Inspiration: Lamé Overload

Blame it on 13 grueling snowstorms and the requisite need for cumbersome layering, or point away at minimal decadence chez Alber Elbaz at Lanvin, but we're feeling the midas touch when taking in a 80's era Ines De La Fressange in repose.

Go with the Flouro: 1984 Stephen Sprouse Cardi

From Stephen Sprouse's seminal 1984 collection comes this vibrant flouro cardigan thats a sure fire way to inject all out color to any look and is quite collectible to boot.

1984 Stephen Sprouse Pink Cardi-$652

Smart Buy: 80's Oversized Oxford Blouse

Borrowing from the boys may not be a new a idea, yet the simplicity of our latest Smart Buy, this relaxed 80's era oversized men's inspired oxford, feels fresh amidst fashion's current calmer, more subtle mood.

80's Oversized Oxford Blouse-$128

Smart Buy: 80's Fitted Black Cardigan

At only $62, our latest Smart Buy, this 80's era black fitted textured cardigan, is well, a steal of a smart buy for sure. Ready for year-round wear, its simplicity makes it one of those essentials you can't leave the house without. From uptown to downtown, from prep-school girl to boardroom babe, its reach is beyond basic.

80's Black Fitted Textured Cardigan-$62

Smart Buy: 80's Minimal Black Overalls

Our latest Smart Buy, these slim-cut fluid black crepe 80's era overalls, may be a little more casual & playful than our previous selections, but their versatility is unquestionable for year-round wear. Think about wearing them in the day over a sheer chiffon blouse with voluminous sleeves, or let them stand as a smart layering foundation and pile on the chunky knits and cashmere cloaks. The options are virtually endless...

80's Black Crepe Overalls-$148

Smart Buy: 80's Carolyne Roehm Contrast Dress

Our latest Smart Buy, this 80's era green wool tulip shaped dress from Bergdorf babe Carolyne Roehm, happens to channel Hannah MacGibbon's knack for vintage-inspired minimal separates at Chloe that virtually everyone hit on for Fall 2010. It's clean, unadorned surface, warm green tone and contrasting edging combined with a manner that's both posh and somewhat masculine happen to lend it a limitless versatility & restrained cool. Dress it up, dress it down, it's one of those items that'll never let you down.

80's Carolyne Roehm Green Contrast Wool Dress-$248

Aimee Mann's New-Wave Fav's at Vagabondnyc

Vagabondnyc.com is happy to announce the launch of a very special range of early 80's avant-garde pioneers from the personal collection of singer/songwriter & New Wave icon Aimee Mann. Looking through her collection, the bulk of which come from Comme Des Garcons, Jean Paul Gaultier, Katherine Hamnett & Yohji Yamamoto, we were floored by these groundbreaking early designs and how relevant they were for today. While they channel the era's strong hyper-androgynous sensibilities, we like that they also exude a calm sense of assured sexuality and are reduced to simple shapes and clean unfussy lines. These aren't clothes for the sake of being avant-garde, instead they are clothes for the wearing.

They also happen to hit upon the inspiring personal style notes of Mrs. Mann herself, who was once known for championing the 80's hyper-androgynous, relaxed yet strong feeling.

Shop our Selection of Aimee Mann's Personal Favorites here...

STYLE.com gave the collection a sweet write-up

Aimee Mann happened to wear this genius modified brocade Yohji Yamamoto sarong to the 1985 MTV Music Awards.

1985 Yohji Yamamoto Modified Brocade Sarong w Suspender-$798

Mid 80's Yohji Yamamoto Relaxed-Fit Grey Shirt & Skinny Pants-$798, and Mrs. Mann wearing the shirt below in Til Tuesday's "Voices Carry" video:


Mid 80's Jean Paul Gaultier Pour Gibo Purple Modified Zoot-Suit-$418, and Mrs. Mann wearing our suit in an iconic press image for Til Tuesday below:


Mid 80's Katherine Hamnett White Relaxed-Fit Suit-$498, and Mrs. Mann performing in the mid-80's wearing our suit below:

Click here to check out or entire selection of Mrs. Mann's personal favorites!

On to the Next One: Chris Kane Fall 2010

Christopher Kane's Fall 2010 outing happens to be one of our favorites, so we just had to mention our own top's similarity to his inventive take on next seasons must-have fabrication: leather. Christopher Kane's thoroughly modern update on floral embroideries, Fall 2010.

Channel Christopher Kane's beautifully perverse take on classic embroideries for Fall 2010 with Vnyc's 80's era taupe leather embroidered tube. While it's color way happens to be much more subdued(read wearable), it's unique juxtaposition of leather and delicate florals combined with a lady-like peplum hits all of Kane's notes dead-on.

