This weekend, vintage collectors and sellers will be going nuts on both coasts - the Manhattan Vintage Clothing Show and Santa Monica Vintage Expo are in town. I'm already making plans to meet up with some of my favorite sellers and shoppers. Maybe I can get some pictures to show you!

In the meantime, if you've ever had questions about these types of shows, or are just curious about who runs them, I have a great interview with the co-owners of the SM Vintage Expo, Robert and Christie Alvarez. They share their history with the show, their professional observations, and some valuable insider tips on how to work the show. It's an older video, so don't mind the dates they have given.

If you want to see more videos, let me know what topics you are interested in! I promise to show my face in the next one.

Enjoy!

Resurrection, the bicoastal boutique and international source for fine vintage, and 1stdibs.com, whom I mentioned before on the blog, have teamed up to offer a truly unique collection of avant-garde designer Maison Martin Margiela.

"Resurrection's 20 Years of Martin Margiela: The Marcia Berger Collection" is a collection of one of a kind collectible, vintage and artisanal Margiela pieces from 1989 to 2008, owned by the late Marcia Berger. Apparently Ms. Berger was quite the collector. She was the proud owner of one off pieces and several key pieces from each collection. The garments were never even worn. Ms. Berger felt Margiela pieces were works of art and preserved them as such.

I spoke with Resurrection co-owner Mark Haddaway about this unique collection. He explained that Marcia Berger did not work in fashion, she just loved unique, avant-garde fashion including Japanese designers such as Yohji Yamamoto, but loved collecting Margiela most of all. Of the astonishing 1500 Margiela pieces Resurrection is selling in their NY and LA boutiques, 300 will be available on 1stdibs.com.

Being a vintage seller, I know how hard it must be to let go of such collectible pieces. I asked Mark if he was tempted to keep any of them. He slowly replied, "Each piece will be sold." It's got to be the hardest part of this business.

Margiela reminds me so much of Elsa Schiaparelli, especially when you look at this leather glove covered  top. Schiaparelli had a shoe hat, Maison Martin Margiela created split toe, hoof like booties. The surreal influence is uncanny. Ms. Berger was correct to collect and treasure such intriguing works of art.

I for one am dying to see the pieces at the LA store. Maybe I can nab a few images while I'm there for all of you!

-photos courtesy of Resurrection Vintage Clothing

Any good stylist worth her salt will tell you that accessories can make an ordinary rag look glamorous and fashion forward. Make those vintage accessories and now you've got enviable style.

Jeanne Suica, the Parisian vintage couture maven, has created this one of a kind pop-up shop especially for Debutante Clothing readers and customers. If you find something you like, grab it quick, because the sale ends Friday, February 5, 11pm PST.

You can view more of Jeanne Suica's collection at JeanneSuicaShop.com and check out her VIP selection at Designer-Vintage.com.

Guidelines and Additional Information:

Items are a mix of new, gently worn or vintage condition.All items are guaranteed authentic.

All questions should be referred directly to Jeanne at jsuica@hotmail.com.

If you wish to purchase an item, payment should be made immediately via paypal only to jsuica@hotmail.com.

In rare cases a payment may be canceled at any time due to insufficient stock, if an item becomes damaged or is not in the same condition as listed the order may be cancelled, inability for paypal to authorize a payment, suspicion of fraudulent intent or any other reason seen fit.

Once a payment is made you'll receive a confirmation mail to confirm that your item is available. This confirmation will include the shipping date. Items will be shipped with 48 hours of payment excluding weekends. All duties and customs charges will be your responsibility. The full cost will be noted on the customs form this is necessary for insurance purposes.

All items include postage via signature required insured airmail and will be shipped from Paris France. FREE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!! All items are final sale.

Theyre back! THE MUST ATTEND events for anyone who loves vintage clothing and accessories - the Manhattan Vintage Clothing Show and Santa Monica Vintage Expo are coming the first weekend in February.

Join vintage aficianados, designers, stylists, and collectors in NY or LA and do some serious vintage shopping damage. Recession be damned.

Manhattan Vintage Clothing Show
Friday, February 5, 1-8pm
Saturday, February 6, 11am-6pm
Admission is $20

The Metropolitan Pavilion is located at 125 W. 18th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues in Manhattan. For more information call 518-434-4312 or visit www.manhattanvintage.com.

Santa Monica Vintage Fashion Expo
Saturday, February 6 Early Buy 9am-10:30am, Regular Admission 10:30am-6pm

Sunday, February 7 11am-5pm

Santa Monica Civic Auditorium

Contact if you have questions!

www.vintageexpo.com

Special guest for both days will be Leigh Leshner, author and vintage jewelry expert, will provide appraisals of vintage jewelry from 12:00pm-2:00pm each day.

Also, The Vintage Fashion Expo will be presenting vintage dances at 2:00pm each day - led by James Zimmer and Cynthia Harper of the UCLA vintage dance group.

Students free on Sunday with student ID.

If you want the real deal on a shop, you have to read New York Times writer Cintra Wilson's column Critical Shopper. She pulls no punches. But there's no Perez-Hilton-esque snark. She just tells it like it is in a hysterically educated way. So when I read Cintra's review of infamous Lily et Cie in Beverly Hills, CA, it made me think about what kind of customer service is expected in vintage shops, real or virtual.

Lily et Cie got a well deserved lashing for their shitty attitude. But I do understand owner and curator's Rita Watnick protection of delicate, and often valuable, treasures.

When shopping for vintage there are a few guidelines you should keep in mind.

1. Know your size

Seriously I cannot stress this enough. If you know your measurements, you'll know you can't fit into a smaller size. Forgo the humilation and anger of ripping a vintage garment. Go up one size. Never risk it.

2. Handle the garment by the hanger

Vintage silks and rayon are fragile and so are their seams. Handling by the hanger, rahter than the sleeve or skirt will protect the garment from tearing or shredding.

3. Put it back where you found it or give it to the clerk

This is especially true in an antque mall. Don't assume that things can just be left laying around. If you forgot where it goes, simply give it back to the clerk.

Now I know this is coming off all preachy and elitist, but shopping for vintage is not like shopping at your local mall. Some care is needed with older garments.

But there is no way I would encourage you to shop with someone who does not value you as a customer. Stay away from virtual and brick and mortar stores with these red flags:

• Attitude - seriously there is no excuse!
• Unhelpful - if the seller can't give you insight about the garment (history, style advice, etc.), then they are just selling "stuff" not vintage. Vintage is an experience.
• Lack of response - online sellers should respond to you in 1 business day unless otherwise stated.
• Doesn't go the extra mile - Are clothes cleaned and in good condition? Do they offer care instructions? Do they call or email when they are having sales or found something perfect for you? These are all small things that show what an important client you are.

In today's economy, apparel companies that incorporate these four details are faring well. Nordstrom and Zappos.com are two companies I will always shop with because they have earned my customer loyalty through customer care.

What about you? Which vintage shops have earned your loyalty? What will make you shop elsewhere?

This Thursday, December 3 The House of Love & Luck is getting dressed up and ready to party. This haven for amazing vintage jewelry is celebrating its first anniversary from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM. The event features 'Jewelry by Nola', a hosted champagne bar, and special sale pricing. A portion of the evening's proceeds will benefit the animal rescue charity, Animal Advocates Alliance.

The House of Love and Luck is located at 370½ N. La Cienega Boulevard just South of Oakwood Avenue next to The Roger Room. Valet parking will be available.

via LAist.com

It always baffles me when I browse through Etsy.com's vintage section or troll Ebay.com for vintage steals. More often than not, I see 1980s garments being sold as 20s flapper dresses, or worse, fringed polyester flapper costumes from Halloween super stores being listed as RARE! flapper dress. I want to take my already loved copy of The Little Guide to Vintage Shopping and scream, Here! Read this!.

If you are new to vintage, or thinking of starting, this is a MUST read book. Written by a well respected member of the Vintage Fashion Guild, Melody Fortier has been in the vintage fashion business for almost 2 decades. And she has proven her know how in this business in her wonderfully insightful book.

There are several books on collecting vintage clothing and accessories that merely give you bios on famous designers and tons of beautiful pictures. That's great for a coffee table or reference book. But The Little Guide to Vintage Shopping is truly a guide, and instructional manual on how to shop for quality vintage, and loaded with tons of insider tips.

The book is adorable. It has the illusion of being an old, embroidered cloth covered book. it's small and compact enough to fit in your bag - perfect for shopping. But let's talk about why this book is so invaluable.

Chapter 1 Vintage Defined gives you an overview of vintage is, and what it is not (ahem, 1990s) and a wonderful little glossary of some terminology you should know as a buyer. Not all designer is couture but that word is thrown around and awful lot, with a price tag to match.

Chapter 2 On the Market talks about options for places to buy and important considerations when shopping for quality.

Chapter 3 Styles of the Times gives an overview of typical styles for each decade with a great visual time line of silhouettes

Chapter 4 Dating Dilemmas (my favorite chapter) discusses how experts determine dates of garments: silhouettes, tags, labels, buttons, zippers, seams, and fabrics

Chapter 5 Sizing It Up gives you tips on how to measure and which measurements to pay attention to to ensure a good fit as well as typical silhouette features for each decade that could determine if the style is right for your body (I'm very 40s and 50s shaped)

Chapter 6 Labels and Pricing gives a good guideline for determining how much something is worth based on the designer and/or label. This is extremely helpful for today's market, but keep in mind that prices are set by the market at any given time.

Chapter 7 Condition and Care (another favorite chapter) gives tips on what to avoid when shopping, how to care for your vintage, how to determine what fabric the garment is made of (pre-1970s garments do not have care tags). These are tips that only experts know. I was impressed

Chapter 8 Finishing Touches discusses accessories and shoes, and equally important segment in the vintage marketplace

Chapter 9 Altered States (a surprising chapter) is all about how to alter vintage for the modern wardrobe, and what you should not alter - couture for one.

Throughout the book, you'll see colorful images of vintage pieces - some to illustrate the chapter, some are just eye candy. This is not a coffee table book, or a collector's book so you won't find the one page images of vintage. There are also expert tips from vintage sellers and authors sprinkled throughout the book.

There is a very brief section on great places to shop for vintage. A whole book can be, and has been, published on this topic alone so I didn't mind that it was brief.

All in all, I have to say I was very impressed with the breadth of knowledge that was published in this book. For such a little guide, you gets volumes of expert knowledge that the average vintage shopper might not know.

If you love wearing and shopping for vintage, or if you are a new vintage seller, I highly recommend The Little Guide to Vintage Shopping.

Edited by Debutante Clothing

I just turned 35. It's a landmark year not just chronologically, but style wise. I am now approaching that next age bracket in the How to Dress for Your Age features in mags. You know the ones. Thank goodness for my blogger pals here at Independent Fashion Bloggers. You'll find some of the best style guides here this week. Guides such as Mischief My Dear's advice on finding the perfect LBD and Fasshonaburu's Spring 2010 trends guide. But beware the urge to dress too sexy. 39th and Broadway tells you why toddlers and stilletos don't mix, and Squareectomy questions the taste level of visible thongs. Enjoy!

Links à la Mode : October 1st

• 39th and Broadway - - Toddlers, Stilettos, Thongs, Oh My!


• Awakened Aesthetic - - features t-shirts by the Samburu Project, which provides drinking water to the Samburu District in Northern Kenya.


