I have good luck.

Well hi! It's been a while. In the last few weeks, my hours at the museum have been upped from two days a week to four days a week plus Tuesday afternoons at a local private conservation association. So I've been packing for Japan and working a lot, and sneaking in a run when I can. I've also started washing my hair at night instead of in the morning, which sounds like it shouldn't be a big deal, but I'm weird about my hygiene habits, and it's taken some getting used to. I'm doing it for two main reasons: first, in Japan, you traditionally bathe at night, and showering in the morning might be a hassle for my homestay family, and second, with my hair as ridiculously long (for me) as it is, it's nice to have dry hair all day instead of leaving the house when it's sopping wet. What it does result in is the hair in the above picture - my hair is naturally super, super straight and the fact that it's even hinting at waviness is pretty impressive.

So why do I have good luck? Well, for two reasons: first, that last week my coworker at the museum mentioned that she had some 25-year-old Chanel and Dior suits that she was looking to offload. Always a sucker for designer stuff that I can actually afford, I asked if I could try them on. The first was a stunning blue silk suit that didn't quite fit, the second a Dior suit with a gorgeous brown/burgundy/mustard print and a matching burgundy military-style jacket that (tragically!) didn't fit at all, and the third was one that I picked up because I saw plaid and had to at least try it.

Turns out that the plaid suit is a linen Rodier suit with high-waisted pants (much in the same style of one of my favorite pairs of pants) and an oversized jacket that has some very kimono-like touches, between the drape, the large sleeves and long vents at the front panels.


And, although I was going to make an offer, my coworker said, "Eh, I've enjoyed working with you. Take it." (So, so nice!!!!) I wore the pants to work today, and they're really comfy, not to mention perfect to pair with this little capelet I found at a vintage shop in Ohio City for $0.50.


Oh, the details! Puff sleeves! Lace trim! Pink! $0.50! How could I say no?


Look out, Japan: you're about to gain a tallish, non-skinny, frilly foreigner, and she's bringing a veritable banquet of vintage frippery along with her.