Even if you can’t afford Miu Miu and Marc Jacobs, staying abreast of the latest trends can lead to a search for similar pieces at vintage and thrift shops. I brought home an impressive yield from my most recent adventure at the thrift store- lace-up denim high-waisted shorts, cropped burnt orange tank, black off-the-shoulder cocktail minidress (I’m guessing it’s late 80′s to mid-90′s era), gold chain belt, and an English bone china ceramic plate to display jewelry or candles on, haven’t yet decided. If your mind is informed as to what’s going on with designers in their runway shows, no matter where you shop you’ll be able to find something comparable to that.  Check out this Look for Less pairing, for example:

Royal purple made an appearence in the Alice + Olivia spring 2012 ready to wear show, and can also be found in this striking 80′s sequined jump suit from Vantage Point Vintage, available for $44.95. 

Alice + Olivia, spring 2012 rtw look.

Be yourself on a date, and bring anything you need in case you need to make a getaway

Have you ever gone on a date with someone who turned out to be an absolute weirdo, and it made you regret wasting a cool outfit? There’s nothing wrong with being eccentric and odd – in fact I’d rather go out with a man who is completely on his own planet instead of someone who is drier than a mummified Saltine. Remember last week when I mentioned I’d been asked for a casual rendezvous (not the kind advertised on Craig’s List, a couple beers on a bar patio, I mean)? Well, he was totally boring, strange, and his outfit was wrong, wrong, WRONG!

The evening was still balmy and the sun was shining when I made my way over to the yuppie bar where the after-work professional crowd likes to sip microbrews and discuss stock options (not typically my crew). I had on my cotton one-shoulder American Apparel black minidress and black leather motorcycle ankle boots. I was having a really good hair day because I now work at a hair/skin/body care shop.  I didn’t immediately see my “date,” who I didn’t really know, just met out the previous week…but then I saw someone with a pouffy bowl cut, business casual attire, an umbrella stuck in his back pocket (it was sunny?) and soccer cleats.

Needless to say he looked better in the dark and I’ve been dodging his calls. I don’t even want a boyfriend; I only go on dates for the outfit options and the pure entertainment of it all.  But that’s life, you know!

Some date-night fashion tips to keep in mind: 1) Skip anything noisy and complicated, and keep it simple and easy to move in. Now that the weather is warm, a mini dress and ankle boots or wedges are prime options. 2) Smell good. Nobody likes a Smelly McSmellyson. 3: Be yourself! And be safe out there.

XOXO,

Ann Marie

What’s your two, three or even four favorite colors you love to wear together??

Cheers,
Nicole

Don't be shy - a vintage hat will make a strong impression.

70s era Mickey Mouse hat, VPV

60s era straw hat, VPV

Cheers,
Nicole

Do you have a gift for thrift?

Perhaps every vintage fashion hound knows and appreciates this aspect of clothing, as a medium through which to tell their story, and allow others to view the world as they do. Imagine stepping into another land, another place, and experiencing things beyond your typical realm. Well, if you peruse secondhand shops and discover thrifted gems, you do just that. You pick up where another’s story left off and continue the story with your own version of life.

I would like to share some of my recent thrift finds. When I hit the shops, I beeline for the jackets, vests, dresses, jean shorts, and boots. I’ve found some real treasures, both versatile everyday items and going-out statement pieces. Some articles of clothing that I own carry personal memories and stay relevant in my wardrobe due to the things I did in them. My $3 Gap denim vest and my $5 cropped Levi’s vest are my everyday throw ons, but I hang on to my 50 cent estate sale black lace top, that automatically sexifys my mood, even though I’ve only worn it once to date. I’m definitely saving it for a special time.

I usually reach for a mini skirt, but this floral maxi skirt makes me feel like a 60′s folk singer, plus I can sit however I want if I’m drinking cheap wine on an outdoor patio. My high-waisted jean shorts will get me through this summer, as will cropped tanks, bustiers and my caftans and kimonos. I didn’t pay more than $20 for anything shown, with most averaging at $5. Can you tell which items I splurged on and which I unearthed at my local Goodwill?

