Flashback

Spotted in this month Harper's Bazaar Espana -  a fantastic shot c.1978 Chanel

Chanel Sunshine & Karl Lagerfeld

It was with great envy that I have been reading the reviews and posts from some of the people in attendance at the Chanel resort collection. It looks to not only have been a fantastic display of gorgeous clothes but it looks like it was FUN too.

The show has a definite 60s-70s influence on it.
Enough so that one has to wonder if Karl is feeling nostalgic?

Whatever the reason this collection had some pieces that I am seriously thinking of investing in. I have listed my favorites from the show and they are posted from the end of the show to the beginning - for me its the last few pieces in this list of photos that really do it for me like

........that caftan?
If you look reaallyyyyy close I am sure there is a
"made for Cherie" label in it, no?

Celebrity Vintage Spotting- The Awards Season

During the awards season I always end up sulking a little

Krya Sedwick in Vintage Chanel from Rare

The reason being that I start seeing all these terrific photos of celebrities wearing glamorous vintage pieces. Now I know I do these celebrity vintage spots as a fairly regular thing so I bet most of you just went "huh?" But it's true.

One of the disadvantages of having an on-line business and no actual publicly accessible physical space to shop, and then adding to that the fact that I am not in a major American city close to the starlets (read LA or New York), the disadvantage to that is that Gwennie or Nicole don't just pop in one day with stylist trailing after them to find the perfect dress.

Julia Roberts in vintage YSL from Frock

Most of my celebrities....

and by that I mean the ones you actually can see on the small or big screen, not just you fabulous girls who think you are a celebrity-in-your-own-mind
that's right - I mean you Miss

.....most of them are really girls who are just like you. I only have one celebrity that I have to wade through three assistants to actually get to - the others are surprisingly real and accessible - they just have secret codename hotmail accounts. They buy vintage because they LOVE/ARE OBSESSED WITH/LUST AFTER/MUST OWN and generally are nutty about vintage just like you and I. And you tend to forget that they are celebrities because just like when you shop with me - its all done in a series of mouse clicks and emails.

Marissa Tomei in vintage Traina-Norell from Decades

But it still doesn't take away the fact that I do have a bit of a sulk on during awards season because I can't really dress anyone with my current set-up. I am too far away and honestly for an occasion like that, a girl needs to try on a million dresses - real girl or celebrity, right?

Les Sigh

Heather Morris in vintage Belleville Sasson from Decades

I still love seeing the celebrities in vintage on the red carpet though and I am smashingly proud whenever a celeb chooses vintage over the VAST array of designer duds available these days. And most of the frocks being worn out there are on loan or purchased from some of the really great vintage dealers, so I am always a little proud of the industry in general in spite of my mini sulks.

Naya Rivera in vintage Vicky Tiel from Decades

Perhaps one day I will have to open a little space somewhere.
With extra chairs for stylists

Chanel

I am not 100% sure what has inspired Karl Lagerfeld behind the scenes but the clothes he is creating at the moment are stupendous. I am just gutted that these are couture as my little hand will most likely not acquire one unless I luck out in 50 years when they are vintage.

I haev pulled some of my personal favourites for you.
Not only enjoy these but marvel at them

Celebrity Vintage Spot - Cameron Diaz

Cameron looked gorgeous in bright 1980s Chanel
while appearing on the Tonight Show a couple of weeks ago!

Look who wore vintage

Australian newcomer Isabel Lucas looks absolutely stunning in this vintage Chanel Haute Couture chiffon embroidered dress, at the premiere of The Transformers in L.A. last night.
She might even be giving Megan Fox a run for your money in this dress!

Ahh the power of fabulous vintage!

Spotted - Audrey Tautou

Looking lovely in Chanel while promoting her movie. She is one of my favorite actresses of all times and if you have not seen at least THREE of her movies, then you better get your butt to the french film section of your local blockbuster pronto!!

