October Week 2 Update

I swear this blog won't be just shop updates! Right now I'm swamped in student papers, but I'll get back posting more interesting content soon!

1. 1960s herringbone woven Simon purse

2. 1950s mink wrap capelet

3. 1960s peter pan collar dress by Stacy Ames

4. 1950s beaded and cut work lace shell

5. 1980s/1990s Ipanema flats

One Item a Day!

So in case my absence from the blog or the lack of new items in the shop hasn't clued you in, it seems this semester I'm having a balance issue with my work teaching and my work as a vintage shop owner. Much of September I did behind the scenes work organizing inventory and setting up the pop up shop, but that hasn't been a visible and tangible experience for most of my online customers. To change this, I challenged myself to list one item every weekday.  It's  a small but achievable goal, and one I feel like I can manage even when I'm staring down a stack of student essays.

This week has worked out well.  I hope you enjoy the latest items to make their way into the shop this week and look forward to more coming next week.

 

1. 1960s acetate jersey shift dress by Sacony

2. 1970s polyester dress, handmade

3. 1960s knit graphic print dress, no label

4. 1950s wool plaid dress, handmade

5. late 1950s/early 1960s graphic print acrylic sweater by Bobbie Brooks

6. 1950s black wicker purse made in Hong Kong

7. 1980s brown leather jacket by Berman's

Next week, shades of brown including vintage furs, a branch print dress, and a golden purse.

A Pop-Up Shop!

A few weeks ago, I queried my friends and acquaintances on Facebook. I wanted to know if I rented a booth in an antique store if they would be more likely to shop from me than buy online.  They response was that they would.  They wanted to see the clothes in person.  While they're always welcome to stop by my home, I don't know if they always feel comfortable doing so alone.  A few days after that, I received an email asking if I had ever considered doing a trunk show or party with a select group of people who could peruse the vintage goods.  While I'm not ready to bring my selections out of the house, because that involves a lot of foresight in terms of display, I am ready to host my first ever pop up shop from my gorgeous front porch.

On September 24th and 25th, everyone is invited to shop Vint Condition in person. There will be a select collection of dresses, skirts, and accessories that I've been hoarding just for a moment like this.  I'll also have light refreshments available.  I would love for people to come and hang out rather than shop and rush off.

I wanted to do this specifically for the ladies of northern New York. We don't have a vintage clothing store in the area, and in fact I travel far and wide to round up the vintage I do have.  If this is a success, we'll keep doing it.  So if you're local, help out and spread the word.  The event is here on facebook, so share the event with your friends, post it on your own wall, and come join me in September for what should be a lovely time!

etsy fashion finds!

Vint Condition made the etsy fashion finds newsletter today! I'm very excited about this to be sure.  Today's newsletter captured overall trends for 2011, one of which is tribal prints and we had just the dress for them.  If you want to check out this lovely 1960s dress yourself, head on over to the shop!

The Color Wheel

I'm not one for neutrals in general, but I find my closet has been overwhelmed by shades of gray, black, and brown. Spring is almost here and it's time for a bit more color in our lives.  Behold, the Vint Condition color wheel:

Yellow: 1960s yellow silk cocktail dress, extra small

Yellow-Green: 1950s Fashionbilt green plaid coat, large

Green: 1980s Easton Park cotton blend dress, large

Blue-Green: 1950s blue-green brocade dress, medium/large

Blue: 1980s Nipon Boutique designer dress, medium

Blue-Violet: 1980s Flora Kung designer dress, large

Violet: 1970s violet and gold brocade dress, medium

Red-Violet: 1950s feathered hat

Red: 1940s red and green woven skirt, medium

Red-Orange: 1940s R&K Original reptile print dress, small

Orange: 1960s orange and gold brocade skirt { sold }

Yellow-Orange: 1960s floral print carpet purse {coming soon}

15% off any of these items in the color wheel until Saturday at midnight. To get the refund, mention this blog post in your message to the seller.  Refunds will be given through Paypal.

Vint Condition and the Matter of Choice

Vint Condition is a pro-choice business because I am a pro-choice business owner. I support the right to access abortion services, sexual health education, reproductive health care, and birth control options. I believe access to these services is essential and transformative to the men, women, teens, and families who need them.

That is why as Vint Condition, I have donated a $50 gift certificate to my local Planned Parenthood's online auction. This auction raises critical funds for Planned Parenthood of the North Country New York so they can keep providing necessary services to my local community.  PPNCNY never turns down patients based on their ability to pay or their insurance status and doesn't tell patients that they just can't take on any more clients at the moment.

