Medal-Worthy Military Pieces at Vnyc

Military influences cycle thru the fashion system practically every other season and are often the victim of uninspired designs at the hands of fast-fashion chains. Avoid taking the literal approach & look for pieces subtly inflected with military references.

80's Thierry Mugler Cropped Peplum Jacket-$218

Marni Tiered Waist Camo Skirt-$114

90's Yves Saint Laurent Re-Issued Safari Dress-$242

Accessory of the Week: 70's Lanvin Cocoa Hat

Hats, like we've said before, aren't really the smartest, most stylish option for some, but hey, that's depending on the hat right? Seriously, driving caps, trilbys, fedora's and even turbans, they've all given the world a lot of good and bad styling options. But then there's this sophisticated take on the safari hat from Lanvin circa the 70's, that's such an effortless piece to use to trick out and add weight to a look while capturing that elusive dose of quirky coolness. Its modified shape, rich color and smart chinstrap will successfully set you apart and instantly give you that too-cool, know-it-all, confident effect. In fact we liked it so much, and felt that it was so right for right now, so versatile & complimentary, that we used it to style dozens of our newest pieces with.

70's Lanvin Rounded Safari Hat w Chin Strap-$118

Speak Easy: Alain de Botton on Fashion

London based Rodnik designer Philip Colbert recently interviewed author & philosopher Alain de Botton for Style.com to weigh in on what he thinks about fashion and we at Vnyc couldn't agree more with him. Aestheticism is the key to the good life, and it's got nothing to do with frivolity.

Enjoy the clip...

Smart Buy: PHI Shorts in Summer's Shape

We at Vnyc love vintage, but since we pay so much attention to current fashion and love a look that's the right mix of high & low, vintage & contemporary, we can't resist stocking up on current must-haves and this is reflected in our shop's range. From a label we truly covet, one that we watch each season with excitement, New York label PHI, come these shocking magenta balloon shorts in this season's must-have shape. One could say this decade has been not only about revivals, but also about tweaking classics and paying attention to one item at a time. The trench coat, the bag, the jean, the shoe and especially the dress, have all had their fair share of the spotlight...and now more than ever it seems to be the time of the pant and short. From Chloe to Louis Vuitton, the pant has been given a rigorous re-thought, from skinny to balloon, to drop-crotch, harem and lantern, bottoms haven't been such a strong option for quite a long time. These PHI shorts quietly hit so many trends dead-on for one item while retaining a very chic, luxe appeal.

Trend Alert: note the jewel tone, vague military references, pleated balloon shape and 70's inspired sumptuous sash wrap.
PHI Fuschia Pleated Balloon Shorts w Sash-$188

Penciled In: JCDC Nautical Pencil Skirt

While winter dressing is our favorite game to play, we at Vnyc do agree that's it's always much easier to dress for summer weather. Less clothing that's for sure, but warmer weather is also when you tend to simplify everything and head to the tried-&-true classics. Gauzy maxi dresses, wedges, Bermuda shorts, floral prints and nautical themes are always summer closet constants. Yet what's often difficult during the summer season is finding pieces that aren't so day friendly, and too casual.

Besides coming from a storied, highly collectible & influential label like JEAN CHARLES De CASTELABAJAC, the original wit-master himself, this pencil skirt is a great starting point for chic summer dressing. Its a seductively fitted elegant yet cheeky ode to 80's nautical preppiness with crisp metallic gold pinstripes set against a demure oatmeal background that's counterbalanced by substantial gold decorative buttons. A pencil skirt with such polish & symbolic flair is a genius proposition for summer suiting and is a very chic alternative to the relentless parade of boho basics and cut-off denim shorts that those around you will be tirelessly parading around in. Best of all, it's linen composition ensures that this time around you won't have to sacrifice comfort to look put together.

JCDC Metallic Striped Nautical Pencil Skirt-$172

Summer Essential:Wolford Ombre MultiTube

With warm, sunny summer days finally headed our way, and with beach season just around the corner, we at Vnyc are always on the look out for cover-ups with their own unique audaciousness. This genius WOLFORD cover-up comes from the luxe house's line of MultiTubes, a versatile collection of convertible wonders. The tube is cut on the bias to hug the body while covering it and has a warm ombre effect that moves from red to sunset orange, you can wear it as a maxi skirt, tube-dress, tube-top etc.

