Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Our Newest Addition!

Hello there!
Introducing....Bourbon!!!!


Our new puppy!!! Dave and I have been trying to get everything back on schedule after Bourbon arrived on Friday and we're slowly getting the hang of it! She's 2 months old and is a pretty smart little cookie! I should have my regular blog postings up and running this weekend! YAY!


Wednesday, March 21, 2012

How to Date Vintage Clothing

Hello There! 

Today I'm going to talk to you about how to date and object (not like GO on a date...how to tell how old something is).  This is not always an easy task. Sometimes a dress can look like it's from the 50s, but is really form the 70s. So, ho can you tell if something is as old as you think it is? 

Here are a few quick tips on what to look for to date your item!  

Metal Zippers -  Metal zippers are a good way to tell if your item is vintage. The position of the zipper is super important. Usually, garments from the 50s have zippers up the side instead of up the back. Also, they didn't start using zippers until the 30s, so if your garment is snaps and buttons only it MAY be from before the 30s. Also, keep in mind that even if the zipper is not metal, you may still have a vintage item. Someone might have had to replace the zipper. 

"Union Made" Tags  “Union Made” ILGWU (International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union) tags will help you date a garment super quick! The ILGWU split into different unions throughout time which resulted in different tag types. I found a timeline on EBay!
Timeline:
1900 – 1936 ILGWU AFL
1936 – 1940 ILGWU CIO
1940 – 1955 ILGWU AFL
1955 – 1995 ILGWU AFL-CIO
1975-1992 – Look for the Union Label campaign
1995 – 2004 UNITE!
2004 – UNITE HERE

You can see a great example of the different types of tags on the Vintage Fashion Guild Website

Labels - Labels are probably the best way to judge how old a piece is. Study the font and style of the label. You can check out the Vintage Fashion Guild Label Resource. You can search by brand to find info on your label.   

Care Labels - If a garment lacks a sewn in care instructions label, we know that the piece was made before 1971. Before 71, if a garment was not hand made it sometimes came with a care manual, but it was not sewn in. 

Polyester - Polyester was invented in 1941, but was not used as clothing material until the 50s. So, if your garment is made from polyester, it's 50s +. 



 

Monday, March 19, 2012

Stuff I Made!!!




I've been frantically getting ready for the new arrival to our family...We're getting a 2 month old puppy on Friday! YAY! We're adopting a standard daschund mix (I think Jack Russell) from Wright Way Rescue. Her name is Violet, but we are going to re-name her. We have a few ideas, but we're no concrete yet!

I've also been busy making earrings! I use vintage stackable flower beads and charms, and also use some modern items too! Check out my latest creations!


Buttercups & Bows!

Want em'??

Shakespeare inspired earrings

Love's a Gamble! 

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Elvis!

Hello There!

We're almost to the weekend!!! I'm excited about this weekend because we might go visit puppies at the shelter some time this weekend. Yay!!! I'm hoping we can bring one home :)

I recently went on a shopping trip with Jen from Hell Razor. You can check out her blog on the plastic tomato she brought home, but the only thing I brought home was a $10 ceramic bust of Elvis. As I was trying to find a new home for it, I realized how much Elvis stuff I have. Check this out!

My new ceramic Elvis
My husband, Dave gave me HE BEST anniversary present ever....I've wanted one for years and now I finally got...a velvet Elvis!
Yessssss!!!!!!
This huge paster is in our living room. The Elvis pillow I got from my aunt when I was still in high school, my new ceramic Elvis is hanging out there, AND my Elvis makeup bag is hanging out in the corner.


I still need to replace the hands on this clock, but I found this thing at a thrift store in Ohio for $4!!!! I LOVE this thing....it's really heavy and kind of hard to hang on the wall in our apartment. I think I might try and find a spot on the mantel for it....


Before I left my 9 to 5 job, one of the guys gave me these buttons. They are pretty awesome and hey spruce up my wall mounted ribbon holder!


My friend gave me this bendy Elvis for Christmas one year...He hangs out next to my desk. I also have random Elvis mugs and other Elvis stuff, but I thought you may be bored by now! ;) Stay tuned for more vintage postings this weekend!!!




Monday, March 12, 2012

My First 5 Tips in Thrifting!

