The Style Council! Lizzie of Fuzzylizzie

This month's vintage lover is Lizzie, vintage clothing historian/expert extraordinaire, owner of the vintage website Fuzzylizzie. Lizzie has recently closed down the vintage clothing store part of her website Fuzzylizzie- but, she is continuing to sell vintage sewing patterns and is still featuring vintage articles and photo essays that she has composed on her site. She also has a fun blog called The Vintage Traveler. Lizzie has a Fuzzylizzie Etsy shop where all the proceeds from sales go to benefit her local animal rescue organization.

-How long have you been collecting vintage clothing for?

I bought my first vintage piece in 1970. I was 15 years old and went with a friend and her mother to an estate sale. In a bedroom of this modest farmhouse, we found several boxes containing the most wonderful 1920s handbags. I bought one for the grand total of 25 cents!  Please do not ask me how many times I've kicked myself over the others. I still have that bag, by the way. I've been buying vintage clothing and accessories starting in 1976, though I didn't start seriously collecting until about 10 years ago. I had always bought just to wear (or to sell), but kept finding so many wonderful things that didn't fit me that I couldn't bring myself to sell. So a collection was begun. Since that time, I've refined what I collect. I look for sportswear and for clothes a woman would wear on vacation, 1918-1978. I try to assemble complete ensembles - what a 1923 woman would wear on a hike, what a 1952 woman would wear sightseeing in Rome, what a 1966 woman would take on (and buy during) a trip to London.

-What got you into vintage clothing?

Sometime in the mid 1970s I discovered a great book - Cheap Chic by Caterine Milinaire and Carol Troy.  In it they talked a lot about thrift store shopping and they profiled people who were actually wearing antiques clothes. I was intrigued, but at that time there was only one dusty old Salvation Army store in my area.  Then, in 1976, my beloved Hadley cashmere factory closed down, taking its wonderful outlet store and $10 sweaters with it. Where was I going to get my cheap cashmere fix?  The answer was thirft stores, and the dusty old SA became a regular haunt. Within a few years vintage stores started opening, and I was a regular customer.

-What are your favorite eras of clothing?

I love the 1920s. It's my favorite era to collect. For wearing, I stick with the early to mid 60s.

-What do you like about clothing from these eras?

I think I really started loving the 20s when I was in college and read all of F. Scott Fitzgerald.  I wanted to live in the 20s and be Jordan Baker and do nothing but play golf and go to parties. After I discovered vintage clothing and started looking at the clothing of the 20s, I was hooked!  The clothing of the 20s says so much about the social changes that were taking place. As for the early 60s, I love these clothes because for the most part, they are simple and easy to wear. I'm really more likely to wear clothing that I've made using a vintage pattern and vintage fabric, and I almost always choose a pattern from 1959-1964.  Maybe it was because I was born in 1955 and I can remember the women in my life wearing these fantastic, sophisticated clothes, but by the time I started wearing "grown-up" clothes, Mod was in full swing and the hippie look was breathing down its neck. So now is my chance to be the adult, I suppose!

-Who are some of your favorite vintage designers?

Since I'm so into sportswear, I tend to favor the sportswear designers. Claire McCardell has to top this list, and with good reason.  She really was so innovative, and at the same time, practical and wearable.  I've had women who wore McCardell "back in the day" tell me they would have paid any amount of money for McCardell's clothes, that they made them feel special somehow.  I also love Tina Leser, Carolyn Schnurer, Tom Brigance,  Bonnie Cashin, and that sort.  But I'm just as happy to find a wonderful older piece of White Stag, Jantzen or Abercrombie & Fitch. And I love the clothes from the early 70s that I, as a teen and college student, could not afford - Betsey Johnson, Jane Tise, and even Geoffrey Beene.  Thank goodness for sewing patterns!  I wore out my favorite Tise blouse pattern.  And today, almost 40 years later, their vintage designs still look great to me.

-Who are some of your favorite modern designers?

There aren't many, I'm afraid, but  I'm really in love with Ralph Rucci. You have to see his work in person to really see how great he is. And there are times when I adore what Lagerfeld does at Chanel, but right now isn't one of those times. And for the most part, I love what Ghesquiere does at Balenciaga.  And good old Oscar de la Renta always does pretty clothes.

-What would be your ultimate vintage find?

That's really hard to say. There's no one piece that I sit around and think that my life would be complete if only I had...  But I can think of lots of  pieces that would make me very,very happy:  a simple 1920s Chanel frock, a not-so-simple 1930s Vionnet or Schiaparelli, a 1920s beaded Worth dress, anything 1920-30  from Hermes Sport, the perfect Courreges 1960s dress, a Lanvin robe de style, a pair of 1920s embroidered shoes from a French maker, a few 1950s Pucci sports pieces.

