Item of the Week - April 8th

https://www.etsy.com/listing/171330134/vintage-rhinestone-brooch-gold-bunny?ref=shop_home_active_6

Vintage Rhinestone Brooch / Gold Bunny Brooch / Easter Bunny / Rabbit Figural Pin

Get a jump on Easter with this super cute vintage gold and rhinestone rabbit pin. The Easter Bunny has never looked so good!

Perfect for wearing on your scarf, hat or coat lapel!

| MEASUREMENTS |

Width: 1 1/2"
Length: 3/4"

| DETAILS |

Era: 1980s
Style: Kitsch
Material: Metal and rhinestones
Colors: Gold and clear
Condition: Excellent

Item of the Week - March 25th

http://etsy.me/1cLnznp

Italian Mosaic Pill Box

These mosaics were usually floral in nature and made up of small pieces of glass or gemstones to create the lovely pattern. 

This little box is an inch in diameter and absolutely stunning. It’s in very good condition and would be a cute addition to the collection of Italian mosaic fans. Originally $20, but if you want to take this dainty little number home for a steal use coupon code MARFEATURE20 for 20% off! 

2014 Spring Fashion Trends

One of my favorite resources for following fashion trends is Elle Magazine online. Each season they put out gorgeous slideshows with runway trends and this spring is no different. I found their Top 10 Trends for Spring slideshow and was most excited about trend number four – 80s low-heel pumps are back!

As a woman who struggles with heels and teeters around quite precariously on anything that’s over two inches, this trend has me stoked to go spring shoe shopping!

For vintage lovers this is a great trend as well. Finding 80s shoes in sizes larger than 7s is much easier than sourcing 50s and 60s shoes for anyone who has feet that aren’t tiny and petite! You’ll find a lot of glam styles with that lovely 80s charm, but stay away from the neons and leg warmers!

Elle's Top 10 Trends for Spring:

• 
  Designer DIY
• Logos on Everything
• 90s Minimalist
• 80s Low Heel Pump
• Board Shorts
• Tribal Influenced Clothing
• Ear Cuffs and Funky Earrings
• Rose Gold
• Bright, Bold Metallics
• 
  
  Eyebrow Arch Makeup
  
  
  
  
  
  
  What trend are you most excited about this Spring? Post in the comments below!

Vintage Item of the Week - January 21st

Vintage 1970's Brooch / Bee Brooch / Insect Pin / Honey Bee

https://www.etsy.com/listing/175548665/vintage-1970s-brooch-bee-brooch-insect?ref=shop_home_active_3

If you love insect jewelry, this almost life-like bee brooch is perfect for you. Wings extended, ready to soar, you'll love the detail in this vintage pin!

| MEASUREMENTS |

Width: 3/4"
Length: 1"

| DETAILS |

Era: 1970s
Style: Kitsch
Material: Metal and enamel
Colors: Goldtone, yellow and brown
Condition: Excellent

Vintage Item of the Week - October 29th

Vintage 1950s Brooch / Rhinestone Brooch / Clip Earrings / Orange and Green Rhinestone Set

https://www.etsy.com/listing/86684945/vintage-1950s-brooch-rhinestone-brooch?ref=shop_home_active

This vintage brooch and clip earring set from the 1950s is absolutely beautiful! The combination of bright orange, yellow and green rhinestones mixed with the creamy enamel flowers makes this set a unique and stunning collection. Perfect for Fall weddings, the brooch can easily be made into a hair comb or would look amazing on a shrug or shawl!


| MEASUREMENTS |

Brooch: 3" x 1 1/2"

Earrings: 1" x 1/2"


| DETAILS |

Era: 1950s

Style: Set - Brooch and Clip Earrings

Material: Metal, rhinestones, enamel

Colors: Gold, amber, green, orange, topaz, yellow, cream, tan

Condition: Excellent


Blog readers can get a deal! Use coupon code 5DOLLARS at checkout for $5 off this gorgeous set! 

Vintage Item of the Week - October 22nd

Vintage 1960's Necklace and Earrings / Amber Necklace / Sarah Coventry Set

https://www.etsy.com/listing/123975753/vintage-1960s-necklace-and-earrings?ref=shop_home_active

This is a lovely vintage amber Sarah Coventry necklace and earring set from the 1960's. This fun, bright and cheerful set has yellow and amber honeycomb-like beads that give it a unique look. The necklace is two strands and the earrings are clips in the drop style.


| MEASUREMENTS |

Earrings: 1 3/4" x 1 3/4"

Length: 36"


| DETAILS |

Era: 1960s

Style: Victorian

Material: Metal, resin, plastic

Colors: Gold, amber, yellow, orange

Condition: Excellent


Blog readers can take advantage of this special - use coupon code 5DOLLARS at checkout for $5 off this lovely set! 

Vintage Item of the Week - October 15th

Vintage Owl Necklace / Orange Owl Pendant / Mod Orange Owl Necklace

https://www.etsy.com/listing/109628968/vintage-owl-necklace-orange-owl-pendant?ref=shop_home_active

Owls are hot, and so are large chunky necklaces, get the best of both worlds with this gorgeous, vintage orange owl pendant. It's made of solid white metal that's been painted orange to give it a great retro vibe. This particular little owl has piercing green eyes!

| MEASUREMENTS |

Pendant: 2" by 1"

Length: 20"

Half Length (distance between clasp and center when fastened): 10"


| DETAILS |

Era: 1970s

Style: Pendant

Material: Metal, paint, plastic

Colors: Orange, white, green
Condition: Excellent

Vintage Item of the Week - October 8th

Vintage Compact / 1960's Powder Compact / Pell Compact with Pink Flowers

https://www.etsy.com/listing/123738042/vintage-compact-1960s-powder-compact?ref=shop_home_active

This is a lovely vintage Pell compact with pink flowers. It is a square compact, opened by a little latch on the front that you press in. The compact is made of gold tone with a lovely pink flower design on the top. On the inside of the compact there is a mirror and a powder applicator, there is also a little bit of powder still left inside.

