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Baby, You Look Fabulous
Those who follow this blog know that I am expecting a baby boy any day now. I don’t write much about kid or baby stuff because (1) I have no idea what I’m talking about and (2) I’m sure my life will be consumed soon enough with thrilling topics like nursing bras and cloth diaper covers, so why blog about it? Given that I’m just four days from my due date, though, I thought I’d allow myself a baby-themed post this week. I have to admit that when I found out we were having a boy, I had to give myself a day or so to get used to the idea.…
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Vintage Style for a Steal
Got a wedding or other summer soiree on your calendar that calls for a dressy handbag? Whenever I’ve had to buy a purse or clutch for a special event, I’ve always been disappointed at the slim selection available at department stores. Many of the dressy bags are cheesy and reminiscent of prom, and the nicer ones come with price tags I can’t justify for an accessory I’ll only use a handful of times, at most. Rather than scrambling around at the last minute for the perfect special occasion bag, I’ve started to keep my eyes open at garage sales and secondhand stores for versatile vintage pieces. During a quick spin…
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Whatever Happened to Fancy Hats?
As I approach my due date, I’ve been spending more and more time on the couch watching movies. My husband and I have long since burned through the new releases on our Netflix queue, so we’ve been working our way through some oldies but goodies. This past weekend, we watched the “The Maltese Falcon,” which I am ashamed to admit I had never seen. There’s a lot to be said about the film. It’s a noir classic. It’s based on a mystery by acclaimed American mystery writer Dashiell Hammett. What really stuck with me, though, was the abundance of fabulous hats on screen. Why don’t people wear fedoras or other fancy…
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Pucci: Antidepressant in Fabric Form
At the same time I’ve been nurturing a baby boy, soon to be born in July, I’ve also been nurturing another baby: the manuscript of my novel, GENTLY USED. It’s a multi-generational tale about a vintage clothing store and the stories behind the clothes on the racks and the women who work and shop there. Doing research for the book was almost as much fun as writing it. Over the last year, I amassed a lot of pictures and information, uncovering more vintage fodder than I could ever include in a single novel. And, of course, I stumbled upon some new obsessions. What I didn’t have room for in the…
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Spring Forward, Stay Neutral
By Guest Blogger, Dorothy Munholland The transition from winter to spring can be one of the most exciting yet simultaneously exasperating times of year for those of us who spend the colder months envisioning our warmer weather outfits. There is nothing quite like wearing shorts outside for the first time in months, especially when you realize that you may have jumped the gun on sporting bare legs. Then, just as you think it’s finally time to shove the wool sweaters towards the back of your closet the forecast calls for… snow. Great. Fortunately, I’ve managed to avoid the outfit letdowns caused by unpredictable weather and closet transitions because most of…
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Need a Prom Do-Over? Go Vintage
Ever wish you could have a re-do for your high school prom? Did you choose the wrong date, the wrong dress, or get too drunk off Dr. McGillicuddy’s? Maybe, like me, you had not yet learned the importance of proper eyebrow maintenance. Or maybe you still cruise past the juniors’ section in your local department store every spring, secretly wishing you had an excuse to wear polyester satin and sequins again. Well, there is still hope for you. Vintage Madison, a group of “like-minded ladies who collect, sell and adore vintage clothing” is hosting their first annual Vintage Prom at the East Side Club on May 7. And if you…
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Vintage Love at the Oscars
I used to sit through the entire Academy Awards, from the red-carpet arrivals through the last acceptance speech. Then one year I thought, Who am I kidding? I only care about the clothes. Now, I skip the awards show itself and head straight for the press and the post-show fashion wrap-ups. There are usually a few outstanding vintage gowns on the red carpet. This year, Ann Hathaway’s ruby-colored Valentino got a lot of attention, but since it was from 2002, I’m not sure it really qualifies as vintage. She called it “archival.” Whatever it’s called, it’s gorgeous. Marisa Tomei wore true vintage, showing up in 1950’s Charles James couture. She’s…
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Vintage Advice
At a flea market this summer at Madison’s Fete de Marquette festival, I purchased a used copy of Amy Vanderbilt’s Complete Book of Etiquette, first published in 1952. How could I pass up a book that covered such wide-ranging topics as Monogramming, How to Eat a Maine Lobster, and How to Write an “Angry” Letter? Being a lawyer by profession, though, I don’t need much help with that last one. There’s even a section on what to do if you can’t remember someone’s name (Ms. Vanderbilt recommends saying “Nice to see you” or “You’re looking well.”) Although some of her advice, when viewed from a modern day perspective, is downright…
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Baby It’s Cold Outside
I live in Wisconsin, where below zero temperatures for days in a row are not uncommon. Many midwesterners suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD). I have discovered that SAD has an ugly cousin, FAD. FAD stands for Fashion Apathy Disorder. It’s a disease that strikes downtrodden souls during the winter months, encouraging them to just give up on the notion of looking good because no one will see what you’re wearing under that down parka and ski mask anyway. FAD can strike anyone at any time, and is most prevalent during the dark days of January and February. There is no need to be alarmed, though. There are ways to…
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How to Host a Swap Party
I’m blogging today over at Wisconsin Public Television’s Engage Wisconsin website about how to host a swap party. I recently attended such a party at the home of a friend, and it’s a great incentive for cleaning out closets and cabinets. The idea is that each guest brings used items in good condition from her own home and, in return, can “shop” at the party for items that other people brought. I came home from the recent swap party I attended with a vintage 1970s leather jacket, an adorable green tunic from Anthropologie, and an armload of new books to add to my reading list. To learn how to host…
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