Built in 1921, the Claremont Upland historic district of Berkeley, adjacent to the Claremont Hotel, gives such a nostalgic feeling of an era gone by. Standing before such quaint, picture-perfect Craftsman-style homes of the neighborhood, I often wonder if some are still owned by their original tenants. Many of us know that home is where the heart is – in my case, it’s my closet – nevertheless I find a rare appreciation for such history. Just half a mile off of College and Claremont Avenue, my Great Aunt was a prized home owner; it was a place where as a family we all would all gather after Sunday mass. I still to this day remember the glass door knobs and the solid oak wood build in cabinets throughout the main level, not to mention her armoire filled with antique beauty. The house was sold shortly after her passing, when I was a young girl, but I still today will pass by and admire its beauty during my random visits through the neighborhood.
Passing through the entry Stone Markers for an afternoon stroll, I wore a dress – that could have been a remnant of the era – from a beloved online boutique, Bitter Root Vintage, owned by Carol. This newly released, 1950s-inspired, cotton dress, “Portrait of a Lady,” features an iconic “wiggle” silhouette and equally charming details. I’ve built an entire wardrobe that consist of a combination of authentic timely pieces and newer vintage-inspired pieces, which include many from Bitter Root Vintage and highly recommend you frequently visit Carol’s online boutique.
For today’s spring ensemble, I added a new floral brooch that I found while antiquing in Reno, a pair of lady-like lace gloves by Cornelias James, and aura rhinestone earrings. I have quite a weakness for vintage brooches and rhinestone earrings; there is something about the sparkle that it brings to any outfit that enchants my attention. You can only imagine how I felt when Rich noticed it through the glass display case at the register. I kept staring, expressing in a minimum amount of words how stunning it was, until Rich purchased it for me. In many ways, a clear rhinestone, also known as Diamante, is how I feel for Rich, as he shines so bright and brings such sparkle to my eye. I find it to go perfectly with everything because of its contrast, an enhancement of glamour by far.
Portrait of a Lady Dress c/o Bitter Root Vintage // Vintage Clear Aurora Borealis Rhinestone Earrings // Vintage Peach Floral Brooch (similar here) // “Nancy” Lace gloves c/o Cornelia James // 1940s Bespoke Satin Flower Clutch (Doris Alexander, photo above) // Brian Atwood Pumps // “Really Red” Lipstick c/o Marykay // Skincare c/o Nucerity
There is nothing more sophisticated than a luxurious fur stole to complement a woman’s ensemble, as it can be defined as elegance. Fur coats, shrugs, and stoles were essential to a woman’s wardrobe in the 1940s, as elegant ladies would garnish them over tailored suits and evening wear. I find women are keen to attempt such a trend, but hesitate for a number of reasons, ranging from animal safety to the controversy of wearing real fur. Trying synthetic man-made materials today is a way of bringing back a luxe material from an era gone by.
Styling your wardrobe with the accent of fur is alluring, which in return brings originality to your appearance. I’ve discovered draping a fur stole over one shoulder to the simple placement in hand, presents such a classic physique, all the while staying within a modern aesthetic. A 1957 magazine ad from Hollywood designer, Dorothy O’ Hara, with the slogan, “Makes women look nice and men look twice,” stands as a lasting impression of how a woman could potentially sculpt their figure with fabrics and fur accents.
With a satin side sash, accented with a larger than life bow, complemented by a slim waist, and the beauty of a pair of Rich’s mother’s delicate pearl earrings, a fur shrug completes a 1950s inspired dress by Lady V London. From their newest bridal collection, which displays an array of both bridal and bridesmaid designs, the ‘Loretta’ features a design that sits below the knee providing an extremely classic and elegant style for all occasions.
“Loretta” Bridal Dress c/o Lady V London // Vintage Mink Fur Shrug // White Satin Gloves, Pearl Earrings & Bracelet (Theresa Fisher), Peridot Rhinestone Brooch // 1930s Crochet Bag (Doris Alexander) // Donna Karen Hosiery // Brian atwood Patent Pumps // Red Lipstick “Really Red” c/o Marykay
With days that are filled with scouting new locations, consulting couture brands, and researching timeless styles for my vintage-inspired blog, Rich in Love Fashion, downtime is clearly non-negotiable – welcome to my vintage life!
