shop showcase: childlike empress vintage

Happy Easter, friends! As a little treat I would like to introduce you to the wonderful vintage shop Childlike Empress. The proprietress, a lovely gal named Helen who resides in Western Australia, is not satisfied with the usual boring product images and instead creates these adorably kooky collages to show off her magical collection of pieces from the 1950's through the 1990's. The dresses she finds are particularly lovely, the kind of colorfully feminine frocks that I can't get enough of. Take a peek at her shop and perhaps treat yourself to an Easter present with a 30% discount just for Fancy Fine readers, just use the code 'FANCIEST' at checkout!

disguised

hat  vintage

blouse  vintage

skirt  vintage

I must have been a drag queen in a former life because sometimes I love nothing more than getting dolled up and donning a wig so that I can pretend to be a more glamorous version of myself. This red number makes me wonder if I could pull of this color and length for real, but at the end of the day I'm probably too chicken to find out. I'm too attached to my scraggly brown locks and bangs, but at least I can temporarily live in a fantasy.

country mouse

sunglasses  'anytime' by karen walker

scarf  asos

coat  thrifted

sweater  zara

turtleneck  j. crew

skirt  anthropologie

shoes  vintage ferragamo

I've always said that I'm a city mouse through and through. But after moving to the east coast and taking the time to carefully explore the small towns surrounding Philadelphia I'm feeling a bit more of that country lovin'. The rows and rows of trees, dilapidated houses mixed up with beautiful Victorian mansions, all that space to roam, and so many little antique stores it would blow your mind. I'm not trading in skyscrapers and my one bedroom apartment in the thick of things just yet, but more and more I could picture having my own little world surrounded by nature, somewhere to get my Ferragamos nice and dirty.

sponsor fancy fine in april!

It's nearing the end of the month and I'm currently accepting new sponsors for the month of April! If you have a vintage shop, handmade line, or some other cool project you would like to promote on Fancy Fine then please get in touch with me at hi@ashleyording.com to find out about the affordable rates and other details. I love working with individuals and companies both small and large as long as the aesthetic jives with my own, so don't be shy!

The amazing collage above is by Beth Hoeckel. Anyone who incorporates cheeseburgers into their art automatically becomes a personal hero of mine.

fruit salad

photos by Lauren Manning

jacket  anthropologie

blouse  vintage from hollie point

skirt  vintage

clutch  anthropologie

tights  american apparel

shoes  vintage ferragamo

This is some rather wishful dressing, a way to ignore the dull and dreary weather and look ahead to warm spring months. I can't banish the tights from my outfits just yet (although I'm dying to), but that doesn't mean I can't dress head to toe like a walking fruit salad in the meantime. I've been squirreling away all kinds of warm weather pieces lately, including quite a few pretty dresses and some leather sandals that will go with everything. And now I'll just be waiting patiently!

newly acquired

I don't think that I will ever, ever stop collecting vintage. Whether it's a perfect 1960's party dress, a slightly tattered beaded pouch, or some strange brooch, I just can't get enough. An addiction? Quite possibly, but there are worse things to be addicted to! These bits and pieces were found at a flea market in Philadelphia and a vintage shop in St. Augustine. It's fun for me to hunt for things on this side of the country, things I may not have ever found otherwise. Although I do sometimes wonder what magical things I'm missing out on back in the Bay Area. Fortunately I will have an entire day this weekend to poke around all my old haunts in San Francisco before I head off to Maui for a much needed vacation. I'll be sure to share my finds with you!

A pretty silk ascot and a hilariously strange duo of photos (I love that someone stuck a dog polaroid in there).

A funny little 1950's floral hat I found in St. Augustine, Florida.

A tiny mirror with googly eyes and glitter eyebrows? I'll take it.

in between

coat  vintage
cardigan  vintage
blouse  vintage
belt  vintage, thrifted
skirt  vintage, thrifted
purse  vintage
tights  asos
shoes  kate spade

I've had the song 'Blue' by Leanne Rimes stuck in my head for the past few days and I can't stop signing it. Loudly. Usually in my kitchen or bathroom because the acoustics are rather nice. I'm quite certain my neighbors think I am going out of my mind, especially because I usually sing the same first verse over and over, trying to nail down the nuances. Last week it was 'Stars Fell On Alabama' by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, before that it was 'Thirteen' by Big Star. There's basically never, ever a moment when I don't have a song stuck in my head. It's usually a sad country song (almost always Patsy Cline) or soft rock from the 1970's that gets lodged in there the deepest.

What do you have stuck in your head?