Debutante Clothing :: The Deblog

Debutante Clothing :: The DebLog

Debutante Clothing's vintage fashion blog where vintage clothing and runway style meet!

May 7, 2008

Wendy B - That Little Vintage Sniper

Wendy B has an amazing assortment of eBay delights from vintage Lanvin to Zandra Rhodes. I've got my eye on that Zandra Rhodes jacket. I'm going to make them an offer they can't refuse. And then I am going straight to my local sniper website and picking me up some heavy guns. I'm tired of losing.

Does anyone have a favorite sniper tool? I'm a total newbie to sniping.

Posted by Sandra at 11:10 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0) | |

Costume Institute Gala Vintage Style

You know you are somebody in the fashion world if you receive an invitation the Costume Institute's annual gala. The theme this year was Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy. While some fashions were blatantly superhero inspired (Wonder Woman wore gold cuffs), many of the guests went for pretty and fantastical.

I was very pleased to see some vintage amongst the sea of couture and high end designers. But I have to admit, some of the vintage pieces weren't as inspiring as some of the new designs, and that was disappointing. Of the many ways to infuse fantasy and a touch of costume to your outfit, you would think vintage would be the way to go. Wearing vintage in and of itself, to an even like this requires more than just a vintage dress - here's you chance to pull out the most outrageous and beautiful pieces known to fashion history.

I felt these fell a little short. But I'll let you decide.

Photo: Sherly Rabbani and Josephine Solimene

Images:
Michelle Trachtenberg, in a vintage skirt and top with Kwiat diamonds and a Cesare Paciotti clutch.

Kate Bosworth, in vintage Chanel Haute Couture

Caroline Trentini, in vintage Thierry Mugler and Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry.

Anna Sui, in vintage Zandra Rhodes and boots of her own design.

And some notable non-vintage looks:

Sarah Brown
Maggie Gyllenhaal
Dita Von Teese

Check out the rest of the images, all 164 of them!, at Style.com

Shirmpton Couture and Style It also have some images and commentary on the big event.

Posted by Sandra at 8:15 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | |

Now Open - The Coveted Shoppe

The ever lovely Jennine at the Coveted has just opened her Etsy shop The Coveted Shoppe. Now everyone can get the global fashionista look Jennine is so famous for. But you'd better hurry - she's already sold 2 items in one day.

Posted by Sandra at 4:32 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | |

Vintage Fashion Mix - Blue Hawaiian

Mixing vintage and modern is the best way to keep from looking costumey or kitschy. Unless of course that's the look you're going for. But here's an outfit that you could wear anywhere and people would just ask, "Where'd you get that?"

dress: hatfeathersvintage.com
shoes: zappos.com
bangle: myriadlife.co.uk
bag: yoox.com

Posted by Sandra at 12:21 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | |

May 6, 2008

Vintage 101 - Cleaning Your Vintage Clothing

If you have ever been afraid of ruining a favorite vintage piece by washing it, never fear. Here are some dos and don'ts to think about before you take the plunge and wash or clean your vintage clothing.

• Do wash cottons and linens
It is fine to wash cottons and cotton blends yourself. The best way to do this is to hand wash each piece individually in cool to lukewarm water with a gentle fabric detergent. Ivory Snow, in powder form, Woolite or Dreft are safe choices.

• Don't agitate the clothing
Just let the article sit in the water, moving it only to make sure it is soaked completely.

• Don't over wash
When you are done wearing your favorite vintage piece, do not throw it in the hamper. Hang it up so it can breathe. Washing your vintage too much will lessen its life span.

• Do dry clean
If you don't know the fabric make up of your vintage piece, do not guess! Take it to a dry cleaner that understands older fabrics. Ask around and don't be afraid to ask dry cleaners questions about their knowledge and experience.

• Do use stain treaters (carefully)
If you have a stubborn stain, such as perspiration or unknown food, start with the least abrasive stain fighter -- lemon juice or white vinegar. These are natural whiteners. Once you have determined lemon juice hasn't worked, you can move on to harsher stain treatments such Oxyclean or Shout, but use sparingly or use a towel to apply on the spot.

• Don't spin dry
It is best to hang or drip-dry any garment. Dryers, even on gentle heat can damage delicate vintage fabrics. Items from the 80s could possibly do just fine in the dryer on delicate or air dry, but why take the chance?

Posted by Sandra at 6:52 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | |

May 5, 2008

Stephanie J is N.E.E.T.

That Crosby Noricks of PR Couture -- she knows all the cool people. Go check out her interview with Stephanie J of NEET magazine and get your vintage, indie, crafty, style fix.

Posted by Sandra at 6:51 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | |

Vintage Fashion Expo Santa Monica

Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the Vintage Fashion Expo will be stopping by the Santa Civic Auditorium this Mother's Day Weekend.

Bring Mom and have a great time checking out the biggest and best curated collection of vintage clothing, shoes and accessories. I'll be there taking video with my new Flip camera.

Details:

Saturday May 10 10:30 AM to 6 PM
Sunday, May 11 from 11 AM to 5 PM
Santa Monica Civic Auditorium
1855 Main Street at Pico Boulevard
Tickets cost $10, $20 for early buying admission on Saturday at 9 AM (a number of fashion professionals take advantage of the Expo's early buy)
All tickets are good for both days
For more information, please call (707) 793-0773.

Posted by Sandra at 6:19 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | |

Vintage Find - Chic Raffia Purse

Yesterday, my husband and I met up with some friends at the Tiki Invasion event in Montclair, CA. The Tiki Invasion was an all day event at one of the only remaining drive-in in California, featuring bands, vendors, burlesque dancers, and vintage B movies when the sun went down.

I was able to dip into the Debutante Clothing closet and wore a wrap batik print skirt which was perfect for the warm weather and lawn chair sitting! Because I don't like looking too costumey, I opted for a modern bag. But I was really envious of all of the great summery woven bags the girls were carrying. So I went on an internet quest for a cute raffia bag that wasn't too novelty and was pretty enough to wear to wear with non vintage clothing.

I present the perfect raffia bag for summer:

available at old-clothes.com

Posted by Sandra at 12:00 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | |