Thea Cadabra's Naughty Shoes...

I'm shocked it has been almost a month since my last update! I've opened my new store and spent a week in Los Angeles for training, from here I should be able to relax a little and get back to blogging! With Spring in the air I've been lusting after new shoes, these beauties from Thea Cadabra caught my eye.

This beauty is known as the "maid shoe" for good reason! That apron detail on the toe, that perfect pleather bow, those long shapely legs for the heel...I love how these toe the line between sweet and naughty. 

Ah...the "suspender shoe!" Perfect retro styling with garter strap details and gorgeous two-tone leather. These are so period perfect yet perfectly not, these are the most perfectly perfect shoes ever!

All of Thea Cadabra's shoes are made-to-order so the chances of finding some are very slim. If I ever go to England I can make it my mission to order a pair, it would just be so hard to choose which! For more shoe prettiness check out her shoe archive here. Especially those yellow palm tree ones...

Betsey Johnson's Comeback - Why Full-figured Girls Should Care

Back in February when Betsey Johnson filed for bankruptcy and closed down all 63 stores the internet exploded. Where would all the kitsch-loving retro-inspired fashion bloggers buy their cupcake dresses and rhinestone cat necklaces? As a fan of the brand for years I have amassed a sizable collection of Betsey Johnson necklaces, bracelets, shoes and bags. As a full-figured girl I was dismayed at the lack of sizes in her clothes--all her stuff only went up to a junior's size large, her bras only to a modest C-cup, some dresses went up to a very slender size 12. When Betsey Johnson stores closed down I did not weep, the one and only time I was in one the only clothes on the sales floor were in sizes 0, 2, and 4--if you wanted a larger size the salesgirl would have to pull it from the back. As someone who works in retail I know these decisions are not arbitrary, Betsey Johnson LLC was clearly sending a message to women everywhere: they don't want chubby women to wear their clothes.  The brand was tailored to Betsey-clones with skinny bodies, small frames, and preferably blonde hair. Girls like me could only stand outside peering through the frost-crusted window into a warm world full of pink tulle, roses, glitter, and lace.

See this dress? It's authentic from the 1950's but there is only one.

This is Betsey Johnson's Tea Party dress. She made it every season in a  new color, just not in my size. 

While Betsey Johnson LLC tanked my local Macy's still carried the jewelry and handbags. Before the announcement of the bankruptcy Betsey fans may have noticed a steep price drop in the brand's shoes and handbags, that's because the accessory part of the brand was sold to Steve Madden in 2010. Steve Madden scaled back the brand considerably and a few months after the bankruptcy announcement the Betsey website was up and running again, minus the clothes. Betsey herself blamed corporate structure and the "stores [that] started knocking off my $250 prom dresses for $49.” I find the statements by the designer very short-sighted when it comes to the changing climate of American retail and the shifting attitudes of the American buyer. Women interested in Betsey's clothes could afford her dresses in the failing economy if only the garments fit and flattered a more mature body, as one analyst said "the younger women that buy her don’t even have jobs anymore, let alone income.” In other words the American women with buying power are not young, rich, AND skinny anymore (arguably the BJ-trifecta necessary to wear her clothes.)

Send in the Betsey clones! Young, rich and skinny only please!

Lucky for us ladies with meat on our bones Steve Madden acknowledges this shift in the buyer's market and will be resurrecting the clothing brand in Macy's and Nordstrom stores. “ 'They’ll be young in spirit like Betsey is, but accessible for women up to 40 years old,' said Lisa Andriulli, a vice president of Macy’s. [She] added that the dresses have classic Johnson touches like fun prints and petticoats, but are sized more generously." Hopefully this means more wearable clothes for a wider variety of women that will still retain that retro aesthetic and young party-girl sensibility. However this is not the first time Betsey has promised diversity in her clothing line only to release Pink Patch in the same old tired junior sizes. Hopefully under the influence of a successful mass-market retailer like Steve Madden Betsey Johnson's resurrection will mean I can finally buy her iconic Marilyn sweater in a misses size large or extra-large and a tea party dress in a proper size 14. 

1940s-style wedding!

So several months ago Mr. Anachronistic Style and I tied the knot after eight years. We never really had the money for a wedding and have been supporting ourselves for years so we decided to do something quick and simple. My concept was the 1940s, during wartime many couples were married in their back yards or in wedding chapels before the men shipped off to war. Weddings of this time period were simple and bittersweet affairs.

We decided not to invite anyone to our wedding except our parents. Whenever we attempted a guest list it always got out of hand so we kept it simple. We chose a local wedding chapel for its retro appeal and it was our most tasteful option in Columbus. Mr. Anachronistic Style wore his grey Mad Men for Banana Republic suit, wingtip shoes and a pink striped tie. He had to wait on me since I was fashionably late to my own wedding.

My dress was the Ava dress from pinupgirlclothing.com. The wrap style and longer length were so 1940s! My bouquet was white and pink hydrangeas (my favorite flower) and I realize now how slimming a bouquet is, I should carry one every day! My purse was a gift from my husband for my birthday last year and was made by Guess. My sunglasses are kate spade, my shoes are Madden Girl found at DSW. My rhinestone necklace was genuine vintage. My lips were Lime Crime Retrofuturist and my toes and tips were Essie Lollipop.

We make such a picturesque couple! It doesn't hurt that Mr. Anachronistic Style fills out that suit so well.

