Hatfeathers Vintage

We have moved....won't you come to visit?

2010-10-31T18:39:00.000-07:00

Hatfeathers Vintage has grown so much lately...and our new site shows it!
We have moved our blog over to that site, and hope that you'll come see what we have to offer there. I've moved over a few "classic" posts just to see how they look in the new space.
You are invited!!!
The NEW Hatfeathers Blog

A little down time....

2010-08-16T17:19:00.001-07:00

HatfeathersVintage.com will be down for a few days starting very soon (August 16th). We are working on a new and improved site platform with a new shopping cart. It will also be easier for me to use, so maybe I can get more stuff listed! Yeah!
If you were wanting to buy something, email me, we can work around the system.

A few new items in the shop...

2010-08-06T18:18:00.000-07:00

Just added, four lovely cotton dresses...

The best job in the world...

2010-07-24T13:46:00.001-07:00

Mad Men is starting up again, now in Season 4, and following the timeline into the mid/late 60s. Costumer Janie Bryant has once again outfitted the cast to a tee. AMC has a little teaser video any vintie should see. I'd like to have a few minutes in their wardrobe trailer!!

Items of the week....SWIRL dresses!!

2010-06-21T14:09:00.000-07:00

I love Swirl dresses...I long to find one to fit me both in size and personality. Here are two recent additions to the site, both with the whimsical sense that Swirl dresses are known for. The red one, above, with an appliqued lobster and mitt pocket, and the pink one below, with a honeycomb pattern and embroidered bees. Dare I say it....they're both the bee's knees!

New items added to the site...

2010-05-10T08:40:00.000-07:00

A headband hat with sequin shimmer...
A little black dress with texture galore...
A cute black cocktail with peekaboo lace...
A red brocade cocktail with roses and a bow...
A black cocktail dress with a neat lace layer...
A lovely day dress for an afternoon picnic...A divine day dress...one of the best prints ever!

A whole lot of love for gloves

2010-03-06T15:02:00.000-08:00

I've posted ten new lovely pairs of gloves to the site; so pretty you'll wish you had more hands!
They're the perfect accessory to your vintage outfit, and just the right weight for spring wear. From brightly colored fun gloves, to beaded formal fare, you'll love these gloves!
Check them out in our Perfect Pairings Accessories section!

It's fedora day!

2010-02-28T13:27:00.000-08:00

FINALLY! I have posted six great vintage fedoras to my Menswear section!
Poor boys, probably think I'd forgotten about them. However, I was given a gentle nudge by a date night rental of Public Enemies. If a sharp fedora can even make the already adorable Johnny Depp a little cuter in a hat like this one:

Then I should certainly not keep a hat like this one in the stock room, unseen, any longer:
OK, so the years aren't exactly right, Johnny's Dillinger was in the 30's, and my wide brim Stetson is from the 50's, but the general idea is there for all but the purest fedora fan.

Then, while catching up on back episodes of USA Network's new show White Collar, which I highly recommend if you haven't seen it, I am prodded yet again to list my fedoras by the stylish main character portrayed by Matthew Bomer. In the first episode he is released from jail to help solve crimes similar to those he has committed. He is given the option of staying in a ratty motel, or somewhere else if he can find something better for the same price. He needs clothing, and while at a vintage shop, meets up with a kind woman who is donating her late husband's vintage suits. He charms his way into her life, and into his designer retro duds, and voila! Another fedora (and killer suits) is out of storage and onto a lovely head!
I think my similar offering of a navy blue Knox Flying Cloud will help a fella get closer to this look:
Stop by the Menswear section of Hatfeathers Vintage today, to find your own unique wardrobe additions!

Just because it's fun...

2010-01-17T14:44:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to share something fun. Occasionally, I run into whimsical tags and labels in clothing, like this one from the top of a pair of stockings. Who says support hose can't be whimsical and fun, too?

Items of the Week....Skirt's the Issue!

2010-01-16T09:03:00.000-08:00

I decided to whittle away at the be-jillion skirts I have in the stock room this week. Have to start somewhere, eh!? I am charmed by each of these four selections, all for different reasons.
For simple charm, whimsical garden print, and reminder that sub-zero temps will soon be forgotten, I love this simple print skirt. It has tiny watering cans and flowers!
For it's incredible fullness, and the skill it must have taken to stitch in row after row of cording to make the fun ridges that go all around this skirt (and to keep them straight!), I love this navy blue skirt.
For a fun print, again reminding me that summer's posies will be in bloom eventually, I love this simple, full, cotton skirt.
And finally, for its bold coloring and theme worth crowing about, I love this rooster print full circle skirt. I'm not sure if they're fighting, loving, showing off in the barn yard, or dancing, but they're bold and beautiful! Chicken Dance, anyone?

Items of the week

2009-12-12T08:02:00.000-08:00

Ivory Cream Lace Mantilla Shawl

Black & Gold Lace Mantilla Shawl

Finally, I've managed to get back to listing vintage on my site!
I'm starting out with a bang with these two gorgeous lace pieces. Either would be lovely as part of a wedding trousseau, one more traditional than the other, of course. Both are silky soft, like holding a cloud!

Some holiday spirit...

2009-12-01T11:10:00.001-08:00

I'm having a bit of trouble getting into the holiday mood, or a happy mood for that matter, so I turned to YouTube and the Muppets. Some yule humor for you to share!

I couldn't have said it better myslef...really!

2009-11-27T15:18:00.000-08:00

My favorite shoe guru, Jonathan Walford of Kickshaw Productions, and author of several books on vintage, shoes, paper dresses and fashion history in general, has synopsized the decade in fashion. It really is hard to believe that a whole decade has past since the Y2K scare....where even the lamp at the gyno's office had to be checked and stamped as such (you know ladies...THE lamp). Now we are so wired in that those Y2K people look silly, and with any decade of fashion since the days of the fig leaf, we can look back and say we either did look silly, or we looked great!
So, grab a bottled water, a Starbucks, or some other silly 2K's beverage and have a read. I really couldn't have said it better than Jonathan.

Ralph Lauren thinks a size 4 is fat?

2009-10-14T14:26:00.000-07:00

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Wow! If I actually bought any of Ralph Lauren's clothing, I'd boycott!
From what the Today Show is reporting, this model was fired for being too large.
As a graphic artist, I have to say that there is no way the person editing the photo of her, as shown in the video, didn't know exactly what they were doing.
I just don't get why this process has become so commonplace. Sure, fix the zit, maybe soften some deeper wrinkles a bit, zotz out that stray hair, but make a beautiful woman look like she just got out of Willy Wonka's taffy puller? It's just not right!

