New Vintage Patterns at Sew-Retro

So I'm listing new vintage patterns at Sew-Retro as a way to get over my sadness that no one ever offers to sell me a box 300 vintage patterns (you know who you are) or heck just gives the damn things to me.
Where are my FREE 30's and 40's patterns?
Where I ask you.....
Yes I am bitter, why do you ask?

I do have some nice ones:


So 80's it scares me.

Pretty 30's Frock


This 30's ensemble came with a "free" Vogue Cape pattern
inside that I'm going to include cause I'm so wonderful.

40's Swing Dress Pattern


I really love this "Sabrina" dress that I have had a few times.



When did women stop wearing long skirts
in the evening? Very Pretty.

So that is my shameless self promotion for the next week or so.
Carry on.

requiem in pace

Hartge, Nicholas

Self, John T.

Bacevich, Andrew J.

Klasno, Rhys W.

Murphy, Christopher E

Connell Jr., James David

Happy Mother's Day to Me!!!!!





The PURSE has been discussed below.
The PURSE now belongs to ME!
The PURSE is FAB and so over-the-top in a "skinny rich woman with a great big head" kinda way that I will love it forever!





















The PURSE has bunny studs......
















and the PURSE has poodle studs....








and the purse came with a creepy lamb pin!
I am satisfied. and now I can tell you where it has been hiding low these last few weeks.
It was at Dorothea's Closet's real brick and mortar shop in Des Moines, Iowa.
Ya'll need to go buy some good shit from her now.
OK?

You know, I'd like to make this blog just about vintage clothes.
I'd like to just discuss fun stuff....lots of people do.
I'd like to not piss off potential customers.
Really I would.

But I just can't.
Everyday, in my name as an American citizen, more people die.
Solders die.
Civilians die.

And everyday the Bush administration sounds more and more like the Johnson administration during Vietnam.
They are lying to us and they are wrapping the American people in the flag and patriotism and "supporting the troops" that we will not see what a mess Iraq has become.
The press is complicit in this.
Where is the nightly body count? (for those too young I can remember watching it go up on the nightly news as a child during Vietnam.)
Where are the pictures of the flag draped coffins? (who cares what the Bush administration says. Only by showing their sacrifice to we actually honor and support our troops.)
Where is the outrage that the lives given are not being acknowledged or honored.

So from now on, amongst the fun stuff and the great vintage I'll be including the casualty count for both the military and civilians at the top of the page in the right hand corner.

• American Military Casualties in Iraq: 3,387 as of 5/10/07

• Civilians reported killed by military intervention in Iraq: 63,373 min.

I'll try to honor the fallen by at least making sure we know their names each week.

In WW2 the sacrifice was spread all around. Rationing, even in fashion, was an everyday sacrifice made by everyone. Now there are huge sacrifices being made by just a few while the rest of us go on as before. War is not fun and it is time that we Americans stop and think about what is being done in our names.

I hope this will not make me loose any customers, but if it does so be it, it is the least I can sacrifice for the sacrifice they have made.

Why I'm Broke









All last week I was buying vintage clothes from one of the BEST estate sales I have ever been to.
Tons of lovely vintage all in this small bedroom.
It was like walking into a vintage boutique except the clothes were all the same size.
Some of it needs work, but here are a few items that are going up in my store, Damn Good Vintage, this week.



A NOS Van Raalte Nightgown:












This snazzy 40's Linen Jacket:












A sexy Floral Silk Cocktail Dress with a Twist Bodice:












and this cool Pinup Tiki shirt:












I also got the most amazing 30's patchwork housedress frock that I have not gotten pictures of yet.

Vintage Shoe Porn

Go check out this animated homage to Salvatore Ferragamo.
Amazing!






Picture; "orthopedic wedge" 1935, Ferragamo

They Let Me In

I can't believe I forgot to mention that I am now a member of The Vintage Fashion Guild.











How cool is that?

Dude, the Republicans in Utah are NUTS

Not just nuts, but batshit crazy.

Don Larsen, chairman of legislative District 65 for the Utah County Republican Party, had submitted a resolution warning that Satan's minions want to eliminate national borders and do away with sovereignty.

In a speech at the convention, Larsen told those gathered that illegal immigrants "hate American people" and "are determined to destroy this country, and there is nothing they won't do."

Illegal aliens are in control of the media, and working in tandem with Democrats, are trying to "destroy Christian America" and replace it with "a godless new world order -- and that is not extremism, that is fact," Larsen said.

It must be some fun to live in Utah.
The whole story can be found here.

