Tag: Kastle Waserman

How to Wear A Monochromatic Outfit With Vintage Style

I recently participated in a fashion challenge on Instagram to create outfits using a different color each day for a week. Boy, did that get me thinking about another way to look at my wardrobe! I came up with some of the most fun and exciting combinations I’ve put together in a long time. So I wanted to share how to wear a monochromatic outfit with vintage style.

Monochrome Vintage Outfit in Green

What Is A Monochromatic Color Scheme?

A monochromatic color scheme simply means picking one color, say yellow, and wearing all yellow clothing. It can be the pure color or different:

  • Shades (darker as if mixed with black)
  • Tones (darker as if mixed with grey)
  • Tints (lighter as if mixed with white)

While I’ve seen many monochromatic looks with solid color pieces, you can also throw in a print or even print mixing, as long as it sticks to your one color choice as the main color.

Monochrome Vintage Style Outfit in Blue

How to Pick A Color

Let’s face it, color just makes you smile. And with summer on the way, it’s time to break out some bright hues. You can probably put together a monochromatic outfit using what you already have, in my case, a lot of vintage clothing. Most of us gravitate to one or two favorite colors when we shop for clothes. For me, it used to be a lot of black and white, and now it’s rich jewel tones.

Monochrome Vintage Outfit in Orange

 

How to Put Together A Monochromatic Outfit With Vintage Style

The way I came up with these outfits is I had a color for the day. So I went to my closet and laid out everything I have in that color. Then I started pulling together an outfit based on what worked together. It’s fun to do this with separates because you have more options, but don’t forget accessories – purses, scarves, tights, bangle bracelets, earrings and shoes. If you’re not a big accessory collector, you may want to reach for a neutral or metallic shoes and handbag to complete the look if you don’t have any in that particular color.

Monochrome Vintage Outfit in Yello

Try Different Textures

Part of the fun of creating a monochrome look is mixing and matching. Since you’re working with one color, you can do this in the texture of the clothing. Try mixing different types of materials to create interest – think silks, linens, velvet, cotton. This will give your outfit more dimension and make it look downright touchable.

Monochrom Vintage Outfit in Purple

Now that you know how to wear a monochromatic outfit with vintage style, what color will you choose to challenge yourself to put together a new look?

Check out more of my fashion challenge outfits on my Instagram page.

Until next time,

Kastle

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How to Style a Sweater Vest Creatively

I love a good sweater vest. This simple layering piece became a trend last year and is perfect for between seasons when it’s just a little chilly outside but not cold enough for a full sweater. While this piece has a reputation as a conservative mainstay when paired with a button-down shirt, I wanted to share how to style a sweater vest creatively.

Sweater vests come in all different colors and can include some fun patterns. I try to look for unusual designs or a good ol’ fashion grandpa sweater.Styling it with other prints and textures can create an interesting look with vintage style.

Mixing Prints with A Sweater VestVintage sweater vest

Vintage sweater vest

I found this sweater vest at a vintage store and just loved the print. At first, I wasn’t sure how to style it and just paired it with solid colors. But then I started to have some fun with it. I put it over a thrifted button-down shirt with a small print in complementary colors and then some pants with a light plaid print in the same color palette that lets the bold print of the vest stand out.

Mixing Textures with A Sweater Vest

How to style a sweater vest

Styling a sweater vest

I fell in love with this grandpa-style beige sweater vest at an antique market. It looks like it was lovingly hand-knitted. I decided to have some fun with it by pairing it with a thrifted, silky bold-colored pink and orange print button-down shirt and vintage pale pink linen skirt.

Mixing Prints and Solid Colors with a Sweater Vest 

Wear a sweater vest with vintage style

How to wear a sweater vest

Don’t limit your sweater vests to just going over shirts. They also work great over your summer dresses when it’s not quite warm enough to wear them. I paired this thrifted green sweater vest over a vintage pony-print dress and added a vintage belt to give it some shape.

What ways can you think of to style your sweater vest? Maybe over a hoodie, with a t-shirt or a puffy-sleeve blouse? The options are limitless!

