Last Vintage Hat Friday!

Yes (tolling bells slowly across the land)...
It is the last Vintage Hat Friday.

Vintage Hat Friday helped us to bear those dark winter days in the workplace, an excuse to celebrate second-use clothes and show that you can be stylish and reused savvy in the workplace!

But now our work breaks turn towards spring- where you will find us crouched over cold frames eagerly tending the first crop of the season.

So, in the spirit of Vintage Hat Friday, we thought we'd end with a twist:
For all you loyalists, we decided to SWITCH OUTFITS of previously shown vintage duds!
So thaz right, peeps- Amy is wearing one of MY outfits, and I am wearing one of HERS!

So who ya gonna vote for NOW?
(Vote For Meeeee! ; ) )

Amy: Ode To Scrap Bar, NYC!

So this is it folks, the last 08-09 Vintage Hat Friday, and I’m trying very hard to look disenchanted with the establishment. I have to admit, I thought that cutting up shirts was something people in the 80’s did because they wanted to look tough, or perhaps just show cotton who’s boss, but frankly, it’s darned comfy. About 5 minutes after getting into this getup I started cataloging the shirts I have that could stand a little scissor action.

So, why should you vote for me? Well, I’ve managed to not only squeeze my size 8.5 feet into Copeland’s ladylike size 7 platform Converse sneakers, but I have done so with an injured toe! (Hey, she’s gonna play the “woe is my I skinned my knee!” card, so I’ve got to employ countermeasures where I can!) And then managed to climb on top of the vintage Lane chest without falling off! Since I’m more accident prone than a dizzy knife juggling clown that is quite the accomplishment.

I have never attempted to ‘stick it to the man’ before, but I seem to be managing pretty well J Look, I even put on extra eyeliner for you today! I’m going to miss our time together on Fridays, but hopefully we’ll see you again next fall for… Vintage Hat Friday! (Vote for Me!)

Copeland: “Social Net-Working?”
This hat gives new meaning to networking. I love the details, and the way it shows so nicely against the pink hair.

Now on Amy, this outfit looked rather prim and '50s.
But I am TOTALLY feeling the New Wave 80s vibe when I put these digs on!

I feel elegant in a "I'm off to The Ritz to see the Flock of Seagulls" kinda way.

So, Don't.
Don't You Want Me...


The skinned knee? (Flutters eyelashes) I wasn't going to mention it, but SINCE Amy did, yes, I had an office mishap earlier this week.
It was a rather spectacular wipe out...
I wish we had filmed it!

So vote for me, Miz Wounded Knee Social Networking New Wave Princess Gal!

 

Vintage Hat Friday! And lotsa house kit pics this weekend!

Vintage Hat Friday is almost over!
And modern house kit enthusiasts I have good news- the Amish have installed the cladding, the last large doors on the south side, so tomorrow I will be taking LOTS of house kit pictures now that the exterior is finished!!!!

Copeland : Swing On Sally
My friend Leah (who is now a naturopath in Portland) and I were in our teens, shopping at the local thrift store (Fan Thrift) when we spied a PAIR of dresses with matching jackets for two dollars! Back then we thought that was expensive but could not resist getting matching vintage outfits- which, years later, we wore swing dancing, then to cocktail parties...

The hat is another local find, and the gloves were purchased at an estate sale.
The cocktail shaker is a family item from the 1920s, I mean, hey, it's Friday and five o'clock somewhere, right?

So c'mon out and Vote Fer Me, Swing On Sally!

Amy: Navy Nightingale

This hat was purchased on the very last day of an estate sale, haggled for and acquired in a moment of “well, it’s a hat. I’m sure I can use it…for Vintage Hat Friday!” It came with a lovely rhinestone brooch attached, and while I thought in the dim interior lighting it was black, it turned out to be Navy Blue.

Well now. I have plenty of uses for a black hat, but only one for navy. This dress. It’s a lovely wrap dress I purchased from my hometown CHKD thrift store in high school. It is elegant, slimming, and a disaster on a windy day *ahem* Ah, those wrap dresses. I don’t know how women wore these out of the house and maintained their dignity, but I know I chickened out and brought a suit to wear out the door today so I would not suffer misfortune at the hands of a capricious cross-breeze.

 

Cladding update -AND- Vintage Hat Friday - We're playing fer yer heart!

Great news, modern energy-efficient house kit people!
The final modern house cladding arrives this afternoon AND I had a great conversation with someone from (drumroll) THE CLADDING MANUFACTURER who seemed immediately to "get" your market potential as residential consumers who want to clad their modern house kit in sleek, gorgeous metal siding.

So I may have some super updates for you in the coming weeks regarding this subject, stay posted!

Sadly, (unless the house kit enthusiasts revolt) we are soon winding up Vintage Hat Friday.
'Cause then it will be gardening season and we can take work breaks playing in the garden so there will be no need to dress up and showcase recycled style on Fridays. : )

Now poor Amy is at a convention, but insisted on submitting a lone photo for your consideration:

Amy: Your vote should 'Be Mine!'

"Happy Valentines Day!

The dress was a Christmas Gift from a certain Miss Megan, and you've seen the hat and shoes before.

I had intended for this to be a bit more fab, but 4 hours of sleep and running late for a trip will make you pose poorly in bad lighting while simultaneously having a bad hair day. Ah well... Happy Voting!"

Now I was feeling sorry for her... until I *brightly* recalled HER FATHER had sent in a submission we hadn't yet used!

(Copeland: Cackling wildly:)
I present Mr. White...

Mr. White:
"Gypsy Rose He?

This entry is all vintage, the picture, the hat, the outfit, me.

It is also wrong on so many, levels; the cross dressing, the makeup, the stereotyping of gypsies, the excessive bling.

Let me explain; it seems well over a half-century ago my mother decided it would be great fun to dress up her 3 year old son for Halloween. This picture documents the results. Oh, the inhuMANity of it!

Apparently the sins of the grandmothers are passed down to the granddaughters for Amy early on became a “poser” and now is afflicted with a strange attraction to old clothes. Even now I can barely stand to show my face. A vintage vote for me to break the family curse! (Wonder what Copeland’s grandmother did, I mean, what’s up with the pink hair?)"

Copeland's Response:
Ok White Family Team, I'm gonna have to respond directly to Mr. White by asking AMY:
"Amy, did yer dad jest call you a poser?"
And...
"Is that your DAD in DRAG????????"

(A-hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!)

As for myself, I have been eagerly watching the calendar no, not for Valentine's Day (sorry Handsome Husband) but for...
GARDENING GODDESS SEASON!!!!

Yes, in about a week or two I break out my sexy cold frames and start seeds when they otherwise would not grow. So in honor of the Garden Gods I present...

A 1960s PURPLE LILY MUMU!!!!!!
I adore flitting about the lavender and mint in this number...

