Top Ten!

Giddy over this article in DEPARTURES MAGAZINE listing the top 10 vintage boutiques in the world, including Dorothea's Closet! A superb WRITE UP about the appeal of vintage to the fashion savvy and it's place in the sartorial conversation, with a few quotes from your truly!

To be mentioned at all is amazing, but in such stellar company!....LE MONDE du VOYAGE of Paris , ZOLA'S EVERYDAY VINTAGE in Dallas, TREASURE ISLAND in Naples, FL, COLLETTE in Southhampton, NY, TIME AFTER TIME in Chapel Hill, NC, GRANDMA TAKES A TRIP of Sydney, Australia, RELLIK of London, CORACHAN y DELGADO in Madrid, Spain & VICENTE GANESHA of Ibiza, Spain. Tip of the hat to you all and a big thanks to Departures Magazine!

Meet the Halstons

I've recently had the pleasure of *finally* coming across two smashing 1970s Halston pieces! I guess living around the corner from his first home finally worked its magic! These are not only great dresses but rare, signature pieces from quite early in his career.

First, the caftan. Given Sex and the City's Carrie Bradshaw's love of Halston (and SJP's as well!), this piece could not have surfaced at a more perfect time! Sky blue silk chiffon ombre dyed to a soft steely grey blue at its asymetrical hemline....collar details with handpainted collar necklace effect in salmons, pink & pewter.

Stunning body conscious coordinating silk jersey underdress in palest sky blue....

Along the same lines as his classic ultra suede shirt dresses, this black silk jersey early 70s dress clings to curves and buttons to knee, allowing unbuttoning as high as you'd like. Plunging V neckline with wide dramatic collar. A dress that goes from cute to *killer* from hanger to wearer!

The House of Halston

I live in an older neighborhood (you're shocked, I know). Houses around here are mainly bungalows built at the turn of and just after the turn of the century.....mine in particular in 1916. Some homes are in good repair, some in serious need of repair. But one house in particular has a bit more of a modern tale to tell.

This is the house of Halston, or so I'm told. The first home of Roy Halston Frowick sits just around the corner from my house here in Des Moines, Iowa...an unlikely start indeed for a man bound for glamour, fame and fortune.

Halston with muse Bianca Jagger & Liza Minelli

JANUARY MAGAZINE does a nice write up and review of the Halston biography (that I clearly must have), "HALSTON", by Steven Bluttal. A fascinating yet tragic character who met an unjust and decidedly non-glamorous end, Halston's work continues to withstand the test of time. Glamorous yet sleek and simple, as impressive on the runway as it was off.

I rarely come across Halston pieces (despite being in the city he began his life in!)....but have recently acquired this beautiful 60s Halston hat. Sculpted felt with curving graceful lines, inspired by the 20s but with the modern edge only Halston could add.

PS, speaking of hats! Just sent a box of vintage hats out to Vogue in NY again for potential use in another photo shoot! Wish me luck....

~Ang

designs in vintage....coming soon to dorotheas' closet vintage

by week's end find this fetching & feminine black silk 50s party dress with pink velvet ruffled neckline and rose accent, by NETTIE ROSENSTEIN....

And this chic bone colored silk 60s jacket with unique button detail in back, by JEAN PATOU....

~Ang

A Legend is Lost

Yves Saint Laurent has passed away at the age of 71.

CNN REPORT

Lets not dwell on the sad. Lets dwell on the beautiful.

From a retrospective....

Incredible blue dress on Kirsten Dunst....

A killer print on Chloe Sevigny....

Tom Tierney paper doll book....

Godspeed.

I only wish I could be that freaking cool.

~Ang

Site Additions May 2 2008....Paganne, Pulitzer & Dirty Birds!

Lots of new pieces on the site and more to come over the next couple days! Click pictures to get to shop!

Bright blue rose print silk 50s dress.....

Pretty white cotton full skirt 50s dress with lace and rhinestone detail....

50s polka dot dress and jacket....

Sultry black silk 50s wiggle dress sparkling with silver and gold beads top to bottom.....

Romantic peach satin gown with sequins and sweet ivory roses perched in folds of puff sleeves....

Mr. Dino op-art print 60s dress in a vintage size 20!....

Summer charm! A gorgeous hibiscus print 50s halter dress with 3-D applique at waist, textile by California Hand Prints Inc......

A racy birds in "love" (aka, making whoopee!) print Catalina swimsuit from the 50s....

Racy in a different way, a superb Speed Racer print by Gene Berk for Paganne.....

60's Lilly Pullitzer kitties and butterfly print summer maxi....

30's soft peach sweater and skirt boasting darling pom-pom accent....

All pictures click through to the website, enjoy browsing!

~Ang

I've Been Tagged! Color in Vintage....

I've been tagged by eVINTAGE SOCIETY member SYDNEY'S VINTAGE....play along with me!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COLOR?
Orange!! Love it. Bright monk's robe orange.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BRIGHTLY COLOURED PIECE IN YOUR INVENTORY?

Since I started the blog tag as the eVintage blogger, I'm answering with a fellow member's dress, ANDAPANDA, listed now on eBay (click piccie!)......a luscious orange lace wiggle cocktail dress.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE WAY TO ADD COLOUR TO AN OUTFIT?
I like bright plastic, large size jewelry....modern or vintage!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COLOUR TO WEAR?
Pinks, greens and red.

WHAT COLOUR ARE YOU WEARING RIGHT NOW?
Um, pjs.....so Miller High Life pj pants and a tank top. There is no matching when sleeping!

