DRESSING A VINTAGE VIXEN

Jenn and I got together the other week to shoot some photos for Vintage Vixen using my little ol' Holga, just for fun. I'd seen her working at the C&O bar and fell in love with her hair and general bodaciousness. Here she is just blazing in vintage Versace, Mugler, Givenchy, Dior...names, darling, I want names! You can check out the full sized images over on ma Flickr, if that excites you, and hit up the store if you see something you like!

Vintage Vixen
300 East Market St.
Charlottesville, VA 22902
(434) 244-0778

SEANNY-KATE OLSEN

One of my recurring problems with shopping primarily vintage and secondhand is adopting “trendier” styles that require a more modern silhouette. Menswear is generally less trend-oriented than womenswear, so there are fewer iconic (or rightfully forgotten) styles to come back into fashion over the years. The ones that could - bellbottoms? polyester leisure suits? - aren't going to push your style forward. That being said, I was really happy to find in my secondhand-holic wardrobe the elements to put my own spin on a recurring street style look I'd been loving. The pants are the only non-vintage item in this outfit; you can see them as part of a suit here. The shirt is vintage Ferrutti and it and the oversized canvas scarf are from Vintage Vixen. When wearing the scarf I'm always asked if I'm wearing a pant leg around my neck - I guess people really just aren't ready for cotton canvas scarves? The sunnies are my Gianfranco Ferre pair last seen here, and the hat is another brown cowboy hat I have. That's right, I have multiple brown cowboy hats - giddyup?

It is also worth noting that I seem to be working on a trademarkable new pose, as seen in picture 3 (first incarnation available here). But what should I call it? The Happy Fruit? Fruit Sensation? The Fruitsation? Only time will tell. All I know is that the bohemian vibe of this outfit prompted one of my friends to declare me "the third Olsen twin," hence the post title. I'm not complaining! Check out my real inspirations below:

Can't get enough of my favorite looks? Check out my Pinterest board L'homme for more (and image sources).

all original photos Joel Codiamat

SPRING COLOR BLOCKING

I asked my friend Lucy to help me with a project I'm working on for Vintage Vixen (more to come on that later), but it took a conceptual turn and I found myself with a model surplus. Lucy was still game for playing dress up, though: here she is wearing a gorgeous silk blouse by French label Equipment and vintage Escada trousers with vintage accessories. The red with fuschia feels very current and a high waist + gold = never better. Consider this post a trend "how-to" piece, if you will! I shot Lucy last year as well and have included some snapshots of that action below...

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STOCKHOLM STATE OF MIND

Today's outfit is tried and true *fruitpunchery - I'm wearing vintage and an article (or two) of women's clothing. The knit beanie I picked up on a day trip to Lucerne - ordinarily it's a challenge to pull off, but for this ensemble it's the perfect finishing touch, the piece that elevates the outfit from an exercise in layering monochromatic textures to my perfect outfit for some imaginary farmer's market hopping in Sweden. The sweater is a J.Crew number I'd relegated to pajama time until I was able to shrink it in my parent's dryer and my new Comme des Garçons SHIRT polyamide shirt looks incredible layered underneath. (Stop by Vintage Vixen to see if you can find any other CDG gems [you can't, I took them all.])

My friend, local artist Thomas Dean, made the tote. The design is a riff on the D.C. flag. Dean created the various prints by scanning in and blowing up black and white illustrations from a 1970's school primer - what?! You can visit his Etsy shop to see more of his awesome work. Then, of course, we have the pants! These are vegan leather ladies' pants I found on sale at Urban Outfitters. What does "vegan leather" mean, exactly? That they're polyurethane, which I Googled, and apparently it is eco-friendly. Unless I misread the internet - there were like, so many words. I paired them with my Ash Italia sneakers, also from UO...also ladies...but actually leather. Nobody's perfect.

Inspiration for the look from my Tomgirl board on Pinterest:

As you can see, my top half is a nod to blogger Jeanne Damas' sweater + long teesh combo while my bottom half is a quite literal boy-terpretation of Alessandra Ambrosio's street style, all topped off with a sportcoat. Now, I don't wanna start sh*t with an Angel, but I might look better in my faux-leather pants. Just throwing that out there. The look also simulates the crop top trend and incorporates the long shirt silhouette seen at Carven, and I kept the shirt collar tucked in because I felt that was the Alexa Chung-y thing to do, duh.

all outfit photos courtesy photographer (and blog reader) Joel Codiamat - thanks, Joel, for being the newest *fruitpunch contributor!