• Bobbins And Bombshells - - veiled headband fascinator DIY tutorial


• Debutante Clothing - - vintage paper dresses that are anything but disposable


• Fasshonaburu - - Sure peaked shoulders and sequins and tribal were on the runways... again. But here are five NEW trends to come out of Spring 2010 NY Fashion Week!


• fête à fête - - Vouelle's new Fall-Winter 2009-2010 shoe collection, straight from Paris!


• Friend in Fashion - - A vintage tale: gorgeous lace & bows


• Hong Kong Fashion Geek - - VPL's anatomy-inspired spring collection, and how to replicate the skeletal fascination right now


• Idiosyncratic Style - - Awesome style from the brit drama Skins


• Independent Fashion Bloggers - When should you start charging money for your blogging experience?


• Jewelrywhore - - Madeleine Albright is kicking butt with her brooches


• Mishief My Dear - - four versions of the Little Black Dress that should be in every woman's wardrobe


• Oranges and Apples - - A guide to vintage shopping in Berlin


• Squareectomy - - More Exposed Bits: the less flattering side of the fashion world


• Super Kawaii Mama - - Travel Essentials to keep it glam! The secrets to staying fancy in flight.


• The Coveted - - Do Fashion Blogs Glamorize Smoking?


• The Demoiselles - - Elle answers a reader's question about being an in-betweeny - not quite plus size, not quite "regular"


• The Fashion Planner - - shows you how to get the look of Marc by Marc Jacobs.


• The Working Wardrobe - - perfecting the business "ice breaker" by working your accessories (that don't thaw out your assets).


• Where Is That From? - - eco fashion show featuring local Toronto designers and design collectives

Once in a while, i run into a friend or acquaintance that has no idea that the company Elaine from Seinfeld worked for really exists. J. Peterman is a real catalog, a real company, and yes, the copy is as witty as Elaine. And if you are a fan of vintage style, you'll love the clothing.

Men and women alike can find reproduction, vintage style fashion in every J. Peterman catalog. When I say reproduction, I don't mean cheap knock offs with modernized details. I mean that the only way you would be able to tell these garments are knew is if you inspected them for signs of age. These garments are so fantastically reproduced due to the fact that the little fashion elves at J. Peterman actually buy vintage garments in order to recreate them in large quantities.

Normally, I'm a bit miffed by such practices coming from fashion designers. But I think that I can appreciate it coming from J. Peterman because at least the company is honest about it. They don't try to take the credit for something that was created 70 years prior. Or maybe it is more palatable coming from the silver tongue that is J. Peterman...

She was part black.

She was part Irish.

They called her Bricktop, because of her flaming red hair.

And Ada Smith's "Bricktops" on Place Pigalle in Montmartre was the place to go.

"Bricktop" said she judged the success of a night by the number of kings in the house.

One night she had five kings and the Prince of Wales.

But Cole Porter was the only one who had a special table reserved for him.

Even when he wasn't there.

The in crowd came to hear her sing, and they came to be seen.

And if you had a dress like this, you were there too.

A little risqué just like the place you were in.

When Bricktop sang "Embraceable You," John Steinbeck told her, "You take 20 years off a man's life."

Same thing can be said for this confection of sheer magic.

1930's Vintage Black Lace Dress (No. 2584). Two layers of lace work their allure. Black lace over nude lace so you won't get arrested. Just enough shows through. Scoop neckline. V shape back. Lower-calf length. Hidden center back zipper with hook and eye. All the elegance of old lace with the easy to maneuver advantage of modern fabric. Imported.

"There's a party...where?"

Women's sizes: 2 through 18.

Color: Black lace over nude lace.

When it comes to cities, I thought I'd already found the One. When I left Paris to move to London, I knew it would be my home for a long, long time. Sure, I have had impure thoughts about Los Angeles, but I know it is only a fantasy of sunshine and ocean. London has adopted me, and I was perfectly happy with my life here till I went to Stockholm at the beginning of July. As soon as I set foot in the Swedish capital, I thought I had died and gone to Heaven. Style & design heaven, where bad taste isn't. Yes, you read well. Bad. Taste. Isn't. People are beautiful, houses are beautiful, streets are clean, shops are minimal and tastefully laid out, clothes are great, even in high street chains. There is no tackiness, no garishness, nothing naff or slightly crap. I thought it would be a little overwhelming to have to adapt to such high standards but it actually was refreshing. What was overwhelming was having to leave after only 5 days. I came back feeling more inspired than I had been in years, and really really serene. But to get back to more mundane pursuits, I also visited many a vintage store, especially for you! I wrote a short guide to the Sodermalm area on my blog, but here you will find a more specific guide to Stockholm's best vintage shops.

Lisa Larsson
Bondegatan 48

Maybe one of the best known vintage shops in Stockholm, and rightly so. There is a beautiful collection there, definitely worth checking out.

Repris
Bondegatan 46

Right next to Lisa Larsson, a bit hit and miss.

Life is Good
Åsögatan

A small shop with a very good range of hand picked vintage pieces in more "modern" sizes - you can actually find shoes in sizes above a UK5, which is an exploit!

Emmaus
Gotgatan

Possibly the swankiest charity shop I have ever seen. The selection is wonderful. They have three shops: children's clothes, interiors and womenswear.

Beyond Retro
Åsögatan 144

I don't think I need to say anything about Beyond Retro as they seem to be everywhere these days. Not necessarily the first shop to check out, as it holds mainly US Vintage, but worth a look anyway.

Boutique Tva Tre Ganger Karlavagen 36

High-end vintage. Go there to see beautiful classic pieces.

Mint & Vintage
St Eriksgatan 48

The shop is very hard to find but is worth the effort. Go there for vintage & Swedish designers.

Saker & Ting Vintage
Sturegatan 28

This is a great place to go for dresses lovers. You will find mostly super cute dresses and shoes.

More shops, that I didn't have time to visit:

Petronella Second Hand
Lützengatan 4

Marielle Secondhand
Erik Dahlbergsgatan 23

Old Touch
Upplandsgatan 43

Judit's second hand
Hornsgatan 75

There is much more to Stockholm than shopping, but I would need about 70 posts to explain how much there is to see!

-Mademoiselle Robot

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Parisian expat in London, Mademoiselle Robot is a magazine Editor turned fashion blogger. On mademoisellerobot.com, she offers style tips, interviews of artists and designers, outfit ideas and she even launched her own TV channel! Her blog has been featured in the Independent, A nous Paris, Modepass and many others.

Laura Lanz Frolio is the savvy Budget Shopping expert on Examiner.com and has her own blog called Budget Land. She was kind enough to share her tips on how to shop for classic vintage pieces. I love seeing how other people approach vintage shopping - it's always inspiring and helps me break out of my style and shopping habits. Thanks Laura for taking the time to do this. Enjoy!

If you're a newbie to buying and wearing vintage, it can certainly be intimidating. Cuts and fit are a little different than what we're used to and styles are from days gone by. But with the right pieces, mixing a little vintage into your current wardrobe is a piece of cake. Plus, you'll never get caught wearing the same outfit as another girl at the party. Here are a few basics to get your started:

The Blazer

Blazers are literally everywhere this season and the best way to find an affordable version is to buy vintage. Do a search on eBay or Etsy and thousands of options will pop up. This plaid blazer is pretty bold but a simple navy or cream color works too. If you're smaller, try looking in the boys section for old prep school blazers.

The Dress

Vintage dresses are perhaps the easiest to integrate into your wardrobe since most of the dresses being sold these days are vintage inspired anyways. It's all about the fit so make sure you try before buying or measure the dimensions if you're shopping online. Add a belt for some always-crucial waist definition, and you've got a complete vintage look.

The Slouchy Vest

Vests like this knit one are a great layering piece; you can also go for a menswear look with a more structured version and don't forget to check the men's section for vintage suit vests. Wide leg jeans and a sturdy leather belt give this vest a cool '70s vibe.

The Pencil Skirt

The pencil skirt is a style that is in abundance in vintage shops so you shouldn't have trouble tracking one down. I found this blue suede YSL skirt at a thrift store in Vermont for $12, one of my favorite vintage finds! You can pair it with a button up for a chic work look or sex it up a little for a night out, as I did here.

The Boots

Boots like these flat brown leather pair are super versatile, you can wear them with dresses, leggings, jeans, you name it. As you can see from the photo, I've worn mine pretty much to death. Substitute some buttery leather boots for your flip-flops and you've got an instant update for your denim cutoffs.

You can read more of my articles on Examiner.com or on my blog.

We just celebrated our Independence Day. But what better way to show your patriotism than to shop? Especially when we are talking about high ticket vintage treasures like the ones offered on 1stdibs.com. The luxury antique design site has made all vintage lovers' dreams come true with a collection of stunning vintage couture and collectible designer fashion pieces. The collection is curated Clair Watson, one of the most respected names in vintage couture and includes premiere vintage sellers such as Katy Kane, Resurrection, The Way We Wore, and Rare Vintage.

There is so much eye candy it's almost hard to bear. Especially when you think about how rare some of these pieces are - a Paco Rabanne chain dress doesn't really come around that often.

I spoke with Katy of Katy Kane Vintage & Couture Clothing about her involvement with 1stdibs.com. With 30 years of dealing in vintage, she knows the ins and outs of the luxury antique business.

"I know a lot of the furniture & jewelry dealers on 1stdibs.com and the 1stdibs people know me, my merchandise, my reputation as a dealer. So I was invited to participate along with the other dealers on the vintage & couture section. Everyone of these dealers has different strengths and different selections. I think it is a great mix. I think vintage & couture is a perfect fit for 1stdibs and the dealers. This is a hot area in the antiques market right now, celebrity customers, museums exhibits, designers as celebrities, designer estate auctions, etc. People realize the value of vintage clothing now, from a financial standpoint as well as from the individual style it affords them. Just like a great piece of furniture or a beautiful jewel from 1stdibs."

The site looks like a museum collection, featuring couture pieces by designers such as Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel, Paco Rabanne, Christian Dior, and Valentino. But you can also find some collectible, quirky pieces by Moschino and Christian Lacroix. The collection is so well rounded that there really is something for everyone here.

My favorite piece has to be this YSL for Christian Dior black taffeta dress. It's so modern and edgy that I would feel just as comfortable wearing it to a gala as I would to some punk rock show.

What about you? What's on your wish list?

I used to love this show when I was younger and I believe that history does repeat itself. I'm working in the world of auctions now and am surrounded by pieces with a bit or a lot of history which can go for peanuts or a small fortune. Truly some of them are worthy of Ripley's Believe it or Not! Sometimes when I'm sitting in an auction I gasp out loud as I hear the bids increase and increase and increase and usually end up embarrassing myself.

Last week's auction at Kerry Taylor was a great example of believe it or not hammer prices with a number of the pieces well exceeding even her estimations.

For example:

Lot 57 A rare pair of grapefruit shaped bust improvers from the 1890s estimation of £400-£600 with a hammer price of £2400! I'm convinced that these were the original inspiration for the Wonderbra, my how times have changed!

Lot 94 An absolutely breathtaking rare Fortuny stenciled gown sold for £13,000 way over estimate. I can only dream of the wonderful and excitng adventures this dress once had!

