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!