So, lately we’ve been obsessed with the decadence and glamour of the 1970s disco scene, especially in Europe! And when we found this video by avant-garde superstar Amanda Lear, we found it to be the perfect combination of vintage awesomeness and spooky elegance!!!
We didn’t know very much about this divinity (don’t worry…we will be working on giving her an honored place on our altar of Style Idols & Divinities), but we have been delving into this marvelous woman’s life like no one’s business!
Here is a woman who hobnobbed with The Beatles, David Bowie, Brian Jones, Bryan Ferry, Andy Warhol…had the model looks of Verushka and the voice of Marlene Dietrich. Not only that, she was a close confidante to THE Salvador Dali, and remained one of his closest friends and muses until his death. She even closed Jean Paul Gaultier’s 1980s pop music muses collection back in 2013!
What is so wonderful about Amanda is her mystery . . . sometimes things are best left to the imagination, and Lear keeps this enigmatic quality to this day (her birth date and nationality is still unclear, as well as other rumors circulating)!
This is what we respect most of this bad ass woman! Just be yourself, and everything else will fall into place.
1. an attractive, passionate male seducer or lover.
There’s nothing so timeless as a Romeo . . . its amazing after hundreds of years, a fictional character could still be so prevalent in our culture. I guess, not so surprising, considering he was created by the genius that is William Shakespeare.
He is a wonderful archetypal character of a beautiful boy, young and naive, but full of vigour, and somewhat tragic in the end….so, like many young men, which is what most certainly resonates. We recently acquired a really cool vintage theatre costume with some Shakespearean swag which got us thinking on the topic.
I don’t think many men can deny they have a bit of Romeo in them. I know for certain many men cannot deny they wish they were as bad ass as say Leonardo DiCaprio in Baz Luhrmann’s iconic 90s pop culture cult classic “Romeo + Juliet” which brought the tale to the beach and the streets and mansions of Los Angeles for a hyper technicolor MTV version that still resonates today, especially when it comes to style.
Do you remember the first time you watched the “Love at First Sight Scene” in the film with that glorious neon aquarium and that haunting “Kissing You” song playing…shit! I mean, come on!!! Claire Danes is especially gorgeous, and her sensitive acting abilities really shine through.
People would kill me for actually saying this, but they were robbed of Academy Award nominations, truly.
I’m not going to lie, we were pushing the tropical shirts long before every major fashion house started picking up the trend (see: +THE CASE FOR HAWAIIAN SHIRTS+), and we’re not upset about it…in fact, its so wonderful to see more guys take risks with their style because of inspirations like this!
While, Dicaprio’s gang chic Romeo is uber cool, we wanted to look back on some previous Romeos – most especially Leonard Whiting from Franco Zeffirelli’s 1968 “Romeo & Juliet”, which is hands down our favourite.
Quick shout out to Douglas Booth in the 2013 version – very handsome guy, but the film is redundant AF – so here’s a quick pic should suffice.
Zeffirelli’s film is unique, as it was the first time two unknown teenage actors were cast in the lead of such a massive Shakespeare production, and a world-wide search brought the world the ethereal youthful beauty of Olivia Hussey (she ain’t no hussy, but she did also star in the cult Canadian horror flick “Black Christmas” – you can’t miss those eyes) who was only 15 at the time, and the handsome Leonard Whiting (17) , who lets face it, really does look like Zac Efron.
Certified, he did it first!
Their chemistry is unpalpable, and the entire production is lush and dripping sophistication- Roger Ebert even went as far to say it is the best film of Shakespeare ever made. Respectfully it was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Picture, and Director, and won for its gorgeous cinematography, and Danilo Donati’s sumptuous costumes.
It even inspired the fashion scene at the time with the two stars appearing in various fashion magazines rocking mod styles with a medieval flare. The two teens were definitely a big IT couple of the moment. So, if you haven’t seen this classic, do yourself a favour already!
Another Romeo might be the OG of movie star Romeos – Leslie Howard who starred opposite of Norma Shearer in George Cukor’s 1936 film. Neither of them really exude that youthful innocence, seeing as they are grown ass adults!
