Vintage Back Talk: Redux Lounge

Hello Wonderful Readers! Today I am so happy to share  an interview with Jill and Kristin of

Redux Vintage

 These two Vintage Hunters will help you the next time you in pursuit of that perfect piece of vintage luxury wear with a little flair.

1. Why do you love Vintage?

Kristin: I personally love vintage because it feels more unique as opposed to buying something at a department store. the pieces feel like they come with a story or two attached. i find the past to be romantic.

Jill: I love vintage because it adds romance and eccentricity to my wardrobe. I also enjoy a good treasure hunt. Finding an amazing dress in the way back of a store, or at the bottom of a pile is absolutely thrilling. A sense of pride and satisfaction washes over me as though I’ve completed a crucial mission

2. What Sparked Your Interest In Vintage?

Kristin:  I grew up in a military family, often moving from city to city. as a kid, no matter where I landed I never seemed to be wearing the "in style" at the local school.
Eventually, perhaps by eighth grade, I decided to embrace my differences, as opposed to adapting. Vintage finds were an easy choice. Sometimes i would choose a piece for its fabric and create a totally new garment (like making leopard print pedal pushers from a frumpy housecoat).

Jill:  My favorite vintage items are those that come with a history. As a child my parents were on The J Peterman mailing list, and I loved the stories that accompanied each piece. It was romantic. My mother read fantasy books to me when I young, and I believe this too colored my imagination with exotic images and extravagant royal costumes. Unable to find clothing off the rack that resembled the images in my mind, I turned to vintage ingredients while assembling the outfits I craved.

3. What Lead you to begin selling Vintage?

Jill: Last year I worked in a vintage store, Macalistaire at 1850, in Laguna Beach and was immersed in a fabulous collection of vintage furniture, art, rugs, pottery, fabric, jewelry, and clothing, all curated by the owner and school teacher Rachiel Macalistaire. Not only is she a vintage encyclopedia, she is the person who gave me the title of Stylist. That moment was important for me. Although styling was something I’d been doing all my life, the name had been missing. Most of what I know I learned from her, and from working with Kristin Skubinna.

At Macalistaire at 1850 I was introduced to ETSY, and finally reached the point where I felt confident in my ability to operate an ETSY store with Kristin. History is not one of my strengths, however I’ve found that my enthusiasm for vintage fashion is giving me an accidental education that’s pain-free. I admire Kristins personal style because she takes huge fashion risks and they pay off. She combines patterns and colors effortlessly.

Kristin: I've been collecting for probably 25 years...then i met Jill. She was working at a vintage store in Laguna Beach. I would travel there to visit her and spend long chunks of time perusing every rack, shelf, box, etc. She would even go into a back room and pull things out for me. I was in heaven. then one day I proposed the etsy idea. People had been telling me for two years "you should have a store on etsy"...i also heard the phrase "that (fill in the blank) is so cute! you always find the cutest things!"...i harped Jill for three months until she gave in:) we were off and running!!

4. Do you have a style, decade, and type of fabric that is your favorite?

Jill: According to Kristin my favorite decade is the 90’s. She calls me Linda Evans and says I need to get the Dynasty box set. I’ve never seen it. Personally, I think there’s nothing wrong with looking like you’re on Safari all the time, with a dash of Dubai royalty, and Victorian lace. I like to layer and mix it up.

Kristin:  I love BARKCLOTH...50's, 60's 70's any decade of barkcloth...possibly an addiction. I also have a ridiculous soft spot for 60's slips , petticoats and peignoirs:) I wear underwear as outerwear all the time: I'm glad I've been transplanted from Seattle to LA so I can do this with great frequency.

5. If you could only pack one vintage item with you on a vacation, what would it be?
Kristina 70's floral baby doll

6. What are your tips to sizing when it comes to vintage? Especially vintage luxury wear?

Kristin:  you really have to go by measurements rather than sizes...
I tend to err on the larger size if I LOVE a piece, cuz I can always add a dart to a garment that's a wee bit too big ...I can't always lose a rib to fit in that XXS.

Jill: [With vintage clothing]“divide the size in half and add a size” it seems to work. so if it says it’s a 12 its really an 8. 

Thanks Ladies! 

This is the last installment of Vintage Back Talk, but don't worry, I have something up my sleeve for the fall! Please share what your favorite interview from Vintage Back Talk was this summer! I would love to hear your feedback about these sets of interviews!

