Tuesday, January 20, 2015

My hubby David shooting hats

OK so he's not shooting them with his bow and arrow, but his photography hobby has now made him a Fashion Photographer for my 2 etsy businesses. Here are some hat previews.....




 I just love the mid century modern 'atomic' 1950's bark cloth I found at a local antique shop as a back drop. In the past I've used my garden roses, some wild psychedelic fabric and brocades, but this one is the bee's knees.......

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Tip of the day #1


Path of the Warrioress Vintage Treasure Seeker, Tip # 1

To begin your education on the Vintage Fashion Quest, go to your favorite used book store or Amazon and peruse the history of fashion or collectibles aisle for books on your topic; i.e. costume jewelry, hats, purses, compacts, accessories, shoes etc or vintage clothing.
***Read the Reviews!!

Under vintage clothing there are several sub-categories of books to explore such as; specific decades 20’s / 30’s / 40’s / 50’s / 60’s etc, overviews of the last century of fashion trends, couture history / designers and everyday collectible fashion. My favorites have actual photographs of the clothes, rather than illustrations, along with photos of women wearing the clothes in the past and present. In the next blog, I’ll list some of my favorites and over the days to come do some reviews.

Friday, January 2, 2015

Vintage Country Goddess

Who am I? I am a vintage country goddess. Vintage is the key word here. Back in the 50's, riding in the back of our families' fire-engine red Ford station wagon, every August on the way to Yellowstone National Park, I would dream and create exciting fantastical adventures... With myself as the heroine, of course. In the caves along the rivers I imagined finding treasures and exotic lost worlds, becoming their beloved Goddess dressed in luminous slinky dresses and radiant jewels (you've seen the movies, right??) Over the years I did travel to exotic places and my love of the history embodied in wonderful works of ancient artifacts, such as Tibet, Ireland and India, was born.

Over the last 40 years a parallel love was evolving in my admiration of vintage collectibles and handicrafts, particularly those created and worshiped by women in this country. My sister Lyn had a hand in this being an avid antique-r and we continue to exalt in our 'hunt for treasures'. I found in these vintage items a much deeper understanding and sense of the incredible history of the USA. In exploring the art and artisans who created costume jewelry, I found out how the compassionate idea of giving shelter to the poor, the exploited, the destitute from other countries brought unlimited creative genius here or what it must have been like to be in a country at war with limited resources, or to be a woman without the vote. I still see each piece of costume jewelry from the 30's as a tiny hand wrought sculpture to bring a smile during the depression or in the 40's as mood-lifter during WW2 or a out-of-this-world conversation novelty at the cocktails parties of the 50's. I saw amazing creativity and a place for women to show independent artistry in the marvelous history of women's hats. The aprons women created in the 50's are like forerunners of the psychedelic posters of the 60's, where did that come from? Purses and compacts and boxes (why do women loooove boxes??), perhaps the Jungian expressions of our woman's jewel case? I also love fur, a sensual childhood experience of having a beaver muff and hat clinched that, and though I would never buy a new fur, I do offer some vintage fur hats, coats, collars, chokers and muffs. Silk satin lingerie... do I even have to go there? Love, love love... 

So in my ETSY store: 
Luminous Lady Vintage I will offer you the fruits of this passionate search for the shining vintage treasures of this world. On my other stores in Etsy: Bee Beautiful Vintage with exotic and Mod attire and Shangri-la Treasures and Thankas, you can find the treasures to nurture the more exotic, luminous spiritual world in your heart.