Mid-Week Inspiration: Alexander McQueen Fall 2009

I have always been a fan of houndstooth. It's a classic tweed that can look very rock and roll. Being a sucker for all things houndstooth I was entranced with Alexander McQueen's Fall 2009 RTW collection shown last spring. Now the collection is in the stores and I am wishing I could afford some of these fabulous pieces. For now, I will just be inspired to add a little houndstooth into my wardrobe this fall.

I really, really, want this bag! Available at net-a-porter.com.

My Projects: Veiled Feather Headband DIY

I've been working on a lot of new veiled feather headbands this week for my retro-inspired handmade Etsy shop, The Sparkling Cocktail. I've got quite a few made and will be listing them for sale this week. Instead of just showing you pictures of my creations I thought I'd give you a little tutorial in case you'd like to make one of your own!

Here we go!

Supplies: Scissors, black thread, needle, black satin headband (this one is 1"wide), black French netting 8" X 9", two feathers (color of your choice), and large gold button (with holes, not a shank).

Gather the netting off center so that the finished edge of the netting runs along the edge of the front of the headband. Stitch down by hand. Make sure all of the gathers are tacked down. The gathers puff the netting out so that it will fall around the front of the face. The bottom edge of the netting should form an asymmetrical line across your face.

Tack down with needle and thread the netting on the sides. One spot on each side will do.

Layer your two feathers over each other. I have chosen a large fluffy white feather under a smaller gold toned feather with stripes. Place them over the gathered tulle on top of the headband pointing out over the puff of veil so it cascades over your forehead. Stitch in place.

Finally to cover the edges of the feathers and to add more decoration sew on your button. You could also use sequins, bows, flowers...whatever suits your fancy!

Voila!
Be sure to check out my Etsy shop, The Sparkling Cocktail, this week to see the other variations I have made! If you attempt to make one these, please send me photos of your creations. I'd love to post them!

Retro Looks In The Modern World: In The Mood

In the September 2009 issue of American Vogue is a wonderful fashion spread with a 1940's theme called "In the Mood". Here are a few of the shots from that feature. Styled by Grace Coddington and photographed by Steven Meisel.

Newly Listed This Week!

My computer troubles are behind me (knock on wood) so I am back in business! Here are a few items I listed in my vintage store, Femme Fatale Vintage, this week:

Vintage 1950's Tea Dyed Nylon Tulle Crinoline Ruffled Petticoat-$75

Vintage 1950's Vogue Pattern 7149 Housecoat Brunchcoat Robe- $6

1950s Vogue Pattern 7137 Two Piece Pyjamas-$6

Vintage 1970's Simplicity Pattern 6048 Jiffy Robe-$5

Weekend Reading: Links a la Mode

Breath Mint Anyone?

Edited by Jordana
There's something about the fall season that brings both calming and chaotic feelings. As we kiss our wild summer nights goodbye, we say hello to late night study sessions and longer days in the office. As New York Fashion Week closes and we're trying to catch up on the latest collections, London Fashion Week kicks off. This week's round up of Links à la Mode from Independent Fashion Bloggers embodies a little bit of everything in an effort to give you a breather in between the deceiving calm that comes with fall. We've got runway reviewes ranging from Fashion Pulse's take on Tory Burch to Fasshonaburu's humorous experience at the Snuggie fashion show, and Style Amour rated the top five most disappointing Spring 2010 collections. There are also a few new DIY's worth checking out, especially the Maison Michael bunny ears post from Monoxious. Last but not least, make sure you check out Ashe Mischief's scando-style post on Sarah Von of Yes and Yes on Dramatis Personae.

By the way, if you haven't checked out the IFB Dress Up Soiree & Evolving Influence Panel recap, click here.

