Under $25 Vintage Sale

As a vintage collector and seller, I tend to accumulate a lot of misfit pieces.  You know the ones, that 40s rayon dress with some color fade, a 50s house dress with a small hole, or a 60s dress that needs a new zipper.  I always feel a strong desire to save these flawed, but wearable, vintage pieces from the landfill.  Before you know it, I have a huge bin full of less than perfect vintage and tomorrow I am passing these pieces on to new homes for bargain basement prices!

Follow me on instagram to shop the sale!

All of the dresses (and maybe a few accessories) will need a little boost before they are fully wearable again.  For example, the dresses above need a new zipper (far left), need a dye (middle), need a hem or dye (far right).  Nothing will be over $25 and I do combine shipping!

Want $5 off your shipping?  Share the photo above and use #livinvintagesale and @livinvintage to be counted.

Sale starts tomorrow at 4 p.m. EST and all items will be sold exclusively on instagram.

Livin' Vintage Shop on BuzzFeed!

So something really exciting happened yesterday!  One of my shop's dresses got featured in a buzzfeed article!

29 Bright Yellow Dresses To Help You Channel Kate Middleton

It's always so exciting when someone you don't know loves one of your items enough that they feature it in an article.  Since my business is still young, this kind of press really means a lot!

Are you using this important etsy shopping tool? A tip for finding what you are looking for on etsy

I have been a regular easy shopper for several years now and with the constant changes the site undergoes, it can sometimes be difficult to find what you are looking for.  Likewise for sellers, it can often be hard to organize your shop in a way that will hit everyone's preferences for online shopping.

Over the next few months, I will be sharing some tips and tricks from both the buyer and the sellers perspective when it comes to using etsy.  Today, I want to a tool with you that every etsy shop has and can be extremely helpful when searching for an item.

We all know etsy has a general search tool -- it's the easiest and most basic way to find what we are on the hunt for, but did you know that etsy also has a "search this shop" function?  This search box appears in every store at the top right under the shop's announcement and can be used to filter out the different types of items you are looking for.

Most sellers have their shop organized by type of clothing, making it easier for SEO to pick up your items in google searches.  However, this isn't always the best way to separate your shop out when it comes to what shoppers are looking for; and, until etsy gives sellers more than 10 categories, this is what we have to work with to keep things sorted out.

Using the "search this shop" tool allows buyers to shop by era, size, and color, providing that sellers have imputed this information into their titles.  This is why it's so important to incorporate these types of descriptions into the title of your item.  Not only will it help your item get more hits in the general search, but it allows shoppers to further break down your offerings, helping them find exactly what they are looking for.

Early Bird Special! Coupon Code!

I'm offering a special blog readers only coupon code to cash in on the holiday sale before it goes live to the general public!

Use the code EARLYBIRDHOLIDAY to receive 20% off your total order.

May not be used in combination with any other offers.  Not valid on reserves or laways.  No reserves or layaways during sale.  Code good until midnight EST.

Astor Place Vintage

I've always been a lover of books.  I can remember as a little girl staying up way past my bedtime, secretly reading in my room.  When I got to the age of chapter books, my mom got me started on the American Girl Doll stories and I have been reading historical fiction ever since.

Now that I am out of school, I can once again read for pleasure -- a delightful thing that has been rarely possibly for the last 6-10 years.  At this point in my life, I really enjoy reading anything and everything about old Hollywood, classic movie stars and film, and anything vintage clothing related.  While I still enjoy a good historical fiction novel, there is just something about peering into the fictional lives of vintage clothing store owners that brings a great sense of enjoyment to the act of reading.

Astor Place Vintage, by Stephanie Lehmann, is the story of Amanda, a 30 something vintage clothing store owner in New York City.  The novel opens with her on a buying appointment (which quickly drew me in for so many reasons) where she discovers the journal of a young woman, Olive, who is chasing a department store buyer position.  The novel then alternates between these two narratives, eventually expressing how these two women, while separated by time, are ultimately intertwined.

The entire premiss of the novel revolves around the notion of what one can find hidden amongst old clothing and really what can be found with relics of the past.  Amanda unearths this journal, begins to read it, and the rest of the novel follows by witnessing these two women's lives and how Amanda connects with this journal.  This notion of found objects impacting a person's present is the real charm of Astor Place Vintage.  Within the first few pages of this novel, the reader is indoctrinated into the world of a vintage treasure hunter and Lehmann does an excellent job of crafting this world within the text of her novel.

I highly recommend this book to all vintage lovers, but especially those who deal in and love vintage clothing.  Find out more about the book HERE.

  

Michigan Vintage Shopping Guide: The Getup Vintage

I have been wanting to do this feature on my blog for a long time now -- a virtual tour of the vintage stores in South Eastern Michigan. I have a created a button in the sidebar, which will link to all my posts on the different stores. I plan to feature vintage shops, clothing stores, antique malls, you name it; all surrounding metro Detroit, no further than hour to an hour and a half a away.

