Friday Eye Candy at Vintage Reflections!

Doing some online shopping over the weekend? Browsing to get ideas for an upcoming special event, such as a party, prom, or wedding? Or, possibly planning your wardrobe for Viva Las Vegas (April 5 - 8)? We at Vintage Reflections are sure to have something that will catch your eye but won't break your bank! Take a look at some of our favorite and/or newest listings, and check out our shops for more great vintage fashions and accessories!

Alley Cats Vintage has a new, super-duper store at "supadupa," with these fine offerings:

Vintage 1940s 40s Suit Tan Tweed Nipped Waist by Glenhunt B38 W26




Vintage Hat Wide Brim Novelty Straw Braid Picture Hat with Zinnias




Vintage Dress 1980s 80s Yellow Floral Silk Shift Style by Casi for Samuel Spigel B40 W41




Catseye Vintage has some great sale items for your perusal:

Vintage 20s Kimono Robe Dressing Gown Jacket Coat 1920s Red Silk Art Deco Floral Chrysanthemum Fan Size OSFA - ON SALE




Vintage 40s Sweater and Skirt Set Suit 1940s Boucle Knit Black & White Size xxs - ON SALE




Vintage 50s Angora Sweater 1950s VLV 3d Intarsia Knit with Collar Cocoa Brown and Ecru Size m to l - ON SALE




And My Vintage Cocktail has these VLV-worthy listings on Etsy:

ON SALE VLV Vintage 60s Bombshell Hourglass Wiggle Sheath Cocktail Dress, Sm, XS




ON SALE Vintage Black Satin Evening Hand Bag, Greta Originals, with Accessories, VLV




On Sale Vintage 60s Bombshell Pinup Swimsuit Bathing Suit, VLV, Hot Pink, Sz Sm XS, 36

Vintage Shoes & Bags for Everyday Wear!

Lots of folks think "special occasion" when they think about wearing vintage--party dresses and beaded bags or clutches to go with them, opera coats, Kentucky Derby hats, vintage wedding gowns, Springolators for Viva Las Vegas, and so on. But working vintage into your everyday wardrobe is a breeze with bags and shoes. I literally never go out of the house without a vintage shoulder bag--they're all I carry for day use, especially since the last contemporary bag I bought (leather and retailing at over $100) looked like a drowned rat six months after I got it. It makes economic sense, too. You can buy two or three, maybe more, vintage Coach bags, for example, for the price of one new one. Or, probably eight to 10 off-brand, but very high-quality, bags for the price of almost any new designer piece.

Oh, and don't get me started on shoes.... For what gals pay today for a pair of good faux leather shoes, you can get a great pair of real leather, comfortable shoes in sizes that really fit your feet! None of this "you can only get Narrow, Medium, or Wide in one shoe" business. You have medium-width feet but narrow heels, like me? Then buy a vintage pair of shoes in a "B" foot with an "A" heel, or an "A" foot and an "AA" heel. I have to put heel pads in almost every pair of shoes I buy new, but when I get the right size in a vintage shoe, it fits like the proverbial glove.

From the classic Kelly bag to cute wicker bags, and from a 1950s' pair of heels to 60s' chunky-heeled pumps, you can find find vintage styles perfect for accenting suits, dresses, skirts, and slacks and for wearing every day. Vintage is not just for special occasions!

Here are some selections from the sellers here at Vintage Reflections!


From Alley Cats Vintage:

An all-purpose, always-in-style Vintage Handbag Floral Needlepoint by Empress, Large Size Purse




Perfect for the office are these Vintage Shoes 1960s 60s Dark Brown Alligator Heels by Fiancees Sz 8AA




And, these are just the thing to keep your vintage shoes dry: Vintage Smoke Rubber Overshoes Plyron High Heel Galoshes Sz 6




Catseye Vintage has these listed:

This sweet bag is at home anywhere, from the casual to the formal: 1910 Victorian Handbag Purse Hand Crocheted Bridal Drawstring Top Off White with 3-d Pom Poms




This is perfect for those work-to-dinner days: Vintage 60s Woven Metal Box Handbag Purse 1960s VLV Bridal Evening Gold Tone Made in Hong Kong




This Vintage 60s Wicker Box Purse Handbag VLV 1960s Picture Window Purse Horse and Carriage Designer Simon does double duty for fun and for work or school.




Vintage Baubles Too is currently offering these:

Super-comfy and cute Vintage 60s Mod Suede Shoes Pumps Chunky Heel Size 6 1/2, 6.5




This sturdy, stylish everyday bag: Vintage 50s Alligator Embossed Leather Handbag Purse Kelly Bag Duchess




And this bag that's perfect for work or play, especially for a "ladies-who-lunch" outing: Vintage 50s 60s Tapestry & Patent Vinyl Kelly Bag Purse Handbag, Vegan




Be sure to visit our shops for more "very wearable" vintage!

Beautiful beaded bags!

One of the most successful ways to incorporate vintage into your contemporary wardrobe, and have it all look great together, is by adding some small beaded bags and purses. Popular across all eras, these bags are always in style. For this summer season of weddings, cruises and parties, and for the fall and winter holiday season, you'll find a vintage beaded bag that will go with almost anything!

Brides will appreciate a vintage bag to carry to the reception--as will their guests. The small, but utilitarian, sizing carries your essentials so you don't have to lug a heavy-looking or bulky bag to a dressy occasion. Of course, your "essentials" would be your compact, lipstick, small comb, vanity mirror, driver's license, some cash and a credit card--not your cell phone, iPod, and/or various other devices and work-related items! Although many will indeed fit a cell phone. These bags often include a coin purse that will fit folded cash as well as some change.

The smaller ones travel well, so if you're going out of town for a wedding or other event, they pack easily. I took one with me to Vegas last year for a wedding, and while many of the other guests were toting their big street bags, my little blue-plastic beaded Hong Kong bag (which wasn't overly dressy) looked perfect with my contemporary blue-and-white dress, and garnered lots of compliments!

I find that the hand-beaded bags of the 50s and early 60s go nicely with today's fashions. Upscale boutiques are showing fancy beaded bags in similar styles these days, but, in my opinion, you do not get the same quality--meticulous hand beading, hand-sewn linings, high-quality fabrics, etc. (Unless, of course, you can spend a small fortune! I saw some at a boutique recently from $65 to well more than $100, yet you can get much better value in a vintage one.)

There are many brands that epitomize the vintage beaded bag: Walborg and Magid come to my mind immediately. But others such as Delill and Simon, along with generically labeled bags from Hong Kong, Japan, Italy, Belgium, etc., are just as wonderful. In older bags, Czech glass-beaded ones are very popular collectors' items. Bags can feature creamy pearl or seed-pearl beads, clear or colored glass beads in round or barrel shapes, metallic beads, and small plastic beads. Casual styles can feature wood or large plastic beads, but our selections this week focus on the dressier styles.

Here is a Small Clutch with Hand Strap from the upscale John Wanamaker stores (now, sadly, defunct) for carrying while you dance; a brilliant idea and SO handy, since you needn't leave your bag at the table unattended:

This small Walborg Pouch-Style Bag can be carried via its chain, or the chain tucked in and the bag folded to be carried as a petite foldover clutch:

A Fancy Clutch by Simon features Aurora Borealis sequins along with beads:

This Wee Little Clutch by Debbie has a zippered top and a Deco-looking design:

And while this Adorable Pink Purse by Simon is not as formal as the others, its pink color and small size make it party perfect, and a great bag to carry out to dinner on the patio of your favorite "al-fresco" dining establishment!