reversible vintage clutch | Frivolous Universe

The Pursuit of Beauty

By: Bethany Walter

30-12-2011

Since the age of 7, I have had a fascination with clothes and have invested a chunk of time piecing together outfits. I have been embarrassed by this passion of mine because my mother raised me to believe that a woman’s worth comes from her intelligence and personality, not from her looks because beauty fades. One of my biggest fears has been that I might waste too much time investing in my appearance and be valued only for my level of beauty. You can imagine that I have had an internal battle between this fear and my pleasure obtained from styling clothing.

Crocheted fairy tale cape: thrift store
Anne Klein high-waisted wool skirt: Neiman Marcus, thrift store

Recently I have given myself permission not to feel guilty about my interest in fashion and pursuit of beauty. There are a couple of reasons why. The first reason is I have come to realize that play in life is important no matter what form it comes in barring that it isn’t a sociopath behavior. When I am getting dressed, I get a lot of joy from trying to figure out a beautiful combination of colors, textiles, and silhouettes. The second reason is that this creative exercise of fashioning an outfit I have never worn before makes me a better graphic designer.

Chocolate brown beret: Dillard’s clearance

Floral pink blouse: thrift store
Element of surprise: juxtaposing girly blouse with gnarly Turkmenistan vintage necklace, Armor Bijoux
Silver vintage Navajo bracelets: gift
Vintage ethnic ring: Turkmenistan, Armor Bijoux

Retro red shoes: Urban Outfitters one year ago

Vintage 1960’s reversible purse: L and M, antique shop

. . . the feeling of beauty is useful. The aesthetic emotion might have begun as a cognitive signal telling us to keep on looking, because there is a pattern here that we can figure out it.
(Why Does Beauty Exist? by Johan Lehrer)

As much as people try to de-emphasize the value of beauty, it has a purpose. In Johan Lehrer’s article Why Does Beauty Exist? he discusses that beauty is a signal to man that something has a pattern and it is worth figuring out. He says that beauty is a motivational force that heightens our conscious awareness and makes us learn. Beauty might be a guilty pleasure but it is also an expression of mathematics and beauty’s purposes is making us take notice. Man’s curiosity with beauty has helped lead to our evolution and pursuit of knowledge.

Photographer: Anna V. Demetriades

Comments

The merriest face for a Ship’n Shore vintage 1950s blouse

By: Bethany Walter

23-12-2011

Bethany

It takes skill to model a Ship’n Shore blouse. This pose took me 20 minutes to practice possibly more. Kelly made the comment that the model in the below Ship’n Shore ad sure worked the shit out of the blouse. Pretending to be elated and delicate at the same time is quite challenging. I couldn’t get enough elation in my expression. If you are interested, you might be able to find your own Ship’n Shore vintage blouse from the 1950s with lace collar and pintuck pleats from the Lux Fashion Lounge, a thrift store in downtown Boise, which is where I purchased this one.

The drama of this Ship’n Shore ad is lovable. A group of men in the 1950s probably sat around in a room and wrote this copy together. Maybe this is an illustration of how the men wanted their women to react to the gifts received. I am pretty sure if I respond this way to the gift I receive from my man friend this holiday season, he’ll think I am mocking him. All the same, I am tempted to try it.

The warm gray almost brown color of the blouse inspired me to pair it with this Banana Republic pencil skirt (hand me down from Nicole) because of its similar coloring. The GAP navy sweater adds contrasting color and some warmth. Even though the skirt has no belt loops, I put on a thrifted brown leather woven belt. The more vintage I wear, I have been learning that belts draw attention to the waist, add color contrast, and emphasize the shape of the silhouette.

Maybe it is cheating, but I can’t help but add a beret to just about any outfit I wear lately. This olive green beret is from Dillard’s clearance. It was only $14. All I had to do was hack off the wool rose on the side. I prefer simple berets.

Even as amazing as the Ship’n Shore blouse is, this vintage clutch shows it up. Its clear plastic handle and brown texture is amazing. But wait . . .

TWO BAGS IN ONE?! It is a vintage reversible purse from the 60s (I think). I looked inside the bag and I can almost read the brand and I can almost read where it was made but the words are worn away when it gets to the specifics. Blast! I purchased this purse for $15 at the Antique World Mall over on Overland. It is a wonderland of wants at the Antique World Mall. When I went there, I was shopping for a Christmas gift but ended up buying only this. Merry Christmas to me!