80's Taupe Leather Peplum Tube w Embroideries-$98

Emanuel Ungaro's Exotic Vision at Vnyc

We're pretty confident the warrior woman look has cycled through the marketplace to the point of exhaustion and that it's time for something more demure, for sensuality, unadorned beauty and a bit of romance. All of which can be found in these signature mid 80's Emanuel Ungaro pieces we picked up along the way. So, until the chiefs at Ungaro hire someone who'll respect and utilize the house's incredible archive and put the label back in party mode, we're content to offer you this carefully chosen assortment of Ungaro at it's best.

In Full Bloom
80's Ungaro Floral Silk Blouse
Party girls the world over turned to Ungaro for his perfect cocktail numbers and ruched pieces, but it's his recognizable floral prints that are often sadly overlooked. Take this back-buttoned green silk blouse with it's bulbous floral & strawberry print, it makes a winning combination with our velvet skirt for cocktail hour, or dress it down with distressed denims for a look that's powerful yet breezily louche.

80's Emanuel Ungaro Floral Printed Silk Blouse-$108

Pattern Plays
80's Ungaro Brocade Jacket
Leave it to Ungaro to update the classic quilted Chanel style jacket in a luxe metallic blue & green Chinoiserie floral print that's hyper-bourgeois yet quietly ostentatious.

80's Emanuel Ungaro Quilted Brocade Jacket-$228

Pencil Yourself In
80's Ungaro Velvet Pencil Skirt
The high-waist body-con pencil skirt having become a wardrobe essential over the past few years, and with velvet itself making a major comeback, this 80's era Ungaro beauty doesn't disappoint with it's sumptuous textured velvet composition and rich purple tone.

80's Emanuel Ungaro Purple Velvet Body-Con Skirt-$112

At the moment Vnyc has over 300 one-of-a-kind vintage stunners with over 100 under $100. And there's more to come this Monday, keep an eye out for early Yohji, Comme Des Garcons & Katherine Hamnett. Shipping is Free-Worldwide.

Accessory of the Week: 80's Leather Bucket Bag

The bucket bag has always been a quintessential shape for one of us at Vnyc and this classic 80's era black beauty with its contrasting snake panel, serves as our latest Accessory of the Week. Here, its slouchy appeal, always known to denote an easy louche coolness, is heightened to full effect through the use of subtle southwestern inspired hardware and a row of mixed rhinestone studs with a shoulder strap that's long enough to help the piece double as a cross-body bag, a highly desirable feature on its own.


80's Black Cross-Body Southwestern Bucket Bag-$124

Flower Girl: Betsey Johnson's Punk Label

Leggings that resemble ultra-femme Laura Ashley floral prints? Only Betsey Johnson could come up with such a notion that combines the romance of florals with the versatility of the ubiquitous legging.

80's Betsey Johnson Floral Leggings-$126

Accessory of the Week: 80's Rykiel Belt-Bag

This smart black suede 80's era Sonia Rykiel belt-bag, our latest Accessory of the Week, is loaded with charm and sweet practicality. Its a simple black belt that boasts a removable u-shaped pouch with delicate brass leaves dangling from it and the bag also happens to make a smart clutch. Leave the neu-rave fanny packs for the kiddies and go-about in this decadent number.

80's Sonia Rykiel Suede Belt-Bag-$168

COMING SOON: 30+ New Arrivals Next Week

Here's a quick sneak peek at some of VagaBondnyc.com's latest vintage scores that will be up for grabs on the site after the 3rd of Jan. 2010.

Give John Galliano a run for his money with this chic 50's era blue muted floral water-color a-line tea dress. Its explosive abstracted floral print saves it from being a little too precious & retro while it's figure defining bodice is sure to keep heads turning.

And just as everyone is finally looking back at Betsey Johnson's archives, including the boisterous designer herself, comes this sweet early 80's era white bolero that is covered with crisp black Swiss dots. Its sports inspired sweatshirt composition ensures comfort & ease while helping you look your best.

We've been feeling Ralph Lauren's classic sophistication again for some time now and his 70's era preppy navy-blue double breasted blazer with its gold metallic threaded crest and sharp cut just seems so right for right now.

Another score from early 80's Betsey Johnson, another testament to her non-stop boundless creativity. This piece quietly hits so many of today's biggest trends we just couldn't resist. Edwardiana, the 80's, the prominent shoulder, its all here in this unbelievably easy to wear knock-em-dead number.

All items will be available at VagaBondnyc.com Jan. 3rd 2010

Accessory of the week: 80's Norma Kamali Pumps

From the 80's come our latest Accessory of the Week, these vibrant burnt red suede Norma Kamali pumps that have a demure cone heel, Indian style pointed vamps and decadent metallic gold scroll embroideries. After all, the easiest trick to heightening everyday glamor is through the use of gilded or embellished accessories.

80's Norma Kamali Red Suede Indian Heels-$108

Accessory of the week: 80's Coin Earrings

Our latest Accessory of the Week comes to you via the 80's and it's infatuation with southwestern textiles and jewelry. These dramatic dusty silver etched coin earrings are a smart way to corner today's 80's revival while not looking too much the part.

