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I recently returned from the US, where I found a ton of really cool things to add to the shop. Among the massive vintage haul that I managed to secure (quite literally on my back, inside my old USAF duffle bag while I navigated the queues at O'Hare airport) were these two pieces from the 1970s. Sure, they look sort of quiet and unassuming, but they're special, and it is officially my job to tell you why. What's special About Vintage 70s Clothing? The 1970s and early 1980s were probably the last decades that consumers were still able to find and purchase items that were manufactured and sold in-country. At that time, these garments were constructed with an eye to having the customer hold on to them a bit longer than we hold on to our clothes today. At the time of this writing, 3 out of 5 fast fashion pieces purchased will end up in a landfill within a year. I don't want to bog you down with gloomy statistics, but to read more about the fast fashion impact on the way we have come to approach our wardrobes, this article in the New York Times is an excellent summary. The bottom line is that with outsourced fast fashion having really taken off in the 1990s, there has been a drastic, observable decline in garment quality and durability. For those of us who are old enough to remember the clothes from our childhoods (whassup GenX and beyond) - we may or may not remember the specific brands that we wore "way back then", but if you put one of these 1970s mainstream fashion pieces on, you'll soon be jolted back down memory lane by the very feel of the fabrics. Take for example, the plaid pants below, which were actually manufactured my Levis in a capsule collection called their Panatela line. While the fabric content tag is long since lost to the sands of time, I am extremely confident that these pants are a blend of acrylic and lambswool. While they are unlined, they're sturdy and have a properly-constructed, reinforced waistband that creates a really wonderfully tailored-looking, comfortable, flat-front fit. They also have a slight flare to the cuffed hem leg, giving them a modern appeal. When I tried these pants on, they fit better than any pair of modern trousers I've tried in recent memory. So much so that I literally had to have a serious talk with myself about not keeping every single piece I come across. I paired these pants with a puff sleeve Emanuel Ungaro blouse from the 1980s. This second piece is one of those quiet workhorse pieces that will probably still be around long after we humans have obliterated ourselves with climate change and terrible diets and all other manner of bad behaviour. This is a plaid wool tweedy jacket from 70s brand Barclay Square. This little jacket is well made in the way of a lot of vintage 70s clothing, and a way that you don't even see in a lot of ready to wear higher end designer clothing these days. It feels substantial to hand and keeps its shape (a rarity in fast fashion). This little jacket also has good seam and button reinforcement, and is fully-lined so it slips on and off like a dream. It has a sort of somber, dark academia vibe too; an absolutely evergreen fashion aesthetic. This little jacket will probably last quite literally forever.

In the 90s, a denim vest layered over a sun dress or a tee and a maxi skirt was pretty much the uniform of the day. It would never have occurred to me to pack for a trip without at least a couple different denim vest options; a standard one like the above one on the left, perhaps a cropped version in the same style, maybe one with bling, one to be worn with nothing underneath....you get the point. They were a thing. At some point, vests sort of fell off the radar. Sure, they never really totally went away, and you can certainly always find them in secondhand places, yet all the same they seem to have lost their "necessary item" status. Recently however, I find myself with a renewed interest in denim vests. This is most likely a combination of my predilection for Western-inspired clothing combined with me looking at vintage clothing all day long, but that's just what the sartorial side of my brain has decided to focus on of late. Why a denim vest? Being a part time Floridian, I like the idea of being able to create layered looks that will work in a warmer climate when my daily Scotland uniform of jeans, t shirt, sweater and cowboy boots is too much. I also really like the idea of putting together double denim seventies-inspired looks like the one below from Free People. So I've decided to start playing around with adding a denim vest or two into my rotation to see how I can mix it into my very eclectic wardrobe to create more looks. One thing that is particularly nice about undertaking a denim vest experiment (should you decide to join me) is that you absolutely do not have to spend a lot of money on a denim vest. There are always denim vests and jackets on the go at your local thrift store (and of course in the shop of your favorite vintage seller), and you can easily find once that speaks to you without having to take out a second mortgage. You can even make a vest out of an old denim jacket or work shirt! Last January I found a simple but fun acid washed cropped denim vest while out hunting for thrifted treasures, and I decided in that moment to start my denim vest experiment. So I present to you the Denim Vest Experiment Case No. 1 - a head to toe denim look, which looks like it could have walked right out of the year 2010. This entire look is thrifted, although the jacket is from my shop and is still available at the time of this writing. I've linked some similar-looking products at the bottom. Overall, I really like the way the look turned out, although admittedly for real life I would probably switch out the footwear for something a little more streetwear friendly, like a pair of Converse or funky-chunky loafers.

