From the eBay Files...

Hi! This month I wanted to explore a bit of the vintage subculture that I have never really given any attention to but always wanted to do, and that was the rockabilly movement. Pinups and rockabilly were my first bit of exposure to vintage, and I didn't fully understand what they were but I wanted to learn more about them. This month we'll be exploring the pinup/rockabilly sector and its alternatives, as the theme for this month is "Alternative Pinup." So for our eBay File this month, I wanted to try and find some alternative fashion and books that explore these facets of the subculture. Let's get started!

Hell Bunny Black Widow Pin-up Dress, $29.99

I want to say I came across this dress back in October when I was looking for Halloween-themed fashion. I don't know that I'd wear this any other time of the year, but I still think its cute and a good representative of alternative pinup fashion. This particular dress is adorned with a black widow and cobweb print, and I like that it's a smaller print rather than one with big ass spiders everywhere. lol 

The Cramps Greatest Hits, $18

Voodoo Vixen Floral Wiggle Dress, $34.99

I love this dress, but don't know that I'd ever have the confidence to wear it and do it justice. This is a beautiful floral halter top wiggle dress and I really dig the solid print on the chest. It breaks up the floral print a little bit and draws the eye to the chest (a great decision if you've got boulders to show instead of pebbles like yours truly here LOL). This is a dress that I struggled with classifying as specifically rockabilly but ultimately decided to include. For those of you familiar with alternative pinup clothing, how would you classify this dress? 

The Razorbacks,
"More Love Less Attitude" LP (1986), $8

Hell Bunny Tattoo Skulls Dress, $39.99

Now this dress I'd wear any time of the year. It manages to be vintage, badass and unique all at the same time. As with most vintage dresses I like, I appreciate that the print has blocks of single color dispersed throughout. I can't tell if this would be a high or low V-neck, but I still like it. This would look so pretty with a petticoat underneath. Probably not a full one, but one that gives the bottom half the twirly circle skirt effect that I love so much. 

Get Hot or Go Home RCA Vintage Rockabilly Hits from '56-'59, $18

Voodoo Vixen Cat-Print Green Swing Dress, $72.38

When I first saw this dress, it wasn't the print that caught my eye. It was a combination of the shade of green, the black scalloped accents and the style of the dress. I didn't even realize it had cats on it until I zoomed in. lol For me, this dress toes the line of alternative mainly because many repro companies make dresses similar to this and don't classify it as anything except vintage-inspired. 

Rock On With Shakin Stevens & The Sunsets,
"A Legend" LP (1970), $12

Hell Bunny Dixie Pink Swing Dress, $26.15

Of the dresses I found this week, this one is undoubtedly my favorite. I like the combination of the polka dot neck and hemlines as well as the black bow around the waist. Again, it breaks up the pattern and gives the dress a little more personality. I also like that the pinup is on the straps rather than it being a solid color; it's a small detail but I still appreciate it. I've seen quite a few colorful/quirky prints used for vintage dresses before, but this one for me is completely alternative. It's a bit more bouncy and youthful in the print design than many of the other vintage skirts I go for. 

Lorrie and Larry Collins, "The Lonesome Road"

This particular Files was extremely challenging for me to finish because my knowledge of anything rockabilly is miniscule, which believe it or not is still an understatement. lol I had to research just to figure out what to include in the post and I'm still not 100% confident I chose all accurate items. The music was especially difficult for me, which is why there aren't any captions underneath them. The thing I noticed while doing the fashion half of this post is that there isn't a terribly large difference between basic rockabilly and vintage fashion, at least not for me. There is a distinct difference between the two, but I think my personal style already includes fashion that could be categorized under rockabilly.  

I apologize that this entry is going up late again (it's very early on Monday morning) but the insanity going on in my personal life has been taken up a notch, which yet again messed with both my desire (and time) to blog. Here's hoping that things finally settle down; punctuality has always been a problem of mine but this is getting ridiculous. I hope you can forgive me. I'm trying to get things back on track for next week. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this post and I'll see you soon!

Read More »

From the eBay Files...

Hi! It's been quite awhile since I've done a Files post, so I'm more than a little excited to get back to it this month. I've noticed that I'm more active here during even-numbered months (BHS in February, SUTS in August, Octoberfest) and when I keep to that, I get so much more done rather than being a try-hard with every month's posts. So I'm just gonna do what I do, and hope that you'll be along for the ride--the often bumpy, always long-winded and rarely on time ride--with me. lol 
With that, let's get to this week's Files! I just finished a month of spring-related posts over on RRNT so I figured I'd bring a little spring inspiration over to ATV as well, but with a vintage twist because duh. So let's see what eBay had to offer us this week!

