Summer fun...

My two grandkids enjoying their time over at my house riding their scooter. Waving hello to "Papa" as they drive past. This is the area that we are adding the slate to our yard that we bought at a yard sale recently. Look at those natural ringlets.... All to soon these little ones will be driving around in real cars, my-my-my how time does fly~

New at Couture Allure - Vintage Print Dresses

Bold prints are all the rage for fall and this week I've added lots of fabulous vintage printed dresses for you at Couture Allure.  There's also a wonderful ball gown and the start of our vintage coat collection for this year.  Be sure to check our What's New page for all the latest listings!

1960s Italian psychedelic print velveteen.

60s silk stripe coat dress.

70s Bohemian cotton paisley.

70s cotton zig-zag print.

60s McInerny cotton tent dress.

Rare 1960s Ernest Newman ball gown.

Weekend Eye Candy - Valentino, 1992

How does one make a red suit more interesting?  Add animal print!  Valentino uses his signature red for this suit from Fall/Winter 1992.  He adds animal print at the sleeve cuffs and for the piping that edges the pockets.  Then for even more fun, he adds animal print tights, shoes and even a turban!

The Villa

I made this pink flowery sign for my bestest-buddy in the whole wide world who unfortunately for me, is moving to the coast. She stated she needed a sign outside her door to tell everyone her name, unlike me--- I have a "no soliciting" sign :-P.... Here you go sweetie pie, I made this totally with you in mind.... happy, sparkly, joyous, fun, whimsical and beautiful... just like you.Nellrene has been my personal cheer leader for many-many years. You know the type, always upbeat-happy and encouraging you on no matter what... What a true gift she has been to me and my family. She is my total inspiration for being a fabulous Nana! I love you Nellrene, you are and will forever be my bestest-buddy in the whole wide world!! We'll be up to visit you soon, pinky swear.

Paris Fashion - 1932

Continuing our look at fashion from the 1930s, today here are some styles from Paris for spring, 1932.  Which look is your favorite?

Marthe & Rene black wool jersey dress with white georgette sleeves.

Beret with bow by Agnes.

Marcel Rochas black wool jersey dress with large white collar.

Another hat by Agnes.

Jeanne Lanvin black wool dress and jacket with black and white checked silk.

A Little Chat With Miranda Vidak!

These days every stylish person was very excited, and let me tell you why: beautiful and talented Miranda Vidjak started selling tee collection of her brand MoodyTwin in Supermarket concept store in Belgrade. The collection is great and inspiring, I bet it's going to be huge success, well done Miranda!
I am very thankful she found time for a little chat... We were talking about:

How is she feeling these days

Miranda: Tired.

About MoodyTwin?

Miranda: Fashion design is something that I do and I was educated for. The point of that business was for me to have my own clothing line, but I took my time to think about the concept of that line. I also had second thoughts weather to design clothes season by season or when I feel inspired. On my second year of college I designed collection of man's clothes called Miranda's rights, and year after collection of corsets MissPlaced. MOODYTWIN is something different, the idea that came after long thinking and some expirience at the moment when I was finally able to start building my own brand and not only to make collections.

MOODYTWIN was  founded in Los Angeles in 2008, my idea was to make brand that will represent casual Hollywood street style, rock vibe with a bit of gothic and Hell's Angels biker style - very basic, with minimum details but still effective, weather it is about tees, jackets, shoes, jewelry or even home design.

At first I wasn't planning to present and sell my clothes in our counties because I thought this is not type of clothes for this market. But when I was wearing my T shirts this spring lot of people asked me where can they get those for themselves, then I decided to design a collection of T shirt  for this market. That's the story how the collection MOODYTWIN -CROSS MY HEART SUMMER 2011was created. You can find the collection is SUPERMARKET concept store.

Project that she is especially proud of?


Miranda: I am not of type of person that is very proud, I always think that I can do more and better, but if I had to choose that would be some articles on my blog. It's very difficult to do a detailed research and write about something that should present interesting, clever and funny story.

What's next?

Miranda: Return to L.A, my Fall collection and something about writing.


