100 years of fashion in 100 seconds...

i absolutely cannot get tired of this fabulous video...100 years of fashion...so many i want.right.now...thank you to my dear friend who sent it to me...you were right when you said i would love it...enjoy the fashion through the ages...

big celebration in the city...

saturday evening...four of my closest friends...surprised me with...well...a nite i will not forget...all i knew up until the moment the event started...was that i needed to be ready by 7:30pm...what i realized in the weeks leading up to this big celebration...is that while i love surprises...i love them when i have an idea of what is going on...THIS...drove me crazy...but they all kept their lips sealed...

at 7:30 pm...i walked out of my home...to see a stretch limo parked outside my door...here we are...getting ready to start our fun nite...i was excited to wear my vintage black sequined top (circa 80's) for the very first time...as i was saving it for a special occasion...this was that special occasion...although the pics don't show it...i wore it with my blue/black animal print jeans...and suede ankle booties...(this was my 2nd attempt in 2 months to wear heels...due to my pulled tendons)...i think i did ok in the walking department...all for fashion...right?

inside the limo...this was chilling...oh my heart is happy... =) courtesy of one of my girlfriend's hubby...thanks denny!

after a lovely 30 minute drive...enjoying much laughter and bubbly...we arrived at one of my favorite restaurants...if you ever have the chance while in san francisco...i highly recommend it...great food...great ambiance...

although we all cleared our plates...we still needed to make room for dessert...after all...birthdays come around but once a year...

we then headed back in the limo...only to arrive at "top of the mark" - sensational view of the city...i just wished i could have danced...but gimpy me...had to sit out...

as if this nite was not perfect enough...while i was spoiled rotten to the core...once back in the limo...i had lovely gifts awaiting me...i had to laugh at the cards...do my gal pals know me well...or what??  all fashion related...

the bottom card shown in the above pic...even had inserts for me...just in case i felt like accessorizing the card differently...gotta love it...

a nice new carry case for my phone and essentials by michael kors...in my favorite color...green!  

tickets to an upcoming keiko matsui concert...cannot wait!

a cd of french/latin jass music...to be played while perusing my new book...are you ready for this??  a leather bound gorgeous book on christian louboutin...with gold embossed pages...the pics are oh so spectacular...i may have to share some in an upcoming post...

and a lovely plaque for my inspiration wall...with one of my favorite quotes...

and i'm still basking in all the love i felt...saturday nite...by some of the most incredible friends a girl can have...thank you from the bottom of my heart...adena, lillie, lorena & margaret...i love you to pieces!

aici september kick-off event...

a few weeks back...i attended the aici (association of image consultants international) san francisco chapter september kick-off event...the event was held at one of my favorite places...bloomingdales in san francisco...thought i would share some of the highlights...like our lovely centerpieces...courtesy of bloomingdales...these were my favorites that i was lusting after...

and of course...how appropriate that the pair at my welcome table...was a polka dot dream...here i am preparing to welcome the guests...and doing my other "treasurer" duties...while admiring said shoes...everyone was convinced that they would be mine by the end of the evening...but alas...they are still at the store...

the evening was all about fall trends...and some of us were coerced volunteered to share our favorite fall trends...i decided on three...at one time...but it worked...without being a trend over load...
i chose fur...which you see on my vintage 80's jacket...sleeves trimmed with a luscious fox fur...a cluster of brooches on my jacket...and my "oxblood" booties...

most of the "models" like me...had pulled items out of their closets...which is always fun...when you can see what trends are coming out...what will work for your specific body and life style...and then have it already available in your closet...

the jacket i purchased about 2 years ago...great find at a church rummage sale...the brooches...i've had forever...picked up at flea markets...and my fun ankle booties...i purchased 3 years ago...so...look in your closet for those forgotten pieces that may be "just right"...right now!

and here i am with our lovely speaker...brenda kinsel...whom i love and adore...

picking your poison in printed pants...

aahhh...the printed pant...they continue to steal the show...while many may sway from this look...there are so many great ways to incorporate it into your wardrobe...

here are some of my favorite pics...

although the massive floral print below may be a tad much...ok...more then a tad...you can easily replace the floral jacket...with a neutral number...same great affect...

scanned by moi
harper's bazaar june/july

if the florals are not your thing...how about some nice polka dots...they don't have to be huge...love this next look...so chic... 

