Vintage Advantage

I'm Baaa...aaaack!

2015-09-12T17:04:00.001-07:00

I have a favor to ask...
Please tell me what you think, Dear blog-readers.
It's been almost exactly two years since I last posted here at Vintage Advantage. Yes, apparently I am still alive. I did wonder about that for a while, however...long story, best saved for another time or not at all.
Is anyone reading this?
Is it too bizarre to re-start a blog that had been basically in a coma for two years?
I'm on the fence...please give me little push one way or the other, if you'd be so kind.

~Dina

Vintage Swimsuits for a Hot September

2013-09-07T16:43:00.001-07:00

As usual, September has rolled into Southern California to greet temperatures in the 90's and 100's!

Same thing happens every year...just when I'm in the mood for fuzzy sweaters, tall boots, and a Pumpkin Spice latte', the "real" summer temps hit So Cal and the only cool place to escape is to the beach!

To soothe my over-heated soul, I've been looking at amazing, adorable mid-century swimwear.

My favorite suits are by Rose Marie Reid:

and Catalina:

My favorite ads are from Cole...they have such a sense of humor!

Here are some more great designs & ads:

Now off to the beach!!!

Posted with Blogsy

Best Vintage Car Ad Everrrrr!

2013-08-28T09:39:00.001-07:00

Ok, just a quick little post here...

I was flipping through my stash of vintage fashion mags yesterday and I came across this:

I love it!!!! It's basically my car (except mine's a four-door) and the mom and daughter in their matching leopard outfits just blew my mind!

That is all...just wanted to share the awesomeness :-)

Posted with Blogsy

HUGE VINTAGE SALE

2013-08-15T12:22:00.000-07:00

Ahem...***clears throat*** We now interrupt your regularly-scheduled blog posts to bring you an important announcement from our sponsor!!

THERE'S A HUGE SALE at MOMODELUXE VINTAGE!!!
Yup, you read that right. The biggest sale of the year. Every single thing in my vintage shop is AT LEAST 30% off right now!

Including this darling dress:

click HERE to see this adorable dress!

and these fabulous shoes:

click HERE for the princess-perfect shoes

this totally of-the-moment snake print coat is 30% off:

click HERE to check out this fab coat!

This super-gorgeous Pake' Mu Dress is on sale, too:

HERE's where you click!

You need a new handbag, you say?? Well I have some BEAUTIES on sale right now!

This bag is only $22.50, people!!!

I have some treats for the boys, too!

Check out the tikis!!

So, you get it, right??? There's tons of cute stuff at lowest-it-will-ever-be prices!
I have a mountain of fantastic new goodies for Fall, Holiday, and Winter that I can't wait to put up in my shop. Help me make some room, won't you?

Miss L Fire in Hollywood!

2013-07-11T19:58:00.000-07:00

Last night I had a chance to go to the opening-night celebration for the Miss L Fire store that just opened here in Hollywood.
I'm so excited to be able to try on their adorable shoes and buy a pair with out having them shipped from the UK!

It was just a little schoolnight soiree, but a lot of people showed up!

The store is in a fun part of town. Technically the address is Hollywood, but it's almost in Silverlake...I tend to think of that area as Silverlake, anyway. One of my favorite vegan restaurants, Cafe Flore, is just down the street, and one of my all-time fave art galleries, La Luz de Jesus, is in the same block. So it;s a pretty cool neighborhood.

The store looks super cute, and of course the shoes are amazing. Their displays are a lot of fun.

Besides amazing shoes like these:

and these:

they're also carrying a bunch of other goodies, like a line of repro celluloid/bakelite style jewelry

They also have the Miss L Fire line of repro lucite bags:

Those are really cute, I think, and honestly you could spend years and years, not to mention a bajillion dollars, for a "real" vintage pink lucite bag. Why not have a cute pink bag now?

I was also really thrilled to see that they are carrying Freddie's of Pinewood jeans!! Hooray! I've wanted some for the longest time, but no-one sells them anywhere in LA (until now) so now I can try them on and see how they fit!

They had a band, which unfortunately was packing up just as we arrived, and there were lots of guys & gals dressed to the nines.

I met Monica:

and Vanessa:

You probably can't appreciate it from my crummy iPhone pic, but she's wearing the greatest novelty-print rayon dress with sombreros on it, and around her neck is an amazing celluloid (or Bakelite..I didn't ask) and cork necklace.

The ironic thing about the whole night? I was walking around in my Lucky Lou tiki-heeled shoes that were KILLING my feet!

Time to trade these babies in for some Miss L Fires!

A Few of my Favorite Blogs: Inspiration

2013-06-18T17:10:00.000-07:00

I don't have one of those fancy BlogRoll thingies, so I thought you lovely readers might like to know about a few of the blogs that I love to read!
Of course, I follow a jillion, and they're all great in their different ways, but here are a few that I find inspiring every time I visit.
Here they are, in no particular order:

1) The Rockabilly Socialite
    Dollie seems like the sweetest gal and she is unfailingly upbeat and inspiring! Gosh, I wish I had all that energy...she should bottle it..she'd make a million. She's also having a giveaway for advertising space on her blog. Check it out if you're looking to advertise something!

