Happy Holiday's

I just want to wish everyone out there a Happy Holiday!!!

May it be wonderful and memorable!!

I'm really glad this Christmas has turned out better than I had expected, and It could only get better. I was soo worried my Grandma was in the hospital and may have needed brian surgery, but just yesterday evening she was sent back home and fine. That's what I really wanted for the holiday's, I can't imagine them without her! Not only that my oldest cat that I've had since childhood was really ill too, and I've noticed she's gotten better. However I was really thrilled this morning when I found her playing around, she hasn't done that in ages!!

Plus last night I had an amazing time at that Sweet & Tender Hooligans/Strangelove show!! It was very much needed and it was a beyond awesome show!! 

So don't forget that for the holiday's it's the little things that mean the most.

Oh and how can I not wish Happy Holiday's to all the DM Devotees out in the world!! I love you fellow Sister's and Brothers!! Have a very Merry Mode-mas!!

(Video made by Dominatrix Remix of Germany)

mucho love

-Victoria

Victoria Vintage's New Look

Hello Everyone!! It's like I've been gone off the face of the earth for a few months already hasn't it! Since you really haven't seen a photo of me since July! I just thought I'd do a style update! Mainly with my hair I cut it in September for my birthday I wanted something new and  I was tired of doing the same old same old with it. So bye bye waist length hair, but not to worry. Since I never felt that I really appriciated my hair length (not to be confused with not loving my hair) I decided to donate it! I know some ill women or child would love it! It's 100 % Natural, undamaged virgin hair! They're going to be happy campers!

Here I am in August with my hair down. Most people wouldn't know it with my hair up all the time. On the rare occasion I would wear it down. I didn't really like to wear it down due to it getting it in the way of everything and it would get tangled so quickly. (oh and that top I'm wearing it's on of my own designs that I made!)

Here I am today!! Literally, well not literally I took this photo yesterday. I wish I had a better hair pic, but to be honest I haven't really had time, but you'll see many more "new" hair pics in the upcoming posts I'll do soon! It's so much easier to work with, and I can finally do some period hairstyles with it yay!! It sits on the shoulders with the front being slighty shorter. Quite a difference right? I cut about a foot off! So what do you guys think?


-Victoria

Upcoming Events

It's been awhile but here are some events that I will surely be attending and I think you'll like to attend them too!

Friday December 23, 2011

Valerie's Boulevard Vintage Shop

Huge Store Sale

Come check out this relatively new cute vintage shop in Whittier, CA. They have great items and at amazing prices!! They specialize in 1950's but carry garments from the 1940's -1960's  for Women and Men. I've bought a lovely Sapphire Blue Taffeta Late 1950's dress from them that I wore for a very special event (I'll be talking about that soon), and I only got it for $25!! Many beauty queens and pin ups have flocked to this shop. So this sale should not be missed!! Who knows you may find that last minute Holiday or New Year's dress you've been waiting for!!

Sweet and Tender Hooligans & Strangelove Show

at The House of Blues in Anahiem 

A promotional video

 I've totally waited for something like this to happen, it's a match made in tribute band heaven!! My two very favorite and some of the most beloved tribute bands around are coming together for a show on Christmas Eve-Eve at the House of Blues in Anaheim located at Downtown Disney, near Disneyland!! The Sweet and Tender Hooligans are an amazing Smiths and Morrissey tribute band well Strangelove is a phenomenal Depeche Mode tribute band!! These boys put all the effort and talent into this to guarantee you an unforgettable show!! So if you're a Smiths and DM fan this is a show not to be missed! I'm super excited and I can't wait!! It's a perfect christmas gift to myself and a great way to end the year.
*Ticket's are going fast, and it's sure to sell out get them while you can!*

I'll see you there!

I'm back!!

School is over!! I'm finally free, the Holiday and New Year are upon us and I have soo much to share and talk about!! Get Ready for a year of many overdue posts and new ones!!

