I have a favorite gray sweater that I’ve been wearing for years. You know one of those pieces of clothing that is comfortable and comforting? That’s this sweater. It’s nothing special, just a cable knit pullover made of merino wool but easy to wear and funny enough the tag says Made in England (rare these days).
Well, I’ve worn this sweater so much and repaired it so often, it was time to make it an “at home only” choice and hunt for a replacement. Easier said than done and I’ll skip to the victory part of the story. I finally found close to what I was looking for at Talbots.
Blue not gray and no cable knit, but this sweater in cashmere is a winner all the same. I love the dark blue shade, which pops any outfit and works in fall, winter, and spring. It’s just the right weight making it perfect for layering. I’m reaching for this sweater again and again.
A word about Talbots. In 1947 Rudolf Talbot inherited his father’s clothing store in the Hingham, MA, a Boston suburb. He and his wife, Nancy, renamed the shop Talbots and offered classic women’s clothing. In 1952 Talbots sent out their first catalogue, which resulted in an uptick in business and it’s something the company continues to do today. There were five stores by the time the couple sold their business to General Mills 1973. Under a new direction, Talbots opened shops around the country usually in malls. Nancy continued to work in the company until she retired in the early 80s. Since then, Talbots has been sold many times and along the way it gained a reputation for being less classic and more dowdy. I remember seeing Talbots stores in malls and walking right by thinking they were a little too preppy.
Then last fall I popped into a local Talbots because I spotted in their window corduroy pants. I’m a big fan of corduroy anything and I haven’t seen cords in a long time. So I went in and I wasn’t impressed with the customer service, but I was kind of excited about the clothing! There was an array of basic styles – the cords, sweaters, vests, jackets, skirts, and dresses and a lot of color. I liked the high quality and good sales. Although there were some florals that were not my taste (and reminded me of that too preppy style), overall I was happy to see simple sophisticated options. I bought a pair of green cords that day and when it was time to replace my sweater, I headed back.
I tend to wear classics that I jazz up with layering and accessories. I’m new to Talbots and I appreciate what they have to offer. I wouldn’t go with one of their complete looks, but I will be picking up a piece here and there to work into my wardrobe.
A warning: I did some online research on Talbots and it seems that ordering anything from their website is a disaster. I read review after review saying pretty much the same thing – that the merchandise didn’t arrive and telephone customer service was useless. I would advise potential customers to shop in person at one of their many locations.
(This is not a paid endorsement.)
Posted in Fashion, Uncategorized, Vintage | Tagged fashion history, fashion news, Fashionable Favorite Things, Talbots, sweaters, Nancy Talbot | Leave a Comment »
Elizabeth Wilson, born in 1936, was among the first to cross fashion with feminism with academics. A former professor at London’s College of Fashion and the author of non-fiction books and a detective series, Wilson has now written a memoir in which she shares her early life and her path from activist to fashion academic.
In Unfolding the Past published by Bloomsbury Press, Wilson digs into her childhood and early adulthood in post WWII London where she and her mother settled while her father worked as an administrator in Sierra Leone. She describes her family as being in “reduced circumstances” living not in Kensington as her mother wished, but instead a mile or so to the east on the end of a “shabby street” in a 4-story house owned by her grandparents. Her mother’s disappointment in life colored Wilson’s childhood and perhaps set her up to be a somewhat rebellious young adult.
She opens the second chapter with – “Every Thursday, a Harrods van drew up outside our front door and the driver, uniformed in green, delivered a cardboard box tied round with pink tape. It contained the weekly volume from Harrods’ lending library, chosen by my mother after she had read the book reviews in the Daily Telegraph and the Sunday Times. Usually it was a novel, but books on history, popular psychiatry, and the Cold War turned up from time to time. The delivery to our terraced house was out of place in the marginal social world of my childhood. At the lower end of the street, tall stuccoed mansions had fallen into decay …”
Wilson gives this kind of detail throughout the book offering vivid descriptions of her family, friends, herself and her wardrobe, as well as of a bleak, but fascinating London just after the war and into the 1960s. I would say this isn’t a straight forward memoir, but more of a wondering through Wilson’s thoughts and opinions. With references to other academics, popular culture, literature, art, and music we get an abstract picture of her life. From child to young adult, communist and feminist, throughout it all clothing, she says, was her “prop” offering some “self-confidence.”
Unfolding the Past is an unusual thought-provoking read that one could go back to again and again and learn something new.
Posted in Arts, Fashion, Uncategorized, Vintage | Tagged Bloomsbury Books, Elizabeth Wilson, fashion, fashion and feminism, fashion books, fashion history, fashion icons, fashion news, vintage fashion | Leave a Comment »
It was paradoxical that fashion as a serious subject should have come to the fore in the context of feminism. One of the longest lasting and still very lively debates is that between feminism and fashion. Feminism became an established political movement in the nineteenth century. Many of those Victorian feminists, encumbered by the excesses of crinolines, corsets and bustles, saw fashion as central to their oppression. One argument deployed was that men were forcing them into elaborate outfits that crippled their bodies and restricted their movements, so that fashionable dress was a direct instrument of power.
