And Now for Something Completely Different!

(Pictures to follow! My server is having a few technical difficulties...)

Ok, so the royal wedding is obviously HUGE news today and as we all know, it was a smashing success! The dress was fantastic and the weather was lovely….

And Now, for Something Completely Different!!!

One of the coolest chicks to ever grace the UK…….

Carol Cleveland!

(You know! The blonde bombshell from Monty Python!)

Not only is she commonly referred to as the"Seventh Python" or the "Python Girl,” but she was the most important female performer in the Monty Python ensemble.

She was hired originally to only appear in 5 episodes of Monty Python and the Flying Circus, but she was so fantastic that she ended up appearing in two-thirds of the episodes as well as all of the Python films, and in most of their stage shows.

Affectionately referring to herself as “The Glamour Stooge,” carol Cleveland has a pretty extensive background in the industry of glamour and has written her own one woman show called “Pom-Poms Up.” Her website says it’s, “an autobiographical, humorous and informative look at the glamour business.”

Check out two of my favorite Carol Cleveland skits HERE! …and HERE!   

Check out her website HERE!

Cupcakes are Sweet!

Hello all you beautiful people! Ready for a sugar rush!?

I know cupcakes are all over the place right now BUT I had to do a post about them today because I just bought one of the best cupcake cookbooks (bake books??) I've come across in a long time! It's called "Who You Callin' Cupcake?" 



This book has 75 "in your face" recipes that are geared to make baking fun, easy, and tasty! Cupcake titles include: The Elvis, White Trash, Thai Spice, Irish Car Bomb, and Coffee & a Cigarette. I can't WAIT to try them out! This book is brought to you by the bitchin' bakers who started Chicago's Bleeding Heart Bakery (Check them out! The cupcakes are fantastic!!)



Delicious Molly's Cupcakes at my wedding

If you're a cupcake fanatic and need a daily fix of sugary sweet awesomeness, this blog is updated daily and is your connection to all things cupcake....Which is convenient because the blog is called All Things Cupcake!  Their special events Cupcake Ideas section covers everything from cupcake products like aprons and table cloths to stationary, lollipops, and centerpieces. Oh! AND the wedding section has some cute ideas too!


And finally, Molly's Cupcakes! They made & delivered the red velvet and vanilla cupcakes for my wedding in January. They were delicious and looked great! If you visit thei location on Clark Street, I highly recommend the Carrie's Campfire specialty cupcake!

Want this SWEET hair bow?? Visit Hell Razor!

Incorporating Vintage into Your Modern Wardrobe – "I can't pull it off!"

People are always coming up to me and telling how much they love vintage and want to wear it and THEN they give me a “reason” why they can’t wear it. These “reasons” are usually preconceived notions that can easily be put to rest with some confidence and a little know how! J 

SO, I’ve decided to break down my first few Monday vintage posts by the preconceived notions I repeatedly hear as to “why I can’t wear vintage.” In the coming weeks I will cover topics such as:

Today: “I can’t pull it off”

“I wouldn’t look good in it”

“I don’t know where to start”

“It’s too small for me”

“It’s too expensive!”

Etc…

On to today’s post!   

How to Incorporate Vintage Pieces into Your Modern Wardrobe

 “I love how it looks, but I could never pull it off.” 

(This one makes me cringe the most)

Ok first off, the term “pull it off” annoys me in any context. I don’t care if it’s fashion, cooking, dog walking, whatever…It always makes me cringe because it reinforces the belief that you can’t do something. It sounds corny, but if you have confidence in yourself you really can do anything you want. You only live once! Yeah, you may fail once or twice, but who cares?? You learn from your mistakes and you move on a bit little smarter and with a lot more self-confidence! Ok, off my soap box and back to vintage.

My awesome 50s Etsy find with modern
Express bolero: Christmas 2009

Don’t Be Scared! You can do it! 

It’s all about finding a style that you like and finding pieces you will feel comfortable wearing. I personally like really colorful flashy pieces, but other people prefer muted colors and a more reserved style. So, make sure you’re looking for pieces you’re comfortable with.    

Try Some On!

You’ve already established that you like the look of vintage, so why not try some on for yourself? It’s important to remember that vintage pieces (just like modern pieces) vary in sizes and shapes. This means that you will need to measure yourself before you begin looking. This sounds a LOT more involved than it is…It will take you 5 mins tops. For a quick & easy “How to” click here! Vintage pieces (just like modern pieces) look the best when they’re your size so measure yourself and then begin testing the waters.   

If you have a friend that wears vintage, ask them if you can try a piece on. If the friend is larger or smaller than you, start by holding a piece up to your body and checking it out in the mirror (make sure it’s a piece you like). If the piece fits you (and your friend says it’s ok) ask if you can go out for a drink with them wearing the piece just to see how it feels. 