Check out more ways to style creatively with vintage and thrifted finds on my Instagram page.

Until next time,

Kastle

 

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How to Wear a Women’s Crewneck Sweater With Vintage Style

Crewneck sweaters are a wardrobe staple. They’ll take you from the first crisp days of fall to that last chill in the air in springtime. But while they are a basic, they can also be a little boring and nerdy, when just worn over a button-down shirt, which is how you mostly see it styled. Last winter, I invested in a good assortment of crewneck sweaters (mainly because I had no warm clothes after moving from Southern California to Colorado) in classic colors. I learned how to wear a women’s crewneck sweater with vintage style.

Vintage dress with crewneck sweater

Crewneck sweater with vintage dress and hat

Style a Crewneck Sweater Over a Vintage Dress

You can use a basic crewneck sweater to winterize a vintage dress, even if it’s in bright spring colors. Just ground the color palette in a more seasonal neutral such as this tan crewneck sweater over a bright paisley vintage dress. The collar on this dress works well peeking out of the top. I added a little ribbon tie. Top the look with a fun vintage-style hat and, depending on the outside temperature, boots or cute shoes.

Women's Crewneck Sweater with a Vintage Scarf

Women's crewneck sweater with a vintage scarf

Style a Crewneck Sweater with a Vintage Scarf

A basic black crewneck sweater goes with everything but can blend into the background – that makes YOU disappear! Jazz it up with a beautifully-patterned vintage scarf like this one I have from 1960’s designer Vera. The bold colors give the outfit a pop. It also provides an opportunity to coordinate it with the rest of your outfit, like this pinup-style purple pencil skirt and lavender vintage handbag. It makes black anything but basic and boring.

Crewneck sweater with detachable Peter Pan Collar

Women's crewneck sweater with detachable Peter Pan collar

Style a Crewneck Sweater With a Detachable Peter Pan Collar 

Vintage-inspired Peter Pan collars have been trending for the past year. Lots of crafty makers on Etsy and Instagram create detachable ones in fun designs that simply tie-on. These are perfect for adding some style to your plain ol’ crewneck sweater. Coordinate your pants or skirt with the colors in your collar pattern, like I did with these vintage pants, hat and ankle booties, and you have quite a clever retro-inspired outfit!

So spice up those plain ol’ staples in your cold-weather wardrobe by learning how to how to wear a women’s crewneck sweater with vintage style. This styling works well when you’re out in the cool weather and also look great on Zoom when that sweater is all everyone will see! You’ll learn to love your winter-wear workhorse all over again.

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Tag: Kastle Waserman

How to Wear Pantone’s Colors of the Year for 2021

Every year, Pantone releases its color of the year. This color helps stylists, interior designers and other influencers know what’s on-trend. This year, Pantone released TWO colors to double your fun. So I thought I’d show you how to wear Pantone’s Colors of the Year with a little bit of vintage style shopped from my closet.

Pantone Colors of the Year 2021

Pantone’s Colors of the Year for 2021

For 2021, the Pantone Colors of the Year are Ultimate Gray and Illuminating [Yellow]. These are interesting choices in that one is a grounded, neutral color, and the other is a bright, cheerful color. This may serve to represent this year’s juxtaposition of hopeful optimism and realistic uncertainty as the pandemic continues to affect our lives. Both are on the cooler side, so if you’re someone drawn to warmer colors, these might not be for you. (But I’m also going to show you how to adjust them to suit your palette.)

Incorporating the Colors of the Year Into Your Wardrobe

Just because these colors are the trend, it doesn’t mean you have to make a lot of big purchases to be in style. Thrift stores and second-hand finds on eBay and Etsy are a great way to pepper the color into your wardrobe without spending a lot. I found I actually have quite a bit of grey and yellow in my closet, which took me on an adventure to put some new outfit combos together. A quick disclaimer, the yellows in my wardrobe lean more to warm gold shades than the cooler shade of Pantone’s Illuminating because that works better with my skin tone. It’s totally OK to rock it your way!

