Vintage Fashion - New York Inspiration!

I love to eyeball other vintage online stores. Not only to see what treasures my fellow vintage retailers have had the good fortune to source but also to see how they are styling their fashion pages and what trends they are following via their blogs. The vintage fashion community as a whole are a very embracing bunch of people, happy to share their knowledge and always oblidging when it come to linking and promoting other like minded boutiques and blogs. So it's always nice to find new blogs and online shops showcasing their fabulous vintage fashions and accessories.


The lovely ladies at VagabondNYC recently emailed me about their gorgeous website and I must say I'm impressed. Uber cool styling and very funky vintage threads make VagabondNYC a stand out little store! It figures really - Both Andrea and Naveed who run the show work in fashion as a stylist and an editor (respectively). VagabondNYC was born out of their shared passion for vintage clothing and accessories from the 60's through to the 90's (definitely girls after my own heart!)



The great thing about their site is that it has a Looks section that focuses on showcasing their vintage finds through really beautiful, fabulously styled editorials to give the customer a different perspective and show them how the clothes might be brought to life...This is definitely the best way to help a customer make a decision about purchasing a product from my experience!

The site is really fresh, full of really gorgeous clothes at reasonable prices and shipping is free...what more could you ask for!
Oh and their blog is choc full of fashion and styling tips for the girl who loves fashion and is mad for vintage.

So impressed!



All photo's courteousy of VagabondNYC website - check them out HERE

More on Markets

Saved! I've just discovered via the lovely Mia from The Raisin Did It and Miamore - who's crafty little children's clothing ranges are sold on Bowerbird Vintage - that the Young Blood Designers Markets are on this weekend at the Powerhouse Museum.

I was beginning to worry that I might have to wander aimlessly around Westfields looking for inspiration for Christmas presents this year after having missed the Finders Keepers markets last weekend.

Young Blood is my other favourite (non vintage clothing related) design markets. They are choc full of fantastic local designers and artisans showcasing clothing, jewellery, accessories, home wares and much more.

I found Mia's beautiful children's wear at the markets about a year ago and asked if she would sell her lovely creations on Bowerbird. She has also just launched her own website which is definitiely worth a look. The little girls frock below is from the latest summer range.




So, it's going to be a busy weekend for markets with the Vanity Fair vintage fashion fair and Young Blood designers markets as well. I dare say my wallet will a little on the light side once I'm done!


Youngblood: Designers Market
Powerhouse Museum, 500 Harris Street this Friday 12th, 6pm – 9pm and Saturday 13th,
8am- 5pm.

To Market To Market...

I missed one of my favourite (non vintage related) markets last weekend due to festivities relating to the upcoming nuptials of my best friend. As I am her Matron of Honor I felt duty bound to have drank alot of Champagne on Saturday and consequently not move very far from the couch on Sunday!

The Finders Keepers Independent Design and Art markets were held at the Carriage Works in Redfern over the weekend and I'm sad to have missed them - They would have been the perfect place to purchase Christmas presents for friends & family.

You may remember them as Hope Street markets but they've had a little make over recently due to their popularity and have gone a little more upmarket (but no less fabulous).

Finders Keepers champions up and coming and truly innovative designers, jewellery makers and artists from around Australia. Unfortunately (or fortunately for my wallet!) They are only on twice a year...However you should bookmark their website and become a member of their mailing list if you love beautiful, unique and often wonderfully quirky art and design. You can also check out the designers profiles and contact details HERE
if you can't bear to wait another 6 months.

On the upside, there are more markets this weekend in Leichardt. The Vanity Fair Markets are of the vintage fashion fair kind and are on once a month at Leichardt Town Hall in Sydney. I've not been before as they are quite new but I have been told they are fantastic. As I have no Hens nights to attend this weekend I will definitely drop in for a peek (and most likely a splurge!)

Tip for the Day

Check out Turned Out for the best street style fashion bible around. Photo's from all over the globe (Including Sydney) of the best dressed ladies and lad's on the street. Personally, I love seeing how the cool kids mix their vintage clothing with high end fashion and funky accessories. Also includes great blogs and fashion features.

Vintage Fashion History

Bendigo Art Gallery will be home to the most fantastic display of vintage clothing over the next three months when it opens The Golden Age of Couture 1947-1957 exhibition on dec 7th, direct from London's Victoria & Albert Museum. It focuses on Europe's post World War Two love affair with high fashion lead by Christian Dior’s New Look. It also looks at the work of his comtempories such as Gavinchey and Balenciaga who "set a standard for dressmaking and high fashion that has rarely been surpassed".

If you don't live in Bendigo or Victoria you can always jump onto Victoria & Albert Museum's website for a history lesson and to ogle the most incredible garments you ever see. Works of Art!

