Another Sunday Morning: Randoms + How to Date Your Vintage Finds

Vintage Beaded Cardi - I believe this still had the tag on the inside!! This is definitely 80s

Wool Dress - This is the sweetest little dress, it has big buttons down the back, and hook & eye closures. Because of the construction; I am guessing this is 50s - to early 60s. Still working on the dating of this dress.

Super random outfit; horseback riding maybe? lol The suspenders are 50s, shirt 80s, shorts 80s.  The belt is vintage as well; but now that I think about it...I never even payed much attention to date it. The hat is pretty old; I haven't taken a gander inside to check out the label..so I am not sure how old.

70s Silk top and 80s shorts. The belt is vintage as well [haven't checked the label yet]. The headband is the one I made from this post.

Another barely worn dress; from the tag I am guessing this is 80s.

Just got this jacket and quirky mink hat; I haven't attempted to date them yet.

Shirt is definitely 70s, shorts are 80s. Belt is also vintage.

Random 80s Navajo style tapestry jacket, and 80s bustier.

Dating your finds is part of the thrill of treasure hunting! I have compiled a very short [but very useful] list of resources that should help take some of the guess work out of dating pieces. I turn to the Vintage Fashion Guild after every haul, not only are those links helpful; but the entire site as well.

Vintage Fashion Guild [Label Resource]
Vintage Fashion Guild [Quick Tips for Dating Vintage]

Adventures In Thrifting: The San Fran Edition

I love checking out the local thrift stores/flea markets/vintage shops when I drop into a new city. Sometimes the finds are reflective of the local culture; and it's always a refreshing change. Vintage shopping never gets boring, but it's nice to see items from the locals closet!


This spotlight features two of my favorite stores! Boneflower's & The Clothes Closet Thrift Store.

1747 Polk St
(between Clay St & Washington St)
San Francisco, CA 94109
Neighborhood: Nob Hill

(415) 359-0338

Let's start with Boneflower's since they were gracious enough to allow me into their store after hours, for a nice little meet & greet coupled with pics, and a brief history lesson behind each piece.

Boneflower's has a drool-worthy, well curated collection of Victorian pieces, vintage hats, "oddities" and quirky unique pieces from local designers. Those of you familiar with the vintage scene in San Fran may recall this spot being Mascara Vintage at one point. However there is a new sheriff in town now {Jenna, the new owner}, and this store has undergone a major re-haul. It's like walking into your grandma's closet during her "hey day". The prices are also very reasonable, which is a major plus.

Beautiful collection of 50-60s day and evening dresses!

The even have a nice collection of vint items for men items as well!

My hand is on/near the Victorian dresses/shirts. I was so enamored by the collection; I didn't think to pull them out for you to see :-/ They also carry your usual sequin glam attire if you are in to that kinda thing!

They also have a nice collection of vintage jewelry and doodads; they carry handmade Steampunk Jewelry as well.

Overall I would give this place a ten! It's definitely a gem in the city, and a favorite amongst the locals. You are sure to find whatever you are looking for; and often times more than what you bargained for! 
---------------+

1850 Polk Street
San Francisco, CA 94109-3004
(415) 929-8019

Next up; The Town School Clothes Closet; the layout is a little less glamorous for sure...but stellar finds nonetheless. If you are into labels; this is your place to shop; there was Gucci, Chanel, Prada, and Pucci all within eye-shot! The prices are very reasonable; think $20 for a St. John's suit in flawless condition, or $30 for a pair of authentic Chanel Ballet Flats [oftentimes the shoes are 50% off; SCORE]. They also have a nice collection of books, and China as well! - The kicker is that this store is used to help cover tuition for boys who wouldn't otherwise be able to attend Town School due to financial need. Most of the items donated are from the parent's association, and members of the community. So you can feel good when you walk out of that store with a vint Emilio Pucci bikini [scored at a mere $12] just in time for summer!

Yup; those are Prada's.

That was a Chloe' silk mini I was holding up - yup.

This was a Dolce & Gabbana leather skirt - Tip: all of the "high end designer items" are to the left of the store entrance!

The era's run the gamut; from 60's - present. I found a ton of Bianca Jagger-esque pieces [a 'la Studio 54]

My fav section of the store! The little tea cups are adorable!

Estate Sale Shopping Tips

 [a few quick snaps of part of my lil collection]

1.Check your local PennySaver for Estate Sale Listings - Craigslist is also a good source to check.

2.Estate Sales usually last for 3 days [Friday, Sat & Sun] or 2 days [Friday & Saturday]

3.Pricing is FIRM on the first day [unless you are buying a lot; and I do mean a lot] - The staff is usually open to negotiating on the last day of the sale.

4.True Estate/Probate sales usually occur in the unfortunate event that someone has passed, or moved on to a retirement home - In those cases EVERYTHING must go. If you want the cleaning supplies under the kitchen sink; those are for sale [no kidding; there is a regular estate digger that attends just for the cleaning supplies and tools].

5.Show up early if you are looking for antiques or fine jewelry, as dealers will often be the first in line.
Moving sales are NOT estate sales; understand that people will call it that in order to get tons of people to come out!

