2011 Accessory Trends Go Vintage!

Every fashionista knows that her outfit is not complete unless she finishes it off with some killer accessories! Of course for us vintage lovers that holds even truer as we love to adorn ourselves in as much unique accessories as we possibly can. This only adds to the character of the overall outfit. So, since I dedicated a whole post to vintage “modern” fashion yesterday, which I hope you had a chance to read , I thought it only fitting to find some fashion forward vintage accessories to go with our trendy outfits. Check it out!

I am so excited about this trend; the Cat Eye!  Its so glamorous and just oozes 50s Movie Star! And I totally feel like one when I wear them!  Especially if I was sporting those uber fashionable and sheek Prada glasses on the left! Gorgeous! But, even better than that are these vintage glasses I found on Etsy that are just as fabulous and impactful! The ones on the top right hand side were a no brainer when I spotted them!  These vintage 70s Helena Rubenstein sunglasses at VintageTreasureShop are delicious! I love the golden white rims with the white accent on the “cat eye”.  The best thing about them? They are new old stock! Meaning that they have never been worn and are in perfect vintage condition! Designer glasses for only $78? Check please! Next come a pair of bright red vintage 80s cat eye with floral rim print at GPNexxus (BTW this store has a TON of specs!). So adorable! I love the little flowers on the edge! Completely adds a different character to the specs! These also are from new old stock and are selling for only $27! And it must be my lucky day because the last pair, a fabulous vintage 80s geometric cat eye from Kokorokoko, are also in like new condition with stickers still on the lens! I love the exaggerated 50s cat eye frame on this pair on sunglasses and of course get a kick out of the bold pattern.  I think that a modern day Jackie O would sport this! And for only $26 I would too!  Check out my friends little work up she did on Cat Eye’s!

I don’t know if I could ever really jive with this new fascination with “Belt Purses,” or as I like to call them, Fanny Packs, but I guess when it comes to fashion, you can never say never.  As I have been shopping around in this cyber mall, I find myself slowly warming up to this new summer trend.  I mean, who doesn’t think that the Jaeger London bright yellow belt purse (left) isn’t cute? So, checking out some vintage Etsy stores I happened to stumble on a couple of FANNY PACKS (level with me fashion world, this is what they are) that might help change my mind (and won’t cost me an arm and a leg!).  Take for instance the first bag on top.  It is a beautiful vintage hand tooled leather fanny pack (Loucella) which would make any leather lover faint.  A beautiful example of high quality craftsmanship this pack It comes with an adjustable belt strap and is selling for $45.  Next speaks out to the hippie in us all! A vintage 80s leather patchwork pack from SnootieSeconds that reminds of some jeans I used to have a few years back!  So, I guess this one was just a funny connection, but I still think its awesome!  I love the fact that it is made up of a soft leather and if I happened to fall of my bike with it on it probably wouldn’t hurt it to much! Plus, I love bags that have a mix of brown colored patches! I automatically flock towards them. Only $34!

Yes ladies, clogs are back and better than ever! There was a time not to long ago that these wooden cloppers were back, but unfortunately were not available in the most stylish of forms! Fortunately that is not the case anymore as you see from the fit for a Queen clogs from Chanel (left).  And it’s just not designers who have these delectable clogs, but vintage sellers are also carrying some fine examples! I love the first pair of clogs (top right)! These vintage 70s wooden leather platforms from PineAppleMint are to die for! They are in beautiful condition and I love the black detail rimming the wooden platform! So cute! I also adore Old Age’s Vintage 70s suede wooden clogs (bottom). I know clogs usually have a covered front, but hey we don’t have to stick to specifics here! These are in mint condition and are running for only $64.

Usually when I buy cuff bracelets or really any sort of jewelry I always try and find vintage pieces right off the bat.  Reason being that if I’m going to spend $20, then I would rather spend it on something that has lasted already for 20yrs and has character than on a piece of metal coated in paint that will likely chip off within a few wears.  Now, if I were to purchase the colorful Marc Jacobs’ bracelet (top right) then I would be assured that quality wouldn’t be an issue, just the $80 price point! So, as usual I went searching for a few vintage ones and here are a few I found! The first being the oh so shiny vintage silver cuff from WillowsSecretGarden.  I love the tribal print on the face of the bracelet and also how the cuff has a unique hourglass shape to it.  In amazing condition this cuff is a steal at $18! If you’re like Madonna and like to layer your bracelets (which I totally do!) then you’re going to love the BanginBangles wooden & lucite collection of vintage bangles.  A cool combination of different textures, the colors mesh perfectly with each other and would definitely look awesome with your summer Maxi Dresses! Last, but not least, is a vintage 60s root beer plastic bangle from AtlasFalcon.  So, I love Amber and the color of this bracelet reminds me of that fact and it’s hard for me not to want it! The swirl in the plastic is totally unique and drew my attention right away! Only $35!

