DIY Button Jewelry

I had acquired a package of various vintage buttons from Hobby Lobby over the summer. I thought they were so beautiful and would make great pieces of jewelry, had they not been buttons.

All Pictures Courtesy of Kathryn Muñoz

 I then embarked on a quest to develop a method of turning them into jewelry. I figured it would be an easy task since jewelry making is one of my hobbies, and I have a Girl Scout badge to prove that I'm legit (true story, bad joke).

So without further ado, I will show how these buttons can be turned into a bracelet and pair of earrings. All the pictures used in this post belong to myself.

Bracelet

Here's a look at what  you will need:

• Buttons
• Two pairs of jewelry making pliers
• Jump rings
• Lobster claw clasp

Directions:

1. Take a jump ring and open it up with your pliers
2. Hook the ring to the button loop and close
3. Link two rings, one on each side, to the original ring on the button
4. Open another jump ring and hook it to another button. Do not close just yet
5. Connect the open jump ring on the button to the exterior jump ring on the previous button and close
6. Repeat process until bracelet is of desired length
7. Attach a lobster claw clasp at the end

Earrings

Here's what you will need:

• Two identical buttons
• Two pairs of jewelry making pliers
• Sandpaper
• Hot glue (or any other strong adhesive)
• Flat post earrings 

Instructions:

1. Take the button and push the loop up from the back until the faux pearl piece pops out

1. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Take your pliers and twist the button loop on the faux pearl piece until it tears off.
   
3. A jagged stump will be left after the loop is broken. Take a piece of sandpaper and file he back down until remnants of the loop are gone.
4. Take the faux pearl piece and glue it to the original gold base. Let dry.
5. Glue your flat back earrings to the back of the gold base. Let dry.

Be sure to clean the earring posts before wearing

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and get inspire to make your own creations!

-Kathryn Muñoz

The 1970s

An vintage era that I haven't seemed to talk about is the 1970s. The 70s has such a diverse feel to me. I can be broken up into thirds that all have a different aesthetic when looking back. 1970-73 has that "Brady Bunch" feel on the surface, with the underlying oppression of the Vietnam War. 1974-76 has this relaxed feel. The clothing, the music, and the culture reflect a carefree lifestyle. 1977-79 has a bit of a glamorous feel with the rise and fall of disco, though much of the aspects I described from the mid 70s continued to persist.

Here is a Pinterest Board that captures some of the 70s vibe.

-Kathryn Muñoz

50s to the Max

I enjoy watching videos about people with unusual, extreme obsessions and thought I'd share this video clip from an episode of TLC's My Crazy Obsession about Doris Mayday, a woman that is obsessed with the 1950s to the point that she lives and dresses like that time period.

Video from TLC's YouTube channel

Talk about dedication! Doris is not alone in her lifestyle. I have found examples of other modern women living the exact same way. Honestly, I feel that I'll probably end up similarly once I'm on my own, except with a smorgasbord of different times.

-Kathryn Muñoz

80s Art Appreciation

I am a person that appreciates art in general. I believe that everyone has an artistic side to them that can be expressed beautifully if their heart desires, despite their ability or confidence in themselves. Of course, I love art that reminds me of the vintage designs that I dearly love. Here are some artistic styles that suit my fancy:

Abstract

In my mind, nobody could ever go wrong with abstract art. It is a design principal that was quite prominent in the 1980s, which was the first decade that fueled my retro obsession. The 1980s style that many would find tacky and give away personal remnants of to Goodwill is extremely comforting to me, and I love it. 

 These are pictures of artwork by artist Yoko Honda

Art Deco Vases

Another thing from the 1980s that often has a fate of ending up at Goodwill are vases. I absolutely adore these gems and I have a personal collection of my own that I'm hoping to expand. 

My personal vase collection. Photo credits to myself

80s art just makes me happy. I could never grow sick of it.

-Kathryn Muñoz

90s Part 3

Denim

While blue jeans have remained a timeless classic in American fashion for quite some time, there's something about the denim of the 90s that makes it so uniquely...90s. From overalls to denim cutoffs, the blue jeans of the 90s were full of character. What makes a 2010s comeback so interesting is that females been accustomed to our jeans being "skinny" for quite some time. They are now starting to dip back into baggier types of jeans, referred to as "boyfriend jeans". The title is quite cliched, but it's an interesting transition. Additionally, the wearing of overalls has faded since the early 2000s and has become synonymous with being "country" or childish. Fashions make their way to the limelight in mysterious ways. 

