Glamour Girl
Glamour Girl has been a vintage fiend ever since she can remember. Long before she recognized the names Schiaparelli, Vionnet, Fortuny, Adrian, Shaheen, Lilli Ann, and the like, she was combing vintage stores and flea markets, squirreling away 1950s opera-length gloves (“you never know when you might need them”—and indeed, one day, she did), snapping up impeccably constructed peplum-waisted 1940s suits, slipping into siky 1930s Myrna-Loyesque gowns cut on the bias.
Not for her the spiky studded leathers, safety-pinned pants, and relentlessly black raiments of the punk era, nor the (quelle horreur!) piercings and tattooings of the modern world. She still has clothing from The Zone in Mt. Vernon, Melissa’s in Ellicott City (Melissa now sells only on eBay), Oh Susanna in Fells Point, and the late lamented Dolores Deluxe, once the premiere vintage clothing store in Baltimore, where she bought this unforgettable Suzy Perette confection (captured in this photo by Style‘s own Kirsten Beckerman):
Though other vintage hounds were definitely out there, she never quite realized how many until the internet came along. And she’s pleased to see that everywhere these days, the passion for vintage has taken hold.
Not only are designers such as Roland Mouret, Oscar de la Renta, Azzedine Alaia, and many others looking back to the past for fashion inspiration, not only are museums all over the world paying tribute to the likes of Christian Dior, Madeleine Vionnet (and here’s another good assessment of Madame Vionnet), 20th century designers collectively, and the frugality and invention of the 1940s in particular, and not only is the hottest show on TV prompting an appreciation for mid-century Modernism (see Glamour Girl’s previous post), but the general public is putting its own creative spin on vintage allure.
That’s the Tweed Cycling Club. More than just a quaint artifact of Merry Olde England, these tweedy types exemplify a growing aesthetic movement called Retro-socializing. You’ve heard of the Slow Food Movement? Well, think of this as the Slow Down and Savor Movement. An appeal to people to slow down, take a breath, and savor the little niceties of civilization that are becoming increasingly rare in our hyper-techno, plugged-in, confessional-consciousness, supposedly advanced society.
Courtesy, for instance. Elegance. Restraint. Beauty. Quietude. Having a face-to-face conversation with people instead of tweeting or texting or (god help us) “friending” them. Crazy-talk, I know.
It’s not about historical re-enactment. It’s about, well, having fun first of all, and valuing things other than the shiny and trendy and new. And it’s not just a U.K. phenomenon. It’s going strong on this side of the pond as well, often as an outgrowth of the steampunk movement, which takes its inspiration from the aesthetics and design of the Victorian era. Exemplars such as Lord Whimsy have been living and writing about this creative way of life for a long time. So have the legions of modern burlesque performers and pin-up girls, such as Fleur de Guerre and Bernie Dexter . . . but there are so many of them, and that’s a topic for another time.
For now, why not think about going to the Farmers Market and gathering up foods for a picnic, in, say, Sherwood Gardens? Linen tablecloth, real napkins, glass stemware, pretty dresses for the ladies, long pants for the gents, and a bit of bubbly to complete the picture. It’s lovely, and it’s fun, and those attributes will never go out of style.
P.S. Speaking of champagne, when you feel the need to step back into the modern world, you might want to check out Holly G Boutique in Mt. Washington Mill this weekend. They’re celebrating their years of success and multiple Best of Baltimore awards with a special sale including discounts of up to 30% off. And they’re being very genteel about it—champagne and hors d’oeuvres for all. Saturday, August 29th, 10 to 5.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 08/28/09 at 02:41 PM