-Where do you do the majority of your vintage shopping- garage, estate and rummage sales, thrift stores, vintage stores, online vintage stores or eBay?

I'll shop anywhere I know there might be vintage. I don't really care for garage sales, but rummage sales are great for vintage.  I love vintage clothing stores, but I rarely find anything to buy in them. I do buy online, but not as much as I used to. I spend way too much time on the computer and shopping is far down the list of things I have to get accomplished. But my favorite places are the Goodwill Clearance center, flea markets, and antique malls. You just never know what kind of treasure lurks in these places! It's the thrill of the hunt, I suppose.

-Is vintage clothing popular in the city that you live in?

I live in a very small town. Even my best friends don't "get" my love of vintage clothing. But in nearby Asheville, there are lots of vintage wearers. It's an anything goes type of town.

-Who are some of your favorite style icons?

Well, the obvious, I suppose. Audrey Hepburn and Jackie Kennedy. But then there was also the odd-ball woman who lived in my small town in the early 60s who wore cat-eye glasses, stretch pants and leopard print, and drove a Metropolitian mini convertible. She was looked on as being a bit of a tramp, but I adored her look and vowed to be just like her when I grew up. Of course I'm not, but just the thought of her and her trashy greatness makes me smile and keeps my own look from veering toward the precious.

-What are your favorite vintage movies, music and television programs?

I love the movies Audrey Hepburn made in the 60s - How to Steal a Million, Charade, Two for the Road, Breakast at Tiffany's. That's how I'd love to look!  And to me, Roman Holiday is the ultimate fashion film, with Princess Ann's look evolving in every scene. I also love the movies Bogart and Bacall were in together: Key Largo, The Big Sleep and Dark Passage. Growing up in the South, I was raised on Johnny Cash and Skeeter Davis, came of age with the Beatles and the Stones, and only now fully appreciate the music of my parents. I'm completely in love with Sinatra - especially what he was doing in the early 50s. Vintage TV (or modern TV for that matter) doesn't do a lot for me.  I'll watch it, but can't say I have a favorite. You see, I saw all those shows years ago!

-Do you collect any other types of collectibles or antiques?

I'm afraid so!
Vintage photographs of people in sports ensembles.
Vintage tin lithographed globes and other objects with maps.
Vintage travel ephemera from Western North Carolina and the Blue Ridge Mountains
Vintage fashion magazines
Vintage advertising and such that is fashion oriented.The quirkier the better!
Vintage Scotty doggie things, preferably handmade.
Vintage fabrics and sewing patterns
Orphaned vintage clothing hangtags and labels.

*Thanks to Lizzie for answering our Style Council questions!

You too could be featured on Lulu's Vintage Style Council!

Just email me- lulusvintage (at) yahoo.com a photo of yourself wearing vintage (it can be a modern outfit accented with vintage accessories or a complete vintage ensemble) and answer my interview questions

The Style Council! EllynAnne Geisel, Author of The Kitchen Linens Book, The Apron Book, and Apronisms

This month's vintage lover is EllynAnne Geisel of Pueblo, Colorado. EllynAnne is the author of Apronisms, The Apron Book, and next Tuesday's giveaway: The Kitchen Linens Book- don't forget to click here to leave a comment for you chance to win a copy!

EllynAnne will be on tour with her book from April 20-May 2. Here is a list of dates and locations:

Monday, April 20th Seattle, WA; Tuesday, April 21st Lake Forest, WA; Friday, April 24th San Francisco, CA; Saturday, April 25th Dallas, TX; Monday, April 27th Coral Gables, FL; Tuesday, April 28th Concord, NC; Wednesday, April 29th Greensboro, NC; Friday, May 1 Denver, CO; Saturday, May 2nd Littleton, CO. For more info on tour dates and locations click here 

-How long have you been collecting vintage textiles?

Only for the past nine years have I decidedly and purposefully collected textiles. With cloth, there's an instant visual, and in my case, a visceral connection...or not. There are colors, for instance, that I am absolutely not attracted to.

-What got you into vintage textiles?

I grew up in a household where my mother had one tablecloth and napkin set, and that was reserved for holiday dining. I loved that cloth- washed over and over, the drape was melodic, like a soft waterfall. With so little personal history of cloth as more than just for a special occasion, I was quite surprised that the discovery of a cache of vintage textiles that had belonged to my mother-in-law would bring me such joy and awaken this need to have lots of textiles in my life! I love vintage fabric in all forms. From aprons to household linens, to me, each is a celebration of the artistry and industry of women.

-What are your favorite eras of textiles?

