Vintage Value Venture - Yummy Yurman

Ages A Go Go Jean-Louis Scherrer Dress $90.00

David Yurman Enhancer at Neiman Marcus $1,995.00

David Yurman Enhancer at Beladora.com $895.00

What's the Story Morning Glory...a little Vintage Value Venture for a sunny Saturday.

I love the morning glory print, the cool color palate of this vintage designer dress...and the $90 price.

This silk dress has such a pretty neckline, perfect for a David Yurman blue topaz pendant...the discount priced pendant from Beladora.com, of course.

Vintage Value Venture - Black Baby Doll with Bling

When it comes to vintage, I love mixing it up...a little 60's with a little 80's...a little Jackie O meets Dynasty.

This 1960's little black baby doll dress from Posh Vintage only needs some classy bling from Beladora to make it the perfect outfit for 2008.

This South Sea pearl, diamond and black onyx ring is fabulous. I love finding something special that I can wear, not just this year but for decades.

Vintage Value Venture - Pretty in Pink

Vintage Skins in my very favorite online store for vintage handbags. They have a great selection of unusual handbags and incredible prices. Here's a really unique pastel plaid snakeskin clutch in MINT condition that is on sale for $145!!!

Seriously, where else can you get something like this.

Staying with the pastel pink palate, you can pair this bag with a vintage angel skin coral ring from Beladora2.com. It's also on sale.

Vintage Value Venture - Sexy Sarong Dress for Summer

Having seen one shouldered gowns all over the red carpet this season, worn by everyone from Anne Hathaway to Gweneth Paltrow, I've found a bight multi-colored Angelo Tarlazzi silk sarong dress from Retro Dress with sexy cut out sides that would be a perfect look for a summer party. Add a big bold fancy cut amethyst ring from Beladora.com and you'd be ready for the red carpet too.

Savvy Shopping - Vintage Estate versus Costume Jewelry

With the countless number of existing clothing and accessories lines and new brands appearing everyday why would anyone choose to purchase Vintage clothes and accessories?

Mary Kincaid of Zuburbia.com gives us 5 reasons to shop Vintage.

FIVE REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD BE WEARING VINTAGE CLOTHING
1. Outstanding Quality

Once you've examined a quality piece of vintage clothing you will readily see that it just can't compare to one of today's contemporary garments at a similar price. It's actually possible to wear couture-quality garments for the price of ready-to-wear! Vintage clothing was often lovingly sewed by talented home seamstresses or made by designers who put extra-loving care into each garment--and it shows.The fabrics, many times, are unbelievable. A similar item in the same fabric today could conceivably put it out of your price range. Outstanding silks, cashmeres, wools, leathers and furs are available at prices that pale in comparison to walking into a boutique and purchasing a similar item today.

2. Unique Details

Hand embroidery, unique buttons (many collectible on their own), outstanding beading (sometimes glass), blazers with printed silk linings. The kind of detail that today is often found in only the high-end designer or couture garments is available on many vintage clothing pieces of yesteryear.

3. Individuality

You can be assured that if you are wearing a vintage clothing item, you will not have to worry about another woman walking in the door with the same dress, blouse, or handbag. The confident vintage fashionista knows that she can wear her beautiful hand-embroidered tulle blouse even when lavish embellishments aren't the "Season's Trend." These vintage clothing pieces turn heads because of their uniqueness. If you aren't a cookie-cutter personality, then vintage clothing is for you. Vintage allows you to have what no one else can have-let them drool over your one-of-a-kind pony skin handbag! You can look fantastic without looking like anyone else.

4. Financial Freedom

Okay, quick quiz question: Which would you choose? A new Chanel suit or Gucci handbag from the current season or 2 Chanel suits or Gucci handbags from a decade ago? Buying vintage clothes, especially non-sought-after labels or individually tailored pieces, makes you clothing budget go a lot further. For the same amount of your hard-earned cash, you can compile an outstanding wardrobe by buying vintage clothing and accessories. Talk to anyone who is a vintage-aholic and you'll hear the stories: an authentic Christian Dior handbag purchased for $1, a fox fur stole for $15, a no-name wool suit with black fur collar for $35. Now these are the extreme vintage bargains that make one jump up and down with glee, yes, but purchasing that handbag for $100, the fur stole for $125 and the suit for $150 is entirely possible using eBay or a quality vintage clothing website or boutique. Or maybe you'd rather blow your entire yearly wardrobe on just one of these trendy pieces? I didn't think so.

