Decadence: Fashions from the 1920s at Galleria Dallas - Review

So today I stopped by the Galleria Dallas for the Decadence: Fashion from the 1920s exhibition.  Filled with glorious examples of 1920s sartorial bliss, this exhibition made me wonder why we Americans have migrated to the jeans-tshirt-flip-flops ensemble?  These 1920s dresses were fabulous, meticulously beaded and cut, and screamed feminine rebellion a la age of the flappers and their high spirited glamour. You'll long for the days when flip flops and jeans and athletic leisurewear just didn't exist.  Curated by Ken Weber of Vintage Martini, a Dallas vintage store that has everything this here vintage lover could ever want, this exhibition features about 100 pieces.  Exhibition location:  Dallas Galleria, Level One, across from Tiffany & Co.  Runs daily from 12-6 through February 28, 2016.

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How Men and Women Sabotage Themselves In the Fitting Room

So over the years that I've been styling men and women, here are three things I witness on a regular basis that consequently cause men and women to end up with clothes they probably shouldn't be buying:

1.  Size matters.
I can't tell you how many times a woman (and men too every once in awhile, but mostly women) won't buy an item if it's not a size small.  Even if the piece runs incredibly tiny and could fit a second grader, for some reason, these women refuse to budge over a size small.  So, a perfect sweater is passed over because even though a medium or large would fit fabulously and look really good, mediums and larges are "for big people" (yep, I hear that a lot...whaaat?).  What happens, then, is she will pick out something that is so-so (but it's a size small so therefore it must be fantastic!).  No wonder retailers resort to vanity sizing.

2.  Someone else's opinion is sought for everything.
It's perfectly okay and natural to check in with your spouse/friend/mother to see if they like a particular item, but I sometimes have men and women who say that "they have to show it to x/y/z before they try it on."  Before they even try it on?  At least try on what you like, and if you love it, buy it.  If no one else likes it besides you, too bad.  Life's too short to please everybody else.

3.  I am an occasional therapist.
You think it's just women who ask if they look fat?  Men are just as insecure about their bodies sometimes, and are often concerned about how their legs/arms/butt look.  They won't say "do I look fat?" but they will say it in other ways:  "Does this look good?  Is it too tight?"  Part of my job has morphed into the occasional therapist, who reassures everybody that they do not look too fat/thin/girly/manly/young/old/freaky.  The worst offenders are almost always those with perfect bodies.  Interesting, no?  They will look absolutely amazing, but will still find a fraction of the tiniest flaw on their body to focus upon. 

We all have our hang-ups no doubt.  Those seeking perfection will never find it, and are therefore some of the pickiest shoppers.  Dump the perfectionist tendencies and your life will improve both in the fitting room and out.

xoxo

Christian Louboutin Presents...80s Neon?

As I was driving around Dallas yesterday, I decided to wander through the cute and cozy Highland Park Village.  I spotted the Christian Louboutin boutique, and hoping to find really cute shoes in the window, was instead taken aback by the plethora of neon-colored heels--orange, turquoise, yellow--clogging up the glass. 

As much as I love pretty much everything about the 80s I simply cannot get on board with the neon Louboutin heels with spikes.  Louboutin creates beautiful shoes but this neon..."fashion" reminded me of cranky sea urchins or even worse those "As Seen on TV" spiky rubber laundry dryer-ball-thingies that are advertised during late night sitcom reruns.  What am I missing here?  I love theatrical fashion, but these shoes were an assault on my senses.  Are these supposed to be sexy on a woman?  The only time or place I could see them being worn is perhaps during a pseudo-punk music video where some unidentified I-hate-the-bore-of-bourgeois model plots hyper-feministic revenge on her former lover by "kicking him where it counts" (yes, admitting I would delightfully use that phrase in the third grade to warn a scrawny but determined little boy named Scott to stop chasing me on the playground).  On a side note, after leaving the store and driving some more through Dallas, I had to wonder...why is there always one single cow who has wandered off away from the herd in the field, standing at the edge of the fence and people watching to boot?  Perhaps I just answered my own question about the aesthetics of the Louboutin neon spike--only for those who dare to step away from the herd?

3 Things to Do When Shopping at Antique Malls and Thrift Stores

1.  Look down.  Sounds obvious, but a lot of people don't do this.  Most people look forward at eye level when they shop.  Some of the best deals I've scored have been items that were shoved in the bottom of a shelf.  Last week I found two reasonably priced items in really good condition tucked away--vintage Audrey Hepburn-esque Givenchy shoes and a circa 1890s Victorian fairy lamp. 

