Vintage Fashion is Timeless: 25 is the new 15!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EVERYONE!!!!!!

You’re probably saying to yourself right now: “But Sammy, it’s not MY birthday! It’s YOUR birthday!”

True that — on BOTH accounts! The reality of birthdays is that they are the YEAR celebration of our growth. However, we are growing every month, week, day and moment. In other words, our lives are one big continuous BIRTHDAY, and with that mindset, an awesome reminder of just why we should celebrate every moment — no matter how big or small — because each moment is a birthday in and of itself.

So yes, amazing people! I officially declare today YOUR birthday, as well as my official 25th year anniversary!

25 is a milestone — that “quarter century” mark when a lot of men & women begin to “get serious” about their lives. We’re 2-3 years out of college, 2-3 years into our first or even second jobs; many of us might have mortgages, a relationship or at least a dog. Basically, we have a growing responsibility to ourselves and most importantly, to others by the time we’ve reached 25 years of age.

While all of this is true, we also have a responsibility to celebrate our lives with the lucid love of a 15-year-old. Remember being 15, and everything was so fresh and new? We were sort of scared, sort of moody, but MAN we had emotion and we FELT it! That first kiss, first dance, first car, first day of high school! So many firsts that were fresh and fun and fabulous.

I want my life, no matter the age, to be a life of “firsts.” There is so much magic in the firsts. Even when something is experienced a second, third or dozenth time … I want to be a 15-year-old experiencing it for the first time.

So without further ado, I wanted to share with you my “first” time visiting Philadelphia with three of my closets girlfriends in New York City. We shopped, walked, ate and danced for a 48-hour celebration of feeling like we were 15 again.

And most importantly, the weekend reminded me why I love being 25, too — because the world at any moment is my oyster, and because I have the ability to share that with you so that each & everyone reading this site can at some moment recognize just how powerful and timeless their opportunity in life is, too.

Keep reading after the jump for more on my birthday weekend in Philadelphia — and to see my “top 10” favorite fashion moments of my 24th year!

What does 25 hold in fashion, style, vintage & thrifting? Well, you’ll just have to stick around to find OUT!

Thank you to everyone for the AMAZING birthday wishes and unconditional love & support. If I can make any wish today, it will be that I continue to have the opportunity to connect with you in the most positive, kind & authentic of ways.

xx, SD

VINTAGE FLASHBACK: SAMMY DAVIS @ 3-YEARS-OLD!

Before jumping in to the post, a little vintage flashback for you all today: me at 3! It’s honest-to-goodness truth that I am in fact a natural born blonde, and also that my style was truly one-of-a-kind from the start.

Whether this was influenced by my mother at the time or not, who knows — the one thing I do know is that those bangs I’m rockin’? My mom told me a few years ago that I went behind our couch with a pair of scissors to um, “cut” my own hair. The results are seen here. Ya dig? ;-)

25TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION: PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM

Three of my closest girlfriends in NYC — the ones I can just be “me” 110% with at any given moment — [from left] Leah, Julia & Andrea. We lived Philly like 15-year-olds experiencing lots of fresh firsts — showing Leah the Liberty Bell for her first time, dancing like teenagers into the wee hours of the night, walking the streets of Philadelphia in bright tights [me!] and of hamming it up anywhere at anytime.

The memories are there forever — and I am so grateful to have loving friends and sisters to share them with!

24th YEAR FLASHBACK: TOP 10 FAVORITE FASHION MOMENTS!

Have you ever reflected on your “style” changes of the past year? We have subtle changes that can only be seen once we begin to see and reveal them with close analysis.

This is exactly what I did, reviewing my 24th-year-in-pictures and noticing 10 re-occuring style themes.

Whether these will be repeating motifs for my 25th year … well, we’ll just have to wait and see! I am always inspired in the moment because like a 15-year-old, I see fashion opportunity as a “first” — and am continually excited by change and it’s boundless opportunity.

FAV FASHION MOMENT #1: THE BIRTHDAY HOODED TUNIC DRESS

The last piece of fashion purchased in my 24th year!!!

I snagged this vintage tunic dress – complete with a hood! – at Buffalo Exchange in Philadelphia. This impromptu photoshoot with it took place in the truly vintage Elfreth’s Alley of Philadelphia — the homes are nearly 300 years old! Definitely has this ’70s-era tunic beat ;-)

FAV FASHION MOMENT #2: THE LACE ONESIE

The infamous lace onesie! Like our favorite sweatshirt, I default to this piece for easy-breezy [with an edge of sexy] style in times of need. It’s like wearing spandex on your body, so that I feel in constant “flexible-go-mode” and can do my duties well.

I’ve worn this piece on photoshoots, to parties, and filming episodes of Thrift Wars. It’s a go-to piece in times of fashion need: Thank you, lace onesie, for your never ending style satisfaction!

