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!

The Style Council! Cherie of Shrimpton Couture

    This month's vintage lover is Cherie of Canada, pictured above in a 1970's Oscar de la Renta dress with enviable pink soled Alexander McQueen patent leather shoes.
    Cherie is the owner of the online vintage boutique Shrimpton Couture

-How long have you been collecting vintage clothing for?

Years! I think my first vintage purchase was when I was a teenager

-What got you into vintage clothing?

When I was about 16 years old I discovered Vogue. I remember thumbing through and being drawn month after month to the stories that featured real women– you know, the ones who lived in big French Chateaus or some fabulous New York loft and raised millions of dollars for charities or headed their own little empire. They were always beautiful, wealthy and interesting and just happened to be intelligent and brilliant too. I was fascinated by the way they looked and dressed – I grew up in a small town and the woman I knew did not know about Chanel or Prada. You can bet I did! Even though access to labels at that point in my life was impossible, I knew that one day I would have a life where I could afford such clothes and maybe be a little like one of those women. In the meantime I scoured thrift shops and second hand stores to emulate the look as best I could on my budget.

Two things stand out from my early exposure to high end fashion. First, the fabulous women even back then had a mix of couture, ready-to-wear and vintage in their closets – though it was more often then not called “Heirloom pieces” rather then vintage back then. I still stand by this same mixture for my own closet and most of my clients at Shrimpton Couture have the same style philosophy.

Second, the irony of not being able to afford couture or designer early on is that I still became a clothing snob! Many vintage pieces are actually better made and are constructed from far superior fabrics compared to modern pieces, unless of course you go into very, very high end modern day couture, that for most of us is unattainable. So you can be a snob (a nice one) and wear the equivalent to couture when you choose good vintage pieces – how can you say no to that?

-What are your favorite eras of clothing?

20s, 30s, 40s, 50, 60s and the 70s. Ok, I know that really is too many eras and technically covers all of them but I don’t care! I guess I love them all because it is shocking how many truly overlap each other. People have a perception of what each era looks like and there are general rules for the basic styling that every era had, but it is fascinating how many styles run into each other throughout the different eras. It is more important to choose clothes that suit your body than it is to pin yourself down to a specific era. That being said I do have a bit of a week spot for clothes pre-mass manufacturing – I am in awe of the care and time that went into the construction of garments that were all finished and done by hand!

-What do you like about clothing from these eras?

Regardless of the era it always boils down to quality. Every thing I buy for me or my site is quality. I don’t do cheap and I don’t do disposable and I like to think I don’t do ugly.

-Who are some of your favorite vintage designers?

Ossie Clark for his unabashed sexiness. Malcolm Starr is a personal favorite of mine – I tend to gravitate on a personal level towards showing beaded pieces and his are some of the best. Fair warning though, some of his pieces are also hideously ugly. I am also a Hermes fanatic and love the older, leather pieces from the 30s and 40s. And I never ever underestimate the beauty and workmanship you can find in unlabelled pieces. I shop for spectacular pieces first, then for the name on the label.

-Who are some of your favorite modern designers?

I mainly wear Marni, Prada & Chloe pieces mixed in with my vintage. I love expensive shoes and like ‘em high, so I invest in shoes to mix in with vintage too – Louboutin, YSL and Dries are my current loves this season. A spectacular shoe is an easy way to offset a vintage dress and keeps it modern and fresh looking.

-What would be your ultimate vintage find?

Well, I am a greedy gluttonous vintage piglet, so my ultimate vintage find would be to be given the life-time collection that would of course be so huge it would fill a warehouse, and that collection would have been carefully cultivated over decades of collecting by some fabulous woman who bought couture and collected vintage her whole life. She would of course have been exactly my size. An entire collection of dress after exquisite dress spanning the decades…..my goodness, I think I need a moment to myself……..

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

Because I operate a vintage website and I am very, very, picky I personally select each piece. I have 2 buyers who bring me beautiful items that I then select the best pieces from and I have an extensive collection of my own that I steal from. I also travel extensively with My Guy and have shopped for vintage in some unusual places - Russia, Europe, even South Africa. I am not opposed to buying from other dealers either – I often buy and pay full price for a piece I love. I think vintage is worth every penny if you love it. But only buy pieces you love please! I shudder to think of pieces that people buy and then mistreat!