WOLFORD Ombre MultiTube Stretch One-Piece-$88

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

The Trickiness of Hats...

Qualify...
I like hats. At best they are form and function in one neat little package - parts of a greater whole. Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire, Inez and Vinoodh, Cookies and Milk. I am a major proponent of the humble knit ski cap - preferably picked up at Duane Reade for $3 on a freezing night when the cashmere Marc Jacobs beret thing I'm wearing seems over-affected for the circumstances. Also, the cheapest ones are the most malleable - length and width wise - and always come in my favorite colors - black, gray, charcoal, army-green, bandaid . I don't feel bad if I lose them and they allow me more time between $300 highlights. It's also freezing in NYC in winter.

I don't like hats that are worn without thought or purpose or a sense of wit. (Isabella Blow -how dearly we miss her - wore hats like a pro, with cheek and fuck-all elan.) When I style stuff I use hats to mess with proportion and to offset and draw they eye wherever I want it to go. I often love them on the runway. The tri-corn George Washington, Napoleon Bonaparte numbers in KL's most recent and excellent resort 2010 show in Venice come to mind'. As do the pastel feathers of Marc's aw 2008 subtle tour de force. And of course there's the rich explorer woman in Ralph's retro romances.

So that's what's great?

I hate hats on Sienna Miller and Ashlee Simpson and all other media types of dubious talent. A big black bowler hat in L.A. in July? As yucky as Crocs and Uggs. Disney Hunk A in a ski hat same month. Anyone in a straw cowboy hat thing (as below). What's to say? Why? Those hippie hair things worn by Nicole and her ilk are equally useless. Fuschia Kangols and drape-like extensions. If I sense d they were worn with a bit of irony, I might cut them some slack. But I doubt...

I don't mean to hate on the above people bec. that's paying attention. I just feel bad that my 10 year old nieces have no choice when they turn on the telly but to observe and absorb crap tweeny girl pop-culture. (At least I had Madonna when she was cool and Michael Jackson when he was Off the Wall versus Never Land guy.)

Okay, all this to say that we here at VagaBondNyc are very discerning with our hat edit and when I came across this 70's modified pith helmet I was all over it. It has a chin strap, it's corduroy and it's Lanvin:
70's Modified LANIVIN Pith Helmet-$148

It recalls YSL's safari collection of the same era with a splash of my current sartorial inspiration, Out of Africa. The movie. Sweeping outback, washed out liberty florals, sweeping prairie skirts, Meryl Streep's porcelain skin shaded by wide-brimmed sunnies.

Case in point:

So there you have it, my take on hats. And, I promise, we will NEVER EVER post pictures of Heidi Montag EVER EVER again. Doing so is rough in and of itself.... I feel a bit tainted.

Smarty Pants: Junya Wantanbe Tweed Trousers

While their propositions can be puzzling at times and quite challenging, you really can't pinpoint any of the Comme Des Garcons clan's goods as being what you could call tongue-in-cheek, or humorous even. They seem to be caught in this relentless air of over wrought intellectualism, and of the three, you could say JUNYA WANTANABE'S creations are quite serious in their revisions of the classics. And if you really break down Wantanabe's desirability, it's that he does do the best interpretations of the classics, who doesn't need a riff on the Chanel jacket that's been cautiously reconsidered, if not immensely amped up? And it's his fascination with Chanel-isms that fueled the realization of these exaggerated, abbreviated plaid trousers. Here the tension between the abstracted nubby tweed, energetic marigold colorway and graphic wide-leg results in a felicitous, optimistic effect. We also picked them up because it's not often that you get a yellow pant that's this chic, created with such restraint, not to mention the fact that we love it's crisp silhouette and men's trouser inspired cut. Above all, they have a painterly effect that just makes them a fantastic, must-have pant, full of endless, year-round layering potential.
JUNYA WANTANABE Tweed Cropped Trousers-$232

Jump Up to Get Down: A Jumpsuit Moment

With fashion finally paying much due attention to the beloved jumpsuit over the past few season's we wanted to take a moment and share some of our own favorite one-piece-wonders. Take this ultra-oversized wide-legged 80's era KIKIT jumpsuit that's just begging to be cinched at the waist to highlight it, or this fluid YOUNG EDWARDIAN one-piece with it's naive tone-on-tone floral pattern and romantic draped neckline, and then there's this totally futurist BASILE number with it's seductively sculpted boddice. What's great about these pieces is that you can think of them as strong layering foundations for the winter months while their unadorned, overall minimal sensibilities give you a crisp starting point for summer accessorizing, and most importantly, these three black scores give you a cleaner, leaner, taller look, and who wouldn't jump up after hearing that?

