Mean Reds

If you were to look through my closet, the color you would see the least would be red.  I've never been much of a red-wearer, so I was surprised when I realized that several of my recent vintage acquisitions are indeed... red.  I've been enjoying the pop of color to my wardrobe that is mostly neutral tones of black, grey and brown.

- A 30s era embroidered peasant blouse from SIB Vintage

- An early 20th century Canadian band jacket from Petrune

- A 30s cotton dress in red and white plaid from Ebay

- A 20s era silk kimomo from Hinesite Vintage

Necklace Collection

In the not-too-distant past, if you'd asked me about necklaces, I would have responded that I'm not much of a jewelry wearer. But lately, as my outfits have become simpler, I've been reaching more more jewelry, in particular necklaces.  I've been searching them out on my thrifting trips; multi-strands of brass chains, tassels, carved stone, geometric wooden beads.  I've amassed a bit of a collection and these are a few of my favorites.  I've been pairing them with skinny black jeans, a silk blouse and a pair of ankle boots. 

Roslyn Estate Sale

I awoke early Saturday morning and headed to a local estate sale.  Only this was no ordinary estate sale.  It was a kind-of-a-big-deal estates sale, at least in Lancaster terms, for a number of reasons.  First, the house where it was held was designed by a local legend of an architect by the name of C. Emlem Urban.  If there's a building of note in this city, chances are it was designed by Urban.  Second, it was once the residence of the Watt family, one half of the duo that was responsible for the Watt & Shand department store that occupied downtown Lancaster beginning in 1879.  And even if the house didn't have such an impressive pedigree, the imposing chateau style mansion is still quite a spectacle. 

The house, named Roslyn, was on the market for a cool $5 million when Tom and I moved to Lancaster four years ago.  At the time, we joked about hitting the jackpot and buying the house but then realized that even if we had the $5 mil to buy the place, we'd still have to work full-time to afford the $33,916 in yearly property taxes.  Ha!  Now the price has been reduced to $1.25 million.  What a bargain! 

The morning of the sale, I figured it was going to be a bit of a madhouse so I headed out early.  But not early enough!  It seems that people from far and wide had heard about the sale and I ended up parking about a mile away and walking because there were already cars lining both sides of the road.  There was thousands of people walking all over the sprawling grounds of the house and a line of people wrapped around the side of the house waiting to get in.  I took a deep breath and got in line.  I'd heard rumors of vintage clothes in the sale, but I didn't want to get my hopes up since there were some serious hardcore auction hunters there.  I finally reached the front door of the house and it turns out only three rooms on the first floor were open to the public.  The line snaked all the way through, shoulder to shoulder, but I managed to snap a couple of photos of some of the furniture that was up for auction.  But no vintage clothes...

So, I made my way to the carriage house where all the small housewares were displayed on tables.  Some really amazing things!  I wanted to take so much home with me but I knew I didn't have all day to wait at the auction booth for the items to come up.  Then in the corner of one of the stables I found the vintage clothes.  There were only about five dresses and a handful of coats.  The dresses dated from the 1890s to the 1920s.  And they were beautiful.  I tried to take a photo of the silk chiffon flapper dress but it turned out a blurry mess.  I was too overwhelmed by the whole situation to think much about taking photos. 

Long story short (well, this is already kind of long) there were some vintage hats and purses in the box lots that I wanted to bid on, but by the time I stood in line for nearly an hour just to get my bidder number, most of the boxes had already been claimed.  It was so disheartening to be standing in line and watching all the pieces that I wanted to bid on leave in other bidders hands.  I guess the early bird gets the vintage!  I ended up bidding on one box and bringing home some vintage brass planters to put my house plants in.  I'm happy just to have something from the estate and to be able to say I've been inside the house. 

Jacques Esterel

I thought I would show you one more thing that found its way into my closet.  I came across this dress at the Salvation Army while I was searching for things for the Etsy shop.  I pulled from the rack a 60s mini dress and as soon as I saw that vintage tag I was in love.  The dress is made out of some of the softest suede I've ever felt in a wonderful chocolately brown.  I knew I loved the dress and that someone must have spent a pretty penny on it back in the day, but I didn't know anything about the designer so I did a little internet sleuthing.

