Here's something for you all to put on your Christmas gift lists...and maybe if you're very good (or very naughty, wink wink) Santa will get it for you!!
Hollywood Sketchbook: A Century of Costume Illustration, by Deborah Nadoolman Landis
This is a huge (600 pages) heavy, glossy coffee table book.
It's got page after page of costume illustrations by designers like: Bonnie Cashin, Travilla, Orry-Kelly, Adrian, Cecil Beaton, and Travis Banton. Only costume designers who were also accomplished illustrators are included.
Here's some eye candy for you!
Aren't these gorgeous???
The author has written many other books on costume design and is herself an Academy-Award nominated costume designer. She has a PhD in the history of design.
This book is really all about the pictures, though...and what pictures!!
This past Saturday I went to Don the Beachcomber
In Huntington Beach, CA, for the Tiki Marketplace. The address says Huntington Beach, but to me this restaurant is in Huntington Harbor, not Huntington Beach!
Does the sign look familiar? Used to be Sam's Seafood!
Are you guys tired of looking at this leopard purse? Time to mix it up, Dina.
Don's has an interesting history. The founder of the original Don's in Hollywood was named Ernest Gantt. He opened his first Don the Beachcomber in the 30's and his identity became so tied to it that he legally changed his name to Donn Beach! He was apparently quite a character, and is widely credited with inventing the Mai Tai, Zombie, and Navy Grog recipes...he focused on rum because rum was the cheapest liquor!
Now the "Don the Beachcomber" name is licensed. There have been a boatload of restaurants bearing the name over the years, all over California, Hawaii, some in Texas and even Minnesota.Currently there are only three: two in Hawaii and this one in Huntington.
Love that slogan!
It's a great big sprawling place with a labyrinth of dining rooms and bars inside, all decorated in super-kitschy, high-Polynesian style.
this one's for you Noelle M.
The main bar is called the Dagger Bar, after Donn's collection of antique daggers.
It's a great looking little bar, with lots of seating and yet a cozy feel. There is fantastic artwork everywhere, including big full-wall murals.
The main dining room has a stage for live musicians to play in front of a waterfall.
fun artwork everywhere!
The Tiki Marketplace was held in two rooms further back in the building...I swear this place goes on forever!
It costs 10$ to get into the Tiki Marketplace, and for your ten bucks you get a food/drink voucher worth 10 dollars, which will buy you a Mai Tai! Haha...drunk shopping? Danger Will Robinson!!! Danger!
There was a ton of amazing Tiki-themed stuff to peruse. From antiques to brand-new fun things. Several vendors had amazing drool-worthy vintage lamps like these:
I splurged and bought a set of Franciscan Starburst china from this nice guy I met, named Spike. Now half the time I forget the names of the people I meet almost instantaneously, but how could you forget the name Spike? It was actually pretty funny because he was selling the dishes from under the table, being that they weren't really "tiki" merchandise. I felt like I was making some sort of black-market deal :-)
Turns out he's in the band The Hula Girls
They're super fun! Check out this clip of them playing live at Don's:
Denise and her fabulous creations!
I also met Denise from Retro Ruthie
She makes the cutest reproduction-vintage clothes using real vintage patterns. Isn't this top and skirt set adorable? She has a great selection of true-vintage and vintage-look fabrics to choose from, and she'll even make something out of your vintage fabric if you ask nicely :-)
The cover artist of the newest issue of Tiki magazine was there, but I didn't get a chance to meet her. As a watercolor artist myself, I love that she uses watercolor in a field dominated by other media. I also love that she's a she!! Most tiki artists are men, for some unknown reason.
Tiki magazine
is a lot of fun...it's hard to find in stores, so your best bet is a subscription.
The Tiki Marketplace was great fun if you're into Tiki. I bought myself some cool tiki earrings (made of Shrinky Dinx!!) a lovely and well-made flower clip for my hair, and the aforementioned dishes.
I had a really delicious Mai Tai that sort of kicked my butt, as I drank it on an empty stomach! We didn't actually eat at Don's, mostly because their restaurant isn't very vegetarian-friendly. I suppose that would be my only criticism...throw us a veggie-burger or something, people! It's really not that hard!
Don the Beachcomber in Huntington Beach hosts the Tiki Marketplace every 6-8 weeks or so.
I've been to the Vintage Fashion Expo in Santa Monica at least five times in the last couple years, and honestly, I'm a little over it...the crazy parking fee ($10), the super-high priced vendors, the attitude, the crappy snack bar...it all adds up to a less-than stellar experience. Every time, though, I do find a few things that keep me coming back!
Here's what I got this time:
cute cotton apron...love the print!!!
more vintage fabrics for my stash (like I need more)
petite size "souvenir" pillowslip...mint condition!
Sweet, isn't it?
cute graphics
All the stuff above is from one of my fave vendors, can't remember the name but they are from Santa Barbara and they sell mostly vintage fabric, drapes, dishtowels, scarves, and stuff like that. Their prices are fantastic and I think they are the only vendors that I buy from literally every single time.
