A Return to Arms: January 31, 2012

Oh blog!  Oh dear, neglected, much loved blog!  

I had surgery.  I'm fine.  Really.  But recovering took much more, in terms of both time and personal resources, than I had ever imagined.

And now,  being almost whole again,  let us commence to returning to the subject at hand.  As the last breezes of winter blow through our attics and we wait for the groundhog to tell us how much of winter we have left, I am going to seize this opportunity to talk about coats.  I love coats.  I would have an entire closet devoted to my forty some-odd coats if I could.  I would have a coat of every weight and color, of every fabric, for every occasion and in every style.

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Let's begin with something sumptuous, almost decadent.  Every girls dream.  The thing that makes you the center of attention the moment you walk in the room.  What could I be talking about?  Why a mink stole of course!

Isn't it lovely?  Isn't it sumptuous?  Isn't it elegant?  Imagine yourself with the softness of mink wrapped around your shoulders.  Imagine snuggling a bit deeper into it in a moment where the wind picks up a bit.  Imagine the admiring glances,  the outright envy,  the whispers as you make your way to the table.  A mink stole is the very essence of luxury.  And you can wear it with anything (though I don't think I'd wear it with jeans.  But you could if you wanted!). 

Like all quality furs, this stole is lined in 

a wonderfully smooth silk satin, so the whole experience of wearing it is one of softness, of comfort, of luxury.  

I chose this stole, because I believe it is a universal color.  It would be flattering on the brunette with the slightest auburn tinge to her highlights.  It would look marvelous on a redhead.  It would be stunning on a blonde.  And ladies,  everything goes with silver!  

Currently one of several furs being offered by MonDesirVintage for the unbelievably low price of $ 74.00,  a steal in anyone's book!

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Also offered from MonDesirVintage is a classic boyfriend jacket for the not-too-long-of-waist.  

Just imagine this jacket with it's sleeves pushed up a bit, or even cuffed!  Made of brown herringbone tweed this boxy jacket features a black velvet panel at it's nehru neckline and and slight puffs to the sleeves.

Made by J.G. Hook in the 80's,  the jacket is marked a size 8,  but I would recommend it for a size 6 or smaller.  There's nothing more obvious than a jacket that's too small,  and for a boyfriend jacket,  too large is flattering.

This lovely jacket is available for the bargain price of $34.00.

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The New York Times recently published a peice about the reappearance of hats in fashionable women's wardrobes,  most predominately cloche type hats and fedoras.  I couldn't stop myself from mentioning this absolutely gorgeous (but alas, not vintage) cloche hat I found on Etsy.

These felt hats are made to order, so you can get one that is the perfect color to compliment that outfit that needs just a touch of chic.  I adore the mabe pearl accessorizing this hat, as well as the way the hat seems to unfold like an upside down flower on your head. 

Hats take approximately three weeks from the time of order and are offered by YellowField7.  $350.00.  She is quite the milliner, and you would be cheating yourself not to peruse her entire selection. 

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One of the more fun coat finds I made is this wonderful and somewhat whimsical purple duster from the 90's.

I think purple is such a fun color,  and it is used so well on this duster that it becomes the new navy blue!  The duster has a wonderful shawl neck which you can wear up or down (I like the drama of wearing it up), and has two pockets, placed at an angle on each side.

Alas,  the seller did not give us any information on the fabric content, but if you have concerns, I'm sure she'd be happy to answer any inquiry.  

The duster is sized for a medium to large woman, and has a timeless quality which should set it as a go-to item for years to come.

Offered by Beautifulshyt for the bargain price of $68.00.

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While doing the cyber equivalent of thumbing through eBay, I ran across this amazing 30's black velvet opera coat,  perhaps the most elegant coat I'm featuring today.

The silk velvet of this coat is a nice inky black, and seems unfaded even after all these years.  The coat is full length, features a wonderfully smocked collar and the sleeves taper from narrow at the shoulder to full and generous at the wrist.  The satin ivory lining has been professionally replaced and  is so immaculate that you can wear the cloak inside out for a change of style, and not worry about under-arm staining!

This coat is not for a wall flower.  Wear this and people will notice!  This coat is only for a woman of confidence and poise;  one who is used to being the center of attention and knows how to handle that attention well.  

Offered by the SelvegeYard for the Buy-It-Now price of  $495.00.  This is an investment piece,  Handle it well and it will only appreciate in value, and it will add huge dimension to your wardrobe. 

