How to take your measurements

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nulA4Q9o4g4&feature=player_embedded

Jessie Matz

Savannah, Vintage

A Savannah local, and vintage blogger/lover is my old manager Jessie Matz. She lives in Savannah, Georgia with her fiance and is a slave to vintage and all it represents. She is the current manager at The Clothing Warehouse, one of the vintage stores I spoke of before, and used to be my manager. She is constantly thinking of vintage and the next thing she can find, mix up, or create. She is what I called earlier, a "collector" who not only buys vintage items for herself, but also purchases/finds vintage items with great value to add to her collection. While The Clothing Warehouse buys and sells both used clothing and hand-crafted vintage-inspired items, she often finds herself both purchasing and selling to the store. Her blog is all about the vintage clothing and items she has found and is selling on her website, "Time Traveling Empire". There is a range of dresses, t-shirts,  sweatshirts, tops, bottoms, hats, bags, shoes, jewelry, belts, gloves, swimwear, etc. 

Her blogspot, Strawberry Moth

http://strawberrymoth.blogspot.com/p/about-me.html

where to find her stuff:

http://www.timetravelingempire.com/blog

The Tweed Run

http://tweedrun.com/?page_id=90

The Tweed Run is something I recently came across. It is basically a vintage-inspired bike ride, organized in London, England. The first one was last year in London. It is a few hundred people who are decked out in early 20th century British bicycling outfits and vintage bikes. It is a 12 mile excursion around the city that starts off at the Chelsea College of Art & Design. Here is a website that talks more about it... http://www.vidafine.com/blog/2010/05/tweed-run/

Vintage-inspired wedding rings!

I recently stumbled upon this amazing website that sells vintage-inspired WEDDING and ENGAGEMENT RINGS. How cool is that? One of my FAVORITE things are vintage wedding rings. Theres a feeling behind them that one cannot replicate with a new diamond. The website was started by Erica Weiner who started designing and making jewelry out of her apartment. As she travels around the world, she gathers what she calls "a collection of curiosities" and uses them in developing her line of jewelry. The emphasis is on craftsmanship and affordability. What's cool about her stuff, is that all of it is 100% recyclable. About half of the jewelry materials are vintage and re-purposed. While the jewelry lines started off a as hand-made items, they will continue to be so. 

http://ericaweiner.com/item.php?item_id=483&page=2&category_id=54

6 Shore Road
AMAZING draped white cotton voile jumpsuit with a sash tie belt and cuffs, cropped at the ankle
$98

http://www.shopnastygal.com/products/new/clothing/bottoms/Shelter-Jumpsuit.html

Found

AMERICAN GOLD Wild Horses Tank

Soft, woven stripe oversize neck with asymmetrical hemline and cross v-neck front.

$88.00

https://www.spanishmossshop.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=AmericanGoldwildhorsestankbon

Vintage Online- SPANISH MOSS

SPANISH MOSS is another one of my favorite online retailers that sells vintage as well. This is mainly because they too, like NASTYGAL, take pride in handpicking unique items that are on trend and follow the looks seen in both the street and the runway. Spanish Moss offers amazing online look books that help the customer match one vintage piece with another. Spanish Moss also provides new clothing with brands such as WILDFOX and AMERICAN GOLD. 


http://www.shopspanishmoss.com/

Online Vintage- NASTY GAL

NASTY GAL is one of my favorite websites, as they sell both old and new merchandise with a wide selection in clothing and brands. They sell both clothing and accessories. Everything is hand-picked and on trend, making the retailer unique and appealing. Along with their amazing choice in vintage items, Nasty Gal supports and sells brands with vintage inspirations, such as Jeffrey Campbell and Dolce Vita.

http://www.shopnastygal.com/pages/lookbook.html

Online Vintage -Plastic Land

Plastic Land is a unique retailer as their online website is different than most. They sell shoes, clothing, accessories, books, gifts, beauty products, arts and crafts, and home decor. The products are cool and thrifty, such as the Spooky Skull night light...

While their prices are fairly cheap, the assortment of merchandise is still pretty low. 

Plastic Land

http://www.shopplasticland.com/fashion/c/Home-Decor.html

Mod Cloth blog

http://blog.modcloth.com/

Vintage Online- Mod Cloth

Mod Cloth is a very well-known and popular online vintage clothing, accessories, and decor retailer. Mod Cloth has a wide range of vintage and vintage-inspired clothing. They mainly focus on the "mod" decades, providing the reason for the name. They interact through multiple social network sites such as Twitter and Facebook, requesting feedback. They have the "Be the Buyer" program, which allows the customers to be a virtual fashion buyer. While most of the retailer's prices are reasonable, some are a little high up there. You can find a pair of pants or a skirt for only $30.00, but a dress or pair of boots for over $100. 

