Friday, May 30, 2008

Cool Vintage Finds - Pumpin' 80s

Most people remember the eighties for some of the horrendous fashion trends that arose during the period. However, it wasn't a complete disaster of an era as there were some interesting trends that managed to actually still look rather cool.

One such trend in my opinion is geometric colour block pumps. I'm all about unique, interesting and funky accessories and these shoes easily fit the bill. What's also great is that I found these ones on Etsy all for US$30 and under!

Now I know these aren't for everyone, so for those of you out there like me, hope you like these shoes as much as I do!


Vintage 80s Multicolour Pumps
Price: US$23.00

Seller Description:

So 80s many hued pumps! Embodiment of the decade. In great condition, soles slightly worn.

Brand: Jasmin
Size: 7 1/2

Get these pumps here.


Vintage Pastel 80s Pumps
Price: US$15.00

Seller Description:

Vintage 80s new wave pumps in adorable pastel colors! White and periwinkle pumps with pink stripes over the toes and 2 1/2" seafoam green heels. The insoles are lightly padded and seafoam green. There is mild discoloration on the inside of the shoes and a scuff mark on the right heel's toe. The right shoe's heel has a small cut in the vinyl next to the heel stop. Otherwise the shoes are is good condition.

Size: 7.5M
Man made sole
Made in Brazil
Brand: Village

Get these pumps here.


Vintage 80s Navy/White Chevron Spectator Pumps
Price: US$30.00

Seller Description:

vintage 80s evan-piccone leather pumps. navy blue with white chevron stripe across vamp. tapered heel. french pointed toe.

label: evan-picone
material: leather
size: US 6 1/2 (EUR 37)
length: 9 3/4"
width: 2 4/5"
heel: 3"
made in spain

clean interior. minor wear on back. VERY GOOD vintage condition.

Get these pumps here.


Vintage 80s Green and White Leather Pumps
Price: US$25.00

Seller Description:

Lovely vintage 80s white and green leather pumps, from the company 'Apart Apart'. Worn only a couple of times.

Size is a 7.5 US, 5.5 EUROPE

Get these pumps here.


Vintage 80s Neon Snakeskin Pumps
Price: US$28.00

Seller Description:

Wow! This is a pair of HOT 80s neon snakeskin pumps! Sassy! Sexy! Bright orange, yellow and magenta with a shiny silver edge. 100% real leather with the appearance of being snakeskin. Based on the condition of the soles, these shoes appear to have never been worn! In excellent vintage condition!

Details:
Brand: Jasmin
Size: US 6, Euro 26
100% leather upper
Length: 9.5”
Width (at widest, measured outside): 2 ¾”
Heel height: 2 3/4”

Get these pumps here.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Fatal Attraction 2 - White Handbags

What's not to love about a bag that's always fashionable, fresh, and fun?

photo courtesy picasaweb.google.com


White handbags are a great wardrobe staple because they look fabulous in every season, especially summer! With their ability to reflect the sunlight, they are perfect accessory for setting off the colours and prints of your favourite summer outfits. They will make you look so radiant and chic without overpowering your whole look.

Just like the basic black bag, the white handbag is also versatile for an array of outfit styles, so you can just throw it on and go!

I found some great white handbags that will make wonderful long term additions to your collection!




#1: Faux Leather Handbag - US$27.80
http://www.forever21.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=FOREVER21&category%5Fname=handbags&product%5Fid=1048446863&Page=all#

#2: Julia Tote - US$22.99
http://www.payless.com/Catalog/ProductDetail.aspx?&TLC=Accessories&SLC=AccessoriesHandbags&BLC=AccessoriesHandbagsWomens&Width=&ItemCode=60468&LotNumber=063220&Type=Adult&Popularity=29&DescriptiveColor=White

#3: Criss Cross Doctor Bag - US$39.99
http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?_dyncharset=ISO-8859-1&navAction=jump&id=14952188&search=true&isProduct=true&parentid=SEARCH+RESULTS&color=10

#4: Sag Harbor Portofino Shoulder Bag - US$33.60
http://www.ebags.com/sag_harbor/portofino_shoulder_bag/product_detail/index.cfm?modelid=112004

