Clicker Coat Clicking up the Ebay Chart
One of the hottest auctions for vintage menswear currently on ebay is one for a 40s Clicker Car Coat. While vintage Levi’s and Hawaiian shirts usually soar, this is an item that I have not seen make the rounds every week.
The blue coat is being offered by seller 9tara9 and with several bidders, the price is hitting the $300.00 mark. The nice thing about the auction is that the seller includes a photo of the label. Quite often, sellers neglect that.
Why is it so important? This way, a buyer can form their own opinion on the age and authenticity of the item. Items that don’t have high profile designer names probably will be the genuine article, but a label’s look and font can tell someone a lot about the garment. If the buyer is knowledgeable about the maker, they sometimes know when different labels were used. Other clues include care instructions that will often place an item in a decade, and sizing scales. If a label is present and fastened in the original way, and clean, it can also tell the buyer a little bit about condition as well.
Showing a label does not give a seller an excuse to not bother to find out exactly what they have, but it is definitely an extra selling point, prevents additional work while the item is already at auction, and will often help the buyer make the decision.
This auction ends in less than 24 hours, so hurry if you mean it!
1940s, auctions | Comment (0)Man of a Thousand Dances
Several times I have received the video of Judson Laipply’s Evolution of Dance, which is the most popular video on the internet right now. Not only is it entertaining, but it is also a trip down memory lane. He recreates snippets of popular dance styles from the 1950s to present. Ever?ything is there form the Twist, to Disco, to the Hammer Dance he represents. Some bits and pieces are things that I have forgotten about. It made me smile to see Brady Bunch style dancing and Headbanging along with the more social dances.
There is now an interactive application on the internet that is Evolution Of Dance starring YOU!. Self Improvement website PeopleJam.com and Saveology.com have teamed up to unleash it on to the internet. You can upload your picture and perform dances with Laipply. Not only is it hours of mindless entertainment, but it serves as a preview to a sequel to the Evolution of Dance 2, which will debut in the New Year.
As you can see, I decided to use the faces of Hayworth and Grant. You can choose the gender of the character that represents you and either have one or two dancers. You can replay yourself over and over again, or share with a friend. If you missed the original Evolution of Dance, the video that started it all, look no further than below!
entertainment | Comment (0)It Started with a Man with a Lot of Sweat…
(At Left: Is that an early jump suit? Feetie Pajamas for Men without the Feet??)
Whenever I am in a blue mood, I sometimes wander to the Lileks.com site and look at the gallery concerning the rise and fall of Dorcus Menswear.
Visitors are given a preperative preamble:
The brand is long forgotten; the name itself has not been uttered by a fashion critic for decades. The days when doors opened at the mention of these two simple syllables are gone, long gone. Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised; this company never had the glamour or prestige of a Saint-Laurent, a Givenchy. It never sought the adulation of the fickle scribes, the playboy set. It simply wanted to make interesting clothes for everyday people.
In a broad, generous definition of “interesting,” one can certainly say they succeeded.
Dorcus abandoned the goal of putting men in dresses in the 1960s, but triumphed in the application of extremely large plaids. The question arises: When does a plaid stop being a plaid?
Barney Dorcus’ drive to create clothing was born of his halitosis and predisposition to sweat profusely. It all started when Dorcus purchased a surplus of army gasmasks and used the lightweight fabric to create SWETZ-ALOT fabric. Since the fabric kept gases out, it was sure to keep B.O. odor at bay. The suits flew off the shelves. It may have been that Dorcus would have been in the annals of fashion history with his product. That was of course until son Raoul Dorcus had been given the reins and decided that the company should go in another direction all together, and his own personal style of tall socks with shorts, ghastly plaids (which almost sunk the company), and the male skirts that the world was not ready for caused the company to gradually dwindle.
Have fun flipping through the pages of a dream gone a little bit sideways.
fashion history | Comment (0)Ladies Can Nail It Safer These Days
Nail polish has been around, experts say, for 3,000 years. The original formula contained a base of gum arabic, egg whites, gelatin, and beeswax. Ladies would dip their hands in for hours. The modern concept of nail polish, however, emerged in the 1920s, inspired by the new lacquers that came out in the auto industry, so women started painting their nails instead of staining them.
I shouldn’t say just women. Some punk rockers adopted wearing black nail polish for men on occasion. Then again, the Max Factor corporation probably didn’t have that quite in their vision. Nor did they probably imagine I would use some in the ninth grade to write my initials on the back of my scientific calculator so none of my classmates would accidentally walk away with it. I think it was some sort of color between pink and plum. Plum colored eyeshadow was big then. So was the Clarion computer. Well, that might not have been “big” but it was something that you could turn the dials of at the store if you were bored.
