Look Book: Jessie Hill

Fashionistas and film noir lovers unite! When Jessie Hill first caught our attention at RAFW not long ago, we were impressed by the cool pieces and the fact that the inspiration came from a film that we've been watching over and over again - Blade Runner. So, in an attempt to pick one favourite look from Hill's look book, we landed with 6 favourite pieces. Download Jessie Hill's lookbook here.

Above
1. Moto shirt - silk cream polka print

2. Slinky vest & Darryll Hannah pants
3. Aztec dress - cream polka print


























Above
1. Sky blue Materialize dress and Breeze jacket
2. Aztec print Sean Young shoulder dress
3. Blue-grey Turn over shirt dress

Caution: Dangerous Curves Ahead

As you know, dear readers, Levi's is currently conducting a denim drive in select markets. Drop off your pants, get a discount at the Levi's Store, and Goodwill is the recipient of all donated denim. Love it! And in D.C. there are two locations: Georgetown and Tyson's Corner, the former of which hosted some Goodwill staff as part of a special event for they were holding a couple of weeks ago. While there yours truly, the DC Goodwill Fashionista, was allowed to select two outfits to be this week's Goodwill Good Buy of the Week. Like the cowgirl painted on the store wall to the right says, "Yee-Ha!"

It was a tough choice, I have to tell you, to decide upon the pieces. Usually I'm going for a unique item or two among a store comprised almost entirely of one-offs, a task for which I find myself well suited. This time I had a wide range of sizes, colors, and styles laid out before me. The selection was huge. My choices were piling up before me. And then I hit upon these...

Levi's new Curvy Boot Eco Jeans. Um, perfection? Maybe. Let me explain. The Curvy Boot Jeans are a new fit that Levi's is introducing and it's specifically designed to flatter girls with a smaller waist and - ahem - a bit of a rear end. Think J-Lo. But, like, Selena-era J-Lo.

You won't find these jeans in any store, however. Oh no, dear readers. The pair I have is one of only 51 styled as part of a Limited Edition Collection of Levi's "Designer for a Day" auction. Catherine Pino won the opportunity to design that pocket you see to the left (along with the rest of the jeans, of course), and these are the only pair left anywhere that you can buy with that signature pattern!

They're a size 12R (the inseam's about 32") and let me tell you, I saw women from a size 0 to a size 20 wearing them and it was like Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants or something. The jeans magically fit every body. They're in a medium dark rinse and have a wide hem at the bottom of the leg, which I think makes them both flattering and just a bit dressier than your average pair of denim.

But wait, there's more! It's not like I totally slacked off on the rest of the outfits. The men's jeans are also Eco, the Eco Vintage Straight 539 Jeans, to be exact. What does that mean? Well, like the women's jeans, that means they're made out of 98% organic cotton and 2% Lycra. And yes, they use a lower case "e" for Eco, but it just looks weird to me. So there.

Both pairs of jeans are complemented by great summery shirts: a white cotton spaghetti-strap camisole with macramé detail on the front for the gals; and a blue plaid short-sleeved cotton snap-front (pearlized snaps, no less!) short for the guys. Both are in a size large and all of the clothing items in todays Good Buy are brand new with tags.

The bag, however, is classic Goodwill: a vintage woven leather satchel from Banana Republic Safari & Travel Company. What? Huh? Yes, dear readers, this bag pre-dates the buyout by the Gap in 1983 of the original Banana Republic. It's a vestige of another era - probably the late 70s - when Banana Republic's shopper were headed to the plains of Africa or the outback of Australia. Who knows where this bag has been? It's in great shape, though. Very chic.

So here's the thing: this week we're switching it up a bit. All of these items will be available not on the DC Goodwill eBay store, but on shopgoodwill.com, another great online site bringing you merchandise from Goodwill stores in D.C. and all over the country. They'll be posted later this afternoon, so you better get ready.

Oh, and don't forget...to Show Us Your Denim! There's still a few days left to enter the competition and submit pics of jeans or other denim clothing you've found at Goodwill and made your own. Entries can be sent to me, the DCGF, at fashion@dcgoodwill.org. And the prize might be right in front of you, in the picture above. Like, underneath the plaid shirt...that hint of blue... Hmm....

Goodwill’s fashion blog provides detailed knowledge and insight on vintage and contemporary clothing and accessories that are valuable to fashion shoppers. The facts and opinions shared present readers with entertaining, exciting and value based information on vintage and contemporary fashion and shopping trends.