Vintage Jaymont Floral Wrap Day Dress, $39.99

Over the past couple of years that I've been doing the Files series, I've come around to the concept of day dresses. I didn't know they existed before I got into vintage, didn't really understand the point of them when I first started learning about it, but now I can see the practicality of a day dress. I like this one. The material is light, the print isn't too busy and there isn't a lot of structure to it. I think it was the simpler print and design of the dress that reminded me of spring.

Vintage Peach Spring Cocktail Dress, $61

When I saw this dress I thought of Easter. I love the wrap-front style of the top and the button detailing at the waist. I also like that the skirt isn't too big and the pleating stops the bottom half from being too plain. I usually stay away from wrap-front tops because they're usually lower cut in the front, which isn't the best option for a small-chested gal like myself, but the higher neck fits the dress really well. 

Vintage Japanese Silk Butterfly Print Dress, $125

In my 1950s fantasies, I wear this dress to a huge picnic in the park, with that belt (and probably some kind of head accessory that is probably completely unnecessary), perfect victory rolls and a massive picnic basket, full of food (for myself, of course). But anyway, my extra ass imagination aside, this would be so pretty for a garden party. It looks really long though and would probably look a bit shapeless without the belt, so I'd suggest keeping the belt and wearing a petticoat underneath to give the skirt some volume. I'm in love with the mixture of the powder blue and the butterfly pattern. 

Vintage Lavender Chiffon Elgin Dress with Attached Overlay, $39.99

The main reason why I included this dress on the list was the color. It's beautiful. It's a dress that would age me if I were to wear it, but I loved the color and the fact that the overlay was attached to the dress. The weird thing is that even though I think it would look dated on me, I can see any of the starlets from the '50s or '60s in this and I'd think they looked elegant in it. What sort of event do you think this would be most appropriate for?

Vintage 1950s Eyelet Embroidered Dress, $58

I love eyelet dresses for the warmer months, and I like how the eyelet detailing on the top half of the dress looks in pale yellow. I'm surprised that I'm okay with the longer sleeves, but there's something really cute about this dress. I'm also digging the length; most of the dresses on today's list are a bit long but personally, I prefer shorter hems. This is also the simplest dress on the list in terms of both structure and detailing, and I like that. 

Vintage Rose Print Dress, $42

I love the smaller rose printing on this dress. I go on floral overboard around this time every year, but I still struggle with finding floral prints that I don't think are 'granny-ish.' This one skirts the line for me, if I'm being honest, but I still think it's cute. I like the belt and the buttons down the middle; they break up the dress a little so the print doesn't become overwhelming. 

Vintage 1980s Light Wash Denim Relaxed Fit Romper, $18

I'm really surprised that I found this as cute as I did. At one time I would have scrolled right past it, if not because of the denim then because it's from the '80s and in terms of fashion, my interest in it is fleeting at best. I'm not one for light wash jeans most of the time, and I don't typically like head-to-toe denim either. I guess my tastes are shifting again, I don't know. I was trying to find something more than just the typical '50s and '70s spring fashions I gravitate towards and this little romper came up. It looks comfortable, the material doesn't seem stiff or scratchy, and the more relaxed fit makes it suitable for any casual day. I'd pair this with white flats or sandals. I wouldn't know how else to style it, though. What would you do?

Vintage 1950s Pink Full Skirt Dress, $39.99

I wouldn't wear this dress anywhere except a place where I'd be belle of the damn ball. How can you possibly ignore this dress? I worry a little that because I'm petite, this would either look like a wedding dress or a pink marshmallow costume on me, but I'd risk it. lol I love it and the pale pink shade has always been a staple spring color for me. I like that because the skirt is clearly the attention-grabbing part of the outfit, the top half is very simple. It'd be so easy to dress this up with a few accessories because there's no print for anything to clash with, and the shade complements so many other colors. 

Vintage 1970s Mexican Embroidered Lace Off the Shoulder Crop Blouse, $29.99

This looks more like an outdoor concert or even festival opening day top for me. It's not something I'd wear in the dead middle of summer because I try to stay as far away from dark clothing as humanly possible as it warms up (although they do a great job at concealing sweat lol), but for the later parts of spring I wouldn't mind it. What bottoms would you pair this with--a maxi skirt or flares to keep with the boho theme, cutoffs for a modern twist, or regular shorts?