Grey sweater with yellow pinafore patterned scarf

What to wear with Pantone's Colors of the Year

Add a Scarf to Pantone’s Colors of the Year Bring in a Print

Why go with straight yellow and grey? Consider it the basics and then bring in a patterned scarf like this vintage one that incorporates the colors of the year and adds a bright teal to “tie” together a simple crew neck grey sweater and yellow corduroy jumper. Black accessories further ground the look.

 

Green plaid poncho, yellow skirt and grey hat

Green Vintage Poncho

Wear the Color of the Year as the Background to a Statement Piece

You don’t have to go with an obvious pairing of grey and yellow to work this trend. They can provide nice background canvas to a statement piece you’ve been dying to bust out. I put a simple grey turtleneck and yellow pencil skirt under this bold plaid vintage poncho that brings in both shades along with mossy green.

Argyle sweater and grey skirt

Cardigan sweater and pencil skirt

Bring in Other Pops of Color  

Again, don’t just think about the two trend colors – bring some others into the fold. This retro yellow argyle sweater brings in shades of deep red, pink, black and white. I paired it with a simple grey long-sleeve t-shirt and grey skirt and played off the pop of red with a red vintage scarf.

So get creative, you’ve got two colors to work with this year to be on-trend for 2021. Now that you have some ideas on how to wear Pantone’s Colors of the Year, what outfits can you put together?

For more vintage, thrifted and shopped-from-my-closet outfit ideas, see my Instagram page.

Until next time,

Kastle

 

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Fashion as Self-Care and 5 Other Ideas

I’ve been thinking a lot about self-care lately. With the pandemic and civil unrest raging in the U.S., it’s hard not to let anxiety take over. Quarantine and isolation from friends and family make it hard to get some much-needed stress relief from the images and headlines that come up on TV and my phone’s news streams.

Looking Good Helps Us to Feel Good

Fashion helps me save my sanity by picking out outfits and getting dressed up for a regular weekend Zoom party I have with some friends who collect vintage accessories. There’s something about putting on makeup, doing your hair and stepping into a pretty dress that just makes you feel good, even if you’re only staying home. Fashion is a form of taking care of yourself that I think is vastly underrated.

Practicing Self-care by Stopping to Smell the Flowers

Another way I’m practicing self-care is by stopping to enjoy the wildflowers. Before the pandemic, I was always rushing off to work or to an event, and I never noticed them. Now I go for evening walks around the foothills and see them everywhere. So bright and cheerful, little daisies, poppies and mini sunflowers stare up at me with their bright colors. They help cheer me up on the darkest days. I also discovered some beautiful places filled with sunflowers and roses.

Colorado Sunflower Farms

This year I learned about the many sunflower fields around Colorado that bloom for two weeks each August. My husband stumbled across one, and we had to go capture this glorious sight in pictures. I put on my brightest vintage-style sundress, sun hat and yellow Converse high top sneakers to pose with these natural wonders.

There were giant sunflowers as far as the eye could see and we caught them just at the golden hour before the sun began to set. It was absolutely magical.

Stopping to smell the flowers as self-care

Dressing up as a form of self-care

Sunflower field

A note about visiting sunflower farms: these are usually private property. Farmers grow them for their livelihood, not your entertainment. Most owners don’t mind you taking photos if you stay on the edge of the fields. Do not touch or trample the flowers and NEVER cut and take them. Going into the fields can result in a fine. Also, a word of warning – there are lots of bugs and bees in the fields, so Mother Nature may also sting you if you misbehave.

After our visit, I bought a pretty vintage sunflower brooch on Etsy as a memento of the day and ordered a bouquet of sunflowers with my grocery pickup to have at home (and create the photo with my sneakers).

La Vie En Rose – The Rose Garden of Jefferson County

Near the Jefferson County Sheriff‘s office in Colorado is a quaint public rose garden. It’s open to the public and features lots of different colored roses, a gazebo, benches for relaxing and little babbling streams.  

I had to stop and smell the roses one day. I had the perfect rose-pattern vintage reproduction dress for it. So I got dressed up, and off we went to take photos.

