Bored with your cookie-cutter summer wardrobe? Beautiful 1920s brocade dresses, 1950s silk prom dresses -- what’s old is new again, and it’s better if it’s Pretty Little Vintage, Holiday Boutique owner Jessika Pavlic’s new collection of one-of-a-kind pieces sure to turn heads.
Pavlic opened Holiday on Charles Street five years ago and has built up a loyal clientele who love the shop’s fashionable offerings from the likes of Tory Burch, Lauren Moffatt and Holiday’s own Signature collection. Pavlic opened the shop to serve as an outlet for her creative energy. Although her mother is quite the seamstress, Massachusetts native Pavlic has no formal design training – she majored in English lit and art history in college. But she says she’s always had an eye for fashion.
“In fifth grade for my class photo, I asked my mom to make me blue and white striped sailor pants and a white fitted blazer,” she says. “My taste was a little sophisticated.”
Relying on her own personal taste to choose the designers and collections Pavlic wanted to showcase in her shop, she fills her store with a variety of pieces that range in price from $24 to $800. Four years ago, she added her own Holiday Signature collection to the mix.
“Holiday is a bit of a reflection of my own taste – we have high-end pieces, lower-end pieces, and one of a kind items,” she says. “It’s a bit eclectic.”
And it was her own interest in collecting vintage pieces that led to her latest endeavor. Pavlic enjoys scouring estate sales, flea markets and individual sales for beautiful vintage pieces into which she can breathe new life. She decided her customers might be interested in this type of a collection as well, and Pretty Little Vintage was launched.
Pavlic goes on her scouting trips about twice a month, looking for any pieces that catch her eye and might work with other pieces. She says she never knows what she’ll come across and doesn’t have a set list of what she’d like to acquire. She then begins working to update and give a fresh look to the pieces, a process that could take any amount of time. She prices her pieces based on the number of hours she spends reworking them.
“We rework, redesign, put our own label on it and sell is as a one-of-a-kind item,” she says.
For the 1950s prom dress, for example, she removed the delicate but severely damaged lace that covered much of the dress. The silk underneath, however was in beautiful condition, and she updated the dress’s shape as well.
The collection started with six dresses, some snakeskin purses and some jewelry, and Pavlic adds pieces regularly. Currently, she loves a hand beaded, brocade mini dress, an alligator bag that looks like a mini trunk, and a punchy yellow dress coat. And she isn’t the only the only one who fancies the collection.
“People love it. They are delighted to go through the racks and find a really interesting, one-of-a-kind item to complete their wardrobe,” Pavlic says.
She plans to keep designing and bringing things she find to be beautiful to her customers – and this means she’ll be doing more than coming back from the New York shows with the latest fashions.
“After being in business for five years, I want to be creative, and I want the store to stay new and fresh,” Pavlic says.

Green delegates
City Councilor Mike Ross was among several delegates to the Democratic National Convention that gathered last week to install CFL bulbs as part of their “Green Delegate” challenge. Delegates and supporters can purchase “offsets” which help lower-income families install energy efficient CFL bulbs. Ross created the program in conjunction with www.livecooler.org.

Garage meeting
All neighbors and interested parties are invited to a community meeting to discuss the redevelopment of the Government Center Garage on Wednesday, July 23 at 6 p.m., One Congress Street. This meeting will focus on parcelization and other issues related to the portion of the site closest to the Rose Kennedy Greenway. Because this is also a Federal office building, please remember to bring photo identification.

Evening interludes
Enjoy a free, peaceful, classical music concert on Wednesday, July 30 from 5:30 to 6:15 p.m. at the Church of Saint John the Evangelist, 35 Bowdoin Street. Jeffrey Mills will perform on the organ as part of the church’s “Evening Interlude” series. The following Wednesday, August 6, enjoy Emily Bieber, Coloratura Soprano. 617-227-5242

Transportation planning workshop
The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization is looking for public comment on the MPO’s program for transportation planning activities in this region. The program, documented in the “draft federal fiscal year 2009 unified planning work program,” will be discussed at a workshop on Wednesday, July 30, at 12:30 and again at 5:30 p.m. in suite 2150 of the State Transportation Building, 10 Park Plaza. Public comment on the draft is welcome and is due by August 5. Call 617-973-7100 for more information.

