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VPOD: Hermes Sandals and Fashion Investments

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 1980s Gucci Reptile Sandals and The Wizard of Oz

When I was a little girl, I remember waiting with excited anticipation for the yearly broadcast of The Wizard of Oz. (Yes, I predate the days of DVRs, On Demand and DVDs.)

Back then, if you missed the yearly broadcast, you had to wait an entire year before you’d have an opportunity to see the film again. So it will be no problem for me to wait until 2013 to see Disney’s planned 3-D prequel.

With Sam Raimi (Spiderman) directing, the film will be set before the original 1939 film and tell the story of Oz (James Franco) who’s transported to the a foreign land via tornado where he battles three witches played by Rachel Weisz, Mila Kunis (the Wicked Witch) and Michelle Williams (Glinda, the Good Witch.)

Since this is a prequel, of course, it means we won’t be seeing our good friend Dorothy, who taught women around the world that a girl can go anywhere as long as she’s wearing a great pair of shoes.

So just imagine where today’s VPOD will take you!

These vintage 1980s Gucci reptile sandals may not be made of rubies but they’re still pretty fabulous.

And they’re a fairy tale find for a vintage fashionista!

Available at Posh 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.)

Written on June 3, 2011 by Mary Kincaid in 1980s, Gucci, sandals, Shoes, vintage, vintage clothes, vintage clothing, Vintage Shoes

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VPOD: Vintage 1970s Platform Sandals

As a little girl, I remember stuffing my feet into my ballet toe shoes, doing thousands of releves and then soaking my feet in a bucket of water and epsom salts. Needless to say, I find walking around in high heels a piece of cake! But even though I probably have stronger ankles than most women because of my early dance training, high heels still pose health hazards for me and for you.

In fact, according to the UK’s DailyMail, up to one-third of women suffer permanent problems as a result of wearing their “killer heels.” One major factor contributing to the problem is that we are wearing our high heels for longer and longer periods of time.

After all, when stilettos first become popular in the 1930s, they were only worn for special occasions. And walking in high heels from your house to the car and from the car into a theater or a restaurant didn’t put excessive strain on your feet. But now we women wear our heels for hours of dancing, shopping, and working.

And don’t even get me started on the “high heels” being produced for little girls and all the teens and preteens strutting around in high heels to imitate their favorite young celebrities. Risks to teens are especially severe because their bodies are still developing. The stress high heels places on their bodies increases the risk of hip and back problems as they grow into adulthood.

So what’s a well-dressed gal to do? First, exercise moderation by choosing lower heels whenever you can and wearing your towering gems for shorter periods. Second, pay attention to fit. And finally, and most importantly, be aware that your shoe choices today can contribute to the amount of permanent pain or lack of pain you will feel a decade from now.

Of course, there will still be times when you choose a high heel so take a look at today’s VPOD. These 1970s platform sandals provide more stability than a shoe with a skinny 5-inch heel and their straps allow your feet some room to stretch as they shift sizes during the day.

They’re a sweet indulgence for a vintage fashionista!

Available at Girl on a Vine.

(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.)

Written on June 8, 2010 by Mary Kincaid in 1970s, sandals, Shoes, vintage, vintage clothes, vintage clothing

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VPOD Vintage 1960s Gladiator Boots

Jonathan Walford, author of The Seductive Shoe, owns about 700 pairs of shoes from the from the 17th century to today. And you thought you were a shoe lover! Here are just a few items from his massive collection:

Be sure to read the fabulous interview with Jonathan about his shoe collecting passion over at The Collectors Weekly. Then you might just want to snag today’s VPOD for your own collection.

These vintage 1960s rust leather gladiator sandals are super fun and here’s even better news: they’re a size 8.5-9! (Those of you who shop for vintage shoes know that it can sometimes be difficult to find sizes to fit the modern woman.)

And while these babies don’t come with a strapping hunk o’ gladiator attached, they’re still a tempting find for a vintage fashionista!

Available from Dig Vintage.

Written on February 11, 2010 by Mary Kincaid in 1960s, Books, sandals, Shoes, vintage

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VPOD: Cork It

Show off those lean Pilates legs and that fresh pedicure in today’s VPOD, a pair of fabulous vintage sandals from the 1970s.

Just perfect with shorts or capris, these cuties have the fresh look and feel of this season with their cut-out high wedge heels, cork platform, rubber soles and criss-cross twill vamp.

Yes, they’re vintage. Yes, they look just as hip as new sandals from that boutique window. But, pssst…these are less than $25!

They’re a Mother’s Day treat for any vintage fashionista!

Available at Grace’s Vintage Garb.

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

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