2)Wacky Tacky
   Mr. Tiny does fun things and writes about them...based here in Southern California. Fun inspiration!

3)Vintage Vixen
   Talk about inspiration!! Vix is uber-amazing in every way. I've never seen anyone look so chic & unique even just going to the grocery store :-)

4)Misfits Vintage
   Hilarious and gorgeous Sarah makes me laugh out loud...she's a spitfire!!

5)By Gum By Golly
Tasha is a genius. The talent this gal has is off the freakin' charts! She can knit. She can sew. She'll blow you away with her talent.

SO that's just a few that I find particularly inspiring.
What blogs inspire you???
I'd love to know...please share!

Viva Las Vegas 2013...Better Late Than Never!

2013-06-12T19:01:00.000-07:00

OK, yes, I realize that Viva was in March, and it is now JUNE (how'd that happen?) and that makes this post a wee bit tardy. I have an excuse! I lost my pictures! *insert sad trombone...whaa, whaaaaaaah*

Well, they're not really lost, they're just misplaced somewhere in the wasteland of my computer. I hope.
So until the day that I find the rest of the pix, here is a Viva 2013 Wrap-Up consisting of only the pictures I took with my iPhone. Should be interesting, so here goes...

First glimpse of Vegas! It sure doesn't look like much from this viewpoint, does it? I think it's best to drive or fly into Vegas after dark. That way you see the lights and the glamour first!

A bit of burlesque-ness at the end of the fashion show on Friday. The fashion show was actually kind of lame, in my opinion...next year I think I'll sleep in instead! These gals were pretty hot, though. They were the best part, for sure. I think the company was called Secrets in Lace...they make lovely vintage-inspired lingerie.

Friday night, I think! Honestly, it's a bit of a blur...haha! This dress is by Pin Up Girl, and the purse is one of my hand-painted MoMosMadness creations. You really can't see it in all its glory here, but it features tiki gods and a hibiscus that perfectly matches my dress.

The car show never disappoints. This year the car show was in a new location, which was bigger, shadier, and a shorter walk from the hotel. A big improvement! So many amazing, gorgeous cars...here's where I'm really missing my "real" photos, because I had some good ones from the car show!!! There were tons of vendors and I could've dropped a chunk of change there! Most of the vendors were selling new things, but there was at least one vintage dealer with some really great stuff. Pin Up Girl had a big booth with some sale racks, but it was just too hot to try on clothes.

this chick looks a little hungover, or something :-)

Saturday night we saw Little Richard, who was a blast. I feel fortunate to have seen him. I'll find those pix, I promise!! You guys have to see how Little Richard looked in his purple suit on his golden throne :-)

At the pool, Sunday, I think...waaaaaay before the party really started. I was so looking forward to rockin' my vintage Cole leopard-print swimsuit. It was a bit of a drama, that day, however, and I didn't enjoy it as much as I might have. By the time I got to the pool every single seat was taken, so I though I was a big genius and paid some cute kid to pull out a lounger and set it up for me in a prime spot. I was sittin' pretty, just checking out the action, and then the wind started kicking up. Like hurricane style. My hubby, who was supposed to be joining me, was mysteriously MIA, and so I sat there by myself for the longest time and held on to everything to keep it from flying into the pool. I think I was just having a diva moment, but I got tired of the whole thing and left just as the party was getting started! The line outside the pool was super-long as I walked out. Next year I need a completely different game plan!

I'm not sure about the whole pool party thing. You can't bring your own food in, which is lame, and no-one really goes in the pool for fear of wrecking vintage duds and carefully coiffed do's.

The rest of Sunday was great fun, though...it made up for my weird pool party experience.We saw Charles Phoenix, we ate, we drank, we shopped, we saw Nikki Hill, we watched the jive contest...it was a fabulous end to an exhausting but super-fun weekend.

One last shot as we left the room Monday morning. I'm feeling a bit wrecked at this point and doing a good job of hiding it! That's my "I'm NOT going to throw up!" face :-)
Actually I just needed some caffeine and sugar and I was all fixed up.

Last stop on the way out of town...the store with the vegan donuts!!! I try to eat very healthfully, most of the time, but sometimes a warm chocolate glazed (or two) goes down real nicely!

Can't wait for Viva 2014!!!

Tiki Tuesday: Tiki Caliente 5

2013-05-21T18:56:00.000-07:00

I'm sure you tiki lovers have heard about the Tiki Oasis in San Diego, but have you heard about Tiki Caliente? It's such a fun event!!My husband and I were lucky enough to attend Tiki Caliente 5 this past weekend.
It's tiki everything, a big pool party, lots of mai tais, and tons more, all in sunny & fabulous Palm Springs, California!
There were vendor booths with TONS of wonderful vintage Hawaiian clothes...

look at all those eye-popping colors!

Every kind of hand carved tiki wall hanging, statue, ceramic mug, artwork, many of them limited editions for you hard-core collectors...

There was even a dude working on carving tikis right there...

