Step 1: Identify the Gaps

A Vintage Girl is hosting a Closing the Gaps Project. Everybody has those pieces languishing in the closet that they love but never have anything to wear with. This project is all about identifying those gaps in your wardrobe and filling them!


I've opted for the longer challenge and went through my closet today and picked out some lonely garments to make matches for. I've been doing regular closet clean outs since the beginning of the year, so I already pretty much knew where the gaps were. (I am also going to try and refashion some dresses I don't wear anymore, but that's another story.)

1.

I've had this skirt for a while and I love it. I actually have two shirts that I wear with this, but they are empire waisted shirts and don't really fit properly.... plus they are kind of low cut.

2.

I have also worn this skirt before, but again with a shirt that doesn't really fit. So I'm planning on replacing it with either a brown or white top. I'm thinking of using the Pendrell blouse to match up both of these skirts.

3.

I wear this top with jeans sometimes, but I really want to make a skirt to go with it. I have issues with this shirt because its a print but black and white. The only solid color skirts I have are grey and black. I'm planning on making a Beignet skirt (or two) in a solid color. I was thinking red or teal would be really nice and fit pretty well into the rest of my wardrobe.

4.

I found this vintage shirt while thrifting and am not sure what to wear it with. Any thoughts? I was thinking cigarette pants would look super cute, but I cannot wear cigarette pants. So, I guess that leaves a skirt of some kind.

I'm planning on sprinkling these projects in between the rest of my sewing projects this summer.

Reality Check

When I first started wearing vintage, I thought I'd be liberated from the pressure to look a certain way, but that wasn't the case.

I'd just put myself in another limiting box.


Vintage fits some people perfectly. But that's not me.


I like vintage.


I also like crazy patterns, sewing my own clothes, and shopping at Banana Republic, Charming Charlies and White House Black Market.


Although it's mostly browsing at that last one.


So I chopped off my hair. And I like it like this.


Good bye pin curls. When I get bored of short hair, I'll grow it out and come back to you.


And vintage, I still love you and we're still friends, but I refuse to feel bad for hanging out with other styles anymore.

So this is officially no longer just a vintage blog. It's a me blog, whatever that is. There will be sewing and crafting and fashion and vintage and outfit posts and whatever else I feel inspired to share with you.

And yes, I slouch.

What a crazy week!

Oh, what a crazy week it has been! Exam week last week, scrapbooking all day Saturday and graduation on Sunday (Plus getting in all of the Mother's day visiting). And 2 year anniversary Monday! In addition, the needle broke on my machine last week so I had to send my husband to Joann's to get me a new needle so I could finish the peacock outfit! (Which I did in time for graduation! It looks lovely, but it appears that all of the pictures of me in it without my graduation robes over it ended up on my dad's camera. :( )

This week has been my break week to relax (and get the house back in order...), so that's why the blog has been pretty quite. I haven't sewn a stitch this week either. But I'm getting pretty inspired by Mina's 7 in 7 challenge. I really want to try it. I've already been pondering what patterns and fabrics I could use! (Pssst! There's also a coupon code for Colette Patterns here. I'm planning on snatching up a couple once I decide which ones I want).

I also got my hair cut! It's cute and short now! It looks kind of like and edgy modern twist on a 20s bob when down but also goes Audrey a la Sabrina when the sides are pulled back. It's been nice since it's been in the 80s this week! No pictures of it yet either, as I haven't been able to get good pictures of it myself. Must bug the hubby about taking pictures of it soon! My dad bought me a really cool new flash for my camera for graduation and the hubby and I have been playing with it. It can do lots of stuff!

Anyways, I'm leaving for an anniversary trip tomorrow so there may or may not be new blog posts this weekend. The next installment of Blogging Mamas Who Rock is set to go on Sunday though!

Have a nice weekend all!

The best two years of my life

Two years ago today, I married the most wonderful man in the world. It's pretty hard to believe that it's already been two whole years! He's my best friend and everything I could ask for. And he puts up with all of my crazy blogging, and vintage fashion, and odd hair dos. :)

We got married at our church's property in a green space by the horse barn. (Our church has since relocated all of its services and activities here.)

There's actually a playground right where we had the ceremony, which is kind of sad. But no one else will be married where I got married, so it's special.

I had ivory roses and purpley blue hydrangeas in my bouquet.

Shoes! These were actually my old thing. I bought them to wear to prom one year, decided they didn't match my dress, bought another pair and never actually wore this pair.

My dress. I fell in love with the simple lines and the embroidery and beeding.

Happy Monday all!

Blogging Mamas Who Rock: Marie

Happy Mother's Day all you mamas out there! This week's Blogging Mama Who Rocks is Marie of Lemondrop Vintage. She has some of the cutest outfit posts! And right now she is hosting a giveaway, so pop on over to her blog and check it out!

How did you first get into blogging?

I think it was a random vintage website search that led me to some inspiring vintage blogs and shops. I had tried selling on ebay and wanted to try the etsy route. Successful bloggers like Sally Jane Vintage really inspired me to try both out! I have never reached her heights of success, but I enjoy the ride and meeting new people.

