FRONT COVER
Cover Type: Softcover (Perfect Bound) Book Size: Magazine 8.5x11 Page Count: 80 Paper Type: Premium Magazine (80# Text)
INSIDE FRONT COVER
BUFFBABE Women’s Athletic
Vestido.com 5
Welcome to Vestido! I hope you are as excited as I am about what is our inaguaral copy, one we hope to repeat over many issues. This has been a true labor of love. From talking to readers in our community, Vestido comes at a crucial time. In our lives we are bombarded with media, and at times, finding that the content we want is lacking. This month we bring you body positive articles that are inspiring, spark creativity, and help in supporting the creation of your own personal style! Growing up with two brothers, I was always shy about taking time on my appearance, and was low on funds until I started mowing lawns at 13. Even then, in hindsight I didn’t have much guidance about what was style, and how to develop my own. I remember buing what my twenty dollar paycheck could afford and buying whatever seemed on trend on the discount shelf at Express, in pastels (not a good color for my olive skin, I would later learn). From my years of garage saling with my mom, and having a friend in high school that introduced me to the beauty of the thrift, I started to find my own way in terms of finding clothes that were fitting to my body and personality.
6 Vestido • Style Issue
Developing a style is a very personal endeavour. It take coming into our authentic selves and having confidence in your own person, and who you are. So much so, that you’ll wear that off trend bright Hawaiian shirt, because it’s fun, the colors look good on you, and you just want to. Who cares what anyone thinks? To quote Doctor Seuss, those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind. Be yourself dear Vestido readers. That is the most empowering thing of all. V
Cover Stories
On Sizing Why You Can’t Trust That Number
People Tree Ethical Fashion Hits the Runway
Mobile Thrifting Stacey Chambers Takes It On the Road
Dye, Dye, Everywhere Do You Know What Dyes Are Doing to Our Rivers?
8 Vestido • Style Issue
Top Ten Thrfiting Tips A List To Transform Your Wardrobe
Issue No. 1 November 2018
& Features
Style vs Fashion Trends End, How Do You Define Style?
Accesories Please Less Is Not
She’s Rocking the Burlesque World
Eight Pairs of Shoes Shoes to Complete Any & All Outfits
Advanced Style Your New Lady Life Rolemodels
Undies, Undies Salua Lingerie, both Pretty, Practical, and Ethical
Why Thrift The Impact Our Dollars Have
Always More
Vestido.com 9
clothing sizes = actually bonkers
you might be a 6 for one designer, and an 8, or even a 10 for another by kit steinkellner
But did you know that sizes also have varied dramatically over time? The Washington Post recently published a couple of graphs from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (formerly the National Bureau of Standards) that knocked us for a loop. According to these graphs, as women have gotten larger, sizes have gotten smaller. In other words, Americans have gotten heavier over the last 50 years (The Washington Post points to data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that shows that the average American woman today weighs as much as the average 1960’s man), and so because people weigh more today, vanity sizing has proliferated, accommodating a public that would rather buy clothes for themselves in “smaller” sizes. Looking at a study National Bureau of Standards published in 1958, based on interviews with 15,000 women, a study that bears the honor of being the first to publish modern women’s clothing size
charts, we see just how dramatically things have changed. For example, in 1958, the average size 8 woman had a bust of 31 inches, a 23.5 inch waist, and weighed about 98 pounds. “So a size a 8 in ‘58 is like a 000 now, is that what you’re saying?” you ask. Yes, that’s exactly what we’re saying. “So if I’m a size 8 now, what was I back then?” is, I imagine, your follow up. Well, according to these graphs, a size 8 now in 1958 would probably have been the equivalent of today’s size 16. So you know how you always hear that Marilyn Monroe was a size 12 or 14? Well yeah, she might have been then but sizes have changed. If you’re feeling a little rattled, it’s OK, we get it, size is, unfortunately, an emotionally charged issue for many women, going up or down a single size is often a big deal for people. So it is a little shocking to jump in the Fashion Time Machine and see your dress go up eight sizes. To understand what happened, you have to understand that the National Bureau of Standards only tried to standardize sizes for about 25 years.
In 1983, the project was disbanded because women’s bodies come in all kinds of shapes and sizes are a REALLY hard thing to standardize. So in 1983, when the government started letting designers decide which dress would be which size, that right there was the dawn of vanity sizing. So, now, in 2015, sizes are crazy-arbitrary, which is frustrating when you’re just trying to find jeans that you feel comfy in, or a dress to wear to your BFFs wedding, or any of the million situations where you would just like your clothes to fit properly. That said, it’s great to understand just how arbitrary sizing is so that we don’t get too hung up on that little number tag sitting somewhere in the back of all our clothes. It really is just a number. It really is.V
Vestido.com 11
The History of Fabric Dye Juliette Donatelli
Imagine a world without color. A world without the little black dress, colorful sundresses or even the crisp white shirt. It’s hard to fathom our wardrobe witout a bounty of shades.
12 Vestido • Style Issue
90% of clothing is dyed synthetically. Critics say you can tell the next season’s hit hue by the color of the rivers in China : a sign of environmental degradation.
The ancient world was much more colorful than we might imagine. The first recorded mention of fabric dyeing dates back to 2600 BC. Originally, dyes were made with natural pigments mixed with water and oil used to decorate skin, jewelry and clothing. Those same dyes were also used for painting prehistoric caves, which emerged in places like El Castillo, Spain, some 40,000 years ago. Today, 90% of clothing is dyed synthetically, and critics say you can tell the next season’s hit hue by the color of the rivers in China. Tragically, chemical dyeing can cause significant environmental degradation and harm to workers if not handled properly. Increasing interest in sustainable fashion has reawoken the art of natural dyeing.
A Look Back The most commonly used dyes in ancient times were found near their source, and so color often differentiated geographic location as well as class and custom. The colors were mixed from exotic plants, insects or sea life. For example, the word “crimson” is derived from kermes, the source of the dye—an insect found on oaks trees in the Mediterranean. Of all the colors in the ancient world, yellow was the most common color achieved from a number of plants. Other ancient colors like blue derived from indigo, a plant found in India and south east Asia. Indigo dyes fabric a rich blue color, and is unique because it doesn’t require a mordant for the color to stay. See, a natural dye needs what is called a
“mordant” to stick—mordant meaning bite. Plants like indigo naturally have mordants, but without one, the color can easily fade over time. It’s the color purple that truly opens up history and provides the perfect insight into the history of fabric dyes—from its stance as a status symbol which intrigued the richest of leaders and often equaled its weight in gold, to opening the doors to synthetic dyeing around the world—purple is fascinating. Way way back, Tyranian purple, as it was once called, was achieved only from crushing thousands of shells of a mollusk called Murex, found on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean. The color was mixed in what is now Lebanon and still to this day stands as the most expensive color to mix. When Alexander the Great Vestido.com 13
conquered Persia in 331 BC, he first laid eyes upon robes dyed with purple, and due to its rarity and intensive process, purple was only available for the robes of kings and princes.
