Vintage Shopping Destination: Vintage Expo 2010

Over the weekend I ended up at the Vintage Expo here in San Francisco. This show features about 80 sellers, hawking everything from serious couture to simple little day dresses. Everything I saw was in exquisite condition, but usually had the pricetag to match. Still - if you are looking for a really nice, unique dress or suit for some sort of special occasion, this would be a good place to find it.

Vintage Expo
Santa Monica in February, April, October
San Francisco in March and September


Dresses!












Accessories!




Shoes!

Mellow Yellow

New yellow painted toenails. Gray shag carpet...


Makes me feel like I should pair it with yellow and gray clothing, like this cute number from Thrush Vintage.

Saving Face

There's only a few, rare occasions when vintage won't do. Bike helmets are one of those (experts tell me that the plastics in the padding break down over time). Pardon a little AVH soapbox, but, after a lot of very painful and expensive surgeries, I'm very committed to pairing cute bikes with equally cute helmets. Here's a few of my favorite, stylish ones.

Yakkay

Nutcase

Sawako Furuno

No longer for sale, but I like the idea of adding some vintage silk flowers your helmet.

Yakkay

Favorite Fashion Accessory: Bicycles!

The weather has been phenomenal in san francisco the past few days (and I am wearing a skirt sans-tights today to prove it). That, plus the Daylight Savings shift this weekend means more evening hours to cruise the town by bike!

As these lovely ladies obviously attest - there is no fashion accessory more stylish than a bicycle (though doing it in a skirt seems more romantic than practical. Please don't judge me if I ride a bike in dirty cut-offs):


(Jeff Linsky, LA Times)
(letsgorideabike)
(lars daniel)
(facehunter)
(facehunter)
(boboniaa)
(Taunton Tweed Cycle Chic)
(change your life ride a bike)
(Copenhagen Cycle Chic)
(Google Images)
(cycle chic)(Riding Pretty)
(Riding Pretty)
(Riding Pretty)

(Riding Pretty)
(London Cycle Chic)
(London Cycle Chic)
(London Cycle Chic)
(bleubird vintage)

What to Wear: Cropped Trousers

I'll be honest - the pants in my wardrobe don't vary much between jeans or leggings these days (my go-to for "dressing up" a little is always skirts and dresses), but all the cropped trousers that everyone is pulling off right now is inspiring me to get out of my comfort zone and maybe find myself wearing something other than skirts with tights.

I like the cropped (or rolled) slim trouser, the higher waists, the cute vintage blouses and the socks with sandals or oxfords:




calivintage | the snail and the cyclops
blushing ambition | facehunter
calivintage | The Sartorialist

Update on Foldaways

We've sourced a *much* (save $500!) cheaper version of the foldaway desk we posted about yesterday. Leave it to the military surplus people to add to our lust for foldable furniture. We also want the folding steel table and the Instrument Station (mainly for the name). We've been tuning in to a few military themes, so stay tuned for some military inspired fashion finds.

Vintage Finds: Foldaways

MLE and I were drooling over this wonderful baby blue vintage aluminum folding desk today, and got excited about vintage pieces that get all KinderEgg compact to save space and make them portable.

These are a few of my favorite vintage folding/compact finds:

vintage metal folding desk


vintage suitcase/folding table
This one comes from my personal collection, and is perfect for picnics! The faux red snakeskin is pretty fun too.


vintage compact table and camping chairs

The table folds up suitcase size with the chairs inside, locks & has a handle so that you can take it anywhere you want to go!

vintage Ritec folding picnic/camping table and bench chairs
I was with my friend when she stumbled upon one of these in a thrift store and we freaked out about how small the table AND benches could fold up to make a portable picnic table. (It isn't light, though, so you won't want to haul it too far).


(table images from vintagecaravans)