scanned by moi
harper's bazaar june/july issue

i think i have already posted the latest trina turk ad...but it bears a repeat...polka dots are such a happy print...don't you think?

scanned by moi
trina turk ad picked up in store

and then...of course...let's throw in a bit of vintage...saw this interview with the lovely natalie joos...love these pucci pants...i personally could never pull them off...but i love love love them on her...if you would like to read the whole article...she talks about her styling secrets in adding vintage to your wardrobe...click here...

photo: marley kate

elle.com

these 4 looks are all so different from each other...never feel like a certain trend can only be worn one way...the beauty is always infusing your own personal style into it...and if you aren't sure...keep pics of styles you like...you will soon discover ways of putting together trends in ways that suit you...and only you...

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...

fashion funnies: geological periods...

beware of wearing something from the wrong geological period =)

enjoy the easter weekend!



*not sure where this comic strip is from - if you know...please leave it in the comments - so that i may give proper credit*

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!

tips for thrifting and vintage shopping...

yesterday i blogged about shopping for the best of what's old...and as i had mentioned...shopping in vintage or thrift stores takes on a whole new strategy...so i thought i would share some tips...

- buy quality...educate yourself on sniffing out top quality as well as spotting poor quality....always look at labels...for words like "hand-made" or "hand-woven"...for designer or brand names...for fabric content (cashmere, silk...etc...) check to see how seams are finished...how hems are sewn...how linings are made...all clues to quality...value...and durability...

- know what you can fix/what you can't...don't expect to wash or dry-clean stains out of vintage clothing...it may come out...most-likely...it won't...you are taking a chance there...on the other hand...don't reject something you love just because it's got a defect...buttons can be replaced...pockets can be relined...beads can be resewn...

- check for trouble...always examine fabrics closely for moth holes...small tears...wear at the collar or cuffs...and pulling or shredding at the seams or in the lining...check buttons and buttonholes...look for stains...especially on cuffs and lapels...instead of assuming the garment is perfect...as you would when buying something new...assume it's not...and then decide...depending on price and how often you'll wear it...whether you can live with its flaws...

- reconsider fit...when buying vintage clothing...try everything on...size standards have changed throughout the years...so you can't count on wearing a size 8 in a 1940's dress...even if you always wear a size 8 in modern clothes...if you love something that doesn't fit quite right...consider alterations...they may cost more than the item itself...but can make a thrift store special look like an expensive hand-tailored prize...side note...even if the garment is not vintage...get in the habit of trying it on...you never know if the previous owner had it altered...

- reconsider price...you have to readjust the way you think about prices at most vintage clothing stores...at expensive...top-quality ones...don't compare value to other used clothing but to what a similar piece would cost new...while $150 might seem steep for a fifty-year-old evening dress...for example...consider that you couldn't buy anything like it new...a great quality piece would easily be triple that price...and the fact that the piece would truly be a one-of-a-kind...and at thrift stores...beware of lowering your price standards too far...when most things are priced for a few dollars...an item for $20 can start to seem outrageous...remind yourself...what the item is...and how much it would cost you at the department store...

- don't skip the men's section...men tend to hang on to clothing longer...so items are apt to be older...more classic or appealingly funky...and better quality...great finds would be anything from great tweed sports coats...raincoats...and slouchy cardigans straight from "father knows best..."

although this isn't everything...these tips are a great way to get started...if you are a thrifter...please feel free to share your tips in the comments section...

photo source

shopping for the best of what's old...

you love bargains...you love quality...you love distinctive clothes...even if you hate anything retro...even if you've always turned up your nose at secondhand clothes...vintage clothing or thrift stores may be worth exploring on your next shopping trip...

vintage clothing stores are the tonier half of this category...often...they're set up like sophisticated boutiques...offering the most interesting styles of old clothing and accessories...the owners of these shops usually have a passion for vintage clothing and an educated eye...which is passed on to you in the form of a well-edited group of merchandise as well as higher prices...

thrift stores...on the other hand...make no pretentions to style or quality...they're simply places that sell..usually for charity...anything that anybody gives them...thrift stores offer the ultimate shopping adventure and the ultimate payoff...if you know your stuff and paw assiduously through the racks...you can come up with some pretty sweet "quality" pieces...at $2 to $10 a piece...

