Vintage Kitsch Couture Fashion News & Links: October 26, 2011

The Vintage:

Several Insanely Fabulous Vintage Collections Blew Up at Tzar Ultra Lounge for Cirque Du Cite

One of the off-kilter Fashion Focus shows this year; Cirque Du Cite, was all about the finest vintage in all of Chicagoland.

1960s fashion icon Margit Brandt dies at 66; instrumental in breakthrough for Danish design

The Kitsch:

Competition allows student designers to bring ideas to latex-clad life

The Sexual Health Helpers at UGA are hosting the second-annual Project Condom, a fashion show and educational event showcasing student fashion designs made from condoms. Casual wear, dresses and even wedding gowns will be featured.

Heeheeheehee... it's prettier than a chastity belt and water resistant.  Some of these dresses even glow in the dark ;)

I Love the '90s

Vintage clothing from fashion's least appreciated decade finally has its moment

NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! For the love of god no!!!! My husband will totally pull out all of his Nirvana grunge clothes without skipping a beat.

Ordifen Cup China Lingerie Design Contest 2011 Pictures

This is not a photo I normally would have shown in order to show off the highlights of a fashion show... but I couldn't pass up the look on the gentleman face to the right.  LOL.

The Couture:

New form of fashion; demi-couture

Now being referred to as demi-couture, these clothes still have big price tags – often into five figures – but now can be bought off the rack

Ready to Wear Gets Couture Edge, Price Tag to Match

This is another link that has to do with the link above.

Thumb rules for couture outfits

A model presents a creation by French designer Christian Lacroix as part of his Spring-Summer 2009 Haute Couture fashion collection in Paris. 1 Fashion classics: If you want to buy the right garment, focus on style oriented garments, ...

Growing success for plus size fashion magazine Plus-Size-Tall.com and its current actions

...offering men and women an online magazine that is different from what is usually seen in the mass media. Plus-Size-Tall.com accomplishes this by understanding that everyone deserves fashion no matter their size or height.

LAGERFELD TO LAUNCH KARL LINE

Karl Lagerfeld, who recently joked that he should rename himself Karl “Labelfeld” due to his proliferation of branded side projects, will launch a mass-market women’s fashion brand called Karl at Paris Couture Week in January.

Links

Shop ModCloth’s Sale Section to Find Your Fave Indie & Retro Styles at 25% Off! Offer Ongoing

FASHIONPHILE - Vintage, Limited, Rare Luxury Bags

$9.95 Flat Rate Shipping with code 12USA004 at Peruvian Connection

Enjoy a Special Treat for the Month of October from Shabby Apple. Save $10 Off all Black and Orange Dresses

If Pockets Talked (A Designer Vintage Store)

Flouncy Bright Vintage Kimono-Style Dressing Gown

November 30, 2011:  Update - this dressing gown is currently up for auction! Here!

Another new vintage garment that I recently acquired. 

 This one is a flouncy vintage hand-crafted kimono-like dressing gown in vibrant botanical motif fabric with coordinating yellow ribbon styling at the waist.  The neckline is v-neck with pink velvet accent and two snap closure at the waist.

Links

FASHIONPHILE - Vintage, Limited, Rare Luxury Bags

Enjoy a Special Treat for the Month of October from Shabby Apple. Save $10 Off all Black and Orange Dresses

If Pockets Talked (A Designer Vintage Store)

Tulle Clothing, Vintage inspired wear

Vintage Kitsch Couture Fashion News & Links: October 20, 2011

The Vintage:

TOWIE's Lydia Bright takes her love for vintage too far in garish dress for store launch... as she's upstaged by chic mother Debbie

But The Only Way Is Essex star Lydia Bright today took her love of all things vintage slightly too far as she turned up at her store launch wearing a garish printed dress.