All in all, there are so many resurrected trends that I could talk about, such as Birkenstocks, crop tops, preppy style, and even fanny packs. But while fads come and go, the creativity of a person's fashion sense lasts forever.

-Kathryn Muñoz

90s Part 2

Grunge

The Grunge Movement is a well known staple of the 90s. Originally an underground trend, grunge became mainstream and left its legacy on fashion and music history. Grunge is best known for its use of flannels and rugged denim. 

1990s advertisement for Picway

1990s advertisement for J Crew

Women photographed in the mid 1990s, courtesy of 90s 411

Today, the influence of grunge can be seen in an array of plaid and flannels on anything from shirts to dresses. Pop culture t-shirts are hot as well.

-Kathryn Muñoz

"Retroween"? I'll Pass...

October 23, 2015

With the month of October comes the celebration of Halloween and the inevitable preparations for the holiday on October 31st. Given that I have made my love for many things vintage/retro quite clear on this blog, especially in the realm of design, one could assume that I would relish in similar aspects of the past when celebrating Halloween.

In all actuality, I don't.

I like vintage things, and I like Halloween. However, I absolutely DESPISE vintage Halloween. How can that be?

I do enjoy Halloween, but I have a love-hate relationship with it, and he reason for that has to do with the aesthetics of the holiday. In saying that, I am mostly referring to the decorations. When I was a child, I often found myself terrified of the decorations I saw when I was trick-or-treating. All I wanted to do was dress up and get candy, and I couldn't seem to be able to do that without all of these spooky decorations being shoved in my face and ruining my experience.

I recently found an entry that I had written in my 3rd grade writing journal from 2005, and I can't help but find it amusing.

Courtesy of Kathryn Muñoz

"Last night, I went trick-or-treating. This year, I was a witch, I got about 20 pounds of candy [an attempt at a hyperbole]. I didn't like so many of the decorations, especially the skeletons. I am afraid of skeletons. I said [to my mother that night] that I wished that people would decorate their house for Halloween with angels, Jesus, fountains, little children playing, and Christmas decorations?"

I don't even know what I was trying to say there. I've just always found certain aspects of Halloween to be extremely terrifying, and I find the crudeness of vintage and antique Halloween aesthetics to be nightmare fuel. From the innocence of crazy Jack-O-Lanterns (which is partially responsible for my general dislike of the pumpkin's shade of orange) and skeletons (which I find frightening in decoration form, and always seemed to be the decoration of choice in previous eras), to the downright gory and horrific, it's just not my cup of tea. 

And who could blame me? Take a look at this BuzzFeed article titled "19 Deeply Horrifying Vintage Halloween Costumes", if you dare...

WARNING: The visuals of this article will more than likely be disturbing to anyone that sees them

Bottom line, you can be as spooky on Halloween as you want. Just don't expect me to join in.

-Kathryn Muñoz

Rocky Horror Update

October 24, 2015

The Rocky Horror Picture Show event was a success. It was at the Jayhawk Theater here in Topeka. The historic Jayhawk is definitely making a comeback. Reopening to the public in 2014, they are striving to bring life back into the theater, and events like the Rocky Horror showing contribute to the cause.

 These are some pictures
I took of the theater. It's very
old and has many of its
original detailing.

I went with one of my best friends named Aaron. I ended up not going in costume because I didn't have time to manage one. But in true Rocky style, I sported red lipstick to the event. Aaron's costume was flawless. He just has a certain confidence about him that allows him to sport leather and high heels like a supermodel

Aaron and I before the show. Photo credit goes to myself

Like many viewings of this movie, everyone was given prop bags to accompany the story. Though I have misplaced the card from the bag that explained each prop, when to use them, and what to do with them, here is a similar list that I found online:

The official prop list

All props were included except for the rice and gloves. The flashlight was also substituted with a glowstick.

