the clothes 2011

Don't be deceived by the blue skies in these pictures; I managed to snap them in a brief spat of sunshine between the rain that has fallen for several days in a row. While most of the time I would prefer better weather, this time it did afford me the perfect excuse to use my brand new umbrella courtesy of Modcloth. How wonderful are the little goldfish decorating the panels?

One of the great things about vintage, is that it has already stood "the test of time." You usually don't have to worry about it falling apart or discovering your friends all simultaneously bought the same piece.

Nostalgia for last year and Greece was sparked by these boots which were bought there and haven't seen the light of day in awhile. The ability of clothes to carry so many memories is one of the things that makes me so attached to my wardrobe. When traveling I'm much more keen on purchasing clothes or jewelry in order to commemorate the trip rather than a nick-knack or traditional souvenir. Moving a lot means most superfluous things end up in boxes (that haven't been touched in years), but clothes always get unpacked and worn. Thus, whenever I don a certain item or throw on a particular pendant I awaken memories of interesting places and fun people.

How can I begin to describe the delight that is Delightfully Tacky? You have to love a girl who lists Winnebagos as an interest, has perfect cascading curls, great personal style, and makes living in Alaska look like a dream. The girl behind the blog was also kind enough to plan out a dream dance party complete with an epic play list.

What type of party is it?
Rock and Roll dance party! It would last for days and no one would need sleep (for some magical and mysterious reason), and no one would get too drunk, just the perfect amount (or not at all). All my favorite bands would play: Bowie, Stones, Van Halen, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Notorious B.I.G., The Doors, Heart, Velvet Underground, Neil Diamond and so on and so forth. With all members living, of course. Oh, and for nostalgia's sake: United State of Electronica.
Who is invited?
All my friends from college, and any of my lovely blogger pals.
Where does it take place?
It would be a place that doesn't exist. A combination of the Woodstock location and my old duplex. It would be at both day and night, but the nights would be like warm, clear Californian nights, and the days would be around 80 degrees and sunny. Perfect for ice cold beers, margaritas, and rum & cokes.
What are we eating?
Chocolate covered strawberries, cheap beer, expensive booze, gourmet nachos with delicious guacamole, shrimp cocktail for days, pizza.
Who gets to sit next to you? And why?
Well, when I'm not dancing, I'd love to chill with all my friends from college who I probably won't see all in one place ever again. Also, I'd probably end up hanging out with Bowie, Morrison, Neil Diamond, and all the other great band members playing at my party!
What is the theme or what is everyone wearing?
Oooh! Everyone should dress like normal, but one day of this multi-day, sleepless dance-fest should be a dress up! I sure love Halloween and dressing up...
Are there party favors?
Everyone gets Polaroid cameras and unlimited film to document the festivities.
What are the hot topics of the evening?
Only happy things. Nobody talks about politics.
Life, Love, great things happening in our futures and incredible memories from the past.
Who is most likely to get drunk and dance on the table?
Obvi: Me
Who is the last to leave?
Whoever I get stuck talking to for hours and hours at the end of the party, you know how that goes.
For more visit Delightfully Tacky.

"It is the eye of ignorance that assigns a fixed and unchangeable color to every object; beware of this stumbling block." -Paul Gauguin
The key to any remix is imagination. To expand a wardrobe without emptying your pocket try looking at a dress not just as a dress, but a blouse or skirt; a party outfit as something that can be toned down for day; a ladylike garment to be edged up with combat boots. Even the shape of a skirt can be transformed with a few safety pins.
I already wore this Betsey Johnson dress (which I scored for super cheap on Gilt) here, but I can see it worn so many different ways. So, without further ado here are 7 different looks all built from the same dress.
sweater- Gap, belt- vintage, shoes- Seychelles via Weardrobe Conference
coat- Tulle, tights- Forever 21, shoes- Bona Drag
skirt- some shop in Japan, tights- Betsey Johnson via Modcloth, shoes- vintage
jacket- H&M, tights- Walmart, shoes- Urban Outfitters
tiara- Etsy, shoes- Urban Outfitters
sweater- H&M, tights- Walmart, boots- Forever 21
vest- gift from my sister, tights- Fred Flare, shoes- Nine West

The flyer for the event; again e-mail me to be added to the guest list (thenewclotheshorse@yahoo.com)

Artwork by Kam Martin and Yiu Studio

The only thing potentially prettier than dkim's artwork? The name given to each piece: "Mischief Maker," "Wanderluster," "All My Vices Come To Hunt Me," "Lady Hitchcock," etc. Is there any limit to this artist's imagination?

all artwork by dkim

Lately I've been deviating from my usual path. I'm taking new paths through the woods and pushing just a little bit further to see what is around the bend. Sometimes there is a wide open field, or moss-covered woods and occasionally a more unusual surprise: a mock village for military drills or an abandoned, roofless building...

Outfit details: jacket and dress- H&M, belt- vintage, shoes- Seychelles, tote- Hayden and Harnett via Weardrobe Conference, necklace- Modcloth

When you want something special, one-of-a-kind pieces at a decent price there's no comparison to vintage. The limited quantity and rarity of vintage can make it hard to find (especially in your specific size), but lately quality vintage is only a few clicks away on the web. This leads me to this week's sponsor: LA Vintage. This shop is an excellent online source of quality vintage pieces from accessories to swimwear and everything in between.

Not only do they have a large and diverse stock of pieces, but the site is amazingly user-friendly. You can browse by size, era, color, type, etc. It makes hunting down that perfect polka dot blazer as easy as pie and their prices are extremely reasonable considering someone else is doing all the leg work. Not only is the site a source of fashionable one of a kind clothing, but it is an earth conscious way to shop; a rare enough combination in the fashion industry.
This week's prize is a $100 gift certificate to spend at LA Vintage. Open to International readers. The winner will be drawn and announced on 11/8/09.
To Enter: Leave a comment below telling me why you love vintage and what you would spend the $100 on in LA Vintage's shop.