Lot 130 A breathtaking Dior evening gown from 1952 with an estimate of £6000-£8000 hit a hammer price of £11,000. Oh the lucky person who won that! Gasp!

And many many more...I've only highlighted some of the older more historic pieces but even items as late as the year 2000 can be profitable. I hope that this update lights a fire under you or sparks a lightbulb so as you are rummaging through items at your local flea market or yard sale keep your eyes peeled for some vintage treasures! They may end up as seed money for your next vacation!

Stay tuned for our vintage antiques roadshow this fall via Debutante Clothing where you'll have the chance to show me and Sandra your latest finds!

Happy Hunting!

Jeanne

Jeanne Suica collaborates with a major auction house in searching for and evaluating pieces for upcoming auctions. Clients worldwide who may be interested in selling or consigning their items can email her images and questions regarding their items via her site www.jeannesuica.com

If you have ever in your life been obsessed with finding the perfect pair of shoes, then you will feel my pain when reading this post. I am totally aware that the pursuit of the perfect shoe might seem trivial to some, but you should know one thing about me: when I want something, there are only very few things that can stand in my way: death, illness and that's about it (knock on wood neither happens, thank you).

For about 2 years now, I have been looking for a pair of simple vintage brown lace up oxford shoes. Not brogues, I don't want any detailing, just plain old 80's granny shoes. I know there are plenty available I have seen them on people, and in several Etsy shops. "Why don't you just buy them, you silly goose?" I hear you say. Well... this is the bane of my life. I cannot find my size anywhere. I would understand perfectly if I was looking for 40's or 50's shoes, since women seemed to have considerably smaller feet then - both in length and width. The thing is I am not looking for 40's or 50's footwear but for 80's shoes. And I know women had the same feet then as we do now. Before you start gossiping about how Mademoiselle Robot wears shoes in a size 23, I will tell you I am a UK 7 (which is probably a US 9.5 or 10). Not exactly Bigfoot, but not small feet either. Mind you, if my feet were any smaller, I would tip over when I walk. I am 5'8" I need my size 7 feet to keep me balancing. But enough about my feet and back to the shoes, I just know they would make my whole wardrobe come together seamlessly, they would go with everything and I would most certainly wear them all year long. So I am not being a spoilt brat here. I just need those shoes. I already made lists of outfit combinations:

Outfit 1: brown shoes, high-waist trousers, vintage tee-shirt, denim jacket.

Outfit 2: brown shoes, white socks, denim shorts, Victorian blouse, black blazer.

Outfit 3: brown shoes, 50's day dress, giant hair bow, vintage boy cardigan, stripy socks.

The list goes on and on, using all the items in my wardrobe, so I will spare you the details, but you get the idea.

Needless to say, I am very angry with vintage shoes at the moment and we are *this* close to fall out forever - even if in my quest for the perfect Oxfords I did find a really cute pair of beige dancing shoes.

Recently, I decided I couldn't carry on without some kind of replacement, so I started looking into some alternatives. I found two: the plimsolls and the jazz shoes. I am not a fan of Ked's and co, so I opted for some white leather jazz shoes (from ASOS, I needed a break from vintage). So far, so good, I have been wearing them a lot, and they go with all the outfits I mentioned above. I do look at them and wish they were brown and vintage but they really are the next best thing.

The morale of this tragic story: sometimes, a girl has to compromise her wishes a little to reach style nirvana.

However, because I am relentless, if you do come across the shoes I have described in this post in a size UK 7/US 10/ EU 40, do let me know.

If you email me (mellerobot@gmail.com) with a link, I will be your slave forever.

- Mademoiselle Robot

Come get them while they're hot (or available in your size)! If you've ever dreamed about the red sole, here's your chance. TheOutnet.com is offering Christian Louboutin at DEEPLY discounted prices. Sorry for the shouting caps - I'm just so excited!

I have one more sale for you! This time from my good friend Posh Girl Vintage. If you have never visited this amazing vintage site, go there now! Posh Girl Vintage carries some of the most amazing dresses and accessories on the web. And you can trust that what you see is what you will get. No funny business here. You will not be disappointed.

I rarely feature men's vintage clothing, even though I have a husband with a closet full of vintage. But today, I break my sexist habits. If you have a boy or are a boy who loves vintage, here's a sale for you. Marc Joseph, an LA vintage dealer, is having one of his regular sales. Men's vintage from the 1940s to the '80s will be up for grabs here in LA.

Score yourself a vintage Hawaiian shirt or some comfy gabardine slacks. Bring lots of bills too because men's vintage is difficult to find. So if if you find it here, don't hesitate.

I am so very pleased to present Debutante Clothing's London Contributor, Mademoiselle Robot! Equal parts cuteness, smarts, and style, Mademoiselle gives us the inside scoop on anything vintage and cool from the stylish streets of London. Enjoy! -Sandra

Coming from Paris, I am used to a very homogeneous & cyclical lifestyle, where one trend replaces another. So if you like a type of music or clothes that aren't "in", you can't really find anything anywhere.

When I first moved to London, what struck me most is the sheer amount of coexisting trends. Not so much in Fashion, as people here have very individual styles and don't are not overly trend led, but in music, nightlife etc.

What is interesting about London though is that those different "tribes" don't really mix that much, and seem to stay put in their respective areas. You can pretty much divide London into four big sectors North, East, South & West.

East London - Late '40s to Early '60s

Even though the original "Swinging London" was found around Carnaby Street, it is now in East London that you can find most of the mid-century styles.

In the evenings, around Shoreditch, Bethnal Green & Old Street, there is a multitude of places to go to. A lot of people can be seen sporting prom dresses, checked shirts or bouffant hair dos. Nights like Grind A Gogo, the Birthday party or the Lady Luck club  are the best examples. A new night called The Blitz even features a '40s style band in a World War II décor.

If you are in it for the shopping, there are lots of small vintage clothes shops around Brick Lane. Every time I go there, a new shop appears. For furniture, around Spitalfields Market is the best place to hunt.

Icons - The Broken Hearts DJs, Katy Perry

West London - Late '60s and '70s

Portobello market is well known for its vintage treasures. Not only from the Seventies, but from all eras, as far back as the Twenties. However, there is a distinct hippie vibe in this area. Walking around Westbourne Grove (a short 5 min walk from Portobello Market), you cross paths with a lot of Boho princesses. Not always authentic vintage style, it definitely stems from Seventies groupies. If you are a fan of the GTO (Girls Together Outrageously)  you will feel right at home there.

Icons - Sienna Miller, Alexa Chung

North London - '80s

Camden is a strange area for fashion as it attracts such a wide variety of people. The area is mostly popular for 80's fashion - especially heavily rock influenced styles. You also find quite a few 80's does 50's new rockabilly kids around there. The best illustration of this new rockabilly being Vivien of Holloway's designs .

Icons - Peaches Geldof, Kelly Osbourne

South London - '90s

A lot of students live around New Cross and Camberwell and the style du jour seems to be Grunge. Doc Martens, lumberjack shirts, vintage denim and chunky knitwear is the local style. Sometimes a few VERY brights are thrown in for a bit of old rave style.

Icons - Agyness Deyn, M.I.A.

Don't take this as a London guide though, it is only my humble interpretation of London's vintage geography. Someone else's personal experience of the city might lead to completely different conclusions.

-Mademoiselle Robot

Parisian expat in London, Mademoiselle Robot is a magazine Editor turned fashion blogger.  On mademoisellerobot.com, she offers style tips, interviews of artists and designers, outfit ideas and she even launched her own TV channel!  Her blog has been featured in the Independent, A nous Paris, Modepass and many others.

photos:

Right Sized

Edited by Retro Chick

Hello and welcome to Links á la Mode!

This week I've noticed a few posts on the theme of body size issues, with 39^th & Broadway asking whether the Fashion Industry is to blame for our skinny bitch obsession, The Curvy Fashionista interviewing the brains behind Full Figure Fashion Week and Dramatis Personae introducing us to plus size fashion line B &Lu.

Also in this week's selection you'll find some great DIY ideas, a Competition from The Coveted, tips on keeping to your shopping budget from Work Chic and vintage shopping hints from The Style PA and Culturistas.

There's the full version of Links á la Mode here in the forums... there's a lot of great posts there too.

Links à la Mode : April 30th

• 39th & Broadway - Is the fashion industry responsible for our weight issues?


• A Typical Atypical - When to ignore the fashion houses - the ridiculous, the impractical and the downright foolish!


• Broke & Beautiful - Earth Week! The best of plastic bags are highlighted.


• Capitola Girl Jewelry Blog - Take flight with some fanciful feathered jewelry


• Culturistas - The Culturistas take a trip to the Vintage Expo and give tips on how to shop for vintage


• Debutante Clothing - A private, curator led tour of the Valentina exhibit in NYC


• Dirty Laundry - Who needs Marc Jacobs when you have DIY?


• Dramatis Personae - B&Lu Presents Fun Plus-Sized Fashion...


• Fashion in my eyes - Interview with Sarah Korsiak Cellier, owner of a vintage shop with designer pieces


• FashionMind - Dressing up classy but very bright and not boring.


• Fasshonaburu - A public request for online stores to provide more and better pictures of their merchandise!


• Gladys L - Construction boots or Lotus shoes? The astonishing Chinese quest for female beauty incorporating small feet!


• In Pursuit of Fashion - Bleach for beginners: How to DIY the latest trend, bleached jeans.


• Independent Fashion Bloggers - 6 Do's and Don'ts for Networking Online


• Retro Chick - Ethical Design Spotlight - Heart's Desire Jewellery (+ 20% Discount!)


• Style Symmetry - My Storage System for Belts.


• StyleCovered - How fusing trends and culture can create something unique and chic! Who said covering up had to be boring?


• The Art of Accessories - The Art of Accessories show you how to make your own tinted moisturizer, how thrifty?


• THE COVETED - The Coveted: Two chances to win Pequito Bun Vintage Jewelry!


• The Curvy Fashionista - The brains behind Full Figure Fashion Week- Gwen DeVoe dares to bring Plus Size Fashion to the forefront


• The Style PA - Where to go in Leeds for Vintage fashion and beauty treats.


• Work Chic - Blowing your shopping budget? It may be your shopping habits!

Accessories that marry art and function are my favorite way to punctuate an otherwise ordinary outfit. So when I came across the super Mod and art inspired handbag line eenamaria, I had to contact the designer.  Sarah Morgan has been designing since she was 15-years-old, but it's no wonder since fashion design is in her blood - her grandmother was a fashion designer in Paris. With a degree from Pratt and an appreciation for art, Sarah started eenamaria, a vintage inspired line designed for the modern girl.

Check out my chat with eenamaria designer Sarah Morgan!

When did you start eenamaria?

2004 in the basement of Pratt Institute.

Who is "eenamaria"?

eenamaria is the essence of a woman, the name is taken from my mother, however, if you see the 'about' section of the website, this will give you the full description of who she is.

You come from a long line of artists and creative people. What inspired you to start a handbag line versus a different form of design?

eenamaria is currently only known for its handbags, however, over time we will be launching a clothing line, a perfume line, housewares and anything that the eenamaria woman would want or need to fit with her lifestyle. I am a trained industrial designer, so we are educated to develop an eye for form and function, rather than focus on just one aspect of design.

I love the Mondrian and Mod inspiration. What do you like about these aesthetics?