Pictured above: 80's Ultra-Wide KIKIT Jumpsuit-$96

70's YOUNG EDWARDIAN Draped Front Jumpsuit-$180
80's BASILE Black Sculpted Futurist Jumpsuit-$244

Raise Your Hands Up: 80's Gianni Versace Knits

By now you may already know that we love GIANNI VERSACE and we are big, big fans of his early knits, and as we have stated before, its his forward-thinking, revolutionary early 80's knits that really spark our interest. Take this too-cool recent find of ours, its an asymmetrical contrast knit sweater with one voluminous bat-wing sleeve that has an unexpected bold yellow panel, this piece rather stylishly points out Versace's groundbreaking contributions to the world of knitwear. Versace almost single-handedly changed the limits of knitwear with his audacious shapes and hyper color-ways and we couldn't think of a piece that's more desirable than this sweet number.

Early 80's GIANNI VERSACE Graphic Sweater-$428

Sheer Seduction: 80's Givenchy Sheer Pants

Forget about leggings, liquid or lace, they are beyond boring now that they have become a stand-by that's a bit too easy, even banal. Yes, for easy layering they do make sense, yet we think in lieu of them nothing could set you apart from the packs of mall-rats in leggings than these sophisticated sheer GIVENCHY pants from the 80's. Like leggings they are quite comfortable, offer an alternative to bare legs and are a perfect mate for all your tunic length options, yet these pants have that elusive French notion of easy chic, where you don't have to sacrifice beauty for practicality. They are high-waisted, wide-legged & chalk full of ready-to-go high-voltage drama.

80's GIVENCHY Sheer Wide-Leg Pants-$134

Hang Tough: 90's Gianni Versace Studded Blazer

Taken from the punk era, studs & grommets have made an indelible impact on fashion over the past decade,with every designer that's keen on keeping-up with what's cool plastering them all over their creations. From Balmain to BeBe, it's one of those trends that one could call a constant now, and with the urban warrior trend continually gaining momentum, it makes total sense. The key trick with studded hardware is to keep it sophisticated, keep it subtle and mix it up with items that are substantially luxe, yet low-key. Take this crazy-collectible sharp-shouldered black crepe boyfriend blazer from the early 90's by mad-maximalist GIANNI VERSACE that to us, looks so contemporary even almost 20 years after its production. Consider the streamlined shape, those structured power shoulders, and those genius ultra-luxe punk brushed Medusa pyramid studs on the cuffs and pocket flaps, it's not punk gone uptown, instead one could almost call it punk does minimalism.


90's GIANNI VERSACE Pyramid Stud Blazer-$1,198

Dope Rope: 70's Mary McFadden Grecian Dress

From 70's socialite go-to New York label MARY McFADDEN comes this lilac streamlined version of a Grecian gown that boasts delicate Fortuny style pleating, a pleated, ruffled hemline and a thick rope wrap belt that's over 10ft long.
70's MARY McFADDEN Lilac Fortuny Pleated Dress-$758

Instant Message: Wild and Lethal Trash

In time's like today's, making a bold statement with an irreverent, hilarious, yet tastefully done piece like this WILD & LETHAL TRASH sweater sends an instant message of calm, collected coolness. Its bold flouro lime green sleeve lends a softer counter-point to it's penis color blocking and large bold felt lettering. Its naughty, its gutsy, but its done in such a classic way that it looks grounded, preppy even, and most obviously, its genius pure & simple.