Vintage Back Talk: Cupids Arrow, Romatic Vintage Wedding Gowns

The Faces Behind Cupids Arrow & Lipstick Whiskey

Hello readers! Today's Vintage Back Talk is with the clever and stylish duo,  Cindy and Dawnette, of Cupids Arrow on Etsy. These ladies know a thing or two when it comes to purchasing anything vintage, especially vintage wedding gowns!

Read on to learn more about their tips, tricks, and faves regarding all things wedding gowns:

1.  Why do you love Vintage?
We love vintage as it evokes a "time gone by" an era where women were all about being beautiful, classy and truly feminine. It is a time of history that still lives on. We have more then one vintage shop as basically we can't get enough! LOL..we truly love all things Vintage. Wedding gowns are our favorite.

2. What got you started collecting and selling vintage wedding gowns?

I (Cindy) have a full time Wedding business. Here on Etsy I have a shop...CRBoggs Designs. All of my creations have been created out of the love of vintage. When Dawnette and I opened our first shop...LipStick Whiskey...we found we kept looking at wedding gowns as we both loved them, admired their beauty and craftsmanship. We found we kept getting more and more and soon realized we needed to separate our wedding gowns from our other vintage clothing. What better way than to open the first All vintage wedding gown shop.

3. What are your best tips for those hoping to purchase a vintage wedding gown?

Tips we would give brides is first...choose your era. From the early 1900s to the 1980s...dresses have changed with each decade. Fabrics have evolved too. The one fabric that we have found that has lasted the test of time is Lace. Every decade includes lace.
A bride should choose the style she might like...try different gowns on, go to antique stores, festivals, wherever she might find gowns and see if she can try them on. Like any wedding dress, you might think you love it, but when you try it on...you might find it doesn't look good on you. On the other hand...sometimes, as we all know, if you see something you love...DON'T pass it up..you will regret it.

Most importantly...MEASURE, MEASURE AND REMEASURE...
Dress sizes have changed over the years. Many years ago, a lot of wedding dresses were handmade, so no size was inside the gown. Even as late as the 50s...some dresses still did not have size labels. If they did...women's shapes were different and the sizes back then were on a different scale. A size 14 in the 1950s in general is about a size 8 now. So...make sure to measure the bust, rib cage, waist, hips if needed and of course the length...

4.  Is there a wedding dress style, decade, and type of fabric that is your favorite?
Our favorite era for wedding gowns? hmmm, that is a hard one...Each era brought a little something different. We love the 30s and 40s as this was a time of Old Hollywood glamor. Gowns were made of slipper satin and duchess satin...both stunning fabrics. Gowns were sleek and form fitting with long trains. The 50s were a time of Grace Kelly...Full skirts, Lace, fitted bodice. Truly a beautiful time. We would say those eras are our favorite by far. As for fabric...Lace. Romantic and timeless.

5. What are the benefits of purchasing a vintage gown opposed to a new one? In your opinion?
To Dawnette and myself...the most important benefit of a vintage gown is... There is not going to be another bride out there wearing your gown as in today's market where gowns are mass produced. Thousands of girls are most likely wearing the same dress. In 50 years when we collect vintage gowns from the 2000's, there will be hundreds of these same dresses. Not so with Vintage.
One, maybe two other people, have worn your gown and in general most likely cherished this piece and have passed it down from generation to generation until no one was left. Now its up to you to carry on this timeless tradition.

What better way to pass on a heritage then with a Vintage Wedding Gown
Come visit Cupids Arrow and we will help you find your perfect dress.

Vintage Back Talk: Orphan Photo

 

Today I am bringing you a unique vintage Back Talk interview with Glenn and Xel of the Etsy Shop, Orphan Photo. In addition to their Etsy Shop, they work in photo restoration and have a tip or two to share about how to shop, preserve and enjoy vintage and antique photos.

1. Why do you love vintage?

 I started loving vintage and antiques when I was around 13. We had a cousin from France come and stay with us. He was selling a lot of English Antiques to collectors here in the U. S. and he received them in our garage. I was fascinated by the workmanship and was hooked immediately.
My wife and I also love going to estate sales and finding those rare well made vintage pieces. We love to see how well they stand up to time. My wife got me started with old steamer trunks. She said she would like one to have in the house. Well before you know it I bought 7 of them. I couldn't believe that this was how people traveled and how incredibly well made they were.