20 Celebrity Mental Breakdowns

It’s not uncommon that some of our society’s most brilliant and alluring individuals are often plagued with horrific personal and mental issues. In fact, sometimes these very sicknesses are connected to the individual’s shining moments – a genius and panache that come during moments of extreme highs. But unfortunately, what comes up must come down. And many times those people who seem so self-controlled, self-motivated, and self-confident are also the most haunted and self-destructive. Here’s a list of 20 celebrities who know all-too-much about mental illnesses and the terrifying mood swings that accompany a sick mind.

1. Britney Spears: Britney Spears’ struggles with mental illness started to exhibit themselves most obviously after her divorce from Kevin Federline and the birth of her two sons. While Spears has yet to go public with a formal diagnosis from her doctor, she has been committed to a mental hospital, has been caught on camera shaving off her hair in a Los Angeles salon, and has had custody of her children revoked. Currently, Spears is still going through treatment and trying to regain the rights to her children. Her father Jamie Spears has been put in charge of her legal and monetary affairs, and while she seems to be keeping a lower profile these days, it’s unclear whether she is getting better at all.


2. Rosie O’Donnell: With all the attention focused on Britney Spears’ antics these days, Rosie O’Donnell has sought to take some of the heat off the young starlet by speaking out about her own struggles with mental illness, saying she should be the poster child for metal disease. Recently she told a TV talk show host, “I have been on anti-depressants since Columbine.” O’Donnell has said that she believes she is bi-polar, an assumption that might be buffered by her quick temper and recent firing from The View, said to be because of her difficult personality.


3. Marilyn Monroe: This legendary actress grew up in a world of mental illness. Her maternal grandparents and her mother all suffered from insanity. Her grandfather killed himself and her mother spent most of her adult life in a mental institution, where she died in the 1980s. Monroe kept a cheerful appearance in public, but in private she struggled mightily with depression. Her genetics and the fact that Monroe grew up in a series of foster homes didn’t give her much of a fighting chance against mental ills, and in 1962 Monroe was found dead of a supposed prescription drug overdose.


4. Tim Burton: The eccentric filmmaker Tim Burton’s mental health has been under debate for many years, with many people assuming he was autistic. It turns out, however, that Burton suffers from bipolar disorder, an illness that afflicts many celebrities. People with bipolar disorder have violent mood swings characterized by extreme highs and crippling lows. Bipolar is also the correct term to describe what used to be called manic depressive disorder. Bipolar people are often said to be more creative, which may help explain Burton’s wildly imaginative films like Edward Scissorhands, Big Fish, and The Nightmare Before Christmas.


5. Mike Wallace: 60 Minutes newsman Mike Wallace is known for his hard-hitting news stories and his tough exterior. But in 1984, after one of Wallace’s news reports about the Vietnam War resulted in a $120 million lawsuit, Wallace descended into a deep depression that was misdiagnosed and mistreated for several years. Wallace has since gotten much better and is a public advocate for those suffering from depression. He talks about his experience taking a plethora of drugs in an attempt to treat his illness and he even tried to commit suicide once by overdosing on pills. Today Wallace continues to heal and spends much time talking about depression, even testifying before the Senate about the disease.


6. Patty Duke: Patty Duke, the all-American TV star, earned an Oscar at the ripe age of 16 for her portrayal of Hellen Keller. But living in a household where she was sexually abused and allowed to drink from a young age, Duke’s emotional problems began to arise. She began to have violent mood swings – dangerous highs and lows, which she later chronicled in a book and TV movie, both titled “Call Me Anna”. She said her first experience with the disease came at the age of 9 in the form of a panic attack, and she then struggled with depression and anxiety during her adolescence. While acting on her hit series “The Patty Duke Show”, Duke’s illness raged forth in a manner that could no longer be ignored. Her managers and childhood guardians got her medical attention, and she became drugged out on the wrong medicines that were ineffective at treating her bipolar disease. Over the years, Duke experienced many hospitalizations and therapies before finally finding the right combination with Lithium. She now lives a happy life and is in control of her illness.


7. Francis Ford Coppola: Acclaimed movie director Francis Ford Coppola has been the brain behind legendary movies such as “The Godfather” Series and “Apocalypse Now” and he’s the father to another notable director, Sophia Coppola. But despite winning 5 Oscars and earning 36 other award nominations, behind the scenes Coppola also struggles with bipolar disease, which possibly explains why he is thought of as one of Hollywood’s most unpredictable and tempestuous directors. But it’s not uncommon for the disease to afflict such accomplished individuals, such as Coppola. Bipolar disorder is often called The CEO’s Disease because it’s common among many famous and not-so-famous leaders.


