the sway report: san diego fashion & culture

Pictures of ebay listing: Longchamp Le Pliage Purple/Lilac Purse

2011-04-23T18:29:00.000-07:00

this picture does not display the true color of the purse;

it is displayed to show how the purse snaps closed.

Mens Black Leather Camper Boots

2011-04-03T16:45:00.001-07:00

Opening Ceremony Patent Leather Boots

2011-04-03T16:38:00.000-07:00

Yellow Superga 2750 Classic Sneakers

2011-04-03T16:13:00.000-07:00

On Hiatus...

2011-02-24T18:01:00.000-08:00

Hello dear friends and readers,

I'm sure you've noticed, even if you visit with infrequency, my lack of posting lately. I've mentioned in the last few posts that it's time for me to move on from the blog for the time being. It's my last semester of coursework in grad school before my thesis, and my blog is not something I can do as a creative break anymore. I may be back to blogging next semester. I do think that when I come back, I'll keep this blog as a sentimental journey, but create a new blog called Paloma Vintage. (You heard it here first.) The new blog will focus on my Etsy updates, which in the future, I plan to do more.

Anyway, I'll still be reading and commenting on my favorite blogs, so I'll see you around! In the meantime, click on the picture below to see what's new in the store!

Stay, little Valentine, stay.

2011-02-14T07:14:00.000-08:00

I love this holiday... The idea of it, at least. What can I say, I'm a sucker for romance. However, you won't find me going out to buy flowers, chocolates, or cards. I would feel silly if someone did that for me. In fact, the commercialization of the holiday is totally shameful.

However, when I was single, I always wished that boys (and gals) would use this holiday to infuse a little romance into everyday life. Maybe a boy would tell a girl that she is beautiful. Or a girl would ask a boy if he would be her Valentine. Sort of on the side, sort of secret, not like in class where everybody has to get a Valentine's card. Isn't that a nice idea?

Now, as a girl with a nice boyfriend, the meaning of the holiday has changed a wee bit. To me, it is now the chance to sing all the wonderful jazz standards that are about love!

Careless Love, The Way you Look Tonight, My Funny Valentine, Someone to Watch Over Me...

And if you speak French... La Vie en Rose, L'Hymne d'Amour

There's so many good ones! I don't have the time today to plan some elaborate dinner where I feed Patrick a gourmet meal from scratch, then proceed to dance to the mix CD which I made, although it would be nice. We're generally more low-key than that. Maybe next year I'll throw a "Funny Valentine" Dance at my house and invite more lovebirds, and some singles to mingle. What's wrong with dancing with any ol' boy on the dance floor? Let's hope he planned ahead and will give you a flower.

Here's a couple photos of my beau. Click here to read last year's Valentine's post... now that I read it, I see not much has changed. Not even my song choice. How typical of me, haha.

To Cut, or Not to Cut?

2011-02-05T22:21:00.000-08:00

Hello blogworld,

How are you? It's been a while. I've been keeping up with my very most favorite blogs, but rarely commenting. Wow -- such a departure from last semester, where keeping up my blog was certainly high on my list. I'll be back eventually, when I need this creative outlet again. What is my new creative outlet? Hmm... Driving? Being busy? I'm not sure. Maybe it's actually (gasp) playing piano, which is my profession, hobby (?), and passion.

If there's anything I've been doing on the internet, it is surfing through bloggy eye candy. These days I'm dreaming about when and how to cut my hair short. I love my long hair, but it's starting to weigh on me. I like having a 'do', something I haven't had for about a year. At the very least, I need a trim and some highlights, to keep the love alive. Hmm ....

Anyway, here are a few thought-provoking pictures of short hair, which I got from the Sartorialist as well as google searches. What do you think about short hair? How short would you go?

I love the look of very short hair, as long as it's sort of long and floppy in the front. However, I know this is weird, but I think it looks great on boyish figures. I don't really have that, so I would probably get a bob. Something about short hair seems so effortless. I have to be careful that I'm not just seeing the grass as greener on the other side of the fence. I have to make sure that short hair is something I really want, and that I won't have the same hair hangups once I take the plunge and cut it all off!

My Only Advice for the Day

2011-01-27T14:24:00.000-08:00

Yes, we all get cases of the blues, some of us more frequently than others. One of my goals in 2011 (NOT a new year's resolution, haha) ;) was to be more positive in my more dreary school days. Well, here we are, my first positively dreary schoolday since last year, and I feel dreadful!

Therefore, I resolve to rectify this situation by:
1. Counting my blessings. Besides all the obvious stuff (being alive, having loving family/community, etc.), I choose to be happy for the fact that I spent all morning in my bathrobe.
2. Going to get coffee. What could be better in the afternoon slump than coffee?
3. Admire my vintage locket I got from Etsy in December. It's so mini and adorable.

4. Check out this poster and take it to heart, dangit!

Thrift Store Find : My New Favorite Dress

2011-01-23T17:47:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone!

Hope your weekend has been fab. San Diego is having delicious weather. :) Patrick and I will probably go to the Museum of Contemporary Art today, and maybe to an amazing cafe called Cafe Bassam. Cafe Bassam is full of beautiful antiques, and is very old-world European. It reminds me of a Parisian brasserie!

Here is my new dress I got in El Paso. I can see myself wearing it constantly this summer. It's sooo comfy. Well, I'm about to have some lunch now (tuna melt) and then enjoy the day! Tell me what you think of the dress!

xo,
nancy

Busy with Doings, but Content.

2011-01-14T23:30:00.000-08:00

Hello again, cuties!

So of course, we all feel busy sometimes. As much as I love sitting on a beach with nowhere to be, it's just not a reality. There are things to do. And that's fine, that's life. However, I've been focusing on feeling free while completing my "to-do list." Life is too short to be held captive to your day or schedule. I finally managed to take some photos for the Etsy shop, Paloma Vintage. Remember, A Thought is the Blossom readers and The Upside of Wonder readers both enjoy 20% off anything in the shop!

I got a plethora of beautiful, cool pieces for the spring season... I can't wait to show them all to you. Okay, I'll manage to squeak in a few sneak peeks. I know I'm doing the right thing by having an Etsy because I genuinely feel excited to show you all the neat stuff I acquired for the coming season. These are all items I would have bought for myself if they had fit me (and if I had a closet the size of Alaska).

Sneak Peeks:

Purple Day Dress (check out the cap sleeves! Love.)

Knit Flowers Jacquard Sweater (och, I love this sweater so much.)

LL Bean High-Waisted Skirt (it has pockets!)

Photos for the Vintage White Prairie Dress with Victorian Sleeves:

Unfortunately, although I love having models (AKA myself) for photos...

Sometimes things don't fit the way they ought to...

(the dress didn't close! Haha!)

I hope everyone had a lovely Friday.
We all deserve it.
xox
nan

outfit post: Thursday, 1/6

2011-01-08T12:19:00.000-08:00

outfit for the day

---

jeggings - have sported these puppies every day since winter break began

boots - run of the mill boots from Ross. I enjoy their short stature and tough nature

mexican blouse - Paloma Vintage!

not listed yet, but it will be soon, and the link will show you some photos of it.

cropped military jacket - Roxy

Everything is 20-40% off at Paloma Vintage.

Go on ahead and check it out!

Maybe something you've been wishing for is on sale...

Changes

2011-01-06T08:37:00.000-08:00

Good morning! And what a fine morning it is. I feel so aware of all the things I have and am blessed with. This is a good attitude to have on the day of Epiphany, known in other parts of the world as Three Magi Day. I was wishing to have a little fete, complete with the Mexican tradition of baking a little toy baby into a cake. Whoever gets the piece with the trinket has to throw a party later on in the year!

My sister has been an excellent person to start the new year with. She has begun two new blogs with tips on all sorts of regular life things and Christianity. She is a whiz with Photoshop elements and made this awesome little picture, which is a good reminder:

I've made a list of blog posts that I'd like to do in the future, but I'm giving myself time to figure out where this blog is going. For now, it's a relief to not have the self-imposed pressure of daily outfit posts. Also, in case anyone was wondering, my eBay auctions went swimmingly. My little Marc Jacobs heels closed out at sixty dollars! Thank you, God! That was a relief, as earlier on in the day, I got a paycheck which was less than I had planned for in my budget. I don't really believe in coincidences.

Have a lovely Thursday! Little known fact about me: Thursday has always been my favorite day.

Bring it, 2011!

2011-01-04T12:26:00.000-08:00

Hello hello!

2011 is going great for me so far! I'm sorry, but I'm far too lazy to give you a recap on 2010, like so many dedicated bloggers are doing at the moment. Maybe I'll revisit some of my favorite posts later. I was oh-so-proactive with outfit shots in July/September of 2010... Those were the good ol' days. Well, so far, I've been doing well with my new years' resolutions. Four days down, 361 to go.

1. Budgeting

My sister rocked out at helping me find a budget and stick to it! She is an amazing person with many talents, and inspires me every day. She is a successful home economist, and when she had more time (before she had my nephew, Peter) used to do awesome DIY home projects. Now Peter is benefiting from her cunning wit and beauty. :)

2. FITNESS!

Finally, I must own up to myself that no amount of makeup and hair-do fabulosity will cover up the fact that I wish I looked a wee bit better in my clothes. I can ignore the fact no longer, and so I have resolved to work out more and have more discipline with my diet. My budget, being so scant, will help me achieve the diet part. People who are broke students (or trying to be wise with their money) can feast on bountiful helpings of inexpensive food, i.e. produce, soup, yogurt, eggs, and tuna. Well whaddya know, all that stuff is actually good for you. Yesterday I ran along the coast, and today I will do the same thing.

3. Overall more discipline in day to day life

This one's a toughie! I mean, who wants to make their own food ahead of time, prep and chop all veggies as soon as they get home from the store, practice piano EVERY DAY except Sunday, and work out all the time? I do. I really do. As a person who constantly struggles with laziness, I'm going to need all the help I can get. This verse gives me hope and peace:
No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:11
Pretty much sums it up, eh? I believe in God's promises, so I believe in that verse.

This week will bring some lovely new Etsy additions. You guys will die when you see what I scored at the magical Goodwills of El Paso. :)

For now, in terms of eye candy, I leave you with three things:

1. Starr's ah-mazing post today with an Argentinian label that looks like the inside of my fashion heart: Greens by Grishpan

2. Micky Green's beachy-60's tunes

3. A thoroughly ridiculous, but wonderfully hilarious blog, The Man Repeller. We fashion-loving ladies need to be laughed at sometimes. I wish I was smart enough to have thought of that concept for a blog!

