Ebay's Top Shopped report for 2010

Military jacket

Plaid

50s fashion vintageclothing.com.au

FAUX fur

Lady Gaga, McQueen

America’s 2010 Top Fashion Obsessions as reported by Ebay's Top Shopped report:

A Salute to Fashion: One of the biggest fashion trends this year, military jackets topped the list as the fashion obsession for 2010 with fashion fanatics buying more than 1 million related items on eBay (1,038,026 related items sold).

Pretty in Plaid: As the favorite fabric for fall, plaid was a hot commodity on eBay, coming in second as a fashion obsession with 718,365 related items sold.

Return of the Decades: Retro fashion was haute this year with decades like the 30s, 50s, 80s and 90s trending high on eBay. The feminine 1950s took the cake with 626,264 related items sold, followed by the 1980s (378,222 related items sold), 1930s (321,103 related items sold) and 1990s (299,785 related items sold). Neon was also a big fashion trend this year and was a bright spot with 469,356 related items sold.

The New Glam: Decadent materials like faux fur (105,988 related items sold) and feathers (121,983 related items sold) as well as dramatic, bold prints – specifically leopard print (80,120 related items sold) – were all the rage with the fashion-savvy set of 2010.

Fashion Icon Lives On: This year marked the passing of iconic fashion designer Alexander McQueen. His legacy has lived on with fans buying 20,070 related items. In addition, McQueen’s unofficial muse and fashion icon for the new millennium, Lady Gaga, had shoppers vying for her look with related sales that totaled 96,470.

Best wishes for a joyous, peaceful and loving Christmas

Wear the same brooch that Rita Hayworth wore

I was fascinated to see that a vintage crab brooch and earring set by Eugene Joseff is for sale on cooljools.com The top picture shows a young Rita Hayworth wearing the same brooch in second top photo. Eugene Joseff is reported to have designed up to ninety percent of the jewellery worn by Hollywood who's who from 1930 to 1948. His jewellery was worn in many famous movies including Gone with the Wind (1939), High Society (1956) and Cleopatra (1963). The other photos are of more stunning jewellery for sale on the same site.

The ultimate in style

This photo just ticks all the boxes. The clothes by Dior, circa 1950s, are to die for and the composition of the models is sublime. What I also love is the position of the models on the background. True art.

Loving Kate Middleton's engagement announcement dress

I thought Kate Middleton looked gorgeous in her blue jersey dress by one of her favorite designers, Issa of London, for the official engagement announcement. It showed off her slim figure and fabulous legs beautifully. Not to mention complimenting the stunning sapphire and diamond engagement ring that belonged to William's mother Diana, Princess of Wales. Thanks to theclotheswhisperer.co.uk I have discovered it cost 385 pounds.

Time and place

If I see one more pair of cut off denim jeans/shorts in the Brisbane CBD I am going to go crazy. They have become a world-wide uniform, taking over from the ubiquitous leggings. Showing my age ... you bet. Girls please show some originality and flair and find your own style.

Vintage reigns supreme

I just thought this winning dress stood out right from the start. Melbourne Spring Carnival Fashions on the Field winner Jaydee Paino from Cairns was very creative restructuring an $18 dress with a horse print she bought online from the US. She won a huge stash of cash and a fabulous car.

My picks for the Spring Racing Carnival

It's that time of the year again and I see vintage is a big trend for the Spring Racing Carnival. I can just imagine the black and white spotted dress above, teamed with a fabulous black hat of course, at Derby Day. These dresses are all at www.vintageclothing.com.au

David Dowton captures the essence of style

While strolling through Queen's Paza in Brisbane yesterday I came across a small exhibition of some of the supremely talented David Dowton's fashion illustrations. In a previous life I also worked as a fashion illustrator for the iconic store David Jones ... which is now in this complex. It was very fitting to see this form of artwork, so beautifully done, being displayed there. I am so thrilled it is being done again as the style it conveys is only possible through this media. Unfortunately fashion illustration lost favour in the late seventies when photography took over. What I'd give for one of Downton's prints. The exhibition is on until early October.

