Most people would agree that finding
the perfect wedding dress is a task met with excitement and enthusiasm. But when it comes to shopping for bridesmaid dresses, there seems to be a cliché that they are always a bit, well, drab. But surging trends of mismatched gowns (where the bridal party all wear the same color, but a different style of dress), silky numbers and convertible dresses — just to name a few — have completely changed the game when styling a bridal party.
To add to that, the days of wrangling your whole crew to pick out dresses and get fitted at the same shop on the same day are long gone. The best places to buy bridesmaid dresses online make it easy for everyone to browse and buy when it’s easiest for them. One thing to keep in mind though, is that shopping online for something as important as a bridesmaid dress can be a little stressful because you don’t actually get to see or feel the dress until it arrives. That’s why we’ve consulted with Kirsten Saladino, an executive fashion director at the Hearst Fashion Group, who shared some of her favorite brands and tips for making such a big purchase.
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With Saladino’s help, we were able to put together a list of dress shops, including affordable retailers like ASOS and Lulu’s, and classic retailers such as David’s Bridal, all of which are sure to come through in a time crunch and deliver an expertly-outfitted bridal party.
No matter what looks you’re going for, the best way to avoid any hiccups is to the process is to prepare yourself with ample research. This way, you and your bridesmaids will be well aware of ship times and return policies to ensure the smoothest dress shopping experience possible.
Buying Beverly Hills has been the Netflix show of the week, with fans from around the world obsessed with watching the eight part series about The Agency, a real estate group based in Beverly Hills, with some calling it even better than Selling Sunset.
The Agency was founded by Mauricio Umansky, who Bravo fans will recognise from the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills as the husband of long time cast member Kyle Richards. In Buying Beverly Hills Mauricio is joined by two of his four daughters, Farrah and Alexia, who are both agents at The Agency. The series follows the family and their colleagues’ professional and personal lives. Think million dollar homes, OTT parties and the occasional office romance.
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Whilst many viewers have been enjoying the show, those who have followed Mauricio and his family’s life for over 10 years, were left asking a few questions after the series premiered.
During the first episode Mauricio discusses opening The Agency, but doesn’t mention his earlier career working for his brother-in-law Rick Hilton at real estate agency Hilton & Hyland.
One person tweeted: “I guess Mauricio is going to skip right over the fact that he worked for Rick Hilton before he founded The Agency.” nother said: “RHOBH fans watching Mauricio tell his life story but leaving out the Rick Hilton part.”
As fans of RHOBH will be all too aware, Mauricio leaving H&H caused a lot of problems for his wife Kyle Richards and her sister Kathy Hilton, the wife of Rick and mother of Paris Hilton.
So what exactly is all the drama surrounding the beginning of The Agency? And have the problems been resolved? This is a full timeline of The Agency’s controversial past:
2011 – Mauricio creates The Agency after leaving Rick Hilton’s agency
After many years of working for Rick Hilton’s real estate agency Hilton & Hyland, Mauricio decided to leave and start his own, calling it The Agency.
At the time, there were rumours online that the new business was causing problems between family members, with Kyle Richards (Mauricio’s wife) and Kathy Hilton (Rick’s wife) experiencing the majority of the issues.
As seen in Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Mauricio was not invited to Hilton family events, most notably the wedding of Rick’s daughter Nicky Hilton.
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At the time, it was rumoured the biggest issue was that Mauricio allegedly “poached” a number of Rick’s agents, despite them having a “gentlemen’s agreement” not to.
Years later in 2015, a source claimed to E! News: “There are problems between Kyle and Mauricio and Kathy and Rick, and that is because Mauricio went behind Rick’s back when he started his business.
“Rick did everything for Mauricio to get him started, he gave him clients, he introduced him to people. And then when Mauricio set up his own company, he did it covertly and informed Rick via email. Mauricio was not made a partner as he was not being 100 percent above board and so there were trust issues.
“Finally, once Mauricio’s new company was set up, Rick and Mauricio came to a gentleman’s agreement that they would not go after each others’ agents, but then Mauricio went back on that promise and tried to poach staff. It’s a huge mess.”
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Mauricio has since denied the allegations in a statement released to Cosmopolitan UK in November 2022. In it, he states he never poached any staff from Rick, but if any staff from Rick’s agency came to him, he would accept them.
He said: “I founded The Agency with the aim of making our industry better and raising the bar for luxury real estate. This is the true reason I branched out on my own. Rick and I did make a pact about recruiting and I never did poach an agent from his firm. If an agent reached out on their own, we welcomed them.
