what's not to love!? Everyone just looked so fab in this show, urgh. Especially Yvonne Craig (Batgirl) and Julie Newmar (Cat Woman). Let's face it: they were stylish bad ass babes. (also robin's catch phrases are the best)

5.) Edie Sedgwick
Like Twiggy, I came across Edie via tumblr on accident. She lived a troubled life, but golly did she look great! I adore her make up and clothing, and she was just a star.

6.)Nylon Magazine
Last Decemeber I bought my first Nylon magazine, and it was beatles/mod themed. It's all these modern actors/musicians/artists dressed in mod fashion and i can't describe my love for this magazine (it'd look like this: asdfghjk). I always turn to it when I'm stumped for outfit ideas.

7.)Noel Fielding
An actor, an artist, a babe. This man is so intriguing it should be a crime. He was the one to introduce me to chelsea boots and now i can't get my hands off them! He was in a show called the Mighty Boosh and there was an episode where his character, Vince goes mod. It's probably my favorite episode, because they get stuck in a jungle and get saved by mod wolves (yes wolves in suits my friends).

8.) Marianne Faithful
Not only was she Mick Jagger's lover, but she knew how to dress. Marianne was the first woman I ever saw pull off a suit and ugly sunglasses. I just adore this woman and it may be possible that she's my real mom but it's on the down low.

10.) Pretty in Pink
Anyone who isn't inspired by this movie is a sad excuse as a human being. Duckie is so amazing and I wish I had a friend like him because he is so silly and adorable and perfect. Andy (Molly Ringwald) is so innovative with her clothing (EVEN THOUGH SHE CUTS UP THAT PERFECT PROM DRESS but whatever she still looked bitchin') and I can relate to her a lot.

11.) Pop art
I don't really know how to describe this one, but it's super influential in my fashion sense

12.) Archie Comics
So I've read this bad boys since I was a kid and I was always jealous or Veronica's wardrobe (and sometimes Betty's). I would not put down an offer if she wanted to give me all of her clothing, just saying.

Nov 24, 2012

what the heck is in that closet? vol.1 (new finds and inspiration)






exotic cat patch: etsy, random trinkets: goodwill grab bag, parka: urban outfitters (an early christmas present, because it's cold in texas for only a few months), dress: vintage, boots: thrifted, oxfords: urban outfitters,  joni mitchell, johnny cash, the rolling stones(!!!), ray charles records: garage sale, wayne & garth pins: DIY





current fashion inspiration: Phoebe Buffay (F.R.I.E.N.D.S) Not only is she extremely fashionable but her quotes are quite inspirational. I was never a fan of 90's fashion until I started watching friends, and know I wish I had Phoebe's whole wardrobe. I feel like her character was loosely based off of me (just saying). all pictures from here and here.


Nov 22, 2012

“Do not trust the Pilgrims, especially Sarah Miller.”

To all of my American readers: Happy Thanksgiving! I'm not really a big fan of this holiday because everyone should be thankful everyday, but hey the food is great! It's always interesting when we have family get-togethers, because there's a lot of people in my family. Some of them hate each other, and sometimes a (verbal) fight happens, so things stay entertaining. It wasn't like that today, but I did make some Wayne & Garth pins. So all and all: a good day was had. Anywho, here's what I did today in form of pictures (because I'm too lazy to talk/type about it). 
went for the pilgrim look, aww yeah
dress: forever21, collar: vintage, tights: forever21, shoes: urban outfitters







It's finally the end of the night! If any of you were wondering the title today came from the Addams Family Values movie. You guys remember, Wednesday set her camp on fire and threaten to scalp everyone *sighs* good times. Hope you guys enjoy. How was everyone else's day? (american or not)

Nov 20, 2012

my heart goes boom boom boom








I just discovered Miss Li, and I am in love! Not only is she super adorable, but her voice is wicked good. All the pictures above are from her video My Heart Goes Boom, but what I still can't believe is that it's from this year! (only five months ago) This video is perfect in every way from the very beginning. The kids turning on the tv and the Cream record in the background, then the intro of Miss Li like it's Top of the Pops, THEN THE GO GO DANCERS, and even the guitarist with no shoes just makes the whole thing perfect. I've been grooving on her tunes (via spotify) all night, and I highly recommend her if you like old music (it's really hard not to like old music so....). She even does a cover of Good Morning (from Singin' in the Rain)~ This woman is incredible, and now I want to make a red rose flower crown in honor of her. It's really sad though...she only tours in Europe *cries* 
I don't want to leave on a sad note, and the other day my great friend, L.M. Strange and I hung out and took some fab pictures because she is a fab photographer. I'm so happy that Thanksgiving Break is a whole week off now! I've never needed a break as much as I have this week. Even though Europeans gave the Natives smallpox (and lots of other awful unnamable things) we still get a week off to celebrate it to go shopping and eat lots of food that wasn't around in the colonial era. To all my American readers: Have a happy Thanksgiving! Go eat turkey and be merry and try to avoid awkward family conversations. 

