Mary Van Note

(photo by Juliana V. Ljubisavljevic)

It’ll be my three year blogiversary next month and I’d like to celebrate it with giveaways.  If you’re a vintage seller, creator of handmade goods, art or fashion please email me at mary@maryvannote.com if you’re interested in participating and would like to learn more.  I also have ad space available and my rates are super reasonable.   Don’t be shy!

This awesome 50s/60s tiki print light cotton skirt was a gift from the sweet and stylish Laura Gore of Trash Planet.  I have a feeling it will be my go-to summer skirt.  It’s so light and comfortable.  I paired it with a chambray shirt and wore it out for some errands.

I made the necklace myself.  It’s a nod to the neon trend that’s so hot right now.  I used vintage Czech glass beads shaped like leaves and in my favorite bright chartreuse color.  I got them from General Bead for a steal with a groupon I had.  I’m really happy with the way it turned out although I might add some more beads to dangle from the chains.  If there is a trend that you’re into right now, I recommend trying to do your own DIY version of it.  It’s a great way to save money on something that might only be in fashion for a season.  Although I’ll probably sport this necklace regardless of what’s in trend.

chambray shirt: thrifted
necklace: made by me
vintage skirt: gift from Laura of Trash Planet
socks: AA
vintage chartreuse heels: awesome hand me down from Nicole of Fashion Forestry
fakelite bangles: estate sale
80s hot pink clutch: thrifted

It’s getting hot here in Sacramento.   As soon as I came home I put on a 40s halter and enjoyed a smoothie.

40s halter: ebay
50s raffia wedges: thrifted (a size too small but I wear them anyway : )

Cheers to the beginning of Summer and Memorial Day Weekend!

Yesterday started with fresh cut flowers from the backyard and entertaining friends with freshly squeezed minted lemonade, BBQ sausages and brie-stuffed dates wrapped in prosciutto.

I finally got to use my vintage deadstock 60s paper placemats I found in a thrift store.

After we stuffed ourselves with yummy food, we headed over to the pinball expo happening a few towns over.  Imagine a huge hall filled with 200+ pinball machines, antique to modern, all on free play.  I’ve been to the pinball expo that is held in Marin County before, and this one was definitely a bit smaller and lacking one game I really wanted to see, but it was still tons of fun. Of all arcade games, pinball is my all-time favorite. It’s up there with air hockey.

vintage blouse: thrifted – amazing ladies with umbrellas print. I call it my Umbrellas of Cherbourg shirt (even though I’m pretty sure it’s supposed to be London on my shirt and the movie is set in France… oh well)
vintage 40s shorts from a playsuit set: ebay – best purchase ever, I wear them all the time.
sandals: Payless
vintage Dooney and Bourke shoulder purse: thrifted via Thrift Town, Sacramento
red and white gingham ribbon in hair: The Ribbonerie, San Francisco
vintage fakelite clamper bracelet: Picket Fence Antiques, Sacramento

I’ve been busy working at home – adding vintage to my etsy shop, cleaning and gardening.  When I’m not in my pajamas you can generally find me wearing vintage muumuus, light cotton sundresses or this recent acquisition, a 1940s nightgown.  When I first set eyes on it at the Sacramento Antique Fair I knew this gem would not be confined to sleeping in.  It reminds me of shabby chic, grandma wallpaper in a tea room.  If I had it my way, my bedroom would look like this nightgown – light pink, little rosebuds and lace.  Yup, don’t know how my boyfriend would cope.

And I can’t help taking campy John Waters-esque backyard photos.  This one is like the sister photo of this one.  Maybe it’s becoming a series of sorts.

1940s cotton shabby chic floral nightgown: $5 at the Sacramento Antique Fair
Miz Mooz wooden heel sandals: awesome hand-me-down from a friend
belt: thrifted

There’s a cultural/religious tradition that has been happening since the gold rush throughout California that was brought over by Azorean Portuguese immigrants.  Every year Portuguese communities celebrate Queen Isabella of Portugal for her generosity and care for the poor, as well as giving thanks and honor to the Holy Spirit.  It was a tradition I grew up with.  They’re called Holy Ghost Festas.  Part of the festivities includes a parade and free meal of bread, meat and wine.   There are baskets full of sweet Portuguese bread, a marching band that plays Holy Ghost hymns, and there are the girls that march in white gowns and impressive capes of velvet, trimmed with feather and encrusted with rhinestones.

1901 crown bearer (source)

Holy Ghost Queen in 1906 (source)

Holy Ghost Queen 1922 (source)

1940s (source)

Two generations: Queen in 1920 and her daughter as Queen in 1940 (source)

late 50s (source)

This is me last year at the Festa in Sausalito, CA:

wearing 1940s dress from the Alameda Vintage Fair, purse from my childhood, H&M floral socks, vintage Ferragamo flats from ebay.

The next Sausalito Festa is on May 27.  And I hope to attend this year as well.  You can find more info here.   I am especially fond of attending the Sausalito event because I was the Festa Queen in 1997.

I was lucky to be the queen for one of the most beautiful places in the world. Check out that view!

It was a pretty incredible experience, though I definitely made plenty of complaints of how heavy that cape was and how sweaty my armpits got wearing a suffocating lace wedding dress all day long in the heat.  But I love that I was able to be a part of such an amazing tradition and join an awesome lineage of beautiful ladies in wedding gowns, capes, and crowns.

All these can be found in my etsy shop.  And some will be added very soon.  Nothing says fashion lookbook like huge frizzy hair and crazy makeup.  Styling, makeup, photos and modeling by me.  Please enjoy.

40s fruit print playsuit coming soon, Margaret Jerrold painter shoes

80s red polka dot dress, black polka dot heels

cat cardigan, pink plaid dress

aztec print jacket, neon orange shorts, clear wedges, bikini

90s denim romper

70s red polka dot maxi dress, Margaret Jerrold painter shoes

60s lavender polka dot maxi dress coming soon, victorian bonnet, polka dot heels

90s floral suspender shorts

60s Hawaiian maxi dress, clear wedges

Please vote for me in the Chictopia Solestruck contest.  Favorite my look here: www.chictopia.com/photo/show/649781-daisies+upon+daisies-…

60s daisy romper: Thunderhorse Vintage, Sacramento
60s bow blouse: found on the street in SF
60s daisy flats: ebay
vintage bakelite bangles: thrifted
40s mustard tilt: Vintage Expo, SF

I’ve been wearing this romper/blouse, daisies upon daisies combo quite a bit these days.  Stuff I’ve been up to: adding more and more vintage to my shop, gardening, applying for jobs, stressing about money, feeling the encroachment of failure, trying to stay strong emotionally, bodyweight exercises, cheetos.

80s unique Norma B blue waves high heels 7 M

1940s carved wooden hand painted beaded platform sandals Philippines tiki

1960s chartreuse yellow shoes 10 S

NOS 1960s silver bow heels 9 1/2 A Joseph La Rose shoes

80s 90s paper bag high waist shorts floral bongo shorts

Aztec Navajo Ethnic Southwest Black and White print boho cropped jacket

1960s 70s Jantzen mod daisy print swimsuit

pinup nautical rockabilly pinstripe 2 piece halter bikini and skirted bottom

60s 50s pinup Peter Pan by Oleg Cassini colorblock moss green, pink and white swimsuit

I just posted a new pair of amazing shoes to my shop.

60s mod Lacy Afternoon by Shell Kepler gold ruffles and white lace shoes 7 1/2 B

Someone couldn’t keep away from them.

Puss is being played by Evel (named after Evel Knievel, my boyfriend’s childhood hero).  I hope you all are having a lovely weekend!