Elizabeth Wilson – British feminist, author, and former professor at London College of Fashion.
This quote is from Wilson’s memoir Unfolding the Past (Bloomsbury).
Fashion for woman has always had its negative impacts from corsets to stilettos to Spanx. Oppression? Perhaps. Restricted or not, plenty of Victorian women enjoyed their fashions. Interestingly, today there are period costume groups recreating fashions of the 18th and 19th centuries complete with all the elements that hinder movement. Granted, these elaborate fashions really are just costumes worn for limited periods of time and then poof, back to leggings and t-shirts. Still, there seems to be a desire to don pretty feminine clothing of the past. And if not actually dress in such, definitely watch on screens given the popularity of shows such as the adaptation of Jane Austen’s Sanditon.
Please stop by ODFL tomorrow for a review of Unfolding the Past.
Speaking of women’s fashions, today is the Spring Equinox. Feminine clothing such as dresses and skirts, frilly tops and sweaters remind me of this time of year. In my area we have had a real winter so now we can appreciate the loveliness that is spring.
Posted in Fashion, Uncategorized, Vintage | Tagged Elizabeth Wilson, fashion and feminism, fashion books, fashion history, fashionable quotes, period costume events, period costumes, vintage fashion, vintage style | Leave a Comment »
Costume designer Ruth E. Carter took home the 2023 Oscar for Best Costume Design for her work on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Carter is the first African American to win two Oscars, her first in 2018 for Black Panther.
The array of costumes in this film is amazing. Not to mention the detail. (Click here to see a short video on the costumes.)
Congratulations to Ms. Carter!!
Posted in Arts, Events, Fashion, Uncategorized | Tagged 2023 Oscars, Best Costume Design Oscar, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever costumes, costume designers, Ruth E. Carter | Leave a Comment »
Welcome to something new – Fashionable Favorite Things, which will alternate every other week with the ODFL traditional Fashionable Quote of the Week.
OK, so I don’t need another brooch. But need had nothing to do with this purchase.
Last fall I popped into a new-to-me consignment shop with the idea of mentioning it in one of my future fashion columns (for the Lamorinda Weekly). I was excited to see that Divine Consign in Lafayette carried quite a lot of vintage clothing and jewelry.
As I perused the jewelry (Bakelite, cameos, rhinestone necklaces, and more) this brooch caught my eye. I knew what it was immediately – a mid-century Danish enamel calla lily by Volmer Bahner.
Sure enough the brooch is marked on the back VB Sterling Silver. Bahner (1912-1995) was a Danish artist known for sculptures and modernist jewelry. After WWII he opened his own silver workshop where he created nature-inspired jewelry in silver and enamel.
This brooch is in pristine condition and when I saw the very reasonable price tag it was was mine. Since then I have worn it on sweaters, jacket lapels, a hat, and my fondness for it has only increased. Like a small piece of art, I enjoy just looking at it. The sleek design and the beautiful dark red enamel speak to me. The craftsmanship is excellent and there’s no wonder why VB brooches are very collectible.
It’s a good choice for fall and winter, so I will put it away pretty soon in favor of spring colors. I look forward to wearing it again in the fall.
It has definitely been a favorite thing!
(For local readers interested in vintage I encourage you to check out Divine Consign at 1014 Oak Hill Road, Lafayette – right off highway 24.)
Posted in Arts, Events, Fashion, Uncategorized, Vintage | Tagged brooches, consignment shops, Divine Consign, Fashionable Favorite Things, jewelry designers, Lamorinda Weekly, silver jewelry, vintage brooches, vintage fashion, vintage jewelry, vintage shopping, vintage style, Volmer Bahner | 4 Comments »
It’s been years now that every Monday ODFL has posted a fashionable quote. Perhaps it’s time for a change.
Not that Fashionable Quote of the Week is going away. It’s not. But to mix things up a bit there will be something new called Fashionable Favorite Things. Every other week or so I will discuss what I’m currently liking and using. Such as: what pen am I reaching for; what handbag is my go-to; what beauty product has me hooked and so on. Whatever I’m excited about and want to share with ODFL readers.
(This is not going to be a paid promotion. The Favorite Things I feature will be items that I have found on my own.)
Something new is always a good thing!
Posted in Arts, Events, Fashion, Uncategorized, Vintage | Tagged fashion history, fashion news, Fashionable Favorite Things, fashionable quotes, handbags, jewelry, sewing, vintage fashion, vintage handbags, vintage style, writing tools | Leave a Comment »
More and more people are aware that what we see on the red carpet is paid for – a branding opportunity. So, when someone chooses to wear vintage, they’re kind of saying: ‘I’m an individual here. I really love how it looks on me. I don’t care that it’s not sponsored by some brand!’ That feels more authentic to a lot of people in a very branded world.
Cherie Balch – Canadian founder of the well-known online vintage store, Shrimpton Couture.
This quote is from an article in the Style Section of the New York Times, January 6th, 2022.
