FOUND - Red Shoes With Star Status

I found these amazing vintage shoes at the monthly car boot in South Ruislip at Queensmead School CLICK HERE. This was my first car boot but definitely not my last. The traders were friendly, the stock diverse and prices rock bottom. These gorgeous Italian-made courts were £2, that's right just two Great British Pounds. They were made by GATTO, a famed shoemaker located near the Via Veneto in Rome - since 1912 GATTO has made footwear for royalty and the kings of industry alike. These red shoes put me in mind of the driven-to-dance footwear in the 1948 film The Red Shoes, the ballet epic that made Moira Shearer a star CLICK HERE. 

An Original Painting by Ivor Beddoes Created for The Red Shoes

The ground-breaking film is part of my friend Selina's family history. Ivor Beddoes, her grandfather, worked closely with Hein Heckroth the film's set and costume designer to establish The Red Shoes' haunting look. Beddoes produced countless images associated with the film and while much of his work for The Red Shoes went uncredited, in 2009 the British Film Institute hosted an exhibition showcasing the storyboards he created for the big screen masterpiece CLICK HERE. Beddoes would go on to work as a sketch artist, art director and illustrator for numerous films including Casino Royale, The Dirty Dozen, Goodbye Mr Chips, Star Wars and Superman to name just a few. His filmography is extensive but his real legacy lives on in his granddaughter Selina. While she never met him, it seems to me she's inherited his creative touch.

                

Four works by Selina Scarvaci   

FOUND - A Platform for Reinvention

I found these Spring green platforms at one of the Retro shops around the corner from Notting Hill tube station. This cluster of 2nd-hand stores offers to buy and sell your used clothing, accessories and small housewares. One of the bunch is packed to the rafters with pre-owned luxury clothing, 'It' bags and designer shoes but even this unflappable hunter finds its cramped confines an unpleasant experience. I prefer to pop a few doors down to the Retro shops that sell more vintage, less high-end and bit of high-street. That's where I spotted these beauties. 

Platforms can be traced back to 16th century Venice when women wore shoes - of a fashion - called chopines. They elevated ladies to as much as 30 inches off the ground and servants were required to keep the wearer upright. Not surprisingly chopines, often jewel encrusted, were a symbol of wealth and status. But it was the 20th century that saw three major revivals of platform shoes. In the 1930s a wedge platform made of cork became a popular seaside shoe. Later, in the 40s, platforms were made of wood, a practical solution to the war-time shortage of leather. Platforms would fall out of favor until the 1970s, when these green goddesses were made. After the modern, forward-looking designs of the 1960s, the 70s went nostalgic, resurrecting the chunky chopine-esque shoe of the past. The 70s - often maligned but NOW back in vogue - was actually the first era to significantly appropriate from previous decades. Today the reinterpretation of classics is commonplace, but it was the groovy 70s that used retrospection to recreate. My 70s does the 40s clod-hoppers were just £30.  

TRY THIS - Chit Chat Among Brica-Braca

I found this Italian-made silk scarf at Ealings's Avenue Vintage & Antique Market, hosted the last Saturday of every month. Lovely Fallon - aka Lost in Retro CLICK HERE - a local 2nd-hand siren set up an enticing stall and this Prada-esque scarf she was offering at just £5 had my name on it. Actually it had the name Osterelli on it. My advice: if a scarf is silk, includes a maker's name, catches your fancy and is less than a tenner, BUY it! Around your neck, tied to a handbag, as wrapping for a gift, framed or fashioned into a cushion, silk scarves are happy, adaptable accessories. 

This Ealing vintage event is a gem, and the organizers should be proud of their efforts to bring quirky, quality 2nd-hand to West London. The sellers are friendly and helpful, many of them local to the area, and the prices are fair. After you've properly perused the stalls, I highly recommend a bacon bap and a cuppa at The Drayton Court, the well-appointed pub, overlooking the market. 

