Mad for Plaid

Here in the south, we've had a run of cooler weather lately. By that I mean, it's enjoyable to be outside and it's not hotter than the sun. For me, that means that I feel like I can dress nicely instead of dressing to not pass out from heat stroke. 

I was so happy to be able to break out this lightweight cotton dress. It has sleeves, which makes it almost impossible to wear during the typical peak of summer.

The dress itself is vintage, I wanted to keep it simple, so I paired it with nude heels and a think leather belt. I also added a string of pearls, pearl earrings, and a vintage fan brooch in honor of Novelty Brooch Friday.

What is your favorite vintage find? How do you celebrate Novelty Brooch Friday?

New to Retro

I'm not going to lie to you guys, while I've always been interested in vintage clothing and jewelry, the switch to a pin-up, retro look is still a very recent change for me. Being a nerd, I tried to do as much research as I could. I read blogs, poured over message boards, and watched hours and hours of youtube videos. The thing is, I feel like all of the girls ladies that I read about have been perfecting their looks for years now.

I am not one of those girls, I am a Retro Newbie. I'm still trying to figure out how to keep my nylon scarf from slipping, my eyeliner to look just right, and how in the name of sweet buttery pancakes do I build a pretty wardrobe on a budget. I decided to try to share what little wisdom I have with you guys and see if I can't get a little back in return.

That being said, I really just want to talk to you guys about lipstick. When I first started to lean towards a vintage look, I decided the cheapest and easiest way to achieve the vintage look was a bright red lipstick.  The first million times I wore red lipstick, I felt I looked like a hooker.

I went from bare lips to red lips. The fix was easy. I would wear my red lippy around my house, but when I was out and about, I wore a more subtle shade. I did this until I got used to wearing lipstick and seeing myself with a fancy red pout.

Now it feels natural to have dramatic lips. How do y'all feel about red lipstick?

Review: Oblong Box Shop!

I don't know about you guys, but the thought of ordering clothes online terrifies me. I try on most all of my clothing before I purchase it, and I feel nervous about buying something without even seeing first.I decided recently to take the leap and try to order something online, starting slow with a brand new top from The Oblong Box Shop.

I finally decided on the Criss Cross Sweetheart Pin Up Top in Vintage Blue.I was concerned about this top for two reasons - a) the fit and b) the material. The top comes in sizes small to extra large and I was worried the extra large wasn't going to be large enough. The fabric is described as stretchy, and I was very, very nervous that "stretchy" was going to translate into "clingy". Read: chubby girl probs.

I ripped through that package like a toddler on Christmas morning. This top is so awesome! The color is just beautiful, and while the fabric is a little clingy, the elastic along the sides eased my mind-and makes it super flattering .  The only thing that felt awkward was that it had boob pads. I have far too much in that department to even consider adding any more. Luckily, they are removable and all is well.

I decided to style it with two different skirts. The first is a vintage black and grey striped circle skirt- with pockets! I'm really happy to report that this top doesn't bunch up under skirts and cause a weird looking roll underneath the waistband. It sits all nice and smooth like. I also added my great-grandmothers vintage brooch and a pair of glittery gray flats, cause my shoe game is seriously lacking.

I also decided to pair it with my one and only wiggle skirt. It made me feel an entire new level of va va voom sexy. Can you say date night? I felt that this top looked even better with the pencil skirt. I also added yet another vintage brooch and a pair of sparkly stud earrings.

The Verdict: at only $20, this top is a definite do. It (and it's first cousin without the cross-cross straps) comes in a variety of staple colors. Be sure to follow The Oblong Box Shop on Instagram to see when they're in stock, because these tops fly off the shelf quickly- for good reason! I would (and will!) buy again.

Lady sings the blues

I'm so excited that my first "real" post with you guys is going to be an outfit post! They are always my favorite posts to read because, honestly, I'm super de duper nosey.

I found this lovely cobalt number at Unclaimed Baggage. It's a kind of, but not really thrift store near where I live, and worth a look if you ever find yourself in the area.

I was accompanying Babe to look for some shorts and went to quickly breeze through the dresses when I spotted this dress's full circle skirt. It was my size and only $15! What luck!

So far, I've only really paired it with my thrifted leopard print belt and pretty low heeled brown shoes. If I'm feeling frisky I'll add a vintage brooch and a creamy pair of pearls as well.

I'm thinking of switching it up with red accessories, but I'm afraid of looking overly patriotic, what do you guys think?

Hello world.

Hey ya'll and welcome to Evie's Closet. This blog will be all about how I dress and act like a little old lady trapped in a twenty-something year old's body. It'll be full of pretty dresses, big hair, and southern sass.

I'm a Georgia peach at heart, even though I currently live riiiight on the Alabama side of the state line. I live with my parents and two little sisters.  My family has instilled a great love of vintage in me, as well as a desire to write and create. I feel the two are a match made in heaven.

This blog is named after my great-grandmother, Evie. She often put my hair in curlers and let me play with her lipstick. I have inherited quite a few pieces of vintage from her closet, and they make frequent appearances to this day!

If you have any questions, just leave them as a comment and I will surely get back to you!

Hope ya'll enjoy!