OUTFIT POST: My Unyielding Melancholy

MY UNYIELDING MELANCHOLY

Worn this past summer- 

I like the play of the graphic black + white with the romantic pink florals.
The sweater was a gift from Joyce. It's great for Seattle summer layering.
The tank and the shoes are new items, and both found me via Instagram ads, lol.
The skirt was a vintage Etsy find.

NOW WEARING

• pink floral cotton cardigan sweater- GIFTED
• black graphic tank- BOREDWALK
• vintage black + pink rose floral maxi skirt- ETSY
• checkerboard chunky sandals- ALOHAS 
  

 

 

OUTFIT POST: tall socks, super high tops

SUPER HIGH ME: pairing tall socks and high tops with a long sweater for a casual look.

Seattle spring means you wanna look fresh and spring-y but still need to stay warm. It's usually a bit chillier than it looks. No problem when you've got a fun and funky thrifted sweater to pair with a super old pair of thigh high socks (first worn here!) and a extra funky pair of kicks: super high, high tops sneaks. 

A Woman's Dress

The detail of this dress is a lot like me: bright, cheerful, perhaps a tad too loud, worn and a bit flawed because of it. It a wonderful frock made from stiff cotton woven fabric, with added charms of white embroidered trim. There's an extra thrill: the sweet detail of white thread tassels attached to the drawstring belt.

Here's a selfie I took sometime last month wearing the red dress, pairing it with a brightly Ethnic flavored shawl-sweater thingy. I felt quite fashionably Internationale.

OUTFIT POST: What I Wore Last Summer

DRESSED TO EXPRESS: Let's be honest, I haven't been wearing many outfits worth documenting. Unless you folks want to see me in gardening grub and housecoats and pjs, then maybe we'll talk. But I did have a couple of occasions that merited a dress up over the summer, and thanks to local lovely pal, Jade who snapped a couple of shots on her phone, I have this one to show you. So drink it up, peeps, because I was obviously feeling like a tall glass of water wearing a mix of vintage and ethical fashion brands.

Frisky even.

Check me out: 

SECONDHAND FIRST | OUTFIT POST: New to Me

WHO (K)NEW: Some people are weirded out by wearing clothing that was previously worn by others, so vintage clothing holds little lure for them- after all, most items 20 years or older have had a life before they found their way to a vintage boutique or thrift shop. Lucky for them, you can also find tons of items that are virtually new, unworn and unused also hanging on the racks of a thrift store, and so while they are "new" often still with the tags attached, they can be purchased for much less at the local Goodwill or Value Village, than you'd be expected to pay at the mall or online.

Secondhand, but new to you, for considerably less. 

SECONDHAND FIRST | OUTFIT POST: Glad for Plaid

GLAD PLAID.  To celebrate the recent happy nuptials of some friends, the couple asked the attendees to wear "bright + colorful clothing,"  something that gave us joy to wear. The first dress I thought to put on for the occasion, was, of course, a vintage plaid.

#SECONDHANDFIRST | OUTFIT POST: Seattle Western

SEATTLE WESTERN. And just like that, I decided to wear a "cowboy" hat. It is, in fact, a costume cowboy hat for a kid. Only my wee head fits under it just fine, and while I haven't sported cowboy hats, in like, NEVER, I think I'm going to start wearing this one, just 'cuz. 

#SECONDHANDFIRST: today's outfit is 100% secondhand, gifted + thrifted.

I think it happens to suit this top, too. This top is a MAJOR #secondhandfirst, THRIFT STORE SCORE, something that makes me wanna sing "yippee kie-yie-yay!" 

OUTFIT POST: be yourself

THE STRIPED STUFF. Is it the fact that I am now inching my way to age 50, that I am getting to be ok with just being me, as me? No hyped up, perfectly-put-together or best foot forward, kind of me, just a growing quiet acceptance of who I am, flaws and all, and the keen appreciation of where I am.

OUTFIT POST: Grey Skies vs Baby Blue Gingham

SUNNY B: the baby blue gingham powerhouse was last worn here. a choice purchase from Sweet Repeat Vintage. Sometimes the best way to combat the grey skies is with the power of BLUE.  The grey season is finally upon us, but I'm not yet ready to pack away the summer dresses. An easy remedy is to bulk up on warm woolies, like this beautiful Louise Green cloche hat (now for sale in the eBay store) and the thrifted mens cardigan sweater.

Again, I'm no fashion plate, but there's no need  for me to be, I stick close to the CITIZEN HQ and list vintage and pre-loved goodies.  I'm officially up to my gills in merchandise. And these #SECONDHAND babies don't list themselves.

CITIZEN ROSEBUD FRESH PICKS on Etsy: http://bit.ly/CRVetsyshop
CITIZENS-OF-ROSEBUD on eBay: http://bit.ly/CRVebayshop

outfit post: GRANDPA STYLE

Heart the Hat: nothing tops off a nearly 100% thrifted outfit like a good ol' (Christian) boy's trucker hat.

Maybe it was the slip-on shoes, paired with the wool men's cardigan that made me think I was dressed up like an old man- but I just went with it. I added some of my favorite recently acquired brooches, a Jesus lovin' trucker hat, and these amazing new-old stock vintage Levi's red, white and blue suspenders, and Grandpa'd out!

Quite possibly, it was this great vintage mid-century era portrait I scored from the nearby Goodwill, that reminded me how great vintage men's stuff is. This white haired gent reminded me of a school teacher I had, in grade school. Mr. Braaten, his name was. It think we called him "Rotten Braaten" under our childish breath. He was terribly patient with our shenanigans, one of which entailed stealing ice cream  left over from a church Ice Cream Social, and sneaking off to eat it inside the baptismal.

