8.18.2010

The house has something to say.

a down right scorcher
a down right scorcher
a down right scorcher

Vintage Dress: Borrowed from Timely Vintage
Vintage Hat: Estate Sale $8
Purse: Shop Dixi
Ofords: Thrift (from the free box!)

I took this set of photos right before I had my consumer collapse last week. I labeled them as a big fail at the time, mostly because I was exhausted from the sun and felt anything but pretty or stylish while I was taking them. When I stepped away from the blog for a second, I came back and realized they weren't so bad after all and that I actually didn't mind the way I styled Annie's dress (you know when you think you looked cute until you see pictures? yeah, that happens to me sometimes).

These two abandoned houses are located a few blocks from our apartment, next to the grocery store and what I consider to be the cut off for my self portrait explorations. It's all downhill from there other than the governor's mansion which pretty much separates the ghetto from the luxurious historic homes that have miraculously been rescued from ruins. I'm always scared to approach abandoned homes after walking into one a few weeks ago and finding two crackheads asleep on the floor. For the first time ever, I walked into a place with a half opened door saying:

"hello". . .

"hello". . .

. . . as if it were some scary movie or something.

No one responded. As I stepped through the door frame, my left eye caught a glimpse of the most beautiful vintage cherry wood vanity, but before I could even think about getting it home, my right eye spotted two people asleep on the floor. I ran out immediately.

Since then I've been scared to explore abandoned places by myself. Instead I like to enjoy all the great parts about the outside: the lush vines hugging the ones back and the white paint fading from the other, the old mattress perfect for a midnight star watch if not for the encroaching fear of it's past, the wood planks sealing up the doors and windows as if they're hiding some kind of secret. There's great stories to be found about these places even if they are just pieces of my imagination.

35 comments:

Victoria / Justice Pirate said...

you make abandoned houses look so glamourous!! I really am glad to see this entry ;)
I wonder what secrets these houses truly held in their pasts.

archives vintage said...

eeek! dont go alone!

i love the gif :)

kathy said...

These pics are amazing! I have just got back from a trip to san fransisco and am now slightly obsessed with the idea of living in a wooden house, they look so much more colourful than anything in the UK.

I think i would be too scared to explore them alone though xx

Emma said...

Heehee! That's so funny! I'm so glad you reconsidered these photographs, they're really great! The setting is so cool, I wish there was places like that near to where I live! Love the print of the dress too, it looks like something my aunts would have worn in the 60s!

xx
Emma

Anonymous said...

I love the setting, and your bag is gorgeous! totally know what you mean about feeling like you look good then you see the pictures :S not nice

xx

www.anadorablecliche.blogspot.com

Amber said...

pretty photos but be extra careful about going into the homes alone, maybe bring an exit buddy.

Anonymous said...

love the photos! you styled the dress so well! that's really creepy that you found two random people asleep in the house. Please tell me you have pepper spray or something!!

Elizabeth, Delightfully Tacky said...

This dress is gorgeous on you! I love the colors. I know what you mean about thinking an outfit is cute until you try to photograph it. I feel like that happens to me at least once a week...

I can't wait to see you in NYC! It's gonna be so much fun!

moonshinejunkyard said...

oh. my. goodness that is so freaky! i kind of love it though. nothing like that happens here. there are NEVER houses like that here, unless they are so hidden away that no one can ever find them, and i WANT to find them. i wonder if the crackheads were living there, and it was their cherrywood vanity? or they stole it and are going to sell it? better yet, they were just ghosts of old tramps past who died in that house in the 30s. delightfully mysterious!

i love that dress on you with those shoes and purse. you look utterly charming and innocent against the creaky old dilapidated background, great contrast that gives a spooky feeling. soooo glad you kept these photos. that happens to me all the time too! sometimes it goes the other way though, i think i like some photos and post them then later i'm like, umm NO.

milk said...

I love all these pictures!
Love the blog!

Unknown said...

Sweet :)


http://tugbaseckin.blogspot.com/

Catherine said...

I love the outfit, though I know what you mean when you aren't feeling an outfit. Anyways I'm in love with that abandoned house! I wish I had abandoned houses where I live, darn those flippers!

The Girl in the Paper Dress

Gracie said...

Love this little house, it's very nice for an abandoned house! (well, on the outside anyway).
It looks so summery there!