The hat, you've seen on another Vintage Hat Friday...

And the watch? Plucked from the waves to be recycled (and free!) last summer.

The shoes are Melissa, I love them!
Why do I love Melissa so?
From Inhabitat:
"Melissa Shoes are made from MELFLEX plastic, a patented, hypo-allergenic, recyclable, and extremely flexible PVC. The shoes are totally cruelty free and devoid of animal products. The Brazilian-based company is totally rad in its recycling of 99.9% of factory water and waste, and they also go the distance by recycling overstock styles into next season’s collection. Even better? Melissa Shoes employees are paid above average wages and benefits.

What’s not to like in these plastic fantastic accessories? What a fabulous way to traipse and tromp through spring rain puddles, or consider wearing Melissa Shoes on your next urban eco-adventure and watch heads turn with total green envy!"

So, this Friday, choose The Gardener Gal and... Vote for ME!!!!
: )

 

Vintage Hat Friday! Mad Madam vs. Walkin' On Sunshine vs. A Hat of Dubious Nature!

(The picture to your left represents Me vs. The Cladding Industry...)
Oh yes, it's *that* day again- don't worry, Vintage Hat Friday will soon be winding down. : )
On the house kit front, I owe you a long blog post but the short update is that I will be calling my fantastic contractor to discuss the latest estimates from the cladding company...

More on that later...
Even if we do this, he is saying the rest of the metal wouldn't arrive until NEXT Friday (I distinctly remember telling him to order it) and then those north clerestory flat panels arriving the FOLLOWING Friday. So in the end, the cladding mishaps will have delayed our progress for... a month? Really?

For new followers, the cladding is not part of the house kit (which went up quickly and easily). It was just something extra I was trying to do that you could choose to purchase affordably if you chose to clad your house with the metal look. For more on the cladding saga, see here, here, and here.

Anyhoo, on to Vintage Hat Friday.

Copeland: The Mad Madam!
Ah, another gown purchased already worn years ago and reused for parties often. However the last party took it to another dimension- it was a punk rock Breakfast At Tiffany's party at my friends house that are in a hard core band, GWAR, and everyone cleaned up and looked sparkling suave. I had even taken the extra step to ensure dress code by buying a *bunch* of vintage ties for the guys... and had no need to: those grungy men cleaned up, and stole the show! Sophisticated smoking jackets, sharp suits... wow.

This dress looked quite different by the end of the evening- I had been tasked with passing out a lovely silver tray full of brightly colored JELLO SHOTS... by the end of the evening this white gown had transformed into a tie-die of hues as the jello melted...

This vintage gown is not only encrusted with rhinestones, but it even has *pockets!*

Earrings? My grandmother.
Gloves? I admit it, I was a debu-tramp. They still come in handy...
The Hat? You've seen this before... My 4 year old begged me to wear it today, so there ya go!
And the 1960's bar set? Found for $7 (and I cringed to pay that then) at a fabulous yard sale years ago... SO worth it, such a stylin', suave set!

Happy Friday, Please Vote For Me!

Amy: “Walkin’ on Sunshine”

The short days of winter are slowly getting longer, and soon warm spring air with infiltrate the frigid cold. Gray and sunny, this outfit is all about the unpredictable transition from winter to spring. I’ll admit it, I’m an earth tones kinda gal, but my friend Edith from the Dance Space bought me this lovely citrus number at an auction she attended recently and I knew it had to make an appearance on Vintage Hat Friday! So I grabbed everything even remotely sunny out of my closet and made do. It might not all match, but I like to think it “goes”.

The coat is a vintage London Fog trench, and I bought it at “Nonesuch” a vintage store in the fan that has unfortunately been closed for about a year. The dress (from Diversity Thrift) looks to me like it was from the 60’s or 70’s and has some neat details. The stripe down the center is not sewed on overtop, it’s actually a split in the front of the dress and yolk that reveals the color of the lining underneath. The gray and orange pattern has stumped me for years trying to find shoes to wear with it, so today I gave in and just wore my baddest, brightest, tallest pair of red patent heels from the Salvation Army thrift store.

The gray tights are meant to pull in the gray from the dress pattern. I have to say, that Marimekko behind me might just save me this week, I think the art is what’s actually pulling it all together.

Happy Vintage Hat Friday! Oh, and ignore what Megan said about me threatening bodily harm. She begged to play! *wink*

Copeland's Note:
We have a new contender for Vintage Hat Friday, Miss Megan.
(Enter your own workplace! We'd love to see ya! Vintage Hat Friday ends in February!)

Megan takes Vintage Hat Friday to a whole nuther level. I want her hair. And the boots. And she frickin' made the outfit. Made it. Fine, there's no "Vintage Hat" but we're showcasing reuse,craftiness, and style and the girls wins points for all!

Megan: " I'm pretty sure Amy threatened physical violence if I didn't enter this week. I still don't think It's terribly vintage or hat-ty, but I like living...

The dress is something I made this week out of recovered vintage lace and velvet.
I nearly cried cutting into the lace.

Quite likely either an Ebay acquisition years ago or it was with the lot of dresses I got at an auction of a family friends farm. At least early 60's I think. The velvet was aquired from the Fashion Dept. at VCU, where upon occasion there will be piles of free stuff(ie fabrics and sundry sewing things). I got to class early that day and thusly I got the good pick. There was 6 yards of this fawn colored gold backed velvet, and maybe 3 of a darker brown. Both have just enough sparkle to suggest mid 70's.

Underneath is one of my mother's square dancing petticoats. It's red. Bright red. Fire engine red. Yeah. I'm one of THOSE girls, apparently. You know, who wear scandalous color underthings and the like...

The headband was made of the same materials, thusly matching in a fantastic manner. Also, helps blend into the woods...in a glittery cammo manner. It goes on my head, so I suppose that makes it a hat.

A hat of dubious nature. "

 

Vintage Hat Friday! Feathers & Cherries VS. Delirious Diva!

Don't worry modern house kit peeps- Vintage Hat Friday ends in February.
In regards to our own house kit construction, we are on hold as we await the cladding.
Oh, you may recall my little Cladding Rant... (Note to new followers- this is not part of the "house kit" - this was a vendor I was trying to offer a separate solution for anyone that wanted metal cladding at an affordable price. You can choose any siding for your passive house kit- reclaimed cedar, eco-board, etc.)

Well, that missing top of the north face (where the clerestory windows are) is not due to arrive for... two and a half weeks.
*Sigh*

Any-hoo, on to Vintage Hat Friday! Where we celebrate reuse and recycling in the workplace! You can look cool and corporate in old clothes, yes you can!

Amy: “Cherries and Feathers”
Hold the Cherries

{Obscure reference, can you name that musical?}

I love this hat! When I first saw it, it felt very “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” I think it’s the only thing I’ve ever bought at Halcyon that was NOT from the rummage sale. I would go into the shop and moon over it…try it on…then sigh heavily and put it back.

