Deal of the Day

There’s not too much explanation needed here — we’re looking at a vintage CHANEL Black Jumbo Flap Bag for $2,199. If you bought this bag at Chanel today, you’d pay over $4,000, and honestly, it probably wouldn’t be as cool as this vintage version. This bag will absolutely never go out of style, so when you think of $2,199 over the next 20 years, this bag pays for itself easily!

Don’t believe the hype? Check out some pics below to see the many who worship at the altar of the Chanel Flap bag, or shop our entire collection of pre-owned Chanel:

Nicole Richie

Victoria Beckham

Kourtney Kardashian

Nicky Hilton

Kate Hudson

Alexa Chung

Karolina Kurkova

Retro Glam

Dita Von Teese can basically do no wrong in my book. She is always immaculately put together, and she knows exactly what suits her and sticks with it. This lady has a look.

I love her here in a peach Jenny Packham dress and bronze accessories. Most people would never go with red lips, but she pulls it off with panache. She smartly went simple with the jewels, choosing a pair of yellow gold and diamond retro earrings that aren’t too flashy, but have a bit of personality. I am a huge fan of vintage button-style earrings, and they are totally back in style these days. See below for some of my favorites:

Vintage Platinum Diamond Pearl Stud Earrings Jackets

Vintage Gold Emerald Diamond Princess Earrings Jewelry

Platinum Vintage Art Deco 1940’s 9 ctw European-Cut Diamond Clip-On Earrings

Notable Necklaces

I think Mandy Moore looks adorable here promoting her new Disney movie Tangled. Her sweet Paule Ka LBD only needs two strong accessories–fabulous red satin heels and a multi-strand pearl and diamond necklace (that I’m assuming is vintage). Some people might look at this necklace and think ‘old’, but Mandy did it just right. Her not-too-perfect topknot is just the right hair for her age, and she wisely stays minimal on the makeup and other jewelry.

Think pearls and crystals can’t be hip? Check out my favorites below, and think about pairing them with your own short ‘n’ sweet black cocktail dress and killer heels!

SWAROVSKI Crystal necklace by Daniel Swarovski.

MONET Vintage Modernist Enamel and Pearl Pendant Necklace

SCHIAPARELLI

Vintage Faux Pearl Opera Necklace

 

 

 

 

Diamonds & Lace

Lately all the young starlets have been taking to the red carpet in peek-a-boo black lace dresses. Just in the past couple of weeks, Emma Watson stepped out in Rafael Lopez, Taylor Swift chose Jenny Packham and Kirsten Dunst wore just-off-the-runway Valentino. It’s interesting to see just how different these similar fabrics can look—Emma is sexy and sassy, Taylor is black-tie-ready, and Kirsten’s choice could go from day to night.

One thing that could tie all of these dresses together? A great pair of diamond earrings. Since lace is so intricate, I would choose a retro button or vintage style that doesn’t take away from the details of the dress. Check out our favorites below:

LEO PIZZO Diamond Earrings

Platinum Vintage Art Deco 1940’s 9 ctw European-Cut Diamond Clip-On Earrings

Platinum Art Deco 1920’s 2.50 ctw European-Cut Diamond Disc Earrings

Platinum & 14k Yellow Gold Art Deco 1940’s Pave European-Cut Diamond Ball Stud Earrings

 

Stack ‘em Up

Alright, I admit that the first thing that caught my eye on this month’s issue of Australian GQ was True Blood‘s Ryan Kwanten. But then I immediately turned to the unnamed woman’s arm and her mix-and-match stack of bangles. I love the combination of white and gold metal, all accentuated with a bit of diamond bling. Plus, the different shapes and sizes give the stack a really fresh look that somehow feels at once vintage and contemporary.

If you go for a similar pileup, make sure you stay extra simple on the rest of your accessories. All you’ll need is an understated pair of diamond studs to finish the ensemble. Check out our favorite bracelets to start your own collection:

JEWEL OF OCEAN 18K White Gold Diamond Bracelet

Handcrafted Sterling Silver & Gold 6.50 ctw Rose-Cut Diamond Hinged Bangle Bracelet

WEINGRILL Vintage 18K Yellow Gold Coral Diamond Bracelet

JEWEL OF OCEAN 18k Yellow Gold Diamond Tennis Bracelet

 

Drew’s Very Vintage

Drew Barrymore is one of my favorite celebs–I so admire her ability to be herself, at all times, even when her look or style may be unpopular. That’s why I love her ensemble at last night’s Nylon + Express August Denim Issue Party in West Hollywood–she chose a $25 vintage dress picked up at an Austin shop.

I’m a sucker for anything sequined, and the slightly slouchy shape is more sophisticated than a skintight mini. Want to check out some of our favorite vintage pieces right now? Here’s our three favorite shimmery accessories:

Ciner Vintage Cognac and Grey Crystal Swirl Pin. This would look great as a hair accessory (pinned next to a chic chignon) or pinned on a simple clutch for evening.

Judith Leiber Rare Vintage Pale Lilac Velvet & Crystal Evening Clutch. Just a touch of sparkle makes this bag extra special.

Vintage Italian Rhinestone Cuff Bracelet. This extra-wide bracelet is the only accessory you need with a little black dress.

Image via CocoPerez

Kanye’s Vintage Hermes

Love him or hate him, Kanye West definitely has strong opinions about style. He’s collaborated with Louis Vuitton on a shoe line, has an apartment full of modern art that has been featured in many magazines, and even loves to talk about his accessories on his Twitter account. His most recent post? The worn leather tote above, complete with a caption reading: “Vintage Hermes travel bags are tight yo!!!“

While everyone might not get the appeal of a bag with obvious years under its belt, there’s something about the aged patina of good leather that feels like luxury. Kanye’s bag, while rough around the edges, is still fully functional and has a lot more character than somethings straight out of the workshop. Plus, I love the initials on the front–doesn’t it make you wonder who used to own the bag and where it’s been?

Want to check out Portero’s pre-owned Hermes? Shop here, and know that every one of these pieces are made so well that you can pass them down to the next generation!

VINTAGE is here!

We’re pretty excited to bring you a pet project of ours–a dedicated Vintage category to shop all the time! We’ve always carried a selection of vintage bags, watches, jewelry and accessories, but this launch means we’ve upgraded to a better selection, even better prices and easier shopping.

You’ll see a ton of great pieces in the category now, but make sure you check back daily to see all of the new treasures that will be posted in the coming weeks. This will be an ever-evolving, always-growing group of vintage items with an emphasis on the rare, unique and hard-to-find.

(Shop now to find standouts like the Lana Marks Vintage Cognac Crocodile Shoulder Bag or the Rolex Vintage 1930s Nickel Tank Stainless Steel Men’s Manual Winding Watch pictured above.)

 

Very VINTAGE!

We are more than excited to announce that our new Vintage category is launching soon! You might have noticed that we already have cool vintage pieces spread out on our site, but now you’ll have a dedicated place to find all of our ‘oldie but goodies’.

Looking for ’80s Chanel jewelry? Check. How about mid-century Patek Phillipe? Done. Diamond Art Deco jewels? Yes and Yes. Stay tuned to this space and Portero.com for more information.