a wild tonic

vintage reshoot sneak peek!

2012-02-09T21:14:00.003-05:00

Here is the second addition to the a wild tonic video channel! My sister and I reshot some of the vintage inventory in the shop today. Here's a little video I made by scrolling through the images on the camera. It's just like a long gif, isn't it? :)

Untitled from A Wild Tonic on Vimeo.

music monday: The Doobie Brothers - "Black Water"

2012-02-06T22:07:00.000-05:00

"The Dark Secret Behind Quirky Romantic Comedies"

2012-02-04T14:42:00.000-05:00

There have been many debates lately about the Manic Pixie Dream Girl stereotype and whether or not Zooey Deschanel is too twee. I admit that some of the blogs I follow can occasionally give off this kind of vibe, and I'm sure I do it too sometimes. I think it's good to laugh about it every now and then, though..

The Dark Secret Behind Quirky Romantic Comedies -- powered by Cracked.com

polka dots and velvet wedges.

2012-02-03T13:26:00.000-05:00

This is a typical outfit that I wore when I was on the nannying job last week--comfortable, but still presentable. Even though I was essentially a single mother of three for the week, I didn't feel the need to dress like a scrub. I don't know if I could've pulled off a dress and heels or anything like that, but I thought jeans, a fun vintage top, and platform wedges do the trick.

vintage blouse: thrifted, goodwill | jeans: gap | velvet platform wedges : urban outfitters

shop crush • arminho

2012-02-02T23:46:00.000-05:00

I have a major crush on this shop, ARMINHO. I stumbled upon it while doing some basic Etsy window shopping, and just fell in love with it. I love everything about it--from the vintage posters to the dedicated notebooks ("Shopping"). I especially love the cohesion, styling, and photography. Finding this shop has definitely inspired me to work on my shop's photos next week, and you can bet a bunch of those items are in my shopping cart just waiting to be bought! ;)

sunbathing • vintage style.

2012-02-01T09:12:00.000-05:00

Okay, this might be one of my favorite parts of my trip to Florida last month. When my mom and her siblings were younger and lived in Brooklyn, a popular thing to do was to go up to the roof and sun tan. They called it "Tar Beach" back then. They would slather on baby oil and literally no SPF, and use sun visors to get nice and tan. Of course, these days we know that is incredibly unhealthy and unadvised, but it's an activity they all remember fondly. My uncle, partially as a joke, partially for memory's sake, and only slightly seriously bought this vintage "Bazaar" magazine sun reflector (actually, two of them) from a lady who used to be a model. She told him that they would use the visors to reflect light onto her for photo shoots. She also told him that he couldn't use it for actual sunbathing and he agreed (although he, my sister, and I all used it for just a bit, just to try it). I have to say, it was brutal. I felt like I was in an oven and I only used it for a few seconds. My eyes had blue dots in them for the next few minutes, too. That lady was not joking around!

Please take a look at the close-up photos of the visor. It's hilarious! "For best sun tan results" and suggesting you tan "in the office!"

bathing suit: target | vintage bazaar sun reflector: my uncle's, via ebay (I believe)

tonic tuesday 1/31: wedges.

2012-01-31T17:42:00.000-05:00

Tonic Tuesday this week is all about wedges, specifically platform wedges with fun details. With this warm weather, I've definitely got spring on the brain. I'm actually wearing platform wedges out to dinner tonight! Which of the pairs below is your favorite? Click the links below to go to the Etsy listings.

(left to right, top to bottom)
1 • Vintage 1970s Famolare Wedges Sandals Go there Pink Leather Women's 7
2 • Vintage 70s Platform Sandals // Whiskey Leather / Hand Carved Wood Heel / Size 6.5
3 • wood wedge heels // 1960s mod sandal shoes
4 • 1970s vintage nut braided leather wedges 8
5 • 1940s 50s Quali Craft LUCITE wedge high heels (9)
6 • Vintage Clear Wedges - 1980s Jack Rogers Lucite Heels - Size US 9

music monday: Dion And The Belmonts - "Runaround Sue"

2012-01-30T11:33:00.000-05:00

sweet sunday • 1/29

2012-01-29T19:50:00.000-05:00

Some sweet things:

sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

home clearance sale!

2012-01-27T11:40:00.000-05:00

I have some shop news! After more than a few shipping overages and two damaged items arriving at buyer's homes, I've decided to start phasing out the home section of the shop. I'll occasionally post a kitschy vintage decor item or two, but for the most part, it's done. To help speed this along, all items in the home section are on sale until they are sold out! Depending on the item, I might even be willing to go down further on the prices, just to clear out my inventory sooner. Convo or email (awildtonic@gmail.com) me if you have any questions, and happy shopping! ;)

a day at walt disney world.