Enjoy your Tuesday,
Nancy

PS. My ebay auctions are almost over! The Marc Jacobs are probably going to make me a pretty little penny! That's good news, because momma needs a new set of tires. Thank you for staring at those boring posts for days. :)

Cheap Monday jeans, size 30

2010-12-29T10:30:00.000-08:00

One more eBay listing of mine. :) I love these jeans. What a great brand... Perfect fit, awesome wash, they don't stretch out like inexpensive brands. They run a bit small, so be sure to follow the measurements on my listing.

Marc by Marc Jacobs shoes for sale

2010-12-29T09:57:00.000-08:00

I've listed these exquisitely awesome Marc Jacobs mary jane heels on eBay. Check out my listing!

They're size EU 37 1/2, US 7.

Here are pictures of the gorgeous things:

Style Files : Shuron Ltd.

2010-12-28T09:38:00.000-08:00

We all know what retro glasses look like. As Americans, I'm sure many of us have pictures of our grandfathers or great-grandfathers wearing the "military issue" reading glasses with the thick frames. We all know what the cat-eye readers looked like in the yearbooks from the 50's. Ray-Ban and Oliver Peoples have come the closest to emulating that look. However, they aren't the original! I was reading through an old issue of my mom's Martha Stewart Living, and (who woulda thunk) they gave the website to one of the most classic eyewear designers that America has known. Before I give it away... Let me give you some examples of the retro look we all know and love. As a big fan of the 50's, it gave me great joy to find these.

So, the men in these photos are sporting Shuron Ltd. frames. The ladies (Estelle from Golden Girls and Marilyn Monroe) just popped up in a google search I did.

Buddy Holly sported "Sidewinders"
Malcolm X wore browline "Ronsirs"
Shuron Aviators were created for WWII pilots.

This excerpt from the Ronsir page says it best: "An excerpt from "Looking Back", the Optical Laboratories Association's illustrated history of the American Ophthalmic Industry, illustrates it best - One of the more significant frame designs of the 20th century was the Browline Ronsir, the first ever combination frame featuring plastic tops on metal rims with plastic temples. Developed in 1947 by Jack Rohrbach, a Shuron vice president, the frame became a run-away best seller that started a design trend that ultimately affected almost half of all frames sold during the 1950's."

I believe that everybody in the movie industry acknowledges Shuron to provide their glasses for historical credibility. The Shuron website says that pretty much every movie from the 50's is full of their glasses. I suppose I'm incredulous that so many hip folks out there don't know about this.

It gives me hope that not everything has been commercialized and updated. The Shuron website itself is definitely not catering to hip young things. I hope they never do! Or maybe they'll have a comeback like Hush Puppies did in the 90's.

Anyway, is it weird to hope that I might need glasses so I can wear a pair of Nusir Royales? Or perhaps that Patrick will need a pair of Ronsir readers? Bahaha.

I'm not going to post pictures of my favorite frames... Call me a history geek, but I sort of want to keep this a secret. Enjoy browsing! Maybe if you're like me, it'll make you a little sentimental for your childhood!

Sway Report goes Paloma Vintage?

2010-12-27T08:42:00.000-08:00

Well, I finally got around to giving my blog another petit makeover. It's amazing to me how basic my knowledge of HTML is. I enjoy being able to play around with the widths of the blog, but one thing I can't figure out is how to have a smaller banner. This new banner (hello, face!) is 920 pixels. I would like it to be a little smaller, and have it centered, but I can't seem to figure out how to do it. This banner isn't bad. Maybe I should just shorten the length, but keep the width. I suppose I'll give it one more shot before calling it quits. Another thing I could never figure out was how to make sidebar buttons more uniform in size. For example, if you grab the chictopia button and weardrobe button, it throws off the dimensions of the sidebar. Maybe if I played around with the size of the buttons it would work better. Going between photobucket and blogger is a hassle that I can't always be bothered with. Maybe the people with really gorgeous site design either have the Adobe suite or a hired designer? (for example, see Avalonne's blog. It blows me away!)

At any rate, I am pleased with how far I've come in my little knowledge of HTML. Think about how many people in the world actually know anything about that... Also, I'm pleased to be slightly proactive, as I'm quite ill right now. This is day 3 of flu symptoms, cough, and sore throat. Luckily the fever is gone. Yesterday I whiled away the hours watching 30 Rock on my laptop and napping.

I'm considering making a new blog for Paloma Vintage. I realize that having a separate blog from my vintage shop may not be a good idea. Next semester is my last semester of coursework for my Master's, and it's become more and more of a struggle to keep up the blog. Plus, as I've mentioned before, I'm not totally wild about outfit posts, tripods, or being a model. I think having a blog solely for PV might take a little bit of the pressure off. I used to want to have an awesome blog that i updated every day with posts, but now that I reflect on it more, I don't have enough time or energy to really make it happen. And that's ok with me! I gotta keep it real. It's a great hobby, but when you're juggling a Master's, a job, and an Etsy shop, the blog will probably be the thing to go to the back burner. Thoughts?

Hope everyone is enjoying their holidays! I certainly am. It's refreshing to be sick and not have to call anyone to cancel lessons, get homework assignments, or anything of the sort. I LOVE not having a schedule!!

PS. After posting this, I visited the link I posted to Avalonne's blog. I was cruising her blog roll and happened upon an awesome blog... And instantly regretted the colorful theme I chose for my own! Check it out: La Mignonette. Haha. That's ok. I'm happy with it for now. Perhaps someday I'll figure out how to have blog design like hers or like Fieldguided's. Maybe later... ;)

Don't Get Around Much Anymore...

2010-12-21T12:38:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone,

Hope your holidays are going nicely! I've been in El Paso, Texas for the last few days, and will be over the holiday. Although people generally consider El Paso a place where they can buy Starbucks on their way up to Houston or whatever, it's actually very cool. If I was more proactive than I am right now, which is practically a boycott against having stuff to do, I would be taking lots of cool photoshoots in the historic downtown of this city. It has so much undiscovered coolness...

Well, I haven't been doing much around here, especially not on the blog. The Etsy has a few new listings that you might enjoy, including an awesome pair of Minnetonkas that don't fit me (RAWR). In other Paloma Vintage news, the lovely Amanda at The Upside of Wonder is sporting a PV blouse! She really makes it look the way it ought to on a girl.

So for today, I will just post here a few cool pictures from Refinery29, about Charlotte Kemp Muhl, a model. In the interview questions, she was talking about how enormous her feet are, and how she fits in her boyfriend's shoes. Then she goes and says she's a size 10... Um hello? Size 10, not that big! Maybe I stick up for large footed gals, but I consider size 10 to not be freakishly large. Have you ever seen a girl with a size 12 shoe? That is large. But somehow, I managed to find even a size 12 pair of vintage shoes this year! And they've already sold. I love sticking up for the underdog!

Oh, and in reference to my title:

Eye Candy Wednesday

2010-12-15T17:15:00.000-08:00

It really is hump day, isn't it. Trying to work on a project ... here are a few pieces of eye candy I collected last week. Visit A Thought is the Blossom and The Upside of Wonder for the Paloma Vintage giveaways! <3 These pictures look like the inside of my little sartorial head at the moment. I think it's all centered around how lovely it is to be a girl.

Sad Pouch Hoarder & Giveaway!

2010-12-14T11:08:00.000-08:00

So if you read my blog regularly, you are well aware of the fact that my attentions have been elsewhere for the last week or so. I have been spending time wrapping up the school year, attending piano recitals, and getting giveaways organized for Paloma Vintage (my Etsy shop). I love having an Etsy shop so much .... If you are considering it, and have questions for me, ask away. Maybe I should do a "How To" post on that in the future. Head over to Starr's blog, A Thought is the Blossom, for the Paloma Vintage Giveaway! Also, be sure to go to Amanda's blog, The Upside of Wonder for the PV Giveaway there. :)

I took the photos for today's post a few days ago. I was wondering what I should post on, and as I am usually too lazy/rushed to take daily outfit photos, I decided to take photos of accessories of mine that I'm pretty sure are unique to me.

Those who know me best will tell you that I am a compartmentalizer. My purse always contains at least 4-5 little pouches that carry all my things. I do not know why I do this. It may be because of my love of miniatures, my love of vintage, and my hatred of clutter. I have a medicine pouch, a pencil pouch, a coin pouch, a feminine hygiene (ahem, tampons? do boys read this blog? hope not) pouch, etc etc. The list goes on. Add a jewelry pouch and toiletries pouch if I'm spending the night somewhere, and a crochet or knit pouch if I'm going to be waiting in some doctor's office somewhere. I'm even crazy about shoe bags and travel accessories (especially the Par Avion series by Kate Spade, which is not for sale anymore, and not something I could ever afford).

Soooo if anyone has some little pouches they want to get rid of ... AHEM! Courtesy Of item?? Anyone?? ;)

As I was loading these pictures, I realized that I'm a wee bit of a pouch hoarder. I never thought it would happen... I'm an anti-hoarder, but golly, would you look at all this incriminating evidence....

Normal array of pouches that are inside my purse.

Medicine/hygiene pouch

Sunglasses pouch

Pencil pouch/digital camera/laptop charger, etc.

Just a few in the collection that are not currently being used.

Oh, whoops. A few more...

Craft pouch: crochet, knit projects (that never get finished).

Normal bathroom storage...

FULL OF POUCHES! Nail pouch, makeup bag, ponytail holder/bobby pins pouch.

Oh Lordy, whaddya know. MORE POUCHES.

And last but not least, jewelry case, complete with array of pouches. So is the verdict out? Am I a pouch and bag hoarder?

Hope you're all having a wonderful day.
xx
nancy

How is everyone's weekend?

2010-12-12T14:50:00.000-08:00

Hope everything is going well for all of you out there! I have had a weekend full of music-related activities, 100% of which include volunteering. It's that time of year, when kids involved in the arts or extracurricular activities have their performances and recitals. Currently listening to a student play a beautiful arrangement of "Eleanor Rigby" on piano! Sort of reminds me of the theme from "American Beauty."

Here are a few little pictures I took on my birthday. It all ties in with having an amazing breakfast and loving breakfast, eggs, and coffee in GENERAL! Consider yourself introduced to my favorite mug, Frosty! He makes Patrick and I laugh.

These are a few of my favorite things.