DEAR LORD... Who are these people?  I assume a British movie star or someone with whom I am unfamiliar, but if you like to look at vintage that makes you absolutely cringe... this is the article for you. The article claims that while the girl on the right looks all wrong, the mother (left) looks chic.  I agree.  If she's dressed for Halloween... FAIL.

Levi's launches vintage clothing site

The famed jeans brand is playing up its heritage by dedicating a full website to Levi's Vintage Clothing.

Vintage Handbag Exhibit at Garden City Library Evokes Nostalgia

The collection on exhibit provides a snapshot of fashion trends from the roaring 20s through the 70s.

A vintage shoe steps up and then down

For two decades, Warrior stayed in the doldrums of public neglect, dying a slow death. Thensomething magical happened. Warrior (and its brother brand, Feiyue's) shoes started turningup in Europe - in upscale boutiques and glossy fashion magazines. A pair fetched upwards of50 euros ($69). Orlando Bloom and other cool dudes were spotted wearing them.

The Kitsch:

Kate Moss the opposite of glamour: Calvin Klein

"The reason for Kate [Moss] and this whole group of women I found that someone named 'waifs' was because before that, a lot of women were getting breast implants and doing things to their buttocks. It was getting out of control. I just found something so distasteful about all that," he explained.

Ah yes... presenting an image of women with large breasts and curvy bottoms is distasteful when it convinces young women to go get plastic surgery. What is not distasteful, however is presenting an image that promotes anorexia, bulimia, and drug use.

I did a little research on the above comment, "that someone named 'waifs'".  According to merriam-webster.com the first known use of the word "waif" is the 14th Century and the probable origin of the term is Scandinavia.  And in quite the paradox, the definition they give includes, "a stray person or animal expecially: a homeless child."

So, basically this "someone" to whom Klein is referring, was basically saying that his models looked like starving homeless children.  Now that's something to brag about.

Portrait motif for vintage and chic look

The latest fad that's taken over city folk is the portrait motif. Be it on clothes, jewellery or bags, this motif is favoured for its simple, vintage and chic look.

This is such a neat little article to read because it gives insight into what is considered "vintage inspired" in India.

The Couture:

Hot designer Alexander Wang makes sexy, attainable fashions for the texting generation

Ralph Lauren, Michael Kors and Marc Jacobs may be the instantly recognizable names in American fashion today. But when it comes to the future establishment, Alexander Wang will surely be on the list

Style Icons Ralph Rucci, Donald Brooks Inducted into Fashion Walk of Fame

Couture king Ralph Rucci and the late Donald Brooks were officially inducted into the Fashion Walk of Fame  Wednesday, joining the likes of Oscar de la Renta, Ralph Lauren and Mainbocher as part of the tribute modeled on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Vera Wang Surprises With Black Wedding Gowns

These special occasion frocks, cleverly named Witchcraft, are the hottest news coming out of this week's New York Couture Bridal Fashion Week.

These special occasion frocks, cleverly named Witchcraft, are the hottest news coming out of this week's New York Couture Bridal Fashion Week.

I find this to be quite interesting. This made me remember something I read somewhere once about Sarah Jessica Parker saying she regretted her choice to wear a black wedding dress when she married Matthew Broderick...

Links

Shop ModCloth’s Sale Section to Find Your Fave Indie & Retro Styles at 25% Off! Offer Ongoing

FASHIONPHILE - Vintage, Limited, Rare Luxury Bags

$9.95 Flat Rate Shipping with code 12USA004 at Peruvian Connection

Enjoy a Special Treat for the Month of October from Shabby Apple. Save $10 Off all Black and Orange Dresses

If Pockets Talked (A Designer Vintage Store)

Gorgeous Vintage Ivory Gown/Dress with Bronze & Amber Accents and Sequins

Another "new" vintage gown which I have recently added to my collection (can you tell how excited I am?! :)

This is a formal tea length gown in ivory.  The dress features silk spaghetti straps with bronze colored sequin accents and an amber silk bow for the finishing touch.  The gown has a zipper back closure.