WHAT COLOURS DO YOU DECORATE WITH?
Copying my eVintage answer, too sleepy to get clever here....."Danish Modern teak brown and aqua for the living room, leopard print tones with salmon, aqua and white in the sunroom, 40s tropicals in greens and coral pinks in the dining room and the bedroom is Ikea-esque orange, red and pink. I love red and pink together!"

Done and done. I'm tagging fellow eVintage member Julie, of >DAMN GOOD VINTAGE! Go Julie!

~Ang

d.d. ryan estate

just ooooooooooooh. how had i not heard of this D.D. RYAN?. well, i do live in iowa and wasn't even born when she was at the height of her fashion and society fame, so i have that to blame.....but still, i should know who she was! i'm sad for the not knowing, and sad for not BEING this fabulous....

D.D. was known for her eclectic designer tastes ranging from Zandra Rhodes to Ossie Clark, spent time working for Halston and was responsible for the children's book series "Eloise" as she encouraged a cabaret singer friend of hers who created the character to write the book which quickly became a best seller. and she was cool. and stylish. and fabulous. and GROGAN & COMPANY now has the pleasure of auctioning off some of this fascinating woman's estate, and her collections are truly as fascinating as you'd expect. some of the HUGE selection....

A grouping of fashion photographs featuring this one, called WOMAN WATER SKIING, by Toni Frissell.....

Only 2 of the crazy amounts of vintage Emilio Pucci pieces....

Some of D.D.'s own creations (there are more!)....

Miriam Haskell beaded necklace and earrings (i covet)....

An assortment of bakelite i also covet but will never be able to afford....

there's so SO much to love! i need a million dollars please. email me for my paypal info if you'd like to enable my buying addiction!

~Ang

oscar grace.

its hardly news that the oscars take place this weekend, and it is to be expected that at least a few major starlets walking the red carpet will be sporting designer vintage pieces. i'm still waiting for my shot at dressing a starlet, but for now i'll have to be content watching and hoping the mere mention of "vintage" by the media will send people hunting online! or to my shop.

in 1955, however, it was not at all expected that an actress would wear vintage (imagine! liz taylor in a flapper dress? audrey hepburn in a worth gown? wouldn't happen). that said,

grace kelly's dress worn while accepting her award in '55 was actually a year old, designed by edith head and worn to the 1954 premier of the film she won the award for, "the country girl".

there's something charming about her wearing the dress twice in a day and age where gowns are often not even purchased by actresses for the event, but are loaned out by designers as advertising. in a throw away society the importance of buying and wearing vintage takes on a whole new meaning!

~Ang

of kors!

Thank to Julie at DAMN GOOD VINTAGE I was made to look at Michael Kors Fall 2008 collection from the recent Fashion Week in NYC....and we collectively spotted this killer dress that looks very VERY Ceil Chapman inspired....

Want to see the real deal (sans belt?).....from my website, a killer original Ceil in bold floral silk, expertly draped, clickable pic...

A hot look never dies.

~Ang

Palazzo Perfect

In keeping with a vintage separates theme, I bring you what may well be the most dramatic of the realm.....the palazzo pant. First hitting the fashion scene in the 1930's, typically as part of a loungewear set or beach pyjamas, palazzo pants are defined as pants with VERY wide legs, gently widening as they fall to hem while staying slender toward hips and waist. I recently sold this 4 piece 70's set from the tony boutique SARAH FREDERICKS....

This pattern seemed quite likely to be what the ensemble was based on, from GUY LAROCHE

. While technically a coordinate in this case, the palazzo pant is hardly limited to wearing with a matched set.

Worn as a separate, with a tank or fitted blouse....skinny sweater....cami & jacket, any of the dramatic and elegant palazzo pants below make a serious fashion statement.

From SYDNEY'S VINTAGE CLOTHING (click picture to get to website), this pair mixes a warm colourway with a bold, graphic print....

From MAGS RAGS (click picture to get to website), a pair in perfect purple....

Also at MAG'S, these sweet floral palazzos with matching peasant blouse.....

So put your big pants on and add some drama to your vintage wardrobe!

~Ang

I Got A Pretty Dress.

Coming soon, a GORGEOUS Philip Hulitar 50's gown with exquisite beading and rhinestones....jeweled details in citrine, amethyst & topaz hues on champagne silk......watch for it on the site!

.

~Ang

Dress v. Skirt.....Round 1

.............................Reality. Vintage dresses are hot. Worn on the red carpet by film stars, worn IN films by said film stars, spotted on socialites, fashion designers, the coolest chicks in school....the vintage dress is indeed a celeb in its own right. But what if you love vintage, but can rarely find the right color, fit, silhouette or size? What if you love the dress ever so, but have a lifestyle more suited to jeans and a tee shirt?

Thats where the vintage separate comes in! We'd be fooling ourselves to believe that the average woman of the 50s who indeed DID have a fine array of day, cocktail and evening dresses wore strictly dresses 24/7. Even in looking at patterns, many "dresses" are truly comprised of a skirt and blouse! The skirt is one of the easiest ways to add some vintage to your wardrobe without the fit issues of a dress and investing in a piece more versatile than one. Add a modern thin knit tee shirt to a boldly printed cotton 50s skirt.....a snug sweater to a 40s pencil skirt......a cami with a jersey knit 70s skirt.

Just listed on eBay by TRENDSETTERBLUE, this PIERRE CARDIN skirt....

A great designer piece, perfect with a fitted sweater.....simple lines with a decidedly modern yet vintage feel. From DOROTHEA'S CLOSET VINTAGE, a skirt similar in style....handmade in yarnwork with faux fur trimmed hem....edgy and chic!

~Grab a funky print skirt and add some vintage to your wardrobe!

~Ang