Lulu's Vintage

In the Portland, Oregon world of vintage, and in the online world of vintage, it would be difficult not to know of Lulu. She just reached the 5th-year anniversary of her Lulu's Blog, and many of us in the online vintage community have benefitted from Lulu's posting of items she has chosen to highlight from our websites. Her annual Lulu's Vintage People's Choice Awards and her own top-ten list of sites have been wildly popular, generating an amazing list of the best vintage to be found on the web, along with a spirited competition for top honors. The Style Council, an every-so-often feature of Lulu's blog, gives readers insight into vintage lovers of all sorts.

Lulu now has a wonderful jewel box of a shop in Portland, located at 916 West Burnside Street, a very short walk from Portland's favorite place to submerge for a few hours, Powell's Books. I've been privileged to visit Lulu's Vintage on Burnside, and found the offerings beautifully chosen and presented…highly tempting! The proprietress is unfailingly helpful and kind to visitors.




Right now she has a splendid selection of handbags, scarves, plaids (including some wonderful Bonnie Cashin coats), fabrics, patterns, and menswear. I particularly loved some of her vintage cocktail dresses. I took home this very cool bright red Samsonite bag, the purpose of which I will bend from luggage to shoulder bag.


In addition to her own blog and store, Lulu keeps the world up to date on Portland's thriving vintage scene—not just clothing, but all vintage, including music and cinema—on her other blog, Shop Vintage Portland.

I'm glad to have gotten to know Lulu over the past couple years, and happy to share her endeavors...as she has done for so many others. Keep up the great work, Lulu!

Get the Look: The Thin Man, 1934

Nora, Asta and Nick

This week, the Vintage Fashion Guild featured members showing off their best Thin Man looks. As I wrote for this "Get the Look" feature,

Suave, witty, stylish and charming…if you haven’t yet met Nick and Nora Charles (inimitably created by William Powell and Myrna Loy) you must see The Thin Man movies. This week we pull from our 1930-40s collections to bring you our very best Nick and Nora looks.

Night and day, The Charles' looks were unmistakably elegant and fashionable.

If you really haven't met Nick and Nora Charles, and their wonder dog Asta, allow me to introduce you.

Without a doubt, the finest of the 6-part Thin Man series of movies is the original, dating from 1934. Based on the detective novel by Dashiell Hammett, the movie is a mystery and a comedy in equal parts...fueled by copious alcohol and wit. This video shows a few of the quintessential Nick and Nora scenes from the first two movies in the series.



It isn't easy finding 1930s clothing and accessories now, but leave it to VFG members (and their deep inventories) to provide examples:

Bernard Weatherill Formal Tailcoat Suit from Glad Rags & Curios, 30s Nouveau Print Wide Silk Tie from The Spectrum, detail from 30s Black Velvet Bias Cut Formal Dress Gown from Mags Rags, 1930s Black Sheer Silk Chiffon Butterfly Nightgown from Daisy Fairbanks, Early Eisenberg Dress Clip-Unsigned from Linn's Collection, 1930s Peep Toe Strap Shoes Black Leather Cut Outs from Bettes Bargains, Felt Flowers Tilt Hat by New York Creations from Rue de la Paix, 1930s Art Deco Men's Smoking Lounging Robe Dressing Gown from Poppy's Vintage Clothing, Late 1930s Dressing Gown or Hostess Dress from Bonnie & Clyde's Treasure Trove Vintage

I've got a few 30s items available this week, including a lace evening dress and jacket, a day dress and a hostess gown.

Among my eBay offerings this week