I use vintage fabric within my apron designs, and so purchased table coverings, toweling and curtain panels in order to get the most yardage for my buck. But I was always setting aside certain purchases, especially from the thirties, forties and fifties, not so much for design as the colors. The hues were different back then...softly intense but not overbearing, and agreeable to juxtapositioning. When we recently repainted our home, the palette I selected was straight from my fabric collection!

-What is your ultimate vintage find?

Without hesitation, my ultimate find is the 1945 Butterick transfer pattern. Of such significance, I wrote about this on my blog, Apron Memories Even two years after the fact, I'm emotional over this pattern. Not only how I discovered it, but there's such gaiety to the dancing mommy, daddy and baby plates, cups and saucers, etc.- which to me, is symbolic of war replaced with hope.

-Where do you do the majority of your vintage shopping- garage, estate and rummage sales, thrift stores, vintage stores, online vintage stores of eBay?

My finds are always in person- the thrill of the hunt, so to speak. I tend to favor antique malls because of the diversity of the individual shops, and the number of vendors.

-Who are some of your favorite style icons?

I live in New York City for a few years, and as a poor art student, spent great chunks of time roaming the expensive stores like the oh so chic Henri Bendels and the village shops for fashion inspiration. One of my favorites, though, was a little storefront named Betsy Bunky Nini. It held a grand mixture of second-hand (wasn't called vintage then!) and one-of-a kind creations. Unbeknownst was Betsy was Betsy Johnson. I have an original Betsy Johnson, which has been carefully stored for many years. This past September, I presented it as a birthday present to my eldest son's special sweetie. It was time the dress was worn again. So, in answer to the original question: Betsy Johnson.

-Do you collect any other types of collectibles or antiques?

Oh, yes! Eye glass frames, bow ties, Archie comics, early readers and the Dick and Jane primers, children's wooden toys, barware, Viewfinders and reels, metal workman lunch pails, etiquette books, cookbooks and magazines, all of the 1900-1950's. I surround myself with these items, along with my aprons and fabrics- they are my inspiration.

Thanks to EllynAnne for answering our Style Council interview questions!

You too could be featured on Lulu's Vintage Style Council!

Just email me- lulusvintage (at) yahoo.com a photo of yourself wearing vintage (it can be a modern outfit accented with vintage accessories or a complete vintage ensemble) and answer my interview questions

The Style Council! Jody Olson of Camellia

This month's vintage lover is Jody Olson of Corvallis, Oregon. Jody owns a vintage jewelry store in Corvallis called Camellia

-How long have you been collecting vintage clothing for?

About 15 years!

-What got you into vintage clothing?

I've always had an interest in style and design- a lot of vintage designer pieces are constructed in a different way than clothing today making them special to wear.

-What are your favorite eras of clothing?

That is a tough question- each era has its merits and unique elements. I would have to say from 1910 to the 1930s and the early 1950s.

-What do you like about clothing from these eras?

I love the Asian influence! The use of embroidery to embellish- especially embroidered organic elements such as flowers and birds.

-Who are some of your favorite vintage designers?

Dior, Paul Poiret, Madeleine Vionnet, Yves Saint Laurent, Cristobal Balenciaga.

-Who are some of your favorite modern designers?

John Galliano, Valentino, and Oscar de la Renta have the most beautiful dresses of today.

-What would be your ultimate vintage find?

An embroidered Paul Poiret coat with an Asian motif of course!

-Where do you do the majority of your vintage shopping- garage, estate and rummage sales, thrift stores, vintage stores, online vintage stores or eBay?

I purchase most of my clothing from collectors at shows.

-Is vintage clothing popular in the city that you live in?

No, Not yet...

-Who are some of your favorite style icons?

Grace Kelly, Jean Harlow and Cary Grant!

-What are your favorite vintage movies, music and television programs?

Music is tough, I like everything from Opera to Rock. For vintage movies I like Century 21, Grand Hotel, Rear Window and anything Spencer Tracy.

-Do you collect any other types of collectibles or antiques?

Antique Jewelry from the 1880s to the 1950s!

Thanks to Jody for answering our Style Council interview questions!

You too could be featured on Lulu's Vintage Style Council!

Just email me- lulusvintage (at) yahoo.com a photo of yourself wearing vintage (it can be a modern outfit accented with vintage accessories or a complete vintage ensemble) and answer my interview questions

The Style Council! Nancy Russel

This month's vintage lover is Nancy Russel of Issaquah, Washington.

-How long have you been collecting vintage clothing for?

About 5 years, but I've always been fascinated by the images in old movies and fashion advertisements from the past.

-What got you into vintage clothing?

