Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Lunatic Fringe

A few weeks ago you may recall the lament over my existential closet crisis that then spurred on a hippie phase.  You probably noticed the hippie phase lasted approximately one blog post because I realized my hippie clothes were all packed away from the summer we never had (and ps it was 43 degrees with the wind chill at 4pm yesterday!! WHAT?!?).  The realization that I possess zero winter hippie attire - and am not even sure what that would consist of - led me to a foreign land I've spoken of, but never before braved due to sheer fear of looking like a deer in the headlights:  Vintage. 

To reiterate:  I have roughly zero ideas about vintage.  When she was in LA, Anna Jane and I had a deep conversation over lemonades regarding vintage, the summary of which was this:  "I think it's old crap" (figuratively speaking only, of course, because there is some majorly good old crap out there).  It could be a year old, 15 years old, someone's grandma's old thing, or maybe something new that has been run over by a car 140x so that it looks old and you can just be told it is and fall for it.  Anyway I wanted some legit old thing that looked like it came out of the maryjane tents at Woodstock or fell out of the back of an old turquoise VW Van like the one my favorite boss ever bought and restored for his hippie-esque daughter on her 16th birthday.

So off I headed to the internets (too scared to go to a store:  then I read Carey's account and realized major pain brings major gain) and after 2 days of searching off and on - during which time I almost gave up 700x - I found a treasure and placed a little bid to get the waters stirring.  And then I had to wait 3 days and come down to a bidding war in the last 30 seconds during which time I almost lost my one shot at winter hippieville to someone with an eBay handle of "backupoffit".  Famous last words to that person.  Sowee!

{wherever she is you know Pocahontas wants a piece of this}
 Fringe hem that hits the top of the boots with a swish when I walk...
the ladies at Sprouts were all a-swoon.  I wish I had some advice.
"Uh, eBay?"  met by blank.stare.
 I can't lie - I love it.  There wasn't an arm pit stain, a weird scent,
or a loose thread.  Check out the side slit!! If it was warmer outside
I'd have it on over ripped denim cut-offs and moccasins.
All I need is my trapper hat and some knee-high Minnetonkas and I'm set!
PANYC and Motif56 Bracelets, Brandy&Melville Fringe Bag, Banana Republic Suede Boots
Temperature: 43 degrees, Fringed Tunic:  VINTAGE!, Denim:  M+O (RIP),

If there were more hours in the day I'd be eyes glazed over staring at eBay, but I'm still working on "ward off muffin top 2010".  As well as work, clean the place up, do a load of laundry, read a book, finish watching the first Harry Potter movie and all the others before the weekend so I can take part in what is certainly going to go down as an iconic moment in pop-culture history (can you say late bloomer? and 'i've robbed myself?')...and then there's the Christmas/Holiday shopping.  *panic*

Is it Wednesday afternoon yet?  I taste caramel pumpkin tart.  

77 comments:

annelise said...

I don't do vintage either. 'Arm pit stain' - just the words make me have heart palpitations. But this is good stuff. I like it.

Claudz said...

Well done on your vintage purchase!

this free bird said...

Thank you Claudz. Thank you very much.

And Annelise - is arm pit one word or two?

Anonymous said...

I don't understand vintage either so keep studying because so far you seem pretty successful at it!

ryan said...

That looks gorgeous on you! I love vintage I am just an inexperienced shopper for it myself too, always afraid it will smell weird or have stains. I have had good luck with Etsy for my vintage stuff

S.I.F. said...

Can I just say I'm pretty sure I just had an orgasm over those boots...

LOVE!

annelise said...

HAHAHA, I don't know either! Google says it's one, but please don't Google that shit because two nasty, nasty Youtube videos come up in the results involving armpits/arm pits and lesbians. (I didn't watch them, obviously)

Ah, arm pits. Carrie, I'm pissing myself laughing right now.

annelise said...

PS. I'm assuming the Youtube videos are nasty, only going by the screen caps that are displayed. Holy shit, I may have just created a whole new dimension to my bloggy personality. I DIDN'T WATCH THEM.

Lou said...

Hi Carrie - hmm I think I am undecided about vintage. Like the idea; not so enamoured with the reality! I have a hard time even buying stuff in the sales as I like the pristine new season's items - I need to work on that, it's causing a crater in my bank balance! Lou x

Anonymous said...

Hahaaa, aint it such a great feeling when you win this ebay bidding war?? Congrats!!!
I love your VINTAGE tunic!
Oh, and I have to tell you that you´ve got tagged, here.

