Moment of Lust - Vintage Chanel Brooch

Pins and brooches have been a favorite accessory of mine for many years. I even wore one in my hair on my wedding day. On my all time wish list, a vintage Chanel brooch is at the top. It's a classic piece that I know I will wear forever. My real issue would be, not wearing it. I'd wear it on jackets, sweaters, hats, and even t-shirts. I'm sure it would border on ridiculous. There are several reputable sellers that have Chanel brooches available. I'd love to have a large one, two inches or more. They range in price from about $250 - over $500. 

photo credit : Malleries.com

Usually, I find budget friendly alternatives for my lust items. In this case there aren't any.  A Chanel brooch is a stand alone piece. There is no substitute. For me, knock-offs aren't an option. They hurt the economy and support organized crime, child labor and human trafficking. A vintage piece is even better because it's a form of recycling (see how I just justified this big purchase). For me quality and the number of times I will wear a piece always matter. Sometimes a more costly piece can end up being a better value in the long run because you wore it more often. Knowing that this brooch will be worn over and over again and be passed down makes purchasing it a bit easier.

Click on the photos for information.

 

Maybe Santa will be good to me this year or I'll get an amazing birthday present.

20s Murder Mystery Party - My Costume

Over the Memorial Day weekend, my friends hosted a 20's era Murder Mystery party. I have never attended a party like this before. I can't wait for the next one. It was a blast. I'm sure that most of that had to do with the amazing people who attended the party. The food was great, the champagne was flowing and the mystery game was fun. It didn't hurt that everyone got to dress up in costume. I mentioned in an earlier post that I would most likely be wearing items that I already owned. I decided not to buy a new dress and wore one that I had stashed in my closet. It was the dress I wore to my 40th birthday party.

I have to apologize in advance for all of the kissy face expressions.  I could tell you that I was going for a 20's vibe but I think it had to do with the flowing champagne.  I accessorized my dress with long gloves, an art deco style bracelet (c/o Kristin Biggs of Stella & Dot), two long necklaces, a vintage brooch attached to a sash and tied as a headband, one of my favorite pair of earrings (Kristin Biggs of Stella & Dot) that you can't see due to my hair, lots of eye makeup and dark lips.

My friends bought the mystery game from Night of Mystery Murder Mystery Parties. You tell them how many people will be attending and they send all of the game information, including character info, printables for the game and all sorts of ideas.  They made it easy to throw a great murder mystery party. Just add some cool people, food, and drinks and you're ready to play.

It's Ok to Change Your Mind

Thank you all for indulging me with so many wedding related posts over the past few weeks.  With less than a month until the big day, it's all I can think about. This past weekend, I went to visit my mom for a wedding dress fitting.  I've mentioned that my Mom is making my dress. She's been working hard. I had a great weekend with my Mom, that included a trip to one of my favorite antique stores and lots of wedding talk.

A peek at the back of my dress, vintage pin I'm planning to wear in my hair, and my shoes (a bargain from Neiman Marcus Last Call)

 One of the best lessons I've learned through wedding planning is that you have to stay true to yourself and your inner voice.Over the course of planning, I've changed my mind about our location, my dress, our food, my jewelry, and other things. I'm usually very decisive and I have been when it comes to my overall vision.  The idea of an intimate wedding and an amazing party with great drinks, food and music. Changing my mind has been a bit out of character but I know now that we'll have the day we truly want.

Red or Fuchsia lipstick?

A few more feather projects for the big day.

Thrifty Vintage Weekends

Over the last couple of weekends I've done some thrift and vintage shopping. On our Memorial Day weekend trip, we hit up a great thrift store in Winchester, VA and an incredible antique shop called GNC Antiques & Collectibles.  Last weekend, on a whim, we visted my favorite Goodwill store in Alexandria, VA and spent the gift certificate that I won in the DC Goodwill Fashionista DIY contest.  I always find something great at that store.

I found so many amazing pieces at GNC Antiques. I had to narrow down my choices based on my budget. I could have gone nuts and bought jewelry, acessories and even furniture. I fell in love with this vintage ostritch fan from the 40's but the price was a bit more than I wanted to pay.


Vintage Ostritch Fan

 Here's the loot I snagged on my shopping trips!

I really love vintage bags but many times they are too small to make them practical for my daily life.  I like big bags and to be honest, tiny bags only work with my curvy girl frame, for a night out.  Otherwise, they can look like I'm carrying a little girl's bag. This one is big.  It fits all of my daily needs and still has that ladies that lunch look.

Vintage jewelry is so much fun. You know that you won't see your jewelry on anyone else. When I'm hunting for costume pieces, I always reach for those that are unique and even a bit quirky. These earrings and pin fit that bill. The earrings are big but they have a clip back.  I love the sparkle. The pin is like nothing I've ever seen. It's funky and the cascading beads make it a statement piece.

Recently the preppy look has returned with a vengeance. For me, preppy always included my Pappagallo (Bermuda) bag. When I was younger, I didn't exactly care for my bags like I should have. My original Pappagallo bit the dust long ago. I found this one at the thrift store in Winchester for only $5 and it included 3 additional covers. In case you aren't familiar with this type of bag, the covers can be attached and removed via the buttons to change up your bag. One of the covers is a rust colored suede. Such a steal! My Honey bought the bag, covers and a great scarf for me.


Barely there sandals are a staple of my summer wardrobe. I love the braided straps of this pair. I'll style these with a sundress or some slim summer pants. I'm even thinking of creating DIY options to change up the look. I'll get back to you.




My scarf collection is ridiculously large but I can't help myself. Silk scarves are truly the best buy at thrift stores, but I've told you that before. They can totally change your outfit and give a basic dress a whole new look. I scored all of the scarves below for $3 or less. The striped one is actually a long belt sash.

Looking beyond an item's original intention is something I do often when thrifting.  I found this watch band. It's stainless steel and I plan to wear it as a funky bracelet instead of a watch band. The buckle on top will look great stacked with some of my other bracelets. It's different and unexpected. I got it for only $1!

Quick Style: Just a Cluster

I love quick and easy ways to make an outfit special, different or fun. I can't take credit for this trick (I read it in a magazine at some point). However, I employed this trick during my teen years in the 80s. Back then I used my denim jacket and concert buttons but it's the same idea.

Just take a few different pins and cluster them on the shoulder of your cardigan or the lapel of your jacket.

Isn't that simple?  The beauty is that you don't even have to give thought to the size or color. It's brainless. Mismatching is the key. That's what makes it interesting. If you'd like to try this and don't have any pins or brooches, you can pick some up at the thrift or vintage store. I love the grab bins where you can get them for $1. Mix it up, to your hearts content.