Markets like this are the perfect place to pick up unusual gifts and homewares with personality. Professional and amateur interior designers alike are sure to find inspiration here. Neither will vintage wearers or collectors be disappointed  

Not just a shopping spree, Avenue Vintage & Antique Market is a community gathering. A chance to make new friends, chit chat and connect with like-minded locals. An old-fashioned idea, the market square, that's enjoying a new lease on life in Ealing. But it needs support. Mark Your Calendar: Saturday 28 March you've got a date with your neighbors. 

          

FOUND - Style You Can Take to the Bank

I found this Christian Dior coat circa 1990 in my mom's closet. She hadn't worn it in years and most of the shiny CD-inscribed buttons were missing. She happily let me have it, and while it took me ages to find decent button replacements, it was worth the effort. Through much of my life, my mom worked at The Metropolitan Bank, a locally-owned savings institution in the small Ohio town where I grew up. She 'dressed' five days a week, decked out in a skirt suit, heels and pantyhose. After years of service, the bank gave her this ring, another style marker in my mother's life that she passed on to me. 

I can picture her in The Met Bank, a good-looking, highly accomplished career woman who could count money really fast. To this day her style and confident attitude influences what I wear and who I am. Barbara Ann, my mother, looked formidable but feminine in this spectacularly long coat. Because I walk and take public transport, I've toughened it up, making the military topper urban, edgy, and just a little bit punk. Donning something that belonged to my mom feels as once stylish and safe. Nab a bit of kit from your mom, gran, sister, auntie or even your dad - it feels good to keep fashion in the family.

Happy New Year Style Hunters - 

All the Best in 2015!

TRY THIS - Medley of Memories Amassed

Recently I found I'd a collection of small purses. Without trying, I'd stockpiled a stylish selection of wee bags and puny pouches. Most of them have been gifts, and of course the rest I've picked up on my weekly stops at charity shops. This anthology of items tell a story, the continuing and very personal tale of birthdays celebrated and holidays with loved ones, exotic travels abroad and friends well-remembered but far away. The latest addition is a Georgian pocket mirror found at the Avenue Vintage & Antiques Market on a day out with my husband that saw us kick off the holiday season together with mulled wine and bacon baps. Silky and in remarkable condition considering its age (the purse & husband), this old bag adds gravitas to my tiny tote assortment. Like family photos, these small style icons serve as reminders of life's lovelier moments. My mint-condition mirror was just £3. Not surprising, I'm feeling reflective on this Christmas Eve.

Happy Holidays Hunters! 

BONUS POST - Hi Concept Low Down

I found this remarkable handbag in my local Ealing Oxfam.  A partnership dream team produced this bit of plastic fantastic.  Melissa, the contemporary shoemaker, joined with fellow Brazilians, designers Fernando and Humberto Campana to create this circle of style. Melissa is the famed cobbler responsible for jelly shoes of all shapes and hues. The shoemaker has partnered with everyone from punk queen Vivienne Westwood to renowned architect Zaha Hadid, developing brogues, sky-high heels, ballet flats and more, all in molded, soft, durable plastic. 

The Campanas, high-concept furniture designers from Sao Palo, patterned this Melissa + Campana bag on their iconic Favela Chair.  The word ‘favela’ came into our collective consciousness recently during the World Cup in Brazil. Favelas are akin to South African townships, American projects and British estates; the places where poor people live and attempt to form communities.  Research indicates that when new in 2005 this bag sold for US$100. I scooped it up for just £3.99.

