THE MYSTERIOUS CRAFT OF MANIFESTING TRUE VINTAGE FASHION: FINDERS’ CLUE #1

Finding true vintage fashion items is not rocket science. However, having lots of success DOES involve many little pieces of skill, knowledge and experience that come together. They may seem simple and unexciting by themselves, but I’ve learned that they make a big difference in my overall results. There are, of course, lots more details involved, with each one but the basic idea is where to begin. There are also myths about vintage that aren’t always true and it’s good to be aware of these.

TODAY’S CLUE: GO LOOKING OFTEN. Of course, you can go as often as you like but once a week is good if you can do that. You don’t have to buy each time, but look.

Morgana Martin, the magicvintagespy

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FINDERS’ CLUES START TOMORROW

The Mysterious Craft of Manifesting True Vintage Fashion begins to unfold tomorrow, and every second Monday from now on. I will let you know if there will be any change to the schedule. Be there or be square.

Morgana Martin, the magicvintagespy

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TO MY FOLLOWERS:

Thank you so much, everybody! I love seeing your I.D.s pop up regularly in my g-mail notifications and I’m so glad that you are enjoying what is so much fun for me. Although I don’t have the info to communicate with you all individually, I’d like to give back a little more for you and thank you for your loyalty, Here’s a heads-up that I will post a Finders’ Clue every 2 weeks on a Monday. These are just some of the little insights that I have built up over time that help me to find wonderful vintage fashion stuff almost every day. Thanks again for joining me in the FUN!

Morgana Martin, the magicvintagespy

ANOTHER FABULOUS FIND, AND A FINDERS’ TIP

Yesterday I went to another city to do a personal errand and had a little time to kill before catching a ride home. I took the opportunity to step into a secondhand shop and guess what I found – a 1940s true vintage rayon dressing gown ‘a’la Joan Crawford (vintage movie star). It has only one issue, which I can fix. Beautiful! Just about my favorite era. I’ll show it on the blog later.

FINDERS’ TIP: Whenever you have an extra hour, go hunting! This is especially true when you are away from home or can go to a shop you’ve never tried before because you just never know . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Morgana Martin, the magicvintagespy

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THE REAL REASONS WHY I LOVE TRUE VINTAGE

Got up early this morning to watch some inspirational videos on YouTube and just be in the magical world for a while – and I started thinking again about what it is that really attracts me to clothing and accessories that were designed, made and worn decades ago. I always talk about quality and workmanship and elegant design that set true vintage apart from almost everything that is sold today, but what’s deeper underneath those things? As Rhonda Byrne explains in her second book, The Power, it is LOVE.

Love is not just what we usually think it is (hearts and flowers, sex, even kind acts and caring for others) – it is passion and joy and desire and inspiration and happiness and excitement and value and conviction and ideals and what everything that is most important in your life means to you.

When these vintage items were designed, made, sold and worn, they were elegant and beautiful visions in the minds of designers, pride and self-reliance in the people who manufactured the materials needed or actually put them together with their own hands, and the hopes and dreams of the women and men who bought and wore them because each purchase was a special event. Their clothing was well cared for, loved and kept for many years, like the memories that were attached to them. Each piece is like a classic film that has a big story behind the making of it and tells a big story just by being what it is.

What’s not to love about that?! Maybe I should get up at 3 a.m. more often. . . . . . . .

Morgana Martin, the magicvintagespy

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FINDERS’ TIP:

Here’s a little tip that can save you lots of time and frustration . It may seem like common sense, but it really helps .

Things are changing fast these days and vintage dealers sometimes change their addresses, merchandise, or names all of a sudden. Sometimes they give up a physical address and become internet-only or vice versa. I have experienced the frustration of searching for a store and finding that it didn’t exist as my information said it should. That can throw a kink into your day!

When you can and, especially when you are far from home or pressed for time, call ahead or check on-line to get the current details. Do this no matter where you got the info – been there before, someone told you or you read it in a publication or a book like mine. You can even have a conversation with them about what you’re looking for. No matter what, you will always come away with more information.