Photo credit to myself

It was really cool to share the experience of the movie with other people that enjoy it as much as I do. I can't wait to go back next year!

-Kathryn Muñoz

The Rocky Horror Homecoming Show

If you read my precious blog post, you learned about my fondness for The Rocky Horror Picture Show and my excitement for the moviep to be shown at the Jayhawk Theater in Topeka tonight and tomorrow (October 23rd and 24th), with 7 P.M and midnight showings both nights.

Photo Courtesy of the Washburn University Website

Well, incidentally, Washburn University's homecoming is this weekend, and I was not aware of the conflict when I initially made plans to go. First of all, I wasn't even aware the colleges had homecomings. I thought that was something that only high schools did. As a freshman, I continue to learn new things about college life every day.

Homecoming is a big deal this year because it is the university's 150th year of existence, which is why the event  has been deemed as "The Grand Homecoming".

 Ever since my time as a student at Washburn Rural High School, I mainly associated homecoming with marching band, because I was an active member of the Marching Junior Blues all four years of high school, and the band had to participate in many of the homecoming events. Now, I am currently a member of Washburn University's Marching Blues, and the only thing that's changed about my homecoming involvement is the school named "Washburn" that I am attending. I have to be at the homecoming bonfire at 7:00 tonight, march in the homecoming parade tomorrow morning at 10:00, and obviously attend and march at the actual football game later that day.

Because of these commitments, I am planning on attending the Rocky Horror event tonight at midnight, because missing out on it would just break my heart.

As I also mentioned in the previous post, I was thinking about going to the theater in costume, which is a normal element in attending Rocky Horror showings. Unfortunately, I have been so busy that I haven't had time to plan for one, so I don't know what I'm going to do about that. But overall, I am really excited for tonight, and I hope to share my experience on this blog.

-Kathryn Muñoz

I Shiver With Antici...pation

Now that October is coming, it's time for a particular fan base to come out and play.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a movie that is near and dear to my heart. Everything about it makes me happy, from the music to the aesthetics. Originally released in 1975, the movie has involved into a significant cult film. What makes Rocky Horror stand out in cinema history is that it refined the midnight movie, in which the audience participates and even acts out the movie along with the screen.

Here is some video footage from 1981 documenting the festivities of a Rocky showing:

Later in October, I will be attending a showing of the movie. This will be the second time this caliber of a Rocky Horror presentation has been done in my hometown. Needless to say, I'm extremely excited.

Typically, audience members arrive to the theater dressed in costume, as shown in the video. I plan to do the same, though I'm not quite sure what my costume will consist of. Stay tuned...

-Kathryn Muñoz

"The Simpsons" Send Me To Camp

The Simpsons is a show that has been in my radar for much of my life. It is my dad's favorite show, and I've been conditioned to become a fan because of that. Recently, our cable company made the switch to digital, meaning that every TV in our house access to the FXX channel, which shows blocks of Simpsons episodes almost daily, and often has major Simpsons marathons. Of course, the Simpsons has been playing in our house more than ever as a result.

Recently, I stumbled upon an episode titled  "Homer's Phobia" , which is the 15th episode of the eighth season that originally aired on February 16th, 1997. The episode guest stars filmmaker John Waters as the voice of John, the openly gay owner of a Springfield collectibles shop. The plot revolves around Marge and Homer finding themselves in a sudden financial need, which leads them to make an attempt at selling a family relic to John's store. After being told that the relic is virtually worthless, the family wanders off to browse other merchandise, to which Homer becomes confused about the aesthetics of the store.

Courtesy of 20th Century Fox

John explains to him that the style behind his store and his merchandise is "camp", referring to a style that can be defined here. To elaborate more on camp, Homer invites John over to the Simpson household where the entire family bond over their tastes in pop culture. Homer immediately takes a liking to John. After realizing that John is gay, however, Homer's views on sexuality drive him away from John, despite the rest of the family's fondness for him. Soon after, Homer notices that Bart  has been picking up the campy practices of John and becomes paranoid that Bart will become gay. As a result, Homer tries to "degay" Bart, much to the family's dismay. Eventually, Homer takes a tolerance to John's sexual orientation after he saves his life on a hunting trip, to which Homer is grateful.

