A few of my favorite things...

I am grateful to have inherited a wonderful collection of vintage clothes and accessories from my mother and grandmothers. Each item is a treasure. Learning about the history, construction, fabrics, materials, designers... all the details fascinate me. I cherish this special connection to my family history and being able to wear these items while making them my own. It makes dressing so much more fun, interesting and meaningful.

Here are a few of my favorite things...


This fabulous duchess satin zebra print swing coat was my grandmothers... not a shy woman! (it came with a matching shift dress - check out my blog archives "Zebra in NYC" to see how I wore it) For a pop of color I chose a yellow satin pencil skirt. I decided to tone down the rest of the outfit with nude patent peep toe sling backs and a cream cashmere sweater. I needed to balance the bold pattern of the coat and vivid color of the skirt with something at the neck so I added the 4 strands of large wood beads from H&M. Mixing old and new and high and low keeps the outfit original and balanced.

The ivory linen vest with coral lace applique's and beaded details is an exquisite piece I inherited from my mother. I have worn this treasure several ways. In this picture, I chose to scale down the formality of the vest and wore a pair of white crop jeans from The Gap. The jewelry is all vintage Kenneth Jay Lane. A hammered brass clutch and metallic sandals added the right amount of texture and shimmer.


My mother is a true devotee and patron of the millinery world. Over the years I have been lucky to get some special hats from her. This chinchilla oversized beret is warm and slightly dramatic. I am always playing with balance so to keep it simple I wore a charcoal grey 3/4 sleeve mock turtleneck.


A classic from my grandmother, an original "Martha" ivory basket weave wool swing coat with wine velvet collar and matching jewel buttons - gorgeous!!! Vintage wrist length black suede gloves with delicate floral embroidery adds to the feminine feel. I thought I would be adventurous and be on trend and wear sheer black hosiery with pin dots. Black satin Manolo Blahnik shoes with rhinestone buckle.


Tips:
1. Try to mix high and low with old and new. It will make your outfit affordable and unique.
2. Be mindful to balance items that have impact with simple and neutral pieces.
3.The care and storage of vintage items is very important. Fabrics are delicate and can fade. Using the proper hangers, garment bags, tissue paper and boxes can help extend the life of these precious pieces.