80's Southwestern Etched Coin Dangle Earrings-$114

Knit Wit: The Energy of Kansai Yamamoto

Kansai Yamamoto may be one of Japan's less talked about designers to rise to fame in the 70's & 80's, dressing the likes of David Bowie on his Aladdin Sane tour & The Blitz kids, but to us at Vnyc, the bold vision of his label still makes it one of the most collectible today. We adore his energetic, flamboyant knits, military references and bold use of saturated color, and every time we do come across a Kansai score, we are always floored by everything's contemporary appeal. Yamamoto's pieces were all so far ahead of their time & inventive that they not only seem highly inspirational but also totally relevant as they showcase his uncanny wit with western-inspired sportswear and to us, prove that he basically paved the way for contemporary sportswear. He mixed the era's vibrant street culture with his Japanese roots and came up with clothing that was not only functional, but also highly decorative. You can credit Yamamoto for bringing screen printing to the forefront of sportswear by screen printing knit wear, for using appliques, and military patches, pockets and accoutrements for the first time.

In a few weeks we will be debuting one of our favorite Kansai Yamamoto scores on the shop's site, its a fantastic rainbow and tribal print reversible sweater coat that'll cheer you up on even the grayest of days.

From top: 70's era editorial shot(unknown), David Bowie performing in Kansai circa 70's, and our own 80's Kansai Yamamoto Canary Sports Jacket-$338

To shop our Kansai Yamamoto click here.

Accessory of the Week: 80's Crystal Cross Earrings

Our latest accessory of the week comes to you from the glamorous flamboyance of the 80's with these chic red crystal cross earrings that pack a powerful yet romantic punch. They are a little bit Grace Jones and a little bit Dolly Parton, and equally full of personality.

80's Red Crystal Cross Earrings-$148

Accessory of the Week: 80's Neon Goggle Aviators

With the neon exuberance of the 1980's being one of Fall 2009's most important trends and with collectors snapping up vintage sunglasses the world over, our latest Accessory of The Week happens to be a great way to channel the season's mood without being too literal. Made in Italy by sports accessory line Quettee, these hybrid goggle inspired aviator wrap sunglasses come in bold neon pink or green and come with an assortment of tricks to change their look from side temple extensions to different colored nose guards and lenses, best of all, they are light as a feather! We also like the fact that they are frankly very cool looking on, yet they somehow manage to not be so obvious/preposterous, a problem we find with many of the era's glasses and accessories that we come across today.


80's Neon Aviators available in Pink or Green-$138 each

Dance, Dance Betsey Johnson...Early 80's BJ

With the 80's everywhere once again, we are happy to report that Betsey Johnson & Opening Ceremony are re-creating key dance-inspired looks from Johnson's early years for a small capsule collection due next month. We at Vnyc have been collecting Johnson's earlier pieces for years because she literally helped shape the future of sportswear, we even got to meet the enigmatic Johnson last summer, working as consultants for her growing archive.

Like Norma Kamali, Johnson is a constant source of inspiration for us & designers alike. While the two have very different aesthetics, it was the haute 80's where they basically laid down all future sportswear foundations. While Kamali contributed innovative uses of sweatshirt fabrics, nylon and shoulder pads, Johnson's punkish motives like today, were more about being playful, energetic and ready-to-dance. Giddy energy full-on, non-stop is and has always been a Betsey Johnson trademark.

And it's her iconic face label era that really gets our motors running, not only because of the rarity, but also because everything boldly pronounces why Betsey Johnson is such an important, if however often overlooked figure in American fashion history. Cheeky cherry prints, spandex minis, velour body-con dresses, romantic dance-inspired gear, these are the hallmarks of a time that we not only find irresistible but also totally timeless. Check out some of Vnyc's current early 80's range of Betsey Johnson dance-inspired wear, because what's better than owning the real-original-deal for a fraction of the re-issue?
80's Betsey Johnson Velveteen Ra-Ra Skirt-$166
80's Betsey Johnson Velveteen Body-Con Wrap Dress-$208
80's Betsey Johnson Black A-Line Halter Dress-$248

Smart Buy: 80's Fitted Leather Jacket

Forget about Alexander Wang for a moment and take a look at our latest must-have smart-buy of the moment, this ultra-urban, fitted, curved leather 80's era blazer from North Beach Leather. It's got that sleek yet sophisticated, luxe feel, is reminiscent of something from ALAIA and channels Robert Palmer's infamous back-up girls in his "Addicted to Love" video. Think about going the easy way and pairing it with a billowing chiffon maxi-dress or take it in a stronger direction and pair it with cuffed short shorts and slick hair. Back in the 80's, NORTH BEACH LEATHER was a highly coveted, almost addictive purveyor of brash, over-the-top sexy leather goods, yet something about this piece's easy composition and beautiful shape gives it a grounded, timeless feel.

80's NORTH BEACH LEATHER Fitted Blazer: $182