This is the other post that I wasn't able to do this past week because of the issues I was having, so I'm sorry to bombard you with posts this week. I just want to make sure that I'm back on track by Sunday and don't have any other delayed entries lingering in the Drafts section. There's already too many of those. lol But moving on, I really liked the addition of the Instagram accounts when I first started doing them back in April, but after initially trying to make it a weekly feature, I realized I'd probably run out of shops that I liked before the year was out. I'm still deciding whether I want to make it a once or twice monthly series so that I have more time to search and don't wear it out. If you know of any Etsy or eBay shops who have Instagram accounts that I haven't yet covered, shoot me a comment so I can check them out!
1. Golden Crane Vintage (@goldencranevintage)
NEW! 1930s Body and Soul Dress #1930s #30s #vintagedress #30sdress by @goldencranevintage
There are quite a few reasons why I like the Golden Crane IG feed. Firstly, the feed is full of beautifully styled photos, light filter work, and a lot of creativity. Secondly, the clothes they show are all in good condition and cover different decades, so they cater to people with interests in more than just one decade. I wanted this edition of the IG shops to focus on outfits one could wear to a wedding, since there's been no shortage of formal additions to most of these shops. That brings me to this dress, which looks to be a mix between peach and coral, has a light and flowy sort of material, and would be great for an outdoor wedding.
2. Concetta's Closet (@concettascloset)
Newly listed. #1990s beaded linen dress, and so very 60s! - medium by @concettascloset
This is a shop I found a few weeks ago, and not only do I love the style of the photography in the feed, but the dresses are stunning. This is a '90s does '60s dress that would be great to wear to a summer wedding; it's simply designed, doesn't detract from the bride and isn't too dark, and is an acceptable length. The feed is full of dresses that have simple photography; nothing is overly complicated or fussy in Concetta's Closet and that's one of the things I like best about it.
3. Dethrose Vintage (@dethrosevintage)
New in the shop * Marta Floral Day Dress * Small * dethrosevintage.etsy.com by @dethrosevintage
This shop has quickly become one of my favorites to browse through. There is a healthy mix of separates and full dresses, casual and semi-formal, and with the warmer temperatures I've been seeing a spike in the number of vintage swimsuits for sale. The items for sale aren't repeats of each other, the dresses vary in print, length and style, and it creates a colorful collection of items that you'd want to find places to wear the outfits so that you can justify buying the outfit. lol There are many dresses in the shop that I'd consider wearing, but one problem that I've noticed with wearing vintage is that depending on the style of the dress and the accents, you end up looking like a dated bridesmaid and not a guest wearing a vintage dress. This one, I think, scoots under all the 'wedding guest protocol,' is apropos for a wedding, and most importantly, is gorgeous.
4. Guermantes Vintage (@guermantes.vintage)
So the #1930s spiderweb lace wedding gown is spoken for...but I had to show you this beaut in all its glory. Museum deaccession piece and so stunning! 😍 by @guermantes.vintage
I wanted to mix it up a little bit and put a wedding dress or two up here on the list, which brings me to this shop. Guermantes Vintage is quickly becoming one of my favorites, since this obsession with the '20s and '30s is only gaining steam over time and not waning the more that I absorb myself with it. This shop specializes in both of those decades and the finds on there are the stuff of fashion porn--to me, anyway--because I get to see the variety in these decades as I look through the feed. It isn't all sequins and flapper dresses, drop waists and Edwardian accents and that's been really informative to me as I learn more about these eras in fashion. This is a stunning '30s spiderweb wedding gown that is elegant in its simplicity (but unfortunately was already sold at the time of its posting) but I think it's a perfect representation of the gems in this shop and it fits this month's theme, which is even better.
5. Curtain Road (@curtainroad)
Vintage style rhinestone headpiece by curtainroad at www.etsy.com/shop/curtainroad #etsy #etsyfinds #headband #headpiece #hairaccessory #hairaccessories #rhinestone #rhinestones #rhinestonejewelry #rhinestoneheadband #vintagestyle #vintagefashion #vintagewedding #bride #brides #blingbling #glam #gatsby #glamparty #gatsbyglam #style by @curtainroad
If you're in need of an accessory for your big day but don't want the added pressure of wearing an aged piece and potentially damaging it (maybe those are just my fears), Curtain Road is a shop you might like looking through. The shop specializes in creating vintage and bohemian-inspired wedding accessories and for me, it allows me to bring a retro feel into my festivities that wouldn't cost as much as trying to acquire an original piece from the time period. I'm not sure if Curtain Road accepts custom orders, but if they do then there's an awesome opportunity to put your own twist on creating a one-of-a-kind vintage-inspired piece for your big day.
6. When Decades Collide (@whendecadescollide)
This one shoulder party dress is in the shop now! (32-25-Open) 💛 by @whendecadescollide
Voluminous and circle skirts are in mass supply on the When Decades Collide feed, with an array of different prints for you to choose from. I believe the specialty is in party dresses, so there's no shortage of potential items to steal buy for the next celebration you attend. This shop has a lot of fun-looking finds, with enough twirl power to satisfy anyone who envisions dancing the night away....or just spinning in circles so that the dress fans out. Just me? Okay. Anyway, vibrant colors are what drew me to the feed but the beautiful dresses for sale are what kept me. I think this one-shoulder party dress would be so fun to wear to a wedding. You would think (well, I thought) that a shop that specialized in party dresses and skirts would get boring after awhile, but it doesn't. There are different kinds of events to go to, and they have different dress codes. This shop has something for everything, whether it be a picnic, a wedding, a business meeting, or a vintage festival.
