stylaholic

Spring Into the 60s

2009-05-13T11:47:00.000-07:00

There's something very 60s about springtime...it's a vernal equinox, warm golden sunlight on your hair, sunshine of your love, less makeup and more freckles sort of thing. And, of course, a DRESS thing. Dresses! Fun, freeing, flowing dresses.

A few cool 60s finds to consider:

From Posh Girl

1. Pucci-pucci-poo

The Pucci(esque) print is quite life-affirming in some way. These may not be authentic Puccis, but they are authentically cute.

2. Hip and mini

There's good hippie and there's bad hippie. This is good hippie. The sleeves make it splendid.

3. Fl-wow-er power

Just one more molecule of cuteness would have pushed this dress over into costume territory, but it maintains its wearability.

4. Let's polka

You can't be sad when you listen to polka music. It's scientifically impossible. I believe the same scientific rule applies to these wonderful multi-sized polka dots.

From Vintage Vixen

5. Lady of the corn

Either you're a person who would wear a hot pink sheath with a lovely embroidered cornstalk, or you're not. Which girl are you?

6. My hibiscus runneth over

The flowers literally overrun their borders on this pretty number.

7. My cerise amour

Cherries are one of this stylaholic's favourite themes for clothing. On this dress, they're perfection.

8. Don't let it ruffle you

I've mentioned before, I'm not normally one for a big ruffle down the front, but this is so light and airy and pretty and...well, it's just lovely.

9. Hang 10

There's an amazing slew of sun dresses that came out of Hawaii in the 50s and 60s. I bought and reworked one myself 2 years ago. This one, with the little box pleat skirt, is perfect as is.

10. Innova-va-vations

The 60s were an era of amazing ingenuity in fashion. Some things that came out of it--vinyl underwear springs to mind--lost to natural selection. Others stand as strange missing links, evolutionary branches that didn't catch on, but made sense in their own way.

What first caught my eye on this one was the title: "Bohemian Red Paisley Strapless Sun Dress with Optional Sleeves"

Whu? Optional sleeves? What is this wonderment? But I must say that I actually really love this dress--both with and without sleeves. I understand the designer's dilemma.

This one is listed as a "sunsuit" with an optional skirt. I'm not totally convinced about the skirt, but this could be a manikin issue. The sunsuit on its own, though, is wonderful.

Happy Spring!

Retro party girls!

2008-11-10T05:23:00.000-08:00

My good friend Niks and her (clearly stylish and enlightened) co-workers have decided to have a retro-themed holiday party this year. Niks is fatally styling, and I have no doubt that she and her colleagues can tease out a great theme of their own. But if you’ll indulge me, I’ve done a little fantasizing…and online vintage shopping…on their behalf

Theme 1: Noel in Paree (circa 1920s)

This a wild, sparkly, chandelier-lit soiree at le Ritz Paris in the golden age of Coco Chanel (before the sweater-suit). Josephine Baker is on stage in her coconut shell bikini and grass skirt singing “J’ai deux amours” while you sip champagne and nibble canapés and trade witticisms avec tous tes amis.

Think...

Sparkle (beaded embellishment, jet-black beaded jewellery, beaded headbands)
Silk, silk, silk
Egyptian and Asian motifs
Fringe and feathers (please, no hot pink boas though)
Stockings, garters and t-strap pumps
Loose and short dresses
Bobs, bangs, and pincurls
Cloche hats and wide-brimmed hats
Heavy black eyes and a simple red mouth

Inspiration...

From Posh Girl

(NOTE FROM AUTHOR: You are the most gorgeous purple cloche hat of all time. If you were mine, I would worship and wear you forever. If I had $260 to spare, you WOULD BE MINE and we would never, ever part.

I need you. I need you utterly.)

(You are very very pretty too...)

From Robin Clayton Vintage

From Hemlock

From Vintage Violet

From Past Perfect Vintage

As they ask on the site: belt or necklace? The decision is yours. Either way, it's a bead-iful authentic 20s accessory.

From Vintage Textile

From Unique Vintage
Note...these are reproductions of "flapper dresses." Some of them are pretty. However, I resent how they have changed the lines of the dresses to be more modern or, as I see it, more tarty. The whole point of flapper dresses was the loose fit. Women were free. Women were swingy. Women did not look like extras from Dancing With the Stars. Women did not wear their hair in strange topknots. But I include these for your consideration nonetheless, since they can be quite lovely.

Please just try to ignore the racy gal with the confusing hairdo.

Theme 2: Merry Vampmas (circa 1930s-1940s)

This is Old Hollywood glamour, babies. You are Marlene Dietrich. You wear satin trousers. You aren’t afraid of (faux ?) fur. You have pencil-thin eyebrows and you know how to use them.

Think...

Flowing satin trousers and man-styled shirts
Chunky wedge-style shoes
Satin, satin, satin
Dramatic jewellery
Soft wavy hair OR slicked-back, masculine, side-parted with a chignon
Plummeting necklines
Exposed backs and/or midriff cutouts

Inspiration...

From Posh Girl

From Vintage Textile

This is from the 1970s, but has a very 30s feel to it...

(You are fabulous too!)

Theme 3: Christmas at Tiffany’s (circa late 1950s/early 1960s)

It's the original martini party. Check out Breakfast at Tiffany’s—especially the scene where Holly hosts a little get-together in her teensy apartment, which gets wonderfully out of hand.

Think...

Hourglass-shaped wiggle dresses and cute pumps
Bright pinks, blues, mustards, and—of course—the LBD
Original earrings
Opera-length gloves
Cute little boxy clutches
False lashes and black-lined eyelids with soft pink or beige lipstick

Inspiration...

From Vintage Textile

These earrings are too cool...they hook onto your ears!

Fall 08 - Time for coats!

2008-11-07T08:47:00.001-08:00

Time for the fall vintage coat roundup!

Now, I know the weather has been unseasonably warm in northeastern North America this week. But that will abate once God and the Universe finish celebrating the Obama victory by raining warmth and happiness down upon us. Winter, ladies, is as inevitable as wrinkles and...wait...I forgot about global warming. Okay, well, wrinkles are still inevitable.

Let's see what our vintage purveyors have on offer...

This red leather belted hooded coat isn't normally something I would warm to, although I did buy a $40 red leather coat at the local vintage fair last year with full intentions to get the collar tailored--of course, I was pregnant and hormonal beyond your wildest imagination at the time--it's hanging in the basement at the moment, untailored and forlorn. Still, don't you find that with vintage leather coats it's all about colour and fit? If you find something in a really gorgeous colour, like this one from Posh Girl--especially when it's belted, which means it's easy to make the fit work for your body--then it's relatively easy to get the costumey period details (like big lapels) chopped down to a more manageable modern size.

Consider, also, this lovely peacoatish 60s cape in a gorgeous coral/crimson...It would be divine with opera-length gloves in light tan, charcoal, or soft dove gray.

Now I know what you're thinking...all this jean jacket is missing is patchwork bell bottoms and a Lee Majors tee. But it's the fit of this Posh Girl jean jacket that makes it intriguing. Check out the measurements. If they work for you, you just might have found yourself the best-fitting jean jacket of your life. All you'd need to do is, again, get the collar tailored and--if you aren't big on magical sparkly rainbows--take it to a t-shirt place to either get the rainbow removed or cover it with something less...happy.

Okay...now we're moving along to the GORGEOUSNESS portion of this blog entry. This rose velvet 50s beaut from Fashion Dig is pretty stunning. The collar! So unique! So feminine! If you feel you can handle the power of its uber-femininity, wiggle your little hips on over to Fashion Dig.

Here's another lovely wrap, in a safer colour, a Donna Karan from the 80s. The pushed-up sleeves are very au courant. This coat would also be interesting shortened to a car-coat length.

It's hard to resist these pretty 50s dress coats. Sure it's s a little over the top, but IT'S SO PRETTY. Aren't collar bows the bomb?...The grey tweed makes this coat kind of timeless. From Vintageous.

Vintageous is really rocking the coat department. This 40s coat with military-influenced stylings is truly cool, and the silhouette will never go out of style (at least, it hasn't in 60 years).

Plaid is big this year. Here's a unique twist on what amounts to a lot of black and red 80s-wannabe plaid floating around out there...This one comes in pretty cream and navy. From Vintageous.

Don't you love the look of a pretty embroidered coat worn with a dress that matches? So Jackie O. Wouldn't this be lovely with a simple green or yellow or beige wool shift underneath? Some people think matching hem lengths are passe, but I think it's ultimately chic to have your coat and dress hem length match.

Another 50s coat from Vintageous. This creamy delight would be really sophisticated with a modern belt--a skinny belt in dark grey or brown patent leather, perhaps?

Holiday Vintage

2007-11-30T08:14:00.000-08:00

Shhh...what's that I hear? Could it be the distant jingle of fast-approaching sleighbells? Santa always gets here sooner than we expect, and you know what Santa season means:

Parties!

But whatever will you wear?!

To stand out from the disco-repro crowd this holiday season, consider something a little different...consider vintage:

From Posh Girl

Clothing from the early 40s can be downright dowdy--it was, after all, a time of war-induced textile rationing, global mourning, and worldwide fear. And yet, the latter half of the decade was drenched in glamour. Consider the stars of the era: Davis, Crawford, Lamour.

Toward the end of this decade (February 1947, to be precise), the venerable Christian Dior introduced his "New Look": the reshaping of boxy wartime frocks to the voluptuous, wasp-waisted looks we begin to associate with the 50s--but without such highly exaggerated busts or hips...yet.

The delicate detailing around the neckline; soft, slightly pouffed sleeves; and gentle hourglass shape of this flattering LBD represent the best of fun 40s evening dressing for the regular woman--not too over-the-top, but special enough to make you stand out from the trend-seekers. This dress screams "pretty!"

OK, stay with me for a minute here. It's a long leap from 40s pretty to a 60s scarf gown, I admit. But the empire waist and the sexy off-the-shoulder neckline of this bold piece give it potential. If you're very brave, you could wear it full length. But imagine it cut down to a tunic or--even better--a mini: very cute. The scarf sleeves can stay or go. It depends whether you're someone who can manage canapes and a glass of champagne without dragging her extra-long sleeves through everything.

Wear your hair tousled and off-the neck with this. Add a little subtle accessory or some collarbone-grazing earrings. Va-va-voom!

Chiffon and sequins! ABsolutely FABulous. This little 60s mini is so swingy and fun, you won't be able to stop yourself from dancing all night long. Sexy, fine-strapped glittery heels in silver or mother-of-pearl would be just lovely with this. And I can't think of a more perfect excuse to wear a gorgeous rhinestone bracelet.

One of the best things about this frock: it looks so comfortable and wearable. Just steer clear of red wine!

This one has been available on the Posh Girl site for a long time. It's from the 30s and it's pure, sexy, slinky silk. I'd choose this one for a more refined event, and only if you're very confident in your, er, overall physical perkiness--because it's quite unstructured and leaves little room for heavy-duty supportwear (read: girdles, bras, pulley systems, etc.). A thong and some nipple-covers are probably all it can handle.

Still, it seems such a shame that this dazzling gown is going unworn and unappreciated! The colour alone makes it so spectacular. This is a special dress for a special lady (eek...that sounds a little "Vegas nightclub opening act sleezebag" doesn't it?)

From Vintage Vixen

This is a fully lined silk chiffon gown by the house of designer Pauline Trigere. From what I've been able to find, Trigere designed throughout the 40s, 50s, and 60s, but her label survived until the 90s--so it's hard to place the provenance of this gown; to me, it looks like it could be 60s, 70s, or even early 80s/disco era.

Regardless of the year in which it came out, it is a beautiful gown. Consider the timeless colour and pattern. Then consider the gorgeous kimono sleeves and beautiful cut of the bodice. On the VV site, there is a photo of this dress on a live model and we can see why the Trigere label is famous for exceptional cutting--it hugs and flatters in all the right places. Light-coloured or metallic fine-strapped sandals, combined with the up-to-there slit at the front of this dress, would make any lady's legs look miles long. Gorgeous.

Why be a disco wannabe when you can be an honest-to-goodness Disco Queen? It's hard to see in this photo, but this fun full-length strapless dress features a white-and-silver chevron pattern--a subtly slimming form that narrows the visual line all the way down the long column.

It comes with a belted ballet-neck top with a low scoop in back. While it may be a little too literal to wear with the dress, it would be a fun little top on its own. Wear your hair free and loose with this, maybe with a white magnolia tucked behind your ear. You fabulous thing, you!

I just couldn't pass this one by without sharing. I've copied only a photo of the top half, but this is a full-length, fully fringed gown from the 40s that will make you an instant screen goddess. The scarf in this photo is removable and there's quite a flattering round neckline beneath. Imagine how the flippy fringed sleeves would float dramatically behind you as you glide into any party.

