retro gone wrong: the sev

The girls over at Go Fug Yourself have a deep hatred for Chloe Sevigny (who they've dubbed "The Sev"), dating back to the creation of their site (that's her in the white Wayfarers -- not bought at Target -- at the top right corner of the masthead). They've laid off in recent years, though they still feature her wacky sartorial antics from time to time. The latest is fodder for today's edition of Retro Gone Wrong:


Heather ragged on her for the granny sandals-and-socks combo, which is definitely heinous. But I'd like to commend Chloe for tightening her belt in these tough economic times. Does she go out and buy a new sundress to wear to Coachella? No, not The Sev. Instead, she digs into the back of her closet and dons her favorite outfit from 1994.

I distinctly recall having several dress-and-t-shirt combos just like this, circa grade four. My favorite was a faux-denim number with a plastic pink heart sewn on the front. I usually wore it with a light pink or white t-shirt, but I like how Chloe just goes for it here with the black. Way to make a statement, Sev.

when good music happens to thrift fashion

Working on a magazine project for another class, I stumbled upon a great new musician with a connection to fashion (albeit, a small one). 

Matt Ward (no, not that M. Ward) is the younger brother of my friend Jen, and an up-and-coming singer-songwriter. His folky, quirky style is fresh and endearing, and so is his subject matter. 

His debut album is called Thrift Shopping, and the title track is a glorious ode to everyone's favorite activity: a lazy day browsing through the treasures at a local thrift store.

Buy the mp3 and treat yourself to lyrics extolling on the virtues of musty couch cushions, grimy fondue sets, old trophies, and finding a t-shirt you gave away a couple years ago and now want to buy back. (It wasn't his style then, Ward sings, "but now it is.")

Mostly, though, this song reminds me of everything I love about thrift shopping experiences: spontaneity, goofing off, and that one great find that brings you overwhelming satisfaction. Play this song for a quick pick-me-up, or on the way to your favorite thrift store. Just remember to go on a day "when the clothes are half-price."

retro gone wrong: smells like team spirit

Something that's so hilarious, so wrong it's right, I found while browsing the 1990s-Present page in FashionDig's shopping-by-decades section. Can someone please explain to me what on earth THIS is doing on a vintage fashion website?

While labeled as "Mellow Tiger Mascot," I'd argue that this guy looks more like he's posing for a plushies pin-up calendar.

Seriously, though, why is this lumped in with dresses, coats, and necklaces? And at $600, who, exactly, are they expecting to actually buy this?

It could be worse, though. Oh wait, it is:

"Happy Pink Elephant"? More like, "Will Give You Nightmares for Years to Come." Although, at $500, compared to his tiger counterpart, this guy is a steal.

can you dig it?

Another great site I recently discovered: FashionDig.com. I don't even know where to start with explaining how awesome this site is. Part store, part blog, part gallery, part search engine, and so much more, FashionDig displays the best and most vintage looks you will find on the internet.

Some great features: a store locator that brings up local vintage and consignment shops when you enter your zip code; style galleries with archival fashion images from certain eras; and my favorite, the shopping department, which is organized by decade, department, designer, and store.

The decade section is extremely handy for those looking for an item from a specific time frame, and inspires a certain amount of nostalgia. This section not only includes every decade from the 1920s to the 1990s, but also recent vintage-inspired looks and turn of the (19th) century items. Prices vary, although more coveted/specialized clothes and accessories will cost you a pretty penny. (Those on a budget, however, can narrow their search by dollar amount within each decade.)

One of my favorite finds is this belted plaid coat from the 1930s:

I've been browsing through the site for almost an hour now, which proves that it's very easy to get lost in time when looking through all these items.

Another funky find: this abstract floral dress from the 1960s:

I could go on forever. Basically, if you have even a small interest in vintage clothing, check out this site. You won't be sorry (unless you have any work to get done).

indie lovers of the world (wide web), unite

I came across this site in my internet wanderings and had to pass it along. Indie Quarter features independent designers as well as a whole host of other design/fashion/craft goodies. They have a blog, podcasts, galleries, and many links to other fashion sites. In short, it's a buzzing hub that holds a lot under its umbrella.