2010-12-09T19:08:00.000-08:00

Photos from last Tuesday. I was out the door after having spent the morning in my house working on projects and homework (which I'm trying to finish up now, so quick post!). I tried to put my camera in a place that worked for a 5 minute self-timer photo session. There were a lot of bad pictures due to camera placement. I was laughing at myself by the end for posing in front of my house with a camera. Hence the unholy tongue stickout picture. :) I'm a mischief maker, that's for sure.

Let me tell you a few of my favorite things. My big pink scarf from Germany. It doubles as a blanket. It is so, so warm. My new moccasins were a birthday gift from Patrick and Brittany. (They both pitched in!) I love these shoes so much. Sooo comfy. Thanks, Minnetonka! New shorts I thrifted from Goodwill. Short sleeved sweater from my shop. (was just looking for the link... what, never listed it?! well I love it alot. Maybe I'll keep it.) My market basket tote that was a present to myself last year. It is so BIG.. it fits all my stuff!

xx stay sane, everyone! (because it's finals week.) I'll be back with a new post probably on... Monday! Things are busy around here!

Happy Birthday to Me!

2010-12-05T08:49:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday crazy nan-giiiiirrlll... Happy birthday to me!

I love birthdays SO much! I love it being my birthday. I finished my homework for this weekend yesterday, so today is home free! I woke up this morning to find I had 25 new text messages (all from facebook). I find many people I know have birthdays the first week of December. I wonder what it is about early April.... ;)

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY PLANS (SO FAR)
1. Have a killer breakfast, because I love breakfast! There will be eggs, bagel & cream cheese, some sliced tomatoes, and delicious coffee.
2. Call about a million family members. I love talking with them! Call my sister & mommy.
3. Open presents!
4. Go see Handel's Messiah.
5. Hang out with friends? Or... do whatever I want to do. ;) One of my favorite things is wasting time and rambling about with no schedule.

Fashion Inspiration

2010-12-04T11:17:00.000-08:00

Recently I've been inspired by eccentricity and bookishness. I used to be more like this. Every day, I would create some crazy outfit by basically reaching into my closet and putting on whatever I grabbed. Somehow, my closet magically worked with itself. Everyone would tell me, "Nancy, nobody could pull off that outfit but you." Or, "I love the look that you have going. It doesn't match... but it matches." I consider those both to be awesome compliments. I think I achieved such an effect for a few reasons:

1. I was not in the professional world, and thus, did not care an iota what I looked like to others.
2. I was more of a thrift-a-holic back then, and less choosy picky.
3. I had NO basics whatsoever. So nothing could ever possibly match.

These days, I dress differently depending on where I'm going. As most of the places I'm going are school or work, both professional arenas, I usually reach for my dependable high waisted Adriano Goldschmeid jeans, some top, and some sweater. I've got enough cute stuff to "make it work" (channeling Tim Gunn here), but that eccentricity factor is definitely gone from my life. Boohoo.

All this being said, I have been heavily inspired lately by tinytoadstool. She's a Japanese girl living in China, (or is it a Chinese girl living in Japan?) who has the raddest Etsy shop ever. She has a pretty independent lifestyle, and is a small business owner, so she wears amazing outfits. Plus, she's wildly creative and probably wouldn't tone down her personal style even if she was in a professional arena.

Sometimes, I envy this artistry. There are those people in life who just are who they are, and they cannot change themselves. Usually they end up working in a sphere in which they are encouraged to be artistic. (Helloo, Anna Dello Russo..) Thank goodness I don't work in an office, or else I might be in even bigger trouble. As an adaptor and relator, I tend to change and tweak my style to fit where I'm going (especially if its professional). I love the days where I can be more "out there", but they're fewer and farther between. Maybe next semester I'll let myself go a bit more... It's been too long since I've gotten an awkward compliment. :)

notes on pictures:

1. i love the mystery the hats give her

2. color combos and textures. gorgeous

3. i don't like Litas, but she makes them work
4. yeah, it's true. drinking coffee in pictures makes you look cool
5. i love the simplicity of the pictures.
she doesn't make her face the most important thing.
in fact, it's so cool that half the time she doesn't show her face.

TGIF, People!

2010-12-03T10:49:00.000-08:00

Hey hey! Thank goodness it's Friday. I've not been taking outfit pictures recently. A lot has been going on this week! My dear friend Brittany moved out of the little cabin where we live a few days ago. New roommate Aubrey is in. She's a gem. The change is good, as Britt is going to be saving up to marry her beau, but change can be hard. As they say, variety is the spice of life ... Part of the joy of being alive is the surprises that come with change!

Another thing that has changed... Paloma Vintage now has ads! I chose to sponsor Starr at A Thought is the Blossom and Amanda at The Upside of Wonder. Go check out their lovely blogs, and check out my ads! My wonderful friend Megan designed the ads for me. She's a whiz. Check out her beautiful art here. It will be fun to see if these ads increase my Etsy business. I wonder if Paloma Vintage could ever become more than just a hobby. :)

I mentioned last week that my mom created an Etsy shop. She had a friend's son take some photos of her new purses. I am so blown away by how gorgeous they are!!! Um, Mom, can I have one?!

I hope all of you are enjoying the holidays: the beginning of Chanukkah and the advent of Christmas. I am ... We'll be getting a tree soon to decorate! In other fun news, my birthday is on Sunday! The big 24, here I come.

x
nancy

A Day in Idyllwild, CA

2010-11-30T08:35:00.000-08:00

A few weekends ago, my boyfriend's family and I headed up to Idyllwild, CA for a little day trip. Patrick had been so excited for this. He just got a new jacket and wanted to test it out. He loves backpacking, and Idyllwild is at the foot of the San Jacinto mountains. Unfortunately for him, on that day nobody else was keen on heading into the mountains via Devil's Slide, a pathway of switchbacks that takes four hours to ascend. Instead, we drove around a bit, looking at the snowy landscape (first snow of the season!), got lunch, played in the snow, and got hot cocoas afterwards. I love that cozy little town.

You'll soon see who had the most fun playing in the snow: Archie, the family's dachsund! He is the most adorable little guy on earth. I love him to pieces.

In the pictures of me, you'll see a frozen smile. I'm notorious for always being cold. I ditched my own inferior jacket for Patrick's papa's retro Patagonia jacket. Also pictured: Patrick's size 12 Wellies. (I was wearing sneakers. One can never blame a native Floridian for their lack of snow gear.)

Pumpkin Colors

2010-11-29T12:50:00.000-08:00

A few photos of what I wore for Thanksgiving dinner. Wearing the cashmere sweater my Grandmother sent me, an Anthropologie (Odille) blouse I found at the thrift store, Adriano Goldschmeid jeans, and H&M booties! Now watching "El Clasico" soccer game with my boyfriend, an avid Barcelona fan. Time for lunch! Ciao!

Feeling Foxy

2010-11-28T17:56:00.000-08:00

Wahoo! This new header has been a long time coming. Again, I did my "fancy" header in Picasa and Photobucket. I have yet to take the time to fool around with gimp.com, and I don't have Photoshop (or any programs in the Adobe suite). Despite the clumsiness with photo imaging programs, I like it!

I tried to choose an image that was probably public domain, and I found the adorable font for free. It's called Matilde, check it out at this adorable blog. I love the sheer amount of free printable downloads (calendars, cards, placemats, etc) that float around cool design and DIY blogs. Sometime I'll make a whole post out of those. For today, I'll post a lot of wonderful fox pictures I found whilst searching for the one you see above in my header. Foxes are my favorite animal.

all images are from Google search "fox illustration"

Mama's little baby got Etsy, Etsy...

2010-11-27T09:47:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I did a little work setting up an Etsy shop for my Mom. She makes leather bags and needed an avenue to sell them. I'm very excited for her, because I'm a big fan of Etsy. It will help her have some visibility. If you'd like to check it out, visit the Muñe Manzur Etsy shop here!

So far, we've only got two bags up, but I will be adding more slowly. She has quite a few bags in store, but I'll need pictures and measurements before I can list them. For the time being, I'll be doing her Etsy grunt work, but over Christmas break, I'll teach her how to work this newfangled software.

I've got to check out gimp.com, where my sister tells me I have much more to work with than photobucket and picasa mixed together. I tried for what seemed like hours to get a banner that wasn't completely ghetto looking! (Ahem... and it's still not the best. My talents are not in graphic designing.)

Also got around to listing a few things in the Paloma Vintage shop yesterday. I've created a "Black Friday" coupon code: BLACK20. Use it to get 20% off anything in the store! I'll make a separate post with new Etsy listings later or tomorrow.

Overall, my day-after-Thanksgiving was incredibly restful (and quiet). My boyfriend's parent's house is such a nest. I've talked about it before a little. It's decorated in a Nantucket/farmhouse style, which I must say is my fave. I'm so grateful for family. I miss my own! Check out the article my sister wrote in the El Paso Times here. I'm so proud of her! Isn't it great? Next time we'll get her to write something like totally deep, for example, the benefits of a peacoat over a trench.

White and Silver Hummingbird Purse with Sky Blue Lining

Cocoa Hummingbird Purse with Textured Straps and Cream Lining

Brown Leather Luna Bag with Handmade Guayu Woven Strap

(strap made by Guayu indigenous peoples of Colombia)

Pannikin Coffee and Tea: Encinitas, CA

2010-11-26T08:00:00.000-08:00

Pannikin Coffee and Tea is my most favorite coffee shop in the world, and one of my top five favorite places in Southern California. What a gem. This coffee shop is situated in what was once a railroad stop along the Historic 101 highway. The location is perfect, as Leucadians and Encinitans alike love to pop by and stay awhile, whether it be with their kids, their dogs, their friends, or their bikes (loads of runners and cyclists come by... generally a very californian thing, esp along the coast).

The inside of Pannikin is covered top to bottom with gorgeous transportation and coffee themed antiques. Their logo is a huge pegasus, for which they have a giant antique tin cutout above the menu. I have a sneaking visual-memory-ish suspicion that this was once the logo for a gas station that is now out of business. The coffee is superb: they roast the beans ON SITE. The little gift shop is great inspiration for what to buy for loved ones. The Pannikin Coffee and Tea logo itself is just beyond cool. I splurged and got myself a pound of Organic Blue Sky Coffee for home brewing. Needless to say, I've been beside myself with delight every morning since then. I visited with one of my best friends Rheanna. She's a lucky gal: besides being gorgeous and generally irresistible, she also lives within walking distance of this place. Some of us have all the luck. ;)

Thrift Store Magic and Gifts

2010-11-24T15:36:00.000-08:00

Another post about gifts from Grandma and thrift store scores. :) Quite busy these days! I was offered an ad spot on The Upside of Wonder by Amanda! That was a wonderful surprise. I also have a spot in the "sponsor ad lineup" on A Thought is the Blossom! I've been scouring thrift stores lately for what I hope is an upwards influx in sales, haha. I'm tired and needing to probably take a break from the internet, so I will just let the pictures do the talking.

