vintage fashion – The Big Hair Diaries

I Made an Absolutely Amazing Cake

Published on January 20, 2021 by hellosamanthadear9 Comments

While perusing Pinterest one morning a few days ago, I found myself admiring beautiful cakes. Then I thought, hey…I can make a cake, can’t I?!?!?! I then got on Betty Crocker’s website and began looking through the sea of cake mixes. I decided on one of my favorites – yellow cake! I ordered the items I needed and all I spent was around $5. Can’t beat that!

The final outcome was this delicious chocolate yellow cake with cherries. 🍫🍒

And here’s a super 70’s-inspired outfit I wore today with my vintage granny square vest! 😃

See ya next time!! ❤️

Uniform Nostalgia

Published on December 4, 2020 by hellosamanthadear2 Comments

The other day, my friend and I got coffee to-go and walked around the beautiful Fresno High School campus, and I came across this sign, in which I wanted a photo of me with it just because of the irony that I was holding a Frappucino.

Walking around a high school campus got me thinking about my own high school days. The black neckerchief I’m wearing in this outfit was actually part of my U.S. Naval Sea Cadet uniform! I was in the program for 3 years in high school. I decided to pull out the neckerchief from my closet and let it out for air, but this time with a more fashionable spin on it.

Here’s evidence that I was in Sea Cadets (and there’s the neckerchief, too). This was taken at Naval Air Station Lemoore in 2004! I was sixteen! The certificate I was receiving was my completion of Airman Training, which was two weeks of learning about jets, hands-on. I spent a lot of time around jet mechanics and even got to sit in the cockpit of a jet! It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and one of the biggest highlights of my life.

So I’ve always had a soft spot for uniforms, because of the nostalgia factor. It brings back good memories of my days in Sea Cadets. ❤️

Which leads me to my next neckerchief, which was also once part of a uniform. I found another vintage gem from the former USSR, and this time it’s a red neckerchief worn by the Young Pioneers organization. This one was unissued from 1990!

Reference Photo of the Young Pioneers Uniform

So here’s to bringing old things back to life. Two neckerchiefs that each served as part of a uniform at one point, are now living a new life as a fashion accessory. ❤️

Also, like my new tights?!?!?!?!?! I’m in love with them! They’re each from Amazon and you can find the cat ones here and the heart ones here!

See ya next time!!!

A Walk Through the Smoke

Published on September 10, 2020 by hellosamanthadear17 Comments

The foothills and mountains outside the city of Fresno have been ablaze over the past week, and I decided to get out and go for a (brief) walk to see what it looked like out there on the horizon. The wildfires are about 30 miles away and it looks really bad here, so I can’t imagine what it must look like in the actual hot zone.

On a light-hearted note, my sister and I went to check out Spirit Halloween earlier in the day, which was fun! We always walk through this place when it opens each year in September. For me, it’s that first sign of the approaching fall season. Afterwards, we went for some Starbucks and sat on the patio. ☕️

I brought my mini-tripod with me and took some outfit photos while I was out here. This is my favorite spot at the park to hang out, as it overlooks the valley. The dress belonged to my mom and it’s from the 1980’s! It used to be floor-length, but I cut and hemmed it myself. ❤️❤️ The cameo necklace I’m wearing incidentally went perfectly with the dress!

It was nice walking around, even amidst the eerie quietness and smoky landscape.

See ya next time!!!

Fit for a Queen

Published on May 5, 2018 by hellosamanthadear16 Comments

Hiiiiiiiiiiiii.

How are you all?! I hope whoever you are, wherever you are, you’re doing fantastic!

I have a double feature today for my post, so sit back, and enjoy!

First off…yesterday I showcased at Art Hop for the second time! It was really fun and I have photos to share.

Just noticed my reflection is in the picture…and my car, straight ahead. LOOOOL.

I took the day off to enjoy a relaxing day before the show started, and ended up at my favorite coffee shop that morning. And what was I doing, you may ask? Why, studying Swedish, of course. I’m learning it for fun, just because I enjoy learning other languages. What better way to learn than with a kopp kaffe, non? (That was a French/Swedish mashup, right there.)

I should probably not mashup different languages in a sentence because that’s exactly what got me a C in Italian in college. Yikes!!! Italian was hard for me and I’d end up accidentally writing answers in a mix of French and Italian on tests.

The vintage nightgown/robe I’m so crazy about, which I did a blog post about last weekend, is back! I couldn’t NOT wear it to Art Hop…too cute! Also, I noticed that just wearing a different color skirt underneath totally changes the look. The material is so sheer that it adapts to whatever color you put beneath! Here, it looks more white.

This is my standard setup at Art Hop, although this time, I had new greeting cards and I brought one of the fiction books I published a few years back! So it was a combination of several different things. 🙂

I really want to try more traditional media, for a change. I’ve gotten so used to digital illustration that I feel I need to try something new that will challenge me. So that’s my next artistic endeavor.

It was a fun evening and a lot of people were out at Art Hop. Good times!

Happy Star Wars Day!

SO!!! It came to my attention last night that on this lovely Friday, it is May 4th, which is Star Wars Day! I totally had to wear my Queen Amidala shirt to celebrate today!

