Wednesday 30 November 2011

Oxfam Vintage


Wouldn't it be nice if you could go shopping and at the same time help people in crisis?
Wouldn't it be nice if you could go shopping and at the same time enable a whole family to have clean water?
Wouldn't it be nice if you could go shopping and at the same time help fighting poverty?

Well,I've got good news!
YOU CAN!

Simply choose the right places to go shopping and you can save lifes whilst paying for your new christmas-jumper.
Check out the  Oxfam-Vintage shopping department,to find your new "I-look-great-and-feel-good-about-myself-item".


Vintage 80's style black leather jacket


Paisley pattern dress by Frank Usher


Vintage 1980's John Charles golden evening dress


Vintage Sixth Sense mohair mix knitted jacket


Kuki Budi dress

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Vintage Shearling 1980's Sheepskin Coat/ Jacket

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Tuesday 29 November 2011

I know I normally tell you about my recent shopping-results or some cool kid I met on the street. But all I can think of today is food. My stomach is gnarling away whilst I'm trying really hard to ignore the lack of nourishment in my stomach, so I can concentrate on my work.

FAIL!

Instead of being engaged with my project I find myself staring at pictures of delicious looking food, wishing Domino's Pizza would deliver straight into my college library. As it turns out, I'm not allowed eating in here (Oh damn you, you silly rules!), so instead of eating, I'm just staring.

Oh well, at least it is a feast for my eyes.
Enjoy!




Friday 25 November 2011

Daniella Christina - Fashion show


Last friday I was one of the few lucky ones who were invited to the Launch Fashion Show of Daniella Christina at The Basement, Brighton.


Whilst waiting for the show to start, there were plenty of options to keep yourself busy. Between the gaps of the two live bands - AMiTY and Rocket Summers - I had the opportunity to have a look at the Art exhibition on the side from Saffron Reichenbacker, Scared Stitches and at the amazing hats from Lizzy Lock.


After all the guests arrived and everyone was served with a drink and a goodie bag, the show was about to start. Seated exactly in the front row, I had the perfect view of the models going past.
You could clearly see the inspiration of vintage tailoring, but at the same time the outfits were "smart, with a new edgy style".

  

The outfits were very feminine, but still smart and flattering and designed to be worn both day and evening. Despite being unique and eye-catching the collection had a strong grip on reality, meaning the clothes could easily be worn in everyday situations.



The big round of applause at the end of the show was proof of the success of the whole evening. After a quick "Thank You" from Daniella herself, we all left inspired.



Select pieces from the range are now available to buy at ASOS marketplace.

All photos by Sam Hiscox
All text by Tanja Stocklin

Tuesday 22 November 2011

It's cold outside

Surprised by the sudden onset of winter (not everyone would agree that it's winter already, but I'm freezing!), I find myself wrapped in a sleeping bag on my couch and am not at all willing to leave this more than comfortable position. 

If I could choose I would definitely hibernate all winter rather than leave the house and risk losing a limb (no, I never exaggerate).

But as I'm not able to be without shopping for several months I decided to get myself some warm clothes, so that I can safely hit the streets again. 

Not knowing that many Brighton Vintage stores have an online shop, I was positively surprised that I can shop locally, even from my couch.

Let me show you my favourite discoveries!
Wooden Hill Vintage
Beautiful Vintage Fur Trim Coat - £80.00


 
 
 

Annie Sheepskin Jacket - £70.00


 

 

Beyond Retro
Not in Christmas mood yet? You will be with this cute 1990's jumper for only £15.00.


 


 

I absolutely love this gorgeous black 1990's Cardigan for £28.00 from Beyond retro. 


 







 Bobby Sox
Keep your ears warm with one of those adorable 1950's faux fur hats.


Friday 11 November 2011

7 good reasons to love vintage fashion

1. Vintage is Unique
Have you ever found yourself on a party, realising that there's another girl wearing the same dress as you? With vintage you are spared these embarrassing moments because vintage is unique and one of a kind. the earlier days, clothes were produced in much smaller quantities than today. Added together to the fact that most of the items produced in this time are not around anymore today, the chance that someone owns the exact same piece as you is very small.

2. Affordability
A lot of people start shopping in charity shops and vintage stores, because used clothing is often cheaper than new clothing. Me myself started buying vintage because I've always loved a good bargain.The truth is, that vintage clothes can be very expensive and a lot of shops are overpriced these days. However, if you're willing to spend some time to shop around, dig through loads of old clothes in charity shops and haggle prices down on car-boot sales, then you definitely can get great deals on vintage clothing.