bitchface.
last five photos by lmstrange

Nov 13, 2012

living in the sunlight, loving in the moonlight

I don't know if it's just me, but vintage couples from the fifties and sixties are the cutest thing ever. If I ever get a boyfriend, I hope it'll be as grand as the photos above (I want a significant other to dance with, drink milkshakes with, and listen to records with). I'm not stressed about getting a boyfriend, and it surprises me how many people think they need one. Wow guys, way to be independent. Anyways, vintage couples seem like an obsession here to stay. Which I'm okay with, just look how cute the couples are. ♡ Besides vintage couples I've been gawking over Lana Del Rey's music. She's very modern, but you can tell she's influenced by older music, and she is just really fantastic. And her music videos are absolutely stunning. She is one cool cat, for sure. Have a good week, eat your vegetables, brush your teeth, don't talk to strangers.






Nov 11, 2012

i wrote a song

So I've been watching a lot of youtube videos lately, and I've been inspired by Julian Smith. I've always wrote silly songs in my notebook about everyday life and first world problems, but something about this one made me go one step further. I'm not going to lie, I'm not that great at the ukelele or singing but whateva I had fun doing this. I wrote this song last night (well this morning, but it was two o'clock), because I wasn't tired AT ALL and i had nothing to do. When I have nothing to do I go on facebook, but no one was on facebook. And if anyone decides to use this elsewhere, please link me. I worked really hard on this. 
EDIT: You can listen to a more clear version of the song here.

Nov 10, 2012

Ed Sullivan? Why, he's my favorite human being!

Movie: Bye Bye Birdie
Year: 1963
Plot: It's an extremely silly musical about Kim MacAfee, a girl who just got pinned by Hugo Peabody. She's also a huge fan of Conrad Birdie- who is based off of Elvis Presley (music/looks wise that is). Birdie is drafted into the army, but before he goes he is going to kiss one lucky girl from the Conrad Birdie fan base in Ohio. Kim is chosen to be the girl who gets kissed by him on the Ed Sullivan show. Of course, Hugo gets peeved and tries to convince her not to do it, but Kim is a woman now (at least she thinks she is) and she can do what she wants. The whole cast is absolutely amazing and includes Ed Sullivan, Dick Van Dyke, Janet Leigh, Ann-Margret, Paul Lynde, and Bobby Rydell. All of the songs are really fun and catchy and get stuck in your head for what feels like an eternity.
Favorite character: Hugo Peabody
Favorite part: Right after Rosie and Albert fall into the wagon and the turtle comes out of the bushes, or when Mr. MacAfee realizes Kim is going to be on the Ed Sullivan Show and he says, "Ed Sullivan? Why, he's my favorite human being!" and then it goes into a musical number about Ed Sullivan.
Favorite song: Telephone Hour
Pros: It's great for all ages, the costumes are perfect, the script was cleverly written, and it makes me want a pet turtle.
Cons: Ann-Margret's singing at the beginning and end. Don't get me wrong I love her singing voice normally, but this is bad.
Rank: 10 out of 10. It's really one of my favorite movies- ever.
Okie dokie, that wraps this review up. Please feel welcome to put a comment below to tell me: what you like, what you didn't like, what you want to see, or anything else.

Nov 4, 2012

DIY: Recycling vintage clothing


What you're going to need:

  • a piece of vintage clothing (or not vintage, it really doesn't matter)
  • fabric scissors
  • needle/thread OR sewing machine
  • straight pins
  • measuring tape (optional)
  • pencil/chalk
First step: Put on your garment. Mark with the pencil or chalk (you could also use a straight pin/safety pin) where you want to shorten/alter (which could be the sleeves/legs/waist/skirt). 

Second step: take off garment and lay it on a flat surface. Find the marks you made and draw a line from one end to the fabric to the other. This is where the measuring tape might come in handy. I didn't use it, because I'm a [stupid] rebel, but I would recommend it so you don't get frustrated and your garment is all slanted and gross (unless you want it to be slanted).
Third step: Time to start cutting! Get your scissors, and get ready for one of the most nerve-wracking tasks ever: cutting in a straight (or perfectly curved) line. Make sure you go slow and be patient with yourself. I know it's exciting altering clothing, but you want it to end up looking nice.

Fourth step: Now it's time for my least favorite part! Get out your straight pins and start pinning the hems. This step is fairly easy, you just need to make sure the hem is even all the way around (ironing can help!).
Fifth step: Whip out that sewing machine (or needle/thread. I would recommend the machine if you have one it saves A LOT of time) and start sewing! Be careful and make sure your stich is pretty and straight all the way around.
What?! You're already done? Yeah, it's that simple. Happy sewing ♡