6.If you hear words such as "contemporary", "ethan allen" "new" in the listing, it is safe to say they aren't selling vintage clothing, or antiquities.

7.Don't ask for a price on a single item; bring ALL of your items to the front; you will get a discount FOR SURE. If all else fails, you can put things back. - The staff that runs the estate sale will more than likely always quote a "outrageous" price when you hold up one item. Your bargaining power increases greatly if you have 5+ items. 

8.Check the armpits [I hate that word] of clothing in search of ripped seams. Also check for moth holes, that dress is no good if the moths got to it before you did. Check the hem of dresses as well.

9.Grab first, ponder later. I learned this the hard way. I was staring at a vintage 1920's flapper dress, and watched in horror as a dealer snatched it right under my sight. - Now, I grab anything that looks REMOTELY interesting, and keep looking for others. I make my final decisions upon checkout.

10.Hand wash all items that say MACHINE WASHABLE in Dreft or Woolite. If in doubt; or there is no care tag, take items to the cleaners!

11. Take good care of your vintage pieces; after-all you worked hard sourcing them. Use wooden or padded hangers, buy cedar to keep the moths at bay. And invest in garment bags. A lot of my things are stored together on garment racks [as pictured above]. - My jackets, furs, and delicate dresses are stored in a closet [with tons of lavender scented moth balls and cedar]

Another Sunday Morning: Hodgepodge Edition/My Recent Estate Sale Finds

This past weekend, I went to an estate sale in Glendale. The woman that lived there must have been a compulsive shopper, as she had an entire room converted into a closet! Most of the clothing still had the tags attached, and were in impeccable condition. All of the clothing was about $2 a piece, with the exception of some $1 items! I left with loads of clothing, belts & purses!

I definitely favor estate sales over thrifting because the clothing seems to be in better condition; and often times the prices are much more reasonable than shopping in thrift stores. -

 

1) 60s Camel/Wool Suit - This suit was in impeccable condition; I thought it would be fun to pair with my vintage I Magnin hat. This look is very "Mad Men".

2) Everything pictured came from the estate sale [except tights & hat]; and was brand new with tags.

3) This wool blazer, poly shirt, shorts, and top was also purchased at the estate sale!

4)Cream pin-tuck polyester shirt w/tan shorts & Mexican inspired belt - These items appeared to have never been worn. I paired it with a vintage floppy hat; and felt very "Mahogany" lol

5) White & Blue Striped Romper; if you look closely, you can still see the tag attached [by my right arm].

6) Heavy Sequin Trophy Jacket - The pictures do not do this jacket justice. The jeweled buttons are nothing less than exquisite; and the sequined paisley print on the top of the jacket is a nice little embellishment.

7) Sequin Scalloped Beaded Slouchy Top - This was another impeccable find straight from her closet. I love the slouchy fit of this top!

Another Sunday Morning: That 70's Edition

(1) 70s Mod Ethnic Print Maxi Dress - This puppy fits like a glove; I think it's original owner took extra special care of it because she knew it would be passed down to me one day.

(2) 70s Bohemian Style Eyelet Dress - This dress still had the original tag on it; apparently it was purchased in Puerto Vallarta; on a trip perhaps? This is the perfect little dress for the warm summer months. I paired it with a Mexican inspired belt I scored for $1 while thrifting in L.A.

 ...trying it w/a floppy hat!

(3) 70s Bohemian Style Mexican Embroidered Caftan Top - This is one of my favorite finds to date; I love the intricate hand embroidered details on this caftan. This also came with a matching pair of bell bottoms; but to update the look a little, I decided to ditch the pants.

  (4) 70s Nautical Blazer - I love a blazer with a good fit! This little jacket still had the cleaners tag attached! Amazing.

...trying it w/my floppy hat

(5) 70s Nautical Polka Dot Pullover - I am all over anything with a nautical feel! This came with a sweet little pleated skirt which I will wear separately. I wish I had some red high-waist shorts to pair this shirt with with. But unfortunately I don't :-( Anyone know where I can find any?

(6) 70s Bohemian Embroidered Peasant Top - I love the Victorian feel of this shirt!

Another Sunday Morning: I Love The Eighties Edition

I picked up a ton of things while thrifting over the past few weeks, and I wanted to share a few pieces with you. This particular "collection" is very, very eighties; and it was purely happenstance.  Overall though, I have a plethora of pieces from different genres. Some items are very wearable, others are a bit more over-the-top [like the ones pictured below].

Stay tuned, I still have a ton of pictures to take!

 This was actually a two piece; well it had a pair of knit pants to go with it. And together it looked very "Golden Girls", so I just ditched the pants and paired the sweater w/thigh high boots. 

I think the color and insane sleeves is what sold me on this blazer. I like it; it has character. It's a tad big for my liking, so I will have to take in a bit.

I think this blazer is a size 12 - One thing I love about buying older clothes is that I an get away with buying larger sizes and make it work somehow.

This is another one; this jacket is a size 14, however I just belted it.

The beading on this sweater is amazing. There are tiny pearls on the sweater as well [don't know if you can see that in the pics] all of which seem to be in perfect condition.

I also picked up this really cute purse for little of nothing; Don't know the era of this one...70's perhaps?