Street Chic swung through Chelsea recently to catch the Manhattan Vintage Clothing Show.
The event at the Metropolitan Pavilion featured up to 90 vintage clothing and accessory vendors, and happened just as many fashion editors were returning from the Haute Couture Collections in Paris.
New York fashion brands such as Jill Stuart, Ralph Lauren, J. Crew and Coach, deploy teams of designers, interns and stylist to track down the best of old school silhouettes and items to inspire the forthcoming, Spring 2013 collections shown in September.
At the vintage show there was a strong presence of embellished pieces: liquid-like silver sequins, muted gold toned beads, evening items against mellowed whites, harmonious ivories, and blurred green-gray fabrics.
The silhouettes ranged from the 1910s to the 1970s. Dresses were the most prevailing of them, many ankle length with alate 1930s and late 1980s vibe. Tailored jackets, vests and outerwear for both men and women provided the rich bright colors, including saturated reds and confident greens as well as defined patterns.
Numerous vintage buyers and retailers were clad in capricious hats with feathers and pins from tricorne shapes to voluminous tam-like berets.
Among the best of the eclectic styles Street Chic loved were: the boldly-colored Russian artists print dress form the early 20th century in plush velvet; a 30s-style ivory multi-tiered net ankle length skirt worn with a leopard swing coat; and a Native American-style woven jacket with a fur collar, shoulder spikes and a chain-link leash.
