Washington Wizard: Smash

Smash is the perfect boyfriend/girlfriend shopping hybrid. Sure I like records OK and sometimes my boy wants to look at vintage clothes, but most of the time we're both obsessed with the opposite. Where better to pop in on a Saturday for some leisurely shopping but Smash, which incorporates both. PLUS awesome jewelry. Stay punk 2009.

P.S. SUPER CRUCIAL event on May 23rd at the store: Sam McPheeters Spoken Word. I saw that shit in NYC and it twas hilarious.

Music for Lovers: Egyptian Lovers, that is.

I don't want to pollute this post with distracting words, since the style really speaks for itself. Of note: rings and huge pendants, just like our very own Emily. Can't get enough? Check it.

Paper Fashions

We've all seen these around, but I thought the books deserved their own post. Before the internet and fashion magazines ruled our brains, people actually drew things on paper for inspiration and creative learning. Tom Tierney made a whole career of it. My personal favorite:



Take note of Jessica Stam as Michelle Pfieffer as Catwoman. Other favorites include Schiaparelli Fashion Review, Famous Country Singers (includes Willie Nelson!!) Erté Fashion of the 1920s.

Music for Lovers: Psychic

Weirdo video, weirdo wigs, weirdo dancing, but killer song. Telepathe's awkwardness goes unmatched. Great example of lo-fi hipster dressing: layers of vintage tees, plaid, grandpa v-necks and stripes.

Copycat

So, I know we are all Grey Gardens fans, eagerly anticipating Grey Gardens, and always looking to dress more Grey Garden-ish. Can one be blamed for being enthralled with the stylish notes of older recluses? It's a oft-visited motif for many designers and has only been gaining momentum as more and more hip young things revisit Grey Gardens again and again.

Listopad appreciates Drew Barrymore going all out for the premiere, consciously channeling vintage fashion as one can only do on the red carpet. But we'd like to see more people incorporating elements from her look into every day life.



For the summer, we'll have delicate fabrics with bead and pearl detailing, floral elements in just about everything (including killer pleated skirts) and beautiful metal elements, such as jewelry and head pieces. We can't wait to show you!!!

Washington Wizard: Modernicus

In the lovely new semi-regular column "Washington Wizard," Listopad will cover awesome businesses in the city and tri-state area for your pleasure.



We had the best time touring the showroom of Modernicus in Alexandria this past weekend. It's expertly organized and the wares are showcased in a way that suggests actually living situations, refreshingly. There's plenty of room to poke around the couches and chairs, and nothing is behind glass. So if you want to pick up that Danish candle holder and inspect it, go ahead. And don't get me started on the beautiful laboratory porcelain.

Advice from the Professionals

I kind of hate myself for just posting content from other blogs, but this is worth it. GREAT insight from the costumer of our fave show Mad Men, including tips and pics for relevant era necessities, from Bluchers to Brogues. Check out her interview here.

Wintage Vintour

After reading about the rumors of Carine Roitfeld taking over at American Vogue, I decide to do a little Google Image-searching for Anna Wintour, the pale, mute specterdonna of this frighteningly lavish magazine. Turns out I missed last month's Fashionologie post marking her 59th birthday.

My stars! I thought I'd seen it all until I saw these photos.


If you told me that you'd just seen a gorgeous sequined rainbow-ombre dress, I would have laughed, but not in a nice way. This dress should have been a train wreck, but it's somehow fucking amazing. It probably has something to do with the way she's looking at the camera, like, "So?" (December 1990)


This makes me think of the Rahzel song "All I Know." Look at that statement necklace! This woman is truly a bad motherfucker. (November 1991)


This is evocative of Susie's Tadashi bodysuit - which I love! Anna, why don't you dress like this anymore? And look at how successfully you are not wearing fur. (December 1991)

But are you ready for the piece de resistance? Close your eyes.



Gaaahhh!!! I found this pic on RDuJour (via Cat Party) but have no inkling of its origin. (Bonus: Cat Party has some vintage pics of Carine Roitfeld and Emmanuelle Alt, too!)

Art Party Today

Next Week!

We are beyond excited about the Listopad x Renee Glazer launch party that we are hosting next week with DJ Jerome Baker III. Head on over to Renee's beautiful blog for more pics...

Listopad x Renee Glazer Vintage Artist Collabo Launch Party
Featuring Jerome Baker III
Wednesday, December 10 2008, 6-9pm
at Napoleon Bistro (1847 Columbia Road NW)
with complimentary champagne and snacks

Music for Lovers: Little Britain

Sure, Kate Bush is a little kooks, but that's why we love her. In "Cloudbusting" she manages to hit all my style points for this season: vintage denim, collared shirts buttoned up all the way, English knits and boots (this is what I am talking about). The sweet pointy shoulderpads are just the icing on this cake. It's the right kind of androgyny and pauper throwback that we need in these trying times.

Music for Lovers: One for the Boys

Bill Withers totally walks the line between Bill Cosby and Mr. Rogers. Turtlenecks, sweaters and cardigans are his signatures...and boy do we love them all.

Pandahead: Issue 2 !

