Tag: Vintage clothes

Vintage Winter Coats

We’ve had a super cold and snowy winter season in Colorado this year. While it’s been hard to get outside and go anywhere, it’s still a great excuse to give some of my vintage winter coats a spin.

When winter hits, I always find it so hard to dress stylishly. All I want to do is stay warm, so it’s easy to fall into a rut of grabbing a big, warm sweater and pants or leggings and calling it a day. But what’s great about vintage winter coats is that they are so stylish; they ARE your outfit. With fabulous colors, textures and trims, they really knew how to make coats back then. Just put one on and make a statement.

Here are a few from my collection:

Blue suede 1970s vintage coat

1970s Dream Coat

This coat belonged to my mother and has been literally sitting in my parent’s hall closet for decades. Recently, I’ve been helping my parents clean out some storage, and my mom has been willing to part with a bit of her beloved clothing collection, much of which was from her young, fashionable days in the 1970s. This coat came back on my last trip, and it’s such a stunner. Blue suede and a cream fur trim with a flattering hourglass silhouette. I usually avoid anything with real fur because I’m an animal lover and a little conflicted about the justifications for wearing vintage fur. I certainly would never buy fur new. But since this came from my mom, I’m making an exception. I feel so glamorous in this coat! It truly is an outfit in itself.

Gold corduroy 1960s vintage coat

1960s Corduroy Coat

I picked this coat up recently for a steal at our local modernism show. I can’t resist corduroy and the color mustard yellow. I love the straight fit of this coat that works well with almost any dress or skirt length. Because of its 1960s styling, it looks fabulous with shorter skirts, which I wear a lot of in winter with warm leggings because they go well with chunky snow boats. The casualness of this coat makes it great for a daywear showstopper.

Wool 1950s vintage coat

1950s Wool Coat

This was an early impulse purchase when I first moved to Colorado and needed some warm coats. I never needed them in my former home in sun-drenched Southern California. It’s been a great excuse to up my coat game, and this off-white mid-century wool coat is such a head-turner. I love creating winter white looks with it, which makes it feel a bit more formal when wearing it. With three-quarter sleeves, I definitely have to be aware of what I wear under it. I have to plan for pairing long sleeves with matching gloves or longer gloves with anything short-sleeved.

Plaid Vintage Cape

Vintage Cape

Don’t forget capes as part of your vintage outerwear! I picked this up from a friend cleaning out her closet. Since she’s a big collector of 1940s vintage, I’m guessing this coat originates anywhere from the late 1940s to the early 1960s. I love the taupe plaid pattern that goes with almost anything and is fun for doing some print mixing. Plus, the generous sizing means it can go over almost anything, even a light jacket, for lots of layering options. There is really nothing like the drama of a cape wafting along with your every move to really make an entrance in a room!

So that’s my current vintage coat collection. I’m sure it will grow and change over time as I learn to dress for Colorado winters. For now, I have some fun options to play with. Check your local vintage shops to find your dream vintage coat to put some extra style in your winter wear!

 

Until next time,

Kastle

 

Tags: ,

Tag: Vintage clothes

That ’70s Look

This past year, I’ve been helping my mom clear out decades’ worth of stored boxes. Since my mom was a fashionista (Now you know where I get it!), she had some fabulous clothes that are now vintage, much of it from the 1970s. She let me take a huge haul home with me and now I have pretty much an entire wardrobe of ’70s clothes. And the timing seems to be perfect, because I’m starting to see this vintage trend everywhere – even in vintage stores that used to be pre-’60s-only and vintage reproduction brands such as Unique Vintage are making it.

It’s taken me a few months to learn how to style 1970s clothes, but I love the bold colors, wacky pointed dagger colors, and the A-line skirts and dresses that are so flattering and comfortable.

All the clothes you see here are from my mom except the floral midi skirt and yellow striped jacket that I picked up from Ten Penny Vintage after catching the ’70s bug! Thanks mom!

Midi Wrap Skirts and Stripe Shirts

1970s vintage outfit

Nothing is more “Brady Bunch” than a striped shirt with a v-neck and dagger collar, paired with a white stitch midi wrap skirt. Can you say, “Marsha, Marsha, Marsha!”

For the Love of Velour

1970s green velour skirt

Velour was so ’70s and so soft. I remember my mom wearing it A LOT – to the mall, to the pool. It was cool yet warm at the same time. I paired this green velour skirt with a floral shirt with dagger collar made of good ol’ polyester – of course! The skirt also came with a matching jacket. Wow!

