PUG Changed My Life

Sartorial Saturday–That’s a Wrap

When I shared pictures of the beautiful harlequin skirt I ordered from Pinup Girl Clothing with the store credit I received for winning honorable mention in the PUG Changed My Life contest, I promised to also share pictures of the second shirt I purchased to go with it. I then kind of forgot about it, what with all the House Harlequins excitement!

Anyway, I finally remembered, so here it is…the Wonderful Wrap Top in a gorgeous shade of pink!

I really wanted something different from my usual peasant and Harley tops, and I thought this fit the bill perfectly. I love the color and the collar, and I really love the idea of a wrap top. It is a little fussy, though, so I had to help it along with a little fashion tape to prevent gaping. It would probably look better if I could tie it tighter and have the tails hang down a little more dramatically, but I don’t mind…I still think it’s a fun top, and different from anything else in my closet!

My Favorite Retro Fashion Brands

There must be something about October that inspires me to make a “Top Five” list that only has three items (instead of my usual six-ish)! Today I want to talk about my three favorite retro fashion brands:

  • Pinup Girl Clothing–I bet this one is shocking, right? I’ve talked extensively about how “PUG Changed My Life.” Most of my retro clothes are PUG pieces. I have skirts and tops, dresses, and even a bolero. I love PUG, and even when I’m not looking to buy anything and/or can’t afford anything, I still love to see what’s in the “Coming Soon” section of their website. They also have a fantastic Facebook community full of supportive (and very well-dressed) shoppers. I don’t think anybody does vintage-inspired clothing with a modern flair the way they do!
  • Splendette–In my mind, no retro outfit is complete without an awesome bangle stack. Prior to this year, I didn’t have a source for bangles that would fit over my large hands. And then Splendette announced that they were adding a Duchess Bangles line to their range, and my retro accessories prayers were answered! Splendette also offers pieces like necklaces and earrings, if you’re looking to coordinate with your bangles and get the full look.
  • Erstwilder–If there’s one thing a retro outfit really needs outside of bangles, it’s a great brooch. I love brooches, both fancy and whimsical. I actually had a few brooches in my jewelry box before I really got into retro fashions, but I’ve added quite a few since then. Erstwilder is definitely the place to go if you’re looking for something more whimsical, and they have themes and color selections to go with pretty much any outfit!

Of course, there are other brands I like. The Oblong Box Shop has fun novelty-print skirts. Unique Vintage sells house brands items, but also other retro brands. Luxulite, Meteor Jewelry, and Tangerine Menagerie offer fun jewelry options. And I wish I didn’t have giant clown feet, because I’d love to try some of the amazing retro styles B.A.I.T. footwear offers. But my top three are in a class by themselves, and make up the bulk of the clothing and jewelry in my retro wardrobe!

Sartorial Saturday–PUG Changed My Life!

Earlier in the summer, Pinup Girl Clothing announced that they were going to be holding everyone’s favorite contest: PUG Changed My Life. They encouraged their customers to share stories on Facebook and Instagram of how wearing Pinup Girl fashions has changed their lives. Of course, I had to enter. Pinup Girl has changed the way I see myself, and the way I present  myself, and I wanted to share how I went from invisible to confident, and discovered that I like who I am along the way. So over the course of the contest, I made several entries, trying to find the right words to explain how PUG Changed My Life.

I wasn’t really expecting to win, although the grand prize of a Pinup Girl shopping spree and a photoshoot with them in California was certainly appealing (yes, I have a not-so-secret dream to appear as a model on their website just once). And, as I expected, I didn’t win the grand prize. But on Bunny’s birthday, I realized I had an unusual number of notifications from Instagram popping up on my phone, and when I looked into it, I discovered that Pinup Girl had decided to award a few “honorable mention” prizes, and one of them was me!

I knew immediately what I was going to buy…the brown harlequin Long Jun skirt. I had been admiring the colors and print ever since it had come out, but I didn’t have the money for it. It took me a little longer to decide on a top (or tops) to go with it, but in the end, I chose a black Harley top, since I knew I liked the style, and I really needed a black top that didn’t have long sleeves. I also ordered a wrap top in pink that likewise goes with the skirt (as well as a bunch of others already in my wardrobe)…I’ll share that one at a later date.

I found some fun accessories to go with the outfit. The earrings are also from Pinup Girl, and match the bright pink in the skirt perfectly. The Erstwilder brooch was a little gift from Ryan, and picks up the other colors of the skirt. And the shoes (from Avenue, my favorite store to buy quality, comfortable shoes that look nice and are available in the wide-width I need after five pregnancies!), are a departure from what I usually wear with Pinup Girl styles, but I love how they go with the colors in the skirt.

The very fact that I was willing to share all this publicly just goes to show how much I’ve changed and how Pinup Girl was a huge part of that change. And while I love that I got a gorgeous new outfit without having to spend any money, I’m even more grateful that I have gotten to know who I am, and am willing to share that person with the world! Thanks Pinup Girl!