Metallics Make A Comeback

Like a lot of trends metallics come in and out of fashion.  Gold and silver accessories are always in fashion (think strappy sandals and evening clutches) but every decade or two serious metallic fever resurfaces.  I remember attending my friend's Sweet 16 party at Tavern on the Green in the 80's wearing a gold blouse and black velvet pumps with gold, silver and bronze metallic tips.  (Wish I'd kept them!)  This Fall I think we may be seeing a lot of very ornate black and gold outfits.

A couple of days ago when I stumbled onto a sidewalk sale in Greenwich, CT I scooped up two adorable metallic mini bags at half price.  One is rose gold and one is gunmetal.  Both colors I love and a nice variation on traditional gold and silver bags.  I think they're perfect for cocktail parties.

Metallic Michael Kors mini bags in gunmetal and rose gold

A closer look, although the metallics don't photograph that well because of the glare....

Rose gold

Gunmetal

About twenty years ago my mom scooped up three quilted metallic clutch purses at a fabulous sale at a local store near where she used to live.  They were silver, gold and gunmetal.  She can only find the gold and the gunmetal now, but I'm hoping the silver is just buried in her closet.  I remember borrowing the gold one for a party one time.  They are so big and soft, I just love them.  The tag inside says Lisette New York.  Certainly not haute couture, but very fashionable then and now.

Gunmetal and gold vintage clutches

Something Old, Something New, Something Very Red, White & Blue

I've always loved the 4th of July and have fond childhood memories of spending the day at the local pool and then going to a fireworks display at night, and celebrating my grandfather's birthday at home with family.  He was born on July 4, 1904.  The colors red, white & blue also have fun childhood memories for me because my room was red, white and blue.  I remember the wallpaper my mom picked out:  most of the walls were white with thin blue pinstripes, but one wall had red, white and blue flowers to make it a little girlie.  I also had a red, white and blue rug.  Until I was 16 and begged my parents to let me redecorate.  Then my room became green and blue---my favorite colors!  My birthday is close to the forth so several years I had a cool flag cake at my birthday parties.   I tried to find a photo to scan, but they must all be at my mom's house.

I'm usually in the country on the 4th, but this year I happen to be in the City and I have a big day planned to celebrate.  This afternoon I plan to take the parrots to Central Park for a walk, assuming it doesn't rain.  Then I'm going to Macy's private fireworks party at Chelsea Piers tonight!  I've spent the last 24 hours trying to pick out an outfit that is patriotic and red,white and blue without looking like Uncle Sam on election night.  The front runner outfit is white pants and a navy blue tunic, but I still have some trying on to do.

I have, however, nailed down the accessories.  I am wearing my 4th of July Gucci pumps.  They are red and white with blue bows.  The bows and the sides have stars on them.  I found these two years ago at Marshall's discount shoe store and I love them.  How could I not love them:  red, white & blue & Gucci????!!!  I only wear them once a year, but it's worth it.

Patriotic shoes from Gucci

I'm also going to wear some inexpensive red "pearls" and carry my red Epi leather LV purse.  But, perhaps my most precious accessory today will be a red and blue vintage lucite ring my father gave me when I was about ten.  It wasn't vintage then, but it is now!  This is also the kind of item that gets worn once every couple of years, but I love it.  I think it looks like an ice cube with stripes.

Vintage lucite ring

Happy Independence Day!

Fabulous Fendi

This month both Town & Country and In Style featured articles about the Fendi baguette bag.  There is a new book out about the bags called Fendi Baguette.  You may recall how popular the baguette was on Sex & the City.  Well, I have a personal baguette story to share...about five or six years ago I saw a beautiful baguette bag featured on the pages of Town & Country and I hightailed it over to the Fendi store to check it out.  As is often the case, the bag was featured in a magazine prior to reaching the store, but the salespeople were nice enough to do a little research and they located the bag in their showroom in NY.  Unfortunately, it was in bad condition.  It seems a certain current reality tv star, now the ex-wife of a famous author with a then fatwa on his head, had borrowed the bag and somehow it was then not in sale-able condition.  No word as to whether the damage occurred while in her possession or afterwards, but they wouldn't sell it to me and they couldn't get another one because it was the only one of its kind, at least in the US.  I was very disappointed, so they offered me an elusive Spy bag instead. The Spy bag had just come out and allegedly had a four month waiting list even for celebrities.  I turned down the Spy bag, only to go home and realize what an idiotic move that was.  (Oh, the bags I've turned down and regretted later and the bags/accessories I've given away and regretted later....but that's another post for another time.) I then called Fendi and said I wanted the Spy bag, but it was gone........they ordered me another one and I carry it to this day as my staple black bag.  But, I digress....