“No..” I would think…”I mustn’t!”

And then, one day… I did.

I couldn’t take it any longer, and I broke down and bought it (though I did get the lovely shop owner to throw a hatbox in the bargain to protect the hat’s fantastic-ness). This number is the queen of my closet, sitting imperiously on the top shelf above all my other accoutrements in its white and gold hatbox. It’s from the old Miller and Rhoads store in Richmond, and it’s in nearly impeccable condition. A miracle considering the whole brim is meticulously draped in pinfeathers.

The shirt I bought in high school before attending my first Opera with James. It was on sale at Jessica Mclintock, and I loved all the pleated lace details at the sleeve and back. The black chandelier earrings were a gift from my parents, the shoes a fabulous guilty pleasure from (gasp!) Payless. The skirt you’ve seen many times before if you’ve been watching VHF, as it’s my go-to black pencil skirt. The gloves were I think the first vintage item I ever bought, back in early, early high school. I bought them because they were leather gloves; I later figured out they were older than I was by a longshot.

Oh, and it was my birthday this week, so VOTE FOR ME!

Copeland: The Delirious Diva
I'm sick (nothing contagious, I would never do that to people at work).... but that won't stop me from our Vintage Hat Throwdown. I'm hoping my delirium will come across in the photos as Mysterious French Sophisticated Diva. Eh, maybe not. : )

Yesterday, Amy was happily chirping about the office yesterday that "I had better bring it on as she had a FABULOUS hat."
Young pup, you don't issue challenges to us grizzled wolves unless you're prepared for a battle. ; )
So... I pulled out a velvety "feathered" closely cropped vintage hat with a bow, and one of my oldest thrift finds: a *hand sewn* *hand beaded* 1940s dress I purchased, used, when I was fourteen.

In the first few years I wore it, I paired the dress with ripped fishnets and combat boots, and topped the look with a net hood I wore to keep my hair tucked back. I wore that dress to many nightclubs and mosh pits.

After college, returning to Vir-gin-ya, I found I could brush my hair, twirl it up into a twist, add pearls and pumps, and suddenly I had Ole Richmond Cocktail Party, without having to drop dollars on a dress!

Today, I paired it with nude fishnets I bought from Bygone's in Carytown AGES AGO... I think they're from the 1960s, I purchased a few colors still in their packages- nude, purple, hot pink...

The vintage quarter-sleeve coat I picked up years ago, I believe in Fan Thrift, for about fifty cents- and also pairs well with ballgowns on more ceremonious occasions.

Anyway, it may have been Amy's Birthday this week, but I'm *SICK* so VOTE FOR MEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!

 

Vintage Hat Friday! Baby, It's Coooooold Outside.

Honeychiles, it is COLD outside.
So when I carefully planned my Vintage Hat Friday ensemble (read: five seconds before jumping into shower), I was inspired by the freezing Arctic temperatures we are enduring this week.

Hence, I present, in honor of all of you contractors and crew working in bitter temperatures:

Copeland: Dr. Zhivago, Dr. Seuss.
Zhivago: The coat was a vintage gift from Handsome Hubby who proudly noted it was from Iceland. He found it in a local Goodwill and could not believe it had made it all the way to Virginia.

The boots? Timberland, who puts their commitment to being environmentally friendly right on the box. I chose these with the outfit because I certainly didn't imagine Dr. Z's Julie Christie would be tramping through snow drifts in HEELS, would she? Once these boots no longer look nice, I then reuse them as my "land" boots- to wade through mud, prevent copperheads from reaching my delicate limbs, and hold up to tough work on the land.

The Hat? Estate sale purchase, along with the gloves, reused from our Halloween Vintage Hat Friday... : )

Seuss: And then there's the dress. I have long called this dress my "Dr. Seuss dress."

Note the collar and cuffs- oh yeah, baby, that's real um... carpet? Amy says it's not shag rug but possibly hook-n-loop. She always knows 'bout stuff like that...

But I've always loved this dress, and despite it's Dr. Seuss imagery and carpets on the edges, it always makes me feel... elegant! Really!

So... VOTE FOR ME!!!!!

Amy: “Man About Town”

This week my outfit is negligible. Yes, most of it is from thrift/vintage stores… Pants are from the local diversity thrift store, vest, shoes and shirt are from Goodwill. The vest is actually vintage, a “Lord & Taylor’s ‘Country Clothes” piece that I have adored ever since I found it late last summer. The shoes are kind of nifty, since they resemble men’s dress shoes from the front, but give me an extra inch or two of height discreetly in the heel. But this week, it’s all about the hat.

This hat belonged to my paternal grandfather, Eulion. The black and white picture I’ve brought along this week is over 50 years old, and you can see my grandfather wearing this hat, standing in the middle of the other two gentlemen. At that time my grandfather owned a general store, my grandmother Edith made clothing alternations in the back of the store while she watched their children.

While I was growing up there were a few of his hats around our house that my brothers and I played with (and argued over). His fishing hat, his tweed hat, and his ‘fancy’ hat. Somehow or other I seem to have ended up with the coveted “fancy hat.”

I’ve accessorized with his bamboo walking cane…with which I might have tripped a childhood friend in a misguided emulation of the classic Looney Toons “pull someone offstage with a cane” trick. I also might have been put in time out for 45 minutes for that shenanigan…ahem.

Anyway, have a wonderful weekend, and VOTE FOR MEEEE!

 

Vintage Hat Friday!

For new followers, be forewarned that on Fridays during the winter we get rather silly.
Here, we celebrate Vintage Hat Friday, where we reuse and recycle clothes to look pretty darned stylin' in the workplace!

Now if you're here for the passive solar house kit, here's the latest:
I will post a looooooooooooong blog this weekend giving all the details (let's just say it involves the Amish and the internet) but the cladding arrived Friday, and they have been hard at work all week. Please do know that it rained a few days here, so I don't expect them to be done when we go out this weekend. There is a 60% chance of rain tomorrow, so keep your fingers crossed it holds off and we can access the property without getting stuck in the mud.

Oh, wait: Did someone say... VINTAGE! HAT! FRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Amy: The Pink Pretender

I have a secret… I don’t like pink. (Shhhh – Don’t tell Copeland!). However, when I come across fantastic pink vintage, I can’t resist. This pink dress suit was at the fabled estate sale (the one we always talk about on VHF because we have so many items from it), and I passed up on it the first two times I went. On the last day I was browsing though the last of the sewing supplies, and ran across a vintage pattern that looked strangely familiar. Then I looked up at this suit hanging from the doorway and a light bulb went off in my brain. “She MADE that!?!” Being a fellow sewer, I simply couldn’t leave it to be sent off to wherever the unwanted items go. So I brought it home.

