(Mostly) Thrift Store Anne Bonny

 And finally, pirates.
Scallywags, buccaneers, they even have their own talk like one day. We all have favorites and I want not to forget the ladies.  As the final thrift store personage from history, I give you Anne Bonny.

Copper plate engravings add 10 pounds.

We are guessing at her appearance so here goes!

Properly warned be ye says I!

Is this impression a little stereotypical? Sure. My apologies to Pirate Americans.

Stand back lubbers, he's mine.

Lets break it down.

This fab coat was given to my by Loren, I was to have been part of a Costume College Disney villain group  a few years ago, but was too sick to make it. Captain Hook represents!

Retrimmed Halloween store hat, American Duchess Pompadours and 99c Store striped socks.

Skirt, belt and shirt thrifted from various stores.

Astrolabe? Sundial? Sextant? Not sure but it's adorable. Fancy pomander which opens for the storing of poison! 

These thrift store treasures are collected throughout the year, honestly it's a numbers game. You just have to go regularly, sometimes you score, but mostly you don't. Still thrifting means I can buy shoes. American Duchess and Remix are my two favorites. Here's a link to the Pompadours-
http://www.american-duchess.com/shoes-18th-century/pompadour-french-court-shoe-black

Happy Halloween, may all your fun-size be Snickers and may black and orange taffy never clutter your stash.
Ever Your Thimble Servant,
Miss Brilliantine

Thrift Store Frida Kahlo

We know her.
The mono-brow, the flowers, the braids, the folkloric aesthetic. Fierce painter, wife of Diego Rivera, life long communist (which now seems so quaint).  Style icon.
Would she be pleased that we can distill her down to a few shorthand pieces? Who knows.
It's the hallmark of the original.

Frida's Vogue cover portrait.

And my humble homage.

Monkey is optional.

Let's break it down.

Indian cotton skirt, cotton blouse with embroidery and random white skirt used as petticoat. All from the thrift.

Fake fur mustachio cut down and used for mono brow. This is a 99c Store treasure.

Snaky belt from deep inside the closet.

Floral headpiece also from the 99c Store. One flower came on each headband, I bought 5.  Monkey looks right at home.

Remix "Balboa" shoes and jingle-jangle bracelets from the bottom of the drawer. 

Now work it, baby!

Ever Your Thimble Servant,

Senorita Brilliantina 

Thrift Store George Sand

Halloween time.
Not a time for amateurs, sure the costume muggles may buy party store sexy nurse in a bag, but my patience with the lack of imagination gets thinner every year.
Honestly, if you want a sexy costume why not branch out? Sexy Supreme Court Justice, sexy Settlement House worker, sexy Huguenot?
You will ask, "Why sexy"? It's not the sexy I object to as much as the abysmal poverty of imagination. The sexy will go the way of all such youthful excess, let 'em have it.  
To that end I present-
Miss Brilliantine's Gallery of Thrift Store Historic Personages!

Thrift store George Sand

Merle Oberon, Judy Davis and of course George Sand, herself.

Authoress, muse and scandalous flouter of conventions, she lives in our imagination not so much for her novels as her determination to live by her own rules. Frankly, she sounds like a nightmare, but we don't have to invite her for the Holidays and listen to her sob stories, we can just enjoy.
Here's my version-

Bad case of "Resting Authoress Face"

Let's break it down, The whole impetus was finding a Macy's I.N.C. brand jacket at the thrift. It had all the things, length, color and even flap pockets at the waistline. It is modern so no actual waist seam, the thing that makes a frock coat, frock.

I just changed the buttons, because ugly plastic

  Frilly cotton blouse and trusty brocade vest made up the rest. Both came from thrift stores, the blouse recently, the vest so long ago it's been very kind of dress-up. The plaid pants are from my current closet, they look cute with boots and a sweater.

Ruffly shirt says "Dandy"!

And nothing sells an impression like accessories.

"Pardon me, can you direct me to the acetate ascot department?"

Robert Land boots, from the olden days, Laura Ashley hat, because who knows when it will come in handy? And pencil watch fob, nothing says "Authoress" louder.
There you have it. Will the unenlightened ask if you are Willy Wonka? Sure, but if you are like me you'll detain them with a lengthy history lesson, that'll learn 'em. Now add attitude and have your fragile lover write you a couple of sonatas, hopefully by moonlight.
Next up thrift store Frida Kahlo.

Ever Your Thimble Servant,
Miss Brilliantine.