Back to the baguette:  I still wanted a baguette so I ended up buying two that I thought would be collectible.  I still use them on occasion, but for now they are permanent features in the Minton accessories collection unless I decide to sell one.  After all, they were purchased as investments..... The detail is really spectacular and I'm glad I purchased them back then, because I can only imagine what a baguette costs today.  A stroll over to the Fendi store to investigate and buy the book may be in order....

Two Baguettes

My favorite, the ultra glam baguette

Close up of the beads that cover the bag

How could I not buy a bag with a bird on it?

If you look closely you can see the signature interlocking F's in the black section

Post Partum Glamour

Last night I ran into a very pretty young woman I know who had baby #2 just three weeks ago.  Well, she was looking fabulous and fashionable in the most stunning pair of Jimmy Choo shoes.  As we all know, I love glittery shoes for cocktail and black tie events, so my eyes were immediately drawn to these stunners.  I have some serious shoe envy now and I can't think of a better post partum celebration than slipping one's feet into these.

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Jimmy Choo crystal studded shoes

It was so funny because as soon as I bent down to get this shot one of the event photographers started taking photos of the shoes, too!  They really are ultra glam show stoppers!

Black is Back

I love color and it seems like I have shoes and bags in every color of the rainbow, but living in NYC,  you can't beat basic black.  A traditional black pump and a classic black bag will forever and always be the most useful accessories in any woman's closet.

Eleven years ago I sent my mom and my cousin to Italy (courtesy of a very generous gift of two first class plane tickets anywhere in the world I wanted to go from an airline CEO I had worked for) and I asked her to bring me back a specific Gucci purse that I had seen on line and was less expensive in Italy than here.  She found it and brought it back.  My recollection is that it was about half the price it was here, but my lira to dollars conversion may not be completely accurate.  All I know is that I loved it then and eleven years later I still love it and still use it, although it's so special to me I admit to limiting how much I use it, because I want to extend it's life.   It's just the perfect black purse, classic and elegant, that comes with the sentiment of mom's trip.  Plus, as a kid, I remember Gucci being very popular, so in my head when I hear "Gucci" the impressionable pre-teen in me always thinks "wow, Gucci!" 

Gucci purse from Italy

Just as important for every woman is having the perfect pair of black pumps.  I recently realized that for all of my shoes (and, yes, I admit there are a lot) I did not have a pair of basic black pumps.  I know this sounds unbelievable, but I had a beloved pair from Bruno Magli that I wore for about a decade, and when I had to finally retire them I never replaced them.  I have a lot of black shoes, but none is a classic black pump.   So, I finally zeroed in on a pair of patent leather ones at my favorite new store, LK Bennett.  I love them and they will be a wardrobe staple for many years to come.

Black patent pumps from LK Bennett 

Accessory Swag Bag

Earlier this week I attended the Central Park Conservancy's Fredrick Law Olmsted luncheon, affectionately known as the "hat luncheon."   I've attended every year since 2007 and every year the guests get some nice party favors to take home, including a Wathne umbrella.  I have a whole collection of them at this point, in a variety of lovely colors.  This year Tiffany & Co. was a sponsor so the umbrellas were Tiffany Blue (light turquoise) and Tiffany donated beautiful tote bags, also in Tiffany Blue.   Everyone is raving about them.  I've already used mine and am loving it!

Tote bag and umbrella from the hat luncheon

A Gem from Barbara: 70's ribbon bags

In the 1970's I had a friend who made ribbon pillows by weaving ribbons together.  I liked them and decided to try making one.  My efforts were successful and I even had a few people ask me to make them one.  The success of the pillows inspired me to try making a ribbon bag.  I wove grosgrain ribbons together, lined it with a whimsical lining, sewed on a ribbon shoulder strap and I made a cool envelope bag. 

The prototype from the 1970's

Daisy lining



The bag was a hit and I got requests to make bags for several family members.  Twenty years later Alison spotted ribbon pillows being sold in a major department store, and asked me to show her how to make the bags.  I helped her make a few to match various party dresses of hers and she wore them out and about, receiving many compliments.  But, Alison doesn't have the sewing background that I do, so when she needed a bag for a horsey set event, I made it for her.



21st Century version

We wanted at least a nod to the horses so I found material with horses and used that as the lining.  It was during this project that I decided that after twenty-five years my bags should have proper labels.  I call them Blue Ribbon Bags. 

 Horse patterned fabric used as the lining.

Over the years we've seen ribbon bags and ribbon pillows for sale in major department stores, but my bags are vintage and even the new ones are made with vintage ribbons.