For Like Ever

I don't care if everyone and their brother has this For Like Ever poster from Village. I still love it.

It's bright and clashy, especially with my vintage bamboo desk and Olivetti typewriter, but it's huge and pink and bright and gorgeous.

Now I need to go type some pen pal letters.

P.S. If you click on it, you can see the prettier version.

Napoleon Complex

I would just kill for these vintage epulets and hat and case. They are lucious.



They are at the same antiques store where I got my top hat (and many other treasures). This guy has a great eye.

Too bad they are $600+. If you want to chip in for them, I'll share!

Winning the Trifecta

Alright already! We get it! I like hats.

Well, I'm excited about them mainly becuase I have now completed my trifecta. Found my holy grail. I got the cute boater and the sassy derby. But they were both new pieces. But this weekend I was down at our favorite antiques store, and as i walked up to the window, I saw it. The MOST AMAZING vintage top hat. EVER!

Look at it:



Those are the eyes of a girl in luvvvvvvvvvv.....



Note: the band was on backwards and I had to fix it later but was too excited to take pictures.

Not only is the hat gorgeous and near pristine but it came with the leather carrying case. This needs to be buffed up a bit and dusted off but inside the hat fits in snugly, it has its satin and velvet and the straps to hold everything in place.




I would love love love to take this with me to New York but it's almost too nice (not too mention delicate) to travel with. I think I'm just going to have to wear this around town and to work every day for the next year.

GLEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Quit Stealing All My Ideas

I love hats. I can't help it. They are just so cool. I actually wear my hats. I'm pasty white so I like them for how they look and that they cover my face. I have some baseball caps but don't wear them all that often. I'd rather wear a big straw hat or something "fancier."

But unless you are at the Derby or Ascot, you don't see alot of other hats around. There has been the newsboy cap or the beat up straw cowboy hat but that's usually a trendy hipster or someone of that ilk.

I've been making a rash of recent hat purchases though. I got my boater, two cute vintage hats and talked just a month ago about getting a bowler (aka derby) hat. I've been researching the best options and had finally narrowed it down when I came upon this.... at Target!


Ummm... what the hell is a derby hat doing at freaking Target! Who is ripping off my ideas!

Okay, I know I'm probably not the only one buying/wearing a bowler hat but it's not like you are seeing a lot of them around getting all popular. Where did the buyer at Target come up with this one? Is this a growing trend that I am totally unaware of but subliminally influence by?

Well, I thought about buying the Target derby because, hey, it was $15 which is a bit cheaper than the ones I looked at. In the end, though, I passed. The main reason is because of the brim. A real derby/bowler isn't turned up all the way around like that, so it wasn't giving me the right look.

What I did buy is this one:




This one I bought through a vendor on Amazon. I hope it fits okay and looks good when I get it. I'm thinking of taking it with me to NYC. I tried to find a good vintage one but all the ones I tried were too big. Kind of a bummer, that.

Anyway, there were other options too, if you were looking for one.

The V&A Museum has one as a part of their Hat Anthology exhibit. This is where my boater came from. They only have 2 sizes though.

Berkely Hats seems to have a lot of hat options and their derbys come in several colors

I had first looked at the ones that Historical Emporium was selling but wasn't sure of it. I may get my next hat (a grey top hat) from here.

If I had the cash ($300) I would have loved to have splurged on a Christy's derby. It looks gorgeous.

Hopefully more pics to follow actually wearing my new hats.

Artistry & Accessories

I tried to hold out as long as I could but finally I could no longer resist and had to, just had to, get some new items from the amazingly talented folks who's sites I follow and who make the best stuff on Etsy!

First off I got this adorable poster from Miss Nubby Twiglet. She has as much graphic talent in her personal fashion style as she does in her graphic design. Working in advertising and loving fashion, I appreciate both things to a huge degree. I can't wait to find a home for this, but should it be in my office at work or here at home????



I just wrote about my love for Miss Lou Lou and her darling bows. I ended up getting Alice blue (love the name, love the color) and the hot pink. I think next will be red and maybe some of her sexy satin-y knickers.





I saw this poster from Jenny's Bake Shop on Flicker, and being a fan of the original, I loved the cheekiness of her version.