Stopping to smell the roses as self-care

Rose garden

Self-care: stop to smell the roses

Fashion as a form of self-care

5 Ideas for Self-Care in These Trying Times

1 Go for walks – Nothing relieves stress like getting out for some fresh air. Find a few routes to change the scenery and try to take in some nature if you have a park nearby.

2 Take a bubble bath – Dipping in warm water and just taking time to be still is such a calming experience. Add some pleasant-smelling bath oil or bubbles for an aromatherapy experience.

3 Give yourself a facial – I miss my visits to the spa but I still don’t feel it’s safe to go yet. So I purchased a few home facial mask treatments and do it myself once in a while. I added a rose quartz roller to really make it feel like a pro spa session.

4 Read –I found escaping into a book is a great way to relieve the stress of reality. Try reading while you eat lunch for a mid-day break or before bedtime to help you sleep better.

5 Watch the sunset – When I first moved away from home, I would go watch the sunset in the Hollywood Hills every day. I’d dream about who I wanted to become. Now I watch it from my deck and think about how far I’ve come and where I still want to go. Sunset watching is a great time to wind down and reflect as you wait for a new day.

If you’re really struggling with your emotions, there’s no shame in asking for help. Call a friend, talk to your manager at work, use your job’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to find a therapist. There are also many affordable to free hotlines available to talk to someone. The National Suicide Hotline is available anytime you may need it: 800-273-8255. Trust me, you are not alone. We are ALL having challenges adjusting to this difficult year.

Stop to smell the roses

I hope you find these self-care tips helpful. Do yourself a favor and make time to stop and smell the roses, literally if you can. It’s one way we can feel like we have a little bit of peace and control in our lives.

Until next time,

Kastle

 

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7 Ways to Celebrate Modernism Week in Style

I love the look of midcentury modern style – from 1950s pin-up looks, swing and wiggle dresses to bright, colorful shift dresses of the 1960s. Denver usually celebrates all things mid-mod every summer for Modernism Week with home tours, a fashion show and a massive shopping expo filled with vintage fashion, memorabilia and home décor.

But alas, COVID-19 took another great event from us. They canceled the Denver Mod Expo this year. But that doesn’t have to stop you from celebrating Modernism Week in the comfort of your home.

Like so many other events, Denver Modernism Week went virtual. It’s now taking place online, August 19-22, with several webinar events from architectural tours to photography lessons focused on midcentury modern style.

For me, it’s a great excuse to dress up! Here are a couple of favorite mid-mod looks from my vintage collection and how I styled them:

2 Ways to Style a 1960s Midcentury Modern Look 

Bright Vintage Dress in All The Colors

I call this my happy dress. Because I just can’t feel down when I wear it. With all the bright colors, this 1960s vintage dress never fails to catch the eye. I paired it with my biggest, brightest pillbox hat – a hot pink basket weave. Daisies have got to be the most cheerful flowers on earth and a plentiful wildflower in the summer. I was lucky to find this vintage enamel brooch and earrings at an outdoor market. I completed the look with a bright yellow basket weave vintage purse and pink mule sandals – both belonged to my mom. She had great style back in her youth and lucky for me, she kept a lot of it.

Colorful vintage 1960s dress

1960s Bold Color Vintage Dress

Pink Sandal Shoes

Yellow vintage basket-weave purse

1960s pink pillbox hat

Vintage Dress in Pastel Shades

Part of the thrill of vintage shopping for me is finding great items wildly underpriced. I couldn’t believe I found this ‘60s-era house dress on Etsy for $6! It’s light cotton, comfortable and full of charm. And guess what, there’s a row of pastel buildings in Denver that it matches perfectly! There are so many ways to accessorize this dress with different colors. I stuck with powder blue to keep the look consistent. I paired it with a matching vintage scarf, vintage reproduction shoes and another vintage basket weave purse from my mom for some fun photo-taking.

Vintage 1960s Pastel Dress

Vintage Reproduction Shoes

Blue Vintage Purse

So are you ready to tune into Denver Modernism Week? Need a little midcentury modern inspiration?

