Metropolitan Pavilion Vintage Show 4/21/12

On Saturday, April 21st, we made our pilgrimage to the Metropolitan Pavilion's Vintage Show. The vendors' wares were in perfect sync with the spring-like weather. Valerie got into the spirit, donning a coat of many colors and a wonderful new straw hat. Even Jean made an effort to incorporate a little mustard into the normally black palette.

This very chic vendor wore a wonderfully tailored vinyl Donna Karan topper and a lucite necklace. Loved her black and white glasses with her silver hair.

Milliner Gretchen Fenston and her husband Roddy Caravella rock the vintage look like no other couple.

Couldn't resist a closeup of the back of Gretchen's hat.

Here's Lisa, who runs The Archives. Check out her outfit. She's wearing a sleeveless dress with wonderful insets at the sides, just above the knees, and finished with a series of white bands at the hem. She's paired it with a leotard-style top, with the shoulders pulled way down, exposing her shoulders dramatically. Way cool!

Lisa has a very carefully curated collection. Just about everything is a cause for surprise, delight, and nostalgia. Here she shows us two fabulous swimming caps. Notice the soft little rubber spikes that form the designs on the yellow one? And it might be hard to see in the photo, but the white one is covered with various sea shell designs. In a similar vein, Jean noticed a LOT of vintage bathing suits this time around. They had great style.

Valerie stopped to admire this hand-painted chamois leather jumpsuit which we pegged to be circa 1975. Think "Tony Orlando and Dawn". Valerie says: It hasn't photographed well, unfortunately. On line, it makes me say 'Huh?', but in person, even though it would not have been appropriate for me, I found it quite charming - for someone half my weight and half my age.

Lulu showed off one of her great graphic jackets.

Valerie had to check out this hand-painted suit in Lulu's booth. (Too small for me, says Valerie, but soooo interesting.)

We loved this imaginative scarecrow print on a skirt from Pocketbook, Susan Bergin's booth. Some dealers are reluctant to let their finds be photographed, which we understand and respect. So we were very grateful when Susan allowed us to take this photograph.

We also loved this vibrant print - probably close to the same vintage - featuring figures wearing necklets and anklets.

A balancing act! Jean in black, with a touch of yellow; Patricia Fox in stoplight yellow set off by black. We loved Paticia's polished black hat, vintage shades, and shoes and socks. How many people can pull that off?

Lisa Koenigsberg stopped by, wearing a very spring-like ensemble, right down to her great shoes.

Stacy LoAlbo of Incogneeto and her daughter Halayna Koehn paused for a photo.

Stacy always has at least one irresistible hat stashed away. When she showed this to Valerie, it was love at first sight. But when paired with her new hairdo, it didn't work at all, which was quite a disappointment. Since Jean has completely different hair, Valerie presented it to Jean, and urged her to try it, knowing that Jean doesn't wear red clothes, per se, but does wear red accessories.

Jean bought the hat! Valerie is consoled (relieved, in fact!) that knowing it's gone to a good home, and that she can visit with it periodically.

We had to stop this like-minded shopper and admire the small topper she wore to the show. This is from the '30s, when so-called dolls' hats were all the rage.

Valerie stopped to say hi to Hannah and Vita from Marmalade. Vita is off to an arts university this fall!

The mother and daughter duo showed off their fabulous footwear.

Along the way we ran into Zondra Foxx, aflame with color.

This lady was workin' it!

Jean spotted this gent trying on the short white jacket. Valerie thought he looked uncertain about his choice, and went over to encourage him. Turned out he'd already made up his mind to take the jacket, and didn't need a second opinion at all.

These two young vintage vixens were working their Mad Men look to the hilt and were having a ball.

We ran into Tziporah Salamon at the show, clad in her signature orientalia.

We also ran into Tim John, wearing a marvelous Ivan Grundhal jacket. The secret, he said, was that he was wearing it upside down. He took it off to show up how it looked right side up (he was right - far less interesting) and we photographed him after he'd casually flung it back on, one sleeve waiting to be positioned. The angles it creates are so interesting!

We loved the hairstyles on these two women.

Just before we left, we ran into Lori Lewin, who, just like last time, was dressed fabulously in vintage. Note the hint of an intriguing tattoo just above the top button on her dress.

Time sure flies when you're having fun! We ran out of time. We hadn't gotten through all of the aisles, but had to dash to artist Carol Markel's open studio. (More about that adventure in a future post!)

What we're wearing:

Jean is wearing an Urban Outfitters turban, Illysteva glasses, Kymio jacket (from Scout at a previous Metropolitan Pavilion show), Ronen Chen slacks (from Rosebud), Trippen boots (from A-Uno), Hello Kitty bag, Angela Caputi tortoise earrings, vintage bakelite rings.

Valerie is wearing a pink straw hat by Susy Krakowski, spattered jacket by Alberto Makali, imitation Chinese Warring States bead from the late great dollar flea market (where now stands a huge flavorless concrete box chocabloc with countless faceless high priced apartments), pink H&M bustier, silk pants by Yoshiki Hishinuma, pink suede shoes by Aerosoles.

And in case you missed the big brouhaha on Saturday, check us out on CNN.com. Here’s the link.