Personally, I'd boost the glamour potential and play on the era with a pair of glittery, dramatic shoes--maybe peeptoes or even some not-too-chunky platforms. But a black column is so simple that almost anything goes.

I almost passed over this one. The colours are full 60s acid trip, after all. But as you can see in the detail images on VV, this is actually quite a unique and fun gown. Like anyone, I tend to pick items with necklines and bodices that would flatter my physique. For me, this one really fits the bill. But if you're someone who wouldn't wear a full-length gown, I suppose you could always have it shortened--although it would be a shame to lose those pretty little geishas at the bottom.

I'd keep accessories very simple with something like this; otherwise, you risk looking like you've mixed up Christmas and Halloween. Don't get too Cher on us, now.

From eBay/Memphis Vintage

INCOMING! INCOMING! TAKE SHELTER!

If attention is what you seek, look no further than a 50s wiggle dress. When you think "party dress," isn't this the very image that springs to mind? I can't think of anything more flattering to almost any figure. It falls away from the hips in just the right place--saddlebags disappear, only smooth hips, tiny waist, and all other coveted girl parts remain. The big velvet bow at the bottom clinches it: you are definitely all woman.

This dress is from one of my favourite online vintage retailers, Memphis Vintage. They've moved to the eBay format (I guess I'll forgive them for that), so they're a little harder to pin down these days. But this long silver gown from the 1930s immediately grabbed my eye. That ultimately flattering back! That perfect bias cut! That subtle, molten colour!

However...

...I was a little disappointed at this very odd, very LARGE, very PURPLE applique on the front of an otherwise PERFECT gown.

I'm not an applique person, myself. I have commented on this before. BUT maybe, just maybe, with the right accessories--some complementary satin or soft suede platform sandals, perhaps--this could be rectified. The dress probably couldn't stand up to a removal of the applique...unless you wanted to pay the hefty price to have a new silver beaded applique put in its place...so you'd have to work with it.

Otherwise, it's a tall, cool glass of water and I'd love a sip.

If you're not into floor-length but love silk and satin, a cheongsom dress from the 50s is a great alternative. I normally do not like these in the typical black, red, or royal blue. But I just loved this soft pink.

If you're going to get one of these, do consider buying a vintage one. I know there are more modern versions on the market, but the ones cut in the 50s are a little more structured, which is what you want with silks and satins that are not cut on the bias, in order to eliminate that unflattering "cat whiskers across the widest part of your hips" look.

Wouldn't a complementary pair of pink silk heels be gorgeous with this? Or maybe something in gold?

Happy party-hopping!

File under "H" for "HUH?"

2007-11-20T07:52:00.000-08:00

Also: hideous, hay bale, hallucination, haberdashery offence, haggis (as offensive as), hairball, half-baked, halt, hammocky, hamperish, harbinger of doom, harrowing, and hassock-like.

I don't normally do "Omygod, can you believe what she's WEARING?" posts--I'll leave that to the Fug Girls--but good God.

(She does have great legs, though.)

Galliano does history one better, once again

2007-07-03T10:53:00.000-07:00

Galliano's recent Dior show at l'Orangerie of Chateau Versailles in Gay Paree has been much anticipated (pre) and celebrated (post) over the last few weeks.

I think I can safely say that he is my absolute favourite living designer. He breathes his larger-than-life lifeforce into everything he does; he respects and venerates the perfections achieved by his predecessors, but always introduces something profoundly modern. He has the most luscious understanding of using colour in the medium of fabric. He's from another planet.

Here are some highlights from the big event at l'Orangerie. Note the stunning palette and the otherworldly fabrics and, of course, the hats! The wonderful, wonderful hats!

Long Live Galliano!

Stylaholic Premier: Dressformation

2007-06-26T11:45:00.001-07:00

I've seen a number of very stylish ladies do this on their fashion blogs, so I've decided to give it a try: I'm going to show you a vintage dress I've transformed using only a sewing machine, a gum wrapper, and a case of vegan bratwurst.

Just joking about the bratwurst.

This is a late 1960s hawaiian hostess dress I purchased for about $40. As you can see, it's extremely "maxi" (I added the plastic cocktail glass for comic effect...too bad I'm too shaky to take a straight photo). Although I'm nearly 6 feet tall and am supposed to be able to carry off maxi-length dresses, to be totally honest, I don't really like them. Anything below the ankle just feels silly.

The thing I really love about this dress is the weird cape-like pleat detail on the back (on the far left in this photo...I know it's hard to tell my front from my back...sigh). I thought "maybe I can shorten it and wear it as a babydoll!" And so it began...

(Here's the back...pretty the way it comes down and floats from the neckline, no?)

This was a home-made jobby in the first place, so I was dealing with "interesting" seaming and fitting. The dress is supposed to hug your curves in front, sheath-style, flowing from an empire waist complete with adorable centre florettes, whilst billowing out dramatically in back.

Althought it's a small size, I wondered why it wasn't fitted more tightly to the ribcage in front to emphasize the bust like most dresses of the era do. It was only after scratching for the umpteenth time at the itchy little doodad brushing my ribs that I took the dress off to discover a built-in bra! It had been lost in all that fabric. Very nice little detail that saved me having to take the dress in on the sides...(it's that white thing hiding amid all the fabric).

I carefully measured and cut the length, shortened the bra band, which had become stretched out over the ages, and tried it on.

Cute, but (and I know...I'm crap at standing still enough to photograph myself clearly, so I don't have a good photo of this)...the billow in the back is still a little too big.

I'll have to figure out a way to reduce the pleats; in the meantime, I've created an obi-style belt from the fabric I cut off the bottom of the dress and am using that to give it a sheath fit with a slightly tulip-style skirt. I love it with my beige and yellow pumps...

And next time I do this I'll be sure to clean my mirror first!

Keep a lid on it

2007-06-14T09:12:00.001-07:00

Here in the city in (near) which I live, I'm seeing an interesting trend: men sporting cool lids. You'd have to live here to get the full impact of that statement, but let's just say it's nice to see the boys embracing head-coverings other than baseball caps with beer logos on them. And variety? You have your newsboys, your fedoras, your military caps, the occasional well-intentioned cowboy hat...they're really mixing it up.

Yep, the local lads are metrosexualizing nicely.

Surprisingly, though, I haven't really noticed a corresponding rise in millinery for the ladies. At least not in this town. You'd think that the blistering heat of global warming and threat of skin cancer would fuel the fire, so to speak.

Maybe it's because while hats conceal, they also reveal. There's something about a girl in a jaunty hat that says "Look at me. I am not afraid to stand out." Not everyone is comfortable with that.

Ladies, take a page from chic gals like Audrey and cover your cranium in style. Let's go for it. I admit, some of these vintage hats are a little over the top, but then again...they were all the rage once, so can't they be again? In a world that gets much too heavy, a little roof-top levity might be just what we need:

From Vintage Vixen:

A fabulous straw hat like this absolutely gorgeous one will keep the UV rays at bay while shooting your coolness quotient into the stratosphere.

Straw and ribbon for your girlier moments...

Purple feathers! Purple FEATHERS! PURPLE feathers!

What more is there to say?

This is called a portrait hat. Although this one's from the 40s, there's something very 70s about it. The raspberry colour...divine.

A 1950s flowerpot hat. Your pretty little face is the flower.

From Posh Girl:

It takes a special girl to sport a 1970s pimp-style fedora. If you can handle faux fur, long feathers, and extreme over-the-eye jauntiness, this may be for you. You cheeky little thing.

For the rest of us, there are standard fedoras (fedorai?) or the lovely oversized model to the left. I'm a little bored with standard fedoras, to be honest...(Damn celebrities! They ruin everything!) But this hep number captured my interest.

From Unique Vintage:

Isn't this the coolest? I wonder how it would look over red hair...Might be interesting. So over the top 60s cool...

Truly "vintage" vintage from the world's most elegant woman

2007-05-31T10:51:00.000-07:00

This story was sent to me courtesy of my good friend Ni_de_Montreal; I've since discovered it's all over the Interwebernetything.

The gorgeous hot pink silk cocktail dress worn by Her Wonderfulness, Audrey Hepburn, Queen of Style, in Breakfast at Tiffany's recently sold for nearly $200,000 US to an "unnamed European buyer"--how mysteeeeerious!

This is the auction photo of the dress on the left.

And here is a screen cap of Holly Golightly in the dress, on a date with the dashing Jose da Silva Perreira:

I vote for the revival of the pink tiara...or any tiara, really. Can you imagine going on a date in a tiara? FABulous.

The dress looks slightly worse for the wear in the auction pic, but not bad considering it is more than 46 years old. A few missing rhinestones, a little fading here and there. But still profoundly iconic.

Audrey's black gown (opening scene, looking in window of Tiffany's, eating a danish) went for nearly $1 million and helped finance a school in India. Proceeds from the auction of her black feather-lined cocktail dress were used for medical supplies and other items in India.

Now that's some classy vintage. And that's just the way she would've liked it, I imagine.

Protecting the planet, one gorgeous item at a time

2007-05-08T08:04:00.000-07:00

Did I ever mention that, in addition to filling your closet with items of style, originality, character, and quality, taking the "vintage route" is also an eco-friendly way to dress yourself?

Consider what we know about big-box store clothing (I won't name names, but the big-box stores I'm thinking about are all owned by the same parent company...):

--> Clone-like.
--> Not particularly well cut or tailored.
--> Mass-produced in third-world countries, often under questionable conditions.

Sure, we all need a simple white t-shirt or a cheap little tote bag now and then. But as consumers, we're becoming more aware of the back-story of that little tote bag:

I started out as an innocent cotton plant blowing gently in the (genetically modified) cottonfields of Sri Lanka. But they cut me down too young and I grew up to become fabric of questionable quality fondled by the angry hands of (underpaid? underage?) workers. I took hard knocks as excess product packed onto fossil-fuel-burning ships, trucks, trains, and planes. Then I went on to live a crowded, unfulfilling existance as a low-grade accessory crammed into a local big box store. I ended my life as an expendable tote bag in an 80s-style floral motif crushed and forgotten in the dusty depths of someone's closet...

Well...perhaps it's time to think twice about those easy, cheap, mindless little purchase that I, for one, make all too often.

It's hard to say no to a harmless little bag. The muzak, it lulls us. The fabric, it caresses us. The thrill of immediate gratification and the unspoken promise of something new!, it calls to us...But maybe the harmless little bag isn't quite so harmless after all.

In any case, why settle for clone wear when you can have something truly original? Enter vintage, and also enter local small clothing designers and producers. On a personal note, I find myself avoiding malls altogether these days. Even in the relatively small city in which I live, there are lots of wonderful little boutiques popping up--and guess what? Many of them sell new original clothing by small local designers as well as vintage and recycled vintage clothing. I really like how these mindsets (small/local/vintage) are forming a natural merger.

Ah...but the cost! you say. Let me tell you something about the cost.

A lifetime of shopoholism has granted me certain economic and psychological insights. We all have an invisible price safety-bubble. "If it's under $30/$20/$40, it's an automatic deal," we say to ourselves. So we never buy that amazing $100 handmade blouse we saw at the little boutique on the way to work. We walk buy it every day, loving it, wanting it. But we're not going to spend $100 on a blouse, dammit.

We think we're strong. We self-martyrize. But then one day we're at Le Chateau and we see a cute little wallet with strawberries on it...$10! It's on sale. Sure, it's a cheap plastic wallet, but we just want a little something new. After all, we were so good about not buying the $100 blouse!

...Oh, and there's a pair of shoes on sale at the Gap for $25. I mean, $25 for a cute pair of polkadot espadrilles! Those will NEVER go out of style! (After all...didn't buy the blouse...)

...And...I think I need a pair of white jeans for summer. I'll hit Old Navy after work. There's a pair for $39.99! They don't really fit perfectly, but they're just for bumming around in. (The blouse wouldn't have been practical like these...)

...Oh, and look what they have at the cash! The cutest little red and pink striped clutch! $5! Sold! (...would look cute with the blouse...)

...And I really could use a tote bag...I love that jungle print one...$15! Maybe I'll get one in each colour...(...blouse...)

You've just spent your $100. On a bunch of stuff you like but don't love, which will be out of style by the time you exit the mall. Eventually you find $20 in a coat pocket, see it as an omen of good fortune, and go buy the blouse anyways...

If this (purely hypothetical, honestly) story doesn't sound at all familiar to you, go rebalance your investment portfolio or something.

Grace & Cello
A friend recently shared this site with me. This Montreal design team makes beautiful eco clothing from wonderful fabrics (I LOVE that yellow shirt-dress). The cut, colour, and style is wonderfully Mo-ray-al. Montreal women are the Parisiennes of Canada, by the way. I think they're the most stylish in Canada, but that's just my personal preference. They haven't jumped on the hipster bandwagon. They have managed to maintain their originality. These two women have it in spades.

Pin up girls

2007-05-03T12:10:00.000-07:00

Your faithful hostess (that would be me) is fanatical about vintage brooches and pins.

