Stylish Thought

Long before Beyonce donned a Bettie Page wig and became Hunny B, beautiful women in contorted positions, curled hair and round hips were the epitome of sex appeal and fantasy. From Jane Mansfield to Dita Von Teese, the art of the Pin-Up is alive and seductively kicking and recently I got to experience the feminine power that is the pin-up girl.

My Day as a Pin-up

So what do I have in common with Marilyn and Betty (besides a sizeable rack and penchant for alcohol)? When I reached Celeste Giuliano’s Philadelphia studio I would soon find out. Vintage movie posters lined the walls opposite ceiling-high closets packed with polka dot and sailor inspired dresses, high waisted shorts and enough stacked heels to make any vintage lover swoon.  In the corner across from the makeup and hair stations was a retro 1940s salon hair dryer and a bubblegum pink stove sitting in the studio. Celeste spares no novelty in her retro wonderland where she transforms everyday women into beautiful, pin-ups. This isn’t just her business, it’s her way of life.

A dark-haired, petite and bubbly woman Celeste, who attended the University of the Arts, greeted me, introduced me her all girl (and highly experienced) team and showed me the outfits she chose based on our phone consultation.  A red polka dot halter dress, a navy sailor dress with a sweetheart neckline and the dress I ultimately wore, a cherry print halter dress with neon green straps were picked with the expertise of a professional with over 10 years experience. Garters clasped, hair coiffed in cascading victory rolls and my face  unrecognizably beautiful, I was ready for my close-up.

A bright red backdrop set with a white oval mirror, vintage hat boxes, gloves and a compact mirror awaited. My own personal dressing room. What I thought would be awkward and feel like extreme dress-up, felt natural and empowering. As I tucked my knees in and thrusts my hips out I felt womanly powers flowing through me. Walking in the footprints of some of the sexiest women alive and damn did it feel good. Before I knew it, Celeste said “You’re finished.” I walked away feeling euphoric and wishing I could live as a pin-up every day.

How to bring a little Pin-Up Sex Appeal in your life

Pin-ups will always be the mysterious vixens that stare seductively from a photo, whether it’s for war soldiers missing the comforts of home or a crowd of fans at a burlesque revue. In the brief time that I donned garters and a ruby red pout, I realized that any woman can bring a bit of pin-up sex appeal to her everyday life. Buy a pair of garters and wear them to the supermarket, opt for a devil red manicure instead of your usual pale pink or unbutton the top 3 buttons on your cardigan (be work-appropriate of course). Ultimately, the feminine power of the pin-up is in knowing that true sex appeal and beauty transcends time and that every woman can be a pin-up.

For more information or to book your own Pin-Up photoshoot visit Celeste Guiliano. See one of my pin up pictures.

And because who can resist Beyonce

Whew, it’s December and 2009 is on the way out and 2010 is coming full speed ahead! Am I the only one SUper excited about the promise of a new year and new goals to accomplish? I’m pumped! Hopefully all this new year enthusiasm doesn’t wear off by March. Ah well.

What have I been up to? Working but of course. Working on a project I’ve discussed on the blog and have been throwing around in my mind for quite sometime but have been working up the courage to get underway. Gladly the courage is building momentum with each step I take!

Missfit Vintage is my new baby.  An online vintage store for vintage girls the world over who love all aspects of vintage; from the vintage purists, the scenester thrift store gals and every lady in between that loves mixing vintage with modern.

With piles of vintage pieces I’ve acquired over the years and pieces that serendipitously landed in my arms, I’m geared to start Missfit Vintage right! Luckily my friends are great sports and modeled in our initial photo shoot (they’re whores for the camera) with amazing photographer Syd Reymond. Here are a few shots from the shoot and yes all pieces are vintage!

Launching in the end of January 2010, I hope to give Missfit Vintage the love and attention it deserves. I’m scoping out the best local places to buy vintage and even some wholesalers (I get goosebumps just thinking about it) and currently working on getting the e-commerce platform up and ready and of course there’s the launch party!

I’ll be posting updates here and on the Missfit Vintage blog. To get email alerts on the first pieces up for sale please subscribe by email or follow Missfit Vintage on Twitter.