Yikes! I'd lose an eye...or a spleen...or something

There were live bands all weekend, including the Ding Dong Devils, who all wore matching custom outfits, and looked like they were having a great time...I think maybe I heard a theremin up there!!

Here's what I wore on Saturday: a vintage Cole playsuit (Etsy), with tiki-hut purse (eBay), a hat I've had for a million years, my Dior Mohotani sunglasses, and sandals that I got ages ago at Target. I'm so glad I never got rid of those sandals 'cause they match my playsuit perfectly!

My fave band was Kitty Chow and Fisherman, who did a late-night adults-only show...and boy was it adults-only!
Here I am waiting for them to play...bright halogen lights at midnight are an affront to the senses, but the very patient bartender helped us invent a drink that helped dim the lights a bit...

Dude! these lights are tooo bright

we call it an Ectoplasm! Captain Morgan, Mango Puree, and a splash of Blue Curacao? I think?

The whole weekend, people were all over the place wearing amazing vintage Hawaiian clothing...

great colors and mid-mod design!!

who doesn't love a matching set?

Two adorable members of the Ding Dong Devils

amazing shirt...and look at that beard!

even the doggies have tiki style!!

the event was sponsored by Deadhead rum and so there were a lot of rum drinks to be had!!

The above particular mai tai may or may not have caused a particular blogger to pass out for an hour or so in the hotel room in the middle of the afternoon :-)

I met this great gal named Amy Swenson. First I just took a pic of her because of her lovely vintage Hawaiian dress, but then come to find out that she's an artist, an a killer one to boot!

Amy the artist

I bought this adorable little painting of a Benihana Maneki Neko mug...it's painted on vintage Aloha fabric...isn't that genius? I collect Maneki Neko (Japanese lucky cats) so this painting brings together two of my loves. I can't figure out where to hang it. Right now it's just sitting by my nightstand where I can gaze at it adoringly.

Here's a link to Amy's website

Another lovely lady I had a chance to meet was Tayva from SparkleLux . She makes these gorgeous glitter Lucite earrings and sells them on Etsy, and at Pin Up Girl, among other places. Doesn't she have fabulous style?? Look at that dress! Deadstock, she said! *sigh*

does that bag look familiar? :-)

I did a bit of shopping, too...besides the Maneki Neko painting, I got a really cute Hawaiian barkcloth dress...

The lighting in my dining room is making this look freaky, but it's a gorgeous dress! Really!

I also got some prints from a Palm Springs artist named John Murasky.

these cuties are going in my tiki-theme guest bath

His artwork is amazing for many reasons, but the thing that got me is that he does them in ball point pen! I know! He also does super-great custom portraits. Check out his website...it's a good one.

Whew! Now a few days to rest...and work...
It was a fantastic, fun weekend, and I can't wait to do it again next year!

Tiki Tuesday: Thrift Store Finds

2013-05-14T09:43:00.001-07:00

Have you ever had the wonderful experience of wishing for something, and then almost magically finding it?

I have been thinking a bit about doing a little new artwork with a tiki theme. The first thing I need when I start a new art project is resource materials, and I was just starting to think along those lines, when...voila! Look what I found!

There is a little thrift store on my street, which, to be honest, rarely coughs up anything great. This day, however, it was home to an enormous collection of old books on primitive cultures, including these nice books.

Check out the illustrations!

I can't wait to put these to use...stay tuned for a little artwork, maybe!

Posted with Blogsy

Book Review: Hollywood Sketchbook

2013-05-10T11:32:00.001-07:00

Here's something for you all to put on your Christmas gift lists...and maybe if you're very good (or very naughty, wink wink) Santa will get it for you!!

Hollywood Sketchbook: A Century of Costume Illustration, by Deborah Nadoolman Landis

This is a huge (600 pages) heavy, glossy coffee table book.

It's got page after page of costume illustrations by designers like: Bonnie Cashin, Travilla, Orry-Kelly, Adrian, Cecil Beaton, and Travis Banton. Only costume designers who were also accomplished illustrators are included.

Here's some eye candy for you!

Aren't these gorgeous???

The author has written many other books on costume design and is herself an Academy-Award nominated costume designer. She has a PhD in the history of design.

This book is really all about the pictures, though...and what pictures!!

OK, Santa, you know what to bring me!!!

Posted with Blogsy

OOTDs...Or Is It Outfits Of The Weekend?

2013-04-29T11:03:00.001-07:00

I never do OOTDs, because frankly, my workaday outfits have left a little bit to be desired lately. Think yoga pants, random T-shirt, hoodie, and sneakers...not even vintage sneakers. Hey, I work in front of the computer in my own house! Who am I trying to impress, here? But I digress...

This past weekend I got a chance to do my vintage thing TWICE!

First up, Saturday morning:

This is one of my favorite novelty-print early-60's dresses. It has clocks and calendars and the days of the week written in French, which totally reminds me of the French teacher/tutor I had in 6th grade, Madame Clinard. I can hear her voice in my head right now..."Bonjour, Dina!!!" The cashmere (mmmm, cashmere) sweater is an estate sale find. Shoes are thrifted, not vintage, but whatever. I was telling my hubby the other day that if a person has a whole wardrobe of vintage shoes, they are truly hard-core. You may notice there's no Bakelite happening here...I was going to a religious service where you need to be vewwy, vewwy quiet!