5. Environmental Contribution

According to the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, over 4 million tons of textiles are sent to landfills each year. Recycling these beautiful pieces of vintage clothing means one less piece of clothing left in our landfills. It also honors the designers who created them, the seamstresses who poured hours into their creation and the women who initially owned and loved them. Also, most of today's textiles requite petroleum in their manufacture, so wearing vintage clothes also helps with our fossil fuel concerns.

For fashion magazines Harper's Bazaar has always been one of my favorites. But I'm blown away with the 3 page article titled The Return of Costume Jewelry from the May print issue. This article actually states

Best Investments From CHIC chokers to key cuffs, here are all the season's MUST-HAVES for accessories while recommending a Balenciaga crystal necklace for $9,875 and other items priced well over $1,000. Are they insane?

Costume jewelry (like the Balenciaga necklace pictured above) is a total waste of money. Even before it goes out to fashion it tends to falls apart. And... if it manages to stay intact, it has no lasting monetary value. You can't break it down to its intrinsic worth of metal and gemstones.

"It" bags and "It" shoes are over. Jewelry is the accessory to wear this season and the next. Just make sure that you wear fine jewelry, and if you want value at at reasonable price, buy Vintgage Estate Jewelry and spend less than what you would pay for designer costume jewelry.

Vintage Value Venture - Beautiful Blue

Looking for an elegant vintage cocktail dress that you can wear all year long? This beautiful vintage 1950's dress from Circa Vintage in blue and gold is perfect for summertime cocktails in the garden, or a winter night at the ballet. Staying with the blue and gold theme and accentuating the pretty squared neckline, I think this vintage Judith Ripka Necklace and Pendant from Beladora.com is perfect.

Something Old - Something New in New York

If you're going to be in New York this weekend you can check out the best of what's old and new.

Mary Kinkaid of Zuburbia.com has posted that the Manhattan Vintage Clothing Show will be held at the Metropolitan Pavilion on West 18th.

Opening today at the Forbes Gallery on 5th Avenue, the Fashion Jewelry Institute will be exhibiting new jewelry by contemporary designers.

Although demand for estate jewelry remains high, contemporary jewelers — including Lorenz Bäumer, Adria de Haume and Stephen Webster — are rocking the market with edgy designs and craftsmanship.

Ralph Esmerian, the jewelry and antiques collector and owner of Fred Leighton, curated the exhibit along with guest curators Beth Rudin DeWoody, Saks Fifth Avenue and World Gold Council. Among the 40 brands are Cinta by John Hardy, Mia Fonssagrives-Solow, Graff and Cartier.

Well, Ralph Esmerian has certainly been keeping busy between curating this exhibit and filing Chapter 11 last week.

Savvy Shopping - Pink and Green for Spring

Ah...it's spring and young love is in the air. There's really nothing like seeing a gorgeous and brilliant young couple on their way to getting married. And, I'm so looking forward to the wedding this summer in Napa Valley.

So...I have an engagement party to go to this weekend at a beautiful estate in Bel Air with a charming gentleman. Perfect.

It's going to be an early evening affair in a lovely garden filled with flowers so I'm going to wear something bright in pink and green.
Sometimes I just have to let my inner preppy out.

This gorgeous bright green dress (on sale!) and sexy fuchsia shoes are from Nordstrom.com. Add something vintage with this hot pink satin bag from Unique Boutique NYC.

Of course, let's not forget the bling. This pink "Lola" pendant and "Lola" ring both by Judith Ripka from Beladora.com will be perfect.

Going Green for Earth Day 2008

Since tomorrow is Earth Day I thought that I would go Green.

An important part of going green is recycling and that's why I'm all about buying vintage, especially estate jewelry like this pendant and ring by Grima from Beladora.com.

Add to that this wonderful snake bag from vintage skins. God knows that when a snake, alligator or crocodile has given its life for fashion, it should be appreciated for a long, long time.

Bound to Happen - Backlash of the It Bag

Accessories and beauty products have always been the key to growth for luxury brands. At Chanel for example, where the average customer can't afford the pret a porter, let alone the couture, she can afford at the low end buy a mascara and at the high end a piece of costume jewelry.

These businesses survive on volume sales so they need to carefully price accessories to be expensive enough to attract the aspirational consumer but not too high that they can't afford it and will choose another brand.

So, according to WWD, after years of emphasis on handbags and shoes, which are basically now too expensive for the recession wary consumer, costume jewelry is positioned to be priced at the sweet spot.