He always wore a suit and tie, and these smart looking old school glasses. Wonder what he dresses like now that's he's long since retired,  I can't imagine him relaxing in a pair of Bermudas, a golf sweater and a trucker hat. I just had to pose with the thrifted picture before it got listed on eBay. Here's hoping the painting goes to a good home that appreciates the fine charms of "bad" Thrift Store Art.

OUTFIT POST: #plaidurday 4.0

PLAIDURDAY HURRAY! It's the fourth annual #PLAIDURDAY, and while I might be late to the (blog) party, I've been celebrating all day.

OUTFIT POST: visible in vintage

 

BABE THE BLUE FOX: every once in a blue moon, you stumble onto a dress that seems perfect but not for you. This dress is one of those stumbles. I have held onto it for a couple of years, because it is BOSS, it's a vintage cotton Hawaiian inspired frock made by the humble folks at J.C. Penneys. I'm presuming it's a hostess dress, ya know, for your Tiki BBQ mixer where you invite the neighbors over for some roast pig in the fire pit and Mai Tais, drink a bitsy, and flirt too much at the relentlessly handsome bachelor from Connecticut in front of your dear and darling (and thankfully very patient and understanding) husband. But I digress. 

I imagine this little tropical number has more than a few good party stories up her fluttery sleeves. 

Outfit Post: Visible in Velvet

Sometimes, all you need to feel remarkable, is a singular stand-out piece. And this vintage velvet coat was just the ticket.

When they say "they don't make 'em like they used to," those "theys" just may have been talking about this jacket. It is, quite simply, a quiet beauty.

Elephant Cocoon: The Ethical Style of Marketplace India

Once again, I'm honored to join the ranks of fashion bloggers asked by Marketplace: Handworks of India to style one of their beautifully made garments. My previous posts discussing this ethical fashion brand, can be seen here, and here. For those who might not have heard of this brand- Marketplace India is a fair trade, not-for-profit organization that "combines the experience of running a business with a variety of support programs designed to effect real, meaningful, and lasting change in the lives of low-income women in India." 

Outfit: Grunge (& Bear It)

Move over '80s. The kids have just discovered the 1990s. And I couldn't be happier- I have always loved the '90s- the hi-lo culture, the music, the fashion, the flannel. So whenever I read news that there's a return of 90s style (gotta love the maxi, the mini, the cut-offs and the fringey!) it kinda makes me happy.

Blue, Blue, Emerald City

#SECONDHANDFIRST: Weathering life in a vintage sundress and Seattle showers

I'm calling this dress, the Dorothy Dress. It's a sweet 1950s cotton confection, in baby blue and white gingham checks. Sprinkled with sprays of flowers, a sassy bodice, and a full circle skirt. Pure bliss. And just the thing to bring in spring while "April Showers brings May Flowers."

A Thing for Spring?

Bursting with Blossom: Spring makes for seriously fun dress ups attempts.

Spring is my favorite season, especially this time of year. I pull all my floral frocks out, and pretty much layer on whatever springtime folly I can think of- usually in the form of a ridiculous hat. By which I mean a vintage (usually floral) one. I'm not sure why, other than it's FUN.

Which you'd never guess by how seriously serious I am in these photos. I swear to blog, I wasn't meaning to mad dog the camera.

#SECONDHANDFIRST™: Cool.

The smug look on my face is probably from the fact I was feeling super smart and clever in my 100% SECONDHANDFIRST outfit. 

I can't say that it was ALL "thrifted," because it wasn't. It's EVEN better. STOP. Hear me out. The shirt and the shorts were freebies, cast offs by their previous owners, and picked up by me. A floral polyester shirt isn't for the weak of heart, it's a kind of meshy, thin late 1970s polyester, not exactly screaming "lux." And, the vintage "mom" jeans were abandoned for good reason.

Outfit: Belles, Tattered Skies

The Art of Dressing for Life: Wear what you love love love, and artfully live.

The outfit is perhaps a bit ordinary, nothing that shouts "fashion" or "art", or is particularly remarkable. A couple of plaids, a polka dot, a straw hat and gold shoes, thrown in for good measure. The dress method is very much the technique employed in childhood: throw on only garments that I love, whether or not they match. Some days, you just strike sartorial paydirt, and discover a sweet spot, where everything just works, in a random, round about sort of way. 

Somehow, the random mixing (and likely the straw derby) brought me to thinking about one of my favorite artists- Magritte, and how he captured the details of the mundane in such a dream-like, beautiful way. These days, my days, are pretty mundane- I've been working at home, and my source of income comes from selling my Fresh Picks online via Ebay and Etsy. The act of listing all day: not very glamorous, so perhaps it's a bit of a treat to doll up and parade in front of the camera! I had fun in a recent photo shoot- and I suppose I've been feeling very Bella, Tattered Skies lately.

Outfit Post: Vintage Love, Biker Babe

#SECONDHANDFIRST: This Biker Babe is 99.99% thrifted + 100% bad-ass.

THAT OL' BLACK MAGIC? I'm not sure what the heck happened, but everything changed the moment I put on this vintage black leather biker jacket by Drag Specialties. Personally, I'm not a black leather (or biker) chick- leather is too slick for me- I'm a warm and fuzzy type- I like velvet, suede, corduroy,  you get the picture, don't you? I AM SOFT. There's not a bit of hard-core, or whiff of edge to me, so biker jackets, while I love the look on others, just don't feel like ME. And leather, well, let's just say I'm more Richie Cunningham than the Fonz.