Fun fact: I bought this shirt in 1999. I was in 6th grade when Episode I: The Phantom Menace came out (can’t believe it’s going on 20 years now). As a young girl, I was obsessed with the Queen, and even my English teacher back then nicknamed me The Queen because I had so much Queen Amidala merchandise (folders, T-shirts, etc).

What’s not to love? She’s the queen of her own beautiful planet, she’s strong-minded and has a wardrobe like no other. Oh, and her hair! It’s a given why I adore her so much. 😉

And there you have it, folks! It was fun to bring out this shirt again. I think I’ll make it a new tradition to wear it on May the 4th, from now on. Heck, I may as well watch The Phantom Menace tonight while I’m at it!

I hope you enjoyed reading!

See you soon! Or if you want some Swedish…vi ses snart! 😉

A Winter Fairytale

Published on December 14, 2017 by hellosamanthadear5 Comments

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Happy mid-week, everyone! ❤

I’m excited to showcase something I’ve been wanting for a looooooong time, and finally purchased one! I’ve always loved this vintage, winter fashion accessory and now have one of my own. First though, the outfit du jour…

I tried something different with my scarf, and that is, placing it underneath my belt. I like it!

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I sure am wearing this black velvet bow a lot lately. I really like it because a) it goes with everything and b) …it’s a bow. How can you go wrong?!

Now, I did not take my new accessory with me today as part of my outfit (I only took photos with it before work to showcase it…this is more for when I know I will be outside in super cold weather for a prolonged amount of time, so it’s a special occasion accessory):

Ohhhhhh my goodness, people. Behold; a muff!

You seldom see these anymore! I’ve always thought they were so cute. I’m going with my mom tomorrow night to walk and look at Christmas lights, so it’s in perfect timing.

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It’s sooooo cute!!! I love it. It’s like a dream come true to finally own one of these. It’s super soft, too (faux fur) with a fleece lining inside.

I really love vintage items – or at least, modern things that emulate vintage items. I’ve been called an old soul on countless occasions…I feel young at heart, mind you, but ultimately an old soul just trying to find my place in the world. ❤

Perhaps I’ve been overly contemplative lately, but do you ever wonder what your place in the world is?

It’s no easy answer, for most of us. Lately though, I’ve reached pretty concrete conclusions for myself (although, things can always change). Mine would be: creating art, listening to those who need someone to talk to, inspiring people in any way, and appreciating life’s simple, beautiful moments.

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Speaking of life’s simple, beautiful moments; I experienced with some nighttime photography and took this photo. It’s a bunch of dead trees, sure, but I love how creepy it looks!! There’s some beauty in decay, right?

I hope you enjoyed this rambling of a post (haha). I look forward to walking around tomorrow night and seeing the beauty Christmas has to offer with my mom. We don’t go out and do things together all that often, so it’ll be nice!! ❤

Take care! Until next time. 🙂

Lilac Time

Published on October 4, 2017 by hellosamanthadear2 Comments

Hello to everyone! I hope you’re having an excellent week. 🙂

Before I do another outfit post, I feel the need to start off by saying something I think is important to share.

Hearing about the horrible incident in Las Vegas, was really eye-opening and heartbreaking. I was even more shocked to find out one of my friends was at the concert in the front row, but thankfully, they are okay and were not injured. Still, too many others did not make it out okay, and that breaks my heart.

I realized, you never know what can happen, at any given time.

Just to share some inspiration: if you have anything you have been wanting to tell someone in your life, or just to tell someone that you appreciate them – go ahead and do it. Even if you feel nervous to or that you’ll seem too emotional. Be grateful for the time you’re experiencing on earth. Tomorrow is never guaranteed, and maybe what you’ll say will warm someone’s heart or change their outlook for the better. Even just a small smile at a passing stranger. It’s spreading happiness in small ways, which is what the world needs more of. ❤

Having shared that, I’ll move onward…

I pulled out a bunch of scarves I have from last fall, and have been wearing them with pure joy! This one is not intended for warmth of course, but it’s a vintage item I bought at an antique store some time ago.

I really love purple, especially in shades such as lilac, and this outfit exudes a feminine vibe that I’m really loving!

I’ve been getting into the Halloween spirit, listening to Halloween-ish music on Spotify at work, and I’ve already watched Hocus Pocus. I try to make Halloween a month long celebration – same goes for Christmas. I’m a big holiday person, and I’ll find any way to go all out.

Speaking of, I made a headband of autumn leaves!!! (Fake ones, of course). I’ve always wanted one, and I finally made it. I wore it Monday and got a lot of compliments (I’ll wear it again this weekend and take photos). I’m excited for you guys to see it!

See you next time! Smile, laugh…enjoy this life. ❤

Sweet as Sugar

Published on September 10, 2017 by hellosamanthadear5 Comments

Hi there, beautiful people! 🙂

It being such a lovely, cooler day today, I spent a lot of it walking around. Rather than using my everyday purse, I carried one that is much smaller and light – *BONUS* it’s also from the 1950’s! A vintage find I purchased a couple of weeks ago.

