Thunderous Threads Throwback to the Future with Thunderhorse Vintage
Smack dab in the middle of the biggest recession in decades – neon, splashy prints, acid wash, and tight-rolled jeans are rampant. Ironically, this year spring trends are dilly-dallying in the late 80s and early 90s, times of comparable fiscal peril. Did we accidently take a wrong turn in a hyperspace DeLorean? How can we dabble in throwback fashion when all our Hypercolor shirts have permanent pit-stains and our bare wallets are the only accessories worthy of such concern?
For Jennifer and Marilyn Ayres, co-owners of local vintage boutique Thunderhorse Vintage, this irony isn’t a problem. The sprightly twenty-three year old twin sisters have been fans of 80s punk and thrift store vintage since their high school days in Davis, where the overriding fashion aesthetic was plainly “collegiate.” Both girls are known to sport a neon mishmash of punk-infused layers expertly altered for maximum impact – not for peripheral viewing. Jen, for instance, wears her hair in an angled modern mullet in bright auburn with panels of shocking turquoise. She has been spotted behind the counter of her store wearing spandex workout wear Jane Fonda might covet. Her personal style is an authentic expression of who she is: bright, cheeky, unapologetic, and obsessed with vintage.
Jennifer started Thunderhorse Vintage in a small room at the back of Bows & Arrows’ gargantuan premises on L St, but has now moved into its own real estate at 2522 J St. She describes her store’s collection as “artifacts” of the past, boasting an abundance of pristine specimens from every era. She continues to unearth such stunners from the Bush Sr. and Reagan era to keep up with increasing springtime demands. In case you were wondering, their prices are as reasonable as a beer on Friday.
For this spring fashion shoot (see photo), Thunderhorse and I took some of the store’s more obviously dated pieces and combined them in a modern way. Some may deem this pair of geometric-patterned tapered cotton pants —formerly known as “Hammer pants,” nowadays thinly disguised as “harem pants”— unwearable, but modern versions of this controversial shape have reached a definite height this season. To contrast their former life of beanbag chairs and matching pattern half-shirts, we combined these pants with a slim black tank, a metallic floral vest and a dizzying dose of unpredictable accessories.
Thunderhorse argues that you don’t need to be part of the soulless consumerist machine to stay distinctive and hip. Vintage, a little creativity and a lot of balls go a long way. The result is a modern silhouette exploding with fun, nostalgia… and spring-like overtones of endless possibility.
Here’s a lil snapshot of me, Jen Thunderhorse and the model, Jillian at a recent MOD fashion show.
I have been incredibly humbled by the excess of love bestowed on Painfully Hip by you and by local publications, so imagine the thrill I enjoyed when the News and Review asked me to oversee the writing and styling of an entire winter fashion article!
How do I feel? I’m in print! Legit would be a good word for it. I’m totally legit now and here are some dark, blurry behind-the-scenes photos to prove it:
I was giddy as hell to be allowed to devise outfits from a huge pile of amazing designer clothes and flashy vintage accessories. I was really lucky to have such talent at my disposal.
Anyway, here’s the final result:
Don’t be a frumpy, frigid fashion shut-in Savvy style advice for nearly nuclear winters
By Amber Mortensen
Winter in Sacramento has its own bleak aesthetic: cold, naked, grim. But don’t let that influence what you wear.
The chilly season is neither long nor frigid enough to phone it in when getting dressed. Warm clothes don’t have to be synonymous with frumpy coats or mass-produced sweaters; dressing up should be about putting a sway in your swagger and making a tedious, chilly day more stimulating.
Conveniently, local designers Jamaica Cole, Lindsay Campbell, and sisters Laura and Becky Carter are at your disposal. These artists not only provided the styles for SN&R’s winter fashion shoot (see photo, right), but they also can help slough off a few winter humbugs with the fashionable fruits of their labor.
All four designers will be part of a seasonal fashion showcase, Church of Satin’s Nostos Algos, on December 28, in Midtown. Expect lively creations, like embroidered corduroy jumpers and print tops from Campbell, quirky organic-cotton cigarette pants from the Carters and Cole’s collection of fanciful frocks inspired by the brothers Grimm. You’d have to be Scrooge himself to not be cheered by such spectacles, so imagine the glow you’ll feel when you take their advice and start dressing like you mean it.