Links à la Mode : September 24th

• A Typical Atypical: Make me a... 20's flapper girl - vintage outfits for the modern girl


• Aysha's Rabbit Hole: Watch the accessory madness


• Bobbins And Bombshells: Musings on the history and significance of red lipstick


• Broke & Beautiful: Bored with the same old nude pumps? Elle shares some architectural ones to covet, instead


• Clutch 22: DVF ss10 Cleopatra in the 21st Century


• Decline Designs: Looking Forward to Fall at Decline Designs


• Dramatis Personae: Sarah Von of Yes and Yes shares the secrets of Scandinavian Style


• Fashion Hippo: To Trend or Not to Trend? Fall 2009 trends contemplated


• Fashion Pulse: Up close and personal at the Tory Burch Spring 2010 presentation.


• Fasshonaburu: Alyssa goes to and reviews the hilarious Snuggie Fashion Show during NY Fashion Week!


• Friend in Fashion: More milage from your fashion dollar. Tube skirt, 6 different looks


• Glamoursplash: They don't make 'em like this anymore; the beautiful mermaids of Busby Berkleys Footlight Parade


• Idiosyncratic Style: If fall's hottest shoes belonged to a clique


• Independent Fashion Bloggers: The IFB Dress Up Soiree recap... photos and more!


• Monoxious: How to make your own Maison Michel Lace bunny ears!


• Prom Mafia: DC Fashion Week embraces white after Labor Day and shows beauty comes in all colors, shapes, sizes


• Retro Chick: Win a Lulu Guinness Cameo City Tote


• Style Amour: Spring's 2010 biggest Misses - the top 5 most disappointing NYFW shows


• Sweet Fuzz: Win the gorgeous Gemma necklace (worth $155 dollars!) from Twisted and Beautiful, featured on Bravo's NYC Prep


• The Coveted: Buckled and Booted... essential boots for Autumn


• The Fashion Planner: How to make a T-shirt Lei Necklace; plus enter to win one!


• The Sideshow Scrapbook: Review about the "Ones to Watch" catwalk show at LFW

Mid-Week Inspiration: Marchesa Spring 2010

Marchesa is known for gorgeous and glamorous evening and red-carpet worthy gowns. I'm in love and inspired by their Spring 2010 collection shown last week in New York. Especially these lace appliqued dresses and the rose cut out dress that looks like paper. Crafty and stunning!

Vintage Finds of the Week: Lipstick Holders

Yesterday, I explored the history of red lipstick. So naturally my Etsy vintage finds of the week are lipstick holders. Popular in the 1950's these are perfect for your vanity!

Here are a few of my favorites:

Vintage Lipstick Holder, Gold Toned, Aurora Borealis Crystals-$8-NightWingVintage

Retro Hollywood Glamour Jeweled Compact and Lipstick Set- $47- BajueBoutique

Vintage Vanity-1950's Filagree and Flowers Lipstick Holder- $16.50- wheredidyougethat

Fashionable History: Red Lipstick

I love red lipstick! Now that the season is changing into fall, I am ready to exchange my lip gloss for the fuller look of bright red lips. Wearing red lipstick can signify many different kinds of pouts. Depending on your attitude red lips can portray strength or demure femininity; Old Hollywood Glamour or punk rock; smokin' hot bombshell or dolly clown. In today's market there are so many choices and shades but applying color to one's lips is nothing new. Women have been altering their lip color to be more feminine and sexy since Egyptian times. Egyptian Queens carried lip staining kits around with them with color made from henna and crushed beetles. Elizabethan ladies wore pale faces with lips painted red from a poisonous mercuric sulfide. And Victorian women used red crepe paper to stain their modest lips. It took the make-up company Guerlain to introduce the first wax based lipstick in a refillable tube in 1870 that catapulted lipstick as we know it, into the mainstream.

The first Guerlain bullet lipstick; Ne M'Oubliez Pas (Forget Me Not)

Rita Hayworth in a 1940's Max Factor red lipstick ad.

Marilyn Monroe in matching red lips and nails. Classic!

Even funny ladies wear red. Lucille Ball also in matching lips and nails.

Madonna's favorite red shade in the 80's was MAC Russian Red. Still a top seller.

