Fashion Friday featuring Queen of Heartz

Hello my loves and Happy Fashion Friday! This week I will be featuring one of my all time favorite pinup brands Queen of Heartz Apparel. 

Pearl Earring and Necklace set: Gift/Similar

Dress: Queen of Heartz Now I have a few dresses from QoH but I have to say this might be my most favorite. The 60’s silhouette is incredibly flattering and immediately evokes a seriously Joan Holloway vibe, and the bengaline material is both comfortable and supportive so hooray for smooth lines! Normally I end up ordering a Medium in most of Letty’s  pieces (my measurements are 36″ 27.5″ 36″) but I do find sometimes they can be just ever so slightly loose, so I opted to size down to a small since this dress is rather stretchy and I am glad I did because this little diddy fits like a glove! I also happen to think this dress would be the perfect holiday season dress, its sexy enough for glitzy parties but the higher neckline and beautiful navy blue color makes it appropriate enough for family gatherings, and who doesn’t like duel duty pieces?

Shoes: Gift from Miss Amy May (Tutorial) or Similar

I hope you all enjoyed this post and that you check out Queen of Heartz for all your holiday party dress needs! Cheers!

Fashion Friday Featuring Lil Lou Lou’s Pt. 1

Hey guys and dolls I hope you’re all doing well, sorry its been a while between posts but I caught a gnarly cold, flew out of state for a few days, and then caught some new cold like sickness from my plane ride back home, UGH! But I am finally on the mend and ready to get back to blogging, and what a fun brand I have to feature this week.

Lil Lou Lou now if the name alone doesn’t get you excited allow me to enlighten you on this awesome company. This wonderful brand specializes in pinup/rockabilly hair accessories and children’s clothing, which sounds simple enough, but I can’t tell you how many times I have been let down by supposed pinup hair accessories, you know the ones I’m talking about. The hair scarves that are just too short to actually make a decent bow, or the hair flowers that look more like wilted flowers after a few wears. Well the owner/designer and all around sweetheart Lily Dueñas understands these frustrations and only supplies wonderful products that you’ll happily wear for a long time. The designs are gorgeous, the construction is high quality and super functional, and you should also be happy to know all the products are proudly manufactured in the grand ole US of A. Basically this is a brand I am more than happy to get behind.

Look 1.modeling is clearly my calling 😉

Cute Knotted Bows: Lil Lou Lous oh my lands I just love these cute little bows. I actually wear my hair in “kitten ears” pretty often cause its an easy pinup do, but it can be a little lack luster at times, well til now that is. The knotted bows add that perfect finishing touch to an otherwise simple hair do.

T-shirt: Atomic Swag

Jeans: Old Navy 

Flats: Payless/Similar

Look 2.

 Me channeling Miss Amy May’s Modeling skills.

Me being the dork that I am.

and because these are an accurate representation of how most shoots go 😉

Minnie Headband: Lil Lou Lous This has got to be one of the most appropriately named accessories ever, I mean who doesn’t want to be as adorable as minnie mouse? I love how easy this headband is to wear, since the minnie is elasticized  you can just pop it on and not worry about it falling off, which if you’re anything like me that’s a huge selling point! I absolutely hate when my bandanas and bows fall. Also the bow portion can be tied anyway you desire, huzzah to customizable pieces!

Tanktop: Not sure/Similar

Jivin Skirt: Lil Lou Lous unfortunately for you guys I got the last rocket ads print for adults but they have a lovely white as well as a fun blue novelty print that I’ll be featuring soon 😉

Flats: Payless/Similar

I hope you all enjoyed this post and that none of you have caught this terrible cold going around! Check out Lil Lou Lou and be on the look out for Pt 2 of the feature. Happy Friday!

#iamunique

Hello my dears its been a while since I’ve posted anything that wasn’t a strictly fashion post. Yes this one will have to do with fashion but I promise it will be so much more than that.

