My style doesn't change much from season to season... it's usually something like whatever Baudrillard would pick out at Kiki de Montparnasse. But there's always an insistent air to autumn, that one should proffer some sort of Diana Vreeland-esque dictations on the matter. I don't have any of that per se, although the other day I did say on Twitter, "What's in for fall: insouciance and paillettes," so there's that. Here's a visual record of what's inspiring me at the moment:
My (re)new(ed) chairs! Bettertex did a beautiful job recovering them and fixing them up even better than when my mother gave them to me years ago, using Laura Ashley scarlet toile with a pastoral lovers print that I picked out at Zarin Fabrics. Many thanks to my friend Osore who was kind enough to look after my place while I was travelling, and accept delivery. He owns a shop that is more or less the only place I buy new clothes these days.
Last night when I got in around midnight I was pretty pouty, having just flown across the country and so I decided to go to sleep. I woke up to a package delivery, which was most of the newly acquired vintage clothes I had sent on from Portland plus a very special surprise. Tearing it open was like Christmas and changed the entire tenor of the day! Here's the entire haul from my two weeks on the West Coast, where I was a mad thrifter:
I found this white linen Jaeger shirt in Berkeley. Thrilling touches: epaulets and a wasp waist. It became my airplane uniform, paired with a short black skirt.
A Stephen Sprouse silk long-sleeve top in the punchiest orange imaginable, purchased in Palm Springs on a day when the temperature was, no joke, 108.
A no-name grey-blue suede purse with gold chain handle. My friend gasped when she saw it at lunch today. $2.99 in Palm Springs.
A handmade '70s, sleeveless, floor-dusting dress, with a midnight poppy motif, that was the first thing I bought in Palm Springs. Ten dollars.
In Portland, I found a pair of patent flats with bows and some stacked-heel oxfords, both Ferragamo and exactly my size, at two different stores. Total for both: $7.
In Seattle, I bought this awesome hoodie at a skate shop. For sleeping on planes and also naps and stuff. It's always cooler than you think on the West Coast.
In San Francisco, I bought that Agnes B. hat I mentioned. I have always dreamed of one. That was new, but 70% off, and my big splurge for the season.
My very last day in San Francisco, I went to Clothes Contact (on Valencia at 16th in the Mission) and found the most unbelievably dreamy dress for fifty dollars, handmade in the 1930s, satin with appliqued flowers on the shoulders. This photo is of the top and it has a long black skirt and a zipper down the front and fits as though it were made expressly for me. Perhaps it was!
Here I am in a black slip I found in Portland that looks 40s'ish (before black was sexy!). I stepped out of the dressing room wearing it with the Ferragamo librarian-y shoes and told my friend Laural, this is what I looked like in the 90s. Also shown: a leopard print YSL scarf from an estate sale in Portland. Laural was inspired to make me earrings to match!! (shown) I am a lucky girl indeed. Many thanks to all my rides, and to my parents, for showing me how to find new beauty in old things (mostly by dragging me to garage sales and auctions back in the day).
What's inspiring you?
wow, those chairs look amazing... i see jill zarin on tv, often at work, cool.it's fun to see all your treasures; i cannot pick a favorite item, they are all so interesting. that is what makes it fun. good job,love.
Posted by: jackie cerand | September 08, 2009 at 11:15 AM
Lauren, given I am a bit older than your fashionable self, I lived in NYC when Sprouse was in real time. So it was a thrill to find a velvet, hot pink Stephen Sprouse dress at a thrift. Just the sight of that distinctive label really took me back. BTW...I can't use the Sprouse dress...can I send it to you?
Posted by: Kelly ObieJoe | September 13, 2009 at 09:10 PM