Avedon, just in time

Last weekend, the boy and I went to see the Richard Avedon Exhibition before it left the Detroit Institute of Arts (just in time, it left two days later).  It was lovely, and I spent much of my time lusting after the clothes and hats.
Just a few...

I wore a new acquisition to my collection of vintage hats.  We followed up our DIA visit with a stop at Retro Image, my favorite local antique store, which has just reopened following a long reconstruction after a car drove through its window (!).  I found some great treasure, including vintage lockets, jewelry, and the most amazing 1960s black dress coat, to be pictured soon!

hat-vintage, from Hudson's The Woodward Shops (Dearborn Village Antiques, Dearborn, MI)

dress-Richard Chai for Target

moccasins-Minnetonka

wanted

I need a black bag.  Need, I tell you.  Yes, I know that need is relative, but here is my dilemma:  I am a young, professional woman with stuff to carry around--folders, books, a Macbook, on occasion.  My closet boasts red bags, gray bags, bags with orange trim and flowers...but no classic, large, doubles as a briefcase black bag.  And so, my search:

I initially wanted the Zed from Matt & Nat.  I would include a photo, but I can't seem to make it work and frankly, they fell off my list after a few reviews of the company as lousy employers who make vegan but not eco friendly products.
if you're curious

Next, I checked out ReMade USA, recycled leather bags by Shannon South.  I love these, and my vegetarian/cheese holdout wannabe vegan self is ok with recycled leather.

photo:  remadeusa.com

The bummer here is that these are regularly sold out (good for ReMade!), and I want instant gratification.
On to Ashley Watson, whose bags are also made of recycled leather jackets.  This is the Linnet--purse handles, shoulder strap, mature but me, etc.

photo:  ashleywatson.net

But...I cannot find this bag for sale on the world wide internet computer web.  Before contacting Ashley Watson directly, I undertook an Etsy search to see what I could find, and I think I've found a match:

photo:  etsy.com/shop/paulinacarcach

Handmade by Paulina Carcach, this leather shoulder bag (not recycled, but that is balanced somewhat, for me, by the support of an independent seller) may be the purse/briefcase I've been looking for.  Yes?  Stay tuned!

retrospect: my favorite shoes of the past year

Happy new year!  Of course, we've been at oh-10 for a couple of weeks already, but I've been spending that time in and out of town (for friends and for the job), with a cold (for my head and my nose), shopping (mostly Salvation Army and shoe stores) and sleeping (for my body and my soul).  I've made a pseudo-resolution to shop for clothes exclusively at Salvation Army for the month of January, both to save a few dollars and to challenge myself to buy only treasures I have plucked from racks of obscurity.  So far, it's going well, and I have a much-complimented gray hat and some vests to show for it; however, I've strayed into an antique store with a few clothing racks, and I didn't limit myself on shoes.  Hmm, convenient loophole I've left myself.

In accordance with my love of making lists, I thought I'd select my favorite shoe purchases of 2009.  I did quite a good job of narrowing it down to just three:

most excellent stacked black heels, Irregular Choice

black Joelle boots, Coach (the result of a long "perfect black boot" search)

cutout gray & black oxfords, Jeffrey Campbell (these just barely made the cut--found them in Chicago on 12/30)

The neutrals were much needed.  A new year, new shoes to come.  For now, off to bed.  Bon soir!