„Vintage Shopping in London” ...or „A Vintage Lover’s Paradise”

Vintage Fashion is definitely more IN than ever, especially for those who want to add that special „something” to their style and make an outfit uniquely chic. Being dressed like everyone else is not so cool is it? Hitting the clubs and meeting your dress-clone from Zara or Mango is not something we wanna go thru, do we?...well, by adding a vintage twist to your look, you’ll be one of a kind for sure :)

Being one of the most influential fashion „temples” across the globe, London just had to be as generous in regards to vintage offers as it is with everything else, since there is really nothing you can’t find there! I had the great pleasure to stroll across a few of London’s vintage venues, experience that I definitely want to share :) Vintage shops in London are much more specialized, organized and generous in terms of the offer, than the ones we have in Romania, BUT it all comes at a price, you won’t find real bargains (compared to prices we have here!), dress prices average from 15 to 25 GBP and you will be able to find almost any age and any style: evening dresses from the 50s, flower power from the 70s and party dresses from the 80s…they have it all! I also got to admire real treasures by Dior or Lanvin, but for the moment let’s just say they are out (waaaaay out) of my budget-league!

Below is my very small list of vintage dens I got to visit. I also left with some souvenirs (mais biensur :)) and will share them with you in my next post!

Absolute Vintage – East End, 15 Hanbury Street
This one is just WOW! First of all, it’s huge and you’ll find tons and tons of shoes, belts and bags, all organized by sizes and colors! They would not let me take a picture inside (yes, they have a huge security guard standing around!), but believe me I was amazed when I stepped in and it’s worth to visit.

Bang-Bang –The Clothing Exchange: West End (Soho), 9 Berwick Street
This small and cute boutique is bringing a quite popular London concept to life and that’s like the name says it: the “clothing exchange”. If you’ve got something vintage or just second hand that you want to trade for something else or just sell it, this is the place! The offer is quite small, but it changes very, very often and you’ll find items branded by H&M up to Balenciaga (fell instantly in love -and had to break up almost immediately as well- with some wedges at 150 GBP!), Luella or Stella McCartney.

Beyond Retro: West End (Soho), 58-59 Great Marlborough Street
This is also a place you definitely need to see, since they've got a great veriety of decades and items to offer. They've got a second shop on 110-112 Chesire Street in the East End, unfortunately I did not get to see that one as well.

The Salvation Army – Central, 9 Princes Street
Do not really get mislead by the name :) you won’t find that many cheap items here neither. Being really centrally located, really close to Oxford Circus and to the London College of Fashion, this is a very popular venue for stylists and designers, some even claim that Vogue employees love to visit from now and then!

Spitalfields Market – East End, off Commercial Street
Oh, The Old Spitalfields Market in the East End! I so loved this place, where you can find a lot of interesting and a bit more better priced vintage and antique items, while the sellers are also up for some “light” negotiations, so never forget to bargain! Every vendor has quite a small selection, so if you see something nice, you have to grab it pretty fast…ok, after acting like you don’t care, so they’ll go down with the price…but not for too long, like I did, ‘cause someone else will heartlessly buy that amazing peach ruffle dress you wanted so much!!! And while vintage shopping, you can have some amazing food as well :)


Portobello Road Market – West, Portobello Road
This is definitely a London Must See, since the Portobello Area offers a quite different feeling of London, being more picturesque, with the small, chic houses and nice coffee shops and restaurants. Starting from the Notting Hill Gate tube station, going down to Portobello Road, you will come across several vintage shops, while the road itself hosts a charming street-market and the cutest little boutiques.

Hope it helps!

Enjoy your shopping :)
Hugs,
"Vintage Meelusha"

The 50’s Fashion Era

…si de atunci lumea modei nu a mai fost niciodata acceasi…

Lumea era sfasiata si marcata profund de tot ceea ce al Doilea Razboi Mondial lasase in urma: durere, saracie, restrictii si lipsuri, iar dorinta oamenilor de “mai bine” se reflecta mai puternic ca niciodata in fiecare aspect al vietii de zi cu zi. La fel si in lumea modei, anii ’50 fiind decada care a schimbat conceptia despre fashion o data pentru totdeauna si a pornit schimbari in gandire si in modul de viata al oamenilor care inca influenteaza puternic tendintele fashion-abile de azi.