Check out Huntress London on
High 50 CLICK HERE 

FOUND - Feeling Anything But Blue in NYC

I found this super fat blue wood bangle at Housing Work Thrift in New York City's West Village, along with my new favourite straight jeans by Theory. Housing Works CLICK HERE is a community of people living with and affected by AIDS/HIV. Their mission is to end the dual crises of homelessness and AIDS/HIV through relentless advocacy, the provision of lifesaving services and entrepreneurial businesses that sustain their efforts. The shop in the West Village was beautifully organized & stocked with countless treasures. My friend Monica, recently relocated to the village from London, nabbed a gorgeous pair of YSL kid-skin tan heels in Housing Work Thrift. Classic - like her. The West Village is actually a 2nd-hand style hunters paradise. Be sure to check out The Goodwill on W. 8th Street CLICK HERE. The Waverly Diner on 6th is nearby, a quintessentially New York eatery - perfect late lunch stop off. Vintage Thrift with 2 locations, one just across the street from Housing Work Thrift is superb CLICK HERE. Between us we picked up goodies in all these shops. The big bangle was only US$12 and the denim trousers, a wardrobe basic that fit like a glove, just US$45. A day out in the Big Apple, sorted. 

Visit Oxfam Fashion CLICK HERE to see Huntress London's 

Circle of Fashion post

FOUND - Silk Blouse Fit for A Princess

I found this raw silk blouse at Traid in Shepherds Bush. A lovely label in the waist tells me it was Made in England and created by Maureen Baker. Never heard of Ms Baker? That would suit her to a tee. For 30 years she was lead designer for the British ready-to-wear firm Susan Small, when in 1973 Princess Anne asked Maureen to create a wedding dress for her impending union to Mark Phillips. In 1978 the talented designer started her own label but really made no attempt to cash in on her couturier royal coup. She quietly created over 250 outfits for Princess Anne before setting aside her scissors in the 1990s. Interestingly, the Emanuel's consulted Ms Barker before creating Princess Diane's iconic wedding frock. Maureen Baker's work is included in the V&A's fashion collection. 

                     

The blouse's fabric is sumptuous, the stitching immaculate. Little details - fitted peplum waist, bow tie and pleats at the shoulder - mark it out as a quality garment. I'll wear it with a pair of dark blue, snake print silk cigarette trousers and keep the bow tie undone. I'm thrilled to have found this piece of fashion history. It cost me the princely sum of £8.99.  

CLICK HERE to see Princess Anne's wedding dress

created by Maureen Baker.  

FOUND - Big Smoke Blew into Chicago

I found this crinkly cotton "housecoat" at Randolph Street Market CLICK HERE in Chicago. A few weeks ago, the husband and I set out on a holiday to the country of my birth, starting in The Windy City where my dad joined us for Cubs baseball and 2nd-hand shopping. We hopped on an Amtrak train to my mother's place on Lake Erie in Ohio and then carried on to see friends in The Big Apple. Randolph Street Market is a monthly retro/antiques selling spree that Huntress highly recommends. You'll also find a parade of well-stocked, organized and affordable vintage shops in the Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago. I particularly loved Store B Vintage CLICK HERE and Vintage Underground CLICK HERE.

I feel luck to have repatriated this London-centric coat/dress. It's a spectacular pattern of Queen's Guards, Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abby, entangled in graphic brambles. If it had been red and black, I would have left it. But the unique GREEN and black colour combo keeps it from feeling like a brand new tourist souvenir. Over my silk fitted cami and rolled up denim, it's the perfect outfit for the unexpected warmth of September back in The Big Smoke. Re-styling a 'button through' dress as an overcoat is a great way to breath life into a piece of lovely but dated vintage. This pretty pop of print was just US$30. 

FOUND - Red Letter Day by the River

I found this Marimekko shirt at the Fara charity shop on the south west side of Richmond Bridge, TW1 2EB, a large, bright shop with a great mix of clothing and housewares. Featuring silver metal buttons this fashion find is akin to a denim shirt, but with stripes. Any number of designers have lead the Marimekko team over the years, but this is Finnish designer Vuokko Eskolin-Nurmesnieni signature print. Dubbed Jokapoika, it's a simple pattern that helped ensure Marimekko's global reputation. Vuokko joined Marimekko in 1953 and along with Maija Isola, was responsible for many of the company's most iconic patterns. This really is a piece fit for a design or fashion museum and to that end Vuokko's work is indeed part of the permanent collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. I paid just £8.50 for this piece of fashion history.      

