1950s Saks Fifth Ave flower and lace wool hat with velvet black ribbon: ebay
1940s novelty print (ladies in hats) hostess gown: etsy
espadrilles: ebay
1950s clip-on pink scalloped brow sunglasses: ebay
1960s beaded drawstring purse: thrifted, SPCA thrift in Sacramento

I wore this outfit to a crazy hat party.  I didn’t fool anybody though.  Everyone knew I would wear this hat anyways.

I hope you all (in the states) are enjoying your holiday weekend!  All these photos were taken by myself with a tripod and remote on my friend’s gorgeous property.  It’s funny how what I’m wearing mimics what I’m wearing.  The ladies in the print of my dress are wearing big hats with pink feathers, I’m wearing a big hat with pink flowers.  I subconsciously imitated my dress.  Maybe our clothes are silent muses inspiring us.  Inspiring us to take chances, be more playful, fanciful, bold.  At least in this case.  Sweatpants not so much.

It’ll be my three year blogiversary next month and I’d like to celebrate it with giveaways.  If you’re a vintage seller, creator of handmade goods, art or fashion please email me at mary@maryvannote.com if you’re interested in participating and would like to learn more.  I also have ad space available and my rates are super reasonable.   Don’t be shy!

I made the necklace myself.  It’s a nod to the neon trend that’s so hot right now.  I used vintage Czech glass beads shaped like leaves and in my favorite bright chartreuse color.  I got them from General Bead for a steal with a groupon I had.  I’m really happy with the way it turned out although I might add some more beads to dangle from the chains.  If there is a trend that you’re into right now, I recommend trying to do your own DIY version of it.  It’s a great way to save money on something that might only be in fashion for a season.  Although I’ll probably sport this necklace regardless of what’s in trend.

chambray shirt: thrifted
necklace: made by me
vintage skirt: gift from Laura of Trash Planet
socks: AA
vintage chartreuse heels: awesome hand me down from Nicole of Fashion Forestry
fakelite bangles: estate sale
80s hot pink clutch: thrifted

It’s getting hot here in Sacramento.   As soon as I came home I put on a 40s halter and enjoyed a smoothie.

40s halter: ebay
50s raffia wedges: thrifted (a size too small but I wear them anyway : )

Cheers to the beginning of Summer and Memorial Day Weekend!

I finally got to use my vintage deadstock 60s paper placemats I found in a thrift store.

After we stuffed ourselves with yummy food, we headed over to the pinball expo happening a few towns over.  Imagine a huge hall filled with 200+ pinball machines, antique to modern, all on free play.  I’ve been to the pinball expo that is held in Marin County before, and this one was definitely a bit smaller and lacking one game I really wanted to see, but it was still tons of fun. Of all arcade games, pinball is my all-time favorite. It’s up there with air hockey.

vintage blouse: thrifted – amazing ladies with umbrellas print. I call it my Umbrellas of Cherbourg shirt (even though I’m pretty sure it’s supposed to be London on my shirt and the movie is set in France… oh well)
vintage 40s shorts from a playsuit set: ebay – best purchase ever, I wear them all the time.
sandals: Payless
vintage Dooney and Bourke shoulder purse: thrifted via Thrift Town, Sacramento
red and white gingham ribbon in hair: The Ribbonerie, San Francisco
vintage fakelite clamper bracelet: Picket Fence Antiques, Sacramento

And I can’t help taking campy John Waters-esque backyard photos.  This one is like the sister photo of this one.  Maybe it’s becoming a series of sorts.

1940s cotton shabby chic floral nightgown: $5 at the Sacramento Antique Fair
Miz Mooz wooden heel sandals: awesome hand-me-down from a friend
belt: thrifted

1901 crown bearer (source)

Holy Ghost Queen in 1906 (source)

Holy Ghost Queen 1922 (source)

1940s (source)

Two generations: Queen in 1920 and her daughter as Queen in 1940 (source)

late 50s (source)

This is me last year at the Festa in Sausalito, CA:

wearing 1940s dress from the Alameda Vintage Fair, purse from my childhood, H&M floral socks, vintage Ferragamo flats from ebay.

The next Sausalito Festa is on May 27.  And I hope to attend this year as well.  You can find more info here.   I am especially fond of attending the Sausalito event because I was the Festa Queen in 1997.

I was lucky to be the queen for one of the most beautiful places in the world. Check out that view!

It was a pretty incredible experience, though I definitely made plenty of complaints of how heavy that cape was and how sweaty my armpits got wearing a suffocating lace wedding dress all day long in the heat.  But I love that I was able to be a part of such an amazing tradition and join an awesome lineage of beautiful ladies in wedding gowns, capes, and crowns.

40s fruit print playsuit coming soon, Margaret Jerrold painter shoes

80s red polka dot dress, black polka dot heels

cat cardigan, pink plaid dress

aztec print jacket, neon orange shorts, clear wedges, bikini

90s denim romper

70s red polka dot maxi dress, Margaret Jerrold painter shoes

60s lavender polka dot maxi dress coming soon, victorian bonnet, polka dot heels

90s floral suspender shorts

60s Hawaiian maxi dress, clear wedges

Please vote for me in the Chictopia Solestruck contest.  Favorite my look here: www.chictopia.com/photo/show/649781-daisies+upon+daisies-…

60s daisy romper: Thunderhorse Vintage, Sacramento
60s bow blouse: found on the street in SF
60s daisy flats: ebay
vintage bakelite bangles: thrifted
40s mustard tilt: Vintage Expo, SF

I’ve been wearing this romper/blouse, daisies upon daisies combo quite a bit these days.  Stuff I’ve been up to: adding more and more vintage to my shop, gardening, applying for jobs, stressing about money, feeling the encroachment of failure, trying to stay strong emotionally, bodyweight exercises, cheetos.

80s unique Norma B blue waves high heels 7 M

1940s carved wooden hand painted beaded platform sandals Philippines tiki

1960s chartreuse yellow shoes 10 S

NOS 1960s silver bow heels 9 1/2 A Joseph La Rose shoes

80s 90s paper bag high waist shorts floral bongo shorts

Aztec Navajo Ethnic Southwest Black and White print boho cropped jacket

1960s 70s Jantzen mod daisy print swimsuit

pinup nautical rockabilly pinstripe 2 piece halter bikini and skirted bottom

60s 50s pinup Peter Pan by Oleg Cassini colorblock moss green, pink and white swimsuit

60s mod Lacy Afternoon by Shell Kepler gold ruffles and white lace shoes 7 1/2 B

Someone couldn’t keep away from them.

Puss is being played by Evel (named after Evel Knievel, my boyfriend’s childhood hero).  I hope you all are having a lovely weekend!