#5: Mossimo Side Drawstring Satchel - US$24.99
http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/602-3327897-6759000?ASIN=B000Y1JEFC&AFID=Froogle&LNM=B000Y1JEFC|Mossimo_Side_Drawstring_Satchel_White&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=B000Y1JEFC&ref=tgt_adv_XSG10001

#6: Classic Padlock Detail Bag - UK £22.00 (US$$47.98)
http://www.asos.com/countryid/2/Asos/Classic-Padlock-Detail-Bag/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=268484&clr=White&SearchQuery=white+bag&sh=0

Monday, May 26, 2008

No longer a Polyvorgin...

For a while now, I've been seeing a few fashion blogs such as The Vintage Society and Fashiontribes feature stylish outfit collages created on Polyvore.

At first, I didn't pay much attention to it but eventually I let my curiosity get the better of me as it usually does. I started off slow, just putting items together to get a feel of the program. This has now turned into a full blown addiction with seemingly endless hours spent on this site.

Before I went on Polyvore, I had the impression that it was just a styling program but I soon realized that it allows much more freedom to experiment and be creative.

With a huge variety of images to choose from and a tool to import your own, creating these collages (or sets as they're called) is very simple and easy.

Normally, I would use Photoshop for these kinds of things but I think it's a whole lot more fun on Polyvore
!

Below are some of the sets I've created.


Jungle Fever



Breakfast at Tiffany's



Black Fantasy



Soak up the sunset


Anedoti Summer Contest Set



If you're already on
Polyvore or you plan to join, you can add me as a contact here http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/profile?id=214642.

I would love to see what you've created!


Friday, May 23, 2008

Fashion Inspiration - Vivid Colour

I've always loved wearing bright colours because of the way they instantly make me feel more alive and confident. My outfit post below was inspired by all the lovely, bold colours I've been seeing everywhere that will be even more prominent when summer arrives.


Some of my inspiration came from the Resort 2009 collections which were subdued for the most part but colour intensity was seen here and there such as on the runways of Christian Dior and Oscar de la Renta.


photos courtesy style.com


Colour was outstanding on the red carpets and at other events at the Cannes Film Festival. Eva Longoria, Natalie Portman, Salma Hayek and Dita von Teese looked positively stunning in their gorgeous, highly saturated dresses.


photos courtesy justjared.com


These fashionable ladies on various street style and personal fashion blogs show they're not afraid of wearing the boldest of colours, whether in the form of a dress or separates.

There was the lovely lady in pink from France (
Garance Doré), the wonderfully stylish Silje from Norway looked divine in a red dress (Silje's Fashion), California girl Lulu worked a funky yellow top (Lulu's chic blog), New York fashion stylist Julie Ragolia was chic in a green skirt (The Sartorialist), Copenhagen girl looked cool in a purple skirt (Copenhagen Street Style) and in Austin, Texas, this lady was beautiful in a blue and purple dress on a night out (Austin Style Watch).




These guys also show their lack of intimidation when it comes to wearing bright colours.

The picture of confidence in a purple suit in Munich (Style Clicker), a stylish blue short trench in Paris (Street Peeper) and a pair of bold red jeans in New York (Street Peeper).




In this gorgeous editorial spread from the May/June issue of V Magazine, models Jessica Stam, Doutzen Krous and Lily Donaldson look extra radiant in brightly hued clothing and accessories.




photos courtesy fashionising.com


You can bring some colour into your life and style with these items below.










Stop Staring Vintage Reproduction 1940s Pleated Skirt
Price: US$
79.95
http://babygirlboutique.com/stop-staring-1940s-pleated-pencil-skirt-cranberry.html









Shop in Style Turquoise Flare Skirt
Price: US$58.00
http://www.yesstyle.com/en/Product.aspx?pid=1010912769&section=women&


I apologize for the exceptionally long post today but I had a lot of inspiration to share!


Thursday, May 22, 2008

What I'm wearing - Sunny disposition

I don't really like doing outfit posts mainly because I have such a lousy camera that takes extremely lousy photos.

I decided to give it a try today and it took me about half an hour to get a proper photo of the outfit I'm wearing, ugh.

