Queen Victoria lost the love of her life, her consort Albert, and so great was this woman's influence that she took her whole country into mourning with her. Black reigned supreme in the well dressed Englishwoman's wardrobe for more seasons than would seem possible. Unless you were a young, unmarried female, your formal day and evening wear was all in classic black. Granted, if middle, upper or titled, the material range, velvet, organdy, satin, heavy to gossamer silk, fine wools, serges, crepe, garbedine, gave you some options but not many.
Even jewelry was influenced by the mourning of their queen. Locks of hair would be cut from the dearly departed and woven or braided into intricate designs. These fantastical creations were made to fit into glass framed lockets, pendants or brooches. Jet , a fossilized coal, was used to make shiny black stones and beads. These were made into jewelry and used to accent clothing or accessories.
Some women even took daily doses of arsenic to give them pale, translucent skin so conducive to a melancholy air. In other words, the whole style became so popular that you not only dressed as if in perpetual mourning, you also wanted to physically look the part.
To some the Victorian era of style is one better forgotten. Furniture
incorporated design details from several centuries the result was mostly overlyornate pieces with no style of their own. To top it off, it they weren't even comfortable to sit on. Decor tended to be in umber shades with dark, dark jewel tones. Too many, too much of, too fussy, and too totally overdone were the catch phrases for
interior design. Fashion was elaborate both in style and in the number of things one ended up wearing to be properly dressed. The saving grace was that, as noted above, almost everything was in black. Which backs up my belief that if you have quality wardrobe basics in black, you can get thru anything, even a fashion era as bad
as the Victorian one.
There are three results of that era I really like. Number 1, they made something for everything. For every single thing you might use or eat, they had a dish, serving utensil, box, holder, and so forth. These "things" were often quality made, with fine attention to detail. Seen standing alone, relieved of the Victorian clutter, they are often beautiful. The Victorians made fantastic smalls and I love smalls -
you got to give credit where credit is due. Number 2, they loved gadgets, simple things compared to today, but you could consider them the first techies. If it was mechanicized, they wanted one. Even though it took longer and was more difficult than doing it manually!
Number 3, they were the founders of goth fashion. I am not a goth myself, but like the style. Using the basic colors and theme of constantly acknowledging death introduced by the Victorians, it has evolved a much more attractive look. Like the Victorians, it incorporates other eras. Unlike them, it has restraint. And I hate to keep beating the same drum, but I'm back on the black basics of quality theme. Think about it. Those who go thru a Goth phase and do it well will have a lot more wardrobe items that will turn out to incorporate well into any new look. I mean, how much of that hip hop, rockabilly, emo, grunge, surfer, hippy, leather studded stuff hanging in your closet is going to look good at the office?
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Junk Stores, Thrift Shops, Garage-Estate Sales, Flea Markets - Shopping Tip No. 1
Now if you've got any smarts at all, you know that many of the items sold in antique stores, vintage boutiques, and even at well known auction houses, were found at one of the shopping venues in the title. Granted, this may not hold true for the higher end auction houses as their items often come from private collections or high end dealers. But, many of those items, if traced, would be found to have similar backgrounds. Hand sewn quilts, embroidered samplers, hand carved dough bowls, were all items that could be bought cheaply at flea markets and yard sales 50 years ago. Many collectors became enthralled with and started purchasing items long before popular interest made them valuable.
Dealers who have brick and mortar stores usually don't have the time to do their own "junk shopping" so they often buy from "pickers". Pickers are people who will shop any venue with low prices, looking for anything that looks old or unusual. They then bring car, van or truck loads of items around to people who buy those types of things. Pickers do not always have detailed knowledge concerning age, marks, material, etc., nor do they spend time trying to attain that knowledge. Acting as the "middle man" for many dealers, they buy cheap and turn their inventory quickly. The good ones with "an eye" do very well.
Then there are those of us who are as addicted to the "find" as we are to the item itself. We just love to junk shop and the treasures we locate have extra value to us personally. It's not just the fact that we picked up a gorgeous piece of Italian art glass worth $325 in today's market for $2 at a yard sale. Though it can't be equated into dollars, the "find" itself gives us a thrill that more than doubles the profit albeit not literally. Going beyond the resale value, we also delight in finding useful and decorative items for our own personal use at a fraction of the going retail price in which ever market it would normally be found in.
So - whether you are already hooked into junk shopping, are just beginning to explore the joys of it or are thinking about trying it, here are some suggestions from one who has been going at it for 40 years.
