Vintage Inspiration Thursday

Love Etsy. Seriously, in a time when we are all taking our environmental duties more seriously, but corporate giants like Walmart are making everything in our lives so generic, Etsy is a sunny patch of lawn that I want to sit in all day.

Here are some of my favorite finds this week:

I've featured this dress before, but it deserves another nod. From TimesVixenVintage.

Killer vintage leather gloves; and only $14.50! From Prairie Antiques.

Pretty Art Nouveau brooch (could be your 'something blue'). From Purple Daisy Jewelry.

This fascinator isn't vintage (it's handmade) but it sure does look it! From Portobello.

Another handmade item! Who doesn't think this bow tie is rad? From MrEatCi9.

Fab cuff links. From U791688.

Back in the day, men wouldn't leave the house without a fedora (which has been usurped by the baseball hat...ugh). From Crafty Crow Vintage.

Old biscuit and tea tins make wonderful vases for flower arrangements. Look for ones from Holland~they have the prettiest patterns.

If you're planning a small get together, think about purchasing your dinnerware as opposed to renting it. Depression glass comes in gorgeous colors and patterns. Scour tag sales and flea markets for bulk lots, too.

I'm hanky-obsessed. Honestly, I have about 35 different uses for them rolling around in my head. They are great for napkins, wrapped around bouquets (have monogram sewn on the ones for yourself and bridesmaids), passed to female guests before the ceremony, tied around the ring pillow, etc. From Sunn Fox.

Be a rock star. Be kind to mother earth. Check out Etsy.

Kleinfelds Bridal Sample Sale!

I just received notice today of Kleinfelds annual sample sale! See details below.

(click image to enlarge)

If you don't live in the New York area, fret not my friends! There are other ways to get beautiful designer gowns for a fraction of the price! Consider it your environmental duty! Here are some of my favorite sources for pre-owned and sample gowns.

Bride Power in Newton, MA- this is where I bought my gorgeous Carolina Herrera gown. I saw the gown featured in Martha Stewart Weddings and fell to pieces over it. I searched high and low, to no avail. Brides from across the country were emailing the girl who wore the dress in the magazine to track one down! Alas, it was from 2004, and the fabric is no longer made. I looked on bridepower.com's website, and didn't see it. On a whim, I sent them an email, pleading with the girls there to keep their eyes out for this dress. An hour later, I received a response that they had the dress in stock, and that is the story of how I found my dress.

www.preownedweddingdresses.com Some are (as the name indicates) pre-worn, others are samples. It's fun to brows through the different gowns, even if you are skeptical about purchasing over the internet!

etsy- Look through their vintage gowns. There are some beauties! I recently featured one such dress that was selling for $350! And it was to die for!

If you are one of those girls who's looking for the princess experience, this isn't for you. If you're looking to save a boat load of money and be environmentally friendly, I strongly recommend you at least consider the a sample or pre-owned gown.

Here's a Little Peek!

Here's a look at Marika and Jamie's wedding from Stephanie Williams of Stephanie Williams Photography, Los Angeles, California. The setting for this stunning fete was The Darlington House in La Jolla, California.




It was important to the bride and groom to have an ecologically friendly wedding, so look forward to seeing the details in a full post tomorrow.

Thank you Stephanie for letting me share your beautiful work! Please check out Stephanie's blog to see more wedding, engagement and inspiration photos. And if you are a sucker for vintage ANYTHING like I am, take a peek at her vintage wedding photo shoots.

Vintage Wedding Dress! Oh My!

I wasn't going to post again today, but after coming across this FABULOUS vintage dress on Etsy, I had to. Look here to get an up close and personal look of this dress from seller BrassPaperclip. This awesome find can be yours for a cool $375! I'm not kidding!





The dress is perfection for a casual garden or beach wedding. Lovely!

Bride Power!

In many ways, I am not a typical bride. I agonize at the thought of being the center of attention, hate to give instructions to people and most of all, dread trying on dresses. The whole tradition is a bit nauseating to me. I decided to go the nontraditional and more affordable route of buying my dress on the internet. I knew the dress I wanted, a beautiful Carolina Herrera featured in Martha Stewart Weddings, Summer 2008 issue.

The spread, called "California Dreamy", was the sweetheart of all the wedding blogs for a few months. The organza gown looks like it has little polka dots printed onto it, but it is in fact little embroidered daisies.

I searched high and low, emailing and calling almost 30 bridal shops without luck. My heart was set on this dress, and the feeling of complete let down when I couldn't track it down was discouraging. Then one day, on a whim, I emailed a shop in Newton Massachusetts named Vows. Their website http://www.bridepower.com/ has loads of designer dresses for a fraction of the price. I noted several Carolina Herrera gowns, but not "The One". I sent them an email begging that if they were to ever come the dress to please let me know. Within the hour, April, one of the girls from the shop, sent me the good news that they had the dress in stock and near my size. Getting the dress altered down was not going to be a problem, so two checks. Then she gives me the price...$599! For a Carolina Herrera dress!

Now, a word of caution to prima donnas; the dresses Vows carries are samples from other stores. Be sure to ask the condition of the dress when you find one that you like. Vows dry cleans their gowns before shipping them out (free of charge), but some dresses may have minor imperfections that are mostly fixable.

My experience with Vows and http://www.bridepower.com/ was wonderful! The girls there are super friendly and helpful, and the prices are phenomenal! Check it out today!

Say What?! Big Day Look for Under $500!

We are all more thrifty these days. Tightening the purse strings doesn't mean you have to skimp on style. I found this head to toe ensemble for less than $480!

Jessica McClintock Clutch, $41 from Zappos; Pearl Necklace, $28 from Etsy; BCBG Silk Gown, $360 from Nordstrom; Chiffon Headband, $4.80 from Forever 21; Little Larsen Earrings, $28 from Anthropologie; RSVP Sandals, $14.80 from 6PM shoes.

I'm not kidding; those shoes are 14.80! So, if you find yourself thinking it's impossible to find an affordable wedding dress and accessories, look in stores and online sites that aren't primarily targeting brides.

Vintage Inspiration

Lately I have been obsessed with vintage couture dresses. Designers really knew how to make clothes look good on women in the mid-twentieth century. The attention to detail was far superior to what designers produce today. From hand beading to luxuroius fabrics, these examples are sure to impress!

Dress and Petticoat from Pierre Balmain, Paris. Circa 1950.

Jackie Kennedy's wedding gown designed by Ann Lowe.

Givenchy "Lily of the Valley" gown.

The Pierre Balmain dress is silk grosgrain with Swiss embroidery. Honestly, can't you picture this dress paired with a bird cage veil, white gloves, and a sweet pair of Mary Janes?

Jackie Kennedy's gown is legendary. I searched high and low for a replica, but alas, the dress is indeed one-of-a-kind, as well it should be. The designer, an African-American woman by the name of Ann Lowe, was designer to many families of historical significance, including the Roosevelts and Posts. Apparently, Jacki did not care for the dress, but I have to be honest; I love it. It evokes all of the girlie wedding feelings I keep bottled up.

The Givenchy "Lily of the Valley" (Les Muguets) gown is a work of art. Every little detail was done by hand. The dress is currently on tour in Europe and hopefully under the watchful eye of an armed guard, as my temptation to snag is increasing by the second. It is simply breathtaking!

Check out these gowns from The Frock.

This online store has a serious collection of vintage couture; everything from Dior to Lanvin!