DARLING pair of flats that don't fit me (wah). In the store.

Awesome Pringle cashmere sweater from Grandma. Struggling with whether I should hang on to it or sell it.

Ditto with this one. I'll have to sell one of them...

Leather coat from 60s San Francisco. Label reads "Rali." Sorry people, this one stays with me, at least for a while!! :)

Here's the Grand Finale, as far as thrift store finds go. I found Patrick this pair of Christian Dior dress shoes for three dollars and fifty cents. $3.50. Don't they normally go for $350? ;) Twas a good feeling to give him such a fine present!

Foggy Day in ... San Diego Town

2010-11-20T13:10:00.000-08:00

Okay okay, I know I've been talking about fog a lot! It's that time of year in San Diego. Patrick and I decided to take a walk today along the harbor with some coffee to enjoy the weather. It's perfect weather for a walk - not hot, not cold. I love the houses along this route. I love the view of the beautiful boats, water, and birds.
People bring their puppies out for morning walks, which of course makes me very happy. Dog people unite.

Some San Diegans around these parts complain about the marine layer (which makes everything foggy and grey until about noon). People also love to complain about the rain when it does rain here, which is practically never. I think the marine layer is beautiful and romantic, and it helps me get a lot done. I'm most productive in the morning, and when the sky is bright white and foggy, it looks like the morning for most of the day! I love this weather, and think SD people should enjoy it! After all, it's not like this year round. I suppose this is our version of "winter."

This area of San Diego is my favorite. It really is nautical, and if you get to the local cafe early enough, you can congregate with all the sailors and boat owners who came on land to get some coffee and a bagel. One of the guys had on a cap that said "Flirt." I found this to be completely bizarre until Patrick explained to me that it was probably the name of his boat. Let's hope so!

x
nancy

Picture Captions
1. what a nice view!
2. he's some kind of gorgeous, eh?
3. --
4. blue heron
5./6. I love this kind of succulent. It reminds me of Dr. Seuss' books.
7. jacket (Ralph Lauren) scarf (noname) shoes (sperry)

Postcards

2010-11-19T13:46:00.000-08:00

We're having a gorgeously foggy day here in San Diego (again!). How I love days like these. Made this little video with my point and shoot on my ridiculously out of tune piano. I was practicing and just took a break and played the piece very slowly. It gave the piece a nostalgic feel, i think ... Kind of gives me the feeling one gets from watching a Sofia Coppola film (like lost in translation). Enjoy ...

x
nancy

Postcards from nancy reeves on Vimeo.

Fairisle Girl

2010-11-18T12:02:00.000-08:00

Okay, I was rushing out the door this morning, and then I remembered my resolution to do my makeup before I left the house and squeeze in 5 minutes for some self-timed photos. I was in my car getting ready to drive away when I remembered! They came out okay, with the exception of my sullen teenager facial expression in a few of them. (Haha!) A big thank-you to my roommate Brittany, whose dress this is. We have a good "open closet" borrowing policy, but I just wanted to thank her by name. This is totally my favorite kind of outfit ... unique, comfortable, casual, but not too casual. Maybe I'll have to stock up on more dresses like this one.

Today is a beautifully foggy day in San Diego. I love days like this ... I went running this morning at Spanish Landing Park (check it out) and had a good time. If I can keep good habits like this up, I'll be stoked!

Speaking of good habits, it's probably high time I stop blogging and get to doing homework. I have a surprisingly small amount of time to get a large amount of things done today. Wish me luck. x

nancy

ps. Enter the giveaway if you haven't already. :)

Moins que Demain

2010-11-15T20:24:00.000-08:00

Dear San Diego,

I do love you.

Je t'aime plus qu'hier, moins que demain

I love you more than yesterday
and less than tomorrow

dress: H&M

beret: United Colors of Benetton

sunglasses: Fossil

Enter the giveaway if you haven't already.

Amira Mednick Wearable Art Giveaway

2010-11-15T12:13:00.000-08:00

Yay! Another giveaway has arrived! This one is coming from Amira Mednick, a very talented artist who creates wearable art. I have talked about Amira's work before, in this post as well as this one. I love the ethnic feel of her jewelry, but also love how absolutely unique it is. That's truly hard to find!

I want to bless Amira for sponsoring a giveaway on my tiny blog, so please tell your bloggy friends to come and enter. This girl truly deserves it!

The lucky winner will win a pair of custom made Feather Fringe Earrings, which go for $32 on Etsy! Quite the deal, if you ask me! This giveaway is open to international and US readers.

The winner will be picked randomly, and will be announced next Thursday, the 25th of November!

To enter, simply:

1. Go to Amira's Etsy shop and name your favorite item from her shop.

2. Go to Amira's blog and become a follower through Google friend connect.

3. Leave your email address (unless you have a blog, in which case I can leave you a comment if you are the winner).

A Simple Twist of Fate

2010-11-13T16:01:00.000-08:00

Will I ever learn to do my makeup or do my hair before I decide to take outfit photos? Maybe that will be my goal for the week ... x, nancy

Remember to check back in on Monday so you can enter the Amira Mednick giveaway!

blouse: thrifted
belt: Ecote, UO
capris: J Crew
flats: H&M
cropped military jacket: Roxy

Giveaway Winner & Shop Update!

2010-11-12T13:34:00.000-08:00

::: DRUM ROLL PLEASE :::

The winner of the Paloma Vintage giveaway is Natale Eve from Evelesco! Congrats, Natale! A big fat thank you to everyone who entered... it means the world to me.

The next giveaway will open up on Monday, November 15th. Amira Mednick is giving away a fabulous pair of her earrings! Stay tuned.

In other news, check out the new items in the shop! Click on each picture to be taken to the item listing.

Vintage Japanese Lotus Blossom Teacup Set (6)

Vintage Brass Cat Door Knocker

Vintage Nautical Wire Basket

Mid-Century Modern Pitcher

Vintage Sequined and Scalloped Black and Silver Belt

Vintage Ferrali Indigo Dress with Drapery

Vintage JG Hook Tweed A-Line Skirt (L)

Vintage Embroidered Mexican Bohemian Tunic

Vintage Designer Silk Diane von Furstenburg Wrap Dress (S)

I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend.
x
nancy

Thrift Store Finds

2010-11-12T12:00:00.000-08:00

Hello hello!

Yay for awesome thrift store finds. I feel like a few bloggers have been having some thrift store voodoo luck: Starr @ a Thought is the Blossom, and Blooming Leopold, to name a few. I usually get moderately lucky while thrifting, but never really hit crazy jackpots. My sister Julia (Open Hand Living) is the one with the talent.

I was excited to find these cool pieces at Salvation Army. This sailor's tunic from France is unbelievably cool. Unfortunately, it only came in one size: 12 YEAR OLD BOY SIZE. Dang it. Maybe if I was a size XS, this would fit me, but I think it's going to go in the Etsy! It still has the tags on it in French. As I am a Francophile, I was compelled to buy it. The stripes, colors, and thick cotton fabric are divine.

I also found this nautical linen jacket. It's from Ralph Lauren, and the navy color is beautiful... I love linen. It has that classic sheen to it. The jacket has little leather toggles, so I was able to tighten the waist to make it look more like an anorak. The arms are a bit too loose, so if I ever get my sewing chops up, I'll alter it a little. Or maybe one day I will stop being cheap and have it tailored... It was only 3 dollars, after all. Hehe.

The last thrifted item is going to be a Christmas gift for a friend. I don't think she reads the sway report regularly, so I feel safe posting pictures. But I won't mention names! (PS: The shots of this winterwear set are so Day-Glo! In real life, the colors aren't so saturated.)

Spotlight on: AMiRA

2010-11-11T14:30:00.000-08:00

In the past, I've talked a little bit about Amira Mednick's jewelry. I was in Portland with my grandparents, and her booth totally caught my eye! A few posts ago, I was mentioning my love for ethnic patterns and fashion techniques. Guatemalan prints, Mexican embroidery, bright colored fabric, and beautiful ethnic jewelry never fail to catch my eye. So when I spotted Amira's jewelry, I totally bought a few pieces (the earrings and sunset-colored bracelet below). There is nothing that spices up an outfit like these accessories. I especially love the summery colors... They mix so well with so much of my wardrobe.

Check out her etsy store here, and her blog here! Leave her some love!

She will be hosting a giveaway on this blog starting Monday, so stay tuned...

xx
nancy

I wonder as I wander...

2010-11-09T10:11:00.000-08:00

So a lot of things have been on my mind lately. I have no idea why I'm starting today's blog post like that, or even what I'm going to say. This year I've felt a little artificial on my blog, mostly because I didn't have time to write anything meaningful in my posts. I do find fashion blogging really fun and delightful, but there are some days (like today) where getting dressed up and taking pictures of myself does not float my boat even a little bit. Speaking of getting dressed up, it's 10 AM and I'm still in my jammies, sitting outside with a cup of coffee, because that's the only place where I get enough (free) wifi to be online!

Lately I've felt a lot of peace and a lot of pain. My heart breaks some days, with what I call weltschmerz, which is a German word that John Steinbeck uses in East of Eden. It means "pain of the world." Ever have those times when your soul and heart are just flooded with weltschmerz? Other days, my ~~wonderful friends~~ (closer than friends, maybe I'll make up a word for it?) heart-sisters are there for me, being the hand of God to me, and I feel so peaceful and hopeful. So if anything, something in me is being changed (hopefully for the better, ha ha) ...

Today's post then, will be focused on giving. I've been feeling the need to give rather than take. Think about how many times a day you're tempted to take something or take away from something, rather than give! It's amazing if you really keep track. (I've lost track.)

