Ladies Who Lunch (& Thrift)

We've been busier than a teleprompter operator on SNL the last few weeks, so it was really fantastic to break from our normal Friday routine of finishing that-which-we-neglected-the-rest-of-the-week and meet up with fellow Bay Area vinties Mel (above right) and Theresa (above left) for some vegan Mexican food in Berkeley. While we klatsched over seitan taquitos and banana-wrapped tamales, the ladies joked that we should each take an ironic 'Myspace photo' of ourselves since that representational genre always seems to make its subjects look skinnier than they really are (see, e.g., our bobble-headed likeness above).

After lunch we meandered around Berkeley's burgeoning antique district, where, we're proud to report, we resisted the urge to buy a baby made of dried corn. Talk about willpower!

Sponsor Style File: Luncheonette Vintage & Rust Belt Threads

Have you checked out all the vintage goodness at Rust Belt Threads and Luncheonette Vintage lately? We just popped in to look for a winter jacket and found a grip of hats, shoes, dresses and housewares that we'd love to try to sneak past The Boy. If only his powers of observation were more classically masculine...

You Decide!

Is this:

a. an A&E promotional image for the second season of Sister Wives?

b. a still from a fetish porn film staring Faithful Cock?

c. a photo of a vintage dress currently for sale on Etsy?

If you guessed "C", congratulations! Your eye for authentic vintage is sharper than a bag of beef jerky at your local Wisconsin Target.

(Also, it bears repeating that everyone is going as a hoarder for Halloween this year):

(keyword search traffic to this blog on 10.26.10)

Finally! A Bike Helmet for the Vain & Fashionable

Have you ever looked at your bicycle helmet and thought to yourself, "Meh. I'll risk cracking my head open to spare today's expertly-coiffed hair?" If you answered yes, then you're not alone. According to statistics compiled by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than half of all US bike riders routinely forgo a helmet, despite the fact that doing so puts them at significantly higher risk for head injury and death. While most surveyed claim that they simply forget, or assume it's not necessary given the distance of the ride, it goes without saying that vanity likely plays a role in the decision--consciously or not.

Well, now, for a mere $450, you can look fly and save your big fat melon from traumatic brain injury. The Hövding (Swedish for "chieftain") looks like your typical hipster cowl, but actually houses sensors that signal an internal airbag to fill and deploy upon impact. Though we're not entirely sold on the idea of an airbag for our head, the test video below has sold us on the need to overcome our own conceit and wear a damn old school helmet all the time, every time because this video is scarier than a teabagger at a Glenn Beck rally. Yes, that scary.

What I Wore: Bird On My Shirt Edition

Particulars:

Vintage 1950s Dress: Bottle Blonde Vintage

Vintage 1940s Heels: thrifted

Purple Cardigan: thrifted

Handmade Bird Brooch: Bombshell Bettie's Vintage (giveaway booty!)

When Exercise Was Easy

Are we really certain that these types of 'vibration gyms' don't work, because this looks like a training circuit that we could really commit to. [photos via Life c. 1940s]

Halloween Costume Idea '10: A&E Hoarder

The Look (L-R):

• Cat Sweater

• Cat Brooch

• Cat Tote

• Christmas Cat Brooch

(accessorize with decomposing vermin and denial)

Previous Costume Ideas: Tippi Hedren, Vintage Medium

Wildfell Hall Vintage Giveaway! (CLOSED)

********************************************************* THIS CONTEST HAS ENDED! Please see our current giveaway HERE!

This week's giveaway comes to us courtesy of Amy of Wildfell Hall Vintage, a new online vintage clothing shop based in NYC with a swoon-worthy collection of dresses, purses and shoes from the 1930s - 1980s (including this current Huzzah! fave). Amy is generously offering one lucky winner a $40 Gift Card good toward the purchase of anything in the shop. Just tell us what you'd buy and cross your fingers that it's still available in a week when the winner is announced ;)

To Enter The Giveaway: Simply visit Wildfell Hall Vintage and leave a comment (along with your email address) indicating your favorite item from the shop before Sunday, Oct. 24 at 11:00 p.m. PST. The randomly selected winner will be announced on Monday, Oct. 25 and contacted privately with additional details. Good luck, and thank you for entering!

For up to 3 additional entries & opportunities to win:

• Tweet about this giveaway & leave one additional comment

• Follow the Wildfell Hall Vintage blog, Vintage Seen, & leave one additional comment

• Blog about this giveaway & leave one additional comment

(No purchase necessary to win. Giveaway contest open to readers worldwide. One winner will be selected from among qualifying entries at random by Huzzah! Vintage at close of giveaway on Sunday, Oct. 24 at 11:00 p.m. PST.)

And the winner is...

Congratulations to Alicia, lucky commenter no. 10! We'll be in touch soon with details ~ xo, Team Huzzah!

Were the Gibson Girls Cool

We're not sure how we found these détourned Gibson Girl illustrations, but we're glad we did. The originals come from a well-known 1903 series by Charles Dana Gibson cheekily called "The Weaker Sex" in which the famously aloof 'Gibson Girl' demonstrates (however ambiguously) her power over the superior sex by way of clinical observation and sexual temptation. The updated versions cleverly photoshop the men out of the scenes, thereby making the Girls' power not only plain, but altogether their own.