Regarding the outfit itself, I just felt like mixing it up today, combining the long wrap blouse and the yellow ruffle trim dress with the boots.


Believe it or not, I once hated the colour yellow, especially the very bright sunshine yellow like I'm wearing in the photo. Over time, I began to warm to the colour (no pun intended) and now I find myself liking more and more yellow clothing. I bought this cute yellow sundress a little while ago but this is the first time I'm wearing it.


Yellow Bandeau Dress - Asos.com
Printed wrap blouse - Thrifted
Vintage slouch boots - Ebay
Black cinch belt - unknown


N.B Objects in photo are not as cheerful as they appear...

Love this - H&M Summer 08 TV Spot

One of my favourite models, Daria Werbowy, looks absolutely fantastic in this Summer 08 commercial for H&M.

The spot shows Daria relaxing on the beach, playfully frolicking on the sand and enjoying a boat ride, all the while looking natural and gorgeous in her H&M swimwear.


If you were having any trouble at all getting prepared for summer, this commercial will do the trick!

(Music:
"Lay Your Head Down" by Keren Ann)




Wednesday, May 21, 2008

The Short and the Belted

Cute, casual and perfect for summer! These shorts are the perfect clothing item for the season.

Simply tie the belt in a loose knot and wear with a casual shirt and sandals for a relaxed look. If you like, you also have the option of tying the belt in a bow to fancy up the shorts a little and pair with heels and a nice blouse for a night out.

These shorts are daring and flirty and you're sure to have fun in them all summer long!


RyuRyu Cuffed Shorts with Floral Print Scarf Belt
Price: US$49.00
http://www.yesstyle.com/en/Product.aspx?pid=1010699567&section=women&#gallery


Belted Shorts - Razzleberry
Price: US$39.50
http://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=13642&pid=498511






Like it or not? - Net Heel Boots

These boots give a different spin to the ubiquitous gladiator shoe trend and I must say, I quite like them. They'll certainly bring the same amount of edginess to an outfit as gladiators do and I'm sure you fashion mavens would have a fun time with these.


With Mocha Net Heel Boots

I could definitely see one of the Olsens or Gwyneth Paltrow (Hollywood's newest shoe aficionado) rocking a pair, probably with a higher heel though.

They come in black and tan and I personally prefer the black ones because they're bolder and if you're gonna wear these shoes, why not be as bold as possible?



What about you? Like 'em or not?


P.S I added a poll in the sidebar asking about your biggest fashion vice. I always seem to gravitate towards jackets and blazers even though I don't really need them where I live. I'd like to know what fashion item you just can't seem to get enough of.

Monday, May 19, 2008

Random Thoughts - Always in Vogue

Over the span of three years or so, I’ve collected tons of magazines and, like many people, Vogue is one of my absolute favourites.

The editorial spreads are always stunning and creative and the articles are compelling. However, if there's one thing you can never miss on a Vogue, it's the cover.

Even before the issues hit the newsstands, people are often anxious to see who the next cover star is going to be, whether it be a celebrity or a supermodel.

For the month of June, Sarah Jessica Parker and Agyness Deyn grace the covers of the US Vogue and the British Vogue, respectively.



photos courtesy http://whenyourebored.wordpress.com and vogue.co.uk


While photographs of beautiful people on the cover is what we've become accustomed to, it hasn't always been this way.

Vogue magazine was founded in 1892 by Arthur Baldwin Turnure and began its days as a weekly social journal for the high society crowd; fashion was not the original focus.

It was not until 1909 when Conde Nast bought the magazine that things began to change. Within a few years, he transformed Vogue into a high-end women's fashion magazine. He hired some of the best illustrators to create beautiful, captivating covers for the magazine to suit the times.


Here are some of the early Vogue covers that I found stunning.








photos courtesy www.tylerlee.net


Which do you prefer, the photographs or the illustrations? I appreciate them both as they bring completely different aesthetics to the cover but while the illustrations are gorgeous, I think the photographs are more suited to our time.



To see more vintage Vogue covers, click here.

To read an article on the June US Vogue photo shoot and also see behind-the-scenes footage, click here.

To get a sneak peek at the contents of the June British Vogue, click here.