I have a little styling rule-of-thumb that seems to work pretty well for me and it’s quite simple:

If I’m wearing a contemporary outfit, I pair it with vintage shoes. If I’m wearing a vintage outfit, I wear contemporary shoes.

After all, no one wants to be too matchy-matchy! Plus head-to-toe vintage is awfully hard to pull off without looking like you were styled by a costume designer for a period piece like Mad Men.

So I’ve got plenty of vintage high heels that I love to wear with jeans and plenty of contemporary sandals to pair with my vintage summer dresses.

Of course, when the shoes are as spectacular as today’s VPOD, they’re enough to steal the fashion show. Certainly these were designed with evening in mind, but how sharp would these vintage beaded satin pumps look with a pair of linen trousers, a crisp white blouse and a chunky vintage necklace?

They’re oh-so-chic and I couldn’t help but smile every time I looked down at the beaded coral crabs knowing I got them on sale for oh….about $35 each.

What a pair of pure joy for a vintage fashionista!

Available at Hollywhirl. | Discovered at TheFind.com.

(To receive the VPOD via email with detailed size, price and purchase information, sign up for my growing email mailing list here. Your information will never be sold or shared and you can easily unsubscribe at any time.)

We’ve all witnessed young children whining for things they want:

“I neeeeed an ice cream cone right now, Mommy.”
“Please, I neeeed it.”

And certainly at one time or another even we grown-ups have harbored similar thoughts to convince ourselves that our purchases are justified:

“I really need a new dress for the wedding.”
“I need a new pair of shoes to go with the new suit I bought yesterday.”

But of course, one of the hallmarks of maturity is being able to discern the difference between needs and wants.

And while hopefully you will never need a life vest or bulletproof vest, you may certainly want today’s VPOD.

This vintage 1970s long beaded vest is very similar to a white version I once owned that was poached out of my closet by my daughter and that still makes occasional appearances in New York and Chicago. This beauty has the same longer length and oodles of beads, but it’s even more versatile because it’s in black.

Fortunately the seller disclosed its one tiny flaw: a bit of torn lining near the hem. But that certainly won’t deter a stylish gal who has a seamstress on speed dial.

No, she’ll quickly grab this stylish find for a vintage fashionista!

Available at Spanish Moss.

(To receive the VPOD via email with detailed size, price and purchase information, sign up for my growing email mailing list here. Your information will never be sold or shared and you can easily unsubscribe at any time.)

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Vintage 1980s Oscar de la Renta Ruffle Blazer (thriftwares) | Vintage Hattie Carnegie Charm Bracelet (urbanantiques) | Vintage 1960s Ostrich Jacket (sistersoftheblackmoon) | Vintage 1950s Polka Dot Taffeta Cocktail Dress (phoebe_jones) | Vintage Patricia Smith Moon Bag (yogibear1234) | Vintage Accordian Pleat Max Dress (playgroundvintage) | Vintage 1960s Pucci Pajama Set (rubyfruit66) | Vintage 1980s Ungaro Skirt (madaveauction) | Vintage 1920s Wedding Gown with Train (heartnsoul1) | Vintage Helen Bond Carruthers Embroidered Cashmere Sweater (silverfreak) | Vintage YSL Necklace (joyas78) | Vintage 1920s Art Deco Beaded Dress (uniqueclothinghome) | Vintage 1960s Tiered Lace Dress (ndbvintage) | Vintage Malcolm Starr Beaded Cocktail Dress (cheapthrillsvintage) | Vintage Gucci Floral Handbag (doorstepfashions) | Vintage 1990s Mugler Little Black Dress (ferryvintage) | (Disclosure: Editorial selections are made by Zuburbia with no direct promotional consideration from Bay sellers. Zuburbia is a member of the eBay Partner Network).

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Vintage Ossie Clark Dress with Celia Birtwell Print (annieteeks) | Vintage 1960s Danish Lucite Necklace (persnickitties) | Vintage 1950s Ceil Chapman Cocktail Dress (millstreetvintage) | Vintage 1950s Tina Leser Dress (lacedwithromance) | Vintage 1970s Biba Kaftan Dress (lestervintage) | Vintage Lilli Ann Coat (bigjohnson7) | Vintage 1980s St. John Tuxedo Mini Dress (ndbvintage) | Vintage Lizard and Bakelite Purse (jfc218) | Vintage 1990s Crochet Dress (hollywoodstylevintage) | Vintage 1970s Lanvin Parure (plasticplanet) | Vintage Mink Stole (maison-poussier) | Vintage Schiaparelli Sweater with Rhinestone Bows (dragonhouse52) | Vintage Judith Leiber Belt (ebaebaby) | Vintage 1960s Beaded Dress sylvan_belle) | Vintage Travilla Lace Gown (brownsugarvintage) | Antique Vintage Fortuny Delphos Gown (vintagepalmbeach) | (Disclosure: Editorial selections are made by Zuburbia with no direct promotional consideration from Bay sellers. Zuburbia is a member of the eBay Partner Network).

