Miskabelle On-Trend: Denim

Ever since their inception as the height of chic casual wear for women (and men), jeans have been in style.  Their styles have changed from skinny to flared and back again and the back again, but they are consistently a staple of any good wardrobe.

For spring, denim is a trend that has gone beyond your favorite pair of bootcuts:  skirts, vests, jackets--it's everywhere!  And what better way to wear it than 100% vintage?  Below is a glimpse into the great selection of worn-in denim in our shop!

1. vest, $12 2. bag, $17 3. top, $20 4. skirt, $25 5. shorts, $23 6. skirt, $17 

7. skirt, $22 8. jacket, $25 9. jacket, $27 10. mini, $18 11. mini (not for sale)

Where can you find cuter items at a better price?  And with our 20% off sale for the month of April, it's an even sweeter deal!  Thanks to our many awesome customers this week who took advantage of the sale so far.   There's nothing like steady business to keep us rolling.

More goodies (and blogs) coming your way soon!

Stay gorgeous,

A

Opposites Attract

Like night and day, fire and ice, good and evil...

Like that really bubbly cheerleader and her shy bookworm boyfriend...

Like peanut butter and jelly, sweet and sour, sugar and spice...

<-----Like old school Paula Abdul and a cat... (huh?)

Cartoon kittens and crazy chicks aside, it is a fact of the universe: opposites attract. It may not always be a lasting attraction, but it is certainly an interesting one. Sometimes the attraction is based on passion. Sometimes it's a quest for balance. And sometimes it's just trying to make sense out of chaos.

We have put together some vintage outfits with items from our shop containing opposite trends and patterns--for some truly magnetic looks. We bring pairings you may have once reserved only for Homecoming Week's "Clash Day" into the everyday world of fashion, combining passion and balance with just a touch of chaos. A little whimsical and a little unexpected: like the best fashions always are.

Boy Meets Girl

















We created this casual look by pairing a frilly (ruffles+lace) top with men's suede oxfords. Cute and feminine with just a hint of tomboy to mix things up. Also, we know how many of you feel about the tights+shorts look, but it's really growing on us (mostly because of the winter pasties that illuminate every bump, vein, hair, and vessel on our legs. The remedy? Just add tights).

Black and White






















The sleekest, most basic color (well, anti-color) combination that anyone can make work. We took our favorite new spring blouse and put on some black skinnies tucked into black vintage cowboy boots (to streamline the bottom half) and tossed on a few black accessories (headband and vintage cross-body bag) for added contrast. One piece of advice for B&W dressing: it can get boring. You don't want to go out looking like a waiter/theater usher. Which is why we added some interest with the texture on the cowboy boots and the eyelet detailing on the top. And of course: red lips.

Polka Dots and Stripes






















This look is a bit more daring: bright dots and flowers meet bright stripes. The important thing about mixing patterns is that they need to have the same color palette--this is what makes the look work. This sweet cropped blouse has both flowers and polka dots in shades of pink and purple, so we paired it with a striped silk skirt in a similar color scheme. And white ruffly socks+platform mary janes for that extra touch of whimsy.

Hard vs. Soft






















What could be sexier than leather and lace (and lots and lots of pearls, as well as the prettiest vintage pumps)? This is not a look for the faint of heart, but when worn well, it's appropriate for day or night (and not a night on the street corner). The key here is subtlety: the leather skirt is sexy, but it's a pencil skirt, not a mini. And the top is sheer, so the pearls help to offset the peekaboo with a more ladylike vibe. We made the look even more feminine with nude pumps with a flower accent and a satin clutch in a pretty color.

Floral and Plaid























Again, the key to mixing patterns is a shared color palette, but the scale of the pattern is also important. The small floral pattern on this blouse is a lovely balance with the bolder plaid of the skirt. The thick brown leather belt gives the outfit a focal point to tie it all together. And we can't forget the CLOGS! our favorite shoe trend of the spring season. (This high wedge bright blue suede pair isn't vintage, but J did purchase them several years ago! See? We're always ahead of the trends).

So now that you've seen our little tutorial, go out and mix it up! We had so much fun finding just the right combinations--just call us the eHarmony of fashion! We really take the time to find the perfect match (oh, and we give it to you for FREE on the blog!).

In other news, we are thrilled to announce the launch of our very own website, miskabelle.com. You can access our blog, Etsy shop, Chictopia journal, Twitter, and Facebook page right now--with more updates coming soon! It's your one stop shop for all things Miskabelle. We couldn't be more excited!

Stay gorgeous,
A

Our Spring 2010 LOOKBOOK preview!

Why, hello there, sunshine. It's been so long since I've seen your beautiful face...

Yesterday I went on our first small shopping spree in anticipation of spring. One bag of stuff only, but some exciting pieces that will be coming to our shop VERY SOON!

Choosing items for our store is not something we do haphazardly...there is a method to our madness. One of our goals with vintage is to apply it to trends that are happening right now (what goes around comes around), so you are looking at pieces that a modern woman can wear every day.

