Beauty of Gray and Vintage

Why not post the most recent outfit and tell you a vintage story. So, Justin and I took these pictures last weekend, and it was quite freezing outside! It would really be wiser to wear one of my parkas on a day like this, but I wanted to show off my elegant all-gray attire before I show off my coats and parkas. 

Boho Military Chic in September

 

Hello my style tribe,

There are four photo shoots from late September through October which I haven't shared with you yet. A bit out of season, but I figured that better late then never! So I'll pick up just where I left, when late Summer barely started transforming into early Fall, and I was eager to wear this fabulous trench coat by Altuzarra for Target. 

Taking the Next Step

Hello friends,

It's always a bit difficult to restart a conversation after a pause, isn't it? So let me jump right in, without a long introduction. We're old friends, after all. Thanks to blogging, you've known me for the past eight years. You've literally witnessed my little kid growing up. She was still in elementary school back in 2013 when I started this blog. This year, she graduated from school and started college. I'm often asked what she chose to study. Well, there is no simple answer to it. College education is very different here compared to mine back home in Russia in the 1990s. We had to choose our professional direction right away, and pretty much from day one, we knew what general field in which we'd be working once we graduate. Back then, I only wanted to study literature, so I chose philology. Pretty much all of my classes were related to this field, with some extras like Philosophy, Sociology, History and Economics. The rest was history of the Russian and world literature (mostly Western), modern European languages (German and Czech in my case), everything about modern Russian language and literature in depth, and ancient languages like Latin, old Russian and Old Slavic. Anya's classes at this point are pretty broad, some related to Arts and others to Science, and she doesn't have to choose her vocation till couple years later. Which is smart and generous for those who have many interests and not sure what to choose at 18. Which is, I believe, the majority.

Ms. Moon, Mr. Lamp and Other Stories

It is cool and drizzly out as I'm writing this now, but just recently we had a stretch of glorious sunny days which felt like Summer. To celebrate it, Justin and I went out a few times and even ate at a restaurant, on a patio to enjoy sunshine and be safe. With gorgeous weather and opened restaurants, it felt as if there was no pandemic, even though we all still wear masks. It's hard to explain, but driving down a busy highway, coming home after a day of adventure, I caught myself thinking that for brief moments life seemed just as it was before, as if there was no long weird year of isolation and anxiety... Have you had such a feeling lately or is it just me?

Spring Epitome & Vintage Desk

Every Spring, with no exception, the world of fashion explodes with floral dresses - mostly in soft pastel colors. I confess, I am tempted to join the fun, but pastel tones don't work that well with my pale freckled skin. I am more of a jewel tone and warm earthy color girl who blossoms in bold pattern and strong color dresses. But this frock, I thought, offered a beautiful balance of fresh soft pastels and strong bold colors on a dark background reminiscent of the bareness of early Spring. I appreciate the comfy style of it while also being so striking. So you understand - it had to be done!

The Way We Vintage

 

Earlier in March, we hopped in the car and drove to the new location of our favorite antique mall. Some of you might remember that some time ago, the mall which was located in one spot for 26 or 27 years, had to find a new home. Well, they have finally re-opened, and the visit became the sort of event I've been missing, the one that inspired me to dress up a little.

Darkest Before the Dawn

Dressing up to me, perhaps unlike many of my lovely blogging friends, is 100% a social thing. I simply don't feel the need or craving to dress up when I am at home - I find many other things that bring me joy and occupy my time. I am a bit surprised when someone tries to change my mind about it. Is there really one right way to live our lives, and everything else is wrong? I don't sign up for that philosophy. Everyone is different, so whatever works. During the pandemic (and we're in the second year by today, as it started earlier in the Washington State compared to the rest of the country, as well as many other countries), so during the pandemic there was practically no reason for me to dress up. As a large part introvert, I initially didn't suffer from the lack of social life at all. Even though I lost some of my work contracts due to closures of our libraries, I still had my students and enjoyed figuring out the new ways of teaching. But by the arrival of Winter, I started missing our family outings and cultural events which used to inspire my creating of outfits and having photo shoots with Justin. 

Meet Me at Twilight

 

Sometimes, to get unstuck, all we need is to break loose from the tension of the old patterns. That will allow us to see a new possibility, a new opening that most probably was always there, dismissed as unsuitable, as "not good enough"...