When I stopped for the perfunctory viewing of the SelvegeYard's offerings, I literally wanted to blog their entire stock.  Bookmark this seller!  S/he has an eye for items which are both chic and which are perfect reflections of the times from which they sprang.  Don't cheat yourself and not browse their listings,  though you may want to hide your credit cards from yourself before you peek!

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Another one of my finds at Etsy is this incredibly fashionable "Denauve" Camel Cape.

From the Alexandra Grecco Autumn 11 collection and styled after the 1960's,  I love just about everything about this cape.  The camel color will, of course, go with anything.  The swing styling is as fashionable today as it was the day it was when JFK was President.  The bow is lovely without being cute, and the black buttons add just enough weight to the coat for a woman to be taken seriously in it.

The coat features a shawl collar and is 100% wool.  It is cut in such a way that one size should fit anyone from size 0 - 10, though I wouldn't go over 10 with it.  When your friends ask you where you find it,  smile mysteriously and say, "It's vintage."  They'll be green with envy, and picture you climbing through mountains of clothing at Good Will to find this treasure.

Offered by AlexandraGrecco for $330.00.

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Also not vintage, but definitely vintage styled is this incredibly elegant brocade steampunk jacket from eBay.

The rose motif brocade on this coat is some of the most gorgeous fabric I've ever laid eyes on.  The front is crossed with four lines of military type buttons, and the hems of both the jacket and the sleeves feature first a gathered lace, and then a pleated satin.

The styling and cut of the jacket are unmistakably Edwardian, and I applaud the researcher who designed this fabulous jacket with such historical detail.  It is styled in such a way as to be able to see you from the laundramat to the office to the opera without skipping a beat.  Truly a work of art.

Offered by SirensandStarlets for 47.39 British Pounds, or approximately $58.79 American Dollars.  This seller has an absolutely incredible set of offerings of vintage styled goods.  Please see them all, and mark SirensandStarlets as one of your favorite sellers so you can keep up with their goods.

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The next coat is from the most fun shop I've seen in a long time,  denisebrain.  While browsing her offerings, I was shocked to find this lovely 1980's Pauling Trigere Coat!

Would you believe this gorgeous coat is being offered for only $31.00!  Hello?  This is a Pauline Trigere.  It should cost you that much to say her name!  While unsure of it's provenance, the seller believes this is a 1980's does 1940's coat, though it's not out of the realm of possibility that it truly is from the 1940's.

The coat is made of winter weight 100% black wool and lined with black satin.  It closes with a single button at the neck then has hidden snaps down the front of the coat.  The coat is cut to accomodate "new look" gowns, and there is a deep pleat in the center back for ease of walking.

The coat is labeled a size 8, but both the seller and I believe it could handle a size 10.  This, as much as anything, would seem to make this an 80's coat and NOT alas, a 40's coat.

I've had occasion to email the seller, and she is truly charming, and a pleasure to do business with.

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Also from DeniseBrain is this wonderful lipstick red coat from the 1960's.

This lovely double breasted coat is made of soft 100% wool with a pronounced horizontal rib texture.  Interestingly,  the back of the coat's notched collar is doubled over, and left open at the end.  Perhaps this is to run a scarf through?  

The coat is missing a button at top, but as you can see from the pictures, this really doesn't show and shouldn't affect the coats appearance.  There are also some small marks on the coat which should come out with a good dry cleaning.  

Offered for an amazing $29.00.  At prices like this, you could afford to have a different colored coat for at least every day of the week, and quite possibly each day of the month!

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Next, I'm going to close this evening with a lovely irridescent coat by Lilli Doll available at eBay. 

This gorgeous coat is made of a lightweight polyester olive-bronze iridescent fabric which in the right light will show hints of teal, purple, and all the hues of a peacock.  I just adore this type of fabric,  it allows such a great latitude of accompaniment;  almost anything will go with it.

The coat features a balloon neckline and three button closure in the front.  Made in Macau, this coat has been loved and well cared for.  Handwashing is suggested, and I would steam, rather than iron, the wrinkles out of this garment.

Offered by dmlz1965 for the unbelievable price of $26.00.  If that's not a bargain, I've never seen a bargain.

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Finally,  I wish to thank all of you who have returned to my blog, found my blog, or whatever road led you hear.  After such a long absence I am so grateful to have an audience.

I'll be blogging again soon, and until then,

Happy Shopping!

Second Hand Roze

Deep in the Heart of Uncertain Texas

Finds On The Fly: June 5, 2011

Oh my goodness, darlings! I've been on vacation, so I haven't blogged, but I've found so many wonderful things for us that I'm almost intimidated to begin! Oh my! We have so much to talk about!

Let's start with this amazing and rare Eisenberg dress from the 1940's.

