Random Vintage Fact of the Day!

Random Vintage Fact of the Day!

While researching different tie styles I stumbled upon a fact that now makes one of my childhood ditties make so much more sense!

Yankee Doodle
"Yankee Doodle went to town a riding on a pony, stuck a feather in his hat and called it macaroni!"

All this time I was envisioning the feather in his cap turning into a macaroni noodle... but what it actually means is this: A macaroni was a member of a group of young Englishmen who returned from Europe and brought with them new ideas about fashion from Italy.



Now pasta isn't completely out of the story - the macaronis did get their name from the noodle that was popular in Italy, but very new to the English at that time.

In mid-18th century these gentlemen were thought of as outlandish, effeminate and to be exceeding the boundaries of fashion, they were actually a precursor to the English Dandy, who took back men's fashion with more masculinity than the Macaroni. 




These gents were responsible for bringing back the cravat in the late 18th century, which lead to our modern necktie. 

Who knew!?!



Full lyrics to Yankee Doodle

"Kids Version Yankee Doodle"

Yankee Doodle went to town

A-riding on a pony,

Stuck a feather in his cap

And called it macaroni'.

Chorus:

Yankee Doodle keep it up,

Yankee Doodle dandy,

Mind the music and the step,

And with the girls be handy.

Father and I went down to camp,

Along with Captain Gooding,

And there we saw the men and boys

As thick as hasty pudding.

Chorus

There was Captain Washington,

Upon a slapping stallion,

Giving orders to his men-

I guess there were a million.

Chorus

Life Lessons Through Vintage

Awhile back when my grandfather was first diagnosed with terminal cancer I sat down and wrote a blog post about what it meant to me and how it took hearing the news about his cancer to realize that my grandpa had been a huge inspiration and sort of the kick start to how I began collecting vintage. It was this collecting passion that led me to my little business and that has become a very integral part of my life.

I was honored the other day when I submitted my post about my grandpa and what I had learned in the now almost two years I've been a vintage clothing, vintage jewelry and vintage accessories seller on Etsy to another vintage expert and she was interested in publishing it on her blog. Sammy Davis of Sammy Davis Vintage, not only showcases great vintage clothing and vintage retail experience, she's a firm believer in empowering others to do their very best and to succeed in our journeys of promoting vintage love. Through this message she's featuring stories that have inspired other vintage sellers to start their journeys in this crazy world of vintage retail.

The wonderful thing about Sammy is that she has a knack for taking stories like mine and turning them into lessons that other vintage sellers can learn from. She's taken my original blog post and tweaked it into a great lesson on building a brand for your vintage business. Take a peek at how she's turned my post into something wonderful, complete now with photos and more background history!

I'd love to read comments from you all about what inspires you - even if it isn't in vintage! Post your inspirations below!

Vintage Home Parties!

With the launch of my Zaarly storefront I decided to offer up some more service-oriented types of offerings from Vintage Baubles & Bits. One of these new services is the Vintage Home Party. Clients interested in a fun girl's day/night can contact me and arrange for a party complete with wine, cheese, veggies, desserts and vintage!

I hosted my first party on June 1st for a group of five gals in the KC area. To get the ball rolling on the project I hosted at my home. It was a lovely event, super fun and I think I succeeded in convincing a few of my guests that vintage doesn't have to seem old and that styles are recycled so much in fashion that some vintage is truly timeless!

Peek below for photos of the night's festivities and for a listing of what an event entails.

Want to have an awesome girl's night in? Looking for a fun party idea, complete with food and activities? I have the solution - Vintage Shopping Parties!


Do you and your girlfriends love vintage clothing? Hate digging through racks and racks of stuff trying to find something in your size or the color or era you're looking for? I have hundreds of vintage items, including clothing, shoes, hats, handbags and other accessories and I'd be more than happy to set up a private shopping experience for you and your girlfriends!


All I need from you is the number of party attendees, a listing of the types of items you're interested in (hats, shoes, dresses, blouses, skirts, handbags, jewelry) and sizes of the ladies and we can go from there! It's like a dress up party for grown ups.


The fee covers my time to curate selections for you and your friends. And hey, it wouldn't be a party without some extras - like two bottles of wine, a meat and cheese tray, a veggie tray and light desserts for some nibbles.


There is no obligation to buy, I won't be looking to build a team of vintage party reps and it's just plain fun and hassle free! Oh and since it is a party - there will be party favors and group discounts to boot!

Interested in hosting your own party? Message me for details!