And oh oh, you inspired me, I bought quinoa for the first time in my life and actually COOKED with it! I´ll make a post about it, soon.

xxx
-M-

BeautyH2T said...

that looks so good on, I too am terrible at vintage-it all just looks old on me, not chic at all. But I might just retry after seeing yours :)

xx

Leia said...

You do look like a modern day Pocahontas! Love it! :D

Leia

Jamie-Lee Burns said...

Loving all the fringe! x

http://pagesixxx.blogspot.com/

o said...

Haha, ure too funny! Ugh, the eBay bidding war is so stressful! After I discovered eBay snipe through Wendy of Wendy Brandes Jewelry's blog, my life has changed lol Anyway, that's a great tunic and thank goodness there were no arm pit stains;)

TheOwlsCloset.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

You look fabulous...seriously!! I love it! I saw something very similar in a magazine yesterday, must investigate further :)

I am not a vintage girl either....just can't do it.

Loving your boots too....I want your shoe closet :)

Anonymous said...

Uh oh... has a new shopping obsession begun? You look so cool. Love the bag and boots too! xo

Unknown said...

thats such a fabulous outfit xxxx

little luxury list said...

Boho chic darling!

Ooh and biddingscheduler rocks for the last minute bids :)

Emmett Katherine said...

I LOVE that fringed tunic. LOVE!!

I go through phases with vintage (don't get me wrong I love it) but I find sometimes after a few weeks of visiting thirif shops and searching through rubbish for gems, I need a break!

~Em K

jemina said...

I LOVE vintage, and that jacket is def a score, cool!!!

Kisses
J
xoxo

Chas said...

I love it! Great look!

Nikki said...

Looks great on you Carrie. I like the bohemian look on you!

xx
Nikki

JMB said...

HIII FRIEND!! I am so glad that you were inquiring about my whereabouts and ready to call the blogging authorities and fill out a missing person complaint! haha Anyhoo I am back!! And I have been catching up on all of your posts (like 5 I think!!) That I have missed (INSANE!) I love the boots in this picture!! You have thee best style! I blogged last night about needing to find a pair and posted some pictures (hint hint - I need your input!!) AND your niece is too cute!! I would be broke shopping for her!! And that jewelry that you shopped the other day!! GREAT SCOTT OF JEWELRY!!! :)

Lisa Griffin said...

yayyy awesome find! i'm a littl scared of vintage scoping too, and tend to get overwhelmed by the piles of junk!
www.indramaticfashion.com

Daniela said...

lol you'll never forget your first vintage sweater! I love it but I really love that bag!!

Anonymous said...

Love this outfit and your boots are really pretty.

http://mypretaporterblog.blogspot.com/

Emily Jane said...

"I think it's old crap" - love it :) I know a girl who is QUEEN of finding vintage gold and always looks like she walked out of a fashion magazine - I don't seem to have the eye!

Great find - looks fab on you :)

Courtney Erin said...

That's a wonderful piece - I find vintage tricky too, sometimes I can find amazing things but it;'s difficult. Although hunting for something and then finding it makes it kind of rewarding I suppose.

xoxo ~ Courtney
htp://sartorialsidelines.blogspot.com

Tiffany Kadani said...

You are so gorgeous! I love the entire ensemble!

Kristen said...

I love this fringe! loveeee it. so glad you made out. I have totally been into vintage lately (whatever it means!) the bright colored floral polyester/cotton dress (purple, pink, yellow, orange ) that i wore on vacation (i think you complemented on!) I bought at a vintage shop. I think it is straight outta the 70's!

Unknown said...

man, we are so wise. ok, it's sort of legit though. SOME vintage is great, but i think people just tack on the word "vintage" and people get all crazy/pass out/spent more money when it's really just 4 years old. i'm sorry, but something from 2007 is NOT VINTAGE, PEOPLE. ok, done with my rant :) love ya C!

MerciBlahBlah said...

Wow - I'm surprised so many people are anti-vintage! I love it (but then, I'm wearing a vintage sheer knife-pleated skirt from the 50s today, so there you have it). I think vintage is so great because you are pretty sure you're scoring a totally unique piece. Yes, it may have a pit stain here or an odd smell there, but that's what the DRY CLEANERS are for, people!!

You look fab - love the fringetastic sweater.

Merci,
Shan

Jude said...

I never ever thought anyone in this day & age could look chic in Woodstocky-wear. Boy did you prove me wrong! Gorgeous! I actually love consignment shopping, some crazy treasures over the years (but so true - gotta give up 700x for each treasure!:))

Taylor said...

You look adorbs!!! All my vintage ( a random t-short or necklace) is soo hard to come by, I wish i had a rocking dress, but I don't want to pay out the hiney for anything at a city vintage shop or wear Laura Ashley from a local thrift store.... Glad we are in the same boat!!!