Picnic in Central Park

When I used to live in the city, my absolute number one favorite thing used to be taking my pup to Central Park.  We’d walk for HOURS on end, exploring every inch of the fascinating eco system that is the Park.  If you don’t know, Central Park isn’t just the Great Lawn and Bethesda Fountain, it contains actual forest areas where you can get lost in nature; you can’t see the streets and you’re completely surrounded by trees, rocks and waterfalls.  Yes, WATERFALLS! Not huge ones of course! Nothing you could go white water rafting on, but big enough to make you stop and watch.  Or, if you’re a pup named Bodie, try to swim in!  These journeys were especially enjoyable when my boyfriend joined us and we would have little picnics in the park.  We’d go to our local Pick a Bagel, order our usual Chicken Salad on a toasted plain bagel (everything bagel for him!), grab a Yoohoo and a Naked and walk our way to the nearest park entrance to find our usual picnic table on a hill, secluded, shaded by trees, and that housed a lovely plaque on its bench, dedicating itself to a deceased wife.   Now, we never brought a “picnic blanket” with us or an official “picnic basket,” but we scraped by with our beautiful bench and our bagel napkins.  Also, I don’t think a pleasant picnic would have ever been in order due to our highly energetic dog who has the patience level of about a three year old, but maybe one day we’ll actually be able to do it!  I imagine it would be a lot like this, plus the presence of the beau and the addition of some really fabulous vintage clothing:

How adorable is this Vintage 1960s/1970s Pink Knitted Summer Sweater at StuckOnVintage!  I adore the white floral design that doubles as a tank strap! So cute and unique!  I would defiantly wear this tucked in to a pair of high waist denim or under a cute pair of overalls!  In good condition, this one-of-a- kind tank is only $40! Not bad for a top your friends will never be able to buy!

You can make fun of me all you want, but I will still forever love high waist denim.  Not only does it give you a great shape, your tush in particular, but they just give you that straight backed, sucked in, walk with shoulders back feeling.  I mean you feel like a super hotty when you have a pair of high waist denim on!  Plus, you don’t have to wear a belt if you really don’t want to!! And for all these reasons, I love this pair of Vintage Navy Sailor High Waist Sailor Flared Jeans at Love Street Vintage!  Not to mention that the pockets are a key selling point! Such a comfy feeling to be able to put your whole hand deep in your pockets when you are having a relaxing walk.  Only $45!

These are my shoes! Well, not actually, but these are the exact type of shoes that I love to wear!  These Vintage 70s Platform Sandals from Raleigh’s Vintage are to die for and the best part about them…they have NEVER BEEN WORN! How awesome is that!  Perfect Vintage condition.  No cracks in the leather, no foot prints from a previous owner and no black scrapes on the wedge from being knocked against the ground.  This my friend, is a vintage lovers dream!  “New” Vintage shoes…still in the box!  How could someone never of worn something so cute? $70 on Etsy.

I LOVE these Vintage 80s Wayfarer Tortoise Sunglasses at Forsythia Hill! I am crazy over the bright pink color mixed with the tortoise pattern and the green lenses! Labeled 95% UVB, 60% UVA blocking these glasses are substantial, they are not “flimsy” or cheap.  These NEVER WORN sunglasses can be worn by both men and women, but lets get real, if my guy touched these puppies I would have a freak attack on him! They are too cool and too unique for anyone but me to wear!  Does that sound too selfish? A bargain for $38!

I am infatuated with any sort of jewelry that has a type of stone in it, especially turquoise. So, it’s really no surprise that when I stumbled across this Vintage Sterling Silver Turquoise Cuff that I was immediately drawn to it.  The turquoise just caught me right away merely because the color was so bright and then I also love the stamped leaf design that parades behind the stones.  Such a beautiful piece of jewelry.  $29 at Sparkling Lotus Design.

I searched and searched for the PERFECT picnic blanket and finally found one at MistyOrcutt!  This Vintage Red and White Picnic Cloth is the definition of what I picture as the quintessential picnic blanket! I mean, do you not always see cartoons or characters in children’s books eating off of something that looks exactly like this? Or have I just gone completely off the deep end? Well, either way, I think its adorable and would totally use it to have my picnic on! $27.99.