One of my favorite companies in the world: Unique Vintage has started a campaign I could not be more pleased with. The #iamunique  campaign encourages people to really love themselves for who they are. Basically you use the hashtag and talk about what makes you different and why you love yourself for it…Sure it sounds simple enough but openly stating your truest self and your rawest emotions can be a little scary especially on the interwebs, where kindness, understanding, and acceptance aren’t exactly a common theme. But I felt called to take the plunge and put myself out there.

Basically I used to wear what was “in” and pretend to enjoy the things that “everyone else” did and in turn was miserable, truly miserable. By wearing what was “in” I felt ugly because #iamunique I have a less than common figure and most clothes aren’t designed to flatter someone with short yogi legs, a ridiculously long torso, and line backer shoulders. I only wish I could go back in time and talk to little Sarah who was crying in dressing rooms wishing to be like everybody else and tell her how happy she would become the moment she embraced her truest self.

I have loved the pinup style for most of my life, even at the age of 4 I worshiped Audrey Hepburn and her flawless glamour. But since pinup was considered over the top by so many I had resigned myself to boring socially acceptable clothes for far too many years. I was denying who I really was everytime I bought myself a pair of skinny jeans and a graphic t-shirt. But all of the denial stopped the very moment I slipped on my Unique Vintage wiggle dress “just for kicks”. Needless to say I bought the dress, but honestly it was so much more than that, it felt like I had bought myself the freedom to be ME.
My first real pinup dress changed everything for me.

By realizing how right I was about my fashion choices I carried that same confidence into other areas of my life. I no longer pretended to enjoy the music that everyone else was listening to, I would unashamedly tell people my big plans for the weekend consisted of  of staying home baking, marathoning Doctor Who, and and snuggling my dog, and if I found something funny I would laugh my witchy cackle and maybe snort a little too. I was no longer ashamed of who I was. I loved me and I didn’t have to fit societies rules to do so.

 Going steady dress

Brenda Dress.

I’m not like everybody else and that’s okay, in fact its more than okay, Its fan-freaking-tastic! By being my truest self I have had so many opportunities open up to me, I’ve become bolder, braver, happier and the people who have chosen to love me for the real me are absolutely irreplaceable. In all honesty I probably wouldn’t have half the friends I do now if I hadn’t started dressing pinup. I discovered myself, and a community of so many beautiful hearts and minds. I just want to extend a huge thank you to Unique Vintage for starting this campaign of self love as well as to my wonderful pinup community that inspires me daily and reaffirms me. Like I said in my #iamunique insta post “yes I am unique but that doesn’t mean I don’t belong”.

Fashion Friday Featuring Lady V London

Well Happy Halloween everyone. Today’s post is not the least bit scary or spooky unless you happen to get the creeps from fabulous dresses at fabulous prices haha.

This week I am featuring the lovely company Lady V London. Lady V is run by husband and wife team Sergio and Victoria whose commitment to their customers, community, and workers is outstanding. From the very start of their company Victoria and Sergio were determined to create beautiful vintage inspired pieces at affordable prices, this means all the products are designed in house, and up until 2013 all of their dresses were made in EU. As of June 2013 Lady V moved their production to London ensuring excellent working conditions, higher standards of construction, and a quicker turn around time producing new designs and stocking old favorites. Beautiful clothes that you can feel good about wearing? It doesn’t get better than that! This shoot was 90% giggles.Gotta do the twirl test, the Isabella passed with flying colors.Earrings: Sam Moon/Similar

Necklace: Sam Moon/Similar

Dress: Lady V London To me this dress is a prime example of why the pinup style is so fun and more practical than you might imagine. The versatility of this dress has got to be one of my favorite features. The bow detailing can be removed in order to change the feel of the dress. Plus the timeless design can easily transition from a casual day out by pairing it with a cardigan, ballet flats, and fun 50’s style pony tail, to an elegant night on the town by ditching the cardigan adding some heels, an updo, and some glitzy jewelry. Also in case you’re wondering the fit of this dress is superb, my measurements are 36″ 27.5″ 36″ so I went with a US size 6 (UK size 10) the dress has ample room for the simple things like moving and breathing 😉 but it doesn’t look the least bit sloppy, oh and my favorite part, it actually has sleeves that can handle my shoulders! Lady V London thank you for making such wonderful dresses ❤

Petticoat: Malco Modes

Gloves: Gift/Similar

Shoes: DSW/Similar

I hope you all enjoyed this post, that you have a very happy Halloween, and that you check out Lady V London.