IQ also is a great source for vintage and retro design. They have featured label Under the Root, which crafts custom, hand-made, retro-inspired lingerie from vintage fabrics, as well as regional crafters who use vintage items in their products.

The only downside is that the site is based in Manchester, England, so many of the events they discuss cannot readily be attended by US readers. But references to the pound and spellings like "favourite" help ease the blow and add to the site's charm.

life in plastic, it's fantastic

A few weeks ago, Barbie, our favorite anatomically incorrect doll, turned 50. To celebrate, New York Fashion Week had a show celebrating 50 years of Barbie style.

Designers such as Diane Von Furstenberg, Marchesa, and Peter Som contributed looks to the collection, and styles ranged from faithful recreations of signature Barbie looks to avante garde interpretations of Barbie's many different incarnations over the years.

My favorite would have to be the very first look, of Barbie's iconic debut outfit, the black and white striped swimsuit:

This is a simple and sexy update that stays true to the original. It evokes memories of playing with my mom's old Barbie, which was one of the originals and outfitted in the same suit (and, consequently, the same sluttly eye makeup).

Giant hair, bright lipstick, and cat-eye sunglasses dominated the details front, and added a touch of whimsy to the proceedings.

There were definitely a few missteps among the bunch, but one that stood out for its sheer ridiculousness would have to be this example of Retro Gone Wrong:

Among her stints as a doctor and astronaut, I don't recall Barbie becoming a Vegas showgirl. Or a drag queen.

The Revolution is Now

This past Friday I helped document the Newhouse/VPA joint fashion show, The Revolution is Now!, the theme of which was the changing media landscape, and how fashion has become an integral part of it.

All the models had newspapers incorporated into their style, either through strips in their hair or letters stuck to their faces. Another aspect of the show that proved details are everything was the incorporation of vintage accessories:



Small touches like this can make any outfit come to life, and proved that these student designers are inventive enough to have long careers in their futures.

Thanks to my colleauge Danya Shaikh for the photos.

jump up, jump up, and get down

I'm as sick of the whole Joaquin Phoenix: Is-He-Faking-Or-Is-He-Losing-His-Marbles? debate as the next person. Whether or not he's truly trying to be a Serious Rap Artist or he's just gone off the deep end, I don't know, and frankly, I am tired of caring.

That being said, I can't help but feel anything but sheer delight when I gaze upon this photo:

I don't know if he's got more rhymes than the Bible's got psalms, but Joaquin, faking or not, you just keep on jumping around. It kind of makes up for the fact that you look like a homeless man.

PS -- Nice Wayfarers. Did you get them at Target?

ooh la la...

A classmate recently introduced me to the site Trend de la Crème, and, like its tagline, "It's Addictive," suggests, I am completely hooked. The site tracks fashion and pop culture trends, and is heavy on photos that back up the writer's assertions that certain items have been popping up more and more on runways and in everyday life. (Their recent post on animal heads was both inspired and hilarious; you cannot believe what some people will do for fashion....)

An example of retro inspirations making waves came in a March 11 post detailing how Basso & Brooke's Fall 2009 line was directly influenced by Russian-born Cubo-Futurist artist Wladimir Baranoff-Rossiné. The connections that the author makes between the clothes and Baranoff-Rossiné's paintings from the early 1900s are incredible, and completely spot-on. From shapes to the color palette, the resemblance is uncanny:

I'm a huge fan of cubo-futurism (and a lot of other -isms, too), and I love that these designers chose such a unique, visually stimulating inspiration for their line. Not only does it promote a great artist, but it shows that great art can be used to create even more art. Love it.

retro gone wrong: missing the target

It's been a couple weeks, and I know you've missed me. So what better way to get things started again than another edition of Retro Gone Wrong?