I met a man who was repulsed by the use of nail polish on his lady’s hands and discouraged her from using them. I never understood what the aversion was, unless her nails were so rediculously long and had such ornamentation that it was almost like a handicap, preventing her from tending to her daily life for fear of marring them. However, they weren’t like that. Hmmm….
In the past decade or so, the practice of women wearing nail polish has ebbed and flowed. The new trend has been having makers look for more ways to create nail polish without formaldehyde and other not so appealing ingredients that vintage ladies had to live with. It may be okay at Maaco, but not on the human body. The Olan brand, at left in cosmopolitan red, is one such offering on the Hello Gorgeous! website that lets a gal browse from the comfort of home (or I should also say “person who wants to put their initials on their calculator regardless of gender”). I think Rita Hayworth, the original red nail trendsetter, and Uma Thurman, who influenced women again in the 90s, would have approved of the hue.
I’ve Got a Brand New Pair of….Roller Skates??
“I rode my bicycle past your window last night.
I roller skated to your door at daylight.
It almost seems like you’re avoiding me.
I’m okay alone, but you got something I need.Well, I got a brand new pair of roller skates,
You got a brand new key.
I think that we should get together
And try them out you see.
I been lookin’ around awhile,
You got somethin’ for me.
Oh! I got a brand new pair of roller skates,
You got a brand new key…”
Do you remember the song “Brand New Key” that was first recorded by Melanie and then covered a million times? I think it was also on the Sony and Cher show. I somehow don’t think the song will come back again as a hit because kids just don’t have any need for a roller skate key because they have wheelies. Well, be on watch, wheelies: There is a brand new mode of foot transportation that has been invented and they are called Orbit Wheels.
Do you know how some people answer those quizzes that ask you what animal you would want to be if you could pick? This is for those people who answered “fiddler crab” and love seeing the world go by sideways.
Well, with those you certainly couldn’t enter the world roller skating championships. I doubt if that still goes on these days. Maybe it just happens in New Zealand. Who knows. At any rate, in 1981, Billy Richardson & Holly Valante were the world rollerskating champions.
I have been taken to task on my skepticism on the popularity of old school skating. There is actually an entire forum dedicated to skating. In fact, I stumbled upon it by searching for Richardson and Valente who gave their red jumpsuited and skating skirted all. People on the forum referred to it as “our sport,” so I guess I stand corrected. It is good to know that regular ol skating is alive and well and not everyone has been sucked in to the latest thing. Maybe when I have kids someday, metal skates will be big again and Melanie will get lots of royalties.
1970s, 1980s | Comment (0)Will Laptop Bags be Collected in the Future?
I wonder if laptop bags will ever be something sought after in the future. Of course, lots of people want them to use, but what I meaning is if people will seek them out as a collectible vintage item. Or, will they be something too utilitarian and common? Will there be certain makers that people collect? I can imagine that plenty of them will be pretty well beat up by then.
My own laptop bag, I did not purchase fifteen years ago because I was using it for a laptop. In fact, I have never owned a laptop. I just liked the bag’s construction, leather, size and the number of pockets. To be fair, in the past few years, I do cart around an external hard drive, but that is as close as it gets. It has been to Boston, Florida, and Mexico City as a carry on bag, and it has endured sitting in the office as a catch all for important things I think are crucial to have with me at all times, yet I seldom use.
Spire supposedly has a lifetime guarantee where they will repair the laptop bags they make if they should be faulty. I wonder, though, how many people take them up on it. Often, people change their mind and need to get a new color or a different one for a new computer rather than keep their bag for years. I could be wrong if they are like me. Mine is fifteen years old, and though it has seen better days, is really holding its own.
Men! Guard Your Vests
Guys, guard your vests! The ladyfolk are after them! We have not seen the likes of this than circa 1988-1990 when the clothing makers were cranking out satin backed vets with floral tapestries. Of course, there were form fitting vests issued with some ladies pantsuits later on, in the 1990s, but they matched the fabric of the outfit and were meant to be a “versatile seperate” than a standout piece.
For fall and winter, “They” are saying the vest is back for women. I believe them, as I saw a few at an outlet store I went to recently. They had the little ring in the back where you could cinch it in, and were….you guessed it….tapestry! At first I thought they had just unpacked a forgotten box from twenty years ago, but it was by a label that I don’t think I saw back in the day.What does this mean?
Pay attention to the racks at the vintage stores to snag the matching vest to a suit if it got seperated before any ladyfolks get it ahead of you. You may also see vests being sold at a higher premium. In truth, sometimes a classic suit is in tatters and the only saving gtace is the vest. In that way, it is good that it is being appreciated seperately. The downside is that it may mimic the great Blazer Seperation of 2004-5, where skirts and pants were abandoned because everyone just wore the blazer.It is definitely a jungle out there. Be fashionable, but be careful!
ladieswear, modern fashion | Comment (0)Multi Pocket Pants
Dan, one of our faithful readers, was asking me the other day about multi-pocket pants. Back when the whole safari/explorer look was everywhere, more than a few khakis and shirts were in the stores with the additional pockets. Some were for looks, but some were actually functionally. Nowadays, the only real choice if you are looking for function is the local outdoor/fishing store.