Mod Cloth

one of my favorite pictures...you get 'em grandmaw

Icons from the Past

Katherine Hepburn (1930)

Audrey Hepburn (1950/60)

CoCo Chanel (1950)

Marilyn Monroe (1950)

Jackie O. (1960)

Debbie Harry (1970)

Madonna (1980)

Princess Diana (1980/90)

Looking for vintage eyewear?

http://atticeyewear.blogspot.com/

Vintage shops: Savannah, Georgia

The Clothing Warehouse: The Clothing Warehouse is a vintage clothing and accessories store on Broughton Street. The store is a franchise and owned by a couple who lives out on Tybee Island. The store compiles of handpicked vintage dresses, tops, bottoms, t-shirts, classic Levi's, accessories, and shoes. The store is a fairly new one here in Savannah, it is known for it's infamous selection of "band t-shirts", which usually draws the local customers in. Customers can sell their clothing to the store, however items are very carefully looked over and often rejected. The store manager, Jessie, is very picky about who can work there. Sales associates must know the vintage merchandise and be able to carry the vintage feel throughout the store. While the store has a great atmosphere and selection, I have to say that a lot of the items are over priced for used clothing.
http://www.theclothingwarehouse.com/story.htm


Civvie's : Civvies is another vintage store located on Broughton street and is actually one of The Clothing Warehouse's biggest competitors. The unique thing about Civvies is that they sell both vintage and new clothing. Many of the new merchandise is by new and emerging young designers. The store provides a unique and mixed environment of new and vintage clothing. Civvies is also involved deeply in the community and is known for holding several fashion shows a year.The store buyer/manager buys clothes and you can get cash or a store credit for your clothing. The prices aren't ridiculously cheap, but reasonable.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/civvies-on-broughton-savannah


Two Women and a Warehouse: Two Women and a Warehouse is a unique little vintage shop out on Skidaway Road. It is filled with vintage finds and cottage-chic furnishings. You can find vintage paintings, and plenty of hidden treasures. You just have to search every nook and cranny of this place. 
http://vintagefurnituresavannah.com/


Cherry Picked Consignments: Cherry Picked Consignments is a new high-end consignment store on Broughton Street. The store features designer labels such as : Anthropologie, Lily Pulitzer, Marc Jacobs, Tory Burch, Lacoste, Diane Von Furstenberg, Juicy Couture, and even more. Consignments are accepted daily and consigners get 50% of the profits. It is a unique little boutique, however still hasn't quite made a name for itself. Perhaps a new location or some better window merchandising would help?
http://www.facebook.com/people/Cherry-Picked-Consignments/1807290033



ARC: ARC is the newest vintage store located in downtown Savannah area, just off of Wright Square. ARC sells hand picked vintage items and clothing, designer vintage, leather goods, swiss militaria, specialty books and stationary, and accessories. As new as the place is, Kyle Hinton who is the owner, has done a great job of advertising the store and drawing new customers in. The store opened up this year and is already a big hit. This place is especially different as it has a wide assortment of merchandise. New products mixed in with old always does well. It is also nicely decorated, giving off a clean, crisp feeling. The store is popular amongst young students and trendy shoppers. 
http://www.shop-arc.com/ 

thrifting tips

7 thrifting tips you may not have known...

1. Go on a regular basis. When you visit a thriftstore, ask when they "restock" or get new merchandise. Make sure to visit on these days (duh). But also, visit on the off days. That is when noone else will be there and how else can you expect to snatch something before someone else does...

2. Make a list of what you NEED and what you WANT...that way you don't get sidetracked as one easily does

3. Just because there is a pile on sale for $1.00 does NOT mean you need or have to buy it

4. Be ready to try on clothes and dress accordingly. One often passes up a good item because they are too lazy or don't feel like changing to try it on

5. Spend time, not just money. Thrifting can be tedious and can take up a lot of time so be ready to spend it. Just because you are shopping all does not mean you have to buy. The thrifting experience itself will benefit you!

6. Thrifting doesn't mean CHEAP. It means "inexpensive". Don't forget about the quality of clothing. If your mother wouldn't approve of the clothing, sewing, or fabric quality, don't spend your money on it!

7. KNOW the prices. Before you set out on your thrifting adventure, know how much the items on your wants and needs list usually costs so you can make comparisons 

Found: Vintage Inspiration

I recently stumbled upon these photos by Julia Galdo and Cody. They are a series of a lovely housewife dressed in vintage and/or vintage inspired dresses. She is confined to the indoors for most of the photographs and finally escapes to her bicycle in the end. I have a strong appreciation for photography and think it is beautiful when vintage is incorporated within. Vintage clothing always looks nice when photographed. 


