Happy New Year and Lots More...

Well, it certainly has been a while since I last posted. Lot's of things have happened since October when I left for Washington D.C. Like...I got back from D.C! It was quite a trip...I probably didn't get to see as many sights as I wanted to, but from what I saw...D.C. is alright. Of course, it is also terribly over-priced and oddly/creepily empty on weekday nights, but it's alright.

I got back just before christmas and reopened the shop! Over winter break, I spent time at home in New York, then at my boyfriend's home in Connecticut, and now I'm back up in Worcester...I had a lovely new year's eve party with some friends and now I'm back at school. Even though the term has become (and I am overloading with my classes), I've been doing tons of things for fancy dress parade.

I did a small photo shoot with some friends (thanks a bunch!), who were absolutely terrific with the whole modeling thing. I've included some of these new photos in the new listings (up in the shop now!) and created a flash website for fancy dress parade to feature a lookbook!!
Check it out HERE!

Pretty soon, I will be doing some major updates to the shop! I have a huge inventory just waiting to be listed and all I have to do is find the time to photograph, measure, and describe each piece....I will find the time!
I will!

Here are a few pieces that will be showing up in the shop soon...in addition to so much more!
(Excuse the heavy editing, haha.)

Come and See...

...fancy dress parade in real life!! (not just on the interwebs!)

This coming Sunday, (October 17th, 2010) I will be at the Lancaster Flea Market from 8am to 4pm. I'm going to be in booth B41...so if you are in the area and would like to stop and say hi or just buy some great vintage...by all means, please come! I'm going to have LOADS of stuff...not just the stuff currently up in the shop...much, much more.

In the past week or so, I've been trying to create a "brand" for myself...let's just say its been quite a bit of work (especially with finals week fast approaching). But I'm really really excited! 

Hope to see you there!  

September Wishlist

Boy, even with a part-time job and the shop, I still can't afford anything. As I said before, I'm currently saving up to buy a camera...and so clothes are off limits! But, if I had some extra dough to spend...here is exactly what I would buy.

Zara: $39.90

So this dress is completely amazing! And decently priced! Someone might have to stop me from buying it in all three colors...but, I doubt anyone will because it's just that amazing. Ahh...just simple polka dots, peter pan collars, and fall colors...

Madewell:  $188 Topshop:  $125 Madwell: $88 Topshop: $100

I know everyone has been abuzz lately about the Alexa Chung for Madewell collection, so I thought I'd add my two cents, too. It's beautiful! There was some stupid article online depicting celebrities looking "terrible" and she was it it! The author wrote that they couldn't understand why she was considered a fashion icon. Well, if you can't understand it, then you don't deserve to know! The collection is a bit pricey however...so I don't think I'll be getting my hands on those lovely velvet shorts anytime soon. The two pairs of shoes are from Topshop...I'm still on the hunt for that perfect black wedge...and who doesn't like richly colored leather loafers?

ASOS: $126.38 Topshop: $160 ASOS: $16.85 Topshop: $170

Here are some more UK finds from ASOS and Topshop.  Khaki seems to be really popular this season and it is one of those colors that has just taken over my brain! I've never been one to really wear much green, so I guess I'm making up for it now! I've gotten a winter coat from ASOS in the past, and while they are on the cheaper end on the winter coat pricing spectrum, they do not lack in quality at all!
This reindeer headband is really quite adorable...I think I might try and replicate it for a future shoot, instead of paying and enormous amount of money for this leather one! To go with my winter coat, I think I might get this beanie! The enormous pompom on top is the best! And lastly...here is a nice unattainable leather satchel.

Time to get back to writing the background chapter for my proposal on "Fire Safety in Green Products." Fun times.

Back to School

Well, today was my first day of classes...and to be honest, I'm very excited. My classes seem somewhat challenging and enjoyable, which is great, but most of all...I am filled with anticipation for my term in Washington D.C.! This term, I will be writing a project proposal for my time in D.C...for a project I will be assigned by Monday this week! AHHH!!! It's going to be a lot of work...but secretly I kind of crave the stress and pressure that comes with a project of this magnitude. I know, I'm sick. Hopefully, my school work and my job will not cut too much into my fancy dress parade time...got to stay strong!
Well, besides classes and all that, I've been having a pretty good time with store. As you may notice, there have been and will be steady updates every three or four days.  I have tons of stuff all photographed and ready to list...so check back regularly.

Also, I have a fantastic story to tell about the wonders of thrifting...but it deserves its own post.
...Until then!

August Wishlist

Here's the August wishlist...if I could I would have weekly wishlists (because that better reflects my shopping habits in real life, heh), but I think that would be very time consuming. So here are some of my favorites for this lovely transition period that is coming upon us.

