F. Scott Fitzgerald penned a classic when he wrote The Great Gatsby in 1925, a novel about what lies at the heart of the American Dream. The intriguing tale takes place in the middle of the roaring 20s and features some of the most captivating characters in literary history. These include the unassuming narrator Nick Carroway, the magnetic Mrs. Daisy Buchanan, the compulsive liar Jordan Baker and of course, the enigmatic Jay Gatsby himself. Along with its sensational antagonists, the story depicts the lavish parties and ruckus goings-on of the era with such bewitching glamour that one cannot help but wish they could some how go back and be a part of it all.

Since locating a flux capacitor is more difficult than finding a parking space in San Francisco we will have to disregard the possibility of a time machine to get us back to the days of bootlegging and the Charleston. Luckily, the Art Deco Society of California has found a way to bring the era to you in a sort of reverse time travel, with the annual Gatsby Summer Afternoon. Join the swanky dames and dandies on Sunday September 12th at the luxurious Dunsmuir Helman House in Oakland for a lovely day of summer fun. Attractions include a live jazz band, croquet, dance demos, costume contests, vintage car shows and much more.

Costumes are a must for the event and the ADSC goes for authenticity above all. The event is a summer lawn party so bust out your drop waisted frocks and make sure to match your hat with your gloves. Flapper fringe and garish sequins are a no-no for the day time event so get creative. If you're not sure what to wear visit their website for a detailed lesson on 20s-40s fashions complete with pictures and suggestions on how to put together an outfit.

We have many perfect pieces for the would be flapper or the 30s doll. To pull off a bona fide vintage ensemble you'll need to start with the right undergarments. Women in the 20s desired a gamine silhouette and disguised their feminine curves under boyish angles. A vintage bandeau brassiere will do the trick to flatten your bust, just see the lovely jacquard styles or the delicate lace bralette for real vintage options.

The tap short is also an enigmatic style of the era. We have a couple delightful designs, one in ivory silk and the other in saucy black chiffon.

Another stunning 20s look is the ethereal silk crepe chemise. Its dainty feel exudes the very fresh romanticism intrinsic to the leading lady Daisy.

Pair it with the silk trapunto slip and you'll be the cats pajamas!

Also glorious are the 30s silk night gowns and although they may not have been worn as outerwear back in the day, when paired with the right accessories they can easily translate into picnic attire. Check out this exquisite silk charmeuse floral frock or the peach Swiss dot gown for possibilities.

Old-fashioned gals hardly ever went out with out some kind of stylish head wear. Our very own straw boater hats are the perfect way to accent your vintage outfits with picnic worthy charm.

The Hermione is just one of several adorable styles.

Explore our site for more inspiration and check out the Gatsby Summer Afternoon webpage for all the details.  Who knows, with the right look and a couple glasses of champagne you may just find yourself a partner for a little old fashion necking.

Whose up for a picnic?

The Deco Belles compete for the Miss Art Deco crown.

In our brick and mortar shop in San Francisco we often see full busted women who, after a fleeting look around the store announce unhappily, "This is all so cute, but I bet you have nothing here in my size!" They must be used to the disappointing range of sizes available in some of the mainstream lingerie stores and it makes our day to defy their assumptions by quickly prompting them over to the several styles we do carry in a wide range of cup sizes. One of the most popular of these is the lovely Barbados collection from Whimsy, a brand specializing in bras in the full cup range.

This best selling bra comes in sizes 32C through 38G, fitting all sorts of busty babes. Not only does it offer excellent fit and support, the design also has great styling for an especially sexy look. Soft nylon Lycra fabric is trimmed with black stretch lace with a rhinestone at the center gore adding a hint of glamour. The matching pantie is both cute and comfortable. Boy short bottoms provide full coverage with flirty styling and an incredible, no-ride fit you will instantly fall in love with. Best of all, the set is completely affordable, proving all women can have a fantastic everyday bra and pantie set without having to choose between fit, sex appeal, or price. Take your pick of classic black shadow stripe or playful leopard or get both fetching colorways for the same amount you'd expect to pay for a single set elsewhere.

See the listings for more details.

Today we honor one of our all time favorite designers, Elsa Schiaparelli. If her contemporary and rival Coco Chanel is the queen of haute couture, then Schiaparelli is the court's knight-errant. Her bold and inventive styles were the forerunner to the the whimsy and fantasy that can be seen on the modern runways and they have left a significant mark on current fashion.

Elsa in a fabulous turban.

Schiaparelli was born in Rome in 1890 to a wealthy and influential family. Her parent's social status afforded her a proper upbringing and a comfortable lifestyle, and her uncle, renowned astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli discovered the channels of Mars.  After finishing a degree in Philosophy at the University of Rome Schiaparelli left Italy for the UK to escape the stifling conservative mentalities which clashed with her own capricious whims. She was offered a nannying job in London where she met and married the lecturer William De Wendt and several years later the two moved to New York. Shortly there after De Wendt left his pregnant wife and Schiaparelli was forced to take on the responsibilities of a single mother. She took a job writing screen plays and came to know the Dada artist Francis Picabia and his wife Gaby. Through their acquaintance Schiaparelli was introduced to a variety of other designers and artists including Man Ray and Marcel Duchamp whose artistic creativity informed her own avant-garde style. When Man Ray and Gaby left for Paris, Schiaparelli packed her things and went along with them.

The sweater that started it all .

With encouragement from Paul Poiret, a well respected designer of the time, Schiaparelli began designing clothing from the attic of her home in Paris. Her first line of clothing consisted of graphic knitwear designed with eye catching patterns and became instantly popular, they even were printed in French Vogue. Not bad for a beginner with no formal training! Schiaparelli's success continued to grow, her avant-garde fashions were outrageous yet wearable, infusing a high brow sense of art with humbling humor. She dared to go beyond the expected and her fearless creations have left their mark on clothing to this day.

A dramatic Schiaparelli design.

Schiaparelli is credited with numerous innovations in design including the broad shoulder silhouette which defined the 40s, the use of zippers in haute couture and the wedge heel shoe, all of which have become standards today. Schiaparelli was also among the first designers to sell clothing off the racks from her shop in Paris, instead of taking orders for custom made couture. This remarkable step made fashion available to a wider range of customers, rather than excluding everyone but the elite.

A Schiaparelli dress makes no attempt to conceal the zipper, instead it is part of the styling.

Among her contributions to fashion is her signature color, Shocking Pink. She described the hot fuchsia color as, "life-giving, like all the light and the birds and the fish in the world put together, a color of China and Peru but not of the West." The bold color and poetic explanation capture her vivacious approach to design and fashion in general.

Schiaparelli gowns with signature Shocking Pink components, 1951.

We are lucky enough to get our hands on a fabulous pair of Schiaparelli feathered mules, the perfect example of the scandalous flamboyance she made so chic. Slip them on and you transcend to a Parisian flat full of Gauloises smoke, glittering surreal art and a hot bohemian lover...I digress. Check out our vintage archives for past Schiaparelli slips and keep your eyes peeled, more is to come.

Check back next week for the second installment of the blog describing her prolific collaborations with artists such as Salvador Dali, Jean Cocteau and Pablo Picasso along with the haute couture masterpieces they bore.