-Victoria

"Word's Like Violence, Break The Silence"

Susan Boyle Covers Depeche Mode's "Enjoy The Silence"


 Once I overheard that Susan Boyle was covering Depeche Mode, I just had to listen to her version of it!
 Incase you're unfamiliar with Susan Boyle she was a contestant on a British television tv show. Her look certainly doubted that she had any talent, but once she sang it was pure shock and beauty, proving that you should never judge a book by it's cover!
She said having being a fan of the song and it's lyrics she found it very fitting to cover it!
 I'm glad she loves DM and her cover was absolutely beautiful!
 It was her own take on the DM classic and I really loved it! I hope you do too!

(By the way you should really hear her cover of The Sunday's "Wild Horses" It's soo good!)

Hello, Anybody Home?

Hello everyone! Never think you'd see me again? haha, I just thought I would do a small post since I haven't been on here in like two months!! There's sooo much to talk about soo much to do things that were missed and I wish I could've shared! I was trying to post on my Twitter account upcoming things, but I never kept up with that, oops. I'm still busy as ever maybe even busier? I just want to let everyone know I still love you and  I really miss you and my posting! So hopefully today you'll get a couple of new and exciting posts!!

all my love 

-Victoria

Stressed!!!!

Hello my dears, like the title says I'm stressed, really really stressed. So stressed out that I've lost more weight (not that it's necessarily a bad thing), forgotten things, have sleep depravation, and I feel like my body is slowly shutting down on me, definitely not good. I've neglected this blog to the max, I've missed out on events, job opportunities, important conferences, even conversations with friends. Being worried about little things, not so little things, will so and so call me? Dumb stuff like that. Plus, I really don't know what's going on in the world either. I just "celebrated" my 21st birthday (yup the big 21) on such a short notice this Sunday! I have soo much to tell you, I' ve even changed my look! (don't worry it's not that drastic). I now spend 10 to 12 hour days at school everyday. The reason for this stress is pretty much school, it literally has taken over my life!!! But I just wanted to let you know I'm still alive, and I really wish I could blog more, it makes me upset that it's not flourishing the way I hoped. I hope all is well, take care and I'll be back soon!

with love

-Victoria

This song would be very fitting for how I feel lately. It's one of my very favorite songs by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, who are one of my very favorite bands!

"...Well its anyones, anyones guess. Its anyones, anyones guess. Stress!! Stress! Stress!! Stress! Stress! Stressss!!!"

Lanvin; "Uno- Dos -Tres- Cuatro"

Today I saw this little piece of awesome! 

What could be better than beautiful Lanvin fashion, dancing models, including Karen Elson (I'm loving her look in that mustard dress!) and a dancing Alber Elbaz all getting down to Pitbull!! That's pretty fun and awesome to me! I'm loving all this fun, kooky creativity that design houses are coming up with, and Lanvin does not disappoint, they manage to merge everything I like into one, how do they do it?

I *heart* Lanvin!

So Saucy

Hello everyone I'd just thought I'd share with you my latest vintage purchase! It's a late 1940's early 1950's Black Velvet Saucer Hat!! I'm soo in love with it and  I can't wait to wear it out! Oh and I got it for a steal only under $9.00! My brother thinks it looks like a UFO on my head, but I don't care! I absolutely, positively frekin LOVE saucer hats, I think they're incredibly chic and glamourous and I love how you can perch them on your head askew and it looks great! I can't wait too get my hands on some more!!

Other Saucers

If I can get my hands on a perfect straw saucer hat like Dita's I'd be completely overjoyed!!

I frekin love these Philip Treacy hats! I wish I had a dog just so we could match!

Isn't this one a beauty!

I really love Lady Gaga's saucer hat!

-Victoria

Strangelove at the OC Fair

Hey everyone how could I possibly forget to post this!!! July 28th I went to go see for the first time, which I can say this is truly, really the Ultimate and the best Depeche Mode tribute band ever!!! Really this is hands down thee best!! It really blows every other tribute band out of the water!! Seriously I really mean it, everything from sound, voice, visuals, wardrobe, stage presence, persona not to mention they're a handsome bunch, they're anything but a cover band! I'm friends with the band members and I know they have been in other DM tribute bands, but once the merged together they are truly, truly talented guys! It was going to be my first time seeing them play I was sooo excited and I'll be getting my DM fix!! They played a whole variety of DM songs throughout their career from the beginning to today! Even DM gems that Depeche doesn't even perform anymore! Like the usual I go to the shows by myself, but I don't mind it because I end up meeting old friends, meeting online friends for the first time and making new friends too and that's exactly what did!!!