My niece was interested in vintage clothing for a short time when she was in junior high. She and her friends didn't have driver's licenses so my sister drove them around to all the thrift shops. After the kids lost interest my sister still wanted to shop for vintage so she would go with me while I shopped for Depression glass. She got me to try on some things and before I knew it I was a vintage fanatic like she was.

-What are your favorite eras of clothing?

Anything from the 30's through the 60's

-What do you like about clothing from these eras?

Love the detail and the fit and the all out feminine glamour.

-Who are some of your favorite vintage designers?

I don't pay attention to labels. I look for things that typify the time era, and I love accessories for getting the look right.

-Who are some of your favorite modern designers?

I don't have any. Any current fashions I buy are selected for fit and functionality. Collecting vintage has given me an eye for fine fabrics, detail and quality of construction.

-What would be your ultimate vintage find?

A complete suit from the 40's in good condition.

-Where do you do the majority of your vintage shopping- garage, estate and rummage sales, thrift stores, vintage stores, online vintage stores or eBay?

Thrift and vintage shops.

-Is vintage clothing popular in the city that you live in?

Yes it's popular but I'm the only one who collects it in my circle of friends.

-Who are some of your favorite style icons?

Audrey Hepburn, Jackie Kennedy, Lucille Ball

-What are your favorite vintage movies, music and television programs?

All the old Audrey Hepburn movies, I Love Lucy and I poured over my Mom's fashion magazines when I was a kid which left and imprint on my sense of style.

-Do you collect any other types of collectibles or antiques?

I collect milk glass and vintage linens.

Thanks to Nancy for answering our Style Council interview questions!

You too could be featured on Lulu's Vintage Style Council!

Just email me- lulusvintage (at) yahoo.com a photo of yourself wearing vintage (it can be a modern outfit accented with vintage accessories or a complete vintage ensemble) and answer my interview questions

The Style Council! Samantha Zaza a.k.a. Szaza

This month's vintage lover is with Samantha Zaza a.k.a. Szaza of San Francisco, California.

I featured Szaza's artwork in a Fashion Fridays post last month.

-How long have you been collecting vintage clothing for?

It started in my teens, I was always a little bit of an "unusual" dresser in high school. Most clothing I found in regular stores bored me, so I'd throw together a mix of modern and vintage. My prom dress was an enormously heavy, long purple velvet bridesmaid's gown from the '70s.

- What got you into vintage clothing?

At the time I was living in Cairo, where vintage clothing was next to impossible to find and wearing old-fashioned used clothing wasn't considered en vogue. I would say the pivotal point was when I discovered a tan leather jacket and a pair of fabulous cork platform shoes from the '70s at a flea market on a trip to Amsterdam. My parents hated that jacket! From that jacket on, I'd do my best to find whatever I could in the Cairo markets.

- What are your favorite eras of clothing?

Goodness, just about every era has something about it that I love from the '20s through the '70s.

- What do you like about clothing from these eras?

I love the lines of the '20s and '30s— the exquisite beadwork and fabric patterns of the Deco era really makes me swoon. I enjoy the military influence on the suits of the '40s, the fabulously decorated dresses of the '50s with their huge skirts and tiny waists— is there anything more feminine? Wonderful patterns came out of the '50s and early '60s. I also have a soft spot for Disco.

- Who are some of your favorite vintage designers?

Vionnet, Schiaparelli, Lanvin, Pierre Cardin, YSL.

- Who are some of your favorite modern designers?

Vivienne Westwood, Yōji Yamamoto, Lanvin, Prada... especially when feathers are involved. 
John Fluevog is my all-time favourite shoe designer, and I was fortunate enough to have a design of mine chosen by him to be made into a real shoe! You can read all about it and buy your pair of Zazas here. He has some amazing vintage-inspired pieces.

- What would be your ultimate vintage find?

A Vionnet, and this Lanvin dress in my size.

- Where do you do the majority of your vintage shopping- garage, estate and rummage sales, thrift stores, vintage stores, online vintage stores or eBay?

I do most of my vintage shopping on eBay and some at vintage stores. I generally get better deals on eBay, and find more unusual items.

- Is vintage clothing popular in the city that you live in?

Vintage is huge in SF. It just might be the vintage capitol of the United States.

- Who are some of your favorite style icons?

Gosh, how can I not mention Audrey Hepburn? She had style. I also love Katherine Hepburn and Marlene Dietrich. David Bowie has always been fabulous and Patti Smith has a great style of her own.

- What are your favorite vintage movies, music and television programs?

Casablanca, Sabrina, Some Like it Hot, La Dolce Vita and any Sean Connery James Bond film, especially From Russia with Love and Goldfinger. As for television shows, I love Bewitched and I Dream of Jeannie— they were fun to watch as a child and are even more fun now. Right now on my iPod I've got some Edith Piaf, Serge Gainsbourg, Marianne Faithfull, some old Patti Smith, Depeche Mode and Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds. I periodically go through Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd phases.

