Red Hot Valentino

I recently took a quick trip to the Las Vegas Strip. I got to stay at the Vdara hotel, which is connected to the "city center" area. Basically, it's a very up-scale, swanky corner of the Strip. So, I was able to do a lot of high-fashion window shopping. Most shops were lavish and swoon-worthy, some were a little boring, like Chanel's spring suits (gasp*). Some were a little gaudy, like everything I saw at the Versace store. But I was able to locate one store in particular where I basically wanted to set up camp and never leave. Red Valentino, located in the shops at Caesars Palace, was a little slice of (expensive) heaven.

The cape effect is fine, but I hate the lines and the overall color scheme.

These clothes were so fancy that they looked like they should be a costume for one of the local show girls.

I loved the Porsche Design store! Very simple, but not boring.

At first I was just going to show you their most current line, but when I saw all of their older collections, I simply couldn't omit some of my favorites. I love how playful and feminine the clothes are. One of my favorite things is the most excellent way they combine prints. I hope you all enjoy these pieces as much as I do!

AnnaSophia Robb looking flawless in Red Valentino.

I am crying over the perfection of this cape/coat ensemble!

Alexa Chung and Audrey Tautou, both looking fabulous in the same dress!

Kiernan Shipka, from "Mad Men."

Plaid and knee high socks. What more could a girl ask for?

I know many of these are somewhat girlish, but I feel a lot of these pieces could easily be converted to an older, more sophisticated look.

Touching the light, airy material of this rain coat was like touching clouds!

These blue floral and polka dot items were among my favorites (I couldn't find any better pictures for some reason). I'm simply crazy about that pattern and color combination!

These Foolish Things...

The song "These Foolish Things" from the 1930s is a classic love song. The lyrics are lovely and evoke a sense of longing for a lost love. This has been one of my favourite songs for years, and recently I looked it up online, and there's a story that goes with it. Apparently the man who wrote the lyrics had an affair with the actress Anna May Wong, and wrote this song about her after they had parted ways.

I've only seen Anna May Wong in one film (Shanghai Express, the film where Marlene Dietrich looks her most meltingly beautiful), but she was unique for being a Chinese film star in the 1920s and 1930s in an era of film-making when western folks would play asian folks. Bad idea, if you ask me, but that's how it often went.

So I thought it might be nice to write a post exploring the fashion of Anna May Wong, a beautiful Chinese film star.

A unique fringe.

Lovely Chinese dress!

Wearing a gown designed by Editih Head.

LOVE this hat!

A dress from the 1930s, similar to the one pictured above.

With Sid Graumann, Conrad Nagal and I think that's Norma Talmadge (it is, I checked).  

Whether wearing more traditional, Chinese-style fashion...

Or Western garb, she was always elegant and stunning.

Anyone for Tea?

My dear friend recently sent me an article which focused on "tea gowns." Before reading this article, I had only been vaguely aware of their existence. And I'm assuming many of you are the same. So, please allow me to indulge in a little history.

Apparently, many women were having health issues connected to corsets. So, in the late 1870's, the tea dress was developed, to be worn sans corset. It was originally meant to be worn solely at home around tea time (obviously). Women warmed to these comfortable clothing alternatives so quickly, that by 1888 Mrs. Johnstone wrote in The  Woman's World, "Dressmakers are directing more attention to tea-gowns than almost any other style of dress, the demands are  so great."

The thing that is most wonderful to me about the advent and subsequent popularity of the tea gown is that, since these articles of clothing were solely used at home, women were free to design and embellish these gowns however they wanted. As a result, they quickly became very elaborate and decorative. Mrs. Johnstone wrote, "the loose, unconventional robe is not influenced by the last decree of fashion and the wearer's personality seems to have scope for freer expression in this picturesque garment."

Of course, as time passed, it slowly became more acceptable to wear these gowns to more then just tea, and then even outside of the home. (gasp!) By the 1920's, the tea gown had made way for such things as "boudoir gowns," and "tea jackets," and then "afternoon" or "cocktail frocks." Unfortunately, by the 1930's they had pretty much disappeared. 

It could just be the Downton Abbey in me speaking, but I sort of like the idea of changing outfits throughout the day. I love the idea that certain clothes are meant to be worn for certain occasions. But modernity has won out, and we are all left here with one boring outfit per day, drooling over the delicate flounces and laces of history.

*Special thanks to Beth Burkhiser and Tea Time magazine.

Oscar fashion of the Past: 1929 to 1999

The Acadamy Awards started in 1929, and has been going every year since. In the first few years, I don't think it was as big a deal as it has since become, but there have been lovely dresses along the way. I obviously can't go through every single one, so I'm just going to choose the ones I thought were pretty - or remarkable - in some way, among women who won for best actress.

Since 1929 is the first year, I thought I should include the first Oscar winner's dress. But I hate to confess, that the 1929 dress is not fancy at all. And I'm quite disappointed with the fare from the 1930s as well. But trawling through all the past decades of the Oscars has revealed that a lot of the dresses aren't anything to write home about. Enjoy the ones I've selected below!

Janet Gaynor & Douglas Fairbanks

Luise Rainer from 1938. I wish I knew the colour of the dress! Also, a long view would be good too.

I'm not sure if I like Bette Davis's dress from 1939, but the feathers ARE interesting.

I quite like this dress that Ginger Rogers is sporting at the 1941 Acadamy Awards. 

I don't know if this coloration is right, but it gives you an interesting idea of the dress.

There seem to be only close-ups of these old dresses and it is VERY frustrating. I don't really like this dress of Joan Fontaine's (1942), but the collar that turns into a mantilla is quite unique. 

Again, it's hard to judge on a close-up, but I quite like what I see of Jennifer Jones's 1944 dress.

This drapey number looks quite interesting.  Jane Wyman, 1949.

Olivia De Havilland, 1950. It's much better than her 1947 dress.

Audrey Hepburn, 1954. I love this simple, lace dress.

STUNNING! This classic lime green dress of Grace Kelly's (1955) is just beautiful.

I quite like this colourful gown worn by Elizabeth Taylor in 1961.

HIDEOUS!!!! But I thought I'd include it as Barbra Streisand is the first best actress winning female to wear trousers (1969)

Meryl Streep in 1983. It may not be the prettiest dress, but the beadwork is nice, Meryl was pregnant at the time, and, I think, looks just lovely!

Susan Sarandon, 1996. I think this brown silk affair is quite lovely.