An Interesting Find

Was at a large Estate Sale this weekend which contained things from several estates. A really interesting sale where you dig around and find alot of cool things. A place where I like to spend my afternoons. This day I was searching for an outfit to use in a photoshoot so I went to the clothing section which was small and grabbed this ensemble. Very loud Italian 1980's ensemble by Enrico Coveri You Young Label Circa 1985.



There was no price on this item so I asked at least three people what the price of the item and all I as an answer is that this was Brooke Shields dress. So they had a third party they had to please and could not give me a price right away. Brooke grew up in this area and thought I thought it could possible that it was hers, but did not really care just wanted the ensemble. So I got a fair price on the item and the story about the estate. I wont repeat it people deserve their privacy.

I liked the dress as it was a good example of 80's clothing and colorful enough for my purposes. Then someone I knew forwarded me this picture of Brooke wearing the dress.



Wow its nice to see it. It sort of kills what I was going to do with it but it might be a challenge to try and update the item without changing the item. I like see Brooke wear it because she looked healthy and beautiful and was not overly thin as models tend to be now.

Did I Say I Have Seen it All?

Those are dangerous words coming from me. I have been to alot place and seen strange things as well as some strange people. So when I say, "I have seen it all..." It is a truly scary thing.

The item I am talking about is an item I just put for sale on Etsy. It is called a gunbrush. Guns can make brushing FUN!!!! It is a child's toothbrush in the shape of a gun. The trigger works and the gun goes click.

I was first a bit disturbed at finding the Gunbrushes. But then I thought the Gunbrushes were an interesting thing. I saw it as a window to a more innocent time in American History. It was heroic and fun as a child to play Cowboys and Indians. Mom's did not worry about handguns or if the game were Polically Correct.

I wondering if they made a Tomahawk version of ths toothbrush?

Fun with Bangles

This is a rough picture from one of my photoshoots. I love bracelets and mixing them up and seeing how many can go up my arm. Its a way to add drama to a simple evening ensemble. I am the sort of person when dressing for an event has to add some special flavor to an outfit or I just dont feel like going out. So on my dresser I keep a stack of chunky bracelets and a stack of favorite necklaces which I mix and match.

I have added some more bangles to my website LISTITCAFE.COM I see that some shops are selling bangles in matching sets. I guess thats ok.... But I enjoy mixing and matching according to my mood. So I always keep a large selection of different bangles because I am a moody girl.

Honor Blackman's Book of Self Defence

Never in my life I would think I would ever find myself writing about the martial arts and fashion in the same sentence, but life is weird. So, here it goes.

My husband has been practicing martial arts for just about 20 years and I have dabbled in it at one point. Its a great art form and gets you in very good shape while learning to defend yourself. But I have always had a problem with the uniform (Gi). They are uncomfortable and make you look like a tank. But with the martial arts you are not supposed to be comfortable or fashionable.

So my love of fashion and the martial art have been two separate things. Until I picked up this gem of a book at a garage sale this weekend. It is call Honor Blackman's Book of Self-Defence. I bought it for my husband thinking it would be interesting reading a book on self-defence written by a woman. The book was written 1965 and was first published by Andre Deutsch. I dont think martial arts was a popular thing for woman to be studying at the time thus thus I thought it might be an interesting read.





My husband was slightly impressed by the book. He said the simple martial arts techniques were well presented. At the time I had not really looked the book so I started to go through the book myself and realized the book was written by the actress who played Pussy Galore in the James Bond Films. This got my interest so I thumbed through the book and discovered the photographs at the end of the book. She first presents the techniques in the dreaded karate uniform but towards the end of the book she presents self defense techniques in everyday situations and she manages to make it look cool. Gone was the karate uniform but cool street clothes. She made it all look like a martial arts fashion spread.

Who would think to keep your handbag when doing a hip throw????? How cool!! But personally would wack the man with the bag after taking him out. Anyway this book can be bought at Amazon if you are need of a present for the Martial Artist/Vintage Fashionista in your life.

If You Love Him Don't Get a Tattoo Make Sweater

Found this picture of Joan Crawford in a the book "Joan Crawford - The Ultimate Star" by Alexander Walker. She designed the sweater in the 1930's and included a picture of her husband at the time Douglas Fairbanks Jr. Smart girl that Joan. Today with tattoos being popular and people getting their loved ones permanently etched into their skin a sweater sounds entirely smarter thing to make. So much easier to get rid of and a lot more fun to wear.

OK as you can see love sweaters. Not that I don't hate tattoos I have a tattoo and I am considering getting another one. But I keep my tattoos to butterflies at this point. I am just saying if you have any doubt about your loved one don't get a tattoo of him or her knit a sweater instead!

If I had a wish list list this sweater would be on it along with a sweater worn by Phyllis Diller in the 60's. It had a big eyed kitty on it.

Have These Guys Made You Afraid?.....

