An Interview with Ms. B from Millie Deel Blog

As I stroll around the blog garden of fashion, there are many wonderful blogs and some really, really amazing blogs that inspire and entertain. Ms. B's blog, Millie Deel, is definitely one of the most brilliant. She has impeccable taste (don't believe me? She blogged about a dress and not one week later, Drew Barrymore wore it to a film premiere) and a saucy, yet personable voice.

I had the marvelous opportunity to interview her - read and be enlightened!

1. You do a great job of covering all aspects of fashion, including contemporary fashion. Who is your favorite current designer and why?

I would have to say it's John Galliano for Dior closely followed by Carolina Herrera. They both do such a great job of reinterpreting vintage fashion into new pieces and you can tell from their work that they do their research. Too often I've seen something slapped together by either an up-and-coming designer or even one that's been around for awhile and they label it "vintage inspired". In their mind it might be but to me, vintage inspired means not only a piece that evokes details of a certain era but the craftsmanship that when into pieces from that era as well. I'm very interested in the work of Barbara Tfank as of late as well but I still need to see some more collections from her.

2. What is the best way to incorporate vintage style into everyday dressing? Any tips/tricks?

Well "vintage style" can be interpreted one of two ways. The first way would be pieces that have actual vintage detailing that you don't see much anymore i.e. true circle skirts, a peplum on the jacket of a skirt suit. The other way that I've seen some people discuss "vintage style" is in the form of, for example, the classic white button down shirt, the little black ballet flat, a pair of wide leg tweed trousers. To me, these aren't necessarily "vintage style" but just classic pieces that show the people around you that you aren't a person that easily goes along with trends, knows what looks good and that you simply just have good taste.

Getting back to the question, depending on how you interpret "vintage style" you can either look for classic pieces that you know have been around forever and are tried and true, or you can do your homework and learn about actual details and look for those details in newer pieces. Also, I think sometimes people are a little intimidated by actual vintage clothing thinking that if they wear it they might get strange looks. If this is the case, just use one piece of vintage at a time, such as just a vintage cardigan, or just a vintage handbag and have everything else be modern. More than likely when you do this, people will think that the vintage piece that you are wearing is in fact modern and will want to know where you got it. You can then inform them that it's vintage and relish in the fact that they probably won't ever be able to find one like it for themselves. Kind of snotty to think this way, but hey, whatever gets you through the day! ;)

3. Who are some of your favorite style icons from the past and present? What about their style makes you want to raid their closet?

Presently I don't think there are any "icons" as of yet. There just haven't really been any people in the public eye in the last 20 years that have carved out their own niche fashion wise and made it work well. I would say that I do like Zooey Dechanel and how she just does her own thing but she hasn't been around long enough to see a trend out of her except that she just mostly wears vintage. Of course I also love Dita Von Teese but she's really just a copy of the movie stars of the 40's and 50's.

From the past, Katherine Hepburn, Grace Kelly, and Audrey Hepburn of course. There's really too many to name off.

4. As a successful blogger yourself, what do you personally look for when reading other blogs? What makes you come back and revisit or comment?

I like a good balance of words and images. I like a little bit more of a personal element to blogs. That doesn't mean you have to tell me what you ate for breakfast but a little bit of commentary would be nice. I also enjoy blogs that post personal pictures of outfits of the day. I haven't done this myself yet because I'm so critical of myself and think I'm NOT photogenic at all but I love seeing other people and what they wear and put together. I also love seeing "hauls" so to speak. When I haven't bought something for myself it's always nice to live through someone else and see what goodies they may have found and bought for themselves!

5. Describe your ideal morning, afternoon or evening (I know it doesn't have anything to do with fashion, but I always want to know what people's ideal days are like).

I'm gonna go with "ideal day". An ideal day for me would be spent all day with my husband.Wake up kinda late, go out to breakfast to a place that has yummy omelets and different kinds of coffee. Afterwards go thrifting preferably in a town that has a lot of thrift and vintage stores to pick from. Go home and get freshened up and maybe go out to dinner and movie. There's lots of variations on this day of course but a perfect day will ALWAYS involve shopping of some kind.

6. Where do you recommend going to scope out fashion buys?

Of course ebay and etsy. I have a whole list of little independent vintage sites that are evil and I try and stay away from at all costs. Hemlock Vintage is a wonderful example of that.

7. What is your favorite outfit pick-me-up? What do you wear on those days you need that extra sparkle?

By far my most favorite thing to wear is shoes. They can completely change an outfit for the better or for the worse. If I'm wearing a cute pair of shoes, and I have a new pedicure that always makes my day SO much better. I highly recommend Seche Vite top coat, it makes my nail polish look like a new paint job on a car!