Sweater and Trench Coat SOLD on Etsy!

Sold on Etsy - sorry to see these two lovelies go (I never had a chance to wear either one!) but they're on their way to good homes!  I'm on vacation for a week, but stay tuned for more vintage posts when I return!

New Plus-Size Dresses, Coat, Sweater, Pantsuit on Etsy!

70s vintage poly Asian-inspired pantsuit, size medium to large.  The colors are indeed as vibrant as they look!

70s boho wrap sweater, size small to medium, in very soft acrylic.  Cream/reddish orange, orange, and navy.

Gorgeous soft aqua Ursula of Switzerland wedding/mother-of-the-bride flapper-style dress, size 9/10, but will fit larger.  Hat and necklace are available if you convo me!

Gorgeous kelly green 80s secretary/wiggle dress, size 14!

Another lovely 80s secretary dress, in a beautiful shade of fuchsia, size 14, and just LOOK at the detailing below of the belt:

Groovy 60s/70s polyester trench coat, reminiscent of what "99" would have worn on the show "Get Smart!"  It's fully lined, and will fit a modern medium to large.  Hat is available.

Silky 70s/80s secretary dress - dress has been pinned to fit Max, but actually is plus-sized - would fit up to a modern 14/16, in lovely shades of fuchsia and grey.

80s does the 20s here in this cobalt blue dropped-waist dress by Miss Chaus, size 12!  Hat and jewelry not included, but convo me if you're interested, as they complete the look!

New Vintage Sweater and Suit on Etsy!

Great 70s acrylic "grandpa" style sweater - so cozy and warm!  Will fit large to extra-large - a little yellowing of the acrylic from age, but plenty of wear left in this one!

I call this outfit "I Want to Be a Scottish Princess!"  It's a vintage 80s Doncaster wool three-piece wardrober, complete with a huge matching shawl!  The suit features a pencil skirt with two slash pockets, a jacket with large shoulder pads and black velvet trim - this suit is in immaculate condition, and as you can see in the next pic, looks great with a crisp white blouse (not included).  This set ALSO includes the large black-stone vintage brooch - don't miss it!

Pamela Courson Morrison's White Pantsuit/Scarf Inspiration!

Here I've dressed Maxine in a white vintage pantsuit that I bought off eBay, and the scarf is vintage, too!  Tried to capture the look of Pam in those famous "levitation" photos she took with Jim - wish the scarf was longer, but this was the closest match I could find - hope you enjoy!

Image courtesy of my favourite ladies on Tumblr, Rae and Alix at http://www.pamelacourson.tumblr.com/!

I also made a Pam Barbie doll!  I scoured eBay until I found the pantsuit, and I made the scarf myself.  For those who are interested, you can follow me on http://www.otophile.tumblr.com/ for more Pam Barbie pics in the future!

I had trouble with her bangs here!  I'm too scared to cut a wig myself!  :D

Vintage Children's Books

I was on Amazon recently, and I searched for three books that were my favorites when I was about nine to 11 years old.  I was a pretty lonely kid - I was considered a nerd and was picked on; I had few friends, so I discovered reading, and pretty soon, books became both my favorite form of escapism and my best friends, all wrapped into one!

This was my absolute favorite when I was in fourth grade - it's a story about a young girl named Maggie, who one day comes to school to find out she's no longer part of the "in" crowd...she tries to befriend the new girl in school - a strange girl named Tibbie, who is very smart, but very defensive and cold towards everyone, because she's always been picked on and made fun of, too.  Eventually, after a playground prank that leaves Tibbie with a concussion, Maggie wins over Tibbie's defensiveness and they become best friends!  Since there's been so much talk lately about school bullying, this book is definitely a must-read for any child whose reading level is about third to fifth grade, in my opinion.

On summer, when I was 11 years old, I stayed with my grandparents, who lived outside of Las Vegas.  It was too hot to go out and play during the daytime, so one day I started going through my grandmother's book case, and I stumbled upon this old mystery novel.  I noticed that it was published in 1950, so I assumed it was my mom's book (it was!).  It was a bit above my grade level at the time, but I absolutely loved it!  I couldn't remember the exact title of the book, so I Googled a phrase that I remembered, "Margorie and the green ghost."  I hit "images" and the cover of the book popped right up!  I then went to Amazon and bought it immediately - I'm on Spring Break from school right now, so I intend to re-read it this week!  Penny Allen is a series of mystery books, and they're well-worth checking out, even though they're a bit dated.