Here's Sunday:

Going to the Vintage Fashion Expo in Santa Monica. Dress is a 40's Etsy find. I got it for a steal, because it needed somewhat major restoration, something I love to do wen I have the time! You can't see it, but the scarf in my hair is a souvenir scarf from Hawaii, an estate sale find. The handbag is one of my MoMosMadness creations...an upcycled 60's handbag with my own hand-painted tiki design. Bakelite earrings and bangles were bought from mix of places...estate sales, antique stores, eBay, etc. Shoes are thrifted, vintage repro's.

Hmmm, that was fun! Maybe there are more OOTD's in my future! What do you guys think? should I do more?

Posted with Blogsy

Grauman's Egyptian Theater and Sunset Boulevard

2013-04-15T16:41:00.000-07:00

The other night my charming husband escorted me to Grauman's Egyptian Theater
in Hollywood, CA for a special screening of one of my favorite films...Sunset Boulevard!

I've lived in SoCal most of my life and yet I've never been to this glorious movie-palace of old until now!

Double-leopard action just as a tribute to the film, I promise!

Graumans Egyptian has a wonderful history, and its foremost claim to fame is that the first-ever Hollywood movie premier was held here.

The Egyptian theme was all the rage back then, and they did it up nicely with murals, faux sandstone walls, and imposing columns.

Inside are somewhat-creepy Anubis dog statues and lots of other fab details.

Above is the best shot I could achieve of the glorious ceiling with my little point & shoot camera. You just have to trust me...it's breathtaking!

The film was being screened as part of a Film Noir festival put on by
American Cinematheque

Anyone who knows me knows that I love me some films noir, but my absolute fave is Sunset Boulevard. Wait, I lied! First Double Indemnity, THEN Sunset Boulevard.

If you haven't seen it, run-run-run to your Netflix queue and hook this baby up! You'll thank me.

Honestly, it's not just because of the plethora of leopard prints in the film that draw me to it, though that's a perk :-)

There are SO many quotable, classic lines in this film, and it's had such an incredible impact on the history of movies.
We were treated with a newly-restored digital copy of the film and it was like seeing it for the first time again!
"...and all you wonderful people out there in the dark!"

Are any of you Noir fans? What's your favorite film? I'd love to hear!

Tiki Tuesday: Don The Beachcomber

2013-04-09T20:14:00.001-07:00

This past Saturday I went to Don the Beachcomber
In Huntington Beach, CA, for the Tiki Marketplace. The address says Huntington Beach, but to me this restaurant is in Huntington Harbor, not Huntington Beach!

Does the sign look familiar? Used to be Sam's Seafood!

Are you guys tired of looking at this leopard purse? Time to mix it up, Dina.

Don's has an interesting history. The founder of the original Don's in Hollywood was named Ernest Gantt. He opened his first Don the Beachcomber in the 30's and his identity became so tied to it that he legally changed his name to Donn Beach! He was apparently quite a character, and is widely credited with inventing the Mai Tai, Zombie, and Navy Grog recipes...he focused on rum because rum was the cheapest liquor!
Now the "Don the Beachcomber" name is licensed. There have been a boatload of restaurants bearing the name over the years, all over California, Hawaii, some in Texas and even Minnesota.Currently there are only three: two in Hawaii and this one in Huntington.

Love that slogan!

It's a great big sprawling place with a labyrinth of dining rooms and bars inside, all decorated in super-kitschy, high-Polynesian style.

this one's for you Noelle M.

The main bar is called the Dagger Bar, after Donn's collection of antique daggers.
It's a great looking little bar, with lots of seating and yet a cozy feel. There is fantastic artwork everywhere, including big full-wall murals.

The main dining room has a stage for live musicians to play in front of a waterfall.

fun artwork everywhere!

The Tiki Marketplace was held in two rooms further back in the building...I swear this place goes on forever!

It costs 10$ to get into the Tiki Marketplace, and for your ten bucks you get a food/drink voucher worth 10 dollars, which will buy you a Mai Tai! Haha...drunk shopping? Danger Will Robinson!!! Danger!

There was a ton of amazing Tiki-themed stuff to peruse. From antiques to brand-new fun things. Several vendors had amazing drool-worthy vintage lamps like these:

I splurged and bought a set of Franciscan Starburst china from this nice guy I met, named Spike. Now half the time I forget the names of the people I meet almost instantaneously, but how could you forget the name Spike? It was actually pretty funny because he was selling the dishes from under the table, being that they weren't really "tiki" merchandise. I felt like I was making some sort of black-market deal :-)

Turns out he's in the band The Hula Girls
They're super fun! Check out this clip of them playing live at Don's:

Denise and her fabulous creations!

I also met Denise from Retro Ruthie
She makes the cutest reproduction-vintage clothes using real vintage patterns. Isn't this top and skirt set adorable? She has a great selection of true-vintage and vintage-look fabrics to choose from, and she'll even make something out of your vintage fabric if you ask nicely :-)

The cover artist of the newest issue of Tiki magazine was there, but I didn't get a chance to meet her. As a watercolor artist myself, I love that she uses watercolor in a field dominated by other media. I also love that she's a she!! Most tiki artists are men, for some unknown reason.

