Christmas 2014 Wish List

It's that time of year when some very serious shopping is going to go down.  To help take the guesswork out of gifting I have compiled a list of my current favorite things.  Just direct the man in your life to this post and you will not be disappointed come Christmas morning.  

The limited edition Lips and Boys mini clutch size lipstick collection by Tom Ford.  It has 50 shades all named after men in Mr. Ford's life that he loves and admires.  It is only available online from November 28- December 1st and then again on December 26th.  I mean, Tom Ford, just oooooozes sex appeal and who wouldn't feel like a sex kitten when someone asks "What's that lipstick you're wearing?"......"Oh this?  Tomas."  RRRRrrrrr.

Tom Ford 

Ali Ro Lined Anorak.  I have this in black and it is my everyday go-to from November to March.  It has a light fleece lining so it's great for chilly and rainy days. I would take it in navy, stone, cobalt, and any other color they decided to produce. Four years running and it's still a WINNER.

Amazon

Macrame Wall Hanging just for a little boho and color pop.  

SlowDownProductions

Prada Vela Crossbody bag.  My husband surprised me with this in black for our anniversary.  I had one in lavender and I.WORE.IT.OUT.  I have used no other bag since I received it in September.  I may run around town looking like a worn out hag in my work out gear but, please!  Don't mess with me- I'm wearing Prada (somewhere).

Saks Fifth Avenue

Egyptian motif charm bracelet.  The colors are great and the style is so classic.  Charm bracelets give that "well traveled" vibe and who doesn't like to hear the light jingle of jewelry?  Chairish just introduced their jewelry category a few weeks ago and it is a great resource for vintage pieces. 

Chairish 

Pretty Glasses are always appreciated.  They elevate your cocktails and make you feel tres fancy.  

The Hour has an amazing collection of cocktail glasses and serving pieces. Lots of unique shapes and sizes that are no longer produced, many with 22k gold and sterling silver elements.

The Hour Shop

And most importantly, all of these items are just a click away.  No traffic, no parking, no lines.  

Till Next Time,

Tricia

The Life of a Dress

One of the greatest things about the vintage business is having the opportunity to give a piece of clothing a new life.  For someone to clean, store and lovingly keep a garment for 40 plus years, through all of life's changes in age, size, and style it must have been a piece that was so near and dear to someone's heart that they just could not bear to get rid of it.  A garment that evoked memories of a wonderful past just with a glance of fabric.

When I think about the pieces in my closet that I would not dare part with, they all have a special place in my life.  The silk cardigan I wore when I got engaged in Bryant Park, my gold leather mini skirt (YES!!!) from the first clothing line that I ever represented, my first piece of costume jewelry- a Coro amethyst rhinestone necklace that was gifted to me almost 20 years ago.  They all bring back such great memories. 

I still kick myself for giving away the dress that I wore the day I picked out my wedding China.  It said so much about ME that is still true today.  The dress was a Trina Turk watercolor floral dress dripping with color and trimmed in black.  I have carefully considered asking the person that I gave it to four years ago if she still has it, but I don't want to come off as completely crazy.  Instead I occasionally search Ebay to see if I can get my hands on one just for the fabric.  Because, you know....one day my daughter will really care to see the "fabric frame-of-mind" I was in when I picked out my Herend Oriental Bouquet in emerald green.   Now I am letting you in on just how obsessively neurotic I truly am.

Anyway, the gist of this post is really about the life of a garment.   We are particularly drawn to party pieces.  I just love to imagine the event that this magnificent 50 year old beaded cocktail dress was worn to, how the lady wore her hair, did she opt for gloves, did that little tear in the hem come from hours of dancing?    I could dream up an entire Hollywood scenario a la Copacabana proportions.  

It is really, really hard for us to let some things go.  Some pieces have such rich fabric and intricate bead work that just simply IS NOT MADE today.  We may have a piece for an extended time frame and I absolutely refuse to reduce the price.  I pull my hair and kick and scream that "NO! NO! NO!  It is too good to put on sale!"   And we hold on to "her" and then one day, she finds a new home and perhaps a new life.

We picked up this 60's beaded gown almost two years ago on one of our first buying trips to Florida.  It had a nice heavy weight to the satin and the combination of bead work and sequins over lame was just something you don't see anymore.  Everyone loved it at all of our shopping parties but it was teeny tiny and didn't work size wise for most.

