Californication

A shockingly warm temperature (climate change: plus one!), a visit from an old friend from the main-USA-land and plenty abuzz in Londontown since the Parisian fashion frenzy dispersed on Friday, good tidings were in the air for a fabulous weekend. Finally, since Marc Jacobs sent that first vamped model engulfed by enormous hot pink shoulder pads down the runway almost exactly one month ago, a stress free Saturday, with everyone sore-heeled and back on their respective continents.

First a mandatory tour of the highlights of Portobello market to introduce my California born and bred college days sister in crime to the wonders of London vintage and, of course, to investigate the latest juicy tidbits from my regular queens of vintage, Sam and Jody and Sherry. Festivities kicked off in Shoreditch later that night, new acquisitions were out in full force, meeting with great success and good times were had by all.


Portobello Market, Stop #1: Sam



This week Sam had particularly good bits. A new stash of clunky gold charm bracelets (pictured above), a new stash of great rings and a few special Victorian curiosities...

Art Deco Italian glass wilting floral broaches...very reminiscent of Marni' s acrylic "winter" floral costume jewellery series this fall. Has Consuelo perhaps paid a little visit to Sam one wonders?

One of my favorites, which made it home with me. A Victorian coin holder, complete with original felt liner and spring for popping change in and out! It's a locket, so I plan it put it on some ribbon--black satin perhaps--and wear as a pendant layered with some other chains.

Sam herself models a fabulous pendant

Candice found a gorgeous 60s citrine ring, £180 because it was such an intricate and unique cut and also set in 24 karat gold!

Cool arm thing, 70s knock off or so from 1920s style. Pretty cool.

Portobello Market, Stop #2: Decadent Vintage (Jody and Sherry)

Recent acquisitions from Jody's trip to Mexico

This dress was so fabulous, if it didn't been so freezing, I would have tried it on and most likely purchased it. 1970's super super soft linen, very low square cut in the back. Foiled by another frigid London afternoon yet again!



Candice found this gorgeous 50s couture crepe evening dress. It fit her perfectly, the detailing on the dress was absolutely stunning. It's very reminiscent of a Prada dress I picked up at a sample sale for about four times the price (and mind you, that was 50% off!). I just had to shell out for that LBD because it was just so classic and well made--that and two bags, four pairs of shoes and um...let's just say that was a dark day for my wallet. This is why I stay away when I'm short of cash; at Jody's you always find that perfect one of a kind spookily straight off the runway-esque dress that was just made for you. Exhibit A:



Pucci-esque print 80s dress. Had cute buttons, but I'm not ready to embrace that kind of resortwear just yet--no time for a trip, can't be buying dresses for Corfu.


Another home run for Candice. The styling possibilities with this dress are endless...boots and a chunky cardi in the fall, big plastic yellow or red jewellery/a belt and a denim jacket or natural leather gladiators teamed with slouchy hobo bag and big sunglasses...I could go on.

Another shopper. She looked so fab in everything she tried on. Maybe it was those little boots or her great jeans, but I just had to take her picture.

Jody accessorizes Candice

And another customer...busy busy. I love how both she and Sherry are always completely clad head to toe in vintage fur. They're me and my mom's style soul sisters.

How sweet is she?

Ding ding ding! Jackpot! I scored two amazing pieces: a stamped YSL scarf and quilted black Chanel purse with tassles! Yes, tassles. A month or so ago, when my mom was visiting, she talked me out of a very similar one in white. I've regretted it ever since. It's like, they're haunting me, knock-offs popping up in massive displays at Topshop and taking to the streets! Even worse, the real ones have reappeared on the laps of credit crunch-proof society ladies who lunch! So when I saw this bad boy, I wasn't about to make the same mistake. Neither piece has left my physical person since. You could call me a very happy bunny.

Can I just say: I am SO happy the early 90s/late 80s are back. That sweatshirt's so awesome it would have raised complete anarchy amongst the girls of my second grade class. Until someone got one featuring My Little Pony.

50s couture evening gown. Kind of reminds me of a choral version of Vera Ellen's dress in the nightclub scene at the beginning of White Christmas. I've always loved that dress.

Look at that draping at the neck, the gathering of fabric at the waist and the billowing of the sleeves. This dress was made for dancing, it flows beautifully. And the color was all over the A/W catwalks, weirdly enough.

Broach detail at the shoulder

Shoreditch Anonymous

So post Portobello and requisite apres market down time, we buckled down and headed across town for a night out with friends in Shoreditch. As always seems to happen whenever I venture that far east, I end up getting miserably lost and prattling up and down Old Street freezing in my heels desperately trying to get the GPS on my iPhone to kick in. But in this case, our semi-aimless wanderings weren't without good reason; the evening's event was to be a showcase concert of bands (whose names I didn't catch) in an unmarked and unamed location. Yep, we're that cool. All I know is that there were big bottles of beer for £3, a mysterious kettle sitting on a counter beneath a suspicious and very badly handwritten sign saying SOUP. But the music was actually pretty good.

Later in the evening, BBert reveals his latest jewellery creation: the fur stuffed kitsch apple.

Half fur, half apple, either way, wearing it every day will probably keep the doctor away.

BBert then tries to eat his own creation, the light making it look like his inner fashion spirit is about to bust out of its mortal Dior Homme bound cage and feast on applefur.

Gieves & Hawkes vintage bowler hat: courtesy BBert