I can’t wait to see what adventures my 90s shorts will bring this summer.

XOXO,

Ann Marie

“It is always better to wear a becoming dress three times straight than to alternate it with two frights” -F. Scott Fitzgerald

SHIRLEY MANSON OF GARBAGE

As anyone who has stared wistfully into their mug of Seattle’s Best with Pearl Jam playing in the background can tell you, the 90′s were a very special time. I feel like I’m an “old soul,” born in the wrong generation. I’m 24, but sometimes feel more like 34. I rocked out to Smashing Pumpkins, Garbage, Nirvana, and the like in elementary school while dressed in cropped sweaters, backpack purses, cutoff jeans, and Airwalks, wishing I could be like the cool high school girls shopping at 5-7-9 instead of lil’ old fifth grade me. I guess part of the cool thing about being all grown up now is that I can pick and choose things from generations gone by to create my own unique style.

The 60′s were nice, the 80′s were glam, but the 90′s would definitely be my choice for most fashionable decade. It’s when the high-maintenance glitz of the 80′s wore off, to give way to “grunge,” which is defined as “dirt, filth, or rubbish, or a style or fashion derived in rock music and in fashion, characterized by unkempt clothing and by aggressive, nihilistic songs.” The grunge movement was born in Seattle with bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam, who still influence music and fashion to this day.

90's Paisley Gauze Skirt

Let this be an invitation to crank up the L7 or Hole, discover a grunge paramour like Ethan Hawke in “Before Sunrise,” and lace up your Doc Martens for some fun.

90's New With Tags Sequin Trophy Dress

90's Gone Fishing Mini Dress

Edie loved her leotards/VPV, $22.80

I just returned from a weekend away in Pittsburgh, PA, home of Wiz Khalifa, Andy Warhol, and cuisine where they put French fries on top of everything. While there, I ate delicious sushi (the owner/sushi chef even gave me free octopus), went to the Andy Warhol Museum (I have an Edie Sedgwick tattoo), watched a Pirates game, and of course, shopped in a quaint shopping district with many locally-owned boutiques. I bought scented nail polish, 70′s-inspired tribal wedges with patent straps, and definitely dropped major ducats at American Apparel (what can I say, I love basics).

Edie Sedgwick always looked amazing on film (Pinterest).

Pittsburgh weather is more mercurial than a Shakespearian tragedy – sunny, cloudy, windy, warm, cool – all in one hour! It’s best to walk around with a jacket and sunglasses, no matter how things look when you first wake up.

My favorite part of my excursion, however, was finally exploring the seven floors of the Andy Warhol Museum. I’ve always been a fan of Warhol’s Superstars (his clique of NYC personalities/bohemian eccentrics), especially Edie Sedgwick, their damaged heiress famously exploited by Warhol and the drug-soaked lifestyle of The Factory. Some say that Bob Dylan wrote ”Like A Rolling Stone” about her, even though Dylan won’t confirm details about their affair. Sedgwick, besides being a fashion icon and photogenic muse to Warhol and model for high-fashion mags and Betsey Johnson, was by all accounts an It Girl. Besides Sedgwick, Warhol’s Superstars included art collector Baby Jane Holzer, filmmaker Gerard Malanga,The Velvet Underground’s frontwoman Nico, and transsexual Candy Darling. Not only did Warhol include his Superstars in his art, they all traipsed around New York together in the late 60′s/early 70′s, causing a stir within the social scene.

Baby Jane Holzer on a magazine cover (Pinterest).

60's Sinqua Festival Dress, VPV, $175.

I mugged it up in the photobooth at the Warhol Museum (which uses actual photo chemicals to develop your shots!) and walked away with some fashion inspiration; I’m going to rock the bandanna -under-a-hat/Jean-Michel Basquait look this weekend. Who is your favorite artist/muse combination?

XOXO,

Ann Marie

……then this is for you!!

Vantage Point Vintage has some great, unique, one-of-a-kind pairs of shorts. From tie-dyed to studded there is something for everyone and starting at the low price of US$38.00.

Enjoy your cheery, Summer weather!!! Totally jealous!

Cheers,
Nicole