1950s Floral Rockabilly Swing Dress, $30.57

Lastly, I think this dress is repro but I like it anyway. I don't have anywhere to wear any of the fuller dresses on this list, but something like this would be cute for an outdoor setting. I don't know how it is in your neck of the woods, but springs here are like Green Bay summers, so busting out with a halter top in the middle of spring makes complete sense. I like the light coloring of this dress, I like the length and even though it's a swing dress, it's not too billowy at the bottom. I'm thinking wedges would look nice would this dress. 

This week I wanted to focus on some of the colors that I associate the most with spring. As I say every year, I love pastels for spring and I just love seeing them on vintage dresses. I know it's cliche, but they're still my favorite colors for this time of year. Next week I'll focus on another aspect of spring that I enjoy probably more than the fashion--the food! I hope you enjoyed this post and I'll see you soon!

Read More »

From the eBay Files...

Hi! It's been quite some time since I've done one of these, huh? I hope the time away hoped to relieve any staleness that had started to set in with the series. Because I'm still working on the design as well as what I have planned for the blog in February, I didn't come up with an actual theme for this month. My birthday is in a few weeks so I thought it'd be fun (for me, anyway) to share some of the vintage things that would make me plotz if someone gave them to me for my born day. Let's check out eBay first. 

Vintage Kodak Folding Pocket Model D Camera

As I've gotten more into blogging and exploring the technical side of photography, I've become increasingly interested in vintage cameras and the process of learning how to use one. This is a folding pocket camera, and I have no idea how it works or what sort of photos it takes. I think it'd be a really fun birthday gift to receive; nobody uses these cameras anymore (if you like something after it's been popular rather than before, are you a reverse hipster or just a nerd with issues?) and it would be fun to see what I could do with it. 

Collection of Vintage Nikon Photography Equipment

But even though I really want an old camera like the one above or the very large ones with the bulb, I also want photography equipment a bit more with the times. I want to learn photography in general, from the oldest cameras to the DSLR giants that are out today. This would be one of the most fab gifts I could ever get because it's jam-packed with goodies for me to try out. There's a ton of different cameras, lenses, instruction manuals and tips that I can go nuts with; it's exciting for me just to think about receiving something like this for my birthday. It'd be so much fun!

The Steampunk Bible

I came across this on Amazon around a year ago and I want to read this so badly I'm nearly tempted to see if someone uploaded an electronic torrent of it somewhere. Take notes: the true mark of desperation for a complete boob like myself is when you're hoping someone's uploaded a book illegally for you to read. LOL Anyway, I've wanted this book since the first time I saw it, and nothing's changed. Much like the majority of my interests, however, only a couple of people in my life are aware of how much I like steampunk so this might be a gift that I get for myself. 

1950s Black Vintage Circle Skirt

I know this skirt isn't anything particularly fancy or busy in design, but that's why I like it so much. There's a versatility in clothing that has a simple design that I can't find in other items. I really struggle with styling, especially vintage separates, so something simple is probably better for me anyway. This skirt here is full and different from what most others are wearing today without being something that (a lot of) people will stop and gawk at. It's also simple enough for me to deal with styling it without feeling overwhelmed, and if I decide to dress it up or down, it'll still look good. I think it'd be really nice to receive my first vintage item for a birthday gift. 

The Wild Women of Steampunk Adult Coloring Book

Adult coloring books have really been making a splash on the scene lately, but the vast majority of them mainly consist of complicated floral, geometric or baroque sorts of shapes and designs. I like them well enough, but sometimes I'd like to just color a page that doesn't take me 5 hours to finish. lol That brings me to this one, which delighted me to no end when I came across it. Not only is it an adult coloring book (although I admit with no shame that I still buy children's coloring books), but it's steampunk-themed. This would be all kinds of fun for me to go through. 

Galaga and Ms. Pacman Upright Arcade Game

As you'll see in this month's Files posts, we're dreaming up more than just my birthday wishlist. We're also going under the dream assumption that I own my own home and can put in it what I like. I've wanted a game room for my house for the longest time, and adding upright arcade games like this one would be one of my first additions. Ms. Pacman is also in this machine, so it saves having to buy a Pacman-themed one. I feel like I need one of these in my life. Did you play Galaga growing up?