Hi There!

I hope your Monday is going great! Mine sure is!! ;) I have to day off work and I've been able to organize my space a little. YAY! I also have time to write this blog that I've been wanting to do for a while now.

Tips in Thrifting!...Dun, dun, duuuunnnnn....  


Ok, thrift stores are a lot of fun for me because they're cheap and they're like a treasure hunt. You never know what's going to be waiting for you among the masses of crap. It can be very overwhelming if you  let it, so here are my first 5 tips in thrifting just for you! 

Tip #1- Go in with a game plan!
Thrifting can get overwhelming really fast if you don't know what you're looking for. So, to combat the sense of craziness, organize in your head:
1) What are you hoping to find today? 
You're looking for a sweet, red, bulky sweater to go with your new studded leggings?
   
2) Where is the best place to find this item in the store? 
Usually, thrift stores have some kind of organization to them. You are going to look in the women's  shirt or sweater section.  

3) What color are you hoping to find today?
Red! Ok, visually scan the rack for anything red that may be an option and check them out. 

Tip #2- Keep an open mind! 
Someone once told me, nothing is ugly in the right setting. It kind of made me look at things a lot differently...A hideous gold lamp might not look hideous in a funky gold and black room. So when you're looking at items in a thrift store, try an imagine them in your living space or in your wardrobe. A crazy print vest may look awesome with your new skirt or haircut. 

Tip #3 - Don't be intimidated/ Don't pigeonhole yourself! 
Ok, I would pretty much say this about any shopping trip. Try stuff on!!! Even if you think you're going to hate it, if it speaks to you go try in on! Have you ever watched those horrible fashion shows where someone's friends ambush them with that lady and that dude who go through their wardrobe and throw everything away? Ok, I hate that show...a lot....BUT they got one thing right, you should try things on even if you're afraid to. That 70s backless black jumpsuit may be intimidating, but you're never going to know if you like in unless you try it! I've been pleasantly surprised MANY times by keeping this tip in mind!!! 

Tip #4 - Explore multiple zones! 
Don't stay in one section to look for things. I've found some awesome pieces in the men's section...jackets, t shirts, sweaters...especially if you're looking for larger sized separates. You may even stumble across something that was put in the mens section on accident. ALWAYS check out the house-wears section, you can find some AWESOME conversation pieces. 

Tip #5 - Sizes and dressing rooms....or lack there of! 
Ok, so sizes are all over the place at thrift stores (unless you're lucky enough to find one organized by size). It gets even trickier when we're talking about vintage...those sizes are different than modern sizes.  If you're looking at shirts, you may be able to just put it on over what you're wearing. If you can't do that, then here is my tip for sizing things when there is no place to try something on:
  1. Find a mirror and hold the item up to your body.
  2. Mold the item to your body. Make sure you are accounting for where the garment should start at your shoulders. Then, check to see if the fabric reaches or stretches comfortably to the middle of your armpit (or past the underwire in your bra in the same area). If it does, it should fit your bust. 
  3. Do the same with the remainder of the garment. If it's a dress, do this with the waist and the hips.
  4. If you love it and it's too big, keep in mind you can have it tailored and you're only paying a few bucks for this item.
  5. If it's too small, check the seams inside. Is there an extra inch or 2 that could be let out to fit you? 
Hopefully these 5 little tips will help you on your next thrifting journey! Stay tuned for the next 5! 

     


Friday, March 9, 2012

Friday Soundtrack!

Hi there!
Happy Friday!
Today I'm trying to get myself up and going, so I'm listening to a mixed bag today. However, all of these songs feature women singers. This mix ranges from doo-wop to punk.

Squirrel Nut Zippers
They were my favorite band when they came out with Hell. I have all of their albums and I'm a huge nerd. I love this song...and the video.


The Bonnie Sisters 
If you've ever seen Cry Baby, this song is the intro...and should be...by all means! I can't find a lot of info on them, but this song is awesome!



The Pleasure Seekers
These ladies were a 60s garage band with a MAJOR sound. I love them. I mean, they were a hot group of girls playing instruments and singing about Schlitz and Colt 45...HOW can you not love them??