If you don’t have said friend, check out the Etsy vintage section for sale items or a piece that meets your measurement requirements. It is easy to find items in your size if you type in XS, S, M, L, or XL or enter your measurement number in the search box. For example, if I were looking for a 60s style skirt, my waist measurement is 34. I would type in “60s skirt W34” and then hit search.

Give it a try! It's not a lifestyle change, it's just a skirt! ;)

Vintage Underground!

Hello, loyal readers!

Thanks for checking out today’s post!

I wanted to draw your attention to one of Chicago’s coolest vintage stores!:

Vintage Underground 

You can find this picture and more here  

It’s located underneath (Yep! You heard right! Underneath)

North Ave.

in Wicker Park. Just walk in the door and take the stairs down to vintage paradise! They have a friendly, knowledgeable staff and a LOT of cool unique stuff from bikes to baubles. Their selection scans multiple decades and they have a killer dress section. I have found some of my most favorite 50s and 60s party dresses here as well as some crazy & unique earrings. AND Their prices are pretty good for a downtown vintage store. Make sure you check this place out especially if you’re in the market for vintage jewelry. Take a trip downtown and downstairs to check out their state of the art jewelry section. It takes up half the store and it’s spectacular!

I came across this gem while avoiding a thunderstorm last summer. I emerged after the storm with lighter pockets and heavy bags full of vintage awesomeness!

You can visit Vintage Underground online here!

Address

1834 W. North Avenue
Chicago, IL 60622
773 252 4559

Store Hours

Tuesday - Thursday 11:00am - 6:00pm
Friday and Saturday 11:00am - 7:00pm
Sunday 12:00pm - 5:00pm

Epic Blogging Guide Alert

Woo! It's Wacky Wednesday! Today's post is going to be a little short due to my crazy work day..BUT this is totally worth checking out regardless of the length...hmm...sounds kinda dirty....OK! Mind out of the gutter...Ahem'

I found a sweet metal blog called Steff Metal (if you like metal it's a pretty fun read). BUT reading through her site I found this blogging guide that I'm planning on buying next week! It's called Grymm & Epic Blogging Guide (by Steff of Steff Metal). Judging from her posts, it should be a great read! I'm excited!!!

P.S.
I am also psyched about the skull and roses scarf i picked up for 10 bucks in New Orleans.
You can check it out right over there! >>

The Low-Down on This Blog:

Hello there!

As you can see, I've just started this blog and I wanted to do a little post to give you a rundown on what this thing is set up. So, here goes!

Monday, Monday:
Mondays will be dedicated to answering all of the scary questions you may have about anything vintage (like "How to incorporate that vintage skirt into your modern wardrobe!").

Wacky Wednesday:
Wednesday posts are all about getting you psyched about something awesome in the middle of the week! I'm always on the look out for cool stuff and this is where (and when) I will share it with you! I will also post about stuff I'm working on if I think it would interest you!

TGIF:
YAY for Friday!!! The end of the week should be celebrated and so awesome people! SO, Fridays will be my Awesome People Post day. I'll include interviews and/or information on people who are truly awesome!

As always, I'm open for questions or suggestions! So, if you have something you would like to see posted on my blog please contact me here!

Thanks for reading!
~Steph

Back from vacation with some mean finds!



Elvis Fight!!!!



Hello there!

I've been on a 2 week Internet hiatus scouring Nashville, TN for easily found awesomeness. My husband Dave and I are looking for an apartment in Nashville so we stumbled across many areas (and stores!) of interest.





If you're looking to get your vintage fix in Nashville you'll have to drive around a little but it's worth it! Make SURE that you check out Fanny's House of Music on the East End of the city. The staff there is very kind and SO helpful. This is one of  my favorite stores because it's filled with vintage clothing AND  instruments! They offer lessons and  let you play anything you want, but they ALSO have one of the best and most affordable vintage clothing collections in the city. A must see if you're heading down to Nashville.



Another place you'll find a sweet vintage selection is Pre to Post Modern at 2110 8th Ave S closer to downtown Nashville. They have a STELLAR selection of home decor, furniture, and (of course) clothing! I found a black 60s shift dress with a feather trim for $16!

If you're in the mood for a spectacular breakfast (and who isn't!?) get to the Pancake Pantry in Nashville's neighborhood of Hillsboro. Make sure you get there around 11 to miss the longer line (YEP! This place is THAT good!) After you've satisfied your stomach, walk across the street to Pangea. This is also one of my favorite stores in the city. Their collection of...well...everything is gorgeous to look at and even more fun to buy! They have trendy and eclectic clothing, funky cocktail items, fun embroidered pillows and home decor AND (my personal favorite) a day of the dead section!

Stay tuned for the NOLA blog post AND the launch of my Etsy store! Coming soon!!!!

~Steph