What's In My Closet - Pastiche's Funky Fashions

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This Grandmother Loves Funky Fashions, Retro Clothing and Vintage Styles

Funky fashions and unique clothes have always been my favorites. I don't know when I fell in love with wearing clothing that was a little off-beat or ahead of the pack. I remember going to a wedding with my grandmother when I was about 4 years old and being fascinated with the taffeta dresses and elbow length fingerless gloves worn by the bridesmaids. As a preschooler I loved wearing "slacks" and overall pants and wonderful hand-knit sweaters - no dresses for me to play outdoors! But I liked special frocks - I looked forward to selecting a special bonnet and party dress every spring at Easter time.

As a teen I fell in love with mini skirts, boots and my Dad's navy pea coat. I loved wearing a wonderful red cape and knee high apres ski boots that resembled Uggs plus my leather riding boots. And after I got to be the same size as my mother I could share fashions with her, including a pair of faux suede skinny pants ... funny, sixties fashions are all the rage again!

Oh, and that picture up there? Yeah, that's me - in 1995. Today I still have and wear all those funky clothes - and I'm still trying to control my wild hair with a funky hat.

One note: I do own a wardrobe of mom and grandma clothes - lots of business clothes, designer suits and haute couture dresses as well as jeans, tee shirts, skirts, sweaters and blouses. But my funky fashions are still my favorite fun clothes. They help me maintain my reputation as the hippie grandma ...

Added bonus: With all these funky clothes in my closet, I have a never-fail resource whenever an occasion calls for dressing up in rock-star glam or masquerade costume.

Rock Star Glam is Easy with Funky Fashions

Knit dress, silk scarf, tights, boots, gloves and a vintage tuxedo jacket ...

Pastiche on Martha's Vineyard, 1995

My fashion passion started when I was a toddler, and blossomed in my teens. As a teenager I started to sew my own clothes. I convinced my Dad to let me "inherit" his WWII navy pea jacket which went smashingly with my hiphugger bell bottom jearns in the late 1960's. They still go just right together and I love wearing 'em.

My favorite shopping boutiques were thrift stores - and still are. In junior high I cut the sleeves off sweatshirts, added trims and embroidery and patches to jeans and stitched patchwork into all sorts of clothing and accessories. I created many belts, accessories and bags from fiber, leather and recycled clothing.

Join me on a tour of the funky fashion section of my closet. Who knows? My closet tour may inspire your own fashion style, trigger a trip down memory lane or give you some ideas for a retro masquerade costume!

Long, lean silk scarf

Loop around neck or tie into fancy knots

A silk scarf in long and lean lengths can be worn in so many ways

Chiffon Buttefly Print on Light Turquoise - Silk Long Scarf 21" x 66"

Amazon Price: (as of 02/16/2012)Buy Now

Drape a long silk scarf around your neck like a cowl, double it and tie it into a shorter length, let it hang loose, wear it as a sash or head scarf, or knot it into a necklace.

Accessories Make a Fashion Statement

Scarves, belts, gloves, handbags

The final element to making a big statement with personal style is with accessories. Even when I travel I take along favorite scarves, bags and belts to create many looks from a single outfit. My favorite accessory is gloves ...

Opera Gloves

Black Fashion Gloves - Sexy, Elegant, Timeless

I love my elegant and sexy black satin elbow-length opera gloves.

23" Classic Long Opera Length Satin Gloves - Black

Amazon Price: $7.89 (as of 02/16/2012)Buy Now
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Little Black Dress

Knit and form-fitting sexy basic

If you have a sleeveless knit black dress in your closet you can dress it up or down with funky accessories, shoes and scarves. Dress like a rock star or business executive depending on your accessories.

bebe Open Back Ribbed Turtleneck Dress

Amazon Price: (as of 02/16/2012)Buy Now

Wearable, versatile, washable and oh, so comfortable without sacrificing style or glamor ... dress it up or down depending on what you wear with it, a black knit dress is a funky fashion must.

Formal Fashions - Fur Coat, Tuxedo

I wore this vintage tuxedo with velvet lapels to my older daughter's wedding in 1997. To complete this formal outfit I designed and sewed a blue taffeta cumberbund and wore a lace body suit. The final touches were black velvet pumps and burgundy velvet gloves.

I found a black nutria pelt fur coat in a resale shop near Kutztown University about 15 years ago. It's tiny - just about a size 4 - and I loved wearing it to the opera that evening. I'm saving the fur coat for my granddaughter, who also loves to dress up in fancy clothes and has a huge collection of fun fashions in her closet already (she's 8 years old). To be honest, I don't like the idea of fur coats. If it hadn't been recycled, I doubt that I would have purchased a fur coat.

Long Tail Tuxedo Jacket

Lady Gaga Just Copied My Style

I've got 2 tuxedo jackets in my fashion collection - both are vintage.

Broadway Tuxedo Jacket

Amazon Price: (as of 02/16/2012)Buy Now

For any time you want to make a fashion statement, wear a tuxedo jacket, with or without tails.

Capes!

My black bat wing cape dress is one of my favorite fashions. I can wear it as a shawl, a dress or a cape depending on how I wrap it and whether or not I use the sleeves. I can add a belt or tie a scarf around the waist. Sometimes I wear it as a tunic over leggings or tights - with my tall black taffeta boots. Think Stevie Nicks style ...

