Shop News...This Just In!

This week I have listed some dresses in my vintage shop, Femme Fatale Vintage, and created a new section of vintage outerwear!! I have also created a Femme Fatale Vintage look book on tumblr! Are you on tumblr? Let me know. I'd love to see your page.

Here's a look at what's new:

(to go to the listing, click on the polaroid)

And don't forget...you can get great vintage deals and help Haiti! 100% of the proceeds from my CLEARANCE section will be donated to the American Red Cross Haiti Relief Fund! This offer ends TOMORROW 2/28 so don't delay! $50 has been raised so far! Let's send more!

My handmade shop, The Sparkling Cocktail, is still open. Stay tuned for an amazing give away and huge sale while my hand is healing.

Be sure to follow me on twitter @BobbinBombshell or @femmefatalevtg for instant updates!

Weekend Reading: Links a la Mode

Project Beyond the Runway

Edited by Fashion Pulse Daily

Reading through the links this week, I realized that fashion week or no fashion week, fashion will most certainly go on! A winter snowstorm couldn't even slow down New York Fashion Week, and the links below are testament to the wonderful style that exists beyond the runway, such as Ode to Awe's jewelry discovery, how to look chic while lounging by Cafe Fashionista, and tips for vintage shoe shopping by Wicked Whimsy. Don't get me wrong, I love being 'in the know' on runway looks and trends, but how you interpret them and work them into your personal style is so much more important than remembering which designers showed one-shoulder looks this season!

As expected, there was a fabulous round-up of links in the forum as well, all worthy of your eyeballs!

Links à la Mode : February 25th

39th and Broadway - A Side of the Industry Unknown by Most: Life as a Corporate Fashion Designer
British Style Bloggers - Cherish forever what makes you unique, 'cos you're a yawn once it's gone
Cafe Fashionista - A step-by-step guide to looking luxurious even when lounging
Clutch22 -Up close and personal with Vivienne Tam as she expands her fashion+tech innovations to a new category
CMYKaboom - Independent Fashion Bloggers (IFB) 'Tweet Up in the Tents' event
Debutante Clothing - Vintage Jewelry: Q&A with Lucite line Circa Sixty Three
Fabulous Finds Gal - Moonstuck at the opera with photographer Bersa
Fashion Pulse Daily - Sonia Rykiel Pour H&M; the debut and the review
Holier Than Now - New Take on Florals (5 Under $50)
Idiosyncratic Style - A Girl's Guide to Maternity Style
Independent Fashion Bloggers : Evolving Influence Recap : Part One
Individual Chic: - Would you have wanted a Computer Engineer Barbie when you were smaller? Or would you love one now?
Night Watch - 10 Questions with Model Clara Zapffe
Ode to Awe - Denmark based Alidra Alic's Alice-inspired jewelry
Oranges and Apples - Rules for advertising and sponsorship on blogs
Retro Chick - The Ethics of Blogging
Smiles Go with Everything -10 Tips for Shopping on Ebay: How to find great deals on awesome duds.
The Coveted - Visits Nine West HQ for a sneak peak of AW10 shoe collections!
The Style PA - Gives Henry Holland a grilling ahead of his House of Holland show.
The Sunday Best - Do men get better service when they shop?
Wicked Whimsy -What to look for when buying vintage shoes
Workchic - Fall 2010 NY Fashion week collections: recreated runway to the office outfits

Fashionable History: Mary Quant

Mary Quant was one of the most prolific designers of the 1960's MOD and Chelsea Girl look. She popularized and made mini skirts, go-go boots, fashion tights, plastic PVC raincoats, and hot pants available to the masses.

She was famous for bold graphics, unusual color combinations, and the Vidal Sassoon 5 point bob hairdo.

The famous floral motif.

Her shop on King's Road, named Bazaar, was a hot spot in Swinging London. It not only featured her easy to wear afordable clothing, tights, boots, and make-up, but also must see window displays.
Jean Shrimpton modeling a Mary Quant dress.

You can even make your own Mary Quant design!

This "Young Designer" pattern from Butterick is available in my vintage shop, Femme Fatale Vintage.

Mid-Week Inspiration: Elisa Palomino Fall 2010

I am so in love with Elisa Palomono's Fall 2010 collection shown last week during New York Fashion Week. Big hair, large flowers, rosy cheeks, and glamorously draped flapperesque dresses with fur accents. I want it all!