I love the flower details…the leaves are velvet. ❤

I really love black lace, don’t you? There’s something very mysterious and feminine about it. The little pink rose accents on it add a sweet touch! The shoes are from Amazon, they’re the jelly material and I love them!! You can find them here; they’re sooo cute and the ones I’m wearing are a sparkly rose gold color that really shimmer in the sunlight.

On a random side note, I’m learning two languages at once. I already know quite a lot of French, so I’m just brushing up, and I’m learning Swedish from scratch. I have to say, I am really loving Swedish! (I love French too of course, it just feels easier for me to pronounce Swedish words).

I only know one French speaker where I live, so I can practice in conversation that way…sadly, I don’t know any Swedish speakers. French and Swedish are just not languages you hear in Central California, but I’m adamant about learning! Duolingo is what I use, both on my laptop and as an app on my phone! I highly recommend it if you want a fun, interactive and user-friendly language learning tool.

I had the pleasure of enjoying some Jamba Juice this evening! I decided to go on a whim and just enjoy the nice weather. I tried the Pumpkin Protein smoothie and oh my goodness, was it good. It had chia seeds in it and had a really nice, natural pumpkin flavor, and not super sweet. Yum!

Folks, I know I mention Ghost a lot, but sometimes it’s inevitable. I went to a music/movie store called Rasputin after getting Jamba Juice, and voilà! Look what they had. Vinyl, not just of one of their albums, but three! *Mental note*: must buy these eventually.

Hope you all are enjoying your weekend and you enjoyed my fun little variety post. See you next time! Ha det så bra! À bientôt! 😉

Roses & Lace

Published on August 11, 2017 by hellosamanthadear2 Comments

What an EVENTFUL WEEK.

It just flew by. I blinked, and it was gone. So I’ll finish the week off with a simple outfit post!

I typically wear light-colored clothes, so this is a nice change of pace. I love the little rose details and the feminine lace. Although it’s kind of too hot to be wearing right now!! I thought, Why am I wearing long sleeves on a 99 degree day?

Staring off into the horizon…actually I was watching two repairmen walking on the roof across the street, fixing someone’s air conditioner.

And there we have it, peeps! I think I bought this dress at Forever 21. I love belts, don’t you? I think a belt really pulls an outfit together. I tend to always go for a brown belt.

I hope everyone enjoys their weekend! I plan to relax, as it feels like I’ve been in go-go-go mode this past week, doing a million things at once. Its’ important to stop and relax, and it’s okay to not do anything sometimes! 🙂

Enjoy your weekend! ❤

The Rain, the Park, and Other Things…

Published on May 31, 2017 by hellosamanthadearLeave a comment

I got a great view of this sunset last night! I love taking pictures at Woodward Park. Cloudy but unfortunately very windy, not to mention I should have took heed from the high pollen alert, because my left eye was stinging incessantly while attempting to take pictures. Annoying!!!

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Hurry up and take the picture please, it’s windy and my eye is burning…

Still a good time nonetheless, even with the windy, pollen-filled air! Also, that yellow drink in my hand is a smoothie from Lassen’s. If you have a Lassen’s in your town, I highly recommend their smoothies! The one I’m drinking is the Mango Colada. ❤

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In stranger news, I’ve been giving this harmonica of mine a go. Much to the annoyance of my sister when I give her a call, sometimes I randomly start playing it, mid-conversation. While I try to sound like Neil Young playing the harmonica, it instead sounds like a bunch of cats fighting.

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Arguably even stranger is the weather this morning! It’s raining…out of nowhere. This is my ensemble today, attempting to go from summer clothing to chilly-weather clothing in an instant. I dug out an old sweater to keep warm today! 🙂

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I went with some interesting accessories today that I think pair miraculously well together! A statement necklace paired with a polka dot headband makes me feel oh-so girly.

I have to give a shout-out to this new lipstick I’ve been wearing lately! Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Smoked Peach. I think I finally found my ideal lipstick shade! Finding the right lipstick color that compliments my skin tone has been tricky for me…I prefer nude lipstick colors, but they tend to wash me out. Coral brightens my face up immediately and has that retro, early-1960’s vibe going on!

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I hope everyone is enjoying this last day of May! The month seems to have flown by. Looking forward to June and the new round of opportunities that lie ahead! 🙂 Anyone doing anything fun for the upcoming start-of-summer month? Enjoy the day!

Little Mermaid

Published on May 25, 2017 by hellosamanthadear3 Comments

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It must be the hint of summer on the horizon that has made me drawn to seashells and mermaids. ❤

I made this really fun seashell statement ring, on an actual seashell coated with glitter! I went with a mermaid theme, of course. I reeeeally love how it turned out.

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My outfit today feels sooo beachy, not just because of the seashell statement ring but also the pink and white striped shirt I bought from the thrift store recently! It’s become one of my favorite shirts and I bought it for only $4! The skirt I bought on Amazon.

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I hope everyone is having a lovely week! It’s been a great week for me and I’ve been keeping busy, as always. Don’t forget to stop and smell the roses, and most importantly, smile. ❤