Magic Wand or High Maintenance Household Appliance?
NEW YORK CITY — Fashion is all about accents. That’s where you find your drama, individuality and point of view. Vintage is an accent, jewelry is an accent, prep is an accent, and so is BDSM — bondage, discipline and sadomasochism.
The past two seasons, fetish fashion has been all over the runway, with second-skin latex skirts, shiny PVC coats, mod patent leather and leather crop tops. Designers have married these textiles, normally associated with kink and punk, with demure cuts and designs, to create a lady-like look with an edge
What You Want To Wear
I had the unique pleasure to be styled by the fabled Sally Lyndley at my favorite store RARE vintage. I asked her what I should wear to fashion week if I want to be in with the in crowd (but not look like I’m trying too hard), be the next Anna Dello Russo—and get laid.
Things I learned from Sally
1. Crop-tops are good. But too much skin is bad.
2. 70′s and 80′s are overplayed.
3. Anna Dello Russo does several loops at Lincoln Center.
4. Open toe shoes are okay in the winter.
5. Male models are loose.
What You Want To Wear
If you’re serious about fashion, vintage should account for at least 20 percent of your wardrobe.
But remember this: Vintage is not a style, it’s a tool. If someone says to you, “Your outfit looks vintage,” you’re not being complimented. Also, it’s important not to confuse vintage with thrift — or vintage couture with regular vintage, for that matter.
This past weekend, I headed to The Manhattan Vintage Show, my version of paradise, at Metropolitan Pavilion in Chelsea, where more than 90 vintage and textile dealers gathered. (The next Manhattan Vintage Show is April 19 and 20, and they host several more throughout the year.)
A show like this gives you an education. But the scope of vintage market can seem overwhelming, so here are some shopping techniques I’ve found to be quite helpful.
What You Want To Win
If you tell me which one of the remarkable pleasure machines in this video you like best—then you just might get it! (My favorites are the undercover vibrator shaped like a make-up compact, and the retro granny vibrator.) Comment (on YouTube) and win a wanking wand!
What You May (Or May Not) Want To Wear
I’m a girl who prefers to go without a bra—or to wear silky, pretty, no-bra bras that have zero linings or support of any kind. My first clue that I may be missing out was when I tried the Timpa bra, which is barely there, but also lifts, and still shows nipple.
Then I went to get measured my show Sexy. Not Sexy. I thought it would be a funny, old-school experience, that could be kind of pseudo-sexy, but I suspected that the bras were going to be too 1950s for me. Here’s what happened. . .