Inside Olivia Palermo's Closet
Her legitimacy in the magazine industry may be debatable (did she really work for
Elle Magazine?), but Olivia Palermo can definitely put together an outfit to die for. We admit that we fast forward through most of
The City except, of course, when Olivia was on. We can watch her do just about anything for half an hour as long as she looks fabulous. Someone give this girl her own show!
Olivia's apartment
She shops anywhere and everywhere, from Zara and Topshop to Chanel and Hermes to New York City's eclectic vintage shops. Every serious
fashionista collects vintage. And, this is what separated Olivia Palermo from all the other characters on
The City (and
The Hills). While everyone else seemed very pedestrian fashion-wise, Olivia was always refined and well-accessorized. This is not due to her superior financial situation, but rather to her incredible knowledge of costume
jewellery and
willingness to shop everywhere. "My aunt [Linda Donahue] is a costume
jewellery expert, so I understand that it's just as valuable as real
jewellery," she told
Page Six.
Olivia wearing a mix of vintage and contemporary
Olivia shopping for vintage and wearing the CC SKYE's Pave Stud Bracelet (AED 1,100, $300 CAD)
She frequently visits stores like Topshop and Banana Republic for costume
jewellery that resembles vintage. "When I have a replica of a vintage costume piece, I put it in the sun and let it age for a month, just to have it tarnish,” Olivia told
Time Out New York. She also frequents New York City's vintage spots in search of statement pieces. Olivia masterfully mixes vintage with contemporary pieces. We love how she combined her CC Skye (her
favourite!) "Starburst" bracelet with her rare vintage Trifari bracelet. Known for bright and
colourful gems, Trifari dates back to 1918 and is highly coveted by vintage collectors like Olivia.
Olivia wearing vintage twin brooches (or clip-on earrings?)
Vintage Ruby Crystal Clip-on Earrings (AED 390, $122 CAD)
We love Olivia's attention to detail and how she utilizes every single opportunity
to make a statement. The way she styled her dress collar with two twin vintage brooches is beyond brilliant. We have gorgeous vintage Trifari pieces that resemble Olivia's: a gorgeous bright gem gold bracelet and an incredible butterfly brooch and earring set.
Olivia wearing vintage TRIFARI and CC SKYE's "Startburst" bracelets (AED 540, $169 CAD)
Vintage TRIFARI bracelet (SOLD)
Vintage TRIFARI Butterfly Set (AED 2,750, $857 CAD)
Other pieces sought by vintage hunters are by Ciner and Hattie Carnegie. Ciner dates back to 1892, with pieces so intricately made that it is often mistaken for fine
jewellery. For most fashion enthusiasts, Hattie Carnegie needs no introduction. This legendary fashion entrepreneur started out as a milliner and soon expanded her business to clothing and
jewellery, garnering a loyal following by many style icons including the Duchess of Windsor. We just received an incredible Hattie Carnegie bracelet with green and red glass surrounded by rhinestones and faux pearls and matching earrings and the stunning green gem and rhinestone necklace and earring set by Ciner.
Vintage HATTIE CARNEGIE Cabochon Bracelet (AED 3,900, $1,215 CAD)
Vintage HATTIE CARNEGIE Pearl and Rhinestone Earrings (price on request)
Vintage CINER Marbled Emerald Set (AED 11,900 or $3,705 CAD)
But there are also beautiful vintage pieces to be found by 'no name' designers or simply designers that didn't put their names to their work. Olivia often visits Pippin Vintage Jewelry in New York
City where she rummages through drawers full of
glittering vintage baubles. She has perfected the fine art of mixing vintage with
current, a girl after our own heart. And that is why Olivia Palermo is our style icon.
PS. We love her so much that we are going to have to do a Part 2!