Button-Down Shirts with Dagger Collars

1970s floral wrap skirt

I just love how this floral wrap skirt is so summery and cheerful. I paired it with one of my mom’s pointy-collar button-downs and the stiff square fit of this shirt is so telling that this is before “slim fit” cuts.

Peasant Tops Can Now Be Cottegecore

1970s peasant top midi skirt

In the ’70s, many “ethnic” looks came into play that might be considered cultural appropriation today, depending on how it’s worn. “Boho” is a questionable term these days, but I do love the idea of light, free-flowing clothes and counter-culture artistic style. The summery feel of this peasant-style blouse gives a hint of that and could work for a more cottegecore look. I juxtaposed it with a bright teal button-down A-line midi skirt and rustic vintage belt.

So Much Polyester!


1970s jacket and scooter skirt

I just can’t get enough polyester in my ’70s wardrobe and had to have this cheery yellow jacket. It probably came with matching pants at some point, but I made do with one of my mom’s scooter skirts in a navy star-print pattern for a little print mixing. And bonus, the skirt has shorts underneath!

Filet Lace Dress

1970s lace dress

I couldn’t believe this long, filet lace dress was in my mom’s collection and in perfect condition. I wasn’t sure to make of it at first – is it a dress, a swimsuit coverup, a duster jacket? I guess it can be whatever you want – but no question, it’s a stunner!

So that’s a peek at my new ’70s wardrobe. There are few more gems I have yet to style. I’m having lots of fun with it and am loving the new silhouettes it brings into play. See more of my looks on my Instagram page and in my everyday styling articles on Upstyle Daily.

Cheers,

Kastle

Tags: , , ,

Tag: Vintage clothes

Day At The Races: Santa Anita Park

And the horses are on the track! I spent a day at the races for closing day at Santa Anita Park last week. A big group of us dressed in our vintage for a good ol’ fashion afternoon.

I’d never been before and had no idea that Santa Anita Park Race Track was just a little bit outside of Pasadena. I must admit that I’m a bit of a fan of horse races but not an experienced attendee. I tend to get swept up in the excitement of the Kentucky Derby every year and long for an afternoon when I can wear a big hat, drink mint juleps and admire some absolutely magnificent animals. I usually end up watching the entire Triple Crown on TV and picking my favorites by the time it’s all over.

So I was excited to see a horse race in person. We met at the statue of Seabiscuit, which in itself had me a bit awestruck. (It’s an amazing story if you don’t know it. See the movie, much of it was filmed at Santa Anita where Seabiscuit raced many times.) We then made our way up to the stands. Since we were all dressed up in styles from the 1930-60s — the men in their suits and hats and the ladies in their dresses and gloves — we made quite a scene as people stopped and stared.

I had a few dollars burning a hole in my wallet so I turned to one of the fellas to assist this virgin racer on how to place a bet. Of course I had no idea how to beat the odds, so  I went by names I liked.

With the sound of the bugle, we were ready for our first race. I watched as the numbers I picked flew past with the thunder of speedy hooves in the dirt. Not a winner but I tried again. Ok, well I lost two races and I stopped there. We spent the rest of the day exploring the grounds, posing for pictures and we even snuck into the Winner’s Circle for a spell, just long enough for one lady from our group of retro dollies to be pulled into the coach ‘n’ horses for a private spin around the track!

See photos from the day by clicking on the image below:

It was a great time and a perfect lead-up to the Kentucky Derby on May 5th. If you want to celebrate like they do at Churchill Downs, the historic downtown Los Angeles Athletic Club is having a viewing party. Don’t miss the “Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports!”

Run for the Roses,
K.



Tags: , , , , , ,

Tag: Vintage clothes

ReVamping Vintage Fashions

In a hip little penthouse lost downtown is a store and workshop called ReVamp, which makes vintage recreations from the period between 1910-1950.  Owned by the ever-stylish Annamarie von Firley (who can always be spotted in a crowd because of her fashion sense and canary-yellow bob), this retro designer makes clothes for the vintage lover and many TV and film productions from a workshop/store that sits in the penthouse stuite of the historic Platt building, wedged between the Broadway Bar and the Orpheum Theatre. They also host weekend retro hair and makeup workshops to teach you how to get the right look to match your period outfits. Other events include fashion shows for their latest collection that was cute indeed! See their super-cute fashions by clicking the link below:

View the slideshow of fashions

So many clothes, so little time!
K.

Tags: , , ,