Homemade Bikini Bonanza!

I made another one. This design was inspired by a vintage 1940's "Catalina" bikini that I own. I love how it turned out, it fits perfectly. It's a little more risque than the Catalina, but hey- that's ok. It's "cheeky." Haha. Anyhow, I named it "The Sultry Savage" as an homage to my old burlesque troupe. :-)

Here it is on yours truly:

If I do get any spare time one of these days, I will start taking custom orders. They take me about 3 hours to make total, sometimes less. Not too bad, I guess. I'm already working on another.... ;-)

Well good Lord, I gone made myself a bikini!

Yep, I finally made a bikini. I designed, sewed, and slaved over it 100% by myself. I have been wanting to make my own bikinis for yeeeeears, I'm so glad I finally actually did it. My inspiration has always been the old suits that Bettie Page used to make for herself. They had so much character and personality, and they looked super flattering on. When making mine I didn't use a pattern or anything, I just went for it, eying measurements, etc. I'm really surprised it actually turned out as well as it did- let alone wearable! :-D

Here's the finished product on me, and of course my camera battery had to die just before I could take a back view pic. Oh well, maybe tomorrow.

Outfit of the Day: I'm a Human Fly

 

 

 

 

So what the heck am I wearing? Ok, well....

• 1950's cotton New Look "Fly" novelty print sun dress with matching belt. I scored this gem off of Etsy. I jumped on it right when the seller listed it, it had to be mine. I mean, seriously- tiny flies all over? How creepy, weird, and fantastic. And it has stick-out hip pockets that go into points. I get more compliments on this dress... it's nuts.
• 1950's black leather "Frederick's of Hollywood" stiletto "Spring-o-lator" mules. Scored these at Decades on Haight Street in San Francisco a few years back. The heel is so high, at least 4 inches. I adore them.

A nice outfit for a chill day of running errands at the mall with my mother.

Hope everyone is having a wondrous weekend! I promise a better post coming soon, I have been super busy getting the Butch Wax Etsy stocked up with gems, gems, and more gems! Check it out!

Outfit of the Day: Stormy Weather

Outfit for a rather chilly and blustery 58 degree San Diego wintery day. Brrrr!

What a goof.

So, what the heck am I wearing? Well....

• 1940's Hand Knitted Sweater - For sale on Butch Wax Vintage's Etsy here!!
• 1970's Classic Black Velvet Pencil Skirt - A true staple to my wardrobe. I wear this a ton.
• Vivienne Westwood Clear with Gold Glitter Rubber Sling-Back High Heels - I love these to no end, I wish I would have gotten 2 or 3 pairs. Fairy Princess shoes for sure.

 Here's a closer look at what the shoes look like. LOVE!!!

• 1950's Brown Chiffon Scarf in my hair - My hair is so gross today, like seriously, y'all. I had to special order my hard-to-find hair dye and I've been waiting on it. I have huge roots and it's just a mess. So a scarf is an easy fix for me. Presto-bad-hair-begone-o!
• Faux Gold Clip-On Hoop Earrings - A recent buy from the swap meet this past weekend.

 I thought you all might also enjoy seeing some recent little scores of mine...

A darling mint-condition 1950's hand painted Mexican circle skirt for a child! It's marked a size 2 and it has a "Tel-Art" tag! So cute, I just had to snatch it up. And now my Mexican prostitute doll can model it. I scored this for $26 at a local second hand boutique.

2 wonderfully aged-wood framed vintage Native American painted pictures. I love the bold colors and simplistic nature of them. They're signed too, which is cool. I scored these both for a total of $20 at the swap meet.

My Obsessions: 1950's "Ceeb of Miami" Jumpsuits

 

 An old Ceeb ad. DROOL.

 Me performing with my band, The Amandas, in my one and only Ceeb suit. I scored this baby online for a mere $98!!

 

 A friend of mine's private collection. I know, I know- couldn't you just DIE?

 

 2 lovely pieces from Where It's At Vintage.

 Some vintage Ceeb tags. The top is from a mens cotton shirt, the bottom is from a jumpsuit.

Everyone Loves a Cowboy.

An ode to America's most beloved cowboy character, Hopalong Cassidy! Yeeeeee haw!

 

Awesome vintage Acme boot ad! One in every style in a size womens 8, please. ;)

 Great vintage Hopalong themed clothing items from the 1950's. I have the blue sweater, but I really want a brown one!

This little buckaroo wore the sweater as an infant and then as a toddler! Obviously a dedicated fan.