I want to look like all of the elfin girls in Jasmine's art. I decided on Queen Elizabeth and the Lion because I'm in a huge English history reading streak. Plus I'm a Leo and a red head, so it's perfect.



I finally got the original Keep Calm and Carry On poster. I think this, the cupcake version above and, maybe my Village "For Like Ever" poster as a triptych display may be in order.



Then I just went crazy with accessories! I'm not kidding.

I got one of these plume pins from Topsy Turvy Design in brass and teal. I'm planning on wearing teal and purple all Fall and Winter long. This will go on blazers, bags, hats, skirt, all over the place, I think.



I know I have a Champagne tag necklace but I couldn't not get this Brandy one. The little charms give it a more cutesy appeal plus it's kind of a personal joke... my parents almost named me Brandy! It would not have been a good combo with my last name. I would have sounded like a drink order. Eek!





I fell in love with this necklace from Heatherly Designs. She does these really interesting vintage inspired pieces and I thought the shape of this was so unusual. I love the deep crimson color of this too.





I also got this piece from her. The pendant reminded me of cinnabar.



I even like the chain.



This piece was from The Hand of Fatima's store (same as the Brandy necklace above). She makes pieces from re-purposed vintage pieces and I really like that unique element. This pendant reminds me of the jewelry in one of my favorite Marilyn Monroe movies - The Prince and the Showgirl.



I even like the chain detail.



But on a another note, I like utter modern, totally Bubblegum Plastic-ness of this this cameo necklace from Zombuki. She has other colors too, so check them out.



And last, but certainly not least, more delightful strangeness from Paraphernalia. I can wait to wear these around my more conservative friends and co-workers. The heart makes them look twice, what will the skull necklace do?



I still love owls even if the "fad" is over for a bit. A confused owl? Yes please.



I'm going to have a Poochie nameplate at last! I'll need to take a picture in this.



I may wear this all the time. Especially when I'm going out. ; ) I don't think I really trade it away but maybe I'll get some good offers.



Have you made any great Etsy or hand-crafted finds lately? I'd love to see what's out there!

Give Me Liberty!

I mentioned I was going to an antiques festival this past weekend and hoped to come home with some great finds. As always, even when you go with an idea in mind, you never know what you are going to come home with.

Liberty antiques festival is actually pretty good. I was looking for things like vintage feathers and pins but didn't come home with either of that. I did buy a monogrammed pillow made from vintage grain bag fabric and a folk are mini vanity mirror. I also got this adorable little silverplate pitcher for $5.



I shined it up a bit. It isn't perfect but that doesn't bother me. I like how the silver looks like gathered fabric.



On the fashion front I got two vintage bags. This first one is a red, probably '80s, leather clutch.



It's a good large size but not over-sized and has two compartments. I think it was $20.



I also got this adorable little faux croc bag in black patent. It's very petite but just adorable.



I wouldn't classify it as pristine but I'd give it a good 90 - 95%.



Liberty was the source of my vintage lizard bag. So don't overlook the antiques festivals. Typically it's furniture, jewelry and housewares but this year there was a dealer who had only vintage lingerie. Miss C went with me and she got a lovely piece there.

You never know what you're going to find!

Not Zubbles!

I have a big tendency to, if' I'm really in love with a style of something, to get it in multiple colors. And now JCrew is trying to take advantage of that fact, darn them!

I love this space-agey-yet-vintage-looking "Bubble" necklace that comes in three lovely colors.

Sweet Papaya:



Brilliant Blue:



Turquoise (my favorite!):



They're each $150 and brand new, so get 'em while they last.

P.S. What the heck are Zubbles???

Christmas for thee and me

I am newly in love with Banana Republic's jewelry. I haven't checked out BR in a while because I tend to shop their less expensive sisters, Gap and Old Navy, but had read some good reviews of the quality and style of their jewelry offerings lately.

I have say that I agree with them.

I like them so much I ordered two for Christmas gifts. I got this lovely vintage yet modern looking bracelet for a very stylish friend. I also got one for me. Is that bad???



I got another friend, one who tends to be quite minimalist in her dressing, this lovely white enamel cuff. Is it wrong that I was severely tempted to keep it for myself. I think it would look great with my new white clutch....

But no! No! It will look great on her. Must. Ship. Out!



They also have some great items on sale. I think we will see me trolling this site much more often.