Concerts on the plaza
The Dorothy Curran Wednesday Evening Concert Series is in full swing on City Hall Plaza. There are still a few weeks left to enjoy performances by Crystal Gayle, the Harry James Orchestra, the US Air Force Band, and more every Wednesday through August 13. Concerts begin at 7 p.m. Call 617-635-4505 for more information.

Concert on the Esplanade
The Boston Landmarks Orchestra will perform “Opera Highlights,” featuring Boston Lyric Opera soloists performing excerpts from “Rusalka,” “Talkes of Hoffmann,” and “Don Giovanni.” The concert begins at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, August 6 at the Hatch Shell. The following week, on August 13, don’t miss “Inspired Classics,” featuring Mozart’s “Violin Concerto No. 3,” at 7 p.m. www.LandmarksOrchestra.org

Book discussions and signings
Borders Bookstore, 10-24 School Street, will host Linda Barnes, author of “Lie Down With the Devil,” for a discussion and book signing on Tuesday, August 5 at 1 p.m. It is the latest in her series of Carlotta Carlyle novels. The next day at 1 p.m. join Russ Edelman and Tim Hiltabiddle as they discuss and sign their book “Nice Guys Can Get the Corner Office.” The duo are co-founders of the consulting firm Nice Guy Strategies. 617-557-7188

Summer organ series
The Old West Organ Society has just two weeks left in its summer organ series on the renowned C. B. Fisk Organ at Old West Church, 131 Cambridge Street. The recitals are held Tuesday evenings at 8 p.m. A free-will donation is welcome. Call 617-739-1340 for more information. August 5 organist Joshua T. Lawton will perform with mezzosoprano Allegra Martin. The pair will perform the works of Buxtehude, de Grigny, Albright, Alain and Messiaen. The following week, August 12, Margaret Angelini will perform the works of Boehm and Bach.

Firefighters need to police their own or be policed

The recent scandal involving a Boston firefighter out on total paid disability with an alleged back injury while competing in muscle building contests at the same time throws a very harsh light on the fire department’s ability to police itself.
Never has Mayor Thomas Menino’s call for drug testing of all firefighters been more appropriate, given the recent revelation.
How are the two connected?
They are connected by common sense.
The fire department’s union has an air of unreality about how to maintain the reputation of the department given the spate of embarrassments it has suffered during the past year.
First, the public learned that two firefighters who died in a tragic fire in West Roxbury were found to have drugs and alcohol in their blood at the time they died.
The firefighters’ reaction was to denounce those who made the information public, and then to refuse drug testing for all firefighters unless they were paid for it as part of a new contract being debated with the city.
Now comes the Boston firefighter apparently so disabled by a bad back that he can’t conduct apartment inspections or sit at a desk but at the same time was competing in muscle building contests while tending to look a bit like Arnold Schwarzenegger when he was doing the same thing many years ago.
Then came the revelations in the Boston Globe that dozens of firefighters have gone out on total disability while working details for superiors – which is to say - the Globe showed rather convincingly that many district chiefs went out on disability while filling in for deputy chiefs, allowing them larger compensation packages.
Then there is the doctor who examined the weightlifting firefighter with his back that was so bad he couldn’t work. The doctor alleged he didn’t realize the firefighter he was treating was lifting weights.
If you can believe that, then you can believe anything.
The response from the Boston firefighter’s union has been muted.
In fact, when a Boston firefighter was recently arrested for soliciting a prostitute during a police sting in Dorchester, the firefighter’s union response was this: “Well, it’s probably because of the pressure he was feeling working without a contract.”
Mayor Menino’s toughening response to a firefighter’s union that does not appear to be listening speaks well of the mayor.
Either he prevails and reforms are instituted or the fire department union will prevail and the city will be worse for it.
Taxpayers and residents of our city deserve better from the fire department and its union.