The hat. Halcyon Rummage sale (I know, again). It’s a wired flower circlet with lavender mesh and velvet ribbon on top. Little wired tabs that look like leaves stick down on either side to stabilize it and keep it firmly affixed to the head.

The Brooch: I have no idea who gave it to me…It may have been my mother, my grandmother, our next door neighbor in NoVa, or any of my childhood friend’s mothers. I remember my little girlfriends and I used to squabble over it as children. It always reminded me of the little magical dog figurine from my favorite book as a little girl: “No Flying in the House” and I think my impassioned pleas determined me the final holder of the dog pin.

Shoes, the goodwill, you’ve seen them many times before in VHF. They are tried and true contenders. The tights? Bought at a wig store last weekend for 2.99. Can’t beat it!

I have to say, I LOVE Copeland’s outfit this week. I’d wear it out anywhere, and those hairpins are divine. I won’t even suggest we dock points because she isn’t wearing a hat. That being the case I will forgive my loyal followers who decide that her outfit is just too fabulous not to vote for this week. I’m going to angle for the young vote instead:

“Children under 12, LOOK! I’m wearing all pink, flowers and puppy dogs! Vote for ME!”

Copeland: I call my outfit Stylin' Shanghi!
I'd like to tell you about the jacket, but I have no idea, I know it's vintage but I can't remember where I got it.

Now this week, for my Vintage Hat, I pulled some vintage hairclips that I think are really neat. Oh, puh-leeze, potato, po-tah-to.

These clips certainly have more substance than some of the frothy netting hats we wear! I hope we can get a good closeup of these- they're really cool- Romanesque branches, maybe ferns?

The earrings I purchased at a yard sale years ago- they're dogwood blossoms with little rhinestones in the center.

The ring is part of my Lucite ring collection, I've been collecting these forever.


The necklace is NEW. I got it yesterday.
So why the heck am I featuring it in Vintage Hat Friday?
Because it has a purpose- if you're in Richmond, head over to Compass Jewelry in Carytown, near Ukrops. They are selling a group of beautiful jewelry (many around $50) to benefit the Children's Home Society of Virginia!

I am rarely attracted by anything in first use, but here's a memento I can stand behind! Every time I wear this for the rest of my life I will always think of the Children's Home Society, a wonderful organization on whose Community Resource Board I participate.

So, folks, please get busy in the comments area below and...
VOTE FOR MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

 

Vintage Hat Friday!!! Reuse With Style At Work!!!! Celebrate Recycled Style!!! : )

Welcome to our first Vintage Hat Friday in 2009!!!
For all you house kit enthusiasts, here's the latest news: The cladding was delivered to the Amish this morning. They were able to unload it at the brother's sawmill, and I wish I could have been in that huge truck with the driver as he pulled off of the highway into the world of horse-and-buggy. He said he had a great time watching the entire operation as he waited for them to unload, using special "Amish forklifts" that meet their religious criteria (you can see pictures and a video of the Amish forklift by clicking here).

So... back to Vintage Hat Friday, where we celebrate reuse and recycling in our workplace.
For those of you that don't know, Vintage Hat Friday came about when we were trying to think of something fun to do in the winter to make the dark, solemn winter Fridays more bearable. You may find Vintage Hat Friday pretty silly; but I assure you, we're out to beat each other each week and have our game face ON! : ) If you'd like to compete, just email me!

Copeland: Ah, how can I not call this outfit... Pretty In Pink?

• The hat? It's fabulous. I feel like a rakish Mad Hatter plotting sophisticated "tea" parties in it. ; ) In fact, the last time I wore it I threw a Mad Hatter party, I will have to dig up those pictures of a crowd full of elegant people in vintage hats... on a gorgeous spring day... with handmade birthday cake... it was so pretty...
• The earrings, necklaces and bracelets were all my grandmothers.
• The gorgeous cape? Ahem, that was bought as my Christmas present from AMY at a local vintage store... I am using her own fantastic finds as a weapon against her! Oh yes, I would!
• The dress? High school... I guess that counts as vintage? I love this dress, was a great Goth dress that I now wear more casually to work when I want to feel like I'm working in my pajamas!
  
• The boots. Well, ok, those boots are new. But a 4 year old insisted I wear them with the outfit, and how could I say no? However, I would like to talk about these boots, which I will wear for years. They met my criteria: I need tall, thick, flat boots, because I wear them until they become shabby, at which point they begin their second life as "land boots" - where they become caked with mud, and are durable enough to resist copperheads and cow dung. I was impressed with Timberland's commitment to the environment, which they plainly stated on the box.
  

Amy: This week: An Old Fashioned New Year

After staying out at a New Years Eve Party ‘til 5 AM and sleeping until noon yesterday I was in little mood to pile on the glam today.

So I went with my favorite understated felt hat, a black shirtdress with matching brown piping, my go-to black leather boots, and a fantastic purse.

The hat I purchased years ago on my first trip to Halcyon (I have a weakness for brown hats it seems). It’s a teeny felt number with a tan, fawn, and coffee color combo.

The purse was a gift from my friend Michelle, she went with me to the rummage sale this year and I showed her the things I had been lusting after but never bought. She snuck back and bought me this purse, then hid it for 3 months until Christmas J it’s utterly fantastic, beautifully detailed structured leather.

The dress and boots are thrift store finds (real leather boots for 10 bucks? Can’t beat it!) and the belt, well, that’s a bit of a story. It was part of a costume James (my husband) wore to a costume convention in 2003. We were dressed as original characters designed by our superbly talented friend, Lesley. His costume called for about 30 black and silver belts, and we have never been at a loss for those since.

I’ve been taking a beating the last few weeks, as Copeland has turned out top notch outfits every week. But she’d better look out - I’ve got some sassy things coming down the pike!

I hope everyone has a fantastic start to 2009, and to quote a certain pink-haired boss, VOTE FOR ME! ;)

 

Reuse, Recycle, And Celebrate Stylin' Thrift At Work! Vintage Hat Friday!!!!

Don't worry, modern affordable house kit peeps. Everything starts again the first week of January.
In the meantime, we here at Copeland Casati Media (my Richmond, Virginia advertising / web company) celebrate thrifty reuse and recycling in the winter by being silly and proclaiming the last work day as...
Vintage Hat Friday!!!!

Amy: Presenting: Gifts that Keep on Giving

My entire outfit today is made of gifts from other people. It wasn’t intentional…I actually didn’t think of it until I found myself searching for a theme and dismissing a number of cheesy Christmas song titles. But I think this is the first VHF where I can’t say “got at Halcyon, Goodwill, etc.” about anything. It humbles you a bit when you realize that but for the generosity of others, you be modeling Lady Godiva’s fashion trend.