Gwen Stefani mixes punk rock with Old Hollywood Glamour and is hardly ever seen without her red lips.

The return to Old Hollywood Glamour. Dita Von Teese wears red lipstick impeccably.

Retro Looks In The Modern World: NY Ready To Wear Spring 2010

After sorting through the many photos from last week's Spring 2010 Ready to Wear collections here in New York, I have selected a few of my favorite retro looks straight off the runway.

Feminine and lady like 1940's inspiration at L'Wren Scott.

Vintage 1920's Circus Theme at Temperley London.

1930/40's seaside resort looks at Peter Som.

Weekend Reading: Links a la Mode

Beyond Fashion Week

Edited by Ashe Mischief
There’s a certain amount of irony in the fact I edited this week’s Links a la Mode, as it’s New York Fashion Week– because it’s something I’ve never actually covered before. Style moves on– whether it’s fashion week or the holidays, or the worst day of your life, and for that, we’ve got a bit of coverage from NYFW, some great posts to challenge your mind and body, and a bit of eye candy to tide us over through the weekend.

Links à la Mode : September 17th

• 39th and Broadway – Designing Divisions


• Anywhere but here – Inspired by: Elton John


• awakened aesthetic – I Got Tatted!


• Denim Debutante – Denim Store Review: ECBC (and Giveaway!)


• Denimaniac – Interview | Philip Goss for Ijin Material


• dramatis personae – South African Street Style


• Fashion Pulse Daily – Blogging Live from Vivienne Tam S/S 2010


• FashionHippo – Best Fall 2009 Top Trends: Draped, Ruffled, One Shoulder and More


• girl friday – DIYLeather Necklace I’ve been thinking about…


• HiFashion – Successful Online Shopping


• Individual Chic – 7 simple steps when shopping for swimwear


• Oranges and Apples – Diversity in fashion and style for all ages


• Rags to Reverie – Give Me A Hint!


• Retro Chick – Make Do and Mend


• Style Symmetry – Symmetry Seven ~ Doe Deere


• sweetarchivia – The Lighter Side of Olive Skin Tones


• THE COVETED – Backstage and on the runways at Matthew Ames SS10


• The Demoiselles – Body Type? What Body Type?


• The Greyest Ghost – The Day I Met Gwen Stefani…Twice


• The Sideshow Scrapbook – have to have……….Knuckle duster clutch


• Think Thru Fashion – One Scarf, Tied 5 Different Ways

Retro Looks In The Modern World: Yinka Shonibare MBE

Fashion stylists and designers aren't the only ones that borrow from the past. Artists do as well. For this edition of Retro Looks in the Modern World, I am featuring an artist that does it very well, Yinka Shonibare MBE. I went to his exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum yesterday and was very intrigued and delighted by the installations, videos, and photographs by this British-Nigerian conceptual artist.

The installations feature headless mannequins that are clothed in colorful Dutch wax print fabric in elaborate costumes from either the Victorian era or the Pre-French Revolution era. Dutch wax fabric is typically known as a West African fabric but is actually made in Dutch and English factories for the West African market and inspired by the traditional Indonesian batik technique. While the gorgeous prints suggest an African identity, they are strongly connected and reliant on the Europeans. Showing these European costumes from the time of colonization in these fabric connect the viewer to the complex connection between cultures on a racial, economic, political, and sexual level. I was left with the feeling that the idea of modern globalization is not all that modern. We are in effect all connected and dependent in one way or another and always have been.

If you are in Brooklyn, run don't walk to see this exhibit! It closes September 20th.

Photos via brooklynmuseum.com

Mid-Week Inspiration: Strumpet and Pink

I've always been inspired by vintage lingerie for my dress designing. Lately, I've been looking at a lot of lingerie, vintage and modern, as I'd love to start making some of my own! I've started making garters, which I will write about soon, but I'd also like to venture out into panties and camisoles. So don't be surprised if a lot of my near future Mid-Week Inspirations are lingerie related. This week I'm sharing a lingerie line that I'm just crazy about. This very "special occasion" custom made collection from Strumpet and Pink is very feminine, romantic, with a delightful vintage feel. Here are some of my favorites. Check out the Strumpet and Pink site for more beautiful images!

