Neiman Marcus dress: re-design

We featured this diamond in the rough last week to illustrate what a little imagination and a good tailor can do. There was a lot of fabric, and a lot going on. But the print was so good, and the silk was in perfect condition...

...So we took it to our favorite tailor to get some alterations made.

And the result... Voila! A chic new mini with a bright, floral print, just in time for summer.

Chopping off about 22" of this beautiful, yet extremely dated silhouette definitely helped make it current.

And removing the sash, taking in the waist, and adding a braided belt brings new life to this 80's number.

The print was just so pretty--it needed a chance at a second life.

So we gave it one.

 And that defines the importance of a good tailor.

So go out there and find an older, classic piece to make your own. Look for cool prints, quality fabrics like this silk, and good stitching. Remember, the best thing about a good tailor or seamstress is that you get to customize the garment to your body!

Love,

Noa B and Tanya D

Dress: Neiman Marcus, via thrift

Belt: Vintage

Boots: Rampage

Talk of the town: Our favorite tailors east and west

We love to go bargain hunting, and as we love to point out on this blog, sometimes the perfect dress isn't exactly "the perfect dress" until it's had a few nips and tucks. (See here: A guide to quick hemming).

Remembering that most things can be fixed or tweaked can result in the perfect, retro, fashion statement!

For those of you who share our passion for secondhand shopping, here's a quick compendium of some of our favorite tailors east and west, who we think will do your clothes, (and your wallet) justice!

Rancho Tailor: www.ranchotailor.com. 

Located at the corner of Overland And Pico Boulevard in West Los Angeles, Arturo Padilla caters not only to the local clientele, but also creates costumes and alterations for the artist formerly known as Prince. Arturo's clients may often be celebs, but you'd never know it from the humble storefront and the extremely moderate prices. If you have something old, delicate, or complex to alter, Arturo is your man. If you have a lot to fix, drop by early in the morning. Arturo's patrons are always out the door. A top favorite and best choice for our Westwood/West LA peeps. (He was even given a mention in the film, "Country Strong")!

Lizon Tailors: Venice and Midvale: 
This family establishment is a perfect gem for those wishing to take in jackets, suits, and menswear. The tailoring is great, although prices sometimes run a little higher here. A word to the wise; be very specific about your needs. This tailor doesn't like to be questioned but produces great work. ;) Still, a good place for our peeps in Palms and Culver City, and especially good for mens' wear.

Crown Cleaners: Fairfax and Willoughby:

Considered one of the better dry cleaners/alterations spots for wardrobers and costumers in Hollywood, this unassuming little establishment has a reputation for cleaning, altering and even patching older and more delicate fabrics. If you have a patch job that needs special attention, they may be your best bet. For West Hollywood/Hollywood, make this a sure-fire fix.

A & I Friendly Tailor: Washington and Lincoln Blvd:

For all our Venice/Abbott Kinney/Marina Del Rey peeps, this little hole-in-the-wall is a great place for inexpensive dress fixes. Come in for hemming and size adjustments and leave with your wallet intact. Located next to Costco, this cute little shop does wonders for a reasonable rate. Ask for Alla!

Elnc Lizabeth Tailoring: 111th Street and 3rd Avenue:
And for our old New York City pals, I highly recommend Lizabeth, at Elnc. Lizabeth will hack away at your dresses at a fraction of what you'll pay in midtown! She may be a bit of a haul, but I've never paid Manhattan prices for her level of service.

Most of all, keep in mind that a good tailor can make even the humblest garment look like a million bucks. It's all in the fit! Stay tuned next week to see how Arturo took this dated, 80's, silk Neiman Marcus dress and altered it for a brand new finish!

  

Big Love!

Noa B

Tanya D

A little obsessed with crochet

I've been salivating over the new trend of white and cream lace and crochet and cotton appliques which seem to be making appearances all over the runway. Worn with sandals, espadrilles and gladiators they epitomize romance and Edwardian softness.

So here at SHS, we wanted to create our own interpretation of this killer look. (But with some Cali style, worn with beachy chic, of course!)

We were so psyched with the results of our "how to" blog on making a skirt into a shirt or dress, (see here) that we decided to opt for it once again, only this time, with the season's latest craze--crochet!!

We found the perfect raw material in this midi-length skirt.

The elastic waistband and gathered crochet was a little too full waisted for either one of us to have worn, "as is".

But with a few snips of the scissors and a run through the machine, we had armholes and a whole new way to interpret the skirt into a shift.  We added a braided, suede belt to cinch the waist, and vintage gold beads for warmth and runway style.

