shrimpton/marketa limited edition clutches...

what can be better then mixing a little vintage with contemporary...introducing the shrimpton/marketa "limited edition" clutches...les sigh...so many colors to choose from...click here to see them all...vintage fabric from shrimpton couture collaborating with new york bag designer marketa psenickova...

photo credit

basically...every bag incorporates a vintage fabric detailing used for the interior pocket material...cherie...the owner of "shrimpton couture"...one of my most favorite places to shop for vintage...has personally selected the interior vintage fabrics...cut whole cloth from unusable vintage dresses that are beyond repair...

i don't know about you...but that seems like a great way to re-use some beautiful pieces from days of old...

closet envy: dita von teese...

just when you think you have a lot of shoes...a video comes along that lets you know...well...that you aren't even close...

the lovely cherie over at fabulous girls wear vintage blog shared this a few days ago...i have to admit...i am having a big dose of closet envy...to be more specific...a big dose of shoe envy...even her hat collection got my attention...vintage always gets my attention...but then...so does shelves and shelves of christian louboutins...just sayin...

oh prada...how i love thee...

um...yeah...have you seen the prada spring/summer 2012 campaign? les sigh...

we've been having some incredible weather here in the bay area...think 70's...yes...almost all winter...not that i'm complaining...so of course...as much as i'd love to be wearing all my thick sweaters...tweed jackets...the weather is not permitting me to...so i dream of spring/summer...

i first saw this video over at fabulous girls wear vintage blog...the lovely cherie who is the owner of this blog and fabulous vintage at shrimpton couture...if you are a vintage lover...collector...you need to check out her site...she's got some absolute lovelies...trust me...

i think cherie said it best...and i quote her from her blog...

"I want every single piece and then I want to hunt down every single vintage piece that looks even remotely like every single piece in this video. And then I want to drive a vintage pastel colored convertible with vintage hard sided luggage stacked on the back, filled with all my new and old treasures and sing out loud in the sunshine in my car till I can't sing no more."

kind of like a thelma and louise moment...except the last part...you know...going off the cliff...

enjoy the video...the absolutely "die-for" clothes...(and cars)...
and have a fabulous weekend!

how to get the holiday blues...

...the "right" kind of holiday blues...

whether you start small...like a little sparkle on your nails...

sephora midnight mambo by opi
sephora

or make it so that everyone is noticing your shoes...

nine west frederika
zappos

being blue...but still being warm...

st. john collection sequined cardigan & sleeveless shell
neiman marcus

dazzle in a dress...

aidan mattox bloused cold shoulder sequin dress
nordstrom

or go back in time...for my vintage lovers...check out this lovely (the lovely cherie posted 3 blue beauties...be sure to check them all out here...

1950s blue dot silk taffeta dance dress
shrimpton couture

the christmas blues never seemed so inviting...

escada love...

after running several errands this morning...i drove back home...and as i entered my driveway...my heart skipped a beat...well...several...because there on my porch was a package...and i knew...that it was from shrimpton couture...les sigh...

it has been quite a while since i've made any purchases...let alone a vintage piece...and...when it comes to vintage...i gravitate to the 40's, 50's & 60's...but then i saw this number from the 80's...and well...i just had to have it...

i was SO nervous to open up my package...don't ask me why...i think it might have been more excitement of something new...well...something new to me...but vintage...well...when i pulled it out of the box...i gasped...the picture does not do it justice...and the adorable pom poms? how fabulous! i seriously want to wear this now...but...i think it will have to wait for the right moment...

i confess...i am a vintage coat addict...

the lovely cherie over at shrimpton couture wrote a lovely post about me...i just had to share...it's all about the vintage coat...

on a side note...if you are an avid vintage lover...keep checking her website as she adds new items daily...i am in awe of the pieces that she has...

in cherie's post...she says about me "she is a bit of a vintage coat addict"...that made me laugh...how right she is!

here is the other vintage coat i purchased from shrimpton couture

i guess i need to confess...that yes...i am a vintage coat addict...if you would like to see more of my collection...that i have gotten over the years...let me know...i can always do a vintage coat post =)

so...what vintage pieces do you gravitate to?

mprwf fashion show/fundraiser...

this last week was the 25th anniversary fashion show/fundraiser for the mid peninsula republican womens federation...i had the honor of styling the beautiful models for the event...the clothes modeled were by a local shop in san carlos called bracha...victoria bracha...the store owner has a beautiful selection of clothing...from casual to evening wear...she even designs her own line...which you can see throughout the store...if you are local...definately stop by and take a peak...

of course...nothing is better then participating in a charity (with fashion) with two of your dearest friends...adena (my business partner as well) put together this lovely soiree...and i have to say...she did a fabulous job...she was also one of my models...thank you!

me, adena & margaret...

these events are fun also...because it is a time to play dress-up....not that i need an event...but makes it that much more fun...

i chose to wear vintage...in a room sporting all new fashions...i was stopped many times throughout the event by some of the older women that attended...they loved my coat...which i got from lovely cherie at shrimpton couture...when i verified that my coat was in fact vintage...many started telling me stories of their favorite coats "back in the day"...

i decided to pin the jacket with a vintage pin...here is a close-up...but modernize it by mixing same colors but different patterns...



and here is the complete outfit...