1. ASOS $53.90 2. ASOS $75.80 3.  Anthropologie $80 4. ModCloth $68.99
Wear white while you still can! To be honest, I'm not sure if I believe that whole "don't wear white after labor day" thing..mostly because I'm not a huge fan of wearing just plain white. But I can see myself wearing this cream colored peter pan collared dress all year round (though the long sleeves might be hot in the summer).  These shoes are also fantastic...I think the black ones are out of stock no (boo...), but they also come in taupe  and a lovely shade of pink.  This ring is so cool! I love the awkward tension created by the balancing sphere. And isn't this lovely faux fur hood just the greatest! I don't think I survive without it this winter.

1. ASOS $53.90 2. Anthropologie  $148 3. ModCloth $99.99 4. Anthropologie $78
I've noticed that bird prints have gotten somewhat popular this season, as well as sheer collared shirts...so I think this shirt is a lovely compromise. I have also been looking for a good pair of oxfords to carry me through the fall and winter.  I am going away to Washington D.C for a term this fall and need to professional-ize my wardrobe. I think that these would make a great everyday shoe. This Mod Cloth dress is fantastic! The assymetrical scallops are squiggly and delicate in the most perfect way.  If I actually save up the money and buy anything on this list it would be this awesome grey bow sweater.  I think I need to see it in person though...maybe it's too much?

Ahhh...it'll never be enough.

I'm Too Excited To Sleep

Listening to: "Double Vision" by 3OH!3 Listen!

Maybe it's this terribly infectious pop song that makes me dance all around my room like no one is watching (hopefully, no one is watching), or the fact that I have a huge update in store for this week, or maybe even the fact that I just spent all night cleaning my room and it's too nice to sleep in now...I'm yawning, but I'm contemplating pulling an all-nighter for no reason whatsoever.

I passed my road test today. Yes, I'm a late bloomer when it came to driving, but growing up in New York, it never really seemed all that important. I have driver's license now and can't wait to join the countless masses in increasing the number of near death experiences I have every day. I should be a little more positive about this right? Yes. Driving is good to get where you need to be. And now I can get where I need to be. TA-DA!

Before I took my road test I was wildly nervous and decided that I needed some kind of crafty activity to keep my mind off things. And so I made a lovely flower crown (something of a trend these days) for the photo shoot this week.  I love the colors...they make me think of the transition from summer to fall...

What funny lookin' photos.

And the Winner Is...

...#4, also known as Chaucee! Congratulations! Woooooo!!

I will be in touch very soon...and then mail out your dress!!

In other news, I made an incredibly successful trip to Savers today, picking up six dresses for the shop! And since I will be able to do my next photo shoot this weekend, it is likely that all of my new items will be hitting the store this coming week!! I'm so excited and have so much to show you!

I will also have so much more time on my hands for the shop, since I just completed my internship in a lab over at UMASS medical...It was a great experience, but I'm kind of glad its over. School is only three weeks away!!

I can't wait!!

Not Much, Not Much

Well, I don't have too much too post right now...Not that nothing is happening; I'm just lazy. Here, I will give you a one sentence re-cap of my week. Worked a lot at the lab and the deli, went to IKEA yesterday (one of my favorite places) to buy some things for the house, got a flat tire on the highway on the way there, got one of the worst migraines of my life, drove fifty on the way home (being careful with the spare tire) and got stopped by cops for driving too slow (cops are terrible).
My dad told me once that a man was suing the New York Police Department because they would not allow him to become a police officer on the basis that he scored too high on an intelligence test. Think about it.

This weekend I'm probably going to take the photos for some of my late summer/fall clothing. I will post these as soon as I can. Also...wish me luck on my road test on Thursday!

So...don't forget to enter the giveaway! Only three days left.

Fancy Dress Parade's One Month Anniversary GIVEAWAY!

Yay!! Aren't GIVEAWAYS just so much fun? This adorable cotton dress has a big chest pocket, a drop-waist skirt, key-hole button closure, and fits a whole range of sizes (B:36", W:35", with stretch) !! It's comfortable and wearable all year round.

To enter, visit the Fancy Dress Parade etsy shop, here, and leave a comment on this blog post about an item you like the best! Also, Don't forget to leave an email address, so I can contact you if you win!! 
Become a follower of the blog and I'll give you an additional entry! 

The winner will be chosen using a random number generator at 10pm (EST) on July 29th, 2010!!

Sorry, this contest is only available to U.S. residents!

