ANKLE CUTIES...

Hi Guys! i'm going to start out by saying today was a rough day. our family is going through a really rough situation right now. it's been a sad an a clinging to God kind of day and i feel a little numb right now. your prayers would be much appreciated.

Me and Zoe went to hang out and i picked up the latest Urban Outfitters catalog. there is a few items i spied already which i have the vintage version in the shop. i'm going to do a caparison post later on this week, vintage vs. retail. so watch out for that!

I also spotted a look completely inspired from Pretty In Pink of course. who other then Andy wore this over 20 years ago. eeek can't believe the 80's seem so long ago now. it does not feel that way!

{source: UO early spring 11 catalog}

Can I actually get the original pair above. i like the design and colors much better. but i'm not complaining i'll take all the UO's ones too!

Favorite look in the movie is this one..

{source}

That vintage cardigan with the dragon design and lace peter pan collar, drool..

Wishing you all a lovely Saturday!

  

OH MY SILLY CHILD!

My beautiful daughter agreed to model for me some vintage items that will soon hit le shop this week. i have been hesitate to use her because she's still young and was not sure how the clothes would translate on her. but i figured i could test out some items that would be more geared towards teens thru the early 20's, may even late 20's. 

With my very busy week it's been hard to have the time to do any modeled photo-shoots; and i've been itching to photo on a live model and not only on the form. so my Zoe was more then happy to do it and is soo convenient for me. she also has been getting more into fashion lately!

She is 13 and at the moment is 5"5. she has been asking me now for a few years on doing some modeling for fun, not as a career. and now that she is officially a teenager she wants to do it even more then before. i have had the breaks on this for many years because that world is more then fun it's work and it can take it's toll on a child. so much to pray and think about. she also loves acting and wants to study it more and pursue it as a career. and as i mentioned at the moment i'm just praying about it all and truly want to know how the business works. i'm thankful i have some friends who are in the industry and have given me some good pointers. i feel waiting until your older is better, we'll see...

We had fun doing the photos. she looked so cute in everything. Zoe is notorious for making faces, these are the out-takes.

No one better to practice modeling with then with her mama!

   

MY RETRO OBSESSION

"Oh Marc Jacobs" i never tire of seeing your prettiness season after season. he is my top 5 favorite designers to watch every runway show. and it amazes me how he can manage to always be so retro every season yet not be dated at all. he's soo darn good! the color pallete in this collection is so vibrant and beautiful. i am a very big color person and LOVE when designers use it. and the fabrics and prints, can we say perfect. slinky, soft, textured and pretty.

I'm sure you've seen his collection splashed on many blogs, but since my blog is like a journal of sorts, i just had to record this entry (i think i did an entry during fashion week). i am just smitten with this collection. oh and as a vintage seller, looks like the 1970's is still going strong this year. it's such a great decade to play around with style wise.

 sigh*

source: all pictures from style.com and nymag.com

FEEL LIKE A SCHOOL GIRL

Hello Monday! i struggled today to get out of bed, despite that i was looking forward to the morning. i was just meditating on how amazing God is and am so thankful for all the blessings i have big and small. i can easily be feeling overwhelmed just thinking on the amount of things that i need to get done this week, but i chose to focus on how i will work hard to get all done and what a blessing to have all the work i have.

I had been itching to wear this dress which i actually acquired for the store. but i loved it so and just wanted to wear it once to enjoy it before it heads out to a new home. it is still chilly here in Southern California so i paired it with my new favorite knubby sweater cardigan. the only reason the dress is going back into the store is that although i adore it, it just fits a little too snug. maybe one of you lovely readers love it! it will be there soon..

I also felt a bit of a school girl with the dress. i love the plaid which looks to be dyed in the fabric and the silhouette of the dress really fits any figure nicely. button up dresses are so comfortable and so chic at the same time. i wore my cow girl boots with le dress; can't get enough of boots and a dress. i could live in them!

I also like all the little details on the dress. the navy contrast stitching on the collar, the ruffled yoke detail in the front, and the slight puff on the sleeve. the details is what i tend to enjoy most in clothes, especially vintage. 

dress: is a plaid vintage 1970's. (soon to be in shop)

boots: are vintage 1970's cow girl boots with cute stitching detail.

tights: fire red Target

cardigan: vintage 1980's knubby oh so soft cardigan

CAN I GET THIS IN MY SIZE PLEASE

Happy Sunday all! i wanted to post my New Years Eve pictures tonight but i opted in giving myself more time to get this weeks vintage photographed and ready for a much needed shop update!

