Thursday, October 28, 2010

Bundle Up!


Well, here in the northeastern United States, the leaves are falling, the jack-o-lanterns are carved, and the days are getting shorter. This can only mean one thing: winter is just around the corner. While the thought that summer has packed her bags and headed to Oceania is depressing, there's no need to cry. Because winter fashion is oh so much fun! Hats! Mittens! Scarves and boots! Getting bundled up for the chilly winter weather looks so good!
So how do you winterize your wardrobe?


Are you all about the jacket, like Jennifer Aniston?

Do you add a hat and boots, like Rachel Bilson?

Are you a scarf girl, like Blake Lively?

Or are you a little bit of everything, like Shenae Grimes?

If you haven't got your winter coat yet, check out VPV's Outerwear. There are some great finds!


Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Weekly Find

Color Block Jumpsuit

Why we love it: Perfect, perfect example of how designers draw inspiration from the past for current lines! From its lime green top to its wide leg, this jumpsuit looks like it's straight off the spring 2011 catwalk. So many designers had at least one version of the jumpsuit in their spring 2011 fashion shows. Here are two of my favorites:


Gucci

Elie Saab

How to wear it: This is the beauty of the jumpsuit; it's already an entire outfit in one garment, so you don't have to think about what to wear it with. Just add accessories and outerwear as you please, and you're good to go!



Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Style Crush

Rihanna


This week I'm crushing on the style of the notorious Rihanna. Considered a fashion genius by some, Rihanna's style is characterized by constant evolution and envelope-pushing. Just when you think you've got her figured out, she goes and shaves half her head. She never does anything small. For this Barbados-born diva, it's all about breaking the fashion rules in a big way.




Defying the traditional fashion rule of not mixing prints, Rihanna is rocking her oversized tribal cropped tee and black and white abstract patterned pants. It's important, however, to note that both pieces are black and white. She balances the boldness of the prints with an absence of color.


Here we have another excellent example of Rihanna's balanced rule-breaking. Even some of the most daring ladies out there would look at that pearl necklace and think it would just be too much pearl for any outfit. But not Princess Ri Ri. She knocks them dead, draping the necklace over her solid black jumpsuit's plunging neckline. This balanced rule-breaking that Rihanna routinely practices is what defines her style and keeps her from being boring, while at the same time preventing her from looking like a mess.

A lot of people think Rihanna's style is hard to copy, since she outfits herself almost entirely in designer. And it's true that if you want to wear the same things she does, you'd better have a deep, deep pocket. But the beauty of high fashion is that designers often draw influence from the past, which is where it comes in handy to be a vintage-lover. Usually, if you see something you love on the runway, you can find something similar to it in a vintage clothing store. Below are pictures of Rihanna in some vintage/vintage-inspired getups.


High-waisted ruffle shorts and top are both either vintage or vintage-inspired. Her cat-eye sunnies are also either vintage or vintage-inspired.

Again, both shorts and top are either vintage or vintage-inspired.

Here, Rihanna channels 80s fashion daredevil Madonna in her tulle skirt and corset.


Key Points:
-Balanced rule-breaking
-Fearless experimentation
-Look for vintage inspiration
in designer lines

Get inspired by more Rihanna pictures, then get shopping!



Monday, October 25, 2010

As Seen on the Runways...


The Shirt Dress

One garment I was glad to see designers using in their spring collections was the shirt dress. The shirt dress is such a lovely, classic garment. It manages to be feminine without being girly; its clean lines making it easy to dress up or down. And it's so easy to update according to trends.



Paul & Joe
This lovely little shirt dress is kept current with it's wacky print (kittens playing). Offbeat prints were a trend among spring 2011 RTW shows. The print takes center stage in this look with barely-there sandals, a skinny belt, and a complimentary bag. Bravo!

Cacharel
Another trend seen again and again this spring was bold color. Here again, the color is the focal point of the outfit with minimal accessories, strappy sandals, and a complimentary bag. Too cute!

Christian Dior
The print in this Christian Dior shirt dress highlights another spring 2011 trend: interesting color pairings. The purple and lime green in this print go nicely together, although they aren't two colors you'd typically think to put together in an outfit. Paired with some seriously oversized accents, this dress another fantastic update on a classic look.

Ralph Lauren
The spring lines weren't all about wild prints and crazy colors. The shirt dress gets a simpler update from Ralph Lauren in vivid white fabric with western accents. The result is clean and classic with a trendy twist. Just wonderful!

As always, don't forget to shop!


Saturday, October 23, 2010

To Alter or Not to Alter...

Sifting through the racks at your local thrift store, a dress catches your eye. The print is great. You love the neckline. But the hem is too long and the sleeves are too puffy, and you wouldn't wear it as is. Do you buy it and alter it, or do you walk away and leave it for somebody who loves it the way it is?

