Manhattan Vintage Show

Fun with Old Clothes
A few times a year The Manhattan Vintage Clothing Show and Sale comes to town and deposits thousands of old things at the Metropolitan Pavilion, a huge exhibit space in Chelsea. Vintage addicts come out of the woodwork in search of a great dress, hat, pair of gloves or spectacular necklace. It's easy to burn out quickly in the face of so much color, cloth and clutter, so it pays to be with seasoned show goers, as I was this week.

Jean and Valerie of The Idiosyncratic Fashionistas, see them here, know how to shop. They were joined by our Canadian friend, Shelley, who blogs at Forest City Fashionista, here. She knows how to shop too.

Valerie's sharp eye netted me two bonnets.
 This one, a brown-velour felt with pleated tucks,
should be described with a French word for 
brown, which is marron.
 Interior of felt says "Flechats -- Made in France."

It's a Dajori original from Chandler's in Boston.

 Red-velvet 1940's chapeau with

feather trim. It's handmade with no label.

The young lady from Revival Vintage was a delight as

we all tried on her wares.

Hand-sewn interior,

just like we learned at The Fashion Institute of Technology.

Shelley and Jean.

Valerie models a hat at

Revival Vintage.

Accompanying each Manhattan Vintage Show and Sale is

  an exhibit showcasing a designer.

 This time it was Bonnie Cashin. 

In 2000, The Fashion Institute of Technology museum had an exhibition 

of her clothes and life. Her ideal client was "the woman with something to do." 

Her best designs were casual and practical.

 Bonnie Cashin introduced leather and suede to ready-to-wear.

  She was the first designer for Coach Leatherware.

Bonnie Cashin believed that "invention

and independence were central to the

creative process."

The show brings out the vintage hounds

who often wear rare and wonderful things,

like this charming lady with a fabulous French necklace.

This delightful fille looked

so perfect in this coat that

she had to have it!

It's the karma that connects the

clothes to the woman.

My friends, this is special.

Meet Karen Augusta of Augusta Auction Company,

dealing in vintage fashion and textiles.

Karen frequently appears on Antique Roadshow and recently

appraised outfits brought in by

an American woman who had purchased them from

the Beatles' Apple Boutique in London in 1967.

The pieces, designed by the collective known as The Fool, 

will be auctioned on November 12 in New York.

The Apple Boutique existed for a scant 8 months!

 Marja Samson with her dog, Bibi Chibi.

My sister, Jeanne, with Bibi Chibi.

 I am wearing my Lola Patchwork hat --
I got a million compliments on it,
and my Monica Byrne jacket.

This woman loves Miro!

And so do I.

À Bientôt!