Sporting events and concerts at big outdoor stadium venues can be freezing cold if you live in the Northern climes. My floor-length fake-fur cape with hood is perfect for late season football games, New Year's Day parades, or concerts in cooler weather. It's also perfect for sitting around a campfire, carriage- or sleigh-riding. There's even enough room to keep a couple grandkids toasty warm on a snowy day.

Sexy Leggings

A FashionistaWardrobe Basic

Funky fashions basic - black leggings to wear with tunics, sweaters, shorts or dresses.

Pieced Leatherette Leggings - BLACK (S)

Amazon Price: (as of 02/16/2012)Buy Now

These faux leather leggings are tres chic, with fashion detailing.

Sew Your Own - Make a Fashion Statement

In my early twenties I worked in a fabric store and with the generous discount I could afford to sew cutting edge fashions of my own design. I made most of my own dresses, skirts and vests. At about the same time I started to accumulate a vast collection hats, sweaters and jackets from friends, family and resale shops. My girls wore custom fashions from birth because I loved to sew and could recycle clothes, scraps, tablecloths and sheets into little girls jumpers, shortalls and dresses easily.

I spent hours at the sewing machine making tiny versions of adult clothing or cutting up adult clothes to use the fabrics for children's fashions. I embroidered decorations and trims on baby shirts, onesies and infant hats. I still decorate denim and baby clothes with embroidery and applique, only now I do these fashion crafts for my grandchildren.

Short Black Boots

My Go-to Shoes!

I wear my ankle boots with skirts, leggings, suits or jeans.

Dolce Vita Women's Jasper Boot,Black,6 M US

Amazon Price: (as of 02/16/2012)Buy Now

When I travelled to Japan on business I took 3 pair of shoes: black mid heel pumps, black ankle boots and jogging shoes.

Groovy Grandma

As a grandmother, I see no reason to curb my passion for funky fashion. I love to wear unique clothing, although at times I get a few looks because "I'm too old for that."

But that's no matter to me; I'm an artist and fashion is one way I express my personal style: I wore a vintage tuxedo to my older daughter's wedding and I'm almost always in boots or sandals unless the occasion demands a more conservative fashion style.

My days in the corporate world are behind me - I still have the pinstriped suits, silk blouses and designer dresses to remind me of the "good old days" when I was jetting all over the world managing budgets, projects and deadlines but had no time for a real life or my artwork. They're all safely stashed away for another decade or so when I'll offer them to my grand daughters as vintage clothes or sell them on e-Bay.

Pastiche's Closet

A few of my rather unusual vintage clothing pieces

Funky Junk Fashions and Home Decorating

Hats have always been one of my favorite fashion accessories.

I shop in thrift stores and second hand boutiques, not just for fashions but also for home decorating objects and yes, I even buy gifts at the flea market.
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Style is a State of Mind - Fun, Funky Fashions

Where to find and buy vintage clothing, military surplus

When I travel I like to visit vintage clothing stores, thrift shops and surplus military outlets to check out their stock of hip and funky clothing.
Vintage Clothing and Military Surplus Clolthing
Online vintage clothing military surplus and retro fashion store.
Unique Vintage - Prom Dresses, Vintage Clothing, Flapper Dresses, Celebrity Inspired Dresses - Prom Dresses, Pinup dresses, Rockabilly dresses, prom dress
Unique Vintage Prom Dresses, Vintage Clothing, Flapper Dresses, Celebrity Inspired Dresses - Prom Dresses, Pinup dresses, Rockabilly dresses, prom dress

Women's Retro Fashion Buys

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Military Surplus - My Favorite Casual Fashion Finds

I have a basic collection of military clothing: British camo in forest and desert patterns, USMC camo pants, an olive drab field jacket with removeable quilted lining, and a German military canvas coat with hood and zip out pile liner for cold weather. The olive drab jacket is a favorite in our household - my husband also likes to wear it!

Militaria and Military Surplus Fashions

e-Bay is a treasure trove of military surplus, both for the serious collector and the hip fashion frugalista. The favorite of college students and hunters, military clothing and accessories are built to strict standards, are washable, durable and have classic details.
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Learn a Little More About Pastiche

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Japanese Baseball Shirts

I've got two offical Japanese baseball team shirts that I added to my collection in the late 1990's. I'm not certain when these were issued, but they look authentic. Cool, no?

Hello Funky Fashionista - What's Your Style Signature?

I love my off beat funky fashion style - what say you?

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Rocket Mom Fashionistas

My fellow Rocket Moms shared some of their closet secrets and favorite fashions. Check out these cool "what's in your closet" lenses.
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Pastiche

Graphic artist who designs and shares clip art, coloring pages and unique paper crafts at Clip Art and Crafts, Lee Hansen Graphics, and Pastiche Family... more »

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More about Pastiche 

Squidoo Geek Grannie, 20th Century G33k Grrl

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Boot Lust 

I have more boots than shoes ...

RIVER ROAD ZIP HARNESS BT BRN W8

Amazon Price: $169.95 (as of 02/16/2012)Buy Now

I am always in boots, except when I am swimming or jogging.