8. Brooke Shields: Brooke Shields has been a leading lady in Hollywood since a child and has survived a high-profile marriage to tennis star Andre Agassi. Now on her second marriage, Shields recently wrote a book called “Down Came the Rain”, which chronicled her struggles with post-partum depression after the birth of her child Rowan. Shields describes in her book about how she heard destructive voices in her head, found it impossible to bond with her baby upon returning from the hospital and had no will to care for her daughter. Shields says she thought of suicide and felt like a failure. Shields tried anti-depressants. They worked and brought her to a place where she could bond with her baby. Though she was criticized heavily by her Scientologist friend Tom Cruise over her decision to medicate, Shields credits it with bringing her out of the fog. She now has a second daughter named Grier.


9. Roseanne Barr: Comedienne Rosanne Barr was a TV sensation in the 1990s, starring in her self-named series in which she portrayed a dry, mid-western housewife with ease. But Barr is also one of the more controversial and polarizing figures of her time, as her crassness and blunt way of speaking turned many fans away. Her life has had its fair share of drama: she claims she was sexually abused as a child and her highly-publicized marriage to Tom Arnold ended in bitterness with her claiming domestic abuse. Roseanne also claims that she has multiple personality disorder, also known as dissociative personality disorder. While Barr wrote on her blog that she was relieved of many of the disease’s symptoms while on a trip to Israel, she also previously told Larry King in 2001 that she has been known to “regress” during times of great stress and that the disease makes her do “crazy things that you don’t know you do or want to do.” Barr also has been hospitalized for the disorder in the past.


10. Carrie Fisher: Carrie Fisher is the daughter of Hollywood star Debbie Reynolds and she is best known for playing the role of Princess Leia in “Star Wars”. But despite her privileged pedigree and successful career, Fisher battled depression and bipolar disorder for years. Not knowing what was wrong with her, Fisher turned to drugs and alcohol to self-medicate. Even though a doctor suggested that she was manic and that she try Lithium when she was 24, Fisher didn’t believe him. It was only when she overdosed on drugs at the age of 28 that she began to listen to doctors more intently. Though Fisher says she’s experienced trouble with Lithium and has regressed in treatment, it eventually helped her calm her demons. Fisher wrote “Postcards from the Edge”, a bestselling book about her disease. She has also been recognized by many mental health associations for her work at raising awareness about the disorder.


11. Jim Carrey: Jim Carrey grew up in an eccentric family, where everyone had to pitch in for rent. When his father lost his job, the family sank into poverty and everyone had to work, a situation that forced Carrey to drop out of high school. Now, Carrey is a riotously funny actor who’s made tens of millions of dollars acting crazy in front of the camera. Turns out part of that craziness can be attributed to the fact that he has long suffered from depression and has admittedly taken Prozac during bad spells. During a 60 Minutes interview, Carrey admitted to being on the drug for “a long time” before finding God and abandoning the medication for a strong ritual of spirituality. “I had to get off at some point because I realized everything is OK,” he said. Today, Carrey is dating Jenny McCarthy and together the two of them are raising McCarthy’s autistic son.


12. Sinead O’Connor: Controversial Irish singer Sinead O’Connor made her fortune off her unique voice and buzz-cut hairdo. She also made headlines for ripping up a picture of the pope on a “Saturday Night Live” appearance. But it turned out that there was an explanation for her combative behavior and often-times attitude of anger toward the world – she was suffering from bipolar disorder and depression. O’Connor says that she started having very persistent thoughts about suicide at the age of 23 that clouded everything else in her life. She finally took herself to a hospital for the third time seeking psychiatric treatment. Though her previous therapies and admissions had never brought forth a diagnosis, this time it stuck and O’Connor was revealed to have bipolar disorder. She was prescribed medication, which she said has helped her enormously. She now lives outside Dublin and is the mother to four children.


13. Hugh Laurie: “House” star Hugh Laurie plays a mentally disturbed doctor on TV, but in his real life Laurie has struggled with depression for many years, having received a clinical diagnosis for the disorder. While he continues to receive psychiatric treatment, he also has said that the disorder is not helped by the fact that he has to live in L.A., thousands of miles away from his family in London, while shooting his series. Laurie said that he first realized something was wrong with him while at a demolition derby where he felt “bored” by the exploding cars.


