...the kind you find in a secondhand store

The lovely Michelle from stray cat blues (check out her blog for inspiration from this classy lady with impeccable taste) sort of tagged me to list seven things that make me, me. She didn't explicitly tag me, but she tagged all her readers and gave me a special mention, which made me nearly-literally weep with joy and gratitude.
In any case, one of my great joys in life is talking about myself so I am thrilled to share with you, one at a time,

7 Things That Make Me Who I Am - Part One

1. I go shopping at least three times per week.
Thrift-store shopping of course! For myself and my online vintage store - people often ask how I manage to find the wondrous haberdashery that I do and the "secret" (if you could call it that) is simply effort. Well, okay, it's not as simple as all that - I've been to some towns where the thrifting is just miserable. To be a thrift store success as I am, you need the following combination:

• Good thrift stores
  Living in a more affluent area helps, but it really comes down to the variety of people who would be donating to these thrift stores. I personally live in a community that is both fairly wealthy and full of retiring hippies - a recipe for good thrifting if I ever heard one!
• Dedication
  Yeah, going thrifting a couple times a month will yield results - but if you go three, four, five times a week, you get to snag the exciting pieces before anyone else. Hell, I'm all for daily thrifting, but with my busy laying-in-bed schedule, it's just not always possible.
• Sense of self
  It's good to know specifics of what you're looking for - for example, I favour ethnic patterns, fur and beaded jewelry. When you're in a rush, it's easier to skim for what you like.

That's not to say I don't enjoy some good cheap mall jeans, because I overindulge in those $15 Body Central jeans that last surprisingly long. But my secondhand goods add a much-needed shot of soul into my wardrobe.
Let's play a little quiz game to discuss thrift store clothing further - here's a bunch of pictures of me. Which of these outfits do you think were bought at thrift stores and which were bought at the mall?

Answer: Trick question! They are all thrift store finds. All of them! Every last one - shoes, belts, hats, scarves, the clothes themselves...all but the umbrella, I scrounged up at thrift stores.
The most expensive item? The suede, fur-trimmed groupie coat, top row centre - $10.

Bow down.

pretty party clothes crocheted of snow

So whilst perusing (and I'm using the original definition here) my own blog the other day, I noticed that it has been literally months since I harassed you guys with a shameless plug of my online vintage store SAFE AS MILK VINTAGE.
Well, even if I've been slacking "h-core", as kids (some kids at least) say these days, on my blog, I've been hard "at work" with my store - thrifting, altering, photographing, shipping...
I do offer a 10% discount to readers of my blog, so if you see anything you're interested in, just let me know and I'll work something out.

Here are some of the items I've recently added:
Vintage Red Velvet Slouchy Hat
This one totally reminds me of something Marianne Faithfull would wear. Gorgeous rich hippie look.

Price: $20

ashcan reader price: $1870's Psychedelic Hippie Mini Dress
Price: $30
ashcan reader price: $27
70's Belted Floral Midlength Dress
Price: $20
ashcan reader price: $18

70's Ethnic Button-Up Bohemian Maxi Dress
Price: $30
ashcan reader price: $27

80's Abstract-Print Poncho Dress
Price: $30
ashcan reader price: $2770's Ethnic Hippie Dress
Price: $30
ashcan reader price: $27
80's Laurence Kazar Blue Sequined Party Dress
I just adore this dress - the colour, the length, the sequins. If I had more formal events that I went to, I'd definitely keep it for myself, but since I don't really have the chance to dress up often (besides to dance around my own room) and, won't lie, I need money, I figure I'd pass on the love.
Price: $50
ashcan reader price: $45
Men's 70's Embroidered Button-Up Shirt
This is the greatest shirt I've ever seen and the only reason I'm sad that I don't have a boyfriend is because I have nobody to force into this shirt - so force your stylish man into it, and enjoy the rare sensation that is me being jealous of you.
Price: $30
ashcan reader price: $27

This is just a taste; I have many new and exciting listings here and don't be shy about getting in touch with questions or comments!

music men wrote songs about her, some said it sweet, some said it very mean

I must tell you guys about a really touching and inspiring movie I saw last night. I'd seen it before when I was younger, but my naive mind was unable to fully grasp it.

The protagonist is a brilliant fashion designer with an eccentric hairstyle and impeccable taste - some might call her a bitch, but every strong, independent woman gets called nasty names by those who are intimidated by their self-reliance.

One such person, the husband of an employee, even goes so far as to write a song mocking her aggressive ways. Catchy though the song may be, it is highly typical of this bullying man, who taunts her mercilessly - even his dogs get in on the act, calling her a "devil woman". Pretty tough talk from a being known to eat its own feces.

