Vintage Style Inspirations: HOLIDAY EDITION
In my day to day, I glean style inspiration (when I can't find it WITHIN) from all over the place: street style sites like Face Hunter and the Sartorialist, magazines like Lula and NEET, and BLOGS GALORE (Style Bubble, The Moldy Doily, and Style Bytes, to name just a few) -- but during this holiday party-season I've been inclined to cop looks from strictly vintage sources. It may have a bit to do with the fact that fashion seems to be currently divided into the coolly androgynous and the gently ladylike (on a side note, I love it best when it's a great mix of the two -- I'd say Vena Cava's and Karen Walker's Spring 08 collections were "coolly ladylike," yes?), but feminine, vintage styling is all I can think about when I'm planning special outfits for the rest of the month. And to prove that FEMININE and VINTAGE don't necessarily have to equal CLASSICLY BORING, here are three ladies from years past whose styles are still fresh enough to inspire my closet at this very moment...
Katharine Hepburn favored trousers in an era when women decidedly DIDN'T, but she wore them so well that we're still feeling the repercussions today. I dream of high-waisted dress pants, slim-cut blazers, and still looking ultra-femme while not FREEZING TO DEATH when walking from car-to-party and back again.
I mentioned Edie Beale last week, so CLEARLY she's ON MY MIND. The embodiment of both "eclectic" and "eccentric," I turn to Little Edie when I wonder whether or not I should REALLY wear half my closet at once (or alternately, a mere slip and a big coat) to Christmas dinner at my parents' house. The answer is always "Yes, do," and that is why I love her.
Call me crazy, but vintage Minnie Mouse is kind of WHERE IT'S AT. Primary and graphic but still softly feminine (Bloomers! Gloves! That high-waisted skirt!), the 1920s version of Minnie serves as a reminder that feminine can still be FUN, and that bold pieces can be tempered with sweet, unexpected details like a peek of a lace underpinning or a charming little hat. A close runner up here was Olive Oyl, but she's kind of a year-long inspiration. Maybe I'll save her for a later post...
Who or what do YOU turn to when you're in need of some wardrobe inspiration?? Any VINTAGE style stars you especially love??
vintage, magazines, holiday, feminine, minnie mouse, edie beale, katharine hepburn, fashion blogs, style inspirations, party looks
