Monday, January 16, 2012

New Year's Brunch

My roommate Merav and I hosted a (slightly belated) New Year's brunch yesterday at our apartment. It was a blast with lots of great food, good people and strong drinks! Here are a few highlights from the day.

Homemade cinnamon rolls. These were pretty easy to make and they turned out delicious! Recipe here We doubled up on the cream cheese frosting!

We drank mimosas from my '50s gold-trimmed champagne bowls. I love these so much that I almost hate to use them because I'm afraid of one breaking but they're too pretty not to!

Pretty purple flowers in a St. Germain mixing container repurposed as a vase.

Breakfast egg casserole with a potato crust, sausage, spinach and cheese. All the breakfast foods rolled into one gooey rich dish! Recipe here.

Coffee in a vintage Marilyn Monroe mug.

Oscar lounging in the sun next to Merav's Sweet Home Sweet Pillow.

Monday, January 9, 2012

Joan Holloway’s Eyeliner

I know, I’m way behind on this one but I am just now getting into Mad Men and wowza is it good! It’s also a major time suck since it’s available on Netflix instant, which allows me to watch 5 episodes in a row like I did this past Sunday…don’t judge. Obviously the styling on the show is fantastic but it’s Joan Holloway’s eyeliner that gets me every time. I’ve tried liquid eyeliner before and it always ends up looking a bit too dramatic but Joan’s subtle retro swoop has inspired me to try again. ModCloth’s YouTube channel has a cute retro makeup tutorial that might be fun to try. Anyone out there have any liquid eyeliner tips?




P.S. The photos came from AMC's website where they post stills from every episode which is also a fun place to browse for vintage fashion inspiration!

Monday, January 2, 2012

The Best of 2011

There are so many “Best Of” lists out there at this time of year from New York Magazine's best food (making me hungry) to BuzzFeed's collection the most powerful images (long but worth it) and my personal favorite, Jezebel’s The Year in Dicks (that one is safe for work, I promise). I thought I’d have some fun and compile my own “Best Of” list and pick out my favorite items that I sold this past year. At the end of 2010 La Poubelle Vintage had just reached 100 sales and this year I sold 540 vintage pieces. It’s easy to get discouraged when I have a bad sales week or loose a package but when I think about how much my little shop has grown this past year it really does amaze me. Thanks to all of the lovely customers who have supported me in 2011 here’s hoping that we will all see even more growth in 2012.



1. 1930s Velvet Gown

This one really doesn’t need any explanation but I’ll give it to you anyways. 1930s bias cut silk velvet with cutout sleeves, come onnnn!


2. Nine West Lace Up Boots

Perhaps a little too simple to be so high up on my list but these are the kind of boots that will never go out of style. If they were my size they never would have made it into the shop.


3. Ceil Chapman Dress

Ceil Chapman was one of the great designers of the ‘50s and beloved by celebrities like Marilyn Monroe for her curve hugging dresses and beautiful drape work.


4. 1950s Cashmere and Mink Cardigan

This cardigan just makes me feel pretty and girly. That’s all.


5. 1920s Flapper Dress

Beaded 1920s dresses like this really are pieces of art and I feel lucky to have been the keeper of this beaut even if it was just for awhile.


6. 1950s Cashmere Coat

Great swingily cut cashmere with a high mink collar and little jeweled brooch!


7. Balenciaga Silk Dress

I actually bought this dress at an estate sale without even realizing that it was Balenciaga. It sat in my “to sell” pile for a few months before I took it out and realized what a treasure I’d been sitting on.


8. 1940s Whiting and Davis Bag

I have a serious weakness for Whiting and Davis bags, the mesh feels very glamorous to me! This ‘40s style is one of the coolest I’ve seen with cute scalloped edges.


9. 1960s Jay Kobrin Dress

Jay Kobrin isn’t a big name designer but his pieces are pretty hard to come by and beautifully constructed.


10. Feather Trimmed Fedora

1970s bohemian perfection with real feather trim.

11. 1940s Wool Dress

A great classic ‘40s dress in perfect condition and a pretty salmon color.


12. Vera Blouse

Vera Neumann is best known for her scarves so I was happy to find this blouse by her in an awesome print and cut.


13. 1950s Taffeta Party Dress

This dress just screams fun in bubblegum pink taffeta with polka dots and a crochet neckline.


14. Dooney and Bourke All Weather Leather Dress

Admittedly, this photo sucks but this bag is awesome. It’s from the All Weather Leather collection, which is Dooney and Bourke’s original line released in 1980.


15. 1950s Rose Print Dress

The buyer of this lovely ‘50s dress wore it to her college graduation which makes me like it even more.


16. Salvatore Ferragamo Flats

Patent leather Mary Jane-style flats from a renowned Italian shoe designer.


17. 1950s Pearl Cardigan

A cardigan covered in layers of luscious pearls? You don’t see that every day!


18. 1950s Party Dress

Just a great classic ‘50s dress! The quality of the fabric and construction of this dress remind me of why vintage is so awesome.


19. '70s Fringed Poncho

My favorite thing about vintage is realizing how cyclical trends are. The ‘70s are very on trend right now and this fringed poncho wouldn’t look out of place in a SoHo boutique right now.


20. 1980s Watercolor Dress


I didn’t realize how much I loved this dress until after it was sold, now I’m kicking myself for not keeping it.