Some people would call you a vintage-killer if you were to make alterations to it. From their view, vintage clothing is like a historical document, and altering it is like taking the Declaration of Independence and turning it into a rap. Once you cut up vintage clothing, it's done forever. You can't go back and restore it to its exact original state. You're taking out of it what's so valuable about it; the fact that it's old fashioned.

Other people would say to go ahead and buy it. Cut it Bedazzle it. Do whatever you want to do to it. It's yours and nobody can tell you what you can and can't do with your own clothes. Besides, isn't it better to be contributing to the recycling of clothes, rather than purchasing mass-produced garments that harm the environment and the people who make them? From this perspective, the cutting of a vintage garment is not the end of the world. If you don't like the way something fits, but you see a way to make it fit you better, there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to alter it.

So what do you think? Is it a cold case of vintage murder or innocent alteration in the name of fashion?


Friday, October 22, 2010

GuyStyle


It's All in the Details

Guys, I'm talking about accessories. You may be thinking to yourself, "What? That's absurd. Men don't accessorize!" Maybe not in the way you're thinking
of accessories. But it's now easier than it's ever been for men to add stylish little details to their outfits. Things like jackets, belts, sunglasses, and hats can give an outfit edge, style, and originality.


Here we have Jason Derulo demonstrating how just adding a hat can give a whole new look to jeans and an oxford.

Even something as simple as a great pair of sunglasses can really pull a look together. Joseph Gordon-Levitt uses them here to give his classic, clean-cut look a more laid-back edge.

A great way to bring some style to your jeans and t shirt is by adding a cool jacket. Robert Pattionson (above) opts for leather, while Adam Brody (below) goes with a military-style bomber.


And there you have it! Accessories for guys. And you thought I was going to tell you to go buy a necklace!

As always, don't forget to shop!


Wednesday, October 20, 2010

VPV Weekly Find

Ralph Lauren Wool Blazer
Why we love it: Every girl should have a great blazer. It's such a versatile garment and it will always make you look polished and pulled together, no matter what you pair it with. It's also one of those things you can wear to the office then straight out after work.

How to wear it:

Dress it down with pants, a plain white tee, and some interesting accessories, like Kim Kardashian.

Dress it up by throwing it over a gorgeous cocktail dress, like Leighton Meester.



Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Style Crush

The Veronicas

This week I have a style crush on Jessica and Lisa Origliasso of The Veronicas. These itty bitty rocker twins from Brisbane, Australia have big style. Always edgy and at the same time girly, their style is a mind-bending combination of leather and tulle; studs and frills; like some kind of cross between a fairy princess and Steven Tyler. It’s this duplicity that sets them apart, and makes them so fascinating.


Girly/GrittyHere we have a good example of the girls pairing girly and edgy pieces. Lisa wears a dress under a leather jacket. Jess combines her sparkly green sweater with an “I hate your band” (written herself) tunic and tights.


Fifty Percent Girly
The two are vintage lovers and often sport cute vintage dresses (like these) at events.


Fifty Percent Gritty
They both wear a lot of flannel and denim for more of a “daytime” look. And in the cold weather, they layer up with skinny pants, tights, and slouchy outerwear.


One Hundred Percent Pure, Unfiltered Amazingness

Key Points:
-Vintage, vintage, vintage
-unexpected pairings
-accessorize like nobody's business
-leather, denim, flannel, lace, faux fur





Monday, October 18, 2010

The Dress

Marilyn Monroe in her infamous white dress

For much of history, women have worn dresses, and the dress has been a symbol of femininity and womanhood. What’s the universal sign for “women’s room”? A stick figure wearing a dress. It’s no wonder that a garment so closely associated with the female identity, then, has taken so many evolutionary turns as our ideas of femininity and womanhood have evolved.

Although people were wearing clothes long before this time, the dress as we know it probably had its earliest start in the middle ages, in the times of European monarchy. For a very long time, the dress was symbolic of how much money a woman had. Those who were wealthiest had countless dresses, all painstakingly detailed and embellished so there was no mistake that they had lots of money. The poorest women of the time only had a few very simple dresses that served the purpose of covering their body parts, but did little more than that. In Puritan America, the women didn’t wear colored dresses, because they believed colored clothing to be frivolous, and the women who wore it to be sinners.

For a long time, the dress was accompanied by restrictive undergarments called corsets. Wealthy women would often have several maids who would work together to draw the laces of the corset as tight as they possibly could in order to give the woman a shapely hourglass figure. This was a dangerous practice, often resulting in broken ribs or inability to breathe properly.