1. CRAFT FOR A CAUSE - PROJECT LINUS

Project Linus is a non-profit organization that my awesome Grandma is heavily involved with. Thousands of ladies all across America knit, crochet, and quilt blankets for orphaned and sick babies. I love this organization so much! JoAnn's is donating $50,000 to the organization who gets the most votes. You can vote once a day! PLEASE PLEASE head over to Craft for a Cause and vote for Project Linus! I've been voting if only to honor the women like my Grandma who made volunteering for Project Linus their full time job. The best thing is that if Project Linus wins, it will only enable them to GIVE MORE! Awesome. Once I'm done with school, I will definitely join the ranks of ladies in P.L. who donate blankies to sweet babies who need warmth.

2. International Justice Mission

This radical non-profit helps free enslaved women and children across the world. A lot of people get roped in to sex trafficking because they were tricked to believe that they would get to go to school, or move to a big city in order to get a job and send money to their families. Rather, they are put into sex trafficking rings, and robbed of their dignity, rights, and innocence. The workers for International Justice Mission act as lawyers. They go into the countries, investigate situations, and bring the evidence to court on behalf of those who are being exploited.

3. World Orphans

My dear friend Jeremy Handysides works for this non-profit. He recently held a surf contest called Grombomb (haha, that must sound funny to non-Californians) and raised over $1,000 for orphans in Haiti. I'm very moved to be giving to this organization! After all, children deserve to have the most basic of needs: food, shelter, love, education...

Feel free to tell me about some of your favorite causes. There are so many ones closer to home that I could give to, too. A lot of churches in my area are dedicated to the helping the homeless people of San Diego. I don't know, it's all very humbling, if you think about how much we are blessed with.

I hope everyone is having a fabulous day! Don't forget to enter the giveaway if you haven't already. I can't wait to see who wins!!!

xo,

nancy

Images taken from the link embedded in the text above it. All images are copyrighted to the organizations mentioned above.

Picture Sunday: Tippi Hedren

2010-11-07T09:00:00.000-08:00

Everybody Loves Saturday Night

2010-11-06T09:00:00.000-07:00

"Everybody loves Saturday night! Everybody loves Saturday night! Everybody, everybody, everybody, everybody... everybody loves Saturday night."

If you've never heard this catchy folk tune, go ahead and look it up on Youtube! There must be a ton of different versions. I believe this tune originated in Kenya (or another East African country) when a constricting curfew was placed on the townspeople by a regime in power. Saturday night was the one time when everyone was free to party in the streets! So in protest, the people made up the song. What a neat lesson in how humor, hope, and music can raise spirits.

Well, this outfit is actually what I wore yesterday (which is today, as I am auto-publishing this tomorrow.. wait, what?!? head explosion). This dress is not quite a go-to item, as I bought it at Anthropologie, and thus am somewhat scared that I will stain it/rip it/damage it. In my mind, I think it's fancy, but it actually it works great as an everyday dress.

A huge part of my style is inspired by ethnic prints and fabrics. I love cultural dress from all countries (hence my slight obsession with peasant blouses and Mexican embroidery)... I love the colors, the embroidery, the stitching. Oh man. It's so cool. This bracelet, given to me by Amira Mednick, perfectly compliments my love for ethnic clothing. She makes South American style jewelry by hand... She's truly an artist. I'm a huge fan! My mother is Colombian, so these bracelets really remind me of that beautiful Caribbean style...

Have a lovely and whimsical Saturday night.

love,

nancy

dress: Anthropologie

jacket: H&M

sandals: Zara

bracelet: Amira Mednick

California Dreamin'

2010-11-05T11:02:00.000-07:00

Fridays are my fun day. Even though I'm working all day, I teach students (I'm a piano teacher) who have been with me for three years or more. They're like family! They're all so positive and sweet that it's encouraging after a long week at SDSU. Also, I have a few hours of break between my one adult student and all my kids (who come in after school hours). This means I have time to update Etsy, organize photos, and give a little time to my blog.

Today, I've been dreamin'.... Dreaming of what this blog can be, where I want to go with it... I have some good ideas that I can't wait to implement. Maybe next semester will be less busy (although I doubt it). However, I've asked for a few things for Christmas and my birthday (which is December 5!!!) that might help me reach some blog dreams sooner than later. I'm asking for a microphone with a USB plug-in (hmmm, what could she mean here? I'm a musician - connect the dots). I'm also asking for some money to save towards a DSLR.

My other goals include getting in better shape (I won't open this can of worms right now - let me suffice to say that I don't have low self-esteem, I just have some fitness goals), and maybe investing a little more in the graphic design and format of my blog, as well as my own appearance. Hey man, if you're going to try to achieve your vision, you have to do it right. Am I right?

So I guess today's post is a lot of text. Normally I don't have time to really write things out. It's refreshing to talk a little bit for you all. I feel like I'm usually scheming about what I want to see on the sway report, but never have the time to execute it!

SPEAKING OF EXECUTION: Announcement:

The giveaway will not be ending today. I want to try and give it another week! I laugh at myself wanting 60 entries towards the giveaway, but for now I'd like to have 20. We're close to that!

I wish you all a wonderful Friday. I promise I'll share more of my dreams and schemes soon. Let me just say that I feel a lot of love in my heart to the girls (and guys??) that read the sway report regularly. Kisses and hugs to you. xx

nancy

sometimes normal, sometimes silly

shirt: borrowed from roommate

shorts: charlotte russe (ha)

belt: ecote

boots: ??

The 2nd annual Creepy Cabin party.

2010-11-04T09:11:00.000-07:00

Enjoy a few pictures from our Creepy Cabin Halloween party. Sorry, no nice camera yet, so the photos are a bit funky. For my costume, I took some serious inspiration from Maria. I knew I wanted to be a cat, but when Maria introduced the Victorian Erin Fetherston look, I thought, "ah yes, of course." Thinking of your own inspiration can be fuzzy when you're simultaneously trying to work and plan a party.

Over the course of the night, more guests came, but we were having too much fun to force everyone to take pictures outside! We played catchphrase, drank mulled wine, gorged on apple slices, popcorn, and candy. We also played this crazy game... Wish I could remember the name, but anyway, it's one of those games where everyone gets really competitive! Haha. Oops, almost forgot. We made this party a White Elephant party. My white elephant prize? A copy of Twilight. Yippee. I ~~threw it out~~ recycled it. I try to be green, y'know.

Jamie and Camilla as mimes. Genius!

Brittany and Austin as "Brother Sun and Sister Moon." (This is my roommate and her fiancee. Ah, love.)

Michael and Jenna as polar bear and leopard!

Patrick and I as Paul Bunyon's daughter and Cat! Hehehe... Patrick couldn't decide what to be. All day long he was agonizing between a Greaser, Marlon Brando, or a dead mountainclimber. We thought the dead mountainclimber was too morbid (not our style), the Greaser was tough because all his white shirts had some sort of pocket or emblem on them, and Marlon Brando wasn't recognizable enough in any role besides the Godfather.

Solution?? Put Patrick in one of my Etsy dresses! Bahaha.... Friends said that I should definitely let him model this dress and post the pictures on Etsy. Girls would be lining up to look just as pretty as he does in it! (Shakes head.) Now I understand if I will never ever be able to sell this dress. Hahaha! Now that I take a second look at the pictures, he looks less like Paul Bunyon's daughter (AKA Wanda, the Diner Waitress) and more like a sexually confused pirate! The laughs are neverending around here!

Hope you're all well! Time for me to pound out the rest of my project, which is essentially due in four hours! YEEHAW.

Aaaand, don't forget to enter the giveaway if you haven't already. xoxo.

Argh!

2010-11-01T19:14:00.000-07:00

Argh, mid-week blues, have you arrived already? This weekend was so sweet, I thought perhaps the homework blues wouldn't arrive until Wednesday or so. Well, readers and friends, I might be posting sparsely this week, until I've turned in a massive project that is due Thursday.

I swear I have cool things to show you. Just not today. Bored?

Enter the giveaway right now. <3

If you've already entered, then not only do I love you, but you can cheer me up by telling me a funny story, a joke, or something that is hugely inspiring you at the moment.

AUREVOIR.
nancyj

Paloma Vintage Shop Update

2010-10-31T16:48:00.000-07:00

Busy weekend! This weekend has been very fun. We had a little party last night with just a few friends. As a last-minute, low-maintenance costume, I dressed up as a cat! We had quite the shindig! My updating the Etsy has paid off... I've been very blessed to have 5 orders in the last 4 days! Definitely a first for me.

Without further ado, the shop update:

Vintage Rhinestone Bracelet (Sold)

Vintage Polarized Wayfarer Sunglasses

Vintage Knitted Cardigan

Vintage Rose Peter Pan Collar Blouse

Vintage Modern West Bend Penguin Ice Bucket

Vintage Mid-Century Wooden Collapsible Basket

Vintage English Ceramic Cream Jug

Vintage Cream and Brown California Bear Dinner Plate

Fun Halloween pictures coming soon, and some thrift store finds!
Don't forget to enter the Paloma Vintage Giveaway if you haven't already.
If you have, please tell friends! I'd love to have as many entrants as possible.

xoxo,
Nancy

Paloma Vintage Giveaway!

2010-10-26T11:07:00.000-07:00

Wahoo! The day is here! Welcome to Paloma Vintage's first giveaway. The winner of this giveaway will receive a $20 gift certificate to anything in the shop!* Shipping will be free within the US. International readers may enter!

To enter:

Simply visit Paloma Vintage and include in your comment an item you like from the store. Where would you wear it to, and with what?

Also, please include a way for me to reach you.

Second entry:

Follow "the sway report" through Google and repost about this giveaway.

Please enter the link of your post in the comment!

The winner will be selected randomly on Friday, November 5th.

The giveaway will not be closed until at least sixty participants have entered, so please spread the word!

The winner will be featured on my blog!

* Unfortunately, "anything" does not apply to items in the "Home" section of the shop, since they are on consignment from a friend.

Testament of an ever disappearing weekend.

2010-10-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

The weekend seems to fly by so quickly. Man, I wish it were three days rather than two. Oh, the things I would see and do! This weekend, however, was a success. I went to a wonderful wedding shower on Saturday, and spent today taking some pictures for Paloma Vintage and the blog.

I mentioned that my friend Michael gave me some things to consign. Witness the newest additions to Paloma Vintage's Home section:

White Ceramic Cat Cream Dispenser

Mid-Century Wooden Collapsible Basket

And to give you a sneak peek to some new listings coming to the store, here's a quick photo!

Stay Tuned -

tomorrow's post will be a giveaway for Paloma Vintage!
Tell your friends!

Paloma Vintage goes Homey.