7 Ways to Celebrate Modernism Week 

  1. Attend Denver Modernism Week online– Lectures, historic walks, a photography lesson and discussion of a local restoration will give you that Modernism fix, and you’ll learn something too.
  2. Make a mid-mod cocktail  – popular drinks of the era include The Stinger, The Old Fashioned and Tom Collins.
  3. Plan your own historic architecture walking tour – There are lots of neighborhoods in the Denver area that have maintained their midcentury modern charm. Check out the Historic Denver Walking Tours and don’t forget the two DMW historic walk events to give you some ideas. And please be respectful of the homeowner’s property.
  4. Make your own mid-mod era music soundtrack – From the exotica and lounge sounds of Les Baxter and Martin Denny to the Rat Pack classics by Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. to the rockabilly of icons Elvis and Little Richard, music will set the mood. Check out this playlist on Spotify.
  5. Donate to a mid-mod architecture preservation group – Help protect and restore midcentury modern buildings and homes for years to come by donating to a group such as Denver Architecture.
  6. Shop for a mid-mod outfit – Celebrate in style with a new look. Many of the local vintage stores have reopened, including Goldmine Vintage and Regal Vintage. If you’re still not comfortable shopping indoors, there’s always Etsy, eBay and many vintage and reproduction shops online. Isn’t it time you got out of your PJs anyway?
  7. Host a mid-mod-themed Zoom party with your friends – Dress in mid-mod style, mix a drink and hang out with your pals. Better yet, join the Denver Vintage Society for the Modernism Zoom party on August 22!

So put on your happiest mid-mod outfit and let it lift you up with the beauty of the era. Be sure to check out my other vintage looks on my Instagram page.

Until next time.

Stay well,

Kastle

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How to Wear a Vintage Pillbox Hat and Where to Buy Them

Since I’m still hesitant to go shopping in the vintage and thrift stores that have reopened during the pandemic, I’ve been doing a lot of shopping on Etsy. (I’ll admit it, I need a little therapy shopping right now!) Something I always gravitate toward is vintage pillbox hats.

History of Pillbox Hats

These round, tall hats were first worn as military headgear. Milliners later turned the shape into fashion in the 1930s. But it was Jackie Kennedy who made her Halston-designed pillbox hats popular in the 1960s as part of her signature look. I love these hats for their ease of wear by day or night, dressed up or down. They often come adorned with a veil, flowers and different textures. I also appreciate the height it gives around the crown of the head for a statuesque look.

How to Wear a Pillbox Hat

I’m amassing a little collection of pillbox hats in different colors and textures and thought I’d share two of my recent acquisitions and show you how I styled them.

Vintage floral pillbox hat

Floral Pillbox Hat 

I couldn’t let our beautiful spring/summer season pass without something with flowers on it. I came across this unique hat with fabric flowers in sweet pale colors of pink, blue and yellow, over an ivory fabric. A light beige netting delicately covers it and protects the flowers. It’s in perfect condition and makes me feel like I’m wearing a floral crown. It was a lucky find!

Vintage Fashion with Pillbox Hat

 

I’ve recently been adding some 1940’s-style blouses to my collection and was excited to come across this ivory one at my local thrift store right before the shutdown started. I like the feminine sophistication the cut gives to an outfit. I completed the look with a vintage reproduction olive swing skirt and lace-up shoes. I’ve had this whimsical vintage straw bucket purse with embroidered flowers in my collection for years.  It was a perfect match for my new pillbox hat!

Vintage inspired fashion

 

Orange Swirl Pillbox Hat

This dark orange pillbox hat called out to me as I browsed Etsy one day. With a unique swirl detail, I call it my cinnamon roll hat – and it does make me crave sweets when I think about it! This hat is a little more petite than some of my other pillboxes. That allows me to wear it a couple of different ways, such as tilted closer to the face, as I did with a look I did on Instagram.

Vintage Style Pillbox Hat

Orange PIllbox Hat 

I paired it with another new ‘40s-inspired blouse with a pussy-bow tie and vintage reproduction swing skirt. This colorful vintage purse is a favorite I scored during the time I worked at Regal Vintage when I first moved to Denver. They hadn’t even put it out for sale before I claimed it!

