more wintry street style

Winter seems to be having a hard time loosening its grip on the northern hemisphere.  (We still have a frozen lake and snow on the ground here in Michigan.  I have not yet stashed away my winter coats.)  This apparently hasn't stopped many stylish ladies from getting out and looking fabulous, as evidenced by several of my favorite street style looks from the past two months.

l-r: Solanah of Vixen Vintage

Parisian street style via Face Hunter

Helsinki street style via Hel-Looks 

I love all three of these looks so much, and one thing they all have in common (and which I always struggle with) is the wearing of amazing headgear.  Some day maybe I'll learn how to rock a headscarf the way Solanah and that fashionable Helsinki gal do.

NYC street style via Stylesight

Wikki of Luukku

NYC street style via calivintage

Copenhagen street style via The Locals

That red embroidered coat is just amazing, and I love the combination of maroon/burgundy and gray that Wikki is wearing.  My favorite, though, might be the young woman on the left, who is kinda grunge (plaid, creepers, pea coat, knit hat), but super cute.  And I'm loving the coat and big cozy scarf worn in the Copenhagen snow, on the right.  I just love seeing fashionable folk actually out in the snow!

xo

K

shop preview

This week's shop preview includes jewel tones of emerald, sapphire, and ruby, some springy florals, and possibly the world's cutest novelty print!  All items coming to the shop over the next week.

1950s emerald green satin dress with belt.

1930s blue gabardine princess coat with belt.

1940s navy blue crepe dress with polka dot sash.

1950s dachshund and poodle novelty print blouse, by Haymaker.

1940s sepia peach floral print taffeta dress.

1940s red plaid shirt, by Bermuda.

1940s blue and pink floral print day dress (feedsack?) with black trim.

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1960s striped cotton fitted jacket, by Russ.

1950s floral print dress with wide avocado green band at waist and full skirt.

1950s red on blue ditsy floral print blouse.

xo

K

The 100 Best Vintage Shops Online

A couple weeks ago I mentioned that Small Earth Vintage was included in the new guide by Sammy Davis Vintage to The 100 Best Vintage Shops Online.  That guide is now available for purchase.  You can see a preview and buy it here, on Sammy's site.

The guide is a directory to excellent vintage shops on Etsy, eBay, and elsewhere on the internet, but it's more than that, with essential information on how to buy vintage, how sizing works, and includes places to find the best jewelry, shoes, and vintage by era.

Sammy really did a superb job, and we are proud and thankful to have been included.  Go check the book out here!

xo

K

Geburtstag 2013

Yesterday was my 44th birthday, so Andy and I took the day off to celebrate.

We started out with the traditional beer lunch at the Winchester, one of our favorite places to eat (and drink beer) in Grand Rapids.  We prefer going for lunch, rather than dinner, because it gets very busy and loud in the evenings.  We're too old now to enjoy squinting at a menu in the dark and yelling conversation at each other, so we go there for lunch instead.  If you go, make sure you have the green chili.  This is something I haven't eaten since visiting New Mexico (way back when I lived in Colorado), and it is so good!

Mr. Handsome.

The woman who was our waitress at dinner said my hair reminded me of her grandma.  Another person might take offense at that, but not me!  I'm all about the grannies.

Last year we started the day at the Winchester, too, and then we went to the zoo and watched the capybaras swimming in their pool.  Last year it was 85 degrees on my birthday.  This year it was 20 degrees and snowing.  Ah, March in the midwest--how it laughs at us!  (I truly do prefer the winter weather to the summer weather in March; it makes more sense in Michigan.  Last year's early heat wave helped kill off all the local fruit crops.  It was a disaster.)

Topgraphical map of Michigan.

This year we headed to the Grand Rapids Public Museum to check out the Titanic exhibit, which was pretty nifty.  It told the story of the Titanic mostly through artifacts that have been excavated from the wreck.  I was surprised to see how many items had been retrieved.  The exhibit was quite well done, with ship sound effects adding to the overall effect, and quotes and stories from various passengers.  Mine and Andy's only quibble were that there were a couple clothing props used that were clearly--to us anyway--not of the era.  (One was a striped 1970s JC Penney's shirt with the tag still on it, masquerading as a shirt in an Edwardian era third class passenger's suitcase.  Yeah, kinda silly detail and it probably only bothered us due to the nature of our work...but they could at least have taken the JC Penney label off.)

Oh, and when we were about 2/3 through the exhibit, a school group came in.  The kids weren't bad or anything, but suddenly this lovely, quiet experience was chaos and noise.  I probably wouldn't have minded so much if we hadn't paid $17.00 each to see it.  (Signs of aging: grumbling about the kids, prices, noise, and lack of authenticity in a museum exhibit.  Bring on the Geritol!  I am a curmudgeon!)

This is Andy pointing out Lake Freska on the topographical map of Kent County.

We couldn't leave the museum without a stop in my favorite room, this Victorian era specimens room, which is filled with displays of rocks, minerals, coral, skulls, and poor, creepy taxidermied animals.

It was an excellent birthday!

xo

K

shoes, eyewear, and neckties

A little something for everyone in today's accessories preview--1930s and 1940s shoes for the ladies, 1940s and 1950s bow and neckties for the gentlemen, and 1950s eyewear for both!  All items coming to the shop soon.

1940s white leather oxford pumps with perforations and cutouts, by Cantilever Shoes (already in the shop!).

1930s Deco leather pumps.

1940s black leather oxfords.

1960s perforated honey leather flat sandals.

1940s black leather pumps.

1950s faux bois woodgrain horn rimmed glasses.

1950s etched aqua blue cat's eye eyeglass frames.

1950s etched cat's eye eyeglass frames, by American Optical.

Deadstock 1950s white and gray clip on bow tie.

1950s blue and red clip on bow tie, by Best Clip.

1950s black and white bow tie with silver threaded through it.

1940s satin fan print necktie.

1940s hand painted Florida map tie, by Palm Island of Miami.

1940s colorful cubist print silk tie, Lord Furnival Cravat by Wormser.

1940s wild fluorescent print tie, by Yankee Cravat.

xo

K

nothing but flowers shop preview

Well,  not entirely true.  But with spring coming--though you can't tell in western Michigan today--it's time to bring on the flowers.  This shop preview has a lot of them, along with plenty of pops of spring color, too.  All items coming to the shop over the next week.

1950s noir floral print party dress with mauve satin bow at waist.

1950s silk floral print blouse, by Lady Manhattan.

1940s fruit and vegetable print Farmers' Market wrap dress.

1950s pewter gray cotton blouse with smocking, by Rhoda Lee.

1950s paisley jewel stripe dress, by Eve Carver.

1950s cotton plaid straight skirt.

1950s pink and blue plaid cotton dress, by Brentwood.

1960s summer garden print polished cotton blouse.

1960s taupe satin rose brocade dress, by Berkshire.

1970s tan and black corduroy western jacket, by Janet Armstrong Cowgirl Clothes.

1950s black and white striped chevron dress with scarf collar.

1950s pink and yellow floral print cotton blouse, by Jayson Classics.

xo

K