Sponsor Style File: GGA Vintage & Beta Boutique

Still more evidence from Beta Boutique and GGA Vintage that style can be both affordable and sustainable. Shop VINTAGE for your love of the past and the future!

Dalena Vintage "Travelin' On" Clearance Sale!!

Pssssssst! Mega huge clearance sale going on RIGHT NOW at Dalena Vintage. The lovely lady behind DV is fixing to move to Thailand and needs to lighten her load ASAP, so prices are criminally low. Have a look around before it's all gone for good...

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Oh the Places It Will Go!

Unofficial itinerary of an H&M garment: manufactured in southeast Asia, dispatched to retail stores across North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia from central transit terminal in Germany, sold in bails by thrift stores to garment peddlers in Africa. The trip of a lifetime, often in less than a year.

Vintage Strings Gift Card Giveaway! (CLOSED)

********************************************************* THIS CONTEST HAS ENDED! Please see our current giveaway HERE!

Is it really possible that we're having another fabulous vintage giveaway?!?! Indeed it is! But only because Miss Kelly of Vintage Strings is generously offering one lucky winner a $30 Gift Card good toward the purchase of anything in her groovy online vintage clothing shop. Were we--in some fantastic universe devoid of ethics--to win this sweet prize, we'd immediately scoop up these royal kicks and put the remaining $2 toward this stunning dress. And then we'd wear them together in an ultimate act of insolence. But that's just us.

To Enter The Giveaway: Simply visit Vintage Strings and leave a comment (along with your email address) indicating your favorite item from the shop before Sunday, Oct. 17 at 11:00 p.m. PST. The randomly selected winner will be announced on Monday, Oct. 18 and contacted privately with additional details. Good luck, and thank you for entering!

For up to 3 additional entries & opportunities to win:

• Tweet about this giveaway & leave one additional comment

• 'Like' Vintage Strings on Facebook & leave one additional comment

• Blog about this giveaway & leave one additional comment

(No purchase necessary to win. Giveaway contest open to readers worldwide. One winner will be selected from among qualifying entries at random by Huzzah! Vintage at close of giveaway on Sunday, Oct. 17 at 11:00 p.m. PST.)

And the winner is...

Congratulations to Schoolgirl, lucky commenter no. 4! We'll be in touch soon with details ~ xo, Team Huzzah!

Getting to Know Lauren of Dear Golden Vintage

Editor's Note: Success is always hard to measure in life and in business, but you know that you've achieved at a certain amount when people begin asking Google to tell them who the hell you are. And that's precisely the type of query that brought at least two anonymous visitors to this blog in as many months. Unfortunately, for us, these visitors weren't curious about the royal "we" behind Huzzah! Vintage, but rather Lauren of Dear Golden fame. And who can blame them, really? In addition to running a wildly successful online vintage clothing shop stocked with a seemingly bottomless reserve of timeless eye candy, Lauren also somehow finds the time to write a good-looking blog that is at once breezy and smart. It's no wonder, then, that people want to know just "who IS Dear Golden???"*

What did you do professionally before starting the insanely successful Dear Golden Vintage?

For 8 years I was a waitress, then for 8 years I was a graphic designer & yoga teacher. All of them teach you how to bite your tongue, NOT an easy "skill" to pick up (for me at least).

What's the hardest part of running your business (besides, of course, resisting the urge to keep your lovely finds for yourself)?

The hardest part is that the shop requires so many different tasks and so much time for each of them, there never seems to be enough time to be *done* with any one of the tasks. This creates a feeling that nothing is ever done and there is always something you *should* be doing, which in turn can make a person feel very tired, in general. How crabby do I sound!? Sheesh....

Hamming it up with an apple tree in a characteristically chic and easy vintage ensemble (above)

How would you describe your style in high school, later in college and today?

I started wearing vintage in high school so I'd say my style then was very much like it is now, in fact, that might be sad were it not that I was wearing vintage then and now. Since vintage is never really "out" of style, I'd say it was a smart route to take!

What one fact about you surprises most people?

What comes out of my mouth sometimes tends to surprise people, let's just say I have a biting and healthy sense of raw humor. I'm, um, to put it in vintage terms, "bawdy". Or maybe it's that I love Beowulf, I don't know.

Is there a contemporary fashion trend, in your professional opinion, that must be stopped?

Well, in my professional opinion, and oh yeah, it's very professional (wink), there are like a whole smattering of trends that make me want to scream. The newest one is probably the wearing of what seem to be semi-sheer tights as pants. Wow. I have also always shrieked at the sight of: Ugg boots, sweat pants with words on the butts, Crocs, and well, I'm not much for those sort of tribal-esque headbands worn over the hair and around the forehead.

Lauren likely bemoaning the use of her camera's flash (above left) and with BFF Duff of Jean Jean Vintage at an exhibition of Richard Avedon's work (above right)

Which would you rather: Model for a Dov Charney-directed American Apparel ad or wear an "I Love Glenn Beck" t-shirt to the grocery store?

