About Me - It's Beyond My Control - Vintage Fashion Blogger

Welcome to my vintage fashion blog with a modern twist!

Illustrations of moi by theanotherboy_

My name is Dominique de Merteuil. I’m a vintage fashion blogger/writer, the creator of It’s Beyond My Control vintage fashion blog with a modern twist. Love, wear and write about fashion from the 1930s-1950s which I pair with contemporary pieces.

I like to write as though I’m having a conversation with women who equally share my passion for fashion from the 1930s-1950s, as well as those who are only starting their adventure with vintage and would like to get an idea of how to mix something that’s at least 70 years old with contemporary brands. I truly detest fast-fashion and heavily promote smaller designers who produce beautiful, high-quality garments and accessories. My motto is; quality over quantity!

It’s more important to find and refine one’s own personal style, rather than obsess over must-have fashion trends.

Fashion fades, style remains.

I’ve been wearing and writing about vintage clothes, mainly from the second half of the 1930s through to the late 1950s, for over a decade now. As a very passionate self-taught fashion historian, I pride myself on being extremely diligent in doing extensive research before I put pen to paper.

I have a proclivity for studying the history of vintage fashion and leaving no stone unturned until I get all the facts. Believe it or not, I do have a couple of museum curators and textile conservators on my speed dial. 🙂

Kindly note that I create all the content for my blog. I DON’T ACCEPT GUEST POSTS.

The only other ” team” member of It’s Beyond My Control, except my beloved husband who happens to be a fashion & beauty photographer, and takes all those incredible pictures of me, is my Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. 🙂

Moi with my four-legged child Isia-Lilith photographed by Gregory Michael King.

9 Things About Me – vintage fashion blogger

1. The one thing that can definitely be said about me is that I’m a real aficionado of vintage couture, especially from films, which I buy from auction houses (when the budget permits * sigh *)

2. My interest in fashion and art was initiated by my fabulous mum. A real style icon, she used to take me to see ballet and opera from when I was 5 years old.

3. I’ve lived in 4 different countries and I’m fluent in 3 languages. When asked where I’m from, I always reply, “From everywhere darling!” and even though I reside in London*, which has grown on me over the years, my heart belongs to NYC because it’s the only place where I can wear couture to breakfast without being pointed at.

*I currently I divide my time between London and Warsaw, a city which I’m utterly in love with and if you are curious to the reasons why read about it in the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel – essentials for your new puppy article!

4. I studied classical ballet for a few years but my teacher had me marked as trouble from the day she caught me warming up to Megadeth.

*As of 2017 I’m back to taking classical ballet lessons, or as I call it “70 min of humiliation”, and I LOVE it!

5. I love everything related to Eighteenth-Century France (that’s how my love for couture started). Also, I adore 1940s Hollywood.

6. The works of Woody Allen (especially his writing) and David Lynch have had an incredible impact on me and it would be an absolute dream come true if I had a chance to interview them both!

7. I love dogs especially two breeds: Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and American Pit Bull Terrier. I wish that people were much more educated about Pit Bull Terriers, after all, there are no bad dogs, it’s just that sometimes good dogs happen to bad people!

8. Horse riding is my biggest indulgence in life and if I could I would be at the stables every single day. Every time I ride I learn something new and it’s so incredibly rewarding.

9. Number 9 is magical and it’s my birth number.

For those of you who are curious about the main reasons behind my vintage fashion blog, please read the article here!

FEW OF THE BRANDS I’VE COLLABORATED WITH:

In the picture taken by Gregory Michael King, I’m wearing: French Sole Queen Bee slippers, couture blouse and 1940s skirt. A vintage fashion blogger with a modern twist.

In the picture taken by Gregory Michael King, I’m wearing Wolford AW17/18 tulle flock high waist panty in ash rose, an authentic Victorian cape, vintage necklace, Dita von Teese bra and a vintage hat designed by Irene Sharaff and worn by Faye Dunaway in Mommie Dearest.

Parlez-vous Aubade? In the picture taken by Gregory Michael King, I’m wearing the Aubade Magnets set from the BOÎTE À DÉSIR line I paired with a tuxedo designed by Ewa Godun, 1930s ear-clips, that I used as a brooch, a vintage hat from Lock & Co Hatters and Jimmy Choo pumps.