Hello, hello I'm back again!!

Did you miss me? I've been MIA but have a good excuse as of late! I, along with my friend Danielle rescued a two week old kitten! We were at the Stockton flea market last week and there he was, laying in a cardboard box in desperate need of mother's milk. We sped off on a mission of mercy, buying kitten formula and stopping at the spca for guidance. A foster effort quickly became an adoption as my husband and I welcome the wee tabby boy into our home where Garloo will have two big brothers and a big sister too! He's a pound of fun and got in on the action for my latest outfit post!! The Mod Male himself requested a photo of my scalloped jacket as he posted a similar outfit on his blog recently. So here it is, and if you wanna git down with some killer mod men style, you know where to click!
60s Penelope of Carmel suede jacket, thrifted many years ago $3
60s wet look mini dress, ebay many years ago $25
60s-70s thigh high suede boots, ebay many years ago $40
60s Pucci velvet purse, ebay two years ago, $200
60s Italian sunglasses, ebay last year, $40
Bakelite ring, a few weeks ago at the Sacramento Antique Fair, $45

Thankful To Be Giving

This year I am beginning to build what will be my non profit organization to help cats in need. The Annimal House Foundation will sell choice vintage goods for the benefit of homeless cats. I have a few auctions going up on ebay this week to help finance my first project. I need to remodel my garage to make space to sell items through my soon to exist website. Also the remodeled space would serve as a home for my first client, Goldilocks. Goldilocks moved into our yard last year but cannot seem to get along with my tabby siblings Tiggy and Tiger. So he refuses to stay indoors, but hopefully if he had his own indoor space he would feel differently. He sleeps outside on our heating unit inside a large mailbox with blankets. He has been fixed and gets preventative treatment, but I really wanna hook him up! I can't ignore the problem of cat overpopulation as it literally is right at my doorstep. So with the Foundation I endeavor to help these deserving fur-babies! And find good homes for some groovy gear. Speaking of which, I am here sporting:
Vintage 70s mini dress, $30 ebay a few weeks ago
Vintage 70s fur hat, $10 ebay last month
Vintage 70s western cape, $15 ebay last month
Vintage 70s go go boots, thrifted a few years ago
Vintage 60s sunglasses with new pink lenses from Style Eyes
Commando tights, $34 online

It takes a village...

to raise a drunk! Here’s an example of buying someone else something you really want to keep working out really well! I bought this Roach deadstock iron on for my husband several years ago. I was going to have it put on a t shirt for him but he could tell I really wanted it so he said I should put it on a shirt for myself. I’m glad I got to keep it cuz I think the village drunk is really cool, and people always tell me how much they like him when I wear it. Plus, since my husband doesn’t drink too much it would be false advertising, but when I wear it fair warning!

Repro lace up suede boots, $80 Urban Outfitter’s clearance a few years ago
Orange leather belt, $25 bought in Florence 6 years ago
70s orange Baruffaldi racer sunglasses, $1 thrifted several years ago
80s children’s acid wash jacket, $.50 thrifted
Contemporary corduroy skirt, $4 thrifted
Repro ringer tshirt with vintage 70s village drunk t shirt iron on $30

Crème de Menthe

Another mention of our local monthly antique and collector’s fair as I'm wearing a dress I bought there last month for $5. Mint colored 60s lace dress in minty condition? Yes, please! Also wearing leather late 60s/early 70s lace up go go boots. This outfit was tested out on the dance floor at a recent Fleshtones/Troublemakers show, and it held up to the boogie rather nicely. I need to be able to move with the groove so not all outfits make the cut!
Mint colored 60s cotton lace dress, $5 antique and collector’s fair last month
Late 60s/early 70s lace up go go boots, $50 ebay about 10 years ago
Vintage enamel pendant signed Inga, $15 ebay a few months ago
Goldielocks the cat, adopted us last year, priceless

A little less conversation…

...a little more action!! This is my homage to the King, as Elvis rocked the jumpsuit like no other! I wish I had a custom tailored Nudie like rock royalty, but my 70s wet look jumpsuit will have to do. I’m a sucker for studs so I added this studded belt and my 70s studded jacket. Of course I needed to top it all off with my 70s Cool Ray Polaroid sunglasses! These are perennial favorites of mine, the frame style is called fastback. And when I wear them old ladies always like to tell me Elvis wore sunglasses like those, like I don't know that already!!  
70s wet look jumpsuit and 70s Cool Ray Polaroid sunglasses, thrifted cheaply a long time ago
70s studded jacket, last seen here
60s gold stiletto boots, $50 ebay several years ago
studded brass and plastic belt, free with purchase at a vintage clothing sale last year
Sally Hansen gold glitter nail decals, $7 at the drugstore, these rock!