90s prints are uniquely recognizable. Not only do they employ a lot of borrowed from the 60s browns, blues, patchwork and batik themes, they also carry on the strong, abstract graphic elements made popular by their predecessors in the 80s. I suppose like any print, 1990s style prints everyones cup of tea, but if you're looking for an easy one and done statement piece that nobody else will likely have, you really can't go wrong. I like how the juxtaposition of such a busy, multimedia style print with a neutral, often downright somber color palette really is something we haven't seen in mainstream fashion since. Here are a few pieces that landed in the shop this past few weeks. The Ultimate 1990s Style Print: The Vertical Stripe One of the most quintessentially 90s prints out there, particularly with 90s era westernwear, is the vertical stripe shirt. This Western-inspired 90s classic rayon blouse has a batik element in it that gives it some depth and keeps it from being too "circusy." The 90s Does the 70s with Patchwork Prints Patchwork prints really had a moment in the 90s. Even the more somber, earthy color palettes used in many of these prints harkened back to the "harvest gold", more muted color palettes of prints from the 1970s. These patchwork prints, like the one featured on this oversized button front blouse, are really easy to style in a more modern way with a bit of boho Western flair.

Back in the late 80s into the early 2000s, these Southwestern style tapestry jackets were absolutely everywhere. I've had more than a few of these vintage pieces through the shop recently, so since they seem to be popular right now I thought I'd let a few of my current ones out to play in a highlight post. What Makes 90s Southwestern Style Work in 2023? What I like about these pieces is that they're colourful, upbeat, and have a bit more structure than their sweater or fleece counterparts; in that respect they're perfect for this time of year. The two jackets here are early 2000s and early 90s, respectively. Both are great examples of "one and done" dressing since they require little help. The first vintage jacket shown here is pretty much a look unto itself and required very little effort on my part other than to just show up with some favourite silver or turquoise pieces in tow. The second jacket featured is a bit shorter, which is perfect for creating the a layered, short-over-long balance. The little Southwestern tapestry bag featured below is a new addition to the shop. It's a vegan handbag (circa 2000) with a fully adjustable strap that can go from shoulder bag to crossbody, and it is adorable.

I was tidying my shop inventory today and this OOTD took shape. This look is brought to you by the 1980s and 1990s. This vintage Western fringe dress set is from my inventory and was handmade by someone round about the 1980s, presumably for a function of some sort since at the time I found it there was also a red one, and the top half of a turquoise one. The jacket is a sturdy 90s era leather blazer by John Paul Richard (it also happens to be 25% off through the end of January!)

Calling all fashion-loving readers who are feeling fed-up and tired of this cold, gloomy weather! Even if we can't get into our summer clothes just yet without dying of exposure, we can get our brains and wardrobes ready! This week, you can pimp your summer wardrobe sustainably and affordably on absolutely everything in any of my shops! For Vintage Fashion Fans HighlandFashionista Vintage Etsy • everything 15% - 20% off! sale starts at midnight May 1st, runs thorough May 7th For Modern Preloved Clothing Highland Fashionista Depop, Vinted, and Ebay shops • flexible pricing - choose your favorite platform and make an offer!

Attention fellow puzzle nerds! Today I'm announcing the soft opening of Puzz Factor on Etsy - the sister shop to Highland Fashionista vintage! True Vintage Jigsaw Puzzles On my last trip to the states, my sister and I spent a lot of time "getting our puzz on", and I realized how much I really enjoy doing puzzles. Puzzles are relaxing, meditative, and for those of us who prefer a visually stimulating medium over say, a crossword or Wordle or some such thing, they are oh so satisfying! Being a person who spends a majority of her free time looking at vintage clothing and accessories, vintage puzzles did not seem too big a leap from where I already spend so much of my time, so this is really just a natural progression that I decided to give it's own separate retail space. What's really great about vintage jigsaw puzzles is that many of them are rare, if not one of a kind (depending on the age), and as an item that is usually stored in a box that's then stored in a drawer or closet, they are most often in excellent secondhand shape! All of the puzzles from Puzz factor are true vintage, meaning they are at least 20 years old, and all of them will have been worked (yes, by me), so I can guarantee that all of the pieces are intact. I'm currently "puzzing" feverishly to process and add more inventory, so if you're a puzzle nerd like me, check back frequenty to see what's what. Blog readers, use the code HOTPUZZ to get 15% off of your orders! Follow Puzz Factor on Instagram!