.....OF THE HAREM PANT!!

OK the Harem Pant is something that the Soccer Mom would probally not wear. But as a Vintage Junkie, I am a person who loves change and I totally embrace the Harem Pant. I like to fool around with different shapes, Wide Leg Pant, Super Wide Leg Pant, Vintage Men's Trousers and if I could fit into a pair I would wear the Skinny Pant. So this season thee Harem Pant is my pant of choice.



Traditional 19th Century Costumes From Turkey and the Balkans. Courtesy The MET Costume Museum Vanity Fair Exhibit (1977)



Art Deco Harem Pant Costume Design by Erte for the 1926 Movie Devil's Circus. Erte a French Designer was mainly known for his Vogue and Harper Bazaar Cover Illustrations came to Hollywood in the 20's to design Movie Costumes. Photo courtesy The MET Costume Museum.

The Harem Pant is a traditional Middle Eastern style of pant which has basically remained the same for centuries. From the 60's to the 80's designers wanting to bring an International flavor to their designs adopted the Harem Pant. They were really big in the 80's with MC Hammer until MC Hammer fell out of favor. This season the Harem Pant is making a come back on the runways this season. Will the public embrace them. I hope so.



2009 Harem Pant Ensemble by Diane Von Furstenberg



A modern take on the Harm Pant. Styling and Photography are by Jessie Ajluni Take a look at her Myspace Page! Her work is great!

With the Harem Pant its a matter of fooling around and finding what works for you. Pull the cuffs up your leg and make them more slouchy like this pair of vintage 1970's yellow silk harem pants which I paired with a vintage sleeveless silk tunic which I also slouched up. This is now available at Listitcafe.com



You can also glam up a vintage harem pant jumpsuit such as this one coming soon from Yosemite Vintage.



This 1970's Sant'Angelo (One of my favorite designers - as you can tell) knit harem pant ensemble can work on many body types and be super comfy! Also available Listitcafe


This 60s Gordon & Marx harem pant ensemble is what I love about vintage harem pants. It has the styling which you canonly get from buying vintage clothing. This set will soon be available from Cactus and Cattails Vintage Clothing.


The Harem Pant is an example of why I wear vintage. You can rediscover styles and and ideas from the past and adapt them to fit your own style!

I am a Vintage Sock Monkey Hoarder

That's me. I don't sell them - I buy them whenever I find one! Never knew much about them at all, except that I thought they were cool. The most common vintage monkey you see out there is made of Rockford Red Heel Sock. The package comes with instructions not only how to make the monkey but also a sock elephant which I am yet to find. Though these monkeys were made of the same sock, I find that each has their own personality. Here are some examples from my collection. There is also a picture of a set of 1940's sock rabbits,not made with Rockford Socks.

Sneakers Sneakers Sneakers

Next to a well worn pair of dungarees nothing is better than the perfect pair of sneakers. My sneaker of choice is a vintage cream colored pair of converse high-tops. Being a child of the early 70's I was not blessed with being able to have a cool pair of nike athletic shoes. No light-ups or wheelies for me. For a while I was stuck with the blue ked's sneaker. I cringe to this day when I watch reruns of the Brady Bunch all of them in their matching keds.

There were a pair of Keds which actually made me cry. They were called Keds Tail Light sneakers. In the store I thought they were cool. The next best thing to light up sneakers but with no lights. The sneakers had a glow in the dark patch at the back heel. I begged my Mother for them, against her better judgement she bought them for me. What about a Keds sneaker could make me cry? I wore them to school the next day, where in gym class they chanted "We'll be riding Keds Tail lights when we ride..... We'll be riding Keds Taili Lghts when we ride..... " Until I ran to the locker room in tears. OK then according to my Mom children were starving in China, so what's the big deal about a bad sneaker choice. OK it was not a big deal just another Middle school horror story.

Being in the Vintage Clothing business I really never gave sneakers a thought other then seeking out early Nike Sneakers. I forgot about the fun of sneakers. Writing all over a pair of cream coverse. Pairing a pair of grungy sneakers with a lace skirt and punk t-shirt. And I forgot the 1970's were the era of the Skate Sneaker and a bizarre host of other street sneakers. Like this pair of boot sneakers which I recently found and thought these are so bizarre too bad they dont fit me or they would be in my closet right now. If any of you would have a pair of cool 70's sneakers you would like to post let me know. But please no Tail Lights.... I think I would cry.

Twenty-Six Dresses in a Box

This blog entry is called Twenty-Six Dresses in a Box or What I did in My Summer Vacation Part 2. 

As a on-line vintage store owner I like to think every vintage dress has a story. Yes when I get the dress most likely the owner is dead or in a nursing home, this is what many people who look at an old dress think. That is just the facts of life. But I believe a dress has a life of it own and a story to tell. Sometime we can only guess at it's story but sometimes I get lucky and I get a story along with the dress.

