• Violet millinery flowers pinned in hair – vintage shop in Seattle
• Teal earrings – urban outfitters
• 1940s? floral dress with flower baskets and purple ric rac – buffalo exchange
• purple plastic flats – Melissa, from my trip to Brazil

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

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.

Puppies as fashion accessories are passé. What we need is a colorful, cruelty free alternative to the dyed easter chicks. Tiny inflatable ponies are all the rage. These are adopted from Japan, although they originate from an Italian breed. They are quite calm pets, although they tend to squeak when left in their kennel for too long.

• Headband with vintage millinery flower, electric blue lace and maroon accents by Louise Black
• 1950s style electric blue lace dress – Buffalo Exchange
• Black stretchy belt – American Apparel
• Alice in Wonderland brooch – gift from my sister when she was in England
• Locket – my 6th birthday present from my grandfather Burch
• Maroon flats – Target

Before I get to work, I need to arrange the wall of Ugly Dolls! I realize that I always take outfit photos outside of the toy store, but I hardly ever show the inside. It’s very colorful and hard to focus on just one background. I like this dress, as I feel it strikes a balance between my vintage style and the colorful background in which I work. We have a selection of vintage photographs, including my boyfriend Clark Gable and a charming poster for Waring’s Pennsylvanians.

• Black Star Headband – made by me
• Antique gold hand charm on a bit of string
• Crystal beaded necklace made by my cousin, Megan
• Black slip worn as dress – Thrifted
• Black slip underneath – Thrifted
• Black stretchy belt – American Apparel
• Gold strappy Vivienne Westwood for Melissa – got them in Brazil last summer.

My cousin is a wonderful jewelry maker and sent me this crystal necklace as a thank you for standing up in her wedding. I rode my bike to work this morning and the beads were cool and calming to touch in the morning heat. Tomorrow is the big art show for Toy Joy, so I’ve been making extra vegan soft serve and getting my ducks in a row for a long day ahead. We got a keg of root beer to make vegan floats! If you’re in town, please drop by and play at the stop-motion animation booth and sample some cupcakes and look at some amazing art!
In celebration of the new Prince album this weekend, the new purple vegan soft serve flavor is lovingly called “The Flavor Formally Known as ”
(also, Prince is vegan, hooray!) Here is my super sassy picture for the day:

We didn’t have an American flag or a Texas flag at my work, but we oddly enough, had an Arkansas flag for me to carry for the holiday. Hooray for the Natural State!
My lucky blouse, given to me by my aunt when I was 15. She bought it in 1986.
Is that vintage yet? I feel weird saying that. Here’s some more photos of me wearing it through the years.

• Navy 1950s tilt hat – flea market in Arkansas
• Kissing Swans necklace – From a trip to New Mexico when I was 17 (I think?)
• 1930s wrap dress with polka dots – Belonged to the radiant Robyn at one time, I’ve had it for a few years now. I always wear it on patriotic holidays.
• Navy knee socks
• Red strappy shoes with a wooden sole

Dear readers, I realize that it’s been quite some time since my last outfit post (nearly two months! notice how the plants behind me have wilted in the July heat!) and I do apologize. My summer school session is over, and I’m back to making ice cream, dressing up, and not waking up at the ungodly hour of 5:30 am to commute to school. Today I’m missing the Vegan Hot Dog eating contest, but I’m hoping to sneak on to some rooftops to spy the fireworks over Town Lake in downtown Austin. July 4th is my least favorite holiday, because of the simple equation of Cheap Explosives + Beer + Clumsy Boys = Me Terrified. I’m content to watch professional fireworks from a distance, thanks!

Have fun, everyone!

• Ribbon headband with sewn on flowers – made by me
• Plaid dress with Peter Pan collar – Urban Outfitters a few years ago
• Crochet socks – Sock dreams
• Pointed shoes – from a friend

Here is my Ozma of Oz inspiration board. I need to find a little sparkly Parisian crown to wear with this headband.

• Yellow poppy headband – made by me
• Ribbons sewn on to earrings
• Seed pearl necklace – made by me
• Yellow dress – from Gap a few years ago
• Black textured stockings
• Black pointed shoes

Bzz Bzz Bzz, I’m a little bumbly today. I swear I even got up early to steam out the wrinkles in this dress… some things don’t wanna stay ironed.

Mucha inspiration board:
Mucha drawings & ads
Yellow Poppy
Bee Brooch from etsy
Little Bumble Bee

• Brown beret – military supply store, Seattle, WA
• Green polka dot scarf – thrifted
• 1940s butterscotch Gabardine dress – Decades Vintage, PDX
• Green belt – Decades Vintage, PDX
• Green stockings
• Brown wedges – Buffalo Exchange

I’ve been watching 1940s house for the last few days. What a show! It’s so exciting and emotional, furthered on by the historical context and war-time committee that influences the event in the family’s life. They must black out their windows, build an Anderson Bomb Shelter, and eat on rationing tickets. I know I’m about 10 years behind in discovering the show, but if you haven’t seen it, it’s a wonderful show to experience. The way “living” in the 1940s has changed around the life of the people in the show is really inspirational. The grandmother of the show cut her food budget by 50% by shopping for grocery items in a 1940s way, that is, less packaged food and fresh produce and meat from the butcher.
Today was rather cool so I could wear Gabardine, which Texas heat usually does not allow.
Here is my 1930s style manicure, with the moons and the tips left naked. I was apprehensive to try out this style because I thought this would be difficult to execute, but it was so simple! The secret is to paint horizontally on the nail, not vertically like normal paint jobs. I have very pronounced moons in my nails, so I was able to follow them with the brush and create the pattern with little problem. I always notice 1930s manicures because there is inevitably a close up of a woman holding a telegraph letter. I’ve cut my nails into little sharp points for about 4 years now and it’s a very satisfying shape and it makes my nails grow longer because there is less surface area on the edges to nick.

Center, and Clockwise from top R:
Images from John Galliano’s Fall Fashion 2007, the “Boudoir Doll” fashion show
Diagram of Dita VonTeese’s Moon Manicure from Styleist
Diagram of Fingernail shape
1930s photograph – two toned and kitten claw sharp