Pentru cei mai multi dintre iubitorii si colectionarii de vintage (Including moi :)), “the fiftities” sunt perioada cea mai incitanta, pentru ca acea perioada a venit poate cu cele mai mari schimbari in moda si a fost poate un punct culminant al feminitatii si cult-ului pentru glamour atins la scara larga. Hainele purtate zi de zi erau 100% feminine si erau create pentru a le aminti femeilor ca sunt femei :), erau create pentru a sublinia sliueta gingasa si totodata apetisanta a doamnelor si domnisoarelor, iar mai ales tinutele de seara urlau “lux” si “glamour” din fiecare centimetru. Un look neglijent, atat de popular nowadays, era de neimaginat, back in the 50’s totul era aranjat perfect: de la fiecare fir de par strans intr-o coafura elaborata, pana la rochita sau costumasul calcate perfect, unghiile ingrijite ascunse sub manusile, care erau un adevarat must-have la fiecare out-fit, ciorapeii de naylon si pantofiorii ascutiti cu toc cui, femeia anilor ’50 era personificarea “chique”-ului!

Cei ce au marcat in primul rand moda anilor '50 au fost fara indoiala Christian Dior, care si-a lansat ultima colectie remarcabila in 1957, trecand apoi in nefiinta, si Cristobal Balenciaga, cu acelasi stil feminin fara limite. Casa Dior era in acele vremuri fara doar si poate, cea mai mare si influenta casa de moda din lume. De asemenea nu ne-am putea inchipui moda anilor '50 fara contributia lui Coco Chanel, care a lasat o mostenire deosebit de bogata lumii design-ului ce a urmat, ea fiind totodata si una dintre primii creatori care au realizat ca viitorul nu sta in clientela exclusivista si redusa ca numar a haute-couture-ului de atunci, ci in marile mase, avide de moda, de glamour, de eleganta si de frumos.

Productia in serie care a acaparat lumea modei si a facut ca haute-couture-ul sa paraseasca magazinele exclusiviste cu directia “department stores” , aparitia fibrelor sintetice, practice si rezistente si properitatea relativa a populatiei au facut din femeia anilor ’50 “the best dressed woman of the 20th Century” si poate chiar si secolul urmator!


If you love glamour, you've gotta love the 50's!

Hugs & Kisses,
"Vintage Meelusha"

Emblematic Styles of the 50’s

Cand spui “anii ‘50” trebuie sa te gandesti macar la unele din siluetele si tendintele clasice de mai jos!

The glamourous 50’s au fost marcati in general de doua forme in ceea ce priveste imbracamintea: fusta ampla stransa pe talie si the „pencil skirt“, fusta cu talie inalta mulata pe solduri.

Fusta ampla lansata pe Dior pe finalul anilor ’40, impreuna cu jachetica stransa in talie au facut furori, marcand un moment de cotitura in istoria modei si devenind cunoscute ca “The New Look”. Timing-ul ales de Dior, pentru a aduce intr-o lume a modei austera, caracterizata de restrictiile razboiului, luxul unei fuste ample care abuza de material si feminitate, nu ar fi putut fi mai bun, pentru a se consacra ca unul dintre creatorii marcanti ai lumii si poate cel mai inflruent al anilor ‘50.

Pe parcursul anilor ’50, Dior s-a remarcat prin liniile focusate pe “silueta clepsidra”, toate accentuand feminitatea taliei: A-line (silueta stramta in talie si ampla la baza), H-line (silueata delicata, supla, cu accent pe talie) si Y-line (silueta rochiei mai ample in partea superioara si mulata in partea inferioara).


In contrast cu “New Look”-ul lui Dior, Coco Chanel a introdus in 1954, o data cu redeschiderea casei de moda Chanel, costumasul clasic din stofa tweed cu o textura foarte bogata, format dintr-o jachetica cu o croiala dreapta si o fusta mulata. Costumasul Chanel, accesorizat cu perle e un “ever-green” pana in zilele noastre reprezentand epifania elegantei si clasei.

Un outfit perfect nu era insa complet, fara accesorii, atunci, la fel ca si astazi accesorizarea era 100% obligatorie!