if you've never shopped at a vintage clothing store...don't reject them out of hand...you can find pieces there that work perfectly well with a modern wardrobe...but you also have to have a good eye...you don't want to walk out looking like a picture of your mother in 1949...head-to-toe vintage "costumes" don't work...but mixing a few interesting old pieces with your new clothes can be a sensible way to dress and shop...

at thrift stores...you can find items that no one would ever guess were old...never mind that they cost little to nothing..but it takes a lot more work and a much keener eye...they can be great fun...however...as well as an educational experience...and if you buy somthing that's a mistake...you're out only a few bucks...

keep in mind...thrift stores are always best in those out-of-the-way places...thrift stores in bigger and trendier cities have usually been picked through by those in the know...who snap up all the "good" stuff the minute it hits the racks...

any vintage or thrift store shopping has to be approached from the viewpoint of fun...you're not going to buy your winter wardrobe or complete an outfit...but you might chance on one wonderful something that will make you feel great whenever you wear it...and remember how little you spent for it...

and...because the nature of the clothing and the stores themselves differ so markedly from any kind of store selling new clothing...your shopping strategy has to be different...too...tomorrow i will post some tips...

so...are you a thrifter? if so...share one or two of your treasures that you've found...

photo source

a walk through the 50's...

today was a treat indeed...my girlfriend from grade school on through high school...invited me over for lunch...and a time to catch up...and as if that wasn't special enough...yes...i've got some pretty incredible friends =)

she proceeded to show me lot's of her mom's clothing...from the 50's and 60's...most of which were hand sewn by her mother...to say i was in heaven would be the understatement of the year...

most of my own vintage collection is from the 50's & 60's...it truly is the style i gravitate towards...so you could just imagine me drooling a bit...but i tried to keep it off the clothes... =)

the dresses...unbelievable...each one so unique and different...i even got to see the special dress her mom had made herself for her honeymoon...there was just something about the way women dressed up for things...which is probably why i love the pic i posted today...who dresses up like that today to cook dinner?

then we got to the coats...my personal favorite...the beautiful furs...and the biggest moment? was not seeing her mom's...but her grandmothers fox stole...be still my beating heart...

i think i said about 3 to 4 times during the afternoon..."i was born in the wrong era..." which actually my mom has said to me many times as well...

all in all...such a fun fun afternoon taking a walk through the 50's...

photo source

queen elizabeth and name that president...

my friend adena sent me this email a while back...i remember her & i going through the pics...and naming all the presidents...can you? the email states: "if you remember all or most of these presidents...you're no spring chicken" hmmm...

gotta love watching the styles of the queen through the years...and you have to admire a woman who stands strong...

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...

shopping in houston...

i am heading out to lovely houston, texas tomorrow morning...i will be performing a full closet re-vamp...and lots of shopping...my client told me today that he is nervous...i wonder why? this is going to be nothing but fun...

of course...as in any place i go...there is always room for a little bit of shopping for myself...i mean...it only makes sense...and i know some wonder...since my job consists of shopping...why oh why would i then want to do that in my free time? but shopping for and with clients...is a whole lot different then shopping for myself...and the two...i do not mix =)

and although houston isn't some far away place...i still want to find those tiny boutiques...that only locals know about...and of course...i have to squeeze in some vintage shopping...but i've been having a hard time narrowing down my list...since...like i mentioned before...this is a "work" trip...not a fun trip...and i won't have a whole lot of time...

so...if any of my readers know of some great places for me to check out...please let me know in the comment section...otherwise...i guess i am on my own...

fashion funnies: ancient attic clothes..

being a vintage collector...i had to smile when i saw this comic strip a few weeks back in the san francisco chronicle...

daughter: wow! look at you two, all trendy in the latest hot fashions! where are you off to?

the parents look at each other confused...

dad: an old fogey "remember the 60's" party...

mom: these are ancient attic clothes...

daughter: were...

enjoy the weekend!

rare bird of fashion...

so...i arrived home today to a little package on my doorstep...from a dear dear friend...imagine my complete delight when i opened said package to see "rare bird of fashion - the irreverent iris apfel" les sigh...first of all...i j'adore everything about iris apfel...and the fact that i didn't have this beautiful coffee table book in my ever growing stash of designer/fashion books...well...there just wasn't an explanation...i've already thumbed through the book...oh the pictures...the colors...the drama...the fabulousness of it all...

