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Quality in vintage, modern and reproductions..

One of the reasons that I love vintage is the quality.  An average vintage dress from the 1950s is head and shoulders above any modern department store frock in design, construction and fabrics used.   On the rare occasions that I venture into a mall or department store, I'm always horrified when I see the quality of the products.

Chinese cashmere is crap.  Notice how it is starting to pill, while still on the display table!  Don't buy it, it won't last the season, much less onto next.  In the past decade the Chinese have managed to make sweaters out of the cashmere that used to be thrown away, and the quality of the fiber shows.  I pass them up at thrift stores when they're marked $2.  In my opinion they're still overpriced.  I have fabulous vintage cashmere sweaters from 50+ years ago that I pull out winter after winters,  thicker, fluffier and built to last like a Sherman tank.  Shop for vintage pieces at local stores or online.  Dalton and Pringle are fabulous makers,  add "Scotland" to your search.  You'll be amazed what you can pick up for a fraction of modern prices, and be on cloud 9 when you put it on and experience what cashmere should feel like.

Women have breasts, it is one of our defining characteristics.  After having my son, mine have grown to fabulous proportions and I love them.  I wish fashion did.  Somewhere along the line stretchy fabrics have replaced darts and gathering.  I can't tell you the amount of dresses that I've seen in sizes 10 and up that could only accommodate a modest A cup at best.  All summer I watched girls with fabulous figures stroll by in sundresses with tank tops underneath.  Its not a fashion statement, its a necessity.  I like the bodice of my dress to cover more than the average pasty.

Even vintage reproductions can be just as bad.  I recently picked up a modern vintage reproduction dress from a business whose initials are QOH.  Original tags still attached and in a desirable size.  I figured it would be an easy sell on my ebay store.  Then I started to look at it.  The satin fabric is bottom of the barrel,  though the size is far into the "Plus" rage, there is no room to accommodate breasts, there isn't a hem, simply an overcast stitch, and worst of all....  The fabric wasn't cut on the grain.  You girls who so know what I mean, especially when dealing with satin.  The pieces of the bodice were cut out to economize on fabric, making the finished piece an odd mish-mash of shiny and dull.  Frankly, I'm embarrassed to list it, so it sits in storage, with its $100+ price tag still attached.  


While reading a pattern catalog I stumbled across the above drawing, used in an ad in 1942 that seemed to sum up my thoughts.  If you don't start with quality (patterns, materials, construction methods), you're not going to get quality.  It made me mentally examine my own wardrobe, what has lasted me the longest and what I buy simply to get by.  I can't think of a modern produced item that I have purchased in the last 2 years that is still going strong in my wardrobe, yet its easy to pick out a vintage piece that has been in regular rotation for 10+ years.

Obviously, there is good and bad in everything, but the good is just so darn hard to find.  I'm sticking to what I know....Vintage is worth the price, I'm off to buy more now.....

I DARE you not to shake your rear

I DARE you not to shake your rear while listening to The Showmen sing "It Will Stand". It just isn't possible. 

Also, I can't get over how fabulous it is that the singer's voice cracks in the very first "You take some music". That would never be allowed in today's world of auto tune and fancy producing. It makes this song even better.

Speaking of 1950's Maternity...

I was recently having a conversation with another seller about vintage maternity fashions.  I thought I'd share the quick and dirty pictures here of the lovely suit I just acquired.

I know the pics kind of suck but I was hoping to show how the skirt was designed to expand.  I believe the two V shaped cut outs were meant to be worn in back.  

More posts soon!

We Have A Winner!!

Congratulations Magnolia's Vintage, the purse is yours!!

Thank you everyone for entering the giveaway.  I had so much fun, I'll try to do another one soon!

One more day until the Lucite Purse GIVEAWAY!!

I've had a great response to the lucite purse giveaway!  I'll be picking a winner tomorrow.  If you haven't entered yet, do it NOW!

See my previous post for details!

Carved Lucite Box Purse - GIVEAWAY!!

Woopee!  Its GIVEAWAY time!

Up for grabs is this fabulous 1950's oval purse with carved top.

IT CAN BE YOURS!

To get your name into the pot simply post a comment to this post telling me what you most like from my ebay store, BombshellShocked.  To earn an additional chance "Like" me on Facebook and comment about it.  Feel free to keep posting your favorites on more than one day for additional chances!

This light yellowish purse has a U shaped carved handle, floral carved lid, and the body is sprinkled with stars.  Ready to use, it only has some slight warping where the star covering meets at the center back.

I'll pick a winner on June 22nd.

Residents of the US and Canada only please.  Sorry international fans, I'll have an easier to ship giveaway soon!

Its ME! I'm in a MAGAZINE!

I'm excited and embarrassed at the same time.  I'm in a magazine!  Time Out Chicago to be exact.

Overall I'm really happy with the article and photos, but I am horrified that I said "shitty" during an interview and that I was quoted exactly.  My mother is not amused.

You can read the article and view the pictures here.  Time Out Chicago Interview of Nicole Hughes

My new Blackhawks hat!

Tuesday I purchased this awesome Chicago Blackhawks hat off etsy from seller Cool Crochet and it arrived yesterday.

I couldn't be happier!  Lets just hope it will bring the team some luck this weekend.   I'm going to wear it to the game on Sunday.  I won't even dare to type what I hope will happen that night.

BombshellShocked on Facebook!

