street style - winter edition

I realized yesterday I haven't done a round-up of my favorite street style looks since last July!  So here's a collection of some of my favorites from this past fall and winter, which are my favorite seasons fashion-wise.  

l-r / Manchester, England via Hoy Fashion / Martell & Donya Campbell in London via Street Style Aesthetic / tartan pants via Stylesight

After I collect my favorites, I usually try to look for themes.  This one--pants!--was easy.  If you look closely, you'll see two pairs of black watch tartan pants here.  All these pants are what might be called "high waders," a style I like.  Especially when it allows the peeking through of cute socks!

l-r / Paris via Street Style Aesthetic / Berlin via The Locals

Both of these looks have a touch (or more) of the folk about them.  I admire the explosion of color and texture the woman on the left is rocking; but I'm really in love with the (more wearable?) look on the right.  That black coat with the fur ruff, the peek of that amazing-looking dress (skirt?), the Docs, and the cool bag.   Fabulous.

  

l-r / London via The Locals / Paris via Stylesight / London via The Locals

These three looks are all about color.  You can see I love burgundy (maroon, oxblood--whatever you want to call it), and it looks amazing here paired with both amber/gold and with navy blue.  Even the girl in the center has a touch of it in her shoes.  Speaking of center girl, I love how nearly everything in her outfit is shiny, yet slightly muted.  It's a very cool look.

You can see more of my favorite street style looks on my Tumblr and on my "they wore it well, now" Pinterest board.

xo

K

shop preview

What's in this week's shop preview?  1950s plaid, 1960s flowers, orange elephants, speckled 1940s wool, and faux fur!  All items coming to the shop this week.

1950s black and white plaid seersucker dress with portrait collar and pockets, by Lynn Davis.

Pumpkin elephants and hearts sweater!

1970s lilac floral print Gunne Sax dress.

Mod 1960s gold and black plaid tunic top, by Russ.

1950s honey daisy print crepe dress with full skirt and tie belt.

1940s speckled wool box pleat skirt with belt.

1960s palm leaf print shift dress with scarf collar.

1960s faux fur vest, by J. Harlan Originals.

1960s mod orange mosaic print drop waist dress.

1960s neo Victorian dot print top with leg-of-mutton sleeves, by Gay Gibson.

1960s floral print voile dress, with full pleated skirt.

1950s gray and gold plaid cotton full skirt.

xo

K

shoes, bags and scarves

Today, a shop accessories preview with some great shoes, a couple tooled leather bags, and some very pretty scarves (the Patou scarf is so fab!).  All these items arriving in the shop soon.

1940s Penaljo black suede side lace wedges.

1960s silver glitter pumps, by L.G. Haig.

1940s black leather brogue oxfords.

1980s red cross strap low heel pumps, by Tic Tac Toes.

Black leather and faux snakeskin ghillie shoes, by Johansen.

1960s chocolate brown suede pinwheel pumps, by Serenades.

1970s brown tooled leather Aztec motif purse.

1970s painted tooled leather purse, made in Mexico.

1960s Jean Patou heavy silk geometric print scarf.

1950s blue and gray herringbone seaweed print silk scarf.

1960s tie dye print sheer chiffon scarf.

1960s floral print chiffon Verasheer Vera Neumann scarf.

xo

K

a Courrèges fashion mystery solved

So I've had this dress in the shop for a few months.  It looked very much like an André Courrèges dress to me.  He did so many dresses with these little scallop details in the 1960s.

1968 wool knit Courrèges dress, via the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

My dress' tag is missing and I couldn't find another example that looked just like mine, so I figured it was a knockoff.  But kind and sharp-eyed fellow vintage seller (and Grand Rapidian) Love Charles alerted me via Tweet to the two photos below.  The top photo is from the Los Angeles Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising Museum's (FIDM) blog.  Here I learned that many Courrèges designs were knocked off during the 1960s, so much so that he suspended public showing of his designs from 1965-1967, and in 1967 released a lower priced line, Couture Future, to help disable the problem.

The second photo looks like my dress exactly (only, y'know, in black and white).  It comes from the fuckyeah60sfashion Tumblr, and as with so many things on the internet these days, led me pretty much nowhere source-wise.

However.  I've become fairly adept at tracking down image sources.  (Thank you, Google Images Search!)  I discovered that this image came from a 1968 UK Vogue shoot.  (Regular readers might be able to guess where this is heading.)  I trucked myself right over the the fabulous Youthquaker blog, and look what I found in the February 1968 UK Vogue!

Here's the Vogue copy:  "Harrods will be adding a new dimension, and particular sing, to spring by bringing Courrèges Couture Future to London...Brilliant, brief, disarming wool dress, left, Wild poppy red for the bright, short, scalloped top and scallop pockets. White for the collar, and swinging slip of a skirt."

This has me convinced that my dress is from the Couture Future line.  I've updated my Etsy listing (and yeah, the price, too).  Thanks so much for the heads up, Love Charles!

xo

K

labels

Today's post features some of my favorite labels from the Small Earth Vintage archives.  Labels in vintage garments have their own special charm.  I always include a label shot--when there is a label--in my item photos, not just to help prove the authenticity of a a garment's designer/era, but because I figure others must love seeing the label as much as I do when I'm shopping.

I've never done this before, so it took a little bit of time, going through four years' worth of sold item photos, and I know these are just a drop in the bucket.  These are not the fanciest, big name designer labels.  These are labels that I love because they are quirky, have a cool font, or feature a cute animal.  Enjoy!

So, apparently, at one time the "Suburbia look" was a thing.

Love Susan Ross's curlicue Ss!

On a men's 1960s sharkskin suit.  Pure weirdness.

Aw, Stinkie!

"washes like a Hanky!"  Okay.

Love the font.

Is that Princess Peggy?  Is she a real princess?  Did she test the fabric herself?

Mr. Mort labels are hands down the coolest.

On a 1950s or 1960s blouse.  Perfect label/logo for tweed run folks.

If a garment is made of wool, it is only correct that it should feature an image of the cute animal who was shorn to make it!

What does this say?  I have no idea.

So mod!

xo

K

shop preview

It's January, with plenty of winter still to go here in the northern hemisphere.  It's also the time of year when I can't help but let a few light, colorful, springy things into the shop.  Hey, it's not winter everywhere!  You'll see a few of those less wintry pieces in this preview--all items arriving in the shop over the next week.

1960s ink black velvet wiggle dress.

1960s floral print top with pleated, square neckline.

1960s yellow macro plaid crepe baby doll dress.

1950s blue wool check suit, by Jablow.

Green and orange ombre stripe fringed wool cape.

1950s blue rose taffeta dress with ruched waist and pockets.

1950s russet and pumpkin plaid cotton blouse, by White Stag.

1960s poppy print maxi dress, by George Arthur.

1950s wheat open weave cardigan.

1960s green, teal, and plum plaid wool skirt.

1950s sky blue cotton peasant dress.

1950s wool grid print skirt, by Marshall Field.

xo

K