In the current political climate, many businesses donate to organizations like my local Planned Parenthood quietly and anonymously. I've chosen to write about it here because I believe that it's important not to be intimidated by a small yet vocal group of individuals. I've seen patients walk past picket lines just to get to their health care appointments, and if they are brave enough to do that, then businesses should be brave enough to show their support.

So if you'd like to support an organization that does amazing work in keeping my local community healthy and informed, head on over to their online auction and bid not just on the Vint Condition gift certificate, but on the other amazing items they have to offer.  Many are for upstate New York businesses, but there are quite a few other items.  If you're a local, consider heading on over to their amazing gala with none other than Cecile Richards (president of Planned Parenthood) as their speaker.

Outfit Idea for that Sale Item: 1960s Schoolgirl skirt

Yesterday I posted an outfit that mixed prints and confessed that I rarely mix prints, I usually pair a print with a solid. Today I confess the same with color. When faced with a color I usually match it with a neutral or match the color somewhere else in my outfit. There's something about the whole thing that is reassuring and calming to me. I know, I know, strange.  Obviously, that look works, but I also recognize that it's safe. 

Today, I tried pairing today's sale item, a fun blue 1960s schoolgirl skirt by Summit of Boston with a bit more color. I confess, I did some matching (scope out a close up on that belt and bag and you'll see), but overall I tried to mix it up some.  How do you deal with color?

Silk "Thyme After Thyme" blouse available at Mod Cloth, $64.99
Vintage leather and rope belt available at Oiseau Vintage , $18
1960s powder blue skirt by Summit of Boston available at my shop, Vint Condition Style, reg price $35
1970s/1980s woven straw purse available at Old Baltimore Vintage, $24
1970s woven leather kitten heels by Buccheri available at Bruklyn Belle Vintage, $26

Outfit Idea for that Sale Item: 1960s Turquoise purse

This is the first item I listed for sale in my shop when I opened it up 6 weeks ago (it seems like so much longer!). Today, it's on sale for 20% just 24 hours.  I love the colors of this purse, the turquoise and gold with the dark blue change purse. Yum. 

Below is a potential outfit. It's sort of classic, but and preppier than I normally dress myself, but also much more daring than I dress. I wish I fearlessly mixed pattern.  How do you mix pattern in your wardrobe?

Striped linen "Tucker" jacket available on Net-a-Porter, $310
Vintage peter pan collared clover blouse available at Adelaide Homesewn, $42
1970s/1980s brown Naturalizer heels available at Tree and Kimball, $28
Skinny jeans available at American Eagle, $49.50
Vintage clip on earrings available at Riff Raff Review, $12.50
1960s faux reptile skin turquoise purse available at my store, Vint Condition Style, reg price $25

Outfit Idea for that Sale Item: 1980s red silk skirt

Today's sale item is a gorgeously intense red silk skirt from the 1980s designed by Flora Kung.  A silk skirt is such a nice luxury item that makes the perfect workrobe staple. I myself took this skirt out to work a few months ago when I had a "day job."  But a silk skirt as a playful weekend staple? You bet. Thinking of how to mix up items like this will be keeping my mind busy for a bit. How do you mix up your wardrobe?

Also, trust me when I say that I know the pairing of red, black, and gray is a bit expected.  Personally, though, I love the combination of colors and will always be drawn to putting these together. 

1980s red silk skirt by Flora Kung, on sale August 2nd at my store, Vint Condition Style, reg price $55
Love/Hate tee, available at Opening Ceremony, $115
Vintage lace up boots, available at Persephone Vintage, $59
Jersey boyfriend cardigan, available at Babooshka, $80
1930s/1940s costume jewelry ring, available at Jean Jean Vintage, $60
1950s black evening bag, available at Hinterland Vintage, $22

Outfit Idea for that Sale Item: 1940s Green Linen Dress

So, I wanted to do three things with these upcoming sale item posts.  The first is primarily a self-serving function of being a vintage seller, which is to show off our current vintage sale items (read about it here).  The second is that I've always really respected the fabulous vintage sellers of etsy.  They are an amazing group of people who work hard at what they do, so if I'm showing off my things, I want to show off their's as well.  The third, is that I want to show off ways to wear vintage.  Readers of this blog will know that I've always been interested in ways to integrate vintage into your life.  These outfit posts (which hopefully will be every day) will range from full on vintage to vintage lite outfit options. 