My growing "collection" started early in my teenage years: I inherited a few beautiful pins when my wonderful and much-missed great grandmother passed away. That inheritance ignited the costume jewellery flame and I've been a big fan of retro pins and brooches ever since.

Here are some of my favourite styles, and some brand names to look out for when you're at the antique market.

1. Art Glass

This is a common style of vintage brooch. Look for colours you absolutely adore (Swoony Pinkerson over here is a great example). I like to look for pieces that have an interesting mix of glass, beads, and metal trinketry (totally just made up that word).

Deco-style pins like this one (probably early 60s) often have lots of delicate trinketry, like little birds and flowers.

Vendome is one name to look out for. Isn't this blue flower pin with dangles just divine?

Juliana is another great brand. The turquoise, green, and gold colour scheme is gorgeous.

This style of glass bead is called "moonglow" and often appears on brooches designed as bunches of grapes. It comes in all colours and is a very pretty addition to any collection.

2. Swirls and Circles

These swirly pins from the late 50s/early 60s are really fun. They remind me of 50s picture hats--those dreamy broad-brimmed, sometimes fringed hats the elegant ladies would wear when out lunching or sunning or doing whatever elegant ladies did back then.

This is a Ciner brooch--again, a quality jewellery maker from the mid-century era.

These jewelled circle pins are also pretty in rootbeer and smoky art glass.

An elegant and simple silver Kremetz circle pin.

3. Enamelled

I don't know about you, but I really have a thing for enamelled pins. They're way up there on the Girly-o-Meter, but if whimsy is your thing, keep your eyes peeled for these because they're often quite unique and you're very likely to find yourself a one-of-a-kind.

This bird of paradise flew in from the 1930s.

An enamelled wisteria blossom.

A unique enamelled chatelaine pin.

4. Golden Flowers and Pearls

Miriam Haskell, a jewellery maker known for using organic shapes, flowers, birds, and animals, began designing in the mid-1920s. The shape and symmetry of this gold and pearl piece hearkens back to the art deco era that preceded Haskell.

Jomaz is a company established in the late 1920s by New York jewellery makers Joseph and Louis Mazer. Look for Pave-style jewels on Jomaz pieces.

Viva la tea party!

2007-04-20T11:44:00.000-07:00

Yooo-hooo! Ladies! I'm having a tea party and you're all invited.

Nothing to wear? Fortunately, dresses like these are the reason tea parties were invented.

Darjeeling anyone?

Enjoy!

From Posh Girl:

Doubles as a picnic blanket in a pinch.

Sundresses are definitely one of the best things to come out of the 70s. Besides David Cassidy, of course. Rowrrrr.

This dress would be for a hermetically sealed tea party only, since one would probably be terrified of it coming into contact with any surface whatsoever. But I'm including because it's sooo pretty.

From Vintage Vixen:

Orange you a fan of lovely hydrangeas?

A bouquet of orange blossoms just for you.

Purple 70s calico--tres cool.

This may just be the ideal tea dress. If you're really clever, you'll wear it over one shoulder and under the opposite arm for a one-shoulder effect.

From Kitty Girl:

Sweet blue Hawaii...tea's on, surf's up.

50s lace and flowers--so pretty.

Trinkets of the Age of Innocence

2007-04-12T11:01:00.000-07:00

I recently discovered that I am a complete, utter, bought-and-sold, tie-me-up-tie-me-down diehard Edith Wharton fan. This is a complete surprise to me; but even more surprising is the fact that, despite advanced degrees in English literature, I had never read any Wharton, ever. Shameful!

But, man, am I catching up now. Just finished The Custom of the Country and am now ripping through Age of Innocence (I'll rent the movie--which I vaguely remember seeing in a flu-induced stupor when it first came out--after I finish the book) as well as The Decoration of Houses and her biography by Hermione Lee. All great reads, all highly recommended if you're of a historical New York, high-society, pretty- opera-gowns, manners-drama, summers-in-Paris, spring-on-Long-Island kind of bent.

In the dreamy spirit of Ms. Wharton, I have searched the interwebnet for late-19th to early 20th-century trinkets and vanity pieces that the characters in her novels would have lived with on a daily basis.

A nice diversion, hopefully, on what is a grotesque snowy day here in northeastern Canada.

A lady always travels with her enamelled compact. This German rose compact from Vintage In Style is undated--thus remaining literally timeless.

This deco compact and perfume set from Bath Antiques is a 1930s Coty original! Comes in a box adorned with "nude maidens." Giggle. Scandalous!

Charles Louis Napoleon Bonaparte was the last king of France (wet his pants, right in the middle of a ballroom dance). He was then Emperor until his death in the 1870s. A lady preparing herself for an evening at the opera at around this time may have had a lovely opaline pocket-watch stand such as this in the front vestibule, with which her husband could determine that she was sufficiently "fashionably late" for her appearance at the opera house and would she mind terribly hurrying things along a little. From Ruby Lane.

Another great Ruby Lane find--an undated enamelled vanity set. Quite quite handsome, old chap.

Please, sir, you're sitting far too close to me. Can't you see that I find the ballroom fearfully warm? Snap! Flutter, flutter.

Again from Ruby Lane, ornate late 19th-C benamelled and bejewelled opera glasses. All the better for spying on the John Thorntons II in the box across the way.

Spotlight: Kitsch vintage purses

2007-03-29T14:29:00.000-07:00

For your drooling/viewing pleasure, some gorgeous vintage purses from the 30s through 60s that scream 'Spring is finally here!!!'

From Vintage In Style:

Show it off like the peacock you are!

Art deco, French, hand-beaded.

Sophisticated grey--one of the best new neutrals--in a cool 50s design.

A rad 60s daisy!

Authentic art deco.

From Posh Girl:

Equally beautiful on your side-table.

20s hand-beaded. A knockout.

Bamboo!

From Vintage Vixen:

It's lucite. Isn't it stunning?

Pink satin. Lined in rich gold satin.

Plastic with flower embroidery. This one comes with a matching change purse!

Focus on: Galliano's Diorific Spring 07 Collection

2007-03-25T12:26:00.000-07:00

You wander into a dimly lit Parisian antique shop. In a dusty back hallway, a rich red runner leads you to a dark, high-ceilinged room lined with bookcases. The shelves are filled with ancient leather-bound volumes and folios neatly tied with age-worn ribbons. A few gorgeous overstuffed chairs and pouffes are scattered around the chandeliered chamber.

You run your fingers along the buttery spines, breathing in the scents held by old paper: vanilla, cinnamon, smoke, roses. As you scan the shelves, one tall folio catches your eye. Its delicate jade-green cover is bound in deep cerise grosgrain...your hand moves forward of its own volition. Gently, you pull it from the shelf and gasp. You've found an original collection of Christian Dior sketches--designed for his first show in 1947.

Quietly, reverently, you move to one of the beautiful chairs, tucking your legs neatly under yourself as you explore your treasure.

"I have designed flower women"
This image bloomed in my mind as I explored Galliano's spring 2007 Dior collection on style.com. I feel he has captured the amazing tinkerbell muse that drove that first Dior collection so long ago, but has set her free to spawn something entirely original. Here is newage as art.

Dior is known to have described his New Look collection as a garden of "flower women." What Galliano has done is lift some of Dior's original designs from the sketch page, fully realizing them as life-sized, walking, breathing artworks. Nothing has been lost in the translation--but so much has been added. Moreover, some of this stuff is actually wearable (!). Here are the loveliest of the lady-blooms, in all their geisha-blossom glory. Enjoy! (Click on thumbnails to enlarge.)

The accidental fashion innovator...

2007-03-20T12:10:00.000-07:00

Turns out this vintage stylaholic is a fashion innovator. Mmmm-hmmm.

I started this blog one year ago--March 2006. It was in those first heady days of vintage blogging that I coined the term "newage" to refer to new looks that cop a heavily vintage feel.

This month, W magazine released a feature on retrofuturistic (MY TERM...hear that, W magazine?) hairstyles entitled...Newage.

Of course...they didn't ask for permission to use the term. That's not very chic of them, is it? And I'm not making any money from it. Hmmmm...regrettable. And, er, perhaps they aren't totally aware of my existence. Or... maybe they are. Maybe one of their interns was scanning style blogs and she saw the term and dropped it in an editorial meeting...and...voila: fait plagie.

Or.

Maybe they spontaneously created the same term.

Either way, same wavelength and all that. To David Sims of W magazine: congrats a very beautiful collection of photography.

Vintage Hermes: Ooo La La....

2007-03-08T10:16:00.000-08:00

I haven't updated ye olde style blog in a while--it's dizzying work, downloading and uploading all those images. Some of us have day jobs, you know.

Still, it's funny how I can find time to write about Hermes scarves when faced with the necessity of writing about government human resources practices...

Silky. Coloury. Hermesy.
I'm not big on the status names. I am not a person who would buy an item of clothing, an accessory, or a car just to show off the label. I drive a Toyota Echo, people. Clearly I'm not status-driven.

But sometimes the name does come with a product that is exceptional. Such is the case with Hermes scarves. They are a Pavlovian drool-trigger for me. I can easily spend hours scanning the interweb just to gaze at them. A view of a full Hermes square is gorgeous, but the real magic happens when they're knotted. Sigh...

Here's the main problem with Hermes scarves: you're looking at $345 USD, minimum. Vintage often goes for much more. Someday, though, oh yes...I will own one.

And don't even get me started on vintage Hermes Birkins. I saw one on eBay for $50,000 USD--mind you it was crocodile, with pave diamond encrusted hardware. But $50,000 USD? I could buy a status car with that.

Here's some eye-candy nonetheless. I came upon these images from a defunct retailer in the U.K. Unfortunately, I have no info on how old they are, but I'm sure some are worth a nice sum:

This one is my fave. Isn't the subtle dove-gray-blue colour gorgeous with the...sort of...golden sienna?

Bunnies are funny!

Wouldn't you love to have a boudoir chambre with the 'feeling' of this scarf? Wouldn't you love to have a boudoir chambre? Wouldn't you love it if I'd stop making up Frenchish-sounding terms?

My, but bold raspberry and chartreuse tones are hard to resist. Especially when paired with grass green and a little oraaahnge. Tres jolie.

As an admitted francophile, the Hermes scarves with French themes make me downright ebulliante.

Fall 07 RTW - Same vintage look as Spring 07 RTW, only tightsier

2007-02-06T12:29:00.000-08:00

Overall, the Fall 07 RTW collections in NYC are NEI (Not especially innovative). But it's kind of nice to see the vintage-inspired looks of the last season or two carried forward into the new year, if only for the sake of our pocketbooks. Basically, wear your flirty spring 07 clothes (or, preferrably, your authentic vintage gear) with a nice cardi, black tights, and maybe a bright pair of pumps or booties. And don't forget your adorable Paddington Bear coat.

Some of my favourite looks so far have been from Marc Jacobs, DKNY, Adam + Eve, and Jill Stuart:

Marc Jacobs

Probably the most interesting collection I've seen so far. I love his 70s-does-20s Coppola-esque Gatsby-meets mid-60s romantic comedy feel.

What's intriguing here is the dearth of "fall colours" in this fall collection and the introduction of brights--distictively 60s. I also propose that Jacobs has actually intersected the mid-60s and mid-70s--two "micro-eras" which really had an esthetic that was very different from the earlier and later parts of those decades. I find it fascinating that he has isolated these particular moments, since they are the ones often ignored and overlooked by regular stylistas, and even vintageistas--or at least so it seems if you look at what's often left on the racks in the vintage shops/online stores.

There's also a Hepburnesque (Audrey) feel to this collection that I am required, as a blood-bound AH fan, to love. And I do.

The silhouette really is the strength of this collection. Think long and slim and easy with a little sass. Focus is on overall silhouette and legs in particular. Lots of great, attitude-demanding hats as well. Beautiful

DKNY

Again with the hats and the tights, but also with a very elegant interpretation of that 60s thang we've seen. There is a soupcon of 90s grunge in here too.

Beautiful menswear in this collection as well. This all-gray ensemble is quite preppy, but the slacks make it more sophisticated than sophomoric.

ADAM + EVE

The menswear in this collection is very nice. So are the men modelling it, but that's...another story.

I adore a British mod look on a man. A slim trouser with a very straight or even slightly tapered line. A cool vest and/or shirt and/or cardigan and/or hoodie and/or tie. And a good jacket/sportcoat (although "sportcoat" sounds too North American for a Brit look) is a must.

This, again, puts me in mind of Gatsby. But the 70s version of 20s.

Jill Stuart

Jill Stuart was decidedly more mod. I love the brights in this collection. The blues, yellows, oranges...beautiful. And I have to confess that I adore those big bulbous hats. I seem to recall a photo of my mom in a white one...I thought she looked like a princess.

