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Eeek! BOO IS COMING. Nicole is on an eight hour flight from New York to Seattle, then she’ll be back in Boise for one short week. We have much frivolity lined up, including a special vintage photo shoot with the Boise FU branch. Stay freaking tuned, ya’ll.

It has been just under 5 months since I said goodbye to Nicole at the subway station in Williamsburg with tears streaming down her face. She never showed an iota of hesitation about her move to Brooklyn to pursue acting. Nicole is a powerful force of fabulous, and likely to get what she wants out of the big city…. Boo amputation still sucks.

I sent these pleated olive trousers to New York in one of many care packages stuffed to bursting with vintage clothes bought at Idaho thrifting prices. I got them in Mountain Home with Bethany on the day Bethany fell in love with color.

Since the move, I have lost a profoundly comforting presence in my life. Oh, Google video chat and phone calls and care packages help, but they don’t fill the empty space in my soul. I have lost my fellow mischief-maker, silk-painter, chalk-drawer, cookie-baker, Rodney-lover, Catan-rival and Trekkie.

(Thanks to Bethany and Anna for my pictures!) We splattered blue and green on this hand-painted silk skirt together. Here’s a shot of it in progress:

Since we’ve been friends since high school, we’ve formed our tastes for good vegetables, vintage clothes, and making art together. She doesn’t have to explain to me why tying the front of a demure checked high-necked blouse is a good idea. I know it’s a good idea.

I don’t have to explain to her why tucking in heavy suede shirt to a delicate silk skirt is a good idea. She understands.

I showed up to this photo shoot expecting mixed reviews from the other ladies. It doesn’t bother me that I get the occasional skeptical brow-raise from a cohort, because I know that on the other side of the continental united states, someone gets it.

Like me, Nicole loves irony and unlikely juxtapositions. We like geeky sci-fi references and bad movies. We like being slightly overdressed and out of place for every occasion. I love how Nicole’s outfit is borderline middle-aged country club fare. Such gall!

My outfit is unattainable, unrelatable, and unsympathetic. I like to start off on the wrong foot with people. It makes it more of a challenge to win them over (see also: douche-bag buffer).

The biggest thing I miss about having Nicole in the same city is not having to explain myself. Many people do not understand why unsympathetic and unrelatable would be goals to strive for while getting dressed, but Knuckle does.

Perhaps some wouldn’t understand why Nicole would take her already king-sized ass and stuff it into a pair of high-waisted pleated pants that will do nothing but make it look like more of a planetoid (with its own weather system), but I do.

To be clear, I wouldn’t take her back even if she wanted to come home. She’s doing exactly what she should be: committing to her art, going outside her comfort zone, and attacking her goals. I’m exactly where I should be too, but, sometimes, I miss not having to explain why two bulky, figure-masking, unsexy garments make a right. Only a Boo would know without asking.

Overdressed and out of place – Why do you say that like its a bad thing?

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Kelly: Jeans and boots are easy, too easy…

Nicole: So easy that you can stumble out of bed after one-too-many beers (which in my case, is 2), throw them on and ride your mechanical pony to brunch in 47 seconds.

K: When I’m pressed for time to pick an outfit that I wouldn’t be embarrassed to be photographed in, I almost always default to menswear. In this case, a plaid wool blazer layered over a distressed denim vest. No, resorting to wardrobe staples is not brilliantly creative, so I added wow accessories. Both gifts from fellow bloggers, this Indian silk scarf and vintage Turkic pendant are precious to me.

N: My outfit was put together so that I could easily change into work clothes.  I had to wear the black skinny jeans and Frye boots for work, so to make it more interesting I threw on this multi-colored floral blouse and navy blazer.

K: Ahem, we call this the gay pirate shirt, probably because it looks like Tobias would wear it.

K: Nicole’s navy blue blazer is by Luella Bartley for Target and used to be mine. The contrast stitching accentuates the tailoring and it has apple print lining! My jacket has a contrast fabric under the collar and the color palette of my scarf is repeated throughout the outfit. We never tire of saying it: Details, details, details.

N: The gay pirate shirt is vintage by Terry of Chicago, and has the most awesome colors and pattern and funky draped neckline.  With so much happening I didn’t want to overwhelm it with too many accessories, so I just stuck to these red square studs from Idaho Youth Ranch.

K: Don’t forget the creepy baby ring. Creeeeeepy….

K: My bottom layer is a 70s vintage Sears blouse in red and black check(?) print.

N: Love, love, love all the print mixing.

N: I hate to admit it, but my boring work jeans are Forever 21.  Please don’t judge me (too harshly). Boots are Frye, and worth every penny. Mine are finally starting to wear out a bit after 2+ years of continuous wear.

K: I’m on the Frye bandwagon too, even though we normally don’t advocate buying new.

K: My boo spotted my cowboy boots at the Idaho Youth Ranch on Chinden for $7.50 (holy shit) and she gave me these Levis cropped jeans after I repeatedly told her that her ass is too big for them. (It’s a spectacular ass, but that don’t make the jeans fit.) Also alpaca mitts, crocheted by me, and red leather purse, which was practically free at ReStyle.

