throwback thursday: cousins in rompers + 90s neon.

from standing on shoulders to standing beside each other on wedding days, this #tbt - and tomorrow's #mff - is dedicate to the best group of cousins ever (and my aunt for sending me these priceless pics from our trip to the keys!). 

sadly i can't be with them on thanksgiving this year, but i just booked my tickets to florida for christmas and can't wait to see these goofy faces at the "kids' table."

a lot of my fashion sense (at least i hope it's not a lack thereof) came from getting my "big girl cousin's" hand-me-downs. i only wish she still had this romper to pass it along now. it was the bomb. i can totally see it belted with some sheer tights, a leather jacket and boots. instead, now i'm passing along my rad style to her daughter - my goddaughter - as you may remember from an old post.

but it wasn't just her sporting the iconic 90s look. how about this dope neon look on the dudes? all that's missing is ac slater's mullet. such a safe activity we're taking part in, too.

and then there's me. i guess nothing has changed...always talking...even when i'm half asleep.

p.s. i guess this is a big week for nkotb...this is the third time i've alluded to them. pretty sure both ash and i are idolizing them on our shirts in this photo. donnie wahlberg...my sis says wassup.

rock 'n' ruffles.

one of my favorite brands is also the creator of one of my favorite blogs. free people's bldg 25 is my go-to read for horoscopes, beauty diy projects, home and wardrobe styling ideas, and even gluten-free recipes...so pretty much everything. 

just when i thought it couldn't get any better, one of the bloggers, "fpjana," revealed these killer dresses last week (and so sweetly allowed me to borrow the photos!).

photo credit: fpjana on free people's bldg 25

the perfect blend of old school rock t-shirts and feminine fringe, ruffles and tutus, i'm really developing an unhealthy love for them...which is not so good for me - or my husband - considering they round up to $200.

according to jana, the limited edition vintage t-shirt renewal dress collection is an in-house collaboration between the brand's vintage loves and we the free lines. 