With her bumbling-but-well-intentioned henchmen, she embarks on a noble quest to craft a most perfect collection of spotted coats, but this couple and their pets refuses to allow this, muscling her hustle at every opportunity. Don't hate the player, Radcliffes, hate the game. The pets even use their sneaky animal advantage to connect with other dogs across the county, managing to simultaneously undermine our heroine and irritate neighbors for miles.
But even with the odds stacked against her, the plucky fashion designer doesn't give up! A testament to ambition, she continues to fight for her art. Unfortunately, the movie takes a tragic turn when, in a race against time and a truck that the dogs have (surely illegally) stowed themselves away on, the elements turn cruelly against her as well, and a snowy car crash ensues. Miraculously, she survives, but her luck stops there: the puppies, even the ones rightfully acquired from pet stores, find asylum with the Radcliffes. As for our girl, well, at least she's got her to-die-for white coat. And elegant red gloves. And gorgeous turquoise ring. And dramatic skin tone. And uber-badass cigarette holder.

So, really, methinks she was the winner all along. And while Anita and Roger are trying to co-ordinate doggy bathtime times one-hundred-and-one, Ms. Cruella de Vil will be lounging in her furs, hacking up a lung and enjoying her legacy as one of the most gloriously inspirational movies characters of all time.

P.S. You may have noticed that I've added advertisements to the blog - if you weren't incredibly offended by this post and my love for fur, maybe you'd like to do me a "solid", to use the parlance of our times, and click on a link or two. It puts a little money (and I do mean "a little" - pocket change, but I appreciate it ever so much) in my bank account.

everybody knows from the coy little wink, the girl's got a lot on her mind

I'm pretty sure there are no words in the human dictionary that describe how much I suck for not blogging or commenting in ages, but I think if there were, they would sound less like actual words and more like a large bird squawing in pain while being trampled by wildabeests. My bad!

I guess the only thing I can say to excuse my absence is that the weather has been gorgeous, I'm graduating from high school this week and it's my birthday on Thursday! So I have no tragic excuse, just happy ones! I have been busying myself with my online vintage store, and last weekend I photographed a whole bunch of new items in this gorgeous little graveyard. I hate for my first post in almost a month to be a long plug for my vintage store, but this is truly something I find interesting, exciting and feel passionate about - and I think you'll probably enjoy it as well!

70's Bright Psychedelic Hawaiian Print Maxi Dress
I really wanted this to be my grad dress, but it was a bit too small for me. It's so bright and so fun, I'm going to be infinitely jealous of whoever ends up with it.

Blue Embroidered Mexican Eyelet Dress
Absolutely gorgeous colour - with beautiful embroidered butterflies.

70's Brown Psychedelic Mini
Sure, it's simple, but it has a very flattering fit and is a good length.
Leopard-Print Fleur-de-Lis Rich Hippie Caftan
Unfortunately, the colours didn't turn out very well in the pictures, but it's a very rich looking piece, incredibly classy. Floral Hippie Off-Shoulder Peasant Mini Dress
If I wasn't cursed with very short legs, I would definitely be rockin' this allll summer long. It needs a long-legged woman to wear it to its full potential.Psychedelic Animal-Print Mazatlan Minidress
This dress is so mind-blowingly cool - animal print, a jungle scene, psychedelic birds of paradise...the word "Mazatlan"...yeah, you can't resist this, don't even try!
70's Floral Accordion Pleat Hippie Caftan
Accordian pleat! Yes, that is the sound of all your quirky pleat dreams coming true.

Purple Floral Wrap Skirt/Dress
Another one that I was tempted to keep for myself, but I have a skirt/dress almost the exact same colour so I figured I'd pass on the love.
70's Red Psychedelic Hippie Maxi Dress
Rich colours, bold psychedelic/paisley pattern....go head now, you hippie you.
70's Smoking Lady High-Waisted Maxi Skirt
I'm usually not a fan of full-length skirts, but how could I possibly resist this print? A smoking lady....genius.
70's Sleeveless Rainbow Striped Long Dress
This dress totally elongates the body - as vertical stripes are known to do - and is pretty flattering. It gives shorter girls like myself some semblances of height, and it makes taller girls look like freaking supermodels. Love the colours too.
70's Striped Zip-up Maxi Dress
Because this is made of terrycloth, it is the most perfect swimsuit cover up - like wearing a beautiful, comfortable, stylish towel! The pleats and V-neck keep it very flattering.

