I'm staying under here.

Under my sweater, that is.

Sweater: JCrew

Wool Over-the-Knee Socks: Sockdreams

Skating Skirt: Vintage via the Getup

Boots: Irregular Choice

Blasting even further into the past.

My adventures in scanning continue. 

Here are a couple photos that pretty much delight me in every way: a look at two very stylish, very timely, very different couples in the year 1979 -- my parents, and MC's parents. (Posted with all parties' official endorsement. Except my brother. Sorry John, everyone is seeing your five year old cuteness.)

My mom and dad.

The earth-toned color palette is perfect, right down to the hallucinatory couch behind them -- all acid trips and crunchy granola. The textures look so soft, including my mom's Robert Plant curls and my dad's hippie beard, which I apparently grabbed with my infant fist when I was placed in his arms after I was born a few years later. He still has it, btw. But it's been trim and short for as long as I can remember.

MC's mom and dad.

How effortlessly chic are these people? I love how they look so cosmopolitan compared to my folks, but still have that awesomely unpretentious, Midwestern vibe. I also love the mutli-colored stripes on MC's dad's sweater! I'd wear that thing TODAY (except MC would get to it first.) And MC's mom has some seriously thick and lustrous hair. She's like a brunette Breck girl.

Up at the cape.

With the windchill right now, the temperature is well below zero. That's so cold that I don't even need to provide Fahrenheit/Celsius conversions.

When it's this frigid, your knees prickle as they peek out from under your coat. Michigan has days like this every winter, and on those days, I rely on my Scandinavian wool cape. The origins of this giant, wearable blanket make me see why my Nordic forefathers settled here -- the Michigan climate probably felt just like home.

My only question is why more Michiganders don't wear them. Especially considering how many sweet looking capes have dotted vintage fashion history -- by Swedes and non-Swedes alike!

If you live somewhere this close to Valhalla, I highly recommend picking one up, along with a felt hat from your local antique store. :)

Senior pride.

I finally got a scanner, and now I have a giant mound of photos staring at me, waiting to be digitized. So to start things off, here's a little blast from the past: my and MC's respective high school senior pictures.

 

To this day, I can't really tell you what inspired me to wear angel wings for this picture.

However, what I can tell you is that I wore that little white shift dress to all of my tournaments for the debate team (NERD ALERT), complete with white patent go-go boots and frosted lips. I'm not sure why I did that either, except that I felt the realm of policy debate was sorely lacking in vintage, mod style.

Plus, I was a really good debater, so I figured I had some leeway in how I looked.

 

Anyway, MC's senior pic is pretty cute, if I do say so. He's not wearing anything quite as ridiculous as angel wings, but his hair is so full and epic, he doesn't need them. ;)

Style Inspirado: 9 1/2 Weeks

Here's a movie that's been on my mind: 9 1/2 Weeks. The 1986 erotic drama has so much awesome sex craziness going on, you might not even notice the distinct 80's cosmopolitan fashion.

Specifically, I really adore Kim Basinger's big-shouldered sweater dress, which she wears while Mickey Rourke makes her (ahem) crawl across the floor.

It always inspires me to wear my own favorite sweater dress, even though I know full well that putting it on doesn't make me Kim Bassinger (though I wish!). 

So I decided, as long as the reason I'm wearing this dress is because I was inspired by what could potentially be considered softcore pornography, I may as well bust out these ridiculous faux lace-up stockings I got on clearance at the Halloween store!

Iknowright, just give me some fake animal ears and I'm halfway to a Mean Girls style Halloween costume. ;)

I know that with spring finally coming, I should have warm-weather goods on my mind, but I'm planning an epic thrifting trip at the moment, and all I want to scoop up from my local charity shops are big, epic, New York in February duds. Wanna see my shopping list?

Thrifting List:

Bowler hats (like I need more).

Oversized Trench Coats.

Boxy men's overcoats.

Voluminous wool sweaters.

 

Sexy Blouses.

Scrunch socks.

Fit-you-within-an-inch-of-your-life pencil skirts.

Hopefully I'll find at least some of that. Wish me luck!