A story of 26 dresses in a box.....

This summer I vacationed in the Catskills. It was quiet and there was good fishing for my husband and son and plenty of shops for me to visit.  The Catskills the the day used to be the hot spot of vacationing Jewish suburbanites. There were luxurious hotels like the Browns and the Pines where you can bring your family and enjoy the beautiful  environment and at night you can dance the night away or go see some of the best jewish comedians around.

The Concord 1958 (top) Martha Raye at The Concord (Below)

What does this have to do with 26 dresses in a box? Well the only vision of this era is the Movie Dirty Dancing.  Visiting this area now is nice but also depressing to me when I see the shut down hotels and the remnants of towns which had seen better days.  A time where there was cocktail hour. When you went out you dressed to kill with a sexy cocktail dress, gloves, heels and evening bag. I was brought back to this time when through a friend I was able to purchase a box of evening dresses from a woman who just lost her mother.

She did not want to dump the clothing at the Salvation Army. She wanted to honor the good times that her Mother had wearing these dresses. She told me of her memories as a child in the 50's and 60's going to flea markets to find dresses for her mother to wear out dancing and of the times she played with her friends whiles her parents danced. She wanted to give life back to these dresses to honor her Mother.

So, I ended my vacation by purchasing 26 cocktail dresses in a cardboard box. I went home and opened box and the dresses themselves told me more of their previous owner. She was fun and loved Ballroom Dancing. She had a great sense of style and knew how to dress with flair. And most of all she was resourceful and had a great eye for what would look good on her. So vintage dresses are not just discarded objects but they can tell a story and they can also take on many different lives. Maybe with someone who loves to ballroom dance or with a stylish fashionista who needs a dress for a special occassion. Maybe they could achieve their won sort of fame by being worn by an actress in a play or movie. You just have to use your imagination.

A sampling of the 26...

All available at Listitcafe.com buy one now and create your own story.

Fashion is an Honest Sweater

This title is a quote from a 1970's Time Magazine article on sweaters. Usually when you think of vintage sweaters you think of the traditional 1950's beaded sweater. I do love those sweaters and the 1940's knit sweater dress and pinup sweater. But my favorites are the sweaters of the 1970's. When Missoni wowed everyone with those zig zag knits and Sant'Angelo with his creative knits. Designers were going wild with imagination and taking advantage of all the yarns available at the time.

This is a classic V-Neck Missoni Knit Sweater available from Hemlock Vintage



Celebrity images finally made it to knitwear. Thanks to the new technolgy and acrylic fibers. Awesome Groucho Marx Dress. Courtesy of www.thevintagebungalow.com

I just found this amazing Sant'Angelo Knit Dress with Bi-Plane Illustration. Its fun to find a dress and then find something in the press about your item. The above mentioned Time article mentions this exact dress...

Sant'Angelo Knit Bi-Plane Dress listitcafe.com

QUOTE (1973 Time Magazine Article Fashion is an Honest Sweater)...

"There are many reasons for the new sweater enthusiasm. Selections in both color and style are wider than ever. In both London and New York, a big seller is the dolman (or batwing) version, which has long, wide sleeves growing out of its wide waistband. There are snug, armless sweater tubes and long sweater dresses. Many sweaters now sport knitted-in portraits of people or animals. Betsey Johnson's "ecology" line features trees and fish; Giorgio di Sant'Angelo portrays a plane taking off. Stan Herman's trompe 1'oeil sweater dresses have fake belts and scarves knitted into the material. Others contrast jazzy colors, stripes and polka dots in dazzling juxtaposition. "Sweaters are completely different now," says Sant'Angelo. "We have these fabulous synthetic yarns and colors." Says Herman: "Sweaters are the only way to dress.""

And I agree with with him whole heartedly!!!!!!!

What I Did This Summer Part 1

While in the midst of running a on-line vintage clothing store it is in the Summer that I do alot of my buying. I meet alot of great people and visit some awesome shops during my travels. One of my favorite spots was the Ferndale Antiques Market in Ferndale, New York. Ferndale is run by Ron Greco and Richard Delia. They were personable, fun and knowledable. It is rumoured that Ron has an excellent recipe for Carrot Cake, which is my favorite!

Ferndale Antiques has loads of well presented antiques and collectibles, my favorite room being the vintage girl I am was the Jewelry and Handbag Room. Everything was lovely and well presented with loads of vintage handbags and jewelry to drool over. This summer they had an amazing collection of Judith Leiber Handbags with my favorite being the jeweled cat handbag. I have never seen a Leiber Handbag up close and it was great to see so many in one place.



For myself I bought a Maude Frizon Leather Cat Handbag. When I saw it I had to have it especially when I saw the shoe shaped charm that was attached to the zipper. It is great shopping for vintage online, but sometimes it is great to leave your computer and hit the road, you never know what gems you will find!


Check out their website

http://www.ferndaleantiques.net