thrifted

Une Pomme de ma Tête

Isn’t it funny the things that we become attached to? When I look through my room, I have so many things: books, hats, clothes—the list goes on and on. And yet, when you ask me to point out the things that I would take with me if I had to leave it all behind, it’s the funny, nearly valueless things that mean so much to me. Now I’m not saying I would leave me rings and jewelry PUH-lease. It’s just some of my favorite things are quite unexpected. Take for instance this picture:

I randomally picked it up one day in a cute shop in Oxford called Arcadia (really a haven for vintage papers of all kinds). I think I probably got it because it was the only old magazine reproduction that was under 10 pounds, and yet, it has brought me so many smiles. One of my friends even referred to it as the “naked girl” picture. But that little French adventurer is more than a sometimes naked girl to me. She’s sort of my spirit animal. Well, the other day I looked at it and found myself caught looking at the white outfit. I couldn’t think if I had any hat that would be anything like hers and more or less gave the idea up. Literally, less than 5 days later, I was browsing an antique warehouse and came upon the on I’m wearing in pictures for 5 dollars. It was fate! I hope you like my interpretation.

Outfit Details: Hat: Thrifted | Shirt: French Connection | Capris: J.M. Collection | Heels: Loft

#TBT: Nautical—Breton Stripe

Did you know that this classic blue and white striped pattern has a name? As you probably guessed from the title, it’s the Breton stripe, and is summer’s unspoken neutral, especially next to the beach. The original shirt, worn by navy men from Brittany (France) before men from Breton adopted it. Originally, it contained 21 stripes- one for each of Napolean’s victories, but at some point, the French’s military imagination got the better of them and the stripes went haywire. Coco Chanel was instrumental in this diffusion, popularizing the stripe by adding it to her 1917 nautical line.

But I think my favorite reincarnation of this summer staple is Jean Seberg in Godard’s Breathless, which basically makes this post as obnoxious and basic as possible. At this point, I will make my exit.

Je Ne Sais Quoi

When I think of one word I’d like to describe my style, I would be happy if anyone described my look as “anthropologie.” I don’t know what exactly that encompasses (a dab of granola, a handful of adventure, a pinch of cute, a wink to implied quality, maybe?). This outfit is my interpretation. An acquaintance I knew was asked the same question when she applied for a job at anthropologie, and her answer was to describe to handful of situations: “someone who goes to Morocco and leaves all her clothes, only shipping back a rug,” “spends the summer teaching at boys camp in New England,” “goes to Ireland with only the goal to see the giant’s causeway.” Feel free to add what you think contributes to the Anthro joie de vivre below…

As for all the inspiration behind the answers I listed, they come from the fabulous adventures of my favorite photographer Evey Wilson, and if you’re in the DC area looking for photos, this girl can take a photo story, befitting of Anthropologie adventures (or any other sort you need documenting).

Boldly Go.

Happy Friday! Here’s a burst of color to make your day pop. I’ve been surprised that Florida is a bit more conservative than originally expected, so I’ll have to share my more ostentatious looks here, rather than stunning the office with my odes-to-Grecian-bygones shirts. I’m often scared to do the pencil skirt look, because I think unless you’re a waif, you always end up looking like you’re carrying your lunch in a front hamper. But I love my new Tabitha Simmons shoes, and they are so hard to match that I have decided to take them as inspiration and step forward boldly today (in the skirt- waif or not!). I hope in every situation you can do the same (and if not, at least look forward to the weekend..).

The culprit

Getting Jazzed for the Tonys

Get excited theatre lovers! Today is none other than the Tony Awards!! To celebrate the occasion, I had to don something sufficiently zany, but (if I do say so myself) wholeheartedly FABULOUS. Can’t you just see Gloria Swanson walking down a boardwalk adorned as such, tipping her sunglasses and crooking those ominous eyebrows? Or maybe I could belatedly join Anything Goes? I think the closest aesthetic I could fit to anything currently playing would be the King and I, up for a best revival nomination, but it’s quite a stretch (and I’d need to trade in the trousers for a hoop skirt). Ah well, I will have to content myself to watching. For those of you who don’t know, competing for Best Musical are:

An American in Paris: two (coincidentally very good dancers) fall in love in Paris after WW2- think old Gene Kelly
Fun Home- a woman realizes she’s a lesbian at the same time her father struggles with the fact he is gay- based on Alison Bechdel’s graphic novel)
Something Rotten- two aspiring playwrights try to outdo Shakespeare in the 1590s by writing the first musical- the makers of Avenue Q and Book of Mormon collaborate on this for nothing short of comic hilarity
The Visit- the richest woman in the world returns to her poverty-stricken hometown. What will happen?- based on a Swiss 1956 play of the same name (but in Swiss)

For Best Original score, switch out An American in Paris and add The Last Ship, or Sting’s (you heard me right) new musical currently on Broadway. The musical focuses on a man who returns to the shipyards of his hometown after his father’s death and tries to woo an old flame…

I am very conflicted as to what to vote for. Fun Home is probably the most controversial, and though it addresses issues not covered before of the Great White Way, to me the modern musical scores are kind of hokey. Ring of keys (the song that will be preformed from it tonight) centers around the word “swagger,” which ends up annoying me so much that I can’t listen to it. Telephone Wire is catchier, but uses what seems to me an obvious metaphor that feels stale when it becomes more of a symbol than an object.