But, the vibe is full-on Hollywood glamour with a dazzle and flare that is just so fabulously extra, and sadly missed today!!! Also, very inspired by Leslie Howard’s perfectly coiffed hair!
We all know the story, so let’s just take a look at a few snaps to spark and inspire the Romeo vibe.
Pretty wicked! So, if you’re looking to channel your inner Romeo, we have some picks for you from the {SHOP}!
Remember, XIXIXI gets you 25% OFF of these, and all our hand-picked curated vintage finds! FREE SHIPPING in CANADA, also. Don’t be shy to message us for any details.
To learn more about these pieces, browse our {SHOP}
We’re also huge fans of HBO’s ‘WESTWORLD’ so what a delight to find one of our favorite quotes originated from this fine inspiration…
Can you believe it? Just a month and a bit ago we were battling the biggest ice storm ever, and now we are basking in sunlight and showing off our arms! Spring is always a favourite season for us, and allows for tons of serious sartorial diversity.
Before summer comes and reaches its peak of summer style we wanted to showcase some great looks in our {SHOP} which give that signature E.O.F. time traveler cool . . .
School is almost out, but your style studies should always be at its optimal peak! That’s why we have devised a simple A-Z of some our favourite pieces that will help your style star shine. Click the links to find out more details, and remember to use secret code XIXIXI for a special 25% OFF all purchases.
Let your rebel spirit roar, and don’t settle for any less than timeless cool.
Remember, these daze designer styles are nothing more than vintage rip offs! Stay alert, and be open to finding that “latest” look from the {PAST} and help change our {FUTURE}.
Remember XIXIXI gets you 25% OFF in the {SHOP}, so why not take a browse.
Iolanda Cristina Gigliotti ( 17 January 1933 – 3 May 1987) better known as Dalida (داليدا)
+Before Beyonce there was Dalida.+
This exotic beauty of Italian descent and born in Cairo, Egypt rose to international fame throughout the 1960s and all the way to her suicide in the 1980s. A suicide over a broken heart only days after appearing in television interviews perfectly normal…love was her worst enemy in life.
She sold upwards of 140 million albums; Beyonce has sold 17 million solo, and 17 million with Destiny’s Child which really puts it into perspective (although, our girl Rihanna has sold upwards of 230 million records, so . . . ).
Special thanks to +THE ULTIMATE FASHION HISTORY+ Channel and its fabulous curator Amanda Halley for introducing us to this dazzling Diva. I’m sure we will focus on her again in future posts! The more you dive into her memory, the more incredible she becomes.
There was actually a biopic released in 2017 about her which we are dying to see! Check out the trailer here.
This is a wonderful disco extravaganza from 1979-1980 (?) entitled “GIGI IN PARADISCO”. It’s a total odyssey of 1970s crazy euro party glamour!
Let us know what you think in +COMMENTS+ below…
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance…
Fresh off our VMP DRAG FASHION FLAUNT at this year’s Vintage Marketplace, we can’t stop thinking about how incredible drag queens are, especially those of the {PAST} who paved the way for the {PRESENT} culture and creativity and will continue to invoke its {FUTURE}.
We know everyone who is anyone keeps up with RuPaul’s Drag Race, and the past season’s ALL STARS edition featured a wickedly hilarious Snatch Game that had Brooklyn babe AJA take on one of Herstory’s most legendary queens – founder of the House of LaBeija, and star of the cult 1968 documentary “The Queen”, Crystal LaBeija!
And she took her on with gusto and glamour, and also delivered this beautiful spirit back into the forum of the mainstream…much in the way Jinx Monsoon brought us Little Edie of “Grey Gardens”, and Sasha Velour took on Marlene Dietrich; keeping these divinities alive for younger generations is absolutely key!
How sad it is when you hear a young man or woman denote they have no idea who these iconic legends are . . . stay educated, kids!
“The Queen” is a fabulous film directed by Frank Simon, and provides an up close and candid look at the behind of the scenes of the 1967 All-America Camp Beauty Contest in New York City. It is a wonderful portrait of a time gone by. . . New York City is rough and tough, and men from all around America shack up in tiny hotel rooms in anticipation of the pageant discussing the difficulties of being gay in America. They are all fabulous, and its wonderful to see their final transformations from the male versions of them you see in rehearsals. This transformation truly proves the power of style and image to invoke strength from within.
