Fur and Leather Weather

Posted on February 19, 2014 by Victoria

Flu season is in full swing and thankfully I have avoided it so far. Unfortunately, I have come down with hustler fever and the only cure for it is fur and leather.

I wasn’t looking for a fur collared leather jacket to add to my wardrobe. Instead, the jacket found me. After successfully selling a few items at Buffalo Exchange, I did my usual song and dance through the racks of clothes to decide if I wanted to take the cash or store credit. That’s when I found this beauty of a jacket. It was in immaculate condition, with no broken seams, perfectly conditioned leather, and intact fur. It didn’t even have any detectable odor that usually comes with most vintage clothes. Most importantly, it fit like a glove and that was what sealed the deal.

This jacket is the ultimate show stopping statement piece and is sure to turn a few heads – fur and leather just beckons drama and attention like that. But why stop there? I pulled out all the stops to make this a surefire 1970s head to toe look, which includes a wide brimmed hat, oversized sunglasses, gold chains, and high waisted pants. Watch everyone stop, drop, and roll when I step onto the scene.

I have always been a believer that our style choices portray to the outside world our inner beauty and personality. However, the same can be said on the contrary: clothes can actually transform the way you feel. The leather jacket instantly made me feel like a confident, sexy, and powerful diva lady. I never fully understood the meaning of swag – in the style sense – until the day I put on this jacket. Do I wear the jacket or do I let it wear me? Let’s just say it’s a symbiotic relationship.

Between the fur, sunglasses, and big hat, I might as well be known as Ms. Incognito: baller and shot caller. There is no better way.

vintage Wilsons jacket (similar jacket) / Ecote blouse (similar blouse) / Uniqlo hat (similar hat) / Levis jeans (similar jeans) / Guess shoes (similar shoes) / vintage necklace (similar necklace) / Daiso sunglasses (similar sunglasses)

I’m a Hustler Baby

Posted on January 21, 2014 by Victoria

“Can you guess what my upcoming post is about?” I asked my sister, as I arranged my outfit on her bed.

She stared at me quizzically, and then cautiously replied, “A…pimp?”

Now I can see how she was mistaken – the fur, long coat, and gold chains are a bit misleading. But I regret to disappoint all you pimp enthusiasts out there; actually, the look I am going for is 1970s chic. Inspired by the fashions in American Hustle, I decided to take the plunge into achieving a head to toe look from that decade – minus the revealing Sydney Prosser plunge.

I shopped inside my closet to put together something that I think my girl Sydney would wear. No plunging necklines here – I opted for a more prim and proper look in a sheer button up blouse with a pair of high waisted wide leg trousers in the same hue. This coat has been in my closet for years and only now have I rediscovered its swanky charm – the faux fur collar keeps my neck warm and also adds a dash of drama to my outfit. And finally, let’s not forget the gold medallion and my two chains to complete this ultimate 1970s look. I’m different, yeah I’m different.

Now if only I had a camel colored wide brimmed felt hat and a pair of oversized round sunnies, then I would pass as a cunning con woman. I guess that’s where I could learn a style lesson or two from a pimp. But what can I say; I’m just a hustler baby.

I’m a Hustler Baby

Gap jacket (similar) / vintage blouse (similar) / vintage trousers (similar) / vintage Trifari chain (similar) / Forever21 medallion (similar) / H&M bracelet (similar) / Cole Haan bag (similar)

Do the American Hustle

Posted on January 13, 2014 by Victoria

Fur. Sequins. Disco. If 2013 was the year of the 1920s, then 2014 is the year of the 1970s.

I recently hit the theaters and caught up with the con men of American Hustle. I had a vague idea of what this movie was about, but I wasn’t prepared to be dazzled by the skills of costume designer Michael Wilkinson. Never before have con men looked so sexy and I have definitely fallen for their swindling ways simply due to their well-dressed appearance.

The movie has changed my views on 1970s fashion, as I became entranced by the clothing and hairstyles of the female lead characters, Sydney (Amy Adams) and Rosalyn (Jennifer Lawrence). Both ladies are foxy in their own right, and Wilkinson’s genius styling of vintage and contemporary pieces is simply a feast for the eyes. It allows the audience to visually understand the how the characters are polar opposites. While they do not represent the entire spectrum of 1970s fashion, they certainly depict the essence of swanky disco trends in NYC during that decade.

In one corner, there is Sydney, with her long wavy hair, wrap dresses, and plunging necklines; she portrays a sexy, confident, and powerful con woman. In the other corner, there is Rosalyn, with loose curls piled high on top of her head and body-hugging jersey dresses – she represents the bored suburban housewife.

I was less sold on the men in the movie – who likes a balding Christian Bale with a protruding belly anyway? I also prefer Bradley Cooper sans curls. I’m not a fan of the unbuttoned dress shirts and exposed chest hair on a man – to each their own, I suppose. Despite my general dislike of pointy dress shirt collars and wide lapels, I do however appreciate the silk ascot ties donned by both Bale and Cooper.

Pros and cons of American Hustle? There are many pros in this movie: the fashion, the acting, the plot, and the con men of course. At one point I was confused about who was conning whom. As for the cons…well, there are none, except for the con men.