Op art project

Here find my latest in a long line of vintage clothing “projects”, clothes that need a little tlc before wearing! I bought this op art gem on etsy a few weeks ago for a mere $8. It was formerly a dress with a stain on the front, so the seller opted to cut and hem it into a tunic length shirt. I redid the hem to make it as long as possible and now I find it quite wearable indeed! The fabric pattern really sold me, though. Stanimal told me it hurt his eyes if he looked at it too long, which is considered a huge compliment to op art lovers such as ourselves! I busted out some 60s sunglasses Stanimal had bought me several years back, and accessorized with silver boots and stockings to let the print do the talkin’!
And to celebrate reaching 100 followers, the vintage purple necklace in the first picture is my giveaway prize! To enter: be a follower, like annimal house on facebook, and leave a comment! The more you comment, the more chances you have to win my necklace twin! On May 31 I will draw a random winner and ship that necklace your way! Thanks again, this has been a real groovy trip!!
60s op art tunic, $8 etsy a few weeks ago
60s silver vinyl go go boots, $100 ebay several years ago
60s yellow sunglasses, gift from Stanimal several years ago
60s necklace, $50 ebay seval years ago, last seen here

My checkered past

I'd better check myself, I've been known to wreck my budget with one of a kind "must have" items! I have a special spot in my heart for these black and white checkered sunglasses. Even though I had previously scored a kinda similar red and black pair for $20 including shipping on ebay, I still ponied up $65 dollars for this pair at the "boutique" counter at eco thrift several years ago. I couldn't let them go, as they were:
1. made in France, super high quality
2. deadstock and in perfect condition, no wear or scratches to be found
3. a perfect fit and flattering
4. I'd never seen another pair like 'em
But then a few months later, back in 2009 when I had started and quit blogging almost immediately and I was just a blog stalker and didn't make my presence known, I ran across Wendy Brandes's post wearing a very similar pair. I thought, wow, maybe I should bring my blog back from the dead so I could share this kind of rad stuff with like minded peeps. It took me quite a while after that but here I am, wearing said shades and so happy to show and tell!
60s sunglasses, $65 thrifted several years ago
60s psychedelic checkered dress, $5 thrifted several years ago and altered
60s white go go boots, $75 ebay (deadstock!)last year
60s orange and white choker, $15 etsy
80s checkered earrings, $1 thrifted last year

Proud to be stylish and feminist!!

Dusk is an absolute force of nature, and one of the most positive, fearless and creative women I have had the pleasure to meet in blogland. I am floored she has chosen me to be a recipient of the Stylish Blogger Award!! I am very happy to accept this accolade and pass the torch forward to the following bloggers who all bring it with style in their own special way: Nikki of Little Bits of Nikk Nak, Kara of Porkchop Does Rule, Nicole of Flaming Hag Folkwear, Joanna of Mrs. Bossa Does the Do, Rebecca of Smashingbird, Shy Biker, Dhee-Ghee of Dear Girl, confessions of a wallflower, Annalise and Jennifer of Hummingbird Girls, Dolly the bird of The Knack and How to get it, and Dash of The French Sampler!!
And per the guidelines for award recipients, I would like to share some things about me I have not yet divulged on this blog! As a member of the Feminist Fashion Blogger group, we are blogging in concert today on the topic: finance, feminism and the fashion blogger. This relates well to the introduction of my background as a construction worker. For many years I was very proud of the fact that I worked as hard as any of my (almost all) male peers for equal pay. I am a journey-level electrician, heavy equipment operator, and a gradesetter. I spent eight years working for union companies building soul less subdivision McMansion tract housing neighborhoods that I loathe! I then was self employed for almost three years as a General Contractor, specializing in remodeling homes built prior to 1950. After the economy started to tank in 2007 I got an entry level office worker job for the State of California. I was sick of dealing with deadbeat clients too, I won’t lie. It was a pay cut and a morale bruiser but my paychecks don’t bounce! I would cringe when people asked me what I do for a living when before I was proud to exceed their expectations of what women are capable of. But I’m small boned and I have since been diagnosed with early onset osteoarthritis in my spine, a result of having worked like a dog building everything I could get paid well to for almost 15 years. So now I’m grateful I’m not beating my body up just to prove that I can do what men can do, only better! And I was also fortunate to have purchased my house by myself when I was just 24 years old, having saved up some of the good pay I used to shovel in!! My little bungalow was built in 1920 and is located in an urban area near downtown Sacramento with huge trees and a killer park. So I don’t want for much, and I don’t need to abuse myself to make a decent living anymore! In contrast, fashion blogging has been purely a pleasure. I am new at this, having only seriously started blogging a few months ago, and if I never make any money doing it that would be fine! But as I have been collecting vintage clothing for over 20 years I’d love to be able to sell some of that to other vintage lovers out there too! You can’t put a price on the value of the connections and camaraderie I experience by sharing what I love most: building, restoring and celebrating life through my vintage style filter!  
  