Before each big season, we like to peruse the web and magazines and create our own Lookbook to give us an idea of styles to look for as we go on our shopping trips. Sometimes we're into the big trends--sometimes we see looks we like from past seasons or looks that we like "just because" and create our own trend wave. With these delicious visions in mind, we're able to streamline our shopping (so it's less like digging for a needle in a haystack and more like finding piles of buried treasure). We put our desires out into the universe and are rewarded with vintage! It's that easy (sometimes...)

Below, we share four pages of our lookbook, some easy-to-wear trends for Spring 2010 that we're hoping to be able to transpose into some vintage goodness.



































That's just a taste, for now...
It's a bright, sunshiney day and there's work to be done!

Stay gorgeous,
A

Girls Will Be Boys--Vintage Footwear Trend!

Out: sky high stilettos that make you walk like you're on stilts and make your feet feel, after five minutes, like they're about to fall off.




In: Footwear inspired by the men's section...brogues, oxfords, and loafers. And the best news of all? They all have flats or chunky heels, so you can wear them all day and look chic, but still be comfortable. I love double-duty fashion!


Don't believe us?
Check out some pics of these much-blogged about fashion darlings:


How do you make this trend your own? We can help! Check out the variety of fantastic footwear we just posted in our shop (below). Just add skinny jeans, knee socks, mini skirts...anything a little schoolgirl or preppy inspired, but don't forget to add an edge (chunky jewelry, studs, a pop of color) just to keep yourself from looking like you're still wearing your leftover Catholic School Halloween costume.

Featured above (Click on pic to go to site and purchase!):

1. Leather Bow Flat, Size 8.5, $30
2. White Woven Leather Slip-on Oxford, Size 7, $35
3. Blue Etienne Aigner Fringe Loafer, Size 6, $40
4. Black Woven Leather Pointy-Toe Oxford, Size 9W, $25
5. Bass Woven Leather Chunky Loafer, Size 7, $25
6. Tan Suede Oxford, Size 7.5, $30

Come and get yourself some cute shoes...also, even though Black Friday is still a few days away, we've already started our HOT HOT HOLIDAY SALE! Buy 2 items, get one free! We're also including handmade gift tags, when requested, for any purchases from our shop that will be given as holiday gifts. So start shopping with us and find special, one-of-a-kind pieces for all your stylish loved ones!

So excited for turkey dinners on Thursday...and a reason to dress up a bit! Happy Thanksgiving! We are so thankful for your support, kind words, blog-reading, purchases, friendship, and love!


Stay gorgeous,
A
Miskabelle

Our Favorite Fall Vintage Trends, Courtesy of Etsy Vintage Shops!

Is July really the last time I blogged?! Yikes. I'm sorry. I'm sure all you've been impatiently waiting for the next installment of fashionable wisdom! Well, now that life is more in the groove, I expect to keep up.

Let's start with some quick updates: Miskabelle is six months old! We've had 130 sales and continue to sell regularly. We had an amazing fall photo shoot with professional photos, and are planning our next shoot in a few weeks (just in time for holiday shopping!). This weekend we are having a birthday party at J's home where our new office/showroom is located--complete with cocktails and cupcakes, goodie bags, raffles, and of course, SHOPPING! We'll give you the rundown (and some inevitably adorable pics!) in the next blog.

Today's matter of business: Fall Trends, inspired by vintage. I'm sharing five of my favorite trends for this season, with example items from 10 different Etsy vintage sellers (we wanted to spread the Etsy love with some shout-outs to our fellow vintage-fashionistas! The online biz is NOT easy! We need all the publicity we can get).

Favorite Fall Trends, Vintage-Inspired

1. Granny Booties

The word "granny" doesn't always conjure up fashion (granny panties, anyone?), but int he case of this fall's hottest footwear, you have permission to search your own grandmother's closet! Lace-up booties are showing up

in all varieties, from riding-inspired to Victorian. We love how they look paired up with cuffed or cropped menswear trousers or thick, patterned tights and a-line skirts and dresses. The funky black pair featured here is from Pascal Vintage and the gorgeous red pair is from Twenty20 Vintage.

2. Fur A delicate subject matter here...I don't want PETA
blood-spattering our blog. I will state my place: I love animals. I also eat them. I don't believe we should be cruel to them, but I also don't think wearing vintage fur is a sin. Because it's so soft and warm and it looks so good! But there are also many faux fur options for the more squeamish, Earth-loving fashionistas out there. We are loving cropped and vest versions--as a matter of fact, I just purchased a big faux fuzzy black vest that makes every outfit (black stretchy pants and a soft gray tee, currently) look GLAM. White jacket can be found at Furburger and the fabulous patchwork vest at Lucky Vintage Seattle.