Rose-tinted glasses

So I have this very bad tendency to see something on someone or somewhere, fall head over heels in love and then go absolutely crazy and overboard trying to incorporate whatever it is into my life.

Case in point - large sunglasses in pink and/or round with gradiated lenses. I lurv Miss Gala's glasses here. It's back to that desire for pink hair and color coding.



Another big part of it is the Chanel sunglasses. I bought these and then ended up selling them. For more than I bought them for at least but, even thought they looked somewhat comical on me, I kind of miss them but, damn!, they were expensive.



So off I went trolling on eBay to see what I could find searching pink, round, gradiated, vintage, etc. Here are some of what I found and bought.

You think these look crazy here? You should see them in person.



These are kind of a pinkish-peach color frame with amber gradiated lenses, but the arms don't go very wide.




This last pair are the best and this picture is totally useless, I know. I was going to swipe the picture from the auction and they're all down so I need to take some more. I promise to do so asap, but it would be remiss to not include them because they are the best of the bunch. They are HUGE and the lenses are a gradiated pink. I look like I have a giant pink butterfly on my face. I luv them mucho.



I promise, more pics to come soon. Maybe I'll dress all in pink tomorrow. That would wake you up in the winter!

I'm crying

I discovered this amazing vintage piece on eBay and I am crying and sick sick SICK that I didn't win it. And it is my own stupid fault because I forgot to bid at the last minute!!!! UGH!

This is so cool. It is a pin made of African flamingo feathers and is from the 50's/60's (naturally shed, of course. Or so they said).



Look at the amazing colors on the feathers. Deep coral pink. How gorgeous would this have been with the charcoals and blacks for Fall.

I want this to the point of obsession.

Wit and Whimsy

I've expressed my love for vintage jewelry many times before. And recently I've been seeing new jewelry inspired by the wit and whimsy of "grandma" jewelry. This is the jewelry that you would see your grandmother wearing all the time or saving for special occasions. When you are younger you would think the pieces would be a little crazy but now they look totally cool.

I'm so happy that companies are embracing and reinventing these styles. Anthropologie has always has unique vintage-y pieces, but I was surprised to see the following pieces in the JCrew catalog.

My favorite piece is this elephant charm bracelet.




This is so "Palm Beach socialite" with the over-sized twisted chain and "ivory" enameled graduated elephants. This would be great with navy and white stripes or pink and green Lilly Pulitzer colors.

A lot of long necklaces have been out since the Spring, but I also like these long beaded necklaces with really fun clasps. JCrew has done this really will with an enameled frog clasp.



Look at that froggie!



Now if you want a similar look go to the stand-by eBay. I love going to eBay, even more than going to thrift stores and antique shows. I tend to get overwhelmed visually and eBay lets me search for what I am looking for. You do lose some of the "thrill of the hunt" but, for someone like me, you get to see a whole lot more. And you do never know what you will find.

I searched out charm bracelets and wanted to see what I could find to mimic the JCrew pieces. Theirs are kind of pricey ($125 each) and I hoped to find something more in my price range. This one is more costume jewelry but just as fun.



I also looked up beaded necklaces and thought this was a great option too. The closure isn't the great frog but it is very pretty. A little more formal than the JCrew option.



So if your Grammy has fun jewelry and she asks if you want to have anything or borrow a piece - go for it! These pieces will be a perfect accent to jeans and sweaters, something to make you stand out.

If you've got 'em, wear 'em!

Vintage ≠ Crap

I had someone once say to me, "Vintage? What is that another word for crap?"

I'm serious.

I was completely appalled! And offended because I love vintage - clothes, shoes, furniture, books and, especially, jewelry. I've collected vintage jewelry since high school and found some amazing pieces. But if I ever needed an argument just take a look at these amazing vintage pieces:



This necklace is made of vintage broaches strung on a crystal necklace. So gorgeous.

The following two brooches I found on eBay. They are very Art Nouveau and are amazingly detailed




This is the back of the second brooch. Look at the workmanship.



Vintage is a great way to get a unique look and great quality, often at an affordable price. Plus, sifting through eBay or going to antique shows is fun and a great way to hone your eye and find what the market is charging. Plus you can see what is hot or getting popular.

Branch out with your choices. I think it's better to have something unique than some generic piece that anyone could buy off of QVC or in the mall.