The Muse: Lara

I'm not sure if it was the snowy weather last Monday, or the fact that I had a new skirt just dying to be worn, of if it was that I was thinking about famous couples for our upcoming Star-Crossed Lovers Contest in the library, but I had Dr. Zhivago on the brain.

 I confess, even though I know its sappy and sentimental I just adore Dr. Zhivago. I think David Lean's version from the 1960's is beautiful, and even more impressive because none of it was a actually shot in Russia. He captures the Russian Revolution and the Civil War so poignantly that for a long time everything I new about Russia came from the book and film of Dr. Zhivago. The newer version shown on Masterpiece Theater with Kiera Knightly and Hans Matheson was good, but not the same as the classic. In reality, beyond the key players I'd have to say that my favorite part is played by none of the big names, but rather by Tom Courtney, a mna who has spent more time behind the camera than in from of it. His portrayal of first the idealistic, but naive revolutionary Pasha Antipov, then later the jaded and cruel Red guerilla warrior Strelinikov is subtle and heartbreaking to watch. Perhaps my biggest surprise with Dr. Zhivago was that I had always thought of it as really forbidden fruit in Russia because it had to be spirited out to Italy for publication after being refused in Russia, then the Soviet government forced Boris Pasternak to refuse the Nobel Prize for Literature, because his work was considered subversive, just like Zhivago's poetry. However when I was in England in 2011 I met a Russian lawyer who was studying for his international law degree, named Ivan. Ivan had lived both before and after the fall of Communism, and while he had heard of Dr. Zhivago, he had never read it and certainly didn't see it as a banned book any longer. However talking with him about the state of Russia today, it seems that for many who are anti-Putin like he was they ahve their own brand of oppression and censorship to face. Regardless of its decreased controversiality I still think its a wonderful story, both as historical fiction and as a love story. Lara, played by Julia Christie is a wonderful muse because she oscillates between a buttoned up school girl is starched blouses and prim bows, to a kept woman in scarlet embroidered gowns, to a Red Cross Nurse all seamlessly and beautifully. I tried to tie a little bit of all of her style into my outfit. Though I must confess, perhaps the best part of the fashion of Dr. Zhivago is that it proves there is no such thing as too many big, furry hats. LAcking one I settled for Rabbit fur lined gloves, in Bolshevik red of course.
 Blouse: Worthington via J.C. Penny
Sweater: brand??? tag was cut out, but originally via Sears (very old)
Skirt: vintage, no label, via Circa
Shoes: Nine West via Krazy Daisy
Gloves: Thinsulate, gift

Appropriately Funereal

Bad luck really, but I have to attend two wakes this week. Now I don't fool myself into thinking that anyone wants to attend these things, but they are a necessary evil. Now because I work during the day unless it was a close friend or relative I rarely attend funeral, opting to pay my respects at calling hours in the evening instead. I thought this was common practice everywhere, but my boss, who is from just outside Chicago said in the Midwest not as many people have wakes. Personally I've never known someone who only had a funeral without a wake. Than again New England, especially Rhode Island is predominantly Catholic and wakes are a very big Catholic thing, maybe in the much more Protestant Midwest and South its less common.

Regardless, I'm a bit old fashioned when it comes to such occasions, whether it be a funeral or wake. Today, I've noticed more and more when attending these things (and I've been to my share) that anything goes in terms of dress. People come as they are, whether its direc I've tly from work in say scrubs or in jeans because they're comfortable and that's what people change into when they get home. Again call me old-fashioned but I can't do that, I always try to wear something that is appropriately somber, not necessarily black, but certainly not a red dress, and most importantly is suitably dressy because I think it shows a certain amount of respect. There are always exceptions, been to funerals where you're asked to wear certain colors because they were the deceased favorites, or pink in honor of breast cancer, when our superintendent of schools died two years ago we wore red and white to his funeral in honor of the North Attleboro team colors. Certainly there are exceptions, and I think the families wishes should be respected. When my father died I wore black but it also poured that day and the only raincoat I had was pastel plaid, anything but funereal. One of the last funerals I attended last spring, one of the woman'd nieces who had flown in from Wisconsin and wore jeans and a tee shirt, of the variety I would wear to clean out the garage. Later her mother apologized for her saying that in Wisconsin people just got to funerals as they are, no one bothers dressing up.

Maybe I'm way off base and behind the times but I stick to what I know, and I try my hardest to be respectful, even if the deceased doesn't know any better. Even when circumstances prohibit wearing dar colors I make an attempt. I had to go to the wake of the father of one of  my coworkers and it was a long line, almost three hours to wait, and I anticipated this. I knew I had to be somewhere else right after and there would be no time to change. So I wore my own clothing with my navy blue raincoat on top, which kept it appropriate. Today and tomorrow while midterm exams are going on, my boss and I are wearing grubby clothes to clean out the dusty little used storage rooms. Never would I dream of going straight from work, so I just planned my outfit out this morning and it was there waiting for me to change into. These situations are never ideal, but like anything else wardrobe plays a factor in how we live this life.

That being said Whitley's outfit today over at the Queen City Style is very appropriately funereal, and extra fabulous to boot. I can't lie, if I had her body and her budget I would definitely go in style like that.