Two found treasures

2009-06-20T17:40:00.001-07:00

I've been busy scraping wallpaper at our "new" building...soooo much wallpaper. With 13' high ceilings, and 100+ years of wallpapering and paint over wallpaper, you can imagine the thickness of what I'm removing. Many of the patterns have been so rich, so colorful, even after all these years. I'm trying my best to get a few pieces to keep, but most of it just falls apart once it's off the wall. I did find this treasure yesterday, though. It was found just as my spirits were a bit diminished by the sweaty, gritty work (it's in the 90s and SO humid here in central Missouri). This was wedged between two layers of paper, on an area that oddly enough was not sticking to the wall anymore. It has a chunk of paint on the back, and a glob on the front, and it did tear (that's my modern tape in the top corner), but for having a date of 1923 on it, it's in good shape.

We don't know what was in our building before the furniture store that occupied it from the post depression to the 80s. Could this label for embroidery floss be a clue? A dry goods shop? Was the wife of the shop owner doing some handywork while waiting for her husband? We may never know!
We also may never know who this fellow was:

This is on the base, bare, plaster layer of the wall. He's been under their for a long time...especially if the embroidery floss gives a clue, as that was on top of two layers of paper already.
Our fellow on the wall was a real surprise as I scraped along. He appears to be in an Edwardian coat and collar. I get an Elvis mixed with Abe Lincoln vibe from him...but then I've been working really hard in the heat.

I plan on putting in a few neat finds for the next folk, maybe some Obama clippings, a few local ads, a nice note. I just love finding treasures!

Who the hell does this lady think she is!?

2009-06-07T12:38:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry, but I'm a bit of a purist when it comes to vintage. I'll be the first to say "chop the hem, raise the skirt" IF something had damage down there, and the only way to return it to wearable condition was to repair it. That's just peachy keen with me.
But this gal from Elle magazine has gone too far. She's whacked the bottom off a freakin' DIOR gown, and to add insult, has paired it with a tank top (A TANK TOP!!!!) to make a "dress to wear to a wedding". Now, she does warn against pairing such fine items with such a lowly fabric as cotton. No, she has used a silk and cashmere tank. Well, ok then. As long as you didn't pair it with cotton.

How to make an old evening dress new

A nifty post by a vintage friend

2009-05-20T07:32:00.000-07:00

Since I'm so lame at posting blogs lately, I thought I'd pass on a wonderful post by Maggie of Denisebrain Vintage...enjoy!
VINTAGE DENISEBRAIN: Style ideas from my parents

My current project...

2009-05-18T07:32:00.000-07:00

Yes, my blogging has been a bit sparse lately, but with good excuse!
When I'm not running Hatfeathers Vintage, I'm working on my other company, doing graphics, printing, and that sort of thing. We've decided to expand, and are renovating an old building downtown to house it.
What are we, nuts!? Yep.
If you'd like to watch the progress of the building renovations, I've made a Flickr set for the progress pics.
Hatfeathers will keep going, and will get more attention once the dust settles (literally). I'll concentrate more on stock than the extraneous stuff like blogs and social sites.
Now, if only I can figure out how to operate at 100% without sleep.

Items of the week...Doin' it Gunne Style

2009-04-28T15:05:00.000-07:00

They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and these dresses do just that-imitate. Gunne Sax by Jessica McClintock was an extremely popular line of dresses in the mid to late 70s. The style was imitated by other companies and by home seamstresses, as shown by these four dresses currently gracing our "Mid 70s to 80s" section. The hippie boho look is back...so get your Gunne on. Sort of.

Out of hybernation...Vintage thoughts on gardening

2009-04-11T13:17:00.000-07:00

Spring is, well, springing up all around the Hatfeathers Vintage studio. The quince bush is in bloom, trees are budding, and the deer have done their annual beheading of the tulips that were planted long ago. There's still a threat of frost in our Midwest location, so the garden tasks are limited...or are they!?

I was inspired by this article from the National Gardening Association's Maggie Oster. She talks about the old idea of a "victory garden". In the WW2 era, the victory garden was simply a family's household garden, planted to extend the family's available foods in time of rationing, and to free the items from farmers for the war effort.
A victory garden could also help families with lots of mouths to feed and little to buy food with.
My husband told the tale of how his Grandmother put tomatoes in everything. A mother of 12 (yes, 12 single-birth babies!), she had to make the family budget stretch 'till it screamed for mercy. How else do you feed 14 on the income of a carpenter? You grow as much as you can in the summer, can it, and feed the family all year on what you grew in those few summer months.
I can guarantee the veggies she grew tasted far and away better than the anemic lettuce and pink gritty tomatoes from the super market.

So what can you be doing now to make your budget stretch? Here's some quick ideas:
1) Start building a garden bed. Clear off any size of yard that you can spare; pull up the sod (grass), amend it with compost, top soil, and shredded leaves. Till or spade-mix it in when the soil is dry enough to not clump, but moist enough to work with. Surround it with cedar or redwood timbers, rocks, plastic edging, or bricks, or just trench deeply around it and mulch heavily to keep grass at bay.

2) Not a square of Earth to spare? Get a few 5 gallon buckets, an old wash tub, or any type of vessel that will hold a foot deep or more of potting soil. You can use old latex (not oil) paint buckets, but you will need to make an extra effort to scrub out ALL the paint, and wash them thoroughly before using. Make sure there are some drainage holes, either by drilling or hammering a nail through the bottom. Fill with quality potting soil-not top soil, as it will turn solid as a rock in a container. I grew more and better tomatoes in 5 gallon buckets than I ever have in the ground. Go figure.
Just put them somewhere that gets a good amount of sun, but won't bake the pots, so on a patch of ground is great, on a slab of cement is less than ideal. If a cement slab is all you have, make sure to perch the buckets on some bricks, so air can flow underneath and cool the soil in the bucket.

3) Start a compost pile. Most city trash pick ups don't allow yard waste. A compost bin or pile is a great way to recycle your clippings and kitchen veggie waste. I highly recommend this site for learning about composting options. I have the one in Figure 3, and regularly harvest several wheelbarrow loads of wonderful black soil for my garden out of it. I also have NEVER had to burn leaves, and NEVER have veggie peels or scraps in my trash. We have 6 100 year old massive maple trees (and several smaller ones) on our lot, which make a lot of leaves in the fall. With my compost bin and mulching mower, I make light work out of fall foliage. My neighbor with 4 trees is still regularly burning leaves even in the spring, and clears the neighborhood of playing kids with the stench. (yes, I am on a soapbox, why?)

4) Install a rain barrel. Catching the water off your roof is a great way to recycle, or at least to keep your water bills down. There are oodles of commercial types available, and there's even a YouTube video on making your own. Rain water is loads better for plants, even if it's a week old, as it is not treated with the chemicals that municipal water supplies get. They don't have much for pressure, so watering far away isn't feasible, unless you like lugging buckets, but for filling the watering can to get to the potted plants around the house, or for the kitchen bed close by the barrel, gravity will give you plenty of help.

