What To Wear To A Flea Market

Or, should I say, what to wear underneath what you wear to the Flea Market?

Or underneath anything....

Find it all here.

Bags & Bananas at The Market

I finally received my new camera, but the week of the bi-annual Top Shelf Flea Market III was not exactly the best time to get a new gadget to figure out, as I'm up to my ear lobes tagging items & treasures to bring to Boston on Sunday. I read through about half of the online manual (I thought someone said this is a very simple camera to use?!) and snapped a few photos from my studio of what I've been working on. The jewelry photos were snapped prior to reading anything and the quality is terrible, so my apologies ahead of time.

I'll be debuting a very small portion of a trunk full of vintage Banana Bob jewelry. The company went out of business in the late 1990s, but in it's day made some lovely art deco & victorian inspired pieces with vintage and antique facets and findings. Swarvovski crystals were used in many of the pieces, and most were hand crafted and hand painted, with many limited editions. The assortment I'm bringing to Boston Sunday are on the more casual side, but I am hoping to create a Vintage Jewelry floor in The Red Velvet Shoe and offering this gorgeous jewelry, as it has become highly collected & coveted. If you are looking for a specific Banana Bob piece, please email me and I will gladly check my inventory for you.

(Here is a sample of some of the more glamorous Banana Bob line that I found online...I'm quite certain I have this set, or something very similar.)

Here is a collage of some of the purses I just packed up to bring along....I love the Etienne Aigner in the top left, it has such an equine look to it, and I won't be sad if it doesn't sell because, as you know, a girl can never have too many purses...The top right is a lovely paisley Margaret Smith / Gardiner Maine purse and the label, I believe, dates it to one of her earliest pieces from the 1940s.

You'll find that (and much, much more!) Sunday at The Top Shelf Flea Market in Somerville/Boston, MA ~~ doors open at high noon. See you there!

Getting Carried Away...

For this spring's Top Shelf Flea, Carmen and Ginger is planning to bring a selection of lovely little handbags for spring and summer!

Beautiful pink, elegant navy (lined in deep red leather!) and a funky laced up bag in a great shape!

Love how the top of this blue bag is wider than the base; like the fins on a '57 Chevy! And who can go wrong with a bright yellow 60's box bag?

Awesome oversized navy handbag is sure to get you noticed! And this red one? Not only does it have this killer color, great clasp and multiple interior compartments, the handle adjusts to a shoulder strap length as well, oh my!

Come to visit us and get first dibs on these bags (none have been offered on line as of yet) Sunday, May 22 at the Top Shelf Flea!

The Spring 2011 Top Shelf Flea Details!

Top Shelf Flea Market III

Sunday 22 May 2011

Noon till 6 p.m.

George Dilboy V.F.W. Post 529

371 Summer Street

Davis Square, Somerville, MA 02144

The roster for the upcoming third semi-annual Top Shelf Flea Market is now set. We've got a good crop of returning favorites, plus a nice handful of newcomers to welcome aboard. It is my distinct pleasure to announce them here.

Artifaktori Vintage

Amy and Amanda of the Artifaktori vintage shop were two of my earliest boosters in the original Top Shelf Flea. They were on hand the first time out, and are returning for a third time. A great source for the ladies among you to stock up on stunning vintage that you didn't even know you liked.

Newton Street Vintage

Our man Zach is also returning for a third round. Since the last Top Shelf in October. he has launched his online shop. Check it out for an example of what you might find at his booth. Friendly and sharp as a tack, he's a great source of sartorial knowledge, as well as a good place to look for the elusive un-darted, hooked vent jacket so many of us revere.

The Red Velvet Shoe

Michelle is as nice a lady as you're likely to meet, with an impeccable vintage style and a great eye for what you need. The best in ladies vintage, with plenty of household chochkies to boot.

Carmen and Ginger

I tend to think of Christine of Carmen and Ginger and Michelle as something of a tag team. Both hailing from the Providence area, I was pleasantly surprised when they contacted me first time out. Christine's got some funky stuff, but it's the coolest, and all top quality. Something for everyone at her booth for sure.

NimCo Vintage Housewares

Good friend Nimco was a Top Shelf original, though she took a pass last time out. We're glad to have her back. Rest assured, any of you would kill to have her decorate so much as a corner of your house. Vintage enamelled cast iron cookery and other kitchen goods are a specialty...she's got more that all of France and Sweden combined.

Swamp Rabbit Books

First editions? Signed copies? Out of print oddities you never thought you'd find? No sweat for our man James. Bookworms, bring your cash.

Gypsy

Ruth and her friends have a passion for fashion...on the cheap...and they just love to pop up at events such as these. Visit their booth for a wide array of ladies designer clothing at a fraction of a fraction of the cost.

A&J Outfitters

Alexi is a guy I know who used to work in the local bike shop. Jason runs the outdoorsy blog eggs & wool...and also holds court at the venerable Hilton's Tent City in Boston. Between the two of them, they've got a lot of bike stuff, and camping stuff, and cool stuff. Some of it old, some of it not, all of it worthy.

Fredricka

Muriel of Fredricka calls her collection "eclectic". I call it impressive. Beautiful things for your home from bygone eras. Her stuff is legitimately antique. "None of that new stuff from the 60s" as she says. Lamps and light fixtures, milk glass, kitchen wares, handmade toys....the list goes on and on.

Bobby from Boston

When Bobby opted in for the first Flea, I was aghast. When he came for round two, I was floored. When he wanted in as a regular...I patted myself on the back. Bobby is the stuff of legend in the world of vintage menswear. Visit his miniature museum, close your eyes, and buy whatever your hand falls on. You simply can't miss.