Enter: Synthetic Dye An English teenage chemist, William Perkin, was searching for a form of synthetic quinine—then an anti-malaria medicine—that could be derived from coal tar. Quinine was the only medicine to cure malaria at the time, and came from the bark of the cinchona tree, found in South America. The bark was in short supply. English soldiers were dying from malaria in India, so Perkin was on a mission to discover an alternate cure. During one of his experiments, he noticed that his mixture of coal tar turned a rich purple color. He dipped a piece of silk into the mixture. Instantly, he knew he had stumbled upon something miraculous. Perkin called the dye color mauveine, or mauve. Because it didn’t run or fade, he saw marketing potential for the discovery and sent a fabric swatch off to dye houses. His mixture was an immediate success. Perkin left the Royal College of Chemistry in London (losing much of his credibility in the scientific community) and starting manufacturing synthetic dyes. It is estimated that over 10,000 different dyes and pigments are used industrially and over 7 x 105 tons of synthetic dyes are annually produced worldwide. Once the English began manufacturing mauve, the Germans invested in a state of the art synthetic dye industry that supplied mills throughout Europe and North America. By World War I, Germany had become the world leader in synthetic dyes and supplied 90 percent of America’s textile industry. With Perkin’s discovery, the art of natural dyeing was virtually lost, as all efforts were placed in synthetic dyes. InTech Science, in an article regarding the environmental dangers of synthetic dyes writes, “The textile industry consumes a substantial amount of water in its manufacturing processes used mainly in the dyeing and finishing 14 Vestido • Style Issue
operations of the plants. The wastewater from textile plants is classified as the most polluting of all the industrial sectors. The increased demand for textile products and the proportional increase in their production, and the use of synthetic dyes have together contributed to dye wastewater becoming one of the substantial sources of severe pollution problems in current times.” In addition to the vast environmental dangers involved with working with synthetic dyes, there is also human risk involved. Synthetic dyes are hazardous and very dangerous for workers in the industry who inhale them as they produce product. In short, toxic chemicals are absorbed into the skin of workers when they come into prolonged contact with synthetic dye, and that dye is most easily absorbed into skin when a worker’s body is warm, when pores are open. The use of natural dyes would solve the problems associated with synthetic dyes, but for the shift to occur, society will need to band together—on behalf of fabric workers and on behalf of our planet—to demand a change in landscape. V
The use of natural dyes would solve the problems associated with synthetic dyes. but for the shift to occur, society will need to band together—on behalf of fabric workers and on behalfof our planet.
Vestido.com 15
16 Vestido • Style Issue
Bad Ass For Watson a movie premiere is also the perfect place to showcase her newest cause; ethical fashion By Scarlett Conlon
When Emma Watson isn’t advocating for gender equality as a U.N. Women goodwill ambassador or asking men to fight for feminism, she can be spotted on the red carpet promoting her films. But for Watson, a movie premiere is also the perfect place to showcase her newest cause: ethical fashion. For press junkets and international screenings of her upcoming film Regression, Watson is taking part in the Green Carpet Challenge, an initiative that’s raising awareness about sustainability, ethics, and social welfare in fashion. Watson’s clothing, shoes, handbags, and jewelry are all from designers considering all parts of the production process, from environmental impact to workers’ rights, British Vogue reports. And she’s Instagramming it every step of the way. Each event outfit she posts on the photo platform is accompanied by a description of what makes an item fit the bill—for example, designers who refuse to use harmful chemicals, or those who directly oversee their factories to ensure safe working conditions. Watson points to The True Cost, a documentary about human rights violations and environmental damage created by the fashion industry, as her inspiration for getting involved in the challenge, which is headed by eco-fashion activist Livia Firth.
Of the 40 million garment workers worldwide, the majority earn less than $3 a day. Along with low wages, factory employees—85 percent of whom are women—work in hazardous structures. The film revealed that as fast-fashion chains such as H&M and Forever 21 have pushed down prices, they’ve come to rely heavily on factories overseas. Of the 40 million garment workers worldwide, the majority earn less than $3 a day. Along with low wages, factory employees—85 percent of whom are women—work in hazardous structures. Bangladesh’s Rana Plaza factory collapse in 2013 killed more than 1,100 workers, and there have been several major factory fires in the years since. Along with the human cost, the film also looked at the environmental cost of purchasing and discarding clothing. Fashion is one of the world’s most polluting industries, second only to the oil industry. The film called on designers and corporations for additional oversight into the supply chain, but individual consumers can take a stand by purchasing brands that have committed to responsible, sustainable fashion. And with a little help from stylist Sarah Slutsky, Watson shows us that caring about local artisans and sourced fabric looks good.V 18 Vestido • Style Issue
Watson is taking part in the Green Carpet Challenge, an initiative that’s raising awareness about sustainability, ethics, and social welfare in fashion. Watson’s clothing, shoes, handbags, and jewelry are all from designers considering all parts of the production process, from environmental impact to workers’ rights, British Vogue reports.
by Whitney Bauck
20 Vestido • Style Issue
Thrifting is enviromentally, socially responsible, and personally rewarding. What are you waiting for?
I began thrift-store shopping about the same time I began buying my own clothes. The inexpensive, one-of-akind gems I discovered by scrounging through piles of dusty garments made the whole endeavor seem more like a real treasure hunt than any of the simulations computer games offered. I’ve been hooked ever since. Thrifting has become such a way of life for me that I sometimes forget there are people who have yet to succumb to its charms. But since I claimed thrifting as the most morally responsible mode of shopping in a recent post, it seems fitting to outline why I believe this is true.
Reduce Waste Re-wearing clothes reduces waste and pollution. Every garment purchased second-hand means one less new one produced, which is important because regardless of material, the production of clothing is costly to the environment. Producing synthetic fibers like polyester requires lots of energy, as well as crude oil like petroleum; byproducts include toxic gases and chemicals. Sadly, pesticides used on most plants mean that even cotton and linen garments have a negative impact. Transportation-related pollution also decreases when
clothing is re-used, as new clothes are much more likely to travel long distances before being sold than are their second-hand counterparts. Factory production of dyes and synthetic materials used in clothing contributes to air and water pollution. By High Contrast, via Wikimedia Commons Second-hand clothes are less likely to end up in landfills. In order to survive its first wearer in decent enough condition to make it into your hands, there’s a good chance your thrifted item is pretty hardy. And every item that doesn’t break/rip/ unravel once you take it home means one less item in your trashcan.
Social Impact Thrift stores make it easier to know where your money is going. To track the money you handed over for that brandnew Old Navy polo, you would need to trace the brand back to the corporation behind it, the assembly factories used by the corporation, their textile providers, and those textile providers’ raw materials suppliers—at a bare minimum. In evaluating all these steps (and the many others involved in the production chain), there are numerous considerations to keep in mind: Was your farmer using environmen-
tally responsible methods? Was your seamstress of legal working age, paid a fair wage to work in a safe factory? Is the corporation behind it the kind you want to support, or one whose views you wouldn’t like to see perpetuated? In short, it can be a bit of a nightmare to track the impact of your seemingly trivial purchase. However, with most thrift stores, this burden is greatly reduced. For better or worse, the original purchaser’s money has already supported the whole chain of production that led to your second-hand Old Navy polo.* Since most thrift stores in Europe, North America, and Australia rely heavily (if not exclusively) on donated clothing, this means you only have to question one link in the whole chain—the store right in front of you. *Personally, I feel no qualms about buying second-hand from brands I’d avoid otherwise, since none of my money will end up oiling their machine. Still, there’s no sense in abstaining from firsthand Nike purchases if you’re going to serve as a walking billboard by wearing their logo everywhere you go. Many thrift stores directly support charity. It’s no coincidence that in Ireland, the term “thrift store” doesn’t even exist—they call them “charity shops” instead. In America, the bestknown thrift stores are Goodwill and The Salvation Army, organizations Vestido.com 21
which provide services to the unemployed, homeless, and disabled. In Europe, NGOs like Oxfam commonly use thrift stores to raise funds for humanitarian aid. By shopping at these kinds of establishments, your clothing purchase can go from supporting Third World child labor to supporting Third World childrens’ education.
