TALES FROM A VINTAGE WARDROBE

THE PERFECT SUMMER LOOK

I'm sure you've all seen this, it made Yahoo's home page this morning!  I love, love, love this look on Cameron Diaz:

"On Monday morning, Cameron Diaz was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The A-list actress looked angelic in a simple yet chic Oscar de la Renta dress, a red belt from the designer's 2010 accessories collection, and matching heels. . ."

Congratulations, Ms. Diaz!  ( Love the red shoes!) 

GET YOUR CEIL CHAPMAN HERE!

There isn't a vintage clothing afficionada/o out there who doesn't dream of owning a Ceil Chapman dress.  Well, here's your chance:

This beauty is up for auction at Timeless Vixen and you can find out more here.  It might also interest you that the bid started at only $24.00, and as of this moment, that's where its at!  I think I just may go for this one!!!! 

May the best gal win!!!

VINTAGE WEDDING DRESS BLISS

I couldn't wait to show you what I found today. . .being the romantic that I am. . .

 It's a vintage (c1950's?) satin wedding gown in

amazing condition. . .I fell in love, again. . .yes, she needs some TLC but I can see beyond the wrinkles and tiny marks here and there. . .

The label reads: "A Bridal Creation Original ~ Skinner".  It was a much coveted bridal gown in it's day, and today as well ~~apparently the satin produced by Skinner & Sons was some of the best in the industry and they had a very successful bridal line.  (Still in the "research" stage on this!)

 

Satin covered buttons all the way down the back. . .

 

I love the simple neckline, and the netting is in pristine condition front and back

 

The sleeves are so elegant, four more covered buttons at the wrists. . .

Of course I have been wondering all day, who was the bride that wore this elegant gown on her wedding day?  Was she terribly in love?  Did she know this was the gown the moment she saw it?  Did she worry if her betrothed would fancy it as much as she?  I think, at times, what I love about vintage clothing is the mystery behind it's history as much as the garment itself.  Someone's life changed forever the day she wore this beautiful gown. . .and I hope she was very, very happy as every bride should be!

I have that sneaking suspicion I may just hang onto this one. . .after all, my little girl may one day be a bride, and you never know~~she may just wish to wear a vintage gown!

BOOK~O~PHILIA

"SOME DAY YOU WILL BE OLD ENOUGH TO START READING FAIRY TALES AGAIN."  C.S. Lewis

Books are, to me, the absolute best gift we can give ourselves and others.  I have loved books and reading since I was a little girl, and my adoration for them has only grown through the years.  Thankfully, my daughter has that same love. . .I can see it in her eyes when we walk into the library and the sheer joy she feels just being surrounded by them,  the smell of them, and the pleasure of lingering in an aisle, running her little finger tips over the bindings in search of the one that is just right. . .I vowed to never say no to a visit to the library or bookstore, and I somehow think she knows that!

Just yesterday my Aunt (who is a Librarian and lifetime student) sent my daughter these two lovely books; from the Wish List to her own little growing library! 

  She even had them signed by the author, Gail Carson Levine, and the illustrator, David Christiana~~both of whom are amazingly talented.  I can't wait to read them, for although my taste in books has matured, I think I am just aboutold enough to start reading fairy tales again. . . Thank you, Auntie Di! xoxoxo

"I WOULD BE MOST CONTENT IF MY CHILDREN GREW UP TO BE THE KIND OF PEOPLE WHO THINK DECORATING CONSISTS MOSTLY OF BUILDING ENOUGH BOOKSHELVES."  Anna Quindlen

While my library has a wide assortment of books and literature, there are a few indulgences I have yet to make.  Here's a peek at my Wish List: 

 

 

"TO SIT ALONE IN THE LAMPLIGHT WITH A BOOK SPREAD OUT BEFORE YOU, AND HOLD INTIMATE CONVERSE WITH MEN OF UNSEEN GENERATIONS ~ SUCH IS A PLEASURE BEYOND COMPARE."  Kenko Yoshida

 

 

"THE LOVE OF LEARNING, THE SEQUESTERED NOOKS, AND ALL THE SWEET SERENITY OF BOOKS."  Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

 

 

 

"BOOKS ARE NOT MADE FOR FURNITURE, BUT THERE IS NOTHING ELSE THAT SO BEAUTIFULLY FURNISHES A HOUSE."  Henry Ward Beecher

 

 

Why not take a walk to your public library today?  In this modern, techno~crazed world, it is truly refreshing to sit in the peace and quiet of an old building filled with beautiful books. . .make it part of your world and that of your children's. . .it is a wonderful, lifelong gift you can give them.