This week's winner (loser?), I am sad to report, is Target, the discount store where dreams are made. And if you happen to have a wicked '80s/early '90s fetish, then your dreams are most definitely about to come true. For the rest of us, not so much.

Found in the women's department at the store in Fayetteville, a cast-off from Madonna's "Like a Virgin" days:

Available in magenta and black, this lace scoop neck tee is an item I probably would have coveted circa 1994. Fifteen years later, not so much. Unless you are living in a material world (and, incidentally, are a material girl), you should probably avoid this look at all costs.

And, wouldn't you know, what was directly behind this lace montrosity on the rack? Why, bleach tie-dyed leggings, of course!


I mean, clearly, what with the recent legging trend not being horrid enough, why not throw some bleach on those puppies and make things more interesting? Pair them with this lace shirt and you've got a look that will definitely turn heads (and maybe even blind a few people with its garishness, too).

And finally, no trip to Target would be complete without perusing the accessories aisle, where one can find day-glow knockoffs of one of the 1980s' most treasured fads: Wayfarer sunglasses.


Granted, I actually kind of like these glasses. I could never pull them off (as evidenced by the multiple pairs I tried on and subsequently took off in shame), and some people do look genuinely cute in them.

But methinks Target doth try too hard. Let Ray-Ban handle their second most recognizable look (after Aviators, which also look terrible on me), and leave the day-glow to professionals. These just come off looking cheap, and, my dearest Target, I think you're better than that.

retro gone wrong: and just when it was going so well...

It figures, as soon as I anoint ModCloth as the chosen one, it has to go and post this in its one-of-a-kind section:

I'll give you one good guess as to why this hasn't sold yet: it's ugly as sin. Seriously, guys. Let's try to avoid missteps such as this in the future, okay? I love you too much to see you hurting like this.

a little tip, because i care

As I mentioned before, I'm a huge fan of ModCloth, and while their vintage section usually sells out faster than you can blink, there's one item still kicking around that deserves notice:

Called the "Day at the Beach" scarf, this 1980s piece is the perfect companion to that little red number I posted about last week. Scoop it up before someone else does!

retro gone rong (ha, see what i did there?)

It's no secret that I idolize the girls over at Go Fug Yourself. So, inspired by their snark and wit and delicious cattiness (enough superlatives?), I've decided to start my own little feature, Retro Gone Wrong (yes, the W will be part of future postings -- I'm anal enough that seeing it spelled incorrectly, even in a humorous fashion, still bugs the hell out of me). These posts will poke fun at those who try to pull off retro chic, and juuuuust miss the mark (or miss it by a mile. Those are more fun).

First up is someone the Fug Girls had in their sights last Thursday: Maggie Grace, dressed suspiciously like Sandy from the end of Grease:

As Jessica put it,

It's giving me chills. They're multiplying. You guys, I'm losing control, because the combination of pantyhose and sateen is LITERALLY ELECTRIFYING.

God bless those girls, and the celebrities they mercilessly taunt. Maybe, someday, you'll feel the same way about me? One can only dream of such blogging pseudo-fame...

beach blanket bingo

As I eagerly anticipate my spring break that will be spent in balmy upstate New York, I can't help but fantacize about what it would be like were I one of the lucky girls who could afford to jet down to Cancun for the week. And with that wishful thinking in mind, I'd like to post this awesome retro-inspired swimsuit, found on ModCloth.com:



Unfortunately, all of ModCloth's suits in this style are currently sold out (I know, I know, I'm such a tease), but the site is really great about restocking in-demand items, so be sure to click the "Notify Me" link on the page if you'd like an email when they get more in.

ModCloth is one of my favorite sites, since it features lots of funky indie and one-of-a-kind vintage clothes, so you'll be seeing me link a lot to them in the coming weeks. Be prepared to have your fashion world ROCKED, kids.

All That Jazz

One more Oscars post and I am done, I swear. (Do I make a convincing recovering addict?)