The dress was made by my mother when she was about my age, and worn to many a Christmas party. She gave it to me recently and I’ve been enjoying wearing it all this season. The velvet coat was a gift from my father’s friend, who found it in his mother’s attic and knew how I liked vintage clothes. I spent some time last night mending some open seams on the back, and now it’s good as new and ready to go to the opera… In the meantime, I sure hope it’s happy going to the office! : ) Thank you, Mr. Coleman. The shoes were a gift from my grandmother, vintage black lace heels from a country I hope to visit, Spain. The hat is a vintage 1950’s “Made in West Germany” feather headband. The second time I put it on the antique glue let go and all the feathers fell off! Yikes! I’ve restored it and now enjoy wearing it, though it is quite understated for something made entirely of black glossy feathers.

Thank you to everyone, friends and family, who I’ve had the pleasure of spending another lovely year with. I’m grateful for all of you. It’s been a crazy year, and I look forward to the next! Happy Holidays, whatever you’re celebrating I hope you have a season filled with quiet joy.

Copeland: I call my outfit, "Scottish Highlander Tartan Something Or Another" Actually I woke up this morning with a GREAT name but now I've forgotten it so I'll just call it, "Highland Ho."

Well, the fun part about this outfit is that I've already used the skirt, gloves and shoes in previous Vintage Hat Fridays - what could be better than recycling and reusing previous Vintage Hat Friday items?!? That's what it's all about, bay-bee!

So, let's start with the hat:
My great aunt Dorothy Gundlach brought this to my mother when she went abroad. I then used to wear it when I was about ten- there are pictures of me with a Lady Di haircut, purple oxford and this hat under a tree on our family farm, Rotherwood. It was recently discovered, and perfect for Vintage Hat Friday. Perfect for a gray rainy day! I feel like a Highland Lass!

To complement the tam, I pulled a 1980s power jacket from my closet- I don't remember where I got it but it totally says 1980s New York Donald Trump Tavern On The Green Party to me. I think it's Nicole Miller.

The bustier is a 1990s thrifty purchase from my New York days at The Cat Club (13th & W. Broadway) where one of my best friends worked- who didn't play there? Henry Rollins, Sonic Youth, so many... if you were metal or punk, you hung out there. Ah the days of crimped hair and pink eyeshadow...

The necklace is a medal of some kind of my grandmothers. It has an archer on it, which attracts me terribly as I am currently trying to find the time to haul myself out to Green Tops and get my Fred Bear recurve strung. Like I am going to drag chilluns into a store full of weapons. Like I have any time to myself to do such fun things. *Sigh* I'm trying to read what it says but it's on my neck and upside down and hurting my eyes so nevermind!

Oh, wait: I remember what I was going to call this outfit!
Tartan Trollop!
(Why is Amy snickering in the corner?)

We hope you all have a wonderful holiday, and look forward to continuing more passive solar house kit news in 2009!

 

Vintage Hat Friday!

Annnnnnd itttttttttttt's... Vintage Hat Friiiiiiiiiiiiday!!!!!

Copeland: This Vintage Hat Friday finds Amy out of the office, and I am running from preschool, to a serious meeting with a law firm client, back to deadlines, then to a locally-made bicycle launch party, 44cycles, in a fabrication shop, Tektonics, where they are, with other businesses, revitalizing an old warehouse/industrial part of Richmond.
Whew.

The meeting with the law firm is to review and complete any final touches before their web site goes live. We are also planning the firm photoshoot, and I have emphasized that they need to come to the shoot DRESSED, with their game on, about to kick bootie for their clients, not like they're shuffling off to a golf course in rumpled polos and comfy pants.

So I thought I could use this week's Vintage Hat Friday to show them that you don't have to buy a sharp new suit, you can reuse and recycle and still look professional and sharp!

I pulled out an elegant sweater-suit I bought from an estate sale, threw on jewelry, and applied darker makeup than I normally wear at 8a.m.

When you're trying to look important jewelry is critical.
And brushing your hair. So instead of my usual mess, I brushed it back for a polished look. Law firm ladies, are you taking note?
; )

It's all about the Day-To-Fabulous-Evening-Cocktail-Wear.

And it's amazing what gloves and a hat will do... ; )





Amy: I may be out of town, but that sure doesn’t mean I’m out of the game.

Presenting: The Dynamic Duo!

Dangerously fashionable, these two matching vintage bucket hats are utilitarian in the extreme! A wide circular brim makes this the perfect hat for averting rain or sunshine, and metal grommet ventilation holes in a contrasting color pop against the bleached white of the hat. But that’s not all! Both hats include interior sweatbands with complimentary sweat from years of use.

Thanks to my model for hat #2 – Dad ;)

 

Vintage Hat Friday! Stylish Reuse At Work!

Sadly for the modern house kit enthusiasts we *are* still continuing Vintage Hat Friday.
But good news! I'm running outta hats! : )
(And yes, I will have updates- we're going out to the land this weekend. Not much to say- our passive solar zero energy house kit is weathertight, but the cladding hasn't arrived... so no big visual changes.)

Amy: “Pleasant Pheasant”

This week I decided it was time to bring my A Game. Clearly my ode to the 70’s didn’t go so well, and a number of my dedicated voters threatened to defect when Copeland pulled no punches with a stunning double breasted velvet coat that even I was tempted to vote for.

So this week I pulled out my grandmothers special occasion pheasant feather hat. The entire surface of this hat is painstakingly covered in layers of multicolored iridescent feathers that were glued into place by hand. I’m also sporting her gray Italian leather boots, which I think are probably the most sumptuous footwear I’ve ever had the pleasure of flaunting. If anyone knows a really good cobbler in the Richmond area I need to have them resoled and want to make sure I take it to someone who will do a great job (I’d love any recommendations!).

Paired up with these two items is a vintage secretary style dress from Halcyon and short black cotton gloves from an estate sale.

Thanks, and Happy Vintage Hat Friday!

Copeland: I'm feeling very Sailor Moon today.

The hat? My grandmother's.
Gloves? Estate sale, of course.
The dress and jacket? I got this a few years ago... Made by a cosplay seamstress! I don't even play video games! But thanks to Amy, I am now aware that if you want something tailored to your measurements, affordably, go and troll the cosplay vendors- a lot of those costumes can make funky chicken work suits!
The boots? Honeychile you *know* those boots were made fer walkin'. I bought them a few years ago for a 1960s Motown themed benefit for the Children's Home Society, an adoption agency that does wonderful things for Virginia children, and am glad whenever I have an opportunity to reuse them.