Personal impact Thrifting is cheaper. One of my all-time favorite dresses that I wore for years cost less than $1. Do I really need to explain to you why more money in your own pocket is a good thing? Secondhand clothing is often higher quality than comparatively-priced clothing. As mentioned in the environment section, this means you’re contributing less to landfills—but it also means less frustration over incidents like your brand-new shoe breaking the first time you wear it. (This actually
22 Vestido • Style Issue
happened to me with some Urban Outfitters flatforms. I was not impressed).
Unique Items Thrifted clothing offers more room for uniqueness. While it’s not the end of the world to see some other guy sporting the same sweater as you, most of us would choose to avoid such incidents, if possible. Since thrifted clothing infrequently comes in multiples, you’re much less likely to bump into someone wearing the exact same thing. In addition, there’s bound to be lots of clothes that were produced decades ago, or on the other side of the country, or in some other circumstance that makes them different than what the average shopper is buying off the sale rack at the mall. Thrift shopping allows for more creativity. Thrift stores are notorious for the wacky and bizarre items they often contain. (Remember Mackle-
more’s footed Batman jammies?) While these items can be downright eyesores, many just need a person with vision to re-interpret them in a contemporary way. For some, this may mean simply adding the right accessories; others may completely reconstruct their garment with shears and a trusty Singer. Either way, thrifting can allow one to do more than mindlessly mimic what one sees on the display-window mannequin, by providing more varied and interesting materials as inspiration. In short, thrifting is more environmentally and socially responsible, and personally rewarding. What are you waiting for? V
No VOC and ecofriendly
Sold at your greendepot & select hardware stores
ORDER ONLINE www.colorhousepaint.com
who is stacy chambers?
the
star of
mobile thrift by Abby Higgs
Stacey Chambers. With her lovable bear hugs, palm-searing high fives, & gestures as animated as a plate-spinning juggler, she puts the “arm” in Charm City. And much like that limb attached to your upper torso, she’s a little more than just nice to have around; she’s integral to the functionality of Baltimore’s festival and farmer’s market scene. This is because Stacey is several citizens rolled into one convivial woman: she is a small-business owner, a fashionista (though she wouldn’t readily call herself one), a supporter of local art, and a lobbyist for the local mobile retail industry, to name a few. You may not know her by face so much as by her preferred mode of transportation – a 1994 International school bus visually reminiscent of the “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” theme song. Stacey and I recently met over sushi to discuss her life as the sole proprietor of Go Go’s Retread Threads – her mobile thrift store. At the ready with a pen and paper, I was eager to interview her, to learn all about her unconventional, if not altogether ballsy-as-hell, career choice. But not long after I’d started the interview with the annoyingly abstract statement, “So tell me about yourself ”, the conversation veered like a bus driver making a hard turn, right into Battlestar Galactica. She was perturbed to learn it was going off Netflix; for a moment looking as though she might shed a tear on her chopsticks. “I fucking love that show,” she said. Was I really surprised that the interview was starting out this way? Frak no. Because if there’s one thing Stacey Chambers is not, it’s predictable. And this is a good thing. Her sense of spontaneity allows her business to thrive, traveling from festival to fair to food market all over town, sometimes at the last possible minute. Of course, before she heads out to any of these places, she tweets and posts her forthcoming whereabouts
26 Vestido • Style Issue
to her social media pages. Doing so is simply sound business practice. For example, a recent Facebook post: At #msu on hillen below coldspring. Come shop #msufollowers I don’t know how hashtags work but I know how electricity works… its shocking. After a few minutes mourning the loss of Battlestar, the conversa-
seller knew a friend of mine all the way in Kentucky. Kentucky! And his name was Chris. So he knocked one thousand dollars off the price, got it through emissions and delivered it right to me.” The story made me smile. Two guys named Chris, one in Kentucky, one in Baltimore, both who knew Stacey in one way or another. It seemed a bit like Six Degrees of Stacey Chambers.
Perhaps you don’t know her by face, but by her preferred mode of transport— a 1994 International school bus reminiscent of the “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” theme song.
tion resumed its original course. “I always want to be fulfilled,” Stacey said, her eyes glaringly serious in spite of the smile on her face. “Even if I’m just packing my lunch. It’s for me, so I want to be fulfilled by it.” So, four years ago, feeling completely unfulfilled by her shitty office job, she up and quit. “That part’s not as interesting as how the business actually started,” Stacey said. Indeed, the genesis of Go Go’s Retread Threads is an uncanny story; perhaps even proof that Fate does make a guest appearance in our lives once in a while. In Stacey’s case, a plausible guess could be that Fate felt there weren’t enough businesses around selling secondhand tweed sports jackets and adorable pink pleated skirts. “I told three people my idea,” Stacey said, obviously excited to be recounting this experience for what must be the umptieth time. “I told a twenty-oneyear-old and two guys named Chris. One Chris repaired old cars and he was the one who told me about the bus for sale. So I went to see it. Turns out the
But wait, what happened to the twenty-one-year-old? I opened my mouth to ask but Stacey wasn’t finished. “What’s really cool is that a lot of people tell me the story of their clothes’ lives after they buy them from me.” I’d read about this experience of Stacey’s recently on her Facebook page. On September 27th she’d posted from The Shindig at Carroll Park: So… up walks this couple… the dude said he bought a sweater from me two years ago with a handwritten tag on it that said ‘someone is going to fall in love with you in this sweater’ he said he was wearing that sweater when he met his girlfriend and she said she thought he was so cute, I [sic] the sweater and they wanted to share that with me. Sometimes things are wonderful. Reminder I need to hand write more moderately charming tags. When I’d first visited Stacey’s mobile store, I’d rummaged through as many clothes as possible, reading each tag, intrigued. Most of them contained either a somewhat heartfelt or somewhat playful message handwritten by
Stacey herself. When I told her how much I loved the tags, she chuckled. “That’s one of my favorite parts.” Talking to Stacey felt like talking to a camp counselor. Halfway through our meal, I was telling her just as much of my back-story, complete with unsightly personal flaws, as she was telling me about her life, a lot of which didn’t pertain to her business (we got off-topic again). But this is another charm of Stacey’s – her ability to get others to open up to her. “Lots of people talk to me like a close friend,” Stacey said. “People just open up about the problems they’re having – with their significant others, their crappy job, feeling uncreative, feeling lonesome. Or they tell me about good things in their lives. Or weird things.” Seeing as how I’d been unwittingly divulging some of my biggest character flaws for about a half an hour now, I wasn’t surprised to learn this. There I was, telling Stacey all about my intense jealousy of other writers. And there was Stacey, listening intently, nodding. Later that evening, I wondered: Maybe Stacey is some kind of mystic? Some kind of compassionate yogi? A few days later, after I’d asked Stacey if there was anything else she’d like me to include in the article, she responded: I’m Cyborg. V
You can find Go Go’s Retread Threads and Stacey every Sunday at The Baltimore Farmer’s Market.You can also find her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/GoGosRetreadThreads or on Twitter @gogothreads
Vestido.com 27
Vestido.com 29
Advanced “Your body is your best friend in the entire world, “ say Ilona Royce Smithkin, a flamehaired nonagerian fashion icon and one of the stars of the new film Advanced Style. Royce Smithkin has many opinions about clothes. And many more about life. “I think people expect too much of themselves, and that’s not for happy making.” She explains from her tiny West Village walk–up. “In trying to be perfect you miss half your life!”
