From the Amazon Files...

I still haven't decided whether or not to keep Amazon as part of our monthly Files series; I'm completely addicted to the site when it comes to smaller stuff and books but it's getting on my nerves in terms of clothing lines and which stores are legit. But I digress. I haven't found a site to replace it yet, so for the time being I guess I'll keep it. Anywho, we're just about finished with outdoor parties and I've been enjoying this so much, I haven't even considered what I'm going to do for August yet. lol And on the note of themes and the like, come check out what I rounded up on Amazon this week!

The Vintage Tea Party Book, $19.96

I'm not big on tea parties myself, but I think spring and summer are the perfect seasons to have one. The weather is accommodating, light meals (such as those served during tea parties and the like) are more favorable on the gut during the summer--well, my gut anyway LOL--and afternoon tea parties are still the perfect excuse to get fancy for a little while. This book is all about how to throw the perfect tea party, vintage style. This book covers how tea parties were held, what was served, how to style your hair and makeup, and an array of other things that will be sure to make your next tea party a hit. 

Vintage '20s Inspired Flapper Bodycon
Dress, $29.99

If you're going to a '20s themed party and want an affordable option that's both era and summer appropriate, I'd go with this dress. This is a flapper-inspired dress with what I believe are ombre yarn strings, which I think really helps to give the dress that shimmery, two-toned appearance that many flapper dresses have. You could pair this with a cute t-strap heel, sparkly flats, or even a pair of black studded flap combat boots. There are some where the top of the boot is folded down and the flaps are studded, and there are other zip-up pairs that you can unzip, then fold the flaps down. Pair this with a Charleston feather headpiece, pearls (or bling) and black lipstick, and dance the night away!

Vintage 1978 Norelco Lickety Split Ice Cream Machine, $99.99

I mentioned that I'd found this to my mom and uncle last night and the first thing they both said was, "Wow....I haven't heard of one of those machines in a long time. How much is it?" I love showing or telling them about the nostalgia products I've found because in many cases, they remember what I'm talking about. That's why it'd be cool to have this machine at a party; the parents will probably remember exactly what the machine is and the kids (and the parents, who am I kidding?) get to reap the benefits of what the machine produces. LOL It's also kind of funny arguing with the kiddos who feel that older products are no longer relevant then you show them a machine like this, make them something from it and completely shut them up. 

Paperproducts Anne Taintor Beverage/Cocktail Napkin, $10.99

These vintage-styled napkins have both an old school and a modern appeal to them that I really like. The image is clearly a vintage one, but the quote is more modern.....and sort of vintage as well, since folks loved their daily cocktails back in the day. I think these are funny and will give your partygoers a bit of a chuckle once they see these underneath their drinks. I don't know how many of these are in one package, but I still think they're pretty well-priced. 

Talking Tables 12-pk Party Paper Porcelain Plates, $11.01

Having a party but don't feel like busting out the nice porcelain and having all those dishes to worry about washing later? Well look no more; porcelain paper plates are here! I think I mentioned something about my serveware preferences last week; I'm cheap, I hate doing dishes and unless it's something extra fancy I am completely okay with using paper plates for small get-togethers. But I do like using plates that don't look quite so plain and when I think about garden parties or tea parties, porcelain plates come to mind. I don't own porcelain plates though and as referenced above, I hate washing dishes. So this was a perfect compromise. They're fancier than regular paper plates but cleanup is still a snap. I didn't even know they were paper plates at first; I thought they were actual porcelain plates because that was initially what I was looking for. When I realized they were paper, I was sold. I don't know if they're heavy-duty, but for get-togethers that aren't heavy on food, like the tea parties, garden parties or even baby showers, these are good.

Vintage Cakes: Timeless Recipes for Today's Sweet Tooth, $10.99

I chose this book because I think it would be a solid reference point for many desserts. They combine recipes for dishes that were popular long ago but puts a modern spin on them in order to make them current for today's sweet toothed gal or guy. I also think that this is a great cookbook to have for potlucks or when you want a dessert for your own party that's going to knock it out of the park. If you want to make a dessert that most people don't see all the time anymore, this is the book to get. 

'50s Rockabilly Floral Wiggle Cocktail Dress, $47

Black Feather Fascinator Hair Clip & Cocktail Hat, $14.99

I saw this and immediately thought it would make such an adorable outfit for a number of summer parties. It actually works for both spring and fall, but the amount of exposed skin puts this at the back of the closet during winter for me. I saw the dress and fell in love with it, but something was missing. A few minutes later, I stumbled across this fascinator. I think it's simple enough for an outdoor party, and the fascinator gives it an extra bit of flair. Despite the fact that it's black and white, two colors that I hear are forbidden at weddings, I think this would make a smashing outfit for a wedding. It would also work for outdoor festivals as well as tea and garden parties. 

Electrohome Nostalgia-Inspired Turntable Wood Stereo System with Record
Player, USB Recording, MP3, CD & AM/FM Radio, $139.99

I had to put this on there so that you'd have something to play your tunes on that has both vintage and modern connected to it. This is more simple than the old school gramophones with the huge horn on top, but it's also more accommodating because this has a USB attachment so that you can listen to songs from your computer if you so choose. I wasn't too crazy about this one at first because I was looking for a particular gramophone model, but this one is much smaller and has more to offer. So you can keep it all the way vintage and listen to vinyl during your party, or you can mix it up and play some oldies from your computer through here. I really like it. 

Polaroid Sun 600 LMS Instant Film Camera, $109.93

While I love current photography equipment, I still find myself trying to get that old school feel into my photos now. I have always loved the instant Polaroids; as a matter of fact I still own one today. I bought it a few years ago at my local Goodwill, so if you want one as well I'd try thrifting for it first to see if you can get one for a lower price than this one. I think these are great for parties and awesome conversation starters for people who haven't seen one of these in awhile. These are the good ol' instant film Polaroids, where you take the picture, it slides out of the front, then you wave it until the picture has developed (which I heard isn't quite as effective as we were raised to believe lol). No filters, no retakes, no tagging people, no immediate upload. Just a regular old school picture that you don't have to have digitally printed to take around with you. I think it'll be fun to have at a party and give people something they probably haven't seen in a really long time.

Entertaining Is Fun!, $10.39

And finally, another book but this one is all about how to be the perfect hostess at any soiree you choose to throw. This book was originally published back in 1941 by one of the most famous interior designers of her time. Even though this was published so long ago that some of the suggestions in the book are now considered outdated, you can still implement some of them (like the snail mail delivered invitations, for example) because they're a bit more personal than most forms of communication today. I really like this concept as many of my friends still send out regular invites to their party guests. I think this is an in-depth guide at how to be a good hostess at different kinds of parties and I wouldn't mind taking a peek at it. 

I realize this post is late....that seems to be a staple of this blog, huh....but I'm working on it. That too has become a staple, me working on something that's not right with ATV. lmao Anyway, I hope you liked this collection of party items. I'm pretty happy with the items that I found; I thought they were different from the other things I've featured throughout the month and were still true to July's theme. I don't have too much to say other than that I still haven't figured out what to do for our Extra File next week, but you can trust that it'll be on time. For once. LOL See you back here on Monday!