Category Archives: Designer

VPOD: Hermes Sandals and Fashion Investments


vintage hermes sandals

Earlier this month, Hermes International announced that its revenue for the first six months of the year rose 22% to $1.89 billion and confirmed its yearly forecast for sales growth between 12-14%. Plus the company announced that they’ve hired almost 400 new employees and that they’ll be opening another 10 new stores this year.

Which begs the question, “What recession?”

It seems luxury is alive and well and doing just fine.

But I know that not every gal reading this post is able to fill her closet with goodies from Hermes just yet.

And I understand that not every gal reading this post will be running out to invest $260 dollars for one share of Hermes stock.

But Hermes is a fine example of a simple fashion investing formula that all of us Vintage Crusaders should know:

Quality + Scarcity = High Resale Value

And Hermes has this formula down pat.

The quality of Hermes goods is unsurpassed. Scarves are individually screenprinted with up to 40 vegetable dyes and each color is allowed to dry for one month. Then the edges are hand rolled and hand hemmed.

Handbags are created one at a time by a single artisan who hand-stitches them with linen thread and an awl. Watch a short video of an Hermes artisan at work here and you’ll understand why it takes 18 hours to produce the famed Kelly bag.

Hermes also has become a pro at scarcity. The company deliberately keeps production low to ensure long waiting lists and it never discounts its goods. While it might be tempting to boost production and tap all the consumer demand, their Chief Executive Patrick Thomas has publicly declared that isn’t going to happen.

Which means that Hermes goods have and will continue to have high resale value.

So whether you decide to splurge on today’s VPOD, a gorgeous and classic pair of jeweled Hermes sandals, or you have you eye on a pretty Hermes scarf, bracelet, or bag, chances are good that not only will your Hermes purchase serve you faithfully for years to come but it will cost less than you think when you factor in what you can resell it for when you grow tired of it.

That’s why Hermes will always be a smart fashion investment for a Vintage Crusader!

Available at Marzilli 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.)

Written on September 21, 2011 by Mary Kincaid in Advice, Collecting, Designer, Hermes, sandals, vintage, vintage clothes, Vintage Shoes
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VPOD: Vintage Pierre Cardin Dress and Makeunders


vintage pierre cardin space age dress

We women love our makeovers, don’t we?

They’re a regular feature in monthly fashion magazines, there are entire shows on cable TV dedicated to them and contests featuring makeovers draw thousands of entries.

But lately I’ve been thinking a lot more about Makeunders.

You see, I celebrated a birthday this past week.

And while you young’uns may be able to pull off electric blue eyeshadow and bangle bracelets strung from your wrists to your elbows, I ‘m approaching that time in my style life when less can definitely be more.

Now I certainly believe you can be hip at any age, but if an aging gal doesn’t understand the concept of a Makeunder, she risks dressing like one of those women who just can’t seem to accept the number of candles appearing on her birthday cake.

After all, there’s a huge difference between wearing shorter skirts as you age and wearing micro-minis. Or copying the look of that 20-something actress in US Weekly and piling on so many chain necklaces that you just look ridiculous. Plus there are all those bumps and bulges resulting from three babies and no full-time trainer that can never again be friends with skin-tight dresses.

But I say rejoice! When your makeover days are over, that’s when you can fully embrace the Makeunder.

You see, as your wisdom and inner beauty grows, I believe that you need the trappings of the fashion and beauty industry less and less.

I so admire the older women I meet who glow from the inside. They’re still stylish, yes, but they’re comfortable in what they’re wearing, they’re not trying to impress anybody, they’re makeup is light and subdued and yet their sense of THEM screams loud and clear.

They’ve mastered the art of the Makeunder.

They’re reached that sweet spot of balance between enhancing your looks with makeup and clothes and accessories without detracting from your strong sense of Self and what works and doesn’t work for you.

There isn’t a TV show, a magazine, a stylst or a makeup artist who will convince them that something that doesn’t FEEL right for them can ever BE right for them.

And that, my friends, is true Style POWER.

And when you have it, you’ll want to wear clothes that reflect it.

Today’s VPOD would be a fine choice. This sleek space age vintage dress by Pierre Cardin makes simplicity oh-so-chic.

It’s a perfect Makeunder find for a Vintage Crusader.

Available at Things of Splendor.

(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.)

Written on September 17, 2011 by Mary Kincaid in Designer, Dresses, Pierre Cardin, vintage, vintage clothes, vintage clothing
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VPOD: Vintage 1970s Gucci Travel Raincoat and Being Prepared


vintage 1970s gucci travel raincoat

vintage 1970s gucci travel raincoat

I don’t know what you East Coasters have done to incur the wrath of Mother Nature but she’s sure lashing out with a wallop, isn’t she?

First, she starts your week with a shake, rattle and roll earthquake and now she’s planning to unleash her fury with 100-mile-per-hour winds and huge storm surges along the coast.

