Thrifting in Dior

I feel stalled this week. Everything is closed or everyone is busy and I’m just waiting for the New Year to move forward. Instead of moping, I donned my velvet, vintage Christian Dior jacket (from my friend Jena) and went thrifting.


Jacket, Christian Dior (vintage gift). Sweater, Joseph A (thrifted). Shorts, Free People (thrifted). Leggings, Allen B. Boots, Ariat. Sunglasses, Coco Sunglasses.

I don’t wear this jacket enough. It feels too fancy and bold for the everyday. I countered that feeling with cutoffs and western boots.

Usual Rock

I’m back, perched on my usual rock, underneath the Watt Avenue bridge. The river is still high (you can see leftover standing water behind me) and the parking area is still closed, but I can hike in for pictures at my accustomed spot.


Jacket, BCBG Max Azria (consignment). Sweater, thrifted. Belt, thrifted. Skirt, London Jean. Leggings, We Love Colors. Boots, Steve Madden. Sunglasses, Girlprops. Earrings, Article (consignment). Bag, Rebecca Minkoff.

Nonfunctional

Let’s be honest: this jacket is a joke. It did nothing to keep me warm in freezing temps, walking around midtown. But it’s really cute, right? And I managed to zip it up. Well, zip it up to my boobs. I relied on this vintage fur from Beefy’s aunt to keep the upper half covered.


Jacket, Xhilaration (thrifted). Sweater, Express (consignment). Skirt, Hauber Sporting Life (thrifted). Tights, Target (I think). Booties, Blondo.

Green Velvet Red Lips

We spent Christmas Day with some barely relatives, at Beefy’s cousin’s husband’s sister’s house. You’d never know we were so distantly related by the warmth of their welcome or the spread on the table (crab legs, prime rib, and pecan pie). Hospitality like that deserved my festive best.


Sweater, vintage consignment. Dress, Parker (consignment). Boots, Steve Madden. Sunglasses, Earthbound Trading Co. Earrings, made by my friend. Clutch, Maggi B. Brooch (on clutch), vintage heirloom.

World Peace in 2017

As we prepare to close out 2016, I’d like to do so with a joyful and optimistic attitude. Kindness and tolerance crosses all cultural and religious barriers. I learned this as a child, but sometimes need to remind myself as an adult. Thirty years ago, everyone in my 5th-grade class was required to write a poem about world peace for a contest and, to my surprise, I won first place for my age division. I should listen to the wisdom my 10-year-old self set down in verse. She advises me to be aware, communicative, giving, and understanding. I can’t argue with that as a manifesto for 2017.


This was my award-winning entry:

The Needs for “World Peace”
For “World Peace” we would need:
Control over poverty,
And no more people on the streets.
More people who open up their eyes and see,
What is going on around them.

For “World Peace” we would need:
Countries working side by side,
No more wars or conflicts between them.
Talking it out before they decide,
If they should really go to war.

For “World Peace” we would need:
To help other countries,
In their desperate need of aid.
Letting our friendship float over the shining seas,
Welcoming others into our homes.

For “World Peace” we would need:
Everyone with equal rights.
Black, Yellow*, and White,
All living together with no fights,
And no prejudisium.**

For “World Peace” we would need:
All these things and more.
If we all work peacefully together,
Violence’s might roar,
Will be gone and serenity shall rule.

By Kasmira*** Rak

*Yes, “yellow” is an offensive term to refer to an Asian person. I apologize. It was the 80’s and I didn’t know better.
**And I didn’t know that “prejudisium” was not a word until now.
***My name means “commands peace.” Isn’t that serendipitous? I certainly seek peace and serenity every day.

Roll or Rut

I’ve now worn this shirt two days in a row. You could say I’m in a rut. Or that this flannel is on a roll!


Vest, Vero Moda (thrift). Shirt, Salt Valley (consignment). Overall dress, Hydraulic (thrifted). Tee, USMC. Leggings, Express. Boots, Style & Co (thrifted).

Colors of the Season

It doesn’t have to be late December for me to pair red and (olive) green. It’s one of my favorite color combos.


Shirt, Salt Valley (consignment). Vest, Tinseltown (cut from a thrifted jacket). Dress, Mossimo. Leggings, We Love Colors. Boots, Sam Edelman.

Editing

I spent most of the day editing photos. I finished the boudoir photos from Friday and The Everyday Elevated pics from Sunday. I’ve included one favorite image from each, at the end of this post.


Jacket, BCBG Max Azria (consignment). Shirt, Passport. Dress, Jams World (thrifted). Boots, Dan Post. Sunglasses, Coco Sunglasses. Earrings, street fair. Scarf, Walgreen’s. Bag, Rebecca Minkoff.


The editing was very minimal: just straightening, correcting levels, and brushing away the odd blemish. Every minute I spend “fixing” an image just reminds me to take better (and fewer) photos in the first place! (I did apply a filter to the boudoir photo, below, but gave all the images to the model with no filters.)

Be my BFF

Do you want to be my BFF? I have the following requirements:

1. Must love on my animals.
2. Must eat the food and drink the beverages I prepare (and at least pretend to like them).
3. Must watch Logan’s Run.

That last one is the true test of our friendship. If you sit through the entire movie, we will be best friends forever.


Sweater, Worthington (thrifted). Tunic, Wet Seal (thrifted). Boots, Blondo. Earrings, Article (consignment).

Yes, Beefy and my friend Colette passed this test long ago. Today, my friends Jeff and Leah joined the inner circle. No one has passed that final requirement in a good six years.


Condition number one is pretty important, too. I’ll clean before you come over, but you will still leave covered in fur. I’m not sure how that happens…


And, of course, condition number two is a no-brainer. I’m an excellent chef and mixologist.