 

 

WINDOW SHOPPING I

Since most of us enjoy a leisurely stroll down a smart city street looking at fabulously turned out mannequins (aka window shopping) but may rarely have a chance to actually indulge such a luxury, I thought I would bring a virtual window shopping stroll to you!  Some of these lovelies are available for purchase, others are just favorite images I've saved from surfing the net. . .enjoy!

  *you may learn more about this gorgeous frock  here .

 * find out more about this lovely dress here

  A bit of Carrie~Vintage. . .adorable. . .

  Did I ever tell you I had a huge crush on Mikhail Baryshnikov?  I watched White Nights about 757 times!

Oh, and her dress is darling!

 A fashion delight to behold. . .one of my favorite style inspirations; Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis. . .

Doesn't she look a bit annoyed?  This is what I look like when I get a busy signal, one of my pet peeves. . .

Breakfast never looked so good! 

DARN IT

In light of the fact that the entire globe is in an unprecedented, staggering economic crisis, I thought I would devote this post to a very simple, old fashioned, somewhat outdated past~time:

  DARNING : (noun) 1. Mending holes in clothes, the work of repairing holes in clothing or fabric with long interwoven stitches.

  MENDING : (noun) 1. articles, especially clothes, to be mended.

 

SYNONYMS :  Restoration, patch~up, healing, renovation

It used to be that every domestic diva had a basket full of things that needed mending.  A bit of attention with needle and thread could extend the life of a garment by years and that used to matter to people.  As the years passed, this simple past~time gave way to the notion that "it's a lot easier to throw it away and buy a new one".  Businesses were booming, advertising took on a major role in society, and mass production of just about everything left lots of grandmother's shaking their heads and wondering if the day would come when not one bride~to~be would know how to thread a needle, much less know how to mend something.

But now, it seems, consumers are not so quick to throw things away.  Many are actually choosing to "make do" with what they already have and if it needs a little TLC, well that is better than having to purchase a new one.  While this poses a challenge for those of us in the "Retail" sector or some version of it, I still find this trend heart~warming in a way.  After all, if my adored vintage frocks were not cared for the way they were, I wouldn't have the pleasure of working with such beautifully crafted garments.  And so. . .

From socks to cars~~people are choosing to be:

THRIFTY :  (adjective) 1.careful with money and resources, managing money and resources in a cautious and sensible way so as to waste as little as possible.  2. Prosperous

Isn't that interesting: PROSPEROUS was the archaic meaning of the word THRIFTY!

In our day, being thrifty has generally been equated with being cheap, tight~fisted, even poor.  And yet now being "Thrifty" is suddenly in style.  Everywhere.  Good Morning America ran a prime time segment on "Secrets of a Thrift Store Shopper" . . .their retail business is booming!!   Not to mention that thrift/resale/consignment store shopping is a wonderful way to "Recycle".  Check out this interview with clothing designer Elizabeth Kramer and take a peek at her creative flat/studio infused with vintage finds.  A far cry from this story of CEO extravagance by Mark Patinkin in the same section of my Providence Sunday Journal. 

Perhaps the antiquated meaning of "Thrifty" will come to be in fashion once again. . .while we usually equate prosperity with wealth, this beautiful word means far more. . .

PROSPEROUS : (adjective) 1. thriving  2. flourishing  3. abounding  4. successful

Doesn't that put a lovely new angle on "Prosperity"? 

It's who we have, not what we have, that makes us prosper in the most genuine sense of the word. . .and in lean times, remembering that can make a big difference in our outlook every day.

 

  I'm going to try to think about that while I'm sewing today. . .but of course I will be tuned in at half time to watch you know who!

 

 

 

                            

 

 

 

 

What's Goin' On

I have been spending quite a bit of time updating my type-lists & links~~you will see some new ones that are well worth a visit~~you will also see a bit of a "Francophile" theme going on rather than much new in a vintage clothing kind~of way. . . I figure I should only add a bit of beauty at a time.  Do not fear, the vintage list is in the works! 

I also have finally joined "FLICKR WORLD" (which I am still a bit overwhelmed by!)  and have added a link to my favorites of other Flickr Members~~you'll see it to the right:  I called it"FRONT ROW AT OUR VINTAGE FASHION SHOW"~~be sure to check out the photostream for some AMAZING vintage clothing.  It also shows some very thin models which explains why a lot of vintage clothing is teeny, tiny, and that models starving themselves is nothing new!  (Of course they lived in "Girdle World" so that was a big help.)

So, what else is goin' on?  Well. . .

