On Trend with Vintage--Yellow Brightens Our Spring 2012

Though we're still technically in the winter months, everyone already seems to be looking toward the Spring.  Some of this is due to the weather, of course, which has been unseasonably warm this year in many parts of the country.  But our enthusiasm for Spring has much more to do with its fashion...we long for something fresh for our wardrobes, so our collective eye looks toward the next season to see what trends can be distilled from the countless collections coming down the runways.  

One of the biggest trends by far for Spring 2012 is the color yellow.  As you can see, it appeared in every conceivable shape and shade...from mustard to sunflower to neon.  So appealing!  And though pops of color are to be expected with warm weather--just take a look at yellow in last year's color trend--there seems to be an ongoing desire for much more color in fashion regardless of the season.  Yellow is one that designers really seem to love and there were early hints of it as a trend in the Fall collections before it exploded in the Spring.  Designers just might be taking our lead--women are embracing more color in their wardrobes than ever before and I couldn't be more delighted.  

Everyone knows what a huge proponent of color I am and yellow is one I love to wear.  When I went to the Bradbury Building and Angels Flight a couple weeks ago as part of my month-long focus on film noir, I chose a vintage yellow silk shirtdress from the 1950s.  I love how bright it is while also being timeless...the shirtdress is a staple, something that continues to be in fashion because it is such a classic.  I paired mine with black accessories since it is still technically winter and I was exploring the shadowy locations of film noir. But yellow is a color that can be paired with many others and I look forward to trying other combinations as the weather gets even warmer.

In classic cinema, few wear yellow better than Ann-Margret.  Just check out some of her wardrobe from Viva Las Vegas and you'll see exactly what I mean.  What are your favorite yellow dresses from the movies?  And will you be wearing yellow this season?

ABOVE:  Mulberry, Matthew Williamson, and Monique Lhuillier (top),

and Rodarte, Cushnie et Ochs, and Holly Fulton

Thanks to Lovely by Lucy for the runway images

Cinema Connection--More Statement Coats for Fall in Harper's Bazaar

Burberry was not the only one who was inspired by vintage when it came to coats this season.  As you can see from Fall's forecast in the pages of Harper's Bazaar, statement coats were everywhere on the runways.  Designs from Celine to Valentino to The Row all celebrated the colors and clean lines of the mid-century modern 50s and 60s.  My favorite, of course.  Texture means a lot to me as well, and it was another important detail in the fabrications that seemed inspired by movies like Pillow Talk and Givenchy's Breakfast at Tiffany's and Funny Face.  The coats from Bottega Veneta (above) and their coodinated separates just might be my favorites from the current collections.

On Trend with GlamAmor Vintage--Molly

When I first saw this dress in my search for vintage pieces for GlamAmor long long ago, I knew it was perfect for my girlfriend Molly.  It's a magical mix of innocence with its oh so conservative cut while also somehow being completely sexy.  She agreed and looks amazing in it.

We recently celebrated Molly's birthday and I was again reminded of this dress that she got a year ago.  I couldn't believe how on trend her vintage is right now...with details like its 1940s polkadots, 1970s silk neck-tie blouse, and 1960s ladylike shape.   It's very Secretary and a great classic dress that will always be in style.

Happy birthday, Molly!

Cinema Connection--1940s Polkadots on Trend for Fall

The 1940s are a huge trend for Fall 2011 and polkadots are already popping up everywhere.  For inspiration, one only need to turn to Joan Crawford in 1945's Mildred Pierce to see an encapsulation of the decade and its style.  In her Oscar-winning performance, Joan wears both polkadots and the strong-shouldered suits and dresses that she was famous for.  If you haven't seen the movie, be sure to check it out tonight on Turner Classic Movies along with many other films featuring Joan throughout the day dedicated to her in August's Summer Under the Stars.

On Trend with Vintage--1960s Mod Dresses

Though I don't personally subscribe to any trends, I am still very interested in what's happening in fashion and WhoWhatWear is always a great snapshot of what's trending at the moment.  Well, right now the moment is all about 1960s vintage-inspired mod dresses.  They'll be big for Fall 2011 and they're already a hit on stylish celebrities like Michelle Williams.  Of course it practically goes without saying that GlamAmor has always been about the shift, the sheath, and all things classic 60s, so be sure to check out the GlamAmor Store for true vintage dresses and coats from that decade.  I'll also be at A Current Affair next month, where you'll be able to shop the whole GlamAmor collection and try everything on...all while sipping cocktails.  If that's not 1960s, I don't know what is.

