today i got dressed up all fancy-like in my fur stole, benetton sweater, and pretty new black lace dress. for the past several months, i feel as though i’ve gotten away from more feminine looks such as this one, but recently i’ve been getting more excited about layering sweaters and cardigans with pretty vintage (or vintage-inspired) dresses, warm tights, and tall heels.  something about this particular look made me feel especially rich and decadent and it offered me an air of sophistication for the day (at least in my head!).

now that i’m on the hunt for more vintage dresses, i decided to check out the local vintage boutiques over the weekend with the hopes of scoring some new loot!  but alas, i went home empty handed without even a simple cardigan to show for it.  i feel like i sometimes talk about scoring vintage like it’s no big thing.  but it’s amazing how much of a challenge it really can be to find good vintage dresses that are not only pretty, but that actually fit.  good thing i’ll always have next weekend!

fur: thrifted vintage fur stole, gift from my mom

sweater: thrifted vintage benetton sweater

dress: black lace dress from modcloth

shoes: jeffrey campbell platform mary janes

one benefit of our recent time change is that the sun comes up nice and early to wake me up and get me ready for the day.  i don’t like the fact that it gets dark at 5pm, but the sunny mornings are something i really don’t mind since i’m now waking up around 7am most days.  on this particular morning, i was able to snag my boyfriend on a day off from work, so we decided to snap some photos in the sunrise.  we had so much fun playing with the sunlight, that we got a little carried away and took more photos than usual! which is actually a really nice way to start off the morning, especially when followed by a drive in the car blasting joni mitchell and singing along at the top of my lungs.

but onto my outfit: i just recently ordered this beautiful chiffon swiss dot dress from modcloth, and i think i’m in love.  the moment i pulled it out of the package, i knew is was going to be perfect.  it fits like a glove and i love the way the full skirt swishes around me when i move.  it really looks and feels just like a vintage dress, and most importantly, i just like the way it makes me feel.  don’t you love it when that happens?

sweater: thrifted benetton sweater
dress: moon collection swiss dot dress from modcloth
belt: skinny leather belt from urban outfitters
shoes: seychelles platform clogs
clutch: vintage eel-skin clutch from jessica of what i wore

over the past couple of months, my life has changed quite a bit.  i’m very happy and excited for all of the changes, but one thing that i’ve been sorely missing are my weekly trips to the thrift shops.  this weekend, i went to the bike expo in san francisco, and i just so happened to see a thrift store on our way home and swiftly changed course to stop in.  i was with friends, so i couldn’t stay as long as i wanted, rummaging through every single rack and shelf in the shop, but while i was there, i did manage a pretty good mini score of stuff: a beautiful brown benetton sweater, a silly vintage sweater shell with a little fur decoration, a pair of bass tassel loafers, and this beautiful silk skirt!

i wanted to wear the skirt right away, and it was the perfect opportunity to style up an outfit with this incredible sage green family affairs silk moonlight shirt that i received from the designer, nina, during a visit to her studio in new york over the summer.  i love the juxtaposition between the pale pastel and the more autumnal shades of brown and green.  and when i went up on the roof, the light blouse picked up the last of the setting sunlight as we transitioned from light to dark.

blouse: family affairs silk moonlight shirt

oh hello friends! it feels like it’s been such a long while since i’ve posted on here, even though it’s only been a week! things have been very hectic over here behind-the-scenes at calivintage, so i’ve been doing a little bit of hibernating when it comes to posting on the blog. i’m still getting dressed every day, but its been a challenge finding the time to get actual photos! but rest-assured, as i adjust to my busy schedule, i think i’ll start to post more regularly once again.

in the meantime, i thought i’d share my halloween “costume.” i actually had big plans to dress as peewee herman this year, but as it often does, halloween sorta crept up on me before i was able to hit the thrift shops in search of a grey suit and red bowtie, so i resorted to my closet for last minute preparations. i just so happened to have recently bought this very precious velvet dress with a ruffled lace collar and instantly knew that it would be perfect for a fancy french mime look. throw on the lightest shade of foundation at the drug store with some exaggerated eyeliner and very pink cheeks and you’ve got your costume. it’s what i wore for the halloween weekend (yep! friday, saturday, and sunday). these are a few shots i got at a halloween party hosted by nicole and ashley. i had a lot of fun posing for silly photos in nicole’s giant closet full of vintage treasures!