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

Yes – I think vintage is a global phenomenon now. I have sold to girls all over the world!

-Who are some of your favorite style icons?

I love women with strongly defined styles. I can’t say I have any specific names for this question. I have never been that type of girl who looks to anyone else for their inspirations. I think I tend to look around me and try to capture a look or feel that reflects the mood I am in at the time. There truly are so many fabulous woman out there now, and in the past, I think that it is a better exercise to try to figure out what will make you your own style icon and try to define yourself by that.

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

Handbags! I mentioned Hermes above but I also have a thing for fabric bags from the 30s. I also have a soft spot for these little Japanese painted clutches from the 1930s as well. Ok I have a thing for clutches period.

Does fine red wine count? I guess only if you don’t drink it right?

*Thanks to Cherie 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! Val Mathus

May's Portland Style Council Interview is with Val Mathus.
Val has a fun and informative fashion blog called Verite.

-How long have you been collecting vintage clothing for?

I suppose since middle school. One summer my Great Aunt Nean gave me some amazing polyester bell bottoms from the 70’s that had belonged to my Grandma Pearl, and I have been hooked ever since.

-What got you into vintage clothing?

Once I saw how cool vintage clothing could be, I started raiding my Grandmother Zine’s basement since she never throws anything away and thrifting. Moving to Portland was my first introduction to actual vintage stores. I couldn’t believe so many amazing things could be in one place! I also started sewing around the same time, and would use old clothes as my materials. My two loves are intertwined!

-What are your favorite eras of clothing and what do you like about clothing from these eras? 

I will always love the 70’s because of that first pair of bellbottoms and also because my parents came of age in that decade, and I always loved to look at their pictures when I was a kid. I also love the silhouette of the 30’s and 40’s; they seem to flatter my body type best.

-Who are some of your favorite vintage designers?

Vionnet, Dior and Balenciaga

-Who are some of your favorite modern designers?

There are a lot! But I am especially drawn to Zac Posen, Balenciaga by Nicholas Ghesquire, Karen Walker, and Chanel is always amazing.

-What would be your ultimate vintage find?

Vintage shoes from any era that would actually fit my feet!

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

All of the above. Vintage stores and estate sales mostly though, I love the thrill of the hunt!

-Who are some of your favorite style icons?

Marlene Dietrich, Lauren Hutton and anyone confident enough to pull of something crazy!

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

I love English period pieces, it seems that the costuming for those productions are always pretty accurate. I also like to watch biographies and biopics to get a good feel for the fashions of the day.

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

My vintage fabric collection seems to get bigger everyday. That’s the one thing I can never resist buying!

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

The Style Council! Naomi Thompson of Vintage Secret

    This month's vintage lover is Naomi Thompson (pictured above with her business partner Valentina d' Aguiar) of London, England.
    Naomi is the buyer for the online vintage clothing store Vintage Secret

- How long have you been collecting vintage clothing for?

11 years and counting!

- What got you into vintage clothing?

The individuality of each piece compared to the awful standard of clothing found in conventional shops. They are also much better made and make wonderful items to pass on.

- What are your favorite eras of clothing?

1950's and before

- What do you like about clothing from these eras?

The shape and colour used. I also love the amazing patterns that appeared during this era. There is nothing sexier than a full skirt and a nipped in waist. It was a very fun era to be young in.

- Who are some of your favorite vintage designers?

Suzy Perrette/Lombardy, Horrocks, Susan Small, Nettie Vogue, Kitty Copeland, Hattie Carnegie, any thing that was inspired form Dior's New Look.

- Who are some of your favorite modern designers?

None really, the only modern clothes I like are influenced or copied from original vintage designs.

- What would be your ultimate vintage find?

A Hattie Carnegie, Else Schiaparelli, Alice Pollock or Ossie Clark always makes my heart skip a beat.