I had to comment on this after my friends and I were absolutely stunned while watching Sunday's telecast. Many have already discussed the much-maligned musical medley, which, although put together by the brilliant Baz Lurhman, was fairly disappointing and disorienting. But no one (to my knowledge) has talked about Beyonce's fashion faux pas (and no, I don't mean her reported nip-slip) during that number: the unfortunate placement of the hanging sequins on her bedazzled leotard.


That's...a really awkward place to have red things streaming down. Just...wow. Sure, that may be gross to point out, but let's be honest: now that you see it, you can't think of anything else, right? That was exactly my thought process while watching this number. Once I saw it, I was horrified, but transfixed. I couldn't look away.

Obviously, this outfit was supposed to be an homage to classic dance costumes from the golden age of musicals in the early decades of the 1900s. But...could we maybe have done without this particular flourish? Gives a whole new meaning to "paint the town red." *Shudder*

(Thanks to Winners Use Drugs for the photo.)

Red Carpet Classics: Julia Roberts

I was hoping there would be some more vintage dresses for me to comment on after Sunday's ceremony, but since there was only one gown, I figured I would discuss my favorite vintage looks from years past. And there's no better example to kick off this post than Julia Robert's vintage Valentino gown worn to the 2001 Academy Awards:

Roberts deserevedly took home the Best Actress trophy for her titular role in Erin Brockovich, but with this dress she also earned herself a spot on many all-time best-of red carpet lists. This dress is a classic, without a doubt.

The black and white color scheme is simple yet elegant, and the contrast created by the white detailing adds an extra layer of visual interest. The V neckline that continues as a single line down the front elongates her form, and helps the eye travel down to the rest of her dress. The train is extravagent without being ostentatious. The netting adds a softness to this look, and ties the dress together with its presence on both the train and the bodice.

This is the type of dress that little girls dream of being able to wear one day, and even though I wasn't exactly a little girl when I first saw it, I can't deny that I envisioned myself in her shoes (and dress) on that Oscar stage back in 2001. Mostly so I could make this face:

(Thanks to People and L.A. Splash for the photos)

Red Carpet Watch: Oscars

Greetings, dear readers (all two of you). As promised, it's time to talk Oscars. First of all, I have to say, the Oscars are my absolute favorite television event of the year, and other than that supremely odd ode to musicals in the middle of the telecast, I thought this year's show was really great. I think Hugh Jackman was a bit under-used as host, although they probably had to give him ample time to catch his breath between those intense musical numbers. Now, on to the red carpet!

Before we get to the vintage goodies, I'd like to make my pick for favorite ensemble, and that honor would have to go to Amy Adams, in Carolina Herrera:

This color is absolutely gorgeous on her, and really stood out from all the creams and black on the carpet this year. Not only that, but she chose a funky, bold piece of jewelry to accent this already-awesome outfit:

Temptalia described this look as "a cross between Talouse Latrec’s dancing girls and the watercolor feeling of a Gustav Klimt painting," and I couldn't agree more. Her simple, elegant hairstyle really lets her dress and necklace take center stage, and overall I think she pulled this off with grace and ease. (Is it obvious I have a girl crush on her?)

Speaking of grace, the biggest vintage splash at the Oscars was made by Penélope Cruz, who won the Best Supporting Actress statuette for her role in Vicky Cristina Barcelona. She also won a lot of best-dressed awards for her more than 60-year-old Balmian gown:

Cruz said she saw this dress eight years ago, and it made such an impression on her, she vowed to find it again and wear it for a special occasion. I'd say being the first Spanish actress to take home an Oscar is a fitting occasion indeed.

Finally, on the accessories front, Natalie Portman carried a vintage Rialto clutch to the ceremony:

The pearly, brushed silver bag nicely accented her flowly, sophisticated look without pulling attention from her dress.

(Thanks to Getty Images, AP Images, and Gossip Rocks for the photos.)