FAV FASHION MOMENT #3: THE DOUBLE-PATTERNED TIGHTS

My amazing stepmother/big-sister nabbed these for me after I saw a similar pair on a girl at a road race last Thanksgiving. I excitedly asked her where they were from: Bskinz.com!

These tights are actually meant for volleyball players, but I think they’re the perfect attention-grabbers for special events or in true Sammy-D style, when you’re needing a fashion-pick-up that wows and wonders.

I wore these tights in Philly this weekend. The reaction? Let’s just I got a lot of “Amazing tights!” comments from passerby — and once, even from a homeless man!

FAV FASHION MOMENT #4: ROCKING VINTAGE HATS

Oh, millinery, where have you gone!

Milliners are those who are fluent in the art of making hats. Unfortunately, like a good tailor, a good milliner is hard to come by — and most hats are made in factories today anyway.

Enter vintage! You can always find a fabulous hat in a vintage store. Most of the best date from the ’70s or earlier. In my 24th year, I picked up BOXES upon BOXES of vintage hats … selling some, giving a few away, and tacking the rest on the wall of my bedroom!

Now, like an added necklace or ring, I take a look at my hat collection and see if I can add some “head oomph” to my day.

FAV FASHION MOMENT #5: AMERICAN PRIDE!

I encourage patriotism like I encourage compassion: it’s good for the soul and it’s good for a positive outlook on each and every moment.

I may have been ahead of the curve in this fashion moment of my 24th year, because I’ve recently been seeing a return of American pride tees, bags and subtle red/white/blue/stars designs in indie fashion designs. Like the rocker tee, the “patriotic” tee is making a comeback for spring.

So whether you rock your stars & stripes on a skirt or shirt, living American fashion is also living the American flag — and sometimes as a part of your style design!

FAV FASHION MOMENT #6: BUG-EYE SUNGLASSES

[in singing voice] “I wear my sunglasses … ALL THE TIME!”

Yup, I wear shades a LOT — and what I noticed most, is that I enjoy wearing sunglasses with bright colors, lens and unique shapes. You won’t find me in regular ‘ole tortoise sunglasses or last summer’s popular wayfarer style.

In my 24th year, what you saw me most in is a pair of BOUGHT shades or a pair of vintage ’70s bug eye beauties.

FAV FASHION MOMENT #7: RUNNING IN STYLE

Next to fashion and living life as a positive, driven person … I like to run.

And when I say that I “like” to run, well, I REALLY like to run. It’s a talent that I use everyday to establish focus to my time here on earth, and I know that in the future, will be a tool to raise awareness & funds to the proper cause which warrants my support.

So when it comes to running … and sweating … and spitting … and gulping lots of colored drinks and gels … well, I don’t look that cute. I’m certainly “hot,” but only in body temperature!

I try to look stylish though — with a colored bra, a fun bandanna in my hair, or a steady smile on my face, as I pack in the miles while brainstorming what to share with you on this site next!

FAV FASHION MOMENT #8: THE FAMOUS FLORAL DRESS

When I bought this ’80s floral a-line dress at my local Goodwill, I had no idea it would be the “famous” dress as seen on the Nate Berkus Show!

But there she is, shining in her full glory with a pair of purple tights, serious hairspray and a dash of nervous smiling.

It’s a dress that I will never EVER give up — my daughter will hopefully wear this dress someday, so that she can be inspired to pursue her greatest goals and desires, whatever they may be, as encouraged by fabulous floral and structure that flatters any figure!

FAV FASHION MOMENT #9: HAPPY HEADGEAR & HAIR ACCESSORIES

Maybe it’s the short hair I rocked in my 24th, or just my growing appreciation of the art of the “head” accessory, as mentioned earlier with my newfound love of vintage hats.

I got creative at age 24 and saw the potential in other hair accessories, as well — bows, head wraps, turbans, hoods and yes … even Native American inspired head “dresses”!

We’ve seen it in Lady Gaga and now I’m noticing it in me: the head is a platform for art, and when used right, can be just as attention-grabbing as a bold print or a scandalous cut.

FAV FASHION MOMENT #10: WEARING WHATEVER THE HECK I WANT!

This is my favorite fashion moment of age 24 — the recognition that really, I just wore whatever the heck I WANTED! this past year.

That’s not to say I shouldn’t dress appropriately per situation, however, I’ve recognized that 90 percent of the fashion battle is epitomized in just one word: CONFIDENCE.

When you love what’s inside yourself, then you can love what’s on your body without the blink of an eye. That love from the inside is an encouraging voice helping you to see the opportunity that style presents you: the opportunity to engage, entertain and enlighten.

You can use fashion as a tool or fashion as fun. You can create your own fashion or follow the fashion rules. You can make it, you can break it … and you can put it all back together again, humpty-dumpty style.

So sit on that fashion wall, girlfriend, and don’t be afraid to fall. Because with confidence, you’ve got the priceless glue to put it all together and just make it work for YOU.