- Where do you do the majority of your vintage shopping.

Charity shops and boutiques hidden deep in the country side. Sometimes also Paris and Tokyo. I only ever buy what I can feel, touch and see.

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

Absolutely, London is full of vintage which is making it harder to find.

- Who are some of your favorite style icons?

Audrey Hepburn, Bettie Page, 50's pin ups. In fact any women who can pull together a good look or who are partial to hats, gloves and fabulous bags.

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

Fred Astaire, Wanda Jackson, Billie Holiday, Andrews Sisters, Judy Garland and Peggy Lee for the music. La Dolce Vita. The African Queen, Roman Holiday and any type of Film Noir for the films.

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

Jewelry, crockery,  especially vintage 50's teacups and tea sets. Any household or personal care trinkets from the 50's and before. I have even started buying children's clothes!

    *Thanks to Naomi 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! Solanah Hernandez

    This month's vintage lover is Solanah Hernandez of Vancouver, Washington.
    Solanah sells her reconstructed vintage designs at The Urban Eccentric in Vancouver, Washington.

-How long have you been collecting vintage clothing for?

When I was younger my aunt would give me hand me downs for dress up, and she has a very vintage style. Later on I realized I could be playing dress up every day!

-What got you into vintage clothing?

My family has some very stylish ladies and gents, that reallyappreciate vintage clothing. My Grandmother encouraged me a lot by introducing me to estate sales, and I love it when she sees something I'm wearing and says that she had a dress just like that when she was my age.

-What are your favorite eras of clothing?

I love wearing 1950s, the clothing works on my figure. I absolutely adore 1920s, there's always something fun in those pieces.

-What do you like about clothing from these eras?

The 1950s have that really figure flattering silhouette, whether you wear a full skirt and crinoline, or a wiggle dress, your guaranteed to be a knock out.

-Who are some of your favorite vintage designers?

Lilli Ann, people that have made things by hand, (And now things I wish I wore): Christian Dior, Coco Chanel , Madeline Vionnet,Paul Poiret.

-Who are some of your favorite modern designers?
Betsey Johnson, Gwen Stefani, Frocky Jack Morgan.

-What would be your ultimate vintage find?

A boudoir full of all eras of Lingerie. Corsets from the 18th century, silk slips from the 20s, and petticoats, petticoats, petticoats!

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

Mostly at The Urban Eccentric, the store I work at, and at other shops around Portland. The Antique expo is an excellent resource whenever it's running. I make sure and hit the shops whenever I'm out of town, but Portland seems to take the Cake.

-Who are some of your favorite style icons?

Pin-up girls and bombshells.

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

Its not a vintage television show, but watching Miss Marple on PBS always inspires me since its set in the 1950s and the costumes are so beautiful and diverse. Josephine Baker has that certain something that will make you feel like your in 1920's Paris, and Betty Hutton has some great spunky songs.

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

Hats. That's not necessarily a collectible, but I've got a lot of hats. And somehow the collection gets bigger and bigger....

    *Thanks to Solanah 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! Christine Blystone

Check out March's Portland Style Council interview with Christine Blystone of Flapper Girl Creations

How long have you been collecting vintage clothing for?

It's been over eleven years now.

What got you into vintage clothing?

A few months before my brother's wedding in late 1996, my soon-to-be-sister-in-law took me shopping for a new formal outfit. During our shopping excursion, she introduced me to both Big Bang vintage stores that used to be in downtown Portland. I was instantly hooked.

What are your favorite eras of clothing? What do you like about
clothing from these eras?

I love the fashions of the roaring twenties. I don't have the body type to wear those fashions, but I really adore looking at photos and fashion sketches from that era, and I have a slight obsession with flapper culture. I just love how everything was so elegant, yet rebellious at the same time. I don't think any other era has captured that quite like the late 1920s. I love all of it: the hats, the dresses, the shoes, the coats. It's all lovely.

I also really like the fashions of the 1950s. So much of it was sleek and classy. Most of the fashions flatter my body type, so if I find a 50s fashion in my size, I know I'll look sharp in it. I love all the cocktail dresses, fun ladies spectacles, and dress shoes.I have a large collection of bejeweled ladies glasses from the 50s and 60s. I've put my eye prescription in a few of my favorites.