First, I'd like to introduce you to my friend Karina of the World Famous Karina's Bags.  A few months ago, she purchased this vintage bag from my boutique:

 

and turned it into this:

 

The bag itself had seen better days, but she took the Vintage Bakelite frame and created this couture purse from it. . .talk about talent!  Check out the amazing bags she has~~I especially love the clutches which she accents with vintage scarves. . .she's all over England with her Haute~Spun designs, and British Vogue even did a feature on her last month!

Onto more excitement for talented designers, my good friend Lisa of Pink Lemonade Boutique was invited to participate in The Foundry Artists Association Show in Providence, RI, USA which will be held over the next two weeks.  Take a peek at these photos of Lisa's work and you will see why she was invited to this exclusive artists venue:

     

  Here she is, hard at work selling her wares!

Congratulations, Lisa, I know it will be a wonderful success story for you!!

 

I've also been surfing a few on~line magazine sites and have found these beautiful images to share; they are enough to melt one's Vintage~Lovin'~Heart. . .

This is, of course, a Chanel ensemble. . .

(the hat is similar to this one, don't you think?)

 

Another Chanel ensemble from the Spring collection, and yet a true classic, season-less, timeless,

. . .

Just Like You!

Remember. . .

 

 

 

 

 

Are we related?

Oh, the joy of being a Vintage Clothing lover!  I wandered out the other day to do a wee bit of shopping, as my daughter is sick and we  have been cooped up for far too long for this suburban socialite. . .

At the very last moment I decided to make a quick stop at one of my favorite "haunts" ( you know. those "High Security" zones that no one else knows about. . .should you disclose location you will be eliminated. . .) and I ran across this Vintage Beauty:

 

An Oleg Cassini Vintage 1960's Brocaded Chenille Coat. . .

My heart skipped a beat

Well, maybe 25 beats, once I realized I didn't have enough cash

and my credit card was useless

at this establishment. . .

What's a girl to do?

I did the dance,

you know,

"I already have enough inventory to fill a floor on Macys"

and

"This is a bit on the wild side. . .other's may not see the vintage glam of it. . ."

and I

left

without the coat. . .

 

 

But I went back today

and guess what?

IT WAS STILL THERE!

SO NOW, IT IS HERE, AT THE RED VELVET SHOE

and I am left wondering:

Are we cousins?

My sister gave me this gorgeous Vintage Bag years ago

and I love it for the simple fact

that the strap is long enough to wear over the shoulder.

(A rare "wonderful" with vintage purses)

When I found this gorgeous coat,

I was obsessed with the thought:

"Is my Vintage Brocade Purse a Match?"

ARE WE RELATED?

 

Hmmm,

similar features,

but alas,

I do not think so. . .

Hope you have enjoyed this research into

my Vintage Family Tree. . .

 

 

 

 

Grand Opening of Vintage Designer/Couture Floor

It's official~~I have opened my "Designer/Couture Floor" in The Red Velvet Shoe!  Here is a peek at "The Little Black Dress" I told you about a few posts ago. . .
A Harvey Berin original c. 1950's designed by his favorite designer, Karen Stark.  Like it?  Then click here to find out more!  This dress is truly stunning and I do believe Holly Golightly would definitely approve!!

Michelle

Hemingway & A Little Black Dress

What does Hemingway have to do with a little black dress?   I know that's what you're thinking!   While that could be a loaded question I will simply tell you there are two matters I am very excited about having to do with my Post title~~so here we go. . .

 (One of my favorite photos of this handsome gent)

The first is to tell you about a great event to be held in KEY WEST:  THE ANNUAL HEMINGWAY DAYS CELEBRATION JULY 15~20,2008!

 The event includes look~alike contests, readings and presentations, a three~day marlin~fishing tournament & a short story competition!   Sloppy Joe's Bar is where the Look~Alike Contest takes place~~and also is a great place to find one self a refreshing libation!  Check out the website for some great photos and more information~~what a great final destination for that road trip you've been wanting to take!!  Or if you have some frequent flyer miles to use up~~here you go!! 

http://www.hemingwaydays.net

 

As far as that Little Black Dress thing goes, I had the thrill of coming into the possession of an absolutely GORGEOUS Little Black Dress~~not just any LBD, though.  This is a HARVEY BERIN by KAREN STARK original.  The house of Berin opened in 1921 and his designer was Karen Stark.  Stark looked to the latest Parisian styles as inspiration for her work.  And my Vintage Dress is a perfect example of French Chic!! You can find out more about Mr. Berin and Ms. Stark at www.vintagefashionguild.org. .

This Vintage Collectible will be available soon in my boutique~~if you are already interested in more details feel free to contact me. 

Michelle