The Full Shop Update

Okay technically that's a lie because late on Tuesday I got a few more things to add. But I'll be doing that really soon!



pink ruffle blouse, maroon handbag, purple plaid skirt



yellow pleated tunic, ivory envelope purse with removable strap, teal and black sweater



red and tan striped dress, houndstooth button-front skirt, black and silver striped sweater



red clutch, victorian prairie boots

Those Victorian boots kill me! I wish they were in my size! Ugh. Would some tiny-footed pixie please snatch these up before I try in vain again to wear them? Also, I love that tan and red dress so hard, but I'm too top heavy/slim shouldered to rock it just right.

Also I have some stuff on ebay up for auction that is not vintage, but if you win and buy something from my shop I will gladly combine shipping!

Debut of my new gorgeous vintage cape!

navy and white houndstooth cape - eBay
pinkish-grey lace bib tunic - f21
black leggings - Target
navy blue vintage pocketbook - thrifted
black patent leather t-straps - gifted

blogged at www.tzipporit.blogspot.com

underneath the cape:



the tag (isn't this the cutest tag you've ever seen?) and a loop for the belt when hanging (brilliant!)



I can't tell you all how excited I was to have finally won an auction for a vintage cape. It was just what I wanted- a pattern in neutral colours (Navy blue works with black OR brown; navy's the new grey people. And I adore houndstooth.), belted, not too long cos I'm a shorty, and has pockets. If I could change one thing it would be for it to have those diagonal buttons near the neck, but I like the buttons it has just fine. It was a steal, too- $21! I saw a similar cape sans belt as a vintage store in Chicago mere days before I won this auction going for more than twice that.

The purse is a recent addition to my collection o'crap. I wanted a handbag for this (since all my shoulder bags would not fare well with this cape) in black. I went to the thrift store yesterday and found this gorgeous navy one with the tag still attached from a vintage store. My price? $2. And, in retrospect, the navy purse is better because, again, I could wear both with black or brown. I guess I just didn't think I'd be so lucky to score a navy purse!

This cape with the tunic and leggings is so comfy. When I left the house this morning I felt as if I were wearing pajamas with a blanket. Only I looked super chic! I could write a love song to this cape.

Wardrobe Remix for 11.07.09

vintage collar - eBay
red cotton shift dress - thrifted
black stockings - H&M
black patent leather t-straps - gifted


This outfit was inspired by the following image I spotted at Darling Darling's blog:



I don't know where it's from but I have been waiting to use this vintage collar I posted about a couple entries back and was getting dismayed at my lack of solid dresses. When I saw this last night I remembered I have 2 solid red dresses! Silly me for forgetting.

I should like to start making a folder on my computer for outfit inspirations, and I'm really bad at favouriting my the wardrobe_remix looks I like (all my faves are cute cats, ha!).

Recent Acquisitions: Accessories

Yes I'm a horrible spendthrift and I'm addicted to shopohol and blah blah blah. But if I wasn't this blog would be boring! I do it for you, dear readers.

Here are my fave recent accessory purchases (the first being so recent I haven't even gotten it in the mail yet!) from these fair intertubes:



black velvet hat from Perty May on etsy



vintage crocheted collar from ebay



silver twig ring (on right, and actually a belated anniversary gift from my gent) from Colby June on etsy

Also something about the cool weather makes me get super crafty. I made the following little ditties:



sock garters for my over-the-knee winter socks - I might post a tutorial for these, would anyone like that?



necklace I made - First (and awful quality) picture of the jewelry that will be in my etsy shop as soon as I have a decent amount of things ready! This might be a bit premature...but I'm excited either way!

I also have a queue of knitting patterns for a(nother) beret and some long black opera gloves for the dream cape I will probably never own. Once summer breaks I find myself knitting 500% more, I am even doing a commissioned scarf on the train in lieu of reading! What crafty things do you like to work on? What accessories do you covet lately?

Wardrobe Remix for 10.13.09 and Thee Greate Etsy Debate

ivory lace detailed blouse - huzzah vintage on etsy
black and white sundress worn as jumper - thrifted
tan stockings - marshall's
rust-coloured kitten heel maryjanes - target years and years and years ago


This is the first clothing item I have bought on etsy, and I love it. I had been looking for a basic white or off-white button-up blouse with just the slightest bit of detailing what wasn't gigantic on me (especially in the arms, all shirts look like poet shirts on me for some reason). I had been thrifting and couldn't find anything but even more shirts I could swim in. New styles of shirts STILL didn't fit me and were way too expensive. This blouse was reasonably priced and in great condition, and was just what I was looking for.

