Autumnal Camoflage
November 16th, 2009
Couch coat (prized posession): Value Village in Victoria, 2004
Red shirt dress: Thrifted recently
Belt: Thrifted, remixed
Purse: estate sale
Floral tights: online… I forget which site!
Mustard t-straps: Jeffrey Campbell
I am becoming increasingly picky about the comfort and softness of my clothing. This red dress is partially to blame, because it is made out of magical Lycocell fabric (branded as Tencel), which is made out of wood pulp cellulose. Isn’t that weird? I’m learning about it right now (thanks, wikipedia). Apparently it shares some qualities with rayon, cotton, ramie and linen, and it is just generally awesome. I wish all my clothes were made from this stuff! It is so soft, so luxurious and tough feeling. I love that. I want more things that feel strong but luxurious. I will never stop loving delicate, fancy old dresses, but I don’t want to feel afraid to wear my own clothing. I could live in this dress!
Does it mess with your mind to see these tights and shoes together? I discovered this crazy combination when taking photos of this dress for etsy, and I’m glad I did. So weird! These tights are made by Look from London, but I bought them from another website (I forget which!). They were about twice as expensive as the rest of my tights ($23?), but the quality is really nice. Strong and fancy. That’s what I’m talking about!
I found the purse at an estate sale, it was only $2. When I got to the sale I JUST missed some beautiful old handmade quilts, but this bag is a pretty good consolation prize. Someone on flickr told me that the big symbol is actually a New York state seal, and that it probably came from the top of a fireman or policeman’s hat back in the early 1900’s. It is pretty heavy, but I don’t think it’s actually on original (they were brass)… but who knows, I suppose it could be! Not sure how it ended up on a purse though. I’ve talked about my beloved couch coat before, and I am proud (or it embarrassed?) to say that I FINALLY washed it, using the magic of oxy clean! It’s definitely brighter than it used to be, and I think it might be a good thing that the lining bled into the water so that I couldn’t see how dirty it really was. I was always so scared to let someone dry clean it! Handwashing is the way to go.
I gave myself a little stick mustache. I do this quite often, it seems! dalas is participating in Whiskerino right now, he shaved off all his facial hair at the start of the month and now he isn’t allowed to shave at all for some number of months. His beard grows so fast, he has a five o’clock shadow pretty much immediately. Joke memory for Rachel: Remember when Jem’s boyfriend was so worried about her that he grew a five o’clock shadow?
The days have been windy, rainy, but they are still good days. I snuck out today to take these pictures in between the bad weather, there was a storm looming but it was still fairly warm. I took a million photos for my shop and ate Ethiopian food. I want to show you photos from a cool thing that I did this weekend, but I’m waiting for my friend to upload hers so I can have a complete collection. I’m feeling very happy with the people I’m spending my time with, I’m finally feeling a real kinship with other people in Portland. I knew it had to happen eventually. Winter is coming, I can feel it happening! I wonder if we will get a big snow storm this year?
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20 Comments
Add your own1. Erin | November 17th, 2009 at 12:42 am
anja you look absolutely lovely. i am in loove with that photo of you standing in the leaves. it looks so pretty in portland right now.
2. karin | November 17th, 2009 at 1:06 am
FANTASTIC! jealous of the stockings!
3. Hannah | November 17th, 2009 at 2:16 am
I hope, hope, hope we get snow because we’re not always so lucky! I have been lusting over those Jeffrey Campbell shoes for so long, you and Rhiannon pair them with so many delicious outfits, it’s enough to make a girl do weekely searches on ebay! And that bag certainly was a good consolation prize, I think it’s beautiful!
4. PixelHazard | November 17th, 2009 at 2:45 am
oh wow you weren’t kidding about the camo. I love your coat
5. angie | November 17th, 2009 at 7:53 am
Says on your flickr that you got the tights at joyofsox.com. They are awesome! Great outfit.
6. Rebekah Coleman-Brahler | November 17th, 2009 at 7:54 am
i don’t know if i love the purse or the tights more. such a cute fall ensemble!
7. Bree | November 17th, 2009 at 8:07 am
beautiful!
8. kim | November 17th, 2009 at 9:04 am
I have this gorgeous 1960s coat, all handmade and beautiful. Unfortunately I got it dry cleaned a couple of years ago and the buttons melted off! I found some adequate replacements that look original, but I know the truth. I should never have let it happen!
9. Christina | November 17th, 2009 at 9:15 am
Yes!! The coat is back!
10. rachel c. | November 17th, 2009 at 10:08 am
Please, please, please remember where your tights came from. I want a pair!
xoxo
11. Rhiannon | November 17th, 2009 at 10:17 am
The way your outfit blends in with all the leaves is wonderful!! It’s so cheerful . . . And I swear Portland must be magical!
Also I don’t think I’ve ever even washed a vintage coat! It seems so scary; I never would have thought of Oxy Clean for it but maybe I’ll have to try it.
12. Sarah Louise | November 17th, 2009 at 11:01 am
I really like the way those tights sort of blend in with the shoes. Visually a dreamy outfit, you wear it well!
Sarah Louise
13. Chad | November 17th, 2009 at 11:43 am
I am in mad love with this outfit Anja! Oh my…that shoe/tight combo blows me away.
xo!
14. Quincy | November 17th, 2009 at 11:48 am
Love those tights!!
15. Lindsay | November 17th, 2009 at 1:22 pm
beautiful pictures!
I have a prized couch coat too! I grew out of mine, but I won’t sell it just in case I shrink!
look from london = love. i have a pair of tights from them that have lasted two years! (first pair of theirs I tried).
You look adorable!!!
16. wix | November 17th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
Rad! The first shot (with coat) reminds me of the film “The Lion In Winter,” but extra-saturated (colors, patterns, everything).
Are the shoes new-ish? Trying to gauge the probability of finding them in the near future…
17. emily | November 18th, 2009 at 4:18 am
You look like the most beautiful, spritely fall 70’s leaf-girl!
18. Jenni | November 18th, 2009 at 10:33 am
That coat rules the school. So do the tights. And the shoes. And everything.
19. jess | November 20th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
that purse is divine! and it’s so nice to see your coat back in action.
20. heather | November 21st, 2009 at 3:06 pm
very sweet outfit and that bag is amazing!
heather
http://www.shopvintageconnection.com
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