Going, Going, GONE!

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(Auctions all end within the next 5 days.)

Vintage 1970s Lace Mini Dress (hellhoundvintageclothing) | Vintage Hattie Carnegie Elephant Brooch (vtg_treasure_hunters) | Vintage 1950s Beaded Sweater (paris.vintage) | Vintage 1960s Fringe Cropped Pants (thriftwares) | Vintage 1950s Ostrich Handbag (badger201143) | Vintage 1970s Icelandic Wool Sweater Coat (ttlg2quit) | Vintage 1950s Rhinestone Belt (badger201143) | Vintage 1950s Silk Dress (weatitsatvintage) | Vintage 1950s Lace Cocktail Dress (peeweekatz) | Vintage Italian Figural Tomato Purse (just-a-dab) | Vintage 1950s Romper (nhal6856) | Vintage 1960s Malcolm Starr Evening Gown (divinefinds) | Antique Petit Point Purse (2c2bid) | Vintage 1950s Brocade Evening Coat (thriftwares) | Vintage 1970s Trifari Lucite Necklace (sugapea) | Vintage 1970s Tooled Leather Handbag (vintage317) | Vintage Trifari Matsumoto Lucite Bracelet (getreadygo2) | Vintage 1940s Crochet Clutch (stencilwoman) | Vintage 1970s Alfred Shaheen Jumpsuit (thekissingtreevintage) | Vintage 1960s Leather and Brass Belt (beltsandbling) | (Disclosure: Editorial selections are made by Zuburbia without direct promotional consideration from Bay sellers. Zuburbia is an affiliate member of the eBay Partner Network).

PLEASE NOTE that Zuburbia does not endorse the use of fur, feathers, leather or animal skins in fashion. These selections are offered only as more thoughtful and eco-friendly alternatives for contemporary fashionistas who have not yet eliminated animal products from their wardrobes.

(To receive Going, Going, GONE or any of Zuburbia’s other Vintage Roundups for FREE via email, sign up here. Your information will never be sold or shared and you can easily unsubscribe at any time.)

Simon Cowell’s singing competition, The X Factor, may be posting disappointing ratings but it is certainly serving up some amazing talent with some amazing backstories.

Plus I love the concept of The X Factor, the special “it” quality in someone that is undefinable in words but unmistakable when you witness it in person.

And I believe there’s an X Factor that comes into play in style, too.

It’s the unexpected, delightful, surprising element that you add to your outfit that is an injection of YOU.

It’s being inspired by a look in a magazine and adding just enough of your own twist that you’re the creator of something new and not a mere copycat.

Maybe it’s a rad pair of tights or wearing your favorite necklace as a belt. Maybe it’s taking that purse you’re bored with and studding it up as a rainy Saturday afternoon craft project. Maybe it’s pairing a bold neon tee under the suit that everyone else is showing with a ruffled secretary blouse. Or thinking outside the box and using a fabulous pair of rhinestone earrings as cufflinks.

The possibilities are endless but they often require being a bit bolder and braver than you might be comfortable being.

I visited a talent manager friend the other day and watched as she coached one of her clients for an audition for a lead role on a new television series.

Her advice to this lovely young actress?

“Play it big! Make that casting director ask you to bring it down and play it smaller. I’ve never had someone book a job if they were asked to try it again with more energy or more excitement or more anger.”

Why?

Because no one likes boring.

And if you feel your wardrobe is boring, then you can play it bigger by adding more X Factor. And one of the best ways to do this is with unique, quirky, or just plain fabulous vintage accessories.

For instance, today’s VPOD features a sample of four great vintage belts that could easily add some pizzazz to old favorites: a colorful braided number by YSl, a Vera classic-with-a-twist navy leather, an unusual Renoir metal version and an always fabulous Gucci.

They’re all fine X Factor choices for a Vintage Crusader.

Available at Pamcoco, Dahlila Found, EraExpressions, Fabulous Mess Vintage.

(To receive the VPOD free via email with detailed size and price information, 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.)

So when you hear the word STYLE do you think of a noun or a verb?