You can easily plant spinach, radishes, and lettuces from seeds with little or no skill. Some other veggies require more thought for spacing and depth, but can be done. Every garden center around will soon have starts (pre-planted plants) of anything from tomatoes to cantaloupe, for you to put into your prepared beds or buckets. Even if you spend $3-$5 on a pack of plants, if you get 1 measly pound of veggies from it, you have made back your money. The opportunity to garden with your children is worth your time, as well. It is great to watch their eyes light up when they see the process in motion, and when they realize veggies don't start under fluorescent lights and cellophane. You might also be shocked by what they will try; my son, then age 6, ate the majority of our spinach crop last year, raw and right out of the washing bowl! We'll plant twice as much this year!

Enjoying some vintage music

2009-03-28T15:08:00.000-07:00

I've been a bit distracted from my vintage duties the last week or so...life does that some times!
I wanted to share some great music, though. I heard this great singer, June Christy, on the AOL Radio music plugin that came with the AOL Instant Messenger doo-hickey. (tech term much?) I've really loved the Big Band & Swing category of the jazz section on there.
Anyway, in times of topsy turvy-ness, uncertainty, and bleak news, a bit of vintage-style lighthearted happiness is in order:

And my all time fave, and who I'd like to be when I grow up...if I can somehow transform into a perky, petite blond, Doris Day with the Les Brown Orchestra.

Items of the week...A Gaggle of Gloves

2009-03-18T13:40:00.000-07:00

I'm working away at the massive pile of gloves that has grown in the studio. They are now organized (hooray!) and photographed (hooray!) and all but these need to be written up and listed (sigh...).
Buy a dress and gloves together...with no extra cost to ship the gloves! (hooray!)

Items of the week...My favorite prom dress so far

2009-03-04T12:49:00.000-08:00

I've been in the vintage game for seven years now, so I've seen a lot of prom dresses, and each gives me just a little bit of giddy, girly glee. This one, though, well, gives me the full-on squeel-like-a-schoolgirl, dance-like-Snoopy, wave-my-arms-like-Kermit-the-Frog happiness.
The red is velvet, the white is flocked and glittered tulle, all over white taffeta. Yum. Add the strapless styling with angled wings off the bust, and the full skirt that can accommodate a mountain of crinolines. Wow.

Find this and other great vintage dresses at HatfeathersVintage.com in our Womenswear section.

Aprons...so much more than clothing

2009-03-04T12:22:00.000-08:00

This commentary has made its way around the internet a few times. It was forwarded to me by my Grandpa, who no doubt remembers his Mother and Grandmothers wearing an apron. I, myself, cannot particularly remember either of my fore-mothers in an apron, but this does bring back memories of house dresses, home cooking, gathering in the garden, and Grandmotherly love. It was warm, soft, and smelled of fresh biscuits and rose scented perfume.
The vintage aprons in the images above are made from feed sack fabric from the 40s. It is soft, pretty, and unlike any fabric we have these days.

I don't think our kids know what an apron is.
Author unknown
The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath, because she only had a few, it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and they used less material, but along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.

It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.

From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.

And when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms.

Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.

Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.

In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes.

Send this to those who would know, and love, the story about Grandma's aprons. Or it can be a good history lesson for those that have no idea how the apron played a part in our lives.

REMEMBER:
Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool. Her granddaughters set theirs on the window sill to thaw.

They would go crazy now trying to figure out how many germs were on that apron.
I don't think I ever caught anything from an apron ..... but Love !!

Find this and other vintage aprons at HatfeathersVintage.com in our Apron Shop.

Something Saucy From the Kitchen!

2009-03-04T12:05:00.000-08:00

What's cookin' sweetheart?
This fun vintage apron has a little something extra! The well dressed lady embroidered on the front is wearing a fun vintage circle skirt, stitched to stand out from the apron. Lift it, and see that our fair lady is wearing delightful lace ruffled tap pants in a matching pattern! Surprise!! Find this and other vintage aprons at HatfeathersVintage.com in our Apron Shop.

Jay McCarroll....movie star!

2009-02-20T15:20:00.000-08:00

While cruising Rotten Tomatoes today, trying to see if anything was worth my $7 (+$8 in snacks and the post-popcorn bloat) at the theater this weekend, I stumbled across this preview for a new documentary about Jay McCarroll.
You remember him; the first winner of Project Runway. You don't? OK, well, he was. After that, for those of us outside of the wheelin' dealin' world of (new) fashion, he sorta slipped off the radar. No special guest starring rolls on Ugly Betty ala Christian "fierce" Siriano, and Amy Pohler wasn't imitating McCarroll on SNL, either.

It appears that McCarroll has gotten over that post-Project Runway high, and is ready to get out on his own...and is ready to speak his mind on what happens after the reality TV cameras stop rolling.
Gads, the pressure!!

Items of the week...Here's Lookin' At You, Kid

2009-02-14T09:09:00.000-08:00

The Kid Fur Coat

You don't get much more boho than a coat like this!
This luxe vintage real fur coat absolutely glows with amber tones and highlights. The fur is long, and has been tailored to make a zig-zag effect as the fur lies. It comes with an optional kidskin tie belt.
Yes, kid as in goat...your friendly barnyard animal that tends to get a bad rap. Not to sound too much like the old lady in the movie Cold Mountain, but a goat can be so much to their human friends. Including an awesome fur coat!! (apologies to those who are squeamish about animal products)
Find it at HatfeathersVintage.com

Items of the week...fun vintage purses

2009-01-23T11:59:00.000-08:00

Vintage purses are so much fun! They are great for working a little vintage love into any outfit, no mater how much vintage clothing you actually wear. They are also great for mixing and matching eras...pair a 40s purse with a 60s scarf and a 50s dress, who cares? As long as you look great! Every gal needs a purse, so why not have a little fun with it?

The Happy Housewife - Homemade REAL Chicken Noodle Soup

2009-01-17T20:50:00.000-08:00

Budgets are getting tighter all around, so how about fixing up a big old kettle full of something to chase away the chill, feed the soul, cure what ails ‘ya, AND goes a long way? The Happy Housewife is proud to (attempt) to put into words her “famous chicken noodle soup”, as the little one calls it. Adapt it to your family’s preferences, adding more of this or less of that, until you have it just right. You can make a whole lot, as this keeps for a good week in the fridge, and also freezes pretty well. I like to fill a pretty big Tupperware with enough for 4 bowls, and stash it in the freezer. It makes a great evening’s meal a week or two later, and can be thawed pretty quickly by a few minutes in the microwave and the rest in a pot on the stove. Just add some grilled cheese sandwiches and all will be happy.

The Happy Housewife’s extra budget hint…watch for store specials on chicken breast and coupons for noodles, both can be kept in the freezer for a rainy day.