4-Piece Bordeaux Platinum King Bedroom Set

Oh my word, how stunning is this bedroom set. I used to want a modern bedroom set because I felt the design was more chic but I see sets like this and immediately change my mind. Even though this is a reproduction set, it still looks very regal and much sturdier than the modern sets I was previously looking at. I also like the darker shades that were used for these pieces. I don't know if people gift others entire bedroom sets for their birthdays, but lemme tell ya, I'll be the last one to complain if someone did that for me. lol

Vintage Singer 201 Industrial Strength Sewing Machine

I've needed a sewing machine for a number of years, but I was a little surprised at myself for never having looked at older models before. There are quite a few newer machines that I like, but they have so many options, so many stitch variations, that I'm never sure of which one to choose. Older models seem much simpler, therefore tons easier for my thick brain to comprehend. I'd still like to own a sewing machine, and that brings me to this old machine by Singer. This is nearly 100 years old but has been wonderfully upkept over the years, as the listing shows that it is still in working condition. I'd keep it for both decorative and working purposes because in addition to its usefulness, it's beautiful, isn't it?

Vintage Style 3-in-1 Vinyl Record Player, AM/FM Radio & CD Player

My grandmas had a pretty impressive vinyl collection that she passed on to my mom, but we don't have a record player for them so they've been sitting in a closet for awhile. I think the only thing that would improve this would be an auxiliary cord so I could plug my phone into it, but I'm quite fine with it the way it is. This is much smaller than traditional vinyl players, I really like the wood finish, and it would show me how to take care of a record player. 

Mermaid Tales from Around the World by Mary Pope Osborne

Lastly, I don't know that I would call this vintage but I would have a small calf if I was able to get my hands on this book. This is one of my favorite books from my childhood, and I remember trying to hang onto it for as long as I possibly could after I checked it out of my middle school library. I eventually had to turn it in and the next person who checked it out later lost it so I wasn't able to read it again. My high school library didn't have it since it's classified as a children's book, my local library doesn't carry it, and I haven't found an e-book version of it yet either. I've been chasing this book for nearly 16 years now, so it would be quite a treat to finally find it, much less own it. 

I'm quite sure that many of these things are rather impractical as birthday gifts go, but that's the fun in dream wishlists for me. They're extremely expensive, very impractical, and I'd never actually ask anyone else for the items that aren't affordable. But it's fun to come up with a list anyway. What kinds of ridiculously expensive things would you put on your dream birthday list? Shoot me a comment and I'll talk to you soon!

Read More »

From the eBay Files...

Hi! My laptop's still holding up for the time being, so I want to see how many of the Files posts I can finish ahead of time in case it craps out. Anyway, after the craziness that was Summer Under the Stars last month, I didn't really have a big theme in mind for this month. As far as the review blog goes, I've been really inspired by the autumn season in general, and over here, it's been a mix of both autumn inspiration and furniture. I recently found a batch of furniture shops on the 'Gram and it got me back into looking for some antiques. Other than those two things though, it's going to be very random around these parts for September so I hope that's okay with you. On to the Files!

Vintage French Provencial White Carved Wooden Chair
with Coral Accent, $425

If I had a dressing room or a walk-in closet that I could put furniture in, I'd want a color scheme similar to the colors in this antique French chair. I'd want a room that was coral, champagne or rose gold and I think chairs like this would suit that collection of colors well. Depending on the size I think I'd want a fainting couch in there too; I love those. lol This one is simple but still feminine and despite its age, the condition of the chair in general isn't too bad. It doesn't look like the bottom cushion would be too hard to reupholster either if that's your thing. I'm just learning about it so obviously said tip is lost on me. LOL

2 Carved Italian Victorian-Era Walnut Side Chairs, $850

The backing of these chairs remind me of some of the decorations or chairs in the Gothic-style cathedrals and that's what drew me to them. These are very distinctive though in that if you don't have similar or exact matches to these chairs, it won't look right. Like these can't be front and center at a table with a walnut finish or a glass tabletop. lol I would love to see what these look like as a complete set in someone's home. They're in great condition. I love looking at Italian antiques because there's always so much detail in each piece. 

Antique French Marbled Top Table, $895

I didn't really think of the furniture I'd want if I had an entryway in my house until I started watching YouTube videos on the regular and being able to look at the various vloggers' entryways. I just figured I'd probably leave mine empty but I now realize how unfinished that'd probably look. Even though this could probably double for a dresser or table in a bedroom, I also think it would make a really good entryway table or a nice piece for one of those little random nooks around the house. 

