Ebaytastic!

Every once in awhile I have such a good day shopping on ebay, that it renews my faith in the whole system. I may have spent day after day searching through the same boring ‘50s dresses and ‘80s pumps, but it’s days like this that make up for it. Here are just some of my recent finds:

1940s – Red Suede Peep Toe Pumps: For some reason there is no end to suede pumps on ebay. And why did everyone suddenly wake up one day and realize they have a whole stash of shoes from the 1940s laying around? Whatever the reason, if you spend anytime looking at shoes on ebay, then you’re already bored with this look. This pair, however, is special. Besides being lipstick red, which might have been enough (Dayenu!), there are folds of suede at the toe. Ya, it’s sort of a bow, but the whole thing is so stylized that the “bowiness” shouldn’t bother you. No one would ever mistake these shoes for being girly.


1919-1925 – Muslin Kimono: I have always desperately wanted a Kimono to wear around the house. It’s so unnecessary and indulgent, so old-hollywood, and so unabashedly orientalist that I just can’t help myself. I mean, this hails from a time when people were unashamed to group India, the Middle East, Jews, and East Asia into one big uber-romantic fantasy land. But aside from the political and cultural implications, this is one beautifully crafted piece of clothing. And I absolutely love the patter, which is made up of insect cages. They just don’t make stuff like this anymore. Or, at least, no ones publicist lets them wear it.


1920s-1930s – Green Jumper: The seller claims that this is a “one piece, bloomer style gym suit.” I’m not sure how they can know that, but it’s very charming to imagine a bunch of girls giggling and running around a field in outfits this outrageous. Whatever it’s true origin, this couldn’t be more of the moment. Imagine it with a fabulous belt, tights, and heels. I couldn’t pull it off. But someone could, and they’d look fabulous.

1920s-1930s – Red Silk Chiffon Flapper Dress: Let me set something straight. Everything made or worn between 1920 and 1939 is not a flapper dress. This is something that you have to watch out for when shopping on ebay. Similarly, everything from the 1960s through the early 1970s will be called mod. As if Jackie O. was known for her “mod” style. But that aside, this is a wonderful example of clothing from the period. There are lots of tiered dresses on ebay, but there is something special about the way this one has been done. The bodice also has some beautiful and I assume very flattering stitching. This is the reason you let dress after dress slowly disappear from your “watching” list. You just know that the perfect dress will come along eventually.

The Annie Hall

The guy sitting across from me at the coffe shop (right now) told me it was really "brave" of me to wear a tie. Once I had thanked him in my normal high, squeaky voice of shock that there are actually other people around and they see me, I started to get somewhat frustrated. Is it really "brave" for a woman to wear a tie?

I've always harbored a love for Diane Keaton's look in Annie Hall, so wearing men's clothing seems rather natural to me. In fact, I almost paired my vest and tie with khakis, just so that it would be even more like the her iconic outfit from the film. I had opted against it, because I thought the reference would be too obvious. Apparently, I was wrong.

But there is a long history of female "cross-dressing." At one time it may have been shocking - think Joan of Arc. But upon reflection it seems to have been more inspirational to the fashion community than anything else. At the turn of the century, as "women's roles changed," ties were a common accessory on outfits that were increasingly masculine in shape and style. Marlene Dietrich has remained a fashion icon, partially for her brilliant cooptation of men's clothing. The scenes of her in "drag" are, at least to me, still some of the sexiest ever caught on screen. And then there's Annie Hall, making her appearance regularly in the pages of fashion magazines as the reference for menswear inspired pieces.

The problem is: it isn't "drag." Annie Hall isn't expressing her masculinity by wearing a tie. She's just wearing it. And so am I. And so should everyone. Fashion is always about references, but it should never be about categorization.

Isabella Blow: In Memorium

Isabella Blow died yesterday, leaving a gaping hole in the world of fashion. Yes, she discovered Alexander McQueen. Yes, she was personal friends with Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, and Jean-Michel Basquiat. Yes, she held powerful positions at Vogue, Tatler, and the Times. Those who don’t recognize her work in fashion will remember her as one of the socialites attending a movie premier in The Life Aquatic. But what will be most missed is her natural ability to be fantastically eccentric, flawlessly stylish, and do it all with an incredible sense of humor. I give anyone credit for having such a bold look so consistently.

Instead of going in-depth into Isabella Blow’s life and work, which is widely available on the web, I’d like to share some of my favorite photos, as well as one of the most famous stories about her. If you don't already know her, this snippet from her life will say it all.

In his Gurdian article, Hadley Freedman recounted: "Possibly the best story about Isabella Blow - and there is plenty of competition - comes from when she met her then boss, Nicholas Coleridge, MD of Condé Nast, for dinner. Up she rocked, sporting a pair of McQueen-veiled antlers. 'How are you going to have dinner in that hat?' Coleridge asked, quite reasonably. 'Nicholas,' she replied, with characteristic imperiousness, 'that is of no concern to me whatsoever."

As if hats weren't having enough of a comeback!