Her style?

Miranda: Minimum colors, leather, chains, tight jeans, biker boots, loose cozy tees and fantastic leather jackets


Good habits?

Miranda: I am very well organized in panic and I have a great ability for multi - tasaking.

Bad habits?

Miranda: I'm always late. I have bad perception of time and I think that I could do something in 20 min. that requires two hours. For that reason I'm always in hurry and always late. Terrible habit that people, luckily tolerate me.

What does she like?

Miranda:Sun, sea, cleaver and relaxed people.


What drives her crazy?

Miranda: Cold, gray towns and people full of complexes.

Music she likes?

Miranda: I love listening to rap and r'n'b: form 2 pac to Warren G, Booby Brown and New Edition, Common and Timbaland. The latest obsession is fantastic Bruno Mars.
Omiljeni film?


Her fave movie?

Miranda: "Match point"

Her fave book?

Miranda: At the moment "Dry" Augustena Burroughsa, incredibly written memoir. The book I always have with me is Woody Allen's " Without Feathers" I read it over and over again.

Her fave city?

Miranda:New York.

Her favorite store?

Miranda: Atrium in New York and Lisa Klein in L.A

Her favorite designer?

Miranda:Rick Owens

Her favorite piece of clothes?

Miranda:Jeans

Her icons and who does she admire:

Miranda: I don't have icons actially, but I do admire Woody Allen, although I do not support his personal life I find he is professional genious.

First thing she does in the morning?

Miranda: I take my phone and surf the web.

Last thing she does before sleep?

Miranda: I take my phone and surf the web.

Her moto:

Miranda: Live and let live!

Ovih dana Beogradske fashionste su  sve pricale o samo jednoj stvari  MoodyTwin majcama prelepe i talentovane Mirande Vidjak koje su pocele da se prodaju u Supermarket concept store-u na Dorcolu. Kolekcija je fenomenalna i veoma nosiva, a ako se po jutru dan poznaje, ova kolekcija ce biti BIG DEAL, mada vec i jeste. Sigurna sam da ce se makar jedna majcica naci u ormarima nasih stylish ljudi.
Pored gomile obaveza Miranda je pronasla malo vremena pa smo za Fashion Affairs caskale o:

O tome kako je ovih dana?
 
Miranda:Neispavano:)


O MoodyTwinu?
 
Miranda: Modni dizajn je moj posao, nesto za sta sam se skolovala, poanta tog posla je imati jednog dana svoju modnu marku, tako da ideja postoji od pocetka realizacije ideje u mojoj glavi cime se zelim baviti I za sto imam dara. Koncept je ono oko cega sam dugo razmisljala I trazila se. Da li raditi sezonski ili izbacivati linije kada za to osjetim inspiraciju? Na drugoj godini fakulteta u New Yorku izbacila sam kolekciju muske odjece Miranda’s Rights, godinu iza kolekciju korzeta MissPlaced. MOODYTWIN je nesto drukcije, ideja koja je nastala nakon dugo razmisljanja I ponesto iskustva; u vrijeme kada sam napokon bila spremna graditi brend, a ne samo izbacivati kolekcije.

MOODYTWIN je osnovan u Los Angelesu 2008 godine, a ideja mi je bila osnovati brend koji ce predstavljati taj nekakav opusteni Hollywoodski street, rock vibe sa primjesama gotike i Hell's Angels bajkerskog stila - ali kompletno pojednostavnjen, sa minimalnim detaljima, ali upecatljiv; bilo da se radi o majicama, jaknama, nakitu, cipelama, ili cak home designu.

Nisam planirala prezentirati ili prodavati na ovim prostorima jer nisam mislila da bi ovo trziste bilo pogodno za moju koncepciju, ali kada sam proljetos sama nosila nekoliko svojih majica za koje su me svi ispitivali gde sam kupila i gde mogu da nadju, odlucila sam da uradim T-shirt kolekciju za nase prostore. Tako je i nastala MOODYTWIN -CROSS MY HEART SUMMER 2011 Kolekcija koja moze da se kupi u Supermarket Concept Store-u u Beogradu.