Please no. No "would you rather" questions, my mind is so busy with so many things, thinking about painful hypothetical situations is just well, painful.

Any expansion plans afoot that you can reveal exclusively to our readers (e.g., website, brick 'n mortar store, Bravo reality series)?

Dear Golden on the moon! Of course! No, actually, I am looking to purchase a downtown building for my shop. This plan is currently in the works so send me good vibes that I get the building I have my eye on!

* actual Google query of one blog visitor. Really!

When the Only Thing Unique Is the Price

monoculture (n) ~ a system with very low diversity; a potentially dangerous hegemony that breeds uniformity, complacency and (eventually) totalitarianism

So, these dresses are like the garment industry's answer to generic brand supermarket foodstuffs: All manufactured in the same factory by an inconspicuous label and then sold by a large retailer under their particular 'brand' at prices well below the designer products they echo. The only difference is that instead of descriptive, unassuming generic brand product names like "Deodorant Soap" or "Chocolate Syrup," we have "Look Over Your Shoulder Dress" and "Western Sunset Cowboy Boots." Viva la value...

(thanks to Violet Reaction for cluing us into this phenomenon)

When 'Ready To Wear' Isn't

Anna Sui is obviously a talented and innovative designer, but we have to wonder whether (and why) anyone would spend $200 for the privilege of wearing a tent dress with boobie eyes. It's a clever runway look–and we certainly wish that our ovaries and lower intestine looked that pretty (though who's to say they don't....)–but having to explain that the rather prominent black dots on your nipples are part of a savvy statement issued by a top designer is akin to having to explain a failed joke (i.e., deeply unsatisfying and frequently embarrassing). Of course, if that's your bag, you might want to consider completing the look with a whimsical brain hat like the one pictured above. Your kookily-outlined bust will suddenly seem like the least strange thing about you.

Vintage Therapy w/ Bess Georgette: Overcoming My 3 Irrational Vintage Fears

(Editor's Note: We're stepping aside today to help guest blogger Tracey of Bess Georgette work through her unique sartorial anxieties. [The first step is admitting you have a problem, gurl!])

When I first started dipping my toes into ‘vintage’ waters, I made a few purchases that I probably got a little wrong. In reflecting on those past experiences, I’ve come to realize that my shopping habits reflect my avoidance of three completely irrational vintage fears. In the interests of overcoming these hang-ups, I thought it would be beneficial to share them with the world.

1. Side Zippers

Now, I have nothing against the side zipper per se, I just think my first unsuccessful attempts at mastering the side zipper may have forever associated them with indelicate maneuvers, limbs being trapped at funny angles, and the threat of asphyxiation as I struggle to free myself from the tangle of fabric.

2. Pencil Skirts
As anyone with curves will know, pencil skirts are not always a friend – something a little more forgiving and ‘skimming’ generally works better. Why, hello there, lovely full skirt! Pleated, pocketed or buttoned – however that full skirt comes is fine by me and helps to keep those fitted fears at bay.

3. Polyester Fabric

I’m a cotton girl through and through – I like the way it feels and the way the fabric breathes. I have a feeling that my bad associations with polyester stem from being a child born during the seventies, where bad fashion and polyester were all the rage.

My completely irrational vintage fears aside, you’ll be delighted to hear that Bess Georgette, my online vintage store, is having a SALE, and there’s absolutely nothing scary about that! From now until Sunday, October 10 all existing stock is 10% – 25% off (depending on how many items you buy). So allow me, your self-appointed vintage clothing therapist, to share with you some advice: put any vintage fears to one side and explore some vintage joys with Bess Georgette instead!

Rust Belt Threads Giveaway! (CLOSED)

********************************************************* THIS CONTEST HAS ENDED! Please see our current giveaway HERE!

Amanda of Rust Belt Threads is keeping the giveaway train chugging (toot toot!) this week by generously offering one lucky winner a $30 Gift Card good toward the purchase of anything in her fantastic mid-century-meets-mod vintage clothing and housewares shop. There's lots to drool over, but we're partial to these classy Mad Men cocktail tumblers and this gorgeous sartorial complement. The only part of the ensemble left to buy, really, is Jon Hamm, and we think we know his price.

To Enter The Giveaway: Simply visit Rust Belt Threads and leave a comment (along with your email address) indicating your favorite item from the shop before Sunday, Oct. 10 at 11:00 p.m. PST. The randomly selected winner will be announced on Monday, Oct. 11 and contacted privately with additional details. Good luck, and thank you for entering!

For up to 3 additional entries & opportunities to win:

• Tweet about this giveaway & leave one additional comment

• 'Like' Rust Belt Threads on Facebook & leave one additional comment

• Blog about this giveaway & leave one additional comment

(No purchase necessary to win. Giveaway contest open to readers worldwide. One winner will be selected from among qualifying entries at random by Huzzah! Vintage at close of giveaway on Sunday, Oct. 10 at 11:00 p.m. PST.)

And the winner is...

Congratulations to malkatz, lucky commenter no. 1! We'll be in touch soon with details ~ xo, Team Huzzah!

Nice Stems

Shall we start placing bets on how long before we see these pieces in a Gaga video?