Three Already??

In doing some impromptu digging into the history of the website recently, it has come to my attention that the website turns three years old this month! With that I thought a little week-long retrospective was in order. I'll also have a pretty big celebration to coincide with it coming later this week, but for now I thought it would be grand to take a look at how far the site has come in just a short amount of time.

THE INTERNET ARCHIVE WAYBACK MACHINE is a fantastic little public access tool that lets you type in any url and review how it looked by month for as long as its been live. If I type in my main url, I can take a look (and share) how my page looked the day it went live on August 21, 2006. DAY ONE. Pretty rudimentary. The artwork was a sketch I'd found done by my grandmother, Dorothea, who appears in the photo booth pics making up the buttons down the left side. I was self taught and did all the work myself (still do). Its pretty amazing to look now at how much its evolved!

By October 6 you can see a few of my favorite pieces, now long gone...HERE. A great Claire McCardell recently worn by Tracey Ullman to host the CFDA Awards Show, and 2 really fantastic appliqued 50s sweaters by Helen Bond Carruthers now found in the Archives section of the site. Amazing to look at how the photographs have changed, from having the little faux corner tabs I had liked using on eBay to the bedsheet I used to use before I invested in photo paper!

You can view individual pages too. Lets start with the earliest, VICTORIAN AND EDWARDIAN. Clicking on AUGUST 19 2006 shows the very first day my very small (at the time) collection of antique apparel was. Four pieces, the headliner being that gorgeous black and blue embroidered and beaded sheer dress with bustle back. That dress remains on every page the WaybackMachine can archive, though it sold in June of 2008. By DECEMBER 2007 the collection had grown a bit to include an exquisite purple and gold Edwardian gown, some beaded bags and a fur trimmed cape. The site itself had evolved into a softer background of grey as I tried to simplify the appearance a bit.

So happy birthday to Dorothea's! I have to say, the gift of being able to track every detail of the site over the years and how its changed, what pieces have come and gone and how its grown is a pretty great present (but not as good as whats coming later this week!)

~Ang

The Psychology of the Shoulder Pad

The padded shoulder is everywhere these days. Popping up (or out) on runways the last year or so, the trend is finally making its way to the mainstream and appearing on celebrities as well as department stores. And while its easy to compare the look to its most recent appearance in the 80s, women have been dressing to create the illusion of having broad shoulders off and on for over 100 years.

In the late 1800s, the architecture of the shoulder in women's apparel reached massive proportions, achieved by using voluminous fabric with tucks and pleats for support....heavier fabrics often had sculpting pads at the seam. The Victorian leg-o-mutton sleeve is a prime example.

Over the next 30 years, shoulders were left natural, often given attention by being revealed with open designs but not exaggerated as before. By the 30s women's apparel had become long, lean and feminine with more attention to sleeves, the back and neckline than to shoulders. But by the late 30s the shoulder started to assert itself again with demure ruffled caps, slight angles and dainty puffed sleeves.

Maybe its coincidence, but at this point as women's fashion was starting to embrace the masculine and empower them a little with a broad shouldered look, globally we were seeing the threat of WWII building. By the time women in America saw their husbands off to war and stepped up to the workplace en masse, the shoulder had reached unusually large proportions. Women dominated the workplace as well as the silver screen and wore the shoulders to prove it.

After WWII Christian Dior reigned in those shoulders and with the lifting of restrictions on fabric, put the emphasis back on the female form in a more traditional sense, exaggerating the bust and hips with nipped waists and massive full skirts. The look became the silhouette of the 50s to mid 60s, when another fashion revolution mimicking the 20s removed the restrictions of the wasp-waist and gave women the freedom to dress without a girdle. By the end of the 70s, the 30s influence became strong again...long, lean & feminine. In the 70s too, women were steadily gaining in the workplace and achieving things unseen before, finding their place in the white collar world long dominated by men. Coincidentally or not, the fashion world once again began to empower women by giving them the big broad shoulders the men they were competing with came by naturally.

I'm sure in retrospect there will be a reason (other than the predictable cyclical nature of fashion itself) that the large or sculpted shoulder is making a comeback at this time in history. Wars, a new president, the recession....certainly no lack of reasons for women to feel like they need a little help shouldering the woes of the world. Regardless, they're back. Whether you're ready to go large or not, the attention for a while is going to be on the shoulders!

~Ang

Lovely Emily

Did a shoot yesterday to pull together some vintage crossing decades as well as mixing it with modern, inviting my friend and lovely local model (and artist!) Emily Svec to be my muse. Some highlights, the rest on the website on the HOW TO WEAR VINTAGE page.

Victorian with skinny jeans, 70s with Edwardian, modern denim with 40s New Look suit jacket, 70s Gunne Sax with 60s Audrey hat...all it takes is a bit of imagination and fashion sense to bring some vintage into a mall-bought wardrobe!

~Ang

Site Updates (Finally!) 6/2..Cocktails, Anyone?

Lord knows I need one! Worked my arse off today adding dresses to the site....still just as behind on adding things as I was last week!

Today's additions include several killer cocktail dresses, perfect for upcoming summer soirees!

A gorgeous Ceil Chapman inspired jersey knit 50s dress by Lee Claire, with ruched waist and dramatic back caped detail....

Iconic Audrey Hepburn style 60s little black dress with sculpted and ruched, bow bedecked skirt by Jonny Herbert....

Bombshell lace print 50s wiggle dress with mermaid flounced hem accented with a wide, shocking pink satin sash weaving through fabric and coming together in a large bow in back, by Laurie Jane....

Curve hugging jersey rayon fringed shimmy dress from the late 40s to early 50s with halter neckline....

Sequined 50s stunner in silk with teal and turquoise print and shimmering sequins....

70s beaded, studded AND rhinestones jersey dress in champagne with removeable cowl neckpiece, by SAULINO for Jerry Silverman....

Saffron yellow 70s goddess gown with halter neckline and rhinestone buttons at nape of neck....

For daytime cocktails (or shopping, or lunch with the ladies), a sheer floral silk chiffon 30s dress with puff sleeves....

A true performance piece! 30's golden silk bra style costume top with glass beveled gem stones....

Victorian dinner bodice (with sleeves expertly removed and finished at armscye) in ivory lace over silk with exquisite boned structure within...

And to work off all those cocktail carbs, some sportswear! A lady has to look good while working out!

40s gym set in white twill with iconic high waist 40s shorts.....

And a 20s gym suit with bloomer style shorts.....

More to come this week!

~Ang