10-pc Antique Spanish Baroque-Detailed Bedroom Set, $23,850

First things first, check that price. Secondly, when I saw this picture in the search I was thinking it was just this piece until I clicked on the product page and found out it was actually part of a set. Then I scrolled back up, checked that price and nearly died right then. lol But on the flipside, this is a truly gorgeous bedroom set. There are headboards, side pieces and footboards for two twin beds, two nightstands, a dressing table with a mirror and bench, and this wardrobe piece here, which has been modernized on the inside. I looked at the page and if you didn't need the twin beds, the frames can be combined to create a king-size frame instead, which I thought was cool. This set is said to be from around 1915 and for a piece that's been around for a century, the condition is impeccable. The condition of antiques continues to astound me, in case you couldn't tell by now. LOL

Antique-Style Sofa and Loveseat Living Room Set, $2,998

So obviously this isn't a genuine set but it's antique-inspired, which gives me a little more comfort in terms of being afraid to eff it up. The only thing that I would say gives me pause is that the more I explore genuine antique or antique-inspired furniture, many people comment that although they are pretty, they tend to be sort of uncomfortable. I wonder if you could switch out the cushions to something a bit more modern but still with the theme of the set. Anyway, when I see sets like this I think 'formal living room,' which you reserve for fancy occasions, those you want to impress or those you don't want to stay too long. If your sofas are uncomfortable, they won't sit on them for too long, thereby relieving you of their company that much faster. LOL I kid. 

Antique Pulaski French White-Painted Bed Frame and Headboard, $1,240.85

One thing I love most about antique French furniture is the framing. The living room set above this photo, this headboard, most bedroom sets all have this very distinctive (in relation to other eras or countries) framing/shaping that I really like. I do wonder how you take care of aged furniture; some aging looks okay and can even agree with the overall aesthetic of the piece but in general, how do you take care of an antique over time? As I said above, antiques and the condition that many of them are found in astounds me, mainly because when I see old-looking furniture, it's usually because of wear and tear, not necessarily because it's a really old piece. So if you get a genuinely aged piece, how do you properly take care of it?

Vintage Vanity/Dressing Table with Tri-Fold Mirror, $375

I was initially looking at this vanity here, but what made me choose this one instead were the folding windows on the sides. This one I believe is either from the '40s or '50s and even though it's much more simple than I'd prefer, the style is why I like them so much. If you have a narrow vanity chair, it'll fit into that middle section with no issues, which I like. Also, if your eyesight is awful like mine and you need to be part of the mirror in order to see your face when you're putting on your makeup, there's another reason to get a vanity like this one. I have a bunch of makeup so I never considered putting it in those tiny little drawers; I actually have no idea what I'd put in there. My makeup damn sure won't fit. lol  

Antique Art Deco Chandelier with Original Finish, $299

Normally when I look at chandeliers, I go for pieces that are either silver or gold; I haven't found too many with this kind of finish that I really liked. I usually don't go for this style of chandelier either, which is why it surprised me that I liked this one as much as I did. But I do; it has this aged, sort of steampunk finish about it that I would love to put up somewhere in a home. I also love the pearl finish on those bulbs. Does anyone know what kind of bulbs these are?

Vintage Ornate Brass Vanity Tabletop Mirror, $50

I'm not really one for tabletop mirrors because I would inevitably end up tripping over the furniture this would be sitting on at some point. In my life that means I'd end up knocking over everything on top of it, including this mirror, which would then fall and shatter everywhere, slicing my toes to hell and getting stuck in my feet, I'd have to go to the ER, get a needle put in my foot and have the shards removed, then still have to come home and pick up all the glass. LOL Okay so that might have been a bit dramatic (except for the glass shards getting removed in the ER part...that's happened to me before) but it's honestly what goes through my mind when I think about having a tabletop mirror. The reason why I put it in this post was because if it was a wall piece and was a larger size, it would make such a pretty combination with the French table I showed above in an entryway.

Antique Chinese Hand-Carved Set of 4 Nesting Tables, $825

I've put up a set of nesting tables before, but check the details on this set! This is an antique Chinese piece and the design on each of the chairs was carved by hand. Even if you're not in the market for some chairs, please go look at this set. I am in love with the detail, the colors of the details and the wood finish, all of it. My problem with chairs like these, especially those in a set, is where to put them. I'd want guests to see these, primarily for the design on the tops of the chairs, but I wouldn't want them in a place where they could deteriorate from wear and tear. Anyway, I'm in love. 

Well that does it for our Files post this week. I didn't have a specific time period or theme for this collection; I just wanted to pick out some furniture that I thought would look good in the home. I still don't know if I want something more vintage or if I'd prefer a more modern design. There are things I like about both and there's no doubt of furniture that I love from both styles, but what I am most concerned with is the feel. Of course I want it to look good, who doesn't, but I also want it to feel good. Do my guests feel comfortable in my home (despite a tip I included above for the exact opposite)? I think a lot of what I'd like to do with my home is contingent upon that. Anywho, I've rambled enough. I hope you enjoyed this post and I'll see you soon!

Read More »