Born-Again Kids

Bridgett makes these awesome knit corsets. A couple of months ago, she made one for my daughter Zoe, who is only 11. Zoe put hers on this morning over a plain white tank. Looks so cute with appliques or embroidery, too, on a tween or teen, and with other designs for a grown-up gal. And they're so easy to make. All you need is an old sweater, a long piece of ribbon and a crochet needle. Take a look at the directions in Born-Again Vintage and see for yourself.

The 80s Prom: Why Only Live It Once?

Jen's good friend Tabitha lives for Halloween, and nothing makes her party more fun for her than having a theme. Last year, we were all fairies: good fairies, bad fairies, rocker-chick fairies, etc. This year, we thought it would be fun to have an 80s prom night. And look what Jen just scored on eBay!

Naturally, as soon as we're done wearing them, they go straight to Bridgett for remaking for putting in our book, 27 Dresses. Jen can't wait to see what she does with these. The photos were cribbed off eBay, so you can't really see what great patterns and colors and textures these are. But we're sure you can use your imagination.

The Aforementioned Cape

Jen has a feeling you were curious about the cape she mentioned in the first Paris blog. She found a picture of herself in it, posing in front of the golden gates of Versailles (you can't get more vintage than that!). So here it is. Cute, right? Especially over a tank and skinny jeans. It was chilly and breezy that day, so here she's got it layered over several jerseys--not exactly how she had planned to wear it. But it did in a pinch.

It's important to note that vintage boutiques often stock a rack or two of original collections from up-and-coming local designers who reflect the shop's philosophy. Jen has scored a number of quality, original, non-expensive items this way (she'll post another one soon), and Bridgett's designs are frequently showcased in such places. So even if you're not a total vintage freak, but love unique pieces, stop into your corner vintage store for a look-see. You never know what might be there.

Born-Again Coats

You wouldn't believe what you can do with retro jackets and coats. This used to be a structure-less winter jacket with a terrific paisley print. With a little trimming, it's a take on tails! And below was a waist-length coat with long sleeves, giant buttons and a fur collar that was both itchy and sweaty. It looked like a bed jacket for a rich old lady. But the material was irresistible. Now it's a funky piece that makes unique use of that great color and cloth, perfect for hip chicks of all ages.

And you can get useful clothing not only from coats, but from the linings of them. This was the zip-out lining of an 80s black trenchcoat with huge padded shoulders that looked dated even though trench coats came back in style. With its original zipper but trimmed sleeves and an added ruffle, this is a great piece to wear over leggings or skinny jeans.