Embellished minimalism

2007-01-05T13:13:00.000-08:00

There's a battle raging deep within my brain's style-center: My inner minimalist is at war with my inner embellishist.

One part of me loves the pretty, the lacy, the frilly, the joujed, beautiful hand-work and details that raise clothing--or anything that has been designed or crafted in some way--above the mediocre. But ultimately, aren't we more comfortable in simple, well-tailored, easy-to-wear clothing?

So thank God for 60s-style embellished minimalism, which was all over the spring runways. Now it will be easier than ever to find a comfortable but pretty little number into which to slip one's work-weary self.

But first, a cautionary note. Hearken back, if you dare, to the embellishment craze of 1999ish. Remember when every inch of every thread of every item you wanted to buy had a bead or embroidery floss or some kind of applique attached to it?

I strongly dislike that look, mostly because people almost always over-do it. **

**To expand: I strongly disliked that whole phase of fashion not just because people over-did it, which they did and which led to ridiculous combinations reminiscent of dazzle camouflage, but also because cheap (as in inexpensive) embellishment came to replace quality tailoring, skilled cutting, etc. The embellishment itself might be well done, but if it comes at the expense of beautifully made clothing, what's the point?

Also, I don't want my clothes to be the style-maker: that's my job. We should be the most interesting embellishment of everything we wear.

Yep, every few years, the rippling wave-forms of fashion vibrate back to this 'busy' look. Swarovski crystals become hip, Madonna's gluing diamonds to her eyelashes, the big clothing retailers realize they can get cheap embroidery labour in Asia. I don't know what's behind it, but fashion always goes to that place.

And then, comfortingly, it all loosens up a little and the dial switches back to simplicity, chicness, comfort.

We're in one of those shifts. The shift back to shifts, in fact. Lightly, creatively, novelly embellished little dresses like the ones in this post. And what excites a vintage stylaholic like me is that you can get your paws on this look for much less than the mortgage-backed price of haute couture: it's all available in vintage, baby. If you like the "new" embellished look on the runways, look to the 60s; especially 60s evening wear.

Take this number from popular 60s design house, Pucci. Sure, it's completely encrusted in silver sparkly bits. But the simple cut, looser fit, and the way it's paired with light, casual accessories meets all comfort/simplicity requirements. And yet it's still pretty sexy.

BUT does the model above look like she's having as much fun as this spiffy little lady? I think not. Silver lame 60s dresses are everywhere in Internet land and in vintage shops...get one and you'll be jiving like Sassy McSmileson over here.

OR sex up the lamé look with this authentic 60s sex-kitten tunic, (an eBay find) which you could wear with skinny jeans or on its own. Hell, why not skip bottoms altogether and get all "Celebrity Exposure" on the world? It's what all the hip kids are doing.

I thought this Frankie Morello number was really cool. What's especially interesting is the use of broken mirror pieces as jewels. Now that's a fresh take on embellishment.

But you don't have to settle for Institutional Green (the only thing I'm not loving about the dress above) when you can have kelly green, satin, and lovely beading with this piece, which is for sale on eBay. Again...wear with pants for a more casual look or pair it with cool little heels--maybe in cerise or sunshine yellow for a fun contrast.

Here's a detail of the neckline embroidery.

(P.S. What's with the nifty mannequin? Is it just me or does that gal have a-ti-tude? Also, I dislike being jealous of a fake person's hair...)

Isn't this Victor&Rolf dress fab? Now strictly speaking, it's more 70s than 60s, but what the hell...it's a modern, vibey take on retro ideas (the 70s stars, belted waist, svelte silhouette).

Sweater dresses were quite popular in the 70s, and it's easy to find one with some interesting design or embellishment. This one from Posh Girl is supercool; unfortunately, it has been sold (sniff). But don't fret--there are lots of these out there. I snatch them up whenever I can find them; they are flattering and classic.

Ah, we arrive at the embellished skirt. I don't normally like too much detail down there, but this one by Ferragamo is quite pretty. However, take away those slammin' yellow shoes and this outfit loses some of its sizzle. As it is here, however, it really works.

This lovely seafoam green dress from Posh Girl comes with a pretty embroidered cape. Same kind of idea as above, but authentic vintage.

I'm throwing in this Hussein Chalayan dress because I adore these airy little shifts he's done. The chances of me or anyone I know donning a jewel-encrusted onesie with a chiffon topper are fairly slim, but let's take a moment to appreciate the beautiful mix of textures, proportions, and details in this look which is one of the first truly "new" things I've seen in a while. She looks quite goddess-like, no? And yet...very comfortable.

It wore merino...

2006-12-12T12:38:00.000-08:00

Okay, seriously. If you haven't checked out Stitchy McYarnpants, you must do so immediately. I laughed so hard at this post that I sustained internal injuries. Go. Go now.

Retro beauty: Bardot

2006-11-28T12:20:00.000-08:00

Once in a while I like to feature retro women of style: women from the past whose individuality and self-possession continues to inspire and delight.

I usually focus on great style. But with Bardot, that's virtually impossible: she is so rarely photographed fully clothed.

It's easy to think of her as just another sex kitten, but I suspect that this particular bombshell was much more than that.

Coming into her own in the 1950s, she would have been an innovator, presenting female sexuality and sensuality to the world with a new, raw, and undeniable power that was very different from the mystique offered by the Dietrichs and Kellys and Hepburns of the world.

To me, Bardot is in some ways the quintessence of French femininity: intense and seductive, almost off-puttingly confident in its sensual power, yet somehow demure despite itself.

(Not to mention beautiful. Oo la la.)

In life, Bardot has been a walking contradiction. Open, sexual, caring (she is a well-known animal rights activist), yet incendiary in her right-wing political tendencies. Either way, she's always provocative.

Her film career is characterized by French films with hilariously translated titles, like Please Not Now and Plucking the Daisy, aka Mademoiselle Striptease.

I'm featuring her here as beauty inspiration, rather than style inspiration. Now I'm not saying we should strive to achieve her, uh, 18-inch waistline (good God). But I love how natural her beauty remains, despite the industrial-strength application of eyeliner and mascara. Somehow the balance of tousled hair, natural lips, clear beautiful skin, and dark smoky eyes works. What's more: it's very hot right now. I wonder what Bardot thinks of that?

Fancy Dress

2006-11-24T13:55:00.000-08:00

I'm tooting the Posh Girl horn once again. They have an amazing new supply of party dresses, perfect for the festive season--with many more coming soon. Here are some of the choicest options, including this gorgeous 60s Pucci-esque number to the left (one of my all-time personal Posh Girl favourites).

Red is right for the holidays. The beautiful white embroidery makes this 50s swing dress a true standout.

Purple. Silk. 1930s. Comes with its original jacket. What's not to lust?

Now this somehow reminds me of that stunning Givenchy gown Audrey wore in Sabrina ----------->

Channel Audrey. Worship Audrey. Be Audrey in this fabulous piece that epitomizes the "party dress."

This uber-elegant shift looks deliciously tickly.

It's no secret that I'm a fan of bright, burn-your-eyeballs-out, oh-my-god-it-hurts yellow. Possibly, I am the only one out here with this affection.

Still, when I first saw this dress, I actually thought "wow...too yellow for me." But I bet it reads warmer and orangier in person, like a ripe slice of fresh citrus. In any case, it's probably more fun than a barrel of mangoes.

So elegant. Doesn't it just whisper I fluttered gaily to the marble patio and kissed my love beneath the silver moon.

Putting the 'Sweat' in 'Sweater' (and several other places)

2006-11-14T14:03:00.000-08:00

Sweet Jeezus.

Where do you even start with this?

1965, I'd guess. The year smack infiltrated the Detroit Butterick Patterns factory:

"You know what would be really fresh and new? A skin-tight body-tube made with heavy wool!"

It's vintage, so I'm covering it here. But don't get any ideas, people. I swear to God, if I see a single woolitard...

Sigh. ...The worst part is, I bet I know what Paris Hilton will be wearing in Aspen this year.

See more scary vintage knit patterns with accompanying witty commentary at Stitchy McYarnpants.

I have a knitting sister-in-law who's gonna love this (if we could only convince her to use the Internet...those crazy knitters and their low-tech ways).

Salve of last re(sn)ort

2006-11-08T12:35:00.000-08:00

It's a perfume. It's an antidepressant. It's scary. And it's smiley. I mean Smiley. As in Smiley(TM) Antidepressant Perfume.

There is a vintage element here: the smiley face was popularized in the early 70s. Read all about the history of Smiley at happytherapy.com. Read and behold the ~~crumbling shambles that is our civilization~~ latest in olfactory therapy.

Their motto: "I'm in therapy."

Indeed.

Why not?

2006-11-06T06:38:00.000-08:00

Why not...

...Pick up a cute little plaid mini from the 60s? (Vintage Vixen) (Dig the pocket, sisters...)

...And pair it with tights, cute little kiltie-style stacked-heel loafers and a cool cardigan-jacket, like this newbie from JCrew.com.

Why not...

...Go 70s in these awesome Levi's disco jeans (Blacklight Vintage)...

...And this retro-cool turtleneck (Blacklight Vintage)...

Why not...

...Top either outfit off with this funky blue corduroy peacoat (Posh Girl)...

....And this adorable 60s scarab motif messenger bag (Posh Girl)...

(But move quickly...these great items are going to go fast!)

Coat season is officially open...

2006-10-20T14:05:00.000-07:00

Don't have much time to gab today, darlings... Slave-driving clients cracking the horse-hide, God love 'em.

But isn't it just too exciting? Coat season is here! I almost feel sorry for those in warmer climes...almost.

Here's a sampling to whet your appetite. If you like the merch you see below, be sure to peruse the wonderful sites of the purveyors to the derecha.

Now: what kind of coat girl are you?

Trench Wench?

Not rain nor sleet nor snow can bring you down when you're wearing a yellow plaid wool trench coat, honey. It's that perfect.

Note the great high collar...sometimes trenches operate in a strange nether-region where the top button is chokingly high and the next one down is chest-chillingly low. This one looks just perfect, the top buttons hit in the very flattering mid-chest zone, and there's a cute little notched lapel to boot.

This great 60s trench is mod-tacular. The lines are so timeless, it could just as easily be the work of one of today's hip young designers. And fit?! This coat has it in spades.

Now let me give you my brownschpeil. The colour of this coat may be the only thing that gives away its vintage provenance. Some people hate brown, particularly the warm orangey-browns of the 60s and 70s. I understand completely: the truth is, not everyone can wear this colour. It also has slightly militaristic overtones. Now I'm not looking to start a debate, but please, give brown a chance sometime. Maybe it will work for you and maybe it won't--but it doesn't hurt to try. And brown has been such a popular colour throughout recent sartorial history that you can miss out on some great vintage clothing ops if you dismiss it out of hand.

Rowrr baby! Be the hunter and the hunted in this great vinyl tiger trench. Grrrrr....

Maladjusted Rock Star?

Need to trash your hotel room, throw a drug-induced hissy fit at your video shoot, then storm off to find yourself something to help you come down before the ludes wear off? This coat was designed precisely for these purposes.

...or if you're a little bit preppy, a little bit rock 'n roll, you could live out your rock star fantasies in relative safety in this great raspberry suede jacket. (The wide lapels will ratchet up your street cred.)

Lady Preppy VonModster?

If you fall slightly on the mod side of lady, leaning approximately four degrees south of preppy, you may like a plaid coat like this 60s number. I love the bizarre proportions the huge pockets give to the midsection area, and the huge buttons are fab. Great timeless colours too.

Diamonds are a girl's best friend, after all. If you're going to bother with a black coat, Safety Conservapants, why not go one better and make it textured? The raised diamond pattern on this great little lady coat gives it lots of interest while maintaining the sought-after neutrality of black.

Who needs a mink fedora? Why, you do, silly. I'm not normally a supporter of carcass-sporting, but this poor creature's been skittering around the green pastures of animal heaven for a good 60 years now. Surely we can at least honour its memory by, uh, wearing its beatiful pelt on our heads? Non?

And the perfect companion to a furdora? A hot little cropped wool number with a (faux) fur collar.

Related: 3/4-length coat sleeves--love 'em or leave 'em? I recently purchased a little black cropped coat like this with 3/4-length sleeves. It's adorable, but my forearms have been all ashiver ever since. What to do, what to do. I tried long green leather gloves--not so much. Then I tried fingerless wool gloves--a little too 'bag lady.' So I'm on the hunt for the perfect pair of opera-length gloves. Of course I'll be sure to share my findings...

Let's get pendant-ic

2006-10-10T12:37:00.000-07:00

A little pedantry about pendantry...And many gratuitous shots of HRH, Queen of Chic, Jackie O.

Having recently purchased a beautiful large gold ornate filigree cross pendant which my husband detests but which I think is totally fab (adjective overload: repeat: adjective overload), I am currently All About Pendants.