70s Midi Dress, Joseph Magnin, $4 Sacramento Antique fair last week
Contemporary fake fur capelet, $15 Citizen Rosebud a few weeks ago
70s plastic cameo choker, $8 Sacramento Antique fair fair last week
Fake pearl and ab rings, $1 each Sacramento Antique fair fair last week
Bakelite dome ring, $20 ebay a few years ago
70s pull on boots, $4 thrift town, last seen here
         

Take that, player hater!

A few days ago I was merrily visiting other blogs and had several tabs open on my browser when the facebook tab showed activity. Could it be a message, a party invite, something cool? Not even, as I was greeted with a comparison to a senior citizen in obnoxious clothing:

My friend says: Check out Ann throwing down for a $75 Thrift Town shopping spree. Maybe you should enter the contest too!

Anonymous Player Hater Says: I'm sure she's really nice and the outfit does have some appeal, but she kinda looks like Mrs. Howell from Giligan's Island. I'd like to see something that looks more like fashion and less like a costume. IMHO, of course.

Annimal says: I take that as a major compliment!! Even if you didn't mean it as one!!! I live my life like one big costume party, and I dress up every day!!!

My friend says: Fashion IS costume.

Annimal says: Thanks!! I know I scorch some retinas but I'll keep dressing loud!! I think I just got inspired for my next next blog post!!!

Anonymous Player Hater Says: Go for it! It's like polka dots. I appreciate them on other people, but they're a bit much for me. No insults intended. I love bright colors. MY PERSONAL taste is to just use a splash here and there. Sorry if my smart-assedness ruffled any boa feathers. :-)

Boy I’m sure glad I got this anonymous person’s input! But no matter, as I have been selected to win the $75 Thrift Town Gift Certificate!! Here’s to not playing it safe, eh?!!!

My niece Ronda and I are wearing matching dresses that we both thrifted at different Thrift Town locations unbeknownst to each other!! When Ronda arrived at my house wearing her twin dress I quickly produced mine and we posed for photos to submit to the Thrift Town contest along with my original entry!! As this entry “took it over the top” according to Kari, the gift certificate is Ronda’s to keep!

I'm double down with denim!!

Double denim, the "texas tuxedo". I gotta admit I've been committing this particular fashion faux pas for awhile now, blissfully unaware that it is in fact considered a "don't"! Not that doin' a "don't" has ever stopped me before! I wear a vast array of jean jackets constantly, and this 70s child's toughskins jacket has been in heavy rotation for years. I couldn't button it closed if my life depended on it but that's fine by me, better to show off my shirt and vintage pendant!! The jean skirt is built by Wendy for Wrangler, but I built this entire outfit for Wendy Brandes as she is currently rounding up images of double denim duds!
70s child's toughskins jacket , thrifted cheaply many years ago
Jean skirt, Built by Wendy for Wrangler, purchased half off at Crossroads TC $7.50 several years ago
Gray tights, hue $8 Macy's last year
Purple turtleneck top, Michael Stars, $4 thrifted last year
70s Snake print boots, $40 ebay several years ago
70s Sarah Coventry pendant, $15 ebay several years ago
70s sunglasses, thrifted long ago last seen here

A Lunatic in Fringe!

Several years ago when I was cheerfully wasting many hours searching ebay for vintage treasures, I happened upon this fringe top/dress. It was love at first sight, and I put my bid in immediately. As the auction end drew near, I hovered over the computer and put in another bid at the last minute to make sure she was gonna be mine. But I needn’t have worried as I was the only bidder, bagging this lovely frock for $20. When I was communicating with the seller about shipping and such she told me, “this dress was at Woodstock, it was in a magazine too.” So of course, being thrilled, I asked if she was the one wearing it and what magazine was it featured in? She never responded, and soon stopped selling on ebay (as I of course kept checking back to see what else she may list!!) Then, fast forward a few years later and Stanimal and I were at a flea market and he found the magazine and the photo, but the vendor, noting our obvious enthusiasm, wanted too much money for a poorly preserved copy. So when we got home we googled the image and voila!! So, the mystery will never be fully revealed but this dress may or may not have been to Woodstock!!
60s dress, $20 ebay several years ago
70s leather boots, free from Stanimal's best friend a few years ago
Necklace and earrings set, $25 ebay last year
70s dress under "woodstock" dress, thrifted cheaply several years ago

Thrifty Scores for the Win?!

