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Page i [TRENDS!Monday, May 7
Patar Frey/The Red and Black
Add a dash of flash to your wardrobe with a cool pair of funky, metallic
shoes straight from the 1960s
Dotson said she feels the same way.
"A lot of people are grossed out by people
who wear vintage clothing. They're like,
'you're wearing somebody's clothes, you don't
know who they belonged to.' 1 mean all you do
is wash them. What's the problem? It's kind of
cool because you're thinking what if these
belonged to somebody really interesting?"
White at Second Time Around, who has
dressed 200 brides, proudly held up a
Victorian wedding dress and explained that
vintage clothes definitely convey a feeling.
"It's not a dress, it's an attitude." She said
women are "transformed" when they try on
apparel in her intimate shop. "What it does to
your head is phenomenal."
Another compelling aspect of vintage
clothing is what you might call the Flea-
Market-Syndrome, or The Thrill of the Hunt.
Local shops make that hunt easier for busy
people.
"We're striving for perfection. There are
people who go to the Potter's House every
week, and you can get some good finds there,
but what we want to do is provide a service to
the people who don't want to rummage
through the pile every week for eight weeks to
find one cool piece," Navarre said.
Wallace, who was responsible for
wardrobing for the B-52's video, "Deadbeat
Club," looks for vintage clothing all over the
country.
'We hit estate sales, thrift stores, flea
markets, yard sales. We try to concentrate on
things with absolutely no flaws. If it's a good
piece but it has a flaw we'll put it at $5."
Thomas also combs estate sales and flea
markets. '1 love looking for stuff," he said. He
also uses the barter system in his store. For
example, you can trade in two dresses for one
of equal value.
Even celebrities fall prey to the Flea-
Market-Syndrome. Lauren Hutton recently
told Architectural Digest, "Wherever I am, I
look into secondhand shops, because there's
always some treasure. It's like saving
something precious and wonderful." One of
[ her major finds was a pearly, sequined bolero
jacket that she picked up in Atlanta for a mere
$15.
Like rats receiving random reinforcement,
the vintage clothing hunt depends on an
occassional great find.
"I have this one dress that's chiffon and
velvet, and it's got a big wide gold band on it.
It's one of my favorite dresses, and I bought it
for like $10," Dotson said.
William Orten "Ort" Carlton, who used to
work at Spend Money Here, said one of his
favorite finds is a size 68 short maitre d's coat.
'The only person who could've worn it was
the Blues-Jazz singer Jimmy Rushing, who
sang with Count Basie in Kansas City, Kan.
It's immensely too big and vastly too short."
While some vintage styles remain classic
and timeless, others are subject to trends.
Wallace at GO clothing described what is
currently "in" in vintage clothing.
'The '60s right now are coming back real
fast, and it started about a year ago. In the
next year you'll see it really, really booming. I
guarantee that. I believe that the whole
crinoline thing, that stage, was about five to
ten years ago, and it's not still happening. The
'60s is going to be the new happening thing."
He added, however, "tie-dyes are gone."
Thomas also forsees a resurgence of '60s
styles. He said some things are "so terrible
they're great."
If you have a new interest in vintage
clothing and want to go back and change your
answers to the quiz, take the following advice
from some experts:
Lauren Hutton said that she mixes her
vintage clothing with her new clothing.
"You can always fix things up. Anyone can
sew on a button or fix a seam," Dotson said.
White warned to use caution when
removing stains. "Sometimes when a stain is
really intense, whatever you have to do to get
it out will destroy the piece."
"If it looks good, wear it," Ort said. "Some
people aren't going to live in this time
anyway."
Stars of the Past Addw^
Glamour to Present JPw
M ovie stars have long been the object l
of interest and admiration for the ' f
public. In addition to being AJ
beautiful and wealthy, most stars' lives are full of glamour
and intrigue. Although many stars lead exciting lives, the
screen idols of the past hold a certain mystique for fans.
When motion pictures virtually took over the
entertainment scene in the 1930s, stars were less like
regular people and more glamorous than the stars of today.
Although quality films continue to be produced, going to the
theater has become commonplace. So, many people have
taken a look back and rediscovered the stars of yesteryear.
Posters of Marilyn Monroe, James Dean and Humphrey
Bogart adorn the walls of many college students' rooms, and
it seems the stars of the past are becoming even more
popular than they were in their heydays.
Careful marketing and the permission of the estates of
these stars make it possible for people to continue enjoying
the giants of the silver screen.
On a shopping trip through downtown Athens one can
enter stores such as Local Color, Et Cetera and The
Junkman's Daughter's Brother and find gobs of movie star
paraphernalia, including posters, jewelry, T-shirts, note
pads, greeting cards, books and calendars.
Melanie Hayes, owner of Local Color, stocks these
items, because they are among her best sellers. She
explained their popularity. "The movie stars of today aren't
as classic, they're a dime a dozen."
Customers of Local Color most frequently buy greeting
cards picturing Humphrey Bogart, Elizabeth Taylor and
Marilyn Monroe.
Monroe and James Dean items are the main sellers at
"The Junkman's Daughters Brother. Owner Mark Javion
said the paraphernalia doesn't generate
Pata» Fray/Tha Red and Black
A Victorian wedding dress — the air of romance