Pictured with Strangelove
Left to Right: Alan Wildest, Counterfeit Martin, Devotional Dave and In The Fletch
I love you boys!

With my awesome friend and fellow Modie for life Jen! We first met at last year's OC fair DM tribute show. We had soo much fun dancing and singing the whole night!!

Me and my awesome new found friend that night, Amanda! I met her too at last year's show I photographed her my my blog and she remembered me! Here we are both showing off our outfits!

I really really had a great time singing and dancing and screaming my ass off!! I think most people might have thought I was crazy or they may have thought I was drunk (even though I hadn't been drinking at all lol).  First off my outfit was pretty strange for attending the fair, but it was sooo Depeche , plus all I did was attend the fair for the show lol! As soon as I walked in the hanger I caught the attention of these two very drunk guys who hoot and hollered at me, uh thanks for the compliment guys. Secondly I stood up, sang every word to every song, danced, jumped and shouted well practically everyone in my row was sitting down! It was great  to see a lot of people dancing and shouting too, how can you go to a DM show and just sit down it's not possible!!

Devotional Dave's outfit and the stage fan.. it soo reminds me of the concert footage from "101"!

Reminds me of  the "Behind The Wheel" music video

Personal Jesus, I loved that Freddie sang a bit in espanol!

Enjoy The Silence

Afterwards the band did a meet and greet with everyone, once the crowd died down I went over and  chatted for a little bit, told them it was great seeing them again (the last time I saw some of the band members was at the Smiths/Moz convention) I gave them nothing but praise and thanked them for an awesome time! It was soo much fun joking around with them too! It was my first time meeting 'In The Fletch'  he's a very funny and sweet guy!

With the boys, pictured without "Alan Wildest" they made a pretty funny Alan Wilder/Recoil Joke haha

In The Fletch & Counterfeit Martin chatting  while they sign autographs at the merchandise booth!

Some footage shot of Strangelove at the OC fair

The Sun And The Rainfall
(Shot by me)

People Are People

Personal Jesus
(See if you can catch the snippet where it's in spanish!)

Shake The Disease

Somebody

Precious

It's No Good

Enjoy The Silence
(You can see me at 23 seconds recording I'm wearing the big bow)

Fly On The Windscreen
( I was soo thrilled when they played this!)

I really can't wait too see them again, the whole weekend I was on this DM high, it really was like experiencing the real Depeche Mode they're that good! Most of their shows have been at venues that are far from me and end up being 21 + so I'm really hoping  more all age shows pop up soon, they're playing on my birthday this year! Maybe I'll spend my 21st birthday singing to Depeche again?!

 Anywho if you really love DM and you like getting your DM fix, 80's fix or you just love music I really recommend you see Strangelove! They are definitely thee best!!

http://depechetribute.com/

Mode on fellow Devotees!

-Victoria
(All photos by. Victoria Inez Rivera)

Mad Men Collection at Banana Republic

Did somebody say Mad Men? Just who doesn't love the famous hit tv show Mad Men?! I can now finally catch up with all the seasons on Netflix and I'm loving every minute of it!! But if the Mad Men franchise put their name on everything I'm sure I'll buy it up, so when I was flipping through my mom's Oprah magazine and noticed an ad for Banana Republic's Mad Men collection I was soo thrilled!

Finally!! This  is what the world needs less drabby modern and more classic chic!! Don't get me wrong I like a fair share of modern things and clothing and I love to see what's new with the latest designers, but when the fashion world brings back retro, oh you know I'm celebrating!! I personally don't shop at BR, but they do have great well made clothes for a decent price.. I just can't afford it. But believe me if I had some cash I'd definitely go down to the Banana Republic and buy some of this cute stuff up! Oh and it's not just for the ladies, boys grab that skinny tie and slim suit and look fabulous!

I thank the tv gods for a show like Mad Men because everyday it makes the world of today seem like 1960!

I'm loving the advertisements!

They've broken it down just for you!

I think I might like the mens clothing more than the womens?