Another of my faves is Meow, where I got this awesome Darlene cardigan:
I'm ridiculously obsessed with Darlene sweaters
This sweater is so fab...the picture doesn't even come close to doing it justice!
Meow has fun merchandise and reasonable prices. They also have a store in Long Beach that I never miss when I'm down that way.
Every once in a while there is a new vendor, and when you go a lot, you really notice a new vendor. From this lovely lady, who's name is Bliss,
Bliss and her heavenly handbags
I got this charming petit point bracelet.
Whoa! Macro mode! The tiniest stitches...seriously.
It's honestly not completely my style, but the petit-point reminds me of my Mom, and I've never seen a bracelet like this one...I think mixed up with some of my other bangles & bracelets, "arm-party" style, I'll wear it a lot.
Bliss specializes in needlepoint and petit-point handbags. I've always loved this type of bag. She had a couple with longer straps, that someone had converted from handbags. After-market mods, you might say...I think this is such a fabulous idea!
Her business is called Heavenly Handbags
What a truly nice person! Her enthusiasm is infectious and her products are the creme-de-la-creme. Bliss said that she just moved here to L.A. from New York...what a change! I wish her much success!
Here are some hints if you'd like to go to the next Vintage Fashion Expo, which is in February.
~I've heard that you can find free street parking if you search, and that meters are free on Sunday in that neighborhood. I can't say for sure if that's true, but I'll sure check it out next time!
~dress in layers, because they seem to have a hard time keeping the temperature comfortable in the building. Every time I've gone it's either freezing or sweltering. Maybe they keep it so cold, cause they're hoping you'll buy a sweater or jacket just to keep from turning into an icicle!
~bring your own snacks, or eat first...the snack bar is pretty weak.
~bring cash. Now they have an ATM, but it has a $3.50 service charge. Some vendors don't take cards.
Have any of you been to this show? What do you think? What other vintage shows do you go to/like? I'd love to hear!
To say I read a lot might be the understatement of the century. I read books, both fiction and non-, tons of magazines (hey, even fashion mags count as "reading") and even the old-fashioned newspaper. Rarely, though, do I read a book that causes me to actually change the way I think and act.
This book changed me!
The author's premise is simple. Fashion and shopping have evolved to a place where stores like Forever 21, Zara, and H&M fill their racks with a constantly churning influx of poorly made, super-trendy items. Whereas shopping for clothes used to be seasonal, now it's become constant. Never-ending. There is always something new on the racks and it's so cheap you can shop every week! The clothes are almost considered "disposable"...wear 'em a few times, and toss them in the "Goodwill" pile.
But it feels good, right? What gal doesn't love to be able to pick up something cute and fresh for a bargain price? I do! Or that is to say, I did...
The thing is, this "fast fashion" thing is bad...really bad.
It's bad for the environment, bad for the economy, bad for the workers who make the clothes, and perhaps most importantly, bad for us psychologically...we're like junkies, looking for our next fashion "fix"!
The factories that make the textiles that make the clothes, mostly in China, but increasingly in even-poorer countries like Bangladesh, are completely unrestricted as they belch toxins and pollutants into the sky and pour poisons into the rivers. Most of these clothes are made of polyester and similar fabrics that are all petroleum products. The workers that make the clothes are paid, at best, less than the poverty-level limit set by the World Bank. There are fake "demonstration" factories, clean and cool, that are set up to fool visitors into thinking that the factories are all OK & safe, but they are not. In Bangladesh, hundreds of people have been killed in fires when there were no safety standards set in place. The factories are dangerous, sweltering, and the workers toil seven days a week for a measly wage to make that cute little Forever 21 top.
factories in China are environmental nightmares!
As if that weren't enough, there's another element: these stores are counterfeiters. Copycats. They copy directly from fashion designers and artists, frequently knocking off entire collections almost identically. Forever 21 has been sued over 50 times in the last few years for copyright infringement. Zara in particular is known for reproducing entire designer's collections, and Urban Outfitters has been alleged to take the work of small, independent jewelry artists and has their items reproduced in overseas factories with no money or credit to the original designer. The copyright laws governing fashion in the US are appallingly weak, and these companies use this to their great advantage. As an artist, I find this especially disturbing!
So this is all really depressing, right? I know! It's awful to hear and makes me want to shut my eyes and ears and block it out. But we can't stick our heads in the sand, ostrich-like, and ignore these horrible facts.
There are things we can do! First of all, get a copy of this book and read it! It's well-written and just detailed enough to get a very complex point across. You can buy it at Amazon: here
If you feel like diving in deeper, the author cites many references.
Next, change the way you shop!! I did!
Buying vintage? Fabulous! Thrift stores? Another great step in the right direction. Most importantly, though...buy *new* clothing SPARINGLY and WITH THOUGHT and buy only from responsible retailers! Support designers using sustainable materials. Seek out companies that manufacture responsibly.
$$$$$$$$ We have power...the power of our dollars $$$$$$
I'm not saying this is easy. It's not. I went to the mall the other day, mostly to escape the heat, and let me tell ya...the siren song of those stores was mighty hard to resist. I DID resist it, though...and I'm going to keep trying. Because the health of our country and our planet is more important than another cute dress.