Images via Racked and Elle.com

On My Wishlist: Chanel Lipstick

My lipstick loving sister gave me a gift card for my Birthday last month specifically to treat myself to Chanel lipstick. Normally, I would have been at the Chanel counter the next day selecting my shade. But with my hand injury I was unable to open and twist the lipstick I already had, so I have waited. I finally have the strength to hold a tube of lipstick and I am eagerly waiting for the newest line of Chanel lipsticks to hit the counters February 25th called Rouge Coco. Vanessa Paradis, pictured above, is the new face of this lipstick inspired by Coco herself. For daytime I want the pretty pink she is wearing in the ads.
And for night I want Chanel Rouge Allure Laque, already in stores, in shade Dragon. It is a high impact, bold red color with high gloss shine. I can't wait to get my hands and lips on that!

Retro Looks In The Modern World: Seeing is Believing

As much as the modern fashion world looks forward it also continually looks back in time. I love the sweet 50's looks of this editorial in the March issue of Elle. Photography by Max Farago. Model: Egle Tvirbutaite.

Images via Fashion Gone Rogue.

Shop News...This Just In!

I am still destashing several vintage patterns and have listed a bunch in my Etsy shop Femme Fatale Vintage. Here are a few:

And don't forget...you can get great vintage deals and help Haiti! 100% of the proceeds from my CLEARANCE section will be donated to the American Red Cross Haiti Relief Fund! This offer ends 2/28 so don't delay! $50 have been raised so far! Let's send more!
My handmade shop, The Sparkling Cocktail, is still open. New items will be listed again as soon as my hand is fully healed. Instead of sewing I've been going to physical therapy and doing my hand exercises. I miss sewing and blogging about my projects so I am working my hardest to get my skills and hand back in working order!
Be sure to follow me on twitter @BobbinBombshell or @femmefatalevtg for instant updates!

Weekend Reading: Links a la Mode

Style vs Fashion

Edited by Retro Chick

With the Fashion Week season in full swing and Fashion Pulse Daily live blogging from the IFB conference it can be easy to forget that there are other things going on in the world, where real women are shopping and dressing for real occasions.

There were actually surprisingly few Fashion Week oriented posts submitted this week. Possibly the Fashion Week attendees are still too busy to partake in Links á la Mode, but what I did find was a lot of posts focused on fashion, style and image in the real world. A Typical Atypical calls for a low fashion revolution and Idiosyncratic Style urges you to bring out your cocktail frocks for every day. Meanwhile, in the body image arena Intrinsically Florrie learns to love her specs, Sugar & Spice discusses tanning and Mariels Castle weighs in (see what I did there?) on the body size debate.

It would be impossible to leave this weeks links without mentioning the untimely and incredibly sad death of Alexander McQueen. There were posts submitted on this issue but I made the decision not to include them, not because they were bad, but because I felt that if I included one persons post I would need to include them all. There has been so much personal reflection on the life and designs of this amazing man in the fashion blogging world that to choose a small selection seemed impossible. If you would like to read these posts then, as ever, the full list of submissions is available in the forums.

Links à la Mode: February 18th

• A Typical Atypical – What girls really want to read about, and why fashion bloggers are changing the face of fashion


• Bonne Vie – Cultural Appropriation vs Cultural Inspiration: What you borrow from another culture when it comes to wardrobe should be thoughtful


• Confessions of a Fashion Editor – Dear New Look; it’s over!


• Eternal Masquerade – Covering the Parallels Between Our Current Winter Wonderland and Under the Sea Fashions


• Fashion Pulse Daily – Fashion Pulse Daily blogs live from the Future of Fashion Blogging panel during IFB’s Evolving influence conference this week!


• Hot Beauty Health – Ready for Spring? Here are 9 Big Beauty Trends for Spring 2010!


• Idiosyncratic Style – Fashion Dare – Let your party frocks come out and play!


• Intrinsically Florrie – Making a spectacle of oneself: learning to love glasses and finding the right pair


• Mariels Castle – It’s not about been skinny or fat its about being healthy!


• Retro Chick – Love, Lust & Burlesque with the Bridewell Collective


• SFindiefashion.com – Spring comes early to Golden Gate Park. Showcase of spring 2010 looks from San Francisco designers.


• Stacie Blair – Show your Olympic spirit with fashionable gear from Aritzia!