Though the silhouette of the dress changed a little from decade to decade, the first real dress revolution did not come until the 1920s. As the economy boomed and the jazz horns blared, in the night clubs of the big cities, a new kind of woman was born. She played fast and loose, and that was clear just from the way she dressed. Flappers ditched the restrictive undies, chopped off their hair, and hiked up their embellished, form fitting skirts, leaving little to the imagination. Scandalous!

With the Great Depression, the fancy flapper fashion took a back seat to a much simpler fashion (usually a blouse and drab skirt suit) as women concentrated more on economical issues and less on dressing up.

Toward the late 40s and into the 50s, the drab of the depression was phasing out, and the dress was fun again, with bright colors, and flouncy circle skirts, perfect for jitterbugging to the Rockabilly music of the era.

The sixties were the beginning of an era of incredible social activism. The dress got a major makeover, splashed with bright colors, intense patterns, and for the first time in history, the hem was raised above the knee, exposing most of the wearer’s leg. This look became known as the “mod” look, short for “modern”, which is exactly what it would become.

From the seventies until very recently, the dress took a backseat to pants and shorts. It was updated according to the trends of each era, but was ultimately a garment reserved for parties, proms, and other special occasions. The idea of a “day dress” began to seem a little silly.

However, the dress has made a comeback. A few years ago, designers started featuring day dresses once again, and now dresses are once again a garment you can wear every day. Just another example of how old things become new again.


Saturday, October 16, 2010

Trick or Treat!


Well, it's that time of year again! Everybody's thinking about what they're going to be for Halloween. Planning your costume (or costumes, depending on how many costume parties you're going to) can be a total blast...it can also be a total nightmare. First you have to decide if you want to be sexy, or scary, or funny, or maybe a combination of the three. Then you shop around for the right costume. Then when you finally find it, you hope and pray that nobody else picks the same one.
It does not have to be like that. Because vintage is not only great for everyday wear, there are also a lot of great ways to incorporate vintage into your Halloween costume. Observe:


All you need is a button-down shirt (like the one above), high waisted shorts to tuck it into, and a red bandanna or scarf for your hair..oh and a whole lot of attitude!


There are a couple of different ways you can do this one...you can pair a striped top like this with high-waisted shorts, or a mini skirt. Don't forget your red lipstick!

Ahh the 80s! What a wonderful decade for the athletes. The spandex! The neon! You've gotta love it. To complete your tribute to Richard Simmons, just pair a body suit like this one with some brightly colored spandex tights or leggings, leg warmers, and a pony tail right on the side of your head. And get ready to party off the pounds!!!


Thursday, October 14, 2010

Old is the New New

Pop culture today is just dripping with influence from the past. In fact, most of what we wear, watch, and listen to today is a re-creation of something from the past. Even celebrities who are praised for their innovation, like Lady Gaga, are influenced to some extent by past styles, sounds, or ideas.
Here is some of my personal favorite decade-inspired eye candy in music video form:

The Saturdays- Just Can't Get Enough
Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt- Why Do You Let Me Stay Here
Rihanna- Rude Boy
Lady Gaga feat. Beyonce- Telephone
Katy Perry- Thinking of You
Leighton Meester- Somebody to Love
Jack's Mannequin- Dark Blue

Enjoy!


Tuesday, October 12, 2010

VPV Weekly Find



Black Denim Cropped Bustier


Why we love it: This black denim, studded, cropped bustier is the perfect mix of edgy, fun, and sexy. Forget about turning heads; you'll break necks in this baby!

How to wear it: Just take a cue from Miley Cyrus, who paired her black cropped top with high-waisted denim shorts, black booties, and a chic little belt. Killer, killer, kill-er! Get your hands on this little gem before it's gone forever.


Look Cute Quick!

There seems to be a misconception among my fellow college students that in order to look good, you need to spend ridiculous amounts of time getting ready every morning. That is so not the case! Looking stylish is much easier than you might think. It’s all in the details…


With this dress, I’d add a big belt, a couple of long necklaces, and since it’s getting cold where I’m from, fun boots and a jacket.


Sometimes, just adding a jacket is enough to pull your whole look together. This jacket looks super cute over this little dress. It would look just as cute paired with your favorite jeans and a t shirt.


The “rocker” look is so much fun and it’s so easy to pull off! Just grab a cool vintage tee like this one, and pair with destroyed denim shorts, fun tights (I’d opt for sheer black ones, ripped) and a pair of black ankle boots. If it’s cold, add leather jacket and you’re good to go!



Skirts are great for looking cute in any type of weather because you can pair them with anything. If it’s hot out, a tank and flip flops will do just fine. If it’s cold, add tights and a jacket. Accessories are a breeze. Belts and jewelry are all you need to finish the look.

And there you go! Quick, easy ways to look stylish and pulled together in 5 minutes! Shop the cuteness here!