A said...

love the digs gal!
perfect day of sun and old mattresses.

just lovely.
xx
Amy
refusestolabel.com

Anonymous said...

My lord! I can't believe you found two kids sleeping on the couch. How bizarre and frightening. Stay safe, you brazenly fearless girl! I had a consumer collapse after I got hired on the spot for this temp job and realized that I needed some plain ass clothing to be presentable for my job and was forced into a Forever 21 (not my favorite place to be EVER) and had to buy button up shirts and the plainest, cheapest skirt I could find and even though I felt so dirty for shopping there (especially after I realized how awful their return policy is--they will only give you store credit even for clothes that still have the tag on them and I was of course, going to be tacky and wear them for the next three days and then return them pronto, but all my plans have been dashed.)

Why did your post incite such a dreadfully long and rambly comment? I have no idea! And I'm sorry! I was in the middle of complimenting how fearless you and how your outfit is beautiful and just to reiterate for the 10th time, I can't wait to see you in NY! And PS, I had a dream where you made a brief cameo. We were holding hands and singing a children's song!

xo Jenny

April said...

Looks great! Seeing people in an abandoned house would scare me off it for a while, too.

Casie Jean said...

lovely photos :)
I want to explore abandoned places, but am too scared to do it alone...definitely need a partner in crime for that!

Marie said...

I love old peely paint houses, such character and texture. Your dress is lovely in the pics.
Marie @ Lemondrop ViNtAge
August giveaway

redheaded guru said...

beeeen reallly wanting oxford shoes!! went to the mall in LR today and saw them in every shoe store, no joke. and i am in love with the quapaw quarter near downtown! the houses are amazing!

try and stay cool! the heat always stays til the state fair starts :[ so long to gooo! eek!

Emily, Ruby Slipper Journeys said...

I think I enjoy your stories as much as your pictures. While I'm certain it's the height of creepy finding crackheads in a deserted house, I do like the glimpses you give us of the south (never having been anywhere near there, my other impressions come from True Blood... hmmm).

Glad to hear that you're recovering from or over consumer crisis, and still resolutely wearing flat shoes!

Unknown said...

ah i wish there were abandoned homes in my area. they really do make for a good backdrop :)

ps. i'm super excited to meet in NY! annie invited me and i'm so stoked! until then <3

Rose said...

wow, i cant believe you werent going to post these pics. I love them! especially you sitting on the mattress.
That must have been scarey finding two people in the abandoned house. I think you are so brave taking photos by yourself :)

Rose

HauteMangoGirl said...

those oxfords are amazing! and they were for free.. you're a lucky girl :)
xx

Helen said...

I think these are my absolute favourite photos of yours! LOVE them! x

Rosie said...

Pretty dress and fun hat, but omg! Be careful please my dear!

Molly said...

well this ensemble is just absolutely adorable. I love the hat and the flower print. And the setting is so eerie/vaguely reminds me of 'Now and Then'...such a good movie.

great post!

becca said...

Ooh I like how 60's your little floral dress is! So adorable, girlie :)

Rachel said...

That's so funny about the crackheads....it would have never occured to me that someone woud actually be in there either, me just traipsing around wherever I please....and then wam, reality, right in the face.
But you do look great, I'm glad you came around, don't be so hard on yourself pretty lady!
http://wroughtironstyle.wordpress.com/
Ruby

Danielle @ Story of Style said...

I love how you make these old, forgotten houses seem beautiful in your photography. That story about the homeless people sleeping in the abandoned house is so scary! I don't even know how you're able to take these pictures still! I'd be MORTIFIED.

Ashlee said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
LF said...

can't believe you got those shoes on the FREEEEE! i love, and have been looking for a similar pair myself. you are lucky :))

ps//i am asking for all my blogger friends opinions on some business card ideas, i would LOVE yours:
www.ladyflashback.com

thanks!
jess s//LadyFLASHBACK

Ashlee said...

you can't ever find places like this in california...my state is quick to demolish.

it's a damn shame.

and, even after living in san francisco for 3 years...the crackheads will still freak me out as well!

Sarah with an "h" said...

I love the first picture. Reminds me of an English cottage for some reason. The outfit is great! And free Oxfords?? Whaa?? Craziness! Great pictures, cute outfit, lovely post.

:o)Sarah

Alli XT said...

love these photos! Gorgeous.

Anonymous said...

Love your pictures ! This mattress in the street is quite funny :)