Remember opening up a Barbie on Christmas? Ah, the good old days.

So I’m watching T.V. and On-Demand has this Barbie ad. I’d say Barbie is a pretty good Christmas gift, especially if you’re less than 10 years old. (I don’t even like this year’s holiday doll much, but the ridiculously regal, but beautiful 1995 doll here is just about as perfect and glamorous as you can get).

And, yes, maybe I’m missing the boat here since Barbie’s 50th anniversary was much earlier this year, but I thought I’d share this great, slightly creepy Youtube video
not created by me) of the Barbie fashion show. It does, after all, feature a collage of Barbie’s retro styles and the 2009 show was inspired by her vintage duds. Do yourself a favor and skip to like 0:34 though.

I want to be Barbie at 2:43, which is funny because at that moment a song kicks in with the lyrics “want to be B-A-R-B-I-E.” How did they know? I also love the medley of 60’s songs. Reminds me of hanging out with my mom when I was little and singing along with her Oldies.

As far as the runway looks go, I wish they were less early-Barbie and instead captured the spirit of the 70’s or 80’s or even 90’s Barbies. Barbie’s such a fun fantasy lady that I would’ve liked to see more color. Black clothing is a staple of my wardrobe and it’s really not fun for me to watch on the runway. The bubblegum pink pieces in the last looks were pretty good. You can see photos of each look here
if you don’t feel like watching the whole video.

Anyway, Barbie is a timeless Christmas (or Hanukkah) gift, so I hope this post brought you back to your childhood holiday memories. Enjoy the season!

Bye, bye Ben Franklin

Haven’t posted in a while. I’ve been pretty busy and suddenly I’m moving from Philly to Hoboken. I'm feeling a bit notsalgic about Philly, but I can’t wait to be so close to NYC. I’ve got big plans for myself, including some winter shopping in the city (by which I mean New York, not Philadelphia) and more time out with my girls. Yay! After the move this weekend, I’ll get back to writing, and writing some more substantive posts that are actually about fashion. I’m sure I’ll be finding inspiration around every corner after the big move! In the meantime, I hope if anyone's reading this they enjoy Ben Franklin's retro take on two major fall/winter fashion trends--ruffles and military jackets.

Autumn inspiration

The New York Sunday Journal,
1896. From NYPL Digital Collection.

Vintage/Catwalk/Celebrity/Street: Over-the-Knee Boots

A major (and unfortunately majorly expensive) trend this fall is the over-the-knee boot, also known as the thigh high boot. If you are blessed with the legs and budget to pull it off, then you better rock it. I wish I could!

Left to right:
Vintage: 60’s go-go boots for sale on etsy.com
Catwalk: Louis Vuitton boots
Celebrity: Fergie from mystyle.com
Street: Caroline B. on Lookbook.nu (maybe this one's not fair to count as a street look because she's a fashion editor)

New York magazine also has a great slide show of the history of thigh high boots.

Wish I could be at Fashion Week instead of in a cubicle in central Jersey!

Personal note: I'm so lucky to live so close to NYC, but either too lazy or unfortunate to make it to Fashion Week and just be around the buzz. I think I'll make it a personal goal to get there next year.

A Word is Worth A Thousand Pictures—Voluptuary

Voluptuary
\vuh-LUHP-choo-er-ee\
noun: A person devoted to luxury and the gratification of sensual appetites; a sensualist.
adjective: Of, pertaining to, or characterized by preoccupation with luxury and sensual pleasure.

I’m a writer by trade so I love words and receive "the word of the day" from dictionary.com. When I saw this word, voluptuary, recently I was struck by how perfect it is for so many fashion lovers.

I thought it would be fun to occasionally do a post called “A Word is Worth A Thousand Pictures” that features an interesting word and a few (wish it could be a thousand) fashion-related photos that embody the definition. Get it? A picture is worth a thousand words and, well, the other way around also applies.

Featured here is 1930's actress Thelma Todd. And, of course, you voluptuary, you... I knew you couldn't be satisfied with just one pic so I made a slideshow. Indulge in the gorgeous fashions of other 1920’s and 1930’s actresses, all wearing styles that will encourage you to add a little sparkle and luxury to your everyday look. I only wish I had these images in color!

Sports Illustrated babes in the best of the 80's & 90's

Sports Illustrated models may be pin-ups, but the bikinis and bathing suits they wore through the 80's and 90's show for the most part what was worn to the pool by everyday women. Today they wear body paint as often as they wear designer suits....I hope no one expects the average woman to take on that trend!