I apologise for the lack of posts lately. As I'm sure you're aware by now this has been a terrible week in the United States. In a period of national grief, it seemed rather inappropriate to be posting photos, and even now I don't really have my heart in it. When you start thinking people might gather together and take the opportunity to be decent to each other, along come the various groups using a tragedy for political gain. Not surprisingly, sales of assault style weapons soared this week after the shooting. A week ago, politicians couldn't pass discriminatory legislation restricting access to bathrooms fast enough-suddenly they're all over the media screaming about the threat from Muslims. You don't create the atmosphere that encourages hate crimes, and then get to point fingers because a member of another religion carried it out. It is sad, and sick, and I wish I had something encouraging to say but I don't. You'll forgive me I hope, if my tone sounds a bit flat, because I've used-up most of my emotional reserve this week.
We're entering the second week of a heat wave. The weather service issued a heat warning for tomorrow (something absurd like 108 degrees F. with high humidity) and the morning the photo above was snapped the camera lasted three photos before steaming-up. My specs did the same. We have air conditioning, and I would feel foolish complaining as so many people are trying to make due with window fans, or worse, are homeless on the streets. After the first week, I think it started wearing on my mood-a sort of summer cabin fever. A dark house, a loud bird (good god, all that little beast does is scream) and the internet delivering worse and worse news by the day was getting to be too much. I finally dragged Danny out with me- we put the car air conditioner as high as it would go, and hit the thrift stores. Well, two thrift stores because not everyone is running their air conditioning as high as the weather demands.
I didn't buy this absurd Bob Mackie silk jacket, but I thought about it. $5.49 seemed a bit steep for a silk jacket with zebras. I didn't buy the vintage print of California in the nice frame below because it wouldn't have fit in my car, and it was too hot to consider walking home (less than a mile) with it.
I did buy several pieces of pottery by various American makers, and one piece of art glass that sells for hundreds of dollars at the local high-end jewelry boutique. Sure, it IS ugly, but someone will enjoy it-I couldn't really leave it at that price.
Outfit Particulars:
Skirt made from vintage 60's crepe-like polyester fabric (I suspect the skirt was put together with vintage fabric)-Goodwill, .49 cent sale
Tee-shirt-K Mart
Cardigan-Goodwill
Vintage, Iowa-made (Sue and Bev's Macrame) macrame bag-Goodwill
Jade bangle-Goodwill
1970's clip earrings-Hand-Me-Ups
Vintage Napier ring-Goodwill
Fragrance-Vintage formulation Diorissimo
Today was cooler-only 97 degrees F. I have two parties I'm hosting this week, so I took advantage of the er...cooler weather to get the marketing done. I haven't really been lighting the oven, and we've been eating foods that can be served over toast, but this week I'm going to need to bake. I might be doing it at four in the morning to take advantage of cool morning air.
Outfit Particulars:
dress-Goodwill .49 cent sale
Vintage Koret of California polyester jacket-Thrift World
Vintage 60's handbag-Goodwill
Naturalizer shoes-Hand-Me-Ups
Vintage Whiting and Davis paneled bracelet-Goodwill
Earrings-K Mart
Brooch (on bodice) Filene's, 90's
Hair flowers-Tiff and Tam
Fragrance-Vintage formulation Chanel No. 19
I have a few days of syllabus writing left before I send the thing off to the Board of Education-then, I can start my summer.
I'm off to stick my head in the freezer for a quick cool-down.
Yes, terrible news from the States and absolutely appalling that certain unsavoury elements use it to promote their political/religious agendas.
ReplyDeleteBlimey, that's hot. I must admit to being a tad envious, I think I was a lizard in a past life and never overheat.
Two fab outfits, love the cool print on the second dress and the colours of the first outfit.
Bob Mackie designed some horrific things. I'd definitely have bought the zebras. Some hipster would have bought that off our stall and no doubt have looked amazingly good in it. xxx
There is a haze and it's not from your foggy lens. As always you are soulful and beautiful. We attended my son's college graduation while all this mishigas was unfolding and as he graduated from the school of arts at UC Santa Cruz, a lot of the students had dyed their hair rainbow colors in remembrance. It was a lump-in-the-throat kind of ceremony. So...life goes on and thrift shopping in your neck of the woods continues to be stellar!!! That pottery! Wow. They'd charge millions for things like that around here. I did go thrifting with my son. He scored a rayon shirt with a mustard stain and I got a pink muumuu. Life goes on.
ReplyDeleteI'm convinced we're going through a "dark age" of willful ignorance or perhaps more depressingly intractable stupidity. I have to agree with Kurt Vonnegut when he said, "High school is closer to the core of the American experience than anything else I can think of." If I'd known high school was never going to end I'd have left the US much sooner & sat my life out in a cave up here in the Himalayas Milarepa style. I'm not doing too bad secured within my walled compound from which I rarely venture & rarely listen to the news.
ReplyDeleteAw, I would have bought that Mackie jacket and sold it on flEaBay to buy more vintage treasures! I do not understand that art glass, in fact I thought it was an album cover when I first saw it! (Remember album covers?) I'd put that up on FleaBay too just to see what I could get for it! I usually visit pawn shops & thrift a bit when I visit the US to see if there are any jewelry bargains.
I love your summery ensembles! Both the upscale beige & black as well as the casual peacock blues & greens!
Terrible tidings indeed, Goody, and I also feel for you in that heatwave. I am not good at heatwaves, as my brain stops functioning properly. Love the outfits and both handbags are gorgeous. xxx
ReplyDeleteAgreed, either the news or the weather is enough to make one physically ill. Combined, one really can't be expected to cope with cooking...
ReplyDeleteAll the more reason to admire your maintaining the highest standards for your public appearances! The vintage skirt seems literally made for the lime bolero, and only a very sure eye for scale and color could pull off that plaid with floral combo! (Some air-conditioned environments do demand a jacket that light in weight and appearance.)
The Mackie jacket was best left behind to leave more room in the car for the pottery. Love that yellow leafy thingy!
@Vix
ReplyDeleteI think we need to house-swap for the summer!
@Connie
Congratulations to your son (and his parents) on graduating college.
@Bibi
I haven't started selling online, but I do think eventually I'll have to. If the zebras had been on the .49 cent or .99 cent sale, I'd have bought it to wear as a joke. I wonder what sort of person owned it originally?
@Ann
I have to confess-I think my brain has stopped functioning in just about all weather ;)
@Beth
I need some sort of attractive candy to put in the yellow dish that no one will eat. My mum would solve the problem with Jordan almonds (no one in their right mind eats those, but they are pretty). Perhaps I can find some wintergreen Canada mints-they're somewhat reminiscent of Pepto!
When are you going to come out here for a weekend so we can go shopping?!
"You don't create the atmosphere that encourages hate crimes, and then get to point fingers because a member of another religion carried it out."
ReplyDeleteI hear you.
Though over here it seems to be the people encouraging hate then getting surprised when their own followers carry them out. Awful.