Two favorite looks from the collection

Be sure to check out the website:

http://bananarepublic.gap.com/

I'm Featured In: La Cosmopolatina: Many Faces of Latinas

EXTRA! EXTRA! I'M FEATURED ON A WEBSITE!!

I am beyond thrilled, happy, excited and very proud to be featured on the website La Cosmopolatina

If you're not familiar with La Cosmopolatina, they're a great website for the modern latina, everything from fashion, news, people everything! They have their usual feature of Many Faces of Latinas it shows just how diverse latinas can be!  It's not really a self promoting business thing or anything like that, it's just a small glimpse into the lives of many latin women and what being a latina means to themselves. It's fun to see how different in many ways latinas can be, but on a more serious note it shatters the stereotypes. So not only me, but a small handful of other lovely women were picked out to do this, it makes me especially proud because often I always have this constant internal battle of never being good enough and there have been times in my life were I'm not accepted because of  "not being latina enough"! This just proves there's no such thing!!

 Thank you La Cosmopolatina and be sure to check out the post here!

http://www.lacosmopolatina.com/victoria-rivera/

with mucho love

-Victoria

GlamourPuss

Last month I went to my Uncle's 50th Birthday Celebration held at his wife's family owned restaurant. It was a semi formal event, I'm guessing cocktail but I really pulled out all the stops! Going all out into vintage glamour mode!! I think this has to be the most glamourous I've ever been? I didn't even look this good when I attended prom! Wearing a dead stock (with tags intact) 1960's vintage evening gown that I scored for $5 at the thrift store, 1950's vintage fur cover up that was a family giveaway, vintage handbag $3 from the thrift store, designer heels $5 from the thrift store, and don't forget perfectly painted lips and nails!

Enjoy the pics! 

It's not easy being a GlamourPuss, but someone has to do it! haha

Voila!

Strike a pose, haha ( man my face looks ridiculous)! Parking Lot High Fashion!

No pictures please!

Everyone has a sweet, funny, extra loveable crazy Tia in their family! This is mine, my Tia Margarita! We love a lot of the same things, like the 40's and Dancing! So I took her out on the dance floor, for some Glen Miller! (I just decided, in the future I want to be my family's crazy Tia!)

Towards the end of the night I was falling apart on the dance floor!

Sequins, beading and chiffon! Oh my!

Who's that classy dame?

"What the..."

Say hello to East LA's classiest hyna!! 

(This has got to be one of my most favorite pictures ever!)

Sometimes being this glamourous can make any well composed girl, cranky!

-mucho love
Victoria

Happy 100th Birthday Lucille Ball

Lucille Desiree Ball

August 5, 1911 - April 26, 1989

Today marks the 100th Birthday of the very talented, and how can we forget very funny, that famous red head Lucille Ball!! Of course everyone knows her from the famous, hilarious and hit TV show I Love Lucy. However, I thought I'd share with you some clips of Lucy in her earlier career during the 1940's, still just as funny and beautiful! Be sure to check out the Google homepage today it's very cute! And I've also posted a video of a Lucille Ball Hair Tutorial brought to by Lisa Freemont Street! Wishing a very Happy Birthday to Lucy, may you rest in peace! We'll always love you! 

Dance Girl, Dance

(This clip is great!! It reminds me of myself lol)

 This is another really great clip from Dance, Girl Dance! Lucy is soo playful, sexy and seductive! You're going to have to turn the volume up for this one.

 Ziegfield Follies.

Easy To Wed

Never fear, I put an I Love Lucy video! I thought this video is pretty cute, clips of Lucy and Desi dancing, plus the outfits in these clips are awesome!!

Lisa Freemont Street's I Love Lucy hair tutorial

He's Like The Man Of My Dreams & He's From My Hood!

Hello Everyone I just thought I'd do this quick post I saw this online article and thought it was pretty fun and hilarious to begin with and once I noticed a specific feature I just had to share it!!