80s era garments often present a unique styling challenge; they're often a wild print, an exaggerated fit, or in the case of this houndstooth double-breasted day dress, they have a strong "office power suit" look that at first glance, doesn't seem to translate well into how we might dress today. Western Style Elements Can Transform a Look Personally, I like to tackle the challenge of styling a strong 80s "workwear" piece by roughing it up a bit. It seems counterintuitive to do this; pieces that are inherently strong silhouettes are pieces we are always told to "soften" with more feminine touches. However, with this particular dress, it just doesn't work. To my mind, the houndstooth print is really the main character here, and I didn't want to convolute that with a bunch of fussy romantic accessories and shoes. I went with equally strong accessory pieces and shoes that lend more of a boho Western style meets street vibe, neutralizing its 80s secretary feel and giving it a more universal, go anywhere appeal. And an added bonus? Blousy 80s dresses are comfy! And.....the holy grail of dress attributes, this one also has pockets! But I digress - really, the most important accessory to consider pairing with a dress like this is your shoes. These open toe slouchy Donald J. Pliner booties (Y2K era - bought secondhand in the mid 2000s) provide just the right amount of toughness without being overly studded or embellished. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that swapping-out an expected pump or heel with a vintage dress really is the key to bringing the look into the current decade. In this case, it's a nod to the era, but not walking around looking like an extra from Working Girl with Melanie Griffith. Am I showing my age? Meh, whatever. So give it a try. The next time you're vintage shopping or thrifting and see an 80s dress that speaks to you but can't see how the strong shoulder and/or oversized styling is going to translate, grab something unexpected to pair with it. It will probably surprise you!

Welp. I may have made a bad decision. I may have decided to try and cut a few face framing layers into a haircut that was already too short and too heavy (yes, I did it myself, don't you dare judge), and now I've ended up with a heavy, wavy mullet mop that I can't do much with, because it has ideas of its own. My hair has done it's own research, and wants me to understand that chin length face framing layers are basically tyranny, and then it screams "freedom" and puffs-up defiantly. Yeah, I may have done that, in my rush to rid myself of a blocky haircut that I felt kinda meh about. So now it's grow time. I will say though that the look on Prince Valiant's face perfectly matched my feelings when I realized I was looking at a summer of inconvenience while I grow my hair out over the next several months. But I need to back up a bit here. I was looking at my Pinterest last week, and realized that the posts I have done about my transition to my natural hair are to date some of the most popular content I have done. Apparently there are a lot of you out there who are interested in taking the plunge, so I guess it's time for an update. It's actually beyond time for an update; it has officially been a decade, yes you heard right, a decade since I made the decision to stop coloring my hair and see what my real hair looked like underneath. I'll spare you the recap of the entire process, but you can find links to that in the related posts links at the bottom of this post. The Natural Gray Hair Journey, A Decade Later Fast forward to a year ago, I stopped using silicone products and stopped straightening my wavy hair (which never really worked all that well anyway if I'm honest), and started following the Curly Girl Method. I sort of felt like I was starting from scratch, finding products that work to fight frizz and create definition on very thick, fine, low porosity salt and pepper hair. I've gone from having two or three hair products in my bathroom to about 600, but now, not quite a year later I'm starting to get a handle on what to use when and why. Here's what I looked like when I was ironing-out my hair. This was done in a salon, I could never get it this smooth myself. While there is definitely something to be said for grey hair looking its best when sleek and shiny (and I agree, it does), I realize now that I have to make