Polyester Parade

Uhhhmmm....have I ever mentioned how much I loooove polyester? I don't think so, but I really, really do. I think its the fact that there are so many fantastic polyester print dresses and blouses out there in vintage and thrift stores. Give me something colorful, give me something with a crazy print and I'm there. Don't get me wrong; I'm not a head to toe polyester kind of girl and its not about irony. I really am infatuated with the saturated hues and patterns that vintage polyester brings. 

So lately I've been distracted by school and Chictopia. But in order to make up for neglecting my blog, here is a hearty apology and a parade of outfits which I realized, curiously (smile), all feature polyester garments. And it begins with an excited leap for joy!

I'm looking forward to May 7th...when the semester is over and I'll be able to spend more time on Kaleidoscopic Refrains!

Yard Sales Rule!

Last night my husband and I decided to take a walk down the main street of our town. The weather's been so nice that it was a good excuse to get outside and see some of the people we know who own or work in shops there. Its one of the things that I like about our neighborhood...we're close to the city [actually within its borders], but at the same time there's definitely a community in this small section of it. So anyway, I digress. We were walking along when he pointed out a hand-written sign on a telephone pole advertising a yard sale. Now, I used to love yard sales when I was a kid, but haven't been to one in a long time. So I wasn't too stoked...until he pointed out the parenthesis containing the word 'vintage.' 

I know what you're thinking...alot of people are interested in vintage now, so writing that word is an easy way to pull in extra shoppers who might not be inclined to stop by someone's yard on a Saturday morning. But, I was willing to try.  So at 10 a.m. we headed over. I went straight for the clothes, which were a bust. Then I started wandering around  the other wares. There wasn't a whole lot, but what I did find...was...amazing. 

First, is the vintage luggage pictured below. There was quite a bit of baggage there for sale, but these two beauties caught my eye immediately. One is definitely a 60's piece; the woman told me about how her father bought it for her to go on her first trip to Greece when she was a teenager. The green suitcase and little bag didn't have stories to match, but they were only advertised at  five dollars each, so I had to snap them up.

To give you an idea of size, here's a picture of the little purse alone. Its so precious, it even has a little matching change purse inside that goes in its own pocket!

Besides the bags, I also found a fantastico polyester scarf. As I've mentioned before, I love scarves and am always looking for ways to better incorporate them into daily. She had alot of scarves, but the fact that it was polyester just did it for me. When I was growing up, one of the few things that my mother saved from her teens and early twenties were the 70's scarves that she used to use to tie back her long, long hair. Sigh. 

Finally, I don't think I've mentioned this yet, but I'm really interested in religious icons, especially Italian and Russian ones. I studied Italian history in college and graduate school and lived in Siena, Italy several years ago, so I had the chance to see quite a few while there. The woman at the yard sale was selling the two little icons pictured below. Last year my husband and I even visited the Museum of Russian Icons for our anniversary. It was awesome...and the little town had a thrift store run by two very sweet elderly women...a wonderful day. 

Here's to yard sales!

Tampa Theatre

www.tampatheatre.org 

It was 7o degrees outside today! Seventy Degrees! I was excited (and a little bummed that I had to work...in the archive...all day long.) But, at least its a sign that the weather is changing and temperatures are beginning to climb. Every year when this happens, I inevitably start thinking about a few things. First, I can't wait to ditch my tights and wear sandals. Second, I start dreaming about breezy cotton frocks and shorts. Orange blossoms (being from Florida) are always somewhere in there and finally, and most prominently, I think about Tampa Theatre. 

I have to say, there isn't a whole lot that I really miss about Florida, but this place is one of them. Not only do they show great indie and foreign films, but they also have an annual classic  film series in the summer. My sister and I saw Breakfast at Tiffany's there several years ago and the line was around the block. One of the few times I saw the place full, and my gosh, was it exciting. I've been to a few other refurbished movie houses, but none beats Tampa Theatre. The Spanish architecture, organist, and grottos downstairs near the bathrooms are enough to make me swoon...and I don't think I'll ever get the distinctive smell of candy and dreams out of my head for the rest of my life. 

Has anyone else ever felt this way before?

Time

"I live in several times like an insect in amber, motionless and so outside of time, for my limbs are motionless and I cast no shadow on the wall, sunk in a cave as in motionless amber and so nonexistent;

"I live in several times, motionless but furnished with all motion, for I dwell in a space and belong to it and everything that is space lends me its touching, transient form;

"I live in several times, nonexistent, painfully motionless and painfully in motion and I truly don't know what is given to me and what is taken away forever."