30 Vestido • Style Issue
STYLE The documentary in which Smithkin appears is the brainchild of photographer Ari Seth Cohen and filmmaker Lina Plioplyte.San Dego-raised Cohen founded the blog Advanced Style in August 2008, and it quickly became a sensation for showcasing one of fashion’s most unjustly overlooked demographics: women over 60. The blog spawned numerous other projects, including a 2012 coffee-table book, now in its seventh print run and garnered praise from sources as diverse
as the New Yorker and Vogue Italia, which called Advanced Style less a street-style blog than “a sociological treatise” on ageing and identity. Marc Jacobs has said he was inspired by the blog and its subjects to design his AW12 collection (never mind that he cast runway models as young as 14 to show it). Barneys’ Simon Doonan, in the documentary, calls Cohen’s photography “punk and subversive”. Reading Advanced Style, one gets the sense
by Jenna Sauers
that the women featured see dress, as one subject puts it, as a “supportive act” that they are, through personal style, demanding to be seen in a society that too often looks past them. The Advanced Style film follows seven stylish older New York women who are frequent subjects of Cohen’s blog. Filming began in 2008, and the feature was financed primarily via a 2012 kickstarter campaign that raised $55,441. “I pulled a lot of favours to bring the film in on budget,” laughs Vestido.com 31
We all want some kind of approval but I think you have to like yourself first.
I am not afraid. That’s what age can do for you. It gives you a freedom!
32 Vestido • Style Issue
Plioplyte. The project started after she shot short video portraits of Cohen’s subjects. “People were going crazy for them on YouTube. We were getting, you know, 50,000 views,” she says. “Suddenly it seemed like the story was much, much bigger than just a video or two.” When first approached, almost all of the women who became Cohen’s subjects expressed some scepticism about the blogger and his project. Retired dancer Jacquie Murdock, who recalls that she was wearing a Courrèges jacket when Cohen came up to her, warned him sternly: “I’m a professional & I could sue you if you use my image without my permission.” Cohen says Joyce Carpati, now a friend and a subject of the documentary, also “took a while to convince”. Jacquie Tajah Murdock Jacquie Tajah Murdock,83, was born at the height of the Depression to Jamaican immigrants. Photograph: Ari Seth Cohen Ari Seth Cohen/PR “Some women say yes, and some women say no. And that’s just how it is,” he says. “If they’re 83 years old and they’re out on the street, it’s because they have somewhere to be.” It’s the “flat-out no’s” who still haunt him. “I remember one lady on Lexington in her 60s, She had old movie-star red hair, gold belt, leopard-print jacket…” he trails off. Women who say no are worried about the use of their image, worried that the blog will patronise them – or they simply don’t have the time or inclination to pose. One woman in her 60s who works in fashion has always turned Cohen down because she finds the project “othering” to older women. “What I present on my blog is very positive,” says Cohen, who is 32. “I don’t really show the negative aspects of ageing, because that’s already in the media. But in making the movie we definitely wanted to show the struggles.” He becomes quiet. “It’s something that we usually don’t have to think about when we’re young– losing friends.” Cohen, a bespectacled graduate of the University of Washington, has had an interest in the elderly since childhood. He says if he hadn’t done Advanced Style he’d be working in a
nursing home, and his grandmothers, Bluma and Helen, had a big impact on his early life. He describes himself as “in awe of” Bluma, a retired librarian, as a kid. “We would watch old movies together and I would try on my grandfather’s clothes and play in her cupboards,” he says. Helen, meanwhile, dressed every day in Escada suits and gold jewellery. “We used to go to Los Angeles and people would ask if she was a movie star.” “My whole life has changed since I met Ari,” says Royce Smithkin, a mostly retired artist and art teacher. The 94-year-old, who walks with a stoop and makes false eyelashes out of her own
orange-dyed hair, was recently a face of Karen Walker eyewear and starred in an online video for Coach. (Both ads were shot by Cohen.) “Whatever he asks me, it’s so much fun.” She launches into song: “How could a lady refuse?” Royce Smithkin, who painted the portrait of Ayn Rand that to this day adorns many editions of the author’s novels, says her first awareness of style came from her mother. Born in Poland in 1920, she grew up in Berlin before the family emigrated to the US in 1938. “My childhood wasn’t a very happy one,” she says. “It was a bad time. But I remember my mother always looked very nicely dressed. I was always proud of her when she brought me to school.”
In another war-torn European country, a then-16-year-old Joyce Carpati had a similar first encounter with style. She was studying opera in Milan just after the Second World War. “You still saw bullet holes in the buildings, and people really did not have an easy time,” she recalls. “And yet in the afternoon they would come out dressed magnificently. Magnificently. I was there in the autumn and I saw a woman in a tweed suit and laced suede Oxfords… I thought: I love that!” She promptly acquired a tweed suit and a pair of “intelligent shoes” for herself. “And when I wore it, heads did turn,” she laughs. Carpati went on to become the first female ad sales manager at Hearst publications, where she worked for Good Housekeeping and Cosmopolitan under the legendary editor Helen Gurley Brown. Although the film showcases its subjects’ diversity – the women have very different lifestyles, they come from different ethnic and class backgrounds, and their personal styles range from colourful and anarchic to sedate and classic – common themes emerge across the seven stories. Financial struggles. Family relationships. Dealing with ageing and loss. One of the subjects, the 95-year-old style icon Zelda Kaplan, died during production. Kaplan fainted in the front row of the Joanna Mastroianni show at New York fashion week and was rushed to hospital. She never regained consciousness. Another subject, Lynn Dell Cohen (no relation to Ari), was hospitalised after a ruptured gallbladder. “I almost died,” says the 81-year-old Lynn Dell. “I was on the critical list for six weeks.” One scene shows her after three operations, fully made up and wearing a black off-the-shoulder top. Lynn Dell runs a boutique called Off Broadway on Manhattan’s Upper West Side; she favours turbans and bib-sized necklaces. The other patients hardly share her priorities. “Some woman at physical therapy said to me: ‘Oh, is this a fashion show?’” Lynn Dell says, wrinkling her nose. “I said: ‘Yes, it is!’” “As far back as when I was three years old I remember playing with Vestido.com 33
materials,” says Debra Rapoport, 68, another of the film’s subjects. “For me, everything was a hat.” Rapoport, whose snowy pixie cut is dip-dyed pink and who has been a face of K-Mart, was influenced by her grandmother’s Depression-era thrift, she outfitted the household in recycled fabrics, sparking Rapoport’s own interest in the reuse of materials. These days Rapoport is an artist and milliner who says she is inspired by the “layers” of the city ,“by concrete and garbage and residue and recycling”. Jacquie Murdock, 83, was born at the height of the Depression to Jamaican immigrants. In the 1930s and 40s, there were two gears around which Harlem style turned: church and nightlife. The teenage Murdock’s parents dressed for the former, while she dressed for the latter. “People in Harlem were very fashionable,” she recalls. “I don’t care what kind of menial job they had, they got dressed up on Friday and Saturday nights when they got paid, and they went to the ballrooms.” Murdock’s dance costumes were fashioned from anything and every-
34 Vestido • Style Issue