Nici un look in anii ’50 nu ar fi fost complet fara sutienele croite in forma conica, o forma usor dubioasa privind cu ochii anilor 2000… si cu siguranta one of the things I surely don’t miss from the 50’s…:)

Aveai sutienul, urmau ciorapii… iar marea descoperire a anilor ’50 au fost ciorapii de dama fara sudura din nylon, priviti putin sceptic chiar la paritie datorita unei calitati mai slabe, dar acceptati si adorati in timp :)



In the 50’s petticoats ruled the fashion world si trebuiau sa se regaseasca in fiecare garderoba pentru a asigura look-ul optim al fustei ample.



Un accesoriu extrem de fashionable au fost ochelarii, atat de soare cat si de vedere stil butterfly, cu forme deseori exagerate si de gasit in cele mai variate combinatii de culori.


Fara manusi in anii ’50 nu plecai nicaieri, ele fiind un absolute “must-have” care completa fiecare tinuta, a true lady had to have those!

Gentile anilor ’50, erau cu adevarat posete de mana, pe care le purtai pe antebrat, micute si delicate. Doamnele de atunci nu se incarcau cu “sacii” pe care ii caram noi azi prin lume, dar nici nu aveau ele multe de carat pe atunci…si nici viata agitata de azi, unde geanta noastra de zi e un adevarat “survival bag” care ne asigura cele necesare de dimineata pana seara :)


And then there were the shoes… and stilettos were born in the 50s! Tipic pentru anii ’50 in concordanta cu glamour-ul care domina lumea modei, a fost tocul inalt, in prima jumatate a anilor ’50 robust si combinat cu un bot rotund sau cu peep toes si in a doua jumatate a anilor ’50 in forma tocului “cui” combinat cu botul ascutit. Nu incape indoiala ca “stiletto”-ul aparut pentru prima data, unde altundeva decat la un show Dior, a fost emblematic pentru anii ’50. Multe pardoseli au avut de suferit de pe urma lor, initial flecul de metal (click-clack, click-clack in mod obsesiv!!!) fiind preferat datorita rezistentei! Thank God, we are past that!!!

Give it up for the 50's vintage style! Ole!

Vintage Glam and Miss Monroe

You cannot talk about glamour without her name coming into your mind, you cannot think about vintage and not think about her for a second at least...Try it, if you don't believe me! Close your eyes and picture vintage glamour... Voilà! I told you so :)

She was one of a kind, an amazing goddess that dominated the 50s with her beauty, charm and unprecedented glow; she fascinated everyone around her, both men and women, while she could never go by unnoticed. She was a star, bringing an elegant and classy sexuality and glamour into the 50's era that no other female star had managed so far. She was beautiful, funny, smart, glamorous, sweet, vulnerable, fascinating, adorable, she was unique and simply...Marilyn!

Behind her gorgeous smile and the "bedroom-eyes" there was a lot more than people could have ever imagined… If you are interested in more than just the glamour outfits “The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe” by J.Randy Taraborrelli is a great book about her life that I have recently read (got it as a present from Santa :)) and that has captivated me from the first page on! I recommend it for those who admire her already and for those who just want to read an amazing biography of an amazingly beautiful person (please read in English tough, the translation into Romanian is not the best one) …

Let’s get carried away into the classy 50s, back in the days when Marilyn was dominating style and fashion and enjoy some of my favorite vintage looks: 100% Marilyn, 200% glamour!

The most beautiful vintage dresses...

...and many more vintage wonders cand be found in Brigitte and Patti's "Posh Girl Vintage" online store (http://www.poshgirlvintage.com).



From all the sites and blogs I've visited, this is by far the best resource for vintage treasures, while I hopefully will very soon be the proud owner of one of those beauties. The site screams "glamour" out loud as soon as you enter it! Check it out and you will not regret it!

Thank you Patti and Brigitte, for making so many vintage dreams come true!

What is Vintage? Why do I love it?

“Vintage” is…chic, glamorous, magical, mysterious, unique, adorable, captivating and fascinating and my list could go on… (I know so many adjectives in English :))

Sau mai concret si mai pe larg (pentru ca imi place sa scriu!)…:

… “Vintage” este pentru mine in primul rand o mare pasiune, descoperita nu cu foarte mult timp in urma, trebuie sa recunosc, dar cu siguranta o pasiune pe care vreau sa o dezvolt si sa o cultiv pe viitor.