For some reason, mod polyester dresses from the 60s/70s really catch my fancy too, and I end up wearing these types of dresses a lot.

Who are some of your favorite vintage designers?

I actually love anything non-label. Most of my vintage clothing items (besides shoes and glasses, of course) are handmade. There's just something very special and personal to non-label clothing.

Who are some of your favorite modern designers?

I love Luella, Leanimal, and Pinup Couture. Those are the few that have caught my attention enough to follow. Honestly, I don't pay much attention to specific designers. Most of my wardrobe comes from thrift stores, garage sales, the Target clearance racks (if you look hard enough, they have some great dresses at Target from time to time), or I make it myself. If I want to splurge, I will go to Naked City herein Portland and pick out a lovely dress.

What would be your ultimate vintage find?

I want to find a black mink pelt scarf! I don't buy any new furs, but I would love a vintage mink. Only in black. I think this stems from my fascination with vintage taxidermy animals. I actually found a black mink pelt scarf at Stars Antique Mall in Sellwood once, and I am still kicking myself for not buying it.

I would also like to find a vintage plaid wool coat with faux fur trims (collar, inside the hood, around the wrists). I actually saw one that made me gasp in delight in the window of Lady Luck on 28th and Burnside the other night as I was driving by, but I bet it probably costs upwards of $200, which I just can't afford.

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 am a bargain hunter to the core, so I do most of my vintage shopping at estate and rummage sales and thrift stores. Back in 2003, I found some great deals on vintage clothes on eBay from time to time, but hunting on eBay just takes too much time, plus I don't like how you can't try it on before you purchase it.

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

I live in Portland, and it is really popular. We have so many vintage resale shops here!

Who are some of your favorite style icons?

I love Louise Brooks and Marlene Dietrich.

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

I have Marlene Dietrich's Lille Marlene album on vinyl and I absolutely adore it. I also like old Tex-Mex music from the 1930s. I grew up listening to my mom's oldies station, and love all the hits from the 50s. From there, my vintage tastes in music become more modern and  hit all over the board in the 60s and 70s. I love old soul, rock, and folk.

Do you collect any other types of collectibles or antiques?

God, yes. I have a large collection of ladies vintage hats, as well as the funky, bejeweled ladies spectacles of the 50s and 60s I mentioned earlier.

I also have a vast collection of vintage aprons and full & half slips from all eras. I wear my full-bodied slips to bed year-round. They are so comfy, sexy, and well-made. My half slips find their way under my skirts on nearly a daily basis.I guess all of this still counts as fashion, huh? On to the other goodies...

I collect vintage cameras and photographs, pulp novels, old nun dolls and white Virgin Mary statues.I collect anything with vintage pinups on it. I collect records. I love cute vintage deer figurines (think of those cute red flocked Christmas deer with big, cartoonish eyes, and you get the general picture of the style of vintage deer I collect).I collect 1960s children's books illustrated by Mary Chalmers. I love old paintings of schooners. I love vintage radios, though they are too expensive for me to collect. I have one that was my grandmother's that my father generously gave to me a few years ago.  Most recently, I started collecting vintage fabrics, with which I plan on using to make a bunch of clutch handbags I plan on selling in my Etsy shop.

Something that I'd really like to start collecting is vintage PlayBoy magazines. If I could collect old Victorian houses, I would!

   *Thanks to Christine for participating in our Portland Style Council interview!

   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

Check out March's Portland Style Council interview with Christine Blystone of Flapper Girl Creations

How long have you been collecting vintage clothing for?

It's been over eleven years now.

What got you into vintage clothing?

A few months before my brother's wedding in late 1996, my soon-to-be-sister-in-law took me shopping for a new formal outfit. During our shopping excursion, she introduced me to both Big Bang vintage stores that used to be in downtown Portland. I was instantly hooked.

What are your favorite eras of clothing? What do you like about
clothing from these eras?