thing – including, once, her teacher’s mother’s curtains. At 17, Norma the “Queen of Swing” Miller hired Murdock to dance at the Apollo Theatre. “I was in heaven,” she says. “To go into the Apollo, to stand behind that curtain, behind that Count Basie Orchestra. When that music came up from the floor through your feet all through your body – I still remember the volume of the horns – it was wonderful.” Cohen founded his blog to help correct what he sees as a fundamental injustice of American culture: the invisibility of older people, particularly women over 60. Older women are largely unseen in the media, and, as Tina Fey once put it , any woman “who keeps talking even after no one wants to fuck her any more” is likely to be deemed crazy. “People ask: ‘Why do you mostly photograph women?’ Well, I don’t think men have those same challenges,” says Cohen. “I think a lot of it’s fear. Fear of death. Fear of getting older.” “As a group I think we have a heck of a lot to offer,” says Carpati, a grandmother of two who wears her grey hair in a braid. “I hope I’m
not being too strong. I really feel that way.” Lynn Dell Cohen agrees. “People are living longer and we’re not going to hide in the bushes.” In the US, as all over the west, the population is ageing. There are now more than 57 million Americans aged 60 and older, according to census data, and the fastest-growing segment of the senior population is people aged 85 and over. According to a 2012 Nielsen survey, Baby Boomers alone are responsible for 49% of purchasing decisions in America, but less than 5% of advertising is currently directed at them. In the United States now, says Plioplyte, “I think we are way more into the idea of being female as a ‘girly’, sexy thing, rather than embracing women at every stage of life. I mean, an older woman is a ‘cougar’ if she tries to look good. I think here, more than in any other country that I know of, age is shunned.” In her native Lithuania, Plioplyte notes, older people are treated with more respect. “The focus is on youth,” says Murdock flatly. “Especially in fashion.” She doesn’t relate to 14- and 15-year-old
models in magazines. “They look like kids dressing up in their mothers’ clothes.” In 2012 Steven Meisel shot Murdock for a Lanvin campaign. “I can’t afford the dress that I wore in the ad,” she admits. She lives on a fixed income in NYU faculty housing (she spent 30 years working as an administrative assistant to an NYU maths professor, during which time she earned three arts degrees). “It was a $4,000 dress. Kim Kardashian bought it.” Ageing has, for these women, brought with it a kind of liberation. “We all want some kind of approval,” says Lynn Dell Cohen, “but I think you have to like yourself first.” “I am not afraid,” says Carpati warmly. “That’s what age can do for you. It gives you a freedom! I don’t care. I must sound outrageous to you, do I?” she says. “I’m free.” One of the documentary’s most memorable scenes depicts Royce Smithkin in Provincetown, Massachusetts, with Karen, her friend of 55 years. Karen is suffering from dementia, and the two sit in beach chairs holding hands and belting out show tunes. Karen, says Royce Smithkin, passed away last winter. “When you get older, you don’t have to have everything,” she says. “You don’t have to go to every party. Life goes on just the same. When I was younger, if there were six parties, I thought I had to go to every one or I’d miss something. But now, every day living is a party.” V
Vestido.com 35
Iris Apfel “What’s my style is not your style, and I don’t see how you can define it.” It’s something that expresses who you are in your own way.”
36 Vestido • Style Issue
Style vs Fashion...
photography by Holly Roa
What’s the Difference? By Mari Andrew
In the past couple decades, personal style has become more popular than ever. Instagram accounts, street style blogs, and Etsy pages are now significant peaks in the fashion industry landscape, marking the rise of individual fashion consciousness, as fixation on name brands declines. Let’s discuss this. What is the difference really...
luxury is personalization. Owning name brands is not nearly as powerful as having an individual, curated style. Even better: wearing rare pieces that no one else will have. In 2014, vintage and handmade clothes are much more intriguing than a cluster of recognized brands in the same outfit.
Change in the Meaning of Luxury
The rise of street style, publicized by blogs and social media, has changed the fashion industry so much that even the most powerful publications have shifted their focus to the clothes of commoners. The industry cannot ignore the influence of street photographers like the wildly popular Sartorialist, and the fact that photos of attendees taken outside the fashion shows are often more popular than the photos of the runway models inside. Street style is now a fixture in most fashion magazines, which regularly feature street style stars like Miroslava Duma—famous for showing up at shows in killer outfits. The fashion industry, which has long been considered a realm only for the very rich and elite, is now accessible thanks to social media and street photography. These days, buying a ticket to Coachella will give you as good a chance to make the pages of Vogue as being
Depending on your age and proclivities regarding 90s teen rom-coms, you may be familiar with this meditation on agape vs. eros from the 1999 movie 10 Things I Hate About You: “There’s a difference between like and love, because I like my Sketchers, but I love my Prada backpack.” You may also acknowledge it as an epigrammatic summary of ‘90s style. As a young teenager in the late ‘90s, this statement was all too familiar to me. No one at my city public school could afford Prada, but I could easily see the popular kids waxing poetic about the difference between their affection for Tommy Hilfiger and Abercrombie. Twenty years ago, luxury meant having something that was namebrand, and luxury for high-schoolers meant Sketchers. Now, the height of
The Street Style Influence
a movie star. Quickly, personal style has become as significant as fashion. The Difference Between Fashion and Style Yves Saint Laurent famously said “Fashion fades, style is eternal.” Whereas fashion is an art that is notoriously difficult to keep up with because trends change seasonally, style is impacted by much longer-lasting factors. Style is affected by religion, politics, culture and subculture, weather, body type, profession, upbringing, I could go on and on and on. Think about fashion vs. style in comparison to food consumption. You eat every day; you wear clothes every day. There are some days and some occasions when you put more thought to your outfit and meal than you do others. There are some people, cloyingly called “foodies” and “fashionistas” for whom eating and wearing are a special hobby. We can compare high fashion to 5-star restaurant dishes that show innovation, creativity, and expertise. A plate of soft-boiled quail eggs with a side of liquid nitrogen ice cream will look exquisite and show a great deal of culinary competence, just as so many gowns and suits on the runway look like Vestido.com 39
moving works of art. However, there is something to be said for hot dog vendors, deli owners, and grandma’s kitchen. They may not make particularly progressive dishes, but their food is still delicious and meaningful. Their food may not be fashionable, but it has style. It is unique to them, and it is recognized as something special. What Goes Into Style Another difference between fashion and style is that style goes beyond just clothes. President Obama is a great example of someone who isn’t particularly fashionable, but is known for being stylish. Obama notoriously wears one of two suits every day; he’s not exactly innovative with his wardrobe. However, his style extends beyond the blue and grey suits (and occasional outdated pair of jeans) he sports daily. His style is in his voice, his posture, his choice of words, his haircut, the way he carries himself, the occasional joke he throws into a speech. Style is less technical than fashion because
42 Vestido • Style Issue
it’s an overall impression.The style of a writer is called a “voice,” and it extends far beyond adherence to grammar rules and literary formats into something much more personal and visceral, just as clothing style defies fashion trends and accepted color combos to give off an overall effect. Whereas fashion obsesses over perfect proportions and the postLabor-Day-white controversy, style is an individual choice unique to how a person wants to present themselves and be perceived. Developing a Personal Style When developing a personal style, it’s helpful to remember that you already have one. Personal style is equal parts taste and function, and you’ve surely developed taste over time. If you can name a couple favorite movies, bands, and works of art, you have a taste. Function is the less sexy half of style— the part that is dictated by where you work, how you spend your time, your climate, and your comfort threshold.
