Vintage Haul - February 18, 2025

Almost every thrift store within a hundred mile radius was having a 50% off sale for Presidents’ Day yesterday. 

I didn’t go to any of them. 

We were hosting my sons’s birthday party that evening and I really had to much to do. 

So much to my surprise, when I went thrifting today, I still found things I wanted to pick up for the shop. Which goes to show - everyone is looking for something different than you. All the time. 

Found a sweet cardigan, a wonderfully vintage 60s purse, vintage Disney belt, bandana, olive green utility pants… all the usuals that I long to find. There they were!

So be encouraged. Thrift and thrift again even when you don’t think you’ll find what you’re looking for. 

Because as my son - whose birthday we just celebrated yesterday - used to say about everything when he was three years old (mind you, he just turned 24): “Sometimes, you just never know.”

Indeed. Sometimes. 

Dooney and Bourke Handbags

This post should be titled, "Ode to My Mother" because she owned Dooney and Bourke purses and used and loved them as I grew up in my teen years.

It's also why when I see one (particularly in the traditional British tan and navy pebbled leather), I stop in my tracks, have to pick it up, and look at it, nostalgically remembering the "good old days."

Dooney and Bourke was an American leather company founded in 1975 by Peter Dooney and Frederic Bourke. They began designing and making men's leather goods like belts and wallets (very similar to the Coach Leather Co. history) and transitioned into making leather purses.

It's not hard to see why. Leather purses are a lucrative business! And when you make quality, USA-made leather bags, well, it's a no-brainer. This is how Coach did it and it worked. 

I came across this mini tan and navy Dooney purse just yesterday. It is straight from the late '80s to early '90s. It is in remarkably good condition and looks to have been rarely worn. I cleaned and conditioned it and she's ready for another thirty years (she's in the shop.)

She is petite, just 7' by 6" by 3" but big enough to carry your phone and all the essentials for a night out on the town (or a day out shopping - hands-free since the strap is long enough to act as a cross-body bag.)

Have a wonderful weekend.♥

Vintage Libaire Purses

I'm amazed at how much I don't know once I start researching vintage items.

Just discovered the vintage leather brand, Libaire. Created in 1978 in Berkeley (just down the freeway from me in Sacramento), a Swedish man named Peter Libaire started his leatherworks company, specializing in handbags.

And I had no clue who this business was. Why have I never heard of them? 

I read a more in-depth article about them (finding any information about this company is difficult - Mr. Libaire, or family, if you're reading this, please do a write-up on Wikipedia or something so we have an accurate historical beginning and ending of your company. The world needs it!) and it has energized my quest to find more of these beautiful bags. They're comparable to Coach, if not better. Have I really been ignoring them all these years as I source vintage or are they rare?

Perhaps it's a little bit of both.

USA-made, with top grain leather, and handmade - what's not to love? And (for me) the best part is they were made on the West Coast just a short jaunt down the road from me. 

It feels like I'm finding a best friend I never knew I had. I love USA-made and I love local crafters. This is slow living and slow fashion at its finest.

They closed shop in 2016, but it only makes these purses more valuable (in my opinion). They're an understated luxury brand that really should've had more popularity than they did. And if them being shut down is the only way to make that happen, then I'm here for that!

If you want to read some fun reviews from 15-plus years ago, check out these Yelp reviews. It shows how topnotch they truly were. The quality of the materials and craftsmanship makes these bags worth hundreds and hundreds of dollars. You just can't get quality like this anymore and if you do, you're certainly paying for it.

This one is available for a respectable $78. Another reason why buying, selling, keeping and promoting vintage is one of the most economical and sustainable things you can do. It not only helps the world but helps you! Who wouldn't want a bag that in today's terms (make, distribution, and advertising) would cost an arm and a leg?

This bag is a work of art.

I cleaned and moisturized this beautiful custard-colored shoulder bag and she'd ready for another 40 years on the town. In the shop and ready to ship.

Vintage Spring Blossom Pyrex

My new find is on the bottom shelf.♥

It's been almost four years since I began thrifting all of my Pyrex pieces to prove (to myself) that it was possible to get what I wanted if I had enough patience. Since I wasn't going to pay retail, and since I thrift for a living, why not see if I could accomplish it?

Well, it works. Patience - and the willingness to do what it takes (thrifting ... a lot of thrifting) - and anything is possible. (Also, take this advice and apply it to anything and your outcome will be the same. Just a little FYI there.)

I picked up this sweet divided casserole with the lid for $9.99 just a few days ago, and straight from the Goodwill bin, too. I only have a couple more pieces to this whole set and it's complete. This pattern, Spring Blossom also called Crazy Daisy, was one I grew up with (my mom had some of it) so, of course, it feels very necessary to collect this one.

Not to mention, green is one of my favorite colors (olive green).

If you want to learn more about Pyrex, I've written lots about it. Click here. ◄

Also, this book is THE best one to have if you're a Pyrex collector. I highly recommend adding it to your library.

Have a great weekend, my vintage friends.

-Heather

New Listings in the Vintage Shop - January 2025

I've changed the style of my vintage shop since November of last year. After the start of my fifteenth year on Etsy, I decided to downsize my inventory and instead sell what I really wanted. This meant quality items over quantity.

In the past, I've had upwards of 800 items to take care of and sell (and everything that goes with it like listing, storing, and shipping them) and over the last two months, I've whittled it down to a solid 250 items.

While that's still about fifty items more than I want, I figure I'll let those items sell over the year and continue to maintain my inventory with the things I truly love-- more of what I love. Wool, denim, silk, and unusual and fun items.

It's a challenge to go thrifting these days knowing I'm not trying to find as much as I can but more instead on "What do I really want to see in my shop?" and "What means the most to me?"

I just listed this beautiful space-dyed cardigan. I've only sourced a half dozen of these over the years, which is always shocking because they were so prevalent back in the '70s. While I'll be slowing down on the sweaters and outwear in a few weeks - to shift to spring and summer items - I've got a few more days this month to source what I wish I could sell all year round: sweaters, cardigans, jackets, and coats.

These boots are always fun too. They're Yodeler's faux fur boots. Having sold a few pairs of these, I always add these to my arms as soon as I see them! I think of them as vintage "Uggs," with a fitted -- i.e. better -- look. And the zippers are fun.

Have a great weekend! ♥