Mary Van Notes

It’s my friend Nick’s birthday on Friday so we celebrated it last night with an amazing dinner, pineapple upside-down cake, and some archery on the wii.  It was also a jam-packed day of great times with friends.  I met my good pals Uni and Her Ukelele and Griffin Point for breakfast, and then walked around downtown doing some Halloween shopping with Nicole before heading home for the birthday dinner.  I didn’t even realize it, but the outfit I wore really mimics the kind of fun day I had, with all the colorful people in my life.  Awwww!  That’s stupid sweet!

30s blouse: Fashion Forestry (can you see the adorable little donkeys on it?)
50s skirt and cardigan: thrifted
western motif scarf: Vintage Pink in Portland, OR
shoes: john fluevog
purse: found on the street

And now for some b-day yummy cake pictures and me, Ben and Nick acting silly pictures!

That last pic of Nick makes me laugh like crazy. Happy Birthday Nick!

I’m sure most of you who follow my blog also follow Nicole‘s, but if you don’t you should check it out.  She just posted a few of our recent adventures together.  I thought I’d post some of the pics from the art walk and share my outfit details.

1930s dress, 1950s coat, vintage hat: ebay
shoes: payless; tights: F21; purse: found
1940s rhinestone switchblade comb: Sacramento Antique Fair (it’s so amazing, right?)
collar: Fashion Forestry

Isn’t the collar great?  If you want a sweet deal go here. You can get 50% off if you wear the collar on your blog!  Seriously, they’re perfect for fall.  Get yourself some collars!

I’ve been obsessed with collecting vintage pajamas and lounge-wear recently.  Maybe spending so much time at home has made me yearn for something glamorous to wear instead of t-shirts and sweats.  I’ve also built a pretty rad 1960s peignoir collection, which will be a post for another day.  I’ve found that collecting vintage pajamas can be easier on the wallet.  You can find them very cheap and reasonably priced, I think because they are often overlooked for actual day-wear and party dresses.

30s/40s silk pajamas: VintagePointShop
50s quilted satin robe: SF Vintage Expo
50s Daniel Green slippers: thrifted

These words are being typed with great sadness. For I am grieving over the loss of this absolutely incredible 1930s blue feather capelet.

The loss being that it is not mine.  I first saw it posted on Sacramento boutique Crimson & Clover’s blog.  I immediately obsessed and rightly so.  (I was also in love with the peach 30s dress, but since I didn’t know its size, it was easy to not obsess over it.  The capelet however… that would fit!)  I called the shop daily asking how I could purchase and obtain it’s majestic beauty.  After days of not hearing anything I even went to the store to hopefully get the obsession out of my system.  Maybe if I could try it on I’d be able to see it wasn’t right for me, I could let it go!  But I couldn’t try it on.   The piece wasn’t ready to be sold, they were saving it to sell at the Vintage Expo which is this weekend in San Francisco.  The Expo whose doors opened hours ago.  I envision the capelet being picked up immediately.  Snatched by some collector who would rarely don such finery on her shoulders.  In fact, I’m avoiding the Expo all together because of this capelet.

Why?!?!?!  Why couldn’t I purchase you months ago before I had major bills to pay?  Why, Vintage Expo, must you be held moments before we have to pay taxes, car insurance payments, and rent?  WHY?!?!?!?!!!

So, yes, I am not going to the Expo because it would make me too sad to see it.  The capelet I obsessed over so completely I couldn’t even focus on my work.  The capelet I spent days envisioning in my future, feeling it on my shoulders as I performed, as I lived.

Goodbye, dear feather capelet.  I loved you so completely despite never knowing how soft you felt to my touch.

EDIT: OH MY GOD!!!!!  I’m buying the capelet tomorrow!  I can’t believe it!  Thanks to Nicole for getting it placed on hold for me AND thanks to an AMAZING fan who donated money so I could buy it.  I am just overcome with joy!  THANK YOU!!!!!!!!

I couldn’t resist getting intimate with the 1930s feather capelet I will cherish for the rest of my days.
I am so grateful.

30s feather capelet: crimson & clover via the vintage expo
vintage homemade bullet bra: dollhouse bettie
petticoat: american apparel