Fall Look Book at Alameda Vintage

Available at Alameda Vintage

xo,

Sabrina

How to Wear A Striped Maxi Dress

So I'm kind of obsessed with striped maxi dresses right now. Sean and I were at Ross last week (don't hate it cause you ain't it) and they had a couple $12 must-haves, which I originally bought as loungewear. As soon as I realized how comfortable and effortlessly chic they were, I immediately put them into rotation.

A quick Google search validated my suspicion this was a hot commodity (among the celebs rocking a black+white striped maxi: Kim Kardashian, Gwen Stefani, J.Lo, and Selma Blair).

Selma Blair

Hot.

If you're going to try this out, here are a few tips on how to rock the 2011 striped maxi dress:

* Horizontal stripes can make you look wider, so try a waist-cinching belt or choose chevron stripes (like Selma, who's actually pregnant in this photo).

* Fitted on top. Flowy, draped maxi skirt. This looks great on virtually everyone.

* If you're slender, you can experiment with an over-sized shape like Jill Sanders spring collection. I purchased a racerback tank maxi two sizes too big for this effect.

* For daytime: try a long pendant/feather necklace, aviator sunglasses and mary janes. For night: Long, layered necklaces. Pork pie hat. Cropped leather jacket.

* Thicker, nautical stripes > thin stripes.

* Black + ivory/cream/gray. Save color for your accessories or shoes (a bright red wedge sandal looks amazing).

* Hair options: a slicked back bun, messy ponytail, or straight and shiny. Just sayin.

xo,

Sabrina London

Shake It Up

One of the fastest ways to quirk up your kitchen table is by adding a pair of vintage salt and pepper shakers. They're cute, colorful, and make a truly unique centerpiece for very little investment (every set here is under $25!). My husband and I are renovating our Hollywood apartment, and this is high on my to-do list.

While you could easily find ceramic salt and pepper shakers at Ross or Urban Outfitters, I highly recommend searching on Etsy. There are some adorable sets in pristine condition. Even the older ones with chipped paint add a lot of character to the table. Here are some of my favorite finds.

Holy cow! While I cannot condone this last pair, I would be remiss not to share them. Racist salt and pepper shakers! Even in the '50s, I'm not sure who owned these. They seem wildly offensive to black people, and I can't imagine the Norman Rockwell family using them either. I suppose today they might find a happy home in some "ironic" hipster's apartment.

xo,

Sabrina London

Wham, Bam, Thank You, Ma'am!

Alameda Vintage

27 fabulous vintage pieces for auction end tonight. Shazam!

Also, yours truly has a bout of the chronic bronchitis again so apologies for the slow updates. Yesterday while modeling with my voice-activated camera, I lost my voice and kept wheezing "Computer, cheese!" to no avail. So I might look a little grumpy in the photos. We'll see.

A special thank you to everyone who made last week a raving success and a preemptive thanks to everyone who bids tonight. My love to you all!

xo,

Sabrina London

Fabulous New Finds!

Alameda Vintage

All this and more is up for auction in the store. Pretty fierce.

xo,

Sabrina London

Impulse Vintage

Vintage 1930's Black Velvet and Satin Dress - $20

I purchased this dress today with little to go by but an out-of-focus snapshot. The auction ended at 2 PM on a Wednesday so yeah, I got an insane deal.

Proper photos should be heading your way once I get it in my grubby paws. I'm hoping it isn't too "cocktail" to wear out and about. Velvet can be tricky, and satin, trickier still. But I feel like a super long pendant necklace and some gladiator sandals could squeak out some of the fanciness. I needn't look dapper going to the UCB.

Much love,

Sabrina London

The Handcut Hem

When it comes to vintage treasure-hunting, sometimes a dress just needs a little tender love and care to reach its full potential. The number one rule of thrift-shopping: keep an open mind!

When we found the charming mini pictured above, it had about 4 feet more length to it. Although the accordion skirt was magnificent, it was made of a stiff, thicker dacron poly, which was common in the '60s. The result? It was too cumbersome and heavy to wear. But the pink crocheted lace top caught my eye and I knew just how to save it.

I bought this dress for $1. If I took it to a seamstress, I could pay $10 for a professional hem, and it would still be a worthy investment. But in the interest of saving money, I decided to perform a handcut hem. Amongst my vintage-obsessed (albeit sewing-inept) comrades, this is the smartest way to go.

If you are going to cut a dress by hand, you will need:

• Scissors
• Pencil
• Measuring Tape
• Clean Open Space

Step 1: Lay your dress on a flat surface. Make the shoulders align. Keep the waist line straight. Sleeves outward. And spread the skirt completely open.

Step 2: Measure the length you would like the dress to be, starting from the shoulder. Most mini dresses are between 30"-33" inches in length depending on the person's height (my default is 32"). Make a small mark.

Step 3: You will create a series of marks to guide where you want to cut. Each mark should be the same distance, either measured from the waist to the new hem, or the new hem to the original hem (whichever is easier). So my new hem will be 16" inches from the waist line, therefore I will make marks at 16" inches all the way across.

Step 4: Do this on both sides. Most seamstresses would scold you if you try cutting straight through both sides at once. You run the risk of cutting the bottom half unevenly, crooked, or shorter.

Step 5: Okay, take a deep breathe. Chances are, if you picked this up from a thrift store, you probably didn't spend too much to begin with so try to relax. Take your scissors (DIY tip: I use a pair of cutting shears from the kitchen) and slowly start cutting along your trace marks. Cut each side one at a time. Take your time and make nice, even cuts.

If you have an A-line hem, remember to cut appropriately (it should be a rounder edge, not directly straight across).

Step 6: Almost finished! Now waft the dress out and lay flat once more. Check to ensure the front and back hem line up and are the same length. Make any quick snips to correct.

If you're working with a dacron polyester like this one, it should not thread or fringe. However most fabrics over time will start to fringe. This is perfectly kosher in the world of vintage wears. Most thrifters in Hollywood are perfectly comfortable rocking a totally DIY vintage dress. And remember, you can always have it professionally hemmed.

Voila! The finished product. On sale now at Alameda Vintage.

xo,

Sabrina London