WTF. So, how's it going?
And can you believe that I almost did something fairly permanent??
Ok. Deep breath.
I was about to this website altogether!! Before nearly doing so, I decided to make it private and not visible to the world before I made my final decision.
2020 has been quite the rollercoaster, right? I'm now 46, although pandemic birthdays aren't quite like normal but hey, at least I'm alive to have another one.
So clearly, since you're reading this, it means that I did NOT delete this blog. In these times of very real uncertainty, I wasn't sure that I was going to be able to keep up this alter ego. Or if I actually wanted to, honestly.
I'm not a quitter, though. It's true, sometimes it takes me a very long time to finish my projects. I usually have at least 10 things going on at once.
I've had a lot more time to spend at home, sheltering in place, on a lot of things, including overthinking. I've been doing my best to chill out and prioritize things.
Now that I have decided to not delete this blog and alter ego, I'd like to hone in more on writing here and sharing pictures, of course. The refocus will be on sharing what I feel is my most glamorous and best version of myself. COVID-19 and all.
It's been hard, though. Daily reality continually creeps in and bursts my bubble, imagine that.
Hopefully you're feeling healthy and safe. With all of the ridiculousness in the world, I'm doing my best to not get overwhelmed by the latest crap in the news.
My reality this fall will be homeschooling though, and what's a modern gal to do? I never ever imagined that I'd be June Cleaver so we'll see.
I'm also not tone deaf to the ills going on around the world. I do my best use my "white-appearing Latina" privilege and resources whenever I can, to speak up for the marginalized. What's happening right now in Portland and now in Chicago is horrifying, I never thought I'd see the day where we'd live in a police state.
That said, we must be diligent citizens. Wear your damn mask!
So I've been working on a couple of YouTube channels and here are the recent videos:
I'm also on TikTok, and that's been a little odd because I got 100 followers there in like 2 days. They're also heavy on censorship so we'll see how long I last and what I end up posting.
Happy 2020! It's been awhile.
Yes, I had so much that I wanted to post about life, the universe, and everything.
However, after seeing Kailey Mermaidens post her answers (originally from this questionnaire), I was inspired and motivated enough to answer these for my own post here.
Quoted from Kailey's post:
I used Google Translate to translate the questions, and edited it myself to sound more natural. If any of the questions don't quite line up with the original ones in Swedish, thats why! I did my best with my limited resources :')
I'll always have a place in my wardrobe for the beloved Peter Pan collar dress a la Wednesday Addams.
This is my favorite little black dress style as it's so utterly versatile. Dress it up or down with shoes and accessories. The below pic was taken after work, and I had just added more makeup and put on contacts. Again, versatile.
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| Dress, thrifted |
I can't believe that I can fit into this outfit again! My body has changed a lot after having two kids but 90's fashion is back, right? Maybe I'll find the right occasion to wear it again, it's been a while since I've been to a proper rave.
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| OG JNCO raver pants |
If I remember correctly, I think I got those JNCOs at the Ross Dress for Less on Sunset and La Brea (is it still there?) The fuzzy blue halter top was thrifted, probably from the Goodwill on Hollywood Blvd. in Los Feliz.
Ok, without further adieu, here's the Q + A!
What are clothes to you?
I think clothes are your ultimate statement. Whether you want to express a particular mood or vibe, or go incognito, clothes allow you to ultimately be who you want to do be, or not. What's that saying? Dress for the job you want, not the job you have?
I've always been aware of the power of clothes to make a statement. I grew up in an immediate family of very fashionable bonafide clothes horses, so I think I had no other choice but to pay attention.
My parents had a store on the east side of Melrose Avenue and between their store and the other stores on Melrose like Flip, Cowboys and Poodles, Aardvark's, and more, I couldn't resist the call of fashion!
What is your "I don't know WHAT to wear" outfit?
I'd say a longer bodycon or ruched dress or the Peter Pan collar dress I mentioned above. Tights are a no-brainer, definitely heavier ones for winter, although I've been known to dress them up with fishnets. I'd probably wear fishnets all the time if I could!
What are you sleeping in?
It depends on my mood, then the weather! My go-to pjs are a pair of heavy cotton in the perfect leopard print by Betsey Johnson. I guess they're practically vintage if they're from 2000?
I love my velvet chemise by Intimately Free People. In addition to being warm, comfy, AND sexy, it's also one of the few pieces in recent memory that I purchased brand new, at Nordstrom. Whenever I can, I thrift, but that has its limits when it comes to undergarments and intimates.
I also have two pairs of men's boxers that I love to wear when I sleep, one by Calvin Klein and one by Hugo Boss. I love to pair them with a thin cotton t-shirt, usually my Blondie (with too many holes!) or a light cotton cami.
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| Keiko-Chan in Sweetheart |
What is your favorite store?
The Goodwill Outlets, unanimously. I've been so fortunate to have found so many priceless and amazing things in my travels.