Something that's interesting about WhoWhatWear's selections is that the Rachel Zoe dress on Beau Garrett is an exact copy of a true vintage dress that came from What Goes Around Comes Around.  Rachel had borrowed it when styling for a Teen Vogue shoot (below, left), and loved it so much that she bought it for herself and wore it on her reality show.  She also loved it so much that she made a duplicate of the dress for her new original clothing line (below, right).

The whole vintage-inspired movement may be gaining some serious momentum now--hooray for GlamAmor!--but it's actually nothing new. Designers have always been borrowing from the past, whether it's just a hint of inspiration or out and out copying that they'll never admit to.  You would be shocked if I told you half the stories I've heard from vintage vendors in Los Angeles.  So I'll repeat again what I've said before--if there's something fashion forward and fabulous coming down the runways in the new collections, chances are that those clothes are copied or inspired by something old.  

Cinema Connection--Rita Hayworth's Studs Still on Trend

Studs have been a trend in fashion since their peak in Fall 2009, and they now seem to appear perennially on accessories from bracelets to bags to shoes.  WhoWhatWear noticed the trend shifting from a tougher look into studs embellishing ornate jewelry like the ones shown above.  But one could argue that the trend really owes its origins to Rita Hayworth in Gilda, where costume designer Jean Louis accessorized her Romanesque draped dress with a studded belt and matching fashion-forward cuff.  Carrie Bradshaw, eat your heart out.

Cinema Connection--Kim Kardashian Channels Elizabeth Taylor's Maggie the Cat

Ok, believe me when I say that no one is more shocked than me that Kim Kardashian is actually making an appearance on GlamAmor.  After all, this is a girl best known for wearing tight trendy outfits that are most often the opposite of the ladylike classics I love.  But one of the goals of GlamAmor is to show the impact of classic cinema on today's trends and here is an example of that very fact.  If you were ever in doubt of the ongoing influence of cinema on fashion, just take a look at Kim copying Elizabeth Taylor's Cat on a Hot Tin Roof ensemble from 1958.  This is for her perfume's advertising campaign, no less, which means it's an outfit very carefully chosen for its appeal.  

And when I say copy, I mean copy...piece for piece from tip to toe.  Compare her homage with photos of the original outfit on Elizabeth.  It's all there--gold hoop earrings, diamond pendant necklace, white short sleeve blouse (with fabric covered buttons), orange belt, cream tweed skirt, gold bangle bracelets, and cream pumps.  My jaw absolutely dropped when I saw the photo in one of my magazines and no credit given to the source of the original style.  For those who don't know, this is yet another example of classic Helen Rose, the MGM costume designer whose design inspired Kate Middleton's wedding dress as well.  Coincidentally, I just happened to discuss both Helen and the wardrobe from Cat on a Hot Tin Roof with Turner Classic Movies on their July podcast.

Make no mistake...the best designers and stylists know their history and use classic cinema as a reference and resource all the time.  The next time something is a big hit in fashion, just remember that the best new outfits are most often old.

Cinema Connection--Gidget's Surf Style

I had a luxurious long Fourth of July weekend...mostly spent surfing at the beach.  After basically a six-month hiatus to get GlamAmor up and really running, I returned to my home break in Santa Monica to start surfing regularly again.  It was great to be back with the Ocean Park crew and surfing my recently revamped 6' board.  The weekend was made even more wonderful with sunny skies and water that seemed unseasonably warm at around 70 degrees.  The dolphins even welcomed me back...they swam around me almost the whole time I was out in the ocean on Monday.  Looking around me with the waves rolling in, perfect weather, and the Santa Monica Pier and mountains looking so beautiful just to the north of me...I thought, now this is the way to celebrate Independence Day.

Coincidentally enough, when I returned to work I found my inbox filled with emails from friends about WhoWhatWear featuring the surf style of Sandra Dee in 1959's Gidget.  Now I was never a huge fan of the cuts of the swimsuits in Gidget--I'm much more a fan of Esther Williams' earlier style--but the clothes and colors from the film are another story.  I also just really enjoy the overall feel of the movie...not a huge surprise since most of it takes place at the beach along my own Santa Monica Bay.  Here are some clips from the movie to get you in that summer state of mind.