Isn't the late 60s/early 70s feel of them just great? As a friend and I discussed just the other day, these large pendants remind one of one's mother when one was a child. You know: turtleneck, large scarf over hair, large pendant, octagonal-framed glasses. Yes, the very look that, as teenagers, shamed some of us to blushy blobs of embarassment on our mothers' behalves, is now the picture of chicness. And so it should be; after all, our mothers' inspirations were women like the iconic Jackie O, and almost nobody out-chics Queen Jackie. (I said almost, Audrey.)

(Jackie, you are truly fabulous.)

(Girl, where did you get those jeans? Hawt.)

(Nicole Ritchie, Schmicole Smitchie)

Now on to the goods:

Owls were big in the 60s and 70s. Who knows why? But these pendants, all available (or perhaps, alas, already sold) from the fine purveyors under "Regularly Lose Income To...", show why the owl craze took off--they're cute, funny, and surprisingly versatile.

Isn't this one great? The chain is fabulous--never settle for a crappy chain.

I may actually have owned one just like this once. Did you?

Soon coming up for sale at Posh Girl. Keep your eyes peeled. WHO will be first to buy it? WHO? WHO? Whoooooo?

A lovely set of hooters...on eBay.

Other big pendants we love:

Awwww...a wittle butterfwy. Click image for a close-up--the details are just lovely.

I'm pretty sure this is My Favourite Pendant Of All Time. (And before you ask...no, it's not on 'sail'...). You buy something like this, you know nobody else has anything like it.

I love the sailing ship pendant. Love it. Love.

A very sweet rose.

Exotic coinage for the hippie-chic chick.

Highly turtleneck-worthy.

Ride on, sweet thing, in eternal elegance.

Peignoirs and petticoats and girdles and gussets!

2006-09-28T13:09:00.000-07:00

This is my first post on vintage lawn-jer-ray. Except, of course, for these vintage-inspired fabulous Gentry Lane cashmere panties.

Cashmere.

Panties.

Cashmere panties.

Panties that are made of cashmere.

....Mmmmmmm....

...Whu? Oh, sorry...Back to the goods.

Well, it turns out that vintage lingerie shopping is a mixed 1956 Hermes Kelly bag.

On the one hand, there are petticoats. I adore petticoats and crinolines, and since early childhood have been a tad obsessed with them. It is was a little-known secret that I own several, which I sometimes sport around the house just for fun. One of them I will probably wear next spring with a wraparound 70s denim skirt I recently acquired in NYC. The petticoat is bright yellow. It looks so cute peeking out from the back slit of the skirt. A little too hot for summer, of course, but perfect for those spring days when you can just feel summer coming...

On the other hand, although I love antique panties and girdles and those amazing little tap-pants they wore in the 20s and 30s, the thought of wearing my grandmother's best friend's used gitch? Un peut gag. Owning a few nice ones as collectibles or even art is cool, though. If you can't wear it, frame it.

On yet another hand (we're getting into Shiva territory, here), there are plenty of utterly gorgeous lingerie items out there, from any decade you like, whose ick factor is minimal. These include such deliciously retro items as peignoirs, petticoats, girdles, teddies, slips, nighties, silk pyjamas, garter belts, and more...Enjoy this fine sampling from Posh Girl and others. There are many, many fine samples available from the fine purveyors in my links bar to the right:

This is a to-die-for teddy from the 1920s. Very rare, so beautiful. I'm not normally a pink-and-black girl, but the lace and the silk straps/rosette work so perfectly together. Hawt.

A 70s babydoll. This I would love to own, but not wear, because 70s = man-made fibres + lots of raunchy sex = blechh. But isn't it just so perfectly 70s? I'm sure some good times were had/began with this teddy.

The kind of sexiness a nun would approve of, courtesy of the 50s. The Jackie O of gitch. Again, with panties involved, I might hesitate to actually wear it...but you can always replace them with some of your own.

This is my absolute favourite era of lingerie: the 1920s. The lace-work is usually in a class all its own, and I love how they were experimenting with primitivist designs (see my previous post on Art Deco design). The 'juxtaposition' (Lord forgive me) of the designs and the fact that they're made using lace, which we expect to be flowery and feminine, makes them really interesting. Also, this is pre-polyester, people. And you know what that means: silk, silk, silk.

I would sport this silky specimen with skinny jeans and a funky little cropped cardigan or jacket.

While we're on the subject of lingerie as clothing, rather than as underwear, the 50s full slip is an ideal candidate for dresshood. This hot pink one would make a great little evening number with the right underthings and accessories.

Wouldn't this slip from the 1920s make a gorgeous little summer dress? Drooling my way to bankruptcy...

This is a perfect little 50s half-slip. That frothy fringe on the bottom should be seen and never hidden, though. I just adore the idea of a little flippy thing flowing out from under a pencil skirt.

You've been a bad. Bad. Boy.

I bet with stockings and the right little pink silk 20s bra, and of course some heels, this 20s corset is Superhawt.

And now we arrive at the 30s nighties. Good God, but these are fine. Silk, satin--always cut on the bias because of satin's weft and weave--so flattering. I believe that many 30s underthings were still hand-made. Isn't this white satin nightie beautiful? It's floor-length.

And the piece de resistance: this baby blue silk floor-length nightie with Art Deco fawn-coloured lace trim. Oh, what sweet dreams you'd have in this. Stunning.

Spring 07 RTW: Newage Highlights

2006-09-21T13:38:00.000-07:00

My eyes are on fire cap'n! On fire I tell ya!

I've been systematically scanning the footage of the Spring 07 fashion week shows in NYC and London. I'd be lying if I said I've gone through everything, but I have checked out a goodly chunk of them.

Clothes: Beautiful: So Many.
There were lots and lots of things I loved that are kind of fresh and new, and thus don't really fall under the auspices of Stylaholic: Jonesin' for Vintage. But the 'vintage look' remains strong, so there are are a number of lovely newage pieces to enjoy. Here are some of my favourites:

From Anna Sui:

I'm loving Anna Sui's George-V-goes-punk esthetic. This lace dress is beautiful...but I prefer the outfit from the shins up. I've seen a close-up of this dress, and the details of the choker, the neckline, and the pendant are all really special.

The real value of this outfit happens from the waist up. The skirt is un peut de trop. But I'd happily sport the amAYzing jacket, bien sure, as well as the cool black ribbon detail. I'd like to add that this model is absolutely stunning. (Big surprise there.)

(Not fancying the superchunk sandals.)

I'm not really a skull-sporter--that's more my sister's department--but I love this silk skull necktie and sweater. It's both a little Oliver Twist and a little twisted.

From Zac Posen:
Zac Posen's collection was probably my favourite.

This. Oh my. Sweet, sweet heaven and all the choirs of angels. Never before have I loved in quite this way.

Whitey-satiny loveliness. Some weird optical illusion going on in her belly area though. Note to self: don't wear white satin dresses on bloaty days.

Redy-ribbonish perfection. Puts me in mind of Marilyn's Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend number.

This is so 40s fab. I've seen other snaps of this heavenly dress and this one doesn't do justice to the fabulous green. It's actually much brighter and richer: gorgeous.

I'd wear this in a nano-second, if I had anywhere to wear it. (Sniff.) I know puffy sleeves are controversial, but I don't care what you say, I think it's fab--Jerry Seinfeld be damned. Love it. Dietrich agrees.

Something more practical, perhaps? Voila.

I like this because it blends a little shirt-dress with a pinch of wiggle dress (50s) and a dab of 60s Sgt Pepper something. Sort of a shirt-jacket-dress with a cool "display" collar. Loving the skinny belt too--have picked up many for myself this year.

As an aside, if you're short-waisted like me, try a skinny belt--they work wonders, honey. If you're long-waisted, I steer you firmly yet gently away from them in the same way that I steer us short-waisted girls from wrapping big wide belts around our 'natural' waists and thus looking like large rectangles. (Wearing them lower down works, though.)

Okay, back to the goods:

Really like this look. Love the 70s-ish navy ruffle-collar "office girl" blouse. I like how the ruffles are understated rather than poet-like. I'm not a big fan of poet-like ruffles down the front of a shirt. Shudder.

Love the 40s-ish shorts, love the cool little 60s-ish jacket.

And I love that the shoes are delicate rather than chunky--very flattering and leg-lengthening.

From Biba:

This is one of my all-time favourite colours ever. I've seen it in satin this year, and it got me very very excited.

The neckline is glorious, the colour is wonderful. I love the hippiness of it (as in hippie, not hippy), the high waist--one of my favourite trends--the simplicity and ease of it. It's just a fantastic dress all around. Unless it's gauchos. I can't tell.

Either way, loving it.

Stay tuned for my upcoming post on shirt dresses. This one from Biba is very 70s--isn't it cool? Doesn't it just look so easy to wear? Ease and chic go hand-in-hand, mes petites.

Thanks for dropping in!

That ol' early-century magic...

2006-09-19T06:02:00.000-07:00

I was a weird kid. I remember walking to Mac's Milk with my grandmother once, sometime around 1981; she was dressed like a normal person in a skirt and blouse while I sported a dramatic cape-like coat from her old tickle trunk, a purple plaid jumper-dress, white knee socks, and wine-coloured penny loafers. With pennies inserted, of course. And I insisted on walking arm-in-arm with her the entire half-kilometre or so to the store.

It was an overcast autumn day, and I felt--as I always have--that the veil between past and present is very thin for some of us. Cue creepy windchimes.

Seriously, though, somehow wearing her 1930s clothing (a feat only possible when I was 9--the last year before I got too tall and gawky to fit into nearly anything belonging to my teeny grandmother), walking with her arm-in-arm, I was pushing myself through that veil and touching the past. How can a 9-year-old have such nostalgia for bygone days? Maybe it's an argument for reincarnation.

My appreciation for mid-century design and decor (1950s and 60s) is fairly recent and fed largely by my obsession with movies from that era.Check out this cool bakelite box and sewing chair (you store your sewing notions in the seat--so nuclear-age cool).

Before I fully appreciated the charms of mid-century modernism, my fixation remained squarely focused on Art Nouveau from the oughts and noughts, Art Deco and modernist styles from the 20s, and the exciting material innovations of the 30s.

Everything about that part of the 20th century is exciting. Designers and artists were pushing every envelope they could find, and then making new envelopes just to have something more to push. For the West, the world became an entirely different planet from what it had been only a few years earlier.

Consider the impact of innovators like Coco Chanel. In one decade, she helped eliminate the boned corset—a wardrobe staple for centuries--and change the face of feminine beauty. Early photos of Coco show the woman herself corseted in typical Belle-Epoque style, with the hourglass silhouette; the long, curtain-like gown that probably weighed nearly as much as she did; and the high neck and big hair, like a watermelon balanced on a salt-shaker.

But as the years progress, we see her distinctive style take hold:

Step 1: eliminate frippery, like ridiculous hats and hairstyles that could nest entire flocks of birds.

Step 2: eliminate impractical fabrics and replace with the tried-and-true jerseys and wools used by French fishermen and Scottish hunters.

Step 3: why the heck should our bodies be so restricted? Get rid of the voluminous floor-length skirts, corsets, pinched waists, and throttling necklines.

Step 4: cut off all that damn hair, flapper style.

Step 5: make things beautiful, with astonishing craftswomanship, but without non-functioning embellishments; every button and pocket should serve some real purpose.

Chanel wasn’t entirely unique in this way—she caught and fed the larger aesthetic fever of her era. But as one of the most dogged modernists, and a woman, she’s an icon and an emblem. The same philosophies of trying new shapes, balancing beauty and function, and setting things free applied to art, literature, drama, and décor as well as fashion. What could be more exciting? Can you imagine what it was like to be part of it?

…In this post are a few choice items of this era I’ve found from online antique décor purveyors JZ-Rose.com, Tomgibbsstudio.com, and others. Enjoy some of the best from the early 20th century: one of the places I’ve always felt most at home.

(P.S. The brooch at the top of this post is Art Nouveau, circa 1900, yours from J-Z Rose for the small price of $35,000.00, plus tax and shipping. Isn't it the most gorgeous thing ever?)

Art Nouveau--New Art for a New Century

Early 20th century Lamartine vase--stunning. Click for more detail.

This exceptional etched glass and wrought iron Daum lamp--yes, lamp--is like nothing I've ever seen before. Very 'War of the Worlds Stops In for Tea.' JZ Rose.

This glorious Art Nouveau chair showcases the experimentation that was going on in household design.

Screens were big in the early part of the century. Screens are big now, too, but now we're talking LCD and then we were talking Morris and Co., Lamartine, and others. Arts and Crafts designs, and Art Nouveau beauties like this azure lovely to our left, renewed the obsession of the craftsman and drove cool innovations like the curvy butterfliety of this screen. I vote for the re-emergence of the screen. So handy for hanging your silky nothings upon...

Art Deco--1924 Paris World Fair Marries Modernity and Primitivism. Also Provides Pretty Things to Hang on Wall.