This one is absolutely stunning.

Guess I'm going to have a lot of dry cleaning this month!!

Links (places that sell vintage and/or vintage inspired clothes)

Enjoy a Special Treat for the Month of October from Shabby Apple. Save $10 Off all Black and Orange Dresses

If Pockets Talked (A Designer Vintage Store)

Tulle Clothing, Vintage inspired wear

Buy Mod Clothes Online

Vintage, Retro & Mod Fashion

Wide selection of Indie Designers!

www.ModCloth.com

Vintage Aqua Blue Draped Gown w/Rhinestone Neckline to Feed My Addiction

Yay! Photos of the a new gorgeous vintage gowns I acquired today.

The highlight of this aqua tea length gown is the stunning rhinestone neckline that is also the strap that holds the dress up, with zipper to the back. 

The layered draped front creates a slit to the front. This gown is designed by Rose Taft for Couture Fashions.  It's in really good condition with only a few small stains.

I'm trying to figure out the date on this one.  If anyone knows, please let me know!

Links (places that sell vintage and/or vintage inspired clothes)

Enjoy a Special Treat for the Month of October from Shabby Apple. Save $10 Off all Black and Orange Dresses

If Pockets Talked (A Designer Vintage Store)

Tulle Clothing, Vintage inspired wear

Buy Mod Clothes Online

Vintage, Retro & Mod Fashion

Wide selection of Indie Designers!

www.ModCloth.com

I've Added a Photo Gallery

I've added a gallery tab at the top of the page.  I have started uploading my pattern collection, though there isn't much yet, keep your eye on it!

I plan to fill this shortly with more vintage patterns, pattern books, vintage dresses, magazines, and other sewing and fashion memorabilia from my collection.  4

I still haven't figured out how to move the blog to a subdomain so that I can expand on the main domain... but hopefully I'll figure it out :)

Trying to move my blog to a subdomain...

...and I don't seem to be that good at it.  I'm trying to move it to "blog.vintagekitschcouture.com".

So if you come to my page later and something funky is going on, that's what it is, please try back later.  LOL :)

danke,

-aimée

Finally... We Have Sasuke... The Ninja Halloween Costume

Over the weekend I finally (almost) completed the Halloween costume for my step-son; the final costume of the three I had to make for the minions.  He wanted to be Sasuke... a Japanese anime ninja from something called Naruto which he thinks is the greatest.  Sasuke, yes Sasuke (apparently pronounced "Sauce-K"), who I am sure probably all 9-year-olds are familiar with, like duh, but I had to do complex internet research on.

Wyatt as Sasuke - still need to hem sleeves and take up tunic length a bit

Not only that, but apparently Sasuke has gone through several wardrobe changes in his short (or long) animated life, so there's like a Generation 3 and a bad Sasuke, and etc.  It was also a challenge trying to settle on which look he wanted.

I started with pictures researched from the internet, and finally he decided that this was the one he wanted to go for.  Here's what the character looks like:

What I did first was ask Wyatt what colors each item was.  LOL.  Turns out it's white top, black pant, dark blue wrap, and a purple rope belt.

For the top and the wrap, as luck would have it, the costume faux satin was on sale for 50% off (about $1.50 a yard).  Done! They were out of black in this type of fabric though.

For the pants, I purchased a matte black gauze fabric.  It was on sale for a very low price, and it was the cheapest black workable fabric I could find for the pants. When I did a fitting on him of the pants, he said, "I'm wearing girl pants." Fannnnn-tastic.  Once he put the entire outfit on though, both he and Trent realized that the material actually worked out well.

I used a basic costume pant pattern for the pants and altered them to fit him.  The folds that are seen in the photo are where I folded the edges to cut out at the line for the small size.  On multi-sized patterns I don't cut away the larger sizes from the pattern, that way they remain re-usable.

