For Your Pleasure: 1980s Bill Blass

Here are a couple of 1980s Bill Blass pieces that are perfect for a summer in The Hamptons or for a Bret Easton Ellis theme party! CLICK THE PICTURES TO VIEW LARGER IMAGES.


The swimsuit buy it now $42.00





http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290456234801&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT


The dress buy it now: $35.00




http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130421010550&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Vintage Geoffrey Beene on Ebay: Redux

The GB dress in the post below has been re-listed buy it now $88. I just saw this pic of Carey Mulligan and it reminded me of the dress. Someone, buy the Beene dress!

Vintage Geoffrey Beene on Ebay!!!

Someone needs to get this dress, it is perfect, and perfect for this season. I've seen this sheer lace situation on the fall runways (I believe Louis Vuitton), but this is impeccable. Plus it is Geoffrey Beene who I adore. The era is 60s/70s, there is only a day left, no bids, the bidding starts at 89, a total deal. There are loads of other pics here:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140455160570&

Celia Birtwell Fridge Magnets

I keep forgetting to put this up...better late than never. Celia Birtwell, the queen of prints has created a set of fridge magnets with her lovely deluxe designs. Check out her lovely website!

http://www.celiabirtwell.com/home.html

Louise of Lorraine - The White Queen

On my recent trip to France I visited the Loire Valley and saw some amazing chateaus. My favorite story/room of all of the chateaus (although the story of 14 year old Anne of Brittany marrying the tiny hunchbacked Charles VIII in a secret midnight ceremony at Chateau de Langeais is pretty high on my list) is Louise of Lorraine's room at Chateau de Chenonceau. Queen Louise's husband King Henri III was assassinated leaving her a window. Being a widowed Queen she reserved the rare right of mourning in all white, thus she was given the name "The White Queen." Her room is a dream for a Gothic teenager (and me), the walls are all black and have mourning objects painted on them: silver tears, widow's cordons, crowns of thorns, and the Greek letter lambda (L) intertwined with eta (H) for Louise and Henry. Exquisite.

Sunday Ebay Watch List

So I think that I'm going to start posting my ebay watch list every Sunday. Just because I'm broke and can't buy stuff on ebay doesn't mean that you can't have what I want! I pretty much only look at things which I consider deals, so the things that are dream articles will have their own postings for inspiration.

Vintage Courreges Jacket


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300467762219&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT


Chanel Double C Logo Stud Earring - The pic isn't great so I won't post it. So it is just one earring, but here is my thinking...wear the one, get a silver or gold or some other kind of stud. Chanel earrings are really really expensive otherwise.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230526399931&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Martin Margiela Slouchy Dress - Also here the pic isn't great - but cool dress very affordable, I don't think it will go for very much.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260665245599&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Vintage Chanel Buttons - and there are a lot of Chanel buttons listed, but I especially like these (and they are very affordable). Buttons you say? Make them into pendants, rings, use as buttons, create a brooch or earrings, this is a set so the possibilities are there.



http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140452682955&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Pretty Ballerinas Launch in the US!

All over Europe I was dazzled by the Pretty Ballerinas stores, and now they have just opened their first US store in New York and launched a US website. Pretty Ballerinas were founded in Menorca Spain in 1918 and have been manufactured by the Mascaro family for four generations. The shoes are still handmade on the island of Menorca! http://www.prettyballerinas.us/

Pervasive Prep - Gloria Ortiz Shoes

Forget Paris...well, don't...got to Paris to window shop, go to Spain to shop until you drop. El Corte Ingles on the Placa Cataluna is unstoppable for fashion and shoes (and affordable too). There is even a whole building devoted to the younger perspective. These shoes by Gloria Ortiz were my favorite of the bunch and although they are affordable, I still couldn't swing it. However, I did leave my friend with my size and a list of styles that I like for when they go on sale! All I'm going to say about prep is this - Spain is VERY aware of Blair Waldorf. I don't know what the shipping would be, but they are available on the Corte Ingles website, browse the other cute shoes as well - http://elcorteingles.es/tienda/moda/browse/subcategory_horizontal_brand.jsp?trail=81014%3AGloria+Ortiz&trailSize=1&navAction=push&categoryId=999.1704&navCount=0&brandId=391.1269357676&addFacet=9004%3A999.1704

Vintage Thierry Mugler on Ebay

I understand that this might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I think that this Thierry Mugler dress is adorable. I've always been lukewarm on Mugler, because I've confused him with Gaultier, who in turn I confuse for Galliano who in my mind was also Alexander McQueen. Anyway I got schooled in Paris and I now know what is what. So Mugler, yes, I have a new love for Mugler, and if I were you, and you have a good body so as to not look frumpy in this, please buy it and send me a pic of you in it!!!

It is on ebay right now, starting bid about 41 dollars USD, shipping 26 to the US, item location Australia with 8 days to go. There are more pics in the listing http://cgi.ebay.com/THIERRY-MUGLER-Vintage-Maroon-Lantern-Sleeve-Dress10-12-/180559811196?pt=AU_Womens_Clothing_2&hash=item2a0a34127c

Tombees Du Camion @ Marche Vernaison

We went to the flea market in Paris Marche aux Puces (I think this is how it is spelled), and within this is the Marche Vernaison. Marche Vernaison is the antique portion, and also had some lovely stalls for vintage couture clothes. I didn't take down the names of these stalls, but if you go you will find them. The owners are not very friendly, but it is fun to sort through very expensive Pucci and YSL. We came upon Tombees Du Camion, and kept returning during the day to buy more and more stuff. Tombees is a concept store which sells French dead stock from the early 20th century to the 1970s (all never been used). Above is the card, and there are other locations with different concepts (I think that flowers or birds was one of them). Anyhow here are some shots of Justin and I in the shop. If you go to Paris, this market, but especially this shop is worth the trip.