Lalique Art Deco glasswear, like this glorious mirror and the clock beneath it, came out of Paris in the 1920s--JZ Rose sells some fine items. But be warned: these collectibles are pricey.

Galle was another Art Deco glass artisan. This is one of his lovely
perfume bottles.

The 30s: Doing More With Less

Post-Depression artisans were forced to look for less expensive materials with which to produce their wares. Mass production became popular. From what I can tell, it was all about boys and their toys. Housewares became strong and handsome as the impact of WWI and the big stock market crash hardened us a little. And I'm sure socialism and communism and the rise of despots like Hitler played a role there too, but that's just a guess. Steel became popular--as we see with this manly steel clock.

But that's not to say femininity disappeared altogether. In Hollywood, Garbo and Dietrich and Davis and the gang made all women want to be gorgeous and glamourous. And of course, the French never lost their glamour in the first place--not even during the ravages of war. These dreamy, ubergirly French chairs prove it.

Favourite retro fashion red-carpet moment this year

2006-09-01T08:32:00.000-07:00

I was recently introduced to GoFugYourself...(I know, I'll never be accused of being an early adopter in the blogosphere.)

To GFY I credit this stylin eye-candy to our left.

I ask you, have we witnessed a more gorgeous star moment in the last year? Wait: I'm not finished. Have we witnessed a more gorgeous star moment featuring a retro/vintage look in the last year? I don't think so, friends.

I find this dress dream-gorge-ulous to the Nth degree. Its vintageosity is off the charts, yet something about the cut is also fresh and current. More importantly, it suits little Scarlett to a t--first and most important rule of style, of course. Beautiful.

The only part of the look I have an issue with is the hair thingy. I find it a bit too...literal. But that's strictly a personal vintage style preference, purely subjective.

LBDs for you and me

2006-08-24T13:51:00.000-07:00

Still swaning on about autumn...You can't stop me...I love the fall...And it's almost here!

For some reason, autumn has put me in mind of the LBD. Now come on, silly, you know what that stands for: Little Black Dress.

Not sure where the autumnal association is coming from--misfiring synapses, probably. But autumn makes me think of luxury, I guess, and luxury makes me think of cocktails, and cocktails make me think of the LBD! Yes! That must be it.

Back to the goods. The dresses down below are available from the wonderful vintage purveyors on the right. Most are from the 1950s/60s--the very era in which Our Fair Lady of Chicness, the Goddess of Good Taste herself, the Much-Imitated But Forever Inimitable one, Audrey Hepburn, single-handedly convinced every woman on Earth she needed an LBD. Right now.

After all, who could argue with elegance this potent?

***

Here's the great thing about the LBD: regardless of occasion, it is always appropriate. Weddings? Check. Funerals? Check. Graduation? Check. Boss's dinner party? Check. Frolicking in a fountain? Check. It is the chameleon of dresses. An LBD can be sexy, coy, innocent, all business. It truly is the perfect dress.

The most common species of LBD is simply cut, occasionally beaded, often sheath-like. This may be what springs to mind first when you think 'LBD' (as I know you do, often). Examples:

Marilyn, you sexy little thing you. From Posh Girl. How I love this dress.

A cool 60s version with little rhinestones. Great for office Christmas parties!

Va-va-sparkle...would be deeeevine with white satin gloves.

Lace LBDs are as versatile as their more traditional sisters. Consider this 70s Kamali dress from Posh Girl. Consider that I would buy this stunning number in a second if I had anywhere to wear her. Consider that the sexiness of this dress knows no bounds.

But black lace can be sweet and innocent too! See? Versatility.

Another Posh Girl dress whose gorgeousness I choke over. The white ruffle: fabulous. Contrast the impact of a sweet white ruffle...

...with that of a sexy black one. Interesting, no?

Black with pink tulle--a classic combo. A little foumpy to be technically considered an LBD, but I include it here for academic comparison.

I had to include this one, even though it's not an LBD. Isn't this a crazy dress? I can't decide whether it's cool or hideous. I'm leaning to cool. But I have a distinct pro-1940s bias.

I did want to mention the peplum. I predict that peplums will make a comeback over the next few seasons. They did so in the late 80s and the wheels of fashion seem to have come full circle since then. The hostess dresses of the 1950s were interesting, because they came with removable peplums (pepla?) that I guess were sort of meant to simultaneously jazz you up and domesticate you (because they look a little like aprons). Oh, those crazy 1950s.

This is another one of my favourites, from Unique Vintage. Very 60s, very Audrey, and looks very comfy.

And one last thing about the versatility of LBDs...They can even be white!

Old-fashioned scents of style

2006-08-20T09:31:00.000-07:00

I've wanted to write a post about perfume for a long time. I have a little perfume fetish, you see, and especially enjoy perfumes of only a few notes that transport me somewhere...Chanel in 1920s Paris, the sandalwood nehru trips of the 60s, the simple roses and lavenders of the 50s. I usually blend my own until I get just the scent I'm looking for, and something that's uniquely my own.

I recently saw an ad for Guerlain's new fragrance, Insolence, in a fashion magazine. My first reaction: dumb name. Targetted at 13 year-olds? But I dug a little deeper (i.e. went to visit Guerlain's Web site) because it's interesting to see how perfumers choose their perfume names.

I couldn't find any info on Insolence, but I did discover that they have a great little site that features a history of the 170-year old French perfumer, which began when its founder created a scent for the Empress Eugenie, whose biography I recently read (but that's *another* post). If you have a few minutes to explore, check out this section about their bottles--beautiful works of art, each one-- throughout the years. If only they would re-issue these fragrances in their original bottles so people who love history could expand their, ahem, *scents* of the past.

The description of Guerlain's perfume-making process is fascinating too. They use an instrument called a perfume organ that allows the perfumer to explore individual notes until he or she finds just the right scent to add to the key note, or resinoid--in essence, creating 'harmonies.'

Through every era of history, a woman's scent has been intrinsic to her personal style. It's her own private, individual signature--sacred ground, really, that blends with her personal chemistry to conjure her image in the mind of anyone who catches her scent or its component notes. Guerlain says it's like an invisible garment--I love that. I have a few friends and relatives who have chosen a signature scent this way, and I find it very cool that I think of them when I pick up "their" scent at the perfume counter. In spite of my perfume fetish, I studiously and respectfully avoid buying the same scent, no matter how much I love it...don't want to step on anyone's "nose".

Comment moderation challenges

2006-08-10T11:37:00.000-07:00

Sorry to anyone trying to make comments on here--there will be a delay. I had to start comment moderation because of bots, and now Blogger's moderation tool has me all confused. (Easily achieved by dangling shiny, preferrably vintage, objects in front of my face). I will get your comments up as soon as I can either A) figure out blogger's system or B) split the atom, whichever comes first. (I'm banking on B).

Here is a gratuitous Art Nouveau pendant (1920s).

Shiiiigh-neeeeeeey....Whyioughtta liiiiike.....

Note to self: open eBay account, file for bankruptcy

2006-08-09T06:49:00.000-07:00

Writing from the eBay borderlands.

I have never even lightly browsed the merchandise on eBay, for fear of the inevitable destitution that would ensue.

B-b-b-but. This red patent leather 1950s clutch with gold-tone details? Starting bid is $9.99 (U.S.).

Come to mama.

Newage trends for fall

2006-08-03T10:57:00.000-07:00

Ahhhhh... the rich splendor of autumn. The cool air fragrant with the scent of fallen leaves. All that crackly, chilly, grey-gold goodness. Snappy walks in the park followed by the gentle heat of a toasty fire. Earthy ponchos and warm gloves....Wait, scratch that--ponchos are so 2004.

It's the same thing every year: I smile my way through the first few weeks of Indian summer, telling myself I should enjoy the heat while it lasts; in a few months, I'll forget what the sun looks like. But by mid-September, I'm frustrated. When will I get to crack open the winter storage and pull on those cozy woolens? Dang global warming.

This year's fall fashions offer a lot to look forward to--a lot that is, in fact, of a very vintage bent. Think flowy 40s oversized trousers, mod 60s bubble coats and dresses, studiously layered looks that call to mind both the 60s and the 80s, and even a fun nod to Napoleon. These, we are told, are some of the key looks of Fall 06. Let's go through some of the most vintagey:

60s Bubbles

Some bubble looks can't be pulled off by anyone--even models. But these bubbles are heavenly, gay, ecstatic. They float, they bounce.

This zingy chartreuse coat by Aquascutum is so fresh it makes me feel giddy.

Here's a bubble skirt that almost any woman could pull off -- whether you're a pear, apple, hourglass, or a stick like me.

40s Oversized

It's true that there was a definite oversize esthetic to the 80s and early 90s. In fact, it got ridiculous. When I was in junior high and high school, though, I was right in there wearing my big oversized vests with leggings and big belted sweaters with stovepipe jeans you had to zip up with a coat hanger. Some designers went there this year. But I prefer the relaxed masculine styles that give a nod to the ladies' menswear looks of the 40s.

This sweater and pants combo from Stella McCartney--I adore, love, covet, want, need, desiiiiire.

Sure, it's a little bit on the jazzy zoot suit side, but this Vuitton look is music to my eyes. Puts me in mind of Coco Chanel in her early (and most rebellious) years (a woman in pants!? zee world, she is ending...)

This look from Chloe combines the oversize trend with the layering trend. I love the individual pieces, and I think the combo works for the runway. But I'm not holding my breath for the shorts-over-pants look to take off. The only people we'll see doing this in Canada this fall are hockey players.

Layering
Again, when I think layering, I think mid to late 80s. You know, the Flashdance years. But this is layering with a nod to the 60s, which I love.

I really dig this cropped and slightly oversize jacket paired with flowy blouse and loose trousers. It looks comfortable yet chic and original. Not loving the designer birkenstocks, but that's down to mental scarring from a 6-week trek across Europe when I was 21.

Here is another example of layering done right, from Ports. I. Love. This. Look. Of all the looks here, this one and the loose sweater/oversized trousers above are the most 'me.' But I digress. I adore these cropped 60s-pseudo-military style jackets.

I find myself strangely drawn to this, well, kind of 'ecumenical' look. I'm not sure why. It's very clean and minimalist. I like that.

This model lost 50 lbs in the course of this jaunt down the runway and had to be treated for heat exhaustion. No need to worry, though--she had a sip of champagne and an olive and she was just fine (burp!).

Dahling, would you be so kind as to prop me up against the subway door? It's just that I can't lift my arms, you see. No thank you, I don't need a seat. I can't, in fact, bend. But I would appreciate it if someone could open a window.

Napoleonic

I really do love the military touch this fall. It is reminiscent of both the 1960s and 1790s. Both good decades, style-wise. But it can be overdone. Hand inserted in lapel: too much.

This model reminds me of that woman who represents liberty to the French...what's her name? Myrtle? No...Marianne. Yes, that's it. She is the embodiment of the embodiment of liberty. I love this coat. It's too long to be practical, but gorgeous nevertheless.

As this and the next image suggest, this look really does work best when applied to coats. Both are beautiful. I love the unique bell sleeves on this one. And red tweed is always a winner in my book.

Snaps for the ankle boots too--must get some.

I like this look from St. John. Quite dashing.

Napoleon called. He says you're not allowed to wear his hat to the gym. So either the hat goes, or the track suit goes. And for God's sake, lose the white weight belt.

1960s Designer Profile: Count Ferdinando Sarmi

2006-07-22T09:53:00.000-07:00

Ferdinando Sarmi designed some of the most exquisite couture of the 1960s. His designs and his use of colour were both beautiful and refined. He didn't go to the crazy acid psychadelia place like so many did at this time, but still managed to mix and select colours in ways that were new and exciting. His gowns feature amazing beadwork, gorgeous fabrics and textures, and silhouettes that are flattering and modern. Enjoy...

This silk polkadot beauty embodies the optimism of the 60s.

Just once, I'd love to wear a gown like this. I know what you're thinking: bridesmaid's dress from hell. But no--as I've said before, it's all about cut and colour. This dress is profoundly feminine. I can just imagine how it must move. Like a dream.

I love this Pucci-print silk gown. The tie at the neck is playful--adding interesting femininity to an otherwise fairly minimalist, slightly masculine cut. I've included a close-up of the bodice with its zillions of self-covered buttons. Again, this is a dress that must have amazing flow. And it looks like it would feel as light and airy as a summer breeze...

Actress Kirsten Dunst once wore a dress (to some awards ceremony or other) very similar to this. Again, Sarmi's use of colour is exciting--warm navy chiffon and rich purple silk. This dress must be gorgeous in person.

J'adore ruffles

2006-07-18T14:35:00.000-07:00

Hello, gorgeous. Goodbye, bank account.

Falling for leg-gauntlets

2006-07-13T07:32:00.000-07:00

You may have heard the 80s are back, but don't buy too completely into the hype. The real inspiration for Fall 2006 is an entirely different 80s altogether: the 1480s. The original leggings era.

