Asymmetry

According to most fashion sources; Lou Lou Magazine, Vogue UK for example, one of the standout features this season is asymmetry, with many Designers still showing 70s & 80s inspired variations. Think one shoulder dresses, Grecian toga styles, asym skirts and so on, I mistakenly thought it would be an easy to show some vintage examples of this style, but failed to realize that these styles sell out REALLY fast. I've sold every single one of my one shoulder dress patterns and only have one dress available in my Etsy store.

But I did manage to find a few representative pieces on Etsy.

Avant Garde 70s one shoulder dress with HUGE batwing cape sleeve. So cool, I really love this one. By GreysGardenVintage

This one is quite structural with it's pointed, pleated and boned bodice, asym drop waist and flirty skirt. 80s party dress by Thread Hunter.

A superb 50s party dress with shelf bust and swagged one shoulder drape. By Timeless Vixen

Sexy 70s? one shoulder disco dress in black & red by BigYellowTaxiVintage

Only Jean Paul Gaultier could come up with a jacket like this. INSANE, but oh so cool!
Available at Ruby Fig Couture

XOXO Empress Jade Vintage

Hot New Listings

A Few of Empress Jade's Newest Items

Plum & Grey, Graphic Stripe Dress on ETSY



Lovely Silky Peach 70s Dress with Smocked Elastic Waist and Full Sleeves
on Market Publique



Groovy 60s Yellow Hot Pants With Sheer Lace Overlay
on Market Publique

Sophisticated 60s Cocktail Dress in Creamy Lace by Joseph Ribkoff
on Market Publique

60s Mod Mini Dress in Purple & White Colorblock
on Market Publique

Bright Orange 70s Hawaiian Maxi With Great Side Slits
on Market Publique This dress has been featured on the Market Publique Blog

XOXO Empress Jade Vintage

Thursday Vintage Spotlight

Today I'm featuring Metro Retro Vintage, who has a really incredible range of vintage clothing and jewelry in her Etsy Store. In fact I had a really hard time narrowing down the choices for this post.

"Welcome to Metro Retro Vintage for a fun selection of vintage and antique jewelry, and clothing and fashion accessories from the 40's through the 80's. We enjoy providing a variety of styles in dresses, hats, shoes, scarves, handbags and more, and have been selling online since 1994 and on eBay since 1997.Our specialty is vintage costume and silver jewelry, and proud members of "The American Society of Jewelry Historians". So be sure to stop by and say 'howdy'. We love to chat. :)"

A multicolor 50s striped halter swimsuit from Cole of California


Vintage 70's bikini & blouse set with groovy jungle print

Vintage 50's muted striped sundress

Vintage 60's cotton clamdigger pants & crop top set in red white and blue

Vintage 60's Mod Mini Dress with fun Harlequin color block

MetroRetro also has some really wonderful vintage costume jewelry, like this Big and Bold multicolor 70s Cross Pendant

And this striking 30s Trifari Fur Clip with bold and beautiful enamelled flowers.


Metro Retro Vintage on Etsy

MySpace -- www.myspace.com/metroretrovintage

Twitter -- www.twitter.com/metroretrovtg

XOXO Empress Jade Vintage

Vintage Sunglasses

Wow, I never realized there was such an incredible selection of vintage sunglasses available on Etsy. A quick search this morning brought up over 700 results ranging from 50s catseyes to the big glam oversized versions of the 70s and aviators from the 80s. I'm actually kinda stunned by the selection....really great prices too!

Ray Ban Wayfarers.... TURQUOISE BLUE from Sarawick

Sexy Kitty Hollywood Pin up Black Sparkle Cat Eye Frames by 50s Vintage Eyewear

1960s Cat's Eye Folding Sunglasses with Rhinestones by British Vintage

GROOVY BUG EYE Vintage 70s Oversized Sunglasses by Cloud Nine Vintage

Serengetti Vintage 80s DRIVER SUNGLASSES by Vintage Apparel

Vintage Versace Sunglasses Gold & Tortoise Shell by Black Swan Vintage

Stars & Stripes Vintage Raybans by Jacks Fifth Avenue

Vintage New Wave 80's Neon Geometric Sunglasses from Do Not Destroy

XOXO Empress Jade Vintage

Star Trek Hair

I've been watching the first two seasons of the original Star Trek on DVD. I'm lovin the 60s back combed hair and the far out costumes.