 Na koji  projekat je posebno ponosna?
 
Miranda: Nisam neko ko je nesto pretjerano ponosan, uvjek mislim da mogu vise I bolje, ali ako bas moram izabrati, onda to nek budu poneki clanci na mom blogu, jer je uzasno tesko raditi izrazito detaljan research I pisati danima nesto sto treba biti sklepano u interesantnu, pametnu, duhovitu i smislenu cjelinu.


Sta je sledece?
 
Miranda: Povratak u Los Angeles, jesenja kolekcija majica i nesto vezano za pisanje.

O Njenom stilu?
 
Miranda: Minimalne boje, koza, lanci, uski jeans, bikerske cizme, slampave ugodne majice, predobre kozne jakne.

Dobrim navikama?
 
Miranda: Strasno sam dobro organizirana u panici i imam nevjerojatnu koncentraciju za obaviti/smisliti/organizirati/zavrsiti vise stvari u isto vrijeme.


Losim navikama?
 
Miranda: Kasnjenje. Nemam nikakav pojam o vremenu I mislim da mogu obaviti nesto za sta treba 2 sata u 20 minuta, I stoga sam uvjek u strci, jurim letim I rijetko negdje stizem na vrijeme. Uzasna osobina koju mi nekim cudom ljudi toleriraju.

Sta voli?
 
 Miranda:Sunce, more, pametne i opustene ljude.

Sta je izludjuje?
 
Miranda: Hladnoca, sivilo gradova i iskompleksirani, teski i isforsirani ljudi.


Sta voli da slusa? 
Miranda :Slusam rap & r’n’b; od 2 Pac-a, preko Warren G-a, Booby Browna i New Edition-a, do Commona i Timbalanda. Najnovija opsesija - sjajan sjajan Bruno Mars.

Omiljeni filmu?

- ‘Match Point’


Omiljena kniga?

- Trenutno ‘Dry’, Augustena Burroughsa, nevidjeno dobro napisan memoir. Inace, ‘Without Feathers’, Woody Allena, knjiga koju uvjek imam pri ruci I koju stalno iznova cituckam, vec godinama.


Omiljeni grad?

- New York


Omiljena prodavnica?

- Atrium u New Yorku, Lisa Klein u Los Angelesu.


Najdazi dizajner?

- Rick Owens


Najdrazi komad odece?

- Jeans


Ko je njena ikona i kome se divi?

- Nemam bas neke ikone, ali se divim - Woody Allenu. Mozda ne podrzavam njegov privatan zivot, ali profesionalno sam prosto opsjednuta njegovim mozgom..


Prva stvar koju uradis ujutru kada ustanes?

- Uzmem telefon u ruke i svrljam po netu.


Poslednja stvar koju uredis pre nego sto legnes?

- Uzmem telefon u ruke I svrljam po netu.


  Njen moto?
- Live and let live!

Dark Cottons for Late Summer, 1954

One of the best ways to transition your wardrobe from summer to fall is to wear lightweight fabrics like cotton and rayon in darker colors.  Rich brown, rusty orange, warm navy and gray will all work well to keep you cool while toning down the "heat" of bright tropical colors that worked so well just weeks before.  Plaids and stripes also look more formal than the florals of summer.  Today's dresses are from 1954.

Above, a gray cotton stripe dress by Anne Fogarty.  Sold for $40 in 1954 (about $336 in today's dollar.)

This Nantucket Naturals cotton dress is made from a woven plaid that is cut on the bias for the full skirt.  Sold for $35 in 1954 (about $294 in today's dollar.)

 Another Nantucket Naturals dress, this one in deep orange-red edged in black braid.  Sold for $35 in 1954 (about $294 in today's dollar.)

These striped cotton dresses were sold by Peck & Peck.  They came in gray with pink stripes, brown with blue stripes or navy with red stripes.  Dress at top sold for $36 in 1954 (about $302 in today's dollar.)  Dress at bottom sold for $26 in 1954 (about $218 in today's dollar.)