Personally I think my cat Nico is one of Satan's Minions....

Everyone Needs Bunnies and Poodles

So, I am not into cute.
Normally.
And though I like purses and have a nice little collection of vintage ones, I usually like to buy very utilitarian black bags with no style for my everyday use.
That is why it is so strange that I am actually dying to own this purse:













Not only that, I am thinking about spending money I DON'T HAVE on a damn purse.
I'm sure the purse snobs out that are all "what? it is not a Fendi or Gucci?"
Or whatever is the cool purses now.
Who cares? Do you see those gold rivets?













Bunnies and freaking poodles!
Bunnies and poodles on a great navy leather satchel bag.












I'm dying.
I refuse to tell you who has it or what vintage shop in Iowa it might be residing in.
Not.
A.
Word.

There Might Be Patterns

The other day I got a call from my friend who has a brick and mortar Vintage shop here in town.
She was going on a "house call" to a home where a woman had passed, her brother was trying to clean the place out to sell while caring for his elderly Brother-In-Law.
"There might be Patterns" she said.













So of course I said "yes"!
The deal is that she gets most of the clothes on these trecks, but she does share the pickings with me nicely and I get first pick on the patterns and sewing notions.
The gentleman's sister was a compulsive shopper.
Lots o' clothes that had NEVER been worn, I got a few items.
Not only was she a compulsive clothes shopper, she also was a compulsive pattern one. She saved everything from about the time she moved into the house in 79'. If only she had never moved. Who knows what we would have found.













And she bought almost ONLY Vogue.
And she did not use them.
AND she remembered to get the tags!
So there were about 300 patterns.
A number were too new, some had been used and the patterns just balled up and put back in the envelope (I weep at the loss of a Pucci and a YSL Russian) and they could not be saved.
In the end I have about 100 large format Vogues (Vogue Paris Original and the like) most uncut and with tags from the 60's-to late 70's along with about another 80 or so small vogue and other maker patterns.
Lots of Dior, Lanvin, Molyneux and more.













I've started listing them at Sew-Retro Vintage Patterns.
Stop by and take a look.

I Love The Pope

I love his red shoes, I love his cool hats, I love that has name is actually Ratzinger, I love that he was head of the Office of the Inquisition (how cool is that?), I loved Cardianl Ratzinger so much that I have a coffe mug that says:
The Cardinal Ratzinger Fan Club "putting the smackdown on heresy since 1981."
I love bizarre "Pope Facts".




I'm a good Catholic...luckily I have a sense of humor since I just read this over at mimi smartypants:

DISAPPOINTING TESTICLE RESEARCH

I recently read a book about transgendered teenagers on the West Coast, and one of the chapters gives some superficial background on transgender history, mentioning the "Pope Joan" myth specifically. It also states as fact that Popes used to sit on an open-seated chair during their elevation while a cardinal felt around for testicles. You do not know how sad it makes me that this is probably not true. However, in the course of my fact-finding I did learn that the Camerlengo used to have to job of hitting a dead Pope in the head with a special ceremonial hammer. Which is so awesome it almost makes up for the lack of papal ball-handling.

Reading that gave me one of those "laughing without making noise" moments where you can't catch your breath and tears are running down your face.

(I guess I could have said ROTFL and LOL, but except for OMG! I really don't get into netspeak and I'm over 25.)

*
An OPEN LETTER
Dear Ebay Seller:
I'm a great buyer. I pay right away, leave gushing feedback and am not hyper picky so will not freak if you missed a flaw and demand a partial refund. Unfortunately I did not bid or did not win your item for the reasons below;





Seller #1:
That is a lovely set of 40's PJs you have there.
I would LOVE to buy them except I can't.
Why? you may ask.
Well I refuse to pay $10 for an item that will cost you $4.50 (less if you go 1st class) to mail. I'm more then willing to pay a bit of a "handling" charge. We all have those built into our shipping costs, but that is a bit much. Plus you do not say how you actually plan to ship..."flat shipping rate" does not tell me anything.
Sorry you missed out on a sale.

Seller#2:
Wow what a coat! I would LOVE to own it, but you don't have a shipping charge listed and there are only 10 min left in your auction.
There is not enough time for me to "email me if for a shipping quote".
Sorry 'bout that.

