Just came across this buried in a folder on my desktop. I had set these aside to post a long while ago. The store is , oh so dandy. Their tag line is “Accessories for Dapper Guys”. Send me a boy that looks like this! I guess I am moving to London in January, maybe my chances will improve…
Here are some great accessories I have found! You can find any of these stores on .
Tux & Tulle- Custom & Awesome
BeauxRegard – Handmade from Vintage Fabrics
CustomFalaviaDesigns- OTIS Bow Ties
Comic Firefly – Steampunk Style
JoannaBizu – Classy
Mental Embellisher -Vintage & Steampunk
EstateChicago- Classy
Emmetswyfe- Vintage
Just released today, a new book claiming to be the most comprehensive survey of hairstyles ever published. I trust this will be an amazing sourcebook, with tonnes of inspirational images, since it’s coming from Charlotte Fiell, the editor behind those fantastic Taschen design icon books – you know the ones? She also has two fashion sourcebooks being released soon: being released in a few days, and due out in March 2012. I’ll post about those shortly.
Here’s the blurb for Hairstyles Ancient to Present:
No part of the human body is as culturally determined, and as diverse in its possible expressions, as hair. The afro, beehive, bob, bouffant, bowl cut, dreadlocks, mullet, mohawk, perm, pompadour – from year to year, and from era to era, old and new hairstyles come and go, telling a new tale about their wearers each time around. Hairstyles: Ancient to Present is not only the most comprehensive survery of hairstyles ever published, it is also a visual celebration of this endlessly inventive cultural phenomenon that looks at the entire cultural sprectrum of hairstyle, from ancient Greek tresses and eighteenth century powdered wigs to Art Deco bobs and Punk spikes, to the latest directions in the world of hairdressing today. Throughly researched, with 800 illustrations, this book showcases an amazing array of wonderfully imaginative styles, while also demonstrating the remarkable skill of their creators. It includes over 1,000 hairstyles, from resplendent Victorian chignons to 1950′s ponytails to the creations of today’s top stylists. With page after page of visual inspiration, Hairstyles contextualises through its accompanying texts the historical and and cultural relevance of hairdressing in society, as well as analyzing its role as a signifier of social status.
Well, I’m in Argentina right now, so Modcloth shopping is out of the question. Boooo. But you should all go buy some delicious shoes over at , so that I can live vicariously through you 
Send me photos! Here’s a danceable selection….
I wore a pair of Seychelles “In With The New” pumps last weekend at Goodnight Sweetheart in the UK, that I bought at ModCloth.com and I adore them! I’ve only danced a little in them (I was just strutting around in them while I was judging the contest), but Lady of Balboa, Kate Hedin told me she has the same pair, and does dance in them. I’ve since found out you can get them cheaper on Endless.com (which you might have heard me rant about before – I love Endless because it’s free shipping in the US, and free return shipping if they don’t fit). I own a few pairs of Seychelles heels now (I bought the gold and black “Lauren” pumps a few months ago). They do glamorous pumps and Mary Janes with a vintage edge, but modern appeal. Here’s a selection on Endless.com:
Categories: Shoes
A Quebecois buddy of mine, Alisha Ruiss, just tortured me with two emails in quick succession, with links to online stores where I want to buy EVERYTHING!! Oh no, Alisha, how could you do this to me? The first was , an old favourite of mine, but I haven’t visited for a while, and was rather unaware of the current shoe collection. Swoon! Here are my top picks, and they’re all available right now, in the range of US$54 – $72. These shoes are a steal. They stock a few Stop Staring dresses as well, and they have some cute pencil skirts…
This is a book I bought myself for Christmas. It covers fashion history from the 18th century to the 20th century, with glossy photographs of the collection held by the Kyoto Costume Institute in Japan. The book has been out for a while, but oh my, if you don’t own it yet, go out and buy it immediately! So much inspiration for any swing fashionista, the kind of clothes that are so beautiful it makes my chest ache. The Poiret, the Schiaparelli, the Chanel, oh god the Vionnet! The Vionnet, people! Now I want desperately to visit the Kyoto Costume Institute. A holiday to Japan anyone?
Seriously folks, this book is sheer fashion heaven. It is definitely now one of the favourites in my collection. You can buy it . Enjoy!
I loved the hair flowers in Marc Jacobs’ Spring 2011 show so much, I thought I should post the detail shots. Lovely flowers, non?
This is the Savile Row bespoke tailor that dressed the likes of Fred Astaire, Rudolph Valentino, Charlie Chaplin, Noel Coward, Sir Laurence Olivier and Duke Ellington. They recently celebrated their 100th anniversary, and over their century of dressing the British upper-class and the American movie star, have managed to maintain their classic elegance like good British chaps. If you happen to be in London, do visit… if you can gather enough pomp to walk through those doors.
Isn’t she beautiful?
Here’s a few quick pics of me in Avalon (yes, like the song) on Catalina Island, for the Catalina Jazz Dance Festival in November 2010. The first is on the ferry over with the Casino Ballroom in the background, and the second with Miss Catalina 2010, on the slab. Round sunglasses are Top Shop, the aviator jacket is Zara, the dress is vintage 1950s from Eons in Pittsburgh, the yellow scarf from Thriftique in Pittsburgh, the cream scarf from a vintage market in Paris. I’m going back to the 2011 festival for sure! Beautiful weather, great bands, and the most beautiful ballroom I’ve ever been in in my life. And this time I’m bringing a vintage bathing suit and I’m going to strut my stuff for the Miss Catalina contest. Come on ladies, who else is in?
So I was procrastinating a few days ago, browsing vintage dresses on eBay with no intention of buying (no seriously, I went on a November shopping spree, so no more this year!). And I got to thinking about the photographs of vintage clothing for sale online. What a resource! When somebody sells a vintage dress online, they photograph the dress from all angles, with closeups of details and embellishments – they show more detail in those photos than most costume museum archives! It’s an amazing historic record. Plus, so many of these dresses are one of a kind, or at least, the last of their kind.
But the photos are online only as long as the item is for sale, and given that it’s changing hands to a new owner, it may never be seen again! Once the listing is deleted, that photographic record is lost to us! Sitting there, I had a terrible panic that we were losing a valuable resource, oh my word! And proceeded to nab as many photos of the 1920-1940s dresses listed as I could. So yeah, an hour later…
Anyway, what do you think? I’ve always liked to post the lovely vintage things I see on eBay and Etsy, here on SwingFashionista. That way, even if none of us get to buy them, we can still enjoy the pictures, get inspired by the style, and maybe even use them as a reference for making our own. And well after the original listing is gone and the item has headed on to its new owner. But now I feel like I’m on a mission!
What are your thoughts? Want to join my mission? Do you have that same photo-saving habit I do? Do you have a folder on your desktop, filled with photos of pretty things from the glorious internet? So why not start your own blog? Or send them to me and I’ll always post any gathered photos of original 1920s – 1950s fashions here on SwingFashionista. Drop a comment if you have a thought!
Oh yeah, and to satisfy, here are some of those photos
Last time I was in London, I picked up a couple of Stop Staring dresses, a skirt and some dance shoes from Revival. Here’s a selection:
Check them out:
Categories: ClothingA selection of things I… *sigh* …won’t be buying from on Etsy.com, because they are too small. The black velvet dress is the only one that would fit me (36-28-38 if you’d like to keep an eye out for me!), but I swore to myself that I would stop buying black dresses, so I’m leaving it be…
Some lovely hats available right now from on Etsy.com….
