Food & Drink

Style: Parisian Flair with Carolin Meesier

Restaurateur Carolin Messier adds dramatic European finesse to her locally gathered vintage wardrobe

By Kate Calamusa December 31, 1969

This article originally appeared in the October 2010 issue of Seattle magazine.

WHY WE LOVE IT: From her bright red lipstick to the ever-present pearls, north Capitol Hill resident Carolin Messier would have looked perfectly at ease in a 1940s French film noir, sipping café coffee in a sassy, tailored suit and Mary Jane heels. The spirited sometime pastry chef and full-time owner of the Harvest Vine restaurant in Madison Park describes her style with trademark humor: “A mid-20th-century sexy secretary meets Parisian existentialist writer, crossed with a European socialite.” Messier blends curve-accenting vintage jackets and skirts with bold, flirty accessories (kicky berets, ornate headbands, fishnet stockings) into a glamorous, ladylike presentation.

THE ENSEMBLE: Black feathered headband, from an antiques expo in Portland; pearl clip-on earrings, a family heirloom; long vintage pearl strands, Deluxe Junk; black fitted jacket with satin-covered buttons and high collar, a gift; black vintage pencil skirt, Value Village; fishnet stockings, Diva Dollz; J.Crew leopard print patent leather Mary Jane–style heels, Nordstrom Rack.

HER SHOPPING STOPS:
For hidden
vintage gems
Value Village
Best bet: Capitol Hill
1525 11th Ave.
206.322.7789
valuevillage.com

For fishnet stockings and heels
Nordstrom Rack
Best bet: Downtown
1601 Second Ave.
206.448.8522
nordstrom.com

Diva Dollz
Pioneer Square
624 First Ave.
206.652.2299

For vintage hats and jewels
Deluxe Junk
Fremont
3518 Fremont
Place N; 206.634.2733

For fitted, classic basics
H&M
Downtown
520 Pike St.
206.623.0592
hm.com

For consignment frocks and skirts
Le Frock Vintage
Capitol Hill
317 E Pine St.
206.623.5339
lefrockonline.com

 

Follow Us

15 Valentine’s Day Gifts

15 Valentine’s Day Gifts

Fleece slippers, chocolate figs, and The Book of Love

Who doesn’t want to celebrate love and make someone (anyone!) feel special? So, whether you’re all in or not so much, if you’re looking for gift ideas, here are a few to consider...

The Best Gifts for Travel Lovers 

The Best Gifts for Travel Lovers 

Tinsel, eggnog, mistletoe, and luggage

Travel lovers are the easiest people to buy for. Wrap a gift in old maps and they’ll spend hours deciphering the roadways and important coordinates. Put something inside the wrapping that will satiate their wanderlust, or encourage it, and you might be their next invitee to Paris.

Black Black Friday launches in Seattle

Black Black Friday launches in Seattle

The event is designed to boost Black-owned businesses

An initiative launched in Seattle encourages residents to spend money at Black-owned businesses, starting on Black Friday. Called Black Black Friday, the movement was organized by Laura Clise, founder and CEO of the Intentionalist, an online directory of thousands of small businesses owned by women, people of color, veterans, LBGTQ+, families, and differently abled people,…

Costco Goes for the Gold

Costco Goes for the Gold

Have a sudden need for gold bars? Better act fast.

The warehouse retailer known for everything from its popular food court to organic maple syrup and bulk, well, everything, is now in the business of selling gold. That’s right. Costco is peddling one-ounce gold bars online. But you have to be a member to buy them. And they’re not cheap. Shoppers have two options: One…