I recently listed this 1950s cotton dress on the site that is a perfect example of what I'm talking about.  Deeper colors, but still in a lightweight cotton.  It's the perfect dress to take you from right now on through the fall!  Available at Couture Allure for $145.00 and it's generously sized too!

How do you transition your wardrobe from summer to fall?

Bare Legs Were a No-No in the 50s

 "We thought everyone knew........

....a lady's not dressed unless her legs are too."

I got a giggle out of this two-page ad for nylon stockings from 1956.  The two pages appeared side-by-side and the ladies in the top photo are shocked that the woman in the other picture is not wearing stockings.  This seems especially timely given the fact that Kate Middleton is making such an impression because she wears pantyhose with everything(!)  So much so, that pantyhose are flying off the shelves in the UK.


Stockings...pantyhose....that's all well and good, but what about those HATS!!!!!!  Aren't they yummy?

Metal tag

Having bought 3 rolls of metal tape a long time ago, I sometimes find a need to play with it. I didn't want a huge project, so I made a simple tag. I cut a tag shape out of chipboard to which I simply glued chipboard letters to. While the glue was drying, I used my paper cutter, to cut the metal tape into random size squares. I then just willy-nilly started sticking the metal tape onto the tag covering the tag and chipboard letters completely. I even covered the backside of the tag as well. Next, I burnished the metal tape around each letter being careful not to break through the tape. I used nail polish remover to remove the red logo on the metal tape. Once that was finished, I took a regular ol' pen and started poking holes along each edge of the squares of metal tape giving it the appearance of being riveted together.
Lastly, I painted black paint onto the tag and using a facecloth, rubbed it into the crevices to give it a time worn appearance. I used gray vintage seam binding to finish off the tag. Easy peasy~

Toss a Penny Giveaway!

Hi guys,

Few days ago I was writing about these fabulous Toss a Penny T shirts, I remember you all liked it very, very much so I have a great news: New Giveaway! All you have to do is:

• To click Like on Toss a Penny's Facebook fan page here
• Tell us which shirt is your favorite one
• Like Fashion Affairs on Facebook here
• Follow on Google and Bloglovin' (those of you who didn't)

With little effort one of these fab tees can be yours, guys can enter giveaway also, cause there's a tee for boys:)  Good luck! Kisses,
 M.

Gde ste drage moje i dragi moji,

Pre neki dan sam pisala o ovim fenomelnim Toss a Penny majcicama i secam se koliko su vam se dopale. E pa, imam odlicne vesti jedna od ovih uz malo napora i srece moze biti bas vasa, sve sto treba da uradite je da:

• Lajkujete Toss a Penny Facebook fanpage ovde
• Kazete nam koja vam se majca najvise svidja
• Lajkujete Fashion Affairs na Facebooku ovde
• I pratite Fashion Affairs preko bloggera i bloglovin'-a

U giveaway mogu da ucestvuju i muskarci, jer ima i jedna muska majcica:)

Srecno svima! Kisses xxxxx

Meet Judith and Keri!

Meet Judith, author of the blog Style Crone.  Judith has an incredible sense of style and the most amazing collection of vintage hats that she wears with an equally amazing wardrobe full of vintage clothing.  She shares her fashion inspiration on her blog and I am an avid fan.

Judith recently purchased this late 1930s hat from Couture Allure and found out that she can wear it with the feather and pouf facing front or back.  Doesn't she look grand?  Please pop on over to Style Crone for more photos of Judith and her hats.

1930s feather hat at Couture Allure

 Speaking of hats....meet Keri.  Keri is another woman with an incredible fashion sense.  She purchased this 1970s beaded evening gown by Michael Novarese from Couture Allure and combined it with a 20s style cloche made by her hat designer, Mr. Sax Unlimited.  Isn't she beautiful?

1970s Michael Novarese gown at Couture Allure

 Keri also purchased this 1980s full skirted dress from Couture Allure.  She paired it with another incredible hat.  When Keri sent me this photo, I gasped out loud.  I love her unique perspective and her sense of style, don't you?

1980s dress at Couture Allure