September 07, 2013

Not What You'd Expect From Lilly Pulitzer

We recently compiled every Lilly Pulitzer print we've ever had into a single-page fabric library, and in doing so, I came across this dress I'd almost forgotten.

It was a Lilly Pulitzer dress we'd sold over fifteen years ago.  At the time, our business was so young I don't think I knew it was a special dress, though I knew Lilly was a special designer.  She's always had a dear place in my heart because we're both Floridians.

But this dress is a rare one.  Lilly Pulitzer prints are known for their bright florals in tropical, often fluorescent colors.  This dress is autumnal, in earthy hues and an especially soft fabric that felt like a Pima cotton.  It's hard to justify the word "rare" in mid-century ready-to-wear, but I've never seen another Lilly Pulitzer like this one, fifteen years later.  I think I can place the word rare as its descriptor without much hesitation.

I wonder if Lilly was trying to capture another season... she nailed spring and summer, but there are no fall or winter Lilly Pulitzer clothes to speak of.  It seems this look was as close as she got.

September 02, 2013

Investment Puzzle Pieces

Just another reason we love vintage suits!  They interlock like puzzle pieces in myriad ways.  A suit ensemble that includes a jacket, shell and skirt can be worn in many variations... jacket with pants, skirt with turtleneck, or just the shell paired with another suit entirely.  The list goes on...

And here's a perfect illustration.  This 1971 article pictures a Junior Sophisticates red jacket & navy skirt (at left) and a vintage Anne Klein suit shown in pairings as originally sold.


The following page changes it up, with Anne Klein's vintage blazer paired with the Junior Sophisticates skirt and vice versa. 



A great example of why you should wear vintage suits, complete with antique auto and cheeky Bonnie & Clyde styling.  Vintage suits dovetail into modern closets pretty effortlessly, too, because the classic tailored look is just that - classic.  A smart investment in vintage style!

Source: January 1971 McCall's Magazine.