The backlash of the "It" bag phenomenon has also opened up new opportunities for other accessories. As the euro has risen, so has the price of handbags produced in Italy by the likes of Fendi, Chanel and Prada. The aspirational customer is now thinking twice before spending over $1,500 on a handbag to key into trends."The bag looks tired to me," said jewelry designer Gerard Yosca. "How much more can you say with a bag right now? Costume jewelry looks more one-of-a-kind and it's about the jewelry, not about the name."Fialkoff said, "Women still love bags and shoes, but we've had a fabulous run of those categories and now jewelry is seen as fresh and new and different. It's offering her newness that she hasn't purchased as much of in recent years."

Only time will tell if costume jewelry will see the same backlash as the "It" bag, especially since iconic luxury brands have joined the mix. Costume jewelry is yet another category where firms like Louis Vuitton and Marni can create branded "It" necklaces."You can tell when someone is wearing a YSL or Lanvin necklace," said Roxanne Assoulin, creative director at Lee Angel. "Costume jewelry has become signature and has brand awareness."

My opinion on all of this, thank you for asking, is that costume jewelry is a complete waste of money. It isn't well made, it breaks easily and can't be repaired, it looks and feels cheap, it can't be reworked into something else, or sold for its intrinsic value.

If you are looking for enduring value and timeless elegance estate jewelry is the only way to go. You get the design, the quality, the history, and the intrinsic value of the gold, gemstones, etc. for a discounted price.

As for history, here's a couple of vintage 1940's - 1950's Retro bracelets from Beladora.com each priced under $500.

Decades Later - Dress Discovered

As a little girl my mother's closest was the equivalent of Shangri La. All of her clothes were so chic that I wished I had them to wear today.

Well, I might just get my wish...at least for one dress.

While shopping on the Vintage Vixen site I saw this fitted little silk dress, which I could swear belonged to my mother back in the day. She also, had the same dress in a pink and blue mix. The web site says that the dress was factory made, but I remember that all of my mother's clothes from this period of her life were custom made.

So, mother if this was your dress let me know.

Vintage Value Venture - For All You Vintage Vixens

If bright colors aren't your style, here's a simple little 1950's vintage dress with a new look silhouette from Vintage Vixens. I love the feather like leaf detail in the design. I'd wear it with a little gold bag also from Vintage Vixen.

To brighten up the look I'd add something sweet and simple from Beladora.com. A citrine ring in 18k with a lacy feather design and little citrine dangle earrings also in 18k.

Savvy Shopping - More on Sale From Yoox

Here's another idea for next fall from the sale pages at Yoox.com. A great dress from Victor & Rolf ($248) topped with a classic black coat from Boule de Neige ($329) and sexy T-strap shoes from Dolce & Gabbana ($105!!!). I like this outfit with claret colored vintage garnet jewelry. Here's the link to the vintage garnet jewelry from Beladora2.com.

Savvy Shopping - Yoox.com Sale

I've been reading a lot about Yoox.com but it wasn't until Style Spy wrote about their huge sale that I meandered over to the site.

A great way to save money is by shopping for out of season clothes and Yoox has page after page of clothes and accessories. But...with all good things there is a catch... there are a limited number of items and sizes.

Here's one of my picks from the site.

Wool Jacket by Cycle, Silk Blouse by Gold Hawk, Lavender Shoes by L'autre Chose and Skirt by Lanvin...all on sale.

And the pretty three stone amethyst ring is from Beladora2.com.

Vintage Value Venture - From Vintage Couture and Beladora

Vintage Couture has a small but eclectic selection of shoes, bags and dresses. How do you pick between vintage Missoni, Cardin and Dior?

The best value I think is this lovely Tuleh print dress. The craftsmanship of Tuleh is, in my opinion, the closest you can get to actual couture in a pret a porter line. The construction, the stitching, and the fabrics are always the finest. And this vintage dress is perfect for this season with its water color pastel palate.

What to wear with it, well that's easy. A pair of vintage Brian Atwood shoes, of course.

And let's not forget the jewelry. Kunzite is such a pretty gemstone. The color ranges from light pink to a deep purple pink. This kunzite pendant and ring in 18K white gold with diamonds, from Beladora.com are perfect complements with this outfit.

Spend it Like Beckham

Posh buys vintage clothes...who knew. Here she is at a Los Angeles vintage store.

Blue, Green and Another Zebra Ring

If the David Webb jewelry is a little too high end for everyday, here's a colorful alternative zebra ring in blue and green enamel in 18k. Pair this with a bright blue enamel bangle bracelet also in 18k.

Staying with the blue and green theme, I'd wear this sporty outfit from Banana Republic.