Oh Lord, the last week has been such a whirlwind! On Wednesday we had the Vintage Madison Fall Fashion Show. All afternoon I was running around like a mad woman trying to finish up outfits and dress the models. Luckily, our friends Emily and Holly from Anaala Salon were there to do all the hair & make-up. Plus, Emily made some absolutely fabulous feather hair pieces! Surgeons in Heat, a fantastic local band, played for about an hour after the show. . . it was great to let loose and dance after such a crazy day. All in all, I think the night was a total success. It's so strange when you plan something for weeks, putting all your heart and soul into it, then it's over in 5 minutes! Ah well, at least there are great pictures to remember it by. . .

check out all the photos on our facebook page!

So, I took the entire day on Thursday and Friday to relax and unwind (and get over a little cold), but then on Saturday we were back at it- setting up our Fall Pop-Up Shop.  We had the grand opening party on Sunday, and are staying open all week! This is the longest pop-up shop we've done so far, and I'm pretty excited to have the entire week to hang out and play shop girl. I'll post some pics of the shop tomorrow.

XO,

Jess

Craft Project: Exposed Zipper Mini-Skirt

I know the exposed zipper look has been hot for a while- I still love it. And luckily, adding an exposed zipper is actually a bit easier than adding a hidden one. Yesterday I found this gorgeous piece of fabric at a thrift store-- I thought it was very on-trend, reminiscent of so many "Aztec prints" we've seen on runways this season. So I decided to make a very simple, 30 minute skirt with it. Here's the tutorial:

 

Voila!

shoes, belt, hat and bag: thrifted
t-shirt: Alternative Apparel

XO,

Jess

Dior Couture 2011: Modern Art with a Vintage Twist

I just stumbled upon pictures from the Christian Dior Couture show in Paris this week, via Jezebel. All I can say is WOW. Even though we're knee-deep in a worldwide economic recession, it's refreshing to see extravagant, over-the-top works of art in the form of fashion. Couture has never been made for practical purposes-- most of us will never own a piece of couture, but it is inspiring to see fashion pushed to its limits, and raised to the level of fine art.
That being said, the recent Dior show of couture pieces created by designer John Galliano is inspiring to say the least. It caught my eye primarily because of the obvious reference to mid-century fashion. Familiar silhouettes from the 1940's and 50's have been given new life with incredible modern fabrics and colors, as well as slightly futuristic-looking structure.

This article from style.com gives an interesting insight into Galliano's influences, mainly the illustrator René Gruau, who worked for Dior in the forties and fifties. Looking closely at the fabric he used, you can see how the patterns, colors, and textures mimic an illustrator's graphite and pastel drawings. Galliano himself started his career as a fashion illustrator before turning to design.

 

Heavenly. 

What do you think?

XO,

Jess

Lust List: Gold

I'm so glad that fashion is cyclical. Lately I've been noticing all of these amazing metallic hues on the runway, in fashion mags, online. . . And I don't think it's just because it's the Holiday Season. No, gold and silver are back in a big, bold way.  From clothing to jewelry and accessories, home decor, even make-up, I just cannot get enough of this decadent shade!

Luckily, I've been able to indulge my obsession with these hues (gold in particular) while shopping for the site. Anytime I see something sparkly out of the corner of my eye, I go for it!  It seems that this color was particularly popular in the 1960's and early 1970's, so I've found some really great pieces from that era.

Need a pick-me-up when the weather's gray and dreary? Wear gold! It'll make you feel like a million bucks.

XO,

Jess