Vintage Style

 

Vintage purse

 

Where to Buy a Pillbox Hat

If you feel the coronavirus still makes it too risky to head into the stores, even with a face mask, you can always find vintage and thrift store treasures from home on Etsy, eBay,  thredUP and Goodwill online. Many brick and mortar vintage stores have started an Etsy shop since the pandemic began.  And I discovered a whole list of Black-owned vintage stores that circulated on Instagram to help diversify my shopping – I already bought a few things from those stores. Stay tuned to see them in the blog soon!

Look for more of my pillbox hat looks on my Instagram page.

Until next time, stay well.

Kastle

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How to Dress with Vintage Style In Winter and Stay Warm

Since moving to Denver from Los Angeles, I’ve had to learn how to dress with vintage style in winter weather. As someone who never needed a heavy coat or sweater in LA’s year-round mild climate, this was a whole new fashion challenge for me. I wanted to be warm but not look bulky.

 

After two years of exploring Colorado and going out in the snow, I’ve learned some tips to share with my fellow cold-climate fashionistas.

 

It’s all about layers. One thing I learned is it’s not enough to buy a thick sweater and heavy coat. Colorado weather changes quickly from freezing to mild, and since I live close to the mountains and go into downtown Denver all the time, the temperature can vary by 10-20 degrees, snowy and wet on one end, dry on the other. So being able to dress for both is essential.

 

How Dressing Layers Will Keep You Warm

It’s much better to wear several light layers than one heavy layer. Especially since you’re going to go from outside cold to inside heat and you don’t want to boil in your heavy clothes. For me, that means no sweater dresses! Instead, I opt for several layers, as follows.

 

The Bag You Need When You Dress In Layers

Your first purchase for vintage style in winter is a big purse or tote bag.  And I mean BIG. No little vintage handbags in wintertime. This will come in handy when taking off your layers once inside. You’ll see what I mean as we go along.

Large purses

What to Wear Under Your Layers

I start with a tank top. This will help keep the core of your body warm without much bulk. For an even thinner option, try a Thermasilk camisole. Silk makes a great, lightweight base layer that will keep you surprisingly warm, and it’s so thin, it doesn’t add any bulk at all. The brand is available in a camisole, long sleeve top and leggings. Plus, this is something you can easily go into a bathroom, slip off and tuck in your purse if you get too warm once inside.

Vintage style in winter: tank top layer

 

Next, add a blouse, or what I consider a staple of my wardrobe, a fitted crewneck t-shirt. A fitted turtleneck is also a good option as a warmer, go-with-everything layer that works as a top on its own.

 

For the next layer, almost every person I know who loves vintage style has a collection of cardigan sweaters in every color. This is a year-round staple that works in the summer when you go into air-conditioned buildings and works in winter as another stylish layer. Button it at the waist and add a belt to give yourself that hourglass shape. Remember, we want to avoid looking like a bulky blob!

 

dressing warm for winter in base layers

Vintage style in winter: cardigan sweater

On top of that, I will add a heavy sweater. Try to get one that’s a size up from your regular size. You want this to cover all of your layers and be a bit loose. You’re wearing this mostly for warmth while you’re outside. Once inside, just take it off and tuck it into your bag so everyone can see your cute outfit, and you won’t be too warm in heated buildings.

Vintage style in winter: thick sweater top layer

 

Options for Base Layers

On your bottom half, a circle or a-line, vintage-style skirt is great for putting layers underneath and they look best with heavy boots. But these layers can also work with pencil skirts (if they’re not too tight!) Pick your skirts in a thicker material, such as wool, for maximum warmth.

 

Get yourself plenty of leggings. I have them now in three different levels of warmth: thin, medium-thickness and fleece-lined. You can also add a Thermasilk base layer or tights under them for extra warmth.

 

Add a pretty vintage slip. Like the Thermasilks, these add a super thin layer and the vintage ones are so pretty and affordable! You can get them in a full slip or skirt slip. The skirt version is easy to slip off and tuck in your bag if you get too warm when the heaters are on.

 

Vintage style in winter: vintage slip

Then get yourself a collection of leg warmers. I love these in winter! You can pull them over your legs when you go outside and slip them off once you’re inside, and they add so much warmth! Lastly, get some thick wool socks to keep your feet warm.

