Inspired by Dad in the 70's: Military Woman

Vintage Hat: Thrift $1
Shirt: Thrift $3
Harmonica Necklace: Modcloth $16
Vintage WWII Riding Pants: Estate Sale $2
Espadrilles: Salvation Army $6

I finally found the time to take those daddy-inspired photos I casually spoke about on father's day. I figured since I did a post for mama I had to do one for papa too! I'm sure dad had some better looks to get inspired by in the 70's, but I've been hanging on to these pants for months now and thought this would be a very appropriate time to wear them. I wanted to see if I could turn dad's tough military look into something wearable for a lady.

I wish I knew more about dad's time in the military, but unfortunately I don't know much. I know he was a dog trainer in the Air Force for a while and that he lived in Thailand and Guam while he was in the service, but that's about it. I'm not exactly sure what he did or what he saw while he was living in either of these places.

We always liked to say that dad had nine lives because of all the careers he's had. The military history came before I was born, and by the time I got here, he was a motorcycle cop in Mobile, Alabama. When I turned a year old we moved from Alabama to Ft. Worth, Texas so he could get his masters in religion at the baptist seminary, and after that he went back to school to become a social worker. He's been a therapist ever since, but I do remember times when he thought about going back to law school. I think all in all he spent twelve years in college. He liked his studies I guess!

I rounded up all the things I could find for a military inspired outfit, and this is what I came up with. The WWII riding pants were an extraordinary estate sale find marked at 90% off. The man was so desperate to get rid of his stuff that he only wanted $2 for them.  You don't come across those everyday (and in such great shape), so I snatched them up without even thinking twice. The military shirt pin is from a camo hat I purchased at Urban Outfitters back in 2006, and the aviators were leftover from a party I threw back in my early days of college. The National Geographic magazine might seem a little out of place, but it's such a great reference for all the great sights and cultures of the world that I decided to include it (since dad did get to travel). I've never actually gotten to leave the country, so instead I rely on my National Geographics to show me the sights. This one is from 1969, and although the cover photo is just an eagle attacking a lady, I'm sure there's something about the war in there too.

Inspired By Mama

Today's inspiration came from my Mama's style in the 70's. I pulled this photo out for my mother's day post, and one of my buddies and blog readers, Amanda, from Dishevelled Stars recommended I do my own version of it.

"I can't get over how much you and your mom look alike! And those combat boots with a white dress are rockin - you should totally do a mirrored outfit and post the pictures side by side ."

So, I took her advice, and here are the results.

I got a little cut on my knuckle just before taking these photos, and I didn't want any blood to get on my white dress, so pardon the band-aid.



I think Mom told me she used to have a phone like this when she was a teenager, so I thought it would be cute to include it in the photos.



I'm finding out that Monkey really likes indoor shoots. I think she enjoys being in front of the warm light, so she kind of took over at one point.

Since I'm a horrible daughter and forgot to do a Father's Day post (and here I am doing another post for Mom), I'm going to do an outfit in honor of Dad's style in the 70's too. I've already got the whole thing styled and ready, just gotta find the time to shoot it.

Petal Hat: Alabama Thrift Store $3

White Lace Slip: Goodwill $3

White Muslin Slip: Estate Sale $1

Nude Slip: Estate Sale $1

Boots: Modcloth $ 55

Vintage Phone: Alabama Thrift Store $15

Monkey Cat: Rescued from the streets, Priceless

Keepsake Boxes.

My grandmother's keepsake box is the best thing in her house.
With so many photos and so many memories, being the history geek that I am, I can't help but be drawn to the box and it's contents. Like my great grandfather's hat he wore in his childhood photographs and the swinging doll card from my aunt when she was a girl.

There are so many interesting family pieces kept there. I couldn't wait to sit down with a notebook and pencil in hand to ask my grandmother all about them.

It inspired me to start my own.

All I needed was an in/out office box which I thrifted for a dollar, a small piece of cork board which I already had, and a little piece of velvet from Hobby Lobby. After gluing down the velvet piece with a hot glue gun, I was on my way to creating my very own inspiration board. My box isn't nearly as meaningful as hers, not even close, but it represents me and all the old things that I love.

This is now my favorite area in the house!

1870's Grammar Book: Estate Sale $3
Cameo Brooch: Estate Sale $1
Vintage Key: Estate Sale .5 cents
Vintage Bow Tie: Estate Sale $1
Vintage Glasses: Saver's $2
Vintage Photograph: from my father's album.
Tin Type Photo: a gift from my grandma's box.
She didn't recognize the ladies in the photograph and told me I could have it since I love tin types so much!