At 5:30 a.m. I awake with a burst of energy as I am a morning person by nature and on occasion, a night owl. Reaching over, I promptly grab my IPhone 6 and find myself out of bed, glancing over at a fresh selection of white roses in a crystal cut vase, sitting upon an antique, oak table, which was given to me by my grandmother. A moment of gratitude sets a positive mindset for the day. You might wonder how much you could possibly be thankful for in the first 8 minutes of your day; you’d be surprised! I don’t watch much, if any, television; instead I will turn on the vocals of iconic jazz musicals of yesteryear for white noise to start my morning off.
A quick, low-carb breakfast is prepared before I begin to beautify myself, with a 2 hour deadline to be on-location. It helps having my hair prepared, the evening prior, in pin-curls which I have become accustom to sleeping on, a traditional way women once did their hair. After hair and beauty has been completed, I begin to pack for travel as I never wear any of the garments I feature on my blog. I will openly say that I am quite a perfectionist when it comes to garments that are wrinkled. For particular shoots I will carry a portable steamer, if I sense the fabric may become wrinkled during transport. Departing the water-front resort community of Discovery Bay, which is sixty-two miles east of San Francisco, I always travel with my personal photographer, Rich. I am fairly pampered in the aspect that he always drives, which leaves me valuable time to catch up on my social media and client emails.
Upon arrival at a pre-scouted location, it’s the off-script events that occur, which create the memories that Rich and I welcome. For a production team of two, there are, from time-to-time, dressing room concerns; depending on the location chosen, I will utilize a restroom to change and freshen up, but if a restroom is not an option, well, the “peepshow” in the car begins. Because I mostly wear dresses, the garments changes are fairly easy; though at times, it can be quite comical and pleasing to the eyes of onlookers, if I am not quick enough.
A photo is worth a thousand words – Each week I positively bring my readers a recognized phrase combined with a story of an era gone-by; I find truth from each glamour editorial I conduct solely with Rich. From the start of the photo-shoot, usually during the mid-morning, Rich and I shoot until we have a wide variety of all images that the client has requested and that we feel are adequate. With five hours of travel, four hours of modeling, and an additional three hours of editing – not to mention countless hours prior to the glamour shoot that consist of on-location scouting, stylizing, test shoots, and written editorials – it has become a labor of love. In the late of hours of the evening, with a glass of pinot noir in hand, I find myself compiling images to edit in time for Monday’s blog post. As mentioned above, I am a perfectionist, so I prefer to take the role of photo editing, as I use it as a visual tool to assist me in the weeks ahead with product placement, styling, and garment choices.
After writing for a number of publications, modeling, and consulting luxury brands, I feel the time is right to continue my on-going passion – for both an era of premier fashion and 1940s historical landmarks – in the form of a style book. The initial goal is seen weekly on Rich in Love Fashion, which is tailored to connecting readers with a classic, feminine profile, and silhouette of an era gone by. Each post brings history to life, showcasing to a growing demographic the lost art of dressing up with a lady-like demure, styled after the classic women of 1940s. Creating such a book will be on the horizon for summer 2017; as for inspiring designers, brands, and milliners who are interested in having their garments featured, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
While I live such an enriched life as a vintage consultant and published writer, I must point out that the coined term “vintage” is a French word that was originally used for wine older than twenty years. The older a wine is, the higher in quality and respectable it becomes, and we all know – it only gets better with age.
Blue Velvet Cap sleeve Sheath, Vince Camuto // Crown Trifari Grand Parure Suite c/o Second Wind Vintage // 1930s Gene Doris Velvet Millinery Design // Vintage Fur Shrug, J.Colleen Boutique // Brian Atwood Patent Pumps (similar here) // Red Lipstick “Really Red” c/o Marykay
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