Tiki magazine
is a lot of fun...it's hard to find in stores, so your best bet is a subscription.

The Tiki Marketplace was great fun if you're into Tiki. I bought myself some cool tiki earrings (made of Shrinky Dinx!!) a lovely and well-made flower clip for my hair, and the aforementioned dishes.
I had a really delicious Mai Tai that sort of kicked my butt, as I drank it on an empty stomach! We didn't actually eat at Don's, mostly because their restaurant isn't very vegetarian-friendly. I suppose that would be my only criticism...throw us a veggie-burger or something, people! It's really not that hard!
Don the Beachcomber in Huntington Beach hosts the Tiki Marketplace every 6-8 weeks or so.

See you at the next Tiki Marketplace!

Epic SouthWest Road Trip Wrap Up, Part 1

2013-03-01T18:17:00.001-08:00

Whew...we're finally home!

Does anyone else ever need a vacation from their vacation?

The hubs and I covered a big chunk of Southwest territory in two weeks, and I crammed in some rather epic thrifting along the way.

Here's a shot of most of it piled on the kitchen table.

I'm going to keep a couple of items for myself...like those blue Springolators, if I can squeeze my big boats into 'em.

Almost everything is going into my Etsy shop within the next couple months...as soon as I can get it all inventoried, fixed up, and photographed....which takes forever!

Look at all the cute salt & pepper shakers!! The black cats are really unique...I need to do some research about them. I think they might be pretty rare! They have little glass globes, like fishbowls, that the cats are looking down into...very cool. Mr. Quincy approves.

This shirt has the most awesome Miro print:

My absolute favorite find is this vintage pillowslip. I just started collecting these a while ago, and this one's really special. I used to live in El Paso, which is near Carlsbad Caverns. I've been there twice. It's so incredible...really out in the middle of nowhere, but so worth the trip.

My final fave find were these 50's (maybe early 60's) pumps! I found them at Revolver vintage in Albuquerque, an awesome store. I could've stayed for hours and probably bought much more, but I was with family who were very patiently waiting as I shopped. One of the many wonderful things about Revolver is their comfy lounging area in the front! Great idea! All stores should have such a thing if they have the room...with prehaps some magazines and a tiny TV to amuse the waiting-patiently.

But I digress...the completely killer thing about these heels is that they match the clutch I ALREADY HAD!!!

Yes, that cute, perfectly matching clutch was at home...actually in my Etsy shop stock! I had thought about keeping it for myself before, but once I found these matching shoes, IN MY SIZE, I knew it was mine.

So, now back to reality!!! I do have a couple other posts about fun things I found on the trip, though, so stay tuned :-)

Posted with Blogsy

Tiki Tuesday: The Kon Tiki, Tucson, Arizona

2013-02-26T21:06:00.000-08:00

On our epic roadtrip of the Southwest, the hubby and I visited just one lonesome Tiki bar...there's not much Tiki out there in the desert, where they need it the most, in my opinion!

The Kon Tiki, in Tucson Arizona, opened in 1963. It has a great history, and used to host big celebrities back in it's heyday, such as Clint Eastwood.

A pretty fun sign (please ignore the tacky banner in photo, left)

We pulled our rented RV up to this little glowing gem, and it was like an oasis in the desert, beckoning with promise of tropical drinks!

The Kon Tiki supposedly boasts "the largest collection of Milan Guanko tikis in the world"...perhaps these are a couple?

The decor is pretty cool & authentic, including the obligatory Tretchikoff Chinese Girl.

He's happy there are no piranhas around!

In the entry way there is a big tropical aquarium (I'm such a sucker for a pretty fish tank) which apparently used to house piranhas!!! Pretty awesome. I think it's illegal to have those, now...

The Kon Tiki is a restaurant as well as a bar, and it's really big inside with lots of little rooms, each with a slightly different variation on the tiki decor. The Yelp reviews say the food is pretty mediocre, but hey...you don't go to a bar for the food, am I right?

You go for the drinks!!! The bartender, Marcos, made me a mighty-tasty Mai Tai. It's a little odd to drink a Mai Tai in the middle of the desert...oddly delicious :-)

The Kon Tiki was an interesting spot. On the one hand, it has a fun history and lots of great, authentic details like this fab lamp.

Mr. Tiki says "please don't use me to hide junk!"

On the other hand, it has things like the offensive-to-the-eyeballs giant banner out in front that advertised some drink special, and the junk stashed behind the tiki in the front entrance next to the trash-picker-upper and bucket combo. The freebie newspaper stand is a nice touch, too.

Me, in Mai Tai buzzed RV'ing mode

Paradise? Perhaps not, but it'll do. We're lucky it's still around, and maybe someday the Kon Tiki can get away from the frat-bar thing and back to what I imagine might have been it's original form!

If you're in the Tucson area, definitely stop by the Kon Tiki for a Mai Tai and tell Marcos I said "Hi!"

