Men’s Comme des Garcons from the Van Nuys store

Vintage Japanese shirting from the Veteran store.

Looking at pictures of the costumes (currently on display at Prada’s Soho boutique) I started thinking about some of the embellished pieces that I come across in our stores. Watching buyers make their selections I always ask the same question; How can you tell cheap piece of bead-work apart from the older and better made stuff? I love a good flapper dress but (as with most vintage) the real thing is getting harder and harder to find. Unfortunately a lot of the selection process is instinctual but you can check out the weight and the sewing to determine the level of craftsmanship. Below are two pieces I have admired juxtaposed with costumes from the film.

A vintage bustier by Krizia

Vintage

Since I first started doing this blog vintage hats have been featured in a category of their own. Considering many vintage hats are one of a kind and because people rarely wear hats formally anymore outside of royal weddings and the Kentucky derby I see these pieces as collectors items rather than basic accessories. In order to make a post solely devoted to a wider spectrum of hats, I have been sitting on some of these images for a few sales now. The majority of the hats come from the last sale at Granville while the first one shown above comes from the Van Nuys sale. I am especially attached to the hat from last weekends sale in Van Nuy’s not only because of it’s European military like tassels but because it still has tags from the now defunct Bullocks Wilshire department store.

Can we talk about the mock-mohawk Philip Treacy crown SJP wore to the Met ball?! General consensus is the outfits at this years ball gowns were mostly boring and had nothing to do with the “punk” theme, at least this crown/hat shows some sense of adventure!

There is no sale this week due to the holiday so I get to share some of the goodies I have been hoarding for the past few weeks with all of you. I have a feature from last weeks sale at the Van Nuys store but first here are a few pieces I have been wearing constantly as it gets brighter and (unfortunately) hotter out. I am pictured wearing an Anna Sui jumper from the Studio Store paired with a cotton Japanese trench from the Veteran store and my own Baggu bag and Balenciaga sandals. Unfortunately due to the hot and windy day we shot during you can’t really get a feeling of the romantic cut of the back of the trench which normally just floats around my knees. I have been throwing it on every other day to complete outfits but once I find a good wide belt I’m going to start styling it as a dress.

Special thanks as always to Anna M. Chang for shooting.

Sometimes this blog is merely a reminder that my tastes, like most peoples, are fairly predictable. I am drawn to variations of things I previously owned or coveted. I’m not sure if this means I have a set style or am just boring. The shoes pictured above are a perfect example of something I was drawn to because it reminded me of something else. The first picture is of a pair of too cute/too small slingbacks from this weeks Pico sale and I was drawn to them because they remind me of the Rachel Comey Feint slingbacks from her Winter 12′ collection. Can you see the resemblance?

Example B:

Red high cut heels by Robert Clergerie

Robert Clergerie heel on my left foot  and my own  high-cut Martiniano flat on the right . . .

*Sigh*

I am super jealous of girls who can pull off the whole vintage-inspired-bustier-top+ high waisted skirt look. My torso is much too long for me  to attempt this lovely pairing.

It’s a shame I couldn’t capture the softness of the faded silk Max Mara tee featured above. An ideal staple for anyone’s wardrobe.

This over-sized Marni sweater + sandal look is meant for outdoor Summer concerts. Again I wish I could convey how soft this sweater is in real life.

Reminder: Tomorrow’s sale is at our Pico location!