A few weeks ago, "she" finally found a new home with The Cat's Meow in Midland, Texas.  Many may be more well acquainted with the store's owner- Mr. Steven Porterfield who is often seen on Antiques Roadshow as an appraiser.  Mr. Porterfield has a 4000 square foot store selling vintage clothing, jewelry and textiles to collectors, museums, fashion and film industries.  

*Photos courtesy of Antique Elegance. 

We hope that through him, our little dress will have the chance to live again and maybe even take one more twirl on the dance floor.

Till Next Time,

Tricia

To Ombre or not to Ombre?

Ombre.  A word that if you were not familiar with a couple of years ago you are more than acquainted with now.  You are besties.

A couple of weekends ago, my dear husband helped me mark one off my bucket list and took me to the world famous Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.  I took well over 400 pictures and will probably make you nauseous from all of the impending posts that are sure to follow.  Hold tight- they ARE on the way.

I took a decorating class conducted by none other than Carleton Varney, himself- master of color, decorator extraordinaire.  They had just installed new ombre drapes in the Cameo ballroom a few days prior and they were FAB.  I have cruised the web and don't think there are any photos of them out there just yet.  

Here is what they looked like before...

*Photo courtesy of Carleton Varney

It was amazing to walk the halls of such a historical place with the man who has personally decorated it for over 50 years.  Truly, a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

I have been itching to add a little ombre to my life.  Not in the extreme hair dying sort of way.  Been there, done that.  But more in the painting sort of way.  I have been in love with Designers Guild's Saraille Wallpaper in Acacia since last year. 

 I LURV it but those panels are for sure not in my budget.  

My doorways are in no way so grand but I secretly think (and hope and pray) the color will transform my living room.  Just trying to get the guts up to attempt the paint job myself.  I am expecting full disaster since I am not much of a DIY-er or painter for that matter.  

What do you think?  To ombre or not to ombre?  That is the current question.

Till Next Time,

Tricia

Why I Hate Mona

We have never exactly given proper introduction to our most loyal and least recognized employee, Mona.  Most would consider her to be a model employee.  Quiet, stoic, clean, and cheap.  Mona and I, however, do not see eye to eye.  Mostly because she has no head.  

 Mona is our mannequin.  She has been with us from the start.  And she is a massive thorn in my side.  Dressing and undressing her is a work out beyond anything that Tracy Anderson could throw at you.  She is 35 pounds of dead weight and the bane of my existence.

While we have been busily adding our home decor and furniture categories , Mona has been complacently napping in my hall closet.  We have not curtailed our clothing purchases.  We just really don't want to deal with HER.  Today I awakened Mona from her slumber and was quickly reminded why I had left her in the closet for so long.

ALL THE REASONS I HATE MONA:

1.  She has a 24 inch waist

2. She wears a 32D bra (yes, I measured)

3.  She has magnetic arms that must be pulled off with a great deal of force, making me feel like a wife beater wearing mannequin abuser.  And those damn magnets pinch my hand every time!

4.  She has man paws and by that I mean REALLY abnormally huge hands.  Quite often they don't even fit through the sleeves.

5.  She has a fairly nice bootie for someone who never works out.

6.  She is all in one piece so with every wardrobe change she must be picked up and wrestled with like a drunk college girl.  Here she is on my sofa like she hit every kegger on Frat Row.

Mona, Mona, Mona.  How I despise you.  I did get pics of a few new spring items today.  

Tanner of Carolina Maxi Dress

Alfred Shaheen Tunic and Pant Set

60s Palazzo Pant

I will get these pieces and more listed on the site later this week.  Assuming Mona will be a team player.

Till Next Time,

Tricia

The Eclectic Grand Opening

Just in case you have somehow missed all of our Facebook pics and Instagrams I thought I would get in your face just one more time via Blogger and let you know that we are brick and mortar, baby!  Well, more like brick and linoleum.  At any rate, RV recently decided to open a booth at the newly reopened and revitalized The Eclectic Etc. on Castle Street in downtown Wilmington.

Our storage was a little...ahem....cramped, to say the least.  And as much fun as it is to stalk all of our loyal customers by dropping off their web purchases via car pool and play dates, we also thought this would give our locals a chance to browse some of the merchandise at their convenience.  The booth is far from being done to our satisfaction (hello, temporary graphic and FAB wallpaper!) but we are open for business.