Tiki Tuesday: Finding Tiki In The Oddest Places

2013-02-12T21:15:00.001-08:00

(((OK...just a quick post as it's past my bedtime))

Look what I found in a thrift shop in Page, AZ!

This one's got beautiful photos inside:

.50 cents each!!!

Now I just need a portable record player and this RV would be hula-ing through the desert :-)

Posted with Blogsy

Road Trip Finds: Gallup, New Mexico

2013-02-07T20:36:00.001-08:00

On old Route 66, just over the border from Arizona into NM, is the tiny and very old town of Gallup. I found a little art gallery co-op with a vintage clothing mini-store in the back, called "Planet Mars", and scored this darling home-sewn 49'er style jacket for a song:

This cute cotton dress has a bakelite belt buckle :-) I love the smell of Bakelite in the morning!!!

I also bought three awesome men's shirts for the same spot. The owner, Marcia, was super-nice. She and the other sweet lady at the co-op steered me towards what they thought was the best thrift store in Gallup, and they sure steered me right!

"Hidden Treasures and More" is a hole-in-the-wall for sure, but inside I found this fun booty for ridiculously low prices, by LA standards.

Isn't he cute? He's a pencil holder...the pencil (or pen) makes his tail. The body is a letter holder, and the top of his head holds a little sponge to wet your stamps for you (haha...can you even buy non-sticker stamps any more?)

Last find of the day...enamelware turkey platter!! I find these enameled, brightly colored camping dishes somewhat often, but I have never, ever, seen a platter like this. I'm going to have a heard time getting rid of this one!

We also visited an amazing, haunted old hotel in Gallup today that warrants it's own post...I'll try to get that one up soon...so spooky!

Stay tuned for more road-trip adventures!

Posted with Blogsy

Tiki Tuesday...Faves from My Own Closet

2013-01-29T17:04:00.001-08:00

For this installment of Tiki Tuesday, I thought I'd share a couple of my favorite tiki-themed items from my own closet.

My hands-down favorite is this late 1950's cardigan sweater:

I saw a similar one on eBay, a couple of years ago...almost exactly the same, except a brown-on-cream colorway, instead of blue-on-cream, and I was just gutted when another bidder won the auction.
Some months later I found this one at the Vintage Expo in Santa Monica and I was ecstatic!!! I like the blues even better :-)
I think that technically the figures are more African-inspired than Polynesian, but whatever...I love it.

I also have this cute little short-sleeved rayon shirt.

I think it's actually from the 90's, by Reyn Spooner. I like the subtle colors, and the classic styling. I wear it with shorts in the summer.

The newest addition to my collection is this amazing sundress I got off Etsy a week ago:

Here's a closeup of the print:

I don't know if you can tell very well from this pic, but the turquoise shapes behind the green tiki are supposed to be a map of the Hawaiian islands.

Don't you love it?
It needs a teensy bit of alteration to fit perfectly, but nothing I can't handle myself.
The seller had it listed as 1970's, but I think it's a bit earlier.

I have a lot of other vintage goodies that have a tiki "feeling", but these are my only clothes with actual tikis on them...I think it's a lot easier to find tiki stuff for guys than for girls!!
Hope you like them!

A Day In The Life...Estate Sale Madness

2013-01-26T18:25:00.001-08:00

I'm thinking you lovely readers might enjoy a peek into my daily work life.
Something I do a few times a month is go to estate sales. I've learned the hard way that the early bird gets the worm, and by worm I mean the killer vintage goods...

So here I am at 5:50 a.m, in the pouring rain, a couple mornings ago.
You can't tell from the pic, but it's pitch dark out. And pouring rain. Did I mention it was raining?

'Scuze the blurry pic...there was water on the lens! I may look like I was having fun, but I wouldn't say getting up that early is ever fun. I'm actually laughing in the pic because I'm amazed that a fellow dealer was already there and had been there since 5 am!! He's really happy because he's #1 on the list.

What we do is start a list of names, and that list determines who gets to go in first. After scoring that coveted spot on the list, I usually go home for an hour or so (if the sale is close to my house) or go to Denny's, Starbucks or something and wait til the sale starts.
This sale was supposed to start at 10:00am. By this point the rain had tapered off. The estate sale company was nice enough to put up a canopy so that everyone wouldn't be drenched. It's a small crowd because this is a mailing-list only pre-sale day...the sale to the public opened the next day. Pretty much everyone in the photo is a "dealer" of some sort...except one lady who was dying to get a nice set of Brown Jordan Art Deco-style patio furniture. I hope she got it!!

let us in or we'll riot!

Here I am looking ticked off because it was about 10:20 and they still hadn't opened the doors.

This is my usual estate sale-going attire: hat to cover my bedhead, washable dark colored jacket to deflect weather and dirt, small hands-free purse (some estate sale companies won't even let you bring in a purse this small...you have to just carry your wallet in...I hate that) and tucked under my arm is a ginormous shopping bag that folds up really small.

So, what do you get for waking up at the crack of dawn and standing in line in the rain (oh, and a pile of cash)?
If you're lucky, quick, and plan your strategy well, you get a pile o' vintage booty like this!