David Downton is also Editor in Chief of Pourquoi Pas? the only journal dedicated to fashion illustration. To see more go to http://www.pqpmagazine.com/

Fabulous film frocks

Dinner at Eight, 1933. Costume designer: Adrian

Gilda, 1946. Costume designer: Jean Louis

A Place in the Sun, 1951. Costume designer: Edith Head

Niagara, 1953. Costume designer: Dorothy Jeakins

Sabrina, 1954. Costume designer: Edith Head

Cat on A Hot Tin Roof, 1958. Costume designer: Helen Rose

Breakfast at Tiffany's, 1961. Costume designer: Givenchy

While researching the divine white dress Elizabeth Taylor wore in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof I came across 'Send in the Gowns, Freddie Leiba, 22 seminal film frocks that bewitched the world', by Robin Sayers on latimesmagazine.com. Sure enough Elizabeth is there in that amazing white silk dress by Helen Rose. I've uploaded my favourites but for more go to http://www.latimesmagazine.com/2010/02/send-in-the-gowns.html
There are also some fascinating details about each dress.

Would love to hear what your favourite film dress is.

New arrival. Vintage 1950s flocked nylon dress never worn.

Oh how utterly feminine and online now for sale at vintageclothing.com.au

The Last Time I Saw Paris .. simply fabulous

Elizabeth Taylor in a scene from The Last Time I saw Paris
wearing the fabulous red dress I mentioned below .
The man is a very young Roger Moore.

Just spent a most enjoyable 2 hours on the sofa watching "The Last Time I saw Paris."

Released in 1954. This classic movie is a romantic drama made by MGM, and set in post-World War II Paris. The film stars Elizabeth Taylor and Van Johnson, with Walter Pidgeon, Donna Reed, Eva Gabor, Kurt Kasznar, George Dolenz, Sandy Descher and Roger Moore. After the end of World War II in Europe, Charles (Van Johnson) plays a journalist walking the streets of Paris covering the city-wide celebration when a total stranger, Helen (Elizabeth Taylor), stops and gives him a celebratory kiss. And thus begins the tale of love, jealousy, challenging marriages, and disillusionment.

Best of all are the amazing clothes worn mainly by the gorgeous Elizabeth Taylor. Donna Reed and Eva Gabor have some sensational outfits also.

I couldn't find many stills from the movies to upload but did find an interesting site www.dressingvintage.com/featured-designer-helen-rose.html with details about the clothing designer for the film, Helen Rose.

Rose's designs, worn by Elizabeth Taylor with her wasp waist, are breathtaking on the screen! Among my favorites are a two piece purple coat/dress ensemble, a black one shoulder evening gown, and a sensational red dress in one of the last of Elizabeth's scenes in the film. The censor of the film rejected the dress because of it's dramatic cleavage, but it was so stunningly beautiful that he was convinced to allow it in the film. Helen Rose was interviewed in the 1970s and mentioned that she had recently seen Elizabeth Taylor's mother and she told her that she still had that red dress. I would have held on to it too! Ms. Rose worked with Elizabeth Taylor on several films and created Liz's now iconic look from Butterfield 8 and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

Gorgeous 50s spring florals for sale and listed

As promised I have finally listed these 3 delightful vintage 50s dresses. They are so rare in that they have never been worn and are in pristine condition. Please check them out on vintageclothing.com.au

A Vintage Affair by Isabel Wolff ... great read especially for the vintage clothing lover

From the jacket:
Phoebe Swift always dreamt of opening her own vintage dress shop.
At the launch of Village Vintage, Phoebe feels the tingle of excitement as customers snap up the fairytale dresses. Her dream has come true but a secret from her past is casting a shadow over her new venture.
Then one day she meets Therese, and elderly Frenchwoman with a collection to sell, apart from the one garment she won't part with.
As Therese tells the story of the little blue coat, Phoebe becomes aware of a profound connection with her own life, one that will help her heal the pain of her past and allow her to love again.

I can see this becoming a movie soon.

A time of elegance

My neighbour called me in yesterday to meet her dear friend who had just arrived from northern NSW by bus to enter her beautifully knitted garments in the Brisbane Royal Show this year.
Her garments inspired me to look for patterns on the net and I found these amazing designs from the 50s. It was such an era of elegance ... the styles, the accessories, the photography, the models. And people actually had time to knit.

Just listed ... vintage 50s Oleg Cassini couture

Just love the fan style back detail on this gorgeous Oleg Cassini dress.
It is now for sale at www.vintageclothing.com.au

Just listed this amazing vintage dress from the 1950s

I am so excited about this gorgeous vintage 1950s dress that I have just listed on my website vintageclothing.com.au
I can just see it at the Spring Racing Carnival this year. Imagine the hat you could wear with it.
The sleeves are so now too.
What is amazing is it has never been worn, just carefully stored all those years.