Friday, October 31, 2014

Happy Halloween!

| image source |


Aren't these costumes fabulous?  And the way the girls are holding their hands!

Happy Halloween!

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Opera MODO

| Colorful 1980s AJ Bari via Livin' Vintage on the right |

Two weeks ago Livin' Vintage was featured in Opera MODO's Cosi.  The local opera group was looking for a few key pieces to finish their look for the performance and I was honored to help them out. 

You can watch the entire performance online HERE.  Also, the fun 1980s AJ Bari dress featured in Cosi is now back in the shop!


Tuesday, October 28, 2014

It's a Birthday Sale!



Today and tomorrow the shop is 27% off!


Take advantage of the last sale before Black Friday!


Monday, October 27, 2014

Wiggling in my LBD


During my move, I discovered lots of things I had completely forgotten about.  One of those things happened to be a giant tub full of vintage dresses I had put aside at the chance that they'd one day fit.  

It was like Christmas morning going through all the dresses, many of which are no longer my style and are heading to the shop!  However, this 50s black lace wiggle dress is staying with me.  It's hard to tell in the photo, but it has a satin ribbon along the under bust that wraps around the back.  I love the silhouette that detail creates.  I think my search for the perfect LBD has finally ended.  

Friday, October 24, 2014

Eastern Market and Fashion in Detroit


Right after the DIY, I had two back to back shows both in the heart of downtown Detroit.  First up was Fashion in Detroit.  This was a small event held at Motorcity Casino and featured many indie Detroit based designers, some of which even had their collections featured in a runway show.


 It was fun to be apart of one of Detroit's answer to a fall fashion week and be in the presence of other industry professionals.  One of the cool things about this event was the free models all vendors had access to.  We matched this 60s Saks coat to my model's yellow chandelier earrings.



The following day, I headed back down to Detroit, this time for Eastern Market's Sunday Street Market.  I was lucky and got the spot next to my friend Jen from Jenstyle Chic Vintage.  This was also the same weekend as the Goodwill Pop Up I helped to curate.  Since it was the last weekend of the season I didn't know what to expect, but there was a good turnout and I hope to be back next year! 

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Hanging out with the Thriftaholic


A few weeks ago Leilani from Thriftaholic came to Detroit for a visit.  It was her first time in the city and it was an absolute pleasure sharing my hometown.  We traveled to many of the vintage and antique shops in the area and even had some time to do a little thrifting too.


My big purchase of the day was this chunky green bakelite bracelet at a thrift shop.  We ended the day with a tasty Middle Eastern feast, a local speciality here in Detroit.  Hope Motown treated you well, Leilani!  :)



Monday, October 20, 2014

DIY 2014 Wrap Up


I can't believe it's been more than a month since DIY and in that time I have done two more shows and helped costume an opera here in Detroit.  Things are finally starting to slow in pace and it's been a welcome break, especially since the holiday season is right around the corner.


Even though my set up this year wasn't exactly what I had hoped for (and looking back on last year, I think I liked that layout much better than what I came up with this time around) DIY was a total blast and my best one yet!  


The biggest addition this year was my DIY marque sign.  It was actually really easy to make (look for a tutorial soon!) and it gave me the pop I was looking for.  I would like to make a few tweaks to the design, but for the most part it was really sturdy -- even with the high winds on the second day.


And, I love how it looked at night!



One of my goals this year was to work on my displays; making them more visually cohesive and also effective in conveying important information, such as sharing my social media handles and advertising my acceptance of credit cards.  The mini chalkboard sandwich sign is nothing short of brilliant.  It's cute and because it's chalkboard, I can use it for many different purposes for many shows to come.  Not a bad $5 investment!  


I made a ton of improvements this year and it really paid off!  Here's what I did right this year:
  • my lighted sign  -it really made my tent stand out at night
  • renting a U-Haul cargo van  -this meant I only had to make one trip with one car, making set up/break down a lot less stressful.  Totally worth the money!!
  • having a check out station of sorts
  • displaying more pieces in vignettes and having better display props

With anything, the more you do it, the more you learn.  Here's what I need to keep in mind for next year:
  • while the cafe lights were adorable, they weren't functional the way I used them. I need to either get plastic globes or just use something different
  • every year I get more and more organized and this year was by far the best, but this is something I really want to strive to streamline   
  • as I've mentioned before my layout wasn't perfect and next year I'd like to go back to a similar layout as I had in 2013.  Although I had a lot more space for people to move around, I don't feel I used it in the best way
  • it's time to invest in some sturdy show racks!!


Looking back on my 2013 post, I am happy to report most of the things I wanted to improve on this year were accomplished and I feel they were a big reason why 2014 was my best show yet!  Now onto plotting for next year ;)


Monday, October 6, 2014

Help the VFG make a difference!



Recently, PayPal has made some major announcements.  Not only are they headed for a split with eBay, operating in their own right -- more importantly, PayPal has made some adjustments to their policies which will go live on November 18th.

One of these policy changes is to extend the time period in which buyers can open a claim over an item from 45 days to whopping 180 days -- that's more than a third of the year! In order to combat this, The Vintage Fashion Guild has created a petition via change.org.   

"Simply put, Paypal's new policy will be overly burdensome and possibly disastrous to those who sell vintage and antique goods online. To expect a seller to refund for claims for vintage and antique goods that have been out of their possession for 180 days is unreasonable." -VFG

As companies like eBay and etsy grow, it's important for them to remember how they got there.  I love that I live in a world where I can create my own virtual store and offer my vintage findings to women all over the globe.  However, not even big box stores offer a 180 return policy.  And while I stand behind every vintage garment I sell, I can't be there to make sure every dress gets washed correctly or to sew that button back on that popped off after 50+ years of being in place.  Vintage is different and that's what makes it special.