Cool Gal said...

OMG..love the fringe. Reminds me of the 70s. Very vintage!

Hey, I'm hosting a fabulous "MikWright" giveaway. Please stop by when you have a moment. Fun, fun, fun!!

Take care!

Josie said...

Carrie, I think that you possibly get funnier by the day. I rarely find vintage clothing that I like but I love hunting down vintage jewelry. Your fringed tunic is positively fabulous on you!
xo Josie
http://winksmilestyle.blogspot.com

Marie a la Mode said...

It really is gorgeous! And the way you styled it with the fringed bag and suede boots,I like, I like. I love Vintage clothing as long as it doesn't smell ; )

Diana Mieczan said...

I love this look on you...It totally rocks:)...Now I am going to dream about that tunic:)hahah
Happy Tuesday,sweetie pie

Anonymous said...

You did good!

Closet Fashionista said...

Wow!!! That coat is AMAZING!!! I only have a few vintage things...I'm not so good at finding it myself either, haha...
http://aclosetfashionista.blogspot.com/

Alicia Lund said...

Love the fringed poncho Carrie - what a great 1st vintage find. I'm a HUGE vintage lover - and yes sometimes it may seem like old junk but you have to know the right vintage stores and flea markets to attend inorder to find the best items ;)

TheChambrayCountess said...

I wish I had your perseverance! Love the poncho- it was definitely worth the effort. I hope you take on more projects--can't wait to see more of your vintage finds!

Jessica said...

Looooove this! Please do my vintage shopping for me because I am terrible at it and never find anything worth purchasing. Also, so glad I'm not the only one who is a "late bloomer" when it comes to the Harry Potter craze. BUT I must say that upon your suggestion, I'm going out to rent as many HP dvds as I can before the weekend so Ty and I can go watch the new movie. I honestly didn't even know it was the last one! That's how out of the loop I am. Haha oh well, better late than never! xoxo

A Crimson Kiss said...

I found my first cheetah coat in a consignment shop in upstate Vermont and haven't been able to resist vintage's call since! This is an absolutely magical purchase, and yes, Pocahontas (and I) are digging it!

I'm delighted that you're diving into Harry Potter, and the idea of a caramel pumpkin tart sounds transcendent. As for Christmas shopping, I'm nearly at the home stretch-stocking stuffers and John's last gift! Then I have to mail it all to the appropriate homes-oye!

Valerie said...

Love everything, love the bag, love the boots, LOVE the vintage! I'm the same way about vintage, kind of afraid to even go there. But I recently bought a fabulous "vintage" crocodile envelope clutch on ebay for $7!!! WOOHOO!!! Maybe there is something to this vintage stuff after all. You look fab, Carrie. Perfect for the blistering cold day in LA it was yesterday.

xo
Valerie

Amber said...

great score! I hate bidding wars, they make me angry but sometimes are worth it like in this instance

FRANKIE HEARTS FASHION said...

Entering the vintage realm can be very scary, but girl you frickin scored!!!! What an amazing find and the fact that there was no funky spunk on it is a bonus!

P.S. Where do I find the recipe for this caramel pumpkin tart you speak of???!

Taylorq said...

I love that fringed tunic! EBAY bidding wars can be a nightmare, you are lucky that you didn't get into one until the end of the auction. Vintage can be difficult to navigate through for sure, but I love EBAY and ETSY for being able to find great items that were well taken care of. Sometimes when I buy thrift vintage, I have to wash the stuff three times before I feel comfortable to wear it.

Winter hippie makes me think of the Free People website/catalog. Which, coincidentally, much of it looks like stuff you could thrift possibly.

kelli g. { bug miscellany } said...

i'm not really into the whole 'hippie' thing, but dude. that is seriously awesome. i have major vintage clothing fears (i admire from afar), so bonus points to you for braving it. looks like you came out way ahead.

ps - backupoffit? really? REALLY? people are so damn odd.

hip hip gin gin said...

Oh dear, I always want to do vintage, I go, I peruse, I fall in love with a hundred items, and then the OCD germophobe side of me takes over and I can't commit. You just never know what the previous owner did with the stuff. Now vintage/antique accessories and home items I'm all over, there is just something mental about clothing. But I need to get over it because there are some awfully cute cocktail dresses in the window of my local vintage store right now!
You, as always, look adorable!

Annie said...

I like vintage, but can't say I currently own anything that is of said category.. hmmm you're making me think I should purchase something.. I like the sound of the vintage clutch Valerie mentioned..start small :)
You look great as usual! xo

franziska / stilgerecht said...

Wow! What a great outfit. I want all of these pieces :) You look really good in that!