BURBERRY CROPPED TRENCH

This is a woman's cropped trench, available now at Vintage Vixen. Since it's technically for the ladies, it fits my elfin frame really well. I like that it's a twist on the traditional trench - it's more my style, no? *pine*

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Silhouetted

Recently picked up these vintage Ferragamo cap-toe oxfords from Vintage Vixen. *Swoon*

STYLE SNAPSHOTS

1) My Halloween nail art! It’s still on there now, because I’m too lazy to remove it. My “Nightmare Before Christmas” nail art!

2) Seeing as it’s officially layering season once again, all of my blazers are back in full rotation. I like to jazz ‘em up with pins, like this floral number, or pocket squares. Once I pair an accent piece with a certain jacket it becomes a permanent fixture, because I’m too lazy to switch this kind of stuff out and how many decorative lapel pins does a man encounter on the average shopping trip, anyway?

3) Reading party! Barnes & Noble had the latest issue of Vogue Hommes International in stock, natch, and Vogue’s interview with David Fincher and Rooney Mara couldn’t have been boring after seeing the trailer for The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo – I haven’t been intrigued by an action movie since I was seventeen, but this one’s got me feeling like a boy at a skateboard party, or whatever it is they’re into.

4) It’s Lacroix, darling! No, literally. Vintage Christian Lacroix cuff from Vintage Vixen.

5) I had to get a picture of this up just because I wear it so infrequently despite my burning love for it. Silk scarf by Meilleur Ami.

6) I love finding cute places and despite the fifteen minute wait for my Gyoza dumplings and Lemongrass ginger soup, I recommend Now & Zen for a laidback lunch stop – Fornasetti-inlaid tables and artfully distressed interior? Yes, please!

FANTASTIC SEÑOR FOX

Suit - A.P.C.

Shirt - Banana Republic via Ike's

Shoes - Lotusse

Belt - Vintage Vixen

Ring - Ten Thousand Villages

And here it is, the last in my "brown & black" series (of sorts). I've had this A.P.C. corduroy suit for about three years, but what you are witnessing with these pictures is my first time wearing it as a whole! I mean, brown corduroy suit? The first thing that comes to mind is that episode of SATC where Miranda finds a brown corduroy suit in Steve's closet and barfs and then her heads starts spinning and then the priest...oh, wait. So maybe that's The Exorcist-ish. Either way, the brown cord suit was a no go in my book until I saw Fantastic Mr. Fox, Wes Anderson's stop-motion feature starring woodland creatures with a better sense of style than moi. But if you click through the link you'll see that Mr. Fox's suit is double breasted - so fancy! I had to put my boho (read: lazy) spin on it. Enter my oversized Banana Republic black linen shirt, thrifted from Ike's Underground. I feel like a high school art teacher when wearing it - in a good way! The accessories enliven the mix and the overall effect, I hope, isn't, "Oh God, this guy owns a brown corduroy suit?"


photos by the fantastic Fareine Benz (available for weddings, bat mitzvahs and everything in between!)

PAPA-PAPA-RAZZI

Friday evening I stopped by Vintage Vixen’s opening party and played paparazzo for a few hours – by the end of the night I’d been asked if I was covering the event for a magazine, so apparently I seemed pretty into it! But as we know, I was just out shopping and casually/maniacally snapping away for The Charlotte (check 'em out later this week for my shots of gorgeous Nour, with whom I quickly bonded over a mutual appreciation of vintage capes.)

Sportcoat – A.P.C.

Scarf – Zara

Shirt – Uniqlo

Pants – Opening Ceremony

This is what I wore, an outfit that – oops! – includes almost nothing vintage. And I even “got the memo” :/ But what did I buy? The wool felt wide brim Stetson-esque hat seen in the first picture and a wonderfully unique Southwest-inspired belt that I can’t properly describe (pictures will be provided later to do it justice.) And the experience? The men’s section is tucked away in a corner, which could give a young man the impression that he’s wandered into Oprah’s closet and found, in the back, the space left over for Stedman. But don’t be fooled by the intimate quarters - you’re not in the Keebler Elf tree anymore! They've got plenty of man-sized suiting, ties and even some cowboy boots for good measure, although  I personally prefer all my vintage mixed together on the floor so that interesting and alterable “opposite-sexed” pieces are more readily apparent when shopping. Any other man shoppers have thoughts to share?

Thanks must be said to owner Carole and her family for putting on such a show – be sure to stop in as it really looks great in there!

HAPPY FRIDAY, I AM TOO LAZY FOR MORE...

Enjoy this vintage photo of my grandfather relaxing, which is supposed to be how I segue into talking about Vintage Vixen's grand opening tomorrow. Did it work? Well, they're having a circus-themed block party and asking you, the public, to celebrate with them in your vintage finest. Check it out - I'll be there (and so will champagne!)

I am a bit burnt out today, but look for some special things from me next week, including street style from Vixen's party over at The Charlotte and, drumroll please, Fruitpunch's first contest/giveaway! Until then, mes amis~