I love birthday presents. I love Christmas presents. It is a fact that I love presents of all varieties, but usually I protest the opportunity to be a recipient because I was raised with the notion that a gracious decline (see "no gifts please") was good manners. No matter how much I protest, which I usually doth too much, there is no denying the joy of fiendishly tearing into the aluminum foil (What? Everyone doesn't ensconce gifts of the heart in food-grade wrapping?) to uncover something that is meant just for me; growing up in a family of five children, there were very few things that I could claim as mine alone. The only thing better than a birthday gift or Christmas gift, is that gift that comes totally unexpectedly at a time when a little pick me up is needed but no such expectation can be justified because the major gift-giving holidays have just very recently passed - the "just because" gift. When that rarest species of gifts just happens to be old-timey AND wacky tacky, then you know you have hit the "just because" jackpot!
Many people will say that they were "born in the wrong decade," but I am convinced that the same people would be reticent to abandon the luxuries and basic comforts provided by the modern world. I see it as an episode of The Twilight Zone - an unwitting protagonist wishes to go back in time but fails to read the fine print and promptly contracts polio and lives in an iron lung for the rest of his life. Despite the obvious pitfalls of time travel, I will admit that I too have been guilty of spending an inordinate amount of time planning the clever and productive use of a time machine should such a device ever become available. Few things make the desire to explore the flexibility of the space-time continuum more profound than a "just because" gift I recently received from my pals Jesse & Emily. Just four words....
Don't you want to live in a time when a South American songstress was popular enough with the whole family to warrant a coloring book? Even if you didn't want to live in 1942, wouldn't be a nice place to visit?
Carmen Miranda, having been featured previously on our blog, is a true icon of wacky tacky. Our credo of "More is more," is a natural extension of her outlandish hats, beautiful costumes, and mile-high platform shoes. Owning this nearly-untouched coloring book is a bit intimidating because the large pages are just begging to be colored (a favorite wacky tacky pastime) but the nagging feeling that it is somehow wrong to color a vintage coloring book can't be denied. What do you think?
There are a few colored pages but it is obvious that the artist, Mary Ann, applied a gentle and loving hand.
All I want is a trip to Copacabana Beach - circa 1939
It is amazing to me how with just a few simple lines, the spirit of Carmen is captured in the pages of this book.
Thrown in for good measure?
The details are all there, right down to
those famous platform shoes!
This generous gift is even more meaningful because Emily is a huge, classic movie buff; she has a beautiful blog called The Silver Screen Affair. For her to have a little piece of movie-related history in her hands and be magnanimous enough to give it to me was a truly kind gesture. The greatest part about a "just because" gift is the opportunity to pay it forward and make somebody else's day.
"I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi Like You Very Much" - Carmen Miranda
Thanks Emily & Jesse!!! I, yi, yi, yi, yi, yi like you too!!!
On top of having the longest-running vintage store, with the BEST name in Orange County, Nicole of Swellegant Vintage Clothing & Accessories in Newport Beach, CA is really cool. Stop by her shop any day of the week, and you will likely find her steaming clothes, listening to killer music or taking a nap on the sofa. Ask her a few question and you'll find that she has some crazy stories and is a trained pilot. We were fortunate enough to walk through the doors of Swellegant and ask Nicole a few questions about life in the vintage clothing business.
Through these doors, one can soak in
the font of Orange County vintage.
WT: You are a trained aviatrix with a mane of the most brilliant vermillion, may we refer to you as the Red Baron?
Swellegant: Please don't.
Nicole, Ben, and Mary involved in a very serious discussion at Swellegant
WT: Okay, okay. You have the best name in the business. How did you come up with the name for your store?
Swellegant: I came up with the store name from the musical High Society written by Cole Porter. Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby did a number about a "swellegant, elegant party" in the song "Well, Did you Evah?" I dislike watching musicals but I guess this one changed my life?
"Well, Did you Evah?"
High Society (1956)
WT: How long have you been in the vintage clothing business?