- Do you collect any other types of collectibles or antiques?

I have a collection of vintage tins, most of them were for biscuits it seems. I use them to contain my art supplies.

Thanks to Samantha for answering our Style Council interview questions!

You too could be featured on Lulu's Vintage Style Council!

Just email me- lulusvintage (at) yahoo.com a photo of yourself wearing vintage (it can be a modern outfit accented with vintage accessories or a complete vintage ensemble) and answer my interview questions

The Style Council! Simara Delilah Rose

This month's vintage lover is Simara Delilah Rose.

Simara is a singer, poet, writer, set and clothes designer (designs only for self and own band)

- How long have you been collecting vintage clothing for?

Since my pre-teen years.

- What got you into vintage clothing?

I grew up watching classic films and musicals and some of my earliest memories are of drawing fashion sketches and not just pictures of clothes but couture items.

To me certain clothing is wearable and living poetry..the shapes and angles, the details, the cuts, the colors..as magnificent as a life changing film, a monumental song or a masterpiece of a painting-some clothes are this level of caliber in inspiration.

- What are your favorite eras of clothing?

I feel most at home in decadent 1930's high glamour, I sdore sharp and sleek empowering 1940's and I can not resist the seduction and sultry come hither of 1950's.

- What do you like about clothing from these eras?

The huge emphasis on puffy fluttery shoulders, the essence of exotic and great elegance in the dresses the perky, snazzy and smart little hats, the glittering rhinestone use and the asymetrical and poignant lines in the gloves all of the 1930's..in the 1940's I like the smoldering strong shoulders, the shimmering ornate and often ethnic flavored sequins, the sweetheart neck line, the flirty peplums, I posilutely adore the tilt and topper and doll hats..in the 1950's it's the bombshell and wiggle the ripe homage to the female figure..the dreamy chiffon trains on party dresses the sexy femme fatale shelf, petal and bullet busts, the flocked and lace illusion dresses...

- Who are some of your favorite vintage designers?

Howard Greer, Adrienne, Vintage Dior, Emma Domb, Bes-Ben, New York Creation..but really to me it's a style and the details not a name brand

- Who are some of your favorite modern designers?

I love John Galliano and Zac Posen

- What would be your ultimate vintage find?

Any of the above in great condition and also turning out to be animal free as I am a Vegan and it is challenging finding vintage that is not silk or wool

- Where do you do the majority of your vintage shopping- garage, estate and rummage sales, thrift stores, vintage stores, online vintage stores or eBay?

eBay, online vintage websites and then the occasional precious find at a local vintage store

- Is vintage clothing popular in the city that you live in?

Surprisingly..most people wear sweat pants, tee shirts whatever the latest Hollywood trend is..

- Who are some of your favorite style icons?

Ginger Rogers, Marilyn Monroe, Ava Gardner, Rita Hayworth, Clara Bow, Joan Crawford, Claudette Colbert, Jean Harlow, Barbara Stanwyck, Hedy Lamar, Josephine Baker, more modern- Isabella Blow, Eddie Sedgwick, Nicole Kidman

- What are your favorite vintage movies, music and television programs?

All Busby Berkeley, Ginger and Fred, Gene Kelly, Clark Gable, Clara Bow, William Powell, Marilyn, Josephine Baker, Rita, Ava..but specifically I will name a FEW of many:

Now Voyager..The Devil is a Sissy, Sylvia Scarlett, The Big Knife, The Barkely's of Broadway, Singing in the Rain..

I love I Love Lucy

and also I am a huge X-Files fan as it reminds me of film noir...

- Do you collect any other types of collectibles or antiques?

I adore Art Deco and Art Nouveau as well as fantasyrniture like the scene in "The Women" where Joan Crawford is bathing in an incredible bath...

Thanks to Simara for answering our Style Council interview questions!

You too could be featured on Lulu's Vintage Style Council!

Just email me- lulusvintage (at) yahoo.com a photo of yourself wearing vintage (it can be a modern outfit accented with vintage accessories or a complete vintage ensemble) and answer my interview questions

 

The Style Council! Natalie Raymond

This month's vintage lover is with Natalie Raymond of Portland, Oregon.
Natalie is an actor/fashion blogger/student.

-How long have you been collecting vintage clothing for?

Several years. I started heavily hitting the thrift shops when I was about sixteen.

-What got you into vintage clothing?

When I fist got interested in fashion I was very much a brand name kind of lady. But as I started to come into my own more I developed a taste for pieces which are more unique. Also, I'm totally fascinated bu the concept that my clothes have a story. Sometimes I think their lives have been far more adventurous than my own.