SNIPPY COMMENTS FLUNG ABOUT THE OFFICE:
Amy: "I hope I look like you in my 30s, then I could still do cosplay."
Me: I FEEL SOOOOOO OLD NOW!!!!! My day is RUINED!
(Not that 30s is old, I consider age a blessing of experience! Most of our friends are *decades* older than we! But she made me feel... haggard! ; ) )
So to get her back I'm gonna pass on a comment from someone here when they saw her walk in:
"Hey, I see you went dove hunting on the way to work~ by the way, it landed on your head!"
(Don't say we're never not snarky to each other! ; ) )
Amy's response: "Yeah, I didn't want it to go to waste. Hey, I have a Cherokee ancestor and I use *every* part o' the buffalo too!"

 

Vintage! Hat! Friday!!!!! Reuse and Recycle In Style At Work!

Oh c'mon. You knew we were still gonna do this, right?

Copeland: Well, the hat was my grandmother's. I never saw her wear it, she was much more of a Lilly dress, pearls, white Keds and cable cardigan kind o' gal. So I wonder what she wore it with...

The dress and shoes are not (quite) vintage, but for some reason I awoke in a snappy 1940s mood today... these daggone wrap dresses are supposed to be so breezy and comfortable. All I ever do when I wear this dress is twist it around and pull on it. Drat. It either looks really good, or makes me look like a strumpet. Today, the dress... erhm... I took it off after the shoot.

The coat? Well, that's the Adam Ant pirate in me showing through... you know I don't stay groomed long... I found this coat, years ago, at HaAnd the gloves, from the fabulous estate sale we patronized a few weeks ago.

I call this outfit... Pirate-Eye Noir! I hope I would be the bad girl in this Recycled Reused Private, er, Pirate Eye film... ; )
Amy:
Copeland’s had a few Ode to the 70’s, so I thought it was about time I pulled out my early 70’s ensemble (the fact that it’s my warmest outfit and it’s COLD today has nothing to do with it).

I take an odd pride in the fact that with the exception of some tiny navy spots in the dress pattern, this outfit is entirely shades of brown. Hat – Can’t remember where or when I got it. Coat – bought at *sigh* the mall, but it was a purchase from high school that I’ve been hanging on to for quite some time. The dress was another acquisition from that fantastic estate sale you keep hearing us go on about, as were the gloves. The dress required some very minor repairs, but how can you say no to a dress with a matching rawhide fringe belt? You simply can’t.

I thought about wearing some sleeker boots (also brown) but chunky furry boots seemed appropriate somehow. For some reason I also equate tons of lip gloss with the 60’s/70’s. Anyone want to back me up or shatter my misconception? If I still had long hair I may have ironed it flat, as I hear my Mother used to do in the 60’s. With an iron. And an ironing board. Talk about heat damaged hair!

I call my outfit... Fringe Benefits.

Happy Vintage Hat Friday, and Happy Voting!

(You vote by leaving a comment, below...)

 

Reuse, Recycle Yo Style At Work: Oh, yes, it's Vintage Hat Friiiiiiiiiday!

And y'all thought my silliness would stop once the house kit started.

Ok. Vintage Hat Friday is an opportunity to go through your closet and wear all those items you saved from being discarded you found at yard sales and vintage stores that you've never found an opportunity to wear.

Now you have an excuse.
So when you pull up to preschool in a 1960s poufy flower hat, just be all nonchalant-like and blame it on me. "Oh," sagely nod, "It's for Vintage Hat Friday."

Amy: It is raining (yet again) and I knew that any felt hat would be ill serviced by getting dragged about in the rain on my way into work, so I pulled out this little net. Paired with an estate sale blouse, thrift store boots, and my one concession to mall shopping – a black pencil skirt (you must always have a well fitting black pencil skirt) this gem from the Halcyon Rummage Sale was lovely and full of potential when I purchased it. It had a number of small holes and tears which I mended one evening with a spool of fine red thread and a needle. I mended it while my family sat around chatting after a long day of work….could one call that “Social Net-Working?”

…Sorry, I couldn’t resist.

It was in that evening I discovered what the ‘dots’ are that are so common on vintage hat veils. Can you guess? PIPE CLEANERS! Teeny tiny little pipe cleaners that are just wrapped once around the joint in the netting. The leaves glued on the net are straw that has been bent and woven into leaf shape, I’m hoping I never have to repair those as I think I lack that level of dexterity.

Oddly enough the shirt I’m wearing today very closely resembles a lovely piece of art that someone’s young’un did at school this week *looks at Copeland*...

Maybe if you ask nicely she’ll scan a copy and show it off.



Copeland: So, this morning I opened my closet and spied this gem. Tomorrow I'm volunteering for the Children's Home Society "Raise The Roof" fundraiser, in a barn, with a mechanical bull... so it seemed an appropriate choice.

Half of me wanted to pair it with a sleek urban jumpsuit, kinda Cool-NYC-Goes-Rodeo.
But then I saw the skirt...

You know me, Pippy Longstocking Does Country wins every time.

• The hat: I have no idea. I don't even remember how/where/when I picked this one up. It's some funky Paddington Bear Rodeo Hat thang with some special effects of braid, studs, and an interesting tint of... mauve?
  
• The skirt: Fan Thrift, another 99 cent special. Occasionally I spy it in my closet and think, "Hmmm???? Ehhhhhhhrm, NO."
  So now I'm finally wearing it!
  My 4 year old thinks it is very bee-you-tee-ful and is asking if she can have a skirt like that too and whether I got married in it.
  
• The shirt: High school?
• Sweater? Anthropologie, purchased when I was pregnant- note there is one button missing. That button has been sitting in my jewelry box for two years now. I'm not crafty like Amy: this is the girl who thinks "hemming" involves a stapler!
• Shoes? On sale for twenty bucks. I mean, why the heck would any store sell a perfectly fine pair of wedge mary jane plaid sneakers for such a price?
  
• Now I know Eric Drivdahl of Green Cottage Kits is going to chide me for my lack of accessories, but dude, I think this outfit has enough voices in it already!

If you're inspired to celebrate stylish reuse on your Friday, send in your pics!
We'd love to include you!
Just email to Copeland@ this domain name, by 8 a.m.
: )

 

Vintage Hat Friday! Reuse and Recycle, and Frickin' Have An Excuse To Wear A Hat!

It is a *quiet* office today... no one's here! (Amy's submission was sent via email)

Amy's at some cosplay convention (that's like serious gamer culture, even worse than Star Trek! One day I *WILL* drag that awesome photo link out of her in all her award-winning cosplay glory) and Kien is... gone, as always (but this week our hearts go deeply out to him and his family)... even Christoph is on deadline and gone... and where the heck are Tony & Jane?

Humph. So much for competition! And no architects participating! (Although I did recall Eric Drivdahl o' Green Cottage Kits was supposed to submit one?!? Hmmmmmmm?)

So this week's Vintage Hat Friday, celebrating reuse/recycling in the workplace, is rather quiet... so vote loudly!