Here it goes:

1940s light green belted dress, a Vint Condition sale item, on sale August 1st, reg. price $65
1950s tan vinyl straw hat by Frank Olive, available at Allen Company Inc, $52
Edwardian crocheted purse, available at Jess Amity, $126
1940s tobacco suede peep toes by Owens & Elmes, available at Karen Elmquist Vintage, $55.50

A Vint Condition Sale!

 

Vint Condition is having an end of August summer sale! What! End of summer already? Seriously, though, each day one fabulous Vint Condition find will be 10% to 30% off.  

Picks and discount will be randomly chosen by me on a mere whim.  They'll go on sale around midnight and stay on sale until the next midnight (give or take, I do need my beauty sleep).

How will you know what's on sale? Check out the Vint Condition shop announcement, follow us on Twitter, or check it on out on our Facebook page!

A Shop Update: Hats

1960s British herringbone wool hat available now at Vint Condition
 

1960s cream and gold turban. **Sold**

1940s black faux fur hat with ribbon trim available now at Vint Condition

1940s pink pancake hat with black velvet trim available now at Vint Condition

1940s brown wool hat **sold**

1950s feather and satin hat available now at Vint Condition

Late 1800s collapsible opera (top) hat from France. Coming soon!



Hats, the ultimate accessory. I'm leaving a phase in my life where I never considered hats to embracing them. They complete an outfit in such an unexpected and fun way.  Unfortunately, my head is erm...rather large. That added with my thick hair makes it a bit harder to find the right hat for me. Obviously our V.C. model doesn't have this problem.

Photo Shoot: Sneak Peak

This past week my dear friends and I braved heat, humidity, and various biting insects to attempt a photo shoot. I provided the clothes from Vint Condition, Danielle Brown provided the photography skills, and Kim LaBarr (Danielle's sister) provided her gorgeous self and modeling skills.  

We're unveiling more of these in the next week (I'm so excited that I want to show them all to you now, but I'm resisting), but here's two that are already in the store to get us started!

1950s white cotton house dress with pink floral design available now at Vint Condition

1950s white cotton house dress with purple flowers and scarf neck available now at Vint Condition

My Shop Assistants Revealed

Meet my shop assistants: Pipkin, Thursday, and Gilly.

Pipkin:

Pip's our kitten. He's just under a year old.  A wonderful local couple found him wandering around their bushes near the road last summer and took care of him until he was healthy.  Then, they found him a home. My husband was resistant to getting a third, especially a second Siamese, but now he'd never give Pip up.  Pip helps out by keeping my feet warm under my desk and holding the string while I attempt to package.

Thursday: 

Thursday has been with us since she was a wee kitten.  Now, she's six!  She used to sleep in flower pots and tissue boxes, but has since graduated to baskets.  Here she is making sure it's the right fit for my laundry.  Thursday is my baby. She's bossy but sweet.  She problem solves and causes havoc like no other kitty I know.  She also makes sure she keeps Pip in line.

Gilly:

Gill is eight this year.  She was rescued from a boarding school where she was living off of compost scraps.  She's our sweetest baby, and if we're all honest, not the brightest.  She is the first kitty to curl up in bed at night with me when I'm reading.  Since it's summer, Gil mostly helps out by watching for the mail from her perch on the front porch. 

Sneak Preview: Today's Excursion

Do you hear me cackling with glee? Because I am, and maybe some mad scientist finger tapping as well.
Today I went on a shopping excursion with my mom. We went to a new place today and did some shopping before stopping for a cup of tea. Re-energized, we tackled a few more stops before heading home.

Here's a sneak peak at what I got and they'll be in the shop shortly.  Sorry for the fuzzy nature of these photos, but the lighting wasn't the best by the time I got home. 

The one that makes me giggle the most with glee? The monkey slip just above here. 

This or That

A lot of what is posted in the store is from the same woman.  She's living in assisted care and sold off most of her household at auction.  I wish I had met her, this saver of a woman who kept 40 years worth of clothing neatly tucked away in her house.  In going through these clothes I realized that she had a strong aesthetic.  I get it. If you were to go through my clothes you'd find a lot of leopard print shoes and gray shirts.  For the store I find I immediately gravitate toward red skirts.

So here, for today's post, a bit of this or that.  Let me know which of these options you prefer.

1950s floral cotton:

                        Dress #1                                                                                              Dress #2


Yellow cotton:

                                         Dress #1                                                                                   Dress #2

Blue Roses:

                      

                        Dress  #1                                                                                                               Dress #2