Fashion Friday Featuring Miz Mooz

Woo hoo we have made it through yet another work week, aren’t Friday’s just the best? Even when I do work the weekends I still look forward to Fridays because I really do love posting my Fashion Fridays, and when I have a brand or product that I’m excited to share with you all I’m especially anxious for the weekend to get here.

Well as far as I was concerned this weekend couldn’t get here soon enough, because I have found the most adorable outrageously comfortable shoes in existence, and they are from the absolutely stellar company Miz Mooz. This extraordinary brand started off in a basement in New York City, and in traditional New York City style they grew to incredible heights, and now have their products stocked by several independent retailers. If you check out their products you are sure to see why they have had such success. I’m a relatively picky person so its rare for me to like several products from one company, but I can honestly say I would wear every single pair of shoes Miz Mooz has. Their attention to detail is really the clincher for me, so many companies have almost identical looking products, because let’s face it you can only reinvent the “heel” so many times 😉 but somehow Miz Mooz manages to capture the classic elements every shoe lover looks for yet still have that unique edge every individual wants.
Because breaking in a new pair of heels requires one to twirl…its a very scientific process 😉
And because you all need to know that silly “wanna be chorus girl dance moves” happen behind scenes.

Necklace: Belonged to my father/Similar

Cardigan: H&M

Bracelet: Gift/Similar

Ring: Gift/Similar

Dress: Go Insane

Petticoat: Malco Modes

Heels: Miz Mooz How do I even begin to explain the Safari’s? The Safaries are flawless, haha but seriously these heels are absolutely wonderful, the oxford and wing tip details make them a stylish classic everyone will love and want, but beauty isn’t everything you know. How many of us have a pair (or several pairs) of shoes that we bought just because they’re pretty, only to later realize we made a huge mistake, and these pretty shoes feel about as good as walking on legos? Well Miz Mooz knows their stuff and has created  a beautiful pair of shoes that just so happen to also be the most comfortable pair of heels I’ve ever worn. The stacked heel is a reasonable height so its easy on your arches, there is a built in cushion too so that’s especially good for your arches, and these shoes are made out of the softest smoothest leather I’ve ever experienced, I could probably run in these and not get a single blister. In fact these shoes are so perfect I’m a little angry, thank you Miz Mooz for ruining me for all other shoes haha 😉

So if you’re in the market for some great shoes I highly recommend you make the investment and get yourself a pair from Miz Mooz, you will not be sorry.

I hope you all enjoyed this post and that you have a great weekend. Happy Friday my loves.

Fashion Friday Featuring Malco Modes

Hello guys and dolls, that is assuming the occasional guy stumbles across my blog, I keep it pretty girly here haha.  Anway this week I will be doing another feature on the best petticoat/crinoline company around, Malco Modes!

To me there isn’t anything sadder than a swing skirt or dress not living up to its full voluminous potential, all that fabric deserves to be delightfully puffy and cloud like, am I right? But where is a pinup girl to turn? There are soooo many petticoat and crinoline options out there it can be seriously overwhelming, and if you’re anything like me too many options result in a choice not being made at all. Well let me take you by the hand and guide you to where you and your swing skirt/dresses need to be getting their support.