Swellegant: I have had the shop for 15 years but I started selling to other shops almost 20 years ago.
wacky tacky loves Swellegant because the prices are great and it is a real
vintage store. It is not one of those vintage museums where they act like
they are doing a huge favor to society and where the prices are so high
that the inventory, however beautiful, never moves.
WT: What got you started in the business?
Swellegant: I got started in the business by selling vintage to other shops to pay for college. In high school I had no desire to be part of the norm. I found the very best way to express this was through clothing. This led me to second-hand stores, flea markets, etc. In my quest for non-verbal self expression I noticed the obvious - fashion repeating itself. I also realized that any repeat is usually a poor imitation of the original. There had to be a market for the amazing items I found but had no personal desire to wear. In need of funds for my education and entertainment I turned to something I enjoyed doing on an almost daily basis (it's like crack) into a profitable venture.
My favorite fixture in the shop is this mini, carousel giraffe turned purse rack!
WT: For what items are you on the hunt?
Swellegant: These days it is all over the place. At the shop I do not specialize in any one era. The racks represent a broad spectrum of vintage styles. I have to keep up with what the mass, vintage-shopping population is looking for. In the past, I used to only shop for items in near-perfect condition but now things are appreciated for their flaws and wear. Sadly, sometimes that means eras that I personally love have less of a place at Swellegant.
WT: It seems like the range of eras which you stock must have broadened since you have been in business.
Swellegant: It has definitely broadened further than I could have imagined. 90's is now vintage???!!! I started wearing vintage in the 90's because I didn't want to wear that stuff. Now I have to buy it.
WT: What is your favorite era?
Swellegant: I jump from the 30's-50's. It depends on my mood or the occasion. I would have to say, if I had to pick, it would be the 40's - IT'S THE SHOES!!!
Shoes currently available at Swellegant
WT: What is the best vintage item that you have ever found/bought/sold?
Swellegant: No one item comes to mind with such eminence. I am constantly on the hunt and am constantly adding/subtracting wardrobe items. If I love it, I usually don't sell it. At one point in my sinking, college financial situation, I sold almost 100 of my best Bakelite bracelets. That was painful to say the least. I thought that some day I would buy them back but other priorities and items have taken precedence.
WT: What is your ideal vintage item? Have you found it yet?
Swellegant: There isn't any one item that I would say is ideal. To me, getting dressed is synergistic - the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. I have plenty of single pieces that I wouldn't consider ideal on their own but you don't know if you have found it until you have put it all together.
Modesty hats
WT: You are always dressed perfectly for every occasion, do you have any style icons?
Swellegant: I wouldn't say that I have any real style icons; there are so many great names in fashion. Idolizing another's style is a substitute for a lack of style. I may recreate looks I have seen - hopefully with my own flair. If not, I would hope that the originator would view my interpretation as a form of flattery and think my emulation does their stye justice. Are there any truly original ideas when it comes to fashion anyway?
WT: Do you have a dollar limit on rare/desirable items?
Swellegant: Not being of infinite means, of course I have a dollar amount. I walk away from items all the time due to price. If I am going to obsess about an item then I would rather pay to have it instead of obsessing. Mental peace is worth more than cash. I don't really hold money in high regard and I tend to be self-indulgent especially when it comes to clothes. I would never go into debt for fashion though; I only spend money I have and consider disposable.
WT: Do you find that running your own business allows you more or less freedom?
Swellegant: In theory, working for yourself allows you more freedom. In reality, I have less. It is probably a personal character trait that denies me this freedom. I find myself working almost all of the time, at the shop or not. Vintage is a lot of work; when people come into my store I don't want to let them down.
WT: Is managing this business easier, harder or just as difficult as you imagined?
Swellegant: It is a bit harder than I imagined. I think I made it so by doing everything. It is difficult for me to delegate tasks. I am trying to let go of the "If I don't do it myself, then it is never done right" mentality, but it is an interpersonal struggle. It's funny because in my social life I am VERY easy going; the less I have to do to amuse myself, the better.