Since I’m of the mind that it’s better to be safe than sorry, I’d be hightailing it out of there and heading for safer ground.

And since I’m of the mind that it’s better to be safe than sorry, I also think that whether you believe Hurricane Irene is a naturally occurring phenomenon or the result of climate change, treating our recent rash of extreme weather occurrences as if climate change is the culprit seems to be the conservative and logical approach.

I guess I don’t understand how paying more attention to our impact on the environment and the delicate balance of nature could be a bad thing.

Part of being prepared means accepting responsibility for your own actions.

So shouldn’t the entire human race accept the responsibility of protecting our habitat on this shared planet just as folks on the East Coast are accepting responsibility to board up their windows and grab sandbags?

Part of being prepared is thinking ahead and projecting what might go wrong.

So shouldn’t we consider the warnings from scientists detailing projected consequences if the polar ice cap melts or the Gulf Sream Conveyor Belt shuts down just as individuals grab emergency provisions and fill their gas tanks to heed evacuation orders and get to safety?

Part of being prepared involves confronting your fear that things might indeed turn out as bad, or worse, than predicted.

So shouldn’t you prepare for the worst and hope for the best?

Of course!

But whether you’re preparing for Hurricane Irene or the future natural calamities Mother Nature has in store, I believe that it’s only when you prepare for the worst that you can hope for the best.

My thoughts go out to everyone on the East Coast fleeing their homes or battening down the hatches.

For, as one commentator reminded everyone, property can be rebuilt. Lives can’t be unlost.

Of course, not everyone is facing impending disaster today. If you’re one of the lucky ones not dealing with Hurricane Irene, today’s VPOD is an especially stylish way for you to always be prepared for a quick turn in the weather anytime and anywhere.

This vintage 1970s Gucci travel raincoat features the brand’s iconic horse bit motif and easily folds away for convenient storage in your luggage, handbag or car.

It’s a lovely rainy weather find for a prepared Vintage Crusader!

Available from Douglas Rosin at 1stDibs.

(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.)

Written on August 26, 2011 by Mary Kincaid in 1970s, Designer, Gucci, Outerwear, vintage, vintage clothes, vintage clothing
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VPOD: Vintage 1980s Gianni Versace Tassel Leather Jacket to Celebrate Versace Coming to H&M


vintage 1980s gianni versace tassel leather jacket

Ladies, start your engines and mark your calendars so you can race on over to H&M on November 17th to grab some goodies from the Versace collection!

Women’s Wear Daily and The Telegraph are reporting that Versace has come on board for H&M’s latest designer collaboration. That means this November you’ll be able to find Versace silk and studded leather dresses along with high heels and costume jewelry, plus you’ll be able to snag a little something for the man in your life from the menswear collection and a little something to jazz up your abode from the homewear collection.

And while we may never know what caused Donatella, who in the past has refused such diffusion line offers, to suddenly change her mind, I’m sure we’ll see tons of Versace fans scratching their heads all the way to the checkout.

Of course, if you’re a non-vegan and you prefer to lead a more sustainable fashion life, then you may want to let those crowds battle it out in November and just grab today’s VPOD instead.

This vintage 1980s Gianni Versace tassel leather jacket is buttery soft and oh-so-yummy.

And it’s the real deal for a vintage fashionista!

Available at Jennifer Kobrin.

(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.)

Written on June 21, 2011 by Mary Kincaid in 1980s, Designer, Leather, Outerwear, Versace, vintage, vintage clothes, vintage clothing
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VPOD: Vintage Christian Dior Silk Evening Coat & Advice from Bossypants


vintage christian dior silk evening coat

vintage christian dior silk evening coat 2

I laughed my way through chapter after chapter of Tina Fey’s hilarious book, Bossypants, over the weekend. And while she offered some wacky advice and opinions on everything from breastfeeding to management styles, her observations about fashion were right on the money:

“It can’t be said enough. Don’t concern yourself with fashion; stick with simple pieces that flatter your body type.”

And

“A wise friend once told me, ‘Don’t wear what fashion designers tell you to wear. Wear what they wear.’ His point being that most designers, no matter what they throw onto the runways, favor simple, flattering pieces for themselves.”

And while I wouldn’t suggest copying Tina Fey’s self-described look of oversize T-shirts, bike shorts and wrestling shoes, or of copying those celebrities who wear just about anything as long as it’s outlandish enough to get press coverage (and you know who they are!), I would suggest sticking with classics like today’s VPOD.

This vintage Christian Dior silk evening coat with train from the late 1960s to early 1970s promises to look elegant in any decade past, present, or future.

It’s a forever-stylish find for a vintage fashionista!

Available at Vintage Textile.

(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.)

Written on June 20, 2011 by Mary Kincaid in 1960s, 1970s, Christian Dior, Designer, Evening wear, polka dots, vintage, vintage clothes, vintage clothing
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