I have always been a chameleon, so for each group of bags designed and produced, there is a new inspiration. This collection was designed a few years ago, but is becoming the iconic look for eenamaria. I was interested in the look of the sixties and I was thinking about the energy of that time. I like the colors and the simple lines and design features, colorful, but simple.

Are you influenced by any other decades? Which?

The upcoming line is an homage to the 1930s/1940s, a similar era as far as the world climate is concerned. People want uplifting colors and reasons to celebrate, since so much of their world is in flux.

Who is a typical eenamaria girl?

The eenamaria girl is active, bold, an outlier. She probably has aspects to her that are somewhat unusual, maybe she's a sky diving fanatic, or a big Tango dancer, inevitably, the eenamaria girl is an engaged and dynamic woman. Its a spirit more than it is a socio-economic description.

What can we look forward to in your next collection?

Afro-centric dayglo! Think M.I.A for inspiration.

Any plans for expanding into clothing design?

Well, funny you should ask, watch this space.....

Vintage, particularly mid-century design, is hot right now, even amongst the masses. What do you feel is influencing this? How is this affecting eenamaria?

Well, there is always the idea that if you go back 20 years, you will find exactly what influences our current trends. That having been said, what we were wearing 20 years ago, was influenced by 20 years prior....ipso facto, you will see some type of lineage. Of course, the psychology of the times also has an impact on people's desires, wants and spending habits. So, if you look at particularly wealthy periods, you will see higher levels of detail, more expensive materials and more classic looks, and the opposite is true for hard times, brighter, more fun, simpler and perhaps a little more disposable design sensibilities, ie, how long were you really going to be wearing the flared jeans and tie die shirt? There's nothing 'classic' or timeless about that, at all.

Who is your favorite vintage style icon? Why?

Wow! Tough....I am a huge fan of Isaac Mizrahi, I think he has combined talent, business and a strong sense of spotting good opportunities to create an amazing career for himself. His work always looks beautifully 'appointed' yet, he has no arrogance or elitism in his approach to fashion.....I like that, a lot.

eenamaria is available at ebags.com and qvc.com

The problem with selling vintage clothing is that you have 24 hour access to to your own inventory. Even though I have had many of these pieces in stock for several months, I still manage to find something new to me. I try to avoid trying anything on for fear that I will just keep everything all to myself. I ddn't listen to my own unspoken rule. I tried on this dress and it fit me waist and hips perfectly! A little tuck in the bust and it's perfect.

I have been thrifting less and less lately. What used to be a weekly activity has now dwindled to once a month. With so many sellers swarming to Ebay, styling aspiring models, and creating magazine like layouts, the thrift stores are pretty picked over. I'll be happy when many of these new sellers realize how much work it is, get bored, and move on.

But I had an amazing thrifting experience last week that may suck the bitterness right out of me. There I was at my favorite thrift - I'm not revealing so don't even ask ; ) - hoping to find a couple of worthy items. Things were looking pretty grim, especially after I spotted a fashionista strutting down the aisle sporting skin tight jeans, gorgeous riding boots, a cashmere sweater, and a cute little bob. I thought she was competition and I quickly felt the adrenaline rush, until I noticed a run of the mill sweater and plenty of jeans in her cart. But still, they could've been some great jeans!

With my competitive side fully engaged, I was determined to find a prize. I decided to search a section I rarely search - skirts. And there it was! The prize.

As soon as I touched it I knew it was quality. The softness of the wool, the bright cheery color. The real leather piping, and the silk lining. I look inside. PRADA!

And 50% off!

Even though it is not vintage, it has a definite vintage look. The box pleat gives way to a side slit. I'm a little torn because it is wool so technically it could be a fall piece, but the sun-shiny color screams spring. Maybe this would be good for a windy day with some boots.

Lesson learned: even with fashionistas trolling your turf, pickings looking slim, never forget to search high and low if it is treasure you seek.

special guest post by Jeanne Suica

I'm back from London and wanted to report on the latest from Kerry Taylor Auctions in London and an exciting upcoming auction in the USA.

On March 10 she held one of the mini auctions at her warehouse which featured over 300 lots of historic and ready to wear now fashions. Her mini auctions held a few times per year offer bidders a wide array of articles by great designers at usually less expensive prices than the two major auctions she holds in conjunction with Sotheby's.

A rainbow of colors and designers which was straight out of the current fashion magazines we all know and love. The star of the day was a wonderful Hermes black crocodile bag from 1986 which sold for £5200. Other eyecatching lots included a day glo orange suit by Chanel circa 1980 and a highlighter yellow silk suit by Claude Montana both under £200. An example of history and fashion repeating itself was the voluminous shoulder suit by Thierry Mugler which sold for £500 looked so similar to the new Dolce & Gabbana extended shoulder jackets and tops so prominantly featured in the spring ad campaigns.

Her next auction will be held on April 28 and will feature items from the Amanda Wakely Archive collection. An on line catalog will be available approximately 1 week before the auction at www.kerrytaylorauctions.com

For those of you who may have won the lottery or are celebrity collectors check out Julien's Auctions at www.juliensauctions.com. Over 2,000 lots of The King of Pop Michael Jackson personal belongings and memorabilia will be going on the block on April 22-25.

Happy bidding!

Jeanne collaborates with a major auction house in searching for and evaluating pieces for upcoming auctions. Clients worldwide who may be interested in selling or consigning their items can email her images and questions regarding their items via her site www.jeannesuica.com

When ever I sell a vintage bag, or gift a modern bag, I always drop a single penny in the bag for good fortune. I picked up this tip one year when a vendor at Viva Las Vegas told me to wait while he dropped a penny in my tooled clutch that I purchased from him. This week's Vintage Find is one giant lucky charm. This 1940s copper beaded bag is so different from other beaded evening bags. The copper beads are a refreshing alternative to traditional jet black beads. The braided handle gives this glittery box purse a touch of whimsy. Such a twist on the typical evening clutch.

available on Ebay.com
ends 4/5

Get your wallets ready ladies!!! This Saturday and Sunday, March 21st & 22nd at Valley in NYC, M.I.S.S. is teaming up with The Goods! to bring you a weekend of shopping, and beauty treatments! Shop vintage clothing and accessories from The Goods! and Funky Fanny's and pick up something new from Cubannie Links, Princess of the Posse, Office Tramp, Too Fly, Covet, Dirty Librarian Chains and Agapantha.

Book your appointments NOW for one of the following beauty services offered by Valley:
Manicure, Pedicure, Waxing or Facials. Receive 10% off all service if you spend $50 or more during the event (discount must be used the same weekend).

The fun starts at 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. both days. For appointments call: 212-274-8985.

The shopping event is CASH only, although some vendors will be accepting
credit cards via Pay Pal. Valley accepts all major forms of payment.

This is a special guest blog post from vintage clothing auction correspondent, Jeanne Suica...

Paris has been buzzing with the results of two major Yves Saint Laurent auctions that were held a couple weeks ago. The collection of Pierre Berge and Yves Saint Laurent which was held at Christie's broke a few major records in the antiques and art market. Did anyone say financial crisis? Not here! A pair of candelabra brought 253,000 euros and a chair fetched a sum of 21.9 million euros. Sadly, I couldn't even get close to the preview, there was a two hour wait to even get a peek of the fabulous collection.

I had better luck at the clothing and couture auction which was held a few days later at Hotel Duorot. The collection of 943 lots included a handful of haute couture pieces, many Rive Gauche items, accessories and a good amount of jewelry from 1962-2002.

Continue reading "Going, going, gone... Paris vintage clothing auction report"

For the past year and a half, vintage sellers all over the web have been complaining about the ever rising fees on what used to be the only game in town - Ebay. Other websites have come along, especially in the vintage and collectibles market, but none have been able to match the ease of use and user friendly layout of Ebay.com - until now.

Market Publique is a brand new marketplace strictly for vintage clothing and accessories. The site itself is beautifully laid out. When you scroll over one of the many images of items up for auction or sale, you immediately get all the pertinent information you need to know without having to click. This is one of the many features I think will set this site apart from any other vintage selling site.

But it takes more than a pretty face to meet the unique needs of vintage buyers and sellers. The component that impressed me the most was the fact that not everyone is allowed to sell at Market Publique. In order to sell here, you must apply. This will definitely weed out the newbies and undesirable crap that is sold on Ebay. According to their site,

"We're highly selective when it comes to choosing the sellers we partner with. Everyone selling on Market Publique displays style and integrity."

And after witnessing the shameful practices of some vintage sellers on Ebay, I hope that Market Publique can and will uphold this mantra.

If you are a seller, the dashboard is equally as user friendly. Everything is clearly laid out and easy to navigate. Currently, only flat rate shipping fees are possible - there is no shipping calculator. This may be an issue when you want to buy/sell internationally, but otherwise, I actually prefer flat fees, even if that means I have to eat a few bucks.

A site like this could easily charge what Ebay does for listing and closing fees because although they might not have the same traffic (yet), the audience is so niche that I imagine conversion rates will be high. Like my business skills?

But the rates are actually VERY reasonable. Almost too reasonable. A $0.25 listing fee and a flat 5% final value fee when the item sells. That's it. You can always upgrade and get some neat marketing perks such as "Fresh". For $5.00, you can get listed on the homepage, and for $2.50 you are featured on the category page. A small fee compared to Ebay.

I think Market Publique has a real chance at giving Ebay a run for its money by focusing on one niche Ebay just can't seem to stop pissing off with ridiculous fee increases and free for all community. They seems to get what vintage aficionados want in an online experience.

Come check out my first listing, since I have been completely ignoring my own selling site for the past year.

After flipping through the latest issue of Lucky magazine, I rekindled my love for tulip skirts. Tulip shaped skirts give me the fullness I covet from a spring worthy skirt without the bulk of a full skirt. While A line skirts flatter my pear shape figure best, sometimes I want a little extra oomph on my lower half. Tulip skirts do the job! I prefer fewer pleats and avoid minis.

This week's Vintage Find is a perfect cocktail dress if you are looking for a tulip shaped skirt for evening. I love the pearl straps and the cute little pearl paisley detail. Add a pair of towering sexy heels to balance out the sweetness and you have a perfect evening look for spring.

1950s Emma Domb tulip skirt dress
available on Ebay.com, BIN $165

Stiletto Jungle takes a look at the new Madewell for ShopBop capsule collection.

Allie is Wired reports that The Hills is ending for Lauren Conrad after season five.

Bag Bliss has fallen for the Spring 2009 Fendi Peek-A-Boo Bag

Bag Snob - Get an exclusive peek at Nancy Gonzalez Fall 2009 bags!

Beauty Snob - Blast your fat away, and eat it too.

Coquette is loving the new trend in one shoulder fashions.

Debutante Clothing admires vintage couture designer Valentina.

Fashion Pulse Daily recaps some of its favorite collections from New York Fashion Week: Milly, Mackage, 3.1 Phillip Lim, and more.

KRISTOPHER is wanting, wearing, and hating Belgian shoes.

Second City Style broke down all the trends we found during New York Fashion Week Fall '09.

Shopping and Info checks out: Givenchy for Spring 2009.

Check Out Shrimpton Couture's Real Life Vintage Spot from Karla's Closet

StyleBakery.com shares 10 ways to recession-proof your wardrobe.