Dressing rooms at Swellegant
WT: Is this your dream job? Why?
Swellegant: For the most part it is my dream job. I love treasure hunting and people's appreciation for what I bring to them through my store. It is very rewarding when you see their excitement as they enter the door and even more so when they find a perfect addition to their wardrobe because of you. Although at times the store feels like "job," I do feel self-actualization overall.
WT: Can you see yourself in this career forever?
Swellegant: I am pretty sure this is it for me. At times I get restless and long for the mental stimulation that I found prior to working in retail. I guess that is what travel and articulate friends are for?
Is she calling us articulate? I'm not sure, but if you know what's good for you, you'll be sure to visit the Swellegant website and like Swellegant on Facebook! Better yet, stop by Swellegant in Newport Beach and find yourself some great new threads!
Nicole and Mary carefully examine a pair of neon jogging shorts.
Swellegant Vintage Clothing & Accessories
3409 Newport Blvd
Newport Beach, CA
(949)673-3604
Carmen Miranda was born in Portugal! Yes, the archetypal Brazilian who put Brazil on the map and introduced the Samba to the consciousness of the world was a native of Portugal.
Born Maria do Carmo Miranda da Cunha in 1909, her family moved to Rio de Janeiro shortly after her birth. In the beginning of her career she dressed in contemporary modes of the day and became famous for her beautiful interpretations of the samba. Her international fame exploded after she played in the 1939 musical revue "Streets of Paris" on Broadway. A one-woman Good Neighbor Policy, Miranda quickly began her American film career playing herslef in a musical sequence from the 1940 Fox film Down Argentine Way. From then on, she was about as famous for her costumes as she was for her voice.
Her beautiful phrasing and sensual dancing could not be hidden under the mile-high turbans that she wore but she will always be remembered for her extreme presentation of "bahiana" style. It seems a sacrilege to relegate Miranda to anything but Technicolor but several of her film were in black and white??!! Some of her get-ups, many designed by Miranda herself, were so ridiculous that even Donald Trump would have a difficult time questioning her wacky tacky credentials.
Typical Bahiana style
We're bananas for Carmen's muito-Bahiana style
I tried to cull some images to show that there was more to Carmen Miranda than just the iconic "Lady in the Tutti Frutti Hat."
Really, she was always cookin' but how
often do you think of Carmen in the kitchen?
1930's nautical
Now those are some bumper bangs!
Her hair was almost always up; it is nice to see those tresses flowing.
Where's Carmen? Where did she go?
This almost looks 3-D...at least on my screen.
Well-Suited - even in street clothes she had great style!
She embodied wacky tacky ideal number one - more is more!
At roughly five-feet-tall, Miranda's diminutive stature was obviously overshadowed by her huge presence, enhanced exponentially by the crazy platform shoes that she popularized during the 1940's.
Carmen towering above her wealth of platforms.
Eat your heart out Imelda Marcos.
One of the under-acknowledged high-fashion trends that was born at the tail-end of the depression and continued into the 1940's was wild platform shoes. Here are a few pairs that Miranda could easily handle, but in which most would break an ankle.
Carmen Miranda was above all else, a performer; she gave new meaning to the word "trouper" during her final performance. In 1955 Miranda made a guest appearance on The Jimmy Durante Show. She wowed the audience with her signature costumes, malapropisms and SAMBA!
At about 3:31 she drops to one knee after suffering a mild heart attack mid-dance. She goes on to continue the routine and finish the show!!! She died in her home of a second heart attack later that evening. What a woman!
In her lifetime, she took some heat from Brazilians for being "too American" and for becoming a caricature of herself and her country. The ill will became so strong that for a period of time, Miranda refused to return to Rio. In the end, however, she was embraced by her country and her death was mourned by the people of Brazil. I am not a huge fan of biopics, but I would LOVE to see one done well about Carmen Miranda. The trouble would be finding someone with the charisma, dynamism and talent of Carmen Miranda- a difficult task indeed!