“In our industry, agents move around to other firms all the time. We partner with agents who match our culture of collaboration and are a mutual cultural fit. After all, our number one rule is ‘no assholes’. This has been the driving force for us as we expand into new markets.”
2018 – Mauricio and Rick make up
In 2019 during an interview with Inman, Mauricio explains his “fight” with Rick was very much real, but that the pair and their families have been getting along well for over a year.
He said: “We’re good. We’ve made up, we’re family. The families have made up. We’ve been good for over a year. We were definitely in a fight for a while. And it was real. But the families have made up and it was fantastic. We’ve been good for solidly over a year.
“At the end of the day, time heals everything. Eventually when you put family together for different events — Christmas, Thanksgiving, a birthday party — time eventually heals it. And I think that’s what happened with us. And thank God.”
August 2018 – The Agency is sued
At the beginning of 2018 The Agency was sued over the sale of a property in Malibu in 2016.
Teodoro Nguema Obiang, the Vice President of Equatorial Guinea, accused Mauricio and The Agency of “tricking” him into selling his Malibu home below its value.
The house was bought in 2016 for $32.5 million by Mauricio Oberfeld, but the lawsuit alleges it could have actually been sold for as much as $70million.
Teodoro Nguema Obiang had to sell the property as part of a deal with the U.S. Justice Department. In his lawsuit he claimed Mauricio Umansky withheld higher offers in order to work with Oberfeld and flip the house for $69.9 million.
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In an interview with Inman, Mauricio commented on the lawsuit and said it was not affecting anyone at The Agency and his side of the story would be told one day. He said: “There are two sides to every story. Mine has yet to be told. It’ll be told soon and it is not affecting anybody at The Agency.
“If I had to do it again in hindsight, I would do it the same way I did it last time. I wouldn’t change a thing.”
In November 2019 it was confirmed a settlement had been reached to end the lawsuit.
October 2019 – Mauricio said he doesn’t ‘give a s***’ about agents leaving his company
In October 2019, reports online suggested there were rumours The Agency had lost 45 staff members. Mauricio addressed the rumours in an interview with Inman and confirmed whilst they did lose 45 agents, he only cared about losing six of them.
He said: “Look, we’re not immune to losing agents. We’re not immune to the Compass lure of money. We’ve lost some good agents. Out of the 45 agents that we’ve lost, I think we’ve probably lost six good ones. Okay.
“The other 40, quite frankly — and I don’t like to talk bad about people — but I don’t give a s*** about. They actually opened up space for us to be able to bring in those 110.”
2022 – Buying Beverly Hills airs on Netflix, but fans are confused over Mauricio not mentioning the start of his career
At the end of last week a reality series about The Agency dropped on Netflix, following the professional real estate careers of the agents at The Agency, as well as their personal lives.
During the first episode of the series Mauricio explains how he started The Agency with Billy Rose in 2011.
Netflix
However, some fans were confused as to why he did not bring up the start of his career of working with Rick Hilton, with some saying Mauricio should have given Rick “credit” for his career.
Now, in a statement to Cosmopolitan UK Mauricio has acknowledged his career with Rick, saying: “While I was fortunate to have started my career at Hilton & Hyland, as I worked my way up the ranks, I had the vision to create a firm that would completely disrupt the industry and foster a culture of collaboration between agents.
“Billy Rose and I founded The Agency in 2011 with a handful of agents and over a decade later, this mission still rings true today and we have grown across 65+ locations in seven countries and counting. “
Buying Beverly Hills is available on Netflix now.
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Bless the changing of the seasons and all the incredible fashion trend options they provide (ICYMI, the color pink, cowboy boots, and corset tops are *very* in right now). They also offer so many fun layering options: Give me my knee-high boots, my leather (or vegan leather) jacket options, and something warm and soothing in my cup as I stare longingly at the leaves drifting down outside my window. You can tell I live in the Northeast, NBD.
During the transitional weather especially, a dress is your perfect base: It’s comfy (who wants to be struggling to get dressed in the morning?). It’s deeply, distinctly easy as a fall layer. It’s a way for you to be prepared for the occasional heat wave and simultaneously the frigid temps, all while looking effortlessly cute. Btw, I’m using all different versions of “cute,” from “I want to grab a basket, put my hair in braids, and look like Goldilocks” all the way to “give me the silkiest black sweater dress so I can pair it with boots and a blowout.” You’ll look cute no matter what your vibe is, bb.
Our top picks for the best cute fall dresses in 2022:
There are some pretty fab splurges on here—better to buy that one dress you’re gonna wear every weekend instead of a million dresses you’ll wear once, right? But fear not: We’ve got some ~modestly priced~ and very cute options if you wanna channel your best apple-picking outfit but wanna spare your bank account the angst (and some Amazon-only fall clothing options if that’s your thing).