More great vintage Hopalong items. Etsy is a great place to find these treasures.

The Butch Wax Life: Estate Salin'

Today I partook in one of my favorite pastimes- estate sale hunting!! And boy, did I find a good one. It was a home from the early 60's and the owners hadn't gotten rid of one stitch ever since then. These are the type of estate sales that I dream about. Loads and loads of vintage clothes and collectables. It's a vintage hoarders dream, I tell you.

So, what did I find? Well besides many super cute vintage clothes for the Butch Wax Etsy, I found some super cool, weird little vintage nick-knacks. Some cool 50's Tupperware, old kitchen items, a deadstock 50's Mexican tooled leather purse with original tags, vintage Taos moccasins... But what I was most surprised with was the vintage "naughty" items. Take a look for yourself...

Looks innocent, right? Well, just you wait....

High Ball cocktail glass holders that are mini tighty-whities! Too funny. In perfect shape.

 

Looking for the right corsage for your date? Why not get her a penis one! So funny. This must have been uber risque for back then.

 

Yes, these are actual glasses! There was the full set of 6, but I didn't grab them all in time. Two old men hovered in over them and the rest is history. Oh well, I'm happy with my set of 4.

 

I love vintage beauty products, especially lipstick. No, I don't use them, I just love looking at the great vibrant colors and color names like "Sherry Spumoni" or "Melon Orange." When I was little- I'll never forget it- my Nana had an old tube of her lipstick from the 1950's. It was thee best blue-red, hands down. It looked like liquid rubies. I have never ever seen a red like it since. The colors that they could get back then really were eye-popping.

 My last little gem to share: vintage never-used Mai Tai drink mix from Beachcomber Budd's in Hawaii. Good Lord, can you imagine how rancid this stuff must taste by now? It's probably from the 1960's. But man, it sure looks cool.

Vintage Expo & Outfit of the Day: Basic 1950's Sun Dress

More great weather here in sunny So. Cal means more Summer type clothes. I swear folks, 1950's sun dresses are the best thing ever. They're so simple- you throw them on and simply just go. Dress them up with fancy heels or down with sandals or flats. They're a good basic staple for every woman's wardrobe and they never go out of style.

So what the heck am I wearing? Well...

• 1950's "New Look" style cotton floral sun dress from my old work, Wear It Again Sam.
• 1950's clear Lucite Spring-o-lator mules that I scored at a second hand shop for $14. They are so comfy, no lie.
• (... and of course Miss Iris the cat had to get in on the picture, that little ham.)

 A closer look. Please ignore my bruised up legs from a night of crazy dancing last weekend, haha.

Also, this weekend is the annual Vintage Fashion Expo in Santa Monica! I'm very excited to be going with one of my best shopping partners in crime, my mama, in tow. It features tons of vintage clothing dealers from all over the U.S. and if you're looking for something in particular, chances are you'll find it there. I probably won't be shopping for Butch Wax Vintage so much, but looking for a few pieces for my own private collection. Viva Las Vegas and summertime are fast approaching and a girl has simply got to have the goods! ;-) Here's a little video to give you a better feel for the Expo, maybe I'll see some of you there!

Outfit of the Day: Dumb Ol' Working At Home Day

So, today I am doing the ever-so-glamorous activity of doing work (i.e. listing items on the Butch Wax Vintage Etsy page). Stuck in the house all day, computer computer computering. It's enough to drive a girl mad. So this is kinda a bummy outfit, but I still like it. I consider this my "fancy tomboy look." Don't laugh. :)

 

What the heck am I wearing? Well...

• 1940's chocolate brown and yellow polka dot cropped sweater. It has a really cute keyhole design in the back with 2 yellow lucite buttons. This may end up for sale...
• 1950's high-waisted denim capris. I have had these since I was 16, no lie. They have a back metal zipper. They are slightly stretchy. I love them and fear the day that they will eventually wear out.
• Red leather "Guess" brand high heel sling-back platforms. I LOVE these. I love how they are pointy on the toes, a really great shape. And they are cut very low in the front so you have that nice toe cleavage.

Here's a picture of me wearing these same jeans when I was, hmmmm.... maybe 19 years old? Back in the dark ages of my vintage pinup modeling days. The funny thing is, I hadn't even developed my curves back then. I was such a gawky string bean!

(Photo shot by David Perry at Linda's Doll Hut in Anaheim, CA.)