The LA Weekly Magazines' online blog Style Council released an article on July 27th 2011 titled,

"Six LA Neighborhoods With The Most Distinctive Fashion Styles"

And which neighborhood happens to be number 5? My hood, East LA!!! Just what are they going to feature some classic cholo style, some crazy paisa norteno goodness?? No, surprisingly and very much to my liking they featured this:

East LA Greaser/ Goth

Drawing by. Jason Levesque

Uniform: Cuffed Levis; black Creepers; black T-shirt with skull motif; slicked-back hair; sleeve tattoo, including spiderweb elbow; leather cuff watch; crucifix necklace; black nail polish; Pendleton jacket; a Latina gal in a leopard-print dress on his arm

Shops at: Glory, Iguana Vintage, Target, Hot Topic (but won't admit it)

Hangs at: Little Cave, Eastside Luv, Spikes in Rosemead, Lucha Va Voom, any burlesque show

Listens to/watches: Social Distortion, the Misfits, the Cramps, the Smiths

Trending: Less Fonz, more fun with nostalgic rawk style. A blending of the usual '50s looks with '70s garage/punk gear and '80s androgyny, including more spiky stuff, tighter pants and longer hair

Fashion philosophy: As Johnny Thunders said, always dress "L.A.M.F." (Like a Mother Fucker).

----------------------------------------------------------

Oh man when I saw this I burst into laughter!! He's literally like most of the guys I've fallen for that are not only from East LA, but just the types of guys that sometimes catch my attention! He's like the man of my dreams bahahaha!!! It's great though, I really love seen a representation of the whole East Los alternative scene that started with those Rebels way back when! (By the way do you remember when I talked about Rebels last, in my Steve Naghavi post?) How cute is he with his cuffed jeans, Creepers, slicked hair, nail polish (woo extra points being a goth cutie!) and how can you forget the very "original" Spiderweb tattoo!! We even shop and hang out at the same places! (Hot Topic, hell no! That place used to be good back when you could get a decent band shirt which was a very, very long time ago!) Taste in music, ehh he needs to work on that if he wants to be with me! Drop Social D and The Misfits for some Depeche, Cure, and a great Psychobilly band like Batmobile and we'll talk!!  Oh man this cracked me up, and yeah I'm not gonna lie, yes I tend to fall for guys like this at times. Oh how embarrassing, am I in love with a cliche! lol But you know what would have been even better? If they featured The Cholobilly!! (If you have no idea what a cholobilly is, I'm just going to have to rant about it soon!) lol 

Have fun reading the rest of the neighborhoods I know I did!

http://blogs.laweekly.com/stylecouncil/2011/07/los_angeles_fashion_neighborho.php

"That's For Babies"

I just thought I'd share this with you. Awhile back I saw this commerical and thought it was soo cute. It's just any little kid acting the way they do at that age, but the reason why I think I like it so much is becasue the little girl reminds me of a mini Zooey Deschanel!! Not just the resemblance, but that eclectic style and free spirited attitude. I heart Zooey!! But regardless of look a like or not this little girl is just plain cute!

Just incase you have no idea who Zooey Deschanel is she's an actor and musician/singer and all around awesome and beautiful gal! I adore her!! Maybe you've seen her in films like Elf, Yes Man and (what could possibly be my all time favorite movie) 500 Days of Summer! Here's a music video for her band with musician M. Ward called She & Him. I love their music and in this video she's very playful, see if you can find any resemblances?


I absolutely love love love this alternative video for Why Do You Let Me Stay Here !!! Everything about it is soo perfect!!


mucho love,
-Victoria

Happy 50th Birthday Martin Lee Gore

Martin Lee Gore

July 23, 1961

Today isn't just anyone's birthday, but the birthday of  a true artist and most likely the only person to express the words of my emotions, Martin Lee Gore the keyboardist, lyricist, guitarist and some times singer for the greatest band ever (at least in my and millions of others opinion) Depeche Mode!!! And not just any birthday either it's his 50th!

I really wish I could have a big celebration for such a milestone or at least bake him a cake like I did for Dave Gahan!! But today I have an important family event to go to soo I can't actually dress up in my Martin-esque gear and back a cake and blast my Depeche Mode albums (thank goodness for mp3's right) haha. But I will be fully celebrating full Depeche Mode awesomeness and remembering Martin's birthday and getting to wear my martin wardrobe next Thursday when I get to go see the very awesome, great and most likely the best DM tribute band around, Strangelove! (I'll talk more about that event soon.) But Back to Martin!