Style is where these two merge. The rise of street photography blogs and Instagram accounts is great news for those who would like to develop their own style but aren’t really sure where to start. If you find fashion magazines intimidating, perhaps you’ll find style blogs inspiring. Stealing the ideas of someone else and making it work for you is a brilliant way to cultivate your own look. Take a gander through street style galleries and ask yourself, “What do I like about this, and why?” Do you like the outfit’s mood, colors, proportions, creative styling of sneaker wedges? Would this outfit work on your body, in your city, with your own clothes? Mimicking the outfits of real people out on the sidewalks is much easier than trying to garner style tips from fashion shows. It can help you take risks and experiment with your own look, and confirm your own likes and dislikes. V
When developing a personal style, it’s helpful to remember that you already have one. Personal style is equal parts taste and function, and you’ve surely made up your own tastes over time.
Vestido.com 43
photography by Ana Raab
rockin’ the
Burlesque freeworld
Performer Trixie Paprika Takes Seattle by Storm
Interviewed by Ambar de Kok-Mercado
How did you first get into burlesque? I was introduced to the world of burlesque through the world of aerial and circus arts. I had been a dancer most of my life, and when an ankle injury stopped me from dancing, I eventually found aerial arts! I fell in love with the creativity of the circus world, and through my first aerial teacher I started going to burlesque shows as well. That got me interested in burlesque, and I tried out creating my own act for the Moisture Festival volunteer party. shortly after that I got hired as the volunteer coordinator for BurlyCon, the annual burlesque education convention that happens in Seattle. I was hired for my experience as a volunteer coordinator, but then I was around all these burlesque Vestido.com 45
My definition is that Burlesque is a performance art that uses striptease as its basis to tell stories, ask questions, and turn societal norms on its head.
performers and I decided it was time to jump in! What does burlesque mean to you? My definition is that Burlesque is a performance art form that uses striptease as its basis to tell stories, ask questions, and turn societal norms on its head. The history of burlesque is long and varied, and what it is now is just as important as what it has been. In your opinion, what is the difference between burlesque and striptease? Burlesque usually has more of a character or a story than “just” a striptease, but even that isn’t set in stone. Burlesque and striptease are basically the same thing. Stripping in a strip club is different, not just for the difference in venue, but also in the relationship between the dancer and the audience. In burlesque I get to decide how I want to relate to the audience. As a stripper, my goal would be to make money and therefore give the audience what I think they want. Where do you find your inspiration? Everywhere! At this point I literally keep an ideas notebook with me at all times, because songs, situations, random thoughts will pop up as ideas for acts. So I write them all down and sort out what’s good later. But I usually start wmusic or with a costume, and then see what character or story comes from that. What kind of projects are you working on right now that
you feel excited about? I’m working on a “Classic Burlesque” act, which is less story-driven and more about a celebration of the body moving in space. It’s a different kind of challenge for me. I’m used to playing up the clown side of my character, and I’m delving into the sexy powerful side of my character with this new act. How and when did you start getting involved at Miss Indigo Blue’s Academy of Burlesque? I worked as the volunteer coordinator for BurlyCon for 2014 and got to know Indigo that way (she’s the Executive Director of BurlyCon). I was unemployed at that point (or rather I was taking projects and temping), and she offered me some hours at the Academy to handle some administrative projects. Right about at that time, her current administrator decided to leave to pursue her own passion project, and so Indigo ended up hiring me as the Administrator for the Academy. I’ve been there a year now, and I finally feel like I have a handle on everything that goes on! From marketing our classes to updating the website, running recitals and answering inquiries, there are a lot of things that go into running that business! Are there any artists in the burlesque world you particularly admire? Many. Of course I’m totally in love with our current Reigning Queen of Burlesque, Trixie Little. Not only is she another Trixie, but she has an excellent sense of humor, and mixes acrobatics into her burlesque routines seamlessly and beautifully. There’s a duo that I’m super excited about as well - Kitten La Rue and Lou Henry Hoover. They play with gender by exaggerating the masculine (Lou) and the feminine (Kitten) and are just genuinely funny, beautiful performers. Here in Seattle we have so many incredible artists, I strug-
Burlesque has more of a character or a story than “just” a striptease, but even that is not set in stone.
gle to choose one. But Miss Kitty Baby is such an incredible person, as well as performer, that I have to mention her. She really studies old burlesque, and presents acts that you can imagine seeing in the 1940s. And she devotes a lot of her time to supporting the Legends of Burlesque - the women who performed in the 40s and 50s, and some of them still perform today! I love that connection to where we’ve all come from. And finally, not just because she’s my boss, but Miss Indigo Blue is an incredible performer. If I could have half the wit and seduction she has in her facial expressions, I’d be happy. I aspire to her magnetic energy she presents on stage. What do you do for fun? Rhinestone things? When I’m working on an act there is no such thing as free time - it’s all costuming or rehearsal. But I do make myself take at least one day completely off a week, and my favorite relaxing activity (weather permitting) is to sit in a tree and read a book. Who are your style icons? I’m not sure I’ve really identified my style yet, honestly. As a performer I’m still understanding who Trixie is, and as a person I’m just finding my stride in terms of personal style. I really admire local designer Jamie Von Stratton. Her clothes are whimsical and sleek, with a sexy pin-up vibe that I really like. What is your fitness routine? I am at the aerial studio for class or practice three times a week. I try to get a cardio something in, and my favorite way to do that is Zumba with a Burlesque flair at the Academy of Burlesque. And I stretch for 10 minutes twice a day every day What can’t you live without? Besides air, food, water? Friends who get me. If you could be any person, living or dead, real or fictitious, who would you be? This is a really hard question. What first popped into my head is Barbra Streisand. I would definitely want to be a Diva, and she pretty much wrote the book on that. What’s your guilty pleasure? The show Once Upon A Time. I’m obsessed. I read blogs, I read fan fiction, I even re-watched the entire series (4 seasons!) in preparation for the 5th season start this Fall.V
In burlesque I get to decide how I want to relate to the audience. As a stripper, my goal would be to make money and therefore give the audience what I think they want.
Vestido.com 51
photography by Corinne Thrash
top ten
thrifting tips by Jules Blakel
Thrift shopping has always been a big part of me. Whether I was looking for a more interesting alternative to the neighbor’s hand-me-downs in middle school or searching for vintage dresses to alter in college, I’ve been thrift shopping for one reason or another for most of my life. So you could say that at this point it’s become second nature. When I was asked by Propelle to speak at the recent Style Summit, I immediately knew what I would be speaking about- thrift shopping and shopping second hand. Second hand items take up about 85% of my closet- these are items bought on consignment, at thrift stores, or swapped- and more often than not, these second hand items stick around far longer than items
bought new, I still wear thrifted clothing that I bought in high school (not so, for the baggy jeans and skate tee’s that I preferred new as a teen)! Thrift shopping is budget friendly, environmentally friendly, and a good time in my opinion. This is a post that I’ve been meaning to write for a long time per many, many requests, and to be honest the task of putting it all into words was daunting. Or maybe I just made it daunting. Or there was too much going on, so I let it slip my mind. Who knows. Maybe I was busy eating cookie dough. Whatever the case, I finally sat down and wrote it, so, without further ado, my tips for thrifting. No hold bars, plus a handy dandy list to end with!
