Give thanks for Golyester

A couple weeks ago I took a jaunt to Los Angeles (mostly to get this old childhood itch called “Disneyland” scratched, but I may post on that later), and on our last day we took a walk down La Brea Ave for some vintage shopping. Attracted by the over-the-top display in the window, we decided to investigate.

Golyester

Bowled over.

Immediately to my left as I walk in the door is an astonishing pair of the most pristine vintage pumps I have ever laid hungry eyes on. They look like they came right off Ginger Rogers after one light-footed traipse across the stage and directly into a life-preserving oxygen chamber just for the delight of my unsuspecting eyeballs.

vintage pumps

Agape, I realize they are not alone. Every single pair. Immaculate.

vintage pumps

vintage shoes

vintage pumps

True, most people I know won’t have $400 built into their clothing budget for a pair of museum quality vintage shoes, but walking into this place is like walking into a glittering, well-preserved cathedral for anyone remotely titillated by historical fashion. Its a museum you don’t have to pay for – unless you have a difficult time keeping your credit card in its holster. Perhaps in spite of my starry-eyed idea of “in focus,” you can get some vague notion of the opulence from these quick snapshots.



vintage boots





scarab necklace vintage jewels
scarab necklace
vintage swimwear
amazing unworn maillots



They also have a few interesting historical torture devices, like this belt someone named Charlie lovingly welded for his new, and likely short-lived, girlfriend.

chastity belt

Thanks to Golyester for letting me drool all over everything for 45 minutes!

Golyester
Vintage Clothing and Textiles
Specializing in 1900-1960′s
136 S. La Brea Ave.
Los Angeles, CA
323.931.1339

I am moving to a new place which doesn’t yet have internet, so posting may be slightly sparse the next few days. Hope your Day of Gracious Gluttony was dually gratifying.






Dia de los Thrift Stars

Ah, if only every day were Halloween. Oh hell, who needs an excuse to dress up anyway?

Here are my ‘ween-themed picks from Wardrobe_Remix.


punkin

vitamininmotion

Karl Lagerfeld

tin woman

bride

bohemian princess

green corset

bladerunner

Rachael from Bladerunner

and not very exciting, but here is mine:

dirndl dress

I had to re-use my oktoberfest dirndl dress- its all I packed.
I just wrapped a braid made of yarn around my head and stuck some baby’s breathe in it.
This was at an amazing arial acrobatic event called The Homecoming Dance of Death, which was catered by my good friend Andrea of Forkable Blog (I helped make all those disembodied finger and eyeball cookies – yum).
Sorry for the blur, there was an open bar so the camera was a lil drunkypants.

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check me out: dressed for Oktoberfest

The Oktoberfest in Frankenmuth, Michigan (aka Funtown, USA) was completely outta pocket! I had bought this beautifully made vintage bustier drindl with flourescent pink flowers of love from my friend Jen’s amazing store, Thunderhorse Vintage (17th & L in back of Bows & Arrows, Sacramento) for the occasion, but I was pretty sure the corseting wasn’t going to allow me more than a couple of Hof Braus. Not only did it last me through innumerable beers, it also held out through 2 brauts with extra kraut, a bavarian pretzel draped in dijon, table-top polka dancing with my good friend Andrea, a nap on the river bank, and all kinds of photo-op antics.

oktoberfest
Look at these lovely vintage filigree bird earrings and the silly little ruffles!! Heaven.
ruffles!

pouring beer
dancing on tables
loungingleiderhosenhay bails
pink floral vintage bustier dress – $30 at Thunderhorse Vintage, Sacramento
black cut-out ballet flats – $10 at Marshall’s
black bird filigree earrings – $10 at Bows & Arrows Vintage, Sacramento

Man, I’m having a hard time trying to think of another non-Bavaria-centric occasion I could wear this to. Can you?

check me out: Schizo night on J St.

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.

group shot fashion show

group shot standing

back

l_3d479ccff45fda7334a1bd16b72c0658.jpg

final walk


Afterwards, the ferocious HOTTUB brought things to a nice rolling boil:

hottub

chain gang

photo credits: Nick Avey

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…

vetiver

harlows

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!


… And then proceed to go back upstairs to dance my face off… or try to anyway; I think turpentine finally did the trick with all that makeup.



Some people take themselves way too seriously

…but not Marc Jacobs!

He dressed up as a camel toe for his own Arabian Nights-themed holiday party. I love it! Must’ve been tough trying to go to the bathroom in that thing, maybe there’s a built-in toilet? HA! Ooh, sorry.

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BTW, sorry about the sporadic postings lately! We’re working on some big changes for Painfully Hip (finally a new masthead!) which will hopefully be up sometime next week!
Have a bitchin’ weekend!

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