You will need:
A really big pot, stock pot if you intend to make a hefty batch
2-6 bone in (cheaper!) split chicken breasts, skin or no skin (for less fat)
4-12 carrots, depending on batch size and family preference, diced into 1/8” rounds, half those rounds it the carrots are particularly fat
4-8 celery stalks, diced into 1/8” thick pieces, half if large
1/2 of a baseball sized onion, diced
2-3 garlic cloves, diced, or 2-3 spoonfuls of pre-diced jarred garlic
1/4-1/2 Cup of lemon juice
1/8 to 1 teaspoon each of poultry seasoning, black pepper, seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon of ground rosemary, or a tea infuser full of dried (the infuser allows you to pull the rosemary out after cooking, so there aren’t sticks in your soup)
2-4 Tablespoons of Kosher salt (start with less, add more if needed at the end)
16 or 24 oz bag of Reames (or other brand) frozen egg noodles

In your really big pot, put enough water to cover the chicken by an inch or two, add your spices and lemon juice. Start simmering over medium heat while you chop the veggies, adding as you go, starting with the onion and garlic, then carrots and celery. Simmer until the chicken is just cooked through. Pull the chicken out of the broth with tongs, but allow the soup to continue to simmer (never boil). Let the chicken cool a bit; splitting open the pieces will speed this along. While the chicken cools a bit, put the noodles into the soup to cook..

Once you can handle the chicken, separate the meat from the skin and bone, and dice it, dumping back into the soup as you go.

Check the taste, and add more spices or salt if necessary for desired taste. Serve.

What fella would shop here these days?

2009-01-15T08:05:00.000-08:00

Ah, how time changes the meaning of words and phrases. I've had a few items from this former mens & boys clothing store, shown here in a 1967 shot of the annual (even to this day) sidewalk sale in downtown Moberly MO. The items I have had are always nice pieces, each with the store's woven fabric tag neatly placed inside. It was one of the places for a guy to shop, back in the glorious days before the world got mall-and-big-box-store saturated. The owner's name was Dick, thus the store's name.
Still, when I see it, I can't help but giggle at all the fellas from back then walking around with the label "Little Dick" in their attire. I think you'd get thumped for that these days, or at least taunted relentlessly.
Yes, I occasionally have a juvenile sense of humor. It's not the worst thing in the world, right?

The CPSIA plays the part of Burgermeister Meisterburger

2009-01-14T12:06:00.000-08:00

Any kid who's seen the Christmas classic Santa Clause is Coming to Town will now be able to relate to the children of Sombertown, the town where toys are outlawed by "The Burgermeister".

In case you hadn't heard, the CPSIA (Burgermeisters!) got a law passed quickly last year as a reaction to the high number of recalls of crappy China-made toys that were laced with lead. Sounds good, right?
Well, the law was then made retroactive. What does that mean?
It means that as of Feb 10th, ANY stock intended for children in any store which was produced before that date, any used clothing, toys, gear, in your kid's closet will be ILLEGAL to resell. Even those without a recall and without lead based materials.
That's right! No garage sale, no ebay, Etsy, no private website, no consignment store, no thrift, NO ONE can legally sell an item produced before that day. Charity shops cannot give it away, thrifts cannot sell it, YOU cannot sell it. Technically, by letter of the law, you can't even hand it down to your neighbor's kid.
Quit trading those 8 month old Pokemon cards, kid, or it's the slammer for you!!

What if it's vintage? Nope, can't do it. It was produced before the date the law goes into effect and was intended for use by someone under 12. Who cares if that kid is now in his 60s?

Where will all this stuff end up? Just guess. The Salvation Army, Goodwill, your local church charity shop...if they intend to follow the law, they will have to dump it. It will fill their dumpsters and they will have to PAY to get rid of it. That means they will have that much less to put towards good causes.

My local SA store makes 5% of their monthly sales off of kids clothing and toy sales. Not much? Multiply that average $600 in sales by 12, then multiply that number by the number of SA stores there are in the country (1370 stores). Suddenly that 5% at my rinkydink SA is nearing $9 MILLION annually that will not be there to provide relief after storms, shelter battered women, provide education and medical assistance to impoverished countries...not to mention giving people a way to extend their budgets when clothing their kids. Same goes for Goodwill's 2200 stores, and their assistance to the mentally challenged who want to work, or the mother who needed some additional education to get a better job.

Yes, there should be something in a law that makes it illegal for these toy conglomos to bring crappy lead laced toys into the country. However, not every toy in the whole world has lead in it. Not EVERY article of clothing should be treated like toxic waste.

My Mom started her business, Kids Caboose, from the ground up, selling gently used, consigned, children's goods. She is looking at potentially loosing everything she's put into this business. She will loose her retirement job, I'll loose my occasional part time job, and every family that shops her store will loose a venue that helps extend their strapped incomes. Her consignors will loose a source of income. It is likely that she will have to close up shop, if not forever, at least for a few years. She is not the only one.

This law needs to be dissected, rewritten, and reviewed carefully.

Will you help? Time is of the essence. Please follow this link to the NARTS website (Natn'l Association of Retail and Thrift Stores).
There you will find out some more info, and can follow links to sign a petition and write your area's representatives to voice your opinion.

Sign the NARTS petition

Thanks!
Jenn, Hatfeathers Vintage

Items of the week...Raiders of the Lost Dresses

2009-01-12T19:57:00.000-08:00

Click to see items

The Bradley knit set and the Make-Do Dressing Gown.
I spent several hours in the sun at an auction in August for a Bradley knit set and a few other pieces. Several bottles of water and a slightly red shoulder later, I left victorious!
The dressing gown came to me a while back, as well, gathered from some choice pieces at an estate buy. I was enchanted by the patches of different fabrics, the evidence of mending, probably from a time when fabric was rationed and buying new wasn't an option.
So why, oh why did I not list these before now? I HAVE NO IDEA!

A recent stock shift, studio organization, and website revamp has been very productive. I found a few items that had been forgotten, some that had gotten buried in the business of a few lucky stock hauls, and a few, like our items of the week here, that had been prepped, shot, written up, code written, and...and...nothing.
You see, I try to get a good handful of things ready to go before adding them to the website (working with site code being my least fave part of the job). Somewhere in the swirling winds of life these two fell through the cracks of my mind.
I guess it's a good thing I'm not the milkman(gal)! So, without any FURTHER delay, I give you the slightly MORE vintage Bradley knit dress and war-time bow print dressing gown!

Aloha to an artist, designer, print master

2009-01-05T07:57:00.000-08:00

The fashion world has lost one of the greats, Alfred Shaheen, who passed away just before Christmas. A vintage Shaheen halter dress has always been amongst the Holy Grails of vintage fashion. Although I've found several more recent vintage pieces (usually 70s) by Shaheen, I've only ever had one of his 50's items, found rather early in my selling ventures.

Shaheen had a way of making the Hawaiian print into wearable art. His prints were not the garish tropical prints that sometimes give the phrase "Hawaiian dress/shirt" a bad name. His were colorful, true, but never in a way that hurt the eyes. They were always natural and lovely, and truly Hawaiian. So, Aloha to the great Alfred Shaheen!

