teddy girl

Jeans: vintage Guess from Up Six ; Saddle shoes: Payless ; Jacket: H&M ; Sweater: GAP ; necklace: my grandmother's
Yesterday, my gal pal Carrie and I headed over to the Snelling/Selby intersection of St. Paul to do some vintage shopping. We stopped into one of my favourite shops, Up Six, specializing in mid-century clothes, furniture, and housewares. Whenever I visit Up Six, I spend a good 20 minutes deliberating about whether or not I should buy an item or two. Yesterday I walked away with this beautiful pair of Guess jeans and am now harvesting a deep regret about not snatching up a pair of perfect '70s bell bottoms with a tag that says, "Great Scott!" on the bum. I'm going back for them this week. But let's talk about these jeans: wonderful! It's like they were made for me. Perfect length and perfect waist-hip ratio. It's rare that vintage pants fit me so well. The crotches are usually way too long or the bum pooches out funny. Never a good look. But this pair of Guess jeans are a dream and make me feel like Susan Sarandon in Thelma & Louise (which is to say, I feel like I can kick some major butt, while driving a T-bird).
However, instead of going the '90s summer bad girl route, I went the '50s teddy girl look, in large part because it's been gloomy and 40 degrees all day. This summer though? '90s grunge all day every day.




I suppose that I actually went for a bit more of a Grease look than a classic teddy girl look. I couldn't do simply a blazer in the cold weather  - a coat was necessary, as was a sweater. I broke out the saddle shoes for the first time in several months, which resulted in blisters all over my feet and a reminder that I need a fresh pair, as the soles of these ones are worn through.
Okay maybe this look isn't teddy girl-ish at all, but that was what it was inspired by, so what can I say? The more I look at these photos, the more it seems as if I'm actually trying out for the role of Danny Zuko in a gender-reversed production of Grease. If only I was wearing my Rydell High tee shirt, cause you can bet that I have one!











What are you guys doing this week? My Sunday nights are always spent watching PBS - Call the Midwife being my absolute fave, but The Bletchley Circle is back tonight, which is great. I love any and all shows featuring strong women who defy men and use their brains to do whatever they want. Our media needs more of that, and I'm glad that PBS delivers. My parents get home from their vacation tomorrow evening, so I'll be spending the day cleaning the house and making a big dinner for when they get home - I'll also be sharing my favourite soup recipe on the blog, so check back for that!
Right now my cat Gogo is headbutting me, assuming that he deserves endless ear rubs and my blog deserves nothing. I love this cat to pieces, so I suppose I should finish this up and give him (and The Bletchley Circle) my undivided attention. I hope that your week is full of warmth and cute cats. Come back tomorrow for that soup recipe and more of my unrelenting wit xx