 

2. What got you started collecting vintage photographs?

 I have been in the custom picture framing business since I was 16. I always loved when someone would bring in old photos to frame. I started collecting mostly landscape photography. Than one day my wife and I went to an estate sale and we couldn't find anything we liked. And than I saw a box with old photos in it which were mostly family photos from the late 1800's. We bought it brought it home and began going through the box wondering how anyone could abandon their old family photos. We found that there was a market for them and that’s how Orphan Photo was born.

3. What tips can you offer those who are seeking to purchase vintage photographs?

 There are many different reasons people are buying our photos. There are collectors and there are people who use them to make greeting cards or other crafts. You should look at the quality of the photography. Is the shot well composed? For a collector you would want it to be as well preserved as possible. For the person using it on a greeting card or other craft you would want the photo to be clear enough so that when you scan it you get a good clear image.

4. What do you look for in a photo to know it is of good quality, and will last decades to come?

I believe most old photographs are of good quality. They were usually printed on very good paper. I prefer photos that have not been glued to their album pages, but have successfully removed these photos in the past either using Dental floss gently gliding it back and forth behind the photo or if the glue is too strong I would soak them in water to loosen them from the paper and than dry them with weight. With proper care they should be able to last many generations.

5. In your opinion, what are the best ways to care for and preserve vintage photographs?

The best way to preserve a photo is to store them inert polypropylene sleeves. They should be kept out of sunlight and in an area that has very low moisture. The ones that i keep I either archival frame or Hinge them with acid free tape to a museum quality mat and put them in an archival quality plastic sleeve.

6. What are your favorite types of images to collect?

My wife and I love the outdoors and often go hiking. So we love photos that show the great outdoors. Beautiful landscapes or waterfalls. We are amazed at how well composed some of these early photos were.

 **Visit Orphan Photo to see more vintage and antique photos.**

Vintage Back Talk: Divine In Time

Hello long time readers, and welcome new reader friends!

Today I am happy to bring you an interview with the lovely Elise of Divine in Time Etsy Shop and blog of the same name. Enjoy!

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1. How long have you been shopping vintage? What got you started/interested?

I’ve only been shopping vintage for about two years. My obsession began innocently, but how I got started is a little twisty turny. Long before Divine in Time, there was Divine in Mind, my jewelry business. I even have another shop on Etsy for my jewelry, but lately I’m so busy with vintage I don’t have time to make things. 

I started to putter around with a lot of vintage bits and pieces I’d salvaged from old jewelry and I really, REALLY liked the results. I started buying lots of broken or “junk” jewelry on Ebay but after a while I wanted to see what I might be able to find locally. 

I did a little digging online, found a couple of estate sales in my area and the rest is history.  At first I concentrated mostly on jewelry and other stuff that could be made into jewelry, like old game pieces, scrabble tiles and things like that.  But it wasn’t long before I found other stuff I couldn’t resist.

It really didn’t seem like I was buying that much. I’d only spend $15-20 when I’d go out, but the next thing I knew, every nook and cranny in my apartment was stuffed full of  “treasures”.  I had to do something. I gave myself an ultimatum. (in fact, I am once again in ultimatum mode) I couldn’t buy anything else until I had listed at least 25 items. Well, that was a strong incentive because I LOVE to buy stuff. So I got busy, listed 25 items my first weekend, and before the weekend was over I made my first sale!  

 

2. Why do you love vintage?
I love vintage because to me, items are more than just inanimate objects. In some ways, they are repositories of the memories of the lives of the people who used them. We are here for a short time, but the things we used, the things we touched and admired, the things that brought us joy, the things we made with our own hands remain. The stay behind and they tell the story of who we were.

Sometimes it’s a personal story, like a photo album, or an old letter or a scrapbook or diary. Sometimes it’s a much bigger story. Sometimes it’s the story of our shared history; it’s about the events in our history, how that history impacts the people who lived it.  It’s not about The Liberty Bell or the Mona Lisa, it’s about something as simple as a rubber button marked “Goodyear” on the back.  It’s about the past showing us who we are and why we are where we are today.  It’s intriguing. 

 

3. Do you have any tips or tricks you could share for those wanting to start to collect vintage pieces? 
I only have one tip, and that is BUY WHAT YOU LOVE. Don’t worry about value or whether it will be worth something one day. If it intrigues you and you like it, buy it, collect it, admire it, share it, love it.  I find myself drawn to the strangest things  like my collection of thermoses and carafes. I don’t know why they interest me, but they do. I haven’t paid more than $8.00 for any of them and my entire collection would likely fetch under $50, but I love them. 