The totally modern lines of this dress are almost deceptive. In fact, I thought I had misfiled the picture because I thought it wasn't a vintage item. The dress is made of an iridescent aubergine silk fabric with a bit of shine to it. The loose bodice is adorned with a large fabric bow on the left shoulder, true to the period.

The dress then cinches at the waist and the skirt features a large swag of fabric that continues well into the back of the dress.

This is a trick still being used by couturiers today and is why I thought this was a modern dress. This dress, like most 40's dresses, closes at the side with a metal zipper that has been painted to match the fabric. There is a faint extra sheen from an iron in this area which seems to be the dresses single flaw. The dress even still has it's original belt, a real rarity for a garment of this vintage.

The dress is a modern size 6/8 and is available from Shrimpton Couture for $525.00, a veritable steal for a vintage Eisenberg in this condition.

I just love this next item. The fantastic bangle bracelet shown above is salvaged from the meat packing industry and is made from a cow's horn. It's eco-chic and wonderful! Offered by Gallerieurbana at Etsy for $50.00. The bangle is also offered in a brown horn, as shown below:

This shop's inventory is full of fabulous and green jewelry. I urge you to look at all their offerings and save them to your favorites.

The stunning Edwardian lawn dress shown below would make such a charming wedding dress that it's enough to make a girl want to get married!

The dress features an exaggerated lapel that is almost like having a second layer to the bodice. It's richly and beautifully embroidered and the very essence of femininity. It splits to reveal a single layer "V" that is more sheer. This is coupled with a doubled, deeply embroidered waist panel that emphasizes the hour glass figure of the woman wearing it.

The construction of this bodice is such that one need not wear a full slip underneath the gown, just a half slip (skirt slip) would suffice. (The skirt is very sheer, though no less adorned with embroidery).

The back, sadly, needs to have the hooks and eyes replaced (no big deal) and features a repair to a hole in the original fabric (big, big, deal).

Below is a second view of the repair on the back or the skirt.

I think this dress is so gorgeous that it's worth it to completely replace the panels of fabric above that strip of lace. Or - in the alternative - one could simply wear an elaborate veil which hangs down the back and covers the repair. I'm uncertain if the repair to the skirt is to the front or back, but the presence of hooks and eyes lead me to believe it's on the back.

If it's important to you that your wedding dress be perfect, this is not the dress for you. But, if like me, you are truly charmed by the dress, then this flaw is really of little consequence and what matters is it's vintage charm.

Offered on eBay by avivb for the Buy It Now price of $695 or best offered. I hope the right bride finds this dress. It would be such a shame for it to go to waste!

This lovely silver-toned Crown Trifari necklace is at Etsy. The seller describes it as Art Deco, but it's Art Deco-ness escapes me, I find it rather modern. The silver metal (which I expect is rhodium) finish alternates between a shiny finish and a matte finish. The necklace has been well cared for, is clean, and has no missing stones. Offered by

Nigella818 for $32.00.

I am completely enchanted with this faux pearl and glass beaded handbag from the 1930's. Now this is some art deco! The metallic glass beads have taken on a lovely patina, as has the frame of the purse.

The frame and snake chain are silver plate, and the snap closure of the purse features lovely Austrian crystals.

I had envisioned some young lady working for weeks beading this purse in preparation for a prom or another special occasion, but no! Inside on the padded pale pink rayon interior is a label which reads "made in Hong Kong". So much for my romantic fantasies! This lovely purse is at Ruby Lane and is offered by Uniquities Unlimited for $245.00. The dealer reports the condition of the handbag to be excellent.

I had a fit of art moderne ecstasy when I found this next item!

This amazing spun aluminum light fixture in the classic artichoke design was found on eBay strutting it's stuff. It's a single bulb fixture and ships with 6 ft of aircraft cable for hanging. I think it's just modolicious! Offered by royalpacificlighting for a Buy It Now price of $339.00.

This company has a wide array of lighting from the very traditional to the cutting edge, all at very reasonable prices.

This stunning Donna Karan evening gown from the 1980's was found on 1stDibs. I simply adore it's cut, it's line, and the gorgeous fabric it's made of. In fact, I can't think of anything about it I'm not just head over heels over. It's almost one shoulder design is so striking and was very fashion forward for the 80's. The diaphanous magenta silk chiffon is bias cut and covered in beautifully appliance silk flowers and unique square shaped sequins.

The dress has a very low back to add to it's palpable sex appeal.

This superb evening gown is being offered by The Way We Wore for $1,200.00.