Here is some eye candy of my favorite Shaheen to come through my doors...now long gone to a new home, but still at the top of my list of things I've sold in nearly 7 years, a three piece set with smocked playsuit, full skirt, and kimono wrap top.

Vintage fashions + Superheros....oh my!!

2008-12-18T20:22:00.000-08:00

I'm a bonafide movie geek. So, while delaying the inevitable photo editing, I got distracted and ended up watching some online stuff about the upcoming Watchmen movie. I found this interesting interview with the costume designer, Michael Wilkinson. The movie takes place in multiple eras, so he had to cover everything from the 30s to the 80s. Fun!!

Share a song on the anniversary of John Lennon's death...

2008-12-08T16:47:00.000-08:00

Vintage fashion for the curvy gals!

2008-12-01T08:08:00.000-08:00

This week Hatfeathers Vintage is offering some rockin' vintage fashions for the curvy gals. These 7 dresses are all sized over a modern large, with a couple at XL and even a 2XL size!
These rare gems are ready to help you look stunning at your holiday parties, worship services, shows, events, dinners...or anywhere you want to look radiant in vintage!
Click the images to go to the Ebay auctions...but do it fast before the gavel drops and time runs out!

Item of the week: A study in inflation from a NOS dress

2008-11-28T16:02:00.000-08:00

As a vintage dealer, finding a NOS (New Old Stock) item is usually rare. I bought this pretty dress several years ago and never got around to selling it, then came a move and the inevitable packing away of stock. I recently pulled it out of its cozy rest in a storage box (I know..I know..) but was pleased (after rolling my eyes at myself for the delay) to find it with its store tags in place. I remember the auction I found it at; the sale of a "depression baby", a lady who grew up in the depression and, when she had means, stocked up on items just in case it happened again. There were hundreds of items with the tags still on them, something I'm sure I won't see again.

Click the image to see the listing

This pretty little number reminds me of the dresses seen around the office of Sterling Cooper on AMC's Mad Men. But how much would the average gal really have paid for it? The original store tags from Natelson's of Omaha says she would have paid $19.98. Not bad at all, eh?
I wondered what that would equate to today, though, so I found a price comparison gadget on the US Dept of Labor site: http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl. It turns out that the gal about town today would have pay $139.58 for the same item. Anyone who has gone to the mall lately would see prices pretty close to that in most "name brand" stores.
Hatfeathers Vintage will happily let you buy this pretty for just under half of that. If the boys in the office pat you on the tush for wearing it, though, you're on your own!

Item of the week

2008-11-15T14:15:00.000-08:00

Bob's Mom's Pheasant Hat

Our featured item is a lovely hat that has been consigned with Hatfeathers by a family friend. The original owner has recently had to reduce her estate, so we are selling this hat, one of the few pieces of vintage she kept through the years. This gives us a rare opportunity to pass on some of the background history of it. I love knowing the background of things; where they've been, who loved it, when they wore it, and all that fun stuff.

The wonderful cloche style hat is covered entirely with pheasant feathers. The feathers are from the prize bird of a hunting trip taken by the owner’s husband the year before he died. He took the feathers from this handsome bird to one of the best milliners in town, and had this hat created for his wife from them.

Ahhh, love...some gals get flowers, I'd prefer the hat, too! I'll grow my own flowers.

Will Adrien Brody impress us twice?

2008-11-14T12:49:00.000-08:00

I've liked Adrien Brody in a few movies, he was good in King Kong, and of course in the Pianist, but really, he's not done a whole lot. I was surprised to see, though, that he has two movies coming out soon that look really interesting. Both look like they cater to the vintage lover, of course with the film Cadillac Records, set in the 50s, about the beginning of Rock and Roll, but also with The Brothers Bloom, which looks like it trends towards the unique wardrobes, with men in great fedoras. I'm looking forward to a few good movie dates with Adrien (oh, and my hubby) this December!

Banana Bread...warming hearts and kitchens!

2008-10-30T19:08:00.000-07:00

The Happy Housewife knows time is tight and so are budgets. Here is a fun and tasty treat to throw together quickly from the most common of ingredients. This is really fun to have the little ones help with; what kid doesn't like to smash stuff!? Plus, on those sorta-cold days, the hour-long bake time really makes the kitchen a cozy spot.

Banana Bread

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees
1C Sugar
1/2 C softened real butter (1 stick)
2 eggs
2Tbs milk
1tsp baking soda
1/4tsp salt
2C flour
3 over-ripe bananas, mashed/squashed/smooshed to a goopy mess

Cream the sugar and butter together, then mix in the eggs and milk. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, and salt together. Combine the dry ingredients with the wet, mixing just until mostly combined. Add the squished bananas and mix it all together. If you would like to add 1/2C of chopped nuts, do it now.

Put in a loaf pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 1hour or until slightly cracked on the top and firm.
Top with butter, cream cheese, or go au natural!

Incorporating Vintage into everyday wardrobes

2008-10-27T12:52:00.000-07:00

For some wearing vintage is a personal choice, others may enjoy it as a collection of treasures to be showcased at home. Vintage clothing and accessories can be enjoyed every day, whether as an all out vintage outfit from head to toe, or just a few key pieces as an accompaniment to modern clothing. The classic styling will keep your look fashionable and trendy.

Professionals who have to wear business attire can choose from the sharp lined suits of the 40s or the 50s slim skirted dress and crop jacket suits. Men can utilize the classically tailored lines of the suits from the 50s and 60s.

For women’s casual attire, a novelty print skirt or vintage pin up sweater are sure to make heads turn. A men’s guayabera, knit shirt, or vintage Hawaiian shirt will put any modern mall-bought shirt to shame.
But what if you don’t want to wear your collection from head to toe?
Vintage beaded cardigans look great over a baby doll T with jeans or a pencil skirt, old or new. A vintage print or eyelet blouse can be worn with shorts for cool look in warm weather.
Guys can spice up their modern suits with a vintage tie or colorful dress shirt, or even a fedora. A vintage concert T looks great with jeans, vintage or new.
Vintage jewelry and accessories can spice up a modern wardrobe with an eccentric touch. A vintage 60s enamel brooch can add a splash of color to your coat lapels while costume jewelry can make even the simplest outfit fun and fancy!
Vintage purses and handbags are a great way to add anything from chic style to colorful whimsy to your daily wardrobe, plus they make a great conversation piece!
A colorfully patterned scarf can be worn as a neck tie or headband or scarf or a waist sash. Vintage platform shoes can add the spice of disco diva or kitten spikes can add sexy sophistication.
Whether head to toe or just as a finishing touch, vintage clothing and accessories can make your look complete.

The last bouquet of the season....

2008-10-25T15:36:00.000-07:00

It was a tough year to garden here in Missouri. We had more rain than I've ever seen over a summer season, which led to a lot of plant issues. Some didn't do well because of mildew, some just choked on the water logged soil, some just gave up with less than adequate sun.