Sunset at my home break in Santa Monica

GlamAmor at the Helms Design District Vintage Boutique in Culver City

This past weekend, I took GlamAmor to the Helms Design District Vintage Boutique and joined 14 other vendors selling some of the best vintage apparel and accessories around.  The event took place at the LightSpace Studio at the Helms Bakery and everyone was an absolute delight.  They were also extremely knowledgeable about their collections and, much like A Current Affair, each person had a unique artistic voice that was expressed through his or her curated collection.  If you missed the show, you really missed out.

As a fan of all things associated with classic cinema and the history of Los Angeles, one of the other pleasures of being there was was that I was able to spend a day at the Helms Bakery in Culver City.  Since the 1920s, Culver City was home to the famed MGM Studios, which was once so big that it boasted more stars at the studio than there were in the heavens.  The production quality and talent associated with MGM was unparalleled. If you think of major movies and their stars, then MGM was behind it--The Wizard of Oz, Ninotchka, The Women, and Gone with the Wind were all produced in 1939 alone.  Gone with the Wind's Tara plantation inspired the architecture of the Selznick International Pictures building, which still stands in Culver City as a reminder of MGM's legacy.  And the MGM lot is still in use as well, but is now reincarnated as that of Sony's Columbia Pictures.

MGM studios in 1922's Culver City (above)

and coaches lined up for delivery at the Helms Bakery

The Helms Bakery is another structure that dominates much of Culver City and played an important part in the foundation and history of Los Angeles.  From 1931 to 1969--very nearly mirroring the Golden Age of Hollywood itself--Helms sold baked goods to millions of people.  This was a time when grocery stores did not exist, and Helms was well known for its coaches (i.e. trucks) that drove all across the Los Angeles Basin to deliver "daily at your door."  Both the vehicles and the Helms brand became iconic.  Drivers would ring their familiar bells and everyone would chase coaches for donuts, cookies, pastries, and of course their famous fresh-baked bread that often reached customers while still warm.  The bread was made even more famous when it became the official bread of the 1932 Olympic Games.  And in its final year of operation, Helms even won the bid to be the "first bread on the moon" through the Apollo 11 space mission.

However, with the advent of grocery stores, Helms could no longer compete with influx of so many other bakeries and quickly waned out of business.  But thankfully its wonderful Art Deco building was protected and still stands...repurposed to now house many businesses associated with design.  In fact, Culver City as a whole took inspiration from Helms and went through a renovation of its own in the 1990s.  The result is a city now known for art galleries, design studios and showrooms, and great restaurants.  Even The New York Times praised its art scene in 2007, calling Culver City "a nascent Chelsea."  Though I am enjoying exploring all of that new artistic territory, it's still the Helms Bakery that brings me the most joy. 

Upscale pub Father's Office at Helms

The fabulous furniture showroom of H. D. Buttercup

Art Deco design still ever present in Culver City, especially around Helms

The Helms Design District Vintage Boutique at the LightSpace Studio

Welcome to GlamAmor!

Teasing from the show's organizer, 

Dave Temple of Clever Vintage Clothing (in stripes!), while setting up shop

The colorful clothing of GlamAmor was featured on the cover of this week's California Apparel News

as well as a wonderful profile on the GlamAmor brand inside

Lori and Christi of Lorimarsha shopping GlamAmor
before returning to their own colorful booth (below)

Conne' of Re-Threads with Lori (above) and Christi

Visiting Conne' in her ethereal Re-Threads booth

Shopper Shauna scoring a lovely white lace dress from Re-Threads that's completely on trend

Susan and Michelle with the extraordinary designer dresses and jewelry of Tresor de Vintage,
including Pauline Trigere who designed for Breakfast at Tiffany's

The vivacious Patty Hubbard with her tempting dresses

The lovely Renee with her treasures from Renee Vintage Designs

Lauren choosing something special from Renee Vintage Designs (above) 

and Sari saying yes to a perfectly fitting red brocade dress from Clever Vintage Clothing

Sari doing a little more shopping...this time a must-have marigold Chinese dress from Vintazia

The glam side of vintage with fun frocks and accessories from Vintage Blue Moon

Sari wanting more--this time it's a vintage hat from Clever Vintage Clothing

The extraordinary collection of jewelry and purses from Maxine's Antiques & Collectibles

Thanks to the sweet and lovely Carin Krasner, who owns LightSpace Studio and hosted the event,
as well as all the wonderful vendors from the show!