PopBetty

A Love Letter to Pop Culture

Clip-On Earrings

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The New York Times wrote in January about the return of button clip earrings, a style last popular in the late 1960s. I love the retro button styles, but find clip-ons intolerable for extended wear. Even the ones that proclaim they “Don’t Pinch!” pinch.

The NYT article has a tip, however, that should make clip-ons more bearable:

“Pull your lobe from the edge away from your face and clip the earring where the lobe meets the jaw line. This makes your cheekbones do most of the work, taking weight off the lobe so it won’t stretch.” (Link)

mod clip on earrings

These were my grandmother’s. I love the design–the green/white combination, the stylized petals, the contrasting gold back.  

Printemps, Can You Feel It?

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Printemps Alek Wek adI developed a strong attachment to French department store ads while in Paris–the ads are in every Metro station, and since staring at other passengers is not an option (two words: creepy men), I always stared at the ads.

One of my favorites (left) was by Printemps.  Great colors, and I love that Alek Wek looks so vibrant and happy.  So many fashion ads have miserable-looking models (or else they look like plastic dolls or mannequins, like Lindsay Lohan in her new Miu Miu ads).  I don’t understand it at all.  If you can afford a live model, why not make her look, you know, alive?

Fashion Feed Finds (Archive)

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  • Chanel’s plastic “Naked” shopper costs $950.  It is also, apparently, of inferior quality to the complimentary gift bags Chanel sends beauty editors.
  • Kate Spade’s Things We Love section is a hit on the blogs–many, many design blogs have featured it, and I think it’s great.  That said, while the idea of promoting one’s brand by aligning it with others (a lifestyle approach to marketing) is smart, what do the other brands think?  Kate Spade’s one thing, but what if a more controversial brand did it?
  • Ambika found examples of 1930s airbrushing (subjects include Bette Davis & Joan Crawford).
  • Celebrity designers vs fashion designers.
  • Speaking of A Dress A Day’s Erin, did you know she is Erin McKean, the EIC of US Dictionaries for Oxford University Press?  Watch her Pop!Tech podcast here.
  • Gawker Media’s newest blog, Jezebel, has a post where reporters sewed designer labels into new fast fashion buys, then sold them to consignment stores.

Anna Ter Harr Dripping Tar Sunglasses

Trendinista has a lovely feature on the “drip” trend. My favorite find were these Anna ter Haar “dripping tar” sunglasses.

Iris Apfel OutfitAlso:

On-line Vintage Clothing Directory, By Price

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After reviewing hundreds of stores, I made an edited list of on-line vintage shops. By vintage, I mean both vintage and secondhand/thrift pieces, with a focus on women’s clothing (I may do a housewares version one day–we’ll see!).

I chose stores with interesting stock, acceptable mark-ups, (usually) pleasant websites, and good reputations. I try to update the list every few months, so it stays relevant. However, it’s not an end-all, be-all list: great new sellers pop up every day, and there’s no way I can list them all. Conversely, placement on the list doesn’t guarantee anything, so shop carefully.

The directory is ordered alphabetically and by price range (below).  Happy shopping!

PRICE KEY (avg price per item)$          $0-$30$$        $30-$75

$$$      $75-$150

$$$$    $150-250

$$$$$   $250+

THRIFT-STORE CHIC

Stunning prices, varied collections.  Extremely fun to hunt through.

ETSY

($-$$$$)

Spurred by rising fees, more and more vintage sellers have migrated from self-hosted sites and eBay to Etsy. What’s good for sellers is also good for buyers: Etsy stores combine easy to use, reliable interfaces with low prices (plus, no insanity-inducing auctions). Check out the Etsy Vintage Directory for an edited list of sellers.

CHEAP & TRENDY

Slightly pricier than the thrift-store items (often due to auctions), but still easy on your pocketbook.

OTHER VINTAGE & SECONDHAND RESOURCES

UNAVAILABLE

These collections were down for maintenance. We’ve heard good things about them, though, so we’ll review them ASAP.

 FASHIONISTA FINDSHigher prices than Cheap & Trendy stores, but still with affordable finds across the board.

SPOILED BY SUCCESS
Great vintage stores with audiences to match. Auctioned items go high, and fixed priced items are snapped up as soon as they go on sale.

  • AdoreVintage.com ($$)
  • Bleubird Vintage ($-$$$$)
  • Mama Stone Vintage ($-$$$$)
  • The Olive Shoppe ($$-$$$)
  • Thriftwares ($-$$$$)

BRIDGE LINES
Dresses and coats tend to go for $150+, while accessories and separates remain affordable.

POSH & LOVELY

Too expensive for most of us, but some truly stunning selections. Prices typically start at $500 (although some only start around $250).

FOR COLLECTORS, COSTUMERS, & HISTORIANS

These stores focus on collector’s items rather than wearables. Prices frequently range between $650-$2000+. Extremely fun to look through.