At this sale I got mostly 60's stuff. A few gorgeous beaded cardigans, some killer gold lame' shoes with rhinestones on the heels, a few fun purses, and lots of other goodies.
I got several beautiful silk cheongsam dresses, which is wonderful because I'm currently reading a book I ordered from Amazon called "In The Mood For Cheongsam".

I also scored a couple of fabulous coats, including this snakeskin-print early 60's raincoat

My February Elle magazine had lots of snakeskin!!

and this fun striped number:

Yowza!!I dare you to have S.A.D. in this!!

Like a lot of my estate sale finds, both coats need mending...the snake coat has a cuff that's dangling off. I'm hoping I can fix it on my sewing machine. The striped coat needs buttons...they're all missing.
All these goodies will make it into my Etsy shop at some point!!

Introducing...Tiki Tuesday! Episode One: The Tonga Hut

2013-01-22T16:14:00.000-08:00

OK. So one of the things I loooove is Tiki Culture. Tiki bars, tiki drinks, tiki anything.
Some people think tiki stuff is tacky, and perhaps it is, a bit, but I like many things that some consider tacky so let 'em. I'll be over here enjoying my Mai Tai :-)

In indulgence of my tiki passion I'm rolling out a new feature here on Vintage Advantage called TIKI TUESDAYS. Yes, I'm yelling because I'm excited about it!

So with no further delay, here is my first installment:

THE TONGA HUT
The oldest surviving tiki bar in Los Angeles! It's a teeny tiny little hole in the wall bar, on a nondescript corner in North Hollywood. For those of you who aren't familiar with Los Angeles, that's in the San Fernando Valley, which is the sprawling suburban wasteland north of LA proper.

The Tonga Hut greets you with a mysterious green light and a big Moai tiki.

Right inside the door is their mascot, "Big Mo" another enormous Moai

You can't really see my outfit here very well (I'm still learning to use my new camera) but it consisted of: vintage high-waisted jeans, vintage printed Darlene cardigan sweater, one of my trusty vintage leopard-print handbags, and a big pile o' Bakelite on earlobes and wrists.

The inside of the Tonga Hut is dim and evocative, and every inch is covered with some cool tiki relic. Many of which were rescued by the most recent owner from various demolitions around LA.

There's a hang-out nook with padded benches, a Polynesian 3-D map by Kirby, a classic Witco ship panel, and a fantastic bright-red mid-century fireplace.
Love it!!!

Look at that awesome fireplace! I want one just like it sooo bad. Here's a closer look:

They sell an assortment of collectible tiki mugs including some that have been commissioned just for the Tonga Hut.

One of the most fun things at the Tonga Hut is the "Drooling Bastard", which is this tiki fountain:

They do this thing called the Royal Order of the Drooling Bastard...if you drink one of every single drink they make (and that's more than 80) you become a member of the Loyal Order and you get your name on this wall.

They keep a big book behind the bar of everyone who's trying for it, and a record of all the drinks they've had.

Our bartender, Ian, was friendly and helpful (I know! Shocker! That's one of the reasons I like Tiki bars...the barkeeps are always friendly...unlike at the ubertrendy bars near where I live) and on his recommendation, I chose a classic Mai Tai. The Tonga Hut makes their Mai Tais with the real, historic recipe so it didn't taste like one of those horrible too-sweet things you might get it you ordered a Mai Tai at, let's say, a TGI Fridays or some such horridness.
The vibe was low-key, and the jukebox had a nice selection of Exotica and tiki music along with some rockabilly, some soul, a bit of this & that and (weirdly) a whole bunch of English punk. Some guys had loaded the jukebox up with 10 bucks worth of quarters, all punk...which is what actually drove us out of the bar! We'll be back, though...and maybe I'll start workin' my way through those 80+ drinks!!

Here are the details:
The Tonga Hut is at 12808 Victory Blvd, in North Hollywood, CA
They have a great website too!

Something Fun Comes This Way

2013-01-15T13:15:00.002-08:00

Oooh, I'm so excited!

I just ordered a custom playsuit, shorts and a top, from RockabillieBetties Retro Re-Do's!

She posted a pic, months ago, of a little romper she'd made in a green Alfred Shaheen tiki print and I just drooled over it. It was too small for me, though, so I mentally moved on.
(I think it's still available through Etsy)

Then a few days back she posted on Facebook that she had two new colorways for the tiki fabric, a brown toned one and a teal/gray/blue...both are so cute!
Here's the teal/gray/blue:

Here's the brown:

So I took the plunge and ordered the playsuit in the teal/gray/blue.

Here's what it's going to look like:

I do believe that I got the last of the teal fabric. I think she might have the brown left, though...and it's really cute! I actually think I like the brown better, if it was just a stand-alone thing, but for my skin-tone and hair the teal is a better complement.
I've never really had anything custom made for me so it's exciting! If it fits & looks great I think I'll wear it at VLV, for the car show or around the pool.
When it arrives, I'll do a follow up :-)

Thanks to RockabillyBettie for the pix! Here's her facebook page...give her a "Like"!
Rockabilliebettie on Facebook

Here she is on Etsy:
Rockabillybettie on Etsy

New Addition in Feline Form

2013-01-12T10:53:00.001-08:00

I've not been blogging too much, lately (I'm sure you've all noticed, har,har) and here's why!