(To receive the eBay Roundup via email, sign up for the growing email mailing list here. Your information will never be sold or shared and you can easily unsubscribe at any time.)

Let’s face it ladies, we’re all aging. The fact is that tanning, overindulging on a Friday night, repeatedly skipping your workout at the gym, overdosing on caffeine and eating processed foods is gonna show up on you face and body no matter how much you try to convince yourself otherwise.

And while there are plenty of ways to minimize this damage after the fact (if you don’t mind injecting a little poison like botulism into your skin or going under the knife), I tend to greatly admire the women who choose to age gracefully by taking care of their bodies from the get-go.

And…if you tend to take care of your body and health, I’m going to guess that you probably extend a little extra TLC to your wardrobe as well. So hail to those women who took the time to carefully clean and store their treasured dresses so that we vintage fashionistas could enjoy them decades later.

Take today VPOD, for instance, which looks pretty darn good for being over 86 years old!

While there are still quite a few early 1920s dresses around, so many of them are damaged and look waaaay older than their age. Restoration is an option, of course, but just like a face lift can never completely erase the signs of aging, a restored garment is never as good as a genuine article that has weathered the hands of time organically.

And today’s beauty did just that. Thanks to proper care, this beautiful art deco beaded gown still has silk that is strong and beading that stayed in place. I can only hope that I’m in this kind of great shape when I’m 86!

It’s an absolute treasure for a vintage fashionista!

Available at Vintage Griffin.

(To receive the VPOD via email with detailed size, price and purchase information, sign up for my growing email mailing list here. Your information will never be sold or shared and you can easily unsubscribe at any time.)

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Vintage 1930s Draped and Beaded Evening Gown (redhousevintage) | Vintage Turquoise Print Maurice Dress (cork123) | Vintage 1960s Woven Wicker Handbag (citrinedream) | Vintage 1990s Versace Couture Cocktail Dress (betz6358) | Vintage Hattie Carnegie Rhinestone Floral Earrings (hawaiibeads) | Vintage Paco Rabanne Nautical Skirt and Halter Set (koko1954) | Vintage Edwardian Coat (those12days) | Vintage 1930s Satin Wedding Lounging Gown (mynoble) | Vintage 1940s Grey and Chartreuse Day Dress (cheapthrillsvintage) | Vintage Limited Edition Yves Saint Laurent Necklace (remark16) | Vintage 1980s Khaki Safari Jumpsuit (thriftwares) | Vintage 1950s Alfred Shaheen Sarong Sundress (venusdjangoanddot) | Vintage 1970s Ethnic Gauze and Sequin Tent Dress (lacedwithromance) | Vintage 1960s Jackie O Dress and Coat Set (booboopeedoo) | Vintage 1950s Mexican Dress (gambinica) | Vintage 1950s Lace Ruffled Prom Dress (tangleofthorns) | (Disclosure: Editorial selections are made by Zuburbia with no direct promotional consideration from Bay sellers. Zuburbia is, however, a member of the eBay Partner Network).

(To receive the eBay Roundup via email, sign up for the growing email mailing list here. Your information will never be sold or shared and you can easily unsubscribe at any time.)

Surely you’ve seen those contests where someone fills a huge jar with jelly beans or M&Ms or marbles and whoever makes the closest guess wins a prize. Well, I’ve always thought it would be fun to do a similar contest but instead of guessing the number of widgets in a jar, you’d be required to guess the number of beads on a vintage beaded dress. Unfortunately, I have yet to find an intern willing to do the actual bead counting for me!

But I thought of this contest idea again when I spied today’s VPOD. There must be thousands of beads on this beauty—so many that surely no one watching you sashay across a room would ever notice the ones that are missing. And the beautiful art deco design? It gets its texture from the interesting mix of silver metal discs, seed beads, bugle beads and sequins.

As if that’s not enough, add in some provenance, too, since this dress is said to have been worn by the granddaughter of Denman Thompson, a well-known vaudeville performer and playwright.

Add it all up and you have a smashing find for a vintage fashionista!

Available at Morning Glorious Vintage.

(To receive the VPOD via email with detailed size, price and purchase information, sign up for my growing email mailing list here. Your information will never be sold or shared and you can easily unsubscribe at any time.)

Traditionally, wedding invitations are mailed six to eight weeks before the Big Day. And that means that anyone who knows a June bride can expect to receive their invite at any moment. Then the hunt for the perfect dress is on!

If you search for advice on what to wear online, you’ll find a laundry list of rules: Don’t wear black. Don’t wear red. Don’t wear white. Cover your shoulders.

But I’m sure we’ve all been to a wedding where we saw each of these taboos at play.

