One Woman's Taste in Shoes

1963-66 Balli Black Silk Evening Shoes with RhinestonesOne of the attendant pleasures of working as a Vintage clothing seller is the estate auction. Oh they can be are dirty. And are often musty. And so dark sometimes that a flashlight is needed. I admit, it is an acquired taste. But the reward of finding good clothing and even high style fashion in unlikely surroundings is a cherished bonus.

Pretty, Pretty Dresses

Today's Theme? Pretty. Dressy. Silk.All three of these dresses have labels. The blue and green floral chiffon is a Mort Schrader. I blogged about this one a while ago. I have my grandmother's copy of this dress, sadly minus label, so now I know who made it. Nicely made, it was a good quality R-T-W in the day. Mort was the son of Abe Shrader and President of Abe Schrader, Inc. This line named for

Just a Couple of Hats

Just back from a fruitless trip to town for an auction preview. Since we don't deal in fur, there was nothing for us today.That's how the vintage cookie crumbles some days. So instead of a recent finds post, here's a few hats we just added to Past Perfect Vintage this month.I loved this Borsalino hat - very streamlined and 60s fashion conscious , very Mod and very Italian. And so did someone

Musings from a Day on the Road

The team ( read Mr. Past Perfect and I) went on a a shopping expedition yesterday. Not saying where. Sorry about that, but I have to protect my sources as they tend to dwindle away. And it led me to muse about why good vintage clothing costs what it does as different levels. And why it costs more at a good Vintage shop. First off, I suppose I should define Good Vintage. At this business, 1980s is

Leser is More

1960s - 70s Silk Twill Dress by Tina Leser,now available at Past Perfect VintageInspired by a recent acquisition of a Tina Leser piece, I wandered about the web a bit and found these lovelies from my fellow Vintage Fashion Guild Members. I must say, Ms. Leser was not shy when it came to pattern and color, bless her. She liked ethnic patterns and fabrics, she like florals, she likes graphics. And

Party Time! In Vintage Fashion, Naturally

It's January, and yes, New Year's and Christmas have passed, but Valentines is on the way. And you could also have an actual birthday party for George Washington and Abraham Lincoln - oh heck, make it two! Actually, my grandmother did bake cherry cakes with white icing for Washington's Birthday, so hey - why not? Then there's spring proms, and weddings, so yes, party dresses know no season. And

Gone, But Certainly NOT Forgotten

As we wind up last year’s business, we bring you a nostalgic peek at what went to good homes in 2010. Enjoy them - we did!JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember

Dressy, Dressy, Dressy

Remember the degrees of formal dress? Formal Evening, aka White Tie and Tail coat, Semi Formal Evening, aka Black tie and Tuxedo, Formal Day, aka Morning coat, Cocktail, Dinner, Reception, Theatre, etc. Early 20th C. texts on fashion would have complex charts with headings: For a morning calls, For afternoon luncheon at a home, For afternoon luncheon at a home, for dinner followed by a ball...

Vintage Shops We Reccommend: Part 5, Indianapolis (Cont.)

Ah yes - we return to our ongoing series after a hiatus. We got back to Indianapolis and made a second visit to Indy Swank - and found a great Louisville label striped wool jacket from the 50s. And we were so happy to see Indy Swank is still looking good with a lovely selection of vintage clothing, accessories and modern local design. And this time, we did get into Venus and Mars, right across

On the Road: Museum Exhibits

It's December, so that means we were on the road for our traditional winter trips to Indianapolis and Cincinnati. Now we pack the day full on these, from art galleries to plant conservatories to antique shops, malls, restaurants, and museums. We always plan too much and run out of time, but that means we will go back.This time we were lucky, and both the Cincinnati Art Museum and the