Curation + Inspiration

In the 1964 court case Jacobellis v. Ohio, Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart declared his now-famous definition of pornography: I know it when I see it.

The same could be said about kitsch.

Look up definitions of the word and you’ll find adjectives like tawdry, undiscriminating, inferior, or tasteless.

But recently when I was asked to describe the types of vintage items I look to acquire, I naturally listed elegant, classic, timeless pieces that can easily be integrated into a modern wardrobe.

I also listed pieces with extraordinary details or craftsmanship.

Then there are the important historic and iconic pieces.

And finally, I added, pieces that are so kitschy that they’re cool.

That’s right. I believe kitschy can be cool. Like today’s VPOD for instance.

Now I know there are gals out there who wouldn’t think of carrying this baby on their arm. I mean, a vintage 1950s leather handbag with a needlepoint nature scene featuring a deer? Come on!

But what if…what if…Prada revived this style and paraded something similar down their runway?

I believe many of the same gals who might mock someone carrying this bag today would knock her over on their way to the checkout to happily fork over ten or twenty times the price of this bag for the Prada version.

And so you have what I call the Kitsch-to-Cool cycle.

What yesterday was considered tawdry or undiscriminating is declared cool by someone cool and…voila! Kitsch has become cool.

But I say it’s time to turn this cycle on its head and make it Cool-to-Kitsch!

See I believe the girl who’s brave enough to embrace what she loves, what she thinks is cool, what makes her smile, is far more fashion-forward and stylish than someone who lines up behind the masses for a fashion-industry-declared hot new thing.

And that’s what makes this kitschy bag a fab find for a daring vintage fashionista!

Available at LapineOurs Vintage.

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