Say It Isn't So! More Blog Awards!

Wow! While I was sending out very late and very much overdue blog awards last week, I received TWO Kreativ Blogger Awards from two very special blogs! One from the brilliant The Girl Can't Help It and the second from the gorgeous Here's Looking Like You, Kid! The idea is to give this award away to 7 blogs I love and list 7 things I love. So here goes it:

The Kreativ Blogger Award goes to:

1.Chronically Vintage

2.Fabulous Finds and Co.

3.Dream Sequins

4. Blonde and Red

5. Curve-Hugger

6.Bobby Pin Blog

7. Retromodgirl

Things I love:

1.Peonies- my favorite flower!

2.Salty ocean air. I grew up on the coast of Maine.

3.Cooking and Baking. I just love to make things. Sewing, knitting, cooking...it's all the same!

4.Card games- always brings good times and laughs!

5.Seafood. All kinds! Love it all! See number 2.

6.Leopard print. I own way too much but could always use more!

7. All of the Seasons. Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall. I love them all! The older I get the more I look forward to the seasonal change.

Congratulations to all of the blogs above!! And BIG THANK YOUS to those of you who have given Bobbins and Bombshells awards! All of you will be linked in my side bar! xoxoox

PS. Hopefully soon all of my computer woes will be ironed out and I will be back to my regular posting schedule as well as listing new items in my shops! Stay tuned and thanks for your patience.

Newly Listed This Week

In my vintage Etsy shop, Femme Fatale Vintage, I have listed a few things this week. Luckily before my hard drive crashed! Unfortunately, it may be a short while before I can get any more items listed....ugh! Anyway, this week I have for you some Fall worthy vintage sewing patterns and the most adorable 1950's make-up bag! Have a look:

Vintage 1960's Vogue 1774 Pattern High Fitted A-Line Dress with Pockets-$6

Vintage 1960's Simplicity 8345 Pattern Bow Blouse and Double Breasted Jumper-$5

Let's Make Up- Vintage 1950's Peachy Pink Satin Make Up Bag with Illustrations-$15

And don't forget about the Sewing Pattern Stock Up Sale!! Any FIVE patterns for $20!

Mid-Week Inspiration: French Half Moon Manicure

I've been in love with half moon manicures for as long as I can remember. I can't say the same thing about French manicures. However, blend the two together and the result is fantastic. At the Thakoon Fall 2009 runway show the models wore black and white French half moon manicures that are divine! I'd love to try this in a bright red. Check out The Stylist post on how to nail the half moon look. I can't wait to try it!

Photo via style.com

Blog Awards!!

This summer I was awarded two blogger awards! The Fabulous Sugar Doll award is from Christina at Fabulous Finds and Co and the Lemonade Stand Award is from Chronically Vintage! Thank you ladies! Now it's my turn to spread the award cheer! I am awarding eight blogs that continue to inspire me and make me smile. A very hard and difficult list to narrow down. But never fear, more awards will go out in the near future! If you are on the list, please choose which ever award you'd like or use both!

The Girl Can't Help It- For "My Aqua Blue Heaven" features and making me laugh!

The Swelle Life- For beautiful fashion pics and "Cupcake Mondays"!

Tales of a Retro Modern Housewife-For a great sense of style and color, plus recipes!

Old Hollywood Glamour- Katie is a girl after my own heart!
Knit Lit- For knitting inspiration and more!

Gerties Blog for Better Sewing- For sewing inspiration and project envy!

The Mysterious Life of the Metropolitan Housewife- The nicest retro loving mom and pin-up!

Stockings Addict- I love stockings. I love lingerie. She has it all!

Congratulations!

xoxo