A few fun facts about Jacques Esterel:

• He was born Charles Martin in 1918. 
• He was an entertainer as well as a designer and wrote plays and songs. 
• He is perhaps best known for the pink gingham wedding dress he designed for Brigitte Bardot's 1959 wedding to Jacques Charrier. 
• His company was involved in a legal dispute over trademark infringement with Yves Saint Laurent.  YSL lost the legal battle and had to pay an $11,000 fine and $1,100 for each item produced from the plagiarized design.

New Old Things

It's been quite a while since I've done one of these posts!  There have been a few things that have slipped quietly into my closet over the past couple of months and here are my favorites.  Some were thrifted, some were traded and some were found at local vintage shops.  First there is a sweet 70s knit dress with pastel floral embroidery and pointelle details.  I'm always a sucker for these types of dresses and finally thrifted one in my size.  Then there's a 60s era cotton dress that needs a little TLC since some of the buttons are broken/missing but other than that is pretty much perfect.



I have a little collection of blazers but for some reason I hardly ever wear them.  I'm going to do my best to show this 1930s one a little daylight now and again.  It's quite lovely with its pointed collar and nearly-falling-apart silk lining.  As a matter of fact, seeing these photos side by side gives me an idea of exactly how to wear it... layered over this gauzy cotton blouse.  This piece is quite a mystery to me.  When I first spotted it I thought it was going to be a 70s bohemian style piece, but upon closer inspection there's nary a machine stitch in sight and all of the embroidery was lovingly done by hand.  There are little hand crocheted buttons that fasten up the back.  Now I think it's much older, perhaps 10s or 20s!



Last and certainly not least, this 30s era sailor dress.  Serious sailor perfection.  When I first spotted it, this dress was being tried on by another vintage loving lady at a local shop.  I stood and watch her turn in front of the mirror, looking this way and that, trying to decide if the dress should go home with her.  The whole time I was turning green with envy that she had found the dress only moments before I surely would have discovered it.  After stalking her around the store for a bit, I saw her take the dress to the check-out counter and tried to put it out of my mind.  It was her lucky day, not mine.  Then for some reason, she must have changed her mind at the last second and I wasted no time swooping right in and making it mine all mine!

Flea Market Finds

Here's a look at the things I picked up for myself a week ago on a trip to the Adamstown flea markets and antique stores. I think the one I was most excited about was this wool sailor suit. I still can't believe I found one in such a small size. The pants are a perfect fit! Of course the legs aren't the same length which I can't quite figure out but that will be an easy fix. The top fits well too although the one time I tried it on, I couldn't get it back off over my head by myself which made me feel super claustrophobic.

Next is a 40s cotton dress in a brilliant sapphire blue. It doesn't look like too much on the hanger but it has the prettiest neckline and once I tried it on I knew if would have to come home with me. I also found that pretty plaid 70s skirt. I love the fact that it's earthy autumn colors in a summer weight cotton.

My handkerchief collection was getting a bit out of control so I've limited myself to collecting ones with dogwoods only. I found two to add to my growing pile. The Edwardian slip will serve as the white maxi skirt that I've been searching for. And last but not least, a straw sunhat that I've been wearing everyday since.

Shupp's Grove

This past Sunday I headed up to Adamstown with Amelia to check out the flea markets. Our first stop was Shupp's Grove. I highly recommend visiting their website solely to listen to their rockin' theme song! I've tried to visit Shupp's in the past but it was always rainy or cold or something so this was my first visit. I loved it! It's outside but all in the shade so even on this hot July day it was pleasant to walk around. There are stands and stands of things to look at and just when I thought we had reached the end, we rounded a corner and it just kept going. Of course I got fussed at by a grumpy old lady for taking photos (someone please explain to me why flea market people are so fussy about photos - I really want to know!). I ended up picking up a couple of things for myself and one lovely 40s velvet dress that I'll put in the shop this fall.

It was getting rather hot so instead of going to Renninger's to walk around outside we stopped at the Mad Hatter to take advantage of the air conditioning. That place is pretty vast too. It's always fun to visit the Memories shop because it's like rooting around through and old lady's attic who's been squirreling vintage dresses and hats away for decades. Again, I picked up a couple of things for myself (photos coming!) and Amelia found a couple of dresses as well.