Vintage Dresses

Like au courant fashion lovers, I have a serious relationship with vintage clothing; a relationship that began before I was born and has stayed with me to this day. I didn’t initially wear vintage because it was hipster thing to do or; for me it was sheer necessity and force. My mother made us wear vintage clothing because with 5 children to clothe, thrift stores and consignment shops were the natural solution.

At first I rebelled, being a typical child wanting to blend in with my peers; no one was wearing polyester blend pants in the 3rd grade. But my mother soon allowed us to come on thrift store jaunts and Saturday flea market trips with her. Not only was this bonding time but I became transfixed with the power of vintage. Here are my reasons why I love vintage clothing.

1. It never goes out of style: Fashion is constantly repeating itself, so why waste money on new reproductions of old styles when you can wear the old styles themselves

2. It is one-of-a-kind: While this is not completely true, you’ll still be hard pressed to find someone wearing the exact same piece, albeit, in the same way.

3. It can be inexpensive: I’m no Daddy Warbucks and while I’m waiting on my lottery winnings, I’ll spend my coins on the inexpensive vintage that I love. There is higher-end vintage and when my winnings come I’ll buy those pieces as well

4. It has a unique smell: So I know I’m probably alone on this but I love the way Goodwill and Salvation Army stores smell. It’s intoxicating and gets me amped to go through racks after racks of clothes

5. It’s environmentally friendly: I’m not the biggest eco-champion, but I try to do my part. And wearing vintage recycles clothing and stops wasteful spending

6. It reminds me of my Mom: My mom introduced me to fashion and vintage clothing and while our styles differ greatly, flea markets always remind me of our Saturday trips when I was younger

7. It’s like jumping in a Time Machine: Let’s do the time warp again! Playing dress up with vintage clothing is like stepping back in time and being someone else for a day

8. It’s the Thrill of the Hunt: Finding a gem out of a hundreds of pieces is like a modern day treasure hunt and makes it much more treasured

9. It’s a great Business Model: There are thousands of vintage business stores because there are millions of vintage pieces floating around the world and Read #1 and #2

10. There’s so much Variety: Vintage encompasses so many eras and time periods that there is a style for all types of vintage lovers; 40’s retro, 80’s hipster, 20’s flapper and the list goes on

How did your love affair with vintage begin? What are you reasons for loving vintage?

It’s no secret that I am an Ebay addict. I stalk items for days, creating bidding frenzies in my mind and discovering amazing sellers in the process. One such Ebay seller, whom I’ve been stalking for the past 6 months is Bustown Modern.  “Vintage Fashion from Timeless to Trashy” is precisely what Bustown Modern specializes in. On any given day Bustown will have a 50s Balenciaga-esque funnel coat and a 90s ditsy floral romper.  The range of vintage is spectacular, but bid quickly and fast, because Bustown Modern pieces are competitively fought for and with good reason.  Bustown also occassionally has mid-century furniture pieces.

Here are a few vintage piece I have my eye on (and watching in MyEbay. btw… loving the model’s afro)

Ethnic Indian Jumpsuit- Ends in 6 Days/ Vintage 60s Pink Slip Dress- Ends in 6 days

80s Sequin Tuexdo Jacket-Ends in 6 Days/ 80s Button Front Floral Dress- Ends in 6 Days

Isn’t Bustown Modern just divine? Check out their Ebay listings for amazing and great condition vintage

Here at Stylish Thought, vintage comes second to none. Gently loved, one-of pieces practically overrun my closet and the most fashionable women the world over all understand the power of vintage. So it is always a real treat to find new vintage sellers and avenues to discover terrific vintage pieces.

Market Publique is one such place on the internet where you can find vintage fur coats, plaid dresses and great vintage accessories all in one stop. A marketplace dedicated solely to vintage fashion, Publique is a haven for sellers and buyers alike. Here are a few things I’m eyeing.

Are you rushing to the Market?

Hi, I’m Ms. Thought and I’m an EBAY addict. Whew, glad I got that off my chest. I’ve been on EBAY since college but now I’m putting it to full use. I went a little EBAY crazy this last week and “accidently” won three items I was watching. I loved the humor of the Taxi Cab sweater, the floral romper is right on trend and rompers are my forte and the studded Brogues are killer. I’ll be stalking the mailman waiting for my purchases to arrive. Hopefully, this will hold off my addiction for awhile. Me thinks not.

Have you Ebay-ed recently? What great stuff have you bid on or watching?