Tooled leather will forever be a building block for my personal style....and its not that I take the Texas thing too seriously,but the rich caramel colors they come in are some of my favorites in all the world.Not to mention the incredible shapes and hand work that goes into each piece!
This belt is my favorite belt and cost me 25 cents at a garage sale when I was in High School. Yes,it still fits,but at the time of purchase ,I had to add a few notches,to tighten it up. Now ,its original notches fit me just fine,shown here with a vintage corset slip ,that I hand dyed,and one of my other style tenets,cowboy boots.
These are a few of my black tooled leather treasures,you may click to enlarge. The black shades seem harder to find than the warmer caramel colors.
I was simply agog over these tooled leather pumps from Remix but at THREE-HUNDRED and EIGHTEEN dollars , they were merely a fantasy.
That is until I found these ,new in the box "dead stock" ,caramel 50's pumps,up for auction on e-bay.
I was the high bidder who won them for fifty bucks,they are now the crowning glory of my collection.
These belts are still easily found at thrift stores and I never pay more than 4 or 5 dollars for them.The buckles were purchased seperately,ALSO at thrift stores.
So how do you wear tooled leather? I just picked up this taupe eyelet dress for 2.75 at the thrift.Its sweet simplicity will let these gorgeously hand crafted accesories shine,without being over the top.
This Patio dress from the 50' with its tiny silver ric-rac and fit and flare comfort,will also pair perfectly with my new pumps and a flirty childs bag. 
For about a zillion years I have been crazy for Mexican, hand-painted, circle skirts. I've really only found 1 or 2 at the thrift,and my main source is my favorite vintage store Ahab Bowen.In the fall of 2005 it seemed every retail establishment came out with their own version of these beauties. I felt momentarily "robbed" of my personal style,and swiftly put my own hand-painted gems in the back of the closet. Oh yes ,I have a "Fashion Exile Rule".If any item becomes too ubiquitous or overexposed,I shall either jettison it,or put it into "Fashion Exile".
This Spring I let them come out and play with me again. This voluminous dream,had dark-haired cuties on it that reminded me of Frida,so I could not resist adding the eye-brow flourish.
Tooled leather is a natural complement to these amazing swirly pieces of art.
A funny thing happens when you are known for a devotion to a specific type of garment or accessory. People begin to give you things. Not just for your birthday,but because,folks know no one else would appreciate a piece the same way you would.Crooked Halos adorable kindergarten teacher cleaned out her mothers closet,and knew this lovely piece would find a good home.
Just look at the intracacy of the decoration on this skirt. This attention to detail is one of the reasons why vintage is so special.As they say...they just don't makem' like they used to!The complete collection of MOVCFM:
September
October
November
December
January
February
March
April
28 comments:
I love it! Those vintage pumps are AMAAAAAAAAZING!! Wowza!
Holey Toleedo! What? what? and What?????? It is too much.. I need some air.. this is too good of a collection to be true! Love it!! All of it! Every last piece of it! Love the shoes you snagged even better! I have a pair myself!!! Oh, my, oh... swoon! All of it..And with a waist like that...You can wear it all, anyway you want as far as I am concerned!
love tooled leather!!! you're such a fashionista with a unique style - love all these! the shoes are amazing!!
Oh my goodness - what a collection!!! Just stunning. I do love leather and have actually been on a hand tooling course although I have not worked on much lately. Mmmm maybe I should get back to it!!!! Could be a great addition to my etsy shop. The skirts are just glorious and you wear them to perfection.
You have such great personal style, and I wish we had thrift stores that had so many stunning pieces over here. Love your dresses and the tooled handbags are amazing. Those shoes from Ebay-swoon! Now I'm regreting donating that tooled handbag of mine to charity :)
omg your ebay shoes made me scream, I love them.
I love that you incorporate a little bit of Texas cowgirl with the very feminine almost victorian slips, it is a great juxtaposition.
never in my life had I even imagined of such an existence as tolled leather pumps. Those are gorgeous and you have figured out perfect outfits for them to be worn with. Congratson your win. The Frida-esque circle skirt is also my favorite. I have some fashion rules myself, though, one is don't wear people on my clothes, I think I would make an exception for that skirt!
Those skirts are fantastic!
Geez! What a great collection..Oh the tooled leather. I once made tooled leather postcards! And the skirts! My own Mexican skirt is one of the things I miss most from when our house burned down..I got it in England!
You wear what I only dream of wearing. You are indeed a fashon icon and heroine.
FRICKIN' LOVE EVERY DETAIL OF THESE OUTFITS. They are perfection.
Nothing more needs to be said. Except perhaps...
WAAAAAAAH, I want a 25 cent gorgeous belt and fabu vintage pumps!
Each and every time you totally blow me away!!!!! There is no other Fashion Diva like you!!!!!
Love those skirts! I'm not sure Icould walk on those pointy heels though.
jdp - I think this was my favorite - love that tooled stuff and those circle skirts - yummie! those pumps are to die for - and as always the model is the mostest - now what would be in Cadiz' closet... I'll have to think about this - oh yes - the movie
xox - eb.
I don't particularly like tooled leather, but I have to admit that you do make it look quite chic!
I love the skirts and I used to have a similar collection of skirts with castle scenes on them. I wish I still had them.
Oh my God the shoes are amazing. Any good ideas about where to get vintage tooled leather purses fixed that are rotting? Oh and I am glad I was not the only one who felt so sad when souvenir skirts were everywhere, if you have brought yours back out then I will too.
As always, you look FABULOUS darling! You can certainly put togther outfits like no one else can. :) Love the pumps, they were meant to be for sure! You know I'll be on the look out for tooled leather for you now, right? :)
xoxoxoxo
You know, I've never been a drag queen (tried long hair in college, I looked like Colleen Dewhurst - shudder) but every now and then I see a pair of pumps that makes me want to shave, pluck my eyebrows and put on Ruta Lee false eyelashes (top and bottom)!
You have two pair in this one Fashion release!
You are the most glamorous of them all!!!
Oh I love the skirts, but those shoes... wow! They're hot!!
I have a couple of those skirts, myself, and was heartbroken when they became trendy. I love anything vintage and western, so this collection is right up my alley. Those pumps are killing me. Seriously, I'm dying right now cause I want some so bad. Love your blog! Thanks for visiting mine.
Holly
What an amazing sense of style you have, I'm SO jealous of your heels!
Love all your outfits as always :) I bet you could make a fortune with those on ebay!
Also, just love your new banner and passionate, pagoda red background!
Darling Girl....I nominated you for the thinking bloggers award on my blog.
(you make me think of clothes, and there is nothing better than that)
This is ALL amazing, I adore your entire collection you shared here!!!
I have a turquoise and silver mexican 50 skirt that I adore! and an old tooled handbag from my grandmother (I'm holding it in the photo of all my cousins and our handbags on a recent post).
My NEW favorite shoes, although not vintage, are Pikolino's, made in Spain that are tooled leather.
You have an amazing closet! Each skirt is better than the next. Anything that twirls is alright in my book!
BTW- I am having a drawing to return all that bloggy love that has come my way, stop by!
Great blog :)
x0x0
Su
I have one belt - and it is appropriate for a belly dancer. One other belt that is covered with beads and shells. That's it.........I need belts! HEEEEEEELP!
PS your fashion sense - oh my. We must meet in person.
PS Your roadside macrame comment made me laugh so hard!
i ADORE those shoes! my grampa used to do that tooled leather stuff long, long ago. and my mom used to have one of those mexican circle skirts when i was a kid. i really like that green and black one!
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