14. Linda Hamilton: Linda Hamilton plays a tough lady in “The Terminator”, but in her private life she suffered anxiety attacks and a crippling depression from bipolar disorder. Hamilton, who says her father had also self-diagnosed himself with bipolar, said she was an overeater as a young woman trying to deal with depression. She drifted from food to drugs and alcohol, saying she was an alcoholic and wild child for some time. When Hamilton found success in Hollywood, her disease worsened and though she has been in some form of treatment since the age of 22 she was prone to frantic moods and wild outbursts. After the birth of her child, she succumbed to an even deeper depression and paranoid thoughts about his safety and suicidal thoughts of her own. Once diagnosed, she tried to treat her illness with diet and exercise, but eventually went on medication and says today she has found some balance.


15. Maurice Benard: Similar to the path that Carrie Fisher took, Benard also suffers from bipolar disorder and also has had several psychotic experiences on his journey through treatment. Benard, who stars as Sonny on the soap opera “General Hospital”, recently went on the Oprah show to discuss his harrowing experience with bipolar disorder. He was diagnosed in his 20s and went on to meet and marry a woman, who knew about the disease. Benard says his lowest moment came during a night when his wife’s nieces were sleeping over and he, in a drunken and manic rage, threatened to kill all of them. Since that night, he says, he’s never stopped taking his medication again. But Benard says there were signs of his depression even before his diagnosis when he used to drink heavily as a teenager. He still works on “General Hospital” and has been recognized by many for coming forward with his story.


16. Jean-Claude Van Damme: Martial arts star Jean-Claude Van Damme is best known for his ripped physique and action-packed movies. But perhaps the catalyst for his obsession with martial arts and physical training came from a depression that has plagued him since he was a child. Van Damme says as a young man he would work out endlessly to combat feelings of depression and self-loathing and that a day away from the gym was a day in the dumps. In 1993, he began using cocaine seriously to self-medicate, but three years later he checked himself into rehab. After a near-suicide attempt, Van Damme sought treatment and was diagnosed as bipolar. He now takes medication, which he says has turned his raging inward storm into a calm “lake.”


17. Ben Stiller: Comedic actor Ben Stiller followed his parents’ footsteps in becoming an actor, but he also followed them in other ways. Both of his parents and Stiller have spoken out about depression. In 2001, Stiller spoke out about his own diagnosis of being bipolar, saying he has not been “the most easygoing guy.” Stiller is being treated for the disorder, and says there is a “rich history” of it in his family.


18. Owen Wilson: Funny man Owen Wilson seemed to be living the life of a high-rolling Hollywood bachelor, starring in the hottest flicks and dating some of the most beautiful women, such as Kate Hudson. But in the summer of 2007, this image came to a screeching halt after it was reported that Wilson tried to commit suicide by slicing his wrists and taking a bunch of pills. The suicide attempt was attributed to many things – like his break-up with Hudson – but sources indicated that the troubles went much deeper. Wilson, who has a history of drug and alcohol abuse and spent time in rehab in 2000, was said to still be using illicit substances regularly and trying to treat a deep depression through self-medication. Friends said he had sunk into a deep depression weeks before the suicide attempt, and he is now said to be taking anti-depressants. He has since rebounded from the ordeal and appears to be doing better.


19. Winona Ryder: Doe-eyed Winona Ryder became a tabloid hit in 2001 when she was caught shoplifting quite a bit of contraband from a Saks Fifth Avenue store. She stood trial for the crime, pleading not guilty. During her arrest, however, Ryder was also caught with many prescription drugs on her person for which she didn’t have prescriptions. Since that incident, Ryder has spoken about her struggles with anxiety attacks and depression, saying that she has tried hospitalizations, medication, and therapy and said she sometimes feels “broken and confused.” Ryder continues treatments, is in a relationship, and has starred in a few movies in the past few years.


20. George Michael: 80s music sensation George Michael has had a glamorous life with some tawdry details. In 1998, Michael, who is gay, was in a public restroom with a cop who later arrested the singer for lewd behavior. In 2006, Michael was arrested for possession of drugs, investigated for driving under the influence, and arrested again for drugs in three separate incidents. He has admitted to problems with drugs and to suffering from depression.

evintage blog tag - Halters

Its Blog Tag Wednesday at the eVintage Society!.
Temperatures are rising and its time to show some skin! The halter neckline is a great way to leave a little to the imagination while exposing enough to stay cool and stylish. Lets talk halters!

1) Show us your favorite halter dress or top in your inventory
For an evening out on the town, I have this Black Velvet Halter Dress with Rhinestones



2)Marilyn rocked the halter bodice back in the 50s, but it came back big in the 70s…..which is your favorite era for the halter?
Def the 1950s, glamorous and sexy! The 70s make me think of hippies with saggy titties and hairy underarms! (just kidding hippie girls) Although 1970s Disco halters were pretty hot.