• Style Eyes – The dilemma of a fashion blogger and why I’m taking Dame Vivienne Westwoods advice to stop shopping


• Style Symmetry – Fashion Blogger Interview Kingdom of Style’s Queen Michelle


• Sugar and spice and all things nice – Discussing the dangers of tanning and why the only safe tan is one from a bottle!!


• The Clothing Menu – interview with independent jewelry and clothing designer, Norwegian Wood


• The Fashion Planner – The Fashion Planner is hosting an eUndies.com Giveaway!


• The Very Subjective – very subjective (and therefore – very true) observations about style do’s and do not’s.


• Thread Style – Heel-wearing fashionistas also can be feminists.


• twentyteneightyfour – My thoughts on style vs fashion and how our appetite for fashion blogs is part of our quest for style


• ventures of jenn – The Great Vintage Debate: the ‘price’ of vintage both within and outside of the western world and what it really means.

Fashionable History: Marilyn Parties

LIFE.com has published a fantastic slideshow of unpublished photos of a then 25 year old Marilyn Monroe. The year is 1952 and she has just won the "Henrietta" Award for Best Young
Box Office Personality at a party thrown by the Foreign Press Association of Hollywood (an event that will become the Golden Globes). A few months after winning this award Marilyn will land her first cover on LIFE Magazine. Marilyn is wearing a gorgeous red velvet gown and a fur stole. Oh how I wish these photos were in color but they are beautiful in black and white and show a very glam Marilyn!
Shot by Loomis Dean.
Visit TIME.com to see the entire slideshow.

Mid-Week Inspiration: A Wall of Shoes

I always think I have a lot of shoes until I see something like this.

Wouldn't you love to have a wall of shoes like Christina Aguilera?

On My Wishlist: Spring-o-lators

Today I am introducing a new segment here at Bobbins and Bombshells called "On My Wishlist". It is replacing "Vintage Finds of the Week". I have enjoyed showcasing vintage Etsy sellers over the past year and half but now I'd like to showcase items of my shopping obsession, vintage and otherwise, from all over! To keep things lively, I will also be slipping in another new segment here on Tuesdays called "My Vintage Vanity". There I will be showcasing vintage items I have acquired in my personal collection. I may even have some surprise show 'n tells from my vintage loving friends....so stay tuned!

This week I'm really craving a pair of Spring-o-lators. These glamorous high heels are a true vintage treasure. With an elastic inset under the instep they help keep your mules on and add comfort for dancing. The styles are almost always very Old Hollywood movie star glamour. Have a look at some vintage ones I found on flickr.

Now unfortunately, all of the vintage ones I have ever found while vintage shopping have been in tiny sizes. Size 6 I am not, so I have almost given up on the dream of ever owning a pair.

Until I discovered that Bernardo has infact brought back the Spring-o-lator! Bernardo is no stranger to vintage glamour. They are famous for dressing the stylish feet of Jackie O and the 1960's Lily Pulitzer set in glamorous thong sandals. Still in business, I am thrilled for their continuing appreciation of the past.

I am now saving up for this leopard pair that are available in my large size 10!

Retro Looks In The Modern World: Oliver Peoples

As much as the modern fashion world looks forward it also continually looks back in time. This week's feature is the Spring 2010 ad campaign for Oliver Peoples eyewear. Starring Elijah Wood with one of my favorites, Shirley Manson. I love this easy but glam 60's/70's vibe.

Happy Valentines Day!

Shop News...This Just In!

Newly listed in my vintage shop, Femme Fatale Vintage:

(Click on the polaroid to go to the listing)

And don't forget...you can get great vintage deals and help Haiti! 100% of the proceeds from my CLEARANCE section will be donated to the American Red Cross Haiti Relief Fund!This offer ends 2/28 so don't delay!

My handmade shop, The Sparkling Cocktail, is still open. New items will be listed again as soon as my hand is fully healed. Instead of sewing I've been going to physical therapy and doing my hand exercises. I miss sewing and blogging about my projects so I am working my hardest to get my skills and hand back in working order!

Be sure to follow me on twitter @BobbinBombshell or @femmefatalevtg for instant updates!

Weekend Reading: Links a la Mode

The Anti-Fashion Week

Edited by Dramatis Personae

That isn’t to say that I’m against Fashion Week… but more that this week’s Links á la Mode just really isn’t focused on it. With amazing interviews from kaKofoniesOfsi(gh)lens, Fashion in My Eyes, and Eternal Masquerade to great features on vintage clothing from Retro Chick and Unfunded, there’s as much fabulousness on off the catwalk as on.