The Bangs
90s punk band out of Olympia! <3




Ok, everyone knows this song....BUT I love it. 







Thursday, March 8, 2012

New Items!

Why, hello there!

Yesterday I had a GREAT time vintage shopping with my friend Jen from Hell Razor! I found a miniature Elvis bust for my mantle or randomness (pictures to come) and she found an awesome plastic tomato guy on a stick with a top hat and eyelashes...Hopefully, she'll post about it! It's pretty sweet!

Anyway, I thought I'd show you some upcoming items I'll be posting on Calamity Layne later tonight! Stay tuned for my blog on thrifting tips later this evening! ;)  






Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Fun with Vintage Beads!

Hey there!

I'm sorry I've been MIA for the past few days. I've been traveling and working weird hours so was getting kind of difficult to get going on a worthwhile blog. Now I'm back! ;)

Ok, down to business....I recently purchased some vintage stackable flower beads to make myself a necklace...I ended up making a few earrings out of them as well. Then I put some of them on Etsy to see if they were interesting to anyone else. We'll see.... ;) Here are a few! Stay tuned this week for more vintage threads!







Friday, March 2, 2012

Friday Soundtrack

Well, Hello There!

My Friday Soundtrack was a hit last week so, I've decided to try and do this every Friday. Today I am listening to a lot of soul. Soul is one of my favorite genres as well. So today, I will be sharing with you some of my personal favorites. The first being...

Sam Cooke 
sigh*

He has the most beautiful voice ever. He's on my top 5 favorite artists (and that is not an easy list to be on!). This is one of my most favorite songs...probably ever...but definitely by him. He was shot by a hotel owner in 1964 under suspicious circumstances. :*(  

Ruth Brown

She's AWESOME! She knows how to belt with some sass and she's gorgeous. I love her music because she has such a unique voice is  lot of fun to listen to. Check her out!

Jackie Wilson

Speaking of fun to listen to, Jackie Wilson is a fun one! He also has the best hair out of the bunch ;).  His voice is just the right mix of frilly and harshness and it will give you goose bumps. I love to listen to him before I leave the house for a night out.  

Solomon Burke

One of the pioneers of soul music. His voice it so smooth and clear, but keeps the dirt and grit in there too. If you're having a bad day, you should listen to Solomon Burke. The day will melt away like butta! ;)

Miss Etta James

I was so sad when she passed this year. By far one of the best voices on earth. This is one of my favorite songs. It's not frilly or pretty, but it sure as hell makes you wanna dance!

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Outfit Post

Hello There!


I hope you are all having a pleasant Thursday! Today I'm going to do an outfit post. I've never done one, but I just bought these AMAZING earrings from Jennifer Perkins at Naughty Secretary Club (for those of you who have not seen her blog, check it OUT! It's awesome) and I had to show them off!

I just took pictures of myself in the mirror, so it's no flashy photography or anything, so maybe I'll recruit Dave (my husband) for the next one. ;) Anyway, I thought I would use these earrings to do a little post on balance and color in an outfit.

First off, I don't follow "rules"... In fact, I kind of hate "rules." When I pick out my outfits I'm not thinking about what some magazine said, I'm thinking...do I feel confident in this, is it comfortable, and does it meet my own outfit expectations? I DO wear a lot of color and sometimes that can get crazy, so I try and pay attention to what colors I want to play up how I can balance the other colors involved. So let's get started!

Earrings by Naughty Secretary Club
These earrings are fantastic and they are very colorful. Yellow is the main color,  but it has a larger green accent. So, for my outfit I chose a bright green vintage dress I found for $16 in New Orleans, and a 1950s yellow cardigan I found at Village Discount for $2. I felt like the green balanced out the yellow nicely.
Like i said...no fancy photos here.
As for accessories....other than the earrings of course, I chose a yellow bow headband and a leopard print bag and shoes. The shoes are pictured below! I got them from Pin Up Girl Clothing, but I did have to buy one size up, but the 11s fit great.

Shoes from Pin Up Girl Clothing
When I'm wearing an outfit with a lot of color, I feel much more vibrant and confident. When you're picking out an outfit, make sure you're wearing something that makes YOU feel vibrant, comfortable, and confident no matter what it is. :)

Dave played along too ;)