Prepare and keep in your car the following. Find yourself a tote bag with lots of pockets, preferably something made of soft, padded or quilted material. In your bag, keep a magnifying glass or jewelers loupe, some small screwdrivers, some packs of cheap wet wipes, a pair of garden gloves, a notebook with a pen, small bottles of glass cleaner, wood soap, and a gentle detergent mixed with water, and last but not least, a small purse with a long strap you can wear diagonally across your shoulders. The purse needs to be big enough to hold money and a magnifying glass. Depending on how often you shop, the small bottles of cleaner may need to be emptied and refilled occasionally.
Now find two boxes, one from a liquor store with cardboard dividers where the bottles were and one just a regular box. In the undivided box put some used bubble wrap, unprinted newspaper or butcher type paper, or those small plastic bags of air. Roll up some discarded t-shirts, towels, etc. and put them in the slots of the liquor box.
With the above items stashed in your vehicle, you are ready to stop at a moments notice at any type of sale that looks like interesting. The magnifying glass will help you look at marks, check for chips and flea bites, get an idea of what type of printing process was used, if there are real brush strokes, if signatures are real or imprinted, check glazes, etc.
Small screw drivers will let you check to see if loose parts can be tightened, if they have a different color underneath the screw head, etc.
Wet wipes are for your hands if not wearing gloves. Also, if shopping a large spread out area, the individully wrapped ones will fit in your small shopping purse and are great for spot checking items when carrying around your bottles of cleaners would be a hassle.
Garden gloves for digging through boxes that might have broken glass, sharp edges, nails, etc. Getting a cut or puncture, even a tiny one, around a bunch of dirty stuff isn't a great idea!
Notebook and pen for the obvious - phone numbers and names of people who might have more items you want to see, who have information on items you're interested in, who sell in different places, who have info on different places to sell. What I find really handy is making notes on things I've bought, makers' marks, color, patent numbers, company names, old addresses, etc., especially when I'm having a good day and finding numerous treasures. When I get home, some quick research can be done without unpacking everything. A big glass of ice tea, take my shoes off, turn on the laptop, put my feet up and see if I can add even more zest to the thrill of the hunt!
The cleaners help to check whether those stains and discolorations are just dirt, mold or permanent, clean framed glass to get a good look at what's underneath, see if a mirror or piece of glass is permantly clouded or just way dirty, same with wood items and leather - warning! just do small spots to check and do further thorough cleaning at home carefully and with the proper products.
The small purse is an easy and safe way to carry your money, magnifier and wipes while keeping both hands free. On those occasions that a really good find is spotted, purses can be set aside and ignored while you hold and check out your prize. Large shoulder bags can make slipping thru narrow aisles or bending over to dig under tables difficult. I found one of those small rectangular shaped used Coach bags at one of my stores. It has a long strap, the front flap has a turn closure and underneath is a front pocket perfect for my iphone and enough room in the purse itself for a small magnifier, a zip change purse and an extra pair of reading glasses (one of those pairs that come in a small tube).
The boxes are pretty self explanatory. I love the liquor boxes for small items. They can be safely stored in separate sections. On a big shopping trip or extremely lucky one, more than one item can be placed in each section using a small piece of cardboard or some wadded up paper between items. Try to avoid using printed newspaper as it will discolor or stain some items. If you buy something wrapped in printed newspaper, discard and rewrap as soon as possible.
If you are shopping or on the look out for large items such as furniture, lamps, wall hangings, etc., then keep some old blankets and some larger screw drivers handy. If you buy mirrors or items framed with glass, do not lay them flat, place them on their sides with material or cardboard between them and place them so they can not fall over once the vehicle is moving. Transporting flat sheets of glass, even just one mirror for example, laying flat is asking for cracks or breakage.
Additional info - The soft tote mentioned above - mine is a used, of course, Vera Bradley with 6 pockets stitched to the interior sides. I keep one or two empty at all times for things like jewelry and super small smalls. When looking for liquor boxes, check out the larger stores as they will have a surprising variety of sectioned boxes. Good quality pints have some sturdy small rectangle sections, better quality brands have thicker dividers, sections can be 3x3 inches to 6x6.
Remember - this is what works for me. There are probably a wealth of other suggestions out there. Keep an eye out to see what other shoppers are carrying or using. If you find yourself thinking "I wish I had a - fill in the blank" more than 3 times, then figure out a way to carry one or improvise one. Happy hunting!