This is our new little kitty, Marlowe!

She came home with us on New Year's Eve :-) She's so adorable, a little pur-ball and of course tons of fun.

Sounds all well and good, I know, but there's a problem, and his name is Quincy.

Mr. Quincy is not amused, and although we've been taking it very slowly, like you're supposed to, Mr. Quincy pretty much attempted murder on about their third face-to-face meeting. So we've back-pedalled a bit and, not to drag you into the boring details, it's taking up a lot of time.

I'm sure we'll all be a happy family soon, although some Prozac may be involved, and I can't say for sure that it will be just for Quincy!

Posted with Blogsy

Round 'em Up and Move 'em OUT!

2013-01-06T15:56:00.001-08:00

You all know by now that I run a couple of Etsy shops...
Last year was a great year! Sales have been really fantastic, but I love to hunt for great stuff, and I find it faster than I can sell it.
So I just started a giant CLEARANCE SALE in my MoMoDeluxeVintage shop because things were really starting to pile up!!! Everything in the shop is 30% off. Maybe that doesn't sound like a *really* big sale, but I price things very low to begin with so I can't go 50% off and still make a penny...

I have a few things in my shop that I think are so fantastic, I honestly can't figure out why they haven't sold.
For example:

this cute red jacket
Such a gorgeous cherry red color! Fabulous boucle' texture! I'd keep it for myself, but seriously folks...I live in southern California and I really don't need another coat.

UPDATE: this jacket is SOLD :-)

How 'bout these:

aren't these sparkly shoes fab? So sexy, amazing condition, and they'd go with practically every evening dress or outfit.

this adorable leopard print robe is only 26 bucks, people!

Look at this fantastic skirt:

this 50's cutie by Tabak comes with a matching scarf!

OK that's enough blatant self-promotion for now :-)
Hope you all had a lovely Holiday!

Leftover Cuties and Dustbowl Revival at The Mint

2012-12-20T16:16:00.000-08:00

Last night the Hubs and I went to a great little club here in Los Angeles called The Mint.
It's actually not far from our house, and after driving by it a million times, it was fun to finally go inside!

The Mint opened in 1937.
It's a tiny place with a small stage, a dance floor, and tables & booths surrounding. A long bar runs along one side. It's a really intimate-feeling place, and a fun spot to see a band because you're so close!

We got there WAAAY too early and had to wait around for eternity, which equals too many drinks!

And too many random bordom-killing photo ops...

It was so cold in there, I kept my coat on the whole night!

We saw a band that I really love called Leftover Cuties. They've had their songs featured in a number of commercials lately, so if you haven't heard of them perhaps you've actually heard their music.
Here's one of my favorite songs, called Smile Big:

They were fantastic. The lead singer, Shirli McAllen, has such a great voice and she plays a mean little ukelele. The base player makes crazy faces when he plays, which I love!

Then we saw Dustbowl Revival. They're a huge band with a revolving cast of members. They play fantastic bluesy retro jazz stuff, plus they like to have a bit of a vaudeville thing going on from time to time. Last night they had a little swing dance exhibition, and then a guy came on stage and demonstrated how he could get out of a straightjacket in less time than Harry Houdini. Tons of fun!

Here's a little Dustbowl Revival:

We had a great time, despite my poor sweetie's having been up for almost 30 hours straight...here's his tired mug...what a good sport!!!

This is what a good sport looks like :-)

A Book List for Santa

2012-12-19T15:31:00.000-08:00

The hubby and I made a little jaunt to our local Barnes & Noble the other night so that I could get a calendar. I know!! Sometimes I feel like such a Luddite, using an actual analog wall calendar.
I got a great vintage-fashion themed one, that maybe I'll share with you in another post.

Besides my fab calendar, I found soooo many books that I would love to have!
Here's a few you might like, also:

I love the print on the cover! I think I might actually buy this one.
(there was also a 60's prints one...I like 50's prints better)

I'm not a super-huge Lilly Pulitzer fan, but I love to read the stories of women who succeeded in the fashion & design world, like Vera and Tammis Keefe.

Fun eye candy! Plus, forward by Dita. What's not to love?

This one was funny to find, because I had thought to myself, literally an hour before this, about doing some research on the history of the cheongsam.

The gentleman who wrote this book actually has a shop here in LA by the same name. I've never been there...my impression is that it's very fancy and uber-expensive, and I get easily intimidated by such places!

This one drew me in immediately, because of the cover. Faye Dunaway in Bonnie & Clyde! I actually have mixed feelings about that film, because Bonnie and Clyde were horrible, ugly people in real life and I don't feel great about a movie that celebrates them, but OMG, the clothes in that film are fantastic!!

I'm guessing that most, if not all of these books would be available on Amazon. First, though, I always check the local library :-)

If & when I do read any of these wonderful-looking books, I'll be sure and write a review for you!
Are then any vintage-related books that you're dying to get your mitts on? I'd love to hear!