SHOP UPDATE

Hi Guys! This vintage cuteness is all in the shop right now. Click on the pictures to get the full details!

I have to say the blue stove pipe pants are my favorite, I have been looking for a pair for me that fits my hips properly because these have the tendency to make them look bigger!

Our shop: Gisela&Zoe

Gisela

GIRL SCOUT

Woo-hoo! I'm back and up and running. Thanks for all the well wishes on Facebook and Twitter. For those of you who may not know, we got hit "big time" by the Santa Anita winds in Los Angeles County. The hardest hit area being Pasadena only 10 minutes away from where we live. Our little town of Sierra Madre looked like a ghost town with power lines down, trees toppled down everywhere, roofs, fences and signs destroyed and cars smashed by trees. It felt as if we got hit by a hurricane minus all the rain. Zoe and I were pretty scared because we have a big tree directly in front of our home. I could barely sleep a wink with all the wind noise and items flying across our roof all the while praying that the tree would not fall down on us; thank God it did not. I had completely forgotten what strong winds can do, being that I went through hurricane Andrew in 1992, one of South Florida's worst storms. We were in shock when we went outside and saw all the destruction. A good chunk of  L.A. was with out electricity for days, we having been with out it for about 28 hours. We mostly hung out with friends and neighbors, a little R & R despite the situation. California sure has many natural disasters stacked up against it, wild fires, winds, tsunamis, and earthquakes, yeesh!

Well, on this day I felt a bit like a girl scout. Mostly because my skirt color reminds me of the Girl Scouts Uniform bottoms color and my Marc Jacobs tee with it's handkerchief print is another Girl Scout staple. The only thing missing was the beret and sash! 

I love, love, love high-waist bottoms as I've mentioned here before and this skirt was the perfect high-waist length for me. I also really like the strong a-line silhouette and the side button detail. I had planned on designing a few kitschy printed skirts just like this, and am hoping I could as part of my hand made line that I would like to have along with my ready to wear designs. But I'm still contemplating on it, not sure if it would be to much. What do you guys think? There is also a cool chill in the air so I paired it with these powdered blue ribbed tights. A little contrast against all the browns.

TOP: printed tee circa 2007. Marc, by Marc Jacobs

BOTTOMS: a-line high waist skirt. Vintage 1970s, thrift

TIGHTS: powdred blue ribbed tights. DKNY, thrift

SHOES: platform sandals. Target

RING: antique. gift 

Photos by Zoe

 

 

Wishing you all a great start of the week!

Gisela

FALL LEAVES

 

A little vitamin D from the sun is always a good thing. When you work from home and your computer faces the window, the outside world calls out and it's hard to resist. I like going outside after being indoors for most of the day, sometimes most of the week, and feeling the sun on my face. Just standing there feeling the sun’s rays, if only for a minute, is so refreshing and energizing; especially while taking in all the beautiful surrounding colors. Who would of thought Los Angeles was only palm trees and city with no seasons. I'm glad that a little season comes to visit us here in Southern California although it'll soon be leaving us (hence my clever title....pun intended).

This is Outfit 2 of my "wear or purge" closet challenge. Here I'm wearing high waist polyester Levi's pants, a favorite of mine for it's high-waist fit, although I wouldn't mind changing the fabrication; and my favorite space dyed Missoni-like cardigan which I borrowed from my best friend Viv in high-school (circa 92) and never returned (along with a few other items..love you Viv)!

top: heathered tank top, Urban Outfitters

outerwear: vintage 70s space dyed cardigan, Viv

bottoms: vintage 70s high-waist Levis, thrift

accessories: antique over-sized ring, gift

shoes: clogs, Mia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gisela

NATURE WALK

 

The forest behind our home takes my imagination to a world of woodland fairytale creatures right out of a childhood storybook. It makes you feel as if fairies would be fluttering around and a troll is under the bridge; it is quite magically picturesque. But, as I was trekking up to reach this area, I let out a big gasp as I looked down and saw a rattlesnake slithering along only one foot away from me (I almost stepped on it)! A breathtaking moment in a very bad way. As you go into the forest you read the notices posted about what to watch out for in these parts, and you are also warned never to leave the path. This sighting was my first encounter and I realized how important those notices really are!

I felt my outfit fit right in with the surrounding landscape. It is my favorite vintage corduroy dress which I've had since I was 16, and I’m still wearing it 18 years later! Wow, that just made me think....time does go by quickly. I'm wearing it with cable knit olive tights by Donna Karen that I got at a thrift store for $2. Tis the season for colored tights, one of my favorite fall/winter staples.
 

dress: vintage 70's corduroy patchwork jumper dress, thrift store

top: simple tee, Banana Republic from thrift store

accessories: cable knit tights, Donna Karen from thrift store, floral over-sized ring, F21

shoes: platform sandals, Mossimo / Target

I've also given myself a challenge starting with this post. I realize how many clothes and shoes I own which I never wear, and feel a big need to purge in order to make life a little simpler. So, I will be getting very creative with myself and I am going to try to wear every piece of clothing I own in my closet. If I don't feel inspired to wear it or just really see myself never wearing it again, I'm donating it! No more holding on to things that are just making a very comfortable home in the closet. It's also a way of seeing just how much I really need. I love fashion as many of us chica's do, but I don't need allot of everything.

Outfit 1.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gisela

RAYS OF LIGHT

 

To my surprise, I captured the last beams of light breaking through the trees just as day was coming to an end, now practically at 4:00 p.m.! It was not my intention but I really like how they came out. I already had the blog post name in my mind having thought of calling it black on black; due to the layering of a black sweater over a black button up shirt, plus my jeans. I went for the more obvious name, and how pretty are natures colors, just amazing. Looks as winter has come upon us here in sunny southern California as well. I'm not quite ready to embrace it, especially the heating bill; but I am enjoying bringing out my boots and sweaters!

TOP: vintage 70s button up, thrift

SWEATER: vintage 60s mens sweater, thrift

JEANS: Abbey Dawn, company i used to work for

BOOTS: vintage 70s, ebay

ACCESSORIES: vintage 60s Pierre Cardin wool handbag, thrift

                              over-sized onyx & gold ring, F21

 

Gisela

HIGH WAIST POLY

I love my high waist polyester pants. Their are very few you would like to wear due to the lack of air that goes through them and in dead heat they feel yucky; but this one along with another pair I have are among my favorite pants that I have yet to see be replicated as slacks. When my mom saw me wearing these for the first time she had a flashback letting me know that these were among her favorite pants in the 70s and she had them in many colors; of course my only thought was why she had not kept them! I actually always wanted to remake these and wanted to incorporated into my first collection, but just a couple of months ago Free People had jeans just like this as far as the 2 side zippers. Of course they had beat me to the punch although they were jeans and not slacks. I may just still eventually do them because I really like the pocket and contrast stitching along with the 2 side zipper closure; the fit just needs to be made to perfection.

I paired it with a men's vintage tuxedo shirt that had a horrendous collar which I just cut out and wear it as a raw neck finish. I loved the tight fit so I made it work for me. I pin the shirt down with one of my favorite pins ever, a Betsey Johnson circa 1994. It's a vintage little girl with Betsey's name in it, got it back when I worked there; one of a few pieces I will never let go although they fit no longer. Maybe Zoe will eventually want them, fingers crossed. Lastly I paired it with vintage oxfords. Lately I've been in a men's wear kick, it's definitely one of my favorite styles.

top: vintage men tuxedo shirt, thrift
pants: 70s high waist slacks, thrift
accessories: vintage inspired little girls pin, Betsey Johnson circa 94
shoes: 80s black oxfords, thrift

 

Gisela