Copeland: Well, after last week's ensemble (who you calling hussy?!?) I wanted something I could wear with dignity into preschool, much less continue on to tonight's First Friday Art Walk. So I'm calling my outfit... "Stylin', Not Reviling."

• The hat: Saved from a rummage sale... Love the flowers, there's even little bits of velvet green "vines" here and there. And if you turn it over, a tag proudly declares, "Union Made!"
  
• The dress: It's been awhile since I've worn this dress, a $1.99 special from the local thrift store- I love the botanical print and light colors! But last time I wore it, I walked into a restaurant to meet my sister, who had already been seated. She looked at my entrance and declared loudly,
  "Oh look! She's forgotten her pants!"
  Drat you, Jane! (I'm sure it woulda looked great on Kate Moss!)

P.s. I also had strategy on Amy's cosplay link. I'm appealing to her pride to correct the *super* *BAD* image link- Bwa-hahahaha!- and replace it with her awesome photo album! Hahahaha!


Amy: Lady in...Pink?

Ok...I know you've seen some pink from me before in this competition, and you'll see some more still, but I swear I almost never include it in my standard wardrobe. But I saw this dress at the Halcyon Rummage sale, and was blown away by the sleeves!!! How could you not love that! All the detail and rhinestones with prong settings! So I'm sporting a pink dress, and a lovely white woven tall hat with organza pleated band. I feel a little silly in a hat this tall, but I suppose it must have been in vogue at some point. The gloves were also found at the same estate sale, and I love the fine seams and detailing that went into them.

Good luck!



Copeland's note: When I opened up Amy's picture she had sent via email, I had but one thought:
AMY IMMEDIATELY WINS!!!
Doesn't she look gorgeous?!?
If she were here I'd take her out to a nice ladies lunch! With wine!

 

Reuse, Recycle! Vintage Hat Friday!

I've had this song stuck in my head... so now I'll put it in yours.
'Cause Halloween is ever-y daaaaaaaaaaaaay... I'm not the one that's so absurd!

Any-hoo, it has been a *busy* week for us as we have been in meeting after meeting and getting closer to finishing the first modern furniture kit by Akemi Tanaka. Frankly, we're exhausted! But in a good, satisfied "we did it!" way.

So heeeeeeeeeeeere's... Vintage! Hat! Friiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Celebrating reuse, recycling, and just an excuse for us to wear a vintage hat!!!

My four year old has deemed that Amy looks like a bee-yoo-tee-ful Princess!!!

Amy: “God Save the Queen”:

Ok, I know what you’re thinking. “Um….what part of that is vintage…or recycled…or anything?!?” I’ll admit – not as much as usual, but I do have a few aces up my voluminous sleeves.

1. The fabric used for the blue overcoat was from a bolt I bought in a thrift store in 10^th grade.

2.The necklace is another high school vintage thrift find (from Italy!)

3. The outfit was sewn by my grandmother, myself, and my mother in law Ginger (then my future mother in law) for a high school musical (Camelot). While there is nothing particularly vintage about that, I like to imagine that putting enough time and effort into the costume allowed it to hold up beautifully long after the high school theater department was done with it, and saved it from being thrown away and taking up space in a landfill as so many other costumes are fated to be.

4. And my very last Ace – The Crown. The ‘hat’ today is made of the trim off a vintage mirrored tray. And while part of me thinks “Ack – I used a vintage mirrored tray for parts!” part of me is darn proud of my high-school-self’s’ ingenuity. So it’s Vintage and Reused! And there is corn embossed in it, so I suppose you could also consider it an endorsement for agriculture…if I was desperate. Which I AM!

Have a wonderful and safe Halloween!

Copeland: Well, like I said, it has been a busy week and I've been scrambling. On top of having three jobs I love, I've been in business meeting after business meeting *while* also getting my children ready for *their* Halloween parades today!

But I've certainly been channeling the pirate this week, personally and at work. So in that spirit, I decided to depart from my planned "elegant and proper, show 'em you can clean up well" and instead decided to... Stand And Deliver: I call my outfit, "RUINED!"







The hat? I can't remember when I acquired it... years, poor thing.
The dress? Even longer. When I bought it in an old junk shop down on Broad, it was already threadbare. But I've always loved this dress... and have worn it ripped, shredded, soiled, to many an occasion. The "A" I pinned on the Halloween I was pregnant... heh, heh... The other pin? Oh, that was where the pin on my voodoo leather jacket went! I finally found it! All this time it was on this dress!
The gloves? Remember that estate sale Amy and I went to a few weeks ago? Well... Fitted leather gloves, three bucks! Amy even helped me fix them! (So is that fair to use in my costume? Hmmm... maybe I'll switch them out...)
The hose? Bright pink fishnets! That I bought VINTAGE from the 1960s, still in the package, in a vintage store! (So yeah, they get a little baggy 'round the ankles after a few minutes...)

 

Modern Net Zero House Kit Update! Foundation Pictures!

Blah blah blah.
Before I go into that, I'd like to share an email exchange I had with a dear friend of mine this weekend from back-in-the-New-Yawk-Citay-days, who is now living in Tokyo. (But of course she is.)

K. has always been international, and I knew well her tales about her childhood between India and Washington, D.C. and many other environs.

So when I emailed for her vote in Vintage Hat Friday, I got the weirdest response:

"Hi, Copeland!! I'm in Cambodia, visiting my school! It's been an amazing week, the kids here have blown me away. Dirt poor and yet so motivated to learn and to get ahead in the world. Great to hear from you. How are things going in Virginia - I'm returning to Tokyo tomorrow. Love to you and all your gang in the meantime!!! K"

Huh? "I don't remember you in *Cambodia?!?*" I typed back.

"No, no, no - I built a school in Cambodia, a rural school for 414 kids, about an hour south of Phnom Penh. I fundraised to build it and supply it with five computers, a power generator, a water well, electricity, satellite, books. I met all the children and it was a glorious experience. I continue to support them to help them get access to education. Will write more when I return. Love, K "

WHA?!? Rewind: "I BUILT A SCHOOL." And (laughing) if any of you know K., you know she DID.

Honeychiles, I just want to remind you it's alllllllllllllllll in what YOU do, and that... you can do it. Ok, I won't get all sappy, but... K., my dear, from across the world I am *hugging* you so hard and am SO honored you are my friend, despite my silliness and pirate acts o' badness.

So... on to the house kit!
Well, it rained buckets yesterday, from dawn 'till dusk. TORRENTS.
But when we awoke, there was blue sky and lil' bluebirds o' happiness:
Suddenly, we decided: We WILL go to the land!
The land was still shakin' off the rainwater (over 1 1/2 inches yesterday/last night) when we arrived.
Mud don't scare ME!
Bring it on.
So... here's the foundation...
Enjoy the *obviously* professional, highly-thought-out, informative, modern architecture video:

And some pictures.
Enjoy. : )

...AAAAAAAAAAANd.... some more more videos.
Very professionally taken, you've obviously noticed. ; ) Dag we had fun.


