The Clothes Off My Back (9)

So, I was really good last week and managed to get photos of all my workaday outfits first thing in the morning! Excuse the faces I'm making in most of these... because you know how pre-coffee morning faces are made in the desperate, pre-coffee hours of weekdays. Allons-y.



This dress is courtesy of Laurie in Collections Development. She stopped me at the Non Fiction desk of our mutual workplace last week, mentioning that she was moving out of her house and into a condo in the near future and had some things I might be interested in as she purged the house of extraneous vintage goods. Was I ever interested! I bought three dresses from her for about $10 a piece, the first of which was this awesome wrap dress. Wore this to brunch with our new best friend Joe at Garden Brunch Cafe on Jefferson Street (possibly the best brunch I've ever had? No contest?). The bracelet is from Pangaea, which I always go to with the intention of buying gifts for others, and which I always leave with maybe gifts for others, but definitely gifts for myself. I'm in a kicky charm bracelet phase, as you'll see later in the post. Do you see the movie camera on tripod? Our visit to the rife-with-imports-and-tchtcokes boutique was enhanced by the rare appearance of the store dog, a black and brown Chihuahua who nervously stamps through the aisles, face piquant with an expression of "You guys? AGAIN?". Adorable.

The "L" was in the 99 cent bin at Rivergate Goodwill...and I tell you, despite being the most recognizable single monogrammed initial, grace à Laverne and Shirley, a simple capital "L" is the dangedest letter to find! Much pleased.



This dress, from the Hendersonville Goodwill, has almost made its way back into thrift store circulation about three times. I always get it to the trunk and then pull it out of the plastic bag just before it makes the donation bin. It's too short (hence, the black underskirt), it's too wide at the waist (hence the black belt), and it's too big in the bust (hence the awkward ripple at the left of the frontpiece)...and yet, I love the color and the weird neckline decoration too much to get rid of it. Le sigh. I found the Beatle charm bracelet at right at Great Escape back when they were still at their Broadway location a few years ago, and just squealed all over the place, flashing back to my deep and passionate middle school crush on John Lennon. The backs have raised-letter reproductions of the first name of their signatures. I die.



If I keep up with my clothing posts, you're probably going to see a lo-o-o-ot of this middy, short sleeved black cardigan. Indispensable. I don't like full length cardigans because they obscure that wasp-waist silhouette I'm always trying to get, and ninety percent of my wardrobe is spring/summer oriented. Solution? With this $2.50 Merona cover up (East Nashville Goodwill, half-off tag), I can transition to fall without pulling out my winter wear boxes from storage. The dress is Isaac Mizrahi for Target, also from Goodwill ($7.99, I think also Hendersonville). The lobster pin was an estate sale find last weekend ($3), and the gold flower brooch is part of an earring set that pinches the worst of any earrings I've ever owned. I keep meaning to get those padded guards! I keep forgetting.



We're on a Target-via-Goodwill spree! Another Mizrahi, this one in oversized houndstooth print that feels modern without looking too out of my regular retro wear. The little deer pins ($3) are from the same sale with the lobster... and that was on the second day of the second weekend! I can't imagine what was there on the first day. The cashier had mounds of similar figural pins in little Ziplock sandwich baggies, and I dove in for the ones you've seen. I wore this same outfit to karaoke at Lipstick Lounge, where Bab and Joe and I sang and drank and sang and drank. I took it upon myself to melt faces with the most earnest version of "Total Eclipse" ever sang, in front of the friendliest karaoke crowd in Nashville. Serious. Great night.



Black and white ensemble! I've had these (I think men's vintage, because there weren't many six foot tall glamazons like me tramping around in the fifties', and definitely not with size 10.5 feet) Willis-brand saddle shoes, sitting around the house unworn, for way too long ($5.99, Hermitage Goodwill, via A MIRACLE). Solution? Black, early sixties' dress with black-stitch flowered embroidery (totally can't see it in this light), white beaded necklaces, and the shoes. With black , slightly swooped framed sunglasses, I felt in charge. :)

Below, this dress was one Laurie sent home with me after I inquired after the dress in the first photo, and another I ended up getting. It was a "buy two get one free please take this dress off my hands and into a good home" situation, and was I ever happy to oblige! I tried it on, it FITS like a dream (minus a busted zipper at one side, which I've just safety-pinned and belted into wearability) and features a gorgeous red-on-black flower pattern. I added the ribboned belt of another dress as an impromptu bolero, my ever cinching black belt, a black underskirt for volume, and black heels for height (I'm sick of wearing flats, d'ya hear me! There are so many cute heels out there... I'm going to take some out for a spin, by Godfrey). Wore this to an Unknown Hinson show at the Exit/In and karaoke at Twin Kegs for Frankie and Eddie's engagement party (congrats!).



Have I sold you on bolero ties and saddle shoes? Which dress do you think packs the most "oomph"?

Thanks for listening to the shameless self promotion of my wardrobe. More to come!