2.  Buy what you like.  Another one that sounds obvious.  Don't worry if you think your friends or your mother will hate it.  Trust your instincts.  Surround yourself with what you like.  I'm always amazed out how some people won't buy what they like because they're afraid of what others will think of it.  Also be sure to buy it when you see it.  I found a couture vintage Neiman Marcus wedding dress and I figured I'd go back and get it later thinking that no one else could possibly want it, but sure enough it was long gone when I returned.

3.  See things out of context.  Sometimes the gems are surrounded by some really ugly stuff, so your eye might lump the gems into the ugly category.  A couple of weeks ago there was a pair of vintage Henredon chairs surrounded by some really ugly furniture, and had I not been paying attention my eye might have skipped right over them without even realizing it.  Try to see beyond the musty and dusty so that you don't miss the really great stuff.  One of the beautiful things about vintage pieces is that most of them are not made in China so you're buying quality items instead of those that are mass-produced and mediocre. 

Young Adult

Young Adult should be called Jung Adult.  The reason why David C. Robinson's costumes are so appealing is that he makes clear delineations between Mavis' Jung-like psychological stages--who Mavis wants to be and who Mavis thinks she should be.  Mavis' outer appearance can't help her assume her desired persona which makes watching her slip into her alcoholism and depression all the more uncomfortable to witness.  Too bad good old Carl isn't around to step into the film and help her have a much-needed spiritual experience to drive away that craving for whiskey.

Mavis' transitions from sweats to leather to tweed do nothing to help her make a transition to a better life.  Somehow watching Mavis in a mustard cardigan and a tweed-trimmed dress is more distressing than watching her shuffle around in her juvenile Hello Kitty shirt and sweats.  [On a side note, why do grown women still like Hello Kitty?  Women won't be caught carrying around a Barbie pencil case, for instance, but I reluctantly admit I have seen a woman or two pull out Hello Kitty pencil cases in my graduate school classes.  Help.  Someone explain.] 

The one constant is the gold heart necklace Mavis wears, yes the heart-of-gold-inference, that perfectly symbolizes what is really going on inside.  The close-up shots of her wearing her heart necklace are intense when you look closely and you can see the pendant move up and down with the beat of her heart.

Film critics claim that Mavis is a narcissist but I disagree.  To a point she is self absorbed but why shouldn't she be when all she desperately wants is for someone to simply care about her enough to understand her without judgement and to fulfill her emotional needs?  I think it best to call in Jung for an assessment.

When Harry Met Sally...When Actresses Wore Clothes

After watching When Harry Met Sally for the umpteenth time the other night, I realized it seemed a bit dated.  Why?  Not the clothes of the 70s, 80s, or 90s.  It was that the lead female character actually had clothes on.  Sweaters, blazers, jackets, belts, gloves, hats, boots.  Even menswear shoes.  Refreshing. 

It's not that showing off the female form is bad, and it's not that every movie nowadays jumps on the let's-make-a-deal-and-get-the-actress-naked train, but sometimes don't you want to watch a film for the sake of the story as opposed to being distracted, perhaps subconsciously, by the fact that the lead actress is half naked here, half naked there?  (Men don't answer this).  There seems to be current costuming formulas in Hollywood at the moment.  They're not new formulas, but the results are getting tiring and drab, trite and cliche.  Some well-known formulas may include:

tight tank top at some point + short shorts or skirt = Jennifer Aniston
overblown cleavage + beaucoup de lipstick = Scarlett Johansonn
tight pants + exposed midriff at some point in film = any Transformers actress
socks + underwear + open mens shirt = Cameron Diaz

To give these actresses the doubt, let us acknowledge that they have fabulous bodies to show off and can hopefully laugh all the way to the bank when their agents negotiate more money for them as they show off their beauty, even when much of the time body double skin is being used anyway.  So in that sense, I can't blame them. 

Beyond actresses, I even caught Ann Curry wearing oversexualized high heels (you know, the at-least-six-inch) during her interview with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.  The interview, re-posted on the Internet, seems to now have been scrubbed to only feature medium close ups so we don't see the shoes.  Really Ann?  Were you trying to get arrested?  "Hooker heels" -- as Rachel Zoe affectionately calls them.  As much as I love Rachel Zoe, since when have "hooker heels," designed to make women look like oversexualized caricatures, become a good thing?

Even though Sally and Harry had intimate moments, at least the lead female was for once under a cotton sheet instead of the standard Hollywood sheet of skin.  No really, they say, the nudity is required.  For realism.  For the story.

By Jove, Princess Kate Buys An Off The Rack Dress For Only $6,000!