Then we made one last stop at Oley Valley Architectural Antiques. The purpose of this visit was not so much to buy anything but simply to oooh and ahhh at the massive furniture and doors stored in this place. I swear, as soon as we walked in my first thought was, "we're in the Room of Requirement!" With every corner we turned I was sure we were going to find a vanishing cabinet or a copy of Advanced Potion Making. I'm convinced most of the furniture came out of a castle because I can't imagine anyone having ceilings high enough otherwise.

I was going to get a better shot of my outfit for this post after I got home. I had planned on using our backyard which is finally filling in with all the flowers I planted in the spring. Tom and I were sitting on the backyard swing relaxing for a bit when a catbird swooped in and landed on the trellis above us. They have really lovely songs like a mocking bird so we were excited he had joined us when... you guess it! He pooped all over my white dress. Ugh. Just my luck! So, no outfit photos in the backyard for now.

New Old Things

A week or so ago I mentioned that I had thrifted some David Hamilton worthy pieces for summer wear. I often think that polyester completely ruined the entire decade of the 70s but then I find a pretty sheer cotton blouse and my faith is restored that some good things did come out of those years (plus I was born in the 70s so it can't be all bad, right? ha, ha).

I know that first dress doesn't look like much hanging there on the wall but I've pretty much been living in it for the last week. At first I thought it was just a pretty floral print but after wearing it for four days straight I finally realized there are little mama and baby koalas hiding amongst the leaves. So stinkin' cute! The other three pieces are sheer floral print blouses that I plan on pairing with high waisted shorts. That's sure to be my go-to outfit whenever I don't know what to wear this summer. And don't worry, I didn't hog them all for myself. I've already done one 70s floral inspired Etsy update and I have another one in the works.

Lacy Things

A few lacy bits and pieces I've picked up for this spring! The top row consists of three vintage camisoles that will all be paired with high waisted shorts and skirts. The bottom row shows three very different but equally lovely dresses; a 40s sheer lace dress, a 60s mini dress and a 70s gauze maxi dress.

New Vintage Treasures

Here are a few things that have made their way into my closet from the thrift store over the last month or so. The first two dresses were found hiding in the children's section of a thrift store. It seems the people that worked there didn't recognize the difference between a 60s mini dress and a child's dress. Great, since everyone else that picks vintage there missed them! The first one reminds me a lot of the white Lover dresses. The second one is wool and quickly becoming a favorite with all the cold weather we're having.

The 20s wool knit sailor dress didn't come from a thrift store (that would be the greatest thrifting luck ever). I found it at a local vintage shop and couldn't resist the striped sailor collar. It's a bit on the itchy side, but definitely falls into the "will suffer for fashion" category!



Speaking of knits, I've been on the lookout lately for hand knit (or crocheted) things. I love the fact that they're all so unique and the little imperfections just make them even more endearing. That cheerful red cardigan will most likely make it into my Christmas day outfit. The cableknit wool skirt reminds me of one I saw on the Topshop site. I really love it, but I haven't figure out how to wear it yet.

I'm trying to keep the boot collection under control but I couldn't resist adding these two pair. I think I've sold a pair or two exactly like the ankle boots in the past, so I'm keeping these for myself. The super tall vintage riding boots came from a thrift store that sells mostly furniture so I was surprised to find these. Actually I only found one on the shoe shelf then had to search the entire store for its mate. I even had one of the gals that works there helping me look! I was determined not to leave without them. They need a little doctoring around the back zipper but after that they be perfect!

New Old Things

It seems like finding good treasures at thrift stores and flea markets comes in cycles. There are weeks when I come home with one half empty bag of goodies after every trip and then I'll have a week when I come home with a whole trunk full! After weeks of so-so luck I finally had a really great week. My office is literally overflowing with dresses, hats and purses to put in the shop. I've been busy hand-washing, resewing buttons and reinforcing seams. There's lots of work to be done, but I've almost got the first batch ready to add to the shop on Friday.

Of course I couldn't resist keeping a few things for my closet. First there are two love-worn 60s summery dress that I'll have to put away until spring. They've both seen better days and have some fading and little holes but they're just the kind of not-too-precious dresses that are perfect for everyday wearing. On the other hand, the 30s navy wool sweater coat and 60s camel pea coat are getting lots of wear right now!

I didn't realize what perfect outfits these skirts and blouses would make until I compiled this photo collage. I'm hoping for some nice fall weather so I can wear them before it gets too cold.