vintage coat & pin, rebecca taylor blouse, juliana collezione capri's, bcbg patent leather peep toe shoes, mish mash of bracelets

baubles and art...

so last nite i had two functions to attend...the first of which was a reception honoring my good friend shelley bond and her eclectic, unique and beautiful jewelry...

newly opened...avenue art is a collective of professional bay area artists making original and unique creations:

photography, oil paintings, digital imaging, acrylic paintings, fiber art, sculpture...AND beadjoux custom jewelry by the lovely shelley bond...


shelley and i have known each other for years...she always says to me..."you are my sista from another mother" =) we love the same things...beautiful baubles...and handbags...and most of our conversations include one or both of those topics...

i love shelley's work in that it is one of a kind...which is what i adore...having that one piece that speaks to you...and that no one else will have...

avenue art is located at 60 e. 3rd ave #110, in san mateo, california...open tuesday thru sunday 11:30 to 7:30
bonus: if you would like to meet shelley in person...she is there every tuesday from 3:30 to 7:30...all i can say...is that she is a hoot...and you will instantly love her!


i tried to take some pictures of her work...but i didn't get shots that truly showcase the beauty of her pieces...




so last pic...shelley and i outside the reception...i have to say...i got lots of compliments on my vintage coat...i got this lovely gem from cherie at shrimpton couture...it was part of my latest vintage splurges...


what i love about this coat...
as i mentioned at the beginning of this post...i had two functions to attend...one was pretty casual and the other pretty dressy...so...
to the first i topped my jeans and silk top with the 50's vintage coat...i then rushed home...and put on a gold sheath dress and topped it with the same 50's coat...did i mention how much i love versatility??

that to me is a great purchase!

one classy lady...

as you can see from the tiny array of books i've accumulated...i adore everything about audrey...i have seen all her movies (some over & over...never to tire of them) read anything i could get my hands on about her...she to me...was a class act...a lady...but not only in her dress...but i've read about her character...her desire to think of others...and help others...one classy lady...



her style of dress consisted of simplicity..."for her, what was important was not decoration and lots of embellishment. she liked very simple things - less was always more for audrey" said auctioneer kerry taylor...

so imagine how badly i would have loved to have been in london this week...why you ask?

i guess you could call it the week of audrey hepburn going on in london this week... kerry taylor auctions will be handling an auction of dresses and other items owned by audrey hepburn...les sigh...

the two most endearing stories i've heard were the following:

one was a friend of audrey's by the name of tanja star-busmann...they met in london when tanja was 15 years old and audrey was 20 or 21...just before her career took off...the two remained long time friends...

tanja used to receive a lot of audrey's hand-me-downs...over the years, boxes filled to the brim would arrive...tanja had stated that opening them was like christmas all over...audrey had even requested that monsieur de givenchy leave larger seam allowances for this purpose...

most of the lots for the auction come from the closets of tanja star-busmann...

the other story that i heard that so touched me was that of audrey's wedding dress in 1952...made for audrey by the rome-based fontana sister's...after her marriage to james hanson was called off...audrey asked the fontana sisters "to give the dress to someone who could never afford a dress like mine, the most beautiful, poor, italian girl you can find."

if you would like to read more on the auction...here are a few bloggers that i thought were interesting...AND with great pictures...

cherie of the shrimpton couture blog wrote: once in a life time

martin of fine estate sales blog wrote: audrey hepburn's wedding dress

and malie of vintage shopping guide did two great posts this week...
audrey goes to auction

audrey hepburn wedding gown to be passed on

so are you an audrey fan?

latest vintage splurges...

for those of you that know me personally...it comes as no surprise of my absolute love for vintage...i have often been told by my mom that i was born in the wrong era...because my fashion taste always gravitated to those of long ago...

there have been many times that i have gotten remarks about shopping in thrift stores or estate sales...comments of "how could i could wear 'old' clothes"...the funny thing...it is the vintage pieces that most ask about...such as..."where did you find that aweome 'unique' piece"...

i have to think that would be one of the reasons i love vintage so much...it truly is the way to get to dressing in your own personal style...but not only that...the chances of someone else wearing the same thing that you are...well...i think i would have better luck winning the lottery...

i have had a few really nice splurges lately...thought i would share my new beautiful finds...




i gravitate towards jackets...i feel they can make such a statement...and truly put a "not so spectacular" outfit into the "wow" category...this wonderful piece was snagged from shrimpton couture - seriously...if you love vintage fashion...this is THE first place to look...

the funny thing about this piece...i was chatting with cherie (owner of shrimpton couture) and telling her how much i loved coats...she of course thought of one she had in her shop that i would like...turns out...it was the one that i had already been eyeing for weeks...a beautiful 1950's coat...great minds think alike...no?

i have worn this already with a simple tank top and jeans...love love love it...what the picture doesn't show...is the beautiful gold threads that are weaved throughout the coat...i think it would also look great over a gold sheath dress...hopefully i will find the perfect one soon...

my other obsession would be the color green...and angela knew this...remembered it from conversations we had...and when this piece came into her shop..she sent me a picture...i haven't worn this yet...but my mind is swirling with the ways that i will be wearing it...oh and did i mention angela's shop? she has some pretty incredible pieces as well at dorothea's closet vintage -


so mad men...no?