-What are your favorite eras of clothing?

I really deeply enjoy the 50's Marilyn Monroe pinup look. Recently I've been trying to acquire more of that style. I'm a fan of hideous flower prints from the 60's and 70's as well, I love bright somewhat obnoxious colours...which can be very difficult to find in contemporary clothes.

-What do you like about clothing from these eras?

Clothing from the 50's just really makes women look amazing. The shapes accentuate our bodies instead of striving to make us look as much like a prepubescent boy as possible. And call me vain but I really stand out in a crowd, whether that's because I'm wearing a loud print or dressed like a pinup doesn't really matter.

-Who are some of your favorite vintage designers?

I'm not sure I have favourites. I'm so designer illiterate. When I hit the shops I'm there for hours trying things on to find what looks the most intriguing. I rarely pay attention to labels. but I have some things from the 60's Sears catalogue, and they're fairly amazing.

-Who are some of your favorite modern designers?

Vivienne Westwood, Marc Jacobs, Vera Wang. For shoes it's Christian Louboutin all the way for me.

-What would be your ultimate vintage find?

I'd die to find a pair of Louboutin shoes...in my size. I would probably actually faint in the store.

-Where do you do the majority of your vintage shopping- garage, estate and rummage sales, thrift stores, vintage stores, online vintage stores or eBay?

I spend most of my time (and money) in thrift shops. They seem to be the best places to find really weird fashion. I don't think I've ever purchased clothes on eBay...I'm so neurotic- I have to try everything on.

-Is vintage clothing popular in the city that you live in?

In Portland? God yes. It's lucky for me though...lots of places to shop.

-Who are some of your favorite style icons?
I love Shannyn Sossamon's style, she always looks so great and unique. I like Keira Knightley's style also, and Kate Moss. Shannyn's still my favourite though.

-What are your favorite vintage movies, music and television programs?

I'm a fan of old propoganda films, I have "The Weird World of LSD" on DVD and it's pretty amazing. Of course, I love all Marilyn Monroe movies, as well as Laurence Oliver, Vivenne Leigh, and Gregory Peck films.

-Do you collect any other types of collectibles or antiques?

I have a huge movie collection. I'm not sure if that counts. I also acquire weird nick-knacks from wherever I go. I just got back from London where I bought a horrible bust of William Shakespeare. I love it.

Thanks to Natalie for answering our Style Council interview questions!

You too could be featured on Lulu's Vintage Style Council!

Just email me- lulusvintage (at) yahoo.com a photo of yourself wearing vintage (it can be a modern outfit accented with vintage accessories or a complete vintage ensemble) and answer my interview questions

The Style Council! Serena Thompson of Farm Chicks

    This month's vintage lover is Serena Thompson co-founder of The Farm Chicks
    Serena lives in Spokane, Washington

- How long have you been collecting vintage clothing for?

I've been collecting vintage clothing since I was a little girl.

- What got you into vintage clothing?

Well, my parents always dressed us in vintage out of necessity, as we had very little money at the time, traveling around the country in our little "gypsy wagon" home. I loved wearing the berets that were passed down to me from my grandmother. When I was a teenager, my mom worked at a little shop in our hometown, called Second Hand Rose. I was surrounded by vintage clothing there and would make elaborate window displays with my favorite ensembles.

- What are your favorite eras of clothing?

I love the dresses of the fifties, and the funky fabric and shoes of the sixties.

- What do you like about clothing from these eras?

They're timeless.

- Who are some of your favorite vintage designers?

I'm clueless regarding vintage designers. Honestly, my favorites are the pieces that were made as 4-H and home ec. projects by young women. A lot of thought and love clearly went into those designs.

- Who are some of your favorite modern designers?

Issac Mizrahi, Tsumori Chisato

- What would be your ultimate vintage find?

Great 1960's fabrics are always my favorite. However, I did actually have the ultimate vintage find at a yard sale a few years ago. I found a great old Hawaiian shirt, which I purchased for 10 cents and ended up selling it on ebay for $860!

- Where do you do the majority of your vintage shopping- garage, estate and rummage sales, thrift stores, vintage stores, online vintage stores or eBay?

I do almost all of my vintage shopping at estate sales. It's really common to offered deals like "fill a bag for $1"! If there are no good estate sales and I'm really feeling like looking for vintage clothing, I'll make a stop at Value Village and another thrift shop in Spokane called Classy Rack.

- Is vintage clothing popular in the city that you live in?

Vintage clothing does not seem to be remotely popular in Spokane, which makes estate sales really fun for me. I have purchased more vintage clothing than anyone could ever imagine and most of it with no one else being remotely interested in what I'm digging through. I've also found tons of great pieces for my children who really love vintage clothing as well. My oldest son loves funky western shirts and my second-oldest son favors vintage rock tees.

