Gypsies, Tramps, & Trespassers

Hat- Gift

Vest- Thrifted, vintage

Blouse- thrifted

Shorts- Lane Bryant

Sandles & Shades- Target

Bri just moved into a new apartment much closer to us and we've spent that last week helping her and Michael move. Wednesday she hosted her first party and I got there early in hopes of snapping a few pictures. Lo and behold, at the end of her road there is a big dirt field that I am pretty sure is government property. We live near an Air Reserve Base and there's a field with bunkers that rumor has it at one time (an possibly still do) hold missiles and other Weapons of Mass Destruction. I'm pretty sure this is the backside of that field with the bunkers. It was a pretty place and there were others out biking and whatnot despite the deterring signs, so I will definitely be back there until The NSA reads this and locks me up in Prison. 

I apologize, it's late/early and I just spent 2 hours debating politics...

Clothes. That's what we care about. I feel like I've been in kind of a funk about clothing for the better part of two and a half years. I always like too many styles and while my tastes have changed, they've actually seemingly devolved. I distinctly remember in high school at the beginning of the boho trend being delighted that I could finally buy all the clothes I'd always loved. I was hugely into Hippies and Gypsies and started referring to my style as "Hipsy" a hybrid of Gypsy and Hippies, that was completely unnecessary to make up, but incredibly cool to 14 year old me. Also I said things were "Mondo Coolio" and "Bomb." 

Of course a few short years later my dealings with Gypsies would leave me less impressed, but at 14 I couldn't have even fathomed that I would ever write a sentence using the phrase "my dealings with Gypsies."

As much as I still have a deep fondness for the carefree vagabond styles of both the Hippies and Gypsies, I also like a lot of other styles. I think what I like best about clothes and things in general is if they have a sense of age and history to them. So while one day I might throw on a paisley vest (side note- also at 14 I wanted to name my daughters Paisley, Mystic Daisy, and Mercedes or Portia...) and a big floppy hat, the next I am parading around in a sun bonnet and a calico dress, or bright red lips and cat eyeliner, or with a sleek 40's shirtwaister. But I've spent a lot of time revisiting styles I liked in the past. At the end of High School and for a few years after I really liked what I called "Arts School Chic" which was basically "Early Hipster," and so I'd switch between leggings, knit dresses and slouchy hats and T-shirts promoting Peace Conferences (like legit ones.), ratty jean shorts, and Huaraches. And of course, more relevat to this blog, my perpetual love of Vintage was always there, though it took me a long time to realize it's availability to me.  I could go on and on about ridiculous things I wore, but what I am trying to say, is that I still like those things. I like a lot of "hipster" clothes and I am an actual Hippie. But I like my red lipstick, and I have a great fondness for Edwardian dresses, and sometimes a girl needs to rock a couple Victory Rolls.  

So I struggle with defining my style. the last few months I've decided to stop trying to define, and just wear and buy things and outfits I love. While I am nowhere near having a wardrobe of just things that I love, I'm getting a little closer and it allows me to lay around again and figure out what it is I really like to wear. I loved this outfit. I felt like it totally captured the spirit of how I really want to dress. It might not be all that impressive in pictures ( and I feel like my lack of butt is the elephant in the room), but I felt cool, and confident all day. Even with dirty hair. 

The other day a friend of mine told me that she though an outfit I wore was very "Hipster Snow White." And it got me thinking about how that is probably a pretty good way to generalize what I like to wear. While I'm not aiming for a "definition" putting it in words does help me wen it comes to piecing together outfits and while shopping. I like romantic clothes, or maybe rather clothes with an air or romance about them. I don't like to wear a lot of makeup, save my beloved red lipstick. I like my hair looking natural  and untamed. I like simple pieces, and a few more exciting pieces. I like looking like I'm lost in the woods, whether that means a delicate, though slightly mussed dress, or an oversized plaid flannel and a slouchy knit cap. In my head I can see how they relate and that is what I am aiming for. So if someone wants to call it Hipster Snow White, or Edwardian Commune Revival (Band Name?), I don't care. I'm just going to wear the things I love that make me happy.

(Even if I look so austere in these photos!!)