Nichelle Nichols as Ohura

Showing her belly button in "Mirror Mirror"

Mudd's Women close-up

Karen Steele, Maggie Thrett, Susan Denberg as Mudd's Women

Yvonne Craig in "In whom God's Destroy"

Leslie Parrish as Palamas

Leslie Parrish view 2 - the draping on this costume is incredible, but I'm sure there had to be some double sided tape involved :)

XOXO Empress Jade Vintage

Thursday Vintage Spotlight

Today I'm featuring Dressed to the 9's one of my favorite Vintage Clothing Sellers on Ebay. Bobbie is a regular on the VCA Board and has a great eye for vintage fashion. She is also provides the clothing and does the hair & make-up for Pin-up photography on www.beapinup.com
Right now she has an astounding selection of 70s maxi dresses on auction.

"My goal is to provide gorgeous vintage clothing to the World. I am very discriminate in what I will present to you. Being vintage, isn’t a good enough reason….it has to be beautiful! Whether we are talking about a 1920s flapper dress, a 40s wasp waisted suit, a perfectly draped 50s Ceil Chapman or a whimsical 60s Holly Harp….I will try and do my utmost to offer you gorgeous and unique vintage….to make sure that you are Dressedtothe9s. Remember: Be unique, stand out, shop vintage! Xoxoxxo bobbi"

STUNNING 70s Asian Bell Sleeves Maxi Dress

Corset Waist 70s Patchwork Maxi Dress

70s Hand Embroidered Mexican Tunic Dress

70s India Gauze Dress with Amazing Angel Sleeves

And for you vintage lingerie lovers, Bobbie will be listing over 100 NEW OLD STOCK, All in One Girdles dating from the 30s to the 60s.

Fabulous Lacy Pink Open Bottomed All-in-one Girdle with Satin Accents

Dressed to the 9's on EBAY

http://www.dressedtothe9svintage.com/

www.myspace.com/dressedtothe9svintage

XOXO Empress Jade Vintage

A Quirky Vintage Garden AKA Landscaping on a Budget

When we bought our old house 3 years ago, there was literally 100 years of garbage buried in the backyard. I'm talking about 5 tons of broken glass, cinder blocks, bricks, metal, wire, stucco and assorted other junk. It was completely overgrown with perennial weeds, out of control plum trees and the deck and shed were completely rotted. Since the house also needed extensive renovations, there was basically no money left for garden landscaping, so we put our scavenging skills to work.

BEFORE:

AFTER: A view from my office balcony. Basically everything in this picture, including the furniture (except the heat lamp and the fence) was salvaged.

The old green deck was demolished and replaced with a smaller deck made from new pressure treated wood and a recycled paver patio. Shown here with mismatched scavenged flowers pots of herbs & flowers and a couple broken gnomes.

A huge vintage cement rooster.

An old cement birdbath doesn't quite match the pedestal, but the birds don't care. Recycled Allan blocks outline the roses. Since we couldn't find any tops for the blocks I planted flowering thyme in the holes to keep the weeds out.

A repainted vintage cement garden gnome that my husband rescued is sitting in a little lavender rock garden. We used lots of rocks and gravel in the yard because it was free.


Another beat up garden gnome

And yet another gnome hidden in the David Austin roses.

Raised beds of veggies made from recycled lumber.... excuse the unmown lawn.

This is my very first veggie garden, so I'm super excited to see things grow!!

XOXO Empress Jade

A Little Sneak Peek

I'm exhausted from a photoshoot I did today, and I'm only just starting to edit the photos. I used only natural light, so we got some interesting effects as the sun changed position in the sky. Here is a little preview:

Best ever 80s black fringe suede jacket - very Adam Ant!


Orange floral 70s mini Muu Muu Pleated Cape


Floral Swirl wrap dress



Beaded cami and 60s sheer blue crinoline


Golden 70s ruched halter

dress

Magenta asymmetrical disco dress

Let me know what you think!
XOXO Empress Jade Vintage