outfit: the summer/autumn transition

sweater - thrifted/eBay, jeans - modcloth, shoes - b.a.i.t. footwear

I put that last picture in not only to show the shoes, but also to remind everyone that I am a complete spazz.  @keeganmullin, my best friend and photographer for the blog, does a great job of capturing some beautiful pictures of me, but he can never fully escape the fact I am definitely a dweeb-y hummingbird.

Ok, now some thoughts behind this outfit.  Autumn is my favorite time of year - the colors, the food, the weather getting colder, the feeling that the magic of the holiday season is soon approaching.  Unfortunately we still have a bit more time before fall hits, despite what the stores already pushing Halloween products want to you think.  So this sweater is the perfect transitional item - short sleeves and not too heavy.  Paired with my high-waisted capri jeans from modcloth and some adorable mint oxfords from b.a.i.t. footwear, I gave it a 1950s flair, and it's a pretty effortless look!

 Outfit Details:

• Thrifted Sweater
• Modcloth High Waisted Jeans
• B.A.I.T. Footwear Mint Oxford Shoes

outfit: garden party

dress - unique vintage (similar), shoes - restricted (similar)

I'll be honest - I really don't like wearing halter tops.  Actually I hate them.  I always feel extremely exposed and generally not flattered.  I pretty much avoid them at all costs.

For that reason, I have only worn this dress one time since I purchased it last year from a sale at Unique Vintage. And that one time I did wear it, I covered the top half with a shirt to hide the halter part.  However, it has been sitting in my closet for over a year I decided it was time to stop letting this beautiful print collect dust and, instead get over my fear.

And I have to say, after seeing these pictures - I feel so pretty! I may have been wrong about my halter top prejudice.  Plus it helps when an amazing photographer like @keeganmullin is taking your picture!

I am guessing most everyone who is reading this knows of Unique Vintage, but what you might not know is that at least once, if not twice a year they have an amazing sale where they sell dresses like this for as low as $25! As much of a vintage shopaholic as I can be, I am usually pretty good at waiting for sales and finding good deals.  So if you are trying to get vintage style without breaking the bank, I encourage you to be patient - keep an eye out for sales on sites like Unique Vintage or Modcloth and keep your eyes and ears open for vintage warehouse or yard sales - especially in LA! We have so many events happening here in southern California, and it's all a matter of patience and determination to find the best deals. :)

photo credit: @keeganmullin

Outfit Details

• Unique Vintage Dress (similar here) 
• Restricted Shoes (similar here)

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outfit: 30s vibes

dress - loco lindo (old, similar here), shoes - modcloth, necklace - vintage

One of the nice things about having long hair is versatility it provides.  You always have the option to fake a short haircut, without having to commit to it.  So occasionally when I see a gorgeous dress like this with butterfly sleeves and a ruffle detail, I embrace my inner 1930s and pin my curls up.

I haven't spoken about this company on my blog before, but let me introduce you to a wonderful brand Loco Lindo which specializes in vintage reproductions - especially for swing dancers! I first discovered them because they are sponsors of The Hollywood Hotshots, a dance company I am a part of that primarily specializes in preserving American Vernacular Jazz dance from the 1920s through the 1950s.  So I have luckily gotten to wear many Loco Lindo outfits when performing on movie sets, live shows, or private parties!

In the case of this particular dress, I got extremely lucky and found it at a vintage warehouse sale in great shape and for an amazing price (I think around $28!).  I am obsessed with this mustard color and the wrap style of dress is one of my favorite silhouettes.  It's easy to wear, flattering, and gives an outfit a vintage flair.  One nice thing is that wrap dresses are coming back into vogue and now you can find them at most modern department stores like this or this or this or this.

Let me know how you wear your wrap dresses!

Photo Credit: @keeganmullin

Outfit Details

• Loco Lindo Dress (old, similar here) 
• Modcloth T-strap Shoes
• Vintage Necklace 

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outfit: modern does vintage

shirt - old navy, skirt - forever21, sunglasses - kate spade (similar), shoes - modcloth (old)

The number one question people ask me (other than, Grace, how can you possibly eat that much sour candy?), is "where do you buy your clothes?"  And while I do love shopping at vintage reproduction companies like Unique Vintage or Modcloth, I actually get a lot of my clothes at modern stores at the mall.  The trick is looking for vintage inspired items - for instance, a striped or floral print, a detail on the collar, or a silhouette that has a natural waist line.  This outfit is the perfect example!

This super cute blue/white striped collared shirt is from Old Navy, who by the way have really stepped up their game.  And this skirt is from Forever 21 is so easy to wear that I bought it in both colors.  Plus it is only $15.90! It really is possible to find cute vintage-inspired pieces on the cheap.

Now despite what I literally just wrote in that last line, I am also wearing Kate Spade sunglasses to complete this look, and those definitely are an investment.  Thankfully these were purchased during the brief window of time my sister worked there, so with her discount even that wasn't so much of a splurge. ;)

Let me know how you style your modern pieces with your vintage ones!

photo credit - @keeganmullin

Outfit Details: 

• Old Navy Striped Shirt
• Forever21 Midi Skirt
• Kate Spade Sunglasses (old, similar here)
• Modcloth shoes (old)

adventure: oc fair fun!

This past weekend, I experienced my very first Orange County Fair! It was a super fun day filled with adorable animals, silly dancing, and all the fried food we could eat, as you can tell from the video above.

A special shout out to one of my favorite swing bands around - Jonathan Stout and his Campus Five, featuring Hilary Alexander for the awesome music I used in the video! If you liked it, you can check out more of their music here.

Yes, that is me feeding and holding a chicken! It was magical!

I didn't have it in me that day to get all vintaged-up, so a bright blue t-shirt and an easy skirt, and I called it a day.  I am a firm believer that vintage fashion should be fun, so there are definitely some days where it is too much work to do full hair and makeup, and I just feel like keeping it simple and enjoying the day. Sometimes it is about the adventure - enjoying the experience and not caring what you look like!

photos by @keeganmullin