2010-10-23T18:05:00.000-07:00

I love it when you find a friend that is interested in the same things that you are. I know that sounds obvious and silly, but think about it! Isn't it great to have like minds? Well, my friend Michael heard about my little Etsy shop experiment and right away asked, "Can I consign items to you?" I was shocked out of speech for a second, quickly recovered, and said, "YES!"

You see, Michael has great taste. Here are some of the things I'll be putting on my Etsy for him. We're excited just to see how it goes. Check out some of his awesome wares!

Penguin Ice Bucket

"You are Special Today" Cheery Dinner Plate

Japanese Lotus Blossom Teacups

Mid-Century Beaker Pitcher

Green Bow Glass Serving Dish

Mid-Century Folding Basket

Tomorrow is my Etsy day, so I will be measuring and quite a few of Michael's listings.
Click on any of the photos to go to the shop!

Toujours pour vous.

2010-10-21T12:27:00.000-07:00

Ah, an outfit post I really like. This H&M dress has never made an appearance on my blog, but it's one of my favorite pieces. It's so comfortable, perfect for all occasions, and is just so pretty. I love the colors, I love how they bounce off the dress and take people by surprise. When I wear this dress, I get comments like, "You look like an ice cream cone!" or, "What a pretty ballerina dress." I suppose this is the kind of dress all girls can see themselves wearing, flouncing around in ballet flats.

I guess its appropriate that I saw works by Degas just last week at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Degas knew about ballerinas, and dresses that look like bright and yummy ice cream cones. ;) I got these tights and boots last week at a store called Century 21. The boots are by Tsubo, perfect minimalism and coolness. They're just like sneakers, but way more professional and sophisticated. Sorry, sneakers. The tights are also perfect, and have a wee bit of a sheen, not like opaque tights I've had in the past that literally collect dust. Ew!

boot(ies): Tsubo

dress: H&M

sweater: Anthropologie, borrowed from lovely roommate. (Thank you!)

As a thank you to my lovely readers, I'd like to extend to you a 20% discount off anything in my store. Just message me with the subject line "sway report."

Funky, Fondled, and Fresh Dress

2010-10-21T09:00:00.000-07:00

Recently I was announced of the winner of the Funky, Fondled, and Fresh giveaway on Annie's blog, Time Enough for Drums. I was stunned! Winning a giveaway is such a great feeling! I want to return the favor by hosting a giveaway that will start NEXT WEEK!

Anyway, I went to Anelia (of Funky, Fondled, and Fresh)'s shop, and took a look around. This hip, swingin' little dress caught my eye. It's so happy!! I also love that the fabric is flowy, not starchy.

Thank you Anelia! Everyone who reads this, please go over and check out her shop. Tell her how much you love it, just like I do!

Autumn Hues

2010-10-20T09:41:00.000-07:00

San Diego is having some delicious weather. It's rainy and crisp outside. The earth and plants smell wonderful, and my little wooden cabin is the perfect place to snuggle up with a cup of tea. It's amazing how poorly some of the roads are suited to rain here. Flooding happens everywhere, and people drive 15 miles an hour.

In other news, I'm started to wear things tucked in more, and am looking for some trouser shorts. It feels a little uncomfortable to me, as I've never fully lost the weight I gained in my undergrad studies. One of my short term goals is to exercise regularly. Blogs have helped me stay motivated in my goals! What's more motivating than wanting to look good in clothes?

Keep tuning in to the blog -- I promise I'll get movin' and get my giveaways posted up here soon! Thank you to all of you who regularly comment here... Alice, Louise, Courtney, Maria, Beatrice, and Amanda! Thank you so much. It always makes me smile to hear what you have to say.

Street Fashion, NYC

2010-10-19T09:15:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned before, not all my street fashion photos came out great! There are a few that are keepers.

Over and over, I kept seeing the following items on girls around the city:
1. Trench coats
2. Anoraks
3. Capes
4. Leggings-as-pants
5. Lace up boots or classic tall boots
6. Tory Burch flats

The girls looked so beautiful! It all served to remind me that less is more. You can look great while just wearing a dress, leggings, and a trench coat! PS, did you spot the twin models in the background? I have so many photos from New York, and a lot of great posts cooking, but am still working on getting organized from my trip.

Be sure to check out my new listing on Etsy!

Vintage Salvatore Ferragamo Brown Leather Tall Boots

by Paloma Vintage

Also, giveaways are coming soon to this blog! Stay tuned.

avec une embrace,

nancy j

New York, New York

2010-10-15T09:00:00.000-07:00

A few funny thoughts.

1. Google Analytics is amazing and spooky.

2. I realize that I should be adding at least one new listing to my Etsy store a week. No more listing bonanzas. Not good for business. My Etsy is definitely a hobby, not my main source of income in the least - but if you're going to do it, do it right.

3. Tried all week long on my NYC vacation to take some street fashion pictures. Seems that by the time I realized someone looked really wonderful, it was too late, and I was capturing their back rather than front. Whoops. By the way, did I mention that everyone is gorgeous here?

4. Meant to not spend that much money. Yeah, whoops again. But at least I didn't go (too) crazy!

5. Topshop - it really is the Top Shop. Did I buy anything? Nope, I'm poor, remember! ;)

6. Other awesome stores I got to visit: Uniqlo and Muji. Both Japanese. Bought two long sleeve tees (a first for me) at Uniqlo. Muji is like a non-branded, simply elegant, smaller version of Ikea. Except from Japan. So not that much like Ikea??

7. I didn't mention that I went to the Madewell store. It's very cool. But very small!

8. Secretly dislike flagship stores - they don't have sales.

9. I'm really in love with this dress. I know it is from my shop, but it doesn't fit me.

Hi, I'm a tourist getting on the NYC subway!

xo
nancy

My First Etsy Trade.

2010-10-14T09:00:00.000-07:00

About three weeks ago, I was contacted by an Etsy seller named forestlass. She had her eye on one of my prairie dresses and offered to trade me for it with an item from her shop. I went to her shop and was thinking about a few things. I was a little hesitant about doing a trade, since each seller has to cover the cost of shipping, but I thought, "why not?" It sounded fun, and the thought of getting something from Turkey (where forestlass is) sounded cool.

I decided to get the "Flowers and Weeds" vest. It is right up my alley. Holy moly! I love ethnic pieces, and the vest is definitely not from America. If I wanted to look like a member of a Eastern European dance troupe, I could wear the vest with this outfit. Or, I could wear it to the Greek Festival, which is so much fun!

sorry, I know you guys aren't creeps, but this is the internet, after all. One has to be careful.

Be sure to check out my Etsy to see the Peasant Blouse I paired the vest with.

Check out Sara's Etsy to see her cool wares.

My vintage Ferragamo boots.

2010-10-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

These boots were a thrift store gem. I bought them back in 2006. I had been given some money by a close friend to buy something for myself for my birthday, which is in December. I saw this very pair of equestrian Ferragamo books in a resale store in Encinitas for $100. I loved them so much that I was considering paying that. Well, I decided to wait on it. I flew to my parent's home in El Paso, TX. My sister and I regularly go thrift store shopping in Texas. I went to Savers posthaste, basically out of habit, and look what I found! The same Ferragamo boots in a size 10 for less than $100! I almost cried with happiness.

I wore them for a while, but quickly realized that I could only wear them for a short amount of time, like to a party. They are so small on my feet! I wear a size 9.5, or EU 40-41, but apparently a vintage size 10 does not have the same meaning as a modern size 10.

Aren't they gorgeous? My heart breaks that they don't fit me. Should I put them in my Etsy?

Cozy Tuesday

2010-10-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

Dress: an old sweet tunic from H&M

Oversized Handknit Sweater from Ireland: Thrift store gem

sweater tights

boots

Soft Monday

2010-10-11T09:00:00.000-07:00

I love the little details that make an outfit. I feel utterly comfy and cozy!

Things I Love part III

2010-10-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

autumn, pumpkin, baked goods, nutmeg, and pumpkin ale!

packages in the mail with cool foreign stamps (more on this later!)

new Superga sneakers for the winter, in a cheery shade of yellow.

I'm planning this post ahead of time (it's Thursday). Right now (Sunday), I am on a family trip to New York! I am so excited and can't wait. At the point you're reading this, I'll probably be blowing kisses to the world from the top of the Empire State Building. :)

Nautical Navy Girl

2010-10-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

Great Gatsby Nautical Dropwaist Dress

60s Navy Blue Mod Peacoat

The Impossible Tunic

2010-10-08T10:43:00.000-07:00

Okay, fashion mystery. Let me set the scene: My darling Grandma calls me from Portland, on her annual trip. "I found you a great find in the Goodwill here! It's a Diane von Furstenburg tunic!" I am ecstatic. She had already sent it to me in hopes that it would go in my Etsy shop. My Grandma is a huge supporter of independent and entrepreneurial efforts; she is a major Rotarian and even started a local chapter of a non-profit called Project Linus. The woman is a go-getter!

Finally, my package arrives. The tunic is very cool. Purple velvet with deep slits and gold designs on the bottom. But I have no idea what to do with it. I don't even look good in photos with it! And it always turns out a shade of indigo! Somebody help me.

Here is the photo evidence:

Any ideas?
xo
nancy

from Mexico to Hong Kong

2010-10-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

Some photos from this weekend. The attempt was to take some new pictures of this grey structured cardigan from my shop, but it was too bright. I've been having some good times with my local Salvation Army lately. But shh! I don't want to say it too loudly, or the good times may cease to roll! The Mexican tunic was another thrift store find. I think I'm going to put it in the shop, because it doesn't work too great for me, I think. I always have trouble finding what to wear it with. Although the cutoff shorts/leggings is a comfy mix. I want to get some high-waisted trouser shorts or vintage Levi's soon... I think this tunic would look nice with that.

Have a happy Thursday, everyone.

grey structured cropped cardigan - Paloma Vintage

this sweater is tres cool. from Hong Kong, and nice and sturdy.

Mexican tunic - Paloma Vintage

leggings - H&M

Ready or Not, Here I Come.

2010-10-05T22:49:00.000-07:00

ISO settings sometimes have a whimsical effect on photos.
jeans: levi's from my first trip to San Francisco in 2005. (they now have a hole that needs to be mended.)
top: from UO
sweater: from Anthro
scarf: red, adorable
brogues: Cole Haan, thrifted
belt: thrifted

Ruby Tuesday

2010-10-05T09:04:00.000-07:00

I love Tuesdays. I don't have class until 1:30, so I have a little time in the morning to ... well, take my time. It's so great. I read all my favorite blogs. I responded to emails. I talked to my mommy. I played some piano (but my hands were freezing). Just for fun, I went back in time to read one of my early blog posts.