I love the fashions of the roaring twenties. I don't have the body type to wear those fashions, but I really adore looking at photos and fashion sketches from that era, and I have a slight obsession with flapper culture. I just love how everything was so elegant, yet rebellious at the same time. I don't think any other era has captured that quite like the late 1920s. I love all of it: the hats, the dresses, the shoes, the coats. It's all lovely.

I also really like the fashions of the 1950s. So much of it was sleek and classy. Most of the fashions flatter my body type, so if I find a 50s fashion in my size, I know I'll look sharp in it. I love all the cocktail dresses, fun ladies spectacles, and dress shoes.I have a large collection of bejeweled ladies glasses from the 50s and 60s. I've put my eye prescription in a few of my favorites.

For some reason, mod polyester dresses from the 60s/70s really catch my fancy too, and I end up wearing these types of dresses a lot.

Who are some of your favorite vintage designers?

I actually love anything non-label. Most of my vintage clothing items (besides shoes and glasses, of course) are handmade. There's just something very special and personal to non-label clothing.

Who are some of your favorite modern designers?

I love Luella, Leanimal, and Pinup Couture. Those are the few that have caught my attention enough to follow. Honestly, I don't pay much attention to specific designers. Most of my wardrobe comes from thrift stores, garage sales, the Target clearance racks (if you look hard enough, they have some great dresses at Target from time to time), or I make it myself. If I want to splurge, I will go to Naked City herein Portland and pick out a lovely dress.

What would be your ultimate vintage find?

I want to find a black mink pelt scarf! I don't buy any new furs, but I would love a vintage mink. Only in black. I think this stems from my fascination with vintage taxidermy animals. I actually found a black mink pelt scarf at Stars Antique Mall in Sellwood once, and I am still kicking myself for not buying it.

I would also like to find a vintage plaid wool coat with faux fur trims (collar, inside the hood, around the wrists). I actually saw one that made me gasp in delight in the window of Lady Luck on 28th and Burnside the other night as I was driving by, but I bet it probably costs upwards of $200, which I just can't afford.

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 am a bargain hunter to the core, so I do most of my vintage shopping at estate and rummage sales and thrift stores. Back in 2003, I found some great deals on vintage clothes on eBay from time to time, but hunting on eBay just takes too much time, plus I don't like how you can't try it on before you purchase it.

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

I live in Portland, and it is really popular. We have so many vintage resale shops here!

Who are some of your favorite style icons?

I love Louise Brooks and Marlene Dietrich.

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

I have Marlene Dietrich's Lille Marlene album on vinyl and I absolutely adore it. I also like old Tex-Mex music from the 1930s. I grew up listening to my mom's oldies station, and love all the hits from the 50s. From there, my vintage tastes in music become more modern and  hit all over the board in the 60s and 70s. I love old soul, rock, and folk.

Do you collect any other types of collectibles or antiques?

God, yes. I have a large collection of ladies vintage hats, as well as the funky, bejeweled ladies spectacles of the 50s and 60s I mentioned earlier.

I also have a vast collection of vintage aprons and full & half slips from all eras. I wear my full-bodied slips to bed year-round. They are so comfy, sexy, and well-made. My half slips find their way under my skirts on nearly a daily basis.I guess all of this still counts as fashion, huh? On to the other goodies...

I collect vintage cameras and photographs, pulp novels, old nun dolls and white Virgin Mary statues.I collect anything with vintage pinups on it. I collect records. I love cute vintage deer figurines (think of those cute red flocked Christmas deer with big, cartoonish eyes, and you get the general picture of the style of vintage deer I collect).I collect 1960s children's books illustrated by Mary Chalmers. I love old paintings of schooners. I love vintage radios, though they are too expensive for me to collect. I have one that was my grandmother's that my father generously gave to me a few years ago.  Most recently, I started collecting vintage fabrics, with which I plan on using to make a bunch of clutch handbags I plan on selling in my Etsy shop.

Something that I'd really like to start collecting is vintage PlayBoy magazines. If I could collect old Victorian houses, I would!

   *Thanks to Christine for participating in our Portland Style Council interview!

   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