I like this town, I think I'll buy it for you.

That was on a postcard I saw in an antiques shop in Novato, CA. Just a white front with a city skyline outline and that text in red. It was sent from "Chas. B." to "Bill" as Chas was steaming out of the SF harbor on the USS Independence. After a few "Hi how are you sorry I missed you this time" obligatories, he scrawls in the margin barely legibly asking Bill to pick him up in 2 weeks at the train station -- "and tell no one. Absolutely nobody." Date of the card: May 5, 1910. WTF. I am completely intrigued. What were they talking about? There are a million + possible answers and stories...and potentially intertwining threads in the tapestry that's been woven in those two human beings' (and all their descendants) lives since then.

I think I'm even more engrossed in the fantasy I'm spinning in my head because I have a picture, one of very few, of my grandfather as a young man in 1910. On the deck of the USS Independence. Steaming away from San Francisco -- on the journey on which he met my grandmother. My grandfather's name was Charles. Not B, though. But still... wild. Wonder if he bumped into Chas B? Stood at the rail with him and contemplated the city of San Francisco as it faded to grey? I wonder if they noticed the massive reconstruction and the towers just beginning to rise again out of the ashes of the devastating 1906 earthquake and fire? Did they look across the Bay to the place where, 96 years and several of their own generations later, one of their granddaughters would sit looking back in time writing about them? I love this shit.

So my topic for the day is: vintage.

March Vogue loves the "new granny chic." Now I don't know 'bout you... but my granny, while a VERY cool woman, was not chic. Maybe back in the day, but not by the time she became my granny. By then she was all fuzzy bathrobe, peanut-butter-and-jelly, gin rummy-playing softness and warmth. Amazing and wonderful but NOT "chic."

So what IS the "new granny chic?" Easy. More of the same ruffles, flowers-on-beige-backgrounds, lace and laced-up booties we've been seeing for the last 4 years under the title Victorian. Typical of the industry to retread a fashion trend, call it something new and encourage you to spend loads on the update. Don't bother. Pull out the sweaters with lace collars and the flirty floral patterns on the barely there tissue paper gauzey material blouses.

(Speaking of florals -- it's not in the Victorian vintage theme, but DO check out last year's Burberry spring collection. Yes, Burberry. They don't ONLY do plaid -- who knew?? The 2005 Blue Floral trenchcoat will be forever on my "lust list" -- at least until the price tag falls well below the 2K mark. On sale. Ya.) Anyway, get the granny boots outta the closet and lace 'em up. Voila. You're an "of the moment" goddess.

Furthermore - if you, like me, are a REAL diva... got the tiara on ladies?? ... living in the REAL world, you know that true VINTAGE must be ... well yeah... exactly.... VINTAGE. While I love my Newport News velvet Equestrian coat (which I saw listed on eBay as a Russian Military Coat -- watch out for the scammers) -- it's quite new. True vintage-inspired outfits shoud have at least one piece you found by digging through the bins at an antique/used clothing place that smells musty enough to have survived the Great Flood and looks like a cross between the Salvation Army Depot and 80s Georgetown staple store Commander Salamander (please tell me someone out there remembers the Commander and all its punked out, neon glory?). From such depths come the true gems -- hey it takes crunching a lotta coal to make a diamond, right? Try Clothes Contact in SF (OK, OK... click here for a link to LA spots for you SC dwellers) if you wanna go buy 'vintage by the pound' -- the coolest concept in shopping since they came up with MasterCard.

Take someone along who just might say "I like this dress. I think I'll buy it for you."

Ciao for now, divas.