Paris

This is a pic of me in the gardens of the Palais Royal in Paris. Points of interest (other than the palace) are the Marc Jacobs store and also a vintage couture shop which was featured on The Rachel Zoe Project which I didn't see until after returned (bummer). Anyway just around the corner is also the Martin Margiela store which is very cool VERY COOL. Obviously MM is too expensive for paupers like me, but the staff was friendly (especially in the men's store) and the clothes made you feel as if you were in a gallery rather than a retailer.

While in Paris we basically set aside a day to go to the expensive shops to look around. We hit Agnes B., Y's (Yohji Yamamoto), Kenzo, MM and A.P.C. (which I mentioned before). Agnes B. was great, although even though I couldn't afford it, didn't really see anything worth mentioning. Kenzo on the other hand was better than expected. Under the direction of Antonio Marras the brand is having an avant garde renaissance. The store was full of high end cocoons, exciting patterns, just pure bizarre luxury. Plus, the staff was very friendly (I think you can tell by now that this is important to me). Also we just happened upon the Y's store (which I have to admit that I didn't know that this was a Yohji Yamamoto store). Anyhow, Y's is one of Yamamoto's stores with different Yamamoto labels like LIMI Feu. Insane, if you go to Paris, GO HERE. Seriously, the clothes are so strange and so well made, it is a treat to be in the same room with them. The sales lady (surprise surprise) was sooooo nice! She answered all of my stupid questions about the designer, who I didn't realize was Yamamoto. Oh well.

Porselli Ballerinas at A.P.C.

This Fall A.P.C. and the dance brand Porselli are collaborating and producing some super cute and comfy (or so they seem) ballet flats. I saw them in person at the A.P.C. store in Paris, where the workers were not very friendly. Luckily I was so taken by the shoes that I didn't notice said unfriendliness. These shoes can be purchased for $175 at A.P.C. stores (New York and Los Angeles) or at http://uscheckout.apc.fr/browse.cfm/4,866.html. I love when dance companies put out street shoes. First there was Repetto, now Porselli, and I also saw some Bloch shoes in stores as well. Dance companies really know feet and use ultra soft leather. So far, I think that the Porselli ballerinas are the most stylish though.

Musee Christian Dior

On our Euro vaca, we visited the Christian Dior Museum in Granville. The house is right on the ocean and it is where Christian Dior grew up. The exhibit that was up was a collection of House of Dior ball gowns by Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, and John Galliano. Naturally my preference was towards to YSL gowns, they were simple, elegant and cool. I've always known that Galliano was talented and over the top, but his gowns are completely gorgeous and breathtaking especially in person, the structure alone is astonishing. The main dress on display is the dress featured in the commercial for Dior Midnight Poison perfume starring Eva Green and directed by Wong Kar Wai. The museum also has detailed photographs of the creation of the dress from start to finish. The other video featured in the house's tea room was the Dior Haute Couture show from Winter 2007, and is in the post below. After this trip I have a growing adoration for Galliano. Here is the commercial for Midnight Poison.

Christian Dior Haute Couture Winter 2007

Dita Von Teese for Perrier

Since her stint at Crazy Horse Dita Von Teese has become beloved in Paris, so much so that she has a limited edition Perrier label. Click to see a larger image.

Yazbuckey

We went to the Pompidou Centre while in Paris, which is an amazing building and collection. The main show that was up was a feminist art retrospective, and I was not that into it. The permanent collection was stellar though. For me (and this is kind of telling), the best part of this particular museum trip was the gift shop. Here are two brooches by Yazbukey that I drooled over, they come in brooch form as shown or with attached ribbon to be worn as a necklace.





Yazbuckey was started by two sisters Yaz and Emel who are (according to their website) Ottoman Princesses and descendants of Mehmet Ali Pasha the King of Egypt. The sisters have settled in Paris and after attending Studio Bercot fashion school (but not before interning and working for Christian Lacroix, Martin Margiela, and Givenchy to name a few) started their own bright pop inspired accessory line.


These brooches can be purchased at http://shop.yazbukey.com/

From the Streets of Belgium

Brussels is a confusing city, and one night my family and I (having just had an amazing meal of moules frite) got lost on the way back to the apartment. Before meandering turned to frustration and accusations, we found a pile of old Belgian Elle magazines. I tore out these two pages as they are right up our de luxe alley. One has ideas for that cute French chic look, and the other a little microscopic retrospective of bangle bracelets. Enjoy. I know the type is small as are the pics, but it is also in French, so try and make due with the images, sorry!

European Vacation AKA Exquisite Debt

I just returned to LA from a three week trip to Europe. We flew into Brussels, drove to Paris, then to the Loire Valley, then to Normandy (for Dior's house), and then down to Barcelona. It was a wonderful enriching vacation full of family, food, and fashion! Although I have to say, that I only bought five things - a ring in Brussels, a vintage blinky doll eye at the Paris flea market, a dress at Zara, a diet coke with Karl Lagerfeld on the bottle, and Garnier Ultra Doux shampoo and conditioner. I really could not afford to SHOP shop. However, I definitely fed myself on fashion and art and am currently putting together pictures, clippings and info on all that I saw and experienced. Stay Tuned...