Flea Market Shopping

Ever since my last post about Andreja and I going flea market shopping, I've been wanting to do a post about some of my favorite local flea markets. Several of you had questions about exactly where we were and wanted tips on the best places to go if you were ever in the area. I wanted to go back a second time and get some more photos before I wrote about it and we finally made our second trip this past week.

I can't believe I lived in this area for nearly three years before I finally made it up to the "antiques capital of the USA", Adamstown, PA. I wasn't sure what to expect on our first trip up, but I wasn't disappointed as we drove into the little town and both sides of the streets were lined with antique malls. Some looked like they were mostly furniture, some were sort of fancy, some not. I tend to like the not-fancy ones!



We intended to go to Shupp's Grove but it had been raining so most of the vendors still had the covers on their tents. If you visit their website be sure to check out their rockin' theme song! Since the we weather was ruining our chances for an outdoor adventure we headed over to the Mad Hatter instead.

According to the good ol' internets, the Mad Hatter is over 15,000 square feet of space with over 100 dealers. Sounds about right! The place is huge. One of the best stands, of course, belongs to my Etsy partner in crime Smilin' Gal Vintage (top photo). Kris had lots of pretty dresses and shoes and bags to look through. There is also Memories, sort of a store within a store that's piled high with vintage goodies. It's sort of an overwhelming space to walk into! That's where Andreja and I bought a few things last time we were there.



There were lots of things that tempted me at the Mad Hatter. That wonderful parasol was close to coming home with me. Also lots of old books, apothecary bottles, a collection of the sweetest stuffed animals, ceramic cats! And a creepy, creepy mask that would have been perfect for Halloween.

After getting lost in the Mad Hatter for a while, we drove down the road to Renninger's, another indoor market. It had more of a flea market feel than an antique mall. Not so many clothes to look at but lots of old hardware, dishes and photos. I ended up coming home empty handed on this trip but can't wait to go back again!

Flea Market Finds

As promised, here is a look at the dresses I brought home from this weekend's flea market adventure. There were several more that tempted me, but I had to narrow it down to just a few. Each is so different from the last, I couldn't stand to leave any of them behind. There's a madras plaid 60s day dress with a drawstring waist, a 60s paisley print mini dress and a 50s gingham dirndl dress. I can't wait to go back!

Sunday Morning Flea Markets

I can't even tell you how long I've been meaning to check out some of the area flea markets. Ever since we moved here? I don't know what's taken me so long to finally get out there and explore! So, this weekend Tom, Andreja and I woke up early and headed out in search of treasures.

We were hoping for sunny skies because there were a couple of outdoor markets I'd heard about but mother nature wasn't on our side. It was misty and cool and most vendors weren't setting up their outdoor stands. I took that as a sign that I'll just have to go back soon! Luckily there were a couple of indoor markets that sounded promising so we set our sites on those instead.



We ended up discovering one really great indoor place. It seemed like there were miles and miles of rows to walk down with vendors offering everything from vintage kitchenware to old photos. There was so much to look at! Finally Andreja and I happened upon one that was a little bit of vintage heaven. This place was filled to the brim with dresses, hats and jewelry. Quite the collection!

We ended up with a huge stack of dresses to try on and Tom waited patiently while made out way through the pile. He entertained himself by taking some sneaky photos. You never know how those flea market people are going to react when you start taking photos of their stuff! Andreja and I both ended up with three dress that we couldn't stand to part with. I'll take some photos to show you what I came home with!

For My Closet

I've been extra good lately about putting things in the Etsy shop rather than in my closet but there are a few pieces I snagged for myself with cooler weather in mind. That first dress in a 70s era Lanz one that was big and poofy but I really like the bandanna sort of print and thought it could be reworked into something I liked. It took a day's worth of sewing and seam ripping but I finally got the hem shortened, the sleeves de-poofed and made a belt out of the leftover fabric. Now I can't wait to wear it with boots and a beret.

I think one thing that makes me like fall/winter clothes the most is the fabrics. Corduroy! Tweed! Wool! The next two dresses are wonderful examples. The corduroy jumper is actually an Etsy find I've been holding onto waiting for cooler weather (the pockets are the best!) and the 60s tweed plaid shift dress is a thrift find (also with lovely pockets!). The sweater is the sort of thing I always find and end up selling in the shop so I never have one for myself. I fell in love with the colors of this one so I'm sure I'll be snuggling up in it quite a bit this winter.