Every picnic needs some sort of picnic basket, but what about a picnic purse?  How cute would you look walking down the street with this Vintage 60s Basket Weave Purse? No one would know that you have packed away a tasty picnic and besides, who wants to lug around a huge basket anyway! So inconvenient! Especially in the city! I can just imagine myself hitting passerbys and the nasty looks they would give me.  Yep, for sanity’s sake, I think I’ll stick with the purse! $24 at Vintage Stew.

My Pup Bodie! He is not for sale!

Stuck On Vintage is actually in my shop favorites in Etsy!  Based out of LA, SOV carries a wide variety of both men and women’s vintage.  And while I adore their super cute vintage clothing, perhaps one of my favorite things that they carry are vintage  sunglasses.  They have such a variety of vintage frames varying from the 1960s round “John Lennon’s” to the big, overstated lenses of the 80s.  What’s great too is that these fabulous sunglasses are all sorts of colors and some come with colored lenses! I love it! How original!  You should defiantly stop by SOV when you have a moment to spare!!

Love Street Vintage is an Etsy Vintage shop based out of San Diego that specializes in Women’s Vintage from the 60s and 70s.  And let me tell you, as you thumb through LSV, you will defiantly get that message.  Not only is the store name inspired by a Doors song, but about 75% of LSV’s vintage is incorrporate Aztec prints, floral patterns, and extremely bold colors.  Clothing that you can just picture people wearing to Woodstock or on the streets of San Francisco.  To be able to wear these psychedelic, bohemian clothing you will have to be a person who is utterly at home with themselves and someone who is free spirited and perhaps fitting with the hippie mentality of a flower child. If that is you, then you will have no problem finding items that fit your personality at LSV! Happy Hunting!

Perfect for those who like a bit more order to their lives, Raleigh Vintage, an Etsy shop, carries clean cut, sophisticated clothing for the Vintage Woman.  While they carry vintage from the 50s to 90s all picks are very reminiscent of the 50s/60s wardrobe.  That is:  light, delicate patterns, sharp lines and a more muted color palette.  Perfect for the working lady who wants to add a little character to her office outfit! The most awesome part of this shop?  That it is cared for and stocked by a vintage-loving couple, Isaac and Andi.  How cute is that! Check them out!

While Forsythia Hill, an Etsy shop based out of VA, carries other Vintage, mainly home goods, the heart of her store rests with her amazing Vintage sunglasses.  Her impeccable taste in unique eye wear is what makes her store so special and keeps me coming back for more.  Her NEVER BEEN WORN glasses come  in styles such as Wayfarers, John Lennon round wires, and BIG 80′s.  And for every pair of eye or sunglasses purchased, Forsythia Hill makes a matching donation to the Lions Club that distributes glasses to an abundance of needy organizations.  How admirable is that? Why wouldn’t you check her out?

Sparkling Lotus Design is a new find for me and while the store isn’t packed with jewelry as of now, the things they do have are actually very lovely.  If you like stones, then you might find a couple of items here that you will adore, as I certainly have.  Some of the jewelry that you will find at SLD are handmade creations by its owner who contends that her store has been the result of (her) compulsion to create in (her) spare time. And while she does carry vintage jewelry, she hopes that her customers will find some inspiration in her personal jewelry.   I guess you’ll have to stop by and see if that is the case!

Sunblock For Your Eyes

Living at the beach I have quickly discovered, especially since the weather has been so nice lately and I’ve been spending all my time outside, that I am in desperate need of a pair of sunglasses! Naturally you would think I would go to the corner drugstore, Walmart, or what have you and pick up a pair so my corneas won’t burn out of my eyes. But, no, I can’t do that. I just can’t go to some rando store and pick up the first $1.99 pair of specs I see ; not that there is anything wrong with that! No, let’s get serious. What kind of person would I be if all I preached was VINTAGE VINTAGE VINTAGE and RECYCLE RECYCLE RECYCLE and didn’t actually DO? I am a lot of things my friend, but a heretic isn’t one of them! I realize that this all seems very dramatic, but it’s the truth. Also, to add to the mix, I am the kind of lady that if I own something of weight, I will NEVER loose it. However, if I own that $1.99 pair of glasses, they’re doomed to be lost to the world within a week or two. So, financially it’s just smarter for me to invest in a product that is not necessarily more expensive, but one that has some history and identity to it. Back to the original purpose of this rant though. I need specs! Bad! So, as I was shopping for some, I thought it would be fun and funny to superimpose them onto my face and see how they would look! (FYI, if u like any, below all the pics is a link section that will take you to that specific pair!)

Which one do you think I should get?!

(Links below picture!)

(click on link and you will be taken to that brands sunglasses that I loved!)