After originally airing, the episode received praise for its acceptable portrayal of gay themes, especially from the LGBT community.  At the time, a storyline of this type was rare. This breaking of television barriers is great - for the time, that is. In 2015, homosexuality is no longer a societal taboo. Therefore, a young person such of myself wouldn't find the message extremely moving, seeing that the idea of gay people seems normal to me.

I was, however, inspired by the idea of  camp. The concept of knowingly or unknowingly defying mainstream standards of good taste, also associated and also confused with the style of kitsch, just seems wonderful to me. Many people always feel like they have to comply with society, especially when it comes to clothing, and that is simply not the case. I am a person who enjoys going to thrift shops and wearing vintage and/or unusual clothing. I wear the clothes I wear because they make me happy, no matter how unfashionable they may seem to the general public. Clothing is a form of self expression, and it shouldn't matter what anyone else thinks. With so many fabrics and styles to choose from, it seems foolish to limit oneself to name brand clothing or to only follow the fads. While I may wear a shirt simply because I like the design, I may also like it for its meaning. I choose to wear certain patterns because they remind me of my childhood or a loved one. My motto is "if you like it, wear it." Bottom line, it's important to be yourself. While I may tend to advocate for vintage design, that doesn't mean that I always rule out everything else. The most important part of fashion is to be happy and comfortable.

-Kathryn Muñoz

1990s Comeback

There's no denying it, the 90s are back.

Each decade, there seems to be an interesting trend in fashion of looking back 20 years. Beginning roughly in the 1980s, this pattern so far has continued without fail, bringing a revival of fashions from the 1990s to the 2010s. This inevitable fate initially seemed strange to me, seeing that this is the decade I was born in. While the concept of the 90s being considered "vintage" continues to blow my mind, I can't say that I didn't see it coming, based on the 20 year theory. So far, I have found it interesting to see how the fashion industry and its consumers have interpreted the styles of the 1990s and adapted them to current times.

This, along with a later series of posts, will showcase examples of fashion trends that have shown up between 2013-present

Chunky Shoes

Thick shoes were all the rage in the 90s. From platforms, combat boots, Doc Martens, and hiking boots, each style had its place. Today, these types of shoes have made their way back to the racks. 

Photos Courtesy of  Forever 21

Here's a look at shoes worn in the 90s and shoes of today.

Photos courtesy of NBC, Etsy, 90s 411, and Doc Marten. Collage Created by Kathryn Muñoz with PicCollage

Photos Courtesy of Forever 21 and Wet Seal. Collage created by Kathryn Muñoz with PicCollage

These shoes are sure to make an elevating statement.

-Kathryn Muñoz

Fun Blogs to Consider

Here are some interesting retro-themed blogs that I personally follow and initially inspired me to create this blog.

Like Totally 80s and 90s 411

Courtesy of 90s 411

Courtesy of Like Totally 80s

"Like Totally 80s" and "90s 411" are two blogs created by Alli Denning. Each blog celebrates the fashion, culture, and media of their respective decades and gives ideas for decade specific costumes and parties.

http://www.liketotally80s.com/

http://www.90s411.com/

Mirror80

Courtesy of Mirror80

"Mirror80" is a blog created and run by a woman who identifies herself and being named Kate. The blog reflects on various aspects of design, primarily from the late 70s through early 90s, and relates them to that of today. The blog covers various aspects of design, including art, fashion, media, interior design, graphic design, and still life. In addition to showcasing retro design, Mirror80 also points out how retro style is being used today. The blog also gives great ideas for party decorations and DIY crafts.

http://mirror80.com/

-Kathryn Muñoz

Gonna Make You Sweat

Autumn is just around the corner! It's time to prepare for chillier weather. Wearing a sweater is not only a great way to keep warm, but it is a fantastic way to express one's unique, individual fashion sense. This concept is even more fun with a blast from the past of vintage sweaters.

This past weekend, my dear friend Janessa Poole and I went rummaging at our local Goodwill and stumbled upon a few sweater gems. She agreed to model them for me to showcase the different patterns and style.

"Plaid to Meet You"

Photo Credit to Kathryn Muñoz

Here, the lovely Miss Poole is wearing a beige and black sweater embellished with swatches of different plaid print. A true classic, plaid is a timeless design that is sure to always make a statement when worn.

