As a young girl, at my yearly dance recital, my dance instructor would award trophies to her most deserving students. Out of several hundred dance students only a handful would be singled out each year.

I remember waiting expectantly on stage hoping my name would be one of the names called. And finally, finally, after three years of lessons and daily practice, I walked home with a trophy that was worth only a few dollars but was worth everything to me because I had worked so hard to earn it.

So imagine my dismay when I attended a dance recital for a friend’s child recently and watched patiently as every single dancer — every single child of the hundred on stage — received a trophy! Just for showing up and paying for their lessons every week.

So I ask: What ever happened to earning your stripes?

You know, that old-fashioned concept whereby you put in the hours, do the grunt work and pay your dues to show you deserve the next rank, position or reward you’re aiming for?

Could something like handing out trophies to everyone be one of the reasons why so many of the young people I interview think success is something that should just magically happen to them because they want it instead of something that will happen to them because they earn it?

Of course many of you ladies are more than willing to work hard and go the extra mile to earn your next promotion or meet your next goal, so why not celebrate your victory with today’s VPOD.

This vintage 1930s gown knows a little something about earning its stripes, too, with a bold blast of color, stripes in both horizontal and vertical directions, and lots of ruching to soften the look.

It’s a fitting reward for a hard-working vintage fashionista!

Available at Sheila Cook Textiles.

(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.)

Nude may be the hot new neutral but this is one trend that can have dire consequences if it’s not executed properly. We know nude is just a few short pages away from naked in the dictionary and there’s a thin line between looking smashing in nude and looking at first glance to be naked.

Rule #1: Do NOT match your skin tone.

Choose a shade darker. Choose a shade lighter.  Choose a shade only remotely related to nude like fashion version’s of your distant third-cousin twice-removed. But avoid a shade that blends completely into your skin.

Rule #2: Remember that light colors highlight figure flaws.

There’s a reason women love to wear black. It serves us like army camouflage gear except instead of hiding us from our enemies, it actually hides our enemies—namely those few extra inches and pounds that a lot of us would prefer not to broadcast. But these enemies are sneaky and expose themselves with colors like nude. So to bravely wear this trend, opt for feminine, flowing, draped cuts rather than severe figure-hugging styles.

Rule #3: Inject some color.

If you still feel uncomfortable in nude even after choosing the right shade and style, just add a pop of color and you’ll breathe easy once again. Try black, red, or jewel tones or break up your monochromatic nakedness with a dash of white.

Rule #4: Ignore all rules.

By now you all know that I despise fashion rules so feel free to to ignore everything I just said and just try, try, and try again until you find that one perfect dress that evokes the spirit of the nude trend in a way that’s just right for you.

And perhaps today’s VPOD will fit the bill.

This fabulous vintage 1960s beaded chiffon party dress pairs a sparkly sequin bodice with a dance-all-night skirt.

It’s a naturally beautiful find for a vintage fashionista!

Available at Past Perfect Vintage.

(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.)

GET READY, GET SET, BID!!!

CLICK IMAGE FOR MORE INFORMATION

Vintage 1960s Mod Mink Trim Coat (bustownmodern) | Vintage Miriam Haskell Necklace and Earrings Parure (coutequecoute) | Vintage Ceil Chapman Silk Chiffon Cocktail Dress (collezioni_prive) | Vintage 1960s Broadtail and Mink Jacket (americanarchive) | Vintage 1970s Pierre Cardin Clutch Handbag (yabbadabbado_1972) | Vintage 1940s Floral Swing Dress (millstreetvintage) | Vintage 1960s Lanvin Chintz Day Dress (goodgollymissmollysmamma) | Vintage 1950s I. Magnin Cocktail Dress (redhousevintage) | Vintage Versace Couture Military Corset Dress (meat-market) | Victorian Lace and Jet Capelet (alexfivers) | Vintage YSL Cuff Bracelet (thegoodygoddess) | Vtinage 1950s Lace Illusion Dress (mokoko) | Vintage 1940s Emma Domb Dress (emerald-city-vintage) | Vintage 1960s Folkloric Dress (timesupshop) | Vintage 1960s Mod Military Coat (bustownmodern) | Vintage 1950s Lilli Ann Suit (booboopeedoo) | Vintage 1970s DVF Wrap Top (sculduggery) | Vintage 1980s Halston Preppy Tweed Blazer (tinroofvintage) | Vintage Judith Leiber Lizard Clutch Handbag (kp4801) | Vintage 1920s Beaded Flapper Dress (heartnsoul1) | (Disclosure: Editorial selections are made by Zuburbia without promotional consideration from Bay sellers. Zuburbia is an affiliate 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.)

It only took one episode for HBO’s latest drama, Boardwalk Empire, to earn a green-light for a second season. Over 7 million viewers enjoyed the three recent showings of the premiere episode (yes, I was one of them) and critics everywhere are singing its praises:

Sensational!…Addictive!…Captivating!…Smashing!…Brilliant!…Terrific!…Intoxicating!…Stunning!…Genius!…
Perfection!…Smashing!…Breathtaking!…Dazzling!

Of course, all these superlatives could just as easily apply to today’s VPOD and all the fabulous 1920s fashions featured in this period drama. What Mad Men did for fashions of the 1960s, this little gem is sure to do for the Flapper fashions of the 1920s!

If you love fashions from this era, be sure to tune in to see costume designer John Dunn’s work each week. If you want to add something Flapper to your own vintage clothing collection, then grab today’s VPOD.

This flaming red chiffon flapper dress from the 1920s has spectacular beading and stunning style.

It’s a Boardwalk Empire find for a vintage fashionista!

Available at Vintage Couture.

(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.)

I spied a Tweet the other day asking why vintage clothes were so expensive and the way I see it, any price tag on a piece of vintage clothing reflects two different things:

1. The value of the original garment (based on its creator, fabric, construction, scarcity, provenance, etc.)
2. A dealer premium that reflects the dealer’s efforts to make the piece available for sale.

Now for those readers who aren’t dealers, please believe me when I tell you that vintage clothing dealers work hard!

For every minute they spend purchasing a great vintage find, they spend fruitless hours driving from thrift store to estate sale to private appointment to auction and returning home empty-handed. They must carefully inspect each item and soak, steam, press, launder, dry-clean, mend and otherwise bestow many hours of tender loving care on it before they can offer it to you. They need to research its era and check “comps” so they can price it fairly and, if it’s sold online, they have to photograph it, measure it and write its description.

Whew!  It’s exhausting just thinking about it!

When you combine all this work with a valuable garment like today’s VPOD, well, you shouldn’t expect to pay $100 or even $200. This vintage 1950s couture-quality chiffon party dress hails from Italy. And yes, by couture-quality, I mean that every single one of those hundreds and hundreds of chiffon rose buds was created and sewn on the skirt by hand!

It’s a breathtaking and one-of-a-kind find for a vintage fashionista!

Available at Vintage Vibrations.

(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.)