Hello all. Obviously, October 1st's issue is getting out late. Alas. There were computer problems. The solutions had computer problems. And the solutions to those problems are coming with their own sets of problems, but I think I can get it together enough to blog.
You may find that some of these eBay Links are to auctions that have already closed. Please forgive me. When gathering fodder for this week's edition, I did not anticipate the technical delays.
I've been of a mind lately to do an issue that is an Ode to Mod. Mod is not as easy as it looks. A lot of things that will tell you they are mod are not Mod. But true Mod, is a thing of beauty and a joy forever. Mod is cool with a style thrown in for good measure. Tony Bennett is Mod. Benjamin Franklin was Mod. Jackie O was inimitably Mod. Lady Ga-Ga, is not, and shall never be, Mod.
So this week, let us raise our glasses to Mod and embrace it's many forms!
From Ballyhoo Vintage this Mod pink Mini was so Mod it sold before I could get it to you. Drat! It was a steal at $55.00. I would much rather have seen it with a black plastic link belt (which I shall show you in a moment), than in this white number. But even I must agree that sporting white it was still Mod. And it's the perfect length: not so short you'd be afraid to drop your wallet, not to long to.... well, I had a professor in college who said that a skirt and a paper had much in common. Each should be long enough to cover the subject, but short enough to be interesting.
Proving that Mod is timeless, this Mod top at Etsy is not vintage, yet carries the essence of Mod. It is hip. It is cool. It will be fashion forward anywhere. And it is a steal at $50.00. This is not to mention that I have some Giraffe Print Stiletto Heel shoes that I'm just dying to pair with it.
This oh-so-Mod from the 80's halter dress is up for auction on eBay. As of the time of this writing, it is available for a Buy It Now price of a mere $15.00.
Sorry Kittens, but these little lucite ice cubes were so Mod I found I couldn't live without them. I bought them on Etsy for a mere $0.99. Be careful girls. Nieman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue have both discovered the glory of Lucite Jewelry and prices are doomed to reflect this. Also last week, on eBay, I happily snatched up an exact copy of a necklace I've seen on Nieman's for $155.00. My price at eBay? $9.99. There are still some of these available, so I've linked an open auction, rather than the one I closed. If this is closed when you get there, check the seller's other offerings. They have three up for auction last time I checked.
My mother has asked to borrow these babies next time she's going to an art show opening! Oh! And for the record, these are not lightweight hollow lucite beads. These are heavy solid lucite. The same vender (77Rula) sells a matching bracelets, if you are interested.
This self proclaimed "space age" Mod dress was up for auction last week on eBay. It closed at the bargain price of $58.00 after fairly heavy bidding. Proving that one need not become impoverished to be well dressed.
I have such great memories of sipping colas from these fabulous aluminum "glasses" and was so excited about listing these in the blog. I found these at Etsy for a mere $22.00. I wanted to buy them but one must exercise some restraint. And now gosh-darn it, if they aren't sold! Shall we all raise our glasses in hopes that more of these goodies will surface soon?
I'm just wild about these black and white sun glasses with drops found at Fashion Dig. Recently reduced from $125.00 to $99.00 these aren't just sunglasses, these are jewelry. I can't imagine one's feet touching the ground if one were wearing these lovelies.
Not for sale, but too Mod not to mention is this Hattie Carnegie "Sardine" pendant. I just love jewelry with a sense of humor, and Hattie Carnegie's collection is perhaps the most whimsical there was in the time before the Lunch at the Ritz collection.
ModCloth got this classic Mod phone reproduced. Priced at a very reasonable $69.99 they are selling these as fast as they can keep them in stock. Get your Euro-Mod-Chic phone while they last!
This gorgeous blouse was up for auction on eBay some months ago, and for some reason, I took a sudden crazy spell, and decided NOT to buy it when the auction came to close. It went away for mere pennies, and this is one of those "didn't buys" that haunts me. It just goes to show you that the time to buy a really fantastic vintage item is when you find it. There are things that you let pass you buy that haunt you forever.