"A Room for Cathy" was another fourth-grade favorite of mine.  I could really relate to Cathy Leonard, because she's about to get a big room of her very own, and at the time, my dad was finishing a room down in our basement, which was to become my own private space - a place where I had room for all of my books, my Breyer model horses, posters, clothes, etc.  Cathy just finishes getting her room exactly the way she wants it, when all of a sudden, the Leonards' decide to take in a family of boarders, and Cathy learns she has to share her new room with their daughter, Naomi.  Cathy learns what it means to share, and it's a great story about how to let go of selfishness - I highly recommend it!

Ear Bandit Tees Now Available in Long-Sleeve Design!

For those of you who prefer the warmth of a long-sleeve tee, well, the Ear Bandit has fluttered in again, and he's anxious to unveil his newest incarnation!  This tee is available in virtually any color you like; plus, the text can be done in any color as well - perfect for personalizing it for the one you lobe!  Prices for the adult-sized long-sleeve tee are $24.50.  Contact me for special pricing for kids' sizes!
And here is a view of the back of the shirt with the earbandit.net web address, so everyone you meet can surf on over and grab their own!

Just head on over to http://www.earbandit.net/, and have a lobely day!

Этот пост посвящен всем моим читателям из России!

Я хотел сказать 'спасибо' моим читателям из России. Пожалуйста простите мой русский язык - это является очень основным, и я иногда использую словарь для многих слов.

Сегодня я хотел занять одну минуту, чтобы размышлять над одним из моего любимого вдохновения всего времени, Царя Николаса II и Царицы Александры Романова. Я думаю, что они были одной из самых прекрасных пар всего времени, и их костюмы и стиль платья непревзойдены до настоящего времени.
Они были очень влюблены, и они и их дети умерли трагически.

Пожалуйста наслаждайтесь этими прекрасными фотографиями, и спасибо читать мой blog!

Freddie Mercury charm bracelet

This isn't vintage...I actually bought it off eBay several months ago, and it's so unique that I just had to upload a few pics of it!  Hard to believe it's been a little more than 20 years since Freddie died...it was truly as sad day for rock 'n' roll, since on that same day, November 24, 1991, rock also lost legendary Kiss drummer Eric Carr, of brain cancer.  My ex actually has one of Eric's floor toms! :) 

I grew up listening to Queen so much as a teenager (and Kiss, too, but not as much because my mother did not allow me to buy their albums, ha ha!) and Freddie was so much more than one of the biggest voices in rock history - he was also a fashion icon!  In a future post at some point, I'll do an entry featuring Freddie-inspired clothing.

R.I.P. Freddie and Eric.

Vintage sweaters and blouse on Etsy!

Vibrant little 70s/early 80s pullover v-neck sweater by Catalina!  Modern small/medium.

Looking for the perfect Spring-weight poncho?  Look no further!

Vintage Judy Bond semi-sheer blouse in those fabulous 70s colors!  Size "36," will fit modern medium/large.  Check out the little sparkly buttons!

Er...pardon Maxine's sans pantalones look today - I called her for a photo shoot before she had a chance to get fully dressed!  This is a lovely hand-knit bell sleeved open cardigan, done in the most vibrant colors - don't miss out!  Should fit a modern small/medium best, but could also work for a size large since it's open in front!

Hellobe! E.B. is now on a t-shirt!

Anyone who knows me is well aware of the little fluttery-eared creature that I draw on virtually everything - homework notes, greeting cards; yes, even rent checks!  He says "Hellobe!" in whimsical lettering, and my new website, earbandit.net, is printed on the back!  Now he's available on a wide variety of shirts and merchandise, and each order is carefully tailored to your individual taste - I have a wide variety of colors, text colors, and styles for you to choose from, and kids will *love* these!  Spread a happy message to the world!  

The white t-shirt is only $19.99.  Contact me either here or on my website for a price quote on other colors/styles/merchandise!

