• Black jet beaded necklace
• Black polka dot bow earrings
• 1970s (?) handmade dress
• Polka dot stockings
• Bows on shoes – made by me
• Black Mary Janes

Sadly, there hasn’t been much point to documenting outfits over the past few months – I usually only dress up to go out for an evening, and the light is been poor for photos. It’s so hot during the day that I usually wear little more than light cotton dresses, plaited hair and lots of sunscreen.

However, today was a special day for a house brunch potluck that lasted for hours and hours. I love potlucks – so intimate, so much lounging, long languid conversations, and lots of sweets. Amid the build your own Bloody Mary/Maria bar, there nestled cornishons, garlic stuffed green olives, and freshly juiced jalapeños. You know I ate half of a giant watermelon! MMMM!!

I found this dress a few weeks ago and was decidedly against it because it was a floor-length number. When I returned to the store yesterday, it was still unclaimed. I brought it home and drug out my old Pfaff machine from the closet. This machine and I fight. A lot. I wrote on her with permanent marker because I kept forgetting where the feed dog lever was versus the tension rod, and she repays me with crooked seams and tight tension in dark crevices that I’m afraid to poke around in with my needle. Suffice to say, I spend a lot of time picking at backward seams with my seam ripper. HOWEVER I spent a good hour watching John Waters’ This Filthy World while pinning and sewing, and when I was done, I thought to myself, Hot damn! I can do something right!

With the leftover fabric, I fashioned little bows and glued pincurl clips to the backs of them so that they might match my shoes. The polka dot stockings were quite nice to wear in the heat and didn’t smother as I thought they would. Are you ready for a mannequin pose? Here it is!

• Blue & White striped 1950s bathing suit as shirt
• 1950s high waisted skirt
• Creme heels from Buffalo Exchange
• Salt and Pepper chicken

I am a Girl Scout: always prepared for a dip in the springs or a neighborhood pool. It helps to have a swimsuit that doubles as a proper blouse. Here is a photo of my swimming costume ensemble.

Natalie just moved into a house with a chicken coop. I love to wake up in the morning listening to their contented coos as they scuffle about in the compost bin. Are you ready for the best photo of the summer?
SAY WHAT??!

The parking lot where I take my daily outfit could use a good sweeping. The best part of cleaning up in a toy store is that there is always a lot of glitter, stray bouncy balls, and rubber cockroaches mixed in with all of the dirt. The worst part? Sometimes the cockroaches are real.

• Creme Cloche from Yellowfield7 on Etsy
• Creme knit blouse with polkadot tie – Buffalo Exchange
• 1930s silk dressing gown worn as camisole
• Wine accordion pleated skirt – Banana Republic by way of Buffalo Exchange
• Wine stockings
• Bone Tstrap shoes – Dollhouse

My only quarrel with Texas is that there are not nearly enough cold days to wear fancy hats.

This amazing cloche is hand-crafted by Behida Dolic, one of the most talented people selling on etsy. Her designs are breathtaking & delicious – a dangerous combination for me and my tastes! I love how cloches like these are just little sculptures to wear on one’s head.
I have these three hats on my fantasy wishlist from her shop on etsy:

• Gold Bow, in hair
• Necklace, Uncommon Objects, Austin, Texas (birthday present from Angeliska!)
• Gold & Navy brocade 1950s dress – Buffalo Exchange
• Black Fishnets
• Navy Socks
• Gold shoes, Vivienne Westwood for Melissa

Oh, rejoice! It’s a rare outfit sighting! Today’s ensemble was inspired by Snow White sitting on a brocade couch.

Menu: as served in the first-class dining saloon of the R.M.S. Titanic on April 14, 1912

The repast was served with a different wine for each course. Following the tenth course fresh fruits and cheeses were available followed by coffee and cigars accompanied by port and, if desired, distilled spirits. Quite a meal, if it were to be your last! Look at this!!! It’s a dollhouse miniature of the Last Meal eaten on the Titanic!

Louise Black and Chaos Dollheads were dressed to the 9s in fancy attire. We danced to the White Ghost Shivers, who danced on tables, hooted on jugs, and regaled us with tales of murderous men with no hands and dancing grandpas.

As has been my tradition since moving to Texas, I painted myself up in Dia de los Muertos makeup. Last night, I went as Deer de los Muertos, complete with antler headpiece and head fulla roses. My makeup skills have VASTLY improved over the past three years, and I was quite pleased with my bedraggled scarf, which was actually the bottom to a 1920s dress that had separated from dry rot the night before at the Zombie Ball. More deer antlers are for sale on my etsy.
Makeup comparison from 2010 (L) and 2009 (R)
This gold outfit (above) and the blue outfit (more above) are from my Day of the Dead outfits from 2009. Happy Day of the Dead to everyone! I will light a candle tonight in hopes that Kevin, Burch, Nina, Valaria, Jack, and other near and dears will have a safe journey tonight on earth.

Rather than Austin City Limits, I spent the day seeing my favorite bands for free, including the radiant Agent Ribbons, pictured below. Natalie Ribbons and I also ran into Sonic Youth drinking wine at a bar, and we cheers’ed them!

Natalie uses a finger monocle to peruse the Pernod list. Gentlemen kept handing us roses throughout the night.
Laura (another ice cream maker in town) & I water down our cocktails.

What a lovely little frock I’ve found! At first, I was drawn to it because it looks like a pinafore apron, especially because of the ruffly shoulders. It has little purple and teal flowers ribbon trailing out of baskets. And ric rac! I’m such a sucker for ric rack. Unfortunately, we were hit by a giant thunderstorm this evening, and as I was running to my bus stop with my bike in a downpour, I slipped and fell with my bike on top of me. I suffered a scraped shoulder and arm, and my dress was crushed with dirt and blood. I also had my millinery violets in my front pocket, and they bled a huge purple stain down the front of the dress. As soon as I got home, I soaked the stain in my own personal savior, Biz Laundry Stain Fighter and the stain has nearly disappeared! I first found out about Biz when I worked at the Antique Expo in Portland, during a conversation with a woman whose hobby was to restore Edwardian linens. She swore by it, and now that I’ve been using it for two years – I do too!
My tattoo is now two years old, and I’m still smitten by the design. My friend Grace drew the bunny and the hand is based off of Victorian mourning jewelry. Annie Mess is my artist for this piece and my Valentine leg pieces, and if you’re in the Austin area I highly recommend her. She likes to brought cupcakes to tattoo appointments

• Pink/White Pearly earrings my cousin made
• Antique lace collar
• Black vest – H&M
• 1960s dress, worn as skirt
• Floral ankle socks – urban outfitters
• two tone oxfords – urban outfitters

I took my drivers test today and now I have joined the ranks of driving society! I will still be riding my bike nearly everywhere, but I wanted to have an option to rent Car2Go if I needed to. I’m honestly very frightened at driving a Smart Car because they are so small and there are lots of highways and confusing feeder roads in Austin.