I’m still in the beginning stages of putting together my dream pinup wardrobe so as of right now I only have two petticoats, both of which are from Malco Modes. Now this may sound as if I’m not in a position to really tell you who you should be buying from but keep this in mind, just because I only own from one company doesn’t mean I haven’t tried on other companies. I may look a little more high maintenance than most but I do not sacrifice comfort, I’ve tried on different petticoats and crinolines from other companies and everytime they have felt incredibly itchy and uncomfortable, stiff fabric is great at holding out that skirt of yours, but it also feels a bit like a cheese grater on your skin…thanks but no thanks.  Malco Modes on the other hand is incredibly comfortable, their petticoats are made from cotton candy soft chiffon, and their crinolines are made from nylon net with a nylon organza as the bottom layer so it doesn’t scratch your legs in the least, and because of the handcrafted quality of these pieces the volume pay off they provide is stunning!

To me the answer as to who you should get your petticoats and crinolines from couldn’t be any clearer. Malco Modes is a 100% made in the USA company, all of their pieces are hand crafted ensuring phenomenal long lasting quality, and the comfort level their pieces provide is out of this world! What more could you possibly want? I can only keep the whole dignified modeling thing up for so long…I mean do you really expect me to not jump on the bed?

My dog Charlie wanted to join in on the shoot too!

As you can see things got progressively sillier…

But we managed to pull it together at least for a little bit anyways.

aaaand back to giggles-ville… As you can see this shoot was a lot of fun.

Glasses: Claires/Similar

Corset: Corset Story

Bottoms: Onzie

Crinoline: Malco Modes I was a bit worried that nothing could live up to my first petticoat but Malco Modes knocked it out of the park yet again. The size chart is spot on, this crinoline is so bouncy and full and gives such a fun life to any swing skirt/dress, and the variety of colors offered is just insane. I’m already trying to decide which colors I need next haha. I have a petticoat and crinoline addiction and I have no intention of giving it up either 😉

If you’re in the market for an excellent petticoat or crinoline just do yourself a favor and order from Malco Modes, you won’t regret it I promise!

Hope you all enjoyed this post and that you have a great weekend full of giggles and big skirts

Fashion Friday Heads to PUG

Happy Friday my lovelies! Words cannot express how excited I am to share this week’s post with you all. Last month I had the great fortune to take a trip to the Los Angeles area, I got to check out Hollywood, Venice, Santa Monica, a few other surrounding areas and best of all I got to visit Burbank! Now what is so special about Burbank you may ask? Well it just so happens to be where Pinup Girl Boutique is located! I did it, I lived the dream of every girl who loves pinup style, I actually got to walk through those magical doors that transport you back to days gone by simply by surrounding you in all things beautiful. I can only compare the experience to that of being a small child who just got their allowance and walked into a candy store. When I first arrived I hardly knew where to look first, there was something I “needed” everywhere my eyes landed, dress after beautiful dress, separates that were so beautiful they could make you cry, and accessories so fantastic you finally understood what it would be like to be an actual Barbie Doll.

   I was in my element you guys!

Seriously Pinup Girl Clothing has something no other stores have nowadays, not only are there clothes like that of days gone by, but there window displays are witty and beautiful, and they give you the individual attention that used to be the norm in our grandparents day and age. True customer service to go along with perfect products? Yes please! As soon as I walked in I was greeted with warm smiles and hello’s, while I was going through picking out dresses to try on, one of the lovely ladies of the store said she could go ahead and put them in the dressing room that way I didn’t have to carry them around while shopping, and while trying on the dresses I was praised with the sweetest of compliments, that truly made me feel beautiful and special. The girls of PUG are beautiful, sweet, and incredibly friendly and helpful if you ever have the chance to go to the boutique BY ALL MEANS GO! Oh also they’re having a yardsale this Sunday so if you’re in the area you certainly don’t want to miss it. If however you do not live in the area you can at least buy the clothes on line, and let me tell ya never in your life are you going to be able to buy ready made clothes that will flatter and fit this well! Yes PUG is a little on the higher end but in this case you’re not paying for a brand you are paying for true quality!