Currently we have a large selection of our jewelry, housewares and some truly cool furniture pieces at really sick prices.  No room for the rags but if there is clothing you see on the site we will be happy to drop the pieces off in the booth for you to check it out in person.  

Saturday, March 30th the store is having their Grand Opening party.  We will be there with bells on for wine, jazz, and chatter.  Stop by and see us!

Here are a few of my top picks from other vendors at the store:

Really ridiculous bar stools in blue vinyl and silver chrome

An amazing assortment of Tiki glasses for your summer party 

Cool retro lights for extra 60s ambiance

  

Metallic marbelized lamp

Great dresser with gold hardware

And AN incredible yellow velvet chair.  Sadly there is only one.  There had been a pair but someone decided to break my heart earlier this week and purchase but one of the two.  WHY!?!  WHY!?!  WHY!?!   If you are the offender don't dare fess up to me.  I may rip your arms off and beat you with them.  Then go to your home and steal your new yellow chair while you are having your appendages surgically reattached.  

No, I'm not bitter at all.

Till Next Time, 

Tricia

The Danger of This Business

....you want EVERYTHING for yourself.  Sometimes I see things and know that they are good, but it doesn't quite hit me how good until I get them home.  

I don't buy anything without picturing how someone will wear it or in the case of decor,  where it will fit into someone's house.  I guess subconsciously I really picture how everything will fit into my home.  I want these for my home VERY badly.

RV Bird Ginger Jars

 Just look at them in my liquor cabinet!

 (No comments on how empty my liquor bottles are.  Hey, it is the end of the weekend!)

The colors are perfect if not in my cabinet then somewhere else in the house.  And I am SO not a ginger jar kind of girl.   The only problem is that I may have to off Jennings over a couple of stupid ceramic jars.  I know that she secretly wants them too!

Till Next Time,

Tricia

Broyhill Brasilia

Recently we had the chance to acquire a phenomenal bedroom suit.   Jennings and I both loved the clean lines and unique design that this set offered.  Jennings immediately wanted the double dresser to use in her house.  I was fanatical about the door chest for my son's room.  It made me sweat.

True to form we bought first and thought later.  Promptly after paying we asked, "So how are we gonna move this stuff?".  We quickly realized that a pregnant Jennings, plus skeptical Tricia, and back of a Land Cruiser did not equal a moving team.  We were forced to call for reinforcements.  Enter Sam, JD, and an unanticipated extra long lunch break for the boys.

After researching the set we are even more excited about our find!  The set was manufactured by Broyhill in the early 60s and is super collectible.  The Brasilia line premiered at the 1962 Seattle World fair and was based on the architecture of the newly developed city of Brasilia, Brazil.  The clean lines and simplicity epitomize mid century modern style.

Here is the door chest that I am OBsessed with.  It has two large bottom drawers, four small drawers in the upper chest and three shelves.  I have a similar one in my daughter's room and just adore the small drawers.  They are perfect for children's, socks, undies, and smaller seasonal things like swimsuits or hats and gloves.

This one sold previously on V&M.

 Here is our chest.  Same one!  

And just LOOK at my drawers.....

Jennings' Pick

The wood is so beautiful on this set that I just don't think I could bring myself to paint it.  Or could I?  The folks at Danish Modern LA  lacquered this version of Jennings' dresser and sold it promptly.

A reader over at Casa Sugar did this version in the reverse.

 .

I don't know...I am usually game to slap a coat of enamel paint on anything but I think these beauties are best left as is.  I mean that walnut is GORG.  And the dovetailing....the brass hardware.  Don't get me started!

During our research we have been in contact with the amazing folks over at Brasilia Connection.  They have been buying and selling Brasilia pieces exclusively for years and were kind enough to provide us with the linesheet for the original Brasilia division.  There is a room divider that is just SICK.

For the full Brasilia brochure click HERE.  

Our set includes the double dresser, nightstand, queen/full headboard and my coveted tall chest.

  

For additional pics  and dimensions visit Rogue Vintage.  

Since we are in the business of selling (as our husbands so kindly like to remind us), we have priced the set to sell.  Of course, there is a limited time frame for availability.  The more it sits in storage the more we want it for ourselves.  Move quickly on this one before we start re-decorating.  We would be more than happy to keep it!

Till Next Time, 

Tricia