Vintage Back Talk:: No Carantions

Meet Sheena the face behin No Carnations

Hello everyone! Today I am once again thrilled to bring you an amazing vintage colector and seller! Today please welcome, Sheena of No Carnations a vintage clothing shop on Etsy. She also has a home decor vintage etsy shop too No Carnations Home and she is a fellow blogger.

1. Why Do You Love Vintage?
Tatted lace with unbelievable detail, embroidery, hand-stitching, printed fabrics from the 40's with such great shapes and color combinations that don't appear in the mass produced labels of today.
I often think about what modern items could be vintage treasures in 50-110 years.
Will any of these modern clothes be able to stand the test of time? With the exception of a few designer labels, I still don't have the answer.

2. What got you started collecting vintage?
I started buying and collecting vintage at a very young age. I remember finding a beautiful pair of antique lace gloves and wearing them to class in the 4th grade, a la Madonna. It wasn't Halloween, it was just a Tuesday. Lots of bangles and some teased hair. I must have looked crazy. Fun, but crazy.

3. Do you have any tips or tricks you would share with htose interested in getting started collecting vintage?

When I got started, I didn't know anything really. I knew what I liked and what drew me in, but not which time period it was from or how it might have been made. Experience taught me so much and talking with my fellow Vintage sellers. The learning curve is off the charts once you immerse yourself in vintage. Reading about textile production in the 30's can lead you to fabrics and their availability during and after the second world war which takes you to cut and design of the 50's and then on to copyright and so on. All of which knowing can help you date a piece. With that said I learn something new every day and sometimes I still don't know exactly what I am looking at when I come across a new piece.
Some books I recommend and that you can find in the student union of any college with a fashion design program- Very different from the vintage books at your local Barnes and Nobles

Survey of Historical Costume- Tortora & Eubank
The Fairchild dictionary of Fashion- Calasibetta & Tortora
Ready-to-Wear Apparel Analysis - Brown & Rice

Thank you Sheena! Be sure to check out Sheena's Shops No Carnations and No Carnations Home & Her Blog too!