irl

Andy ran the 5/3 Riverbank Run on Saturday, and our pal Stephani came over from Detroit to visit for a few days.  So I took a mini-break from the internet. (Other than watching a marathon of Gavin and Stacey, which Stephani needed to see--as do all humans.)

Andy did pretty well this year.  No PR (personal record), but he also didn't almost run into a deer and pull a muscle, like last year.  So all in all, a win.  He is pretty happy here.  We took him out for breakfast.

Stephani took us all out to a fancy dinner at Reserve, where we ate all the menu items containing ramps.  And the pork fat fries, to which I am addicted.  Yes, I know my eyes are closed, but this is my current favorite dress and my only photo of it.

We took Lucy for a walk in the woods.  It was beautiful, and Andy found ramps (more ramps!) and made us ramp carbonara for dinner.

We went thrifting and stopped to get ice cream for Andy and Lucy.  This was taken just before she puked it up--luckily, outside Stephani's car.

I did find some good things while thrifting, but I will leave you with photos of two not-so-good things I found that I did not purchase.

You have to love that somebody manufactured fancy tableware just for serving canned cranberry "sauce."

xo
K

daisies and dandelions

A somewhat flowery shop preview.  Coming soon!

1960s cotton lily flower ascot neck dress.

1960s black and white print crepe blouse, by Majestic.

1960s pale pink negligee with shirred bodice and velvet ribbon trim.

1960s cotton turquoise houndstooth dress with rick rack trim.

1950s rust brown tribal tapestry full skirt.

1970s calico prairie dress with lace trim.

1970s Vera Neumann abstract blossom print top.

1950s white cotton pintuck dress with heart-shaped bodice buttons, by Helen Whiting.

1960s field of daisies cotton full skirt.

1960s dandelion print wiggle dress.

xo

K

dapper don

Just in time for Fathers Day gift shopping, I'm adding some men's stuff to the shop.  It's mostly 1960s stuff, and since we're in the midst of the new season of Mad Men, I naturally can't help myself thinking of Don.  (Though I want to think about Roger.  I really do.  I love him.  But--other than the great acid trip scene with him in the towel turban and bathrobe--we never see him in anything other than a suit.)  Speaking of which...

Here's a sharp dark brown sharkskin suit.  However the label...

Huh.  Truth in advertising?  No!  It really isn't shit...it's lovely sharkskin, in excellent condition.  I'd sure love to know the story behind this.

Remember that loud plaid suit jacket Don wore to Pete's dinner party?  This pewter gray plaid sharkskin number from Hart Schaffner & Marx is a bit more subdued.

1960s green and orange plaid shirt by Westbrook.

1950s McGregor plaid cotton pullover.

1960s Kamehameha Hawaiian shirt.

1950s paisley print shirt by Swim Mates.

xo

K

meijer gardens

My parents were here visiting the other week, and we spent a day at Meijer Gardens.  I might have mentioned the Gardens here at some point--it's one of the best attractions in Grand Rapids.  They have an excellent sculpture park, as well as a pretty great outdoor concert series.  We saw Neko Case there a few years ago, and Andrew Bird is playing there this summer.

But first we had to fortify ourselves with breakfast at Gaia.  Andy and I aren't vegetarians, but my parents are, and we always have to bring them here when they visit.  For a long time it was the only place to get vegetarian food in Grand Rapids; I still think it's the best.

Hee hee!

I loved the intense, dramatic color on these tulips.

Neuron by Roxy Paine.  I think this might be my favorite new thing at the Gardens.

Spooky shot.

Joan Miro, Woman and Bird.

I love this Louise Bourgois Spider sculpture...with birds nesting in its belly.

Keith Haring's Julia.

My mom spotted these in the Victorian Garden.  Isn't the lacy pattern on these blooms amazing?

Sadly, we couldn't take these three to Meijer Garden. Don't worry--they got plenty of other walks.  Look at the mug on Miss Lucy.  Methinks she does not like sharing her couch.

xo

K

shop preview

It's another misty gray and cool spring day in Michigan.  Is it sunnier and warm where you are?  In case it isn't, there are a couple sunny brights in this preview that might help cheer you.

1950s yellow ribbon stripe day dress.

1950s plaid sleeveless blouse, by Queen Casuals.

1960s orange polka dots and ruffles dress, by Coffee Break'R.

1950s cropped gingham jacket.

1950s striped shirtwaist dress, by Serbin.

1960s pink nubby skirt, by Loomtogs.

1960s plissé pleat damask print shift, by Ruth Walter.

1950s plaid little girl's dress.

1930s chiffon and lace gown with velvet ribbons and lace.

xo

K

april showers...

...bring May inspiration!  A peek at the pretty, cute, and sometimes odd things that caught my eye last month on the internets.

1. The cutest baby animal ever? A wild boar piglet.  Painting by Hans Hoffmann from 1578. /// Wikimedia Commons

2. The decoupaged walls of the Print Room in County Kildare, Ireland's Castleton House. /// via

3. Katharine Hepburn and her sisters, ca 1939--gorgeous ladies, great style, and Kate's pants! /// vintagegal

4. Serge Gainsbourg dishes out not just sexy French pop, but worldly wisdom. /// via

5. Pink pixie + vintage dress + amazing coat = inspiring London street style. /// Street Style Aesthetic

6. Amazing paper light sculpture by Nicholas Wright. /// via

1. The Lantern Parade by Thomas Cooper Gotch, 1918 /// We Love Paintings

2. Project for an art nouveau apartment house facade by architect Hans Schlechta, 1901 /// booknbuildings

3. Incredible bee-embroidered gown by Jacques Doucet, ca 1900-1905 /// Les Arts Decortifs

4. 1978 McCall's Embroidery Book /// Girl of 100 Lists

5. 1963 Penguin Books edition of The Fall by Albert Camus /// scatterkeir

6. Stylish Lucille Baldwin Brown, the first black public county librarian in Tallahassee, Florida. /// Of Another Fashion

xo

K

maximum density

This spring, my eye has been very attracted to dense prints.  Concentrated?  Overpopulated?  Prints lacking white space.  When these prints are small and floral, they are often known as "ditsy prints."  The prints that are drawing my eye are not necessarily floral, and not necessarily small--but they are concentrated!  Below are some particularly lovely examples from Etsy (click the collage to see it bigger).

1. 1960s novelty print cotton blouse / MsTips

2. 1960s apple print dress / TheCircleIsCast

3. 1940s gray silk dancing in the moonlight print dress / AnatomyVintage

4. 1930s blue meadowsweet dress / mamaleanne22

5. 1950s floral tapestry purse / GingerRootVintage

6. 1950s carnation bouquet dress / Planetclairevintage

And a few more examples currently in the shop.

1. 1960s Pennsylvania Dutch print dress

2. 1950s squiggle print piqué dress

3. 1960s flower riot linen shift

4. 1950s Wedgwood dragon print blouse

5. 1960s floral print blouse

xo

K