i'm sure that i will be reading this from front cover to back tonite...more then once...slight obsession? perhaps...but it's all about iris apfel... =)

here are a few pics from the book...aren't they amazing?

fashion funnies: what goes around...comes around...

photo source

anabella maria: (as they look at a portrait on the wall) "only to think, julia dear, that our mothers wore such ridiculous fashions as these!"

both: "ha! ha! ha! ha!"

may your weekend be fabulous!"

the brooch...

i have a friend (nina...if you are reading this...i'm referring to you!) who has the most unbelievable brooch collection that i've ever seen...she had collected these years and years ago...and wore them quite a bit...talk about the easiest way to spruce up a sweater...

some still look at a brooch and think...grandma...but honestly...the brooch is capable of really jazzing up an outfit...i've seen them placed in up-do's...pinned on hats...jackets...sweaters...really...if you think about it...a brooch can be placed in many areas on a simple dress...pin it on the waist...or the strap...if you are wearing a turtleneck...pin it on your shoulder...for that unexpected pop of "wow"...do you have a clutch purse that needs a bit of something something? pin a brooch on it...how about that long strand of pearls in your jewelry box? wrap that around your neck a few times and clasp it together with a lovely brooch...

brooches can be found in so many places...go for those with color...or just full out rhinestone glitz...scour your vintage stores...thrift stores...garage sales...grandma's jewelry box... =) you can definately find new ones in department stores...but there is something about a good old vintage brooch...

do you wear brooches? if so...what clever way have you worn it?

on any budget...

i remember one time at church...an acquaintence complimented me on my outfit...and then made an odd statement "if i had your money...i'd look as good as you do too..."

my first reaction was...does she know something i don't? did i come into an inheritance that i wasn't aware of? where was this "money" she was referring to?

the thing was...that day i was wearing one of my favorite suede skirts that i had owned for about 10 years at that point...my blouse was about 3 yrs old...and my shoes...well...i'd had them for years as well...but in her eyes...i was always wearing the latest and greatest designers...sounds like a great concept and all...but couldn't be further from the truth...

i've often said that a person can look good at any budget...i have had clients that hired me...and on a very very limited budget...we were able to produce a pretty incredible stylish wardrobe...

style is not expensive...and honestly...i would have to say that some of the most stylish women i know...have done so on a very limited budget...how could this be? i am thinking that a lot of it has to do with being forced to be picky...when one doesn't have a lot of money to splurge on clothes...you can't buy every trend and whim that comes your way...in fact...you need to consider every purchase that you make...i would say...this is probably a blessing rather than a curse...

this is where creativity comes to play...how can i take this one piece and make it work in several different ways within my wardrobe? the key is knowing where to splurge and where to save...there is an art to mixing expensive pieces with cheaper finds...but the result can be pretty awesome...

drew barrymore was photographed this week wearing a dress she found while thrifting for $25...pairing it with a fabulous pair of tribs...i would say she is looking pretty chic...

do you like to mix a cheaper find with one of your expensive pieces?

inside the mad men costume closet...

source

oh to be able to shop within the "mad men" costume closet...i would be in the betty francis (january jones) section...and the joan harris (christina hendricks) section...

how about you? which of the styles do you gravitate towards?

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arm candy...

statement jewelry is all the rage now...has been for some time...and that includes your wrists...the great thing about bracelets...is you can do so much with what you probably already have...the key is to pile them on...

bangles...don't just wear one...try putting two or three together...to change up your look a bit...and make it fun...mix the colors...

do you have some of those tennis bracelets in your jewelry box? how about putting them all on...to make one big statement...i have about four...if you remember...they are pretty thin...but together...they create quite the wow piece...

i've even done this with my diamond bracelets...where i used to wear one...i now combine them all...

if you've been perusing the fashion magazines...you will see that some have done this look on both arms...from wrist to elbow...that is a bit much for me...but i have to say...when i see it...i do love it...

my prior posts will reveal that my mixing and matching doesn't only happen in my clothing...but in my jewels...click here and here to see my vintage combinations...some other vintage pieces that are great for stacking are the bakelite bangles...look for them at the local flea markets...they come in the most amazing colors!

so how do you mix & match your bracelets? be sure to share and give others a new idea or two...