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Loved by everyone from Jackie O and Brigitte Bardot to Alexa Chung and Katie Holmes, classic Chanel bags are some of the most iconic accessories out there. Valuable, too, which is why there’s a huge appetite for the vintage and pre-loved versions. And the market is growing: global searches for ‘vintage Chanel bags’ have doubled in the last year.
That stat comes as no surprise given that the RRP of new iterations has risen by 71 per cent since pre-pandemic times, according to the Handbag Clinic. But it’s also because the industry is becoming more and more concerned about sustainability. While countless brands drop recycled and eco-conscious collections, experts are stressing that the most sustainable item is the one you already own. But if you still crave the dopamine hit shopping brings, you could buy pre-loved pieces instead – and Secondhand September is a great place to start.
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So if you’ve been gearing up for a big purchase, like an investment handbag, it might be worth considering a vintage option instead. There’s something nonchalant about a pre-loved bag, imbued with the patina of past owners’ stories, already slightly worn and softened with age. By forgoing the box-fresh feeling, you can reduce your carbon footprint, ease your conscience, and save some money.
Dominique Charriau
That’s not to say that a secondhand Chanel comes cheap. Like the ever-appreciating Birkin, maintained value tends to be a signifier of timelessness – which makes it even more important to buy the right bag. Luckily the rise of ecommerce makes that a lot of easier; because as romantic as sifting and thrifting at vintage stores and flea markets may seem, it doesn’t come without risks. But now that secondhand sites such as Lampoo and Vestiaire Collective exist, and luxury e-tailers like Selfridges and Farfetch are stocking pre-loved items, buying authentic vintage bags just got even easier.
Still, it pays to prepared and make sure you’re clued up on getting the best deal (and spotting counterfeits). We’ve laid down the law in our helpful guide to buying a vintage Chanel bag.
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A brief history of Chanel flap bags
When you’re shopping for vintage Chanel bags online, it helps to know what you’re looking at. You may know the 2.55 to be the most iconic of the house’s accessories, but did you know how many iterations it has?
The original 2.55 debuted in – you guessed it – 1955. It was one of the first bags to come with a strap which enabled women to be hands-free rather than clutching the top handle of a framed bag or pouch. Frequently inspired by menswear, with a penchant for wearing it herself, Coco Chanel was already making waves with her fuss-free approach to design. For the first time in history, women’s clothes had pockets, were made from comfortable fabrics like jersey, and forwent uncomfortable boning and petticoats. The 2.55 was both chic and liberating, so it comes as no surprise that it became an instant icon.
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This diamond-quilted leather accessory had a chain strap (Chanel used to stitch chains to the hem of jackets and skirts to maintain the perfect drape) that floated within two rings, so it could double to go over-the-shoulder or slip through to create a longer cross-body look. The burgundy interior had a handy divider, as well as a secret zipped compartment, and there was a slip pocket on the back for stowing cash or lipstick. Because of these details, some described the 2.55 as a ‘rebellious’ bag – who knew storage could be a signifier of the cosmopolitan, independent mid-century woman?
The lock is your best bet on determining when your 2.55 was made – it was one of the first things Karl Lagerfeld changed when he became creative director of the house in 1983. He switched the original ‘Mademoiselle’ oblong twist-lock to the double ‘C’ style we all know and love, succumbing to the logo mania of the period (which, needless to say, proved successful). He also took on the leather-interwoven chain, sometimes used to bolster the original bags’ handles when supplies were running low, as a permanent feature. The quilted leather upper is often remembered in a diamond formation but matelassé and chevron styles soon followed, so it’s worth keeping an open mind when it comes to this detail. This re-issue is often referred to as the 11.12, or just the Chanel flap bag.
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Lagerfeld also introduced new iterations of this accessory during his stint at the French fashion house. His most famous designs are the Diana, created in 1989 for Diana, the Princess of Wales, and the Boy bag, named after Gabrielle Chanel’s first lover, Arthur “Boy” Capel. Lagerfeld also changed the production methods of Chanel bags.
Lampoo’s Head of Brand Valuation, Erika Vecchiatti, told us: “Before 2008 the flap bag’s hardware was made from 24 karat gold, bearing a typical hallmark that showed the kind of metal.” It is key details like this which make research imperative to investment buys, and may sway you to buying vintage Chanel bags instead of pre-loved designs.
