Sunday, April 25, 2010
Friday, April 23, 2010
FOR THE LOVE OF VINTAGE
There is quite literally a physical reaction in me...as I push open the door my heart beats a little faster and as I scan the dark and often dusty racks I feel a surge of adrenalin. Searching, searching...and then I find it... a beautiful white peplum jacket with divine pinstripe detailing, fabric belt and matching skirt...I squeal...no I am not exaggerating...I actually squeal... (I have on more than one occasion given the kind ladies working the charity shops a little scare – they think me crazy I’m sure!) I hold up my find and look for a stain or a tear...it will break my heart...but better now than later. My quick inspection reveals this little baby to be in pristine condition. SOLD!
I part with a few gold coins and lovingly carry my find to the car...I am feeling warm and tingly all over. Home and the first thing to do is play with the new favourite...I try it on, work it with some other pieces...imagine how it will be styled...who it will look great on...and where it will accompany them!
There are so many things I adore about vintage fashion.
The history...it’s a big thing for me...imagining the life that the garment has had before it fell into my hands...who wore this little beauty...perhaps it was a young girl on her first day of work...nervous and scared but feeling fantastic in the new suit just purchased for her big day...perhaps that girl was on a first date...maybe it was the 20th date and over dessert her beau popped the question. Yes, I imagine these scenarios...and imagine how this beautiful suit made its owner feel just that little extra special.
The craftsmanship...what else is there to say but that here I am, perhaps 30 years later, and the garment is in fabulous condition...they really don’t make them like they used to!
The teeny tiny price tag...if you are willing to do the hard yards hunting around the reward is simply amazing...
And finally...the style! The ‘no one else has this’ uniqueness of a true vintage find.
So, back to the divine suit that I have taken lovingly into my fold, there only remains one question. It is this question alone that can bring even the most hardened vintage lover-cross-dealer unstuck...
TO SELL OR TO KEEP?
Bri x
I part with a few gold coins and lovingly carry my find to the car...I am feeling warm and tingly all over. Home and the first thing to do is play with the new favourite...I try it on, work it with some other pieces...imagine how it will be styled...who it will look great on...and where it will accompany them!
There are so many things I adore about vintage fashion.
The history...it’s a big thing for me...imagining the life that the garment has had before it fell into my hands...who wore this little beauty...perhaps it was a young girl on her first day of work...nervous and scared but feeling fantastic in the new suit just purchased for her big day...perhaps that girl was on a first date...maybe it was the 20th date and over dessert her beau popped the question. Yes, I imagine these scenarios...and imagine how this beautiful suit made its owner feel just that little extra special.
The craftsmanship...what else is there to say but that here I am, perhaps 30 years later, and the garment is in fabulous condition...they really don’t make them like they used to!
The teeny tiny price tag...if you are willing to do the hard yards hunting around the reward is simply amazing...
And finally...the style! The ‘no one else has this’ uniqueness of a true vintage find.
So, back to the divine suit that I have taken lovingly into my fold, there only remains one question. It is this question alone that can bring even the most hardened vintage lover-cross-dealer unstuck...
TO SELL OR TO KEEP?
Bri x
Monday, April 19, 2010
Underwear as Outerwear Fashion Trend
Lady Gaga is doing it...is this the next big thing? Not so sure I will be showing off my knickers in a hurry!
Underwear as Outerwear Fashion Trend
Underwear as Outerwear Fashion Trend
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Love the look...but the look don’t love me!
I cannot tell you how happy it makes me that A/W fashion has arrived. For me, the colder months are about divine layering, rediscovering beautiful coats and indulging in dessert just that little bit more, secure in the knowledge that cooler climate pieces are oh so forgiving. But it’s not only these things that make me jump for joy at the sight of the new shop fronts...it’s the fact that last season’s fashion is safely behind us!!