The compact would make the perfect "something old" for your wedding - easy to keep in a clutch and carry around with you on your special day!

| MEASUREMENTS |

Length: 2" x 2"

| DETAILS |

Style: Powder Compact

Label: Pell

Material: Metal and mirror

Colors: Gold with a pink and gold flower pattern

Condition: Some metal patina, otherwise great condition

Vintage Item of the Week - October 1st

Vintage Books / Blue Vintage Books / Set of Three Books for Decoration

https://www.etsy.com/listing/120757642/vintage-books-blue-vintage-books-set-of?ref=shop_home_active

This lovely little set of three blue and yellow vintage books is the perfect accent piece for any country chic or vintage home decor lover. The three books are all in excellent shape physically and are in useable, readable condition too.

| DETAILS |

The books include:

The Wind in the Forest - 1958 - A collection of stories, including a series of Snoopy/Charlie Brown comic strips!

Tish - 1947 - by Mary Roberts Rinehart

Janice Meredith - 1899- by Paul Leicester Ford - This book is absolutely gorgeous! It contains an inscription from a mother to a daughter, telling her that this book and the heroine are what inspired the mother to name her daughter Janice. It's such a touching inscription!

These would make a lovely addition to a vintage library, gorgeous coffee table accents or unique bookends for an entry way table like the one pictured above made of a vintage Singer sewing machine.

The possibilities are endless!


For followers of my blog use coupon code 5DOLLARS for $5 off these lovely books! 

Vintage Item of the Week - September 24th

Vintage Black Pearl Necklace / Real Black Pearls / Drop Necklace / Sterling Silver Clasp

https://www.etsy.com/listing/113260224/vintage-black-pearl-necklace-real-black?ref=shop_home_active

his vintage black pearl drop necklace is stunning! They are genuine fresh water black pearls with a gorgeous gray and lavender tone to them. The necklace is adjustable and the clasp is clearly marked with 925 for sterling silver.

The necklace is truly beautiful. This would make a wonderful wedding or anniversary gift!

| MEASUREMENTS |

Length: Up to 20in

Half Length (when fastened the distance between clasp and middle: 10"


| DETAILS |

Era: 1970s

Style: Choker with drop pendant

Material: Freshwater black pearls and sterling silver

Colors: Purple, gray, lavender, blue, teal, black

Condition: Excellent

For followers of my blog use coupon code 5DOLLARS for $5 off these lovely pearls!  

Vintage Item of the Week - September 17th

Vintage 1960s Necklace / Multi Strand Necklace / Amber Necklace

https://www.etsy.com/listing/110560464/vintage-1960s-necklace-multi-strand?ref=shop_home_active

I love the design of this amber and cream vintage 1960s multi-strand necklace. It's made up of six strands of small oval beads in alternating cream and amber, 3/4th the way down the necklace all the strands come together and connect to two large amber circle beads and one large white bead and then the six strands pick up again.

So retro and yet would be perfect with any Fall outfit today!

| MEASUREMENTS |

Length: 24"


| DETAILS |

Era: 1960s

Style: Multi-Strand

Material: Plastic

Colors: Gold, amber, orange, cream, white

Condition: Excellent

For followers of my blog use coupon code 5DOLLARS for $5 off this fun necklace!  

Vintage Item of the Week - September 10th

Vintage 1970s Wrap Coat / Vintage Bill Tice / Leopard Print Coat

https://www.etsy.com/listing/108558267/vintage-1970s-wrap-coat-vintage-bill?ref=shop_home_feat

This 1970s vintage wrap coat from Bill Tice is simply fabulous! It has a high ruffled collar and sleeves and is a true wrap coat. You tie it shut on the inside and the outside to create the perfect custom fit! The print is to die for! It's this fun orange leopard print base with bright pink and white and red flowers over the leopard print.

| MEASUREMENTS |


:: Fits a modern size medium ::


Waist: Up to 40"

Bust: 36”

Shoulders: 16”

Length: 40”

Hips: Open to 40"

Sleeve Length: 20"


| DETAILS |


Silhouette: Wrap style, unlined

Label: Bill Tice

Material: Unknown - Chiffon like

Colors: Leopard print, yellow and black with bright pink, red and white floral over print

Condition: Excellent


As a special for my blog readers - use coupon code 5DOLLARS at checkout for $5 off this awesome jacket!

Vintage Item of the Week - September 3, 2013

Each week I feature a new item from the shop as the Item of the Week!

This week's winner is:

Vintage 1960s Handbag / Black Purse / Black Woven Handbag with Faux Wood Handle

https://www.etsy.com/listing/106599179/vintage-1960s-handbag-black-purse-black?ref=shop_home_active

This vintage black woven plastic handbag from the 1960s is a crazy cool statement piece for any outfit. The purse has this great carved faux wood handle that gives it flare and a funky style. It's gorgeous and has a cream lining in excellent condition.

| MEASUREMENTS |

Length: 12"

Width: 4"

Depth: 6 1/2"


| DETAILS |

Era: 1960s

Style: Hobo

Material: Fabric, metal and plastic

Colors: Black

Condition: The goldtone metal of the clasp and frame does have some slight wear, but it doesn't take away from the beauty of the bag.


For a special deal use coupon code 5DOLLARS at checkout for $5 off this awesome purse! 

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!