How to find vintage Chanel bags (and how to spot a fake)
It goes without saying that when sourcing vintage Chanel, only use reputable suppliers who have authenticated pieces. While it might seem obvious, the counterfeits industry – which is incredibly lucrative – has been going strong for half a century now, so many suppliers have mastered the art of imitation.
Some signifiers are easy to spot, such as your matelassé and quilting stitches matching up at the seams – or the logo is a good indicator, says Vecchiatti. “It should be embossed directly onto the lining or an attached leather patch and say either ‘Made in Italy’ or ‘Made in France’.” It’s always worth looking at the quality of the lining (there should be no bubbling) and the brand stamp inside the bag. “This should be the same colour as the bag’s hardware,” she adds. “But on a real Chanel, metallic leafing may rub off, change colour or almost completely disappear, with strong signs of use.”
There are a few warning signs that may be less obvious. Tina Lipfriend, Founder of rental site Bag Butler, shares her top tips here:
- Use your common sense: if the item seems too affordable, it probably isn’t genuine.
- Chanel quilting needs to be plump and full – it may still guide a positive authentication when deflated, but that doesn’t mean it’s still worth the price tag.
- A vintage piece needs to smell right – in other words, it should not smell new.
The team at Vestiaire Collective also warns of modifications or signs of wear and tear that can confuse authentication processes. “If you buy a secondhand Chanel bag, it could have been repaired or modified by its owner. Therefore, it’s essential to base your judgement mainly on the quality of the leather and lining, on the weight of the hardware and straps.”
Luckily, if you buy through the likes of Lampoo, Vestiaire Collective, Selfridges ReSell section, Farfetch or Cocoon, they have experts who will do this for you.
Are vintage Chanel bags more sustainable?
In the simplest terms, buying secondhand is always more sustainable. Aside from shipping, you automatically bypass the carbon generated from production by buying something that already exists.
“Chanel is a byword for luxury and, as such, often imitated,” says Lipfriend, Bag Butler’s founder. She also points out the wider impact this has on the planet. “It is crucial to ensure that you are paying for the real thing, not only so that you aren’t duped, but to prevent more counterfeits circulating. It’s better for the environment: fakes inevitably end up in landfill. Chanel bags do not.”
Lipfriend also recommends buying timeless colourways to ensure you get the most wears out of your investment. “Black will always be desirable and doesn’t ever look dated,” she says.
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Where to buy vintage Chanel bags:
It used to be just Vestiaire Collective we would truly trust with such a big purchase as a Chanel bag. In recent years however luxury e-tailers like Farfetch and Selfridges have launched pre-loved departments; and in 2022, eBay introduced its Authenticity Guarantee. This year, Italian re-sale site Lampoo even launched a physical store on the King’s Road in London, where customers can browse to buy or have their own unwanted items authenticated to then sell on.
It’s worth noting that reputable re-sale sites are not always all perfect to look at. Most secondhand businesses work with third parties – intersecting only at the authentication and shipping process – so product shots are not necessarily professional. Rental and re-sale site Cocoon however buys stock outright and stores it in-house, as does Lampoo. Here, discover our favourite luxury resale sites, and everything we know about their processes for authentication.
Shop pre-loved Chanel handbags:
If you are not fussed about buying vintage Chanel specifically, this does expand your choice when it comes to searching for an investment handbag. Anything 20 years old or more is officially classed as vintage, so bags made from 2000 onwards tend be tagged as pre-loved instead. Either is a more sustainable than buying new, as you’re reducing your carbon footprint and extending a luxury item’s lifespan.
Rent vintage Chanel handbags:
At Bazaar, we always think it’s wise to rent your dream handbag first before investing – you need to see whether the design works for your lifestyle. How does the size serve your day-to-day needs? Are the zip and pockets easily accessibly? Is it too heavy for the commute?
The same goes for a vintage Chanel. It might be worth renting for special occasions before taking the plunge – and on some sites, you might be able to make an offer on your rental if you fall in love with it. Cocoon has a wide array of Chanel bags, all in impeccable condition, to choose from. And it’s bound to keep investing, since Chanel has accounted for over 25 per cent of all brand searches on its website in the past three months alone.
Alex Mill is the kind of deceptively simple brand that actually takes a lot of thought and know-how to produce. The label is a go-to for folks who like their fashion with a lower-case “f.” It has notes of preppy in it—with casual colorful, staples you can bank on—but it has a more modern attitude than anything that can be described as Preppy with a capital “P.” Much of that is down to its color palette of earthy naturals, much of them garment-dyed to give new garments a slightly lived-in feeling before you lay hands on them. One of its best-sellers is a very un-preppy washed cotton jump suit that comes in a variety of colors for men and women.