Yes sir, I loved the tulip dress, the flirty floral mini, the strong structured shoulders...but, alas, they did not love me. You know what I’m talking about, right? So many beautiful clothes, but no matter how many times you try on a different version of the ‘must have’ seasonal piece, it just does nothing for you. For me the S/S collection was so alluring being an abstract and floral print junkie, but it really did seem that designers were passing on the cost of the ‘economic crisis’ by cutting down on fabric...a lot of fabric! “Where the hell is the rest of this skirt”I believe I muttered to myself...it may have even been a little more explicit than that. And you know, in an act of despair (or defiance) I actually did buy one or two of those minis...you know, the ‘this will fit me and look fab after I have lost 3kg’ item. I call it the ‘motivational purchase’. Pfft...
Anyhoo, the sun’s warmth has all but disappeared...and so have those pretty little things that caused me so much anxiety. Thank goodness!! And you know what...I haven’t lost 3kg yet...but I’m working that goddam floral mini....with my tights!!!
Bri x
Yes sir, I loved the tulip dress, the flirty floral mini, the strong structured shoulders...but, alas, they did not love me. You know what I’m talking about, right? So many beautiful clothes, but no matter how many times you try on a different version of the ‘must have’ seasonal piece, it just does nothing for you. For me the S/S collection was so alluring being an abstract and floral print junkie, but it really did seem that designers were passing on the cost of the ‘economic crisis’ by cutting down on fabric...a lot of fabric! “Where the hell is the rest of this skirt”I believe I muttered to myself...it may have even been a little more explicit than that. And you know, in an act of despair (or defiance) I actually did buy one or two of those minis...you know, the ‘this will fit me and look fab after I have lost 3kg’ item. I call it the ‘motivational purchase’. Pfft...
Anyhoo, the sun’s warmth has all but disappeared...and so have those pretty little things that caused me so much anxiety. Thank goodness!! And you know what...I haven’t lost 3kg yet...but I’m working that goddam floral mini....with my tights!!!
Bri x
Friday, April 16, 2010
Can You Capsule?
Skeptical at first...indeed! I didn’t imagine that I could possibly survive, no matter how many of the world’s top fashion editors espoused it. I speak of the ‘wardrobe capsule’ movement...the idea of limiting your wardrobe to 25 or so key pieces that all work interchangeably with each other, complimenting your style and shape. I tell you I literally quivered with fear from the very thought of it...but this is the story of how I came around!
Up until a week ago I would rely on brute force to squeeze my 150+ items into my cubbyhole closet. And my burgeoning collection showed no sign of slowing down...it would not be unusual for me to add a piece or two a week!! Every girls dream right? Wrong...
We are all guilty of it...standing in front of our jungle-like clothing collection and uttering those words...5 little words that make my hubby's eyes roll back into his head...”I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAR!” It was finally Gok, (a quirky little British fashion guru) who helped me to see the light...with his punchy stats (did you know most women wear less than 20% of their wardrobe) and his upbeat attitude he made it seem easy! His instructions – loose anything that is ill fitting, not really your style, or that doesn’t compliment your shape...get rid of them all. Think about the type of wardrobe you need...is it corporate or casual? Functional or fantastical? Whatever it is, start with those things with which you simply cannot part and build from there. For me, I needed a fairly casual collection with a few pieces for dinners or the odd evening out. Kindy runs and grocery shopping doesn’t require stilettos and a bodycon, but I wanted more than the predictable jeans and a tee that I would reach for each morning. I wanted to wear something with a little pizzazz that would show my style without going over the top. So, with shaky hands but a determinedly steady heart, I stripped my closet bare and then slowly rebuilt. I must admit I still have a few more than the prescribed number of pieces in my collection, but I have culled a huge amount and it all seems so much easier to manage. And, it’s true...less is more! I’m excited every day now to try different pieces together and I’m working more accessories too...this skeptic has been converted. Keen? Google ‘capsule wardrobe’ and you will find countless articles on the subject...Try Polyvore.com..it’s a great place to practice working pieces together...and fun too. Good luck!
Bri x
Up until a week ago I would rely on brute force to squeeze my 150+ items into my cubbyhole closet. And my burgeoning collection showed no sign of slowing down...it would not be unusual for me to add a piece or two a week!! Every girls dream right? Wrong...
