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Lingerie Preview

Welcome Ye Faithful blog readers! Today I've got a sneak peek at a bunch of lingerie that I'm getting ready for the Monday website update. I busted my bunnies this week and got 22 nightgowns and 36 slips ready for the website (plus some other things)

All of the lingerie came from the same estate. I didn't find out much about the lady who originally owned them, only that her husband passed away in the 1960s, and she started shopping, alot. And she shopped up until a few years ago and she packed most of it away unworn. I only saw the vintage stuff, and there was a ton of lingerie, most unworn, wrapped in tissuepaper. I probably got 350 pieces of slips, nightgowns, panties, girdles and bras. I've already been listing her pieces for sale, including most of the recent handbags and lingerie that's been added to the website in the past month or so. But this week I dove into some of the great slips that came from the last batch that I bought from the estate, wait until you see the colors and styles! Tons of Vanity Fair, most are sz34 bust. Click the images to go to the sale pages (they are already online and available for sale)

Monday's update will still have a few more items, some odds-n-end dresses, so be sure to check the website then for the full update.

Vogue September 15th, 1954

I've been gazing through old magazines again. Even though I prefer looking at fashions of the 1930-40s, I think 1950s Vogues are my favorites to look at, because of the great photo layouts and because you recognize so many familiar clothing designers and brands. Here are some scans from September 15th 1954 Vogue, with some familiar names.
To the left is Lilli Ann, and in many of the early 1950s Vogues that I have, you can usually find the Lilli Ann ad on page two for some reason. I guess they paid for that placement. Look at that waist! Retail was $70 for this dress.

Below is an armfull of purses by Roger Van S. Not really a well known name, but look at those fabulous bags - I'll take one of each. This is the kind of big bag that I like, not like those big hideous, overpriced designer bags that still seem to be the big trend.
Next is that go-to name for a classic Cocktail/Party Dress - Suzy Perette - which was a company, not an actual gal, that used to send it's designers to Paris to copy the runway looks, to produce much more affordable versions in the US. This dress retailed for $69.95.

Sophie (look at those fab buttons) & Desses (that's alot of gown to steam, sorry, I'm thinking like a vintage clothing seller prepping a gown for sale)


Mollie Parnis and look at the corset waist on that Howard Greer!!
The Greers retailed for $198 and $165
And two ads featuring dresses for Ceil Chapman. Original retail for the 2nd dress was $110

Bad example of Vintage on a Celebrity

You kind of hope that celebrities seen in vintage will give a good impression and maybe win over a few more vintage fans, maybe even send in some customers. But then you see Kate Moss in the following story and photos. First, she gave vintage a kick in the balls by 'designing' clothing for Topshop, which apparently were just copies of vintage dresses that she owned herself. Now she went out in a real 1930s silk wedding dress, that is a ripped up mess by the end of the evening. OK, so it's Kate Moss, she's probably a ripped us mess at the end of the night herself anyway. Maybe I'm overreacting, I shouldn't worry about the dress ending up tattered after being on her, but it's a shame to see a beautiful dress ruined. Plus, how many people are going to see those photos and think 'I guess you can't wear vintage clothing, it rips while you wear it' - I've been wearing vintage 20+ years and never had anything like this happen.
You have to be careful in a dress like that. And apparently you have to stay away from Courtney Love!
Read the story here - The ripping yarn of Kate and Courtney out partying

Book giveaway - 'The Reincarnationist' and guest post by author M.J. Rose

Here's another book giveaway! The book is 'The Reincarnationist' by M.J. Rose. I started reading a few chapters last night and it's very interesting. It's about a photographer named Josh, who is injured in a bombing while on assignment in Rome. Afterwards, he begins to have very clear memories of things that happened in Ancient Rome around 390AD. He begins researching reincarnation and his past life.
Author M.J Rose submitted the following guest post to accompany the giveaway, to tell you a little more about her book -

"When I was three years old, I told my great grandfather things about his childhood in Russia that there was simply no way I could have known. He became convinced I was a reincarnation of someone in his past. And over time, after more incidents, my mother, a very sane and logical woman -- also came to believe it.
Reincarnation was an idea I grew up with that my mom and I talked about and researched together. For years, I wanted to write a novel about someone like my mother, who was sane and logical, who started out skeptical but came to believe in reincarnation. But I was afraid if I did people would think I was a weirdo.