Princess Kate in a dress that cost only $6,000? (image left) Ingenious, according to the press, which recently lauded Princess Kate for wearing such a dress. Six thousand dollars. Only. Even more impressive, according to the headlines, the dress was bought off the rack. Mon Dieu! Not to begrudge those with wealth—let us be sure to preface this by saying that wealth is not bad or evil—you have it, it’s yours, and “carry on” as the Brits would say, although one must dare wonder just a teeny-weeny bit how much of that dress is technically taxpayer subsidized. But, it’s all relative anyway—six thousand dollars to her is akin to six dollars for many of us.

But the more things change, the more they stay the same. Circle all the way back to the August 1989 issue of Royalty magazine where it’s noted that Princess of Wales Diana wore the same dress three times, with fans likely noticing. Three times. By Jove, the tragedy of it! In 1983 the dress appeared at the Wales’ Australian tour. In 1985 it appeared at the James Bond film premiere of “A View to A Kill,” and appeared yet again at the 1989 premiere of the James Bond film “Licence to Kill.” (image right)

So when you’re queasy about saving some money and wearing the same expensive dress two or three times—queasy because pictures of you at different events in the same dress might end up on Facebook (oh my!), just drop that commoner mindset of yours and think of the money-saving strategies of Kate and Diana of buying off the rack, then implementing the strategy of wash, rinse, and repeat. That expensive bridesmaid dress you had to buy? You will DEFINITELY wear it again, right? Of COURSE you will! We wonder if Pippa will wear hers again. Most assuredly she will.

High-waisted Jeans Fans Unite

After watching some old 1970s reruns of Charlie’s Angels, we realized the 1970s-born high-waisted jean really IS a flattering cut and would like to thank designers for FINALLY bringing it back this season. Really. Comfortable, flattering high-waisted jeans. We’ve been waiting. What was the point of low-waisted jeans anyway? Why are they even still in stores? For some reason the trend of the last few years became 1) buy low rise, low-waisted jeans 2) buy baggy unflattering tunic top to cover your waist in such jeans. What is that?


Ashley Greene, Anne Hathaway, and Katie Holmes with 2011 high-waisted cuts.

Buy Vintage, Stay...Wealthy?

A recent Yahoo headline article listed the top five reasons wealthy people stay wealthy. Reason number five? Wealthy people pay less than they have to for things they want. An obvious answer, but interestingly enough the article gave buying pre-owned vintage couture clothing as the example of how wealthy women save money—many women who have the money to pay retail prices for luxury designer fashion choose instead to save money by buying vintage and pre-owned pieces.

And when you think about it, does it really matter if the piece is pre-owned—worn once or twice if at all? To some it matters, but the reality is that with some of the big retailers you never really know if you’re buying a “new” piece from them anyway. These retailers take back anything for returns, re-tag the item if it looks like it’s still in halfway decent shape, and stick it back on the sales floor as though it had been there the entire time. Meanwhile, the piece had actually been worn out on the dance floor, at the restaurant, at the gala…because let’s face it, unfortunately we all know at least one of those women—women who unethically buy high-end clothes, wear them, then return them, only to complete the cycle all over again. And who wants to be paying retail prices for someone else’s returns???

Prince Charles Loves Vintage? Who Knew?

The Royal Prince of Wales recently revealed in the September issue of Vogue that if people “knew how much of what I wear is many years, even decades, old” they would not necessarily call him fashionable as they often do. His take that “vintage clothes and upcycling” (taking old clothes and refurbishing them) contribute to the growing worldwide effort to recycle and “tread lightly on the planet” was frankly a bit surprising coming from someone who could afford to buy the ultimate haute couture pieces.

The Royal Prince is also currently promoting the use of natural fibers in clothing such as wool in hopes that consumers will lean toward buying fibers that are natural and not synthetic fibers like those made from oil.

We may be contributing to the preservation of the planet in some small way by buying rare and unique vintage pieces, but doing so doesn't always come cheap. Surely Prince Charles must know that Princess Diana’s vintage black iconic dress recently sold at auction for over $296,000. But whoever bought it knows it’s worth every royal penny.

It's 105 Degrees Outside...Time to Buy Winter Clothes?!

The unfortunate reality is that most of the really cute winter clothes hit the stores in July and August. If you try buying your winter clothes in September, sometimes you get stuck with the leftovers. The good news is that for most women, buying winter clothes is so much more pleasant than buying summer clothes when you're forced to squeeze into shorts and every battle of the bulge becomes a full on war.

