The Clothes Off My Back (11)

Clothes! You know, those things you wear. I've been wearin' 'em, and by golly, it's time to be sharin' 'em.



I have yet to master the art of having my photo taken on the fly. You would not BE-LIEVE the shade of pea green I turn in envy everytime I see someone with a fabulous clothing post on their blog in which they look like a) a perfect 1940's magazine ad of a Vargas girl or at least b) a sunlit nymph frolicking through an Abercrombie and Fitch ad of a field. How do you do it, people-who-can-do-it? I usually stand in the driveway six minutes before I ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY have to leave for work or I am certainly going to be late, muttering "Take the picture! Take the picture! Do I look fat in that one? Make sure it looks halfway decent!" at Bab and his iPhone through the teeth of a winsome smile. Still! I'm glad there's photographic evidence of the pains I take with regard to my wardrobe every day. A fun dress sure does brighten up the rest of my day!

Above, the dress on the left is a white-with-green-print number I'm actually wearing as I type this! The photo there and below were taken this morning under exactly the circumstances I described in the last paragraph. In the middle, a zig-zagging, air stewardess-y dress if ever one existed... I found this in the back of my closet the other day, from some long forgotten estate sale, and was pleased as punch that it fits as well as it does. I find fewer and fewer of these all-over-polyester-knit dresses, it seems like the thrift store racks were busting with them when I was in high school.

At right, a dress a woman actually came up to me and touched, while it was on me (?!), to marvel at the zipper being on the wrong side. "It's not inside out is it?" I said, checking my seams. "No, it looks right side out, it's just a waist zipper should be on the other side," she said, still frowning at the placement. "Maybe the woman who made it was left handed?" I offered. The mystery remains. I bought that dress and its twin, a same-exact-shape dress in a similar pale green color, only solid cloth and no (wrongly placed) side zipper, at another estate sale for a dollar apiece.



That bow I was telling you about, and at right, a photo of me taking the Revlon Fire and Ice vintage reproduction case lipstick I won from Miss Emmi's giveaway at They'd Have Called Me the Bar Nothing (thanks, thanks, thanks again!!) out for a spin. It came in a gorgeous case and I think the color and finish are just right. I'm an amateur lipstick wearer, but shades like this make me want to go pro! Take a look at the packaging it came in (so great) here.

Can you tell how much I'm enjoying my Loretta Lynn, with-just-a-little-help hair? So much so that I've indulged in a little "ranch dressing" with the embroidered chambray shirt to the left, and the rockabilly-ified knit sweater set on the right. The coat in the middle was one of my first vintage purchases in Knoxville, way back in the year of our Lord 2003, at a church-run thrift store in Powell, TN. I remember being bowled over by the gold buttons and "Nutrana Fur System" label (it's not fur, but it is to be cleaned "via the Fur Method", according to the label), not to mention the six dollar price tag. I used to have a matching, Dr. Zhivago black fur hat that looked like it was made to go with the coat, but actually came from Target, until I left it in some guy's car the same year. Never to be seen again, sadly. I wore this to a bonfire in honor of our friend Louis's birthday, and kept sensibly chic AND warm. How often do I plan an outfit for utility as well as style? Infrequently, to say the least. But this was a good choice. Plus you can see night #2 for the Fire and Ice lipstick. Instant glamour!

Do you have any outfits that are your absolutely favorites of late? How often, if ever, do you put on a little fire red lipstick for the extra vintage touch? AND WHAT ARE YOUR OUTFIT POST PHOTOGRAPHY SECRETS? Inquiring minds want to know.

Til next time!