Stylehive has a bit of a crush on first lady of France Carla Bruni's style, and has found a few ways to get her look!

The Beauty Stop calls out the 2009 Academy Awards hair disasters.

The Fashion Bomb chit chats with Lisa Price of Carol's Daughter about celebrity beauty musts and year round skin care!

The Shoe Goddess channels her inner candy striper with these quirky DSquared2 shoes!

Check out TheMakeupGirl's coverage of the best looks of the 2009 Oscars!

This weekend, I went to a birthday party where scrapbooking, crafting, cupcakes, and Bellinis reined. My friend, Julie Wanda, was wearing the most fabulously glittery, sparkly rhinestone encrusted jewelry bangles in girly colors. She looked like a sparkly cupcake. I was mesmerized.

As an ode to Julie's drive to sparkle like a Vegas showgirl in the middle of the afternoon, I found this gorgeous set of pink lucite and rhinestone jewelry. Because if you're going to go girly, pink and sparkly is as girly as you can get.

One of my many vintage obsessions is lucite box purses. I used to wear them out all the time, but these days, I mostly display and admire them. Lucite purses are beautiful little sculptures that you can take with you. And just like sculpture, the more intricate the details, the more valuable the piece. Color plays an important role too. I'm partial to clear, but if you can find a red or black lucite purse, you have scored!

But finding the little gems, in mint condition is not easy. Dekonstruckted Hollywood, a California based vintage shop, is filling the need of this market by selling reproduction vintage style lucite purses.When it comes to repros, I have to admit that these are some fantastic copies. With the exception of the handle turned forward instead of across the length of the body of the purse, the new ones are dead ringers.

My favorite is the pink, pearl swirl one, but I always get a little twinge of guilt, as if I am cheating or something, when I consider reproduction.

What do you think? Yay or Nay?

This week made me think of hearts, plastics, and the economy. Of course I had hearts on the brain because of St. Valentine's Day, but this year, the calendared day of love was over shadowed by fear of the crumbling economy and the letter du jour - the lay off notification.

The last time we saw this sort of economic climate was the Great Depression. While we are not technically in a depression, news of mass lay offs and plummeting stock markets are frightening. It's unbelievable, just as it was in the 1920s when everyone was sipping champagne, people were doing the Charleston till dawn, and living the Garçonne lifestyle. Then Crash!

But what did this do for fashion? Fashionistas who once donned feathers and beads had to learn to mend and reuse. Fashion became minimal and modest.

As we enter an era where we are spending only on the basics and trying to find ways to perk up our wardrobes with inexpensive details in order to save money but still look fab, I am reminded of the amazing little accessory made of the most mundane material that brought joy to frugalistas everywhere - Bakelite jewelry.  Bakelite accessories were a relatively inexpensive way to wear highly decorative and whimsical jewelry.  Bakelite was such a hit that even women with money started buying the plastic beauties.

This week's vintage find is a perfect way to bid adieu to another Valentine's Day and to welcome wonderful, colorful accessories that brought a whole generation of frugal but fashionable women joy and dazzle to a closet of basics in one of the darkest economic times in history.

A few weeks ago, I interviewed Abigail Rutherford of Leslie Hindman Auctioneers. As covetable as her job is, I envy Jeanne Suica even more. Jeanne jets sets across the world hunting through people's closets and spying collectible, auction worthy treasures. Check out this article she wrote just for Debutante Clothing!

I've been a part of the auction world for the past few years and it is probably my favorite part of my clothing business which is based in Europe.

We all have a story of a special piece that we've found and mine was a Jean Paul Gaultier dress that I picked up at Goodwill in New York City. The dress which was labelled Jean Paul Gaultier Maille was a long acid green net fabric with a gold metallic overlay print which resembled body contours. Not in perfect condition but for $40.00 I thought that I had found the perfect Halloween costume.

A few months later I decided to send a photo to an auction house in London that I had consigned with a few times. Imagine my surprise when I received an estimation of £300-£500 and learned that it was from 1996 and part of a major museum collection in Japan. A few months later and £500 richer I decided that I wanted to learn more about what made an item collectable and realized that I enjoyed sitting in the library day after day doing research as much as hunting for a great vintage find at my favorite yard sale.

I provide a range of services for clients selecting items that might be auction worthy, providing estimations in conjunction with one of the leading auction houses in Europe, scheduling large collection or estate evaluations worldwide and coordinating the logistics of putting their fine collectables up for auction. My clients are worldwide and diverse, from Parisians cleaning out their storage units, vintage dealers worldwide who may not have found a client in their local market for specialty pieces they need to sell, clients who want to remain anonymous or modern day fashionistas who don't have the time to handle the details of consigning their items.

Below are some general guidelines that auction houses follow in deciding if a piece might be suitable for auction:

Label and Design
Not everything that has a famous label is auction worthy. I think that all of us have seen pieces by our favorite designers and wondered "What were they thinking?" Pieces that usually attract attention are the pieces that speak to us and convey the message of the period and trademark of the designer. A very simple example is that of Emilio Pucci, his colorful prints are much more desireable than his solid colored clothing and because the fabric is signed throughout on most pieces there is usually not a doubt as to authenticity.

Design of course plays an important part. You may find an eyecatching piece at an estate sale without a label. Pieces without labels but that are well constructed or have a historical value may be desireable for auction houses. You may even get a wonderful surprise and have your unlabelled item attributed to a major designer or find out that it is much more valuable than you ever imagined.

Condition

In a perfect world everyone would take care of their clothing but we all know that while collectors generally want an item to be in perfect or near perfect condition there are many desirable items out there that have been enjoyed and well worn by their owners. Items which are strong examples of a particular period, designer or collection may still be auction worthy and bought but never worn by designers who are looking for inspiration, museums, or private individuals who are looking to complete a segment of their collection.

Documentation/Provenance

Do you have a piece that was featured in a fashion publication, a film or owned by someone famous? If so and you can provide proof your item it may certainly increase the "desirable factor" with bidders.

Age

Most of us know that a Schiaparelli dress would probably bring a fantastic price at auction but do you know that many newer items (up to the year 2000) are also appearing on a regular basis at auction houses worldwide? Fashionistas who love mixing old and new styles are now clamouring for front row seats at some of the major auction houses hoping to snap up a bargain Cheap & Chic cocktail dress or a gently used Hermes handbag.

My advice is to always deal with a reputable auction house. Not all auction houses will accept the same items and fees and charges vary. Estimations for consignment are free of charge and I can honestly say that most people that I have met or worked with at the major auction houses have been wonderful professional and knowlegable. There is no need to be initimidated by auction houses so clean out your closet and turn those unwanted items into cash and one of your treasures just may end up in a museum!

For a free evaluation of you items please don't hesitate to contact me at:
www.jeannesuica.com

Looky what I got! I just love this Roger Van S two tone purse! It looks so modern, in all senses of the word. I just saw an ad for a Kate Spade tote that looked very similar to this. But I am fortunate enough to own an original, finely crafted Roger Van S. When it comes to leather goods, you can't beat Roger Van S.

According to the mavens at Enoki World...

Who was Roger Van S? Technically a husband and wife team, Roger Van Schoyck and wife Doris, a former model, made some of the best bags in all vintage archives. Actually Roger was encouraged to take up a craft when he injured himself in the Army so he started tooling around with leather. When the savvy Mrs. put in her two cents, they created a signature collection of pigskin bags in all shapes and sizes with amazing shape and hardware.

The best part is this is such a season-less bag. This baby will carry me from winter to spring. Now I have to rethink my Coco Trophy Queen bag I was going to buy in the same color combination, but can anyone ever have enough black and white in their wardrobe?

I think I am finally coming around to accepting some, SOME, '80s into my vintage lexicon. What I don't want to accept are acid washed jeans. But I am willing to indulge in a bit of 1980s luxe or avant garde. I'm not totally ashamed of the '80s - there was a lot of great cutting edge fashion and music that was born in the '80s. Mostly, I think my aversion stems from the fact that a decade I was witness to is now becoming vintage with the young fashionistas. I'm feeling a bit old.

This week's vintage find is a jacket I would not mind wearing though. This tux-like little jacket  looks a bit avant garde, a bit glam with a touch of 1930s vamp. The fox fur details at the shoulders make this jacket smolder. It's a tad femme fatale no? But if I were to wear something like this, would the youngsters get the irony? Or would they think I'm just dated?

If you're looking for something to do this weekend, check out the Santa Monica Vintage Fashion Expo. At the last expo, Dita Von Teese cause quite a stir amongst the dealers and shoppers alike. Come shop where modern pin ups shop! I'll be there.

Journalist Stephanie Nolasco asked me to share vintage shopping tips with the readers of NocheLatina.com! Check it out...
http://www.nochelatina.com/Articles/2566/Blast-from-the-Past-How-to-Shop-for-Vintage

When it comes to vintage clothing, couture and designer finds are the treasures that entice us to check one more thrift, visit one more estate sale, rummage through one more church bazaar. But when you find something so amazing that Ebay might be too small potatoes for your vintage find, it's time to hit the auction circuit.

Abigail Rutherford is the Director of Vintage Couture and Accessories at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers, one of the premier auction houses in the US. Located in Chicago, Ill., Leslie Hindman hold vintage couture and accessories auction three to four times per year. Rutherford is currently seeking lots for their upcoming couture auction April 19.

Abigail was gracious enough to take a few moments from her busy schedule to answer a few questions about couture and auctions...

How did you get your start in vintage couture?

Here at Leslie Hindman- My background was in Art History so this seemed like the perfect liaison between my two loves, fashion and art!

What's the best part of your job?

Uncovering the treasures that people bring in and learning the history behind each one, it is fascinating!

When it comes to designer and couture vintage, what do you look for in auction consignment pieces?

There are two categories that I look for- collectability and wearability. Both categories sell equally as well.

What are hot sellers right now at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers?

Evening and cocktail as well as Chanel and Hermes accessories.

What's been the highest closing auction you've come across?

Hermes crocodile Birkins always garner the highest price, they can be comparable to prices of Picassos!

What's been the strangest auction piece you've seen?

A see-through mesh evening gown from the 40s that sold for $4000 against an estimate of 200-400, I was stunned watching it go up at auction.

How does Chicago's vintage marketplace differ from New York?

New York has a very strong retail market, but is without an auction resource. Leslie Hindman is the premier auction resource in the country catering to clients worldwide. It should also be known that when buying at auction you are paying fair market value, which is closer to a wholesale value rather than a retail value, therefore the vintage couture at auction is less expensive than a retail venue that would be marking up these garments.

What types of bidders come to Leslie Hindman auctions?

There are a huge variety of bidders from all over. They are generally associated with museums, institutions, retail venues, or just private individuals looking to collect.

What should one do if they are interested in selling a vintage piece at a live auction?

Go to our website at www.lesliehindman.com and there are instructions for the consignment process!

Any tips for vintage bidders?

Always request more information on the piece, whether it is measurements or general condition, this information will better equip you when you go to bid!

I came across PastEra.com through NotCouture.com. I immediately loved the name and look of the site. It exuded quality in its display of fine, collectible jewelry without even having seen the pieces. And when I did see the collection of exquisite jewelry, I knew I had to contact the mavens behind the jewels.