4. How do you know if something is "vintage" or "Retro?" Is there a difference?
I don’t know if there is an official difference, but I consider “retro” to be more of a style description rather than the age of an item.  Vintage usually means that an item is older than 20-25 years.  An item that is “retro” will also be “vintage”, but not all “vintage” items are “retro”. 

Example-A pair of chunky patent leather Go-Go boots from the 1960’s would be “retro” in style and also vintage. A 1965 Monopoly game would be “vintage” but not “retro”.

5. What are your favorite vintage pieces to shop for?

O boy, that’s a loooooooooong list. I’ve never been good at focus when it comes to vintage. (as you might have noticed if you perused my shop).  But I do have a few categories that always pique my interest.

Anything related to home crafting just cannot be passed by. I guess because I have always been an artist and crafter I love anything that was made by hand like old tin can dollhouse furniture or hand tatted pieces or paint by numbers etc… I love to see what crafters of the past used to do and the materials they used.

I also love anything travel related.  I can’t seem to pass up old maps, or travel brochures, especially from the 1960’s or earlier. As exciting as travel is now, I think in the past it was even more mysterious and exotic and even taking a plane trip might have been a once in a lifetime experience.

I also have a soft spot for barware. I love how quirky and weird and sometimes even a little creepy it is.  I don’t always buy it, but I have to look at it. 

Flags, Bingo Cards & Winners

Hello good readers. Happy weekend to you, and to my fellow Americans Happy 4th of July! 

Source

This weekend will be abundantly full for me (when is it not!?), so bare with me as I continue to post sporadically. I am hoping (fingers crossed) that next week all will be back to normal, and you can expect me in this space more consistently. 

I have some amazing things to share with you including an interview with Divine in Time as part of Vintage Back Talk. 

Speaking of Vintage Back Talk, remember Miss Rachael Brooke? Well, today is the day to announce the winner of her awesome gift certificate!

The lucky winnerof Rachael Brooke Designs gift certificates is Cat Laures of http://www.brideblu.blogspot.com/

Congratulations Cat! I will be sending you a little email here shortly.

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:2Powered by RANDOM.ORG

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!

Vintage Back Talk:: Rachael Brooke Designs

Hello friends! Today I am thrilled to share with you an interview with artist Rachael Brooke of Rachael Brooke Designs. She not only is going to share her beautiful vintage upcycled jewelry with you today, but she is also offering 1 GoatNotes reader a chance to win $40 to her Etsy Shop! (See Giveaway Below). But, enough chat. Let's hear what Racheal has to say.

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In Rachael's words:

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I’m Rachael Brooke Winkley and I’m a jewelry artist. I have been selling my work at art fairs, outdoor markets and to stores and galleries since 1998. I began my adventure as a full-time artist just a few years ago and launched my Vintage Metals Collection in June 2010.

I became an artist-in-residence at Mendota Mental Health Institute (MMHI) and moved into my studio there in May 2010. I’m part of a group of artists who teach classes or facilitate other arts/creative projects throughout the facility. I teach a Monday afternoon art class with a group of 4-6 men.

I’ve just started my studio blog for several reasons: to give readers a view inside an art studio; to share the fun I have in the process of creating my jewelry; and simply as a way to connect with the world after spending so much of the day alone in my studio.

1. Why do you love vintage?


My parents sparked my love of vintage things by instilling the thrill of the hunt for treasure and a love for selling it at an early age. They were broke college students with loads of creativity and a knack for finding great stuff at rummage and estate sales. I grew up in a small Wisconsin town in a very eclectic 1970's home (i.e. artsy-hippie-bohemian) filled with second-hand furniture and vintage decorative items. My parents would also take their finds to sell at the 7-Mile Fair Flea Market in Milwaukee, WI to make rent and grocery money. A few times, they set me up with my own table where I sold old beer cans my dad and I had collected (i.e. they threw really good hippie parties). I made my first $200 selling those beer cans somewhere around 1978

2. What sparked your interest in using vintage pieces in your jewelry?


My love for vintage clothing and jewelry started in high school. I went to all the dances in head-to-toe vintage outfits. Back then (in the now vintage 1980's) I could score vintage wear for super cheap at the second-hand stores. That was before they knew what they had and started tagging stuff as "retro" or "vintage". At some point after high school, it occurred to me to start taking apart ugly costume necklaces with great crystal beads and use the beads in my new jewelry designs. I started Rachael Brooke Designs selling my vintage crystal jewelry.

