RETROSPECTIVE A LOOK BACK IN TIME
Issue 2
11
Retrospective A Look Back in Time
March 2014
IN THIS ISSUE
Life Lessons through Vintage A year and a half ago, 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, which has become a very integral part of my life. Most of you reading this have made a purchase from my shop before. When I shipped your lovely vintage item you also received a notecard with the story about how my grandpa inspired my collecting habit and how it’s become a part of my personal story as a vintage seller. I was honored a few months ago when I submitted my post about my grandpa and what I had learned in the two years I had been a vintage clothing, vintage jewelry and vintage accessories seller on Etsy to another vintage expert for input 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 experiences, 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 like the picture of my hometown lit up for the holidays in the photo above.
Mandy Heth Owner, Vintage Baubles & Bits
What Does Yankee Doodle Dandy Have to Do with Men’s Fashion? I spill the beans on the real meaning behind this childhood ditty on the back page.
Tips and Tricks
Have brooches cluttering up your jewelry box? I give you tips for unique ways to use those brooches as part of an on-going series starting on page 3.
RETROSPECTIVE A LOOK BACK IN TIME | Issue 2
Corsets – An Undergarment History I find corsets to be a fascinating topic of fashion. Name another trend that has been modified and adapted and is still just as popular as it was in the Victorian era. I can't think of one! Now the shape and usage of corsets has changed vastly over time, but the name and the idea of what it means to feminine beauty remains largely the same.
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A timeline of corset history: 2000 BC - Painting of a Creatian woman wearing a corset as an outer garment. 15th Century - The Cottee corset becomes popular. The Cottee was a tight, long bodice worn under clothing. 16th Century - Elizabethan fashion begins using whale boning and added a busk to the corset. Busks were often ornate and made of wood, horn, ivory, metal or whale bone and were often viewed as a prize for suitors. The busk was slipped into the corset and held tight with the lace of the garment. Late 16th Century - Corsets stared to be laced in the front, with boning being in the sides and back. 18th Century - Corsets fall out of style and are replaced by softer, less restrictive tops. 19th Century – The demand was for corsets that weren't as restricting or
19th Century Victorian Corset
painful to wear. This became the era of the Victorian corset, which helped create an hourglass shape. Early 20th Century - The Edwardian corset emerges. This corset creates an S-bend by forcing hips back and bust forward. It was often enhanced by the bustle popular during this time frame as well. Continued on Page 3
Late 16th Century Corset
This month’s featured item is a lovely, detailed and intricate little Italian mosaic pill box.
Featured Item of the Month
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!
Italian Mosaic Pill Box: http://etsy.me/1cLnznp
RETROSPECTIVE A LOOK BACK IN TIME | Issue 2
TIPS AND TRICKS
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Corsets Cont’d
Post WWI - Metal stays in corsets are replaced by elastic/mold-able rubber allowing more flexibility and comfort. Typical corsets were also replaced by girdles, which just helped hold in the tummy and add slimming features. 1950s - 1980s - Corsets began to have a new life again and were often used as undergarments.
20th Century Edwardian Corset
1990s - Present - In the 1990s it became popular to wear corsets again as outer garments and a return to the flashy, lace-driven days of the Victorian corsets re-emerged.
10 Ways to Wear Brooches One of the things I hear the most often when I do shows is the phrase “I love brooches, but I never wear them.” Well I’m here to tell you that brooches don’t have to been worn in just the traditional fashion. I’ve come up with 10 really easy ways to take the brooch up a notch, but also keep the brooch intact so you can use it over and over again.
Many of the photos featured in this timeline came from The Antique Corset Gallery; this site is no longer live. If you’re looking for more information and detailed photos visit www.antiquecorset.com.
1960s Corset from Vintage Baubles & Bits’ Collection
Customer Appreciation
The first new use in the series is using a brooch as an accent to a plain headband. You can really take your hair accessories to new heights. Simply attach the brooch to an elastic headband, or slip it around a standard head band and secure it by wrapping a rubber band below the clasp to keep it from slipping. Want more details, check out my blog.
This month’s featured customer is Sophie Rasmussen. She purchased a vintage tribal jumpsuit with fringe and beads as a part of her family’s epically awesome costumes for a Cowboys and Indians themed party. Don’t they look incredible?!?! Send me photos of your Vintage Baubles & Bits purchases at mandyheth@gmail.com for a chance to be featured here!
RETROSPECTIVE A LOOK BACK IN TIME | Issue 2
Jewelry Item of the Month
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Jewelry Item of the Month
This month’s featured jewelry item is a stunning vintage Southwestern ring. The ring is unmarked, other than a CL, for a maker’s initials, but most likely Navajo in origin. It has a huge rough cut blue turquoise stone set in sterling silver with some gorgeous metal work. One side of the ring has a feather, while surrounding the stone is a series of curlicues made from the sterling.
Originally $60, so use your coupon code quick! Same deal applies – use coupon code MARFEATURE20 for 20% off! The ring is a size 7 and would be perfect for any turquoise lover out there!
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! Check out this gorgeous pair of low-heel pumps currently in the shop, they’re from the 60s, but then the 80s copied the 60s quite a bit and these are perfect for spring!
TOP 10 SPRING FASHION TRENDS FROM ELLE MAGAZINE:
1.
Designer DIY
2.
Logos on Everything
3.
90s Minimalist
4.
80s Low Heel Pumps
5.
Board Shorts
6.
Tribal Influenced Clothing
7.
Ear Cuffs and Funky Earrings
8.
Rose Gold
9.
Bright, Bold Metallics
10. Eyebrow Arch Makeup
RETROSPECTIVE A LOOK BACK IN TIME | Issue 2
A How To – Baby Shadow Boxes
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CALENDER OF EVENTS
One of my college best friends was expecting her first child and I wanted to give her a unique gift in celebration of their new arrival. Awhile back I picked up some antique baby clothes at an estate sale. I'm not sure exactly what I was planning on when I bought them, but they were just adorable and I decided I must have them!
March 8, 2014
As I was gift brainstorming it dawned on me - I had the makings of the perfect, hand-made, baby gift! I pulled out the baby clothes, some vintage fabric I'd been collecting and some vintage lace, then I made a trip to the craft store. At the craft store I purchased a white shadow box, cute crocheted flowers and wooden letters to spell B-A-B-Y.
CRAFTAPALOOZA™ & FABULOUS VINTAGE MARKET
Step 1 – Applying Lace to the Letters
A one day shopping extravaganza featuring an eclectic blend of handmade items, artisan designs, bling & glam boutiques, antique & vintage bliss, sparkly jewels, home décor & inspiration, repurposed & funky junk along with FABULOUS FINDS for your creative soul! Admission $3.00 under 12 free Salina, KS
The end result:
http://www.montagefestivals.com/
Look for more dates and events coming soon! I have applications in and am waiting to hear back on several exciting shows!
Step 2 – Cutting Out the Letters
Want to see more on how to create your own shadowbox? Check out my blog post for supply needs and stepby-step instructions. Love the idea, but don’t have the time? You can purchase a readymade one for a gift in the Home Décor section of my Etsy shop. I also do custom orders using items that are your family heirlooms or keepsakes.
Step 3 – Layout and Design
RETROSPECTIVE A LOOK BACK IN TIME
Issue 2
11
Retrospective A Look Back in Time
www.vintagebaublesnbits.com Kansas City, MO
"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,
For the Guys While researching different tie styles I stumbled upon a fact that now makes one of my favorite 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 the 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. Now you know! For fun, I have provided the children’s version of the Yankee Doodle lyrics to the left. For full lyrics click here.
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 menI guess there were a million. Chorus
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