Friday, July 10, 2009
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
How to Find the Perfect Vintage Shoes - lifestyle.simpatico.msn.ca
If the vintage shoes fits...then read these 11 shopping tips before splurging on a seemingly exclusive pair.
by Caroline Cox (HarperCollins Canada)
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What girl doesn't have a bit of a shoe-shopping habit? From strappy sandals to Mary-Janes to impossibly seductive pumps, the shoe varieties out there are endless. Finally, you can indulge in all the shoe goodness you crave without breaking the bank. Vintage Shoes is a century-long journey through the key designs, technical developments, and cultural influences that shape shoe fashions. With its luscious photos and original sketches from luminaries such as Christian Louboutin, Vivienne Westwood and Manolo Blahnik, Vintage Shoes is a visual delight and an invaluable guide to the art of shoe shopping. In the excerpt below, fashion authority Caroline Cox explains where to buy vintage shoes and, more importantly, how to tell the difference between collectors' items and not-so-collectible ones.
Shopping and Collecting
In the early twenty-first century there has been a new consumer awakening as people have come to their senses and realized that collecting vintage is the most eco-friendly way of buying fashion -- it's a perfect example of recycling. The other beauty of collecting vintage is that you can get an item that no one else has and that's why it's become somewhat of an international pastime. Footwear designers unashamedly pay homage to designs of the past and consequently over the last few years there has been an increasing demand for vintage shoes, as they can sometimes be almost indistinguishable from their modern counterparts. Miu Miu's homage to Terry de Havilland's platform shoes in the early 2000s are an obvious example and had an added bonus -- they made the 1970s originals much sought-after and led to a resurrection of the original designer's career. De Havilland's gorgeous pop-art python skin heels now regularly sell for high prices at auction.
Where to Buy
There are obvious outlets for vintage shoes: specialist vintage clothing fairs; retro clothing markets like Portobello Road and Brick Lane in London and the Cligancourt flea-market in Paris; vintage retail outfits such as Exquisite Fashion in New York and Gray's Antique Centre in London; and of course the Internet. Charity and thrift shops are also surprisingly good for vintage shoes, despite having dried up as a source for most other forms of vintage, because the market is still relatively new and untapped and the names of couture shoe designers are far less well known than those associated with clothes. It is still possible to pick up a pair of original stilettos by Salvatore Ferragamo or a pair of 1940s wedges, for instance, because they have been mistaken for the modern version. There are several ways of recognizing a collectible vintage shoe:
• The very best -- including Roger Vivier for Christian Dior, Courreges and Beth Levine -- will have a griffe or designer label inside and these are the ones to collect. The vintage shoes that hold their value are by individual designers rather than mainstream manufacturers. So look for a designer's name like Seymour Troy rather than a corporate brand such as Dolci's.
• The most expensive designer shoes will be completely made of leather, including a leather lining and will say so: "all leather" if English, "cuir" if French, "vero cuio" if Italian.
• Look for leather that is stitched together rather than glued, as again, this suggests a higher quality and hand-made shoe.
• Remember that some synthetic shoes are still collectible, particularly from the 1960s when many of the top designers such as Beth Levine experimented with plastics.
• Original 1950s stilettos will have metal heel tips, not plastic ones.
• Many original manufacturer's labels before the 1960s are written in a calligraphic "signature" style rather than in modern typography.
To Wear or Not to Wear?
Collectors recognize that many vintage shoes are of a quality that is rarely found today. Techniques like hand-sewn seams and delicate detailing are too expensive to be incorporated into the modern processes of manufacturing footwear. Shoes from the past can also be in quite fragile condition, particularly if they date from the days of cobbling when investing in a pair of shoes was an expensive, long-term purchase and they would have been looked after and worn for many years. So should one wear such fragile objects or, like some collectors, use them to make a decorative statement instead? Many diehard collectors would regard putting on vintage shoes to pound the streets as a sacrilege and instead keep their special finds wrapped in acid-free tissue paper and out of direct sunlight, with a photograph stuck to the front of each box for easy recognition. It must be remembered that many women's shoes from the past were not designed for practicality and nineteenth-century slippers would fall apart if walked for the distances we expect today.
