Bad Southern Belle...Store Edition

The Bad Southern Belle Store will be opening next week.  I've provided a sample of what's to come below.  I came up with the concept of having a store not as a money-making operation, but because so many of my friends lament the fact that they have neither the resources nor the patience to go to a thrift store and find something wonderful.  I am great at digging, so let me do the work for you.  I not only find vintage, but also modern ensembles.  Below is a brand new Tracey Reese dress, never worn, with the tag still attached. 

STAY TUNED!

Image of the Day: Coretta Scott King

The fur hat.  The broach.  The beaded necklace that matches the broach.  That beautiful teal, wool dress.  And child that shade of lipstick!  She was lovely.  Absolutely lovely.

A 401K is not that important: Thrift Finds of the Week

Yesterday was one of the worst days of my Hooters career.  *Aside-Basically, multiple stereotypes were proven true.  Do not go out to eat if you have a bad attitude.  Stay in your cotton pickin house and make it your cotton pickin self.  It's Hooters.  Not the Hilton.  Aside Over*.  I generally wind down at Spa World, but my nekkid partner Victoria was not available (She has a date next week, had hair done last week, doesn't want to mess it up blah blah blah.)  I pardoned her because I am a fantastic friend.  I decided to explore new thrift territory.  My favorite Salvation Army is not open on Sundays, my only day off natch, so I hit up yelp and found 3 well-reviewed thrift stores in Fairfax.  *Aside PS DO NOT GET PULLED OVER IN FAIRFAX!  THEY ARE THE STRICTEST PO-POS IN THE UNITED STATES.  I ALMOST WENT TO JAIL LAST AUGUST YA'LL!  GOING 20 MILES OVER THE SPEED LIMIT IS A MISDEMEANOR IN THE UGLY STATE OF VIRGINIA.  Aside Over*.

When I walked into the first store, this song started playing in my head:

In a word, the store was epic.  I discovered this gem for $25.  I will definitely wear it to one of two weddings I'm attending this year.  It is one of the most gorgeous things I have ever seen in person, and the pictures really do it no justice.  The sheer mesh fabric of the bodice is overlaid with hundreds of rhinestones, pearls, and glass beads.  The clerk and I agreed that it was early 1960s, like 1961.  The detail is astonishing, and most have taken hours upon hours to sew.

 There is a beige camisole attached to the bodice.

 Even the sleeve is wonderful.  The bottom of the sleeve is similar to the neckline of the dress:  bejeweled.

 The skirt attached to the bodice is a creamy mint color.  Again, the picture does it no justice because when I tried it on, I started doing the cabbage patch.  The only thing that makes me sad is that there are some rust stains on the back of the skirt; however, the awesome clerk suggested I sew some very sheer fabric, similar to what's on the bodice, to the skirt so the mint will still come through and the rust stains won't be that noticeable.  This dress is in great condition for being fifty years old.

 I found beige leather gloves at the thrift store in what I call Little Mexico.  I was one of 5 non-Mexicans in the entire place.  The gloves were $3.99.  If I'm feeling bougie I may wear them with my new dress.

 I love this Anne Klein scarf.  It's quite wrinkled, but it depicts an orange glove holding a bejeweled gold purse. 

 This has to be one of my favorite buys of the day.  I love the Medieval depiction of the angel Michael, the balances of justice, and the Latin phrase.  I thought the swirls of blue were great and didn't think twice when I put it in my basket.  And for $2.99, it was hard to find a reason not to purchase it.

 I love kimonos.  There are pictures of my sister and I in kimonos when we lived in Japan.  When I saw this one for $3.99 in Little Mexico, I snatched it up.  The tag says "polyester" and "Made in Japan".  I don't know about you, but I love little details like that.  I become excited when a piece I buy was made in a country outside of China.  That's quite sad.

 Nice simple skirt for work.  I think it will look really nice with an emerald green button up with a giant pussy bow on the neck.  Gold accessories.  WIN!

Today was a complete thrift shopping success.

Ensemble of the Day: Sunday Edition-The Bigger the Hoop the Bigger the Ho

Today I finally had the opportunity to wear the navy blue and white striped dress with the open triangle back featured in this post.  It was so sunny and beautiful so I decided to venture out and hit up new thrifting territory!  I needed to wear something comfortable and easy to slip on and off.  The thing I love about dresses from the mid-1970s is that they were made for comfort.  