Because, interestingly, style refers to both, right?

I mean, there’s style as in “She’s got style” and there’s style as in “Who will Rachel Zoe style for the Oscars?”

So style is both something you possess and the process you go through to get it.

Sounds a little chicken and egg to me.

I mean, what comes first?  Is anyone really born with style?

Does anyone come out of the womb automatically knowing how to match prints or instinctively put together disparate pieces in a way that creates a cohesive organized look all their own?

Uh-uh.

I believe you learn the process of style over time by paging through years of fashion magazines, by paying attention to men and women who catch your eye and letting their style sense infuse you, by developing your own eye for good design aesthetics, and by trying, testing, combining, re-combining, experimenting, and yes, sometimes even failing, until eventually you earn the moniker stylish.

I read an article about famed designer Marcel Wanders recently. In it, he told the story of how he used to put a blanket down in the middle of his room and just put things on it, trying to create a harmonious arrangement of objects.

He did this two or three hours a day for about nine months!

No one ever saw him do it. He never shared these compositions. But he now admits that this was one of the ways he studied to become a great designer.

So I guess what I’m saying is that I believe you have to get through the verb style before you can arrive at the noun style.

You may need to try on different personas, test out different looks, experiment and perhaps even shock a few people before you can easily settle into the style that is authentically you.

And to do all this styling, you’re gonna need a few accessories.

Jewelry, scarves, hats and belts are the finishing touches that allow you to pepper each and every outfit with the authentic style you worked so hard to cultivate. So take a look at today’s VPOD.

This vintage art deco belt features decorative floral metal pieces overlaid on plastic.

And it’s a perfect style find for a vintage fashionista.

Available at Decatique Studios.

(To receive the VPOD via email along 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.)

Judith Leiber, who is now 90-years-young, is perhaps most well-known for her jeweled minaudieres. But no matter how famous you may be in some circles, you can be just as unknown in others.

For instance, a man once wrote to me for some advice because he had inherited his mother’s Judith Leiber handbag collection and didn’t know what to do with it. A local dealer he had contacted told him that no one was interested in those old things anymore and made him a lowball offer. But something told him to hold off and get a second opinion (and this is never a bad idea, ladies, when you’re selling a collection!)

So he soon discovered that, indeed, women around the world are still clamoring for this design goddess’s pieces which are in permanent collections at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, the Metropolitan Museum in NYC and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Now, considering that Judith Leiber recently admitted to buying back her own vintage handbags on eBay for The Leiber Museum in the Hamptons, you may want to sit out of the frenzied bidding wars for her vintage handbags and grab yourself one of her gorgeous belts instead.

Today’s VPOD is a real beauty done up in black leather with an art deco inspired buckle.

It’s an extraordinary accessory for a vintage fashionista!

Available at Skin + Wood.

(To receive the VPOD via email along 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/1940s Art Deco Print Dress (its-vintage-darling) | Vintage 1970s Scalloped Lace Mini Dress (meat-market) | Vintage Oscar de la Renta Bright Print Dress (claireinc*) | Vintage 1970s Valentino Boutique Suit (linda*s***stuff) | Vintage Panetta Ring (timetwister) | Vintage 1960s Leonard Print Dress (blackolive666436h) | Vintage 1960s Silk Beaded Dress Suit ( stargirls80) | Vintage 1980s Embellished Belt (wickedplumvintage) | Vintage 1970s Knit Cape Coat (funkinjunkievintage) | Vintage Lanz Tulip Sundress worn by Carrie in Sex and the City (babyfeeshmouth) | Vintage 1970s Claude Montana Lamb Suede Jacket (koko1954) | Vintage 1950s Emma Domb Tulle Prom Dress (tangleofthorns) | Vintage Mary McFadden Quilted Jacket (gbrllhrwd) | Vintage Ossie Clark Wrap Maxi Dress (ferryvintage) | Vintage Alfred Shaheen Sarong Halter Sundress (astroa) | Vintage Valentino Dragonfly Necklace (pino660127) | (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.)