3. It has a unique smell
So I know I’m probably alone on this but I love the way Salvation Army stores and Oxfam smell. It’s intoxicating and gives me energy to go through racks after racks of clothes.

4. It’s environmentally friendly
We all are aware of the fact, that purchasing new clothes has a negative impact on our world - whether through the harmful emissions or the sweatshop labour.
When you buy vintage clothing you are RECYCLING.
So buying vintage is a way of doing something good for the environment AND looking good doing it.

5. Quality
If you wanna buy a high-quality item these days, you normally will have to dig deep into your pockets. As clothes used to be made to be more durable, vintage clothes often are made of great fabrics and can last for decades. If you take the time to look a bit closer at some vintage pieces, you will notice how much time was spent on details like buttons, stitching, flourishes and patterns. Vintage clothes were designed to last and to be passed on to the next generation, not to be worn for one season.

6..Vintage is an Investment
How many pieces of new clothing can you buy and expect them to keep their value? Unless you are spending a small fortune on haute couture, your clothes lose value the second you take the tag off of them. Not every vintage garment is collectable, but many are. There will never be more 1950's wiggle dresses, or 1970's high waisted Levi's bell bottoms made. Because they become harder and harder to find with time they become more valuable as they grow older. Vintage is money well spent!

7. Vintage has history
I love the fact that vintage clothing doesn't come straight from a factory overseas -  it has seen life already. If clothes could talk, your vintage wardrobe would tell you hundreds of stories of journeys and moments they've experienced. Imagining that my favourite 60's dress may have been worn to a Bob Dylan concert or to Woodstock Festival, makes me love it even more.
Now who said history isn't enjoyable?

Wednesday 2 November 2011

Mother's wardrobe


I left the country for a short holiday in Switzerland, where I'm staying with my mum. As much as I love being here, already after a few days I started to desperatly miss my wardrobe and all the different looks it offers. 
As I only took a little amount of clothes with me, I got bored of them already. When I was thinking about where to get a new outfit to hit the streets, an idea striked my mind: MOTHER'S WARDROBE. 
My mother grew up in the time, where all the clothes come from, which I adore. She's been wearing denim waistcoats, lace-up boots and bowler hats before I've even been born. 
So as soon as my mother left for work, I started browsing her immense collection of clothes...

denim dress and flower hat 
 

Welcome to the 1920's

Within the next months we will take a closer look at the single decades of the last century. I will explain why the fashion changed and show you the most important key looks of the decade.

We're starting with the 1920's.
With the era of modernism, both the corset and the suffocating Victorian values of the time were torn apart and in 1909 a new linear silhouette came into fashion.

Following the tragedy of the Frist World War and post-1918 fashion, women went wild. Hemlines went up, waistlines went down and flappers boogied to the Charleston, the Bunny Hop and the new hot sound of jazz. Fringes, beads and tassels ornamented short dresses worn above the knee and the accent was on youth and "misbehaving".
By the 1920's the media age was beginning. People started copying stars, they've seen in the cinema and reading about the fashions in "Vogue" and "Vanity fair". The growing poularity of sports such as tennis and cycling prompted a new and simpler look. Jean Patou, Madeleine Vionnet and Coco Chanel were among the designers who created the first modern style for women still seen today.
Key looks of the era:
Hobble and kite dresses:
After the emancipation from the strict "belle epoque" silhouettes, dresses finally became looser. Paul Poiret created "the hobble", which was groundbreaking in developing the narrow, shorter hemline.

Beading and fringing:
Evening dresses had often big amounts of surface decorations, made of sequins, feathers and tassels.
Kimono style:
This kind of Japanese-style dresses were seen as very exotic. A new form of beauty, based on simplicity and oriental design was born.
Velvets and furs:
Fur coats, or coats trimmed in fur, were popular. Velvet was often used in jackets, wraps and dresses; this material was part of the style and the luxury of Art Deco fashion.
Geometrics: 
Sweeping bold curved patterns in deep colours that included dramatic red, black and blue appeared from 1910, along with other geometric patterns and Cubist motifs.

All photos and information from: " Vintage fashion - collecting and wearing designer classics/ CARLTON"