Uno Momento Mori

This fun Day-of-the-Dead graphic was made courtesy of Pic Monkey. I've been using this amazing FREE application on the web for months now, and of course I hope you are using it too! Pic Monkey is easy to use, and really helps edit your pictures to look their best. In this case, my best is Death Warmed Over.

Wishing you all a fun + frightful holiday!

We Got Tha Beat! Beats + Bohos in Ballard

I've mentioned that I LOVE Ballard, right? Ballard is a funky/awesome/kick-ass district in Seattle that has a Swedish/Nordic history and is rich with creative culture. Well, I'm starting to suspect that they have one of the best vintage shopping districts too. 

One recently discovered treasure is a newly opened shop on 15th Avenue NW in Ballard, Beats & Bohos. Described on Yelp as "half record store and  half vintage boutique," Beats has a heart stopping collection of GREAT vinyl records and MIND-BLOWING, wearable vintage women's clothing. And accessories. And house wares. And jewelry. It's kind of mind boggling how the owners crammed so much good stuff in such a small space. 

Nestled inside an old Craftsman bungalow, you'll find Beats & Bohos, the boutique upstairs, in a quirky and charming attic. Packed full with an old school vinyl record collection, AND ah-hamazing vintage- you could get lost for hours, caught up between the slanted sunlight streaming in from the small South-facing windows, the tunes spinning over the speakers, and the tightly packed racks of neo-boho, mad mod, and bubble gum '80's vintage women's clothing, handbags, coats, boots and more.  Dot. Dot. Dot. This girl speaks from experience- I literally got lost for hours inside this tiny gem of a shop. 

Outfit Post: Miz Mooz, Ox-blood Boots

Fall colors are steeped in drama. Case in point the au currant color of Oxblood, aka Merlot,  Bordeaux, or Burgundy. This wine-soaked hue is seeped in drama, and looks so good against the plainer Fall colors of greys and browns. My recent boot bonanza, a pre-loved pair of oxblood Miz Mooz boots, looked so good around town, strolling over a cascade of burgundy, red and yellow leaves and a gorgeous grey stony sidewalk.

20 on +40: The Ragged/Rags Interview

20 on +40 
Note:  To showcase the wide appeal of +40 bloggers that goes beyond their own age-group, I'm starting a new blog  feature, the 20 on +40. This feature will showcase 20 other friends in the community who pick their favorite +40 blogger, interview them, and write about it.  This is the first of the series.
There are so many people who are an integral part of (what I consider) the Rosebud community- and in the thick of it is Terri from Rags Against the Machine. Terri is an academic and her approach towards fashion and style is thoughtful and thought provoking. Her blog posts have an appeal that reaches well beyond her age contemporaries;  Terri engages women of all ages, with her sharp observations and warm personality.  One such reader, a twenty-something blogger  was a natural choice for this new blog series, and that was Meghan from the Philly based blog, Meg's Ragged Edge.   

The Ragged/Rags Interview

by Meghan Edge

I have started this intro over and over during the last few weeks trying to figure out what I could possibly say to introduce Terri from Rags Against the Machine to you. I get stuck because she's been such a big part of my blogging life and I can't figure out how to say in words how supportive, kind and fun a friend she's been to me. I feel like I've been a part of her adventures and we even had a few together- like that time we both hula-hooped on camera for our blogs! She's one of the nicest people that I know but she also won't lie to you. When Bella asked which 40+ blogger I wanted to interview, there was only one in my mind: Terri.

Tah-dah on Tuesday

"Fashion is forever." -Judith "The Style Crone" Boyd

What a treat to go with my morning coffee: "Ari Seth Cohen posted on your timeline" and a link: advancedstyle.blogspot.com/2012/10/bloggers-over-40.html

Oh yeah. Along with my morning cuppa, I get to see these lovelies over at Ari's blog, Advanced Style. Style mavens such as the Style Crone, and the Forest City Fashionista standing arm and arm with AS regulars, Val + Jean of the Idiosyncratic Fashionistas and fierce fashion goddess and artist, Debra Rappaport. Stunning, each and every one of them. Then I see that Ari has generously mentioned my +40 Blog Roll, and already some wonderful ladies have added THEIR +40 blogs to the list in the comments! What a great way to start a Tuesday! 

Picture Perfect: Autumn Wings

Autumn Wings (Photo credit: Bella Q)

I came across this exquisite creature early one morning sometime last week. The wings blended so perfectly into the sunflower, and the sunflower and the moth (or is it a butterfly?) just seemed like such a splendid augury for this coming Fall. 

What do you think? 

Outfit Post: Polyester Plaid + Polka Dots

Only in America, folks. Here you can wear the good ol' red, white and blue and represent the glory of the stars and stripes with a Scottish Tam, a dress from Canada, and handbag made by a Californian designer using vintage British souvenir linen, and slingback shoes from Paris, France. 

The Karina Dresses Fall Collection 2012

Karina Cousineau, dress designer (image source)

Karina Cousineau is a woman who loves vintage clothing and is inspired by the past. Perhaps that is why her contemporary designed dresses suit the present so well. Borrowing  body positive elements from a jazz age bias-cut, and adding elegance from the Edwardian era, and applying it to her designs gives her dresses an ease of movement as well as a sense of drama.  Taking cues from Victoriana, '60's youthquakers, and mixing it with the steely resolution a 1940's film noir heroine, and adding a touch of '70's individualism is no easy feat, but this is a labor of love for Ms. Cousineau. 

Outfit Post: Ginger Plaid

Crisp but bright days are dazzling the Seattle population. Remarks about how rare this sort of October are being liberally sprinkled over the general conversations infusing this corner of the Pacific Northwest. Indeed the light is bright but quite unlike any summer sun. Bright and almost golden, it looks "magical" and timeless, like a proverbial Golden Age. And I do feel a bit golden- after a few weeks of stressful mishaps, things are on the upswing. 

Happy Plaidurday

It's probably an understatement when I say: I love plaid. In fact, plaid is my favorite color. 

If you were to Google "plaid" last summer, chances were that you'd see my mug (dressed in plaid of course) in the image search. Chances are, I'm wearing plaid right now. So when the second annual celebration of Plaidurday rolled around, of course I'm on it. What a great holiday for a terrific pattern.

Perhaps, plaid is a state of mind. A lifestyle. An attitude. A plaid-itude if you will. 

Frocktober

It's Frock-tober, and time to pull out those sweaters and your bestest of dresses- we're going places.  As you read this, I'm offline and in the middle of a big move- me and the dude have finally shacked up together, and we're in the process of packing up and moving into the cutest little bungalow in the city of Seattle, perhaps on the whole planet.  The weather seems congratulatory in its overwhelming sunniness, with the sky 33% bluer than ever. Things are looking up!

Thank you dear readers and friends for being here! 

And a big thank-you to my sponsors:
Funkoma Vintage
Karina Dresses
L'affaire Cashmere
Sunglasses Shop
Toothsoap