Back when I was selling vintage goods full throttle on etsy, many wonderful things came and passed from my hands. On one hand, selling them was absolutely instrumental in helping to pay the rent on the studio, there being more of a demand for vintage on the site than books or art, but also the venue wasn't quite as glutted. If you were peddling nice vintage and had decent photos, you could be somewhat of a success. Things changed and vintage sellers were a dime a dozen by the time I left in 2011, etsy got expensive to keep up with, and the sort of vintage I was looking to peddle got trickier to find cheap enough to turn a profit (the kind of stuff you find in thriftstores is more 80's/90's now, less mid-century..plus everyone and their mother is reselling, so the good stuff goes fast) So I moved onto other platforms. But while I kept some vintage in the free-standing shop, most of it just lingered as our sales on other things grew. Eventually I took it down.
But looking at old photos, I'm always amazed and a little sad on some of things I sold and wish I'd been able to keep for myself. Granted most of the clothes wouldn't have fit me, and I really don't need more stuff in my apartment. Some of these things were pieces I altered--the enamel hair clips which started as earrings. The basket purse I added the giant bloom to. Some I've been able to find in modern versions that are close but not quite . I have a pair of cat eye sunglass frames that are a dead ringer for those lovely ombre ones. While I gave up that amazing cookie jar, vintage owls are always trendy and I have a similar owl holding my utensils in my kitchen. I don't have that pink lace dress, but I have one that has cherry blossoms and it cut identical to the vintage one and the same softish lined lace. I am always on the lookout for tiny paintings, old slips, and nice wraps. And that black dress, I am definitely always looking...