Detail shot of our shoes and my hair. I wanted victory rolls and I got them! My nude platform pumps actually had little white polka dots, I had to add my own quirkiness to such a classic retro look. After the wedding we spent some time with our photographer Stephanie Atwood and then met our parents at a swanky restaurant for dinner. The whole affair was nice and relaxed, just the way I wanted it!

Summer in Style with L'Wren Scott

Now that I've got my new job, new apartment, new husband and new car situation ironed out (Whew!) I should be able to get back to my regular posting schedule. I'm in love with L'Wren Scott's first resort collection. Resort collections are my favorite since the clothes are always wearable. The cuts are 1940s style with cheeky prints and bright colors. I love the shoes and bags in the matching print but I would lose the strange military hats.

I've been devoting myself to my Pinterest account, hop on over for some inspiration!

Happy Valentine's Day!

via

Whether you're in a relationship or not Valentine's Day should be about loving yourself first and foremost. Put on your full cheesecake regalia, add a touch of Valentine's whimsy, and don't forget to twirl! Happy Valentine's Day!

Prada Spring/Summer 2012

This video is like a Spring mood board come alive. I love how the advertisement clearly ties the inspirations to the final products so you can see the seeds that started the design process. This video strengthened my goal of getting into pastels this Spring and I will not be happy until someone makes a knock-off of those hot rod shoes (Steve Madden, I'm looking at you.) I love those barrettes the women are wearing, I'll have to look into those. I will be a lady that deserves to be at that gas station!

Weekly Expense Report: Black Friday/ Cyber Monday

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Last Black Friday and Cyber Monday I was left trolling the sample sales and door-busters online without a penny to my name, pining over sales unpurchased because it's Christmas and I should buy for others. This year I planned better.


The sequin circles cardigan in navy ($98) from Banana Republic is even more gorgeous in person with iridescent beads and holographic sequins. This is going to be my go-to Holiday topper.


I also have an eight-year anniversary this December. The dark peacock silk ruffle front dress ($140) is the dress. This fits and flatters my curves (unlike the model above.) It feels so luxuriously 1930s glamour!


A silver glitter belt ($40) highlights my waist and makes dresses that come with those cheap black vinyl belts look a little more luxe.


I finally bought the BR Mad Men Collection Stefani glasses ($98) that I've been pining for since fall. So 1960s chic!


I needed a black ballet flat with silver instead of gold hardware. The BR Brynn bow ballet flat ($110) came to my rescue!


Sugarpill always has a great Black Friday sale so I scored all these Chromalust loose eyeshadows ($12) for 30% off! I purchased from left to right, top to bottom--- Tiara, Asylum, Junebug, Darling, Starling, Royal Sugar, Magpie, Weekender, & Stella.



Shoedazzle was having a double style points sale so I scored Zahara and Rhoda ($40). I love how Zahara is a bootie that is very of-the-moment, I can mix it with my retro style to modernize the look. Rhoda is green. Seriously, that is all the reason I needed!



kate spade had a sample sale so I took advantage of a few good deals. The hot pink carnation garden scarf ($79) is so festive and girly, the perfect topper for the collarless coat I see in my future! It also looks great over a crewneck or something strapless as a necklace. I also purchased the walker park colorblock hat ($59) because I fell in love when I saw it in Lucky magazine a few months ago. I chose the teal version because I asked for this teal coat for Christmas!

Dowager Chic for the Young

Color-blocking like a dowager was the theme of Miu Miu's Resort 2012 collection. I'm in love with the clutch bags, the rhinestone and pearl jewelry, and the strategic use of cardigan sweaters. In neutral tones this look would be aging but the bright color-blocking and mix of patterns give the collection a youth and vibrancy that the brand is known for. Who's ready to invest in some gloves with me?

Weekly Expense Report: Outlet Shopping

Visited the Jeffersonville Outlet Mall which is about an hour outside of Columbus, OH this week. I hadn't been in YEARS but now I am an avid believer. I never trusted outlet malls because I knew that most stores never carried the real deal, that there was a bunch of factory stores with sub-par products. Which is still true---the Banana Republic Factory Store and Ann Taylor Factory store contains cheap-quality products that have never been inside a real mall, and I'm sorry but isn't Old Navy ALREADY an outlet store? But I did find a few gems--the Juicy Couture Outlet, the kate spade Outlet, and the White House | Black Market Outlet.


Who knew that kate spade sold clip earrings that don't pinch ($54)? I love these huge cushion cut stones that look so retro! I find myself grabbing the pink ones just about every day!


So of course I had to grab them in turqoise too ($54). I haven't worn these yet, I keep reaching for the pink ones!


I've been jonesing for the kate spade Franca sunglasses ($128) since my other white sunglasses busted. I had a conniption when I found a pair at the outlet! Overall I was very pleased with the outlet, almost all the products had been in real kate spade stores and were the quality you expect from the brand.


Scored this Juicy Couture cupcake key fob ($58) to keep all my keys nice and tidy. The Juicy Couture Outlet is a nice mix of real product and products made especially for the outlet, you just have to be picky and ask the sales girls what's what.


It's just not a shopping trip without a shoe purchase. The White House | Black Market pink cork wedge ($30) is on sale and my new favorite shoe! I can walk a mile in these things and I am determined to properly break them in before they are stored away until next summer.



A few more of the items I picked up at the WHBM outlet! I have decided I'm not shopping the real stores anymore since ALL products end up at the outlet in 2-3 months anyway! I've hunted all over town for those magenta shorts in my size so I was stoked to find them at the outlet. I almost bought the dress at full price ($168!) and scored it at the outlet for only $45.

I think I've discovered a new shopping addiction and my wallet couldn't be happier.