So, I enjoyed Polyvore, which was a site where you could build rooms or clothing styles, which I had started using back in 2011 or 2010? Perhaps it was 2009? I'm not certain. A friend of mine used it to create fashion looks and I thought it looked interesting, so I gave it a whirl. Apparently I created 50 things on the site during my time there. I didn't utilize it all the time, but sometimes I would get in the mood. Yesterday I received an email that they were shutting down and that I could request to download my content, so I sent that request in, and today I have all 50 sets. It's a lot, but we're going to take at look at all of it. So, I'll make the viewing easier by dividing them into sections. I did personal things, which I'll show first, and then there are rooms, group sets (multiples of the same type of thing) and then single outfits. There's also make-believe (like if I were on Star Trek how would I dress?), so I'll figure it all out as I go, but we'll start with the personal ones. Personal: My wardrobe in high school/early 20s. Big jeans, black t-shirts with images (though none as cool as these, except I did have one Invader Zim one, just not the one shows), military issue combat boots (that were dad's), lots of fake or silver jewelry (did have an Invader Zim rubber bracelet though), big sunglasses, messenger bags. My wardrobe when I started using Polyvore. It's all pretty similar to what I was wearing then, but the only exact thing that I owned (and still own) are the grey clogs. My updated wardrobe a few years after that last set. The first new set is when I first started wearing tank tops. I'd always covered my arms before. I could update now, but I can't as Polyvore is closed, but you'd have a modest set of cut off jean shorts now. Top of knee, that I cut off myself from jeans I didn't care for the fit of, and shorts are a rather new territory for me, not having worn them since I was about 12. But I still have both skirts that are represented and still wear pants under them, not because I don't want to expose my chunky knees but because, as a big girl, my inner thighs rub together. I also still have both the blue jacket and the black puffy coat that are represented. Actually lots of these items actually, except the tank tops, I go through those pretty quickly with various stains and cats making holes in them. An even more expanded wardrobe, huzzah! The gold sandals representing my gold sandals, we've been through a lot together. A cat just peed on them and I had to wash them and set them out to dry outside. I've also re-glued the soles twice and will need to again, but they are so comfortable. I hardly wear the clogs or the red shoes (made in Germany), but I still have them and wear them on occasion. I hadn't had a swimsuit in forever as my old fake Speedo sport swimmer suit disintegrated from chlorine some years before and mom's old suits weren't cutting it. This was a poor purchase, but it's what I still have, as it's a two piece that's flouncy with a built in bra. So my boobs are shoved up, though they stay in, but I'd rather they be covered, and the flouncy bit I have to tuck into the leg portion of my bottoms to even be able to swim. I'm looking for a new one, but they make weird sizes for big girls. I have a dress now too. White top with what looks like watercolour flowers all over the skirt part. I still have it and wear it, though the liner is ripped on one side and I haven't re-sewn and I wear short pyjama bottoms underneath. The straps are also really small compared to my bra straps, so I usually just wear this as a skirt with a shirt over it, or as the dress with a shirt under or over. I also still have those houndstooth pants and wear them when it's not hot (because they aren't thin), but I do have a pair of roll up cuff mid calf jeans and two pairs of real jeans that are nice that I can't not wear because they are just _ too small for me. *sigh*. Eventually. I had bought them when I was a 24 and they fit beautifully, and then right after I gained some weight. This is the What I Have vs What I Want sub category. This is what I have for walking and swimming. This is the what I want version. And two-three years after creating these I have mixed feelings. Really, the long yoga style pants and random tank top that I have for walking/working out is not condusive. The pants are too hot and the tank top always rides up. I'm constantly fiddling with my clothing to keep it in place, or else get all twisted up in it. So, better clothes would be good, but I really don't want to join a gym. I like the idea of air conditioning (when most of the year here is REALLY gross) or someone to help guide me and say "more of this" or "less of that". But I don't want to pay or deal with all of those people. And I actually had a problem with my feet swelling for awhile, which I don't know, so my old