I haven’t heard how they’ve redone an American in Paris or anything from The Visit. Something Rotten is very funny but has frequent language (making it, I think, less applicable to universal audiences, even if it is truer to Shakespeare’s usage). Further, as the title promises, a lot of the jokes are “rotten” as in more base toilet humor, which I find boring after a few times, personally. So! I guess I’ll just have to see who wins.

Real talk: Today’s outfit was shamelessly inspired by the wardrobe of the heroine in my new favorite Murder Mysteries Mini-series (scoot over Angela Landsbury). Meet Miss Phryne Fisher of Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries. There will be more to come on this topic in future posts.

Beach Bag Essentials (More or Less)

Right in time for nautical week, eco-friendly lingerie brand Naja asked me if I’d like to join some other bloggers and share my beach bag essentials. I’m pretty terrible about the thinking ahead that is involved to pack a beach bag (or even a bag in general), and more often find myself frantically running, arms over chest, up to the house where I drip all over the deck before someone takes pity on me and brings me a towel. But I suppose if I was travelling (or took an unexpected trip to the Azores– it’s a long story), this is pretty much what my beach bag would look like:

1. Beach Hat (Panama, floppy, boater? get in my bag.)
2. Passport (although don’t leave this unattended if you go in the water… or in general!)
3. Sunglasses
4. Binoculars (For boys or birds? It’s a tough call.)
5. Book (This list is in no particular order, or this would be at the top- especially a good vintage Penguin edition 6. Watch (or phone to keep time)
7. Shells and or Sharks teeth (though I’m more likely to find these for the bag home…)
8. Linen/cotton/gauzy Scarf (mostly to blow in the wind while you walk)
9. Cool drink (Perrier, every day.)
10. (not pictured) Kite (When is a better time? With better wind?)
11. (not in bag and probably won’t fit) Umbrella!
12. Towel

I hear the ocean… but I don’t think it’s this shell…

While I personally haven’t had the chance to try any of Naja’s products yet, they are super sassy, and you can find out more about them here. They offer uniquely designed underwear, as well as an eco-friendly bra and swimwear line, which is made with fabric from recycled plastic bottles. So it could be the perfect find for those looking to lessen their eco-footprint. I like this suit, named Faye. Regardless of the reason why, it reminds me of Faye Dunaway (or Bonnie of the Bonnie and Clyde movie duo). Tres chic, non?

GMR: Reflections

This week the Great Movie Ride at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando unleashed their new script, formally acknowledging their partnership with their relationship with Turner Classic Movies, or TCM. Though I’ve heard mixed reviews about the extensive contributions of Robert Osbourne that change the Tour Guide dynamics on the ride (and feel WAYS about any changes to the finale film), on the whole I am excited for the Great Movie Ride as it moves into this new iteration of journey. For those of you who know me (or read the bio), you know that after I graduated from college and before I went to law school, I worked as a Tour Guide at the Great Movie Ride for about six months. Besides the requisite handprint on the wall, I don’t think I contributed much to its history, but I do think I can positively say, I had one of the stupidest nicknames given to a movie rider. For over half my time there, multiple people legitimately called me “Boat.”

I wish I was joking. Needless to say, I didn’t choose it for myself (and was actually secretly offended for a little while because I thought the namers had chosen it to make fun of my weight). Finally, I cornered the nickname’s inagurater and made him explain.

At Disney, you have the option to either walk to your area of employment in full costume or in street clothes (and change there). One day, I apparently came in wearing the shorts shown in these pictures, and one of my fellow cast members thought I looked like I should be on a boat. And that was enough.

But while I may have moved on from the nickname, I will always treasure my time at GMR. I hope this new incarnation spurs renewed interest in what can otherwise be considered after-lunch air-conditioned naptime and fosters new generations who love GMR (and just the building itself!) as much as I do. Once a movie rider, always a movie rider.

Shout out to Ryan Dobbs for this one.

Sportif

Fresh out of fashion week, it seems like clothes were continuing with casually baggy elegance. In my opinion, it’s Katherine Hepburn meets the modern era– the longer look, casually sporty, nearly androgynous (just short of Stockholm). To set the mood, I picked “Victory Bar” this 1940’s-esque once-hangout to denizens of sweaty football lovers (or so I imagine) in downtown South Bend. It’s not my most confident pairing, as there’s only so long and flowing you can look at 5’5 without beginning to look like a set of drapes. Then again, with the Sound of Music celebrating its 50th, that might not be so bad?

Conservatory

When it gets to be bitterly cold like this, and the snow flurries more like soap flakes and less like frozen rain, I am reminded of Miss Minchin’s Seminary for Young Ladies (I’m talking the ’90s movie version). I don’t know if it’s because of the–spoiler alert–window scene where Sara and Ram Dass have their dance-in-remembrance-of-India moment, or Sarah giving the buns to the rose lady in the blustering cold, or maybe the girls bundled up walking, olive-colored dropwaist dresses and ties rumpled underneath. Regardless, I have adopted the dropwaist and tie at my very own private school to survive the miserable snow and have named the weather Lavinia.

Pictures by: Leigha Crout

Bohemia Reclaimed

After a lovely trip to St. Augustine, I’m all settled back in South Bend for my fourth semester of law school. I’ve managed to rent a little room with a few other girls, and in my opinion, it really is the zenith of happiness. My room has a small desk, walk-in closet, and a slanted ceiling into the nook where my bed is. It’s generally the perfect writing alcove, and if I only had a little typewriter and a high ponytail in a ribbon, I think I could make a decent ’50’s French movie heroine. Only time will tell, I suppose. Anyway, I thought it might be nice to introduce you to my little nest and Bohemian hideaway. ❤