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Do you remember Z Cavaricci pants?

They were, hands down, the greatest part of any outfit for men and women in the mid to late 80’s. Equipped with a high waist, a long crotch, a plethora of pleats, extra belt loops, and a peg leg, they invoke images of A.C. Slater or, even better, Johnny Kemp in the 1988 “Just Another Lover” music video .

I used to pass over dozens of pairs of Z Cavariccis at thrift stores with no interest at all and now I regret it. The supply is now dangerously scarce. Every now and then, I’ll find a pair that resemble the brand’s shape and detail but they won’t have the signature Z Cavaricci label on the fly. So you can imagine how excited I was when I found a Black pair in pristine condition at my local thrift store for $4.95, White Z Cavarizzi label and all!!

If you think your days of peg pants and pleating are over, think again.

Pair it with a cropped tuxedo jacket By Lux From Urban Outfitters:

Patterned tank by Torn By Ronny Kobo :

Jewel-tone heels from TopShop:

and of course a skinny belt (or 2) to accent those many belt loops, such as these from Urban Outfitters:

Z. Cavaricci’s, These aren’t just another pair of trousers.

-Camille L. 

The Takashi Murakami show just opened at Museum of Contemporary Art on Monday and now, of course, everyone’s going insane for these limited edition Murakami Louis Vuitton bags:

The LA Times Reports the MOCA has been swamped with frantic calls from people who just have to have this Neverfull Totes. And perhaps forgetting that they are, in fact, a newspaper and not a ad agency, the LA Times was really giving the hard sell for these limited edition bags in Sunday’s paper:

The sturdy tote comes in three sizes ($875 to $965) in the traditional Louis Vuitton Damier canvas with natural-colored leather handles. On the side is an oversized “LV” in psychedelic colors, emblazoned with a pair of hands and smiling flowers. This singular image is even more distinctive than the all-over logo and cherry prints the artist created for the luxury goods firm a few years back, elevating this bag even more into the realm of high art.

There are drawstrings on either side of the bag, and a strap that clips across the top to keep belongings safe. The lining is a cheery-pink canvas, and the inside pocket is big enough for a cellphone and BlackBerry. It’s a cute knock-around-town-on-a-Saturday bag, though it would be nice if there were feet on the base to keep it from getting dirty.

Um, okay, but feet or no feet Murakami or no Murakami, I still don’t like them. Seriously, after having to look at Jessica Simpson walking around with that LV bag for I don’t know how long and then every sweats-wearing woman at the airport proudly clutching her fake thereafter, if I never see another Louis V bag again, it will be too soon.

I am however very psyched for the actual exhibit and Murakami’s non-purse related work, which looks RAD:

I plan to go this weekend and hit up the non-Louis Vuitton souvenirs. I will report soon.

Photos from Eric Nakamura of Giant Robot and Zimbio.com.

Some people dream of cars, houses, jewels, and maybe world peace, but I dream of tights–rows and rows of tights and other legwear in every color and style. Well, my friends, this reverie is now a reality thanks to We Love Colors. It’s a fantasy come to life, and I have to pinch myself every time I go to the site.

They also have socks, thigh-highs, knee socks, fishnets and leotards in colors like these:

-V. Thread 

There are certain stores where I rarely pay full-price (or FOOL price), and JCrew is one of them. Something has to be really spectacular for me to even consider it because most of that cute overpriced stuff eventually goes on sale, anyway.

Right now I’m obsessing over this goosedown puffer, despite the fact that I live in California . I love everything about this little dude–yellow and a cinched waist, am I dreaming? Right now it’s $158, but I bet it will go down to $99 eventually.

I’ll say a rosary.

I’m not really into dressing up for Halloween, but, you know, sometimes you have to. Maybe your boss loves the holiday or your friend decides to have a party and you don’t want to miss out on the onion dip. Shit happens. And when such circumstances touch my life, I look for an easy out.