A couple weekends ago I had a chance to go check out a new local event: the Topanga Vintage Market.
It's only been going for few months, so it's still in it's growing phase...and with the hot summer weather it'll be a little rough going for a while. Come October when it cools down, though, I definitely plan on making it a regular thing. It's held at the Westfield Promenade in Woodland Hills, the 4th Sunday of every month. It's very small compared to, say, the Rose Bowl or the Long Beach Antique Fair, but that's kind of nice...it's not overwhelming and it costs less to get in!
Here's what I found: lots of vendors who specialize in housewares, like this booth which was almost entirely vintage Pyrex.
If you were decorating your house or apartment, this market would be a great place to go!
Check out this fabulous lamp:
There were two separate vendors selling vintage posters. this one was my favorite:
He had so many great posters, from mostly the 50's & 60's with a bit of 70's thrown in.
I think my absolute favorite item that I saw was this petite suitcase:
It had colorful old travel stickers from exotic places all over both sides, and was perfectly banged-up and aged...I loved thinking about who might have owned it and how they carried it all over the world. I've seen faux versions of this type of thing, but this one was the real deal! The price was no deal, though...this vendor was an ex-set designer and she had a great eye, but her prices were astronomical! In my opinion, anyway...
I also found a few cute clothes & accessories, like this Collins bag with a roadrunner:
It was a bit overpriced, I think, at about $70 or so. It was in good shape, but I see them on eBay with some frequency for a lot less than this.
Even the snack stand was cute & vintage!
We ended up leaving pretty quickly as it was getting too hot on the blacktop of the parking lot, but I did manage to score a great sparkly pair of glitter & Lucite clip-on earrings from the late 50's or early 60's for ten bucks.
You'll see them soon...I'm working on a how-to post on how to convert clip-on earrings to post earrings.
Overall, it was fun, and although a few of the vendors had crazy-high prices, most of them were very fair in their pricing. The selection is heavy on the housewares and light on the clothing side, at least it was the day I was there. I'd say if you're an LA local, or you just happen to be passing through the San Fernando Valley, it's worth a trip!
Here's a link to their website for more info: http://www.topangavintagemarket.com/
I'm so lucky that there are enough flea markets and vintage markets around L.A. that I can go to one every weekend, if I want to!
What flea markets or vintage markets do you all like to go to?
For your enjoyment may I present three quickie book reviews:
I got all three of these books from my local library. I'm the biggest library nerd! Seriously, where can you find a better deal than the public library? Any book you want (generally) and you can (again, generally) keep it for weeks & weeks, for free! Anyway, these were fun to look over for a while. First up:
The Fashion File: Advice, Tips, and Inspiration from the Costume Designer of Mad Men
by Janie Bryant
A fun little book that's a little bit about the TV show Mad Men, and more about vintage fashion & style in general. Something I really enjoyed about this book were the lovely & whimsical watercolor illustrations by
Robert Best. This one shows a 50's circle skirt and how it might be incorporated into a modern look.
Another nice bit was the section about "Icons & Inspirations"
Beautiful Elizabeth Taylor and Brigitte Bardot
You'd think a book from the Mad Men lady would be about Mad Men style, lots of late 50's & early 60's, right? Not so much. Instead there's a lot of generic "10 Pieces Every Woman Should Have" and "Which Body Shape Are You?" kind of stuff that we've all seen a million times.
In total, it's a lightweight, entry-level, but fun little book. I'm glad I didn't buy a copy at full pop. I really love those watercolor illustrations, though, so if I ever see this at a thrift store (which I may, once the Mad Men craze dies down) I will definitely add it to my personal library!
Next is a book I've actually checked out twice over the years:
Dressing Up Vintage by Tracy Tolkien
This book covers vintage fashion by the decade, from the 50's through the 80's. Each decade is broken into key designers and styles.
One thing that's really weird about this book is that there are about two pages covering the 40's. As compared to the bajillion pages about the 70's & 80's, it's kind of a snub to my beloved 40's. I wonder why? I guess it's the author's prerogative. Maybe she thought it had already been done enough.
The coverage of the 70's and 80's is pretty major, and as it comes from an English perspective, it's pretty fun and informative for me as an American reader.
Last but not least we have:
The Art of Vogue, Photographic Covers, Fifty Years of Fashion and Design.
I <3 Jean Patchett
Gorgeous 40's covers
I want this issue!
Twiggy lookin' fab
This book is pure eye-candy! I had a lot of fun going through my stash of vintage Vogues and seeing which ones were featured in the book. I especially love the pic on the cover...the iconic Jean Patchett!
The cover art of Vogue has been held to a beautifully high standard for decades and decades, and it's great fun to see how the cover styles have changed over the years!
Have lovely readers seen or read any good books about vintage fashion lately? I'd love to hear about them!
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