In a sort of 'ultimate newage' moment, the world's top fashion tempests are giving a nod to the stylin' farthingales and gauntlets sported by the likes of those post-Medieval rockstars, Queen Elizabeth 1 ("QE1") and Fra Lippo Lippi ("FraLo").

The House of Chanel is, for me, the couturier that no doubt supplies the well-dressed set in Heaven. Just as I picture Bjork's being the voice played throughout the Heavenly firmament, I imagine that the Big G himself turns to Coco for styling advice.

However, (although I would probably be throttled for it were my readership to exceed five) I must say that I have never been the biggest Lagerfeld fan. I haven't always liked where he has taken Chanel in the past. In Fall 06, though, he has made a few cool innovations that are in a vintage/newage vein and which deserve some airplay on this rarely viewed blog.

For instance, the full-leg-jean-boots. These are like gauntlets for the legs. Gleglets. And I love them. In his own show in NYC, he did them in the softest kid leather. Love, love, love. Here, he pairs denim ones with his Renaissance designs for Chanel. I think they are just so rock and roll.

I normally HATE suits (especially on me) but I LOVE this pom-pomy Chanel Renaissuit.

This red hooded coat would make QE1 herself drool. And the hair jewellery along the models’ parts is very cool.

I feel strongly that Coco herself would adore this gown. Oh la la.

When the concept goes too far

Airport security around the world must be quaking in their gleglets over this little trend. Suits of armour. Oh, sorry—make that half suits of armour. A full suit would be too 'obvious'. The model doesn’t look like she’s enjoying it any more than we are. Sorry Dior, but the armoured duds are duds.

Back to the pretty

Valentino, Gaultier, and Lacroix—shown here respectively--are all on the Renaissance bandwagon (or I guess that would be wooden cart in this case?), all with a subtle vintage/newage nod that is profoundly modern. Beautiful.

Here’s to a regal Fall 06.

"I didn't buy a new pair of shoes today."

2006-07-12T13:51:00.000-07:00

On top of its innumerable benefits explored in this blog, it turns out that vintage clothing may well save the world.

I think we all knew, somewhere deep in the style portion of our cerebral cortexes, that vintage is destined to serve a higher purpose than mere fabulosity. And now I find that a group of shopping-refusers in San Francisco has pinpointed this higher purpose, namely: anti-consumerist pro-environment world-saving recyclish vintage purchase justification. Or ACPEWSRVIPJ, for short.

This enterprising group of empowered non-shoppers, who call themselves "The Compact" (cute--and I love the reference to a makeup item) has vowed not to purchase a single new item this year, except for food, drugs, and undies. They are only allowed. To buy. Second-hand. Including vintage. (Last point added by me.)

Rather than calling up their friends to dish about their beautiful new $300 shoes, they call them up to dish about the beautiful new $300 shoes they didn't buy. Bragging about status symbols has shifted to bragging about one's disregard for status. Alice, welcome to the far side of the looking-glass.

They help each other out by triangulating Craigslist, thrift shops, and word-of-mouth to find things they need that are usually purchased new, like shower curtain liners and drywall. I'm not sure I want to know where they got the second-hand shower curtain liner, but the point here is that vintage is finally getting due recognition for its importance to the world.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle article: "American consumerism, they say, has led to global environmental and socioeconomic crises, and the only way to reverse it is to stop buying into it." (I would add that it has also contributed to some really tacky dressing, an epidemic of $700 purses, and more plastic surgery than bears thinking about.)

Not shopping seems to be driving some members to drink ("I find that I have more money to spend on the dried cherries for my Manhattans"), no doubt in search of a substitute for the adrenaline rush of a snappy new purchase. Still, I give this movement a solid two thumbs up, liver be damned.

Some final words from "Perry," who "loves to shop" and "went into withdrawal the first few weeks of entering the Compact":

"...After a few weeks the buzzing in your head subsides. Although if I continue to shop crazily at thrift stores, is that any better? [He thinks about it for a moment...] I think it is."

I think so too, Perry. I think so too.

But for the men, not so much with the pink...

2006-07-06T07:11:00.000-07:00

A little pink is nice on a man. It doesn't have to be baby pink or hot pink or cherry pink. It can be part of a subtle stripe or something more in the peachy vein.

What it shouldn't be is this. Ever.

If the Fab 5 organized a golf tournament, this is what the caddies would wear. Outside of that fictional circumstance, this outfit should never again be viewed by human eyes.

If a woman's got to think, she might as well think pink!

2006-07-04T09:35:00.000-07:00

That's a (paraphrased) quote from one of my favourite AH movies, Funny Face. As a redhead, I often steered clear of pink when I was younger. Except for that hot pink Flashdance sweatshirt in the mid 80s. But we won't talk about that.

I've since learned to appreciate what a versatile colour pink is. I wonder if any of these gorgeous 1950s dresses were inspired by that 'Think Pink' number in Funny Face...(All from Posh Girl...and unfortunately all sold.)

Speaking of Funny Face, this little number looks exactly like the wedding dress AH wears for the fashion shoot at the church, when she admits to Fred Astaire that she's in love with him and tells him his dancing's like totally off the hook, yo. Okay I made that up. Here's the dress...

Proof that you can make a business of anything...

2006-06-23T07:06:00.000-07:00

Vintage furniture. Expect more on the subject here in the future. In the meantime, I recently came across this little online business. Devoted exclusively to reupholstering mid-century Eames chairs. Talk about your vintage specialty stores!

An Eames chair can look like this:

Or this (eek! it's aliiiiyyyyve!) (it rocks, and yet it doesn't):

Or possibly this:

The Eames brothers, if you've never heard of them, were crazy whacked-out experimental industrial designer types who played around with architecture, design, film, photography, and lots of other media in the 1950s. Ray and Charles Eames. Their official Web site is here. It is a very interesting read for anyone fascinated by design and systems.

My main point, though, is: isn't it cool that this little online company has found such an interesting little niche--taking beautifully designed vintage chairs, and either restoring them exactly (they can often match the original fabric) or translating them for the modern esthetic with beautiful fabrics from designers like this one.

And after all, aren't our chairs worth it? They really are furniture's most underappreciated labourers. Their job is long, thankless, and sometimes scary.

Like beautiful, well-designed vintage clothing, exceptional vintage furniture never loses its cool--it just needs a little refurbishing once in a while.

Cat in a Hot Little Dress

2006-06-22T09:06:00.000-07:00

Am I mistaken...or is this dress not identical to Liz Taylor's party dress in C on a HTR? Just looking at it, I can hear her Southern drawl...faintly...'Oh Briiiick, whut's happenin' to us? Cayn't yuh evah fugive me, Briiiiick?'

Love it.

Antique Chic: The Edwardian Period

2006-06-20T05:49:00.000-07:00

The period from 1901 to 1910 is known as the Edwardian period. That's when good old Edward VII sat upon the British throne, pip-pip-what-what. The period just before that, when Eddie's mama, Victoria, was in charge of things, thank you very much, is known as the Victorian period. She reigned from about 1837 to 1901.

The bottom line here is the clothes, people. They were beautiful--outstanding--during both periods.

Personally, I prefer Edwardian clothing. Victorians were kind of creepy. They used to save the hair of their dead relatives in lockets. Really. Here's one on the right. See that braidy part in the middle? Someone's hair. Creepy.

Ah, but the Edwardians were not into all that crazy death nonsense. Remember, this was the era when women were escaping their cinchers (I've included a pic of one on the left--this one opened to a MAXIMUM of 7--that's SEVEN--inches in diameter. That's a 7-inch waist...).

Yep, nothing like airing out the old midsection, fighting for the right to vote and to be considered 'persons under the law', and generally disturbing the poop. This social change is reflected in the clothes, I think. One foot in the old world--hence the beautiful attention to detail--check out this amazing Irish lace dress with raised crochet-work. One foot in the new world--playing around with old silhouettes, loosening things up a little.

In the late 70s/early 80s, Vic-Ed style clothing came back for a while. I recently saw an older woman (I'd say in her 70s) at the grocery store wearing a Victorian-look white ruffle-high-collared blouse with tiny red polkadots and a little red bow at the neck. It was from the late 70s. I had to stop myself from running up to her and offering her money for it. It was so cute...She was one funky granny.

So let's go through this beautiful clothing from the Vic-Ed period. Note that none of this was, or could possibly have been, machine-made. Because such machines didn't exist. All hand-made. And, of course, all one-of-a-kind.

When you think of Edwardian clothing (and I know you do), this is probably what you think of: the beautiful Edwardian ballgown. This black hand-made lace over champagne silk epitomizes it, for me. Think of all the movies you've seen set in this period. They always have a ball scene, just to show off some gorgeous antique dresses like this one.

Had you lived during the era, and had you been filthy rich and/or of the gentried classes, you would have taken tea in this French silk lilac tea ensemble. Lucky you.

Remember how your best friend made you wear that hideous red organza bridesmaid's dress in 1988? Too bad the wedding hadn't happened 80 years earlier. Because then you would've been wearing THIS bridesmaid's dress.

Oh how I'd love to flounce about the garden party in this number. Flouncetastic. Note the lovely cameo at the neck. No dead people's hair in sight.

In the evening, ladies would retire to their dressing chambers and put on a lovely peignoir in which to perform their evening toilette. This Victorian peignoir is absolutely gorgeous.

Before we called 'em shirts, we called 'em shirtwaists. Here's a breezy cotton Edwardian one. And a gorgeous lace camisole.

Oh how I want the $200 cashmere panties...

2006-06-15T14:18:00.000-07:00

Mon dieu. Mon bon, bon dieu. Que ces culottes sont jolies. Sacre bleu!

Featured here because they are so incredibly fabulicious and made in a vintage tradition, using the lost art of silk-thread panty fabrication, and because they are CASHMERE PANTIES, and because you can tell just by looking at them that they're so, so soft. In fact, all of this designer's lingerie looks like every fantasy you or your man has ever had about French lingerie. (One is called 'Kept Woman'--how scintillatingly Parisian...) Made of silk. And feathers. And ribbony things!

Behold the sexiness and weep.

Designed by Gentry Lane, whose Francophilia is an obsession that I can completely relate to. Fabricated by beautiful, slim, well-paid French women in a gorgeous courture house in Paris. Ooo la la.

Paging Gidget! 1950s looks I intend to steal this summer...

2006-06-08T07:55:00.000-07:00

Call the other kids; we're having a party!

I have always adored the Sweater Girl look...I especially love it with these little shorts. Too cute, don't you think?

I live nowhere near the ocean, but I'm crazy about clamdiggers. I remember when these reincarnated as 'knickers' in the early 80s (mine were purple corduroy...). Even then, I was a slave to style...

This little lace blouse ain't bad either.

On a related note, I'm not entirely shocked to find myself drawn to the rising waistlines on the runways over the last few seasons. The whole how-d'ya-like-my-crack? thing was getting tired...Let's celebrate the hourglass again, just for a change of scenery.

How hot is this? I can't imagine where you'd wear this little number, but I love it anyways. Very glamorous.

Pre-plastic fantastic!

2006-06-05T17:48:00.000-07:00

In the 20s, 30s, 40s, before plastic was popularlized, we had bakelite. And something called celluloid.

These necklaces are adorable, as is the very special bakelite cigarette case. Perfect to tap your ciggie on as you knock back a scotch and soda and gaze teasingly through false lashes at the dashing young man making passionate love to you (which just meant dating back then, people.) (Yeah, right.)

Men's summer vintage--cool out, hang ten, be groovy baby

2006-06-01T12:08:00.000-07:00

This little 50s number almost makes the Speedo acceptable. Almost.

It's hard to see, but those images are little gladiators. Tee hee.

Some cool men's summer shirts from the 50s and 60s with cuts and fabrics that are very au courant.

This one from the 30s features funky red Egyptian hieroglyphics.

Shirts almost exactly like this one, which is from the 40s, are in every menswear store this season.

This shirt from the 70s is a fabulous cherry red. It takes a real man to wear cherry red...

Ahhh...it had to be the late 50s/early 60s. When else has it ever been acceptable to:
A) own--and possibly wear--a lounge lizardy smoking jacket that is
B) made of fire-engine red corduroy (corduroy...how...er...cozy...) which is
C) trimmed in black velvet
Summary (in case you missed it): This is a cherry red corduroy and black velvet smoking jacket.

Gowns!

2006-05-29T03:21:00.000-07:00

Ever wish you were part of the cotillion set? No, me neither. But it sure would be nice to wear a gown like this once in a while. Check the seafoam green...dreamy...

The plum is from the 30s...red is 50s.

