Vintage Purse and Accessories Dump! Picture heavy!
In line with this month's theme, I wanted to show my relatively small collection of vintage items. I've always had my mind on my money, so buying vintage at deep discount makes me feel better not only as an eco-conscious consumer (Less stuff to go into a landfill), but as a cheapskate! I only really started having the extra funds to buy them within the last 6 months or so, but I've gotten together a decent little collection so far!
WARNING: There is vintage fur in this collection.
All of my vintage purses, lined up in a row~ All of these have been 20 USD or less, with an average of about 8-9. Entirely by accident, I took a photo of them in rank from cheapest to most expensive, starting from left to right.
I actually just purchased this yesterday from our local cat rescue for a measly 3 dollars. Easily the cheapest in my collection, I fell in love with it the moment I saw it. Vintage purse plus proceeds going to socializing and adopting out stray cats? Oh heck yes! It's sort of hard to see in the picture because my camera doesn't like to pick up pastels, but the roses are a soft, delicate pink. It's from a brand called 'Kontessa', made in Italy. I have no idea how old it is, but I'm going to guess 15-20. It's in really good shape.
This is a beaded glass purse from the 60's. I couldn't find any info on who made this one either. It closes with a little snap piece, and it catches the light like a mirror. Unfortunately, it's about the size of a small paperback book, and it can't hold all that much. It tied together one of my Hime coords though, so that's ultimately what matters, right?
This was a christmas gift from my fiance. It's made of some sort of pleather/plastic vinyl material, with a hard plastic shell underneath. It's lined with black velvet, closes with a little magnetic clasp, and has a compact mirror build into the lid. I actually have no idea who made this, or where it's from. It's just friggin' adorable, and it brings all of my B/W coords together. It also holds everything I could possibly want. I once fit my lunch, two bottles of water, my wallet, my keys, and my phone into this little bugger.
The crown jewel of my purse collection is this 70 year old wicker purse. I found it abandoned in the corner of an antique shop, buried under two-for-a-dollar Easter baskets. I'm almost finished with its repairs, and it'll be good as new.
Now, for the hats!
The seller of this hat didn't know whether this was real fur or not, and priced it at 10 bucks because of it. I could tell from her photographs, and snapped it up immediately. I love the beaded section; all glass beads with a single seed pearl in the middle. I'm pretty sure it's rabbit, and in really, really good shape. Tag labels it as 'Nina's Hats of Dallas'.
Another 10 dollar find! This one was from a local antique shop, and no sailor coord is complete without it! It's completely lined and pretty heavy cotton, so I bust this bad boy out with caution when the summer heat gets too intense. Tag says the manufacturer is Deborah Rhodes - 'Mocha'.
Technically the most expensive hat in my collection, this was an 18 dollar find on Etsy. It was in pristine condition; a freshly unboxed white fur felt bowler hat. How could I say no? I think this is the oldest hat in my collection as well. The tag reads Joy Dorsey - New York. The inside is stamped with 'Trevi - Body made in Italy'. It's in beautiful condition for its age.
Another tag-less wonder here. This is one of the most versatile, comfortable hats I own! I just wish I knew who made it. This also came from an antique shop, and was a very, very good steal at 5 bucks.
For those days where you feel like expressing the classy gothic school girl in you, it's the stiff felt beret! The beret was a gift from a friend of mine, found in a goodwill for 3 dollars. This is another one that has to wait for fall and winter to get worn a lot, because it's really warm.
The last second is accessories! Prepare yourself! BIG picture ahead!
I don't have a close-up shot of the fur collar, but I assure you, it's marvelous. The tag had fallen off of it, and the woman at the shop was kind enough to call up the owner of the section I found the collar in and ask how much it was. 5 bucks later, I'm the happy new owner of a warm collar!
Both sets of gloves were found at one of my local thrift shops, one of which has since closed down. Here's a pair of close up shots for detailing's sake. I have little idea how old they are. The crocheted/knitted pair are probably older, as they came to me very yellowed and dusty with age. Some gentle washing brightened them right up, though!
Now, on to the jewelry!
All three of these piece belonged to my fiance's grandmother, and are in really good shape considering they became the dress-up jewelry for her daughters to play with. They're very striking from a distance, and pretty heavy! They're all just topaz-colored glass as far as I know. No one would have a piece of topaz that large just sitting in a bag forgotten in their basement for 45 years, right? ...Right?
The iron-cross looking brooch on the left is just waiting for a ouji coord to happen, I swear on high. It looks really cool sitting on top of a big ruffly cravat. It was sitting in the same bag as the topaz-colored set in the picture above, untouched for several years. The little brooch on its right, however, I found disgarded in a bin at a garage sale. The woman didn't even want it anymore. She let it go for free. Well, finder's keepers! It's actually both a pin AND a necklace pendant. It has findings for both on the back.
The most sparkly piece in my collection! Lots of glass pearls, and a big ol' honkin' rhinestone right in the center, surrounded by about 12-15 smaller rhinestones. That necklace is about 40-45 years old, and it's the right amount of glitz to go with OTT Classic coords, or Hime coords that need a punch of color and sparkle. That was about 12 USD shipped. The pearl ring next to it is the oldest thing I have in my collection, and, next to the cross on my wall (80-90 years old) and the cedar chest I took these photos on (120-130 years old), is one of the oldest things in the whole house. I paid 50 for it, the most I did out of anything pictured here, and I'm glad I did.
I have two lolita 'understudies' right now, so to speak, that I mentor to. Both of them are as thrifty as I am, and they've both become vintage hounds. One of them gave me that black beret up in the hats section! I couldn't be prouder.