Seller #3:
I am so happy with the cool leopard cape I bid on and won. I have taken a chance on you even with your crappy feedback AND no shipping cost listed
'cause I only bid the opening $4.99 bid and won.
$14.00 for shipping is a bit high, but that is still cool as long as the
cape is in the "excellent" shape you have said it is.
What really chaps my hide is the lack of response from you.
I emailed to ask you if that cute swimming suit had a metal zipper.
I emailed to ask you how much extra that dress would have been over the cost of the cape to ship together.
I emailed you from both of my ebay IDs.
Nothing.
Nada.
No peep. Just my invoice.
Guess what?
I did not bid on your other items.
They pretty much sold for the opening bids too.
THAT is sad. If you had just emailed me back you would have made more money.
Pity.

Seller #4
I wanted that dress soooo bad and even bid on it though your $10 shipping cost required me to go do all kinds of brain gymnastics to justify the purchase. Luckily you started the bidding at .99. The sad thing is if you had just started the bidding at a reasonable amount and NOT tried to make your money back on shipping I would have gone higher and YOU would have made more money.
Your Loss.

Sincerely,
A "just want to spend my fucking money why do you make it so hard?" ebay buyer.

ETA: I just came back from getting the mail. Today I got a lovely 40's sheer nylon dress folded in a manila envelope and mailed for $1.75 (I paid around $6.50 for priority shipping) and another dress rolled into a ball and stuffed into a way small box for which I DID pay $10 for shipping.
Sigh.

If you are a buyer do NOT take this as an indictment of all eBay/vintage sellers.
I never ship like this.
I have a ton of friends who sell on ebay and/or have websites and NONE of them ship like this. I hate, hate, hate that there are sellers out there who give the rest of us such bad names. And these items with the high shipping and crappy packaging could just as well been books or buttons or patterns or any number of items I have shopped for or bought on eBay.

*I just put Lucius up there cause he is so pretty and it makes me giggle thinking of Mr. Malfoy shopping on eBay for a new pimp cane.

For the War Effort

A few days ago I got this WW2 era booklet in the mail:

During the years for World War 2 it was considered your patriotic duty to sacrifice
and make due. There was rationing in food, gas and even fabrics for clothing.
One of the ways women could help with the war effort, besides having Victory
Gardens, was to be frugal with their clothing. Taking an old item and making it
new was all the rage and this pamphlet is one of many produced during that time
as a guide to help the home seamstress remake her boring clothing into
up-to-date fashionable garments.

The First Day Of Spring

This was just the perfect spring day here at Goddess central.
High 70’s, low humidity, sunny.

My husband buried his father today.

James S. Woolfolk, SR. passed from this world Sunday evening.
Tuesday Mr. Goddess and The Boy headed to Kentucky for the
funeral.

I, on the other hand had to stay behind to hold down
the home front due to an overabundance of pets (4 dogs, 3 cats) and
no one to watch them. (We used to have some great neighbors who would come feed
and make sure they got to go outside, but they moved a few years ago.) Just
a hint, if you like to take vacations and trips with your spouse an
over abundance of pets are not a good idea…some day The Boy will be old enough
to stay behind and we will travel the world.

An obituary can only tell you so much about a life.

When I was 19 my the fiancé took me from St. Louis to Kentucky to meet
his family. My future father-in-law went out of his way to make me feel
welcome and one of the family. He had a keen sense of humor, was intelligent
and widely read and a Southern Gentleman in ever sense of the word. I remember his
smile, the way he would drive my then toddler son around on his tractor, the words he would use to describe Republicans.
No, they were not for polite company.
He went to bed too early for his wife and would stoke the fire too high.
Four fine sons and five grandsons.
He read mystery novels and historical biographies and did the New York Times crossword puzzle.

My husband said that the men he worked with that came to the viewing all praised his
ability to impart his knowledge to others, willing to share what he knew and that they could trust his word.

Alzheimers stole his sharp mind, the memories of a Grandfather from my son and ultimately Jim’s life.

Requiem In Pace

My mother-in-law said it was a beautiful day in Kentucky too.

*and yes that is the freaking cutest dress and purse, did you think I would not
make a comment about the clothes?

Shameless Self Promotion

It seems that if you sell stuff online and have a blog you should be promoting ones products not spending time spouting off about stuff no one actually cares about.
I am now going to do some shameless self promotion.
I've gotten in some of the feaking cutest novelty print vintage dresses for spring and summer and have begun listing them along with vintage swimsuits.
See:

You can click on the pictures OR go to Damn Good Vintage and check out my shop on Mainstreet Vintage.
End of Shameless Self Promotion.