-Zbigniew Herbert

Sometimes I have so many ideas and I want to do so many things and I'm so excited and inspired, that I become overwhelmed and can't seem to figure out how to move forward. Does anyone else ever find themselves in that place, "motionless, but furnished with all motion;" momentarily stunned by all of the possibilities that abound? Faced with the endless horizon...do we set limits for ourselves? Do we accept the expanse and prioritize? I'm not sure, but I suppose I just try to accept the yawning breadth, appreciate the words that express what I feel better than I ever could, take advantage of the time and opportunities that I have, take in a big breath and just try. 

Mena, Mena!

Have I ever mentioned how much I love my cat...I know, I know, its such a stereotype, the girl and her cat, but I don't care. She's beautiful and dignified and independent and, as our roommate and I decided this morning, she always knows exactly what she wants and doesn't really care if anyone else sees things her way. She's also one smart cookie - no joke, in my old apartment before I was married she figured out how to open the bedroom door by leaning over the couch and turning the door knob then prying the door open with her paw. Our dog won't even try unless the door is open wide enough to get her head through (although I love Sophie for an entirely different set of reasons:). 

Mena's been with me for the past nine years and although its probably silly anthropomorphizing on my part, it still makes me feel loved and special when she comes when I call, when she chooses to curl up next to me for a nap, and when she looks at me expectantly waiting to be picked up and held in the morning after I feed the dog. She never meows (I don't think she's ever meowed), but just waits in the kitchen for our daily ritual. Every single morning. Its nice to have a routine.

Randomly, this photo reminded me of one I took of some sheep on my family's farm when I went home last December. Several of them had recently given birth and there were lots of cute little lambs in the field. I hung out with them for a while, waiting for a good shot and was pretty happy when this one turned out. What can I say? You find ways to amuse yourself on a farm:)!

I hope everyone has a great week and can look forward to nice weather!

Converse-Girly Style

Earlier this week, I wrote a post about my escalating shoe lust.  One of the pairs I featured was a set of blue Converse. Although I've never really thought of myself as sporty or really cool I have at times succumbed to the allure of the cool tennis shoe. First it was Addidas in my teens (they made my feet look like boats...no seriously, one of my first boyfriend's roommates casually referred to me as big foot all the time). Then it was the coveted Converse Sneakers and finally a few years ago, Diesel asparagus green sneakers with purple laces (I still wear these occasionally). 

Getting back to the Converse though, I was thinking about the old black and white chucks this morning and how its hard to know how to wear them when one has big feet. They do, well, accentuate length. I've been laid up with a strained back all week and decided this morning that I was not going to spend another day in my oversized sweat pants and thrifted Major League Soccer t-shirt, but I couldn't really wear heels unless I wanted to exacerbate the pain. So I turned to my old chucks that had been pushed to the back of my closet. There they sat, dusty and sad looking. Then it dawned on me - why not just spruce them up? Make them look a little girly with some ribbon to replace the laces! Here's what I came up with. Thank goodness for my mother's old sewing kit. It often comes in handy in ways such as this:)

Next I just need some really thick ribbon...you know, a floppier look with big luscious bows...ahhh. One of my first trips, when its not painful to sit in the car for longer stretches anymore, is going to be Joanne's fabric:) Oh! and my sister e-mailed me to say that she's buying the blue Converse for me for my birthday...so I'm glad I'm getting a jump on figuring out how to incorporate them now. Now every time I wear either pair, I'll think of her and smile. 

Dress: Vintage (altered by me)

Belt: Thrifted

Tights: American Apparel

Converse Sneakers (with ribbon ties!)

Head Band: American Apparel

Library Cardigan: Anthropologie (sales rack:)

More photos at www.chictopia.com/kelleyanne

The Little Things

I've been meaning for a while to write a post about the little things that mean so much to me. They're physical possessions, so I suppose its materialistic, but people associate memories and meanings with things...they provoke memories and are symbols of emotion, so we can't necessarily differentiate the meaning-making from the things: I think they're inextricably linked. I had a professor in graduate school who scoffed at people who fetishized historical objects...for a while I thought he was right. Now I'm not so sure. All I know is that when I attempt to understand how we construct memory and meaning- and how we constantly craft our own identities out of those essential elements, I have a hard time devaluing the objects to which we attribute significance. (Sorry, I've been reading all about meaning and memory for my oral history class!)