- Who are some of your favorite style icons?

Jackie Kennedy

- What are your favorite vintage movies, music and television programs?

I grew up with no television and rarely saw movies. When I was a teenager, my parents rented a television and a vcr for a few days and loaded up on Hitchcock movies. I really loved watching those movies. Fashion-wise, what really made an impression on me was reading Nancy Drew books and hearing the descriptions of her outfits.

- Do you collect any other types of collectibles or antiques?

I collect many different types of vintage items, especially loving old farm-type items such as toy cows, toy tractors, and baking items and advertising.

    *Thanks to Serena for answering our Style Council interview questions!

You too could be featured on Lulu's Vintage Style Council!

Just email me- lulusvintage (at) yahoo.com a photo of yourself wearing vintage (it can be a modern outfit accented with vintage accessories or a complete vintage ensemble) and answer my interview questions

 

Portland Style Council! Nick Mattos

July's Portland Style Council Interview is with Nick Mattos.
Nick is the CEM/Publicist for the Red Light Clothing Exchange.

-How long have you been collecting vintage clothing for?

My addiction started when I was sixteen and living in Sebastopol, CA. It was a very small town, and for a young disaffected guy there was absolutely nothing to do. One day, I found the local VNA Home Hospice thrift store (one of two clothing stores in town at that point!) and within a year I had bought myself virtually an entire wardrobe in vintage clothing!

-What got you into vintage clothing?

I come from a very style-conscious family, as my mother was a buyer for a notable San Francisco boutique in the late seventies. She taught me to shop carefully, with an eye for unique finds, and to cultivate my own style. Vintage shopping is the culmination of this - one is forced to shift through all sorts of dross to find the right garments, and is completely freed from the "looks" imposed by the corporate fashion establishment.

-What are your favorite eras of clothing ? 

Western wear from the old school of Nashville country, anything that captures the 1950s beatnik aesthetic, the slightly Indian influences of the 1960s British invasion, the opulent young fashions of the 1920s, and military dress uniforms of any era!

-What do you like about clothing from these eras?

I tend to be a bit polar about what I like in men's fashion - it either has to be very simple, tailored, and classic, or it has to be over-the-top ostentatious. Of course, there is a middle ground; this is why I've held on to my knee-length smoking jacket for this long.
 

-Who are some of your favorite vintage designers?

This is a tricky question for me, as my favorite vintage garments have always been nameless. However, Portland is incredibly lucky to have Duchess Clothier here in town, as there is no better place to get a custom vintage-style suit.

-Who are some of your favorite modern designers?

In terms of the big names: Anna Sui, Hedi Slimane, Hussein Chalayan, Miuccia Prada, and Vivienne Westwood. Talking locally, I recently came across a collection by a young designer named Chelsea Miles that is just astonishing.

-What would be your ultimate vintage find?

The Shroud of Turin! Aside from that, any sort of Masonic ritual clothing. What's sexier than secret fraternal orders?

-Where do you do the majority of your vintage shopping- garage, estate and rummage sales, thrift stores, online vintage stores or eBay?

I would say it's a 60/40 split between thrift stores and vintage stores. My favorite thrift places in town are Desert Industries out on SE 82nd and the Goodwill Bins in the SE. As for vintage stores, I think Red Light Clothing Exchange is the best, but I'm a little biased. I've had poor luck at estate and rummage sales in Portland, but in other parts of the country they can be amazing - also, as harsh as it sounds, the bereaved are very easy to haggle prices with.

-Who are some of your favorite style icons?

American pioneers on the frontier from 1825-1900, Steve McQueen, JackKerouac, the unnamed men and women who made their families clothing during the Great Depression, Johnny Cash, and my friend Ryan Jarvis.

-What are your favorite vintage movies, music and television programs?

Donovan! I put on Hurdy Gurdy Man at least once a week. Pierrot Le Fou, Un Homme et Un Femme, and Les Biches are movies that to me epitomize French style from le generation perdu. Also, are we old enough that The Facts of Life or Mama's Family count as vintage yet?

-Do you collect any other types of collectibles or antiques?

At one point I had a formidable collection of vintage Jehovah's Witnesses books from the 1950s. I also once collected knick knacks with owl motifs, but then lived with an amazing girl whose owl collection dwarfed mine and gave almost all of them to her. Nowadays, I'm focused on the clothes - however, if I was in a thrift store and happened upon a vintage illustration from the Book of Mormon, I'd probably swoon.

    *Thanks to Nick for answering our Style Council interview questions!

You too could be featured on Lulu's Vintage Style Council!