Also on the fall wishlist are carpet bags. I thrifted these two recently and will be keeping them for myself for a bit until they (maybe) end up in the shop. The tote bag is perfect for fall trips to the farmer's market. The other bag has a fun story behind it and I have to send out a big thank you to Lauren for so generously letting me keep it.

One day a couple of weeks ago I stopped by a local thrift store while running some errands. I'd only been in it for a few minutes when a gal approached me and asked if I ran a blog... I said yes and she let me know she was a reader that lived in the area. It was the first time I'd been "spotted" in public so, Lauren, I hope I wasn't too awkward! She was sweet as pie and we chatted about the blog, our favorite thrifting spots, the best place to get Thai food in Lancaster and, of course, the weather. She had just picked up that lovely carpet bag and said it reminded her of me and wanted to know if I'd like to have it. Of course! Thanks so much Lauren!

New Vintage Finds

I mentioned yesterday that several new things have made their way into my closet so I thought I'd give you a little peek. I picked both of these dresses up while in NYC last weekend. The one on the left is the fixer-upper from the Chelsea flea market. It's had a nice bath and is all clean. Now it just needs a zipper and it'll be ready to go. The 60s plaid day dress I picked up at No Relation Vintage. The shop is a bit crowded and you certainly have to spend some time picking through things to get to the good stuff, but I'm a gal who likes the treasure hunt aspect of vintage shopping so I didn't mind that part. The prices were the most reasonable I found in the city. This little number only cost me a twenty spot.



Last week when Andreja was visiting Lancaster and we did a little shopping, I came home with these two dresses. The one on the left was a bit of a hard sell for me. It leans a little to the "girly" side for me and I don't usually do such full skirts. But in the end the hydrangea print won me over and I'm happy I brought this one home. The best part of the navy wrap dress is the print which sadly, gets a bit lost in this photo. It's a little bird-on-a-wire print!



These two are Etsy finds. The black floral one came to me via Tractor Dog Vintage who got it from Noir Ohio Vintage. I love when dresses get passed around like that! I'm already feeling like this will be my go-to comfy dress all summer long. The pretty indigo dress came to me via Francesca at 1385. She always has the most exquisite finds in her shop and I'm always happy to get my hands on one.



Finally we have two sweet sundresses. The white floral wrap dress is the only thing I saved for myself out of all the summer stock I just sorted through for the shop. I accidentally tried it on backwards when I pulled it out of the bag and sort of liked it better than way than the right way. The 40s yellow print you've already seen. It's the one I was wearing to the Chelsea flea market. But, since you haven't been formally introduced, I thought I'd show it to you again. It came with a sweet note from the seller with a bit of history on the dress. It belonged to a lady named Dorothy who loved to play cards. I love knowing that! It makes the dress all the more special.

Chelsea Flea Market

all photos by Tom b.

We're back! It was an amazing weekend in the city that never sleeps. Quite an accurate name since being there makes me never want to sleep. There's just too much to do and I feel like I'm missing out on something every time my head hits the pillow. There is much to share from our weekend adventure but I thought I'd start with the best part; Saturday morning at the Chelsea Flea Market with Andreja.

I know I'm always going on and on about the weather but it's worth mentioning that it was an absolutely gorgeous day. A perfect day for a trip to the flea market! I've always wanted to go to the Chelsea Flea but for some reason had never made it there. I was super excited about finally going and I was not disappointed!

As soon as we walked in we spotted a group of lovely 60s coats hanging along the wall. Andreja tried on a baby blue one while I tried a cropped grey one. Meanwhile Tom was busying himself snapping photos of the whole scene. Well, that was apparently not going to work for the vendor at this booth! She basically hurled herself across the floor, arms flailing, screaming "do not take photos of my clothes!" Um, really? Someone please explain this to me! Why are people so sensitive about taking photos at flea markets? This was not the last time we were asked to not take photos in the market (however it was the rudest and most arm-flailing). So... a huge thank you to Tom for braving the crazy vendors and sneakily snapping all of these photos! And now, with no further ado, the photos that caused all of the fuss...