Anyway, all of this brings me down a convoluted path to my sister and how much I miss her. Over Christmas, we went to one of our favorite vintage shops (one of the few vintage shops where we're from) and she bought me two lovely brooches as my yearly present. She's been adding to my brooch collection for a while (three of them are pictured below). Some of the most beautiful pins in my jewelry box came from her. When I wear them, they remind me of her and how much I appreciate having at least one person in my life who I know understands me, one person who I can wander around in thrift stores and Forever 21 with for hours, one person (besides my husband) who will laugh at my jokes, listen to me, let me cry when I need to, and who knows just what I'd love to wear. She thinks she's not fashionable, but its not true. She's smart and beautiful and wonderful and has killer taste in shoes. 

My other Christmas gift was this little change purse made out of kimono cloth. I've been too afraid of carrying it around with me every day (things have  a tendency to get lost in my bag and quickly get beaten up) so I keep it propped on my dressing table and think of her whenever I see it. 

It makes me sad that I can't see her more often...we live many states apart and probably always will, but these things remind me of her. They remind me to e-mail her, to message her on facebook and to call (even though neither of us likes talking on the phone). Luckily though, I painted a portrait of her (pre haircut) that hangs on my wall and reminds me of my lovely sister. This only affirms my belief that although these things don't have inherent, essential meaning, they carry the significance that  I've attached to them and because of that they hold a special place in my life. I like to think that the things that I wear all have stories, some that were others, some that are mine (this is why I adore hand me downs, why I love thrift and vintage stores) - but all of them make me feel at home in my wardrobe and home. I miss you sweetie. 

Shoe Lust

I've been suffering (well, that's one way of putting it) from some serious shoe lust lately. I don't know what it is. For years now, I've been building up my vintage wardrobe, but I never really worried too much about shoes, cared for heels, or lusted after beautiful pairs. Maybe its that I'm tall, maybe its that I have big feet (9 1/2 to 10) and didn't want to draw attention to them. I don't know. 

All of a sudden though, shoe lust has hit me hard. It all began when I started following vintage blogs and realized how much better heels would make my legs look. So one day, oh four or five months ago, I went to Target looking for a pair when low and behold, I found four pairs of heels in my size, prices ranging from 5 to seven dollars! Talk about luck. I found heels, oxford-ish t-straps, gold platform sandals and a pair of blue-green mary janes with button enclosures. From then my collection has begun to expand with high-heeled oxfords, black and white t-straps, red sandal platforms, and the list will surely go on. 

When I was surfing around online today (still suffering from a strained back muscle) I found these pairs...which are a little (lets be honest, alot) out of my price range, but so beautiful and totally worth aspiring to. 

Chie Mihara

I think I'm head over heels with these platforms! Yowzer! I can just imagine Ann Sheridan wearing them in a studio publicity shot.

Re-Mix Vintage

And oddly enough - because I don't really think of myself as a girl who wears sneakers - these Converse. I just couldn't help it. I tried them on in DSW and they just, well, stuck. I think its the color, the fact that they're specifically made for women, and the little honey bee detail...so cute!

Alas, my budget doesn't allow the first three, but a girl can always dream...but the converse are just in the right price point!

My apologies

So here's an explanation for anyone who's been following my blog, and an apology. Its been almost three weeks since I've posted (oh my, I still can't believe its been so long!). In the past 20 days, my husband had surgery, I've been sick, we've had houseguests just about every week and school became a bit overwhelming. There's been alot going on.

I can't wait until this summer when I'll have more time to post and take photos outside. Thanks to anyone (i.e. Kate:) who's been reading kaleidoscopic refrains. I have plans in the works beginning in May, just please hold on until then...I promise it will get more interesting. I also promise to write more now. Thanks for bearing with me!

More Scarves! (courtesy of the snow day)

Today I was supposed to work then spend the rest of the day at the public library where I'm employed doing homework. The weather had other plans in store for me. In between doing readings for class, I've had the chance to catch up on some blog posts I've been planning. So courtesy of the mass amounts of snow outside, here's another post dedicated to scarves!

 

As you know, if you read my blog, I've been trying lately to incorporate my plethora of scarves into my wardrobe. 

As I write, they seem to be multiplying! Last weekend when I went shopping, I found three new ones, one of which I'm wearing today. Inspired by a Sartorialist pic of a woman wearing a tunic, belt and wide-legged jeans, and some other ones with scarves tucked into belts, I came up with this concoction this morning. I like it. I really respect sites like that one. Its definitely inspires me to take risks and try new things. 

If you're similarly affected by this crazy weather, enjoy your snow day! Here's to efforts to stay warm and be creative in the process!

Tunic: La France Vintage

Scarves: Thrifted

Belt: Target

Jeans: Ann Taylor Loft (Sales Rack)

Shoes: Hunter Boots