Vintage 'Book of the World's Progress': Used Bookstore $2 each
Vintage Pencil Sharpeners: Alabama Flea Market $1 each

Vintage Table: Alabama Thrift Store $15

Vintage Brooch: my great grandmother's.
Vintage Hair Pins: a gift from my grandmother's box.
After telling my grandmother how much I like to pin my hair in a bob at times, she laughed and gave me two of my great grandmother's hair pins. She really does thing I'm the silliest thing! She understands that my interest is genuine, she just doesn't understand why I'm so obsessed with the past.

This is my father when he was stationed in Thailand with the Air Force. He is writing a letter to my mother. I love that there is a photo of her right above the letter and that the paper has a silhouette of a couple on it. Who knew he was so sensitive and romantic!

I made this collage with clippings from my old Anthropolgie catlogs. I love all the images from those catalogs and how they're printed on the softest paper. I hate when there's a glare from the typical shiny magazine paper.

1920's Photo Album: Hot Springs Flea Market $20

Vintage Phone: Alabama Thrift Store $15

A tip to you all...
GO VISIT YOUR GRANDMOTHER'S!
You'll leave with a whole world of inspiration.
I know I did.

Heirlooms.

Today's outfit was styled around a family heirloom...
my great grandmothers brooch.

When I was in Alabama my grandmother gave me two vintage heirlooms that I treasure more than life itself (well, not quite that much). The first and most precious was that brooch I mentioned in the photos above. I had never received a family piece before now so this was truly an honor to have it in my possession. This brooch is now the most precious item that I own. God, if my grandma only knew how much I adore it and how beautiful I think it is.

Vintage Dress: Saver's $6
Patterned Tights: Alabama Thrift Store $1.50
Shoes: Forever 21 $24
Belt: DIY
Brooch: an heirloom which belonged to my great grandmother
Vintage Hat: Alabama Flea Market $3

The second heirloom, I guess you could say, was a scrapbook that belonged to my Great Aunt Alice over a hundred years ago. You see, Aunt Alice was a beauty and I've been smitten with her ever since I saw this photo sitting under a piece of glass in my grandmothers living room. It was the first antique photo I noticed, and my sister and I just couldn't get over how sensational her style was; I kept wishing that headband was still in the family!



Aunt Alice attended Miss Nanny Baker's Private School growing up which my grandmother said made her very snobish and uppity. Her father (my great, great grandfather) ran a successful business in Northern Alabama, allowing his children to get good educations which was quite the luxury in those days. By the time Alice got to high school, her father had passed away and the money was pretty much lost. Being the hoity toity girl that she was, she insisted on taking a senior trip to New York along with all of her classmates (who, mind you, still had the money to go). Alice's mother was quite the push over and allowed her to wipe out her little brothers (my great grandfather) college account in order to afford that senior trip. In turn, my great grandfather was forced to live a simpler life and could only afford his first year of college where he played football at Auburn.

My grandmother gave me Alice's scrapbook which is full of vintage cutouts and cards with dates that go back to 1903.
Another heirloom that I adore.
(click the photos for a closer view)

Vintage Minnie Mouse & Home Sweet Home

Although my blogging skills feel quite rusty after a week long retreat to my Mimi's house, I'm gonna attempt to get back in the groove of things and type a wee little post. I certainly have missed you girls and all of your lovely blogs, but I have to say, it was surprisingly refreshing to let go of the computer for a bit. Don't get me wrong, I think this community is one of the best things that's ever happened to me, but sometimes I get so wrapped up in it that I forget to notice all the beautiful things around me.

In my technology-free (iphone excluded) week I feel like I've absorbed a lifetime of inspiration. I interviewed my grandmother about her family and their experiences during major American events such as the Civil War, the roaring twenties, the depression and the second world war, and I took tons of pictures of her old family photographs. Although she's eighty-three and getting weaker, she's still sharp as a whip and full of detailed stories dating all the way back to the early thirties. Being the history geek that I am I'm absolutely fascinated by her journey, and I'm just itching to share it with you all! Right now it's all a jumble, but once I get all settled in and rested up I'll be able to establish some sort of a timeline.

Aside from asking my grandmother far more questions than she could have ever imagined, I also squeezed in quite a bit of thrift time while I was gone.

After picking up a vintage red dress at Saver's a month back in Arkansas, I was kind of on a wild hunt for some Mickey Mouse ears to make the perfect Minnie Mouse Halloween costume. Although I wasn't able to find any ears, my sister did find an adorable Mickey Mouse cap to complete the look. Sure enough, I did it, the Halloween costume of my dreams, vintage and everything....but now it seems like I'll probably have to work. No parties, no trick or treating and no playing dress up for me in 2009.

Tragic, huh?
Since I have no need for it now, I figured I'd put the costume up for sell in my etsy shop in hopes that one of you could do her justice. Someone find her a Mickey, would ya?