And of course, I accessorized with my favorite belt, the Liz Claiborne yellow leather belt.  I belt so many of my clothes because I am so short!  5"2 is not a lot of height, so I break myself up into parts with the belt.  It's also quite difficult to wear stripes and not look like Harry the Hippo, so a belt breaks up the monotony of pattern.  Other than my trusty ho hoops, I wore no other jewelry.  There was already so much going on I didn't need yet another focal point.

What would have made my outfit perfect is if I had included espadrilles; unfortunately, I don't even own a pair.  Time to go shoe shopping!

More Steve Madden...

The Face I Made After the Worst Shift Ever Ended...

Today was awful.  People are awful.

I want to be her friend...I need to get the eff out of VA

 

The Sleighbells:  Comeback Kid (Lulu, my car, and I luuuurve this jam)

Fashion in Film: Basic Instinct

MANEATER!!!

If you are a freak, you have already seen this movie.  If you're like me, you have seen this because you love film noir.  Basic Instinct is one of my favorite movies because it's smart and over the top. Remember, she doesn't like hands in general, she likes when Johnny uses his hands.  You can NOT tell me Sharon Stone was not a bad woman in the early 90s.  People forget but Sharon Stone used to be a BEAST!

Her nonchalant, icy attitude coupled with her bursting out of the seams sensuality all enhanced the muted wardrobe, and therefore her man-killer persona.  Other than Casino, this is Sharon Stone at her best.

1.  The White Ensemble

 I love white on white.  Love it.  If you can get the same kind of white, you can look untouchable.  Because I'm naturally tan and therefore beautiful, I often do the white on white thing.  And kids, nobody cares about the whole white after Labor Day bit.  Are Australians not allowed to wear white in December because of our holiday (a holiday corporations don't really observe because we are all drones/worker bees easily replaced)?  Nope!  Go for it.  PS.  If you're going to wear a turtle neck dress, make sure the "sleeve" (there is no sleeve, I know, ok?) ends where your collar bone ends.  You'll look slimmer I promise.

Black Dresses
Pumps

2.  The Club Ensemble  

Did I mention how insane Sharon Stone's body was in this movie?  I love how it's all business in the front and then homegirl turns around and you can see her liver and everythang in that dress.  Remember, any dress can look cheap if it is sloppy.  Stone's dress was tailored within an inch of her life.  I bet they sewed her into the dress right before the scene. Generally, I hate cowl necks; however, because the dress is so short and her hair is up, she makes it work.  Now boat necks I can get down with!

 

 3.  The Casual Scenes

To be honest, this movie is the reason why I bought my fantastic cable knit sweater.  I am someone who hates sweaters; I would rather wear three shirts at one time in the winter rather than a clunky thing.  It's also very difficult to find non-acrylic sweaters for a decent price these days; however, the thrift store is your sweater savior.  I have found hand knit sweaters from Ireland, Italian cashmere, and that nice chunky fisherman sweater that they wear up in New England, all under $5 at the local Goodwill.  PS I like the way riding gear looks outside the equestrian world, but I have yet to purchase anything that makes me like like I walk around with a riding crop in my back pocket.

Crewnecks & Scoopnecks
Belts

Ensemble of the Day: Flower Child Goes to Work

My grandmother was present when I bought this dress at a thrift store in South Carolina for $5.49.  She thought it was absolutely terrible-looking.  She didn't say it outright, but I was definitely on the receiving end of, "If that's what you want to wear," speech and a Southern grandmother side eye.  I get many of those side eyes.  That's why I'm so great at giving them.  I try to give at least three a day.  I promise you, I always exceed my daily quota.

I love this dress for a few reasons.  First, I rarely wear yellow.  I have a fantastic yellow belt, but that is one of 3 yellow items in my wardrobe.  I love incorporating new colors into my wardrobe.  Only in the last 2 years have I really embraced the color red.  Second, I don't wear many dresses that are this style, the whole floaty hipster Woodstock peasant type of dress.  I'm more into the nipped in waist and voluminous skirt look; however, the dress flows really well.  And for being of the 1970s polyester sort, it's quite breathable.  Even my big big boss had compliments for me today.  Third, I really love that this dress has bracelet sleeves (Bracelet sleeves refers to sleeves that are gathered at the wrist, giving you the "bracelet" look).  They used to be tighter but 35 years of washing machine means that the elastic is just gone.  The dress came with a sash that I wear in my hair on occasion.

Also ladies (and gents if you are the gay club sort), there's nothing sexier than a body part silhouetted against sheer fabric, especially when you're all covered up.

Some ideas on the sexy sheer dress and bracelet sleeve combo.

Day Dresses
Necklaces