Wow. I realized that my blog and I have changed a lot. My posts used to be so structured, and I used to scour the internet for inspiration. I originally started this blog because I had a lot of creative ideas about what makes good fashion. I also loved street fashion blogs and was obsessed with facehunter, oslostil, and the sartorialist. I had high hopes of doing street fashion here in SD.

I was going through a period in my life where I had just graduated from school and needed something creative to be doing. At the time, I was waitressing at a restaurant (a job I am definitely not good at). Check out one of my early posts! They make me smile, and be thankful for all the people that put up with me through that phase (namely, my sister and parents).

It makes me laugh that I never took outfit photos. This is something I'm still not used to and honestly, would rather not do. I fancy myself as a person with a good eye for fashion, and a good stylist, but not a person with a great closet or ambitions to be a model. Sometimes I get discouraged because I don't like my outfit photos, don't have time to go shopping for new things, and don't have a great camera. However, this is the direction blogs are going, and I'd rather follow suit than stop blogging. I love the community of girls who have vintage blogs. That community, future aspirations for my blog once I graduate, and my passion for this hobby are what keep me doing this.

On a random note, check out Jenny Wiksten's gorgeous new dress. Her handmade creations sell out instantly, because they are amazing. Wish I had a spare $250 lying around so I could own a Wiksten dress.

Here are photos from a recent shop update. The classic tartan shift dress! If I had time, I would hem this shorter, give it a sash at the waist, and make it into a bubble hem! Wouldn't that be adorable? It is pretty cool at its mid-length though.

tartan shift dress - paloma vintage (etsy)

belt - thrifted; express international (90s)

Holy Smokes!

2010-10-04T10:42:00.000-07:00

Monday, you are so surprising. Awesome things about today so far:

1. I won the Timely Vintage giveaway on Starr's blog, A Thought is the Blossom! This is incredible. These girls have two of my favorite blogs ever, so to win Annie's giveaway and to be given a shoutout on Starr's blog is just beyond... Just beyond! What a treat!

2. It's pay day! Yeehaw! I can pay rent now!

3. Kevin, my classmate, brought me delicious Taiwanese bread from where he lives (Irvine). Yum.

4. I went running yesterday, so my body feels great today. I want to keep it up.
Don't have too much time to make a proper post at the moment, but I'll put up a picture or two from this weekend's photo bonanza.

great gatsby dropwaist nautical dress

A quick PS. Does anyone know why Blogger's line breaks are so huge? This is a new development in Blogger's design. Does anyone know how to fix it? Also, does anyone have any advice for how to create a neat header? I think its time for something a bit more sophisticated. Check out "clever nettle" for a header that is akin to something I'd like.

xo,

nancy

Busy Saturdays

2010-10-03T17:55:00.000-07:00

I love the feeling of a productive Saturday, especially in the fall. There's nothing like the feeling of having time to be in your house, making yourself breakfast, lunch, or a cup of tea. After you're done cleaning, doing some chores, taking some photos for the Etsy, and practicing piano, you turn around and it is 4 pm. Although the sun was blazing hot outside, I did manage to take a lot of photos. Not all of them came out perfectly, but that is alright! When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

(very bright outside, as you can see.)

I do like that overexposed look in photographs, but unfortunately, it's no good for Etsy! Here's a little preview of posts for the week and new listings on Paloma Vintage.

grey structured cropped cardigan

the dreamy blue mexican tunic

color collection Diane von Furstenburg velvet tunic

classic tartan shift dress

navy blue mod sixties peacoat

Head over to the shop and check out the new listings. :)
I'd love to hear your creative thoughts about cool ways to style any of the pieces.

There will be a giveaway coming soon!!

Spiffy Haircut

2010-10-02T16:19:00.000-07:00

It's so bizarre to be posting listings of outerwear on your Etsy shop while you're sweating inside your house. I swear, San Diego, what's up? Why do you act all beautiful all morning long and then BAM! at 3 pm decide to let the sun blaze unchecked? Well, anyway, the weather gave me a perfect opportunity to wash my car. I got a few outfit photos in before I decided to call it quits. Hopefully the sun will go down soon (it is relentless) and I can get some more work done!

In other news ... someone got a haircut today ...

Before

After

Bangs Three Ways

It feels so light...

What do you think?

Am I the only person who......*

2010-10-01T23:49:00.000-07:00

- Can scour the internet for a "stamp dispenser" for 45 minutes

- (For that matter) Scours the USPS website for cool stamps for 45 minutes

- Really thinks stamps are awesome? (moving on)

- Thinks of about 6 facebook updates every minute but doesn't publish any?

- Obsessively checks their etsy, email, and blogs every time they go online and then proceed to A) get discouraged about lack of money/sales B) laugh it off and scold themselves C) shop online for DSLRs and D) daydreams about the day they will walk into Costco with their piggy bank and buy a camera with nothing but coins?

- Only thinks about things they need in the moment of necessity? For example, have been meaning to buy rubbing alcohol, goo-gone, aluminum foil, and most importantly (not), an eye-cover for sleeping for months. By the way, why can I not find a non-weird eye cover for sleeping? (No, not kidding. To be fair, there are some beautiful eye masks on Etsy...)

- Prints out text from French blogs and then tries to translate them? Hahaha. French skills = not as good as I would love to believe.

* inspiration for this post came from my awesomely genius/ridiculous friend named Bing, who is traveling in Europe at the moment. For an incredible laugh, read: http://ashleybing.tumblr.com/

Trouser Empowerment Part II

2010-09-30T22:16:00.000-07:00

Hey, you guys!

I FOUND TROUSERS! Salvation Army, 50% off. Thank God some thrift stores still believing in making their prices thrifty. That is why I never shop at Goodwill, AmVets, or the DAV. At least in my city, they try to charge you 35 dollars for fake Coach/Louis Vouitton/anything with a tag that says "New York" or "Paris." *end rant*

These trousers I bought are quite strange and quirky! They are by a brand called Suriya, which are made in India. There's some strange fraying happening on the inside of the waistband. Whoever owned them last sloppily handsewed a Levi Strauss button to the front button area. "Pre-loved" doesn't exactly cover it! Hehe! They're cotton, I believe, and oh-so-soft. I'm all for pants that feel like pyjamas. They have cool pockets as well, and front pleats. Not too structured though, so I don't look like I'm forced to wear them as part of a uniform!

One negative aspect - the hem falls at an extremely awkward length! A hemming is in order! What do you think? I'll repost these pants with some other shirts later on, but wanted to give my little Victorian blouse a moment in the sun.

The Deep Blues

2010-09-29T19:52:00.000-07:00

Another fun day on the town with Patrick. When I woke up on Sunday, I envisioned the perfect day: Breakfast, waking up slowly, a nice walk, bookstore shopping in La Jolla at DG Wills, stopping in to Pannikin for a quick drink perhaps, seeing the ocean, and studying in the beautiful Draper Library.

We ended up not doing Pannikin, and instead eating lunch at an open air market. Patrick got a shawarma and I got incredibly good shrimp ceviche! A mountain of shrimp, avocado, cilantro, tomatos, onion, and lime for 5 dollars. Life is so good!!! I love shrimp!!!

Anyway, as you might have read in the blogosphere, probably from Calivintage, Megg (Another Day to Dress Up), or Rumi (Fashiontoast), CA has been unbelieeevably hot! So a simple outfit was in order. Enjoy.

MCASD La Jolla : awesome piece constructed from old sailboats, by Nancy Rubens

Yeah, I'm thinking it too. La Jolla is stunningly beautiful. Have a happy Thursday!

Sunny SD Day

2010-09-27T12:29:00.000-07:00

Photos from Saturday:

Took a little jaunt down to "secret beach," a little shore on the harbor side of SD. Bought some champagne, grapes, and cheese from the local grocer. As you can see, I was totally unprepared for the heat wave and had been struggling to stay in air conditioning all morning. Unfortunately, most San Diegans only pump AC when things get *really* hot (aka 85 degrees and up). A lot of establishments and houses in San Diego don't have air conditioning at all. (side note: Mine doesn't! And get this - doesn't have insulation either! Makes for HOT summers and Cold winters.)

I don't think these photos are the best (squinting much?), but Patrick and I wanted to get on to our beach gazing, champagne drinking activities.

I love this area of San Diego. It's in Point Loma, which is largely a sailors/marine/military families area. Old, beautiful houses, many of which are in Spanish mission-style or craftsman-style. Here we are standing by a beautiful eucalyptus tree and bougainvillea plants.

the hair is just getting way too long... I'm thinking I'll trim off 3 inches or so, and then in a few months, cut it quite short, into a bob. Thoughts? Opinions? I've never been the kind of person to be afraid of cutting hair, and I don't usually get attached to length. However, long hair is so pretty. But so is short hair!

How do you like the socks with boots look? I dig it, and might get some cool colored socks to go with these.

dress - thrift store, possibly from China
necklace - antique feather pendant from Barcelona
leggings - H&M
boots - Steve Madden
photos - by Patrick. Thank you love!

Trouser Empowerment

2010-09-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

Behold this perfect Victorian blouse, which I borrowed from my Etsy shop to take some photos. It's just long enough to look good untucked, but its true potential lies in tucking it in to some trouser pants or shorts!

It just so happens that Maria over at Lulu Letty donned some of the perfect trouser shorts today (I swear, she has a thrifting gift) that made me feel inspired. Yes... I commit to trying on a bunch of "mom shorts / pants" at the thrift store in search of the perfect trousers that will look good on my body! It must be done - if for no other reason, than to let this blouse live to its true potential.

I think I avoid high-waisted trousers because I have apprehensions due to my body type. Yes, I am trying to exercise more and be conscious of what I eat, so I can feel better in my clothes and have a healthy body... But I can also revel the power of trousers, no matter how my heart quakes when I see myself in the mirror! Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, they say. Another pertinent phrase is, "You are your own worst critic."

I think it's high time I get over my mirror phobia and put on some trousers!