I will try, try, try to post more often, but it is now summer, so no promises!

don't blame it on the sunshine, don't blame it on the moonlight, don't blame it on the good times...blame it on the boogie

I know it might be a bold statement, but I think I'd consider the Jackson 5 to be the greatest pop group of all time. In terms of what pop music is generally considered to be, nobody does it like them.
On top of their musical talents, they were extremely snappy dressers. When shopping for menswear for my online vintage store, I often ask myself, "Would the Jackson 5 wear this?" If not, no dice.
So, without further ado, I bring you

My Top 5 Favourite Jackson 5 Songs:

1. "The Love You Save"
Everybody knows I'm a very loyal Michael Jackson fan, but what makes a lot of Jackson 5 songs for me is Jermaine. I love his voice and it can feel like a cool drink of water after the scorching(ly awesome) sun that is Michael's more high-pitched voice. They go together beautifully. Jermaine really steals the show around the 2 minute mark, and then again at 2:43.
It took me literally about 4 years to understand what they meant by "Stop, the love you save may be your own", until somebody finally explained to me that it was a play on a seatbelt campaign of the time that used the slogan, "Stop, the life you save may be your own." Ahh....gotcha.

2. "I'll Bet You"
When I first heard George Clinton had written a song for the Jackson 5, I was a little bit frightened. It was too good to be true...how could so many forces of excellence bind together without diminishing in awesomeness. Once again, I played the fool: I always forget that, in the immortal words of T-Pain, "Greatness plus greatness equals great greatness", and that "too much of a good thing" is a myth. Both the Jackson 5 version and the Funkadelic version are fantastic, but as a long time Jackson family, uh, interest-taker, it was fun to hear all the boys take their turns on lead vocals.
And, it must be pointed out, once again, Jermaine's voice is like a beautiful ray of sunshine through a cloudy day.

3. "Blame It On the Boogie"
Okay, I know technically this is The Jacksons, but I love this song so much I had to throw it on here. One of the best dancing songs I've ever heard, it also features a more mature-sounding Michael...1978 to be exact, so he was 20.
Plus anybody who knows anything about MJ's personal life knows that it's ironic for him to be complaining that his girlfriend is "always dancing/and it wouldn't be a bad thing/but I don't get no lovin'/And that's no lie".
Still, you can hardly blame the girl with a bassline like this.

4. "The Life of the Party"
Another late-era Jackson 5, this ridiculously fun track is, as promised, an excellent party track. I always end up liking disco a lot more than I think I do, and I've been dancing around my kitchen to this one on a daily basis the past month. This one also reinforces my theory that Michael Jackson is the best ad-libber to ever live, though I gotta admit, it's weird hearing him call a girl a "sexy mama" - we all know MJ ain't like that.
And, as usual, Jermaine adds a lot with his more gospel-style voice.

5. "I Want You Back"
Ha, you thought you were gonna make it through the list without "I Want You Back" didn't you? No such luck...I know I've been bestowing superlatives on the Jacksons left and right, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't suspect that this song might be the greatest pop song of all time. Top 5, at least. My only complaint?
Not enough Jermaine.

JACKSON 5
(Click on the link to hear the songs in their entirety)

they seek her here, they seek her there, her clothes are loud but never square

First of all, I did a guest post for the lovely Sarah Von over at Yes and Yes, so if you have some time to kill, you might like to go check that out.
Also, as I mentioned in my last post, I went to Mission (BC - unfortunately not San Francisco) this past weekend to take pictures for my online vintage store. They turned out very well and in fact I sold four items yesterday alone! Here are some of my other newly listed items that I'm stoked on:
This gold lamé poncho dress is really something else, I must say. It's impossible to wear it without feeling incredibly glamorous. Also, isn't that setting just breathtaking? It's at a monk monestary in Mission.
I am so thoroughly in love with this shirt. Between you and me (uh, all hundreds of you), I priced this shirt so high just because I don't really want it to sell very fast - I'm too attached to it.
This prairie dress has a stunning fit. And soo delightfully 70's!
This ethnic embroidered vest is so awesome - yep, those are flamingos!
Again, this long floral dress is so wonderfully 70's, its very comfortable and the necklace is quite flattering!
Now that it's spring you can wear fantastic florals like this 70's caftan, and I pretty much guarantee it will make you feel free and joyful.
I've worn this space-dyed sweater out a few times and I just love it. I seriously considered keeping it for myself, but what can I say? I'm a giver at heart.
This bird of paradise caftan is very similar to a rich blue one that the lovely Miss Jill bought last month. Unfortunately, these pictures didn't turn out as well as they could've (as it is really a striking piece) because it started hailing while we were photographing it. Ah, well.
What, you don't have a llama sweater?? You're missing out, my friend. Their little llama, uh, figures can brighten up a whole room.
I really like this quirky sweater. A nice, relaxed piece that's still unusual.