This week at Misha LuLu headquarters is going to be madness trying to get all the fall 11 samples done by this Friday! despite that i'm hoping to get back to a regular blog and shop update schedule once again. juggling work is definitely a discipline.

I've been collecting vintage for over 18 years now and have always kept my stash of kids vintage finds in storage. i never really have intended to sell kids vintage it was more about keeping it in my library. i have a vintage library that i keep for reference points, to look at construction and/or for fabric prints. as a designer vintage is a big source of inspiration. and as we all know all the greats before us have done it all in the sense of silhouettes but it's your own creative interpretation that makes it your own.  

With that said i am in love with this Mod vintage 1960's mini plaid dress. how cute is this and i just imagine the little girl who once wore this. i love the wooden trim buttons on the placket and the plaid color combo, just perfect!

This is definitely one of my favorite vintage kids finds hands down! now i just need to find the vintage adult version please...

GYPSIES, BIKERS & VAMPIRES

Happy Saturday all! so i was on one of my many nostalgic movie drives and watched The Lost Boys on Netflix instant several times this week; (im watching it now as i write this). there are so many movies that bring so many memories and that are part of my growing up, that i don't tire watching and this is one of them. i remember getting the soundtrack to it via now the non- existent tape and had endless nights of conversation about it with one of my childhood best friends Isis. all we spoke about was how good the music was, how cute Jason Patric, Kiefer Sutherland and Billy Wirth were. and how much i wanted to recreate Jami Gertz Gypsy look, down to the bustier, long maxi skirt, lots & lots of jewelry and her beautiful big curly hair. i wanted it all!

The costume design in this film was great. even at a young age i was attracted to the scruffy bad boy look and the wardrobe on the vampire gang i also admired. my favorites were the 1 earring look, motorcycle jackets, long trench coats and the recently trendy, band jackets which the mini vampire wore.

The costume designer of The Lost Boys, Susan Becker also gave the character Alabama Whiteman and Clarence Worley of the movie True Romance, really cool looks. also another cult favorite.

If i did not want to do my own designs so badly i think i would of been a costume designer. i admire how they manage to get the look SO right for several characters in a movie. i especially love when they have to recreate historical costumes and they get it right; like in the movie Gladiator.

Just another fun and hard working job in the fashion industry.

Oh and side note..this was another one of me and Zoe's movie nights. Zo Zo did not enjoy the film to much. but that's all right, she won't like them all!

  

source: imbd.com, google images

WHAT ZOE WORE ON NEW YEARS

Awww my first official post of the new year. phew this week has been hectic guys. we are hard at work at Misha LuLu headquarters getting fall 11 samples done for several collections by the end of next week, Friday to be exact. 

Zoe came along with me to work and we had allot of running around to do in down-town, getting fabrics which were not available and not told ahead of time. then running to see if i can source the fabric else where. then to the cutters. then to the screeners to cut what we call "blocks" to get our pretty samples printed. and to think that Miss Karen did ALL this on her own not to long ago! crazy, being an independent label is lotsa hard work and can be very stressful! but we love it and feel blessed to do it. can't wait to see all the samples once they are done!

At the end of it all i asked Zoe if she learned anything about my job. she said "it is allot harder then i thought it was". aww she learned well, and she is right Fashion is not what most young budding fashionistas in school think it may be. it is a business and the creative aspect of it is but a quarter of it.

It was nice to bring Zoe along with me today. so for my first post of the New Year it was only fitting to start with my beautiful daughter on what she wore on New Years Eve. 

She did me proud when i asked what she was going to where this night when she said "well mom, i saw a cute vintage dress on your rack i think i like". the reason i was elated is 1. Zoe does not like wearing dress's and skirts. i haven't seen her in either in over 5 years. 2. she is not the biggest fan of vintage clothes. 

ok this coming from a girl who's mommie is a fashion designer and loves vintage! my days where over when she turned 9 and i had ZERO influence on her wardrobe because "i know what i like, and i don't want to wear that". haha, i actually love that Zoe is her own person and not till recent has she gotten an interest in fashion. 

She also told me how she wanted to wear her hair. she wanted a messy loose bun with a romantic feel. i tried my best and she looked gorgeous!

And in true Zoe style she had chucks on the feet. she is a jeans, sneakers and t-shirt type of gal. she pulled it off though and i LOVED how the dress looked on her!

dress: is a vintage 1980's strapless sweet heart dress complete with pockets (i love that).

coat: my furry gorilla coat bought at a thrift and is from forever 21.

wool cardigan: vintage 1960's 

accessories: heart necklace is very old from Target. tights are from Target.

shoes: chucks on the feet.

Fin.