stylaholic

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!

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.