Sure, the economy is cockamamie, corporations are evil and the environment’s screwed. But this isn’t the apocalypse. Try harder. Keep reading.
Remember: Winter days seem short, but they’re still 24-hours long.
Any fashion addict will agree that the genius of dressing for the cold is that you can wear more clothes, smashing summer’s styling possibilities out of the park. That said, please bear in mind: A well-considered ensemble is greater than the sum of its parts. Confused?
Campbell, designer of fashion line Linden Simone, can help. She understands separates, and while you might have a difficult time choosing just a few pieces from Campbell’s prolific collection, her combinations work: asymmetrical, ’60s-inspired coats; chic, high-waisted skirts; ruffled blouses composed of quaint vintage fabrics. Why clutch onto that soulless parka of yesteryear when you could knock off socks with something like Campbell’s colorful, intricate bouclé cape with contrast stitching? Or her flattering tweed, three-quarter-sleeved coat with peacoat buttons and ruffled Peter Pan collar?
That’s right: Never underestimate the power of layering.
Do as your grandparents did during the Depression: Reuse, buy vintage, don layers and wool, put a feather in your cap, be creative with your dough.
Keep warm with luxurious, breathable fabrics and soft, chunky weaves. Grab an impish knit cloche (perhaps by the peerless Amy Hemmens of Naik Fur) and a flattering, classic coat, then hit the streets.
The coat is, of course, the most visible winter garment, so consider an organic wool confection with blithe details, like oversized buttons and a funnel collar, from Velvet Leaf. Velvet Leaf’s Laura and Becky use only certified organic wool, silk and cotton, and each piece is flawlessly finished with unadulterated skill to boot. Even more, their promise to use only sustainable, eco-conscious, fair-trade fabrics makes for guilt-free shopping.
Check out Velvet Leaf’s brand-spanking-new Midtown store and their handpicked selection of on-trend vintage.
Take a hint.
Is it possible to still be inspired in spite of the grim global forecast?
Yes. And let designer Jamaica Cole, of Sapphire Cordial, be your muse. Cole’s influences vary from nature and architecture to dark Grimms’ Fairy Tales illustrations. Her current collection is titled “Briars”; she describes the motif as “Rapunzel’s prince falling into the briars and having his eyes scratched out by thorns.”
As provocative as that sounds, Cole’s line is actually alluring and quite feminine, embellished only with a touch of the macabre. She rarely uses patterns and finds that her favorite pieces are born of happy accidents. One such beloved design is a palatial three-quarter-sleeved coat with lux flourishes, like vintage doilies on each sleeve.
During the photo shoot, Cole beamed when we merged said couture jacket with Velvet Leaf’s high-waisted boyfriend jeans, made with organic denim; Campbell’s ruffled print top; and a decorative vintage belt. It seems that Cole’s goal is to have the fashion-minded looking forward each year to January wind’s familiar bite—until, of course, the polar ice caps dissolve and winter is no longer.
But, hopefully, that’s a long way away. Until then, make every day count: Lift frozen spirits by wearing what you love, not trends as dictated by the seasons, glossy magazines or, god forbid, propriety. Got it? If not …
Suck it up.
This winter’s not so bad. Go ahead, wear white after Labor Day or purple suede ankle boots on a gloomy Tuesday afternoon if it helps clear the cobwebs. There are enough rules in the world; there’s no need to feel stifled when choosing an outfit on a frigid morning.
Now’s the season to boycott archaic fashion-industry notions of monochromatic, dark shades and colors. Bring it on with bijou declarations: purple, teal, crimson and rust. While you’re at it, why not throw that default polar fleece and Uggs combo to the moths this year?
Although a lovingly hatched, locally designed, certifiably sweatshop-free outfit may not have the power to change the world, it’s fully within the realm of possibilities that it could, at the very least, make your day. So …
Shop for handmade fashions by local designers.
