Fashion Advice 5 Cents - Pier Show Shenanigans

Doesn't everyone want to give advice? And wouldn't it be great if we could get paid for it, too?

For us, that dream came true at the latest Pier Antiques Show where, as you can see, we charged 5 cents for fashion advice. The marvelous manager of the Pier Show, Jeanne Stella (who managed by sheer dint of will to open the show despite the ravages of Hurricane Sandy), initially invited us to give people our 2 cents' worth (so to speak) for the fun of it, but after Hurricane Sandy hit this region so badly, Jeanne suggested - and we agreed - that the earnings should go to the American Red Cross.

Valerie thinks Jean (IF Jean) must have been a carnival barker in a former life since she corraled all and sundry to make donations, leaning as far out of our booth as possible. "We're raising money for the Red Cross", she called out, following up with "We figured at our age we'd get more people with a fashion advice booth than a kissing booth". This drew laughs, smiles, more than a few $5, $10 and $20 bills, and several sales of our book, Life Dressing: The Idiosyncratic Fashionistas (of which, by remarkable coincidence, we just happened to have several copies). Since the main purpose was to raise money, we mostly schmoozed and dispensed candy. We often provided more fashion validation than advice when an inquirer was already doing everything right. Between us and the second shift, we raised about $150 on each of the two days.

Jeanne Stella herself and Tim John were the second shift. This photo gives you a better idea of the booth itself, with a colorful Sonia Delaunay-style background. We spent several hours at the booth on Saturday and on Sunday, and Jeanne and Tim John took turns replacing us.

Here are just a smattering of the pictures we took, both on and off duty:

Not just pretty faces - Barney and Susan Bellinger also had a booth at the show. Military enthusiasts will know, even without seeing the spike atop Susan's headgear, that she is wearing an old German helmet.

Lynn Yeager stopped by to show off her J. Crew kid's backpack -- in navy blue glitter, no less.  Later, we saw her making the rounds with Hamish Bowles.

This woman found a Bes-Ben hat. Having spent many years in Chicago, the home of Bes-Ben, she was quite familiar with the brand. This one even came with its box. Hat lovers know that original hat boxes are far harder to find than the hats. (Boxes get thrown away to save space, which is also why so many hats get squished!)

Cathy Anderson is an absolutely super role model for wearers (and prospective wearers) of hats.

Cathy wore this terrific chapeau on Sunday.

Although it was our job was to give advice, we also received some. Best advice we got? Helen Uffner showed us how she codes her various pairs of glasses, so she knows which is which at a glance. See the three dots she's applied with red nail polish? Do you have several pairs of glasses of different strengths or different glasses for distance and reading? Apply your own color coding!

At Sunset Boulevard, the booth right in front of our advice booth, a woman tried on this very daring dress.

These two women didn't need any fashion advice from us. Friends since childhood, they told us they'd gone to a talk featuring someone on a very well known TV fashion advice program. Afterward,  when they asked why the program didn't feature more women of a certain age, the program host's answer was: "I tried and tried to get the producers to feature older people, but they just weren't interested." Sigh...

Gordon Simpson, owner of Anartist, wore this fabulous polka dotted plastic art piece by avant garde artist Enrico Baj.

We fell in love with this child's chair at Darwin Bearley's booth, designed with as much love and thought as one would give an adult's chair. Doesn't it look like it was built for speed?

Some of the old Merry Go Round figures were breathtaking. It's wonderful that this carved and painted carousel ostrich was saved from the march of progress.

Sandi Berman of Deluxe, seen here in her booth, designed the black corduroy overalls she's wearing. It's hard to see in the photo, but the straps are two slim corduroy cords - much sexier looking than a single broad flat strap. Sandi said putting the booth together is hard work, so she came up with the idea for the overalls as a way to get the work done while still looking chic. Sandi was also wearing fabulous glasses, which we would have loved to show you. And check out her silver link necklace.

D. Brett Benson had this marvelous scottie dog bag by Emmanuelle Kahnh. And a great salesman, Kevin, who could win the annual Hemingway Look-Alike Contest. (We're saving his picture for our next great gray hair feature.)

Some of the people who came to our booth were just stopping by to chat, and didn't need any fashion advice. We might have to repeat this woman's photo at the same time we run Kevin's.

Everyone does have his or her own style.  Some outfits just make stronger statements!

Here are Lee and Vichai Chinalai at their booth.

Sandy Long and her friend Tucker Robbins made an appearance.

Loved the red boots on this woman trying on a monkey fur jacket from What Once Was.

This merry trio stopped by our booth for directions. The lady on the left had just purchased her gorgeous hand knit long sweater from one of the show's vendors.

In from Ohio for the show, Mo models one of several hats she tried that day. Check out her earrings made from ladies' garters.

Valerie scored these stylish black and white leather gloves from Gandia-Todd Antiques from Williamsville, VT.

Jean purchased this spiked off-white bakelite necklace from Sheila Strong at Fool's Gold.   She couldn't resist showing it off to Jeanne Stella.

Isn't this a dapper gent?

Here we are on Day Two reporting for duty!

This couple wore vintage. Don't you love the pillow she's holding?

Julius (left) and his friend also stopped by to say hi.

Bob Richter (PBS Market Warrior) and his pal came over to chat.

Filippo Gurrieri and Pervis Ross of Sunset Boulevard.

The ever fabulous Zondra Foxx.

The one that got away. Valerie tried on this terrific silver necklace with fish and shelled sea creatures at Audrey Flaschner Antiques.

On Sunday, Kirsten Hawthorne paid us a visit.

Check out the adorable "Goldliocks and the Three Bears" quilt from Carol Weiss' booth.  Carol pointed out that the bears on the quilt look a bit threatening, unlike bears of today, made to smile in a most un-bear-like manner.

These two hilarious items appeared in MTV's claymation productions and were for sale by Seaver McLellan Antiques from Jaffrey, NH.

One of our favorite pieces is this graphic 1930's wooden beaded bag with celluloid frame from Karen McWharter.

What we're wearing: 
Saturday:
Jean is wearing a vintage red felt hat purchased last year from Stacy LoAlbo of Incogneeto; Anne Klein silk jacket; W118 by Walter Baker slacks; Trippen boots;  vintage bakelite bangles, earrings and rings.

Valerie is wearing an unlabeled red feather hat; red celluloid earrings; Pleats Please shirt; Sonia Rykiel suit; red leather brooch by Tereza Symon's mom; felt bracelet by O-Matic,;red wood bracelet from Tokyo; sandals by Nicole.

Sunday:
Jean is wearing a vintage Donna Karan New York by Maeve Carr black felted wool hat; Norma Kamali black & brown striped top; Costume National pants; Pataugus Mary Janes; vintage silver metal globe necklace and vintage aluminum and marble earrings.

Valerie is wearing a two-toned blue velvet hat bought the previous day, labeled Mr. Arnold Lord & Taylor (feather added by Valerie, hat worn sideways); vintage earrings from Etsy with blue dot stickers from Staples; scarf by Plantation; jacket by Gloria Sachs; '80s silver cuff; contemporary base metal cuff; Issey Miyake pants; shoes by Arche.