Today's Fashion Inspiration: Pamela Courson Morrison

I've been fascinated with Pamela Courson for nearly as many years as it's been since I first read "No One Here Gets Out Alive," in 1981, when I was barely 15 years old.  For those that don't recognize her name, she was Doors' frontman Jim Morrison's longtime girlfriend, and many people close to the couple knew that Jim regarded her as his common-law wife. 

I think Pamela was a little hard to pin down (personality wise), but her fashion sense was undeniable - Jim even bought her her own boutique, Themis, which was located close to The Doors' studio/office in Los Angeles. Themis, while not a large store, was elaborately decorated and featured clothes from around the world; Pam would fly to Europe on a regular basis to stock up on unique, high-end couture.  Here is a photo of Pam, Jim, and friends inside Themis, keeping it campy in front of the camera!

Image courtesy of born-late.blogspot.com

Notice the lovely Asian-inspired caftan/kimono that Pam is wearing?  She seems to be far away in her own thoughts - that's probably not far off the mark, as she has been portrayed as dreamy and creative.  See the gorgeous tunic that Jim is wearing?  It makes me wonder if Pam purchased it on one of her travels, like maybe Morocco?

Anyway, there's a photo of Jim and Pam together, and I believe it was also taken inside Themis, and it's one of my favourites:

Image courtesy of pamelacourson.tumblr.com/

I adore Pam's elegant up-do in the photograph, and I've spend a lot of time online and in local vintage shops, looking for the perfect outfit that was similar in design to what Pam was wearing, and I finally found it on eBay, which I bought first to have Maxine model for us - tell me if you think I've captured a similar look/style: 

Yes, that's a cigarette in her hand!  Remember folks, this was in the 1960s, back when everybody smoked!  I found it interesting that Pam's cig was in her right hand, making me wonder if she was left-handed?  Sure wish I had had a white rose and that suede wrap that she's holding...

It took *forever* to pin and style this wig!  I was trying to capture Pamela's Grecian-style up-do, and believe me, this wig was a basket case to start out with!  Many tears and a can of mousse later, here are the final results.  In the picture below, the flash from my camera made Maxine's hair too bright and not the same shade as Pam's warmer, lighter red.  Wish I had that funky pendant that Pamela's wearing (the one she also turns into a headband!)  The only large pendant necklace that I own is bright green, and it looked ghastly with this outfit!  This is just a simple black jumpsuit with a chiffon overdress, slit up the sides.  In the pics of Pam, it's hard to tell whether she's wearing black palazzo pants or a black skirt underneath, so this was the closest I could find after weeks of scouring eBay and other sites.  Maxine is an Italian mannequin, so her skin tone is more of an olive than Pam's alabaster-and-freckles, and Max's eyes are hazel, not bluish-green like Pam's.  Still, I think their facial features bear somewhat of a resemblance - that same delicate look that's so hard to describe!

Pam was, and always will be, a beautiful mystery with too few chapters penned.  She lived fast and died much too young (she was 27, as Jim was when he passed).  It would have been fascinating to have witnessed both of them live past age 27, and what creative turns their lives might have taken them...

In the future, I will post an entry that features Maxine modeling a couple of white dresses (and some Pam-inspired jewelry) like the ones I've seen in other photographs of her.  I also have a white pantsuit and green scarf, like the ones Pam wore in the famous levitation photos of her and Jim.  :)

Like, Totally, Fer Sure!!

Another new listing on my Etsy site:

Va-va-voom!!!

Maxine looks glowingly gorgeous today in her silky 80s jumpsuit, complete with padded shoulders! This jumpsuit features a flattering wrap bodice, comfy velcro waistband that is fully elasticized for extra comfort (especially after Sunday brunch!), and full balloon legs that have a tapered ankle. It's done in shades of turquoise, purple, pink, orange, and yellow.

This jumpsuit is made by Joan Walters, and it's 100% polyester and machine washable. The front of the pants have pleats for extra drape, and it closes with a zip front. It has batwing sleeves. It's marked a size 14, but please refer to the measurements listed below to ensure proper fit:

Shoulder: 16-17"
Bust: Approx. 22" (double) but could go larger due to wrap style and batwing sleeve
Waist: 13" to 16" (double) stretchy due to elastic
Hip: Approx. 20" to 22" (double)
Sleeve: 17" (3/4 sleeves)
Inseam: 27" (meant to fall ankle-length)

Necklace not included, but contact me if you're interested in it!