Another reason why vintage shoes remain unworn by many collectors is the question of fit. It is very difficult to find a perfect fit between a vintage shoe and a modern foot because forty years ago feet were considerably smaller -- or women pretended they were. Shoes tended to err on the small and narrow side because of the worship of the small and delicate female foot, particularly in the nineteenth and early twentieth century. It is much easier to find larger fitting shoe sizes from the 1970s onwards, as this was the era when the fashion for the clumpy shoe took off; there are bargains to be had from these decades that easily fit in with today's retro-inspired fashions. But if you are determined to collect vintage shoes that fit, the following steps should be taken to avoid blisters.
• Like any shoe, make sure there is enough space at the end to flex your toes. If your foot moves out of the heel when walking, buy an insole for a snug fit.
• If you are buying shoes from eBay or any similar Internet auction site, take no notice of the size that is quoted in the description -- shoe sizes from the past vary wildly. Ask the seller for exact width and length measurements and see if they match your feet before purchase. Some sellers also will accept returns so make sure you check their conditions of sale; you may be able to send a pair back if you‘re not happy with your purchase.
• If the shoes are a little tight, don't despair. It is possible to stretch them a little. For leather, take the shoe and dampen the pinching area with a 50–50 mix of water and methylated spirit or specialist leather lotion and then insert into a shoe stretcher or shoe tree where it should stay until it has dried. If the shoe is synthetic, place it on a shoe stretcher or shoe tree and warm carefully with a hair dryer while pulling it into shape.
• It's very difficult to track down pairs in unworn or very good used condition because shoes, unlike other kinds of retro accessories, were worn, mended and re-mended until they were worn out. As a result, it is fairly unlikely that a collector would find an unused, pristine pair in their original box, but it does happen, especially with 1980s shoes when designer shoes were displayed as trophy items and sometimes hardly worn.
• Finding shoes that date from before the twentieth century is a pretty rare occurrence, but a tip for dating a rare early shoe is to look at the soles. Before the mid-nineteenth century there was no clear distinction between the left foot or the right; shoes were interchangeable and had identically shaped soles.
Despite recent interest in all things vintage, there are bargains to be had out there. For example, it's much cheaper to buy a pair of Chanel shoes than a blouse or belt, and there is a specific cultural reason for this -- people are squeamish about other people's feet. A vintage dress can be easily cleaned, but shoes less so, and many bear the imprint of the previous owner's feet, which can be off-putting to some vintage clothes enthusiasts. Shoes tend to have a bit more wear and tear than other items of vintage clothing and it's sometimes difficult to disguise. But a suede brush, a shoe shine kit and a pair of insoles can work wonders, and remember that buying vintage is the best way to stand out from the main street crowd.
From Vintage Shoes: Collecting and Wearing Twentieth Century Designer Footwear. Published by HarperCollins Publishers Ltd. copyright text © 2008 Caroline Cox. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
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Saturday, July 4, 2009
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Super Bad : A Little Etsy Tribute to MJ
Whatever you think about Michael Jackson, despite all the craziness, scandals, and nicknaming a child blanket. MJ was undoubtedly a legend in his own time, an icon of the 80's, and a true talent. I was never an insane MJ fan as a 80's kid...owned a few of his records, never really learned to moonwalk, but I definitely couldn't ever flip the channel when he came on MTV.
In this time, it seems like anyone can rise to fame with the right PR stunt & marketing campaign without having any real talent, the tv & media tell everyone whats good and they tend to believe it. Ever since the Execs started to learn in the 50s that the youth could to be a mass consumer market with plenty of cash to cash in on they've rode the wave ever since, constantly looking for the next best thing to buy and sell.
Regardless of the millions they might make, only true artists have that timeless quality, creativity, and lasting appeal to wow pop culture junkies & audiophiles for decades to come. Will anyone be studying Britney Spears or the lastest dirty south jam in music history class 50 or 100 years from now? Probably not. Will they know about the Jackson 5 and the sparkley glove? Probably.