The Housewife Series

The Vintage Consumer: "Collector"

There is a recent term I coined this summer known as a “collector” which fascinated me. I learned this from my manager at a thrift store in Savannah, Georgia (The Clothing Warehouse), as she told me she actually was one. It came about when I noticed she was always bringing in the most random items into the store. Some were just her style, while others didn’t fit her and were nothing like her taste. I eventually asked why she had so much “stuff” as I (wrongly) defined it at first. She went on to explain that she was a “vintage collector” and therefore had an entire room dedicated to vintage items she found over time. This didn’t mean only fashion clothing, and accessories. This also meant furniture, utensils, glasses, letters, photography, you name it. A collector is someone who appreciates vintage SO MUCH that they enjoy collecting items, even if the item does not fit or pertain to their lifestyle. While these items are not needed in their lives, they do affect the collector’s life, as they gain a further appreciation on the past and the reasons why there was a need for certain things. Collectors obtain all sorts of items, and like my manager, can sometimes fill up an entire room over a lifestyle. This can be made into a useful task, as vintage is an ever-revolving culture. As a vintage collector collects new items, he or she can also sell their items to other vintage or thrift stores as well, sometimes making more money than spent.  

The Vintage Consumer: "Vintage Lover"

While I do appreciate, wear, and love vintage, I do not consider what I call a “vintage lover”. To me, a “vintage lover” is someone whose wardrobe consist of 70% or more vintage items. They enjoy the hunt, know when the best vintage shop and thrift store deals are, and know the do’s and don’ts of vintage shopping. They basically are vintage pros. However, they do this stylishly. They do not purchase used items just because of the trend, but because of their enormous love and appreciation for the item. They have an amazing ability to incorporate items from the past, fashion and lifestyle, and make it look brand new. An example of a “vintage lover” is a featured vintage blogger I found: Erin, of “Calivintage”. She is a California girl with a serious love for vintage. Her blog is filled with daily posts of her vintage outfits, vintage finds, and vintage inspirations. She also posts pictures of her favorite street style vintage-wearers.

http://www.calivintage.com/

The Vintage Consumer: "Easy Going"

Vintage clothing is a broad topic with many different types of consumers. There is what I’d like to call the “easy-going” type like me. I appreciate vintage and own a great deal of it. About 45% of my clothing and accessories are vintage or have been handed down from my mother or grandmother. I have also worked at a vintage clothing store and experienced the lifestyle. I do, however, appreciate other types of clothing as well. While I wont pass up a great thrift store piece, I definitely wouldn’t consider myself a “vintage lover”, “collector,” or a “thrifter”. 

Some of my favorite vintage finds:

Found at: Grandmother's closet

Found at: HoneyMoon Bungalow, thriftstore, Louisiana

Found at : HoneyMoon Bungalow, thrift store, Louisiana

Found at: Shorts- Good Will, Shirt, Civvies

Found at: Jacket- The Clothing Warehouse, Shirt- Civvies

Found at: The Clothing Warehouse

Found at: Civvies

Found at: Civvies

Found at: What Goes Around, thrift store, Louisiana
(I was excited about the pants)

"thrifting"

Thrifting refers to the act of shopping at a thrift store, flea market, garage sale, or a shop of charitable organization, usually with teh intent of finding interesting items at a cheap price." 

"A larger philosophy permeates the act of thrifting which celebrates the act of recycling of formerly-owned items, finding new use and new love for vintage material good which had been thrown out, and the thrill of imagining what the former life of the item was like."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thrifting

http://lookbook.nu/look/856629

a thrift store

The most popular form of vintage shopping is done at a thrift store. A thrift store is a retail establishment where garments, accessories, furniture, records, and all sorts of products from the past are acquired and resold, at great value. Thrift stores are different from consignment stores, as all items are donated to the thrift store. All articles, besides dead-stock items have been worn or used in a previous decade.


 Most thrift stores, such as the Salvation Army and Goodwill, benefit a charitable organization. These types of thrift stores are usually part of a large organization and operate many different locations. Other types of thrift shops are private businesses where the owner benefits from the profits.

http://www.ehow.com/about_6695784_definition-thrift-store.html

Which era are you?

My favorite form of vintage is not the actual clothing from the past themselves, but the inspirations we gather from clothing of the past. The nostalgia for past trends and looks is always there, which is why vintage is an ever-occuring theme. I took a survey amongst my fellow fashion-followers in Savannah, asking which decade they are inspired by the most. Results varied, but over all the 70's was the highest, following with the 80's, and third was a tie between the 90's and the 50's. 

What is Vintage?

Vintage clothing is a term for new or second hand garments originating from a previous era. "Antique clothing", which is clothing from the 1920's to 1980's is considered vintage. Most vintage clothing has already been worn by someone in the past. However, there is a small percentage of pieces that have been stocked away in warehouses and taken out in current years. These items are considered "dead stock" and are usually more valuable because they have their original tags on them. "Retrospective" or "retro" clothing is clothing that imitates vintage styles. As top models, celebrities, and influential fashion icons such as Kate Moss, Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, and Sienna Miller are increasingly embracing vintage items, the demand, awareness, and acceptance of vintage fashion is increasing dramatically.