I know a few people who have qualms with people buying and selling vintage clothing on etsy. These people include some of my close friends, and even my boyfriend (at some point anyway, when I was considering it. Not sure how he feels about it now that I'm already selling). I started selling on etsy because I felt that the vintage pieces I was selling on eBay weren't going to the right owners. I felt like more people looking for vintage pieces were going to etsy unless they are following certain sellers on eBay. I like selling new pieces on eBay because a. that's where people look for new items discounted and b. I can get rid of it faster. With vintage it is nice to take your time, wait for the right person to buy the item, and do so yourself. I like the idea of selling, and even more so buying, at a fixed price instead of getting into a crazy, frantic bidding war.

I hear people saying that people who sell vintage clothing on etsy are just thrifting and jacking up the prices. While I can see that side of the argument, I first started selling clothing I already had that I felt should go to someone who would enjoy it more (and in some cases, whom it would actually fit). In regards to selling garments purchased for the shop, well, we are doing exactly what people at vintage clothing STORES do. Granted, you can say the same is not fair either and wokka wokka, but a lot of sellers (in store and online) sort through piles of garbage to find things that are wearable and stylish. They clean the garment, repair minor imperfections, and promote their wares. They do it so you don't have to. Some vintage stores and etsy sellers do overcharge, but many sellers I have seen are very reasonable. $18 for a blouse may seem crazy when you could have thrifted it, but you didn't. The seller did. You might never have even found it yourself (I didn't). That's the whole point of reselling vintage- digging up one-of-a-kind items and reselling them to people who can actually wear them.

There. That's my self-defensive rant for the day. What are your opinions on it? I know some of you sell and some of you buy on etsy. I'm very curious about any debates you've had!

New Old Dress

All my internet selling is giving me an advantage: I can tell by a picture and measurements how well something will fit me, something I wasn't too amazing with before. Maybe it's because most websites' measurements are wrong- Delia's says I'm an XL; I order the Medium and it fits me fine.

So, when I my search for a green cocktail dress continued this fall (I had no luck last season, but I guess that's a good thing since anything I bought wouldn't fit me now), and as dismayed as I was that The Joan Dress sold out before I could procure the funds, I did find quite the beaut on ebay last week.



It fits like a glove and is the perfect shade of green! It's from the 40s (and it's got the metal zipper to prove it), a few minor stains but otherwise in good condition, and was only $21! I may hem it (I tossed it over to the fashists to see what they think), but do you think I should, readers? I am short so it is a bit lengthy, but yet it's vintage and I feel the length adds to the style, and I would always wear it with heels. What would you do?

I have more pictures of it at my flickr!

Things I Love Thursday - 10.01.09

• monthly astrology forecast - Every first of the month I think "Oh boy, a new astrology forecast!" Read yours here.



• vintage hats - Now that my hair is getting long my hatred of hats is subsiding. It might also be in part to it not being worn as curly as it can be lately, though. At any rate, I find myself searching for an everyday-yet-glamourous topper. This beret found on ebay is cute, but it harkens the DYI spirit inside of me. I wouldn't be surprised if in a few months time I have a full-on millinery hobby budding!

• fall baking - As the temperature drops, my appetite becomes more ferocious. I see more leisurely breakfasts of french toast, bacon, and coffee on my days off in my future. But aside from that, I long to have an excuse to try my hand at a pecan pie, pumpkin muffins, chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, and of course whipping up my tried and true banana bread.



Left to right: birdqueen, tree & kimball, both on etsy.

• jewelry making - Another creative surge of energy I am getting is from the endless amount of inspiration I find browsing etsy looking at gorgeous jewelry. I have been meaning to experiment with that for a while, too, and am browsing supplies all over the place. Here are some of my favourite etsy sellers lately, whose work I love to ogle:
birdqueen
chinacherie
mama's little babies
ragtrader
tree & kimball

• the great closet purge of 2009 - I'm getting there! I photographed a bunch of stuff for etsy and ebay last weekend, and the etsy listings are gradually being put up. I'll have a bigger post when I'm finished, but I added about a dozen things so far if you want to have a look.

The Perks of Being a Packrat

I'm really trying to be a good girl and pare down my clothes to the essential. It's taking years, and it certainly doesn't help that I still shop a lot. However, in the past few months I'm finally donating a few bags to Purple Hearts, attended two (one I hosted) clothing swap parties, and eBayed/etsied a lot of my better looking new and vintage garments. I am just now finally letting go of many of the beautiful vintage dresses I purchased in high school and inherited from my family that I hoarded for costumes for photography series in college.