Andreja ended up taking that gorgeous baby blue coat home with her. Don't you love that notched collar?! It almost makes me wish for a few more cold days so she'd have a chance to wear it before putting it away for the summer. I was on the lookout for summer dresses. I found a few but most were out of my price range (ugh, NYC prices!). The little striped dress you see in the first photo below was my favorite of the bunch. It's a homesewn dress that was never quite finished; there's no zipper down the back. I knew it would need a bit of work but I thought it had tons of potential so I took it home with me. I think it's going to be the thing that finally gets me to find a tailor!



There was much to be seen at the market besides clothes; stacks of old letters and photographs, trays full of old typeface letters, vintage cameras and lost more! I'm already getting excited about going back next time we're in NY, whenever that may be. Afterward we headed to VP2 for some veggie hot 'n sour and kung pao. Yummmm.

I have lots more photos from our trip to show you... like sneaky Lyell dressing room photos! And a crazy show at Irving Plaza! But for now it's back to work time. I've got lots of goodies in store for the Etsy shop this week. It's good to be back!

P.S. I'm really not that short! Andreja's just reallly tall!

Ebay Heartbreaker

I have to admit I've pretty much given up on Ebay as a whole. I'm sure there are good things to be found (as evidenced here) but it's just too exhausting to dig through all of the crap to get to the good stuff. During the past few days of being sick I actually got bored enough to dive in and sort through the masses to see if anything caught my eye. I nearly squealed when I found this sweater! A perfect example of 20s knit sportswear in a lovely shade of mustard with a sailor collar in a small size... do I need to go on? I was already imagining it fitting right in with my wardrobe, dreaming up outfits to wear with it. But it was not to be. The ending bid price was $322! Yowsers! That's a pretty penny. I just hope whoever won loves it as much as I do!

New Vintage Finds

I promise I will eventually feel like showing my face on the blog again but today is not the day. Still sneezing, still coughing, still feeling like a pile of blah. It's just a nasty cold but, boy has it got me down! Luckily I have cats to snuggle with and a boyfriend who cooks for me so I haven't really had to move from the couch too much. So, from the confines of the couch, I thought I'd share the things I picked up on my vintage shopping trip earlier this week.

• There have been quite a few contenders for the "perfect little black dress" over the years but all of them have ended up letting me down in one way or another. Most have moved on to better homes through the shop. I think this one might be a winner. It needs the tiniest tweak in the bust and I think I could live in it this summer.
  
• This skirt I picked up at Mommalicious. It looks like something I could find at Anthropologie but for a fraction of the price. For some reason it makes me think of ice cream. Maybe it's the Baskin Robbins color scheme or because it sort of looks like Dippin' Dots?!
• Tom's calling these my Almost Famous sunglasses. I can't wait to wear them with hippie chick dress and braids this summer!
• A pretty 40s floral print carpet bag with wooden closure. All I need is this with my little back dress and a pair of sandals for summer.
  
• This was the craziest Salvation Army find; a pair of 30s peep toe pumps! I just closed my eyes and prayed my foot would fit as I tried them on. They're just perfect! And surprisingly comfortable. Now if all of the ice would melt I could actually wear them out of the house.
  
• Last but not least, yet another vintage Coach bag to add to the collection. It think that might bring me up to about... 10? This one is just like the black one I've been carrying to death but in a nice buttery brown.
  

Getting Some Fresh Air

After days of stuck-in-the-house-ness I was itching to get some fresh air. The cabin fever was a-gettin' to me so before I sat down to work for the day I went out for a stroll around town. The first thing I had to do was traverse the killer icicles hanging from our house. Check those babies out! I swear some of them are ten feet long. I actually fear for my life just a little bit every time I have to open the door.

My walk eventually led me to M0mmalicious and Smilin' Gal, my favorite two-in-one vintage shop in town. If I had a magic potion to make every dress in there fit me, I think I'd be in danger of going bankrupt pretty quickly! If you ever find yourself in Lancaster you must, must, must go. I promise you won't be able to walk out empty handed. I know I didn't! I found a couple of little things to put away until spring; a 40s carpet bag, a cute polka dotty skirt and a pair of big round sunglasses.

If you're not lucky enough to be in town you can still check out their websites (thanks for the links Alicia!):

Mommalicious
Smilin' Gal
My Aunt Debbie