2012-01-27T08:02:00.000-05:00

An exciting part of my trip to Florida was when my friend Meg came down for MLK weekend. She mentioned that she hadn't been to Walt Disney World since she was in 1st grade (that's twenty years)! Unacceptable! So we rented a car and talked to a friend who works there (who hooked us up with free tickets). Before you knew it, we were on I-4 singing classic rock on our way to Orlando. We had such a fun-filled (and exhausting) day! We went to 3/4 parks, went on a ton of rides, and didn't have to spend too much money. It was so great to see Meg relive her childhood on some of the rides. It was seriously such a fun trip. I'll post more pictures for our day at Disney soon, but for now..here's what I wore.

black tank: old navy (?) | sheer bird print top: forever 21 | jeans: gap
tote bag: target | sandals : thrifted bass

introducing the a wild tonic youtube channel!

2012-01-26T12:22:00.000-05:00

Here's the first of (hopefully) many videos coming to the brand-new a wild tonic YouTube channel! The two pairs of vintage shoes will be in the shop soon, and the Jeffrey Campbells will likely be put on eBay since they are two sizes too big for me. I had so much fun putting together this video! What do you think?

sponsor spotlight • olive green anna

2012-01-25T13:50:00.000-05:00

Hey, readers! Here's a bit about one of my new sponsors, Anna of Olive Green Anna! Enjoy! If you're interested in sponsoring A Wild Tonic, read about it here.

About Anna: Hello Lovelies... My name is Anna. I'm a designer, musician, photographer, online vintage store owner, wife, and a delighter in the little things. I'm loving creating photography the most these days. I am married to Dominik, a musician. We had a beautiful wedding in Thailand. He's a German, I am an American/Thai. He's the best roommate I have ever had, and is a joy to share life with. That is mostly me in a nutshell...

About Olive Green Anna: My shop is filled with Oma-Chic vintage. We carry pre-loved, charming vintage clothing and housewares. You can find many pieces that would be in a grandmother's house and closet. I am putting out my first collection of vintage which is part of a theme, and all speak the story of this one lady, so if you are interested to keep updated about that you can read my blog.

Owning this tiny shop has been one of the best things that has happened to me, I love it very much!

Ideal way to spend a Sunday: I would say it would be to lie in bed until I smell the pancakes my husband is making, get up, drink a cup of coffee and devour those pancakes. Then take a bath, then write and collage in my journal. Later on go an urban hike with family and freinds, taking photos along the way. Maybe come home make a pizza, and read a book, as my husband massages my head. That would me my ideal Sunday, or any day. Or just heaven.

Thanks Lauren for having me. Keep creating and selling vintage!

Anna

tonic tuesday 1/24: mint.

2012-01-24T13:51:00.000-05:00

Tonic Tuesday is back! This week's theme is based on yesterday's outfit post. I just loved the minty color of the vintage dress I was wearing, so I put together a collection of pretty vintage all in mint green! Click the links below to go to the Etsy listings.

(left to right, top to bottom)
1 • The Vintage 40's Puss Bow Floral Dress
2 • BLOWOUT 60% off sale Vintage PRAIRIE Skirt, Mint Green with Tiny White Flowers, Women Large
3 • Vintage 1960s MINT CONFECTION Formal Shift Dress
4 • vintage// 1980s Prom Dress 5733
5 • 80s green leather / sam and libby / ballet flats /// size 7.5
6 • 1960s angora sweater / vintage green sweater 60s vintage M/L
7 • Sea Foam Green Brooch Vintage Jewelry Layered Early Plastic Flower Pin ((Free Shipping USA))
8 • 1970s vintage seaglass cashmere dress
9 • vintage 1950s mint green skirt / 50s high waisted pencil skirt / size extra small
10 • Mint Feather Brooch / Peacock Feather Pin

mint blue monday.

2012-01-23T17:37:00.000-05:00

Today is Blue Monday, did you know that? Apparently it's the saddest day of the year. With all this gloomy weather and the post-holiday-season high wearing off, I can see why people would feel sad around today. Fortunately for me, I'm having a blast on this nannying trip and I get to post another outfit from Florida! Seeing photos of me in the sun is the next best thing to actually being in the sun, right? This is one of my favorite outfits from my vacation. The dress was borrowed from the shop, and I'm wearing the same sandals that I have been in the last few outfit posts. The dress is a bit sheer, so i kept my black one-piece bathing suit on underneath. My sister, Erica, braided my hair for me and I love how it came out. I really need to branch out in the ways I style my hair. Any tips or suggestions are welcome!

dress: a wild tonic vintage, in the shop here | sandals: thrifted bass

music monday: The Beach Boys - "Sloop John B"

2012-01-23T12:08:00.000-05:00

Being in Florida last week + all that warm weather + the days getting longer = a craving for the hot summer and "Pet Sounds" on vinyl. I love this song.

sweet sunday • 1/22

2012-01-22T22:16:00.000-05:00

Some sweet things:

sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

coral, white, and blue.

2012-01-21T22:20:00.000-05:00

This is another outfit from my trip to Florida. A few days before I left, Alison (@teenangster) posted a video of Ann Margaret wearing a cute little cropped tank top, so I decided to try to put together an outfit in that style. Though, the tank top doesn't looked cropped because I decided to wear the skirt up high. I had my bathing suit on underneath for these photos and I look a bit lumpy, but I don't really care. I like this outfit a lot. How great is that white and blue print?

tank: vintage, was my mom's | skirt: a wild tonic vintage, in the shop here | sandals: thrifted bass

mini pepperoni pizza loaves from please note!

