 Me again! Wearing my mother's vintage, of course. Sporting Terry Flanigan's silk blouse with Reformation jeans (similar here), a sweet little bag from Room Shop Vintage, and my kicks are mama's vintage, too! 'Twas a little drizzly that day so I layered my pearlescent TexileHaus Wrap Around Jacket atop my getup. Its made from water-resistant polly taffeta to be exact—I asked the designer herself! My friend Anastasiya Yatsuk, founder and designer of the sustainable brand (read/see more on it here and here) made this jacket. My favorite thing to say is “Thanks! It was my mom’s” when someone compliments or asks about what I’m wearing. My second favorite reply is “my friend made this!” Not that my whole closet is this way, hence the Ref jeans here for example, but it just feels good knowing that some of my favorite pieces in my closet came from women that inspire me. I like when clothes tell a story or hold some special meaning. I guess we could all say that about most of our belongings. Yeah, when it comes down to it, it's just "stuff" but given that we all get dressed every day, clothes are important. Though I wish we could all roam naked like the stone structure making out behind me, Eve, that son of a gun, ate the damn forbidden fruit so here we all are naked and ashamed. So! Clothing it is. And I think there's nothing wrong with having fun with what I believe to be an art form. And even better when those pieces were made and passed down with care. *Side note: God, thank you for Your grace. Because while we deserve that shame, You give us freedom to walk in the light instead. Also, for Your grace when it comes to my potty mouth (i.e. above). Appreciate Your grace there, too. :) If you don't have vintage easily accessible (check out my post for vintage resources here) or creative friends who can make sh*t with their own two hands, no worries... 'Cause here are some brands I truly love that are sustainably & lovingly crafted. So the next time someone compliments your outfit, you can still feel good telling them where it's from: The Line By K - This is my number one favorite line currently. Other than my mom's pieces, all of my Line By K items never fail to make me feel confident. Reformation - Maybe not everyone's price point but worth it for most! And if not, their sales are the bomb diggity, so get on their mailing list to be in the know. Everlane - They work hard to keep costs down but quality and ethics UP, yo. By Signe - Organic fabrics, and effortless silhouettes any woman could cling to. House of Sunny - This London brand is too. dang. good and is honestly a great price point for its unique, intricate pieces. H&M Conscious - YES. You heard right! H&M! And this shiz is cute and affordable, all made from organic fabrics. I also recently learned that H&M collects shoppers' used textiles of any kind and re-purposes them! Literally, any kind of textile... like, your curtains are acceptable. I've been meaning to drop some things off myself. Living in the city, there aren't many locations to donate clothing near me, so this is a convenient way to give my goods! Woo! With all that, lest we forget, the utmost sustainable way to buy is by thrifting/vintage hunting. Duh. If you can swing it, buy something that's already been produced and needs a new home! But either way, just know that quality always wins. Quality is the reason why I can say "Thanks! It was my mom's" so often.<3 So, buy well, with a purpose, and when ya can, as sustainable as possible. It's good for errybody.          Photography by my dear & talented friend: Khrystyna Oros
0 Comments
  I love the crap out of this sweater of my mother's (you'd know it's true if you saw the tears on the back). It's classic, easy, and even a little sexy--three perfectly good reasons for me and my sisters to fight over it. Luckily it is now safe and sound with me alone in Philly! (Mwaha! Sorry Flanny's). The design is simple but there’s something about it that makes it perfect in nature and has allowed for this timeless silhouette to make a huge comeback right now. I paired it with my all-time favorite color in heavenly pant-form by The Line By K, and slingback kitten heels from Target (yesssss, Target). The lucidity of this design allots for all kinds of creativity. Wear yours billowy & belted, itty-bitty cropped, layered with your favorite boyfriend blazer, or even as a bathing suit cover-up. There is a cardigan out there for your shape and personal style and I believe it’s a staple in every woman’s wardrobe. Styles of the classic cardi I’ve seen floating on Instagram that I admire:    Photos by: Gina DeSimone