I did manage to get out and scatter some seeds this spring, though, and have been rewarded with a better-late-than-never patch of cosmos and zinnias.

With the weather turning colder and colder, even those will be giving up within the next few nights, as frost is upon us. I've collected what will surely be the last bouquet of the season. I'll leave what is left for any stray butterflies, bees, and moths as they make their way to warmer weather or winter sleep. Time to put away the tools, drain the gas out of the mower, cover the breakable pots, bring in the ferns, and trade the lemonade cup for a mug of cocoa.

So, here it is...the last bouquet of the season

Hey Hatfeathers...where have you been?

2008-10-11T11:39:00.000-07:00

Wow, how time does fly these days!
I have been after myself to do a blog entry, and here I am, one month to the day of my last one and shocked that its gone so quickly.

So, where have I been? Well, sanding dry wall and painting for one! Hubby and a buddy got a flip house, a nice yet abused little ranch home to renovate and sell. My parents always seemed to be fixing up places when I was growing up, so I know how to patch a wall, so I've been helping out there. Hey, Mom, I'm using that BFA emphasis in painting afterall!

What else have I done? A little bit of gardening, of course!
I have a bit of OCD when it comes to the plant arts, and am happily in my second year of volunteering my Master Gardener hours towards the Magic City Line mini-train at our local park, Rothwell Park. I've been raiding the end-of-season bins for scraggly perrenials, who will gladly join our lovely park and reward my optomism heavily come spring.

I was fortunate enough, also, to be helped by real superheroes this fall, as well. The Superheros bike ride came through town, and were directed to our little all-volunteer community area. They helped me out by digging canna rhyzomes for the year and refreshing my mulch paths on the new maze bed I formed last year. Their spirit really fit in with the ideas I had behind creating the maze bed; volunteerism, community, and sharing have helped me build from a clay and weed nub to a glorious garden. Their volunteer hours were well appreciated after a long, tough summer for the gardens. Many hands made light work, especially for a job that would have taken little old me a full day to complete alone. Thank you, Superheroes, wherever you are!!
Here we are hard at work:
And a little goofing off after the work was done:

So, what else have I done? Why, add a whole slew of new goodies to the stock room, of course!
I have been hitting the streets hard lately, finding loads of new/old goodies to add to the website over the next few months....as soon as I regain the feeling in my arms, that is!

LL Cool J for Sears? Really!?

2008-09-11T07:26:00.000-07:00

I just saw a commercial for the new LL Cool J collection at Sears.
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/v_10153_12605_Clothing?sbf=Brand&sbv=LL+Cool+J

The line is marketed at kids-juniors, and it is some neat stuff, but my inner Mom alarm is going off. Has no one at Sears ever seen his videos? He doesn't curse, or call women "ho's", and I respect that, but he's not exactly clean either. The majority of his videos do have sexual overtones, booty shaking dancers, and, of course, his trademark shirtless ripped abs.

LL seems to have led a pretty clean life, I hope he keeps that up. This line will certainly put his name on the minds of kids, and they will be watching to see how he acts.

Feasting on....waves???

2008-09-07T10:26:00.000-07:00

Alton Brown, best known for his work on Good Eats and Iron Chef America, gives us another installment of his short series Feasting on Asphalt. This time, though, he ditches the motorcycle for watercraft, turning it to Feasting on Waves.
I loved the Asphalt series..parts 1 and 2, and am looking forward to seeing what A.B. comes up with in this nautical version.
It starts tonight on The Food Network!

In case you are ever in Orange...

2008-09-01T16:45:00.000-07:00

If you ever find yourself wandering through Orange, CA, keep wandering over to 111 North Olive street! You will find the newest (and no doubt hippest) vintage store, Elsewhere Vintage, run by my fellow Vintage Fashion Guild member, and downright groovy chick, Kristine!
She just celebrated her grand opening, and still has a list a mile long of "to do's", but she's up and running, and it will all fall neatly into place in no time.
Here's the proud owner on opening day. Best wishes to Elsewhere Vintage!!

A return to Tom & Jerry

2008-08-29T11:11:00.001-07:00

So my wee one is getting into more "big boy" cartoons, leaving behind the hallowed halls of Sesame Street and Blues Clues, so we've been hunting around for some good faves. Not being much into the new style animation of Sponge Bob and the like, we turned to some retro stuff...naturally! We've been enjoying some old Tom & Jerry cartoons on the Cartoon Network. Kiddo gets a kick out of the slapstick gags and Mom gets to hear some jumpin' beats from the occasional Big Band scores, like the one I've included here. There are a few episodes where Tom & Jerry live in some pretty posh atomic era pads, so, if you happen to catch a few of these fun old shorts, watch the background for some retro furniture, home styles and such.
It's classic in more ways than one!

Item of the week

2008-08-29T10:37:00.000-07:00

This dream of a dress is our featured item just because it is so delicious!
What girl wouldn't love to glide across the ballroom floor in this marshmellow dream? This Emma Domb gown features mesh chiffon over taffeta, with a bit of tulle for body. Simple? Yes! Paired with the right shoes, jewels, and classic hair and makeup, this is all it would take for a girl to steal the show. I think it would make a great less-than-traditional wedding dress.
Find it at http://www.HatfeathersVintage.com in the 50's department.

2008-08-29T10:32:00.000-07:00

As the days grow cooler, its time to consider dusting the cobwebs out of the oven and doing some cooking! This recipe for home baked ham is so simple, and so bountiful, that you’ll love making it frequently. I’m including a bonus recipe for the leftovers, and there will be leftovers. Do not fear the heft of the ham, it is a lot of meat, but there’s a good deal of bone in there (great for Fido when the dinner is done).
After you’ve filled plates and bellies, go back to the ham and start cutting it for leftovers. If you have oodles, separate some out into a couple of plastic storage containers to stow in the freezer. It thaws wonderfully and can be reheated for another day. The leftovers will stay fresh in the fridge for well over a week, if they last that long.

Sweet Home-Baked Ham
Choose a 10-15 pound Butt or Shank portion of ham from your grocer.
You will also need some brown sugar. I recommend pairing it with some potatoes for boiling or mashing, and some corn starch to make gravy with.

Set the ham, package and all, into the bottom of the (clean) sink.
Open the plastic packaging from the top, peeling it down like a banana skin, leaving the bottom for the ham to rest on in the sink. Rinse the ham well, tipping it up to rinse the bottom as well. Make sure to remove any plastic cap the butcher put in under the bone of the flat end.
While your ham drains, prepare your roasting pan. I like the enamel roasters with the raised ridge bottom, or the ridged top piece with holes for the fat to drip out. Pour a cup or two of clear water into the bottom of the pan if using the 2 pc model, just enough to come halfway up the ridges if using the single piece type. This will provide some steam to soften the meat, and a good base for gravy. Place your drained ham in the pan.
Use a sharp paring knife to cut diagonal lines in the ham, just the fatty layer, about 1/8” into the outside, all the way around, then turn the other way and do it again, creating a diamond pattern (no need for precision here).
Create a tent out of aluminum foil (you may have to crimp 2 pcs together) that will cover the pan and ham, and crimp tightly around the pan edge.
Put this grand concoction into a 250 degree oven and let it do its magic for 3-4 hours, depending on how big the ham is.