On Repeat

2010-09-23T10:36:00.000-07:00

Although yesterday's post was scheduled over the weekend, I found it funny that I was wearing that very sweater yesterday to school. Man, it's really comfy, I'm torn as to whether or not I should sell it on the Etsy. Now, to be fair, I bought it for myself in Oregon two summers ago, and recently decided to sell it. Maybe I will pretend that whole decision never happened. ;)

Today I am sick. It's 10:30 AM and I'm in bed still. It's nice to take a day off and slow down a bit... it's hard in our society to just decide that you're going on a personal vacation (or recuperation). As a music teacher, it's hard as well, because I get paid by the hour (AKA no sick days). How sick is too sick to miss a full day of lessons and then have to reschedule? Bad memories of running a fever and having to call 30 people to tell them I couldn't make it, and somehow getting them all their money or time back ....

Anyway, these photos are also from over the weekend, when I was wearing this sweater ... Again. Haha. These photos are for the "etsy listing" ... weird how all this is going in circles!

sweater - thrifted
necklace - given to me by a student; from Thailand
jeans - H&M.. ripping. need to mend that.
boots - my go-to shoes for fall. Steve Madden (Ross)

favorite song for today - Sawdust and Diamonds by Joanna Newsom.

Legends of the Fall

2010-09-22T09:00:00.000-07:00

This weekend I attended a fun party hosted by a few friends. It was called "Legends of the Fall," and although it had nothing to do with the western movie, it had everything to do with the change in season! Autumn is hands-down my favorite season, so I was excited! I wore an item that I haven't listed on Paloma Vintage yet. Maybe I should get to it, eh? I'm planning on taking new pictures that are more season-appropriate! We took these photos in May in Balboa Park, San Diego. I love the crocheted lacy details on this sweater. It's perfect for being inside, bundled up with some tea.

Variations for autumn weather!

2010-09-21T09:00:00.000-07:00

As I was leaving the house yesterday, I slipped on one of my favorite sweaters. I decided I would wait until today to show you the few extra photos. :) I love the ribbon that goes down the front of the sweater. The ribbon has flowers and wheat grains on it. Anthropologie sure knows how to do sweaters.

red, white, and blue all over.

2010-09-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

A blouse given to me by a dear friend - is it from Turkey? - my first purchase from H&M, a nice heavy seersucker fabric - I got it in San Francisco in 2005 - my Sam Edelman booties which make every outfit nicer - a vintage German rope belt - some of my favorite colors and textures all in one outfit - a nice breezy morning in general ... x nj

i love this funny picture. reminds me of a five year old! shoes from the perspective of an ant!

Complete and total awesomeness.

2010-09-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

Dear Style.com weekly newsletter,

I love you! Sometimes you are full of too-short, too-exclusive opinionated articles, but most of the time, you just feature gorgeous photos in a great slideshow. This week's Tommy Ton street fashion slideshow was magnificent. I was so inspired and amused looking through the photos. My DIY neurons were firing. I was thinking of how I could scam "looks" that probably cost more than my life, and turn them into $100 or less outfits straight from my very own closet. You know what? I thought Tommy's slideshow was so great, I'm posting it on my blog. Then everyone (all 28 of you followers ;) can see it as well!

Sincerely,
Nancy at the sway report

Tommy Ton Shoots the Off-Catwalk Scene!

Love is a many splendored thing.

2010-09-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

To Patrick, for no particular reason.

Except that it is a Friday and I love you.

here's to two and a half years and counting.

les etoiles brillent pour nous.

xxx

B&W

2010-09-15T21:43:00.000-07:00

It was tough figuring out what to wear on this day. I wanted to wear my thrifted custom linen blazer (from Ireland), but couldn't find the perfect undershirt. I think the perfect one would be a long gingham blouse. I don't own it! So I went with basic black. I ended up changing into a chambray tank. Anyway, I don't think my silhouette looks best in boxy/menswear type pieces, but I decided to give it a go (with my red lipstain of course). I think this blazer will rock once I get it tailored a little bit. Obviously made for a petite person.... and I am not petite! The cuffs are about 3 inches too short. ;) Still a great thrifted piece. I also contemplated wearing a sheer floral blouse I have from F21, but it ended up being too short. I needed something long to offset the blazer.

Any ideas on how to make this outfit more preppy or perfect?

nancy

Faithfully Procrastinating.

2010-09-14T09:52:00.000-07:00

Okay, okay, I know I'm supposed to be doing homework, dang it! However hard I try, it seems impossible not to "waste" 30-45 minutes every day reading my favorite blogs and trolling Etsy for cool new items. Is this a hobby? Is this a drug? Whatever it is, it keeps me sane. However, I should wait until homework is done to give in. But is homework EVER done?!

Today, I found a delicious little Etsy shop called Astral Boutique. This lovely seller has all sorts of bohemian floaty prairie and ethnically inspired hippie dresses. A few of them really caught my eye. And although I'm not the hugest fan of prairie/maxi/boho type clothing, I am intrigued and inspired by thinking of how I could make them "work" with my wardrobe and where I live.

Let me start with the look that I believe stands alone: The Jody T of California Dress. This makes me think of Art Nouveau, my favorite period of art.

My other fave: The Jane Birkin sheer black lace dress. Okay, can't you see this with a huge floppy hat and some humongous booties? Or, go the urban route, which I'll display here.

plus Betty's (from le blog de betty) awesome Asos Sandals

Very cool. Then, all you would need is a floor length slip for that dress! haha!

Well, do you have any ideas for how to style a boho maxi dress?

It's a tricky subject, that's for sure!

Until you guys start commenting with some ideas, I'll be working on homework.

Faithfully procrastinating,

Nancy

ps. I am doing homework now. so please no hate mail, anti-procrastinators! ;)

Wish List : Miss Farfalla's Etsy shop

2010-09-12T12:31:00.000-07:00

Doing homework on this foggy day in Point Loma, CA. Took a break from researching piano methods to do some browsing on Etsy. Normally, searching on Etsy overwhelms me a bit, unless I have a quite narrow item to search for. Today however, I just clicked on "Vintage" to see what was recently listed. I guess I'm having good Etsy luck, because I stumbled upon a seller with a BEAUTIFUL shop.

I've also been a little disillusioned with my wardrobe. It seems that no matter how hard I try, I have a schizophrenic closet. I'm stocked with wonderful dresses, shoes, and sweaters, but can't seem to find vintage blouses and trousers that work for me. Anyway, I guess I've been trying to evaluate my own style. What is it?

Good thing I found missfarfalla's shop! It reminded me of some of the aesthetic things I love (in clothing) and gave me some style vision back.

Nothing too busy or visually cloying ...

(seersucker is always a plus)

(perfect for bike riding)

(not too dressed up or dressed down)

(not marked by any particular trend or era)

First Day of College 1962 Dress

Classic, comfortable, colorful accents ...

Through a Mirror Paisley Dress

with Ethnic details ...

(embroidery steals my heart!)

Black Gathered Ethnic French Skirt

I'd love to buy these up right now! Too bad I'm always trying to hold back on buying! Thanks for nothing, grad school budget. Hehe. Another paradox you may have noticed: I complained about my lack of luck with finding blouses and pants ... and proceeded to do a post about dresses and skirts!

Ah well.

What are you up to on this fine Sunday?

nancy

Put some prep in your step.

2010-09-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

Some forgotten pictures from a while ago. Just updated Paloma Vintage with this adorable sweater. To read more about it, visit this link!

New items in the Etsy shop!

2010-09-10T12:53:00.000-07:00

Hi friends and readers,
I have put a few new things in the Etsy shop (Paloma Vintage) and updated some older items with photos! Plus, I put a lot of items on sale. This week I've had two sales and a trade offer! It feels good to get moving on some merchandise!

I sold the Aigle Rubber Boots (they weren't my size, boohoo) and the Saltwater Sandals! Yay. I get so excited sending off cool stuff to girls around the world!

Maybe if I get my act together this weekend I will make a button for the shop and keep updating it with more pretty fall pieces.

Plus, there is a giveaway coming soon! What do you think would be a good item for a giveaway?
xo
nancy

click on the picture to visit the shop!

another jumper? yes indeed.

2010-09-09T10:00:00.000-07:00

So silly.

2010-09-08T09:06:00.000-07:00

I was running late this morning, so I attempted to snap a few photos in the kitchen. The light was awful! I said to myself, "when all else fails, put your hair in a huge bun and have some attitude." As soon as I did that, the lighting cleared up and I got some "quality" photos.

I wanted to wear boots because the sky was completely grey and overcast, but seeing as this is San Diego, I ended up wearing my flats instead. I will also probably get totally sweaty in this long sleeved shirt by 4pm!

Wish List Fall 2010

2010-09-07T08:32:00.000-07:00

1. Standing Fox Ring by Odette NY from the new collection "The Fells"

2. Ilse Jacobsen short rain boots (photo from Madewell)

3. MacAlister suede wedges (from J. Crew)

4. Ray Ban Clubmasters ... just google them ... the hipness factor of the celebrity images made me perhaps want something a bit more obscure. But the budget doesn't allow Oliver Peoples!

More to come. This post was good, I think, because it's helping me streamline my inspiration for fall. (a very serious business.) If anything, this will help me from needlessly
purchasing new things.

My goal for now is to just use what I already have. That in itself can be a good challenge! What if every blogger didn't buy anything new for a year? I bet we'd see some very cool
outfits put together.

What's on your fall wishlist?

ps. sorry for the bizarre line breaks in my text! Thank you very much Blogger!

New listings on Paloma Vintage!

2010-09-06T08:41:00.000-07:00

Alright! I'm finally getting some work done on the ol' vintage shop! I listed two new dresses, a new blouse, and a sweater! I'm so proud of the photos and the items themselves. I think all of these items would be great for fall.

Coming soon : More listings and new photos! Follow this blog through google and receive 15% off anything in the store. Tell me how you would style one of these looks for 15% off anything in the store!

nancy jo

PRAIRIE GIRL CINCHED WAIST MAXI DRESS

style with : forest green jackets, wool coat, rugged leather boots, wide brim hat

70'S VICTORIAN LACE HIGH COLLARED BLOUSE

style with: high-waisted trousers or skirt, hunting vest, wool cape,

tucked into jeans, or under a dress.

SOUTH OF FRANCE BELTED DRESS

style with: high-heeled lace up boots, tights, shearling jacket

ELECTRIC BLUE SCALLOPED EDGES

CROPPED GRANNY SWEATER

style with: any vintage dress, anything high-waisted

DOLLY PARTON KEYHOLE AND LACE DRESS

style with: tights, high heeled clogs, high heeled booties,

oversized sweater, (or) cropped sweater!