*About two weeks ago, I was speeding on my favorite backroad on my way to Joann's for some supplies, it was about 9am, perfectly sunny, popped in my 80s mix cd and sang The Way You Make Me Feel really loudly with the windows down.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Your Consignment Assignment: Shop 'Til You Drop - examiner.com
www.CurrentBoutique.com
Shopping consignment is one of the best deals out there. There are different kinds of second-hand retailers, and consumers often lump them all together and get discouraged from frequenting them. Vintage can sometimes still be pricey and thrift stores are usually 90% junk but the good consignment stores are filled with carefully selected product at amazing prices. Consignment stores mostly carry clothes, shoes and accessories that are only a few years old, were worn by the original user a handful of times and have been hand picked by the store owner as pieces that are still fabulous. And, lucky for the District fashionistas, there are several great consignment stores in the area! Three of my favorites are Current Boutique, Inga’s Once is Not Enough and New to You.
For the Socialista: Inga's Once is Not Enough is tucked away up a set of stairs on MacArthur Boulevard in Georgetown. Inga is known for her designer inventory. She carries tons of Chanel, Gucci, Manolo Blahnik and other higher end designers. Her pieces are not vintage but are often 3-5 years old, which lets you know that they can stand the test of time.
For the Recessionista: Current Boutique is located in Arlington, VA, along the Clarendon-Courthouse corridor. Owner, Carmen Lopez, is one of the city’s most stylish fashionistas and hand picks the best pieces from her regular consigners. She won’t take anything that is not in excellent condition, a good brand, and stylish. At Current, you'll find a lot of designer jeans such as Seven for All Mankind and Citizens of Humanity and brands such as Free People, BCBG and Trina Turk. And as the name suggests, her inventory is always current, I’ve even seen pieces in there that were still in the department stores, but at a third of the price of course.
For the Fabulista. New to You is another great treasure that can be found in Falls Church. The girls who work there are passionate about fashion and very knowledgeable about their inventory. They carry a wide range of brands from J.Crew to Moschino to Gucci. Their fabulous inventory always moves fast so check in every few weeks for the best finds!
And don't forget, if you have some fabulous pieces in your closet, in good condition, that don't fit or that you just don't wear, call these stores for more information on how to get some money for your unused wardrobe.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
News!
Hi! Thanks for welcoming Leah from Moxie Photo & Design to the blog today! We'll be doing some guest hosting & blog swapping together for your blog reading entertainment! Be sure to check out her blog, and fabulous vintage & handmade shops @ Etsy since they're totally awesome!
I have a few things in store for the handmade shop in the next few weeks so check in on me and see what I'm up to! New plush will arrive, mobiles/wall hangings, more brooches of course and a few other surprises!
Here's a few new arrivals:
I have a few things in store for the handmade shop in the next few weeks so check in on me and see what I'm up to! New plush will arrive, mobiles/wall hangings, more brooches of course and a few other surprises!
Here's a few new arrivals:
hi, i'm a guest. where's the coffee?
pour yourself a cuppa and settle in new friends, i'm here to rock your world.
ok. that's a lofty goal.
how about i start with an introduction.
i'm leah. i'm going guest write here every once in a while. (lucky you). aaaand, jodie will be guesting over at moxiephotodesign, my blog, as well. i know, fun stuff eh?
and now, me. on etsy, i am found at moxiephotodesign (my makings) and moxiethrift (my vintage findings). and i really like lists so i think i will close this little ditty with a list of me things.
1) i dig lists.
2) married to brent.
3) i dig words. (just wait. you'll see.)
4) graphic designer for 8 hours a day.
5) lived in nebraska all my life. except for a 6 year stint in iowa.
6) i. like. to. take. photos.
7) i took the photo above by using the 10 second timer. and my camera was propped on a coffee cup. and i took about 8 photos before i took one that didn't make me shudder.
8) striving for bliss
9) looking forward to this writing assignment (remember, i like words. and pictures.)
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Monday, June 15, 2009
Friday, June 12, 2009
Monday, June 8, 2009
Friday, June 5, 2009
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