90's WILD & LETHAL TRASH Color Block Sweater-$234

Channeling Betty Draper Today

While we at Vnyc obviously adore vintage we must admit that we are highly cautious when it comes to looking TOO vintage, after all, there is nothing cheaper or more banal than looking too retro, too costumey. And with "Mad Men's" Betty Draper making a vibrant yet sophisticated splash on today's fashion scene, serving as muse to many, we couldn't think of a better way to channel her aesthetic strengths than with this divine 50's inspired MOSCHINO party dress. Its an ultra-femme couture-like MOSCHINO party dress that is made out of a sumptuous almost foamy feeling iridescent red/pink abstract tone-on-tone printed taffeta. It boasts an elegant dropped waist with a pleated bottom half and a dramatic sweetheart neckline with an off-the-shoulder collar complete with a large off-set bow. It may scream 50's drama, Betty Draper and what not, yet something about it's composition in this heavily filled decade of revivals feels crisply modern, and totally fresh.
MOSCHINO 50's Inspired Red & Pink Abstract Print Party Dress-$330

Smart Buy: Loewe Camel Shift Dress

With Stuart Vevers smartly redirecting the profile of venerable Spanish house LOEWE we couldn't think of a chicer addition to our Smart Buys feature than this graphic mod-inspired take on the classic shift dress with it's sumptuous cashmere composition and decadent tan leather grid trim. You can take it uptown with some crisp gathered white leather gloves and a fur stole, take it cocktail hour with a beaded bolero or take it downtown with some thigh-high platform boots and the requisite amounts of off-kilter layering.


LOEWE Camel Cashmere Go-Go Shift w Leather Trim-$324

Accessory of the Week: Open-Toe Pirate Booties

With open-toe and pirate inspired booties hitting every must-have list for the past few seasons, we think this black canvas pair from KRISTEN LEE seductively hit the nail on the mark. They may be quite simple at first glance but they happen to boast sexy Cuban heels and ruching that runs up the leg and have contrasting gold zippers running up the back. They are perfect for year-round wear and are a smart option for those looking for animal-free options.


KRISTEN LEE Black Canvas Open-Toe Booties-size 9 $288

Romantic Warrior: 1990 Krizia Bullet Bead Jacket

With fierce warrior woman get-ups de rigeur on every major runway and on every urban-minded shopper's must-have lists, we couldn't be more enthused by one of our favorite finds, this slick, commanding 1990 KRIZIA plush velveteen jacket with bold shoulders that are covered with major titanium hued bullet beads. As you can see from this original ad we found, the beading seems to have been intended for that era's maximalist, opulent times, however we feel its context today reads more Mad Max than James Galanos. Its iridescent sheen and rich purple tie-die effect lend the other-worldly beading a sumptuously feminine romantic/rough divide that sobers its overall hardcore sci-fi aesthetic.


90's KRIZIA Tie-Die Bullet Bead Warrior Jacket-$424

Look East, it's Hammer Time...

Since one could easily call this the most heavily revival filled decade to date, it's rather intriguing that the early 80's Japanese infused work of avant-garde pioneers like YOHJI YAMAMOTO, Rei Kawakubo of COMME DES GARCONS, KANSAI YAMAMOTO and ISSEY MIYAKE are finally getting some due attention in the mainstream.

From Japan they optimistically brought an arty, intellectual and quite challenging aesthetic to the world of fashion like never seen before, a reaction to the ultra-femme norms of society and a pre-cursor to the maximalist glamor of the Reagen era. Together they introduced the concepts of anti-fashion through austere deconstruction, materials were often draped around the body and featured frayed, unfinished edges along with holes and a general asymmetrical shape. And to us, most importantly, everything was black, something many ran away from at one time.

And with dropped crotch pants, deconstruction, and asymmetry seeming to feel like a runway norm these days, we wanted to take a moment and highlight some of our own finds inspired by this groundbreaking era in fashion. Take these fantastic early 80's YOHJI YAMAMOTO fluid black pants that have a dropped crotch and one leg that's more voluminous than the other, ultimately creating a soft, draped, poetic imbalance. And from a man known for his own take on Eastern-influenced ease, GIORGIO ARMANI, come these early 90's black drop-crotch pants that have a pleated dhoti drawstring waist and contrasting velvet cuffs. Both of these pieces beautifully highlight the considerable contributions of the Japanese invasion of the early 80's while at the same time having a very contemporary sensibilty to them.

Above- Early 80's YOHJI YAMAMOTO Dropped Crotch Draped Leg Pants-$454 Sorry this item has been SOLD

Below- 90's GIORGIO ARMANI Dropped Crotch Dhoti Pleated Pants-$276 Sorry this item has been SOLD