3. Where do you get your ideas for new jewelry?


I’m always looking around at shapes and designs and thinking about how I might use them in jewelry design. I use plastic design templates for many of the shapes in my Vintage Metals Collection. I have a simple fan shape design that is the corner piece of a sectional sofa on a furniture template. I also make my own templates by tracing designs on to Lexan (plexiglass) and cutting them out with my jeweler’s saw. I get the Lexan scraps from the framing shop at MMHI. I also find fantastic designs on the tins I turn into jewelry. I traced a design from a Russian tea tin that I call my “pointy cloud” design which you can see in my Barn Dance necklace:
www.etsy.com/listing/73801298/barn-dance-vintage-candy-tin-necklace

4. Where do you find all of your vintage materials you use in your jewelry?


I find my materials at flea markets, estate sales and resale shops. I'm also game for picking through curbside piles of garbage or diving in a dumpster now and then. It's very time consuming and sometimes a bust, but I love digging around at the markets and shops for tins, trays and other metal objects to turn into jewelry.

5. Tell us more about your studio


My studio is in a 1920’s one-story bungalow style building on the MMHI grounds that was built to house World War I veterans who were being treated for “shell shock” symptoms. It’s just under 200 square feet (198 to be exact) with high ceilings and three huge windows. I've decorated it with the really exceptional tins I can't bring myself to cut up. I love being part of a group of artists who share the same building. It’s simply the best studio I’ve ever had. Of course, my last studio was in our basement so I would have been excited to move into a big walk-in closet on the first floor.

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GIVEAWAY!!!

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Rachael is also offering 1 lucky reader a $40 gift certificate to her Etsy shop! To enter do one of the following 3 options. Do all three to increase your chances of winning! A winner will be announced on Saturday July 1st by 12:00 PM PST on GoatNotes.
1) follow Rachael on Twitter, tweet about this Vintage Back Talk post and about Rachael and post a comment on Goat Notes
2) Like Rachael's Facebook page, post a comment there about about this Vintage Back Talk Post and post a comment on Goat Notes.
3. Or Become a follower of Goat Notes & Leave a Comment that you have done so!

Vintage Back Talk: Hopscotch Dandelions

Meet Amanda of HopscotchDandelions

Hello fabulous readers! I am so happy to share with you my interview with Amanda of Hopscotch & Dandelions. She is an Etsy Shop owner who sells lovely vintage and handmade goods as well as blogs about her farming and cowgirl adventures on her blog, Hopscotch  Dandelions.

1.How long have you been shopping vintage? What got you started/ interested?
I started selling vintage on etsy after I helped clean out a bunch of old sheds at my uncle & aunt's house.

The previous owners had had the home in their family since it was built in the 40s. They moved out and left several sheds completely full of old stuff. Some of the stuff was completely useless & just junk like packages of napkins from the 70s, astro-turf samples, we even found a set of retainers-gross! There was also a lot of amazing vintage pieces like suitcases from 1930s, a 1950s wedding dress, hat boxes, my 1955 Sunbeam Mixmaster (I actually use it while baking!), handwritten recipe books, photographs and my favorite find- vintage dresses that fit me!

My aunt kept a few things for herself & sort of gave me free range on what I could keep. Although it was all really interesting, some of the items were not really my style. Whatever I didn't take was going to be sent to the Goodwill- so of course I had to keep the good stuff, even if it wasn't my style. I was beginning to look like a hoarder with all that vintage & things were getting a little crowded so I decided to open my Etsy shop!

I was lucky to find such great stuff!
It was a really neat experience- its amazing what you can find out about people by going through their stuff.

2. Why do you love vintage?
I've always had a soft spot for vintage. I just love vintage because its so unique & its a great way to really personalize your space.

3. Do you have any tips or tricks you could share for those interested in starting to collect vintage pieces?
*When you find a vintage item that you like, really inspect it before you buy it, especially if its fabric. You don't want to spend your money on something that is going to fall apart in a month.

*If you find a neat vintage item & really love it , even if its a little bit over your price range (you could always try to negotiate the price!) --Buy it! if you don't buy it you'll totally regret it later on!

Thank you Amanda!

PS:

If you are involved with vintage goodness, please don't hesitate to contact me! I would be happy to feature you too!