True Becoming

Re-Claiming Personal Style: Fall Fashion

I've been working away at my style for a little while now. I have noticed it's changed a lot in the last couple of years and especially so in the last year. There are days when I don't want to give it any effort at all. I think I am particularly susceptible to this because I spend so much time focusing on styles for the Shop. I wrote about this struggle more over here, and about my process to re-claim my style. As women, it's very easy to leave the least amount of time for ourselves; you'll get the kids dressed and house clean before you'll spend time on yourself. For me you can just insert 'store' instead of kids - because having this shop feels like the closest thing to having offspring :) 

Anyway, I'm tackling this frustration with planning, the same way I do in my work life. I begin with all sorts of images and bits of inspiration. Then, I go through what I already have and see what works. Then i make a list of items I would like to acquire. I think it makes a lot of sense to spend a good deal of time getting a good sense of what we like - otherwise we go out and just get things only to discover they don't 'fit' with the look we want. It's very easy to get swept up in what's 'in' rather than focus on what makes us feel good! 

I tend to sway more towards 70's fashions and love the bohemian/grungy look that can be attained with 70's fashions. A great way to gather inspration from any era is to collect magazines and catalogs from whatever era you are most attracted to. The first image is from a 1974 edition of Style, a Canadian Fashion Merchandizers magazine I got from Millpond Records and Books. The above magazine is a 1971 copy of Teen that I got in the mail from my fabulous sister. I also collect catalogs from the 70's. 

Image Source

Another great source of inspiration is through fashion icons. Some of mine are: Stevie Nicks, Emmylou Harris (check out this post and this one too) and Ali McGraw. 

Lastly, Pinterest is a great place to find inspiration and make your own inspiration board. You can see my Fall Fashion inspiration board by going to Laloba Vintage's Pinterest account. 

Please feel free to link up and show us your fall fashion inspirations!!

luv t. 

 

STYLE: Vintage Meets Modern

I don't wear all vintage everyday. There are people I know who do and I think it's amazing; looking everyday as if they stepped out of the past. love it. I do, however, try to wear at least one piece of vintage every single day. Sometimes this takes form in a dress, shoes, jewelry or quirky accessories like the frames shown above. I love to feel like I'm wearing  a bit of history everyday; it gives me great pleasure. I tend to sway more towards grungy, bohemian 70's styles, so luckily there's brands that make such items now. Above is an outfit I wore last week to the market (read post here). I adore high-waisted pants (even though my 'full bottom' really stands out in them). I also have always wanted glasses, so I fake it with frames only. And the poodle necklace?  I got this baby at a vintage fair awhile back - I love poodle-inspired items (read this post for more) ! 

*** this is me doing a country-like dance because we are at a country market/farm. My sister told me to look like we'd just had a fun day at the farm and this was my response***

Tips for pairing vintage with modern attire: decide first what types of clothes and era you love best. If that era and style also looks great and makes you feel great, you have found fashion bliss. Then, pay closer attention to modern styles - I bet you will find a lot of them look like those of fashion's pasts. Try incorportating pieces slowly like a vintage blouse with skinny jeans, or a vintage dress with a belt. The experimentation is half the fun!

lut t. 

In Search of Coloured Jeans: Outfit Post

I'm currently in love with coloured jeans. I've decided. I live in jeans and dresses for the most part, but in the colder months I tend to wear even more jeans (for lack of constantly wanting to pull up tights:) So, in order to fight the winter blues (literally), I'm searching for a wide array of coloured jeans- beyond blue denim. These are my first pair and I'm quite fond of them. The thing I love about having a bright coloured pair of jeans is that you don't have to do a whole lot else with your outfit; just tie in the colour subtlety through your accessories.

And now I'm on the hunt for orange, purple, black, turquoise, and, and, and ....

Image Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

My Outfit Details:

Top: Joe Fresh

Red Jeans & Boots: My Shop

Necklace: Handmade back in the summer for fun!

 

What closet staples are you on the hunt for???

Vintage Fever

The shop has always brought some pretty unique and wonderful vintage pieces our way and one of the things I really wanted to expand on was a vintage section. This has taken awhile, but I am really loving watching the section grow over time. Above are just some of the pieces we have in the shop right now.

The great thing about vintage is that it is quality; it has stood the test of time. Most things made today are mass produced and therefore are thrown together. Vintage pieces (especially those pre-1980's) were carefully put together, hand-sewn with love & precision. I love seeing people come into the shop, pick up a vintage piece and see it in a new light. Older pieces can look outdated, but to someone with a little imagination and vision, it can become a closet style staple!!!

 I'm hoping to do a few posts soon on how to make vintage fit a modern lifestyle. I get people questioning this a lot, so I'll attempt to help you out a little bit!

Marilyn Monroe + Spring Dress = Daily Outfit

 
 Photo Source

It seems as though we have been patiently waiting for spring. Okay, maybe for some, not so patiently (I'm fairly certain I had a tantrum the last time it snowed). Winter can get depressing after awhile and Spring is a season of re-birth, often making people feel refreshed. So, since it was such a beautiful day out yesterday I decided to combine two things I'm looking forward to: Marilyn Monroe Exhibit, read more here, and spring dresses.

  
  
 
 
 
Outfit Details: Marilyn Monroe Tank and Sweater, from my sister, Dress (it's actually a halter dress), Belt, Jeggings, Vintage Pin and Converse shoes from Our Store (click here)  

I have been putting away special items for a few months now so that my wardrobe can have a spring makeover the same time Top Drawer does in May! However, I am getting anxious! I find Spring is when people are most likely to change their styles, get new items and change their looks. This can be challenging if you don't know where to start.

Here's a Few Tips:

1. Take some time to notice styles you like  on other people around you and in media (magazines, etc.)

2. Take mental notes on how looks work on different body types and how this compares to your own body (no judging, just seeing what works and doesn't work)

3. Take a look at your wardrobe and experiment with different looks.

4. If you are having trouble matching or making different pieces work together, have a friend or family member help you out. We love helping people style and re-style at our store and people will often bring in a bunch of items from their wardrobe and we help pair them up to create multiple outfits.

5. Have fun. Getting dressed can be more then simply a daily, obligatory activity, it can be a fun expression of yourself!!!

 
t.