Newsboy.

This outfit started out different. The scarf was on my head, I had a giant necklace, and red lipstick. And then, somehow, that wasn't working and the scarf became a little bow tie.



It wasn't really cool enough for this kind of thing. Morning and evenings are chilly, but during the day in the sun it's still just a bit too much. Lately, I've been getting away from dresses and skirts. Even away from vintage! Not for good mind, just for the moment. I'm distracted by all the new fall things set up everywhere, and most of my favorite vintage spots seem to be running dry for the moment. This happened last year too. Suddenly we hit autumn and I wanted nothing more than pants and funny vests. Less delicate and frilly!

And just to round it all out, since suddenly it seems we're all loving outtakes these days, here is a picture of me being really derpy:



:D

Marshell.

This has nothing to do with anything I post about almost all of the time, but I need to share it with everyone I have ever met and not met:



But my goodness! I can't stand it! I've watched it about twenty times already. Everyone should watch it as many times as possible. Watch it all day. It's amazing. Ahh, so cute!

Striped Shirts: Saint James, at Last

In the list of things that I hoard collect, striped shirts is high on the list. Two or three weeks ago I counted them, and subsequently forgot the number. I can assure you it was a preposterous amount that was forgotten to spare myself the inevitable mortification following admission of such a number. No one needs that many striped shirts and yet each one is beautiful and unique (perhaps that's pushing it, but I do love all of them in their own ways).

For my birthday then, it seemed appropriate to ask for the ultimate striped shirt from Saint James. No more crappy (sorry, shirts) jersey numbers without the proper weight, this was to be the shirt blessed by Chanel and Picasso, not to mention the American girl's dream version of what her French counterpart would wear. I've been wanting one for ages, and finally I've got two!



Sizing was tricky. While generally I am in favor of large shirts (effortless, blousey) the unisex Meridien II (I got mine from J. Crew, but one can always pop over to the Saint James website) was massive on me to the point of comical. No amount of sleeve rolling would save it, so I opted for the XS. It's a bit tricky as well--it doesn't exactly hang when it reaches the hip area, but I've never been one able to style onself as a waif.



I love it to bits, even if it is still to hot to wear it just yet. Soon enough it will autumnal, and I'll be able to wear little else. I also snagged the Naval II tee, that one in a larger size, but as it's the tiniest bit lighter, it's in the wash after several wears already.

Pictures taken by John M. at Wainscott Beach

With a Bow on Top.

It's been a whirlwind of activity for the past few weeks, or perhaps it's only been two, so much that I've been stockpiling little bits of outfits and have nary a time to wear them! I'm getting that feeling that always comes around the end of summer, when there is still a good month and half to go and I'm starting to want nothing more than cardigans and tweed-things. I’m ready for fall. No more gauzy dresses, tank tops, sandals. Bring on the tights, cardigans, crunchable leaves. Keep the winter though, we can do without that. Just autumn.

In the meantime, I've been meaning to post for months about my go-to hair. My hair, in it's unfortunate state, is a strange not-quite shoulder length and not quite long. I waffle between wanting to be a more gamine version of myself and chop it all off, do the Charleston, and attempt to be effortlessly cool that way, and letting it grow to my elbows like two years ago.

In the meantime, up in some pins and with a scarf it goes. Some time ago, I would guess over a year, there was a girl on The Sartorialist with her hair pulled back and a greenish and gold scarf tied on her head. Her little bangs poked out under it to one side, and her light blue (possibly patterned) shirt was buttoned all the way up to the top button. She was just lovely, and I have no idea where the picture is even if I've saved it one hundred times.

Anyhow, I fairly soon after that started wearing scarves on my head.





Mostly to work (because i am always on the lookout for things to wear on my head there), but now it's becoming an almost-daily thing. I have large chiffon-ish scarves that give me nice floppy bows, and teeny square ones like this that give me strange little stunted bows. Occasionally I toss it to the side, jaunty, and if my bun is loose enough and low enough it's a bit apropo for a Gatsby-party.



I've also, as you can probably tell, become attatched to the coral lipstick I picked up for my Mad Men casting call picture (you can vote again there!). It might be my favorite lipstick, possibly of all time, but we'll see on that one. It's fantastic, stays on relatively well through the day, and has a really nice texture. Oh lipstick, why did I wait to long to wear you daily?

Stay tuned for the beach, Saint James shirts, and all the rest.

Apparently we all have scarves on the brain! Check out this adorable collection on the how-tos of tying scarves linked on Style Bubble

Cats and Dresses.

I'm on vacation at the moment, but of course I knew I'd be finding all manner of amazing things and so did not bother to make a note on this here blog! Plus, we all are aware that I tend to wander away for two weeks at a time and not say a word, so a prolonged silence would not have been uncharacteristic.

Today we stopped at the world's most glorious vintage/antique clothing store. The prices were so high that I couldn't have bought a thing there, but it was a particular kind of store that is so well-stocked, so loved and cared for that it was a treat just to go in a touch and see all the pretty clothes. The two women in the store were just lovely. They came and spoke to my mother and I for a good chunk of time about vintage clothes, about the intense work that goes into sewing, and showed us some gorgeous Victorian pieces.

However, there was one dress that that captured my heart and imagination like no other dress. Of course, I had to leave it behind, because my poor little bank account would have been not just empty, but negative. But look at it! It would have been the most perfect birthday dress!





Oh I love it! But I will have to be content with my quickly-taken little pictures, and perhaps doodling it in my journal. Perhaps someday I will wear it in a dream, though that might be even worse for not having it.

Part of the consolation of leaving empty-handed was the lovely little kitty sleeping in the sun on a pink set of chairs outside the store.



Oh she was so sweet! The whitest white, except when she started rolling around on the ground, with her pink nose and ears and little pads on her feet! And when she opened her eyes they were the most glorious shades of blue and green, like a little sea-cat!







And of course, just to keep the ball rolling, if you would please be so kind as to
VOTE FOR ME
in the Mad Men casting call :D Your words of encouragement and support are so sweet, they just make my day!