7. Poppycock Vintage (@poppycockvintage)
So very much in love with this beautiful 30s wide brim by @poppycockvintage
If you're a hat person when it comes to formal event wear, then check out Poppycock Vintage, where this is the specialty. The hats vary in color, era and shape so regardless of your hat preference, you're sure to find something that suits it. All of these hats are in great condition, with the majority being great for a wedding. On a smaller note, if you're into cats then you've still found a winner, as the owner regularly updates her feed with photos of her adorable feline buddies. I think this hat would be perfect for an outdoor spring or summer wedding. The way it was photographed helped to sway me on it, but what I liked about it was that it gave a ladylike feel to the wearer and would compliment a variety of dresses.
8. Canary Club Vintage (@canaryclubvintage)
New Arrival! 1940s Lace Party Dress with Bolero | Size XL 34" Waist #tulleandtiaravintage #wedding #vintage #dress #the40s #1940s #etsyvintage #vintagedress #midcenturyfashion #weddingdress by @canaryclubvintage
This is another #igfeedgoals photo reel for me, as the style of photography is what calls to me, right after the clothing itself. I've noticed that most vintage shop owners photograph their items in much of the same way, with crisp, minimalistic photos of the clothing in front of white walls and natural lighting, probably to best display the clothing. But the skill of the photography still shows with all of them, because I can't take a picture that well to save my life, no matter what I try to show on Random Reviews in my product reviews. lol It's a clean, natural style of photography that I really enjoy, especially with vintage clothing. I found it a little hard to pick a dress that wasn't too casual for a wedding but I had to feature this shop in this entry in the IG series. These dresses are great for everyday wear, business meetings and put-together days out and about. I hope this isn't too close to white for a wedding but I really liked how soft and feminine it was. I was going for a 'blend in' sort of style and this dress does that with style.
9. Forever Vintage (@forever_vintage_shop)
I just love this beautiful backstage shot by the incredibly talented @sherbetbirdie_photography from our @bridalfashionweekaustralia bridesmaids runway show 💕 #forevervintage #forevervintagesydney #newlook #fullskirt #classic #couture #bridesmaids #love #vintage #instavintage #instawedding #instapinup #backstage #models #50s #1950s #tulle #sherbetbirdie #abfw2015 #abfw #polkadots #gold #sparkles by @forever_vintage_shop
This isn't an in-shop photo like the others, but I wanted to show it off because if you're trying to have a vintage-themed wedding and want to get some ideas on how to mix vintage and modern for bridesmaids dresses, this photo is a pretty good example. As I said earlier, sometimes there's a very thin line with wearing vintage to formal events. Too frilly toes the line of looking like an unintentional bridesmaid, and if you happen to be wearing a color that's in the wedding, you really won't be doing yourself any favors. I'm glad there's been a rise in having versatility in a bridesmaid's dress; none of us want to end up like Katherine Heigl's character in 27 Dresses. lol I'd want the dresses to look great for my wedding, but I'd also want them to be able to wear the dresses afterward and depending on the event, you could do that with any of these. They're fun, a stylish mix of vintage and modern, and won't look dated in pictures.
10. Kat's Vintage Treasures (@katsvintagetreasures)
Silver Bridal Basket. Bridal baskets are usually one-of-a-kind vintage #novelties. They were especially #popular about 1880 when the decorated #basket was often given as a #wedding gift. Cut glass baskets were popular after 1890. Most bride's baskets lost favor about 1905. This is truly vintage to use in your wedding. On my etsy store now! The link is in my bio. #katsvintagetreasures #bridal #bride #bridetobe #flowergirl #flowergirlbasket #vintage #shopvintage #antique #vintagewedding #oldschoolrules by @katsvintagetreasures
And to bring everything together, here is a silver bridal basket that, as detailed in the caption, can double as a wedding gift for the bride and bring the "something old" factor to the day. From reading the caption, this was once a very popular tradition implemented in weddings but has since fallen out of favor, so having this in your wedding will put a unique twist on things that most of your guests probably haven't seen. Because it's a small detail, it wouldn't be difficult to mix it with a modern-themed ceremony at all, but if it's a retro-themed one then it's even more fitting.
I hope you've enjoyed this installment of vintage shop feeds I've found on IG. I think I'm going to stick with the twice-monthly schedule so that I don't wear this out. Going through these shop feeds used to make me want a vintage shop of my own, but somewhere between the time I finally started paying attention to Instagram and four days ago (LOL), I realized that it's probably not a career detour I need to pursue.
When you're just looking at shop owners taking gorgeous photos of equally gorgeous clothing and posting them online, it's easy to romanticize and minimize the difficulty of the process, but thankfully many of the owners provide a look behind the scenes as well. A camera that isn't up to par can negatively impact sales, as can lack of equipment. Bad weather can completely ruin a day of shooting, some of the clothing is damaged and requires careful washing and repair regimens, and some days a shopping excursion can result in returning home empty-handed. That's not counting the fact that you need to know how to edit photos, post them on multiple social networks as well as the home site, market them properly, get your name out there, and most importantly, have an eye for vintage. You need to have a sharp eye for vintage fashion, and to be quite honest, I don't have it. I'm just now, after 5 years of vintage-themed blogging, being able to identify clothing items made during different decades. I'm still not versed on designer labels or being able to tell authentic pieces from well-made repro and I'd be way too easy to fleece. I think it's for that reason that I enjoy looking through these feeds so much...you know, other than the clothes themselves lol...because I know the effort that likely went into each photograph. It sounds like it would be fun, but it definitely isn't a career path for everyone. So I'm content to sit on the sidelines and help promote them (with my single to double digit Internet reach LOL) instead. But as always, I hope you enjoyed this post, have a fabulous weekend and I'll see you on Monday!
Wishing I had an eye for vintage,
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