It's not unusual for me to seek out jewelry to wear with the clothing I pick out for this blog. I frankly think it would be a shame to wear any jewelry with this gown. This gown is the jewelry. Anything which would draw your eyes away from the artistry of this dress would be sacrilege.

The Way We Wore has such an extensive and fine selection of vintage garments that it would simply be a shame for you not to treat yourself to viewing it. I promise it will be one of the best window shopping experiences of your life.

Also from the 1980's is this gorgeous bronze crocheted dress from Etsy. I love it's artisan, bohemian appeal, though I must admit that I think pairing it with a black hat and shoes was a mistake.

Designed by Allen Schwartz, the dress features a low-cut modified "V" neckline, a tea length hemline and a body hugging style. I don't think there's anything about this dress that says 1980 and not today, though paradoxically it does say, "vintage" in a charming and vague sort of way. It's label claims it's a large, but the model above is a size two. The knit fabric has a great deal of stretch, so I'm going to limit my size advice to saying that this dress is only for the perfect of figure. It's body-hugging fabric will show quite plainly where ever there may be too much or too little of thebwoman wearing it.

Offered by Basyaberkman for a low $50.00, an absolute steal.

Ms. Berkman also has a lovely selection, including some charming jewelry and the perfect petticoat for the Edwardian Lawn Dress / Wedding Dress shown above.

That bronze dress definitely needs the right necklace to dress it up, as well as the right pair of shoes. Fear not! I'm on the case for both of these fashion emergencies.

For the necklace, I chose this Victorian charm necklace from Sweet Romance Jewelry.

I love the way the many layers and types of chain will dress up the simplicity of the dress. It's available for only $69.00 and should be a great addition to anyone's jewelry wardrobe.

For the shoes, I chose these golden-bronze stripy sandals from Etsy.

Their thin straps and platforms are oh-so-1970's even though both are back in style. The platforms are made of stacked wood and are remarkably scratch free for shoes that are about forty years old.

Don't they make you want to listen to some Abba?

These sexy retro shoes will beautifully set-off the metallic aspects of that dress as well as being appropriate to dress up any number of outfits, even blue jeans. These are being offered for sale by RevampedResale for $29.95.

RevampedResale also stocks this fun vintage sculptural pave rose bracelet.

The pave rose design would go well with the rhinestone features appearing on the Victorian charm necklace shown above. It's fun retro feel (late 80's?) would brighten most any casual outfit, or even a simple party dress like the bronze one shown above. Offered for only $34.95, I think this piece is awfully fun.

I call this magnificent 1950's dress the "Elizabeth Taylor" dress, as she wore one terribly like it in the 1954 movie Elephant Walk. Found in Europe, this gorgeous dress is made of a substantial cream colored rayon faile with a purple lace overlay at the bodice and right hip. Though it's lost it's labels, everything about this dress says high-end couture.

Sadly, the dress has a spot that is hidden among the folds.

The seller has had the dress dry-cleaned so we can assume considerable effort has gone into removing the stain already. From top to bottom, the stain is 3/4" high. I think it's important to remember this stain is hidden among the folds of the dress. While unfortunate, I do not think the stain is ruinous or destroys the value of the dress.

The dress is being offered for sale by Couture Allure for $325.00.

This dress needs something at the neckline, and as it would sadly be impossible to match that shade of purple in gemstones, I decided to focus on the white instead. I found this fabulous navette necklace from Sweet Romance.

The pearls and rhinestones give the necklace such a lovely feel. I also adore it's sculptural quality. The necklace is available for $79.00.

Any regular reader of my blog can imagine how my heart leapt for joy when I found this Lilly Ann suit! The suit is described as yellow, and photographs can certainly be deceiving, but it looks like a cream color to me. Made of silk crepe, this lovely suit is fully lined, and has ruching on the left side of the jacket.

It has full length sleeves, a shawl collar, and a typical 1940's pencil skirt. I wouldn't be surprised to find that those buttons are bakelite (the seller says they are lucite, but it was not being used for nonmilitary purposes during this time). The skirt has a kick pleat in the back, and a great silhouette.

This fabulous suit is being offered for auction by MillStreetVintage who has their usual amazing collection of vintage goods. The suit is about a modern size 8/10.

With a little more than 24 hours left to go on the bidding, the current price on this suit if $417.00. I expect it to close at over $600, but I've been wrong before.

As this last item has only a day's bidding left, I'm going to close so anyone who may be interested in the Lilli Ann will have a chance to bid, and so that I might accomplish something today besides blogging!

Happy shopping my darlings!

Second Hand Roze

Location: Deep in the Heart of Uncertain Texas