So it looks like I finally buckled down and made BombshellShocked a facebook fan page! I felt it was due, and considering that I'm constantly on there working on my farmville farm, which yes, I know is silly in it's own right, I  figured I'd spend a little time making a fancy page and updating it with my most recent ebay listings.  So, if you're on facebook, feel free to add and like Bombshell Shocked so you can sneak a peak at brand new items before they hit my ebay shop!

And for the record, my farmville farm is pretty darn great!

BombshellShocked on Facebook

For one brief millisecond my house was clean.....

......and its messy again!  But at least I took a moment to take a couple of pictures to prove it actually happened!

Winds in the east...............Mist coming in................

Like something is brewing, about to begin.

So much has been going on lately, not all of it I'm ready to spill the beans about.   Its not far from 10pm on a Sunday night and I'm posting this from my garden where I just finished planting flowers.   Most of my best gardening gets done after dark.

Off to give myself a serious scrub down.  I'm covered in dirt and compost.

This next week is going to be crazy busy and crazy awesome.  I can't wait!



Thanks Mary Poppins for the fab lyrics.

40's Shoe Stash...or....Why I Can't Breathe Right

Erin and I went digging at an estate sale yesterday and came home with some treasures.  Among them, some beautiful 1940's shoes that had been hidden away in a drawer for 60 or so years.  I'm absolutely fascinated by the style and the shapes.   What I would do to have these in my size (they are all 6 1/2)

The owner was definitely a woman after my own heart.  Besides saving what seemed to be every piece of clothing she had ever owned, we share a bad habit.  When switching purses she simply grabbed what she needed out of it at that exact moment and left the rest.  Just like I do.  Its odd to be going through someone else's purses full receipts and kleenex when I have enough of my own at home.

Also, I inhaled so much "age" in the apartment that I'm still not breathing quite right.  I'm convinced that what I need is a bit of medicinal tequila, perhaps with some salt and lime.  :)  Maybe after the kid goes to bed.

Rompers, Playsuits & Jumpsuits.... OH MY!

  No matter how hard I try, I can't seem to pick a favorite, they all are so darling.

1. The 1970s leotard and skirt set is a sleeper on a hanger and a jaw dropper on a body.  

2. Heavily influenced by the 1930s and 1940s, this 1980s jumpsuit can transform any girl into a pin up queen. 

3. Nothing says class like hot pink denim accented with gold studs and rhinestones.

4. A terry cloth romper is a standard, but the front zipper and neck tie makes this outfit a stunner.  

Which is your favorite?

All of these and more now available on ebay at BomshellShocked.  

DuSable Museum - Black Panther Exhibit.

Today, William, Erin and my sister, Jeni, went to the DuSable Museum to see the Black Panther Exhibit.  The combination of vintage clothing and Chicago History made it a must do.   Above, William contemplates Cherrios in the shadow of Fred Hampton's jacket.

I loved seeing my silhouette reflecting in the poster that William is looking at.  On the right is a picture Erin took of William and I walking past Fred Hampton's door. 

Erin and Jeni.

William didn't have the patience to read and admire every artifact so we went and played in the park while Jen and Erin looked around the rest of the museum, including the Bronzeville exhibit which had tons of music memorabilia.  As much as I wanted to examine everything, the kid would rather spend his time climbing through the crotch of a tree and watching a digger dig and a dumper dump across the street.

FIELD TRIP! A few of my favorite things!

I'm frantically getting ready for a day out with the girls (and my favorite little guy!)

It'll be a combination of some of my favorite things:

*Historic Clothing
*Chicago History
*Things they don't teach you in school
*Foods that aren't on my diet

It's a sunny day and I'm ready for fun!

Hopefully I won't forget my camera so I can share pictures.

Listing on ebay will just have to wait another day.  (But if you see something you want, let me know and I'll get to it quicker!)

A glimpse of things to come.....

New items! New items!  They aren't quite listed yes, but the pictures have been taken!

More great outfits from the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s!

A WARNING about GILT- Price Inflation!

I'm sure I'm not the only one that shops on  Gilt occasionally.   This weekend they were having a "sale" on Threadless shirts.  Gilt had the original price listed as $54, and marked down to $24.     As some of you might know, Threadless shirts retail for $18, and you can regularly buy them through their site directly for $10, sometimes even $5.

WHAT A FREAKIN SCAM!

By chance, my friend John was in there today and asked if there was a difference in the shirts that were being sold (like higher quality or something)  NOPE.  Same thing.  They said that the difference in the price IS WHAT GILT CHARGES.  

Goodness knows what else they are inflating the retail price on!!

BUYER BEWARE!

Vintage Style and Beauty Fair in CHICAGO!! FREE COCKTAILS!!

OK Ladies, here's your notice to hit up the ATM.   The Vintage Style and Beauty Fair is just over a week away!

Get there early because I'M BUYING my first 10 friends (or friends of friends) a cocktail!  Yes Ladies, FREE BOOZE!!

I've been socking away some goodies for this event, you won't be disappointed!  Besides my pretty dresses from ebay, I have lots of frocks that will be making their first public appearance including some great 50's sheath day dresses, pretty little nightgowns and party dresses!  PRICED TO SELL.

What I'm most excited about is the participation of Marsha of Apparel From The Past.  She has a great store in Michigan, but will be bringing her goods into our fair city.  Seriously.  Click on the link, look at those racks of clothes and display of shoes and just try to make an excuse not to come.  

Sunday, May 16th
11:00 - 6:00
Debonair Social Club
1575 N. Milwaukee