Demi Moore was the first to wear a vintage gown to the Oscars in 1992 (Versace) and since then there has been a parade of celebrities following suit – Julia Roberts, Margot Robbie, and Emma Watson to name a few.
The Academy Awards is coming up next Sunday. Who will wear what on the red carpet?
Posted in Arts, Events, Fashion, Uncategorized, Vintage | Tagged Cherie Balch, fashion, fashion designers, fashion icons, fashionable quotes, Patrick Kelly, red carpet gowns, Shrimpton Couture, vintage fashion, vintage gowns on the red carpet, vintage style | Leave a Comment »
It’s so much fun. It’s couture. It’s reference. It’s memories. Everything is disposable now. Ownership is nothing. People take selfies at stores pretending that they have bought something. Clothes are actually representing the way you live.
Cameron Silver – celebrity stylist, fashion director of H by Halston, and owner of Decades, the renowned vintage clothing store located in Los Angeles.
This quote is from the book California Elegance: Portraits from the Final Frontier, by Christine Suppes, photographs by Frederic Aranda (Mondadori).
Through photographs and interviews California Elegance takes an up-close look at some California originals. People such as the fashion design duo Kate and Laura Mulleavy, sculpture artist Ruth Asawa, and cryptologist Whit Diffie. People in business, tech, retail, PR, farmers, artists, activists, scientists, even an aromatherapist! Covering up and down the coast and inland as well, Suppes and Aranda introduce readers to a diverse group of Californians highlighting what makes the Golden State truly unique.
In his quote about vintage clothing, Silver makes a few interesting points. I agree that vintage is about memories. A personal memory or a general memory of time and place and what was going on in the world, say when miniskirts were all the rage during the Vietnam War. Disposable clothing takes with it to the dump both our personal and general memories. How sad to not be able to pull out a sweater and instantly revisit a particular moment, day, or event in our lives. Clothing is another keeper of personal stories, like a photo or a journal.
I didn’t know about people taking selfies at boutiques, but I’m not surprised. It seems these days it’s all about costume and pretending and living our lives for and on social media. Take a selfie, post it, and then move on to the next “experience.”
There’s a trend now for renting rather than buying and I understand that’s an attempt to address the issue of sustainability. We can rent furniture, clothing, accessories and so on. But where’s the fun in that? If I like a chair or a dress or a handbag I want it in my life permanently. I want it to figure in my story, because what we own and wear and use is a part of who we are and how we live our lives. We don’t have to own a lot of things, but a few important quality pieces that make us happy to me is essential.
Thank you to Cameron Silver for a great quote. Thank you also to Christine Suppes and Frederic Aranda for granting ODFL permission to use the quote and photo.
Posted in Fashion, Uncategorized, Vintage | Tagged California Elegance, California style, Cameron Silver, Christine Suppes, Decades, fashion books, fashion history, fashion icons, fashionable quotes, Frederick Aranda, renting clothing, Rodarte, throwaway fashion, vintage fashion, vintage style | 1 Comment »
I used to watch my grandmother Helen get ready to go out shopping when I was living with her. I remember her ritual of choosing her clothes and putting on her makeup and putting hair spray in her hair that had been set. And the last thing she did was put on the pearls. So, I just always associated pearls with being a very ladylike, womanly thing. A pearl necklace on a boy or someone who identifies as male becomes this (bleeping) with gender. And I like wearing pearls, and I like getting my nails done. And I don’t think those things belong to gender.
Marc Jacobs – American fashion designer.
The quote is from Harper’s Bazaar, Dec. 2020/Jan. 2021 issue.
Jacobs goes on to say that he finally bought himself a pearl necklace one recent Christmas and he calls the single strand of Mikimoto pearls “part of my ritual self-care.”
I can relate to the love of pearls and ritual self-care. There’s something comforting about a strand of pearls resting against my neck and I find the luster and texture of the creamy beads soothing. Self-care is important – in the form of a piece of jewelry, a cup of tea, a walk in nature, a manicure, a nap – whatever works and it’s interesting just how simple it can be. My ritual of self-care is a daily walk, an afternoon cup of green tea, and reading a good book in the evening. Also, I wear jewelry every day. I enjoy the morning ritual of sitting at my vanity and choosing a ring to slip on my finger, a necklace to hang around my neck, a bracelet to grace my wrist.
How about you, ODFL readers? Do you have a piece of jewelry that makes you feel good? Do you have a self-care ritual? Please share!
Posted in Fashion, Uncategorized, Vintage | Tagged fashion designers, fashion icons, fashionable quotes, Marc Jacobs, pearl jewery, pearls, self-care, vintage fashion, vintage style | Leave a Comment »
What’s the story behind this Valentine’s Day sketch? Take a peek inside Mom’s Closet (click on the tab at the top – link to post will be at the bottom of the list) and read all about it.
Posted in Arts, Events, Fashion, Mom's Closet, Uncategorized, Vintage | Tagged funny Valentine's, jewelry sales, Mom's Closet, mother daughter, Valentine's Day, vintage fashion, vintage style, Zales Jewelry Store | Leave a Comment »
OverDressed for Life 