Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Weekend Finds: Flea Market Goodies (WWII Jacket, Wiggle Dress, Charm Bracelet)



Good morning!

How's your Wednesday going so far? I was true to my word this morning and managed to photograph my flea market finds, so without further ado, let's get to the goods!


This pink and gold embroidered wiggle dress was at my favorite clothing dealer's both in the antiques shed (not Andy Devine, but the tall skinny guy...I think his name is Bobby?). He had some clothes hung up this month, but the majority of the haul was in a huge pile on two tables. As a moth to the flame, I started to dig through the piles, not paying any attention to the top heaviness of several leather nineties' overcoats and jackets until...A-V-A-L-A-N-C-H-E. As if in front of an entire-school assembly, I turned around sheepishly and several shoppers made the obligatory, "Oooh, that was bound to happen" type remarks as I tried to de-dust and pile back the actual mountain of clothes I'd managed to knock off the table. Bobby and another shopper helped me pile things back up, and as I was scooping the coats to one side, I found this gem shimmering from the very bottom. Even though I was red-faced, at least the experience yielded this up from the murky depths!


Best part? Easily the label:

"Champagne Lady" indeed!

In the same mound of clothes was this button up blouse, which I'm pretty sure is too big in all the wrong places, but I couldn't resist the pattern, wait until you see it up close:


Besides being a beautiful inky color palette of blues and purples and pinks, the print features phonographs, candlestick telephones, alarm clocks, plate-view cameras...I AM DELIGHTED BY THIS.


And the third item from the pile, this silk smoking jacket with a weird wrap around cut, built in fringed sash, and embroidered anchors on two pockets (there's another on the left there where the red piping is to match the one on the right. Swank, swank, swank! Total expenditure: Fifteen dollars for the three pieces and a certain loss of self-pride from the throwing-everything-on-the-ground gaffe. Ah, well! It was worth it.


Honestly, I need another Ike jacket like I need a hole in my head, but I bought one anyway. I was in the Swine barn and one of the sellers next to the discount detergent and hand soap that's always set up dead center in that pavilion had boxes and boxes of old army and navy issue uniforms. You know how the flea market can be-- these clothes could either cost a buck a piece or a hunnert dollars a piece, it all depends on the dealer. A friendly middle aged guy came up to ask if I needed any help, and invited me to dig on through the boxes (y'ain't gotta tell me twice, mister). I pulled this out and looked it over, to find an inside label dating it to 1944. YES, YES. At twenty bucks, it wasn't a steal, but it's in perfect shape and priced at exactly the limit of what I would have paid for it. I like the good condition and the fact that there are no regimental labels or patches on it-- I have a really neat jacket just like this with insignia all over and I feel like wearing it would be too costume-y. I also love that I size things for Matthew on trips like this based on if it's just a smidge big on me (he has broad shoulders and I have bird shoulders) and too short...it fits him perfectly and he looks like a dashing sort of dude in it. SUCCESS.



I talked a lady in one of the exhibit stalls down to $12 from $15 on this Enid-Collins-like purse as she told me I reminded her of some eighties' pop star she couldn't remember the name of (that's a win-win situation, there). I LOOOVE the fact that it's a black-background purse (I have about five real Enids that I hardly ever carry because they're taupe on white, and all I ever wear is black) and the fiery reds and golds of the embellishment. It's missing maybe like ONE sequin there, but overall, isn't it a knockout?



This bracelet was in one of the stalls from the same lady I bought all those earrings from a month ago, AND I AM OBSESSED WITH IT. Six bucks. I'm pretty sure it's "silver tone" as opposed to any actual jewelry grade metal, but look at the charms. They're all crazy Southwestern American Indian creatures of varying weirdness! Each time I've worn it this week I find myself catching one of them out of the corner of my eye and being delighted by it all over again.


Last but not least, these African-mask inspired screwback earrings were in a booth I was positive everything was going to be at least $500 dollars in, but the lady let me have these for I think $3, and they were by far the best thing in it. I had to interrupt her trying to sell a woman some kind of semi-precious jewel necklace and earring set for literally two hundred dollars, so I guess these costume baubles didn't look like a big loss to her by comparison! I went home and promptly dropped one when I was trying to show Matthew (this is why I can't have nice things!), which popped out one of the little green jewels, but I'll super glue it back in and it should be good as new. Aren't they unusual!