I tried to start the book ten years ago after my mother died but I was too close to the subject and missed her too much to be able to explore it objectively. Every once in while the idea would start to pester me again but I still stayed away from it.
Then a few years ago on the exact anniversary of my mom's death my niece, who was a toddler at the time, said some very curious things to me about my mother and I, things she really couldn't have known -- and the pestering became an obsession.

Josh Ryder, the main character has my mom's initials, her spirit and her curiosity and like her, he's a photographer. But there the similarities end. When Josh starts having flashbacks that simply can't be explained any other way except as possible reincarnation memories, he goes to New York to study with Dr. Malachai Samuels -- a scientist and Reincarnationist who works with children helping them deal with past life memories. In the process Josh gets caught up in the search for ancient memory tools that may or may not physically enable people to reach back and discover who they were and who they are.

Rather than me tell you anymore about it, let me pass on what a wonderful author, New York Times Bestseller Douglas Preston, says about it: "The Reincarnationist by M.J. Rose has got to be one of the most original and exciting novels I've read in a long time, with a premise so delicious I'm sick with envy I didn't think of it myself. The novel's exhilarating story sweeps the reader across the centuries, from ancient Rome to the present day, with stops in between. It will open your mind to some of the incredible mysteries of the past and the greatest secrets of existence. The Reincarnationist is more than a page-turner, it's a page-burner. Don't miss it."
The book has garnered stars from both Publisher's Weekly, Library Journal and is a BookeSense pick for September. People magazine gave it 3 1/2 out of four stars and said it had "Rose's ninth novel has intricate plotting, erotic tension and a didn't-see-it-coming denoument."

I think of all my books, this is the one my mom would be the most proud of this one, it's really the one she inspired. Please visit my website: http://www.mjrose.com/ for an excerpt, an interview with me about the book, a booktrailer and more." - M.J. Rose

Also check out M.J's blog - http://www.reincarnationist.org/wordpress/

Anyone is welcomed to sign-up for the drawing to win this book. You can sign-up by posting a comment below (please make sure to include an email to contact you) or you can send me an email at carol@dandelionvintage.com
Shipping to the winner will be free to anywhere in the world. No purchase neccessary to sign up and you will not be put on any mailing list. I will not share or sell your contact info (it will be deleted after the giveaway is done)
A winner will be chosen on 9/24/07




**** Thanks to all who signed up for the drawing! The winner is Kelli woo-hoo! Watch for more giveaways in the future. If you have an item that you'd like to promote, book or otherwise, please let me know. I'd be very interesting in doing more giveaways, the free publicity benefits you and I like having stuff to offer to my blog readers and vintage customers.

Three cute vintage sweaters for me

So I mentioned in a previous post about making a small vintage stock purchase last week. It was mostly lingerie and I figured that you're tired of seeing group shots of slips and nightgowns from that type of stock purchase, so I thought I'd show a few of the sweaters that I grabbed for myself from the load. First is a cute sweater with bows embroidered in white and coral. Next is a bright turquoise sweater with white beading and lastly a blue on blue yarn embroidered sweater. I also snagged a mauve short sleeved cashmere and a light pink button front cashmere.



Yes, I am starting to face the fact that Summer is fading, and I have to start thinking about what I'm going to wear this Winter. You can never have enough cute sweaters, so this is a good start. I'd like to get some of those floral print sweaters too and some mens plaid pants.

Diners, Drive Ins & Dives

So, my new favorite show (besides Doctor Who and until Heroes returns) is 'Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives' from the Food Channel. It's this guy who travels around to diners, and he checks out their food, watching them cook on the grill and in the kitchens of the diners, preparing the best dishes from their menu.