N: Bundled up in my vintage wool coat (brand name un-readable…) and crocheted wrap made by boo.

K: Check out a different iteration of my outfit (jeans, boots and a blazer part 2) photographed yesterday by Thomas Lea at Boise Style. Yesterday was another lazy day. Bethany did a killer job on my pictures.

Breaded Cats make us happy.

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Kelly: Jason and I went to Idaho Dance Theatre‘s winter show on Saturday night to see our dear friend Yurek Hansen dance. I wore a vintage Ma Grand sweater and Eight Degrees South tiered silk maxi skirt. This outfit reminds me of Nicole’s lace maxi skirt and merino wool sweater from a couple months ago.

saffron yellow sweater charcoal silk tiered ruffle skirt etra suede clutch michael kors chunky heels

N: Can I just say I absolutely adore what is happening with your hair here?

K: Thank you. I’m trying new things. Repeating motif – my thrifted sphere drop earrings correspond with the dangley pearls on the bow applique of my sweater. I got it for $8.00 this weekend at Lux. I love its rich saffron color and the waffle-knit texture – so cozy!

K: This Catholic saints bracelet is from a Catholic store in Kent, Wash. I’m not Catholic (or religious), but I love iconography. I bought this vintage Etra convertible clutch at Acquired Again Antiques in Hyde Park for $20.00. Their stock is always high quality with reasonable prices (for an antique store, not for a thrift store).

N: Kelly got me a similar bracelet,  but sadly the elastic broke.  It must have sensed what a heathen it was dangling from.

K: I wonder why this one hasn’t broken yet.

K: I don’t remember which thrift store I got this skirt from (like it matters) but I do remember that it was a steal at $5.00. I let Nicole wear it once and she stepped on the hem and tore one of the ruffles.

N: I knew you would bring that up.  I’m sorry! But I can vouch for the glorious-ness that is this skirt.

stacked heels, silk tiered skirt, cable knit knee high socks

K: Michael Kors stacked suede heels and cable knit socks. I specifically chose brown shoes and socks over the expected black. Brown interacted better with the overall color palette of saffron, charcoal and forest green.

N: You look so tall!

N: Thursday was a day packed full of goodness.  I got up bright and early to get some new headshots taken, which also meant getting my hair and make-up done professionally.  I didn’t want to let my fancy face go to waste, so I scurried home afterward to take some blog pictures.  I arrived home to two packages, one from an on-line vintage seller, and the other from muh Boo full of lots of vintage and thrifted goodies!  My outfit contains some of my new scores, as well as me wearing more make-up than you’ll likely ever see on my face again.

Velvet crop top, skinny zippy pants, wool blazer.

K: I think I’ll start tagging your ass in its best outfits, so we can compile your ass-modeling portfolio. You know, just in case the acting doesn’t work out.

N: Thank you.  I think I’ll start trying to always take pictures of my ass in my outfits.  To appease the public.

N: The velvet embellished blouse is from A Little Wicked in the LES. It’s a strange little top, with elastic on the bottom and the sleeves, poofy shoulders, gold shoulder buttons and gold cording along the neck-line and shoulders.  The tag is pretty old and worn out, so I think the brand is Zup Two Inc., but I can’t tell.  I tried looking it up, but haven’t found anything…anyone heard of it by chance?

K: I love how strange this top is!

N: Paired with stretchy, skinny pants with zipper ankles and brown leather belt.  Neither of these are thrifted, but leftovers from my Urban and Banana Republic sale-rack trolling days.

N: Gray and Maroon Argyle socks and platform wedges. Love the little flair I get when I leave the zipper open at the bottom.

K: The best thing about these platforms is they were left behind by your room’s previous renter, thus freeeeee.

N: Inspiration for zipper-ankle pants with wedges:

N: Can you spy the subtly slutty aspect of this weeks outfit?

K: Oooo, I know! I know! It’s your exposed midriff and the skin-tight pants, offset by the masculine shape of the blazer. BOOM!

N: Gold Star for Ms. Robinson!

N: Kelly sent me this sweet Cricketeer Wool Blazer in my care package.  I got another vintage blazer from Bethany that I’m sure will be making an appearance soon.

N: My package also included our fancy new FU business cards and this creepy silver Gerber Baby spoon ring complete with ever-staring baby face.

K: Creeeeeepy…

FU business card & silver Gerber baby ring

K: Wow, those hair and makeup professionals really knew their stuff. You look great.

N: Aww, shucks.

K: Nicole just added something else fabulous to her wardrobe, with only a little encouragement from me.

N: This is what was inside the box from Etsy.  It’s several yards of glorious 70’s polyester fabric made into a halter dress and feather-hooded coat that both fit me like a dream.  Look out for this in the very near future.

70s vintage dress hooded coat jacket evening gown polyester feather trimmed hood

K: She’s not the only one who got some vintage fashion love in the mail. Also from A Little Wicked, also vintage 70s polyester, Nicole sent me this sequined tube top jumpsuit. She’s the bibbity-bobbity-boost!

Vintage fashion is extra-special when it arrives by post.

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