(pandaheadmag.com)

The multi-talented face behind Pandahead Morgan Hungerford explained to us: "Every Fall - it's excitement and ideas and (good) anxiety about buckling down and getting things accomplished." And Girlfriend is sure living that mantra. With the help of site designer Erik Loften, Pandahead has taken it to the next level with its on-line mag. In this issue, we find ambitious offerings of multimedia art and music from local artists, alongside lovely layouts of fashion and DC culture. "Chapter Four" and its drapey, relaxed aesthetic is highly coveted by Listopad. We are already excited about Issue 3...

Love to Love You, Baby

Friends, we had such a delightful time at our Saturday salon. Gregarious guests grabbed gorgeous garments and gabbed with gamines and gentlemen. How better to spend a humid September afternoon than surrounded by beautiful clothes and friends? Seeing everyone filled our little hearts with joy. Let's swoon over vintage again sometime soon!

Peep more transcendent photos and kind words at The President Wears Prada and the Anti-DC.

Listopad Sneak Peak: Fall 08 Part II

Here's the last of it--you'll have to personally come out to see the rest!

Listopad Sneak Peak: Fall 08

We've posted some pics already, but think you vintage lovers deserve more. Here are just some of the pieces we will be sharing with you at our party on Saturday. Remember, we hunt high and low through many avenues to find these treasures for you so they're one-of-a-kind!

First up: accessories-





p.s. we also have three (3!!!) pairs of vintage YSL heels that will be available Saturday

Inspiration: L'Amant

"L'Amant" is a highly stylized film, though the visuals are very simple. Colonialism seeps through the picture, and class and race relations are sweated out in the heat of Vietnam in the '20s. But seriously, only watch this film if you are comfortable with older man + teenager sex (full frontal) and prostitution.



Anyway, on to the clothes. The unnamed protagonist (Jane March) can't really afford clothes, so she marches around the entire film (a span of maybe a year) in two outfits. One pair of shoes! It's gorgeous, though, and totally works. First off, the shoes are a beautiful high heeled concoction of jewels and velvet (she refers to them as cabaret shoes):



The dress worn throughout is a stark '20s affair: neutral silk sheath, loose as it's too big--yet still managing to emphasize the girl's developing body. It's held together by a loose striped belt that always seems like it's about to slip off:



But the crowning achievement is the men's fedora, obviously too big for her head, with a silk ribbon wrapped around. Paired with her pigtails (held together by more ribbon), this look blows my mind!



indebted to this site for the pics!

Listopad Pop-Up Shop Opening Bash!

We're proud to announce the Grand Opening Party for our new [permanent] Pop-Up Shop within Mercedes Bien Vintage (2423 18th St NW, Second floor, next to Amsterdam Falafel)...

Saturday, September 27th, from 12-4pm. Expect brunch refreshments and awesome tunes from DJ Ris Richards (Q And Not U alum). Come by and say Hi!

Music for Lovers: Norman Greenbaum/Spirit In The Sky

All photos from Norman Greenbaum's website

A guy at my job asked me a couple weeks ago, "Hey, you know that song 'Spirit In The Sky,' right?" I stared at him blankly. Three YouTube seconds later, I realized that yeah, duh, of course I know "Spirit In The Sky." It's right up there with the birthday song and the Tomahawk chop. Who the hell hasn't heard "Spirit In The Sky"? I felt dumb for a minute, but it passed.

Then I did some research on Norman Greenbaum, the song's writer and performer. I chatted with him on the phone-- for work, not for fun-- and he was friendly and eccentric. I asked him to send me some photos of himself c. 1969, the year his song reached #1. And guess what, y'all, Greenbaum was a hottie.

His look was as iconic as the song, and it persists to this day-- from Portland, OR, to Brattleboro, VT, to Richmond, VA. Where Katerina and I went to school in Western Mass (c 2002-2007), this was The Look for men. Women have their own version, too, but there's something so effortlessly sexy about men who pull this off.

I became a little obsessed with Norman Greenbaum, c. 1969. Can you blame me?

Vintage Vault: Rayon

A lot of the vintage clothes we run into and sell are handmade...whether in a factory or by someone's loving mom. This is why vintage clothing tends to be of higher quality and why it lasts longer than today's "fast fashion" (and why Forever21 dresses will disintegrate after a couple wears). Anyway, because of superior production methods of the clothing of yore, there is not a lot of standardization in a) sizing, and b) labeling for care. We are here to help. Let's tackle washing your vintage pieces.


Listopad Rayon Colorblock Dress

Ah the conundrum of rayon. The first man-made fiber has a colorful history, including the drama of DuPont losing the original recipe in a fire in the '50s. You've probably picked up cool jersey shirts or draped dresses in a vintage store and thought for sure they were part silk or something else non-synthetic, only to find that it puts up with wear and tear better than silk or maybe there might be a little tag that says "100% Rayon or Viscose." Unfortunately, it doesn't tell you how to care for this fabric of the future. It feels way better than polyester, but does it hold up in the wash as well as poly? Not so much. Rayon does not deal well with water and looses elasticity/shape after washing so dry-cleaning is a must. If you are too cheap for that, though, the only thing I can recommend is spot cleaning with natural soap like Dr. Bronner's--don't soak or wet the entire garment, just dab a bit of detergent and water on the spots and try to soak it up with more dabbing of a sponge.

P.S. Modal is a heartier form of Rayon that can indeed be washed in the machine. It's made out of trees!