Now on to the dresses. I already knew what I wanted when I walked into the boutique. I am a planner shopper 😉 but I did try on a few things just for kicks, just a few things mind you. I knew if I tried on everything I would inadvertently want everything.

Now I knew that I wanted the Ella Dress but I wasn’t entirely sure what color I wanted. It was nearly impossible to choose they were all so beautiful, and never in my life was I more tempted to blow the budget and buy a second dress when I tried on the ever so sexy Vamp dress! I mean wowie wow wow! This dress does magical things for ones curves…I feel a future purchase coming on you guys. After lots of giggling, going back and forth with which dress I wanted, and conversing with the girls in shop over which Ella I should get I finally picked a color.

The Blue Ella! It was difficult to decide as all the Ellas were just delightfully beautiful, but there was just something about the blue I couldn’t pass up!Needless to say this dress made me feel like a star!I just cannot get over the skirt of this dress! So much glorious fabric, honestly this is why I didn’t feel the least bit sorry about buying this dress, not only is it beautiful, but when you think about how much the fabric would cost you if you were to make this garment yourself it would be well over the cost of this already constructed perfect masterpiece. Plus all of PUG’s pieces are made in the USA, now talk about feeling good about your purchase.Oh ya did I forget to mention? This dress has pocket!!!

Clearly happy about my purchase

Sunglasses: Urban Outfitters

Dress: Pinup Girl Clothing How can words even do this dress justice? The colors are spectacular, the fabric quality is out of this world, the fit is superb and very much true to size, plus its just so pretty! The moment I walked out of the dressing room I couldn’t help but say “I feel like a princess” which is what every girl wants right? This dress is all about detail the gathered peasant bodice, grosgrain bow under the bust, wide waist band, and pockets make for such a glorious combination. I heard all sorts of incredible reviews on PUG pieces and I felt like maybe they were too good to be true. But it is absolutely true. PUG is quality and beauty wrapped up into the most perfect garments you will ever have the pleasure of wearing. Its easy to waste money on cheap pieces of clothing and make do, but wouldn’t you rather buy something that will last through trends as well as wear and tear? I say yes to investing in ourselves, our closets, and in a business that really listens to its customers, and caters to women of all shapes and sizes.

Petticoat: Malco Modes

Shoes: Payless not the exact pair I am wearing. The ones I bought were on clearance so they’re no longer available.

I really hope you all enjoyed this post and that you check out Pinup Girl Clothing. Happy Friday!

Fashion Friday Featuring Time Machine Vintage Pt 1.

This week’s Fashion Friday contains quite a few photos so consider yourself warned. This shoot was done by the outlandlishly talented Amanda Grace Photography in the beautiful state of Maryland. Its so beautiful there I think I may have to leave Texas.

I have been so excited to share this post with all of you. Not only is the setting and photography positively stunning, but so are the clothes! Time Machine Vintage could not be more appropriately named. The clothes are perfect representation of the style of days gone by, just as if you went back in time and had a little shopping spree. I love vintage I really really do, but let’s face it, finding something in your size, style, and have it be in great condition is next to impossible. So what’s a girl to do? That’s where the ever talented Kim of Time Machine comes in. Not only does Kim have several patterns and pieces in her etsy shop to choose from but she is also a “seamstress for hire”. Now what does that mean for you? This means that beautiful vintage piece you love but is in poor condition or doesn’t fit, isn’t out of your grasp. Kim recreates vintage pieces from photos, sews from patterns, or simply works one on one with you to create what I can only label as fashion magic, all the while dipping into her vintage fabric, button, and zipper collection whenever she can.

Now being that Time Machine Vintage is a one woman show and very popular with museums, televisions, films, and a few choice celebrities there is a bit of a waiting period, it is usually maxed out at about 8 weeks anytime of the year. But clearly these clothes are worth waiting for, they are beautiful, one of a kind, and a perfect fit since they’re a custom piece! I am so beyond thrilled with the outfits I received and extremely impressed with the out of this world customer service Kim provides. She is not only brilliant with sewing and designing, but she is super sweet and vastly informative when it comes to measurements and fittings. I felt like a celebrity myself with all of the care and attention I received…Not to mention beautiful outfits always have a way of making one feel important.