Tweet your best 2nd-hand style finds to 

@annielistening, #best2ndever

FOUND - Minnie, Molly and Me

                

I found this red hat at a Trinity Hospice charity shop, 16 Bute Street, London, SW7 3EX - a well-stocked establishment near South Ken tube station. Aren't I every bit a modern day Minnie Pearl, the country music singer and comedian who always wore her hat with the price tag still in evidence? (I've removed it since.) This topper is fashioned from thin strips of leather, and is the work of famed milliner Patricia Underwood. Examples of Underwood's hats are included in the permanent collection at The Metropolitan Museum Costume Institute, proof that iconic fashion pieces are well worth collecting. A stylish thing to wear now, this scarlet chapeau is also a fantastic item to pass on to a daughter or niece and would easily re-sell for more than the purchase price. Underwood's hats have appeared in the films Sex in the City 2, Four Weddings and a Funeral and Sabrina. I find the shape of this hat reminiscent of those worn by Molly Ringwald a la Sixteen Candles and Pretty in Pink. I paid £15 for it.            

TRY THIS - Collect Silk Works of Art

This graphic vintage silk scarf was a birthday gift from my friend Monica; she's a fellow hunter, schooled in the promise of pre-owned. Living in NYC, she searches for finds that suit her understated cool lux look. This scarf was designed by Richard Allan; an employee of scarf maker Jacqmar, he bought the company in the mid 50s, giving it his name. Jacqmar was originally a London company that supplied silk fabric to Paris couture houses. The management realized they could make scarves (and profits) from off-cuts, and a classic was born. Look out for scarves marked with either name, they are becoming highly collectible.

FOUND - Singing the Praises of D&B

I found this beautifully cut waistcoat at the Mary Portas Living and Giving shop at 2 The Green in Ealing. (If you stop into Mary's, wander down to Farm W5 afterward for one of their delicious fresh ginger steamers.) This is an Angela Holmes design for the highly-collectible label Droopy & Brown. Starting out in a humble market stall in 1971, D&B grew to a clutch of 8 shops including a bright, airy boutique across the street from The Coliseum in Covent Garden. That's where in the late 90s I bought my first Droopy, a midnight navy column dress featuring a halter neckline that fastened with a huge satin bow. I wore it only once, to a diplomatic ball in Harare, Zimbabwe (long story, don't ask). While the visionary Angela Holmes has passed away and Droopy & Brown shops have all closed down, the brand is still alive and well. Second-hand pieces are wildly sought after, selling for 3 figures on-line. Droopy fans are incredibly committed - with gusto they stalk, buy and collect quality apparel from this classic British fashion house. This piece hit the right note at just £15.            

TRY THIS - Collect It, For Friends' Sake

For years I've collected fat bangles; big plastic, perspex, wood and bakelite bracelets.  Unique examples are easy to find and an effective accessory, 2, 3, 4 at a time.  Several of the high-end big-boys are showing armloads of colourful bangles (guess they've cottoned on to what I've known for yonks). Collecting a fashion bit or bob is a great way to keep your eye focused when on the hunt.  I spot various quality fashion tidbits as my bangle search becomes a kind of shopping stream of consciousness.  Focus (on a bracelet) begets focus (on say, a charity shop dress that inspires a new combination of bracelets).  Most importantly your collected item will become your go-to gift.  If friends and family know that big bangles bring a smile to my face, then giving me one is an easy way to make me happy. Offering people ways to make you happy is just common courtesy.  Silk scarfs, tiny beaded purses, brooches shaped like bugs, lacy socks, black gloves, mini perfume bottles, old postcards of Paris, rock concert t-shirts - anything.  I wonder what you collect?