Buying locally from Sacramento boutiques like Atelier (1617 16th Street) is one of the best ways to help your city’s economy: It is good for the environment, shuns corporations that use exploitative labor and supports local designers. But more importantly, nobody knows Sacramento winter-survival skills better than Sacramentans themselves. Atelier is a co-op where local artists sell handmade and vintage togs, and 15 different designers’ works can be found there. So by shopping at Atelier, you’re supporting Sacramento’s budding fashion scene while scoring one-of-a-kind wares—for an average price of about $25. After that, pop into independently owned Bows and Arrows (1712 L Street) for some vintage statement accessories like decorative belts, ankle boots and chunky jewels, and you’ll be all set for a celebratory winter.
The north wind may be blowing, but you’re precisely as hot as you feel.
Clockwise from top left:
On Alice Irwin: bouclé cape by Linden Simone, purple Jamie dress by Velvet Leaf, black knit cloche by Naik Fur.
On Cheri Clark: vintage ankle boots from Velvet Leaf, black ruffle sweater and lace jumper by Sapphire Cordial, cream knit cloche by Naik Fur.
On Jillian Oliver: Emelie dress by Velvet Leaf, coat by Linden Simone, red knit cloche by Naik Fur.
On Liz Liles: three-quarter-sleeved coat by Sapphire Cordial, print top by Linden Simone, high-waisted boyfriend jeans by Velvet Leaf, cream knit hat by Naik Fur.
Check out designers Laura and Becky Carter’s new store, Velvet Leaf, online and at 1115 H Street.
Shoes and accessories are vintage.
Hair and makeup by Ariana Garcia and Tessa Matsis of Strands Salon and Spa (3271 Folsom Boulevard).
Special thanks to Lindsay Hoff and Rory Toolan (who gave me one of these amazing Naik Fur cloches for Xmas! Glee!)
Lovely Jamaica of Sapphire Cordial is letting me model her confections at this show which you REALLY mustn’t miss:
Nostos Algos Church of Satin Winter Fashion Showcase, featuring designers Velvet Leaf, Ingrid Fur, Sapphire Cordial, Linden Simone, Van der Neer; musicians Dusty Brown, Sister Crayon, DJ Shaun Slaughter; and host Steve Vanoni. Sunday, December 28, 7:30 p.m., at California Stage, 2509 R Street; $10 in advance, $12 at the door. Tickets available at Atelier and Bows and Arrows.
Painfully Hip got a good plug in the awesome weekly paper, the Sacramento News & Review. This photo is a 2 page spread in their 2008 Summer Guide (Collector’s Edition, no less).
…Amber Mortensen, co-creator of the fashion blog Painfully Hip, credits the Internet with making fashion more accessible to the public. “It’s so nice that trendsetting powers are now being taken away from corporations and glossy magazines and are back in the hands of normal people,” she remarked. “Especially people who have the creativity but not the money to spend.”
Mortensen suggests organizing a clothing swap as a means of picking up some new threads for free. You get to unload your unwanted clothing, while rummaging through someone else’s giveaways—treasures can be found!
Come July 19, Mortensen will team up with the owners of Bows & Arrows to throw the Major Hip Replacement Clothing Swap. Bring your cast-off clothing and a laundry basket with your name on it, and be prepared to rummage in search of buried treasures.
(Click here for the full article.)
Kinda funny that this edition of the paper just so happens to be glossy…
So yes, it’s official! Even though it went to print with the wrong date (take note: it’s Saturday July 19th, not June 19th), the Sacramento edition of the Major Hip Replacement Clothing Swap is a go! Keep reading for details as they solidify!
Never before have I been quoted so prominently in print and never before has my ass looked so detachable.
Thanks, SN&R!
All images were either used with permission or found on the web and believed to be in the public domain. If any images that appear are in violation of copyright law, please let me know and i will remove them immediately.
Thanks for reading,
Amber
painfullyhip at gmail.com
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Just scored an interview to be the new Visual Merchandiser (aka Window Dresser) at Forever21 and the envy of unemployed 21 y/o's everywhere. 2010-07-29