These can't-live-without 60's link belts are amazingly plentiful on eBay. I found these from Cat's Pajamas Vintage, one of my favorite haunts. Take a look around. The kitties are bound to have something you've been just dying for.
Another find from Fashion Dig is this gorgeous pink and black op-art sheath dress. Available for $68.00. The dress has a couple of minor condition issues, which I don't think should affect it's wearability at all. This is classic Mod.
I about died when I saw this fabulous zebra / op-art dress at the Rusty Zipper. This is a two piece knit dress is the very definition of Mod. Available for an outrageous $39.00, I would buy it in a minute if only it fit me. Be forewarned, I have gone on a starvation diet to get into this dress!
The Iconic LOVE light box can be found at Ruby Plaza for $60.00. There's no reason you shouldn't dress your home up to be as Mod as you are!
I found this pink cocktail top by Stephen O'Grady at the Rusty Zipper for a mere $28.00. I'm too long waisted to wear these, but I absolutely adore them. If you have the right body type, I found the black and gold one below on eBay, but I'll be darned if I can find the link for it:
I've searched for this top by every criteria I could think of, though I will admit I was looking for short lists, and didn't go through any long lists. As this blog is late, it is also possible that this auction is closed.
Along this same line of Mod top, this vintage beauty from Viva Vintage Clothing is still so au courant with it's ruffles and horizontal lines. Available for the bargain price of $40.00, this gorgeous blouse is approximately a size 6.
Of course, it wouldn't be Mod if we didn't talk about Pucci. I was delighted to find this lovely dress at eBay in a size 12, proving that Mod and Fashion need not be limited to the anorexic. Available at the very reasonable Buy It Now price of $199.00, the seller is taking offers. I know we've talked about "taking offers" before, but I really can't stress this enough. Offer the ridiculous. Offer your dream price. I can't believe how cheaply I've gotten some things. The worst they can do is say "No" or not respond. One should, however, always offer with respect for the merchandise. Insulting the seller is never a good strategy. It might seem that it's a good strategy to offer at the end of the Auction, but you need to give them time to respond by not responding if you are willing to up your price. If, on the other hand, what you're offering really is your final price, then by all mean, wait until that last hour of the Auction. By then, there is a good chance the seller will be thinking it's your offer or nothing. Never wait longer than the last hour. You need to give them time to consider before the ending bell rings.
And just to prove that as Pucci is not only not merely for the skinny; he is not merely for the wealthy. EBay is selling these signed Emilio Pucci cuff bracelets for $24.99. That's a lot of Mod for under $25.00. I can see this nicely worked into an outfit with black stretch pants, and a colorful top. Don't forget the high heel shoes!
The clock above is a reproduction, and not the original "ball" clock that would be priced, well, mid century modern prices. I found this fabulous clock at Vintage Looks for the oh-so-reasonable price of $45.00. Mod? Oh my, tres Mod.
This screamingly Mod dress can be found at Etsy at for the bargain price of $25.00. The perfect Go-Go dress, I'm going to guess it's size at a 10-12, though measurements are shown on the webpage. I have only one concern about this dress. Either a) it needs to be ironed (which is no big deal), or b) some of it has shrunk more than other parts of it, causing it to "pull" (which is quite the big deal). I'd ask the seller for clarification before investing.
Though not as "dressed up", as the fancy sunglasses above, these ubiquitous 60's sunglasses are a bargain at $55.00. Found at The Vintage Merchant, at Ruby Lane these will never go out of style.
This swinging Op Art Mini was found at Posh Girl Vintage. With no doubts of its worth, the seller is asking $ 119.00. The dress is a size small. Like the sunglasses above, this dress will timeless and will never go out of style.
This Mod classic "mushroom lamp" (repro) was found at Vintage Looks Classic. The price is $125.00 and the shade is also available in orange. (There are people who would want orange?)