Ok, I'm giving myself a high-five for this, called it like I saw it. We have two 400+ pounders on our family farm right now; I grew up *hearing* of occasional bears there, obviously when we bought *this* land if you've been following along we've tracked the imprints, but this was the first scat, I found in two places (gee, was wondering why the usual bobcat scat was more scarce!). Again, SAFE CAMPING AND LIVING keeps humans and wildlife... safe.

 

Vintage Hat Friday! Reuse and Recycling in the Modern Workplace!

Yes, it's that day again...
And I don't know about you but I wore waaaaaaaaay too many suits and dresses for work this week. So when Vintage Hat Friday rolled around...

Copeland: My strategy was simple! Why dress up, when you could just... be?
So, this morning, I woke up, looked in my closet and...
I would like to call this ensemble...

Ode To Scrap Bar, NYC!

Ah, those were the days your makeup (lips, eyes AND nails) consisted of one hue: BLACK.
Here are the reused, recycled items I am wearing:

• The hat originally said, "American by birth, southern by the grace of God." I found it when I was sailing in the Chesapeake Bay years ago, reached down as I was hiking out on the trapeze, and scooped it out of the water. The original owner had taken a black marker and blacked out the "American by birth" part, which cracked me up endlessly. This hat then left the rural Virginia waters to live in the East Village of New York, then the staid 8ieme of Paris, before returning to its roots.
• I purchased the leather jacket from a dear, starving-artist friend (who's no longer starving :) ) when he couldn't pay rent. This jacket has quite a story. The original owner was my friend's roommate, but it turns out that he was a bank robber (for real!)- so it ended up with my friend, who then took it to New Orleans, where apparently a band of naked voodoo dancers danced on it before he sold it to me. Maybe this leather jacket brings certain vibes with it, I don't know, it certainly has seemed to take a shine to me and has settled down quite nicely!
• The shirt, a customized-with-dull-scissors-cutting-out-the-collar Harley Davidson tee, has *not* been recycled, but is certainly vintage... er, at this point. See that picture of me shooting in the post below? I think I'm wearing it there, 'cept it's new!
• Ah, the shoes. In the East Village it was quite popular to have your Converse customized-- PUNK ROCK PLATFORMS! Woo. Yes, one would then teeter from biker bar to biker bar in these thangs... not that I *ever* spent an evening doing that!
• The necklace? My great-grandmother's. I used to run around in her velvet flapper dresses and beads paired with combat boots... still saving the dresses for my daughter...
• And the watch. You may have read *that* tale... again, recycled, reused!

Amy:

My theme this week was vague – but as I buttoned my high necked ruffled shirt all the way to it’s top button the thoughts “Victorian” and “equestrian” were floating somewhere in the forefront of my muddled thoughts. Somewhat more prominent was my desire not to wear anything resembling what we’ve already worn, so I dismissed offhand anything pink, all black (there goes half my wardrobe, lol!) or 70’s. But I have to say that I think Copeland has achieved that goal far more decisively than I this week!

My clothes were entirely thrift store bought and mostly vintage – boots, vest, skirt, and shirt were all Goodwill.

I suspect that the shirt in particular is relieved to finally be worn with the dignity to which it was probably accustom. I bought it initially because I needed a shirt for a pirate costume, and I must admit that it has been worn to many a Halloween party over the years, partially unbuttoned and peeking out over a corset. As I exclaimed to Copeland while telling her how I ended up with this shirt – “Yay Swashbuckling!”

The hat was purchased at my first ever Halcyon rummage sale some years ago. I have to admit I’m tickled at having my first chance to wear it out. I love its shape, and the precise way the netting moulds itself to the curve of the hat.

P.s. SEND US YOUR WORKPLACE PICS!!!! VINTAGE HAT FRIDAY FOR EVERYONE!!!!!
Here is our first submission, from Tony, a realtor, channeling all his inner cowboy with his vintage hat:
Now this one tallllllll, coooooool, drink o' water!

Ok, Jane, the blonde below, wanted to add herself to the competition, so here ya go:

But who cares 'bout these other folks!
VOTE FOR MEEEEEEEE! ; )

 

Vintage Hat Fridays! Vote for ME!!!!

Wow, it's pouring rain here- NOT the day to wear hats dependent on glue!
NOR is it a good day for flash... man this camera did not put us in the best light! (Er, anyone got a soft-focus filter I can borrow? ; ) )

So... Welcome to Vintage Hat Friday!
Stylin' Reuse Celebrated In The Workplace!

Copeland:
I had a feeling Amy would arrive in a pillbox or something, so I decided to take a 1970s loose Sexy Sadie angle to her prim elegant look. Just as I suspected!

She arrived, sharp and ready for the fight.

Bring it on!

My silver jaunty hat will kick your pillbox any day! Vote for meeeeeeeeeee!

(Amy says I look like I'm going to a horse race. 'Chile, I'm gonna take her prim-n-proper money and RUN!)


Amy:
My strategy was simple:
There were two things I knew about Friday.

It was supposed to be cold, and there is a fantastic rummage sale going on at Halcyon Vintage Clothing.

My strategy was based on staying warm and being able to shop and try things on this afternoon. My small, structured hat is yet another gift from my grandmother, and I paired it with a store bought skirt and a vintage blouse.

My purse is a purchase from my last foray at a Halcyon Rummage Sale.

Happy voting!

 

It's our first Vintage Hat Friday!

It's our first Vintage Hat Friday!
Please, please, please vote for ME! (I'm the girl with pink hair! Vote for meeeeeee!)

(Don't worry house kit people- as we speak husband is on the land taking pictures and videos of construction progress. You'll get yours. : ) )

Copeland: "My strategy was simple. I expected Amy to show up with a big fru-fru flower hat STATEMENT so I took the opposite approach: minimalist, elegant.

I pulled out a black velvet number- no netting, just structure.

The shirt and skirt were handmade in Tokyo, off ebay- Amy turned me on to them a few years ago- they make cosplay costumes! So this is actually some cosplay character costume that I wear in real life and everyone thinks it's a high-end designer outfit. Ha!"


Amy: "I knew that Copeland had a huge array of beautiful vintage things, so I thought that adding layers to my outfit (and my story) would be my strongest front. And so - Lady On The Go!

With purse in hand and scarf blowing in the breeze, this put-together gal can show up just about anywhere. Our first Vintage Hat Friday has taught me one thing: half the challenge is the mind game going on while getting ready. 'But do I want to use this outfit today when she might blow it out of the water with her fabulous vintage whatever-she-has? Ack!'

Many thanks to my grandmother, who gave me the purse and hat I’m sporting today. Going through her closet together taught me what lady-like dressing really means."