"Cosby Chic"

Photo Credit to Kathryn Muñoz

All negative associations with Bill Cosby aside, this sweater features an abstract pattern that was common in the 1980s and made popular by the NBC sitcom The Cosby Show (1984-1992). Many sweaters of this era offered a variety of funky styles to mix and match. No matter what your fashion preferences are, a fun sweater such as this is sure to give a confidence boost.

"Festive Florals"

Photo Credit to Kathryn Muñoz

For a more daring look, (seeing that many people would call this a "grandma shirt"), Janessa is wearing a navy blue sweatshirt embellished with floral embroidery. We liked this shirt because it reminded us of something an elementary school teacher would've worn in the late  1990s/early 2000s. Given that we both entered kindergarten in 2002, we found the shirt to be very nostalgic. Paired with white high-wasted shorts, this outfit is sure to make a splash. 

-Kathryn Muñoz

Apology and Intent

If you refer back to my very first post, you will see the following statement:

"...as you may be able to guess, this blog is actually an assignment for a class I'm taking that relates to my major. However, that doesn't mean that the quality of my blog will be half-assed for the sake of finishing the class. I plan to be sincere with every post I make."

Unfortunately, that was a promise that I failed to keep, and I slacked off right away. My last post about Vaporwave was quite half-assed, if I do say so myself, and I must admit that I was scrambling at the last minute to get that post finished. For that, I must apologize. I suffer from ADHD, so if I procrastinate, all hell breaks loose.

Additionally, I can't help but feel that the purpose of my blog isn't clear to my viewers. I must admit that I'm not quite sure what my intent is either. First of all, I recently realized that I have been misusing the phrase "old soul". My mother has been calling my that since I was in middle school. Since middle school was the time that I truly began to embrace elements of culture from the past, I assumed that an "old soul" was someone that liked "old" things more than that of the present. After recently looking up the term, I realized that it actually refers to a young person that's wise beyond their years. While that characteristic is indeed accurate to my personality, it doesn't relate to my blog topic as well as I thought it did. This blog was initially supposed to be about my interest in pop culture from the past.

As a result, I have officially decided to change my blog description to "An Old Soul With Old Tastes". This blog is about my interest in pop culture from the past, my nostalgic tendencies, and my attempts to connect with modern society, all of which intertwine with my "old soul" personality.


Be sure to look out for these future posts:

• 1990s Comeback
• Thrift Shop Haul
• Hunting for Dated Props for my Friend's School Play
• Living a Weekend in a Different Decade
• Retro DIY
• Channeling My Inner Memphis Milano

Great things are to come.

-Kathryn Muñoz

Vaporwave

Every now and then, I discover a trend in which elements of the past come back into the limelight. A music and art genre known as Vaporwave has been sweeping the internet in recent time.

According to Reddit, Vaporwave is defined as the following:

"Vaporwave is characterized by appropriation, imitation and re-contextualization of pop culture artifacts from the 80's and 90's. It has associations with the period's retrofuturism and cyberpunk. Visually, it is related to pop art, collage, and digital art but it is not limited to these. It tends to choose and deconstruct already kitschy and/or banal source material, usually associated with mass production , though it can choose any 80's and 90's pop culture artifact. The appropriation and imitation are done in a style that is deconstructive, re-contextualizing the material and emphasizing artificial elements." - https://www.reddit.com/r/Vaporwave/wiki/basics

In other words, Vaporwave will gather artifacts, if you will, of retro themes an re-purpose them into song and artwork. 

Take an example of music of the Vaporwave genre. The videos below are from an artist known as Macintosh Plus, an act well known in the Vaporwave community.

As you listen to the songs and watch their corresponding videos, you will notice the nostalgic theme intended. In fact, it should be noted that nearly the entirety of each song is actually an older song either sampled from or remixed entirely. Examples of Vaporwave sampling are explained in the following video.

As you can see, Vaporwave is essentially a collage of different components of vintage media with the intent of creating a nostalgic atmosphere. I shall close this post by leaving more examples of Vaporwave, this time in photographic form.

-Kathryn Muñoz