 This jacket-dress is from one of my new Philly favorites, Ritual where they carry re-worked vintage by Shop Journal. The vintage selection is on the small side at Ritual, but it’s perfectly curated. This piece wasn’t necessarily re-worked, but as a vintage lover it’s nice when you can find a source that does the hunt for you. Of course I do get immense satisfaction from sifting through rack after rack to find a gem that is all my own unlike the next, but if you ain’t got time for that, look no further than these Vintage spots that do the work for ya: Shop Journal Room Shop Vintage Courtyard LA The Vintage Twin Elia Vintage Meadowsweet Mercantile Depop! (Download the free app for all the goodies) one of my faves: Masha_Jlynn SVC (Instagram bids only) Less curated spots (may require a little digging, but worth it!): Retrospect Vintage The Raxx Vintage Emporium Casablanca Vintage When in doubt, peruse Etsy or EBay! And if you’re okay with dropping a little more cash for an investment piece, The RealReal is an amazing source for designer pieces on consignment. And some cool, current blazer dresses if vintage isn’t your thing: Siena Boyfriend Blazer by Storets Velour Blazer from & Other Stories White Long Blazer Dress from The Frankie Shop The Date Night Dress by Choosy Bardot Blazer Dress from ASOS Tailored Blazer (on sale!) The Rae Blazer by Reformation (sustainably made bay-bay)       Photography by: Gina DeSimone
Wearing a vintage J. Taylor jacket-dress and Yeezy 350 V2 Creams  What I love about fashion is that it's always changing and you can change with it! If you like a new silhouette, color, or fabric, you are free to try new things at any given time. Even my little motto “In With The Old” addresses how fashion is changing. The change may not be brand new, but we are reintroducing old classics all the time. I’d be lying if I said my 10-year old self agreed with every article of clothing my mother decided to hold on to. Then, I saw most of them only appropriate for costumes or dress-ups. Now, I see the light. My thoughts on my style are ever-changing and that is what makes getting dressed all the more liberating. And all Terry can say is, “I told you so” every time I claim her vintage as my own. Mama does know best. I was never against sneakers per se, but I was truly ignorant to the changes occurring in this realm of the clothing industry until Mr. Sneaker Head Ian came along. Now that I’m a !CiTy GiRl! I am all the more grateful for the assortment of sneaks my boyfriend has introduced me to. And so are my feet! I no longer have a car, which I love, so we walk everywhere we can. I walk at least 3 miles a day, usually. Some days less and others 7+. I recently discovered I have Plantar Fasciitas. So I plan on healing this shit in style. I never thought I’d say my Yeezy 500’s were my favorite shoes, let alone one of the most unique pieces I’ve ever owned. I never thought I'd own a dad shoe to begin with. Yet every time they're on my feet, I think, "Damn! Look at you two lookin' all cute down there!!" You may call sneakers like these trendy, BUT who knows? Maybe some of 'em will stand the test of time (like my mom's Doc Martens), and I'll see my future daughter rockin' my Pharrell Adidas Human Race's someday. ;) Le-sigh. I love the juxtaposition of a streetwear style sneaker with a feminine dress. It's my new go-to outfit. It's easy, comfy, makes me feel good, and I could go all day in it in Filthadelphia. Another consistent go-to of mine is the brand that made this dress: The Line By K. I love this LA-based line. They care about their product, employees, and customers. My Line By K pieces are the ones I seem to grab again and again. They're my sexy basics, and with the attention to detail they'll never be deemed basic.     If you were unaware, this right here is my sister, Charlotte. You can also call her Charli, or Chuck when she’s feeling sassy (though that’s her regular disposition). I think you can see a bit of that in her outfit, too. She’s a one-button-rebel wearing our mama’s vintage cardigan, + denim shorts, Doc Marten’s, & grandma’s clip-on earrings. We wound up in Westwood of Cincy where most wouldn’t assume there are many treasures to be had in this part of town, but we spent some time digging that day and found ‘em; murals that recently popped up by Girl Mobb, and the cutest playground you ever did see. Charlotte has the perfect, sprightly spirit to roam with me and explore. And even if we were to come up empty-handed, time with her would still always be worth my while. I look forward to packing up a picnic basket and heading to this park with my sisters & niece next time I visit Cincinnati in warmer days ahead.       |