PastEra.com is known for its exceptional jewelry ranging from the 17th through 20th centuries. It is comprised of a team of collectors, historians, gemologists, curators, and jewelry experts. You can rest assured that what you purchase from them is top notch finery. I got a chance to chat with the dame of divine jewelry, Marion Glober. Check out what she had to share...

Past Era's collection spans many important historical periods. Which one seems to be the most collectible?

In my over 40 years of experience in the antique jewelry business I would have to say that nothing antique ever really goes out of style. For example I've noticed that various historical periods appear to be more collectible at one time or another, depending on current preferences and taste and somewhat dictated by fashion styles. On the other hand, some people collect a certain look, some a certain time period and others a particular kind of genre. Fine early memorial pieces known as memento mori for example. Other collectors look for pieces made of a particular material such as Berlin Ironwork. It so depends on the whims of collectors.

Many people confuse Art Deco and Art Nouveau. Can you tell us the difference?

The focus of the Art Nouveau was romanticism and the skills of the artisan. Beautiful metalwork was revered and the use of delicate enamels and semi-precious stones in soft, pale colors were preferred. Art Nouveau precedes the Art Deco. Art Nouveau comes at the end of the Victorian era right around the turn of the century. Flowing, asymmetrical and sensual designs were popular incorporating women's heads, designs from the natural world such as floral motifs and lots of insects and mythical creatures. For example see the work of René Lalique, the renowned French Art Nouveau artisan and jewelry maker. WW1 put an end to the of the Art Nouveau period.

Art Deco follows immediately after the end of WW1 when machinery and the industrial world really takes off. The designs are much more geometric and industrial looking than the Art Nouveau and incorporate the use of platinum and diamonds and bold designs with lots of vibrant colored stones. The jewelry of the Art Deco period is bold and beautiful and comes to an end at the start of WW2.

What advice would you give someone starting in collecting vintage and antique jewelry?

The most important first step is to shop with a reputable antique jeweler that you know and trust and buy the best you can afford and something you love. Build a collection of the finest (within your budget) of a certain period or design or material or style and slowly refine your collection as time goes by. Don't waste money buying items that are not true to a period and/or not in perfect original condition. Also, buy things that you would love wearing and then you will have continued enjoyment from your collection.

What is the rarest piece you have offered on PastEra.com?

We have had quite a few extraordinary pieces through the years. Including a rare Lasque diamond ring with a hand painted miniature of Shakespeare under the diamond, beautiful lacy Berlin ironwork pieces, early 17th century memorial rings, a wonderful Carlo Giuliano necklace, some items made by René Lalique and a fine 19th century cameo pin/pendant in its original fitted box and signed by Henri Vever. As an example we currently have a very beautiful Edwardian cluster ring set with a gorgeous untreated, natural Burmese ruby & diamonds.

I noticed you include everything after the Art Deco period in the "Retro" category. Why is this?

Retro refers to 1940s and early 1950s wartime and post-war 'cocktail' jewelry when lifestyles changed so dramatically. Also, referred to as the Art Moderne period. Lots of
standing around at cocktail parties and much less formal dinner entertaining. The jewelry is fun, very bold using lots of rose gold and bold colored stones. There was a shortage of platinum after the war and so very little was used during the Retro period. We also have an Estate section for things 1950s and later on PastEra.com

Some of your pieces look so modern. Do you specifically look for jewelry that can be incorporated into a modern wardrobe?

Everything I buy for Past Era Antique Jewelry can be worn with today's fashions. We love helping customers find new and fun ways to incorporate their antique jewelry into their contemporary wardrobes for fresh look.

I always fantasize about finding some rare treasure in the thrift store. Does this happen?

Absolutely! I suspect lots of people share your fantasy. However, realistically, it takes a very trained eye to spot a rare treasure. It is very important to be able to distinguish between real and fake, old and reproduction, quality and current condition. It takes many years of handling and buying this beautiful jewelry to become skilled at spotting that rare treasure. That is why it is critical, when building a collection, to be able to depend on a reliable and expert dealer who has many, many years of experience. Our history in the antique jewelry business is something that we are very proud of at Past Era Antique Jewelry and that is why we know people will love finding the gorgeous antique jewelry available at PastEra.com

Continue reading "Interview with Vintage & Antique Jewelry Site PastEra.com"

Couture Allure shows how to recycle a vintage coat.

Debutante Clothing digs through the vintage Vogue archives and finds wisdom on handkerchiefs and reputations.

Here's Looking Like You, Kid shows off retro platform shoes that Raquel Welch could "Fathom".

Market Publique gives you an inside look at their Listing Page.

iKonic Vintage visits the swinging 60's with the first fashion video starring Peggy Moffitt wearing Rudi Gernreich.

It's time for another Vintage Roadshow roundup - the best vintage talk on the web. Our little vintage blogger group is starting to grow! If you write about vintage clothing or living, come join us.

Debutante Clothing rings in the New Year in 1960s black and white paillettes.

The Vintage Travelermourns the end of Bill Blass.

Glamoursplash begins a series of posts on swimwear through the ages.

Here's Looking Like You, Kid has lots of leopard print for sex kittens.

iKonic does her part for the economy with her new weekly feature Vintage Cheap But Chic.

Boot shopping is quite a chore for me. I am 5'0" and have short legs. However, it seems I have the muscle mass of a normal sized person because getting any tall boots to zip up above my calves is rare. So when I saw these gorgeous 1960s black and white boots, I sighed in disappointment knowing my poor little stubby legs would never be clocked in two tone leather goodness.

available on Ebay.com
ends 1/9

I rarely take pictures of myself for the blog. I absolutely love looking at pictures of some of my favorite bloggers such as Galadarling, Jennine of theCoveted, and Wendy Brandes, but I have an aversion to taking pictures of myself. I rarely photograph well anyway, so to try to look cute on purpose is tough.

However, for NYE, I will make an exception, mostly because I am dying to show off my new vintage sweater shell top. It's covered in black and off white paillettes, the more sophisticated and iridescent cousin of the sequin. When I saw this shell online, I had an audible reaction. That's always a good sign for me. So I bought it without thinking about where I would even wear this.

I honestly didn't care if I had an occasion because I loved it so much. it made perfect sense to wear it on New Years Eve because, seriously, when else could I pull this off? A trip to Vegas maybe.

I have a very fond memory of a gown my mom used to own. I remember sneaking into er closet and picking off the clear paillettes, bending them and attaching them to my nails with her Lee Press On glue because they reminded me of fake finger nails. When my mother saw my top, she remembered the dress and claimed she still owned it. She might discover a few bald spots on the bodice!

I am so in love with the color combination, the smooth almost scale like feel of the paillettes, and the fun almost jingly sound they make. I didn't go anywhere fancy though so I toned it down with jeans and a light weight, long cardigan. My outfit would've been perfect with a tight pair of slim jeans. Consider those next on my shopping list.

Reader, Dale, is going on a whirlwind adventure to Italia! But she wanted to trust us vintage and second had fashionphiles with this question based on all the great responses from Vintage Shopping in Italy:

Thanks to all who posted! But I'm wondering if there are simple second-hand stores that are not strictly vintage/collectible?

Also, any recommendations for what to do on New Year's Eve in Venice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks! Dale

If anyone can help Dale out, she'd really appreciate it!

Monica Corcoran of the LA Times has written a witty article on the latest fashion related word added to the lexicon of style. For the past few months, blogs and blog posts have been springing up all with one theme in common - style during hard times. I have never felt more compelled to blog about something than I do now.

Ladies! Shouldn't you be frugal with your money at all times? Shouldn't you forgo paying exorbitant amounts of money on the latest "it" bag while panicking about how to pay your rent? The truth is that we have become such a must have, credit dependent society that we make irresponsible choices when it comes to money. Now, if you have the dough to buy the latest stam-2.55-spy bag, cash, and still pay your rent, more power to you! I admire and envy you. You probably work your ass off for that dough - you deserve it.

But for me, and women like me, who have style, but do it by mixing vintage and discount finds, mix high and low fashion, and would prefer to spend a couple Ks on a trip to some far off land, we've been living frugal forever. There's a recession on? We hadn't noticed. We were blinded by our past season Vivienne Westwood sunglasses we got at Off Saks 5th Avenue.

It's great that, just like living green, there is a nationwide trend towards living frugally. But how long will this last? Until prices of homes come back up and we are back to buying things we can't afford and then complaining that the economy sucks. We need the Al Gore of fashion to champion frugal living - Kathryn?

It bugs me that being financially savvy requires economic upheaval. I'm not saying don't buy beautiful, expensive items. But choose wisely. Spend money on items that bring you joy and don't interrupt important things in life. Invest in pieces that will last forever and transcend trends. More importantly, live a stylish life within your means.

Now, I'm off to snipe some unassuming, unaware recessionista on Ebay!

When my best friend Sonja was getting married, she needed something borrowed. I loaned her my carved, clear lucite clutch which was covered in the most brilliant rhinestones. Unfortunately, I never got it back, and I didn't have the heart to ask for it as I assumed she kept it as a momento of her big day.

Lucite purses are highly collectible and coveted. The more intricate the carving or embellishments, the more it's worth. But there is something about the simplicity of this plastic beauty that really amazes me. Perhaps it's the fact that it is crystal clear and perfect. Maybe it's the sweet floral carvings on the cover and handle. Whatever it is, plastic never looked so stunning.

available at Ebay.com - ends 12/21

I don't know what's gotten into me. The older I get, the longer I have been in the vintage game, the more gun shy, or maybe even apathetic I have become when it comes to bidding on Ebay. Maybe it's the economy - maybe I am feeling a twinge of guilt for wanting to buy designer luxury items that I don't necessarily need, I just want.

I have had vintage Dior travel bag on my Ebay watch list for months. I suddenly became obsessed with finding a Dior logo travel bag, but not a duffel style. I want a real, honest to goodness travel bag pre-1980. I have this style fantasy of the perfect travel outfit. It consists of comfortable casual pants or lightweight slack style denim, funky vintage oxfords, a cashmere cardi in a great print, like leopard, a tissue thin 3/4 length sleeve top, and a sophisticated designer carry on bag.

I have had two failed attempts on Ebay. The first, I was totally outbid at $300 - I know it's Dior, but I still want it reasonably priced.

My last attempt, and the reason I feel like I am losing my touch or hunger, was for a perfect brown and white canvas Dior carry on. It was probably from the early '70s. I won! But, I didn't meet the reserve. I hate reserves. Unless they are mine.

I emailed the seller to find out what the reserve was. It was about $50 dollars more than I wanted to spend. Apparently, she emailed me back and told me she would let it go for my asking price. But I never saw the response, Does anyone else hate Ebay's notification system?

The seller relisted so I bid. This time, it sold for $100 more than what she was willing to sell it to me for. Sigh. Am I being too cheap? Or do I not care enough?

So now of course the regret has set in. Someone please slap me the next time I don't just indulge and buy myself something nice.

Yoox.com has done it again. This time they have curated a gorgeous collection of some of the finest vintage and contemporary jewelry. The Italy based online retailer is showcasing vintage costume jewelry from some of the most collectible designer names.

The collection, titled Past & Present features vintage pieces from Coppola e Toppo, Trifari, Monet, Miriam Haskell, Chanel, Kenneth Jay Lane, and Correani. Many of the pieces come from precious private collections like that of the jewelry historian Deanna Farneti Cera.