Just email me- lulusvintage (at) yahoo.com a photo of yourself wearing vintage (it can be a modern outfit accented with vintage accessories or a complete vintage ensemble) and answer my interview questions

The Style Council! Kim of Fast Eddie's Retro Rags

    This month's vintage lover is Kim of Fast Eddie's Retro Rags
    Check out Kim's blog  The Girl Can't Help It

- How long have you been collecting vintage clothing for?

I bought my first piece of vintage clothing going into my senior year of high school in 1993...so about 15 years now. It was a 50's pink lacy prom dress that I found at a local vintage clothing store. I intended to wear it to the prom, but I never quite made it there...the guy was an idiot but I still have the dress!

- What got you into vintage clothing?

I would think every little girl's fashion obsessions start with playing dress-up in her mother's closet and jewelry box, no? My parents used to refinish deco furniture that they'd buy at auctions, where they'd also pick up boxed lots of other random things. So there was always vintage and antique things around the house that I loved playing with and trying on. My mom never kept any of her clothes from the 50's and 60's, which I'm still beyond grumpy about- the woman was seriously cool with the wardobe to match.

- What are your favorite eras of clothing?

My all-time favorite era for vintage clothing is the mid 50's into the early 60's, when it was all about leopard and lurex! I'm crazy in love with men's vintage from this same era too- I almost like men's vintage better than women's, is that wrong? When it's not 50's, I have a soft spot for 40's rayons~ men's shirts to women's dresses. The fabric is divine and the novelty prints are far better than anything a modern designer could ever dream of!

- What do you like about clothing from these eras?

I love the demure sex appeal of clothing from the 50's. The sweaters and skirts were tight as sin and it showed off your every curve, yet you were still covered up and not overtly skanky. It's the time when women's fashion really started getting more risque publicly and into the average woman's home and women started owning up to their sexuality. At least "a certain kind" of woman did!

- Who are some of your favorite vintage designers?

Dior, Adrian, Claire McCardell, Dorothy O'Hara, Ceil Chapman...I'd maim for a ridiculously over the top Bes-Ben hat!

- Who are some of your favorite modern designers?

I'm kind of (OK, not really) embarrassed to say that I don't follow or pay attention to modern designers. I don't care too much for modern lines, but I do like Vivienne Westwood and even Gwen Stefani rocked some good 50's-inspired leopard prints. Otherwise, meh.

- What would be your ultimate vintage find?

Because I love men's vintage so much, I'd love to score some new old stock 40's gabardine Hollywood jackets and in large sizes of course. Does that seem like I'm aiming too low? I just covet them so! But since we're talking an "ultimate vintage find", I'll shoot for the stars and say I'd kill for a Fortuny. Or two. It could happen, right? I'll keep dreaming.

- Where do you do the majority of your vintage shopping- garage, estate and rummage sales, thrift stores, vintage stores, online vintage stores or eBay?

I haven't gone into a thrift store in months. These days I shop in vintage clothing stores or go to estate sales and auctions. Rummage sales at churches can have hidden vintage treasure! I love getting calls from people for me to come and dig through their attics or closets, which is the best feeling ever. The thrill of not knowing what you'll find is better than anything!

- Is vintage clothing popular in the city that you live in?

No way. At least, not that I've ever witnessed here in nowheresville. I live in a university town, so the only vintage you see is bad 70's polyester on the college kids going to Halloween parties. Lame. Not a very hip kind of college town, is it?


- Who are some of your favorite style icons?

Marilyn and Mamie are good, but Jayne Mansfield is even better! My own wardrobe is inspired by the teenagers in 50's horror and delinquent B-flicks, which sort of runs into my answer in the next question....

- What are your favorite vintage movies, music and television programs?

I'm crazy about those bad/awesome 50's rock and roll movies like Don't Knock the Rock, Carnival Rock, The Big Beat, High School Confidential, etc. Those movies had fantastic music with some "up and comer" rockabilly and doo wop groups, with the likes of Johnny Carroll, Gene Vincent Johnny Burnette Trio, LaVern Baker and Connie Francis, just to name a few that I adore! Modern tv is wretched, though I am happy about Mad Men!


- Do you collect any other types of collectibles or antiques?

I hoard bolero-and-dress sets (or just boleros on their own) as well as vintage cardigans/sweaters from the 50's and 60's, the beaded and Orlon cardigans being my favorites. As far as non-clothing goes, I collect original 50's pink things like radios, kitchenware, clocks, etc. My personal score of course would be my infamous 50's pink TV. I love anything MCM and kitcshy and have a penchant for tacky vintage 50's/60's Christmas decorations. I must have been misplaced in time, because I just feel very much normal and at home being surrounded by these things!