Ewwwww...it's Vintage

I have a beef. Since the explosion of vintage clothing on the mainstream fashion scene, there are tons of sellers out there taking advantage of second hand clothing.

While I of course encourage the wearing of vintage and second hand clothing, I do not however encourage the selling of un-washed and un-pressed clothing at premium prices.

Have a look. This dress is offered on an online store (of which I won't name). Although very pretty and I love the color, it is incredibly wrinkled. Which makes me think, "is it washed?". And for a $112 price tag, it better be.

I take great care in handwashing, dry cleaning, pressing, hanging and folding of my precious vintage clothes. I just cannot imagine selling a dress in a wrinkled, un-pressed and unwashed state. Eeewwwwww.

Would you buy such a product? And then pay shipping on top of it? And then have to have it cleaned yourself? I should hope not.

Dear readers, while this photo is artistic, appealing to the senses and sharp - look closer. (And always read the fine print.) Nowhere in the listing does it say it is cleaned. It looks like it was just pulled out of the plastic shopping bag from the store it was bought from.

This pretty dress is $410, very wrinkled. Is this how the buyer will receive it?

$388. A beautiful gown.....but the buyer should definitely ask questions about how, when and if this is washed.

Don't be fooled by pretty pictures. That's just called marketing. As an old friend who is an ex-marketing guru once said, "it's just chicken - but it's how you arrange it on the plate that matters". Caveat emptor, and do your research.

Or buy one of these:

Vintage Laundry

I enjoy doing laundry. There is a great sense of satisfaction I receive when a pile of dirty clothes put into a machine, miraculously come out clean! I say miraculously because there was a time when washing machines were not available and laundry was done by hand. A very tedious and difficult home chore leaving hands chaffed and dry.

How lucky we are to have our modern appliances! The fantastic 50s allowed women more conveniences in the home and the laundry room was as important as the kitchen. Today we seem to have delegated the laundry room to a dark, cold, dingy corner in the basement, devoid of any character. How nice it would be to have a bright and cheerful place to do one's laundry. Let's have a look at some vintage laundry rooms - any of which I would love to have!

 

 

 

Fido, Bring Me My Slippers...

How do you shuffle around the house? And what do you call those things you put on your feet that are not quite a shoe, but are only worn indoors?

I call mine slippers. But I have also heard these terms: slippies, booties, fuzzies, house shoes, baboosh, pantofle, slipshoe.

What do you call yours? Are they warm and fuzzy or satin and sexy? Do you look to them for comfort or a simple change when you get home. Tell me about your slippers.

Vintage slippers now available.

Daniel Green Slippers

Vintage 1950s Granny Slippers

New Red Satin Heeled Slippers

Vintage Velvet Peep Toe Slippers

Gold All Abouts Slippers

Vintage Gent's Red Lounge Slippers

Who's Minding The Shop?

If we are all busy writing our blogs....who's reading all the blogs out there?

Well, I highly suggest you take a moment to read some of these, they are all worth it!

Antique & Vintage Boyle Jewelry

Couture Allure Vintage Fashion

The Dino Lounge - Coolness is Timeless

Retro Mod Girl

A Dress A Day

Cider Antiques

Couture Carrie

Atomic Tea Party

I've Got The Blues

I think everyone's favorite first color is blue. As a kid, colors are pretty basic. Blue, pink, red, green...I went through a navy blue period in my teens, (unfortunately mixing it with black...I was still learning).

Blue is still my favorite color, and as an adult I appreciate all the different hues. You can't go wrong with blue.

Blue & Silver Shift Dress from Proper Vintage $40

Navy Blue Lilli Ann Suit at Vintageous $315

Navy Blue Chiffon with Sequined Bodice at Some Like it Vintage

1950s Suzy Perette Balloon Skirt Dress at Artizania $124

Electric Blue Raw Silk Mermaid Dress at Vintage Virtuosa $450

1950s Blue Chiffon Full Skirt Dress at Couture Allure

How to Clean Vintage Clothing

Have you ever noticed that vintage garments do not have care/cleaning labels in them? Those little symbols were not introduced until the 1970s, and all those little circles, squares and triangles are a mess to figure out.

So you just bought a vintage garment but you are not sure how to clean it. If you went thrifting chances are there was no-one available there to help you. Don't take chances on ruining your garment by cleaning it the wrong way. Here are some helpful tips.

Antique and vintage clothing, although they survive decades, they are more fragile than modern. They need a lot of care and attention. Formal dress materials such as old silks and chiffons are especially fragile and should be treated with great care.

1 - When shopping for vintage, check the condition inside and out. Even if the item you have found looks great at first sight, you should smell the fabric, check the seams, inspect any trims and look out for dreaded stains and moth holes.

2 - Do not trust dry cleaners blind-folded. Dry cleaners at times use harsh chemicals and very high temperatures that can cause fine fabrics to disintegrate and damage buttons and beading. Look for a reliable dry cleaning company, preferably with vintage cleaning experience.

3 - If you are sure you can wash something at home, use a gentle wash detergent and don’t scrub the fabric too much. Do not use a washing machine or a dryer for any delicate vintage items at all. It might raze your dress completely.

4 - Does your garment have that 'old' smell? Try hanging in fresh air for a few hours – it does work.

5 - Rust stains are especially difficult to remove and happen if a garment stayed on a metal hanger too long. Instead of hanging the garment, fold it and keep it in your cupboard.

Jacobsons Floral Cotton Dress, c. 1970s

Boho Maxi Dress, c. 1970s