We are all guilty of it...standing in front of our jungle-like clothing collection and uttering those words...5 little words that make my hubby's eyes roll back into his head...”I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAR!” It was finally Gok, (a quirky little British fashion guru) who helped me to see the light...with his punchy stats (did you know most women wear less than 20% of their wardrobe) and his upbeat attitude he made it seem easy! His instructions – loose anything that is ill fitting, not really your style, or that doesn’t compliment your shape...get rid of them all. Think about the type of wardrobe you need...is it corporate or casual? Functional or fantastical? Whatever it is, start with those things with which you simply cannot part and build from there. For me, I needed a fairly casual collection with a few pieces for dinners or the odd evening out. Kindy runs and grocery shopping doesn’t require stilettos and a bodycon, but I wanted more than the predictable jeans and a tee that I would reach for each morning. I wanted to wear something with a little pizzazz that would show my style without going over the top. So, with shaky hands but a determinedly steady heart, I stripped my closet bare and then slowly rebuilt. I must admit I still have a few more than the prescribed number of pieces in my collection, but I have culled a huge amount and it all seems so much easier to manage. And, it’s true...less is more! I’m excited every day now to try different pieces together and I’m working more accessories too...this skeptic has been converted. Keen? Google ‘capsule wardrobe’ and you will find countless articles on the subject...Try Polyvore.com..it’s a great place to practice working pieces together...and fun too. Good luck!
Bri x
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Oh Chloe. Oh Chloe. Where For Art Thou Chloe?
Boots, boots, I am crazy about boots. My style crush when it comes to boots...the sublime Chloe Lace-Up Wedges!! I know, I know, they are soooo last year...but true beauty never really goes out of style now does it!...Where on earth was I May 2009 when these beauties graced the catwalks? I can’t imagine why I missed them....oh... yes, that’s right...I had a baby.... Remembering those times it is safe to say that my interest in fashion extended only as far as what was comfy and hid the derriere. So now that the mercury is rapidly heading south and we once again seek out those pieces that will keep us both toasty warm and looking fab, I have stumbled across the Chloes and have since been searching high and low for them...hunted eBay to no avail...Net-a-Porter...Chloe don’t live there anymore!!I cannot find them...anywhere! Surely, someone, somewhere in the world has a pair of these leather sweethearts that they are ready to part with???
Bri x
Bri x
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Digital delights!
Seriously! Too much fun. I have just spent the last hour as Creative Director, styling beautiful models with the latest in hot fashion. Fancy yourself a styling guru? Give it a go at Looklet.com...but enter at your own peril...many hours could be wasted here!!! Choose your model and then clad her as you see fit. Check out the Doll’s first styling attempt...now, excuse me, I am going back for more.
Bri x
Monday, April 12, 2010
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T BLOG?"
On. The. Bandwagon…the blogging bandwagon that is!! Everyone is doing it…so I figure I give it a try. Of course I am a little concerned that, like a lot of things I do, this will be all…then nothing. Stealing time between bathing bubbas, play dates and kindy schedules to run Vintage Doll, my Vintage Clothing store, is a little overwhelming as it is. And now I attempt to add ‘blogging’ to my list of daily must-dos? Hmmm. I must say that I was also initially concerned about what on earth I would ‘blog’ about, generally being a fairly tight-lipped kinda gal (unless there is a magnum of bubbly on the table of course - then, my friends will tell you, I don't shut-up ;) But, as they say, stick to what you know. So, “the Doll’s notes on fashion” came to be. A self-proclaimed fashionista, I like to think I know a thing or two…and for anyone who may come upon these ramblings who would disagree – one click is all you need. For those of you who like what I’m doing…let me know huh…I’d like that…'cos when I am up doing this at midnight after I have done everything else and settled the little ones for the night….I’m gonna need the encouragement. To cap off my first foray into bloggerland I would just like to leave you with an image…it is what I shall be dreaming of tonight.
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