Emerald City

Lucky Charms

Nothin' but a G thing baby ... G-R-E-E-N to be precise. Green is timeless. Just look at the sumptuous emerald and forest shades of this wool/silk/fox fur cape and butter-soft leather riding boots given to me by my beloved and beautiful maternal grandmother a few years ago. Both from sixties-era, exquisitely made, and just my size, they'll never go out of style. Quality and truly timeless beauty never do.

Envy's shade

Louboutin Garibaldis

"You see I've forgotten, if they're green, or they're blue ...but anyway, the thing is, what I really mean ... yours are the sweetest eyes, I've ever seen."
S.

She says what she means, and...

 (Yes, I happen to take pictures of bathroom-stall graffiti.)

I mean, what can I say?

Lilli Ann's of San Fran jacket

My eye for vintage is improving by the year. I recently saw this black, sharp-shouldered, fit-and-flare, peplum blazer and knew I had a good thing on my hands. Though the rectangular crystal buttons threw me off ( I now know they were an after-market embellishment to the jacket), I brought it home with me for around $15 and researched the label- "Original Lilli Ann of San Francisco". 

If the blazer fits, wear it. And it does, perfectly.

Turns out, Lilli Ann was a women's suiting company that was integral in the economic development of the city of San Francisco from the 1940's and through the war years. Through WWII, the line remained committed to their brand's luxury even amidst textile shortages. 

1946 ad for Lilli Ann suiting

This label shows that my vintage jacket is from the 40's.

Fitted waists and peplums to the hip were a trademark of the company, so it was hard to surmise what era my jacket is from. But I have researched, and the National Coat and Suit Recovery Board seal on the inside of my jacket tells me it is a coat from the 1940's. This label assured consumers that the garment was made by workers who were not working excessive hours and who were being paid a fair hourly wage.

The delicious history of this amazing jacket aside, it fits me damn near perfectly. And, it's kind of got that "She means what she says" quality, I think.

Hmm...imagining the strong, free spirit of an eloquent 1940's beauty who meant what she said, captured in the beautiful black wool.

S.

Sweet Pantomime

Love these @ Lanvin 

Androgynous, menswear-inspired pants aren't as challenging to pull off as they are hard to find on a budget. Sure, Lanvin, Burberry Prorsum and  and 3.1 Phillip Lim make perfectly modern, $795 versions, but chain retailers- and even most local higher-end boutiques- just never quite get it right, do they? 

But it's an intriguing and effortlessly glamourous aesthetic when taken to the extreme, and often vintage shops are the spot to go to find these silhouettes- and truly trouser-y trousers. 

New Wu- Jason Wu for SS2011

My vintage cobalt blue merino wool trouser-$2, and vintage houndstooth wool trouser- $14

my very own toonie tuesday?

I'm in mad-die-love with some high-waisted, baggy trousers. Yes, they can work for every body type, trust and prove, people. The key is to try different levels of high-waisted rises, fuller or slimmer leg volumes depending on your preference, harem-esque tight at the ankles, shorter, longer, loose or tight in the hips. I''m enamored with the feeling of these two vintage pairs (above) I bought a while ago. They're a risk, yes- I'm never sure they're fully understood- but with a high patent ankle-boot, white fitted beater or cropped swingy tee and bulky, drapey scarf they work. I wore the cobalt blue pair with lace-up wedge combat boots to meet my dad for a drink and bite at downtown's Rockbottom Brewery one night and he just shook his head. That's a good sign, point for the pants y'all. But, when I told him they were $2- yes, $2, this make him have big big smile. So everyone wins.

I might be contumacious when it comes to fashion boundaries- but, eh, at least I'm financially responsible.
S.

Out with the new, in with vintage

The piece I mentioned I was working on for the Halifax Commoner takes a glance at vintage shopping in Halifax, and comes out tomorrow in print. Read it, and the whole issue, online @ http://thecommoner.kingsjournalism.com/.

S.

My texture, the best fur

            "Yes sir, I'm cut from a different cloth. My texture, is the best fur, of chinchilla"- Jay-Z

Fur the remix- the 2011fur trend alludes to ease, has an edge, and remains laidback. 

Furs are no longer the coat your grandmother tucked away in moth-ball land for 11 months of the year until a formal event came along that called for her finest.

Nope.

Chanel for F/W 2010

From left- Alexander Wang, Derek Lam, and Thakoon do fur for FW 2010 

This season fur is best as the cherry on top of a more casual, edgy look. Think denim, leather, metallics, plus fur. Combine and stir, and don't think too hard about it. It's not your Grandma's heirloom. 

Whether you're a friend or foe of fur -or faux-, everyone can appreciate the warmth of an amazing fur jacket. They are truly the warmest things you can wear- trust me, I live in a damn cold climate. My upper body remains completely toasty in my vintage chinchilla bomber -- seen below. 