I've been tagged...here are my 5 fives

2006-05-25T08:25:00.000-07:00

5 items in my fridge:
1. 16 packets of seeds for various perennials that will live in a cryogenic state for all eternity
2. walnuts. i'm addicted to walnuts. gotta feed the squirrel.
3. 2 drawers of rotting fruit and vegetables
4. 10 egg whites and egg yolks conveniently packaged in neat little spheres
5. a case of Guiness, for...uh...health purposes

5 items in my (dream) closet:

5 items in my car:
1. a blanket with more fur than the dog who sits on it daily (moose, I feel your pain)
2. a small drugstore's worth of half-empty, dust-riddled kleenex boxes
3. about 8 tubes of lipstick (a stylaholic's gotta look good)
4. all the CDs I don't feel like listening to in the car anymore
5. at the moment, my husband

5 items in my purse:
1. my personal digital assistant who, frankly, would be fired if it wasn't for Jawbreaker
2. enough plastic to refloat the Titanic
3. an obnoxious multi-gizmoed soccer mom keychain, even though I have no kids
4. a matching change purse and makeup bag decorated with vintage fashions
5. is 'lint' just too obvious? I fear yes.

5 people who are tagged:
1. bobbysan
2. superchop
3. jackp
4. gizzy
5. mia

Check that crazy 60s silhouette...newage I love

2006-05-25T05:22:00.000-07:00

Some great 60s newage looks from Balenciaga...

Giggle...

2006-05-19T06:27:00.000-07:00

Erïnge, goddess of jewellery, smiles upon her happy disciple

2006-05-15T09:56:00.000-07:00

I recently featured some cool vintage earrings I'd purchased from one of my favourite online purveyors. They are so pretty. They are so unique. They were so missing from my ears all of a sudden this past Saturday...

Backing it up a little, I was delighted to receive my little package of loveliness in the mail this week. With a birthday brunch for G planned for Saturday, I thought: what better venue to showcase the famous earrings to my friends, who make up the sole constituents of my blog readership?

But the thing about the dangly little lovelies is that they're screw-ons. For those who have never inherited jewellery from their grandmothers' 50s collection, or purchased vintage jewellery, or generally living under a style rock, screw ons are, well, exactly what they sound like. Rather than putting the earring into your pierced ear, they have a little blunt-ended screw that you tighten to fasten the earring to your lobe. (There's a women's studies paper waiting to be written on this mid-century aversion to ear-piercing/piercing as a harlotous act of penetration in the 1950s...) If the screw on sounds uncomfortable, it can be. If you tighten them obsessively. Which I will now do every time I wear them.

Because after we walked about 6 blocks from the restauarant to an art show, and I spent half an hour casually perusing the exhibit, I reached up to touch my lovely earrings--only to discover they were gone. My lobes were naked. One of the earrings was nearby, but the other was nowhere to be found. Check my coat, check the floor, check baby J's carrier over which I'd been leaning to goo-goo-ga-ga, check the floor again, obsessively re-check pockets, check purse, enlist friends in re-checking all of the above.

These can't be replaced, of course. They only cost $32, which comforted me a little, but it was just such a shame. I retraced my steps twice, covering all 6 blocks again and again. Needle in a haystack doesn't even cover it.

But guess what? On the sad trip back to the car, I found my little treasure! She'd been run over, stepped on, and possibly marked by a large canine, but she is basically intact. The gods of vintage smiled on me that day, and all I can say is 'bring on more vintage jewellery!'

Drool...

2006-05-08T10:41:00.000-07:00

The perfect summer dress...late 50s/early 60s....

Like a lizard in a blanket...

2006-05-04T04:41:00.000-07:00

This entry is sort of an appendix to my earlier posting about the return of the Miami Vice look for men.

Women have been experimenting with skinny jeans for a few years now. I love retro looks. But as Stacey London of What Not to Wear (American version) has said (and I don't agree with everything she says--for example, I find the 'jeans and blazer uniform' really boring), this look is good on no one. It's not meant to look good, I guess. It's supposed to look hip. But that only really works if your skinniness is part of your coolness, a la Chrissy Hynde, whose gawkiness is sexy. Let's face it, though--there's only one Chrissy Hynde.

So for me, the skinny jeans = not so much. But a new chapter has opened in this story, people. Or should I say a new line has been crossed. It's the return of the skinny pants look for men. And it chills me to the bone.

I remember the 80s. I was there. (God help me, I sound like my mother talking about the 60s). I did the lie- down- use- coat- hanger- to- zip- jeans thing. But that doesn't mean I want to see my husband doing that. Ever.

The jeans in this photo aren't too bad. But you've just got to know there will be abusers. Recall, if you will, how quickly the tight jeans trend for men devolved to the 'it's manly to wear spandex' trend and the dawn of the whole heavy metal look. Do we really want to go there again? And if so, why? What deep reptilian impulse drives the wheels of fashion toward the skidding death-plunge that is men's skinny jeans? I'm afraid. You should be too.

Okay...last purchase for a while. Really.

2006-05-02T07:34:00.000-07:00

They're just so... unique... and... pretty.... and... I... kind of fell in love. They needed me. I had no choice. They were rock-bottom cheap. They're collectors items. I, uh, can't find any other earrings to wear with my new kimono. Hey, look, I don't need to justify myself, okay?

Uh, sorry about that...I know you were just sitting there, minding your own business.

What...me, defensive? Oh yeah? Well maybe you're the one who's defensive, eh Guilty McGuilticuty? Ever consider that?

Besides...they're my reward for, uh, working 12-hour days for the last 2 months. There: justified.

Ah, sweet self-delusion.

The best of the 70s

2006-04-29T06:04:00.000-07:00

Ce-le-brate-good-times-come-on! Here, I match these dresses (all from Posh Girl) to some of my favourite 70s style heroines:

Bianca Jagger:

Ali McGraw:

Stevie Nicks:

Barbra Streisand:

My mom:

A recent purchase

2006-04-28T04:21:00.000-07:00

I'm just all about late 50s/early 60s this week. And it was only $32. I know what you're thinking: looks old ladyish. But trust me, it's all in the cut and colour. And besides, old ladies are my main fashion inspiration.

Which reminds me, I should clarify that this is the only thing posted on this site so far that I've actually purchased...all the other stuff is just dreamin' and pretty much already sold by the time I get my jealous paws on the pics.

Great newage trend for boys

2006-04-27T08:04:00.000-07:00

I am a sucker for a boy in seer (seersucker, that is). This latest trend, which borrows heavily from both turn-of-the-century and 1920s styles for men, was featured in today's NY Times style section.

Oh, wouldn't it be lovely if boys would hop on the retro style bandwagon, and get dapper once again? But with a modern twist, of course. For example, these boys on the right (actually blogger has pushed them down below this paragraph) look very handsome in full seersucker regalia (well, the guy in the white suit does--the other guy's just kind of 'there'), but a cool jacket like the one on the left would also look sexy with jeans and a t-shirt. (Interestingly, I don't think the inverse would work so well--seersucker pants without the jacket). Either way, I love the cut of these jackets. Very vintage.

More spring loveliness...

2006-04-25T10:08:00.000-07:00

...Desperately trying to block the fact that it snowed here today...Imagining picnics and garden parties...p.s. Can someone I know please have a garden party this year? We need to re-introduce the garden party into middle class society. Hell, maybe I'll have one. Although it would be less 'garden' and more 'wilderness'...

The purse still works either way.

With the perfect picnic purse...

Spring!

2006-04-24T13:34:00.000-07:00

With:

Vintage patterns: A new vantage on vintage

2006-04-11T04:38:00.000-07:00

I recently purchased a buttercup yellow 1950s petticoat. It's lightly frothy, it's subtly frilly, it's totally fabulous. But where to wear it? My fear is that wearing it under one of my 1950s dresses might be too obvious, looking costumey rather than cool. But at the same time, wearing it makes me so inexplicably happy that I MUST find just the right thing. And what are the chances of that, really?

So I've been racking my brains for weeks, trying to figure out how I'm going to wear the crinoline. Spring is upon us, summer's fast approaching--I needed a solution.

And then I tripped over my old sewing machine, strategically located in a far corner of the dining room (I like to sew in there...that one time...when I made a pair of 1940s style jeans...once), and fell onto my laptop keyboard. Somehow, the pattern made by my flying fingers and elbows spelled 'rusty zipper' in Google. Intrigued, I hit 'enter'. And there it was: a great new vintage site, with lovely clothes and about a zillion patterns. The gods of retro cool were speaking to me! I could MAKE myself something to wear with the crinoline. MAKING your own clothes is so retro! And I could use a vintage pattern to do it!

So, in a nod to the fabulous canary-yellow/deep-red-burgundy combos sported by Michelle Williams and Cate Blanchett (fabulous sense of style, both of them) at the Oscars in recent years, I have decided to make myself a burgundy (true red burgundy, not the more purple version) 1950s button-front shirtdress. And I'll do the stitching in dark pumpkin! I think that will be a really cool colour combo. And I will wear it with the bottom few buttons undone in order to reveal...the buttercup yellow petticoat.

So I'm posting all this here as motivation to follow through on this project. I just ordered the patterns--they haven't arrived yet (that's not one of them on the right--just a sample). But as soon as they do get here...look out Fabricland.

Vintage patterns: another great way to keep the unique beauty of vintage alive.

Oh dahling, that pahty was simply beastly....

2006-04-06T12:44:00.000-07:00

A lovely 1930s satin evening number...So Gatsby...If that had been set in the 30s and not the 20s...never mind.

Wear it with...

These:

This:

And/or this:

Bad, bad newage! Bad! Baaad!

2006-04-04T08:46:00.000-07:00

These are a few examples of (in my opinion) baaaaaad Fall 2006 Collection newage*. Just a hunch, but I'm thinking if the 6-foot, 110-lb models look like crap in the clothes, so will we.

*In case you've forgotten: newage=new clothes with a deliberately 'vintage' look

It burns!!! It burns!!! Oooo the pain!!!

2006-04-04T08:32:00.000-07:00

Warning: Looking at this coat for too long may lead to its image being permanently burned into your visual cortex.

Other than that, I love it. Yes, I do. I don't care what you say.

Would you like Italian or Ranch with that hat, m'am?

2006-03-31T05:41:00.000-08:00

Two cool 1940s hats...back when hats were considered the sixth food group.

Come on...where do you think the saying 'If that's not true, I'll eat my hat!' came from? Mmmmm...hmmmmm.

I don't remember gingham being so big in the 70s...

2006-03-30T16:53:00.000-08:00

...but then again, I was so young...

(I have to admit: I kinda like it. Very 'livin' on the prairie/ hurry with that tablecloth--ma needs her a new dress for church')

Can you spot the 1930s gorgeousness?

2006-03-30T16:52:00.000-08:00

When Nancy Drew was a Brownie leader...

2006-03-30T16:51:00.000-08:00

Get Twiggy with it...or, vintage vs. newage

2006-03-24T09:10:00.000-08:00

This is a confusing-yet-exciting year for vintage stylaholics like yours truly.

Clearly, the authenticity of real vintage is a big part of what makes it cool. And then there's the quality. Let's face it, when it comes to clothing for the average person, workmanship is often sacrificed for quantity these days. (Read: 'sweatshop-based mass production').

The average dress in 1955 also involved a lot more complicated pleating, beading, cutting, and sewing than a lot of the stuff you'll get at the Gap (as an example). And as a result, the clothes fell better than they do now, and they were just better made--as evidenced by their wearability 50 years later. Oh that you should be so wearable 50 years from now, Old Navy clam-diggers.

...But at the same time, the style of the next few season is so retro that it's hard for a jonesin' vintage junkie to ignore...(major salivation going on over dresses on right).

The up side of this 'newage' ('vintage- looking- but- new') is that the quality of 'big box' clothing is going up slightly, because it has to to accommodate all those pleats and gathers and bits of exotic beading.

The down side is that 'big box' still means 'everyone else owns one'...which is why, on the scales of style, vintage usually wins for me. Because vintage is usually pretty unique. And uniqueness is getting hard to come by.

Gentlemen, start your cigarette boats (or not)

2006-03-21T17:39:00.000-08:00

Picture hot pink. Add white. Add a fake tan. Add leather shoes with no socks. Taper the pants. Remove all visible collars. Recall the fate of Philip Michael Thomas.

Are we ready for the return of the Miami Vice look for men? Think hard before you answer this question. Your decision could have long-lasting and far-reaching consequences beyond the natural forebearance of humanity.

The 60s: either be on the fringe...

2006-03-21T14:57:00.000-08:00

...or have the fringe on you

Orga(n)z(a)mic bliss

2006-03-21T14:53:00.000-08:00

The 50s obsession continues...so pretty.

For those late-night philosophical debates...

2006-03-20T04:12:00.000-08:00

Two exquisite 1920s shawls .

Raspberry tweed: what a dish!

2006-03-19T11:56:00.000-08:00

Continuing with the 1950s theme. Heavenly.

Cranberry tafetta...it even sounds yummy

2006-03-19T11:53:00.000-08:00

Why 1950s style rocks

2006-03-19T11:46:00.000-08:00