I just found that LA Police Gear carries a lot of 5.11 Tactical pants and shorts with extra pockets, both hidden and obvious. They are especially good for travel, or whenever you don’t want to wear a jacket to carry the extra things you need when you are going to be out all day. You can spare your vintage clothing from the messy business of horse back riding, motorcycle ridng, and hiking, and can buy a few pairs of those instead. Right now they are only $24.99, so grab them while you can!
Mr. T’s Fashion Show. Yes, You Heard Me Right.
Since winter will be fast upon us….if it is not “officially” winter where you are, it unofficially is because there is snow on the ground…you must be thinking of spring clothing, right? Wrong, unless you are in the fashion world and already know what the hot color for Spring 2009 is (YELLOW) and are thinking in terms of Fall 2009. In otherwords, it is possible for you to be thinking about fashion shows. There are many people whose names are but one word and you know who they are….Kate, Donatella, Marc, et al. There is probably one name that is more widely known than them all. That is “T,” or MISTER T to YOU. That’s right, more households in the world know who Mr. T is than Spade, Moss, Versace, or Jacobs.
What is my point? Did you know that at one time the fashion world AND Mr. T were somehow intertwined? Yes, it has burned a hole in my retina way back when, and I present it now to you. Before watching “MR. T’s Fashion Show,” make sure your coffee, tea, or hot chocolate is not in your hand and is safely on a flat surface so you don’t get it up your nose or spit it at anyone by accident while chortling in either recognition because you dressed like this, or because of the complete absurdity of Jeff’s dancing. I nearly lost my Rock and Rye over this one. Maybe if I get my own show, they will put an animated frame around my face and put my name in big letters next to me so you know who I am, just like Marta gets. Count how many of these items were in your closet…be honest now:
1980s | Comments (2)Think About Summer Memories Now While It’s Cheaper
My brother and I were going through old family photos, and it really brought back a lot of memories. One such memory was recalling that, as a child, one of my loves was going down a giant fiberglass slide at the park. They gave you a mat, and you would make your journey up the staircase again and again. It was interesting for me to discover that there is a whole amusement park that based itself around an initial slide like the one I liked so much as a child.
Morey’s Piers in Wildwood, New Jersey started out with two brothers, a giant fiberglass slide and a dream. In the 50s and 60s, Bill Morey operated a boardwalk concession stand, while Will was a developer. They spotted a giant fiberglass slide languishing in Fort Lauderdale, and thought it was the perfect thing to attract more business to the boardwalk.But where do you put a giant fiberglass slide?
The brothers bought a mini golf course as well as a languishing restaurant to complement the slide, and Surf Side Park was born. The photo, at left, shows the slide circa 1969, and after 1976. The ape you see had been a part of a Planet of Apes Themed attraction/ride at Morey’s Piers, and the Ape is seen here at its new spot in the park. Way back when, the park was two piers separated by some municipal land, but it has grown by leaps and bounds since, hence the plural “Piers” in the name.
Fast forward to today, and Morey’s Piers is a crown jewel among New Jersey amusement parks, featuring great Wildwood attractions and roller coasters.
It is a place not just for having a great time eating more cotton candy than you can eat and riding the rides, but it is also a great spot for a Jersey Shore beach Vacation just like it was in decades past. Below, a beach scene from the 1970s, contemporary to the time of Morey’s Piers’ beginnings. It is a little early to be thinking about the beach, but since they are having such a great sale on Season Passes for the Holidays. From December 1st through January 9th, you can save 40% off Season Passes to the two waterparks. When everyone is thinking about it in May, you will have been frugal and planned ahead to make some great photos that can help you walk down memory lane in the future. Of course, you can have a good laugh at the bathing suits you wore back in 2009 also!
Deciphering Dress Code
Party and function invites abound this time of year. What does the dress code actually mean? With the casualization of things these days, if you follow these rules, you will never be over or under dressed. This is generally the rule of thumb for those secret codes. Some people interpret each one slightly differently, but following these guidelines you won’t be embarrassingly underdressed.
White Tie: Men wear white tuxedo jackets. Vests are also traditionally expected. Tails and gloves are not required but very acceptable. For the lady, floor length gowns are the norm. Think Cinderella’s Ball or Fred and Ginger.
Black Tie: Tuxedos for men, formal gowns, cocktail dresses, or formal seperates for women.
Black Tie Optional: Tuxedos or dark suits for men. Women can wear cocktail dresses, suits, or gowns.