Dealers who have brick and mortar stores usually don't have the time to do their own "junk shopping" so they often buy from "pickers". Pickers are people who will shop any venue with low prices, looking for anything that looks old or unusual. They then bring car, van or truck loads of items around to people who buy those types of things. Pickers do not always have detailed knowledge concerning age, marks, material, etc., nor do they spend time trying to attain that knowledge. Acting as the "middle man" for many dealers, they buy cheap and turn their inventory quickly. The good ones with "an eye" do very well.
Then there are those of us who are as addicted to the "find" as we are to the item itself. We just love to junk shop and the treasures we locate have extra value to us personally. It's not just the fact that we picked up a gorgeous piece of Italian art glass worth $325 in today's market for $2 at a yard sale. Though it can't be equated into dollars, the "find" itself gives us a thrill that more than doubles the profit albeit not literally. Going beyond the resale value, we also delight in finding useful and decorative items for our own personal use at a fraction of the going retail price in which ever market it would normally be found in.
So - whether you are already hooked into junk shopping, are just beginning to explore the joys of it or are thinking about trying it, here are some suggestions from one who has been going at it for 40 years.
Prepare and keep in your car the following. Find yourself a tote bag with lots of pockets, preferably something made of soft, padded or quilted material. In your bag, keep a magnifying glass or jewelers loupe, some small screwdrivers, some packs of cheap wet wipes, a pair of garden gloves, a notebook with a pen, small bottles of glass cleaner, wood soap, and a gentle detergent mixed with water, and last but not least, a small purse with a long strap you can wear diagonally across your shoulders. The purse needs to be big enough to hold money and a magnifying glass. Depending on how often you shop, the small bottles of cleaner may need to be emptied and refilled occasionally.
Now find two boxes, one from a liquor store with cardboard dividers where the bottles were and one just a regular box. In the undivided box put some used bubble wrap, unprinted newspaper or butcher type paper, or those small plastic bags of air. Roll up some discarded t-shirts, towels, etc. and put them in the slots of the liquor box.
With the above items stashed in your vehicle, you are ready to stop at a moments notice at any type of sale that looks like interesting. The magnifying glass will help you look at marks, check for chips and flea bites, get an idea of what type of printing process was used, if there are real brush strokes, if signatures are real or imprinted, check glazes, etc.
Small screw drivers will let you check to see if loose parts can be tightened, if they have a different color underneath the screw head, etc.
Wet wipes are for your hands if not wearing gloves. Also, if shopping a large spread out area, the individully wrapped ones will fit in your small shopping purse and are great for spot checking items when carrying around your bottles of cleaners would be a hassle.
Garden gloves for digging through boxes that might have broken glass, sharp edges, nails, etc. Getting a cut or puncture, even a tiny one, around a bunch of dirty stuff isn't a great idea!
Notebook and pen for the obvious - phone numbers and names of people who might have more items you want to see, who have information on items you're interested in, who sell in different places, who have info on different places to sell. What I find really handy is making notes on things I've bought, makers' marks, color, patent numbers, company names, old addresses, etc., especially when I'm having a good day and finding numerous treasures. When I get home, some quick research can be done without unpacking everything. A big glass of ice tea, take my shoes off, turn on the laptop, put my feet up and see if I can add even more zest to the thrill of the hunt!
The cleaners help to check whether those stains and discolorations are just dirt, mold or permanent, clean framed glass to get a good look at what's underneath, see if a mirror or piece of glass is permantly clouded or just way dirty, same with wood items and leather - warning! just do small spots to check and do further thorough cleaning at home carefully and with the proper products.
The small purse is an easy and safe way to carry your money, magnifier and wipes while keeping both hands free. On those occasions that a really good find is spotted, purses can be set aside and ignored while you hold and check out your prize. Large shoulder bags can make slipping thru narrow aisles or bending over to dig under tables difficult. I found one of those small rectangular shaped used Coach bags at one of my stores. It has a long strap, the front flap has a turn closure and underneath is a front pocket perfect for my iphone and enough room in the purse itself for a small magnifier, a zip change purse and an extra pair of reading glasses (one of those pairs that come in a small tube).
The boxes are pretty self explanatory. I love the liquor boxes for small items. They can be safely stored in separate sections. On a big shopping trip or extremely lucky one, more than one item can be placed in each section using a small piece of cardboard or some wadded up paper between items. Try to avoid using printed newspaper as it will discolor or stain some items. If you buy something wrapped in printed newspaper, discard and rewrap as soon as possible.
If you are shopping or on the look out for large items such as furniture, lamps, wall hangings, etc., then keep some old blankets and some larger screw drivers handy. If you buy mirrors or items framed with glass, do not lay them flat, place them on their sides with material or cardboard between them and place them so they can not fall over once the vehicle is moving. Transporting flat sheets of glass, even just one mirror for example, laying flat is asking for cracks or breakage.