What Martin has done with Depeche Mode is beyond words and emotions, his lyrics for DM are pure beauty and poetry, he makes things like happiness, sex, sin, love, pain, confusion, anger every possible emotion and turns the words into beauty. Oh the power of Depeche it's a great one!! Thank you sooo much Martin Lee Gore for being you and starting the greatest band in the universe!! Have a very Happy 50th Birthday and many many More!!

Last year's birthday post:

http://vivavictoriavintage.blogspot.com/2010/07/happy-49th-birthday-martin-lee-gore.html

Just thought I would post this I shot this quick clip of Martin performing a special DJ set for Alan Wilder's Recoil show. This was the closest I've ever been to him, I was front row!

This is an image or I don't know whatchamacallit that I made after I saw one for Morrissey

I couldn't think of a more perfect song ever created to describe how I feel in the most overwhelming situations and those two words sung by Martin Gore that describe my entirety "Understand Me".

This is a clip of DM on a Japanese talk show back in the mid 1980's here they wish Martin a Happy Birthday! It's very cute!

The crowd in Toronto, Canada sings Happy Birthday to Martin at the end of a DM concert.

With much Love & Devotion,

-Victoria

Online Ogling

I've decided to do a new posting series like 'Spotted Style' and 'Magazine Mention', it's called "Online Ogling". And just what is online ogling? I now I'm not the only one who does this as many of you probably do it too! Do you spend hours online window shopping looking at all the marvelous vintage for sale that just is out of your budget or something so rare you can only dream of owning! Yeah, I do that a lot. I even store a ton, hundreds of photos I find online that I use as inspiration and reference. My brother calls me a cyber hoarder and always blames me if our computer gets sick! Geez sorry! Anways here's my first Online Ogling post!

Vintage 1950's Tutti Frutti Peep Toe Sling Back Pumps

Curse! Curse! Curse!! My Frankenstein feet!! Or as my mom likes to call them Battleships (thanks mom)! Oh and thanks to all my Great Tias (Aunts) on my grandma's side of the family for being tall big women, because of those genes I have a size 10 (oh and it's wide) foot! I'm not going to complain about my height  I love it I wish I was an inch taller too (I'm 5'8"). But because of this I can't wear these perfect, drop dead adorable, awesome heels!! Carmen Miranda would flip in her grave for them!! These shoes will haunt me in my dreams forever until I have some of my own!

Found on Etsy; Link:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/75618204/vintage-50s-carmen-miranda-clear-plastic?ref=sr_gallery_5&ga_search_submit=&ga_search_query=+vintage+carmen+miranda+shoes&ga_search_type=vintage&ga_facet=vintage

Sunny & Solo

It's a beau-ti-ful day out here in LA!! It's still very warm out, but it's not as hot. The skies are bright blue, the sun is shining and there's a nice breeze! It's my favorite weather and the perfect day for a picnic, bike ride, stroll, quick swim at the beach, pool, or lounge in the back yard, museum, art gallery, anywhere. 

And how I'm a spending it? Alone here at home with the family doing their own thing and me blogging away to you how I wish I was out with a special someone while I listen to some 1920's and 1930s' tunes! How very exciting this summer is (that's sarcasm by the way) and to top it off I start summer school tomorrow at 8 am, lucky me!

The view from my kitchen window today

Ellie & Carl Fredrickson (from the Disney/ Pixar movie Up)

I wish this could be my life right now! With a special someone who just happens to look like the cartoon Morrissey (they don't have to but if they do it's nice), laying at the park staring at clouds, holding hands, having my camera and picnic basket in tow all while both of us are quite stylish too!

This would be the soundtrack for the day:

Michael Giacchino's "Married Life" from the Up Soundtrack. A modern piece of music that's very nostalgic.

Paul Reeves' "Let's Dance Together (Till Morning)" from Quirky Vintage. ( I first heard it in a Huggies diaper commercial)

Paul Whiteman's "Happy Feet" from 1929

Jack Hylton & His Orchestra " You're The Cream In My Coffee" from 1928

Ted Weems & His Orchestra "My Baby Just Cares For Me" from 1930