Pull the ham out of the oven and remove the tent. Bump the oven up to 350 degrees.
Use a fork and knife to pull off the diamond shaped fatty pieces. Put them into the foil tent for disposal (recycle, girls!). Once you have cleaned off the majority of the fatty chunks, you’re ready for sugaring! Using your hands, crumble and drizzle brown sugar all over the outside of the warm ham, tap it into place. Neatness is not required, or possible for that matter!

Put a meat thermometer into the ham, being careful to get into the center of the meat and not onto a bone, and put that ham back into the oven.
Bake it for about another hour, until the thermometer shows 140 degrees internal temperature. Remove it from the oven and let it rest a while before carving.
If you want to make gravy, use the drippings, separate the fat, and thicken with corn starch.
Slice the ham with an electric knife. Serve.

Ham Egg & Cheese Pie –leftovers deluxe!
This is great for brunch, dinner, breakfast, midnight snacks....whenever!
Gather ingredients into a big bowl, mix, and dump into a prepared pie shell.
Slice ham leftovers into cubes, about 1-1.5 cups will do
Add cheese cubes or shreds, a cup or so is plenty
Add a ½ cup or so of frozen carrots, corn, onions, green beans or whatever your family likes, or you have on hand
Mix in 3-4 beaten eggs
Stir it all up and pour into the pie shell
Top with torn up strips of canned crescent roll dough, if a little top crust is desired.

2008-07-31T17:03:00.000-07:00

There was an interesting article in the Washington Post recently about the Gardens of Versailles, and how the climate changes are taking their toll on the plant life there, some of it dating to the French Revolution.

My favorite point in this article is how they stopped using insecticides to kill off the bugs, instead letting the bugs grow fat and juicy. Guess what happened? The birds came back and ate the bugs! Isn't that amazing!? Nature has a way of taking care of itself, if us pesky humans would just let it be and stop screwing it up.

My garden has its fair share of buggy critters. I don't use anything to deter that, no matter what they nibble on. Sure I have aphids on a few things, but I also have lady bugs who love a good juicy aphid. I've got caterpillers galore, and yes, they turn a canna leaf into swiss cheese, but then they turn into a lovely butterfly. There are plenty of birds during the day, and in the evening the bats put on a show having their way with the mosquitos. If I sprayed insecticides, none of that would happen. It's worth the trade.

How do you know you're getting old?

2008-07-28T18:18:00.000-07:00

When a scene from one of your coming of age movies is used as inspiration for a JC Penney commercial.

Pass me my cane.

Item(s) of the week

2008-07-27T18:22:00.001-07:00

You might as well call these the misunderstood sequin tops.

This style is often attributed to the '70s. Being the glitzy disco era that it was, surely something of this amount of "sequinage" must be disco, right? Aha!! OK, I did have to double check this one with my felow vinties at the VFG, but it confirmed the suspicions. This style was all '80's...'85 to '86 to be exact. A few of the more mature VFGers even recalled seeing them in shop windows then! Being a newly minted teenager, I'm sure my mind was elsewhere then, or I would have noticed it myself.
Recently, this style has seen a come back, worn well with a tight top underneith and skinny fitted jeans, with the butterfly top off the shoulder in true slouch style.

Mall hair optional this time around.

Check them out on my site: http://www.hatfeathersvintage.com

Just couldn't be more proud.....

2008-07-16T11:09:00.000-07:00

If you watch the show America's Got Talent, you get to see the wide (and odd) array of entertainment talent in America..and some that, well, have the spirit but not the talent to back it up. Not the case with a bit of last night's show, for me at least. The Zooperstars were on, and made it to the Vegas callbacks!
Here's the bit of the show last night:

What's a Zooperstar? Well, they are a group of entertainers that utilize special suits made by my friends Signs & Shapes International. http://www.signsandshapes.com/ These suits, called Walkarounds, are really ingenious little creations, made in all sorts of nifty character shapes from something as generic as Uncle Sam to as recognizable as Lil' Red (go Huskers!) and Chester Cheetah. The operator wears a special blower belt that inflates the shape from inside. I spent a little time in a Chester Cheetah suit once, picking up a little extra cash at a Walmart grand opening, and I have to tell you, what the Zooperstars folks do in these suits is just amazing. I was doing well to wave at little kids and bounce around a bit. I was absolutely wiped out after a 4 hour stint of walking around and waving. I most certainly wasn't trying to do anything athletic!

So, hooray for the Zooperstars, and hooray for the designers, patternmakers, seamstresses and painters that do the work to bring these and other fun shapes to life at Signs & Shapes. After all, if you can't laugh at a big wobbly dude, then what point is there to life?

2008-07-12T13:41:00.000-07:00

OK, well, this looks interesting! You can't beat the cast, and hey, it's summer...why not?
http://www.drhorrible.com

Teaser from Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog on Vimeo.

Item of the week

2008-07-08T05:55:00.000-07:00

Vested Gentress had the whimsical print thing down pat, and this fun example is no exception.
The crisp white dress is covered with Morning Glory vines in blues and greens. How fun!
Dresses like this offer a fun alternative to the Tshirt and shorts routine, just pair with a pair of sandals and go.
Find this and more fun stuff at http://www.hatfeathersvintage.com

Retro to me, new to the kidlet...They Might Be Giants

2008-07-01T18:46:00.000-07:00

They Might Be Giants....but for my kid? You bet your bloomers!
My son (age 6) has a new obsession, and who would have thunk it!? It's They Might Be Giant's two DVDs "Here Come the ABCs" and "Here Come the 123s", a collection of witty, quirky, and (don't tell) a little bit educational video tidbits. We got hooked on it when Disney and Noggin started playing the video for "Zeroes" in between shows. I know neither of these discs is particularly new, but they're worth seeking out...and those of you without kids may not have seen this new venture, so here you go.
If I stop to think about it, it really does make sense, since TMBG was doing quirky, thought inducing music even back in the 90s when I was listening to them in college. It relays nicely to the kid scene, and gives Mom something fun to listen to with the wee one. I've posted three of their video tidbits above, so enjoy them with someone you think is nifty.

2008-05-27T07:12:00.000-07:00

Spring Thoughts

Spring has sprung here at the Hatfeathers studios...more like sprung a leak! This has been one of the wettest springs in recent memory, but, in between sprinkles there has been some planting going on. Being a Midwesterner, we have to choose wisely when planting. Our garden friends have to be tough enough for 100+ degree heat and dips down to below zero, rain in buckets and months without. We manage, though, and if you can, so should you.