I didn’t want all the pretty portraits to fool you. This is in fact who I am a majority of the time.

Photography: Amanda Grace Photography I cannot begin to tell you what a joy it was to have Amanda do my portraits! Not only is her work breathtakingly beautiful, but she was great at directing poses, and reassuring me that I looked great, one can never hear that too much 😉 Whatever your photographic needs she is your girl!

Hair: Allie Wilcox dancingthrulife101@gmail.com Positively loved my hair and the ever sweet Allie. I manage to do a pretty decent job with my hair most of the time, but updo’s are kind of a hassle plus its nice to be pampered and to feel important so if you’re looking for a little pampering or need something special for an upcoming event might I suggest hiring this lovely lady to make you red carpet ready?

Blouse and Trousers: Time Machine Vintage Oh how I love this outfit, its as comfortable as pajamas but wonderfully elegant! The fit is superb (it is a custom piece afterall) and makes my short legs look miles longer. All the during this shoot I kept gushing over how pretty this outfit is, and how wonderfully it photographed, which is about the highest praise you can get from me 😉

Shoes: Payless

Happy Friday guys! I hope you all enjoyed this post and that you check out Time Machine Vintage.

Fashion Friday Featuring Corset Story

Hooray it’s Friday and boy do I have a great feature for you all, this week I am featuring Corset Story.

Corset Story is an online store, that works along side of thousands of international retailers, making them the largest distributers of corsets worldwide. Now before you wrinkle your nose at a “big business” I must let you know when I had questions about sizing I had someone helping me every step of the way with the kind of personal attention you would get from a boutique, but will all of the expertise of a large corporation. Not only is Corset Story an authority on the construction of their garments but they also have an extensive variety of styles, which means whether you prefer the rockabilly look (like I do) or are one of the few people cool enough to pull off the steampunk look (I applaud you) I can guarantee you will find something you want.

Its all about the details

 

Earrings: Stole em from my mom but you can get a similar pair from claires

Corset: Corset Story Can I just say how much I love this beauty? The ruffle edging, the incredible constructions (You can really cinch that waist in let me tell ya),  the ability to wear it dressed up or down, and my all time favorite print makes this the perfect corset in my eyes. My measurements are 36″ 27 1/2″ 36″ and with the expert advice I received I ended up getting a size 24 which fits beautifully thanks to the lace up back. If you have any size questions the team at Corset Story are more than happy to help, but I’d say their size charts are pretty accurate so you may not even need help 😉

Skirt: H&M

Shoes: DSW

I really hope you all enjoyed this post and that you check Corset Story out! Happy Friday my loves!

Fashion Friday Poodle Hair

Yes I know, guilty yet again of outfit repeating. But can you blame me? I am absolutely in  love with this chambray shirt. It’s super cute and quite functional. A lot of the time button downs can be a bit constricting, but I wore this outfit while working the merch table at a Keith Harkin performance last week, and let me tell you nothing will put a shirt’s comfort level to the test like the diving through mountains of merch at the beginning of a gig, and I am pleased to report my new shirt passed the test with flying colors. So ya I will continue outfit repeating without shame!

This shoot was a good bit of fun cause I was having a pretty fun poodle hair day, my little sister’s pug decided he would join in on the “modeling”, and turns out apartment complexes have quite a few photo ops. So a good time was had by all.

Frank is the real model clearly.

Bandana: Cavenders I think but I cannot find them on their site I did find some at REI though.

Earrings: I borrowed them from my mom but you can purchase some from Claires

Shirt: Target

Jeans: Old Navy

Flats: Payless

Hope you all enjoyed this post and that you have a great weekend. Happy Friday!