This week, the brand unveiled a capsule collection in collaboration with Parisian vintage specialist Paul Ben Chemhoun, who presides over Brut. Brut is both a vintage store and a much bigger archive of painstakingly sourced vintage pieces that are definitely not for sale but accessible for short term rent to international fashion brands looking for a little extra authentic inspiration. It has a growing reputation for getting imaginative with vintage, too. A couple of years ago, under its own Rework label, it transformed a couple of hundred lightweight nylon sleeping bags from the ’60s into “Himalayan” down jackets. They were strongly reminiscent of ancient expedition parkas. And by the nature of their unusual provenance, they were also a little lumpy—which is precisely what made them perfect. Elsewhere, Rework offers white cotton pants patchworked from recycled U.S. Mint coin bags, tank tops made from old tactical mesh scarves, and Barbour and Ralph Lauren jackets that are disassembled and then re-sewn in patchworked waxed cotton or corduroy.
Brut x Alex Mill Rework Vintage Tent Work Jacket
For Somsack Sikhounmuong, Alex Mill’s creative director who joined founder Alex Drexler in 2019 and engineered the Brut collab, the tie-up was both a chance thing and entirely logical. “My favorite jeans, my favorite military jackets are always vintage,” he explains. “There’s always been this crossover thing to have elements of vintage in the store alongside Alex Mill. It’s how I always dress. Everyone in the store is of the same mindset.” And Sikhounmuong has known Brut for some time. “I’d been buying things from them on and off for a while, even things that didn’t fit, you know, just to have them. We saw them last October in Paris and I bought a bunch more stuff and we came back and I thought, ‘Why don’t we reach out to see if they would do something?’ And they jumped at it. I pretty much let them figure out what they wanted to do. They took the idea and ran with it.”
Brut x Alex Mill Weekend Patch Tote Bag
The Brut x Alex Mill co-branded capsule features—in relatively short supply—a handful of pieces imagined in a similar framework to Rework, albeit in Mill’s cleaner aesthetic. Cropped work jackets are made from upcycled tent cloth in yellow or blue with contrast white stitching and white nylon zippers. There are also tote bags in four colors, all of which are customized with a range of sew-on patches created specially by Brut to add a little personalized flavor to it all.
The collection is available online but also at Alex Mill’s two stores in New York City, one in Soho and one on Madison Avenue, which are carrying the capsule displayed along with about 100 one-off vintage pieces for sale from Brut’s archives, the first time any Brut vintage pieces have been available outside France. If you’re interested, don’t hesitate; this stuff will likely sell fast.
Nick Sullivan is Creative Director at Equire, where he served as Fashion Director from 2004 until 2019. Prior to that, he relocated from London with his young family to Boerum Hill, Brooklyn. He has styled and art directed countless fashion and cover stories for both Esquire and Big Black Book (which he helped found in 2006) in exotic,uncomfortable, and occasionally unfeasibly cold locations. He also writes extensively about men’s style, accessories, and watches. He describes his style as elegantly disheveled.
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With summer and, inevitably, sweltering weather on the horizon, many of us will opt to escape the heat in favor of running on a treadmill in the comfort of air conditioning. Your home gym might need a facelift, and now’s the perfect time to invest in a treadmill — because the NordicTrack Commercial 1750 Series + 30-Day iFit Membership is 20% off right now.
Our team of editors tested and evaluated a range of machines, among other research tactics, in order to choose the best treadmills for runners. NordicTrack’s Commercial 1750 Series ranked at the top as Best Overall. It features a 10-inch Smart HD Touchscreen, maximum speed of 12 mph, maximum incline of 15%, maximum decline of 3%, 3.5 continuous horsepower (CHP), and a 300-pound user capacity.
The treadmill features iFit functionality, which allows you to stream live workouts hosted by trainers—and you get 30 days of iFit free with the Amazon deal. You can also access studio workouts, and the program’s elite trainers can use the Automatic Trainer Control to adjust your speed, incline, and decline. iFit lets you see how you rank against other runners in the community, and you can text trainers in real time to get your questions answered.
It’s worth noting that NordicTrack updated the Commercial 1750 in 2022, and the latest iteration looks quite different from the previous version. However, that doesn’t mean this version is somehow subpar. In fact, as our Runner-in-Chief Jeff Dengate puts it, “When it comes to bang for your buck, the 1750 has always been one of the best treadmills.”
The NordicTrack Commercial 1750 Series + 30-Day iFit Membership is typically available on Amazon for $1,999, however, for a limited time, you can snag it for $1,599, 20% off the original price. There’s a reason this treadmill continues to top best-of lists (and not just ours), so this is a deal you won’t want to miss.
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