One thought I had was Ugly Betty. It’s pretty easy–you probably have some of it in your closet, and what you don’t have can be easily found in a thrift or fast fashion store in a strip mall.

If all else fails, get a red poncho and slap on the word Guadalajara. Done.

You need stuff like this:

Busy blouse J.Crew, Sweater Vest Urban Outfitters, Heavy Fabric Skirt Tulle, Wedge Mary Janes Two Lips, Red Glasses from any drugstore.

Oh, and here’s a little slide show I threw together for more inspiration:

Here’s a picture of Zellweger a split second before she start killing people with her eyes.

No, really, she’s freaking me out.

Almost all the clothes in a thrift store are unwearable, with a few gems hiding within. In the golden age of thrift shopping (the 90s), you had to sift through Bart Simpson and company picnic t-shirts to find the Levis Sta-Prest and Hang Ten shirts, but now there’s a new culprit clogging things up: cheap clothes à la Forever 21.

Now, I’m not saying I don’t indulge in the cheapness that is Forever 21 on a frequent basis but, call me a snob, I draw the line at buying it second hand. It’s not like that stuff really goes the long haul. It’s called disposable fashion for a reason.

The thrift stores have my back on this one…in London, anyway, according to a Times Online article by Lisa Armstrong. In it she writes that the thrift stores of Notting Hill, one of the priciest London neighborhoods, are rejecting donations of cheap clothes because they’re not profitable enough. She says clothes lose half their value once you taken them home and then half of that once you wear them. So do that math for a $16 top from some flimsy fashion store.

I wonder if this phenomenon will spread to US thrift stores. It seems like the cheaper clothes get in chain stores, the market for used clothing will begin to fade because most people who have the option would rather pay $6 for a new t-shirt than $1 for a used one. As thrift stores become pickier about what they accept, maybe second hand shops will be the only place you can actually get some decent quality clothes.

Hmmm…the Goodwill did just open a high end store in Connecticut, where they sell designer jeans and such.

-V. Thread

“Speak to me bones” by Land of talk (a Threadtrend FAVORITE!!!!!!)

As long as I live, I will never understand the whole celebrities as “fashion designers” phenomenon. Who in their right mind would want to own a piece by Amanda Bynes? And by “piece” I mean a poorly constructed pink hoodie with lightning bolts or rainbows and moon shadows.

I think my favorite example of a celebrity line is Alyssa Milano’s “Touched,” a collection of baseball-theme clothes for women (yes, if my religious reading of Bop magazine serves me well, I do remember that she’s  big into baseball). Here’s a sampling:

Ew.

I get that she wants to get paid (although the money from two syndicated television shows and a score of Japanese pop albums should be enough for anyone), and I accept that there’s a niche audience of women who desire “sexy” stuff to wear to the ballpark, but still, it’s so unnecessary.

Just like Sarah Jessica Parker’s “Bitten,” Jessica Alba’s upcoming baby clothes line, Jennifer Love Hewitt’s “Enhance,” Hilary Duff’s “Stuff,” Reba McIntire’s “Reba,” and especially Beyonce’s “House of Dereon.”

Ew.

It’s a shame that real, struggling designers are losing opportunities thanks to these terrible lines. It also sucks that those who are really behind these celebrity vanity projects are forced to cater to the creative whims of actresses and singers who’ve decided making clothes is fun regardless of actual talent or training.

One of the most recent, and perhaps offensive lines, is Pete Wentz’ “Clandestine Industries.” Are we really suppose to trust the tastes of someone who’s taken Ashley Simpson as a lover? And even apart from her, he’s got enough egregious crimes–namely his band and his fashion sense–to answer for. Plus, he’s just taking advantage of all the black sweatshirt wearing, mildly depressed pubescent girls who want his emo bod and soul and will spend their guilty parent’s money on anything Wentz related.
Here’s an example of what they’re laying down $24.95 for:

I rest my case.

Support a real designer.

-V. Thread

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