Pink Perfect: Hall & Valena

Jerry Hall 1970's

I am in the middle of a MAJOR style overhaul in my eBoutique Evolution Vintage. I have enlisted the help of a great team to make this evolution possible. I have used the most beautiful local models, for which I have hand selected to represent a cross section of beauty and culture. My talented team mate and photographer, Tamara Wickstrom and the help of a few of my closest friends. Inspiration is all around and for this particular shot I choose the lovely and talented model, Amanda Valena to make my vision of a 70's chic moment come to life.  She just screamed Jerry Hall circa 1970's to me. She's a beautiful blond that the camera loves and she has excellent energy. She can vamp it up and made this 70's pink polyester gown a perfect mix of Jerry 1970's and Amanda 2014.

Amanda by Tamara Wickstrom

Styling/Art Direction: Lisa Graystone

Jerry Hall by Richard Avedon

Vogue Aug 1977

It's not that she is Jerry's doppelganger or twin but the same essence was present in these images.

The location is the coolest BB (Bed and Brunch) located in Cambria, CA - Victoria's Last Resort.

Dress is available for purchase.

Vintage 70's PINK maxi dress with front rouching detail around the bust. Back zip. No labels or tags. Polyester. Garment has stretch. ~ $80

B=34"

W=32"

H=48"

Sl=21.5"

L=54"

The COMPLICE Story

Vintage Complice Suspender Pants and Betsey Johnson Stretch Lace Top

Styled by LisaG

Get the look via Evolution Vintage

Image: Tamara Wickstrom

Model: Kat Cleave

I want to give you the COMPLICE story (pronounced com-plee-chay). This label is/was part of a large Italian fashion company once known as The Genny Group, now know as Genny Holdings SPA. 

Complice 1992 (designed by Dominco Dolce and Stefano Gabbana)

At the age of 25 Gianni Versace makes the move to Milan. He designs his first PRÊT-À-PORTER collections for Complice (1974), Genny and Callaghan.  The name of the line came according to a 1991 New York Magazine article because, "between Genny and the designer there is complicity"

 VOGUE PARIS 1977 COMPLICE

Commenting to Women's Wear Daily, Girombelli (Co-founder) said she aimed for a "succinct combination of straightforward American sportswear and Italian flair." for the Genny group and it's associated brands.

Harper's Bazaar - 1986

80's Complice Ad

Versace was succeeded by several other designers who went on to successfully design under their own names such as, Claude Montana and Dolce/Gabbana who made their debut for the label in Fall of 1990.

I reached out to the Genny Group and am still waiting for their reply as to when this label stopped production. Little information is available.

Do you have any COMPLICE in your closet?

CFDA 2014 Red Carpet

The Council of Fashion Designer's of America (CFDA) awards were last night in New York. It is a big night in fashion with a vast array of creative personalities arriving in an equally wide array of looks.

I will share my favourites as always with a side note about the look the Internet is buzzing about with mixed reviews.

Rihanna's arrival provoked a digital frenzy of posts with everyones virtual 2 cents about her look. I felt compelled to add mine.

I would have LOVED this look if it was lined. I understand that the shock factor was possibly the point of the look but it just looked a little over done to me. There was a potential for a major Josephine Baker-Chic moment here that was missed. The bear breasts are fabulous, if you are doing a burlesque show but at this venue it felt like she was trying a little too hard to make a statement. Sometimes, even in fashion the best statements are made simply and effortlessly. There is no disputing her body is rockin, the makeup was gorgeous and I adored the jeweled head scarf complete with 'kiss curled' hair at her cheeks. The real fur is tacky and unnecessary with all the amazing faux fur textile options. I loved reading that over 200,000 Swarovski crystals were used in this custom mesh creation done by designer Adam Selman. This look would have been my undisputed FAV using a little simple style math. Add a liner, minus the fur (or replace the real fur with faux).

This sheer/nude look is nothing new either. Cher did it in the 1970's when it was truly novel and in a much more classy way in this Bob Mackie Jumpsuit. The class is in the coverage and the illusion of nude.

and then there was 1974 ...

Some CFDA Style winners for me from last night.

CoCo Rocha in Christian Siriano

 Mary Kate & Ashley Olsen in the ROW

Olivia Palermo in Ann Taylor Fringe Top/Skirt

 Olivia Wilde in Vintage

 Rachel Zoe in Custom Rachel Zoe Collection

 Emmy Rossum J Mendel

Nina Garcia

Busy Philips dress by Honor; jewels by Irene Neuwirth.

 Model Karen Elson in Michael Kors

Who were your favourites? 

DRESStory: The Yellow Nighty

Every previously loved garment has a story.  Designers and costumer's tell stories with fabric and Vintage clothing does the same thing on a more personal level. The story told by Vintage is of  the women/men who came before you who gave the garment a previous life at an event, special occasion or a succession of regular days in their lives. I like to call this phenomenon, DRESStory.

A random dress with image of it's original owner attached. I did not purchase this but was compelled to take a photo. I had shoppers remorse in reverse, I regretted NOT buying and went back but it was gone!

Part of the charm of Vintage clothing to me is the garments history or it's DRESStory. On a rare occasion I get to know it from the original garment owner or their family. More often than not I get to imagine it and daydream about where a gown went to dance or a shift dress went to lunch.

This time I received a written account of a piece that I will retain for my personal collection. This yellow nightgown was sent from Canada to me in California from my 91 year old grandmother, Phyllis. It belonged to her mother who lived to be 96, she would have been my great-great grandmother (by marriage).

My gram's letter ...

 "This nighty was given to my mom in the early 1930's by Teddy Glass' Dad, he was a salesman for ladies apparel from coast to coast in Canada.  He finally asked mom and dad to take in Teddy and Margy hence they grew up with us. Teddy joined up in 1939 and went over seas the same year and sadly to say he died in France.

Phyl

This was when material was quality don't you think for it to last that long with numerous washings"

I adore this story and am proud to welcome this beautiful piece into my personal collection, thus beginning my story of the yellow nighty.

Do you have any garments that you still wear that have a story of a previous life?

Share in the comments!