trainers fit again, which is good because those sandals were terrible with sport related activities. The swimming? I would like a better suit and goggles, nose and ear plugs, and a swimmers cap. I wouldn't mind being able to practice swim-swimming in an olympic sized pool, but natatoriums are gross. All that chlorine and I'm not a fan of indoor pools. I actually have a really lovely place to swim out of doors and while it's not a large pool, it's a pool, that's outdoors, and is free. I just really need a better suit. This is both What I Have vs What I Want for the subject of Yoga in one collection. So, what I have is on the right. Ill fitting yoga clothes for yoga, a map, instructions off the internet, and my cramped living space. Versus what I wanted which were more condusive clothing and a yoga studio. Because of The Sister, I actually have free access to yoga teachers (not instructional videos) at a yoga studio, and do you know what? I don't really like doing yoga with other people, and this makes me laugh. The studio/teacher bit is cool. But my body is not great for yoga. I mean, t is, any body can do yoga, and the teachers realize this, but they also do not know how to really instruct bodies that aren't slender. They are taught there are different variations for positions so if someone can't do such and such all the way, they can do this or that variation. But I have excess stuff that gets in the way, so a lot of times it's not an issue of not being able to stretch, it's simply that my fat chubby legs hit my ample belly and bosom and I can't bring my knees anywhere near my chest, for example. So, it's awkward. And The Sister saying, "It won't be a hard/difficult class at all!" and she pulls out poses I couldn't do in my dizziest day dreams like plow or legs up the wall. It's really difficult to get my butt close enough to the wall and shift this bulk to actually be at the wall. So, it's interesting that I kind of got exactly what I wanted (nix the clothing part) and it's not at all what I thought it would be. This is the sub-category of real rooms inside my home. This was the office/extra bedroom at the time that I put this set together. It has changed slightly. The bench is gone and I'm using a dining room chair now. I've switched that desk lamp of The Sisters' for a different (larger) one. The Alice in Wonderland poster is in my room now. The TV is on the dresser and the coffee maker was on the white table, but we can't have it in here because it shorts out my power strip where my computer is plugged in. Which I'd inherited that old, but slightly updated (like it had Windows 7, but only one USB port and no internal wi-fi) from our California Mom. It died a year and a half after I got it. Now I have this ginormous Mac that was payment for house sitting. The colour palette in the bottom right is the room. The Curly Maple wood is the bed and dresser, the navy is the walls and the gold are the curtains. I actually uploaded some of our actual items, so the Dutch Money is really our photo, it's The Sisters from her trip in the 90s and is framed in here. The Be Good/Be Nice Swedish Elves are what I took photo's of. I do have that exact iPod (was The Sisters first) and the speaker/player that it's in. I do actually have that light fixture, but it's hooked up to the central light in here, I do have the Alice in Wonderland poster, and the 1920s Mah-Jongg set. The weird drawing of the blue girl is my original art. And my real bedroom at the time. It's changed a bit too, of course. I did have one bookshelf upside down with my telly on it... and I did have my beta fish named Fish, but he died. :( But both bookshelves are together now on one wall and my tall dresser (next photo) switched places with the record player and that geometric lamp beside it. I do really have that record holder and those records. Also those are my exact curtains partitioning off my bed and I have those bedsheets pictured in the upper left corner. Oh and the hanging lamp, but it's on the other room now. So, this is the other room, or the playroom, or the slant room. It's connected to my bedroom. The dresser I said is now in my bedroom. Also neither dresser (short in office or this tall one) have their mirrors or fanangly-do's that hold up the mirrors on either side as I took them off and they are in the office closet. The vanity is in my bedroom now. It was that shape and style but I painted it that shade of green and added black knobs for the pulls; but it has a door on each side at the bottom instead of drawers. I no longer have that basket to hold sheets, and the cedar chest (though similar to this one) holds those now. I also don't have the vintage clothes hamper anymore. I do have the ceiling covered (partly) in maps and some of the wall space covered in postcards. The art is The Sisters and she's since sold it, though it was hanging