2012-01-21T13:11:00.000-05:00

Ummm, I WANT. I'm in Virginia this week on a nannying job and I think these delicious-looking mini pizza loaves from Elizabeth at Please Note would be such a fun dinner to make and eat with the kids! You can find the full recipe and more photos here!

pale and neon.

2012-01-20T21:03:00.000-05:00

Honestly, I'm not too thrilled with the quality of these photos. We waited until too late in the day to shoot, so almost all of the pictures came out a bit blurry or hazy. I really want to keep up with outfit posts, though, so I'm sharing them regardless! The night I wore this outfit, we were going to dinner at a waterfront restaurant, so I threw on a cardigan since it was a little breezy. I had the best buffalo chicken sandwich I've ever tasted that night. Yum.

I really like the combination of the pale colors on the dress and the neon orange purse. What do you think of the stark contrast? All in all, another fairly simple outfit, but that's how I roll when I'm on vacation!

dress: modcloth(?) | sandals: thrifted bass | satchel: cambridge via urban outfitters

shop update!

2012-01-19T13:29:00.000-05:00

All these items have been added to the shop in the past week. Being in Florida and sunbathing out on the dock didn't stop this girl from working! ;) More items are coming to the shop in the next few days, so keep an eye out for 'em.

florida • day one.

2012-01-19T08:10:00.001-05:00

I'm back (but only for a bit)! As you may know, I spent the last week in Florida with my family. It was really fun, though a little chilly for Florida. I didn't mind though, since New Jersey was freezing all week. It's weird to go from bathing suits to winter jackets in the course of a few hours. Ha! All that sun got me very excited for summer. I can't wait for this chilly weather to be gone! Fortunately, I'm heading south again tomorrow, albeit not as far. I'm going to Virginia (about a half-hour south of D.C.) for a week-long baby sitting gig. I used to watch these kids back when they lived in Jersey. They moved to VA a few months ago, and the parents are going on vacation so I get to play mom for a whole week! I'm excited for the drive down and to go thrifting a lot, too! Anyway, this is what I wore on the first day of vacation. Oh, bare legs, how I miss you!

ps. If anyone has any tips for places to go or things to see when I'm down there, I'll have a lot of free time while the kiddos are in school. Let me know in the comments!

dress: forever 21 | bracelet: kate spade | sandals: thrifted bass | sunglasses: vintage, gift from a friend

wardrobe staples.

2012-01-18T14:40:00.003-05:00

I can't say for sure what has prompted it, but over the last few years I've developed this craving for simplicity. It might have something to do with the day I moved back home after college. I had a full room of things in my house and a full car of things from the previous four years. Since then, I've been taking small steps every day to live a more simple life.

One of the ways I've been able to live more simply is by downsizing my wardrobe. In high school, I pretty much lived in a uniform of band (or other quirky) t-shirts and jeans. In college, I realized how unflattering that look became, and also discovered Forever 21. My closet was packed in no time, as were my drawers, shoe bins, jewelry boxes, etc. Then, I moved back home and freaked out at all the stuff I'd accumulated!

Nowadays, I have three rules for creating and maintaining a simple wardrobe. Only keep clothes that fit you and you wear regularly (a few "special occasion" items are allowed). If items are stained or need repairs, get that taken care of today, otherwise get rid of it. Try to stick to classic wardrobe staples.

Having a selection of versatile wardrobe staples is very important, in my opinion. There are a handful of basic pieces that every woman should own:

solid-color v-neck (not too low cut)
black or brown fitted blazer
medium-length skirt
dark blue or black jeans
black dress pants

LBD
black heels
black flats
pea coat
roomy purse

With these ten items and some carefully-selected complementary items (like blouses, tights, jewelry, and other accessories), you have all you need! Almost all these items can be worn year-round. If I had to pick two items on my list that are most important, they would be a solid pair of jeans and a comfortable pair of black flats. That right there pretty much describes my bottom half nine times out of ten. When matched up with the right blouse and accessories, skinnies and flats can be worn to (most) jobs, bars, while shopping or running errands, hanging out with/chasing after little ones, at parties, or just around the house. You can see in my most recent outfit post that I'm all about the black flats. I think the real reason I love them is that if I'm wearing heels somewhere, I can throw the flats in my bag in case I need to change for any reason!

So, tell me--do you have a simple wardrobe? Would you like to downsize like I did? Are there any wardrobe staples that I forgot in my list? Let me know in the comments.

a peek into nye weekend.

2012-01-18T09:05:00.000-05:00

Some photos of my New Year's Eve weekend in the Poconos with Frank, Meg, Frank's sister and brother-in-law, and their friends. Wish I could relive this!

follow a wild tonic on bloglovin'!

2012-01-17T09:54:00.000-05:00

Good morning, my lovely readers! I have a quick favor to ask of you today. If you are a follower on Google Friend Connect, I'm going to ask you to please click below and start following on Bloglovin'. If you don't already use Bloglovin', you should check it out! It's a great way to manage all your blog subscriptions in one place. I'd really, reeeally appreciate it if you started following over there. :)