 

Vintage style in winter: leg warmers

How to Pick Your Winter Boots

Boots were a learning curve for me. I love heels, so I wanted to find snow boots with a heel. They also needed to have traction for walking on icy sidewalks – because there’s plenty of that in the wintertime. Thank goodness you can find some warm and fur-lined boots with a nice chunky heel and rubber soles with traction. Lace-up boots will be the most fitted on the leg and give you that vintage style in winter. Look for waterproof or water repellent for snowy days.

Vintage style in winter: lace up boots with heel

 

Accessories That Will Keep You Warm

Don’t forget all the little add-ons to keep you warm when you’re outside. Once inside, you can peel them all off and tuck them into your big bag. (See why I started with the big bag now?)

 

Scarves – you can go for long scarves, infinity (I like these when I wear my hair up) or cute little vintage-style knitted ascots that you can find from some crafty folks on Etsy.

 

Gloves –  basic knit gloves or mittens usually do the trick. For extra cold days, add glove liners. ThermaSilk makes some. I got mine from L.L. Bean and they can be worn as sleek gloves on their own. For snowy days you’ll want waterproof gloves or mittens – great for making snowballs!

gloves liners and mittens 

Hats – now I absolutely hate the look of ski caps, which everyone in Colorado seems to wear in winter. They smash your hair and make your head look small and flat. Instead, I opt for earmuffs, which will keep your ears warm (the main reason I need something on my head) and they won’t mess up your hairdo! I also like wool berets as a warm and stylish outfit accessory. I have a few in different colors and they give you that great vintage style in winter.

 Vintage style in winter: beret hat

 

Stylish Vintage or Practical Winter Coat?

There are so many choices for coats. For someone new to cold climates, it’s hard to know where to start. I did a few impulse buys that I’m now finding don’t work for me at all. But here’s my best advice.

 

Vintage – there are beautiful coats available in vintage stores at great prices. Most are made of wool and will keep you warm, but not dry if it’s raining or snowing. Many have real fur collars, as was the (uninformed) style a few decades ago. So watch for that if it’s something you wouldn’t want to wear. I have a good basic black vintage wool coat with no fur that goes with almost everything. If it’s wet out, I have a light, hooded rain cape I can throw over it, but usually an umbrella will do. And yes, I use an umbrella when it snows.

 

Vintage reproduction – there are lots of coats out now that are vintage-inspired and they can be dramatically beautiful. I’ve had the princess coats from Collectif on my wish list for a while. While these coats are gorgeous, I’m debating spending the money because I usually take off my coat once inside, so nobody sees it. Then I have to carry it around. They can be a lot of material and quite heavy to deal with. But they are temptingly gorgeous!

 

Utilitarian – You can’t walk around Colorado and not see almost everyone dressed in the adventure-wear brands of The North Face, Patagonia, REI and Columbia. These are the puffy parkas I swore I would never wear because I thought they made me look like the Michelin man! However, I bought a Patagonia jacket a few years ago for travel and I found out why everyone wears them. They are super lightweight. They keep you warm on lightly cold days as well as snowy days and some styles are light enough that you can smush them up into your bag to easily pack or carry around. So instead of a princess coat this year, I opted for a long coat from The North Face that is fitted at the waist and very light to carry. My thinking was I’m going to be taking it off once inside to reveal my cute outfit. Plus, I can wear it day or night as opposed to the vintage-style princess coat that I would only wear with dressy outfits. It’s been a good decision so far. I still might add that princess coat one of these days!

Girl in vintage coat

I hope these tips help you stay warm with vintage style in winter! Be sure to check out my Instagram for photos of some of my winter outfits!

Cheers,

Kastle

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It’s Raining Cocktails at Melrose Umbrella Co.

Who says it never rains in Southern California? At Melrose Umbrella Co. in West Hollywood, you can always get a good downpour of drink.