But, don’t give up your adventurous spirit if you can’t make contact. Go anyway because many of the best places are off the radar and when you’re on a mission, you just never know . . . . . . .

A FINDER’S TIP

Serendipitously (a word I love and wonderful experiences I love even more!), I just found a dress with a label name I’d been trying to remember to include in the list I posted a few days ago. Magic always happens.

The label is R&K Originals. They have made really nice ladies’ clothing for decades, and they still are! How do you tell the difference between more modern items and one that is true vintage, especially if you are not an expert at spotting it? The label is always red and gray, embroidered on white. Before about 1980, there is a small-print line below the company name that says “FOR THE GIRL WHO KNOWS CLOTHES”. Isn’t that precious?!

Morgana Martin, the magicvintagespy

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A PARTIAL LIST OF THE TRUE VINTAGE LABELS THAT I FIND

It’s true that many of the true vintage (pre-1980s) items that I discover don’t have labels. Sometimes the label is missing or has been removed and or these items have been custom-made. Sometimes a commercially-made item never had a label. It’s the quality of the materials, the workmanship and design which are the most important to me but it’s always fun to find maker’s names that I know.

There are times when I don’t recognize a name and it may be difficult to find reference to it on-line. Other times, the brand is well-known and those are the ones I’ll list below. Although some of these brands are still in production, their vintage products are different and better, generally, than what they make now.

Naturalizer and Air-Step (shoes and purses)

Bobbie Brooks (sportswear)

Red Cross (shoes)

Princess Gardner (leather wallets)

Carol Craig (dressy dresses)

Frank Starr (dressier dresses)

Lanz (women’s clothing)

Stetson (hats – mostly men’s)

Fashionbuilt (coats)

Trifari (jewelry)

Koret (women’s clothing)

Coro (jewelry)

Sarah Coventry (jewelry)

Napier (jewelry)

Hudson Bay (car coats)

Gunne Sax (dresses)

Swirl (casual dresses)

Jantzen (sportswear, swimsuits)

Deliso Debs (women’s dressy shoes)

Morris Moscowitz (handbags)

Ande’ (purses)

Barbizon (lingerie & sleepwear)

Vanity Fair (lingerie & sleepwear)

RayBan (sunglasses)

Nellie Don (dresses)

Marshall Field (department store brand – Chicago)

Stix Baer & Fuller (department store brand, midwest)

Sax Fifth Avenue (high end store brand – Chicago)

Monet (jewelry)

Bulova (fine watches)

Keds (tennis shoes)

Skips (tennis shoes – Montgomery Ward brand?)

Carol Brent (Montgomery Ward brand)

White Stag (sportswear)

Ship ‘n Shore (blouses)

There are well-known names that I can’t think of right now, and many others. Always a pleasure to uncover one, and it’s always a delightful surprise! You just never know . . . . .

Morgana Martin, the magicvintagespy

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DOES THE TENDENCY OF VINTAGE CLOTHING TO BE SMALL DISCOURAGE YOU FROM GOING OUT AND HUNTING? DON’T LET IT!!

Granted ,many women were smaller back in the day – sometimes incredibly tiny compared to modern averages. Especially if you are hunting for bargains, it might seem like everything you see is impossibly small (They really meant it when they coined the term “wasp-waist”?)

However, don’t believe it. If you are fortunate enough to wear a small or x-small size, you will have lots of success. Still, I regularly find items of all types which are medium to large, too. If you need a special item right away and haven’t been able to discover one in your size, you can visit a specialty vintage dealer and pay the market price. There are lots of reputable people whom I have found whose prices are reasonable and their service is expert and trustworthy.

If you have more time, a clear idea of what you want and some skills will find it for you eventually (maybe sooner than later!) Accessories, too, usually work for any size figure and many clothing items can be altered or adapted to fit.

So, don’t let size discourage you because magic always happens when you believe in it.

Morgana Martin, the magicvintagespy

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TRUE VINTAGE (BARELY) VS. RETRO – WHY DOES IT MATTER?

TRUE VINTAGE (BARELY) VS. RETRO – WHY DOES IT MATTER?.

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