Bringing Up Bust Form (a St. Louis Style Blog): March 2015

Monday, March 16, 2015

Vintage Vinyl: Portugal. The Man + Avalon Exchange Floral Dress

portugal the man vinyl avalon exchange vintage retro floral dress rings

portugal the man vinyl belleville flea market vintage retro silver rings

Inspired by:
Portugal. The Man, In the Mountain In the Cloud (2011)

Favorite tracks:

"Everything You See (Kids Count Hallelujahs)" "All Your Light (Times Like These)" "Once Was One"

Outfit details:
Dress (Avalon Exchange, St. Louis), necklace (Goodwill), rings purchased at Belleville Flea Market

I inherited my record player at the beginning of high school. Amassing my vinyl collection has become a treasured hobby; just like my continual quest for vintage clothes, I relish in the hunt for cheap deals. (Aside from the records family members passed down, my best bargain to date was $2 for an album of Elton John's greatest hits.) My collection feels very personal to me, because each album has at least one song I could never live without. Some of those first vinyls remain my all-time favorite albums. Listening to them feels restorative. I like being able to unplug from all the external commotion, enjoy the music, and force the gears of my brain to turn in a different direction.

These days I mostly listen to my records when I'm writing. I've gotten into this habit where if I'm suffering a bout of writer's block, I get entranced by the album art and start matching my jewelry to it. As far as exercises in expanding my sartorial limits, it's pretty effective. When I'm getting dressed I often base an outfit around a particular piece of clothing or jewelry; this method challenges me to think in terms of a combination of color, mood, and theme. I've had so much fun with it, I want to try and make it a regular feature on the blog.

The 'Vintage Vinyl' challenge will be to combine my older records with new pieces of clothing, and new records with vintage clothing or jewelry.

In high school, purchasing a Postal Service album on vinyl was the height of luxury. Being employed full-time has allowed me to fill out my record collection with newer artists (although I guess 1990s and newer isn't that 'new' anymore!) that I wouldn't necessarily find rummaging at Goodwill. I've been a casual fan of Portugal. The Man since the release of American Ghetto, but it wasn't until I saw them perform this past summer at Red Rocks that I really appreciated the harmony in their instrumentals. I also enjoy them because a lot of their lyrics deal with growing up and coming to terms with ugly things in the world while trying to stay true to your own ideals (aka, the average millenial's quarter-life crisis). In the Mountain... is trippy but fierce. It includes the kind of tracks that you shout along to in your car pumping your fist because you live on your own weird terms and you're awesome!, emphasis on that exclamation point. I find myself gravitating toward this album when I need a shot of courage.

A fan of pink and purple, I think the album art makes the accent colors on this vintage dress from Avalon Exchange pop. I wanted the jewelry to feel bright and eclectic, with a slight bohemian vibe.

'Vintage Vinyl' meshes my vinyl collection and personal style.

St. Louis Thrift Finds: Why You Should Always Check the Discard Rack at Thrift Stores

pink vintage retro floral dress beaded vest

In keeping with my style resolution to be unafraid of going overboard with my vintage pieces, I give you this obnoxious, colorful mess of floral, beads and embroidery (and I'm not just talking about the vest).

Isn't the vest a doozy, though? Last year I waxed philosophical about how my thrifting style has evolved, especially in regards to 'so ugly they're beautiful' vests. Well, I'm not always the model of retail restraint I think I am. This blue monstrosity struck my eye during a half-off sale at Value Village, which brings me to the nugget of wisdom that is the point of this post: If you're thrifting, always check the discard rack!

The percentage of items I've purchased that were spotted on my way into the fitting room is staggering. Think of it this way: one woman's ill-fitting garment is another woman's treasure. The discard rack is full of items that other customers have already curated out of the rows of bland so-so's, and for whatever reason they said 'no.' You're lucky enough to get the next first crack at them. When I first spotted this vest, it was still in another girl's hand. She was debating with her friend whether to buy it, and in a moment of doubt that it was too loud, set it on the discard rack. I snatched it within 10 seconds, then silently watched her amble back a few minutes later hoping to reclaim it. I'm not ashamed. Thrifting victories are awarded to the bold.

At $2.50, there was little question of return on investment. The worst case scenario is that I wear it out once or twice, get a few good chuckles, then sell it. So far, I'm having a lot of fun with it. My 18-year-old self would be really proud.