Outfit of the Day: Take One

Ok, now I said I would never be one of these bloggers that did that whole "outfit of the day" business, and well, here I am. Perhaps it may be more interesting because this really is how I dress. I often get asked, "What's the special occasion?" or "Are you in a play?" or "Why are you so dressed up?" My answer: I always tell people that I'm just simply "dressed up for life." As in, I'm celebrating life and the fun in dressing up. Life is too short to be boring and dull, make the most of everyday- and for me that involves wearing fun pieces of clothing and accessories. :)

So, with that being said, here is me today. A typical running errands (i.e. post office and hunting for clothes) outfit. The weather has been gorgeous here in San Diego, it's like Summer-  so I get to wear all of my sun tops and cotton skirts. 

So what the heck am I wearing? Well...

• Acid washed bustier top from Urban Outfitters. This top is so well made, it's one of my favorite sun tops. It really holds me in and gives great support. It has a side hidden zipper, structural boning, and back elastic ruching. I got it on sale for $9.99 last Summer- score!
• 1950's hand painted Mexican cotton circle skirt. I get more compliments on this skirt every time I wear it. I love the sexy couple on horseback, their both so gorgeous! And the huge cacti were a total deal-breaker as I'm obsessed with anything cactus themed. This was purchased at my old place of employment, Wear It Again Sam.
• Charles David cork-soled and beige leather knotted top stiletto mules. I love these, they're so vintage looking. I wish I had them in every color. They have a bit of a platform, but nothing too major. Pretty easy to walk in, even for a high heel goof like myself.
• Various vintage Native American turquoise and sterling silver jewelry pieces that I've collected over the years. The bracelet was my Nana's. It was given to her by my Papa in the 1960's. It's one of my most prized treasures.

Speaking of my vintage turquoise collection...

Oh, these old things?

I have been collecting Native American turquoise pieces for years now. Most of my pieces are signed by the artists and pre-1970's. I seriously could tell you a story about every one of my pieces. They all bring back different memories, travels, and times in my life; I love that about them.

People don't normally know this, but I am partially Native American, it coming from my Nana's side of the family. My boyfriend is very Native American, from the New Mexico Silver City region. Can you tell? ;)

 

(All images by our friend Noa of Feather Love Photography)

The Epitome of the Female Form: The Classic Mermaid Dress

Every year, right around this time, numerous vintage-loving ladies from all around the globe get their wardrobe checklist trimmed down and ready for the annual Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekender in Las Vegas, Nevada. Every year it's the same sought after pieces- who will have the best Vanity Fair leopard print ensemble? Who will have the most eye-catching Shaheen sarong dress? Who's rocking the most killer Ceeb of Miami jumpsuit? Along with throngs and throngs of Lurex in every color, bakelite bangles, Polly of California sky-high mules, and sequin-encrusted hand painted Mexican circle skirts. It really is enough to make one's head spin, the array of fabulous styles and gorgeous silhouettes. The people watching alone is more than reason to go. Well in this entry, we're going to focus on one of our most favorite highly sought-after styles to wear at Viva, the timelessly sexy and ever-so-classic curve hugging mermaid cocktail gown.

Wikipedia defines the "Mermaid Evening Gown" as: "Mermaid, as the name suggests, means that the evening gown is shaped like a mermaid. It is form-fitting at the bodice, and the skirt is designed to resemble a mermaid's tail in silhouette.The skirt may or may not be of the same colour or texture."

The mermaid gown as we know and love it first originated in the mid 1950's. This design of dress really skyrocketed in 1960 when it was made popular to little girls everywhere by the gal that we all know and love- who other than Barbie. This particular Barbie was titled "Solo in the Spotlight." What a fabulous get up, right? Lets face it, Barbie really knew how to do it up in the 1950's!

Here are a few killer examples of authentic 1950's era "mermaid" styles... I know, I know, try not to drool... Many of them had a satin under-base with silk chiffon, lace, or sequins over that. Sheer tulle or netting was very popular for the actual "mermaid hem." If we had our way, we'd go back in time and have one of each in our size, please! ;-)

 Many of these images were obtained from this fabulous page.

Here are a few vintage designs that have been for sale online recently. Many of them were found on Etsy! They usually run anywhere from $150 all the way to $500+ for a true couture design.

And lastly, here are a few fabulous styles that are either available (or were) from Butch Wax Vintage, or part of our own personal collection.

 A fabulous design from our private vintage collection... LOVE the color.

A killer fully sequined number that recently sold to a Butch Wax regular from San Francisco!

A insanely gorgeous hand beaded sea foam silk chiffon over satin mermaid number, currently for sale from Butch Wax Vintage here!