Which time periods do you love to draw fashion inspiration from?

I am interested in all time periods, I am not a vintage purist who only is comfortable with one era's style and clothing cuts. There are certain styles and cuts that look better on me, like 50's and 60's dresses, but I am just as interested in a shearling 70's coat! I sometimes think I am a bit flighty about fashion since I don't seem to settle into one era the way some vintage enthusiasts do. But I am never bored!

What do you love best about vintage style?

I love the care and details that were once put into clothes, especially handmade dresses! And the fact that I am not going to see six other women with the same dress is another plus. The thrill of the vintage hunt is much more fun for me than shopping at a mall or boutique.

Tell me a little about your baby.

I didn't really expect to get pregnant, we hadn't been successful for a while and I thought I might need medical help. That's why he's an extra joy to us, I had no idea how much he would be until he was here. People try to tell you, and you might think you know, but until you have your own in your arms you can't really know how it feels to be a parent. And when I say your own, I am a firm believer that adopted children will evoke the same wonder and joy. I am totally open to that route too.

He's a pretty happy guy most of the time, but we are still not sleeping through the night as long as I would like. His daddy has been a huge help and does so much for us everyday!

How has your style evolved through being pregnant and now as a new mom?

Eek. I just hated the maternity racks. Yes, there are a few cute designs out there, but many are overpriced and made of inferior fabrics. I just kept looking for larger sizes of regular clothing, new or vintage! That wasn't the best plan every time, but it allowed me to gravitate to patterns and styles I actually liked instead of something that accommodated my stomach but not my taste. I am thrilled to be able to wear my clothes again (or at least a majority of them). I am lucky that I already wore washable, comfortable clothing most of the time so I don't have to adjust as much as someone who wears silk more often than denim! The biggest pain? Choosing clothes that don't make breastfeeding impossible. Sometimes I do wear that difficult dress, but only when I know I can manage a lot of privacy that day.

I know you have a fabulous collection of vintage purses. Which one is your favorite?

What an interesting question- I have never really thought about it. My taste has changed over the years. For a while I collected embroidered bags, and then plastic 60's bags, and everything in between. Here's one of my favorites for evenings out!

I will always remember the vintage purse that got away, an embroidered purse I lost in an ebay auction battle. Sniff. It had a lovely crown embroidered on front.

Here is an older post with one of my purse collection stashes: http://lemondropvintage.blogspot.com/2009/07/purse-obsessions-part-1.html

One purse highpoint for me... I was watching Zooey Deshanel in 500 days of summer and saw her carrying a vintage purse I owned! I squealed. Loudly.

Thanks Marie for being a Blogging Mama Who Rocks!

Decoding the Audrey Pixie Cut

I'm bored with my hair (again) and all of those lovely Audrey pictures yesterday had me longing for a short hair cut. I've toyed with getting an Audrey pixie cut before, but I've never gone that short! Eeep! (Plus the hubby is not terribly excited about short hair...) But I think I'm finally ready to take the plunge. I've been thinking about it pretty much nonstop since yesterday, and the more I think about it, the more I like it. So today I scoured the web for good pictures of her pixie cut to bring to the salon.

Which is how I discovered that she has two distinct pixie cuts-one kind in Roman Holiday and a different kind in Sabrina. And I just so happened to have both films so Audrey Hepburn movie mini marathon happened today! (Although currently, I'm rocking the 90s with Sabrina the Teenage Witch.)

And here's the pixie cut break down.

Roman Holiday curly cut

It's a short layered cut with bangs. In some shots, the sides seem to be pulled back some, so the front of the cut may be longer than it appears. I have a sneaking suspicion that unstyled, this cut would look like one of the really short versions of the Middy. It has the characteristic flat crown with curly bottom of many 1940s styles. I'm guessing that it was styled with a small barrel curling iron as pincurling hair that short can be hard. (Plus curling irons are great for between take touch ups.)


I really like this cut. It's grown up in a youthful way. Sort of an eighteen-year-old's first grown up hair cut kind of way.

Suave Sabrina Paris Haircut

The transformational haircut Audrey receives in Sabrina is straight and much shorter! (All of those curls would really lengthen out when straight.)

Audrey also wore this cut outside of Sabrina, and it's not hard to see why! It screams sophisticated woman. This cut has bangs just like the Roman Holiday cut. The back is much shorter. It has lots of layers and reminds me of the back of my last really short hair cut. It's parted on the side and the front actually has some length to it. She wears it sleeked back and held with bobby pins. (Very cleverly hidden ones! You can see a lot when you're right up next to the tv.)

Quite a bit with this shorter version, she wears her bangs parted with the bangs on the light side of the part curling the opposite direction.

I'm really leaning towards the super short Sabrina cut! I think I'd love it! I miss my short hair! Do you think I could pull it off?

French Twist Tutorial

The French Twist is a great basic that looks elegant on its own but can also turn any style into a classy up do.

I'm seriously considering chopping off a LOT of my hair! If I do, I'll be sure to record some extra youtube videos so I can have some hair tutorials to share with you while I'm sporting a short do. I'm also planning on adding some make-up and sewing tutorials to my channel. Is there anything you'd like to see?