The "Post" of "Tedious" Fashion Connection

One of my favorite blogs, The "Blog" of "Unnecessary" Quotation Marks, has started to gain some notoriety -- mostly because it's hilarious and awesome, but also because so many other sites have linked to it in recent months. With the birth of my very own blog, I couldn't help but jump on the linking bandwagon.

I was prepared to scour the archives to find something, anything, having to do with vintage clothes or thrift stores (or really, fashion of any sort) so I could write a post, only to find this on the front page:

The humor of this site comes not only from the images' fairly self-explanatory grimace-inducing abuse of quotes, but from blogger Bethany Keeley's musings about the "true" intentions of those who so blatantly "disregard" grammar "rules" and make such truly egregious "errors." (That just hurt my head a bit.)

For more evidence of the blog's brilliance, check out the Greatest Hits section on the right-hand side of the page, or just scroll through the archives. If punctuation -- or really, any basic language rule -- is one of your pet peeves, get ready to laugh.

Uh, this concludes today's edition of shameless blog-sharing. As you were, fashionistas.

Red Carpet Watch

We're deep in the throes of awards season (my own personal favorite time of the year), and inspired by Go Fug Yourself's Fug Carpet, I want to talk about some of the vintage style we've seen so far this year.

First, at the Golden Globes on January 11, actress Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men) wore a bright red vintage tulle dress:

In a sea of blacks and pastels, this color really pops, and the unique straps add a quirky, visually interesting element to this silhouette. Plus, this color is gorgeous on her, and really compliments her skin tone. Elisabeth, if you're reading this: I loved your work on The West Wing. Would you mind hooking me up with this dress? Keep in touch.

Also at the Golden Globes, Heidi Klum wore vintage Galanos:

This is classic Heidi -- cute, whimsical, and just short enough to show off those killer legs. I love the flower, which the petals of the skirt echo nicely. Not too crazy about the detailing on the fabric (kind of resembles scales), but overall this is a fun look.

At the Screen Actors Guild awards on January 25, Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer) wore a Chanel 1980s couture dress from RARE Vintage:

This is simple and elegant. But while I'm usually a sucker for classic black and white looks, this one strikes me as a tad boring. It looks great on her, but if she was going to wear vintage, I would have liked to have seen her take more of a risk.

And speaking of risk-taking, we come to our final look, from Thandie Newton at the BAFTAs on February 8:

This dress has been pretty polarizing, but I have to say, I really like it. Maybe it's a bit long, but overall, I think Thandie wears it well -- she owns this look, no doubt about it. I love the black and gold contrast, and the ribbon detailing on the tulle gives the dress a funky texture. The bodice is cute and flirty, and the full skirt gives Thandie some flattering curves (something she could use more of -- this woman is SKINNY).

So far the vintage forecast has been mostly sunny. Check back in next Monday for the next installment of Red Carpet Watch, when I discuss the Holy Grail of awards shows, the Oscars. Bring your A-games, A-list-ers.

(Thanks to Debutante Clothing, RARE Vintage, and Popsugar for the photos.)

hokay, so, here's my blog

When I told my friends I was taking a fashion class, they laughed. This was a less-than-encouraging reaction for someone who's trying to learn more about online communications, but when aimed at me, it seems fairly appropriate. I am most comfortable in sweatpants and an old t-shirt. My socks have holes in them. I didn't buy a pair of leggings until well after the trend had come (and gone?), and even now I wear them only when it's cold, and with trepidation.

I'm not a fashionista by any means. But I think I know what looks good. I read Go Fug Yourself regularly and can spot a fashion faux pas a mile away. And with that, I start this blog exploring vintage and thrift store style -- a vein that I feel I fall into, or at least wish I could fall into more often (since I'm currently wearing a t-shirt leftover from the second grade, I think I'm qualified).

I'll comb the interwebs and the mean streets of Syracuse and report back to you. All you have to do is read, enjoy, and hum "The Sweater Song" before you click away (before you click awa-a-ay -- Weezer reference, anyone? Anyone? Bueller?).