And I still have 18 other pieces, so if you have any interest in vintage fashion, check out my online store, Safe as Milk Vintage.

its the way you flip your hair and the stylish clothes you wear, when you walk into the room all my partners stop and stare

It's time for another exciting round of plugging vintage by answering fake letters demanding help choosing clothing for obscure (also fake events). The clothes, however, are real, and being sold by myself on my online vintage store Safe as Milk Vintage or my friend Nicola on her online vintage store Nicola's Vintage Boutique.

The fast track to being cool and stylish, as everyone knows, is to let a stranger tell you how to dress. So sit back, relax and dig.

Situation:
"I enjoy taking to my boat to cruise the peninsula, but my fashion-obsessed preteen daughter is not the nautical type. She'd much rather be shopping for tank tops to show off her toned arms (she's quite the softball player, you know). Anyway, her birthday is coming up and I'd like to buy her something to encourage her to sailboat more often with us, as she is a slave to her own clothing and will do whatever it hints that she should (for this very reason, she no longer shops at Hot Topic). What do you suggest I do?"
Solution:
Your entire family seems to have issues far beyond my abilities but I can hook you and your daughter up with a very charming sailboat tank top.
This top is perfect for a smaller girl, either someone young or someone quite petite. I just love the sailboat design, and the overall 70's vibe. Find it here.

Situation:
"I am obsessed with London fashion. Specifically, the 60's mod scene and the 90's rave scene. I often dream of ways these two worlds could collide but it seems, sadly, that this could probably never be. Anyway, now that I've rambled to you for a bit about a fully unrelated topic that is definitely not foreshadowing of any sort, I will get down to my query and it is this: I am a contestant in the Banana Sunrise Leg O' The Morning To Ya beauty pagaents (it's a bit obscure). It involves dressing up in yellow and showing off one's legs (plus we get bonus points for a little cleavage). As I am known for my vintage flair, I need to take something old and make it look new and exciting (and flaunt my legs - and cleavage!)"
Solution:
How funnily coincidental that you should mention a desire for a mod/rave yellow minidress with cleavage. For Nicola happens to be a selling an extremely fetching little number of the very sort!Legs? Check. Cleavage? Check. Yellow? Check. Plus it's super mod, with a neon raver flair (you can't tell it very well in the picture, but it is, in fact, quite neon). And the cut-outs add a whole new element of excitement sure to impress the judges. Miss Banana Sunrise 2009, no need for thanks, just click here.

Situation:
"I consider myself to be something of a quirky soul. I enjoy eccentric dress and fun accessories. Recently I chopped my formerly-long-and-luxuious hair off and, though I love my new style, I have noticed a gaping space between my earlobes and my shoulders. For some reason, I find this unsettling. I need some large earrings to fill the literal void above my shoulders and the figurative void of not wearing enough cool accessories.
I also have a deep affinity for nocturnal creatures. There's just something about preying at night I find thoroughly exciting."
Solution:
If by "preying at night" you mean "wearing owl earrings", well, I can help your life get a whole lot more exciting.

Boom. Now, do you love it or do you want to sacrifice a litter of kittens to wear it on your ears? Okay, just loving it is enough for me. Give in to your own desires here.

Situation:
"I looooooooove The Who. Like, looooooooooooooove. Soo badass, with the blind pinballing and the bleeding hands and the "YOU CAN'T HAVE IT" and the mod beginnings and whatnot. ANYWHO, strangely enough, what I love most about The Who is their early 80's period. When I saw them on their '82 American tour, my brain was blown so wide open I'm still missing a small chunk of my frontal lobe. Is there anything vintage I could wear to flaunt my highly specified feelings about The Who?"
Solution:
Strangely, yes. Would an original '82 Who concert t-shirt do it for ya?
Faded to rock-star goodness, this rock tee will bring the badass to every occasion. You don't even need your frontal lobe to enjoy it - just a click here.

Situation:
"I love the 1960's and most particularly the London mod scene of the times. I work in an office and need a mod-like outfit that would be appropriate to wear to work. I also fancy one of my co-workers and would like to emphasize my blue eyes, as I saw on a Facebook survey he posted that eyes are his "favourite part of the opposite sex". I also love the look of buttons but lack the full dexterity to maneuver them. Please help."
Solution:
It's like shooting rubber duckies in a barrel. Would this mod minidress suit your needs?
Yes, yes, it would. The style = mod and appropriate for the office, the pattern = fun and original, the buttons = ornamental, the colour = very complimentary for blue eyes. You're good to go! Just click here.