You love the movies, you wear the clothes, you’ve even mastered some pretty fancy hair; so what’s next?

Topping off your vintage look with the right accessories can be fun, but can also be a challenge. In particular, just what sort of bag should a girl be carrying?

You could just make a beeline straight for your favorite auction house and snatch up the first thing that takes your fancy, or you could invest some more time and research to come away with a real gem.

Before you hit those shops you need to consider two critical factors in buying a vintage bag. Firstly – what do you want it to hold? Tip out the contents of your current bag and make an honest inventory. It is possible that you don’t need all those old train tickets, and five lipsticks for one mouth is probably overdoing it. So sort out the wheat from the chaff and decide what is critical to the success of your day.

Secondly – What shape and sized bag do you need? The structure of vintage bags doesn’t allow for our modern habit of overstuffing. The structured walls, metal clasps and hinges will not thank you for over straining them and are often beyond repair should this happen. Evaluate your list of essentials and see which items can be down scaled to fit easily into your dream bag. For instance, instead of carrying a bulky notebook and pen, I carry a slim line voice recorder. Does your key ring need to house the keys for every lock in your abode, or would just the house and the car do? Do you want to carry the bag in your hand all day or do you prefer being able to sling it over the shoulder?

Now you know how much you need to carry, you have a fair idea of the size of bag you are looking for. Now the selection narrows to day or evening, casual or formal, or even something a little quirky. These are all personal choices, but the following buying guidelines apply to them all.

• Brands: If you are a serious vintage collector and looking for a piece that will not only continue to go the distance, but also retain its value, knowing your labels is critical. You need to have an understanding not only of top choice names (think Chanel, Hermes, Ferragamo) but of which bags are most iconic to that house and thus retain a better value. Picking up a lime green quilted Chanel number may be the perfect thing for your current look, but it will not retain the value of the classic little black number. Quality is not mutually exclusive to well known labels. You are likely to find some lesser known gems that will become the pride of your vintage wardrobe by following these simple steps.

• Stitching: Look for straps that are stitched together (not glued) in tiny, even stitches.

• Lining: Check the quality of the lining – better bags have suede, silk or full leather lining as opposed to nylon or acetate. Lining should be in good condition with no mildew, rips or holes.

• Frames: Look for bags with sturdy metal frames that are designed to keep their shape (these are inside the outer fabric), and often have metal feet on the bottom of the bag to prevent them resting directly on the leather.

• Hardware: Thoroughly check the clasp and all other metal hardware on you bag. Is it warped, pitted or peeling? Re-plating can be an expensive process and unless you feel the piece you have unearthed is worthy of some serious restoration money, I’d let these ones be. The rust will continue to eat away at the metal and may even cause staining on your outfit (quel horror)! If a clasp doesn’t close properly, find out why it is. It may be that hinges can be tightened, magnets replaced or in some cases of those twist grip closures – replaced with minimal fuss.

• While on the subject of hardware, make sure to check all zips thoroughly for rust, missing or snagged teeth and secure stitching.   Ideally you’ll be looking for bags with metal zippers (another indicator of quality) and you want them to last you a long time. If the zipper is less than perfect, evaluate the effort needed to replace the it. Leather bags should always be handled by a professional, but repairs to fabric bags may be within your skill set. Any skin bags – alligator, ostrich etc.. will set you back a pretty packet for repairs in comparison.

• Leather: When buying a leather bag, make sure that it is indeed leather. Leather has a distinctive smell but is sometimes difficult to distinguish after it has been around the block a few times. Vinyl smells of nothing much other than plastic and doesn’t scuff in the same manner. Leather bags can be treated to bring them back to their former glory, whereas a vinyl bag, once damaged is past worth repairing. Scuffs on leather can be touched up with ordinary boot polish, and a good leather hydrating lotion will help to restore its shine and suppleness. If the object of your affections is looking like it has been left out in the sun too long, there are leather specialist who will be able to professionally re-hydrate the bag, but once again this service does not come cheap.

• Straw: Straw bags were all the rage in the 40′s and 50′s, and there are some stunning designs out there for more casual wear. When evaluating these look for a close tight weave, no broken or missing pieces of straw and most certainly no mildew. Unlike your day to day work horse bags, these fancy numbers need a little more TLC to see another lifetime of use.