3. Plaid
A trend for all seasons and for every style and body-type, we're seeing plaid all over the place: purses, skirts, dresses, blouses, even shoes! Wear a little or a lot--we are digging the colorful tartan prints and schoolgirl-inspired looks seen here at Mousevox (paired with yellow top and kneesocks) and RoseRedWinter(the gorgeous Snow White lookalike!).



4. Capes/Capelets
This is one of my personal favorite outerwear trends, being I have a little bun in the oven due in February, and I will be too huge for regular winter coats this year! But it's more than just a case of fashion convenience--capes are elegant and capelets are a fantastic alternative to the outdated sweater shrug for cool autumn evenings. I also hesitate to say it, but a fashion magazine I recently read had a feature on PONCHOS coming back this season as well! I'm still traumatized from the poncho trend return five years or so ago (they were cheap and overly fringey), but these versions are classier and much more cape-like (and you can find some awesome 70s versions on Etsy if you just search PONCHO!). We adored this little capelet from Magpie and Birdie and a fantastic full cape (in another trend: plaid!) from Old Age.

5. Tuxedo Jackets
Blazers are still everywhere this season, but the tuxedo jacket (especially the cropped version we feature here from Ophelia Vintage) is a fashion-forward update. We love the lapels, broad shoulders, and touch of silkiness. The perfect cover up for a night out on the town, whether with jeans or a sparkly, fun cocktail dress. Renouveau Clothing also shows us how to dress down the trend oh-so-chicly with faded skinny denim.



Whoever you are, you CAN do vintage! I think a lot of people this of vintage as costumey, but everyone knows that what goes around comes around: fashion is cyclical. If you see it on the runway, it's probably been done before (if it hasn't, it's probably not wearable for a regular human being). Vintage fashion is a fantastic way to develop a personal style that is one-of-a kind! So check out these Etsy shops, and of course Miskabelle and do some treasure-hunting!!

Now, time to price a huge pile of vintage jewelry for this weekend's soiree! Yay!

Stay gorgeous,
A

Spring and By Summer Fall

Up here in Pennsylvania, the sun is setting later, but the evenings are getting chillier. It's only mid-July, but already I've started dreaming of my favorite season: autumn. Leaves crunching underfoot, that campfire smell, jeans, back-to-school anticipation. And of course, back-to-school SHOPPING!

Right now, Miskabelle is running a SUMMER SALE: almost all of our summer items are 50% off. We know times are hard. I'm moving back home for a while (at 27! ugh. But excited to centralize our business in one city/state.) and J and her hubby just bought their first home (yay! We will even have a room devoted just to Miskabelle!). Money is tight--and it's probably the same for most of you. It seems like nothing's free these days....except for this blog, which will show you some awesome ways to stretch your summer wardrobe into fall.

Transitioning Hot Summer into Cool Fall

The Sleeveless Blouse

Once the air gets a little cooler, bare arms need
some coverage. We paired this sleeveless blouse with skinny denim and boots, a long cardigan and hat--slouchy, earthy, and comfortable. Perfect for a weekend in the country checking out the trees' changing colors.









The Grunge Tunic Top

This top is hip and perfect for summer with its cut-off sleeves, but we layered it over another top and some tights and boots for fall. The hat is our final touch for those chilly fall evenings out at the football game or party. This displays the key element to the summer-->fall transition: layers are essential. They keep you warm and they look so put-together.






The Miniskirt

A tucked-in tank and a miniskirt is a perfect outfit for hot, hot summer days.Add a tee, long blazer, and some booties, though, and you have a totallynew look for the fall. You could also do this look with tights once the weather gets too cold for bare legs.

The Floral Shift

This is the perfect upscale summer garden party dress.
Wearing pastels in the fall is NOT a faux pas! We layered a scarf, blazer, and belt over this dress for an eclectic, bohemian look. The dress was the perfect centerpiece for the outfit. And instead of open-toe, pastel sandals, we paired them with closed-toe pumps to walk through the leaves.





The Sundress

You can still wear your favorite lightweight summer dress through the fall. We added an equestrian blazer and boots (very IN for fall!) and some tights and it became a completely different outfit! It's all about covering up, but keeping it sexy too: sexy doesn't have to mean showing copious amounts of skin! Thank goodness.

Top Five Tips to Take Away:

1. Replace sandals with boots or closed-toe heels or flats.
2. Pair darker neutrals with pastels and summer brights for a more polished, season-appropriate look.
3. Layer long sleeve tees under sleeveless tops or pull on cardigans over them.
4. A blazer is a quick and fashionable fall addition to a summer dress.
5. Hats and scarves are easy fall accessories to spruce up (and warm up!) your summer duds.

So there's the SALE going on...and we've posted a few new things to the site (dresses to die for)...and gave you a ton of ideas to transition into fall (it'll come sooner than you think). So what's keeping you from shopping?! Sorry we have been pretty M.I.A. (sometimes life gets in the way of fashion...and that's okay! If it was the other way around, we'd be shallow) but we PROMISE we're back in the game and will be bringing the best end of summer and fall vintage fashions straight to you. Yay!


Stay gorgeous,
A