3)Bare backs are vulnerable, what’s your suggestion for protecting skin from the sun?
A little shawl that you could let slip off your shoulder now and then. A pretty parasol if you are outside most of the day. Or yummy coconut smelling sun tan lotion.

4)Halter as top or dress, whats your preference?
I like the look of both. I've always had a hard time wearing a halter though. One because I refuse to go without a bra and also because I have a big squishy mole on my back.

5)A bra can be a challenge…..best suggestion for support?
A challenge indeed. I never go out without a bra, so this has always been hard for me. Strapless bras uusally leave me pulling them up all day. I bought one of those bras with clear plastic straps from Victoria's Secret a few years ago. But the plastic is shiny and very obvious looking, so I never wore the bra. I need a halter that has built in support that doesn't move around. I bought a halter bathing suit top from Old Navy that does have cup support and I actually wore that out in the yard this weekend, leaving me with a halter strap tanline!


Check out the eVintage Blog Tag every Wednesday. Follow the links to read the posts from all of the participating blogs. I was tagged by Vintage Joy and now I'm tagging Diary of a Mad Vintage Addict

evintage Blog Tag - Slips!

1) Show us your favorite vintage slip in your inventory -
Zoinks, there are so many that I love - I have 14 pages of Slips currently for sale! There's a great selection, many came from the estate of the same lady, who loved lingerie in pretty colors.
My current very favorite slip is this pale blue-green by Aristocraft. It has beautiful lace around the bottom.



And then here are some more pretties that I can't resist showing off.




2) Lace trim or chiffon trim? Whats your favorite?
The lacier the better!

3)Colors or neutrals, whats your preference?
I love the pretty colors of slips, but to be honest, the ones I wear myself are usually ivory or black.

4)Favorite label in vintage lingerie? (Vintage Vanity Fair, Vassarette, Movie Star, Barbizon?.)
I love Van Raalte slips. They are always beautiful designs, pretty colors and easy to spot quality. As soon as you touch a Van Raalte, you know it's one before you even spot the label.

5)Full slip or half?
For myself I'd say full slips under dresses. Mainly because a full slip means less around the waist and I get bothered by elastic around my waist.

6)Slips worn as dresses in public?..yea or nay?
Sure. I've never worn a slip as a dress myself, but I have worn opaque half slips as skirts on many occasions in the Summer. I lreally like the look of an older silk or rayon slip worn as a dress. As long as it's done nicely, and not trashy.


Check out the eVintage Blog Tag every Wednesday. Follow the links to read the posts from all of the participating blogs. I was tagged by Vintage Joy and now I'm tagging Diary of a Mad Vintage Addict

It's My Birthday!!!

It's my birthday, and I cannot believe how old I've become!! But I still love bracelets! My sister and niece and I used to joke that someday I would be an old lady who wore big rings and too many bracelets: I think I've arrived! It is true that I have a tendency to think that the more bracelets you can wear at once, the better - but again, I don't really have the "old lady" feeling yet.

The bracelets here are influenced by the recent trip to Florida I made; they are all happy, aqua, pink and peach, created with the colours of the tall beach houses, the many shades of the sea and the land around it. The first bracelet above is made with coral and amazonite while the second one echoes the shades of coral and aqua with Peruvian chalcedony and aventurine; it can be found on the Unique Handmade Bracelets page.

The unique bracelet above features lampwork from Suzette Celestin in colours matched perfectly by natural aquamarines and - believe it or not- Australian Lightening Ridge opals! Now these opals are not the Peruvian opals I usually use; they are the same opals as those you see with the pink and blue colour-play that you think of when you first think of opals. These are not white-based however; they are a beige colour, but in the light you can see deep within the colour-play to a smaller degree. They are an interesting gemstone to be beige - they have a luminiscent quality and a translucence that you never really see in most beige stones.

The bracelet directly above, Pompano Point, is one of those "spring/summer" mixtures of gemstones that I love so much. The faceted olive bead is peach aventurine: other gemstones are blue lace agate, cherry quartz, rutilated quartz, aquamarine, amethyst and other shades of aventurine. The sterling charms represent sea life.
The last bracelet is handmade of turquoise, coral, lapis, smoky quartz, boro lampwork beads, and light green quartz; it, too, has the "beach" influence. Both Pompano Point and the bracelet below can be found on the Cluny Grey Jewelry site under Unique Handmade Bracelets.So, I'm going to wear all the bracelets that I can cram on my wrists and as my mantra continue to murmur,"You're not getting older, you're getting better."

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