Monthly Archives: March 2012

Vintage Styles are Trendy

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The more things change the more they stay the same and the “vintage” trend, which just keeps growing and growing, is a great example of this wise saying.

If you’re looking for a unique style, great fabrics and quality, as well as wonderful old-school tailoring, but your budget is tight or you have an aversion to handing over your hard earned dollars to haute shops and their bloated price tags, vintage may be your new way to go.

Going to thrift stores can be fun, and you never know what you’re going to find. However, rummaging through consignment stores may not be your cup of tea. Shopping online is a good alternative and there are a growing number of choices. In fact, there are entire websites dedicated to providing vintage dresses and other attire. But don’t be surprised when you see how expensive these clothes are.

To help you navigate (I love sailing metaphors, don’t you?) consider these guidelines related to vintage fashion (which work as general shopping guidelines too), you’ll side step a few issues and increase your chances of snagging a great find!

Do you know your size?
Perhaps this seems an odd question, but standard sizes were not prevalent until the 60’s and even then only for lower priced clothing. Much of the older clothing from the 50’s and especially pre-war styles were tailored to fit the buyer. In addition, sizing varied from one decade to the next and of course from country to country.  So one downside of online shopping is you may need to return items or be prepared to spend money on tailoring.

However, most online sellers can guide you, so always ask the seller for measurements! If you fall in love with an item that’s a little too big or a little too tight a good tailor can be your best friend.

Time it right
Weekends are when we have time to shop and remove the old to make room for the new (i.e., closets get cleaned on weekends). The old items that are cast away will go on sale early in the week. In addition, online sellers stock up on vintage pieces at the local fairs on weekends. New stock is uploaded for sale first thing on Monday morning. Therefore, as in many high demand situations the time to shop is before the virtual “shelves” get pick over. Arrive early for the best deals and the most choices.

Trade up and save money
Online stores like Armadio.co (coming soon to a browser near you) and Esty.com are good places to both buy and sell or perhaps sell and then buy! Take a long look in your closet and see if you can offer your older-but-valuable threads to buyers and then use the money to “trade-up” it’s a great way to revamp your wardrobe without breaking the budget.

Summing up
Vintage or retro styles are currently trendy, and, let’s face it girls there is a major FUN factor involved! How long will the trend last? Well that’s hard to say, but it appears to be on the upswing. If vintage is back now, should it fade, it is likely to return yet again!

Is the Color Pink in Danger?

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Given how important the color pink is to many women and that is it the color selected to represent the fight against cancer, we thought you’d find this article interesting. It’s a quick read and as entertaining as it is informative. So, here is the title, author, and the opening paragraph, but I encourage you to use the link to read the whole article.
Thanks Mr. Krulwich!

They Did It To Pluto, But Not To Pink! Please Not Pink!
by Robert Krulwich

“Pluto isn’t a planet anymore. It’s been demoted. Now it’s pink’s turn.
I’m talking about the color pink. It turns out (and this is not a new
development, it’s just something I didn’t know), there is no pink in a
rainbow. It isn’t there…….

I had no idea”.

——————————————————————————–

“There is no Pink Light” is one of a series of animations called
Minute Physics’, drawn and written by Henry Reich. There’s a whole
YouTube channel of them. They ask, “What is Gravity?” “What is Dark
Matter?” If you care, they are wonderful introductions. If you don’t
care, they end quickly.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2012/02/28/147590898/they-did-it-to-pluto-but-not-to-pink-please-not-pink

Would You Buy the Clothes You Own?

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What’s in your closet may surprise you, if you haven’t looked deep into its corners lately. 

Try this simple exercise. Open your clothes closet and/or the draws of your dresser, but before looking inside pretend you are there to buy what you see. Now look at the clothes and accessories from this point of view. Ask yourself:  “Would I buy these clothes and accessories if I were shopping today?”  Said another way, “Which pieces of my wardrobe would I want to buy if I were shopping right now!?”

Next, pull out all the items you would NOT buy if you were shopping today and make a pile on your bed. Leave the clothes you would buy in the closet. How much room do you have for new purchases? Most likely you have a ton of space.

Congratulations! You have just taken a giant step toward creating a better wardrobe.

In addition, you have taken a first step toward setting up a “closet” on the soon to be launched www.Armadio.co website, where you can sell the items that no longer fit your style and buy things that do!

Plus, you’ll have the opportunity to make a donation to a charity. To learn more signup for our emails and visit our blog again soon to read the newest posts on closet management, fashion tips, and other news and updates from Armadio.

Happy Closet Cleaning!

Finding Your Unique Fashion Style

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We all want a personal style that is unique and at the same time is not out of sync with current fashion trends. It’s a never ending process and one of the reasons retailers stay in business. The idea is to find your “look” and then continue to perfect it and keep it current by adding carefully selected items.

Begin with an honest self-appraisal – What is your current style?
Now think for a moment – Is this the signature style you want?

Remember you don’t have to stick with one style religiously to create “your” personal look. If you tend to be preppy, it’s perfectly okay to add modern pieces to your ensemble. If you have a very sophisticated style, you can still add playful items to your wardrobe that are consistent with how you want to be perceived; high quality and classic lines will do the trick.

Often it’s the accessories that define you. One friend, that I adore, almost never leaves the house with less than two or three prominent accessories that create her silhouette. These include a wide brimmed hat, simple but large-sized earrings, and Ray-Ban sunglasses!

This would not work for everyone, but it sure as heck works for her. She lets her accessories define her and she creates a signature look that is as bold as it is famine.

You don’t have to be ridged about the look you create, your appearance can flow with the seasons and the weekday, weekend, and evening activities in which you engage. Play with different styles (e.g., outdoorsy and rugged, preppy, or rocker chic) Let every day be an adventure!

What’s your signature look and the pieces that define it?

 

Spring Forward Apparel

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March is upon us, time to change over from our winter wardrobes and warm up to Spring, which is a mere two weeks away! This inspired us to share three ideas that might help you get into the spirit for Spring.

 

Infuse famine overtones with “the ruffles” look, but don’t overdo it! Keep it sweet and soft to create an alluring style. White brings out the pure and green is the color of spring itself – either way you will be in lock step with the season.

 

 

 

Add a spring hat – try a big brim and/or a ribbon accent. Hats can draw an admiring eye especially if you are wearing a healthy smile underneath that brim. Some looks are timeless and these two are certainly in that category.  Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca and Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

Finally, a wrap skirt is a winning number for Spring, perfect for horse races or to watch your favorite field and track start jump hurdles. Black is a classic, but wrap skirts are versatile, try a vintage style, you might be surprised how great it fits and the how many eyes will follow you around town. . . .

 

 

 

 

For more ideas and great ways to save on clothes come back often and signup for our mailing list to be among the first to get the announcement when Arnadio.co goes live!

 

Safety Pins or a Good Tailor?

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Women have curves and if you appreciate your curves you want styles and fabrics that work well with your shape. However, every now and again you may come across a top, bottom or dress, skirt, blazer or what have you that you love but it just wasn’t cut for your shape.

You may be tempted to take a risky short-cut and safety-pin-it to improve the fit. Be careful!

At the very least be sure to put band aids in your handbag just in case! However, there are two other options. One is to simply pass on the item, if you try to “make” if fit it will always look like you’re doing just that. The second is to bring the item of clothing to a talented tailor!

Of course you’re not going to invest in tailoring if the item is cheap, but assuming we’re talking about a quality piece of clothing the tailored option is a better choice than the safety pin approach. However, if you must go the safety pin route be sure that each pin is pushed through 2-3 times, which will make an enormous difference!