One thing that is helping me finally purge is the fact that I have lost weight from when I was sixteen so a lot of these things don't even fit me anymore. On the other hand, dresses I saved even though they had never fit me that I am now willing to part with suddenly fit me like a glove. Luckily those items are in the minority and I've come out of my sorting with three gorgeous frocks.



This is one such dress. I was all prepared to sell it this week. Though this morning when I was showing it to my roommate I thought that maybe it will finally fit me. I received this dress when I was seventeen from a penpal who sent me many great thrift store finds, including Electric Warrior on vinyl. I was never able to zip it up the back so blaming my ribcage (and not the fact that I was on the chubby side) I would wear it with a corset over it for photoshoots). Today I was able to zip it up save for the first few inches at the top, which I will either continue to lose or be able to just let out a tiny bit with the help of a seamstress.



Otherwise, look how perfect it fits me! I cannot bear to part with this dress. If nothing else it would be a perfect wedding dress. The lace and the ribbon...and I'm not wearing a bra since the corset is boned, and you can't even tell. How dreamy.

The other two dresses I wanted to post about I was too lazy to put on and take pictures in, but here they are anyway:



This green floral maxi dress never fit me, even when I was 14! I was going to sell it in the early summer but I figured what the hell, tried it on, and it also fit like it was made just for me. It's the perfect length for my height and is the first dress with a long skirt that doesn't make me look stumpy. I was also surprised how perfectly it fits my boobs since this dress belonged to my mother and she was a 32A her whole life. The back is also deliciously low, it's so sexy and I love showing my back off.





Same story with this dress. Never fit me even when I was 14, was gonna sell, figured what the hell, fit me perfectly. However, this dress was purchased by my skinny dad in his 20s when he went as Joan Crawford for Halloween- ha! And that's not the only dress dad thrifted for a Halloween costume in the late 70s that I think is very pretty and fits me, my parents were into Halloween in a big way. Anyway, I love 70s take on Victorian dresses, and the detail on this one is stunning!



I really love the lace with the ribbon (a pattern is emerging I see here) and the high neckline. It's also a great length for my height, but I'm thinking of hemming it to just above the knee. Opinions? I also am not sure if I hem to leave the skirt as-is or attempt to make it a pencil skirts. Comments and suggestions are appreciated.

Anyway, I am going to update my etsy shop soon with a ton of great dresses, a few blouses and pairs of shoes, and a whole bag full of hats! Stay tuned.

shameless promotion

I am selling some stuff on ebay. Take a look.

Things I Love Thursday

• iced coffee - Once the temperature begins to climb (even as mild as it has been in ole Chicago), my preferred early morning method of caffeination (which isn't a word apparently) gets put on ice. Dunkin Donuts is my favourite, and I'm pretty stoked there's one less than a block away from my house. I've begun to crave it at night, too, which may be a problem. But there's always decaf.
• white wrist-length gloves - I've been obsessed with finding a pair. Vintage and thrift stores, if they even have any, are too dirty or long or small for my hands. I'm trying to think how functional they would serve in daily life...maybe I should get a grey or black pair instead to keep off the filth from the train and bus!
• holding stuff out for animals to smell - Most of my life I have lived with at least one furry purry or woof-woof and because of this I spend a lot of time alone and bored with an also bored animal. Since they almost always stare at me while I use some device or apply something to my personage, I like to hold it in front of them for them to smell it. I get oddly satisfied when they smell it for a long period of time, and their "ewewew" faces are also pretty cute. Facts I have learned: Sophie, my English Springer Spaniel loves snot (and eats used tissues), Seymour (my British Shorthair Cat) likes to lick all kinds of plastic, and both prefer things with a chemical stink than things that smell fruity or floral.
• Weeds - Netflix finally tossed season 4 disc 1 my way today, so I watched one before work. What a great show! It has the storyline and tension of a drama, but lighthearted enough of a comedy that I can watch it for hours straight (and have!). Brilliant. (By the way I am running out of television shows...)
• eBay - If you are looking for something specific and mass-produced eBay is heaven! Things I have purchased from eBay in the last few months at a fraction of the cost it would have been in-store: memory card, cell phone case, hinged wallet, EZ Combs, American Apparel shirt, American Apparel tote bag, and disposable fountain pens. Free shipping on pretty much everything, too. And you know how much I hate paying for shipping by now right?