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1950s Atomic Starburst Clutch

I listed a clutch today! Check out the cool lining:

I love a good clutch, don't you? Sometimes I get sick of carrying around a huge "bag lady" purse. I feel like the more space I have, the more I inevitably stuff in there.

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Tips for the Plus Sized Vintage Lover

Let's face it: being plus sized and a lover of vintage fashion is tough. Finding any pre-1970s garments in thrift stores is becoming more and more of a challenge in and of itself. Throw into the mix trying to find anything with a bust of 36 or more and you're asking way too much. For one reason or another, finding vintage garments that are any larger that a modern size 12 is quite the task. Being a modern size 14 myself, it's taken me years to collect the few truly flattering clothing items I have in my personal wardrobe. In fact, one of the reasons I started dealing vintage is because I often find adorable pieces that are too small for my own frame. I'm far too enamoured with them to not purchase, but they just end up sitting in my closet, often admired, but never being used to their full potential.

Alas, there is hope for volumptuous vintage ladies.

Thrift Early, Thrift Often

This is a good tip for any thrifter, and probably a tactic you already employ. The only way to find the good vintage is to beat the crowd. If you wear a size 12 or larger, you're in a competition! You're not only competing with other women of these sizes, but vintage dealers that know these sizes sell with ease. Find out when your favorite thrift store restocks, and make a plan to be there when they do.

Spend More on Fewer Pieces

Good quality vintage boutiques and online shops are everywhere. These are your best bets if you want ease of purchase, without the constant strain and disapointment thrift store shopping can lead to. The law of supply and demand applies, though. Fewer pieces in in-demand sizes equals higher prices. This is definitely worth the extra investment, however. Let somebody else do the grunt work of finding, cleaning, and mending vintage items. Meanwhile, you can focus on sculpting a closet consisting of several key pieces that you'll wear time and again. You spend less effort on acquiring beautiful vintage pieces while also supporting the hard work of independent vintage dealers.

Buy "New" Vintage

New, vintage-inspired clothing is relatively easy to find in a myriad of sizes. Pin-Up Girl Clothing and Bettie Page Clothing are two of my favorite places to acquire '50s-style dresses. They are well made and I never have a problem finding something I love in my size. The prices are bit steep, but I have no qualms with splurging every now and then, especially since I generally spend so little on the rest of my thrifted wardrobe.

Keep an eye out for vintage-inspired pieces and other classics at places like Target and department stores. Some things, like silk camisoles, cashmere cardigans, and leather ballet flats, are eternally in style. One of my absolute favorite "vintage" dresses is actually a thrifted Isaac Mizrahi for Target dress. It blends so seamlessly with the rest of my wardrobe, nobody has ever even questioned me as to whether it is actually old or not. You can pair your newer pieces with plenty of vintage accessories to really complete the look.

1950s Totes Featherlight Rain Boots

It's a chilly, overcast, drizzly day here in Saint Louis. Though my fellow Saint Louisians probably won't agree with me (it was just announced that World Series Game 6 is cancelled due to the weather,) I just adore Autumn days like these. It's just drizzly and chilled enough to require a light jacket and boots, without being too uncomfortable for taking a leisurely walk to enjoy the foliage. How befitting, then, that I found these amazing 1950s rain boots at my favorite thrift store today:

I can't believe the box is in such great shape. These featherlight boots are all natural rubber, too, and look like they may have only been worn once or twice. They come in a little pouch that you could keep in your car or briefcase, just in case of foul weather. They slip right on over your shoes.

I love these so much, but unfortunately Alex's feet are a wee bit too small for them. They are sized for a 13/14 men's shoe size, and he wears an 11. I'll be putting them in the shop tonight for some other vintage boy to enjoy.

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Making Vintage White Gloves New Again

Every vintage lady needs a pair (or 10) of crisp white gloves. Vital for protecting dainty little fingers from all the environmental hazards of the world around us, little white gloves were a necessity in the days before sunscreen and hand sanitizer. Vintage gloves are not a rare find by any means, but ones that aren't wrought with stains from decades of neglect are few and far between. Luckily, there are ways to make your little white gloves fresh again, without using harsh, potentially damaging chemicals.

Always hand-wash your gloves using mild dish soap and warm water.

Modern detergent is rather harsh, and can degrade delicate old fibers. Dish soap is so mild you can soak your hands in it, yet tough enough to dissolve grease (do I sound like a Dawn commercial yet?) Your best bet is to mix a small amount of soap with warm water in a clean plastic or glass bowl. Don't use your sink as a bath, as it could potentially have left-over food particles (last night's spaghetti sauce, for example) that may stain cotton. Using warm water will activate the soap, without potentially shrinking the gloves.

Avoid the temptation to bleach.

Although bleach is powerful in eradicating most stains, it's also incredibly harsh. If you intend to preserve your gloves for years to come, skip the bleach and opt to add Oxy Clean to your soap bath instead. Feel free to use a few scoops if your gloves are especially soiled. Just make sure the powder is fully dissolved before adding your items. Your gloves are safe to soak for hours, and are likely to be just as white, if not whiter, when they emerge from the water.

Rinse gently and remove all excess soap.

Remove your gloves from the bath and rinse very well with coolish water. Make sure you remove all traces of soap. Avoid wringing your gloves. Instead, try to push the excess water out, either with your hands or a clean, dry towel. Place your wet gloves on the towel, gently roll the towel up, and push down firmly with your palms.

Don't use the dryer.

Instead, let your gloves drip-dry, either draped over a hanger or clipped to a clothesline. Not drying your gloves in a commercial dryer will keep them from potentially shrinking, as well as give you that nice crisp feeling you're looking for in a clean pair of gloves.

When all else fails, dye!

There are plenty of gentle methods to dying fabric, from tea to coffee to Kool-Aid. Of course, you can opt for something like Jacquard Procion MX Dye or Rit, too. Have fun with it, but remember that light colored dyes will not cover dark colored stains. Be careful. Do your research before reaching for the dye bottle, and follow the directions to a T! There's not much room for error when it comes to dying fabric, but at least you can always take the color darker if you do make a mistake.

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Mam'selle '50s Lizard Purse

Tonight I'm listing a beautiful tan 1950s purse. It's in stunning condition, and will really put the final touch on any vintage-inspired ensemble.

I'm not entirely sure if it's real lizard of some sort, or embossed. The interior is real leather, though, and the quality is top-notch. The cute little gold tone clasp is still in great working order. I was quite surprised to find a purse of it's age in such great shape!

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Prada Shoes

The gorgeous 1980s Prada shoes I promised are going up tonight. Hop over to my Etsy store if you'd like to check 'em out!

These are in absolutely wonderful condition, and the leather is so soft. Curse my giant wide-width feet!

I'm in love with the Deco-inspired details and the classic shape. The muted colors would work well with almost any outfit. I could see these being a great addition to an ensemble from nearly any era, especially '30s - '50s inspired. Of course, even modern gals can rock this shoe. The quality, needless to say, is to die for. Well-cared for, well-made footwear can last a lifetime if treated with love and respect.

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Grand Opening Preview

Schone Vintage will be officially up and running on October 20th! Here's an exclusive sneak preview of a few of the items I will be listing over the next week:

- Gorgeous vintage 1980s Prada Shoes

- Pristine 1940s yellow cotton gloves with real Bakelite buttons

- Amazing 1950s faux Persian Lamb and real fur collar cropped jacket

This is just a small selection of the amazing vintage finds I will be selling. I pride myself on offering only top notch vintage. I never sell anything I wouldn't wear myself.