I did better than I've done in months past in that I only bought things I actually couldn't leave without-- there was a weird Masonic poster I almost bought in one of the stalls, but as I haven't yet found a good place for the one I already have, I resisted temptation. And the Lisa of two years ago would have bought ALL the army surplus pieces, rather than just the one, standalone Ike jacket. I feel like I'm improving, however little by little, at not buying EVERYTHING that I'm interested in?

So! What did you find at the flea? What are some things you find yourself drawn to no matter how many you already have in your collection? What do you think I got the best deal on?  When's the last time you've embarrassed yourself good and proper in public? Let's talk!

That's all for today, but I'll catch you back here tomorrow (one day closer to the weekend)! Be good, enjoy the sunshine, and we'll talk then. Ciao!

12 comments:

  1. AMAZING haul! The avalanche was obviously meant to be I mean just look at what you got!

    Great find on the 40s jacket and those lovely earrings. *le sigh*

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    1. Thank you! It was almost worth embarrassment and the guy couldn't have been nicer. Plus I bought stuff from him! So I guess win win. :)

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  2. I don't get out very often so really enjoy your sharing of adventures like this. Last thing I got was an old pyrex casserole from 1962. I have a few from 58, that I use so happy to find one. I don't buy green or orange pyrex just older that is rare to find NOT chipped up. This is how I have a small collection. I'd love to see you in that wiggle dress ... with champagne of course.

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    1. What color are your '62 and '58 pieces? I have a set of green because they were all at Goodwill once (light green, medium green, and dark green, in small, medium, and large, respectivey) for way cheaper than they should have been-- I'm not surprised that they are the MOST used dishes in my kitchen! (I stay mixing things, haha) I wish they were red, yellow, and blue though-- the primary set is so pretty! I also have one aqua colored small casserole that has kind of Dutch-colonial stuff in white on the side. Even though your collection is small, I bet it is a knockout

      I'm thinking of busting that dress (and some champagne, naturally) out this weekend! :D Will report back.

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  3. That faux Enid is totally you, nice find! I tend to carry my Enids in the summertime only because they are primarily on the light-colored backgrounds. Fun to see you at the flea! We ended up with several things for the booth...a couple of kitchen scales...and a sweet cardigan with red embroidery for me that is at the dry cleaner.

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    1. Thanks, lady! Good to see you, too! I always think I see people I know at the flea market or out at the sales because of my lousy eyes, it was nice it actually WAS the person I thought it was this time (and cute skirt, btw). I think flea market season is finally in high gear, and ain't I GLAD. :D

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  4. AN 80S POP STAR!!?!?!? Fingers crossed it was Samantha Foxx. That is the dream! I am pretty jealous of your amazing finds. Rae and I went friday. I passed over a lot of things that were lovely. I got a bunch of childrens books for the babies in my life. A Jr deluxe edition, another sweet collection and a Little Golden Book about "farmer jones" for my nephew. Seemed apropo. I also was gifted with a lovely bird house in one of the back buildings from a really nice artist that made Pee Wees playhouse-esque bird residences.

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    1. Haha, I had more clothes on than Miss Foxx! Sounds like you found some good stuff! AND I WANT TO SEE THIS BIRDHOUSE, STAT, LADY.

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  5. Thanks for taking me along on your treasure hunt. It's always fun to read about your finds. Love the earrings, and I've been looking for a jacket like that for my hubby! You may want to start an Etsy shop for your excesses. That way you don't have to feel bad if you get carried away :) Although when I list stuff, I over price it to what it's worth to ME. And I won't part with stuff I like unless it's for a pretty penny. LOL. Happy hunting!

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    1. My pleasure, thanks for reading! I've been thinking more and more about trying to open some kind of "SERIOUSLY, PLEASE HELP ME GET RID OF THIS STUFF" kind of things. Because I have lots that need new homes, and not-looking for new stuff is not an option! :)

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  6. I've never found that many great things at a flea market but the one here is pretty sketchy--mostly designer knockoffs and incense. When you wiggle into that wiggle dress, you'll have to have a coupe of bubbly, you Champagne Lady, you.

    Vague unremembered 80s pop star? Hmmm.

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    1. I used to distrust ours from memories of ones in Knoxville when I was in college, but there's tons of good stuff at the Nashville one! It's getting to where it puts estate sales to shame because it's like a whole day's worth of driving across town in one spot! I can sympathize, though.

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