Books to Covet

So I have a Christmas list...it's getting kind of long. Mostly it's all books though (Oh, and that lovely Oroton tote that just goes with everything!)

Christmas for me is generally about books. Big books. With pictures. But also novels, autobiographies, book on business and how to make a squillion bucks...and the odd text book too.

Throughout the year I scribble the name of each desirable new tome to hit the stands into my diary and then come birthdays and Christmas's (or a Myer 30% off sale) I just hand over my list. My dear Husband does not have to think too hard and I get exactly what I want. Everyone's a winner!

Of course, I have to cull so as not to seem greedy which is difficult and generally requires a detailed selection process. You may know it as 'eeny, meeny, miny, mo...'.

So, the hot picks for Christmas include;

Vanity Fair; A Century of Iconic Images - Simply to drool over the pictures of course!

Valentino: Themes and Variations. Ditto - The master of couture - need I say more?


Jenny Kee. A Big Life - Because she's fabulous


David Sedaris: When You Are Engulfed in Flames - He's hilarious and I have a crush. I don't care that he is gay.


Jamie Oliver's Ministry of Food - Because I love to eat...and cook occasionally and he makes it look so easy


Vogue Covers: On Fashion's Front Page - to lust over

all images from Amazon.com...where I have been known to spend a couple of bucks

Australia - Vintage Love Affair!

Are you going to see Australia? I think I have to...but it's 160 minutes long which might kill me...Who can possibly sit still for that long? Who can watch Nicole for that long for that matter! Hugh might save me though...as will all of those fabulous costumes Nicole gets to dress up in.

From what I've caught of the trailer Nicole's character, Lady Sarah Ashley certainly rocks a dress (and a pair of jodpurs!).

Catherine Martin, wife of Director Baz Lurhman, who put together the film's wardrobe and sourced all of the props sure knows her vintage. The film is set in the early 1940's and apparently she had some 300 people sourcing antique or replica items for the movie's backdrops. The fashion of course is meticulously accurate and completely spectacular.

What do you expect from the woman who designed (and won 2 academy awards for...) the wardrobe for Moulin Rouge. She also worked on Baz's other film Romeo & Juliette, the reworking of Puccini's La Bo heme. Oh and that fabulous Aussie blockbuster Strictly Ballroom a few years back.

I really don't care for Nicole's movies all that much...In fact I don't think I even finished watching all of Moulin Rouge even with the fantastic wardrobe... To be fair though she scared the pants off of me in The Others and I loved that indie flick with Joaquin Pheonix that made her famous - To Die For.

As a style icon however, I'll give her credit where it's due. She really does have the most wonderful figure. Her height and her posture makes her almost regal looking and the perfect model for all those incredible costumes. As do her porcelain features and (remarkably?!) smooth,unblemished skin. She always looks immaculate on the Red Carpet and I don't think I've seen her in a bad photo shoot (see the US vogue pictures below...)

She's certainly come along way from BMX Bandits!

I think as a dedicated follower of fashion and someone who lives and breathes vintage I really have to see this movie...if only for Lady Ashley's amazing Salvatore Ferragamo shoe collection and monogrammed Prada Luggage...

Getting Married Girls?

Image copyright of Eco Friendly Weddings

Well, can I suggest you hop onto Eco Friendly Weddings asap? Its a fantastic new website dedicated to the girl (or boy) getting married who want to plan an earth friendly, cost effective wedding. They have a directory of amazing ceremony venues, honeymoon destinations, reception venues, unique gift ideas, bonbonniere, invitations, cakes, catering, and plenty more - all of whom are completely dedicated to providing environmental friendly services.

I love, love, love this idea! Renai, who herself is getting married shortly, set up Eco Friendly Weddings after researching the web for her own wedding and finding a limited number of sites dedicated to helping eco conscious people get organised for their big day.

I often get people emailing me looking for the perfect vintage wedding dress or vintage frocks for their brides maids. A lot of those people are looking for a Green solution to their wedding day and the idea of a recycled frock from a bygone era is not only earth friendly but also very romantic. I really like the idea that the dress has a history and (hopefully) already created many happy memories.

I wear the little 1940's white wedding frock below quite a bit - I absolutely love it and will never part with it. Doesn't even have to be a special occasion...In fact the last place I wore it was to a wine tasting over black tights and a pair of sky high white Mary Janes!

It's a day dress and was possibly worn for a garden wedding or perhaps at a registry office. Terribly demure and made of the most exquisite lace with a cute peter pan style collar. I imagine someone probably wore it with a pill box hat, stockings and maybe a little fur stole if it was chilly...

One of my all time fave vintage dresses - a perfect vintage wedding frock too - no?