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The Way We Wore: mystyle Shops Vintage
Tue., Jul. 28, 2009 3:16 PM PDT by Karen Brailsford
As much as I enjoy shopping the latest designer Target collection (Erickson Beamon jewelry is eye-poppingly fun, and I'm still rocking a Libertine capelet from two years ago), I love it when you come across a rare find no one else will have. Among my favorites: a multicolored 1960s James Galanos I picked up for a mere $50 at a thrift shop, then later paired with metallic slingbacks the designer himself gave me after I had him inspect the dress.
So I was thrilled, if not somewhat skeptical, when I received a flyer for The Way We Wore's biannual sale. The La Brea Avenue shop is a haven for vintage clothing, accessories and shoes from the Victorian era to the 1980s, and counts Angelina Jolie, Chloë Sevigny and Victoria Beckham as clients. But as much as I love vintage fashion, I'm not altogether comfortable with the idea of splurging on what are, for all intents and purposes, gussied-up hand-me-downs. But 50 percent off is 50 percent off (I do love a steal!), and so off I went.
I was astounded by the many treasures that filled this jewel box of a shop: the leopard-print jumpsuit, the 1980s burnt velvet Oscar de la Renta gown, the creamy '50s gown with gold embellishments, to-die-for Maud Frizon shoes, sumptuous snakeskin clutches, baubles too numerous to count. Every item appeared to be in mint condition. How to choose?
In the end, I couldn't and didn't. I was in sensory overload! I promised myself I would return before the end of the sale on Aug. 16 and have another look.
The very next day, I decided to head down to one my favorite vintage stores. OK, it's not actually a vintage store, but a thrift store—Out of the Closet. As I waded through the racks of outworn and outdated blouses, dresses, shoes and skirts, something caught my eye. My heart did a little leap. Could it be? Waiting patiently next to a London Fog trench with a missing button was the very thing I had been hoping to find for years: a like-new leopard-print coat. Price tag? Just $25. And the sale benefited the AIDS Healthcare Foundation.
Sometimes a little grit and grime is necessary for a find to truly stand out. It also doesn't hurt if it has a bargain basement price.
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Now loading...Mary Tue, Jul 28, 2009, 3:26 PM
1. This is great!
Cherokeecarol@Netscape.net Tue, Jul 28, 2009, 4:12 PM
2. The new face of "How Do I Look" is great,, however, there is one thing missing, the new host is beautiful to look at, but dull, and leaves too much dead space between comments, the show does not flow. Finola was great, beautiful, appealed to every women, had maturity and life experiences. The only thing wrong with the new look is the host, bring back Finola.Carol
Amy Tue, Jul 28, 2009, 7:20 PM
3. I got cable mostly to get the Style Network. Now I NEVER watch it. 24 hours a day of Clean House? No more Fashion File, Fashion Television, or anything else about fashion, models, or designers. It's a total waste. I hope someday Style Network will be about style and be worth watching again. For now it isn't.