The selection is presented through six themes, all of which illustrate the most significant trends of next season: Black, Cuffs & Bracelets, Graphic Themes, Chains, Pearls, and Glamorous Ornaments.

"Jewelry lifts our spirits and transforms the clothes we wear. Once dismissed as a poor imitation of fine jewelry, costume jewelry came into its own in the 20th century, with its own glamour and its own design tradition-adventurous, stylish, bigger, bolder."  Holly Brubach

Be sure to check out Natalia Brilli's interview. She discusses her inspiration for her leather based jewelry line and how she uses vintage haute couture techniques to create her exquisite collection.

Deanna Farneti Cera, costume jewelry historian and author of many collecting books, not only contributed some of her own private collection, but she also gives some insight into the world of collectible costume jewelry.

She claims there are two types of people who purchase costume jewelry. One buys without much thought but with the purpose of purchasing something elegant that matches an outfit or their appearance. The other is the type that puts thought into each purchase - the collector. This buyer selects pieces based on themes, periods or styles.

I think I am more of a theme shopper. I have tons of buckle bracelets and I can't seem to stop. It's funny how you realize in hindsight that you have amassed a collection without knowing it when you continue to buy what tickles your fancy.

Check out the Past & Present article where you can find the videos and a ton of great historical information.

Sale ends January 31, 2009.

I have been coveting this 1950s Ingber safety pin bag for almost a year now. I love the quirky safety pin handle. Punk rock meets 5th Ave. While this bag is still chic, the audacious pin gives it a sense of humor. Really, the only thing holding me back is the price. And I think many others feel the same way because it's been sitting there forever! Secretly, I know I'll be devastated if anyone else buys it. So imagine my glee when I saw this safety pin bag by Bodhi. I declared, "It's my safety pin bag!"

Their "Safety Clutch" features a leather and fur body, looks like pony hair, topped by an exaggerated safety pin handle. The Bodhi silhouette is a bit more modern, but I can't help but love its original inspiration more.

Marc Jacobs also featured giant gold tone safety pins as fasteners for wide leather belts at his spring show.

Photo: Greg Kessler

My punk rock friends may gag at the idea of couture safety pins, but there is something so tongue in cheek about accenting chic design with shiny, giant, household objects.

Couture Allure talks about dressing well on a budget in the 1950's.

Debutante Clothing finds a chic '50s hat she can actually wear.

Freudian Slips Vintage showcases recent vintage finds.

Glamoursplash writes about Twiggy - the 1960's Supermodel and Icon.

iKonic Vintage explores Target's upcoming Designer Collaborations.

I love hats, but unfortunately, I was not blessed with a head for them. Or maybe it's my face in general. Because I am petite, I always feel that l look like a bobble head with nothing but cheeks poking out from under the brim. Which is why I love this week's vintage find.

This little cap is perfect for someone like me who has an aversion to big brims. This dainty little cap is a cross between a headband and a beanie. In fact, I would have no problem fitting this into a modern wardrobe. The best part is that the fuzzy fabric will keep my head nice and toasty during the cold California months when it dips below 60. Ha!

available at Ballyhoo Vintage $35

This is a guest post from the lovely Mademoiselle Robot. She was gracious enough to accept posting some of her favorite vintage boutiques in London and beyond.

Vintage shopping can be extremely rewarding, but it can also be a massive drag if you go to all the wrong places. Dirty, dusty, badly lit vintage shops are my nightmare. It is fun from time to time, but mostly annoying as you end up bringing home smelly garments, sometimes involuntary hosts to entire families of bugs. And this, is not cool. Here is a non exhaustive list of pleasant London shops & some online boutiques.

❤ Beyond Retro

When I first set foot in the Cheshire St shop a few years ago, I thought I had died and gone to vintage heaven. Rows after rows of clothes, all arranged by colour & type of items make for a very easy shopping experience. They have a mix of 70s/80s stuff & "real" vintage from the 40s & 50s, which is really good, as most shops these days seem to focus too much on the 70s & 80s.
Two shops in London: east at 110-112 Cheshire Street & west at 58-59 Great Marlborough Street. You can also find them in Stockholm.

❤ Absolute Vintage & Blondie

Another giant temple of vintage in East London. Here, it is a bit messier, but there is just so much choice that it doesn't really matter. The main interest in this one is shoes, as they have an awful lot of them, all the time.
More interesting is Blondie, the luxury sister of Absolute Vintage, about two streets further. There you will find vintage designer pieces from Jourdan to Dior.

Absolute Vintage - 15 Hanbury St
Blondie - 114-118 Commercial Street
& you can also buy online.

❤ The Lazy Ones

As well as designing the Des Moines collection (sold in their shop & in Topshop), The Lazy Ones keep a handpicked vintage selection in their cute little boutique. And if you want a little tip from me: this shop is brilliant for celebrity spotting, as it is where all the cool kids go.

102 Sclater Street (off Brick Lane)

❤ Vintage at Liberty

Now, kids, this is the place dreams are made of. Vintage Hermés, Chanel, YSL, they are all there. You won't find any bargains there at all, only beautiful pieces, unique items survivors from eras past. The whole shop is a dream anyway, so you should go and check it out.

Entrance on Regent street & Carnaby street.

❤ Bang Bang

It is mainly a second hand designer shop, but you can also find good vintage items at reasonable prices there. Think vintage Valentino & Dior mixed with current Marc Jacobs & Chloë. I try to go regularly as they always get new stock. The staff there is always super nice and friendly which also helps making the whole experience better.
21 Goodge street
9 Berwick Street

❤ Palette

Another one specialised in vintage couture & avant-garde, a feast for the eyes. There you will find Pucci, Ossie Clark & Courrèges amongst others.

21 Canonbury Lane

❤ Annie's

Perfect place to buy vintage accessories, but also very good for real vintage at good prices.

12 Camden Passage

❤ I Heart Cheeky Chops
❤ Peppermint Vintage
❤ Martha's closet
❤ Vintage Revival
❤ Candy Says
❤ Liebemarlene Vintage

I hope these addresses and links will prove helpful for all of you my darlings, I am sure those of you who live in London already know most of these addresses!

xxx

Check out Mademoiselle's other stylish thoughts at Mademoiselle Robot.

I virtually met Malie Raef earlier this year when I discovered her amazing website Vintage Shopping Guide.com. She walks the fashion line working as a men's fashion designer and through her vintage fashion resource business. Malie has been there, done that when it comes to vintage fashion, and she wants to share her wealth of information with all vintage fashion mavens.

DC: How did you get involved in the crazy world of fashion?

VSG: I was born and raised in Houston Texas. I always knew I wanted to be a fashion designer, but I didn't know I would end up in menswear. I studied in Miami University of Art and Design. Then, my father insisted that I get a Bachelors degree, so I moved to Atlanta where I double majored Fashion Marketing and Design. Well, when I graduated I was kind of stuck in Atlanta, GA where there are not too many fashion design jobs. My very first job was with the Sero Shirt Company. It was a menswear company that did a label called Madison Trader. Well, that ended up being the very best thing that could have happened to me because the company was very small and I got to do EVERYTHING!

Unfortunately the Sero Shirt Company closed down a couple years later. From there I moved back to Miami to work for Perry Ellis International. (PEI is where I also met my now fiancé, Joe!) After a couple years there I made a big leap to come to NYC. I am still here and have worked for the same company, Phillips Van Heusen, ever sense. I design for both the Geoffrey Beene sportswear and the Van Heusen sportswear lines. And I love it!

DC: What is Vintage Shopping Guide? How did Vintage Shopping Guide come about?

VSG: VintageShoppingGuide.com is an online resource for all things relating to vintage clothing and accessories. We have a store listing of all vintage stores across the country. We also do interviews every other week with designers, stylists, curators, etc. talking about how they use vintage as inspiration in their work. We also list all fashion exhibits from around the world, and there is a VSG Blog.

VSG got started because as a designer you have to constantly shop for inspiration. That means shopping current designers at high end boutiques all the way to the down and dirty vintage stores. I had compiled a list of vintage stores from all the cities I had lived and visited. People I worked with were always asking me where to go and I would email them the list. Someone pointed out that this should be on the web, and VSG was born!

DC: Your articles and interviews are always so intriguing. How do you decide whom to interview?

VSG: There is really no special formula. I love talking to people and when I visit a store or a vintage trade show I start talking to people. Sometimes people recommend other people to me or sometimes I read about someone, and I think they might be interesting. Almost all the time people are willing to be interviewed.

DC: Which has been your best interview yet?

VSG: There have been some really good ones! But I learned a lot from Kerry Taylor from Kerry Taylor Auctions in London. She has worked for Sotheby's Auction House, and specializes in the super high end clothing and textiles. At that time I knew nothing about the auction side of vintage. She explained everything so well, and I ended up using much of the information later in my e-book How to Make Money Cleaning Out Your Closet in the chapter on selling via auction houses.

DC: What is your philosophy on vintage in the modern fashion landscape?

VSG: Don't date yourself! I love vintage as much as the next person, but I never wear it head to toe. I like to mix it in with current fashion so that it becomes just a cool skirt or an interesting top I have on. I would much rather someone say to me, "Hey, that's a really nice dress. Where did you get it?" Then I can say, "Oh, it's vintage." Smirk!

DC: How do you feel about some designers infusing so much vintage reference into their collections? How much is too much?

VSG: As a designer myself I am a little bit bias. I love to see designers using inspiration from all kinds of different sources. But I don't like it when they just copy it exactly. I believe you have to make something your own by changing it up just a little bit. You know, change the fabric, add a tuck here, change the sleeve or the collar. Do something so it is surprising and fresh.

DC: What's been your best vintage score?

VSG: I have two. My adorable fiancé got my engagement ring at Doyle & Doyle, and estate jewelry store here in NYC. It turned out to be a 1930s vintage Tiffany! I was ecstatic!

Then, when I was looking for my wedding dress, one day I decided to stop into this vintage store close by to where I work. I wasn't expecting to find anything as they don't really specialize in evening gowns. Anyway, I totally scored on my lunch break when I found this super pale pink rejected prom dress that is covered in tulle. It is strapless and super tight in the bodice and then poofs out like a princess dress down to right above my ankles! I feel like such an ingénue in that dress! The best part, is that even with the slight alteration, the dress was only $175. I love a bargain!

DC: Which are your favorite vintage stores in NY? LA? Anywhere else?

VSG: In NYC for jewelry you can't beat This N' That Collectibles. For casual clothes I go to Cheap Jacks. For the best selection of boots it has to be Daha Vintage. And for fancy vintage you have to go to New York Vintage. In LA, for casual I like Wasteland. For a more memorable evening dress The Way We Wore is incredible. In Miami you have to go to Miami Twice and Back-N-Style.

DC: You just developed an Ebook. Tell us about it.

VSG: With the economy being in such flux lately I was getting a lot of emails from people wanting to know where and how to sell their items to the vintage stores. So I decided to make a step-by-step guide that takes people through the steps of giving to charity, selling to a resale shop or vintage store, selling it themselves via online auction, and selling via action house. I worked directly with vintage store owners and auctioneers and other people in the vintage business to find out the inside scoop on what to look for, and what someone can expect from each kind of deal. The e-book is called How to Make Money Cleaning Out Your Closet, and it is available on VintageShoppingGuide.com and on Amazon.com Kindle Store.