out in this room for a bit. The girl figure on the vanity is a real photo I took. She's a wooden painted souvenir from Egypt that my grandmother brought back from her travels that I later inherited. She's in my bedroom now as well. Finally in the personal category is our dining room. All of the dishes are photos that I took of our things. At the top are three sets of crystal and then three sets of china. The top photos are my set that had belonged to my maternal grandmothers grandmother, which I inherited via my grandmother. The second and third sets belong to The Sister. The 2nd crystal in line and the 3rd teacup/saucer are from a lady who came into dad's store and bartered it for jewelry work. Dad used to own a jewelry store and made jewelry as well as selling. And he would barter obviously. The third crystal and the second cup/saucer set The Sister inherited from our California Mom after her death. The green and white plate was another barter item for jewelry work. Eight plates and two stands, and this set dad gave to mom. The green thing on the table next to it is an early 20th century reproduction of an early Victorian fancy Pickle holder. My maternal grandmother gave that to my parents. The crystal dangly candlesticks on the dining table are a photo I took as well. Everything else is just close representations. This next section is Costuming and Make Believe. There's also a contest thrown in, but it was still make believe for me. Costuming: This is me make-believing that I was a librarian in the 1930s. I tried to be as accurate as possible like in the type of jewelry a working woman would even own and a little gold and pearls seemed OK, because she wouldn't be of the best quality, so could be afforded either by her or by someone in her family and passed down. The ruby ring might or might not be real and is a precious heirloom none-the-less. She'd certainly have a watch, but she's unconventional and instead of a wrist piece she's using a pocket watch. I love this look. This is the outfit I would wear if I were A) in a Sci-Fi world or B) if this was the future. It's costuming, because I wouldn't wear this out and about. So, this is Sci-Fi me in imagination land. I don't plan on ever getting married, but if I did it would go a little something like this. I cobbled pieces together (like a 60's style shift dress and a gauzy evening gown) to create the simple 20's-esque bridal gown. I cobbled together a skirt with a shirt to create the bridesmaid outfit. Two different Halloween outfits for being a witch. Do I want to be a young and edgy witch with my acid green tights and high stomping boots? Or do I wish to be more elegant in a long flowy skirt and slight pump witch shoes? This was a contest to win Pusheen the Cat items. What would I wear going back to school and what Pusheen items would I take along on my first day back, basically. I'm in my late 30's, so going back to high school is make-believe, and thus falls into this category. This is, if I were on Star Trek TOS (the original series) what would I wear? So, if I were a crew member, I would be in the sciences and hopefully an officer of some type, so boom! There's my tricorder, communicator, an phaser; my carrying case for planet missions (all M class), and my boots and short pants and top that's blue with the science insignia. If I were an alien lady, I'd wear the red and gold outfit on the right. I did a couple of rooms if I had a house all my own and could decorate it anyway I wanted to, so we'll show those now. Rooms: Living Room. I'm not certain anymore why I have three chairs, unless I wanted the two golden one's on either side of the sofa and the pink one to be off away from the grouping as a reading chair? There's knick-knacks at the bottom of the set and the top right corner is the colour scheme of the room; wood floor... and really I don't know. Is the gold/white swirl the accent wall behind the sofa or the art... because why would I have gold leaves as the art on that type of wall? I'm not certain anymore, but the colours in the top left are the accents of the room, though the details escape me. Bedroom. I do love quilted accents so I would definitely have that bed. And I love the furniture from West Elm with its different coloured wood. Art at the top right, bed linens top middle, and room colours top left; wood floor, stone wall, probably the tan colour for curtains? Kitchen. I do love copper and mint green. This, I'm pretty sure I remember this. Lots of window that open out around the sink. Appliances in mint green with copper accent (vintage if I could get it). Built in wood/glass cupboards with marble countertop (but only on partial of the kitchen for pastry work, so not all surfaces). A big, deep sink. Wooden cabinets on the bottom that are white with a light/dark wood top. Bathroom. Honeycomb marble tile on the floors, the chevron