Thanks for tuning in, and I wish you luck on your own thrift-shop combing. Happy hunting, my fellow rufflies!
WARNING: There is vintage fur in this collection.
All of my vintage purses, lined up in a row~ All of these have been 20 USD or less, with an average of about 8-9. Entirely by accident, I took a photo of them in rank from cheapest to most expensive, starting from left to right.
I actually just purchased this yesterday from our local cat rescue for a measly 3 dollars. Easily the cheapest in my collection, I fell in love with it the moment I saw it. Vintage purse plus proceeds going to socializing and adopting out stray cats? Oh heck yes! It's sort of hard to see in the picture because my camera doesn't like to pick up pastels, but the roses are a soft, delicate pink. It's from a brand called 'Kontessa', made in Italy. I have no idea how old it is, but I'm going to guess 15-20. It's in really good shape.
This is a beaded glass purse from the 60's. I couldn't find any info on who made this one either. It closes with a little snap piece, and it catches the light like a mirror. Unfortunately, it's about the size of a small paperback book, and it can't hold all that much. It tied together one of my Hime coords though, so that's ultimately what matters, right?
This was a christmas gift from my fiance. It's made of some sort of pleather/plastic vinyl material, with a hard plastic shell underneath. It's lined with black velvet, closes with a little magnetic clasp, and has a compact mirror build into the lid. I actually have no idea who made this, or where it's from. It's just friggin' adorable, and it brings all of my B/W coords together. It also holds everything I could possibly want. I once fit my lunch, two bottles of water, my wallet, my keys, and my phone into this little bugger.
The crown jewel of my purse collection is this 70 year old wicker purse. I found it abandoned in the corner of an antique shop, buried under two-for-a-dollar Easter baskets. I'm almost finished with its repairs, and it'll be good as new.
Now, for the hats!
The seller of this hat didn't know whether this was real fur or not, and priced it at 10 bucks because of it. I could tell from her photographs, and snapped it up immediately. I love the beaded section; all glass beads with a single seed pearl in the middle. I'm pretty sure it's rabbit, and in really, really good shape. Tag labels it as 'Nina's Hats of Dallas'.
Another 10 dollar find! This one was from a local antique shop, and no sailor coord is complete without it! It's completely lined and pretty heavy cotton, so I bust this bad boy out with caution when the summer heat gets too intense. Tag says the manufacturer is Deborah Rhodes - 'Mocha'.
Technically the most expensive hat in my collection, this was an 18 dollar find on Etsy. It was in pristine condition; a freshly unboxed white fur felt bowler hat. How could I say no? I think this is the oldest hat in my collection as well. The tag reads Joy Dorsey - New York. The inside is stamped with 'Trevi - Body made in Italy'. It's in beautiful condition for its age.
Another tag-less wonder here. This is one of the most versatile, comfortable hats I own! I just wish I knew who made it. This also came from an antique shop, and was a very, very good steal at 5 bucks.
For those days where you feel like expressing the classy gothic school girl in you, it's the stiff felt beret! The beret was a gift from a friend of mine, found in a goodwill for 3 dollars. This is another one that has to wait for fall and winter to get worn a lot, because it's really warm.
The last second is accessories! Prepare yourself! BIG picture ahead!
I don't have a close-up shot of the fur collar, but I assure you, it's marvelous. The tag had fallen off of it, and the woman at the shop was kind enough to call up the owner of the section I found the collar in and ask how much it was. 5 bucks later, I'm the happy new owner of a warm collar!
Both sets of gloves were found at one of my local thrift shops, one of which has since closed down. Here's a pair of close up shots for detailing's sake. I have little idea how old they are. The crocheted/knitted pair are probably older, as they came to me very yellowed and dusty with age. Some gentle washing brightened them right up, though!
Now, on to the jewelry!
All three of these piece belonged to my fiance's grandmother, and are in really good shape considering they became the dress-up jewelry for her daughters to play with. They're very striking from a distance, and pretty heavy! They're all just topaz-colored glass as far as I know. No one would have a piece of topaz that large just sitting in a bag forgotten in their basement for 45 years, right? ...Right?
The iron-cross looking brooch on the left is just waiting for a ouji coord to happen, I swear on high. It looks really cool sitting on top of a big ruffly cravat. It was sitting in the same bag as the topaz-colored set in the picture above, untouched for several years. The little brooch on its right, however, I found disgarded in a bin at a garage sale. The woman didn't even want it anymore. She let it go for free. Well, finder's keepers! It's actually both a pin AND a necklace pendant. It has findings for both on the back.
The most sparkly piece in my collection! Lots of glass pearls, and a big ol' honkin' rhinestone right in the center, surrounded by about 12-15 smaller rhinestones. That necklace is about 40-45 years old, and it's the right amount of glitz to go with OTT Classic coords, or Hime coords that need a punch of color and sparkle. That was about 12 USD shipped. The pearl ring next to it is the oldest thing I have in my collection, and, next to the cross on my wall (80-90 years old) and the cedar chest I took these photos on (120-130 years old), is one of the oldest things in the whole house. I paid 50 for it, the most I did out of anything pictured here, and I'm glad I did.
I have two lolita 'understudies' right now, so to speak, that I mentor to. Both of them are as thrifty as I am, and they've both become vintage hounds. One of them gave me that black beret up in the hats section! I couldn't be prouder.
Thanks for tuning in, and I wish you luck on your own thrift-shop combing. Happy hunting, my fellow rufflies!