Illustrated herstory by Laurel Lynn-Leake
By far, the most fabulous moment has to be Crystal’s freak out when she is named fourth place storms out and then rips everyone a new one backstage. Absolutely ICONIC…you are going to have to see it to believe it! And if you are a fan of Drag Race, you will really appreciate what Aja brought to the table even more.
We stumbled upon a full version of the film on Youtube, so check it out below and enjoy!
+Look out for Andy Warhol’s cameo (he was a judge in the pageant)+
We love moments like this in pop culture where the {PAST} races into the {PRESENT} and ultimately shapes our {FUTURE}. . . rebel queens like Crystal LaBeija will live on far past those who chose not to be the truest, most incredible versions of themselves.
I don’t need you to tell me I’m beautiful! I KNOW I’M BEAUTIFUL!!!
And really, we should all fell this way! Screw the haters- you rock!
Listen to that spirit within you, and let it free…
It’s been a while since we’ve posted on here, so we thought we owed something to the gods of the internet! I can’t believe its been almost 7 years of us having this blog, and all the incredible things it has led us to, we couldn’t even have imagined on that fateful night we created it.
These incredible things, however, lead us to be very busy and it makes it hard to get time to create the content we know you love! So, here a little catch-up with everything we have been up to!
Spring always seems to be a busy time for us, and we have been up to some fun things. Currently we are creating a collection for one of our city’s biggest fashion events, Glamour in the Hammer. It is a wonderful event that helps support the incredible philanthropic efforts of the Good Shepherd and promoting the long history of giving they have done for those in need.
If you are in the area, tickets are still available, and are going fast! Ticket includes a fabulous fashion show featuring the city’s top designers, as well as drinks and eats from the city’s top restaurants. Definitely not to be missed. {click here for tickets}
This year, our collection +WUTHERING HEIGHTS+ hopes to bring a romantic edge to the grunge aesthetic inspired by the ghostly mood of the English moors, combining vintage fabrics and street chic style for many new one-of-a-kind pieces to add to the many creations we have made over the past {click here to see them}.
As well, as preparing for that, we are also embarking on a voyage to the 1980s with our costume design for Hamilton Theatre Inc.’s “The Wedding Singer” which has been chalk full of its own challenges, but insanely fun to sort through weird and wild 80s party fashions. The silhouettes and details of that time period are just over-the-top, and that of course, we absolutely love! Again if you are in the area, {click here} to get tickets for a wickedly funny show! Show runs May 11 – May 26.
Last but not least, we are fresh from our annual collaboration with The Vintage Marketplace, which is our city’s biggest vintage shopping event. Whilst we were berated by a historical ice storm, the event was still a success with hundreds of people making it out to shop from a myriad of local vintage vendors, with many new faces, which is always great to see our little community growing in that respect.
On top of our booth, which we were very proud of in the end, we also had the honor of producing some entertainment for the weekend. What we came up with, we never could’ve foreseen, but it all seemed to make so much sense, and was a wild way to shake up our usual fashion show segment.
Instead of a retrospective fashion show, we created the VMP DRAG FASHION FLAUNT ft. Queen Costia Sterling and Sapphyre Poison. If only you could be there to see how fantastic this show was (or maybe you were, if so, leave a comment), the Queens delivered vintage inspired numbers that ranged from Rosemary Clooney, Judy Garland, Marilyn Monroe, and even a number from the iconic musical CHICAGO.
The most magical moment had to be when the many children who had come to the show gathered to watch the Queens, and the wonderful smiles on their faces as they watched the magic. Definitely a show for the books.
So, as you can see, we have been swamped with projects, but promise to get back more in the swing of posting on here. We have so many fabulous stories on the back burner that are just waiting to see the light of day, so definitely stay tuned…
If you have been missing us, be sure to follow us on INSTAGRAM, TWITTER, and FACEBOOK to stay up to date, and see what we are up to!
Remember we also have dozens of unique, one-of-a-kind, time traveled vintage pieces in our {SHOP} which is always changing, so do check it out, and remember to use code XIXIXI for 25% OFF at the checkout.