Maybe it’s bitterness that I’ll be missing out on NYFW for the 3rd season in a row or maybe it’s my gentle heart preventing you all from Fashion Week burnout too soon…which it is, I’ll never tell.

Note from Editor : Please be sure to check out the IFB Conference at NYFW : Evolving Influence

Links à la Mode: February 11th

• 39thandbroadway.com: – How Designers Really View Their Customers


• A Typical Atypical: – I chat about how hard it must be to love fashion and be blind, and I question whether there ought to be a charity dedicated to helping people feel good about how they look even if they can’t see it in the mirror.


• Cafe Fashionista: – Style Secrets: Symbol of Style. A how-to on creating your very own trademark/signature look.


• dramatis personae – How to Pack for Mardi Gras!


• Eternal Masquerade: – Interview with young designer, and Teen Vogue/CFDA/Target scholarship winner, Jennifer Huang.


• Fab Blab: – Even after all these years, we continue to differentiate between dark and fair. How does this affect the fashion industry adversely?


• Fashion Cents: – Seven Style Basics that EVERYONE should know! Make sure you are not committing these style “sins.”


• fashion in my eyes: – Fashion is supposed to be fun! Interview with designer Arina Varga


• Haute World: – A Mad Tea Party? An exclusive look at how 9 luxury designers interpret Alice in Wonderland for French department store Printemps.


• Instant Vintage: – Blood, Sweat & T-Shirts: Learning the true cost of that cheap and chic outfit you just scored.


• kaKofonie Of si(gh)lenS: – Interview with Anna Osterlund of Ravishing Mad


• Model Max: – Are ‘respectable’ fashion writers insecure with ‘upstart amateur’ fashion bloggers?


• Oranges and Apples: – Is fashion oppressive or fun? some belated thoughts on Tanya Gold hating fashion


• Rags to Reverie: – Vivienne Westwood showed that fashion forwardness could be inspired by the past


• Retro Chick: – Top tips to on the spot dating of Vintage Clothes


• THE COVETED: – Devil’s Advocate : blogging and corporate seeding


• The Fashion Planner: – DIY: How to Make Naughty Granny Panties for Valentine’s Day!


• the musings of ondo lady: – Back in 2006 Slave to Fashion, a three part documentary was aired on Channel 4 which took a really good look at the fashion industry.The aim was to make sense of the multi billion industry which everyone from the media to consumers seemed to be obsessed w


• The Recessionista: – an hour ago Rebecca Taylor & Milly: Fashion Week Inspiration


• Unfunded: – Photos and thoughts from the Vintage Fashion Expo in Santa Monica, CA.The

A Legend in Our Time: Alexander McQueen

I am so saddened by the shocking news of the death of one of my favorite designers, Alexander
McQueen. I have featured looks from his collections on this blog several times as I was always inspired by his creative genious. I treasure the one handbag I own and the several I covet.

"I think it’s important to look at death, because it’s part of life. I’ve always had a fascination with the Victorian view of death— it’s not about brushing under the carpet like we do today, it’s more like celebrating someone’s life. I think it’s a very sad thing, death, a melancholic thing, but I think it’s a very romantic thing because I think it’s an end of a cycle. Everything has an end." Alexander McQueen
1969-2010

Here are five images of my favorite looks from his runway shows from over the past decade.

Mid-Week Inspiration: Pink Bathroom

I am absolutely in love with this bathroom interior! The soft pale pink with ivory and black trim is gorgeous and chic. Love!

Vintage Finds of the Week: Red and Pink Rhinestone Jewelry

As much as I love to sell vintage on Etsy I also love to shop! Every week I feature a theme of vintage finds I have discovered that I wish I could buy, wish was my size, or just may go ahead and treat myself to. Who knows! The point is there are great vintage items to be found! This week I am inspired by Valentine's Day and have found some very pretty red and pink rhinestone jewelry!

Beautiful Goldtone Floral Earrings-$10-jgerlachjewelry

Vintage Juliana Style Red Pink Purple Aurora Borealis Rhinestone Brooch-$28-MyVintageJewels

Vintage Rhinestone Earrings-$24-TheEclecticDiva


Sparkling Spirals...A Glowing 1950s Rhinestone Necklace-$64-fabgabs

Vintage 1950s Juliana Rhinestone and Molded Glass Earrings-$21-vintagefabulous