I think perhaps the best rule for dressing as a wedding guest is to make sure both you and the bride are comfortable with your choice. After all, you want to wear something that will allow you to mingle, dance and be comfortable throughout the festivities. And the bride, well the last thing she wants to be thinking about on her wedding day is what you’re wearing. So don’t pull a Lady Gaga to grab attention and make sure you’re wearing something that says “festive” and not “funeral.”

Something like today’s VPOD perhaps. This vintage 1960s silk frock marries the ease, comfort and conservatism of a shirt dress with just enough pizazz and glitz to qualify as a cocktail dress.

It’s a match made in heaven for a vintage fashionista!

Available at Circa Vintage.

(To receive the VPOD via email with detailed size, price and purchase information, sign up for my growing email mailing list here. Your information will never be sold or shared and you can easily unsubscribe at any time.)

The news has been filled recently with talk about our nation’s health care. So imagine for a moment the following scenario:

You’re a young model hired by one of American’s most famous and beloved designers for a major fashion show. Suddenly, right in the middle of the show,  you collapse in intense pain!

The designer, without a second thought, swoops in, picks you up, yells that the show must go on and races to get you to her doctor.

She’s at your side when you receive the devastating diagnosis that you have rheumatoid arthritis and you may end up in a wheelchair. And when the designer learns you have no money, she volunteers to pay for all of your medical expenses, including those for experimental treatments.

Then, when she discovers you have no family to care for you in New York, she takes care of all the arrangements to send you back to your hometown so you can recuperate with your family. While resting there, you receive the following telegram:

Dear Lucille,

Please Get Well Soon!  Don’t worry about a thing.  Your job is waiting for you when you return.

Love, Hattie

Now if this sounds unlikely or the premise for a Lifetime movie, think again. This is the actual telegram that was sent from Hattie Carnegie to a young Lucille Ball in 1928 after the scenario I just described.

Can you even begin to imagine this happening today? Can you imagine falling ill on the job, having your boss accompany you to the hospital, having your boss engaged in your health care and voluntarily paying for that care while promising to hold your job open for you until you’re ready to return to work?!?

Yet true to her word, when Lucy felt well enough, Hattie hired her back. Even though Lucy had to be photographed seated since she couldn’t walk for several years, even though Lucy would often have to lean against a wall or a podium to complete a picture, Hattie never abandoned her promise.

Without any mandate like the Americans with Disabilities Act or the current controversial health care legislation, this immigrant businesswoman from Austria set an example for all Americans of what real kindness and compassion could and should look like.

First and foremost, Hattie Carnegie should always be remembered as an extraordinary woman, a real American success story and a true hero. Then we can also honor her as one of America’s most talented fashion designers.

And today’s VPOD, a late 1930s dress, is a fine example of her genius. While I could talk about the sweetheart neckline, the padded shoulders, or the form-hugging cut, it’s the beaded fringe on the cap sleeves and the back cape that are the focal point of this beauty.

What a beautiful find from a truly inspiring designer for a vintage fashionista!

Available at Tangerine Boutique.

(To receive the VPOD via email with detailed size, price and purchase information, sign up for my growing email mailing list here. Your information will never be sold or shared and you can easily unsubscribe at any time.)

Not every vintage fashionista has the time to page through thousands of eBay listings. But now you don’t have to!

Instead, just sneak a peek at my weekly eBay Roundup of Top Vintage Clothing Finds.

An eclectic mix of designer and non-designer vintage clothing, accessories and jewelry, these are pieces that have caught my discerning eye for their uniqueness, their contemporary feel or their highly collectible nature.

As always, buyer beware! Be sure to read the listings closely and contact the sellers with any questions.

This week’s finds include a darling chenille bath robe, a to-die-for Ossie Clark and an eye-catching mod dress by Vera. Enjoy (and watch for another weekly edition featuring handbags and costume jewelry coming soon!)

Get Ready, Get Set, BID!!!!!

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Vintage 1980s Yves Saint Laurent Blazer (timesupshop) | Vintage 1950s Floral Linen Dress and Coat Set (abbeylove76) | Vintage 1980s Plaid Blazer (noirohio) | Vintage Oscar de la Renta Strapless Dress (claireinc*) | Vintage 1970s Goldworm Dress (mildredagnes) | Vintage 1960s Floral Dress (libertinesvintage) | Vintage Aqua Abstract Print Dress (meat-market) | Vintage 1940s Rayon Dress (thekaliman) | Vintage Chenille Robe (runningkathy2003) | Vintage 1950s Beaded Sweater (matildasvintage) | Vintage 1960s Vera Dress (lacedwithromance) | Vintage 1960s Ossie Clark Dress (ferryvintage) | (Disclosure: Editorial selections are made by Zuburbia with no direct promotional consideration from Bay sellers. Zuburbia is, however, a member of the eBay Partner Network).