I like the show because Guy Fieri is kinda cool and funny. He says things like 'that's off the hook' and 'that's money' when he taste tests the food. I like old fashioned mom & pop diners with homestyle cooking - Places that have been in business for generations, with the same menus, same old fashioned way of cooking. I like looking at food, and I mean real food, not a tiny piece of pink raw meat in the center of a plate with a sprig of green leaf and orange sauce drizzled on top of it. I mean a big heaping piled-up plateful of food like burgers, fries, steaks, breakfast dishes, and homebaked desserts. Yummy. Just fun.

Vogue March 1st, 1934

I'm back from my mini Labor Day Vacation, trying to squeeze a few more days out of Summer. If you have a chance to go to the beach in September - Go! During the week, everyone is at work, school, college etc, the beach is nearly empty and the weather and the water is spectacular (especially at the Jersey Shore)
I had to force myself to get back into my regular work schedule, and try to keep from thinking about going back to the beach this Saturday! This morning I made a small vintage stock purchase, mostly lingerie and a few other items. No pictures though, my dad took my camera to the Hot Rod Shop.
Last night I went through an old Vogue magazine from 1934, and scanned a few interesting photos. To the left and right here are examples of how I'm going to dress this Fall. This is the look that I was to emulate. Yeah. I'll be in jeans and t-shirts. But if I could, this would be how I'd dress everyday, even though I spend most of the day at the computer.

The next 3 scans were part of an interesting layout that featured sketches of designers at work. First is Schiaparelli, then Chanel, and lastly Molyneux. They mention that 'Youth' is Chanel's credo and Captain Molyneux is the 'champion of simplicity'.




Next is an ad that previews some of the new shoes styles from I. Miller. I'll take one of each pair, sz6-1/2B please.

Vogue used to have several pages of ads for dog breeders in the magazine, and info on a featured breed. The breed in this issue is the Newfoundland, and this is a super cute photo from the story. And it just so happens that we used to have Newfoundlands, before bulldogs. And before the Newfs we had Bassets. Bear, Challie and Buddy were our Newfs. Bear had a litter of pups a few weeks before we went on vacation one year. We packed them all up and took them to the shore with us! We put up a little wire pen in the backyard, and put the pups in there. The neighbor would come over and play with them, leaving a note saying 'Took 2 pups home to play with' Free babysitting! We were lucky no one stole them. That was 20+ years ago though, I wouldn't do that today. But I guess most people would have been afraid of two 150+ pound dogs.


This ad on the left, I just really liked the drawing of the pretty lady. I love those wavy hairstyles from the 1930s and I wish that I had the patience to try to copy a style like that. Think Betty Davis in the 30s with the hair all smooth on top and curled on the sides. Then sometimes in the movies, the side curls would come loose and hang down in their face, and they would just flip it back and the hair would magically be perfect again!

I'm interested in old/former clothing shops in and around the New Jersey and Philadelphia area, and I like to try to find out the history of them. Unfortunately, I usually don't find out much about smaller mom & pop type clothing shops. This fun looking ad caught my eye in this Vogue and has me wondering about Ada's Unusual Knitted Clothing. I like the cute drawing and now I'd love to find a piece of her clothing.

So, did you watch Tim Gunn's new fashion makeover show last night? There's not much you can do to change the format of a makeover show, but I thought it would be a bit more entertaining of a makeover with Mr. Gunn. I guess it's necessary to have a sidekick so that they can have fashion banter back and forth, but I would have preferred Tim on his own, or with someone other than a model. Especially Veronica Webb, who to me, has always had a 'superior intellect' kind of attitude. The show was good, I'll be watching it again, but the first episode didn't really have anything to rave about other than Tim's reaction to the suggestion of tights and ballets flats (apparently he doesn't like them!) Who was that guy with the garbage bag and the funhouse mirrors? I hope they don't make him a regular part of the show, that was just corny. More Tim, less graphics and less other people.

I tried not to get hooked into watching Mad Men on AMC, but over the weekend, I had a sick day and watched a marathon of episodes. So I guess I'm hooked now, darn it. Not just on the fun vintage clothing, but the people stories too. I have a crush on Draper even though he's not really likeable, he's the kind of guy that I would avoid, and I'm cheering on the mousey girl for some reason. I want to be the redhead, not slutty, but all curvy and squeezed into a secretary dress!