A Trip to Circa

After a busy week I suddenly found myself with one of the great luxuries of a long weekend, a Sunday afternoon with no responsibilities and a playoff game that didn't start until after 6...so obviously I went shopping. I've been wanting to stop by Circa in New Bedford for a while not (like since last summer) its definitely a word of mouth type place. No advertising and you have to really want to get there (lets put ti this way I've lived in New England all my life, forty minutes from New Bedford and I've only been there twice, once in high school for a debate meet and the other time to take the high speed ferry to Martha's Vineyard. I was an hour or two early for the ferry so I toured the New Bedford Whaling Museam and that pretty much sums up everything there is to do in New Bedford, regardless of the fact its most famous as the place where the idea of Moby Dick originated from. Go past the historic downtown a bit and the town gets a little dodgier, there area lot of very poor areas of New Bedford and a large immigrant population. Cove Street, where the large old factory warehouse buildings that house New England Demolition and Salvage are located, dead ends at the water and is in the midst of the docklands. Circa is tucked in the back corner of the immense warehouse, well hidden except to those truly dedicated to finding it. Providence has a growing vintage trade, however the number of true vintage stores, as opposed to consignment shop which are selling modern clothing second-hand can still be counted on one hand. Its nice to know that there is a quality vintage store that can be easily visited without the traffic and parking hassel which tends to make me steer clear of Boston and the much larger vintage trade. I first heard about it through the grapevine from the vintage vixen herself, Kristen Minsky, whose dance exploits I have featured here several times. The first time we met, I was actually wearing the same dress I have on in this post, which I ordered from a retailer in Michigan on Etsy. We got to talking about vintage stores in the area and she said that Circa was her favorite. So into the vehicle I climbed and braved 195 to get to New Bedford. Honestly I think half of the fun is wandering through the warehouse to get to Circa. I posted one photo of the salvage portion just to give you an idea of the scale. Any type of fixture of portion of housing you can think of is there from claw foot bathtubs, to crystal doorknobs,  to an entire train station ticket window. When I was making my purchases I chatted for a minute or two with Chris Duval, the owner who has been in the vintage trade since before I was born. He said that it was really the perfect location because of the kind of clientele that the warehouse attracts, people who are homeowners, are established and financially secure, and appreciate older things with character and a re willing to go the extra mile to acquire them. Clearly its worked, despite his out-of-the-way location he does a very good business, not just in sales but in rentals and theater, newspapers are taking note and recently has been in the news for the outfits he's been sending to L.A. for Zooey Deschanel to wear as the quirky Jess on the show New Girl. That being said he did have wonderful stuff, too much to really see on one trip. I focused on one half of the store and merely browsed on the much more densely crowded back side. Its rough in the way of most small stores, the dressing rooms are tiny and primitive, but as far as I'm concerned that's half the fun of vintage shopping. I've read he has great stuff for men, a rarity in many vintage shops, though I didn't look too closely. His prices I thought were also very reasonable for the quality, and because I paid cash he gave me the best price on everything I bought ( I came prepared because I had read he only took cash and checks). At the end of the day my only complaint, and the thing that stopped me from lingering longer to browse was the temperature. It was close to 55-60 degrees out yesterday and it was maybe 40 degrees inside. Granted I know its in a warehouse, and outside the walled in shop it was probably closer to 30, but even the proprietor was bundled up. I only had a blazer on because it was so nice out, next time I'll keep the climate in mind

Dress: vintage, Shelton Stroller, via Etsy
Blazer: vintage, Pendleton, via Goodwill
Purse: vintage, Jaclyn, via Rhode Island Antiques Mall
Belt (off another dress): Karen Millen
Earrings: vintage, gift from my grandmother
Brooch: vintage, via church fair
Shoes: Krista via Sole Society (still available!)

                      

Despite the fact that I have more than enough coats to keep me warm through even the longest winter, this 1960's Lawrence of London turquoise velvet coat called me. Most of my coats are either black or brown, or a very neutral palate. I think I deserve at least one vivid coat, and this had such a great Carnaby Street in the swinging sixties feel to it.

                        

 Perhaps its was spending a summer in Belize, maybe I'm a lost flower child at heart, regardless I have a thing for everything embroidered. I love peasant shirts, skirts, mumu dresses, either way this number (no label) from the 1970's spoke to me, I tried on several along the same lines but the primary colors and intricate detail on this won out. It only has a drawstring tie waist so I think before i wear it I'll put a button on just to save with bother.

This dress was love, if I had to guess judging from the material and zipper I would say its a 1950's party dress, but I could be wrong. The fabric is sheer enough to see through, so I'll have to wear a slip with it but the wheat print is just lovely with a pale metallic gold paint over the top of the pattern. Its clear to anyone that I have a thing for full A-line skirts, and this fits my style to a 'T', it might even make friends with a crinoline soon.

The Muse: Pencil Point

 I can't remember if I've complained about this before, but today's youth (is the 1300 kids that inhabit my school for most of the day) have some warped ideas about fashion. Now I have no problem with them wearing what is trendy, but please don't try to talk about it because they are so woefully off in left field that its almost funny. A tube top you wear around your ass is not a pencil skirt. Though if you asked any one of these tube top wearing sixteen year olds on the days they have to "dress up" for a sports team they will swear up and down that its a pencil skirt. When I tried to correct one girl one day by pointing to this skirt, she claimed it couldn't be a pencil skirt because it was "so long". I will admit that this is about as short as I would dare go for work. Then again I have never accidentally flashed a private area in public because my skirt was too short and tight as I have seen many of them do, so I guess semantics aside, we're even.

Incidentally though, this is one of my favorite (really long) pencil skirts. It has a great, really unusual, architectural shape and a retro feel with its fabric and overall style. It also was my other striped item left over from tomorrow. A little pattern mixing and even a really long pencil skirt gets to the point.

Blouse: Merona via Target
Skirt: Eva Franco via Anthropologie
Shoes: A Touch of Nina via DSW
Brooch: Blue Suede via J.Marcel
Earrings: vintage via Top Shelf Flea Market
Jacket: vintage rabbit fur, no label via The Bargain Box
Purse: Bueno, gift

Observe real 1960's secretaries as imagined by McCall's....all wearing really long pencil skirts