Swedish Temptress

One of MC's Valentine's gifts arrived late, so he gave it to me today. This tiny vintage art noveau Swedish matchbook insert from the 1920's, of course with a tiny poem he wrote to go with it. I really am the most spoiled American-of-Swedish-descent in the world sometimes. ;)

Some visual snacks.

Made these vegan Macadamia Laceys from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar last week. They were the perfect compliment for some Coconut Ice Cream.

Made these vegan orange marmalade cupcakes with coconut cream frosting a long time ago. But the little vegan marzipan candies still make me feel yummy.

Valentine's Love

In honor of Valentine's Day, here's a little anecdote about family love: this gorgeous wool tartan skirt was another Christmas gift from MC's mom. You can bet I've rarely known people -- let alone the moms of boyfriends -- who've known my taste well enough to pick out something I'd be willing to wear, and in this case, LOVE.

That's not even the best part: the shop only had this skirt in a size that was way too big, so she busted out her sewing machine and spent the afternoon after Christmas taking it in four sizes and fitting it to me! A testament to her sweetness as well as her skills. It looks perfect and I overflow with joy every time I wear it.

Anyway, this outfit seemed like a good chance to take some outfit pics in our hallway, as I mentioned in my last post. MC thought I should strive to pose like Carly Simon on the Anticipation album cover.

Skirt: Sweet and wonderful gift

Top: UO

Chains: Thrifted

Boots: Ralph Lauren

Belt: Modcloth

White light.

I think when MC first started taking pictures of me at random, without warning, and usually while I was, shall we say, cosmetically unprepared, I used to find it kind of unnerving. But he must have gotten me totally used to it, because now don't even bat an eyelash. And here I am, posting said pictures in public.

Oh how we acclimatize.

This would be me hanging out in a leotard and apron, which I'm going to admit to you right now, is my standard household attire. I'm also on the phone with ATT customer service. This does not sound like the makings of a hot photo. At least he took this one while I was actually wearing a skirt.

I can't deny though, the light in our hallway looks pretty sweet. I should take some outfit pics here; it kind of almost makes housework clothes look good -- that has to bode well.

Matt Collar and Cammila think they're getting The Fear.

On an unrelated note: we picked up some hot Fear and Loathing style yellow aviators on a thrifting trip that kicked off our last date night. I think they enhanced dinner dramatically.

Pretty packaging.

MC found this tiny, regal looking sticker, hiding in the fibers of the carpet.

It's the label from a lovely vintage package of hankies, which MC's mom so sweetly gave me for Christmas. As if that alone didn't show how well she knows my taste, just look at the box they came in!

I couldn't believe they'd waited patiently since the 1960's -- still sealed, and never opened! After a run through the wash, they're now taking delicate care of my sniffley nose during cold season.

Relic of the past.

Hunting through my computer for some shots of a friend's wedding, I found this picture, taken a few years ago.

Funny, that a pic so representative of myself at the moment now seems so ancient!

Things out of date about this photo:

Two Remotes: This is from when I had TV

Computer: That's my old laptop

Carpet: This is from 4 apartments ago

iPod: This was before I got my iPhone

Book: I love Coupland, but never even finished this

Nail Polishes: This is from when I had time to paint my nails!

 I'm actually home sick today (boo!) and if I'm respecting my doctor's orders, I should be resting. Maybe I should paint my nails, while my hands are still.

Beverages! Housecats! High Adventure!

Today's outfit pictorial tells an AWESOME STORY!  

Just kidding.

As you can see from the riveting play-by-play, I opened up the refrigerator to get a bottle of kombucha, and MC started taking pictures of me. I was then brutally overpowered by the hermetically sealed bottle.  

You're on the edge of your seat, right?!

But wait! THERE'S MORE!!

I subsequently engaged in stupid kitchen antics, attempting to pose for pics, but was repeatedly photo-bombed by my fat, fluffy cat!

This kitchen is an exciting place, I tell you. Fuzzy housepets and fermented tea -- hold onto your fucking hat! ;)

Blue Velvet Dress: Bought it for a high school dance a million years ago

White Ankle Boots: Doc Martens

Hat: Christy's

Chains: Thrifted