This outfit would be equally at home on a NYC sidewalk and an apple orchard excursion. Genius.
Here it is, hands down our most colorful post to date…
I got to do another fashion show for a neon-themed party at Momo Lounge on Thursday night. The clothes were provided by a rad vintage shop called Bows & Arrows (L &17th) and included the most kitsch late 80’s / early 90’s flourescent confections I’d ever laid eyes on. The outfits were styled by the Trisha Rhomberg- designer of local reconstructed vintage line, the amazing Pretty Trashy (15% discount with code PAINFULLYHIP). Our hair and makeup was donated by GS Hair and was inspired by early 90’s rave. We looked a bit crazygonuts and the blacklights made us all glowy.
However, I missed them this time because I had tickets to see one of my favorite folk rock bands, Vetiver, right downstairs from the party- where things were rather sedate but also equally mesmerizing albeit in a much more subtle, close your eyes and soak up the ridiculous acoustics kinda way. So even though there were all of 40 people in attendance, the stunning melodies were not wasted on us. Wow, what a show…
Which made for an incredibly schizophrenic night all in all, but at least I got to show Andy Cabic (um, starstruck! that VOICE) what a crazy person looks like!
Attention! Attention! Sacramentonians:
Andy Cunningham has a gallery opening this Second Saturday at the Inferno Gallery at 1109 22nd Street. Much of his work reminds us of a gigantic, colorful, and chaotic system, perhaps the one we might happen to live in. And as we drunkenly dance the night away, and marvel at the jumble of our own universes, we are constantly enthralled by his work. Do yourself a favor and check it out this Second Saturday.
*We have reason to believe that this blog is represented by the teal rectangular prism left-center*
How can I in good conscience go dancing almost every week and not take some style photos of the fashionable regulars I hang out with? Also? I’ve recently discovered that HALF of my readers here are male. I best be gettin with some male fashion right quick. Expect a lot more man-candy as of today.
As promised, my new blue stallion and me:
And newlywed boy stallion heading off to work this morning (In English Teacher garb picked out by himself):
Ain’t he precious?
Given the fact that lately I’ll buy anything that dons brass buttons, the only thing that would render this outfit even more perfect is if there were a butt flap in the back with ever more brass buttons. Y’know? I’m thinking practically here.
Apparently it’s me. Something about wearing cut-offs with long sleeves and feminine details just makes them seem so… effortless. It’s like the equivalent of throwing a frumpy sweater over a slightly frilly dress - it adds a nice touch of don’tgiveafuck.
Oh and i suddenly want to mate maryjanes with oxfords and make them have lovely, flesh-colored spawn.
This is perplexing on so many levels! Loving the contrast of prudish, high-necked frills and scandalously short cut-offs. Prim and feminine juxtaposed with slightly trashy. Nude chiffon with eggplant corduroy.
Joy.
Hi Amber and Eve,
My dad was cleaning out his wardrobe and found a dozen button up shirts he didn’t wear anymore. He gave them to mebut I don’t know how I could wear them or alter them to make them wearable. They’re pretty large. Do you have any tips?
Thanks!
Ronnie
hi ronnie!
amber and eve passed your question along to me, (because i LOVE to sew!), so i’m going to see what i can do to help you out here. (ps. how lucky are you to get all those shirts?!?! i’m jealous!)
ok, so i’ll admit that i did a little bit of a google search on the topic before i sat down to tackle it, and i have to say that i wouldn’t wish those search results on anyone. one especially fantastic message board was plastered with sentences such as “sow the sides of the shirt smaller and cut off the collier.” (i’m not even sure what a collier is on a shirt…) and fantastic fashion advice such as: “pop the collar, belt it with a wide neon belt, and wear matching pointy toed pumps and black leggings.”
frankly, i’m hoping we can do better than that. i don’t mean to offend anyone and their personal style, but i feel like that look is just… really over-done.
amber had a really awesome idea of cutting out around the collar (collier?) and turning them into poofy halter dresses. since i always have to take things a step too far, my reaction was, “yeah! and what if you left a strip connected to the collar, to make it a t-back?!” you could do this with or without the sleeves.
the main thing you need to figure out is if the shoulders fit. this is the key to wearing any over-sized top without looking sloppy (or like you’re drowning!): well-fitting shoulders. one of my favorite thrift store finds was this over-size silk blouse, that, believe it or not, is marked as an “extra small” because it fits small through the shoulders. (please ignore the walking cast on the foot i’m trying to hide!) because of the fit through the shoulders, i’ve been able to pair it with all sorts of things without looking like i was playing “dress up.” (well… my boyfriend strongly disagrees with that last statement, but i’ve found that the best response to that is “you chose me!!”)
if you detach the sleeves, sewing them back on can be a lot of fun - you can leave them big and puffy, or tighten them up. you can leave them long, or shorten them to any length - even cute little cap sleeves. right now i’m having a lot of fun leaving the cuffs on, shortening the length to around the elbow, and then buttoning the cuff to make a puff sleeve.
to change the actual shape of the shirt, you can do all sorts of things - you could add darts in the side or vertically, and give the shirt a more feminine shape. you could also take the sides in a bit. you could sew a channel around the waistline a run a ribbon through it to create a draw-string.
styling the shirt is going to be even more of a chance to get creative. you could always go with the popped-collar pointy-toed pump/matching belt look, but i’ve been having a lot of fun trying different things - belt it high with a skinny belt, and then wear something loose and feminine underneath for spring - short bloomers or lacy vintage tap pants, tall white stockings and broken-in over-the-knee boots (or vintage woven flats?). i want to find a mini crinoline and create a very full (short!) skirt look. tighten it around your waist with a belt and roll the sleeves up so you don’t lose yourself in all that fabric! you could leave it loose and full and button a snug-fitting vintage vest over the top, or even try the corset-over-shirt look. one of the advantages to leaving the shirts loose is that you can then pair them up with very feminine pieces and not feel too baby-dollish.
Got a question? Ask Painfully Hip!
This is a perfect illustration of my thrifting advice regarding context. See this hanging on a rack in a thrift store and, yeah its cute, albeit a bit Laura Ingalls. But put in on a pretty girl with a chic, edgy haircut and sleek boots and it’s ferociously demure.
My first reaction when I saw this was, “Gah! It’s perfect! How does she do it?” and then after I read her blog I was relieved that I wasn’t the only one who changes her pants 6 times before she leaves the house. Good call on the dark wash cigarette jeans, they’re sufficiently sexy enough to contrast with the victorian school marm tendencies of the rest of the outfit and lend just enough casual je ne sais quoi to make it all seem effortless. Bravo.
Be Hip. 
