Absenteeism is bad for the soul

photo uploaded by helen ireland on Flickr

Hey party people!

There's no good excuse for my absenteeism on this blog. I've been feeling like this woman in the photo: party hat's on, but what's next? - does she fondue, drink her beer, mingle, flee the dark wood paneled basement? Ah, but next week I'll be back in full force. Trust me on that.

And a shout out to all my facebook friends! Facebook requires that all Fan Pages have at least 100 fans to get a vanity URL. So thanks to your support Pretty Good Things now lays claim to this domain: www.Facebook.com/PrettyGoodThings. boo-ya! See ya later long, unwieldy urls of the past. Hello short and sweet PrettyGoodThings. Come on over and join PGT's Facebook fun!

June's Giveaway: the winner!

Hurray!

Thank you all for entering the contest and sharing your summer memories. They're all good stories in the comments and you should read them if you haven't already!

And thanks to random.org I can announce the winner of June's giveaway!

• Aislin

Aislin has won this most awesomely pretty headband from the Pretty Good Things studio!:

Inspiration: Lacroix + 1 reunion

Christian Lacroix Spring 2008 couture:

Photos from Style.com by Don Ashby

I don't really need reasons to make a new hat but this weekend is my 10 year high school reunion (how did this happen?) and I guess that is reason enough to make a new topper. The fabulous Mr. Christian Lacriox's hair do-dads were my inspiration. Mine isn't as glittery as his but I didn't want to distract from my show stopping sequined ball gown I am wearing tomorrow.

The swoosh is separate from the poof on top and is made of bright red vinyl and a repurposed silk peach shirt. The fascinator up top there is detachable in case you want to wear one without the other - pretty neat, huh? Well, that part is made of repurposed sheer window drapes and the base is from a t-shirt procured from my most recent goodwill trip.

So? I'd love to hear your opinions...Do you want to see something like this in the shop?

Ain't no mountain (of hair) high enough

John Galliano Spring 2004 RTW:photos from Style.com by Marcio Maderia

pet peeve alert: rarely are milliners mentioned in the credits on style.com. Maybe it was Galliano/his team...but more likely a collaboration...?

'Dos of the Wild

Last night I caught the tail end (no pun intended!) of a PBS Nature show called "Clever Monkeys". I was quite interested to know monkeys lie and Tufted Capuchins use rocks to break open seed pods after days long process of harvesting the nut AND they drop rocks on predatory jungle cats that live in their neighborhood! I'd love to see all the whole episode.

But really folks, who am I kidding? This isn't a blog where you go for your biology lessons. I am here for your superficial needs - - and I wanted to point out that there are some wild hair dos out there: Pompadours, wizard beards,, toupees, 80s style lions manes, and highly sculpted dos...

Tufted Capuchin photo by ianmichaelthomas

Emperor Tamarin photo by Mila Zinkova

Toque Macaque photo by Jan Sevcik

Gelada photo by Peter van Zoest

Black Crested Mangabey photo by cmrowell

And this one just because he is holding a chihuahua...?:

Click on each photo to see original internets location and citations to properly credit these fine photographers and websites.

Lord knows I didn't sit out there all day photoing these crazy guys.

Love at first sight.

Not too long ago I was browsing Etsy for vintage hats and I came across this vintage Colby black woven straw hat from the Etsy seller umelecky. Even though I've put the kibosh on most all of my "it's not a necessity" buying...I knew I had to have it. So I broke my rule and I snatched it right up! Shop artisan, Karen, shipped it off lickety split. And guess what? The hat is just as awesome as I thought it would be (perhaps even better). It is also perfect, sassy, chic and beautiful. And I still can't get over that it smells divine too! How did she do it?

I think it might be a 40s or 50s era hat...though I can't be too sure and my college advisor would probably shiv me for not knowing. So...my TCD ladies out there...what's your best guess?

Umelecky also sells unique crocheted items in her shop as well. Might I suggest getting a head start on your holiday shopping and Check out this beautiful broach:

Summer Solstice Sale!

If you've had your eye on something for a while . . . now is the time to buy it!