Let's Try Vintage Image of the WEEK

I think I can handle once a week.
I hope.
If you sell vintage lingerie you know the Vanity Fair script tag, but
every once in awhile you'll find the cameo tag in either gold
or blue. These are from the 40's and normally on rayon knits.
This ad is for a Vanity Fair slip and bra set of Rayon Jersey.

"If you can't say Fuck you can't say FUCK the Government."
Lenny Bruce

One of my favorite lines in the movie "Christmas Story" is:
"My father worked in profanity the way some artists work in oils."

We just watched the documentary FU*K.
Loved it.
I happen to find Fuck a fascinating word. It can be used in every part of
a sentence and has many meanings based just on inflection.
I've never felt the need to look down on folks who use profanity with the
snotty "they only use it because they are to stupid to use other words".

Bollocks, those are just folks who can't think of creative ways to use profanity
and jealous of true masters of the craft.
My father, the hypocrite, was once a man who worked in profanity. Now one would
think the word fuck never crossed his lips.
Where did I learn how to properly say fuck?
From my father and my son has been passed on the glorious gift of
free speech from my husband and I.
Just don't say fuck around Grammie.
M'K?

All words in the English language are gifts to be used and protected and enjoyed,
even the ones deemed naughty. DO NOT let other's fear of words or their need to
protect their children or their over-sensitivity keep you from exercising and
PROTECTING your RIGHT (not a privilege, but RIGHT) to say "Fuck the Government."

Happy "Neil" Birthday To Me

Well not yet. I don't turn 44 till April 2nd, but my mother who is
ever wonderful got me this:

from Randi, my favorite librarian who had now met Neil Gaiman
like 3 times (the bitch) but who has been super cool to get me
autographs.
I love Randi.
'Cause she gave that cute Death blank book
to my mommy to give to me cause I'm the biggest Neil
fan she knows.
I think I have girl crush on Randi.
Look what is inside my cool new book.

~eep~
I now have another book with the signature.
Cool mom.
Cool Randi.
Cool Neil.
Happy me.....

The "there is no such thing as vintage image of the day" but we will try VINTAGE IMAGE OF THE WEEK post!!!!




Charm Magazine
July, 1957

Rose Marie Reid
Jewels of the Sea

"Here, at the turn of the summer, the turn of a perfect curve.
The swimsuit, Esplanade, 19.95. The Sea-N-Sun fabric by Rosenstein Bros.
At fine stores all over the world.
Rose Marie Reid, Los Angeles 45, Calif."

Happy Tears

I've been looking back at old pictures today. I do this
each year on my son's birthday. Tears, but for the most part
happy ones.
On March 2 at 2am 15 years ago this sweet baby was born.



I never, never, never wanted kids.
I am glad the Universe does not listen to me.


He has been a joy and a blessing in my life.
Btw, this is the way he looked from about 3-8.


Even now as a teen he enriches my life in so many ways.
and though I miss that baby boy who actually liked to
cuddle with mom and would not run away if I tried to kiss
him, I am looking forward to seeing the adult this generous,
kind, funny and clever being will be.


Happy birthday Josh!

Vintage Image of the Day
Scrumptous.
Are these not the most
adorable shoes? Babydoll
oxfords, in RED. Now this is a
pair of vintage shoes I would
love to own.
DeLiso Debs, 1947

People are Strange....

OK I was tagged by Carol over at Dandelion Vintage to reveal 6 weird things about myself. I think my obsession with Neil Gaiman, Professor
Snape and The Dr. #9 are pretty clear so I'll have to dig deeper.
Why she wanted to torture me is beyond me, but here goes:









#1
I write all kind of comments on blogs and Live Journal and Fandom Wank
and never post them. I'll write a big long post with all my quite intelligent
reasons why Anne Rice is nutty as a fruit cake and then not post it.
Why do I do this?
I don't know why.

#2
I eat peanut butter and A1 steak sauce sandwiches. I don't know why,
but the flavors go together and make me happy. Comfort food from
my childhood.

#3
I hate Rachel Ray, man she gets on my nerves, but have a girl crush
on Helen Mirren.
I don't know why.

#4
I love movies, but do not like dragging myself out to the movie house.
I'd rather watch them at home. It drives my husband crazy. His
favorite thing to do is going to see a movie.
Of course I love to shop I just don't like having to drive anywhere
to do it.
Maybe I just hate to drive.

#5
I desperately want Harry Potter to be real.
...and no not so I can shag a certain Potions Master...you all have such
dirty minds...sheesh folks.
No, it is because I want magic to be real.
I sit and whisper "Accio phone" with all my might, but not a damn
thing happens.
I'm sure I'll spend time in purgatory for that.