Mainly Maine II

So I'm back from my short vacation in Maine....and now it's time to get back to work. I've gotten quite a few inquiries about items while I was away, and I just want to thank those people for their interest (though they probably won't read this)! It makes me believe that I'm doing the right thing and am not wasting my money (hooray!).
Here are some photos I'd like to share from the trip. It was a lot of fun...
On the trip up we stopped at the first rest stop in Maine; while I caressed the lovely green lobster, someone else did something slightly less appropriate.

Our July 4th was crowded and hot, but just as magical as it was last year (at least it wasn't thunder storming). Tons of people flocked to Bar Harbor and covered the shoreline with blankets and lawn chairs...or just sat on the ground or on the rocks of the beach. Perhaps next year, we will watch the show from the water.

 We saw a new kind of firework that we hadn't seen before....It was like a sparkler and a willow tree firework combined. It was great! When we got home, we had some fireworks of our own...

The next day we went to Cadillac Mountain....I've been there what seems like a million times, but it pretty much never gets old.  From the top you can see all the surrounding islands, the bar, the town, pretty houses, and all the little lobster boats.

After that, we decided to return to Southwest Harbor to complete our raspberry pie mission. We returned repeatedly to the Little Notch Bakery to no avail...Luckily we got it on our last day...unfortunately I have no pictures of said pie, because we basically devoured it on sight. Well, after we left the bakery pie-less, we drove to Manset and went to play at the dock.

Sunset was approaching (though slowly) and so we decided to then drive to the lighthouse.  There was this huge this huge tree that had fallen over and been uprooted. The shoreline was beautiful, but as always, scared me a little bit, because I never wear the right shoes for any situation and afraid of slipping and falling.

On the way home, we stopped at an alpaca farm. I love alpaca...why? They are soft, gentle, they've got big eye lashes, and they don't make too much noise. The perfect pet! If I ever have a spare $12,000...I'll get myself a nice peach colored alpaca. There was a really cute one named Mimosa...the alpaca farmer saw her in the barn and exclaimed, "Mimosa, you've got poop on you!!" We also tried on some alpaca wool hats!

I think it looked better on me. Ahhh, well....time to go back to work. All I can think about is school right now...only two months left until school starts again.
Hopefully, I will squeeze out another shop update this weekend. I've got plenty of dresses, but no model, so I might give hangers a try!

Wishful Remembering

I've been quite taken by the Morning Benders for some time now...they recently had a free concert on Governor's Island in New York City and I'm so sad that I couldn't go because of work-type obligations... I was so psyched for it, too, because Governor's Island is quite possibly one of my favorite, lesser known places in New York.  Determined to go on a picnic with real grass and sun, my friends and I (sometime before the start of eleventh grade? earlier? later? who can say?) woke up early, made/bought delicious foods, and took the free ferry over to the island. While there isn't really much there, aside from a few Coast Guard buildings, there is plenty of grass and spectacular views of the water and city skyline. We had a particularly good spot and it was a great day!! We wanted to make it into some kind of yearly tradition, but sadly that never happened. What did happen? Who can say?
So anyways, the Morning Benders are fantastic, and not just because the lead singer/song writer is likely to be half-asian. Check out these two videos below.


Yours Truly Presents: The Morning Benders "Excuses" from Yours Truly on Vimeo.


Yourstru.ly Presents: The Morning Benders "Stitches" from Yours Truly on Vimeo.

Memory Fabric

Here it is! The first post! I figured that if I'm going to open an online vintage shop on Etsy, why not start a style blog, too? I'm pretty sure that I'm embarking on something that is going to be a lot more work than I even realize, but possibly also very fun. Hopefully.

So, I don't have any outfit photos yet, but I can tell you a little bit about myself. I don't think I discovered or even cared about fashion until I was fourteen. By then, I had already passed through my punk/teenage rebel and tomboy phases and was ready to look like an adult, whatever that means. But my quest for grown-up clothes led me down an interesting path of twists and turns, and I became more interested in what was different and unique. Going to high school in Manhattan certainly had something to do with it. What that something is, I'm not quite sure, but for now I will refer to it as a "feeling." It was this feeling I got from the culture and the people I grew up with and complete fashionable strangers...that it was important to dress for yourself. So much of who I am goes into what I decide to wear on different days, that I've come to understand fashion as being one of the most important forms of self expression. People form their likes and dislikes and preferences from memories and experience...so, if you think about it, every clothing item is made out of some kind of awesome memory fabric.

And that's why vintage appeals to me. There is a story behind each piece that you can only guess at. The mystery is exciting!

So there's tons of stuff to come if you choose to keep reading. Soon, I think I will post a preview of some shop items and shop photos.

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