• Lucite: Lucite bags are the big news in collectible vintage bags at present. With their stunning glass like appeal, cut crystal patterns and multitude of finishes, these are the ones likely to catch you eye for a special occasion. But a word of warning – lucite becomes brittle with age and the more you handle it the more you risk breaking it. Personally, I’d save these beauties for your collection or the odd special occasion as seeing them snap could break your heart. Still, you may find a piece you’d like to salvage that is in need of a little work. If there are broken pieces they can be re-glued using a two part primer and superglue mixture. Sadly, it will not be totally invisible and is not advisable for any area under constant strain or pressure. When cleaning these bags, take care not to use any modern cleaning products whose harsh ingredients can damage the lucite or, even worse, eat into it causing pitting and colour clouding. I simply use plain soapy water or neat vodka (on tough marks) on a soft clean paint brush, then a soft cloth for removing all traces of grease and dirt in the intricate pattern work.

Now that you have an idea of both what type of bag you want and how to find the best of the bunch, what next? It is likely you’ll have your favorite vintage shops that you turn to on such an occasion, but when looking for perfection cast the net wide. There are lots of online auction houses that can help you quickly narrow your search, but you won’t be able to touch and feel in your investigation. If your limited to this method of shopping, ask for lots of photographs both inside and outside of the bag (don’t forget the bottom), as well as internal and external measurements. If they are a reputable dealer with a genuinely lovely piece it is likely that they will be happy to indulge your requests. When shopping in antique and bric a bra stores, the set up is often not our friend. Lighting tends to be darker making it difficult to see faults and details. Ask to take your selection outside to inspect it in natural light. That way you will be able to see the smaller flaws that would not be obvious in bad lighting conditions, and may even uncover the odd bug or two.

Thrift shopping is often the ultimate adventure in vintage bag hunting, as when we come across the perfect find it is usually for a song (making us feel oh so very clever). But be warned. With so many counterfeit bags on the market, many make their way into these stores where unsuspecting staff often jack up the price thinking they’ve struck gold. Know you stuff and you won’t get caught out paying a pricey sum for a second hand counterfeit bag.

All that said, there is no replacing love at first sight. So it may be a little scuffed and smell like the back of nana’s closet, but its perfect shade of blue makes your heart sing. And there is no replacing that.

You can read this article and other wonderful things as part of the Queens of Vintage site where I am now a regular contributor.

Me with the very talented Robert Fritzlaff.

If you’ve been to see the Bendigo Galleries “Golden Age of Couture” exhibition, or be so privileged as to own your own, you will have a notion of what couture is really all about.  However, if you really wish to get in touch with the craftsmanship behind the couture and see the pieces comes to life, then Shaping Elegance is for you.  I was privileged enough to be invited to the launch party for this exceptional collection on Thursday night, and I can tell you it is both a feast for the eyes and the soul.

Unlike The Age’s review of Robert Fritzlaff’s exhibition, I can tell you that Como House is indeed the ideal setting for this collection.  Rather than subjecting the gowns to a museum style exhibition, it instead lends itself to a more intimate setting. It allows the feeling of each room to imbue the gowns with life, as though each mannequin may at any moment rise, cocktail in hand to join the party. Adding to the life of the garments for me, was the pleasure of meeting several of the ladies for whom the gowns were made.  Listening to their history first hand, the story of how one had purchased the fabric on instructions from Robert whilst holidaying in Paris with her husband. Hearing of how another particularly striking dress of a orange and peacock hued Liberty print was lovingly made for Robert’s wife on the occasion of christening one of their children. This exhibition cannot be compared to the often impersonal, however stunning, collections seen behind glass. It is filled with a sense of history and life that all vintage fashion enthusiasts long for.

Shaping Elegance provides a shorthand course in enduring style versus the throw away culture of this generation’s fast fashion. As you make your way through the evolution of the garments, courtesy of Robert’s talented illustration process, it becomes clear that you have entered a world seen only by the very few today. I won’t spoil the surprises for you, but suffice to say that I visited each garment time and time again, and on each occasion noted a new detail that made me gasp with pleasure.

I know I can’t tell you about all of this and not show you what I wore.  In honor of the occasion I gave this new dress its first outing.

I urge you not to let this one pass you by, and should you have the opportunity, take your daughters, friends or neighbors; and experience first hand the glamour of couture and its power to transform fashion into art.

For a fun and fancy afternoon you can even book an afternoon tea in the gardens to compliment your tour of the collection.  So get together a group of your fanciest friends and make it a day to remember. Click here to find details on exhibition packages.