Chanel - All that is Old is New

The Chanel 2010 Resort collection was definitely a plethora of archival references mixed in with a strong street vibe and indie designer appeal. It was a real hodge podge of eras that worked for me. I sometimes do not completely love the Chanel line - I appreciate it but it does not always work on my frame but I was pleasantly surprised by this collection.

I was cruising the web and saw these shots arranged so perfectly at Maholo Fashion that I copied them for you. She has a knack for putting things together and the capped captions embedded in each set of photos are hers.

Corsets & 1970s nautical stripes mixed with big travel bags whose shapes have been around since the turn of the century

The collection had a definite under current of the great 1920s running through it.
Karl's observations on our current economics perhaps?

Does any one else find the one girl with the stick straight hair odd when every other girl has the flapper curls happening? The jingle ..."one of these things is not like the other, one of these things just doesn't belong" is running through my head as I look at this group.

I want to take the jacket on the far right and wear it over a harem panted jumpsuit with a serious plunge front and stacked platforms and maybe a Glamourai neckpiece.

My favorite group. And I would just like you to take a teeny tiny moment and note how similar the lines and looks are to some of the RSVP pieces I have on the site. Did you just get a rush of styling ideas for those pieces now? See how the color of the red tight makes the lace pop. You can thank me later.

I would also like to add that even though it will throw the lines of the dress off - I will give up my right arm if you buy me the entire outfit shown on the far right of the above grouping. At very least I will try to remember to hug you WITH my right arm in-between jumping up and down ecstatically before fainting in a crumpled heap on the floor - ensemble in death grip of course. Even unconscious I know me a good dress.

This group says 1980s to me - early nineties - the beginning of the era of the minimalist movement but with still the touch of bling and lines of the eighties

And then we have the thirties, bold lush fresh floral prints, bias cuts, dropped waists and exuberant colors all mixed up with a completely modern feel. Love this entire grouping and it is inspiring me to go and pull some vintage pieces that have this feel for Shrimpton Couture!

Bravo Karl, bravo

Cannot Wait!

For the North American opening of Coco Avant Chanel starring Audrey Tatou as the great designer. And until then we get to see her make the publicity rounds in gorgeous Chanel Couture!
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On another note, I am quite pleased to tell you that both the blog and myself are gaining in popularity to the point where i am now getting mean comments! I use to write for a paper a long time ago and got some hate mail and ran into my editors office sobbing and wanting to quit. He sat me down and said,

Young lady do you know how many years I wrote before I got hate mail?
It means people are actually reading what you write!

Well that is easier to say then to take - it is surprisingly hurtful to get negative feedback on something you write and do out of love. The comments are on some of my pricing and I have decided to just leave em - I am a big girl, I can take it. The comments left on "needless mark-ups" both amuse me and make me a little sad too. The cost of an item 40 years ago is not relevant to its market value today. Original Biba pieces where sold for insanely small amounts of money and where meant to be disposable. And boy you should see the prices they fetch now! If I had a closet of the first round of Biba produced I would be set for life! That is one of the reasons vintage shopping is so interesting. Items are valued based on market conditions, rarity and good old desirability. If Mr or Ms anonymous thinks they can get a great bright printed "real" Emilio Pucci in a maxi length that is in perfect condition for $450 that is great and maybe you could leave comments for the rest of us telling us where? The last few "real" Pucci's that fit that description that I bought for myself where all about $1200 -$1500 and the one I saw in LA that I REALLY wanted was oh about $5000 at a very famous vintage store. And it would have been worth every penny too!

And no I did not buy the Loper on Ebay for "about 30 bucks". It has been in my own collection for about 5 years and it was purchased from a fellow dealer right here in Toronto - I can put you in touch if you wish. Maybe they bought it on eBay (though I doubt it) and if they did then good on them for spotting an incredible bargain! That is what it is all about - fun, collecting, falling in love with beautiful pieces and getting those pieces that you absolutely love.
If my pieces do not fit your budget or taste, then you can try any of my fabulous fellow dealers & friends that all do great work too.
Now can we please go back to positive commenting & loving vintage?