I am so excited to be selling vintage (my first time at a market!) this Saturday at the Very Vintage Market! I’ve been crazy busy all week getting ready for it (you should see my house–it’s a train wreck!). Also, I know you can’t resist a chance to meet me in person, so you MUST come check it out! 
It will be tons of fun! I AM SO EXCITED!
Two vintage friends hanging out at Deluxe Junk in Fremont.
Recently, on my other blog, I proclaimed my desire to obtain a pair of my very own saddle shoes. Not only are they a nod to vintage fashion (they’ve been around since the 40’s!), but they are flat, casual, full of personality and timeless.
Exhibit A: Saddle shoes in the 40’s:
Saddle shoes today:
See! The perfect shoe. So, I thought I style some outfits based around my imaginary pair of saddle shoes as a vintage style meets a modern wardrobe.
For Saturday errands:
To the office:
On a date:
(source: modern fashion, black and white photo of girls)
(For links to each item of clothing : Saturday Errands, To the Office, Date Night )
Here’s another label to be on the watch for. Rhodes Department Store, later Lamonts. I have yet to come across any vintage clothing with this label, but I know it’s out there!
Here’s the scoop:
In 1907, a man named Albert Rhodes left the business he shared with his brothers in Tacoma, Rhodes Brothers, and moved to Seattle to start Rhodes Department Store. By 1926, it was located at Second and Union and was a core part of the Downtown shopping experience.
This was the shoe department, circa 1925.
In 1956, the Rhodes opened a second store in University Village and had an elaborate grand opening. This is where Barnes & Noble is today.
In 1967, the company had financial problems and was bought out by a corporation called Pay ‘n Save (later related to Payless Drug and then, Rite Aid). In 1970, all Rhodes stores and Bell’s of Burian (another store owned by Pay ‘n Save), were renamed Lamonts.
This is the store in University Village (remember, now it’s Barnes & Noble) that was built in 1956. This photo was taken in March of 1970, clearly after they had changed the name.
And don’t you just love this slogan? If you ever find anything Lamonts, I certainly hope it screams 70’s fashion!
In a series of confusing corporate take-overs, merging of brands, renaming of brands and financial distress, Lamonts eventually became part of Gottshalks. I can’t really explain more–it’s all just confusing, you can read the Wikipedia article! Also, sadly, the original Rhodes Department Store was demolished in 2003.
So there you have it. Another rise and fall of a Seattle based department store. You can go check your mother’s closets now and have a great weekend!
PS: If anyone out there actually does come across pieces with any of the labels featured here, I would love for you to shoot me and email with a picture of it!
Sources: UW Library image of building & shoe dept, Wikipedia-Lamonts, Wikipedia-Rhodes Brothers, Seattle PI article, Seattle PI advertisements source
Last weekend, I traveled to California for my sister’s wedding. Instead of buying their gift off of a traditional bridal registry, I decided to go my own route and get them a set of vintage Pyrex mixing bowls. A unique spin on a traditional wedding gift. I love vintage Pyrex for it’s durability and range of colorful, unique patterns and designs.
I picked up this set at the Fremont Vintage Mall and settled on this Snowflake Blue pattern.
Clearly, Pyrex had the same idea in the 1950’s….
Life Magazine, June 16, 1952.
Shopping for vintage clothing and accessories is an entirely different beast that waltzing around Target or Macy’s. Not only is there usually only one size of each garment, but clothing was sized and constructed differently than today’s pieces, making the whole process a little bit harder. I have put together some tips to help you lovelies navigate the vintage scene and hopefully come away with some fabulous pieces that put a little “Joan” in your step.
1) Don’t bother trying to find vintage at the thrift stores or online. Thrift stores, just don’t. It’s messy and frustrating and should only be attempted if you fancy yourself versed in vintage. Online is also tricky. I sell vintage online and I offer returns to my customers because I empathize with the fit issues. MANY sellers do not allow returns, beware. Instead, head down to Pretty Parlor or Red Light. You can try everything on, see it, touch it, and inspect it (check for holes or loose seams, most vintage isn’t perfect, but you want it to be wearable). Which brings me to…
2) You must try on everything you like. If it looks your size or if it doesn’t. If the store labels it a large, it might fit a medium. Also, any size labels that are sewn into the clothing is usually wrong . There were no standard sizing rules and people were smaller back then. A 6 back then is like a 14 today. Which brings me to…
3) Break it down by decades. The world of vintage spans nearly 100 years, which can be overwhelming. Find the decade you love and fits your body type. If you do decide to buy online, this is particularly helpful! It will be easier to search for and ensures better luck with fit. Fashion changed dramatically between decades and so did the silhouettes. For example:
1940's
1950's
1960's
1970's
I think the best thing for a gal to do is to find the silhouette that suits her body type the best and stick with it. Many dresses in the 50’s had a 10″ -ish difference between the bust and the waist. That is huge and many women today just don’t have those kinds of curves. If you do, 50’s dresses are your BEST FRIEND. If you don’t, maybe try out a different “decade”. 60’s are great for straight shift dresses and 70’s are great for separates and pants.
4) Another point to consider is what your personal style, obviously. Do you dress girly? Sporty? Do you love menswear? Lace and ruffles? This is also plays into the whole “decade” idea. Girly girls go with 50’s, while if you love wearing pants, 70’s may suit you better with interesting separates. And if you love crazy bold prints, you would love the late 60’s and 70’s.
5) Wearing vintage can be intimidating to some people. Many people have said to me that they feel very costume-y. And my advice is to start small. Maybe just a great vintage handbag or belt. Maybe it’s just a top or a skirt. It’s probably not a good idea to wear head to toe vintage. Mix it up with modern pieces. If you get adventurous and wear a dress, add a wide belt and some wedges or some other modern looking shoe.