A pile of my favourite furs and baubles. Bottom left- white rabbit fur bomber I bought when I was 17, Far Right- my vintage chinchilla bomber, $86 at Lost and Found, Top left- faux-fur cropped shrug, $34.50 at Forever21.com

Now my lower half, on the other hand...leather leggings and 5-inch stilettos aren't so forgiving during frostbite inducing Canadian winters. Brrr

Fur for day a la M.K. and A

Elizabeth Taylor exemplified timeless glamour in a fur stole

"Romance is the glamour which turns the dust of everyday life into a golden haze."- Carolyn Gold Heilbrun.


S.

Princess Peach

Vintage crepe dress, $18, Lost and Found

"Just one glance and she stole my heart, the kinda girl you wanna teach, she's a peach"- Prince.

Irresistible

I didn't buy this vintage peach dress-it bought me. ($18). I tried it on once a few months ago but didn't get it- the proportions of it are really crazy-waist/ribcage band is XXS and bust and hips are about a S or M. I was thinking I might have trouble breathing in it, so I left it. When I went back last week, it was still hanging there looking as deliciously feminine as I remembered- I found out I had been the only person who tried it and fit into it. Cinderella's glass slipper it's not, but the prince was hers, and the princess peach dress came home with me before the stroke of midnight. Hmm... I hope I get invited to an outdoor wedding in spring so I can wear it with some camel espadrille wedges and a turquoise ring.

OneVintage, $2,020, netaporter.com

Kate covers Elle in peach lace 

Only a Georgia peach could be as sweet

Look at me, I'm Sandra Dee- Olivia Newton John in Grease

Sometimes you just have to let the clothes pick you,

S.

I've got the golden ticket

"Midas is king and he holds me so tight. And turns me to gold in the sunlight". -Florence and the Machine.

Silence is...

Vintage Versace- $5,500

My new gold off-shoulder cropped shirt, $14, and gold mini-dress, $20.

Greek myth says everything King Midas touched turned golden, but what about the things that were already gold, like this gold lamé off-shoulder loose cropped top and glistening gold 70's long-sleeved, high-neck sheer dress? When I found these recent 24-karat second-hand treasures -- goldmine. 

Michael Kors metallic gold sweater- $100, netaporter.com

Marilyn in gold will never grow old

Gold is intensity, value, rarity, joy...

and when it's under $20 it's a vice that's twice as nice.

I've been searching for a heart of you-know-what,

S.

Hello, cowgirl in the sand

Admittedly I never stopped loving the 60's and 70's. Folk rock, James Taylor, high-waisted denim, wide-leg, turquoise, feathers in the hair loving hippie-at-heart. I love the sun, being laid-back, and sporatically sticking bits of foliage in my hair... if I had to choose one era of clothing to reach into the past and grab, the 60's and 70's would be it. My beautiful mama, why didn't you save those long slinky dresses and diaphanous silk blouses for your one-day-daughter (me) ? I forgive you, if only because I found this hand-made macrame vest a while back, and just the other day, a pair of high waisted vintage levi's denim shorts for $2.

Mix-in hand macramed vest- $9.99,Value village. high-waisted vintage Levi's denim short- $2, lost and found. 

Macrame I?

French Vogue covers cowgirl

Ippolita turquoise drop earrings, $1,095, netaporter.com

Kate Moss for TopShop macrame vest.

Sweet dreams and flying machines;
S.

sail away with me, honey.

My new nautical knit cropped sweater, $16, and $12 shades- at Lost and Found

I was inspired to dip my toes in the nautical waters once again this season- and this red, white and blue cable knit cropped anchor-bearing sweater I found for $16 at Lost and Found (one of my favourite vintage boutiques) is a more-than-viable replacement for the (also adorable) $245 Diane Von Furstenburg one below.

DianeVon Furstenburg knit sweater- $245-netaporter.com

Coco Chanel started the nautical trend in the '20s

Chanel Resort Collection 2010

Carrie's first day in Paris

 Staying afloat upon the sails of the simple pleasure of living life;

S.

"For Health and Vitality"

Fruit is good for you.

From left- Stella McCartney, Wunderkind(x2) and Prada for SS11

Stella McCartney, Wunderkind, and Prada said so.
Whether tart citrus at Stella, sweet cherries at Wunderkind, or b-a-n-a-n-a-s at Prada, I couldn't help myself. I love me some fruit-organic, couture, vintage, whatever. But Miuccia's potassium-laden pieces aren't going to be peeling their way into my budget anytime soon. No big disaster- found this vintage fruity floral shrunken blazer at Lost and Found on Thursday...

Printed shrunken blazer- $18 at Lost and Found

Yum. It's kind of more floral than fruit- but it brings back sweet nostalgia of a pretty lil' dress I had when I was 7. I loved that dress...Here I am wearing it on a cruise in 1993, disregard haircut please. The point is, fruit on fabric truly never goes out of season. 

Me, 7, in my fruit dress

S.