In a recent newsletter from the National Gardening Association, I read this interesting tidbit:

"Researchers at the University of Virginia found that air pollution from power plants and automobiles is destroying flower fragrance and making it harder for bees to find flowers when foraging. The result is that bees visit fewer flowers and gather less nectar. Researchers found that scent molecules could travel up to 1200 meters in the 1800s. However, with pollution, today’s scent molecules travel only 200 meters. When the scent molecules bind with common pollutants, such as ozone, hydroxyl, and nitrate radicals, the flower’s aroma gets destroyed. The bees can’t find the flowers so they go hungry and the flowers don’t get pollinated. "

So what's a vintie gal to do? Why, plant some flowers! Easy grow "old school" flowers like daisies, coneflowers, bees balm (monarda), any type of mint, coreopsis and black eyed susan will give the bees and butterflies something to enjoy. You'll love it, too! The rewards of gardening are many; there is the physical aspect of getting out and moving, plus the beauty of the flowers in your yard. Also, a good sized flower bed cuts down on mowing time, reducing the polutants and cutting down on gas use!

Don't have a yard? How about looking for a local garden club that does public garden projects? Perhaps your local retirement or nursing home could use a hand brightening their landscaping. Does your apartment building allow window boxes, or is there a small green space that needs some work? Even a small herb garden can be grown in an old bucket. There's just no reason not to have plants around.

Hooray for flowers!

Item of the Week

2008-05-08T13:01:00.001-07:00

Vintage 60's "Big E" Levis Jeans

OK, they aren't the fanciest named-label dress, nor are they really that much different than the Levis jeans we could go to the mall and buy today, but I still love to find a pair of Big E jeans.
The Levis company has been around since the 1800s, originally just to produce sturdy jeans for minors to wear that wouldn't wear out fast. Little did Jacob Davis and Levi Strauss know, but people would be wearing jeans as their main clothing item-from fashionable dress to work attire- well over 150 years later.

One time, while considering the jeans industry in church (appologies to God for my wandering brain) I decided to count how many people were in jeans as compared to anything else, as they walked by at communion. I lost count, and it's not a big church.

So, this item of the week is featured not only as just a neat thing to find, but as a salute to the jean itself. Wardrobe staple and a favorite clothing item for anyone from New York fashionistas to midwestern moms to hard working blue collar folk.

See them this week only at auction on ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-60-s-Big-E-Levis-Denim-Jeans-501-Redline-42W_W0QQitemZ360050659896QQihZ023QQcategoryZ52401QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Item of the Week

2008-04-19T21:15:00.000-07:00

Sometimes a great print and great design come together for a fun little dress. This one is one of my faves, appealing to my inner artist AND my inner vintie!
It features a strutting peacock in a woodblock style print. The front looks like a fairly standard wiggle dress, but the back has a little added gathering of fabric, so you can shake your tailfeathers, too!
Find this nifty bit in our 50s section at http://www.hatfeathersvintage.com

The Green Girl

2008-04-19T20:34:00.000-07:00

Hatfeathers Vintage tries to operate as "green" as we can. While we realize no one person is going to save the world, we like to do our part. Our new blog section "The Green Girl" is our little place to share bits about how we do our best to be nice to the planet.

Our first topic...PLASTIC GROCERY BAGS!

Ok, we're as guilty as the rest. If you don't have a huge collection of these bags hanging on the wall or a doorknob somewhere, then you are amongst the minority. Yeah, they're great when you need to clean out the litter box, but who's cat goes THAT much?

I recently got 4 cloth bags at WalMart (I know, I have issues with them, too, but!) and absolutely love them! I can get a lot of stuff in them, and they hold their shape well. My stuff comes home in better shape than with the 10 or so plastic bags these 4 cloth bags have replaced. That's 10 bags every 4 or 5 days! Better yet, I am slowly regaining the wall to my laundry room; the home to my vast collection of plastic bags.

I've used them for other stuff, too, such as trips to the post office, gym, and our little one likes them for carrying sleep over stuff to Grandma's house.
There are loads of great bags out there for purchase, I've seen a lot on ebay, in stores like WalMart and Target, and through online retailers. Give them a try, help save the world one grocery trip at a time.

Here's a link to the Sierra Club's page on plastic bags http://www.sierraclub.org/bags/

Item of the Week

2008-04-05T10:09:00.000-07:00

Martha's "Strike and Spare" Bowling Shirt

This shirt is just one of those fun, novelty-type things that I enjoy finding.
The chocolate brown fabric is loaded with a unique, heavy chain stitched logo, plus the bowler's name at the front, "Martha".
It may not be the height of fashion, but I think it's a real hoot!

Find it and other nifty things at http://www.hatfeathersvintage.com

The Happy Housewife

2008-04-05T09:21:00.000-07:00

The Happy Housewife knows your family is on a budget....so why spend a lot on over-processed, packaged foods, when good, simple, and quick will do? This dish goes great with simple meals like burgers from the grill, or fancier meals like roasted chicken. This also travels well, so it's great for pot-luck dinners. Try this one with your family today!

Baked Rice
1 cup regular rice (the cheap by-the-bag stuff, not Minute Rice)
1 regular can chicken broth (or veggie broth)
1 small can of sliced mushrooms and their juice
About ½ Stick butter or margarine, sliced and dropped in by the chunk, use as much or little as you like

Put all the ingredients into a loaf pan or lidded casserole, cover with lid or aluminum foil. Bake at 300-350 for about an hour. Keep the lid on the whole time, don’t peek!
Picky kids? Leave out the shrooms, but add in more water, about 1/3 of the broth can will do the trick.

Item of the Week

2008-03-28T08:36:00.000-07:00

Spring may be warm, it may be chilly - hey, it will probably be both a few times in just one day! That makes spring the perfect time for a little pinup style sweater like our featured item this week.

Wear it with jeans or slacks, a full skirt or pencil skirt, wear it open like a jacket over a babydoll Tshirt, or closed over your favorite figure enhancing undergarments for that bombshell pinup gal look.

Bright colors are in this spring, so why not go retro while fitting in with the trends?

Find this and other wonderful vintage items at http://www.hatfeathersvintage.com/

Item of the Week

2008-03-18T09:15:00.000-07:00

It's rainy, chilly, and drab outside the studios of Hatfeathers Vintage, so the item of the week is one that reminds us of the approaching Spring season.

This wonderful vintage hat is a delightful shade of pink. Add in pink chiffon ruffles and pink velvet flowers, and you've got a hat that is simply wonderful.

The approaching Easter weekend is a perfect time to celebrate the lost art of hat wearing.

Find this and other wonderful hats at http://www.hatfeathersvintage.com

Just getting started...figuring out this blog thing!

2008-03-07T07:43:00.000-08:00

I'm new to this whole blogging thing, so this first post is just about feeling my way around. I'm hoping to start highlighting some of my best vintage pieces, available on my website. I will also be sharing interesting tidbits about vintage clothing and the eras it comes from, plus my random thoughts everyday things.