DC: Who is your favorite designer-not living?

VSG: I adore the lady-like silhouettes of Dior, in the early years.

Politicians and crazed supporters will argue, scream and shout about patriotism. The only real patriotic action in this country is to VOTE!

Here's a little vintage inspiration for this long, stressful day...

And if you need a little vintage fashion coping mechanism, check out my post on Vintage Patriotic Shoes at FantasticToe.com! By the way, have you entered the contest?

55 Secret Street discovers her SoleMates - discreet high heel protection for everything from cobblestone walks to the mean sidewalks on New York City.

A Few Goody GumDrops has just ordered the ultimate Digital Goody from Vivienne Tam!

Stiletto Jungle names the best jeans for pear-shaped women.

Allie is Wired has the first pictures of Gwen Stefani's new baby, Zuma Nesta Rock Rossdale.

Bag Snob exclusive: Pierre Hardy bags!

Beauty Snob glows with Laura Mercier Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer!

Christina Loves... amazing overnight hair treatment, Kronos Phyx.

Coquette gets cozy with the hoodie scarf.

Debutante Clothing is in awe of Resurrection's avant garde fashion at Christie's London.

Fashion Pulse is mesmerized by Alexander McQueen's Spring 2009 Collection.

KRISTOPHER is wanting, wearing, hating Jimmy Choo clutches.

Ladybrille captures fun pictures from Nollywood A-List Actress Stephanie Okereke's Through the Glass Film Premiere!.

Vintage Marc Jacobs (1991) auctioned off, Papierblog is in lust.

In this economy pretty much anything is negotiable. Second City Style offers tips how to bargain for a better deal.

Shopping and Info found out who made Angelina Jolie's dress from the Hollywood Film Festival Gala.

StyleBakery went on a recession-proof shopping spree and found must-haves to wear now and forever

Stylehive brings you a sneak peek of Edun's stylishly sustainable 'Nocturne' collection!

The Beauty Stop says that false eyelashes are easier than you think.

The Fashionable Housewife just got back from a 10 day getaway to beautiful Naples, FL and want to share What Was In Her Suitcase!!!

The Shoe Goddess ponders the practicality of 6-inch heels. How high will you go?

Photo by Alicia Nijdam

The Vintage Roadshow is back! And we're having a great time sharing vintage goodies. Check it out...

Debutante Clothing scours the web for booties with vintage appeal.

Freudian Slips Vintage showcases vintage Frank Usher dresses.

iKonic Vintage finds how-to videos on perfecting that vintage hairstyle.

Love blogging about vintage? Join the Vintage Roadshow!

I'm having a great time blogging about shoes at FantasticToe.com. In fact, the Editor In Chief, and shoe maven, wants to play with Debutante Clothing readers. I can't reveal too much right now, but it's going to be worth while. Trust me! Stay tuned.

Meanwhile, check out what I'm gabbing about at Fantastic Toe.

Riding Boots 'ala Molly Ringwald
Even in my 30s, I still hold a place in my heart for '80s teen angst films. In fact, my first dose of vintage fashion was given to me by the fashion icon of the decade, Molly Ringwald.

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Heels
Before we had Blahniks, we had Maglis. Bruno Maglis. The 1980s were the beginning of label loving and luxury footwear, and Bruno Magli was the IT brand of the decade.

Sexy Shoes Go Under Hammer At Christie's
These black patent leather stilettos are part of her (Viveinne Westwood) Sex line (1974-1977). And don't they ooze sex? The spiked stilettos are estimated at $464 to $774.

Vintage Bows for Your Pretty Toes
Nothing screams girlie like bows on your shoes. But you don't have to look like a mary jane clad school girl.

I'm yearning for change - change in administration, change in weather, and of course this all reflects on my wardrobe. This week's Vintage Find is a perfect example of how change in society affects fashion history.

The 1920s brought change in society, economy and it all showed up in fashion. Clothes were cut slimmer and women's fashions always brought attention to the face. The rounded crushed velvet collar frames the face perfectly, while the cut away hemline give a peek of the seductive knee that ladies were exposing at the time. Shocking!

It's so rare to find vintage clothing from the 1920s that is in such great condition and perfectly wearable.

available at Dorthea's Closet, $345

One of the topics I rarely cover here on Debutante Clothing is shoes. But now I get to do just that at FantasticToe.com. I will be gabbing about vintage, vintage inspired and runway inspired shoes (at prices we can actually afford). Come check out Debutante's Shoebox!

I have a round up of the best vintage inspired booties on the web. The great thing about Fantastic Toe is that you can upload images of your own shoes to your "collection". It's kind of like "What Are You Wearing?" but for shoe lovers.

One of my fellow bloggers discovered THE cutest pair of wedge booties I have ever seen. I want these so bad I can't contain myself. I can't do a huge heel, so this wedge heel is perfect. And look at the bow? Aren't these perfection? My only fear is that I will look a bit cartoonish because they are so "adorable". Like a Hispanic Harajuku girl. What do you think?

The Vintage Roadshow is back! And we're having a great time sharing vintage goodies. Check it out...

Debutante Clothing finds a vintage black dress and gives styling advice.

Freudian Slips Vintage shows off her latest favourite vintage find - a 1970's Hermes beach wrap!

The Vintage Traveler tells about those WWII Farm Girls and their Overalls

Love blogging about vintage? Join the Vintage Roadshow!

Rosamond Bernier, the glamorous lecturer at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, has led a life of art, high culture and equally high fashion. Dame Bernier will be letting the world into her closet as she unloads some of her envious wardrobe on Yoox.com today.

The 92 year old socialite and lecturer hobnobbed with the likes of artists such as Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Joan Miró and Georges Braque. One can only imagine the caliber of her dinner parties.

Yoox.com has become a major resource in collectible vintage couture so it makes perfect sense that Yoox.com founder, Federico Marchetti, would encourage Mrs. Bernier to grace the site with her legendary wardrobe. One of the most talked about pieces in the sale is a haute couture 1959 Dior water-color dress with matching purse. This was the time when the late Yves Saint Laurent designed for the house of Dior. Yoox.com is no stranger to the wonder of vintage Dior as evidenced by their recent vintage Dior collection.

As an added bonus, Rosamond Bernier will comment on each featured item from her wardrobe, sharing her recollections of how and when she acquired it and the noteworthy occasions on which she wore it. Provenance and a good story is always a plus when purchasing vintage!

The sale will also feature a Zandra Rhodes dress from the early 1970's, a Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel red wool bouclé suit from the early 1980's and a Kenneth Jay Lane leaf necklace, circa 1970.

The sale starts this Thursday October 23 at around 9 a.m., EST at Yoox.com.

First it was Yoox.com. Then it was TopShop.com. And now, the latest of the luxury online retailers, Eluxury.com is carrying a selection of vintage clothing for men. Men's buyer Caroline Goodman purchased the pieces from La Rosa Vintage, a long standing vintage boutique on San Francisco's famous Haight St. She talks to the owner of La Rosa, a colorful vintage collector from Berlin, about vintage and La Rosa's history in a video.

The collection includes men's sport jackets, shirts from the '50s to the '70s, jackets and ties all from the '40s to the '70s. And the dapper model looks pretty spectacular in a sharkskin smoking jacket.

I'm sure many stylish men will want to check out the collection. But when I showed the collection to my husband, a vintage lover as well, he stated "WTF! $400 for a shirt?". Enough said.

Yes the pieces are very nice, but I think the prices may be a tad high. On one hand, I know that men's vintage is much rarer than women's. It is impossible to find high quality vintage for men, so men's vintage sellers have an advantage in their markup.

Of course, Eluxury.com is owned by LVMH so maybe their customers expect to pay such prices. I just don't know many men who have the money, or who lack enough style and resourcefulness, that would pay that much for a shirt.

What do you think? Is Eluxury.com's vintage worth the price tag?

Ever since I cut my hair into a mod-Sassoon-esque bob, it's been a constant battle trying to get it smooth and sleek. I have a weird wave - sometimes it shows up, sometimes it hides. I also have dry, frizzy hair due to years of styling, color treatments, and low thyroid issues. In other words, my hair is a mess!

After perusing Drugstore.com looking for the answer to my prayers, I found Biolage by Matrix Ultra-Hydrating Conditioning Balm. I was already familiar with this line because I have used several of the shampoos and most recently was using the regular Hydrating Conditioning balm.

I am so glad I paid the $17.99 because I have never had such soft, shiny hair. This is a must buy. In fact, I didn't even have to use a straightener on my hair. All I used, after washing and conditioning, was Sexy Hair Power Straight before blow drying, used a flat paddle brush, and I am good to go.

But be careful. As you know, more expensive products seem to go a long way with very little product. I had to cut down to half the amount I would normally use of a cheaper conditioner because I noticed I got a bit greasy after day 2. I don't like to wash my hair every day because it is so dry.

I promise you'll love it.

Lace, especially in black, is big for Fall 08. This is one of the few trends I can get on board with. Lace never goes out of style, not amongst the truly stylish anyway. Luckily, you can find beautiful vintage lace dresses in every shade.

When you are shopping for vintage lace clothing, be sure to inspect the garment carefully. Inevitably, there may be a snag or two, and usually they aren't noticeable so you can easily find a beautiful dress at bargain prices because of slight damage.

When shopping online, be sure to ask the seller directly if there are any holes or snags. Sometimes we can overlook minor flaws, so if perfection is important to you, ask first!

Here is an example of a vintage lace dress that looks like it just stepped off the runway. You do run a risk of looking too gothic if you go with obvious accessories. Mix it up with some unexpected fun accessories. I tend to err on the side of dark and gothic myself, so if this still looks a little witchy, try different colors such as pinks and whites.

available at the Family Vintage on Ebay
currently $16

It's back! One of the must attend events for anyone who loves vintage clothing and accessories - the Manhattan Vintage Clothing Show. I've never been to NYC, but when I do, I am definitely going during this show. Can you imagine the caliber of vintage you could find? New York is the American epicenter of fashion.

I can just imagined the mounds of fluffy and decadent vintage furs (and I convince myself it's ok because it's old), the rails of vintage dresses - full ones, sleek ones, printed ones,beaded ones.

If you are near Manhattan, get yourself to the event and just basque in the glory of tailoring, quality fabrics and silhouettes that never go out of style.

Manhattan Vintage Clothing Show
Friday, October 10th, 1-8pm
Saturday, Oct. 11th, 11am-6pm
Admission is $20

The Metropolitan Pavilion is located at 125 W. 18th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues in Manhattan. For more information call 518-434-4312 or visit www.manhattanvintage.com.

It seems that feathers and fascinators are going to be with us for a while, and I couldn't be happier. Finally, mass consensus that eccentric glamour is always a good thing. When I saw this gorgeous vintage purse at Handbag Gallery, I thought, why should feathers be restricted to my head?

If you aren't quite eccentric enough to wear fowl bits on your head, maybe this little bag will bring you over to the eccentric side.

available at Handbag Gallery
$79.00

I just joined a really impressive group of bloggers at Independent Fashion Bloggers. Jennine of the Coveted is really blazing trails in the independent fashion blogger scene. My love for fashion and fashion history really fits in with this collection of bloggers. Enjoy their sense of style and reading picks of the week...

If you're a fashion blogger, and would like to know more about IFB (Independent Fashion Bloggers), click here.

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