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Four Centuries of Fashion
I’ve been doing a lot of research on vintage fashion for a novel I’m working on. I recently came across a treasure trove of information on the website of the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Perusing the photos of garments from the 1600’s through today is like taking a walk through time–albiet in a corset and sometimes painful shoes, but always looking fantastic. Here are a few of my favorite ensembles from the Met’s archives. All photos are from the Costume Institute’s website.
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Vintage Vixen
I have not been posting as frequently in the last couple of weeks because I’ve been working like a crazed woman on my second novel, Gently Used. The novel tells the story of a fictional vintage clothing store, the women who work and shop there, and the garments that come through the door. It is loads of fun to write, and whenever I get blocked, I do research on vintage fashion, which has led me to some fun discoveries online. A recent search for 1950’s ball gowns led me to the Etsy store of Timeless Vixen, a vintage shop based out of Beverly Hills. The shop carries an impressive range…
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The Thrill of the Hunt
Vintage stuff seems to be the theme of the week for me. On Tuesday I guest blogged over at StyleManiac about why I love old clothes, and today my weekly article over at Wisconsin Public Television’s Engage Wisconsin site is about the environmental impact of the clothing industry, and how buying items secondhand can help reduce that impact. What I didn’t mention in either of those articles, though, is that another factor underlying my love of vintage things, besides the stories behind them and the recycling aspect, is a more primal notion–the thrill of the hunt. It’s satisfying to find the proverbial diamond in the rough: a pair of unworn…
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Come See Me at Style Maniac
Today I’m guest posting on vintage fashion over at Style Maniac— a blog by the fabulous Doreen Creede about decorating, dressing, reading, eating, and entertaining in style. Hmmm, all of my favorite things… it’s no wonder I read it religiously. I love how the internet makes it possible to collaborate on projects with creative people everywhere, whether they’ve been to your home or just your home page. So, as Style Maniac would say, kick off your leopard print flats, pour yourself a glass of wine (or a cup of coffee, depending on when you’re reading this) and check out my guest post.
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Rock Star-Worthy Looks
Stars put on a great show on Friday night at the Barrymore, complete with multicolored lights, bubbles, and a keyboard kazoo. And guitarist and vocalist Amy Millan wore sequins, just like the last time I saw her. If I were a rock star, I would wear sequins every night. Seeing all of the beautiful young things in the audience in their carefully-selected concert clothes got me thinking about (what else?) fashion. Here are some rock star-worthy looks from three of my favorite style bloggers. I’d be happy to wear any of the following ensembles to a show. What the three looks have in common is that they all involve at…
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Busy Gal Barbie
Ten years ago, a friend gave me a card with this vintage Barbie image on it and I saved it. I know Barbies are less-than-popular these days because of their sexist implications, but I love this print. I played with the plastic Mattel dolls into my early teens (I was not cool if you haven’t already figured that out). I kept up characters and complicated plots that lasted for years… and then went on to immerse myself in feminist theory and gender studies in college. Contradictory? Perhaps. I think it was good practice for fiction writing, though.
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Six Items or Less
The New York Times recently published an article about consumers who decided to go on a fashion “diet.” On the website Six Items or Less, people from all over the world committed to go an entire month wearing only six selected items of clothing from their closets. It sounds daunting, until you dig deeper into the rules. There are exceptions that don’t count towards the six items: underwear (obviously), swimming suits and work-out clothes, outer jackets (like raincoats), shoes, and accessories. You can get multiples of the same item for laundry purposes, but they must be exactly the same. When I read the rules, I thought, What? Shoes and accessories…
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Mad Men in Madison
This year, my birthday happens to coincide with the premiere of Season 4 of Mad Men. Happy birthday to me. I am more than a little obsessed with the AMC series. I’m not sure if it’s because of the multi-layered plot or all the fantastic 60’s fashion and interior design. I think it might be the latter. Anyway, I’m having a premiere party to celebrate the occasion. There will be martinis and cheese straws, deviled eggs and pigs in a blanket. My husband and I haven’t picked our our attire yet, but you can be sure we’ll be inspired by these photos. All photos from AMCTV.com.
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Yard Sale Steals
I love yard sales for two reasons. First, there’s something voyeuristic about people inviting you onto their lawns or into their garages to rifle through their stuff. The second reason I love yard sales is because you just never know when you’re going to hit the junkyard jackpot. This past weekend, a friend and I went to a few sales in my neighborhood. At side-by-side houses on Williamson Street, I scored some fantastic finds. I paid less than $20, total, for this vintage American Tourister carry-on bag, silk Chanel scarf, and–the pièce de résistance–a sparkling, vintage Dior evening bag complete with the original tags. Since I don’t have many occasions…
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Geeking Out in Iowa City
I spent the weekend in Iowa City at a workshop on Food Writing at the University of Iowa Summer Writing Festival. Most of the time I was geeking out in class or writing on my laptop, but I had a little time to walk around and check out the city, which reminded me a lot of Madison, but smaller. To steal a line from a friend who went to law school there, it’s “like a cultural oasis in the middle of the heartland.” Here are the highlights, in case you ever find yourself in Iowa City: Prairie Lights Bookstore. A book nerd’s dream. Signed books, author readings, works by lots…
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