That’s all I have for you today. You can do this! Now, go forth and wear vintage!
Once upon a time, clothing was made in the good old U.S.A. And, believe it or not, our beloved neighbor Tacoma has a hand in the fashion industry.
Last weekend, on a routine trip to Goodwill, I ran across this fab off-white coat for my shop.
Did you see the label? The Puget Sounder! How cool is that! Also, you will notice that “The Puget Sounder” label was produced by Item House, Inc. So I did some digging…
Item House, Inc. was founded sometime around 1956 in Tacoma and basically designs, manufactures and distributes women’s outerwear under different labels. Today, they do Kristin Blake, Forecaster of Boston, Pendleton and some other labels. While I am sure they use overseas manufacturers for their clothing today, in the old days, jackets and coats were made by one of the various garment worker’s union. How do I know this? Well, in the seam of the lining there is this label:
Front of label
Back of label
This is the United Garment Workers of America label and this particular one dates between 1955-1976. So, if you see a label like this, you know it was made in the U.S.A. Anyways, I think this coat dates later 60s, early 70s.
After some more research, there are several different jackets with this label for sale all over Ebay, Etsy and the internet. Pretty neat-o, huh? I have actually come across labels by Item House in the past and they are quite widespread in this area. It’s pretty cool to see this particular label in places all over the U.S. because clearly it was a local label, as you can tell by the name.
And I just want to point out how appropriate that an “All Weather Coat” has the label “The Puget Sounder”. Do you think spring will ever come?!
This coat has been floating around the Puget Sound for 40-50 years, and now it has come to me and provided an interesting educational experience for us all! Yay, coat!
Lately, I’ve been obsessed with vintage tooled leather purses. Not only have I been seeing them everywhere, I am entranced by their craftsmanship. Each bag is so intricately carved, detailed, well made and seemingly invincible. Not to mention, you can find them in all shapes and sizes, from purses to wallets to clutches. The style spans decades, these bags were around in the 20’s, the 50’s, and of course, the 70’s!
I found my absolute favorite on Etsy this morning:
So, I decided to make up a bunch of different outfits for different occasions where one could wear this vintage bag to.
To buy produce and flowers at Pike’s Place Market:
Ok, so the clogs probably wouldn’t do so well on the cobblestones, but, whatever! Use your imagination!
To the office in Colombia Center:
On a date (he took you to Molly Moon’s and then to Kerry Park “to see the view”):
(Work outfit: Collage detail, Columbia Center Photo)
(Date night outfit: Collage detail, Kerry Park photo)
How great has the weather been the last few days?! I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of summer and this week has just proven that it is on it’s way!
A few months ago, I came across a photo archive of Green Lake in the past and of course, was enamored with the glamorous girls in swim suits hanging around Green Lake 50+ years ago. Although, it was January, so it was hard to really get excited. Now though…
I did some more digging of how Seattleites have spent the summers past and come up with some really cool images and some swim suit inspiration.
Yep, back in the early 1900’s people wore a lot of clothing to go swimming. This was at Ballard beach in 1913.
A photo of Helene Madison, a 1932 Olympic Champion, who lived in Seattle. This photo was taken in 1930 at Green Lake.
A couple on the Green Lake path on June 6, 1954.
The Aqua Follies, a traditional vaudeville-style stage show and colorful water display, at the Aqua Theatre in 1961. Look at those swimming caps!
Now, my mother always said that one pieces are the most flattering and I have to agree. Especially after seeing the 3rd picture. How completely glamorous is that girl! While bikinis became quite popular in the late 60’s and two pieces were around in the 1940’s, one pieces are really where it’s at. Vintage styles are so crazily flattering, I am almost a little surprised people would actually choose to wear teeny tiny bikinis.
There are tons of places to buy vintage swimsuits and reproductions all over the web and in stores, but my favorites would have to be Modcloth for reproductions and for authentic, Etsy.
What do you think? Would you embrace the vintage style one piece? Or are you still in love with bikinis? And what do you think of those swimsuits from 1913? Crazy, huh?
If your looking for a fabulous vintage store in Seattle, you have to check out Deluxe Junk in Fremont. Like, you have to go right now! I popped in last Sunday after brunch and even though I’ve pursued the place about a thousand times, my love for this store is unwavering.
There is something for everyone at Deluxe Junk: cool furniture, vintage cards, jewelry, odds and ends, and home decor. But, of course, my favorite part are the clothes.
There is a little room off to the side filled with gorgeous dresses, cool coats, and pretty accessories, mostly for women. Don’t worry, guys, there is also a men’s section! And the best part: the prices are really hard to beat! They are extremely reasonable for vintage.
Deluxe Junk Dressing Room
So, take the afternoon off, grab a friend and go play dress up! Happy Friday!
Katie is a 20 something vintage fashion junky who spends her time bouncing between work, play, fashion magazines and the thrift store. She claims that there are people in Seattle who don't wear hiking boots and fleece 24/7--this is her blog to prove it. Katie's interest in fashion began as a child by wearing pioneer dresses to the 4th grade. It has since been refined to a chicer version by the runway, countless style blogs, and her own Etsy store, Mitu Vintage. With her eye for style and a budget conscious approach, Katie has developed a hunting instinct. She can be found stalking her prey at local estate sales and rummaging "The Bins" in SoDo. Having only been in Seattle for a few years, Katie has since grown to appreciate everything that comes with it: Neither rain, nor fleece, nor snow will stop this chick from being stylish in Seattle.