Unknown said...

I absolutely love that fringed tunic! Looks so chic and warm! Amazing!!!

Natalie said...

looove the tunic, all ready decided that i need one

Claire Kiefer said...

Ahhhh, Carrie. I couldn't have verbalized my feelings about vintage any more precisely. I feel like people so often swoon over blase items and slightly frumpy dresses just because they are declared "vintage," when most of the time I look at them and think, "Really? That was ugly then, much less now!" And I have virtually no patience for thrift stores. Plus, they smell like moth balls and are just kinda depressing in general.

That said, there are a few select amazing finds. I think that small vintage stores that specialize in CUTE STUFF (ha) are the best bet. I got a great turquoise dress from old school Saks 5th Ave. once for like 14 bucks--and i love it!

You look great in the poncho. It's cute, and you look so cozy!

Gorgeous Glam said...

I'm super super picky on vintage and where I will shop. Most of the time I feel like L.A. vintage stores are way over priced. Coming from Seattle where it's cheap, I have a problem spending too much on it. But I have scored some really great pieces here and there. xo

Marcie said...

So cute, Carrie!! I am loving this look. So comfortable.

Also, I feel you on the vintage front. While I love antiques and vintage, it rarely extends to clothes. I just can't get over the moth ball smell that usually accompanies them.

xoM

Anonymous said...

I love the boots and bracelet! great style!


xoxo
Miss Neira

THE ALTERNATIVE WIFE said...

I so used to feel the same exact way about vintage! I sometimes get lucky though. Looks like you did fabulously well now didn't u???

Pink Stilettos said...

I love that tunic!!! It looks so comfy xoxo
Pink Stilettos

Nikki said...

Definitely minnetonka boots and cutoffs!

Catherine Au Jong said...

love the boots and sweaters!

love.
catherine
http://etinological.blogspot.com/

heather said...

Good find, you busy bee! I could definitely use some of your internet shopping pointers... one of these future days.

LyddieGal said...

Your new vintage treasure is great!
I always start to get mini heart attacks in the final moments of ebay auctions, fingers hovering over keyboard, ready to bid in the last seconds...

And what was that you said about caramel pumpkin tart?? You'd better be sharing that recipe!

Chic on the Cheap

STYLE'N said...

Great vintage find. I am not much of a vintage shopper only because I have no clue what I am getting and the idea of wearing used clothes isn't appealing. But I may need to change my mind :) And I love the boots of course!

Jessica said...

No weird smell? You majorly lucked out, missy!

Connie @ Sogni e Sorrisi said...

You wear fringe so well!

Ashley/ MILK TEETHS said...

this dress is so so perfect for the weather we're having right now!! and ugh i hate bidding wars on e-bay--the other person just needs to give up already!! sheesh!

xx
MILK TEETHS

Joie de Viv said...

OMG Carrie! You popped your vintage cherry?!?! What a way to go! It's a fabulous tunic and don't you love that it's a one of a kind? BTW - love the Brandy Melville bag - I just love that store!

xx Vivian @ http://diamondsandtulle.blogspot.com

k said...

nice find i LOVE IT!!! and i'm so setting in on christmas panic. yikes.
and yes, i got to have t-giving last weekend with a bunch of friends!! it was so amazing but I ate so much that i was deadly miserable.

Poppies and Sunshine said...

What a fantastic look! Love this. Great buy!!

Anonymous said...

Love that poncho. I'm big on vintage myself, but yes, it requires lots of patience and sifting. Not for the faint at heart.
Bisous,
Rachel
lovealamode.wordpress.com

Unknown said...

that sweater is a.ma.zing. perfection. I love how you styled it, that fringe bag is gorgeeouuussss!

xoxo

Ashley Ashbee said...

I like the sweater jacket! Nice to see you posing proudly by the sunset. You are very photogenic. You seem so intimidated by vintage! Don't be. You obviously know what you like. Just go to a thrift store and have a ball.

Annastasia said...

i'm jealous!!

Jenny Lopez said...

I am totally in love with this outfit!!!
I want to wear it myself, good inspiration!!!
OXOXOOX

Anonymous said...

Carrie, thanks for visiting the 'ole Grunge Queen, a definite vintage, second-hand, and thrift shop style hound! Glad to see you have discovered the thrill of vintage - though I won't try to convert you from your current style ethic as you're so totally groovin' the whole boho chic (new) look.

I must say, I've had a total blog crush ever since discovering you (on a fellow thrift blogger's blogroll, no less!) and spending a lovely Sunday afternoon reading your many posts. Love your style, your simplicity - nice to see boho-hippie and simplicity going together!

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