It has been a big week here at chez SKM, and I’m looking forward to a quiet-ish Saturday before hitting the ground running for the Official Loreal Fashion Week that officially starts on Sunday.  While there are more parades and happenings than you can poke a stick at, in true SKM fashion, I’ll be seeking out the weird, wild and wonderful to bring you a little more of the diverse colour that Melbourne is known for.  But before we get to the meat of the upcoming week, I’m taking a chance to pause and reflect on all the amazing things in the week past and get my ducks in a row for the next.

I was encouraged to see that after my Dear Weekend list last Friday, I actually achieved most of the things on it.  The windows are now curtained, and the repro vintage dress I was working on is finally finished and had its first big outing last night. (Pictures on all that to come very soon.)  And all this mental list making has put me in mind to actually recap on my week in a similar way.  All too often I get to Friday night, break out the G&T’s and before you know it I can’t even remember what I did that day let alone for the whole week. Actually, the G&T’s have no effect on that phenomenon as it seems to happen regardless!  So first of all here is what I have loved this week.

Making cyber buddies into real buddies

People who wear hats to cocktail parties

Random encounters with fascinating people who could be you in 40 years

Watching “Lost in Austin”, a rather amusing piece about a modern girl who swaps places with Elizabeth Bennett

Listening to people who are passionate about what they do

And here’s what I have planned to make my weekend wonderful.

Make up a huge batch of chicken and vegetable soup – for the soul – and bake some crusty bread to eat hot with butter.

Sleep in – and then take a nana nap.

Find someone to rub my feet.

Sit with Miss Four and cut out pictures of people and clothes she likes to help her make her first inspiration board – then find more treasures to add to the costume box.

Head in for some fun times at Worn Wild market on Sunday! Yay!

Remember you can leave links to your favorite things in the comments section or even let us know how your plans for last week worked out.

Okay, now it is your turn. Go!

Image from Conde Naste by way of My Vintage Vogue

I was having a wonder today, no not a wander, one of those moments when your brain delves into its little packets of filed information.  I was wondering just what Mr Christian Siriano has been up to of late, as, not being based in the US, his name is not one on many fashion pages here.  But given my passion for his designs past (winning Project Runway) and my love of his perfect ‘Blue Steel”, I had to google up his latest offerings. And what I found was no disappointment.

Once again, Christian appears to have designer ESP, as the perfect bag I’ve been dreaming of is right here in his collection!  Big, practical and some serious hardware going on.  You’d better duck if you’re going to try and mug me while I’m carrying this one or I’ll take your eye out with those spikes.

The perfect trans seasonal pair of pants.  Part Hepburn, part Annie Hall and perfect for lounging around in style.

From the Fall 09 collection

And my god that coat!  The shape, the structure, the little caplet detail.  It is all the best things in one.

After settling myself from these flutters and realising that only US boutiques are currently stocking his range, (although there is a small selection at Bluefly) I did a little more digging around to see if I could get me one of those bags online.   But then I started to get just a wee bit giddy when I uncovered this news.

Christian Siriano for Payless Shoes!

Now I’ve been keeping an eye on this fetish footwear trend as I’m feeling myself coming over all “Dominatrix on her day off” at the moment.  So to discover that Mr Siriano is to launch this range for Payless Shoes in the States, was just too good to be true.  Given that the affordable (?)  high end copies here in Aus are still retailing around the $200 mark, to see that Christian has pulled out the stops (albeit it heavily influenced by the Louboutin x Rodarte stylings of last year), to bring this collection to the people for between $25-45 US!  Even at our current exchange rate that still makes it worth while asking my bestest buddy to smuggle me in some on her upcoming visit.

** I know that my passion for fashion is at odds with my views on the ethics of it when it comes to price points – but nobody said love wasn’t a paradox. **

Outfit Details

Shirt- Review, Skirt – Boo Radley, Tights- Voodoo, Shoes – Novo, Rings – Diva, Watch – Guess.

It was a holiday Monday yesterday, which meant I could head out fancy free to meet up with a friend for coffee and cakes. (Thank you for a lovely time buddy!) A very civilised way to spend the morning. I’m so pleased that the temperature has finally dropped here, as it means not only relief from all the terrible weather but also a chance to start revisiting some of my favorite Autumn pieces.   The morning was cool enough to get away with this ensemble, but the afternoon warmed right up so delicious berry tights didn’t last the day.  Still, in a city famous for its occupants all black wardrobes, I thought I’d show you just how colourful our city can be.  This pink and blue deco building is one of my favorites, and always gives me a smile when I go by… and somehow makes me hungry.