in the shower area, and the green on the wall behind the toilet and duvet, perhaps behind the tub. white walls otherwise. Green tile behind the mirror and sink cabinet to the floor, with the white tile as the sink backsplash. Den. Another piece of that West Elm furniture, the grey portion pulls down and is perfect for a computer or laptop, so that would be my secretary/computer desk. The mid-century credenza would have the floral patterned record player on top and records in the doors. I'd also have a vintage telly (but it would be outfitted to accept a Roku device (or something similar) and DVD player. Old plank hardwood floors and the colour scheme next to it for walls and curtains, etc. Dining Room. I'd want a very formal, Art Deco/1920's feel and look about it. There's not really much to say as it's pretty obvious what all the furniture pieces are, right? The cool Art Deco piece in the bottom left corner would be the bar... and I don't even drink. Ha! Colour scheme and flooring upper left and the white square by the dining chair is because I'd have the seat upholstered in cream and not black. This room I did later than the other one's and I agree that it's extremely symmetrical, but I could see this being a room in my house. White brick walls, accent wall behind the sofa, table lamps in front of fancy windows. I LOVE those chairs with their plush navy with the quilted accent and the gold metal. They're a cross between 70's chairs we actually have (that have that button pushed in/quilted effect, but in green leather with chrome metal as the square base that serves as the legs, support, and arms. Also the material and colour of my maternal grandmothers early-mid 1980's Buick Regal. These are grouped sets like where I found all of the vintage dresses in one go through that I adored, or swim suits or pyjama sets I'd wear. So groups of similar items and not a room and not one single outfit. Grouped Sets: Pee-Wee's Playhouse. This is my absolute favourite grouping and is based off my memory of things that stuck out to me from Pee-Wee's Playhouse. Colours and patterns and all sorts of things. I would completely and totally absolutely wear either of these outfits out in public... with pride. My absolute favourites are the center one which is the feminine look for Pee-Wee Herman himself and the one to the right of it with the gold sparkly top and jade green leopard print pants with pink glitter shoes with winking eyes... and the red lip purse. People that know me know that I love Pee-Wee Herman, but still would never guess that I would actually wear these outfits in public. So that's funny to me. But, yes, I like all of them. Vintage Dresses I. Just a grouping of various vintage dresses 50s - 70s that I liked on one pass through of viewing dresses on the site. The Leggings. I just paired shorts or skirts with leggings (the first and last are shorts) and built outfits around each. I would wear all of these out in public. Vintage Dresses II. Another day, another pass through on dresses and here is my list. Not all of them are vintage, but most of them are. The one's that aren't are very vintage in style. Take for instance the bottom right dress. Dolce and Gabbana's lemon print dress with sheer long sleeves. Very retro in design and print, but it's modern... and also costs about a billion dollars. The Swimsuits. I know I put the black bottomed two piece together. I'm not sure about the other two, but I want to say that I did. So, three two-pieces and three once pieces. All suits I would wear and could actually swim in, paired with the towel I would have for each (because a girl can dream right?) and I'd have the same sun screen, goggles, shades, and bag for use with all. Yesterday in Old Navy (though they don't come in my size), I paired a top similar in shape to that second one, which was covered in a pineapple print, with black and white gingham bottoms in the same shape as the bottoms in this set. I would totally have worn it too. The Sister laughed at my choice but then agreed that it was very me. The Pyjama's. I chose floral pyjama bottoms and put the outfits together around those. Incidentally two or three of those bottoms are just fancy pants. As in haute couture, high fashion, runway names and they're pants you wear out. But who cares, right? So, I paired each bottom with a shirt I would wear with it and paired each set with a mug, because why not. There's a satin robe for summer months and a warmer robe for colder months, three various pairs of slippers and one cat face sleeping mask. This next and final section are all individual outfits, and are also outfits I would gladly wear out and about.
Outfits:
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AuthorA girl from South Mississippi who finds herself in exploration. Archives
November 2019
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