In termeni mai stiintifici, vintage-ul se refera la haine ce provin din perioada incepand cu anii ‘20-‘30 si terminand cu anii ‘80 (Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah, hainele care erau la moda cand eram noi mici sunt deja vintage…dar nu conteaza, dears, suntem atat de tinere pe cat ne simtim :)), cele mai vechi de atat intrand deja in categoria “antique”. Hainele acestea sunt atat de speciale pentru ca au o linie deosebita, au o personalitate si ne spun “ceva”, nu le gasesti pe toate gardurile si au, nu in ultimul rand, o cu totul alta calitate. “Pe vremuri” se faceau lucruri de calitate, lucruri care sa dureze si sa poata fi folosite multi, multi ani la rand. Adevaratele comori vintage trebuie sa fie intr-o stare foarte buna, iar cu cat sunt mai vechi pretul lor va creste in mod evident. Daca sunt si opere ale unor designer celebri…multe dintre noi nu ne vom putea atinge de ele prea usor :), dar keep workin’ on it girls, we’ll get there someday!

In ultimul timp in Romania cuvantul “vintage” in sine si nu neaparat ceea ce reprezinta el cu adevarat a devenit o moda, poate chiar un capriciu. Ce inseamna vintage de fapt insa mai putini stiu. Nu orice “vechitura” este vintage, acea “vechitura” trebuie sa aiba clasa :)! In afara Romaniei insa, mania “vintage”-ului este deja cu traditie, inceputurile acestei relativ recente isterii in legatura cu ce e vechi si classy fiind vazute in 2001 cand Julia Roberts a purtat la decernarea premiilor Oscar o superba creatie vintage din 1982 semnata Valentino… the rest was “vintage mania history”! Ma bucura enorm ca si la noi acest curent castiga din ce in ce mai multi admiratori si am putut descoperi cu mare incantare foarte multe blog-uri romanesti pe aceasta tema, cele mai interesante (dupa umila-mi parere) fiind incluse in blogroll. Se organizeaza de asemenea si destul de multe targusoare cu focus pe vintage, evenimente despre care va voi povesti cu drag!

Ce poate fi mai frumos decat sa descoperi mici comori in dulapul sau podul bunicii, la targuri de vechituri (sau mai pretios spus, de antichitati) sau in second-hand-uri, sa vanezi haine si acessorii cu personalitate care nu se mai gasesc in serie pe rafturi si umerase la mall-uri si nu sunt uniforma “fashion”-abila pentru pitzipoacele de companie, hainite si accesorii cu o poveste de spus care sa dea o cu totul alta valoare oricarei tinute pe care o vei purta? Stii ca vei fi speciala, stii ca vei fi “altfel”, iar sentimentul ca acea piesa a vazut si a trait multe intamplari alaturi de fosta “stapana” este minunat de misterios... Pentru mine feeling-ul pe care il am cand descopar o astfel de comoara, dupa luuuuuuuungi cautari (uneori obositoare, trebuie sa admit!) este superb, iar cautarile mele, “cotrobailala” prin cotloane dupa valori sunt ca mic drog, dar unul sanatos :) de la care nu vreau si nu trebuie sa ma abtin!

Foarte important este insa “dear Vintage Lovers” sa nu abuzam, va rog sa tineti minte ca: “Excesul de vintage poate dauna grav imaginii”. O piesa vintage, maxim doua cam ajung la asamblarea unui outfit…ca sa nu parem chiar noi niste “vechituri” scoase de la naftalina. Combinatia perfecta este intre vechi si nou, clasic si avangardist, cuminte si nebunesc, kitsch si elegant, ieftin (prefer sa ii spun mai degraba “cost efficient” avand sechele corporatiste) si scump…dupa deviza ca ce e prea mult strica, consumati “vintage”-ul cu masura pentru a-l pune cu adevarat in valoare si a nu cadea in sfera caraghiosului sau penibilului!

Atat pentru astazi. I’ll be back :)

Hugs & Kisses
“Vintage Meelusha”