Upon hearing that I could enter a contest sponsored by Thrift Town AND show off a thrifted outfit AND have a chance to win a $75 gift card, I was freakin’ stoked! Sacramento is fortunate enough to have three TT locations, all of which I visit frequently. And I have once been to the San Francisco location, and although it was many years ago I still have the dress I bought. The official rules state that the outfit doesn’t have to be 100% thrifted, but I was able to use four parts thrift town scores to one part ebay and one part Sacramento antique fair. I hope this formula impresses Juniper James, a local blogger whom I had the pleasure to meet recently and who also does the TT blog. Fingers crossed!! This was a fun outfit to build whether or not I win!! But I can’t stop dreaming of the rad stuff I can buy with $75 at thrift town, cuz that money will definitely go a long way there!!

60s brown boots, 4.99 Thrift Town, several years ago
home sewn dress, 3.99 Thrift Town, a few months ago
contemporary pink blouse, 3.99 Thrift Town a few weeks ago
brown tights, new in package, .69 Thrift Town, a few months ago
60s pink furry hat, $10 Sacramento Antique Fair last year
orange furry boa, $25 ebay a few years ago

Call Me Annimal!

As a rabid MC5 fan I am hard pressed to state whether I love them most for their original aura, insanely rockin music or thought provoking lyrics. Since I can’t decide I which attribute is best it’s gonna have to be a three way tie! And I’m very fortunate to be named Ann as they recorded two songs with my name in the title, Sister Ann and Call Me An(n)imal! Today’s tribute annsemble is dedicated to the MC5, but basically every rock-god-goddess-super-hero image I endeavor to embody has some motor city flavor sprinkled on top!

Studded jacket (without matching pants), $25 ebay several years ago
red, white and blue leather belt, $1 deseret thrift several years ago
levis jean skirt, $15 ebay several years ago
hang ten t shirt, $7 from Bella aka Citizen Rosebud (the day I first met her, awww)!!!
silver leather boots, $20 ebay several years ago
60s sunglasses, made in Italy $20 ebay several years ago

Hello Yellow!

I was super excited to receive my order of these yellow tights from we love colors hoping they would match my beloved yellow leather go go boots. Starting with a sunny foundation on my legs, I then busted out my hiding elephant dress, which I thrifted about 10 years ago at the now defunct Northgate thrift store. Man I miss that thrift store!! I bought some of my very favorite vintage items there. I even bought a Burberry camel peacoat for $3.80, which I wore for years and then sold on ebay 2 years ago for $300 (someone took the buy it now bait less than 24 hours after I listed it!), and my first ever thrifted Pucci, A 60s wool vivara print blouse for 80 cents which I had dry cleaned for $3 and then sold on ebay for $286.00. The same organization has another thrift store located on Fruitridge Blvd in Sacramento and it’s okay, but there was something extra special about Northgate thrift. It makes me grateful to have been able to shop there so long ago, and wish I had a time machine to go back to the 90s and shop there again!
60s vintage sunglasses, made in France, $1 garage sale 10 years ago
elephant print dress, Northgate thrift store, 80 cents 10 years ago
60s yellow leather go go boots, $50 ebay 5 years ago
ab cha cha bracelet, $16 crimson and clover last year
blue cha cha bracelet, $10 ebay last year
adjustable rings, ebay a few years ago $5-$10 each
yellow tights, we love colors, $10 last week
Nauga monsters, Stanimal thrifted over 10 years ago, priceless

My Evil Twin

She doesn't show up to every event, but when she arrives there is hell to pay! My evil twin is summoned by the angry gods of liquor, and when she takes over I am left to ask my husband, "what happened, and who did I offend?", the next day! Hung over and humiliated, I once had to call my friend and apologize for desecrating his family's bar with my drunken shenanigans. Laughing at the recent memory, he told me that my behavior was hilarious and I should get shit faced more often. I guess it's no wonder my evil twin loves to come out and party with friends like that!!
Tie dye satin dress, etsy $25 bought last week
Cowhide boots, $40 Seattle flea market 3 years ago
Enid Collins night owl purse, $3 Roseville flea market, 5 years ago
Black crushed velvet leggings, $20 hue brand Macys last year