Vestido.com 55
When?
To me, the ideal days of the week to go to a thrift store are Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. If you think about it, people are usually spending their weekends cleaning out their attics, basements, closets, and garages and dropping off their donations on Saturdays or Sundays. So, midweek you’re not only competing with fewer people, but the selection will usually be better. Obviously, if you work a regular 9 to 5 job, it can be difficult- or near impossible- to make it to a store mid-week, so I also recommend going early in the mornings. I’m not big on late nights, so I’m usually up and out the door super early on Saturday mornings. If you have an odd schedule and can go during the week, do it. You Stores will often have a specific day where they receive shipments. Call ahead and find out!
Size *Doesn’t* Matter!
Because women’s (and men’s) sizing has changed so drastically over the years, sticking to your sizing section alone is pretty pointless. I have thrifted items that span a range of sizes- from size 1 to size 16- and each one fits differently. Look beyond your size and you’ll most likely find things you would normally pass right over. Additionally, look elsewhere too, such as in the secret gold mine...
Where? Get Outta Town!
If you live in the city, chances are you’ve visited many a picked-over Goodwill or Salvation Army within city limits. While these thrift stores aren’t completely without reward- they’re great if you don’t have a lot of free time to devote to thrifting- but you’re also competing with college students and high school kids looking for that perfect 80’s Night or Halloween costume. So, where to go? Get out of the city. Rural church and charity shops are not only great places to find actual vintage, but they’re typically much cheaper than stores within city limits. You’re competing with far fewer people, and those that do shop at these stores most likely won’t be looking at that insane 1970’s maxi dress. One of my favorite things to do if I have a little free time while traveling is to find a local thrift store. I did this all the time as an Admissions Counselor, and it always paid off. Plus, you get to meet interesting people. Sometimes.
56 Vestido • Style Issue
Gold Mine: Men’s section
The men’s section is really super great for vintage Levi’s, flannels, b utton-ups, oversized coats, and grandpa sweaters. Check out the children’s section for shrunken jackets, denim vests, school uniform separates (think solid sweaters and pleated skirts), and I’ve found many an early-nineties mini-dress hiding amid all those pastel Easter frocks. The same goes for shoes. How many times have you tried on a pair of shoes only to set them back down in the wrong sizing section? Look at them all.
Recognize Quality!
This goes for quality leather, quality dyes, quality fabrics, and quality cuts. A vintage/ second-hand sweater from Saks is going to have better quality dyes than the same style from Target from five years ago, compare and contrast, and eventually you’ll be able to discern a quality piece without even picking it up off the rack. While I’m not necessarily opposed to purchasing Big Box brands new, I skip over them in thrift stores because the shelf life of the garment has usually already expired. But that’s just me.
Love a specific brand?
Learn to recognize the markings of that brand. I personally love vintage Coach and Dooney & Bourke bags, and I know now to look for a specific type of strap and style of clasp when scanning the purses section, which makes it easier to pick out any gems that may be hiding within the chaos. Thrift shopping is a great way to add higher priced fabrics to your closet that you may not be able to justify purchasing new. Keep an eye out for silk, cashmere, linen, and good quality leather.
No “Challenges”
So, I used to have a big problem. I used to buy ridiculous things. I would find something that could be totally awesome (!!!), if only the hem was shorter, the bust was taken in, the sleeves were cut off, and the collar replaced. Yeah, one giant basket of “to be altered” clothing later and I’ve learned that all that stuff is never going to happen. Let me be clear that I do fully support altering clothing, and I would love to think that I had the extra time or patience to actually alter all those things. But I don’t. If you do, more power to you. But I guess what I’m trying to say is: be honest with yourself. If you’re not going to alter it, don’t buy it. Same goes for reselling things. And for things that are Just-So-Crazy-Wouldn’tIt-Be-Funny-If-I-Wore-This-To...
Keep a Shopping List...
Keep a running list of items you’re hoping to add to your closet. An inspiration folder works great too. Take this list or folder with you when you’re out shopping, and keep an eye out for those items. I know it sounds crazy, but there’s nothing wrong with putting it out into the universe that your looking for something specific. If anything it will make you more focused when you’re shopping, and maybe prevent you from buying those things that seem like good deals, but that you’ll never really use. Even though that’s the beauty of thrift, all the sweet deals, it’s good to be aware not to purchase items just because they’re “only” two dollars. Is it going to sit in your closet? Don’t do it.
It Takes Time, Baby.
The perfect, untouched thrift store chock full of vintage bags and dresses doesn’t exist. Remember that building up a thrifted wardrobe takes lots of time and patience. I usually go to a thrift store or two every other week or so, and come away with two or three things. If you stick to it and have patience, thrift shopping will pay off. Thrift shopping is an amazing resource for building up your wardrobe, trying new trends (oxblood, anyone?), and sticking to a reasonable clothing budget. If you stick with quality pieces, your thrifted items will be with you for years to come. Also, it feels pretty great to say whatever amazing article of clothing you’re wearing cost a whopping three dollars.V
Luna Bella’s Consignment. Vashon Island, WA
Vestido.com 57
Ask yourself...
Can you wash it? Can you fix it? Will you ACTUALLY bring it to the dry cleaners? Is that just a surface stain? If it’s just going to sit in your mending box, don’t do it.V
Make a shopping list to take with you next time you go thrifting!
Vestido.com 59
ACCESSORIZING (your new superpower) by Jessica Haas
photography by Ana Raab
Coco Chanel said, “Always remove one piece of jewelry before leaving the house”. These days, less isn’t exactly more.
When it comes to wearing jewelry, more is often more. Styling your accessories has become just as fun and challenging as putting together an entire ensemble. It’s practically an art. There are so many different parts to consider, from what kind of ring to wear (midi, knuckle, thin, chunky) to what order your wristwear should be (bracelet, watch, bangle). Here are simple tips to help you upgrade your jewelry game to the big leagues.
ONE CENTERPIECE
The easiest way to accessorize your jewelry is by picking one piece to work around. That piece can be a statement ring, a bold watch or a chunky bracelet. Work around it by adding pieces that are smaller in size and not as flashy. For example, in this photo from blogger Sincerely Jules, our focus is kept on her gold watch. She compliments it with thin bracelets and matching gold tones.
LAYER BIG WITH LITTLE If there is no statement piece to work around and all of your jewelry pieces are equal standouts, try to mix them by thickness and size. Layer your bracelets by varying types. In this photo of blogger Chiara Ferragni’s enviable arm swag, she layers her bracelets and keeps the smallest one in the middle.
MIX METALS
Silver, rose gold, copper, white gold. It no longer has to match! In fact, it’s encouraged to mix all kinds of metals when it comes to your jewelry. With just a few different metal pieces, your arm looks instantly dressier.
ADD COLOR
Don’t be afraid to add a pop of color in a sea of gold and silver colored bracelets. Mixing in colorful woven or beaded bracelets is a fantastic way to take on the high-low trend and to make your jewelry game less boring and more unique.
