My Mother's 60's Mexican Dress

I have had this dress for a very, very, very long time.  My mom got it in the 60's as a thirty-something single woman.  I always imagined her buying it in Mexico City, but I have no idea.  I'll tell you something, though.  When I took it from her in my early twenties... I had to let the hem out.  Yes, it was SHORTER.  A lot shorter.  Those crazy 60's.  I wore this dress to improve our luck in finding an apartment in San Francisco.  Two wearings and two trips up north later and it worked.  I added a belt from another dress here and those ubiquitous boots.  The earrings were hers, too.  I love my mom.  I feel her looking down on me, and laughing like she used to... "Ay, Laura.  Te vas a poner esto?" ("You're putting that on?") Shaking her head.  Mystified at some of my tastes, but always entertained.

vintage clothing expo IS my disneyland

Santa Monica Vintage Clothing Expo.  If I wasn't doing yoga and meditation all the time I would have simultaneously hypervenilated, had a panic attack, and lost all feeling in my legs when I walked into the Costumes from the 1930's Mexican Independence day booth.  But luckily, I am doing yoga and meditation so I didn't.  Whew.  

And by the way, I found one a shorter version of one of these skirts that needs a little TLC in another booth for $15.  Score.

I put this find on when I got home.  I am hoping I can wear it when I get to be a "fancy extra" on Enlightened tomorrow, but I am waiting for that special call from wardrobe for my instructions.  (Did you hear my secret agent attitude.  Always.)  Anyway, this dress isn't really vintage.  It was a stowaway at the expo, but it makes me want to say, "Yes, take me to the Tonga Room."  We lived a few blocks from San Francisco's Tonga Room in another fairy tale chapter of our lives.  Go there.  You exit the street and enter a night time tropical paradise, with a band playing on a barge surrounded by a lagoon, happy hour food on skewers, and it RAINS.

Dress by Kimchi in Blue

Rebecca!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First, thank you to my friend, Laura for getting me to the expo (texting me during Avengers the day before), and thank you to Rebecca for missing the surprise part of a surprise party to come shopping at the expo so last minute.  Rebeeca comes dressed to do some damage in her beautiful platform shoes, lady-like hat, updated 50's shape skirt, modern neck drapery (What did I just make up?), and... come on!  She had to get these gloves.  She was an accessories girl that day.  Delicate handkerchiefs, suit triangles for her man, sunglasses, and gloves... those gloves.  Ms. "No thank you, I don't need that plastic bag for my vintage treasures" Harrell Tickell is one of my super heroes whose film, "The Big Fix" about the BP oil catastrophe will be released on DVD on June 19th.  Pre-order your dvd now!!!

new single... two outfits!

Boom Boom! from evan hartzell trio on Vimeo.


Ummm... I feel so decadent.  In addition to occasional fashion styling, painting, filmmaking, art teaching, event hosting, I sometimes get to write bilingual songs which I get to sing as a part of Evan Hartzell Trio.  It's so fun.  


Here's the fashion part... I get to imagine what I would wear performing these songs in some romantic location like a Santa Fe weathered-wood floored bar, or on Venice beach with my blue silk dress getting sandy and wet while I listen to the track on headphones.  For some reason, I love getting that dress dirty.  Preferably with once again romantic dirt like sand on the beach and charcoal in the studio... not cherry-flavored Slurrpy at a kid's movie outing like I got on it later that evening after shooting this video.  I don't care that my sentences don't make sense anymore.  Poetic license.  And I love dot, dot, dot... if you haven't noticed.  Everyone can dot, dot, dot if they haven't tried it.  It feels really good.  It stands for looking up at the trees while you wait for inspiration.


On the sidewalk:  Levi's/Pendleton collaboration poncho, Levi's top, X2 jacket, Lithe skirt, Tsubo sneakers.


On the beach:  Rebecca Taylor dress, Zinc jacket

I can't believe I'm saying this...

...but, so far my favorite Fall 2012 collection is Victoria Beckham.  Why?  Because I actually want to wear these clothes.  It's not about admiring craftmanship and art, like when I take in Rodarte.  It's about knowing I can do what I want to do in these clothes... but do it better because the feel is so inspiring.  It's inspiring to action.  The cuts are so feminine.  The details are sporty.  And the models are wearing BIKER BOOTS, not high heels.  Plus, the dresses are all elegance in the front and sassy in the back.  You've got the watch the video to see this.  So cool.  Please, can I have some?  I don't usually ask. Or by some miracle, help me figure out how to make something like this.  I mean, I can't even tell what kind of fabric is happening here.  I have never been so into zippers. 

Check out the well-placed, flattering stripes.

It's so predictable I would like this.  Just add an apron.

And here is the video so you can see the backs and the way they move. 

Favorites from Spring RTW 2012

Valentino Spring RTW 2012 says, "What's the big deal?  We know what you want.  It's a no-brainer."

Louis Vuitton... yes, it's the same dress - on the horse, off the horse.  

Alexander McQueen's women will make things happen.  I swear those photos are moving a la Harry Potter...

My new love - Vena Cava.  These are the clothes I drive around in my red car in with my BFF's getting boba drinks on the sunny westside, feeling the ocean breeze.  It's called "no time".

hiking in a skirt

Tibetan Arts skirt, Teva boots (What's new?), flea market linen blouse, found fabric rose, home-made belt

Okay, the last post was rock climbing in a skirt.  This is just hiking.  Temescal, up to see the waterfall, and I just have to say that I saw two other people in skirts on this hike.  I was inspired by Downton Abbey when I added the rose and tucked in the skirt.  It's a bit soap opera for me, but I will watch it for the costumes.  Wow.