what I am now referring to as hair lifestyle choices. If any hair or beauty regimen takes longer than five or ten minutes, I'm not gonna do it. I'm just not. If it requires that I can't get wet, or put on a helmet, or go out in the wind, or anything other than just exist in the world, I'm just not gonna do it. And don't even get me started on working out. All these curly girls on the internet saying "to preserve your hair just put it in a loose ponytail or bun on top of your head while you work out." WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE!? What kind of workouts are they doing that a "loose bun" is gonna keep things in check!? If I bend over to lace my shoes with my hair like that it's over. One burpee and a clip goes flying and someone loses an eye. Seriously, who can do that!? But I digress. So last year this was my first "curly haircut" on my natural gray hair. This was by far the best haircut I'd had in a long time, and still one of my favorite looks. I hadn't had bangs (fringe if you're British) in decades, and I love the bangs. As much as I loved this haircut, and I do believe I will be going back to a version of this cut, the big downside was maintenance. My hair grows like an absolute weed, and within two weeks these bangs were driving me nuts, getting in my face, and already too long. And again, I'm not going to a salon every few weeks (or even every few months) to get a trim. So sadly as much as I love this, I realize I still need to achieve lifestyle hair. When this cut got unmanageably long and I was sick of cutting my own bangs badly, I decided to go a bit shorter, just to hit the reset button a bit. I couldn't get in with the curly guy, so I just went to a walk-in place, armed with photos of basically this haircut but shorter. I've been going to walk in places forever, since my hair is such a fast grower I'm sort of nonplussed if it doesn't turn out as expected. And true to form, it did not turn out as expected. What I walked out of the salon with was an angled long wavy bob with bangs. Not the worst...I've had this ubiquitous haircut many times in my life, and always end up growing it out instantly because it's too heavy and mushroomy for my texture. Plus, if you google "haircuts for women over 50", you will be met with basically pages and pages of versions of this cut. Go ahead, try it...you'll see. Quite frankly, by the time I walked out of the salon, I was already sick of looking at myself. By week two it was too heavy around my face and mushroomy, but I let it do its thing, trimming my own bangs (again, badly) for about two and a half months. At that point, it was just grazing my shoulders and I figured I could safely have a few face framing layers cut, to try and coax it back into a shag. So I tried it. YES, I did it myself. I know, stop it. I did an okaaaaay job. Okay, no I didn't. I did a pretty terrible job, so I went to a walk in place to have someone even it out a touch. I warned the stylist that my hair is 2B-C wavy, so there is shrinkage to take into consideration. But I think the flattening effects of my motorcycle helmet on my locks gave her a false impression of what my natural texture really was (especially in the Florida humidity), and I walked out a voluminously mullety Prince Valiant, with some very short layers that are difficult to wrangle. So. Here we are, and ladies and gentlemen, it's grow time! In all honesty, the warmer months of summertime are perfect for growing out your hair. I think perhaps a version of that lovely shag cut with some longer face framing bangs will be a bit more lifestyle friendly, and lucky for me, with my weedlike hair it's probably only four to six months away! But in the meantime. I'll be employing every method I can find to try and make Prince Valiant's hair work for me. Sadly, there's no Great Cosmic Message here other you can't really go too far wrong staying true to what you know works for you. It's fun to experiment, but for me, every time that I do I'm always reminded why I tend to gravitate towards what I know works; It's a lifestyle choice. Incidentally, if like me, any of you have thick, fine wavy 2b-C hair, I'm putting some product links below of products that I have found work pretty well for me. Products are a very personal thing and much experimentation is required, but you never know, maybe one or more of these might work for you too!

