They say the best things in life are free. Like sunsets, friendship, and diamonds from rich suitors. And don't forget vintage cast offs from your friends. These past few weeks have been extra special, because I could take a break from diving head first into the trashcans lining the street on trash day. The trash came to me! No, not trash, this stuff is AMAZING and I'm so grateful that it was donated to the worthy charity that is my wardrobe. Here's what happened: Ever since I began this blog, people have been looking through boxes in their homes and have had what I assume was this internal dialog: "Hey me, look at all of this useless junk in my house. My grandmother (may she RIP) just HAD to leave me her old crap. ...You know who loves old crap? Marietta!" And that's how I came to have several deliveries of vintage treasures land on my doorstep lately. I've enjoyed receiving these gifts so much. The images above of the blue dress were dropped off by Christa, a friend of my sister's, who has had it in her family for a long time. She said her grandmother's sister made it herself in the 1930s! I'm not sure if it was crocheted or knitted, but it's got this awesome pattern of 3 buttons in a diagonal row all the way down the front. It fits perfectly, with a matching skirt. It was an honor to be gifted it, and it's my new favorite. I'd also like to thank my friend Lauren for hosting a HUGE clothing swap where I snagged some real gems. I showed up just at the end, and I still left with a big pile of clothing, including this awesome 1940's replica dress that I wore to WWII Weekend in Reading, PA. The plus side is that if I ever need a job as a diner waitress, I'll have a dress for that too. I'll write a blog post about how to host your own clothing swap sometime soon. Lastly, I received a big box of vintage patterns from another of my sister's friends, Julia. My sister received patterns AND beer, but who's keeping track? Thank you so very much Julia. She told us anything we didn't want to keep, we could discard. But I can't throw away perfectly good patterns, nor do I need this many. Although I'm thinking of putting some in frames, maybe I will attempt to make a few too. So who wants some? I want to pass on the generosity I received. You too can get things for free! What a bargain! Comment below if you'd like one and I'll choose a couple of people to send them to.
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15 Minutes Flapper Hair (if that!) Today I found a hot wave wand that I forgot I had and wondered to myself if it would make fake finger waves faster than making them authentically. Spoiler Alert: the answer is yes, it would, otherwise I wouldn't have written a blog post about it. The hair tool is pretty similar to an 80's or 90's crimping iron for those of us that used them. I have a 7th grade yearbook picture with evidence of my crimper in it. This one makes larger waves with a round shape rather than a zig-zag sawtooth. I got it in a pack with another regular curling wand but have never used it. UNTIL NOW................................... I told you before that I like to cheat, so I turned on my iron and only used it on the top layer of my hair until the top layer of my whole head was wavy. Lining up the waves achieves the best look so that the wave is uniform around the whole head. No brushing out. If I was planning to go out dancing I would have sprayed my head with hairspray and even re-enforced the waves by using hair clamps for a bit. But as I was home all day and hadn't even showered yet, I didn't do that extra step. Instead, I tucked the ends of my hair under and pinned it so that it looked like a shorter bob. If that's too difficult, you could also make a low bun at the nape of your neck. I added some lipstick and dark eyeshadow so you could get a better idea of how the look could come together in less than 15 minutes. Honestly, I'm kicking myself for not trying this sooner. May the force be with you, -Marietta P.S. Have you started the new Netflix show, The Cable Girls yet? I'm in it for the 20's fashion of course. I've been marathoning it all day in the background while I work. |
AuthorMarietta is a swing dancer, artist, & horticulturalist from Philadelphia. Archives
July 2018
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