It would take wayyyy too long to list some of the astounding finds I've unearthed from "the bins" in every city I've lived.
The Los Angeles and Seattle outlets were the most fruitful overall, in my experience.
One of the best flips I ever did was of a gorgeous lilac kimono blouse by Stella McCartney. It cost $1 from the bins in L.A. and I sold it for something closer to $200! That outlet store is among the most gnarly, though, as in cutthroat, there's security there for good reason. The last time I was there, another thrifter threatened to "cut a bitch!" Yikes. Be careful out there!
I've also found Jean Paul Gaultier, almost every brand of super fancy denim, John Galliano, and my most recent couture find was of this Rick Owens Lilies dress at the Portland Goodwill outlet. So what if it has a teeny tiny hole? It's imperfect, like me, and that's just the way I like it.
What do you prefer when you dress up?
Anything slinky, think bodycon (body conscious), ruched, faux fur, or large print, whether floral or graphic. Some of the outfits that I've received the most compliments on were basic tube dresses, thrifted from the bins from the likes of Forever 21 or H&M or Zara or Asos.
They're so easy to dress up or down with accessories. I love high heels but my feet and body have been worse for the wear with them, especially after wearing platform Pleasers for a couple of years.
Irregular Choice, Jeffrey Campbell, and John Fluevog are part of my "sensible heels" collection and I try to wear them whenever possible.
What are your best life hacks when it comes to clothes?
The saying "don't judge a book by its cover" doesn't just apply to books!
With clothes, looks can be deceiving so it's imperative that you try things on before you buy. No matter what size you think that you fit into, you'll find many things are mislabeled. Sizing isn't universal and if i would have listened to what tags say, then I'd have missed out on a lot.
Find an awesome tailor or seamstress, as well as a shoe cobbler, in your neighborhood. Sometimes a simple tweak will change a garment forever. The so-so and donate piles can become fabulous. For me personally, I'm short waisted and have bigger boobs and a small band size.
What do you feel best in?
It depends on my mood. I wear what I like, when I like, occasion appropriate, but I always make an effort to look put together, even at one of my "day jobs".
I usually wear all black and I like to layer with textures. You can't go wrong with an accent piece or two in a different color, whether shoes, contrasting shoe laces if you have to wear athletic shoes, or a huge red belt.
How do you sort your wardrobe?
Ooof. This is getting a little easier to answer because I have my wardrobe in different places! ;)
The huge faux fur coats are in the actual closet, but I have a garment rack as well as storage, multiple rooms for storage. The items that I keep for nostalgia that I can resell and/or pass along to my kids are in storage bins, although I want to figure out a decent DIY upgrade.
Which garments do you find difficult to find?
Vintage lingerie that fits!! I'm a 32D-DD so it's tricky to find things that fit. It's also trickier to find garments that aren't trashed. I'm also short waisted so it's tricky to find pants that properly fit my waist to hip ratio.
What do you avoid in clothing?
Baggy anything, "boyfriend" cut anything, acid wash, mom jeans, basically all the ugly 90's fashion that seems to be all the rage right now. Yikes! It's not flattering to my body type and I would feel ridiculous in it. I also try to avoid most fast fashion, unless second hand.
What do you wear when you're just "at home"?
Vintage slips that I hand dye, work clothes if I haven't had a chance to change, or just my bra and panties if I'm all alone. I just got some fabulous Betsey Johnson leopard floofy slippers that I need to wear more often around the house!
How do you dress seasonally?
Since I'm from L.A., what seasons? Seriously though, I do my best to compromise when the weather is dreadful and I layer, layer, layer. You won't find traditional winter wear in my wardrobe though, I am not fond of North Face, Patagonia, REI, or any of that stuff. It's just not right for me and my style.
I layer long-sleeved shirts under dresses and still bring umbrellas with me. I love hoodies and practically live in my Betsey Johnson puffer coat that I got at the Goodwill bins, of course.
What garments do you never wear?
See above with the "what do I avoid" question. I love jewelry but rarely wear it. I love hats too but rarely wear them. I have a huge head, size XL in Kangol and get self-conscious about my head size. Bigger brain, though? *wink
What have you worn that people didn't like?
My vintage raver clothes, for sure. I'm not for everyone, though, and that's fine.
I had a boyfriend that absolutely despised fishnet hosiery and blue nail polish. I didn't let that stop me and that was but one of the reasons that we broke up. I'm an acquired taste, if you don't like me, acquire some taste, haha.
I love writing prompts like these and I'd love to know what your answers would be to these questions!
I've been on certain social media platforms a lot less these days. Instagram will always be my favorite, the others, less so, especially Facebook.
Pinterest will always have a special place in my heart because I was an early adopter of the site and have amassed quite a few followers there.
Here are some of my favorite pins pertaining to lingerie..
You should totally follow me on Pinterest if you already don't!
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