All you have to do is quickly browse my vintage shop to know that I have a soft spot for 90s style. The square toed, blocky heel shoes, the slip dresses, the sleeveless mock necks, crushed velvet and bootcut jeans, slides...I love it all! So you can imagine my excitement as I was browsing the ol' internets this evening looking for a couple of everyday-type sun dresses, when I started to spot familiar 90s midi dress styles, like this adorable dress and shoes (pictured above) from H&M. I mean, all of this is so 90s! A slip dress, block heel slide sandals, and a crescent shoulder bag! The Simplicity of 1990s Summer Style The thing I really like about 1990s summer style is how simple it can be. Clean lines, simple cuts...but this time around there's a pop of colour and pattern that for me, really raises the bar. And what's really lovely about a lot of these styles is now they're so timeless and seasonless (is that even a word?) You can easily layer these pieces up when the weather turns. And if like me, you live somewhere where you feel like you are always on tenterhooks with the weather, the weather will turn. Probably later today. Or maybe in five minutes. Either way, we'll be ready. Check out these affordable options (you can click on the photos for details and to shop these items).

If you've been hanging about the blog for a while, you have undoubtedly noticed some changes over the last decade or so. I started this blog round about 2012 on the very basic Blogger platform. Like so many people back in the "golden age of blogging", I did not have a plan or even really any other reason for doing so other than a love of fashion and appreciation for unique self expression in all of its forms. I've done some partnerships and sponsored content over the years, but I've always felt really strongly about selecting opportunities that I feel might be of interest to those of you who read the blog. I didn't want to hit you over the head with a lot of in your face marketing, or fall into the trap of re-creating content that a lot of people are already doing, and doing really well - better that me. It took some grappling with my inner self to arrive at the conclusion that I did not want to dilute my unique, often loud, frequently antagonistic voice for the sake of a few more followers. Sure, my saltiness has probably cost me some followers or partnerships over the years, but I'm okay with that. And the older I get, the more okay with it I am. Finding Support as an Independent Content Creator So here's the deal. As the online milieu continues to evolve, I find myself spreading myself between different platforms in a way that just feels...inefficient. My aim here is to try and evolve this blog into a place where I can plonk all of my different online interests, all in one easy to access place. So I am embarking on some long game stuff here. I am slowly making moves to evolve Highland Fashionista into a blended e commerce site that will house my vintage shop (yes I will still maintain a presence on Etsy), the blog, and eventually create a space to host other writers, artists, and various independent creators as well. To do so is going to take time, energy, and yes, money. To that end, you'll notice I've added a donation tip jar to the blog. It's a trend I'v noticed on many platforms that are being managed by san independent content creator, so I am adopting this too. Does it change anything for you, the reader? Not really. It's simply a measure I decided to adopt in the hopes of expediting my plans while keeping the platform unique, independent, and populated by only the partnerships that I choose. So that's what this thing is - right here to your right; you can find it on the about page. Obviously, there is no obligation for you to donate, and this site will always be free to browse and shop, no matter how it evolves. But I am an independent, one woman operation these days, so if you are feeling the love and want to donate, I appreciate you. Even if you don't, I appreciate you. Again, this is long game stuff, and I am just starting to earmark a few platforms and themes that I think will be able to deliver the look and feel of the site I eventually hope to build. If you have been around a while and have a specific type of content that you particularly enjoy and would like to see more of, I'm all ears. Hop on to the about page and send me a message! Yours in Sustainable Style and Snark,

On this, the occasion of my 51st birthday, I suppose I've arrived at an age where I've finally been granted a therapeutic level of insight by The Universe. Do not confuse that with the stoic maturity so often associated with women of a certain age. I still do not have much (okay, any) of that, nor do I particularly want it. But be that as it may, due to my increasing obligations as a member of the wise and increasingly wrinkled (I like the sun, sue me), I feel the need to address some of life's more complex issues. Guys, we need to talk about jumpsuits. There is perhaps no sartorial moment you could conjure that would make you reflect on your life choices more than the moment you are in an aggressively air-conditioned public restroom stall, completely stripped bare from the knees up because you decided to wear your cute jumpsuit to the bar. It is in these moments that we think to ourselves, "why do I do this?" There's no denying that jumpsuits are hard. They are difficult to fit (nearly impossible if you're long-waisted), they confuse men (my husband is not a fan), and they completely negate your ability to perform the simple act of shedding a layer of clothing with minimal exposure. But we are drawn to them anyway. WHY!? Why We Can't Stay Away From a One Piece Jumpsuit For me, the allure of the jumpsuit lies in its promise of a louche silhouette coupled with easy, "one and done" dressing. Never mind that they rarely end up looking that way when we wear them - that was simply the campaign promise made by jumpsuits, and despite all evidence to the contrary, we still believe their big lie. That said, the one piece jumpsuit I'm wearing today is actually one that I have come to appreciate over time. I believe it's originally from Target. Pardon me... Targeé (/Tar-jay). I thrifted it because I was in need of something I could put on that covered a bit more of my skin for riding my scooter in the Florida heat; something that didn't add a lot of bulk under my motorcycle jacket. This was really an experiment, and over time, this jumpsuit and I have come to an understanding. No, I won't be reaching for this if I'm looking to look streamlined or professional, but this jumpsuit actually does deliver on one and done dressing. Heck, in these photos I literally took off my bathing suit, popped in some earrings, grabbed some accessories, and headed out. I'm not even wearing makeup (okay lip balm). My hair smells of pool and sweat and just a tinge of the nutritional spray I just got done putting on the palm trees in the back yard. The glamour. The bag is a 70s vintage straw bag that I purchased intending to add it to the shop, but quickly realized that I was actually carrying it on a lot of errands, so I kept it. The shoes are from my closet, and the earrings are Native crafted, purchased from an artisan market (I didn't realise they were swinging in the first photo and didn't photograph, so I added a separate photo.) So what's the message here? Honestly, I'm not sure, other than jumpsuits are hard, they are more often than not a poor fit, but every once in a while once surprises you. So if like me you cannot resist the lure of the jumpsuit, know that you actually don't have to resist the allure. Just know it may just take a while to find one that really works for you in the way that you need it to. In other words, we have to do our own research. I cannot believe I just used that phrase.