Because when it comes to couture, all of these variations on lace and cotton are just so dreamy... But we also love the ability to do it on a dime!

Here's to making it your own!!

Love, 

Tanya D 

Fun with Fuscia

Okay, I have to admit, I'm not a super girly-girl. Yes, I love frills and skirts and billowing dresses, but when it comes to pink I'm nearly always "out".

However, a few months ago I assessed my New York style closet and realized that 80% of my wardrobe was black. Apparently you can take the girl out of New York but...

What better way to embrace color than in thrift? Where trying something new doesn't have to break the bank?

When I came across this adorable, vintage Milly NY dress, I decided to shun my ritualistic black for some bright, candy pink ruffles.

It was a departure. I mean, can it get any brighter than this? Still, adding some sky-high Jessica Simpson heels in black started to make it feel a little more "me"...

 With a detachable bow-belt, this was as girl-y as I've ever been--and I loved it!

Plus, pockets, pockets, pockets! Need I say more?

But the clincher was the asymmetrical ruffles. So over-the-top but so charming too!

It just seemed like the perfect little number for an afternoon cocktail party!

 And I know a friend who makes the perfect afternoon Bloody Mary's...

 Yum, seriously, I need more of these occasions to get dresses for.

But I guess for me, the moral of this story is to try something different every once and awhile, even if you don't think it's "you". Because maybe "you" isn't always who you thought you were!

Happy Hunting!

Love, 

Noa B

Dress: Milly New York: via thrift

Earrings: Boutique, Abbot Kinney

Heels: Jessica Simpson

Vintage skirt and so many ways to wear it!

We love vintage. We love bloggers. And we love when they all get together and collaborate--like today!

Secondhand Star teamed up with November Grey and Belle de Couture to bring you each of our interpretations on this skirt, worn three different ways by three different gals:

I loved the pocket details and apron wrap around style of the skirt, so I wanted to make this look really clean.

I added a vintage scotty dog belt to help cinch the waist.

And I couldn't resist the fedora to keep it from getting too preppy...

 Bangles brought out the gold belt detail.

 And high, gladiator platforms put some street back into the country apron, swing cut.

But it's still a girlish enough skirt to want to twirl in!

So here's to wearing it your way! How will you do it? By winning this skirt! Head on over to November Grey and see how!

Good luck!!

Love, 

Noa B.

Long lost twins unite!

You know how magazines love to show celebrities stepping out in the same outfit? It's that double shot with a "who wore it better" tag? Well not us! We love to style each other and borrow one another's favorite clothes!

Sure, we may have different modes of fashion, but we do also love a lot of the same things, so it's not surprising that we were both drawn to these nearly identical suit sets found many, many miles apart. (Did you read the story here?)

Tanya loves jumpsuits with a passion that could border on obsession.

While I just adore maxi dresses and sweeping skirts...

We're both fans of the little details in these suits. On mine, the grommets on the empire waist really add pop.

And pairing nautical stripes with pearls is a must for me...

While Tanya kept the accessorizing low-key, so she could wow with her statement red lips and va-va-voom hair. 

And of course we had to re-cut the long-ish sleeves on both finds, into a modern, almost military finish...

But the key always lies in the details... Like this sash that wove through the grommet detail...

And simply showing your own unique and individual way to rock something!

For the love of fashion and friendship, 

Noa B.

Jumper #1: Pantsuit, Out of the Closet, Westwood

Jumper #2: Skirtsuit, Last Chance Thrift, Decatur

Long lost twin-suits!

On a recent trip to Georgia I decided to take a swing through some thrift stores to see if "Hot-lanta", (as it is popularly known) would have some sizzling finds. (And boy did it ever)!

I picked up an 80's, Liz Claiborne power dress that kind of reminds me of a Robert Palmer video vixen.

I also stumbled upon a pair of adorable, baggy, harem pants in polka dot. Heaven! Not only did I score some great little numbers we'll be bringing you down the road, but I stumbled across a find so unusual that I had to share...

Not long ago, Tanya and I found an amazing, navy and white pant suit while filming a short, video segment.  We couldn't wait to get started on the alterations...

Then unexpectedly, (and amazingly) I found the nearly identical polyester suit here in Atlanta, this time with a skirt attached instead of a pant! It was fate! Like long lost twins, we reunited the pant/skirt/jumpsuit.

It's amazing that you can fly across the country and find the same, vintage garments on opposite sides of the continent. It seems they wanted to be together--so we obliged.

Stay tuned to see how we wore them--tomorrow!

Love, 

Noa B.