Start shopping at PrettyGoodThings.com

Don't forget to enter the coupon code in the "message to buyer" section during PayPal's check out process.

KISSES!
Mary

Hat Glossary: Swim Cap

I thought this edition of the Hat Glossary ought some how celebrate the official calendar start of the summer (June 21st y'all!). And what better hat than the swim cap!

I love the (above) photo from Market Publique! Click on the photo to visit their blog post with all the photos from the shoot.
Photographer: Chito Yoshida
Model: Giselle
Styling: Pamela Castillo for Market Publique

I think we all pretty much know what a swim cap is. Am I right? It's that tight fitting latex, Lycra or silicon cap that prevented pool water from soaking your costly perm or getting inside your ears or making you as fast as an otter. It's that thing that is rarely worn nowadays for casual pooling but speedy swimmer types probably own, like, about, well, probably at least, um...one? I don't suppose you would need days of the week swim caps? Not a bad idea though.

Well anyway. You may have heard of Playtex before. Yeah, they're the ones. They offer women (and men?) an assortment of brassieres, tampons and baby bottles. Right. But did you know that they once supplied the women of this world with chic and stylish swim caps? Check these awesome caps from the 1960-70s era.

Don't EVER go to swimming alone.

Note to self: a lady must always wear full on make up and eyelashes to the beach.

Jerry Hall knows how to make her swim cap go the extra mile:

May 1975

Vogue March 2008
Photographer - Mario Testino
Stylist - Grace Coddington

May 1941

Trompe L'oeil style:

Photographer: Tom Palumbo.

And now if you didn't think this post could get any more exciting... you can buy your very own new vintage inspired swim cap!

Buy new vintage inspired swim caps at Headcovers Unlimited and WBH Swimwear. Ahem, one petal cap in pastel peach, please!

Buy real vintage swim caps at Glamour Surf or ebay probably even has a few, too. Careful, though these new ones look almost identical to the old!

Now get your SPF 45 and get to the pool!

Behind the scenes...

I've been working on some new things... these clippies you see here are new...and I think they are pretty sweet. And by sweet I don't mean sweet. I mean sweet as in 90s inflection of sweet.


Here's the beginning of a new themed collection. The designs haven't quite solidified in my head yet. But I am thinking about calling it 'blue plate special'. So pun intended when I say here's a little something to wet your appetite!

Make it: Fools Gold Necklace

Gosh. Who doesn't love fool's gold? I think it's probably more awesome than gold itself. Truly! I distinctly remember my first encounter with this lovely piece of the world. We were on vacation (probably in South Dakota or Colorado) and I saw a bin of them shimmering - calling to my little person eyes. I was enthralled. I think my mom explained the name of it to me - it totally sense! My sister and I each took home a beautiful pyrite rock.

I was inspired this morning to make my very own pretty fool's gold necklace. So put your crafty hat on with me and let's get to makin'! (I made mine in the span of 3.5 Fleetwood Mac songs! But you can make it take the whole album if you like because Rumors is pretty effing fun to craft to.)

You'll need:

• 1 pyrite rock (I had one just lying around but maybe you could find one at a hobby store?)
• 2 needle nose pliers (it is easier to use two but you could get away with one)
• 7" wire
• 5-6 jump rings
• 15" leather cord
• 2 end caps (they are pinchy things that go at the end of the leather cord and have holes for jump rings)
• 1 clasp
  
• two drops of glue (not pictured - i used quick hold glue)

I am missing most of the in progress crafting photos because I got caught up in the fun...Sorry!

First, get to wrapping your rock with the wire. Wrap it up good and tight. Bend and secure the wire to form a loop for one larger jump ring. This photo shows the step right before I made the loop for the jump ring.

Next, fix up your leather cord by crimping the end caps on. I used a spot of glue to keep it even more secure. Attach two small jump rings to each of the end cap holes. Don't forget to slide the pyrite pendant onto the cord before you put the clasp on! Finally hook up the clasp to the jump rings!

You're done! Easy. Peasy. as they say!


I like to wear pretty things. Don't you?