photo credit: fpjana on free people's bldg 25

i'm going to add one (or two, since i can't decide between the pink or black skirt) to my christmas wish list this year. until then, they'll continue to make my heart skip a few beats and i'll just have to pair my guy's 80s gnr tees with some tule.

~~~~~

side note: if you choose to "pin" any of these images, please link back to the original source. thanks!

tales from the flea: holiday shopping i'm thankful for.

who needs black friday when you have the third sunday? 

the long beach antique market is simply magical. i opted to do some of my holiday shopping there this year, and while i didn't find all that i wanted, i did come home feeling satisfied with my purchases. from $1 nostalgia-inducing stocking stuffers, to a legit gas mask for a video game-loving nephew (i'm feeling pretty confident that he doesn't read my blog), i'd say it was a success.

the belle of this ball was a sweet and sparkly top that was introduced to me at the darling brandee tucker's booth, harlem ragshop 1934. 

it was pretty inexpensive too, which even though i just consigned a small portion of my closet, was a necessary element in my purchase since i'm prepping for the holidays and the trip back to florida. i'm thinking this is going to be the signature piece in my christmas outfit.

i also picked up a romantic, flowing frock that is perfect for my new gypsy lifestyle, even if the wandering is only around los angeles, and the blooming seasons are over for a while. the silhouette and somewhat sheer fabric is enchanting...it's practically made to wear with a floral crown. i'll post photos as soon as i can get a good pic.

but it's not all about the feminine fashion. i actually spent most of my day browsing the men's racks and grabbed this cool coat for my guy...

here are some of the other fun finds that caught my attention today:

there were some celeb sightings too, but you'll have to come next time to see for yourself. meet me at the #lbflea dec. 15.

five 90s toys that shaped today's style.

today i read a story that reminded me that every kid has a few special toys that will stick with him or her for life. if not in reality, then at least in the best of memories. and not only that, but they help shape the future adult that kid will turn out to be. for me, those toys are:

1. puffalump, which looked just like this one. like whoever posted this ebay listing, i have no idea what kind of what animal it was supposed to be, but it didn't matter. mine was from 1986, but it was still a part of my nightly sleeping habits in the 90s. i still have this one. minus the dress...and a lot of the stuffing.

 photo credit: bruser917 on ebay

2. puppy surprise. ok, so this one is kinda creepy when you think about it. it's a stuffed mama dog that has a hole in its belly where little kids can remove baby puppies like some kind of weird c-section. but i loved it. my sis and i pooled together $20 worth of coins and dollar bills we saved to buy it, and we were so frigging excited when we were "surprised" with the max of five pups.

3. this next "toy" is more like a combination of memorabilia... my new kids on the block sleeping bag and joey barbie doll (which came with an interview on cassette tape that i used to secretly listen to because he talked about his "first kiss"). i don't have pics of these anymore, but i did find this gem of a birthday invitation so you can fully understand my kindergarten nkotb obsession. i'd tell you it was my first crush, but that would be a lie since the real answer is kevin arnold from "the wonder years." and i digress...

4. lil miss singing mermaid. this one was awesome mainly because my sis and i woke up on christmas morning to a matching set of lil miss mermaid dolls, little mermaid towels and little mermaid barbies, plus a little mermaid video tape and splash tape to share for the ultimate themed gift from santa. that was a good year. i'd tell you what made the doll itself special, but i think you're better off just watching - and hearing - the commercial.

5. american girl dolls. i had felicity. ash had molly. we both had about 12 sets of their clothes and i even made a quilt for mine thanks to help from my art teacher. at the time, i idolized these dolls and the books that went with them.  

photo credit: hal0maniak on ebay

little did i know how much i would have in common with them later in life. like my shared love for feminine apparel from brandy melville. which brings me back to the intro of this post... if you're a 90s child at heart and had an american girl doll of your own, you absolutely must read this magnificent article i found on huffpost style on "what your childhood american girl doll says about your style now." you won't be disappointed.

halloweek: axl rose costume.

still stuck on costume ideas even after a whole halloweek? well here's one for a guy or a girl. strawberry blond hair not included.
 

halloweek: axl rose. by pretaporterpb

madewell flannel shirt / rock tank top from etsy / all-saints leather jacket / high waisted shorts from etsy / charlotte russe above knee socks / dr. martens boots / a|x armani exchange dog tag necklace / angie leather bracelet from swell.com / forever 21 stud bracelet set / toms aviator sunglasses / topman bandana

originally this was my half of our "couple's costume" for this year, and i sort of can't believe i'm sharing it. but since "a" wouldn't go to the weho event with me, i opted to give up axl rose to you guys.

i took a few liberties here, for any of you die hard fans judging this (ahem, my husband), but trust me, if you put it all together correctly, everyone will still get the idea. mainly with denim shorts versus spandex, and a choice saying removed from the jesus shirt. you could also use a black tie dye shirt and get the same effect.

don't forget to tie the flannel around your waist and the bandana across your forehead with the aviators resting on top. and show up late and act like a jerk. oh ya, and share your photos on facebook tomorrow!
 

throwback thursday: these are a few of my favorite things.

i'm super stoked for this week's #tbt because it combines three of my favorite things: halloween, candy and wait for it...my lovely little sis! (are you sick of her yet?)

now twenty-something years since this pic was taken, i'll be handing out the treats from our cali home for the first time - although not-so-secretly wishing i was at the west hollywood carnaval. but even better...ash comes to visit me for the first time tomorrow for a west coast weekend of shenanigans. i'll be like a kid in a candy store...or a kid going through halloween candy, or whatever.

if you think this post doesn't match the usual #mff (mini fashion fridays) theme, you're wrong. just look at ash's cute top bun and bangs! so on trend.

halloweek: south park.

here's a four-for-one costume idea you can do with your friends, or just choose one quadrant and run with it.

halloweek: south park. by pretaporterpb

h&m brown leather glove, $24 /  j.crew collection cashmere popover hoodie;
american eagle outfitters red cardigan / teal burton beanie / yellow gloves from jcpenny;
h&m brown button cardigan / red gloves from jcpenny / forever 21 blue hat and pom pom;
uniqlo vest / russian-style hat / green gloves from urban outfitters

whether you choose to be kenny, cartman, stan or kyle, this one is easy to do. each involves some type of sweater, hat and gloves, which you probably have hanging around the house. if you choose kenny, a simple orange hoodie by itself would also suffice. they're all unisex, too.

tomorrow is our last of the halloweek posts. if you still don't have your costume together after that, well, i'm not sure that there's hope!

halloweek: daria costume.

as you can see from yesterday's post, a diy halloween costume is easier than you think.

but if a bikini and ski mask is not your cup of tea and you have brown hair and bangs (or are not opposed to a wig), then try this one on for size. 

easy costume #2:

halloweek: daria. by pretaporterpb featuring short sleeve t shirts

h&m t-shirt / calypso st. barth army jacket / h&m imitation leather pleated mini skirt / 
mia combat boots from macy's / warby parker fillmore glasses

daria. it's super easy and i literally have something like every one of these items in my closet in order to pull it off. her best friend jane would be fun and simple to create too, if your sidekick can manage the black bobbed hair.

still not impressed? check back for even more ideas tomorrow.