And with heavy tweeds and laces dominating the trend for fall 2010, we thankfully have a return to femininity (less menswear! yay!) with high-quality 50s full cut/circle skirts, top-handle bags a la Grace Kelly, and jeweled brooches. Check out this year's Louis Vuitton print campaign and you'll see all of that feminine 50s influence in all its glory. The only thing we're worried about with fall 2010 is a hint of the 80s returning as well...the headline on a recent issue of Vogue stated "Up in the Air: A Return to High Hair." Uh oh. We can jump on the 50s modern sensibility...but we just can't seem to jump on that 80s bandwagon. Not hot. Even if it is 105 degrees outside.

Desperately Seeking Simplicity...Three Signs it's Time to Dump Your Current Wardrobe

1. Your clothes are uncomfortable. Has Miss Polly Ester become your best friend? No one wants to wear a ton of polyester which is derived from compounds of alcohol and acids. Who wants to wear that on their skin? And ladies you know that half of the clothes found in the mall are…polyester. A piece or two or three in your wardrobe is not a problem…but if your wardrobe is uncomfortable--polyester filled or not-- it’s time to dump it. And we’re not talking about where you’re uncomfortable in a good way where you’re having a great night out in a dress that’s so tight that you can’t breathe but it feels and looks great anyway so you don’t care if you’re squeezing a lung. We’re talking about that uncomfortable feeling where if most of the clothes in your closet make you feel icky or unattractive in any way. If this is the case, get rid of them. Buy some pieces made of natural fibers instead. Be sure to give your clothes to charity when you clean out your closet. Less is more!

2. Your clothes all seem to lean toward one particular decade. We know we’re exaggerating a bit here, as most of us don’t completely create a wardrobe from a certain decade, but has anyone said something to you like “I remember I had an outfit kind of like that when we went to see Depeche Mode”? It’s perfect if you can mix vintage pieces with modern apparel so you have your own style, but there are those of us that sometimes fall into the trap of dressing in the decade that was enjoyed the most--an homage to good times, for sure, but also an homage to extra large shoulder pads, neon “Choose Life” shirts and socks with pumps? One of our favorite decades would probably be the 80s, but we wouldn’t want people to look at us and think “that outfit reminds us of that movie ‘Desperately Seeking Susan’ or she looks just like ‘Flashdance’”.

3. You’ve fallen for the vanity sizing marketing gimmicks of current mass merchandisers. With the exception of high-end designers, most manufacturers these days engage in “vanity sizing” where they label jeans a size 4, but in reality the jeans are a size 8. So what happens is you’re so excited that you finally fit into a size 4 that you buy the jeans even though they don’t look that great, and then you get to tell yourself, and all of your friends, that you’ve finally fit into a size 4. These mass merchandisers want you to come back again and again for that feel-good self-esteem boost of a smaller size that you get with their too-trendy and lower-quality clothes. Instead, try purchasing a few higher-end designer clothes pieces where you might wear a larger size but where you’ll come home with higher quality. The bottom line is who cares what size you wear? As long as the item fits and makes you feel good, buy it. Buy the item, not the size.

Céline’s French Bliss…Just Say Oui

Arguably one of the lesser-known French designer brands is Céline—and we’re not talking Céline as in Dion, but you all already knew that. Housed under the umbrella of the Louis Vuitton Möet Hennessey powerhouse, Céline offers luxury apparel with clean lines and feminine simplicity.

French women are known for their simplistic style and for choosing quality over quantity when putting together their wardrobes, and perhaps they are on to something here. Céline can be pricey (cotton skirts often retail between $600 and $1500--ouch!), but when you buy Céline you buy a piece that you can wear for years.

We could totally picture Amanda Seyfried’s character, Sophie, wearing a skirt just like this in Letters to Juliet (granted she was in Verona, but hey why not be an American wearing French when in Italy?). If you liked the costumes in this film, be sure to check out this week’s vintage Céline piece. On a side note about Letters to Juliet...why did the writers have Sophie and Charlie quote Hamlet instead of Romeo and Juliet when the movie was supposed to be about Romeo and Juliet? But we digress...

The Importance of Being Earnest...and Well Dressed. Investing in a Vintage Designer Wardrobe for Work.

1. Dress for the job you want and not the job you have.
It may be a little touchy to completely out-dress your boss, but it is important to project a confident appearance at work. Set your sights on the next job you want and dress as though you already have it.

2. Think about your brand.
Unfortunately--or fortunately--depending on how you look at it, we all project an image, or our brand, to others. What is your brand at your workplace? Well dressed and polished or slouchy and too casual? In an age where flip-flops and capris have taken over some offices on casual Friday days, you may want to reconsider the casual wear before you get flip-flopped right out of that promotion.