With warm lighting that glows like candlelit shadows, textured walls, exposed brick, rustic wood accents, and a homey white picket fence around the outside, the bar gives the feeling of a historic venue. It all makes sense considering the actual building went up around that time. Along the walls, 13 upside-down umbrellas are hung, a tribute to the 13 dry years of prohibition and its demise with the promise of “Many Wet Days To Come.” The bar’s logo is a silhouette of co-owner James Melrose’s grandfather, known as the Grand Old Man and the mayor of York, who regularly carried an umbrella instead of using a cane.

Melrose Umbrella Co., Los Angeles

Paying homage to the post-prohibition era and the celebration of the cocktail, Melrose Umbrella Co. offers a wide selection of craft cocktails and small bites to eat. The music is played for ambiance, not overbearing, so it’s great for conversation. The venue also offers coffee service, pastries, and sandwiches in the daytime hours. There is Wi-Fi if you want to just move in for the day – hey, my office doesn’t look this good!

Melrose Umbrella Co., Los Angeles

What I Wore

On a warm summer evening, nothing beats grabbing a refreshing cocktail in a floral vintage dress. I picked up this beauty on the East Coast and paired it with a vintage basket-weave handbag and gold mule heels. This outfit can take me day to night – just like the Melrose Umbrella Co.!

OOTD Vintage Summer Dress

What to Wear

Get out your summer florals before it’s too late with this bright splash of colorful petals on a white vintage reproduction swing dress. Pair it with a royal blue handbag and easy gold heels for an outfit that embodies the free spirit of the season! Click the links to shop* this look!

Vintage Style Summer Dress Outfit

Melrose Umbrella Co. is located at 7465 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90036

When it rains, it pours,

Kastle

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Gabba Gabba Hey! The Ramones at the Grammy Museum

Hey ho, let’s go! The Ramones have been one of my longtime favorite bands. I’ve been a punk since my high school years and this band gave me strength to let my misfit flag fly. As one of the originators of the punk movement in the late 1970’s, the Ramones are iconic for their breakneck sound mixed with hints of ‘50s bop to their look of shaggy hair, leather motorcycle jackets, torn jeans and high top black sneakers.

I was lucky enough to interview Joey Ramone in 1995, and we kept in touch after, as he emailed me about bands he was excited about until about a year before his passing from cancer in 2001. He’ll always hold a special place in my heart for inspiring the music that got me through my formative years and beyond.

Shepard Fairey Joey Ramone Portrait, Ramones Exhibit, Grammy Museum LA

Admittedly, I was late to get to this much-publicized exhibit at the Grammy Museum, put together by Johnny Ramone’s widow Linda with help from fan collections and the estate of Joey Ramone, run by his brother Mickey. But I’m so glad I caught it before it was over. Filled with loads of memorabilia including Joey’s leather jacket and Marky’s iconic black high top sneakers, handwritten lyrics, backstage passes, rare photos and much more. I loved the portraits of each member by artist Shepard Fairey and reading the behind-the-scenes notes on each album on the discography wall.

Ramone Exhibit, Grammy Museum LA

Ramones Exhibit, Grammy Museum LA

For any Ramones or punk fan, this is exhibit is worth catching in its last week at the Grammy Museum.

What I Wore

While punk is about tough leather and all black, which Joey told me, “Hey, we wear all black because it gets dirty walking around New York City!” Punk also had a thing for the dorky coolness of a striped t-shirt, so my striped sweater was in order. (You can’t see but I do have a Ramones t-shirt on underneath!) And what better place to wear some rebel leggings by Christopher Lee Sauve for Ona Saez that I picked up in Buenos Aires (of all places!), a black mini skirt and some Chelsea boots.

Stiletto City at Ramone Exhibit, Grammy Museum LA

What to Wear

You just gotta have a moto jacket to achieve the punk look but why not give it girly twist in a powder blue color. The requisite Ramones t-shirt also gets an update with some sparkle lettering. And nobody is going to mess with you when you have spikes on your skinny black jeans and classic Dr. Martens combat boots. Click the links to shop this look.

punk look

 

The Grammy Museum is located at 800 W Olympic Blvd A245, Los Angeles, CA 90015. The Ramones and the Birth of Punk runs through February 28.

Punk lives!

Kastle

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