The first shop I thought I would feature is The Getup Vintage which is located in Ann Arbor, MI. Jesse and I went to an estate sale a town over from Ann Arbor this past Saturday and decided to spend the rest of our afternoon in Ann Arbor. For those of you who may not be familiar with Ann Arbor, it is a college town (home to University of Michigan) and has tons of cool little shops. This town is a prefect stop for the vintage lover, as it offers a few vintage clothing shops and a few record shops.

I was extremely impressed with The Getup. Their prices were very fair and I found some major deals. Dresses were priced between $20-$50 on average and I was quite surprised to find many plus sized vintage pieces. The store is on the smaller size, but it packed full of vintage goodness. The items pictured in this post show my "major deals." Above is a pair of black carved bakelite screwback earrings, $25. I was really impressed with their prices on bakelite, especially for a brick and mortar store. I could be wrong, but I feel like black bakelite is a bit harder to come by than some of the other colors. Anyways, I was super pleased to add some more bakelite to my collection for a good price. (They are solid black in real life. I lighten the picture to see the carving detail).

One of the reasons I went ahead and got the earrings is because I found this adorable 40s smock. I could not resist the print or the way it was styled, plus it was only $12!! How can you beat that?? It also is in excellent condition. I cannot wait to wear it. I am thinking I will wear it with either some black cigarette pants or some skinny jeans.

After I found the above smock, this popped out at me. I think it is suppose to be a smock too, however, it is homemade and is more fitted than the one above. Either way I love it and it looked cute with jeans. I also could see it with white pants too. Any other thoughts? I am going to move the top red button down to replace the white one that someone placed there to replace one of the missing red ones. I never button stuff up all the way. This cute little shirt/smock was only $10!!!

I also got a 50s acetate deep purple dress, new old stock for only $20 and a 50s circle skirt in teal and navy for $25, which are not pictured. My beau and I plan to head back to Ann Arbor when the weather gets warmer, since it is such a nice downtown to walk around. I can't wait to stop into The Getup again!

The Getup Vintage

215 South State Street

Ann Arbor, MI 48104

(734) 327-4300

Another Vintage Coat Post and a Reminder

Well, the girl just can't help herself..... She's got an addiction and at least she knows it.....

In all honesty, I have had this coat for a year or two and just have never shown it on my blog, but it is among my coat collection that seems to be multiply when I am not looking. I found this one on eBay and just had to have it because it was yellow and it zipped up the front. I love the dolman sleeves and I think the yellow/grey contrast is wonderful. I feel very "mod" every time I wear it. The backcombed hair doesn't help.... ;)

Oh, and just a few reminders. Thursday is this month's Nasty Jello of the Month day. Can't wait to see what other readers find! Also, I am only 7 more followers away from holding my 200th follower giveaway. :)

Emily

60s Coat: eBay

Tights: Gap

Boots: Uggs

P.S. I swear I wear other shoes than these UGG boots. The are just so warm and cozy and even though they are not vintage or really that stylish on their own, I feel accessories can really do a lot.

A New Coat

Have I mentioned my coat obsession? I am sure that I have at one time or another. My mom and now my beau can vouch for my slightly massive coat collection. I firmly believe a gal can NEVER have too many accessories, this includes shoes, handbags, jewelry, and of course coats!

Anyways, last Thursday on one of my weekly trips to my favorite thrift store, my beau sorta found this coat and I just had to have it. He had pulled the coat in front of it to see if I liked that one and then I saw this one. Its a Pendleton and feels like it is brand new. The wool is crisp and has no flaws. It has a cute square collar and the matching belt to boot. I love that it is red and green plain, something I do not have amongst my coat collection. The best part was the price -- only $22. I know that might seem a little steep for a thrift store, but this thrift is one of those "knows what they have" kinda places. The only plus to this is that they ALWAYS have vintage and on Thursdays it's student day where students with an ID get 25% off their total purchase. Needless to say, I am quite smitten with this purchase!! :)

Tonight and into tomorrow morning Michigan is expecting quite the snow storm; 10-15+ inches of snow. I am hoping for a snow day for Wednesday so the beau and I can make waffles and lay around in our p.j.s watching old movies. He already has the day off, lucky him!

Emily

60s Pendleton Coat: Salvation Army

50s Heels: eBay

Bakelite Bracelets: Were my Grandma's

A Quick Fix for Missing Vintage Rhinestone Buttons

I never shy away from buying a vintage piece that is cheaply priced but needs a little work, case in point: my Mend and Make Do Dress. One of the shirts I brought home from the last estate sale was missing most of the rhinestones in the buttons, but it had major potential for $2. I have mentioned on here before that I have replaced my rhinestones in vintage buttons with new ones and felt it was time to do a little tutorial. This is such a quick and easy fix....plus it's really inexpensive as well. What you will need is a blouse or dress (really anything with rhinestone buttons that have stones missing), some good quality glue, and some rhinestones.