3. Consider quality over quantity.
Nowadays it's very easy to spend twenty-five dollars here, thirty-five dollars there on clothes, and then you come home and feel like you bought nothing and have nothing to wear! Those trendy clothes purchases you may be making can add up fast, and often fall into the "disposable clothing" category since they are too trendy and too ill-fitting to wear from year to year. Consider investing in fewer, yet higher quality, vintage designer pieces that don't go out of style each year and continue to look great year after year.

4. Reward yourself for your hard work.
We women sometimes embrace this strange notion that we don't deserve to spend money on ourselves. We put everyone else first and feel guilty when we shop. Been there? Ditch the guilt. You work hard for your money and you earn every penny. You deserve to reward yourself with a nice, quality designer piece here and there.

5. Truly consider your wardrobe an investment.
Nice designer clothes are an investment in you, an investment in your business, and an investment in where you are going in life. Think long term and enjoy your vintage designer pieces for the years to come!

Vintage Designer Spotlight: St. John

Ever had one of those days where you throw all of your clothes on your bed, try on everything in sight, and you still feel like you have nothing to wear? St. John to the rescue. One of the reasons why I love St. John is that a lot of their knit pieces can pretty much go with anything, and you don't have to worry about whether or not one of their knits will be comfortable. If you're one of those people who race home from work because you are so uncomfortable and you are dying to change into sweats, try a St. John sweater or a St. John silk shirt for work instead so you don't get that I-hate-my-work-clothes feeling. When you're uncomfortable wearing half of the stuff in your closet, and you just can't seem to find something that feels good, it's time to try a St. John piece. Plus, St. John is made in the USA and what's better than wearing a piece from a USA fashion house? Don't pay the incredibly high retail price tag though. Check out our available vintage St. John pieces this week which are 50-80% off retail, at www.wardrobetrailer.com. We've got vintage St. John pants and tops looking for a good home...For more information on St. John, visit St. John's official web site at www.sjk.com.

Best,
Kerry Perdue
Owner www.wardrobetrailer.com

10 Reasons to Buy Vintage Designer Clothing

10 Reasons to Buy Vintage Designer Clothing

1. You get unique style without paying retail prices.
Many vintage online boutiques offer vintage designer clothing at deep discounts. A Marc Jacobs jacket might sell at Neiman Marcus for $1495, but you might find a vintage Marc Jacobs jacket online that’s been worn once or twice and looks as good as new for just $495. Wardrobetrailer.com is one online boutique that always offers pieces at 50-80% off retail prices.

2. You’ll find special and rare pieces that you won’t find at the mall.
Do you find yourself going from store to store in the mall only to find virtually the same old stuff over and over again in each store? Mass-produced clothing has taken over! Vintage designer clothes are one-of-a-kind and just give you more unique options to choose from.

3. You can consider vintage designer clothes as heirloom pieces.
Lately I’ve noticed it’s become a trend for women to pass down expensive designer clothes to their daughters, nieces and friends. All generations get to enjoy beautiful vintage designer pieces of the past without spending a ton of money to do so.

4. Vintage designer clothes just make you feel good.
Put on a piece of vintage designer clothing and notice how it makes you feel better and more confident. All women know there is nothing worse than throwing on any old thing in the morning and then feeling yucky all day. With vintage designer pieces you just don’t get that icky feeling because you know what you’re wearing is special and is made out of quality fabrics.

5. You can find clothes for all four seasons.
One of the things that drive women crazy is having to try on a sundress in January because the stores carry summer stock in the dead of winter! There is nothing like trying on that sundress in fluorescent lighting dressing rooms when you’re pasty pale.

6. The quality of craftsmanship is so much better than mass-produced clothing.
Vintage designer clothes have excellent seaming, structure and appearance. Classic lines and quality fabrics are used.

7. Most likely no one else will have on what you’re wearing.
No woman likes to be wondering if someone else is going to be wearing a similar dress--or even worse--the same dress, at a party or special event. Vintage designer pieces are often rare and some have survived even decades of simply hanging in someone’s closet, so you won’t have to worry about the dreaded “dress duplication” occurring at an event.

8. It just looks better.
With the upgraded fabrics and attention to detail, vintage designer clothes just look more expensive. Some of them look brand new. Some of them look like vintage. And both of these looks are a very good thing in a world where uncomfortable polyester and mass-made products fill the stores at the mall.

9. You can go green by buying vintage designer.
An added bonus--the piece has already been manufactured, so no need to worry about adding future pollutants into the air!


And the tenth reason for buying vintage designer clothes...

10. Because it’s just plain fun to wear vintage designer clothes!