An Affordable Wardrobe

Of course, yours truly will be there. Remember, this whole Top Shelf Flea thing started as a cockamamie idea to sell my own crap. I'm humbled by your attendance in the past, and I look forward to seeing many of you again this time.

Top Shelf Flea Market III

Sunday 22 May 2011

Noon till 6 p.m.

George Dilboy V.F.W. Post 529

371 Summer Street

Davis Square, Somerville, MA 02144

It's Leathah Weathah

At least that's what they'll be saying up in Somerville next weekend at the Top Shelf Flea!  (Translation from the Boston Accent: "Leather Weather.")  If you love vintage leather jackets, Carmen and Ginger is going to have some beauties for you at the event!   Each has it's own special appeal, so come early, try on, and find exactly what you want before someone else does!  This is all fresh stock.  Doors open at 10:00 am...

A H(a)unting We Will Go...

Photo courtesy of Costume Craze

Last year at about this time, I blogged about my vintage seller angst with regard to the upcoming Halloween holiday. You see, Halloween is the one time of year when suddenly EVERYONE is willing to shop vintage. While it can be a "swallow your vintage snobbery pride moment" (i.e.: when someone thinks that vintage dress you thought was so beautiful is so "FUNNY! and the PERFECT costume!" Huh?) the fact that Halloween brings ALL people, not just the vintage junkies to vintage is a wonderful thing! First of all from a sales point of view, a sale is a sale. Who cares if someone thinks a dress is beautiful or funny? You can't control what people do with your items once they purchase them in either case. The person who thinks something is beautiful may end up trashing it while the person who thinks it's funny may actually have it cleaned after the holiday and carefully pass it along to someone else for a completely different purpose.

Sexy leopard items are always popular for costume or for clubbing! And leopard is so "in" again this season, baby!

This is why I realized having the Top Shelf Flea II a week before Halloween is PERFECT timing! First of all it's a transitional season. People are looking for not only warmer clothes, coats, etc. but also great formal items to wear to the flurry of holiday events taking place in November and December. Second, people are looking for fun, unusual items to wear for Halloween! What a great mixture of shoppers! Plus, likely some hard core vintage addicts will find some fun costume ideas, and, some strictly "here for a costume" types will get sucked in to the beauty of some vintage treasures. Win win

Mad Men Costume or Fashion statement? Patriotic 60's suit or crazy politician lady costume? These work equally well as both!

Last year I sold a fantastic hot pink 1960's cropped suit, just like the two above and was somewhat aghast when the buyer sent me a photo after Halloween of herself wearing it covered in blood! "Relax" she assured me, "the suit was perfect for my costume but the blood was temporary. In fact, I am wearing the skirt as I type this!" Whew, thank you for that. See, both costume AND fashion, who knew

Shiny metallic disco era costumes or Studio 64 couture revisited?

Keep in mind that the vintage sellers at the Top Shelf Flea will each have a variety of items for you again at this event! Whether you are looking for a formal affair, every day wear, costumed event or gift for that someone-special in your life we've got it! And, plenty of places to try on the goods for size! Bring your friends, bring your camera phone and get second opinions if needed! We all love to talk vintage shop and are happy to help you find exactly what you need.

Skinny ties for guys: Mad Men costume, or, back in style for Fall 2010!

If there is anything you are looking for specifically that you wish for me to bring for you to try on, drop me a note. If there is something in my shop you wish to see in person let me know that as well. As you can see, I have racks and racks of goods so will be choosing carefully which goodies to bring. I am happy to bring along anything special you need - for an event or costume, no worries! - so let me know!

Confessions of a Vintage Seller

I love anything old. Old photos, old books, old paper, old clothing, old coats, and, even for a while, older men (but - shh! - that's all changed since I married my young husband a few years ago!) I also confess I love to shop. Not at the mall, but, at places where most mall shoppers would never dare to go. Consignment shops, flea markets, yard sales, rummage sales and church sales are my favorite haunts. In fact, it was while shopping at a local consignment shop that I met my friend Michelle from The Red Velvet Shoe; a fellow old-stuff addicted vintage seller (rumor has it she has a thing for older guys too!).

For me, it runs in the family. Above, for example, is a photo of my dad, my aunt and my mom all diligently rummaging through items at a family-outing, um, I mean flea market last fall!

When I was laid-off from my full-time job in November of 2008, I turned to vintage selling to help pay the bills. I had sold off and on on eBay for years but had been away from it for a while. I opened an Etsy shop and was excited when I had a few "hearts" and my sales hit 10 in the first month! Now, my sales are 1780+ and climbing daily! I have over 2200 followers and a blog to support the shop as well. It has gone from a little idea to a BIG bear but I still enjoy it. Above you can get a glimpse into my storage area where I constantly try to keep things neat and organized.

Although on-line selling has its merits, and, I "talk" to people from all over the world on a weekly basis, I confess that nothing can replace the fun of selling to customers directly. This is why I LOVE to participate in the Top Shelf Flea! It is so much fun to enable customers to stop by and look at the items first-hand. They can try on jewelry, hats, dresses and anything else that strikes them! They can model for friends and family and make considered decisions about gifts for others. I get to meet them in person and help them to find exactly the vintage piece they are looking for. Everyone has fun and everyone leaves happy. What's better than that?


I will post some more detailed photos as we get closer-to the date of this year's show (October 24, pass it along!) but for now will leave you with this enticing photo of some vintage coats. Last May, of course, it was unseasonably warm and coats were certainly not on anyone's mind. This fall, however, I will have a plethora of real and faux-fur coats, capes, leather jackets, boucle beauties and many, many more! So save your pennies, bookmark this page, mark your calendars and tell your friends - the second Top Shelf Flea is coming!