It’s SPRING! Spring forward in style, dollfaces!
Everyone’s buzzing around with the bees — who are back out again, pollinating the flowers that are leaving lush, yellow blankets on the hoods of our cars — about how SPRING IS FINALLY HERE for awhile. I spoke earlier today of how the only good thing about the long drawn out winter we had this year, is that it may be the first one I don’t complain about sneezing & head fog because I am just so darn thankful to see the pollen at all! This morning I woke up bright & early, took my tea out to the patio, and rejoiced in the birds singing, the bugs zipping around in zigzag formations, the humidity on my bare skin, and a sun that could’ve had a smily face on it and it wouldn’t have surprised me one bit. All that was missing were some forest animals and 7 little tinkering dwarves. #whistle
The other thing I was rejoicing in was seeing so many people back out taking walks, jogging, working in their yards, letting their dogs roll in the grass, and wearing spring attire again. Shorts, spaghetti tops, skirts, sandals, oh my! Bestow my heart… Spring is my very favorite season to dress for!
Hence, I decided to make today’s post about some springtime staples all Ravin’ Mavens should consider having in their wardrobe. ::beam:: I wear my spring threads until my appendages turn blue. I only stop when I become at risk for frostbite. So, here are just a few — my Top 10, if you will…
A sublime pair of springy saddle shoes or wing tips! Neither have ever gone out of style, for those who don’t stick with solely the magazine trends, but even through the decades, they continue to make resurgence to the scene – both mod & mainstream. Your basic black & white saddle shoes are classic & go with everything, but ones that sport prints & patterns can reflect a little more personality. 🙂 I found these on 16 Stone Vintage’s blog, but you can find them just about anywhere. Bass has great saddle shoes, as does Zappos & Mod Cloth.
A bold, poppy, & colorful pair of shades! I’m partial to white-framed sunglasses all year ’round, but in spring & summer, shades in a variety of colors (like yellow, pink, lime green, seafoam, teal blue, etc.) are all befitting against that scintillating sun! This photo came off a Celebrity Red Carpet site in the UK, but retro sunglasses (if you ask me) are best found in little kitschy boutiques in your local artsy hot spots.
Fun, chunky, flowery vintage costume jewelry! Rather it be necklaces, bracelets, or earrings (like these charmingly cheery clip on earrings!)…… get funky & daring with your accessories this season! There is NO other season as playful as spring – everyone/thing is just coming out of their lairs, pollination is in the air, and brightly beautiful things are beginning to burgeon up from the supple earth beneath your newly painted feet…… live a little! And you don’t have to spend a bundle because plastic is perfectly acceptable always, but more than anything right now when it’s *time* to be playful. 😉
A cute new cropped cut! If there was ever a time women & men, alike, would be inclined to cut off their long tresses, it would be after an even longer, ceaseless winter than usual. Something about spring makes you want your hair to spring & bounce, too! The warmer it gets, the more intriguing it becomes to get that hair off your neck and feel the breeze tickle you like a surprise kiss. The shorter the hair, the easier some quickly-styled, whimsical styling becomes. Nothing says spring like an easy-breezy do! Marie Claire agrees with me, where I found this photo of this adorable jaw-length cut with fingerwaves.
A lightweight, sheer scarf! – Of course, if you’re partial to long hair, or simply not in the mood to cut your long locks off yet, you still might want to keep it from getting too unruly in these effervescent spring gusts of aromatic winds. Not to mention, this is the supreme time to put the top down, darlings! You can wear a scarf around your head to protect your hair, on days you don’t want to DO your hair, or even just because it looks pretty darn fabulously retro-tastic! According to Edge Boston, this is all the rage this season because of Mad Men. Those sunglasses are fierce too. ::meow::
Flowery dresses with petticoats! Everything about this whole ensemble on this model is right on point – the flowery, flirty dress, the underneath bustle of petticoat, the back-seamed nylons, the basic patent heel, and the overly visible flower to give the whole thing even MORE springtime zip. I’d walk out of my house like this every day (that I wasn’t doing some labor extensive work, like I tend to enjoy just as much). You can find a plethora of prim & pretty dresses like this on Unique Vintage. Not a lot of people into vintage/retro fashion are not absolutely enamored by UV’s catalog & collections, but on that off chance you Mavens have accidently missed the memo – UNIQUE VINTAGE ROCKS THE CASBAH!
A new retro swimsuit! I’m all kinds of giddy about polka dots, as you well know. Last year I had a polka dot bikini in red, white, and blue. This year I may not do polka dots, but I think I’m going to go with a classic pin-up one piece. I like to switch things up. 🙂 Once again, places like Unique Vintage, Bettie Page Clothing, Mod Cloth, Pin-up Girl Clothing, etc., all carry fetching bathing suits. Add an oversized flower to your hair, some strappy wedge open-toed pumps, and an umbrella drink in your hand, you’re ready for sand, surf, or to sunbathe poolside in style!
The big floppy hat! I can NEVER say enough about the springtime & summertime floppy hat with a big brim – it keeps out the blinding sunbeams, keeps the harmful rays off your most sensitive skin, and looks SMASHING! I love, lovelovelove my floppy hats. Let me make this clear… I LOVE my FLOPPY HATS! No one could explain or prove that better than these 3 gorgeously strong, unique women: (Left to right) Faye Dunaway, Cher, & Brigitte Bardot.
A zippy Vespa! Okay, it doesn’t have to be a Vespa – any scooter of your preference will do, but I love Vespas, to the nth degree. Truth be told, I was going to post a bicycle because I am in the market for a Flying Pigeon or a Bobbie Birdie right now, but I plan to make a distinct post about that later. However, a girl can dream, and I have ALWAYS wanted a Vespa. I think a nice retro Vespa in vintage detail is the ULTIMATE springtime accessory. Really. #SWOON
Keep calm & SPRING on, Mavens!
~Angelika Frangelico *Gros bisous*