Not vintage, this New With Tags, Wrapper (not Rapper!) A-Line dress brings Mod easily into the 21st century. Available on eBay for a Buy It Now price of $7.99, Mod doesn't come any cheaper. Made of polyester, this dress is a size Medium.
No discussion of Mod could possibly be complete without including Trifari's Ultimately Mod Clear Lucite Jewelry of the late 60's. This set of earrings and a single bangle bracelet was found at Viva Vintage Clothing for $25.00, an entirely fair price for this much sought after jewelry. I have this on my "buy it myself" list too.
This gorgeous Mod Lanvin 70's Pop Art Long Dress is worth every cent of it's eBay Buy It Now price of $400.00. This will be a collectors item that will give the owner years of wearing pleasure. Sized Small / Medium and made of 100% silk jersey.
So Mod! This defnitively 60's black and white lucite necklace is available on eBay for a Buy It Now price of $9.95. An absolute buy.
And to go with it?
This Mod and Timeless Black and White Lucite ring from That Girl Vintage Boutique. The ring is $18.00, and though the seller mentions it has some minor scratching, scratches on Lucite can be buffed out. Simply Google Lucite Polish. You'll be amazed at what you learn about the different types of plastic and what can be done with them.
Not for the faint of heart, these Mod shoe clips with feathers, are available at Etsy for $36.00. These clips are perfect to add that punch to the simple black dress and are bound to garner attention where ever they wander. This is not to mention that they'd look smashing with the necklace and ring shown above.
This "Electric Green" Mod geometric vintage lucite bracelet is available on eBay for a Buy It Now price of $27.20. The seller is accepting offers so knock yourselves out. Shipping on this one is Free!
This Mod Bill Blass skirt leads me to wonder what happened to a designer who once held such Mod potential. Found on Vintage Virtuosa the skirt is available for $48.00 and I'm going to guess the size to be somewhere between 6 and 8. The waist measures 25", and the length is a daring 22".
These incredibly Mod Italian lucite chairs are available at Vintage Looks Designer for $85.00. Once again, I must stress these are new stock, and not vintage. Nevertheless, these are simply classic chairs and will serve their owner (with the help of a little polish to remove the scratches) for a lifetime. This store was a delightful find for anyone trying to add a mid-century Moderne touch or furnish an Art Moderne home, provided original, vintage stock is not one's primary object. Vintage Look Designers is dedicated to making Mod design available to everyone. I recommend all vintage aficiondos spend some time revelling in their great catalogue.
These truly vintage Salt and Pepper Shakers are for the Mod purist. Found at Etsy for $28.00. Finally! Something I'm sure will fit!
Absolutely classically MOD, this dress features a darted bust and waist line to create that hour glass figure. Available at Etsy in size Tiny for $ 75.00.
Also at Etsy, this Art Deco Mod Santeen dress is in an atractive shade of grey or pearlescence. I feel that the dress would have shown much better had the model fit the dress better and photographed at a more flattering angle. The artisan advertising the dress will make it for especially for you, your measurements, and in the color of your chosing. Dresses may be ordered for the price of $155.00.
This Amethyst color lucite ring is available at eBay for $12.88. The seller described it as both "Boho" and "cubist", neither of which come to my mind when I view the ring, but I love it just the same.
This charming "daisy cut out" swim suit by Sinz struck me as Mod to the core. Available at Viva Vintage Clothing for $ 125.00. This price may seem a bit high, but vintage bathing suits fetch a good price since chlorine takes such a toll on them. Very few have survived for our pleasure.
Finally, I submit to you:
This non-vintage Mod 3/4 length sleeve dress is from Juicy Couture and is available from Polyvore (overseas) and Net-a-Porter (USA) for $160.00 in sizes 2 - 12. I love the simple boatneck and the white shoulder detail. A perfect example of 21st Century Mod, I would love to own this dress, especially if I had the figure to go with it.
And so we end another week. Again, I apologize for getting off to such a late start. It is my supreme hope to be back in the computer saddle again next week. Until then...
Happy shopping!
Second Hand Roze