Additional info - The soft tote mentioned above - mine is a used, of course, Vera Bradley with 6 pockets stitched to the interior sides. I keep one or two empty at all times for things like jewelry and super small smalls. When looking for liquor boxes, check out the larger stores as they will have a surprising variety of sectioned boxes. Good quality pints have some sturdy small rectangle sections, better quality brands have thicker dividers, sections can be 3x3 inches to 6x6.
Remember - this is what works for me. There are probably a wealth of other suggestions out there. Keep an eye out to see what other shoppers are carrying or using. If you find yourself thinking "I wish I had a - fill in the blank" more than 3 times, then figure out a way to carry one or improvise one. Happy hunting!
Friday, August 1, 2008
Bras, Girdles, Feminism, and Science Fiction
I never burned my bra, I just quit wearing it. I had left home and found an apartment in Ghent, an old Norfolk, Va. neighborhood. At the time, late 60's early 70's, rent was cheap for turn of the century apartments and older homes converted into apartments. The hippys, the art community, the musicians, the ODU students, and young sailors from all over trying not to stand out with their military haircuts, they all converged on the area to rent apartments, studio space, and businesses. Small bars with live music were packed every night and little corner deli's were wall to wall on Sunday mornings.
Because I jumped into this new life feet first and ready to be free, man made plus natural substances were a part of the new me. Consequently my memories of my first year or two tend to be in vivid vignettes with hazy surroundings. One of the first is of an intense conversation on how women had been totally enslaved by the clothes they were expected to wear. The fact that a man had designed the most popular bra of our mother's era, still heavily influencing the bra designs of ours, was made much of. Now to be honest, I do remember that the conversation involved more aspects of female clothing. It covered the skirt and dress versus the pants topics and it covered the sexual topics of why we ended up being the ones that had to dress to attract when in most species it was the male who had the most sprucing. It spanned politics, social outlook and even touched on economy and skirt lengths.
Having immediately soaked up the ideals of the time, no more hypocrocy, no more ozzie and harriet facades, we are who we are and we're honest about it, I knew after that conversation that I wasn't a feminist and could never claim to be one. I loved clothes and loved the new freedom to wear any type I liked. Long skirts with halters made out of vintage silk scarfs, men's dress vests with blue jeans, big clunky platform shoes with bell bottoms, floaty jackets made of old lace curtains, vintage joan crawford jackets with wide shoulders and cinched waists with elephant leg crepe pants, there was no way I was going to stop endulging my affair with clothes.
The undergarment part of the conversation is what changed my life. My mother and her sister took me on a womanly rites shopping trip when I was fifteen. They bought me several long leg girdles with hidden garter attachments and some cross your heart type bras. I can honestly say that I did not need a girdle at 15. There were also some nicer softer bras but they were all in satin type materials with lace and as a "single good girl", I got white cotton and heavy stitching. My mother was old enough to be my grandmother, she was Portuguese, and she was raised in an old country enclave in New England. A good girl hid any signs she had curves and what body parts she couldn't hide were put in immovable containers.
The girdle and the bra were never worn again. Vintage full slips and camisols took the place of the bra when needed and a lacy garter belt was found to hold up my hose when I wore them. That freedome alone was enough to make me a diehard hippy. But due to the very things I replaced my old signs of female bondage with, I knew in my heart that by the true tenets of feminism in that time, I wasn't one.
About two years into my new life I met two older gentleman who owned a used book and antique shop in the neighborhood. There was a front section of used paperbacks, a back section of 1st editions and rare books and a side room large enough for a few pieces of furniture and a good smattering of decorative arts objects. After several months of shopping for books and checking out the antique shop, they engaged me in a conversation. They weren't known for their friendliness to females, in fact it was a bit of neighborhood lore, so when they spoke to me it was a happening. They wanted to know who I was buying the science fiction books for and when I said they were for me they gently quizzed me to see if I had really read them. I then asked them why they would think I wasn't reading them. They said they had noted that sci-fi was finally reaching a broader reader base but the majority was male and very few females, under 5 percent in their store anyway, were reading it.
Then, the real moment came, one of those vignette memories again. One asked me if I had burned my bra and was I fighting for female equality and freedom. The whole conversation was starting to get my hackles up and I snapped back since I was already equal and free I didn't see the need to fight but did see the need for some changes in the laws, some enforcement of same and some education of those who didn't consider me so. It was the right thing to say. They had a good laugh and I had to join them. Then one told me that believing you were equal and a free person, and living your life as such no matter how others acted, was the true battle, and the true sign that you weren't enslaved or unequal.