For the belt... they didn't have any rope in the decorator sections that looked right.  And anything that I could substitute in it's place cost between $4 to $12 a yard.  So... in the home decor section, I found a box of natural cording, used for draperies, at 79 cents a yard.  I purchased 3 yards and a box of purple dye:

Rope belt - Wyatt said the rope looked, "authentic"

To cut the wrap, I took the blue fabric folded in half, and made a semi-circle...  the old school method with a piece of twine and chalk secured in one spot.

Could I have folded the fabric in half again and done a quarter circle? I retrospect, yes.  LOL.

I got a surprise visit from Mr. Bubbles while I was taking a break.

The back of the costume:

Wyatt as Sasuke - back

I made the emblem on the back (there is a name for it.  Wyatt knows it.  He corrected me a few times when I referred to it as an "emblem" so, I won't even pretend to remember what the heck it was) with fabric scraps saved from the tunic and Jack's Halloween costume:

Jack as Dracula

Jack had been  happily running around in his costume for half the day.  Wyatt was pretty jealous.  The reason that these photos show Wyatt wearing and "almost" finished costume that still needs some hemming and tweaking is that it was almost their bedtime here, and he started to get a little down in the dumps about it because he had hoped to run around in his costume too.  So I quit sewing for the night and let him wear it for the last hour he had before bed, in "as is" condition.  I didn't have the heart to keep it from him any longer.

That kid was so darned happy the rest of the night.  I got hugs and praises on my sewing skills from him.  He mentioned several times how perfect the costume was.  I've never made children's Halloween costumes before, but it was such a warm, self-satisfying feeling to see them that happy because of something I did.  They've already started placing their orders for next Halloween.  Guess I did okay! :) :)

Coupons & Links for Sewing & Halloween:

Simplicity:  Halloween DIY Costume Supplies

Get FREE SHIPPING with Purchase of $50 or more at HancockFabrics.com! Use Coupon Code: 818SHIP

Fabric.com Coupon Corner

HalloweenAndCostumes.com

Brand Awesome New Fabric.What to Make? Oh! And Pictures of Me Being Attacked by My Evil Cat.

You get to see more of these AFTER you read about my fabric! :)

I was at the fabric store last weekend to pick up batting for the "Manly Moose Vest" (see The Vintage Manly Moose Bubble Vest for my Hubby is DONE! whoohoo!), and as I was passing a table of fabrics which were on sale, I spotted this:

This is an absolutely gorgeous fall suiting, in navy and white check with a pink line running through it both directions.

The fabric is 60" wide.  And as you can tell from the picture it has a lot of texture to it and is thickly woven.

Not knowing what I was going to make with it, (skirt? dress?) etc, I went ahead and bought three yards of it hoping that my options are open.

I purchased it in store at Hancock Fabrics but I can't find it at the store online, so I am really glad I grabbed it while I could in case this particular fabric was on sale because it's about to go bye-bye.

I'm trying to decide what the best garment would be to make with this beauty.  I think I'm leaning towards a skirt or dress (1 piece? 2 piece?) but  I'm open for ideas!

I have to make a Sasuke Ninja Costume for the last of my minions before starting this project for myself, but I would love to go ahead and decide what it will be used for.

Evil Vampire Cat Attack Photos

As I have mentioned several times prior, my cat is evil and hates me.  Her name, appropriately, is Twilight:

I got photographic proof this time:

And, no, at no point in these photos am I standing on her... my foot is lifted off the ground and she is hanging from it, continuing the attack and refusing to let go.  She literally stalks me.

Coupons & Links for Sewing & Halloween:

Simplicity:  Halloween DIY Costume Supplies

Halloween Patterns on Sale! Save Money on your costume costs - Over 2,151 patterns on sale up to 40% Off at HancockFabrics.com!

Fabric.com Coupon Corner

Receive $5 off your purchase price when you order $50 or more from www.grimreapers.com. Expires 10/15. Coupon Code: Take5Off50