Pound Foolish

Celebrating the Fool and her day, I'm having an April Fools Sale in the Etsy shop- 25% off EVERYTHING! So here's a chance to help a fool and get something cool.The SALE is going on from now, and all day April 1st.

SHOP The Citizen on Etsy

#SECONDHANDFIRST™: Link-up, Project Pao

Chicago artist Pat Otto set about to simplify her wardrobe for a year by upcycling her old clothes. It is now year three.

When Pao started her blog, Project Minima, it was her artist's way to clean up the clutter in her house, namely her closets, and minimize her consumption. Thus, a part art, part sewing, part personal style blog was born. 

A Thing for Spring?

Bursting with Blossom: Spring makes for seriously fun dress ups attempts.

Spring is my favorite season, especially this time of year. I pull all my floral frocks out, and pretty much layer on whatever springtime folly I can think of- usually in the form of a ridiculous hat. By which I mean a vintage (usually floral) one. I'm not sure why, other than it's FUN.

Which you'd never guess by how seriously serious I am in these photos. I swear to blog, I wasn't meaning to mad dog the camera.

MIND THE MUSIC: Birds of a Feather

Watch tha' Birdie (image source)

It's been said,

that birds of a feather,

FUNK together.

Quick Change: Dress for Success

Dollar for dollar, choosing well made, long lasting garments gives you the best style bang for your buck.

With  less than 15 minutes to get dressed and out the door, I needed an outfit that looked well put together, professional yet creative. I also wanted to be wearing something I felt comfortable in, and that felt "like me." I didn't want to look as off-the-cuff as I felt, and didn't have the time, or the budget to shop for something brand new.

#SECONDHANDFIRST™: Cool.

The smug look on my face is probably from the fact I was feeling super smart and clever in my 100% SECONDHANDFIRST outfit. 

I can't say that it was ALL "thrifted," because it wasn't. It's EVEN better. STOP. Hear me out. The shirt and the shorts were freebies, cast offs by their previous owners, and picked up by me. A floral polyester shirt isn't for the weak of heart, it's a kind of meshy, thin late 1970s polyester, not exactly screaming "lux." And, the vintage "mom" jeans were abandoned for good reason.

Fresh Picks of the Week: Green + Gold

Citizen Rosebud Vintage: Fresh Picks for Fine Folks

Oh I've been busy as a leprechaun, posing in front of the camera, and listing some of my best frocks and follies for my shops on eBay and Etsy. Possibly because this week had a certain green loving holiday in it, or possibly because there spring time budding on the trees all around me, but right now, I am all about the green!

MIND THE MUSIC: Give Me Chocolate

Heavy Metal, Lite: Baby Metal wants Chocolate.

"Somewhere in Norway there is a metal-head in corpse paint standing in a forest crying tears of blood.”  -Octopit to Jezebel

Outfit: Belles, Tattered Skies

The Art of Dressing for Life: Wear what you love love love, and artfully live.

The outfit is perhaps a bit ordinary, nothing that shouts "fashion" or "art", or is particularly remarkable. A couple of plaids, a polka dot, a straw hat and gold shoes, thrown in for good measure. The dress method is very much the technique employed in childhood: throw on only garments that I love, whether or not they match. Some days, you just strike sartorial paydirt, and discover a sweet spot, where everything just works, in a random, round about sort of way. 

Somehow, the random mixing (and likely the straw derby) brought me to thinking about one of my favorite artists- Magritte, and how he captured the details of the mundane in such a dream-like, beautiful way. These days, my days, are pretty mundane- I've been working at home, and my source of income comes from selling my Fresh Picks online via Ebay and Etsy. The act of listing all day: not very glamorous, so perhaps it's a bit of a treat to doll up and parade in front of the camera! I had fun in a recent photo shoot- and I suppose I've been feeling very Bella, Tattered Skies lately.

SECONDHANDFIRST: Mellicia Marx, Poplin Style

In 5^th grade all I wanted was a pair of Guess jeans. I saved and saved and after months of saving I finally had enough money to bike to Macy’s and buy a pair. When I arrived, I realized that I couldn’t bring myself to use all of my money on just that one pair of jeans and a love of great value in shopping was born. In early high school I discovered vintage stores in San Francisco and Berkeley, as you can imagine, everything changed.

Personal style is not about how much you spend or wearing the latest trends, it’s about feeling like your clothes represent who you are. I often ask clients to name three words they’d like a stranger to use when describing the client’s personal style. Body shape, three key words: those are the filters that drive every style decision from that point on.

I do, however, work hard to help clients understand what is current and in the words of the Citizen, “wearing vintage clothes doesn’t mean you need to be in a time warp.” Pairing current with vintage is the way to go. 

Mind the Music: Diggi-Loo Diggi-Ley (Golden Shoes)

This is the next installment of our new culture feature, mid-week: Mind the Music. Each Wednesday, we'll be posting some great tunes to get your toes tapping, and you, through to the end of your work week. Happy listening!

Whoa boy.

#SHOESHINE: Golden Girls

I'm not talking about THESE Golden Girls:

The Selfie

 

The SELFIE. Word of the year. Well last year, anyways. And a social media rite of passage.

Most of you have done it. At least once. 

#SECONDHANDFIRST, Second Year

 

Last year, I invited you to join me to take the pledge and shop SECONDHAND FIRST. Many of you have been doing just that for many years already- and it was just a reminder to stay strong, and keep it up! Like some, I've been "thrift" shopping my whole life, and an ethical/green business advocate for nearly a decade. The pledge combines both principles, and provides room for each of us to do what we can do, and make the world a better place, one shopping decision at a time.

For those who may not know, here's the pledge in its entirety:

Sparkle and Shine

People are like stained glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.   -Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

 

Here's to your light from within.

20 on +40: The Gentlemen's Edition

20 on +40 :The Gentlemen's Edition

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 third of the series.

The Grey Fox blog stands out as a +40 fashion blog written by, and for men. David is in his fifties, a tireless advocate for British made goods, and his fashion blog, Grey Fox is a must read for any who seek an offering of men's style. Who could more perfectly interview David, a singular +40 fashion blogger, than another British gent who stands out in a sea of feminine voices,  the singularly unique twenty-something image consultant, Arash Mazinani? 
 

Grey (Fox) matters: Exploring the search for mature style from a +40 man's perspective.

Arash: So how has your style changed over the years? Have you always been interested in your personal style or is it something that became more interested in as you got older?