1. The glue of my choice is Aleene's Clear Tacky Glue. It dries quick and forms a strong bond. I used it on the last garment I fixed and it held up through the washer and dryer. I have yet to test the glue out on the dry cleaners, but when I do, I'll let you know. Read the back, it will normally say if it's okay for washables. This glue doesn't say, but I have tested and it worked out well for me.

2. The stones I used were knock off Swarovski Crystal by the Joann house brand, Ultimate Crystals. They were on sale for half off, so I stocked up. I think they will still be on sale for a few more days. These stones are the closest I have found to matching the original ones, although the new ones are flat backed and not cone backed like original rhinestones. The flat back stones work wonderfully and give off the same effect as the cone backed stones. In fact, I haven't been able to find cone backed stones anywhere. I also think it would be hard to get a good fit with cone backed stones. The flat back ones sit right at the top of the well and I haven't had any issues with them popping out.

Here are the steps:

1. The first thing I do is gently pop out all the other stones. I guess this could be optional, but I find that if many stones are missing, the probability that the rest of the original stones will make their way out at some point is eventual and I also want a uniform look. I save the original stones in case I will ever need to just replace one or two on a blouse or dress. That way I can avoid popping out more than necessary. You will also need to make sure that the little well were you will place your new stone is pretty much glue free. Most of the time it is, as the glue comes out with the stones, but I always check. If there is a little residue, I just take a larger sharp needle and carefully pop or scrape it out.

2. Next comes the gluing. Before I glue anything, I check for fit. The size in between the smallest and largest rhinestones that most stores sell fits most sized buttons. My package didn't give the millimeters, but I always get the in-between size and that works for me. I lay out my stones and after I know they fit, then I begin to glue. I only put a tiny dot in the well, where the cone back of the original stone would have sat; I don't want the glue to ooze out. If there is some overflow, I keep a wet paper towel handy and wipe off the excess if need.

3. Repeat the gluing part for the rest of your buttons. I should note that I have found it is easiest to do the gluing with the garment closed and buttoned up. This gives the button something to rest on and makes for a sturdy, even surface -- especially since most of these buttons have a shank back.

Here is the finished product. The supplies cost me about $6, which is sooooo much cheaper than having to replace the buttons. The price of buttons astounds me, which is why I just had to find a way to do an easy and inexpensive fix to rhinestone buttons. Plus, I really wanted to avoid having to sew on new buttons! I think the look of rhinestone buttons is so pretty and sure to dress up any garment. I am so loving the new look of this shirt that I just might wear it tomorrow!! :)

I hope this helps!! If you have any questions, feel free to comment or send me an email.

Emily

How To Safely Remove Unwanted Odors in Vintage Clothes

I may have mention before just how much I love doing laundry. I really find enjoyment from seeing something that is stained blossom into something clean and completely wearable. This past weekend I attempted something I have never tried before and it was very successful! I thought I would share my tips for safely removing unsightly odors from vintage clothing.

For removing slight odors such as stale smoke, moth balls, and just overall smell from years of storage, I recommend Borax. It been around since 1891 and because of that I feel it's good to use on vintage clothes, since it more than likely was used on the clothes years ago. I also like it because it's natural. I tried it out for the first time a few days ago on a few new items of vintage clothes that had light odors and light stains. I must say, I was greatly impressed. I followed the directions on the back of the box for deodorizing baby clothes and it worked wonderfully. I always do a follow up of a swish in water that has a little bit of Gain softener in it to give the items the fresh laundry smell and to make them soft.

A word of caution: I have read online and my mom has warned against using Borax with other cleaners (such as Shout or OxiClean) other than the laundry detergent because it can have a chemical reaction. The few times I have used it, the directions on the back proved to work the best.

This next tip is my new absolute favorite discovery. A few days ago I found this really great late 40's dress at Mother Fletchers for a steal; the only problem was it reeked of B.O. I had read online on a few different question and answer forums that vinegar would remove the smell. I was a bit skeptical but decided that this dress was the prefect candidate for the experiment.

I first tried the Borax because I wanted to test it up against a tough B.O. It did work to slightly remove the smell, but it still was very overpowering. I made sure that I rinsed the dress well because of the acid-base mix between the Borax and the vinegar.

After rinsing, I made sure the dress was damp, not sopping wet. I read that a solution of 2 parts water and 1 part vinegar worked well in a spray bottle. I mixed up the water in vinegar and sprayed it all over the dress, focusing on the spots were the B.O. was the worst. I let that set in for a few hours, hanging in a cool, dry place. Then, without rinsing, I placed the dress into a tub of water with Gain laundry detergent in it. (I prefer the original scent) I let this soak for the rest of the day and over night.

The following afternoon I rinsed out the dress and rolled the water out of it with a towel and hung to dry. When I went to smell the dress today after it was all dry, I was was amazed that the smell was completely gone. There was also no fading to the dress either.

I was sooooo happy that this worked because I had purchased a dress of eBay and it arrived with a B.O. smell. I was so disappointed because I always make sure and ask before I buy any clothing items online. (The seller said it didn't have any odors). So now that I know this works, the next time I find a great dress I won't shy away from it just because it smells!

Emily