a guide to all things vintage
The delightfully sparkly and borderline gaudy holiday season is officially upon us. Whether they’re donning Renaissance-esque pleated silver skirts or ironically ugly sweaters, the festive and fashion forward are hunting down the perfect jewelry pieces to embellish their Christmas outfits. When it comes to Christmas accessories, my area of expertise lies in vintage costume jewelry … Read more
I’ve long been a proponent of thrifting for Christmas gifts and decor, but I very, very desperately want to avoid buying anything new for the holidays this winter. Blame it on the economy, baby. It’s unsettling to see how many Christmas shelves line stores this time of year. This sinking feeling falls deeper towards the … Read more
I’ve had pierced ears since my wee baby days, when my aunt marched into my parents’ apartment armed with a piercing gun. It wasn’t until fourth grade when I came across a pair of highlighter orange flower clip-on earrings from Claire’s, which, in its heyday, was a purplish utopia of fun, affordable costume earrings for … Read more
For me, there are few things more exciting than a chance encounter with a jewelry jar or grab bag at the thrift store. Thrift stores occasionally toss miscellaneous jewelry pieces into gallon-sized Ziploc bags or glass jars when they don’t have the personnel to sort jewelry by the piece. From 14K gold lockets to high-end … Read more
Have you seen the price of ANYTHING these days? It’s a real doozy just trying to make ends meet in this economy. For me, it feels wasteful to buy things new unless I absolutely need them, not only because I’m frugal but also because our planet is warming up faster than Bagel Bites in the … Read more
On my vintage Etsy shop, I divide my brooch offerings into four main categories: flowers, animals, Christmas, and the obligatory and oh-so-broad miscellaneous. Of course, these sections don’t even begin to scratch the surface when it comes to different brooch styles. Many vintage brooches feature some sort of flower or animal design on the front … Read more
As someone who more or less lives in thrift shops, I’m not quick to buy Christmas stuff new. I’m especially of the belief that everyone should buy Christmas ornaments secondhand. If you’re an avid thrifter, you probably know how truly disorienting it is when vintage ornaments fill up charity shops during the holidays. People get … Read more
When it comes to the world of vintage metal, brass really is that girl. Still, as a vintage reseller, I can tell you that silver is a dark horse. I first looked into sterling silver jewelry a few months ago and eventually found myself eyeing silver-plated pieces. To my surprise, silver could fetch a pretty … Read more
The first time I laid eyes on a Limoges piece at a thrift store, I knew I was looking at something special. It was a scalloped, decorative dish with a gorgeous hand-painted apple blossom motif surrounded by an elegant gold trim. It was dainty, romantic, and beautiful, the epitome of what kids these days refer … Read more
When I first embarked on my vintage reselling journey, I found myself drawn towards classic porcelain pieces. The thing was, these pieces are incredibly delicate, prone to chipping and crazing no matter the quality. Glass, at the start of my business endeavor, was completely off my radar. With time, however, and a growing desire to … Read more