STACK RINGS
If layering too many bracelets feels like it weighs you down or just isn’t your cup of tea, direct your accessorizing to your digits. Stacking rings has become a huge trend as of late and has never been easier with giant retailers like H&M and ASOS carrying super cute and affordable stackable rings. There are no limits when it comes to stacking — you can wear two or three rings on one finger or wear single rings on each. Stack ‘em up to your heart’s content! And that’s it! Now go put on an extra bangle, earring, necklace, headband, or two. Actually, make that three. V
Vestido.com 61
Slow Down ...
Vestido.com 63
...and Breathe Salua Atelier Lingerie Opens Shop in Seattle by Sarah Boos
Seattle based label Salua Lingerie makes pieces that seem to slow life down. The collection features exquisitely beautiful natural fabrics in comfy silhouettes, all made in soft breathable cotton and laces. It’s a mother-daughter operation – everything is designed in Seattle, and manufactured in a small factory in Colombia, where the label first started in 1993. (Which makes it over 20 years old!) The line was given a bit of a reboot in 2009, and since then the pair have further grown their small piece of paradise of ease and beauty, with handcrafted detail matched with a fresh unrestrained sensibility. Slow down soldier, and breathe. Read below as we speak with designer we love,
64 Vestido • Style Issue
Shadia K’David on her start in the lingerie business, design aesthetics, and thoughts on what “beauty” means in our current culture. What made you want to start designing? Why lingerie? When I was a little girl I would spend a lot of time doodling fashion sketches and choosing my own outfits since I was little, my mother thought I was going to be a designer. I actually went on to study industrial engineering. Due in large part to an oversized obsession with real live factory production, and growing businesses. My mostarted Salua in 1993, and it wasn’t until 2009 that I decided to get involved with the business with the intent to expand
brands and lingerie stores can help promote positive body image for women and young girls? I think there is increasing awareness that we women come in all shapes and sizes, and I’ve definitely seen more brands beginning to specialize in addressing these niche markets, which I think is fantastic! In fact, I recently heard of a brand focusing on small bands full cups! I’m also noting a change in the marketing, in that photos are beginning to feel more casual and realist. I now even see bloggers who are trying on the lingerie garments and showing off pictures of their natural bodies in unedited pictures. This is great. It makes women’s natural beauty seem normal. I think brands and lingerie stores are doing a good job just by presenting other options than Victoria’s Secret which message has become a bit boring. What inspires you? The genius of music and lyrics inspire me. But nothing inspires me more than seeing beautiful fabrics and laces laid out on a cutting table… that is an amazing feeling! Describe beauty in 10 words or less – Anything that takes away my breath.V internationally and take operations to another level. After a year in the US market, I realized that Salua would have to make designs that take into account the wonderful perspectives and tastes that make up American culture. It was this realization that inspired me to once again start doodling fashion sketches, but this time taking them off paper and seeing them through to production. What type of women are you designing for? I design for women who don’t have to work too hard to get their beloved’s attention; I truly believe that a woman’s most powerful arm of seduction is her own femininity. Salua seeks to accentuate that. I imagine ladies of any age, let’s say a single one, getting home after work and putting on a Salua gown, having a glass of wine and relaxing while reading and feeling confident in herself and lifestyle. For women with significant others, Salua aims to illuminate the feminine spirit of the home. I learned from my mother that we are treated by how we dress. Not surprisingly the same principal applies within out intimate settings and moments. Describe your design aesthetic – how do you want women to feel in your lingerie? Clean, airy, dreamy and effortlessly beautiful with a vintage hint. I want women to feel like goddess in their own home. Do you think there is anything that needs to change about the lingerie market? What are ways that
Vestido.com 65
Too many shoes? No such thing! That is, according to Carrie Bradshaw. Here are some essentials that won’t break the bank.
photography by Ana Raab
eight pairs wardrobe essentials
Sometimes, we think that may be the case. However, we don’t have the budget (or closet space for that matter) to jump on every single trend. To make your wardrobe planning a little easier, we’ve zeroed in on the 8 key shoe styles every woman should have in her closet. If you adhere to this foolproof footwear plan, then you’ll always have the pair you need.V
Statement Heels
It’s nice to have a pair of heels in your arsenal. Whether you opt for vibrant color, a statement print, or sweet detailing, this pair should be the one you throw on with everything from jeans to your evening dresses to feel instantly awesome about your outfit flare.
Smart Oxfords/Loafers
Smart brogues or loafers have become a wardrobe mainstay. Think of these as an office-to-off-duty alternative to sneakers with a preppy-cool timeless and sleek twist.
Nude Heels
Nude heels are a no-brainer for completing an evening look as well as dressier day ensembles. They're seasonless, go with everything, and pull double duty, lengthening our stems for days on end.
Casual Kicks
Gym sneakers are meant for the gym, but a pair of cute kicks like these are a wardrobe basic worth investing in. They'll look a whole lot sweeter with jeans than your cross-trainers will.
Ankle Boots
It’s no wonder ankle boots have a huge celebrity following. Pick a neutral hue or a dark tone that blends well, as well as a walkable heel, and they will serve you well year-round.
Summer Wedges
The Classic Pump
Come Spring and Summer, we make the seasonal shift to sandals. Great wedges are easy to walk in and pair just as well with party dresses as they do with casual shorts and denim.
A pair of polished pumps will never let you down. From work to your evenings out, these are a classic chic finish to everything.
Basic Ballet Flats
Ballet flats (or skimmer flats) are a no-fuss solution to feeling polished and pulled together while on the go. They’re equal parts ladylike and casual, meaning we can wear them with pretty pleated skirts, shift dresses, or even cutoffs.
Vestido.com 69
70 Vestido • Style Issue
Fall Style Inspiration November 2018
When despair for the world grows in me and I wake in the night at the least sound in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be, I go and lie down where the wood drake rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds. I come into the peace of wild things who do not tax their lives with forethought of grief. I come into the presence of still water. And I feel above me the day-blind stars waiting with their light. For a time I rest in the grace of the world, and am free. Wendell Berry
Vestido.com 71
72 Vestido • Style Issue
Vestido.com 73
74 Vestido • Style Issue
Vestido.com 75
76 Vestido • Style Issue
Vestido.com 77
78 Vestido • Style Issue
Vestido.com 79
80 Vestido • Style Issue
CHIEF CONTENT DIRECTOR A m b a r d e K o k - M e r c a d o
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Ambar de Kok-Mercado EXECUTIVE EDITOR Ambar de Kok-Mercado C R E AT I V I V E D I R E C TO R A m b a r d e K o k- M e r c a d o COPY CHIEF Ambar de Kok-Mercado
PHOTOGRAPHY & ART DIRECTION Ana Raab Corinne Thrash Holly Roa MODELS Mariah Pepper Rosa Lazzarini Maya Gabrielle Jenessa Johnson
THANK YOU Special thanks to my family and friends that have supported me. Your love and support means more than you know, it inspires me! My awesome classmates. Meg for the drinks and coffee chats, for always lending an extra pair of eyes, Eric, Marlow, Maranda, Hannah, Rosa. Shout out and thank you to my friend Phoebe for introducing me to the power of thrift, and tolerating my love of polyester (heart). Additionally, thank you Joyhannah for the bags of clothes from Goodwill. I learned that I can indeed pull off an 80s power suit. Something I would have never spent money on, but know now that I should totally buy the crazy–fun–thing.
Editorial Offices: 2904. East Cherry Street Seattle, WA 98122. www.ambardekokmercado.com/vestido
Photoshoot; behind the scene takes. Holly Roa
Vestido.com 83
INSIDE BACK COVER