Semi-Formal: This used to be classified as “After Five.” Suits for him with matching pieces, cocktail dress or suit for her. Also called Informal.
Business Formal: Same as Semi-Formal, but the difference for women, is that her clothing should be more conservative or tailored rather than revealing.
Creative Black Tie: Dressy, but without the etiquette restrictions of black tie. For example, colored tuxedos/tuxedo jackets would be apropriate here, as well as forgoing the tie. Hats acceptable. Use your imagination. Anything Bjork has ever worn to an awards show falls under this category…I guess.
Dressy Casual: Sport coat and slacks for him, or dress pants and dress shirt. For her, dressy pants or a skirt. No jeans, cut offs, sweats. or Tshirts.
Casual: Anything goes. Jeans, shorts, etc.
Oh, yeah, and a friend I had in the 90s (female) put “Sexy Jeans” as the dress attire on her invites. I asked what the heck that was. She said jeans and heels and form fitting or lacey tops for the gals. And get the hair done. Men should wear dark jeans and dark colored dress shirts or satin shirts. Well, everyone pretty much looked like they dressed normally everyday except the women wore full makeup instead of looking like they just ran out of the house to get the mail. The guys just had no holes in their jeans and tucked their shirts in. I guess either no one “got” her concept or her concept was something in her own mind that didn’t translate well. She should have just said “Clubwear” but with jeans and don’t wear anything you wouldn’t want to be seen in by the neighbor’s eight year old kid.
fashion tips | Comment (1)Pearls: The Classic Gift
l finally found out what a Tahitian Chocolate Pearl was. At first, I thought they were dyed or painted, and I was incorrect. The oysters that create them are darker in color, and have black lips and darker shells. They are also a much larger species than what you usually picture, and produce both black, and the lighter chocolate pearls. You learn something new every day!
Non Scents at Ebay
I decided to check the ‘Bay for some perfume that I intended to buy for someone and I wondered why the prices and bids were so low. When I clicked on the listing, I was greeted with this missive:
Dear User:
Unfortunately, access to this particular listing or item has been blocked due to a Paris commercial court decision that bans trade of certain authentic perfumes and cosmetic products on eBay because of French selective distribution laws. eBay is appealing this ruling but is nevertheless required to enforce it. We are blocking your viewing in an effort to comply with this court decision. Regrettably, in some cases, we may prevent users from accessing items that are not within the scope of the decision because of limitations on existing technology.
Thank You.
Hit the return button to return to the previous page.
According to Tamebay.com, the perfume ban is nothing new. I have been living under a rock. Kenzo, Guerlain, Christian Dior, Givenchy are the brands that were in question and were fighting Ebay to not be sold by unauthorized retailers back over the summer, when I and others I know were happy misting ourselves with very old, evaporating, and very stale scents and weren’t thinking about buying anything. This, apparently has since spread to other brands. In fact, every scent I clicked on was the same story. Just to find out if I was really going out of my mind, I even tried searching for “Avon” thinking Avon has their factory in the US, so certainly they would be an American product. Nope. Apparently someone else makes it who is in France, or more likely their system “limitations on existing technology.” Who knows how long it will last. Apparently, people are not paying attention, as it looks like they are still listing stuff that people cannot bid on or even see the detailed listings of.
If you are buying a fragrance this year for yourself or someone else, don’t think you can pass up the counter at the department store for a better price on Ebay. Oh, you’ll get a better price, but not one you can take advantage of. I guess this is a case of a bird in the hand.
Uncategorized | Comments (2)I Want to See Santa!
This time of year, lots of people are kids all over again when they spot Santa at the mall. It harkens back to a simpler time of thinking the sky was the limit and you can ask for or dream about anything you want, not worrying about practical matters.
For a limited time, you can “sit on Santa’s lap” from the comfort of your own home, and enter the Got a Wish Sweeepstakes. On the site, you can type in your name, upload a photo, and type in what you would like from Santa. A cute live action video of Santa and one of his elves plays and your photo that you uploaded and your request are worked in automatically to the video instantly. To actually enter the contest and not merely just have fun with the video, you will need to be a resident of the USA, and upload photo that is yourself. I am not showing you the photo uploaded because it is a photo of me on Christmas morning in my pajamas. I don’t want you to see the character on my PJs because it would date me too much!
The prize for the sweepstakes is getting a wish granted. In otherwords, “Santa” will give a random person each day $500 to make their wish come true for 29 whole days! This special powwow with Santa is brought to us by Ceiva. They are the makers of some pretty awesome digital photo frames. Imagine your family, or your entire art collection on a slideshow. What makes them unique is that they have interchangeable frames (black and wood) so they can blend with your contemporary or traditional decor easily. They also hold a slideshow of 40-50 images, are optionally wifi enabled, and also have the potential to read your memory card.