#6
I want to be the crazy cat lady when I get old.
I will wear vintage gowns and cat eye glasses and shuffle around in
Daniel Green slippers whilst throwing kitty food around and
yelling "kitty kitty".

What I Found

If only all my finds were like these Dior shoes.


Do you love them as much as I do?
Are the colors not just sinfully yummy?
I had them sitting on my desk for days just so I could look at them.
If only they were Viver's.
Alas they are not.
Sexy cut to show the sides of a woman's foot, long toe box and
that scrumptious rosette make them the best vintage shoes
I have ever found.
So there you go....Vintage (early 60's) Dior D'orsay Pumps.

Vintage Images Has Returned!

The picture on the left is the one I choose to feature on Damn Good Vintage, but really both images are so delish I had to add the other part of the layout here.

Nipped waist suit from Adele Simpson and a perfect little sling cape over a pure silk printed surah sheath dress. These ads appeared in the Feb 1, 1951 issue of Vogue.

Bad Mommy

or how to screw with your teenager.
So The Boy and I were sitting here and a commercial came on for some
movie with the "frequency" that only teens can hear.
The Boy begins to just freak out.
I thought he was just fucking with me...doing some bizarre dramatic
"OMG! It is killing me!!!!!" dance.
So I went here and downloaded the 17KHz mosquito cell phone ringtone.
Then I hit play.
Hahahahahahahahah....
Ok, so it really does bother The Boy.

Dude, the power I have over him is UNLIMITED!
He will now empty the dishwasher when I ask, take out the trash at
the 1st suggestion and just basically be my minion until he is unable to hear
the demon sound any more.

I love technology.

Bad Mommy

or how to screw with your teenager.
So The Boy and I were sitting here and a commercial came on for some
movie with the "frequency" that only teens can hear.
The Boy begins to just freak out.
I thought he was just fucking with me...doing some bizarre dramatic
"OMG! It is killing me!!!!!" dance.
So I went here and downloaded the 17KHz mosquito cell phone ringtone.
Then I hit play.
Hahahahahahahahah....
Ok, so it really does bother The Boy.

Dude, the power I have over him is UNLIMITED!
He will now empty the dishwasher when I ask, take out the trash at
the 1st suggestion and just basically be my minion until he is unable to hear
the demon sound any more.

I love technology.

"bow your heads and pretend to be serious"

This has to be the funniest damn story of the week.

Mooninites have invaded Boston.
Glad I don't live there....the stupidity hurts my brain.
Of course we were watching the news last night and feeling all
sorry for the folks in Boston about the scare.
That was until they showed a picture of the said device.

That was when I spit out my drink and my teen fell on the floor
in a hail of guffaws and yelling "Dude it is a Mooninite...muwhahahahahahahah".

Man what a clusterfuck the authorities in Boston have made this. Here is a great quote:

“It had a very sinister appearance,” Coakley told reporters. “It had a battery behind it, and wires.”

Well of course it looked sinister. We all know how sinister cartoon characters can be.

The Mooninites are NOT sorry, not sorry at all....
Of course if you lived in Boston and were smart you could have found one and
nabbed it for yourself or to sell on Ebay.

I am now all about Crying, While Eating. Funny, funny, funny. I love some of the reasons they are crying.
What he's crying about:
Parenthood like being pecked to death by small chickens

What he's crying about:
Poor chain letter etiquette has induced bad luck

What he's crying about: Not omnipotent I think I'll cry about the last one too.
DAMN I want to be omnipotent or at least an evil overlord....
then I could have minions.
I like minions.
As my friend Ang says: "Minions are good."

I would even provide them with a 401K and hats...or at least coffee mugs.

Jean Muir and the 70's Does 30's Dress

Over on Dress a Day Erin posted a picture of Carmen in a great
dress she made from a vintage 70's Vogue Couturier Jean Muir
pattern # 2756. It really has that 30's feel to it. Which is nice
since it can be easier to find a 70's pattern you can use then a
30's one. Just the use of the correct fabric can give you the period
feel you want.
I am forever on the hunt for the perfect 40's look shirtwaist dress
is size "OMG you are so huge" which seems to be a size the pattern
companies don't want to provide shirtwaist dresses in.

So far I have liked all the Jean Muir patterns I have seen. They are
pretty and feminine with out being saccharine. Right now
The pattern above is for sale at Sew-Retro. I don't like it as much as the one
Carmen used, but I do like the vague 20's/Renaissance feel of it.