Favorite Trends of Summer ~ Blush

Favorite Trends of Summer ~ Blush

fashion style    11:42 AM   

So, Fashionable Reader, is it now September and despite the hot weather Fall is in the style air. Autumn is my favorite season, clothing wise. Tights and leather? Cute jackets? Boots? Equestrian everywhere? Sign me up. And this blog will start to swing to reflect that affection shortly.

But it was a lovely Spring/Summer season, full of soft colors and structured retro silhouettes. And I fell deeply in love with a few of the color pallet trends. So before we leave the hot sun, I wanted to reflect back on some of my favorites. Some of which will probably stay in my wardrobe to pair with those very same tights and boots. And I'm going to start with this post all about . . . blush.

Some classic vintage takes from Chanel & Lanvin.

 1925 Coco Chanel The Museum at FIT; 1937  Jeanne Lanvin  The Metropolitan Museum of Art

And some more modern romantic twists on the color.

 Some retro takes:

 Elie-Saab-Couture for Fall 2012; Dress from Rusty Zipper

I will admit to being a little afraid of looking naked, because this color is close to my own skin tone, here are some options if you are like me with regards to fears of this color.

And here's one vintage and one modern way to wear this color.

Retro Rack is also on facebook where I post additional images and fashion thoughts.

Lust Objects ~ Retro Neutral

Lust Objects ~ Retro Neutral

fashion style    10:31 AM   

 1952 Valentina  The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Bondage purse. How fun, the bits all move around and can go on the purse or one the wrists. It's like a transformer bag! (The good transformers, the ones from the cartoons.)

These tights are very like a pair I used to own, there were gifted to me by a bride afer her wedding. I was 10. It began my life-long love of hosiery.  I adore the dress, I could see it on many different figure types. No certain about the belt but it is lovely.

Graphic print neutral peep toe pumps? Yes please.

 1920  Christies

 Infanta  Charles James, 1950  The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Neutral Mary Janes are nice and practical.

Adorable pink blazer. I already have one of a different cut but I love the retro color wit the slightly modern cut.

I have a passion for clutches, although I rarely use the ones I have and they aren't practical because the occupy a hand.

 By We Love Yan's Cakes

I love love love this printed dress, although the cut isn't great over a Rack. And the grey peplum jacket with the military detailing works multiple duty for everyday, event, and steampunk.

1950s faux book bag.

This season's retro look.

Fantastic cherry blossom nail art. I've never had or done nail art on my nails but the more I see it the more appealing I find it.

 I am on the active hunt for this slip. I have one already like it but it's about to die and it is endlessly useful.

Cutest most impractical little purse ever!

I've been hunting for and craving the perfect cream colored suit for a very long time but the blue sure is lovely. Perhaps I shoudl switch loyalties.

Not in my size but so adorable.

Perhaps better in ideal the actuality, this kind of ring gets caught on everything.

 By Melania's Exquisite Cakes

Such a cute little spare stool, I'd like a whole little collection for company. Except that we rarely have company because out apartment is so tiny.

Too expensive for what it is, but the idea is sound. I'd like something like this for travel, would work for both the computer transport for convention events and for tourist trotting about foriegn climes.

I covet these scissors. How amazingly cool are they?

 

And, something for Prudence.

 1890  The Metropolitan Museum of Art

 1906  The Indianapolis Museum of Art

From the Mum's Lady's Tea. 

Retro Rack is also on facebook where I post additional images and fashion thoughts.

Recently Acquired ~ Blush Dress

Recently Acquired ~ Blush Dress

fashion style    9:47 AM   

I go through phases, Fashionable Reader, where I don't shop and then suddenly gorge myself. I've been trying very hard to be more conservative in my choices, partly because I feel my vintage collection is quite sufficient to my needs, party because I am trying to be fiscally responsible.

That said, I had a major lapse recently due to immanent ComicCon. (Or that's my excuse.) You see, when I went to New Orleans for ALA I realized my existing wardrobe does not handle hot weather very well, and ComicCon is rumored to be on the warm end of things. So I needed to add some lighter weight dresses to my wardrobe. What's that mean?

I've been craving day dresses.

Normally, you know me, I love the pencil dress, but for some reason the swingy skirt is calling to me. I blame the prevalence of the adorable cream (and white and blush) dresses in the fashion blog-o-sphere.

I've discussed the little white dress before. I even tried to make one last year. But I wasn't really happy with the result and ended up giving it away. It's taken me a while to come around to trying to find another one.

 Fashion shoot; 1951 Partie Fine Christian Dior The Metropolitan Museum of Art

 First I hunted for vintage or retro day versions, but cream is difficult to find retro and unstained.

I found cocktail or pencil versions, but that just wasn't what I was looking for. I wanted the day dress.

So, since blush was all over the place I broadened my options out of cream and white to include some pinker shades.

 Marion-Cotillard-In-Christian-Dior-De-Rouille-et-Dos-Cannes-Film-Festival-Photocall; Catherine-Duchess-of-Cambridge-In-Emilia-Wickstead-Waterloo-Chamber-Reception; Coco Chanel, 1930  The Metropolitan Museum of Art

I started to think about not just pure vintage but other ways to wear such a dress, funky ways.

 Chanel Resort 2013

And I found myself edging away from the vintage day dress into alien 1960s mod territory.

Which led me, in the end, to fall deeply in love with the most unexpected dress. Found at Wasteland on Haight street shopping with the lovely Anne of Pornokitsch for a cool $28.

I know it doesn't look like much but even with a drop waist and my chest once it's on, it is possessively adorable. It's lined but I still wear a slip with it. It minimizes the Rack. It's short but not too short. It has a 1920s feel. It has a peter pan collar. I want to wear it like this:

It's deceptively elegant with cream or brown accessorizes, slightly more formal with black ones, or utterly chic with tough studded leather. It has sleeves. It has a kind of French feel. I love it!

However, it wasn't my only recent purchase, because I did go to Haight Street, plus new vintage shop opened near my writing cafe, and Alameda had a vintage fair. So there is much more to come.

Speaking of Haight: Decades of Fashion, one of the best (if most expensive) sources of vintage in the Bay Area has moved locations. It's now across from Wasteland in what used to be the Villains building. The place is a former bank, or something like, and is an amazing space with marble vaulted ceilings. Decades has gone pleasingly overboard decorating and putting together displays of Edwardian and Victorian gowns and accessorizes way up high. If you visit San Francisco it's worth a pilgrimage to Haight just to take in this store. It's like an interactive museum now. Amazing.

1869 Wedding Dress The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Retro Rack is also on facebook where I post additional images and fashion thoughts.