After that we became friends or perhaps it would be more truthful to say they became two of my mentors. Another quirk in my life where a conversation about sci-fi and bras led me to meeting two people of my parents generation who gave me hope that: a. Getting older didn't mean you'ld be stuck in a rut of doing things according to the neighbors' opinions. b. Just because I wasn't screaming for equality and freedom didn't mean I wasn't getting it. The way I lived my life could and would have a ripple effect, so I was part of the battle even if I hadn't signed up.
By the way, I still don't wear a bra, still read some sci-fi and still consider myself extremely free and very equal.
Because I jumped into this new life feet first and ready to be free, man made plus natural substances were a part of the new me. Consequently my memories of my first year or two tend to be in vivid vignettes with hazy surroundings. One of the first is of an intense conversation on how women had been totally enslaved by the clothes they were expected to wear. The fact that a man had designed the most popular bra of our mother's era, still heavily influencing the bra designs of ours, was made much of. Now to be honest, I do remember that the conversation involved more aspects of female clothing. It covered the skirt and dress versus the pants topics and it covered the sexual topics of why we ended up being the ones that had to dress to attract when in most species it was the male who had the most sprucing. It spanned politics, social outlook and even touched on economy and skirt lengths.
Having immediately soaked up the ideals of the time, no more hypocrocy, no more ozzie and harriet facades, we are who we are and we're honest about it, I knew after that conversation that I wasn't a feminist and could never claim to be one. I loved clothes and loved the new freedom to wear any type I liked. Long skirts with halters made out of vintage silk scarfs, men's dress vests with blue jeans, big clunky platform shoes with bell bottoms, floaty jackets made of old lace curtains, vintage joan crawford jackets with wide shoulders and cinched waists with elephant leg crepe pants, there was no way I was going to stop endulging my affair with clothes.
The undergarment part of the conversation is what changed my life. My mother and her sister took me on a womanly rites shopping trip when I was fifteen. They bought me several long leg girdles with hidden garter attachments and some cross your heart type bras. I can honestly say that I did not need a girdle at 15. There were also some nicer softer bras but they were all in satin type materials with lace and as a "single good girl", I got white cotton and heavy stitching. My mother was old enough to be my grandmother, she was Portuguese, and she was raised in an old country enclave in New England. A good girl hid any signs she had curves and what body parts she couldn't hide were put in immovable containers.
The girdle and the bra were never worn again. Vintage full slips and camisols took the place of the bra when needed and a lacy garter belt was found to hold up my hose when I wore them. That freedome alone was enough to make me a diehard hippy. But due to the very things I replaced my old signs of female bondage with, I knew in my heart that by the true tenets of feminism in that time, I wasn't one.
About two years into my new life I met two older gentleman who owned a used book and antique shop in the neighborhood. There was a front section of used paperbacks, a back section of 1st editions and rare books and a side room large enough for a few pieces of furniture and a good smattering of decorative arts objects. After several months of shopping for books and checking out the antique shop, they engaged me in a conversation. They weren't known for their friendliness to females, in fact it was a bit of neighborhood lore, so when they spoke to me it was a happening. They wanted to know who I was buying the science fiction books for and when I said they were for me they gently quizzed me to see if I had really read them. I then asked them why they would think I wasn't reading them. They said they had noted that sci-fi was finally reaching a broader reader base but the majority was male and very few females, under 5 percent in their store anyway, were reading it.
Then, the real moment came, one of those vignette memories again. One asked me if I had burned my bra and was I fighting for female equality and freedom. The whole conversation was starting to get my hackles up and I snapped back since I was already equal and free I didn't see the need to fight but did see the need for some changes in the laws, some enforcement of same and some education of those who didn't consider me so. It was the right thing to say. They had a good laugh and I had to join them. Then one told me that believing you were equal and a free person, and living your life as such no matter how others acted, was the true battle, and the true sign that you weren't enslaved or unequal.
After that we became friends or perhaps it would be more truthful to say they became two of my mentors. Another quirk in my life where a conversation about sci-fi and bras led me to meeting two people of my parents generation who gave me hope that: a. Getting older didn't mean you'ld be stuck in a rut of doing things according to the neighbors' opinions. b. Just because I wasn't screaming for equality and freedom didn't mean I wasn't getting it. The way I lived my life could and would have a ripple effect, so I was part of the battle even if I hadn't signed up.
By the way, I still don't wear a bra, still read some sci-fi and still consider myself extremely free and very equal.
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